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The Sampler
D. A. Howe presents a captivating collection of nine delectable dark short stories that include:
The Sampler
Chocolate turns out to be the perfect weapon of choice for a woman seeking revenge.
Cessation
A committed smoker finds himself the reluctant subject of a health-conscious curse.
Oubliette
Janine’s abusive mother has to live somewhere. The basement will do just fine.
Sparrows
Homeowner versus tiny bird. What could go wrong?
The Interview
A serial killer’s personality makes him the ideal job candidate.
Smother
A long-suffering employee discovers a way to silence his bullying boss.
Crabs in a Bucket
An Australian businesswoman and a French chemist find themselves on the wrong side of revolutionary furor.
Bullies get what they deserve. Privilege has its price. Someone is about to meet the unexpected and unintended consequence of their actions.
The Sampler
Chocolate turns out to be the perfect weapon of choice for a woman seeking revenge.
Cessation
A committed smoker finds himself the reluctant subject of a health-conscious curse.
Oubliette
Janine’s abusive mother has to live somewhere. The basement will do just fine.
Sparrows
Homeowner versus tiny bird. What could go wrong?
The Interview
A serial killer’s personality makes him the ideal job candidate.
Smother
A long-suffering employee discovers a way to silence his bullying boss.
Crabs in a Bucket
An Australian businesswoman and a French chemist find themselves on the wrong side of revolutionary furor.
Bullies get what they deserve. Privilege has its price. Someone is about to meet the unexpected and unintended consequence of their actions.
132 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2016
4 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 11, 2021
I received a copy of this for free.
This really intrigued me! I like creepy and dark stuff - especially if there's humor.
These short stories can be really twisted, unexpected morality like in fairy tales.
Some of them I really liked, some of them were okay. I did like it when they were a little longer.
Definitely recommended if you want a quick and creepy read!
This really intrigued me! I like creepy and dark stuff - especially if there's humor.
These short stories can be really twisted, unexpected morality like in fairy tales.
Some of them I really liked, some of them were okay. I did like it when they were a little longer.
Definitely recommended if you want a quick and creepy read!
March 31, 2021
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily*
The Sampler was a very interesting collection of horror short stories. They reminded me of the Twilight Zone or horror anthology films from the 1980s like Creepshow. The stories were populated with interesting characters that find themselves in unusual circumstances. The craziness in each story slowly builds many times, to unpredictable climaxes, which I thought was fantastic.
Each story had its own voice. I didn't feel that the stories or characters repeated or felt stale after a while. I enjoyed the writing style, although I did feel at certain times, the stories could have been edited down a little. The plots were good but I felt the language could have been pared down slightly.
Overall, I enjoyed The Sampler and look forward to more stories by the author.
The Sampler was a very interesting collection of horror short stories. They reminded me of the Twilight Zone or horror anthology films from the 1980s like Creepshow. The stories were populated with interesting characters that find themselves in unusual circumstances. The craziness in each story slowly builds many times, to unpredictable climaxes, which I thought was fantastic.
Each story had its own voice. I didn't feel that the stories or characters repeated or felt stale after a while. I enjoyed the writing style, although I did feel at certain times, the stories could have been edited down a little. The plots were good but I felt the language could have been pared down slightly.
Overall, I enjoyed The Sampler and look forward to more stories by the author.
November 19, 2020
The Sampler is a quaint-old collection of short stories, some with sinister undertones while others that left me pondering over the meaning of life. I must compliment the author on the originality of the stories that range from one about a serial killer giving us, the reader, insight into his work process to another that lets us observe a wife who discovers newfound freedom after her husband dies unexpectedly.
I struggled a little with the rating but settled with four stars even though some tales were a bit anticlimactic and predictable. Nevertheless, the author does have a way with words and weaves entertaining stories that are certainly fun to read even if not always memorable.
Note: I received an advance review copy of the book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I struggled a little with the rating but settled with four stars even though some tales were a bit anticlimactic and predictable. Nevertheless, the author does have a way with words and weaves entertaining stories that are certainly fun to read even if not always memorable.
Note: I received an advance review copy of the book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 9, 2020
I received a free Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Book Sirens. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the stories! This was such a quick read in part due to how short the book is, but largely due to the fact that all of the stories were so captivating that I could hardly put the book down. The only story that I didn't quite enjoy as much as the others was the last one - I found that it wasn't that great of an ending to the compilation of stories and personally I would have put it somewhere towards the beginning or middle of the book, but it didn't detract from how much I enjoyed the book overall. Each story stood well on its own, but I could also see connections between some of the stories, and it was fun to wonder whether or not the connections were intentional.
February 24, 2021
Bundle of short stories, first pulished 2016, and then later in 2020.
Mixed lot of short stories, laced with dark, and at times sadistic humor, in which recognizable daily situations, i.e. the passing of a spouse, the informal care of an elderly mother, or someone trying to quit smoking, are taken to a whole new level..
There are a few stories among them that resemble the short stories of Roald Dahl, and a couple that - for me - spun in too many different, (unrelated) directions, and that kept me hanging in the dark for too long.
Overall, a decent bundle, recommended for readers that fancy lurid stories with a twist.
Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*** 3 stars.
Mixed lot of short stories, laced with dark, and at times sadistic humor, in which recognizable daily situations, i.e. the passing of a spouse, the informal care of an elderly mother, or someone trying to quit smoking, are taken to a whole new level..
There are a few stories among them that resemble the short stories of Roald Dahl, and a couple that - for me - spun in too many different, (unrelated) directions, and that kept me hanging in the dark for too long.
Overall, a decent bundle, recommended for readers that fancy lurid stories with a twist.
Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*** 3 stars.
January 11, 2021
So my first impression of this author is that he is a very talented author! The short stories in this book all are different and each has a different way to grab the readers attention. Even though they were short stories they packed so much into them and left you thinking about what happened in the story. I definitely had a couple that I loved more then the others but there wasn't one that I hated. The sparrow, is definitely a story that will stay with me for a long time. Can't wait to read more by this author!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 16, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was an interesting bunch of short stories. They were dark and twisted human stories. Some of them were really great, while others were good. Specifically the shorter ones didn't flow as well as the longer ones. I did think that the stories were unique and not something I read before which I enjoyed. Overall I would suggest this to someone looking for a quick creepy read.
This was an interesting bunch of short stories. They were dark and twisted human stories. Some of them were really great, while others were good. Specifically the shorter ones didn't flow as well as the longer ones. I did think that the stories were unique and not something I read before which I enjoyed. Overall I would suggest this to someone looking for a quick creepy read.
March 31, 2021
I struggled to give this ac3 was leaning lower. While the stories started interesting enough no one ended that way. I do not understand the average of 4 plus
April 28, 2021
I was pleasently surprised by the book. The stories were different and well written. Each had a different feeling which I enjoyed. Definitely a keeper for me.
September 24, 2018
The book title and cover are appropriate for this unusual medley of stories.
The content type is original and interesting for this collection of short stories. Some are weird, some thoughtful and others truthful to the point of shocking.
The language used is good and wholesome. No swear words or profanity of any sort. The writing is peppered with brilliantly vivid descriptions that conjure up unforgettable sounds and images.
The level of violence is acceptable and not too graphic.
Readability is excellent! It kept me turning pages to find out what would happen next because the outcomes were not predictable.
The length is shortish but satisfactory. I enjoyed reading these short stories while on vacation. They gave me time to ruminate about each scenario before venturing into the next.
The setting is varied with each short story.
The use of vocabulary is of a high standard but remains readable and easy to understand.
The standard of punctuation is good.
The originality and outcome of the storylines were mostly fascinating and sometimes politely shocking.
The characters are realistic and believable.
The most likeable part was the story entitled ENTANGLEMENT. It leaves the reader with plenty to think about.
The least likeable part was the fact that these entertaining stories, just as all good things do, eventually came to an end.
I would recommend this to readers who are looking for a short holiday read that is relaxing and varied.
Would I read more from this author? Yes. This author is a rare find and certainly worth saving to favourites.
The content type is original and interesting for this collection of short stories. Some are weird, some thoughtful and others truthful to the point of shocking.
The language used is good and wholesome. No swear words or profanity of any sort. The writing is peppered with brilliantly vivid descriptions that conjure up unforgettable sounds and images.
The level of violence is acceptable and not too graphic.
Readability is excellent! It kept me turning pages to find out what would happen next because the outcomes were not predictable.
The length is shortish but satisfactory. I enjoyed reading these short stories while on vacation. They gave me time to ruminate about each scenario before venturing into the next.
The setting is varied with each short story.
The use of vocabulary is of a high standard but remains readable and easy to understand.
The standard of punctuation is good.
The originality and outcome of the storylines were mostly fascinating and sometimes politely shocking.
The characters are realistic and believable.
The most likeable part was the story entitled ENTANGLEMENT. It leaves the reader with plenty to think about.
The least likeable part was the fact that these entertaining stories, just as all good things do, eventually came to an end.
I would recommend this to readers who are looking for a short holiday read that is relaxing and varied.
Would I read more from this author? Yes. This author is a rare find and certainly worth saving to favourites.
November 15, 2021
I went into this with zero expectations. It seemed like something I would like and something I could commit to at the time. It started off okay but as I dug into it, it didn’t really do much for me. The stories seemed a bit slow and the plots didn't get to the point fast or clear enough to hold my interest. Sometimes they seemed overly wordy where information wasn't needed and not wordy enough when clarity was needed and it all amounted to making it hard to get through. I came out of most of these shorts feeling 'meh' and thinking they were okay but nothing exciting enough to have a real connection to.
Overall I always felt like I was being dragged along in the way a full-sized novel does. Considering the length of each story, they weren’t the combination of concise and punchy while also being informative that I expect from a short story. Almost as if they were meant to be longer and fleshed out more than they were. This was felt the most with The Interview as I still don’t know what was going on there. Basically, they felt slow which is not the takeaway I expect from a short story as they tend to be punchier and slightly more intense since the author doesn’t have as much time to get to the point as with a normal length novel. The ending result, unfortunately, was a fair bit of confusion, unanswered questions, and unfulfillment even in the ones I liked which amounted to only three. Two of which were only okay.
https://readingismydrug.com/2021/11/1...
Overall I always felt like I was being dragged along in the way a full-sized novel does. Considering the length of each story, they weren’t the combination of concise and punchy while also being informative that I expect from a short story. Almost as if they were meant to be longer and fleshed out more than they were. This was felt the most with The Interview as I still don’t know what was going on there. Basically, they felt slow which is not the takeaway I expect from a short story as they tend to be punchier and slightly more intense since the author doesn’t have as much time to get to the point as with a normal length novel. The ending result, unfortunately, was a fair bit of confusion, unanswered questions, and unfulfillment even in the ones I liked which amounted to only three. Two of which were only okay.
https://readingismydrug.com/2021/11/1...
November 29, 2020
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I found this author via book sirens and this is an honest review.
On the whole I thought these quirky stories were well written and original. The only one I didn't really like was "Entanglement" which seemed to meander and double back on itself too much but perhaps that was the point. A couple of the stories felt as though they would flow better with a little more editing (I'm thinking particularly of "Oubliette" and "Crabs In A Bucket") but I enjoyed them well enough. I thought the characters were well written and the feel of each story is very distinct. I like that some build steadily to their conclusion whilst others hit you in the face pretty quickly! I would certainly give this collection a go for quick gratification of the creepy kind. I will definitely look for more by this writer.
I found this author via book sirens and this is an honest review.
On the whole I thought these quirky stories were well written and original. The only one I didn't really like was "Entanglement" which seemed to meander and double back on itself too much but perhaps that was the point. A couple of the stories felt as though they would flow better with a little more editing (I'm thinking particularly of "Oubliette" and "Crabs In A Bucket") but I enjoyed them well enough. I thought the characters were well written and the feel of each story is very distinct. I like that some build steadily to their conclusion whilst others hit you in the face pretty quickly! I would certainly give this collection a go for quick gratification of the creepy kind. I will definitely look for more by this writer.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews