October Reading – 100 Word Book Reviews

It Sucked And Then I Cried: How I Had A Baby, A Breakdown, And A Much Needed Margarita by Heather B. Armstrong (creator of dooce.com) (Gallery Books, 2010) ~ 4/5*

Opening line:

My husband has great hair, but even more impressive than that, he has impeccable taste in socks.

~

As a fellow sufferer of PND, many moments in this memoir rang painfully true and I shed more than the odd tear at the situations and memories they triggered.

There were also frequent laugh out loud moments when Armstrong was bluntly honest about the indignities of having a baby and unexpected moments you inevitably experience with a newborn in tow.

However, had I not been a parent myself, I’m not sure I’d have engaged particularly well with it as a whole. My enjoyment heavily relied on the feeling of shared experience.

Worth a read but not a full five stars.

*

Reality Deconstructed by Andrew Bellingham (Red Feather Writing, 2012) ~ 5/5*

Opening line:

Gemma had been wandering for a day and a night before I met her.

~

Another quirky short story from Andrew that made me really think.

Reality Deconstructed didn’t go where I expected it to and I found myself enjoying the journey it took me on.

I love the tone of this story, the narrative voice is strong and likeable and I didn’t find it hard to trust him without question despite all the craziness going on around him.

Exploring the power of the sleeping subconscious, Andrew plays on that strange sleep-state where you are still sleeping but almost aware and questions what affect this wakefulness has on our dreams.

The result is thoroughly intriguing.

*

The Dead by David Gatward (Hodder Children’s Books, 1st July 2010) ~ 4/5*

Opening line:

It was when Lazarus opened his bedroom door that he noticed the smell.

~

I picked up The Dead because I wanted something quick to read alongside another hard-going book I’m reading. It was perfect.

I finished it in two sittings and loved it.

A bit different from other horror stories I have read, The Dead was full of intriguing twists and developments that always kept the pages turning.

I really liked Lazarus, the lead character, because he didn’t fall into his role easily on discovery of the weird things happening around him – he doubted everything and ran away. He was very human… and you need a touch of human when you’re frightened.

*

Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas (Viking, 2009) ~ 5/5*

Opening stanza:

I am always there.

But they don’t care if I am

because I am furniture.

~

Sometimes you read something that says a million things in very few words. Because I Am Furniture is one of those things.

Not written in the style of a conventional novel, the story of Anke’s life at high-school, on the volleyball team and at home with her abusive father unfolds with disturbing clarity.

I finished the book in one sitting, unable to tear myself away as the frighteningly simple and violent tale unfolded across the pages.

Captured beautifully, the emotions Anke goes through as she reaches breaking point in her life cut you to the core and break your heart.

*

I’ll Give You My Heart – A Not-So-Sweet Valentine

Yesterday, Liberty pointed me in the direction of David Gatward’s Horror-themed Valentine’s Day Short Story competition, so I got thinking and did some writing. Taking heart from the good response I got the other day when I got all brave and shared my first ever attempt at horror writing, Something Precious, I thought it was worth a shot.

One slightly freaky dream later (I was clearly thinking about it all too hard) and I came up with this:

I’ll Give You My Heart by Carole Holland

“I can’t believe he isn’t here, he’s always lurking around watching you.” Tasha said, searching the room from behind her menu.

“Bet it doesn’t last,” Michelle muttered. “He always turns up eventually. Creepy sod.”

Delilah waved at the waiter and flashed him her flirtiest grin. “I think it’s kind of sweet. He’s been totally in love with you since we were fifteen and he gave you that bunch of half-dead carnations in the middle of Physics.” She winked as the waiter turned in their direction. “It’s like your 6 year anniversary this year.”

Delilah was saved from Michelle’s venomous glare by the waiter’s arrival. He handed each of the girls a plastic wrapped rose before taking their order, not once taking his eyes off Delilah and her ample cleavage.

“Oh yeah.” He looked a bit embarrassed as he prepared to leave the table. “Don’t suppose one of you is ‘Michelle Hollinswood’ by any chance?”

Michelle couldn’t have denied it if she’d wanted to, Delilah and Tasha’s stares said it all. “Um, yeah. Why?”

The waiter relaxed and beamed widely. “Finally! Been asking every single girl without a boyfriend all night. We had a parcel delivered for you this afternoon. Note on it saying you’d be in and requesting it be given to you with your meal. Boyfriend not able to make it? Or a secret admirer?”

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” Michelle sank into her seat.

“Well, someone clearly likes you!” He wrote something on the order slip and called across to the other two waiters on the floor, “Found Michelle – can stop asking now!”

With that he vanished off to pour their drinks and send their order to the kitchen. Michelle hid herself behind the desert menu whilst the other two sniggered openly.

“Wonder what he’s sent you? How romantic.” Delilah dodged Michelle’s attempt at a punch and dissolved into giggles.

“The entire Pizza Hut population is going to watch you open it,” Tasha sniggered. “It had better be something good. Like a diamond necklace..”

“Or a ring,” added Delilah, “or twenty-five red roses.”

Michelle growled under her breath. “It had better involve chocolate and not have a note saying anything like ‘I love you more than life itself, what do I have to do to prove it?’ attached.”

It wasn’t long before the parcel was delivered to the table and, with the entire restaurant at least half-watching, Michelle pulled off the red wrapping to reveal a beautiful silver box and a tiny heart-shaped card.

“What does it say?” asked Tasha.

Michelle opened the card. “I told you it was yours.” She scowled. “That doesn’t even make any sense. He’s such a freak.”

“Open the box then.” Delilah was bouncing in her seat.

Michelle fiddled with the clasp, opened the lid and screamed. She shoved the box away, knocking it on its side.

The others leapt from their seats as red blossomed across the tabletop, silently framing the silver box and the human heart that had been inside.

*****

If you fancy winning some goodies and having a go at writing your own short story why not nip over to David Gatward’s website and send in your own entry. The rules are simple: Keep it under 500 words, keep it creepy and not-so-sweet but make sure Valentine’s Day is at its heart… The competition closes on February 14th 2011. Good Luck!!