Cover: Countdown Cafe
by Kristi Helvig
I could not resist – had to get this book (epub format) after reading the blurb.
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (five stars)
Plot
(by Goodreads)
In this speculative fiction short story, a teenager grieving the death of her twin sister stumbles across an unusual coffee shop only to discover that its inhabitants aren’t quite who they seem. It is a contemporary tale with a twist, reminiscent of The Twilight Zone. This story is from the award-winning anthology, Tick Tock: 7 Tales of Time, which was named a Finalist for the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Award in the Anthology category.
| Genre(s): | > One-Hour Literature & Fiction Short Reads > Magical Realism > One-Hour Science Fiction & Fantasy Short Reads |
| Series: | n.a. |
| Length: | 43 pages |
| Release date: | 2017-07-15 |
Teaser
The opaque, frosted glass window is etched with a steaming cup of coffee next to a croissant. An intricately carved wooden sign hangs over the door saying Café au Lait in fancy cursive writing. Sophie would have loved this place. I don’t understand how I missed this shop before; however, judging by the sparsely populated parking lot, it must go unnoticed by many. It bothers me that I can’t see through the window.
My Opinion
This book introduces you to to a teenager who lost her twin nearly a year ago.
With “Countdown Café”, Kristi Helvig has created a tenderly narrated and thought-provoking story that kept me glued to my Kindle. Kristi Helvig gets you very close to the main character as the story proceeds; I felt with her right from the start. The story is about bereavement and how a teenager handles the loss of her twin sister. The story has a good flow; it certainly will not leave you unaffected as it is touching and has a fabulous paranormal touch.
This is a book for you if you like well-told unusual stories, psychology, and food for thought.
Highly recommended.
In brief:
| Cover | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (four stars) |
| Writing | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (five stars) |
| Plot | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (five stars) |
| Characters | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (five stars) |
| Mood | Suspenseful |
| Pace | Steady |
| POV | First person – past tense |
| Language |  (appropriate) |
| Violence | (none to speak of) |
| Sexual content | (none) |
About the author
Connect with the author:
Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading. Now I am asking you. 🙂
My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you? What did you think about “Countdown Café”? Or – if you did not yet read “Countdown Café” – are you now interested in reading it yourself?
I am looking forward to reading your comments. 🙂
