Tag: Short Story

Review: PEOPLE MAKING DANGER: Short Stories by Adam Fike

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

PEOPLE MAKING DANGER is a collection of three-act short stories from a variety of genres, plus two bonus stories.

STORY ONE: THE QUIET ONES (Thriller) – Neighbors grow together with the help of their friendly local serial killer.

STORY TWO: OPERATION DRAGONHEAD (Satire) – Mistaking experimental communication helmets for alien antennae, townsfolk launch an improvised defense. Based on a true story.

STORY THREE: HIGH DESERT (Western) – A rotten Sheriff and reluctant hero clash beyond the reach of the law, with cars for horses.

STORY FOUR: PAGANINI (Biography) – The wicked life of an actual nineteenth-century Italian violinist, who played so beautifully they thought he was the devil.

STORY FIVE: YARDLEY COUNTY (Drama) – A dead convict finds himself, and his redemption, at the hometown robbery where a gunshot began his career.

BONUS STORY: VALLEY FOOTBALL (Comedy) – Existentially lost grownups start a secret tackle football fight club in the suburbs.

BONUS STORY: THE TROP (Farce) – This aging, and somewhat haunted, East Hollywood motel has rooms at reasonable rates for struggling stock characters on the down-and-out.

Reading. Why not do it for fun sometimes?

Favorite Lines:

As always with any short story collection that I read, rather than providing direct quotes from the book, I am sharing which stories were my favorite from the collection: The Quiet Ones and Operation Dragonhead.

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

PEOPLE MAKING DANGER surprised me with how many different layers it manages to hold at once. At first glance, it’s a collection of short stories but the deeper I read, the more it came together into a reflection on what it means to live with risk, to carry trauma, and to wrestle with the edges of survival.

Fike writes about ordinary people under extraordinary pressure. Each story feels like a small explosion—characters pushed to the edge, not by dramatic fantasy but by the sharp, recognizable challenges of real life. That immediacy made the book difficult to put down; I always wanted to see what would happen when danger inevitably arrived, and how the characters would react to it.

One of the things I appreciated was how different the voices and settings felt across the collection. Some stories simmer quietly before snapping into violence or heartbreak, while others throw you into conflict from the first page. Yet even with these shifts in style, the book has a cohesion—it keeps circling back to questions about survival, choices, and the thin line between safety and chaos. The repetition of these themes gave the collection weight without making it feel repetitive.

The characters themselves are what lingered with me. They’re not perfect; often they’re messy, flawed, even unlikeable at times. But they’re always believable. Fike has a way of sketching just enough detail—a gesture, a memory, a bitter aside—that makes you recognize these people instantly. In some cases, I felt like I had met them before in real life, which made their downfalls and small victories all the more striking.

By the end, I came to see the title, PEOPLE MAKING DANGER, as more than just a clever phrase. These aren’t just stories about danger happening to people—they’re about how people create, provoke, or invite danger into their lives, often without meaning to. That nuance—danger as something we stumble into, sometimes through love, sometimes through pride, sometimes through desperation—is what makes the book feel bigger than the sum of its parts.

Summary:

Overall, PEOPLE MAKING DANGER is an unsettling and varied short story collection where the everyday collides with the extraordinary. What makes it powerful is not just the danger itself, but how ordinary people create or invite it into their lives. Fike’s ability to shift between tones—grim, satirical, surreal—keeps the collection fresh while always grounding the stories in authentic human choices. It’s a book that lingers, leaving you to wrestle with what danger really means in the context of family, community, and survival. If you enjoy short story collections that reflect on what it means to be human, than this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out PEOPLE MAKING DANGER here!

 

Review: ลูกครึ่ง: Only Half a Person by Rowland Grover

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

When Rowland Grover asked his preschool teacher if he could ฉี่ (chi), she looked at him like he wasn’t speaking English. After holding it for too long, he peed his pants and realized he was different from everyone around him.

As a half-Thai/half-white kid raised Mormon in Idaho, shame, guilt, and confusion were normal for Rowland. He didn’t understand why he took off his shoes at his house, but his friends could keep theirs on and drag dog poop all over the floor. When Rowland lived in Thailand, Thai people said he looked farang, but white people called him Mexican. This made him wonder who he was and where he belonged.

ลูกครึ่ง: Only Half a Person is an captivating and hilarious collection of essays and short stories that explores culture, faith, and identity. The stories range from “stinky lunches” to a talking lizard questioning Rowland’s religion. Others are more serious such as when a stranger called the cops because Rowland looked threatening riding an old beach cruiser bike. Tackled with humor and heart, Rowland dives into the depths to find himself and wonders if he’ll come up for air.

Favorite Lines:

 “You don’t see me calling out ‘white customer’ to get your attention, do you?”

“Our foods aren’t weird. Our cultures aren’t weird. Our people aren’t weird.”

 “I share my story so people can be aware of what others face.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rowland Grover’s ลูกครึ่ง — Only Half a Person feels less like a polished memoir and more like an afternoon swapping stories with a friend who finally trusts you enough to laugh at the worst parts. It kicks off with a preschool mishap in rural Idaho—one short misunderstanding, one very damp pair of pants—and the sudden realization that nobody around him speaks the mix of Thai and English rattling in his head. That flash of embarrassment becomes the thread he keeps tugging for the rest of the book.

Each chapter lands like a quick comedy bit that refuses to fade to black. Grover bounces from teachers butchering his mum’s Thai name to a fast-food customer who labels every brown worker “Mexican” and to a missionary buddy daring him to chew kaffir-lime leaves just to watch him squirm. The punch lines are tight, but they always swing back and nick something tender—pride, doubt, the weird ache of feeling both inside and outside at the same time.

Halfway through, the jokes stretch into essays and open letters. A riff on “authentic” pad thai turns into a quiet rebuke of people who gate-keep culture; another piece answers a reader who calls Asian food “weird,” and the patience in that reply is razor-thin. By the time Grover writes a mock cease-and-desist to his future haters, the laughs carry a distinct after-taste of anger and relief—like finally exhaling after holding it far too long. The real hook, though, is his voice. Grover flips between English, transliterated Thai, and full Thai script without italicizing or apologizing. The code-switching isn’t there for flair; it’s there because that’s simply how his thoughts land on the page. Reading it feels a bit like being handed earbuds and invited into the soundtrack of his brain—off-beat, bilingual, and impossible to file under one neat label.

Summary:

Overall, short, sharp, and genuinely funny, ลูกครึ่ง — Only Half a Person reminds us that identity isn’t a puzzle you solve once—it’s a joke you keep rewriting until it stops hurting. If you’ve ever lived in the hyphen or asked someone to explain theirs, this one’s worth an afternoon. Happy reading!

Check out ลูกครึ่ง — Only Half a Person here!

Review: The Devil You Know by David Brimer

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

From the author of Piedmont and In Case I Need You comes four new tales of terror you won’t soon forget.

“Chirping” – A small Florida town is besieged by an enemy from below.
“Get Your Kicks” – A man sets out to commit the perfect murder spree.
“That’s The Breaks” – A wrestler adjusting to a devastating injury finds help in unexpected and sinister ways.
“The Girl In The Drawn Bonnet” – A mistake during wartime follows a young German into an unforeseen alliance.

Inspired by the great novella collections of Stephen King, The Devil You Know is sure to keep you up at night.

Favorite Lines:

As I do with all short story or poetry collections, rather than picking my favorite lines, I pick my pieces. For this collection, I really enjoyed Chirping and The Girl in the Drawn Bonnet.

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Devil You Know is a gripping and thought-provoking psychological thriller that features 4 short stories inspired by Stephen King’s own novella collections. By blending elements of suspense, dark humor, and deeply introspective character exploration, Brimer has crafted a collection of stories that lingers long after the final page.

I found the writing in this collection to be sharp and immersive, pulling the reader into a world where trust is fragile and reality is often blurred. I found myself at the edge of my seat many times – Brimer does a great job at making you question what you thought you knew as reality in these stories. I also thought that Brimer did a wonderful job at pacing, steadily building tension while allowing moments of reflection that add depth to the characters and their motivations.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its ability to balance psychological depth with an engaging, fast-moving plot. The dialogue feels natural, laced with wit and unease, making the interactions between characters both compelling and unpredictable. The themes of identity, deception, and morality add complexity to the narrative, making it more than just a thriller—it’s an exploration of what it truly means to know oneself.

Summary:

Overall, this book is for readers who enjoy thrillers with a psychological twist, The Devil You Know is a must-read. Brimer’s storytelling is both entertaining and unsettling, making this novel a standout in the genre. Whether you’re drawn to intricate character studies or edge-of-your-seat suspense, this book. Happy reading!

Check out The Devil You Know here!

 

Review: What Now? by Joyce V. Harrison

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

“What Now?” tells eight short stories of individuals dealing with the unexpected that can seriously impact their life.

Ella Mae: the money she accidentally finds may put her in danger. Jasper: a haircut leads him to consider a new road for his future.

Caroline: a coworker is on a mission to get her fired.

Logan: as high school ends, the devil wind comes to collect his dues.

Tara: her boyfriend reveals a dark side.

Luke: what he’s been hiding hits home.

Lori: her addiction is private until her husband surprises her.

Marshall: diagnosed with a fatal disease, he is torn about his beloved Harley.

The question is: what would you do?

Favorite Lines:

As always with short story collections, rather than a favorite line, I am picking a favorite story. In this case it would have to be “Leaving Glory”. This collection mostly focuses on the dark side of life and I found “Leaving Glory” to bring reprieve to the melancholic tone with much needed lighter notes.

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is a collection of short stories that follow eight individuals and revolves around all things life related. Each story is unique from the last with new characters, new settings, and new challenges but a constant that remains throughout is Harrison fully committing to the perspective of the individual in the story which lends to a fully immersive experience. 

Readers will get an inside look into the inner most thoughts and feelings of each character. However, I will warn that most of these stories deal with the characters experiencing issues in their lives that lead them down a path of despair which makes for some pretty dark storytelling at parts but I can appreciate this as a reality of life. Life isn’t always pretty, and there are many individuals who face challenges and dark moments that test them.

Summary:

Overall, I found this to be an interesting but bit depressing read. Harrison has fashioned a creative way to spin stories that shine light on some dark realities and despite being a fictional collection, I don’t doubt that there are those out there where this is their reality. I would recommend to anyone interested in short stories that touch on the darker realities of life related to challenges, change, and what it can mean to be human in today’s society.

Check out What Now? here!

 

Review: MMMM: and the music that made me by Heather Joy

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

Do you need a laugh or a mindless read? How about song suggestions for your next playlist? You can find that and more in Heather Joy’s explicit debut.

Heather Joy’s essays are balanced with pop culture references and her tireless crusade to spark a connection (which sometimes leans on the debaucherous side of things). 

Favorite Lines:

As always with short stories and collections, rather than picking favorite lines, I am picking a favorite chapter. In this memoir, the chapter that I found particularly engaging, which quite frankly surprised myself, was “Mixed Media”. It focuses on today’s society’s addiction to technology as well as the impact that art has had across generations. Joy makes some compelling arguments that feel loud and bold but I found that I respected many of them.

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is my first book from Joy and she had me hooked from the Introduction. I knew rather quickly that her sense of humor and writing style were going to have me aggressively exhaling out of my nose many times throughout this book (I’m sure you know what I mean) and I was excited to dive right in as I am always a fan of creative works such as these. 

A collection of 13 personal essays, Joy takes us through her life from her early party-girl days to becoming a single mother working for engineering firms. This memoir is full of raw honesty, dark humor, and overall compelling writing. While Joy is writing from her own personal experiences, I found that I could relate to a lot of them in my own way and I imagine that other readers will feel the same. I am appreciative that Joy shared such deeply personal experiences with us to remind us that we are not alone in our own experiences and the impacts they leave on our lives.

I think what I found most compelling in this collection was Joy’s author voice and tone. I found that Joy brought a unique sense of energy and creativity that really shined through and kept me thoroughly engrossed and entertained throughout the memoir. She is brutally honest both with herself and the world around her which I thought only added to her remarkable storytelling abilities and brought a very personal but relatable perspective on a variety of topics.

Summary:

Overall, I found this book to be incredibly rewarding and I quite frankly feel a bit awe struck that I got to experience it. I would call this a diamond in the rough and would recommend to anyone who is interested in personal memoirs that focus on one woman’s take on just everything life.

Check out MMMM: and the music that made me here!

 

Review: Whirl of Birds by Liana Vrăjitoru Andreasen

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

The literary landscape of Whirl of Birds interlaces the spatial and temporal complexities of the mind, in narrative flickers and bursts. Whether we glimpse at the plight of Neanderthals in the depths of lost ages, or at the collapse of communism in the mirrors of a children’s theater, whether we’re uplifted by the triumph of friendship over poverty or watch the last cowboy in New York State struggle to save his business, we recognize how much we are driven by our passions. Strange, but all too human obsessions shape the characters: from rat hoarding to an infatuation with a sculpture, from lies we tell ourselves and others to encounters with the dead, readers are swept in whirls of time, chains of connectivity that can break like glass, the unseen that whispers in our ear. The twists and turns of these short stories create a restless world where self and other meet in glimpses. Each small moment becomes an earthquake that echoes through time, each life is wrestled out of its own darkness, to arrive at the one question that is worth asking.

Favorite Lines:

As always with short story collections, I am highlighting my favorite story from the collection rather than quotes. I actually found the title’s namesake story, Whirl of Birds, to be my favorite from the collection. Without giving anything away, it highlights how life can be thrown into chaos and makes us question what we really value. It resonated with me quite a bit and I found myself still reflecting on it days after reading it.

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’ve been getting more and more requests for short story collection reviews lately but what really drew me to agreeing to review this collection was the editorial reviews on the publishing website as well as the cover art itself which I thought was unique and beautiful and I was hoping it was reflective of the content inside. Spoiler: it was.

This collection of short stories explores what it means to be human in a variety of ways. From humans in ancient societies to contemporary ones, Andreasen leads us on rich and emotional journeys through diverse landscapes to tell stories that echo with themes and lessons involving all things life and human.

What I found most compelling about this collection was Andreasen’s writing style – I don’t think I have ever read something quite like it and I found it to be very artistically enjoyable. She crafted scenes with strong imagery that made me feel like I was right there in the worlds she was creating. It felt like each line was written with purpose and I have a feeling that each time a reader gives this a new read through, they will find something new that they hadn’t noticed before to ponder. 

Andreasen does a fantastic job at challenging readers to reflect on not only their lives but society as a whole and what it truly means to be a human being. Readers will be immersed in worlds full of thought-provoking narratives full of deep emotions and clever storylines. 

Summary:

Overall, I really enjoyed this collection and the deep-dive into the complexities that life has to offer. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys creative short story collections full of emotional narratives that lead to thought provoking reflections. Happy reading! 

Check out Whirl of Birds here!