Short Stories I Read In March

Last month, I realized that I never actually talked about any of the short stories I’ve read. There is no shortage of good short fiction out there, and today I’m here talk about the stories (and other miscellaneous articles) I read in March. 

**Note: the titles are linked to the respective stories**

La Bête by Leah Bobet (Strange Horizons, Issue: 9 March 2020) 

I always love a good story about a house. Especially when the place seems to be a character of its own, described in vivid detail, with mysterious rooms and equally enigmatic doors. La Bête by Leah Bobet checked all of those boxes. It had a little bit of a mystery, and the château had a very gothic feel to it. The story itself was a little eerie and haunting, and I found that it was extremely easy to get lost in it from beginning to end. All-in-all, La Bête was a great read.

The Touch Pool by Lisa Nan Joo (Strange Horizons, Issue: 16 March 2020)

The next story I read was The Touch Pool by Lisa Nan Joo. Oh gosh, how do I describe this one? To begin with, I loved it. Joo’s language is engaging and vivid in its imagery. The story was told in alternating pieces split between a present that was near the past—which was revealed over the course of the story. There were themes of love, loss, and letting go intertwined with descriptions of a house and land that, over time, was steadily being consumed by the sea. At times, The Touch Pool could be a little eerie and surreal, but it was an experience and an excellent read.

A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Clarkesworld, Issue 124, January 2017)

I also reread one of my favorite short stories: A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad. It came out a few years ago, and it left a lasting impression. It has such an interesting premise too, with a forger who creates counterfeits of pricey cuts of meat. It was a fascinating choice considering that the counterfeit products weren’t something that lasted for long, or even stuck around after dinner.

From Around the Web...

So those were the stories I read last month. Now here are a couple of other miscellaneous articles I read in March.

• The Appeal of Gothic Horror (Seanan McGuire; Tor.com, October 28, 2019)
• Beyond Cinderella: Exploring Agency Through Domestic Fantasy (Marissa K. Lingen; Tor.Com, March 16, 2020)
• Why Don’t SFF Characters Ever Read The Manual? (James Davis Nicoll; Tor.com, January 1, 2020)

Music Monday (113): Allie X, New Kids On The Block

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: Recently I’ve been listening to music by Allie X. I’m not going to go too much into her EP, Super Sunset, right now since I have an upcoming post that better explains my thoughts about it. I will say that one of my favorite songs from it is Girl of the Year.

Andrea: I hope everyone has had an amazing week. Although I am not the type to really hang out in clubs. I am still spending my time at virtual clubs on Instagram Live. One of my favorite songs, House Party, was recently released by New Kids On The Block. Check out the video below.

Are you listening to any new music this week?

ARC Review: Heiress for Hire by Madeline Hunter

Title: Heiress for Hire
Series: Duke's Heiresses #1
Author: Madeline Hunter
Source/Format: Netgalley (publisher); eARC
More Details: Historical Romance
Publisher/Publication Date: Zebra Books; April 28, 2020

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

In this stunning series debut from New York Times bestselling author Madeline Hunter, a duke's mysterious bequest brings fortune—and passion—to three young women... 

Minerva Hepplewhite has learned the hard way how to take care of herself. When an intruder breaks into her home, she doesn't swoon or simper. Instead, she wallops the rogue over the head and ties him up—only to realize he is Chase Radnor, the man who nearly got her convicted of her late husband's murder. Now, he's insisting that Minerva has inherited a fortune from his uncle, a wealthy Duke. Only one thing could surprise her more: her sudden attraction to this exasperating man. Chase can't decide whether Minerva is a wronged woman or a femme fatale. Either way, he's intrigued. Since the scandal surrounding her husband's death, she has set up a discreet detective business to rival Chase's own. She may be the perfect person to help him uncover the truth about his uncle's demise. But as proximity gives way to mutual seduction, Chase realizes he craves a much deeper alliance...

It has been some time since I last picked up a historical romance. I read an excerpt for Heiress for Hire and was immediately intrigued. The dynamic between the two main characters, Chase Radnor and Minerva Hepplewhite, was as interesting as the circumstances that brought them together in the first place. With romance and hints of mystery, Heiress for Hire was a very entertaining read.

In general, I liked the story. I know Heiress for Hire is a historical romance—so the development of the relationship comes before all—and that aspect of the story was good. However, I was also here for the mystery. So many different possibilities were presented within the first couple of pages. Such as the mystery surrounding just why Minerva received a fortune from a person she never met and what really happened to said person. I enjoyed all of the investigative parts. Plus the mystery was a great way to get the characters together on page, and it kept a consistent pattern of interaction between them throughout the entire story. It was pretty great.

The characters were all great. In particular, Chase’s family was a definite highlight. They were a bickering bunch, but very entertaining to read about.

As for the romance, I thought it was good. I liked it because of the conversations between Minerva and Chase, and I liked how good of a team they made—even though they were reluctant to share information at times. They were a great duo, and the moments when they put their heads together were some of my favorites from the book.

I enjoyed Heiress for Hire. The ending, while satisfying, left several parts of the plot mostly unresolved. So, I’m looking forward to what Hunter has in store for this series.

About the Author...

Madeline Hunter is a nationally bestselling author of historical romances who lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. Her books have won two RITA awards and seven nominations, and have had three starred reviews in Publishers Weekly. In a parallel existence to the one she enjoys as a novelist, Madeline has a Ph.D. in art history and teaches at an East Coast university.

Goodreads     Website     Twitter

Disclaimer: This copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Zebra Books) via Netgalley, thank you!

Music Monday (112): Banks, Shai

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: A few weeks ago, Banks did a couple of “1 Mic 1 Take” versions of some of her songs. One of my favorites was Contaminated. The original song is good as is, but I’m a fan of this version too....

Banks also did "1 Mic 1 Take" versions of Drowning and If We Were Made Of Water. Another good one is Stroke. I really love this version of the song. 

Andrea: This week I am listening to If I Ever Fall in Love by Shai. 

What are you listening to this week?

Sketchbook: Alice (featuring The Nightmare-Verse by L.L. McKinney)

Comments: It’s been quite some time since I did something art related on the blog. As it so happens, I completely overlooked Our Thoughts Precisely’s blogiversary two years in a row, and so I decided to celebrate—belatedly—by sitting down and tackling one of the art projects that’s been on my mind for some time. I hardly ever draw fan art these days, but I’ve always wanted to make something inspired by Alice in Wonderland. I got a big dose of inspiration after I read A Dream So Dark by L.L. McKinney. I took my inspiration from various elements within the series instead of any one specific scene (so you don’t have to worry about spoilers). Some of my initial ideas were too cutesy for what I wanted. When my main goal was to capture more of the creepy-horror-action-aspect (the nightmares, the sword and daggers from the book covers), which are pivotal parts of the series. 

Materials for this project…

• Ucreate 75lb, acid-free, lignin-free drawing paper
• Artist’s Loft Necessities colored pencils in the color Light Orange
• Art Minds Permanent Marker

What are you working on this week?

I listened to Death Stranding: Timefall

Today, I want to talk about one of the albums I’ve been listening to: Death Stranding: Timefall. I haven’t played the game, but I have watched some playthroughs for it. Recently, I got in to the soundtrack again after listening to one of the songs from it, Ludens by Bring Me The Horizon. They’ve truly gathered a great ensemble of artists to feature such as Khalid, Major Lazer, CHVRCHES, Flora Cash, and more. As a result there was a wide range of sounds—from slower (and just as heavy-hitting) songs like Yellow Box, to pure instrumental tracks like Meanwhile…In Genova by The S.L.P (there are two version of this song, one with vocals and one without, I like both), and even to the high energy of Sing to Me by MISSIO (and Ludens). There was a mixture of R&B, Rock, Electronic, and everything else in between. Which brings me to what I liked most about Timefall: how much versatility it had. With so many artists and their distinctive styles on their respective tracks there was a lot to like, and I enjoyed all of the songs. It reminded me of some of my more recent favorite movie soundtracks—Birds of Prey, Black Panther, Spiderman Into the Spider-Verse, and Suicide Squad. Needless to say, interesting collaborations have, as of late, produced excellent and highly memorable results. So Death Stranding: Timefall is going on my playlist. 

What are some of your favorite video game or movie soundtracks?

Music Monday (111): Seinabo Sey, The Spiritual Machines, Jon Secada & Shanice, and Kirk Franklin

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: Recently, I’ve been listening to music by Seinabo Sey. One of my favorite songs so far is: I Owe You Nothing.

Adri: I've been listening to Spiritual Machine for a while, and was waiting around for new music. Well, that's why my pick for today is their new song Sleep Walk. It was released last week (which I missed). Needless to say, it's been on repeat ever since. I've caught myself humming the chorus often.

Andrea: I have been spending a lot of time at virtual clubs and have found some songs that are new to me. One song that really brightened my day was I Smile by Kirk Franklin. I heard this song while hanging out with Flexaforeal on Instagram. I have to say that I'm absolutely in love with virtual clubs. I have accomplished so much while listening to music over the past week. 

I've also been listening to If I Never Knew You/Spanish Version by Jon Secada & Shanice.

I hope you enjoy my selections and I can't wait to find out what everyone is listening to. Have a great week all and stay safe. --

Have you been listening to any new music? If so, leave your recommendations in the comments.

The Friday 56 (176) & Book Beginnings: The Case Study of Vanitas Volume 1 by Jun Mochizuki

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Step once more into the imagination of Jun Mochizuki, creator of New York Times-bestselling PandoraHearts! A tale of vampires and curses set in a whimsical and dark steampunk Paris unfolds! On the streets, rumors abound of a clockwork grimoire said to sow curses among the vampires. Now, guided by the Book of Vanitas, the gears begun to turn, and the story of two men, Noe and Vanitas, takes shape...

Beginning: "Listen well, mon chaton. You must never let anyone steal you're "true name."

56: "Me, a chasseur? A bourreau?? That's rich!"

Comments: I talked about the first volume of The Case Study of Vanitas in January. However, I realized I never selected it as my pick for The Friday 56. Well, I'm here to correct that. So far, I'm enjoying this manga series. It's shaping up to be one of my favorite takes on vampire lore. What are you reading this week?

Review: Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire

Title: Come Tumbling Down
Series: Wayward Children series #5
Author: Seanan McGuire
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; Hardback
More Details: Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Tor.Com; January 7, 2020

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

The fifth installment in Seanan McGuire's award-winning, bestselling Wayward Children series, Come Tumbling Down picks up the threads left dangling by Every Heart a Doorway and Down Among the Sticks and Bones 

When Jack left Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister--whom she had recently murdered in a fit of righteous justice--back to their home on the Moors. But death in their adopted world isn't always as permanent as it is here, and when Jack is herself carried back into the school, it becomes clear that something has happened to her. Something terrible. Something of which only the maddest of scientists could conceive. Something only her friends are equipped to help her overcome. Eleanor West's "No Quests" rule is about to be broken. Again...

**There are possible spoilers for the first four books in the Wayward Children series in this review. You have been warned…. **

Come Tumbling Down is a slight departure from some of the more hopeful themes of the Wayward Children series. But then again, nothing about Jack and Jill’s story has been anything but a dark trek through the Moors. Even so, Come Tumbling Down was one of the darker installments of the series. It also featured my favorite group of characters and setting from this series, and the overall story was good.

Jack Wolcott has always been one of my favorite characters. With each of her appearances throughout this series, she has always stood out. Even after her appearances in Every Heart A Doorway and Down Among the Sticks and Bones, there was always one lingering question left: What happened to Jack and Jill once they returned to the Moors? Come Tumbling Down firmly answered that question.

As I mentioned above, I liked the story. It was as fast-paced as the others in the series, and the ending left Jack’s story in a much more satisfying—and bittersweet—place. I also enjoyed seeing more of the Moors again. The setting—which is a prominent part of Down Among the Sticks and Bones—was expanded beyond the windmill and the town, most prominently by a couple of new locations.

Come Tumbling Down is one of my favorite sequel stories from the Wayward Children series to date. I’m already looking forward to the next book, Across the Green Grass Fields.

Music Monday (110): KWAYE and Teena Marie

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: This week, I wanted to talk about another artist who is new to me: KWAYE. Lost in My Boots was the first song I listened to by this artist, and I immediately loved the sound of it. It’s now one of my favorite songs, and I'll be listening to more music by KWAYE!

Andrea: Who remembers Square Biz by Teena Marie? Well, that's what I'm listening to this week! I'm excited to find out what you've been listening to this week.

What are you listening to this week? We'd love to hear your recommendations in the comments below. 

The Friday 56 (175) & Book Beginnings: Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

The fifth installment in Seanan McGuire's award-winning, bestselling Wayward Children series, Come Tumbling Down picks up the threads left dangling by Every Heart a Doorway and Down Among the Sticks and Bones 

When Jack left Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister--whom she had recently murdered in a fit of righteous justice--back to their home on the Moors. But death in their adopted world isn't always as permanent as it is here, and when Jack is herself carried back into the school, it becomes clear that something has happened to her. Something terrible. Something of which only the maddest of scientists could conceive. Something only her friends are equipped to help her overcome. Eleanor West's "No Quests" rule is about to be broken. Again...

Beginning: "Eleanor West was fond of saying--inasmuch as she was fond of saying anything predictable, sensible, or more than once--that her school had no graduates, only students who found somewhere else to do their learning for a time." 

56: ""No," she said, with surprising strength."

Comments: Come Tumbling Down was just as good as I thought it was going to be. What are you reading this week? Or what are some of the 2020 books you're looking forward to?

Quarterly Recap: January-March

It’s been a very hectic and unpredictable beginning to the year. It’s also finally time for the first quarterly recap of 2020.

January Reviews:

• The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
• The Case Study of Vanitas volum #1 by Jun Mochizuki

February Reviews:

• Dragon's Bait by Vivian Vande Velde
• God's of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

March Reviews:

• The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown
• The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
• The Case Study of Vanitas volume #2 by Jun Mochizuki

Other January Posts:

• Happy New Year
• I'm Back +Some 2019 Thoughts, Blogging Goals, & 2020 Books I'm Looking Forward To

Other February Posts:

• I Watched Labyrinth (1986)
• Favorite Recipe: Pie Crust + Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
• Short Break

Other March Posts:

• I Listened to Treat Myself by Meghan Trainor
• I Listened to Where Are You? by Abi Ocia

I don’t currently have too many concrete plans at the moment. I do want to do something art related again, since it’s something I enjoy.

Some blog posts that are coming soon…

I got approved for a copy of Heiress for Hire by Madeline Hunter. So you can expect my thoughts about it sometime closer to the release date. I also listened to Death Stranding: Timefall, so there’s going to be a post about that. And, last, but certainly not least, I read one of my most highly anticipated books of 2020: Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire. The review should be live on the blog Wednesday morning next week.