Short Stories I Read In August

It’s the twenty-ninth of September. So it’s time to write about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in August.

The Magazine of Horror by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki [Apex Magazine; August 15, 2023]

The Magazine of Horror is an unusual little story, but it’s one of the best that I read in August. A series of correspondences—structured as emails—revealed the interaction between editors of a magazine and a writer submitting a story (who also shared a name with Ekpeki). But there were some unusual terms revealed about the way the magazine operated, which culminated in some creative speculative aspects. All-in-all, I liked this one.

The Discarded Ones by Linda Niehoff (Apex Magazine; August 8, 2023)

The Discarded Ones is a ghost story to put on your October reading list. It’s not a scary one, but was instead thoughtful and thought-provoking. There was a well-meaning and lonely narrator who believed the rosy-hued account sold by a commercial. And there were ghosts that couldn’t move on, in a situation that read like a pet adoption from a local shelter. It was an interesting idea and a little eerie, but it was also the kind of story that was very melancholic but ended on a more hopeful note. Overall, The Discarded Ones was very good.

**Starting this month, I’m including stories I’ve read from an anthology called The Book of Witches edited by Jonathan Strahan. I’m reading the book in no particular order. And for context and as a disclaimer: I won a hardcover copy from Harper Voyager; thank you!**

What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata by P. Djèlí Clark (The Book of Witches edited by Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by Alyssa Winans)

Clark is an author who is familiar to me, since I read and loved The Haunting of Tram Car 015. So, when I saw What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata, it was one of the first stories in The Book of Witches that I wanted to read. I enjoyed this story so much! Set in Mara’s Bay, the coastal town receives a victor who offers a cryptic warning and a solution, for a price. The rest of it unfolds from there, following a trajectory toward broken promises and near tragedy. And, in a way, it can feel very familiar. That’s especially the case when it comes to fiction stories about witches: how determination and welcome, turns to doubts and rumors, and that inevitably is a pot waiting to boil over into violence. What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata is another good story by P. Djèlí Clark.

From around the web…

• Monarchy, Power, and the Stories We Tell [Nghi Vo; Tor.com; August 16, 2023]
• The Matter of King Arthur on the Screen [Natania Barron; Uncanny Magazine; Issue Fifty-Three]
• Print Run Podcast Episode 164: Level Drain
• The Last Voyage of the Demeter Tackles the Deeper Themes of Stoker’s Dracula [Tyler Dean; Tor.com; August 23, 2023]
• Walking, Reading, and the Rhythms of the Mind [Molly Templeton; Tor.com; August 24, 2023]

Music Monday (256): Caroline Polachek, Ananda Project ft. Marta Gazman, Bobby McFerrin

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: For my pick this week, I'm sharing one of my favorite songs by Caroline Polachek. It's called Bunny Is A Rider.

Adri: This week I'm listening to Secrets (Relight Mix) by Ananda Project featuring Marta Gazman.

Andrea: Hi all! This week I'm listening to Don't Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin. Have an amazing week everybody!

What are you listening to this week?

The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James

Title: The Woman in the Castello
Series: n/a
Author: Kelsey James
Source/Format: Won in a giveaway from the publisher; Paperback
More Details: Historical Fiction; Gothic; Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: John Scognamiglio Books; July 25, 2023

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Rome, 1965: Aspiring actress Silvia Whitford arrives at Rome's famed Cinecitt Studios from Los Angeles, ready for her big break and a taste of la dolce vita. Instead, she learns that the movie in which she was cast has been canceled. Desperate for money, Silvia has only one choice: seek out the Italian aunt she has never met. Gabriella Conti lives in a crumbling castello on the edge of a volcanic lake. Silvia's mother refuses to explain the rift that drove the sisters apart, but Silvia is fascinated by Gabriella, a once-famous actress who still radiates charisma. And the eerie castle inspires Silvia's second chance when it becomes the location for a new horror movie, aptly named The Revenge of the Lake Witch--and she lands a starring role. Silvia immerses herself in the part of an ingenue tormented by the ghost of her beautiful, seductive ancestor. But when Gabriella abruptly vanishes, the movie's make-believe terrors seep into reality. No one else on set seems to share Silvia's suspicions. Yet as she delves into Gabriella's disappearance, she triggers a chain of events that illuminate dark secrets in the past--and a growing menace in the present . . .

I was in the mood for another historical fiction novel, which is why I decided to give The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James a try. I liked this book for what it was: a story with family secrets, a crumbling and atmospheric castle, and a troubled movie set.

Set in 1965 Rome, it follows Silvia Whitford, a struggling actress hoping for a big break. Her initial hopes were dashed, but she got a second chance at a breakout role. Honestly, I liked how quickly the setup for the story came together, especially how the family secrets were a source of conflict but also closely connected to the movie.

Silvia was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She doubted herself—and she was far from perfect—but part of what was good about her character was her determination. The relationships she had—especially with her daughter and mother—were very complicated, but I ultimately liked how James handled that end of the story.

Some of the clues—especially about the rift between Silvia’s mother and aunt—were a little too obvious for me. It was a complicated situation, and the issue was larger than just some small misunderstanding. That being said, there were some thrilling scenes, and the castle—especially the portions about the film, which were detailed and good—were some of the best parts of the story. So, while I could guess how some of the scenario would go, I was still entertained by how the conclusion was executed.

Overall, I liked The Woman in the Castello.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

Title: A Study in Drowning 

Series: n/a
Author: Ava Reid
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Young Adult; Gothic; Romance; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: HarperTeen; September 19, 2023

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. She’s had no choice. Since childhood, she’s been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She’s found solace only in the pages of Angharad - author Emrys Myrddin’s beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him. Effy’s tattered, dog-eared copy is all that’s keeping her afloat through her stifling first term at Llyr’s prestigious architecture college. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to design the late author’s house, Effy feels certain this is her destiny. But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn’t the only one who’s made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin’s papers and is determined to prove her favorite author is a fraud. As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author’s legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house’s foundation isn’t the only thing that can’t be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them - and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

A Study in Drowning is my first Ava Reid novel, and, for me, it was probably the best place to start. When I heard it was going to be a gothic novel with mythology and academic rivals in a fantasy setting—a.k.a. some of the story aspects I’ve been enjoying the most this year—I was pretty much sold on it. And, in the end, I loved the story so much.

A Study in Drowning is a dark novel that’s definitely on the upper end of YA. The characters are college aged or just adults in general. And, while it wasn’t quite to the level of what was in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic, this book still leaned quite heavily into many elements that are hallmarks of gothic fiction. There was this sense of dread and isolation, particularly with the strangeness that popped up once the setting transitioned away from the college. I always like a good house story—or those where the setting has as much character as the main cast—and Reid crafted one strange house. It was vividly described—imposing, suffocating, decrepit, and damp (and just outright waterlogged). It was a place that held a lot of secrets. It was the decay of splendor, which was also something featured in Mexican Gothic.

Literature was a big aspect, especially Effy’s hero worship of Myrddin. There were frequent quotes, which I enjoyed. In particular it offered an insight into the fictional society, the myths within the story, and helped with understanding Effy as well. Myrddin, especially, cast a large shadow over the story. Even though he wasn’t alive in the present time of the story, he was still the subject at the center of the book’s pivotal mysteries originated.

Effy’s journey, however, was still the focus of the story. Since it’s told from her point of view, the narration was informed by her trauma. And with it being so intrinsically linked to that, often the lines between what was real and what wasn’t was blurred. In general, I liked her character, as well as Preston’s. Their verbal sparring was a lot of fun to read, and there was a lot I liked about the way Reid ultimately handled their character growth through the myriad of obstacles and increasingly frightening circumstances.

All that to say, A Study in Drowning was a story as much about monsters—ordinary people and those that are magic—as it was about lost voices and silenced stories, and what it took to reclaim them. It’s only the first book I’ve read by Ava Reid, and it likely won’t be the last.

About the author....

Ava Reid is the author of critically acclaimed and bestselling adult fantasies Juniper & Thorn and The Wolf and the Woodsman, as well as the forthcoming A Study in Drowning, her young adult debut. After obtaining her degree in political science from Barnard College, she moved to Palo Alto, where she continues to haunt university libraries.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (HarperTeen) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

Music Monday (255): Metro Boomin with A$AP Rocky and Roisee, Brandy with Tamia, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan

 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: My pick today is Am I Dreaming by Metro Boomin with A$AP Rocky and Roisee. I haven't watched Spiderman Across the Spiderverse yet, but I plan to get to it soon. In the meantime, I've been listening to the film's soundtrack, and Am I Dreaming is one of my favorites.

Andrea: Hi all! his week I'm listening to Missing You by Brandy, Tamia, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan. Have a great week!

What are you listening to this week?