She Will Rise

Dark Celebrations #9

by Calvin Demmer

Luna Mendes has come home from college for Easter. She finds her mother bedridden, far more ill than she feared. Her stepfather hasn’t changed, though. And that is a problem. Before the weekend is out, something will rise against the darkness that has haunted her family.

A short story.
(Collected in Dark Celebrations)

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction

23 pages, ebook

First published April 10, 2017

About the author

Calvin Demmer is a South African author of horror, dark fantasy, science fiction, and crime. His books include the flash fiction collection The Sea Was a Fair Master and the short story collections Dark Celebrations, Her Heart Beats for Ancient Beasts, Through the Ravenous Night We Ride, Duel the Darkness for Nightmare Rule, and The Town That Feared Dusk. When not writing, he is intrigued by that which goes bump in the night and the sciences of our universe.

You can find him online at calvindemmer.com or sign up for his newsletter to stay up to date with his latest projects.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story about domestic violence and help coming from an unusual side. Why is Luna's mother feeling so bad? What is Ralph's role? Why there is reference to her dead sister Isabelle? Well written tragic tale on the missing 5th tips and some dreary domestic situation. Haunting with a striking (in the truest sense of the word) twist at the end. Really recommended!

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her late twin sister had five tips for life, but only four were written down. Now, three years later, Luna comes home for Easter, her bed-ridden mother and a nightmare of a stepfather. This Easter was going to be different, this Easter she would make the day special for her mother, this Easter she would remember those tips and she would discover the missing fifth tip. This Easter would be different.

SHE WILL RISE by Calvin Demmer celebrates another dark tale of epic proportions! Mr. Demmer is an author who can take just a few pages to completely engulf his readers in a true meat and potatoes read that has it all, including that big “what if,” at the end! This is a must read, while one gets all five tips of life from the grave.

I received an ARC edition from Calvin Demmer in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Dark Celebrations - Book 9
Publication Date: April 10, 2017
Publisher: Calvin Demmer
Genre: Horror | Dark Fiction
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

“She Will Rise” is a dark, heartbreaking story with an awesome twist.  Nothing has been the same since Luna’s sister, Isabella, died a few years ago.  Luna comes home from college for the Easter holiday.  Her mother’s health has been slowly deteriorating and her mother’s boyfriend is just as big of an asshole as he’s always been.  After Luna makes a chilling discovery, she finds help from a very unexpected source.

This was one of my favorite stories in the Dark Celebrations collection. It's one of those stories that leaves me feeling like inspiration and inner strength can come when you need it most and feel it's hard to find. It leaves hope that maybe what is lost is not lost forever, or at the very least, we can truly learn from that which is left behind.

This would make a great dark, moody movie.

Thanks to Calvin for sending this in exchange for an honest review! :)

[Sydney’s Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good revenge short story! I love when the “bad guy” gets what is coming to him and you definitely get that with this story.

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

She Will Rise is another quick and enjoyable read from Calvin Demmer. Although not my favourite from the author, I had fun with this one.

She Will Rise is a story that packs a lot into a short read, providing plenty of details to keep you turning the pages. It was addictive, ensuring I was desperate to see how things ended. Even though I enjoyed the ending, I would have liked a wee bit more from it.

All in all, another fun read.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short story. The characters are alright though not great, the location is well defined and the situation is laid out. This is all about the Easter holiday.

Luna Mendes has come home from college for Easter for the first time in a long while. She finds her mother bedridden, and far more ill than she feared. Her stepfather hasn't changed though and that is a problem. Before the weekend is out something will rise against the darkness that has haunted her family.

The ending is both surprising and expected.

[Sarah Budd · Rating 5 out of 5]

She Will Rise is the latest tale to be released by Calvin Demmer in the Dark Celebrations series. In this tale we are introduced to Luna Mendes who has returned home for Easter to care for her sick mother.
Luna is tortured with loneliness, death has not been a stranger to her but she is determined to make the best of things by living her life by Isabella's five tips for a kick-ass life.

She soon diverts attention form her own suffering to that of her mother, Selma whilst trying to avoid her alcoholic step-father who is beyond useless. She soon suspects that he is keeping secrets and as she follows Isabella's five tips she gets to the truth with horrifying consequences.

Can Luna save not just her mother, but herself? Will she ever find out the fifth and final tip for everlasting happiness?

A surprisingly touching tale not often found in horror, I really like I had gone on a emotional journey with Luna and I really felt myself rooting for her.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karma’s a b*tch

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family over assholes.

[Zoë Damacela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for her.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book I wish Calvin had made into a full length novel. I really liked Luna and Isabelle. I would have loved to see where this went and if there were future arseholes!!

Kindle unlimited read - 4 stars.

[DecayingPumpkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

95

[Tasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

ummm

I want to know how and why. Also note family violence does happen, so if you need a trigger warning. Here it is. Abusive step father hits girl.

[Aryanna Tunstall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siblings can turn out to be very different people, even twins, but they know when their family is in trouble and it’s time to come home and help

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this must be my favorite story yet from Calvin Demmer! I absolutely loved it. But I knew I would after reading the opening lines listing "Isabella’s five tips for a kick-ass life." And these tips are words to live by for Isabella's twin sister, Luna--a protagonist whose past tragedy's help her evolve into a force to be reckoned with when it comes to protecting the people she loves. This is so much more than a tale of horror! It is a story about retribution, promises kept, and the eternal power of a sister's/daughter's love!

If you haven't yet read anything from Calvin Demmer, please change that immediately. His eerily enjoyable short stories are the perfect way to start the Halloween season!

[Theresa Braun · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a short story, there is some really good characterization here. Demmer spends time making us hate Luna’s stepfather, which is one of the things that makes this tale work. There is also a slow reveal about some of the details regarding Luna, such as the fact that she’s lost a twin sister in an accident. In fact, Luna’s life seems to be marred by more than one tragedy, making us sympathize with her. I can’t give away too much more, since that will utterly ruin it for you. However, I will add that even if you guess what’s coming, you might be stunned by the humor at the end. This in another one of Demmer’s tales about dangerous women. Never mess with one, especially if she has adopted a strict code to live by!

[Sunshine Somerville · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the few I've read from this author where I really thought it almost needed to be longer. Everything she figures out about the stepdad and the mother is really quick, and of course things escalate quickly, but I didn't have time to really get invested.
The twist/horrific event of this short is once again creepy and perfect. You definitely get a sense of satisfaction.
I again would recommend reading this, but there are others by this author that are more my favorites.

[Sheilah · Rating 3 out of 5]

She Will Rise was captivating. A domestic situation that goes batty. I felt drawn in by the ill mother and daughter relationship from the beginning. My only wish is that it had been longer in order to establish the twist that occurs in the end. It felt a bit rushed, and I felt that the protagonist needed more time to feel her rage. In addition, I would have benefited from some kind of explanation for the events that unfolded. I felt there was too much unexplained. Therefore, great beginning and solid middle, but the ending needed more.