I'm delighted to be sharing my review as part of today's blog blitz for The Lights Went Out and Other Stories by Fiona Cooke Hogan. First of all though let's take a look at the description for the book...
Genre: Short Stories, Mixed Genres
Release Date: October 8th, 2015
The Lights Went out And Other Stories
is a quirky collection of flash fiction, short and longer stories. With themes
ranging from romantic to dark fairy tales, humour to horror there something for
every reader. At times humorous, eerie and poignant; a mother burdened by
financial troubles shares her problem with a stranger, a young couples' journey
to the airport takes a strange turn, a wedding anniversary in Dingle goes from
bad to worse, a small dog is forced to change his ways and a vampire hiding out
in suburbia just wants to be left alone.
“Quite Beautiful, Almost Poetic in its forms” Amazon Reviewer.
“Brilliant, Hilarious and Scary” Amazon Reviewer.
Awarded Chill with a Book Reader’s Award, April
2017.
BUY LINKS
Amazon US - https://amzn.to/2r7KJ3C
Excerpt from Darkling,
The Lights Went Out and Other Stories.
“Unable
to take her eyes off the stranger, Emmeline moved from tree to tree until he
seemed close enough to touch until finally as if in a dream, she stepped out
from behind the cover of the trees to face him, a bird released from a trap
with no choice but to fly towards danger.
The
walker between the trees turned on his heel sensing her, he moved towards the
slight figure of the girl in the grey cloak whose wide eyes shone at his
approach. The stitching on his waistcoat glinted in the moons light as he
neared. Her eyes were drawn to a face of contradictions; ancient yet youthful.
His
skin was white as the light that the moon poured down.
White
as bone bleached in the sun.
Pale
as the ice in the village pond in midwinter.
Pale
and cold as death.”
I have to say that I do have a soft spot for short stories as they can be perfect for reading on a commute or even spending a lazy afternoon reading.
I’m not going to review each story as let’s face it that would probably take some time and possibly ruin some of the brilliant surprises set up in some of them. So I will just set out my feelings about the book instead. It is always lovely to pick up a book of short story especially if you are short on time. You can read as many or as little as you need to and in any order although I do tend to read them in the order they are printed. Within this book I would say that there is a story to suit most people and it was great to read a story from a genre I don’t necessarily read all that often.
Each story varies in length so you really do get a different reading experience. There were twists and unexpected surprises that made reading this set of stories even more interesting. The author easily drew me in to each story and I have to say that I enjoyed each one! Which in a book of short stories can be sometimes difficult to achieve.
This varied collection of stories held my interest completely and before I knew it I was over half way through. I loved how different they were from the amusing to the dark along with showcasing love, everyday life and some with an added touch of the paranormal.
I really enjoyed curling up with this book and I would happily read again!
Five stars from me!
With thanks to Brook Cottage Books for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Her latest novel – Martha’s Cottage is currently with the publisher and she is writing its sequel, and half-way through another novel - a psychological thriller. She hopes to publish another collection of horror stories in time for Hallowe’en 2018.
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GIVEAWAY
e-book of The Lights Went Out and Other Stories.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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