*The BookFest, Spring 2025 - First Place: Supernatural Creatures and Beings
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It isn't easy being the Grim Reaper.
For millennia, Death watched over the fleeting lives of mortals, claiming their souls as is her duty. Each year, the story was the same. Humans wasted the gifts they were given, allowing the precious sands of time to slip through their grasp. But, who did they blame? Not themselves, of course, but the horseman who came to collect her due.
Such an existence grew tiresome for the creature. Bored of humanity’s antics, the reaper opened a quiet apothecary and began peddling her curious wares. Her little shop became an escape from their ire, a distraction to pass the decades.
Over time, the mortals let down their guards, but the horseman never did. Now and then, she changed the rules of the game, reminding humans of one very important thing…
Death is inevitable. There is no escape. For in the end, there is no way out of the graves they’ve dug for themselves. When the tides turn, no plea or bargain will change their fates.
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This compilation of short stories contains five previously published tales in the Apothecary of Curiosities series, as well as an exclusive bonus story not available anywhere else:
- "Death's Nell"
- "Kiss of Death"
- "Deadly Delicacies"
- "Everything Dies"
- "Death Waits For No One" (Exclusive To Volume One)
- "Death Warmed Over"
Apothecary of Curiosities: Volume One
Paperback Edition:
- 5.5 x 8.5 inches, 204 pages
- Comes with matching bookmark and matching sticker
eBook Edition:
- Digital Download (Link Sent After Purchase)
Reviews
Through Samantha Moran's previously released short stories, we've seen the Grim Reaper dole out punishment to many unsavory and deserving creatures. While she is more than adept at creating tales of sheer horror and suspense, I truly love when Samantha gives birth to characters who slowly but surely display their human side.
This becomes more evident in the unreleased portion of Apothecary. Samantha succeeds in demonstrating to the reader that no one - not even an immortal - is flawless.
A beautifully haunting and thought-provoking take on Death’s perspective. The reaper’s weariness with humanity and her quiet rebellion through an apothecary add depth to her character, making her both fearsome and intriguing. The prose is poetic and chilling, reminding readers that no matter how we try to escape, Death always has the final say. A captivating and eerie reflection on mortality.