They've sold their soul to the devil - but now the devil wants to sell it back, in exchange for a favor.
This anthology is quite solid. I'm not saying They've sold their soul to the devil - but now the devil wants to sell it back, in exchange for a favor.
This anthology is quite solid. I'm not saying that it's perfect, but I've loved the sheer variation involved, especially considering that every single novella starts from the same premise, the one up above.
Jordan L. Hawk's "Infernal Affairs" is the fluffiest of the bunch. We have a devil working in Infernal Affairs, who manages to botch his very first deal with a human - luckily, there's a lot more going on and the devil gets to redeem himself, if he can enlist said human's help to kick ass. The story is cute, it takes place in the present day and it contains the doggiest infernal hound ever. Also, her hell is the least hellish of the whole. It's a nice romcom, which makes it somewhat at odds with the rest of the anthology (and I realized that even though I love Jordan L. Hawk's stories usually, this time I... thought this one was ok).
T.A. Moore's "Collared" is one hell of a different beast. It's a thriller/horror where hell rots its way through the world - the main character is a former priest who sold his soul, then tried to kill himself, only to be brought back undead. It's disturbing in the way the world festers and turns into a nightmare - and I loved it.
Ginn Hale's "Counterfeit Viscount" is an alternate history sort of story - all the demons in hell came up to earth to redeem themselves, and now their descendants live as subhuman citizens who occasionally dabbles in the dark arts. Archie is impersonating his dead friend and cousin with the help of such a devil, wanting nothing other than to bring down his uncle, the shit of a man who sent him and his dead cousin to fight in a war when they were children. It contains plotting, schemes and houses with trap doors.
C.S. Poe's "11:59" is a story which I forgot was part of this anthology because I forgot it contained a pairing. Not that it bothered me much, I didn't buy the book for the smut. Anyway, Asuka traded his soul and dreams to the devil a long time ago, and only realized too late that "dreams" included things such as hope. The world's run over by nightmares which become real, killing people both from the outside and the inside - and it's gotten so out of hand, that even the devil is worried. Luckily, Asuka can't fall prey to inner nightmares (no dreams, remember?) which makes him perfect to destroy the root of this madness.
Rhys Ford's "Wonderland City" takes place in Lewis Carroll's Wonderland, which is a pretty terrifying place, where queens are mad, white rabbits are killers and human children can wreak havoc just by existing. It's quite creative, even if a bit disturbing.
"Dark Favors" by Jodan Castillo Price has a world in which the devil chooses his own, and they trade in favors of all sorts. And now the devil wants one of his own to kill one of the Chosen. The world building's pretty good, but I'm not so sure about the action or the romance. Something seems off, but I'm a bit too tired to analyze what.
Merged review:
They've sold their soul to the devil - but now the devil wants to sell it back, in exchange for a favor.
This anthology is quite solid. I'm not saying that it's perfect, but I've loved the sheer variation involved, especially considering that every single novella starts from the same premise, the one up above.
Jordan L. Hawk's "Infernal Affairs" is the fluffiest of the bunch. We have a devil working in Infernal Affairs, who manages to botch his very first deal with a human - luckily, there's a lot more going on and the devil gets to redeem himself, if he can enlist said human's help to kick ass. The story is cute, it takes place in the present day and it contains the doggiest infernal hound ever. Also, her hell is the least hellish of the whole. It's a nice romcom, which makes it somewhat at odds with the rest of the anthology (and I realized that even though I love Jordan L. Hawk's stories usually, this time I... thought this one was ok).
T.A. Moore's "Collared" is one hell of a different beast. It's a thriller/horror where hell rots its way through the world - the main character is a former priest who sold his soul, then tried to kill himself, only to be brought back undead. It's disturbing in the way the world festers and turns into a nightmare - and I loved it.
Ginn Hale's "Counterfeit Viscount" is an alternate history sort of story - all the demons in hell came up to earth to redeem themselves, and now their descendants live as subhuman citizens who occasionally dabbles in the dark arts. Archie is impersonating his dead friend and cousin with the help of such a devil, wanting nothing other than to bring down his uncle, the shit of a man who sent him and his dead cousin to fight in a war when they were children. It contains plotting, schemes and houses with trap doors.
C.S. Poe's "11:59" is a story which I forgot was part of this anthology because I forgot it contained a pairing. Not that it bothered me much, I didn't buy the book for the smut. Anyway, Asuka traded his soul and dreams to the devil a long time ago, and only realized too late that "dreams" included things such as hope. The world's run over by nightmares which become real, killing people both from the outside and the inside - and it's gotten so out of hand, that even the devil is worried. Luckily, Asuka can't fall prey to inner nightmares (no dreams, remember?) which makes him perfect to destroy the root of this madness.
Rhys Ford's "Wonderland City" takes place in Lewis Carroll's Wonderland, which is a pretty terrifying place, where queens are mad, white rabbits are killers and human children can wreak havoc just by existing. It's quite creative, even if a bit disturbing.
"Dark Favors" by Jodan Castillo Price has a world in which the devil chooses his own, and they trade in favors of all sorts. And now the devil wants one of his own to kill one of the Chosen. The world building's pretty good, but I'm not so sure about the action or the romance. Something seems off, but I'm a bit too tired to analyze what....more
Suntem în 2045 și, cumva, comunismul s-a întors. E aproape identic cu cel vechi. Casa Poporul a fost dărâmată și în locul ei a fost construită Casa. PSuntem în 2045 și, cumva, comunismul s-a întors. E aproape identic cu cel vechi. Casa Poporul a fost dărâmată și în locul ei a fost construită Casa. Părintele Națiunii conduce o Românie aliată cu Rusia. Lumea suferă de frig și foame și stă în întuneric. Securitatea există. Dar și social media.
În acest decor „futurist”, o fată e aleasă în Consiliul celor 301, care pare a fi un fel de Parlamento-Guverno-chestie alcătuită doar din tineri de 18-22 de ani care slujesc un mandat de patru ani și care sunt aleși pe baza unui Algoritm care funcționează într-un fel pe care nu-l știe nimeni. Tara Medinski e fiică de trădător al patriei, așa că e foarte neclar de ce a fost aleasă.
Tara e suprem de neinteresată de toți și de toate, așa că nu aflăm decât că trebuie să aleagă una dintre trei facțiuni politice căreia să i se alăture (constructori, economiști, războinici), cu care nu interacționează decât ca să fie amenințată/presată de conducătorii lor. În rest, zero informații despre ce fac efectiv facțiunile sau cum conduc țara.
Își găsește o prietenă petrecăreață și îi place de un tip atât de atractiv încât nu ni-l poate descrie. E foarte periculos, pentru că unii vor poate și s-o omoare din motive neelucidate. Ah, și e o rezistență pe acolo care îi spune să voteze contra unei legi atât de idioate încât și în lipsă de informații despre lume ne prindem că e proastă.
La final, descoperă că Părintele Națiunii face o a patra facțiune, cea ortodoxă. Lucru de care suntem siguri că e nașpa, dar din păcate, cum ziceam mai sus, avem zero informații despre ce fac efectiv facțiunile sau cum conduc țara.
This is the first time I think Hachi isn't in love, and it's heartbreaking to see it. This is the first time I think Hachi isn't in love, and it's heartbreaking to see it. ...more
If you've been reading Holly Jackson, then you've probably read "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" first, since that's her big series (not with a TV seriIf you've been reading Holly Jackson, then you've probably read "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" first, since that's her big series (not with a TV series adaptation!), and, to be honest, that one's great. It takes its time, it explores and develops characters, it has a bit of a domino effect when it comes to consequences and, overall, it's aamzing.
"Five Survive" is a very different story, short and breathless, restricted to a single night in an RV, with a sniper demanding a secret from one of the people trapped inside (but which one?). And Holly Jackson decided to subvert some of the thriller tropes with this one, sprinkling in some realism. (view spoiler)[The natural leader is a dumbass, but people listen to him because he sounds authoritative. Escaping from an active shooter situation isn't a matter of being clever and setting up traps. Deciding to risk it sometimes doesn't work out. (hide spoiler)]
După ce începi să te prinzi cine sunt personajele și nu te mai pierzi în multitudinea lor, începe să fie o carte chiar citibilă, chiar dacă apăsătoareDupă ce începi să te prinzi cine sunt personajele și nu te mai pierzi în multitudinea lor, începe să fie o carte chiar citibilă, chiar dacă apăsătoare, despre o familie dintr-un sat de la care nici Dumnezeu nu cere multe. Bărbații sunt bețivi, femeile nu ies singure din groapa în care au ajuns, căsniciile se destramă, copiii se străduiesc să ajungă undeva în viață, dar par sortiți eșecului. Totul e greu, nimic nu merge și tot așa, tot așa....more
So creepy and atmospheric, with the bitter zest of irony squeezed in, seeping into lines covering the fear brought on by horror. I loved it, which usuSo creepy and atmospheric, with the bitter zest of irony squeezed in, seeping into lines covering the fear brought on by horror. I loved it, which usually isn't the case for zombie stories for me.
I now need to go re-read "The Fall of the House of Usher", I think....more
Andrei e graphic designer, lucrează de acasă și nu-i place viața lui. Andrei face foarte puține lucruri ca să schimbe ceva și uită uși și geamuri descAndrei e graphic designer, lucrează de acasă și nu-i place viața lui. Andrei face foarte puține lucruri ca să schimbe ceva și uită uși și geamuri deschise în mijlocul iernii. Andrei o dă cu bâta-n baltă la muncă și, decât să-și ceară scuze sau să facă ceva constructiv, ar prefera să moară. Nu fiți ca Andrei....more
The real fortune is the friends we found along the way.
"Legends & Lattes" is cute. A retired orc fighter starts a coffee shop and gathers people alonThe real fortune is the friends we found along the way.
"Legends & Lattes" is cute. A retired orc fighter starts a coffee shop and gathers people along the way, helping her set up a successful business in a cosmopolitan city where coffee is virtually unknown. Not much else happens. It's all vibes. This is fine. Nice, even.
Personally, I kind of felt like something was lacking. Not the plot, that was fine. Some extra descriptions of the world, maybe. Some more interactions between the characters. The terrible lack of options if the espresso machine is gone (You have a stove! You can offer Turkish coffee! You can brew it with cardamom, which you also have! All the options! You don't need to stick to US cafe culture! Ok, I'll shut up now). Overall, it's a decent idea, well written, but for me it lacked a certain something.
(Oh, in this particular volume there's also a bonus story from back in the fighting days that's decent.)...more
O oportunitate ratată. Viața naratoarei este impresionantă, dar romanul se pierde în scene nelegate între ele care taie din forța ideilor principale, O oportunitate ratată. Viața naratoarei este impresionantă, dar romanul se pierde în scene nelegate între ele care taie din forța ideilor principale, care idei principale nu apucă nici ele să fie suficient de bine dezvoltate. Revelațiile din final nu doar că vin complet pe nepusă masă, dar nici nu au acel impact emoțional pe care l-ar fi putut avea dacă scena ar fi fost pregătită pentru ele....more
This series is soooo goood. Hachi's choices in life and self-delusion continue in force, but I feel for her; she's such a delightful, cute disaster. NThis series is soooo goood. Hachi's choices in life and self-delusion continue in force, but I feel for her; she's such a delightful, cute disaster. Nana is kick-ass, but I'm worried about her vulnerable side.
Nothing heartbreaking happens, so why am I heartbroken?...more
"Where'd You Go, Bernadette" is cute. But not cute enough for me to forgive its faults.
Bee is 15 years old and, the daughter of a guy who's huge in M"Where'd You Go, Bernadette" is cute. But not cute enough for me to forgive its faults.
Bee is 15 years old and, the daughter of a guy who's huge in Microsoft and Bernadette, who used to be a kick-ass architect. Because Bee only got top grades in school for years, her parents decided to give her a gift - whatever she wants. And she wants to go to Antarctica. But this takes second place to all the Drama around her.
Bernadette is a shitty person - but shitty in a Seinfeld sort of way. A relatable shitty who will call people she dislikes "gnats" and put up a huge sign in her back yard to spite her annoying neighbor. And in this, she's the most sympathetic character of the cast, because while she's comically snarky, she's never *evil*, just spiteful.
Bee's father (let's call him Mister Forgettable - MF for short) thinks Bernadette is going insane, and wants her committed against her will. And Bernadette vanishes. And then he remembers he loves heeeer. *fake sob*
But the vanishing act happens late in the story, and Bernadette's only gone for about five minutes before she's found again. The forces of Unlikely Narrative Development help her on her way, and the Happy End waltzes in like a new manager who's bent on restructuring the company to his wishes and against all common sense. ...more
I've been putting off writing this review for the past two days, leaving this window open. Well, here it is: "Hush" isn't that bad. Or that great. It'I've been putting off writing this review for the past two days, leaving this window open. Well, here it is: "Hush" isn't that bad. Or that great. It's kind of... average?
Batman's being challenged by some of his old enemies and friends, who seem to be partly brainwashed. But who has it in for him? Who's behind the actions of Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, the Joker, Two-Face, the Riddler? The readers can probably tell if they're up to speed on their story tropes, but in-universe the response isn't that exciting.
I wish the world's greatest detective would do more detecting that the readers could detect along with him; and I wish his antagonist had a better motive....more
Meursault "doesn't care" himself into an early grave because the sun was too hot at the wrong time.Meursault "doesn't care" himself into an early grave because the sun was too hot at the wrong time....more
Why did I buy this?... Oh, right, because I wanted a fantasy novel that wasn't YA, but the only other options available in the bookshop at theDNF @23%
Why did I buy this?... Oh, right, because I wanted a fantasy novel that wasn't YA, but the only other options available in the bookshop at the time were Brandon Sanderson and Robin Hobb (who are great, btw, but I've already read them).
Alas, "When Women Were Dragons" isn't a fantasy novel. It's something of a thought experiment that could have been a great short story. Hear me out: what if women became dragons when they had enough of their lives? What if, in a fit of rage, they could burn down their homes and murder their oppressive husbands? What then?
As a novel, though, it's too easy to spot the holes. If over 600,000 American women turn into dragons at the same time, where do they go? Oh, into the mountains? Well, then - isn't that a helluva lot of dragons to see when hiking? Oh, some of them go into the oceans? Ok. And some of them go into *space*, what? How do they *breathe* and *feed* there? And some of them stay home, put on mittens and cook? ...How big are these dragons, again?
This reads like the author is trying to make A Point, not tell a story. And while the book is readable, I'm not sure I like being preached at....more
While I didn't enjoy it as much as "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder", "The Reappearance of Rachel Price" is a solid mystery, with all the twists, turns,While I didn't enjoy it as much as "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder", "The Reappearance of Rachel Price" is a solid mystery, with all the twists, turns, and clues that I've come to expect from Holly Jackson. I whooshed through the entire book nearly in a single breath - if I'd been in a reading slump, I'd have been propelled out of it nearly instantly.
I still felt like something was lacking - the characters weren't as well-developed as I would have liked, and I wasn't entirely convinced by Bel's rationality in the face of her entire world and all her assumptions changing. Maybe that part needed a bit more fleshing out? But the story was solid nonetheless....more
We're all shouting in the comments that this is very, very gay, right? <3
I cannot write a very coherent review of vol. 4 alone, especially with no spoWe're all shouting in the comments that this is very, very gay, right? <3
I cannot write a very coherent review of vol. 4 alone, especially with no spoilers, but I love Ai Yazawa's realistic depictions of characters. I love both Nanas so much, and the supporting cast. And I love that Hachi can be a bit of a dick, but willing to fix her mistakes; and that Nana isn't quite invulnerable; and that we get to see Hachi being proud (rightfully so, may I add); and, well, everything.
I'm so sorry this series isn't finished. It looks like Ai Yazawa meant for it to break our hearts, and I'm not sure exactly how much of her initial plan she got through in the volumes we have, but I already know I love this. ...more
I would have loved to love this book: a story set in the early 14th century about a young woman running away from a bad marriage to Paris, where she rI would have loved to love this book: a story set in the early 14th century about a young woman running away from a bad marriage to Paris, where she receives the help of a community of pious women, her story bound at a distance to that of "The Mirror of Simple Souls", a religious book condemned by the church... how gripping! How wonderful, to read an interesting story set during real historical events!
But the style is slow, halting, interspersed with historical detail that seems more appropriate for a history book than a novel. We get glimpses of the mundane, a talk here, a walk through Paris there, but little that reveals the interiority of the characters, or the key turning points.
Well, nevertheless. It's an interesting book, and it's nice to read something that brings out the vast cultural differences between our current world and previous ages, not imposing our values on the heroes of the past, but allowing them to have the qualities we admire, such as a thirst for freedom and knowledge, the willingness and determination to make one's own way, or courage.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC received in exchange for an honest review....more
- desenat axa timpului alături de o prietenă ca să ne prindem care e secvența evenimentelor în primul capitol (încă nu aÎn decursul acestei cărți, am:
- desenat axa timpului alături de o prietenă ca să ne prindem care e secvența evenimentelor în primul capitol (încă nu am determinat dacă personajul vomită de la întâmplări vechi sau noi și dacă a fost prezent la ele) - stat cu prietenii să încercăm să ne prindem în ce configurații și cu ce motivații psihologice au sens descrierile din prima scenă de sex - ezitat dacă să întreb un psihiatru dacă psihopații sunt extrem de sensibili la orice căcat și vomită când aud că există rău în lume (nu l-am întrebat) - încercat să determin cu ce se ocupă personajul principal și până la urmă m-a lămurit un programator de ce e posibil ca autoarea să fi înțeles greșit un concept și să-l fi tradus în română și să-i iasă o combinație super-dubioasă de roluri - căutat o reclamă faimoasă de la Folgers pentru meme - uitat de zece ori cum îl cheamă pe personajul principal și până la urmă mi-am notat cu litere mari pe un caiet (DAVID) - citit una dintre cele mai dubioase descrieri de autism pe care le-am citit anul ăsta și am încercat să mă prind dacă autoarea vrea ca David să fie mega-cretin și un pic pedofil
E un roman polițist cu dramă, în care se monologhează intens despre propria psihologie de parcă ar fi un raport psihologic făcut din fotoliu.
Distractiv! Pentru o valoare dată a distracției....more
...I'm only slightly exaggerating. The gods speak like they're trying very hard to sound medieval, the plotHark! Ye olde style of Englysh doth strike!
...I'm only slightly exaggerating. The gods speak like they're trying very hard to sound medieval, the plots are thin and rushed and SENSATIONAL!, but I kind of knew this would be the style I should expect from 1970s comics. Alas, even so, "The Mighty Thor: When Gods Go Mad" managed to disappoint.
It starts with a battle in which Loki switches bodies with Thor to trick the world and do evil in his name (he actually wants to do *evil*), continues with a "rescue" opperation by Thor to save a scientist who creates missiles for Dr. Doom, and ends with Infinity (a character) starting to extinguish the universe, and not even Odin can stop him.
However, I do appreciate that, if Thor takes his hand off his hammer for 60 seconds, he becomes a doctor. It sounds like a lesson you tell teen boys to convince them to, errr, take their hands off their hammers for 60 seconds and study....more
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