A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett

Tiffany Aching is leaving home for the first time to be an apprentice learn how to be a witch. Although she is excited to do something new, she soon discovers that witches spend much of their time doing chores and tending people, rather than spells and charms. What Tiffany doesn't realize is that a hiver -- a malicious entity -- is pursuing her because it needs to take over other creatures in order to have a body. She will have to find the will within herself to fight the hiver and to find a way to defeat it, before it destroys her or those she holds dear.

This is the second book in the Discworld series about Tiffany Aching, preceded by The Wee Free Men.

This book was light and amusing, but also had an interesting plot and world-building. The characters were believable, and well developed throughout the story. I have not read the first book about Tiffany Aching, and there are quite a few references to the events from that book, however, I did not feel as though my understanding of the story or my ability to enjoy it were affected by reading this book alone. The book also has some explanatory notes, mainly about the Feegles (the small, fae creatures from the previous book), but not enough to disrupt the story. I would recommend this book to fantasy fans looking for a less-serious read or who want a book about using magic and magical creatures.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Dark Lord of Derkholm, The Last Apprentice, Unfamiliar Magic, or Howl's Moving Castle

Kisses From Hell

This is a collection of short novellas:

• Sunshine by Richelle Mead - Eric Dragomir is a Moroi (a living vampire); his dad has been pressuring him to marry and start producing heirs to carry on the royal line. But first, Eric is going to a week-long party with his friends to celebrate their high school graduation.
• Bring Me to Life by Alyson Noël - Danika is moving to boarding school in the UK to study painting. But when she arrives, the school isn't quite what she expected.
• Above by Kristin Cast - Rheena dreams of going to the the world Above, where the men hunt, but if she gets her wish, will it truly be what she hoped?
• Hunting Kat by Kelley Armstrong - Katiana is a newly-turned, genetically-modified vampire living with her vampire guardian, Marguerite. On a road trip to attend a party, Kat runs into trouble when people come looking for her.
• Lilith by Francesca Lia Block - Paul Michael isn't like the other students at his high school; he spend more time thinking about his imaginary world than living on Earth. Then he meets a new student, Lilith, and he thinks that perhaps she might finally be someone who can understand him.

I thought this collection of stories was ok, but I had trouble connecting with some of the characters. I would recommend these stories to fantasy fans who prefer stories that are a little odd or thought-provoking.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Tantalize, Half-Human, Cursed, or Sunshine

Young Warriors edited by Tamora Pierce and Josepha Sherman

This is a collection of short stories around the theme of young warriors, including:

• The Gift of Rain Mountain by Bruce Holland Rogers
• The Magestone by S. M. and Jan Stirling
• Eli and the Dybbuk by Janis Ian
• Heartless by Holly Black
• Lioness by Pamela F. Service
• Thunderbolt by Esther Friesner
• Devil Wind by India Edghill
• The Boy Who Cried "Dragon!" by Mike Resnick
• Student of Ostriches by Tamora Pierce
• Serpent's Rock by Laura Anne Gilman
• Hidden Warriors by Margaret Mahy
• Emerging Legacy by Doranna Durgin
• An Axe for Men by Rosemary Edghill
• Acts of Faith by Lesley McBain
• Swords That Talk by Brent Hartinger

Although these stories have a common theme, they all approach it differently with settings across many places on Earth and beyond, and throughout time as well. Some of the stories are historical (not fantasy) but most of them have magic or fantasy elements. I found it interesting to see the ways in which different authors approached the idea of "warriors" - not all of the characters fight with weapons, but all of them fight for something. I would recommend this collection to fantasy fans who enjoy thought-provoking stories and coming-of-age tales.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Rampant, Dark Mirror series, Knight & Rogue novels, or The Seer and the Sword

Faery Tales & Nightmares by Melissa Marr

This is a collection of short stories by Melissa Marr that includes:

• Where Nightmares Walk, Winter's Kiss
• Transition
• Love Struck
• Old Habits
• Stopping Time
• The Art of Waiting
• Flesh for Comfort
• The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King
• Cotton Candy Skies
• Unexpected Family
• Merely Mortal (This story is also included in Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong)

I really enjoyed this collection. The stories discuss a variety of topics, though many of them are a bit dark, and range in length from a couple of pages to a novella that takes up around a third of the book. I will mention that about half of the stories (including the novella) are about characters from Marr's Wicked Lovely series. Readers who are unfamiliar with the series may not recognize all of the context; also, there are spoilers for the series for readers who have not read all of the books or who are thinking about reading the series. However, I would recommend this book to older fantasy fans who enjoy stories about fairies in the real world and the darker edges of fantasy.

An aside: if you are interested in reading the Wicked Lovely series, it is now complete -- Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity, Radiant Darkness, and Darkest Mercy.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Black Pearls: A Faery Strand, Sweet Venom, or Sisters Red

Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions Edited by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong

This is a collection of stories from 16 different YA authors:

• Giovanni's Farewell by Claudia Gray: Ravenna's twin brother, Cairo, has been suffering from odd attacks that have caused them to drift apart; during a trip to Rome, Italy Ravenna meets a boy named Giovanni who shifts her perspective in a way that only her brother can understand
• Scenic Route by Carrie Ryan: Margie and her little sister, Sally, have built a hideaway in a remote cabin - away from an unsafe world - but they're about to be discovered by someone from outside
• Red Run by Kami Garcia: Everyone avoids the "Red Run" road in rural Louisiana at night because it's haunted by a killer ghost, but tonight Edie has decided that it's time to stop him
• Things About Love by Jackson Pearce: Lawrence's best friend, Viola, has fallen in love with a jinn which means that now he's regularly watched by the jinni for "security" reasons; however, Juliet isn't an ordinary jinn and she's determined to use her time with Lawrence to learn about the concept of love
  [Sequel to As You Wish]
• Niederwald by Rachel Vincent: Sabine has come to Niederwald, Texas to get answers; but consulting a seer is always tricky, even when she isn't guarded by a town full of harpies...
• Merely Mortal by Melissa Marr: Keenan and his girlfriend, Donia - who happens to be the Winter Queen - decide to take an ordinary, human vacation away from the world of faerie
  [Related to the Wicked Lovely series (the story contains spoilers if you are intending to read the whole series)]
• Facing Facts by Kelley Armstrong: Chloe and her friends (all teens who have abilities from genetically-modified DNA) are living on a country farm and keeping a low profile; but when Tori runs away, they could all be in danger
  [Related to the Darkest Powers series, which starts with The Summoning]
• Let's Get This Undead Show on the Road by Sarah Rees Brennan: Christian is the vampire bass player in the hottest new boy band "4 the One," which is going on tour; but not everyone is comfortable about having a vampire around
• Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready: Logan may be dead, but he still has something he needs to tell his brother
• Skin Contact by Kimberly Derting: Rafe is in the middle of nowhere, trying to find something he has seen in a dream - and he's scared that he'll find it
• Leaving by Ally Condie: Everything changes for Sora when her father mysteriously leaves the safety of the city and she is tainted by association, but now she has a plan to change everything
• At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show by Jessica Verday: Jane is the "bait" in a family of hunters who chase down supernatural monsters; tonight she has gone out on her own to find a troop of cannibal Girl Scouts...but then everything starts to go wrong...
• IV League by Margaret Stohl: Wren and Hopper are "Drinkers" from a remote town in the South who are on a school trip to interview at colleges where they'll have a convenient supply of "blood donors," if only they can get in
• Gargouille by Mary E. Pearson: Giselle is a gargouille - an angel of the night - but a man has captured her and stripped her wings in the hope of making money, but his hope has destroyed life as she knows it forever
• The Third Kind by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Jess is used to her sister, Kissy, having strange impulses that force her to do things, so when Kissy wakes her up and says they have to go to San Antonio, they go - but the trip is far more complicated than either of them realize
• Automatic by Rachel Caine: As the youngest vampire in Morganville, Texas (a community primarily composed of vampires), Michael is chosen to demonstrate the new vending machine that dispenses cans of blood
  [Related to the Morganville Vampires series that starts with Glass House]

This was a really great collection of stories that I enjoyed a lot. As the title suggest, they tend more toward the paranormal/supernatural, but these stories represent a large spectrum, including fantasy. I would absolutely recommend this collection to fantasy fans looking for a good collection of short stories, particularly those who enjoy paranormal tales or who have enjoyed some of the other books written by these authors.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Last Apprentice series, The Magic and the Healing, Swoon, or Rampant

Moon Flights by Elizabeth Moon

This is a collection of 15 sci fi/fantasy short stories:

• If Nudity Offends You -- Louanne discovers that someone in the trailer park has been stealing her electricity and they're going to pay...
• Gifts -- Dall Drop-hand leaves home to search for adventure; before he leaves, his sister gives him a bit of wood shaped like a knife and her gift could make all the difference
• Politics -- Gunny Vargas is a member of a marine company charged with keeping a landing site safe from hostile aliens, but the real enemy might be closer to home
• And Ladies of the Club -- When the king decides to charge taxes on women's breastplates, the lady warriors of the Ladies' Aid & Armor Society (LA & AS) will need to find a creative solution
• Accidents Don't Just Happen--They're Caused -- Peka is a consulting engineer assigned to a space station to improve the design and prevent accidents, but she's living under the shadow of her mother, who literally wrote the book(s) in the field
• New World Symphony -- Georges Mantenon is a specially-trained musician on his first assignment; his job is to musically represent a newly-discovered world, but it may be more challenging than he dreamed
• No Pain, No Gain -- Girls and women all over the kingdom wake up one morning to discover that their toned arms, legs, and stomachs have been replaced with flabby ones by magic; the members of the LA & AS will have to track down the people responsible and put things to rights
• Hand to Hand -- Ezera comes home after being at war to see her twin sister play in the symphony, but she isn't prepared for what she will hear
• Tradition -- A naval story from World War I
• Fool's Gold -- Cavernous Dire has accidentally been turned into a dragon, and he isn't happy about it; Mirabel Stonefist and the LA & AS decide to rescue him, but they aren't happy about it, either
• Judgment -- When Ker finds some egg-shaped rocks filled with crystals, he starts to feel uneasy, but he can't stop his soon-to-be father-in-law from taking them home
• Gravesite Revisited -- When the clanspeople discover that witches from the future are digging up their graves, they must rethink their traditions
• Sweet Charity -- The annual LA & AS Charity Ball is coming up and this year, Krystal Winterborn is determined to be named Queen of the Ball - no matter what
• Welcome to Wheel Days -- Planning a planet-wide festival is a massive undertaking, particularly since you never know what's going to go wrong...
• Say Cheese -- The Vatta brothers are on their first run, determined that they deserve a place in the family business of space merchants, but one of them may have ruined everything with an ill-fated purchase of cheese to sell

This is a very diverse collection of short stories, although it is definitely weighted toward war and fighters. I enjoyed most of the stories which range from relatively fluffy fantasy tales (such as the stories about the Ladies Aid & Armor Society) to deep, introspective science fiction. If you like both science fiction and fantasy - or if you've thought about branching out a bit - short stories can be a good way to go. I would recommend this to fantasy fans looking for short stories, particularly those who like darker, serious stories in addition to lighter ones.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: A Posse of Princesses, Rampant, The Abhorsen Trilogy, or Half Human

Magic in the Mirrorstone: Tales of Fantasy edited by Steve Berman

This collection contains fifteen different fantasy stories. Many of the short stories are about high school students or characters of a similar age, although several are more 'fantastical.' A short breakdown of the stories:

• Princess Bufo marinus, Also Known As Amy by Eugie Foster - A story similar to 'the princess and the frog' but set in a modern-day high school


• Lights, Camera, Action by Cecil Castellucci - A young actress discovers that one movie can change her entire life


• Ten Thousand Waves by Ann Zeddies - Jun Ho is not proud of his Asian heritage, but he soon learns that he cannot embrace his own power without it


• Mauve's Quilt by Craig Laurance Gidney - Quentin and his father move into an old house and he finds a quilt in the attic that seems to be more than just a quilt


• Have You Ever Seen a Shoggoth by Cassandra Clare - Sometimes the 'weird' kids in high school are hiding more than it seems


• The Amulet of Winter by Lawrence M. Schoen - Aleks, a skilled thief, is sent to steal a magical amulet but finds himself trapped in a magical library


• Veronica Brown by Sean Manseau - Veronica knows there's a sea monster in Lake Champlain but she's tired of letting it ruin her summer


• The Jewel of Abandon by Nina Kiriki Hoffman - Sometimes ignorance really is bliss...


• School Spirit by Jim C. Hines - An evil wizard's curse haunts a magical school, but a new goblin student is determined to take him down once and for all


• Blackwater Baby by Tiffany Trent - Father Joseph rescues the Marsh King's daughter from unsuspecting humans but the Fey want her back...(this story is about characters from a separate fantasy series)


• Old Crimes by J. D. Everyhope - While on vacation, a girl has a chat with an ancient Toltec god


• The Fortunate Dream by Gregory Frost - A young man finds that fairy tales are sometimes more useful than they seem


• Out of Her Element by E. Sedia - Leticia, a young girl dying of consumption in England, befriends a salamander and faces a difficult choice


• Virgin by Holly Black - Jen, a runaway foster teen meets Zachary, another runaway with a secret


• Pig, Crane, Fox: Three Hearts Unfolding by Beth Bernobich - An Asian story similar to the Princess on the Glass Hill

I enjoyed this collection of short stories - some more than others, but overall, this is a collection I would recommend to fantasy fans looking for short reads with plenty of variety.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Frog Princess, Now You See It, Aurelie: A Fairie Tale, or The Wish List

Abhorson Trilogy and Across the Wall by Garth Nix

The trilogy includes Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen all of which take place in a universe where the Old Kingdom borders the country of Ancelstierre. In the Old Kingdom, the Charter allows all people to use magic, although some (mostly necromancers) also attempt to use dangerous Free Magic to accomplish what regular magic cannot. On the other side of a spelled wall, the people of Ancelstierre are people of science, much like today's world of technology, and do not believe in the magic of the Old Kingdom.

Sabriel is just finishing school in Ancelstierre where she has lived for years, while her father, Abhorsen, travels around the Old Kingdom, using the skills of a necromancer and the magic of the Charter to undo the damage of actual necromancers and put souls back to rest. Now, however, Sabriel discovers that her father is missing and that strange and terrible things roam the Old Kingdom in his absence. As she sets out to find him, she gathers companions along the way - a cat named Mogget who is not at all what he seems, and Touchstone, a man who has been ensorceled for two hundred years. Together they must help Sabriel find her father, learn to use her powers, and stop the evil before the entire kingdom is lost.

The other two books take place back-to-back, more than a decade after the end of Sabriel. Lirael is a daughter of the Clayr who are distant cousins of the royal line and who all come into their peculiar power of seeing the future. But Lirael is different - she does not look like the other Clayr and does not know who her father was since her mother died when she was young; worst of all, Lirael is quickly becoming the oldest Clayr who has not yet come into the Sight. In desperation, Lirael finally gains permission to work in the library and devotes herself to learning and the use of complicated Charter magic. Along with the companion she creates, the Disreputable Dog, she stumbles upon her fate, different from all of the other Clayr.

Meanwhile, Sam, the prince, encounters terrible magic on the other side of the wall where he has been sent to school. Although he escapes, he has been wounded both physically and emotionally. He is sent home to recuperate, but he cannot seem to bring himself to do what his parents expect of him. Even worse, his friend (Nick) came out of the experience even more damaged although no one realized it. Now, Sam has decided to sneak out on his own and find Nick, not understanding the depth of the problem awaiting him. When his path crosses Lirael's, they must join forces (along with Mogget and the Dog) and race to save the kingdom from the evil threatening to destroy them all.

I really enjoyed this trilogy (and not only because Lirael was a librarian, although that was a fun part of the story); the characters are all very well developed and easy to relate to. There were a few parts of the world-building that were confusing when they were first introduce (for example, the Clayr are mentioned in the first book, but there is no real explanation of who they are until the second book), but I did not feel as though they really detracted significantly from the story. Although Nix's style can be a little tedious, I did not feel that these books were as slow as the Keys to the Kingdom series that I reviewed previously. Aside from all of that, these books are rather unique although they are a bit darker than some fantasy - particularly since the central plot revolves around necromancy and Raised Dead. I would definitely recommend these books to fantasy readers who are looking for something a little different or a little more serious than some of the lighter books.


Also, Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories includes a story about what happens to Nick following the end of the trilogy, although the other short stories are not related in any way. The story about Nick was a nice 'postscript' to the books although I was a little disappointed by the ending (I would have liked to know more about what happened and what had happened to all of the other characters who are not mentioned). I did not read all of the other stories in the book, although several of them were very interesting and readers who are looking for short stories that are a little different may want to pick this book up for some quick reads.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Last Apprentice, The Protector of the Small series, or Annals of the Western Shore

Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand by Louise Hawes

This book is a series of short stories, retelling the tales of Rapunzel, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, and Lady Godiva. Although the book is not long, none of the stories feels overly short and each includes an illustration. Several of the stories are told from non-traditional points-of-view: Rapunzel from the witch's perspective, Jack and the Beanstalk from the golden harp's perspective, Snow White from a dwarf's perspective.

Overall, I very much enjoyed these retellings although each one ends on a somewhat bittersweet note. For the most part, none of the stories is significantly changed from the traditional plots, however, each one shows a bit more humanity in the characters than fairy tales usually relate. These stories have no happily-ever-after even though Rapunzel escapes, Cinderella and Snow White marry their princes, and Hansel and Gretel's witch is defeated. I definitely recommend this book to fans of fantasy and fairy tale retellings in particular.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these:The Fairy's Return and Other Stories, Snow, Bound, or Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms

The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Stories by Gail Carson Levine & Half-Human edited by Bruce Coville


The Fairy's Return and other Princess Stories is actually a collection of novellas which are all published separately as The Princess Tales: The Fairy's Mistake, The Princess Test, Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep, Cinderellis and the Glass Hill, For Biddle's Sake, and The Fairy's Return. All of these stories are retellings or reminiscent of fairy tales set in a fictional kingdom. I enjoyed this book; the stories are short enough to read quickly and then put down, but longer than most 'short stories.' The plots are definitely creative and interesting takes on fairytale elements although the stories do seem to be geared toward younger readers and are not very sophisticated or complex. I would recommend this book to fantasy readers who enjoy fairy tales or who are looking for short, quick reads.


Half-Human is a collection of short stories about 'half-humans' including gorgons, mermaids, selkies, and even a tree that becomes a man by authors including Bruce Coville, Tamora Pierce, Gregory Maguire and Jane Yolen. I really love this book; the stories are all short enough to read in a few minutes, but they are interesting and well-written. I would absolutely recommend this book to fantasy fans - particularly if you're short on time and need something that you can read in snippets of time. Almost all of them are about half-human children living in the 'real world' so readers who enjoy books about fantasy in the midst of today's world should definitely pick this one up.

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: Black Pearls, The Immortals series, Once Upon a Marigold, or The Frog Princess