Short Stories I Read In April

Today, I’m here to talk about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read and or listened to in April.

Go Fish by Ian Rogers (Tor.com, April 15, 2020)

One of the first short stories I read in April was Go Fish by Ian Rogers. It was a pretty entertaining story. At times, it was spine-tinglingly scary. It also read like an episode of Xfiles. Instead of extraterrestrials though, there were ghosts and a number of paranormal and horror elements.

An Explorer’s Cartography of Already Settled Lands by Fran Wilde (Tor.com, April 22, 2020)

This story was the first one I’ve read by Fran Wilde. It was about a navigator who was mapping a landscape that was already inhabited. This story was an absolute treat. It was enthralling, somewhat haunting, and atmospheric. The Navigator’s perspective was fascinating, and I enjoyed the different sections of the story where each “map”—or landscape/people—were described. This one was all around an enjoyable story.

From around the web…

• Illustrating Flyaway: Kathleen Jennings on Creating Art and Prose Together (Kathleen Jennings; Tor.com, April 1, 2020)
• Short Stories and Sad Endings: A Conversation with Martha Wells (Arley Sorg; Clarkesworld, Issue 163, April 2020)
• Now Is the Perfect Time to Sit Down and Watch Bedknobs and Broomsticks (Emmet Asher-Perrin; Tor.Com)
• Printrun Podcast Episode’s #127 and #128
• Science VS Science Fiction: Not The Solar System We Grew Up With (James Davis Nicoll; Tor.Com, April 24, 2020)
• The Power of Equine Names (Judith Tarr; Tor,Com, April 20, 2020)

Sketchbook: Watercolor...

  

Comments: Like most people, I currently have more time on my hands. So I did a couple of random watercolor sketches in one of my smaller unfinished sketchbooks. The reference photos I used were ones I took of the faux plants around my house. My use of watercolor (Sakura Koi) here was mainly to block in the general shapes before I went in with colored pencil....

Music Monday (117): Hayley Williams, Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande

   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: While searching for more new music, I realized that Hayley Williams released a new album. I like the work she does with the band, Paramore, so I was excited to give Petals For Armor a listen. One of my favorite songs from it is Pure Love.  

Andrea: This week, I was browsing through the new releases, and I noticed that Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande released a new song. You can listen to Rain On Me below.

What are you listening to this week?

I listened to Shadow Works by Kerli

Recently, I finally sat down to listen to Shadow Works by Kerli in full. It came out last year on February 22nd and I was super stoked for it. However, I never got around to it. Looking back now, I wasn’t in the mood. But, I was still listening to Savages and Where the Dark Things Are. Slowly, but surely I started branching out into other songs. First was Mimicry, then Giving Up the Ghost, and then before I knew it, the entire album. I felt like I re-discovered something I was missing out on. 

There are darker tones and hard hitting sounds in Shadow Works. Yet there are also the softer, more emotional ones –like Better, Giving up the Ghost, and One. I want to focus on One for a second, because it was the track that really pulled me into the album. After listening closer, and I mean really listening, I felt like I understood the album a little more than before. 

The Opening of the Way (Intro), Purification (Interlude), and Shadow Works (Outro) are all vocalized tracks that are simply ethereal (well the entire album is). I often find myself putting them on repeat. At the end of the day I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Shadow Works. 

Thanks for reading. 

Do you have any albums that you revisited and totally loved? 

Review: All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Title: All Systems Red
Series: The Murderbot Diaries #1
Author: Martha Wells
Source/Format: Tor ebook club freebie; ebook
More Details: Science Fiction
Publisher/Publication Date: Tor.com; May 2, 2017

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is. But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth...

All Systems Red is a novella I’ve been hearing about for a while, and it’s been on my TBR list for just as long. I finally decided to pick it up again. All Systems Red is the first book I’ve read by Martha Wells, and in general I enjoyed my initial introduction to the Murderbot Diaries. The story was good, and due to its length it was very fast paced with plenty of action and even a hint of mystery. The Murderbot’s perspective was fun to read from, due in part to its personality quirks—such as its habit of preferring entertainment to doing its job. Considering that it was a SecUnit—and thus a standard part of planetary missions in All Systems Red—its commentary about itself and the corporate-domination of exploration was one of my favorite aspects about the story. The setting was also interesting. Given that Murderbot plus its clients were on a remote planet to study it, the different environments—and the flora and fauna found there—were described in detail. Wells has created a highly entertaining story and world in All Systems Red. The ending left off in a place that was satisfying. However, it also left room for more stories. So I’m going to eventually get around to the next books in the series.      

Music Monday (116): PVRIS

   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 PVRIS again. I'm really excited for their new album, which won't be out until July 10, 2020. Luckily, there's plenty of music to keep me preoccupied until then. One of my favorite songs is Things Are Better.

Are there any albums you're waiting for? If so, tell us about them in the comments.

The Friday 56 (178) & Book Beginnings: All Systems Red by Martha Wells

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...

In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is. But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth...

Beginning: "I could have become a mass murderer after I hacked my governor module, but then I realized I could access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on the company satellites."

56: "I went out with some drones to do a little scouting and make sure there was no sign of anything big enough to, say, drag the little hopper off in the middle of the night."

Comments: I really enjoyed the first book in the Murderbot Diaries series. What are you reading this week? 

I Listened to Super Sunset by Allie X

Between playing copious amounts of Animal Crossing New Horizons and baking/cooking, I also listened to some music by artists who were new to me. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m currently trying to expand my playlist, and during that search, I came across Super Sunset (2018) by Allie X under my Spotify recommendations.

I’m so glad I gave Super Sunset a listen. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was a refreshing pallet cleanser of an EP (extended play), and it was also a great introduction to Allie X’s music. It reminded me a little of Charli XCX’s latest album, as well as Lana Del Rey in the vocal department (especially the second song on the EP, Not So Bad In LA).

Some of the tracks made me nostalgic for synthpop. It was due in part to how much the overall sound of the EP was peppered with recognizable synth influences. However, the songs were distinctly modern and put a refreshing spin on the various samples and etc.. Songs like Science, Can’t Stop Now, and Girl of the Year were a good example of what I mean; although, if you listen carefully, you can pick up on the synthpop sounds in all of the songs. They reminded me of pop songs from the eighties and nineties.

There is also a different version of this EP called Super Sunset (Analog). The tracklist is pretty much the same as the regular version, but the songs have a slightly different sound. They have a live recorded sound to them. At the end of the day, I like both versions of the EP. 

Super Sunset is going on my playlist. Since Allie X released an album this year, I’m definitely going to give it a listen sometime soon. 

Have you listened to any music by Allie X? If so, have you listened to Super Sunset?

Music Monday (115): Laura Mvula, K'Jon

   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: Last week, Laura Mvula released a live version of her song, Make Me Lovely. I really liked her performance as well as that of the Metropole Orkest.

Andrea: One of the songs I've been listening to this week is On The Ocean by K'Jon. Although the song was released in 2009, I never get tired of listening to it. You can find out more information about K'Jon by clicking on the link.

Have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

Favorite Recipe: Dark Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

Late in March, I was making a birthday cake for a relative. The flavor, by request, was supposed to be Black Forest, and the base to that is typically chocolate, cherry, and vanilla. Since I didn’t have a tried-and-true recipe for that type of cake, I tried something new. [Note: all pictures used in this post are ones I took myself.]

One of my favorite types of cake and doughnut is sour cream. I love the difference in the texture of the crumb. And this Dark Chocolate Sour Cream Cake recipe from allrecipes proved to be a perfect fit. Here are the results.

The standard size of cake I make is determined by the pans I’m using. The recipe called for three nine-inch pans. However, I used two ten-inch round metal pans instead. The recipe made enough batter for two good sized layers without having to make any additional batches.

This cake was super simple to make. One interesting part of this recipe was how the cocoa powder and boiling water were mixed and cooled before being added to the cake. It had a consistency like pudding.

[Note: I had to bake the cakes for about 10 extra minutes. It depends on your oven so follow the recipe, and check the center to make sure it’s done before adding any extra time. Also I put parchment on the bottom of each pan, and that’s just to keep the cake from sticking.]

So how did it taste?

It tasted kind of like an Oreo cookie. It had a strong dark chocolate flavor, and didn’t taste too sweet which I liked. I was surprised at the depth of flavor, considering that there was no coffee in the recipe. The cake proved to be a great combination with the cherry pie filling and cream cheese buttercream frosting that we added later. I’m not sharing any pictures of the final cake, because it was for a birthday. However, I did snap a few pictures with the crumb-coat on it, as well as how the inside looked after it was cut.

Between the texture and the flavor, I will likely use this recipe again in the future. Have you done any baking recently? If so, what was your favorite dish or dessert you made?

Review: The Night Country by Melissa Albert

Title: The Night Country
Series: The Hazel Wood #2
Author: Melissa Albert
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; Hardcover
More Details: Fantasy; Young Adult
Publisher/Publication Date: Flatiron Books; January 7, 2020

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

The highly anticipated sequel to Melissa Albert’s beloved, New York Times bestselling debut The Hazel Wood! 

In The Night Country, Alice Proserpine dives back into a menacing, mesmerizing world of dark fairy tales and hidden doors. Follow her and Ellery Finch as they learn The Hazel Wood was just the beginning, and that worlds die not with a whimper, but a bang. With Finch’s help, Alice escaped the Hinterland and her reclusive grandmother’s dark legacy. Now she and the rest of the dregs of the fairy tale world have washed up in New York City, where Alice is trying to make a new, unmagical life. But something is stalking the Hinterland’s survivors―and she suspects their deaths may have a darker purpose. Meanwhile, in the winking out world of the Hinterland, Finch seeks his own adventure, and―if he can find it―a way back home...

Earlier this year, I finally finished reading The Hazel Wood. Since then, The Night Country was one of the 2020 sequels I was excited to pick up. The Night Country was an excellent sequel. I enjoyed it more than the first book. I loved the development the characters went through as well as the return to the colorful, strange, and terrifying world of the Hinterland.

From here on out, there may be spoilers for The Hazel Wood. So if you haven’t read it, click away from this post. You have been warned. :-)

Alice Proserpine thought she was done with the Hazel Wood and the Hinterland since she escaped her story at the end of the first book. However nothing was as it seemed, and the mystery of the ultimate fate of the Hinterland and the enigmatic and malevolent Spinner brought trouble right back into Alice’s life. Alice’s character arc was great. It was one of my favorite aspects about The Night Country. I liked how Albert dealt with Alice’s transition from story to ex-story and addressed her conflicting emotions about everything that had happened to her while also exploring the platonic and romantic relationships in her life.

Most of the story was told by Alice, but I didn’t mind the dual perspectives. It was interesting to see what was going on from Ellery Finch’s perspective. Since he had stayed in the Hinterland, his side of the story was filled with magic. It was a nice temporary break from the urban setting, and it bridged the two halves of the story before they were ultimately brought together. I was all for the trippy-magical landscapes, and all the dangers they presented.

The Night Country was pretty dark at times, just like most of the fairy tale themes common throughout this series. There’s no better example of that than the stories that made up the Hinterland.

Another great part of the book was the mystery surrounding the deaths of the people from the Hinterland. It was a solid mystery, and there were plenty of twists to keep the story moving.

The Night Country was an atmospheric read, and I was drawn in by the story from the beginning. The ending was full of possibilities, and it left Alice and Ellery’s story in a much more satisfying place. Plus I liked how everything that happened to places and people who weren’t the main characters wasn’t magically fixed in the end. It drove-home how the magic in the book had consequences.

Ultimately, The Night Country turned out to be an excellent sequel that answered most of the questions I had about the end of The Hazel Wood. Now, I just have to wait for Tales of the Hinterland to be released.

Have you read The Hazel Wood or The Night Country?

Music Monday (114): Seinabo Sey, Woodkid, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie

   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: Last week, I mainly listened to one of my playlists. So I don’t have any new-to-me-artists to talk about today. One of my favorite songs that I listened to on repeat last week is: Never Get Used To by Seinabo Sey. It's one of my favorite songs by this artist....

Adri: Long time no see, I have not listened to anything new recently. However, Woodkid came out with a new song called Goliath. I really like the music video's atmosphere. For some reason, it's giving me Horizon: Zero Dawn vibes.

Andrea: I hope everyone is doing well. I just wanted to share one of my favorite songs of all time, Endless Love by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie.

What are you listening to this week? Tell us about your favorite songs in the comments....

The Friday 56 (177) & Book Beginnings: The Night Country by Melissa Albert

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 highly anticipated sequel to Melissa Albert’s beloved, New York Times bestselling debut The Hazel Wood! 

In The Night Country, Alice Proserpine dives back into a menacing, mesmerizing world of dark fairy tales and hidden doors. Follow her and Ellery Finch as they learn The Hazel Wood was just the beginning, and that worlds die not with a whimper, but a bang. With Finch’s help, Alice escaped the Hinterland and her reclusive grandmother’s dark legacy. Now she and the rest of the dregs of the fairy tale world have washed up in New York City, where Alice is trying to make a new, unmagical life. But something is stalking the Hinterland’s survivors―and she suspects their deaths may have a darker purpose. Meanwhile, in the winking out world of the Hinterland, Finch seeks his own adventure, and―if he can find it―a way back home...

Beginning: "I was eighteen years old, give or take a fairy-tale century, when I had my first kiss."

56: "The oppressive heat had picked up after yesterday's rainstorm, and I was sweating through my T-shirt by the time I hit the shop."

Comments: I was very excited to read the sequel to The Hazel Wood. I really enjoyed The Night Country. What are you reading this week?