Short Stories I Read in February

 

It’s the twenty-ninth of March. So it’s time to mention the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in February. 

Do Houses Dream of Scraping the Sky? By Jana Bianchi (Uncanny Magazine; Issue Fifty-Six)

I have said, on multiple occasions on Our Thoughts Precisely, how I like a good house story. It doesn’t matter if it’s a novel, novella, novelette, or short story, tales about houses are, in most cases, an instant must read. Hence the first short story I read in February is Jana Bianchi’s Do Houses Dream of Scraping the Sky? This is a nested narrative, where it’s clear a story is being told to another character by the narrator. And, well, it’s time to break out the tissue box, because you’re going to need it for this one. Specifically, this story is one that explores grief, and it does it through two characters. One is the narrator, who is dealing with the complicated emotions—of guilt, regret, and longing, among others—after the passing of their grandmother. The second is the house where the woman lived. Both are great characters in their own respect, and I like how Bianchi gave them enough space to fully express their sorrow. It was messy and things got broken in the process, but this was a story about goodbyes and new beginnings.

Further Examination and Capture of Candle Skulls Associated with the Baba Yaga by Mari Ness (Lightspeed Magazine; February 2024; Issue 165)

The second story I read in February was Mari Ness’s piece for Lightspeed Magazine: Further Examination and Capture of Candle Skulls Associated with the Baba Yaga. I am a sucker for folklore and myths, and this story, while short, checked a lot of boxes for me. What I like most about this one was for how much it reminded me of the narrative style of the Emily Wilde books by Heather Fawcett. Rather than a journal entry, Further Examination and Capture of Candle Skulls Associated with the Baba Yaga is essentially a letter. It was framed as a record of a study being conducted on the skulls associated with Baba Yaga, but with an interest in their potential application for practical, modern, and commercial uses and benefits. This was interesting and worth the read.

Rembrandt, Graffiti, and the Strange Disappearance of Ducks by C.H. Irons (Strange Horizons; Issue: 12 February 2024)

The next (and last) story I checked out in February was from Strange Horizons, called Rembrandt, Graffiti, and the Strange Disappearance of Ducks by C.H. Irons. Graffiti and augmented reality meet in a story about the varied meanings and interpretation of art. In this one, it was something similar to reading and how different readers come away with different opinions about the same story. To Jana, the glyphs appearing around the city are a mystery she’s desperate to solve, and her involvement in forums include her theories. It included how they’re commentary about societal issues relevant to the story—invasive technology, capitalism, a means of resistance (or a statement decrying) against the two. But the answer to their meaning is interesting, unexpected, and far more complicated. It presented another quandary that changed the way she viewed the glyphs. It was a definite turning point and, ultimately, I loved what C.H. Irons did with the story.

From around the web…

• Read an Excerpt From GennaRose Nethercott’s Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart [Reactor Magazine; February 5, 2024]
• Dance Dance Matrix Revolutions [Amanda Wakaruk and Olav Rokne; Uncanny Magazine; Issue Fifty-Six]
• Portals, Secrets, and Curses: Georgia Summers’ The City of Stardust [Tobias Carroll; Reactor Magazine; February 1, 2024]
• Read An Excerpt of The Warm Hands Of Ghosts [React Magazine; February 6, 2024]

Music Monday (278): Aurora, Lisa Stansfield, & Leona Lewis

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: I'm currently listening to Aurora's new song, Some Type of Skin. I'm enjoying the music she's been releasing this year, and this one is another good one.

Andrea: Hi all! This week I'm listening to All Around The World by Lisa Stansfield and Better In Time by Leona Lewis. Have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

About Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

**Note: There may be mild spoilers for book one and two.**

I’m steadily making my way through The Raven Cycle (not the spinoff series). And, with Blue Lily, Lily Blue, I’m officially over halfway done, and all that’s left is The Raven King. If you want to know what I thought about the prior installments (The Raven Cycle and The Dream Thieves) click HERE and HERE. But I digress.

The best way I can sum up Blue Lily, Lily Blue is: change, balance, and the power of three. On a specific note, the characters struggled with coming to terms with the changes in their lives. They were growing up and considering what their lives would look like after high school, after the quest for Glendower was over. And while some of the interpersonal plotlines were resolved in The Dream Thieves, its ending left the familiar cast in a…less than ideal spot. There was their new ally—Mr. Gray, the reformed (reforming) former hit man—which was good. But what was less good about it was: Maura was missing. The “how” and the “where” were answered fairly early, but that didn’t lessen the impact Maura’s absence had on the residents of 300 Fox Way and her daughter, Blue. And with a new obstacle arriving in town to, once again, shake things up—with a motivation that was pure acquisitive and vengeful—Blue Lily, Lily Blue was exciting.

“”This is the corpse road,” she said, aligning her body with the invisible path. As she did, she could feel something inside her begin to hum agreeably, a sensation very much like the satisfaction that came from aligning book spines on a shelf.”—page 1

I wouldn’t call it a cat and mouse chase, exactly, but the present, aforementioned, danger had a way of looming in the background, casting a cloud over the story. There was a sense that time was running out, for the characters, for their hunt for Glendower.

The series has always been gradually building toward something. In The Dream Thieves, the conclusion of their adventure—including the prophecy about Blue and her kiss and the implication of seeing Gansey on the corpse road—didn’t feel as pressing as they do here. The clues were portent, which ramped up the tension. And, for a story that is largely driven by its characters—and the way they inhabit and influence the world in the books—that was a good thing.

On the other hand, the series has also been about searching for the impossible and finding magic in unlikely places. I appreciate the meticulous detail and care given toward weaving together the folklore and Welsh mythology with the respective powers possessed (or lack thereof) by the characters. It wasn’t, of course, without its own particular and gut-wrenching brand of pitfalls and unpredictability. But for me, the reader, however, it was fun to follow the characters as they explored new locations.

I’m still enjoying The Raven Cycle and am looking forward to the conclusion. So I know it won’t be long before I read The Raven King.

About the book...

The third installment in the all-new series from the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs. The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost. Friends can betray. Mothers can disappear. Visions can mislead. Certainties can unravel.

Music Monday (277): Måneskin, Justin Champagne, K. Michelle, and Keyshia Cole

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: Lately, I've been into Måneskin's music. One of my favorite songs so far is Valentine.

Andrea: Hi all! This week I found more country music that caught my attention. I'm currently listening to Country Love Song by Justine Champagne featuring K. Michelle, Just Like Jay by K. Michelle, and No Love Lost by Keyshia Cole. Have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

The Friday 56 (246) & Book Beginnings: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

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. **Note: Freda @ Freda's Voice is taking a break from The Friday 56; Anne @Head is Full of Books is hosting for now.**

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 third installment in the all-new series from the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs. The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost. Friends can betray. Mothers can disappear. Visions can mislead. Certainties can unravel.

Beginning: "Persephone stood on the bare mountaintop, her ruffled ivory dress whipping around her legs, her mass of white-blond curls streaming behind her."

56: "Blue did not hate it, because that would require acknowledging that it was really happening."

Comments: I'm steadily making progress on my goal to read The Raven Cycle. I've finished book three, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, and I enjoyed it just as much as The Raven Cycle and The Dream Thieves. What are you reading this week?

I Listened to Girl With No Face by Allie X

Before February was over, there was one last music release I was waiting on: Allie X’s highly anticipated third studio album, Girl With No Face. For context, it’s been four years since Cape God (2020)—and three from the release of its deluxe edition with five additional songs (Cape God Theme, Milk, Limited Love, Anchor, and Rising Tide). There was plenty of time to build anticipation for Allie X’s next project, and, going into 2024, Girl With No Face was at the top of my list for albums releasing in the first quarter of the year.

On February 23, Girl With No Face arrived. Before then, the direction of the sound, aesthetic, and themes were teased for months with the release singles like Black Eye and the titular Girl With No Face. This album is a blend of pop, synth, and a little bit of glam rock. It feels very retro, especially in terms of how the beats are arranged. But Allie X manages to set her music apart with her vocals and lyrical depth, which keeps the album from feeling redundant.

Some of my favorite tracks (not including the singles) were Galina, You Slept On Me, Staying Power, and even the closing song, Truly Dreams. Another good one is Hardware/software, which sounds, honestly, like a soundtrack you would find in a video game from the eighties.

 
Girl With No Face was another excellent project by Allie X. Even the most upbeat track on the album—in terms of sound anyway—deserves more than a passing listen. There’s so much to sit with and chew on, and I know I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time. For today, however, I’ll leave it here. Just know: I enjoyed every second of my listening experience.   

Music Monday (276): Allie X, Mary J. Blige, Physics

 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: Another one of my favorite songs from Allie X's new album, Girl With No Face, is Staying Power. I love this one. Give it a listen!

Adri: I think I have mentioned that I like long songs. With it being nine minutes and eighteen seconds (and being house), my pick for today, Viva L'amore by Physics, checks all those boxes. 

Andrea: Hi all! This week I'm listening to Gone Forever by Mary J. Blige featuring Remy Ma and DJ Khalid. Have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

Upcoming Music I'm Waiting For!

It’s only March, and I didn’t think I would be back so soon with a proper “Upcoming Music I’m Waiting For,” except there have been some developments on that front. So here I am. 

First up, Normani has announced her long-awaited debut album: Dopamine. There’s no concrete release date as of writing this, but from everything I could find out about it, it seems like it’ll drop sometime in 2024.

Next, Tierra Whack is returning with her second studio album called: World Wide Whack. The wait for this one is super short, since it’s going to be released on March 15.

Later this month, on the 29th, Beyoncé is finally releasing the follow-up to Renaissance, Act ii. While the former album was inspired by house, this one is, from what I’ve read—and the genre of the two singles—is going to be country.

Then there’s Conan Gray’s upcoming third album, Found Heaven. I’ve only started listening to this artist recently, because of Never Ending Song (coincidently one of the singles from Found Heaven). Even so, I’m anticipating its release on April 5th.

Later in April, on the 19th, Taylor Swift is releasing The Tortured Poets Department. I’m a much more casual listener, when it comes to Taylor Swift. But, from time to time, I’ve liked some of her music. And I’m interested in seeing where this one goes.

On May 17th, Twenty One Pilots is releasing their next album: Clancy. It's the conclusion to the storyline that began with Blurryface (2015) and continued with Trench (2018) and Scaled & Icy (2021). The first single from Clancy, Overcompensate, has me very excited to see what the rest of the album has to offer.  

And last but not least, there seem to be some rumblings about a new FKA Twigs album and one from Doechii as well. I’m going to have to keep my eye on that.

That’s it for me, for today. Have you listened to any good music lately?

What I've Been Listening To

We’re already three months into 2024. It feels weird to write that, because, every time I glance at a calendar—whether digital or on paper—I realize how much it feels like the year is flying by. But I digress, because the point of today’s blog post is music, specifically everything I’ve been meaning to write about—even from last year—that I never go around to writing about. 

Albums

The last quarter of 2023 was actually pretty busy in terms of music releases—and specifically there was new stuff from some of my favorite artists.

On November 3, 2023, Tkay Maidza returned two years after 2021’s Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 3) with her second studio album: Sweet Justice. Part R&B, pop, and rap, Maidza delivers a stylish offering. Sitting at fourteen songs, Sweet Justice leans into what this artist is good at: vocals, lyrics, and production. There’s never a dull moment (no skips) on Sweet Justice, and it’s, hands down, one of my favorite albums of 2023.

On that note, I came away with a similar view of Tinashe’s sixth album, BB/ANG3L. Released on September 8, 2023, this was a shorter body of work with just seven songs, but every second of it was enjoyable. She’s singing about the many faces of relationships, good, bad, and everything in between. But, despite the tried and true subject, Tinashe always excels at giving it a spin, which makes BB/ANG3L straight to the point and perfect at its length. Her approach to R&B remains as one of my favorites.

There was also Victoria Monet’s debut studio album Jaguar II (August, 25 2023). As a long time listener of Monet, I was beyond pleased with this release. Supported by the singles Smoke featuring Lucky Daye, Party Girls featuring Buju Banton, and On My Mama, this was an air-tight and enjoyable listening experience.

As for 2024, so far I’ve listened to ORQUIDEAS, Kali Uchis’s fourth studio album, the deluxe edition of Carolina Polachek’s Desire, I Want to Turn Into You, and Girl With No Face, Allie X’s third studio release.

Kali Uchis has a style and she knows how to utilize it to its fullest potential. The deluxe edition of Desire, I Want to Turn Into You was a happy surprise and added a handful of songs to an album that was already quite good—with another version of Butterfly Net (featuring Weyes Blood) and the single, Dang, among others.

Singles

Beyoncé is back! I feel like I had to start with that, because I have been waiting for the follow up to Renaissance. The wait isn’t too long, because Act ii will be dropping later this month, on the twenty-ninth. Until then, there are two singles to listen to: Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages.

Some of the other singles that have made it to one playlist or another of mine include: Oh No :: He Said What? By Nothing But Thieves; Hunned Racks by The Whales featuring Tkay Maidza, Never Ending Song by Conan Gray, Overcompensate by Twenty One Pilots, and Your Blood by Aurora.

Honestly, the year is off to a strong start, and I’m looking forward to what the rest of 2024 has to offer. What about you, have you listened to any good music lately?

Music Monday (275): Allie X, Muni Long

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: I'm currently listening to Allie X's new album, Girl With No Face. Its one of my favorite releases of 2024 so far, but more on that on a different post. Checkout one of my favorite songs: Galina!

Andrea: Hi all! This week I'm listening to Made For Me by Muni Long. Have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?