Fake Somebodies, Real Nobodies by E.C. Hanson | Book Review

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Fake Somebodies, Real Nobodies by E.C. Hanson is a collection of deeply unsettling stories, each one more intense than the last!

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on Fake Somebodies, Real Nobodies by E.C. Hanson

From everyday people to the paranormal, this collection covers a wonderful array of topics!

Some tales were light horror, while others were super dark. More than a few tales made me gasp while reading at the turn of events that occurred! I loved not knowing what to expect next!

My favorites from this collection include:

• Backtrack
• Gulls
• Afternoon Snack
• The Swing Show
• Blood Silence
• AK-47@11

Here are my thoughts on each story –

Salem Village –

Starting the collection out with a flash fiction piece that will make you gasp! This story is about a girl having trouble with her family who come up with a devilish plan.

A Little Jaunt –

Greta just wants to successfully hook up with one of her classmates, but her parents have strict rules. When an assignment from school requires her to go outside, she thinks she’s won. But she has no idea what awaits her.

This story certainly takes an intense turn and the red flags at the start suddenly become very apparent. And that ending!

Fast Friends –

Discovering a creature in the woods, this poor innocent girl thinks it’s a good idea to bring the being home. But she’s about to learn why wild creatures, especially really big ones, should be left alone.

At first I thought this story was going to go in a certain direction, but instead, it went in a dark one! Phew!

Backtrack –

While out trick-or-treating, this babysitter notices someone following them. Trying to figure out who, the list of potential people is long as the boy she is watching has upset many in that one night alone. But will she figure out who it is, or will the night end very poorly?

This was so tense! This one game me some minor It Follows vibes!

Gulls –

When a boy throws a rock at a gull, he thinks it’s all fun and games, while his younger brother is mortified. But what’s worse is that these gulls won’t let this fly.

What a brutal tale! I’m already not a fan of birds, so this one got to me.

She Who Laughs Last –

When a pink liquid is seen at a school, the janitor is called to clean it up, but before he can, the liquid begins moving through the school destroying everything in its wake.

Readers that enjoyed Inside Out by Lor Gislason will love this one!

Afternoon Snack –

Ah! The quick trajectory of this flash fiction is intense!

Salem Sightseers –

After a virus wipes out the humans, a witch and a werewolf roaming Salem team up to try to find survivors. But not to help them.

This was so much fun! I need more from this setting. What a scary premise mixed with brilliant humor. I loved the scene at the movies!

Running Record –

Set to be observed by the principal of the school, this teacher is bordering panic-attack levels of anxiety. When she asks her student to begin the reading exercise, he ends up telling her a dark tale, sending her closer to that panic attack.

The darkness in this one is terrifying. This poor boy.

The Swing Show –

Determined to show his crush how he feels, this boy is defeated when he sees her holding hands with another book at the carnival. With angry thoughts spiraling, the boy is about to learn quite a lesson.

I am obsessed with carnival horror, and this short and brutal tale was definitely one for me. So unsettling!

Blood Silence –

When a couple with a baby realize one of them keeps accidentally leaving their front door unlocked, they discuss the importance of always keeping it locked. But when they each run the trash out, they leave it open for just a moment. They should have kept it locked.

This one is so terrifying. Haven’t we all left things unlocked for just a moment, thinking nothing will happen?

AK-47@11 –

Enraged over the lack of safety when his daughters school decides to star leaving doors open for airflow during the COVID-19 pandemic, this father wants to make a statement. But things unfold very differently than he anticipated.

This is real-world horror at its most terrifying. Such a simple, quiet tale that has a dark point.

My Favorite Passages from Fake Somebodies, Real Nobodies

But like anyone who counts their chickens before they hatch, Lumi discovered that finding her keys only presented a new problem. A mere two feet in front of her, there was a footprint. A massive one.
Not human.
— Fast Friends

“What do you want?”
The figure slowly raises its right hand and points directly at me.
— Backtrack

My Final Thoughts on Fake Somebodies, Real Nobodies

I’ve loved everything Erik has written so far. With each release, things get darker and more intense. This collection continued this trajectory!

Fake Somebodies, Real Nobodies is a collection that you can pick up and devour in just a couple of hours. But don’t let the length make you think this is an easy read. The topics here are dark and the pages are filled with terror!

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