Category Archives: Book Review

Sea Fever by Virginia Kantra

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for sea fever virginia kantra book cover

Title: Sea Fever
Author: Virginia Kantra
Series: Children of the Sea #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves:Celtic, Mermaids, Paranormal romance
Dates read: 2nd – 3rd February 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: “Not once the season’s over,” Antonia grumbled.

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Synopsis

A desire for life… Regina Barone knows something is missing from her life. She spends her days working in her mother’s restaurant on the Maine island of World’s End and her nights caring for her young son. When the island’s only eligible bachelor marries another woman, Regina realizes that the love she yearns for isn’t going to appear by magic. Or is it?

A denial of blood… Dylan Hunter has returned to World’s End for his brother’s wedding, but he is troubled by his human ties. years ago, he chose his life as a selkie – an immortal being of the sea – over the fragile and treacherous emotions of humanity. The same emotions that destroyed his family, and that will strike at his very heart…

A danger to both… Neither Regina nor Dylan can ctonrol their attraction to each other – or foresee its disastrous consequences. But their destiny has been foretold, and their fate will be decided in the stormy tides of water and fire, where only love can save them – and the world…

Thoughts

In Sea Witch, I kind of hated Dylan. He was a bit of a douche. And had major tickets on himself. So I really wasn’t sure whether I would actually like this story or not… after all, the lead was someone who I thought was a bit… eh. And after reading this, I don’t really think all that much more of Dylan. I still think he’s a douche. Although I understand his douchiness a little better I suppose.

Although I wasn’t a huge fan of the male lead, I did love the female lead – Regina. She is tough, independent and has a lot of gumption. And, even though she’s falling for Dylan all throughout, she still maintains her independence and integrity. And, as I read this story, I spend a lot of time thinking about the food that she is cooking. Which makes me incredibly hungry. After all, who can read about food and not want to eat?

Sea Fever really starts to set up the overall series storyline for the Children of the Sea series. Where Sea Witch was a great introduction and a wonderfully easy read, Sea Fever was a little more complex. The idea of the future prophecy heavily intertwines with the lives of the characters. And it meant, that like Sea Fever, I had to immediately pick up Sea Lord to see what was going to happen next…

 <- Sea Witch ReviewSea Lord Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Sea Witch by Virginia Kantra

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for sea witch virginia kantra book cover

Title: Sea Witch
Author: Virginia Kantra
Series: Children of the Sea #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Celtic, Mermaids, Paranormal romance
Dates read: 30th January – 2nd February 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: Margred gave herself a moment to admire him, the thoughtful green eyes, the long, strong jaw, the sensitive mouth.

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Synopsis

From the water… For years, Margred has gone without the touch of another. Now, her need has driven her beyond her own world. For she is a selkie – a legendary being of the sea, able to shape-shift into seductive human form. Finally, she has found the one she wants…

From the land… A burned-out veteran of the big-city streets, Caleb Hunter was only too happy to take the job as police chief on the peaceful Maine island of World’s End. Nothing ever happens in this tiny community surrounded by the sea – until he meets a woman who’s everything he’s ever dreamed of. And more…

To each other… Their passion is undeniable. Irresistible. But when a murderer begins targeting women in World’s End, Caleb must face the terrible possibility that the killings are somehow connected to the mysterious Margred – and that the power of their love may change the fate of humankind…

Thoughts

This is the first story in a long time that I’ve read where the woman is the sexual aggressor. And I really liked the change of pace. Maggie isn’t promiscuous and damaged as most sexually aggressive woman are often portrayed, but she is also completely free. I loved this balance between femininity and sexuality, passive and aggressive. She is such an incredibly sweet and lovable character. One that I was kind of disappointed to leave behind when I closed the last page of the book.

This paranormal romance is a nice balance between modern-day sensibilities and beliefs and ancient folklore. The use of selkies and their archaic mannerisms balances beautifully against the small town life and daily struggles of Maine. This especially comes to light when there are murders of selkies which need to be investigated. Small town cop, Caleb tries to solve a demonic murder, while using the legal system that we are all familiar with. It certainly leads to a number of confusing moments and difficulties that make this romance all the more intriguing and… well, sweet.

Sea Witch is an amazing first novel in the Children of the Sea series. It introduces a great new world set right alongside our own. There are already pasts and futures at stake and the vague mention of a prophecy. All of which make it impossible to not pick up Sea Fever straight away… which I did… after all, it is a Celtic series about Selkies… possibly the best mix of supernatural, romance and fantasy that I’ve read in a while.

 <- Sea Crossing ReviewSea Fever Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Celebrated Carousel of the Margravine of Blois by Megan Arkenberg

Book Review, , ,
Overview
The Mammoth Book of Steampunk

Title: The Carousel of the Margravine of Blois
Author: Megan Arkenberg
In: The Mammoth Book of Steampunk (Sean Wallace)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Romance, Steampunk
Dates read: 29th January 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: “I trust your tastes are not so common, M’sieur Saint-Pierre.”

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Synopsis

M’sieur Saint-Pierre is in a house that is haunted, but he’s not quite sure who is doing the haunting here…

Thoughts

I’ve never had the soul wrenching experience of losing someone who I dearly love. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve lost grandparents and in-laws. But I’ve not lost my partner, I’ve not lost the person I love most in all of the world. And I honestly can’t even begin to fathom what kind of pain that is. So a beautiful little story about two people struggling with that loss and trying to find a way to move on.

Love can be haunting, and so it kind of seemed fitting that this was a bit of a steampunk ghost story. Or at least, it was a tale of hunting for ghosts, and mostly finding them. And then realising that the best way to live is to put the spirits to rest and move on. For both of them.

I found this short story kind of nostalgic and sweet. But it also had a beautiful sense of hope for the future. One that left me with a nice, warm feeling in the pit of my stomach.

 <- A Serpent in the Gears ReviewBiographical Notes to “A Discourse on the Nature of Causality, with Air-planes” Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Something About Birds by Paul Tremblay

Book Review, ,
Overview
Image result for black feathers ellen datlow book cover

Title: Something About Birds
Author: Paul Tremblay
In: Black Feathers (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Horror
Dates read: 29th January 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Pegasus Books Ltd.
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: Or I didn’t consciously realize, if that makes sense.

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Synopsis

An interview with a cult horror writer begins to turn weird when the interviewer is given an exclusive invite. And then it starts to get down-right scary…

Thoughts

The mirror image of the horror short story in the story and the one that you are reading works beautifully. If not a little confusedly. Especially as the story unfolds, parts of the tale in the story unfolds too. And there is this constant echo between the snippets of interview and what happens after, in Ben’s house. This sense that not all is as it seems, and things are headed for a not-so-pleasant ending.

The dual imagery throughout this story was intense and engaging. However, this wasn’t as spine-tingling as many of the other stories that I’ve read in the Black Feathers collection. It’s engaging and entertaining, a little creepy. But it doesn’t have the intensity of goosebumps that many of the other stories have. Which is probably why I enjoyed the change of pace… it was horrific, but not terrifying…

 <- The Mathematical Inevitability of Corvids ReviewGreat Blue Heron Review ->
Image source: Amazon

A Sufficiently Advanced Christmas by Eric James Stone

Book Review, , ,
Overview
A Fantastic Holiday Season

Title: A Sufficiently Advanced Christmas
Author: Eric James Stone
In: A Fantastic Holiday Season (Kevin J. Anderson & Keith J. Olexa)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Science fiction
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: World Fire Press
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: It’s okay.

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Synopsis

Three computer minds aren’t sure whether the humans who are inhabiting their planet are the ones that they’ve been waiting for. But, with a little Christmas magic and the love of a child, they might just find out the meaning of Christmas.

Thoughts

I kind of liked this take on Christmas time. It doesn’t really comment much on the holiday itself, but it does make commentary on how weird it would seem to alien races. After all, they make a connection with a child who is convinced that a strange man is soon going to come and visit him with presents. If a small child told me that… I’d be immediately concerned about abduction. Which ironically is kind of what happens… but you’ll have to read the story to understand what I mean.

The different voices of the three computer minds / alien sentinents had me laughing out loud throughout this story. Especially Two. Two was very single-minded, and unwilling to see beyond what it wanted. Which is exactly how I can be at times. But mostly I just found it completely hilarious the discussions and differences between the three voices. The satirical humour complimented the cuteness of the Christmas story perfectly.

 <- The Atmosphere for Miracles ReviewUnappreciated Gifts Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Run, Rabbit by Angela Slatter

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

Title: Run, Rabbit
Author: Angela Slatter
In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Dates read: 27th January 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: He knows what to look for in newcomers

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Synopsis

Rabbit is on the run from the Queen. But it isn’t until he is caught that he realises what a twisted trap he has laid for himself.

Thoughts

Sometimes it is fun to imagine what happens to the characters after you turn the last page of the story. Especially when you are dealing with characters such as Alice from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It’s not a story that has a clear beginning and ending. And it’s one that leaves a lot of imaginative license – there aren’t a lot of very specific plot lines and it gives a lot of fluidity and manoeuvrability to the storyline.

This short story takes the idea of “what happens after” and creates a whole new narrative. One in which the Rabbit is something a little more evil. A little more twisted, and even Alice is turned into a darker and more sinister version. Which, on rereading the original storylines, I can completely understand the dark and twisty storyline and feeling.

 <- All the King’s Men ReviewIn Memory of a Summer’s Day Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Untitled 12 by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Book Review, , ,
Overview
The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance

Title: Untitled 12
Author: Caitlin R. Kiernan
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Horror, Vampires
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2005
5th sentence, 74th page: “It’s not a game,” she said and licked at her lips.

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Synopsis

Sometimes what you call to you isn’t quite what you wanted. But this girl is stuck with it anyway.

Thoughts

This story was kind of disturbing. And by kind of. I mean seriously. And confusing. Really, really confusing. There was a hermaphroditic vampire thing that beat the crap out of her convert. There was blood puke on the floor and there was a lot of weirdness that was super uncomfortable.

Although, if you read this story, there is no way in hell that you are going to want to become a vampire. Or really think that they are dreamy and sexy. So I kind of liked it. It was so sick and disturbing. Yet fun and interesting. Also impossible to put down or look away from. Kind of like a really horrific car crash… or gory and horrible horror movie…

 <- A Stand-up Dame ReviewThe Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Fairest of All by Serena Valentino

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for fairest of all book cover

Title: Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen
Author: Serena Valentino
Series: Villains #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Fantasy, Villains
Dates read: 4th – 16th January 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Disney Press
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: Given what Snow has already told us of them, I would advise we keep a close watch on the sisters, for I do not trust them.

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Synopsis

The tale of the young princess Snow White and her evil stepmother the Wicked Queen is widely known. Despite a few variations from telling to telling, the story remains the same – the Queen was jealous of the girl’s beauty, and this jealousy culminated in the Queen’s attempt on the sweet, naive girl’s life.

Another tale far less often spoken of is the one that explains what caused the Queen to become so contemptuously vile. Still, some have attempted to guess at the reason. Perhaps the Queen’s true nature was that of a wicked hag and her beautiful, regal appearance a disguise used to fool the King. Others claim that the Queen might have hated the girl for her resemblance to the King’s first wife. Mostly, the Queen is painted as a morally abhorrent woman who never loved another being during the course of her miserable life.

In fact, the theories about exactly what caused the Queen’s obsessive vanity and jealous rage are too numerous to catalogue. This book recounts a version of the story that has remained untold until now. It is a tragic tale of love and loss, and it contains a bit of magic. It is a tale of the Wicked Queen…

Thoughts

I bought the first three books of this series on a whim because I saw their pretty covers on someone’s Facebook page. Normally I do a little research into a series before I do this. But I mostly just got a little bit too overexcited and just went for it. And I’m really glad that I did! This story takes the original Disney version of Snow White and gives it so many glorious twists and turns that leaves you understanding and sympathising with the villain. One of the scariest villains of my childhood for that matter – the Wicked Queen.

I was expecting a story that justified the Queen’s actions in the well-known Disney version fairy tale. What I wasn’t expecting was for the story to continue on beyond her turning, and to her actual decision making that occurs throughout the entire movie. And even continued on beyond the happily-ever-after. It gave the story a much more intense and intriguing storyline that I just wasn’t expecting.

Although you know that there isn’t really going to be a happily ever after, you still kind of hope for one. Valentino is just that good at inspiring sympathy for a villain. I haven’t had the fortune to read many villain-based tales and I thought that this was a great start into the sub- genre. Especially when considering that this is based on one of the best-known fairy tales. And it uses the Disney version which is the retellings most commonly recognised.

Throughout this story, my heart bled for the Queen. I was so incredibly attached to her and loved that although she turns evil as expected, you could understand more and more why she ended up that way. I can’t wait to pick up The Beast Within and find out how Valentino spins that tale.

 <- The Odd Sisters ReviewThe Beast Within Review ->
Image source: Disney Publishing Worldwide

The Root of the Matter by Gregory Frost

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

Title: The Root of the Matter
Author: Gregory Frost
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: Fairy tales,
Villains
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: The Others had seen it coming much sooner.

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Synopsis

Mother Gothel and Rapunzel tell their stories in this slightly horrific and intense retelling of Rapunzel. Not for the young… or the faint of heart.

Thoughts

As with many of the retellings in Snow White, Blood Red, The Root of the Matter was filled with a sexuality that is almost missing from the traditional fairy tales. I say almost because it does kind of linger in the originals, but it’s possible to ignore and read in total innocence. You can’t read The Root of the Matter in total innocence. You can’t read it in any semblance of innocence for that matter.

Rapunzel has always been a fairy tale that I’ve enjoyed. And when I finally discovered the full version as an adult (the one with the blinding and wondering the desert), it made me love it all the more. There is just something about this story. And the fact that there is an eventual happy ending, even though there is a lot of suffering simply endears it to me all the more. After all, I tend to find that the happiest and sweetest of endings come from the sufferings. Can’t see the light without the dark and all of that nonsense. So it was really nice that although this was a very adult version of Rapunzel, it still had that happy ending. The living forever after together after both had faced their trials.

This is definitely a short story and retelling that is going to linger. It is almost the original, but with a much more adult spin on it that both disturbs and works beautifully.

 <- I Shall Do Thee Mischief in the Wood ReviewThe Princess in the Tower Review ->
Image source: Amazon

After the Gloaming by Leah Marie Brown

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

Title: After the Gloaming
Author: Leah Marie Brown
In: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Celtic, Scottish romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: The emaciated man’s chest rattled with each tortured breath and his blue eyes, yellow with jaundice, darted frantically back and forth as if terrified at the thought of dying alone.

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Synopsis

Conrad has returned to the homeland to say goodbye to the father that he never knew. But in doing so, he might find a future for himself that he never expected. And break the ancient curse on his family at the same time.

Thoughts

I really liked the use of a bean sidhe in this Scottish romance. It took that sense of surreal otherworldness that I’m falling in love with within the genre and partnered it with the modern-day real world. Especially considering the fact that the story begins in yesteryear and then flashes forward to today. The use of a cursed woman and bean sidhe just echoed that perfectly.

The only reason I took half a star off of my rating for this tale was that I thought it ended too quickly. The introduction took up about three quarters of the story. Then suddenly the two characters are obviously in love and trying to break the curse. You flip the page and the curse is broken. I felt that the amount of work and awesome storytelling that had gone into the initial introduction, could have extended out the ending a little and made you wonder about happily ever after for just that little bit longer.

 <- The Laird’s Vow ReviewNext Time Review ->
Image source: Hachette Australia