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
Thursday, 13 June 2013 01:39
Dreams of Love: A Book of Poems and Short Stories by Carla Golian
Written by Aneeta Sundararaj
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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Saturday, 27 April 2013 05:20
Die in Paris: The true story of France's most notorious serial killer by Marilyn Z Tomlins
Written by Aneeta Sundararaj
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…
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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…
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Tuesday, 02 October 2012 18:14
Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Written by Aneeta Sundararaj
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…
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Tuesday, 02 October 2012 18:14
The Art of Assessment: How to Review Anything by Magdalena Ball
Written by Aneeta Sundararaj
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…
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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…
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Tuesday, 02 October 2012 18:14
How to Be a Writer in the E-Age… And Keep Your E-Sanity! by Catherine Ryan Hyde and Anne R. Allen
Written by Aneeta Sundararaj
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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Title: Set Yourself FREE – How to Optimise Your Money and Become Wealthywith Minimum Effort and Risk by Yap Ming HuiISBN No.: 978-983-41724-5-9Publisher: Whitman Independent Advisors Sdn BhdFormat: Paperback 242 pages I’ll have to admit: when I first read the main title of the book, my first thought was that this is just another get-rich-quick manual. After reading a few chapters, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this is not the message the author wants to deliver. The principal aim of the book is to present the idea that everyone, from all walks of life, can become wealthy and…
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Journey in Time By Chris KarlsenPaperbackPublisher: Books To Go Now; First Edition edition (2011)ASIN: B007XK4RQI Shakira Constantine is a beautiful, independent, successful London attorney. One night she meets handsome Alex Lancaster. There's no denying that the sparks are mutual, even though she isn't impressed by his riveting good looks and acting career. Then fate plays a trick on her when he is unjustly sued for sexual harassment and she ends up representing him. Of course, now that he's her client, they get to spend a lot more time together. Risking venturing into the boudaries of unethical behavior, she accepts his…
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Heroes Live ForeverBy Chris KarlsenPaperbackPublisher: Books To Go Now; First Edition edition (2011)ISBN-10: 0982999615ISBN-13: 978-0982999615 School teacher Elinor Hawthorne inherits from her grandmother a house in Scotland. Soon enough, she begins to suspect something strange is going on in the house. Naturally, Elinor has common sense and doesn’t believe in ghosts — that is, until she sees them. That’s right, not one but two: Basil Manneville and Guy Guiscard, medieval knights killed in battle against the French back in the 1300s. Though both become her confidants, she begins to fall in love with Basil. Their love, however, becomes impossible, for…
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Tuesday, 02 October 2012 18:05
Angels Gate by Andrew J. Rafkin and Louis Pagano
Written by Aneeta Sundararaj
Angels Gateby Andrew J. Rafkin and Louis PaganoPaperback: 336 pagesPublisher: Outskirts Press (February 2, 2012)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 1432780026ISBN-13: 978-1432780029 It’s 1983. Four local surfers who work in the luggage department of Los Angeles Airport devise an ingenious plan to smuggle drugs. Their goal? To make quick, easy money in order to fullfill their dreams and open a hotel in Costa Rica. They partner with a rich, successful marijuana smuggler named August Taracina and soon they put their plan into action. Eventually they run into an unexpected problem, an event that, to their surprise, turns out more profitable than ever. You may…
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