They live in the House. It’s a House that straddles two realities. So what happens when those realities collide?
Something about this short story made me think about the Innkeeper Chronicles. In the best way possible of course, since I loved that series. And I loved this short story. After all, a house that straddles two worlds and works to keep the peace, keep people safe… it’s definitely the kind of story that I get drawn into.
This was a seriously fun journey into a seriously interesting and intriguing house. It was really hard to put down and I was grinning throughout the whole story. Particularly the couple that runs the house. They are the exact kind of married couples that I love in a good story – obviously in love and filled with witty banter and light.
I’m really disappointed that this is just a short story. I would really, seriously love more stories about this House Between Worlds. There are just so many potential stories!
Title: Working Stiff Author: Rachel Caine Series: Revivalist #1 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy, Zombies Dates read: 18th September – 23rd October 2020 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Roc fantasy Year: 2011 5th sentence, 74th page: Bryn tried the keys Fideli had given her, but they didn’t work.
RACHEL CAINE, THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE WEATHER WARDEN NOVELS, TAKES THE ZOMBIE GENRE BY STORM IN HER BRAND-NEW REVIVALIST SERIES.
Bryn Davis knows working at Fairview Mortuary isn’t the most glamorous career choice, but at least it offers stable employment – until she discovers her bosses using a drug that resurrects the clientele… as part of an extortion racket. Now Bryn faces being terminated (literally) with extreme prejudice.
With the assistance of corporate double agent Patrick McCallister, Bryn has a chance to take down the bigger problem – pharmaceutical company Pharmadene, which treats death as the ultimate corporate loyalty program. She’d better do it fast before she becomes a zombie slave – a real working stiff.
She’d be better off dead…
So I had absolutely no clue what to really expect from this novel. But even if I had expectations… they would have been surpassed. This was completely, totally and utterly unexpected. In the best of ways possible. It was absolutely awesome and a lot, lot, lot of fun. I didn’t want to put this down. I didn’t want to look away. And I most certainly desperately want the final two books in this trilogy!
Bryn is a fantabulous lead. She is a little bit weak in some ways, but also has this great core strength that carries her through all of the insanity that this story entails. I mean, there is a LOT of insanity throughout this story. It is just one crazy moment after another… all careening through the pages in an unstoppable plot that has you on the edge of your seat. It makes it way too easy to feel seriously heart sore at her plight and makes you just hope for the best. I’m not all that optimistic to be honest, but that’s probably why I liked this so much.
This is a seriously unique and individualistic zombie story. Not that I’ve read many zombie stories. But the way in which zombies are created, and the whole plot line is just unfathomably unique and sheer awesomeness. It makes this story even more difficult to put down and put away. Because somehow, these zombies feel a little scarier and more plausible… and then you start dealing with big corporations and corruption… and well, the zombie story is just WOW.
Jo, Pat and Bryn are the absolute dream team in this story. They all work incredibly well together to create this team that is kind of personally interwoven, and there are heaps of secrets… and I just can’t wait to see what happens next to this little trio. Particularly with how Caine finished off their journey in this novel… there are SO MANY more questions left unanswered!
Lily has loved Nate for a long time, and they make a great team. Particularly when they’re in the Wild West.
I love reading a paranormal fantasy story and spending it trying to guess what “being” the lead characters are. In the case of this story, I spent my whole time trying to figure out what Nate and Lily’s paranormal species was. I didn’t get it. And now, knowing what I know… I feel like it should have been WAY obvious… but oh well.
The word “bamboozle” has got to be one of my favourites. There is just something… fun about it. So reading a story that features this word as the title was immediately going to draw me in (let alone the fact that it is by a well-loved author and series). But it was the activity of “bamboozling” people throughout this that really had me smiling. And I’m now just going to sit in my little book lair and keep saying the word. Because, seriously, who wouldn’t? It’s a pretty awesome word…
What was I saying?
Oh yeah. This is an awesome short story. You should read it.
Title: Moby-Dick Author: Herman Melville Series: Word Cloud Classics Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Classics, Oceans Dates read: 5th – 22nd October 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Novel Publisher: Word Cloud Classics Year: 1851 5th sentence, 74th page: When Bildad was a chief mate, to have his drab-coloured eye intently looking at you, made you feel completely nervous, till you could clutch something – a hammer or marlingspike, and go to work like mad, at something or other, never mind what.
“Call me Ishmael” is the iconic opening line of Herman Melville’s classic American novel, Moby-Dick. Ishmael is a seaman aboard the whaling vessel, Pequod, under the vengeful captain, Ahab. Maniacally seeking retribution from the great white sperm whale called Moby-Dick–the whale responsible for the captain’s missing leg–Ahab leads the crew on a quest to kill the infamous beast. A fictional work based on actual events, Moby-Dick is a classic that has been enjoyed for generations, and it’s now available as part of the Word Cloud Classic series, making it a stylish and affordable addition to any library.
I can totally see why this is such a well-known classic. It was a very enjoyable and intense story. And, even though I only gave it 3 stars, I would totally read it again. I felt like throughout this I was actually missing quite a bit… so I would actually quite enjoy re-reading this and picking up on all of the bits and pieces that I missed. Actually, I think that this is one of those stories, that no matter how many times you read it… you’ll always find something new to the story that you just didn’t notice before.
There was a heck of a lot of symbolism throughout this story. More than my puny little brain seemed to be able to comprehend if I’m being honest… although, most of the symbolism that I felt I was picking up on was very homosexual in nature… I’m not sure if that was just the mood I was in though. Or the simple fact that the Whale is a sperm whale (I mean, queue the jokes here).
This isn’t a feel good, comfortable story. At all. Which is probably why I did enjoy it and am likely to reread this. I’m not necessarily big on stories which are all sunshine and lollipops every time I open a book. And at the time of reading this, I was finding that there were a few too many happy, happy stories on my TBR. This was a really good break from that – I loved the discomfort that it left you with.
This may not be my favourite classic. But it was an enjoyable one. It was pleasant and fun, and I can’t wait to pick it up again in the future and learn more about all the parts of this story that I missed…
New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston has created the moving story of a Dallas firefighter’s desperate search to find a daughter caught in the world of human trafficking for her tribute to Katherine Chon, cofounder of the Polaris Project.
This is the first novella in the More Than Words: Volume 6 collection. And boy is it a great way to start. This is intense and serious, but yet manages to still bring in the sweetness that contemporary romances have. A fantastic balance of the two when dealing with a very real and serious issue / danger.
Although this deals with sex trafficking and all of the horrors that go along with it. I must say, I absolutely adored Miranda. And the scene in which she throws her bra… that had me laughing quite a bit. She’s got so much gumption and sass. Which, of course, makes her the perfect teenage daughter to partner with a couple that can’t quite seem to figure out what exactly it is that they want.
This may be a novella that highlights the risks of sex trafficking and how easy it can be for people to fall victim to it. This is also a seriously cute and adorable novella. I loved Seth and Karen as a couple. Partner that with Miranda (who I think totally steals the spotlight) and you have a great novella that left me feeling hopeful and smiling.
At the inaugural New Year’s Eve party at Jack’s Bar, two lonely revelers decide the best balm for their broken hearts might just be each other.
FIND THE PERFECT WORK-LIFE BALANCE
When a flinty lawyer with a bad-boy addiction meets the quintessential nice guy, sparks fly that consume their expectations of life and love.
GET THOSE FINANCES IN ORDER
Working over the holidays on a messy bank takeover is made worse for two federal specialists by an ill-advised kiss that will never happen again … right?
This is a fun anthology that centres around the “magic” of New Years Eve. It’s cute, filled with all the romance a girl could want and just generally enjoyable. Plus, I was able to find two new authors to add to my wish list… which is always a bonus when reading a fun anthology.
I must admit. I really don’t get the whole New Year’s Eve hype. There is just something seriously “meh” about the whole thing. And to be honest, completely ridiculous. I mean one night isn’t going to change squat. But, I still loved how this collection used those kind of weird themes to create this story. I may not really get the hype… but I do love the stories.
Each and everyone of these stories finished with a New Year’s Kiss. They were just so optimistic and full of hope. Just what a girl wants in a good contemporary romance anthology.
Once upon a time, New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster ran a contest on her Web site (www.lorifoster.com) to find the hottest unpublished romance authors just waiting for that glass slipper. Now, it’s your turn to get lucky and have a ball with one of the freshest, sexiest new voices in erotic romance…
Hard Drive Mack Stone can’t believe he’s just walked in on the delicious Kindrea Hill having an online affair in her office. Being discovered in flagrante computer delicto doesn’t seem to bother Kindra. In fact, she claims to prefer the impersonal touch to the complication of a relationship. That’s enough to make Mack issue a challenge of his own: He wants Kindra to grant him twelve nonstop hours to turn every erotic e-mail into a hot reality and prove that in love and pleasure, there’s not substitute for the real thing…
User Friendly Computer guru Evan Barrett can solve any tech problem, but the sight of Halley Connors’ lovely head pasted onto some woman’s nude body – courtesy of a hacker determined to derail her catering website – just has him in a cold sweat. Imagining his secret crush in the buff is the kind of fantasy that drives him wild every time Halley’s near. Now, as they work overtime to save the business, Evan realizes that not every fire needs putting out so quickly… and some require very little stoking to catch…
Press Any Key To Jared Kinkaid, the only way to keep his mind – and his hands – off his luscious co-worker Candy Appleton is to insult or ignore her at every turn. But his efforts at lust control have his boss convinced that the partners need a little help via online couples counselling. When they’re mistakenly signed up for sensual couples counelling instead, Jared and Candy’s shock turns to pleasure as they each deliver some hands-on therapy of their own…
Take a little time to reboot, ’cause these sly guys give a whole new meaning to o-site tech support…
This contemporary romance collection seriously threw me back to the internet when I was a little pre-teen. Don’t get me wrong, I never used it for these activities… but there was still some very fun nostalgia associated with the technology that was being used.
There are three different novellas in this collection, and each and everyone has a slightly different way in which cyber relationships / seduction can occur. I love how these little romances carried the same online theme… but had completely different relationships, seductions and moments throughout.
This variety and series of stories was absolutely brilliant. I really, really enjoyed this and ended up digging through my shelves for any Erin McCarthy stories that I could find, just to continue getting my happy fix.
Title: Dracula Author: Bram Stoker Series: Word Cloud Classics In: Dracula and Other Horror Classics (Bram Stoker) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Classics, Horror Dates read: 14th September – 20th October 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Novel Publisher: Word Cloud Classics Year: 1897 5th sentence, 74th page: I trust her feeling ill may not be from that unlucky prick of the safety-pin.
Irish author Bram Stoker introduced the character of Count Dracula and provided the basis of modern vampire fiction in his 1897 novel entitled Dracula. Written as a series of letters, newspaper clippings, diary entries, and ships’ logs, the story begins with lawyer Jonathan Harker journeying to meet Dracula at his remote castle to complete a real estate transaction. Harker soon discovers that he is being held prisoner, and that Dracula has a rather disquieting nocturnal life. Touching on themes such as Victorian culture, immigration, and colonialism, among others, this timeless classic is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats! Now available as part of the Word Cloud Classics series, Dracula is a must-have addition to the libraries of all classic literature lovers.
I absolutely loved this novel. I remember picking it up last year, reading the first page and then, honestly, just getting distracted. So I wasn’t all that optimistic when I decided to try again this year… and boy was I wrong. And surprised. It was a wonderful journey into the realm of Stokerand I can FINALLY say that I have finished Dracula.
This classic is so well written and done in a form that I really wasn’t expecting. I’ve read a few recent books in this style of memos and letters cobbled together. But this is most definitely the oldest one. And, as such, it was somehow all that much more unique and… well… awesome. I loved this. I can’t stop thinking about it. And, if you get past the first three chapters, you will feel the same. I can almost guarantee it!
Honestly, there aren’t really words for how much WOW this story made me feel… it was just an amazing adventure. Kind of dark, really intense and… well, I can see where the vampire myths started and what makes this such a popular classic.
Mina and Lucy were really good female leads (and victims). They were a little bit soft and not necessarily the strongest of characters. But I do like how they, one and all, inspire love in the other characters. And it wasn’t really a sexual love (alright, in the case of Lucy it often was). But it was that love for one another that I think all of humanity needs. Or at least, that’s how I was understanding it.
This story was filled with darkness, tragedy, and a whole heap of love. I like that it was mostly happy endings and just all in all, a great, impossible to put down story. I can’t wait to read more Bram Stoker stories!
Title: Coyote, Spider, Bat Author: Steven Saus In: Westward Weird (Martin H. Greenberg & Kerrie Hughes) Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Gods, Mythology, Vampires, Weird western Dates read: 20th October 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Daw Books Year: 2012 5th sentence, 74th page: That’s what got these men all ready to jump into the arms of your girls.
Coyote returns home to find her husband killed. Spider leaves home to save his lover. Then they confront Bat.
I really enjoyed the mix of mythologies in this short story. There is a nice balance between Native American and European mythology, whilst also showing the process of settling and colonisation in early America. It’s a really intriguing and well balanced story and one that I would read many more times.
I seriously love the fact that the Gods in this story are stronger than the vampires. But, there is still that horrible sense of colonisation and the beginning of the end. Or at least, a point of change after the grand battle in this short story. It’s a great way to deal with multiple themes. And I think that if I reread this, possibly with a little more knowledge of American history (of which I have none), I’d probably pick up on other great ideas and themes.
Not only is this a great short story. It’s also a great revenge story. One that I look forward to reading again and again in the future.
This was actually a really sad short story. I was a little surprised at how much it plucked at the heart strings to be honest. Although, I really shouldn’t have been. Armstrong generally seems to have a slightly darker side to her stories than what I expect…
Although this is a bit sad and most definitely tragic, it is also a story that features love. That forever kind of love where you just can’t imagine taking another breath without the other person. It may have tragic consequences in this case, but I still found it beautiful and impossible to look away from. The perfect ghost story.
After finishing this short story, I kind of just… sat. And stared. And thought. It was a wonderful ghost story. Most definitely haunting, and not one I’m likely to forget anytime soon.
Earth and Skye 