Today, I have the pleasure of sharing my thoughts on the collection of short stories and poems that is ‘Coffee Break Companion’ by S.L. Grigg.
First, let’s have a read of the blurb:
Grab that cup of coffee (or tea if you prefer), maybe add a splash of something stronger, settle down and enjoy your break with this gripping collection of flash fiction and poetry that will send shivers down your spine. With an added bonus of a longer story at the end that will fill your lunch break. What are you waiting for? Dive in! Everything from a discovery in an Ice Cavern, to a tornado. Mermaids, and Dragons. Mystery and Horror. This collection of flash fiction and poetry has something to capture anyone’s imagination, with a final chilling thriller that will leave you gasping for air.
Well! What a little gem of a book this is! They say life moves in mysterious ways and this was one of those moments.
When the ‘Coffee Break Companion’ landed in my inbox for review, I was in an unusual situation. A situation that is incredibly rare for me. I was suffering from a ‘Book Hangover’. I had just finished re-reading an old friend of many years and found that nothing else was appealing to me. I had run my fingers over the spines of the books reclining on my book cases but none were taking my fancy. I had thumbed my way forwards, and then backwards, through the megabytes snoozing on my Kindle, but none of them grabbed my interest either.
I was having a serious case of the ‘I Don’t Know What To Do’s’.
And that is why this book of short stories and poems was the perfect companion at this time because I was able to read without having to invest too much head space. The shortness of the stories made them perfect for the frame of mind I found myself in.
The stories themselves make for interesting reading. If you like your tales to be sweet, fluffy and light, then I suggest you move on from reading this review any further, for this book is not for you.
If, however, you like tales of darkness, tales so edgy you could cut yourself upon them and thought-provoking poetry, then stay right where you are and keep reading for this is a book you will want to add to your collection.
I didn’t know what to expect when I first began Coffee Break Companion but it didn’t take long to realise that Grigg has a deep well of darkness within her and she releases this into her writing. Her stories appear to be a combination of actual short stories, flash fiction pieces and writing exercises. Often, one will turn the page expecting the story to continue only to find it has ended abruptly and unexpectedly. Now, this may sound extreme and why would anyone want to read a semi-story but the beauty of these pieces lie not in what is said but in what the writer leaves unsaid. Your mind runs around, trying to fill in the blanks, and you find yourself creating your own endings or, in some instances, several endings. You may not choose to do this but I often found it happening subconsciously. I’d be off doing something else and suddenly, from nowhere, the last story I’d read would just pop into my mind and I would begin wondering what could have happened next.
To provide an element of variety, the reader is also treated to a selection of poetry. Poetry that is deep and thought-provoking. Poetry that verges on being painful to read because you really feel that Grigg has bared her soul to you. She opens the door to her most inner feelings in such a way that you cannot help but be moved by her words. It doesn’t always make for comfortable reading but the whole point of every word within this companion is to make you think and make you feel.
Finally, as a reward for coping with the roller-coaster of emotions you have experienced, you come to the final tale. A tale that is longer than the others but no less harrowing. I finished this book a week ago yet that final story is still hanging around my shoulders, whispering in my ear and reminding me of its existence. It is a tale that I’m not ready to forget in a hurry.
In summing up the above, I can only say this – Coffee Break Companion is a cracking book. It makes you think, it makes you feel, and it makes you question. It can be dipped into at any time and most of the stories have a reading time of five to ten minutes which makes it perfect for tea and coffee breaks – as the name suggests – or for tiding you over the loss of your most recent, much loved, reading friend until you are ready to move to your next, big, reading adventure.
If you have a ‘Book Hangover’ then here is your cure!
So, that is the book, let me introduce the author:
Sharon Grigg, who writes under the pen name S.L Grigg, made it her new year’s resolution to publish her book ‘Coffee Break Companion’ during 2018. After bouncing back from mental health problems (BPD), following the death of her husband from a brain tumour in 2009, Sharon was struck down with kidney and other health problems, believed to be linked to having the Essure sterilisation device she had implanted back in 2008. In September 2017 she underwent major surgery to have a non-functioning hydronephrotic kidney removed at the same time as a full hysterectomy to remove the essure device.
Just two months after setting her goal Sharon launched the collection of dark, short stories and poetry on Amazon. Many of the stories were written during Sharon’s battle with mental health.
41-year-old mother of two, Sharon says “For me publishing was never about, money or fame. I just wanted to be able to hold a copy of my book and say, ‘I wrote this’ and now I can.”
Coffee Break Companion is available to buy on Amazon and is currently available at a special half-birthday price of £0.99.
If you would like to contact S.L. Grigg or follow her, she can be found on:
Facebook: S.L Grigg
Twitter: @SLGrigg
I would like to thank S.L. Grigg for sending me a copy of her book for review purposes and I can confirm my thoughts are entirely my own.