A Cat, a Hat and a Piece of String - Book Review (repost)

A Cat, a Hat and a Piece of String
by Joanne Harris

What is it about:
'Stories are like Russian dolls; open them up, and in each one you'll find another story.'

Conjured from a wickedly imaginative pen, here is a new collection of short stories that showcases Joanne Harris's exceptional storytelling art. Sensuous, wicked, mischievous, uproarious and wry, here are tales that combine the everyday with the unexpected; wild fantasy with bittersweet reality.

From the house where it is Christmas all year round, to a ghost who lives on a Twitter timeline; from the Congo where a young girl braves the raging rapids to earn a crust of bread, to Norse gods battling for survival in Manhattan; and a newborn baby created with sugar, spice and lashings of cake, these stories will ensnare and delight you with their variety and inventiveness.

What did I think of it:
So far I only read complete novels by Joanne Harris, and I loved those. So when I came across this book with short stories I had to give it a try.

And this is a wonderful collection of short stories. Joanne Harris' style is in itself enough to keep you reading, no matter the subject of her stories. I loved the flow of her prose: it's vivid and imaginative.

But her style isn't the only thing to love in this book. The stories themselves are beautiful as well. Some are funny, some deep, some touching, while yet other stories are all of those things in one.

As in all collections there were stories I liked more than the others, and stories I liked less, but overall I very much enjoyed this book and I look forward to getting my hands on more books by Joanne Harris.

Why should you read it:
It's a well-written collection of short stories.

Runemarks - Book Review (repost)

Runemarks (Runemarks #1)
by Joanne Harris

What is it about:
Seven o'clock, on a Monday morning, five hundred years after the end of the world, and goblins had been at the cellar again...

Maddy Smith was born with a rusty-coloured runemark on her hand - a symbol of the old gods and definitely cause for suspicion. For magic is dangerous. Or so everyone thinks. But Maddy enjoys working magic. Even if it is just to control some pesky goblins. And every time her friend, One-Eye - a good-for-nowt Outlander - comes by, he teaches her more and more about the gods and the runes. Now he wants Maddy to open Red Horse Hill and descend into World Below to retrieve a relic of the old gods. Otherwise it is likely to be the End of Everything.

Again...

What did I think of it:
This is a really great read.

For anyone familiar with the Norse mythology it will not come as a surprise who Maddy's one-eyed friend is of course, but that only made me more curious to read the book, to see how Harris uses Norse mythology in her book.

And she does this wonderfully. I was pleasantly surprised to find she has much the same view of the Norse gods as I do, and this made the already very cool and suspenseful story even more enjoyable.

The point of view switches from Maddy to some of the other characters and this gives you a greater insight in what's going on. And there's a lot going on! Maddy is being used by multiple people and has to figure out who she can trust and who might stab her in the back.

I also really liked the new world order Harris created. The Order, which rules the world, is a sinister and mysterious organisation with it's own agenda. Next to using magic it's also forbidden to dream, which created a scary world in my opinion.

All in all this is a wonderful story, filled with intrigue, adventure and suspense. It can easily be read as a standalone, but you can bet I will be reading the sequel.

Why should you read it:
It's a really cool YA Fantasy read.

A Cat, a Hat and a Piece of String - Book Review

A Cat, a Hat and a Piece of String
by Joanne Harris

What is it about:
'Stories are like Russian dolls; open them up, and in each one you'll find another story.'

Conjured from a wickedly imaginative pen, here is a new collection of short stories that showcases Joanne Harris's exceptional storytelling art. Sensuous, wicked, mischievous, uproarious and wry, here are tales that combine the everyday with the unexpected; wild fantasy with bittersweet reality.

From the house where it is Christmas all year round, to a ghost who lives on a Twitter timeline; from the Congo where a young girl braves the raging rapids to earn a crust of bread, to Norse gods battling for survival in Manhattan; and a newborn baby created with sugar, spice and lashings of cake, these stories will ensnare and delight you with their variety and inventiveness.

What did I think of it:
So far I only read complete novels by Joanne Harris, and I loved those. So when I came across this book with short stories I had to give it a try.

And this is a wonderful collection of short stories. Joanne Harris' style is in itself enough to keep you reading, no matter the subject of her stories. I loved the flow of her prose: it's vivid and imaginative.

But her style isn't the only thing to love in this book. The stories themselves are beautiful as well. Some are funny, some deep, some touching, while yet other stories are all of those things in one.

As in all collections there were stories I liked more than the others, and stories I liked less, but overall I very much enjoyed this book and I look forward to getting my hands on more books by Joanne Harris.

Why should you read it:
It's a well-written collection of short stories.

Teaser Tuesdays - Holy Fools

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


We too are linked, he and I; I need no philosophy to tell me that. Well, let him come. If he has a part to play, let him play it soon, and quickly, because if ever I see him again in flesh, he knows that this time I will kill him.

(page 58, Holy Fools by Joanne Harris)

Top Pearls 2013 - part 2

Today the second and last part of my and Voodoo Bride's Top Pearls 2013 list.
Here are another 12 books that we really enjoyed reading this year, and that I can advice to anyone looking for an awesome read.


Shards & Ashes - Anthology
This anthology with Dystopian YA stories is a must read for anyone who loves Dystopian YA.

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
A really cool, grim and realistic Post Apocalyptic YA read.

Five Golden Rings by Jeffe Kennedy
This BDSM romance isn't just a perfect read for the Holidays. It's a hot and delightful story any time of the year.

Between by Kerry Schafer
A beautiful Paranormal story about dreams, penguins and dragons.


Cold Blooded by Amanda Carlson
The best book yet in a very enjoyable and entertaining Urban Fantasy series.

Omens by Kelley Armstrong
A Paranormal thriller that keeps you reading. Armstrong proves she can do a lot more than write about werewolves.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
An amazing, gritty, and grim YA about vampires. A must read for anyone who loves YA and vampires.

Runemarks by Joanne Harris
This YA Fantasy is cool and full of suspense and magic.


(Deadly) Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
A really suspenseful Paranormal YA about werewolves and the human nature.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
A hauntingly beautiful YA read.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
An awesome Post Apocalyptic YA with vampires

Rising Darkness by Thea Harrison
A dark and intense Paranormal Romance.



And that's my list of Top Pearls for 2013!

I hope you will have a wonderful New Year's Eve, and I wish you lots of happiness and awesome reads for 2014!

The Gospel of Loki - Early Book Review

The Gospel of Loki
by Joanne M. Harris

What is it about:
Loki, that’s me.

Loki, the Light-Bringer, the misunderstood, the elusive, the handsome and modest hero of this particular tissue of lies. Take it with a pinch of salt, but it’s at least as true as the official version, and, dare I say it, more entertaining.

So far, history, such as it is, has cast me in a rather unflattering role.

Now it’s my turn to take the stage.

With his notorious reputation for trickery and deception, and an ability to cause as many problems as he solves, Loki is a Norse god like no other. Demon-born, he is viewed with deepest suspicion by his fellow gods who will never accept him as one of their own and for this he vows to take his revenge.

From his recruitment by Odin from the realm of Chaos, through his years as the go-to man of Asgard, to his fall from grace in the build-up to Ragnarok, this is the unofficial history of the world’s ultimate trickster.

What did I think of it:
I fell in love with the way Harris writes Loki in Runemarks, so I was more than eager to get my trotters on The Gospel of Loki, which is a retelling of the Norse myths, but from Loki's point of view. Imagine my excitement when I managed to get hold of an Advance Reader Copy of The Gospel of Loki, and get it signed by Joanne Harris as well!

This book is so good!

I've always wondered why Loki is painted as plain evil most of the time, while his Shakespearian alter ego Puck gets to keep the ambiguous status that, in my opinion, is the heart of Loki: neither good or bad, he's chaos after all. He's trickster, prankster and even a bit of a clown.

Harris understands this perfectly and shows Loki as I see him. Her writing is both fun and funny and even while a lot of the stories were familiar for me, I enjoyed reading them and seeing them from Loki's point of view. Harris manages to make you understand Loki, loathe those Gods who are mean to him, and root for Loki to succeed in his plans.

All in all this book is even better than I hoped it would be and I will most certainly reread it often. And reading this book has made me even more eager to read Runelights, the sequel to Runemarks, and which also features Loki.

I can advice this book to everyone who loves retellings of old myths and to anyone who ever thought Loki wasn't getting a fair treatment.


Why should you read it:
It's a funny and cool retelling of Norse Myths.



Expected Publication: 27 February 2014

Runemarks - Book Review

Runemarks (Runemarks #1)
by Joanne Harris

What is it about:
Seven o'clock, on a Monday morning, five hundred years after the end of the world, and goblins had been at the cellar again...

Maddy Smith was born with a rusty-coloured runemark on her hand - a symbol of the old gods and definitely cause for suspicion. For magic is dangerous. Or so everyone thinks. But Maddy enjoys working magic. Even if it is just to control some pesky goblins. And every time her friend, One-Eye - a good-for-nowt Outlander - comes by, he teaches her more and more about the gods and the runes. Now he wants Maddy to open Red Horse Hill and descend into World Below to retrieve a relic of the old gods. Otherwise it is likely to be the End of Everything.

Again...

What did I think of it:
This is a really great read.

For anyone familiar with the Norse mythology it will not come as a surprise who Maddy's one-eyed friend is of course, but that only made me more curious to read the book, to see how Harris uses Norse mythology in her book.

And she does this wonderfully. I was pleasantly surprised to find she has much the same view of the Norse gods as I do, and this made the already very cool and suspenseful story even more enjoyable.

The point of view switches from Maddy to some of the other characters and this gives you a greater insight in what's going on. And there's a lot going on! Maddy is being used by multiple people and has to figure out who she can trust and who might stab her in the back.

I also really liked the new world order Harris created. The Order, which rules the world, is a sinister and mysterious organisation with it's own agenda. Next to using magic it's also forbidden to dream, which created a scary world in my opinion.

All in all this is a wonderful story, filled with intrigue, adventure and suspense. It can easily be read as a standalone, but you can bet I will be reading the sequel.

Why should you read it:
It's a really cool YA Fantasy read.