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Shivers: 9 Dark & Twisted Tales
A vampire who can’t outrun the werewolf she betrayed, a young heroin addict dying to join a very exclusive club, a man who gets on the wrong side of a Navajo skinwalker… From sexy to macabre, from the scintillating to the supernatural, these tales have one thing in common...Shivers!
- GenresParanormalShort Stories
79 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2014
3 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Heather R. Blair
22 books219 followersHeather R. Blair wrote her first book in the first grade and hasn't stopped since. Back then it was all about horses, now it's pretty much the dark, sexy and shivery.
She lives in the frozen north of Minnesota, near that big gorgeous lake called Superior and enjoys hiking when the snow melts. She also does murals, rides herd on four monsters(otherwise known as children), is slightly obsessed with Martin Freeman, British television and things that go bump in the night.
She loves reading,(duh!)and interacting with other bibliophiles and authors. Feel free to bug her at will and sign up for her newsletter to get shiny new promos, free stuff and MORE!
https://linktr.ee/heatherrblairauthor
Check out works in progress and upcoming releases on pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heatherr4300/
She lives in the frozen north of Minnesota, near that big gorgeous lake called Superior and enjoys hiking when the snow melts. She also does murals, rides herd on four monsters(otherwise known as children), is slightly obsessed with Martin Freeman, British television and things that go bump in the night.
She loves reading,(duh!)and interacting with other bibliophiles and authors. Feel free to bug her at will and sign up for her newsletter to get shiny new promos, free stuff and MORE!
https://linktr.ee/heatherrblairauthor
Check out works in progress and upcoming releases on pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heatherr4300/
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 5, 2015
This was the first thing I'd read from Heather Blair, and while I think her other works may be out of my genre, so to speak, this one I did enjoy. Let me run down each story:
ON EDGE: I liked it, but Im old school. I don't think werewolves and vampires should be all that concerned with romance, they are more concerned with drinking your blood and eating you. (I realize supernatural romance is wildly popular, and to each their own.)That being said, the story was still entertaining.
ONCE IN A BLUE MOON: This was eerie but confused me. It could just be me though.
SHADES OF WINTER: This one was creepy and I liked it.
THE FOURTH OF NEVER: I liked it, seemed a little too short.
THE GAME: This one was kinda neat, explored a little further in the range of supernatural creatures.
SKINWALKER: Another one with some "different creatures" so to speak, I liked this one too.
27: Probably my favorite story in the collection because I'm a musician and a HUGE classic rock fan. To say more may be a spoiler so I'll stop here.
ALABAMA GETAWAY: I liked it, but seemed a little too pornographic for the collection. The story itself was cool, just out of place in my opinion. Could have been toned down and fit better. (Then again, I bet this will be some peoples favorite story.)
MAX IN THE NYC: I can tell the author has a fondness for Max. This one is once again not my personal take on vampires and werewolves, but the story was still suspenseful and I could definitely see a potential novel starring these characters.
Overall, a good short story collection that will definitely appeal to readers of the "Paranormal Romance" genre. Not saying every story fits that category, just the overall vibe I got from it. A nice piece of work from a talented author.
ON EDGE: I liked it, but Im old school. I don't think werewolves and vampires should be all that concerned with romance, they are more concerned with drinking your blood and eating you. (I realize supernatural romance is wildly popular, and to each their own.)That being said, the story was still entertaining.
ONCE IN A BLUE MOON: This was eerie but confused me. It could just be me though.
SHADES OF WINTER: This one was creepy and I liked it.
THE FOURTH OF NEVER: I liked it, seemed a little too short.
THE GAME: This one was kinda neat, explored a little further in the range of supernatural creatures.
SKINWALKER: Another one with some "different creatures" so to speak, I liked this one too.
27: Probably my favorite story in the collection because I'm a musician and a HUGE classic rock fan. To say more may be a spoiler so I'll stop here.
ALABAMA GETAWAY: I liked it, but seemed a little too pornographic for the collection. The story itself was cool, just out of place in my opinion. Could have been toned down and fit better. (Then again, I bet this will be some peoples favorite story.)
MAX IN THE NYC: I can tell the author has a fondness for Max. This one is once again not my personal take on vampires and werewolves, but the story was still suspenseful and I could definitely see a potential novel starring these characters.
Overall, a good short story collection that will definitely appeal to readers of the "Paranormal Romance" genre. Not saying every story fits that category, just the overall vibe I got from it. A nice piece of work from a talented author.
September 3, 2015
An awesome collection of short stories. A dose of intrigue and mystery, and some were even erotic. I find them all fast and light reads, and very well-told. I loved every single one!
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February 18, 2015
I was impressed, both as a reader and a writer, with "Shivers.” Blair’s prose are first rate, and really swallowed me up in the moment/s. Having never before read stories on vamps and wolves, I see now why its allure has become so strong these days. There’s a great deal of primal longing, unsatiated desires, inner turmoil and spiritual torment associated with characters such as these which makes for a storyteller’s playground - especially one as skilled as Heather Blair. I enjoyed the way she sandwiched the varied tales with that of Max and Call, my favorite by far, and how she was able to move from character perspectives and tenses when called for. I certainly hope she revisits the Maximilian Gray saga at length. She’s onto something there. Overall this is a great collection of works.
February 5, 2015
Nine wonderful short stories by the talented Heather R. Blair. I quite enjoyed each one. My favourites, of course, are the first and last stories. They both contained Max. Yummy, sexy, powerful vampire Max. Mmm... really hope there's a full story about him one of these days. *hint, hint* ;)
And meeting Bav? Awesome! Nice to see what she does in her spare time when she's not tormenting poor Aidan of the Celtic Elementals fame.
It was certainly nice to delve into Ms. Blair's imagination again while I wait for the next book of hers.
And meeting Bav? Awesome! Nice to see what she does in her spare time when she's not tormenting poor Aidan of the Celtic Elementals fame.
It was certainly nice to delve into Ms. Blair's imagination again while I wait for the next book of hers.
May 1, 2016
A really enjoyable collection of short stories from a first-time author--Ms. Blair has a skill for poetic imagery and a knack for making me want to find out more about side characters.
Once in a Blue Moon, Shades of Winter, The Fourth of Never, The Game, Skinwalker, 27, and Alabama Getaway were all solid shorts. But they were, to borrow a phrase from one of the stories, "Just a nibble." Just brief glimpses into the lives of the characters, and also the most "horror" of the offerings. Loved the concept of 27, and would like to see more from the girl with the black-framed glasses in Alabama Getaway.
The two that bookended this collection, On Edge and Max in the NYC had the most paranormal romance vibe to them, and were my favorites by far. Put these two stories together, add a bit more to the word count, and you've got an awesome PNR novella in your hands.
PS NEED MOAR MAX! Lol, I'll be patient. ; )
Once in a Blue Moon, Shades of Winter, The Fourth of Never, The Game, Skinwalker, 27, and Alabama Getaway were all solid shorts. But they were, to borrow a phrase from one of the stories, "Just a nibble." Just brief glimpses into the lives of the characters, and also the most "horror" of the offerings. Loved the concept of 27, and would like to see more from the girl with the black-framed glasses in Alabama Getaway.
The two that bookended this collection, On Edge and Max in the NYC had the most paranormal romance vibe to them, and were my favorites by far. Put these two stories together, add a bit more to the word count, and you've got an awesome PNR novella in your hands.
PS NEED MOAR MAX! Lol, I'll be patient. ; )
February 2, 2015
An enjoyable collection of short, dark stories with some endearing characters!
January 7, 2018
A really great set of stories. Some I wasn’t sure about but I really enjoyed the ones with Anna, Call and Max in them. I would love to read more about them.
May 30, 2014
I thought the writing in this book was fairly well-done. However, I wasn't wowed by any of the stories.
Most of them involve vampires and I think the world is flooded with those stories right now. Not that there's not room for many more vampire stories, but I think I need ones that really stand out from the crowd. Or I need ones where I can strongly connect to the characters. Since these are short stories, it's hard to do that.
There were some good sex scenes. I think that's probably where the book shines the most.
Most of them involve vampires and I think the world is flooded with those stories right now. Not that there's not room for many more vampire stories, but I think I need ones that really stand out from the crowd. Or I need ones where I can strongly connect to the characters. Since these are short stories, it's hard to do that.
There were some good sex scenes. I think that's probably where the book shines the most.
August 5, 2014
Since this book has nine short stories I thought it would be good to review each story individually and conclude with some points on the book as a whole.
On Edge -
This is the first vampire/werewolf story I've read (although I seen a bunch of movies in this genre). So it's a little hard to rate the story as I have no idea if the creature capabilities are consistent with what people expect. When it comes to books in this genre, I can't say I'm a fan. My initial reaction after finishing the story was that this was a Paranormal Soap Opera. The emotions seemed over the top, but, in fairness, possibly fitting for the plot events. I'm not a fan of soap operas (and don't watch them on television) so I didn't particularly like the story but if you like soap operas and vampires then you'll probably love it. The story was fast paced from start to finish. Given the over all dark tone to the story I was somewhat surprised at the ending. I could have imagined a different ending but that's just me. As is was, the ending was acceptable.
Once In A Blue Moon
A tale with an interesting, creative twist at the end. It was an easy read. The beginning and plot development up to the end seems somewhat predictable. The ending was original.
Shades Of Winter
A very short short story written in first person present tense point of view with good scene development. Another unexpected twist at the end. The pacing was good and the story atmosphere well done. However I did not find the story suspenseful, frightening, creepy, or scary.
The Fourth Of Never
Another first person presence tense point of view story. Another vampire story, but not as melodramatic as the first short story.
The Game
A third vampire story. Is it the nature of short stories that there is not enough space to development a plot beyond the vampire wants to drink his victim's blood? It does have a twist at the end but that doesn't prevent the story from seeming repetitious. The brief introduction of Irish lore was interesting and I would have enjoyed reading more about it.
Skinwalker
A story about a troubled relationship between two childhood friends who have grown up. While I could not emphasize with the main character - he was too self absorbed – the story was told well.
27
A well told tale with a nice gradual reveal. I liked it.
Alabama Getaway
An erotic vampire tale. Not my genre but seemed well written.
Max In The NYC
A follow up to the first vampire story. More interesting with good action and interesting additional characters. I think this is the best story in the collection.
Overall I though the stories improved as I progressed through the book. The last one was pretty good although I'm still not a vampire genre fan. On the Amazon website the books is listed under four categories – general fiction horror; romance paranormal; literature & fiction horror; and romance paranormal werewolves & shifters. In my opinion the two horror classification are wrong as I did not find any of the stories horrific, terrifying, or even creepy. The other two classification are accurate. The book subtitle says 9 dark and twisted takes which does fit the mood of the stories.
Readers should know that the kindle version of book uses formatting that some may find to be not what they expected, namely blank lines between every line, double space lines between paragraphs, and periodically sentences with mid-line breaks. That was the case for me, but after a while I was able to get use to it.
There were also numerous grammatical errors, such as run-on sentences, incorrect punctuation, mixed tenses in the same sentence, and some typos. The errors seemed less frequent as I progressed through the book but that may have been because I just stopped noticing them. If you have a hard time with these types of errors then you will probably not like this book.
To end on a positive note, I expect if you are paranormal genre fan you will enjoy the book. Assuming the non formatting errors are fixed, I would give it 4 stars for paranormal genre fans (Really liked it). As to my personal tastes I would give it 2 stars (It was ok).
I selected this book to read as part of the GoodReads Fringe Fiction group pay-it-forward challenge and received a free download as part of the author's Amazon promotion. Under normal circumstances and based on the book blurb I would not have selected it so I consider it unfair to rate it based on my personal tastes. It gets 4 stars.
On Edge -
This is the first vampire/werewolf story I've read (although I seen a bunch of movies in this genre). So it's a little hard to rate the story as I have no idea if the creature capabilities are consistent with what people expect. When it comes to books in this genre, I can't say I'm a fan. My initial reaction after finishing the story was that this was a Paranormal Soap Opera. The emotions seemed over the top, but, in fairness, possibly fitting for the plot events. I'm not a fan of soap operas (and don't watch them on television) so I didn't particularly like the story but if you like soap operas and vampires then you'll probably love it. The story was fast paced from start to finish. Given the over all dark tone to the story I was somewhat surprised at the ending. I could have imagined a different ending but that's just me. As is was, the ending was acceptable.
Once In A Blue Moon
A tale with an interesting, creative twist at the end. It was an easy read. The beginning and plot development up to the end seems somewhat predictable. The ending was original.
Shades Of Winter
A very short short story written in first person present tense point of view with good scene development. Another unexpected twist at the end. The pacing was good and the story atmosphere well done. However I did not find the story suspenseful, frightening, creepy, or scary.
The Fourth Of Never
Another first person presence tense point of view story. Another vampire story, but not as melodramatic as the first short story.
The Game
A third vampire story. Is it the nature of short stories that there is not enough space to development a plot beyond the vampire wants to drink his victim's blood? It does have a twist at the end but that doesn't prevent the story from seeming repetitious. The brief introduction of Irish lore was interesting and I would have enjoyed reading more about it.
Skinwalker
A story about a troubled relationship between two childhood friends who have grown up. While I could not emphasize with the main character - he was too self absorbed – the story was told well.
27
A well told tale with a nice gradual reveal. I liked it.
Alabama Getaway
An erotic vampire tale. Not my genre but seemed well written.
Max In The NYC
A follow up to the first vampire story. More interesting with good action and interesting additional characters. I think this is the best story in the collection.
Overall I though the stories improved as I progressed through the book. The last one was pretty good although I'm still not a vampire genre fan. On the Amazon website the books is listed under four categories – general fiction horror; romance paranormal; literature & fiction horror; and romance paranormal werewolves & shifters. In my opinion the two horror classification are wrong as I did not find any of the stories horrific, terrifying, or even creepy. The other two classification are accurate. The book subtitle says 9 dark and twisted takes which does fit the mood of the stories.
Readers should know that the kindle version of book uses formatting that some may find to be not what they expected, namely blank lines between every line, double space lines between paragraphs, and periodically sentences with mid-line breaks. That was the case for me, but after a while I was able to get use to it.
There were also numerous grammatical errors, such as run-on sentences, incorrect punctuation, mixed tenses in the same sentence, and some typos. The errors seemed less frequent as I progressed through the book but that may have been because I just stopped noticing them. If you have a hard time with these types of errors then you will probably not like this book.
To end on a positive note, I expect if you are paranormal genre fan you will enjoy the book. Assuming the non formatting errors are fixed, I would give it 4 stars for paranormal genre fans (Really liked it). As to my personal tastes I would give it 2 stars (It was ok).
I selected this book to read as part of the GoodReads Fringe Fiction group pay-it-forward challenge and received a free download as part of the author's Amazon promotion. Under normal circumstances and based on the book blurb I would not have selected it so I consider it unfair to rate it based on my personal tastes. It gets 4 stars.
May 28, 2014
Shivers is a thrilling compilation that captured my imagination from the first page.
The book kicks off with On Edge, a fast paced PNR about Anna, a vampire, and her werewolf ex-boyfriend Call. After breaking Call’s heart a year ago, Anna finds herself in a wolf’s crosshairs. While it’s definitely good, On Edge is not the most unique or interesting, and I question the decision to be put first.
Once in a Blue Moon comes next. I loved this one! Quick and twisted, just the way I like my short stories.
The third is… drumroll, please… Shades of Winter. I absolutely LOVED Shades of Winter. This Dark Fantasy is full of exquisite atmosphere and beautiful prose that I couldn’t get out of my head. I’m insanely interested in this world and craving more. Please give me more!
The Fourth of Never is written in the first person POV of an unnamed female. She’s witty, cocky, and a total bad-ass. Fabulous!
The Game is excellent. It comes with a dash of Irish lore and ends on a great note.
Skinwalker and 27 both flow incredibly well. I love how the twists and turns unfold.
Alabama Getaway caught me off guard. I didn’t expect a sexy slice of erotica in the middle of all this death and destruction, but it was a pleasant surprise.
And it all wraps up with Max in the NYC. We met Max in On Edge where his story ended on a bit of a downer. It was exciting to find him again.
Overall, I adored this book. It’s definitely going in my to-be-read-again stack.
The book kicks off with On Edge, a fast paced PNR about Anna, a vampire, and her werewolf ex-boyfriend Call. After breaking Call’s heart a year ago, Anna finds herself in a wolf’s crosshairs. While it’s definitely good, On Edge is not the most unique or interesting, and I question the decision to be put first.
Once in a Blue Moon comes next. I loved this one! Quick and twisted, just the way I like my short stories.
The third is… drumroll, please… Shades of Winter. I absolutely LOVED Shades of Winter. This Dark Fantasy is full of exquisite atmosphere and beautiful prose that I couldn’t get out of my head. I’m insanely interested in this world and craving more. Please give me more!
The Fourth of Never is written in the first person POV of an unnamed female. She’s witty, cocky, and a total bad-ass. Fabulous!
The Game is excellent. It comes with a dash of Irish lore and ends on a great note.
Skinwalker and 27 both flow incredibly well. I love how the twists and turns unfold.
Alabama Getaway caught me off guard. I didn’t expect a sexy slice of erotica in the middle of all this death and destruction, but it was a pleasant surprise.
And it all wraps up with Max in the NYC. We met Max in On Edge where his story ended on a bit of a downer. It was exciting to find him again.
Overall, I adored this book. It’s definitely going in my to-be-read-again stack.
January 21, 2015
Twisted, dark, chilling, a bit of fun, some romance, and a whole lot of love! Heather’s characters feel real. Even the supernatural ones. Especially the supernatural ones! This author writes badass fantasy with compelling vampires and not-so-typical werewolves.
This anthology of fantasy stories has some unique plot twists. My favorite was the first story On Edge, and the last story, Max in NYC. Read the book, and I think you will agree. I do not want to ruin the plotlines, so I will just point out some of the things I liked about these awesome stories:
A quote from Shades of Winter “Like Frankenstein, chasing the monster I created.”
The Fourth of Never, another clever title to a story I wish would never end.
The Game has a surprise character from one of Heather Blair’s Celtic Elementals series.
Other novels I love by this author: Phoenix Rising, Smoke in Moonlight, and Blood in Fire. If you ignite over paranormal romance, consider Heather R. Blair’s books flaming hot!
This anthology of fantasy stories has some unique plot twists. My favorite was the first story On Edge, and the last story, Max in NYC. Read the book, and I think you will agree. I do not want to ruin the plotlines, so I will just point out some of the things I liked about these awesome stories:
A quote from Shades of Winter “Like Frankenstein, chasing the monster I created.”
The Fourth of Never, another clever title to a story I wish would never end.
The Game has a surprise character from one of Heather Blair’s Celtic Elementals series.
Other novels I love by this author: Phoenix Rising, Smoke in Moonlight, and Blood in Fire. If you ignite over paranormal romance, consider Heather R. Blair’s books flaming hot!
February 11, 2015
I'm not usually much of a short story fan, but several of these are stellar. Leading the pack (so to speak) are On Edge and Max in NYC basically short romances which feature Call (an alpha werewolf), Diana (a vampire) and Max (sexy, urbane and very old Vampire). This set of characters could definitely support a novel or two.
The others in the series range from truly creepy Shades of Winter which channels Stephen King type imagination for a mercifully short four pages to Alabama Getaway where the amoral Toby almost gets more than he planned from his beach hook-up. Several others have the unfinished feel of preliminary drafts and rather than fully articulated stories. All and all though, an imaginative collection for lovers of paranormal.
The others in the series range from truly creepy Shades of Winter which channels Stephen King type imagination for a mercifully short four pages to Alabama Getaway where the amoral Toby almost gets more than he planned from his beach hook-up. Several others have the unfinished feel of preliminary drafts and rather than fully articulated stories. All and all though, an imaginative collection for lovers of paranormal.
September 19, 2016
Entertaining
These tales weren't as dark as I expected but they were cute and entertaining. My only real complaint are some editing issues but other than that, it was a fun ride.
Nice, quick read.
These tales weren't as dark as I expected but they were cute and entertaining. My only real complaint are some editing issues but other than that, it was a fun ride.
Nice, quick read.
March 25, 2015
Really enjoyed....review to come!
May 13, 2014
I did enjoy these short stories, especially the first one. If you want a fast, light read, then this is for you. Intriguing-yes, but, I have to say, I didn't find them scary, creepy-yes, but not scary, so the stories would probably fit into the paranormal/fantasy genre. I also would have liked them to be longer and a little more background on the characters. I thought the price a bit steep for only 79 pages. Grammar, mixing of tenses and punctuation need a bit of work.
May 27, 2014
An Enjoyable Easy Read
A Delightful Collection Of Short Stories. A great opportunity to retreat into a world of fantasy if you’re looking for a summer read that brings sprinklings of suspense, romance and lots of twists and turns. An enjoyable easy read.
A Delightful Collection Of Short Stories. A great opportunity to retreat into a world of fantasy if you’re looking for a summer read that brings sprinklings of suspense, romance and lots of twists and turns. An enjoyable easy read.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews