Title: Alia’s Angel Author: Rhea Rose In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Vampires Dates read: 19th February 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: ‘”Let me see.”
Alia is trying to help her Angel survive. But, is there are more sinister, hidden relationship going on here? Will Alia or her Angel truly survive?
The idea of a vampire (which I’m assuming Angel is, because it’s
never really explicitly explained) in the slums of an apartment building work
kind of brilliantly. After all, I really don’t like those stories which tote vampires
as the epitome of society. They’re predators. And generally the bad guy. So I
kind of liked that there is a story that features one in a kind of horrible
position. The dankness fits the theme a lot better than I was expecting.
This was one of those gloriously open-ended short stories. Although
there is a beginning, a middle and an end. You can expect Angel returning to
visit Alia again. The boy achieving his ultimate goal. Any number of endings
and storylines that would work in so well.
Years ago, a heartbroken McLellan witch placed a curse on the would-be brides of her family. But Kira McLellan doesn’t believe in curses. Then she falls in love with Ian Stewart and is determined to break the spell…. Or die trying.
I absolutely loved this novella. It had everything in it
that makes my heart go… romance, curses, and a woman that is not happy to take
things as status quo…
From the very beginning of the story, it is obvious that
Kira is a little lost and unsure of her role in the world. And, since this is a
paranormal romance collection of stories about weddings, you knew that she was
going to find her man… and probably get married at some point throughout. It’s
a little cliché that she doesn’t really feel complete until she finds her
partner, but it was still just a cute and easy read. One that had me smiling at
the end.
Although this is a pretty predictable cliché of a story, I
still really enjoyed it. Throwing in an ancient curse and reconnecting with family
members that have never been met just made it all the more engaging, not to
mention entertaining. I always enjoy a good romance, but one with a little
extra spice and challenge thrown in works even better…
Rumplestiltskin has always seemed such an odd name for one of the “fair folk”, but was it his real name? Here Michael Cadnum offers an alternative point of view to the classical fairy tale.
I never quite realised how weird a name ‘Rumpelstiltskin’
is. It’s just a name that has always been. But when you read a cute little
short story about how odd that is, you start to realise that it is quite an
absurd name…
There were two things that I loved about this short story.
The first was the fact that Rumpelstiltskin started out as kind
of a benevolent figure. He is constantly helping and assisting others towards a
greater future. This is so completely at odds with the original and my understanding
of him that I was kind of taken aback. Even his assistance of the girl spinning
straw into gold came from a good place. It was just her attitude that turned it
into something more sinister.
I don’t like the idea of eating babies. I thought I should
start with that, since I actually loved the fact that a baby was eaten in this story…
it kind of seemed like justice to the annoyances of the previously thought of
victim of the story. A poetic kind of revenge.
Title: Gene of Isis Author: Traci Harding Series: The Mystique Trilogy #1 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Historical fiction, Science fiction, Strong women Dates read: 4th – 12th February 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Novel Publisher: Voyager Year: 2005 5th sentence, 74th page: Her gown, like mine, was long-sleeved, and in accordance with the latest fashion was completed with short white silken gloves.
A heartstopping race to unlock the secrets of the grail bloodline…
Mia Montrose is a 21st century Australian woman with a Doctorate in Ancient Languages who has just scored the most promising job of her career.
Ashlee Granville is a 19th century clairvoyant forced to suppress her talents as she enters the marriage market of English upper-class society.
Lillet du Lac is a 13th century Priestess of an ancient order now protected by the Cathars, who are making their last stand against the Roman Catholic Franks at the giant hill fort of Montsegur.
Truth and deception, love and desire, the Cathars and the Church, the Templars and the secrets of ancient Egypt – all play their part in a grand adventure touched by the possibility of a genetic key to immortality…
I haven’t read this book in a very, very, very long time. As
in probably not since high school. When, to be honest, a lot of the intricacies
of this storyline went a little over my head. So reading this amazing, amazing novel
for the second time when I have much more knowledge… well, it was an absolutely
awe inspiring treat. One that I was incredibly sad when it ended… so luckily
there are two more intensely complex stories in this trilogy.
There are not many stories in which I appreciate having a dual
timeline. Mostly I find that they tend to be a little clunky and I’ll become
highly attached to one character, which means that I tend to get annoyed and
frustrated when the timeline flicks. However, I felt equally drawn to all three
women in this storyline. They had distinct journeys and personalities that were
all impossible to walk away from. They each had their own struggles which mirrored
each other, but also managed to be completely distinct. Not an easy trait judging
from all of the stories which I’ve disliked due to their dual timelines.
One of the things I’ve always loved about Harding’s work is that the leads are always Australian, and more often than not, strong women in their late twenties and early thirties. The age that I’m currently at. I love anything that utilises Australian culture in an honest and open way. So the fact that Mia, who most of the story ends up revolving around is Australian, from an English heritage… well, there is a lot that I have in common with her. Which, of course, makes it all the more difficult to put down the storyline, even when jumping across centuries and continents.
There is an insane amount of complexity in this storyline. Not just because of the time jumps and three parallel timelines. But also because of the intricate ties between religion and philosophy. Science and spirituality. Hardingmanages to tie so many pieces of reality together in a way that feels completely plausible and realistic. It makes it all that much harder to return to reality when you turn the very last page of this story.
Harry finally has a day off, and he plans to spend it showing a beautiful woman a good time. However, friends, apprentices and young morons keep getting in the way of his best laid plans.
I haven’t picked up anything in The Dresden Filesfor a while. Mostly because I’ve just been distracted by the multitude of amazing books that are out there. And reading this short story reminded me of just why I love this series so much. It’s funny. It’s quirky. And it always abides by Murphy’s Law – anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
I love how Butcher can take such a small thing as a day off and twist and turn it until all hell is breaking lose. Not just one moment of oh crap, or even one thing going wrong. It is a calamity of things going wrong. There’s the apprentice. The friends. And some weird wannabe rival kids. Anhy one of which would make an entertaining short story. But when you put all three together? I was laughing out loud… luckily there was no one else in the house at the time.
Title: Earthbound Author: Yasmine Galenorn Series: Otherworld #0.75 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Dark fantasy, Fae, Paranormal fantasy Dates read: 12th February 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novella Publisher: Nightqueen Enterprises LLC Year: 2016 5th sentence, 74th page: I know it’s a lot to take on so soon, but I’ve been running my ass off finding you rides.
When Camille, Menolly, and Delilah D’Artigo are reassigned Earthside, they have no clue of what to expect. Getting situated in a new world, figuring out where they’re going to live, what they’re going to do, is an adventure in itself. Return the beginning, as the D’Artigo Sisters walk through the portals to their new home for the very first time.
I started reading Witchling the other week, but since I was reading it off the back of Etched in Silver, I felt like I was kind of missing a huge chunk of the storyline. And then I found out that Earthbound actually explains how Camille and her sisters end up on Earth. Half an hour reading later, and everything I felt was missing makes so much more sense!!!
There isn’t a heap of fast-paced action in Earthbound, but it has just enough to carry the storyline forward. Yet, what I mostly love about this tale is the fact that it manages to feed background information through constantly. As the sisters attempt to fit in and find their feet in a new world, their lives and suffering are slowly unwound. Now it makes me want to pick up Witchling again, with a far greater understanding of what the back story actually entails.
Title: Biographical Notes to “A Discourse on the Nature of Causality, with Air-places” by Benjamin Rosenbaum Author: Benjamin Rosenbaum In: The Mammoth Book of Steampunk (Sean Wallace) Rating Out of 5: 2 (Managed to read it… just) My Bookshelves:Steampunk Dates read: 30th January 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2008 5th sentence, 74th page: It was sleek and narrow and black, designed for maneuverability.
It’s a little hard to write a synopsis when you’re not entirely sure what you read. Sorry.
To be honest, I’m not all too sure what actually happened in
this short story. I vaguely followed along with the storyline, but actually figuring
out completely what was going on… I’m really not sure. Unlike the other
steampunk short stories that I’ve read, this one didn’t seem to have a clear message
in the vagueness of the storyline either.
The only real message and poignancy that I got out of this was
the fact that religion and belief systems can cause wars. There were numerous mentions
throughout of different religions. Numerous ways in which people’s beliefs seemed
to twist and turn towards catastrophe. But beyond that… I really got nothing…
Title: Great Blue Heron Author: Joyce Carol Oates In: Black Feathers (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Death, Horror, Mental health Dates read: 30th January 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Pegasus Books Ltd. Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: The wife is shivering, her feet are getting wet, she would like to turn back but the husband presses forward, he has something to show her.
The Wife is mourning the loss of her husband. The Wife keeps on remembering moments together and seeing a Great Blue Heron flying free. As her grief and love for the birds collide, there is no telling what will happen next.
This story had my heart racing. Something about the pace of
it and the way in which it was written felt like an intense horror story. That,
and the setting is based around a lake with overcast days… the perfect setting for
a horror story and a horrific murder if I ever did hear one.
This is the fourth story in this series of bird-based
horrors (I never knew that there was such a thing, or that it could be this
TRULY scary… but I digress). And it is the second story that has an essence of
grief and loss in its heart. This feeling of loss and grief is intense and the
slightly broken way in which this story is told really drives this idea home. There
is an almost ethereal quality to the storyline which makes it both solidly real
and wispily dreamlike.
‘Tis the Season-for 14 more magical, macabre and merry tales to make your Holidays … Fantastic! Gingerbread houses, caroling carolers, brightly trimmed trees, big family dinners, pristine snowfalls … the familiar pleasures of the season. But what better pleasure is there than a good holiday story? So open this winter solstice sampler and indulge in funny festive fantasies, nightmares before Christmas, and stunning space-age celebrations … these stories will warms hearts and minds like a blazing Yule log. Fantastic Holiday Stories by Kevin J. Anderson, Mercedes Lackey, Mike Resnick, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Jonathan Maberry, Eric James Stone, Nina Kiriki Hoffman., Quincy J Allen, Ken Scholes, Sam Knight, David Boop, Heather Graham, Brad R. Torgersen, Patricia Briggs
I bought this collection because the very last story is a short story in the Mercedes Thompson series that I don’t yet have. And I started reading this last year to try and get me into the Christmas spirit. And it worked. Beautifully. Fantastically. I’m actually sad that it’s over, even if I finished it after the Holiday Season…
The stories in this collection run the gambit from cutsie
little fantasy tales to convoluted and entertaining science fiction tales. They
fit into series and stand by themselves. And it’s this range that I truly love.
After all, the reason why I tend to read so many short story collections at
once is that they get a bit same-same with their tales. The fact that these are
far more varied made this collection a little more difficult to put down, and a
lot more fun to read than usual.
Title: In Memory of a Summer’s Day Author: Matthew Kressel In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Easy reading, Fantasy, Wordplay Dates read: 28th January 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Tor Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: Can we play with them, forever and ever?
Tours to Wonderland aren’t quite what one would expect… and they can leave you a little bit twisted and turned around. Whether you are a guest or a tour guide.
I don’t know if I’d ever willingly go on a tour through
Wonderland. There just seems to be far too much that can, and will, go wrong. And
this short story reinforces that idea. I definitely only ever want to read
about Alice’s adventures… the real place just seems far too dangerous and
bizarre.
Although this short story isn’t as heavy on the wordplay as
some of the others in this collection, it is still kind of twisting and turning
in the way it tells the narrative. Kind of like the original journey through
wonderland… it is kind of hard to keep track of what exactly is happening and
where they are. Yet, there are all of the hallmarks that everyone remembers
from the original. Including Alice. Which was kind of sad…
Earth and Skye 