Nice, light read and the deaf/hard of hearing representation seemed to be handled with great care. Some of the dialogue seemed out of nowhere and didnNice, light read and the deaf/hard of hearing representation seemed to be handled with great care. Some of the dialogue seemed out of nowhere and didn't make a lot of sense in the context of what was happening, so it was sometimes a little hard to follow the story. Perhaps that's an issue with the translation, though.
Overall, it was enjoyable enough, though I don't think I'll be continuing unless maybe my library picks up the rest of the series....more
Good collection. I read all of the short stories but am leaving the bonus novella in the back unread for now. When/if I read it, I'll certainly updateGood collection. I read all of the short stories but am leaving the bonus novella in the back unread for now. When/if I read it, I'll certainly update this review, but for now, my rating is based on my impressions of the short stories in this anthology.
You Wait for it, Like it Waits for You, by Kealan Patrick Burke. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
One Last Blast, by S.A. Cosby. ⭐⭐⭐
What We Name Our Dead, By Cassandra Khaw. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Huddled Masses, Yearning to Breathe Free, by John F.D. Taff. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Through the Looking Glass and Straight Into Hell, by Christa Carmen. ⭐⭐⭐.5
Holding On, by Gabino Iglesias. ⭐⭐⭐
Buyer's Remorse, by Samantha Kolesnik. ⭐⭐⭐.5
A Solid Black Lighthouse on the Pier in the Cryptic, by Josh Malerman. ⭐⭐⭐
3.5 rounded up. Had some great moments, but also some lulls, though overall I'd say I enjoyed my time with it. Beautiful prose fills many of the pages3.5 rounded up. Had some great moments, but also some lulls, though overall I'd say I enjoyed my time with it. Beautiful prose fills many of the pages and when there were emotional or intense scenes, they were executed very well. The story did feel like it meandered at times, and aside from a few, the characters didn't stand out too much to me, particularly among the Companions who I kept confusing with one another.
Want to add that I went into this with only a general knowledge of the myth it's retelling, so, certainly this might be a bigger hit with a reader who's already a fan. ...more
Not much here that I hadn't already heard before, but it was a quick and enjoyable read, so 3 stars seems fair enough. Not much here that I hadn't already heard before, but it was a quick and enjoyable read, so 3 stars seems fair enough. ...more
Unfortunately, this book was not nearly as enjoyable as book one, Mr Warren's Profession, and felt like a filler book rather than an actual sequel. ThUnfortunately, this book was not nearly as enjoyable as book one, Mr Warren's Profession, and felt like a filler book rather than an actual sequel. There just didn't seem to be enough plot to base a book off of and the character growth, that was very prominent in book one, just wasn't here. What we got instead were a lot of repetitive scenes—even repeats of ones from book one, such as Aubrey getting in an accident yet again and having Lindsey fret over him, not to mention the many times Aubrey passes by people gossiping about him or the many times he poses for Holloway as he paints his portrait.
All of the main plot points mainly involve Aubrey, while Lindsey is very much in the background. Actually, I don't even think a single plot thread really involved Lindsey that much, except for him to support Aubrey in some way. I really don't like when, in a romance, the characters become less important as individuals than they are as a couple. It annoys me to no end, and that's really what seemed to happen in this book, at least for Lindsey.
I also missed the two characters who left early on to go to Paris, and are only really in it towards the end. Emmaline, the chartreuse-loving, science nerd, best friend was sorely missed by this reader. Her slowly developing friendship with Aubrey was a huge highlight of book one for me, so it was yet another disappointment that she was featured so little in this book.
Overall, a pretty disappointing read, but I'm giving it three stars because I do like the characters a lot and there were some nice moments sprinkled in the book as well....more
Okay, my first long review in a while! As is my preferred way of reviewing anthologies, I'll list my thoughts about each story, as well as feelings abOkay, my first long review in a while! As is my preferred way of reviewing anthologies, I'll list my thoughts about each story, as well as feelings about the anthology as a whole. This time around I'll also attempt to list the LGBTQ+ representation found in each story, and any other applicable representation, primarily as it applies to the main character and love interest. I'm listing what I picked up on while reading, so it could be inaccurate or there could have been something I might have missed in some cases. I tried.
Just a heads up for how I personally interpret the star ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = loved it ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = enjoyed ⭐⭐⭐ = it was okay ⭐⭐ = not a fan ⭐ = not at all for me
Doublers, byAlex London Rep: Gay MC and LI A bit overly intricate with the sci-fi technology and setting for a story of its length, but by the end I could sort of get where all the pieces of the puzzle fit together. It did leave me scratching my head over a few things, but overall I enjoyed the story, which was very character-driven, so I could let some of the technicalities of the external plot go. Still, wish it had been a little clearer on a few things. Maybe a re-read is in order to really “get” every detail. 4 stars
Aesthetically Hungry, byMato J. Steger Rep: Native-American gay trans MC, Native-American gay LI I knew within the first few opening lines that the writing style was something I wasn't going to love, and over the course of the story, it didn't get any more appealing. There were some interesting setting details and technology, though the main technology in the story seemed much more like magic than well-thought-out, plausible technology that I prefer in science-fiction stories. Overall the story didn't pull me in. Not a fan of stories about racing, and this one had quite a bit of that. There just wasn't a whole lot here that I personally enjoyed. 2 stars
The Rift, byClaire Kann Rep: Black queer MC, Black LI? (I put a question mark there because, while the MC is attracted to her, I didn't pick up on any mutual feelings) Entertaining story with a morally grey MC. This story did feel a little too big for the confines of a short story, which resulted in some things being info-dumped and others kind of hand-waved away. Kind of a story I'd firmly put in the “it was okay” category. 3 stars
Renaissance, byEmma K. Ohland Rep: Sapphic and ace MC, Sapphic LI Started out nicely, but to me the resolution was pretty random and not very satisfying. It felt more like an end to a chapter of a book and there would be more to come, rather than a complete short story. But it had some nice moments and a fairly cute romance (other than some of the stuff near the ending, because WTF, Eleni?). Overall fairly enjoyable. 3 stars
Like Sunshine, Like Concrete, byZR Ellor Rep: Gay trans MC and LI A standout story for sure. It felt like it went a little deeper than some of the others in terms of exploring the characters and themes. Just overall an engaging and impactful story. Possibly my favorite story in the collection. 4 stars
Translating for the Machine, by Nita Tyndall Rep: Non-binary MC, queer LI Had some really interesting ideas and technology, but the ending soured the great buildup. I felt like the girlfriend was just there and didn't feel like the relationship meant that much to the MC (despite being told otherwise)...but maybe it's the ending that colors how I'm looking back on that aspect. I don't know, but I was disappointed. 2.5 stars
Reshadow, byAdam Sass Rep: Gay MC and LI Fun, twisty story that's set in a time-loop/escape room...place, which was interesting. The MC started out fairly annoying but I grew to like him pretty well over the course of the story. Enjoyable overall. 3.5 star
The Department of Homgoing Affairs, byKalynn Bayron Rep: Sapphic Indigenous (?) MC, Black Sapphic LI This one was fairly boring to me. A lot of infodumps and backstory that really slowed the pace. Other than that, no real strong feelings. 3 stars
The Undeniable Price of Everything, byZ Brewer Rep: Non-binary aromantic MC Strange premise underlying the story, but overall an interesting and compelling read. 3.5 stars
Present: Tense, by Jim McCarthy Rep: Gay MC with anxiety. All the other characters are in the LGBTQ+ community too The plot was a bit bizarre, though enjoyable. I don't have a whole lot to say other than that I liked it. 3.5 stars
Nick and Bodhi, byNaomi Kanakia Rep: Trans and Indian MC, multiple other characters who are BIPOC and LGBTQ+ as well This one was very...hmm. I don't care for silly, absurd stories, so this one really wasn't a good fit for me. 2 stars
Crash Landing, byMason Deaver Rep: Trans lesbian MC, queer side characters Somewhat entertaining, but too much crush drama for my taste. Some questionable lines also made me squint a few times at the page. 2.5 stars
Beauty Sleep, byAlechia Dow Rep: Black Sapphic MC and LI, Sapphic side character Since I liked this author's novel, The Sound of Stars, I was excited to see that she had a story in this collection. This story, though, just didn't work for me at all. I'm already picky about fairy-tale retellings, and and then when it's combined with deus ex machina (literally?), technology that can do whatever when needed, and a very saccharine love story where the characters spoke in very stilted ways, it just wasn't a vibe I was into. Did like that this Sleeping Beauty story worked consent into the kiss near the end, at least. 2 stars
Concerto, by Abdi Nazemmian Rep: Gay Iranian-American MC, gay Colombian-American LI A step up from the last few stories. This one had some impactful moments, a lovely romance, and interesting technology. Some things were a little over the top, such as the contrivances to get our characters back together, but overall I enjoyed this story. 4 stars
H O M E, byK. Ancrum Rep: Queer MC, Intersex LI Interesting time loop story, though some things around the romance threw up quite a few red flags. I didn't care for the MC at all, though Mira, the love interest, was likeable. I also have no idea how they got out of the time loop. They talked about a solar flare and I guess that was supposed to mean something? But, of course, like so many of the stories in this anthology, it is very much romance first and sci-fi second, so I guess I shouldn't expect a lot in terms of the characters really exploring those ideas. 3 stars
Fractal Eyes, by Ugochi M. Agoawike Rep: Black Non-binary MC, queer LI Okay, if I thought the last story's romantic plot was questionable, well this one blows it out of the water and seemed more like a dangerous alien manipulating a human, rather than anything actually romantic, but the ending made it seem like it was supposed to be read as a romance, so... 2.5 stars
Nobody Cares Who We Kiss at the End of the World, byLeah Johnson Rep: Lesbian MC and LI I liked the exploration of the relationship here, and the premise of—seemingly—only these two girls being the last ones on earth had a lot of suspense built into the plot. Overall, I liked this story pretty well, though the LI was a little annoying to me. 3.5 stars
--- I think I like this anthology a little less than the previous two in the series, even though I'm also giving it the same star rating. Maybe the fact that my patience with YA in general is much less than it was when I read the others, or the fact that so many were written similarly (first-person present tense), I'm not sure.
Picked this up on a whim from my virtual library and went in knowing almost nothing about it, other than that it takes place in an orphanage. Just by Picked this up on a whim from my virtual library and went in knowing almost nothing about it, other than that it takes place in an orphanage. Just by the cover, I was getting some portal fantasy vibes, maybe something similar to the Wayward Children series? Well, this book was neither portal fantasy nor anything at all like the aforementioned series. It's actually more along the lines of dystopian or even horror.
Once that bit of cover-induced confusion wore off, it was easy to get swept up into the story. I will say that the overall premise is very disturbing, and there was one scene in particular that was not pleasant to read and is quite graphic, so maybe for anyone who's squeamish around horror media, this might not be a good choice.
My only real complaint was that the book ended before much progress was made in the story, which I guess might be the norm with this format? I'm quite invested regardless and will be picking up volume two eventually.
Aside from a few pacing hiccups, this was a very entertaining and amusing historical romance. I can't recall the last time I enjoyed reading about a cAside from a few pacing hiccups, this was a very entertaining and amusing historical romance. I can't recall the last time I enjoyed reading about a cast of characters as much as I did these.
Perhaps I'll write a more detailed review when I have the chance, but needless to say I had a great time with this book!...more
I have so many mixed feelings about this book. It was a gut-wrenching, wild ride of a book, but there were also several things that kept pulling this I have so many mixed feelings about this book. It was a gut-wrenching, wild ride of a book, but there were also several things that kept pulling this book down as well. So, in this situation, I'll simply list out which aspects I felt were done well, and the ones that really weren't.
The good:
- The Norse mythology and setting. This has to be the biggest highlight, and it's very clear that the author did a ton of research and poured love into crafting the setting. Everything from Einherjar training for their fated battle at Ragnarok, to Yggdrasil towering over Asgard, never for a moment did the author lose track of the excellent setting.
- The pacing. While this is a long book, I found it easy to tear through several chapters in a sitting. Aside from a few scenes early on, I can't think of many times in the book where I was bored.
- The combination of actual and found family. It was precious while it lasted. This also seems like a good spot to highlight the queer rep in this book. Sigyn is bi, Loki is pan and genderfluid, and there are several other side characters who are LGBTQ+. While the world they are in is far from accepting, I love the moments where they supported one another.
- The writing. In particular, the emotional scenes and the epic battle near the end of the book, but overall the book was very well-written.
The bad:
- Much of the plot. Most of the plot was driven by poor decisions, and, in some cases, choices that were contrary to the character making them.
- The antagonists. So many of them are cruel "just because" it seemed, and while there are implied rocky histories, it still never made it clear why so many enmities existed. Perhaps more backstory was needed to give some context, but, really, there should have been more nuance and complexity to these characters. It just felt lazy that they would choose the most cruel option when another tactic would have made more sense for their goal.
The in between
- Sigyn. Our protagonist who narrates the story. For most of the book, I was not fond of her. At first, she was very driven by one goal to an almost absurd amount, and then after a certain point, that goal just evaporates and is hardly thought of again. For a while, she's trapped living with the repercussions of her choices and is just trying to get by and protect her family. Over the course of the novel, as she is shown to have wised up a little and learned from her mistakes, I did eventually grow to like her okay.
- Loki. He was the complete opposite of Sigyn, in that I liked him a lot early on, but as he began making one poor decision after another, decisions that ran contrary to his plans and caused so much damage, I gradually lost respect and fondness for him. I don't expect nor like perfect characters who always make the perfect choice all the time, but here it got out of hand with how many decisions he made that actively put the very people he wanted to protect in even worse danger.
- Side characters. While some were not great or particularly memorable, there was a small number who I cared about and became invested in. Vali, Narvi, Hreidulfr, Idunn, Sleipnir...they all deserved better.
--- The Goddess of Nothing at All was a conflicting read for me. While the plot is wildly messy, and the characters make awful decisions at times, I still have to say that it was a compelling book that kept me invested despite its flaws. I'm someone who really likes Norse mythology, so that surely played a hand in why I enjoyed it more than I might have otherwise. 3 stars.
How ironic to finish reading this on Mother's Day, considering how fraught the MC's relationship with her own mother is. How ironic to finish reading this on Mother's Day, considering how fraught the MC's relationship with her own mother is. ...more
This was such a lovely slow-burn historical romance between two utterly adorable men. One thing in particular I loved about the relationship was how mThis was such a lovely slow-burn historical romance between two utterly adorable men. One thing in particular I loved about the relationship was how much respect and kindness there was between them, even long before they finally, finally revealed their romantic feelings for one another. The friendship and eventual romance just felt very believable and satisfying at all stages. I'm actually rather disappointed that this is a standalone, as I would love to read more books featuring Theophilus and Henry.
The only thing holding this back from being a five star read was the rather poor editing, as I spotted quite a few typos while reading. I also wasn't crazy about some of the subplots and to me they seemed a little tacked on and rushed in places. But if you're looking for a very well-done, thoughtful, slow-burn, queer, historical romance with a little vampiric fantasy thrown into the mix, this is one I can highly recommend!
This book offers a fascinating look at the evolutionary chain of how, very often, one breakthrough invention or technology inspires the creations of mThis book offers a fascinating look at the evolutionary chain of how, very often, one breakthrough invention or technology inspires the creations of many others. Often in entirely different industries.
While the writing was a little dry at times and there were moments when the author would spend more time on some less interesting (to me) inventions than others, overall I enjoyed my time with this book and learned quite a bit, which is always what I'm after when reading non-fiction.
A very intelligent and skillfully crafted sci-fi novel. This book is extremely character and idea-driven, so if you're a reader looking for action-pacA very intelligent and skillfully crafted sci-fi novel. This book is extremely character and idea-driven, so if you're a reader looking for action-packed science fiction, you'll want to look elsewhere. There is very little in the way of a traditional plot, as much of the focus of the book is on Ren and how she navigates around her grief and almost crippling anxiety, all while trying to keep up appearances in order to help maintain a functioning colony.
With the exception of the deep-immersion technology, which allowed for memories to be relived in lifelike detail, much of the science/tech is mainly in the background, such as the recycling technology. I liked the idea of basically zero-waste and completely green living spaces, where everything needed can be “printed” from recycled materials, but I just feel like there weren't enough details as to how it works, which kind of made it seem more like magic than a form of technology. My only other complaint would be that there was a bit of a lull in the middle of the book. While I don't particularly dislike the ending, I will admit that there were a number of loose ends that were not tied up. Since there are sequels, maybe some of them will be addressed in later books.
The biggest highlight of this book was Ren and how her anxiety (and other conditions) are so viscerally described and handled throughout the book. Definitely the most realistic depiction of anxiety that I've come across in a novel thus far. I highly recommend it for that aspect alone, just as long as a reader is prepared for more of a character exploration, rather than a plot that has clean-cut objectives.
Ultimate rating: somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars....more
“Because we are not the sum of our damaged parts, we are not the Bad Things that happen to us, we are not the weariness we feel as we push, push, push“Because we are not the sum of our damaged parts, we are not the Bad Things that happen to us, we are not the weariness we feel as we push, push, push. No, we are mothers, we are sisters, we are wives, daughters, partners, friends, lovers, survivors, victors … but we are also the shadows at the end of the bed, the eyes that gleam in the dark, we are alpha, the things with teeth and claws and hearts of hot blood, and we stand side by fucking side, as a pack, and you can hear us singing, if you listen.”
We Are Wolves is an important and empowering read with a percentage of the money from the sale going to a great cause, though, like with many anthologies I've read, some of these stories were more my cup of tea than others.
and lastly, I enjoyed the poem The Body You Loved, byGemma Amor quite well.
I feel the need to add that this collection is not an easy or pleasant read at all. Lots of heavy and disturbing themes at times, and loads of content warnings for quite a few of the stories. I'd even crown Doll House, byRed Lagoe as being the most disturbing short story I've ever read.
Entertaining, but don't go into this hoping for any depth. It's very firmly a wild tale about a group of shady characters with dubious intentions workEntertaining, but don't go into this hoping for any depth. It's very firmly a wild tale about a group of shady characters with dubious intentions working together to pull off a caper...er, operation, I mean, that involves driving some wild hippos out of a river so that one of the MC's can get revenge on the man who burned his ranch...or something like that.
This story moves at the pace of a thriller and has ample dramas tossed in, not limited to the very rushed romance between two of the main characters. After this and Upright Women Wanted, I've determined that Sarah Gailey's romances just aren't my cup of tea, as they progress at ridiculous rates. I must admit that this book featured a lot of diverse characters and was fun for a time, though I did notice that about halfway through the novelty of the setting wore off and I was often checking to see how much time was left in the book. I mainly picked this up in order to have something to read while I did some cleaning around the house, and it certainly was a good book for that purpose. ...more
A short and sweet festive read to finish off my 2021 reading. Aside from numerous typos, this was an enjoyable little book. Read it for the adorable mA short and sweet festive read to finish off my 2021 reading. Aside from numerous typos, this was an enjoyable little book. Read it for the adorable moments between shy boys in love spending days reading together by the fire while an adorable cat lounges beside them. ...more
This was a pretty big letdown, as far as anthologies go. If this hadn't been a buddy read, I most likely would have dropped it after the first couple This was a pretty big letdown, as far as anthologies go. If this hadn't been a buddy read, I most likely would have dropped it after the first couple of stories. And while there were a few good stories hidden among the other not-so-good ones, I'm not sure if it's worth a read just for them. I guess if one has KU and wants a nice, dark story with Sapphic characters, check out the two I rated 4 stars, as they're really the only ones I'd recommend.
On to the stories themselves. As always, here's a heads up for how I personally interpret the star ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Excellent ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Good ⭐⭐⭐ = Average/okay ⭐⭐ = Disliked ⭐ = Hated
Terrorsylvania, by Ocean. A nice, spooky start to kick off this anthology. The author did a good job ratcheting up the tension as we, along with the characters, learn more about this strange “vacation” spot. I liked the banter between the characters, though there did come a time when it felt like maybe some of them should have taken things a little more seriously...
The initial decision made by one of the protagonists also didn't sit well with me and made me uncomfortable about the two main character's relationship in general. There were also a number of things that didn't really feel very connected to other parts of the story and it would have been nice if there had been more hints or something to show how they tied together. Overall, not great, but not bad. 3.5 stars
Dark Goddess Magick, by Tiffany E. Taylor. About the nicest thing I can say about this story was that it needed a lot more work before it should have gone to publication. This read very much like a beginner's early work in all regards. This also gets the crown for having the fastest insta-love “romance” that I've ever read. 1 star.
The Wish Demon, by Serenity Snow. Unfortunately, this was another that read as very beginner-level and had so many things about it that needed a lot more work. One of the antagonistic characters, in particular, had one of the most juvenile and very poorly foreshadowed motivations I've ever read about. Since that character was also a “friend” of the protagonist's, a lot of the dynamic did not seem right at all, especially after a huge betrayal happens and they act like it was nothing. Just, overall, I wasn't fond of this story at all. There was also a line in the story that read as very aphobic to me, so that's just the icing on the cake, isn't it? 1 star.
The Shop on Pitkin Lane, by Kitty McIntosh. A step above the previous two stories, but not as good as the first. My main complaint was that this story just wasn't particularly interesting to me. Some of the word choices as well also yanked me out of the story a couple of times, such as pleasant, reassuring scent being written as “it assaulted her nostrils”, or something along those lines. There were also a few plot threads that felt very saggy and randomly tossed in and a couple that didn't see any resolution, making me think this was a first draft that the author thought was okay to send off. At this point, with the previous stories included in this anthology, I wonder if there even is an editor looking over these stories or if they just slap them into the anthology and call it a day. 2.5 stars.
Closure, by KT Brodland. Not bad, but there was not much of a story here, other than the romance and a character trying to move on after the loss of her wife. Like so many of the other romances in this anthology, it just progressed way too quickly for me to take it very seriously or to feel much emotional impact from it. I was bored pretty much the entire time. 2.5 stars.
Bound, by Elaine Mattern & Nance Sparks. Two authors, but still it felt very much like a beginner's first story. It did change things up a little by having the romance subplot belong to the MC's mother and another woman, but otherwise this had a very similar vibe to many of these, with the protagonist secretly being a witch and coming into her powers at just the right time. I also could never tell what time period this took place in. My initial thought was that it was historical of some kind, but as I read on, some of the word choices hinted at a more contemporary setting. I still never found out. 2 stars.
Agnes Dubois, by LL Shelton. Okay, this one was on the creepy-side. The titular Agnes Dubois has to be one of the most frightening antagonists I've read about in a while. As for the other characters in this story...let's just say that they were very overshadowed by her. Also wasn't a fan of the m-spec erasure that the MC spouted at one point. I also found it hard to believe that this story took place in 2021, where three out of four college-aged women leave their phones out in the car. And...they still use Facebook??
Aside from all that, this story badly needed proofreading before getting published and I was surprised by the number of contrivances needed to get the story off the ground. 2.5 stars.
Nightmare on Pennsylvania Ave, by Annette Mori. Wow, was this one bad. The depictions of mental health in this were appalling. Sociopaths and Psychopaths are interchangeable and have no emotions?? A quick google search and skimming an article was more than enough to fact check those statements. Once again, I must ask: did anyone do anything more than give these stories more than a spell-check when it came to editing? Aside from that...this story just was not any good. Sorry. The writing, the characters, all of it was not executed well at all. This story also felt wholly at odds with the “theme” of this anthology, as rather than grim, we got a superhero comedy...thing. 1 star.
The Book Club, by Rita Potter. Talk about a huge step up from the previous story. This one had compelling characters, was well-written, and had a very nicely paced story that kept getting more interesting as the little odd hints and clues coalesced into the big reveal. I must admit that I was originally turned off at the beginning where we have basically a middle-aged, sexist sports-obsessed, “make me a sandwich, woman!” MC, only the lesbian version. That bit of “subversion” felt overdone at times, but nothing that takes a lot away from the story as a whole. 4 stars.
Twin Games, by Adrian J. Smith. This one was interesting, and had quite a twist. I do feel that the big reveal was unveiled too early, which made it lose a lot of steam part of the way through. I think the author really could have built a lot of suspense in this story, which would have made it better. Still, for this anthology especially, this one was pretty good. Choosing to read this before bed wasn't the best idea in the world, as it was a bit creepy at times, but the fact that it held my interest after a tiring day does speak volumes. 3 stars.
A Dark and Stormy Night, by Lila Bruce. Another enjoyable story. I wonder why the better stories were shoved to the back of the anthology? Anyway, in this one, the writing really impressed me. The author took care to craft the settings and pace the story. While this was the longest story in the collection, the length was just right without it ever feeling drawn out unnecessarily. Both of the main characters were distinct and I liked them both. This is probably my favorite romance in this collection. These two were just such a good match.
My only real complaint was the MC perpetuating the “dumb blonde” stereotype by claiming she's “not some ditzy blonde”, but is actually intelligent because she reads...Just, really could have done without that bit. I was enjoying the story, and then that line came up and it really pushed me out of the moment. Other than that, I have no real complaints about the story. 4 stars
The Phantom of Gotham, by Jane Alden. I don't have very strong feelings about this one. It wasn't bad, but it also didn't really pull me in too much either. It also felt like a very watered-down, Sapphic version of Interview With the Vampire, only with all the interesting elements taken out. Also could have done without the quasi-incest between this one woman and her mother-figure... 2.5 stars
2.5 stars, rounded down, for the anthology as a whole....more
A very enjoyable and diverse collection of eco-horror themed flash fiction and poetry. Before reading this collection, my experience with flash fictioA very enjoyable and diverse collection of eco-horror themed flash fiction and poetry. Before reading this collection, my experience with flash fiction and, to an extent, poetry, was somewhat limited. I'm a big fan of longer short stories, but flash fiction generally always seemed too short to feel satisfying. Well, my opinion has changed.
This collection contains 37 stories and 13 poems. While not every story here worked perfectly with the form, in my opinion, I was surprised by just how many were a perfect match, offering a brief, yet frightening glimpse of climate-induced horrors. For some, if they had been any longer, it would have significantly lessened the effect. I'm not a huge poetry fan and don't know a whole lot about judging it, but all aside from one were enjoyable.
Plenty of other good ones as well, but these in particular were excellent.
Standout poems would be:
- Gifts by Charlotte Reynolds - The Queen of the Night byClay F. Johnson
Quite a good collection overall. I really enjoyed taking my time with this anthology and reading it alongside other books, just so the stories wouldn't quite bleed into each other as much, since so many of them are very short. 4 stars for the anthology as a whole....more
Somewhat sensationalized title aside, this is an excellent resource for writers that covers basically all major aspects of craft. This book is definitSomewhat sensationalized title aside, this is an excellent resource for writers that covers basically all major aspects of craft. This book is definitely for intermediate and up writers, as it does not mess around with teaching you the basics, which for me was a huge plus. As is clear from the title, it assumes one is at or near the revision process. The layout of the book, along with helpful checklists following each chapter, make skipping around to whatever area of craft a person might want to focus on handy.
I will say, not much attention is given to world-building, and much of the slant of the book seemed to be towards thriller writers. With that said, it's still an extremely helpful resource for a writer of any genre and a book that I'm glad I have a physical copy of, as I'm sure I'll be referencing it for years to come.
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