Sadly this book just was not for me. This sat on my kindle for quite some time - twice I have attempted to read and twice I did not finish.

I imagine this book may appeal to me in a few years time, when the memories of lockdown have faded and I am looking to reflect back on that time.

Thankyou for the opportunity but I will not be providing feedback on any commercial sites for this book.

A selection of short stories hot off the press during the first months of the Covid-19 lockdowns. Some of them are good, most of them are a bit hit and miss.

I love anthologies! They fill a gap in a reader's library, in between series volumes or when you are looking for a different voice or genre.

Most anthologies have a theme....this one, a pandemic and the reactions of the people affected...while giving authors the chance to "flex" their writing skills. The authors in this volume are well known in their respective genres, each has their own fan base, but the shared theme lets them "bleed" their talents into the minds and hearts of readers who would not normally read their titles.

As you read each story, you'll reflect on the actions of individuals and groups that are stressed by outside influences. We are seeing the same reactions in some groups during this period of uncertainty. The stories are excellent, the writing first rate. This is a memorable volume of stories to share with your reading friends and circles. It also makes a contribution to many worthy causes through the Book Industry Charitable Foundation.

This book feels necessary. For the reader who's quarantining at home, it's a necessary tool, not just for entertainment to be consumed to pass the time, but also for perspective on the situation that gave rise to a collection like this.
Further than that, it's necessary as a record of a moment in time, when social conditions gave rise to the possibility of a book like this.
By being first, or at least early, out of the gate with pandemic fiction, this is going to serve as a milestone in fiction, an indicator of "this is when our stories changed", going forward into whatever can be considered "normal" from now on.
Cultural import aside, this is also a vastly entertaining collection of stories. It's got a wide variety of themes and talents, with the end result being that just about everyone will find something that will strike home with them. Most importantly to the contemporary reader, it's not all negative, doom and zombies fiction (although that's there too...). There's hope and positivity and the possibility that things will get better, or at least that the good things can endure.
This is the right time for this very right book, which should definitely be on any informed person's must-read list.

A mysterious virus sweeps across the country, mutating rapidly as it jumps from person to person. Cities are locked down. The skies are clear as all planes are grounded. Some people panic, while some go to heroic lengths to save those they love—and others use the chaos as an opportunity to engage in purest evil.

Such a good read that is incredibly relatable to the time we are going through. So many real feelings that you feel it’s yourself going through the story. I like the method of short stories because then you get such a variance of happenings. In some you see the best humanity has to offer while some you unfortunately see how not all humanity is as great as we wish it could be.

Thank you Netglasey for the advance copy of the book!

**I received and voluntarily read an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

I didn't get to read it all before archived, but what I read was good.

A good anthology of stories about pandemic and what could happen. Even if not are all at the same level it's an interesting and engrossing read.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

“She thought about how all the books and movies had gotten it all wrong. The world didn’t end in riots and wars in an endless dystopian wasteland. It didn’t end with a whimper like that poet who liked cats had said, either. It ended in increments. It slowed and slowed like the heart of a wounded animal until it just stopped and began to rot.” -From “The Loyalty of Hungry Dogs” by S.A. Cosby

LOCKDOWN, which benefits The Book Industry Charitable Foundation, is a collection of short stories in various genres inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic. The range of the topics shows the magic of a writers’s imagination, and all but ensures that each reader will have their own favorites.

While I enjoyed every story, my favorites are as follows in the order they appear in the anthology.

“The Rescue” by Scott Adlerberg: A man breaks quarantine to rescue a beloved house plant. I heard Scott speak about his writing at Bouchercon, which led me to his wonderful novel GRAVEYARD LOVE. The protagonist in “The Rescue” won me over with his single-minded obsession, and the lengths he was willing to go to succeed in securing his beloved money tree.

“Your List” by Angel Luis Colón: A story about how you try to exert control over the uncontrollable. I really enjoyed Colón’s novel HELL CHOSE ME, and I’ve been wanting to read more of his work. The use of second person narration pulls the reader immediately into the story. In a pandemic, there seems so little within our control, so it’s easy to relate to the protagonist’s desire to control the uncontrollable.

“Personal Protection” by Terri Lynn Coop: This story looks at the risks of first responders and healthcare professionals. With several medical professionals in my family, this story reflects the fear I feel for them, particularly when personal protective equipment is in short supply. Coop is a new to me author, and I look forward to reading more of their work.

“A Kinder World Stands Before Us” by Nick Kolakowski: A chef takes a job in a resort town where the rich and famous have fled to weather out the pandemic. Kolakowski’s stories in Switchblade Issue seven and Switchblade Tech Noir are among my favorites in those issues. The joy the protagonist finds in cooking makes this one a tasty treat.

“The Loyalty of Hungry Dogs” by S.A. Cosby: This story, about a mother who has a showdown with a band of home invaders, has a wicked cool Mad Max vibe. I absolutely cannot wait for Cosby’s soon to be released novel BLACKTOP WASTELAND. The quote at the start of my review showcases the beauty in the author’s prose.

“Fish Food” by Jen Conley: A pregnant woman will do whatever it takes to protect her unborn child. Conley is a new to me author, and I look forward to reading more of their work. This story centers around family and community. I loved the strength and survival instinct of the protagonist.

“The Seagull & The Hog” by Johnny Shaw: A man goes on a quest to fulfill a base need. Shaw is a new to me author, and I look forward to reading more of their work. I found this story to be laugh out loud funny. The protagonist’s worldview and feelings about mundane things like Chicken of the Sea tuna was highly entertaining.

“Por Si Acaso” by Hector Acosta: An entrepreneurial venture goes awry. Acosta is a new to me author, and I look forward to reading more of their work. This story left me with a craving for all manner of fast food. The snappy dialogue and well developed characters made this one a home run.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Polis Books for providing an Advance Reader Copy.

Not a favorite because it deals with the pandemic in each story which is still going strong and making me crazy. If there was no real pandemic it would be quite enjoyable
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

This was a fun collection of stories about lockdown and the things that could happen. It was easier to identify with these stories than it may have been last year! It was an enjoyable anthology and I do like the short story format for several quick reads all in one book.

Lockdown is an interesting mix of stories dealing with different scenarios during a pandemic. Almost a little too true to life right now but, I could not put them down. As you read these stories which are dark and darker, you realize some of these scenarios are not as far fetched as they would have been even a year ago. All of the stories were good and kept me pulled in and compulsively reading until I was finished and left me wanting more!
Thank you NetGalley and Polis Books for an ARC of Lockdown.

At one time I would have read this collection of stories and thought them really far fetched and unlikely to happen. By the time I was reading this Anthology the world was in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic. I suppose it made me read these individual stories from a different point of view and think that they could probably/possibly happen. The different stories tell how groups of people cope with a virus and the danger of getting it.

In one particular story a man is going out to sea fishing to try and earn enough money to take his ill wife to hospital for treatment. The man is so desperate, that he is pushed into doing something he would never have even thought of without the virus spreading and his wife desperately needing treatment. It shows how far someone, in this particular story, this man who is devoted to his wife can be pushed without snapping and committing a crime.

In another story it tells of a group of people moving into a holiday home of the rich and famous. Taking the local chef/cooks to this mansion so they can cook and feed everyone. At first everything is fine with plenty of food and provisions. Then people begin to disappear, and the food becomes so scarce a group has to go out looking for more supplies. Meat seems to turn up just when it is most needed, but how long can it continue and where are the people going when they leave the mansion?

Other stories have people hoarding food and selling it on at extortionate prices to those that can afford it. In most of the stories the characters begin with plans, from meals to exercise, then slowly the meals rely on whatever the characters can buy, steal or forage for. The characters initially continue to get up, wash, dress attend to children and pets. Then slowly they get up out of bed much later, don’t bother getting dressed as they aren’t going anywhere, eat whatever they can get at whatever time of day they get it etc. It shows the characters decline as the “normal world” declines too.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing reading this book were that the Lockdown Anthology is a great collection of different characters and how they cope in their different versions of Lockdown.
To sum up, I have to admit that it was kind of surreal reading these types of stories during the current Covid-19 pandemic, though on the whole I did enjoy reading the anthology! I will certainly be checking out other titles by some of the authors I have discovered in this anthology.

This is an usual anthology in that it is not dedicated to one genre. In some ways, that makes the selection process trickier, but this is a solid collection of good quality (although fairly dark) stories overall including some from high profile authors.

Thanks very much for the early review copy!!

I must have lost my mind reading these types of stories with everything going on around here but they're so good! I couldn't stop reading and they're donating all of the money to struggling bookstore owners? Sold! Everyone needs to pick up this book now because it's a double winner. You get an amazing book jam packed with awesome stories and you know your money is being donated to a good cause. Happy reading!

Lockdown is a series of fictitious short stories centered around the theme of life during and after a pandemic. Most stories follow an individual character (some follow a set of characters) as they navigate the life after a pandemic strikes.

HYPES
- RELEVANCY: This series of short stories could not be more timely with the world currently living through a pandemic. While the stories themselves are not realistic, the thoughts and feelings of the characters are. There were times throughout this entire series where I strongly related to feelings that the characters were having, even if the plot itself was unrealistic and exaggerated.
- LENGTH OF STORIES: Each story was written in a manner that kept your attention the entire time without feeling that the author(s) were stringing you along with no purpose. If there was a particular story that you didn't connect with, it was easily to continue reading without feeling like you were drowning or needed to put the book done. This happened to me for only one of the stories.
- FORMATTING: Each story was written in a manner where it captured your attention almost instantaneously. As you continued reading, more context was provided, while the plot continued moving forward. Nearly every story ended on a revelation that you were not expecting. Imagine how you feel when reading a mystery/thriller and the murderer is revealed and you are shocked. Now imagine that on a much smaller level. It is obvious that there was great editing done in the series.
- TOPIC APPROACH: With so much anxiety and uncertainly caused by COVID-19, I enjoyed how the topic of a pandemic was written about. All of the stories are over-the-top in a humorous/satirical manner. There were subtle COVID-19 references sprinkled in, which I appreciated.
-DIVERSE RANGE OF AUTHORS: It was refreshing to see a diverse range of authors represented in this series. I was excited that one of the authors (Jen Conley) lives in my hometown!

GRIPES
- DARK HUMOR: I personally enjoyed the way the material of this series was presented, as described above. Most of the stories are written with elements of dark humor infused within them. If you are someone whose mental health has been affected significantly during COVID-19, this may not be my first recommendation for you. While the stories are unrealistic, the thoughts of the characters feel real and some characters' stories may elicit feelings that may not be best for your mental health.

Nice collection of stories told throughout lockdown and not sure why I feel compelled to read everything about this at the moment, but this is something I really enjoyed. Quick read and different perspectives but always interesting to find something relatable as I'm sure many will.

I was given a copy of this book for review.

This book is a collection of shrt stories based on the current events with Covid 19. Many of the stories are written in a dark and depressing theme. The stories relate on how poorly people are delaing with the virus and the results of a lockdown.