Reading Round-Up #5

I know, I can hardly believe it myself. It has been less than two weeks since the last reading roundup, which focused on my favourite books over the last few months. It has also been less than a week since my last published piece on Vocal, The Plunge.

With a bit more time on my hands (freelancing always gets quieter around Christmas and picks up in January), I have been catching up with my reading on Vocal. And as usual, I found some proper gems. Here are my favourite reads in no particular order from the last week or so.

Don’t Open the Door

I can’t help it; including the word “don’t” in a title is like an irresistible invitation to read. Maybe it is because it often leads to something unsettling. (Not sure what a psychologist would make of my reading choices and reasons, probably nothing flattering.) I’m pleased to say that Don’t Open the Door by Tyler C. Clark lived up to my expectations. His horror story, written in the form of instructions, is tense with a constant sense of foreboding.

Them

Another title that instantly feels somehow threatening and raises the question: Who are the people the title is referring to? I truly hope this is not a stand-alone short story and that Leah Suzanne Dewey will write a continuation to it. There is so much more I want to know. Who is the main character, what is she running away from, and why, and who is the man on the train, apart from seeming to be one of the “them”?

Skulls under the Growth

I wasn’t really fancying poetry the day I read Skulls under the Growth by Sam Spinelle, but I was intrigued by the title and by the short extract I could see of the poem. I’m so glad that I clicked on it because what I found was a beautiful poem that was uplifting and sad at the same time. I love the concepts of all of us being connected through our roots and the temporary nature of life, both wonderfully expressed in Sam’s poem.

Trapped

Ariana GonBon’s Trapped is a powerful story about relationships, or rather their endings. It is also about the lack of balance in unhealthy relationships. When one just gives and gives, and the other keeps taking. Trapped made me reflect on my past relationships and why I’m glad that they are in the past. I think the fact that it is so recognisable, so familiar, makes this story so powerful.

I AM ANGRY. I WASTED MY TIME!!!

This is such an important piece by Caitlin Charlton. We all know AI is everywhere, from fiction to art and music, but who wants creative work made by a machine? I think so many of us on Vocal share Caitlin’s frustration. What is especially frustrating is the dishonesty when “writers” do not mark their pieces as AI/written or assisted. At least have the decency to say you had help from AI. So thank you, Caitlin, for saying this out loud.

Peas in a Pod

Peas in a Pod is a story told through dialogue only. No setting the scene, no description, no speech tags, and frankly, the story doesn’t need any of them because the dialogue is so well written. It was like I were reading a play. I could imagine the characters so clearly from Cristal S’s dialogue - I even heard their voices in my head. And without giving anything away, I loved the ending.

The Visitor

From no description to beautiful description, because there is time for both in literature. From the first words, John Cox sets the scene perfectly. He describes the abandoned farm and house that belonged to the narrator’s great-grandparents in such great detail that it makes you feel you are there with the narrator. And where the story leads, well, let’s just say that I didn’t expect it, and I love a story that gives me something different from my expectations.

Clutter

I love this poem by Hannah Moore. I have read it through several times and each time find another layer of meaning. It has so many wonderful lines, with so much meaning in them and between them. My favourite line at the moment, at least, is “Because joy is rarely a single snapshot”. I say at the moment because it might change when I read it again. Even if you are not a poetry reader normally, I encourage you to give this one a go.

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That's it for this roundup. I hope to hear your thoughts on any of the ones you have read or will read.

You can also add links in the comments to any stories you have read recently and enjoyed for me to check out. But please, no self-promotion. I want to keep these articles, including the comments, as a place to support each other.