All posts by skyebjenner

Aquicorn Cove by Katie O’Neill

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover aquicorn cove katie o'neill

Title: Aquicorn Cove
Author: Kay O’Neill
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fantasy, Graphic novels, Oceans
Dates read: 7th April 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Graphic novel
Publisher: Oni Press
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: I’ve heard all about you and your mother.

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Synopsis

From Eisner Award-nominated author of The Tea Dragon Society and Princess Princess Ever After comes Aquicorn Cove, a heartfelt story about learning to be a guardian to yourself and those you love.

When Lana and her father return to their seaside hometown to help clear the debris of a big storm, Lana remembers how much she’s missed the ocean – and the strong, reassuring presence of her aunt. As Lana explores the familiar beach, she discovers something incredible: a colony of Aquicorns, small magical seahore-like creatures that live in the coral reef. Lana rescues an injured aquicorn and cares for it with the help of her aunt, who may know more about these strange creatures than she’s willing to admit. When a second storm threatens to reach the town, choices made many years ago about how to coexist with the sea start to rise to the surface. Lana realizes she will need to find the strength to stand on her own, even when it means standing up to the people who she has always relied on to protect her.

Thoughts

This is the last of the Katie O’Neill graphic novels on my shelf. And I put off reading it a little… just because I have completely fallen in love with this woman and I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into it. And now that I have… I feel both intensely happy and a little disappointed at the same time.

I’m Australia, so anything to do with the beach and the coast seems to be integral to our culture. Even though I don’t really like swimming in the ocean, I have that same fascination and need to protect this beautiful ecosystem. So it’s really nice to know that O’Neill feels the same way. Especially about coral reefs which feature so strongly in this great little tale.

Not only does Aquicorn Cove deal with the importance of conserving and protecting our aquatic environment, it’s also about moving on and dealing with grief. Lana has lost her mother and moved away from the home that she has always known and loved. This combination of storylines had the same impact as Princess Princess Ever After and The Tea Dragon Society. There is such a beautiful hope and love throughout the storyline.

This is a must have for any bookshelf. Regardless of what your preference is, it is such a cute, sweet easy and inspiring story. Accompanied by some of the most beautiful pictures I’ve seen for a while.

 <- The Tea Dragon Society ReviewPrincess Princess Ever After Review ->
Image source: Simon & Schuster

Mad Hatters and March Hares edited by Ellen Datlow

Book Review, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for mad hatters and march hares ellen datlow book cover

Title: Mad Hatters and March Hares
Author: Ellen Datlow, Kris Dikeman, Delia Sherman, C. S. E. Cooney, Jane Yolen, Priya Sharma, Richard Bowes, Stephen Graham Jones, Jeffrey Ford, Angela Slatter, Matthew Kressel, Seanan McGuire, Andy Duncan, Kaaron Warren, Ysabeau S. Wilce, Genevieve Valentine, Catherynne M. Valente & Katherine Vaz
In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Retellings, Short story collections, Wordplay
Dates read: 22nd December 2018 – 29th March 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: Beyond it were the cells.

Synopsis

From Master Anthologist Ellen Datlow comes an all-original book of weird tales inspired by the strangeness of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There.

Between the hallucinogenic, weird, imaginative wordplay and the brilliant mathematical puzzles and social satire, Alice has been read, enjoyed, and savored by every generation since its publication. Datlow asked seventeen of the most brilliant and acclaimed writers working today to dream up stories inspired by all the strange events and surreal characters found in Wonderland.

Thoughts

I began my obsession with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in childhood, but kind of forgot about it until the last year – when I finally got around to reading the original story! And then my obsession began to take a bit of a turn for the… well, obsessive… so I bought this collection as soon as I found it. And opened the page within days of receiving it.

This collection takes all of the many aspects of Alice in Wonderland and turns them around and around until your dizzy. From cute poems, to horrific ideals about Alis and retellings of particular aspects of the original. This collection of short stories and poems has it all. And it is just impossible to put down!

My only piece of advice with this amazing collection is to maybe not read these tales when you’ve been drinking. I tried a few times and it just makes you feel incredibly tripped out. And confused. And just not really sure where reality is situated… kind of like the original.

<- Children of the FangGentle Alice ->

Image source: Bookdepository

Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover midnight thief livia blackburne

Title: Midnight Thief
Author: Livia Blackburne
Series: Midnight Thief #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Assassins, Medieval fantasy, Paranormal fantasy
Dates read: 5th April 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Hyperion
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: Kyra grabbed the longer shreddings from the table as they fell.

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Synopsis

Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.

But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he is persistent – and darkly attractive – and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by the Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepends, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with remarkable ease.

When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival – and vengeance – might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives. 88 In her arresting debut novel, Livia Blackburne creates a captivating world where intrigue prowls around every corner – and danger is a way of life.

Thoughts

This was one of the books that I just happened to pick up in the Black Friday sales. It was an impulse buy that I am so not regretting! This was such an amazing story. I loved the mix of medieval setting, assassins running riot and a slightly paranormal twist that wasn’t quite what I expected. Kyra was also one of my favourite young female heroines in a while… she had spunk, independence and a lot of gumption.

Midnight Thief combined some of my favourite themes and subgenres in a way that I just wasn’t used to. From assassins to medieval fantasy with a mix of paranormal fantasy, it all worked seamlessly. And this is the first time that I’ve ever seen this unique combination. I also loved the cat aspect that was intertwined throughout the story. Not only Kyra’s unique talents and inclinations, but also the Demon Riders that are constantly showing up. I might not want a pet cat, but I do love any stories that feature them, especially the big cats which are such successful predators.

There was a hint of romance throughout this story that just made you want Kyra to have a happily ever after… but, it wasn’t so overwhelming that you felt a bit gaggy over it. And, of the three men who take centre stage at one point or another, you’re not quite sure what her feelings towards them are. Or what theirs are towards her. It was really nice to read a book aimed at a young adult population that wasn’t gushy romance all the way through. But, there’s enough that you can’t wait to see not only what happens to Kyra next as people begin to unravel her past, but also how her personal relationships are going to end up…

 <- Poison Dance ReviewDaughter of Dusk Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Catch Me When You Can… by M. Christian

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of jack the ripper stories book cover

Title: Catch Me When You Can…
Author: M. Christian
In: The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories (Maxim Jakubowski)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Horror
Dates read: 11th April 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: Nah, not that daft piece o’ shite.

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Synopsis

Flashes of life fill out this short story as you take a journey with the victims of Jack the Ripper.

Thoughts

This was a bit of a harder tale to follow than some others. It was kind of jumpy and a little hard to follow. I’m not even 100% sure I understood what was actually going on… I think this was a tale about the five different known victims of Jack the Ripper. Their experiences and the huge gaps in our knowledge of their lives beforehand. The reasons for their murders… and if I’m right, this was actually kind of well done. Leaving me feeling quite confused and as though there is so much more information out there… which is exactly what people who are fascinated by Jack the Ripper feel (I would imagine).

The part that I liked the most about this short story was the very last line. It highlights that there are five known victims, but kind of hints that there is a high possibility of many more…

 <- A Mote of Black Memory ReviewRipper Familias Review ->
Image source: Amazon

The Snow Queen by Patricia A. McKillip

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for snow white, blood red book cover

Title: The Snow Queen
Author: Patricia A. McKillip
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Retellings
Dates read: 7th April 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: Fool.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

Gerda and Kay have been together for years. Yet, somehow their marriage and love doesn’t quite seem to be the way it was. Then, one night, Kay runs across Neva, a startling woman of cold beauty and everything changes.

Thoughts

Hans Christian Andersen’s snow queen has long been one of my favourite fairy tales. There is something that is incredibly sweet, and incredibly dark about it. Something that I just find lingers with me long after I have turned the last page. Maybe it’s Gerda’s ability to love without expectations, fight against what everyone is saying and doing in an attempt to save the boy that she loves. Which meant that when I found out there was a retelling of this story in a more adult manner, I knew I was going to either love it or hate it…

Luckily for me, I actually really enjoyed this retelling. Gerda and Kay are older, their relationship that of a married couple (rather than two innocent children). Yet, the same moments and distances play out. This time, it is through a much more conscious decision made by Kay, but it still has that same horrible feeling. And I liked Gerda in this tale a lot more. In the original I never quite understood just why she goes to such lengths for a boy who never really seemed to give her much attention. I still admire her for it, but I didn’t quite get it…

In this short story, instead of fighting to get Kay back and spending all of her time and energy regaining his love, Gerda spends this time taking care of herself. Although her love for Kay never quire diminishes, she finds a way to take her own place in life. To find her own joy that doesn’t rely on a man… now that, I can really understand.

 <- Knives ReviewBreadcrumbs and Stones Review ->
Image source: Amazon

The Cord by Alison Case

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: The Cord
Author: Alison Case
In: I Am Heathcliff (Kate Mosse)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Retellings
Dates read: 10th April 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Borough Press
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: You are me and I am you, she would say.

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Synopsis

Heathcliff can feel the cord tying him to Cathy, but when she decides that she wants to marry another man, he realises that it might just be time to cut the cord for good.

Thoughts

I still don’t like Wuthering Heights, but this short story did help me feel a little sympathy for Heathcliff. Or at least, sympathy for him when he was first hurt. There is no excuse for the actions of later… but I digress, this is about The Cord, not the entirety of Wuthering Heights.

I like the idea of being tied to another being by an invisible cord. To be honest, it’s kind of how I feel about my own partner, that there is something extra that ties us together. To be fair, my cord is one of romance, and this one is kind of sick and twisted. But it is a great piece of symbolism. The cord that ties two people together, but what happens when one person is tied more tightly than the other? What happens when one person decides to ignore it and move on to other things in their life? How can you break such a tie to a living being? Well, in this tale Heathcliff is just determined to find out.

 <- My Eye Is a Button On Your Dress ReviewHeathcliffs I Have Known Review ->
Image source: Harper Collins Publishers

MacDuff’s Secret by Sandy Blair

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of time travel romance book cover

Title: MacDuff’s Secret
Author: Sandy Blair
Series: MacKinnon #0.5
In: The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Scottish romance, Time travel
Dates read: 26th April 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: And sad that only I get to enjoy this place.

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Synopsis

Sarah is the teacher of a group of spoilt, rambunctious boys. When a bomb goes off, they finds themselves thrust back in time to the home of MacDuff. Love, understanding and a new future might be about to open up to them.

Thoughts

I really loved the little adventure that this story took you on. It’s a cute, easy read that takes you from modern times to a more ancient way of life. The fact that it’s a teacher who travels back in time with her students just makes it a little more fun. Especially since the inclusion of young children stopped this from being a clear cut and opaque story line.

This story follows a pretty typical trope – man meets woman, they fall in love, they want to live happily ever after. The fact that it’s the woman who travels back in time also kind of works – we don’t want to read about submissive women after all. So is the fact that they become attached to an orphan and decide to take him home with them. It still works beautifully. And the fact that it is entirely see through doesn’t mean that it isn’t an incredibly sweet and enjoyable storyline.

 <- The Key to Happiness ReviewLost and Found Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Fortune-Teller by Patricia A. McKillip

Book Review, ,
Overview
Image result for coyote road book cover

Title: The Fortune-Teller
Author: Patricia A. McKillip
In: The Coyote Road (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Tricksters
Dates read: 12th April 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Firebird Fantasy
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: Then I can afford to be honest.

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Synopsis

She’s made her life under the sign of the trickster, but is she capable of change? Will a visit from an old flame remind her of who and what she truly could be?

Thoughts

This isn’t like a lot of the trickster stories I’ve been reading recently. Instead of featuring a supernatural being of balance, this is a mortal woman who follows the sign of the trickster. But, unlike the supernatural beings that I’m so used to, she’s actually capable of change. The question of whether or not she’s willing to become something more than herself, something better, is what fills this story.

Fortune-tellers are a great vessel for chaos and a realignment of the world. I like that this is a woman on the cusp of a decision. She can continue on her wily way by cheating and scamming people out of their money, or she can make the decision to become a better person. To gain her life and money in a way that she won’t feel ashamed of. And it is the mirror of her past lover that makes her really consider this…

 <- Friday Night at St. Cecilia’s ReviewHow Raven Made His Bride Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Quid Pro Quo by Tanya Huff

Book Review, ,
Overview
Evolve

Title: Quid Pro Quo
Author: Tanya Huff
Series: Henry Fitzroy #8.7
In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Vampires
Dates read: 1st April 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Edge
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: Scent would have allowed her to pick them out of a crowd regardless of how good a look she’d got at them.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

Vicki is disturbed from her day-time rest one day by goons breaking into her house to find her. Later, she finds out that her cop lover and partner has been taken to blackmail her… is all hell about to break loose?

Thoughts

I struggled a little to get into many of the short stories in the Evolve collection. But, this, as a final ending to the anthology was just amazing. This was exactly the kind of short story that I love, and my biggest complaint is that it ended too soon. I want to find out more about Vicki and Mike and the ways in which they have each other’s backs. I also want to find out why Vicki seems to be different from other vampires…

This was a little bit sweet and romantic, but more so in the fact that the relationship described in Quid Pro Quo was far more realistic. Mike and Vicki sacrifice a lot for each other, and although the realisation at the end is that their relationship puts each other in jeopardy, it also highlights that they will do anything for each other. And that although the relationship could endanger them, it also makes them more human and in touch with the world around them. Something that we all need, vampire or not.

 <- The Sun Also Shines on the Wicked ReviewEvolve II Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Blood and Thyme by Camille Bacon-Smith

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: Blood and Thyme
Author: Camille Bacon-Smith
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Food, Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 10th April 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: It turned out she liked working here.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

She’s the chef that could help him save his business. But, when he realises just how much she means to him, he’s not sure if he should risk his life or his livelihood first.

Thoughts

This was kind of cute. It’s not the first time that I’ve come across a story about a genetic vampire (rather than one that has been unwillingly changed), but it is probably the first one that featured entertainment and food so strongly. Actually, weirdly enough, it made me want to do a bit of cooking when I finished this story. After all, the lead female is a chef and the lead male almost gives up his life to make sure that he does have a great chef in his damn kitchen…

The sexuality in this short story was seriously damped down in comparison to some of the other paranormal romance stories that I’ve been reading lately. Which was kind of nice. It still had that component to it, but it was the first moments of courtship that really took centre stage. Those moments when there is almost no touching, but a lot of glances and curiosity about one another. Considering this is found in a whole collection of vampire romances, it was nice to have one romance that was a lot more cute, and a lot less sexual to balance out the intensity of some of the other tales.

 <- Deliver Us From Evil ReviewInto the Mist For Ever Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository