This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
Shadowcat: Tales from the Edge of Sleep is a collection of short stories by author Victoria Randall. In total there are seven stories which span a range of genres, primarily within speculative and science fiction realms. There is the titular Shadowcat, whose character is described vividly as “a cat-shaped black hole,” a fascinating figure who lurks between the worlds of the awake and the asleep. The existential crisis is explored in “The Sandwich,” where an average fellow named Joe is startled to discover his evening snack is a sentient being, and a scout ship exploring the galaxy takes a startling turn in “Scary Red Things.”
Victoria Randall has a consistency of writing that makes every story comfortable to read, despite the vast differences in setting and theme. It was exciting to step from story to story within this collection, entering new worlds, but with a narrator by your side whom you felt wouldn’t let you down. Each of the tales is well written and highly accomplished, getting straight to the action of the matter without unnecessary background or over-description. My particular favourite of the collection was the meta-writing crisis of “The Villain,” where office worker Raymond finds a voice within his head, narrating him as a vicious murderer of all his co-workers. As a writer myself, I found this concept darkly hilarious, and very well constructed through some clever formatting. Shadowcat: Tales from the Edge of Sleep is a succinct and unmissable collection of excellent stories with original concepts and great writing.
