"Any self respecting Scot knows that a good tartan is the solution to everything: it tells you where you are, where you belong, who your friends and family are."

-Trisha Telep

Better to just steal a kiss and head back to the light, to the land of the living. Best not to stay too long in your paranormal lover’s arms when the lights go out or you’ll never find your way home in the dark.

- Trisha Telep, from Kiss me Deadly.

Corsets & Clockwork: 13 Steampunk Romances, edited by Trisha Telep

Read time: 13 days Rating: 3/5

The quote: "And although she might seem a tad lighthearted to the steampunk purist, beneath her too tight corset, intricate internal hairstyle (which can be reduced to cinders by a well placed bomb, and optimistic desire for love beats the heart of a true pioneer adventurer and a suitably fierce addition to the steampunk family tree." - Trisha Telep

I like steampunk for the strong female characters. And Corsets and Clockwork is directed at people at an age of development where they are trying to find out what is healthy and normal. These characters while in different circumstances give them some guide. These are short stories. I definitely found some more appealing than others. Michael Scott's Deadwood and Tessa Gratton's King of the Greenlight City were faves, The Vast Machinery of Dreams by Caitlin Kittredge and Chickie Hill's Badass Ride by Dia Reeves less so. Some felt much some like fantasy than steampunk. Would recommend to young women but not steampunk aficionados. It suited my needs, getting me back into regular reading. Goodreads

Blood Song by Lynda Hilburn

Music can cure anything... including vampirism apparently.... #LyndaHilburn

Title: Blood Song Author: Lynda Hilburn In: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance (Trisha Telep) Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves: Music, Paranormal romance, Vampires Dates read: 6th December 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2009 5th sentence, 74th page: What the hell, Ethan?

Ethan has roamed this earth, cursed for decades. Yet,…

View On WordPress

Micro Review Tag

Tagged by @flamingmirrorbookish. Thanks!

This round’s prompt: Currently Reading!

Rules:

Join in even if you haven’t been tagged.

Answer as elaborately as you want.

Tag friends to make their own micro reviews.

Use the #microreview hashtag (optional).

I’m reading a couple of books now. Ha!

1)

Title and author: Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones

Total pages: 383

Page you’re on: 136

Thoughts so far: Eh, I’m not really enjoying it as much. It doesn’t have the same feel to me as Howl’s Moving Castle. Maybe things will get better since he has the genie and is continuing his journey.  

Try your best to guess how it will end: I’m guessing good? He finds Flower-in-the-Night, the sultan loves him, Howl and fam show up a lot. 🤷‍♀️

Tell us how you really feel –with a gif!

2)

Title and author: Corsets & Clockwork an anthology edited by Trisha Telep

Total pages: 430

Page you’re on: 340

Thoughts so far: I like most of the stories. Some I loved and some are misses.  

Try your best to guess how it will end: Umm...it’s not a story story soooo can’t really answer that.

Tell us how you really feel –with a gif!

Öp Beni Öldüresiye - Trisha Telep - PDF İndir http://www.kitapindir.in/2017/12/op-beni-olduresiye-trisha-telep-pdf.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

#BoutofBooks 20 Final Stats: I only finished 2 books (0 read start to finish) and read 200 pages of a 3rd. 😕 783 pages total Not my week. 😢 . . . I finished The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance (512 pages), edited by Trisha Telep, first. I began this 'thon on page 149 and read 364 pages. I finished it on Day Four. (It took me way too long to read all the stories in this collection. 😭) . . . I next finished Cynful (Halle Shifters, #2) by Dana Marie Bell (259 pages). I began Bout of Books on page 41 and read 219 pages. I finished this book on Day Five. (It also took me too long to read this book. Three days total on which I read and it had less than 300 pages? 😭) . . . And lastly, as the bottom picture in the above collage shows, I read just 200 pages of Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman (293 pages). And considering that I started this book on Thursday, and it's going to take me FIVE days to read it (I WILL finish this book tomorrow!), well . . . 😭 . . . Overall, this was a disappointing Readathon week for me. And since I also failed at the 7in7Readathon, I really think #TomeTopple in the first half of this month put me into a sort of reading slump. Reading six tomes back-to-back must have broken my brain. 😕 And I had so many books - and such plans! - to read in August, too. 😕😢😭 . . . #NotMyWeek and #NotMyMonth 😕😢😭

The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 edited by Trisha Telep

The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 edited by Trisha Telep

Title: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2Author: Trisha Telep, Jackie Kessler, Ava Gray, Shirley Damsgaard, Nathalie Gray, Gail Carriger, Moira Rogers, Elissa Wilds, Karen Chance, Sonya Bateman, Sherri Browning Erwin, Michele Hauf, Sharon Ashwood, Lara Adrian, Helen Scott Taylor, S.J. Day, Seressia Glass & Kim LenoxSeries: Mammoth BooksIn: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 (Trisha…

View On WordPress

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love edited by Trisha Telep

‘Till Death Do Us Part… 

For those who thirst for accounts of paranormal romance, Trisha Telep has compiled some of the most thrilling takes of forbidden love in this collection. First crushes and last rites; dark spells and bright magic; forbidden lovers and enchanted beings — and always, always the hungry games of desire. Pucker up for a darkly sweet collection of ghosts, shape shifters, fairies, unicorns, vampires, and demons in tales from today’s biggest writers of the paranormal persuasion. 

Finished this earlier. This is my first book of short stories or really any short stories… I have a problem with letting go and the character in short stories just leave to fast, you know? Anyway, I picked this up because I’ve read 3 of the authors books before and I thought I’d take a chance. Overall, I am satisfied. There were 2 I didn’t really like and 1 that I was eh about. BUT two ( My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent and The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan) of the ones from the authors were like back story one a semi main character from each series which are some of my favorite series and made me like the character more. The one thing that kind of surprised me was that there was less romance than I was expecting… there was LOVE but I forgot that there were other kind of love, not just romance haha. Anyway, like I expected, I really liked some of the stories and they just ended and sad face. The ending of the last story was a nice ending… and I can go on and on but I recommend it. 

Finished Corsets & Clockwork

The last several were really good, there were only a few that were actually sort of blah. So I already posted about this a little here and here. So I will continue where I left off.

Under Amber Skies by Maria V. Snyder takes place in WWII Poland. A young girl's inventor father has been missing for months. Her mother tells her that he is just working long hours day and night making machines for the war effort. The Nazis come looking for him, only to find out that he hasn't actually been there for a long time. This one was kind of sad, but well-written and I'd definitely read it again.

King of the Greenlight City by Tessa Gratton is very much a sweet little love story surrounding a young man learning magic in secret. But the end is a little depressing. Would kind of like to write it over again to fix it, but having a sad ending is refreshing.

The Emperor's Manby Tiffany Trent is set in a mythical land. People have magically been transported from Victorian London to this place full of mysterious creatures. All the great scientists of the Victorian era are saints and their bible is completely scientific. But one man in guard of the princess (thought mad by everyone) opens his eyes to the fact that things aren't really what they appear.

Chickie Hill's Badass Rideby Dia Reeves is set in the 1961 south. The world is "Separate but Equal." A young man by the name of Chickie Hill is an inventor and has suped up a car that can not only move down the road, but across town with the flick of a switch. When a group called the nine-lived that look a little like KKK members from a distance take boys (one a friends younger brother right in front of her), Chickie and his girlfriend Sue Jean work together to try to save them.

The Vast Machinery of Dreamsby Caitlin Kittredge was a little oddly written and it took me a while to get it. But once I did, I liked it. It's about a young man who wants to be a writer and uses the margins of old rule books and magazines and newspapers to scribble his stories. And then he meets a mysterious young woman and becomes ill. But he also writes some of his best work. It's pretty cool how it all comes together.

The final story,Tick, Tick, Boomby Kiersten White, was really cute. The lead is an heiress with a propensity for making bombs contained in pocket watches. She's being pursued by a droll man working alongside her father. But one night while delivering the news to her latest buyer (disguised as a boy) that she needs more time, they are chased and she ends up saving the man. And then he kisses her. And he leaves. She is consumed by the need to find out who this man is. And when she does (thought I figured it out pretty early), she is happily surprised.

So for the most part, I really liked these stories. There were a couple that were a little boring and some that didn't really seem to fit the genre as I understood it. I recommend it, though for anyone who likes paranormal in general. If you like steampunk for all the clockwork and gears and gadgets, you would be best to look elsewhere. But I still recommend you give this a try.

Presenting my #BoutofBooks 20 TBR! 😁 . . . There are two pictures in this post, as some books I hope to read are paper editions (1st picture), while others are on my Kindle (2nd picture). In Picture One, Paper Editions, I hope to read at least five of the following. . . *1-5) Books Six-Ten in the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep; *6) Ill Wind (Weather Warden, Book One) by Rachel Caine; *7) The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance, edited by Trisha Telep (Currently Reading, began #BoutofBooksReadathon on page 149 of 512); *8) Cynful by Dana Marie Bell (Ready to start Chapter Four, on page 41 of 259); *9) A Madness of Angels (Matthew Swift, Book One) by Kate Griffin; and 10) Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. . . . In Picture Two, Kindle Editions, I have three books that I would love to read this week: *1) Firewalker (Stormwalker, Book Two) by Allyson James; *2) Heat Stroke (Weather Warden, Book Two) by Rachel Caine; and *3) Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman. . . . The books that I feel like I have to read in what's left of August are marked with an asterisk. So all except for Persepolis, I guess. (And I'm hoping to read Persepolis, a graphic novel/memoir, during this week's Bout of Books to give myself a break from books of 300+ pages.) 😉 . . . * The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance is a past-due Interlibrary Loan Book. I need to finish it as soon as possible to avoid a horrendous late fee. * Firewalker is due tomorrow and cannot be renewed. * Cynful and Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft need to be read by August 31st for swaps on Swap-Bot.com. * A Madness of Angels and the first two Weather Warden books are August Books of the Month in a group on Goodreads that I help moderate. * And the next five Elemental Assassin books are for a buddy read that I'm doing in that same group on Goodreads. I'm already behind. Reading through Book Ten will bring me current. . . . 😲 So I'd best get back to reading right away if I'm to have any hope of finishing at least half of these books. 😊 . . . Happy Reading to you all! ❤

Answer the Wicked by Kim Lenox

A good way to end this lovely collection... #MammothBooks #KimLenox

Title: Answer the WickedAuthor: Kim LenoxIn: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Paranormal romanceDates read: 5th August 2021Pace: MediumFormat: Short storyPublisher: RobinsonYear: 20105th sentence, 74th page: Her crisply issued instructions echoed in the cavernous space. Malise is a nurse for the elderly, a…

View On WordPress

The Majestic by Seressia Glass

The Majestic #SeressiaGlass

Title: The MajesticAuthor: Seressia GlassIn: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)My Bookshelves: Paranormal romanceDates read: 26th July 2021Pace: MediumFormat: Short storyPublisher: RobinsonYear: 20105th sentence, 74th page: Rinna pressed against him, running her hands over his back just above his kidneys. Rinna has a past. One that she…

View On WordPress

Eve of Warfare by S.J. Day

Will definitely be reading some more of these books! #SJDay #Marked

Title: Eve of WarfareAuthor: S.J. DaySeries: Marked #3.2In: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)My Bookshelves: Angels, Demons, Paranormal romanceDates read: 23rd July 2021Pace: MediumFormat: Short storyPublisher: RobinsonYear: 20105th sentence, 74th page: In the meantime… Marry me, angel. Eve is stuck between two brothers – a fact that makes…

View On WordPress

The Sons of Ra by Helen Scott Taylor

The Sons of Ra #HelenScottTaylor

Title: The Sons of RaAuthor: Helen Scott TaylorIn: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)My Bookshelves: Mythology, Paranormal romanceDates read: 30th June 2021Pace: Slow, Medium, FastFormat: Short storyPublisher: RobinsonYear: 20105th sentence, 74th page: The highlights in his hair shone guinea gold in contrast to the black trousers and black…

View On WordPress

NightDrake by Lara Adrian

NightDrake by Lara Adrian

Title: NightDrakeAuthor: Lara AdrianIn: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)My Bookshelves: Paranormal romanceDates read: 20th June 2021Pace: SlowFormat: Short storyPublisher: RobinsonYear: 20105th sentence, 74th page: I had to admit, if only to myself, I was eager to be rid of it. Nisha is a mercenary cargo shifter, one who is known for being…

View On WordPress