Tag Archives: Fantasy

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O’Neill

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
The Tea Dragon Society : Katie O'Neill : 9781620107379

Title: The Tea Dragon Society
Author: Kay O’Neill
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dragons, Fantasy, Graphic novels, LGBTQI
Dates read: 4th March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Graphic novel
Publisher: Oni Publishing
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: The horn is similar in texture and density to a root, and a tiny shaving will give the tea its ginger taste.

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Synopsis

From the author of the award-winning Princess Princess Ever After comes The Tea Dragon Society, a charming fairy tale about Greta, an adventurous blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of Tea Dragons.

After discovering a lost Tea Dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of Tea Dragon caretaking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives – and eventually her own.

Thoughts

I got this cute little graphic novel in a book subscription box. I had no idea what it was about and no idea what to expect. But, I fell COMPLETELY in love with this story from the very beginning. Actually, I now just really, really want my own little Tea Dragon. And a Tea Society with all of my friends and loved ones. Actually, I just want this world to be a reality…

I would have loved this graphic novel regardless. It is beautifully illustrated, stunningly written and has a great message that helps to keep you light and loving. But, there is also a very subtle LGBTQI theme running through the story, and I just found that these couples were all the sweeter for it.

After closing the final page of this book, I ranted and raved about how beautiful this graphic novel was. How glorious and how much I just wanted to sink into the pages. But, when it comes to writing the review for something that touched me so much… it’s hard to find coherent words to describe it.

<- More Katie O’NeillThe Tea Dragon Festival ->

Image source: Observer

The Siren by Kiera Cass

Book Review, ,
Overview
Image result for book cover the siren

Title: The Siren
Author: Kiera Cass
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fantasy, Romance
Dates read: 26th February 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Harper Collins
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: The moment of truth.

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Synopsis

Love is a risk worth taking.

I’d waited an eternity for this.

I’d have waited all over again if I had to. I was meant to kiss this boy, designed to be held by him. All the careful postures I held melted away, and I pulled him closer.

We were STARS.

We were MUSIC.

We were TIME.

A heart-pounding romance from the bestselling author of The Selection series.

Thoughts

I was surprised by how much I loved this story. I was expecting a good, fun bit of fluff. Something that would be easy, cute and only slightly entertaining. Instead I found it impossible to put down and so thoroughly enjoyable that I had a huge grin on my face when I finally turned the very last page. There was just something so simple, cute and just quintessentially sweet about it.

Kahlen was a really great lead character. She is feminine, sweet and withdrawn. Throughout the entire story, she highlights the fact that it’s okay to not want to be the kind of person who clubs or socialises. It’s even okay to have the desire to just grow up and get married (it’s not my desire, but I like that it’s hers). I also kind of love how she wears vintage clothing and loves to bake. She’s the soft, beautiful best friend that I kind of want for myself. Actually… my best friend is like this in a lot of ways to be honest…

I believe in love at first sight. I even got that for myself with my partner. And yet, when I read about it, I tend to find that I just don’t really believe in it. there is often something so false and overdone in stories about young love. Yet, there is something about Kahlen and Akinli that actually makes this completely plausible. Their love has a kind of sweet and angsty feel, but it also has a genuineness to it. They see beyond the superficial to something far more deep and meaningful. Something that is integral to a true relationship. The very reason that I loved their relationship completely. And can’t stop thinking about it to be honest.

<- More fantasy reviewsMore romance reviews ->
Image source: Harper Collins Publishers

Eating the Alice Cake by Kaaron Warren

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for mad hatters and march hares ellen datlow book cover

Title: Eating the Alice Cake
Author: Kaaron Warren
In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Dates read: 7th March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: For my uncle’s wine.

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Synopsis

The Mock Turtle keeps reminding Alice of her horrible past. But, what if it’s something that she doesn’t want to think about?

Thoughts

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is twisted. No matter which way you look at it, there is a lot of twisty-ness to the original story. This Alice in Wonderland story is twisted too. Just in a more… disturbing way.

The Mock Turtle always seemed like something that was a little dour and depressing. Something that highlights everything that you don’t like about yourself. So a short story that focuses on this aspect of the original made me really quite happy. The fact that the depressing moments in Alice’s life aren’t so nice… well, that made me less happy.

I thought that the end of this story was kind of incredibly… cruel. Which worked well with the theme. After all, it’s a twisted version of Alice’s Wonderland and the Mock Turtle. And it ends kind of twisted too.

 <- Worrity, Worrity ReviewThe Queen of Hats Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Sentence Like a Saturday by Seanan McGuire

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for mad hatters and march hares ellen datlow book cover

Title: Sentence Like a Saturday
Author: Seanan McGuire
In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Wordplay
Dates read: 18th February 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: “- just a little girl.

Synopsis

When a small child travels down the path to Wonderland, they have to swap places… Kitty finds herself in a whole new riddle and body. Once a Cheshire, and now a little girl. So why is a sentence like a Saturday?

Thoughts

This is my second Seanan McGuire short story (the first being The Mathematical Inevitability of Corvids) and it is just as twisted! In a less sick, going to kill someone way. But in a twisting of words and riddling kind of way. After finishing each paragraph I would take a deep breath. Just because the way the sentences stream into one another was so intensely done that I wouldn’t breathe. It almost worked like one whole sentence.

I’ve never been insanely into riddles, yet this story (and many of the others in this collection) have made me think that there is a need to ignite this interest. After all, the entire story read like a riddle. And I couldn’t tear my eyes off of it.

I loved the ending of this tale. It was both sad and sweet. Perfect and tragic. It certainly bought a tear to my eye as I turned the last page, and that’s something that I always enjoy and appreciate.

 <- In Memory of a Summer’s DayWorrity, Worrity ->

Image source: Bookdepository

In Memory of a Summer’s Day by Matthew Kressel

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for mad hatters and march hares ellen datlow book cover

Title: In Memory of a Summer’s Day
Author: Matthew Kressel
In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Wordplay
Dates read: 28th January 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: Can we play with them, forever and ever?

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Synopsis

Tours to Wonderland aren’t quite what one would expect… and they can leave you a little bit twisted and turned around. Whether you are a guest or a tour guide.

Thoughts

I don’t know if I’d ever willingly go on a tour through Wonderland. There just seems to be far too much that can, and will, go wrong. And this short story reinforces that idea. I definitely only ever want to read about Alice’s adventures… the real place just seems far too dangerous and bizarre.

Although this short story isn’t as heavy on the wordplay as some of the others in this collection, it is still kind of twisting and turning in the way it tells the narrative. Kind of like the original journey through wonderland… it is kind of hard to keep track of what exactly is happening and where they are. Yet, there are all of the hallmarks that everyone remembers from the original. Including Alice. Which was kind of sad…

 <- Run, Rabbit ReviewSentence Like a Saturday Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Run, Rabbit by Angela Slatter

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for mad hatters and march hares ellen datlow book cover

Title: Run, Rabbit
Author: Angela Slatter
In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Dates read: 27th January 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: He knows what to look for in newcomers

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Synopsis

Rabbit is on the run from the Queen. But it isn’t until he is caught that he realises what a twisted trap he has laid for himself.

Thoughts

Sometimes it is fun to imagine what happens to the characters after you turn the last page of the story. Especially when you are dealing with characters such as Alice from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It’s not a story that has a clear beginning and ending. And it’s one that leaves a lot of imaginative license – there aren’t a lot of very specific plot lines and it gives a lot of fluidity and manoeuvrability to the storyline.

This short story takes the idea of “what happens after” and creates a whole new narrative. One in which the Rabbit is something a little more evil. A little more twisted, and even Alice is turned into a darker and more sinister version. Which, on rereading the original storylines, I can completely understand the dark and twisty storyline and feeling.

 <- All the King’s Men ReviewIn Memory of a Summer’s Day Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Fairest of All by Serena Valentino

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for fairest of all book cover

Title: Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen
Author: Serena Valentino
Series: Villains #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Fantasy, Villains
Dates read: 4th – 16th January 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Disney Press
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: Given what Snow has already told us of them, I would advise we keep a close watch on the sisters, for I do not trust them.

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Synopsis

The tale of the young princess Snow White and her evil stepmother the Wicked Queen is widely known. Despite a few variations from telling to telling, the story remains the same – the Queen was jealous of the girl’s beauty, and this jealousy culminated in the Queen’s attempt on the sweet, naive girl’s life.

Another tale far less often spoken of is the one that explains what caused the Queen to become so contemptuously vile. Still, some have attempted to guess at the reason. Perhaps the Queen’s true nature was that of a wicked hag and her beautiful, regal appearance a disguise used to fool the King. Others claim that the Queen might have hated the girl for her resemblance to the King’s first wife. Mostly, the Queen is painted as a morally abhorrent woman who never loved another being during the course of her miserable life.

In fact, the theories about exactly what caused the Queen’s obsessive vanity and jealous rage are too numerous to catalogue. This book recounts a version of the story that has remained untold until now. It is a tragic tale of love and loss, and it contains a bit of magic. It is a tale of the Wicked Queen…

Thoughts

I bought the first three books of this series on a whim because I saw their pretty covers on someone’s Facebook page. Normally I do a little research into a series before I do this. But I mostly just got a little bit too overexcited and just went for it. And I’m really glad that I did! This story takes the original Disney version of Snow White and gives it so many glorious twists and turns that leaves you understanding and sympathising with the villain. One of the scariest villains of my childhood for that matter – the Wicked Queen.

I was expecting a story that justified the Queen’s actions in the well-known Disney version fairy tale. What I wasn’t expecting was for the story to continue on beyond her turning, and to her actual decision making that occurs throughout the entire movie. And even continued on beyond the happily-ever-after. It gave the story a much more intense and intriguing storyline that I just wasn’t expecting.

Although you know that there isn’t really going to be a happily ever after, you still kind of hope for one. Valentino is just that good at inspiring sympathy for a villain. I haven’t had the fortune to read many villain-based tales and I thought that this was a great start into the sub- genre. Especially when considering that this is based on one of the best-known fairy tales. And it uses the Disney version which is the retellings most commonly recognised.

Throughout this story, my heart bled for the Queen. I was so incredibly attached to her and loved that although she turns evil as expected, you could understand more and more why she ended up that way. I can’t wait to pick up The Beast Within and find out how Valentino spins that tale.

 <- The Odd Sisters ReviewThe Beast Within Review ->
Image source: Disney Publishing Worldwide

The Atmosphere for Miracles by David Boop

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
A Fantastic Holiday Season

Title: The Atmosphere for Miracles
Author: David Boop
In: A Fantastic Holiday Season (Kevin J. Anderson & Keith J. Olexa)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Fantasy, Westerns
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: World Fire Press
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: That is, until Sheriff Theodore Patrick walked into town.

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Synopsis

A town is cursed with horrible luck, but a new sheriff in town and a big problem on the eve of Christmas might be just what’s needed to change it all.

Thoughts

I really liked this story. I kind of wish that it was part of a greater series… a small town that is perpetually cursed. Especially on a Wednesday. That in and of itself is a great premise for a novel or series. And then there’s the sheriff who came to drink himself to death. And the Indian man who is running around in a tuxedo… they don’t entirely fit into the Western theme.

I didn’t really get a Christmas spirit vibe or feeling from this story. The only thing that is Christmassy about this tale is the fact that it all takes place just before that special day of the year. And the fact that there is briefly snow. Because apparently snow means Christmas. For me, snow means… well, no point of the year. Because it never snows where I’m from…

 <- Christmas Eve at Harvey Wallbanger’s ReviewA Sufficiently Advanced Christmas Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Christmas Eve at Harvey Wallbanger’s by Mike Resnick

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
A Fantastic Holiday Season

Title: Christmas Eve at Harvey Wallbanger’s
Author: Mike Resnick
In: A Fantastic Holiday Season (Kevin J. Anderson & Keith J. Olexa)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Comedy, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: World Fire Press
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: Then it’d be Off, Dancer!

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Synopsis

It might take a bet on the names of Saint Nick’s reindeers to finally get what is owed to him… but this debt collector and his motley crew will definitely do it.

Thoughts

I think that this story in some way relates to the characters in A Very Special Girl. And I enjoyed it just as much. It has the comedy and horror aspect that I’m beginning to associate with Resnick’s short stories. They’re funny and take some very typical aspects of fantasy and twist and turn them into something satirical and entertaining.

The fact that this story had not only a satirical spin, but also one that featured trying to name Santa’s reindeer made it incredibly fun. Especially when the names that were reported to be correct were kind of random. Yet, connected. It just worked beautifully. I need to find out if there is a greater series or something to sink my teeth into…

 <- Yes, Virginia2097c, There is a Santa Claus ReviewThe Atmosphere for Miracles Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Greylands by Isobelle Carmody

Book Review, , ,





Overview
Image result for greylands isobelle carmody book cover

Title: Greylands
Author: Isobelle Carmody
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Death, Fantasy, Mental health
Dates read: 1st – 2nd January 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ford St
Year: 1997
5th sentence, 74th page: She stroked the bundle of rags tenderly, and a strange thought entered Jack’s chilled mind.

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Synopsis

One wakeful night in the aftermath of his mother’s death, Jack enters a land devoid of colour or scent. Here he meets the tragic laughing beast and Alice, a strange girl with a secret.

Will Jack escape before the terrifying wolvers find him? Or is he destined to be trapped in the Greylands forever?

Only the cats know…

Thoughts

I really had no idea what to expect from this novel. I know that I love Isobelle Carmody’s writing, but this is the first truly young novel that I have read by her. It is also, weirdly enough, the first standalone story that I have read. And man, I wasn’t disappointed. This was one of those stories that left me thinking, contemplating and wondering long after I turned the final page. This is certainly one of those stories that lingers long after you finish, in the best way possible.

The fragmented nature of this story highlights Jack’s misunderstandings and confusion beautifully well. As do the mystical and dreamy scapes in which he moves – both the real world and the Greylands. The settings are so incredibly vivid and yet vague that you can see the hazy contrast perfectly in your minds eye, and it emphasises the symbolism behind Jack’s confusion and grief.

Even if you don’t fully understand what is happening throughout Jack’s adventure, the beginning, middle and end (literally named this) give a great account as to what the symbolism means. And also the ways in which this reality bisects with our own. Having the character write his own story is a new-to-me ideal, and I loved how well it worked.

Dealing with grief and issues of mental health can always be quite difficult. And there are few literary pieces I’ve found that deal with such topics in an open, accessible way. The fact that this is done in a language that young children can access is all the more impressive and is exactly what helps this story to linger in my mind’s eye so strongly.

 <- Green Monkey Dreams ReviewMetro Winds Review ->
Image source: Ford Street Publishing