If It Bleeds

 Fiction by Stephen King

https://www.audible.com

This audiobook was actually a collection of stories, of which the title story (If It Bleeds) was the best. I really think it should have stood alone. That one I give two thumbs up.

The other stories were: 

• Mr. Harrigan's Phone, to which I give one and as half thumbs, because I liked the characters.
• The Life of Chuck, to which I give half a thumb, mostly for originality because it kind of sucked.
• Rat, to which I also give two thumbs, because it was really thought provoking.

It can also be noted that there was no cat involved in any of these four stories, so I can't say why there's a black cat on the cover of the book.

Average score equals: 1.5 THUMBS

I also read recently by this author: Holly

A Welcome Reunion

 Amazon Prime Kindle Fiction by Lucinda Berry

https://www.amazon.com

This short story is a sequel to A Perfect Child by this same author.

It's got a similar "Bad Seed" vibe, except the terrible child from the first book is all grown up and ready to terrorize again. It was pretty good.

I also read by this author: The Best of Friends

I also read recently ((for free!) from Amazon Prime Kindle: The Child Between Us

Golden Hills

 Amazon Prime Short Story Fiction by Jennifer Weiner. 

https://www.amazon.com

This was a great little story about a woman confronting her past and the power of friendship. I loved it but it was too short for me of course. 

But, then again, it was free!

I also read recently by this author: Mrs. Everything

I also read recently for free be Amazon Prime Kindle What Never Happened

If the Fates Allow

 Audible Original Fiction by Rainbow Rowell

https://www.audible.com

This was a fun little short story about an incredibly anxious woman trying to navigate post-covid life. I loved it but it was just too short.

I also read recently by this author: The Prince and the Troll

I also listened to recently by Audible Originals: Travel by Bullet

Deep Hole

 Audible Original Fiction by Don Winslow

https://www.audible.com

This was a really good but too-short story about a Rhode Island surfer and his money troubles. It didn't go where I expected it to. 

I also listened to recently by Audible Originals: Self Help

Poirot Investigates

 Short Story Fiction by Agatha Christie

https://www.audible.com

This set of short stories was first published in 1924 and features classic detective Hercule Poirot. This version was offered free to members by audible.com recently and I happily accepted. Even though I don't love short stories, I do love Agatha Christie stories.

All eleven stories were very good and had surprising endings. The only complaint I have is the one I usually have about short stories: They're just TOO short!

I also listened to recently by Audible Originals: American Girl

I also read recently by this author: A Pocket Full of Rye

The Prince and the Troll

 Amazon Prime Kindle Fiction by Rainbow Rowell.

https://www.amazon.com

In a world like ours, but just a little more fairy-tale-ish, a young man called Adam drops his phone off a bridge... and someone retrieves it. There's someone who lives in the mud under there. Is she an enchanted girl? A mermaid? A troll? Adam starts to talk to her, and learns that maybe she is just a person, like himself.

This was a nice little story that I downloaded for free with Amazon Prime Reading. I enjoyed it but it was too short.

I also read recently by this author: The Attachments

The Clairvoyant Countess/ Kaleidoscope

Fiction by Dorothy Gilman

https://www.barnesandnoble.com https://www.barnesandnoble.com
These two books read almost like a series of short stories, although there is a definite connection between them. The whole thing is about a psychic lady who helps people and sometimes solves crimes. It is very lighthearted. This would make a fun TV series I think.

They are fun and easy reads!

I also read recently by this author: A Nun in the Closet

The Ship Who Sang

Fiction by Anne McCaffrey.


https://www.barnesandnoble.com

I have read several of Anne McCaffery's books; apparently I read them prior to 2011 since they are not listed in this blog. She is most known for the "Dragonriders" series, which I liked, but I think the ones of hers I enjoyed most were "Catteni Freedom" series. (Freedom's Landing is the first of those.) I may have to revisit them.

The Ship Who Sang, which I had not read before, was pretty good, but it read more like a set of short stories along one theme than a cohesive novel. Looking at the publishing date, I see that this is some of her earliest writings, and the parts were indeed released separately somehow, so that probably accounts for the disconnectedness. So this book had a cool idea, but it didn't form itself into a cool novel somehow.

Olive Kitteridge

Fiction by Elizabeth Strout.


https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This book was more of a collection of stories than a novel.  All of the stories have the one character (the epynonymous Olive) in common, but there is no story progression or overall plot.

Although the characters in the stories are wonderful and interesting, and Olive herself is surprisingly enjoyable to read about although she is not a wholly sympathetic character, I disliked the lack of an actual story. I really don't prefer short story collections, and I don't like this one masquerading as a novel and tricking me into reading it. However, for a short story collection it was really good, and I did finish reading it (mostly because I was hoping it would tie together somehow in the end, which it didn't), so all in all I'll still give it a reluctant thumbs-up.

Chestnut Street

Fiction by Maeve Binchy.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com

I really like Maeve Binchy. In the last post I wrote about her (see A Week in Winter), I mentioned that I was sad she would be writing no more books now that she's passed away.

Well, I was wrong.

Here's a new book.... from beyond the grave....

Actually this is a collection of short stories she wrote before she died, some of which had been previously published in other places. They were all good stories, but I like full novels better. Just when I get interested in the characters, the story ends.

In other words, the problem with short stories is that they are short.