A Storm of Stories

by K.B. Jensen

Sometimes telling a story is just another way to stay alive. Swerving to avoid a hitchhiker out in a whiteout storm, Julie’s car ends up wedged in a snow bank. With the inches piling higher on the dark road, she can’t escape a man who makes little sense. Stranded in the freezing cold, the two tell stories to pass the time. From the Midwest to India, Denmark and Canada, they offer visions of lives and loves from young to old, far and wide. But as the hours blur together, and the snow and ice set in, it becomes less clear how their own story will end.

A tale of love, craziness and impossibility.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction

148 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 22, 2016

About the author

Award-winning Author K.B. Jensen’s new collection of short stories, Love and Other Monsters in the Dark, is out. She has two novels, Painting With Fire, an artistic murder mystery, and A Storm of Stories, which veers literary and handles love, craziness and impossibility. Painting With Fire has been downloaded over 75,000 times. K.B. lives in Littleton, CO., with her family. She teaches skiing and writes poetry. A former journalist, K.B. is a senior publishing consultant and writing camp director for My Word Publishing. Her work has appeared in Cherry Magazine, Progenitor and other publications. Visit www.kbjensenauthor.com.

Reviews

[Noah Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

The windshield was covered in a white blanket, and so were the car’s sides. It felt like the world was shrinking, encased in whiteness.

A Storm of Stories is an eclectic collection of short stories sandwiched into the guise of a quick-read novel. An awful snowstorm creates the main plot for the book, as a woman driving through it (Julie's her name) strikes (or does she?) a mysterious man randomly chilling in the middle of the road. Unfortunately for Julie, her car gets wedged deep into an unforgiving bank of white death afterward.

Trapped inside the cold cube of her automobile with an abject fear of traveling on foot looming—since it's unknown just how far of a walk it would actually be to any helpful civilization—she shares life stories (some seemingly true, some just half-truths) to try and "pass the time" with the enigmatic stranger (whose name we soon find out is Peter) holed up in her rapidly freezing vehicle.

This is a novel that deals with many themes we all can relate to. It also is told in a refreshing manner, one that I found quite easy to process as I continued to read through it. I really did enjoy the format of this clever concept. It's well-constructed and fast-moving.

It’s hard to imagine how so many years have passed. The seasons—the summers, the falls, the winters, and the springs—were like the hands of a clock, spinning in time.

Up above is a reflective quote from what is easily my favorite short story told within this work. The title of it is The Last Word, and it consists of an aging man coming to terms with his dying wife—and just what results once he's left by his lonesome. It's a moving (and highly original) little piece of storytelling, and I'll freely admit, it got me teary-eyed.

Points shall also be given to the slightly ambiguous ending. It didn't wrap everything up for the reader, and I like that a lot. I always applaud an author who smartly leaves you in a pondering state of mind, rather than one designed to dumb it down for all the impatient and unintelligent types.

Recommended for anybody who's looking for a quick, enjoyable read to cozy up with during this brutal winter. And if you're shaking your head in disagreement at that previous sentence of mine, I'm located in a currently CHILLY Ohio, so for those of you who are lodged in much sunnier climates at the moment, I hate you and envy you all at once.

I exit this review with another area I liked very much, one which I can relate to incredibly.

“I can’t die until I write my book,” she muttered. “I can’t. I still haven’t finished it. Maybe a little unfinished business is a good thing.”
“There’s nothing more tragic than an unfinished story,” Peter said.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't you just love it when a random Kindle freebie ends up being an actually worthy read. I really didn't expect much of this one, something very unassuming about it, possibly to do with the cover. But the cover is, in fact descriptive, as is the title. Two strangers thrown together by chance or providence and stuck together by weather pass the time telling stories to each other. A sort of Scheherazade experience where the survival is just as uncertain. But then again this really isn't about survival as such, this is a love story told through a cohesive narrative interwoven with other love stories. Randomness of genuine connections and all that. Might have been cheesy and weighted down by moral lessons, but ended up surprisingly compelling, affecting and poignant. Maybe I was just really in the mood for it. Either way, a very enjoyable read made all the more so by its brevity, sometimes it's nice to have the story told in a succinct manner, all the context, none of the fat. A quietly uplifting sort of storm.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. I give it a lot of credit for being original and for the concept, but i'm not sure it really pulled off what it was trying to do. The story is about a young woman driving in a blizzard, who accidentally runs into a man who is walking in the road, injuring him and managing to get her car stuck in a snow bank at the same time. So she takes him into her car and they wait for help to arrive. To pass the time and to keep their minds off the fact that chances are they might freeze to death before help comes, they tell each other stories. Each story reveals a little more about each of them. That's all i'll tell you, because it gets messy beyond that. The book takes an unexpected turn near the end and you end up in a place that makes you scratch your head. I'm not sure if it's good or bad. I would be curious about other folks reaction to this book.

[Sallie Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a somewhat interesting read with an unusual premise. Julie and Peter, two complete strangers, get stuck in her car in a snowstorm together. To tell anymore would be to tell the whole story.

[Jan Chiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual subject

A book about two people thrown together, during a snow storm. They tell each other stories to pass the time. They get to know each other, with the stories they tell. 18+

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book

I chose the rating of five stars because the book was excellently written. I loved all the stories that Peter and Julie shared while trying to survive the storm. I was a bit surprised when the worst happened to Julie. But it was fitting with this story.

[Robin Lundblade · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book. I liked it a lot. I like that it had many stories in one. It was entertaining. Kept me interestedZ

It was a good book. I enjoyed it. The several stories in one made for an interesting read. I will look for more books by this authorZ

[Mala Ganesan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book on a flight from Mandalay to Boston. Between sleeping, layovers and jet lag, finished reading this easy read, making it my first book of 2020. This was a freebie from Freebooksy. This is about how two people get stuck in a car after crashing into a snow bank during a blizzard due to circumstances. To pass time, they share stories, which is a concept I really found interesting. The ending was quite unexpected but gets the reader to think rather than giving it away completely. If you are looking for an easy and interesting read, please give this a shot!

[Valerie Agnew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having lived in New England, I shivered just looking at the cover of "A Storm of Stories." Late one snowy night, Julie swerves to avoid hitting a man in the road. As a result, her car gets stuck in a snow bank. What follows is unexpected. Julie and Peter, two strangers, have no choice but to wait in her car to be rescued. As the time passes, as they get colder and colder, they share stories to pass the time. The suspense builds as their conditions worsen. The author does a great job placing you in the car with Julie and Peter. Grab a warm blanket when you read it.

[Lynae · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was weird! I thought it was a novel which is what I usually read, and it was in a sense but it was more a collection of short stories that didn’t really go together and I didn’t really enjoy all that much. The cohesive arc that was supposed to tie the whole book together was a little confusing and not that well written and I’m still not sure I completely understood the ending. I wouldn’t recommend this book unless you’re looking for a collection of unrelated short stories.

[Steve Gnatz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait for the movie!

All the great visuals this book generates! You will be transported around the world, through the inner space of the mind, and of course, explore the realm of impossible love. A well crafted book that generates a wealth of food for thought and written in a beautiful flowing style that will make you never want the Storm of Stories to stop.

[Linda Gildner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ever So Weird

This story was difficult to follow. One had to transition between the "characters" and their "stories"" so quickly and so often that the reader was at a loss of the author's purpose or direction. The conclusion truly fell flat.

[shannon Stubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever

The story was very clever. I thought it was just a collection of short stories that had the same theme. The short stories were the story that two people lost in a blizzard told each other to stay alive. The ending was very surprising.

[Noel Charchuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book used an interesting trick of tiring a number of short stories the two characters told each other while revealing a bit about themselves while trapped together in a car stuck in the ditch in the midst of a severe snowstorm.
Enjoyed this one.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vivid and engaging, this book pulled me right along. I especially appreciated the interconnections between the main story and the sub stories. Nicely done.

[Mrs Bearmaker726 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too bizarre.

Bit to crass, there is no need for foul words. A writer can make same points without the F word.

[Gary Casebeer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is reality?

Very good for a wonderful winter evening s read. Simple but then philosophical. Are you alive and if not what are you?

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2018 Reading Challenge - A book with a weather element in the title

[Paulette Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed emotions

I loved the book - hated the ending. And isn’t that supposed to be the best part of the book???

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the story within a story and the lack of distinction between real and imagined.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author using an interesting narrative device to frame her stories. The stories themselves are pretty good but didn't blow me away.

[Serena Mcculloch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A string of thoughts in the storm of our mind

Unexpected words, unexpected thoughts with an unexpected ending! The beautu of the storm. The line betwerm reality and dream. Loved it

[Brenda Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creations of the Mind

Like the characters in the book the reader wants more ! What will happen next? What's on the next page? Lots of twists and turns to keep you reading.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very odd novel, but it is fairly interesting and skillfully written.

[Bernice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jus a quick note. This is an excellent read. The stories are all related to the two characters who are the story tellers. These two are stuck in a snow storm. They may or may not manage to live through their time stranded in a car which has become stuck in a snow bank on a horrifically stormy night. This is provocative and a story worth every minute I spent reading it.

[Sharon Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young woman bumps into a stranger, literally with her car, while driving through a snow storm at night. When her car won't start they have no choice but to huddle in the car for warmth and hope they make it through the night. Their strategy for survival is passing time telling each other stories. Insightful and at times tragic, this makes for a great read.

[Kal ★ Reader Voracious · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I don't really know how I feel about A Storm of Stories. This book is a collection of short stories that are loosely tied together with an interesting narrative: two strangers sharing stories together while trapped in a stranded car during a blizzard. This is an interesting premise that I have not seen before, and as Julie and Peter share their goals for the future and past regret I was impressed with the framing of regret and desire in a life and death situation.

The book is written technically well but unfortunately the tale is not executed very well. The writing is choppy at times and I struggled to believe the dialogue of the characters (both Julie and Peter and the characters within their stories). I was disappointed by the rather heavy-handed allusions of "past lives" from Peter, particularly after getting to his explaining that he is an atheist, and that there was no resolution or explanation for it. I was equally bothered by the palm reading plot thread and the weak explanation for it.

I was shocked by the ending and it was not what I expected. Had this been a cozy mystery or thriller I would have been pleased by a twist, but for me the meaning that I had gleaned from the narrative was essentially ruined. I appreciated that Peter found a reason to live in the end and wanting Julie to live on through her stories, but for me the ending ruined the book.

This was a quick read, and truthfully better than I expected since I picked it up when Bookbub alerted me to it being free (it was a flash sale).

[Nickian2411 · Rating 4 out of 5]

There may come a longer review later, but for now the parallels should be noted between Jensen's Storm of Stories and Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried. Reality is bent into a strange liminal state. Certain stories struggle with a tad bit too much confusion, but most often the result was an ethereal exploration of love, in its varied and unexpected forms. Two people tell their stories, and you never quite know what is true and what was manufactured, Jensen's ending, which is both surprising and powerful, is her definitive statement that none of that matters. It's a story of impossible love. Real or not, raw emotion is evoked from Jensen's craft of taking modern settings and circumstances, and using them to propel timeless moments of love and a bridge between souls. Whether under a Danish sun, in an abandoned colonial church, or on a porch swing with beers in tow. How much is real and how much is not is less important that what is felt in that moment. And Jensen delivers that emotion well in a smooth blending of truth and fiction.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really beautiful book that does a great job of taking seemingly disparate stories and combining them into a glowing whole. The outer story is one of two strangers stranded together in a snowstorm; their car is quickly running out of heat, and to maintain hope and pass the time in the face of a situation that grows bleaker by the hour, they tell stories - stories that range from joyful tales of first love to sad musings on late adulthood, from travel adventures to comic mysteries. Whatever the mood and whatever the story, this work of fiction is honest and heartfelt throughout, featuring clear yet poetic prose that carries the reader seamlessly. A rare example of a compelling outer story encircling equally compelling and beautiful inner stories.

[Jennifer Bisbing · Rating 5 out of 5]

K.B. Jensen takes you on an adventure through storytelling often bringing forth magical memories of your youth and the reality of love and old age. Jensen’s excellently crafted dialogue places you at the heart of each scene, drawing you in, wanting to know what will happen next to the characters in the car and what intriguing setting Jensen will take you to. Throughout the twists and turns of this great story, there is an unexpected light humor, in which Jensen’s wit may have you laughing out loud as I did on several occasions.