A review by charm_city_sinner
Remnants by E.H. Regan

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I recently read Remnants, the debut short story collection by E.H Regan (@books_nooks_spooks), in its entirety in a single day.  With a slew of previous anthology appearances under her belt already, and more to come in the very near future, she's clearly staked out her position as an author to be watched. 

The best collections in my opinion are ones that speak with a clear and distinctive voice, but can still tackle different subgenres and tropes in a captivating way. Throw in a particularly adept ability to land a surprising twist at the end, and I'm sold. 

From the opening titular story all the way through to the soul crushing finale, Remnants takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster that will have you gagging, snickering, and crying at different points throughout. 

Reel Movies has been mentioned by a lot of reviewers already and for good reason with a lightning quick shot of splatter punk extreme horror, but the stories that resonated with me the most were Eye of the Beholder and The Day I Died. Both of those stories tackle social media in very different ways, one that made me laugh out loud, and the other gave me that painful, sick feeling in my stomach. You know that one right? When an author gets you to that place, it feels very real. 

I loved this collection so much and I can't wait to see what she does next. Getting to read it felt like a perfect early birthday present and a great way to say goodbye to 42 on Friday.