Short & quick, clever story
935269
This is not a very long book, so if you are looking for something clever and quick, it is a great choice.  I thought it was fun and enjoyed the writing style right up until the ending, which I thought was a little weak.

I liked the author's writing style, especially the way she told the tale from different character's perspectives. The book was written with a dry, but dark, wit that I really appreciated.
2589604
Great  Short Story! I really enjoyed reading this short story. When I read  this short story, I thought about my parents who are very funny too. I only wished that the stories were longer. Delightful story!
2365358
Good 5 star short story, good characters, read it in about 30 - 40 minutes, thoroughly enjoyed it
641973
This was a fun, quick read. I thought the characters were very believable and the island setting was appealing too.

My only real complaint...A bit "heavy" on minor details at times, somewhat repetitive in places, that's why I'm taking off one star. Didn't like the "twitching eyebrow" references in particular, that seemed a bit silly.

 Overall though, an enjoyable story that I read in one afternoon. I plan to check out more of this author's kindle books soon too, especially those that feature pets.

Geraldine Helen Hartman author and avid product/book reviewer.
1126680
"Bean Mother" is actually a short novella that is a sweet, clever, and creative fairy tale. The strength of this story isn't so much in the characters, of which there are only a few, but in the story itself. To describe this story would be to tell the tale, and that just won't do. It's best to just leave it at a strong recommendation to read this book. It's definitely worth your time.
781013
This short story prequel to D. D. Larsen's middle grade novel The Legend of Butterfield Farm hits all of the right buttons. It's a charming story about a character who we can relate to, a guy who seems to make all the wrong decisions. But why? Is he unlucky? Is he afraid of success? Could it be that his perception of the world shapes his fortune?
I won't give anything away here, but you can find out in this quick, entertaining read, full of subtle-and not so subtle humor, with a refreshing tone and themes that will leave you with a hopeful smile, especially if you have a bit of Wrong Way Wayne in you.
2679309
A great short read!  Left me in a quandy between needing to get to the end to see what happens vs. not wanting it to end because I was enjoying the unfolding of the story and characters, not to mention the style of writing.  For a story that only spans a few hours time in a person's life, I got to know so much about the two main characters and their unusual relationship.
The author has an interesting yet whimsical style, especially in a story about the end of a person's life.  Kind of like eavesdropping on a sidebar in a courtroom, where you hear a whisper of something that the author really didn't mean to say out loud... but that makes it for me!
Looking forward to his next work of macabre, with a twist!
3940678
I really enjoyed this story even though it was extremely short.  I recommend it if you want a little bit of delight in your day but don't want to take long to get it. I'll watch for a sequel.
290025
The premise of this one was quite good, with good use of twists and foreshadowing to drive the story along. It left me wanting more however, a guess a problem with any short story. I would recommend this as a quick read...
2725201
I enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading the rest of it. It is a quick read but draws you in just as quick. It gives you a small taste of what can be between the two.
1056902
(Note: Since I can't give it a half star, I rounded up to 4)

Clever concept, good movement. I don't know how long it took me to read, 30-45 minutes maybe? I read it over breakfast and snickered for most of the day.

The story clipped along nicely at a good pace without too much repetitive introspection, as I've noticed some authors fall prey to in first person narratives. The gnomes were very well animated. Honestly, I was expecting a rehash of the South Park Underpants Gnome episode, but this was definitely a pleasant deviation from that.

Comments for the author: I agree with whichever reviewer commented that he/she thought it would be a dynamite story if written in third person. I'm going to try not to give anything away, but I think an extra 500 words to develop the ending of the story would've been a worthy investment and in a perfect world, an extra 500 words to develop more with the girlfriend would've been good too.

-- Emma D, aka Anna Zimmerman
546431
This is a very short, quick read that would have been better had it been expanded to a full length novel, which would have allowed Lockington to fully develop her characters.  That said, I enjoyed meeting Sarah and her pup.  Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC- this is the perfect tale for a lazy afternoon.
467879
The concept of this short and easily readable book is clever:  an alien comes to Earth, disguises himself as a human and lives among us.  The author uses this conceit to express many observations about what is good and bad with society, and toward the end, to share a long list of rules to live by in order to be happy and have a positive impact on others.

There's also a pretty good plot involving sci-fi and human (or should I say 'human') drama, that nearly brought a tear to my eye.

Aside from the central concept, though, the story is fairly predictable.

But I nonetheless recommend it:  it's fun, quick, light summer reading.
2195013
I enjoyed this quick read. Sometimes it's fun to be able to finish a book /novella in one day. All the cases including the podcasts were intriguing. My only complaint would be I wanted more, meaning I wanted a novel's worth of this. Lisa, the main character, solved everything too easily and fast. I wanted more of the romance, too. Maybe I'm being greedy. I am looking forward to Laurie Fagen's next full size book so I can enjoy more of all the good stuff she tantalize us with in this novella.
301455
better than anticipated.....some clever things happen
1457499
I really enjoyed this short story that was set in Ireland. What started as a simple vacation turned into an interesting story with a twist that I didn't see coming!

My only complaint is that I wish the story has been longer. The story took up 35% of my Kindle and the rest was excerpts of other  books that the author has written.

It was a good short story that I would recommend!
2556966
Another clever short story by Mr. Mc Caffrey.  I could feel the main character's misery and desperation although it was presented in a humorous light.  It's a "must read" with a surprise ending.  Enjoy!