biblio_lore's review against another edition
3.0
Good concepts in some cases but ultimately I wasn't drawn into the stories and I felt like it lacked the carnival atmosphere. Also slightly misleading title as per the punk part though admittedly that might have been me wanting it to have more of a steampunk kind of atmosphere which it did not.
athenaevarinya's review against another edition
5.0
I only read it for the Jennifer Estep story. Perhaps I may go back one day if the other authors catch my attention.
andimontgomery's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, this collection gets 3 stars. There were some standouts, like "The Cold Girl," "Parlor Tricks," "Feral House," "The Inside Man," and "Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open Lonely Sea." But some of the stories fell flat for me. Below is a brief synopsis of each and my rating:
"Painted Love" by Rob Thurman - I had a bit of confusion about the main character, Doodle, and it took some time for me to get into this story (really, until Doodle's origins were explained). This was a creepy story about predators who hide in carnivals. 3/5
I've never read anything before by Delilah Dawson, but I wasn't very fond of "The Three Lives of Lydia." This story features Lydia, who enters the magical world of Sang when she falls asleep in our world. She meets and falls almost instantly for Charlie, a "Bludman" (another term for vampire), who is part of a carnival full of magical beings (like a two-headed boy and a wolfman). 2.5/5
I lost interest in Kevin Hearne's series after the second book, so I skipped "The Demon Barker on Wheat Street." Not rated
"The Sweeter the Juice" by Mark Henry has both zombies and transsexuals. Sounds interesting, but I didn't enjoy it. 1/5
"Werewife" by Jaye Wells was a quick read about a couple, Brad and Annie, who are dealing with the consequences of her being bitten by a werewolf at last year's carnival. They return to the carnival a year later looking for a cure, and find something else altogether. 3/5
"The Cold Girl" by Rachel Caine is a story of a naive girl who finds out the kind of person her boyfriend really is when they visit the carnival, and how she gets her revenge. 4/5
I didn't read "A Duet with Darkness" by Allison Pang since I'm not really a fan of her Abby Sinclair series. Not rated
"Recession of the Divine" by Hillary Jacques was disjointed and one of my least favorites. It features Olivia, a seer, god-descendant, and insurance investigator who tries to find the cause of an accident at a carnival. 1/5
"Parlor Tricks" by Jennifer Estep was one of my favorites in this collection, and is also available free on Amazon. Gin and Bria visit a local carnival in search of a missing teenager. While this story is short, Gin and Bria get to show off their investigative and butt-whomping skills. 4.5/5
"Feral House" by Kelly Meding was, in my opinion, the best in this collection. It features a character not seen in her prior books, half-djinn Shiloh, who teams up with a werewolf and human to save her djinn father (and a few others) from a supernatural freak show. Ms. Meding has a way of immediately engaging you in her plots, and this was no different. The story ended with an opening for a new series...one I would absolutely read! 5/5
"The Inside Man" by Nicole Peeler is about a supernatural trio investigating what caused an entire town to become catatonic. They encounter an evil clown and end up fighting for their lives. I know I am oversimplifying the story with this brief summary, but I enjoyed this one. 4/5
"A Chance In Hell" by Jackie Kessler didn't grab my interest in the first few pages, so I gave up. Not rated
"Hell's Menagerie" by Kelly Gay takes place when Charlie is off saving Hank. Emma, Brim, and Rex visit a carnival to rescue Brim's mate and newborn pups. Emma couldn't carry an entire book on her own, but it was nice seeing her shine in this short story. 3.5/5
"Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open Lonely Sea" by Seanan McGuire is about a carnival that returns to the place where their star attraction--a mermaid--was found as an infant. She joined the carnival as a pregnant adult, and her daughter is now faced with learning about her past and future. This book really captured the otherworldly nature of mermaids, and I enjoyed it. 4/5
"Painted Love" by Rob Thurman - I had a bit of confusion about the main character, Doodle, and it took some time for me to get into this story (really, until Doodle's origins were explained). This was a creepy story about predators who hide in carnivals. 3/5
I've never read anything before by Delilah Dawson, but I wasn't very fond of "The Three Lives of Lydia." This story features Lydia, who enters the magical world of Sang when she falls asleep in our world. She meets and falls almost instantly for Charlie, a "Bludman" (another term for vampire), who is part of a carnival full of magical beings (like a two-headed boy and a wolfman). 2.5/5
I lost interest in Kevin Hearne's series after the second book, so I skipped "The Demon Barker on Wheat Street." Not rated
"The Sweeter the Juice" by Mark Henry has both zombies and transsexuals. Sounds interesting, but I didn't enjoy it. 1/5
"Werewife" by Jaye Wells was a quick read about a couple, Brad and Annie, who are dealing with the consequences of her being bitten by a werewolf at last year's carnival. They return to the carnival a year later looking for a cure, and find something else altogether. 3/5
"The Cold Girl" by Rachel Caine is a story of a naive girl who finds out the kind of person her boyfriend really is when they visit the carnival, and how she gets her revenge. 4/5
I didn't read "A Duet with Darkness" by Allison Pang since I'm not really a fan of her Abby Sinclair series. Not rated
"Recession of the Divine" by Hillary Jacques was disjointed and one of my least favorites. It features Olivia, a seer, god-descendant, and insurance investigator who tries to find the cause of an accident at a carnival. 1/5
"Parlor Tricks" by Jennifer Estep was one of my favorites in this collection, and is also available free on Amazon. Gin and Bria visit a local carnival in search of a missing teenager. While this story is short, Gin and Bria get to show off their investigative and butt-whomping skills. 4.5/5
"Feral House" by Kelly Meding was, in my opinion, the best in this collection. It features a character not seen in her prior books, half-djinn Shiloh, who teams up with a werewolf and human to save her djinn father (and a few others) from a supernatural freak show. Ms. Meding has a way of immediately engaging you in her plots, and this was no different. The story ended with an opening for a new series...one I would absolutely read! 5/5
"The Inside Man" by Nicole Peeler is about a supernatural trio investigating what caused an entire town to become catatonic. They encounter an evil clown and end up fighting for their lives. I know I am oversimplifying the story with this brief summary, but I enjoyed this one. 4/5
"A Chance In Hell" by Jackie Kessler didn't grab my interest in the first few pages, so I gave up. Not rated
"Hell's Menagerie" by Kelly Gay takes place when Charlie is off saving Hank. Emma, Brim, and Rex visit a carnival to rescue Brim's mate and newborn pups. Emma couldn't carry an entire book on her own, but it was nice seeing her shine in this short story. 3.5/5
"Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open Lonely Sea" by Seanan McGuire is about a carnival that returns to the place where their star attraction--a mermaid--was found as an infant. She joined the carnival as a pregnant adult, and her daughter is now faced with learning about her past and future. This book really captured the otherworldly nature of mermaids, and I enjoyed it. 4/5
ruthailuj's review against another edition
4.0
I actually only read Kevin Hearn's story from this collection. Maybe more, but I'm not sure. I liked it. I'm not a big fan of short stories in general, actually in this case I would have liked a full novel. More of my favorite characters.
pygment's review against another edition
3.0
I mostly got it for the Kevin Hearne story that was part of the series I'm reading. I read the first 6-8 stories and then I lost interest.
the_wanlorn's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This book shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the -punk suffix. Also, and possibly more importantly, nearly every single story was actually a short story in a larger series of books, which is intensely annoying. I wish it had been clear before I bought it that that was what was going to happen.
trysarahtop's review against another edition
4.0
I did not read every short story in this anthology, but I did read the few that seemed interesting to me, and I will probably go back and give a few more a try since some are from authors I've never read before.
The one I did read and did not enjoy (it also happens to be an author I've never read before) is "Painted Love" by Rob Thurman. I enjoyed her writing style, and I think that she could have done something good, but the premise was all wrong. It didn't make sense to me, and even though I know there was supposed to be a twist and a surprise, it didn't wow me like I think it was supposed to.
Delilah S. Dawson, and Kevin Hearne were new authors to me and I loved those stories! I probably enjoyed "The Three Lives of Lydia" by Delilah S. Dawson more than the other but they were both well done. I have the first book in both or their series but I have not had a chance to get to them yet. Now I can't wait to get to them. Dawson's has intrigued me the most so I will probably get to that before Hearne's.
I enjoyed Rachel Caine's short "The Cold Girl". I am a big fan of Caine so it really wasn't a surprise that I enjoyed it.
I found Jaye Wells short "The Werewife" to be okay, but that's it. It was slightly creepy which I enjoyed, but it didn't sweep me off my feet. She is also an author I've read before.
Other than that I probably will go back and read a few more.
The one I did read and did not enjoy (it also happens to be an author I've never read before) is "Painted Love" by Rob Thurman. I enjoyed her writing style, and I think that she could have done something good, but the premise was all wrong. It didn't make sense to me, and even though I know there was supposed to be a twist and a surprise, it didn't wow me like I think it was supposed to.
Delilah S. Dawson, and Kevin Hearne were new authors to me and I loved those stories! I probably enjoyed "The Three Lives of Lydia" by Delilah S. Dawson more than the other but they were both well done. I have the first book in both or their series but I have not had a chance to get to them yet. Now I can't wait to get to them. Dawson's has intrigued me the most so I will probably get to that before Hearne's.
I enjoyed Rachel Caine's short "The Cold Girl". I am a big fan of Caine so it really wasn't a surprise that I enjoyed it.
I found Jaye Wells short "The Werewife" to be okay, but that's it. It was slightly creepy which I enjoyed, but it didn't sweep me off my feet. She is also an author I've read before.
Other than that I probably will go back and read a few more.
witandsin's review against another edition
4.0
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2013/07/review-carniepunk-anthology.html
“Painted Love” by Rob Thurman
Marvelous surprises await you in “Painted Love.” Told from the point of view of a supernatural hitchhiker, “Painted Love” takes readers on an exploration of love and evil. Rob Thurman gave Doodle such an interesting, unique voice that I was drawn into the story from the start and couldn’t stop reading until I learned what was going on. I’m afraid I can’t say much about this story without spoiling it, but suffice it to say that you’re in for a fascinating journey. “Painted Love” stayed with me long after I finished reading it and I’m looking forward to reading more of Rob Thurman’s work.
“The Three Lives of Lydia” by Delilah S. Dawson
I admit, I picked up the Carniepunk anthology for this story. I love Delilah S. Dawson’s Blud series and thus was eager to delve into the world of the Bludmen once more. Ms. Dawson does not disappoint. “The Three Lives of Lydia” explores the terrible beauty of Sang and of Criminy’s Clockwork Caravan as seen through the eyes of Lydia, a human from our world who wakes up in Sang. I loved the vibrancy of the carnival, the darker undertones of the world, and seeing Sang — not to mention curious Bludman Charlie Dregs — through Lydia’s eyes. The twists and turns the story took were interesting, leaving me to ponder the implications of what Ms. Dawson revealed.
If you haven’t read the Blud series, “The Three Lives of Lydia” is a good introduction to the world of Sang. Chronologically, it takes place before the first book, Wicked As They Come, so fans of the series will undoubtedly be thrilled to see the caravan and its members (including Blud heroes Criminy and Casper) before Tish’s arrival. I hope to be seeing more of Charlie now that I’ve read this story, and all in all “The Three Lives of Lydia” sated my need for a Blud fix.
“The Demon Barker of Wheat Street” by Kevin Hearne
What should be a rather ordinary wheat festival turns into a life or death battle against demons and ghouls in “The Demon Barker of Wheat Street.” Follow the Iron Druid, Atticus, his apprentice Granuaile, and Atticus’s Irish wolfhound Oberon to Granuaile’s hometown, where the trio must rescue themselves and others from some hellish (literally) carnies. I delighted in the mix of action, humor, and garish visuals in “The Demon Barker of Wheat Street.” Kevin Hearne has a deft hand with all three and I loved that I could be laughing at Oberon’s commentary one minute, and then be wrinkling my nose at a gruesome ghoul the next.
“The Demon Barker of Wheat Street” is part of Mr. Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles, but as I have not read the series (yet), I can safely say that readers unfamiliar with the Iron Druid books will easily be able to follow along. Fans of the series will surely be pleased with this short glimpse into Atticus, Granuaile, and Oberon’s lives.
Aside from the fact that I haven’t been able to get Sondheim out of my head since I first read the title of this story, there’s nothing I didn’t love about “The Demon Barker of Wheat Street.” I’ve wanted to read Mr. Hearne’s work for a while, but now I’m definitely in a hurry to start the Iron Druid Chronicles!
“The Cold Girl” by Rachel Caine
Rachel Caine delivers heart-pounding suspense as a teenage girl’s world comes crashing down around her. There are multiple kinds of monsters in “The Cold Girl,” the worst of whom are human. At first, I wasn’t sure I’d like “The Cold Girl,” but Kiley’s dying journey was enthralling in its sadness and had me turning the pages as Ms. Caine brought Kiley’s terror to life. Though I won’t spoil the story, I will say that readers better get ready for a haunting tale that will keep you guessing until the very end. I really enjoy Ms. Caine’s writing and the outcome of “The Cold Girl” left me a well-satisfied reader.
“Freak House” by Kelly Meding
When half-djinn Shiloh Harrison’s father is kidnapped by a magic abuser, it’s up to her and two new allies to free him and other Paras from their freak show prison. “Freak House” provides a captivating introduction to Kelly Meding’s Strays series. I absolutely loved this story. Ms. Meding gives Shiloh the right amount of intelligence, bravery, and magic to make her intriguing without going overboard (as sometimes happens in urban fantasy) and making our intrepid heroine difficult to relate to. I instantly adored Shiloh and I hope to learn much more about her and her two compatriots, former Army Ranger Julius and forced werewolf Will, in future Strays stories.
The world-building in “Freak House” was expertly done, providing all the information readers need without straying into what I call “info dump” territory. Kelly Meding is a marvelous storyteller and I cannot wait to read more about the world of Strays. Though I haven’t read Ms. Meding’s work before, after reading “Freak House” the four books of hers I have are going to the top of my to-be-read pile.
Carniepunk is an excellent urban fantasy sampler featuring some of the best authors in the genre today. Each author has a distinctive voice, but on the whole Carniepunk feels like a cohesive anthology.
To save this from becoming too lengthy a review, I highlighted my five favorite tales of carnie magic in the anthology. That doesn’t mean that the other nine stories aren’t worth talking about. As one might expect from an anthology featuring fourteen stories, Carniepunk can be a bit of a grab bag, depending on your tastes. Mark Henry’s “The Sweeter the Juice” was the one story that was more horror than urban fantasy. His tale of drugs, transsexuals, and zombie babies in post-zombie apocalypse New York simply wasn’t my cup of tea, though I must give Mr. Henry high marks for his talent as a writer (there are some truly haunting visuals in “The Sweeter the Juice”). Jaye Wells’s “The Werewife,” Hillary Jacques’s “Recession of the Divine,” and Seanin McGuire’s “Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open, Lonely Sea” were also interesting, well-written stories that simply didn’t speak to me personally.
A good number of the Carniepunk tales are set in established universes. That being said, I could follow along and enjoy every story, regardless of whether or not I’ve read the series it stemmed from. However, Allison Pang’s “A Duet with Darkness,” Jennifer Estep’s “Parlor Tricks,” Nicole Peeler’s “Inside Man,” Jackie Kessler’s “A Chance in Hell,” and Kelly Gay’s “Hell’s Menagerie” are all stories I think I’d enjoy more were I invested in their literary worlds. I do look forward to going back to these particular stories after I’ve read at least the first book in each series (the Abby Sinclair, Elemental Assassin, Jane True, Hell on Earth, and Charlie Madigan series, respectively).
Carniepunk is filled with fantastical and frightening delights. Whether you are a fan of one or more of the authors in this anthology already or are simply looking to try something new, Carniepunk is for you. One note of caution: you’ll never look at a circus tent the same way again.
“Painted Love” by Rob Thurman
Marvelous surprises await you in “Painted Love.” Told from the point of view of a supernatural hitchhiker, “Painted Love” takes readers on an exploration of love and evil. Rob Thurman gave Doodle such an interesting, unique voice that I was drawn into the story from the start and couldn’t stop reading until I learned what was going on. I’m afraid I can’t say much about this story without spoiling it, but suffice it to say that you’re in for a fascinating journey. “Painted Love” stayed with me long after I finished reading it and I’m looking forward to reading more of Rob Thurman’s work.
“The Three Lives of Lydia” by Delilah S. Dawson
I admit, I picked up the Carniepunk anthology for this story. I love Delilah S. Dawson’s Blud series and thus was eager to delve into the world of the Bludmen once more. Ms. Dawson does not disappoint. “The Three Lives of Lydia” explores the terrible beauty of Sang and of Criminy’s Clockwork Caravan as seen through the eyes of Lydia, a human from our world who wakes up in Sang. I loved the vibrancy of the carnival, the darker undertones of the world, and seeing Sang — not to mention curious Bludman Charlie Dregs — through Lydia’s eyes. The twists and turns the story took were interesting, leaving me to ponder the implications of what Ms. Dawson revealed.
If you haven’t read the Blud series, “The Three Lives of Lydia” is a good introduction to the world of Sang. Chronologically, it takes place before the first book, Wicked As They Come, so fans of the series will undoubtedly be thrilled to see the caravan and its members (including Blud heroes Criminy and Casper) before Tish’s arrival. I hope to be seeing more of Charlie now that I’ve read this story, and all in all “The Three Lives of Lydia” sated my need for a Blud fix.
“The Demon Barker of Wheat Street” by Kevin Hearne
What should be a rather ordinary wheat festival turns into a life or death battle against demons and ghouls in “The Demon Barker of Wheat Street.” Follow the Iron Druid, Atticus, his apprentice Granuaile, and Atticus’s Irish wolfhound Oberon to Granuaile’s hometown, where the trio must rescue themselves and others from some hellish (literally) carnies. I delighted in the mix of action, humor, and garish visuals in “The Demon Barker of Wheat Street.” Kevin Hearne has a deft hand with all three and I loved that I could be laughing at Oberon’s commentary one minute, and then be wrinkling my nose at a gruesome ghoul the next.
“The Demon Barker of Wheat Street” is part of Mr. Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles, but as I have not read the series (yet), I can safely say that readers unfamiliar with the Iron Druid books will easily be able to follow along. Fans of the series will surely be pleased with this short glimpse into Atticus, Granuaile, and Oberon’s lives.
Aside from the fact that I haven’t been able to get Sondheim out of my head since I first read the title of this story, there’s nothing I didn’t love about “The Demon Barker of Wheat Street.” I’ve wanted to read Mr. Hearne’s work for a while, but now I’m definitely in a hurry to start the Iron Druid Chronicles!
“The Cold Girl” by Rachel Caine
Rachel Caine delivers heart-pounding suspense as a teenage girl’s world comes crashing down around her. There are multiple kinds of monsters in “The Cold Girl,” the worst of whom are human. At first, I wasn’t sure I’d like “The Cold Girl,” but Kiley’s dying journey was enthralling in its sadness and had me turning the pages as Ms. Caine brought Kiley’s terror to life. Though I won’t spoil the story, I will say that readers better get ready for a haunting tale that will keep you guessing until the very end. I really enjoy Ms. Caine’s writing and the outcome of “The Cold Girl” left me a well-satisfied reader.
“Freak House” by Kelly Meding
When half-djinn Shiloh Harrison’s father is kidnapped by a magic abuser, it’s up to her and two new allies to free him and other Paras from their freak show prison. “Freak House” provides a captivating introduction to Kelly Meding’s Strays series. I absolutely loved this story. Ms. Meding gives Shiloh the right amount of intelligence, bravery, and magic to make her intriguing without going overboard (as sometimes happens in urban fantasy) and making our intrepid heroine difficult to relate to. I instantly adored Shiloh and I hope to learn much more about her and her two compatriots, former Army Ranger Julius and forced werewolf Will, in future Strays stories.
The world-building in “Freak House” was expertly done, providing all the information readers need without straying into what I call “info dump” territory. Kelly Meding is a marvelous storyteller and I cannot wait to read more about the world of Strays. Though I haven’t read Ms. Meding’s work before, after reading “Freak House” the four books of hers I have are going to the top of my to-be-read pile.
Carniepunk is an excellent urban fantasy sampler featuring some of the best authors in the genre today. Each author has a distinctive voice, but on the whole Carniepunk feels like a cohesive anthology.
To save this from becoming too lengthy a review, I highlighted my five favorite tales of carnie magic in the anthology. That doesn’t mean that the other nine stories aren’t worth talking about. As one might expect from an anthology featuring fourteen stories, Carniepunk can be a bit of a grab bag, depending on your tastes. Mark Henry’s “The Sweeter the Juice” was the one story that was more horror than urban fantasy. His tale of drugs, transsexuals, and zombie babies in post-zombie apocalypse New York simply wasn’t my cup of tea, though I must give Mr. Henry high marks for his talent as a writer (there are some truly haunting visuals in “The Sweeter the Juice”). Jaye Wells’s “The Werewife,” Hillary Jacques’s “Recession of the Divine,” and Seanin McGuire’s “Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open, Lonely Sea” were also interesting, well-written stories that simply didn’t speak to me personally.
A good number of the Carniepunk tales are set in established universes. That being said, I could follow along and enjoy every story, regardless of whether or not I’ve read the series it stemmed from. However, Allison Pang’s “A Duet with Darkness,” Jennifer Estep’s “Parlor Tricks,” Nicole Peeler’s “Inside Man,” Jackie Kessler’s “A Chance in Hell,” and Kelly Gay’s “Hell’s Menagerie” are all stories I think I’d enjoy more were I invested in their literary worlds. I do look forward to going back to these particular stories after I’ve read at least the first book in each series (the Abby Sinclair, Elemental Assassin, Jane True, Hell on Earth, and Charlie Madigan series, respectively).
Carniepunk is filled with fantastical and frightening delights. Whether you are a fan of one or more of the authors in this anthology already or are simply looking to try something new, Carniepunk is for you. One note of caution: you’ll never look at a circus tent the same way again.