Sun, 06 Sep 2026 13:51:40 -0400WeeblySat, 22 Oct 2016 17:17:01 GMThttps://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauthor.com/short-story-reviews/revenge-betrayal-deception-oh-my October 15, 2016
By SamanthaR
This review is from: CROOKED TALES: Deception & Revenge in 15 Short Stories (Short Story Tales Book 2) (Kindle Edition)
As a fan of anthologies and short stories, I praise this collection for the variety of genres, writing styles, and voices. With 15 different authors, readers get a big choice - from surreal to creepy to funny. While not every story appealed to me, I enjoyed most, especially those that left me with a visceral sense of satisfaction or the promise of redemption.
I recommend "Red Queen Check" by Elizabeth Horton - Newton - a low-life manipulator gets what's coming to him; "Mark of the Hyena" by Mark Fine - a clever mix of culture-clash, a true tribe of Africa, and karma catching up with the bad guy; "Confessions" by Julie M. Brown - a priest's abuse destroys many souls. (I was provided the book in exchange for an honest review)]]>Fri, 23 Sep 2016 19:14:49 GMThttps://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauthor.com/short-story-reviews/virtues-of-the-short-story-told-by-an-artful-authormark-fineMark Fine- Ruminations
I’ve become extremely fond of the short story as a medium. Life is too busy, yet I enjoy a good read, so an enticing short story is a most satisfying treat. Being a fan of author, Elizabeth Horton-Newton—her two novels“The View from the Sixth Floor” and “Riddle” having provided hours of pleasure—I confidently chose her ‘Red Queen Check’ from the short story anthology, Crooked Tales. Glad I did.
The sheer glee in the author’s writing radiated from every paragraph. This doesn’t mean this is a cheerful, trivial read; in fact it is at times gritty. However, there is little doubt she wished for the reader to enjoy the delicious comeuppance she had in-store for the miserable sociopath (or, maybe psychopath) at the stories core. But, it is the recipe of the revenge fashioned that is most satisfying.
From the opening line, Horton-Newton teases the reader with sensual heat as she introduces the femme fatale. By the third paragraph we are repulsed by him, a contemptuous and possessive blowhard with deadly desires.  And so, in the best tradition of a fine short story the stage is set for a diabolical plot driven by an avenging heart.
Yet, despite the obvious pleasure in her writing there is little doubt that the author had earnest intent. Elizabeth Horton-Newton’s message is clear:  there is little use in society for those that abuse—no matter their power or position.
I applaud the writer’s craft exhibited by Horton-Newton; her ability to score such rich characters within such a satisfying story arc—and all this, with only 4,000 words used! No wonder I now find short stories so appealing…and hope for more from the artful Elizabeth Horton-Newton.]]>Fri, 23 Sep 2016 19:12:36 GMThttps://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauthor.com/short-story-reviews/red-queen-check-by-elizabeth-horton-newtonWow, where to begin with this story? It starts off with an erotic flair as socialite Mark and his girlfriend Vayda are at a party, yet it is clear they’d rather be elsewhere. Soon, back at his place, the story takes a twist I didn’t see coming. You see, Mark is a pervert, a dangerous and scary one. What happens next is a plot that was years in the making and just as devious as you’d expect to see. The author, Ms. Horton-Newton, does such a wonderful job creating a cold and calculating word in such a short amount of time. At the end of the short story, you’re feeling as if you’ve been on a rollercoaster ride that took hours to complete. Each character, either through flashback or the main characters themselves, was expertly designed for the purpose given. Each, in just a limited space, comes to life the way great characters are supposed to. This is the final tale in the short story anthology “Crooked Tales,” and man does it end the book properly. I am so impressed with the writing style and the fluid way the words move the reader through the story, that I can only say one thing to Ms. Horton-Newton: bravo! You have won yourself a brand new fan/reader. –Jeremy Croston]]>Wed, 21 Sep 2016 18:35:45 GMThttps://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauthor.com/short-story-reviews/high-quality-short-stories5.0 out of 5 stars 
ByJason Greensides on September 20, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
This is a strong collection of short stories. As is usually the case with collections such as this, I connected with some of the stories more than others, but the quality of writing throughout remains high.

I particularly enjoyed the humour and surreal madness of 'Squatter'; the originality of 'Nothing but the Truth'; 'Keep it in the Family' had me instantly hooked; while 'Red Queen Check' is so erotically-charged through its narrative of revenge I'm compelled to check out more of Elizabeth Horton-Newton's other works. Enjoyable but slightly longer works are 'Beneath' and 'Terrestrial Traitor'. 'Mark of the Hyena' is from this writer's perspective written in the most enviable prose style. One of my favourites, however, is 'Confessions', an excellent psychological tale about a young man's quest for redemption and hope.

All of this is subjective, of course, but I have no reservations in recommending the collection, as there is a good variety of characters, themes and situations to keep you entertained, and the standard of writing remains strong throughout.

I was given the book for an honest review]]>Wed, 03 Aug 2016 21:01:50 GMThttps://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauthor.com/short-story-reviews/twisted-tales-reviewed-collection-of-short-storiesTwisted Tales reviewed - collection of short stories
*Being one of the contributing authors, I have decided to review all stories but mine.*

Story 2 - Old Habits by Elizabeth Horton-Newton
​
Scary beyond words! So well-written you could buy the book on its own value, not to mention the treasures of other stories. The psychology, the seemingly calm tone in narration, the rhythm in the organisation of events, the linking between past and present events, the horrifying villain and his own justification of everything he does... brutally well-created and shocking! And then the ending - painfully morbid and true! Makes you wonder what depths authors dig into to unleash their stories, all puns intended (avoiding spoilers for future readers;). If you are interested in crime, serial killers, horror - this will be your favourite dessert tray! This one is not for the faint-hearted, I can tell you. Elizabeth Horton-Newton truly throws down the gauntlet with Gaunt for every reader. But she duly delivers a tale of a creepy, fearful man next door, and her tale may give you nightmares!

High praise from the gifted Anita Kovacevic! Thanks so much!
]]>Sun, 24 Jul 2016 20:29:32 GMThttps://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauthor.com/short-story-reviews/utterly-unique-and-enjoyable5.0 out of 5 stars By Ulla H on July 23, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
I just finished reading Twisted Tales – 15 Literary Lies & Epic Yarns. I’m impressed. To create engaging characters, a spellbinding plot, and then hit the reader with a surprise ending—all of it in 50 pages or less—shows the amazing talent each one of these authors has.

There is something for every reader in this short story collection. I laughed and cried and bit my nails. Here we have it all: a fun pick-up story; a moving-me-to-tears abuse story; a chilling Stephen King-ish horror story; a spooky losing your dog story; a Sci-Fi story; a humorous story about escaping East Berlin, then learning to cope with life in California; a sad story of lost identity; an amusing story of a house plagued by meteorites; a surprise seduction/revenge story; a kid with special powers; an amusing take on astrology; bad decisions can be deadly; a draft dodger story; a clever story about linguistics; a conversation with a Muslim in hijab.]]>Sat, 18 Jun 2016 02:10:06 GMThttps://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauthor.com/short-story-reviews/june-17th-2016TWISTED TALES: 15 Literary Lies & Epic Yarns 
by Mark Fine (Goodreads Author), Geoff Nelder (Goodreads Author), Jean Gill(Goodreads Author), Charlie Flowers (Goodreads Author), Hannah Haq,Elizabeth Horton-Newton (Goodreads Author), Anita Kovacevic (Goodreads Author), Julie Mayerson Brown (Goodreads Author) , more… 

Eric Gates's review 
Jun 14, 2016
it was amazing
Read in June, 2016
This superb collection of short stories, all with enjoyable twists in their respective tales, has something for everyone. The stories range from the mundane, with a dash of spooky, through the darkly humorous to a new insight on a familiar wrinkle for me.
The three tales that stood out, at least for me, were Mark Fine’s ‘Karmic Odds’ where the twist was the ‘wrinkle’ I mentioned above (no spoilers), Geoff Nelder’s ‘Prime Meridian’, which completely fooled me until the very end, and Elizabeth Horton-Newton’s ‘Old Habits’, almost a backwoods tale from Terror master Stephen King.
I highly recommend this book, not just for the selection of tales it holds, but as an introduction to several authors you may not be familiar with. A wonderful read. ]]>Sun, 20 Mar 2016 18:38:43 GMThttps://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauthor.com/short-story-reviews/twisted-tales​ Twisted Tales, March 19, 2016
By 
Bookworm
This review is from: TWISTED TALES: 15 Literary Lies & Epic Yarns (Kindle Edition)
I downloaded this anthology on the strength of being familiar with the work of only one of the contributing authors. I’ve read and enjoyed a number of Jean Gill’s work so had no qualms about taking the opportunity to sample the contributions of her fellow authors. I wasn’t disappointed.
This is an accomplished, eclectic mix in genre, style and length of stories, perfect to dip into when time is limited or to read in its entirety if you can’t resist. I intended reading one story per day over coffee but found once I’d begun I was drawn onto the next and the next...
I’m impressed at the variety of the work on offer and the quality of the writing. From the first, ‘will he, won’t he?’ morality tale, to the last story of opposites with shared misconceptions, and all those in between, each one was captivating in its own way. Too many to mention individually but one in particular ‘Old Habits’ an unnerving psychological/horror story by Elizabeth Horton Newton was one of my favourites. The main character Gaunt was so well drawn he stayed with me long after I’d finished the story. So much so, that I’ve just downloaded one of her full length novels.
I’m glad to have been introduced to the work of so many different authors through this anthology and would recommend it whole heartedly.]]>Mon, 08 Feb 2016 08:46:10 GMThttps://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauthor.com/short-story-reviews/february-08th-20165.0 out of 5 stars
By Sunshine Somerville on January 22, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
If there was a competition between Awethology Light and Awethology Dark, I’d definitely have to cast my vote for Dark. Almost every single story in this collection was incredibly well done, interesting, unique, and held my attention. The material itself is definitely PG-13 because of language, violence, adult situations, and horror elements. A few were heartfelt stories that were quite sad. But, man, were some of these funny too. And I was delighted to find beautiful writing in even the most horror-filled stories — who’d have thought?

My favorites here would have to be “Pennies from Heaven” and “The Lost Sheperd – A Short Reacher Story” (which made me want to read more of this author’s world immediately) and “April Showers” and so many more, but I’m forcing myself to stop at naming three… Okay, and “Winter Palace” and “Down by the River.”

There were a few that I wasn’t super crazy about, but I DID finish reading them, so they held my attention at least that much. Honestly, I was very impressed by the writing of almost every single story. The formatting between stories is a bit wonky at times (same for Awethology Light), but not enough to cause confusion.

Overall, I cannot recommend this collection enough if you’re looking to branch out and find new authors to read.]]>Mon, 08 Feb 2016 08:41:03 GMThttps://www.elizabethhorton-newtonauthor.com/short-story-reviews/bah-humbug-from-the-december-awethology-dark-volume4.0 out of 5 stars
By Ryan Guy on December 14, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
If you unwittingly find yourself watching 70s era stop motion Christmas movies and need something to offset the overdose of saccharine, this collection of stories is for you. The tales vary in their degree of creepy, disturbing, and macabre and, as they are not organized in increasingly dark order, I was taken by surprise a few times with some stories' twisted twists. In particular I enjoyed these stories: Christmas Assassin, The Lamb's Gift, Crimson Kisses on a Cold Winter's Night, A Christmas Treat: Spicy and Sweet, and The Cake and the Kumiho.]]>