At the early part of this week I received some devastating news about an online friend and top ten favourite author having passed away suddenly.
Whilst the emotions are all still very raw I would like to dedicate my blog to her this week, sharing all the links and reviews for her amazing work.
I was so very lucky to have known this amazing lady, her kindness and sense of humour will stay within my heart forever. I am so blessed to have appreciated her writing talent and been able to gush at her about it to her personally; she was always so very gracious to her fans.
With such kindness in her heart she soon become a good online friend and even though hundreds of miles apart we shared some good conversations and even exchanged biscuits, whisky and jelly babies!
Whilst gone, she will never be forgotten and lives on in so many ways, not least being the amazing sets of (signed) books I have on my shelf.
What a brilliant and generous set of stories all wrapped up in this one book. Such great value for money.
Kat Yares has excelled herself with this collection.
A Child is born:
What a fantastic way to start this book of short stories. Perfection turns to destruction in this tale of a perfect child. So well written I really felt as if I had read a whole novel, I had emotions for the family and even some insight to the “child”. Great final line.
A Matter of will:
Cal is immortal but he has a mentor, Alex, to guide him and he warned about this type of women. Lucy, total perfection and a possible killer. Who will win out? Felt there could have been more to this story, so was a little disappointed for it to end so soon.
Anywhere by here:
Picking up a hitchhiker never seems to be a good idea! But this one comes with a story, are you sure you want to read about it? Because after I had I wished I hadn’t, talk about give you the chills.
Bed Rocks:
New warming rocks for the bed, that’s all his loving wife asked for that morning, his last day on the job before retirement and such pretty ones he found her too.
Another fantastic ending to this story, I was so enamoured with this perfect family that I was horrified at the outcome – great emotion wrangling Ms Yares.
Murder by modem:
Chat rooms apparently are the new singles bars, but with the same desperate people and same predators hunting them.
Totally loved all the build up and the fabulous ending. Another brilliant dust biter!
Country Plumbing:
Poor Myrtle (I love that name!) she has such a useless son, he cant manage to fix one problematic blocked sink, although with her moaning I was surprised he had not stuffed her down the sink hole.
Although I suppose the moral of story is be careful what you DO stuff down there!
Not sure this was supposed to make me giggle but it did
The Crystal:
Well this story just left me staggered, what is real and what is imagined. I really enjoyed reading it though and was totally engrossed in Dragons and Knights.
Cleanliness is next to….:
I read this story awhile ago and loved it so much although it did make me jump out of bed and clean like a wild thing; Ms Yares has added to and updated and if possible, its even more brilliant.
Maddie hates to clean, one night after a violent storm certain bits of fluff start to appear.
This is has to be my favourite story as it makes me shudder and giggle every time.
Unrecalled Memories:
This story really upset me, it was so tragic but also terrifying. I cant really explain it without giving the story away and therefore spoiling it, but it does have a huge twist which left me feeling stunned at what people hide.
No more, Mama:
If the last story left me feeling stunned this had me feeling a whole host of emotions from the first to last line. Sadness mostly at what people chose to ignore.
However, the over ridding emotion was joy at the outcome. I am glad that Ms Yares wrote this story, its harrowing but it made me feel strong.
Paranoia:
That old saying “just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean they are not out to get you” really rings home in this little horrific tale of a women terrorised by her fears.
This left me with goosebumps!
Practical Joke:
When the opening line is about a Chicken King taking a bath you have to giggle but that’s not what I was doing by the end of the story. My feet were off the floor by the end and I like furry things!
The Sinkhole:
Poor Tommy he has a life of Do’s and Don’ts. But then he falls down the sinkhole and his life is changed forever.
Short and sharp this left me a bit wide eyed and edgy. Fantastic reading!
Suddenly Sober:
Eeeeek and ooooh! Love how this is related to another story previously told! No spoilers here, brilliant!
The Changelings:
Teenagers or Demons? Hard to tell the difference sometimes; but this little tale should remind you!
The Fan:
It started with Carin getting little notes, stupid ones, nonsensical ones. Then…….
So short you can hold your breath whilst reading, which you will be.
The Tree People:
Oh my, so haunting and sad. A story told of horror, terror and murder.
The Ridge:
Hells Bells I hope this one never comes true!! It made me giggle at the possible source for this story. Wonderfully written, don’t we all dream of murdering our spouses at some point in married life!
Vanities:
A women trying to keep her youth, a man trying to keep his younger wife happy, a new magical face cream, untried, untested – what could go wrong!
The build up is brilliant and finale is expected by still scarymary.
Wishful Thinking:
Poor Mae wants to die, but everyway she can think of would be intentional suicide and whilst she wants out of this life she does not want eternal damnation either. In her dreams she fantasies of far off worlds and exploring them all. Then Zot happens….
I was expecting more from this story but as the book is far from over…..
Miss Amy’s ghost:
Oooh a murder, a bit of intrigue, a haunting and a fabulous little story. Ms Yares at her best.
The Church on the Hill:
A damned town, a damaged township; only Stella knows the truth. Hard to describe without giving the essence of the story away but I really enjoyed the telling and was left a little curious – think this would make a great novella if stretched and filled a little.
Answered Prayer:
Oh my good lordy – be careful what you pray and wish for. What a horrifying ending to a sad little tale.
Eat, Drink & Make:
Big Bertha has several appetites! Whilst I felt the ending coming on this one it was still with a wicked kind of giggle that I enjoyed it! Just beware what you are eating for lunch!
The Truth of Becoming:
Poor John, his life, family and friends wasted and taken by bugs, especially fat little ticks. Or was it?
As he recounts his story to a Dr in the local “nut house” I felt a sort of tension rising, the climax gave me another sinister grin. I love how Ms Yares winds her way into a story and then blasts you out the other side with a differing emotion.
Waiting for Winter:
Knowing how Ms Yares fears snakes I have a feeling this is one of her personal nightmares. It’s a sad and terrifying one on so many levels.
Lost Souls:
Amos has a plan to reunite with his lost love Laura, he just needs Timothy’s help.
What could have been an obvious ending was turned on its head with a little dig of fear in the last line.
Delicate Balance:
Jerry vs Deer. As each attempt to keep them from his garden crop fails his attempts become more and more elaborate and revolting.
The climax was a complete surprise and I loved it!
The Well:
Eaily the longest story in this book. Ms Yares spends her time building the characters and laying down a really believable back history.
Sarah has a problem with her well; she appears to have been housing a rather mean water fairy down there. Strange things that you find down wells apparently!
Threats are made and a sacrifice promised, however Sarah is not sure she can pull it off but in the nick of time she is helped by a very handsome Professor called Jack; but then her son goes missing and crunch time comes for delivering the sacrifice that the water fairy has demanded.
The ending is all very tense and nail biting, what a story to leave until almost last!
I Wait:
Oh! What a way to end the book, with a quick slap to the face basically.
This is a wonderful narrative of what could of happened in the Christ story. Ms Yares is delicate, respectful and clever in her ability to weave all the important aspects of Christ into this fictional story with a twist.
Centered around a young woman's journey and devout belief in her love for both Goddess and Husband she takes us through the possible beginnings of the church and all the characters therein.
The characters are allowed such free will that they can explain away certain aspects and show you the depths of human horror that is just taken for granted, even in this "modern" age.
Little phrases, sayings and "factoids" come in to play as this story unfolds allowing you to share her life; but with such beautiful writing I felt I knew this woman and would be proud to follow her (and Im very much an atheist).
Ms Yares manages to complete the story tying up every little loose end, mostly with a smile, and given insight into some myths and legends at the same time.
I was amazed by this novel and read it in one sitting, I could not wait to find out what happened next.
Ms Yares is able to take facts and blend them into a fictional story so well you are unsure what is real and what is not.
Based on true events, this books gives an alternative reason behind the plots.
As the tale of plotting, intrigue, revenge and abuse between a group of 13 men takes off; the bitterness and destruction is gripping.
The climatic ending was amazing, but as with all good reads leaves you wanting more!
(if you enjoyed Beneath the Tor you will love this... and vice versa!)
What a harrowing start to a story, and beware because it only gets worse. Poor Macie and the women/children of High Gap. This is a bleak life and world that Ms Yares paints, eloquently, but still bleak and horrifying.
As Macie suffers one final beating she crosses over into another "world", here lies some good things, is it heaven or hell though?
What she is used for by the other women sits badly with her, however as hell becomes reality in the village of High Gap, she does appear to be having fun at least with her own focus of retribution.
As vengeance is taken, Macie recovers her health in the cabin with Cooter James who is a complex yet not, man. He has MY perfect life (if only he had some pets!). His kindness almost makes up for the cruelty previously shown to Macie.
Fantastic ending, some good and bad bits, brilliant length to this story, glad it was not a short.
I "love" the American system that states if a religious group or people occupying a private piece of land means that no one in authority wants to get involved despite the horrors that may go on there, not! Ms Yares highlights a sad indictment of modern American society; which is sadly true and not fiction.
These stories range in size but each one has its own flavour and individual full story.
Mrs Yares manages to put such heart, soul and horror into each one you are left wondering why it only took you a lunch time to read each one....
Brilliant writing shows such an openness and honesty of character that when the twist in the tale comes you cant help but wince.
Loved Big Bertha, although her cuisine is not to my taste!
If you want an introduction to the brilliance of this author try this for size!
