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Refreshingly different voices (1 more)
Short, easy to digest stories
Listen to the call!
A solid anthology, there were some weaker tales in there but no more than a Stephen King short story collection.

Really interesting mix of different perspectives and writing styles. I was impressed at how they were all given the same prompt and yet did such vastly different things with it.

Some of them really stuck with me. 'Forest Man' definitely got me the most. It drew me in wonderfully and successfully creeped me out.

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Thank you to Book Sirens and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
  
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Anne (15117 KP) rated Little Weirds in Books

Nov 4, 2019  
Little Weirds
Little Weirds
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This was an interesting read/listen a bit different. It was a quick and short read with some humor, reflection and memoir type stories. It reminded me a bit of a one-woman play of sorts.
The first 1/3-1/2 of the book was sort of random except I connected more to some bits but after the first half, I found more to connect with and then with the last few chapters, I found it enlightening and connected quite a bit to that part.
It's a bit like a collection of mini-memoir essays that talk about being a woman, a child, growing up, figuring things out and having an enlightening moment of rising above hard times, etc.
If you're looking for a short listen with some quirkiness memoir type stories and such then you might enjoy this.
  
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ClareR (5674 KP) rated Love Bites in Books

Apr 6, 2018  
Love Bites
Love Bites
Elena Kaufman | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a collection of short stories that follow various people who are not where they started out. They are immigrants, eccentrics and those who really don't want to be where they are. Themes include loss, isolation/ loneliness and difference.
Stories that particularly stood out for me, were the story about a girl who loses her leg, the elderly woman trying to escaper her old people's home if only she could remember what she's supposed to be doing, and the woman who goes to see a 'Sheikh' for family relationship advice.
All of the stories made me stop and think - mainly about what I would have done in their circumstances. Very thought provoking.
This was another book read on 'The Pigeonhole' social reading platform.
  
The Mistletoe Bride and Other Haunting Tales
The Mistletoe Bride and Other Haunting Tales
Kate Mosse | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am not going to ramble on and on giving you a synopsis for all the stories but I will let you know some of the ones that I enjoyed the most out of this collection. I really wanted to start reading some more short stories so I have continuously made an effort in reading a collection per month. With each book there are obviously going to be some better than others. I think the hardest thing for the authors is to create a really good and atmospheric story that will truly grip you and Kate Mosse has certainly done that in some of these stories. Others were a bit weak and easily forgettable.

The stories included are:

The Mistletoe Bride – 4/5 stars

Duet – 3.5/5 stars

Red Letter day – 2.5/5 stars

The drowned village – 3/5 stars

The house on the hill – 3/5 stars

Why the yew tree lives so long -1.5/5stars

Sainte-Therese – 3/5 stars

The ship of the dead -4/5 stars

La Fille de Melisande -2/5 stars

The revenant -5/5 star – FAVOURITE

On Harting hill -3.5/5 stars

The princess Alice -3/5 stars

In the Theatre at night 2.5/5 stars

The yellow scarf -3.5/5 stars

Syrinx 1/5 stars

Each of these stories comes with an authors note as what inspired her to write them. There are also some black and white gothic illustrations before each of the stories drawn by Rohan Daniel Eason which sets the tone. The stories are set in Sussex, Brittany and Languedoc that are based on Folk tales ranging from the 1800’s to the present day.

I will admit as writing this review I had to check the stories again to see which ones were which as they are somewhat forgettable. The ones that have clearly stuck with me is ‘The Mistletoe Bride’, ‘Duet’ and ‘The Revenant’.

The revenant was the best story by far in the book, it was eerie and creepy and had me on the edge of my seat with my pulse racing as I was actually scared but couldn’t stop reading. It is probably one of the scariest short stories that I have read! Mosse manages to create an intense atmosphere and completely grips the reader. The writing style is very easy to read and flows beautifully.

I would recommend this to people who are looking to read some short-stories that have historical fiction with supernatural elements and a bit of horror.

Overall I rated this 3.5/5 stars