jsilber42's review
4.0
Disclosure: I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
J.R. Hamantaschen writes horror fiction, and he comes up with some very interesting ideas involving the supernatural (ghosts, monsters, and other beings), the maybe-natural (aliens, sexually-induced rage-plagues), and the sadly natural (human murderers, bullying). Where his writing really stands out, though, is how he gets inside the heads of his characters. Stephen King does this as well, but Hamantaschen's characters in some ways are more realistic, neurotic, more awkward, less polished. They truly sound like real people, and you may occasionally grimace to see some of your own flaws reflected in them. If King often writes idealized "everyman" characters, then Hamantaschen often writes everyman characters that reflect, say, how you felt in high school. Self-conscious, full of doubt, not as clever or witty as you wished you were.
Most of the stories in the delightfully titled "A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe" take their time. Often, the "horror" aspect comes late in the story. One of my favorite stories in the collection, "Bleecker and Bleaker; or, Gay for Muesli" (Mr. Hamantaschen likes his unusual titles, yes he does) is a straight-up friendship story for about 80-85% of its length; the horror aspects only come in toward the end, and then only in an oblique, never-fully-explained way. And yet, the story is delightful and page-turning and heart-breaking. "No One Cares But I Tried" starts as an awkward office drama before gradually taking a turn into horror. "Story Title Revealed About Halfway Through" completely changes protagonists and genres at the halfway point. "Faithfully and Lovingly" starts as a relationship drama that suddenly and shockingly shifts into an entirely different type of story (but also not different at all, if you are paying close attention) partway through. "I Will Soon Be Home and Never Need Anyone Again" is a full novella and spends plenty of time setting up the situation of the main character before the plot kicks in.
Other stories are more straightforward and shorter: "7099 Brecksville Road, Independence, Ohio" is weird horror from the get-go, in classic Stephen King short story fashion, and "A Gob of Minty Spit in the Sink" begins with the death of the main character and ends with a clever trick in about 7 or 8 pages.
My main criticism of the collection is that many of the stories could stand some more editing and trimming. In some cases, the writing could use more polishing (the awkwardness adds to realism in places, but sometimes makes it seem like we're reading an early draft). In others, some of the character introspection gets a bit repetitive. While the length of some of the stories adds to their quality ("Bleecker and Bleaker", for instance), others simply drag it out ("No One Cares But I Tried") and risk losing the reader's interest. "I Will Soon Be Home..." works fine as a novella, but it would, I think, be even stronger with some judicious cuts.
That said, I think this collection works well for the patient horror fan.
J.R. Hamantaschen writes horror fiction, and he comes up with some very interesting ideas involving the supernatural (ghosts, monsters, and other beings), the maybe-natural (aliens, sexually-induced rage-plagues), and the sadly natural (human murderers, bullying). Where his writing really stands out, though, is how he gets inside the heads of his characters. Stephen King does this as well, but Hamantaschen's characters in some ways are more realistic, neurotic, more awkward, less polished. They truly sound like real people, and you may occasionally grimace to see some of your own flaws reflected in them. If King often writes idealized "everyman" characters, then Hamantaschen often writes everyman characters that reflect, say, how you felt in high school. Self-conscious, full of doubt, not as clever or witty as you wished you were.
Most of the stories in the delightfully titled "A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe" take their time. Often, the "horror" aspect comes late in the story. One of my favorite stories in the collection, "Bleecker and Bleaker; or, Gay for Muesli" (Mr. Hamantaschen likes his unusual titles, yes he does) is a straight-up friendship story for about 80-85% of its length; the horror aspects only come in toward the end, and then only in an oblique, never-fully-explained way. And yet, the story is delightful and page-turning and heart-breaking. "No One Cares But I Tried" starts as an awkward office drama before gradually taking a turn into horror. "Story Title Revealed About Halfway Through" completely changes protagonists and genres at the halfway point. "Faithfully and Lovingly" starts as a relationship drama that suddenly and shockingly shifts into an entirely different type of story (but also not different at all, if you are paying close attention) partway through. "I Will Soon Be Home and Never Need Anyone Again" is a full novella and spends plenty of time setting up the situation of the main character before the plot kicks in.
Other stories are more straightforward and shorter: "7099 Brecksville Road, Independence, Ohio" is weird horror from the get-go, in classic Stephen King short story fashion, and "A Gob of Minty Spit in the Sink" begins with the death of the main character and ends with a clever trick in about 7 or 8 pages.
My main criticism of the collection is that many of the stories could stand some more editing and trimming. In some cases, the writing could use more polishing (the awkwardness adds to realism in places, but sometimes makes it seem like we're reading an early draft). In others, some of the character introspection gets a bit repetitive. While the length of some of the stories adds to their quality ("Bleecker and Bleaker", for instance), others simply drag it out ("No One Cares But I Tried") and risk losing the reader's interest. "I Will Soon Be Home..." works fine as a novella, but it would, I think, be even stronger with some judicious cuts.
That said, I think this collection works well for the patient horror fan.
wpsmith17's review
5.0
4.5 to 5 stars.
This took me a while to read, but not because I was ever bored. I just felt that there was a lot to unpack. These are involved, subtle stories about natural characters encountering the sublime, the awe-inspiring... the horrific. You've met these characters (Hell, you might have even acted like them at a certain point in your life), so when the anvil drops, so does your stomach. Just a really well-done collection that reminded me flavors of John Langan for the depth of feeling and Stephen Graham Jones for natural dialogue and cosmic weirdness.
This took me a while to read, but not because I was ever bored. I just felt that there was a lot to unpack. These are involved, subtle stories about natural characters encountering the sublime, the awe-inspiring... the horrific. You've met these characters (Hell, you might have even acted like them at a certain point in your life), so when the anvil drops, so does your stomach. Just a really well-done collection that reminded me flavors of John Langan for the depth of feeling and Stephen Graham Jones for natural dialogue and cosmic weirdness.
the_bookubus's review
4.0
Hamantaschen has a talent for weaving the unsettling into the everyday. Each story felt like it was set in our familiar world yet the things that happen are anything but. I haven't read anything quite like this collection of psychological horror - some stories are bleak, some are humorous, some downright weird, and there's a sense of dread throughout. Looking back on the collection I can't pick any favourites because I genuinely enjoyed them all and they work really well together as certain elements crop up in more than one story.
Thank you to J.R. for sending me a copy to review!
Thank you to J.R. for sending me a copy to review!
dark_reader's review
5.0
Phenomenal. Where has this writer been hiding? Oh, behind impenetrable cover art and mouthful titles, depending on the indie horror and weird fiction underground for recognition and circulation. Someone, please shine a limelight on this fellow!
Full disclosure: the author contacted me on Goodreads and offered his book for free. The transfer-of-document didn't work, likely because I am a Luddite, but I looked at the 'Look Inside' preview on Amazon and wouldn't you know it, his copyright page was sufficient to convince me to buy it. Did you catch that? The copyright page alone is strong enough to drive sales. I think my reviews are always honest regardless of the source.
So. Here's the skinny on J.R. Hamatansasetchen or whatever his name is: he has a voice. It's unique, refreshing, honest, and often discomforting. I simply love how his characters think. I have very similar feeling about [a:Haruki Murakami|3354|Haruki Murakami|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1615497402p2/3354.jpg]'s books (in translation); something about how his characters think and express themselves endlessly fascinates me. Hemantoskeletor's characters, at least in this collection, are typically young adults or teenagers (yes, those are actually two separate things), and without resembling each other at all, they often display personas full of self-doubt, insecure self-analysis, shaky confidence, and recognition of emotion and interpersonal manipulation that, clearly, is very hard for me to describe. Just go read some of his stories, okay?
These stories address many aspects of everyday life, including family, romantic relationships, friendship, depression, coming home to find a demon in your kitchen, sex, bullying, pooping in public restrooms, finding your place in the modern world, suicidal ideation, all that stuff. They are light on horror, or at least delayed in introducing anything out of the ordinary, and when it does hit it's nicely subtle. One story is about a pair of teenagers in love, planning to lose their virginity together, and it's very sweet and conscientious and you're very proud of how smart and mature they're being about it and oh by the way for the last twenty years a small percentage of men become instantly homicidal upon having penis-in-vagina sex but don't worry. The internal lives of the main characters are unfiltered, and many stories made me very uncomfortable when they caused me to reflect on parts of my own life.
Isn't that what a great story should do? Make you feel uncomfortable examining your own life?
The stories don't even need horror or weird elements to carry them. They're strong enough even before you get to those parts.
The longest stories in this collection are the best, I thought, and so I will join the chorus of whiners about the lack of longer-form fiction coming to us from this fellow, who said in this book that he was working on this, but he's a liar so I will just have to keep reading his newer and older short story collections until it maybe happens.
Full disclosure: the author contacted me on Goodreads and offered his book for free. The transfer-of-document didn't work, likely because I am a Luddite, but I looked at the 'Look Inside' preview on Amazon and wouldn't you know it, his copyright page was sufficient to convince me to buy it. Did you catch that? The copyright page alone is strong enough to drive sales. I think my reviews are always honest regardless of the source.
So. Here's the skinny on J.R. Hamatansasetchen or whatever his name is: he has a voice. It's unique, refreshing, honest, and often discomforting. I simply love how his characters think. I have very similar feeling about [a:Haruki Murakami|3354|Haruki Murakami|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1615497402p2/3354.jpg]'s books (in translation); something about how his characters think and express themselves endlessly fascinates me. Hemantoskeletor's characters, at least in this collection, are typically young adults or teenagers (yes, those are actually two separate things), and without resembling each other at all, they often display personas full of self-doubt, insecure self-analysis, shaky confidence, and recognition of emotion and interpersonal manipulation that, clearly, is very hard for me to describe. Just go read some of his stories, okay?
These stories address many aspects of everyday life, including family, romantic relationships, friendship, depression, coming home to find a demon in your kitchen, sex, bullying, pooping in public restrooms, finding your place in the modern world, suicidal ideation, all that stuff. They are light on horror, or at least delayed in introducing anything out of the ordinary, and when it does hit it's nicely subtle. One story is about a pair of teenagers in love, planning to lose their virginity together, and it's very sweet and conscientious and you're very proud of how smart and mature they're being about it and oh by the way for the last twenty years a small percentage of men become instantly homicidal upon having penis-in-vagina sex but don't worry. The internal lives of the main characters are unfiltered, and many stories made me very uncomfortable when they caused me to reflect on parts of my own life.
Isn't that what a great story should do? Make you feel uncomfortable examining your own life?
The stories don't even need horror or weird elements to carry them. They're strong enough even before you get to those parts.
The longest stories in this collection are the best, I thought, and so I will join the chorus of whiners about the lack of longer-form fiction coming to us from this fellow, who said in this book that he was working on this, but he's a liar so I will just have to keep reading his newer and older short story collections until it maybe happens.
maja_lk's review
4.0
This really is an incredibly odd book, but I mean that in the best way possible!
‘A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe’ contains 11 different short stories all oozing with the feeling of unease and fascination all throughout my read. It was not very often the case that I could predict what was to come or how the stories would end, and the endings could definitely leave me with a feeling of bleakness and puzzlement, which I personally love in the sense that it challenges the reader the more and forces you to conjure up its continuation if you wish a la the series Black Mirror.
The novel also starts out strongly with its haunting first story, “Rococo Veins and Lurid Stains”. Like most of the stories, it is very unique and riveting, and it delves down into surreal territory really quickly.
Since it is a short story collection, it would be the wisest not to write anything about the different plots, but come to think about it, most of the stories are actually kind of difficult to explain anyway, and really, only telling people about the plot wouldn’t make the book justice. They really are stories that you just have to experience by yourself for the first time since the biggest selling point really is the writing.
Hamantaschen is very good at making the most surreal and strange events in the stories even stranger when writing said events almost casually some times. I think that’s partially the reason why I also found this book to be almost charming if you can even say that.
The only con in this book I felt was the way a handful of the stories at times would drag and maybe overstayed their welcome in terms of length instead of being short and sweet. After a long build up, I also found some of the pay offs to be very sudden and/or lackluster.
That is a relatively minor downside, and again, it is definitely not the case in each of the 11 great stories. ‘A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe’ is still a highly recommended short story novel which is sure to give you a healthy dose of surreal horror (which is more important than you’d think!)
In my case, this felt like a very refreshing step back from your conventional stories, and I’m very intrigued to explore more of this author’s work!
‘A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe’ contains 11 different short stories all oozing with the feeling of unease and fascination all throughout my read. It was not very often the case that I could predict what was to come or how the stories would end, and the endings could definitely leave me with a feeling of bleakness and puzzlement, which I personally love in the sense that it challenges the reader the more and forces you to conjure up its continuation if you wish a la the series Black Mirror.
The novel also starts out strongly with its haunting first story, “Rococo Veins and Lurid Stains”. Like most of the stories, it is very unique and riveting, and it delves down into surreal territory really quickly.
Since it is a short story collection, it would be the wisest not to write anything about the different plots, but come to think about it, most of the stories are actually kind of difficult to explain anyway, and really, only telling people about the plot wouldn’t make the book justice. They really are stories that you just have to experience by yourself for the first time since the biggest selling point really is the writing.
Hamantaschen is very good at making the most surreal and strange events in the stories even stranger when writing said events almost casually some times. I think that’s partially the reason why I also found this book to be almost charming if you can even say that.
The only con in this book I felt was the way a handful of the stories at times would drag and maybe overstayed their welcome in terms of length instead of being short and sweet. After a long build up, I also found some of the pay offs to be very sudden and/or lackluster.
That is a relatively minor downside, and again, it is definitely not the case in each of the 11 great stories. ‘A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe’ is still a highly recommended short story novel which is sure to give you a healthy dose of surreal horror (which is more important than you’d think!)
In my case, this felt like a very refreshing step back from your conventional stories, and I’m very intrigued to explore more of this author’s work!
jdhacker's review
5.0
To say J.R.'s third collection does not disappoint would be an understatement. Both the individual stories and the overall collection are longer than previous publications, as the author has stated he is moving towards longer form work. Someday they may even approach the length of his trademark story and collection titles!
What really stands out here is the interweaving of the horror of the everyday and 'mundane' with the supernatural horror and violence one might be expecting from the genre. Whether is the helplessness felt when facing a boss that has it out for you, the bleakness of facing a life alone with no fault or explanation for mistakes made, or the terror of facing day in and out abuse at the hands of childhood bullies, J.R. grounds his stories by connecting these easily identified with experiences of fear and powerlessness with the macabre, surreal, and transcendent.
There is something for every type of horror fan here, and really demonstrates J.R.'s range. 'No One Cares, But I Try' gives a taste of science fiction-horror, perhaps in the vein of Scanners. 'Upon a Path Suddenly Irradiated at Some Halfway Point by Daybeams as Rich as Hers' is probably my favourite, and I feel is the most personal horror, with the elements of genre being an impetus for action, but ultimately having little impact on the characters themselves or the outcome. 'Bleecker and Bleaker: or Gay, for Muesli' (besides having a clever play on words in the title) comes in a close second for me, and though significantly more playful in tone, is similar in that the elements of horror play a minor note in the story. 'Story Title Revealed About Halfway Through...' presents some straight up slasher/sociopath gore. '7099 Brecksville Road, Independence, Ohio' and 'A Gob of Minty Spit in the Sink' give the reader a more tongue-in-cheek approach to horror, and I think readers who may have been exposed to J.R. through stories like the one in 16-bit Terror will really appreciate these.
J.R.'s endings are always particularly strong, and though I would not characterize them as 'twist' endings, I would say they pack a particularly strong emotional punch. In this shorter form work, they sometimes almost seem to lack a denouement at all, but that doesn't detract from their impact. It does help firmly place much of this work in the realm of 'weird fiction', where the reader is frequently left without not only explanation or reason for the events we have just witnessed, but even sometimes left without a true understanding of the outcome.
This, and J.R.'s other work, belong in the library of any fan of modern horror, the 'new weird', and so-called 'bizarro' fiction, though his genre and content spanning work here seems to more closely reseemble Matheson's range.
What really stands out here is the interweaving of the horror of the everyday and 'mundane' with the supernatural horror and violence one might be expecting from the genre. Whether is the helplessness felt when facing a boss that has it out for you, the bleakness of facing a life alone with no fault or explanation for mistakes made, or the terror of facing day in and out abuse at the hands of childhood bullies, J.R. grounds his stories by connecting these easily identified with experiences of fear and powerlessness with the macabre, surreal, and transcendent.
There is something for every type of horror fan here, and really demonstrates J.R.'s range. 'No One Cares, But I Try' gives a taste of science fiction-horror, perhaps in the vein of Scanners. 'Upon a Path Suddenly Irradiated at Some Halfway Point by Daybeams as Rich as Hers' is probably my favourite, and I feel is the most personal horror, with the elements of genre being an impetus for action, but ultimately having little impact on the characters themselves or the outcome. 'Bleecker and Bleaker: or Gay, for Muesli' (besides having a clever play on words in the title) comes in a close second for me, and though significantly more playful in tone, is similar in that the elements of horror play a minor note in the story. 'Story Title Revealed About Halfway Through...' presents some straight up slasher/sociopath gore. '7099 Brecksville Road, Independence, Ohio' and 'A Gob of Minty Spit in the Sink' give the reader a more tongue-in-cheek approach to horror, and I think readers who may have been exposed to J.R. through stories like the one in 16-bit Terror will really appreciate these.
J.R.'s endings are always particularly strong, and though I would not characterize them as 'twist' endings, I would say they pack a particularly strong emotional punch. In this shorter form work, they sometimes almost seem to lack a denouement at all, but that doesn't detract from their impact. It does help firmly place much of this work in the realm of 'weird fiction', where the reader is frequently left without not only explanation or reason for the events we have just witnessed, but even sometimes left without a true understanding of the outcome.
This, and J.R.'s other work, belong in the library of any fan of modern horror, the 'new weird', and so-called 'bizarro' fiction, though his genre and content spanning work here seems to more closely reseemble Matheson's range.
charshorrorcorner's review
4.0
4.5/5 stars!
The work of J.R. Hamantaschen has been on my radar for years now, beginning with YOU SHALL NEVER KNOW SECURITY. A DEEP HORROR THAT WAS VERY NEARLY AWE is another short story collection from this author and this is his best yet!
It's easy to see how his work has matured in the depth of these tales and in the range which they cover. We have everything here from mental illness to strange, unknown things in a men's room stall, dissolved marriages and bullied teenagers.
Of all the stories here though, 7099 BRECKSVILLE ROAD, INDEPENDENCE, OHIO was my absolute favorite. Creepy and atmospheric, it was not what I've come to expect from this author at all. I love to be surprised, don't you?
I'm not going to get into each story, (there are eleven of them, total), but I will say that none of them are like the next-they're each stand alone creations. They often have strange titles, which I enjoy, for example one title was: STORY TITLE REVEALED ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH.
This author is quirky. I like that! I never fail to read the blurbs he has listed in the front of the book, because they're never all legit. He'll slip things in there that are funny to discover and they also make me laugh. Even the copyright page has a little bonus.
The only criticism I have, and it's a small one, is that a few of these stories verge on the title of novella, rather than short story. As I said, it's a small beef. That's all I got!
A DEEP HORROR THAT WAS VERY NEARLY AWE was dark, soul crushing, beautiful, funny and intriguing all at once. J.R. Hamantaschen always delivers-just maybe not quite in the way you expect. The variety on display here shows how diverse he can be and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
Highly recommended!
You can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2AugTvI
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
**A special thanks to Goodreads for deleting all of my reading updates on this book. All my story notes *poofed* away which I did NOT find helpful.**
The work of J.R. Hamantaschen has been on my radar for years now, beginning with YOU SHALL NEVER KNOW SECURITY. A DEEP HORROR THAT WAS VERY NEARLY AWE is another short story collection from this author and this is his best yet!
It's easy to see how his work has matured in the depth of these tales and in the range which they cover. We have everything here from mental illness to strange, unknown things in a men's room stall, dissolved marriages and bullied teenagers.
Of all the stories here though, 7099 BRECKSVILLE ROAD, INDEPENDENCE, OHIO was my absolute favorite. Creepy and atmospheric, it was not what I've come to expect from this author at all. I love to be surprised, don't you?
I'm not going to get into each story, (there are eleven of them, total), but I will say that none of them are like the next-they're each stand alone creations. They often have strange titles, which I enjoy, for example one title was: STORY TITLE REVEALED ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH.
This author is quirky. I like that! I never fail to read the blurbs he has listed in the front of the book, because they're never all legit. He'll slip things in there that are funny to discover and they also make me laugh. Even the copyright page has a little bonus.
The only criticism I have, and it's a small one, is that a few of these stories verge on the title of novella, rather than short story. As I said, it's a small beef. That's all I got!
A DEEP HORROR THAT WAS VERY NEARLY AWE was dark, soul crushing, beautiful, funny and intriguing all at once. J.R. Hamantaschen always delivers-just maybe not quite in the way you expect. The variety on display here shows how diverse he can be and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
Highly recommended!
You can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2AugTvI
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
**A special thanks to Goodreads for deleting all of my reading updates on this book. All my story notes *poofed* away which I did NOT find helpful.**
0hfortheloveofbooks's review
4.0
A Deep Horror That Was Very Nearly Awe. With a title like that (and that crazy cover art and those strange story titles) I was curious to see what it contained. I was worried it might be pretentious. Spoiler alert, it was not pretentious. It was pretty darn great! J. R. Hamantaschen captured a lot of emotions in these stories and he did that with a certain grace and subtlety I haven't seen very often. The stories were the right blend of quirky and funny, bloody and horrifying. Hamantaschen writes teens so we'll, I'd put his teens right up there with King's kids. He perfectly illustrates the teenage angst, the nervousness around a crush, the silly, I-know-everything mentality. But these immature emotions and thoughts are juxtaposed with a truly mature writing which ensures that they don't read like a YA story.
There were two stories that were much longer than the others and those felt a bit meandering at times. However, in both situations the set-up proved to be indispensable. It is more about the journey than the destination after all. However, none of Hamantaschen's destinations disappoint! In one story, he used the phrase "bait and switch" and that is exactly how I would describe these endings. This man can pull the rug out from under you so quickly, you hardly realize it's happening.
A perfect example of this, and my favorite story in the collection, is That's Just the Way Things Are These Days. I loved everything about this story. It was sweet and tender, awkward and funny, bloody and terrifying. I am drawn to stories that are in our world but just a little bit different, a little bit darker. It makes the thought of it coming to pass in our own world real and scary.
And don't forget to read those pages at the beginning that are usually given a cursory glance if not skipped over completely. The "In Praise Of…" pages and even the copyright pages hold some truly magnificent gems that really set the tone for the collection and make me want to hang out with J. R. Hamantaschen because he seems like a really cool guy!
There were two stories that were much longer than the others and those felt a bit meandering at times. However, in both situations the set-up proved to be indispensable. It is more about the journey than the destination after all. However, none of Hamantaschen's destinations disappoint! In one story, he used the phrase "bait and switch" and that is exactly how I would describe these endings. This man can pull the rug out from under you so quickly, you hardly realize it's happening.
A perfect example of this, and my favorite story in the collection, is That's Just the Way Things Are These Days. I loved everything about this story. It was sweet and tender, awkward and funny, bloody and terrifying. I am drawn to stories that are in our world but just a little bit different, a little bit darker. It makes the thought of it coming to pass in our own world real and scary.
And don't forget to read those pages at the beginning that are usually given a cursory glance if not skipped over completely. The "In Praise Of…" pages and even the copyright pages hold some truly magnificent gems that really set the tone for the collection and make me want to hang out with J. R. Hamantaschen because he seems like a really cool guy!
tracyreads's review
4.0
Really enjoyed reaching for this one every time I needed something quick (for the most part) to get lost in.
May I just say that I live in Ohio, and Hamantaschen's story in here "7099 Brecksville Road, Independence, Ohio" has made me look sideways at all gas stations. Really. Because there is something in the restrooms....
This story was my favorite of the collection. The author has a writing style in this particular tale that is accessible and I was IN IT from the start.
There were a few stories that just weren't for me. I don't think it's anything other than personal preference, just my experience. Those particular ones seemed to be a bit more telling than showing (to me) and that could have played a part in it. For at least one it was the length. I am not going through which ones, another reader may very well love them.
Finally, be sure to check out Char's review of this book - she does a smashing job and it was her review that made me agree to pick this one up in the first place :) . There is also a review up on Sci Fi and Scary from the lovely Graciekat!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy - I enjoyed my time with these tales.
May I just say that I live in Ohio, and Hamantaschen's story in here "7099 Brecksville Road, Independence, Ohio" has made me look sideways at all gas stations. Really. Because there is something in the restrooms....
This story was my favorite of the collection. The author has a writing style in this particular tale that is accessible and I was IN IT from the start.
There were a few stories that just weren't for me. I don't think it's anything other than personal preference, just my experience. Those particular ones seemed to be a bit more telling than showing (to me) and that could have played a part in it. For at least one it was the length. I am not going through which ones, another reader may very well love them.
Finally, be sure to check out Char's review of this book - she does a smashing job and it was her review that made me agree to pick this one up in the first place :) . There is also a review up on Sci Fi and Scary from the lovely Graciekat!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy - I enjoyed my time with these tales.
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