Tag Archives: Easy Reading

Red as Blood by Tanith Lee

November 19, 2019Book ReviewEasy Reading, Fairy tales, Red as Blood, Retellings, Tanith Leeskyebjenner

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Title: Red as Blood
Author: Tanith Lee
In: Red as Blood (Tanith Lee) & Forests of the Night (Tanith Lee)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fairy tales, Retellings
Dates read: 24th October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Wildside
Year: 1983
5th sentence, 74th page: Bianca laughed.

Lee shows us a perfectly good stepmother, whose Princess stepdaughter reeks of evil.

I love villain retellings of stories. This is one of those perfect ones in which the “good guy” is actually a terrifying villain and the villain is the “right” kind of woman. This short story was a fantastically unique take on Snow White. I’ve read a few retellings of this story. But none have an evil Snow White, they’re just misunderstood queens generally.

This is the first retelling of a fairy tale that features Christianity. Unlike many stories which have the Christian faith and the transfer into this faith, it wasn’t done in an overpowering way. Just a mention of a cross or two and the devil’s allergy to the cross. Or at least, that’s how I read it. I liked that it used something that frequently happened, but in a positive light, instead of a good Christian women taking over, she saved her step-daughter from a horrible fate, and stopped her from ruining their kingdom.

I loved the way that this story went full circle. It began in the same place as the beginning, but with a more positive outcome, a better, more congenial relationship. It’s always nice when stories go full circle, but with a far more positive outcome. One that hints at a happily ever after.

<- Paid Piper Review

Thorns Review ->

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The Evolution of the Trickster Stories Among the Dogs of North Park After the Change by Kij Johnson

November 18, 2019Book ReviewEasy Reading, Kij Johnson, The Coyote Road, Trickstersskyebjenner

Title: The Evolution of the Trickster Stories Among the Dogs of North Park After the Change
Author: Kij Johnson
In: The Coyote Road (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Tricksters
Dates read: 24th October 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Firebird Fantasy
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: Voices in assent: pats remembered.

What would we do if dogs could suddenly talk? Would we still be able to love them unconditionally, or would we suddenly realise that love isn’t everything?

I read this story while I had my dogs curled up on either side of me. Which seemed kind of… suited. After all, this is a tale about dogs learning to use words and gaining yet another level of individuality. Although, as is often pointed out, the dogs are still our loyal companions. They still love us. They can just communicate a little better.

The mini chapters within this short story were really interesting. They each started with a dog story, ones that all felt familiar, both in a positive light and negative light. Then, they flipped back to present day and the trials which the dogs in this story were facing. It was a little tragic in many cases, but it also highlighted the plight of dogs the world over. Actually, my biggest confusion about this was the fact that I didn’t really know how the theme of tricksters fit in until towards the very end of the story.

Coyote is one of the most famous tricksters of folklore. So it was fun to find that he came into this full circle with his canid cousins. After reading a tale that made me question my own relationship with my dogs, it was nice to return to the trickster theme. What a way to finish off a collection of trickster tales.

<- Kwaku Anansi Walks the World’s Web Review

The Cutting Game Review ->

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West by Edith Pattou

November 16, 2019Book ReviewEast, Easy Reading, Edith Pattou, Fairy tales, Romanceskyebjenner

Image result for book cover west edith pattou

Title: West
Author: Edith Pattou
Series: East #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fairy tales, Romance
Dates read: 24th September – 21st October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Hougton Mifflin Harcourt
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: Abruptly he veered right, away from the sea, and came to a small house.

When Rose first met Charles, he was trapped in the form of a white bear. To rescue him, Rose traveled to the land that lay east of the sun and west of the moon to defeat the evil Troll Queen. Now Rose has found her happily-ever-after with Charles—until a sudden storm destroys his ship and he is presumed dead.

But Rose doesn’t believe the shipwreck was an act of nature, nor does she believe Charles is truly dead. Something much more sinister is at work. With mysterious and unstoppable forces threatening the lives of the people she loves, Rose must once again set off on a perilous journey. And this time, the fate of the entire world is at stake.

It’s taken me an incredibly long time to get to this book. As soon as I saw that North Child had a sequel, I ordered it and waited eagerly for it to arrive on my doorstep. But, since I get easily distracted, I kind of forgot that I had it, and it got put to the side. I’m kind of regretting that decision now. This was a wonderful sequel, and I loved being swept all the way back into the world of Rose and Charles.

Although I’m a big fan of happily ever after, I also find them a little unrealistic. This story takes that idea, and tells you what happens after the happily ever after. What happens when the loving couple have gotten married and travelled off into the sunset together. Because, in real life, there aren’t any happily ever after, neat endings. There’s just life. In all of its wonderful glory.

When I was a kid, I never thought of the princesses, the heroines and the girls who filled my story having children after they got married. That was just not something that they were likely to do. But now, I absolutely love the fact that this story is not just about Rose and Charles’ love for one another, it is about their child as well. Or, rather, children. It’s about saving not only their love, but the product of their love and finding a way back to one another. Even when the odds are completely stacked against them. In fact, there were moments in this story that I seriously questioned whether or not Rose and Charles would ever find their way back to one another… which is probably why I read the bulk of this story in two days…

West is the story that you need to read as an adult. I think that if it had’ve come out when I first read North Child, it just wouldn’t have meant as much to me. But now, I’m in my own relationship that is after that headrushing first moments. It’s the parts after that initial love that I find all the more precious, and this came across perfectly in West. But, as a teenager, I didn’t really want to think about the day in and day out of a relationship, I wanted the romance and the immediate love. Now, my favourite part of this story is when Rose says that it doesn’t matter what comes next, as long as they’re together.

<- More Edith Pattou reviews

North Child Review ->

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Weston Walks by Kit Reed

November 12, 2019Book ReviewEasy Reading, Kit Reed, Naked City, Urban Fantasyskyebjenner

Title: Weston Walks
Author: Kit Reed
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 18th October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: She’ll have to pack up her stuff and move into his handsome house and settle down in his daytime life, because he is probably in love with her.

Weston is rich and alone. But, that’s just the way he likes it. Until he goes underground and meets Wings. Now his life is filled with a lover. When he realises that she has begun to steal from him… he must make a choice, a woman who fills his life, or the objects that have always been there.

I loved the reflective style of this writing. It kind of foreshadowed the fact that something untoward was going to happen. But it didn’t give anything away. Just left you with an intensely curious and vaguely uncomfortable feeling as the story unfolded.

The description of Weston was brilliant – within the first few paragraphs you feel as if you intimately know the character. You feel tied to him in a way that doesn’t often happen (at least for me) and want him to gain happiness. All the while knowing that that’s not going to occur, again, something about the style of writing just hints at it.

I’m still not sure what kind of mythical creature Wings was based on. I’m thinking some kind of fae creature. But it was kind of nice to spend the entire story trying to guess… and still not be 100% sure at the end of the tale. it makes Weston’s experiences a little more vague and a lot more intriguing. It’s also going to leave me up late at night thinking…

<- The Bricks of Gelecek Review

The Projected Girl Review ->

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The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

November 10, 2019Book ReviewA Series of Unfortunate Events, Easy Reading, Gothic, Lemony Snicketskyebjenner

Image result for book cover the bad beginning

Title: The Bad Beginning
Author: Lemony Snicket
Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Gothic
Dates read: 15th – 16th October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Harper Collins
Year: 1999
5th sentence, 74th page: It means “reluctant to associate with others”, and it might describe somebody who, during a party, would stand in a corner and not talk to anyone.

Dear Reader,

I’m sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.

In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.

It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

One of my primary school friends used to be obsessed with A Series of Unfortunate Events. I never read them as a child. But, I recently saw the entire boxset collection for sale online and I just couldn’t help myself. I’ve always just been so curious. And man I’m so glad that I succumbed! There is something brilliant, hilarious and witty about this writing. Also a little bit unique and easy that makes you want to keep reading the whole series… even as a grown adult.

The first sentence of this story warns you that there are no happy endings. That this is not a happy book. But it’s also not that sad either. Don’t get me wrong, it is incredibly tragic, and nothing at all goes right for the three orphans. But the way it is written makes it all feel okay. If any other writer wrote such a depressing tale… I’d probably put the book aside out of disgust. Life sucks, and I don’t necessarily want to read about that. But when all of the tragedy is tempered with wit… I’ll just lap that up.

Part of me wishes that I had have read this book (and series) as a child. There are new words and explanations for their definitions peppered throughout. Reading expands everyone’s vocabulary, but when there are some much more complex words thrown into a children’s book and explained beautifully… I can imagine what this would have done to a child-Skye’s vocabulary (on second thoughts, maybe good that I didn’t read this young – my dad was overwhelmed enough by my ever-growing ability to use ridiculous words as a child).

The Bad Beginning is a tragic, fun read. It reminds you that everyone has their talents (inventing, reading and biting in this case) and that sometimes you can use those to find your way out of a sticky situation. It also introduces a truly horrible villain, because he is just so damn human. You can imagine people in power doing this, because they actually could. And it starts off a series of tragic adventures that I can’t wait to read again and again and again.

<- The End Review

The Reptile Room Review ->

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We Without Us Were Shadows by Catherynne M. Valente

November 10, 2019Book ReviewCatherynne M. Valente, Easy Reading, Fantasy, Gaslamp, Queen Victoria's Book of Spellsskyebjenner

Image result for queen victoria's book of spells ellen datlow book cover

Title: We Without Us Were Shadows
Author: Catherynne M. Valente
In: Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Gaslamp
Dates read: 17th October 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: What would happen?

Childhood and imagination is a wonderful thing. But what happens when the things that you imagine become real?

This story has a completely surreal quality to it. Which can be said for a lot of the Gaslamp stories I’ve read… but this one just takes on a whole new level. I think it’s the combination of different worlds and the childlike dream state that is perpetuated throughout. It just makes this feel incredibly dreamlike – and makes it a little hard to follow through.

One of the most childlike moments of this story is the constant return of the soldiers. I did get lost with the names of the different characters, but there were constantly mentions of toy soldiers who became real men in the different worlds that the children visited. It kept making me think of fairy tales and legends that I’ve read as a child.

I didn’t read We Without Us Were Shadows at a great time. It was late at night and I was exhausted after a day of fieldwork. But it’s certainly a tale that I think I would like to reread. Maybe when I’m capable of paying a little more attention to the words on the page… instead of almost falling asleep halfway through.

<- Phosphorus Review

The Vital Importance of the Superficial Review ->

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The Dreaming Wind by Jeffrey Ford

November 3, 2019Book ReviewEasy Reading, Jeffrey Ford, The Coyote Road, Trickstersskyebjenner

Title: The Dreaming Wind
Author: Jeffrey Ford
In: The Coyote Road (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Tricksters
Dates read: 11th October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Firebird Fantasy
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: In the southern corner, rows of folding chairs had been set up facing a slightly raised, makeshift stage that was formed from the wooden pallets where the town’s brickmakers stacked their wares.

Every year the dreaming wind blows through town and wreaks havoc. Yet, when they finally stop blowing, the people realise that there’s just not much to live for without the dreaming.

I liked the way that this story used dreams and insanity to construct a story full of tricksters and change. Mostly, I love the imagery of change being bought by the wind. After all, trickster stories are about change and balance, the wind is often something that brings new things into our lives… all weaved together in a beautiful, stunning tapestry.

Although I loved the idea of the “dreaming wind”, I found the cause of it even sweeter. Taking the essence of an old fairy tale, and turning her magical enchantment into the reason for all the weird happenings in the town was incredibly clever. I liked that there was just a hint of another story woven into the tale, enough to make you feel intrigued, but not an outright secondary tale.

The Dreaming Wind is a fun, quaint and entertaining short story. It’s a great reminder that imagination and dreams are so incredibly important. And something that is impossible to live without.

<- The Other Labyrinth Review

Kwaku Anansi Walks the World’s Web Review ->

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African Myths & Tales by Flame Tree Studios

November 2, 2019Book ReviewEasy Reading, Flame Tree Studios Publishing, Mythologyskyebjenner

Image result for book cover flame tree studios african myths and tales

Title: African Myths & Tales
Author: Flame Tree Studios
Series: Flame Tree Studios
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Mythology
Dates read: 3rd June – 10th October 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Flame Tree Studios
Year: 2019
5th sentence, 74th page: So Mohammed came out from the bathroom and took the leg and hung it up at the top of the house, and went back to wash.

Africa south of the Sahara is a land of wide-ranging traditions and varying cultures. Despite the diversity and the lack of early written records, the continent possesses a rich body of folk tales and legends that have been passed down through the strong custom of storytelling and which often share similar elements, characters and ideas between peoples. So this collection offers a hefty selection of legends and tales – stories of the gods, creation and origins, trickster exploits, animal fables and stories which entertain and edify – from ‘Obatala Creates Mankind’, from the Yoruba people of west Africa, to ‘The Girl Of The Early Race, Who Made Stars’, from the San people of southern Africa, all collected in a gorgeous gold-foiled and embossed hardback to treasure.

I’ve never had the pleasure of reading a collection of African mythos before. And now I’m kind of wondering why it took me so long with my obsessions… after all, I love Africa and I love mythologies. And now I’m kind of disappointed that it’s all over… but I’m sure I can find more to add to my shelves.

I honestly bought this book because the cover is pretty. I wasn’t expecting such a fantastic breakdown of African myths and legends to fill the pages. Some of the stories felt like they were slightly awkward in their breakdown, but the general gist was still there and it was still seriously enjoyable. Generally, the stories which lacked a certain level of flow were incredibly short and segued into the next tale perfectly.

African Myths and Tales is a very easy read. It’s one of those books that you don’t need to read in order, but tend to get a little more out of it if you do. The myths are broken into their themes, but they don’t flow onwards from one another. Definitely a collection that I’m going to pick up again and again… learning something new each and every time.

<- Time Travel Short Stories Review

Agents & Spies Short Stories Review ->

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Fairy Tales from Around the World by Andrew Lang

November 1, 2019Book ReviewAndrew Lang, Barnes & Noble Leatherbound, Classics, Easy Reading, Fairy talesskyebjenner

Image result for fairy tales from around the world book cover

Title: Fairy Tales from Around the World
Author: Andrew Lang
Series: Barnes & Noble Leatherbound
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Easy reading, Fairy tales
Dates read: 20th January – 3rd October 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Barnes & Noble
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: This old man told him to beware o’ the next beasts that he should meet, for they were of a very different kind from any he had yet seen.

Fairy Tales from Around the World is a treasure trove of the world’s best-loved fairy and folk tales. It features more than 100 fairy tales representing more than fifty nations, all selected from The Blue Fairy Book and eleven other collections compiled by Andrew Lang. The book also includes more than 100 illustrations by H.J. Ford that bring their magic and marvels vividly to life.

Fairy Tales from Around the World is one of Barnes & Noble’s Collectible Editions classics. Each volume features authoritative texts by the world’s greatest authors in an exquisitely designed bonded-leather binding, with distinctive gilt edging and a silk-ribbon bookmark. Decorative, durable, and collectible, these books offer hours of pleasure to readers young and old and are an indispensible cornerstone for any home library.

It took me a long, long, long time to read this. But that’s just because it was one of those slowly enjoyed books. Like a really expensive chocolate. It was delicious to just sit there and savour it. closing my eyes with pleasure at the end of each tale. Or sometimes whooping out loud when a story was particularly familiar and I could place my modern day version quickly…

The illustrations that accompany this beautiful book completely swept me away. They were stunning, and more than a little distracting. But in the best way possible. They bought to life the stories – jumping at you from the page, but did so in a way that still felt timeless and classic – like the tales contained in this giant volume.

I originally bought this book because the cover is just stunning. There is something that brings out my nostalgia as soon as I look at this book… even if I hadn’t had a chanced to read over half of the fairy tales in this collection. Fairy tales + childhood = nostalgia. But the themes were also very adult… these really aren’t the stories you read as a child. They’re something far more fun, intense and dark… perfect for a little late night reading before you head off to bed.

I love that the first story in this is East of the Sun, West of the Moon. I have recently read a modern remake of this (North Child) and I loved that I finally got to sink my teeth into the original. There was also the original Aladdin (or some of it), Beauty and the Beast… so many tales. More than enough to keep me occupied again and again and again in the years to come…

<- Gray’s Anatomy

The Complete Cthulu Mythos Tales ->

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It’s All in the Genes by Cara Cooper

October 23, 2019Book ReviewCara Cooper, Contemporary, Crime, Easy Reading, The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Storiesskyebjenner

Image result for the mammoth book of jack the ripper stories book cover

Title: It’s All in the Genes
Author: Cara Cooper
In: The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories (Maxim Jakubowski)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!),
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Crime, Easy reading
Dates read: 26th September 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: She never sits still, is always up and about, and fiddles with everything.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

She thinks that she’s finally found the love of her life. But, when she finds out that he’s been seeing another woman… she might just crack.

This was a nice, creepy little contemporary take on the Jack the Ripper mythos. For starters, it is in present day and deals with his descendants. For another, it is written from the point of view of one of these descendants. You spend most of the time wondering who is about to get themselves murdered… and just what genetics do mean for the serial killer gene… or if there even is one. Actually, this definitely swayed me towards the belief in a serial killer…

Nature versus nurture is a constant debate. One that seriously fascinates me. This tends more to the angle of nature. That genes can give us certain tendencies that aren’t great. Alright, not great is an understatement… this is talking about serial killers with no real purpose other than death. It makes yo concerned for who the real descendants of Jack the Ripper could be… if there are any (I’m kind of hoping not).

The flip in the culprit of the story took me completely by surprise. I like that there were two people who had a genetic tendency to be killers. The genetics aren’t really what I blame their actions on (we’re all masters of our own fate), but it still made things incredibly tense and spine tingling as I read about the different backgrounds of two people who aren’t overly nice. But it does raise a number of questions.

<- The Keys to the Door Review

A Child of the Darkness Review ->

Earth and Skye

The ramblings of a bibliophile.

Tag Archives: Easy Reading

Red as Blood by Tanith Lee

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The Evolution of the Trickster Stories Among the Dogs of North Park After the Change by Kij Johnson

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West by Edith Pattou

Weston Walks by Kit Reed

Image source: Patricia Briggs

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

We Without Us Were Shadows by Catherynne M. Valente

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The Dreaming Wind by Jeffrey Ford

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African Myths & Tales by Flame Tree Studios

Fairy Tales from Around the World by Andrew Lang

It’s All in the Genes by Cara Cooper

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