Tag Archives: Dark Fantasy

With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfsbane Seeds by Seanan McGuire

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover haunted nights ellen datlow

Title: With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfsbane Seeds
Author: Seanan McGuire
In: Haunted Nights (Lisa Morton & Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Horror
Dates read: 14th November 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Blumhouse
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: No one owns this house.

Synopsis

Mary Holston loves Halloween, but a tragedy occurs and her life is ended. Yet, the house stands as a testament to her life… and as a way in which their town can be kept nice, beautiful and pleasant…

Thoughts

As a start to a collection of stories about haunted nights and Halloween… this is absolutely freaking perfect. It starts with a little girl trick or treating and then flickers into the present. Something that is theoretically very cute and innocent is made into something that really, really isn’t. Alright, I’ve never truly understood why Trick or Treating is such a childhood obsession and seen of as cute… but apparently it is. I much prefer this dark and creepy version of a small ghost girl running around saying Trick or Treat though.

This short story has a kind of supernatural-esque kind of feeling. Mostly, it’s a great reminder that you should never go into a haunted house! Especially when you’re a group of teenagers who are hell-bent on destruction. And the house is one that has never been destroyed, decomposed or modified in any shape or form. I mean, you just know that some supernatural shit is going on right there. And of course, that’s what you keep screaming in your head the whole time you’re reading this… “don’t go into the house!”

This is a great, intense and fun short story. Mary Holston is the exact level of creepiness that makes me get goose bumps. Honestly, it’s small girl ghosts with their high pitched voices that give me the nightmares and make me check around the corners. So this makes me just freak out whenever I read it… which is exactly what you want as an opening Haunted Nights story.

 <- Haunted NightsDirtmouth ->

Image source: Amazon

The Golden Rope by Tanith Lee

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for red as blood tanith lee book cover

Title: The Golden Rope
Author: Tanith Lee
In: Red as Blood (Tanith Lee)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Fairy tales, Retellings
Dates read: 9th November 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Wildside
Year: 1983
5th sentence, 74th page: The moon rose late upon the walled garden.

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Synopsis

Jaspre was bought before she was born. But her childhood has been idealistic and pure. Until the true purpose of her life is revealed and a more sinister tie is shown.

Thoughts

This short story is a creepy, dark and kind of devilish version of Rapunzel. The prince doesn’t climb up the tower to reach her. In fact, there isn’t really any prince. But there is still a seduction of a form and a woman who keeps a foundling child trapped for some nefarious reason. The nefarious reason in this story is just far more intense and dark than other versions I’ve read of this tale.

As with many of the fairy tales that I’ve read, virginity and purity are major themes. Normally it’s a lot more subtle than in this story. After all, in this version, she is raised purposely sweet and pure so that she will lovingly sacrifice herself to the prince of darkness. Which just seems all the darker and more twisted than a normal virginal sacrifice… maybe because she’s raised to go to it willingly. With no true concept of pain.

There is a bit of a happily ever after in this story. It wasn’t even remotely what I expected. But, apparently it was kind of everything that I wanted. Definitely enjoyable and almost impossible to forget. I look forward to rereading this in the future when I want my fairy tales with just a dash of darkness.

 <- When the Clock Strikes ReviewThe Princess and her Future Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Gift Wrap by Charlaine Harris

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for wolfsbane and mistletoe book cover

Title: Gift Wrap
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Sookie Stackhouse #8.4
In: Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (Charlaine Harris & Toni L.P. Kelner)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Vampires
Dates read: 16th November 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gollancz
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Ah, do you need me to leave you alone for a second before I help you into the shower?’ I asked, indicating the toilet with a tip of my head.

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Synopsis

Sookie is alone on Christmas Eve and feeling incredibly lonely… and then she finds a surprising body in her backyard and things take a turn for the more… interesting.

Thoughts

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from a Sookie Stackhouse Christmas short story. I knew it would be a little off-kilter and a lot of fun. But beyond that… really not sure how Charlaine Harris would deal with the theme of werewolves and Christmas in the Wolfsbane and Mistletoe anthology. Turns out, she dealt with it brilliantly, kind of amusingly and in a really engaging way.

There seems to be this idea that there is nothing sadder than being alone at Christmas. As someone who has a partner who works away at this time of year every year… I actually don’t think that it’s that sad. But it is incredibly lonely. This story highlights that, and also the joy that you get when you get an incredibly unexpected gift. Although, you don’t truly realise that Sookie’s fun, adult times with a hot stranger, is a gift until the very end of the story.

This is a seriously fun and beautiful Christmas story. It encompasses that Christmas feeling of family and company, but does so with a wonderful dose of paranormal entertainment. And a good, heavy dose of lust throughout.

<- Wolfsbane and MistletoeThe Haire of the Beast ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

Tacky by Charlaine Harris

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for my big fat supernatural wedding book cover

Title: Tacky
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Sookie Stackhouse #6.5
In: My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding (P.N. Elrod)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Vampires
Dates read: 8th November 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: Several female Weres were kneeling on the ground around the moaning ex-wife.

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Synopsis

Dahlia is the Maid of Honour in an incredibly controversial wedding. One that could end in tears… tears of happiness or devastation… no one’s entirely sure. But as long as the bridesmaid dresses aren’t tacky!

Thoughts

I still haven’t met Dahlia in the main Sookie Stackhouse series, probably because so far I’ve only read Dead Until Dark. But, I’ve read a number of short stories which feature her, and I completely adore those. She is spunky, hardcore and has a major attitude problem. All the sorts of things that I thoroughly enjoy in a heroine. The fact that she’s a lot older and unaware of some wedding traditions such as “ugly bridesmaid dresses” just made me love her all the more.

The vampire and werewolf war is something I come across many, many times in my paranormal fantasy literature. Yet, I was still pleasantly surprised to find one such story in My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding. After all, weddings are a great way to bring together warring peoples, regardless of whether its paranormal or political.

One of my favourite aspects of this story is that it is supposed to be “the” social event of the year. The fact that it becomes even more talked about when an attempted assassination and violence are involved… well, it just makes me want to pick up the Sookie Stackhouse books even more. After all, it is dealing with the paranormal world, weddings, and peoples’ perceptions in a way that I not only thoroughly enjoyed, but could also seriously relate to.

<- Charmed by the MoonA Hard Day’s Night-Searcher ->

Image source: Amazon

When the Clock Strikes by Tanith Lee

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for red as blood tanith lee book cover

Title: When the Clock Strikes
Author: Tanith Lee
In: Red as Blood (Tanith Lee)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Fairy tales, Retellings
Dates read: 3rd November 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Wildside
Year: 1983
5th sentence, 74th page: It might be the night of their lives.

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Synopsis

Then there is Ashella, the Cinderella-like girl who, “When the Clock Strikes”, intends to give her Prince Charming a deadly surprise.

Thoughts

This is a super, super dark retelling of Cinderella. One that made me question my own beautifully well known Disney version (and other happily-ever-after retellings). Not necessarily the version I would be telling my children, but definitely one that I seriously enjoyed and look forward to picking up again and again.

Not many witch stories I read lately feature Satan worship as an aspect of the storyline. Which made it quite enjoyable to read such a tale. This short story took many of the aspects of witchcraft and Satan worship that aren’t often found in my shelves generally. It made a completely plausible and fun retelling.

The symbolism of when the clock strikes was powerful. From the beginning, we are told that 12 means death. So as you get closer and closer to her journey to midnight… you wait for death to overtake the world. Or at least the poor, naïve prince.

 <- Thorns ReviewThe Golden Rope Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Their Monstrous Minds by Tanith Lee

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for queen victoria's book of spells ellen datlow book cover

Title: Their Monstrous Minds
Author: Tanith Lee
In: Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Gaslamp
Dates read: 2nd November 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: The use of the island, too, had demanded the sort of money only a traitor could earn.

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Synopsis

The trippy and convoluted adventure down into the monstrous minds of some beings. Dark, twisted and filled with death.

Thoughts

This story is incredibly twisted and confusing. I’m still not entirely sure what went on, and didn’t overly enjoy it. However, I did love the darkness that seeped through the pages. There was a lot of death, darkness and twisted, monstrous minds throughout this story. And for that alone I would probably reread this multiple times. I like my stories dark and twisted.

I think that the reason I didn’t quite get into this was that it was incredibly jumpy and convoluted. Plus, I was reading it late at night after a day of fieldwork… it doesn’t make a great combination for the concentrating on difficult stories… but I might try it again in the future, the second time is often a charm.

 <- A Few Twigs He Left Behind ReviewEstella Saves the Village Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Paid Piper by Tanith Lee

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for red as blood tanith lee book cover

Title: Paid Piper
Author: Tanith Lee
In: Red as Blood (Tanith Lee)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Fairy tales, Retellings
Dates read: 23rd October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Wildside
Year: 1983
5th sentence, 74th page: And Raur’s image would be taken out of its sanctuary, though veiled – the Lime Treeans were only permitted to look at him face to face on special occasions – and up and down the byways on the shoulders of his priests.

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Synopsis

The Piper has come to help the small town celebrate their yearly festival. But, when they refuse to stop worshipping a false god, he quickly turns cruel.

Thoughts

The Piper has always kind of freaked me out from fairy tales. No matter how much the tale has been Disney-fied, it’s still kind of dark and twisted. After all, it’s a man that steals an entire town’s children and skips off into the sunset with them. Plus, I find the sound of a flute a little haunting and creepy.

Tanith Lee takes that creepy aspect of the original fairy tale and makes it a little more plausible. It’s still entirely creepy, still makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable. But, now there is sympathy for the piper. And understanding for his actions, no matter how dark they are. It’s this ability to turn something that I thought I knew so well that drew me into this collection completely. And now I can’t wait to continue onwards with the Red as Blood collection.

Paid Piper is a little melanchology, quite a bit dark and a really nice read. The perfect fairy tale retelling to read just before bed time… if you want to be slightly unsettled, but not entirely freaked out. Although, I think that that’s mostly because of the true creepiness of the original fairy tale.

 <- Red as Blood Collection ReviewRed as Blood Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Haven by Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for monstress 3 haven book cover

Title: Haven
Author: Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda
Series: Monstress #3
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Graphic novels, Steampunk
Dates read: 19th September 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Graphic novel
Publisher: image
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: If we’re here, it’s because family protects family.

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Synopsis

Maika Halfwolf has begun to unlock the mysteries of her past – but the challenges of the present are only growing. In this third volume of MONSTRESS, collecting issues 13-18, Maika’s journey takes her to the neutral city of Pontus, where she hopes to find temporary refuge from her pursuers. Unfortunately, Pontus may not be as safe as Maika and her allies had hoped.

s the impending war between humans and Arcanics creeps ever closer, and powerful players fight for the chance to control her future, Maika finds she must work with Zinn, the Monstrum that lives inside her, in order to ensure their mutual survival. But even that alliance might not be enough to prepare Maika for the horrors to come.

Thoughts

I’ve been putting off reading the next instalment in The Monstress series until it would complete a little more of one of my reading challenges… and when it finally came up on that week in my challenge… well, I completely devoured this. It probably helped that I was having a kind of dark week, and the darkness in the illustrations and storyline of this graphic novel hit the spot perfectly… now I just have to save up the money for the next book in the series…

I’m not someone who reads a lot of graphic novels… actually I’ve really only become interested in the genre in the last eighteen months… but for me, this is everything I never knew I wanted in a graphic novel. A fantastic combination of east and west… with a very healthy dose of mythology and steampunk thrown into the mix. But, mostly, I’ve loved how as this series has progressed, the story has gotten darker and darker, more complex and intensely twisty.

What started as an easy story about Maika Halfwolf has by this point become an incredibly complex tale of politics, war and the gods. There are a few points throughout which I lost a bit of track of who was who, but it was incredibly easy to quickly pick up the thread of the storyline again. After all, Liu and Takeda have done an amazing job of telling the story.

Although I enjoy this story, it is the stunning beauty and power of the illustrations which truly drew me in. There is an intensity and power to the panels which I haven’t seen in many illustrations, one that will leave goose bumps up your arms as you flick through the pages. And quite possibly linger in your dreams when you lay your head down at night.

 <- The Blood ReviewThe Chosen Review ->
Image source: image Comics

Nigsu Ga Tesgu by Jeff Somers

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for urban enemies book cover

Title: Nigsu Ga Tesgu
Author: Jeff Somers
Series: The Ustari Cycle #4.5
In: Urban Enemies (Joseph Nassise)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Horror, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 26th August 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: His spell, his curse, it should have consumed me long ago.

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Synopsis

She is the most powerful of her kind. Her apprentice thinks that he’s finally found a way to usurp her. But there’s a reason that she’s survived for so long… a reason why she understands the words better than anyone else.

Thoughts

I absolutely adored the creepiness and spine-tingling evilness of this story. This might be in a collection of Urban Fantasy Villains stories, but there was something extra creepy about a girl chewing her own tongue to kill her father. A whole other level of darkness that hasn’t so far been portrayed in this collection – most villains use the sacrifice and blood of others. This woman starts off sacrificing parts of herself willingly.

I love that the woman in this is the most powerful in the world, but she is also incredibly feeble. This fantastic juxtaposition between physical and mental strength is incredibly fascinating and drives home the point that sometimes the most powerful aren’t the most physically able. The entire looks can be deceiving, and don’t judge a book by its cover ideal is heavy handedly highlighted in this story. But in a way that doesn’t feel clunky and irritating, just slightly humorous.

Nigsu ga Tesgu introduced me to a world that is entirely shades of grey. There is nothing black and white, good and evil in the world. There are just choices that aren’t good and aren’t necessarily evil. They’re just about survival and finding a way to move forwards further in your life. Normally the stories I read have a clear villain and hero (even if the hero is more than a little damaged), but this didn’t feel like that kind of story. I know that the woman was supposed to be the big Cahoona in the villains’ world, but it just felt like an old woman struggling to survive in a horrible world… in a incredibly horrible manner.

 <- Hounded ReviewSixty-Six Seconds Review ->
Image source: Simon & Schuster

Paranormal Romance Blues by Kelley Armstrong

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

Title: Paranormal Romance Blues
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld Companion
In: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Dates read: 12th July 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: “What did he look like?”

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Synopsis

She’s a half demon who keeps striking out in love. But when she goes to a vampire bar and runs across a far stronger mystery, and maybe even a way to get out of her paranormal romance blues.

Thoughts

One of the things that has always disappointed me about the Women of the Otherworld series is the fact that there isn’t a novel dedicated entirely to Aaron and Cassandra. I like this version of vampires and I think that it would be much fun. But, a short story in which they make an appearance leaves me quite happy.

There has never been one inkling in my desires to go to a vampire bar. Although I love paranormal fantasy tales, I find the very idea of such a themed bar to be kind of tawdry. Which the lead in this also seems to feel the same. She not only makes fun of the hired actors for the boring simplicity of their act. It’s the kind of smart-ass response I would personally have if someone dragged me to such a place. Although, it ends up working out quite well…

I enjoyed the twist in this story. The man that was thought to be the “bad guy” wasn’t, and the one who seemed kind of innocent, was kind of, well, evil. The juxtaposition between perceptions and reality was great, and I loved how there was a sense of hope and wonder when the last page was turned.

<- Succubus SeductionJohn Doe ->

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