Title: Mamma’s Boy Author: Sandra Wickham In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Demons Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: Ruth cursed him, but lowered the knife.
Ruth is about to give birth to a half monster baby. But will she find a way to make him a Mamma’s Boy?
This very short story gives a whole new meaning to the term
“mamma’s boy”. And I know a few mamma’s boys… so it kind of made me feel
uncomfortable. Maybe if they were a half demon baby, they would have turned out
like this too…
I couldn’t believe how quickly this story went through the emotions
and trials. It seemed like mere moments from the point in which Ruth is trying
to get rid of her demon ex, to starting her new life with her demon baby. And
although I really enjoyed it and could trace the entire storyline, it was pretty
much over in the blink of an eye. A bit like this review.
Title: Grave Mercy Author: Robin LaFevers Series: His Fair Assassin #1 Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Assassins, Historical fiction, Strong women Dates read: 21st – 27th January 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Novel Publisher: Andersen Press Year: 2012 5th sentence, 74th page: It could mean nothing; it could mean everything.
Young, beautiful and deadly.
Trained as an assassin by the god of death, Ismae is sent to the court of Brittany, where she finds herself underprepared – not only for the fames of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?
A dangerous romance full of intrigue, poison and ultimately finding one’s way.
I picked this book up ages ago. Because of a vague recommendation
on Goodreads. And then I kind of forgot about it. Until this week. And now I’m
kind of sad that I had forgotten about this amazing novel for so long. And
currently don’t have the spare funds in the budget to buy the other two books
in this trilogy.
I’ve only recently started getting into historical fictions.
It’s not a genre that I had ever considered before, but after meeting a few
authors who write in the genre and realising that I’m fascinated by history.
Especially British history, it’s a subgenre that I’m slowly going to expand on.
I also love when these historical fictions use figures and moments that are
really potent in our history (I say our, since my family hails from the UK and I
feel some weird kind of connection to it). In the case of Grave Mercy, Anne of Brittany and all of the political ruminations
and squabbles that surrounded her life are utilised. It gives the storyline an
extra level of reality and connection.
There is something about assassins that I always thoroughly
enjoy… especially when they are female assassins, slight young things that can whoop
anyone’s ass. Placing such a character in a period in history which is often
characterised by the lack of respect and autonomy guided to women made a much
better contrast. One of the best messages I have read in a long time was
wrapped up in this idea. As two very similar women face off, the protagonist
realises that they are very much the same. They have faced the same lack of
choices and indecisions. Yet, they became completely different people with what
they had before them because of the choices that they both chose to make.
National bestselling author Allyson James takes you to Magellan, Arizona, where Stormwalker Janet Begay and her friends are trapped by a powerful curse. It will take every bit of magic simmering beneath her skin for the Stormwalker to survive being “Double Hexed”.
I had no idea what to expect from this novella. I have never read anything by Allyson James and the blurb that accompanies the tale isn’t full of much information. So I basically started this completely blind. And it was so good that I found it impossible to put down. To the point that I was even reading this novella (and dying to finish it) while I was out for dinner and at a friend’s birthday…
This is very much characters in a bottle – take six supernatural characters, trap them in a hotel and then make all of their horrifying base urges come to light. I’ve read a few of these types of stories – ones that highlight the characters and basal human urges in a way that including the wider world wouldn’t allow. But, I haven’t read one that used a half-goddess, vampire-esque creature, trickster god and dragon when mixing up this bottle of characters. And that in and of itself made the story so much more enthralling and entertaining.
One of the things about this novella that I really enjoyed was the fact that although there is obviously a lot of back story (from the previous novels), it isn’t hard to follow the storyline. There is enough moments in which this backstory is filled in to make you feel like you’re not missing out on anything. And there’s just enough mystery in the story to make you want to pick up the first novels in this series…
Title: The Boy Who Cried Wolf Author: Holly Black In: Troll’s-Eye View (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling) Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Fairy tales, Villains, Werewolves Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Firebird Fantasy Year: 2009 5th sentence, 74th page: There was barely any wind, and the swells were small.
When a young lad sniffs a flower, he quickly finds out that not everything he reads about in books is fiction. Will he have what it takes to save his family?
While I really enjoyed this short story, what bumped up my great opinion of it was Black’sexplanation for why she wrote it in the first place. On childhood vacations, she often wished that she could turn into a wolf and eat her family – so she wrote about a boy who could. And, honestly, who hasn’t felt like that on a family vacation?
This was a fun, easy and quick read. It took the idea of a boy who doesn’t quite fit in and twisted and turned it into a tale that was a little bit scary, a little bit about being right and a lot about family. It has that darkness that I tend to associate with Holly Black and one that I thoroughly enjoy.
In “Ice Shards,” New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn returns to the Otherworld as Iris Kuusi, a Finnish house sprite, journeys to the frozen Northlands to confront the crazed shadow of her former lover and break the curse that is keeping her from marrying the man she loves.
Many of the stories that feature that fae feature characters
with some level of power, or at least the court fae. So I kind of loved the
fact that this story featured a house sprite. One that is still powerful in her
own right, but of a completely different stature and power than the stories
which I am used to.
I’m thoroughly enjoying the hexed and cursed theme throughout the Hexed collection. Yet, there was something about this curse and resurgence of the past which was even more intense and potent. Something which I thoroughly enjoyed. After all, there is nothing like a good curse and a lot of remembering into the past to help liven up a battle for justice.
I haven’t yet had the chance to sink myself into the Otherworld series. And reading my second novella of the series has made me want to sink myself into this world… I just have to finish a few of the stories that I have on my shelves first…
Title: The Bell from HELL!!! Author:Jeff Strand In: Blood Lite (Kevin J. Anderson) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Comedy, Demons, Horror Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2008 5th sentence, 74th page: Doubtful.
A young office worker has a bell forged by Lucifer to call the Dark Lord himself… but what will push him over the edge to use it?
I was expecting an entirely different ending to this short
story. I basically thought that Lucifer was going to show up and own everyone. But
he didn’t, and I just felt uncomfortable about the whole damn story. Especially
the ending.
What I did love about this story, was the style in which it was written. Strand has a wonderfully quirky, quick-paced and fun style of wording that constantly made me smile and giggle throughout. The words are fast-paced and slightly sarcastic, giving this short story a great satirical air that makes up for some of the plot holes that frustrated me so badly.
It is the fifth year of the Lord Protector’s rule and while life has always been hard for the gypsies, since Oliver Cromwell has seized control of England, life has become harder than ever.
Emilila and Luka Finch’s family have been accused of vagrancy and murder, and thrown into gaol with only three weeks to live. Emilia and Luka’s grandmother believes that only the collection of six ancient gypsy charms will see them escape the hangman’s noose.
Emilia and Luka are now on a dangerous quest to find all six charms and with a little bit of luck – or, as Emilia believes, magice – save their family from the gallows. They have the first, an old gold coin, but now they seek the second precious charm.
The charm, they believe, lies with the horse-trading Hearne family. But the Hearnes are reluctant to help, let alone give up their treasured talisman. With Coldham close on their heels, Emilia and Luka must race against time to win the support of the Hearnes – all the while trying to keep a grumpy old brown bear out of sight and out of trouble.
The second book in this exciting six-book series about the adventures of two daring children, a monkey, a dog and a dancing bear in search of the chain of charms.
I found this story kind of sad. Emilia and Luka are on the
next step of their journey to try and find help for their family. And yet, the
people who are supposed to be closer than kin are the very ones who turn their
backs on the children. And also decide to take advantage of them. No matter
that it is a family trying to take care of themselves, my heart broke a little
for both gypsy children the further the story unfolds.
This is a reread of the Chain of Charms series, and although it has been over a year between rereading the first story, The Gypsy Crown, and this, the second, I still get that same great joy of the tale. And, as I’ve gotten older and revisited this story, I am realising more and more how amazing Forsyth’s talent is at mixing historical fact with imaginative fiction. The blending of the two, and the notes at the end of the story which highlight the facts and fiction intertwine beautifully.
As a child, there was something intriguing and alluring
about being a gypsy. Probably for me, the no shoes and no permanent abode. I’ve
mostly lost that intrigue (I can’t have a library like mine if I lived on the
road). But, there is still something of that childish and innocent desire to
explore the world. That nostalgia for a time and peoples that I’ve never met or
experienced. It makes me incredibly excited to pick up the next in this story
and continue my very enjoyable journey down nostalgia-lane.
A regular pit stop to change his aircraft and swap over his loads in Reluctance becomes something far more sinister and worrying in this fantastic short story.
When I finally sat down to write this review a few days
after finishing Reluctance, it took
me a little while to recall what it was about. It isn’t one of those stories
that glaringly sits in my mind. And that’s mostly because it was just a fun and
easy read. It’s very good, but it’s not the sort of story that I usually read,
and, unlike many of the other books in this collection, it didn’t have an
overwhelming message that I took away when I’d turned the last page.
Having said that, when I remembered which story this was. I
remembered how much I enjoyed it at the time. Actually, it kind of made me
think of Firefly. Which I miss. And
I’m annoyed that it was only one season… but I digress. It had that great
western cowboy feel to it. partnered with the futuristic spaceships and steampunk
machinery. A fantastic little world to lose yourself in for ten, fifteen
minutes.
Title: The Obscure Bird Author: Nicholas Royle In: Black Feathers (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Horror Dates read: 27th January 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Pegasus Books Ltd. Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: Lying in the darkness, she heard his carefully weighted footsteps approach their bedroom door, stop for a moment and then continue past.
There is something dark and twisted sitting between a married couple. But it isn’t until the end that you realise how truly dark it is…
This story started out interesting and with a little
mystery. It was engaging and I really liked it. And then it very quickly become
uncomfortable. Very, very, very uncomfortable.
I’ve always liked owls and other birds of prey. There is
something both mysterious and intriguing about them. Also a little creepy and
dangerous. So the fact that this story took those aspects of owls and used them
to create a horror short story worked really well for me. A little bit too well
if I’m being honest… I had some very weird and shadowy dreams after reading
this just before bed…
It might take a bet on the names of Saint Nick’s reindeers to finally get what is owed to him… but this debt collector and his motley crew will definitely do it.
I think that this story in some way relates to the characters in A Very Special Girl. And I enjoyed it just as much. It has the comedy and horror aspect that I’m beginning to associate with Resnick’sshort stories. They’re funny and take some very typical aspects of fantasy and twist and turn them into something satirical and entertaining.
The fact that this story had not only a satirical spin, but also
one that featured trying to name Santa’s reindeer made it incredibly fun. Especially
when the names that were reported to be correct were kind of random. Yet, connected.
It just worked beautifully. I need to find out if there is a greater series or
something to sink my teeth into…
