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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 […]

2020-12-23T04:53:13+02:00November 23rd, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |
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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 […]

2020-11-05T09:58:32+02:00October 4th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |
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Kicked in the Head by a Horse by Ronnie Cassano

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, […]

2019-12-18T08:21:31+02:00December 18th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
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Shackles and More Gripping Tales by James Hanna

Shackles and More Gripping Tales by James HannaDigging 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,” […]

2019-11-04T07:15:55+02:00November 3rd, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
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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 20th 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 […]

2019-12-03T10:48:06+02:00October 29th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |
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Review: A Family Affair and Other Stories by Joseph E. Fleckenstein

A Family Affair and Other Stories by Joseph E. Fleckenstein

A Family Affair and Other Stories by Joseph Fleckenstein is an engaging collection of fictional and non-fictional stories that span the globe.

Many of these stories have been previously published in literary journals, which speaks to the quality of the writing throughout, which includes those that have not been published before. Written in bite-sized portions, with some stories only two pages long, this is a collection that you can breeze through quickly, in part because of the eclectic variety of Fleckenstein’s storytelling. The stories travel to Egypt, India, Germany, and more, acting as a kind of travel diary, as well […]

2019-09-16T08:54:26+02:00August 13th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |
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Review: Dolph the Unicorn Killer and Other Stories by Martin Lastrapes

Dolph the Unicorn Killer and Other Stories by Martin Lastrapes

For anyone tired of vampires that glitter and werewolves who are really just confused about their identity, Dolph the Unicorn Killer and Other Stories by Martin Lastrapes is right up your alley. This award-winning author has stepped away from his hit novels and into the realm of raucous short stories, and this is a collection of high-fantasy weirdos with a healthy dose of drugs, sex and rock ‘n’ roll tossed in for good measure.

Set in modern-day Las Vegas, this madcap stream of stories has everything that a horror fan would love, but certainly doesn’t miss a beat for fans […]

2019-06-19T16:41:13+02:00June 18th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , , |
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Review: Farewell to Follies by Xingu Fawcett

Farewell to Follies by Xingu Fawcett

Farewell to Follies establishes Xingu Fawcett as a formidable short story writer with a firm finger on the pulse of human nature, as well as the natural world.

These stories vary wildly in their subject matter, but the underlying themes are universal – wrestling with death, balancing nature and the city, exploring unknown places, and the long-term impact of trauma. With an artful, yet sensitive approach to these intense issues, the stories are both harrowing and heartwarming. Fawcett understands the dynamic nature of life, and effortlessly embodies characters from different times, social backgrounds and life paths.

What is immediately noticeable […]

2019-01-22T10:30:54+02:00November 20th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
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