Happy Friday Bookworms!

Give yourself a big pat on the back for making it through another workweek. You earned some R&R! I can’t wait to chill out for the next couple days and get some good writing and reading in.

Speaking of reads, it’s time for another short story review! This time I read Hood’s Ride is Red by J.P. Jackson.

This read is a part of my TBR catchup, and ironically I didn’t intend to read this at first. I had a momentary book slump as I tried out two other books and wasn’t vibing with them. This was my third (and final) attempt to jive with whatever I was reading, and I’m glad I meshed with this one.

Want all the deets? Keep on reading!

Blurb

Harkin Ross, otherwise known as Hood, hasn’t had a happy childhood. His mother died in childbirth and his older brother perished in an unusual accident on the family farm. Hood’s father hasn’t coped well over the years. He’s spiraled into a black hole of anger, alcoholism, and abuse.

But when Kenneth Lowell is hired as the family farmhand, Hood’s life vastly improves. Kenneth earns Hood’s trust and friendship while teaching Hood some basic mechanical skills, helping Hood get his red Dodge Dart up and running.

Kenneth, however, is hiding a violent and primal secret of his own. When Hood’s father discovers the hired hand is doing more than just yard work, the weekly trip to Grandpa’s house goes all to hell.

GoodReads

Amazon

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The Review

Bam!

This short story blew me out of the water, and I loved every second of it.

The story focuses on a new werewolf and young man named Hood (Harkin if you wanna get technical). He’s been imprisoned after his dad and grandad were murdered the same night of his being turned. He doesn’t quite remember the events of that night, but as he begins to get strange visitors, he realizes his fate may not be as bleak as he once thought.

I think what really stuck out for me was the setting. When you think of werewolves, you probably think of forests or someplace remote. But the setting here was unique and refreshing. Having a werewolf caged as its trying not to rip everyone’s head off is surprisingly entertaining it turns out!

Hood was a lovable character and had depth to him. The story behind him and his dad was tragic, and the werewolf element made things even more interesting. Hood’s trying to find control over the beast within, and his internal dialogue was entertaining and believable.

I also really liked Kenneth, the love interest. He had a history of helping out on Hood’s farm, and the attraction between them made total sense to me.

Minor characters like the reporter and general were awful (in a good way) yet memorable.

The plot was a lot of fun and fast paced. There wasn’t a dull moment, and when things really hit the fan it was so exciting I just blazed through the rest of the story.

This was a great werewolf story. If you need a quick, riveting fantasy read, this one’s got the goods!

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this short story review. I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you read this story? Are there other short stories you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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