The Last Star
& Other Stories
Tales
of Love, Loss and Laughter
Author: DL OrtonCategory: Multi-genre Essays and Short Story Collection, Sci-Fi, Romance, Personal Narratives, Anthology
Suitable for: Adults Only
My Rating: 4
Stars
Format Read for Review: Paperback copy provided
by the author in return for my honest review.
Pages: 152
Description: This
is an anthology of short stories, essays and personal narratives. They vary in
genre and elicit different emotions. This is a unique collection that's full of passion.
I will give a brief description of each short:
The Last Star
A ride that takes you to the very end of the universe and
beyond. You are guided by a pair of ageless beings that contemplate what will
happen next, while the last star dies. I think this story will appeal to fans
of time travel genres and Doctor Who and the like.
Just Friends
A story of long-time best friends now college age who are
struggling to get up the courage to confess the way they really feel about each
other. Was spending spring break alone together a mistake or exactly what they
needed?
Phoenix
I don't know how to describe this story without spoiling the experience of reading it. I'll just say it was a cute and fun story and it thought it was nice that it had an Afterword that promotes eco-friendly
attitudes and actions, while also giving background on the story.
My Kingdom for a Double Espresso
A new couple argues after sexual rejection. A passionate,
romantic short story. I wasn't very interested in their fight, but the story
did have a cute ending.
Down in Flames
The most heart breaking story of the bunch. It overlays two
tragedies, 911 and a couple experiencing a miscarriage. This deeply personal narrative
may be gruesome and difficult for some readers and comforting to others to know
they are not alone.
Willing
This is a story I never would have sought out but I found it
so enjoyable. It is an amusing tale of an older woman who is relentlessly
flirted with by a young, attractive man. It has the emotional ride of a rom-com
(in a good way). One of my favorite stories, highly entertaining!
The Idiot's Guide to Writing Workshops
As someone who has never participated in writing workshops
this one went over my head a little but I did find it comical too.
The Devil and a Hard Place
An explicit erotic short story. A complicated romance.
In Short: This diverse collection of shorts will appeal to a
range of audiences and you may love all of them or only some of them. I thought
this book was a fun quick read that evoked many different emotions and proved
to be quite entertaining. It is also the kind of book that is perfect for times
when you are busy or traveling and only have time to read a short story or two
at a time.
Overall, this book is an
intense, emotional and some times sensual ride.
Pros: This book
is very, very well written! It is easy to get swept into the stories. I would
definitely read more by this author after reading this. Different readers will
have different favorites out of this collection. I liked "Willing"
because I found it very amusing reading their flirty and embarrassing text
messages. The writing was so good I felt the anxiety of the protagonist after
she accidentally sends a message with a little more spice than she was truly
brave enough to say. The story goes on a roller coaster and I really cheered her
on while also empathizing with her insecurities. I really liked too that the
ending of "Willing" was just left up to your imagination and not graphic.
I also loved the story "The Last Star" the scientific theories were
intelligently written in an approachable manner. The characters in The Last
Star were very intriguing too. I wish it had been longer. All of the stories
had well written characters and dialogue. I thought "Phoenix" was a really
cute and sweet story and very cleverly and deceptively written. Some of the stories had Afterwords where the author shares her personal experiences
Cons: The variety
of themes and genres in this book may not all be well received by all readers
and the adult themes limit the book's audience. I would have liked more back story
and descriptions of the characters in "The Last Star". I would have liked some more detail to the settings of the
stories at times.
Parent's Guide: Some of the stories contain sexual
content. This book is for adults.
This book is free with Kindle Unlimited.
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I love your story summaries! (You should offer your services as a "blurb" and synopsis writer!)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed "Willing," as it is one of my favorites. Finding the right balance between the text messages and the prose proved to be a challenge, and it's nice to hear it struck a chord with you.
Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! ♥️
Thank you!
DeleteWell clearly that was a challenge you overcame with grace because "Willing" had a great flow to it. I was totally immersed in that story and oh my, some of those text messages had me blushing!
Overall really wonderful and well written book! Thank you for sharing it with the world!