Reviews

The inspiration for this page comes from the fact that it has been said that to be a good writer, one has to have read at least 1000 books. Likewise, to be a good storyteller, it is perhaps necessary to read 1000 stories. I would like to go further than just reading – I think that reading a story alone is not enough. One has to analyse it, review it and be able to critically appraise a story. This, then, will be the aim of this column but with an emphasis on all manner of storytelling. With that in mind, certain things need to be pointed out:

  • As this website caters for storytellers, this column will feature all manner of storytelling.
  • We accept reviews written by other storytellers as well. Please note that we do not pay for reviews.
  • There is no specific genre of stories reviewed here.

If you’d still like us to publish a review you’ve written, please send an email to editor @ howtotellagreatstory.com

Dreams of Love: A Book of Poems and Short Stories By Carla GolianPaperback: 136 pagesPublisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (April 13, 2013)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 148406657XISBN-13: 978-1484066577 Dreams of Love is partly, as the title suggests, a collection of 13 short stories by Carla Golian. At the start of many of the stories, poems have been inserted. Altogether, this collection has 19 poems which sometimes have the effect of introducing particular stories to the reader. There is no doubt that Dreams of Love is for adults as the content deals, mainly, with the sexual interaction between men and women. While…
Wednesday, 01 May 2013 00:10

Equity of Fear by Rudy A. Mazzocchi

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Publisher: Twilight Times Books; First edition (March 25, 2013)Language: EnglishASIN: B00C0HAUUG Once again author Rudy Mazzocchi ventures into the shadowy world of controversial medical technologies. In his first thriller, Equity of Evil, the author revealed a dark world involving abortion, human trafficking and organ cultures. In this his latest instalment and 2nd book in the series, Equity of Fear, he boldly delves into subjects of the re-wiring of the brain to eliminate fear and the alteration of memory. Fascinating and terrifying stuff, to say the least. Dr. Frank Moretti is CEO of Recon Innovations, a company that is developing a…
Thursday, 04 April 2013 20:04

Wrecker by Tamera Lawrence

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Title: Wrecker [Kindle Edition] By Tamera Lawrence File Size: 2507 KB Print Length: 234 pages Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing (December 4, 2012) Language: English ASIN: B00AIQEHBE From the description on Amazon.com, you’ll see that Wrecker is a story about a twenty-six-year-old woman, Tara Gibbons, who, as a tow truck driver, struggles with the stigma of being a woman in a man’s field. Newly employed by Cole Wilson, Tara finds herself attracted to her boss. That said, there is tension between them as a result of their clash of wills. This tension is what allows for the hidden dangers of the…
Wednesday, 03 April 2013 02:41

The Consummate Traitor by Bonnie Toews

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The Consummate Traitor By Bonnie ToewsPaperback: 344 pagesPublisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 21, 2011)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 1461015383ISBN-13: 978-1461015383 Brief bio: As a journalist, Bonnie Toews has covered significant events such as the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Her eyewitness view contributes to the plight of children in war as a recurring theme through her novels. With hundreds of published articles and five business press awards in her portfolio, Bonnie currently advocates for better care and treatment of Canada’s wounded warriors and is a member of the Canadian Veterans Advocacy, Military Writers Society of America, American Authors Association and American Christian Fiction…
Title: Die in Paris: The true story of France's most notorious serial killerBy: Marilyn Z TomlinsPaperback: 428 pagesPublisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2 edition (April 6, 2013)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 1482752808ISBN-13: 978-1482752809 Wartime Paris and the life of a serial killer When we think of the war years our focus tends to be with the horrors of wartime battles, and it is easy to forget that for ordinary people in occupied lands other crimes still happened. In Paris, under occupation, the French people remained strong. Their ability to keep quiet and forget incidents when convenient was very necessary, and the resistance managed…
Thursday, 04 April 2013 20:26

Pass It On by The Traditional Arts Team

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Title: Pass It OnPublisher: The Traditional Arts TeamEditors: Graham Langley and Amy DouglasLanguage: EnglishWebsite: www.tradartsteam.co.uk At 64 pages, PASS IT ON is short book. It is a mistake to assume that this is a criticism for it is, in fact, quite the opposite. PASS IT ON is a concise resource that is a aimed at helping 'teachers and youth workers of all kinds' to master the art of storytelling. Because the contributors to this resource are some of the UK’s top tellers that the publication of this book has achieved something wonderful: it is a book that's able to able…
Tuesday, 02 October 2012 18:14

Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde

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Second Hand Heart [Paperback] By Catherine Ryan HydePaperback: 420 pagesPublisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 1, 2011)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 1463630778ISBN-13: 978-1463630775 This novel, originally released in the UK and newly available in the states in ebook and paperback format, follows the story of Vida and Richard, two people on different sides of a heart transplant. Ms. Ryan Hyde drew from experiences with her own niece, who was born with a heart defect, and tells the journey of both people with a rare grace and sincerity. Both characters deliver their story in first person, journal-style, alternating their voices with each chapter. A…
The Art of Assessment: How to Review Anything [Paperback] By Magdalena BallPaperback: 144 pagesPublisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 25, 2012)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 1477499865ISBN-13: 978-1477499863 [Article first published as Book Review and Interview: The Art of Assessment by Magdalena Ball on Blogcritics.] The Art of Assessment: How to Review Anything by Magdalena Ball makes quite a promise in its title, and Ball proves true to her word. Employing her considerable experience as a reviewer and radio host through The Compulsive Reader, the author takes us through the qualities necessary in a professional reviewer, finding the products to assess, writing our findings…
Tuesday, 02 October 2012 10:05

The Moroni Deception by Jack Brody

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Title: The Moroni DeceptionAuthor: Jack BrodyPaperback: 336 pagesPublisher: Visigoth Press (December 19, 2012)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 0615722261ISBN-13: 978-0615722269 Michael Chenault is an award-winning investigative journalist with the New York Times. One night, he is accused of murdering a complete stranger. After clearing his name, he discovers that the victim died in strange circumstances. When he receives information of another murder, his interest is piqued because the second victim is killed in identical circumstances. He decides that these events are worth investigating and embarks on an adventure that will take him to Salt Lake City, Utah. This forms the basis of Jack Brody’s…
How to Be a Writer in the E-Age… And Keep Your E-Sanity!By Catherine Ryan Hyde and Anne R. AllenFile Size: 487 KBPrint Length: 296 pagesSimultaneous Device Usage: UnlimitedPublisher: MWiDP (Mark Williams international Digital Publishing (June 24, 2012)Language: EnglishASIN: B008EKT5UE Many of us brave forth into the e-wilderness seeking out our path to success, armed with the dream of becoming a Real Writer or a Bestselling Author. However, this age of (mis)information overwhelms and dismays us. A month ago I vowed to “build my platform” and I got swallowed up in the sea of social media and virtual marketing, abandoning my…
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