Title: Blyth’s Secret Author: Mike O’Driscoll In: Black Feathers (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Crime, Horror Dates read: 7th March 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Pegasus Books Ltd. Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: She sighed.
A man with a horrible past and a weird obsession with corvids is trying to communicate with a crow… but when he finally learns his secret, it is far darker than he ever imagined.
Well. This didn’t end like I expected it to. At all. But it
did end in a great way. Well, not for Wil, but for me and my sick, happy little
brain… it ended brilliantly.
I always feel sympathy for those who are not quite socially…
adequate. There is something kind of vulnerable about them. And this was
highlighted throughout this story. Wil isn’t quite capable of working with
others, and he just wants to be reclusive and left to his own research. But between
a creepy corvid who keeps leading him about, and his own social inadequacies,
it just isn’t meant to be.
The actual villain in this story was not remotely who I was
expecting. I thought that it would be a hidden secret from Wil’s past, but it
was someone completely… surprising. Which makes sense, because people like Ted
Bundy were also completely unpredictable.
Title: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Author: C.S. Lewis Series: Chronicles of Narnia #5 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Classics, Easy reading, Fantasy Dates read: 19th – 22nd March 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Grafton Year: 1951 5th sentence, 74th page: He realized that he was a monster cut off from the whole human race.
“Stop it!” cried Eustace. “It’s some silly trick you are playing! Ow!” A great cold, salt splash had broken right out of the frame and they were breathless from the smack of it, as well as being wet through.
Lucy and Edmund, stuck with their awful cousin Eustace, suddenly find themselves on board the Dawn Treader – and realise they have fallen into the magical land of Narnia. Reunited with old friends, the young King Caspian and Reepicheep the mouse, they gladly join the voyage to the World’s End. Eustace, however, is not so happy…
It doesn’t matter how many times I read this story, I still
love it. And my heart melts. And I get all gooey and happy on the inside. It
really doesn’t matter how many times I read this, it is just as wonderful and
amazing as the first time I read it when I was six years old.
I honestly don’t know why I love this story so much more
than anything else from my childhood. It has the same level of writing,
engagement and storytelling as some of the other tales I read as a kid. But it
is just SO MUCH BETTER. It is change your life, melt your heart better. And
honestly, I think part of the reason, is that as a child, Lucy was so easy for
me to relate to. Even now, as an adult, I can understand and sympathise with
Lucy better than most characters in the adult books I read today.
The other part of The
Voyage of the Dawn Treader that I love is that it is a series of mini
adventures. The overall story flows beautifully, but you could almost read each
chapter separately. They are each their own tales and adventures. Something
that I don’t often come across in novels. Or at least, this was the first time (as
a child) that I read a story that was a little less dependent on what happened
before to tell the story.
Title: The Ballad of the Last Human Author: Lavie Tidhar In: The Mammoth Book of Steampunk (Sean Wallace) Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this) My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Steampunk Dates read: 6th March 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2008 5th sentence, 74th page: They looked at the water and it seemed to form a strange, alien face, moonlight and moonshade adding to the semblance of a figure that mouthed words at them without sound.
Dogs and spiders can be best friends too… and they can go on many epic adventures in the mean time.
I kind of found it fitting that The Mammoth Book of Steampunk ended with a story called The Last Ballad. And that it talked about epic adventures by two best friends (who happen to be a dog and a spider) as they sail off into the sunset. An incredibly fitting ending to a very intense collection of stories.
This isn’t one of those stories that I really remember
exactly what happened. It was just an easy and fun read. One that, whilst I
might not remember the central storyline, I did certainly remember the end of
the tale. Like I said, the imagery of riding off into the sunset together for
more steampunk-esque adventures.
Title: Dead End Dating Author: Kimberly Raye Series: Dead End Dating #1 Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Vampires Dates read: 23rd October 2018 – 18th March 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Ballantine Books Year: 2006 5th sentence, 74th page: Not yet.
BITING IS SO LAST SEASON.
A vivacious vampire with a flair for accessorizing, Lil Marchette is unlike most of her kind. She prefers lively shades of pink to dismal black (soo not her color), plus she’s a hopeless romantic. In need of a steady paycheck to support a compulsive cosmetics habit, Lil starts Dead End Dating (DED), a Manhattan-based matchmaking service that helps smart, sophisticated singles like herself find eternity mates–and may even help her stake a claim to her very own Count Right!
When Lil meets geeky vampire Francis Deville, she knows he’s the perfect first client. If she can hook up Francis–after a little revamping, of course–she will prove her skills to the vampire community and turn DED into the hottest dating service in the Big Apple. But just as her business takes off, Lil meets the (literally) drop-dead gorgeous bounty hunter Ty Bonner, who is hot on the chase of a serial killer. Instantly drawn to the luscious vamp stud, Lil really wants a taste. But as a made vampire, Ty can’t procreate–and Lil will settle for nothing less. Luckily, between “vampifying” Francis and helping Ty solve his murder mystery, Lil has no time for silly romantic entanglements . . . even if Ty is all that and a Bloody Mary chaser!
It took me forever to read this book. And not because I
didn’t absolutely adore it, but because my version was an ebook (I went online
last night and rectified that mistake…).
Most vampire stories are kind of dark in some way, shape or
form. Whether it’s the blood drinking, but skulking around at night or the
(sometimes) ability to turn into bats, there is always an element of darkness
to the tale. Not so with this vampire story. It was kind of funny and witty. It
threw expectations to the wind and created a whole new form of vampire. Alright,
Lil would drive me absolutely nuts, and I’d probably bond better with the dark
and twisty vampires better… but this was far more enjoyable to read about.
This was one of those thoroughly enjoyable easy reads. There was a bit of a mystery throughout (who the evil kidnapper would be), a bit of romance and a lot of indecision. But, what I loved the most was the humour in the narrator’s voice. At every turn, fun was poked at common perceptions of vampires and vampirism, providing a far lighter fantasy journey that I have previously read. And now I can’t wait to see where Lil’s shopping problem and penchant for believing in true love will take her in Dead and Dateless.
Title: A Comfort, One Way Author: Genevieve Valentine 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, Wordplay Dates read: 12th March 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Tor Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: Mary Anns show up at the door a little sooner; they don’t eat cakes and cordials that are just lying around.
We all know what happens to Alice, but what about the girls who are left behind? What about the duchess?
I loved the idea of a Mary Ann in the Alice world. This idea
that every young girl who enters the world of Wonderland is a Mary Ann or an
Alice and that there are defining moments which classify them as one or the
other. It gives a great alternate point of view to the world which is a little
less rushed and insane, and a little calmer and more deeply thought out.
I’ve never really thought much about the duchess in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. She’s just yet another quite absurd and, well, creepy character that shows up in this calamity of crazy. But, now when I reread it, I’m going to pay far more attention to this one moment. After all, the backstory that this short tale provides makes me think about her in a whole new light.
A mysterious man approaches an old detective with the knowledge of Jack the Ripper’s identity. But as his story unfolds, so do the many twists and turns of the tale of the Blue Serge.
This short story really made me decide to pick up my book on The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper. It had this beautiful complexity and background to the storyline that I wasn’t expecting. There was also a lot of information and context in it that completely went over my head because I really don’t know all that much about Jack the Ripper.
I like the idea that the man who is perceived as the good
guy at the beginning of the story slowly becomes unravelled. The roles become
reversed and your sympathies slowly change throughout the unfolding of the
tale. I always enjoy stories that make you question your perceptions and
understandings. Although the change in your perception comes slowly, I love
that the moments in which it most definitively hits are highlighted by a change
in location. The symbolism and methodology work brilliantly together and gives
you a sense of suspense throughout.
Promise and hope can quickly become lost in life. It might take the troll bridge for a young boy to finally realise this though.
I loved that this was a retelling of The Billy Goats Gruff,
but through the lens of loss. Or, more specifically about a lost future and
lost chances. It gave a fairy tale that already feels a little eerie a far more
haunting appeal. There was something about a broken down village and an
abandoned bridge that made you think of people who are broken and unable to fulfil
their dreams and potential.
At the beginning of this tale, I kind of felt for the narrative. I thought that his life would be ended prematurely and that he would be sympathetic. And he was, to begin with… and then he quickly became less and less relatable. Less someone that I wanted a happily ever after for. And more someone that I wanted karma to visit… which it did in a round about way. But, that was enough to make me feel a little more comfortable. And to remind me why I love Neil Gaiman’s writings.
Title: One Letter Different Author: Joanna Cannon In: I Am Heathcliff (Kate Mosse) Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this) My Bookshelves:Easy reading, Family Dates read: 5th March 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Borough Press Year: 2018 5th sentence, 74th page: Her father pulled straight into a space at the side of the road, and both her parents stared at her through the gap between the front seats.
Sometimes it takes the beauty and serenity of the Moors to find a way to move on. Sometimes you just need to stop and be still to breathe again.
This was so much less creepy than many of the other short stories in the I Am Heathcliff collection. Where the rest are about weird, obsessive, unrequited love, this is something a little more different. The moors still play a major part in the story. As does the sense of love and loss.
To me, this story was a lot about healing. From the outset I
was kind of expecting a horror and another unhealthy and creepy love. But, as
it unfolded, I realised that it was about a slightly different kind of love. It
was still one that couldn’t be returned, but it was one that wasn’t so
unhealthy. And mostly it just left me with a feeling of comfortable loss and sadness.
One that I can’t fathom, but could kind of sympathise with.
The head of a Scottish clan captures the reiver who has been taking his livestock. But, it isn’t until he discovers who, and what they truly are that life begins to take a far more interesting twist.
Alright, so it’s incredibly easy to tell that there is going
to be a romance from the very beginning. Like every other romance story that you
have the privilege of reading. But, it was still kind of cute how it worked
out. And I wasn’t fully expecting how the story unfolded. Yes, some parts where
they fall in love was completely expected, but there were other aspects which just
weren’t that predictable…
This was a great, cute and entertaining short story. It was
just long enough that it felt like there was a little more substance to it than
some other short stories I’ve been reading lately. But it also made me feel
happy, curled up and believing in the power of love. Something that not many
novels really seem to manage… novels give me all the other kinds of feels, but if
they were all about the sappy love like this short story I’d be bored and *retch*.
Title: The Listeners Author: Nina Kiriki Hoffman In: The Coyote Road (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves: Greek mythology,Tricksters Dates read: 15th March 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Firebird Fantasy Year: 2007 5th sentence, 74th page: Nysa went down to the gate with her shoulders bowed, her gaze on the ground.
Nysa is a slave unwilling to face the future that is laid out before her. A prayer to Hermes might help to set her feet on a whole new path, but will it be one that she truly wants to follow?
I’ve always been fascinated by Greek Mythology. Ever since I was a tiny child. But I wasn’t expecting to find such a story in a collection of tales about Tricksters. I don’t know why, since Hermes is the god of thieves (and in a way tricksters). And Zeus… well, the amount of insane shenanigans that man gets up to… well, there is seriously no reason that the Greek Mythos shouldn’t find it’s way into this collection. And Hoffman did this brilliantly.
Although I have read quite a few stories on Greek Mythology,
I haven’t read many that are based in Ancient Greece. The fact that this story
is not only set within this time, but also around a young slave, worked
brilliantly. It was both completely different to what I’ve read before, and so
similar. Nysa is incredibly relatable in some ways, she’s a young woman who is
trying to find a path that works for her. That has hope for the future. Okay,
she’s a slave being put in situations that she really isn’t happy with. But the
general gist of wanting to find a path that works for you is something that I
think we can all relate to.
