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A Review of "books, bits & bobs"




Introduction

I would like to start off by thanking author Daniel Abrahams for his tremendous patience in waiting for this review! I was honored to be approached by him and given this collection of short stories in exchange for an honest review. I don't usually receive many short story collections, so it was a pleasure to get to read books, bits & bobs over the holidays and get the opportunity to provide some feedback!

My Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis: "Ranging from dark thriller 'linear' shorts, one paragraph thought provoking pieces to an apocalyptic novella of unseen proportions, Daniel Abrahams has drawn together a collection of his fiction writings stretching back to 2011, for his first collection of short stories and second fiction release: Books, Bits & Bobs.

Books, Bits & Bobs swings from dreamlike states of romance and comedy, to tragedy, betrayal, and beauty; traversing the everyday to the everlasting. Featuring characters who are reviled, revered, rampant and rabid, living on the edge of discovery or the brink of destruction. There is plenty to get your teeth into and your mind wondering." (via Goodreads)


Thoughts and Comments

Pros

  • There is lovely language throughout the collection that I found to be very charming indeed.
  • The format of the collection is unique and unlike any short story anthology I've ever read--it certainly stands out among the crowd!
  • The variations between the stories (concerning tone, content, formatting, etc.) was quite refreshing and not in the least bit monotonous, which I believe may be difficult to accomplish with a collection of short stories.
  • The flow within the individual pieces themselves seemed to be appropriate and well-fitted to the story that the piece was attempting to portray.
  • Most importantly, I feel, out of all of the feedback that this review might entail, is that I was wholly impressed by how unafraid the author was to write what he wanted to write, no matter how unpleasant the topic or descriptions might have been or how the audience might interpret it.

Cons

  • There were some minor grammatical issues, but they did not distract from the pieces.
  • Lots of run-on sentences in the book were present, which might in fact be part of the author's personal style and voice rather than an unintentional mistake; however, I found it to be a bit disorienting for the reader.
  • The way the syntax is formed can sometimes make what the author is trying to imply a bit murky and confusing.


Conclusion

If you're a fan of short stories with variety, then I would absolutely give books, bits & bobs a read! As the synopsis states, I believe that it has a piece in it for everyone's tastes. Thank you so much for the opportunity to review your work, Mr. Abrahams! I'll be sure to keep an eye out for your later works!



Amazon Link: See here
Goodreads Link: See here
Riffle Link: See here


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