K. Kris Loomis

This set of short stories is a must read!!

Each set of short stories is linked by a generalized setting (bedroom, cafe, park, funeral home, bus), but each individual story is unique all on it's own. I found most of these stories to be amusing and a fun ride! Honestly, a couple I literally groaned at how silly or unexpected the twists were. As with most short story collections, there were some stories I couldn't get into, but that was only two of the entire collection. Most of these stories were so incredible that I wanted K. Kris Loomis to make entire books out of them!

In total, there are 15 stories. They are not interconnected, so if you want to read one by one or take your time with the book, you'll be able to leave it easily. I chose to binge the book in one sitting, and it worked just as well!

What I liked most about these stories was the themes and morals behind each one. If you read more into the stories and actually think about them, there are lessons to be learned. But, if you want to just read them for enjoyment, they are great for those kinds of readers.

Keep in mind, some of the stories are a little morbid. This is definitely not an R rated novel since there is nothing graphic or gorey, but there are some "adult themes" like death. This may not be the best set of stories to read to your small children! I think it would be much better suited for teenagers in a school setting due to the incredible themes K. Kris Loomis intertwines with these stories.

I definitely recommend this collection! It was a fun ride that kept me interested throughout the book. Hopefully K. Kris Loomis writes more, or even expands on some of these ideas in the future!

Five out of five stars!

I received a copy of this book from K. Kris Loomis in exchange for an honest review.… (mehr)

The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane is a unique space drama that follows the character development of Bethany Ann Crane.

This book was truly mesmerizing! It's hard to describe how interesting this book really was for me to read in just words. I couldn't put this book down since it was so unique and addicting.

Throughout this novel, you follow the character Bethany Ann Crane and her life experiences. The character study starts off when she is very young to her "older years". On top of following this beautiful character, there's a subplot featuring space travel that really hits the sci-fi genre. The small town of Grover Springs is transported to another planet and their aging and diseases seem to stop completely - yet this small town is expected to live and grow within their new community.

Having us follow Bethany Ann is a really interesting spin on this story line - she notices the small things like rainfall being the same everyday, and she manages to mature and expand her technical skills (like playing the piano and chess) because there isn't much else to do in this small community. The older and more bored she gets, the more she learns and begins to question everything that is happening. The girl tries to mature and feel love, but in such a small community life becomes very difficult. Especially since no one can leave the experiment!

K. Kris Loomis always has themes in her books (which I am the biggest nerd for). There were some religious and spiritual comments in the book, which makes you question reality versus religion. Additionally, this young girl wants to grow and mature and be an "adult" (like some of the boys who see themselves as "men") yet in such a small town where nothing can move past where they are... how can she? She's young yet feels so different. Another side of his story is the sci-fi and technology aspects - is all of this development really good for the people? What happens when it "backfires" or we decide to stop using it?

Somehow, despite K. Kris Loomis having all of these "big" questions and heavy hitting plot lines, this book didn't feel difficult to read or too much. It all was woven into a really lovely tale that makes you think and pick apart the story. I truly found it engaging and would suggest anyone who wants a book that will make them think to pick it up! That being said, if you want a mindless read then this probably isn't for you. It's very thoughtful, like a book we should have read back in high school.

I couldn't find many faults with this story - sometimes the story got a little slow, but since this book is more of a character development/big question type of novel, it doesn't affect my overall rating that much. I might have liked some more background into the science and technology of the experiment, but that's me picking it to pieces and being picky.

Overall, this book was really cool! It's unlike anything I've ever read and I love it! K. Kris Loomis has a real talent!

Five out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this book from the author K. Kris Loomis in exchange for an honest review.

… (mehr)

Man, oh man. I did NOT see that ending coming! Like... wow! What in the world just happened?!

The Murder of Leopold Beckenbauer takes some wild twists and turns in this rather short story. K. Kris Loomis does an absolutely marvelous job at allowing us a peek at Claire's life and the brains of a few musical geniuses.

When the best musical genius comes to town, everyone needs to see his brilliance! Many piano players take a trip to a historic plantation site. Claire is one of the many musicians ready to learn from the always brilliant, but slightly insane, Leopold Beckenbauer. Along the way, many musicians learn their abilities and figure out who the real Leopold Beckenbauer is. Oh, and as the title suggests, he dies.

Claire's troubled marriage, her tragic past, Leopold's wacky behaviour and the kooky cast of characters all make this story really engaging. I was honestly so pulled into this story that I could hardly believe it was over! K. Kris Loomis can tell a really good story in such a small amount of space! I'm kinda annoyed that it wasn't longer and that I couldn't spend some more time with these characters. I was truly enchanted by the descriptions of Beethoven's music (and the other composers too!).

I didn't see half of this story coming from a mile away, which was super awesome! I hate when I can guess the ending by the first few pages. It took me about half the book to figure out the big twist, but I'm glad it took me that long! It's a 'fun' yet tragic twist that most readers won't catch onto unless they are paying attention. So many hints were dropped along the way that it's "easy" to catch onto the twist, but you have to be paying attention to really grasp what's going on. I felt like Sherlock Holmes trying to solve these mysteries!

My biggest negative is this: I want to see more of Danny. I felt like I needed a little bit more of him in this book or to see what happens with Claire and Danny. What can I say? I like a happy ending.

Overall, this book was epic! I want more mysteries like this that really pull you in and drag you along. It was such a treat! If you like Murder on the Orient Express styled books, this story will be right up your alley!

Five out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this book from the author, K. Kris Loomis, in exchange for an honest review.… (mehr)

This book features one hundred drabbles (stories with one hundred words) by K. Kris Loomis. I had never heard of a drabble before, but man does it sound tough! How does one write a story and perfectly sum it up in one hundred words?! I'm awful at describing myself in little words, so kudos to K. Kris Loomis for making it possible! It's a real feat!

These stories are really short (well, obviously. One hundred words isn't actually a lot - it's just a few paragraphs worth at most!) but they really pack a punch! My favourites include: "The Perfect Ring" with the surprise ending I didn't see coming, "The Sentry" that reminded me of our former neighbourhood cat and my numerous reactions to him, and "A Knock" where the Grim Reaper makes a mistake (I actually laughed out loud at this one).

Despite the length of these stories, I felt like I related to them (and sometimes wanted a little more!). "She Was Going Dancing" packs a lot of parental disappointment in such a small story. "A Night at the Theatre" had me shivering because I knew what would come next. "I Know He Loves Me" highlights the pain of a woman in a tough situation. "Phobias" highlights Santa Claus at a doctor's office. "Flowers" had me cringing for the poor lead man. "The Wedding" just broke my heart! "A Great House" left me feeling spooked. "The Flight" reminded me of my childhood. "Kiss a Frog" takes a twist on an old fairy tale. And those are just some of the many stories!

There's so many good stories in this bunch! There's at least one that you'll enjoy. Anthologies like this are always so much fun, especially since they're quick and easy to read, yet just as easy to jump back into. I also love that there's so much hinted at - you can just imagine what would go down next. Creativity and imagination are great aspects of drabbles!

This lovely anthology shows how strong K. Kris Loomis is with her craft. She's a real master of writing, so if you get the chance... pick this book up! It's well worth the read!

Five out of five stars!

I received this book for free from the author, K. Kris Loomis, in exchange of an honest review.… (mehr)