Poems and Stories of the Strange and Unusual: A Mirror of Past/Present Self is a collection of interesting and unexpected twists

 

A Mirror of Past/Present Self: Poems and Tales

Andrew Buckner

Alien Buddha Press, 2025

ISBN-13: 979-8310600485

Ebook, 90 ppg.

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If you want to read some poetry and short stories that have you exploring your imagination in a brand new way, you won’t want to miss A Mirror of Past/Present Self: Poems and Tales by Andrew Buckner. This short collection of poems and stories strike the odd notes and bring you unexpected twists. There were many times I had to stop reading this book because it blew my mind! It made me see these fictional worlds in a completely brand new way, in addition to creating a lasting impression.

 

Some of the poems in this book were also nostalgic. The mention of the 80s and certain things from back then took me back to my childhood. They were very interesting poems to read and I appreciated the touch of wishing for the good old days that these poems evoked.

 

But my favorites from this book are the stories. They were just so surreal and unpredictable. I loved how they were so different and not what a reader expects. Some of the stories did have certain moments I connected with in a profound way, while others were more of an entertaining tale of an alternative and bizarre reality.

 

Although it is a short collection, A Mirror of Past/Present Self: Poems and Tales was a huge dose of the bizarre and unexpected. A must-read for fans of speculative poetry and fiction! I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading other books by this author.

 

 

Five stars

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book as part of my digital subscription with the publisher.

Pandemic Poetry Mixed with Horror Echoes the Terror and Rage We All Once Felt: A Shadow of Your Former Self is a hybrid collection of poems and stories harkening to a dark time and creating fictional new ones

 

A Shadow of Your Former Self

Amy Grech

Alien Buddha Press, 2023

ISBN: 9798395815644

Ebook, 51 pages

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Amazon

CrimsonScreams

 

 

When I started reading the new hybrid collection of poetry and short stories, A Shadow of Your Former Self by Amy Grech, I did not know what to expect. What I ended up reading was poetry and flash fiction stories that swept me away and kept me turning the pages!

 

The poems took me back to the days of lockdown, right when COVID-19 changed everything. There were so many things in these poems I could relate to because a lot of us were experiencing the same feelings: Frustration over having to shelter in place, wondering if life will ever be the same again, and feeling grateful that at least we were in a home with good people in it to experience the craziness of this pandemic.

 

However, not all of the poems and stories in this book were about such things, something I was grateful for! The speculative stories and poems offered a nice break from revisiting those dreadful days of COVID-19. The way these poems and stories are written kept me hooked, and I found it difficult to stop reading!

 

I loved how Grech brought her stories full circle in the end and just seemed to weave it all together. Though I couldn’t really get into the post-apocalyptic story, I did enjoy reading the other ones. "Ashes to Ashes" was such a bone-chilling story! At first, it seems like a story about grief, with the widow questioning whether or not she could recall details about her life with her late husband correctly, but then it turns into something else at the end! Something I definitely didn't see coming! The story "Torn Asunder" was another one I really liked too.

 

A Shadow of Your Former Self shares glimpses of a former self we all once had, but how, because of a pandemic, we have all “emerged” as shadows. As something other than who we used to be, although glimpses of our old selves may linger in the eyes of others, just as a trick of the light can have us thinking that we see something that isn’t really there.

 

 

Five stars

 

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.