Title: Poison Dance Author: Livia Blackburne Series: Midnight Thief #0.5 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Assassins, Medieval fantasy, Paranormal fantasy Dates read: 7th February 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novella Publisher: Livia Blackburne Year: 2013 5th sentence, 74th page: I was curious about how this compares to YA heroines, so I grabbed a pile of books off my shelf.
James is skilled, efficient, and deadly, a hired blade navigating the shifting alliances of a deteriorating Assassin’s Guild.
Then he meets Thalia, an alluring but troubled dancing girl who offers him a way out – if he’ll help her kill a powerful nobleman.
With the Guild falling apart, it just might be worth the risk. but when you live, breathe, and love in a world that’s forever flirting with death, the slightest misstep can be poison.
This is a great, quick little read that gives you a little more insight into James and his relationship with Thalia. It’s mentioned a few times throughout Midnight Thief, so it’s great to understand it a little more. It also provided a little more insight into James’ character, and the rise of the assassins guild. Something that might come in handy when I get around to reading Daughter of Dusk.
James is actually kind of nice in this story. Which makes me question how he’s going to develop in the rest of the series. I had him pegged as a bad guy, but now I’m really not quite sure. He could actually be far more evil than I had anticipated if he did come from good, or, there’s some hidden layer I just haven’t quite figured out yet… either way, I’m intrigued.
In spite of it all, I still hope Kyra kicks his butt in the future. Even if James’ journey in this was a really interesting one. Even if I understand the character more than I really needed to. I love getting insight into a villain’s perspective, but I also still need to dislike this man…
Title: Dead Girls are Easy Author: Terri Garey Series: Nicki Styx #1 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Ghosts, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy Dates read: 27th January 2020 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Avon Year: 2007 5th sentence, 74th page: “She was quite a character.”
“My name is Nicki Styx and I thought I had the world all figured out. Then I regained consciousness.”
There’s something about almost dying that makes a girl rethink her priorities. Take Nicki Styx – she was strictly goth and vintage, until a brush with the afterlife leaves her with the ability to see dead people.
Before you can say boo, Atlanta’s ghosts are knocking at Nicki’s door. Now her days consist of reluctantly cleaning up messes left by teh dearly departed, leading ghouls to the Light… and one-on-one anatomy lesssons with Dr. Joe Bascombe, the dreamy surgeon who saved her life. All this catering to the deceased is a real drag, especially for a girl who’d rather be playing hanky-panky with her hunky new boyfriend… who’s beginning to think she’s totally nuts.
But things get even more complicated when a friend foolishly sells her soul to the devil, and Nicki’s new gift lands her in some deep voodoo.
As it turns out for Nicki Styx, death was just the beginning.
I’ve been meaning to read this novel for a long time. Ever since I read the novella in Weddings from Hell. But, it always seems to be pushed to the side. Now I have no idea why I did so… this is brilliant, funny and kind of sweet. It’s such a light-hearted take on the ability to see ghosts and a great way in which to create a whole new romance to grace my shelves. It’s just… well… beautiful.
I’m a big believer in karma and the belief that what goes around comes around. The fact that this is a big part of the storyline, that idea that everything happens for a reason… I absolutely lapped that up. Especially when Nicki has the pleasure of coming up against the man who wronged her in the past and kind of turned her against relationships… there was something so poetically beautiful about it. Especially when he realises what a mistake he made.
Growing up I kind of always wanted my token gay friend. What I didn’t realise was that I had actually met him in year eight, and just have absolutely no gay-dar. But the token gay best friend in this story is absolutely brilliant. He hits every single stereotype, is completely loyal and adds an extra layer of light-heartedness when shit really starts to hit the fan. He also perfectly compliments Nicki’s sass and bitchiness in a way that I completely didn’t anticipate. And acts as a bit of a conscious when she starts to withdraw… everything that you should have in a best friend.
I seem to run across certain themes and trends in the books that I’m reading which are completely random. And I’m never really sure why they appear. In this case, lately it seems to be Voodoo. I read two stories which feature this in a matter of days, and have come up against a few more stories which feature this religion (practice?) in the past few months. It’s a great story driver and something that I’m completely fascinated by. Now I just feel like I need to start doing a little research of my own.
Although Nicki’s life is completely turned upside down in this story, there is no woes me attitude. I tend to find that completely irritating. Even if I would probably be a little sooky about dying, coming back and being able to see ghosts. I’m not perfect, but I like it when the heroines in my stories are unwilling to take the challenges life throws at them by the balls and tell them to just get stuffed. Especially when I know that things are just going to get more and more intense as this series unfolds. After all, there are a few mysteries that were introduced in Dead Girls are Easy which haven’t been tied up yet…
The holiday season can bring out the beast in anyone – literally! This collection features 15 werewolf tales by an all-star line up.
This is the second collection I’ve read by Charlaine Harrisand Toni L.P. Kelner. And it’s just as good, if not better than the first. Actually, it was probably better. Because I really wasn’t in the mood for the Holiday Season this year. Normally I read all sorts of nice holiday stories. I didn’t want those. But an anthology about werewolves and Christmas? That was perfect for my mood. Especially when some of the stories involve eating Rudolph and Santa.
Christmas seems to be all about the night and the season. Or something about the imagery of it is. And werewolves are almost always pictured with a full moon. The combination of the two actually makes perfect sense. Which was something I’d never thought of before, but now wonder why not. After all, it works so beautifully.
Not only were the themes in this story perfectly paired, but it was also a fantastic mix of series shorts and standalones. I love finding short stories based in established worlds. But it’s also great to sometimes find a standalone that you can really sink your teeth into. If anything, I think I actually preferred a lot of the standalones in this collection, they were the stories which were a little grittier.
Although there was a bit more darkness to this story than a traditional paranormal fantasy tale, it was still quite a light-hearted mix. Even the stories that involved disembowelling well-known Christmas characters were funny and light. Left me with a nice, big smile on my lips at the end of the collection.
Jack has never really found a place to fit in. It’s Christmas Eve and he thinks he might have finally found his own pack. But, an impulsive decision might just be the end of his happiness.
There were three storylines within this short story. And I actually loved all of them. For starters, there was the Christmas Origins story of werewolves. I’ve heard (well, read, but that doesn’t sound as good) a lot of different werewolf origin stories. This is the first that features Christmas and probably the most innocent and sweet of all such origin stories. I really loved it – probably because it was so differently innocent to the normal stories.
Then there was the tale of young Jake. The way in which he finally finds a place to call home. And finally gets an understanding of what it means to be part of a pack. It’s a great little coming of age story as he finally shucks off the pain of his past and finds joy in his new family and future.
Finally, there’s the story of how Jake risked his role in the pack and actually experienced the Christmas spirit. This not only ties in the other two stories, but it also really bought about the Christmas feeling. Not feeling very Christmassy this past season, it was nice to read a short story that actually made me reflect on such a feeling. Plus, then there’s the fact that Jake finds his other form… and that is just absolutely brilliantly!
Title: Everywhere Author: Sam Witt Series: Pitchfork County #3.5 In: Urban Enemies (Joseph Nassise) Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Horror, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy Dates read: 30th December 2019 Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Gallery Books Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: He was debased and defiled, a broken shadow of his former glory.
They’ve battled each other to the death before. But this villain managed to escape with a husk of himself. The next battle might make things even more dangerous. The villain might finally find a way to be everywhere.
The premise of this short story is kind of terrifying. After all, it’s the way in which a villain is able to make himself be a part of everything. Not exactly the kind of story that makes you feel safe. But, since it’s a tale about the villain of a series… it works perfectly. If you don’t think too hard about the whole hive mind villain thing.
At first I didn’t really enjoy this story. It talked a little too much about a past, epic battle that I had no idea about. I hate when I feel like I’m missing something. But, after a while, enough past information was filled in and I really started getting into this. After all, it was the beginnings of a new epic battle and setting up the storyline for a new version of the dangerous villain.
Once I sunk into this story. I seriously sunk into it. There was something not only fun and amazing about it, but the idea of a villain finding a way to get his consciousness into beer. And then weasling his way into soooooo many other consciousnesses (consciousii?). That was brilliant and somewhat terrifying. I can’t wait to start reading this series! In a long while… I want to finish some other series first.
Halloween is the night the monsters come out to play. Long before its traditions became defined by mass-produced masks, blood-soaked horror films, and carved pumpkins, the murky origins of All Hallows’ Eve lay rooted in dark festivals and black magick, in old fables of diabolical tricksters and murderous pranks, and in tales of cursed souls lost in purgatory, of vengeance and changelings.
From sly modern narratives to haunting traditional stories, from the brutal to the experimental, these sixteen stories brilliantly and terrifyingly explore the many facets, cultures, and traditions of our most provocative holiday.
This selection is super creepy, intense and wonderful. I absolutely adored it. Even if I spent a lot of the time reading it with my feet curled under me feeling incredibly overwhelmed and somewhat horrified. A whole new world was introduced as I read through this. This might be why I’m starting to get into the horror genre though…
A few of the stories in this did make me laugh. But, mostly they were haunting. Not outright scary like a Stephen King novel, but this lingering feeling of overwhelming discomfort due to something in these stories. I can’t even put my finger on the cause of my discomfort… but after reading one of these short stories I was almost always left feeling like I was just slightly haunted… which was interesting.
Although this collection did make me understand America’s obsession with Halloween a little more. I still don’t like the holiday. There is just something about it that doesn’t sit well with me. So whilst this bought a great new light to a holiday I know basically nothing about… I’m still not convinced that it’s one that I want anything to do with.
Nick has ceased to believe in the joys of Santa. But, his little sister still does. So when a bully starts to give him a hard time, he decides that maybe he’ll bring her a little Christmas joy.
For those of us with a younger sibling, we would do almost anything for them. The fact that this is a story about that, and the spirit of giving over Christmas made this an amazing short story. The fact that as I write this review, I found out that it’s part of a greater series just makes me love this that much more. Having said that, this does take a darker spin on sibling relationships and gift giving… well, I’m not going to complain. I love some darkness in my life.
The whole story is about how the boy doesn’t believe in Santa anymore and how he’s really sad that he doesn’t. and he wants his sister to have that same belief that he now misses… that’s quite cute. When you find out what happened to Santa to stop him from believing in it… it becomes less sweet. A whole lot less sweet.
Bullies are always horrifying. One that is on the right track to becoming a sociopath… so much, much worse. But, Nick deals with him perfectly in this. He even gives him multiple chances to change his ways and become a better human being. He doesn’t take them… but at least there’s a sense of fairness before he becomes part of the Christmas festivities.
Title: Balance Author: Seanan McGuire Series: InCryptid #6.6 In: Urban Enemies (Joseph Nassise) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy Dates read: 30th December 2019 Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Gallery Books Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: “Tangy,” I said, and felt him swell with pride.
The world needs balance. And in the reality of the InCryptid’s, maths and malice work perfectly to do so. A cuckoo creates a new nest, but is removed. Then hes kin remove the hunter… it’s all about checks and balances.
This is my first every taste of the InCryptid series. And now I’m so excited that I already have the first novel in this series on my shelves. There was just something completely amazing about the idea of cryptids (monsters) that are hunted down for preying on humans. And writing this whole short story from the point of view of the monster… freaking, totally and utterly brilliant. I’m hooked. I’m happy.
I’ve read about a lot of monsters in my many, many, many fantasy books. I’ve never read about a monster that is a cuckoo. One that parasitising on the human race by doing exactly what a cuckoo does. And now I’m wondering why there aren’t more parasitic creatures like this. It’s just such a damn brilliant idea! And it asks, they exploit us, so does that mean that they’re actually malicious? Or like the cuckoo, just doing what they’re designed for?
Ultimately this story is all about checks and balances. Or at least, that’s how it’s written and acts are justified. Which I kind of like. The idea is that humans keep ruining things, they are getting a little too big for their britches, so we have predators that keep us in check. After all, ecosystems don’t survive when one organism is overpowering all of the others.
Title: Jack Author:Pat Cadigan In: Haunted Nights (Lisa Morton & Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Horror, Paranormal fantasy, Spirits Dates read: 30th December 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Blumhouse Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: There isn’t even any daytime, only darkness.
For one night of the year, Jack has the opportunity to escape. It’s her job to stop him. But this is her first night solo. What will happen?
This short story is beautifully dark and impossible to put down. It has a bit of an urban fantasy feel that is reminiscent of a lot of the series that I read. But it also had a great sense of mystery to the story. One that made me wonder what was going to happen. And, since it was in this collection… if there would be a happily ever after in the end.
I’ve heard a few retellings of Jack, the trickster. This might be my favourite so far. There was something a little more down to earth about it. Yet, it had a great sense of modernity to an old story that I love. The modernisation and journey that this takes you on is seriously brilliant.
My favourite part of this story though is knowing that there is a trick coming. But not being sure what it is or when it’s going to appear. And when it does… it takes you by surprise. And then you wonder who will come out on top. A good little adventure to go on.
How do you get rid of an unwanted / problematic pack of werewolves at Christmas time? Well, you give their end as a gift to someone else…
I’m still not entirely sure how this is a werewolf story. Actually, I am. Because I get where the werewolves come in. What I’m confused about is that it starts with a group of ?something? wanting to kill off a rogue pack. And then at the end, someone turns into a werewolf. It was all just very, very confusing.
Although I really enjoyed this story. I spent the entire time flipping back a page, thinking that I had missed some crucial piece of information. It just didn’t quite work. There was something more that I needed to make me feel truly happy about this storyline. It’s difficult to truly love something when you’re not entirely sure what is happening. Or at least, it is for me.
I did love the fact that this is the first time in a long time that plays with the mystical nature of the 7th son. And the fact that he was born on Christmas Eve… a unique take that I was incredibly excited by. One that completely made up for my confusion.
Earth and Skye 