Short Stories I Read In February

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

Silver Necklace, Golden Ring by Marie Brennan (Uncanny Magazine; Issue Fifty)

I wasn’t too sure about this story going into it. But, I’m so glad I stuck around till the end, because I ended up loving Silver Necklace, Golden Ring by Marie Brennan. This story is best described as the beauty, whimsy, and darkness of a Grimm’s style fairy tale all wrapped up in just over three thousand and seven hundred words. With evocative and atmospheric language, the story chronicles bargains and ice palaces alongside a young woman displaced and in a situation that required every inch of wit she could gather. All-in-all, Silver Necklace, Golden Ring was an enjoyable story.

Guidelines for Using the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library by Marie Brennan (Lightspeed Magazine; Issue 153)

As it so happens, the second and last short story I read in February was a piece of flash fiction written, also, by Marie Brennan. I typically like stories like Guidelines for Using the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, which consists of a narrative that has a list-like structure and that tells about a specific object, person, or place. This time around, the story delves into the guidelines on how to navigate a fantasy library, which wove together a little bit of history, references to Dante Alighieri, and a whole lot of magic. Loved it! 

From around the web…

• Ologies Podcast: Vampireology Part One
• Ologies Podcast: Geology Part One & Two
• There's Really No Wrong Way To Read A Book [Molly Templeton; Tor.com; February 16, 2023]

Four Parties and a Funeral by Maria DiRico

Title: Four Parties and a Funeral

Series: Catering Hall Mystery #4
Author: Maria DiRico
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Cozy Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Kensington; March 28, 2023

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Agatha Award-winning author Maria DiRico returns with the fourth book in the Catering Hall Mystery Series, starring Mia Carina who is coming to grips with being back in Astoria, Queens, and running her Italian-American family's catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor but a TV casting call is about to put murder in the spotlight . . .

The June events schedule at Belle View is busting out all over--proms, graduations, and of course, weddings. There are unexpected bookings too, including a casting call for the pilot of Dons of Ditmars Boulevard. But soon, Mia's fears about the cheesy reality show are confirmed . . .Belle View quickly becomes the site of a sea of wanna-be goombahs and phony girlfriends, and some of Mia's friends insist on getting in on the action. The production company owner and his executive producer ex-wife--who's also very minor British royalty--have assembled a motley crew that does as much infighting and backstabbing as the on-screen "talent." Even so, it's a shock when a dead body is found in the pool house of a local mansion rented by the show . . .Murder might boost the ratings. But Mia intends to make sure the killer gets jail time, not airtime . . .

One of the cozy mysteries I was anticipating this year was Maria DiRico’s Four Parties and a Funeral. It’s the follow-up to It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder, which was one of my favorite reads of 2021. That book…I adored the characters, the mystery was engrossing, and, generally, I had a great time with it. And, so far, its sequel is one of my favorite reads of 2023.

Four Parties and a Funeral picks up after the events of It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder. The holidays are over, it’s June, and the familiar cast and crew of Belle View (a catering hall)—Mia, Shane, Ravello, Cammie, and others—are busy. However, they quickly get embroiled in the over-the-top hijinks of reality show filming with a side of murder. I liked the way the story gradually built up to the mystery as well as the actual introduction of the crime. It was seamless. By then, there were a handful of characters who had the potential to be a suspect, because the situation was, for the most part, tense and competitive—especially between the cast of the show as well as the production team behind the camera. Added to all of that, the book also delved into the various relationships between the usual cast, giving each one some time to develop further. And I was pleased by how those aspects were sprinkled throughout the story, heightening the emotional stakes alongside the present danger.

Maria DiRico really delivered with another witty and entertaining story—full of the same charm, family drama, and sleuthing as its predecessor.

About the author....

Maria DiRico (the pen name of award-winning author Ellen Byron) was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Queens and Westchester County. She is first-generation Italian American on her mother’s side. On her father’s side, her grandfather was a low-level Jewish mobster who disappeared in 1933 under mysterious circumstances. While growing up in Queens, Maria/Ellen's cousins ran the Astoria Manor and Grand Bay Marina catering halls.

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

Music Monday (236): Fall Out Boy, Shirley Brown

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: Over the weekend, I was listening to Fall Out Boy's new album, So Much (For) Stardust. I love it! There are too many good songs to choose one, but, for today's Music Monday, my pick is I Am My Own Muse. It's one of my favorites.

Andrea: Hi all! This week I'm listening to Woman to Woman by Shirley Brown. Have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

I Listened to 1 by The NYChillharmonic

So, this year, I’m getting back into using Spotify regularly. After all, all of my current favorite podcasts are there too, and the recommendations are useful for finding more content to enjoy. Under one such recommendation page was I Lost It All by Aberdeen and The NYChillharmic. It was an interesting collaboration and one that I instantly loved. And that’s how I got introduced to what has fast become some of my top favorite music. It’s called 1, and it’s the 2016 album by The NYChillharmonic.

Their music is, in terms of sounds—and as the band’s name suggests—very orchestral in nature, which is something I love about 1. Each track felt like its own lovely little journey, with the epic feel of work you would find from Two Steps From Hell but with a singer who delivered consistent vocals across 1’s seven songs.

Overall, there isn’t much more I can say about this album. In a number of ways, it’s a delightful listening experience that I’ve already revisited more than once since adding it to my Spotify library.

Music Monday (235): Lizzo & SZA, Luther Vandross

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: Lizzo released another version of her song, Special, from her most recent album (also the same name). I already loved the original, but I really like the collaboration with SZA. The vocals work so well together, and I love it!

Andrea: Hi all! This week, I'm listening to an oldie, Never Too Much by Luther Vandross! Enjoy and have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?