The Harwood Spellbook series of novellas is light fantasy, with lots of romance--enjoyable, quick books that make me smile.4 stars--I really liked it.
The Harwood Spellbook series of novellas is light fantasy, with lots of romance--enjoyable, quick books that make me smile. This prequel was a fun introduction to the setting and a fast read. Not earth-shattering literature, but sometimes you just want a happy, feel-good story about magic and nobles and love. Recommended for romance readers.
Merged review:
4 stars--I really liked it.
The Harwood Spellbook series of novellas is light fantasy, with lots of romance--enjoyable, quick books that make me smile. This prequel was a fun introduction to the setting and a fast read. Not earth-shattering literature, but sometimes you just want a happy, feel-good story about magic and nobles and love. Recommended for romance readers....more
I don't believe in multiple personalities. But it makes for a great story! This is a psychological noir novel, featuring mu4 stars--I really liked it.
I don't believe in multiple personalities. But it makes for a great story! This is a psychological noir novel, featuring multiple characters that happen to inhabit the same body, that took some unexpected turns. If you like dark psychological suspense, give this a try.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!...more
3 stars--I liked the book. I'm putting this on both my "ghosts" and "past lives" shelves, but I'm not sure it really belongs on either!
This is a time-3 stars--I liked the book. I'm putting this on both my "ghosts" and "past lives" shelves, but I'm not sure it really belongs on either!
This is a time-slip romance that's light on romance and heavy on the gothic overtones--just the way I like 'em! Other things I liked: great setting, ghostly plot, and an interesting historical narrative.
Things I didn't like: it's pretty obvious what's happening from page 10 or so; there's nothing new here and no surprises. Still, I enjoyed the read and will look up more of Hartshorne's books....more
This is Classic high fantasy. Moon writes excellent military fantasy, and is exceptional at pacing and plotting. Paks' jour4 stars--I really liked it.
This is Classic high fantasy. Moon writes excellent military fantasy, and is exceptional at pacing and plotting. Paks' journey was a delight to read, and both the writing style and characterization remind me a lot of Tolkien--a bit removed, clear standards of good and evil, lots of archetypes, and so on. (The similarities are intentional, I'm sure.)
As a warning, there is a lot of torture in this book (some of it sexual) that made me a bit squeamish. Other than that, I highly recommend this series to fantasy readers....more
If you liked The Last Days of Jack Sparks, you'll probably like this--it has a similar quirkiness to it, a similar narrator 3 stars--I liked the book.
If you liked The Last Days of Jack Sparks, you'll probably like this--it has a similar quirkiness to it, a similar narrator voice, the same sort of humor, AND the same sort of scares.
I give it credit for being a unique ghost story. The ghosts were unlike any I've read about before. There were a couple places that I thought either didn't make sense or were unexplained, but they were overshadowed by really cool, creepy, and unusual things about the plot. I devoured this quickly. Recommended for readers who like humor with their scares....more
This book created a sense of unease, which I enjoyed, and I thought the ending was good. However, I also thought the book relied to2 stars--it was OK.
This book created a sense of unease, which I enjoyed, and I thought the ending was good. However, I also thought the book relied too much on characters not talking (most of this book's tension could have been solved with a good conversation), and I greatly disliked Alice, the book's protagonist. She was very passive, letting life slide over her. I realize that was on purpose and she does grow, but it made for dull reading, in my mind.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!...more
Elizabeth Moon is an excellent fantasy writer, and is an especially good military fantasy writer. Her grasp of military det4 stars--I really liked it.
Elizabeth Moon is an excellent fantasy writer, and is an especially good military fantasy writer. Her grasp of military details is incredible, and she brings those details to life on the page with ease.
Paks continues to grow as a warrior, and also mentally as well, attempting various quests and learning more about the world and its peoples. Minor quibble: there's another attempted rape in this book; this seems to be a common trope in '80s fantasy, and I find it annoying. This book ends on a really sad note (Paks is at a very low point, to put it mildly). Can't wait to read book 3!...more
3 stars--I liked the book. I enjoyed the plot--I'm always down for creepy villagers and cult shenanigans, not to mention possible time slips. But I'm 3 stars--I liked the book. I enjoyed the plot--I'm always down for creepy villagers and cult shenanigans, not to mention possible time slips. But I'm not a huge fan of Palahniuk's writing style. ...more
2.5 stars--somewhere between "I liked it" and "it was OK."
I would have given this book 3 stars ("I liked the book"), but I docked half a star for the 2.5 stars--somewhere between "I liked it" and "it was OK."
I would have given this book 3 stars ("I liked the book"), but I docked half a star for the annoying and unnecessary girl fighting. The main character in this book, Maddy, is jealous and catty with other women (and they with her), and all the fighting is over a man (ugh). There's even a physical altercation at one point! I find this trope really wearying and completely immature, and I'm disappointed that Kate Ryder would include these sorts of interactions in what's supposed to be a cozy romance. In my opinion, it doesn't introduce more drama--just turns me off the characters. (There's even a sideplot of girl-drama with her ex-boyfriend's new fling, which is completely pointless to the book's main plot except to show the narrator's pettiness, I guess.)
The positives: This is a gentle time-slip romance. It's nothing new (it borrows a LOT from Kearsley's classic Mariana), and it's not written particularly well (the first-person narration is very simplistic), but it's cozy, comforting, and exactly what I needed. There's a slow reveal of characters' past lives and lots of ghostly apparitions. I was having trouble getting into reading because I'm in the middle of an international move. Stressful to say the least! This book immediately hooked me, and I devoured it quickly. It also inspired me to check out some other time-slip romances from the library--a genre I enjoy and which seems to suit my current attention span!
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it! ...more
I averaged the stars from all the stories and got 3.333, so I'll give this book 3 stars overall ("I liked the book"). And I did like it! I always likeI averaged the stars from all the stories and got 3.333, so I'll give this book 3 stars overall ("I liked the book"). And I did like it! I always like Datlow's anthologies. This one contained a few gems, but nothing that absolutely blew me away. The standouts for me were stories by Alison Littlewood, Gemma Files, Carole Johnstone, and John Langan.
This anthology contains 30 diverse ghost stories and makes a great October read. Below are quick ratings for each story:
“Ice Cold Lemonade 25ȼ Haunted House Tour: 1 Per Person,” by Paul Tremblay. 3 stars. “Linger Longer,” by Vincent J. Masterson. 3 stars. “Whimper Beg,” by Lee Thomas. 3 stars. “The July Girls,” by Alison Littlewood. 4 stars. A story about grief and loss, with a creepy, twisted ending that I quite liked. “About the O’Dells,” by Pat Cadigan. 4 stars. The narrator's voice made this story stand out. A gruesome topic (domestic violence) with ghostly revenge. “A Hinterlands Haunting,” by Richard Kadrey. 3 stars. “The Number of Things You Remember,” by M. L. Siemienowicz. 2 stars. “Must Be This Tall to Ride,” by Seanan McGuire. 2 stars. “The Surviving Child,” by Joyce Carol Oates. 3 stars. “The Medium’s End,” by Ford Madox Ford. 3 stars. “A Shade of Dusk,” by Indrapramit Das. 3 stars. “Icarus Rising,” by Richard Bowes. 4 stars. I liked this tale of a vengeful ghost--but not the type of vengeance we usually see in ghost stories. Neat ghost lore. “The Puppet Motel,” by Gemma Files. 4 stars. I almost always like Gemma Files. This story, of a place that's haunted or just "wrong," isn't a typical haunting, but it was spooky. “Air Valve Semilunar Astern,” by Nick Mamatas. 2 stars. “The Unwrapping,” by Terry Dowling. 4 stars. Cool story about a mummy. “The Upper Berth,” by F. Marion Crawford. 4 stars. A "traditional" ghost story set in a ship. Spooky! “A Burning Sword for Her Cradle,” by Aliette de Bodard. 2 stars. “Precipice,” by Dale Bailey. 3 stars. “The Shooter,” by M. Rickert. 3 stars, but nearly 4. Most of the story was too surreal for me, but the last few paragraphs really pack a punch. “The Tree of Self-Knowledge,” by Stephen Graham Jones. 4 stars. Another more "traditional" ghost story, about being haunted by what could have happened. “The Other Woman,” by Alice Hoffman. 3 stars. “The Loneliness of Not Being Haunted,” by Bracken MacLeod. 4 stars. Very pensive. “Mee-Ow,” by Garth Nix. 4 stars. Short and simple, but effective. “Jasper Dodd’s Handbook of Spirits and Manifestations,” by Nathan Ballingrud. 4 stars. Wow, what a sad story. “His Haunting,” by Brian Evenson. 4 stars. Another simple but creepy story. “The Jeweled Wren,” by Jeffrey Ford. 4 stars. I love the retired (or almost) couple as protagonists. “The Air, the Ocean, the Earth, the Deep,” by Siobhan Carroll. 3 stars. “The Ghost Sequences,” by A. C. Wise. 3 stars. At first, this was one of my favorite stories, but the ending was too abrupt for me. I also wanted more characterization. “Deep, Fast, Green,” by Carole Johnstone. 4 stars. About how tragedy is passed through generations--through people and places. “Natalia, Queen of the Hungry Dogs,” by John Langan. 4 stars. Once again, the John Langan story (novella?) at the end of a compilation is my favorite.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!...more
4 stars--I really liked it, even though it's really awful! Warnings for sexual assault (and victim self-blame over the assault).
This is not a good boo4 stars--I really liked it, even though it's really awful! Warnings for sexual assault (and victim self-blame over the assault).
This is not a good book. In fact, it's pretty terrible. The first-person writing is lazy and the historical inaccuracies are so egregious that I found them amusing (an example: this book is supposedly set in 1890, but at one point the narrator compares herself to Scarlett O'Hara--even though Gone with the Wind was published in 1936. Oops!).
However, sometimes I enjoy reading something trashy, and this scratched that itch. I'll always have a weakness for V.C. Andrews, thanks to my generation's near-universal love for Flowers in the Attic. And even though this wasn't written by Andrews (and boy does THAT show), it captures that breathless, slightly scandalous feeling of reading something adult and forbidden. All the gothic trappings I love are here, and I was disappointed when the book was over that I'd have to wait for the sequel to know what happened!
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!...more
4 stars--I really liked it. A short story I listened to in the Nightmare Magazine podcast.
I always enjoy Barron, and this one was no exception. The st4 stars--I really liked it. A short story I listened to in the Nightmare Magazine podcast.
I always enjoy Barron, and this one was no exception. The story combines the desolation of the road, the bitterness of Barron's usual Alaskan setting, and folk traditions. Great ending, good narration....more
"Historical romance with ghosts" seems to be a thriving subgenre! This one is very heavy on the romance. The writing is assu3 stars--I liked the book.
"Historical romance with ghosts" seems to be a thriving subgenre! This one is very heavy on the romance. The writing is assured for a debut author, and the banter is fun. I enjoyed the characters, and the ghost (though not featured in the book as much as I'd like--I'm more of a gothic reader than a romance reader) had a unique method of haunting.
However, if you're reading for historical accuracy, this isn't the book for you. Characters spoke and acted very modern. It took me out of the story several times.
Still, I think romance readers will find a lot to enjoy here.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
3.5 stars--somewhere between liked and really liked. However, I'm bumping this up to 4 stars due to the strength of the historical shipwreck story "Ha3.5 stars--somewhere between liked and really liked. However, I'm bumping this up to 4 stars due to the strength of the historical shipwreck story "Haunt." This story, about the slave trade, guilt, and personal responsibility, blew me away. (And so timely.) It echoed a lot of Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and was absolutely stunning; it made me tear up.
Another standout for me was "The Donner Party." Yes, it's about eating people, but not how you think--this is an English Regency romance (really!) with added cannibalism. The slow creeping dread was really well done.
The remaining two stories I especially enjoyed were "No Exit," about cults and cosmic horror, and "Back Along the Old Track," which reminded me of the notorious X-Files episode called "Home."
Following are (very) short reviews for each story.
I Remember Nothing – Anne Billson: 3 stars. Some trippy imagery and good descriptions of violence. Monkeys on the Beach – Ralph Robert Moore: 2 stars. Meh. Depressing. Not really horror, but more about the awful things that happen in life and a sort of nihilism about them. (At least, that was my reading!) Painted Wolves – Ray Cluley: 2 stars. Also depressing. About being unable (unwilling?) to stop terrible things from happening. Lots of animal and sexual violence. Shit Happens – Michael Marshall Smith: 3 stars. Scary monsters combined with gross humor is probably not everyone's thing, but I enjoyed it. You Know How the Story Goes – Thomas Olde Heuvelt: 3 stars. Good urban legend story. Back Along the Old Track – Sam Hicks: 4 stars. I adore folk horror, and this is a creepy example. Masks – Peter Sutton: 3 stars. A retelling of "The Lottery." I really liked it, but felt it was nothing new. The Donner Party – Dale Bailey: 5 stars. Love the twist in this story and the slow creeping dread as you realize just what kind of person the protagonist is. Milkteeth – Kristi DeMeester: 3 stars. Brief but intriguing. Haak – John Langan: 3 stars. Almost 4 stars but it verges on being a bit cheesy for me. However, I loved the literary references. Thin Cold Hands – Gemma Files: 4 stars. I'm a sucker for these "fairy" narratives. I thought the writing was a bit awkward, though, which is strange since I usually like Files. A Tiny Mirror by Eloise – C. C. Shepherd: 2 stars. This is spooky, but barely a story. I Love You Mary-Grace – Amelia Mangan: 4 stars. Loved the weird imagery (the dog head) and the conclusion. The Jaws of Ouroboros – Steve Toase: 3 stars. I'm not huge into stories about cartel/gang violence, but standing stones that become teeth and chew up the landscape? Hell yeah! A Brief Moment of Rage – Bill Davidson: 3 stars. Sad, violent, and timely. Golden Sun – Kristi DeMeester, Richard Thomas, Damien Angelica Walters, and Michael Wehunt: 3 stars. I liked the varying viewpoints, but they also made things vague. White Mare – Thana Niveau: 3 stars. This should have been great (again, I adore folk horror), but the writing seemed too simplistic and there were some unanswered questions. Girls Without Their Faces On – Laird Barron: 4 stars. I always enjoy Barron. Here he combines two of his loves: Alaska and cosmic horror. Thumbsucker – Robert Shearman: I don't know--3 stars? This is a very uncomfortable story, one that functions on a symbolic level. On the literal level it's super gross, lol. You Are Released – Joe Hill: 4 stars. I disliked reading this story, about being on a commercial flight when WW3 breaks out--I found it upsetting. But isn't that what horror is supposed to do? Thus the high rating. Red Rain – Adam-Troy Castro: 3 stars. Ahhh so gory! Split Chain Stitch – Steve Toase: My galley is missing this story. Not sure if it's been cut or just an error with the proof. (Likely the latter.) No Exit – by Orrin Grey: 4 stars. Cults and cosmic horror--two of my favorite things in horror stories. Haunt – Siobhan Carroll: 5 enormous stars. Wow. This story alone is worth the price of the book. About guilt and personal culpability. Not for the faint hearted. Sleep – Carly Holmes:My galley is missing this story. Not sure if it's been cut or just an error with the proof. (Likely the latter.)
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!...more
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