Scan barcode
dfs's review
4.0
A good selection of grisly stories to read before you go to bed.
I like how there is a connected theme throughout this book. I've always been a fan of short chronicles, and this group's brevity is welcome.
My favorites in this collection are Warm and Tender, The Delivery, Accident at the Laboratory, and Vic.
There are some great twists given in these stories, my favorite being The Delivery. After reading it, I found myself thinking about this ghastly tale while devouring my delicious meal. At first, the description of the villain wasn't frightening to me, but after thinking about it, it dawned on me how creepy it is!
Accident at the Laboratory had me thinking about The Flying Spaghetti Monster, and I enjoyed the different style of this work compared to the others. I relished the transformation given in Vic, and karma is something to watch out for in Warm and Tender.
Only four stars because the selection as a whole has to be fantastic to get a five-star rating. Nonetheless, this is a great fiction assembly; if you don't mind getting goosebumps, I recommend feasting on this ensemble of grim stories.
I like how there is a connected theme throughout this book. I've always been a fan of short chronicles, and this group's brevity is welcome.
My favorites in this collection are Warm and Tender, The Delivery, Accident at the Laboratory, and Vic.
There are some great twists given in these stories, my favorite being The Delivery. After reading it, I found myself thinking about this ghastly tale while devouring my delicious meal. At first, the description of the villain wasn't frightening to me, but after thinking about it, it dawned on me how creepy it is!
Accident at the Laboratory had me thinking about The Flying Spaghetti Monster, and I enjoyed the different style of this work compared to the others. I relished the transformation given in Vic, and karma is something to watch out for in Warm and Tender.
Only four stars because the selection as a whole has to be fantastic to get a five-star rating. Nonetheless, this is a great fiction assembly; if you don't mind getting goosebumps, I recommend feasting on this ensemble of grim stories.
aesantana's review
5.0
A talkative ghost seeks an audience from beyond the grave. A lonely man, looking for a sense of home, submits to a zombie horde. After a horrific accident, a stranded scientist tries to keep it together. A student abroad delivers more than a mysterious package to a quiet rural town. A semi-professional hitman makes a fatal mistake.
Boarded Windows, Dead Leaves is a short horror story collection by Michael Jess Alexander that features nine eerie and disturbing tales and vignettes. With strangeness and a twist ending as a mark for the collection, the fault of being human is where the real terror lies and what punctuates each story.
In “Werewolf Cemetery,” Grayson has decided to break up with his girlfriend, Dawn, but continues to put it off. He’s not cruel, but he’s certain she’s not the one. While Grayson must contend with a pack of werewolves, it is his lack of courage to be honest that solidifies his fate.
“Space for Amateurs” centers on hired hand Edwin, whose carelessness on the job causes tension between him and his boss, scientist/inventor Professor Noguchi. Although Edwin takes no pride in his work, his ego leads him into a place where there is no coming back.
In the midst of a zombie outbreak, Todd Black succumbs to his isolation after his wife, Kara, leaves to rescue another lonely man—a patient of hers. In “Warm and Tender,” Todd begins to wonder if it’s better to be alive alone or dead together.
Alexander’s stories in Boarded Windows, Dead Leaves are short and biting. They have zip, slashing out at readers with unsettling and unusual situations. However, it is the lingering sting of why and how these characters have ended up in their frightful happenstances that stay with the reader. Whether it is a zombie outbreak, a haunting from beyond the grave, an entanglement with a monster, or a terrible accident, the characters each make decisions that put them at the doorstep of disaster. Their decisions may be thoughtless or selfless, but nonetheless are their own. This is the horror in Alexander’s tales, that humans are fallible—even when being helpful or on ordinary days—and each decision we make brings us closer to our inevitable ends.
For fans of the bizarre and the macabre, Boarded Windows, Dead Leaves offers chilling glimpses into the lives of doomed characters.
Boarded Windows, Dead Leaves is a short horror story collection by Michael Jess Alexander that features nine eerie and disturbing tales and vignettes. With strangeness and a twist ending as a mark for the collection, the fault of being human is where the real terror lies and what punctuates each story.
In “Werewolf Cemetery,” Grayson has decided to break up with his girlfriend, Dawn, but continues to put it off. He’s not cruel, but he’s certain she’s not the one. While Grayson must contend with a pack of werewolves, it is his lack of courage to be honest that solidifies his fate.
“Space for Amateurs” centers on hired hand Edwin, whose carelessness on the job causes tension between him and his boss, scientist/inventor Professor Noguchi. Although Edwin takes no pride in his work, his ego leads him into a place where there is no coming back.
In the midst of a zombie outbreak, Todd Black succumbs to his isolation after his wife, Kara, leaves to rescue another lonely man—a patient of hers. In “Warm and Tender,” Todd begins to wonder if it’s better to be alive alone or dead together.
Alexander’s stories in Boarded Windows, Dead Leaves are short and biting. They have zip, slashing out at readers with unsettling and unusual situations. However, it is the lingering sting of why and how these characters have ended up in their frightful happenstances that stay with the reader. Whether it is a zombie outbreak, a haunting from beyond the grave, an entanglement with a monster, or a terrible accident, the characters each make decisions that put them at the doorstep of disaster. Their decisions may be thoughtless or selfless, but nonetheless are their own. This is the horror in Alexander’s tales, that humans are fallible—even when being helpful or on ordinary days—and each decision we make brings us closer to our inevitable ends.
For fans of the bizarre and the macabre, Boarded Windows, Dead Leaves offers chilling glimpses into the lives of doomed characters.
stephaniieemoon's review
4.0
I listened to this short story collection on audiobook. I enjoy short stories on audiobook because they are quick and to the point, therefore I don’t become distracted or lost. I must say the narration and sound effects/music brought a spooky ambience. The narrator, Johnathan Sleep did an excellent job keeping my attention.
Chatterbox, Werewolf Cemetery, The Delivery and Vic were my favorites. Michael Jess Alexander did an excellent job with character development for such short stories. I love that this collection has many different themes, sci-fi, classic monsters, suicide, possession and a bonus of humor throughout the stories. I suggest checking out the audiobook for some bite-sized horror stories that deliver the scares at the end of the story. Perfect for a long drive.
Chatterbox, Werewolf Cemetery, The Delivery and Vic were my favorites. Michael Jess Alexander did an excellent job with character development for such short stories. I love that this collection has many different themes, sci-fi, classic monsters, suicide, possession and a bonus of humor throughout the stories. I suggest checking out the audiobook for some bite-sized horror stories that deliver the scares at the end of the story. Perfect for a long drive.
More...