Review: Silent Night - Milla Vane

Author’s Note: This is a short piece that I wrote for a blog and features Mala’s cousin, Laina, who was mentioned in “The Beast of Blackmoor.” This takes place after that story but there are no spoilers for it. 

Originally posted on That's What I'm Talking About blog this can also be read on Milla Vane's website here.

A Gathering of Dragons Series:
(Chronological reading order as per the author's website)
The Beast of Blackmoor (Novella in the Night Shift anthology)
Silent Night (Free short story on the author's website)
A Heart of Blood and Ashes
A Touch of Stone and Snow (July 2020)

Visit Milla Vane's website for more information

Review:

Silent Night is a really short story that you can read for free on Milla Vane's website here, it's told from the point of view of Laina who was briefly mentioned in The Beast of Blackmoor novella as Mala's cousin.

It's hard to say too much about this story as it's so short but we get to see that Laina is on a quest of her own for the Goddess Vela. We only see a tiny snippet of her story so I was really excited when I realised that she is the heroine of book 3, A Dance of Smoke and Steel, which publishes later this year. I can't wait to read about more of her journey!

Source: Read for free on Milla Vane's website

Other Reviews:
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Review: The Last Wish - Andrzej Sapkowski

Geralt the Witcher — revered and hated — holds the line against the monsters plaguing humanity in this collection of adventures in the NYT bestselling series that inspired the blockbuster video games.

Geralt is a Witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.

But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good…and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.

The Witcher Series:
The Last Wish (Short Story Collection)
Sword of Destiny (Short Story Collection)
Blood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire
The Tower of Swallows
The Lady of the Lake
Season of Storms

Visit Andrzej Sapkowski's publisher page for more information

Review:
I'm going to preface this review by saying I was really unwell when I read this book and that may have affected my opinion of it. It took me much longer to read than it should have done and there were parts I listened to multiple times because my brain was too fuzzy to properly pay attention so it's very possible that I missed major details and that's why I didn't fully connect to the story.

I didn't know much about the Witcher series before I went into this book, I knew my brother was obsessed with the games when he was younger (but I'd never played them myself) and I also knew that it was being made into a series by Netflix (which was the main reason I wanted to read it, I mean come on, did you see the pictures of Henry Cavill as Geralt?!). Apart from that, and the fact it was high fantasy, I didn't know what else to expect so I was somewhat surprised when I realised that The Last Wish is actually a collection of short stories rather than a full length novel. I usually find short stories work better as an addition to series I'm already familiar with rather than an introduction to a new world but it was actually pretty well done in this case and allowed us to find out a decent amount about Geralt's background and some of the main characters I assume we'll see throughout the series.

The book starts with Geralt getting injured in a fight, he is taken to a temple to recover and while there he proceeds to recount stories of some of the other monsters he's come across over the years. These stories are interspersed with short updates on his recovery and what is happening in the current timeline. I really liked the huge variety of different monsters that are included, everything from vampires and werewolves through to djinn and gnomes. I loved that we get so many hints of familiar fairytales included in the stories, it makes the world feel familiar and I was always trying to guess what fairytale creature would pop up next.

As a Witcher Geralt has trained both physically and mentally to protect humans from monsters, even going so far as taking a potion that makes him not quite human himself and gives him extra speed, strength and healing abilities. Witchers provide an important service but it isn't always appreciated so he's always a little on the outside looking in no matter how far he travels. I'm really curious to find out more about Geralt but I don't feel like I know him that well yet and that made it a little harder to connect with the story. While there was a lot I enjoyed about the book I don't think I've been fully sucked into this world yet. My friends have assured me that I can start the TV series now though so I'm looking forward to that and I'm hoping I'll enjoy it so much that it'll make me want to continue reading the books.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Updated cover for the Netflix Show

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Defending Elysium - Brandon Sanderson

This story originally appeared in the October/November 2008 Asimov’s Science Fiction (in the US) and the UPC Science Fiction collection (in Europe).

"An image came to him. An image of humankind escaping into space. An image of human merchants trading and cheating, of human tyrants capturing the Varvax, Tenasi, and Hommar. Images of wars, of fighting, of a paradise destroyed."

Oddly enough, the ones who made first contact were an outdated, nearly bankrupt phone company. Second contact was made by the United Governments Military when they accidentally shot down a Tenasi ambassadorial vessel. The Phone Company negotiated Earth out of danger following the Tenasi incident. The Phone Company had brought FTL communication to humankind.

And Phone Company operative Jason Write has sworn to keep the galaxy safe from the barbaric humans who would ruin the Elysium that the galactic races currently enjoy.

Cytonic Series:
Defending Elysium (Free short story)
Skyward
Starsight

Visit the Brandon Sanderson's website for more information

Review:
This short story is set in the same universe as the Skyward series and can be read for free on Brandon Sanderson's website here or you can even listen to it via the StarShipSofa podcast (episode 339) here.

Although this story is set decades or centuries before the start of Skyward I would recommend reading it after that novel as it does contain answers to questions that are only raised in that book. I don't want to go into too much detail because it's far too easy to accidentally spoil a 40 page short story but I will say it gives more information about humanity's first interaction with alien species and it definitely explains certain things that we find out towards the end of Skyward.

Having really enjoyed this short I'm now even more excited to start the second book in the series, Starsight, I can't wait to see what happens next for Spensa and her friends.

Source: Read for free on Brandon Sanderson's website

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Sleigh Bells Ring - Jodie Griffin

Vixen loves Nicholas, but as her stay in the North Pole grows short, this reindeer-shifter worries that her time spent with the Master Elf has ruined her for any other dominant out in the real world. But Nic has other plans for the little doe who caught his eye . . . and his heart.

This story was published at the author's website as a free holiday story: http://jodiegriffin.com/2015/12/sleigh-bells-ring/

Visit Jodie Griffin's website for more information.







Review:
Sleigh Bells Ring is a short but spicy free Christmas story that you can read on Jodie Griffin's website here.

Just imagine that Santa's reindeers are actually shifters and think about all the kinky things they could get up to with Master Elf Nic during all those long winter days while they wait for Christmas.

The trouble for Vixen is that she's fallen in love with the immortal elf and she knows she'll never be happy when she's finished her time working for him and has to return to her mortal life and the real world. Luckily for her Nic has no plans on letting her go.

Like I said before this was a really quick read but it was also a really fun one with lots of interesting uses for peppermint candy canes and icicles. It's not for the faint of heart - these reindeers all have their kinks and there are lots of multi-partner situations going on not to mention some BDSM elements but I enjoyed the story and thought reading it was a fun way to pass 20 minutes.

Source: Read for free on Jodie Griffin's website

Other Reviews:
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Review: Girls' Night Out - Kit Rocha

Caution: this story is not meant to stand alone. The Beyond Happily Ever After stories are vignettes and outtakes showing the O’Kanes in their daily lives, in between the adventures and often after their happy endings. These stories were written exclusively for readers and fans of the series, and will probably not make very much sense to anyone not familiar with the characters.

Fight Night is part of our Girls Night Out series of shorts, written for our Patreon supporters. In it, Nita, Ana, Laurel, Grace & Avery are scouting out locations for Maricela’s big pre-wedding bash…with hijinks to follow. Their first stop: Fight Night.

(Note: Patreon stories are exclusive to subscribers for the first six to nine months. After that, they’ll be available to download free on our website.)

Length: ~3000 words
Characters: Nita, Grace, Laurel, Ana, Avery, Jyoti, Nessa
Timeline: Set after Ivan

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
Girls' Night Out is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story every month. After six months these stories become available on Kit Rocha's website so you can now read this one for free. These stories aren't meant to be standalone, they're written to give fans of the series a chance to catch up with favourite characters and just give us little glimpses into what's happening in this world now that the main series has finished.

In Girls' Night Out we see a bunch of the women from Sector One head to the O'Kane Fight Night. They're on a mission to find a suitable venue for Maricela's bachelorette party, I'll let Nita explain exactly what they're looking for in this quote:

“So, I don’t know what a bachelorette party is supposed to be like. What are we looking for?”
“It’s not really a Sector One tradition,” Nita replied. “But it should be. I have researched this extensively and according to all vids we need intense fun, mild debauchery and maybe some light crime.”

This was a really fun snippet & I hope we get to see the girls try out a few of the other venues mentioned, as well as the actual hen night, in future stories!

Source: Read for free on Kit Rocha's website

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: High Priestess - Kit Rocha

Caution: this story is not meant to stand alone. The Beyond Happily Ever After & Patreon stories are vignettes and outtakes showing the O’Kanes & Riders in their daily lives, in between the adventures and often after their happy endings. These stories were written exclusively for readers and fans of the series, and will probably not make very much sense to anyone not familiar with the characters.

High Priestess: a 2019 patreon story. (Del POV & Mad POV) This story is a short vignette (usually) voted on by our Patreon supporters. In it, the high priestess Del reflects on the path she took to her current place of power as she tries to find the right way to immortalize Carter Maddox as a saint. And Mad grapples with his family legacy as he sees his father remembered. (Note: Patreon stories are exclusive to subscribers for the first six months. After that, they’ll be available to download free on our website.)

Length: 2750 words
Characters: Del, Mad & Jyoti
Timeline: Set after Ivan

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
High Priestess is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story every month. After six months these stories become available on Kit Rocha's website so you can now read this one for free. These stories aren't meant to be standalone, they're written to give fans of the series a chance to catch up with favourite characters and just give us little glimpses into what's happening in this world now that the main series has finished.

Maddox has never really been comfortable with his family history or the way his father's legacy has been forgotten but High Priestess Del is organising something very special for him. This was a sweet read but it wasn't my favourite of the short slices of life that Kit Rocha has written.

Source: Read for free on Kit Rocha's website

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Diplomacy - Kit Rocha

Caution: this story is not meant to stand alone. The Beyond Happily Ever After stories are vignettes and outtakes showing the O’Kanes in their daily lives, in between the adventures and often after their happy endings. These stories were written exclusively for readers and fans of the series, and will probably not make very much sense to anyone not familiar with the characters.

A Patreon Reward Story. This story is a short vignette voted on by our Patreon supporters. In this story, Six & Gideon negotiate over Laurel’s future.

Characters: Six & Gideon
Timeline: Set after Ivan

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
Diplomacy is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story every month. After six months these stories become available on Kit Rocha's website so you can now read this one for free. These stories aren't meant to be standalone, they're written to give fans of the series a chance to catch up with favourite characters and just give us little glimpses into what's happening in this world now that the main series has finished.

This story gives us a glimpse of Six and Gideon and shows them figuring out how they're going to work together now they've both got their own sector to look after. Gideon's been in charge for a long time so we already know what to expect from him but it was fun seeing Six coming into her own as a leader. It's obvious she really cares about her people and wants the best for them.

Source: Read for free on Kit Rocha's website

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Laughter at the Academy - Seanan McGuire

From fairy tale forest to gloomy gothic moor, from gleaming epidemiologist’s lab to the sandy shores of Neverland, Seanan McGuire’s short fiction has been surprising, delighting, confusing, and transporting her readers since 2009. Now, for the first time, that fiction has been gathered together in one place, ready to be enjoyed one twisting, tangled tale at a time. Her work crosses genres and subverts expectations.

Meet the mad scientists of “Laughter at the Academy” and “The Tolling of Pavlov’s Bells.” Glory in the potential of a Halloween that never ends. Follow two very different alphabets in “Frontier ABCs” and “From A to Z in the Book of Changes.” Get “Lost,” dress yourself “In Skeleton Leaves,” and remember how to fly. All this and more is waiting for you within the pages of this decade-spanning collection, including several pieces that have never before been reprinted. Stories about mermaids, robots, dolls, and Deep Ones are all here, ready for you to dive in.

This is a box of strange surprises dredged up from the depths of the sea, each one polished and prepared for your enjoyment. So take a chance, and allow yourself to be surprised.

Visit Seanan McGuire's website for more information

Review:
Laughter at the Academy is a collection of 22 short stories written by Seanan McGuire, these stories have all been published before but this is the first time they've been collected together and each has an introduction from the author explaining why she chose to include it in this anthology. None of these stories are linked to existing series (like October Daye or Incryptid) so you don't need to be familiar with Seanan's other books to enjoy them.

This really was a fantastic collection of stories, it includes everything from urban fantasy, science fiction and horror through to a couple of retellings and even a steampunk story thrown in for fun. There are hints of Peter Pan and the Wizard of Oz alongside stories of multiverses and mermaids so it really does have something for everyone.

As with any short story collection some stories will resonate more than others but overall there were far more hits than misses and there were a lot of worlds or characters that I'd love the chance to spend more time with. My particular favourites were The Tolling of Pavlov's Bells (a story about a scientist who is fed up of trying to explain the risks of bioterrorism), Crystal Halloway and the Forgotten Passage (which reminded me a little of the Wayward Children series), Please Accept My Most Profound Apologies for What Is About to Happen (But You Started It) (about a social misfit who loves dinosaurs) and Down, Deep Down, Below the Waves (the story of a grad student who has been carrying out an unexpected experiment).

If you're a Seanan McGuire fan then you're sure to love this collection, and even if you're new to her work then this would be a brilliant place to start. She has such an incredible imagination and always manages to throw in surprising twists that turn things upside down. I would love to know where she gets her ideas from!

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews:
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Kindle:

Review: Flash - Kit Rocha

Caution: this story is not meant to stand alone. The Beyond Happily Ever After stories are vignettes and outtakes showing the O’Kanes in their daily lives, in between the adventures and often after their happy endings. These stories were written exclusively for readers and fans of the series, and will probably not make very much sense to anyone not familiar with the characters.

A Patreon Reward Story. This story is a short vignette voted on by our Patreon supporters. In this story, Flash & Amira spend a little time with newborn baby Hana.

Characters: Flash, Amira & Hana
Timeline: Set after Beyond Pain

Now available to read for free on Kit Rocha's website: https://www.kitrocha.com/book/flash-2/

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
Flash is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story every month. After six months these stories become available on Kit Rocha's website so you can now read this one for free. These stories aren't meant to be standalone, they're written to give fans of the series a chance to catch up with favourite characters and just give us little glimpses into what's happening in this world now that the main series has finished.

This story fits into the series timeline just after book 3, Beyond Pain, so it does contain spoilers for earlier books. It's an adorable slice of life scene between Flash, Amira and newborn Hana but it's quite bittersweet for anyone who has read the whole Beyond series. The last line made my heart hurt!

Source: Read for free on Kit Rocha's website

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Makhai - Kit Rocha

Caution: this story is not meant to stand alone. The Beyond Happily Ever After stories are vignettes and outtakes showing the O’Kanes in their daily lives, in between the adventures and often after their happy endings. These stories were written exclusively for readers and fans of the series, and will probably not make very much sense to anyone not familiar with the characters.

A Patreon Reward Story. This story is a short vignette voted on by our Patreon supporters. This story features Ashwin’s friend (and fellow Makhai soldier) Samson as he watches Ashwin & Kora.

Characters: Samson (Ashwin/Kora)
Timeline: Set between Deacon and Ivan

Now available to read for free on Kit Rocha's website: https://www.kitrocha.com/book/makhai/

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
Makhai is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story every month. After six months these stories become available on Kit Rocha's website so you can now read this one for free. These stories aren't meant to be standalone, they're written to give fans of the series a chance to catch up with favourite characters and just give us little glimpses into what's happening in this world now that the main series has finished.

This short story is actually told from the point of view of Samson, one of the Makhai soldiers who trained with Ashwin. Samson has a very different way of looking at things because of his upbringing so it was interesting to see inside his head as he watched Ashwin and Kora together. I really hope we're going to get to spend more time with the Makhai soldiers when this series continues so I'd love to see Samson get a book of his own.

Source: Read for free on Kit Rocha's website

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: A Little Bit Bad - Kit Rocha

Caution: this story is not meant to stand alone. The Beyond Happily Ever After stories are vignettes and outtakes showing the O’Kanes in their daily lives, in between the adventures and often after their happy endings. These stories were written exclusively for readers and fans of the series, and will probably not make very much sense to anyone not familiar with the characters.

Memorial: A Patreon Reward Story. This story is a short vignette voted on by our Patreon supporters. In it, Tatiana enjoys her new shop and Zan pays a surprise visit.

Characters: Zan and Tatiana
Timeline: Set after the end of Beyond Forever

Now available to read for free on Kit Rocha's website: https://www.kitrocha.com/book/a-little-bit-bad/

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
A Little Bit Bad is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story every month. After six months these stories become available on Kit Rocha's website so you can now read this one for free. These stories aren't meant to be standalone, they're written to give fans of the series a chance to catch up with favourite characters and just give us little glimpses into what's happening in this world now that the main series has finished.

This story gives us a glimpse at Tatiana and Zan's life after the war. Tatiana is happy running her shop while surrounded by her chosen family and things are great between her and Zan. They're both still madly in love which was cute.

Source: Read for free on Kit Rocha's website

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Hope is Swift - Seanan McGuire

Follows Raj's POV during the timeline of The Unkindest Tide while he is in charge of the Court of Cat's in Tybalt's absence.

October Daye Series:
In Little Stars (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
Rosemary and Rue
A Local Habitation
An Artificial Night
Late Eclipses
Through This House (Short story in the Home Improvement: Undead Edition anthology)
One Salt Sea
In Sea-Salt Tears (Free short story available on Seanan's website)
Ashes of Honor
Rat-Catcher (Free short story available on the Lightspeed Magazine website)
No Sooner Met (Free short story available on Seanan's website)
Chimes at Midnight
Never Shines the Sun (Short story included in the print version of Chimes at Midnight)
Forbid the Sea (Free short story available on Seanan's website)
Stage of Fools (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
The Voice of Lions (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
The Act of Hares (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
Instruments of Darkness (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
With Honest Trifles (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
In Deepest Consequence (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
Jealous in Honor (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
Quick in Quarrel (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
The Winter Long
Heaps of Pearl (Free short story available on Seanan's website)
Shore to Shore (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
Write in Water (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
Live in Brass (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
The Ambitious Ocean (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
And Thrice Again (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
The Fixed Stars (Free short story available on the Baen website)
A Red-Rose Chain
Full of Briars (Short story)
Once Broken Faith
Dreams and Slumbers (Short story included in Once Broken Faith)
The Brightest Fell
These Antique Fables (Short story available to purchase through Patreon)
Of Things Unknown (Short story included in The Brightest Fell)
Night and Silence
Suffer a Sea-Change (Short story included in Night and Silence)
The Unkindest Tide
Hope is Swift (Short story included in The Unkindest Tide)

Visit Seanan McGuire's website for more information

Review:
Hope is Swift is a short story included in The Unkindest Tide and I think it's the first time we've had a Raj point of view story. Raj is a Prince of Cats and Tybalt's heir, he thought he would have decades before he was asked to take his rightful place as King but it's become increasingly obvious that Tybalt will be stepping down much sooner than expected.

This story is about Raj coming to terms with the ways his life is about to change but also about him trying to enjoy the last of his freedom. There were a few laugh out loud moments but it was also a little bittersweet when Raj finds himself in a sticky situation waiting to be rescued. I always love these additional insights into side characters from the series though and this was a very enjoyable extra.

Source: Short story included in Night and Silence

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Hardback:

Review: Any Way the Wind Blows - Seanan McGuire

As Tor.com departs from its longtime home, the iconic Flatiron building, we present this sweet farewell from Seanan McGuire.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Visit Seanan McGuire's website for more information

Review:
Any Way the Wind Blows is a short story written by Seanan McGuire as a kind of goodbye to the Flatiron building as Tor move to new offices. Its available as a free ebook on Amazon (and presumably other ebook sites) or you can read it online at Tor's website here.

Seanan McGuire never fails to amaze me with the fantastic new story ideas that she keeps coming up with and this is no exception. I really loved her baklava take on the multiverse and like the idea of travellers breaking their way through the layers to explore new dimensions. It was such a fun idea and even though this is such a short story (around 20 pages) it already introduces us to some interesting new characters that I'd love to spend more time with.

As much as that's a positive it's also a negative because I think this world deserves so much more than a tiny short story. I'd love to revisit this in a full length book and go exploring with the crew. It could be such a fun universe to spend time in!

Also, let's just take a moment to appreciate that gorgeous cover artwork, isn't it stunning!

Source: Downloaded for free from Amazon but this can also be read on the Tor website here

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

Review: Having the Barbarian's Baby - Ruby Dixon

Megan’s ready to give birth, but she’s not ready to let her mate leave her side. When Cashol must go hunting to feed the tribe, they’re separated for the first time since resonance. Not a problem, except the baby’s ready to be born and there’s a storm brewing…



This is a short story set in the ICE PLANET BARBARIANS world. It does not stand alone, and is intended to be read after BARBARIAN’S MATE. It’s a little bit of sweetness for those that can’t get enough of the big blue aliens! Happy reading!

Ice Planet Barbarians:
Ice Planet Barbarians
Barbarian Alien
Barbarian Lover
Barbarian Mine
Ice Planet Holiday (Novella)
Barbarian's Prize
Barbarian's Mate
Having the Barbarian's Baby (Short Story)
Ice Ice Babies (Short Story)
Barbarian's Touch
Calm: Slice of Life (Short Story)
Barbarian's Taming
After Shock: Slice of Life (Short Story)
Barbarian's Heart
Barbarian's Hope
Barbarian's Choice
Barbarian's Redemption
Barbarian's Lady
Prison Planet Barbarian
Barbarian's Rescue
Barbarian's Tease
The Corsair's Captive
The Barbarian Before Christmas (Novella)

Icehome Series:
(Set in the same world as the Ice Planet Barbarians series but introducing new characters)
Lauren's Barbarian

Visit Ruby Dixon's website for more information

Review:
Having the Barbarian's Baby is a short story in Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians series and it gives us a chance to get to know two of the side characters Cashol and Megan. They're already mated and Megan is heavily pregnant, due to give birth any day now, so this isn't about the start of their relationship but it does give us some insight into day to day life in the cave.

I did really like Cashol, he was so attentive and protective of Megan and he went out of his way to make life as easy for her as possible but unfortunately I ended up feeling like he was totally wasted on such an awful heroine. Megan drove me bonkers, she was so clingy that Cashol wasn't even allowed to leave the cave to go and hunt for food. This is at a time when their cave has far more people than ever before with the addition of all the human women, not to mention the number of new babies that are on the way. They're approaching winter, food stores are already critically low and this is a planet where winter can be deadly. They need every single capable person out there bringing back as much food as possible or literally the entire population is at a very real risk of starving yet Cashol can't go further than 5 feet from Megan without her having a total meltdown. It might have been more understandable if he would be leaving her totally alone but she was in a cave full of people!

Megan totally ruined this story for me. It was great to catch up with other characters but I ended up feeling sorry for Cashol, he really struck out when his cootie chose Megan as his mate!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

Review: Fierce Protector - Kit Rocha

Caution: this story is not meant to stand alone. The Beyond Happily Ever After stories are vignettes and outtakes showing the O’Kanes in their daily lives, in between the adventures and often after their happy endings. These stories were written exclusively for readers and fans of the series, and will probably not make very much sense to anyone not familiar with the characters.

Fierce Protector: A Patreon Reward Story. This story is a short vignette voted on by our Patreon supporters. In it, Hawk tries to get a surprise for Jeni and ends up getting a surprise of his own.

Characters: Hawk, Jeni (and a little bit of Finn & Hawk’s sister!)
Timeline: Set after the end of Beyond Surrender

Now available to read for free on Kit Rocha's website: https://www.kitrocha.com/book/fierce-protector/

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
Fierce Protector is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story every month. After six months these stories become available on Kit Rocha's website so you can now read this one for free. These stories aren't meant to be standalone, they're written to give fans of the series a chance to catch up with favourite characters and just give us little glimpses into what's happening in this world now that the main series has finished.

In Fierce Protector we get a glimpse of how life is going for Jeni and Hawk as Hawk takes a road trip with Finn to visit his sister to get a very special gift for Jeni. This was a really cute read and I loved the chance to catch up with these characters. It's so nice to see life much more settled for Jeni and Hawk now that the war is over and they're getting the chance to build a new life for themselves. I love these short snippets!

Source: Read for free on Kit Rocha's website

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Memorial - Kit Rocha

Caution: this story is not meant to stand alone. The Beyond Happily Ever After stories are vignettes and outtakes showing the O’Kanes in their daily lives, in between the adventures and often after their happy endings. These stories were written exclusively for readers and fans of the series, and will probably not make very much sense to anyone not familiar with the characters.

Memorial: A Patreon Reward Story. This story is a short vignette voted on by our Patreon supporters. In it, Noah & Emma finally take some time to remember someone they lost.

Characters: Noah & Emma
Timeline: Set after the end of Beyond Surrender

Now available to read for free on Kit Rocha's website: https://www.kitrocha.com/book/memorial/

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
Memorial is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story every month. After six months these stories become available on Kit Rocha's website so you can now read this one for free. These stories aren't meant to be standalone, they're written to give fans of the series a chance to catch up with favourite characters and just give us little glimpses into what's happening in this world now that the main series has finished.

In Memorial we get to see Emma and Noah remembering the people who are no longer with them, Emma's brother in particular. This story has quite a melancholy feel to it and was sadder than most of these short stories have been but it was still sweet to see how strong they are as a couple and that they are so supportive of each other.

Source: Read for free on Kit Rocha's website

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.