A reflective collection that shines most in its writing. The prose is vivid and thoughtful, capturing fleeting moments of human emotion with a contemplative, almost philosophical tone. Each story feels like a small window into different experiences, written with care and attention to language.
At times, a few pieces felt like they ended just as they were getting started. Some stories could have benefited from a little more room to develop their ideas and emotional weight. Even so, the writing remains the strongest element, making the collection engaging and memorable.
Thank you to John K. Danenbarger, NetGalley, and Mindbuck Media for the opportunity to read and review.

3.5 stars!

I did enjoy this book, I read it slowly over a period of time which I think is the best way to read a collection of short stories such as this. The writing is descriptive and immersive, making it easy to become absorbed in each story. The concept of presenting the book as a collection of short stories exploring raw human emotion and experience is such a cool and unique concept, offering a variety of perspectives and ideas to explore and ponder on (especially for a philosophy student such as myself!)

However, at times it felt as though some of the stories could have been developed further. While the brevity of the format works in some cases, a few of the stories might have benefited from being slightly longer, allowing the emotions and themes to be explored in greater depth. Expanding them a little more could have made the emotional impact even stronger. Overall, though, the creativity of the concept and the vivid writing make the book an engaging and memorable read.

Short stories aren't typically my go-to format, but I really enjoyed this collection. Waves of Light and Darkness pulled me into an almost existential headspace, making me reflect on life, death, the universe and what it means to be alive. This is a type of collection that relies on how you feel while reading, rather than what's just happening on the page.

If I had to categorize all of these stories together, I would say it's speculative fiction with a slightly chilling tone. At times it reminded me of an unsettling film, leaving me with goosebumps and a sense of unease. John's writing is immersive, in a sense where it makes you feel physically present, moving through these tense stories. Many of the pieces feel surreal and dreamlike, with a cinematic quality enhancing the atmosphere.

I especially appreciated the recurring themes throughout the collection, including life, death, anxiety, family, regret, confessions, youth, nostalgia and love. Every story offers something different, yet they are all connected through the emotional punch, It also leans heavily into character-driven storytelling often centering on internal struggles and introspective moments.

That said, as with most short story collections, some of the stories resonated with me more than others. With 23 stories, the collection occasionally felt too full, and I found myself not seeing the point in some, while wishing others where expanded. Additionally, some stories ended just as I was getting fully immersed, which made their conclusions feel slightly underdeveloped. In the stories I connected to less, it was partly either due to some of the characters feeling one-dimensional, or there was just too much in the story making it difficult to follow.

Overall though I really enjoyed this collection and appreciated the creativity of the author, It reads like an experience, almost as if you are drifting through space and time with the same uneasiness as the characters in the stories,

My favorite stories:

-What happens when you get to the end of things (loved the rich irony in this one)
-It means a Lot to me (this one really hit me emotionally)
-Autumn (slight twist with a a thriller 90s movie vibe)
-A Pusillanimous Human (great foreshadowing and a sense of dread)
-Death of Angst (POV of a cat!)
-Seduction (even if the narrator infuriated me)
-Known (loved how the future was explored here)
-Love, it isn't (this one really depressed me but I felt the pain through, even if I had mixed feelings about the characters)
-Fragments of Existence (another heavy but powerful one)