The Reading Bud

Book Blog by Heena Rathore-Pardeshi

Book Review: Maybe The Dream Knows What Is Real by Steve Grogan

Author: Steve Grogan
Release Date: 24th June 2018
Genre: Horror, short story, dark
Series: 
Edition: E-book
Pages: 61
Publisher: Self-Published
Blurb:
He was lost, directionless, unable to find his identity.
He thought he found it in her, which was good because he was teetering on the edge of madness.
She had no way of knowing her actions would push him over the edge.

This is a story about the dangers of depending on others to give you a sense of self-worth, taken to the extreme. It is a graphic, dark story not meant for the faint of heart. The graphic content makes up only 15% of the prose, but it is some of the most harrowing writing ever committed to page.

Steve Grogan has published several collections of poetry and short stories. This is his first story of extended length to be published.

REVIEW

★★+1/2

Maybe The Dream Knows What Is Real by Steve Grogan is a unique little book which is sure to make you squirm in your seat no matter how big your appetite for dark violence is. This book is a quick read which will make you feel unsettle and uncomfortable with a story and a character as unique as the book’s name.

I liked the book, even though I felt a bit queasy while reading it, but I would have enjoyed it more had the main character been developed a tad more. The story was okay but the characterization compromised the plot because it was a character-driven story which needed a very strong lead. Still, I won’t write it off only based on characterization because it was a short story and not a full-length novel.

If you have a stomach for violence and if you are okay being uncomfortable then go ahead and give this book a read.

You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon

I love reading your comments, so please go ahead…

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

I’m Heena

Welcome to The Reading Bud, my cosy corner of the internet dedicated to all things books and authors. Here, I invite you to join me on a journey of discovering under-represented books, independent and small press authors, and all things book with a touch of love and loud purrs. Let’s get Reading!

Book of the Month

Read this captivating story on the adventures and hardships of Frank Knightlite, a man who strives to illuminate darkness with his lantern in search of answers to life’s questions.
You can get it here.
September 2019
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30  

Reading is like breathing to me.

Recent Posts

  • Book Review: Whisper: Book One by Alison Bellringer

    Book Details: Author: Alison BellringerRelease Date: 26 April 2024Series: Genre: Middle Grade FictionFormat: E-book Pages: 75 pagesPublisher: Austin Macauley PublishersBlurb:Britney is a young, extremely malnourished child, who comes from a poor family with an abusive father. Her mother…

  • Book Review: AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hours by S.A. Sterling

    Book Details: Author: S.A. Sterling Release Date: 26 October 2025Series: Genre: MemoirFormat: E-book Pages: 70 pagesPublisher: –Blurb:2:47 a.m. Again.For two years, she woke in the quiet hours—when the house slept, when the world felt suspended between night and…

  • Author Interview: Alison Bellringer

    Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome Alison Bellringer, author of Whisper: Book One, for an author interview with The Reading Bud. About The Author Alison Bellringer Alison has been writing short stories to share with…

  • Book Review: The Emotion Collector: Awakening by Richard French

    Book Details: Author: Richard FrenchRelease Date: 17 November 2025Series: Convergence SeriesGenre: Dystopian, Speculative Fiction, Cyberpunk, Metaphysical Sci-FiFormat: E-book Pages: 393 pagesPublisher: Indie Pen PressBlurb:In a world where emotions are harvested as hazardous waste, an elite Collector absorbs a…

  • Author Interview: S.A. Sterling

    Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome S.A. Sterling, author of AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hours, for an author interview with The Reading Bud. About The Author S.A. Sterling S.A. Sterling writes about real life:…