My Review of Junot Diaz' This Is How You Lose Her

Junot Diaz was a new name to me when I discovered his enticing collection of short stories, This Is How You Lose Her.  I immediately thought that the stories would have been heartbreaking based on the title, but don't think for a minute that failed relationships is all there is to this book.

This Is How You Lose Her was vastly entertaining, and I was really intrigued with Junot Diaz' colorful, poetic but confident prose.  The first story, The Sun, The Moon, The Stars, immediately drew me in, and Diaz doesn't disappoint in this collection.  One by one, the stories enthralled, sending me rolling on the floor laughing while feeling deeply empathic for the characters at the same time.

One More Review for Critically-Acclaimed Insanity By Increments

It was a great book to curl up with in front of the fireplace with and just get lost in! I’ve read several short story collections in the past and while I usually enjoy them as I like the shorter length and the tighter focus on a singular plot, I enjoyed this book as a whole, and thought each story was as good as (if not better than) the one before! It’s hard to pick a favorite from the collection, as each was good and unique in its own right, but it was probably “Return to Desolation”. Great writing and characterizations, and I will definitely be checking out works from Mr. Cabiling in the future. (4 stars) - Stacy, Indie Book Reviewers

More High Praise for Insanity By Increments!

This was a lovely read that I got through in the course of a few hours. I like reading short stories on occasion to switch it up from my normal routine, and because I feel that when done right they can affect you in a different way than a long book or novel can. Overall I found the writing quality to be superb, and I was truly impressed with the amount of amazing word choices Cabiling managed to utilize in such a short amount of space. I really enjoyed the writing and the atmosphere of each one, even though they are a bit on the darker side. I really liked the stories “The Illusion of Progress” and Frailty” because to me those spoke to me the most.  An interesting and eclectic collection, but all unified with strong, beautiful writing and a sense of deeper emotion. Highly recommend. (4 stars) - Steph Coleman

Another Five Star Review for Insanity By Increments!

I love reading short stories and these ones by Alaric Cabiling were some of the best I’ve read in a long time! I love the author’s easy and graceful use of powerful words to paint each situation and give deep imagery beyond compare. His writing is very descriptive and pulls you in. Some of the stories were sad, some dark and snarky or funny, and some just… were. Loaded with skillful literary prose. The editing was flawless. The stories were all very interesting, and different from one another, and I liked how they deliver a strong emotional punch and ask the deeper questions – forcing us to look at life through a different filter for a while.  It’s a fast read and has some darker themes, but a quality collection that will appeal to fans of lit fiction. (5 stars) - Jenna, Indie Book Reviewers

Samantha of Indie Book Reviewers Reviews Insanity By Increments

“Insanity by Increments” was great!  It is a collection of literary short stories, and the style is difficult to master, telling a compelling ‘story’ in not only a short amount of time and space, but doing so where the words create the artistic message and the actual narrative and prose is just as important and powerful than the actual point of the story itself. This is not easy to do, but it seems that Alaric Cabiling pulls is off with an elegant ease that makes you just want to keep reading more and more. Loved these stories, especially “Omens of Winter” and “Dulcinea”. But all were deep, moving, and atmospheric, and had their own theme. Even the ones I didn’t *really* love (or understand) were still exceptionally well-written. Would definitely read more from this author in the future! 
(4-5 stars) Samantha, Indie Book Reviewers

Another Glowing Review of Insanity By Increments

I generally reserve my more effusive praise for long, epic novels that I feel have completely consumed me and hijacked my brain and soul for a time, not usually shorter books that I read in an evening. But today I will be making an exception with “Insanity by Increments” by Alaric Cabiling, a short story collection that tells of different lives of people in state of change, and some with dark circumstances reflective of human nature. Yet even the darker stories are somehow beautiful, poetic and touching. I was surprised by the amount of emotion and investment the author manages to pull from the reader in just a few pages. Sign of a gifted writer there. Would love to read more. (5 stars) - Carla, Indie Book Reviewers

A Superb Review of Insanity By Increments

1      For me, author voice is almost everything, and it will make or break a book/story and my enjoyment of it. I need to hear originality and know that the author is not trying to sound or write like someone else, but is telling his story in a whole new way, whatever that story may be. I feel like I can smell a fake a mile away, and believe me I’ve read my fair share of books from authors who are ‘trying’ to emulate better, more accomplished authors. What impressed me the most here was that I thought that Alaric Cabiling’s writing style was authentic, genuine, and very well written, and imparted such moving, haunting tales in such a short amount of time….