Short Story Collections – Earth and Skye

The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter

I started reading this book over a year ago. And after the first three stories, I felt completely overwhelmed. Honestly, they are hard going. But, after having a very long break, I decided to return to the world of Angela Carter. And I don’t know if it’s that I was in a better frame of mind for it, or maybe my reading tastes have developed, but there is something about Carter's lyrical writing style that made it almost impossible to put this down.

Legends of Australian Fantasy edited by Jack Dann and Jonathan Strahan

I love pursuing Australian authors – after all, I would love to be one one day, and they are my people. So, discovering that there is a book that features not one, not two, but nine of these phenomenal people made me break out in a huge grin. And I wasn’t disappointed. Actually, the main disappointment came when I finished the last novella and had to find a new anthology to go and read.

To Hold the Bridge Collection by Garth Nix

Sometimes there’s nothing like sitting down and reading a great collection of short stories. Normally, I tend to read anthologies – stories from a number of authors covering a number of genres and suiting a wide array of readers. But occasionally, there is an author that I love so much that it is my greatest joy to spend a few days with them in all of their weird little worlds. Or at least, that’s how I feel about Garth Nix and this collection of short stories.

Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

This was such an amazing collection of short stories. It combined sass and humour with comments on the politics and power of a number of supernaturally gifted human beings. Yet, it was more than that, Tales of the Otherworld imparted important humanitarian reminders upon me as a reader – a reminder that acceptance and attempting to understand others is integral to leading long and happy lives. At least, that’s the message that I got from this collection.

Tortall and Other Lands by Tamora Pierce

There is nothing like visiting a world that you have loved since childhood, and Tortall and Other Lands is a great way in which to do this. Yet, it isn’t just about Tortall, Pierce tells stories about womanhood, coming of age and overcoming odds in spite of everything that can happen. It is this great range of stories that will enthral and captivate any reader again and again and again.

Ghostwriting: Tales of the Supernatural by Traci Harding

I’m not normally very interested in ghost stories. Even growing up, at sleep overs, I always found them a little boring. So it was a pleasant surprise to find a collection of short ghost stories which I actually enjoyed. Better yet to find a collection that makes me question my preconceptions about the world that I live in and how I am able to influence my reality.

Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

These four short stories may be centred upon the North American werewolf pack, but for me, it was mostly about Jeremy. With the first short story telling of his origins, and the last explaining them and his quirks to his adult (and fully realised) self. Whilst Clay’s story is also outlined throughout this, it is also told in the light of his devotion to Jeremy – after all, until Elena, Jeremy is also the centre of Clayton’s world.

Strange Brew edited by P.N. Elrod

This was a thoroughly enjoyable collection of short stories – they all erred on the side of dark fantasy and had twists to traditional ideas that I didn’t expect. The balance of female and male chief protagonists was well thought out, with a range of characters for even the most discerning reader to fall in love with. I loved that each tale was strange and unique, but they all fit together in a fabric that made the stories flow easily into each other.

Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass

I didn’t know what to expect out of this collection of short stories – The Selection series seemed to be pretty much complete at the end of The One. I was completely wrong though, finding out about Amberly, Maxon, Aspen and Marlee’s tales just helped to build on the intrigue and beauty of America’s love story. Their views of each other and the characters, and their histories helped me to further understand some of the actions that I found so frustrating while watching Mer fall in love.

On the Prowl edited by Patricia Briggs

I am absolutely in LOVE with this stunning collection of short stories. The strong women; unabashed way in which these four authors approach a woman’s sensuality and sexuality; and the fantastical worlds which are created through their masterful words create a series of spine-tingling stories that will leave you greatly anticipating just what happens next. Long after the last page has been turned, the characters float through my mind in an antagonising march of potent story-telling and rampant romance.