Title: Journeybread Recipe Author: Lawrence Schimel In: Black Thorn, White Rose (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Fairy tales, Horror Dates read: 20th April 2020 Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Prime Books Year: 1994 5th sentence, 74th page: Cover, and, warm and moist, let the bloated belly rise nine months.
A quaint, disturbing little recipe.
Not quite a poem, and not quite prose. This is a really disturbing two pages of reading. But, you know… disturbing in the best of ways.
I love that this is the recipe for making a Gingerbread Man. After all, there are so many different stories about the man (boy, child) himself, but so very few that feature the making of him. Or the motives behind his making… that one I’m still trying to figure out.
Although this is just two pages. It is really, seriously disturbing. It is a unique take on the very well-known fairytale. One that left me with a seriously uncomfortable and unsettled feeling at the end of it. Just brilliant.
Title: The Caballero’s Way Author: O. Henry 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: 20th April 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2013 5th sentence, 74th page: Go in and rest, and let me water your horse and stake him with the long rope.
Travelling along the Caballeros’ Way can be dangerous. Especially when even the woman you love betrays you.
I’m not really all that great on Western lore. But one thing that I do recognise / know is this name of the Kid. I’m not really sure if this refers to one individual, multiple, or what… but it was certainly nice to have a figure that I associate with Westerns appearing in the pages of this short story. I may not have quite known what this story was about, mostly because I kept fazing out throughout it, but I certainly appreciated the appearance of a well-known characterisation.
This was kind of a tragic little story. At first, I thought that the Kid was going to retire and live happily ever after with his woman. Particularly when it states that that’s exactly what he wants. But, alas, that was most certainly not meant to be. Instead, there is a sad ending filled with misunderstandings and manipulations. It worked well within the Western tale, but it was not the happy ending I kind of wanted.
So far in my reading of Westerns, I’m enjoying the simplicity of the stories. They’re nothing that I feel the need to rave about, but they’re a pleasant way to spend a few moments of time, just escaping the realities of day to day stressors.
Karen Hawkins captivates with an enduring story of a handsome rogue whose lifelong friendship—and his heart—are tested when the lovely lady in question sets her cap for someone else.
One of my favourite romance tropes is the one of friends to lovers. After all, it’s a relationship that is being built on an incredibly strong base. So finding one that is both a regency romance, a tale of individuality and close friends turning to lovers… it definitely put me in my happy place.
Although I have had a pretty major love of / fascination with regency romances recently, one thing I don’t love is the reminder of how women had very little autonomy over their own lives in this day and age. Not a great, happy feeling for me. But what I loved about this, is that it took a few liberties… but created a story in which the woman actually did have most of her autonomy and independence. She was completely herself and found a way to do so with all the flamboyancy that she could want.
Royce and Liza make a great couple. In the end when Royce kind of gets over all of his crap. At first, his attitude and selfishness towards Liza’s wanting a family is kind of irritating. But after he moves on from that… its actually really nice. Particularly since they’re both highly flawed characters (so far, the most flawed in this collection), but they love each other for exactly who they are. It’s just gorgeous.
In a time when everything is going completely, totally and utterly bat shit insane. It was really nice to read a novella that was all about loving people for who they are. For being with those that just accept you and want to be around you. It’s just a nice little departure from reality. One which I really appreciated.
Title: In Case of Emergency, Break Glass Author: Erin Gough In: Kindred (Michael Earp) Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Contemporary, LGBTQI Dates read: 20th April 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Walker Books Year: 2019 5th sentence, 74th page: She gazes at Reg, and Reg gazes back, and the force of her gaze makes Amy’s chest heave.
Amy can’t figure out why she just doesn’t feel… anything when she kisses her boyfriend. And then a fateful meeting on the job changes everything.
This was a nice, easy little read. One about discovering just what it is that makes you tick. Without being completely swept away in other, political, slightly more intense agendas. I love that it begins with Amy not quite understanding why Sam doesn’t make her excited by his kisses. And then ends with her finally finding someone who does. There is no real epiphany moment of being an LGBTQI+ person, but just a moment of, wow. So that’s what it should be like.
The combination of a young girl discovering her sexuality with the rebellious nature of Reg (the love interest) is kind of fun. There is great imagery of birds soaring free, doing what’s right even if it costs you your job… so many courageous moments that work so beautifully in this coming of age story. It’s not just about finding out who you are, it’s also about finding what you stand for. Which started to take centre stage a little for me.
I absolutely adored this short story. And I can’t wait to read more in this collection. I am also intrigued as to the amazing stories I’m sure Gough has the ability to construct… so I’ll probably try and hunt them out too.
Title: How the Marquis Got His Coat Back Author: Neil Gaiman Series: London Below, the World of Neverwhere #1.5 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Science fiction, Urban fantasy Dates read: 20th April 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: headline Year: 2014 5th sentence, 74th page: What’s it say?
A Neverwhere short story from one of the brightest, most brilliant writers of our generation – the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of the award-winning The Ocean At the End of the Lane.
The coat. It was elegant. It was beautiful. It was so close that he could have reached out and touched it.
And it was unquestionably his.
After reading Neverwhere, I felt completely, intensely, happily complete. It is just one of those stories that you turn the final page and just go… wow. And then break out into a HUGE smile. What I didn’t really think about though was that the Marquis had lost his coat. And, well, really anything much about the Marquis because he wasn’t my most or least favourite character. And then I found this short story at the back of my novel…
One of the most potent things that this short story did for me was to actually make me like the Marquis so much more. He wasn’t one dimensional or anything in Neverwhere, but I didn’t feel any tight emotional connection to him. Not a positive one. And not a negative one. But, showing a little of how he became the Marquis and why made me feel a lot more bonded to him than I had anticipated. It was certainly a pleasant and surprising outcome of such a short story.
The other aspect of this story that I really loved because of the illumination it provided was the Shepherds of Shepherds Bush (I THINK I got that right). It’s mentioned in Neverwhere that you don’t want to meet the Shepherds. And now I completely understand why. Although, I still found it an incredibly fun adventure actually getting to meet them anyway!!!
Title: Neverwhere Author: Neil Gaiman Series: London Below, The World of Neverwhere #1 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Science fiction, Urban fantasy Dates read: 12th – 20th April 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: headline Year: 1996 5th sentence, 74th page: Oh yes.
Under the streets of London lies a world most people could never dream of.
When Richard Mayhew helps a mysterious girl he finds bleeding on the pavement, his boring life changes in an instant. Her name is Door, she’s on the run from two assassins in black suits and she comes from London Below.
His act of kindness leads him to a place filled with monsters and angels, a Beast in a labyrinth and an Earl who holds Court in a Tube train.
It is strangely familiar yet utterly bizarre.
As with all Neil Gaiman books, I have heard nothing but good things about this novel. And I bought a special edition in a sale because it was illustrated… which always makes me happy. What I didn’t expect was that this would quickly become my favourite Neil Gaiman book. There is just something so wonderful and fantastic about this story… it’s impossible to forget. And, honestly, why would you want to? I think that the world of London Below is the kind of place I’d be happy living in… for about 5 minutes, and then I’d die…
As an adult, there is one question that I keep coming up against… what is life about? What is it that I want out of my life? Richard doesn’t quite know that these are the questions he’s asking himself, but from the very beginning it is obvious that he isn’t quite living the life that he wants to live. He’s completely lost. Kind of untethered and, honestly, enough to pluck at your heartstrings. And then he meets Door and he is thrust into a whole other level of shit. But, one that actually leaves him feeling like there’s something interesting in life. And, honestly, isn’t that all that we each want? SOMETHING in life that makes it worth living?
There are so many wonderfully intense things about the storyline of Neverwhere. But what I love the most is the world that Gaiman has created. It is a little too easy to imagine London Below sitting just beneath our feet everyday. It makes me wonder what the version of this world would be down in Australia. There are so many brilliant little, intricate moments of change and difference that I just can’t even comprehend. So many brilliant little ideas that seem so damn obvious now that I’ve read them… but at the time, seemed completely, ridiculously far-fetched… I just love the dark, twisted world that Gaiman has created. It’s not the sunshine and daisies version of an urban fantasy world that I normally come across in my books…
Neverwhereis one of the most enthralling and astonishing books I’ve read in a while. It’s not one that you can’t put down (for which I was glad, because I don’t want to do nothing all day). But it is one that will stick with me, and whoever reads it for a long time after they turn that final page. It is an amazing journey, a great story and filled with characters that are loveable – even when they’re the villains.
Title: Down Among the Dead Men Author: Jack Dann & Gardner Dozois In: The Monstrous (Ellen Datlow) & Blood Is Not Enough (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Dark fantasy, Horror, War Dates read: 20th April 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Tachyon Year: 2015 5th sentence, 74th page: He fingered the spoon compulsively, turning it over and over; it was hard and smooth and cold, and he clenched it as tightly as he could, trying to ignore the fine tremouring of his hands.
He always thought that they were friends. That he was their saviour. But, then he realises that they’re all dead here. Just some are a little more dead than others.
There seem to be a few Jewish / war / prisoner of war stories popping up in my reading at the moment. And although they’re completely heart-wrenching, kind of devastating and seriously intense… they’re also kind of completely amazing. And I am definitely in love with them. What I didn’t expect was to find one such story in a collection of monstrous fantasy stories…
At the beginning of this story, I figured it was going to be dark. After all, it starts with the moment that the narrator first realises that his friend is a vampire. But, then I thought he was going to be a nice vampire… there were so many justifications for his actions. And then things got dark again. Which to me, is the mark of a great story – one which takes you through ups and downs and makes you constantly question your assumptions. The fact that it was done in only a very few pages just made it all the more impressive.
This short story had a much darker, more twisty ending than what I had expected. Which, of course, is kind of why I loved it. There is something fantastic about a dark ending that leaves you disquieted and uncomfortable.
Title: The Walker Behind Author: Marion Zimmer Bradley In: The Mammoth Book of Dark Magic (Mike Ashley) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Dark fantasy, Magic Dates read: 20th April 2020 Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 1987 5th sentence, 74th page: “At once sir,” said the hag, suddenly turning deferential.
She can hear the footsteps following her, so she goes to an inn with a bad reputation. It turns out that there is more to the Walker Behind than meets the eye.
I loved the dark, mysterious atmosphere of this short story. I love that there was so much background in this tale that hinted at a whole world behind the pages. Especially in the lead’s life and the ways in which she chose to live it. There was just an intensity and greatness to this story that I found impossible to look away from.
The poetic justice that is reaped out in this story is a little bit graphic, but certainly what I would do if I had any form of power (I don’t, I can dream). The idea that people can’t just get away with their acts of atrocity, and that sometimes those who are not quite evil, but definitely not good come out all the better… it’s a great series of fairly typical tropes that always leave me smiling.
Starting out as a somewhat scary tale and ending as one that had me smiling made this an incredibly little journey to take. Especially when everyone is in quarantine… it was just nice to have the company of a few interesting characters for a few moments.
This is a seriously intense and disturbing poem. And I am completely in love with it. Like obsessed, happy, insanely in love with it. Which is probably weird… because this poem is seriously wrong. Just in that happy, easy to read enjoyable way.
I think one of the things that I liked the most about this poem was that it was focused on the submission of a man to a woman. It was completely centred upon the needs and drives of the woman in this. And the fact that the poor man is left frozen and in a truly horrible position… well, it wasn’t nice. But at least it was something a little different.
Although this was an incredibly quick and easy read. It is one that has stuck with me long after I turned that final page. It is strong, intense and kind of unforgettable. The imagery that just a few words bought to life are seriously potent and I just don’t have enough words for how amazing this writing was.
Title: Oceans Between Us Author: Helen Scott Taylor Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Contemporary romance, Romance Dates read: 11th April 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Helen Scott Taylor Year: 2012 5th sentence, 74th page: Did he really mean that?
He’s a wealthy Italian celebrity used to dating beautiful women. She’s a guesthouse cook without a penny to her name. When tragedy brings them together for a few weeks, an unlikely romance blossoms. But he has commitments that take him back to his jet-setting life, while her future lies in a remote English village. Is it possible for two people from such different walks of life to find a way to be together?
I just needed something quick, easy and light to read this week. Waiting on responses from people and just the stress of everyday life. I wanted something cute and simple… and this novel gave me exactly that. This is a great, easy, light read. That makes you want to curl up in an inn in a quiet town somewhere, a cup of tea in hand and your lover at your side. Or at least, that’s how it made me feel.
Maria is a refreshing heroine. Instead of being someone driven to travel and creating a career, she wants to create a family. Take care of the people that she loves. I’ve always been told that I should be driven and harness my intelligence and make an amazing future for myself. But, the older I get, the more I realise that what brings me happiness isn’t necessarily what I expected of my future, or, indeed what I would have pictured for my future. And, Maria’s dreams and desires makes that completely okay. Which I kind of needed at this point in my life.
Although this was an incredibly easy, light and fun read, there were also some kind of horrible moments. Namely in the presence of Freddy (the antagonist). I knew that Maria and Dino would end up together, but Freddy’s presence and interference actually left me feeling a lot more disturbed and upset than I had anticipated. Something about his evil machinations just didn’t sit right at all. Which is probably the aim of his character… but I still didn’t like Maria and Dino’s fragile happiness being messed with!!!
This is a great little contemporary romance. Very reminiscent of the many chick flicks that I love to watch when I’m home alone and a great way to spend a nice afternoon. It let me travel away from the realities of life for a little while and just enjoy myself without having to think like an adult…
Earth and Skye 