The Witch and Other Tales Told

The Witch and Other Tales Told Jean Thompson 3.5/5	Published September 2014 First Sentence "My brother and I were given over to the Department of Children and Family Services after our father and his girlfriend left us along in the car one too many times."
Publisher's Description: A brilliant new collection of stories that put a modern twist on classic fairy tales, from National Book Award finalist and New York Times-bestselling author Jean Thompson. Great fairy tales are not necessarily stories designed for children. The lurking wolf in “Red Riding Hood,” the gingerbread house that lures Hansel and Gretel, the beauty asleep in her castle—these fables represent some of our deepest, most primeval fears, and satisfy our longing for good to win out over evil (preferably in the most gruesome way possible). In this captivating new collection, critically acclaimed author Jean Thompson takes the classic fairy tale and brings it into the modern age with stories that capture the magic and horror in everyday life. The downtrodden prevail, appearances deceive, and humility and virtue triumph in The Witch, as lost children try to find their way home, adults tormented by past unspeakable acts are fated to experience their own horror in the present, and true love—or is it enchantment?—conquers all. The Witch and Other Tales Re-Told is a haunting and deeply entertaining collection, showcasing the inimitable Jean Thompson at the height of her storytelling prowess.
Dear Reader, I reached out to the publisher to get this book early because it caught my eye as being "my thing". And it was but I've been reading so many short stories lately which had me craving a good novel. Without that trouble, I really did like this book. This is a compilation of revamped fairy tales and folklore, each one brought to the modern day (or almost all of them). Most of the stories don't have that "happy ending" and are steeped in actual tragedy within the world we live in. I really liked that realistic take on those magical stories we've grown up on. The introduction to the stories talks a little about the strong connection the Author has to these tales and how she wanted to do something a little different with them. She also introduces her "kid" self sitting in the dentists chair gobbling up a fairy tale painting with her eyes. Thompson explains that this beautiful print was called "The Land of Make Believe", it beheld a map of all the magical creatures and places any kid would want to visit or befriend. The original painting was done by Jaro Hess and can still be found to this day. I think it would make a wonderful "deluxe" edition to this book of stories and can only hope the Author and publisher think so too. Here is the map: How magical is that map? I wish I had it in my own house growing up. Talking about pictures, I LOVED the cover of this book and I can't really pinpoint why. Maybe because these "real" girls have a haunted look to them and they also exude fantasy too?! Whatever it is, the cover most definitely caught my eye. The stories had a great quality to them and stuck to those same lessons learned from the earlier tales. My only gripe would be the length of them, some of the stories I thought could have been better written as their own book (they ended so abruptly). For example, in "The Witch", just as things start to get dramatic, the story ends so abruptly. I could have seen this turned into a novella or something. Despite that, I did like what she did with the stories, modernizing them and giving them relatability. Overall, this story collection is worth a read. Happy Reading, AmberBug

Support Shelf Notes! Purchase your copy of this book here:

Left: Hardcover & Right: E-Book

The String Diaries

The String Diaries Stephen Lloyd Jones 3/5	Published July 1st, 2014 First Sentence "It was only when Hannah Wilde reached the farmhouse shortly after midnight that she discovered how much blood her husband had lost."
Publisher's Description: A family is hunted by a centuries-old monster: a man with a relentless obsession who can take on any identity. The String Diaries opens with Hannah frantically driving through the night--her daughter asleep in the back, her husband bleeding out in the seat beside her. In the trunk of the car rests a cache of diaries dating back 200 years, tied and retied with strings through generations. The diaries carry the rules for survival that have been handed down from mother to daughter since the 19th century. But how can Hannah escape an enemy with the ability to look and sound like the people she loves? Stephen Lloyd Jones's debut novel is a sweeping thriller that extends from the present day, to Oxford in the 1970s, to Hungary at the turn of the 19th century, all tracing back to a man from an ancient royal family with a consuming passion--a boy who can change his shape, insert himself into the intimate lives of his victims, and destroy them. If Hannah fails to end the chase now, her daughter is next in line. Only Hannah can decide how much she is willing to sacrifice to finally put a centuries-old curse to rest.
Dear Reader, Have you ever wondered if the person standing next you was who they really said they were? This is the basic premise for this book. There is a race of "people", originating from 19th century Hungary, who have the ability to change their shape and mimic the look and sound of someone else. Shapeshifting isn't a new concept but we don't really come across it much in novels, so this is definitely new and refreshing. I will even go as far as saying this concept was thrilling to me, but with the good comes the bad. As much as this story propelled me through the book in less than a week, I wasn't as impressed with the development of characters. Yes, I know... it's not that type of book, but I hate having to read a book over 300 pages without some great character development. I felt more connected to the villain of the book than I did the protagonist(s). This might be due to the long cast of characters. We get taken back and forth through time, getting to meet all the past generations of Hannah's family. I loved the history that was thoughtfully put into those parts of the book, and I actually related really well to those characters. Then, we get brought back to the present and I know I SHOULD care about Hannah and her family, but all we get to see is the suspense and terror of them running away. I would have loved to see a little more background on them, how they met? Why does Nate believe her story when her ancestors had a hard time explaining the same to their own betrothed? That was the biggest disappointment for me, I really wanted to care about! Remember how I said I cared more about the villain? Well, this guy is a complete jerkhead... so caring might be the wrong word. His backstory was my favorite part of the book though, his history starts in early 1900's within this secret group of supernaturals. I wanted to hear more of that background, and I'm actually hoping this book will make a comeback with a sequel that focuses mainly on that group. So I'll ask the Author, please skip the modern day nuanced story-line and stick with the historical fantasy you had me gobbling up. I'm interested to know what other people thought and if they feel the same way as I do. What do you think reader? Happy Reading, AmberBug

Support Shelf Notes! Purchase your copy of this book here: