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…
Title: Alis Author: Stephen Graham Jones In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Horror Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Tor Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: “Prime number,” Tabby called for herself.
A horror retelling of the world beyond the mirror becomes something that is far more than just a story… it becomes a tale that will leave you with goosebumps and a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach.
This sent shivers up my spine. It gave me goosebumps. And I
had to actually walk away from my computer, clean the house and make sure there
were no ghoulies in it before I could even consider writing this review. It was
that damn creepy. But also amazing. And something I will read again. In the
middle of a very well-lit day.
This is a brilliantly written, horrifying retelling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In a way. It takes ideas of mirrors, finding oneself and alternate realities into account. There is an obsession with maths and wordplay. And there is a sense of the characters entering an entirely different dimension. Unlike the Lewis Carroll original, this will keep me up all night and every time I close my eyes… I see the “other” at the other end of a dark tunnel…
Liam has betrayed his sire, and now his sire is going to get revenge in the only way he knows how – through Liam’s love. But, when Liam’s ancestry comes into play, they realise that all might not be as lost as they initially thought.
I like the idea of a witch-born vampire. And that this
ancestry is enough to overcome the change of vampirism. Actually, it’s the
first vampire story I’ve had the pleasure of reading in which the change is
reversed. And since it is a short story, this change occurs quite quickly. But
it doesn’t feel forced and overbearing as it can in some short stories.
I like the weaving together of a bit of Irish folklore and witchcraft
with vampirism. I haven’t read a good story that incorporates the two in quite
a while. And it’s made me kind of desperate to get my hands on the first book
in this series… self-control is a losing battle.
Title: Wild Fire Author: Christine Feehan Series: The Leopard People #4 Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Animagus, Paranormal romance, Shapeshifters Dates read: 19th December 2018 – 6th January 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Jove Books Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: His gaze was too focused, too absolute, making her feel as if she were the only woman in his world.
Called on a dangerous assignment, leopard shifter Conner Vega returns to the Panama rain forest of his homeland, looking every bit the civilized male. But as a member of the most lethal of the shifter tribes, he doesn’t have a civilized bone in his body. He carries the scent of a wild animal in its prime, he bears the soul-crushing sins of past kills and he’s branded with the scars of shame inflicted by the woman he betrayed.
Isabeau Chandler is a Borneo shifter who’s never forgiven Conner – or forgotten him. The mating urge is still with her, and when she crosses Conner’s path, passions burn like wild-fire. But as Conner’s mission draws Isabeau closer, another betrayal lies waiting in the shadows – and it’s the most perilous and intimate one of all.
It took me a very long time to get into this novel. I did
start reading this last year, about six months ago, but it just wasn’t what I
was completely in the mood for. But, this time, it was something that certainly
tickled me fancy a little more. Even though it still took me a while to get
into the first 200 pages. The last 200 I read in a matter of days, it’s just the
pace of the book and the mood I’m in I suppose.
Conner and Isabeau start off this story with a past
relationship, so rather than being a story about first love, it’s one about
gaining trust. Although I do enjoy the stories about first passions, love at
first sight, and the idea of that very first courtship, sometimes it’s a nice
change of pace to read about another stage in the relationship. Especially when
it is a somewhat fragmented one. Somehow, the idea of betrayal and regaining
trust, finding out more about someone after
that initial “honeymoon period” is more engaging. It’s more real. More intense
and able to draw me in. Probably because I’m in a long-term relationship, so
the issues I’m facing are very different to those of first love.
Although I enjoyed Burning Wild, I absolutely adored the setting in Wild Fire. After all, it’s set in some incredibly attractive lands of the rainforest. In Panama, a place I’ve never visited, but one my friend has assured me is absolutely stunning. The mystery of the land and the intensity of the wilderness add to the fast paced storyline as Conner and Isabeau not only fight to return to one another, but also take down a drug cartel and rescue innocent children. It’s certainly a dreamy and intense world in which Feehan transports you to.
