27:120 Threnody for Little Girl, with Tuna, at the End of the World by Seanan McGuire

She knew when the doorbell rang and she saw the postman there that Matthew was dead. But how do you mourn a fish, even a fish that everyone knows is the last tuna in the world and that you won the contest to name him so you did after your grandfather who taught you about the sea.  Still, he's a fish, even if he was the most famous fish in the world for a while.  So you buy a dress that is reminiscent of the dress you wore when you were 7 and you were chosen to name him and you go to the aquarium and pay your respects, to a fish.

A lament indeed to a world that could happen but also a warning if we heed it to protect the world we still have.


Page count: 14p/4,806p ytd/279,281p lifetime

26:120 The Act of Hares by Seanan McGuire

Tybalt has been holding "court" at his sister's insistence but he really can see no reason for it since he chased out all his people years previously to protect them from the plague.  Now though, he has petitioners who wish to become part of his court in order to escape their previous liege and really what a is a king without subjects, even the more independent cat sidhe types.  Perhaps it is time for him to stop playing at being King and actually become one in more than name alone.

Another Tybalt story from his early days in London.  It has been wonderful learning of his history in these backstories and I'm glad we have the chance to read them.


Page count: 38p/4,792p ytd/279,267p lifetime

25:120 The Wedding Stipulation by Faye Larson

Kenneth thought it was odd that even though Bradley's father couldn't even be bothered to remember his name (even though he was III) he had received a call from his lawyer after his death.  When they meet up for coffee later, Kenneth receives an even bigger shock when Bradley tells him his inheritance is dependent upon him being married and would Kenneth do him the honor of being his husband.  While they've been best friends for years, doing almost everything together, romance had never been part of it and this seems like a paper marriage of convenience until it suddenly doesn't...

For a short story I thought Kenneth was nicely developed but felt that Bradley needed a bit more personality.  The plot was fairly straight forward and since this is a romance, there is explicit adult content. For the record, I know the author and was given a copy with no expectation of review or payment.


Page count: 66p/4,754p ytd/279,229p lifetime

24:120 Early Morning of the Living Dead by Faye Larson

Charlotte was not happy to get the call from her editor that morning after only a few hours of sleep but if Faith was in the hospital after being attacked by someone, there was no way Charlotte would let this interview Faith had worked so hard to secure go to waste.  That was how she ended up Downtown in Spencer's office trying to find ways to get the truth out of him regarding Cooper's disappearance when the riot started outside the building.  It was a strange riot though where several people had beaten a person and now seemed to be...eating him?  And that is a how a zombie apocalypse in the South Bay can start. So quick. So simple. So ready to spread.

I'm wondering if this will be the start of an actual series as it does a pretty typical start of the zombie apocalypse story but ends with the potential for a cure in the room.  If it doesn't, it would be a shame as the characters were just getting interesting at the end and I felt like the story was just really starting.  (For the record, I know the author and was given a copy of this to read not necessarily review and am not receiving payment of any kind.)  There were a few places were some extra editing would have been good.

Page count: 158p/4,688p ytd/279,163p liftime

23:120 In the Before, When Legends Were True by Seanan McGuire

Let me tell you a story of a time of the parents of my parents, a story from long before when the Legends were True. Let me tell you a story of a time when I wondered and found a living Legend and how we should treat them with reverence thanks to the land that they have left us, the People.

The 6th patreon short story, it is a stand-alone, set in a time far from now when the Earth is still healing.  While not super depressing, it is definitely not a cheery story either but still wonderful written.


Page count: 9p/4,530p ytd/279,005p lifetime

22:120 Working for Bigfoot by Jim Butcher

A collection of three short novellas that take place throughout the Dresden Files series.  Harry is called out to the forest by Rivers Shoulders at three different points to help Irwin, Rivers Shoulders' son.  "B is for Bigfoot" sees Irwin in middle-school being bullied but these aren't just ordinary bullies and Harry needs to do some talking to keep things from escalating badly.  "I Was a Teenage Bigfoot" means that Irwin is now in a private high school but he has all of a sudden been struck with illness for the first time in his life.  The doctors think it's mono but when Rivers Shoulders sends Harry out, he finds that there is something draining his life force and it's definitely not mono.  Lastly, "Bigfoot on Campus" has Irwin in college and having found happiness with a beautiful girl until the girl's vampiric nature comes to the fore.  Good think Harry knows a thing or two about vampires.

In all, it was a fun collection and I enjoyed returning to Harry's world.


Page count: 136p/4,521p ytd/278,996p lifetime

21:120 Unraveled by Jennifer Estep

15th book in the Elemental Assassin series.  Finn still has questions about what happened with his mother so when he suddenly finds himself inheriting her Wild West theme park and hotel, he's suspicious but it seems like too good an opportunity to pass up to possibly get some answers about her.  Gin is extremely suspicious but since she has hit nothing but dead ends in her search for information on The Circle, she agrees to go along.  Of course that means that Bria and Owen come along as well.  It doesn't take long before the real game has been sussed out by Gin and her friends and the deadly stakes are known.  Now Bria, Finn, and Owen have been drugged and kidnapped and Gin has just barely escaped with the help of an unexpected ally. She will need friends and allies if she wants to save them and live to fight another day.

A fun, quick read.  The basic plot was pretty standard for the series and not much headway was made on the overarching Circle plot but there was a bit of expose of Gin's mother's past and much less of her usual repetitive drivel so that made for an overall better reading experience.

Page count: 373p/4,385p ytd/278,860p lifetime