Earth and Skye

Her Furry Face by Leigh Kennedy

There is a warning at the beginning of this story that says it will make you uncomfortable. An acknowledgement that it’s not quite what it should be. And it’s a warning worth listening to. The only reason that I gave this a good star rating was because the writing was so brilliant and enjoyable that I really didn’t realise how disturbed I felt until I had turned the final pages of this story. Actually, it took about half an hour to sink in how uncomfortable this story made me. And then I just sat there in stunned silence…

Nigsu Ga Tesgu by Jeff Somers

I absolutely adored the creepiness and spine-tingling evilness of this story. This might be in a collection of Urban Fantasy Villains stories, but there was something extra creepy about a girl chewing her own tongue to kill her father. A whole other level of darkness that hasn’t so far been portrayed in this collection – most villains use the sacrifice and blood of others. This woman starts off sacrificing parts of herself willingly.

Cave Canem by Susan Sizemore

This was a fun, engaging and enjoyable paranormal romance. The involvement of demons, hellhounds, vampires and werewolves drew me in from the very beginning. As did the jump in timeline from the prologue to the main story. The only thing I didn’t love was the fact that the man had been involved with her many times great-grandmother. It felt a little creepy that he’d been intimate with a woman, and then falls for her descendant. There’s even a moment when he notices the similarities between the two of them…

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

It’s been a long time since I first picked up this book. So long, that at the time, only the first two books in this series were actually published. And I can’t believe that I hadn’t picked it up again… the fact that it was boxed away while I moved houses over a few years probably contributed quite strongly to the delay too. But, I digress… this is one of those amazing stories that you constantly remember and wish didn’t quite have to end. Whilst rushing towards the end, because you just have to find out how everything happens.

James and Other Apes by James Mollison

This was such a beautiful book. Graphically speaking. The photographs were stunning. The intensity of the gazes as they starred out of the pages, unforgettable. It is one of those books that I won’t forget, and I’m so glad that I’ve now added this to my shelf. It was irreplaceably beautiful and spine tinglingly aware.

Breath of Magic by Cheyenne McCray

This was a great partnering off, battle the evil, and, whilst not winning the war, winning the battle kind of story. I immediately fell in love with the characters, and wanted to find out more about this amazing world that Cheyenne McCray has created. You kind of knew that the two leads would end up together at the close of the book, but that didn’t make the journey any less exciting or intriguing. Rather, I couldn’t wait to see just how they would overcome their obstacles, and it was more than a little surprising when the conclusion was finally reached.

The Governess by Elizabeth Bear

Not sure why, but at the beginning of this story, I was kind of expecting a much more cheerful and happier outlook in this story. Maybe a bit of a rags to riches story. I was so incredibly wrong. This is a little bit dark, a little bit uncomfortable and a really enjoyable read.

Taking Hold by Anya Bast

This is one of those short stories that I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed in the moment. But kind of forgot about once I turned that final page. Even writing this review, I had to flick back to it just to remember what I’d actually read. Maybe I’ve just been reading a little too much werewolf / shapeshifter paranormal romance of late…

The Face of the Killer by Violet Addison and David N. Smith

This is the first story in the The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories collection which deals with racism as an aspect of finding the killer. Although there was an obvious aggression towards Jews at the time, none of the tales in this collection have specifically addressed this topic. Which made this kind of amazing. After all, a tale of perceptions, understandings and inherent racism is always going to be a good kind of read.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

I knew that reading a Neil Gaiman story would be an adventure. This is the third novel that I’ve read by him, and every single time they’re intense, fun and completely off-kilter. The fact that this is my first really adult book by him just made it all the more exciting. And that much easier to just completely devour it. Especially at a time when I was getting a little overwhelmed and upset by everything else going on around me. It was kind of a perfect, twisted, world to float away in.