Title: The Projected Girl Author: Lavie Tidhar In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Magic, Magical realism, Urban fantasy Dates read: 31st October 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Year: 2011 5th sentence, 74th page: And someone told on her.
What happens when a magicians assistant truly disappears? Where did she go? Can a young Jewish boy finally solve the mystery?
This was a bit of a detective story. Not overtly, but the
journey to find out what happened to the girl and whether the magician was
guilty or not. Why did the girl disappear? It was a series of small questions
that you wanted to know the answer to, but didn’t wrap you up in its power like
many of the other detective series I’ve read do.
This was a great tying together of the past and the present. I’m noticing that I’m really enjoying stories which do this in a seamless way, and The Projected Girl actually moves to the top of the list for this. There is a young boy who, in reading a magician’s diary finds out that they’re connected to his family. And it could somehow answer some of the questions he just didn’t know to ask.
The Projected Girl explores Jewish culture and faith, their ties to family. It’s not a faith that I read much about, unless it has to do with the holocaust, so it was a lot of fun to do so. Especially late at night when I was a little bit overwhelmed by all the sadness in the world.
Jen’s new handyman arrives just as a spate of murders rocks her town. He’s connected somehow, but she’s not quite sure… yet. It isn’t until her powers finally bloom that everything falls into place.
This is just an easy, fun reader. It’s not intense. It’s not
overly memorable. Just easy and fun. And just a little bit cute. Alright, in
some moments more than a little bit. Although there is a murder or two… so
maybe not so cute…
I really like Jen’s character in this. She has a number of
secrets, but they don’t seem as dark as some of the other stories that I’ve
read recently. She also has a great backbone and almost perfect instincts. From
the very beginning she trusts Daemon, and you know that this is a safely placed
trust. Even if others are questioning it a little.
As a short story, I breezed through this and then didn’t
really find it memorable. But, as I’m writing this review, I realise how much I
loved the storyline. I think that it would make an amazing novel-length story.
Yet, alas, it wasn’t. And now I must move on and find something that rings the
same intriguing bells in my crazy little literary brain.
Title: The Naughtiest Cherub Author: Kevin Hearne Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles #8.8 In: Urban Enemies (Joseph Nassise) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Magic, Mythology, Urban fantasy Dates read: 30th September 2019 Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Gallery Books Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: By all reports, more hellish than other places on the human plane.
Loki has entered the terrifying bowls of hell to try and make a deal with Lucifer. But will the Prince of Darkness be open to the discussion? Or will he just be another adversary in Loki’s quest?
I love the partnership of Loki and Lucifer in this story.
It’s not a mix of mythologies I’ve seen much of before. And the interplay
between the two was hilarious, sassy and incredibly witty. It also set up a
reality in which the different mythos of the world interplay a lot more
succinctly and neatly than any other series I’ve come across before.
Loki is probably one of my favourite villains in any
mythology retelling. Although he is traditionally a trickster, he is also the
one who tends to equalise others. The fact that Lucifer refuses to play ball with
him and acts as an equaliser of his own was a really nice bit of karmic poetry.
And it sets up the battles which I’m sure are about to come in this series.
The Naughtiest Cherubis a great short story which sets you up in a world that I personally can’t wait to sink my teeth into. If this is how the villains battle one another, I can’t wait to see how they interact with the “good guys”.
What happens when two warring factions meet up? Nothing good. A blood bath is likely to be in the next sixty-six seconds…
I liked how all of the moments in this story were measured
in short bursts of time. Almost as though each moment was actually worth
sixty-six seconds and it was only in those short periods of time which the tale
could be told. Breaking up the time and storyline in this way created an
incredibly fast paced and intense short story. One that had me racing along
with it every step of the way.
This was quite a graphic story of death and bloodshed. And a
heck of a lot of assassination. I didn’t quite understand many of the backstory
of this tale, but I know that I liked the goriness of it. And want to read
more. There is nothing like a grey hero to spice up a storyline… and a lot of
murky motives to make it seriously impossible to put down.
The revealing of motives at the end of this tale was
somewhat surprising. Although I didn’t really think to question why the lead
was hunting people, I just assumed that it was part of a greater organisation. Revealing
the actual reasons of why and the conspiracy behind it… it made me intrigued as
to the rest of the story. There is nothing like a good conspiracy to draw me
into a new series…
New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Day introduces the League of the Black Swan…and the dangerous game one woman plays when her family’s curse dooms her to kill the man she loves.
I haven’t picked up any of my Alyssa Day stories for quite a while. And reading this novella made me question why I haven’t done so… there is just something so intensely enjoyable and sweet about her stories. There’s always just enough darkness in them to stop them from being candy sweet… but not enough to make them dark and twisty like some of my other romances.
The prologue to this story was a fantastic trip to the world
of fairy tales. It was dreamy and slightly ethereal. Tragic and completely
engaging all at the same time. It drew me in immediately, especially with the
knowledge that although this tragedy was a fantastic read, it wasn’t going to
be the focus of the story. The jump forwards in time was completely expected
and made far more intriguing by the fact that there is a history of a curse which
is about to haunt the romance you are diving into.
Prejudice is always a big theme in many of the urban fantasy
stories that I read. After all, it’s easy to highlight such an issue when
you’re dealing with abstract, supernatural beings, rather than the social and
cultural minorities who actually experience this. Day does this
beautifully through the use of Sean and his fire demon heritage. Not only does
it provide him with a great, if not slightly bitter, background, but it also supplies
him with a reason to be unsure and uncomfortable with his budding attraction to
Brynn.
The use of swans in this story as a curse made me seriously
think about the Swan Princess… my sister’s favourite movie as a child.
Which is probably why I loved this novella so much… it was a fantastic paranormal
and adult version of a beloved childhood classic. Or at least, similar enough
that it triggered my happy little nostalgia button.
Title: Spinning Silver Author: Naomi Novik Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Fairy tales, Magic, Retellings, Strong women Dates read: 5th – 9th September 2019 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: MacMillan Year: 2018 5th sentence, 74th page: I woke thinking not of my mother, but of the ring; I wanted a chance to touch it, to hold it.
WILL DARK MAGIC CLAIM THEIR HOME?
Miryem is the daughter of a moneylender, but her father’s too kind-hearted to collect his debts. They face poverty, until Miryem hardens her own heart to collect his debts. Her success creates rumours she can turn silver into gold, which attract the fairy king of winter himself. He sets Miryem an impossible challenge – and if she fails, she dies. Yet if she triumphs, it could mean a fate worse than death. And in her desperate efforts to succeed, Miryem unwittingly involves the unhappy daughter of a lord.
Irina’s father schemes to wed her to the tsar. However, their dashing ruler hides a terrible secret that threatens mortals and winter alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and Irina embark on a quest that will encompass sacrifice, power and love.
This is my first every Naomi Novik. I know that there’s been a lot of hype around her work, so I was kind of looking forward to seeing what all the fuss was about. And now I understand the fuss. It is well deserved fuss. This book was amazingly written, incredible fun and seriously intense. For some reason I was kind of expecting a young adult, easy read which would sweep me away to a beautiful, magical kingdom. This is not that book. This is a book about three different women and how they become the strong, independent women they need to be to defeat a great evil.
I normally struggle a little with storylines that jump
between narrator voices. Especially when it isn’t necessarily clear who is the
primary voice. The first few jumps between Miryem, Wanda and Irina kind of
frustrated me because it was a little difficult to follow each storyline. And
then I started recognising their narrations and their voices. Suddenly, I loved
jumping between the three girls as they became women. Jumping across voices and
storylines in a completely haphazard way which sucked me in completely.
One of the themes that is incredibly strong and prevalent
throughout this story is the idea of paying what you are owed. Whether that was
to the moneylender or paying the debts that you have accrued through your
actions. It is this great reminder that every action has a consequence, and
sometimes you have to face up to those at the worst possible moments. Although,
this wasn’t entirely negative. Wanda helps to save Miryem because she feels like
she owes her and is thankful to her actions. Miryem finds her own happily ever
after partly because she honors another being and does what is right, rather
than what is easy.
I love how each of the three women who are featured in this
story come into their own powers under their own volition. They aren’t immediately
strong. And all of the decisions that they make are for survival and their
families – it’s not about suddenly being a grown up, but the process through
which it occurs. There is a fantastic gradual change to the characters
throughout. One which makes you reflect on your own life at sixteen and how you
changed over those years (alright, I wasn’t getting married to demon spawn and
fighting for the survival of the world, but still…)
San Francisco’s witches are in an epic battle. But even if Sydney can use her sultry ways and ancient Druid powers to save the world, can she risk losing her heart to handsome warrior Conlan?
This was a great partnering off, battle the evil, and, whilst not winning the war, winning the battle kind of story. I immediately fell in love with the characters, and wanted to find out more about this amazing world that Cheyenne McCray has created. You kind of knew that the two leads would end up together at the close of the book, but that didn’t make the journey any less exciting or intriguing. Rather, I couldn’t wait to see just how they would overcome their obstacles, and it was more than a little surprising when the conclusion was finally reached.
It was really nice to have a slightly different heroine in
the lead of this story. Most of the tales I read feature a woman who is
completely put together and beautiful, if not more than a little manic and
insane. Instead, this features a woman who has glasses and makes some
incredibly silly mistakes. Ones that are performed out of pure stubbornness,
but still a good place. And more than a little stupid when she looks back at
them in hindsight.
Breath of Magic is one of those fun novellas that I’ll read again and again. Not just because I love the simplicity of a good romance story, but also because there is so much more going on. There is a fantastic plot that actually takes centre stage over the romance and makes you hold your breath throughout – after all, you want the good guys to win, and it’s really not a certain thing. It is one of those tales that will make you want to dive right into McCray’s writing and sink into her worlds. Or at least, that’s how I felt… and now I have to go out and buy Forbidden Magic to get my next fix…
Title: Stealing Snow Author: Danielle Paige Series: Stealing Snow #1 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Fairy tales, Magic, Paranormal fantasy, Young adult Dates read: 10th – 15th July 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Bloomsbury Year: 2016 5th sentence, 74th page: The fever isn’t breaking.
SHE WILL BRING DOWN THE WORLD
Snow barely remembers a time before she was locked in a psychiatric hospital. But when the love of her life disappears in the night, Snow must follow a mysterious stranger into a magical frozen world to find him.
Amidst witches, thieves and spells, secrets unravel as Snow discovers she is heir to this world’s corrupt and twisted king.
And she has great ice powers of her own.
Now Snow faces choices that will decide the fate of a kingdom – and if she can ever return to the life she knew before.
WORLDS COLLIDE AND HEARTS MELT IN THIS FIRST NOVEL IN AN ICILY GLAMOROUS AND EPIC NEW SERIES
I read the two prequel novellas to this story months and
months ago. They were on my kobo and I figured why not. And then I had to wait
to read this novel. And boy was it worth the wait. Not quite what I was
expecting, and definitely able to twist me into knots far more than I expected,
but this was nonetheless amazing. The kind of book that I would have quite
happily read in one sitting… if I didn’t have a job and a PhD to take up the
majority of my time…
From the blurb I knew that this story started with Snow in a
mental asylum. What I really wasn’t expecting was how intense that aspect of
the story was going to be. Not only did it rip my heart out in multiple places
that this was all she had ever known, but it also made me begin to question
where the story was going to go. I had just kind of assumed that this was going
to be a nice fantasy story with a Snow White influence. And it was that…
but it was also a lot darker and twistier than I had ever anticipated. Not only
in these beginnings, but also in the betrayal at the end. That one left me with
my mouth hanging open and a tear on my cheek.
In the original Snow White, I’m fairly certain that
there aren’t any dwarves. But I do like the Disney version, and although the idea
of the seven dwarves doesn’t necessarily come up strongly in this story, it is
still there. In Snow’s pills. There were many little allusions to fairy tales
throughout this story, some of which I actually went and googled or flicked
through my many collections after I finished this story. They were just so well
done.
Stealing Snow was a good, easy and fun read. But it
was also much darker and heart rending than anything that I was expecting. Not
only in reading about Snow’s upbringing, but also the betrayal after betrayal
that she experiences. Her loss and her confusion. Every chapter seemed to drive
a new wedge into my heart and make me fall more and more in love with her. I
can’t wait to read the next book, I’m hoping that there will eventually be a
happy ending!!!
Title: Spellhorn Author: Berlie Doherty Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Fantasy, Magic, Unicorns Dates read: 3rd – 10th June 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Novel Publisher: Lions Year: 1989 5th sentence, 74th page: She wouldn’t.
Laura looked across the sea and saw with horror that far below her on the shoreline there were beasts: long dark shapes that wriggled and slithered down into the foam. “What are they” she asked. Gazing down at the seething waves, the Old Woman said: “This is the Sea of Snakes…”
Laura and Spellhorn the unicorn have to cross the Sea of Snakes and fight against terrible danger before Laura can return home. For Spellhorn, the treasured possession of the Wild Ones, has befriended Laura, and it is only he who can lead them to the safety of their beloved Wilderness.
I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for years. It was a
book that my mum has had for a long time, and it slowly migrated to my shelf
across time. So I thought it was probably about time to pick it up and see why
I had kept it on my shelf, untouched for all of these years. And, although it
wasn’t the ground shattering story I was hoping for, it was still a fun little
adventure. Something that was a little bit different to my usual read. And one
that I really enjoyed.
You can tell that this story started off as a play. There is
something just a little different about the writing from usual prose. It was
enough to make it feel a little unorthodox and confusing, but not such a different
style that it was impossible to enjoy. It mostly just read like a story that
had been translated from another language, which, I suppose in a way it was.
I really enjoyed the fact that this young adult story
featured a girl with a disability. That her disability gave her dual worlds, and
this tale explored both of those perfectly. It was a great way to explore a new
perspective, and one that I really hadn’t considered before. The final scenes
really helped to drive this home, and meant that although this isn’t one of my
favourite books, it is one that I will keep and probably reread years down the
track.
The witches of the world ridiculed nerdy Veronica for trying to use newfangled computers to enhance old world spellcasting. Well, it’s 1984 now, and she’s perfected her spellcasting computer program. Hey, who needs friends when you can conjure virtually anything… or anybody? So when Veronica makes powerful new enemies, she conjures Max, a pitbull of a cop, to deal with the pesky hitmen who keep coming around. But tough-guy Max is in no mood to play lapdog to a gorgeous witch.
I really liked the technopagan spin to this storyline. Over
the years I’ve read a lot of spins on witchwork and magic. But surprisingly
none that use computers as the linchpin of the magic. Especially not coding which
can bring the dead back to life…and I ate it all up. Which means that I have to
exercise self-control (yet again) to not buy the following novels.
Veronica is a nerdy, pushy, secluded woman. She’s also a
geek. Which of course meant that I immediately loved her. Although I did find
some of her onion-like, tough layers a little tedious. After all, love is something
that I believe in full heartedly, and she took a fair amount of time to
actually succumb to the passion that was so obviously there. It’s a trope that
I always find kind of frustrating when I’m reading a romance – the inability to
see what is so obviously there! Although, I suppose it is also the reason that I
like to keep reading these stories, even when I can roughly guess at the
ending.
The romantic suspense throughout this novella might be fun,
but what I kind of loved most was the creation of the dragon-dog that ate the
enemies and decided to hang around. It kind of made me think of my adorable,
kind of useless dog. Alright, he might not be a dragon-dog who is going to eat
my enemies. But the companionship and loyalty that he shows throughout made me
smile. And think of a happily-ever-after couple riding off into the sunset with
their weirdly unique pet.
Earth and Skye 