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Chesapeake Crimes: Invitation to Murder
Chesapeake Crimes: Invitation to Murder
Various Authors | 2020 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Accept this Invitation to Seventeen Murders
In the seventh short story anthology from the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime, each story revolves around an invitation. Some are the obvious invitations for events, but others are a more casual invitation. Either way, they lead to danger of some kind. There’s a mother whose young son is writing a hard-boiled mystery, an escape room that ends in death, a guest who overstays her welcome, bedbugs and murder in London, and a debutant ball in early 1900’s South Carolina. The stories are as varied as their locations, and many are fun. As with every short story collection, not every story will be for every taste. Personally, I found a couple of them too dark to be enjoyable. But the majority of the seventeen stories were a delight. If you are searching for bite sized stories, you’ll be glad you picked up this collection.
  
A Cold Christmas and the Darkest of Winters
A Cold Christmas and the Darkest of Winters
Rasta Musick | 2021 | Horror, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
not bedtime reading but very good!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

A collection of 23 different authors come together to bring you short stories set around the winter season or Christmas.

Not a single one of these authors have I read before, and there is a varied bunch of tales here. Some are just sad but some are downright scary!

Loosely, they are "holiday" stories, but more are winter ones, rather than Christmas.

An eclectic bunch of tales that can be read at any time, but I'd recommend NOT at bedtime! You might stop on one of the scary ones, and get some weird dreams as a consequence, like I did!

I didn't read them all, I will be honest, but the ones I read were very good, or excellent. Just on the short side. but 23 stories across 360 odd pages is never going to produce novel length books.

4 stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
The Blood of Four Gods and Other Stories
The Blood of Four Gods and Other Stories
Jamie Lackey | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Blood of Four Gods and Other Stories by Jamie Lackey
The Blood of Four Gods and Other Stories is a collection of short stories by Jamie Lackey, with a strong Asian/Native American theme. None of the stories are guaranteed a HAE, and in fact, I would say at least half have their own particular ending. These stories are all very vivid when you read them, which is excellent - Jamie Lackey's descriptive voice is in full flow. However, some of them are not so 'nice' to read, and so the descriptions can make you swallow slightly as you read them. Some only seem like snippets, and I would love to know more about the characters and the worlds in which they live.

With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, I thoroughly enjoyed each of these stories. With smooth pacing, well rounded characters, and with individual stories for each and every one, this is a wonderful collection of stories, sure to delight. Absolutely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
The Blood of Four Gods and Other Stories
The Blood of Four Gods and Other Stories
Jamie Lackey | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Blood of Four Gods and Other Stories is a collection of short stories by Jamie Lackey, with a strong Asian/Native American theme. None of the stories are guaranteed a HAE, and in fact, I would say at least half have their own particular ending. These stories are all very vivid when you read them, which is excellent - Jamie Lackey's descriptive voice is in full flow. However, some of them are not so 'nice' to read, and so the descriptions can make you swallow slightly as you read them. Some only seem like snippets, and I would love to know more about the characters and the worlds in which they live.

With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, I thoroughly enjoyed each of these stories. With smooth pacing, well rounded characters, and with individual stories for each and every one, this is a wonderful collection of stories, sure to delight. Absolutely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
The Boys of Summer (Summer, #1)
The Boys of Summer (Summer, #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
3.5 stars

So I didn't realise this was set in Australia, it made a nice change from American stories, though the names for some items had me guessing for a short while

I enjoyed the storyline but it also kinda annoyed me in a way. I got a lot of where Tess was coming from with Toby but I don't think I agreed with the Sean bit. It was a change once more from the usual conflict in these sort of stories...But nope. Sorry.