Category Archives: Short Stories

BOOK REVIEW: The Tales of Beedle the Bard, by J. K. Rowling

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Released: December 4, 2008 (Bloomsbury)
Author Links: WEB | TWITTER | GOODREADS | FACEBOOK
Source: Library

Genre: Children’s Fantasy, Companion Book

Buy Now From: Amazon
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SYNOPSIS: 
The Tales of Beedle the Bard contains five richly diverse fairy tales, each with its own magical character, that will variously bring delight, laughter and the thrill of mortal peril. 

Additional notes for each story penned by Professor Albus Dumbledore will be enjoyed by Muggles and wizards alike, as the Professor muses on the morals illuminated by the tales, and reveals snippets of information about life at Hogwarts. 

A uniquely magical volume, with illustrations by the author, J.K. Rowling, that will be treasured for years to come.

Why I Read This Book

Really, I shouldn’t even have to say — HARRY POTTER! Isn’t that reason enough?

My Thoughts

It has been a few years since I read the last Harry Potter book. I remember when the last book came out, I practically devoured the whole thing in a day, reading it in any spare moment of time I had. But when the companion books came out — The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, and Quidditch Through the Ages — I showed no interest. I’m not sure why, maybe I felt like reading them would ruin the Harry Potter experience for me. Continue reading →

BOOK REVIEW: Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day, by Ben Loory

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RELEASE DATE: July 26, 2011
AUTHOR LINKS: WEB / TWITTER / GOODREADS / FACEBOOKS
PUBLISHER: Penguin
FORMAT: Paperback
SOURCE: Library
LINKS: Amazon

Loory’s collection of wry and witty, dark and perilous contemporary fables is populated by people–and monsters and trees and jocular octopi–who are united by twin motivations: fear and desire. In his singular universe, televisions talk (and sometimes sing), animals live in small apartments where their nephews visit from the sea, and men and women and boys and girls fall down wells and fly through space and find love on Ferris wheels. In a voice full of fable, myth, and dream, Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day draws us into a world of delightfully wicked recognitions, and introduces us to a writer of uncommon talent and imagination.

MY REVIEW

I had Ben Loory’s Stories for Nighttime and Some For the Day on my wishlist at the library for quite some time before I got it. Once I had it in my hands, I didn’t know what to think–I knew it was short stories, but for kids? For adults? With titles like ‘The Octopus’ or ‘The Fish in the Teapot,’ I thought maybe it was a scarier book of short stories for children. Either way, I was happy to give it a read–I had heard only good things about it. Continue reading →

BOOK REVIEW [AND Q&A]: Jump, by Jen Wylie

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RELEASE DATE: December 8, 2010
AUTHOR LINKS: WEB / TWITTER / GOODREADS
PUBLISHER: Self-published
FORMAT: E-book
SOURCE: Author, for review
BUY NOW FROM: Amazon

If you were told to jump off of a bridge would you?

Perhaps it would depend on who was doing the asking. Our heroine has spunk and a sense of humor, however suffers from an extreme case of inappropriate clothing. When things take a turn from dangerous to worse what will she do when fantasy becomes reality?

Warning: May include hot leather clad men, singing and demons.

MY REVIEW

As I was waiting at the library for the book club that would never start (that is, I showed up a week before it was going to happen. I blame my lack of checking the date before writing it down on the calendar.), I decided to pick up a short story to read. Something quick that would make the time go by without dragging me into a long story. Continue reading →