Tag Archives: Short Story Collections

Fantasy by Christine Feehan, Sabrina Jeffries, Emma Holly & Elda Minger

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
Fantasy

Title: Fantasy
Author: Christine Feehan, Sabrina Jeffries, Emma Holly & Elda Minger
In: Fantasy (Christine Feehan, Sabrina Jeffries, Emma Holly & Elda Minger)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Paranormal romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 4th July – 21st September 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2002
5th sentence, 74th page: They’d made love on the floor before the fireplace, writhing on the fur rug like cats in heat.

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Synopsis

Where do your fantasies take you?

Under the blazing heat of the Borneo sun…
… a beautiful naturalist’s dream comes true – to live among the feral jungle creatures. But an untamed, irresistible beast of another sort forces her to explore her own wild side.

In an exclusive gentlemen’s club in Victorian London…
… adventurous ladies are available to the highest bidder. Yet how far will a modest widow go to fulfill her fantasy of being auctioned off as a rake’s midnight plaything?

From the depths of the dark unknown…
…a child of midnight has arrived in a spiritual Tibetan refuge to rid herself of wicked desires. Here this ageless beauty meets the one man who can save her – or damn her soul forever.

In a private, all-male school for seduction…
…she might just graduate with honors. If she can only maintain her disguise long enough to teach the man of her dreams a few lessons.

Thoughts

I bought this because I had a few weeks / months of obsession with Christine Feehan. I didn’t expect to find more authors to be completely obsessed about. Alright, I read another Emma Holly story the month before I read this one, but still… three new awesome authors and four beautifully simple and cute novellas to spend my nights forgetting about the world around me… what more could a girl want?

Fantasy is a collection of four novellas that run the gambit of romance stories. Two are heavily paranormal, featuring the typically expected paranormal creatures of vampires and shapeshifters. On the other hand, there are two more contemporary tales which take place in the past and the presence. Contemporary and paranormal, present and historical sit side by side in a fantastic collection I absolutely adored and thoroughly enjoyed. I just couldn’t put it down.

If you like romances that will make your heart skip a beat and pulse pound, this is the kind of collection that you’ll enjoy. It’s got a taste of everything, and more than a tease of passion and lust amongst the pages. I found it difficult not to turn immediately to the next page whenever I finished one tale… and it was only the knowledge that I had other responsibilities in life to take up my time… responsibilities that are just enjoyable, but distracting from this story, just the same.

 <- The Awakening ReviewThe Widow’s Auction Review ->
Image source: Christine Feehan

No Rest for the Witches by Mary Janice Davidson, Lori Handeland, Cheyenne McCray & Christine Warren

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Overview
Image result for no rest for the witches book cover

Title: No Rest for the Witches
Author: MaryJanice Davidson, Lori Handeland, Cheyenne McCray & Christine Warren
In: No Rest for the Witches (Mary Janice Davidson, Lori Handeland, Cheyenne McCray & Christine Warren)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Witches
Dates read: 14th July – 9th September 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: She thought of an even better, more relevant question.

Synopsis

From broomsticks to black magic, leather-clad warriors to love potions gone wrong, here you’ll find four stories of supernatural sex and suspense from some of today’s hottest bestselling authors.

MaryJanice Davidson – “The Majicka”
Life’s a bit crowded for Ireland and her roommates–a fairy, a werewolf, a vampire, and now a zombie…especially when a mysterious man walks through the door. Will there be any room left for love?

Lori Handeland – “Voodoo Moon”
For Devil’s Fork-based FBI Agent Dana Duran, the only way to fight a supernatural serial killer just may be to embrace life. But little did she know that voodoo could be so viciously sexy…

Cheyenne McCray – “Breath of Magic”
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?

Christine Warren – “Any Witch Way She Can”
A desperately lonely witch decides to take matters of love into her own hands when she casts a cosmic personal ad…only to find that the perfect formula for love is a strange brew indeed.

Thoughts

This was one of those random books that I picked up in a second hand shop. I had no idea what it was about. Really what genre it belonged to, and only vaguely recognised the names of the authors who had contributed. I really just liked the name of the collection, it was a fun little pun that made me quite intrigued…

From beginning to end, this collection has women who pack an amazing punch. They’re strong, they’re powerful and they’re constantly finding themselves in a spot of trouble. All things which I thoroughly love in a good, strong protagonist. The fact that sex, lust and magic are all mixed in with each other to create some incredibly fun and often times awkward stories just makes it that much better. Mostly the sex and lust. A girls gotta get her kicks where she can…

All four of these novellas, like many other similar collections have sent me down the path of finding new beloved authors and series. They’re always a good way to escape for only a short amount of time when I have to be responsible, but long enough that I get completely sucked into a whole new world. The fact that these were all paranormal fantasy and filled with a good dose of romance just made me sink all the quicker into these stories. Definitely one that I would suggest to anybody who likes their witches with a bit of extra steam!

 <- Any Witch Way She CanThe Majicka ->

Image source: Goodreads

Out of the Light, Into the Shadows by Lori Foster & Erin McCarthy

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Overview
Image result for out of the light, into the shadows book cover

Title: Out of the Light, Into the Shadows
Author: Lori Foster & Erin McCarthy
In: Out of the Light, Into the Shadows (Lori Foster & Erin McCarthy)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 20th – 31st July 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: Things from his past erupted into his future, hateful comments, murderous gestures that he’d long buried in an effort to forget them.

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

The darkest hour is before the dawn… headlines a sinful new anthology where the dark and light sides of desire collide…

Embrace the darkness and experience the light in this all-new anthology filled with touching stories of happily ever after alongside smoldering tales of irresistibly dangerous, otherworldly passion. From bewitching emotions and untamed desire to dazzling romance and tantalizing sensuality, these novellas explore the complex facets of the human heart-both the light side and the dark.

Thoughts

This was one of those random books that you just pick up because it looks kind of cool and intriguing. I had no idea that it was part of a series that was already lurking on my shelves and I had no idea of what to expect from the pages of the book. And boy was I happily and pleasantly surprised by everything within its pages! Actually, I’m more than a little disappointed that it’s all over. I just want more!

This is the first of these small novella collections that is only written by two authors. Every other one has had four separate authors creating and weaving their own storylines. And, to add to this, each of the two novellas were directly related to one another. Almost creating a longer mini story with a bit of a break between each. It was certainly a different experience, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s always nice to experience something a little different.

This collection starts with two stories that are quite a bit more light-hearted and hopeful. They’re sweet and tender, with just a little bit of darkness to the story that draws you in. Then, the next two stories were much darker and twistier. Those sparks of brightness dim a little bit, but just enough to make it a more dark fantasy feeling than the previous stories…

 <- Total Control ReviewHave Mercy Review ->
Image source: Penguin Random House

An Apple for the Creature edited by Charlaine Harris & Toni L. P. Kelner

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Overview
Image result for an apple for the creature book cover

Title: An Apple for the Creature
Author: Charlaine Harris, Toni L. P. Kelner, Jonathan Maberry, Donald Harstad, Marjorie M. Liu, Rhys Bowen, Amber Benson, Mike Carey, Faith Hunter, Ilona Andrews, Steve Hockensmith, Nancy Holder & Thomas E. Sniegoski
In: An Apple for the Creature (Charlaine Harris & Toni L. P. Kelner)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Short story collections, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 23rd May – 13th July 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Ace Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: He’d charged George, heading toward the cornfield behind the store, and George had shot him.

Synopsis

Includes a never-before-published Sookie Stackhouse story!

What could be scarier than the first day of school? How about a crash course in the paranormal from Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner, editors of Home Improvement: Undead Edition? Your worst school nightmares—taking that math test you never studied for, finding yourself naked in school assembly, not knowing which door to enter—will pale in comparison to these thirteen original stories that take academic anxiety to whole new realms.

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris’s story, “Playing Possum,” Sookie Stackhouse brings enough birthday cupcakes for her nephew’s entire class but finds she’s one short when the angry ex-boyfriend of the school secretary shows up.

When her guardian, Kate Daniels, sends her undercover to a school for exceptional children, teenaged Julie learns an all-new definition of “exceptional,” in New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews’s “Magic Tests.”

For those who like fangs with their forensics, New York Times bestselling author Nancy Holder offers “VSI,” in which FBI agent Claire is tested as never before in a school for Vampire Scene Investigation.

And in New York Times bestselling author Thomas Sniegoski’s “The Bad Hour,” Remy Chandler and his dog Marlowe find evil unleashed in an obedience school.

You’ll need more than an apple to stave off the creatures in these and nine other stories. Remember your first lesson: resistance is fruitless!

Includes stories by: ILONA ANDREWS, AMBER BENSON, RHYS BOWEN, MIKE CAREY, CHARLAINE HARRIS, DONALD HARSTAD, STEVE HOCKENSMITH, NANCY HOLDER, FAITH HUNTER, TONI L.P. KELNER, MARJORIE LIU, JONATHAN MABERRY, THOMAS SNIEGOSKI

Thoughts

This book has been on my wishlist for ages. But, it’s one that’s out of print, so I had to get a second-hand copy, and I always seem to be a bit slower at getting these. Now I’m not sure why I waited so damn long! I loved every single one of these short stories. They managed to reflect not only your worst nightmares relived in high school, but it was also filled with stories of training and cops, the paranormal and the supernatural.

Sometimes short story collections are full of tales which fit into series. Some are just full of tales that stand beautifully alone. An Apple for the Creature has a nice balance of the two. Some of these stories are ones which make me want to pick up the rest of the series. Some just a nice appreciation for a new author. It was a great balance, meant that I didn’t break the bank wanting to buy new books, but also found some great new series to sink my teeth into.

This collection contains everything I love about urban fantasy tales. There are vampires and werewolves, dragons and nymphs. Some of these characters are only just starting at their first high school, and others are in training for a greater purpose, such as crime fighting. Regardless of the reason why they’re in school though, every single character in these stories learns something from their adventures and made each and every story a complete, total and utter pleasure.

 <- Pirate Dave and the Captain’s GhostPlaying Possum ->

Image source: Goodreads

Hot Spell by Lora Leigh, Emma Holly, Shiloh Walker & Meljean Brook

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Overview
Hot Spell

Title: Hot Spell
Author: Lora Leigh, Emma Holly, Shiloh Walker & Meljean Brook
In: Hot Spell (Lora Leigh, Emma Holly, Shiloh Walker & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Erotica, Paranormal romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 3rd – 12th July 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2005
5th sentence, 74th page: He took his hand away.

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

Venture into a world beyond the ordinary, where the dark passions and voracious appetites of vampires, werewolves, demons, and a few undaunted mortals combine to unleash a potent… HOT SPELL

Here are lovers like you’ve never dared to imagine: eyes that glitter with keeness born of ancient knowledge. Hands that move with a tenderness belying superhuman strength. Inviting smiles that reveal exquisitely letahl fangs. Rippling, leonine muscles. There’s danger in the air – and heat.

Steam rises up off the pages of these four scorching novellas, sensuously crafted by four acclaimed authors who beckon you to slip into the shadows and experience the otherworldly pleasures of the night…

Thoughts

Once upon a time I used to think that paranormal romance, romance and erotica stories were boring, smuttish and just not worth reading. I have changed my mind. In a big way. And it is collections like Hot Spell that really remind me of just why I did such a big turn around. These novellas and tales still include all of my favourite aspects of fantasy stories, but there is an extra layer of passion, lust and, dare I say it, cuteness to the stories that have me reaching for these stories again and again and again.

Originally I bought this book for the Meljean Brook story of Falling for Anthony. What I didn’t realise was that I would love the other three stories in this collection just as much. To the point that I now want all of these in my collection and don’t know which series to pick up next. They’re all perfect danglers for new authors and collections that I had not quite pictured wanting before.

For someone who, up until two years ago didn’t really read any romances, this collection (and others like it) have certainly drastically expanded the shelves. Alright, it’s not quite as big as my urban and paranormal fantasy collections because sometimes the sappy, happiness gets a bit much. But, if you’re looking for the perfect way to get into the more erotic side of the paranormal, I would definitely suggest adding this one to your shelves!

 <- The Blood Kiss ReviewThe Countess’s Pleasure Review ->
Image source: Meljean Brook

Dates From Hell by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong & Lori Handeland

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for dates from hell book cover

Title: Dates From Hell
Author: Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong & Lori Handeland
In: Dates From Hell (Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong & Lori Handeland)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 22nd June – 11th July 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Avon Fiction
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: Jerking in sudden decision, she dropped the pen and pulled out the Yellow Pages, looking for the biggest insurance ad that wasn’t connected to one of Cincinnati’s older vamp families.

Synopsis

She thought her date was out of this world. Acutally, he was not of this world…

We’ve all been on bad dates, dreadful experiences that turned out to be uniquely memorable in the very worst way. But at least our partners for these detestable evenings were more or less… human!

Now Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, and Lori Handeland – four of the very best writers currently exploring the dangerous seduction of the supernatural – offer up dating disasters (and unexpected delights) of a completely different sort: dark, wicked, paranormally sensual assignations with werewolves, demon lovers, and the romantically challenged undead. Sexy, witty, chilling, and altogether remarkable, here is proof positive that some love matches are made someplace other than heaven.

Thoughts

Normally I love collections like this because you can read one novella, finish it, put it down and walk away. I did manage to do this… but it was quite a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. I had already read something by every one of these authors, and so I knew that what was just around the corner was going to be fantastic. And it was this knowledge that made it nigh on impossible to stop thinking about this storyline.

There is something about stories of horrible dates that I kind of love. Not because I’ve ever been on one (I met my other half when I was seventeen and have been stupid in love since). But I can imagine the horrors of what pretty much everyone must go through. It’s a way to live vicariously through something. Adding in the extra aspect of fantasy and the supernatural just made it all the more fun. And a little bit more alien than even a first date is to me.

Anybody who loves paranormal fantasy or romance is going to love this collection of novellas. If you also enjoy heroines who are strong and independent and more than likely to get themselves into trouble… then this is even more likely to make you deliriously happy. Like it did me… now I need another collection like this to while the nights away…

 <- Dead Man DatingUndead in the Garden of Good and Evil ->

Image source: Harper Collins Publishers

Cravings by Laurell K. Hamilton, Mary Janice Davidson, Eileen Wilks & Rebecca York

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
cravings

Title: Cravings
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton, MaryJanice Davidson, Eileen Wilks & Rebecca York
In: Cravings (Laurell K. Hamilton, Mary Janice Davidson, Eileen Wilks & Rebecca York)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 15th June – 3rd July 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: He leaned his face over my shoulder, and I caught the sweet scent of his skin.

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

Longings in the night…

In the heat of the night, anything goes. Boundaries are crossed and secret yearnings take shape. Creatures stalk the shadows, surrendering to their wildest needs – and satisfying hungers that take their victims beyond fear to the dark edge of desire. Succumb to the pleasure as four of your favorite authors present their favorite characters in all-new tales of bloodlust, of the kind of appetites that must be sated again and again, and of the passion that feeds them…

Thoughts

I bought this book a few years ago to read the World of the Lupi novella between it’s pages. And then I put it away because I was still incredibly new to the genre of paranormal romance. Now, a few years later, a lot more involved in the genre and more than a little obsessed, I decided to pick up this collection again. And boy, was I glad that I did.

All four of these stories have a great paranormal spin to them. They’re tales of passion, romance and lust. Stories that involved a lot more of the paranormal than the passionate. But just enough spice that I still found myself wanting a good male companion for the night. As much as I loved the passion and romance, and in many cases, sheer lust, that jumped off the pages of these stories, I mostly enjoyed the paranormal aspect of the stories. From vampires to werewolves and back again, there were supernatural beings coming out of the wood works. With a little bit of humour, a little bit of darkness and a lot of bang.

 <- Burning Moon ReviewBlood Upon My Lips Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Novellas and Stories by Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims

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Overview
Image result for novellas and stories meljean brook book cover

Title: Novellas and Stories
Author: Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims
In: Novellas and Stories (Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 25th April – 20th June 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: The horn rang out again, and the dogs began to fall back.

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

For the first time in print, six wild and steamy tales from three of today’s hottest paranormal and steampunk romance authors.

The Blushing Bounder by Meljean Brook – While the search for a killer puts Constable Newberry’s life in danger, he faces a danger of another kind: to his heart, by the woman forced to marry him. What will it take for this prudish bounder to convince his wife to stay?

Vixen by Jessica Sims – Miko’s denied her were-fox nature for far too long and turned her back on her vixen heritage. But when she meets two very sexy cat-shifters, she has to decide if she truly wants to give up on her frisky side, or embrace it. Because the were-fox in her doesn’t want to choose between both men… it wants them both.

Kitten-Tiger & the Monk by Carolyn Crane – Sophia Sidway, Midcity’s most dangerous memory revisionist, seeks out the mysterious Monk in the wasteland beneath the Tangle turnpike, hoping for redemption… but it turns out that the Monk is not all that pious, and the turnpike is no turnpike at all.

These lovers create their own heat, even when surrounded by ice…

Speed Mating by Jessica Sims – Estrella may be going into heat, but she’s determined to remain in control. Just because she’s ovulating doesn’t mean she has to settle for just any man (or his beast). Her sexy alpha’s determined to find her a tiger to take care of her heat and father her child… but no one seems to look quite as good as the man in charge. Will giving in to her need for her alpha ruin her tenuous relationship with her clan or be a match made in heaven?

Conjuring Max by Carolyn Crane – 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.

Wrecked by Meljean Brook – Elizabeth has spent the past five years running from her father; her father’s huntsman, Caius, has spent the past five years pursuing her. But when he finally catches up to her on an airship flying above Europe’s zombie-infested cities, Elizabeth discovers that Caius isn’t the only danger she has to fear – and now that he’s found her, Caius doesn’t intend to let her go.

Thoughts

This was one of those great collections that had a really wide array of stories under the heading of paranormal romance. From incredibly erotic shapeshifter stories to tales of steampunk piracy across the worlds. Every moment of these six novellas are steamy, warm and full of passion. And of course, a little intrigue to make it impossible to put down.

Although I already knew Meljean Brook’s works, I loved being introduced to her new (to me) Iron Seas series. Which has kind of given me a new obsession – steampunk romance. But, there is another three new series that are featured in these novellas, which have now all been happily added to my wishlist in the hopes for a future time when I have some more cash.

This was one of those fun and easy reads which I will be picking up again and again. The stories are just fun and easy. Kind of cute. And a pleasure to read.

 <- Wrecked ReviewThe Blushing Bounder Review ->
Image source: Fantastic Fiction

Unbound by Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, Jeaniene Frost, Vicki Pettersson & Jocelynn Drake

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Overview
Image result for unbound book cover kim harrison

Title: Unbound
Author: Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, Jeaniene Frost, Vicki Pettersson & Jocelynn Drake
In: Unbound (Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, Jeaniene Frost, Vicki Pettersson & Jocelyn Drake)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Short story collections, Strong women, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 29th March – 7th May 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: EOS
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: Startled, Jenks turned in the air even as Daryl caught her breath only to start coughing.

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

Five master of dark fantasy cross the borders between our world and others.

Not all huntersa are bound by human laws…

Revisiting the paranormal realms they’ve made famous in their wildly popular fiction, New York Times bestselling authors Kim Harrison, Jeaniene Frost, Vicki Pettersson and Jocelynn Drake – plus New York Times bestselling YA author Melissa Marr with her first adult supernatural thriller – unleash their full arsenal of dark talents, plunging us into the shadows where the supernatural stalk the unsuspecting… and every soul is a target. 88 Get ready for the ride of your life – because the wildest magic has just been unleashed…. and evil is about to have its day.

Thoughts

This was a great collection of urban fantasy novellas. Not only did it introduce me to a few new worlds (that are now sitting impatiently on my To Buy List), but it also swept me away into a couple of worlds that I already love, and can’t wait to sink my teeth into again and again. The great balance of known worlds and new ones made me incredibly excited to crack the pages of this collection, and I’m mostly just disappointed that it took me so long to do so…

The stories in Unbound run across a series of paranormal settings and creatures. Yet, they all have powerful women as their core. There is something that always draws me back again and again when the woman is the powerful lead, when she is independent and strong. Even if things tend to go a little haywire when they try to do the right thing…

It took me a little while to read this book. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to dive into the stories, but rather the opposite. I was a little concerned about the depths of my obsession with the stories. I didn’t want to go out and buy a heap of other novels when I still have so many to read. But, honestly, if I wasn’t concerned about spending too much money… I probably would have read all five of these novellas in a day or two. They were all completely amazing!

 <- Two Lines ReviewLey Line Drifter Review ->
Image source: Harper Collins Publisher

Black Feathers edited by Ellen Datlow

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Overview
Image result for black feathers ellen datlow book cover

Title: Black Feathers
Author: Ellen Datlow, Sandra Kasturi, Nicholas Royle, Seanan McGuire, Paul Tremblay, Joyce Carol Oates, Richard Bowes, Alison Littlewood, Jeffrey Ford, Mike O’Driscoll, Usman T. Malik, Stephen Graham Jones, A.C. Wise, M. John Harrison, Pat Cadigan, Livia Llewellyn & Priya Sharma
In: Black Feathers (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Horror, Short story collections
Dates read: 23rd January – 27th April 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Pegasus Books Ltd.
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: A sudden croaking cry, and she turns to see the great blue heron flying overhead.

Synopsis

A dazzling anthology of avian-themed fiction guaranteed to frighten and delight, edited by one of the most acclaimed horror anthologists in the genre.

Birds are usually loved for their beauty and their song. They symbolize freedom, eternal life, the soul. But there’s certainly a dark side to the avian. Birds of prey sometimes kill other birds, destroy other birds’ eggs, and even have been known to kill small animals. And who isn’t frightened by birds who eat the dead – vultures awaiting their next meal as the life-blood flows from the dying.

In each of these stories, you will encounter the dark resonance between the human and avian. You will see in yourself the savagery of a predator, the shrewd stalking of a hunter, and you will be lured by birds that speak human language, that make beautiful music, that cypher numbers, and seem to have a moral center. You will wade into this feathered nightmare, and brave the horror of death, trading your safety and sanity for that which we all seek – the promise of flight.

Thoughts

This is my first collection of horror stories. Actually, it’s really my first ever horror novel. So reading this has been a very interesting journey. One that I was surprised to enjoy so much. And, although I didn’t really read any of these stories late at night, I also didn’t get any horrifying nightmares from the tales either. Unlike some of the crime, mystery and thriller novels that I’ve read.

Birds have always fascinated me. And I’ve been wanting to get a parrot for a little while. This collection definitely cured me of that desire. Actually, it cured me of really wanting anything much to do with birds for a little while if I’m being honest. This story not only used the symbolism and activities of birds as a catalyst for the tales of horror, but also pulled them out of your worst nightmares.

Pick this book up if you want a great introduction to the horror genre. And if you have a bit of a fascination with the avian community…

 <- The Best Horror of the Year Volume ElevenO Terrible Bird ->

Image source: Amazon