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Sleep
Ava can't sleep. If I want to stay alive, neither should I. (A Short Story)
- GenresHorror
22 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 6, 2017
1 person is currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
J.K. Neve
6 books47 followers***Sign up for JK Neve's mailing list***
I came late to this writing thing, but my imagination has always played out scenes of suspense, fantasy and yes, romance.
I remember how, as a young boy, I ran free through the wild landscape around our house in Cape Town, South Africa. I imagined I was Tarzan, without the Great Apes, and still having to meet my Jane. I preferred being alone, so no-one would trespass on the world in my head.
Guess it was only a matter of time before I wrote down some of my madness.
I now live on the blustery south coast of England, writing with the unreliable permission of my three children.
I came late to this writing thing, but my imagination has always played out scenes of suspense, fantasy and yes, romance.
I remember how, as a young boy, I ran free through the wild landscape around our house in Cape Town, South Africa. I imagined I was Tarzan, without the Great Apes, and still having to meet my Jane. I preferred being alone, so no-one would trespass on the world in my head.
Guess it was only a matter of time before I wrote down some of my madness.
I now live on the blustery south coast of England, writing with the unreliable permission of my three children.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 19, 2017
This definitely reminds me of Don't Close Your Eyes and Before I Go to Sleep.
Edit: 10-17-17
I definitely liked the idea, but I wish it had used the suspense better by dragging it out. Prolong, add more questions, use the twist as an answer in the end.
Edit: 10-17-17
I definitely liked the idea, but I wish it had used the suspense better by dragging it out. Prolong, add more questions, use the twist as an answer in the end.
June 28, 2020
This was a good thriller. It's about a couple whose relationship's is quickly going down south. The guy finds out his former live-in girlfriend can't sleep at night. But he also learns that her insomnia may be dangerous to his health. So to prevent her from killing him in his sleep, he decides to stay up with her, but he can only do that for so long. Then what? Check this thriller for a good read! This is the first book I've read by JK Neve, but I want to read more.
November 20, 2017
As I've said many times before, it takes a very special type of author to write short stories well, especially ones that feel like they're "finished" at the end instead of chopping off or rushing the story when they've reached their allotted word count.
The author has done an amazing job of writing a tale that immerses the reader and has them feeling the mounting tension right along with the characters. With the anxiety filled romp home to the conclusion the reader is left aware of the supernatural component of the tale coming full circle. It was an ingenious premise and not one I have encountered in a short story before.
I must say, as an insomniac for most of the last 30 years, this gave me more than the normal flip-flop in the stomach! Kudos to the author in describing exactly the battle an insomniac has in trying to get sleep and the serious consequences of sleep deprivation. (There's are reason they use it for torture!)
The author has done an amazing job of writing a tale that immerses the reader and has them feeling the mounting tension right along with the characters. With the anxiety filled romp home to the conclusion the reader is left aware of the supernatural component of the tale coming full circle. It was an ingenious premise and not one I have encountered in a short story before.
I must say, as an insomniac for most of the last 30 years, this gave me more than the normal flip-flop in the stomach! Kudos to the author in describing exactly the battle an insomniac has in trying to get sleep and the serious consequences of sleep deprivation. (There's are reason they use it for torture!)
October 4, 2017
I'm afraid that for whatever reason this book just didn't do it for me, I can sort of see what the author is getting at, but the actions of the characters just seems so illogical. Without wishing to give too much away, why would anyone stay with someone, when both parties are being unfaithful, and one seems to be getting homicidal, why didn't one of them just walk away?
I am not a fan of short stories, unless they are exceptional, and unfortunately this one definitely isn't as far as I am concerned, however the writing style is quite good which is why it rates 3 stars for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and voluntarily wrote this honest review.
I am not a fan of short stories, unless they are exceptional, and unfortunately this one definitely isn't as far as I am concerned, however the writing style is quite good which is why it rates 3 stars for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and voluntarily wrote this honest review.
December 8, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyable short story (perfect read for a trip to the doctor's). I would certainly read a novel by this author. This short had a beginning, middle and end. Perfect for a short. A pet peeve concerning the reviews; NO ONE is looking for you to tell the whole story. You ruin it for other readers. If you write an entire page in review of a 22 page book it means you are a frustrated writer. Write your own book. Don't ruin it for this author.
September 18, 2017
Intriguing.
Twilight Zone-ish
Twilight Zone-ish
October 11, 2017
This is quite a doozy of a short story.. It really gets to you.
September 29, 2017
Sleep...wow. this short story started normal. That may be all I can say without spoiling the story. Yes, I definitely got chills. Don't miss this one.
November 9, 2017
A nice, quick read that gave me the chills
November 14, 2017
Very well written but not for those who get nightmares easily.
October 14, 2017
View full 4.5* review on the blog.
Description: A woman's struggle with insomnia puts a strain on her relationship, but is there something darker behind her inability to sleep?
In Short: A short creepy psychological thriller that overall has a supernatural feel to it. I would highly recommend this story to those who like scary short stories. If you liked The Grudge/Ju-on and other movies like those, then you'll enjoy this story.
Pros: I love this book. I think the story is really creative and haunting. I appreciated that there was a lot of realistic parts. The depictions of her insomnia and a panic attack were believable and sympathetic. The story had some great twists and turns and the ending was great. Overall this book is well written and made for a fast and fun read. I would definitely read more by this author.
Cons: I didn't feel much love between the couple even in the early pages so I wasn't too invested in what happened to them. I didn't like that the boyfriend didn't really try that hard to help and he really should have taken her to the hospital. He doesn't do things for her because he wants to or because he cares it's always only because he "should." So, you see this sort of language a lot and he makes it very clear that he is always being fake and feigning interest. Because of this I thought he was a jerk and didn't care what happened to him. All of these complaints are just my own opinions and I can also see how they were just part of the story which is why I really can't take more than half a star from this book's rating.
Parent's Guide: Brief but graphic and non-graphic scenes of violence. Gore factor is low and there is no sexual content.
Description: A woman's struggle with insomnia puts a strain on her relationship, but is there something darker behind her inability to sleep?
In Short: A short creepy psychological thriller that overall has a supernatural feel to it. I would highly recommend this story to those who like scary short stories. If you liked The Grudge/Ju-on and other movies like those, then you'll enjoy this story.
Pros: I love this book. I think the story is really creative and haunting. I appreciated that there was a lot of realistic parts. The depictions of her insomnia and a panic attack were believable and sympathetic. The story had some great twists and turns and the ending was great. Overall this book is well written and made for a fast and fun read. I would definitely read more by this author.
Cons: I didn't feel much love between the couple even in the early pages so I wasn't too invested in what happened to them. I didn't like that the boyfriend didn't really try that hard to help and he really should have taken her to the hospital. He doesn't do things for her because he wants to or because he cares it's always only because he "should." So, you see this sort of language a lot and he makes it very clear that he is always being fake and feigning interest. Because of this I thought he was a jerk and didn't care what happened to him. All of these complaints are just my own opinions and I can also see how they were just part of the story which is why I really can't take more than half a star from this book's rating.
Parent's Guide: Brief but graphic and non-graphic scenes of violence. Gore factor is low and there is no sexual content.
October 9, 2021
Wow the perfect length short story. I love an author who can write a story beginning to end that makes sense. It was not rushed, just kinda creepy. I would not recommend for anyone younger than YA because of adult matter. But great story. Just enough suspense to keep it interesting to the end. I received an ARC from the author through BookFunnel
The review is all mine. No spelling or grammatical errors pushed it to the rare 5 stars I give. Thank you and I will read more of the authors work.
The review is all mine. No spelling or grammatical errors pushed it to the rare 5 stars I give. Thank you and I will read more of the authors work.
October 24, 2017
One word: Amazing.
I'm a huge fan of short stories because they seem to speak so much in a few words and this one totally works for me. I understand why this won't be received well by all book enthusiasts since there aren't many details nor many plot points but I'm sure it'll work for the intended readers.
The story is short and cuts straight to the point, starting with the one thing the entire story is revolving around—Ava isn't able to fall asleep. The story builds up from a sleepless night to frequent ones and so does the tension between the two main characters. It seems like both of them are in an haunted roller coaster.
Written in a first person narration, it's interesting to read the story from not the perspective of an insomniac but a partner of one. The struggle that he has to go through while trying to support the woman he loves is good enough to touch some emotional strings.
The ending piques the most interest and it's the part where the reader wishes they could read more. There are two main plot twists and both are unexpected which makes the story worth reading. The informal tone that the author has opted for is pleasing for the setup and gives a more realistic approach to the MC's thoughts.
Overall, this short story can be a great 20 minutes read especially if it's dark around you and you're luckily in the proximity of an insomniac.
I'm a huge fan of short stories because they seem to speak so much in a few words and this one totally works for me. I understand why this won't be received well by all book enthusiasts since there aren't many details nor many plot points but I'm sure it'll work for the intended readers.
The story is short and cuts straight to the point, starting with the one thing the entire story is revolving around—Ava isn't able to fall asleep. The story builds up from a sleepless night to frequent ones and so does the tension between the two main characters. It seems like both of them are in an haunted roller coaster.
Written in a first person narration, it's interesting to read the story from not the perspective of an insomniac but a partner of one. The struggle that he has to go through while trying to support the woman he loves is good enough to touch some emotional strings.
The ending piques the most interest and it's the part where the reader wishes they could read more. There are two main plot twists and both are unexpected which makes the story worth reading. The informal tone that the author has opted for is pleasing for the setup and gives a more realistic approach to the MC's thoughts.
Overall, this short story can be a great 20 minutes read especially if it's dark around you and you're luckily in the proximity of an insomniac.
February 19, 2018
Ava Price can't sleep. I (narrator) suggested she go see Dr. Scott.
That was the wrong thing to do.
Facebook: who is Brett Fisher?
Ava’s sleep deprivation is getting worse.
911!
Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A very well written book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of.
Creepy; a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Bookfunnel; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)
That was the wrong thing to do.
Facebook: who is Brett Fisher?
Ava’s sleep deprivation is getting worse.
911!
Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A very well written book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of.
Creepy; a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Bookfunnel; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)
September 24, 2017
This is a very short story (20+) pages that you should only read in the daylight hours... especially if you or someone you share a bedroom with suffers from insomnia.
Ava cannot sleep. She cannot turn her brain off. She's looking haggard with black smudges under her eyes. Her partner has no problem sleeping. He feels for Ava, especially as her previous boyfriend had tried to kill her. No wonder she can't sleep!
But then he discovers something she hasn't told him .... and now he's afraid to sleep.
Cleverly written psychological short story. I didn't particularly connect with either of the characters .. other than I have suffered insomnia for years. Being such a short story, there is little time for complete character building. But the author did a super job writing a complete story in very few pages.
Ava cannot sleep. She cannot turn her brain off. She's looking haggard with black smudges under her eyes. Her partner has no problem sleeping. He feels for Ava, especially as her previous boyfriend had tried to kill her. No wonder she can't sleep!
But then he discovers something she hasn't told him .... and now he's afraid to sleep.
Cleverly written psychological short story. I didn't particularly connect with either of the characters .. other than I have suffered insomnia for years. Being such a short story, there is little time for complete character building. But the author did a super job writing a complete story in very few pages.
September 18, 2017
This little gem of a novella is a sparkling treasure - that will keep you up all night, every night!
JK Neve certainly knows her stuff and sets up the compelling rhythm of a seemingly simply story of Ava's insomnia.
Her partner (who's the unknown narrator) sympathises at first, but sympathy turns to fear after Ava's betrayal with another man is revealed.
Can he escape his paranoia as he seeks solace in the arms of another?
Or will the maniac's spirit pass from one tormented, sleepless soul to another with fatal consequences in a never-ending cycle?
This (free download) will keep you guessing right to the very end!
JK Neve certainly knows her stuff and sets up the compelling rhythm of a seemingly simply story of Ava's insomnia.
Her partner (who's the unknown narrator) sympathises at first, but sympathy turns to fear after Ava's betrayal with another man is revealed.
Can he escape his paranoia as he seeks solace in the arms of another?
Or will the maniac's spirit pass from one tormented, sleepless soul to another with fatal consequences in a never-ending cycle?
This (free download) will keep you guessing right to the very end!
November 13, 2017
This was a short and creepy story! I was sucked into the story from the very beginning and couldn't wait to see how it ended. I felt bad for the main female character, who couldn't sleep, but this story had a major twist at the end I didn't expect!
Would recommend for anyone looking for a short, creepy read! :D
Would recommend for anyone looking for a short, creepy read! :D
February 10, 2018
It's an interesting story and I definitely enjoyed the writing. It's an A+ for a first (short) book. I just wish it was a novel and not a short story because I have so many unanswered questions.
I will be keeping an eye out for his next book.
P.S. I received a complimentary copy of this book and voluntarily wrote this honest review.
I will be keeping an eye out for his next book.
P.S. I received a complimentary copy of this book and voluntarily wrote this honest review.
October 1, 2017
Sleep: A Short Story by JK Neve is about Ava who develops insomnia and would kill for a good night's sleep. I gave it five stars. It zeroes in on what insomnia is really like. I received an instafreebie from the author. That did not change my opinion for this review.
"...the multitude of paraphernalia next to her side of the bed attest to her struggles last night. The bag of earplugs, an empty water glass, an open packet of throat lozenges, her homoepathic sleeping pills. These were her weapons in her fight for sleep and sanity. A fight that I was entirely absent for. Hours in which she was alone in this world, while I lay right next to her."
They start to feel like strangers to each other, somehow broken.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Short-St...
"...the multitude of paraphernalia next to her side of the bed attest to her struggles last night. The bag of earplugs, an empty water glass, an open packet of throat lozenges, her homoepathic sleeping pills. These were her weapons in her fight for sleep and sanity. A fight that I was entirely absent for. Hours in which she was alone in this world, while I lay right next to her."
They start to feel like strangers to each other, somehow broken.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Short-St...
November 5, 2017
It's a simple story, told form Ava's boyfriends point of view. I like the realism of the fact that while he [at first has some pity] and he wants to sympathize he has difficulty doing so. Sympathy doesn't just spring from a never-ending well, a lot of people struggle with it, especially if the problem someone else is having is something not personally experienced, or seems very "small" compared to other issues.
I'll admit I was expecting the end, but I was expecting a goddamn twist before it.
A twist like possession or something spooky like that. Instead what I get is this vague sort of passing down of mania from couple to couple and I just kinda want to know how it happens.
I'll admit I was expecting the end, but I was expecting a goddamn twist before it.
A twist like possession or something spooky like that. Instead what I get is this vague sort of passing down of mania from couple to couple and I just kinda want to know how it happens.
October 7, 2017
This was a great short story. It had me guessing until the end. I have never read anything from this author before, however it won't be the last. It will make you think about it when ever you are having trouble sleeping. I did receive this book free on insfafree. But that has not influenced in any way.
November 4, 2017
This short story is a phycological thriller from the get go.
Ava is suffering from insomnia, or is it something else?
This is one story you may not want to read before bed ..... you might want to keep the lights on too....
Ava is suffering from insomnia, or is it something else?
This is one story you may not want to read before bed ..... you might want to keep the lights on too....
November 29, 2017
I found this story good but seemed to be rushed. It is a short story so not much character development. The story line was good and with a longer plot this could easily become a novella or even a novel. Would recommend this book.
June 27, 2019
What would happen if you couldn’t sleep...J.K. Neve delves into the darker side of insomnia through Ava and grows it into this engrossing novella as her illness progresses. I enjoyed a promo electronic copy.
September 24, 2017
It was an ok book. A little strange. The ending didn't explain much. Wish it had more to it.
May 19, 2020
'Sleep' has a very interesting spin on insomnia. It is a quick, engaging read.
March 20, 2021
A very short book that was created wonderfully. It didn't have a rushed ending like some books I've previously read. I would of liked more detail about each of the characters, but the story still worked without it.
Ava's boyfriend tells us the story about Ava's insomnia. Each night her insomnia gets worse, so he goes looking for answers that might explain of Ava's sleeping habits. He finds out that her ex boyfriend was having sleeping problems too and he attempted to kill Ava. So no wonder why she wasn't sleeping well.
Can he stay awake long enough to see what Ava is up to? Or is sleep more important?
Ava's boyfriend tells us the story about Ava's insomnia. Each night her insomnia gets worse, so he goes looking for answers that might explain of Ava's sleeping habits. He finds out that her ex boyfriend was having sleeping problems too and he attempted to kill Ava. So no wonder why she wasn't sleeping well.
Can he stay awake long enough to see what Ava is up to? Or is sleep more important?
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews