Short Stories Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Who’s There? by Dimas Rio

Who's There? by Dimas Rio

Author Dimas Rio delivers a gut-twisting gathering of slow-burning horror in a new collection Who’s There? Taking readers into the traditions and mindset of Indonesia, these stories vary widely in their subject matter and characters, but they’re bound together through terror, skillful narration, and the collective fear of the unexplained.

Authors with a firm grasp on horror know how to imbue every page with creeping dread, coupled with the delicious instability of an untrustworthy narrator and the promise of a grim demise. The titular story is perhaps the strongest in the collection, but the others are also striking in their […]

Death Honk: Nine Tales of the Macabre by JP Mac

Death Honk: Nine Tales of the Macabre by JP Mac A dark and unpredictable collection of truly strange stories, Death Honk: Nine Tales of the Macabre by JP Mac is gritty and nerve-wracking, shifting from psychological terror to classic creepiness with ease.

From brief vignettes of paranormal scenes to longer stories that hit hard with shock value, there is no clear continuity in these tales aside from their grim and horrific style. “Mark of the Bruja” is one of the strongest stories, with visceral characters, a well-formed plot, and a unique cultural perspective on the supernatural that may be new to many readers. “Devil Reef” is another memorable piece, and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-12-28T05:13:04+02:00December 26th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Horror Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|

The Mob Zone by Joseph DeMatteo

The Mob Zone by Joseph DeMatteo A wise-guy wonderland of seedy deals, savage violence, and loyalty to the family, The Mob Zone by Joseph DeMatteo is a bold and entertaining collection of stories from the world of organized crime.

The three stories are unique in their own way, but fall in line with classic gangster narratives: untouchable tough guys with sharp comebacks and quick trigger fingers. These surprisingly complex, small-cast tales are driven by intense, multilayered dialogue – or other forms of communication, as in the case of the two mute assassins from “Driving in Silence,” one of the standouts in the collection. Perfectly polished for […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-12-08T07:13:50+02:00December 5th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Crime Fiction Book Reviews, Noir Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|

Review: The Knucklehead and Other Stories by Lance Ealey

The Knucklehead and Other Stories by Lance A. Ealey

Author Lance Ealey paints sincere portraits and tackles quiet struggles in The Knucklehead and Other Stories, an entertaining collection of memorable tales told with heart and humble grace. Deep lessons learned from unexpected places make these visceral vignettes worth a patient, savoring read.

The characters that populate these five short stories are snapshots of an America long past – grouchy and wolfish junkyard dealers, patient bartenders with open ears, mischievous young boys looking for adventure, and a general sense of down-home small-town safety, where outsiders are viewed with healthy suspicion. The wonder and curiosity of youth is something Ealey […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-12-23T04:53:13+02:00November 23rd, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Short Stories Book Reviews|

Review: The Curs of Curzon County by Thea Verdak

The Curs of Curzon County by Thea Verdak

Thea Verdak unleashes a swirling storm of a story in The Curs of Curzon County, a rapid-fire tale of acute dangers and chronic pain, growing up and leaving home, and all the obstacles along the way that can derail a young life. Richly layered with an original and unforgettable narrative voice, this gritty short story will leave your heart pounding.

All the crises and conditions of Lucretia’s young life distill themselves in this well-penned crucible; the ramshackle pound at the end of the airstrip is the closest thing she has to a home, yet it is also a source […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-11-05T09:58:32+02:00October 4th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|

Kicked in the Head by a Horse by Ronnie Cassano

Human history is peppered with periods of extreme darkness and abject evil, eras of injustice and cruelty that forced people to confront their own morality, and Ronnie Cassano taps into this grisly fodder for his new story collection, Kicked in the Head by a Horse.

These stories criss-cross the globe and leap between centuries, tied together by simmering conflict and characters exposed to crises of faith and times of trouble. From a foreigner battling his way through the brutal violence of Scandinavian culture to a beloved regular drinking away his sorrows and poverty, this is not a hopeful collection, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-12-18T08:21:31+02:00December 18th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Short Stories Book Reviews|

Shackles and More Gripping Tales by James Hanna

Shackles and More Gripping Tales by James Hanna Digging into the intimacies of life, with an authentic and striking voice, author James Hanna has curated an excellent collection of tightly edited stories in Shackles and More Gripping Tales. Cutting into the heart of the American experience, ranging from teenage angst to the pain of losing those you have loved, these stories swing from heart-wrenching to inspiring, demonstrating his great flexibility and empathy as a writer.

Set in different times and places, this collection moves at a quick pace, and each story is distinctly separate. Some stories tackle social issues from a more philosophical angle, such as “USA,” […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-11-04T07:15:55+02:00November 3rd, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Short Stories Book Reviews|

Review: Holding On: Stories of Furnass by Richard Snodgrass

Holding On by Richard Snodgrass

Brimming with rustic energy and written in an authentically American voice, Holding On by Richard Snodgrass is a surprising collection of stories that capture the rise and imminent fall of Furnass, a small American town like so many others.

In the industrial boom of the 20^th century, mill towns were enjoying their heyday, driving the great machine of the nation forward. Given the perspective of time, however, modern readers know that this would be a temporary golden age, one still gasping out its death rattles to this day. Within this framework of transient prosperity and bold hope for the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-12-03T10:48:06+02:00October 29th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Literary Fiction Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|