Awix (3310 KP) rated The Private Life of Elder Things in Books
Aug 18, 2019 (Updated Aug 18, 2019)
Of the three authors, Tchaikovsky is probably the best stylist, McDonald manages to find some humanity and depth in fairly unlikely places, while Gauntlett is the pulpiest. None of them attempt to actually copy Lovecraft's idiosyncratic prose style, which is probably a blessing. None of the stories are genuinely inspired, but they're usually very readable even if they sometimes get a touch bizarre.
The Red Garden
9.5
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In a town called Bearsville, strong women take you on amazing journeys that are beautifully woven...
Historical fiction fantasy
Ethereal Custody: Anthologies
4.0
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Those born in an underground slum are deprived of love and severed from nature. As a last-ditch...
That Old Country Music
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Since his landmark debut collection, There Are Little Kingdoms, and its award-winning sequel in...
Llama Sutra
8.0
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Melanie Whipman's bold debut collection is remarkable for its range, emotional force and dark...
Short stories Award winning
A Beautiful Place to Die
6.0
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A pensioner with advancing cancer is kicked out of her home with her dog. She doesn’t want to die...
The year’s best Fantasy and Horrror 2006 19th annual collection
Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant
6.0
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The legendary anthology is back, with witches and warlocks, fairy rings and gothic tales. "The...
Merissa (12363 KP) rated One to Die For (Les Petites Morts) in Books
Jun 2, 2023
This is not a romance story, but it is compelling reading! There is murder, an obsessed crazy woman, journalists, and of course, a vampire. All of this is packed into a steamy bundle of fun.
Well-written, fast-paced, and steamy! Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 16, 2016
The Cataclysm
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The world has never recovered from the Cataclysm a century ago. Though the fires have died, and the...
fantasy epic fantasy
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Summer Romances in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Stephanie Perkins, the best selling author of <i>Anna and the French Kiss</i> has compiled a second anthology of short stories. Twelve selected tales have been included from a variety of young adult authors including: Libba Bray, Veronica Roth, Cassandra Clare and Jennifer E. Smith. For those that have read Perkins’ previous anthology, <i>My True Love Gave To Me</i>, the concept is the same. Twelve love stories set in, as the title, <i>Summer Days and Summer Nights</i>, strongly suggests, the summer.
What can be expected from all the stories in this collection is that they fit snuggly into the Romance genre of young adult fiction. The way the authors decided to tackle this, however, was up to their own interpretations. Thus, the final outcome is a selection of works that fall into a variety of categories: fantasy, contemporary, LGBT, horror, sci-fi etc.
As a result there are a number of different character types and storylines, suggesting that there is bound to be something for everyone. There are lovey-dovey stories, heart-wrenching stories, exciting action stories, implying that there will be at least one you will favour, and hopefully make purchase worthwhile.
It is not merely love that can be found between these pages, so if you are, like me, not overly impressed with teenage love stories, there are other themes to focus on. Many of the main characters are nearing the end of their schooling and thinking about the future: college, perhaps. Readers discover, and possibly relate to, their hopes, doubts and fears of what is to come. Yet while these thoughts are buzzing in their heads they are also trying to enjoy their summers, some with summer jobs, others hanging out with friends. Alongside all of this are darker issues of depression, cancer and parents divorcing; events that many teenagers unfortunately have to deal with. So, throughout all the make-ups and break-ups, there is so much more going on under the surface.
It is always difficult to decide what age range “Young Adult” refers to. Some may assume it is anyone in their teens, however in the case of <i>Summer Days and Summer Nights</i> I would label it a book for older teenagers, those of similar ages to the characters depicted: sixteen to nineteen. This is due to the slightly adult themes of a few of the stories and the amount of swearing many of the authors resort to.
Unfortunately for me, I did not find a perfect story within this collection. There were some I enjoyed more than others; likewise there were some I was not keen on at all. It is for this reason I have only given a rating of three stars. I do not want to put prospective readers off however as this is merely a case of personal preferences and not a true reflection of the authors’ exceptional writing skills.