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Little Dinosaurs
They’re lean, mean little killing machines…and they’re back from the past to start another reign of terror!Meet the new version of Tyrannosaurus Rex in Audrey Swindon’s brand new novel…now available for a limited time for just $0.99 from a #1 Amazon Bestselling author!When Roy Turner takes a cross-country road trip with his hot, wild-child girlfriend Loretta, he thinks he’s taking off on the lark of his life…until they make a stop at a seedy Texas reptile farm and he helps Loretta make a mysterious purchase that will change their lives forever.The little beastie they buy comes with killer instincts and razor-sharp teeth, and Roy and Loretta quickly discover they have a prehistoric tiger by the tale. His name may be Gizmo, but he has no intention of being a pet, and when he escapes all hell breaks loose. “Little Dinosaurs” is a hot, funny mess of a novel, complete with a road trip, bloody carnage and a plot line that will have you laughing and remembering every crazy 60s sci fi/horror flick you ever enjoyed and came to love. It’s got great characters, scary little monsters, and plenty of fun, apocalyptic plot twists that will keep you laughing, gasping and guessing. It’s one of Audrey Swindon’s best, so you should definitely get in on the action and the fun and download it NOW!
202 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 2019
153 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 12, 2019
Roy and his girlfriend find a strange lizard at a place in the middle of nowhere. It is unique and his girlfriend is fascinated. Only it doesn't stay little, and then the attacks begin. Soon, he is on the run, avoiding attacks as these dinosaurs breed (not sure how) and feed. What bothered me is how he kept running and NEVER once telling anyone what he knew so they could know what they were dealing with - until it is too late. Made me dislike him - people he knows are being killed and he says nothing. Love the story but do NOT like Roy.
December 25, 2020
This rating is really more of a 3.75 because the story was pretty interesting. I just strongly disagreed with some character and plot choices that unfolded.
A main character dies off page. I assumed they didn't really die and would pop back up in the plot since there was no dead body discovered, but no. Just abandoned and forgotten about. This book ends abruptly in what should have only been the second act. The author shifts tone in the final chapter from showing us to telling us what unfolds. Are authors just forgetting how to write satisfying conclusions? I'm afraid I must add another book to the Bad Ending Club.
A main character dies off page. I assumed they didn't really die and would pop back up in the plot since there was no dead body discovered, but no. Just abandoned and forgotten about. This book ends abruptly in what should have only been the second act. The author shifts tone in the final chapter from showing us to telling us what unfolds. Are authors just forgetting how to write satisfying conclusions? I'm afraid I must add another book to the Bad Ending Club.
September 16, 2024
There was no place that was safe. Safe didn’t exist anymore.
So. I sat down earlier this afternoon, picked up my copy of "Little Dinosaurs" by Audrey Swindon and Bob McCullough … and now, just a couple of or three hours later I'm done, even with a few social media breaks. Hm, how 'bout that. Obviously, "LD" is a quick, even pulpy read so if you're looking for a Stephen King-grade creature feature, well, you've come to the wrong place. But it is entertaining enough (especially for Kindle Unlimited he added quietly) and reads really, really fast. A lot of that is because of the formatting (there's not nearly as many pages of text as advertised owing to some rather huge gaps from page to page) as well as the fact that this is a pretty quick wee adventure from meeting the first wee dino to wondering if mankind will even survive. Good thing no one really pushed too hard to find out about various missing persons and/or their deaths, huh?
How normal all of this might have seemed if it weren’t for the monsters.
Of course, I was caught like a fuzzy moth in a backlot streetlamp once I read that our protagonist, Roy, was living the dream as a bartender in a cheap beer joint in Raleigh, NC, just wondering if grad school was right for him. And wouldn't you know it: I used to be a bartender in a cheap beer joint in Raleigh, NC, even if unlike Roy, I stuck it out until my second tour of duty in college was done (which didn't do all that much for my career but that's a whole, separate creature feature story!). Anyway, things take off out of Old North State - both literally and figuratively - from the get-go with Roy and his lively girlfriend heading out west to meet the in-laws. Oh look, a roadside attraction in Texas, those are always safe in the movies!
That was the end of my life as I’d known it.
What could possibly go wrong shouted the peanut gallery unnecessarily! Well, lots. No, stop looking for any kind of explanation for same, it just happens. And keeps happening. And then gets really really thoroughly happening as pretty much everyone west of the Mississippi finds themselves in danger. And no, the ammosexuals can't save anyone because this threat is just too much, too fast, and too nasty to comprehend. So with that in mind, would you prefer to stay at Red Roof or Motel 6 tonight? Yeah, some of the needs of the ever-morphing cast (read: the survivors) are pretty mundane, but isn't that more realistic than a lot of these "we need to keep moving slowly across country to avoid the apocalypse" stories? Damn, that reminds me: I forgot to ask the folks in the phone shop about an extra charger.
Were they really evolving on the fly, or was that just my fetid imagination?
Look, this was a fun albeit borderline vapid little read, like something you wouldn't mind paging through if you found yourself stuck behind 6 other people in the dentist's office. And for some odd reason it reminded me a lot of NETFLIX's 2020 offer of "Love and Monsters", which though on the plus side of entertaining was a pretty flimsy film after you got past the abundant CGI and actually looked for a story (or character development or…). So yeah, trust me when I say (again) that "Little Ds" is not deep. Heck, it's not even all that well-edited in some spots - for example, what the hell is a "motelmotel" that gets mentioned 3 times?
“Coming next,” he said, desperately trying to keep the smirk off his face. “‘Monsters breach border wall.’”
But if you're like me and you just need the occasional "break" in your reading tendencies - noting this was a good transition for me as I've been power-reading my way through a cryptid-a-thon - you could do a lot worse (and I have during the aforementioned a-thon-thingie). Sure, the authors could have gone a bit harder on the gore, violence, or even added in some truly bizarro creature aspects, but then again, it wouldn't have added all that much (and would have probably made this less likely to be picked up by the ScyFy channel looking for their next big "Beasts in Tornadoes" franchise!). Best just seek colder climes and hope that helps (hint: nope!).
So. I sat down earlier this afternoon, picked up my copy of "Little Dinosaurs" by Audrey Swindon and Bob McCullough … and now, just a couple of or three hours later I'm done, even with a few social media breaks. Hm, how 'bout that. Obviously, "LD" is a quick, even pulpy read so if you're looking for a Stephen King-grade creature feature, well, you've come to the wrong place. But it is entertaining enough (especially for Kindle Unlimited he added quietly) and reads really, really fast. A lot of that is because of the formatting (there's not nearly as many pages of text as advertised owing to some rather huge gaps from page to page) as well as the fact that this is a pretty quick wee adventure from meeting the first wee dino to wondering if mankind will even survive. Good thing no one really pushed too hard to find out about various missing persons and/or their deaths, huh?
How normal all of this might have seemed if it weren’t for the monsters.
Of course, I was caught like a fuzzy moth in a backlot streetlamp once I read that our protagonist, Roy, was living the dream as a bartender in a cheap beer joint in Raleigh, NC, just wondering if grad school was right for him. And wouldn't you know it: I used to be a bartender in a cheap beer joint in Raleigh, NC, even if unlike Roy, I stuck it out until my second tour of duty in college was done (which didn't do all that much for my career but that's a whole, separate creature feature story!). Anyway, things take off out of Old North State - both literally and figuratively - from the get-go with Roy and his lively girlfriend heading out west to meet the in-laws. Oh look, a roadside attraction in Texas, those are always safe in the movies!
That was the end of my life as I’d known it.
What could possibly go wrong shouted the peanut gallery unnecessarily! Well, lots. No, stop looking for any kind of explanation for same, it just happens. And keeps happening. And then gets really really thoroughly happening as pretty much everyone west of the Mississippi finds themselves in danger. And no, the ammosexuals can't save anyone because this threat is just too much, too fast, and too nasty to comprehend. So with that in mind, would you prefer to stay at Red Roof or Motel 6 tonight? Yeah, some of the needs of the ever-morphing cast (read: the survivors) are pretty mundane, but isn't that more realistic than a lot of these "we need to keep moving slowly across country to avoid the apocalypse" stories? Damn, that reminds me: I forgot to ask the folks in the phone shop about an extra charger.
Were they really evolving on the fly, or was that just my fetid imagination?
Look, this was a fun albeit borderline vapid little read, like something you wouldn't mind paging through if you found yourself stuck behind 6 other people in the dentist's office. And for some odd reason it reminded me a lot of NETFLIX's 2020 offer of "Love and Monsters", which though on the plus side of entertaining was a pretty flimsy film after you got past the abundant CGI and actually looked for a story (or character development or…). So yeah, trust me when I say (again) that "Little Ds" is not deep. Heck, it's not even all that well-edited in some spots - for example, what the hell is a "motelmotel" that gets mentioned 3 times?
“Coming next,” he said, desperately trying to keep the smirk off his face. “‘Monsters breach border wall.’”
But if you're like me and you just need the occasional "break" in your reading tendencies - noting this was a good transition for me as I've been power-reading my way through a cryptid-a-thon - you could do a lot worse (and I have during the aforementioned a-thon-thingie). Sure, the authors could have gone a bit harder on the gore, violence, or even added in some truly bizarro creature aspects, but then again, it wouldn't have added all that much (and would have probably made this less likely to be picked up by the ScyFy channel looking for their next big "Beasts in Tornadoes" franchise!). Best just seek colder climes and hope that helps (hint: nope!).
May 28, 2019
Little Dinosaurs
I would have given it at least a three star if the profanity was not so bad. I ran really, who uses the f word so such? Really took away from the storyline. The plot itself was interesting but there were so may plot holes and too many unanswered questions. For instance...what happened to Gizmo and was it responsible for the other dinos appearances? How did the dinos evolve and how did they spread so fast? Also, why was there no end in sight? Seems the military and police forces were inept to say the least! Where did the guy who sold them Gizmo get him in the first place and did he have him long? He sure did grow fast when the couple bought him. Would the back rubbing and chin scratching have worked on the other dinos? And the ending was no ending unless it is leading into another book that continues with this infestation. Too many questions and not enough answers.
I would have given it at least a three star if the profanity was not so bad. I ran really, who uses the f word so such? Really took away from the storyline. The plot itself was interesting but there were so may plot holes and too many unanswered questions. For instance...what happened to Gizmo and was it responsible for the other dinos appearances? How did the dinos evolve and how did they spread so fast? Also, why was there no end in sight? Seems the military and police forces were inept to say the least! Where did the guy who sold them Gizmo get him in the first place and did he have him long? He sure did grow fast when the couple bought him. Would the back rubbing and chin scratching have worked on the other dinos? And the ending was no ending unless it is leading into another book that continues with this infestation. Too many questions and not enough answers.
June 1, 2019
Not lions & tigers, but dinosaurs. Oh my!
As a young child, before I found science-fiction, I learned to read by visiting the library and signing out every book I could find on dinosaurs. This book has an interesting storyline not found very often in science fiction and thrillers. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of two people finding themselves out running hordes of little dinosaurs. The author takes a great stretch in the science behind all of this, but that doesn’t really matter as it is an exciting tale.This book seems fine for ages 14+, with just a little risque scene or two, but not graphic, and very little swearing, if any.Young adults + would enjoy this book.
As a young child, before I found science-fiction, I learned to read by visiting the library and signing out every book I could find on dinosaurs. This book has an interesting storyline not found very often in science fiction and thrillers. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of two people finding themselves out running hordes of little dinosaurs. The author takes a great stretch in the science behind all of this, but that doesn’t really matter as it is an exciting tale.This book seems fine for ages 14+, with just a little risque scene or two, but not graphic, and very little swearing, if any.Young adults + would enjoy this book.
June 10, 2019
Not much horror, but fast paced
This book was a pleasant story to read. The premise is the "hero", Roy, and his girl friend, Loretta, stop on a trip to California and buy a strange lizard. Now what could go wrong with that. Well believe me they can go wrong. There is not much blood and guts in the story, but that is okay. This story is a fast moving story that reminded me of the horror movies of the late 50's and early 60's. The gory scenes are just out of view. So this would be a great bedtime read.
This book was a pleasant story to read. The premise is the "hero", Roy, and his girl friend, Loretta, stop on a trip to California and buy a strange lizard. Now what could go wrong with that. Well believe me they can go wrong. There is not much blood and guts in the story, but that is okay. This story is a fast moving story that reminded me of the horror movies of the late 50's and early 60's. The gory scenes are just out of view. So this would be a great bedtime read.
June 6, 2019
Little Dino’s on a Rampage
This book about little Dino’s attacking and eating people is a good concept. The narrator’s point of view was good. The characters were well drawn especially Loretta. The problem with this book is that there is no origin story for the Dino’s sudden appearance in the modern world. Were they a cloned experiment that escaped from a lab? A top secret military bio weapon run amok? I like a little science with my fiction. Recommend for a sleepless night.
This book about little Dino’s attacking and eating people is a good concept. The narrator’s point of view was good. The characters were well drawn especially Loretta. The problem with this book is that there is no origin story for the Dino’s sudden appearance in the modern world. Were they a cloned experiment that escaped from a lab? A top secret military bio weapon run amok? I like a little science with my fiction. Recommend for a sleepless night.
June 19, 2019
Not great and I was expecting escapist literature. The protagonist begins with a lot of humorous introspection and I was hopeful. However, there are misspellings, awkward and bad grammar aplenty in this book, but not enough to keep me from finding out how all this ends. However, as far as the ending is concerned, what ending??? The plot fizzles after Loretta and Gizmo are no longer involved. I see a sequel coming, but don't think I'll bite.
February 6, 2020
I enjoyed this book very much. An interesting take on an end of life the way we know it with several unexpected twists. I think it was well written with very few mistakes that should have been caught by whoever edited. I liked it well enough that I bought another of her books that I am currently reading.
June 1, 2020
They're back.....
Dinosaurs are back in the world ! How they got here is a mystery but they are here. A little smaller but just as dangerous. They're fast; fast growing and fast of feet. Now our characters are on the run but they are spreading. Will anyplace be safe?? A very entertaining book.
Dinosaurs are back in the world ! How they got here is a mystery but they are here. A little smaller but just as dangerous. They're fast; fast growing and fast of feet. Now our characters are on the run but they are spreading. Will anyplace be safe?? A very entertaining book.
July 21, 2019
Couldn't finish it.
In addition to the typos and editing errors, why would it take the author over 6 pages to describe the (boring AF) motel/crime scene tape scene?!?
And what were the "green donuts"?
And if Gizmo laid eggs, why would the offspring be "cousins"?
In addition to the typos and editing errors, why would it take the author over 6 pages to describe the (boring AF) motel/crime scene tape scene?!?
And what were the "green donuts"?
And if Gizmo laid eggs, why would the offspring be "cousins"?
September 16, 2019
Return of the dinosaurs!
This is a highly intense story of what could happen if dinosaurs were introduced into today's society. The profanity was totally unnecessary as the suspence more than carried the story.
I'd read more of this author's work if not for the profanity.
This is a highly intense story of what could happen if dinosaurs were introduced into today's society. The profanity was totally unnecessary as the suspence more than carried the story.
I'd read more of this author's work if not for the profanity.
March 4, 2020
Little Dinosaurs
I have not been able to put this book down, it was so good. It's not good to purchase anything if you're not sure what it is. I have a very vivid imagination so this book kept me thinking and looking around constantly. I loved this book.
I have not been able to put this book down, it was so good. It's not good to purchase anything if you're not sure what it is. I have a very vivid imagination so this book kept me thinking and looking around constantly. I loved this book.
May 27, 2019
Unique, campy, and fun
May 31, 2019
What's happening?
An entertaining read with core and humor as it is described. Interesting approach leaving a few questions along the way.
An entertaining read with core and humor as it is described. Interesting approach leaving a few questions along the way.
June 27, 2019
Disappointing,Super Abrupt Ending
Thought I might like this because I love dinosaurs, but in the end, Found it quite leaving much to be desired. Ending was horrible.
Thought I might like this because I love dinosaurs, but in the end, Found it quite leaving much to be desired. Ending was horrible.
July 1, 2019
Attack from the past
A very good and fast moving short story. It also leaves an opening for a follow up, which I believe would be great.
A very good and fast moving short story. It also leaves an opening for a follow up, which I believe would be great.
July 5, 2019
Johnboycool
A little to much romance for monster book. Should be a little more chomping and chewing . A little to much on the chactures, but still a good read.
A little to much romance for monster book. Should be a little more chomping and chewing . A little to much on the chactures, but still a good read.
July 8, 2019
Not that great!
July 30, 2019
Fun read.
Liked the sense of humor throughout the book even though there were scary things happening. Fast paced with some twists.
Liked the sense of humor throughout the book even though there were scary things happening. Fast paced with some twists.
September 9, 2019
Interesting read written in a first person.
Good short novel, it ends in mystery hoping the author continues on with the book. Perhaps even two more to complete the storyline.
Good short novel, it ends in mystery hoping the author continues on with the book. Perhaps even two more to complete the storyline.
September 15, 2019
Little mean dinosaurs
This was a fun book. Easy to follow main characters and it gives you the chance to imagine what you would do in the same situation. Good time for all.
This was a fun book. Easy to follow main characters and it gives you the chance to imagine what you would do in the same situation. Good time for all.
November 10, 2019
A great concept and lots of potential, but needs an editor -- enough typos and pacing issues to interfere with the enjoyment of the story.
November 30, 2019
A very good well written story.
This book was hard to put down when I needed go do other duties, Dinosaurs in the middle of the modern world. Whats not to like.
This book was hard to put down when I needed go do other duties, Dinosaurs in the middle of the modern world. Whats not to like.
January 5, 2021
a quick read, not at all what I was expecting and a surprising ending. would recommend
April 9, 2021
I was hoping the reviews were wrong. Hoping there would be more... I don't know. Dinosaurs.
February 23, 2022
Dinosaurs
I loved this book! Is there more? I was reading away and then it was over. I would be up for a sequel. Very easy reading!
I loved this book! Is there more? I was reading away and then it was over. I would be up for a sequel. Very easy reading!
May 30, 2020
A cute read, there were too many typos. The story was very inconclusive. But, it was enjoyable.
June 18, 2019
More like a junior high book, I read the 1st sentence in each paragraph and got the whole story. Do not recommend.
June 20, 2019
Absolutely terrible writing, yet strangely amusing never the less.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews