What do you think?
Rate this book
Small Problems: 17 Twisted Tales of the Macabre and Existential Dread
Seventeen tales of the macabre, paranoia, and existential dread -- with a twisted sense of humor.
From romantic entanglements to nuclear holocaust, from a jungle refuge for the rich to the back alleys of desperate city-dwellers, no human pickle goes unexplored in Small Problems.
From romantic entanglements to nuclear holocaust, from a jungle refuge for the rich to the back alleys of desperate city-dwellers, no human pickle goes unexplored in Small Problems.
143 pages, Paperback
First published November 21, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 12, 2026
I chose to read this book as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team. I received a copy from the author but that does not alter my review in anyway.
This is a book of short stories. Some are very short indeed, some quite long. I enjoy short stories, so the variety in length worked well for me.
The writing throughout is strong and engaging, and the author has a real talent for creating vivid, memorable situations and characters. Some stories appealed to me more than others, which is often the case with collections like this, but there were several that have stayed in my mind long after I finished reading.
The writing is good, though the content is, in places, challenging. Some of the stories I liked a great deal, while others didn’t really work for me. The author uses the word “macabre” in the subtitle for this book, and a couple of the stories I found genuinely dark and unsettling.
There is a considerable amount of sexual content in this book, and not of the hearts-and-flowers variety. It fits the tone of the collection and contributes to the intensity of the stories. However, if you are easily offended, or prefer more conventional storytelling, this may not be the book for you.
That said, I found this to be an imaginative, thought-provoking, and highly original collection. Even the stories I didn’t particularly enjoy were well written. Overall, this is an unusual and often disturbing collection that will probably appeal most to readers who enjoy dark and edgy fiction.
This is a book of short stories. Some are very short indeed, some quite long. I enjoy short stories, so the variety in length worked well for me.
The writing throughout is strong and engaging, and the author has a real talent for creating vivid, memorable situations and characters. Some stories appealed to me more than others, which is often the case with collections like this, but there were several that have stayed in my mind long after I finished reading.
The writing is good, though the content is, in places, challenging. Some of the stories I liked a great deal, while others didn’t really work for me. The author uses the word “macabre” in the subtitle for this book, and a couple of the stories I found genuinely dark and unsettling.
There is a considerable amount of sexual content in this book, and not of the hearts-and-flowers variety. It fits the tone of the collection and contributes to the intensity of the stories. However, if you are easily offended, or prefer more conventional storytelling, this may not be the book for you.
That said, I found this to be an imaginative, thought-provoking, and highly original collection. Even the stories I didn’t particularly enjoy were well written. Overall, this is an unusual and often disturbing collection that will probably appeal most to readers who enjoy dark and edgy fiction.
May 11, 2026
I am a fan of short dark stories so this collection caught my eye. The author has some good ideas and the stories are varied and his style of writing entertaining. There are a few stories in this collection that are clever with a good concluding twist. Many of the stories, however, had a disappointing ending for me. It is an ending that I particularly dislike as a reader as I feel it is a lazy way out for a writer, but it could be to other peoples taste. I am aware of at least one very famous book that makes use of this particular ending strategy.
The Hot Tub was an enjoyable read for me. It is an unusual take on an apocalyptic story revolving around a small group of survivors trapped inside a bunker. The setting was interesting and the characterisations good and amusing. The ending was clever and gave me a good laugh.
If you enjoy a wide variety of different and unique story concepts then you will like this book.
The Hot Tub was an enjoyable read for me. It is an unusual take on an apocalyptic story revolving around a small group of survivors trapped inside a bunker. The setting was interesting and the characterisations good and amusing. The ending was clever and gave me a good laugh.
If you enjoy a wide variety of different and unique story concepts then you will like this book.
May 7, 2026
A Mixed Bag
This one was...something I read. A majority of the stories felt like Mr. Haakenson couldn't figure out an ending, then decided to go with a twist ending. There are some where it works, some where it doesnt, and one where its like...oh, okay.
The introduction was quite enjoyable, with the first couple of stories being amusing. From there, it just felt like a chore to keep going with the rest of the book. The reviewer who mentioned the feminist slant (to me) either just read the end of the book or read into these stories a lot more than I did.
These are on the more absurd side and kind of remind me of bizarro-type stories. So, if thats your jam, check this out.
1.75 out of 5 severed thumbs-up.
This one was...something I read. A majority of the stories felt like Mr. Haakenson couldn't figure out an ending, then decided to go with a twist ending. There are some where it works, some where it doesnt, and one where its like...oh, okay.
The introduction was quite enjoyable, with the first couple of stories being amusing. From there, it just felt like a chore to keep going with the rest of the book. The reviewer who mentioned the feminist slant (to me) either just read the end of the book or read into these stories a lot more than I did.
These are on the more absurd side and kind of remind me of bizarro-type stories. So, if thats your jam, check this out.
1.75 out of 5 severed thumbs-up.
April 15, 2026
I received this book courtesy of Booksprout for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
Overview: What do threats of nuclear annihilation, malfunctioning technology, and potential past lives have in common? They are all part of a horror anthology written by Mr. Haakenson. How do the stories work for us? Let's find out.
Dislikes: Well, you can see how Mr. Haakenson feels about men, specifically American men.
Likes: The malfunctioning jet pack story was a little bit funny.
Conclusion: This book wasn't for me. If you like dark fiction that seems to have a feminist bent to it, then this book may be for you. Enjoy the read.
Overview: What do threats of nuclear annihilation, malfunctioning technology, and potential past lives have in common? They are all part of a horror anthology written by Mr. Haakenson. How do the stories work for us? Let's find out.
Dislikes: Well, you can see how Mr. Haakenson feels about men, specifically American men.
Likes: The malfunctioning jet pack story was a little bit funny.
Conclusion: This book wasn't for me. If you like dark fiction that seems to have a feminist bent to it, then this book may be for you. Enjoy the read.
April 22, 2026
These stories deliver on exactly what is promised. Bizarre, off-the-wall stories that are by turns funny, a bit scary at times, definitely twisted (not to mention ending with strange twists a lot of the time which I guess is the same as twisted, yet feels different to me). Even the introduction has a twist which you might catch early on, or possibly not until the end. Just when you think you’ve figured out where a story is going, you’ll usually discover how wrong you were. Or were you?
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews