What do you think?
Rate this book
fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
Raw and fresh stories to get under your skin…
A scorned lover plans a modern revenge worse than death, a little genius’ curiosity causes trouble with one twisted tooth fairy, a grim warning from a woman whose job it is to protect us from what happens while we sleep, and more stories across the spectrum of flash-bang carnival thrills and the mounting dread of inescapable sacrifice.
From the power of metaphorical revelations to the unsettling idea of literally taking off or putting on a skin, these stories in different genres offer diverse interpretations of what it means to be skinned alive. Featuring Part 2 of the Serial: Take Your Daughter to Work Day.
A scorned lover plans a modern revenge worse than death, a little genius’ curiosity causes trouble with one twisted tooth fairy, a grim warning from a woman whose job it is to protect us from what happens while we sleep, and more stories across the spectrum of flash-bang carnival thrills and the mounting dread of inescapable sacrifice.
From the power of metaphorical revelations to the unsettling idea of literally taking off or putting on a skin, these stories in different genres offer diverse interpretations of what it means to be skinned alive. Featuring Part 2 of the Serial: Take Your Daughter to Work Day.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 6, 2016
6 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 29, 2016
A Cut Above The Rest
“But I would rather die while trying to do something than just let myself fall.”
― fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
So what was this group of authors trying to do; scare us, release the beast, play cupid, or just creep readers out… all this got done and infinitely more. Of course no story can please everyone (what four stars isn’t enough) but isn’t this why writers team up in the first place, to me it was sort of like walking through an insane asylum really
Within these pages these “white rooms” I like to call them, it’s like you’re taken from doctor to patient, to security, to maybe I should call somebody. Every story is its own bit of madness and you wonder are the authors getting better or worse, I mean in their own understanding of themselves. It reminds me of being on my own meds back in the day, a rollercoaster of emotion, dreams, nightmares, and a question of how many times have you walked by a would be killer this week maybe.
Everybody doesn’t get a happy ending but that also depends on what makes you happy and those stories that didn’t make me happy at least left me with that feeling of, well that happened but let’s never speak of it again but here I am. The book in total was a climb, sometimes I felt I was getting higher, sometimes it was like I should hide somewhere, sometimes I felt like I was drowning and then suddenly it was a breath of fresh air. Plenty of oohs and ahhs; moments to catch my breath from a story here or there, and a sigh when I finally finished
As the song goes, the first cut is the deepest but to be fair I never read the first fresh cuts so did the second one make me a fan? No promises but I know what I know from this second title, I wouldn’t cut and run from reading a little more from these writers
“I can try harder. I’ll go... I’ll see more doctors. I’ll take more meds. I can try harder for you. For us.” “It’s not working.” “Just give it a chance. Would you just give it a chance?”
― fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
“I’m not a hundred percent sure why I’m here, only that it feels good to be somewhere where no one hates me. It’s sad that I would rather be with a total stranger than with people that should’ve been my family.”
fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
I never knew what I would find behind each and every story but I can’t say I was ever disappointed; rattled, scared, heavily sedated but not disappointed. Maybe I’d be sort of scared to be alone with some of these people considering no book is perfect and just the ideas they had but I embrace the madness
If I had to choose my top three stories I’d say “Dirty Little Secret”, “Soda Files”, and “Glamazons vs. Red Plaids”, sex, madness, some violence; a little bit in most of the stories but these three really stood out for me. With Dirty Little Secret, I ask this question often enough… where can I find a girl like that, other than in a book I mean. Soda Flies, why sad and a bit cliché is plenty relatable; so cold and harsh that it sets the blood to boil pretty quick. Glamazons vs. Red Plaids, always leave them wanting more and is set to make its own novel as the world is flushed out more, someday.
That’s also one of the drawbacks of the book, there is a twinge of desperation not only for the reader but for the writers; while showcasing talent at times there seems to be this underlying begging for attention and preparation for solo projects. I also enjoy highlighting passages on my Kindle and other than keeping pace with characters I’m looking for knowledge and considering some other titles I found my highlighting lacking but maybe that’s just me. Of course as a whole the book is impressive but a story here or there was weaker than others, as I’ve already said flushing out a world but much too quickly, or a full blown rant, albeit an intelligent one, and a bit of grossness which is up for the reader to decide.
“Fresh Cuts 2” kept me reading fair enough, but even I took a day off here or there just to wrap my head around one story, maybe I just didn’t want it to end. I am looking forward to the solo projects but this was not a book I can say I sought out on my own, it’s writers did grab my attention to be sure.
“That wasn’t a crime. Being a dreamer.”
― fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
“You’re about the closest thing to a real man I know,” she said, “but, you’re kind of a pussy.”
― fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
Now indeed I don’t hold a monopoly on what is madness but to enjoy this title I would highly recommend you prepare for it. I read the bios on the authors and was surprised they didn’t all meet in some mental ward; this title was a bit of convenient crazy.
I can’t necessarily recommend this book to any single type of person other than those who are looking to explore their inner crazy. If you like “The Twilight Zone” and monkeys who wear tuxedos maybe or if you saw the Blindness (2008) and wonder how Ward 3 became so powerful, maybe these are just things I found sort of nuts. Maybe if you’re just looking to have confidence in your own bit of writing or are wanting to look sane for a bit, I think these writers come off in quite a fine style surely.
With the exception of maybe one story the rest will stay with you long after you turned the page, even if the thought is, water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink (yeah last story and review today). If I could do one thing better… well it’s the little things which is why I chose four stars, but I also reread three or four of the stories so who knows how I will feel tomorrow. Convenient crazy because some of these writers you just have to ask… but I won’t I’ll save that for their next work or those solo projects yet to be written possibly
Did I learn anything from “fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume” an old lesson “we read to know we're not alone.” ― William Nicholson; maybe like when I began reading dark erotica, I think “hey, people can actually say that out loud.” This book is the part of Wonderland people don’t like to talk about but again here I am hoping that these writers never cut it out, never ever.
“Whoa, that is really something...but, who gives a damn?”
― Joan Reginaldo, fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
“But I would rather die while trying to do something than just let myself fall.”
― fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
So what was this group of authors trying to do; scare us, release the beast, play cupid, or just creep readers out… all this got done and infinitely more. Of course no story can please everyone (what four stars isn’t enough) but isn’t this why writers team up in the first place, to me it was sort of like walking through an insane asylum really
Within these pages these “white rooms” I like to call them, it’s like you’re taken from doctor to patient, to security, to maybe I should call somebody. Every story is its own bit of madness and you wonder are the authors getting better or worse, I mean in their own understanding of themselves. It reminds me of being on my own meds back in the day, a rollercoaster of emotion, dreams, nightmares, and a question of how many times have you walked by a would be killer this week maybe.
Everybody doesn’t get a happy ending but that also depends on what makes you happy and those stories that didn’t make me happy at least left me with that feeling of, well that happened but let’s never speak of it again but here I am. The book in total was a climb, sometimes I felt I was getting higher, sometimes it was like I should hide somewhere, sometimes I felt like I was drowning and then suddenly it was a breath of fresh air. Plenty of oohs and ahhs; moments to catch my breath from a story here or there, and a sigh when I finally finished
As the song goes, the first cut is the deepest but to be fair I never read the first fresh cuts so did the second one make me a fan? No promises but I know what I know from this second title, I wouldn’t cut and run from reading a little more from these writers
“I can try harder. I’ll go... I’ll see more doctors. I’ll take more meds. I can try harder for you. For us.” “It’s not working.” “Just give it a chance. Would you just give it a chance?”
― fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
“I’m not a hundred percent sure why I’m here, only that it feels good to be somewhere where no one hates me. It’s sad that I would rather be with a total stranger than with people that should’ve been my family.”
fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
I never knew what I would find behind each and every story but I can’t say I was ever disappointed; rattled, scared, heavily sedated but not disappointed. Maybe I’d be sort of scared to be alone with some of these people considering no book is perfect and just the ideas they had but I embrace the madness
If I had to choose my top three stories I’d say “Dirty Little Secret”, “Soda Files”, and “Glamazons vs. Red Plaids”, sex, madness, some violence; a little bit in most of the stories but these three really stood out for me. With Dirty Little Secret, I ask this question often enough… where can I find a girl like that, other than in a book I mean. Soda Flies, why sad and a bit cliché is plenty relatable; so cold and harsh that it sets the blood to boil pretty quick. Glamazons vs. Red Plaids, always leave them wanting more and is set to make its own novel as the world is flushed out more, someday.
That’s also one of the drawbacks of the book, there is a twinge of desperation not only for the reader but for the writers; while showcasing talent at times there seems to be this underlying begging for attention and preparation for solo projects. I also enjoy highlighting passages on my Kindle and other than keeping pace with characters I’m looking for knowledge and considering some other titles I found my highlighting lacking but maybe that’s just me. Of course as a whole the book is impressive but a story here or there was weaker than others, as I’ve already said flushing out a world but much too quickly, or a full blown rant, albeit an intelligent one, and a bit of grossness which is up for the reader to decide.
“Fresh Cuts 2” kept me reading fair enough, but even I took a day off here or there just to wrap my head around one story, maybe I just didn’t want it to end. I am looking forward to the solo projects but this was not a book I can say I sought out on my own, it’s writers did grab my attention to be sure.
“That wasn’t a crime. Being a dreamer.”
― fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
“You’re about the closest thing to a real man I know,” she said, “but, you’re kind of a pussy.”
― fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
Now indeed I don’t hold a monopoly on what is madness but to enjoy this title I would highly recommend you prepare for it. I read the bios on the authors and was surprised they didn’t all meet in some mental ward; this title was a bit of convenient crazy.
I can’t necessarily recommend this book to any single type of person other than those who are looking to explore their inner crazy. If you like “The Twilight Zone” and monkeys who wear tuxedos maybe or if you saw the Blindness (2008) and wonder how Ward 3 became so powerful, maybe these are just things I found sort of nuts. Maybe if you’re just looking to have confidence in your own bit of writing or are wanting to look sane for a bit, I think these writers come off in quite a fine style surely.
With the exception of maybe one story the rest will stay with you long after you turned the page, even if the thought is, water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink (yeah last story and review today). If I could do one thing better… well it’s the little things which is why I chose four stars, but I also reread three or four of the stories so who knows how I will feel tomorrow. Convenient crazy because some of these writers you just have to ask… but I won’t I’ll save that for their next work or those solo projects yet to be written possibly
Did I learn anything from “fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume” an old lesson “we read to know we're not alone.” ― William Nicholson; maybe like when I began reading dark erotica, I think “hey, people can actually say that out loud.” This book is the part of Wonderland people don’t like to talk about but again here I am hoping that these writers never cut it out, never ever.
“Whoa, that is really something...but, who gives a damn?”
― Joan Reginaldo, fresh cuts 2: the skinning volume
Displaying 1 of 1 review