Review: Mistletoe & Magic: A YA Books Central Holiday Anthology

Mistletoe & Magic: A YA Books Central Holiday Anthology Mistletoe & Magic: A YA Books Central Holiday Anthology by Melissa A. Craven
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

So far I've only read the story by Angela N. Blount, titled "Young Saint Nicholas". I picked this up as this author is a friend of mine, and I am a huge fan of her work. Yes, I know I just said she was a friend so there might be some bias, but trust me this lady can write compelling stories. I've read everything she has published (and even one that hasn't ;)) and I'd be a fan even if I hadn't met her on Goodreads.

That said, this particular story is wonderful. It's quite different from other work Blount has published, but it doesn't suffer for that. This is a story of a future otherworld version of Saint Nick. I understand that it is a glimpse into his world and that there is much more to come later. As a taste, this was fantastic. It was enough to enjoy for the moment, yet make certain that I will scoop up any further stories or novels set in this world.

It didn't feel overly "YA"ish, though it would certainly appeal to a young crowd. It didn't feel exclusive to that audience though, which is a good quality of well written YA. A good story is a good story, regardless of genre. Angela N. Blount has hammered home that theory with each work of hers that I've read, and I'd be excited to try anything she puts out there in the future (pun was intended).

For the rest of the book, I will give it a shot. I'm not familiar with any of the other authors, but if this story is indication, it's a quality anthology.

View all my reviews

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Fiction of Joe R. Lansdale

Image
Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Fiction of Joe R. Lansdale by Joe R. Lansdale My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received an eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley... Joe R. Lansdale knows how to craft a story, with an instinctive grasp of character development. His language is such that he connects with readers and makes the task of reading an enjoyable escape. While all of the stories in this book fall into the "crime" category, this is a very loose grouping. There is such a mixed bag of offerings here, from the noir to the really freaking weird. As with most collections, some stories hit with me better than others, but there really aren't any duds here. View all my reviews
Read more

Review: Bookshops & Bonedust

Image
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree My rating: 3 of 5 stars I received an audio ARC and ebook ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. This was an entertaining followup to the breakout novel, Legends & Lattes . While not as solid a story as that told in the first book, this prequel adds quite a bit of backstory to the main character of both novels, Viv. Although as a prequel this novel is set some years before the first published book, I would recommend reading Legends & Lattes first. It serves as a better introduction to the characters and settings. Also, this book has an epilogue that is set after the events of both books. On a final note, Travis Baldree does the audio reading of this book himself, and he is excellent at capturing the characters and keeping the story moving.... View all my reviews
Read more

Review: Biography of a Phantom: A Robert Johnson Blues Odyssey

Image
Biography of a Phantom: A Robert Johnson Blues Odyssey by Robert Mack McCormick My rating: 5 of 5 stars I received an ARC of this audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley. I didn't know what to expect here, thinking it would be interesting to read a biography of blues legend Robert Johnson. This was more than that, though. Less too, but mostly more... No, this was more of a memoir of the biographer of Robert Johnson, in his quest to track down and speak with people that knew Robert Johnson. Mack McCormick had an interesting journey himself, and it was the mystery of Johnson's barely documented past that made this so intriguing.. Memoir, biography, mystery, and cultural study. All of that and more... View all my reviews
Read more