Wealth Exposed: This Short Argument I Overheard Made Me A Fortune… Can It Do The Same For You? by M.J. DeMarco

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s a great short story.

Wealth Exposed has an excellent book cover, title, and subtitle. The fictional story was impressive, and the bonuses were so good that it made me realize I have to revisit one of his previous books that I’ve read (Unscripted). I recommend this short story and would reread it. I highlighted a bunch of texts as I read through it.

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Bilingual book in English/Spanish for Intermediate Learners: A Thrilling Crime Mystery (The Dark Series) by Ariel Sanders

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A good short story combined with language learning.

The idea of combining two languages for learning while reading is great. I honestly believe that this boosted my score of this book from four to five stars, as it gives this short story added readability. For those wondering, it’s only seven chapters long. The Spanish translation and glossaries make me want to reread it.

I recommend this book in either eBook or paperback format, as both are excellent for reference when learning Spanish. The beauty of this book truly revealed itself after reading it in English.

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Grace Under Fire: Story 21 in the Tales of Suspense Series by Jerry Jamison

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An expertly written psychological thriller.

The elements of mystery, combined with a high level of suspense, had me captivated. I cannot wait to read more stories by Jerry Jamison. The book cover is excellent, the characters were realistic, and I enjoyed reading the story from Grace’s POV. The pace is a little slow in the beginning, but it picks up quickly. The book length is perfect, and I truly enjoyed this short story.

I highly recommend it! Grace Under Fire is a perfect way to counter a reading slump or to try something new. The formatting wasn’t perfect, but it was only in a few spots, and Jerry Jamison can easily fix it with another read through.

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The Crescent Scar: A Dark Tale of Detectives and Deadly Games by J.T. Ravenwood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A mystery thriller.

The writing is solid, and the story is edited. I enjoyed it and would label this short story as a thriller. The chapter names add another allure to this novella, but it would benefit from giving the characters backstories. For example, more character development would have helped me connect better with the Lieutenant and Carver’s sister, Mia.

The action scenes were crafted well and weren’t rushed. I prefer reading stories without cursing and blaspheming, and while it wasn’t overdone, I saw enough of it where I noticed it bothered me. My reading engagement was high throughout the story. I recommend it and would re-read this story. Hopefully, this will turn out to be a series, chiefly with the conclusion of this story.

The book cover caught my eye; it’s excellent.

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To Build a Fire by Jack London

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Frightening.

You wouldn’t expect a short story thriller about man versus nature to be scary, yet Jack London implemented the fear factor perfectly. I’m impressed with the vivid descriptions and imagery that Jack London could show in this tale. It felt like I was in the Yukon with the man and wolf-dog. Expertly written and memorable. I feel inspired!

I highly recommend To Build a Fire and would re-read it. My reading engagement was high throughout the story, and I’m shocked I didn’t read this sooner. The foreshadowing is superb. I am interested in reading more novels by Jack London.

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The Gift by Freida McFadden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great read.

Pros:

1. It’s short.
2. It’s edited.
3. It’s skillfully written.
4. There is character development.
5. I enjoyed the twists.
6. I can understand Stella’s motives.
7. Realistic.

Cons:

1. Blaspheming.

I enjoyed this short a lot. The only downfall of this book is the blaspheming. I didn’t enjoy seeing this in the story, and I wish Freida McFadden would have censored it. I disliked Freida’s use of Jesus Christ’s name as a curse word, especially in this Christmas story. Therefore, I gave this story four stars instead of five.

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Little Red: The Third Story in the Happily Ever After Series by K.G. Sander

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a remake of a classic.

Pros:

1. The book cover is fantastic.
2. The storyline is original and spectacular.
3. My reading engagement was high throughout this book.
4. I enjoyed the poems.
5. K.G. Sander is an excellent writer.
6. It’s short.
7. I would re-read this.

Cons:

1. I noticed a few typos.

I enjoyed this short story and recommend it to horror and dark fantasy fans.

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The Legend of Whispering Pines Inn: A Ghostly Thriller Short Story by Dita Dow

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I enjoyed it.

Pros:

1. It’s short.
2. Dita Dow is an exceptional writer.
3. My reading engagement was high.
4. I would re-read this.
5. It’s a clean read.

Cons:

1. The ending left more to be desired.

Another stellar work by Dita Dow. I just wish it was it was novelette length.

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Ushers: A Short Story by Joe Hill

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It’s a good read.

Pros:

1. A wild ending.
2. The book cover is noticeable.
3. It’s a short story.
4. The writing is solid.
5. I would re-read it.
6. My reading engagement was high.
7. There is one laugh-out-loud moment.

Cons:

1. I noticed minor editing errors.
2. A little profanity and blaspheming, but not enough to hamper my reading experience.

I enjoyed this book.

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Carnival of the Dead: Two Paths, One Nightmare: Dual Ending Horror Short Story by Dita Dow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Excellent.

Pros:

1. Unexpected ending and twists.
2. Dita Dow is a fabulous writer.
3. It’s a short story.
4. Dita Dow edited this book.
5. Despite being a short story, I was content with it.

Cons:

1. None that I can think of.

Dita Dow did a fantastic job with this book. I highly recommend it if you’re into short stories and twists.

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Lavender by Eric Williford

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Lavender could have been better.

Pros:
1. It’s short.
2. The psychological horror is present.
3. Clean.
4. The book cover caught my attention.
5. I like how the blurb is short and sweet.
6. I enjoyed Lavender and would re-read it.
7. This story required me to go back to learn more about the main character at the end of the book.

Cons:
1. Lavender would have benefited from being longer. Eric Williford should rewrite this into a novelette or novella, but it can still be a standalone. Even then, novelettes and novellas are still considered short stories.
2. While the word “lavender” was often in italics in this book (because the main character was thinking of it), it sometimes did not have a period after it.
3. The ending was fake to me. This ties in with the main character’s run-in with the cashier.
4. This story would benefit from more character development.
5. The setting of Lavender should be crafted more.
6. I can’t help but want more from this story.

This horror tale can be improved.



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The Cat from Hell by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fantastic short horror story featuring a cat.

Pros:
1. Creepy.
2. Original.
3. Shocking.
4. Well written.
5. Great storyline.
6. It’s a quick read.
7. Vivid descriptions.
8. I would re-read this story.
9. It’s a prior work made by Stephen King.
10. Cats, like rats, fit the horror genre well.

Cons:
1. I wish there was a sequel. This horror tale reminded me of Macabre Cats by E.P. King.
2. The book cover could be better.



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