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Twisted Grin
Horror and sci-fi stories with bite are prowling the pages of this scary, funny book.
A vampire's reluctance to kill wreaks havoc on his marriage and health... Two kids prank a homicidal hearse driver... A janitor fights for her life against corporate thugs with Internet-connected brains... An undead guitarist refuses to let her bandmates replace her... And more tales!
A vampire's reluctance to kill wreaks havoc on his marriage and health... Two kids prank a homicidal hearse driver... A janitor fights for her life against corporate thugs with Internet-connected brains... An undead guitarist refuses to let her bandmates replace her... And more tales!
100 pages, ebook
First published March 23, 2020
13 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
Evan Starkman
1 book15 followersI'm a journalist who daydreams about vampires and zombies. I've written for WebMD, Entertainment Tonight, and Turner. In my downtime, I practice meditation and watch too much TV (even though there's no such thing as too much Wire, Breaking Bad, and Peaky Blinders).
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 19, 2020
From witty comedy to dark horror, Twisted Grin by Evan Starkman provides a set of modern fantasy, horror and science fiction short stories for fans of Douglas Adams, and Stephen King alike. The book, about 100 pages long, contains nine stories, which will leave the reader with a drastic range of emotions ranging from laughter to uneasiness (in the good, horror kind of way). This post will touch on a couple of the stories that stood out to me.
“Un-Supernatural”
As one of the lighter stories in the book, Un-Supernatural touches on the subjects of marriage, dieting and exercise in a fun and comedic modern day vampire setting. The story revolves around an out of shape vampire who is coerced by his wife to see a serial killer fitness trainer in order to become a more healthy vampire. This premise sets up a hilarious story, complete with relatable dialogue and character driven scenes.
As a middle-aged married man, the banter between the overweight vampire protagonist, Ben, and his wife, Melania had me rolling in laughter at times. There were many notable quotes from Melania such as “I’m not blind Benjamin! Your work clothes have just as many Cheeto and cupcake stains on them as blood splottches!” and “Jesus antichrist” which did wonders for pulling me into the story. I also got quite a chuckle out of the fact that Ben drove a Honda and his wife drove a “brand-new Lexus.”
I was amazed at how well Evan was able to develop characters, despite it being a short story. And as such, this story ended up being one of my favorites from Twisted Grin, and did well being the book’s opener as it set the tone for the humor side of Evan’s writing.
“The Butcherer (Season 70)”
If there was one story out of the book I would consider Evan’s best from a comedic standpoint, I would give that title to The Butcherer (Season 70). This story is about a regular man, Will, who gets accidentally sent to Hell in place of a serial killer and is forced to participate in it’s hit reality TV show, The Butcherer. As the “star role” of this season of the Butcherer, Will is told he will go back to Earth and murder people for Hell’s entertainment. Of course, this complicates things since Will is not the serial killer the producers of The Butcherer thought they got!
The entire premise is hilarious, and Evan does a great job with setting, characters and interactions to pull in the reader and keep them laughing page after page. There were several times reading this story where I actually burst out laughing in the middle of the living room, and my wife and thirteen year old daughter asked me what was so funny. While I couldn’t tell them right there with my daughter in the room, I will share with any readers here that the 6th grade child in me is a sucker for descriptions such “mug-sized nipples,” “dick hole,” and scenes where a hairy man-dog ends up shaving his crotch.
The most memorable scene, which I won’t quote directly to avoid spoiling, involved a hot-tub and “dick bubbles” and will probably forever live in my memory as one of the most entertaining couple of paragraphs I’ve ever read.
While the conclusion to this story seemed to fizzle for me, I don’t think that ended up being to its detriment. It still ended satisfyingly, and I think it “fizzling” was me simply not wanting it to end.
Conclusion
Don’t feel like this review is by any means inclusive; I’ve only touched on a couple of the stories in the book. While, I found the comedy short stories more entertaining, don’t allow that to discredit some of the other more serious horror stories such as “Imps” which gave me Stephen King vibes and “Her Small Corner of the World” which would make a great contender for a Black Mirror episode. I’ll give this book 4.5 stars for the few stories in the book that just didn’t quite compete with the stronger ones, although they still kept me engaged and entertained as a reader.
“Un-Supernatural”
As one of the lighter stories in the book, Un-Supernatural touches on the subjects of marriage, dieting and exercise in a fun and comedic modern day vampire setting. The story revolves around an out of shape vampire who is coerced by his wife to see a serial killer fitness trainer in order to become a more healthy vampire. This premise sets up a hilarious story, complete with relatable dialogue and character driven scenes.
As a middle-aged married man, the banter between the overweight vampire protagonist, Ben, and his wife, Melania had me rolling in laughter at times. There were many notable quotes from Melania such as “I’m not blind Benjamin! Your work clothes have just as many Cheeto and cupcake stains on them as blood splottches!” and “Jesus antichrist” which did wonders for pulling me into the story. I also got quite a chuckle out of the fact that Ben drove a Honda and his wife drove a “brand-new Lexus.”
I was amazed at how well Evan was able to develop characters, despite it being a short story. And as such, this story ended up being one of my favorites from Twisted Grin, and did well being the book’s opener as it set the tone for the humor side of Evan’s writing.
“The Butcherer (Season 70)”
If there was one story out of the book I would consider Evan’s best from a comedic standpoint, I would give that title to The Butcherer (Season 70). This story is about a regular man, Will, who gets accidentally sent to Hell in place of a serial killer and is forced to participate in it’s hit reality TV show, The Butcherer. As the “star role” of this season of the Butcherer, Will is told he will go back to Earth and murder people for Hell’s entertainment. Of course, this complicates things since Will is not the serial killer the producers of The Butcherer thought they got!
The entire premise is hilarious, and Evan does a great job with setting, characters and interactions to pull in the reader and keep them laughing page after page. There were several times reading this story where I actually burst out laughing in the middle of the living room, and my wife and thirteen year old daughter asked me what was so funny. While I couldn’t tell them right there with my daughter in the room, I will share with any readers here that the 6th grade child in me is a sucker for descriptions such “mug-sized nipples,” “dick hole,” and scenes where a hairy man-dog ends up shaving his crotch.
The most memorable scene, which I won’t quote directly to avoid spoiling, involved a hot-tub and “dick bubbles” and will probably forever live in my memory as one of the most entertaining couple of paragraphs I’ve ever read.
While the conclusion to this story seemed to fizzle for me, I don’t think that ended up being to its detriment. It still ended satisfyingly, and I think it “fizzling” was me simply not wanting it to end.
Conclusion
Don’t feel like this review is by any means inclusive; I’ve only touched on a couple of the stories in the book. While, I found the comedy short stories more entertaining, don’t allow that to discredit some of the other more serious horror stories such as “Imps” which gave me Stephen King vibes and “Her Small Corner of the World” which would make a great contender for a Black Mirror episode. I’ll give this book 4.5 stars for the few stories in the book that just didn’t quite compete with the stronger ones, although they still kept me engaged and entertained as a reader.
February 12, 2022
Fresh funny twisted
I thoroughly enjoyed this . I'm not generally a fan of horror, although I've read a lot of King and Straub in my day. But, these short stories are fresh with a wry sense of humour and some genuinely hilarious touches. They range from truly creepy, to lighter and more humourous: atmosphere and character are well handled and I actually look forward to reading more from this author.
Definitely recommend
I thoroughly enjoyed this . I'm not generally a fan of horror, although I've read a lot of King and Straub in my day. But, these short stories are fresh with a wry sense of humour and some genuinely hilarious touches. They range from truly creepy, to lighter and more humourous: atmosphere and character are well handled and I actually look forward to reading more from this author.
Definitely recommend
May 10, 2020
Dark and funny, my kind of book! 🖤💪🏻🖤
May 1, 2020
The title of this collection is very fitting. From the first story onward, I found myself grinning and smirking all over the place! The author entwines creepiness with a certain level of comedy, resulting in a solid read.
I was especially pleased by the writing itself! It is easy for writing to get in the way of a good story, but the writing in these short stories was so well forged that I could actually focus on what the author was trying to say. I rarely make it through an entire book of shorts without being bothered by the writing style at some point or another, so this reviewer gives the book bonus points for that alone!
I was especially pleased by the writing itself! It is easy for writing to get in the way of a good story, but the writing in these short stories was so well forged that I could actually focus on what the author was trying to say. I rarely make it through an entire book of shorts without being bothered by the writing style at some point or another, so this reviewer gives the book bonus points for that alone!
November 6, 2020
*Disclosure: I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway.*
This delightful volume of short stories has something for everyone looking for light, humorous horror or SF. Starkman's writing style flows effortlessly with each story, as if he's sitting next to you and telling a story for the first time. In that vein, several of the stories could have used a bit more polishing, but they do not detract from the overall enjoyable romp that is Twisted Grin. If you're reading this Evan, please consider expanding some of the stories into novellas or novels.
This delightful volume of short stories has something for everyone looking for light, humorous horror or SF. Starkman's writing style flows effortlessly with each story, as if he's sitting next to you and telling a story for the first time. In that vein, several of the stories could have used a bit more polishing, but they do not detract from the overall enjoyable romp that is Twisted Grin. If you're reading this Evan, please consider expanding some of the stories into novellas or novels.
June 23, 2020
It is a collection of short stories and the stories are from different genres. Horror, science-fiction, drama and even humour. Very cleverly written stories and thoroughly enjoyable.
April 27, 2020
An excellent written and out together little collection, with a large variety of styles and genres intermingled (personal favorites being Neverlone, Zombie-Q, 20/20,000, and Her Small Corner of the World).
The only reason this isn't five stars is one story in particular (The Butcherer {Season 70}) which I could not get into and which I found dragged on.
However beyond that the rest of the stories were excellent, and I highly recommend this collection for those who like a bit of horror, humor and sci-fi. Check it out!
The only reason this isn't five stars is one story in particular (The Butcherer {Season 70}) which I could not get into and which I found dragged on.
However beyond that the rest of the stories were excellent, and I highly recommend this collection for those who like a bit of horror, humor and sci-fi. Check it out!
January 10, 2021
Scary stories
Evan Starkman has crafted an intense collection of stories, ranging from the macabre to the sublime. My favorite involved a man mistakenly sent to hell in place of a serial killer. Often times the characters find themselves at a crossroads and appeal to the supernatural to further their aims, often with tragic consequences. The collection is laced with droll humor sometimes bordering on the absurd. A good read for a dark and stormy night.
Evan Starkman has crafted an intense collection of stories, ranging from the macabre to the sublime. My favorite involved a man mistakenly sent to hell in place of a serial killer. Often times the characters find themselves at a crossroads and appeal to the supernatural to further their aims, often with tragic consequences. The collection is laced with droll humor sometimes bordering on the absurd. A good read for a dark and stormy night.
April 20, 2021
Summary
This book was a collection of stories that combined horror and science fiction with humour. Imagine a vampire who binged on cheeseburger and fries, who became overweight and needed to work with a human trainer! How funny!
Conclusion
Majority of the stories brought a smile to my face. I enjoyed the imagination of the author. It’s a great way to start reading again for those who liked short stories.
This book was a collection of stories that combined horror and science fiction with humour. Imagine a vampire who binged on cheeseburger and fries, who became overweight and needed to work with a human trainer! How funny!
Conclusion
Majority of the stories brought a smile to my face. I enjoyed the imagination of the author. It’s a great way to start reading again for those who liked short stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2020
Funny and scary
This collection has a variety of stories that will both tickle the funny bone and chill the spine. A few of the stories are told in present tense, which I am not a fan of. However, there are a couple of real gems that keep me from downgrading the rating. Recommended.
This collection has a variety of stories that will both tickle the funny bone and chill the spine. A few of the stories are told in present tense, which I am not a fan of. However, there are a couple of real gems that keep me from downgrading the rating. Recommended.
August 7, 2020
I'm sure glad I won this e-book. Each story is better than the last and there's no one story that's the same. From beginning to end, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. Worth the read 100%. If you like crazy, weird, effed up scenarios, then this well written concoction is for you. Just make sure you have an open mind and a love for the outrageously wicked.
August 15, 2020
A weird mix of stories. None of them were really what I'd call funny, unless you enjoy forced vampire puns and redneck cannibals (they were actually the "good" guys). The collection started off pretty weak, but picked up about halfway thru. There were actually a couple of stories I'd have liked to seen fleshed out a little more into a novella or full length novel.
May 12, 2020
Twisted Grin is an excellent set of horror/comedy shorts. Usually, collections like this have a few ‘meh’ entries, but I found that not to be the case here. If you’re not interested in committing to a full-length novel and enjoy humorous horror, this is the collection for you.
June 20, 2020
Twisted horror story collection
This book contains horror stories with some very twisted endings. There is a lot of humor throughout the stories also.
I won this book thru a goodreads.com giveaway.
This book contains horror stories with some very twisted endings. There is a lot of humor throughout the stories also.
I won this book thru a goodreads.com giveaway.
February 20, 2022
Gripping...and definitely twisted
This is an incredible collection of short stories that are all very dark and twisted. There are quite a few that will definitely stick with me for a while.
I highly recommend this book.
This is an incredible collection of short stories that are all very dark and twisted. There are quite a few that will definitely stick with me for a while.
I highly recommend this book.
April 17, 2020
Great read!! Unique, hilarious and disturbing stories that will keep you entertained.
April 17, 2020
Good stuff
I love short stories that grab your attention from start to finish. Twisted Grin had me wishing some of these stories were longer. Very interesting storylines.
I love short stories that grab your attention from start to finish. Twisted Grin had me wishing some of these stories were longer. Very interesting storylines.
April 19, 2020
Awesome collection of horror and comedy short stories here. The author has a good sense of humor.
April 28, 2020
A collection of funny scary stories from vampires to aliens and regular people. It was fun to read the book on a gloomy snowy day. Thank you and I’m looking forward to the next collection!
May 28, 2020
A collection of horror inspired short stories. I thought every story was good. There wasn't a bad one in the bunch.
March 28, 2022
Enjoyed the first bunch of stories but the ones in the second half of the book weren’t really for me.
August 6, 2022
Loved these stories. Every one of them was very scary. Kept me turning the pages.
October 16, 2020
Fun collection of stories
This is a fun collection of stories. The stand outs for me were She Is Home and Zombie-Q, I’d give both tales 5 stars.
Unfortunately, as in all collections, there are some stories that don’t appeal. For me, that story was Butcherer (season 70). Despite elements I liked, I’m not a fan of stories about an incompetent afterlife.
I enjoyed the rest of the tales. Most of them had an original element that fired my imagination and left me longing for more.
This is a fun collection of stories. The stand outs for me were She Is Home and Zombie-Q, I’d give both tales 5 stars.
Unfortunately, as in all collections, there are some stories that don’t appeal. For me, that story was Butcherer (season 70). Despite elements I liked, I’m not a fan of stories about an incompetent afterlife.
I enjoyed the rest of the tales. Most of them had an original element that fired my imagination and left me longing for more.
December 13, 2020
This was an iteresting collection of horror comedy short stories.
August 29, 2021
Not all Home runs but there are some good stories here.
January 22, 2023
Lots of interesting short stories with some cool concepts. Recommend it :)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews