Novella Reading Week!

The Novella Reading Week is hosted by Rachel @ Fiktshun & Mindy @ Magical Urban Fantasy Reads!

The goal is of course to read novellas ;)

For more detailed info & to sign up, visit the posts HERE or HERE.

My Novellas Reading List:

1. The Monarch of the Glen - An American Gods Novella - by Neil Gaiman - read on June 10

2. Countdown - Joe Ledger #0.5 - by Jonathan Maberry - read on June 10

3. Material Witness - Joe Ledger #1.2 - by Jonathan Maberry - read on June 10

4. First Night Memories - Benny Imura #0.5 - by Jonathan Maberry - read on June 10

5. In the Land of the Dead - Benny Imura #1.5 - by Jonathan Maberry - read on June 10

6. Dead & Gone - Benny Imura #2.5 - by Jonathan Maberry - read on June 10

7. Seduced by a Pirate - Fairy Tales #4.5 - by Eloisa James - read on June 10

8. Forbidden Blood - House of Comarre #0.5 - by Kristen Painter - read on June 16

9. Beasts and BFF's - 13 to Life #0.5 - by Shannon Delany - read on June 10

10. UnStrung - Unwind #1.5 - by Neal Shusterman

11. The Brave Tale of Maddie Carver - Downside Ghosts #0.1 - by Stacia Kane

12. Finding Magic - Downside Ghosts #0.5 - by Stacia Kane

13. Rick the Brave - Downside Ghosts #3.5 - by Stacia Kane

14. Home - Downside Ghosts #3.6 - by Stacia Kane

15. The Butcher of Anderson Station - Expanse #0.5 - by James S. A. Corey - read on June 12

16. The Flower of Arizona - InCryptid #0.1 - by Seanan McGuire - read on June 11

17. One Hell of a Ride - InCryptid #0.2 - by Seanan McGuire - read on June 11

18. No Place Like Home - InCryptid #0.3 - by Seanan McGuire - read on June 11

19. Married in Green - InCryptid #0.4 - by Seanan McGuire - read on June 11

20. Sweet Poison Wine - InCryptid #0.5 - by Seanan McGuire - read on June 11

21. Hometown Girl - Bad Boys of Red Hook #0.5 - by Robin Kaye - read on June 10

22. Lord Stillwell's Excellent Engagements - Millworth Manor #1.5 - by Victoria Alexander - read on June 16

23. Phantom File - Dark Eden #1.5 - by Patrick Carman - read on June 16

24. Those Nights in Montreal - Language of Love #1.5 - by Beverley Kendall

25. All's Fair in Love & Seduction - Elusive Lords #2.5 - by Beverley Kendall

26. The First Fall - InCryptid #0.6 - by Seanan McGuire - read on June 16

Ok, so I won't read all of these, and I tried to limit myself only to series (or at least authors) I've tried before.

Also, I will update this post with my reading progress, and I will probably write my thought about those I've read in this post, too!   

#1 - The Monarch of the Glen by Neil Gaiman

 

In this American Gods novella, we follow Shadow who came to Scotland around 2 years after the events in American Gods. If you loved American Gods, you will love this one, too. I know I did. It's not possible to say anything more without including spoilers, but once again Neil Gaiman has created an imaginative story mixed with mythology, that will keep you guessing :) But, what I must mention is that if you haven't read American Gods, you shouldn't read this one because there are lots of spoilers about it in this novella. The Monarch in the Glen is published in Neil Gaiman's collection Fragile Things.

My rating: 5 of 5

#2 - Countdown by Jonathan Maberry

 

Countdown is a prequel of the Joe Ledger series. To be honest, mostly everything that happens here is seen through flashbacks in Patient Zero, but I totally loved reading this in details, and to see Joe Ledger once again in action :)

My rating: 4 of 5

#3 - Material Witness by Jonathan Maberry

 

Wow, I absolutely loved this novella! It was just so creepy & eerie & action-packed & awesome, and it will totally make you want to read the Pine Deep trilogy asap. Yeah, this one is a Joe Ledger novella, so it follows Joe Ledger & his team (what's left of it) on a mission to the town of Pine Deep. I haven't read the Pine Deep trilogy, but I'm definitely interested & intrigued to find out what exactly happened there. Pine Deep is one spooky town, with some intriguing & mysterious characters.

My rating: 5 of 5   

#4 - First Night Memories by Jonathan Maberry 

 

I was surprised by this prequel in the Benny Imura series, mainly because I thought it will be only about Benny's First Night memories, but I was pleasantly surprised that it featured the First Night memories of Nix, pastor Kellogg, and Benny & Tom Imura's memories. Yeah, I'll admit, I totally bawled my eyes on the part with Tom & Benny, and I absolutely loved it. And the part at the end with Benny & Chong on Benny's birthday was a nice touch, it definitely sets up the story for Rot & Ruin (and it makes me want to re-read it), so great prequel, and I totally loved it!  

My rating: 5 of 5

#5 - In the Land of the Dead by Jonathan Maberry

This novella is set between Rot & Ruin and Dust & Decay. In this one we see how Benny & especially Nyx copes with the events in Rot & Ruin. We also meet Solomon Jones, and there's this quite fun part where Benny & Chong talk about Nix & Lilah, they made me laugh so much, it was so funny, and the part with the Swords at first was hilarious, although it ended on a different note. So, yeah, I totally loved this novella, too, and if you're a fan of the series & the characters, I recommend it!

My rating: 5 of 5

#6 - Beasts & BFFs by Shannon Delany

 

This one is a prequel to 13 to Life, and although quite short, it was fun & I liked it a lot! It's obvious that 13 to Life will be a fun story with fun characters, too, so it's a nice prequel.

My rating: 3.5 of 5 

#7 - Seduced by a Pirate by Eloisa James

 

Seduced by a Pirate is part of Eloisa James's Fairy Tales/Happily Ever After series, and it's connected to the 4th book in the series - The Ugly Duchess. I still haven't read that one, but I'm a big fan of the series & this book only made me more excited about finally reading The Ugly Duchess. After years & years at the sea, Griffin comes back home, determined to pick up his life where he left it, but will his wife be ready to forgive him? And how he plans to achieve that? By seduction, of course ;) I won't include any spoilers, but I loved Griffin & Phoebe as characters, as well as a couple & I loved all the secondary characters, they made ma laugh so much! It was sweet, funny, charming & lots of fun, so another great addition to the series, and I can't wait to read James's story! So, if you're a fan of the series, you don't want to miss this novella!

 

My rating: 4 of 5

#8 - Hometown Girl by Robin Kaye

 

So, Robin Kaye has done it again! She has a talent for writing really likable characters, with great chemistry between them, and Hometown Girl is really great contemporary novella. To be honest, is quite on the steamy side, but the connection & the dialogue & the chemistry between Simon & Elise is great, and I totally loved this! It was sweet, charming, fun, romantic & funny. I also really liked the secondary characters, and this being the prequel to the Bad Boys of Red Hook series, I'm definitely going to try the series, because I want to read the HEA to those secondary characters, actually I'm quite looking forward to it!

  

My rating: 5 of 5

 

#9 - Dead & Gone by Jonathan Maberry

 

Yeah, I know, another Jonathan Maberry novella ;) I just can't get enough of his stories & characters. Dead & Gone is part of the Benny Imura series, and all the characters we meet here I'm guessing will meet with Benny & the gang in Flesh & Bone, and I definitely can't wait. The pacing of this novella was quite slow, but we learn a lot about Riot - a girl that's on the run from the Night Church, as well as the Night Church itself, and we get a glimpse how other people survive in the Rot & Ruin. I loved the ending, it was surprisingly really fun & I loved the new character Jolt, too! This book will make you want to pick up the next book asap, something I'm planning to do soon :)

 

My rating: 4 of 5

#10 - The Flower of Arizona by Seanan McGuire

I absolutely loved this prequel. In The Flower of Arizona we get to see when Jonathan Healy & Frances Brown met. This novella had it all - mystery, danger, kick-ass hero & heroine, monster, action, fun dialogue, and most of all the Aeslin mice are here :D They're hilarious, I don't think I'll ever get enough of them! Great prequel!

My rating: 5 of 5

 

#11 - One Hell of a Ride by Seanan McGuire

One Hell of a Ride is another prequel featuring Jonathan & Frances, and it's set a while after The Flower of Arizona, and I loved this one, too! They're traveling by train, and they end up in hell. Once again there's lots of danger, action and awesomeness, and I highly recommend it!

  

My rating: 5 of 5

 

#12 -  No Place Like Home by Seanan McGuire

No Place Like Home is set months after One Hell of a Ride, and Johnny & Fran finally arrive at his home. She meets his family, and I loved his family, and the Aeslin mice, I started to love them even more. It was awesome seeing more of the life of the cryptozoologists, so yeah, I loved this, and Johnny & Fran has made themselves a special place in my heart, I think I can read about them again & again!

My rating: 5 of 5

#13 - Married in Green by Seanan McGuire

Married in Green is set a few years after the last prequel with Johnny & Fran, and they're about to get married. I was a little bit bummed because I didn't get to see how the romance developed between them, but I still loved it! He gave her the best wedding present ever, and it was obvious how much they love each other, and their wedding was sweet!

My rating: 4 of 5

 

#14 - Sweet Poison Wine by Seanan McGuire

Although I was a little bit bummed because I didn't get to see the romance between Johnny & Fran, I was pleasantly surprised by this one :) Sweet Poison Wine is set a few months after the birth of their son Daniel, and now they're finally going on a honeymoon. It was so sweet & romantic, but of course they being monster hunters, something had to come up. I loved the mythology mixed in here & the story, and yeah, I think I can read about Jonathan & Frances forever & ever.

 

My rating: 5 of 5

#15 - The Butcher of Anderson Station by James S. A. Corey

This novella is prequel to the Expanse series. The main character I met in the 1st book Leviathan Wakes, where although a secondary characters, he has quite an important role, and I was really interested to know how exactly he got his title, and how he came to be at the position he is in Leviathan Wakes, and this novella offers that explanation, and I enjoyed it quite a lot.

My rating: 4 of 5 

#16 - The First Fall by Seanan McGuire

Another InCryptid prequel with Fran & Johnny. This only came out a few days ago, and it was so sad & heartbreaking, I cried through it all. That's all I'm going to say. I'm really hoping that the author is planning to write more, because I want to know who's responsible, and that the one who's to blame will pay. The First Fall is amazing, heartbreaking, but amazing!

My rating: 5 of 5

  

#17 - Phantom File by Patrick Carman

 

I really enjoyed reading Phantom File. It gives us background about Dark Eden & its mystery, as well as the one behind it all. I loved it how the author mixed history with science & the paranormal, making one eerie story. Also, this novella makes me want to finally pick up the sequel & its conclusion asap, so hopefully I'll do that soon.

 

My rating: 4 of 5

#18 -  Lord Stillwell's Excellent Engagements by Victoria Alexander

 

Win first shows up in What Happens at Christmas, the first book in the Millworth Manor series. I absolutely loved that novel, and I absolutely loved Win as a character. We learn that he was engaged 3 times, but never got married, so this novella is about that. We meet the 3 different women he was engaged to, and we see why the engagements has fallen apart. Once again Win is delightful, amusing, witty, fun, and overall amazing character. I especially loved his letters to Gray in the novella, hilarious! I loved this novella, it was fun, sweet, romantic, and a little bit sad, and I can't read Win's HEA in The Importance of Being Wicked.

 
My rating: 5 of 5

#19 - Forbidden Blood by Kristen Painter

  

In this prequel novella of the House of Comarre series, we get to see how Dominic & Maris (Marissa here) met, and how they fell in love. Also, we see how Maris won her freedom. I absolutely loved this novella. Having already read Blood Rights, I was interested to know more about Dominic, as well as he & Maris, so I was really glad about this novella, I just hadn't gotten around to reading it. This novella was fun, sweet & romantic, and I absolutely loved both Dominic & Marissa as characters, and they were great together. There was also some action, and Marissa is one kickass character, although that wasn't a surprise, she being what she is ;) We also get to see a good glimpse of the amazing world-building Kristen Painter has done in the series. So, if you're a fan of the series, this is a must-read, and even if you're not, this is a good place to start ;) As for me, now I'm ready to catch up on the series before the last book is published!

 

My rating: 5 of 5

Wrap Up:

For someone who didn't plan on reading a lot, I went crazy & read a lot ;) Yeah, most of the novels I was reading were left unread because I was reading novellas, but this was awesome, and I will definitely do this some time in the future, taking a week to read mostly novellas in series, there are a lot more to be read :)