Guideposts is generally a company that shares hopeful spiritual stories that actually happened. This book is full of those short stories but focused on angels.
There are so many uplifting tales reminiscent of Chicken Soup For The Soul books. I really enjoyed the ones about angels in the form of animals. All of the stories were very sweet.
While every story is by a different person a lot of them overlapped and they ended up too similar to each other.
Even with it’s faults I would still read more from guideposts or any series of books similar.
These official short stories were later turned into the well-loved Irish Country Doctor series of books. Piece by piece the stories put a shine on what it is that readers love about the characters.
If you have a problem remembering details about books especially series then you will not mind the repeating of some of the stories. As for me, I have not read the whole series and I have been reading them out of order, which I love I can do that and not be confused. I love reading about the two doctors and their first meeting and inevitable friendship. Love...love… the elder doctor’s dog and cat, they are too funny. Their quirky housekeeper Kinky.
There is really nothing I dislike about the short stories. I have seen what other reviews say about it being repetitive because these stories are all in the 9 previous books but for me, it is a nice refresher.
I love the Irish Country Doctor series because it makes me feel like I am in Ireland among my favorite people. I will continue to read the series. This is actually the fifth one I have read and this book 9.5 in the series.
Title: F is For Fairy Series: Alphabet Anthologies Authors: Pete Aldin, Steve Bornstein, Andrew Bourelle, Stephanie A. Cain, Beth Cato, Sara Cleto, Cory Cone, Danielle Davis, Megan Engelhardt, Michael Fosburg, Joseph Halden, Lynn Hardaker, L.S. Johnson, Michael M. Jones, Jeanne Kramer-Smyth, Samantha Kymmell-Harvey, C.S. MacCath, Jonathan C. Parrish, Alexandra Seidel, Michael B. Tager, Rachel M. Thompson, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Brittany Warman, Lilah Wild, Suzanne J. Willis, B.D. Wilson, and Rhonda Parrish (Editor) Illustrator/Book Cover Design: Jonathan C. Parrish Genre: Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy, Fairies, Publisher: Poise And Pen Publishing Received: Free for Honest Review Release Date: May 2019 Pages: 440 Rating:
Shannon’s Thoughts: This is Poise And Pen Publishing’s 6th book in the Alphabet Anthologies series. This one is 26 different stories about fairies. Each story is influenced by a letter of the alphabet, A-Z. What the word is not shown until the end of each tale.
Of course I gravitate towards this collection because ...fairies duh...they are only my favorite magical beings. Many of the stories were retellings of well-known fairy tales. Including the first story which is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty and later a new take on The Emperor’s New Clothes.
I enjoyed the few retellings but the newer stories were not as memorable. I found many of the stories hard to concentrate on and lost interest many times. Maybe this is because I read as an ebook. I find ebooks harder to stay interested in.
I would definitely try another of the Alphabet Anthologies. I found them clever and many times trying to guess the word the stories were based on were surprising and never the word I would first guess.
The Goblin Market is a short story/ poem that reads like a fairy tale. The message of the poem is about sexuality the desires we have but should not necessarily give into those desire without dire consequences.
I was very intrigued by this short story as I heard it read on the podcast CraftLit. The podcaster read it before the beginning of getting into The Picture Of Dorian Grey. Both stories talk about people giving into desires and what happens as a result. The Goblin Market is similar to fairy tales because there is an innocence to the prose, not unlike a children’s book. But there is a darkness as well...which is not unlike Neil Gaiman short stories.
I would like to see a completely illustrated version of the Goblin Market. Even though the story is beautifully described I longed to see a visual to just give it a little more creepiness.
I am glad I found this little gem. I am curious about what else author Christina Rossetti has written during this time she had on this earth. One day maybe I will read more of her work.
An overly confident and not easily scared American family moves into a haunted British castle. The British caretakers know to fear the ghost that has caused as much chaos in life as he does death. The American children do not fear the nasty spirit that is running out of scare tactics to frighten the family. The American’s daughter finds a connection to the ghost that may bring him peace.
I read this after I read The Picture Of Dorian Grey and I have never seen the movies based on this short story so my mind had no real thoughts on the story except that I knew it was supposed to be humorous. Again the author, Oscar Wilde, bring description like an artist brings paint to a canvas. The details are lovely and even in slow parts there is beauty in them
Something is missing in this compared to TPODG. I knew this was supposed to be funny and thought there would be some laugh out loud moments. For me there wasn’t I could not fully connect maybe because this story was a commentary on British nobility. I just felt more a disconnect reading TCG then I did TPODG.
There are very few classic authors I like. Even though I thought The Canterville Ghost was okay a not great I will still try to read more Oscar Wilde at this point. His writing is a treasure.
The book cover is a little clue as to what you will be in for if you decide to read. Mexican Bowl Fishing is book of short stories about things that were just meant to go wrong but something you can laugh about later.
Mexican Bowl Fishing stories were short and entertaining. Not too dark for stories about things going bad. There were no hospitals, death or anything like that. My favorite of the stories is about the dogs he has had.
The downfall of this book to me is it’s cover. While it does match for one of the last stories and what is going on in it. The bright cover made me not want to pick it up. It is better than it’s cover, so it’s cover deserves better.
If I could use two words to describe the book ..”Murphy’s Law” meaning if it can go wrong it will.
That is the way the stories are but in a brush it off your shoulders and laugh kinda way.
With powers to make dust disappear, Delilah Dusticle, is character full of love and life until... something happens to cause her powers to spread dust not eliminate it. She wanders off sad and alone, just living day by day.
I fell in love with Delilah Dusticle. Through her sadness you feel for her and want her find happiness again. Delilah’s story can be relatable to many children or adults that have lost their shine and hope for happier days.
The only issue I had with Delilah Dusticle was that there was no illustrations which would have given the start of the book personality and also help with it not feeling that it was dragging.
Delilah Dusticle starts out as a children’s book in need of illustrations but end up a short story for all ages as it teaches a wonderful life lesson. I look forward to the next book in the series Delilah Dusticle’s Transylvanian Adventure.
Title: Ugly To Start With Series: N/A Author: John Michael Cummings Genre: Short Stories Publisher: Vandalia Press Received: From Author For Review Release Date: October 2011 Pages: ebook Rating:
What is it About?
Jason and his family life is a struggle not to mention dysfunctional. Each chapter is a stories taking place during Jason lifetime.
My Thoughts:
Jason tries to find ways to make his life better than it is now. Ugly to start with means his young life with his family and area he lives in has always been a little ugly. Each stories captures pieces Jason’s will to climb out of a dark hole or him getting pushed back in.
These short stories were very different from what I have read in the past. Although they are dark I was still wrapped up into Jason’s life that I could not stop reading. Even after I finished I was hoping for more. Probably the story that sticks with me the most with, Shanice, a black girl he gets a school project to draw her for art class. I felt I was really there with them just listening to their conversation. I was sorry when the book ended especially since it seemed it was on a cliff hanger. Eager to see what comes next.
Title: Drinking With Dead Women Writers Series: N/A Author: Elaine Ambrose and AK Turner Genre: Literature, Short Stories Publisher: Mill Mark Publishing Received: Purchased Release Date: April 2012 Pages: 84 Rating:
What is it About?
Short stories featuring the writer with a famous dead woman author.
My Thoughts:
Two authors take turns writing short stories about different famous women authors who have passed on to the other side. The living author imagines what the conversation ,at a bar with wine, would sound like. They pretend to interview Louisa May Alcott, Margaret Mitchell, Jane Austen, Ann Rynd, and many more.
The idea of having a conversation with a favorite who is dead has potential. Unfortunately each story sounds the same as the last. Each story they drink wine, the deceased author hope that her family got rid of the letter she wrote, and ends after the deceased author is done complaining. I feel the living authors could have explored so much more, maybe about the world now, or ask how being dead was treating them.
Title: Asking And Other Stories Series: Charles G. Timm Genre: Short Stories Publisher: Charles G. Timm Received: from author for review Release Date: April 2011 Pages: 25 Rating:
What is it About?
Short fictional stories about real life.
My Thoughts:
Not my usual genre. And by that I mean realistic fiction not short stories. What I mean by realistic fiction is stories bases on pretty much present day with characters that think a lot or have more conversation then really much action. That would pretty much describe these stories.
I did not dislike it but it also did not feel overwhelmed with love for the stories. I try to think of one that really stuck out to me a memorable I would have to say the second to last story, The Ride, where two co-workers discuss there future, and hopes.
For me there wasn’t enough to the story to really get to know the characters or feel for them. I see some of them as good starts to something but really unfinished.
Here's a little story about my faerie friends. I got the idea for this from a writing prompt on Writer's Digest site. I might try to do this every Wednesday write a little story that will included the Confuzzled Faeries.
Enjoy and Please Let Me Know What You Think In The Comments!
Birthday Chaos
Birthdays are a human celebration. I, on the other hand, am not human. But my adoptive parents were.
Turning 18 is not as important a mark for an elf as you might imagine, considering we live for a couple hundred years. But because I love my family, I put up with the birthday celebrations. I see the chocolate bunt cake in the waitress’s hands and hear them singing the traditional human birthday song. Maybe if I say what I have been thinking right now during the singing, they wouldn’t hear me, and my revelation would feel like it had never been revealed even though…. I sigh.
I just might as well get it out.
They are almost done singing. I keep that fake smile going and open my mouth to speak, and that is when the group of fae I befriended decides to crash the party.
These curious and cute faeries could turn this restaurant into chaos if not handled right. Many of them are playing with women’s hair or hopping into purses and dumping items out. They really like eople with hair since they don’t have any.
I roll my eyes and rub my forehead. Why does this have to happen now?
I have been handling this group of fae for a while, and they're not very bright. In fact, most things in this world confuse and enchant them. We call them Confuzzled faeries, and I am their faery herder.
That's what I was about tell my family, that I have decided to become a faery herder and not take the internship at Santa’s workshop, which is probably going to upset them. You see, faery herding is not really as upstanding as being one of Santa’s elves.
I hear a scream from the backroom chefs and see flames in the open area. Uh oh, now that is a problem. I jump from my seat and pull the magical net from my bag -- these faeries in particular have to be caught like butterflies. Speaking to them is a lost cause because most of the time they don’t understand. I often wonder if that's because they don’t have mouths.
I catch two faeries as I make my way to the back. First I run into the one I call the artist faery, because she paints with her toes. I scream, “No!,” when I see her painting in spaghetti sauce on the wall. I pick her up and put her in the net, which magically makes the fae tired.
There are 10 to 15 more faeries to catch. I try to remember my training and think of a way to distract them and make the herd come towards me, which would make things much easier. Then I remember what I love the most: theatrics.
I run back to my bag and pull out a book of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream. My mother looks at me, still not understanding what's going on. To really get the faes' attention, I'll have to speak pretty loud. So I pull out what looks like a cough drop and say a few magical words to make my voice sound like I have a microphone.
As soon as I start performing, the Confuzzled fae come toward me, and each one is collected in the net. Then applause erupts from the surrounding tables. Even my family joins in.
Somehow, I don’t think my job choice is going to be that bad.
