Hungry Hearts edited by Caroline Tung Richmond & Elsie Chapman

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Overview

Title: Hungry Hearts
Author: Caroline Tung Richmond, Elsie Chapman, Sangu Mandanna, Sandhya Menon, Rin Chupeco, Adi Alsaid, Jay Coles, Rebecca Roanhorse, Karuna Riazi, Phoebe North, S.K. Ali, Sara Farizan & Anna-Marie McLemore
In: Hungry Hearts (Caroline Tung Richmond & Elsie Chapman)
Rating Out of 5: Contemporary, Food, Short story collections
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Year: 2019

Thoughts

I absolutely adored this collection – it was brilliant, light-hearted and fun. Plus, it was filled with many new authors and beautiful stories. A great journey of stories by #OwnVoices authors who gave me a glimpse into a multitude of experiences. Ones that I look forward to repeating again in the future.

As someone who loves her food, I really appreciated that each story in this collection featured food and the many feelings that an accomplish it throughout. Food is a great avenue through which to experience the world, and process feelings. The stories in this collection run the gambit of experiences. And I found it intriguing the different feelings that were expressed throughout.

This is one of those fantastic collections of stories that I will read and reread again and again in the future. I also can’t wait to read more stories by the authors that I’ve added to this collection. There wasn’t one that I don’t look forward to reading again in the future.

<- Panaderia ~ PasteleriaRain ->

Image source: Goodreads

1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Two by Lexi Blake, Larissa Ione, Lisa Renee Jones & Cherise Sinclair

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview

Title: 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Two
Author: Lexi Blake, Larissa Ione, Lisa Renee Jones & Cherise Sinclair
In: 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Two (Lexi Blake, Larissa Ione, Lisa Renee Jones & Cherise Sinclair)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Erotica, Paranormal romance, Short story collections
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology, eBook
Year: 2015

Thoughts

I enjoyed this anthology more than I enjoyed 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle One, but it still wasn’t a collection in which I loved every single novella. Rather, I found that I adored two and was a bit meh about two. Still enough to make me want to continue reading through these anthologies – there are some wonderful gems and new authors to discover with just a turn of the page.

The stories within this collection are fairly intensely sexual at times. Which, depending on my mood and the style in which they are written, can be thoroughly enjoyable, or a little bit too intense. I always love to put myself in uncomfortable mindsets when reading. It’s how I learn and grow. Some of these might even be the kind of uncomfortable I enjoy on a second reading.

Although some of these stories were a little intense, I also loved that all four of them have a common thread. All four of these novellas featured some kind of Dom/Sub relationship, but they were also filled with love and respect, something I really enjoyed. I can’t wait to continue with these anthologies and keep pushing my comfort levels.

<- Silent BiteDungeon Games ->

Image source: Amazon

Reading Update as of Mid-August 2024

List, ,

Lots of reading and diving into some fun literary rabbit holes lately. A great way to check out a little after a tough day with two littles. ❤

Series

Standalones – Novellas

Standalones – Novels

Standalones – Short stories

Blaze of Glory by Mandy M. Roth

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Blaze of Glory
Author: Mandy M. Roth
Series: Prospect Springs Shifter #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Steampunk, Westerns
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2011

Thoughts

Whilst I really enjoyed this story, I didn’t necessarily love the end of this tale – I mean, Molly goes from being a tough and kick ass federal agent. To being barefoot and pregnant. I have no issue with her quitting her job for her family and happily ever after – but, maybe it could have been more of her wish than his?

I loved that Molly and Jonathan were childhood sweethearts and best friends. And then, they reconnected after they’ve had the chance to become adults. Particularly Molly, whilst the time apart may have been difficult in ways, they also emphasised who she was as a person and that she needed the space and time to grow up.

There is so much gun slinging and pure insanity throughout this story. Which is probably why I enjoyed it so much – I love the crazy. And crazy with guns? That makes me seriously enjoyable. Then, there’s the fun characters and fantastic world building. I mean, this is a novella which features the wild west with paranormal, steampunk flavours. Now I can’t wait to see how Jonathan’s brothers find their happily ever after…

<- More Mandy M. RothParker’s Honor ->

Image source: Mandy M. Roth

Sacred Places by Mandy M. Roth

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Sacred Places
Author: Mandy M. Roth
Series: Druid #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Magic, Paranormal romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2006

Thoughts

I love that although Coyle and Deri had an instant attraction, they build their relationship over three years before actually making their move. Alright, some of it is fear, but some of it is just the whole, getting to know one another thing. I read a few too many stories that the insta-lust turns into insta-love. Instead this was a story that was insta-lust to friendship to love… definitely a progression that I found far more enjoyable and relatable.

There was a decent amount of build up in this story for a quick turn around to a happily ever after. Although, some of that may be because this was quite a short story, at least in comparison to what I was quite frankly expecting. I was almost disappointed that there wasn’t more conflict and discovery before Deri and Coyle ended up together. But, not tragically disappointed because I really, really enjoyed this short diversion.

I was fairly surprised that the villain in this story wasn’t harder to dispatch than he was. I thought that he’d suddenly pull out a surprise ninja move that would surprise Coyle and his brother. One that would extend their battle and raise the stakes. Instead, it was embarrassingly quick and brutal. It also didn’t give any big reveals about his part in Deri’s hiding and outcast status. Which I was kind of expecting…

I love that this was a quick and easy read, more of a novella length than a full length novel. Sometimes it’s nice to fit a quick read in-between the longer ones, especially one that is this enjoyable and happy. I can’t wait to read more light romances in the Druid series!

<- More Mandy M. RothGoddess of the Grove ->

Image source: Amazon

Total Eclipse of the Hunt by Mandy M. Roth

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Total Eclipse of the Hunt
Author: Mandy M. Roth
Series: Happily Everlasting World #5
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Cozy mystery, Paranormal romance, Small town romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2017

Thoughts

Jake was a great character in Once Hunted, Twice Shy, so I love that he got his own story and happily ever after! It also meant more Wilbur shenanigans. And just, general chaos. Plus, it opens up more of the Happily Everlasting world. Pete, Hugh and all of the other entertaining cast also make appearances, just so that Jake’s love story is all that much more fun and ridiculously enjoyable.

Kelsey is a great match for Jake, if not as engaging and relatable to some of the other female leads thus far in this series. She’s still got backbone, and I love that she comes “home” to rest in Everlasting. The fact that she gets the super dreamy centaur Jake when she decides to come to everlasting just makes it all that much better.

He might be a secondary character, but Wilbur is still completely totally and utterly a favourite. I mean, he pretty much spends the entirety of the book messing with and aggravating Jake and Hugh. I love that a seemingly innocent and sweet old man is actually the terror of a supernatural town. And that he finds serious entertainment in just… annoying pretty much everyone. And kidnapping people. And just generally being a menace.

Total Eclipse of the Hunt is ultimately a story about good and bad witches, and generations of wars between them. Having the name Babcock for a family of evil witches just… worked. On a level that I wasn’t expecting. I absolutely loved the whole dynamic, and that the guy I thought was evil wasn’t, and the one I thought wasn’t, was. A great little cozy mystery. But one that was about theft, and not death this time around.

<- Witchful ThinkingCurses and Cupcakes ->

Image source: Amazon

Witchful Thinking by Kristen Painter

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Witchful Thinking
Author: Kristen Painter
Series: Happily Everlasting World #4
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Cozy mystery, Paranormal romance, Small town romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2017

Thoughts

Witchful Thinking is a great story, and one that I will most likely read again. It was fun and light hearted, with just enough drama to keep me hooked in from the very first moment. Charlotte and Walker were a fun couple, and I like that they were in a race against time to figure out just who was hunting for the grimoire. And destroying Charlotte’s property, and just generally who was on the side of evil.

Whilst I really enjoyed this story, I found Charlotte to be almost annoyingly innocent. I mean, I still liked her, and eventually she showed some backbone. But it took a little while for her to get there, and it was a bit frustrating in the lead up. Then, it did make me even more happy when she decided to step up and act like an adult. Walker was incredibly loyal from the very beginning, and I found his inability to deviate from his loyalty to Charlotte to be quite cute and endearing.

This is the first Everlasting story I’ve read that wasn’t written by Mandy M. Roth – so it was nice to have a different perspective of this jointly created town. I love series which provide different facets of small town life by having stories crafted by different authors. That, and it gave me a whole new author to add to my shelves and investigate.

I love that this is a cozy mystery which features and evil book and evil witches. I mean, the book didn’t seem so evil, until you start learning about what spells inhabit it’s pages. I also love how the demise of the evil is actually really anticlimactic. A disgustingly fun way to spend an evening, guessing who the villain is and getting that easy happily ever after that I love.

<- Fooled Around and Spelled in LoveTotal Eclipse of the Hunt ->

Image source: Jana DeLeon

Once Hunted, Twice Shy by Mandy M. Roth

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Once Hunted, Twice Shy
Author: Mandy M. Roth
Series: Happily Everlasting World #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Cozy mystery, Paranormal romance, Small town romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2017

Thoughts

I love that this is a paranormal romance and a cozy mystery all rolled into one. I particularly love how Hugh and Penelope are falling in love and getting to know one another as they try and solve a pair of murders. Plus, then there’s Penelope’s grandfather and all of his insanity – the man who likes to kidnap others and is a kind elderly guy who also scares every single person in the town.

I love that Hugh is a werewolf, but his perfect soul mate is the daughter of a long line of monster hunters. And that Hugh is absolutely terrified of her grandfather. That in and of itself leads itself to a lot of high jinx and shenanigans throughout the story. It also means that instead of just Hugh and Penelope trying to solve a murder, her grandfather is running around causing chaos in his own controlling, crime-solving manner.

Although I absolutely adored Hugh and Penelope, I must admit that it was the secondary cast and the town of Everlasting that had me falling in love with this story. I mean, every single person in this was an absolute character. And all of their crazy together created an amazing and vibrant world that I can’t wait to get back to. And I can’t wait to see who falls in love next, who gets kidnapped, killed or robbed, whatever chaotic mystery is going to happen in the next Happily Everlasting World book.

I did end up guessing who the culprit was in this story, although, quite honestly, only moments before the big reveal. However, that is often why I like to read cozy mysteries – they are generally not filled with a mind bending mystery, but one that is big enough to keep you engaged. Plus, there is the fact that the culprit had a paranormal motive and wasn’t actually as evil as originally anticipated. Now I can’t wait for the next story in Happily Everlasting or Bewitchingly Ever After.

<- Dead Man TalkingFooled Around and Spelled in Love ->

Image source: Jana DeLeon

An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: An Artificial Night
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: October Daye #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fae, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2010

Thoughts

An Artificial Night actually freaked me out a little bit more than other fae stories that I’ve read. Possibly because the idea of losing a child is honestly a visceral fear. Which is most likely why it’s so featured in traditional fae tales – the fae take our children and therefore are terrifying. Having children’s rhymes interspersed throughout just made this all that much freakier and more uncomfortable. But, because of this serious discomfort – I couldn’t put this book down and / or forget about it. It was phenomenal.

I frequently fall in love with McGuire’s characters, and truly enjoy Toby and all of her adventures. But, I must admit I pretty much immediately fell in love with May. I mean, the differences between her and Toby are apparent from the very beginning. And I just found her really cute and kind of naïve, whilst also being a little bit scary. It also made me happy that, even if she is a portent of something that is usually seen as a negative, she was a really positive character.

Connor is interesting as a character from Toby’s past, but I find him kind of painful. I don’t really see the connection between him and Toby, and honestly, every time he shows up, he just causes problems. Mostly by showing his emotions and painting a target on Toby’s back with his somewhat psychotic wife. He just kind of… hangs on and mopes around. Not my favourite character, although not quite detestable either.

Tybalt is so obviously the end game love interest for Toby, and I keep wanting more and more of them. I mean, it’s incredibly obvious that Tybalt has claimed Toby in some kind of way, and that she is entirely clueless about his motives. But this just makes me want more of their relationship. Particularly because I love the whole feline doesn’t do what anyone tells him angle that they’ve got going. I’m not sure if I’m excited for Late Eclipses because I can’t wait to see what other trouble Toby gets herself into, or because I’m excited for more Toby and Tybalt.

Honestly, I was kind of surprised at the fact that Toby managed to triumph like she did. I was expecting her to have a whole lot more trouble than she did with winning the battle. I love that her triumph was totally unexpected and, I feel, has a whole lot of unforeseen consequences. Now onto the next insane battle that she should lose, but won’t…

<- A Local HabitationLate Eclipses ->

Image source: Amazon

A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: A Local Habitation
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: October Daye #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fae, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2010

Thoughts

This novel was absolutely impossible to put down and honestly, really quite tragic in moments. There was a lot more death and destruction than I had anticipated. Which, I absolutely loved, even as I felt sad for all of the tragedies that befell Toby Daye and the fae she was trying to help. Plus, I got to find out more about Toby’s powers and her role in the court.

I absolutely adore the Toby and Tybalt dynamic, and I love how it is unfolding within this series. I’m really hoping that he is the final partner for Toby, just with a lot more drama and action in the lead up. Although, I do wonder why, at the end of this tale, Tybalt starts to avert his gaze from Toby. I can’t wait to discover more about why her powers and actions have potentially made him uncomfortable – and how this will inform their future relationship.

There were a number of twists throughout this story that I just didn’t quite see coming, then there were those that I did predict. I saw the twist of Alex and Terrie coming, but I didn’t quite figure out all of the machinations of how it would work. I also love how their story arc ended. There were so many twists and turns throughout this that I just couldn’t put this story down – I didn’t know what was going to happen from one moment to the next.

I loved how the killer throughout this was manipulated and coerced into some pretty horrifying decisions. And, ultimately, at the core of all of this, it was about the hierarchy of the fae and the abandonment of the changelings. It’s a reminder that issues of abandonment and feeling unloved are universal and always scarring.

Honestly, even a long time after turning the final page of this story, I absolutely cannot stop thinking about this. There is something completely unforgettable about McGuire’s writing that makes me want to constantly devour her writing. And now I can’t wait to get into An Artificial Night.

<- Rosemary and RueAn Artificial Night ->

Image source: Hachette Australia