“ONE MORE DAY” – A Review

As one of the authors in J. Taylor Publishing’s new YA anthology, ONE MORE DAY, I had the pleasure of reading the ARC and I have to say, I am quite honored to be a part of this anthology.  There is a lot of talent to be found in this anthology set to release on December 2, 2013 in both e-book and paperback.  (yay! Paperback!!!)

My review of the anthology is below.  Why don’t you add it to your “TBR” list and find out what all the talk is about.  🙂

“Time Piece” by Anna Simpson

I thought when I first started reading this I would be lost and confused, but boy, was I wrong. This was a delightful, rhythmic, ‘groundhog day’ tale with a perfect ending. Truly delightful and a great start to the anthology.

“Dark Rose” by Marissa Halvorson

Ever wonder what would happen if two universes collided? Ms. Halvorson provides an answer in this out of the ordinary tale where time weaves and distorts. I thought the story needed more explanation as I felt confused in places, yet at the same time, that fuzzy, disjointed feel is what makes this story unique and gripping.

“Dragon Flight” by J. Keller Ford

This is my own story and I can’t comment other than saying I had a blast writing this. Thank you J. Taylor Publishing for believing in the story and including it in One More Day.

“The 13th Month” by L.S. Murphy 

Wow, this story is just too cool, and heartbreaking. What a fantastic read. There is a similar Harry Potter-ish prophecy going on but the outcome was not what I expected. My only complaint is that this story could have been longer as the finale seemed sort of rushed and not completely explained. I did, however, enjoy the ending and the MCs resolve. Great characterization of the MC.

“Sleepless Beauty” by Kimberly Kay

This was probably my favorite out of all the stories. I just really loved the whole retelling of this fairy tale story. The tale was fun, fast-paced and had me grinning a lot. Though the ending was predictable, I enjoyed it so much I read it twice.

“Stage Fright” by Erika Beebe

I really enjoyed the premise behind this story and I believe many of us can relate to the MCs fears and pressures of wanting to fit in in high school. Who hasn’t had to face the snobbish girl and more importantly, their own self doubt? This story blends past experiences with new ones and delves into how one event can change everything we believe about ourselves. Though difficult at times to follow, I love the way Ms. Beebe dives into the human psyche and gives our MC the option of being victim or victor. If you were ever in the drama club in school, you’ll like this story.

“A Morrow More” by Danielle E. Shipley

This is a fantastic fantasy story with great characters and world-building. I enjoyed the twist and turn, especially the dragon. I felt the ending was a bit abrupt, but this could be attributed to only have so many words to tell the tale. This, unfortunately, is one of the pitfalls of writing short stories. Though I would have loved to have seen this tale go on for a bit more, I was quite pleased with this piece and will definitely check out other works by this author.

 

 What if today never ends?

What if everything about life—everything anyone hoped to be, to do, to experience—never happens?

Whether sitting in a chair, driving down the road, in surgery, jumping off a cliff or flying … that’s where you’d be … forever.

Unless …

In One More Day, Erika Beebe, Marissa Halvorson, Kimberly Kay, J. Keller Ford, Danielle E. Shipley and Anna Simpson join L.S. Murphy to give us their twists, surprising us with answers to two big questions, all from the perspective of characters under the age of eighteen.

How do we restart time?

How do we make everything go back to normal?

The answers, in whatever the world—human, alien, medieval, fantasy or fairytale—could,maybe, happen today.

Right now.

What would you do if this happened … to you?