June 2020

July 31, 2020ListJune 2020, Reading listskyebjenner

June began with me finally admitting that my mental health is not okay. And finding a way to get back on my feet. Which also included reading… a lot.

Series

Short story collections

Standalones – Novels

Standalones – Novellas

Standalones – Short stories

Image source: Melanie Joy Astrology

Field of the Dead by Kim Lakin-Smith

July 31, 2020Book ReviewGhosts, Horror, Humour, Kim Lakin-Smith, Paranormal Fantasy, The Mammoth Book of Ghost Stories by Womenskyebjenner

Image result for the mammoth book of ghost stories by women book cover

Title: Field of the Dead
Author: Kim Lakin-Smith
In: The Mammoth Book of Ghost Stories by Women (Marie O’Regan)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror, Humour, Paranormal fantasy
Dates read: 30th June 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Once, mind, and then no more will be said on it.

The church is being haunted in a world that doesn’t like to acknowledge the presence of ghosts. This is not only a battle of wills and power… but one of faith.

I absolutely adored the combination of the Church, the supernatural and faith in this ghostly short story. It’s a good beginning to a collection of ghost stories, just enough creepiness, without being overwhelmingly scary. I think I need to ease into the truly terrifying things-that-go-bump-in-the-night stories. It’s been a little while since I tried to read any…

This story was seriously layered in its symbolism, themes and moments. It was one of those that will leave you contemplating the story long after you’ve turned that final page. The plethora of characters, character histories and faiths had me rereading multiple passages. It was just so beautifully constructed.

This is one of those great stories that completely pulled me in, but I can’t actually remember completely what the storyline was even about. There was just something… whispy and ethereal about the story. Which most definitely suits the ghost story theme. I look forward to rereading this in the future and picking up more nuances that I previously missed.

<- The Mammoth Book of Ghost Stories by Women

Collect Call ->

Image source: Goodreads

One Small Step… by Amie Kaufman

July 30, 2020Book ReviewAliens, Amie Kaufman, Australian Authors, Begin End Begin, LGBTQI, Science Fiction, Young Adultskyebjenner

Image result for begin, end, begin book cover

Title: One Small Step…
Author: Amie Kaufman
In: Begin, End, Begin (Danielle Binks)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Aliens, Australian authors, LGBTQI, Science fiction, Young adult
Dates read: 30th June 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: Only a few people have ever returned from Mars to Earth, but it’s possible, just very expensive.

She’s the first born Martian. And rightly famous for it. But what if what she wants isn’t the life that has been mapped out for her? How can she figure out how to take that first, small step into her own future?

This was such an amazingly cute, engaging and brilliant short story. It also perfectly encompassed the theme of “beginning” which is featured in the Begin, End, Begin collection. After all, it is about a girl on the precipice of adulthood, trying to decide what she wants to do with her life and her future. The fact that she was the first person born on Mars and is somewhat of a celebrity just helps to add to the potency of the storyline.

There are two coming-of-age battles that are fought and dwelt upon beautifully in this short story. The first is the decision about whether or not to go to college on earth. What one wants to actually do with their lives in the future. And, ultimately, how much of this decision is based upon your own needs, and how much is based upon the desires of those who love you. I know that it was a battle that I constantly had to fight when I was trying to make decisions about my future.

Secondly, there is the little fact that the lead narrator is actually LGBTQI+. Her constant battle with not knowing how to reveal this fact and desire to do so… it’s kind of precipice-feeling. And so, when she finally makes a decision about her life at the end, you are just so damn happy. It really made my heart swell two more sizes.

This is a fantastic, perfect coming-of-age story that takes you to that precipice of the future. That will either make you think of your own potential future, or those moments like this that feel so important and all powerful… just ready for you too to jump of that cliff and start your own reality.

<- Begin, End, Begin

I Can See The Ending ->

Image source: Harper Collins Australia

Good With His Hands by Lori Foster

July 30, 2020Book ReviewBad Boys in Black Tie, Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Lori Fosterskyebjenner

Bad Boys In Black Tie (Watson Brothers, #3) by Lori Foster

Title: Good With His Hands
Author: Lori Foster
In: Bad Boys in Black Tie (Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy & Morgan Leigh)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Dates read: 30th June 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Brava
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: Her gaze traveled all over him and still she couldn’t take it in.

Good With His Hands by Lori Foster
As next-door negihbors and best friends, Pete Watson and Cassidy McClannahan have a “no sex” relationship. “No sex” equals continuing friendship. “Ohmygodyes” sex equals big problems and probably some serious dish throwing. It may be a rigid rule, but it works. Until Pete decides he wants to push the line. If sensible Cassidy won’t take his hits, he’s ready to transform himself into the perfect “black tie” guy he thinks she wants. And once she’s in his arms, he’ll show her just what else that black tie can do…

This is such a sweet, adorable and cute novella. It was an easy read and one that I really liked delving into right before I turned the lights out for the night. Pleasant dreams abound after reading this gorgeous little novella. It’s one of those stories that reminds you that love exists. In all places and at all times. And, that sometimes it’s the person you most think is unsuited that happens to be your perfect soulmate…

I love that all through this novella, you know both of the characters have feelings for each other. They’re a little too scared to tell each other, but at least there is no wondering about the depths of their feelings and the legitimacy of them. It makes the storyline a little extra sweet and fun. And incredibly difficult to not want to rush forwards to that inevitable moment when they do get together.

Although the romance takes centre stage, I also loved the dynamics in Cassidy’s family. Not only does she advocate for her little sister and try to make sure that her parents accept her relationship and the man that she loves. But there is also the discussion in this story surrounding the different ways in which children are talked about. Cassidy is always disappointed because she’s not considered “beautiful”, but Holly is always a little sad that she’s not considered “sensible”. I loved that this disjoint in the ways that two sisters view each other and themselves is built upon by such innocent compliments.

A great little novella. Light, fluffy and an absolute joy to read.

<- Bad Boys in Black Tie

Miss Extreme Congeniality ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Wind and the Snow of Winter by Walter Van Tilburg Clark

July 29, 2020Book ReviewThe Mammoth Book of Westerns, Walter Van Tilburg Clark, Westernsskyebjenner

Image result for the mammoth book of westerns book cover

Title: The Wind and the Snow of Winter
Author: Walter Van Tilburg Clark
In: The Mammoth Book of Westerns (Jon E. Lewis)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Westerns
Dates read: 29th June 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: He could still rembmer clearly, though, the winter he had stayed out on purpose, clear into January.

He’s an old cowboy travelling to a town he once knew very well. But what he finds there is not quite as he remembers it…

This short story had some seriously long-winded sentences and paragraphs. It was quite intense in many, many ways due to this lengthy description throughout. It also made the story seem like it was progressing a lot slower than other tales in the The Mammoth Book of Westerns collection. And somehow more descriptive and enthralling… it was a bit of a weird dichotomy because I don’t normally enjoy so many run-on sentences.

I did like the description of the weary old cowboy and the reminiscing. It didn’t have a great, impossible to put down story line. But it did make you feel like you understood the life that would have been lived much, much more. I actually really enjoyed that aspect – it was something that I think will be useful to remember in future western stories.

I didn’t really get the title until the very end. When he finally returns / arrives at his destination. And finds out that a lot of people are dead. You truly appreciate his age and loneliness in this moment. It is a little bittersweet, but kind of beautiful too.

<- Early Americana

When You Carry the Star ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

The Last Master of Aeronautical Winters by Larry D. Sweazy

July 29, 2020Book ReviewDemons, Larry D. Sweazy, Weird Western, Westerns, Westward Weirdskyebjenner

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Title: The Last Master of Aeronautical Winters
Author: Larry D. Sweazy
In: Westward Weird (Martin H. Greenberg & Kerrie Hughes)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Demons, Weird western, Westerns
Dates read: 29th June 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Daw Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: It was like they were real, burrowing into my own eyes with anger and resentment or maybe doubt of my fortitude.

They’ve been friends and companions for years. But it isn’t until his secret identity gets out that their friendship is truly tested in this fun little Weird Western story.

This is a fun little short story which features an illegitimate heir and cowboys. Demon hunting and secrets. It’s an interesting mix that features your ideas of a western cowboy. But also partners that with ideas of the monarchy, which kind of took me a little bit by surprise. A good read and one that I would probably pick up again.

I really liked the idea of cowboys going demon hunting on the mean streets. That the gunslingers are the ones who are bringing down creatures from hell. It made for a fun little diversion and journey that I really wasn’t expecting and thoroughly enjoyed.

I seriously enjoyed this story. It may not be one of those that is crazy, rich with detail and intense. But it was most definitely an enjoyable journey. One that I look forward to embarking on again in the future.

<- The Temptation of Eustace Prudence McAllen

Lowstone ->

Image source: Amazon

The Hell-Bound Stagecoach by Mike Resnick

July 28, 2020Book ReviewDead Man's Hand, Humour, Mike Resnick, Weird Western, Westernsskyebjenner

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Title: The Hell-Bound Stagecoach
Author: Mike Resnick
In: Dead Man’s Hand (John Joseph Adams)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Humour, Weird Westerns, Westerns
Dates read: 29th June 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Titan Books
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: She indicated her basket.

Ben and Miss Alicia are travelling to the end of the line. Along the way, they pick up the Wichita Kid and another mysterious traveller. But when they realise that they don’t want to ride to the end of the line… things get a little… hell-bound.

I had a good giggle at this short story. Which makes sense, because I have frequently found myself giggling a little at Resnick’s writing. There is this incredibly satirical, dry sense to his writing that manages to fit perfectly into the genres he is writing in, whilst simultaneously highlighting some of the more ridiculous aspects of them.

At the beginning of this story, I didn’t really think much about the fact that Ben and Abigail were travelling in the same coach together. To the end of the line. It didn’t really seem like anything drastically surreal or monumental. Until the second man, the Witchita Kid got into the coach. Then I began to realise that maybe things weren’t quite what they seem in this story line… that’s when the smiling and giggling really and truly began…

The characters in this may be “bad”, but they were also completely delightful. They made you want them to win the final altercation. Even if it really wasn’t something that could be considered “for the best”. I love stories in which the “bad guys” are the ones you’re gunning for… pun and everything intended.

<- Hellfire on the High Frontier

Stingers and Strangers ->

Image source: Amazon

Biting Bad by Chloe Neill

July 28, 2020Book ReviewChicagoland Vampires, Chloe Neill, Easy Reading, Paranormal Fantasy, Vampiresskyebjenner

Biting Bad (Chicagoland Vampires, #8) by Chloe Neill

Title: Biting Bad
Author: Chloe Neill
Series: Chicagoland Vampires #8
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy, Vampires
Dates read: 29th June 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: New American Library
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: A giant soaking tub sat in one corner, and tonight, it bore a surprise.

Merit has been a vampire for only a short while, but she’s already seen a lifetime’s worth of trouble. She and her Master, centuries-old Ethan Sullivan, have risked their lives time and again to save the city they love. But not all of Chicago is loving them back.

Anti-vampire riots are erupting all over town, striking vampires where it hurts the most. A splinter group armed with Molotov cocktails and deep-seated hate is intent on clearing the fanged from the Windy City, come hell or high water.

Merit and her allies rush to figure out who’s behind the attacks, who will be targeted next, and whether there’s any way to stop the wanton destruction. The battle for Chicago is just beginning, and Merit is running out of time.

I remember being a bit “eh” about House Rules. It was a good book, but didn’t really grab my attention, and so I took a break from this series. I kind of expected to get the same feeling from Biting Bad, but figured I’d give it a shot anyway. And boy, am I glad that I did. This was almost a revamp of the energy that I found in the first few Chicagoland Vampires books. It had all of that paranormal fun that I was hoping for, plus a number of riots and a lot of sword-wielding. What more could a girl ask for?

Ethan and Merit have taken a long, long time to find their happy-place in their relationship. At first it was supremely frustrating… stubborn and stubborn just constantly clashing and butting heads. But, as this series has evolved, that stubbornness has had a truly endearing quality. And I love that in Biting Bad, they’ve finally found their sweet-spot with their different character quirks and managed to find their happily ever after. Or at least, the beginnings of it.

There is something a little more unique about Chicagoland Vampires in the genre of vampire stories. Probably because it deals a lot more with the inter-politics between humans and vampires – most stories they are not political stories which are discussed between the two races. In fact, they are largely separate. I love that there is a hugely political spin to not just all of the character interactions, but also huge aspects of the storyline. Right down to where the different branches of the police are called in.

I really wasn’t expecting the ending to this story. I thought that some aspects of this novel would carry on until the next and some would cease to exist in this story. I was pretty much 100% wrong on both aspects. Which just makes me want to read the next novel even more… I just have to dig it out of my shelves first…

<- House Rules

High Stakes ->

Image source: Goodreads

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

July 27, 2020Book ReviewDC Icons, Fantasy, Sarah J. Maas, Superheroes, Young Adultskyebjenner

Catwoman: Soulstealer (DC Icons, #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Catwoman: Soulstealer
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fantasy, Superheroes, Young adult
Dates read: 28th – 29th June 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Penguin
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: I gotta work.

WHEN THE BAT’S AWAY, THE CAT WILL PLAY.

Two years after escaping Gotham City’s slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. Batman is off on a vital mission and Gotham is at the mercy of the new thief on the prowl. Joined by the cunning Poison Ivy and notorious Harley Quinn, she wreaks havoc across the city.

Selina is playing a desperate game of cat and mouse. But with a dangerous threat from the past on her tail, will she be able to pull off the ultimate heist?

I knew that this was going to be an amazing story. A beautiful, iconic superhero who is also a little grey and a seriously sexy, kick ass chick. One of my favourite authors. And a greatly descriptive novel. I knew it would be phenomenal and brilliant. Yet, I still didn’t quite expect how fantastic this would actually be. How flawless. How amazing. How completely, totally and utterly unforgettable.

So I may not have lots and lots of knowledge about the DC comics and superheroes. I know bits and pieces, and Batman seems to be getting a lot of attention in remakes and retellings lately. But I feel like, just having read this, I know so much more. The underbelly of Gotham City and the strength of Catwoman just sing from the pages. I love that Maas is able to write a story that is seriously dark, but maintain all of those wonderful aspects of hope that most superhero stories have.

I loved the romance that filtered throughout this story. You know from the very beginning that Selina and Luke are going to end up together in some format. But the journey to get there was rife with difficulties and horrors. Moments which make you just want that happily ever after all the more. That makes you reach for it and hope that there is a nice moment at the end of all of the battles. Particularly when the release of the joker hangs over the whole storyline – it makes the fleeting moments of courtship so much more fun.

Joining Catwoman with Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy was not something that I expected. I’m not sure if it’s something that comes about in any of the other stories, or if it’s done in this fashion. But it was certainly something that I loved. After all, they’re three strong, powerful, intelligent and independent women. Even if they may be a little off-kilter with their moral compasses and morals. They may actually be my favourite trio of protagonists that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in a long, long time.

All throughout this novel I knew that Catwoman had some kind of motive for her actions. I figured she wasn’t just a narcissistic thief. And that there was a reason for all of the mayhem that she was causing. I guessed bits and pieces of it, but it wasn’t until that grand reveal at the end that everything clicked into place. Which, for me, is one of the reasons why I love a Sarah J. Maas book so much.

<- Batman

Superman ->

Image source: Goodreads

Squatter’s Rights by Rochelle Krich

July 27, 2020Book ReviewDark Fantasy, Home Improvement, Horror, Paranormal Fantasy, Rochelle Krichskyebjenner

Image result for home improvement undead edition book cover

Title: Squatter’s Rights
Author: Rochelle Krich
In: Home Improvement (Charlaine Harris & Toni L.P. Kelner)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Horror, Paranormal fantasy
Dates read: 29th June 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Eve was sure.

Eve and Joe have just bought their dream house. But there is something knocking in the walls at night. Who will win this battle of wills?

The start of this story made me think that it was going to be kind of cute and super sweet. Turns out I was wrong. Fairly seriously wrong too to be honest. This is not a sweet short story. It does not have a happy ending. In fact, I don’t suggest reading it just before bed… there is just something goose bump creating about it that left me cringing and feeling very seriously uncomfortable.

I did guess that this story would be a little random due to the name – after all, Squatter’s Rights are based on the idea that whoever lives in a place owns the place. I didn’t realise how truly dark Krich would take the idea and the story though. How uncomfortable I would be at the end of this short story and how much I would enjoy that feeling of discomfort…

There are many things that this story touches upon. But one of the most poignant – the fact that it is seriously easy to lose trust and faith in another person. How easy it can be to manipulate someone into believing that things aren’t all as they seem and matters should possibly taken into their own hands…

<- Gray

Blood on the Wall ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

Earth and Skye

The ramblings of a bibliophile.

Field of the Dead by Kim Lakin-Smith

One Small Step… by Amie Kaufman

Good With His Hands by Lori Foster

The Wind and the Snow of Winter by Walter Van Tilburg Clark

The Last Master of Aeronautical Winters by Larry D. Sweazy

The Hell-Bound Stagecoach by Mike Resnick

Biting Bad by Chloe Neill

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

Squatter’s Rights by Rochelle Krich