What do you think?
Rate this book
Twisters
Twisters is a new collection of flash fiction from Australian author Kathleen Ryder. Here she has assembled a collage of stories that reveal an utterly original voice, where each story is a single moment, to be discovered, shared, and savored.
A job hunter's hopes, a wife's obsession, a father's dangerous secret, a mysterious stranger met at a fairground - Ryder's characters are the magical, the mysterious, the criminal, and those with completely mundane lives.
These characters could be you, a neighbor, a friend. They could be living in Sydney, Manhattan, Toronto, or London. These stories lay bare the fault lines and fragility beneath our commonalities.
Twisters is an unforgettable look at the lives we live, those we invent, and those we wish to forget.
A job hunter's hopes, a wife's obsession, a father's dangerous secret, a mysterious stranger met at a fairground - Ryder's characters are the magical, the mysterious, the criminal, and those with completely mundane lives.
These characters could be you, a neighbor, a friend. They could be living in Sydney, Manhattan, Toronto, or London. These stories lay bare the fault lines and fragility beneath our commonalities.
Twisters is an unforgettable look at the lives we live, those we invent, and those we wish to forget.
60 pages, Paperback
Published September 28, 2020
About the author
Kathleen Ryder
40 books949 followersAn international bestselling and award winning author of sweet contemporary romance, Kathleen's novels showcase thought provoking plots and strong emotions that have been likened to a Hallmark movie. Featuring feisty heroines and strong heroes, where everyone gets a happily ever after.
To discover more about Kathleen: https://linktr.ee/KathleenRyder
To discover more about Kathleen: https://linktr.ee/KathleenRyder
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 17, 2022
Twisters are 10 flash fiction stories book that twist the story on its head.
Really enjoyed all the stories with spooky twists
𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨*
Recommended to to readers who like a bit of horror and sprinkle of suspense.
"I received an advance review copy for free from booksiren, and I am leaving this review voluntarily"
Really enjoyed all the stories with spooky twists
𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨*
Recommended to to readers who like a bit of horror and sprinkle of suspense.
"I received an advance review copy for free from booksiren, and I am leaving this review voluntarily"
September 6, 2021
3.5 stars rounded off to 4.0
There’s not much to write about Twisters except that it is a very likable book. It consists of 10 flash fiction stories, each one with a twist in the end. I like the cover, which actually made me check out the blurb in the first place.
The stories are all quick reads, packed with a whole range of characters. The twists, I’m happy to say, were original for me. When I thought I knew the story’s direction, the author would often surprise me with something new.
Note: I received an advance review copy of this book for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There’s not much to write about Twisters except that it is a very likable book. It consists of 10 flash fiction stories, each one with a twist in the end. I like the cover, which actually made me check out the blurb in the first place.
The stories are all quick reads, packed with a whole range of characters. The twists, I’m happy to say, were original for me. When I thought I knew the story’s direction, the author would often surprise me with something new.
Note: I received an advance review copy of this book for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 7, 2021
If you're new to the world of flash fiction, Twisters is a fantastic introduction. Not only does the author give us well-constructed glimpses into ten unique worlds, Ryder twists the stories on their head in ways you could never see coming.
We begin our journey with a job hunter whose interview takes a sharp turn, then visit a wedding, a psychic, an alternate reality, a dream, and a library. We finish with a deep dive into character development with the longest piece, "Seven Days." "The Cleaner," which follows an extraordinarily talented artist, was my favorite in the bunch.
Many of these stories had the potential to expand for a greater impact, so for me, they didn't all work. And I normally don't mention editing, but if you have a thing about comma usage, you may wish for an audio version of this book. The stories themselves are solid, and this quick little read includes some very satisfying storytelling.
For a sampling of well-told flash fiction and a crash course in story twists, look no further than Twisters.
I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
We begin our journey with a job hunter whose interview takes a sharp turn, then visit a wedding, a psychic, an alternate reality, a dream, and a library. We finish with a deep dive into character development with the longest piece, "Seven Days." "The Cleaner," which follows an extraordinarily talented artist, was my favorite in the bunch.
Many of these stories had the potential to expand for a greater impact, so for me, they didn't all work. And I normally don't mention editing, but if you have a thing about comma usage, you may wish for an audio version of this book. The stories themselves are solid, and this quick little read includes some very satisfying storytelling.
For a sampling of well-told flash fiction and a crash course in story twists, look no further than Twisters.
I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 25, 2021
Disclaimer: This review may contain spoilers
I wanted to love this collection. I really did. But the more I read the more confusing some of the stories became. The first one, Going Down was definitely fun. As well as The Grave which was probably the best, Prison was well written if not cliche and done before. And The Cleaner, okay maybe this one was actually my fave, was so fun. Even still they all had their issues, and the rest were not nearly as interesting as expected.
All in all this the problem with these stories was trying to reread them after the twist ending and making them make sense with the new knowledge didn’t always work. Other than being told what I had really read, all the clues I expected to have missed couldn’t always be found once I had the answers. Kind of like in the first story when she says she’s seen the guy before. Usually you only see death right before your own, or after when he comes to reap but she saw him hours earlier, and the day before, so when exactly did she officially die? I mean doesn’t death have other souls to guide to the next realm. How does he have enough time to be stalking his next target a whole day in advance? I still, even though it was a good story, can’t figure out why cleaner is called cleaner and not The Artist. Obvious yes, but fitting considering the content.
Apparently people get impaled in cooking shows. I still, rereading The Competition, can’t visualise the scene I read being a cooking show. And I legit live on HGTV and The Food Network and DIY. I love those shows and still struggled with forcing this into that kind of format/box. The only one I can honestly say gave me zero problems, even if it was the most predictable, was Prison. It was everything I expected a short story with a twist to be.
The inability for me to be genuinely shocked by the reveals or be able to reread the more misleading ones with the new information and have that ‘ah ha’ moment at what I missed made these stories just okay for me. Nothing really stood out and the twists didn’t feel big enough or just didn’t work. It was a very average read for me.
Full Review here:
https://readingismydrug.com/2021/11/2...
I wanted to love this collection. I really did. But the more I read the more confusing some of the stories became. The first one, Going Down was definitely fun. As well as The Grave which was probably the best, Prison was well written if not cliche and done before. And The Cleaner, okay maybe this one was actually my fave, was so fun. Even still they all had their issues, and the rest were not nearly as interesting as expected.
All in all this the problem with these stories was trying to reread them after the twist ending and making them make sense with the new knowledge didn’t always work. Other than being told what I had really read, all the clues I expected to have missed couldn’t always be found once I had the answers. Kind of like in the first story when she says she’s seen the guy before. Usually you only see death right before your own, or after when he comes to reap but she saw him hours earlier, and the day before, so when exactly did she officially die? I mean doesn’t death have other souls to guide to the next realm. How does he have enough time to be stalking his next target a whole day in advance? I still, even though it was a good story, can’t figure out why cleaner is called cleaner and not The Artist. Obvious yes, but fitting considering the content.
Apparently people get impaled in cooking shows. I still, rereading The Competition, can’t visualise the scene I read being a cooking show. And I legit live on HGTV and The Food Network and DIY. I love those shows and still struggled with forcing this into that kind of format/box. The only one I can honestly say gave me zero problems, even if it was the most predictable, was Prison. It was everything I expected a short story with a twist to be.
The inability for me to be genuinely shocked by the reveals or be able to reread the more misleading ones with the new information and have that ‘ah ha’ moment at what I missed made these stories just okay for me. Nothing really stood out and the twists didn’t feel big enough or just didn’t work. It was a very average read for me.
Full Review here:
https://readingismydrug.com/2021/11/2...
November 5, 2021
A nice little introduction to flash fiction..
Overall I will award 3.5 stars out of 5 and feel this is a nice little introduction to flash fiction.
This book is a collection of different flash fiction pieces and, although the stories are short and bite sized, they all offer something compelling.
Each story, as suggested by the title, ‘Twisters', contains a twist at some point in its telling. This idea, alongside the book cover is what drew me into reading. Throughout the book, the author had me guessing and wondering what the twist could be, and some were rather unexpected.
My top three favourites included: Going Down, The Library and Seven Days. These pieces for me were particularly intriguing and for me had the premise to become a longer story or novel.
Even though I enjoyed these stories, and would read more by this author, I do feel some of the stories were better than others. I also would of liked a bit more variation in the length of the pieces. For example, there was only one long piece and not many very very short pieces. Additionally, the book maybe could be longer with even more stories.
Overall, I liked this book and particularly the first story, Going Down, will stay with me for a while.
Thank you to the author, Kathleen Ryder, and Book Sirens for a free copy of this book. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Overall I will award 3.5 stars out of 5 and feel this is a nice little introduction to flash fiction.
This book is a collection of different flash fiction pieces and, although the stories are short and bite sized, they all offer something compelling.
Each story, as suggested by the title, ‘Twisters', contains a twist at some point in its telling. This idea, alongside the book cover is what drew me into reading. Throughout the book, the author had me guessing and wondering what the twist could be, and some were rather unexpected.
My top three favourites included: Going Down, The Library and Seven Days. These pieces for me were particularly intriguing and for me had the premise to become a longer story or novel.
Even though I enjoyed these stories, and would read more by this author, I do feel some of the stories were better than others. I also would of liked a bit more variation in the length of the pieces. For example, there was only one long piece and not many very very short pieces. Additionally, the book maybe could be longer with even more stories.
Overall, I liked this book and particularly the first story, Going Down, will stay with me for a while.
Thank you to the author, Kathleen Ryder, and Book Sirens for a free copy of this book. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 7, 2021
Twisters by Kathleen Ryder is a collection of different flash fiction that come, quite literally, with a lot of twists. From “ Going Down ” to “ The Clairvoyant ” to “ Secrets ” , Kathleen offers everyday stories with fresh and unusual perspectives.
This is the first flash fiction collection I have ever read and it did not disappoint. Kathleen's honest writing kept the book a delightful read from beginning to the end. Even while dealing with sombre themes, Kathleen keeps the story light yet somehow allows you to grasp the message. What more can I say – I enjoyed this book through and through.
Even though this book took under a half hour to finish, the stories it told will stay with me for a very long time, and I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read.
I received an advance reader copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the first flash fiction collection I have ever read and it did not disappoint. Kathleen's honest writing kept the book a delightful read from beginning to the end. Even while dealing with sombre themes, Kathleen keeps the story light yet somehow allows you to grasp the message. What more can I say – I enjoyed this book through and through.
Even though this book took under a half hour to finish, the stories it told will stay with me for a very long time, and I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read.
I received an advance reader copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 13, 2021
“Twisters is a new collection of flash fiction from Australian author Kathleen Ryder. Here she has assembled a collage of stories that reveal an utterly original voice, where each story is a single moment, to be discovered, shared, and savored. These characters could be you, a neighbor, a friend. They could be living in Sydney, Manhattan, Toronto, or London. These stories lay bare the fault lines and fragility beneath our commonalities. Twisters is an unforgettable look at the lives we live, those we invent, and those we wish to forget.: I highly recommend this anthology. I gave this honest, voluntary review after being given a free copy of the book with no monetary compensation.
September 8, 2021
Twisters as its name suggests is a collection of ten short stories that end with a twist- each story totally different from the other. It was fun trying to predict the twist in the story. Each time you think you can guess how it ends, but the author cleverly manages to trick you every single time. My favourites were ‘Going Down’ & ‘The Cleaner’. This book is an easy read, perfect for people who like a good story but don’t have time to read full-length books.
Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 8, 2021
This book is a short collection of stories that all have a different twist with them. The first thing that I loved about this was the cover art. I just loved the upside down coffee mug.
“Going Down” which is the first short story in the collection, was the best one. It had a very interesting twist at the end! If you are looking for a short quick read, you can read this.
I wish I had more to say about this book. If I saw another book of flash short story by kathleen ryder I would read it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“Going Down” which is the first short story in the collection, was the best one. It had a very interesting twist at the end! If you are looking for a short quick read, you can read this.
I wish I had more to say about this book. If I saw another book of flash short story by kathleen ryder I would read it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 21, 2021
This is the first flash fiction book I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In the past I haven't been the biggest fan of short stories however I loved how much detail, suspense and intrigue Kathleen Ryder was able to fit into her stories. If you are after an easy read and stories that keep you guessing I would highly recommend this book.
I received a free digital copy of this book via BookSirens in return for an honest review.
I received a free digital copy of this book via BookSirens in return for an honest review.
October 8, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to the author, publishers and BookSirens!
I am giving the book 3 and 1/2 stars.
All the stories are crisp, bite-sized versions of short stories. All of them have twists in the tale (hence the name for the collection), but some twists simply work better than the others. So, I had a mixed reaction for the collection as a whole and thus, my rating.
I am giving the book 3 and 1/2 stars.
All the stories are crisp, bite-sized versions of short stories. All of them have twists in the tale (hence the name for the collection), but some twists simply work better than the others. So, I had a mixed reaction for the collection as a whole and thus, my rating.
January 23, 2022
This was a great book of short stories with a twist. The name is very fitting. The stories were very short but very fun and I enjoyed each and everyone of them. I especially enjoyed the last one, which was the longest, because I didn't see the ending coming. Overall I enjoyed this read and wish there had been more of these well.
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.
January 31, 2022
This was such a fun book to read. Read the story and there was a twist at the end of every story. I loved it!! Such fun I had reading the book. Never had this much fun reading the book. I would read this book again and again. The stories make you think then you get the answer at the end of the story.
I received a free copy of the book and is voluntarily writing a review
I received a free copy of the book and is voluntarily writing a review
February 7, 2022
3.5
Twisters consists of 10 flash fiction pieces all ending in twists.
I found some of these stories more likeable/believable than others. Each twist was interesting, some fell short in terms of plausibility. My favourites included “library” and “going down”. My least favourite was “prison”. Overall a nice collection.
I received an arc from BookSirens & am leaving this review voluntarily.
Twisters consists of 10 flash fiction pieces all ending in twists.
I found some of these stories more likeable/believable than others. Each twist was interesting, some fell short in terms of plausibility. My favourites included “library” and “going down”. My least favourite was “prison”. Overall a nice collection.
I received an arc from BookSirens & am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 3, 2021
First experience with Flash fiction, what fun. I loved that they all had a kinda creepy vibe and were all so different. A few had me guessing right til the end. Nice easy writing style. Reccomend.
I was given this arc free from BookSirens and was happy to leave my reveiw.
I was given this arc free from BookSirens and was happy to leave my reveiw.
September 12, 2021
This was my first time reading Flash Fiction and I was pleasantly surprised.
Each story was creative with good twists.
3.5 stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Each story was creative with good twists.
3.5 stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
November 6, 2021
It is an interesting assortment of stories. Most of the them have a good twist at the end. But I didn't all. There are a few that didn't quite make sense. There were a few typos as well.
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.
December 19, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was an interesting collection of super short flash fiction. Each had an interesting twist (which means I can't say to much in this review LOl)
This was an interesting collection of super short flash fiction. Each had an interesting twist (which means I can't say to much in this review LOl)
October 4, 2021
I received an ARC free from BookSirens and this is my voluntary honest review.
An easy read!
Creative with twist! Fun!
Creepy! Detailed! Suspenseful! Intreging!
Contains unnecessary cuss words.
An easy read!
Creative with twist! Fun!
Creepy! Detailed! Suspenseful! Intreging!
Contains unnecessary cuss words.
May 6, 2021
AUTHOR Ryder, Kathleen
TITLE Twisters
DATE READ 04/26/21
RATING 4/B
FIRST SENTENCE
GENRE/ PUB DATE/FORMAT/LENGTH Fiction/2020/Kindle/38 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE SA
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2020 Reading Goal 42/120
GROUP READ
TIME/PLACE Present/Australia
CHARACTERS
COMMENTS Very short-short stories w/ good twists. A nice intro to this author. Will read more.
TITLE Twisters
DATE READ 04/26/21
RATING 4/B
FIRST SENTENCE
GENRE/ PUB DATE/FORMAT/LENGTH Fiction/2020/Kindle/38 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE SA
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2020 Reading Goal 42/120
GROUP READ
TIME/PLACE Present/Australia
CHARACTERS
COMMENTS Very short-short stories w/ good twists. A nice intro to this author. Will read more.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews