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Patchwork
Patchwork is the debut horror collection from Desiree Byars. Stitched together inside are four individual short stories, each a unique tale. Dive under the Patchwork quilt and snuggle with some new friends:
Bailey Marie, the neglected, spiteful child.
The ASMR addict who can’t be satisfied.
The dead man who dug his way out to reunite with his wife only to find things aren’t the same anymore.
The grown woman who bands with her inner child to slay her life’s biggest demon.
They're eager to meet you …
Bailey Marie, the neglected, spiteful child.
The ASMR addict who can’t be satisfied.
The dead man who dug his way out to reunite with his wife only to find things aren’t the same anymore.
The grown woman who bands with her inner child to slay her life’s biggest demon.
They're eager to meet you …
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 27, 2020
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 24, 2020
Patchwork is a compilation of 4 distinct stories that are about some extremely tough topics. I was asked prior to reading this book if I had any triggers about child abuse, neglect or shame. I luckily do not have triggers. But, if you do, please be cautioned, this is not a book to be taken lightly.
The first story is the longest in the book and to me, was the most intense. Bailey is a kid who has grown up being despised by her Mother but adored by her Father. The story is told through her eyes as she discovers some shocking revelations about why her Mother treats her the way she does. The second story is about a sensory response we don’t know much about. Autonomic sensory meridian response is that feeling when some action a person does sends a feeling of euphoria to them that they feel the need to repeat that action. I bet you can guess where this story goes! The third story is about a phenomenon where the dead rise as zombies. One zombie finds his way home to his wife to surprise her. The last story is about a young woman who is faced with the challenge of reliving her abuse as a child and confronting her abuser.
As stated before, these are really tough subjects for anyone to handle. While reading, I felt these stories could really be someone’s reality. Desiree Byars did a great job bringing to light subjects that usually do not receive much attention. If anyone is trying to understand what someone who has been abused or victimized in any way could be feeling or going through, this book can help them see and empathize with their point of view. My favorites were the first and fourth stories. My heart went out to both of those main characters. This is my first book I have read from this author. I hope to read more soon!
The first story is the longest in the book and to me, was the most intense. Bailey is a kid who has grown up being despised by her Mother but adored by her Father. The story is told through her eyes as she discovers some shocking revelations about why her Mother treats her the way she does. The second story is about a sensory response we don’t know much about. Autonomic sensory meridian response is that feeling when some action a person does sends a feeling of euphoria to them that they feel the need to repeat that action. I bet you can guess where this story goes! The third story is about a phenomenon where the dead rise as zombies. One zombie finds his way home to his wife to surprise her. The last story is about a young woman who is faced with the challenge of reliving her abuse as a child and confronting her abuser.
As stated before, these are really tough subjects for anyone to handle. While reading, I felt these stories could really be someone’s reality. Desiree Byars did a great job bringing to light subjects that usually do not receive much attention. If anyone is trying to understand what someone who has been abused or victimized in any way could be feeling or going through, this book can help them see and empathize with their point of view. My favorites were the first and fourth stories. My heart went out to both of those main characters. This is my first book I have read from this author. I hope to read more soon!
August 16, 2020
Patchwork by Desiree Byars is not your typical collection of tales of terror but more of psychological horror and what I viewed as a catharsis for the author. They felt cathartic for this reader. Just in case, I'm going to say spoilers here for those that want to read this book without any influence. The bulk of the book is the first story "Bailey Marie" which I found to be an examination of psychological, physical, verbal abuse mixed with the classic "bad seed" story. I really enjoyed Bailey so much that I just kept reading her over and over to the point where I had to tell myself to stop because there are some other stories. Between it, and the final tale, are two short stories called "ASMR" and "Knock-Knock." Both are dark and cerebral with the added bonus of some twisted humor. The final story is "Dear Cricket" and it impacted this reader like a Buick to the face. It is a story that felt so personal that I felt a mixture of sadness and admiration for the author because she shared such a tale that evoked horrific fantasy scenes similar to H.P. Lovecraft combined with real world horrors that some readers may find too much to process. I recommend this book to anyone that wants something more than just escapism. These stories will leave a mark on your imagination to the point where you will keep thinking of them long after Patchwork has been placed on your bookshelf. I'd also like to add that I look forward to future publications by the author because these stories illustrate that she isn't going away and will hopefully give all of us more twisted tales of psychological terror.
November 3, 2020
What I Did Like:
-I’ve said before that my favorite type of horror is focusing on what people do to each other. In these novellas, that’s exactly what we’re dealing with. Sometimes there are fantastical twists, but the bottom line is these are people doing scary things. I LOVE that but it is legitimately terrifying.
-Typically in a short story anthology you have your least favorites. The author made a smart choice here to only include 4 stories. Meaning there are only the gems. I have a favorite (Bailey will be sticking in my mind for years to come) but they are all well written, shocking, and terrifying.
-Endings. These do not all end the same way, which I appreciate. They feel like they end the way the story needed them too. I loved all of them and the gut punch they gave me. Really this collection is masterful horror writing.
Who Should Read This One:
-Horror fans, GET THIS ONE. You will not regret it. New favorites, for sure.
-Short story fans, if you’re into dark stories perfect for the spooky season, get this one!
-This reminds me of a grown up version of those Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books. Did you like those when you were younger? GET THIS.
My Rating: 5 Stars. This is EXACTLY what I wanted from horror short stories and I HIGHLY recommend these ones.
For Full Review (including what I didn’t love): https://youtu.be/1uoYpVzux5c
-I’ve said before that my favorite type of horror is focusing on what people do to each other. In these novellas, that’s exactly what we’re dealing with. Sometimes there are fantastical twists, but the bottom line is these are people doing scary things. I LOVE that but it is legitimately terrifying.
-Typically in a short story anthology you have your least favorites. The author made a smart choice here to only include 4 stories. Meaning there are only the gems. I have a favorite (Bailey will be sticking in my mind for years to come) but they are all well written, shocking, and terrifying.
-Endings. These do not all end the same way, which I appreciate. They feel like they end the way the story needed them too. I loved all of them and the gut punch they gave me. Really this collection is masterful horror writing.
Who Should Read This One:
-Horror fans, GET THIS ONE. You will not regret it. New favorites, for sure.
-Short story fans, if you’re into dark stories perfect for the spooky season, get this one!
-This reminds me of a grown up version of those Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books. Did you like those when you were younger? GET THIS.
My Rating: 5 Stars. This is EXACTLY what I wanted from horror short stories and I HIGHLY recommend these ones.
For Full Review (including what I didn’t love): https://youtu.be/1uoYpVzux5c
April 1, 2020
Yikes! Good old fashioned short horror stories. I'm really excited to read whatever else Byars can write as I was hooked on all of the stories from page one and was disappointed when the book ended. Highly recommended.
March 30, 2020
What a great read. Throughly enjoyed every story in this book. I’m not big on short stories, but this book grabbed me from the get go.
December 3, 2023
Loved this book I’m always into weird creepy stuff I can’t wait for more! Well written intriguing and grotesque scenes! Love how it’s by a local author near me too!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews