Book Review: Running Blind by Nicki J. Markus

Review: Running Blind
Series: Time Keepers – Part 1
Author: Nicki J. Markus
No of Pages: 10
Release Date: 4 March 2011

It seems like any ordinary day as Nick waits for the train, but then a chance encounter with a young woman turns his world upside down. What is it that she is running from and will helping her jeopardise his own secret, making him a target too?

My Thoughts:

Running Blind is one of the best short stories I have read in a long time.

Nick is minding his business on the train when he sees a girl running for the ready-to-close doors. His gut instinct is to help her get on the train, so he helps her, and then he sees the policemen running after her.

Running Blind is a fantastic quick read, and one of the most well-written short stories I have read in far too long a time. As with all short stories Running Blind gathered its steam from action and a bit of suspense, there was no time for back ground, no time for character or relationship development, just the in the moment spontaneity that comes with the territory.

And boy did Markus pull that off. She didn’t waste time with needless descriptions but still added enough detail to the story to create a fantastic fast-paced picture. The only thing that left me wanting was for a little bit more suspense, but with the cliff-hanger ending she left us with my mind is reeling from the possibilities of what could come next.

I am more astounded than anything that Running Blind was just so incredibly well-written. Writing an interesting, engaging short story seems to be so hard for some people to achieve but Markus’ writing was absolutely superb and I can't wait for Part Two.

Others in this Series:
The Beast Within

Book Review: Astoroth: Her Final Sin by Stella & Audra Price

Review: Astoroth: Her Final Sin
Author: Stella Price; Audra Price
No of Pages: 14
Release Date: 15 June 2010

***I received this book free of charge from the publisher through my association with Book Lovers Inc***

Meet Astoroth, high duke of hell. When a woman at the end of her bucket list meets him in a bar in Las Vegas, he sees the possibility for some harmless fun with a human just at her expiration date. What he doesn't count on is deciding to keep her...


My Thoughts:

I always find it hard to review short stories, purely because there simply can’t be the character development that a longer novel can achieve. Short stories however can create intense emotions and I found that Astoroth succeeded in creating those emotions.

Sarah is dying, she has a list of things she wants to do while she still can, one of those things being to flirt with a fallen angel. But Astoroth wants to do more than flirt, and with Sarah’s lack of inhibitions he quickly goes about getting her alone, naked and screaming for more.

For fourteen pages, the Price’s sure packed a lot into them, and after the first couple of pages, definitely found a beautiful relationship between words and actions. I got a glimpse (if only brief) into how and why Sarah is doing what she is doing even though the sex felt a little fast and awkward when it began, by the end it was smooth and flowing.

As I said, the first few pages, in the lead up to the coupling were awkward, not everything made sense and some of the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, but it was quickly reconciled when the couple got their gear off.

The only other thing that seriously took away from the experience of being lost in the affair was the somewhat severe spelling and grammatical errors. It wasn’t easily overlooked and sometimes needed a backtrack to be understood.

Astoroth: Her Final Sin was seriously sexy, and left me somewhat hot and bothered. It is a simple, easy read that makes for a perfect quick fix of sinfully, angelic fun.