Bedtime~Anthony Avina | Review

Title: Bedtime

Author: Anthony Avina

Genre: Horror

Length: 62 pages

Publication: October 2014

My Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a free copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review.

Brief Synopsis

Nancy and Timothy Rice are a successful couple living in the Los Angeles California area with their beautiful daughter Felicity. When Felicity begins having extreme nightmares with seemingly no cause, Nancy begins to research the monster Felicity claims is living in her closet. Nancy will do anything to protect her child, even if it means facing a paranormal demon. This story explores the horrors of life when the monsters under the bed and in the closet are no longer just a fear, but a reality. 

Review 

I was very intrigued by the concept of this novella. I enjoy well written, thought provoking, horror stories on occasion and this one seemed to fit my criteria. I was immediately pulled into the story. I admire Avina for shortening this to such a short story, it could easily have been a full length novel. The length was perfect for a quick spooky read and the characters seemed nearly as developed as those in many full length novels. 

While the story was well developed with memorable characters, my main drawback was the writing. While very good overall, it just was not polished enough to be as enjoyable as I would have liked. There were no huge errors or anything, it just lacked the flow I was hoping for. And, as stated in previous posts, I do not understand the use of swearing in writing or speech. This novella had two uses of the f-word as well as a couple of other words throughout. I found this unnecessary to the story which was just as compelling without these additions.

Overall I found this novella very enjoyable and recommend it to anyone who enjoys horror. If you are looking for a fast, well developed, interesting horror read this is a great one to pick up. It only took me about half an hour to read, if that. Worth the time if you like the genre.

You can find more information about Anthony Avina on his YouTube channel here.

This has been your book loving friend,

Courtney