Mini Reviews for Short Stories – AKA I got carried away downloading short stories

I have a problem. You probably know this problem if you've read any of my posts before. If a book is free, I download it. It doesn't generally matter what genre it is, I just download it.

I recently found a wonderful thing, in that if you search books by categorisations, you can find a plethora of short stories to download for free. It's truly wonderful.

I don't know about you, but if there's not a lot of substance to a story, I tend to struggle to write much about it. So I decided to write some mini reviews and put them all together into one post – genius, right?! 

I did, however, start making this post in 2021, and didn't finish making it until now. The 'publish' button on blogger tells me that the last time I opened this draft was on May 8th 2021. So the first two reviews are just over four years old, and have yet to see the light of day. The second two are new!

I will, therefore, stop rambling and start reviewing!

The Bag
by Steve Saidby

The bag in my hand is heavy, its contents are a motley crew of assorted flotsam and jetsam, but how did this stuff and I come to meet each other?

Grab a copy!

My Review

You ever read a book and wonder when it's all going to start making sense? This is one of those types of books. I had an idea of where it was going, and it turns out I was right!

Jon can't remember what he did between waking up and finding himself in his house with a shopping bag filled with seemingly random items. The story continues to tell about how these items came to be, and how Jon came to have them in his possession.

The issue I had is not anything to do with the actual story, but according to Amazon, it is 11 pages long. The problem I had is the why and I'm not sure that 11 pages is long enough to properly explain the ins and outs of this story. That being said, without the in depth explanation my mind desperately wanted, I created my own instead, which made me enjoy the story more because I felt as if I were a part of it.

All in all, I'd give it a solid 3.5 stars.

Cat & Jemima J
by Jane Green

From number one Sunday Times bestselling author Jane Green comes an original short story, Cat and Jemima J, featuring Jemima, the main character from Green's beloved novel Jemima J, and Cat, the main character from her upcoming novel Summer Secrets.

When young journalist Cat meets JJ, a career-making opportunity for a story presents itself. Cat has the chance to shine - but at the expense of a new friendship, will she take it?

*Featuring the first chapter of Jane Green's brand new novel, Summer Secrets!*

Grab a copy!

My Review

While I know the exact definition of short story is just that, this one was much shorter than I expected it to be. Only half of this book is the actual story, the other half is the first chapter out of a different book. It is obvious (after looking into the author's other books) that this one is a draw in, a mini sequel to another book made to draw readers in to get them to buy the new book.

Cat is a journalist who is a little too nice – every time she gets a good story, it's because someone has let slip something they don't want publicised and, being the lovely person she is, Cat promises not to tell anyone or to include the details in her article.

When she meets a woman in a bar one night, a woman who had simply sat down at Cat's table to make sure no one took her bag while she went to the bathroom, Cat doesn't realise the extent to who she's sat down with or the implications it could have if she could get an interview with her...

Cat was a lovely character to read about. The writing was easy to follow and at no times did I feel at all lost in the story. I loved how she readily conversed with JJ, despite being strangers, and how her caring nature meant that they formed a quick, but brief, friendship. The story ended rather abruptly, but still, it was a good read.

If this had been a short story for the simple purpose of telling a story, with a proper start, middle, and ending, I would give it a 4 star, but the way this story was used, and the fact that it ended so quickly, without a proper conclusion, means that I am going to give this one a 3.5 rating.

Secret Summer
by Elizabeth Grey

Violet Archer can't believe her luck. Her gorgeous new boyfriend is whisking her off on a romantic sun-drenched getaway!

Well, not quite. There'll definitely be sun. But there'll also be a advertising shoot, a film crew, their eccentric best friend, Max, and one of the senior partners of their new ad agency. Oh, and of course, the teeny tiny issue that Violet's boyfriend is her best friend and soon-to-be boss, Ethan Fraser, and if anyone finds out they're together, he'll be fired.

In the Santorini sunshine, can Ethan and Violet pull off a successful shoot, keep their secret hidden, and still find time for a little bit of summer sizzle?

This is a Short Story in the Agency series. It is set between Just Friends (book 1) and It's Complicated (book 2).

Grab a copy!

My Review!

Violet and Ethan are basking in their new relationship, having gone from being best friends to being a couple just a month ago, but already feeling the deep adoration of love for each other. There is the slightest of problems though – Ethan is about to be promoted to be Violet’s boss, and he will be fired if it is found out that he is in a relationship with another employee of the company.

Travelling to a sunny getaway, Violet and Ethan work on a project rather than being able to enjoy the sun as a holiday, and keeping their relationship a secret starts to get harder. Especially with their best friend, Max, sniffing about.

I did really enjoy this story. It is light-hearted, yet there are several undertones of trauma. Not everything in this book is soaring off the high of newfound love, and there are some more difficult topics covered. Rational fears bubble to the surface, and Violet and Ethan begin to realise just how much they can lean on each other, and trust each other, in such a short amount of time. 

Max is an absolutely amazing character. He is like a Labrador, funny and sweet, and yet sometimes incredibly dumb. Even though Violet and Ethan take the spotlight of this story, Max is a very important addition, and he is guaranteed to become a quick favourite.

Violet and Ethan’s relationship seems natural to them, although hiding it becomes somewhat of a chore. They want nothing more than to be able to hold hands, and share a room, but they can’t let on that they are anything more than friends. At times, it causes some tension amongst the other characters around them, but the sexual tension is intensified ten-fold by their forced distance. There are some steamy scenes in this story, although they seem entirely well-placed considering the situation the couple find themselves in.

Overall, this is a well-rounded sweet and light-hearted story, with characters you will love. It does not feel like it is missing anything by being so short, although it is part of a series. It does not feel like this book was created to drag readers into the series, but rather as an additional insight into the characters, as a story that makes sense on it’s own. Having said that, it does make you want to read more about the characters, and spend more time with them.

Until Forever

by Mia Sanchez

One second, she was my best friend, and the next, I was madly in love with her.

She is nothing like me. I have demons in my head while she dances in colours. And perhaps for that reason, it was so simple to fall in love with her.

But my feelings were nothing but a secret. I kept them hidden for five years because I feared losing her. She fell in love with other people while I continued to hurt some more.

But one evening everything suddenly changed.

Will I ever be able to tell her about my feelings? Will she ever accept my love? Will we ever be able to find the forever we both craved so desperately?

Grab a copy!

My Review!

This story is one that skims the surface of narrative, while delving deep into emotions. The story is driven by feeling, and pushed forwards by hope, rejection, depression, and love.

This story was written in an interesting writing style. It almost reads like a diary, never truly explaining the past, but following the present, through deep feelings and fears. The leading perspective narrates the story as though it is a running commentary inside their own head, creating a deep sense of knowing the character. There are no boundaries separating the character from the reader, as the character's entirety is laid out to be read. It may have helped to know some more about the characters themselves, or if some scenes had more detail and went more in-depth about what was happening, rather than just the feelings of the main character, but as it was it did keep my attention while reading.

I particularly liked that the main character's gender is never specified. Throughout the entirety of reading, I pictured the narrator to be a woman, although reading some of the reviews on the book, several people have pictured a man while reading. The lack of gender specification makes this book a lot more open to reader interpretation, allowing the reader to make this story their own experience by filling in the blanks, and reading about the inner feelings and experiences of the main character, without the focus being on their day-to-day life.

There are some darker themes explored in this story, which readers should be aware of before reading. Alcoholism, mental health issues, anger issues, and suicide are all mentioned, but all are handled tactfully, and with care.

This was definitely an enjoyable story, and the writing style was unique. It is an intense reading experience, not a short and sweet romance for a quick read between longer books. It is a deeply emotional story, and will certainly have you feeling emotional as you read.

And done!

A post four (or just over) years in the making, and finally surfacing!

I do have several other posts in my drafts like this that need attention, so eventually I might get to those ones as well!

Anyway, that's all for now...

Bye!

A Review – The Daddy Chronicles by Jayne Martin

Yet again, this is another book that I was so kindly gifted by the author. And, yet again, this is another book I wanted to read and review before the New Year. That went well. Nevertheless, I am slowly catching up, and making my way through my massive to-read list.

Let me introduce this book to you, and then we can get into my review!

One out of three women in the U.S. identify as fatherless. An absent father who occasionally appears to bestow his affections only to disappear again leads a daughter to seek out others like him – men who are charismatic, but emotionally unavailable – throughout her lifetime.

In this emotionally-charged memoir written in cinematic vignettes, Jayne Martin fearlessly bares the parts of her that were broken when her father left the family upon her birth and, in doing so, leads readers on their own journey toward wholeness and healing. Whether you are a fatherless daughter or someone who loves one, The Daddy Chronicles will tear at your heart and open a world of understanding.

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

Delving deep into her own memories, and exploring the ins and outs of her childhood, and the emotional trauma she grew up with, Jayne Martin invites you to learn her story, to join her and to relate your life to her own. 

I find writing a review for such a deep book, wherein Jayne opens up her mind and allows you to step inside and have a look around, difficult. To give this book the credit it deserves, I find it tricky to review it as I would review any other book. Talking about fictional characters, and discussing their traumas is almost easy, but delving into words that speak of the past, that follow a real person – I find myself conflicted as to whether to go into things in quite so much detail. 

I will start by saying, this is not the kind of book I would normally read. I am not generally a fan of memoirs, although I have never been entirely sure why. It is, perhaps, the way they are laid out, following a life from start to a finishing point, and the writing style of memoirs is always so much different than the writing style of fiction novels. This book, however, was different. Jayne has a truly unique writing style. The voice she uses to write in changes as she writes about herself at different ages, not going into subjects and reasons her younger self wouldn’t have understood, while making such things painfully clear to the reader. The layout and short chapters almost reminds me of a poetry book, which in itself is a very smart stylistic choice. When I think of reading poetry, I think of digging deeper, trying to find a meaning behind everything, and with this book, Jayne reminds that there isn’t always a meaning, there isn’t always a reason – sometimes, even though you feel otherwise, there isn’t anything that you could’ve done to change the outcome. I also particularly loved the way Jayne shows her attachment to different people by whether or not she reveals their names. While her childhood best friend may be named, the-girl-who-is-not-my-sister whom Jayne never grew close to remains simply that in Jayne’s mind. It gives a layer of distance between the person and the reader, for the reader can never really get to know them, as Jayne never did.

I cannot easily relate to Jayne, for I am lucky that my parents have been together and happy my whole life, although Jayne paints a very vivid picture of how, no matter what happens around her, not having her father around is something she is always painfully aware of. Like a stone in her shoe, Jayne constantly feels her father’s absence, although there is little she can do about it, and has to simply deal with the pain and keep on walking. I can feel Jayne’s pain and sadness through the words, as she desperately searches for a feeling of love and security that only her father can give her, but she isn’t going to receive from him. Throughout her life, she was lost, jumping around both mentally and physically, struggling through different traumas and an immense feeling of loneliness while moving from place to place through her mother’s relationships, and then her own. 

This book itself is very short and easy to read, I read it within about twenty minutes, although I am a fast reader. It is a simple book if you are just consuming words and moving on. But, when you look even just slightly deeper than what is on the surface, you find a pool of emotion, and it is all too easy to fall forwards and start to drown. I fear losing my father, but to never have known him? To go my whole life without the love and support I feel is almost a given in life? Jayne’s words bring a perspective that I’ve never been able to properly observe before, and needless to say, this is a book that truly moved me.

And done!

This was a difficult review to write. As mentioned in the review itself, I don't read memoirs, and when writing, I realised just how many conclusions I jump to when writing about fictional characters, which is something I do not feel is right to do when writing about a person.

Anyway, that's all for now...

Bye!