Jeff Clarke has a new job as a researcher at LifeSpan. But when he catches the attention of the office recluse, he finds himself in a whole heap of trouble.
This was an intriguing and unexpected short story. At first I was a bit “eh” about it. It was fun and interesting, but I wasn’t completely drawn in. And I was most certainly wondering what this had to do with vacations. But then, at the very end, everything began to make sense. Which made everything all that much better in hindsight.
This was just fun, entertaining and a lot, lot of fun. I liked Jeff’s work ethic and I thought that his drive to discover the truth was kind of awesome. Plus, there was that whole idea that a whole new reality was opened up to him just because he had an awesome work ethic.
A fun, enjoyable and nice way to spend a spot of afternoon time. This was most definitely a short story that I will be reading again.
In a world where gunslingers rule all, Renn si the one who tuaght her brother, Kid Vicious to shoot. But how will she ever be taken seriously herself?
I knew that there were going to be little men in this story just from the title. But the way that they were in this and how the story evolved… that was something new. And fun. I really and seriously enjoyed this short story and, even after turning the final page, I couldn’t quite get it out of my head.
I love that Renn is the better shooter in her family. That even her brother, who is recognised as a gunslinger, admits that she is better. There aren’t many stories (or indeed brothers I believe) who would necessarily admit that. It made me really love her brother and left me smiling after I turned the final page.
The little twists and turns throughout this story were seriously enjoyable and kind of cute. I had a good giggle throughout and would most definitely read this short story again.
Title: The Bandit Author: Loren D. Estleman In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis) Rating Out of 5: 2 (Managed to read it… just) My Bookshelves:Westerns Dates read: 31st October 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2013 5th sentence, 74th page: He had always been first in line when magazines donated by the DAR came into the library, and while his fellow inmates were busy snatching up the new catalogues and finding the pages containing pictures of women in corsets and camisoles torn out, he was paging through the proliferating motoring journals, admiring the photographs and studying the technical illustrations of motors and transmissions.
The Bandit has been released, and now he finds out about more bandit on the Western Frontier.
This is a nice, easy and super quick read. It’s not necessarily one that completely drew me in. but was still quite fun. Definitely an enjoyable and intriguing experience. One that I would probably repeat. Although, I don’t know that I’d get heaps more out of it.
This short story was well written in style. I just… didn’t fall in love with the storyline. Even trying to write a decent review is a little difficult. So I might just leave it here…
Title: Sundown Author: Tobias S. Buckell In: Dead Man’s Hand (John Joseph Adams) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Weird western Dates read: 31st October 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Titan Books Year: 2014 5th sentence, 74th page: The territories we purchased from the Russians after the war?
Willie is a deputy Marshall on the hunt for something that can’t quite be explained. And will probably give you nightmares…
Entering a town that you don’t expect to survive is terrifying. Add to that airships, insects and all sorts of horrible things that go bump in the night… I was kind of surprised that anyone survived at the end of this story. And, of course, super grateful that they did.
I love that the Deputy Marshall is only described as negro only abut halfway through the story. Sit highlights the inherent racism and horribleness of people. And it also drove home how horrible it must be for people who experience this. Even though this was a bit of a fantasy story, this was the part of the tale that I focused on most… that racism and the horror of the crowd.
I really enjoyed this short story. Although I’m not 100% of what happened throughout. It was a little bit convoluted and insane. Which is probably why I enjoyed it so much…
In her suspenseful tale of a woman determined to assist the elderly in her small, newly adopted community, New York Times bestselling author Christina Skye honours Barbara Huston, co-founder of Partners in Care Maryland.
I started this novella wondering just how a story about caring for the elderly could morph into a contemporary romance story. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few stories I’ve read which feature the elderly in these settings. But they’re never the actual focus, and, since I’m still young and sprightly, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to read a story in which the elderly person was the love interest. Luckily for me, that’s not the case in this story either. Whilst it does feature caring for the elderly, the romance is all about a younger couple.
Romance, elderly and just genuinely lovely stings aside in this novella. There’s a dog. Which is generally all that I want in a good novella. I mean, as I’m writing this review, I have two dogs curled up beside me… one snoring his pretty little (or not so little as the case is) head off. The fact that Marlowe (that’s the dog in this story) not only manages to be an amazing character, but he also saes the day… yeah, I really would have been quite happy just reading about Marlowe for half an hour I think. Can anyone tell that I’m dog obsessed?
Although this is a contemporary romance story, I love that it more so features sisterly love and the strength of the relationship between the two Wilson sisters. I know that I’d do pretty much anything to protect my little sister, and Sarah in this most definitely feels the same. Definitely a fantastic novella that transported me to another world.
Title: Everything is Fucked: A Book About Hope Author: Mark Manson Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Non-fiction, Psychology, Self help Dates read: 19th September – 30th October 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Novel Publisher: Harper Year: 2019 5th sentence, 74th page: Yet, in a matter of a few months, this cantankerous, antisocial twenty-three-year-old had uncovered the mystery, had cracked the code.
From the author of the international megabestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck comes a counterintuitive guide to the problems of hope.
We live in an interesting time. Materially, everything is the best it’s ever been, yet somehow everything seems to be irreparably and horribly fucked. What’s going on? If anyone can put a name to our current malaise and help fix it, it’s Mark Manson. In Everything Is Fucked, Manson draws on mountains of psychological research, as well as on the timeless wisdom of philosophers from Plato to Tom Waits, to dissect religion, politics, money, entertainment, and the internet.
With his usual mix of erudition and humor, Manson challenges us to be more honest with ourselves, openly defying our definitions of faith, happiness, freedom – and even of hope itself. One of the great modern writers has produced another book that will set the agenda for years to come.
This wasn’t quite as good as The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck. But it was still a fun read. And most definitely the kind of book that I would pick up again and reread. Manson makes some amazing points, and I think that the reason I liked The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck was because I really needed to read that book at that point in my life.
Everything Is Fucked serves as a great reminder of all of the pitfalls in our everyday lives. The pitfalls that we, ourselves have created in our never ending quest to make our lives better. I love that he points out this ridiculous paradox – that we have created a society in which we want to improve our lives. Yet, this very improvement is what is making us so damn depressed. It kind of reinforces some of the beliefs that I already held…
This isn’t necessarily a hopeful book. But it’s not pessimistic either. There is a strong sense of optimism in the words that highlight how important it is to construct our futures and think about our everyday decision making. It certainly helped me to take a step back and think about my own decision making and choices that I make. Mostly, what is actually contributing to my happiness and what is just… fluff.
Like The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck, this is a book that I think everyone should read at some point. It’s fun and enjoyable. Deep and meaningful. And filled with a lot of humour and random information to really help get Manson’s point across.
Title: Dead and Dateless Author: Kimberly Raye Series: Dead End Dating #2 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Vampires Dates read: 10th – 29th October 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Ballantine Books Year: 2007 5th sentence, 74th page: “It wasn’t your fault.”
She’d like her blood bottled, please!
The sassiest vampire in all of Manhattan, Lil Marchette, is the owner of Dead End Dating – a matchmaking service for hip, intelligent singles like herself. After only three months, business is booming, and she can finally pay her bills (and, more important, feed a hungry cosmetics addiction). But when one of her clients turns up dead (as in never coming back), Lil is named as the prime suspect.
Murder?
Sure, she’s a vampire, but she can’t even work up her nerve when it comes to blood-sucking. Hacking somebody to pieces is so out of the question.
To make matters worse, Lil must also contend with a pack of werewolves who ask – no, demand – that she find each one a tall, dark, and handsome mate before the next full moon. Plus, the to-die-for-if-I-wasn’t-already-dead Ty Bonner, a lusciously sexy lover but totally unsuitable eternity mate, is never far from her midnight fantasies. But Lil has no time for such thoughts. She must prove her innocence and focus on pairing off the dead and the furry – and maybe stake a claim to her own tasty true love.
Alright, Lil is kind of a bit of a pain throughout this story. Which I’m pretty sure I found in the first tale as well. She’s just a little too… well, girly for lack of a better word. Not someone that I can really sympathise with very well. Having said that, even though she has a tendency to be a little irritating, I also loved her character. It’s kind of making fun at some of the socialites and those with a tendency to focus on their looks. At least, that’s how I take her character. Because, at the end of the day, even though she’s kind of vapid and a little irritating, she’s also seriously sweet and has a great heart. You just can’t help but love her, even when you’re beginning to feel a little irritated by her characterisation in moments…
I love Ty as a counterpoint to Lil. A bit like my own partner and I, where Lil is light and air and all positive, rainbow vibes, Ty is dark, twisty and communicationally stunted. Yet, I think that this turns them into the perfect partnership. After all, the saying opposites attract is around for a reason… I’m seriously, seriously hoping that they work out as a couple in the next few books… not entirely sure what my feelings will be if Raye pulls that rug out from under me…
To top off the humour and the slightly satirical feel of this story, I absolutely loved the werewolf mating ritual in this story. And, also how that all works out as a secondary plot to you know… Lil being wanted for murder. Particularly her hunt for an alpha red head. And her unique solution to the issue. It had me grinning and giggling throughout the whole story. And I love that Raye was able to take a well-known paranormal species and give them yet another new twist (like she did with the creation of vampires).
I was quite surprised at who the villain was in this story. I feel like I really should have guessed… but, whilst I wasn’t completely floored and shocked… I definitely didn’t predict it either. Which, ultimately is something that I tend to love in a good book anyway. After all, being able to guess things all the time can get a little… well, boring. And this novel is anything but boring. I can’t wait to sink my fangs… I mean teeth… into Your Coffin or Mine?
There’s nothing like home renovation for finding skeletons in the closet or otherworldly portals in the parlour… And when you add in a hefty dose of the supernatural, the normal, everyday challenges of home D-I-Y become even more hazardous!
International number 1 bestseller Charlaine Harris has joined forces once again with award-winning mystery writer Toni L.P. Kelner to construct a brilliant anthology of fourteen forays into the frightening world of home improvement.
This is a great and fun collection. It’s amusing and light. Filled with lots of gorgeous paranormal stories and just seriously fun. What I love most about it though is that each and everyone of these stories features the process of home renovations in some way, shape or form. And, as a home owner myself… I can attest to the fact that sometimes home improvements are literally hell…
I love that this collection brings the supernatural and paranormal into our everyday experiences. Everyone has a home and, in the case of these somewhat more magical lives… after all, even vampires and witches and the fae still need a home… but their complications are a lot worse than the ones that I have had to face…
This collection had some authors and series that I’m familiar with. And some that are new to me. As with many of the good anthologies that I read, my wish list has grown yet again. Which is really what I want when I read a good anthology.
Title: Ice and Embers: Steampunk Snow Queen Author: Melanie Karsak Series: Steampunk Fairytales #2 Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Fairy tales, Retellings, Steampunk Dates read: 19th – 29th October 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Clockpunk Press Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: “You’re very kind.”
When actress Elyse McKenna fell in love with Lord John Waldegrave, she was prepared to keep their liaison secret. What she wasn’t’ ready for was how her newfound love would rock her relationship with her dearest friend, Doctor Kai Murray.
With the 1814 London Frost Fair in full swing, Elyse and her troupe at the Ice House Theatre find themselves at the heart of the excitement on the frozen Thames. But when an exotic ship captain, whose vessel is trapped in the ice, turns her attention to Kai, everything Elyse thought she knew about her feelings for her old friend gets flipped upside down.
While the Ice House Theatre’s production of A Midwinter Night’s Dream thrills the London crowd, Elyse’s life begins to take on a distinctly Shakespearean turn.
Elyse must find a way to discover the truth about the captain, Kai, John, and her own feelings if she hopes to escape the Thames with her heart intact.
Ice and Embers is a retelling of the classic Snow Queen fairy tale set in Regency London.
I must admit that The Snow Queen is one of my all time favourite fairy tales. Which meant that a steampunk adaptation of it was immediately going to draw me in. Particularly when the other two adaptations I’ve read by Karsak(Curiouser and Curiouser and Wolves and Daggers) were just so damn good. And you know what? This didn’t disappoint. It was fantastic and wonderful and did absolute justice to the original fairy tale (thank goodness).
Although the original fairy tale focuses on two children, I loved that Karsak bought this into adulthood. It wasn’t necessarily sexual (although there were moments of that), but Elyse’s battle and journey was that little bit more intense and serious because she was an adult. That, and the fact that it was partnered with Shakespeare, although I probably didn’t pick up on all of the references because I’m a little bit “eh” about The Bard. It was all very well done and completely seamlessly executed.
It may have taken me a bit over a week to read this novel, but the majority of it I actually read in one night. A night when there were thunderstorms overhead and the rain beating down on my tin roof. Which was an absolutely perfect setting for the Frost Fair on the frozen river Thames. Something about the winter setting and my own winter nest was really nice and fun. Cuddling up beneath my blanket while listening to the rain pour down and having my heart beat alongside Elyse’s… it was something very beautiful and thematic. Or at least, my fanciful heart felt so.
This doesn’t have as much of a steampunk feel as Curiouser and Curiouser. It’s a little more a regency feel with a few dashes of steampunk thrown in. Yet, I liked it. It was a nice way to show different classes and people within the same social setting and whilst I loved the Bandersnatch, I don’t think Elyse would have been so suited with so much machinery around her in her adventures…
Title: Maybe Another Time Author: Dean Wesley Smith In: Westward Weird (Martin H. Greenberg & Kerrie Hughes) Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Time travel, Weird western Dates read: 24th October 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Daw Books Year: 2012 5th sentence, 74th page: If I weren’t so scared, I’d be stunned at the beauty of it all.
Brenda and her husband are travelling through time from 2016 to the 1800s and back again. What they discover will blow your mind.
I absolutely loved the time travelling theme in this story. It was completely unexpected, joyful and wonderful. It also dealt with time travel in a way that I understood better than I had expected. After all, I frequently find time travel stories to be seriously difficult and convoluted.
Brenda and her husband (isn’t it weird that whilst writing this, I remember her name, but not his?), are a really kick ass couple. Physicist and mathematician. Both with a thirst for knowledge and an interest in discovering the truth. The fact that this leads to time travel, mining and numerous realities that weren’t expected… all that much better in my book.
The crystals in this story reflect the insane and complex nature of time travel. The multitude of ways in which time travel can be explained. The different paths that one decision can cause…. It will give me a headache if I think about it for too much longer…
Earth and Skye 