Stained

by Kayla Krantz

Blackouts have always been Melissa's problem, but now she has a new one. People are missing, and she isn't entirely convinced she's not responsible.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

ebook

Published December 8, 2016

About the author

Kayla Krantz is an international bestselling author of dark fantasy, psychological horror, and supernatural thrillers. She is fascinated by the dark and macabre. Stephen King is her all-time inspiration, mixed in with some faint remnants of the works of Edgar Allen Poe. When she began writing, she started in horror, but somehow drifted into thriller and fantasy. She loves the 1988 movie, “Heathers.” Kayla was born and raised in Michigan, but traveled across the country to where she currently resides, in Texas.


To keep up with her, sign up for her newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/cwZHEz

Reviews

[Selene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unreliable narrator ✔ A.KA. "Mental Melissa"
Amazon freebie ✔
Short story ✔
Predictable but still enjoyable ✔

[Jessica Jesinghaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Short Chiller" indeed, but it packs a wallop. Darkly atmospheric with a chilling twist at the end.

[Derek Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent short story that I feel could be expanded into a great novella thriller.

[Jessica Fisette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely another intriguing dark story from Author Kayla Krantz. I felt like the character was well-developed and the dialogue hinted at a backstory I would love to hear more about--but by the ending we get a pretty good idea. The prose was well-written and intriguing; just the narrative alone pushed me to keep reading.

Stained didn't leave anything unanswered, and it had the perfect ending--even if I would love for the story to continue because it was getting really good. Maybe the author will write a short sequel or two. I loved Stained and can't wait to see what else the author comes up with in the future.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

** This is a Kindle 30 Minute Read **

A short, short story that managed to pack a lot of mystery and anxiety into it's few pages. Even though you could see where the story was heading the ending still snuck up and shocked you. Recommended for short story aficionados.

[Janine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its super short (13 pages) but I would say it could have been better if it was a little longer. Example, there was mention of an “incident” but nothing else. The ending was predictable and also implies what “the accident” may or may not have been a.k.a murder.
I also found a grammatical error which doesnt bother me personally but I know it does others. Especially if its only 13 pages long, there shouldn’t be any errors.

See page 6: “Maybe i could earn her love back if i found out the killer was.” Obviously the word “who” is missing.
Overall okay, but its what I expected of a free and short story.

[A.S. McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story hooked me from the very beginning. It spends it's time in first person of the main character Melissa. A neighbor has gone missing, Melissa's parents are out of town and she keeps having weird dreams. I was hooked in the way in which the author portrayed this story. The ending was great. I also love how the author allows the reader to draw some conclusions of their own. I won't tell you what those are as that would give away the ending. If you want a very short story chiller then grab Stained for yourself.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that feeling when you have no idea what is going to happen and Kayla Krantz succeeds in making my heart race in just 20 minutes! This is a spine-chilling quick listen about Melissa, her dreams and the truth. I was on the edge of my seat and loved every minute. I do hope we get another look into this character, she would be very interesting! Jessica Carusso gives an thrill filled performance keeping the suspense high.

[Lennie Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok

It was OK. I liked it alright. I just wishes it focused more on the dream parts. & On "the incident". I think it would have worked better as a novel then a short story. Still. It was OK. Just OK. 🤷

I did really like the sense of loneliness and isolation the main character had. That part was done Really well. 😁

[Roger]

Stained: A Short Chiller, my sixth read from author Kayla Krantz. A 13 page/21 minute short read. Since I own both the Kindle & Audible versions I was able to follow along while being read to by narrator Jessica Carusso. I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Joselyn Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this one for an honest review.

It was pretty interesting actually, I think this could be exploited to do a semi full length novel about the girl and what actually happened with her mom and what else does she did while "sleeping".

Really liked it.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story was nicely written and presented.

[Di · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like what you expect in a short story. It gives you a lot to think think about but it didn’t fall short with giving the reader the creeps.

Give it a try and you’ll want more!

[Deedra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creep good! Jessica Carusso was a fine narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Ashlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was indeed a short chiller but a tad too short. I wish we had even 10 more pages to solidify the story a bit more.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and Sweet

I was intrigued by the super short book description. I like going in pretty blind.
This little story was great! I want more.

[Kyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. I wish there was more though! I would love to read more about Melissa and the incident from the past.

[Michelle Williams-King · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a quick read with lots of tension and an awesome ending!

[Thomas Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting, entertaining short.

Very quick and to the point. An enjoyable and highly entertaining read. Interesting concept, a perfect just before bed tale.

[Brent Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stained is a short chiller by horror scribe Kayla Krantz. It follows Melissa, a girl in need of therapy due to her ‘blackouts’ and tenuous grasp of reality. Melissa dreams of blood. She suffers visions of visceral crime scenes that at times she feels she has something to do with, but at others, she distances herself as if she herself could become the next victim. She’s your typical no-friends-at-school protagonist that must work through her nightmares alone. Or are they really dreams?

While I enjoyed Kayla’s writing style, and I’m curious about her full novel Dead by Morning, in this story, Stained does not stand on its own. It involves too much suspension of disbelief and a character that is difficult to empathize with—even the character’s own parents know something is up with their daughter. However, putting aside modern forensics and simple physics, I still liked how Stained was structured and I will be watching (and reading) Kayla Krantz’ career with interest. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

[Brandi Nyborg · Rating 5 out of 5]

It amazes how much this author packed into this short story. I enjoyed the horror, and I read through this really fast. I liked the twist ending, and how it was wrapped up. I would love to see a sequel, or even a follow up novel.

[Marian Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilling

Good read. Kept my interest and surprised by the ending. I cannot wait to read more of her words. Splendid.

[Davyne DeSye · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a macabre little story. And gosh, I really want to know about the incident between Melissa and her mom... creepy.

[Cyrene Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uncaged Book Reviews:

A very short read but its very action packed and you jump. Right into the story from the first page.
Reviewed by Jennifer


Full review at UncagedBooks.com

[thebonebreaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written story that kept me engaged throughout.