An unconventional ex-professor regularly holds dinner parties in his creepy mansion, where he invites unusual people. The current party, hosting twelvAn unconventional ex-professor regularly holds dinner parties in his creepy mansion, where he invites unusual people. The current party, hosting twelve (+1) people, has the guests intent on impressing one another by means of horror/creepy stories... until things get out of hand.
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I normally quite enjoy this setting, with several short stories as part of a longer overarching main story, especially when it comes to creepy tales. The execution however just didn't convince me, leaving me with the overall impression of a very dull and predictable set of events.
I was expecting a much better story from an author whose day job was that of a high school literature teacher with a (supposed) penchant for inspiring students to read more. The characters' interactions with one another felt rather unnatural. They were either talking over one another, or preventing someone from talking by simultaneously urging them to do so. Granted, that in itself could very easily have been an intentional plot device to show just how lot of people only care about listening to their own voice, but that would need me to wade more deeply into literary analysis aspects than I've ever cared to.
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Even so, I feel like all the above could have turned into a negligible aspect for me, if only the stories being told during the evening had been... better. Instead all I was left with were a truckload of brief events (rumours at best) where one character was trying to convince another that the occult was not a matter to be trifled with... because reasons. To be fair, supernatural mysteries in writing tend to leave me unconvinced, but in here it felt like they weren't even trying.
Score: 2.3/5 stars
I don't normally look up an author's biography, so I'm doubly disappointed to see a high school literature teacher write such an unoriginal and dull story. At times it made me wonder if this novel was an exercise meant to illustrate an example of this type of story. A rather schematic example, where all the "unimportant" bits were glossed over, in favour of the basic "building blocks"....more
This short little story is a retelling of The Prisoner of Zenda, from an evil henchman's point of view, adding a hefty dose of (on-screen?) homoeroticThis short little story is a retelling of The Prisoner of Zenda, from an evil henchman's point of view, adding a hefty dose of (on-screen?) homoerotic content. Although I imagine that knowledge of the original work might add to the overall enjoyment, I didn't end up doing so.
In short the story goes as follows: The protagonist of this version is Jasper Detchard, an (allegedly) evil henchman, hired by the half brother of the future king of Ruritania (a fictional kingdom). Amid wide-spread dissatisfaction with the future king, the brother is scheming on taking the throne for himself. As said scheming unfolds, Detchard gets into a very steamy, but highly questionable liaison with Rupert of Hentzau, another newly hired henchman. Although meant to play the cackling evildoers, both men have secret alternate plans, that could easily cost them their life. Cue a significant amount of swashbuckling.
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All in all, a short, sweet and fun experience. I especially enjoyed the whole "dumb and inept henchman" trope being reimagined into a more exciting version featuring lots of espionage and counter-espionage. If you're the type to sympathise with the villain of the story, you'll be delighted with these protagonists.
Score: 3/5 stars
2025 is proving to be quite a challenge for me, when it comes to focusing on my reading goals (be it either number, language or genre of books), so I'm finding myself experimenting with Audible versions. This helped me finish more books, unfortunately my ADHD tendencies rarely have me properly engaged.
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More often than not, I get rather bored (or even outright disgusted) with the voice acting during the more intimate scenes. Same thing happened here, which had me struggling to be properly invested in Detchard and Hentzau's relationship. On the upside, that also means that I was not overly devastated when the ending didn't have them ride off into the sunset... well, not long term....more
On the whole, this collection felt like a mixed bag, with the vast majority of the stories lacking in both the chemistry and the plot department. ThatOn the whole, this collection felt like a mixed bag, with the vast majority of the stories lacking in both the chemistry and the plot department. That said, it would be unfair to not admit that I actually enjoyed some of them quite a bit. Maybe not necessarily as the author intended, plus I had some issues with the narrator's pronunciation at times too... but you know: it wasn't a complete flop.
Overall favorites:
1. Stranger in the House by Josh Lanyon Based on a bit of cheesy premise: someone threw out a thoughtless remark, and another someone spent the following decade moping around because of it. But hey, apparently an insane inheritance can go a long way into smoothing things over. Or... you know... awaken people's criminal instincts.
2. Lights, camera, murder by C.S. Poe A very jaded (and gay!) private investigator gets hopelessly entangled with an up-and-coming actor, while hired to investigate a theft on a film set. I was definitely annoyed by the speed with which the investigator dismissed the actor as a person of interest, but that didn't stop me from following the events with bated breath. I just wish there were fewer characters to keep track of, in such a short story. [image]
Best chemistry:
1. Stranger in the House by Josh Lanyon I'm a sucker for age-gap and second chances, apparently. Not to mention clumsy social skills that hide excellent bedside manners. *waggles eyebrows*
2. 12 Seconds by Meg Perry I love love luuuurve the whole "misunderstanding based on a person's pokerface" trope. And that's precisely what the first meeting of the two protagonists was about: both salivating over one another, while firmly convinced that the other could not possibly be gay. Spoiler alert: they so were. [image]
Best Audio Experience:
A country for old men by Dal MacLean This was all about Scottish accents, countryside and language. As a bit of a foreign language nerd, I was all but swooning at listening to the narrator lean into their region-specific pronunciation. I have no idea how accurate this would be to locals, but it sounded heavenly to me... *melts into a puddle* [image]
The other four short stories ranged all the way from "meh", to "preach", to "all around lacking". There's nothing quite like a bunch of commercial romance stories to highlight just how much of an indie-fan I've become over the years.
Score: 2.9/5 stars
My intention with this anthology was to look for new MM romance authors to try, but mostly ended up appreciating those I already know and like. Overall, I'm rather disappointed......more
Two mysterious young men are found outside Bucharest, on the morning of the 19th December 1897. One of tPublished in English as Life Begins on Friday.
Two mysterious young men are found outside Bucharest, on the morning of the 19th December 1897. One of them is confused as heck about his whereabouts, wearing clothes unfit for the weather (and the century), while the other is barely alive, with a bullet hole in his chest.
Initially cause for quite a bit of concern, less than 24 hours late, almost everyone is ready to move on. The police chief does his best to keep the investigation going, but not to the detriment up his busy social life. 21-year-old Miss Iulia Margulis for one, is definitely more interested in finishing Vanity Fair by the new year, and in (hopefully) catching the eye of a specific young man. 8-year-old Nicu, everyone's favourite errand boy, is by rights much too busy earning a living for himself and his sick mother. Dan Crețu is about the only person invested in the issue, seeing as he is the mysterious confused man, trying to find his bearings in a different time.
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The overall story and narration-style reminded me a lot of I.L. Caragiale's work, with its humorous take on people's preoccupation with the mundane. While I generally enjoy reading the occasional short story set in this era, I can see people getting unpleasant flashbacks from their high school days.
I would've personally skipped all the maudlin' stream of consciousness that each and every one of these characters fall victim to... except maybe for Iulia and Dan's, but even there I feel like I should have drunk myself stupid, before attempting to tackle them in all seriousness.
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Fans of murder mysteries and genius sleuths will be very disappointed. Though it may initially appear as if some detecting is about to take place, the author decided to take a more realistic approach here. Specifically the bored employees who're only in it for the pay, as such keen on dumping the guilt on the first upstart to cross their investigation. To be fair, the mystery does eventually get solved in a very Poirot-like manner... as in we get this really smart guy basically picking clues out of thin air, towards the last 10% of the book.
Score: 3.3/5 stars
If you're familiar with Bucharest, you might enjoy all the name-dropping of late-19th century landmarks and glimpses of social life. Otherwise, while the story is well-written and has an interesting premise, it also goes on a lot of tangents that don't really end up going anywhere. In other words: I'm really not invested enough to continue with the sequel (Viitorul începe luni which translates to "The Future Begins on Monday")....more
Oliver, Felipe and Gwen are sent to investigate a so-called Murdertown, i.e. a place where magical accidents have gone out of control. There have beenOliver, Felipe and Gwen are sent to investigate a so-called Murdertown, i.e. a place where magical accidents have gone out of control. There have been a number of unexplained resurrections, where the dead have taken to attacking the town's people, so Oliver's necromancy and Gwen's (academic) interest in vampires, not to mention Felipe's all around genius self are best suited for the mission... or so the head of the New York Paranormal Society claims.
Felipe is determined to refuse the assignment at first, but relents when Oliver reveals that he had in fact been born in Aldorhaven.
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This story was right up my spooky alley. There's a remote village where people have started dying in "unnatural" ways: an intriguing mix of undead attacks and sudden illnesses, plus the local doctor's all-around reticence to consider the supernatural. There's the obligatory powerful family controlling the town, and all the untouchable consequences that come with it. This reminded me of the first two seasons of Supernatural, all about the creepy magic, before the plot took a turns toward the biblical lore.
And we can't forget the tonnes of backstory we get for both protagonists: Oliver through "regular" socializing, and Felipe through rather unpleasant dreams and hallucinations. Had I been asked about the convenience of it all before reading, I would've definitely rolled my eyes at the sheer amount of cheesiness. But it ended up working in here. I am definitely still hooked and can't wait for the last two instalments of the series.
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There was one aspect that really annoyed me, though. Well... maybe more than one, but I'm willing to give all those snagging gazes a pass. So Gwen's presence in the investigation is seriously questionable. Don't get me wrong: I love that Oliver has a BFF who stands by him at all times, and how handy her telekinetic powers come in during crucial moments, but beyond that, she is basically the equivalent of a "comfort familiar". Yes, one that has magical powers, is part of an ethnic minority and who can occasionally fulfill the role of a therapist.
Score: 4/5 stars
Plot-wise, this was the most exciting book yet, and I can't wait to see where things go from here. I just wish that the diverse cast of characters didn't (mostly) exist to tick a box in a checklist.
Oliver and Felipe investigate a wellness institute whose aim seems to be the "curing" of magical powers. Aside from the suspicious lack of fees, a worOliver and Felipe investigate a wellness institute whose aim seems to be the "curing" of magical powers. Aside from the suspicious lack of fees, a worrisome number of patient and staff disappearances give the institute an even creepier vibe.
Oliver's ex, employed by the federal branch of the Paranormal Society, is less than keen about the the two inspectors' involvement, as he's been trying to pin bigger and bett-- ahem more terrifying crimes on the institute.
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My excitement has waned a bit for this book, compared to the prequel. Maybe because I started it right after finishing book 1, though I rather think the number of (not so) minor annoyances played their part as well. There were a lot of developments that take place off-screen, or rather off main-book, and only get a small mention here. Perhaps it's also my fault, for not reading things in publication order and prioritizing the main books, but I've never been a fan of advancing the plot in side-stories. I do however, appreciate that said side-stories are available for free.
On the whole, I enjoyed the action-adventure aspects, and the angst around Felipe's fear to confes his predicament to his family. Oliver's ex's antics however, could've been exploited better. Were they realistic? Sure. But I don't come to this genre for realism, especially when the story is set in a steampunk-like universe. I want satisfaction and revenge, which involves Ansley being sorry for not properly appreciating Oliver, and groveling for forgiveness. Instead we only got some generic sulking that may or may not have had jealous undertones.
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Score: 3.6/5 stars
The story dragged in some parts, even though objectively speaking it shouldn't have had reason to do so. I wasn't keen on how some of the character development was handled, plus the number of typos semms to have increased.
Ultimately I am still enjoying this series I suppose, and have no intention of dropping it any time soon.
Dr. Oliver Barlow, a necromancer working as the medical examiner for the New York Paranormal Society, has been secretly pining away after the dashing Dr. Oliver Barlow, a necromancer working as the medical examiner for the New York Paranormal Society, has been secretly pining away after the dashing inspector Felipe Galvan, the organization's equivalent of a superhero with a rather dark reputation. Thanks to his self-healing ability, Felipe has had few reasons to fear for his life, and ample opportunity to experience a number of life-threatening situations.
Felipe and Oliver are assigned to investigate the suspicious death of a nun, supposedly just to confirm the lack of foul play. Though both the monastery and the Paranormal Society want to close things as discretely as possible, Oliver smells (quite literally) something rotten.
After Felipe gets ambushed and killed in his apartment by an unknown assailant, the medical examiner can no longer stand by idly. Especially since he mistakenly revives said inspector in his grief/panic.
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Ever since I managed to completely overlook (some of) the romantic overtones in Witch King (yes, I am ashamed) I've been on a quest to find a new romance author. They had to write m/m romances with murder mystery, in a palatable style, with plenty of spice and the obligatory HEA.
Enter Kara Jorgensen whose Reanimator Mysteries tick a whole lot of my preferences, without seeming like a (subpar) copycat. I'm looking at you Snow and Winter series! Granted, this did give me heavy Whyborne and Griffin vibes, but I suspect that's mainly due to the paranormal elements and the time period.
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The Reanimator's Heart served its role as a comfort read brilliantly. It gave me all sorts of stomach-butterflies, I could partially relate to Oliver's fears, and I really appreciated how his high-functioning autism was depicted. I'm sick and tired of hearing the term bandied around at the first whiff of insecurity/anxiety a character may exhibit. Yes, there's a spectrum, and some people deal with anxiety differently, but that doesn't automatically mean they need a medical diagnosis and specialist help. Oliver has actual issues that can seriously affect his socializing. He doesn't just "freak out" when Felipe smiles at him. So yay, for realistic and non-moralistic depiction of a disability.
Score: 4/5 stars
Was it cliche? Yeeees, but mainly in a genre-specific sense that actually enhanced the romance... as far as I'm concerned. I do have several issues with the holes in the world-building though, which only ever gets attention when it directly relates to the investigation.
This was a collection of three very bizarre short stories, with a heavy dose of paranormal and horPublished in English as Record of a Night Too Brief.
This was a collection of three very bizarre short stories, with a heavy dose of paranormal and horror elements.
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Once I find a good slice of life story I have a tendency of going on this quest to gather everything its author has ever published... only to end up taking ages to read them. What if they're a one hit wonder? What if they're so good I'll be ruined for other authors? So I might as well preemptively prepare myself mentally, but also maybe stock up on a more varied "reading diet".
Although this volume has supposedly won a prestigious award, I can't help but feel as if it's a highly experimental one. And as with any experiment, some of it is great, some of it intriguing enough to let faults pass, but quite a bit is just plain bizarre and incomprehensible. Or well... so the theory goes at least.
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In practice, A Snake Stepped On brought to mind some of the more intriguing moralistic Chinese fairy tales I'd read as a child, where people would (unwittingly?) wed all manner of magical creatures without fully understanding the consequences. Missing gave off a similar vibe, but seemed to have overshot its mark. by keeping the moralistic feel, but muddling the actual moral somewhere along the line.
And finally there's Record of a Night too Brief, which is in essence a collection of 19 very short, unrelated(?) fantastical/paranormal stories, which just meandered on and on. I can't say I've liked them much, though I did enjoy the one with the guy that kept trying to revive his dead girlfriend. *insert crazed cackling*
Score: 3/5 stars
As an exercise in creative writing... it's a choice, I guess. I very much liked the writing style, not so much the content, though. I'm not avant-garde enough to see their award-worthy qualities, but then I've always been kind of a philistine when the art got too... artistic....more
In a post-apocalyptic world, mostly covered by wasteland, humanity can only survive within large cities. In an attempt to recover some of the old civiIn a post-apocalyptic world, mostly covered by wasteland, humanity can only survive within large cities. In an attempt to recover some of the old civilisation, the rich rely on research of the ancient artefacts.
Khat is a human-like creature, part of a race developed by the (extinct) ancient mages to survive in the wastelands. At odds with his original family, he now works as a low-level relic dealer in the city of Charisat. Experience has taught him to keep his dealings secret and his head low, as nothing good ever came from mixing with the upper class. Until of course news of his talents reaches said upper class, and he gets basically strong-armed into accepting a job.
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When it comes to world building, Martha Wells once again managed to build a very interesting society. I was truly fascinated by how masterfully she manages to depict multiple settings by relying mainly on social segregation. I love the dichotomy between the insane amount of education of the upper class and their naive world view as an inevitable result of their "privileged" lifestyle.
Truth be told, I very much wanted to like this book, so I ended up doubly disappointed by its many downsides. I spent about 70% trying to make sense of the confusing politics, 20% bored by some scholarly exposition, leaving only the remaining 10% to enjoy. If you thought Witch King felt confusing and incomplete... wait to see the end of this one.
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The character development was... sometimes good, sometimes weird and cryptic, while other times more like an after thought. The friendship was great, the political machinations intriguing, but the romance rather stilted. I was also a bit weirded out by the way sex was handled, i.e. mostly fade to black, except for that one scene where Khat needs to hide an artefact on short notice. I'll let you guess where he stashed it.
Score: 3.4/5 stars
I chose City of Bones specifically because it is a stand-alone story that would hopefully not end things on a cliff-hanger. Plot-wise, I got what I wanted, but when it came to character development, I rather wish that the romantic aspects had been skipped. Not because they didn't make sense in the context, but more due to the author's reluctance to give them sufficient screen time.
I will definitely continue to check out the author's other works, keeping in mind that her earlier works' would benefit from a bit more polishing....more
A remote little Polish village close to the Czech border becomes the scene of a series of mysterious and grizzly murders. Though most victims were knoA remote little Polish village close to the Czech border becomes the scene of a series of mysterious and grizzly murders. Though most victims were known as upstanding members of the community, as the protagonist leads the reader through her memories of the victims, some pretty sordid past times start to emerge.
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I've had the misfortune of growing up in an environment where reading literature for pleasure was not really a thing. Unless you were suffering of some form of mystic masochism, you were not meant to enjoy the reading process. You were expected to idolize the author for their complex turn of phrase and then proceed to memorize a shit ton of literary analyses so you could later rattle them off in exams. So no raving about Harry Potter, and may God have mercy on your soul if you were caught reading a harlequin romance! It took me quite some time to work up the courage to voice my dislike of books, without equating criticism with a dislike of reading itself. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead just ticks too many of my trauma boxes.
No part of me was attracted to either the book cover, the title, the content, the character(s)... or even the audiobook narration. Although in her defense, Beata Poźniak does an excellent job in letting the protagonist's holier-than-thou attitude shine through her voice. Then again, I'm still confused by her choice to make the protagonist's accent heavily Eastern European, while her neighbors all sport very British ones.
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Then there is also the first person narrative POV, with which I have a problematic relationship. I enjoy it when the narrator uses self-deprecating criticism for comedic value, or "charming" humility as a backhanded positive attribute (mostly in romance novels), but not so much the whole misdirection through subjective perspective. Unfortunately, most contemporary novels are very keen on the latter. And since I'm one of those lazy people who find it hella exhausting to constantly circle back for missed clues... I'm counting this as a negative.
Score: 3/5 stars
Honestly... I get why so many people like it, but I'm also resentful that this type of writing style and plot progression holds so much appeal. It's basically the reason that made me hate literature all through high school. So while I can't really call this a bad book, it is something fundamentally unsuited to my personal tastes....more
Ms. Smartarse
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