D09: Afterlife

by Ethan Vonday

To wake from slumber, one must understand what they are willing to lose.

Welcome to the world of D09. The journey of five hopeless individuals wishing for a second dose of life. Their undeniable pain and yearning for belonging, unity, and love will broaden your appreciation for those around you. For death is only the beginning.

Sincerely,
Afterlife

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 28, 2021

About the author

Ethan Vonday is an inspirational fiction writer. He writes to elevate the limitations of literature by depicting riveting earnest characters driven by the unconscious mind. With a resounding interest in the human psyche, Vonday grips his readers with a candid individual versus societal approach. His writing style deviates from the norm as he crafts a unique method per story. A common theme for his works lie in the philosophy, “Everyone Matters,” as he strives to inspire social change.

Reviews

[Tessa Burnwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thought-provoking collection of short stories.

Vonday's collection was certainly intriguing. The stories are dark, expressive and pensive. I really enjoyed some of the writing, I think it's well-crafted, although some of the themes weren't for me.
Out of Body was a particular highlight for me. The description and repeated motifs were really interesting. I also enjoyed the artwork and felt it fitted the tone.
I would recommend this collection to lovers of dark and brooding fiction.

[Anna Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually critiqued each short story in this book via CritiqueMatch and I recall each short story being quite breathtaking in their own way. Definitely would want to reread this one when I get a chance!!

[Trisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the artwork at the beginning of each short story and I thought the poetry was a nice touch too. But, for some reason, these short stories just didn't work for me. I think they tended to be too short for me to really grow a connection to the characters or storyline. I like the themes the author tried to tackle, this one just didn't work for me, although it will definitely work for others.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Voracious Readers. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Jemimah Jonah · Rating 5 out of 5]

D09: Afterlife is an upcoming psychological thriller short story book by @ethanvonday

When I saw Ethan's post about this book and approached him for an ARC, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the book would be THIS GOOD.

The stories are categorised into five chapters. Most of these stories deal with depression, insomnia, drug addiction, or suicidal thoughts. The world is so perfectly set that it makes you visualise every scene in the book. The characters are well developed and emotionally relatable. Each story is carefully constructed and the beauty of this book is that they all fit together to form a perfect puzzle.

It's like a perfect recipe for a psychological thriller with ample amounts of thrill, emotion and character vulnerability. My own personal favourite was Underwater.

I can't wait for this book to be released so I can buy a paperback version of it.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only, but my opinions are my own.

While this is a collection of short stories, I found this book found its momentum more as I read onwards. The first three stories didn't grip me the way I had been hoping, as I'm extremely interested in the book content (the afterlife!). Having said that, the last two were incredible and more than made up for any lack in the initial three. #4 is my personal favourite, as I love the "fly on the wall" idea, and more importantly the message resonated with me.

I was also fond of the prose that introduces each story, giving you a hint as to the way it will go. Lovingly written, this took me on a nice journey, and I see myself re-reading Soulsaint several times in future!

[T.C. Emerys · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thought-provoking collection

Vonday's short story collection was certainly intriguing. The stories are dark, expressive and pensive.
Out of Body was a particular highlight for me.
I also enjoyed the artwork, it was beautifully done and fit the tone well.
Recommend to lovers of dark and brooding fiction.

[Susan Blissett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories based on the psychological aspects of life and their meaning, which covers thought-provoking topics. It covers issues such as depression and suicidal thoughts. The poetry and pictures were a really nice touch, but I found it a difficult read in places; I found it difficult to understand exactly what was happening and the meanings, especially with the first story, however the originations sections at the back helped.
There was some good descriptive wording and I felt that the messages about life could help others. I liked the two viewpoints in Survivor and how these interlinked. Out of Body makes you think about how you can enhance your relationships with those around you and I enjoyed this one the most. I think the stories got better towards the end, so if you don’t enjoy the first one or two, stick with it, as you may enjoy the last three.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only, thank you, and all thoughts are my own.

[Corinne [hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

D09: Afterlife is a collection of 5 psychological thriller short stories focusing on dark topics such as anxiety, depression, drug abuse, suicide, death.
I think it's the first time where I approached a new author and offered to read an ARC. And I am very grateful for Ethan Vonday's trust.
I needed to change a bit my reading habits and take a brake from romance and this book was unexpected and very interesting.
The atmosphere and imagery in the book is fantastic. The author deep dives into the human condition and the effects that the conditions I listed above have on someone. Each story ends with an open question, leaving the reader to decide on the outcome, which I found very fitting.
My favorite stories were D09 and Out of body, which I actually read twice.
If you are a fan of mind-bending TV shows like Black Mirror and The Twilight Zone, this book is definitely for you.

***ARC generously provided by author in exchange for an honest review***

[Gabrielle Mangion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethan Vonday provided an anthology of stories exploring the different ideas and aspects of the afterlife and what leads up to it. It was an interestinig read and the stories were quite diverse. I enjoyed the way he structered the beginning of each story with "ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK" as it added an extra level to the writing and gave suspense to the stories I was about to read. He also had a good use of trigger warnings as well for some of the stories for his audience. The reason for the 4 stars rating is that while these stories were entertaining this book did not seem to hit the spot with me to get a 5 star rating. It may have been that I wasn't able to connect with the stories as much to fully enjoy them, but for me, it seemed to be missing something to fully capture my attention.

[Metagion · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the shortest stories I've read (by far: only 37 pages!) and I'm really not sure what I read, to be honest. I mean, I *think* I get it: this man named Ralph is in a place (prison? We're never told, just 'described') and meeting with his psychiatrist that is helping him out from a dark place. We later
later learn that Ralph (as a young boy of 9) is hit by a car, and the "aftermath" of what happened. There are things in the story I'm not sure of, like the white light? The apartment? The 'Godly' figure he comes in contact with? Also, there are two poems as well.

Not bad all in all, but I need questions answered to get a higher rating. Enjoy!

[Karen Inkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking stuff!

This book consists of 5 short but powerful stories filled with emotion that pack a real punch. This author has dealt with many of his own troubles and regrets in life but he has courageously taken those experiences and tackled numerous unspoken subjects suffered by so many in an attempt to inspire. He succeeded! The stories look at various disorders from a unique perspective, my preference, the last two, which I could personally relate to far better. They can be quite dark and very emotional but they certainly make you think. Enjoyed!

[Cathy Hunter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book free from the author via voracious readers in return for an honest review.

The reader is left guessing as to exactly what is happening, I gather from the title this book is after death however it's really not that obvious. Toward the end you read of the death of a child, at least you think is a death it's never really made clear. Confusing and gory at times this book didn't tick any boxes for me, at least it can be read in about an hour and I won't be spending too much time dissecting what I just read.

[Mc Chanster · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read!

I really enjoyed Vonday's collection of shorts. They were creepy and chilling, but also thought-provoking. I thought the author chose interesting themes to focus on - I particularly enjoyed Out Of Body and Soulsaint - and I found the stories were a great 'taste' of his style. The writing was well done and crafted carefully, and I liked how he created an atmosphere that connected each of his shorts together. Excellent!

Thank you Voracious Readers and Ethan Vonday for my copy! All thoughts an opinions are my own.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Let us in! They are here!”

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of dark tales by Ethan Vonday. Each story has some fantastic imagery alongside an undercurrent of raw emotion. The writing is done at a great pace so I didn’t find myself getting bored as I do with some short stories. I also found the dialogue to be realistic which kept me invested in the characters. Great work!

My favourite from the collection was Survivor!

[Samantha Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me some time, but it was a very good book! D09 is such an interesting setting for the story. I love a book of short stories. Always kept me interested. So dark, and kept me on the edge of my seat. I love how each short story has a dark theme that is focused on the story in particular. The topics range from anxiety...suicide....depression. Anyone who likes themes that are dark, and a thriller topic then this is the book for you. Well done, and I highly recommend it.

[Sarah Bloomfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book from voracious readers only.

Afterlife D09 is a collection of 5 short psychological stories dealing with different topics within each one and all are as equally intriguing as the one before them. I really enjoyed each one and the author writes them all very well drawing on past experiences, would recommend!

[Tamz Tabraiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling, Thought-provoking, a remarkable combination of surrealism and honed reality. Highly recommended.

[Christina Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of dark stories. Expressive and intriguing focusing on important psychological topics.

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly thought provoking and cerebral stuff. Definitely worth the read.

[Soko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts were meaningful and thought provoking, while others would have benefited much more with deeper elaboration. Interesting overall.