Review: Some Short Ones For Shorter Works

Over the last week or so, I’ve been going through some of the shorter pieces of fiction on my kindle. Because these aren’t full on review books and since they are short stories I don’t have very much to say about them. But despite that, as I also try to do, I write some sort of a review. Here are a few of the things I’ve been reading lately. Enjoy 🙂

Title: In the Land of the Blind – A Zombie Story
Author: Robert Swartwood
Rating: 3/5 Stars

This was a zombie story, like the subtitle suggests. But it was an interesting take on the genre. The twist to the genre was a little confusing at first. This made me a little iffy on whether or not the story worked for me as a whole. Other elements of it worked well for me though, once I got past the reversal of the zombie label.

This short story was intriguing enough to make me want to know more about the world it was written in. What lead the world to be the way it is, etc.

I’d recommend this books to some people. Just remember to keep an open mind when beginning it. I was caught off-guard.

Title: Real Lies
Author: Liana Brooks
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Quick short story. Enjoyable. A little strange occurrence set into a “routine” day on the job. I’d read more adventures involving this MC.

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Title: Tuned In To Love
Author: Karen Jarabek
Rating: 4/5 Stars

This short story grew on me. I wasn’t too sure if I was in to it at first because it seemed to go off on a tangent for a small section. It would have been a welcomed tangent if this were a novel, though. I feel that it would allow for a little more character development…but it wasn’t a necessary addition to this as a shorter piece. The later half of the story drew me back in, and boosted my rating a bit for it.

It’s a good read, overall. Light, not taxing at all. Great for an afternoon of relaxing.

Title: Gilded Cage
Author: Alexandra Richland
Rating: 3/5 Stars

This was a good story. An enjoyable short read. I honestly wasn’t expecting some aspects of it and felt it was out of place for the beautifully written way it started out. I won’t tell what it was as to not spoil the story, but I feel it took away from it overall.

I wouldn’t not recommend this for someone to read. I just felt like it could have been handled a little differently. I’d pick up another story from Richland in the future.

Title: Olalla
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Rating: 4/5 Stars

I’ve never heard of this story before and randomly found the audiobook (great way to get reading done while walking the dog). I’m glad I found it. Another story from R.L.S. and this time with a little vampire action.

Title: The Polysyllabic Spree
Author: Nick Hornby
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Another great collection from Hornby. I need to get the second one of these three to read now 🙂

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Title: Taya Bayliss – Treasure Hunter
Author: E.J. Gore
Rating: 2/5 Stars

I knew this was a short story. It’s only 50 pages. But in those 50 pages almost nothing happens. The build-up is almost novel paced; it’s just that drawn out. Then the last two chapters is when something happens but it’s almost brushed over like nothing.

I think with some editing. I marked off enough errors that could have been caught with at least another read through. But also I think an editor could have suggested lengthening the story so that there was something worth reading and/or beefing up certain aspects so the characters actually became interesting (in the very least).

So, I was disappointed by this story. It’s the first in a series, not sure how this could lead to more stories. It seemed self contained enough to me.

Title: Shrek!
Author: William Steig
Rating: 3/5 Stars

I see that the movie took many liberties with this story. I enjoyed the movie(s) a lot. This book, not as much. There were good parts. I like that Shrek just went around doing what he wanted, but I think it could have done with a little more something. Even for a children’s story, I think it was lacking. Still, it’s somewhat worth checking out, if only to see where the idea for the movie came from.

Title: Beauty Dominates The Beast
Author: Hannah Hale
Rating: 2/5 Stars

It was starting out ok (still new to this whole erotica stuff), but then it just ends. I know the ending is implied but couldn’t there have been a few more pages to end it properly? A little disappointed in that.