Before I Wake: Two Epic Love Stories. Two Earth Shattering Twist

by Seven Steps

In the spirit of The Twilight Zone, Unsolved Mysteries, and the X Files, Before I Wake contains two haunting love stories with a mind blowing endings that will leave you with one simple question: Was It Real?


The Cottage
Ashling's quiet farm life suddenly becomes a lot more interesting when a handsome stranger, bloodied and unconscious, appears next to a haystack. When he awakens, her world will never be the same again.


The Playthings
People are disappearing by the second, including Samantha Patterson's husband. As her world shifts around her, Samantha questions everything that she knows is real. Her husband, her child, her life... was it all just a dream?

Genres: Short Stories

53 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 2015

Reviews

[Brandi Reeves-Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I'm not exactly sure how to write this review. To be honest, I was left hanging and utterly confused. I can say that Seven Steps had a great idea when writing this book. I think if Seven went back in and gave more details or even wrote a second book to this one I would've liked it more than I did. It was just super faced paced and I really didn't understand what was happening.
I know there's two different stories in this quick read, but again, there's no details, no reasons behind anything that happened. I'm still left wondering, but I can say Seven had my attention. It was interesting and something completely different than I've read before.
I would try out another book by Seven if she decides to publish another book and I'm hoping for another book to follow up this one.

[Ulla · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book contains two mysterious short stories, the second is much better. Altogether I give 4 stars for the book.

♦ The Cottage - ** - This story is a romance. I struggeled with the inconsistent characterization of the two sisters. One sister is cautious, the other wants to help the soldier. To me it seemed this switched between Ashling and Bernie. The idea the wounded soldier - his leg is broken - might be gone by daybreak is illogical. And from what happend to him at the beginning of the story I suspected his wounds even more severe. How did he find back to the cottage after being thrown into the river? So this story wasn't satisfactory for me.
♦ Playthings - **** - This story is a thriller. The title of the story is not at all apparent but it's a good and very exciting story. I would have given 5 stars, but it needs some editing, I came across many typos and/or grammar mistakes: "turning" instead of "turned", "them" instead of "him", "pressed" instead of "pressing", "brows" instead of "brow" (one brow!), "then" where it has to be "than" and so on. From my experience headaches caused by emotional pressure don't begin in the back of the head. But that's minor. I liked that the gum chewing clerk reminded Samantha of a cow - this reminded me of what my favourite teacher said about pupils chewing gum during classes. And that Samantha assumed her man had disappeared to the electronics department. The ending is sad but understandable.

[Nancy Dillow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ireland - 1798 - a man running, carrying a folder of maps and trying to elude the British. Two sisters, running a farm, trying to make a living. Ashling thinks she knows him, and even though he is injured and unable to move, she insists her sister help nurse him. She knows his name is Will, even though they have never met.

[Nancy Hammons · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the first story, the second one not so much.

[DreamsAndScrems Bookaholics · Rating 5 out of 5]

***** Rebecca's 5 Star Review ***** 5 Dreams and Screams

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.

These we're very short but interesting and enjoyable stories. Plaything was like reading an episode of the twilight zone. You could really feel the characters confusion and frustration. It gives you a crazy twist and just when you think you know where it is going... Nope got you again...

The Cottage was a sweet mysterious love story gone horribly wrong. The characters are very likeable. Just when you think its like all the others you get smacked with reality and then another twist.

Both stories are very well written their only downfall is they feel unfinished. Like Chapter one of two amazing novels. I really hope the author picks these stories up and runs with them. I bet they could easily be five star stand alone novels. The reason for only three stars is I want more please keep it coming. Serious cliffhangers

[Delta Monroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing character development, sucked in from the first word. Great story, you are immediately pulling for them, you can actually see the words the author writes.

Blown away, truly speechless. This was a gem.

[Cathy McGough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Steps presents two short stories, which you can lose yourself in if you just open up your imagination and let yourself go. Beautifully written, filled with wonderful characters, descriptions and plot twists. Highly recommended!

[Reader43 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nightmare many have of everyone in their lives disappearing and waking up to a new reality. What would happen to your mind? A short intro to the authors writing and a fascinating question. I received this free in exchange for an honest review.