Sara has a grandfather who has a rather odd obsession. Every time she sees him, he pulls a small wooden box out of his pocket, stares at it for a moment, then puts it back. It isn’t something he forgets to do- more like compelled.
One day, Sara is left with her grandfather while her parents go on a business trip. The box is nowhere to be seen until Sara gets ready for bed. The box is on the nightstand. Her curiosity is too much for her. What is inside the box will change her life forever.
Danielle DeVor spent her early years fantasizing about vampires and watching “Salem’s Lot” way too many times. After living briefly in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she moved back to her hometown to write. When not writing and reading about weird things, you will find her hanging out at the nearest coffee shop, enjoying a mocha frappuccino.
"Papap's Teeth" by Danielle DeVor is a great short horror story with a dose of sentiment and nostalgia and a few very hairy moments. What is in grandfather's wooden box and how will it affect Sara's life? I can't tell you, but I will say that DeVor understands perfectly to reel you in with her touching story about a girl's curiosity and fascination, setting the scene of a regular family and the only slightly odd grandfather. Before you know it the disturbing secret is out. The horror creeps subtlety up on you. The persepctive of the young girl is done very well, which helps to make Sara's discovery even scarier. A great idea well executed. Very enjoyable.
I honestly don't get how people see this book as one filled to the brim with "horror" because I certainly didn't bat an eyelash at all. You may now conclude that I'm immune to scares but I'm not. I can't sit through one (recognized) horror movie without squirming (not to mention squealing).
This book was just a series of events - time lapses about her grandfathers "secret". Yes it did have one weird concept which could slightly freak a person out with its "different" aspect but it's not enough to garner a heart thumping response. I thought this book would deliver a mind blowing secret, one which would chill my blood and send an eruption of goosebumps.. Yet, here I am typing this review with an extremely dissatisfied face.
The question is why did I read it in the first place? Well after a couple of recommendations and happily eying the fact that this would be a quick read I took it upon myself to read this but meh it wasn't that great apart from the overwhelming suspense created at the beginning.
There can be no doubt that every individual has their own little secrets. This could be a burning desire in life which is difficult to share with others, or perhaps it is a past unfortunate activity which is best left uncovered. People will try their hardest to protect such secrets in an effort to take them to the grave. However, while it is a fact that we all harbor secrets in life, it is equally true that others will try their best to uncover them. That is simply an unfortunate trait of human nature. Be that as it may, when such shrouded bits of information are actually uncovered, they may be much more than anyone bargained for... or can handle! That is certainly the case in Danielle DeVor's short story, Papap's Teeth. Those who enjoy quick horror tales juxtaposed with a side of sentimentality, may consider giving this book a read.
As this is a very short tale, I will provide a brief synopsis in order to avoid spoilers. The story focuses upon a little girl named Sara and her grandfather. They have a very close and loving relationship as is typical of many grandparents and their grandchildren. However, one thing does mystify Sara in regards to her Grandpa. Every time they are together he has a peculiar habit of taking a small wooden box out of his pocket and staring at it for a few moments. He then slips it right back into his pocket from whence it came. When questioned about this by Sara, he quickly dismisses her and warns her off the topic. On a sleepover at her Grandfather's house, Sara's curiosity finally gets the best of her and when her Grandfather is preoccupied, she looks into the little wooden box. What she discovers will change her life, and the lives of others, for eternity.
Overall, this was a well written story. The writing flows very nicely and the ideas are presented seamlessly. However, I found it to be missing some of the key elements which should be contained in a classic horror story. The horror genre will include elements such as mystery, suspense, fear, foreshadowing and a plot which will really make the reader think! Personally I did not connect with all of these elements in this tale. I connected more with this story as a nostalgic tale between a girl and her grandfather. I did find that part of the tale to be quite captivating and touching. The terror and fear which accompany a classic horror story were just not as powerful for me however and as such I found the plot was lacking in that area and not what I expected.
As mentioned, the author did do a great job at presenting the relationship between a grandparent and child. The characters were well described, developed and engaging. Many people would easily be able to associate their own personal experiences growing up and have nostalgic flashbacks to their own past. This critical relationship between Sara and her Grandfather was touching and engaging. Where it did lose me a little however was with the "gift" the grandfather left Sara in his Will. While I understand why this was included, it still did not seem to fit their relationship.
All in all this was a different type of horror story which certainly may appeal to many people. The actual writing is very good and the author attempts to create fear in a different way which incorporates sentimentality into the mix. An admirable attempt but it was missing a few too many other elements for this particular lover of the horror genre.
What even was this? There was zero tension and NOTHING scary. I revel in all things scary and bloody, but this couldn't even have scared 6 year old me, who thought sharks lived under her bed and cried from fear during The Wizard of Oz.
I don't want to sound like I hated this because I didn't. But there was just ZERO that I liked about it. It was so short that I didn't have time to be bored by it, but something so brief should have some impact. Papap's Teeth just fluttered on past like an inconsequential moth. You may notice it, think hmmm, that's a moth, but then you go on about your day, the same as if you never saw it at all.
This was the worst book I ever read ugh! I still can't understand the purpose of this book.
*OVERVIEW The story started when protagonist was six years old and she found out that her grandmother was attacked by a strange beast when she married her grandfather. At that time, Her grandfather killed that beast BUT beast's teeth were still alive. Her grandfather, kept those teeth in wooden box. He kept that box with him. After her grandfather died, she received those teeth which her grandfather left for her to kept them hidden. BUT rather to hid them she was afraid and left them in her apartment. After some time, she found out that murders had been started in her apartment since the day she left her apartment. So, she didn't want this to continue. She went and caught them. (I think, I have given you the ending)
*THINGS I LIKED - Characters was engaging - Writing style was good - Scenes were also good
*THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE - Frankly I didn't like the story. It was boring and old fashion. - End was unsatisfying (at-least for me)
*RECOMMENDATION If you feel you have a time to waste then I highly recommend to read it. LOL!
I hope you like my review. If you don't, then point out my mistakes. I would be happy to see that!
I don't think it's quite fair to give it a 1-star review. I think it's worth a read if you like interesting stories and/or if you like short reads. I mean, it's 0=$1 on Amazon for Kindle and it's like 15 pages long. You seriously could read the story on your phone from start to finish as you brush your teeth. In that sense, it is worth reading.
However, come into the story expecting a short, interesting read. This has horror elements, but it isn't scary, suspenseful, or thrilling. The main character gives explanations of her experiences with her grandfather's teeth and, while it's interesting, that's essentially all it really feels like.
Don't come into it expecting perfection. Be accepting of an couple of errors. And just read an interesting free story while you brush your teeth.
Fantastic!!!!! I picked up a copy of this book just by accident. The cover looked interesting so I decided to read it. I was pleasantly surprised at the wonderful story that this author has delivered to the reader.Danielle DeVor’s “Papap’s Teeth” kept me very interested from the first page to the last. It is a short story moving in quick pace and leaving you more intrigued as you move into the plot. It is a heartwarming story about young Sara and her curiosity about what her grandfather’s little brown box holds. It is something that will definitely affect her life but I can’t discuss this in the review because it will spoil the storyline. A wonderful read for YA and anyone interested in a great little story.The author cleverly delivered a very well written book.
This story was short, sweet, and to the point. I love how though it didn't have a lot of fluff, it still managed to be creepy and get under my skin. At first I thought the ending felt a little forced, but after some time to reflect, I thought it was a perfect ending. I'll never look at dentures on the night stand the same again, just kidding! I look forward to reading more from this author.
Sara's grandfather hides a secret in a small wooden box. One day she takes a peek and finds out his little secret is quite terrifying...This is a delightful and scary short read with plenty of surprise twists.
What a delightfully short little horror story! The pace is fast, the action almost instantaneous and effortless. The story is well written and packs a real punch for such a short short! A must read for horror genre lovers!
Sara is a curious kid, like most, who is dying to know what's in her grandfathers wooden box. Once she learns what is inside, she's stuck with it. Interesting short story, but the whole time I kept saying just bury the box! WaAR
There was a thunderstorm and it was almost dinnertime when the girl decided to read aloud this creepy tale to her mother and brother, plus they kinda got the better of the rampant weather with this horror story in the dark. :)
I enjoyed the novelty and fast pace of the story but, it sadly failed to creep me out. That aside, the author did pack some potential into it. I could very much see it develop into a stand-alone or YA series. A must read if you're craving a quick dose of horror.
Very short read, and a very interesting idea; however it was not developed well enough to be great. It is a passable "scary" story but I think the fear factor was hindered by a lackadaisical first person narrative.
Loved this short story. Never read anything quite like it before. Eerie and unique. I really appreciated how the author could build such a spine chilling story in such few pages. A perfect introduction to the author's writing!
I enjoyed the length, but personally wasn't my type of horror - didn't creep me out at all,ms till, the writer no doubt had good ideas for the story line!
This was a pretty typical horror story. Nothing special in the plot, more silly than scary, underwhelming writing. It's short and to the point, so maybe if you're really bored give it a try.
The first thing to mention is that this book is a short story (about half an hour to forty-five minutes) which will appeal to people who like short, fast, pacey reads. It didn’t say on the cover, so I was surprised as I expected a fuller novel, but that’s in no way detrimental to the story. I love the cover, it’s what first appealed to me. The clean simple graphic instantly made me want to know what it was about. This is the kind of eerie horror that hooks you before you realise you’re unsettled. The story builds tension around a tiny wooden box, turning it into an object of quiet terror. The story follows Sara as she unravels the mystery behind her grandfather’s unnerving obsession, which starts as her curiosity. Like Sara, we want to know what’s in the box.
The writing is great. It builds an unsettling atmosphere with psychological depth. Sara is real, and I love Grandpa. The horror is passed down through generations and Sara can’t escape her duty. With beautiful prose and a tight plot, Pappa’s Teeth whispers—until it’s too late.