Novella Review: Poison Dance by Livia Blackburne

Poison Dance by Livia Blackburne

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Prequel to Midnight Thief

Publisher: Lion's Quill Press

Date of Publication: September 12, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars - "A prequel novella to Midnight Thief that sets up the background nicely and gives the reader an early glimpse of the world and wonderful writing style"

When I first saw the intriguing description for the upcoming book Midnight Thief, I just knew I had to check it out. But with a release date of summer 2014, it was going to be quite the wait. So it was a pleasant surprise when I was contacted by the author and asked if I would like to read and review the book's prequel novella, Poison Dance. Needless to say, I eagerly accepted; I hadn't even known there was a prequel, and thought it would be an excellent opportunity to catch an early glimpse of the world and get a taste of the writing style.

Now that I've read it, I'm just as excited if not more for the first book of the series. Livia Blackburne first described Poison Dance to me as "darker, and heavier on the romance" than Midnight Thief, and probably leans more towards adult fantasy than young adult. She's absolutely spot on, as those are all things I picked up from this novella. It stars James, a skilled assassin who is approached one night by Thalia, a dancing girl who offers him a job to kill a powerful nobleman. And if he won't take it, she is determined to go through with it all the same, with or without his help.

I'm typically very picky about my short stories and novellas; characters always come first in my reading, so I find the fewer pages there are in a story, the more challenging it is to make me grow attached to or form a connection with the protagonist. However, Poison Dance impressed me immediately, painting a clear picture of who James is in a very short period of time. I also found out later that he will only be a supporting character in Midnight Thief, but that just makes me think: how much more awesome will the characterization in that book be, if even someone in the supporting cast like James gets this much thought into his back story? Livia Blackburne obviously puts a lot of care and effort into her world and characters, and if what I saw in Poison Dance is any indication, I'm sure it's going to pay off.

This novella sets the tone nicely, and gives a good general background for the world in which the series will take place. I didn't expect too much world building, but what is there definitely piques my interest. If Poison Dance is meant to build up my enthusiasm and fuel my eagerness for Midnight Thief, then its mission was most certainly accomplished.

4 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Novella Review: Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu

Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu: A Tale of Atomic Love by Mercedes M. Yardley

Genre: Horror, Paranormal

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Ragnarok Publications

Date of Publication: September 7, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter
 

Mogsy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars - "There is darkness but also a heart-wrenching beauty in this love story between two horribly broken souls who find and complete each other" 

Ragnarok Publications is a publisher newly founded in 2013, but I'd heard of them prior to receiving a copy of Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu: A Tale of Atomic Love. These are the amazing folks behind the Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters anthology Kickstarter, which was successfully funded this fall and quite possibly one of the coolest projects I've ever backed! It was thus an honor and a pleasure to be offered a chance to read and review their inaugural title by Mercedes M. Yardley.

Don't let the quirky title fool you; this is one dark and disturbing tale of supernatural love and horror...because after all, even killers and monsters can fall in love. Montessa Tovar, an exotic dancer who has only known a life of hurt and abuse is abducted one night while walking home by Lu, a serial killer whose unusual power has led him to be labeled a demon. But in time, the victim becomes the accomplice. As the two continue to form the deepest of connections, Lu leads Montessa on a cross-country tour of blood and vengeance.

Have you ever asked yourself if you believe in the concept of soulmates? Of finding that one person out there who completes you? This is the idea explored in the book, though if you find the notion utterly romantic, be sure to brace yourself because the author does not do it in a conventional way. It is far from idyllic; characters are depicted in extreme or frightening situations, and there is blood and violence and killing aplenty. It is, however, still a love story, and everyone knows how much I enjoy those. Most surprising of all is that in the darkness, there is also a heart-wrenching beauty. 

Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu is one of the most interesting and deliciously twisted takes on soulmates I've ever read, and I think it perfectly embodies what the publisher is going for. The reader may never truly come to sympathize with the pair of lovers/killers, but I looked at their heinous crimes separately from the depth of feeling which the author has created. It is the storytelling that matters, and Yardley has accomplished something truly impressive by writing about a love that feels convincingly powerful and real at the same time, all in the short span of a novella. One thing's for sure: it will be hard for me to forget this tale between two horribly damaged people, who somehow find that the pieces of their broken souls fit and complete each other.

4 of 5 stars

 A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.