Archive for the ‘Monday’s Minis’ Category

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about The Harvesters

by Ashley Hill

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You get all of the ingredients for a good horror story. A thunderstorm, a rustic old cabin deep in the woods and some really creepy characters. There’s the huge shambling guy with the axe, the sly shotgun wielding old man, and the creepy kids.

I think the kids creeped me out the most. It had me thinking Blair Witch, when they hear the weird voices outside their tent and the kids giggling and slapping the tent.

The Harvesters is relentless and you land right in the thick of it from the get go.

Ash creeps around in the cellar of the ratty cabin and finally spots her boyfriend, Jason. He’s manacled to a metal table.

From this point on, I girded myself for what was coming.

Ash manages to get his hands free before this huge man throws an axe at her. She heeds Jason’s warning and hightails it but is rushed by a little kid. She sweeps past him and slams the door of the cellar shut behind her.

That’s when she hears the whispering.

She rushes to the truck outside, but, of course, there are no keys. A vision flashes in her head of the keys hanging on a hook inside the cabin.

This is where I wonder what I would’ve done. We know the warnings for these scenes. “Don’t go back inside!” But if your true love is lying in there, helpless, about to be carved up, what else can you do?

So, in she goes again.

From the very beginning it’s a mad dash through this short story.

You’ll get to read about it from two points of view. Ash narrates most of the story, but Jason does have his own side to tell.

Then their story meets again as they struggle to survive multiple attacks with no help for miles in any direction.

 I was thinking serial killers or a family of cannibals maybe. I’m still not sure exactly what they wanted from Ash.

That brings me to the ending. It’s a cliffhanger and a big one. I kind of saw it coming, but I think I would have been disappointed if it wrapped up neatly.

This way, I get to look forward to more. I wonder if one of the next books will be about Jason. He has a dark past and I think his story would be harrowing.

We’ll see.

3 Stars

Go here to check out the trailer!

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Author Info
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I’m a college student still trying to get a handle of the adult world. When I need to get away from it I lose myself in books, my own writing, and in spending time with my amazing boyfriend which he supports me to no end. Finding my passion in books has led me to finding a passion in writing my own fictional stories back in 2009, I have turned this into a dream career and going one step further I would love to open up my own book store.
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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about The Rain Wouldn’t Take Away The Pain

by Cedrix E. Clarke

The Rain Wouldn't Take Away the Pain

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The cover left me clueless, but it did catch my eye while browsing for a short story.

I downloaded this for free and want to say thanks to Cedrix and to all of you wonderful authors for your free books.

How else could I afford to sample so many different stories.

What was supposed to be a lovely drive to my parents house for Thanksgiving was turning into something more serious.

Mary, a brilliant and lovely young woman and possibly the love of my life, was showing an unusual side of herself.

I never realized she was so insecure about how strangers would feel about her.

I was trying to figure this out, but the odd noise coming from under my car was a distraction. I should have got that looked at before we left.  Also, as I was behind the wheel, I needed to pay attention to the road.

I admit, I was a bit over it with her worries, but I felt a need to reassure her, and to find out what she was so afraid of.

Meanwhile, I’m worried about those noises still coming from under the car. They seem to be caused by turning to the left, so I baby the car around those turns. The tunnel ahead, created by a canopy of thick trees, is a straight shot and we are almost to my parents, so I feel safe to speed up.

There, smack dab in the center of the road, stands a magnificent buck. Expecting him to move, I’m surprised when he calmly gazes at me, standing motionless.

I keep expecting him to move as I draw nearer. If he doesn’t, maybe I can go around him.

I apply the brakes, not knowing what the deer will do….

So much in such a short story.

The conversation between these two lovers and the introspection by the narrator make you feel like a fly on the wall, viewing and listening to everything.

The conversation flowed so naturally and the scenes were depicted in visual detail.

As the story progressed, I became curious about Mary and what was going through her mind to make her so worried. But, then I felt this creeping sense of dread, of suspense. Somehow, without really mentioning it, the author weaved in this calm before the storm feeling. I began to anticipate what could be coming.

What came, was so different from what I was thinking. I actually wasn’t sure what would happen, but I never saw this coming.

The Rain Wouldn’t Take Away the Pain will make you think. It will make you ask yourself some poignant questions and it will push the limits of believability.

This is a very short story that left me with a “what do I know” feeling.

4 Stars

About the author

Cedrix E. Clarke is a pseudonym for a Kentucky writer that has written his entire adult life, but only recently began publishing. Cedrix has a professional day job in a small town in Kentucky and writes at night, and like most comic book heroes, he must protect his identity. Cedrix does not fight crime…not yet, anyway.

For more about the author and his books:

Amazon / Website

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Halo of the Madonna

A short prequel to the Halo Series

by Dina Rae

Halo of the Madonna

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Halo of the Madonna is a really short prequel to the Halo Series.

A world of fallen angels, demons, and Nephilim.

You learn what really happened to Lydia, Kim and Joanna’s mother.

You’ll see just how despicable Armaros is and why Lydia broke from the families church of Fallen

Now Armaros, calling himself Andel Talistokov, is back.

Lydia hears his voice and learns he’s set up shop in his headquarters at The Evil Empire, his advertising chain.

Perfect place to hide what he is, a fallen angel, and gather evil souls.

Lydia wonders if he knows where she is, knows what she stole from him?

She sets up safe guards, but who knows if he is coming after what is his, or when he’ll come.

Lydia can’t let him get the box and rushes to find a safe hiding place, while ensuring her daughters will be able to get to it.

Time is running out and she needs to come forward and tell her daughters everything, what they are, so they can prepare for what is sure to come.

I’ve been hoping to read about Lydia, to learn some of her story.

While this is really short and ends quite abruptly, it gives me answers to questions I had nagging me after I finished the first two books in this series.

Lydia was so brave, running away from the Fallen and trying to protect her children, while knowing she would be forever running and hiding.

She knew the day would come, the day when she would have to tell her children what they are and where they come from.

She just hopes she’s not too late.

Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still was so afraid for Lydia and was immersed from beginning to end.

4 stars

I’ve also read and reviewed the first two books in this series.

Halo of the Damned

HaloOftheDamned - Book One

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A chain of advertising agencies, a new breed of humans, and a fallen angel to worship… Andel Talistokov is known for his slick advertising agencies across the globe. He is a fallen angel that uses advertising as a weapon for Satan‘s work. His growing power emboldens him to break several of Hell‘s Commandments. Furious with his arrogance, Satan commands him to return to Hell after finding his own replacement. Yezidism, an ancient angel worshiping religion, quietly expands throughout the West. Armaros appears as a guest of honor during their ceremonies. He mates with young women to produce nephilim, a mixed race of humans and angels. They are alone and unprepared for their supernatural power. Joanna Easterhouse, a recovering drug addict, steps out of prison shortly after her mother’s fatal accident. She and her sister, Kim, unravel their mother’s secretive past. Intrigued, they learn their bloodline is part of a celestial legacy. Both worlds collide. Halo of the Damned is a horrifying tale that weaves research together with suspenseful twists and turns.

My Review

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Book Two in the Halo Trinity

Halo of the Nephilim

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Can a fallen angel, his band of broken souls, and his nephilim children change the world?

Armaros the Cursed, Satan’s favorite of the Fallen, falls once again after breaking the rules.  Fearing an eternity of punishment, he desperately attempts to save himself by sending a bird to his island.  The SOS message is received by his beloved congregation.  They prepare the great Armaros’ kingdom for his return.  Can his loyal worshipers rescue him from the pit?
Halo of the Nephilim is the sequel to Halo of the Damned.

My Review

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I’ve also read Bad JuJu by Dina Rae.

Bad Juju

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A Haitian bokor mentors two teens in the dark arts. Their spells backfire.

Lucien Nazaire flees his Haitian homeland and meanders around the United States for decades. He settles in a Wisconsin trailer park filled with elderly tenants. He meets Jake and hires him for odd household jobs. As their relationship progresses, Lucien invites the boy into the world of Voodoo. Jake LaRue lives in foster care with his abusive uncle. The Voodoo lessons give him a sense of power within an otherwise helpless situation. Despite his loner status, he instantly connects with Henry, his only friend in high school. Henry Novak has Asperger’s Syndrome. He fixates on historical events, most recently the 2010 Haitian earthquake. Like Jake, he becomes passionate about the dark side of Voodoo. They learn how to cast spells on those they hate and lust, leading up to dire consequences. Months after the Haitian earthquake, Henry convinces his family to volunteer for the island’s reconstruction. Their mission turns into a nightmare when he mysteriously walks off of the campsite. Bad Juju is a balance of horror, romance, and literary fiction intended for adults and mature teens. The plot uses research involving the Voodoo religion.

My Review

Biography of Dina Rae

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Dina Rae is a new author here to stay.  As a teacher, she brings an academic element to her work.  Her three novels, Halo of the Damned, The Last Degree, and Bad Juju weave research and suspense throughout the plots.  Her short story, Be Paranoid Be Prepared, is a prequel of sorts to The Last Degree, focusing on the James Martin character.  In the spring of 2013, her latest novel, Halo of the Nephilim, will be released.  Dina also freelances for various entertainment blogs.

Dina lives with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs outside of Chicago.  She is a Christian, an avid tennis player, movie buff, and self-proclaimed expert on several conspiracy theories.  She has been interviewed numerous times in e-zines, websites, blogs, newspapers, and radio programs.  When she is not writing she is reading novels from her favorite authors Dan Brown, Anne Rice, Stephen King, Brad Thor, George R.R. Martin, and Preston & Childs.

Links

http://dinarae.co

www.dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dinaraebooks/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DinaRaeBooks

@haloofthedamned

Eternalpress.biz

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Buick Cannon by Brandon Berntson.

Buick Cannon: A Joke From the Moon

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My Review

Buick Cannon is nobody special. Your average Joe. Goes to work, pays his bills, stays to himself, and makes regular stops at his favorite watering hole to chase away the drudgery of everyday life.

Then, things begin to change. He experiences lost time, has dark, violent thoughts and urges, and begins to act out.

He deteriorates rapidly.

I couldn’t figure out if he was taking a ‘ trip fantastic’ or just plain loco.

Then the big surprise. You find out why he is changing, figuratively and physically. You’ll discover something from his past, long ago. So long ago, even he didn’t remember it.

I felt like the author took out my brain and juggled it!

I was confused, shocked, and so curious as I followed Buick’s descent into something bizarre.

The author had me coming and going, before he let me in on what’s really happening to Buick.

It wasn’t what I expected at all, but certainly explained things.

Follow Buick down the rabbit hole, but be warned. This isn’t Wonderland.

4 Stars

About the author

Brandon Berntson

Brandon Berntson has been writing speculative fiction for more than twenty years.  He has been featured in various anthologies and has published several novellas along with a collection of horror stories called Body of Immorality.  He is also the author of Castle Juliet and When We Were Dragons, enchanting, magical reads for all ages.  “A really great story has a little bit of everything in it, and should do so much more than just entertain.  It should be an experience.  Those are the tales that have lasting power.”  Brandon loves horror, fantasy, the classics, YA, and incorporates a little of each into his tales.  A fan of ice hockey, Bugs Bunny cartoons, long walks, and classic movies, he makes his home in Boulder, Colorado.  Visit him at http://brandonberntson.com/

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about To Disturb The Dead by Brandon Berntson.

To Disturb the Dead

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My Review

I used to listen to this broadcast on the radio when I was teenager. I think it was called Macabre Theatre, not sure. I would lie in bed with the lights out and listen to stories told by one or two actors. There would be sound effects to go along with their narration, like creaking floorboards and squealing hinges as a door slowly creeps open. They were deliciously frightful and scared me but good.

This would have been a great story to listen to on that program. I think I would have been too creeped out to run over and turn the light on. I’d probably have pulled the covers up to my eyes and lay flat on my back, hoping nothing yelled “Boo!”

Kathy Mender is 16 years old and thinks she knows it all.

A typical teenager. But she’s not. She is obsessed with death and digging up a dead body.

Her life at home is miserable and she spends all of her time in classes reading dark, disturbing books. That’s where she’d rather be.

She doesn’t know where she belongs.

One morning, between classes, a thought blossoms in her mind.

“Don’t make us perform these grisly deeds ourselves. Help us build a monument, erect a found action for the dead. We can give you that education you desire, honey. Along with a loving upbringing.”

This had me thinking. Did something just speak to her, encourage her strange desire to dig up a body, or is she deranged. Because, she is now determined to do this deed. She’s not going to wait any longer.

Poor Bobby Farks. He is so in love with Kathy, he will blindly follow her descent into the world of the dead.

Maybe popcorn and movie would have been a better first date for these two. I mean, digging up a dead body! This boy is head over heels, stupid blind, in love.

Nothing good will come of this union.

I had a creeping feeling all through this story. It’s ghoulish and keeps you wondering. I especially liked the ending the author gave me. Not what I was expecting.

4 Stars

About the author

Brandon Berntson

Brandon Berntson has been writing speculative fiction for more than twenty years.  He has been featured in various anthologies and has published several novellas along with a collection of horror stories called Body of Immorality.  He is also the author of Castle Juliet and When We Were Dragons, enchanting, magical reads for all ages.  “A really great story has a little bit of everything in it, and should do so much more than just entertain.  It should be an experience.  Those are the tales that have lasting power.”  Brandon loves horror, fantasy, the classics, YA, and incorporates a little of each into his tales.  A fan of ice hockey, Bugs Bunny cartoons, long walks, and classic movies, he makes his home in Boulder, Colorado.  Visit him at http://brandonberntson.com/

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Escaping by John K. Patterson.

This cover art is temporary. I'll find something better from a willing artist and post it as soon as possible.

My Review

Tobias Carter just hopes the damaged carrier will stay together. Maybe they will get lucky and won’t be followed from the city.

No such luck. Two Arriver drones are racing over the sand to intercept them. It doesn’t look good, and Tobias has given up on prayer.

But, Reverend Rousseau hasn’t given up on Tobias.

My thoughts

This is a really fast read. Alien beings have attacked the city and most of the ships, with survivors on board, didn’t make it far.

With their last transport falling apart around him, Tobias is carrying on a conversation with the Reverend.

He’s seen some terrible things back on Earth and doesn’t want to go there with the holy man, but Rousseau is persistent.

After the read the last sentence, I thought about this story.

The ending was somewhat predictable, but I got the one I wanted.

I haven’t read many science fiction books that deal with God and lack of faith.

The author spun it all together in a neat little package that will make you think too.

3 Stars

About the author

A writer of science fiction and fantasy since 2004, John K. Patterson has recently completed his first novel and volunteers for the Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado Springs, CO. His addictions include drawing, coffee, dinosaurs, space exploration, and old typewriters.

His first fantasy, a short story called “Battle at Engorlash,” was published at the webzine Dragons, Knights and Angels, and ever since he has worked hard to turn it into the upcoming epic fantasy series “The Wolfglen Legacy.” For more of his writing, check out his blog at johnkpatterson.wordpress.com

You can find out more about John and his books here.

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about The Red Door by E.H. James.

The Red Door

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We’ve all heard the sayings, “Don’t go in the basement, never say I’ll be right back, and of course, don’t go in there alone.”

I guess some people don’t ever learn, or are just plain stupid. Don’t they ever watch the movies? Sheesh!

Max is the new guy in school. He’s been through this so many times, he heads right to the cool kids, the bullies. Figures to get it over with and move on.

And Jimmy and his cronies don’t disappoint.

So here he is, waiting out in back of the school, wondering if he’s going to get his butt kicked by Jimmy and his buddies.

But nope, he gets off easy. Or so he thinks.

All he has to do is go in a haunted house and bring out something.

The thing is, it’s the Starke house, where Edward Starke killed thirteen boys and buried their bodies in the basement, before he was caught and executed.

Every September 9th, shortly after midnight, it’s said Edward comes back, looking for more blood to spill.

Jimmy tells him he has to get a chip of dried blood off the door in  the basement and come back out. That’s all.

Max accepts the challenge and on September 9th, just before midnight, he enters the Starke house to get his chip of whatever and come back out.

You probably know where this is going now.

Shortly after midnight things get dicey, and bloody.

Similar views of this story have been written, and I love reading how each author comes up with his own twist to scare the pants off ya.

The Red Door is campy and ghoulish. Just long enough to connect with the characters, but not too long in getting to the heart of the story.

What surprised me was how quickly I bonded with Max. I think we’ve all walked a mile in his shoes.

I wish he wouldn’t go in the basement.

4 Stars

Well written, flowed fast, and kept me riveted.

Reminded of some of Steven Kings earlier short story writing and that of Gary Devon.

Scary Good.

About the author

E.H. James is an author writing novels and short stories in the science fiction, horror, thriller, and fantasy genres.

For more about the author and his books visit his website.