Freaky Finales

by C.A. King

Freaky Finales is a series of short stories with twist and turns meant to unhinge minds and pull on heartstrings. With surprise endings worth their weight in gold, there are many emotional roller coaster rides waiting for riders. Not all are meant to bring tears, but hopefully a few will make readers think.

Including:

Scare Queen: A woman’s plight for youth
Essentially Broken: A nurse’s curse
No Pest Pesticide: Chemical damage to nature
Mother Knows Best: A Halloween outing gone wrong.
Respect: An angel’s fall from Heaven
Bonus:
When Leaves Fall: An emotional journey of cruelty.

Genres: Supernatural

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 31, 2024

About the author

2 time USA Today Bestselling Author, C.A. King, has received the following Awards/distinctions:


Hamilton Spectator Readers' Choice Award in the Best Local Author category 2017 & 2018 & 2019
Brant News Readers' Choice Award: Best Local Author 2017
Readers' Favorite International Book Awards: Best Novella/Short Story 2017 Silver medal
2017 SIBA Awards - Best Novella
2017 SIBA Awards - Best New Adult
2018 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards: Gold Medal in the Fiction - Supernatural genre
2018 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards: Bronze Medal in the Fiction - New Adult genre
2019 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner in the Fiction - Supernatural genre
2019 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner in the Young Adult - Fantasy - Urban genre
City of Brantford Featured Artist February 2020
Burlington Post Readers' Choice Award in the Best Local Author Category 2020
Toronto Star Readers' Choice Award in the Best Local Author Category 2020
Burlington Post Readers' Choice Award in the Best Local Author Category 2021.

"Hmmmmmm,
Who am I?…Who am I?
Silence…chews pencil…
Who am I?…Who am I?
Hmmmmmm,
I am…
a daydreamer…a hopeless romantic…an optimistic pessimist…a psychic…a childish adult…an animal lover…an over-emotional wreck…an adventurer…an artistic fool…
Aha!
I am…A Fiction Writer!
Nice to meet you!"

About the author!

I was diagnosed with clinical depression after the loss of my mother, father and husband within three years of each other; all to cancer. 24/7 in-home care, coupled with the loss I felt, left its mark on my psyche.

Depression takes up a lot of my life. Reading and writing are the only things I have found that help (in connection with regular medication), even if only for a short time. To escape to a different world can make a big difference in my mood in real time.

To put things in perspective, when I was at my lowest point, I couldn't open mail, talk on the phone, or even drive to the store. Walls of sadness surrounded me. As they closed in, tears would fall. There didn't need to be a reason or trigger.

People ask me why I started writing. My answer is simple: I wanted to create a world into which other people with similar problems could escape. I wanted to share the one place that had helped me for many years.


I have always said that as long as one person finds a little bit of happiness out of my books, I am, in my opinion, an accomplished author. The same is true for every writer out there. Please don't ever let anyone tell you different.

I read books as well as write them and have visited the worlds many different authors have created. Those worlds not only make me feel better, but give me the strength to face real life again. I want to thank everyone who writes - I want them to know they are making a difference.

Thank you for reading and writing.

Reviews

[Paul Weiss · Rating 1 out of 5]

“… a series of short stories with twists and turns meant to unhinge minds and pull on heartstrings.”

When I reviewed an earlier collection of Ms King’s short stories, TRULY UNFORTUNATE, I wasn’t shy about heaping on a helping of 5-star praise and kudos:

TRULY UNFORTUNATE is definitely a blend of genres – paranormal, horror, psychological thriller, and murder mystery. … Drawing on whiffs of the supernatural abilities of Stephen King’s eponymous character CARRIE, C.A. King places Truly [DeCanter] at the heart of a pattern of unexplained deaths in Knollville. The police investigators acknowledge that the solution to the mystery, if it is even possible to find one, lies beyond the realm of normal human experience.

[A small piece of foreshadowing, I believed, that hinted the investigators themselves to be beyond that aforementioned realm of normal human experience]…

TRULY UNFORTUNATE is short and sweet but it’s a gripping page-turner and a novel that will definitely raise your eyebrows with hopes to follow up on further entries in the series. And, more than that, I’ll definitely be looking for other novels by the same author.

And so, as you might imagine, it was with considerable anticipation that I opened the pages of FREAKY FINALES, a recently published anthology of Ms King’s shorts that obviously promised what I hoped would be some unforeseen clever endings. And it was with even more considerable disappointment that I discovered the near novella length RESPECT, sub-titled AN ANGEL’S FALL FROM HEAVEN, to be little more than a maudlin philosophical essay on the origin and nature of angels and Ms King’s imaginings with regard to the musings of a capricious God. This was a stand-alone God clearly based in the Christian beliefs of monotheism and the unknowable motivations of that God in his creation of such things as death, disease, hardship, and negative emotions!

Consider this conversation between God and one of his angels, defined in truly appalling Mother Teresa fashion as “…a person who has been left bone-weary by life, but still retails their inner beauty and compassion, shining brightly” in which God justifies his creation of the vagaries and difficulties which mortals must face as an implicit part of their mortality:

“Do you actually consider being mortal a gift?”

God sighed. “I consider giving you the freedom to choose a gift. I think having emotions is a gift. There are many benefits to being human.”

“And downsides!” Xarlapin exclaimed [the angel facing incipient “demotion” to mortal status] “What about negative emotions like sadness, pain, jealousy, and death?”

“They serve their purposes,” God answered, stroking his long beard. “Without death, there is no life. Without sickness, there is no health. Without sadness, one would never know true happiness. There is a balance to everything.”

Frankly, my admittedly long-standing atheist opinion characterizes that as apologist theistic codswallop with a particularly Christian bent! And it gets worse. Having already insisted on the paradoxical notion of allowing her omnipotent God to craft human creatures with free will and the power to make decisions of which he has no foreknowledge and over which he has no power or say, she continues to make that God fundamentally homophobic:

“God chuckled. “You’ve already made your first choice as a mortal. You decided you wanted to be a man, not a woman.”

He [Xarlapin, now a mortal "he" as opposed to a genderless angel] glanced down. “I don’t remember doing that”.

“Your subconscious took charge there,” God snickered. “I expect it’s because of your feelings for a certain professor.”

Clearly it was beyond Ms King’s God’s limited imagination to see that love for that female professor need not necessarily emanate from a man.

To make a long story short, RESPECT was not well-crafted horror or a paranormal short story with a twist ending that pulled on my heartstrings. It was nothing more than tedious, pedantic proselytizing and I have now put paid to reading anything further by Ms King despite the previous praise I offered to her work when it was unsullied by such nonsense.

Paul Weiss

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freaky Finales is a book full of unusual short stories that range from a woman whose want to keep her youthful beauty takes a twisted turn to a mothers protective instincts cause a wedge with her daughter leading to a path neither planned on. A ton of different tales that are unpredictable and harrowing. I thought this entertaining, kept me guessing through out. A mix of horror, paranormal and suspense I think will keep readers guessing.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 – 3.5 stars
Freaky Finales is a collection of five short, twisted stories plus a bonus one. This fictional collection is an interesting read. Nothing is what it should be. Each tale is unique.
Temptations can be a blessing or a curse. Healing hands you would think is a blessing, but you never know. Pesticides are never a good thing but when they are out of control everything is eventually lost. Beware the monster teenagers can become. You may see Halloween a little differently after this one. What would you do for love? Would you give up everything you have ever known?
Stories in this collection are: -
• Scare Queen: A woman’s plight for youth
• Essentially Broken: A nurse’s curse
• No Pest Pesticide: Chemical damage to nature
• Mother Knows Best: A Halloween outing gone wrong
• Respect: An angel’s fall from Heaven When Leaves Fall: An emotional journey of cruelty

Be careful what you wish for because you never know what you will get. There could be things lurking in the madness and mayhem.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Freaky Finales by C.A King is a collection of 6 short stories that made for not only intriguing reads, but also quick and easy reads. The stories are all original, with plenty of the ingredients I have come to expect from Ms. King.
The collection contains:
- Scare Queen: A Woman’s Plight for Youth
- Essentially Broken: A Nurse’s Curse
- No Pest Pesticide: Chemical Damage to Nature
- Mother Knows Best: A Halloween Outing Gone Wrong.
- Respect- An Angel’s Fall From Heaven.
- When Leaves Fall (Bonus Story): An Emotional Journey of Cruelty

My Favourite of them all is ‘When Leaves Fall’ - It is a perspective story that is full of drama, suspense and mystery. It is somewhat disturbing, dark, violent and heartbreaking. When the author warns that you will need tissues on hand while reading this book, she isn’t kidding. It had me sobbing my heart out in complete devastation with what the character/s go through. The plot is ingenious, really twisting and turning and keeping you guessing right till the end. Even though I did guess the major twist, it wasn’t till the end before I was really sure that what I thought was indeed correct. The story is really though provoking, while really pulling at your heartstrings.
Ralph wakes up disoriented and in pain. He has no idea who he is or how he came to be chained to a shed. He wracks his mind desperately trying to remember something, anything that could explain the situation he is in. He wonders if anyone has noticed him missing yet. Or if anyone is looking for him. Does he have a family… Or friends? Where is his home, because this shed is certainly not his home?
“Home. He wanted to go home. He wanted to leave this place and never think about it again. Would he ever see his home again? He pushed the strange thought from his mind, not allowing it any time to fester and infect his will.”
“None of this made sense. He tried to remember what happened, but memories failed him, providing only quick glimpses of random pictures in his mind. Someone had put him there, but he didn't know who. He shivered. It was getting cold.”
As the story progresses, Ralphs mind begins to play tricks on him. He is having trouble telling what is real or imagined. His captor beats him, starves him and terrorises him until he fears he will lose himself completely. Where is his family? Surely he has one and they would be searching for him?
“A family. He most definitely had a family - not that he could visualize them at the moment, but he was sure they existed. He also knew they loved him as much as he loved them. His family would notice he was missing. They would come for him. He only needed to wait. He was sure they would find him.”
“A single falling leaf grabbed Ralph's attention. It fluttered playfully about, caught in a gust of wind. It blew around in circles a few times before drifting peacefully down to join the others. How lucky that leaf was. If, at that exact moment, he could choose to be anything, it would have been that leaf.”
I won’t say any more because I don’t want to give away spoilers. But I doubt that anyone could read this book without being drawn into the story and feeling for Ralph and his plight, and rooting for him to find freedom, his family and his home. When the story finally comes together it will shock you to the core. Again, I point out the need to have tissues on hand during this read!
A really well written and moving story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it!

This is a quirky little collection that not only entertains, but also proves to be thought-provoking.
Happy Reading…

Thank you, C.A. King!

[Joanne Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.A. King’s Freaky Finales is a fascinating collection of short stories that expertly blends suspense, emotion, and sharp social commentary. With each tale crafted to deliver a twist, the collection serves as a thrilling literary playground for readers who enjoy being surprised and provoked in equal measure.

The standout feature of Freaky Finales is its versatility. Each story delves into a different theme, from the haunting pursuit of youth in Scare Queen to environmental caution in No Pest Pesticide and the unsettling darkness of familial bonds in Mother Knows Best. King’s ability to shift tones—from eerie and unsettling to deeply emotional—is impressive, ensuring that no two stories feel alike.

The narratives are compact but impactful. Essentially Broken, a chilling tale of a nurse grappling with a mysterious curse, is one of the collection’s highlights, blending horror with a sense of tragic inevitability. Meanwhile, Respect offers a thought-provoking spin on celestial beings and morality, showcasing King’s flair for merging fantastical elements with human emotion.

The bonus story, When Leaves Fall, deserves special mention. This poignant tale of cruelty and resilience is the emotional anchor of the collection. It lingers long after the final page, proving King’s talent for evoking empathy and introspection.

While the brevity of the stories is part of their charm, some readers may wish for more development in certain narratives. The twists, though often satisfying, occasionally feel rushed, leaving a desire for deeper exploration of characters or themes.

Nonetheless, King’s vivid writing and knack for delivering surprises ensure that Freaky Finales is an engaging and memorable read. The stories don’t just aim to entertain—they also provoke thought, tackling topics like vanity, environmental destruction, and moral ambiguity with clever, creative flair.

Freaky Finales is a compelling collection for fans of short-form storytelling and unexpected endings. Whether you’re seeking chills, thrills, or emotional depth, this book offers something for everyone.

[Tara Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaky Finales is a Collection of six short stories making for quick and easy reads. My two favorite stories were Scare Queen: A Woman’s Plight for Youth, and When Leaves Fall: An Emotional Journey of Cruelty.

In Scare Queen an aging actress is looking for the proverbial fountain of youth. She meets a mysterious vendor who offers her that opportunity with a pair of special sunglasses. She is skeptical of whether they will work so he tells her that she does not have to pay for them unless they work for her and gives her a chance to go back and give him payment. She uses the glasses, and they do indeed work but when offered the chance to go back and find the vendor and pay him, she chooses not to do so thinking that she will be offering him a valuable lesson about trusting people. In the end it is her that learns a very valuable lesson and that things like this come at a price. A story about trust, truth, honesty, and the price of vanity.

In the story When Leaves Fall Ralph wakes up with no idea where he is or how we got there. He discovers that he is chained. He is cold, he is hungry and does not know where his home is. Ralph is subjected to cruelty at the hands of his captor, and he is beaten, starved, and terrorized. He wants to know where his family is and why he is there. As Ralph watches a leaf fluttered to the ground, he thinks how lucky that leaf is and that if he could choose to be anything at that moment, he would be that leaf. This story had me bawling like a baby and my heart broke for poor Ralph. This story was full of love, loss, hope, drama, cruelty, and heartbreak.

Overall, this was a great collection of short stories that mix elements of horror, suspense, the supernatural, angst, and drama. The stories are well-crafted, and each will take you on a bit of an emotional roller poster while overall telling a valuable lesson.

[C.A. King]

Freaky Finales is a series of fictional shorts. They are in no way a representation of real beliefs or existing religions.

Scare Queen: A woman’s plight for youth

The search for everlasting youth has been written about for centuries. In this one, the answer doesn't come in the form of the fountain of youth though. The fictional supreme being in this story is unique and represents both the good and evil sides of humanity, offering up temptations and tests, as well as just rewards on either side of the spectrum.

Essentially Broken: A nurse’s curse

This short is a damned if you do, damned if you don't, fictional story about a nurse gifted with healing hands and how she uses her ability. This one really hits home in the feels department.

No Pest Pesticide: Chemical damage to nature

If you've read my work, especially the apocalyptic stories, you know I like to tie them to environmental issues, not necessarily real ones. This short is a look at a fake pesticide destroying the planet.

Mother Knows Best: A Halloween outing gone wrong.

The tension between a mother and her teenage daughter hits extremes in this rebellious tale with a twisted outcome.

Respect: An angel’s fall from Heaven

First I'd like to say this is a fictional world, with a fictional religion and a fictional God, who perhaps isn't running the whole show.

Xarlapin an emotionless and genderless angel becomes attached to the mortal world and, in particular, a heterosexual woman. Because of those growing feelings, the angel chooses to become a mortal man and remain at her side as a partner.

Yup! It's a love story.


Bonus:
When Leaves Fall: An emotional journey of cruelty.

Sob!
Sob!
Sob!
Grab the tissues.
This one is my absolute favourite of all the stories I've written. I'm not putting any spoilers in here, but if you want an ugly cry, this is the read for you.

[Kerry carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of short stories by CA King. All of them are unique with a paranormal twist. I enjoyed reading them all.

Scare Queen is the first book here we see a very egotistical lady called Nikki Crow. She was crowned the very first scare Queen and has been every since. She will allow no one to take her crown. However old age is working against her and as much as she tries she can feel her role slipping away. When she is offered a pair of sunglasses to make her forever young will she take them or will she let fate play out? What will be the consequences of she does that the glasses?



No Pest Pesticide is a sci-fi apocalypse style story. When animals started dying and then coming back to life and attacking humans Jill and her team went to war on the company producing the pesticide and causing the mutations. When Jill is laughed out of the court and her funding taken away she moves on to a new project hoping to put this experience behind her. However a year later she is contacted. The mutations are spreading and they now need a cure? Is there a cure? What will happen next? If they had listen to Jill in the first place would this have stopped what is now happening? And what if it can't be stopped? Could this be the end of the world and the humans who inhabit it?

Mother knows best is a story about the relationship between a mother and her daughter. I can relate to this story from my youth where as a child you would always go against your mother's words of warning. This is a story about what may happen if you don't listen to your mother's warnings

That is just a sample of the stories included in this book. Each one is unique and captivating and you will be hooked

[Haley Paglia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Series of short stories.
Scare Queen- This one was good. Reminded me of a life lesson story. Don’t take things for granted. Don’t manipulate people and live an honest life.
Essentially Broken- was more sad. A doctor who was able to save many people, children with a special gift she had. But one person who meant the world to her she was unable to save, she had worn herself out from saving all of these children dying from a horrible sickness. No Pest Pesticide- zombie apocalypse that affects animals? Bunnies eating humans. But what is worse is the disease is in the water and the soil. It’s the end of the world as we know it.
Mother Knows Best- a daughter not understanding why her mom did what she did. It was all to protect her. Certian people she didn’t want her daughter to hang out with. Daughter sneaks out and then something terrible happens. Trying and fighting her way back home I think Mary finally understands her mother’s love.
Respect- seeing isn’t always believing and believing isn’t always seeing. If something is meant to happen it will. Live your life and enjoy it.
When leaves fall- one of the saddest stories in this book. This just shows how cruel some people can be. Especially to animals. No dog should be considered a danger to people just based on the breed. It’s not the breed of the dog but how the dog is raised. This dog was loved by his owner. Would never hurt a fly. Then when she was in the hospital her fiancé did horrible things to him. The dog just took it. Waiting for his family to come back for him. He didn’t understand what was going on. Then one of the worst things that could have happened did.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.A. King’s Freaky Finales is a compelling collection of six short stories, each offering a unique blend of suspense, horror, and as promised tear jerking. The author excels at building tension and weaving thought-provoking themes, making this a highly engaging read for those who appreciate psychological depth alongside chilling twists. Having read this author before I couldnt wait to dive back into her work. With me being in the mood for something quick this was a perfect match for me. This collection had the following stories and each just as good as the last. - Respect- An Angel’s Fall From Heaven.
- Essentially Broken: A Nurse’s Curse
- No Pest Pesticide: Chemical Damage to Nature
- Mother Knows Best: A Halloween Outing Gone Wrong.
- Scare Queen: A Woman’s Plight for Youth
- When Leaves Fall (Bonus Story): An Emotional Journey of Cruelty
Each story has a wide range of themes, from vanity and guilt to environmental issues and human cruelty. King’s ability to mix suspense and horror with deeper, emotional storytelling makes this collection stand out. The twists are well-crafted, and the characters are deeply relatable, even when faced with the supernatural. Some stories may leave you thinking more about their emotional weight than the horror elements, but all are effective in their own right. Can't wait for more work from this author.

[Santana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of twisted short stories that are unique all in their own ways. While some stories are more impactful than others, the collection as a whole provides a satisfying reading experience for those who enjoy unexpected plot turns. If you're looking for a quick and thrilling read, "Freaky Finales" is worth checking out. The stories range from the eerie and unsettling to the darkly humorous, offering something for every reader who enjoys a good twist. Some are filled with life lessons about doing the right thing, karma, how playing god can take its toll on anybody. Choices and consequences, some good, most bad. The author has done an amazing job building wonderful and vivid stories with very few words. I have read a few other works by this author and they never fail to amuse me with their weird sense of writing. Very entertaining!

My favourite story in this collection was ‘mother knows best’. It was twisted and sad. A rebellious teenage girl learns her lesson the hard way.

My least favourite was probably Scare Queen only because I hated the main character. I found her annoying and vain but that was how she was supposed to be written to make her journey for eternal youth a lesson well taught.

[Anna Hirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freaky Finales by C.A. King
4 Stars

This is a compilation of short stories. Some have a supernatural theme while others have an eeriness of truth to them which makes them all the more scarier.

Scare Queen: a story about an actress who can’t accept the fact that she is aging. Her beauty is fading and will do anything to be young again.

Essentially Broken: A nurse has the ability to heal but everything comes with a price. Even though I knew how it was going to end, it was still sad.

No Pest Pesticide: a story about a virus that gets out of country. It was scary because this story might actually happen.

Mother Knows Best: a teen girl rebels against her mother and her night takes a tragic turn

Respect: The fall of an Angel. Everything happens for a reason . Love conquers all when Fate intervenes.

When Leaves Fall: This was a very moving and emotional story. It is told by a different point of view. It was heartbreaking. I don’t want to give anything away so I won’t say more.

I highly recommend this book. It is so worth the read.

[Jaimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaky Finales is a series of short stories that are so good! These include- Scare Queen, Essentially Broken, No Pest Pesticide, Mother Knows Best, Respect, and a Bonus story- When Leaves Fall. Each story has it's own twists but all will make you think. Scare Queen is about eternal youth and consequences. Essentially Broken is about a nurse who has a healing touch, but she can't heal everyone! No Pest Pesticide is a story about a man-made chemical that starts to kill cows, but then spreads to other animals too! Mother's knows best is about a young girl who fights with her mother about going out with friends on Halloween. She sneaks out and find herself in more trouble then even her mother could have imagined. Respect is about an angel and what happens when he starts asking questions and following a human woman around. His fall will be hard! And the bonus story, When Leaves Fall is a sad story about a dog who is left in someone's care, but isn't cared for. I think this was the most sad of them all. But my overall favorite was Respect: An Angel's Fall from Heaven.

[Brandy Jo Rymer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaky Finales is exactly what you would expect from reading the name of the book, a collection of awesome short stories that all have unexpected freaky finales to every story. Be prepared to be on the edge of your seat, prepared for a different kind of shock, some a happy ending and some not so much. C. A. King has always been such an amazing author, and she has most definitely outdone herself in this collection of short stories that are each one of a kind in subject matter. The characters are brilliantly developed, you'd never realize you are reading a short story because of the connection that you will feel toward each of them. I do have to say that "Mother Knows Best" was one of my favorites in this collection, it almost had me in tears as a mom. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick read but seeking to be entertained with a group of stories that have their twisted storyline. Happy reading my friends!
@Brandy Rymer
11/2024

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

C. A. King is definitely one of my favorite authors as of late and I don’t hesitate to pick up a book written by her. Freaky Finales is an amazing collection of short stories that will make you think twice about things in your life. King packs incredible world building into such short stories! I felt each twist and turn of the stories in my soul. Each story had a unique twist on the subject matter that will leave you guessing until the dramatic conclusion. I loved that each story was different from the story before. It's difficult to pick my favorite of the 6 stories, each pulling on a different part of my heart and mind. The bonus story, When Leaves Fall, definitely put a hitch in my breath though. The characters are well developed, especially for such short stories. I found myself rooting for each of the main characters and holding my breath as the story progressed. I definitely recommend this quick, intriguing read.

[Ayla Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hmmmm. Huh. Oh. That is just a few of the things I constantly said while reading this little collection of short stories. C.A. King has been one of my favorite authors for over two years now and every time I start one of her books, I know it’s going to be amazing. I am terrified of ruining anything so I will give it as an overall review. With the crazy holiday weekend these books stories were perfect for a quick read throughout the four-day weekend. Each one left me with serious questions and different outlooks on things that I didn’t always think of or think deeper on.
No story is a giveaway no matter if it’s the single story Essentially Broken or Respect, the longest story at sixteen chapters. Each is unique in its own beautifully written way that honestly has me ready for book two in the collection. Fingers crossed it is soon. Cannot wait for my next C.A. King read I’ll see you there.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaky Finales is a short story collection written by CA King. I always enjoy grabbing a book by this author because she always brings unique perspectives to her stories. The collection includes the following stories:
- Scare Queen: A Woman’s Plight for Youth
- Essentially Broken: A Nurse’s Curse
- No Pest Pesticide: Chemical Damage to Nature
- Mother Knows Best: A Halloween Outing Gone Wrong.
- Respect- An Angel’s Fall From Heaven.
- When Leaves Fall (Bonus Story): An Emotional Journey of Cruelty
The topics of the stories range from tales of vanity to tales of the supernatural and more. I enjoyed the story Scare Queen, which deals with the challenges of aging versus youth. This author brings many relatable topics to life in different ways, continually challenging norms. I enjoyed this collection of short stories and look forward to reading more from this author. She doesn't stick to just one genre, often mixing genres with her creative storytelling.

[Shannen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books by this author, and they never disappoint! As soon as I came across this collection of short stories I knew I was going to be in for a ride. It’s surprising that each story is just as strong as the next because I tend to like only one or two in a collection such as this. My favorite would probably have to be “When Leaves Fall” although they are all incredible. It takes a lot to create a story that is truly thought-provoking, but this author far exceeded my expectations. The suspense keeps you on your toes through each twist and turn. I highly recommend picking this up and giving it a chance even if you don’t typically read this genre. If you are looking for a few insightful stories that offer different perspectives, you won’t want to miss out on this amazing deal!

[Linette Cevallos · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writer is amazing she has a way of keeping the reader at the edge of their seat. I chose to read this book because I saw that it said short stories but I thought they'd be scary? The way she wrote had me captivated but the story was like a straight line I was expecting it to be like a roller coaster ride where I can see the fall and I am scared yet excited and my heart is pounding but the "drop" never came. The stories were great and just when you thought you were going to get scared or expect the worse the stories just ended? There was no suspense, no horror, it was more like two sentence horror story the horrific parts were the irony of the story if that makes sense? So because of that I gave it three stars the writer was amazing but the stories were missing potential.

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaky Finales is a collection of short stories. It’s a nice variety which would be a good way for a reader to get a taste of the author’s style, or a fun book for a fan to dip in and out of. I’ve enjoyed several series by this author and am impressed by the variety of her work, so this collection is a nice way to encounter some of that variety on a smaller scale.

I particularly enjoyed Mother Knows Best. It’s an intriguing and emotional story and I’m a big fan of frogs so I loved the frog character! Another favourite was No Pest Pesticide, it reminded me of other sci-fi stories I’ve been enjoying recently and was an interesting exploration of “what if?”s.

This collection gets five stars from me! I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy thought-provoking and emotional short stories.

[Lorralei Hoerner · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Freaky Finales is a collection of short stories that have different views and twists as you turn the pages. These stories were enjoyable, and I did like them and there was one particular that made me cry and another that tore at my heartstrings being a mother myself. I always enjoy any books from
C.A. King and look forward to more....definitely check this collection out...

Stories were:
Scare Queen: A Woman’s Plight for Youth
Essentially Broken: A Nurse’s Curse
No Pest Pesticide: Chemical Damage to Nature
Mother Knows Best: A Halloween Outing Gone Wrong
Respect: An Angel’s Fall from Heaven

Bonus:
When Leaves Fall: An Emotional Journey of Cruelty

[Dawn Daughenbaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars
Freaky Finales by C.A. King

Freaky Finales is a series of short stories some will have you feeling like you are on an emotional rollercoaster ride where others will pull at your heartstrings. Others may have twists and turns that will have you turning the pages trying to figure out what will happen next. There are six short stories and each one effected my heart differently. The characters are developed, relatable yet complex and the storyline flowed so well. Only complaint I have is I wish they were a bit longer. I truly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it. I look forward to reading more from this Author.

[Gabrielle Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This an interesting collection of short stories full of different ideas. There is a little bit of something for just about everyone. Each story is well written and grabs your attention and maybe even pull on your heart. There were stories that I enjoyed more than others but as a whole this collection is a good read. I will say that the story No Pest Pesticide grabbed my attention the most. With some twists these stories give readers a thrill and some good entertainment. This is a nice way to get a feel of the author’s writing style and enjoy some freaky tales.

[Chelsea Pletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freaky Finales is a collection of 6 short stories, all of which were unique and fun to read. I enjoyed how short each story was. However, when I originally chose to read them, I thought they would be more “freaky” or “horror-filled.” My favorite part about reading stories like this is guessing what the ending will be like. I was correct on a couple, but very wrong on some as well. This author easily captured my attention with their stories and held it throughout my reading experience. I highly recommend reading these yourself.

[Kerry Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic collection of short stories by one of my favourite authors. This book was has a brilliant range of stories, each different from the last but with the same style I have come to love and expect. As is typical from this author, the books were original, interesting with some truly great and different characters.
I loved how each book was different from the others. I connected with each of them for different reasons and could have read so much more about them all. They were all so exciting to read and a brilliant collection overall. I would highly recommend these stories.

[Jennifer Reimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are a series of some short, amazing stories that I just couldn’t read them fast enough. Each story was very well written and very details and developed that it was hard to believe it was a short little story. They are all unique tale in their own little way, and they were very enjoyable to read. Each one had its own thrilling tale and were super engaging that it was hard to put it down. The suspense keeps you on your toes through each twist and turn. I highly recommend picking this up and giving it a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

[Helen Dawkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series of 6 intriguing fantasy short stories by C.A King. Each story is super unique, full of drama, suspense, mystery, with a slight hint of horror and tear jerking perspectives. The short tales range from a plethora of topics from the supernatural and paranormal to vanity, guilt and enviromental issues to even human cruelty. Each twist and turn is woven beautifully with emotional aspects and horror elements. I love just about everything C.A King writes and this is just another I have added to that list!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaky Finales is a collection of short stories. This book is a perfect quick getaway when you have a few moments to devote to it. The stories read pretty quickly, but they are all great. Each one is completely different than the others and they take you through a variety of emotions. I really enjoyed being able to tune out of real life for a while and tune into one of these stories. The collection includes Scare Queen, Essentially Broken, No Pest Pesticide, Mother Knows Best, Respect, and When Leaves Fall. I'm looking forward to the next book from this author!

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book of short stories by an author that I enjoy reading. This collection is something anyone would find something to enjoy. I enjoy this author’s creativity and their ability to pull me into their stories. Each story is unique and engaging. They are full of characters that will pull at your heartstrings for sure. They are relatable and connectable. I enjoyed what they brought to the story. I enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it.

[Crystal Brehant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of C.A. King. She is great at creating dramatic and mysterious stories. This book is full of them in bite size portions! You will go through all of the feels within these stories. She is also great at keeping you guessing until the very end with her twists and turns. I love these short stories and I hope to see another collection like this from her. If not, I am perfectly happy with any books she comes out with. They are always a hit for me.