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A Terror Triptych
Three stories. One island. No hope. A triptych three parts of one whole, reflecting humanity's fears. The new boy in school is finally making friends. On an island with centuries-old secrets, the numerous missing persons flyers are the least of Brian's problems as vengeance blurs the lines between then and now in The Sleepover. A sister goes to a psychiatric hospital, caring for her sibling after a disastrous incident. But strange moments lead to terror inside the ward as she realizes she might not be able to get back out. Can she escape being The Visitor forever? Tai and his group of friends are on the perfect vacation- blue skies, perfect waves, and a beautiful island. The brochures didn't mention how many people died or went missing there every year, but the locals know to never go into The Copse ; a grove of trees where people vanish. When Tai is forced to enter the forest he'll do anything to survive what's coming for them. To entirely consume the reader, each story has its own illustration and poetry.
- GenresHorror
106 pages, Paperback
Published January 28, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 5, 2023
What a splendidly creepy way to spend an afternoon reading — three short stories that send tingles down your spine! Each story begins with a haunted illustration and brooding poem, giving you a sneak peek into a suspenseful plot. As you read each short story, you are reminded of scary stories being told around a campfire, while sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to find out how it will all end! They have an eerie and sinister feel to them, without the unnecessary gore or violence often typical of horror stories. To me, this makes a story even scarier, leaving more to the reader’s imagination! I have to say I enjoyed the second short story best— very unsettling! The subject matter was one I’m fascinated by — but I do wish it had a little bit more of a back story.
So if you enjoy scary stories with a high creep factor, you may want to give these spooky short stories a read! You won’t be disappointed!!
Thank you to BookSirens and Kasey Fallon for sharing a digital copy of this book with me! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! (I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
So if you enjoy scary stories with a high creep factor, you may want to give these spooky short stories a read! You won’t be disappointed!!
Thank you to BookSirens and Kasey Fallon for sharing a digital copy of this book with me! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! (I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
February 1, 2023
A fantastic read! Three stories full of sweet horror, great emotional suspense, and satisfying endings. I'm glad I invested the time to read this, since I'd never heard of the author before. First of all, the book is superbly edited; I didn't find a single mistake - so refreshing in indie horror. Secondly, all three stories started out well, with good atmosphere, never promising more than they delivered. Finally, all characters were nicely drawn, sympathetic, their plight convincing and psychologically very relatable. The tales have a YA atmosphere, no gore or extreme horror here: still, as each story winds to its close, it becomes more and more creepier; you'd never guess how it ends up! The book's subtitle, 'Disillusion-Insanity-Death,' is perfectly accurate: the first story, 'The Sleepover,' touches directly on first impressions in school, meditates on friendship, and shows, rather horrifically, the true cost of disillusionment; the second story, 'The Visitor,' was my favorite! The writing is amazing, the pacing perfect, the atmosphere utterly uncanny: two sisters pass some time together in the asylum in which one of them is hospitalized, unsettling incidents start happening, leading the sister visiting locked up. Why? Well, no spoilers. It was the most powerful, clearly horrific ending. There was a lot of confusion, and a building sense of dread, leading to the climax. The final story, 'The Copse,' touches again on friendship, but also on insanity: by the time I realized what's happening, I was already invested in Tai's fate, the main character in the story. Again, you'll have to read to decide whether it was a good or bad ending for the main character. I'm still not quite sure.
Overall, this was a very good collection. I'll look out for more of this author's work.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Overall, this was a very good collection. I'll look out for more of this author's work.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 3, 2023
A triptych ~ three parts of one whole, reflecting humanity's fears.
Horror and Suspense fans will appreciate these three spooky stories. Each begins with unique and creepy artwork, a short poem that reflects the story, and continues to a suspense-filled short story. The artwork and poetry make this short novel unique.
Each story is independent of the other and nicely told. The characters are well-developed, and the stories are fast-paced, with a build-up to a shocking ending. The short stories touch on our fears without gore or unnecessary violence.
Are these short stories new to the horror world? Unfortunately, no. Would a horror or suspense-loving reader enjoy around 100 pages of creepy stories that remind one of their fears? Absolutely!
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Horror and Suspense fans will appreciate these three spooky stories. Each begins with unique and creepy artwork, a short poem that reflects the story, and continues to a suspense-filled short story. The artwork and poetry make this short novel unique.
Each story is independent of the other and nicely told. The characters are well-developed, and the stories are fast-paced, with a build-up to a shocking ending. The short stories touch on our fears without gore or unnecessary violence.
Are these short stories new to the horror world? Unfortunately, no. Would a horror or suspense-loving reader enjoy around 100 pages of creepy stories that remind one of their fears? Absolutely!
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 30, 2023
You can find this review and all of my others over at Read Book. Repeat.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.
Three tales of terror that are beautifully woven to give the reader that underlying sense of dread. You know that something terrible is going to happen, and even though there may have been some predictability in these stories, it didn't take away from the slow build of isolation and terror that they instilled.
In the first story, we meet a Brian, young man who has moved to an Island with his parents. He's not great at making friends, and he's okay with that, though he does get lonely at times. After being approached by another young man, he strikes up a friendship with him, as well as with some other students. He knows that something seems off about the island and the history that it has seen, but he can't quite put his finger on it. He does know that it has something to do with the number of missing posters that he sees everywhere though. During a sleepover, Brian soon discovers the root of the problem, but it might be too late for him to do anything about it. I loved this one, and it was a fantastic opener for this collection of short stories. Fallon did a fantastic job at writing the narration to make Brian come across as fitting his age. I initially felt that maybe the writing would be a little juvenile for me, but soon discovered that, no, this was just Fallon being able to really embody the characters and make you feel like you're walking right beside them. I will say that this story was pretty predictable and I had picked the reason behind certain things incredibly early on. However, that did not take away from the slow, dawning horror of the story itself. In a way, I feel like, in this case, it actually made the story a bit more terror inducing, knowing where it was heading. It's like watching a slow moving train crash when you know what's about to happen.
Story number two sees a woman visiting her sister in a mental hospital. I liked this one because I didn't quite see where the path was heading until we got there, so that was nice. I feel that this was a different kind of horror story because it wasn't a slow build of terror through realisation of where it was heading, it was the uncertainty because you weren't a hundred percent SURE where it was heading. There wasn't a whole lot to give anything away here, so it was one of those 'gasp' moments where the horror of the situation hits you all of a sudden right at the end. The story does instill a slow building fear in a way because you could tell that things weren't right and that there was something very off about the situation.
Story number three was a great one to end the collection on. When Tai and his friends are on their 'perfect vacation' they are just living it up on the beach under blue skies, while the perfect waves crash onto the beach before them. They are unaware that the locals of the area stay far away from The Copse, a grove of trees where numerous people vanish every year. When Tai is forced to enter the forest, he is not prepared for what he will see, but he will do everything in his power not to stay there and become another victim. This one was fantastic. I wasn't too sure where it was going in the beginning, but once the forest was mentioned, I had an idea. I didn't quite know how things were going to turn out though. It gave me The Ruins kind of vibe, and I loved that book and the movie. I wasn't expecting the story to go the way that it did, but I wasn't surprised by it either, if that makes sense. This one was anxiety inducing in the way that, you weren't a hundred percent sure whether we were going to get an ending that, was not necessarily happy, but the best ending to be expected from the situation that the characters found themselves in.
This trilogy of horror stories really ran the gamut of the different types of horror that you can encounter in the genre, and even though written by the same author, they were all so unique and Fallon's voice in each story was not the same, which I think is brilliant and really gives credit to Fallons abilities as an author. For the length that these stories were, Fallon was able to really bring forth real characters that I empathised with and was really rooting for. Some authors struggle to do that in a full length novel, yet Fallon was able to achieve this in a matter of pages. I loved that the way that the stories made me feel horror in different ways, the uncertainty and slow realisation of being trapped on the track while a speeding train is barrelling towards you of the first story. The isolation and confusion of the second one, and the just overall sense of anxiety in the third, this really is a credit to Fallon because, again, some authors struggle to really get the reader to feel the horror of a story how they intended in a full length novel, yet Fallon was able to do this in a short story - thrice.
If you love a good, basic horror story that really has the ability to set the atmosphere and get you into the characters shoes as though you're living the story through their eyes, give this trilogy a go, you won't be disappointed.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.
Three tales of terror that are beautifully woven to give the reader that underlying sense of dread. You know that something terrible is going to happen, and even though there may have been some predictability in these stories, it didn't take away from the slow build of isolation and terror that they instilled.
In the first story, we meet a Brian, young man who has moved to an Island with his parents. He's not great at making friends, and he's okay with that, though he does get lonely at times. After being approached by another young man, he strikes up a friendship with him, as well as with some other students. He knows that something seems off about the island and the history that it has seen, but he can't quite put his finger on it. He does know that it has something to do with the number of missing posters that he sees everywhere though. During a sleepover, Brian soon discovers the root of the problem, but it might be too late for him to do anything about it. I loved this one, and it was a fantastic opener for this collection of short stories. Fallon did a fantastic job at writing the narration to make Brian come across as fitting his age. I initially felt that maybe the writing would be a little juvenile for me, but soon discovered that, no, this was just Fallon being able to really embody the characters and make you feel like you're walking right beside them. I will say that this story was pretty predictable and I had picked the reason behind certain things incredibly early on. However, that did not take away from the slow, dawning horror of the story itself. In a way, I feel like, in this case, it actually made the story a bit more terror inducing, knowing where it was heading. It's like watching a slow moving train crash when you know what's about to happen.
Story number two sees a woman visiting her sister in a mental hospital. I liked this one because I didn't quite see where the path was heading until we got there, so that was nice. I feel that this was a different kind of horror story because it wasn't a slow build of terror through realisation of where it was heading, it was the uncertainty because you weren't a hundred percent SURE where it was heading. There wasn't a whole lot to give anything away here, so it was one of those 'gasp' moments where the horror of the situation hits you all of a sudden right at the end. The story does instill a slow building fear in a way because you could tell that things weren't right and that there was something very off about the situation.
Story number three was a great one to end the collection on. When Tai and his friends are on their 'perfect vacation' they are just living it up on the beach under blue skies, while the perfect waves crash onto the beach before them. They are unaware that the locals of the area stay far away from The Copse, a grove of trees where numerous people vanish every year. When Tai is forced to enter the forest, he is not prepared for what he will see, but he will do everything in his power not to stay there and become another victim. This one was fantastic. I wasn't too sure where it was going in the beginning, but once the forest was mentioned, I had an idea. I didn't quite know how things were going to turn out though. It gave me The Ruins kind of vibe, and I loved that book and the movie. I wasn't expecting the story to go the way that it did, but I wasn't surprised by it either, if that makes sense. This one was anxiety inducing in the way that, you weren't a hundred percent sure whether we were going to get an ending that, was not necessarily happy, but the best ending to be expected from the situation that the characters found themselves in.
This trilogy of horror stories really ran the gamut of the different types of horror that you can encounter in the genre, and even though written by the same author, they were all so unique and Fallon's voice in each story was not the same, which I think is brilliant and really gives credit to Fallons abilities as an author. For the length that these stories were, Fallon was able to really bring forth real characters that I empathised with and was really rooting for. Some authors struggle to do that in a full length novel, yet Fallon was able to achieve this in a matter of pages. I loved that the way that the stories made me feel horror in different ways, the uncertainty and slow realisation of being trapped on the track while a speeding train is barrelling towards you of the first story. The isolation and confusion of the second one, and the just overall sense of anxiety in the third, this really is a credit to Fallon because, again, some authors struggle to really get the reader to feel the horror of a story how they intended in a full length novel, yet Fallon was able to do this in a short story - thrice.
If you love a good, basic horror story that really has the ability to set the atmosphere and get you into the characters shoes as though you're living the story through their eyes, give this trilogy a go, you won't be disappointed.
February 3, 2023
This triptych has (obviously) 3 short stories. The 2nd was by FAR my favorite. I loved. Good, weird, confusing, didn't see the ending coming, makes sense without over-explaining. "The Visitor" is a winner.
The other 2 are just okay. In "The Sleepover," Ray is sufficiently creepy without being over the top, but the ending villain monologue didn't really do it for me. "The Copse" has an interesting plot, but just wasn't as engaging for me personally.
A solid 3 stars!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The other 2 are just okay. In "The Sleepover," Ray is sufficiently creepy without being over the top, but the ending villain monologue didn't really do it for me. "The Copse" has an interesting plot, but just wasn't as engaging for me personally.
A solid 3 stars!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 5, 2025
fun short spooky stories!! i personally do not know much Irish lore but this book has inspired me to want to delve deeper into it and learn more about their stories, especially the scary ones! i loved the feelings these stories made me feel, while reaind in broad daylight, i did feel a little scared/tense while reading them, and i love when stories do that because it keeps me reading!
*this is an ARC review!*
*this is an ARC review!*
January 2, 2025
The stories all had unsettling vibes and were genuinely creepy. Very good job. I feel like they all had enough potential to be full novels.
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.
March 11, 2023
Three very creepy stories rolled into one book! Each story is very well written and unique. These stories will send shivers down your spine and have you looking behind you! The stories will take you to a cemetery, insane asylum, and a remote island. I would highly recommend this book, especially if you're looking for a quick, chilling read.
March 13, 2025
Great short stories
These stories take nice little twists so that it’s difficult to see how it will end, which I love. This was a great book, and easy to read.
These stories take nice little twists so that it’s difficult to see how it will end, which I love. This was a great book, and easy to read.
February 22, 2023
A young boy, transplanted to an island, makes new friends as he tries to settle in... A woman visits her sister in hospital... A man on holidays gets separated from his friends after surfing...
These three stories are equally chilling and haunting and are likely to remain with my for some time. Although each story is not overly long, they all pack a punch, and each has a gut-wrenching twist.
I very much enjoyed reading these tales. I thought the pacing and character development were excellent, given the limitations of a shorter format. The prose was rich and evocative. I'm very interested in reading more from this author.
I received an ARC via BookSirens
These three stories are equally chilling and haunting and are likely to remain with my for some time. Although each story is not overly long, they all pack a punch, and each has a gut-wrenching twist.
I very much enjoyed reading these tales. I thought the pacing and character development were excellent, given the limitations of a shorter format. The prose was rich and evocative. I'm very interested in reading more from this author.
I received an ARC via BookSirens
November 24, 2024
3.5 stars!
This is my first book by this author and I'm very impressed with her work. She has the ability to create a very atmospheric backdrop to the plot - a fundamental requirement of a horror story. All three stories feel creepy and the ambience grows on you as the plot unfolds.
While there is an element of the inexplicable and the supernatural, I find that some of the events unfold a little too predictably. I wish this was laid out differently within the plots. That's the only thing I wish was done differently.
Looking forward to reading more of her work.
I received an ARC of this work from BookSirens and I am leaving an honest review in exchange.
This is my first book by this author and I'm very impressed with her work. She has the ability to create a very atmospheric backdrop to the plot - a fundamental requirement of a horror story. All three stories feel creepy and the ambience grows on you as the plot unfolds.
While there is an element of the inexplicable and the supernatural, I find that some of the events unfold a little too predictably. I wish this was laid out differently within the plots. That's the only thing I wish was done differently.
Looking forward to reading more of her work.
I received an ARC of this work from BookSirens and I am leaving an honest review in exchange.
October 29, 2024
A collection of short horror stories
Writing short stories can be difficult as you cant get the world building and character development regular books
While i enjoyed the stories i felt i needed to know more, like - why is it cursed? What happened to make this person this way? But again its hard to achieve that with shorter stories.
I really enjoyed 2 & 3 especially
Some did genuinely leave me with an unsettling feeling which is what i want from a horror story so good job!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Writing short stories can be difficult as you cant get the world building and character development regular books
While i enjoyed the stories i felt i needed to know more, like - why is it cursed? What happened to make this person this way? But again its hard to achieve that with shorter stories.
I really enjoyed 2 & 3 especially
Some did genuinely leave me with an unsettling feeling which is what i want from a horror story so good job!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 3, 2025
At first I thought this book was only one story. I realized after the first story ended that there were two more. I enjoyed all three so much. If I had to decide
on which one was my favorite, it’s has to be The Visitor.
It’s my first time reading a book by this author but it definitely won’t be my last.
I love all the dark and twisted descriptions. Can’t wait to read more. It’s a great read at night time
on which one was my favorite, it’s has to be The Visitor.
It’s my first time reading a book by this author but it definitely won’t be my last.
I love all the dark and twisted descriptions. Can’t wait to read more. It’s a great read at night time
February 26, 2023
A Terror Triptych is a collection of three short horror stories on a variety of themes. I will review each story separately, give them an individual score out of five, and then rate the book as a whole. I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Sleepover
Brian is a young teenager who moved to an unnamed island when his parents opened a restaurant there. A loner, he wishes he had friends and fit in with the other children. Almost miraculously, he makes two friends on the same day - Ray, a boy descended from the island's indigenous people; and Lottie, daughter of the family who now own most of the island. But there is also a vengeful force at large.
The Sleepover is competently written but lacks much in the way of the book's titular 'terror'. It tries to cram so many plot points and pieces of social commentary into too little space that they either end up feeling rushed or going nowhere. The villain of the piece is introduced early on and exhibits so many villainous tropes that I hoped it was a clever piece of misdirection - he skulks in the shadows, makes sinister and overly dramatic asides ('enjoy your family ... while you can!') and appears in photographs from a century ago - all he needs is a moustache to twirl and a dark, evil laugh. At the end of the story, he delivers a potted villain monologue to explain his actions, which comes across almost as parody but is supposed to be deadly serious. The story's setting was promising, but it all played out too predictably. 2/5.
The Visitor
The second story is set in a mental hospital, where the unnamed narrator is visiting their sister. There isn't much that can be said about this story without spoiling it, but it's a more interesting setup than the first and the payoff is smarter. Unfortunately, it suffers from a very outdated and stereotypical view of mental illness and some ham-fisted writing, which telegraphs the ending from miles away and finishes with a nurse explaining the twist in an incredibly contrived and unrealistic way. Again, this story feels too short; it's a breathless rush from beginning to end and would have benefitted from some space to breathe and set up the ending more subtlety. 3/5.
The Copse
Tai and his friends are enjoying some time together on an island beach when Tai and his girlfriend, Sonya, have a falling out and she runs off into the misty woods. Tai follows, unaware of what's lurking in the fog.
The final tale in the series is the best of the three. It tells a very straightforward story, doesn't try to cram too much in to its short runtime, and has a fair twist at the end. It's let down by some strangely clunky sentence construction and grammar, which feel as though they would have benefitted from a proofreader and editor, and a rather forced punned ending, which undermines the seriousness of the story up to that point. 4/5.
Overall
I would find it hard to recommend this collection of short stories; there are just so many other volumes out there that do this better. There is definitely some talent here, but it needs some refining in terms of language use, being more subtle in setting up its twists, and in not trying to do too much in too short a story. I'd give the collection an average of 3/5.
The Sleepover
Brian is a young teenager who moved to an unnamed island when his parents opened a restaurant there. A loner, he wishes he had friends and fit in with the other children. Almost miraculously, he makes two friends on the same day - Ray, a boy descended from the island's indigenous people; and Lottie, daughter of the family who now own most of the island. But there is also a vengeful force at large.
The Sleepover is competently written but lacks much in the way of the book's titular 'terror'. It tries to cram so many plot points and pieces of social commentary into too little space that they either end up feeling rushed or going nowhere. The villain of the piece is introduced early on and exhibits so many villainous tropes that I hoped it was a clever piece of misdirection - he skulks in the shadows, makes sinister and overly dramatic asides ('enjoy your family ... while you can!') and appears in photographs from a century ago - all he needs is a moustache to twirl and a dark, evil laugh. At the end of the story, he delivers a potted villain monologue to explain his actions, which comes across almost as parody but is supposed to be deadly serious. The story's setting was promising, but it all played out too predictably. 2/5.
The Visitor
The second story is set in a mental hospital, where the unnamed narrator is visiting their sister. There isn't much that can be said about this story without spoiling it, but it's a more interesting setup than the first and the payoff is smarter. Unfortunately, it suffers from a very outdated and stereotypical view of mental illness and some ham-fisted writing, which telegraphs the ending from miles away and finishes with a nurse explaining the twist in an incredibly contrived and unrealistic way. Again, this story feels too short; it's a breathless rush from beginning to end and would have benefitted from some space to breathe and set up the ending more subtlety. 3/5.
The Copse
Tai and his friends are enjoying some time together on an island beach when Tai and his girlfriend, Sonya, have a falling out and she runs off into the misty woods. Tai follows, unaware of what's lurking in the fog.
The final tale in the series is the best of the three. It tells a very straightforward story, doesn't try to cram too much in to its short runtime, and has a fair twist at the end. It's let down by some strangely clunky sentence construction and grammar, which feel as though they would have benefitted from a proofreader and editor, and a rather forced punned ending, which undermines the seriousness of the story up to that point. 4/5.
Overall
I would find it hard to recommend this collection of short stories; there are just so many other volumes out there that do this better. There is definitely some talent here, but it needs some refining in terms of language use, being more subtle in setting up its twists, and in not trying to do too much in too short a story. I'd give the collection an average of 3/5.
February 14, 2023
Oh boy I love me some short stories especially if they are dark, spooky and full of horror.
There are three short stories in this book, which are called:
▪️The Sleepover
▪️The Visitor
▪️The Copse
The first one (The Sleepover) freaked me out. No wonder I don't have friends 😂 I'm so suspicious of people 👀.
The second one (The Visitor) made me think oh this poor girl locked up on a hospital but jeez I'm glad she's in there 😂🫣.
Lastly the third one (The Copse) made me think twice about going on an isolated small island for a vacation that's for sure.
Overall the stories were well written, I got sucked into each one it was great, I felt like I was there in the story with them watching each story unfold infront of my very eyes. I also loved the layout of the book too, it makes it nice to read and I don't feel overwhelmed.
Fabulous.
There are three short stories in this book, which are called:
▪️The Sleepover
▪️The Visitor
▪️The Copse
The first one (The Sleepover) freaked me out. No wonder I don't have friends 😂 I'm so suspicious of people 👀.
The second one (The Visitor) made me think oh this poor girl locked up on a hospital but jeez I'm glad she's in there 😂🫣.
Lastly the third one (The Copse) made me think twice about going on an isolated small island for a vacation that's for sure.
Overall the stories were well written, I got sucked into each one it was great, I felt like I was there in the story with them watching each story unfold infront of my very eyes. I also loved the layout of the book too, it makes it nice to read and I don't feel overwhelmed.
Fabulous.
October 9, 2024
I enjoyed the poems at the start of each story. I also enjoyed how different each story was whilst all having a chilling undercurrent to them.
The first story, I could easily see where it was going, but this did not take away from the quality of it. I really enjoyed it.
The second one had a great little twist to it. It could have gone a number of ways and this helped leave me as a reader on edge and uncertain.
The third story was very chilling. I felt like calling out to the MC multiple times. Probably my favourite of the three.
Home sounds like it is going to be a good book.
Overall great little book. I think these stories, particularly the last one, will stay with me for a while.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The first story, I could easily see where it was going, but this did not take away from the quality of it. I really enjoyed it.
The second one had a great little twist to it. It could have gone a number of ways and this helped leave me as a reader on edge and uncertain.
The third story was very chilling. I felt like calling out to the MC multiple times. Probably my favourite of the three.
Home sounds like it is going to be a good book.
Overall great little book. I think these stories, particularly the last one, will stay with me for a while.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 3, 2025
The second story with a girl and her scraped-face sister in a psych ward was the best, genuinely creepy and fright-inducing with a not-fully-explained twist at the end. Of course it was the shortest lol.
The others, about hanging out in a cemetery with a creepy neighbor kid and some surfer kids lost in a whispering nighttime forest, were pretty good too.
The others, about hanging out in a cemetery with a creepy neighbor kid and some surfer kids lost in a whispering nighttime forest, were pretty good too.
February 20, 2023
Good approach to terror. Three short stories with a Stephen King flair, and they pay off. Young people are the primary vehicle for the fear and the descriptions of the surrounding natural sounds enhance the experience. Nicely done.
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December 6, 2024I enjoyed the book and it was a different pace then what I usually read. I love a good thriller/horror type book and would definitely read more from this author. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 15, 2023
Was honestly pleasantly surprised with this one! I'm now a fan :)
February 26, 2023
A Terror Triptych is a collection of three short horror stories on a variety of themes. I will review each story separately, give them an individual score out of five, and then rate the book as a whole. I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Sleepover
Brian is a young teenager who moved to an unnamed island when his parents opened a restaurant there. A loner, he wishes he had friends and fit in with the other children. Almost miraculously, he makes two friends on the same day - Ray, a boy descended from the island's indigenous people; and Lottie, daughter of the family who now own most of the island. But there is also a vengeful force at large.
The Sleepover is competently written but lacks much in the way of the book's titular 'terror'. It tries to cram so many plot points and pieces of social commentary into too little space that they either end up feeling rushed or going nowhere. The villain of the piece is introduced early on and exhibits so many villainous tropes that I hoped it was a clever piece of misdirection - he skulks in the shadows, makes sinister and overly dramatic asides ('enjoy your family ... while you can!') and appears in photographs from a century ago - all he needs is a moustache to twirl and a dark, evil laugh. At the end of the story, he delivers a potted villain monologue to explain his actions, which comes across almost as parody but is supposed to be deadly serious. The story's setting was promising, but it all played out too predictably. 2/5.
The Visitor
The second story is set in a mental hospital, where the unnamed narrator is visiting their sister. There isn't much that can be said about this story without spoiling it, but it's a more interesting setup than the first and the payoff is smarter. Unfortunately, it suffers from a very outdated and stereotypical view of mental illness and some ham-fisted writing, which telegraphs the ending from miles away and finishes with a nurse explaining the twist in an incredibly contrived and unrealistic way. Again, this story feels too short; it's a breathless rush from beginning to end and would have benefitted from some space to breathe and set up the ending more subtlety. 3/5.
The Copse
Tai and his friends are enjoying some time together on an island beach when Tai and his girlfriend, Sonya, have a falling out and she runs off into the misty woods. Tai follows, unaware of what's lurking in the fog.
The final tale in the series is the best of the three. It tells a very straightforward story, doesn't try to cram too much in to its short runtime, and has a fair twist at the end. It's let down by some strangely clunky sentence construction and grammar, which feel as though they would have benefitted from a proofreader and editor, and a rather forced punned ending, which undermines the seriousness of the story up to that point. 4/5.
Overall
I would find it hard to recommend this collection of short stories; there are just so many other volumes out there that do this better. There is definitely some talent here, but it needs some refining in terms of language use, being more subtle in setting up its twists, and in not trying to do too much in too short a story. I'd give the collection an average of 3/5.
The Sleepover
Brian is a young teenager who moved to an unnamed island when his parents opened a restaurant there. A loner, he wishes he had friends and fit in with the other children. Almost miraculously, he makes two friends on the same day - Ray, a boy descended from the island's indigenous people; and Lottie, daughter of the family who now own most of the island. But there is also a vengeful force at large.
The Sleepover is competently written but lacks much in the way of the book's titular 'terror'. It tries to cram so many plot points and pieces of social commentary into too little space that they either end up feeling rushed or going nowhere. The villain of the piece is introduced early on and exhibits so many villainous tropes that I hoped it was a clever piece of misdirection - he skulks in the shadows, makes sinister and overly dramatic asides ('enjoy your family ... while you can!') and appears in photographs from a century ago - all he needs is a moustache to twirl and a dark, evil laugh. At the end of the story, he delivers a potted villain monologue to explain his actions, which comes across almost as parody but is supposed to be deadly serious. The story's setting was promising, but it all played out too predictably. 2/5.
The Visitor
The second story is set in a mental hospital, where the unnamed narrator is visiting their sister. There isn't much that can be said about this story without spoiling it, but it's a more interesting setup than the first and the payoff is smarter. Unfortunately, it suffers from a very outdated and stereotypical view of mental illness and some ham-fisted writing, which telegraphs the ending from miles away and finishes with a nurse explaining the twist in an incredibly contrived and unrealistic way. Again, this story feels too short; it's a breathless rush from beginning to end and would have benefitted from some space to breathe and set up the ending more subtlety. 3/5.
The Copse
Tai and his friends are enjoying some time together on an island beach when Tai and his girlfriend, Sonya, have a falling out and she runs off into the misty woods. Tai follows, unaware of what's lurking in the fog.
The final tale in the series is the best of the three. It tells a very straightforward story, doesn't try to cram too much in to its short runtime, and has a fair twist at the end. It's let down by some strangely clunky sentence construction and grammar, which feel as though they would have benefitted from a proofreader and editor, and a rather forced punned ending, which undermines the seriousness of the story up to that point. 4/5.
Overall
I would find it hard to recommend this collection of short stories; there are just so many other volumes out there that do this better. There is definitely some talent here, but it needs some refining in terms of language use, being more subtle in setting up its twists, and in not trying to do too much in too short a story. I'd give the collection an average of 3/5.
March 8, 2023
Actual rating: 2.5 / 5
Thank you to Book Sirens for e-copy. All opinions remain my own.
A Terror of Triptych a short story horror collection, featuring three stories.
The Sleepover 1/5
The first story in this trio wasn't really creepy at all. It felt more like a caricature of the horror tropes and had all the best bits that should in theory have made a compelling narrative, however it was all too crammed into a short piece. The conversations on Indigenious people would have been such a more powerful statement if the over the top villainous turns stopped overshadowing it.
It was too dramatic, with not a lot of substance.
The Visitor 3/5
This story felt sinister and creepy and more of what I was after from this collection. It kept me unnerved and uncomfortable with its eery atmosphere all the way through.
The Copse 3/5
This reminded me a little of Junji Ito's Hanging Balloon.
It was pretty unsettling and overall a decent read.
In summary, this collection was a fast read and was one that ended better than it started. The later 2 stories really captured that creepy edge that I was after, however, ultimately, this will be a forgettable book for me.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
Thank you to Book Sirens for e-copy. All opinions remain my own.
A Terror of Triptych a short story horror collection, featuring three stories.
The Sleepover 1/5
The first story in this trio wasn't really creepy at all. It felt more like a caricature of the horror tropes and had all the best bits that should in theory have made a compelling narrative, however it was all too crammed into a short piece. The conversations on Indigenious people would have been such a more powerful statement if the over the top villainous turns stopped overshadowing it.
It was too dramatic, with not a lot of substance.
The Visitor 3/5
This story felt sinister and creepy and more of what I was after from this collection. It kept me unnerved and uncomfortable with its eery atmosphere all the way through.
The Copse 3/5
This reminded me a little of Junji Ito's Hanging Balloon.
It was pretty unsettling and overall a decent read.
In summary, this collection was a fast read and was one that ended better than it started. The later 2 stories really captured that creepy edge that I was after, however, ultimately, this will be a forgettable book for me.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
February 13, 2023
A Terror Tryptych might not be everyone's cup of tea but I was pleasantly surprised. A trio truly creepy tales that could be true - or not. I liked the addition of poetry and illustrations, too. I would recommend reading it on your next camping trip in the dark woods or on one of those nights when you're home alone.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you Kasey Fallon and BookSirens.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you Kasey Fallon and BookSirens.
February 23, 2023
I really wanted to like this book. I really did. It had such a great premise, but it didn't quite live up to the expectations for me. I had a hard time immersing myself in the world, and the plots of each short story didn't really keep my attention. I think if you enjoy something softer like the Haunted Mansion books they released for younger readers, you would enjoy this book.
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.
February 26, 2023
These stories are flat out, bone chilling, creepy. I had to read them in little parts because I would get the goosebumps. Of course, that's a good horror book to me. I found every story had just the right terror touch to it. The psychological touch was there, that's what makes you shiver.
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.
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