Book Review: Incendiary Girls: Stories by Kodi Scheer

Incendiary Girls: Stories by Kodi Scheer

Completion Date: April, 2014
Length: 208 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Incendiary Girls explores our baser instincts with vivid imagination and humor. In these stories, our bodies become strange and unfamiliar terrain, a medium for transformation. In “Fundamental Laws of Nature,” a doctor considers her legacy, both good and bad, when she discovers that her mother has been reincarnated as a thoroughbred mare. In the title story, a mischievous angel chronicles the remarkable life of a girl just beyond death’s reach.In Scheer’s hands, empathy and attachment are illuminated by the absurdity of life. When our bodies betray us, when we begin to feel our minds slip, how much can we embrace without going insane? How much can we detach ourselves before losing our humanity? Scheer’s stories grapple with these questions in each throbbing, choking, heartbreaking moment.

I never know what to say about short story collections, so I am going to a 'bulleted' review:

• Generally, I am not a big short story reader because I just prefer the longer format of novels. I like to make exceptions once in a while and this was my recent exception.
• I read the descriptions initially, but then time goes on and I completely forget by the time I read the book. I was very surprised by this book! 
• I think this might be the best short story collection I have read in years. I read the book entirely in one sitting, which rarely happens with short story collections, and for the most part enjoyed all of the stories.
• The description above mentions 'vivid imagination and humor'. That sounds about right. Actually, I kind was thinking that Scheer's brain must be an interesting place to come up with these stories.
• If you are looking for something original you need look no further than this book!
• The stories are a bit unbelievable... I mean, how often do you read a story about a girl who believes her boyfriend has turned into a camel or a daughter who is thinks her mother has been resurrected as a horse. At face value, it seems kind of crazy, but it is really not because the stories are written so well.
• The only story I was a bit 'meh' about, funny enough, was the title story. I feel like I have to reread it because it just didn't seem to mesh with the rest of the collection for me. I might have missed something.
• Other than themes of fantastical and magical, the combining thread is medical. It is not something I would rush out and read typically, but it worked in this context. 
• I think my only major complaint with this collection, especially for some of the stories, was I wanted more... I hope Scheer plans to write novels because I am curious!

Bottom line... I don't generally like short story collections, but I loved this one!

Book Review: The Frangipani Hotel by Violet Kupersmith

The Frangipani Hotel by Violet Kupersmith

Completed: March 10, 2014

Length: 256 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Based on traditional Vietnamese ghost stories told to the author by her Vietnamese grandmother but updated to reflect the contemporary ghost of the Vietnam War, here is a mesmerizing collection of thematically linked stories, united by the first and last story of the collection.

Violet wrote these unusually accomplished stories as an undergraduate at Mt. Holyoke College in an attempt to update the traditional Vietnamese ghost stories her grandmother had told her to incorporate the more relevant ghosts of the aftermath of the Vietnam War on a generation of displaced Vietnamese immigrants as well as those who remained in Vietnam. From the story about a beautiful young woman who shows up thirsty in the bathtub of the Frangipani Hotel in Saigon many years after her first sighting there to a young woman in Houston who befriends an old Vietnamese man she discovers naked behind a dumpster to a truck driver asked to drive a young man with an unnamed ailment home to die, to the story of two American sisters sent to Vietnam to visit their elderly grandmother who is not what she appears to be, these stories blend the old world with the new while providing a new angle of insight into the after-effects of the war.

Fiction or Non-Fiction? Genre?: Fiction. Vietnamese Ghost Stories.

What Lead You To Pick Up This Book?: A combination of a book for a TLC Book Tour and the fact that it is ghost stories and folk tales from Vietnam.

Summarize the Plot: A collection of Vietnamese ghost stories updated from old traditional stories to have the Vietnam War as a background. The stories all seem traditional in general, but there are strange, supernatural elements to each one. Sometimes it would be a while before you found out what they were. Then there were others that you found out about right away. There is enough connection between each story to flow together. And, the first and last story are connected eve more directly than that.

A bit about the stories:

'Boat Story' - A grand-daughter is asking her grandmother about her escape from Vietnam and gets an entirely different story than she is expecting. This story sets the scene for the unusual that was set to come. It ends with the sentence 'Did we ever really escape'. That could be a theme to the collection in many ways. A strange story that cemented my decision that I was going to like this collection.

'Reception' - This is the story that actually takes place at The Frangipani Hotel. (A word that I keep worrying I am going to spell wrong on a side note.) There were scenes in this story that had me laughing. But, like the rest of the collection, there are strange, dark elements. In this story they take the shape of a woman who the receptionist, the main character, finds after she almost floods the bathroom. That's just the beginning of the strangeness. I really liked this story! Even if it had those dark elements, it was actually one of the lighter stories in the collection.

'Skin and Bones' - Two daughters are sent from America to stay with their grandmother in Vietnam over the holidays. It all starts because the younger daughter eats too much and her mother thinks Vietnam food will help. Nothing is as it seems in this story. This was one of my favourites in the collection. It was kind of a Wait... What??? story.

'Little Brother' - In this story a truck driver tells stories from his time on the road. There is one about a shark which is very strange. The other one, though, was almost expected but not at the same time. At this point in the collection you definitely expect weird things to happen, but still... It was kind of another 'what is going on' story. I liked it, but it kind of creeped me out.

'The Red Veil' - I think this story was probably the creepiest one in this collection. It's the story of two sisters whose mother dies and their father remarries. It was the one story in the collection that I really, really wanted to know what happened in more detail. I think it would make a good novel. It really drew me in but I wasn't entirely sure about everything that happened. It is still running around in my head.

'Guests' - This is the story of Mia who had decided to work for the American consulate in Vietnam. Her father doesn't understand why because he has escaped from there and she wants to go back. Her job is to deal with the woman who have been impregnated and then abandoned by American men. In her personal life she has a live-in boyfriend also from America, but things are not going as well as she expects. This launches a counter story that winds up with an ending that I didn't really like all that much. It worked for the story, but, yeah, wish it had ended differently.

'Turning Back' - uh, yeah... This story was weird right from the very beginning! Another story that would make an interesting novel. It was a very intriguing retelling of a story that exists in many forms across many cultures. Definitely a page-turner!

'One-Finger' - A Calligrapher, a Poet, and a Guitarist sit around the Calligrapher's living room. They have been friends for 40 years after serving together in the Vietnam War. Their friendship is about to take a very different turn, though. The Calligrapher's past is about to catch up with him and he has a story to tell his friends. A good story!

'Descending Dragon' - A story that links from the beginning of the collection. It takes place in a Seniors Home. Ms. Nguyen is a very entertaining character! The Vietnam War is coming to visit her in a very real way. It is a great way to end the collection!

I don't read very many short story collections. I am so happy this one worked for me. I really really liked it! If not for the tour, positive reviews would have likely made me add it to my wish list, but I am not sure how likely my reading of it was. It is nice to have an enjoyable experience with something essentially outside of your comfort zone.

Strongly Recommended!

Diving Belles by Lucy Wood

Diving Belles by Lucy Wood

Reason for Reading: TLC Book Tour.
Completion Date: August 26, 2012

In the tradition of Angela Carter, this luminous, spellbinding debut reinvents the stuff of myth.

Straying husbands lured into the sea by mermaids can be fetched back, for a fee. Trees can make wishes come true. Houses creak and keep a fretful watch on their inhabitants, straightening shower curtains and worrying about frayed carpets. A mother, who seems alone and lonely, may be rubbing sore muscles or holding the hands of her invisible lover as he touches her neck. Phantom hounds roam the moors and, on a windy beach, a boy and his grandmother beat back despair with an old white door.

In these stories, the line between the real and the imagined is blurred as Lucy Wood takes us to Cornwall’s ancient coast, building on its rich storytelling history and recasting its myths in thoroughly contemporary ways. Calling forth the fantastic and fantastical, she mines these legends for that bit of magic remaining in all our lives—if only we can let ourselves see it.

I was intrigued by the mention of Angela Carter in the blurb. I have read one collection by her, The Bloody Chamber, and really liked it. I keep meaning to read more, but never seem to get around to it. When I saw the tour for this Lucy Wood book, though, I decided it was meant to be. Anyone that knows me knows that I am really not a big fan of short story collections. I only read a couple a year and generally by Charles de Lint. I am so happy that I took a chance on this collection because I really enjoyed it. I can't believe it is the authors debut novel. The stories are so wonderfully crafted that they were a treat from beginning to end. That doesn't mean I necessarily loved all the stories, but more that I could appreciate each of them.

On to the stories themselves... There are mermaids, ghosts, and other strange experiences throughout the collection. The 'strange' is almost understated, though. In the sense that it is perfectly reasonable for a grown woman to go down in a submarine-type boat to find her husband. It just happens, so why question it is basically what Lucy Wood is saying. She doesn't really push the envelope because she weaves things together so well. I enjoyed that. The book is really a collection of myths and they are pulled off really well. I mentioned 'Diving Belles', the title story, earlier in this paragraph. The next story, 'Countless Stones', is basically about a connection to a structure you assume is Stonehenge or something else like it. It is told in an interesting way, though. The best part is how Wood weaves other things in. On the one hand, there are the things happening to the main character. On the other hand, though, it is about her relationship with her ex and their connection.

The third story, 'Of Mothers and Little People', is about the relationship between mother's and daughters. But, it is also a connection to nature and what you find there. Nature plays a role in most, if not all, of the stories in this collection. 'Lights in Other People's Homes' is about the strong connection to the pull of the sea. I know that if I moved away from the sea I would miss it. It has been a part of my entire life so far. 'Magpies' is quite simply, and yet not so simply, about a man and a magpie. 'The Giant's Boneyard' is about a relationship as well, but there is more to it than that. The ending of this one was a bit strange. Then, there is 'Beachcombing'. This is the story of a grandmother and her grandson and their connection. I liked the ending of this one. It seemed a fitting moment for the overall story.

'Notes from the House Spirits' number one has a title that I love!  It is quite literally a story that is a collection of notes from the House Spirits. I really liked this story because it actually makes you think a bit about your own house and the whole idea of things maybe watching you... Then, we have 'The Wishing Tree'. This story is a bit heart-breaking. There is this one moment that really caught me up. Another story of the relationship between mother and daughter. It is also a story about wishes. The story 'Blue Moon' kind of starts with a bang and you are not entirely sure what to think, but then the story plays out and you get how everything comes together. There are a couple connections in this story and it is also not entirely happy. 'Wisht' is about the relationship between a father and a daughter. A quiet story that has a lot more going on than meets the eye.

The last story, 'Some Drolls are Like This and Some are Like This', was an interesting note to end things on. It was a sad tale. It is also about the loss of stories. I thought it was a fitting ending to the collection. So, there is a brief summary to the collection. As you can see most of the stories are about nature. They are also about relationships. Then they include something mythological. That is where the real similarities end. I strongly recommend this short story collection. I can't wait to see what Lucy Wood does next!

Tapping the Dream Tree by Charles de Lint - A Once Upon a Time Group Read - Week 2

So, first we took a week off and now I am a day late... Bad blogger! Here are my thoughts, finally, on the questions Carl asked for our Tapping the Dream Tree discussion this week.

1. “Many Worlds are Born Tonight” posits the idea of multiple worlds happening at the same time, each birthed out of the decisions we make, or don’t make. How do you think it would affect you to the option to view all those worlds the way Spyboy seems to do at the end?
I actually really liked this story. We had read it before and I was happy to reread it. It's a fun idea, and one that is explored in many different ways throughout other books, movies, etc. I think the use of a Ferris wheel was a good way to illustrate the idea. It is actually a big philosophical idea and philosophy sort of hurts my head at times, but it is fun to think about nonetheless. In this story it is in answer to some bad steps in the characters life and he finds that he might have to escape his past. I would like to think that it is possible for happier reasons, too, but then if you were happy maybe you wouldn't need to escape in quite that manner. I know that most people rethink situations: "If I did this instead of this, what would have happened?" or inner conversations along the same lines. It is an interesting idea!

2. In “The Buffalo Man” we see how Jilly sees the world vs. how the Buffalo man sees it, at least at the beginning of the story. What do you think of the ideas Charles de Lint examines through these viewpoints? Can you relate to either or both viewpoints?
I think I am sort of in the middle with these characters. I can see both sides of the coin... On the one hand, the Buffalo Man is overwhelmed with the negativity in the world. Then, there is Jilly that never lets much get her down. I can be a bit of both. There are certain things that I cannot entirely get away from, so I do know how the Buffalo Man feels. Being around people that are negative ALL the time is overwhelming and there seems to be a lot of unhappy people in the world. Just logging into places like Facebook and Twitter can be reminders of that. As a result, I have my moments where I know how the Buffalo Man feels. How I try to be, though, is more like Jilly. If it is possible, I avoid those instances and try to focus on the good in the world.

3. In “Second Chances” the narrator states: “There are people that need stories, that can’t exist without them.” What does that statement mean to you?
I think almost everyone can relate to this idea. Even people that do not necessarily read will maybe watch television, listen to music, or go to the movies. There are stories in those mediums, too. I think the majority of the population thrives on stories in their many different forms and need it in their life. That's how I take it, anyway...

Be sure and visit Carl's blog for his answers. Hopefully I will be more organized next week!

Tapping the Dream Tree by Charles de Lint - A Once Upon a Time Group Read - Week 1

Good morning! Once again Carl and I are reading a Charles de Lint book together, but for a fun change Susan has decided to join in, too. We will be posting on Tuesdays for the next little while about the book Tapping the Dream Tree. It is a short story collection that we have broken up into 3 stories a week and will be taking turns coming up with questions and then answering them. This first week I came up with some questions and will be answering them below. Be sure to visit Carl and Susan's blog to see their answers. And, if you have the book and want to join in let us know. It is not too late to catch-up.

1. One of the common themes in de Lint’s books is the use of music. What did you think of the musical elements of in ‘Ten for the Devil’? Did it make a believable story?
I think that de Lint does a wonderful job of using music in his books. It has played at least some role in everything I have read by him before and it is obvious that music is an important thing to him. It means that the music parts of the book really come alive when you read about them. And, they are different. There are conventional musicians, but there are also moments where the music takes on a life of its own. This story is one such example. Carl and I recently met Robert Lonnie in Spirits in the Wires. As a result I knew what to expect from him, but technically Spirits in the Wires hadn't happened yet chronologically. This was an introduction to Lonnie if you were reading in order. Music is a very important part of Lonnie's character. It is addressed in greater detail in the novel, but this book hints at the importance. What the story does centre around is Staley, a woman that is very gifted in her music, but was unaware of her real powers. I thought the connection between her music and the 'other' world was a really nice idea. It is something that has happened before with de Lint and I really think he writes it in such a way that it is believable.

2. Once again ‘Wingless Angels’ uses music as, what turns out to be, a major plot device. What did you think of the way music was used? What were your thoughts on a canister of film turning out to predict the future? Were you sceptical of the story at all?
I wasn't really sure what to make of this story. On the one hand it was rather interesting; but on the other hand I thought it was kind of bizarre. I wasn't entirely sure what to make of it for a while, but I think when it ended I was a huge fan. Actually, I thought ending was really great. I think my initial problem was how everything was so orchestrated. It didn't entirely seem believable to me. I also have never really been sure about strange plot elements about predicting the future. I wasn't sure if it was going to work for me. So, I guess I had my sceptical moments. But, as always, de Lint comes through. The story grew on me and by the end I was very happy with it. I think part of my initial problem is one of the main characters in the story is called Christiana. That is the name of another major Newford character, so I kept expecting it to be her and it wasn't. It confused me.

3. The third story, ‘The Words That Remain’, was a bit of a ghost story, but it also used ideas that we can probably relate to ourselves at one time or another. What did you think of how de Lint chose to address this?
Now, this story, this story was good. This is a really creative look at conforming and changing yourself to suit someone else. I feel like if I say too much about it, though, it will ruin the story. I would rather other people go out and and read it. I was happy to see a Christy story. After being introduced to him more in Spirits in the Wires I am even more interested to see more from him. I think of all the talents that the characters have in these books, his being a writer is the one I am able to relate to more. I am a reader, after all. I don't really paint and my musical skills are limited. So, while I enjoy those other characters, I like that Christy is the character that captures everything.

Now, I open it up to you readers. Have you read this collection? Feel free to chime in. And, what are your favourite Charles de Lint books? Carl and I will likely read another one together at some point in the future, so recommendations are always welcome.

Week in Review (37) and Short Story Sunday - Week 6

Random Thoughts

Yesterday I got it in my head that I was going to catch-up on my blog reading. Google Reader is still informing me I have 700 posts to go and that number will probably continue to get bigger. I commented on a lot of blogs, but I was so far behind I don't feel like I really made a dent. Chances are 'Mark all as Read' was clicked and I am getting ready to start fresh. This means that I miss out on things, but it is easier to keep up! So, if I haven't visited your blog lately... I'm really sorry! I really did try!

I am still finding myself with too many things on the go and not enough time to accomplish most of them. My reading continues to drag, I am behind in blogging reading, I was doing really well keeping up with all the posts for the R.I.P. challenge, but have fallen behind drastically, etc. That doesn't even count all the 'real life' things going on. We are getting a new roof on Monday and Tuesday, so my house will be in a bit of an uproar. I am just worried about the weather. The cc is freaking out with worry and I am hoping to hear the last of it come Tuesday. If it gets pushed back... So, wish for the sun!

Challenge News

I continue to work at the R.I.P. Challenge. Hopefully next week I will be able to say I finished Dracula and have moved on to something else...

Weekly Reads

219. Die for Me (Revenants Series, Book 1) by Amy Plum (Completed October 11, 2011)
220. Bossypants by Tina Fey (Completed October 11, 2011)
221. Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan (Completed October 11, 2011)

222. The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson (Completed October 15, 2011)

223. Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman (Completed October 15, 2011)

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (36)

Short Story Sunday - Week 5 (A Day Late) and The Lantern Read-a-Long Part 1

Review: Reasons to be Happy by Katrina Kittle

Review: Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Friday Reads - 14th Edition

'The Two Towers' Read-Along - Part 1

New Additions

Bought:

Nothing this week...

Borrowed:

Loaded:

Nothing this week...

Received:

I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler

If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

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Short Story Sunday - Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman - Week 6

In the introduction to Neil Gaiman's short story collection -- a wildly diverse assortment of horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy, poetry, and speculative fiction -- he explains the book's title: "Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds' eggs and human hearts and dreams, are fragile things, made up of nothing stronger or more lasting than twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks."

Noteworthy selections in this undeniably exceptional collection include the Hugo Award winning "A Study in Emerald," which deftly blends Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's late-19th-century England with gruesome Lovecraftian horror; the Locus Award winning "October in the Chair"; an homage to Ray Bradbury that features the months of the year personified; and "How to Talk to Girls at Parties," a tale featuring two oversexed teenagers from an all-boys school in South London who stumble into a party full of what they take to be hot chicks but are in reality alien tourists! Also included are a brilliant American Gods novella ("Monarch of the Glen") and "Strange Little Girls," a series of, well, strange very short stories that first appeared in a Tori Amos tour book.

Like his previous short story collection (1998's critically acclaimed Smoke and Mirrors), Gaiman's Fragile Things is anything but; this is a powerhouse compilation that proves once again that Gaiman is a true master of short fiction. It's fitting that he dedicates this collection to three short story icons -- Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, and Robert Sheckley.

Stories Read This Week:

My Life

Fifteen Painted Cards From a Vampire Tarot

Feeders and Eaters

Diseasemaker's Croup

My Life

This is another example of Neil Gaiman attempting to put everything possible in his short story collections. This is a story about a Sock Monkey that was included in a collection of photographs of Sock Monkeys. That is just strange, but whatever works. Anyway, Gaiman had to come up with a story about his and this is what he came up with. Apparently it was originally written in prose, but was changed for this collection to include line breaks. I am not sure what to say really. I didn't love this, but then I didn't hate it either. I can entirely see a man who has had a tough break sitting around a bar telling stories for the price of a beer. This actually happens all the time in novels and movies. I also agree with what Gaiman says in the introduction about this being able to go on forever. He will talk as long as their is a beer provided. I am not entirely sure what else to say about this.

Fifteen Painted Cards From a Vampire Tarot

This was different. The idea is to take 15 Tarot cards and write a little story about each of them. This is a vampire Tarot, though, so that means that each little story relates to something to do with vampires. For example, the first one is the Magician, and the little story goes like this:

They asked St. Germain's manservant if his master was truly a thousand years old, as it was rumored he had claimed.

"How would I know?" the man replied. "I have only been in the master's employ for three hundred years."

I thought this was creative. Gaiman talks in the introduction about finishing the deck and then having someone create pictures to go along with it. I think that is a wonderful idea.

Feeders and Eaters

This story was... disturbing. I quite like cats and the image of the one in this book didn't settle well with me. The idea of a person getting power and staying young from others is something that you see all the time in books and movies. As they continue to become younger, though, the person they are feeding off becomes older. This idea is developed in this story when a man encounters someone from his past at an all-night cafe. He didn't really want to talk to him at first, but when he does he gets a very interesting story. All he asked was what happened to his friend because I guess he was once great-looking and now he doesn't look well at all. I am also not entirely sure what I thought of this story. It is like the first one this week: I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. Apparently this story, according to the Introduction, was a nightmare for Gaiman. I can totally see it being a nightmare because it is a disturbing story.

Diseasemaker's Croup
Another story this week that I don't have a lot to say about it. It is basically a story about an imaginary disease about making imaginary diseases. It didn't do a lot for me. It might have been interesting in the collection it was originally published in because they were all about imaginary diseases, but in this collection it just seemed out of place and unmemorable. To say this little bit I had to reread the story because it made no lasting impression on me.

Other Posts:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Short Story Sunday - Week 5 (A Day Late) and The Lantern Read-a-Long Part 1

Short Story Sunday - Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman - Week 5

In the introduction to Neil Gaiman's short story collection -- a wildly diverse assortment of horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy, poetry, and speculative fiction -- he explains the book's title: "Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds' eggs and human hearts and dreams, are fragile things, made up of nothing stronger or more lasting than twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks."
Noteworthy selections in this undeniably exceptional collection include the Hugo Award winning "A Study in Emerald," which deftly blends Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's late-19th-century England with gruesome Lovecraftian horror; the Locus Award winning "October in the Chair"; an homage to Ray Bradbury that features the months of the year personified; and "How to Talk to Girls at Parties," a tale featuring two oversexed teenagers from an all-boys school in South London who stumble into a party full of what they take to be hot chicks but are in reality alien tourists! Also included are a brilliant American Gods novella ("Monarch of the Glen") and "Strange Little Girls," a series of, well, strange very short stories that first appeared in a Tori Amos tour book.

Like his previous short story collection (1998's critically acclaimed Smoke and Mirrors), Gaiman's Fragile Things is anything but; this is a powerhouse compilation that proves once again that Gaiman is a true master of short fiction. It's fitting that he dedicates this collection to three short story icons -- Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, and Robert Sheckley.

Stories Read This Week:

Locks

The Problem of Susan

Instructions

How Do You Think it Feels?

Locks

I love telling stories. I will put my friends' kids to bed simply for the ability to be able to read to them or tell them a story. When I was little my parents used to read to us, but I don't really remember a time when they made up the stories. So, I used to do so for myself. I would take stories I had been read and rewrite them for myself. The two that I can remember are 'The Elephant Prince' and 'The Princess Who Laughed and Laughed'. This story reminded me of that. In this case it was a an imagined moment when a story is being told and the listener is 'helping'. It was a really fun story. It also reminded me of this annoying book that my brother had where a bear would be getting ready for the day and after saying what he did, it would say 'So do I'. My mother or father would tell what the bear did and then my brother would say 'So do I'. It was his first 'reading' and I absolutely hated that book.

The Problem of Susan

This is actually why this group read came along. I was reading The Magician's Book for the Once Upon a Time challenge and in there it mentioned that Neil Gaiman had written a story imagining what it was like for Susan after the events of the last book. I mentioned in an email to Carl that I wanted to read this story, he told me it was in this collection, and the read-a-long was born. I had been meaning to read this collection anyway, but this story was the reason it happened sooner rather than later. I wish I had liked the story a bit better, though. It was a bit strange, which isn't necessarily a terrible thing, but I think I had a different idea for how Susan turned out and this was not it. I was always bothered by the end of the series, though, so maybe nothing would have pleased me no matter how creative the imagination. The story is meant to be an irritant, though. So, maybe it was effective? I enjoy that he was talking about the power of children's literature. The story might not have been an entire waste for that simple reason.

Instructions

Yay! A poem I actually enjoyed! Carl thought I might and I did, so that makes me happy. I love fairy tales and this is instructions should you find yourself in one. This appealed to my inner nerd, I believe. I loved it!

How Do You Think it Feels?

um, I really don't know what to say about this story. I really enjoy gargoyles, but I am not sure if I entirely could get excited about the idea of a gargoyle guarding a heart. It just didn't have the same atmosphere for me. I was also surprised by the sex references in this story and 'The Problem of Susan'. I just didn't find they were necessary for the story and things would have progressed just as well without them. I just found that I didn't make a connection with this story and the characters in it. It will probably be erased from my memory very quickly.

Other Posts:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

The Lantern by Read-A-Long - Week 1

A modern gothic novel of love, secrets, and murder—set against the lush backdrop of Provence

Meeting Dom was the most incredible thing that had ever happened to me. When Eve falls for the secretive, charming Dom in Switzerland, their whirlwind relationship leads them to Les GenÉvriers, an abandoned house set among the fragrant lavender fields of the South of France. Each enchanting day delivers happy discoveries: hidden chambers, secret vaults, a beautiful wrought-iron lantern. Deeply in love and surrounded by music, books, and the heady summer scents of the French countryside, Eve has never felt more alive.

But with autumn’s arrival the days begin to cool, and so, too, does Dom. Though Eve knows he bears the emotional scars of a failed marriage—one he refuses to talk about—his silence arouses suspicion and uncertainty. The more reticent Dom is to explain, the more Eve becomes obsessed with finding answers—and with unraveling the mystery of his absent, beautiful ex-wife, Rachel.

Like its owner, Les GenÉvriers is also changing. Bright, warm rooms have turned cold and uninviting; shadows now fall unexpectedly; and Eve senses a presence moving through the garden. Is it a ghost from the past or a manifestation of her current troubles with Dom? Can she trust Dom, or could her life be in danger?

Eve does not know that Les GenÉvriers has been haunted before. BÉnÉdicte Lincel, the house’s former owner, thrived as a young girl within the rich elements of the landscape: the violets hidden in the woodland, the warm wind through the almond trees. She knew the bitter taste of heartbreak and tragedy—long-buried family secrets and evil deeds that, once unearthed, will hold shocking and unexpected consequences for Eve.

This is week one of the group read of The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson for the R.I.P. Challenge VI. Carl has thought up the questions for this week and you can read my answers below.

1. This may seem like an obvious opening question, but what do you think of The Lantern thus far?

Let' s put it this way... After I finished the second section I was very tempted to email you and say 'evil'. I looked at the schedule, I looked at where I was in the book, and I wanted to read on. I couldn't, though,because I wanted my questions for next week to be about the next sections predominately and this week to not reflect that I had read on. It took me a while to get into the flow of the book, but when I finally did it wasn't almost too late. Hopefully when I pick it up again I will be able to recapture the mood I was in when I read the second section. If I had read this myself and not for a read-a-long I would be finished by now.

2. The book appears to be following the experiences of two different women, alternating back and forth between their stories. Are you more fond of our main protagonist's story or of Benedicte's or are you enjoying them both equally?

Tough question. I think I am enjoying Benedicte's story more, though. It is more of a ghost story and there is a lot of unanswered questions. The main protagonist is a bit predictable, so unless the author does something amazing you basically know how things are going to play out.

3. The Lantern is a book filled with descriptions of scents. How are you liking (or disliking) that aspect of the book? How do you feel about the lavish description of scents? How are the short chapters working for you?

I like that aspect of the book. A scent can really set a mood, which it is doing so far in this book. Your sense of smell can also lead to things you might not appreciate with your other senses. I like the short chapters. When I read I tend to try and read to the end of a chapter before putting a book down for the day. I get very exasperated when the chapter seems to be going on forever and I am falling asleep. I have learned long ago that short chapters work best for me when I am tired.

4. How would you describe the atmosphere of Parts 1 and 2 of The Lantern?

The sections both have a darkish quality to them. The main protagonist is being haunted by the memory of a mysterious past and Benedicte is being haunted by ghosts from her past. The stories are dealt with in a different way, but ultimately they have the same feel to them. I look forward to seeing how things play out.

5. Has anything surprised you to this point? Anything stand out?
I am only disappointed with this book so far because nothing has really surprised me. It is basically playing out the way that you would expect. I hope that there is a big surprise in the future or I think that no matter how much I enjoy this book, I will overall be disappointed.

6. What are your feelings about Dom in these first two sections of the story?
He reminds me a lot of a certain male character from a certain book by a famous female author with the last name du Maurier. I am sure you have no idea what I am talking about... This book might be set in a more modern period, but he is equally as secretive and the mysteries will probably not be solved until they have to be just like in said famous book.

Bonus question: Did anyone else hear "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again" ringing in their ears through the first sections of the book?

Which leads me to this question... Honestly? A character named Rachel. A house that plays a central role. An ex-wife that has 'mysteriously' disappeared. At least in the other book there was sort of an explanation. In this book she has simply vanished. I was happy for about ten seconds because the main protagonist had a name, but then she goes on to say that he calls her Eve but that is not really her name. It is not to say I am not liking the book so far, but it is to say I am curious about how it will all play out and how many similarities there will be.

The Poison Eaters: And Other Stories by Holly Black

The Poison Eaters: And Other Stories by Holly Black

Completion Date: September 22, 2011

Reason for Reading: R.I.P. Challenge VI

Poisonous girls whose kisses will kill. A fateful eating contest with the devil. Faeries who return to Ironside, searching for love. A junior prom turned bacchanalia. In twelve short stories, eerie and brimming with suspense and unexpected humor, Holly Black twists the fantastical creatures you thought you knew in ways you’ll never expect.

Holly Black is a bit hit-or-miss with me. The first book I ever read by her was Tithe and I really enjoyed it, but then when I went on to read the sequel I was very disappointed. I didn't read her again for a very long time, but I am coming around to her again and she does have some really good work to enjoy. In the past I have read short story collections she has edited, but this is a short story collection of her original works.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Imagine a world where people actually want to become vampires because they can live forever. Not everyone thinks like that, but the people that do are becoming an epidemic. There is a whole community dedicated to vampires called Coldtown. This short story opens with a young girl who has been recently bitten and attempting to remain intoxicated in order to ignore the impulse to attack humans for blood. Then, things change. She accepts her fate in order to save others, but uses it as a chance to show the world just how horrific it is to become a vampire. It has been romanticized way too much and she is determined to show that isn't always the case. I enjoyed this story. I am getting a bit tired of vampires, but this was original enough to be good.

A Reversal of Fortune

This story sounds epic, but A Reversal of Fortune is just a fancy way of saying vomiting. This is the story about a young girl who gets into an eating contest with the Devil. I really don't think I can talk about it anymore because one aspect of the story disgusted me so much I feel ill just talking about this story. It's not to say it is a bad story, but it is also not for the weak-stomached.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Another paranormal craze that is starting to get worn out for me is werewolves. I assumed judging by the tone of this book and the stories title, this would be another take on the werewolf myth. A young boy reads about a type of flower that turns those that come into contact with it into werewolves. He begins to obsess about it a bit and then one day when his family are on vacation he sees what he assumes are those flowers. The outcome might surprise you a bit. I am not sure what to make of this story. It was strange, but good, I guess.

The Night Market

When I saw the title for this story I immediately thought of 'Goblin Market' by Christina Rossetti. I was sort of hoping it was a retelling. The story itself is rather different, but it does have a few elements that reminded me of Rossetti's poem. In the story a sister is wasting away because she ate a piece of fruit, but instead of a goblin it is an elf. The sister attempts to save her and things go off in a very different direction than they did in Rossetti's poem. I particularly liked this story and especially related to the ending. I think most people have moments where they can relate to the ending!

The Dog King

This is another story that is centred around the werewolf idea. It was also rather good. I am impressed by how consistent this collection has been so far. I haven't really hated any of the stories so far. Anyway, this story was a bit odd at the same time. I hate to give too much away because it is supposed to be a bit mysterious. I was obviously trying to figure out just what the title related to in the story. Let's just say it is the story of a young boy that is not exactly what he seems and might be a bit smarter than given credit for in the beginning.

Virgin

This is a unicorn story. I sort of expected that based on the title. A young girl has been living in foster care and has ran away to live on the streets. She meets lots of interesting characters along the way. One of these characters believes in unicorns. It was a pretty good story, but I am afraid if I talk about it any more I will give too much away.

In Vodka Viritas

This is a story about the Latin Club. They are at a boarding school and are very smart, so they are ridiculed for their brains. The main character, a bit of an outcast himself, stumbles upon them in an abandoned section of the school and interesting things are put into play. This story was really a bit strange and is about magic potions and the need for revenge. It is the perfect story for high school and the need to feel accepted, but hopefully no one feels the need to go quite so far!

The Coat of Stars

This is a fairy story, but not your typical fairy story. Raphael had a friend when he was younger. They loved each other in a special way. Things were not perfect at home for his friend, though, and he was a bit depressed. They make a plan to run away from home, but the night before they are supposed to his friend commits suicide. Raphael is devastated and never entirely recovers from that night even though it is years later and he is home visiting his parents. The thing is that his friend might not be dead after all. This was a story that actually takes into play other elements from famous fairy traditions, but I have never read a story quite like it before. I choose to be mysterious and make people want to read it.

Paper Cuts Scissors

I loved this story! It is like a short story version of Inkheart in the fact that their are characters that can read themselves into books and others that can read characters out of books. What would happen, though, if you were in a fight with your girlfriend and before anything was really resolved, she read herself in a book. This story looks at that idea. It is fun to visit with characters from famous novels and to see how the books have been changed as a result of the characters ability to read people in and out. It made for a fun story, but a little dark at the same time.

Going Ironside

It has been a while since I read Tithe and its sequel by Black, but from what I can remember this is a short story version of the same type. I didn't really get it. It didn't make any impression on me. It was almost confusing.

The Land of Heart's Desire

Okay, let's be honest here. I only recently finished this book and I all ready can't remember this story. It also uses characters from Tithe, so maybe that was my problem.

The Poison Eaters

The title story from this collection. This story had a bit of a fairy tale feel to it. It was definitely a darkish read, too. It is the story of three sisters who can kill you will a kiss. They have been raised for nefarious means that make for interesting reading. I think it was a good story to end the collection with.

Overall, I liked this collection. Recommended!

Week in Review (35) and Short Story Sunday - Week 4

Random Thoughts

I am feeling like I am not getting anything accomplished lately. I was running things through my head today and there is so much I want to do and I am not sure how much I will actually accomplish. For the reading aspect of my thoughts, I would really like to get my reading numbers up a bit more. I was doing very well at keeping my bookshelves looking neat, but my reading slowed down lately and the overflow is getting noticeable. I noticed this when the cc (charming comedian aka 'the guy') was talking on the phone the other day and told the person he was talking to his workout bench has become a book storage area. This is sadly true. Another thing I need to do is find a better spot for those books. Then, I want to read more R.I.P. books in October because there are still many kicking around that I was hoping to get to sooner rather than later. It didn't really help I was engrossed in Dracula earlier and my e-reader battery died. Is it really bad that my e-reader is only a year old and I want a new one? I really hate that I can't just plug it into the wall; you need to have a computer handy and sometimes that doesn't really work out for me. I wish I had known that before I picked out the Reader I wanted.

Then, some other things that are happening in October are: Continue on with Fragile Things read-along, read The Lantern for a new read-along, read Interview with a Vampire with Suey (and anyone else that is interested), read Northanger Abbey for Jane Austen Week at Historical Tapestry (not to mention watch a couple Jane Austen screen adaptations), and participate in Dueling Monsters 2011. Those are just the things I can think of right now. Oh, I also want to read The Two Towers after successfully re-reading The Fellowship of the Ring in September. October can either be a really awesome month or a very over-whelming one.

Challenge News

I finished Storm Front which counts for Peril of the Group Read for R.I.P.

Weekly Reads

210. Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge (Completed September 25, 2011)
211. The Dresden Files - Volume 1: Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Completed September 29, 2011)
212. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (Completed September 29, 2011)

Only three books... I am never going to make my reading goals for the year.

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (34) and Short Story Sunday - Week 3

Welcome Piper Ella!

Buddy Review: Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier

Mail Woes

Friday Reads - 12th Edition

Birthday Loot

New Additions

Bought:

See Birthday Loot

Borrowed:

Little Princes by Conor Grennan

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Die For Me by Amy Plum

The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Into the Heart of the Country by Pauline Holdstock

Loaded:

Nothing this week...

Received:

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (Macmillan Children)

The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson (Macmillan Children)

Twilight Robbery by Frances Hardinge (Harper Collins Canada)

Through the Glass by Shannon Moroney (Random House Canada)

Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman (Penguin Canada)

Before the Poison by Peter Robinson (Random House Canada)

In Other Worlds by Margaret Atwood (Random House Canada)

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Short Story Sunday - Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman - Week 4

In the introduction to Neil Gaiman's short story collection -- a wildly diverse assortment of horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy, poetry, and speculative fiction -- he explains the book's title: "Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds' eggs and human hearts and dreams, are fragile things, made up of nothing stronger or more lasting than twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks."
Noteworthy selections in this undeniably exceptional collection include the Hugo Award winning "A Study in Emerald," which deftly blends Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's late-19th-century England with gruesome Lovecraftian horror; the Locus Award winning "October in the Chair"; an homage to Ray Bradbury that features the months of the year personified; and "How to Talk to Girls at Parties," a tale featuring two oversexed teenagers from an all-boys school in South London who stumble into a party full of what they take to be hot chicks but are in reality alien tourists! Also included are a brilliant American Gods novella ("Monarch of the Glen") and "Strange Little Girls," a series of, well, strange very short stories that first appeared in a Tori Amos tour book.

Like his previous short story collection (1998's critically acclaimed Smoke and Mirrors), Gaiman's Fragile Things is anything but; this is a powerhouse compilation that proves once again that Gaiman is a true master of short fiction. It's fitting that he dedicates this collection to three short story icons -- Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, and Robert Sheckley.

This is week four of the Read-Along of Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman as part of the R.I.P. Challenge. I will say now that I enjoyed this group of stories more than the previous batch.

Stories Read This Week:

'Good Boys Deserve Favours'

'The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch'
'Strange Little Girls'

'Harlequin Valentine'

'Good Boys Deserve Favours'

I actually went to talk about this story long ago because it was mentioned in the Introduction all ready and I got confused. This story was inspired by a piece of art by Lisa Snelling. If you want to see the piece itself Carl has posted a picture on his blog post for this week. I really enjoy Lisa Snelling's art and I do agree that Neil Gaiman and her go hand-in-hand. She has many pieces that were inspired by him and he apparently gets inspired by her art. The story itself was about another type of art, though. The art of music. This is the story of a little boy who plays the double bass as part of the school music program. It is said that if he takes care of the bass; the bass will take care of him. One day some visitors to the school ask him to play something for them and it is like something else takes over. I always have wished I had wonderful music abilities, but I lack the discipline. I could relate to this story because it echoes my own wishes when I was younger. The story is not entirely memorable, but still enjoyable.

'The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch'

This is a circus story. I am finding that I really enjoy books that centre around circuses lately. This meant that when the characters in this book visit the circus, I got excited. The stories in this book are often someone after the fact telling the reader the events that happened. I think this would translate well to the audio book. I am really going to have reread this collection through audio at some point. This story also follows this idea. Miss Finch is an interesting character. You can tell from the very beginning that circuses are not really her thing, but it is she that gets chosen as part of an act. As a result she gets one thing she desires and that leads to an interesting story and obviously her disappearance. I enjoyed this story and am impressed by the inspiration for it and how it came out about. It is also connected to a picture which Carl has posted in his blog post as well. I think this will be one of my favourite stories from the collection.

'Strange Little Girls'

I am going to be very honest... I had no idea what this was trying to accomplish when I actually read it. I had to go back and read the Introduction to be reminded that it is meant to accompany the Tori Amos CD of the same name. I have never even heard that CD before, so I am afraid I was not entirely sure what to think. I honestly really need to listen to Tori Amos. I know so many people that love her and unless I have happened to hear something without knowing it, I am not entirely sure I have heard anything by her before.

'Harlequin Valentine'

This story was just plain strange. I am also not sure exactly what I made of this one, either. I think part of my problem is that the only time I have ever really had any experience with Harlequin is in Batman; and I didn't really pay much attention to her. I also imagine other than her spunk and energy, she is not exactly what Gaiman is working with in this story. This was actually included in a collection based on a roller coaster by Lisa Snelling. The writers included were each asked to write a story about the characters she included in the piece of work. Neil Gaiman is asked to talk about the Harlequin who takes the tickets. This story is creative, don't get me wrong, but I am thinking it didn't impress me as much as it could have.

Week in Review (34) and Short Story Sunday - Week 3

Random Thoughts

September is feeling like a month where I am reading a lot, but not seeming to accomplish much to show for it. It is frustrating me! I think it is because I have read three books that I really enjoyed this month and it is making everything else dull in comparison, so I am having a hard time getting caught up in the books. I also think that I am probably doing fine reading-wise, but there is just so much else that I want to read and I can't do everything... Hopefully for the last week of the month I can chill out a bit and just have fun!

Challenge News

I finished Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and A Tale Dark & Grimm for the R.I.P. Challenge. Then, I finished The Fellowship of the Rings which is perfect for the R.I.P. Challenge, too. The Poison Eaters is for the Short Story Peril. Prince of Thrones also turns out to work for the challenge.

Weekly Reads

205. A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (Completed September 18, 2011)
206. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (Completed September 21, 2011)

207. The Lord of the Rings: Volume 1 by J.R.R. Tolkien (Completed September 22, 2011)
208. The Poison Eaters: And Other Stories by Holly Black (Completed September 22, 2011)
209. Prince of Thrones: Book One of The Broken Empire by Mark Lawrence (Completed September 23, 2011)

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (33) and Short Story Sunday - Week 2

Storm Front by Jim Butcher - Read-Along - Part 1

Buddy Review: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Buddy Review: When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

Review: Helene Hanff - Two Books and a Movie

Friday Reads - 11th Edition

'The Fellowship of the Ring' Read-Along - Part 3

New Additons

Bought:

Still waiting for one more book from my birthday loot...

Borrowed:

84, Charing Cross Road (movie)

Blameless: An Alexia Tarabotti Novel by Gail Carriger

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Butterfly Cabinet by Bernie McGill

Extensions by Myrna Dey

Loaded:

Nothing this week...

Received:

Nothing this week...

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Short Story Sunday - Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman - Week 3

In the introduction to Neil Gaiman's short story collection -- a wildly diverse assortment of horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy, poetry, and speculative fiction -- he explains the book's title: "Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds' eggs and human hearts and dreams, are fragile things, made up of nothing stronger or more lasting than twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks."

Noteworthy selections in this undeniably exceptional collection include the Hugo Award winning "A Study in Emerald," which deftly blends Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's late-19th-century England with gruesome Lovecraftian horror; the Locus Award winning "October in the Chair"; an homage to Ray Bradbury that features the months of the year personified; and "How to Talk to Girls at Parties," a tale featuring two oversexed teenagers from an all-boys school in South London who stumble into a party full of what they take to be hot chicks but are in reality alien tourists! Also included are a brilliant American Gods novella ("Monarch of the Glen") and "Strange Little Girls," a series of, well, strange very short stories that first appeared in a Tori Amos tour book.

Like his previous short story collection (1998's critically acclaimed Smoke and Mirrors), Gaiman's Fragile Things is anything but; this is a powerhouse compilation that proves once again that Gaiman is a true master of short fiction. It's fitting that he dedicates this collection to three short story icons -- Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, and Robert Sheckley.

This is the third week of the read-along of Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman as part of the R.I.P VI challenge.

Stories Read This Week:

'Going Wodwo'

'Bitter Grounds'

'Other People'

'Keepsakes and Treasures'

'Going Wodwo'

Let's face it, I don't like poetry. I was going to write about this post and I had absolutely no memory of what this was about. I didn't even remember it was a poem until I looked the story up in the collection. I just seem to have a block when it comes to poetry and Neil Gaiman isn't have much luck convincing me otherwise...

'Bitter Grounds'

This is a strange story. A man walks away from his own life and finds himself choosing to live someone else's. On the other hand, he could be dead. I really am not sure what to think of this story. It just seemed rather silly to me and I couldn't really get into it.

'Other People'

This story was just plain creepy. It does take place in the afterlife. It is a very dark story and I am not sure I overly enjoyed very much. I am not crazy about stories where people are tortured. The main character has to tell the truth of his life before he can go free, but then it seems like when he does go free he becomes the torturer. It was a messed up story...

'Keepsakes and Treasures'

Of the four stories read this week, I think this one was probably the only one I can honestly say I liked. Once again a creepy story, but I enjoyed it for the most part. There was one aspect of it that I could have done with out, but it helps explain just how evil Mr. Alice is and how he has human, well, maybe not human, needs just like everyone else. I was mostly interested in Mr. Smith and how he became the character that he is. I understand he appears again in the collection and Gaiman says in the introduction that that there will probably be more from Smith in the future. I could do without Mr. Alice, but Mr. Smith is intriguing.

I have to admit I am pretty 'meh' about these four stories this week. I just didn't like them for th most part and they didn't make a huge impact on me. Hopefully my post next week will be more interesting!

Week in Review (33) and Short Story Sunday - Week 2

Random Thoughts

I am experiencing book overload. There is so much that I want to read and there is just not enough time for everything! I have received books in the mail this week and made a trip to the library, so I do not lack for reading material. The thing is that they are all books I really want to read and I don't have enough time to read everything... You would think this would have prevented me from, I don't know, buying more books! But, I bought more books... I had to get The Lantern for the read-along in October, so that seems to have lead to more purchases. I know I won't get books for my birthday, so I figured I would treat myself. The timing of the read-along just meant the books are arriving a bit before my birthday.

Challenge News

I am still mainly concentrating on the R.I.P. Challenge, but I am attempting to work on the Reading Swap, too. I finished When She Woke. The review of that will be up on Wednesday. I read Breathers and Radiant Shadows, which both count for R.I.P., too. Then, I read The Monk which counts for R.I.P. and the Reading Swap.

Weekly Reads

200.When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (Completed September 14, 2011)
201. Breathers by S.G. Browne (Completed September 15, 2011)
202. Radiant Shadows: A Wicked Lovely Book (Book 4) by Melissa Marr (Completed September 15, 2011)
203. The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis (Completed September 16, 2011)

204. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff (Completed September 17, 2011)

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (32) and Short Story Sunday

Group Read: A Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson - The Final Post

BBAW - Day 1: Community

Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Review: Dead Rules by Randy Russell

BBAW - Day 4: Reading and Blogging

Friday Reads - 10th Edition

'The Fellowship of the Ring' Read-Along - Part 2

New Additions

Bought:

Once all of my birthday purchases I arrive, I will do a separate post...

Borrowed:

The Beggar's Garden: Stories by Michael Christie

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

The Free World by David Bezmogis

Heartless by Gail Carriger (They bought this before book 3... Hopefully book 3 arrives soon!)

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

Red Glove by Holly Black

Bride of New France by Suzanne Desrochers

Better Living Through Plastic Explosives: Stories by Zsuzsi Gartner

Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris

Monoceros by Suzette Mayr

Thieves and Kings Volume 2 by Mark Oakley

Loaded:

Nothing this week...

Received:

Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge (Harper Collins Canada)

Wildwood by Colin Meloy (Harper Collins Canada)

Dark Eden by Patrick Carmen (Harper Collins Canada)

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (From Stephanie from Stephanie's Written Word)

Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Mount Everest by Wade Davis (Random House Canada)

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Short Story Sunday - Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman - Week 2

In the introduction to Neil Gaiman's short story collection -- a wildly diverse assortment of horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy, poetry, and speculative fiction -- he explains the book's title: "Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds' eggs and human hearts and dreams, are fragile things, made up of nothing stronger or more lasting than twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks."

Noteworthy selections in this undeniably exceptional collection include the Hugo Award winning "A Study in Emerald," which deftly blends Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's late-19th-century England with gruesome Lovecraftian horror; the Locus Award winning "October in the Chair"; an homage to Ray Bradbury that features the months of the year personified; and "How to Talk to Girls at Parties," a tale featuring two oversexed teenagers from an all-boys school in South London who stumble into a party full of what they take to be hot chicks but are in reality alien tourists! Also included are a brilliant American Gods novella ("Monarch of the Glen") and "Strange Little Girls," a series of, well, strange very short stories that first appeared in a Tori Amos tour book.

Like his previous short story collection (1998's critically acclaimed Smoke and Mirrors), Gaiman's Fragile Things is anything but; this is a powerhouse compilation that proves once again that Gaiman is a true master of short fiction. It's fitting that he dedicates this collection to three short story icons -- Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, and Robert Sheckley.

This is the second week of the read-along of Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman as part of the R.I.P. Challenge VI.

Stories Read This Week:

'The Hidden Chamber'

'Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire'

'The Flints of Memory Lane'

'Closing Time'

Thoughts:

I have found myself involved in a lot of projects this month, so I am actually read a story a day out of this collection now. This means that when I post could be way after I have actually read the story. I am trying to remember to write up a post every time I finish four stories, but that might not always happen knowing me...

'The Hidden Chamber'

When I read about this in the Introduction I was thinking about how he says it is going to be 'Gothic' and a retelling of something like 'Bluebeard'. Then, I got to the part about it being a poem and I was disappointed. I would have much rather had a Gothic retelling of 'Bluebeard' as a story. It has not been very long since I finished this poem and it has all ready left me. I even tried reading it aloud in the hopes it would stick with me longer. That didn't appear to work either! I am thinking I will just never be much of a poetry person.

'Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire'

That is an insanely long title for a short story, I must say. In the Introduction Gaiman points out that he wrote this story a while ago, but when he tried to get it published there was no real interest. Twenty years later the story went out to win awards and be included in best-of anthologies. That says something about an early attempt at writing! This was a fun story. There is a certain favourite writing advice about writing what you know, but the author of this story is having a hard time with that. We get a glimpse into his writing process and you quickly learn that what he knows is not what we know. It makes for a fun story!

'The Flints of Memory Lane'

This is a ghost story. It is too short of a story to go into much detail without ruining it, so I will leave it at that. I enjoyed it, though, but then I like ghost stories for most part. **Note: This was longer, but I was talking about the wrong story. The comment will reappear in the future for the correct story!

'Closing Time'

This story was interesting. You remember when you are young and will basically do anything to prove that you are just like your peers? Well, this story takes that idea and puts a very interesting spin on it. The narrator tells it like a ghost story, but it was something that really happened to him. It just goes to show you that very interesting things happen to rather ordinary people. I enjoy the idea of a group of people sitting around at a bar telling ghost stories. It is very atmospheric.

Week in Review (32) and Short Story Sunday

Random Thoughts

Since I am involved in a few read-alongs over the next couple months, there might be multi-purpose posts for the next little while. I don't want to post two times a day because usually means at least one of the posts doesn't get noticed, but if these multi-purpose posts are too much I might have to.

As I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with things lately, I was very excited to find the first two Bone books at the second-hand store. I read them through the library before and now I can reread them with my own copies. I will probably slowly buy the rest of the series unless I can luck into more second-hand. I always found a couple others, but they were later in the series.

Challenge News

I read Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie. This book is about death, so that makes me think it counts for the R.I.P. challenge. Then, after a lot of thinking, I decided that Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier also counts for the challenge. It is actually a dark book more than a light-hearted one. The one that fits the best, though, is The Night Circus. I loved that book!!

Weekly Reads

194. Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie (Completed September 5, 2011)
195. Son of the Shadows (Sevenwaters Series, Book 2) by Juliet Marillier (Completed September 5, 2011)

196. Annabel by Kathleen Winter (Completed September 8, 2011)
197. Bone - Volume 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith (Completed September 8, 2011)
198. Bone - Volume 2: The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith (Completed September 9, 2011)
199. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Completed September 10, 2011)

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (31)

Group Read - A Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson - Part 4 & 5

August in Review

Review: Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey

Review: Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Friday Reads - 9th Edition

Six Sentence Saturday - September 10, 2011 & 'The Fellowship of the Ring' Read-Along - Week 1

New Additions

Bought:

Nothing this week...

Borrowed:

Nothing this week...

Loaded:

Nothing this week...

Received:

The Postmortal by Drew Magary

Leningrad by Anna Reid

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Short Story Sunday - Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman - Week 1

In the introduction to Neil Gaiman's short story collection -- a wildly diverse assortment of horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy, poetry, and speculative fiction -- he explains the book's title: "Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds' eggs and human hearts and dreams, are fragile things, made up of nothing stronger or more lasting than twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks."

Noteworthy selections in this undeniably exceptional collection include the Hugo Award winning "A Study in Emerald," which deftly blends Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's late-19th-century England with gruesome Lovecraftian horror; the Locus Award winning "October in the Chair"; an homage to Ray Bradbury that features the months of the year personified; and "How to Talk to Girls at Parties," a tale featuring two oversexed teenagers from an all-boys school in South London who stumble into a party full of what they take to be hot chicks but are in reality alien tourists! Also included are a brilliant American Gods novella ("Monarch of the Glen") and "Strange Little Girls," a series of, well, strange very short stories that first appeared in a Tori Amos tour book.

Like his previous short story collection (1998's critically acclaimed Smoke and Mirrors), Gaiman's Fragile Things is anything but; this is a powerhouse compilation that proves once again that Gaiman is a true master of short fiction. It's fitting that he dedicates this collection to three short story icons -- Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, and Robert Sheckley. Paul Goat Allen

Stories Read This Week:

Introduction

'A Study in Emerald'

'The Fairy Reel'

'Octpber in the Chair'

Thoughts:

Neil Gaiman is a hit-or-miss author with me. I know lots of people love him, but sometimes he just doesn't work for me at all. I still feel a compulsion, though, to read him. I read his first short story collection Smoke & Mirrors a while back and while there were some stories I wasn't hugely fond of, there were many that I enjoyed. If my library had a copy of this one, I probably would have read it by now. I just kept putting off reading it because other books caught my attention, but after reading a Charles de Lint short story collection with Carl, I decided that I wanted to finally tackle this one and suggested it for R.I.P. VI.

Introduction:

This is not a short story, but is really the introduction to the book. It includes a bonus short story, though, and that was a rather fun idea. I actually enjoyed the introduction because in it he tells the inspiration and reasoning behind every story included in this collection. I enjoyed reading what he thought they were about, how he came to write them, and a bit of insider information. For example, one of the stories in the collection was written as a birthday present for his oldest daughter. These types of facts you would not get from simply reading the stories.

'A Study in Emerald'

In the introduction Gaiman talks extensively about this first story. I believe it is because it won a Hugo in 2004 for Best Short Story. It was included in an anthology where he was asked to write a story where Sherlock Holmes meets H.P. Lovecraft. I am very familiar with Holmes, having read some of his books this year, but this was my first time actually reading anything where I knew it was Lovecraft inspired. I had meant to read Lovecraft last year, but it didn't work out. When you read the actual story you find that Gaiman took a real Holmes story and tweaked it. The title gives that away, of course, as the original is called 'A Study in Scarlet'. I really enjoyed this story!

'The Fairy Reel'

I am not a huge fan of poetry, but in the introduction Gaiman says this poem is fun to read-aloud. So, I waited until I was alone and did read it aloud. I agree, it is fun to read that way. I enjoyed my experience with this one.

'October in the Chair'

This story won the Locus Award for Best Short Story in 2003. In the story, the months of the year are gathered around a camp-fire to tell stories. When it is October's turn, he tells the story of a living boy who has run away and meets a dead boy in a graveyard. They end up playing together and the living boy questions whether he wants to return to his old world and how things were there. In the introduction Gaiman says that this was the 'dry run' for the lead-up to what would be known as The Graveyard Book. That is is easily my favourite Gaiman novel, so I really appreciated this story.

Overall, I enjoyed the first part of this short story collection. I look forward to next weeks reading. I know there will be some stories that I do not love, but there should be enough good ones to balance things out. That is the way of short story collections. If you are joining in for the read-along, or have read these stories in the past, what did you think of them? Is there anyone reading along that this is their first experience with Gaiman? If so, what did you think?