BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology

Reading anthologies is one of the best ways to find out what to read next and which writing style fascinates you the most. Bestseller Bound anthology #1, edited by Darcia Helle, is a collection of 10 short stories written by several indie authors. In this volume, you can read stories in various genres, from romantic tales to supernatural and horror stories.
In ‘Wish Upon a Star’, Lainey Bancroft touchingly paints a picture of a singer’s breakdown. Darcia Helle creates a chilling thriller in ‘You can call me Ari’. ‘Tears for Hesh’ is an entertaining fantasy about dark magic and an abusive wizard. Sharon E. Cathcart and Maria Savva definitely know how to write heartbreaking stories about love and loss in a few pages. ‘No Eyes but Mine Shall See’ is brilliantly narrated through a love letter and ‘Flames’ is a very well written piece about love at first sight and how a lost earring becomes a symbol of love. In ‘Ice Cream Man’ Neil Schiller reveals a musician’s frustrations. Gareth Lewis in ‘Shadow Lantern’ inventively uses only dialogue to tell a story. ‘The First Texas Twister’ is a remarkable tale about Native Americans rituals and how agreement between opposite poles can lead to prosperity. ‘Minor Details’ is humorous while ‘Stained’ is realistic.
The whole collection is entertaining and you will find an enjoyable read among them according to your tastes and preferences. Bestseller Bound short story anthologies are in four volumes and free on Smashwords, make sure to grab your copies as long as they are available for free. I look forward to reading the next volumes and more works by these wonderful authors.
5 out of 5 stars
Azadeh Nafissi

A refreshing and concise anthology--I enjoy "variety" in both life and literature, and I enjoy anthologies such as this one because of the diversity offered.

This introduces the reader to different genres and narratives styles, something which I greatly appreciate. Commercial mainstream fiction tends to be more homogenous than original/innovative, which is why anthologies such as this are great to introduce new readers to a range of independent writers/authors. In the independent scene, a writer can maintain creative control over their work (without altering it so that it suits a certain "commercial category" better).

In this anthology, you'll get suspense; an introspective/engaging story involving a lost love and a lost earring; a story told entirely in dialogue; an insightful story reminiscent of the film "Country Strong"; a fantasy story about wizards and spells; and more. All for the price of FREE too--so set aside some time, download a copy, and see what gems you discover for yourself ;)

Ten shorts from different genres and all for free? Well done. This book is like a tasting platter at a lovely restaurant; not everything was quite to my tastes, but I'm glad that I gave it a try.

What an impressive anthology of stories. This collection contains short stories from a variety of genres and you're sure to discover talented new authors for your to-read list. I read it in a weekend and was always disappointed to finish a story, thinking the next one couldn't possibly reel me in as much as the previous one, but I was wrong. The Bestseller Bound collection had me hooked from page one until the end.

One of my short stories is featured in this collection, 'Flames'. My review does not include that story.

This is a diverse collection of stories, there's something for everyone in this anthology.

'Wish Upon A Star' by Lainey Bancroft
An insightful tale about a gifted singer who falls prey to the ravages of fame. Lainey is an author who understands the human psyche well.

'Tears For Hesh' by J. Michael Radcliffe
An entertaining fantasy tale, containing wizards, magic, curses, and spells. Hesh is a likeable character and I felt compassion for him. Well written with a tragic twist.

'You Can Call Me Ari' by Darcia Helle
A chilling, suspense story to keep you on the edge of your seat. By far the most vivid story in the collection. The descriptive quality of the writing pulls the reader in. Fans of Darcia's writing can be assured that even though this is just a short story it is just as scary as her novels!

'Minor Details' by Jaleta Clegg
A humourous tale about two teenage girls, one of whom can't spell. This leads to an unfortunate turn of events (or, fortunate, depending on how you look at it!) A fun read.

'Ice Cream Man' by Neil Schiller
Having read and enjoyed Neil's collection of short stories 'Oblivious', I was not disappointed by this story. It contains the same moody feel as much of his writing. It is in essence a poignant story of disappointment.

'No Eyes But Mine Shall See' by Sharon E. Cathcart
Sharon Cathcart sets the scene well in this heartbreaking story of a love denied. I liked the descriptive quality of the writing. Much of the story is written in the form of a letter that will never be read, making it all the more heartrending.

'The First Texas Twister' by Magnolia Belle
A fun and entertaining tale about how the Wild West collided with Native American culture to create the first tornado.

'Shadow Lantern' by Gareth Lewis
An interesting concept. A short story told entirely through dialogue with no narrative. At first, I didn't think it would work, and must admit to being a bit confused as to which character was speaking at times. By the end, however, I found myself entertained by this fantasy tale.

'Stained' by Amy Saunders
I hadn't read any of Amy's work before this short story, but now I will be seeking out more of her writing. I was very impressed by the way the author deals with the main character's emotions after a traumatic event. The tale is enthralling and the ending is moving. All believable characters.

All in all, this is a great collection and a wonderful way to introduce readers to some very talented independent authors.

There is a staggering talent to be found, among the members of BestsellerBound.com.
This collection is only a glimpse - excellent stories from so many points of view. Within these ten short stories are wishes and longings, pain and suffering, humour and horror. It is a fun read, and hopefully an experience which will urge you to seek out more from the wealth of outstanding Indie authors at BsB.

As I have a story in this anthology, my review applies to the other nine tales.

The "Bestseller Bound Anthology" has something for everyone. Genres range among science fiction, modern romance, historical fiction, crime and Westerns ... with a few stops in between. There are no "duds" in this collection. My favorite story of the lot was "The First Texas Twister," which incorporates elements of Western and supernatural fiction.

Well-done across the board and definitely worth your time to read.