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Recommend this book:
Back to Forest High
Bob Boone
2016 Honorable Mention
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Anthology
Reviewed by Jessyca Garcia for Readers' Favorite
Back to Forest High by Bob Boone is made up of eleven short stories. All the stories are somehow related to school, whether it takes place in a school, is about a teacher, or about school days long ago. Each story is unique and entertaining.
I enjoyed all the stories in Back to Forest High. However, some of the stories made a stronger impression on me than others. The story “Ruben’s Career Move” was one of them. I liked this one because it shows you really never know what someone is thinking. Now I will definitely rethink how I think I see people. The story “Air and Space” reminded me of something my dad always said: “Do as I say, not as I do.” Sadly, this story also reminded me of some of the parents of the kids that attend my daughter’s school. Parents need to remember to lead by example.
I have to be honest with the story “Isn’t that Abbie Hoffman Over There?” I have never heard of Abbie Hoffman before so I had to look him up. So in other words, Boone taught me something. Once a teacher, always a teacher. “The Caddy” was by far my favorite story in this book. The ending left me in shock. In fact, I had to reread the story to make sure I did not miss anything.
These are just a few of the stories in Back to Forest High. The others that I did not mention are also worth reading. Overall, I really liked the stories. It is nice to see things from a teacher’s perspective once in a while.
Back to Forest High by Bob Boone is made up of eleven short stories. All the stories are somehow related to school, whether it takes place in a school, is about a teacher, or about school days long ago. Each story is unique and entertaining.
I enjoyed all the stories in Back to Forest High. However, some of the stories made a stronger impression on me than others. The story “Ruben’s Career Move” was one of them. I liked this one because it shows you really never know what someone is thinking. Now I will definitely rethink how I think I see people. The story “Air and Space” reminded me of something my dad always said: “Do as I say, not as I do.” Sadly, this story also reminded me of some of the parents of the kids that attend my daughter’s school. Parents need to remember to lead by example.
I have to be honest with the story “Isn’t that Abbie Hoffman Over There?” I have never heard of Abbie Hoffman before so I had to look him up. So in other words, Boone taught me something. Once a teacher, always a teacher. “The Caddy” was by far my favorite story in this book. The ending left me in shock. In fact, I had to reread the story to make sure I did not miss anything.
These are just a few of the stories in Back to Forest High. The others that I did not mention are also worth reading. Overall, I really liked the stories. It is nice to see things from a teacher’s perspective once in a while.
Recommend this book:
Flight of Destiny
Francis H Powell
2016 Honorable Mention
360 Pages
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Fiction - Anthology
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite
Flight of Destiny is an anthology of short stories by Francis H. Powell. This collection features many characters who find themselves in unforeseen situations that often test their sanity. “Only a mother could love a child like this,” and she does display her true affections in Bug-eyes. In Seed, Captain Spender’s wife will do anything to have a child. Louisa’s indiscretions come to light in Mutant. Little Mite is an attention seeking girl whose pranks leave lasting impressions. See the villagers’ reactions when hideous Gomford weds beautiful Clarissa. Mercedes’ memories of her late husband will haunt her forever in Black Widow. Bitch is the story of a mobster who cajoles a coward to put his beloved mangy mutt into a dog fight to spite him.
Francis H. Powell has written an exceptional collection of stories bordering on the dark side. Each tale is not only original but pensive too, as the thought that ran through my mind while reading was “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” It would be hard to select a specific one to consider my favourite since I found delight in reading all of them. Francis H. Powell's writing is strong, bold, and he does not lack creativity. He is inventive and weaves his stories so well that I looked forward to his endings. These always had great twists that showed a biting sense of humour. Flight of Destiny is an anthology worth having when you need varied stories to give enjoyment while relaxing.
Flight of Destiny is an anthology of short stories by Francis H. Powell. This collection features many characters who find themselves in unforeseen situations that often test their sanity. “Only a mother could love a child like this,” and she does display her true affections in Bug-eyes. In Seed, Captain Spender’s wife will do anything to have a child. Louisa’s indiscretions come to light in Mutant. Little Mite is an attention seeking girl whose pranks leave lasting impressions. See the villagers’ reactions when hideous Gomford weds beautiful Clarissa. Mercedes’ memories of her late husband will haunt her forever in Black Widow. Bitch is the story of a mobster who cajoles a coward to put his beloved mangy mutt into a dog fight to spite him.
Francis H. Powell has written an exceptional collection of stories bordering on the dark side. Each tale is not only original but pensive too, as the thought that ran through my mind while reading was “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” It would be hard to select a specific one to consider my favourite since I found delight in reading all of them. Francis H. Powell's writing is strong, bold, and he does not lack creativity. He is inventive and weaves his stories so well that I looked forward to his endings. These always had great twists that showed a biting sense of humour. Flight of Destiny is an anthology worth having when you need varied stories to give enjoyment while relaxing.
Recommend this book:
Epic Sloth
Tales of the Long Crawl
Philip Gaber
2016 Bronze Medal
176 Pages
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Fiction - Anthology
Reviewed by Rich Follett for Readers' Favorite
Philip Gaber is a writer’s writer. There is an impossibly effortless quality to his narrative in Epic Sloth: Tales from the Long Crawl which captures his New York City environs and subjects with an HD clarity normally reserved for IMAX theaters. Read one sentence - any sentence - and you will be instantly transported to a Sisyphean world so gritty and utterly real that you can taste the sweat and frustration of its myriad denizens, each trying to eke out survival and meaning in the shadow of vague oblivion. The overall effect is simultaneously mesmerizing and infuriating, with the inevitable result that putting this quirky, nihilistic book down is simply not an option.
Epic Sloth: Tales from the Long Crawl owns a reader in ways that evoke images of car wrecks and rubbernecking. It is a gloriously dystopian vision of a world that exists in spite of itself. Philip Gaber writes to survive against inconceivable odds and, to our perpetual astonishment, endures, even triumphs: from the epilogue of “Crises of Faith”: “That’s why we have an ego, to remind ourselves that we are not nothing.”
Philip Gaber’s Epic Sloth: Tales from the Long Crawl is one of the most deliriously compelling collections of vignettes, poems, and quasi flash-fiction snippets of genetically engineered memoir currently available to discerning readers; astonishingly insightful and heartwarmingly acerbic work as wise as it is self-deprecating. We find ourselves cheering for Gaber almost against our will - if the world truly is as he paints it, there is no reason to go on, and yet we must go on because hope arrives anew with every wry, jaded simile. We cannot cheer for ourselves without cheering for Gaber, too, because his courage and candor shame us out of any defensible complacency. Epic Sloth: Tales from the Long Crawl is the literary equivalent of an oxygen bar. Breathe deeply.
Philip Gaber is a writer’s writer. There is an impossibly effortless quality to his narrative in Epic Sloth: Tales from the Long Crawl which captures his New York City environs and subjects with an HD clarity normally reserved for IMAX theaters. Read one sentence - any sentence - and you will be instantly transported to a Sisyphean world so gritty and utterly real that you can taste the sweat and frustration of its myriad denizens, each trying to eke out survival and meaning in the shadow of vague oblivion. The overall effect is simultaneously mesmerizing and infuriating, with the inevitable result that putting this quirky, nihilistic book down is simply not an option.
Epic Sloth: Tales from the Long Crawl owns a reader in ways that evoke images of car wrecks and rubbernecking. It is a gloriously dystopian vision of a world that exists in spite of itself. Philip Gaber writes to survive against inconceivable odds and, to our perpetual astonishment, endures, even triumphs: from the epilogue of “Crises of Faith”: “That’s why we have an ego, to remind ourselves that we are not nothing.”
Philip Gaber’s Epic Sloth: Tales from the Long Crawl is one of the most deliriously compelling collections of vignettes, poems, and quasi flash-fiction snippets of genetically engineered memoir currently available to discerning readers; astonishingly insightful and heartwarmingly acerbic work as wise as it is self-deprecating. We find ourselves cheering for Gaber almost against our will - if the world truly is as he paints it, there is no reason to go on, and yet we must go on because hope arrives anew with every wry, jaded simile. We cannot cheer for ourselves without cheering for Gaber, too, because his courage and candor shame us out of any defensible complacency. Epic Sloth: Tales from the Long Crawl is the literary equivalent of an oxygen bar. Breathe deeply.
Recommend this book:
Bonds of Love & Blood
Marylee MacDonald
2016 Silver Medal
244 Pages
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Fiction - Anthology
Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite
Wow! Just...wow! I just finished reading the absolutely wonderful collection of short stories by author Marylee MacDonald, Bonds of Love & Blood, and I simply cannot get over how fantastic this book was! Anyone who knows me knows that I love short stories in general. Being able to pick up a book and read a complete story as I'm riding the bus to work or sitting in a waiting room for an appointment is simply a delight. But when I started reading Bonds of Love & Blood, I found a completely different experience. I simply could not put this down. I read story after story; once one was done, I simply could not wait to see what author Marylee MacDonald had in store for her readers next.
From the story of a mother and daughter struggling to love an alcoholic husband and father, to the man who feels disfigured by the birthmark on his face but finds, on a trip to Thailand, what just might lead to his happiness, to the story of tough workplace situations, the stories may seem disparate, but are all linked by the common themes of love and loss. Author Marylee MacDonald has done an absolutely masterful job of presenting her readers with short stories so beautifully written that the characters will stay in your mind long after the story, and indeed the book, is done. If that isn't a hallmark of an amazing writer, I don't know what is. Any reader who loves works of short fiction, or just great fiction in general, will love Bonds of Love & Blood. I highly recommend this book, and will certainly be watching carefully for the next work released by author Mary MacDonald. If it's anything like this one, it will absolutely be worth the read!
Wow! Just...wow! I just finished reading the absolutely wonderful collection of short stories by author Marylee MacDonald, Bonds of Love & Blood, and I simply cannot get over how fantastic this book was! Anyone who knows me knows that I love short stories in general. Being able to pick up a book and read a complete story as I'm riding the bus to work or sitting in a waiting room for an appointment is simply a delight. But when I started reading Bonds of Love & Blood, I found a completely different experience. I simply could not put this down. I read story after story; once one was done, I simply could not wait to see what author Marylee MacDonald had in store for her readers next.
From the story of a mother and daughter struggling to love an alcoholic husband and father, to the man who feels disfigured by the birthmark on his face but finds, on a trip to Thailand, what just might lead to his happiness, to the story of tough workplace situations, the stories may seem disparate, but are all linked by the common themes of love and loss. Author Marylee MacDonald has done an absolutely masterful job of presenting her readers with short stories so beautifully written that the characters will stay in your mind long after the story, and indeed the book, is done. If that isn't a hallmark of an amazing writer, I don't know what is. Any reader who loves works of short fiction, or just great fiction in general, will love Bonds of Love & Blood. I highly recommend this book, and will certainly be watching carefully for the next work released by author Mary MacDonald. If it's anything like this one, it will absolutely be worth the read!
Recommend this book:
Asylum II
13 More Tales of Terror
Matt Drabble
2016 Silver Medal
465 Pages
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Fiction - Anthology
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Asylum II - 13 More Tales of Terror is a short story collection by Matt Drabble centered on the horror genre. A perfect read for Halloween, the collection comprises a follow up to the original award winning Asylum anthology. Connecting all the stories is the backdrop of Blackwater Heights, the private hospital that was prevalent in the first Asylum collection. There is still darkness to be found at Blackwater, and its residents are ready to divulge more of their tales. Alongside them, two doctors in alleged positions of power over their patients are ready to take charge of the goings on, but will the chilling truths about their charges (and in some cases, themselves) send them running for the hills?
Matt Drabble has created a short story collection with a unique consistency to it, weaving the tales in and out of Blackwater Heights so that there is also an underlying narrative to the hospital itself. I particularly enjoyed the hard-nosed character of Hilary Meeker, determined and serious as she enters this world of mania and psychosis. As thrilling as the short stories were, sometimes I found myself even more excited to see what effect they were having on those back at Blackwater. My personal favourite from the tales was Fancy Dress, a cruel and twisting narrative with old country supernatural themes, but every story had its own unique merits. Overall, I’d recommend Asylum II - 13 More Tales of Terror to all fans of the horror genre as a riveting and unmissable anthology.
Asylum II - 13 More Tales of Terror is a short story collection by Matt Drabble centered on the horror genre. A perfect read for Halloween, the collection comprises a follow up to the original award winning Asylum anthology. Connecting all the stories is the backdrop of Blackwater Heights, the private hospital that was prevalent in the first Asylum collection. There is still darkness to be found at Blackwater, and its residents are ready to divulge more of their tales. Alongside them, two doctors in alleged positions of power over their patients are ready to take charge of the goings on, but will the chilling truths about their charges (and in some cases, themselves) send them running for the hills?
Matt Drabble has created a short story collection with a unique consistency to it, weaving the tales in and out of Blackwater Heights so that there is also an underlying narrative to the hospital itself. I particularly enjoyed the hard-nosed character of Hilary Meeker, determined and serious as she enters this world of mania and psychosis. As thrilling as the short stories were, sometimes I found myself even more excited to see what effect they were having on those back at Blackwater. My personal favourite from the tales was Fancy Dress, a cruel and twisting narrative with old country supernatural themes, but every story had its own unique merits. Overall, I’d recommend Asylum II - 13 More Tales of Terror to all fans of the horror genre as a riveting and unmissable anthology.
Recommend this book:
Sewing Can Be Dangerous and Other Small Threads
S. R. Mallery
2016 Gold Medal
217 Pages
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Fiction - Anthology
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
Other than needle-pricked fingers and scissor cuts, it's hard to imagine the fine art of sewing as being a dangerous occupation. Then again, millions of young people continue to slave away in sweatshops all over the world; so a story like the one about an early twentieth century Russian immigrant's near death experience in a similar sweatshop in New York may be historical in its significance, but also very timely in its contemporary relevance.
S.R. Mallery has written a series of short stories centering on the theme of sewing in Sewing Can Be Dangerous and Other Small Threads. Many of these stories discuss the art of quilting. There's the story of the cursed Drunkyard Quilt that takes the reader back in time to the Salem Witch Hunt trials. And there's the story of the Underground Railroad, where slave women quilted their escape route and shared safe passage routes with others by using secret symbols in their quilts. Another story relates the secret work of sympathetic Germans who helped numerous Jews escape from Germany by hiding forged passports in a quilt. There is also a story of a young seamstress whose secret message in an embroidered cushion saved the life of King Richard I.
The stories collected are written with past and present significance. The stories were not selected at random, but rather for their relevance to both history, society (past and present), and spirituality and mysticism. There are a lot of stories to be found in the creative art of the needle. This is a fascinating collection of anecdotes and historical snippets focusing on the timely art of sewing.
Other than needle-pricked fingers and scissor cuts, it's hard to imagine the fine art of sewing as being a dangerous occupation. Then again, millions of young people continue to slave away in sweatshops all over the world; so a story like the one about an early twentieth century Russian immigrant's near death experience in a similar sweatshop in New York may be historical in its significance, but also very timely in its contemporary relevance.
S.R. Mallery has written a series of short stories centering on the theme of sewing in Sewing Can Be Dangerous and Other Small Threads. Many of these stories discuss the art of quilting. There's the story of the cursed Drunkyard Quilt that takes the reader back in time to the Salem Witch Hunt trials. And there's the story of the Underground Railroad, where slave women quilted their escape route and shared safe passage routes with others by using secret symbols in their quilts. Another story relates the secret work of sympathetic Germans who helped numerous Jews escape from Germany by hiding forged passports in a quilt. There is also a story of a young seamstress whose secret message in an embroidered cushion saved the life of King Richard I.
The stories collected are written with past and present significance. The stories were not selected at random, but rather for their relevance to both history, society (past and present), and spirituality and mysticism. There are a lot of stories to be found in the creative art of the needle. This is a fascinating collection of anecdotes and historical snippets focusing on the timely art of sewing.
Recommend this book:
After Darkness Falls
Volume one
Matt Drabble
2015 Finalist
221 Pages
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Fiction - Anthology
Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite
After Darkness Falls: Volume 1 by Matt Drabble is yet another fine collection of bizarre and spine-tingling short horror stories. This is at least the third short story collection of Matt’s that I have read, and his talent and genius for composing good, solid horror stories has not waned in the least. After Darkness Falls contains ten more new compositions guaranteed to keep you awake at night, while fully entertaining you during daylight hours. These ten stories run the gamut from angry, somewhat psychotic fathers who feel it is their right and obligation to beat wife and children into submission, to an incredibly bizarre, ethereal encounter with a clown. In this collection, virtually all the monsters are human beings. I think we all know by now that humans make the scariest monsters. Anybody who doesn’t feel that way yet, most probably will after reading this book.
After Darkness Falls: Volume 1 strongly suggests there will be an After Darkness Falls: Volume 2 in the not-too-distant future. Frankly, I don’t have a clue how Matt Drabble developed such a magnificent imagination, but I am certainly glad that he did. Matt’s horror tales have a certain undefinable “something” that just makes them stand out in any crowd of horror tales. I read a lot of short horror stories; they are my hands-down favorite genre. In most collections, there will be one or two lame stories, and a bunch of fairly good ones. In Matt’s short horror collections, there are no lame stories, and all very good ones. All you horror fans out there, particularly short story horror fans, must read Matt Drabble’s work. After Darkness Falls: Volume 1 is as good a book as any to start with. Be advised, though, that Matt Drabble can be addictive.
After Darkness Falls: Volume 1 by Matt Drabble is yet another fine collection of bizarre and spine-tingling short horror stories. This is at least the third short story collection of Matt’s that I have read, and his talent and genius for composing good, solid horror stories has not waned in the least. After Darkness Falls contains ten more new compositions guaranteed to keep you awake at night, while fully entertaining you during daylight hours. These ten stories run the gamut from angry, somewhat psychotic fathers who feel it is their right and obligation to beat wife and children into submission, to an incredibly bizarre, ethereal encounter with a clown. In this collection, virtually all the monsters are human beings. I think we all know by now that humans make the scariest monsters. Anybody who doesn’t feel that way yet, most probably will after reading this book.
After Darkness Falls: Volume 1 strongly suggests there will be an After Darkness Falls: Volume 2 in the not-too-distant future. Frankly, I don’t have a clue how Matt Drabble developed such a magnificent imagination, but I am certainly glad that he did. Matt’s horror tales have a certain undefinable “something” that just makes them stand out in any crowd of horror tales. I read a lot of short horror stories; they are my hands-down favorite genre. In most collections, there will be one or two lame stories, and a bunch of fairly good ones. In Matt’s short horror collections, there are no lame stories, and all very good ones. All you horror fans out there, particularly short story horror fans, must read Matt Drabble’s work. After Darkness Falls: Volume 1 is as good a book as any to start with. Be advised, though, that Matt Drabble can be addictive.
Recommend this book:
Prism
Roland Allnach
2015 Honorable Mention
282 Pages
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Fiction - Anthology
Reviewed by Ioana Marza for Readers' Favorite
Prism is a collection of short stories that span multiple locations, times and worlds. Roland Allnach has a great talent for creating worlds, building an atmosphere and painting for the reader a believable setting for each story. His power of description is considerable. The style of writing is diverse and changes from one story to another. “Titalis” is akin to a Greek tragedy, “Of Typhon and Aerina” is all in epic verse, while several of the stories belong to the science fiction and paranormal genres. Some of the writing styles are easier to read than others, but the stories are all very well written. When he is not constructing tragedies that feel as genuine as something taken out of mythology, Allnach is writing stories in an almost ambiguous way which makes them interesting and mysterious without becoming confusing.
A glass prism separates white light into a spectrum of colours, and this is an apt title for Roland Allnach’s book. The most simple or even trivial activity such as a child’s fear of darkness or a bored pupil’s imagination running wild while at school becomes a big adventure when seen through his prism. The theme of war is most recurrent, specifically the human traits (whether good or bad) that drive people to war. Honour, love, deceit, hunger for power - they are all seen through the Prism of Allnach’s imagination. The whole collection of stories is interesting and intriguing and sometimes even moving. There is a dark element in most of them. I definitely enjoyed it and would strongly recommend it.
Prism is a collection of short stories that span multiple locations, times and worlds. Roland Allnach has a great talent for creating worlds, building an atmosphere and painting for the reader a believable setting for each story. His power of description is considerable. The style of writing is diverse and changes from one story to another. “Titalis” is akin to a Greek tragedy, “Of Typhon and Aerina” is all in epic verse, while several of the stories belong to the science fiction and paranormal genres. Some of the writing styles are easier to read than others, but the stories are all very well written. When he is not constructing tragedies that feel as genuine as something taken out of mythology, Allnach is writing stories in an almost ambiguous way which makes them interesting and mysterious without becoming confusing.
A glass prism separates white light into a spectrum of colours, and this is an apt title for Roland Allnach’s book. The most simple or even trivial activity such as a child’s fear of darkness or a bored pupil’s imagination running wild while at school becomes a big adventure when seen through his prism. The theme of war is most recurrent, specifically the human traits (whether good or bad) that drive people to war. Honour, love, deceit, hunger for power - they are all seen through the Prism of Allnach’s imagination. The whole collection of stories is interesting and intriguing and sometimes even moving. There is a dark element in most of them. I definitely enjoyed it and would strongly recommend it.
Recommend this book:
I Truly Lament
Working Through the Holocaust
Mathias B. Freese
2015 Bronze Medal
252 Pages
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Fiction - Anthology
Reviewed by Heather Osborne for Readers' Favorite
I Truly Lament: Working Through the Holocaust by Mathias B. Freese is a unique compilation of short stories, taking the reader on a psychological journey through the emotions elicited by the Holocaust. Beginning with a man calling out to a golem, a Jewish monster from folklore, for assistance in escaping his tormentors, the stories provide a different perspective on the Holocaust. There are ones told from the perspective of prisoners in the concentration camps to a mock radio interview with Hitler’s lover, Eva Braun. The author offers the perspective of a Holocaust revisionist, someone who does not believe the Holocaust happened the way it is described, in the form of a letter. The collection concludes with the golem questioning his reason for existence.
I have read many books about the Holocaust as I find the subject very interesting from a psychological standpoint. I have to say though, that Mr. Freese has placed an entirely new twist on the subject. I will admit to being perplexed at first, having expected something a bit different. As the collection unfolded, I was drawn into the raw emotion. I particularly enjoyed the story, “Cantor Matyas Balogh.” Matyas found love so late in life, only to have it ripped from him. Freese does not just tell a tale, he creates a basis for reflection. I believe that he is completely correct when he states that someone can never truly understand the Holocaust. We can write about it, but the lasting impact on the people that survived can never be put into words. I Truly Lament is a remarkable collection that will leave the reader speechless.
I Truly Lament: Working Through the Holocaust by Mathias B. Freese is a unique compilation of short stories, taking the reader on a psychological journey through the emotions elicited by the Holocaust. Beginning with a man calling out to a golem, a Jewish monster from folklore, for assistance in escaping his tormentors, the stories provide a different perspective on the Holocaust. There are ones told from the perspective of prisoners in the concentration camps to a mock radio interview with Hitler’s lover, Eva Braun. The author offers the perspective of a Holocaust revisionist, someone who does not believe the Holocaust happened the way it is described, in the form of a letter. The collection concludes with the golem questioning his reason for existence.
I have read many books about the Holocaust as I find the subject very interesting from a psychological standpoint. I have to say though, that Mr. Freese has placed an entirely new twist on the subject. I will admit to being perplexed at first, having expected something a bit different. As the collection unfolded, I was drawn into the raw emotion. I particularly enjoyed the story, “Cantor Matyas Balogh.” Matyas found love so late in life, only to have it ripped from him. Freese does not just tell a tale, he creates a basis for reflection. I believe that he is completely correct when he states that someone can never truly understand the Holocaust. We can write about it, but the lasting impact on the people that survived can never be put into words. I Truly Lament is a remarkable collection that will leave the reader speechless.
Recommend this book:
Flash 40
Life's Moments
Janelle Jalbert
2015 Silver Medal
195 Pages
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Fiction - Anthology
Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
Flash 40: Life's Moments by Janelle Jalbert is an interesting collection of flash fiction pieces divided into several perspectives; beginnings, middles, endings and beyond. All realistic defining moments of people’s lives are instilled in the stories. The collection starts off with “Awkward,” which is an adult read but not offensive by any means. “Rabbit” made me chuckle. An innocent woman who just wants to get her coffee at the next stop turns the tables on a state trooper.
“The Ends Justify the Means” is a story about a teacher, Ms. Milton, who seems to have the whole school against her. It interestingly lends a valuable insight into the life of teachers, and it made me wonder whether some of the ‘bad’ teachers that I encountered during my life as a student were greatly misunderstood. Another favorite of mine is “Ageless Character,” a poignant story about a 14-year-old boy and his crush.
The characters come alive very easily. Some of them straightforwardly remind me of people that I know. That said, a few stories end abruptly and would leave some readers struggling as to what the stories are all about. Then again, all the stories are equally enjoyable. Simply put, Flash 40 is a fascinating collection of realistic tales. The diversity of the premise, plot and characters makes for a very satisfying read. Jalbert aptly weaves in the different elements to give readers the sense of bonding with the stories. Her writing skill is simply wonderful and I definitely look forward to reading more of her work.
Flash 40: Life's Moments by Janelle Jalbert is an interesting collection of flash fiction pieces divided into several perspectives; beginnings, middles, endings and beyond. All realistic defining moments of people’s lives are instilled in the stories. The collection starts off with “Awkward,” which is an adult read but not offensive by any means. “Rabbit” made me chuckle. An innocent woman who just wants to get her coffee at the next stop turns the tables on a state trooper.
“The Ends Justify the Means” is a story about a teacher, Ms. Milton, who seems to have the whole school against her. It interestingly lends a valuable insight into the life of teachers, and it made me wonder whether some of the ‘bad’ teachers that I encountered during my life as a student were greatly misunderstood. Another favorite of mine is “Ageless Character,” a poignant story about a 14-year-old boy and his crush.
The characters come alive very easily. Some of them straightforwardly remind me of people that I know. That said, a few stories end abruptly and would leave some readers struggling as to what the stories are all about. Then again, all the stories are equally enjoyable. Simply put, Flash 40 is a fascinating collection of realistic tales. The diversity of the premise, plot and characters makes for a very satisfying read. Jalbert aptly weaves in the different elements to give readers the sense of bonding with the stories. Her writing skill is simply wonderful and I definitely look forward to reading more of her work.
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