Title: We’re Never Inviting Amber Again Author: S. P. Miskowski In: Haunted Nights (Lisa Morton & Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves: Family, Thriller, Urban fantasy Dates read: 8th December 2019 Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Blumhouse Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: Meredith forced a polite grin.
We’ve all got awkward family members. But, Amber is even more different. And mixing her special brand of crazy with Halloween might not have been the brightest idea…
The narrator of this story is kind of Captain DoucheNugget. Like seriously. If my partner treated my sister like that… I would punch him in the face. Repeatedly. There is something seriously not okay about this storyline. Something that made me incredibly ragey – just because he was a serious DoucheNugget.
Having said that there is a DoucheNugget of epic proportions in this story… it was actually the most scary so far in this collection. And there have been some seriously creepy tales. But this one just hit on a whole new level. There was just something about it that made me not want to walk past the windows late at night…
This story was incredibly awkward. Not awkward because of the writing. The writing was brilliant. The storytelling was brilliant. The story itself was brilliant. But the actual occurrences in this story – the treatment of the aforementioned sister in law. It felt entirely cringe-worthy.
Shiraz thinks that he’s found the ultimate weapon. But will he be able to secure it before he’s found out?
When I started this short story, I just kind of assumed that Shiraz was going to be the big, master villain of whatever series this is part of. There was something wonderfully sinister and intense about him. But, as the story found its conclusion, I’m beginning to think that he’s getting outdone by a far more insidious villain that the hero won’t see coming.
I love that this story feels like it’s setting up a master conspiracy within the greater series. Like it’s explaining how this secret villain has a power that no one knows about and is willing to use. At least, that’s how it reads to me. A person who has no idea about this series or where and how this book will fit into it. This feeling of conspiracy has made me seriously intrigued though.
I’m also seriously intrigued by the idea of a secret society of vampires. There is always something so much fun about secret societies. And when you add the supernatural and paranormal… it is so much more likely to draw me in completely! More books to add to the wish list…
Title: Noble Rot Author: Holly Black In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Humour, Urban fantasy, Zombies Dates read: 5th December 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Year: 2011 5th sentence, 74th page: “Don’t like good-byes,” she says.
He’s slowly wasting away. But, there is a beautiful delivery girl that seems to keep his life interesting. Little does he know what she’s turning him into…
I’ve been around enough sick people in my life to know that disease and, the treatments, can completely mess up your taste buds. However, the ways in which this story plays with ideas of messed up taste buds is entirely unique. And more than a little bit gross. Although completely fun. as you can probably tell, I got a few somewhat mixed feelings about this.
There was so much backstory to this tale. Which made me dive in completely. I would also love to reread this, because now that I know what the lead female was doing the whole time… I feel like I’d be able to grasp at some of the hints throughout.
I love that this is about a sick man who is given a second chance at a new life. There is something beautiful, and really tragic about this. Which makes it fit perfectly into the theme of the Naked City collection.
Title: And Go Like This Author: John Crowley In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow) Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this) My Bookshelves:Urban fantasy Dates read:3rd December 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Year: 2011 5th sentence, 74th page: And what about the great ones of the world, the leaders and the presidents-for-life and the field marshals and the members of parliaments and presidiums, have they really all come?
Is the world overpopulated? What do we do about it?
The cadence and pace of this short story was a bit… off for me. Sometimes I love stories which don’t follow the more traditional flow of prose and I love them. This was not one of those. There was just something about it that I really, really couldn’t get into. Which was quite disappointing because there was something in this story that I think I could love.
I do love the fact that this story seems to be about overpopulation. It’s something that is of concern to me frequently and so it was kind of fun to read something that highlights this.
I don’t actually know if this story is saying that overpopulation is bad or good. I swear there was also some racist stuff in here… as I said… the cadence of this just threw me.
In Cainsville nothing is as expected. Including Halloween. And a bit of revenge might just turn sour… and quickly.
Halloween has always felt like somewhat of a dark holiday to me. There is just something about it that isn’t all clean and shiny like many of the other holidays and festivals that we celebrate. So I really loved that Armstrong took this and made it even darker, twistier and waaaaaaaay scarier. She created a kind of horrible (but also bloody brilliant) story that I look forward to reading again in the future.
This story starts out with a crush. More of a lustful crush. One that isn’t reciprocated. But, it doesn’t mean that they’re evil and have cast a spell on you. It probably just means that you have a crush. This is Cainsville though. Nothing is quite that simple, and it is always much nastier than a normal response. Which is why I love it.
My favourite thing about this short story is that karma is a fickle bitch. It’s a reminder that what we plan to do to someone is likely to come back to us… tenfold. And, especially if you live in Cainsville, you should probably make sure that you think about your actions first…
Title: “…Or Forever Hold Your Peace Author: Susan Krinard In: My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding (P.N. Elrod) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Fantasy, Magic, Urban fantasy Dates read: 30th November 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Year: 2006 5th sentence, 74th page: Olivia frowned and studied him more carefully, sinking deeper into her Talent as an Anatomist.
It’s the marriage of the season. Until a man objects, and then falls to his death. The bride goes missing and the groom and friends discover a secret that will shock everyone.
I’ve never really understood why people are happy to have that unless anyone objects part in their wedding vowels. If I had that in mine and someone objected, I’d probably want to march right up and sock them. I’ve also never been to a wedding that has that in the ceremony. But, it does make for a good literary tactic. Something that adds a nice sense of drama and suspense. Plus, the perfect moment for a spurned lover, crazy person, whatever to interrupt the proceedings.
There was a sense of completing the circle in this story – it starts and ends with pretty much the same scene. Just the final part there is a little more understanding about who the bride actually is. I really loved how this was a full circle – there was a bit of a humorous, poetic sense to the tale. And a much needed sense of closure that I don’t often find in short stories.
I’m so excited that this is part of a series. As I was reading it, I was hoping that it was – there was just something really interesting and fun about the world that was being built. Although, the series is just another short story… still, I get to revisit Kit and Olivia!
Title: A Hard Day’s Night-Searcher Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon Series: Dark Hunter #9.5 In: My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding (P.N. Elrod) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Paranormal romance, Urban fantasy, Vampires Dates read: 29th November 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Year: 2006 5th sentence, 74th page: Celena knew she was breaking the rule, but Rafael didn’t have to know it.
His squire has published a story all about… well, him. But, the punishment and the punisher might just be what the doctor ordered. It’s bought Celena to his doorstep and into his home.
This is the second to last short story in a collection of tales about weddings. I spent most of the story wondering where the wedding in the story was. After all, it starts with the couple trying to seduce (and avoid being seduced). Not that much about marriage. And there were no invitations to a marriage either. Actually, it started with the squire of the vampire-esque creature being a total moron.
Actually, Jeff is more than a total moron. He is painfully, ridiculously stupid. Not like a little off-kilter and doesn’t necessarily think things through. Holy crap stupid. Like, almost gets himself and everyone else killed stupid. Which of course made me kind of love him. In that, I want to kill you way… there is just something hilariously brilliant about someone who is that truly dumb.
Reading this reminds me why I love Kenyon’swriting (the little I’ve read so far) and why I have six of her books already sitting on my shelves, ready to go. I’m seriously hoping that the premise created in this story could be part of a larger series. There is something fun about the world created that is fun and had me smiling all the way through.
Title: Summer Knight Author: Jim Butcher Series: The Dresden Files #4 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Crime, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy, Wizards Dates read: 25th October – 29th November 2019 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Orbit Year: 2002 5th sentence, 74th page: I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a willing murderer.
Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago’s first (and only) Wizard P.I. Turns out the ‘everyday’ world is full of strange and magical things – and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in.
Since his girlfriend left town to deal with her newly acquired taste for blood, Harry’s been down and out. He can’t pay his rent. He’s alienating his friends. He can’t recall his last shower. Then when things are at their worst, the Winter Queen of Faerie saunters in with an offer Harry can’t refuse. All he has to do is find out who murdered the Summer Knight, the Summer Queen’s right-hand man, and clear the Winter Queen’s name.
It seems simple, but Faerie politics seldom work out that way. Then Harry discovers the fate of the entire world rests on this case. So no pressure…
MAGIC – IT CAN GET A GUY KILLED.
I always forget how much I enjoy Harry Dresden when I walk away from one of his books. I always want to immediately pick up the next one in the series, but since I’m easily distracted… this doesn’t necessarily frequently happen. I only picked up Summer Knight because I recently read yet another short story set in this world. Which reminded me how amazing this writing is. Not just the storyline and the fun characters, but the pure sarcasm that tends to trip from the pages.
This might have one of my favourite scenes in it thus far – Harry screaming “I don’t believe in fairies.” As he charges into a battle with the faery courts. Quite possibly the best battle cry I have ever read and one that had me giggling quite insanely. Because I do many things in an insane matter at the moment… it’s just the crazy time of year.
This is the first Dresden Filesstory that starts to deal with the fae. The first book is a great introduction to the world, then we get werewolves and then vampires. And now, now it is the courts of the Sidhe going into battle with each other. And you know, an evil, completely insane faery behind it all who somehow thinks she’s doing the right thing by ripping the world apart. It’s yet another supernatural group which Harry manages to piss off and alienate.
There are so many hints of Harry’s history in the first few books of this series. It’s obviously dark and twisted. But you never actually find out why he killed his mentor. Finally, we meet Elaine (the woman who was a part of his life at the time) and find out exactly what happened. Why he decided that killing his mentor was a good idea. It also gives an inkling to why there are some ill feelings between himself and the Council. Ill feelings which I’m pretty sure are going to expand as the series continues and I think that Morgan is going to turn out to be a bit of a villain throughout.
As usual, this is a fantastic novel. I can’t wait to add more to my shelves… maybe in the new year I will finally get caught up on this series!
He’s a werewolf stuck halfway between his forms at the North Pole. And, he’s understandably peckish… but maybe it wasn’t such a great idea to eat Rudolph.
Most Christmas stories I tend to read are quite happy. I’ve NEVER read one that starts with a werewolf eating Rudolph. That was a shock. It was hilarious, and I scared my dog by spitting out a bit of my tea as I held in the laughter (yes, I have a twisted sense of humour, so sue me). But it was also incredibly unique. As I said, I’ve never had the pleasure of reading a story which begins with Rudolph being eaten by a werewolf. And not just a werewolf, but a werewolf stuck in a crazy kind of half-form that he can’t seem to get out of. Little wonder that that image made me spit out my tea.
Although this was a story that starts with Rudolph, there were a surprising amount of Christian overtones. In fact, Santa only visits good little Christian boys and girls… which I found a bit annoying – but that’s my own religious hangups. I did like that there were a number of versions of the Saint Nikolas mythos added into the telling of the tale. It wasn’t just about our more modern / common versions of this. And there was also his evil shadow to contend with…
I love that the last spin on this featured Rudolph’s nose. Instead of a light to guide the way, the werewolf was able to use his superior sense of smell. And the way that he uses this to navigate the night… brilliant. Even though I’m pretty sure the werewolf is still kind of evil and needs a swift kick up the bum… all in the name of the Christmas spirit of course!
Based on premise of vampires and werewolves running in the same family – an evil free creature to protect the rest of us. This brother and sister though are about to have their entire reality turn on its head as they try and cure the latest evil they’ve come across.
Most stories I read about vampires and werewolves have them at loggerheads. This wasn’t all that different for the fact that the vampire and the werewolf did argue a lot. But it came from sibling rivalry rather than a difference in species and osmosis of species. I love this different take on a classical rivalry. One that I totally didn’t see coming, but really want to sink my teeth into.
The premise of this story is based on the idea that the vampires and werewolves are the protectors of humanity and there are no “evil” versions of their race. I don’t quite believe that there is no such thing as a race completely devoid of a bad apple… which apparently Cameron agrees with, because she creates a villain in this story which is a werewolf gone bad (or vampire, I wasn’t totally clear on what type of being they were)…
I’m so excited that this Christmas short story is part of a bigger series! I can’t wait to see what more happens in the full-length novels. Definitely a series that gets to move to the top of my wishlist – after all, it’s the first stories I’ve ever read where vampires and werewolves are siblings!
Earth and Skye 