Once upon a time, I would have said a doorstop was my favourite kind of read: a big chonk I could lose myself in. These days, I have shorter commutes (ahem) and less patience; consequently, I’ve come to love shorter-form. Last year, a third of my reads – and half my favourite reads – were novellas. Today and tomorrow I’ll be wrapping up my thoughts on a few I haven’t yet reviewed.
myth
One set of books that I failed to keep on top of reviews for this year was the Subjective Chaos shortlist. My focus ended up always being finishing the books on time; reviewing them was a bridge too far. Time to put that right – not least because this one went on to win our Blurred Boundaries category!
7 years ago, Alva’s world was shattered by murder. Ever since, she has lived in fear. Now, Alva has a plan for escape. She’s ready to start a new life. But nothing about Alva’s life is quite as it seems…
Top Ten Tuesday is was created by The Broke and the Bookish, and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. We’re celebrating all things spooky for Hallowe’en, so I’m diverting from books to consider the stories that haunt us outside their pages.
October is here: leaves are a-crunching, pumpkin spice is a-calling and Spooktastic Reads is nearly upon us. Will you join us for Wyrd and Wonder’s annual celebration of dark fantasy, Gothic horror and autumnal scares?
Dan Mackmain has a new home, steady work and a fragile happiness… until he’s asked to go manage the renovation of a Cotswold estate. When the Green Man makes it clear Dan must go south, he packs his bags – but why is he needed at Brightwell?
Times are a-changing. Welcome to Jazz Age Mexico, where hemlines and haircuts are getting scandalously short and the lord of the underworld is about to be released from imprisonment…
Daniel Mackmain’s life gains a new complication when an evening walk in the woods puts him near a murder scene without much of an alibi. Dan has his reasons for keeping to himself – but his closely-kept secrets make him look awfully suspicious…
Deep below the waves, the merfolk sing. Only one remembers their past. Only one bears the burden of the truth – and Yetu is crumbling under her terrible responsibility…
Summon your friends! Stock up your book bags of holding! Fear no creaking TBR! It’s May the 1st and you know what that means: it’s the start of an epic month of celebrating the fantastic with Wyrd and Wonder.
When Tobias Finch offers new landowner Henry Silver shelter from the rain, they strike up an unlikely friendship. But Greenhollow holds an irresistible attraction for a folklorist – and so does the Wild Man who lives there.
Circe, the sun-god’s daughter. Circe, the lover of Odysseus. Circe, the witch feared by Gods and men alike. Behind every Greek myth is a history waiting to be revealed…
The Belmans have farmed in Ormeshadow for generations. Returning home after a failed attempt to build a life elsewhere, John Belman binds his son Gideon to the land with ancient legends – and enduring hope.
It’s the most magical time of the year: time for the annual The Dark is Rising readathon. If you’ve never encountered Susan Cooper’s classic, it’s not too late – join us from December 20th for a whirlwind of myth and magic told in lyrical prose that will leave you with goosebumps.
There are many tales of shapeshifting women. Sharon Blackie explores their hidden powers in a collection of retellings by turns cautionary, haunting, and inspirational.
