I received this novel from NetGalley as an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t read short stories. I avoid short story collections. Even if my favorite author writes short stories or participates in an anthology, I won’t read it. This isn’t because I think short stories are bad. It’s mostly because I always find that a short story leaves me wanting more, but I never receive it. I’m the kind of person who likes a full-fledged novel that answers all questions and doesn’t leave anything too open-ended. However, short stories pique the interest of the reader but then leave them hanging – and I hate to be left hanging. This has been my opinion for a very long time, and this year, one of my resolutions was to change my negative attitude about different things in my life. As a first step, I requested to read this novel, which is a collection of horror/supernatural short stories. I went in with an open mind, and now that I’ve finished reading, I have been converted!
Tales of the Lost is a book of short stories for adults, that delves into the realm of fantasy with modern-day settings. There are some ghost stories that will send chills down your bones, there are other stories that will instill fear in your heart, and there are yet others that will make you rethink what you know about the world. Regardless of which story it is, you will find yourself exploring the mystical and the otherworldly elements along with each character, and experience loss, love, regret, and wonder.
This being my first attempt at reading a short story collection, I have to say that it was a great experience! Every story is intriguing and packed with something unusual, with characters that you can live vicariously through, and supernatural elements that you could never have dreamed of. There weer so many myths and legends and ghost tales that were brought into this collection, and it was just great to read so many different stories about them all! I actually enjoyed the cliffhanger feeling that each story left me off with because it made me go through a rollercoaster of emotions, and culminated in a dramatic ending that made me literally go “woah”! Some of the longer stories could have used some more transition elements but other than that, I really enjoyed everything I read! Overall, this was a great experience for me, and I cannot wait to read more short stories!
Happy reading ~