Can't Wait Wednesday #191 - Robots Vs. Fairies

Can't Wait Wednesday is a new weekly meme hosted here to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 
 
This week's choice is -

Robots Vs. Fairies - ed. Navah Wolfe & Dominik Parisien

ISBN - 9781481462365

Publisher - Saga Press

Release date - January 9th, 2018

Find - Goodreads | Book Depository | Wordery

A unique anthology of all-new stories that challenges authors to throw down the gauntlet in an epic genre battle and demands an answer to the age-old question: Who is more awesome - robots or fairies?

Rampaging robots! Tricksy fairies! Facing off for the first time in an epic genre death match!

People love pitting two awesome things against each other. Robots vs. Fairies is an anthology that pitches genre against genre, science fiction against fantasy, through an epic battle of two icons.

On one side, robots continue to be the classic sci-fi phenomenon in literature and media, from Asimov to WALL-E, from Philip K. Dick to Terminator. On the other, fairies are the beloved icons and unquestionable rulers of fantastic fiction, from Tinkerbell to Tam Lin, from True Blood to Once Upon a Time. Both have proven to be infinitely fun, flexible, and challenging. But when you pit them against each other, which side will triumph as the greatest genre symbol of all time?

There can only be one… or can there?

Way back at the beginning of 2016, I did a Wow feature on the previous anthology to this, The Starlit Wood, and could have passed out with sheer joy over most of the authors featured. I still don't have a copy of it because how expensive it is!!! Even on Kindle... And now there's a new anthology to drool over! And the authors this time? Just as good, if not better. Christmas is coming, and my birthday, so both are going on the 'you must buy me these books' list. In the meantime, have a look at the authors writing about rampaging robots and tricksy fairies.

Mary Robinette Kowal 

Ken Liu  

Jonathan Maberry 

Seanan McGuire  

Annalee Newitz 

Tim Pratt 

John Scalzi

Lavie Tidhar 

Catherynne M. Valente

Alyssa Wong 

Madeline Ashby

Lila Bowen

Jeffrey Ford,

Sarah Gailey

Max Gladstone

Maria Dahvana Headley

Jim C. Hines

Kat Howard 

R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril XII

For the last 11 years, Carl from Stainless Steel Droppings has hosted the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge, a.k.a. as the R.I.P. Challenge. This year Andi from Estella's Revenge and Heather from My Capricious Life are hosting so I'm leaping in with both feet and signing up for all the options, books, short stories, on the screen, and (if my library has a copy) the group read of Slade House.

I'm not sure what I'm going to read, hence the very short list below, but it will involve both YA and adult fiction from the following R.I.P. categories - 

Mystery.

Suspense.

Thriller.

Dark Fantasy.

Gothic.

Horror.

Supernatural.

I'll keep this as my master post so will add links to anything I read or watch and will add books to my R.I.P. TBR as I think of them.

To Read

The Crow Garden - Alison Littlewood

Path Of Needles - Alison Littlewood

Sleeping Beauties - Stephen & Owen King

Such Small Hands - Andres Barba

The Orphan Choir - Sophie Hannah

Arrowood - Mick Finlay 

The Woman In Black - Susan Hill

Frozen Charlotte - Alex Bell
Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
Coraline - Neil Gaiman
The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman
Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen

To Watch

IT - Stephen King (Original Mini-Series)

The Mist (Netflix series)

Reviews

The Orphan Choir
Arrowood

Waiting On Wednesday #148 - Warlock Holmes

Waiting On Wednesday, where we put the spotlight on upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating, is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

This week's choice is -

Warlock Holmes: A Study In Brimstone - G S Denning

ISBN - 9781783299713

Publisher - Titan

Release date - May 17 2016

Find - Goodreads | Book Depository

Sherlock Holmes is an unparalleled genius who uses the gift of deduction and reason to solve the most vexing of crimes.

Warlock Holmes, however, is an idiot. A good man, perhaps; a font of arcane power, certainly. But he’s brilliantly dim. Frankly, he couldn’t deduce his way out of a paper bag. The only thing he has really got going for him are the might of a thousand demons and his stalwart flatmate. Thankfully, Dr. Watson is always there to aid him through the treacherous shoals of Victorian propriety… and save him from a gruesome death every now and again.

An imaginative, irreverent and addictive reimagining of the world’s favourite detective, Warlock Holmes retains the charm, tone and feel of the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle while finally giving the flat at 221b Baker Street what it’s been missing for all these years: an alchemy table.

Reimagining six stories, this riotous mash-up is a glorious new take on the ever-popular Sherlock Holmes myth, featuring the vampire Inspector Vladislav Lestrade, the ogre Inspector Torg Grogsson, and Dr. Watson, the true detective at 221b. And Sherlock. A warlock.

I love Sherlock Holmes, a lot. Titan also loves Sherlock, they do a vast array of reimaginings and so on and this is the latest offering. Except it's not Sherlock Holmes this time, it's Warlock Holmes and the great detective is an idiot... I'm intrigued to see what six stories they've chosen and I can't wait to meet the vampire Inspector Lestrade!

Best Of Apex Magazine Volume One - Lesley Conner & Jason Sizemore

Whether wandering down endless stairwells, searching for answers in the desert, or reaching out to the stars, for more than six years Apex Magazine has entertained readers with stories that are strange, beautiful, shocking, and surreal. Now, for the first time, editors Jason Sizemore and Lesley Conner are collecting the award winning and nominated stories, those chosen by readers as Story of the Year, and their own personal favorites into one anthology.

A Veil that wipes the experiences of war from soldiers’ memories. A witch who faces down both God and the devil to save a soul. A swaying dance that crosses the galaxy to transmit a message. A vampire caught in a web of politics and law by his responsibility to his family. Within this collection, you will find 21 stories that explore what it means to love, to regret, to be human.

With stories by Ursula Vernon, Ken Liu, Rachel Swirsky, Sarah Pinsker, Rich Larson, and more, Best of Apex Magazine: Volume 1 brings readers some of the best stories Apex Magazine has published so far, chosen by editors Lesley Conner and Jason Sizemore.

Where to start? All the stories are good, that's why they're in this compilation but some were quite simply outstanding. Of the 21 stories I loved most of them, never an easy feat in an anthology, and I think there was one that I didn't really warm to.This is one of the best anthologies I've read for a while, it was a pleasure to read and get lost in. It became a nightly treat to sit down, relax and read a couple of the stories before switching off for the night and I'm now working my way through the Apex volumes I had on my Kindle because if there are any half as good this collection? Well, they must be pretty special.

Favorites included both stories by Ursula Vernon, rapidly becoming a favorite author for me! Jackalope Wives was beautifully written and reminded me of Charles de Lint's Coyote stories in a way. Pocosin, her other story included, about a dying possum god and the fight for his soul by God, the Devil and Death was an interesting take on Death but thankfully still involved drinking whisky. 

Candy Girl by Chikodili Emelumadu is almost enough to put you off candy for life! It's easy to see why it was nominated for a Shirley Jackson award as I don't think I'll be able to look at a Mars Bar in the same way ever again. If You Were A Dinosaur, My Love by Rachel Swirsky broke my heart and The Performance Artist by Lettie Prell freaked me out even thinking about the possibilities that her story brought up about transferring consciousness.

Armless Maidens Of The American West by Genevieve Valentine was compelling in that awful way as you thought about the fact the researcher in the story knew of enough 'armless maidens' in one section of the country to be able to consider setting up a research project.

Other stories involved aliens, dolls, SETI, vampires, the afterlife, veterans and strange books that appear to converse with you and are all worth reading but my absolute favorite stories were Still Life (A Sexagesimal Fairy Tale) by Ian Tregillis and L'espirit de l'escalier by Peter M Ball. Still Life was addictive reading about a clockmaker called Tink in a city called Nycthemeron and her developing fascination with Valentine, the consort of Queen Perjumbellatrix. Worth reading for the fantastical names alone Still Life tells the tale of time and love and how time literally flies for some but stands still for others. L'espirit de l'escalier was the heartbreaking tale of a grieving man, visiting the Endless Stairwell with the the ashes of his fiancee as they never got to visit whilst she was alive. This was my favorite overall I think but also scared the living daylights out of me as I've had a recurring dream about a bottomless staircase ever since I was tiny so it was weird to read about one after all this time.

If you're at all a fan of short stories then you definitely need to check this volume out. Lesley and Jason have put together a great collection of stories that kept me hooked all the way through. A special mention must also be made of the cover artist, Adrian Borda, whose “Life is a Dance in The Rain III” makes for an amazing cover and features mechanical items performing human actions. I'm off now to renew my subscription to Apex as I can't wait to read more fantastic short stories!

 

Best Of Apex Magazine - ed. Lesley Conner & Jason Sizemore

ISBN - 9781937009373

Publisher - Apex Book Company 

Release date - January 12 2016

Find - Goodreads | Book Depository

Many thanks to Lesley Conner and Apex Magazine for providing me with a review copy of Best Of Apex Magazine!

Waiting On Wednesday #146 - The Starlit Wood; New Fairy Tales

Waiting On Wednesday, where we put the spotlight on upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating, is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

This week's choice is -

The Starlit Wood: New Fairy Tales - ed. Navah Wolfe & Dominik Parisien 

Publisher - Saga Press

Release date - October 2016

Find - Goodreads

Once upon a time in the desert, in a tower, on a spaceship, in the Other Country...

For centuries, storytellers have crafted timeless tales that have always found a place in our hearts. Here, a new generation of critically acclaimed, award-winning writers have taken up their mantle and shaped traditional and extraordinary fairy tales into something startling and electrifying.

From castles to canyons, a post-human landscape to a pixelated dungeon, from the far future to fantastical realms, The Starlit Wood transforms eighteen stories you thought you knew and takes you on a journey at once unexpected and familiar across time, space, and amazing new worlds.

OMG... This might just turn out to be one of my top ten most anticipated books of 2016 and it's a long wait until October. Just look who the authors are!

Charlie Jane Anders 

Aliette de Bodard  

Jeffrey Ford,  

Max Gladstone 

Theodora Goss 

Daryl Gregory 

Kat Howard,  

Stephen Graham Jones

Margo Lanagan  

Marjorie M. Liu  

Seanan McGuire

Garth Nix

Naomi Novik

Sofia Samatar

Karin Tidbeck

Catherynne M. Valente 

Genevieve Valentine 

Amal El-Mohtar  

Most of these authors are ones that I would read a shopping list if the published them and I think there's only three authors that I haven't read anything by them before.

Waiting On Wednesday #124 - Slasher Girls & Monster Boys

Waiting On Wednesday, where we put the spotlight on upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating, is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

This week's choice is -

Slasher Girls & Monster Boys - April Genevieve Tucholke (ed.)

ISBN - 9780803741737

Publisher - Dial

Release date - August 8 2015

Find - Goodreads | Book Depository

For fans of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Lois Duncan, and Daphne Du Maurier comes a powerhouse anthology featuring some of the best writers of YA thrillers and horror

A host of the smartest young adult authors come together in this collection of scary stories and psychological thrillers curated by Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’s April Genevieve Tucholke.

Each story draws from a classic tale or two - sometimes of the horror genre, sometimes not - to inspire something new and fresh and terrifying. There are no superficial scares here; these are stories that will make you think even as they keep you on the edge of your seat. From bloody horror to supernatural creatures to unsettling, all-too-possible realism, this collection has something for any reader looking for a thrill.

Fans of TV’s The Walking Dead, True Blood, and American Horror Story will tear through tales by these talented authors:

Stefan Bachmann
Leigh Bardugo
Kendare Blake
A. G. Howard
Jay Kristoff
Marie Lu
Jonathan Maberry
Danielle Paige
Carrie Ryan
Megan Shepherd
Nova Ren Suma
McCormick Templeman
April Genevieve Tucholke
Cat Winters

Eeeek! Look at that list of authors! Even if I didn't like short story collections or horror/thriller stories I think I'd be buying this one anyway. And I love the cover, it's kind of creepy in its own unique way...

Book Haul #95

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly event hosted on Tynga's Reviews where we can share what new books we've picked up this past week be they bought, borrowed or downloaded. There are also lots of other 'book haul' memes out there for you to choose from!

Well, if I stick to my resolutions (or goals) this is the first of many hauls where I don't mention huge amounts of books that I've bought! I'm off to France later this year for a fabulous holiday so need to start saving like crazy for it. This means drastically cutting back on my book buying (and my everything else buying) and sticking to my 'you can buy 3 books a month if you've donated at least 25 to the library' goal. This means my library get some great books, I still get the thrill of buying books but without overdoing it and I can finally clear some space on my shelf to get rid of some of the stacks on the floor I have teetering around the house!

Bought

Suspicion

Kindle

Neverland's Library

For Review

R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril IX

 The amazing art used for all the R.I.P. banners are the property of the wonderful Abigail Larson.

I have been meaning to take part in R.I.P. for the last five years but always remember too late! This year, I'm only a couple of days late so I'm going for it.

Stories can make us look back over our shoulders and question every creak and groan on a dark, quiet night. Stories can cause our hearts to race with ever-increasing tension as we forgo sleep to rush towards a surprising conclusion. Stories can make us suspicious of every character as we challenge the protagonist to be the first to solve the crime. Stories can make us sleep with the lights on, make us pull the covers just a little bit tighter, and can make every shadow seem menacing.

Be they our favorite cozy mysteries, exciting police procedurals, classic tales about things that go bump in the night or contemporary terrors that chill us to the bone, there is something delicious about the ability of the printed word to give us a fright. At no time of the year is this more of a delight than when Summer heat turns to Autumn chill as the days become ever darker.

You can choose books from any/all of the below and there are different levels of peril!

Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.

 I'm going for Peril the First, four books fitting the above but I'm hoping I'll read more than four!

I've got so many short story compilations to read I'm going to use R.I.P. as an excuse to read stories from at least two different collections!

I love horror movies, thrillers, any movie that sends a shiver down your back or makes you jump basically! I've already watched my first movie for Peril of the Screen but I'm hoping to fit in at least ten or more movies for my favorite time of year. I'll add pics as I watch them here.

Solo AKA Alone

I'm also really excited to join the group read this year. I've been looking for an excuse to re-read The Haunting of Hill House for a while as I'm a fan of Shirley Jackson's writing. If you want to join in click here and sign up. The group read has already started but the discussion isn't until October 1st  so you have still have nearly a month to read this great book.

Book Haul #76

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly event hosted on Tynga's Reviews where we can share what new books we've picked up this past week be they bought, borrowed or downloaded. There are also lots of other 'book haul' memes out there for you to choose from!

I really didn't mean to buy anything this week but I had a few 'slip-ups', I'm meant to be saving all my money for the fun I'm going to have at LFCC/YALC in July where I know there's going to be so much I want and I'll be mad with myself if I don't have the money! It's not too bad though, I had a gift certificate which covered the cost of two books (one of which, Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge, I had to buy, she's going to be at LFCC and I would love her to sign my books!) and the books I bought on my Kindle were cheap (as in 36p/21 cents for Among the Thorns, I know I could read it for free on Tor's website but I love that cover so had to buy it!) or free - the prequel for Skylar Dorset's faery novel, The Girl Who Never Was, out in June. And eeek! I got approved for The Girls At The Kingfisher Club, which is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, set in the Roaring Twenties, and they're flappers!

Bought

Wayfarer | Fly By Night | Fearsome Journeys

Kindle

Among the Thorns | The Girl Who Kissed A Lie | The Dark King

Review

The Girls at the Kingfisher Club | The Raven's Banquet | Magic City: Recent Spells

Blog Tours

Glaze | Boneseeker

Book Haul #60

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly event hosted on Tynga's Reviews and Letterbox Love is a UK edition hosted by Narratively Speaking. Here we can share what new books we've picked up this past week. There are also lots of other 'book haul' memes out there for you to choose from!

So... This week turned out to be quite bookish, especially for someone who is on a BOOK BUYING BAN! A few books I'd preordered from Book Depository turned up (not that I spent any money because I ordered them last year and paid at the time of ordering so no real money spent!) I sent off a couple of old text books last week to trade in and got a gift certificate in return so I used that to buy some books for my Kindle (still no real money spent!) Last but not least, it was library week and as I'd gone slightly mad on the old requesting I got a huge stack! Definitely no real money spent there and I donated another 25 books which I'll never read again, I don't know why but I'm suddenly finding it a lot easier to part with books at the moment and I'm in desperate need of more storage space for things that aren't books! Here's what I got this week, next week might be a good week too as it's my birthday and I'm at least hoping to get money to feed my book buying addiction as I don't think I'll get any actual books.

Bought

Cold Spell | Pyramids | Small Gods

The Bread We Eat In Dreams | Hollow City | Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant

Kindle

Burn Bright | Angel Arias | Shine Light

Greta & the Goblin King | Partials | Stiltskin

Indexing | The Witch's Daughter

Review

The Vanishing Season

Library

Woman In Black: Angel of Death | The Daylight Gate | The Quickening

Amber | The Memory of Midnight | The Pilgrims

The Midnight Dress | A Beautiful Evil | How To Love

Feast of Souls | The Paladin Prophecy | Dearly Departed

Fever | Sever | The Winter Ghosts

Cruel Summer | Eve | Fire & Ash

Dark Witch | Oliver & the Seawigs