Tag: review (Page 23 of 27)

Canine and Feline Behavior for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses by Julie Shaw and Debbie Martin

February 24, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Thanks to Wiley-Blackwell for offering me this textbook in exchange for an honest review.

This comprehensive textbook contains nine chapters and three appendices, and is geared towards the veterinary technician, rather than the veterinarian. Oftentimes, it’s the technician that assesses the patient before the doctor enters the room and can be indispensable in offering guidance and advice to weary pet owners. The chapters read as follows:

The role of the veterinary technician in animal behavior
canine behavior and development
feline behavior and development
the human-animal bond
communication and connecting the animal behavior team
learning and behavior modification
problem prevention
specific behavior modification techniques and practical application for behavior disorders
introductory neurophysiology and psychopharmacology

As you can see, there is a chapter for everything, with the final one discussing medications as a last resort. The chapters can be read progressively or referred to here and there to educate a client on a particular issue. The focus here is to understand the patient and correct unpleasant habits in a way that the pet will accept, without cruelty or harsh discipline. The book advises that shock collars or physical punishment is not akin to learning, and so is not the best method to use.

Also extremely helpful is the chapter about communication and connecting the behavior team. Occasionally there will be that animal that will not resolve its behavior, no matter how hard the owner tries. If euthanasia is being considered, there will be many different ways the owner may react, and the book goes through the stages of grief and how to help the owner through this challenging time.

The book is accompanied by many color photos, graphs, tables, and diagrams illustrating the text and adding another level of understanding. Here is an example of a schematic that gives a great deal of information at a glance:

Flowcharts are typically easy to read, and this one also has notes at the bottom that correlate with the numbers in the red circles. Both beginning and experienced behavior techs will appreciate what this book has to offer–and their patients will too!

The appendices (found after chapter 9) are broken down into Forms and Questionnaires, Training Exercises, and Samples and Letters. There is also a companion website that offers handouts, review questions, and additional images.

There is a lot packed into this text, and technicians will be better able to assist the veterinarian after becoming familiar with the material covered. Even if the technician is not part of the full-time behavioral staff, they will be able to educate the client thoroughly and become more adept at handling patients. Wiley has created another indispensable book for the veterinary technician! You can pick up your copy here.

Gemini by Carol Cassella (plus INTERVIEW)

February 17, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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Many thanks to author Carol Cassella for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review. At the bottom of the page there will be a link to a Q&A I did with the author–enjoy!

An unidentified woman is hit by a car and abandoned along a rural highway in western Washington. She is life-flighted to a Seattle trauma center, where she’s admitted to the intensive care unit overseen by Dr. Charlotte Reese, who battles to keep her “Jane Doe” patient alive while a police investigation tries to discover who is responsible for this hit and run—a charge that could turn into murder if this gravely injured woman dies. Charlotte also senses a more covert battle brewing with the hospital’s legal department when they assign a professional guardian to stand in lieu of Jane’s unknown family and make critical decisions about her care. In frustration, Charlotte and her boyfriend Eric, a science journalist, begin their own efforts to find Jane’s family, veering across the professional boundary between physician and patient. As their lives become more entangled, the truths Charlotte learns will radically alter her own life more profoundly than they alter her patient’s.

This book made my heart ache with sorrow and joy so much, that I had to put it down at times to let my feelings ebb away, in order to absorb what was happening next. Cassella strikes a chord as she writes about young love, loss, and coming to terms that your life could be so much more, but isn’t. The separate plot of Raney and Bo, who meet as children and move in and out of each other’s lives, is told as flashbacks, interspersed with the present tale of the nurse Charlotte as she navigates her relationship with Eric while she is trying to find out the identity of Jane Doe. Eric has a health issue that prevents him from being able to commit fully to Charlotte, and she is becoming discouraged. As she learns more about Jane and who she is, she becomes forced to make decisions that will affect the rest of her life, while putting Eric at a crossroads he never wanted to reach. Cassella’s writing allowed me to empathize with Charlotte, and captured the stress and wariness of both partners as they face things that could tear them apart.

However, the story of Raney, a young artist from the poor side of Quentin, Washington, and Bo, who spends a few summers in Quentin with his aunt, is where the story really shines. They grow older and develop feelings for each other that never really fade away, no matter how many times life causes them to part. Each emotion is told with heartbreaking texture, first from Raney’s perspective, then from Bo’s. Life gets in their way, as Raney must care for her ailing grandfather while Bo, from a well to do family, attends college and travels the world.

Each of the four characters must make sacrifices and learn how to make the best out of every situation. Raney, by far, is the one that shines brightly throughout, as a girl who guards her heart and nurtures her feelings for Bo over the years. I was overcome with emotion time and time again, turning pages as quickly as I could to see what would happen to Raney next. I was affected by her story so much I still think about her to this day and feel as if I could cry. Not many fictional characters get under my skin, but Raney did.

Cassella is adroit at mixing medical situations with real life problems, and the story comes to a resolution that is plausible and bittersweet. If you can get to the last page and not be affected, perhaps you had better check to see if your heart still beats within you. These characters will stay with you for a long time. GEMINI is a must read. You can pick up your copy [easyazon_link asin=”1451627939″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link].

Click here to be taken to the page with the EXCLUSIVE interview I did with Carol!

The Shadow Queen by Sandra Gulland

February 10, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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From the author of the beloved Josephine B. Trilogy, comes a spellbinding novel inspired by the true story of a young woman who rises from poverty to become confidante to the most powerful, provocative and dangerous woman in the 17th century French court: the mistress of the charismatic Sun King.

1660, Paris

Claudette’s life is like an ever-revolving stage set. From an impoverished childhood wandering the French countryside with her family’s acting troupe, Claudette finally witnesses her mother’s astonishing rise to stardom in Parisian theaters. Working with playwrights Corneille, Molière and Racine, Claudette’s life is culturally rich, but like all in the theatrical world at the time, she’s socially scorned.

A series of chance encounters gradually pull Claudette into the alluring orbit of Athénaïs de Montespan, mistress to Louis XIV and reigning “Shadow Queen.” Needing someone to safeguard her secrets, Athénaïs offers to hire Claudette as her personal attendant.

Enticed by the promise of riches and respectability, Claudette leaves the world of the theater only to find that court is very much like a stage, with outward shows of loyalty masking more devious intentions. This parallel is not lost on Athénaïs, who fears political enemies are plotting her ruin as young courtesans angle to take the coveted spot in the king’s bed.

Indeed, Claudette’s “reputable” new position is marked by spying, illicit trysts and titanic power struggles. As Athénaïs, becomes ever more desperate to hold onto the King’s favor, innocent love charms move into the realm of deadly Black Magic, and Claudette is forced to consider a move that will put her own life—and the family she loves so dearly—at risk.

Set against the gilded opulence of a newly-constructed Versailles and the War of Theaters, THE SHADOW QUEEN is a seductive, gripping novel about the lure of wealth, the illusion of power, and the increasingly uneasy relationship between two strong-willed women whose actions could shape the future of France.

This book was on my “want to read” list, and I picked it up from my local library. As soon as I started reading, I was transported into France in the 1600’s–with all the sights, sounds, and smells of the period. Claudette was an easy heroine to like, and her desire to make her family’s life better will resonate with many readers.

One of the best things about THE SHADOW QUEEN is that the author Sandra Gulland didn’t bury the plot in a lot of politics. Rather, she spends her description on the trials and triumphs of stage actors, and later, the sumptuous trappings of Louis the XIV’s Court. Her characters come alive: Moliere, Corneille, and Athenais are alternately drawn to scale and then appear larger than life at times. Gulland keeps the story true to life, for the most part, as she takes historical fact and makes it sing. She brings the hopes and fears of Athenais to the forefront, and helps the reader to see who she was and who she turned into: a cunning and manipulative woman who fears the loss of her youth and vitality, and resorts to black magic to keep the affections of her beloved Sun King. It seemed hard to understand if that affection was true, or just opportunistic.

Claudette stayed true to herself throughout the book, continuing to care for her mother and brother even as her innocence is slowly pulled from her; and she made a stand against her beloved Athenais, which comes back to haunt her and threatens to ruin her life. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how it would end for Claudette.

I enjoyed this book a great deal, and intend to read other novels of Gulland’s. Her research is thorough and her writing is clean. Want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link asin=”0345805607″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link].

Starvation Heights by Gregg Olsen

February 3, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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In 1911 two wealthy but hypochondriacal sisters found a sanitorium that promoted a special “fasting” cure for whatever ails you. They were so eager to check in and become patients, but didn’t know that Dr Linda Hazzard would try to kill them, not by fasting, but by placing them on a starvation diet that would weaken and terrify them. This is their story, including the famous court case against Dr Hazzard.

Claire and Dora Williamson thought that the revolutionary “fasting” cure would help their vague maladies: female trouble, headaches, malaise. A plan was concocted to get in touch with Dr Hazzard and gain admittance to her sanitorium. The sisters told no one of their journey, and thus no one missed them, as they were always traveling here and there. The sisters were separated once the fast started in earnest, and could only hear each other. As they grew weaker, dizzy and exhausted, each one thought the other one was getting stronger. Finally Claire slipped away, her jewelry and money appropriated by Dr Hazzard and her husband Sam. Dora was told that she was becoming insane, and it was her sister Claire’s wishes that she stay on at the sanitorium until her death. Purely by accident the sister’s former nanny tracked Dora down, and spirited the emaciated woman away. Part Two of the story tells the story of how the British Vice Consul championed the Williamson’s plight and attempted to take legal action against Dr Hazzard and Starvation Heights.

This is a true story, told with chilling detail due to author Gregg Olsen‘s thorough research. Washington State provided archival materials to the author, such as Claire Williamson’s death certificate, the court ruling, interviews with former residents and photographs of the town of Olalla at the time of the incident. Dr Hazzard’s place was notorious amongst the residents, but they were an insular group and no one thought to say anything against the Hazzards. This was why so many people had died (at least 40) at Linda Hazzard’s hands.

Linda Burfield Hazzard was a strong willed woman, a feminist who railed against the Old School of male doctors. In fact, she was never given a real medical license, a fact that was made much of in court. She felt the medical establishment was against her, and only wanted to provide an alternative method for healing.

On the one hand, she did prove herself as a maverick, but on the other hand she took things too far and was greedy. Healing by starvation was not her intent–or was it? Olsen paints a picture of her as just a little off, controlling and single minded. I was not sympathetic to her character at all, and felt as if she set the female gender back many years with her antics. Being an advocate of natural healing does not mean starving someone against their will in the name of medicine.

Olsen’s writing is detailed and colorful, giving equal time to both good and bad guys. Back story on both Linda and Sam Hazzard is given, albeit towards the latter part of the book, but it does explain a lot about both of their psyches. The court proceedings do not consume too much, which I liked, but the parts about the Consul trying to enlist help from the British and neighboring cities became a bit dry.

All in all, this was a good read. Fans of true crime will enjoy this, and marvel at the facts that permitted such injustice to proceed unchecked for so long. Author Olsen is well versed in the true crime genre, and provides fact and sensation equally. Want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link asin=”1400097460″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link].

Swan Deception by Glede Browne Kabongo

January 27, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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Many thanks to the author for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review!

SWAN DECEPTION is a story about Shelby Cooper, a woman with a hidden past and an enemy. Her perfect life is disrupted when a stalker contacts her and eventually gets her thrown in jail for the alleged murder of her ex lover. The family is in turmoil, her husband Jason doesn’t know if he should believe her or not, her daughter Abbie is being stalked by the same person as well, and Cooper’s best friend is all too willing to offer comfort Jason. Jason and Abbie must work on things in their own way to try to figure out what is going on, what is the truth, and what is a lie.

This is a convoluted read with unreliable narrators, twists and turns, double and triple crosses, and a major surprise when you find out who the stalker really is. The psychological tension builds as the deceptions are peeled away, like the skin of an onion. I truly felt as if I were reading about a family torn apart; the dialogue is authentic and their pain is real. Like the titular swans who mate for life, Shelby and Jason Cooper must remember their love for each other and stay strong.

Occasionally dialogue was not attributed to a specific person during long conversations, and thus I had to go back to see who was speaking, which I found bothersome. Each chapter is told from a different person’s perspective as well, and you may have trouble switching from one mindset to another. There were also times when the story went back in time without adequate warning, and even though I appreciated the backstory, the narrative was a bit jarring until I realized that it was a flashback.

These quirks of the writing should not dissuade anyone from reading this, however. The plot is riveting and I was very curious to see how things would turn out. The stalker discusses how Cooper ruined her life, but never explains what it is until we find out at the end, so there are no clues to be gleaned from knowing the name of the mastermind. Her character is excellently written as an evil psychopath on a mission, and Shelby alternately had my sympathy and disgust as the story unfolded.

The author slowly doles out bits of information here and there, and eventually the larger picture is revealed. This held my interest throughout the book, and I liked that I was kept guessing, that I could not figure out where things were going right away. Thanks to the rich detail, I was able to understand how it must feel to have a parent behind bars, to be missing from the daily family life.

This was a good read. You can pick up your own copy [easyazon_link asin=”0692249729″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link].

The Great Zoo Of China by Matthew Reilly

January 20, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

What if you were invited to a special behind the scenes visit to a theme park greater than Disneyland? That’s exactly what happens in Matthew Reilly‘s latest novel, THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA. Veterinarian and crocodile expert CJ Cameron gets invited to get a preview of the new Zoo of China–where the main attraction is genuine, living dragons.

Of course, these creatures are perfectly safe to interact with, and the safety measures are foolproof. Nothing could possibly go wrong…..

This book started out at a normal pace, and then jumped into overdrive, where it stayed until the last page. When CJ and her traveling companions started getting attacked by the dragons, it was like a roller coaster ride that kept on twisting, and twisting, and turning you upside down until you couldn’t catch your breath. There were so many narrow escapes and close calls I wondered if my heartbeat was ever going to go back to normal.

The comparison to JURASSIC PARK may be inevitable (and the author addresses that in the Q&A session at the back of the book), but it’s not exactly the same. Where the dinosaurs were meant to merely be watched, Reilly’s dragons were intended to be interacted with, and were trained to act as sideshow creatures, much as the dolphins at SeaWorld are. I thought the rebellion of the dragons against their training was a good impetus for the uprising, plus the hubris of the Chinese to make the rest of the world prostrate themselves in awe at their zoo added to the chaos. I think ZOO has way more action than PARK, and the choice of CJ as the main character was brilliant. There are not enough strong, smart, resourceful female characters in action novels, and she continually kicks major ass all the way through, without losing her femininity.

Reilly’s description of the park’s construction and the Chinese mindset are dead on. I could picture each dragon swooping down, hell bent on destruction, striking terror into the characters’ souls. The seeming inevitability of CJ’s fate, either by dragon or firing squad, kept me enthralled. With so much action and death surrounding the characters, the addition of Lucky, and her burgeoning companionship with CJ added a light and heartwarming juxtaposition to the nonstop action. CJ”s brother Hamish provides comic relief also, and the relationship between them is written well enough that it seems truly real.

I completely enjoyed this book and would love to see CJ as a recurring character in another novel. I’ll also be on the lookout for more of Reilly’s books.

Want your own copy? Click here.

The Undertaker’s Daughter by Kate Mayfield

January 16, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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I received this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

Author Kate Mayfield tells us what it was like to grow up living above her family’s funeral home in Jubilee, Kentucky, in the 1970’s. The plot is simple but there are plenty of stories to fill the book. The author tells her story in first person, and the story spans years as she grows up and comes of age. In all honesty, I almost gave up about 25% of the way through: the first part of the book is slow going, almost Southern-treacle slow. Things happen, but there is not much interest generated, as dead bodies share the same amount of urgency as meals or talking to neighbors. The only reason I kept going with it was that I was stuck at work with nothing else to read, so I kept going in desperation.

I’m really glad I did. Somehow Mayfield gets out of first gear and her stories take on more energy. We come to realize that it’s not just about growing up above a funeral home and experiencing death on a daily basis–it’s about living with a sister with a terrible mental illness. It’s about learning that your father is human and fallible. It’s about discovering yourself at the same time that you find out how insidious discrimination can be, in a small town in the 70’s. It’s about secrets, large and small, and finally grasping that the one thing all dead people leave behind are secrets.

As the pages turn I followed Mayfield through the minefield of junior high, and her first crush. Her father’s actions are still nebulous until almost the very end of the book, when we finally find out why he befriended a dotty old woman that the town shuns, and where he really got that mysterious “war wound” . Mayfield stays true to herself, seemingly the only one with a strong head and firm sense of self, overshadowed as she is by a vague older brother, a psychotic older sister, and a mother who stays by her man no matter what wrongs are perpetrated (alcoholism, infidelity). I found Mayfield’s mother the most irritating character there, with her inflated sense of Southern gentility and lack of outward emotion. The author more than adequately describes the stifling atmosphere in her childhood home.

The ending is poignant, as she explains how things finally turn out after the death of her father and everyone goes their separate ways. I especially enjoyed how she explained her visit to her childhood home, formerly the funeral home, now renovated into an apartment building. I’ve always wanted to go back to my childhood home, and I think Mayfield nails the feeling:

Each time a door opened, I experienced something familiar, but it was like walking with a veil over my face.

The downstairs area, where the business of dying had taken place, was the most changed. One of the apartments downstairs was newly renovated and empty. I stepped onto the new carpet and admired the fresh paint job, then walked through a door into a closet or storage area, a small, narrow room with no windows. We couldn’t find the light switch and stood in almost complete darkness. In the silence a sudden shiver rippled up my spine, and then I knew. This was the embalming room. I was sure of it. I could scarcely breathe. As chilling as it was, it was the most peculiar and familiar feeling, the closest I had yet come to reexperiencing my childhood home.

The sound of the real estate agent’s keys brought me out of my trance and we left. I was shattered.

I recommend this book–move past the slower start and you will be rewarded. Want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link asin=”1476757283″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here.[/easyazon_link]

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty

January 13, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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Many thanks to the author, Caitlin Doughty, for gifting me this book in exchange for this honest review.

When I first learned this was published I knew I had to read it. As an almost-mortician (I was accepted into American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service many years ago but never went) I really wanted to hear what Ms Doughty was going to say. Her writing is wry and emotional, and it’s easy for the reader to understand her quest to find out why death means so much to her.

The story starts out as she finds a job at a crematorium, then goes off to mortuary school in hopes of learning all she can about the funeral industry. Her motives are such that she wants to oppose the general business/embalming aspect of funerals and death; she believes in a “green” disposal, which may mean anything from cremation to being buried in the earth in a biodegradable container. Doughty feels that our attitude towards death is that of an ostrich in the sand; we prefer not to acknowledge it or prepare for it. This, she feels, is wrong. If you are able to come to terms with your eventual passing you will not have any fear, and it’s a healthier way of living.

The author illustrates this way of thinking in each of her anecdotes. Beware–this book is not for the faint of heart, as there is a good deal of description of dead bodies, what happens when you get cremated, and some near death experiences of Doughty’s. However, that does not overshadow the main thrust of the story; we can feel Doughty’s mistrust and discomfort at the funeral industry, and are able to learn why she thinks that way.

An incident that happened at a shopping mall when the author was younger sets the background for so much discussion of mortality: she watched and heard a young girl fall to her death from the second floor of a mall, and that stayed with her for many years. She developed tics and habits, to “ward off” death coming for her, and then realized that she could come to terms with it, as we all should. She feels that Americans especially are in denial about death, whereas in other parts of the world people are more comfortable; she illustrates this by including snippets of information on death and funerary customs around the globe, which I found interesting and enlightening.

Thinking about the end of your own life may seem depressing to you, but it is important that you get your affairs in order and not be afraid. It’s a lot easier said than done, but Doughty pleads her case well. She exudes a feeling of caring and encouragement, and hammers the point home that this is the one thing that brings us all together, no matter what race, color. creed or species you are.

I enjoyed the mix of humor and pathos in her writing, and would love to see something else in this vein. Doughty can be found at the Order of the Good Death online, and also has her own YouTube channel, known as “Ask A Mortician”. She is exactly what the funeral industry needs: an honest voice that demonstrates caring and empathy. I’d be honored to let Ms. Doughty handle my end of life care–would you? Read this book and let me know what you think. You can pick up your own copy [easyazon_link asin=”0393240231″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here.[/easyazon_link]

Pain Management for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses by Mary Ellen Goldberg

January 11, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Many thanks as always to publisher Wiley-Blackwell for offering this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Managing pain in a species that cannot speak is often challenging. Veterinary technicians and nurses are on the front lines of patient care and can be the advocates to relieve suffering and speed healing. After studying Pain Management for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, the reader will become better schooled at seeing signs of pain, obvious or not; and be able to work with the veterinarian to administer medication and make their patient comfortable. The textbook is formatted logically; first you will read about the advancement of pan management in recent thinking, then learn about careers devoted solely to the relief of pain. how to recognize pain in companion animals, the physiology of pain, analgesics, blocking techniques, surgical pain management, analgesia for emergency and critical care patients, chronic pain management, analgesia for shelter medicine, equines, livestock, exotics, zoo and wildlife animals, nutrition considerations for painful dogs and cats, the role of the technician in physical rehab and alternative therapies, and finally, pain management in end-of-life care.

This topic is covered very thoroughly from every angle. There are many books out there that will cover companion animals only, but neglect zoos or wildlife. Some veterinary technicians will encounter wildlife at some point in their career, and it helps to have some knowledge to better perform as a patient advocate. I especially enjoyed the chapter on acupuncture and alternative medicine as this is slowly coming to the attention of veterinary personnel.

This book will hold the interest of both the experienced and new veterinary technician and will be referred to repeatedly as new skills are needed. The area of pain management is continually evolving, and this is the newest in its field, published in November 2014. Another first: this is the only book edited BY veterinary technicians FOR veterinary technicians. There are many color photos to aid learning, and there is also a companion website with review questions, charts, and protocols.

This book filled a niche that was sorely lacking in information. Pet owners and wildlife rehabilitators can rest easy knowing that there is a new source for educating the most important patient advocate–the veterinary technician. Kudos to Wiley for continuing to be the leader in education for techs and nurses. This book is a must add to the bookshelf of any veterinary practitioner who is serious about patient care.

You can pick up your own copy here.

Lightning Review! Joubin’s Head by Justin Key

January 9, 2015 / Michael Nail / 0 Comments

You can win a signed, limited-edition copy of Joubin’s Head through Hidden Clearing Books here!

In Joubin’s Head tries to pack a lot of story into a small space by suggesting rather than explaining critical details, and by using’s the character’s inner language rather than a narrator to advance the plot. The title character lies helplessly in a hospital bed as something progressively takes dominion over his mind. The true nature of the force that overcomes him is cleverly left up in the air. Is it an alien virus that spreads through the air and infects the mind? Perhaps it’s less sinister, and the entire story chronicles Joubin’s final hallucinations unto death.

The alien half of Joubin’s internal dialogue asks us to doubt what we mean when we say “I.” It makes him a spectator in his own mind, showing him his own memories and taking command of his body. If an alien force usurped access to all of your memories and knowledge, leaving you to be a mere spectator of your own life, are you sure that you would be able to tell? An alien virus designed to “live inside your life” could possibly live your life for you as you watched, without your guessing that you had lost control until the critical moment.

It must not be easy to open and close a narrative with a natural buildup and a satisfying ending in under 1500 words. Justin Key got that job done, though. I’m impressed enough to go check out some of his other work. Here’s a link to another short (but not as short) tale of his on Amazon: [easyazon_link asin=”B00OARG5UI” locale=”US” new_window=”yes” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Death’s Cafe: The Storm[/easyazon_link].