Get comfortable. Allow yourself to slip into a state of mind where the line between reality and delusion blurs. These 13 dark and unusual tales explore both the horrific and bizarre. They will lure you in subtly, before digging their claws into the deepest corners of your mind.
Dancing delicately along the horror spectrum, this collection creates a melting pot of psychological, chilling, disturbing and graphic tales. Pick your poison and embark on the journey - if you dare.
If I hadn't known that this was Osborn's first book I would have assumed she was a seasoned author such is the quality of the stories she assembled for her debut collection. There is a good variety of types of horror and of themes but there's a very nice consistent feel to all of them and there wasn't a single story that wasn't good. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for any future work by this author!
Hmm. Not really a fan of this book. Yes, the stories were dark and unsettling—the first story is kind of sinister and felt a little too close to home for a cat lover like me—but the supernatural/paranormal themes aren't really my cup of tea, so I struggled quite a bit to finish it.
That's just me, though. A lot of readers would probably devour this.
This was one of the best collection of short stories I've ever read. Every single one was original and so well written. As always, there were a couple that I didn't love, but I still thoroughly enjoyed them. Each story was the perfect length (which is not something I say often about short stories). I highly highly recommend this one to anyone who is looking for a read for spooky season. Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of this.
Jenn’s debut collection of stories was SO well done! Each time I started reading one my imagination and curiosity was piqued. Some had such creepy vibes and atmosphere, others had fantastical twists and surprises. The last tale of the bunch was like a bow on a present, tying it all together.
My top tales would have to be “The Black Rabbit” (an twisted Wonderland retelling), “Funhouse” (a carnival tale of nightmares), and “Intrusive Thoughts” (a disturbed woman is trapped at home with her cat).
I can’t wait to see what this author creates next; Jennifer Osborn is definitely someone I will continue to read going forward.
Intrusive Thoughts:And Other Dark and Unsual Tales is the debut collection of 13 shorts from Jennifer Osborn. I finished these shorts about a week ago and have been sitting and thinking on just what I want to say that would even begin to do them justice.
To say that Osborn is a fantastic writer and that these stories are so damn good seems like such a cop-out, but it's true. I couldn't find a single thing I didn't enjoy about this collection. The variety is top notch and her writing is beautiful. The stories had me all over the place emotionally.
Honestly, I changed my mind. I do have a complaint. I didn't want this to end! And... I would love to see if some of these shorts could be fleshed out at some point into longer novellas because I would read the hell out of it!
Here are some watered-down..overall thoughts on the tales, I don't want to ruin the experience for anyone. So I'm going to keep it brief!
1. Intrusive Thoughts This one was hard to read because I actually suffered from intrusive thoughts, and they were the loudest when I was pregnant. The twists are something I never saw coming. Kudos!
2. The Denist This one was bizarre and creepy with just enough ick!
3. Funhouse This one gave me coming of age tale with a creepy carnival setting and some serious Arachnophobia. It's not my favorite of the collection, but it's still a solid story.
4. The Black rabbit I absolutely adored this story. It's a retelling of a classic fairy tale that just so happened to be one of my favorites. I'm a sucker for a dark Alice! The characters get a chance to appreciate their lives...after all it could definitely be worse!
5. FLIGHT 622 Do you hate flying?? I certainly do, and now a new fear of flight has been unlocked, so thanks for that.
6. The Devils Sweet tooth This one was another of my favorites out of the collection. A sweet variation on selling your soul to the devil. What would you do for a bomb ass pastry?? Apparently, the devil would grant you a lot!!! The main character proves again that you don't judge a book by its cover. That pretty pink facade is hiding a dark secret
7. Grandma Edith “You take care of family, Hazel, especially the ones who can’t take care of themselves,” This one was a solid representation of "geriatric horror," as horrible as it makes me sound. I think old people can be creepy as hell, especially for small children. While I didn't find this tale to be scary, seeing it from a small child prospective, the unease is palpable.
8. Barlowes Cabin This was a twisty twisty tale. A complete mindfuck and I loved it! Just another much needed reminder to be careful what you wish got! Also who doesn't love Creepy cabins?!
9. The legend of Lilith A classic creepy graveyard tale meets haunting/folklore. Short and quick but I enjoyed it. Would love for there to be more about Lilith and her story though!
10. Sixteen bones Who's a good boy?!?! This tale was creepy and demented but also a bit humorous. If it's the doggos16th birthday doesn't he deserve the best birthday cake ever?!
11. The farmhouse This tale was definitely more psychological horror and I did quite enjoy that. A woman, is tormented by the spirit of her abusive mother. Even in death, she can't escape the torment.
12. Pieces of hank If you were given the chance to go back in time would you? Sometimes we should just be happy with the life we have. If given the chance to look into our lives through different eyes, maybe we would see we don't have it so bad after all. Another solid piece that makes the reader stop and think. Love that!!
13.The twisted typewriter This one right here!!! The biggest mindfuck of all. Definitely supernatural in nature but ties in to the other stories. Can you spot the ways?? Such a fun story and NEEDS to be read last to completely enjoy.
So as you can see, these stories don't follow any rules or fit neatly in a box. If your looking for a diverse collection of horror that highlights the authors superb range in writing, this is a great place to start!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
DNF @ 20% . I think the author needs some time to mature in their writing. I felt no connection to any of the characters and it all felt very matter of fact. For example in the story Funhouse one of the characters wished he had his cellphone but he didn't. Explain maybe why?
What a great collection! And this is a debut, yet Osborn writes with the confidence of a seasoned vet. Every story was enjoyable, and I can’t recommend this one enough. Fans of collections need to grab this ASAP, but even if you don’t typically go for short story books (I generally don’t) I urge you to still give this a shot because there are some wonderful stories within
Definition of Intrusive Thoughts: Intrusive thoughts are ideas and images that come to mind uninvited and typically unwanted.
That being said, this book is exactly that. These are all short stories, and while some of them, I got into.. others kind of threw me for a loop. I liked the ending as it did do a good job wrapping up the whole entire book.
Oh my, is anything off-limits in Jennifer Osborne’s debut collection? The range of themes is amazing, the twists punch right through the heart, and the creativity in even the shorter tales goes through the roof! Jennifer Osborn’s short story collection, ‘Intrusive Thoughts: And Other Dark & Unusual Tales,’ has thirteen stories, all with very strong Twilight Zone vibes, though Osborn has many unusual tricks up her sleeve (just check the self-referential aspects of the last story, “The Twisted Typewriter,” or the ‘Inception’-like articulation of “Barlowe’s Cabin”). Her stories are tightly structured, highly entertaining (if you dig horror, duh), well-written, sometimes funny but also thoughtful and poignant. But what I loved most was the wonderful spin she put on familiar horror tropes: the cursed object, the evil pet, the haunted cabin, the creepy grandma, the deal with the devil – they’re all in this book, figuring in family histories and small town politics and in the lives of your next door neighbors! Along with some nasty, utterly original surprises, of course. In sum, this is indispensable Halloween reading, so don’t hesitate to check it out!
This book showed up on my Facebook feed as a sponsored post and the title instantly drew me in. At first, I thought this book would be a collection of intrusive thoughts that one has—but upon reading, it’s a collection of thirteen short, spooky stories.
Just in time for the spooky season! 🎃
The book is written in third person, which really isn’t my cup of tea but the scenes are written in a way that made me feel like I had a film reel running through my mind. The stories seemed to jump a bit back and forth through time but these are short stories.
I enjoyed the last one the most, the twist at the end put a little smile on my face. Did I know what was going to happen? Yes, until the very, very end. The scene with the publicist caught me off guard.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Wow what a great author! Absolutely loved the stories - creepy, scary, some a little gory, ( which I don't mind ), definitely dark & unusual tales worth reading.
Great stories gave me some messed up dreams reading it before bed! But I loved them a lot! A good quick read that will give you some weird what indeed if.....
First off a HUGE thank you to Jennifer Osborn - Author for providing a copy of her debut short story book "Intrusive Thoughts"! Due to be released October 13, 2023.
I would advise you to pre-order this amazing collection of strange and unusual tales for so many reasons. First and foremost you will highly enjoy each and every spiral in this collection. I am not a huge short story person because not every story is worth a read and you come away from a great tale to something that doesn't leave a mark. But with this I was always seeing something new and extremely creative. From anxiety stricken characters to killers with delusional thoughts and even mind bending views from multiple characters dealing with the same yet very different perspectives. Yes you will have favorites, my personal favorite is "Sixteen Bones". Once you read it I have a feeling it will be yours too. But i would advise reading The Twisted Typewriter last, trust me it's worth it. As for a vibe throughout think Tales from the Crypt and Twilight Zone with a House of a 1000 Corpses thrown in the mix.
So to finish, give this amazing debut a chance you will not be disappointed! Also the author is a super awesome person!
I hyped this book up so much in my head I was worried when I was given the ARC that I would be let down due to my own expectations. Instead, my expectations were far exceeded. This collection produced hit after hit of some of the most glorious short horror pieces I've read in a long time. I am absolutely blown away that this is the authors debut novel. This collection has stories of all the horror genres, but still manages to feel connected and tied together with a horrific bow (mean that in the best way.) I would highly suggest reading this collection in the order in which it was written. Or at the very least reading the last story last. This is one of the best books Ive read in 2023. I am so grateful I took a chance on it.
Wicked collection of short stories to add to your spooky season TBR. Well written. I like that the stories didn’t have a lot of filler. This would be an awesome book to take camping and read around the campfire. Girls sleepover! There is something to creep out everyone in this book. Read them all at once or a few everyday, you won’t want to put this book down. I kept saying ok just one more… until it was 2am and I no longer was ok being in the dark alone. My favorite story made me have a talk with my cat. Worst case scenario on a plane, will make look twice at your dentist, or not go into an empty building for fun Are a few examples of the short stories in this book. It will definitely make you look over your shoulder. “Intrusive Thoughts” is the debut novel for Jennifer Osborn. I enjoyed these frightful tales. I am ordering a copy as a gift for the thriller/suspense reader in my family.
I was given an early copy in exchange for my honest review.
A collection of "short" stories. I liked all of them, but LOVED a few! Intrusive Thoughts -Funhouse -The Black Rabbit -The Devil's Sweet Tooth -The Twisted Typewriter
I strongly suggest you read these stories in the order they are in the book. There are hints in each story to other stories in the collection. The hints may not make sense if you read them out of order.
Jenn is an amazing writer. She pulls you into each story by creating each character to be their own person. There were many stories in this collection that actually gave me the heebie-jeebies. There are stories that make you think about how you would handle a situation and stories that make you feel deeply for the characters.
Something I've learned about short story collections is that you'll love some stories, and you'll not like others. It's a great reminder not to judge an author by one book you loved or didn't.
There are two stories in here I absolutely adored (16 Bones, for one!), a couple I could have done without, and the others are strong, but sometimes I want more. Not always the author's fault. It is a great mix of 13 different tales!
Jennifer's creativity obviously has no end. I'm really excited to see how this author will continue to walk the path and write some more amazing things for us in the future.
This book, though...wow! The first story is like a shadowy entity, sliding its long dark fingers around your throat and squeezing, trapping you in its grip. The fingers don't let go until the final sentence of the book, and then you're left gasping for air at the brilliant conclusion. The 13 stories contained in this marvelous debut novella are punchy, fast-paced, and evocative. Enough gore and ick moments to have made me squirm a few times, but mostly, I was absolutely enthralled and spellbound until the very end. After every nightmare inducing story, I thought to myself, "This one is my favorite." Now, after finishing the book, I couldn't pick a favorite, even if someone told me my life depended on choosing. If you want a quick read that will send shivers up and down your spine and keep you up at night...look no further!
Intrusive Thoughts: And Other Dark & Unusual Tales doesn't disappoint. I enjoyed each work but had a few favorites.
Flight 622: Hits two of my major fears, flying and zombies.
The Black Rabbit: A horror take on Alice in Wonderland. It tickled a nostalgia bone while building on the story.
Barlowe's Cabin: A great mindfuck of a story.
Sixteen Bones: Earl seems like the best dog dad ever but has a sinister side. Duke never wants for nothing and for his sixteenth birthday; he's getting totally spoiled.
Pieces Of Hank: As always, when a mysterious being offers you something... be careful what you wish for. Hank's wish becomes terrible nightmare.
The Twisted Typewriter: Meta goodness with a The Black Rabbit callback which always pleases me.
Huge thank you to Jennifer Osborn for providing me with an early copy to review!
*publishing on October 13!!!!!!!!
One of my few 5 star reads this year!!!!!! This book reminded me of a grown up and darker version of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark! I had read a short called 16 bones and was obsessed! This anthology went more in-depth with one of my favorite short stories ever! A dark and disturbing collection of horror stories that left me leaving the lights on just a little longer in the night…. Do yourself a favor and pre-order this creepy collection from a power house of a debut from this new voice in Horror!
I went in to this collection blind, i knew it was a debut but wow...it blew me away!
Each unique story had me captivated, and eager to read on. I struggled to put the book down. Some of the characters stories pulled at my heartstrings. The book is so well writing and thought provoking.
Some of the stories that stood out for me were; The Black Rabbit, The Farmhouse, Sixteen Bones, Barlowes Cabin and The Twisted Typewriter.
Favourite character Duke. I'm glad he had the best birthday!
Wow, I never would have known this was a debut collection of short stories if I hadn't read the acknowledgements at the end. I absolutely loved every single one. Short stories are among my favorites and I especially appreciate when an author includes notes as to what was behind them writing each one. Can't wait to read more from this author!
Short fiction has become the bulk of my reading over the past couple of years. This collection was one of the best ones I've read this year. Even the stories I didn't care for as much I still liked. (Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass is in my top 5 favorites, so it's hard to win me on those) I also LOVE that she shared some of the inspiration behind the tales at the end of the collection.
This book was great. The stories were all so unique. I loved the last story and all the stories connected to that one. I can't wait to read more from Jennifer Osborn.
My favorite stories were
The Dentist Flight 622 Grandma Edith Sixteen Bones The Farmhouse
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Very entertaining short stories! Enough excitement to keep you wanting to read more. Each story was unique and had my jaw dropping. I Really enjoyed it!