Title: All My Darling Daughters Author: Connie Willis In: Alien Sex (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Horror, Lust Dates read: 7th December 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: ROC Year: xx 5th sentence, 74th page: To save yourself.
She’s boarding in Hell… and all she wants is a bit of jig jig. Yet, the boys have found a new companion and things are going to get MUCH worse.
This story is twisted, lustful and deeply disturbing. It talks a bit about the college experience… but I don’t EVER want to experience this version of college. So damn not okay. So damn twisted. And that was my thoughts at the beginning. Those feelings intensify drastically when you read the ending. I actually had to close my eyes and go to my happy place at the ending…
I did really love the language used in this short story. It was completely crass and uncomfortable. But yet, somehow still really polite. And well educated. It was like a literature-heavy version of filthy talk. A weird little juxtaposition, but one that actually worked brilliantly.
One word to the wise though… this tale does have some serious triggers. Namely incest and rape. Or at least, that’s how it felt to me… I’m going to go and find myself a nice, happy story to read now…
Shiraz thinks that he’s found the ultimate weapon. But will he be able to secure it before he’s found out?
When I started this short story, I just kind of assumed that Shiraz was going to be the big, master villain of whatever series this is part of. There was something wonderfully sinister and intense about him. But, as the story found its conclusion, I’m beginning to think that he’s getting outdone by a far more insidious villain that the hero won’t see coming.
I love that this story feels like it’s setting up a master conspiracy within the greater series. Like it’s explaining how this secret villain has a power that no one knows about and is willing to use. At least, that’s how it reads to me. A person who has no idea about this series or where and how this book will fit into it. This feeling of conspiracy has made me seriously intrigued though.
I’m also seriously intrigued by the idea of a secret society of vampires. There is always something so much fun about secret societies. And when you add the supernatural and paranormal… it is so much more likely to draw me in completely! More books to add to the wish list…
Ethan has roamed this earth, cursed for decades. Yet, when he accidentally stops a woman from being attacked, her song could change everything. If only he lets it.
The idea of healing someone through music and sound was a really fantastic idea. Weaving through this ideas of vampirism and the lore that tends to be associated with that was just that much better. Something about the story and the blending of some very unique ideas drew me in happily, completely and perfectly. It was just such a great idea. And I’m really disappointed that it was only a few pages (which tends to be a bit of a trend with me anyway).
I love that vampirism is something that can be “cured”. It’s not an idea that I come across very frequently. Normally the stories I read about vampirism make them out to be some superpowered human-types. I liked that this took a darker, more traditional take on this supernatural beast. It was a refreshing change.
My favourite message in this entire short story was the idea that to become different you have to want to be different. You can’t be cured without wanting to be. It’s quite a powerful little message there and one that I myself believe in strongly… so it was nice to read a story that also emphasised this.
Title: Return to the Isle of the Lost Author: Melissa de la Cruz Series: Descendants #2 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Fairy tales, Retellings, Villains Dates read: 13th – 26th December 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Scholastic Year: 2016 5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Oh, and it’s always best to be home before midnight.’
Mal’s an expert at intimidating her enemies, but she’s broken the habit since leaving her villainous roots behind. So when she and her friends Evie, Carlos and Jay all receive threatening messages demanding they return home, Mal can’t believe it. Sure, she’s King Ben’s girlfriend now, and she’s usually nice to her classmates, but she still didn’t think anyone would be silly enough to try to push her around.
The thing is, it kind of worked. Especially since she and her friends have a sneaking suspicion that their villainous parents are behind the messages. And when Evie looks into her Magic Mirror, what she sees only confirms their fears. Maleficent’s just a tiny lizard after her run-in with Mal at Ben’s Coronation, but she’s the worst villain in the land for a reason. Could she have found a way to escape? Whatever’s going on, Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay know they have to sneak back to the Isle and get to the bottom of it.
Without its infamous leader, the island’s even worse than when they left it, but the comforts of home – even a home as gloomy as the Isle of the Lost – can be hard to resist for recently reformed villains. Will the kids be able to beat the evil bubbling at the Isle’s wicked core, or will the plot to destroy Auradon succeed?
I absolutely loved The Isle of the Lost, but I did get a little confused at the beginning of this. I was expecting the story to pick up where the first one ended. But, I’m thinking that the movie is the middle story to the two stories. Since at the end of the first novel, the four are still on the Isle. And at the beginning of this, they’re in Auradon Prep, have boyfriends and girlfriends and a life of their own. I actually checked online multiple times to make sure I had the right book. It was. And once I got over my confusion, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
I can normally have a bit of a guess at the direction which a story that I’m reading is likely to take. Especially when it’s a young adult book. And one that is based on Disney (which I am stupidly obsessed with). Yet, this story wasn’t like that. I was constantly surprised at the direction which this took. Each moment I thought I had a handle on what was happening… the story changed direction. New characters with unexpected Disney parents would appear, change tactic. New challenges would arise. I loved it. Once I got over my initial confusion… I couldn’t put it down!
There is this idea in stories and the world that returning home and family is generally a good thing. I don’t find it to be that way. And this story seriously echoes that sentiment. For which I am grateful. I like that this is about not following in your parents footsteps. Or doing what they want and expect. That it’s about finding your own path, and realising that sometimes, you’re better off where you are, rather than returning to a past that wasn’t exactly healthy for you.
De la Cruz is very good at weaving Disney lore into the stories in a way that is incredibly surprising. The appearance of Mum for example was not one that I expected, but I love the mad witch, so it was also brilliant. Using this intricate knowledge to create the talismans and their powers was an unexpected choice. Yet, again, one that I absolutely adored. It was fun, engaging and makes me incredibly keen to pick up the third novel. I’m going to try and hold out for the new year though and finish the books that I’m currently reading.
Title: The Food of the Gods Author: H.G. Wells Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Classics, Science fiction Dates read: 27th November – 5th December 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Novel Publisher: Cantebury Classics Year: 1904 5th sentence, 74th page: The Vicar seems to have stared at each severally, and to have prodded most of them with his stick once or twice.
What happens when science tampers with nature? A riveting, cautionary tale with disastrous results reveals the chilling answer.
Hoping to create a new growth agent for food with beneficial uses to mankind, two scientists find that the spread of the material is uncontrollable. Giant chickens, rats, and insects run amok, and children given the food stuffs experience incredible growth–and serious illnesses. Over the years, people who have eaten these specially treated foods find themselves unable to fit into a society where ignorance and hypocrisy rule. These “giants,” with their extraordinary mental powers, find themselves shut away from an older, more traditional society. Intolerance and hatred increase as the line of distinction between ordinary people and giants is drawn across communities and families.
One of H. G. Wells’ lesser-known works, The Food of the Gods has been retold many times in many forms since it was first published in 1904. The gripping, newly relevant tale combines fast-paced entertainment with social commentary as it considers the ethics involved in genetic engineering.
I didn’t actually get all the way through this. I ended up just taking out my bookmark with only a quarter left to go. It wasn’t bad, it was just so much less awesome than the other five H.G. Wells books that I’ve read in the past two months. There was just something about it that didn’t really pull me in. And, honestly, made this quite a forgettable story.
Having said all that, I am planning on rereading this again when I have a little more time. This is the crazy point of the year, and I’m racing to try and finish all of my yearly reading challenges… so I’m probably not putting the same amount of attention into the reading of some of these classics. I didn’t hate this enough to think that I wouldn’t ever want to pick it up again. I just won’t be rushing to either. Unlike The Invisible Man and the other five Wellsnovels that I’ve recently read.
The thing that I did really love about this story was the idea of “don’t mess with nature”. That scientists have to think about what they’re doing first and foremost. And just because you can, it doesn’t mean you should.
Title: Among the Pigeons Author: John L. Read Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Australian authors, Conservation, Non-fiction Dates read: 2nd November – 5th December 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Novel Publisher: Wakefield Press Year: 2019 5th sentence, 74th page: The first time I harboured strong feelings towards cats was at our family farm in the South East, in South Australia.
So why keep cats indoors?
During the last century, global domestic cat numbers rocketed past 200 million. Hundreds of thousands of diseased, injured, malnourished or simply unwanted cats are euthanased every year by despondent animal welfare workers. Misplaced sentimentality, sometimes promoted by cat food companies, has exacerbated this situation through promoting irresponsible feeding of strays.
Ecologist and author John Read has travelled the world consulting cat experts and collating the most recent science. In II Among the Pigeons II he balances the allure of indoor cats with the animal welfare, human health and conservation issues they create when allowed to roam. But he also presents solutions, from breeding ideal indoor pet cats to development of humane tools to control feral cats.
In striking parallel to the repercussions of human-induced climate change, warnings about the damage wrought by free-ranging cats have been largely denied or overlooked. But we ignore these issues at our peril. For our own mental health and the endangered wildlife worldwide, time is running out.
I bought this when I was doing fieldwork out on a reserve a bit over a month ago. I have heard of the author before from fellow ecologists. But mostly, I wanted to buy it because the topic of this is incredibly topical and important to my heart. It’s also, I’m pretty sure a must read for all Australians. After all, it is especially important that we understand and appreciate our cat problem and the damage that it does to us.
This novel is highly factual. Although, for the amount of statistics and information that is squeezed into this, it isn’t dry in the slightest. Actually, it’s next to impossible to put down. The more you read, the more you want to as Read pulls in anecdotes and information from not only my own backyard, but also from around the world.
Of all the non-fiction books I have on my shelves, this is the one that I most definitely relate to the best. It not only talks about a lot of people and places that I know intimately, it’s also an issue that I’m constantly rallying against. But, since I know a lot of cat lovers, I’ve been incredibly hard-pressed to convince them that cat ownership is maybe not the best thing for our environment and the health of Australia.
Even if you are a cat lover, Read is able to provide his readers with a well-thought out argument. He doesn’t offer answers, but he highlights the problem that we are facing. And emphasises that we need a solution of some kind. Whatever works for the individual.
Title: The Monster’s Leather Apron Author: Adrian Ludens In: The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories (Maxim Jakubowski) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Crime, Thriller Dates read: 5th December 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2015 5th sentence, 74th page: He concentrated on the drifting sensation that now buoyed him, curled in his murky womb.
Edward is just trying to teach these women how they should be… or at least, that’s what he thinks. Then he has to flee the country with his leather apron. When a tribesman begs for his help, he finds the perfect partner in crime.
This short story definitely didn’t end the way that I anticipated. Actually, I sat there in my living room in a feeling of kind of suspended horror… there was just something scary about the Ripper hooking up with a cannibal. “Teaching” the women of their sins… like I said, suspended horror at the conclusion of this.
The beginning of this story highlights brilliantly Edward’s madness. There is no motive to his actions throughout. Or at least, not an obvious enough one for me to feel settled… but, it does go a long way to explaining the obsessive needs and tendencies of this incredibly creepy man.
There is a point in this story at which you think Edward, the villain, is going to die. And it makes you happy. Even though this story is told from his POV, there is nothing redeemable about this character. You’ll be disappointed. He doesn’t die… he lives… and tortures and dances around the streets in his creepy leather apron…
Title: Noble Rot Author: Holly Black In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Humour, Urban fantasy, Zombies Dates read: 5th December 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Year: 2011 5th sentence, 74th page: “Don’t like good-byes,” she says.
He’s slowly wasting away. But, there is a beautiful delivery girl that seems to keep his life interesting. Little does he know what she’s turning him into…
I’ve been around enough sick people in my life to know that disease and, the treatments, can completely mess up your taste buds. However, the ways in which this story plays with ideas of messed up taste buds is entirely unique. And more than a little bit gross. Although completely fun. as you can probably tell, I got a few somewhat mixed feelings about this.
There was so much backstory to this tale. Which made me dive in completely. I would also love to reread this, because now that I know what the lead female was doing the whole time… I feel like I’d be able to grasp at some of the hints throughout.
I love that this is about a sick man who is given a second chance at a new life. There is something beautiful, and really tragic about this. Which makes it fit perfectly into the theme of the Naked City collection.
Zek gave up his life and the lives of hundreds to save his wife. Now, he’s been bought back for a second chance. Will they get their happily ever after?
It took me a little while to get into this story. There was just something a bit “meh” about the beginning of this. But, then, after a few pages… something about the tone just flipped and I was hooked. Completely, happily and smilingly pulled in.
I like the combination of old gods and a new goddess (her name is never mentioned, which is really beside the point). Mostly, Neptune is just a huge douche nugget and liar face. Which works quite well into the storyline. It puts the humans in this firmly on the side of good and creates a story which has it’s nice, neat, happily ever after.
The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife has a great righting the wrongs of the past in this. Second chances always make a great story, and using time travel to provide this. Not only for true love, but to save hundreds of lives… it was quite sweet.
Title: The Young Elites Author: Marie Lu Series: The Young Elites #1 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Fantasy, Science fiction, Young adult Dates read: 3rd December 2019 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Speak Year: 2014 5th sentence, 74th page: On a strange impulse, I reach out and close my hand tightly around the rose’s stem.
A decade ago, a deadly blood fever swept through the nation. Most of the infected perished, but some survivors were left with strange markings, rumored to signify powerful gifts for those who possess them. And though their identities remain secret, this group of survivors has come to be called The Young Elites.
The Inquisition Axis seeks to destroy them. The Dagger Society aims to find them before the Inquisition Axis. And Adelina Amouteru just wants to be left alone. But two truths will soon surface: Adelina’s powers are far from ordinary… And she is not to be crossed.
This is a seriously intense, wonderful and amazing story. It also made me cry. Not heaps… but a bit. Enough that you know there are some serious heart-string pulling moments. Which is surprising because I thought this would be a great story with a girl coming into her superpowers. Rather, it was far more dark than I had anticipated. So dark in fact that I felt a little uncomfortable whilst reading it. Which is the kind of story that I absolutely adore.
As a forewarning to those who want to read this story… the ending to this story is kind of tragic. There were multiple heart-rending moments throughout this story… but it was the way in which it ended that truly made me have super feelings. It wasn’t what I expected at all to be fair. I thought there’d be a much happier ending. But, ultimately, the story becomes about sister bonds which makes me love this even more.
Ultimately, this story is about trying to find love and acceptance. Trying to fit in in a world that doesn’t necessarily want you. And to find those people who will actually love you, no matter who and what you are… sadly, it takes a long time to get to that point… mostly, there are a lot of characters who are using the lead. Alright, in a lot of ways it’s for a good cause… but it’s so incredibly hurtful.
I found this book almost impossible to put down. I knew that it was going to be good, because the Facebook group I’m in has suggested this multiple times. What I didn’t expect is to basically give up on doing anything productive because not only could I not stop reading this… the times when I did pause left me thinking about this… obsessively. I can’t believe I have to wait until next year to buy the next two books in the trilogy!
Earth and Skye 