Title: Days of Heaven Author: Rick Bass In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Westerns Dates read: 18th November 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2013 5th sentence, 74th page: By that time of day it would be too hot to do anything but take a nap, so that’s what I’d do, upstairs on the big bed with all the windows open, with a fly buzzing faintly in one of the other rooms, one of the many empty rooms.
He’s led an idyllic and happy life. That is, until two horrible men buy the property that he works on, and the days of heaven seem numbered…
I did really enjoy the nostalgia in this story. Particularly the reflection on the past and the desire to regain that sense of idyllic innocence and enjoyment. It made me think about my own childhood and the idyllic nature of it. Or at least, those moments that are coloured by rose-tinted glasses.
Although I think that nothing is “heaven”, it is obvious with the arrival of murder, mayhem and sinister plots that unfold. Yet, at the end of this story, it felt like maybe things weren’t quite as sinister as they seemed…
I did enjoy the rambling, reminiscing feeling of this story. It was nostalgic and not entirely expected. But also seriously enjoyable.
Title: The Golden Age Author: Walter Jon Williams In: Dead Man’s Hand (John Joseph Adams) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Superheroes, Weird western, Wild west Dates read: 17th November 2020 Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Titan Books Year: 2014 5th sentence, 74th page: He whirred right over my head, and I felt the breeze from his cape on my face.
The days of the Gold Rush are over. And, somehow, they have been overrun by a bunch of completely insane superheroes and supervillains running around in capes on their own personal crusades.
I could not stop laughing all throughout this short story. It was quirky and weird. And filled with a great humour that left me grinning. After all, it’s ultimately about a bunch of superhero-type characters running around the wild west. Actually, it’s more supervillains… but the humour and entertainment is still the same.
I absolutely loved that this story focused on the Gold Rush and the lack of law in the land at the time. But, then to overlay this, there were mortal enemies, insanity and all sorts of questionable decisions. There was also a constant discussion of the fact that they are all mad. It’s just a special kind of madness, running around, donning a persona and just generally wreaking havoc and mayhem. A madness that I can 100% get behind by the way.
The Golden Age is a really funny, cute and light short story. It had me giggling and smiling throughout the entire story. There was great wit and entertainment to the shenanigans throughout this. I would most definitely read this again and again whenever I need a light pick me up.
Georgia hasn’t seen her college roommate, Georgia in a long time. But out of the blue, she shows up and gives her a pendant. Then the ghosts start to appear and things start to get… bloody.
I really liked this story. After all, it featured two friends getting revenge on an evil ex-husband. Alright, the friendship is a bit damaged and horrible. But it’s still about a friendship and people who care about one another. I also like that Georgia accepts that the past was not all lovely, but still recognises it as her own. Her own memories and her own desires.
Moira is that friend that I think everyone has at one point in life. The friend that is glamorous and the centre of attention, but isn’t able to stop and think about how her actions actually affect anyone else. That takes advantage of you, but, for some reason you still want in your life. I honestly think that everyone has had that experience. And it’s a difficult one that you don’t know to keep or walk away from. I like that Georgia also felt this way about Moira.
The open-ended, full of possibilities nature of the end of this story was wonderful. It was fun and I really enjoyed reading this. It was definitely the kind of short story that I would enjoy reading again.
Title: The Waterfowl Tree Author: William Kittredge In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Westerns Dates read: 15th November 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 1966 5th sentence, 74th page: “Just lay quiet.”
This is a slightly tragic and bittersweet Western short story.
This is yet another slightly tragic short story. I’m kind of getting used to that in most of the westerns that I’ve been reading…
Although I didn’t get super pulled into the storyline, it felt like a tale about missed chances and lost loves. Which is a wonderful kind of story. I love tales about missed chances and lost loves – they’re so bittersweet and lonely.
Like this short story. Cute, lonely and bittersweet.
Tim is on a farewell tour to remember his late wife. When he overhears people in the room next door to him, he realises how thin the walls truly are. And his wish to honour his wife is truly tested.
I figured that this short story would have something to do with succubus, or some paranormal element of that character. After all, it starts with a man alone in a hotel room, with a woody, listening to others have sex. And it’s in a collection of paranormal fantasy stories. It wasn’t exactly a big leap. But, it did end in a way that I wasn’t completely expecting. And I did appreciate quite a bit.
I really don’t love the idea of people ever being able to overhear me and my SO in a hotel room. It’s pretty ick. And I really don’t like the idea of overhearing somebody else. Luckily, at this point in life, it hasn’t actually happened to me. But this storyline… and what happens when Tim overhears certain things… yeah, it added an extra layer of ick to the whole storyline.
Aside from the many ick factors throughout this story, I did love that ultimately, the “vacation” is a farewell tour for a lost wife. It was incredibly sweet and cute. Something that I can imagine doing if I lost my SO… touring all of the places that were important to us and just… remembering.
Title: Another One in from the Cold Author: Marion Arnott In: The Mammoth Book of Ghost Stories by Women (Marie O’Regan) Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this) My Bookshelves:Ghosts, War Dates read: 15th November 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2012 5th sentence, 74th page: But the smiling boy in the stiff new uniform was a composition in shades of shadow; even the tartan trews and diced cap, which she knew to be bright colours, were grey and greyish and darker grey.
It doesn’t matter how many generations go by, it’s important to bring in loved ones from the cold. Particularly in this short story that focuses on those lost in the period of the World Wars.
This story is very true to its title – bringing in loved ones from the cold. It’s about returning lost ones from the World Wars to family. Even if its almost 100 years after they were lost. It’s about loved ones and the people that we have lost and making sure that they return to the fold, eventually.
I know next to nothing about my ancestors, so having a story that has psychics focusing on ancestors and general returning of the loved and lost made me feel a little nostalgic. And honestly lonely. After all, I have very few ties to ancestors and can’t imagine the strength of these connections. It helped to add to the sense of tragedy that this story left in me.
Another One in from the Cold is a reminder that it is important to return, even if it is generations after death. After all, family is still family.
When you were a kid did you long to put on your cowboy boots, belt on your guns, saddle up, and ride off to find adventures? Did you sit glued to the TV watching The Lone Ranger, Marverick, bonanza, The Wild Wild West, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. and Firefly, to name just a few of the many series that have been popular over the last sixty years? And were you caught up in movies like Outlands, Time Bandits, Serenity, or Back to the Future Part III? If so, Westward Weird is the book for you.
The thirteen original stories included here ride a very broad range between science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal – and all of htem are told from a Wild West perspective. So get ready for some good old-fashioned adventure as:
The Old Gods cross paths in the Old West
Two thieves are given a job they can’t refuse, but no one told them they’d encounter aliens along the way
A mining family never expected their claim to be jumped from parallel universes
A Mars colony may be about to find out exactly how the West was won
Cowboys will be hard-pressed to ride herd on the living dead
This was a fantastic collection that introduced me to a genre that I never really knew existed – Weird westerns. I absolutely loved it. Whilst I haven’t really been getting into Westerns all that much, I most definitely love the science fiction and fantasy spin to the topic. Now I have a whole new genre to read and things to fill my shelves with… that wish list just keeps on growing.
Now that I’ve read this collection, I need to find a few weird western full-length novels. After all, it’s a genre that I’ve most definitely fallen in love with and want even more of. I can’t wait to read more and more weird westerns and fill my brain with all sorts of cyborg wild west stories. Tales of werewolves and vampires. And just…. Fun.
This is a fantastic collection that not only fits great into my shelf of books that I already own, but it also introduced me to a great new sub-genre, authors and just… fun. Now I need to save up some money to get some of the books that this has left on my wishlist…
Presenting… the sixth annual More Than Words anthology
Five bestselling authors Five real-life heroines
Little by little, one person at a time, we can make our world a better place. The five dedicated women selected as this year’s recipients of Harlequin’s More Than Words award have done just that, by discovering a seed of compassion, and nurturing it to effect real change in their communities. To celebrate their accomplishments, five bestselling authors have honored the winners by writing short stories inspired by these real-life heroines.
We hope More Than Words inspires you to look into your heart and find the heroine who lives within.
I bought this anthology with no idea what to expect. I only knew that there was a Virgin River novella in it somewhere. And now I want to get my hands on all of the More Than Words books that I can find. I love that not only are they gorgeous little romances. But they also incorporate charities and amazing activities which are run by some incredibly awe-inspiring women. What a fantastic collection!
I found the idea of creating an anthology around five charities and women who have created them to be seriously unique. And brilliant. Hence, the fact that I want to buy the rest of these books. I mean, how cool is it that this book not only is an amazingly fun and beautiful read, but also a way to promote some great causes. It also manages to place a face to those who would most benefit from funding going to such charities.
This was a fantastic collection that not only had me feeling happy and all dopey and lovey (which is honestly why I read romances), but also hopeful about the world. After all, every one of these stories had a happily ever after. And the horrible things in the world aren’t necessarily always horrible. Or at least, in these hopeful stories, there are still happily ever afters…
Title: Oona Underground Author: Lili Wilkinson In: Begin, End, Begin (Danielle Binks) Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Australian authors, Contemporary, LGBTQI Dates read: 14th November 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: I desperately want to know what Oona is thinking, how she feels about what happened.
She’ll follow Oona anywhere. Including underground to the Witch’s Ball and the answers that they may or may not find there.
What a cute, adorable and beautiful love story. Two girls who are best friends and both want something more, journeying to a Witch to find out their fate. It’s a little teenager-y and in some moments, frustrating. But it’s also really well written and interesting. Plus, it’s incredibly sweet and left me with a happy, content smile on my lips after I turned the final page.
I honestly don’t know if I could love like the girl who follows Oona in this story. I mean, I feel like I would follow my SO anywhere, but I really can’t guarantee that that would be the case. And it’s a depth of faith and commitment that just seems unfathomable. A terrifying depth of faith and commitment that I just can’t quite fathom…
This whole short story felt very fae and dreamlike. It had this incredibly ethereal quality that left me drifting along with the words. Content and happy to experience Oona Underground.
Title: Temptation in a Kilt Author: Victoria Roberts Series: Bad Boys of the Highlands #1 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Historical romance, Scottish romance Dates read: 9th – 14th November 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Year: 2012 5th sentence, 74th page: “Aye.”
SHE’S ON HER WAY TO SAFETY It’s a sign of Lady Rosalia Armstrong’s desperation that she’s seeking refuge in a place as rugged and challenging as the Scottish Highlands. She doesn’t care about hardship and discomfort, if only she can become master of her own life. Laird Ciaran MacGregor, however, is completely beyond her control…
HE REDEFINES DANGEROUS… Ciaran MacGregor knows it’s perilous to get embroiled with a fiery Lowland lass, especially one as headstrong as Rosalia. Having made a rash promise to escort her all the way to Glengarry, now he’s stuck with her, even though she challenges his legendary prowess at every opportunity. When temptation reaches its peak, he’ll be ready to show her who he really is… on and off the battlefield.
This novel was easy, fun and seriously enjoyable. Like most of the historical romances in my shelves, it was enough to make me feel like I was transported in time. But not so much that I got annoyed with women’s rights. Although, this did touch well upon the issues that women would have faced at this point in time… particularly Rosalia’s history and experiences.
Rosalia and Ciaran are an amazing couple. They’re so alike, yet a great balance for one another in their differences. They’re also both annoyingly stubborn – a good match which I, myself can attest to, and fiercely independent. Although, considering Rosalia’s past, it’s somewhat surprising. And Ciaran’s stubbornness almost brings them both undone…
As Rosalia’s backstory is revealed, my heart broke a little more each time. It was seriously tragic and painful. But, it also made her ten thousand times more loveable as the story unfolded. I love when characters’ backstories are slowly reeled out and you get to enjoy learning about them in bits and pieces. Kind of like when you meet somebody in real life…
Although I loved this romance, I did find Beathag a bit of a terrifying villain. She’s pure evil and definitely not the kind of woman that I would want to mess with. At the beginning, I felt like the mentions of her were just a bit annoying and a way to show that Ciaran was no virgin. But, as the story developed, it became much more obvious that she was a key character and so not somebody that you wanted in the story. It was wonderfully done.
I seriously enjoyed this novel. But Aisling and Declan both stole the show a little bit. Partly that’s a good thing since X Marks the Scot is about Declan. But Aisling is definitely a character that I wish had her own story… doubtful considering she’s already married in this novel, and this is a historical romance series…
Earth and Skye 