Category Archives: Book Review

The Atmosphere for Miracles by David Boop

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
A Fantastic Holiday Season

Title: The Atmosphere for Miracles
Author: David Boop
In: A Fantastic Holiday Season (Kevin J. Anderson & Keith J. Olexa)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Fantasy, Westerns
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: World Fire Press
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: That is, until Sheriff Theodore Patrick walked into town.

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Synopsis

A town is cursed with horrible luck, but a new sheriff in town and a big problem on the eve of Christmas might be just what’s needed to change it all.

Thoughts

I really liked this story. I kind of wish that it was part of a greater series… a small town that is perpetually cursed. Especially on a Wednesday. That in and of itself is a great premise for a novel or series. And then there’s the sheriff who came to drink himself to death. And the Indian man who is running around in a tuxedo… they don’t entirely fit into the Western theme.

I didn’t really get a Christmas spirit vibe or feeling from this story. The only thing that is Christmassy about this tale is the fact that it all takes place just before that special day of the year. And the fact that there is briefly snow. Because apparently snow means Christmas. For me, snow means… well, no point of the year. Because it never snows where I’m from…

 <- Christmas Eve at Harvey Wallbanger’s ReviewA Sufficiently Advanced Christmas Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

All the King’s Men by Jeffrey Ford

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

Title: All the King’s Men
Author: Jeffrey Ford
In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: In a flash, Dumpty’s eyes imploded, his lips crumbled, his arms snapped, and when they did, I had to wonder for a second when and from where he’d acquired arms… and legs?

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Synopsis

Humpty Dumpty has fallen and broken into many pieces. The king wants his sister-in-law to repair the damage he’s done, but what will the final cost truly be?

Thoughts

I loved this take on the tale of Humpty Dumpty. He is gross, creepy and annoying. And yet there is a weird connection between him and the king. The fact that this weird, grotesque relationship is told through the eyes of an inventor and the queen’s sister kind of makes it all the more fun. Alongside the word spinning and twirling that seems to be an aspect of anything influenced by Lewis Carroll.

I thought this story would just be about the assassination of Humpty Dumpty and the consequent way in which ‘all the king’s men’ tried to put him back together again. So I was kind of surprised when the story continued after this point. And it just kept getting better and better. And better.

The ending of this short story is one that sticks in my head. That beautiful imagery that lingers long after you have turned the final page.

 <- Alis ReviewRun, Rabbit Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

A Stand-up Dame by Lilith Saintcrow

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

Title: A Stand-up Dame
Author: Lilith Saintcrow
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep) & By Blood We Live (John Joseph Adams)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance,  Vampires
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: I chopped the was we used to chop rattlers back on the farm and, when her body stopped flopping and the gouts and gouts of fresh streaming blood had soaked a wide swatch of rain-flattened grass, I dropped the shovel in too.

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Synopsis

Jack wakes up in a grave with a bullet hole in his head. All he can remember is the dame in the green dress. And then he realises that the most stand-up dame might be the one who has been right in front of him all along.

Thoughts

I liked the voice in this story. It was that very 20’s and had that kind of roughened P.I. tone to it that I have become used to in some of the more vampire noir stories. There was something about the language and storyline that just drew me in from the beginning. Mostly though it was just the fact that although this was a vampire romance, the vampire part was implied, and not outright explained.

One of my favourite things about this story was the very beautifully open-ended. I was disappointed in some ways, but I also liked the fact that it was up to my own imagination to understand what happened next. Actually… imagining multiple endings has both been incredibly fun and really frustrating.

 <- Vampire Unchained ReviewUntitled 12 Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Heiress for Hire by Erin McCarthy

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for heiress for hire erin mccarthy book cover

Title: Heiress for Hire
Author: Erin McCarthy
Series: Cuttersville #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Romance
Dates read: 21st – 22nd January 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: Even if she made it through another day, and another, answering the phone and booking appointments, Harriet said she wouldn’t get paid for another two weeks.

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Synopsis

Chicago socialite Amanda Delmar thought spending the summer in Cuttersville, Ohio’s most haunted town, would be a hoot – until dear old Dad cut her off. Now Amanda has to do the unthinkable: get a job…

For farmer Danny Tucker, hiring Amanda to babysit the eight-year-old daughter he just found out about may not be the smartest thing he’s ever done. But seeing how Amanda – and her couture-clad poodle – bring a smile to his shy daughter’s face makes it all worthwhile. Now all Danny has to figure out is how to keep Amanda at arm’s length when she’s already wriggled her way into his heart…

Thoughts

The more I read of the Cuttersville series, the more I fall in love with this beautiful, small town. Actually, I’m really disappointed that I only have one story left now. Especially since I have read both A Date with The Other Side and Heiress for Hire in one sitting. Not even putting my book down to eat or have a loo break. I just walked around with my nose in the book, and really, really hoped that I didn’t walk into a wall.

There is just something that is so incredibly sweet about McCarthy’s contemporary romance series. A little drama helps to make these stories incredibly hard to put down. But the simplicity and lack of any serious problems makes them a beautiful way to spend a few hours. There is the slight bump in the road, but unlike some of the paranormal romance stories that I’ve been reading, these are mild moments of insecurity or being unsure. They’re not the reach through the pages grab the antagonist by the throat and smack them around the head insecurities which I’m so used to. Which is honestly probably why I’m enjoying ripping through these stories so quickly.

Most stories that feature an heiress paint them as someone who is kind of an airhead. And although Amanda acts that way throughout the story, she has this great intelligence that is completely untapped. The fact that she’s not a complete airhead, has integrity and a heart of gold was a really nice way to characterise her. Although I have often come across this trope, the character normally irritates me and needs a lot of development before she gets to this point. Amanda’s amazingness comes out immediately. There is not wading through the crap to get to the shiny centre of an amazing character. And this is yet another simplistic aspect for which I am incredibly grateful.

 <- A Date With the Other Side ReviewCharlotte’s Web Review ->
Image source: Erin McCarthy

I Shall Do Thee Mischief in the Wood by Kathe Koja

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Image result for snow white, blood red book coverTitle: I Shall Do Thee Mischief in the Wood
Author: Kathe Koja
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Villains
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: The inn-tavern was hot, hot almost as the departed day, crowded with those with something to sell, vice or service, proferring to the retinue what did not first interest their lord.

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Synopsis

Red Riding Hood is poor, young and, too many, a little simple. So when a predator from another town fixates on her, and follows her into the woods, you think you know what’s going to happen. But you don’t. Because this is a very twisted fairy tale retelling.

Thoughts

In the collection, Snow White, Blood Red, I Shall Do Thee Mischief follows directly after Little Red. And I had to put this book down after Little Red because of the ick factor. So when I found out that there was a second story based on this fairy tale. Also with a sexual component… I’ll admit that I was kind of concerned. And uncomfortable. There is only so much ick I can read before I have to change over to the happy and carefree stories. Luckily for me, although the sexuality was still there, it wasn’t so intense. Or icky.

I did have to read the last page of this short story twice to feel like I fully understood what happened. And I’m still not entirely sure if my take is “correct”. But from what I absorbed… the young girl was completely able to turn the tables on her would-be predator. And, since that’s the kind of ending that I like… I’m going to stick with it.

 <- Little Red ReviewThe Root of the Matter Review ->
Image source: Amazon

The Laird’s Vow by Anne Gracie

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

Title: The Laird’s Vow
Author: Anne Gracie
In: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Scottish romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Perhaps I’ll one day come to rue the day I plucked a wee bog sprite from the mud and married her, but I doubt it.

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Synopsis

The Laird wants to protect his inheritance from his spend-happy Uncle. And the only way to do so is to marry. In making a vow to marry the first eligible maiden he meets, he’s either making the greatest mistake of his life… or finding his own happily ever after.

Thoughts

Alright, so I knew that the first woman that the laird meets in this was going to kind of end up being the woman of his dreams. After all, it’s a short story in a collection of Scottish Romances. Nothing else is going to happen but two people meet and fall in love in a wonderfully short period of time. That isn’t to say that the journey isn’t wonderful. And my heart did that little skip-a-beat that it does when I find an incredibly sweet and beautiful tale.

I was expecting a lot more resilience to the bride in this story. Which meant that I was incredibly surprised when it didn’t really come about. The entire story was mostly about the marriage and then quickly getting to know one another, and of course, eventually realising that they were in love. I kind of liked the fact that there wasn’t a lot of resilience to the union – I was reading another romance at the time which did have a lot of resilience. So it was quite a nice change of pace to not have to worry about someone not getting their happily ever after.

 <- His Magick Touch ReviewAfter the Gloaming Review ->
Image source: Hachette Australia

A Date With the Other Side by Erin McCarthy

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for a date with the other side erin mccarthy book cover

Title: A Date With the Other Side
Author: Erin McCarthy
Series: Cuttersville #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Romance
Dates read: 12th January 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2005
5th sentence, 74th page: The lock clicked into place.

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Synopsis

In the three years Shelby Tucker has been leading tour groups through the haunted houses of Cuttersville, Ohio, she’s never caught a glimpse of a ghost. But she does get pretty startled when she waltzes into the bedroom of a supposedly vacant house and stumbles upon a sexy, hot-blooded, naked man…

This is no ghost, though. This guy is solid as a rock. Bad boy Boston Macnamara is renting the so-called huanted house… and he’s about to shake things up in good ol’ Cuttersville. At least for Shelby, who’s never been so hot and bothered before. And especially if some feisty matchmaking spirits have their way…

Thoughts

I can’t believe that I’ve put off reading this book for like a whole month!!! I got it, I wanted to read it… I decided that I should read something else. And I kept putting it off. Until the other day, when I had a really severe migraine. Which meant that any urban fantasy or really any story that involved keeping intense track of the characters and the plot was completely out of bounds. Instead I read this. Cover to cover with no breaks. And made my migraine worse… but it was totally worth it!!!

The whole opposites attract thing really comes out in this story. Shelby is completely easy going, although kind of insecure and smart enough to know what she doesn’t want in life (even if she can’t quite figure out what she does want). Boston on the other hand is uptight and controlled… although peel back the outside layers of both the characters as you go through the story (as McCarthy does perfectly in this) and you’ll realise that under that crispy outer shell, both of the characters are almost exactly the same. Insecure, longing to be loved and not sure whether they can trust someone else.

Although this is an incredibly typical boy meets girl kind of story, I did love the ghostly influences throughout. It’s not quite a paranormal romance, in that it is very everyday lives that just happen to occur near a haunted house. The slight paranormal influence partnered with the small country town that I find completely relatable made this seem almost the more real. After all, there are places that people think are haunted… and why not have a story that means this haunting becomes something more positive?

 <- Seeing is Believing ReviewHeiress for Hire Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Mamma’s Boy by Sandra Wickham

Book Review, ,
Overview
Evolve

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.

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Synopsis

Ruth is about to give birth to a half monster baby. But will she find a way to make him a Mamma’s Boy?

Thoughts

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.

 <- An Ember Amongst the Fallen ReviewThe Morning After Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for grave mercy book cover

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.

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Synopsis

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.

Thoughts

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.

 <- Mortal Heart ReviewDark Triumph Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Double Hexed by Allyson James

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Hexed

Title: Double Hexed
Author: Allyson James
Series: Stormwalker #2.5
In: Hexed (Ilona Andrews, Yasmine Galenorn, Allyson James & Jeanne C. Stein)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Strong women, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 18th January 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: I just wanted someone to talk to.

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Synopsis

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”.

Thoughts

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…

<- FirewalkerShadow Walker ->

Image source: Ilona Andrews