A Sliver of Darkness

C.J. Tudor's “A Sliver of Darkness” is an exciting short story collection that was fantastic from start to finish. This book was recommended to me by a good GR friend, and I am so glad I saved it to my spooky read list. Each story has quite a bit of intrigue, scares, and immersion that I think just about everyone can enjoy. I had not read any of the author's work before this, but I will definitely start to read her back catalog. One thing that stands out to me is how incredibly relatable each story is. You can tell that the author is having quite a bit of fun writing these stories, and the passion shines through. Each short is fun, dark, atmospheric, and overall creative. The horror is not shocking all the time. Sometimes it is sprinkled on top for a ‘slashtastic' twist or a ferociously brilliant statement.There are still a few spooky-season days left. What are you waiting for? Check this one out!It's so hard to review this as a whole, so I'll just post the mini-reviews of each below.~~~~~~~~~~~❖ Story 1 “End of the Liner” - A post-apocalyptic world where we follow a group of people stuck on a cruise ship for decades. Exciting and full of tense moments! 4⭐'s❖ Story 2 “The Block” - A group of kids break into an old abandoned warehouse and find something unsettling. The location, setting, and twist was fantastic! 4⭐'s❖ Story 3 “Runaway Blues” - A couple loves going to the Pink Flamingo to see their favorite blues singer. The singer has a mysterious hat box given to him by his love. What's inside is haunting. This one was amazing! Full of twists and turns. 5⭐'s❖ Story 4 “The Completion” - A sordid real estate agent will do anything to sell an expensive property and the owner makes a deal that the firm cannot refuse. This one was so dark, grimy, and fun! These short stories keep getting better and better. 5⭐'s❖ Story 5 “The Lion At The Gate” - A lion on a wall might just bite if you get too close. I enjoyed the idea behind this one. Very clever. 4⭐'s❖ Story 6 “Gloria” - This could be my favorite short yet. It throws you right into a Luc Besson-inspired narrative that is compelling and full of tension. 6 out of 5⭐'s