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Stitch
Turns out Dad was right when he said, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Twenty-two-year-old Marc Cheeks did not anticipate the truth to be so literal. But like his father, and his father's father before him, and his father before him, Marc discovers that dying - or almost dying - makes him physically stronger. Now, he hopes he can avoid the steep price each Cheeks man before him paid.
Struggling with his newfound talents, the loss of a beloved family member, and the potential loss of his career, Marc finds himself thrust headlong into the darkness that is being a Stitch--where dying is the easy part.
A young man fights the powers within and without that threaten to tear him apart, all while he discovers the reality of what he is, and what he is not.
Whether a curse or a blessing, Marc's ability to fight the darkness and addiction that comes with power will determine if he will be the hero or the villain of his story.
Twenty-two-year-old Marc Cheeks did not anticipate the truth to be so literal. But like his father, and his father's father before him, and his father before him, Marc discovers that dying - or almost dying - makes him physically stronger. Now, he hopes he can avoid the steep price each Cheeks man before him paid.
Struggling with his newfound talents, the loss of a beloved family member, and the potential loss of his career, Marc finds himself thrust headlong into the darkness that is being a Stitch--where dying is the easy part.
A young man fights the powers within and without that threaten to tear him apart, all while he discovers the reality of what he is, and what he is not.
Whether a curse or a blessing, Marc's ability to fight the darkness and addiction that comes with power will determine if he will be the hero or the villain of his story.
331 pages, ebook
Published October 31, 2020
4 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Timothy Collins
3 books4 followersBy day, Tim covers the world of finance, and by nights and weekends, he's building the Stitch Universe. He resides in Austin, TX with his wife, Stacy, their three kids, and three dogs. Hobbies include, oh, who are we kidding, with three active teens, there isn't time for hobbies, but you won't hear him complain...much.
Dive into worlds with punchy chapters, entertaining dialogue, and antagonists some may favor over protagonists. The Stitch Universe will take you on a dark, wild ride from the first sentence to the last.
Dive into worlds with punchy chapters, entertaining dialogue, and antagonists some may favor over protagonists. The Stitch Universe will take you on a dark, wild ride from the first sentence to the last.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 18, 2021
Stitch weaves a story around Marc, a twenty-two year old man with the ability to gain strength every time he experiences injury. The supernatural/horror elements of this book are unique and fascinating, but the premise around it lacks believability.
Marc is a student-teacher who befriends a high school student named Glenn. This begins the problem of believing what the story presents. Marc acts younger than he is, and the fact that he connects most to a student he tutors makes him even more juvenile. Readers are meant to believe he’s in his twenties, but his dialogue and actions often reflect a teenager. The motivation to getting close to Glenn is to get closer to the student’s older sister Susan as a potential love interest, but that story line also falls flat, despite the threesome teaming up to defeat evil.
The story begins with Glenn being beat up and Marc being thrown into the fight in order to start learning more about his powers, something he (and readers) are left to wonder about for much of the first half of the book. As Glenn is getting his butt kicked by student bullies, the cops and the football coach encourage the violence. Again, is this believable? I think many readers will struggle to connect to the characters, their motivations, and their actions in these opening moments. It continues to spiral out of the realm of believability when we discover the majority of the town seems to be swept up in a gambling ring. Also, Susan seems to pop up at the most convenient times rather than organic moments.
The world created around “the stitch” (the ability to come close to death, survive, and grow stronger) is intriguing, and if a more realistic story had been crafted to cradle this one-of-a-kind notion, the story would have flourished. There’s creative bits of ideas peppered into the plot, including the introduction of Kismets, who are emotional and telepathic partners of those with Marc’s ability. Each person with the ability has an indivudal Kismet, and readers will be pleasantly surprised to discover who Marc’s Kismet is.
Marc is a student-teacher who befriends a high school student named Glenn. This begins the problem of believing what the story presents. Marc acts younger than he is, and the fact that he connects most to a student he tutors makes him even more juvenile. Readers are meant to believe he’s in his twenties, but his dialogue and actions often reflect a teenager. The motivation to getting close to Glenn is to get closer to the student’s older sister Susan as a potential love interest, but that story line also falls flat, despite the threesome teaming up to defeat evil.
The story begins with Glenn being beat up and Marc being thrown into the fight in order to start learning more about his powers, something he (and readers) are left to wonder about for much of the first half of the book. As Glenn is getting his butt kicked by student bullies, the cops and the football coach encourage the violence. Again, is this believable? I think many readers will struggle to connect to the characters, their motivations, and their actions in these opening moments. It continues to spiral out of the realm of believability when we discover the majority of the town seems to be swept up in a gambling ring. Also, Susan seems to pop up at the most convenient times rather than organic moments.
The world created around “the stitch” (the ability to come close to death, survive, and grow stronger) is intriguing, and if a more realistic story had been crafted to cradle this one-of-a-kind notion, the story would have flourished. There’s creative bits of ideas peppered into the plot, including the introduction of Kismets, who are emotional and telepathic partners of those with Marc’s ability. Each person with the ability has an indivudal Kismet, and readers will be pleasantly surprised to discover who Marc’s Kismet is.
December 19, 2020
I had no idea what kind of ride I was in for when I started reading Stitch by Timothy Collins; however, it turned out to be a very fast paced thrilling adventure! Marc Cheeks is a 22 year old college senior with dreams of being a high school teacher. He still lives in his hometown with his father while he student teaches at the same high school that he attended. Marc appears to be a quiet somewhat morose man who is trying to have a better life than that of his father. Unfortunately, things don’t go planned for Marc when he is faced with violence and brutality. His life changes quickly and he is forced to adapt to a world that is unfamiliar to him and deal with a life which he never planned on living. I don’t want to risk spoiling any part of the book, but I will say that this book was so much fun to read! It says that it is book 1 and I look forward to reading more about the adventures of Marc Cheeks.
February 12, 2021
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
December 28, 2020
Wow! Part superhero/supervillain story with a healthy dose of dark humor and page-turning writing that reads absolutely effortlessly. Marc is a fantastic antihero. I found myself riveted by his story and can’t wait to see what happens next! Tim Collins is a writer to watch.
November 13, 2020
Great read! Don't usually read horror but could put the book down at night.
April 11, 2025
written well but not my favorite genre.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews