Category Archives: short story

#wotr #attendingauthor #YA Dear Stella (Love Notes Season 2 book 6) by Danielle Keil

Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month.

Stella Rivers does everything by the book. As the likely candidate for valedictorian, she doesn’t need distractions. Yet, she gets one in a big way—she finds out she has a secret admirer.

Although she’s a dancer, Stella has terrible stage fright and doesn’t like to be in the spotlight. Thankfully, her friends—and some unlikely heroes—help make sure she gets her privacy while she follows the clues to find out who her secret admirer is.

First, she’s sent a key. Then, she finds a notebook with a lock. Inside? Origami, with a small clue written on it.

Her suspect list grows as she finds each notebook and origami clue.

Can she put the clues together and match them to the perfect suspect, or will she fold under the pressure?

 Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242252726-dear-stella

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Stella-Love-Notes-Season-ebook/dp/B0FTDXPHVS/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.mFwBVuDW_TtiSMeBEwfQHO7yscn2FC9fnoO0scNuklojCwXUP6N_ZJte2XuRgR1TkPhe1Gdm_80jEg4ylAe3FjGFMw2kvOzxZDxVTVOrkvlOJmWS0MEIj7veS99gPwmVGRmWOT7KC7iydVhiengq8xtUgDQtSgwFJDkpNJ1FdizOPCma3J80uAydgd2il-XsJnH_sCdTB88UV8gngSofOFON6_U6kBZY69a9bDpDyP0.n5_HLT6uyVI34xwnbRPHCLhx4ngqO27phoE1gCgGEKw&dib_tag=se&keywords=danielle+keil&qid=1760192996&sr=8-3

i bought this book here is my honest review

One thing Stella doesn’t like is being in the spotlight but when she is handed a brown envelope with the famous teal envelope inside, she froze. she didn’t want the attention but after some thinking and asking for the clues to be private, and the people in charge said that was perfectly ok it was game on. the clues are creative and challenging but our girl who has a notebook for every occasion is up for the challenge. every clue comes with a new notebook and a clue inside that has a way deeper meaning then she thought was possible. who could want to be her admirer she didn’t have a clue but now she had a few, Stella had the whole month to try and figure it out on a whim can he do it or will she have to back out.

Danielle Keil grew up and spent the majority of her life in the Chicagoland area. A recent transplant, she is enjoying the Mississippi life, especially the pool in her backyard.
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.

Danielle’s love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).

 

#Review #ShortStory – Hell Hath No Fury : Short Horror Stories For Adults: Vengeful Spirits Unleashed: A Haunting Tale of Secrets, Survival, and Ghostly Revenge in a Victorian Home by J.K. Russell

Dive into “Hell Hath No Fury,” a chilling ghost story set in a decrepit Victorian house that promises a fresh start for a father and his daughter but quickly turns into a nightmare. As they settle into their new home, eerie occurrences and violent hauntings escalate, revealing the vengeful spirit of a woman wronged. Bound by blood and desperation, they must uncover the dark secrets of the house and confront the spectral fury. Will they find peace or will the ghost’s wrath consume them? Unearth the mysteries within these pages and experience a spine-tingling journey you won’t forget.

Dare to turn the page—your next favorite ghost story awaits!

This is another short story by J.K. Russell and while it was similar to the first in this collection of stories, it was able to hold it’s own as well.

Mia and her dad move into a old house in a new city and after a few nights of peace, things start going sideways.

This little story is about a parent who refuses to stop at nothing to save their daughter. Even if a vengeful spirit is involved.

Can be read in KU – https://amzn.to/46OLH8V

#Review #ShortStory – Damn Your Eyes : Short Horror Stories For Adults: Victorian Haunting: A Lawyer’s Battle with a Vengeful Ghost and His Own Darkness by J.K. Russell

Chilling Descent into Madness and Hauntings in “Damn Your Eyes”

When a young lawyer moves into a picturesque but aging Victorian house, he is drawn into a terrifying world of the supernatural. What begins as slight disturbances escalates into full-blown hauntings as the house’s sinister past comes to light. Haunted by Jeremiah Holt, a vengeful spirit from the late 1800s, the lawyer finds himself fighting not just for his sanity, but for his life. This gripping tale of psychological horror and spectral threats will keep you on the edge of your seat as the boundaries between the past and present blur. Can he make peace with the ghost, or will he be consumed by the fires of vengeance?

Discover if he survives the haunting in “Damn Your Eyes”. A must-read for fans of chilling, ghostly horror!

This was a fun little read! It’s a single short story about someone who lives in a haunted house. He tries getting rid of the vengeful spirit only to make things worse. The spirit becomes even angrier and violent, so the home owner does the only thing he thinks will work. But of course, things don’t happen the way he hoped.

I’m trying to get my Goodreads books up for the yearly challenge, so if you’re doing the same, definitely grab this one. It’s short and fun!

Can be read in KU – https://amzn.to/3KpGtZQ

#wotr26 #partofaseries #YA Dear Autumn (Love Notes Season2 book 5) by Danielle Keil

Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month.

Autumn Avery-Romero is all sorts of confused.

First, her brother asks her to go on a pretend date with his best friend. Autumn owes her brother a favor, so she reluctantly agrees.

The next day, she finds out via the coveted teal envelope that she has a Secret Admirer.

There’s one big problem—she can’t be seen pretending to date someone and have a secret admirer. So she doesn’t tell anyone about the secret admirer. Soon, he’s sending her puzzle boxes to solve to get the clue inside.

But pretending to date someone isn’t as easy as she thought. Autumn’s feelings for her brother’s friend soon get as puzzling as the boxes she’s been solving.

She can only pick one—will she quit the game for her pretend boyfriend, or continue on to the last box from her admirer?

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241036866-dear-autumn

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Autumn-Love-Notes-Season-ebook/dp/B0FPBW7LFG/ref=sr_1_2?crid=RIT3L1ZZO32S&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qZ9z_FYxskayXk7LEK5kQ2__A-8D4gunOnxj5Lnd8N6ofSh7aIYnUfSjS7oz4pWPHiaNnkbEW9-ScWE312w0YYJt0-Swgp61cbmHlGsBuDGS2EmwMssf7mNBna4-p2Tei69fJP51GJbBUxDKSf-CNF8N8fEzbw1iNyvqaed1wlKqwf8vuGyBOGXj8fBRidHdWSlBEYP-2YZLnlRVEZUORbiI8Mx71DW8Sv2SgJnyUGs.st-dTYYCnnWZ-2khGU5zkv7-IcQO9XI_cRafO8Ii76M&dib_tag=se&keywords=danielle+keil&qid=1758986871&sprefix=danielle+keil%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-2

i bought this book and here is my honest review

Summer is over, school is back in session, and a new secret admirer has been chosen, but with a twist only the girl, her bestie, the people in charge and the guy know that it’s still happening. when Autumn found the famous teal envelope in her locker, after she told her brother she would do him a favor and go on a few dates with his best friend so that his ex-girlfriend gets the hint that he was in fact over the relationship. So, the secret admirer agreed to the terms and that makes it extra secret for the month, discreate clues, and the guy knowing what he is seeing isn’t actually real. How will everyone react when the cat is out of the bag that the month wasn’t skipped and it was still going on without anyone knowing, and at the end of the month will Autumn have to make a choice between her brothers’ friend if she starts catching feelings or her admirer? this is an interesting month at Ryder High and I’m all for it. I love being back at Ryder High it’s like being home.
Danielle Keil grew up and spent the majority of her life in the Chicagoland area. A recent transplant, she is enjoying the Mississippi life, especially the pool in her backyard.
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.

Danielle’s love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).

#wotr25 #attendingauthor #shortstory Forbidden Passion by Lila Fox

Tessa couldn’t believe the way her body gravitated to him. From the first moment, he’d been hers. At least in her mind, he was. When she finally got the courage to go to him, he pushed her away harshly. Now, she had to find a way to move on.

Dominik wanted her from the moment he first laid eyes on her, but they were from two different worlds, and she’d never be able to handle the dominant side of his nature. He also guessed that when she found out about his past, she’d run as far away from him as she could, so he wasn’t going to take the chance of a broken heart. If that happened, he knew he’d never recover.

Someone who wanted to hurt her brought them together, but he still fought his attraction. It was only when he’d been told a bit about her past that he thought she might be able to love him and want to stay with him. He only had to get rid of the threat against her before it was too late.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/229248820-forbidden-passion

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Passion-Lila-Fox/dp/0369511816/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.75IjyYyFSbB2FCOkYUQw9G7eQsuwn76oUWxXVB6NiKTkhdazLG6Kxz-nWw3-P7Oq770-vL0xf-7P4c0kTZ8XG4RW0PSnv31SI8j9Xhw5gsn_bjxuUywbIZBFDK_7-krvDatnZfHYkoNFRdAxZr89XaMMrxjKlzTRyVqKuYSpvcN3vHY9IzyNNJyytk7YSI8TK6mHCEADggnXBFENXuZ0mWsoiH838jQvr4MyJSa7nJBatj5DdkuwAAcif8dNxxA-FxQPV9j3xNfY6spWJLAnBhMI7e_qej310ACV0RB8s0w.u8IbQhYaJ6gKqFmI6IfjAYpudzI9yiNGL_k6jlO9C6g&qid=1754941288&sr=8-8

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book here is my honest review

She wanted him and he acted like he wanted nothing to do with her but no one was allowed to have her. When Tessa finally got the nerve to talk to Dominik she didn’t expect to be blown off by him but when he follows her out of the bar he doesn’t expect to find her being pinned against the wall by some guy. he sees rage and she wants to feel safe does this moment finally pull these two together or will he continue to ruin her.

 

Lila Fox is a self-proclaimed naughty girl that loves everything erotic. At night she has vivid dreams that give life to her writing. Every person she writes about is real to her and they all live in her heart.

Her main ambition in life is to entertain people and she puts in numerous hours to write the books people are enjoying.

When she’s not working, she’s outside with her cats, dogs, and family.

 

 

#review #shortstories #crafty Murder Most Crafty edited by Maggie Bruce

Blending handicrafts and murder into a delightful collection of whodunits, an anthology of all original short fiction features contributions from Susan Wittig Albert, Monica Ferris, Gillian Roberts, Margaret Maron, Dorothy Cannell, Parnell Hall, Sharan Newman, Judith Kelman, Tim Myers, and other notable authors, accompanied by craft patterns and projects with each story.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/147918742-murder-most-crafty-with-other

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Crafty-Susan-Wittig-Albert/dp/0425202062/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YWASXAQ0XY5B&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.opmCN2i1gXdXdkmn1HJ5byzW80gr3Qkk88YdXo8AYF8NysC23LFl6mO6D7tn7zTIImATuh9sZgoYhM-clCr2DopRiMkzZNUOi5RnIQcfFCmY2sib8FEqyNmzWAHtoF55QbjmxTBXJuvduNxwUaK2sVT1ni4u6jBqm4X53d8mc6651KxQGx7Z2MRv_yxsCGjVgh_3gZeU9LW6E2VRTDIMgIg2c2J-I0pnvr6gcrNq86Q.hvccBLXLyWHFy95wszKjDsfaMjhD34oQOUv2oi09R9c&dib_tag=se&keywords=murder+most+crafty&qid=1753278662&sprefix=%2Caps%2C138&sr=8-1

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book and this is my honest review

When crafting meet murder it had me wondering. fifteen short stories about different crafting technique, and a project to go with each story, but they do come with a twist. learn about paper making, gourd art, mosaics, candle making and one with adding scents, you’ll find a project with a fancy name like okesa, and making potpourri, wreaths, a memory collage and going back to summer camp with macaroni art. this was a different read for me but not terrible some stories make you chuckle.

In my life BG (Before Gourds)I wrote seven mystery novels and edited six anthologies as Marilyn Wallace. I’ve been a high school English teacher, a potter, a pastry chef, and a computer programmer, and now those experiences are fair game for my fiction.

After living in upstate NY and in northern CA, my husband and I have returned to our roots in Brooklyn, NY, where our two grown sons also live.

#review #partofaseries #shortstory Wine in Waiheke (The Traveling Calvert Sisters 7) by Tori Ross

Clara Calvert is in an unfortunate situation. Dumped while on a plane and crying in the Auckland airport, Clara lucks into a new friend in Ember from Scotland who talks her into not catching the first plane back to the US. When Ember gets Clara a temporary job at a winery on Waiheke Island doing some “fun footwork to entertain the tasters,” Clara meets a man from Liverpool with a love for everything winemaking.

Colin Maloney soon has Clara pushing her boundaries with boulder fishing, white water rafting, and falling for the man she never expected to meet.

Wine on Waiheke is book 7 of The Traveling Calvert Sisters but can be read as a standalone!

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60708987-wine-on-waiheke

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DPLG6ZX9?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_6&storeType=ebooks&qid=1740504023&sr=8-1

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book here is my honest review

Unlike the rest of her sisters that went on vacation and met the loves of their lives Claira went to a man she hooked up with one night only to be dumped on the flight to him. But things started looking up when a stranger was nice to her and wanted to help turn her vacation around so with the guy in the past, Claira and new friend Ember are off on an adventure of a lifetime with wine and new friends. Claira is about to learn that you can’t let a guy ruin a perfect trip, but you might find another to help get you to move on.

Tori Ross is an international bestselling, Amazon bestselling, and Apple Top 100 author. Her book, The Cuffing Season Contract, won the National Indie Excellence Award for romantic comedy, and she’s written several shorts, novellas, full-length books, and serials. She lives with her family and two rescue dogs in the Midwest.

#wotr #attendingauthor #partofaseries #YA Dear Wyatt (Love Notes Season 2) by Danielle Keil

Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month.

For Wyatt Anderson, it seems like an April Fool’s Day prank.

She quickly realizes it’s not, but the way her secret admirer sends his clues might just be.

Wyatt is one of the smartest girls in school, but the ciphers she’s given to decode really test her abilities.

On top of that, the answers she uncovers make no sense. Until she realizes how to connect all the clues together…

The other problem? She finds herself around one of her tutoring clients more often than usual… and with that proximity comes some feelings she wasn’t expecting.

It all comes down to the last letter and the last clue. Can she solve the toughest one yet or will she throw in the towel for another guy?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230836450-dear-wyatt

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Wyatt-Love-Notes-Season-ebook/dp/B0DKMJ22FG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=AEG4GL1V80EE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.d37oRl5emRxKFLvRqalW34JPi7sxJvPtjgpSs_IxZ9ZJfPLlf_z1FtuMOJxUZf73PapjzWZzuRBVZnymmvQswvOOzOZk8hE2wAAxkPQa8IpVJk5NPkzj1XSDhhQ4MgTCFkzTfpCgxlC8C5J4WZh5p5ehqDs8UAIP_kDh7p52LR5tyIFUqcKvVndhMoFwkklouvSg5d1g0_JWB_Q2-ma6gJZkVJXRnCyE5vqrnYIp1-0.mXeIyQ1aNp1t-0OfIdWCmHsYWrY3NrIJpArgUEdorhQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=danielle+keil&qid=1744046638&sprefix=danielle+keil%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-3

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book here is my honest review

One of Ryder Highs bright, smart and bubbly tutors is about to get her turn in the spotlight Wyatt Anderson got her famous teal envelope and was now this month’s “IT” girl. Which at first was difficult because she’s already on the shorter side and didn’t know what the crowd was gathered around, but the closer she got to her locker she quickly figured it out. Wyatt may have gotten her envelope on April Fools, but this was no prank, now she had clues to solve, classmates to tutor and keeping up with her life and own schoolwork. Follow Wyatt as she decodes this month’s clues and tries to figure out who the guy is while her heart starts to fall for someone who might not be behind the letters. This might be my favorite book yet (shh don’t tell Max) I loved Wyatt, her guy and their friends.

Danielle Keil grew up and spent the majority of her life in the Chicagoland area. A recent transplant, she is enjoying the Mississippi life, especially the pool in her backyard.
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.

Danielle’s love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).

#review #partofaseries #shortstory Turkey in Tennessee (The Traveling Calvert Sisters 5) by Tori Ross

Peyton Calvert has never really fit in with normal society. Content to work at Chili Shack and stay close to home with her tight-knit family, she’s always been happy slacking her way through life or spending her time at her local hippie commune.

When a coworker, Avery, asks Peyton to go home with her for Thanksgiving to help deal with her difficult and cold family, Peyton accepts. But dealing with Avery’s brother, Prescott Rausch the Third, is harder than Peyton imagined.

As a physical attraction grows, can the fun and relaxed Peyton teach the uptight Prescott her ways? Or will she be schooled by the Princeton-educated stock trader?

This novella is book 5 in The Traveling Calvert Sisters series but can be read as a standalone. Read the series in any order!

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197491686-turkey-in-tennessee

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CG7JGM96?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_4&storeType=ebooks&qid=1740504023&sr=8-1

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book and here is my honest review

Our dear sweet Peyton never a care in the world always high has been invited to thanksgiving with her best friend whose family basically disowned her for her wanting to go elsewhere for college and didn’t want to go alone. Peyton wasn’t sure what she was getting into but wanted to be there for her friend, after a terrible death defining plane ride, which caused Peyton to pee her pants, they were finally there and waking up her besties brother to borrow some underwear and sweats because the airline lost their bags. but one thing Peyton didn’t expect was her besties brother to look as hot as he did for everything, she heard about him. Can Peyton survive the weekend without smoking weed and will he get back home without getting the Calvert vacation lovebug bite one will never know. well unless you read the book. this was another funny story where high class meets white trash but the classy kind.

Tori Ross is an international bestselling, Amazon bestselling, and Apple Top 100 author. Her book, The Cuffing Season Contract, won the National Indie Excellence Award for romantic comedy, and she’s written several shorts, novellas, full-length books, and serials. She lives with her family and two rescue dogs in the Midwest.

#review #partofaseries #shortstory Out of Luck in the Outback (The Traveling Calvert Sisters 4) by Tori Ross

Ava Calvert thinks she’s found her dream gig as a budget travel writer until her boss tells her that her stories are bland and that she needs real travel experience if she wants to keep her job. When he offers her the trip of a lifetime to Australia to work on a story about traveling on a budget, Ava jumps at the chance for real experience.

While at a bed and breakfast in Sydney, Ava catches Maddox Brewster stealing her oatmeal packet. When he sees that Ava’s frustrated with trying to enjoy Sydney on a budget, Maddox asks Ava to come to the center of the country for a weekend to show her that they can enjoy Australia without breaking the bank.

But there’s more to Maddox than meets the eye.

This book is the fourth book in the Traveling Calvert Sisters series but can be read as a standalone.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123192820-out-of-luck-in-the-outback

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BXLWT7ZZ?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_3&storeType=ebooks&qid=1740504023&sr=8-1

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book and here is my honest review

Ava Calvert works in Chicago at a travel budget magazine but never really traveled because life isn’t cheap. And her boss can totally tell that within her articles and wants her to work on it just doing research isn’t enough he wanted her to experience travel, so he sends her on a mission, to the land down under and wants her to just go with no plans only so much money per day for meals and just to have fun. Culture shock is real for Ava, but she meets another American and her just might be able to help her and make her trip better than she ever expected.

Tori Ross is an international bestselling, Amazon bestselling, and Apple Top 100 author. Her book, The Cuffing Season Contract, won the National Indie Excellence Award for romantic comedy, and she’s written several shorts, novellas, full-length books, and serials. She lives with her family and two rescue dogs in the Midwest.