Steph Warren - Bookshine posted: " First a quick explanation! Due to some severe health issues over the last few years, and a lingering chronic condition, my planned review schedule went right out of the window and I have been scrabbling ever since to get it bac" Bookshine And Readbows
Due to some severe health issues over the last few years, and a lingering chronic condition, my planned review schedule went right out of the window and I have been scrabbling ever since to get it back on track.
In an attempt to try to regain some lost ground, I have been scrunching some of my (overdue) reviews together into one or two posts each week: shorter reviews, but still covering all of the points I intended to.
That's the plan anyway, so let's ring in the new reading year with a new selection from my back-shelves...!
Title: Black Dogs, Black Tales - Where the Dogs Don't Die: A Charity Anthology for the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand Editor: Tabatha Wood & Cassie Hart Publisher:Things in the Well
Blurb: 17 short dark fiction stories, some poems, some illustrations. featuring dogs that you know won't die...
CONTENTS: Foreword by Alan Baxter Introduction by Tabatha Wood Nero by Shannon Elizabeth Gardner (Artwork) Hunted by Dion Winton-Polak (Poem) Black Cloud Sunshine by Dan Rabarts The Dead Way by J.C. Hart Vision Thing by Matthew R. Davis Shifting in the Black by L.L. Asher Synaesthete by Melanie Harding-Shaw Fossil Bluff by P.J. Blakey-Novis A Handshake in Darkness by Miranda Crites (Artwork) Night Wolves by Tabatha Wood The Honeymoon's Over by E.E. King Black and Tan by M.E. Proctor
Ding Dong Bell by Steve Dillon (Poem) The Gaze Dogs of Nine Waterfall by Kaaron Warren Park Life by Ian J. Middleton Grey Dog by John Linwood Grant Use a Shovel by Galina Trefil Banjo by Chloe Herczeg (Artwork) I am Become by Hari Navarro Yellow Dog by Alan Baxter Redbone by Justin Guleserian The Feather Wall by Octavia Cade This Dog's Life by Dion Winton-Polak (Poem) And Don't You Ever Look Back by Falco Verholen (Artwork)
From the Foreword by Alan Baxter: "As the stories in this book point out, dogs are the best, and we should all try to be a little bit more like them. Except the butt-sniffing. We don't need that. Unless it's your personal kink, in which case, enjoy! Meanwhile, read this book, be transported by the dark tales, and enriched by the wagging tails. And remember, you are awesome."
Review: I somehow missed this anthology when it was released and only just found it when sorting through some old emails, so apologies to Steve Dillon and Things in the Well for the delayed review.
This is the ideal collection for fans of short horror stories who want to be sure that the dog won't die. Featuring a massive variety of hero dogs and horror dogs, angel dogs and demon dogs, protectors and attackers, symbols of depression/anxiety or a helpful aid in fighting back the inner darkness. There is also some beautiful and thought-provoking poetry, and some independent art work (not featured in my ARC, but present in the final copies).
Some of my personal favourite stories were 'The Dead Way', featuring a mother who wishes she had listened to her young child's warnings instead of searching for her lost dog; 'The Honeymoon is Over', which featured a very loving, loyal dog with an apparently accident-prone succession of owners; 'Black and Tan', in which a marriage breaks down with the help of a mysterious and creepy rescue dog; 'Park Life', which insidiously refreshes the traditional representation of the 'black dog' of mental illness; and 'Grey Dog', which I actually found quite peaceful and reassuring... I wouldn't mind meeting the grey dog in that story myself.
I was slightly less keen on 'The Gaze Dogs of Nine Waterfall' than some of the other stories, which was surreal and skirted round the golden rule of doggie safety by casually sacrificing a few puppies towards the climax. But there is no emotional attachment built up or graphic violence involved, and it could be argued that, as gaze hounds and vampire dogs aren't real, they couldn't really be killed off...?
The stories in this collection span mental health, horror, the supernatural, apocalyptic survival and the surreal, all in different styles and voices but there is not a bad one among them and any purchases are in a good cause.
Title: Old Bones and Ice Cream Cones : Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic Series Book 6 Author: Elizabeth Pantley Publisher:Independently published
Blurb: A boyfriend who's missing. Or was. . . Or is. . . A boat full of old bones. A community ice cream social. A friend in trouble, a spiteful witch, and an angry villain. The mysteries and fun abound in Destiny Falls. Hayden, Latifa, and their family and friends are up for the excitement and adventure.
Old Bones and Ice Cream Cones follows the series format of combining two stories that blend into one. A murder mystery and the island mystery.
The Island Mystery: Hayden's boyfriend Han is missing. But she swears she saw him zoom by in his car. She'd thought it was a surprise, and that he was home early from his secret service case. She was wrong. The surprise is that his signal isn't pinging, and no one knows where he is. There appears to be black magic behind his disappearance. Can they learn who's responsible and bring Han safely home?
The Murder Mystery: A pile of old bones is found in an ancient fishing boat. They could be tied to the disappearance of two young women years ago, back when many of the Destiny Falls people where in high school. Many of the citizens had bad history with the missing students. Do the bones belong to them, and what happened? Were they murdered? And could the murderer be living among them?
Hayden and Latifa's many adventures in Destiny Falls will keep you guessing with each book in this fun and intriguing series.
Review: I've been enjoying this cosy mystery/magic adventure with Hayden and her talking cat Latifah, in the mysterious and magical Destiny Falls, but unfortunately this book was not my favourite in the series.
This was due to three main reasons: 1) I found Hayden's bemused delight at her boyfriend's physical transformation into a 'hunkier' version of himself a bit shallow and was offended on his behalf (although he seemed fine with it!); 2) Han popping constantly in and out of existence quickly became repetitive and I struggled to see the point of it - I would have felt more tension if he had stayed missing, giving his friends and family chance to worry about him; and 3) in a similar vein, Hayden's 'vision' at the beginning of the story took away any remaining narrative tension, as we already knew what the eventual outcome of events would be.
All of these niggles related to the Island Mystery element of the plot; the Murder Mystery side of the plot worked well and kept me guessing. And I still really love the magical islands and sentient house, and unique characters like Bear and Cleobella; the cats are sweet and funny, and the library is amazing - I really want to visit it! All of the ingredients are here for a fun, light-hearted fantasy read, with some murder, some romance... a bit of everything really. This particular book just didn't quite hit the mark for me the way others in the series did.
I do definitely recommend reading these in series order (this is no. 6), as there is an overarching plot to follow throughout, and I do think the series makes a nice introduction for younger, newer or slightly cautious readers coming fresh to the murder mystery genre, as nothing is too graphic and the tone is kept mostly warm and family-friendly.
Title: Eventful Times (The Slightly Unfeasible Tales of Landos Book 2) Author: Chris Whyatt Publisher:Independently published
Blurb: Book Two in The Slightly Unfeasible Tales of Landos series and sequel to the ever-popular Svelt.
When important people simply vanish from The Bible, there had better be a damn good reason.
The demise of a planet creates a freak event and it's even a new one on Death. Spotting a promising chance to loom menacingly over future humanity (nothing beats a seriously good 'loom') he tags along for the ride - intertwined with the monotony of the 'day' job.
When the unknown - possibly impending doom - threatens the world, the rulers of Anglost turn to the experts for help. The School of Science, aided by 'The Miserable Tricksters and Decidedly Dodgy Artists' (the provisional title given to the as yet untrusted wizards) quickly come up with two solutions... ignorance and brandy - possibly one solution, as ignorance can't be quaffed.
Numerous religious groups blame non-tangible disbelievers for angering (insert here) and pray for forgiveness and mercy.
In the background, someone of high standing turns to the unlikeliest of saviours... Gord excepted. But, is clumsy, reclusive inventor Albert Sonny ready for such a challenge?
Review:Eventful Times is the sequel to Svelt and set in the same Pratchett-esque comic fantasy world as its predecessor.
Events are indeed eventful in this fast-paced novella, as there is a threatening apocalyptic event - a dark spot on the newly renamed bun, sorry, sun - and various wizards, scientists and priests scurry frantically (or drink themselves comatose) in their attempts to get rid of it (or ignore it). There were some obvious parallels with Discworld novels such as The Light Fantastic and Mort, but Chris Whyatt brings his own worldbuilding and sense of humour to the story, creating something which pays jolly homage to the inspiration sources but without emulating them.
This author has a knack and fondness for satire and parody, slipping in puns, pop culture references and social commentary along with this swords-and-sorcery adventure, and creating a light, quick and easy read that fans of the comic fantasy sub-genre (Robert Asprin, Harry Harrison and so on) will enjoy.
Title: Sertraline Dreams (Filmic Cuts Book 7) Author: Oli Jacobs Publisher:Independently published
Blurb: Labyrinth houses, giant eggs, and a legendary spice are just some of the creepy delights that Oli Jacobs brings in his latest short story collection, Sertraline Dreams. Containing 9 tales of terror, paranoia, and grotesque nightmare, it is possible that these words may invade your own headspace.
Jacobs' previous titles include Station 17, Deep Down There, and recent horror Wrath of the Land, as well as the award-winning Wilthaven (BBNYA Finalist 2021). His work has been called "scary", "genius", and "delightfully unsettling".
As always, he hopes you enjoy...
Review: I treated myself to pre-ordering this book when it popped up in my notifications on the basis that the title appealed to me - very evocative of vivid nightmares and fever dreams! - and I already knew it would be good because I have read Oli Jacobs' short horror stories before.
This is a collection of nine short stories, surreal and darkly horrific, some with touches of humour but all memorably disturbing.
The stories are 'Mask' in which a man discovers his dementia-stricken dad's secret mask collection; 'Carny Train', which is more carnage than carnival, with lots of body horror and gore; 'That There Egg' - a very short, threatening tale of a giant egg in the sky; 'The Marcus Road Job', which reminded me of a Spiral-esque Magnus Archive, as a man finds himself trapped in a labyrinthine house; 'Whatever Happened to the Wadsworth Boys?', which felt more like Fringe science-fiction than horror; 'The Computer That Wouldn't Die', another super short story that does exactly what it says on the tin; 'The Air Out There', which is one of the most realistic and evocative descriptions of a panic attack I have ever read... I felt my own chest closing up in sympathy!; 'The Lost City of Khorrombasi', which featured the search for a dangerous green spice called Korro and gave me nightmares long after I finished reading it; and 'So...', a surreal little sketch about characters He, She, They and It in a room.
As usual, the range of genre and style really showcases the author's range when it comes to short fiction writing, with something for everyone and not one bad story in the lot. And if you like what you read here, there are another six previous Filmic Cuts books for you to enjoy, which don't need to be read in any particular order as they all feature standalone short tales.
Title: Gracemarch Author: JJ Barnes, Jonathan McKinney & Cliff Thomas Publisher:Independently published
Blurb: Jane Waters lives a mundane life, working as a waitress, and with a boyfriend who doesn't seem to care. Her sister, Cassie Waters, is a glamorous horror writer, traveling the world, and far too busy to listen to Jane's woes. The two sisters live very different lives, disconnected from one another, and unaware of a family secret that's about to come to light.
When their mother dies unexpectedly, Jane and Cassie are pushed back together. Their lives become intertwined as they explore the mysteries their childhood home holds, and remember their sister Susie who died tragically when they were little.
As Susie's memory starts to dominate their lives, they don't realise that a mysterious organisation is monitoring their every move, and powerful people are closing in on them.
What secrets did their mother have? How are their lives about to change? And what really happened to Susie?
***
Currently in development for a feature film, Gracemarch marks the first collaboration between Siren Stories and Artisan Films.
Review: Another that I treated myself to here, as I know the authors and share their love of horror and fantasy adventure stories!
Gracemarch (which started life as a screenplay) combines those two genres neatly, mixing a little horror in the form of demons, ghosts, witchcraft and blood sacrifice, with some Chosen One-style fantasy adventure as the Waters family - sisters Jane and Cassie and their cousin Alison - find themselves caught up in dark family secrets and a couple of warring secret organisations that want to exploit, contain and help them. But who can they really trust to have their best interests at heart?
I really enjoyed the overall plot of the story, but felt like the pacing was a little uneven (perhaps due to the conversion from film to fiction?) and that some of the characters could have been developed more - for example, the Alison/Leo storyline was fascinating but didn't have space to reach its full potential, and it was hard to get a feel for the Willows community or the ruthless international magical corporation with only a little time to explore each of them.
The Benedemon backstory was a particular highlight, delving into the past persecution of outsider women under the guise of witch-hunting, and I was hooked on the mythology built around the Waters' family origins, and the grand climactic scene had me on the edge of my seat... I had my suspicions but still felt blindsided when the truth was finally revealed.
The book's ending neatly sets up the possibility of further future stories within the same world and featuring the same characters, so more details may be forthcoming if sequels emerge. And there is still the potential for the story to fulfil its destiny on the big screen too, so I'll be keeping my eyes out for more information on that in future!
With two short story collection, a novella and two quick, easy reads, there is nothing too heavy in this indie author selection, so they are ideal choices for the post-Christmas and New Year reading lull.
If you read and enjoy them, please don't forget to leave a review on your website/s of choice - it really does help indie authors to get their books seen by a wider audience.
And, as always, let me know your thoughts... I do love a good book chat!
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