#januaries

[olivieblake]

very excited to say the publishing overlords at @torbooks are massive birthday enablers!! behold, on this day of socially accepted narcissism, the cover for JANUARIES, my collection of short stories and novellas/personal eras tour releasing october 15: http://us.macmillan.com/books/97812503

[ijustkindalikebooks]

Current ARC read.

[bookshelvesandtealeaves]

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

Januaries by Olivie Blake

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[instagram]

The candle pictured is from Book of the Wick and you can use SHELVES10 to save at checkout!

Thank you Macmillan Australia for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed most of these stories, though there were a few misses for me (one had no quotation marks and I uh…skipped it. Brain can not handle that when reading).

I REALLY loved The Wish Bridge, Sucker for Pain and The Animation Games. These three really stood out and were all books I would devour a full length novel about.

The diversity and creativity on display in this book really showcases Blake’s talent. Even the stories that weren’t to my taste were so different and unique.

I recommend this as an easy read to pick through between longer reads!

[torpublishinggroup]

Love. Magic. Betrayal.

Januaries—a stunning new short story and novella collection from bestselling author Olivie Blake!

Dive into stories of twisted fairytales, contemporary heists, absurdist poetry, and at least one set of actual wedding vows.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb:

An instant USA Today bestseller! From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes Januaries, a stunning collection of short fiction featuring fourteen magical ruminations on life, death, and the love—or desire for revenge—that outlasts both

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, a wish-granting spirit rapidly approaches burnout. Meanwhile, a banished fairy answers a Craigslist ad, a Victorian orphan navigates an occult situationship, and a multiverse assassin contemplates the one who got away.

With both iconic fan-favorite stories and entirely original pieces, Januaries features modified fairy tales, contemporary heists, absurdist poetry, and at least one set of actual wedding vows. Escape the slow trudge of mortality by diving into these enchanting new worlds with a master of imagination.

Review:

A fantastic collection of short stories that all feel a bit magical to read. I loved the first story the most in this. This collection definitely felt like reading some fairytales and though the collection features modified fairytales and such, it's a good time to read and one I'd definitely recommend for everyone to pick up!

Release Date: October 15,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group | Tordotcom for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[quillandqueer]

Cover Reveals Spotted This Week

Released: 17th October

Released: 17th October

UK / Australia Rejacket releasing November

[out-of-the-forest-i-come]

Januaries by Olivie Blake: Review

2.75⭐

Short story collections are most often hit or miss, and I’m disappointed to say that Januaries was a miss for me.

The first thing I’d like to say, which has nothing to do with Olivie Blake and everything to do with the publisher, is that it annoys me to no end that they marketed this collection as ‘iconic’ before it was even published. You don’t get to decide that something is going to be iconic, especially when this collection has nothing iconic. It’s not groundbreaking, it’s not a literary masterpiece, it’s not even daring or particularly original. It’s not a bad collection, but it’s not a good one either. For the most part, it’s just unremarkable.

Most of the short stories had a lot of potential, but that potential was almost never correctly exploited. I always felt like Olivie Blake was trying too hard to be quirky, trying too hard to be exceptional and iconic, and the result was that it was merely an okay collection, underwhelming and fairly boring. I also had the impression that the technique of short stories wasn’t fully mastered. For a short story to be good, you have to quickly hook the reader, and deliver a fantastic ending. While the initial hook was there, the ending was sometimes only mid and left me indifferent.

In short, while this wasn’t a bad collection, it wasn’t good either, and as someone who loved the Atlas Series and especially enjoyed Olivie Blake’s style in that series, that was a huge disappointment.

Thank you to Netgalley and PanMacmillan for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[dpargyle]

Another humble lil haiku. to quote the bards, “doo-doo-doo-doo…”

(Krita, beFunky Photo Editor, PowerPoint, Aseprite, Realistic Paint Studio, & Sketchbook Pro) Palettes (edited): Myst 4 by Sk3ll Sk3ll & Chasm by dysphoriaa (Lospec).

[suzypfonne]

Before January 2025:

If you are a USAmerican in a relationship that might be affected by legislation that dissolves same-sex marriages, who may no longer be recognized as next-of-kin, especially if you have children, get your rights in writing!

Your marriage certificate may not be enough to prove you have rights to make medical decisions for non-biological children or for a same-sex spouse or partner.

Go to a lawyer, get it spelled out as clearly as possible that you have a voice in emergency medical and legal situations.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

License to Kitty.

[olivieblake]

I, my dagger, and my bouquet of rants return to chat in reply to asks/reviews/comments in a series of boldly shameless rambles wherein I, Olivie Blake, am not writing. Today's topics include what I spent the summer writing (0:27), a little bit about forthcoming releases JANUARIES (3:19) and GIFTED AND TALENTED (4:50), advice for getting along with your mother (8:39), on being adult enough to write for adults (16:51), how to find your writing style (20:54), a brief and accidentally inaccurate bit about time loops and multiverses (it's just a time loop not a closed time loop, that's on me for not adequately preparing my thoughts, 25:23), and managing your rage with the state of the world by imagining a different future (26:09).

[nessa007]

[ijustkindalikebooks]

Review: Januaries by Olivie Blake.

Januaries is a collection of new and iconic short stories and novellas from New York Times bestselling author Olivie Blake. Once upon a time in a land far, far away, the tutelary spirit to a magical bridge rapidly approaches burnout. Meanwhile, congress enacts a complex auditing system designed to un-waste your youth, a banished fairy answers a Craigslist ad, a Victorian orphan gains literacy for her occult situationship, and a multiverse assassin contemplates the one who got away. Escape the slow trudge of mortality with these magical ruminations on life, death, and the love (or revenge) that outlasts both, featuring modified fairytales, contemporary heists, absurdist poetry, and at least one set of actual wedding vows.

I am never sure how I feel about this author's work, sometimes I really enjoy it and sometimes I'm not so sure, so I thought a collection of short stories would be ideal to see where maybe some ideas come from or even just how she tells a short story, and sometimes I am impressed and sometimes I'm left bewildered.

There is no denying this author can write. From the first story, these stories awake on the page and really pull you in that make you feel like you are part of the story - even in the stories from this author I've not enjoyed, I've been drawn in by her characters and how she writes, and this collection is no different. The romance that ensues in The Wish Branch is just so perfectly written and opens this book with so much promise.

Where this author works is where she can push the boundaries and really test herself with emotion and expression. I think that is highlighted in other works she's written but here in this collection it shines. Monsterlove in particular are perfect examples of stunning writing and gorgeous characterisation that sticks with you.

A great collection full of the things Olivie Blake does so well in her novels, I actually prefer her here, particularly in the journal entry style stories beginning with The Audit and I would legit read whole novel in verse if they are anything like How To Dispel Friends And Curse People, cos that was cute as heck - that's the cosy romance I'm looking for here.

(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC for honest review).

[enjymemink]

Of course those cowards won't show the truth.

Anyways you can go to this thread and find channels who are broadcasting it.

[nalonzooo]

palate cleansers