90:120 Tricks and Treats by Faye Larson

Will has been in a funk since breaking off his engagement when his best friend, Karloff, decides it's time to bring Will back into the land of the living with a pumpkin-spiced latte and the reminder that it's Will's favorite time of year, October.  Will and Karloff have been through so much together and people have long wondered about their relationship but tonight, Will is beginning to wonder himself. Karloff keeps looking at him in a strange way, well, really at his neck and their seems to be an off gleam in his eye.  Is it just Will's imagination or something else?

Not one of Ms. Larson's better offerings. The internal monologue was repetitive and overdone and didn't really add anything to the story and there really was nothing notable to either of the characters.  Usual disclaimer, I know the author and was given a copy of the story with no expectations.


Page count: 40p/17,615p ytd/288,744p lifetime

89:120 Heart of Straw by Seanan McGuire

The children are out in the costumes on a Halloween night, ready for the treats that have been promised but these three are full of doubts at the more grown-up choices they are having to make and wondering what to do when they find another child with his babysitter who comes along with them. Choices have consequences my dear children.

Delightfully spooky and eerie and nightmare fuel for all parents.


Page count: 8p/17,575p ytd/288,704p lifetime

88:120 From A to Z in the Book of Changes by Seanan McGuire

Ms. McGuire asked her Patreons for prompts for her Patreon stories. She decided she simply couldn't pick just one so picked one for each letter of the alphabet and came up with a paragraph or two (sometimes even more) of a little tale to go with that prompt.  It was cute and scary which seems just perfect for something coming from her.


Page count: 12p/17,567p ytd/288,699p lifetime

87:120 The Wedding Pact by Faye Larson

Keith and Preston had made the pact back in high school as one of those stupid things kids do but neither of them really thought it would come to pass that they would both still be single at 40. The fact that Keith is straight and Preston gay is not an issue. The whole point is tax write-offs and platonic companionship. Someone to make dinner if Keith is running late (or at least order the delivery if Preston is super involved in his writing that day). Someone to ask how the other's day was. Stuff like that.  Keith's last break-up confirmed that his work is just too demanding and Preston's last break-up left him feeling shy and vulnerable about getting close to anyone ever again so it seems like a perfect situation...until that first kiss.

A fairly typical romance with Preston's ex being an interesting twist thrown in. On the whole, sweetly romantic with plenty of humor and with more depth to Preston than I anticipated (although Keith is pretty much just perfect boyfriend and nothing else). Usual disclaimer, I know the author and was given a copy of the story with no expectations.

Page count: 84p/17,555p ytd/288,687p lifetime

86:120 With Honest Trifles by Seanan McGuire

Another short story set in the past of the October Daye universe focusing on Tybalt's backstory.  Tybalt has discovered why his niece, Cailin, can not change to her cat form and the discovery has shaken him as he understands just how much danger it can mean for her if she is not fully trained to use this power that she has. Unfortunately, he knows of only person he can trust who could teach her and September, the sister of Simon and Sylvester, likely won't be pleased to see him but for his niece he will brave anything.

While I generally recommend reading these Patreon only stories in order because they really are telling Tybalt's story in chronological order, you really need to have read Instruments of Darkness for this one to make sense.  It was definitely interesting seeing other names from October's world making actual appearances.  I wonder if we will learn more about Simon and Sylvester in future stories.


Page count: 20p/17,471p ytd/288,603p lifetime

85:120 ...But I'm Not Racist! Tools for Well-Meaning Whites by Kathy Obear

Dr. Obear has been working to be an agent for racial justice so it was quite the surprise when a person of color came up to her at a workshop and told her that something she said was racist. It hit home in a very personal way and she holed up, afraid to misspeak and be called out again. What happened then was a transformation in the way she approached her calling. Here, she teaches through personal examples how to open your heart and mind to being an agent for racial justice and how to approach it with more mindfulness. 

I admit, I have always been open about wanting racial justice but until the last couple of years I hadn't really thought about what that meant or how to go about affecting any change. Heck, it was only maybe two years ago that I did anything more than say I was color blind and raising my children that way.  I started waking up about that time to the suffering around me and the privilege to which I had and realized that I needed to do better, both as a person but also as a parent to educate my children to their own privilege and how we need to work to bring equality to all.  I'm still learning and I have so very much to learn but this was a helpful book and I appreciated it.  Much of it was geared towards how to facilitate racial justice in group environments which at the moment is not super relevant to me but is good to know.  A lot of it is techniques for how to engage, meaningfully and purposefully with those that are using racist language in the hopes of opening a dialogue for them to see the hurt they are causing. I found those things very helpful and plan to keep rereading some of those passages so I can learn to not be silent when it comes up.  I need to work harder to find my voice to say that these things are not right and I hope that the tools she has given here will help me to do so.


Page count: 118p/17,451p ytd/288,583p lifetime

84:120 Instruments of Darkness by Seanan McGuire

The year is 1711 and it's been two years since we checked in on Tybalt and his court. It hasn't grown much, which is fine by him, but his niece has still proven incapable of changing her shape to that of a cat which should be her birthright. It is time to get to the bottom of this and fix it once and for all and Tybalt is determined to do just that. Unfortunately, the answer is not the one that he seeks.

I love the Tybalt backstory we've been getting through the Patreon stories and this one may just be my favorite one yet. His caring and compassion are lovely especially when Cailin is trying to figure out why the other half of her family wants nothing to do with her and the hurt that causes her. 


Page count: 20p/17,333p ytd/288,465p lifetime