Menagerie in the Dark: Stories by Chris Kauzlarich

Thank you @Chris.Kauzlarich @Phantom.Quill.Press @LoveBooksTours #Ad #LBTCrew #Bookstagram #FreeReview #FreeBookReview #ReadAlong For letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Menagerie in the Dark is a collection of short stories that are written exceedingly well. Each story is unique and different from each other. I love that there is a lot of descriptive writing in the book, and I can visualize it in my head, which makes the reading experience even better. The stories are dark and a bit creepy, but I loved that. Menagerie in the Dark is a brilliant read for these dark nights. There were stories I loved more than others, but they were all engaging and fascinating reads. 5 stars. Blurb Life often appears darkest just before the dawn of a new day. In Menagerie in the Dark, Chris Kauzlarich immerses us in a speculative journey that explores the darker aspects of the human condition before bringing us back to the surface with the light of a new day. Through fourteen stories, this menagerie of characters faces trials of sorrow, death, loneliness, regret, deception, murder, delight, wonderment, and bliss, revealing what will either strengthen them enough to survive or plunge them to their demise. A boy’s home burns down, forcing him to confront a terrifying new world. A man enters a door where he witnesses his wife’s death, leaving him devastated; yet, he cannot stop returning to the scene, convinced he can save her. A nurse’s patients continue to perish under her care, but she harbors a dark secret—an administered cocktail for nefarious purposes. These and other stories will stretch the limits of your emotions, from heartbreak to horror, leaving you yearning for more. Author bio Chris is the author of the short story collection, Menagerie in the Dark, and the suspense horror novella, LAZARUS. He is also a member of The Authors Guild, AWP, and the Chicago Writers Association. In addition to writing and reading extensively, he enjoys hiking, playing video games, binge-watching a good show with his husband and daughter, and simply being a dad. He graduated from Purdue University and lives between Chicago, IL, and Naples, FL, or on the open road in their RV.