An Egyptian-Greek Mash-Up

When Carter and Percy came together to fight a monster, we thought it was a fluke. A fabulous fluke, mind you, but a fluke nonetheless. Now that Sadie and Annabeth have had to come together to fight a monster, the writing on the wall is clear. Something is going on to bring the Greek and the Egyptian worlds together, and it is scary. IN The Staff of Serapis by Rick Riordan, two beloved series connect once again in magic-wielding, monster fighting goodness. 

Annabeth can't catch a break. Just when she thinks things will be normal for a moment, a monster shows up. But something is wrong with this monster. Not that it has two very different heads and seems to be struggling to work together despite being connected. Nope. It is running away from her! Monsters don't run away from demigods! When she decides to follow it, she is surprised by something even stranger- a girl who can see the monster too! 

OK. I am really hoping all these short stories are leading up to a final Egyptian, Greek Cross-over series by Riordan. Seriously, dude. Don't hold out on us. We need the Kane's and the demigods together in one magnificent series, and we need it now! I don't even need to review this fabulous little short, because we all knew it was going to be awesome. But still, Rick, bro. Please? Give us what we want! Kanes meet demigods! And we want it NOW!

McGarry ROCKS!

So much divides us. When something brings together two people from such different worlds, its hard to remember all that keeps us apart. In Katie McGarry's romance short, a girl from the wrong side of town meets a boy of privilege who is struggling to find his place in the world. 

Stella has purple hair and is generally ignored by her classmates, when they aren't humiliating her and calling her Trash Can Girl. Jonah is a kid born into every privilege, but he would give it all away to change the events of that fateful car accident. He is called a hero, but the death of the man he couldn't save haunts him. Both are drawn to the cemetery for different reasons, but neither expected to find solace in another person while they were there... especially another person who is from a totally different world. 

OK. Let's be honest. I would read a grocery list if Katie McGarry wrote it. I just love her no-nonsense, incredibly candid, real romances. They are amazing. And this e-short is no difference. Yes, the "wrong side of the tracks" love story screams "Pretty in Pink", but Katie McGarry can make everything fresh and new. There was a deep sorrow in Jonah that made you want to protect him, and Stella's history was hard to read about because it was so sad and yet so real. My only complaint is that there wasn't more! I wanted a full book about these two!

Before There was a Legend

June and Day couldn't be more opposite in the Legend series by Marie Lu. From two different worlds, they might as well have been born on different planets, but that doesn't mean they haven't both experienced struggles and won't both choose to do great things in their future. 

Day escaped the Republic's testings after failing his trial, but that doesn't mean they haven't forgotten about him. On the run and in hiding, he tries to keep a low profile, but that sometimes means going hungry. When a girl catches him trying to steal food from her father's shipment, she chooses not to hold that against him. In doing so, she gives him more courage than he could have wished for. 

June was admitted to the University at an unheard of age of twelve. She might be a prodigy, but that doesn't mean bigger, less intelligent people want her there overshadowing their own meager accomplishments. Being a prodigy means a lot of attention, and not all of it is good, but June refuses to be beaten when she can find a way to defend herself. 

These were two fun little prequels, but they are definitely short. I liked seeing a glimpse into Day and June's lives before Legend because it really gets you to love that they can overcome such differences to come together and do what they do. I would suggest these itty bitty stories to any fan of the series!

Before Testing Day

Before Cia entered the Testing, her brother was fighting to find a way out of of the Five Colonies. Everyone considers getting away from home, but for Zeen, home is stifling. The Testing is a one-way ticket our of the Five Colonies, but his father never prepared him for it, even though his father had gone through it himself. Instead, his father wants to keep him here, where he can protect and shelter him. But Zeen knows there is more to the world than the Five Colonies and he will do anything to see it. 

I am glad I got this little short for free, because it was only about 10 pages. Granted, it was interesting, and would have made a perfect first chapter to Testing Day, but I wouldn't pay for it separately. I was always interested in Cia's brothers, so it was interested to see a little more of Zeen. I just wish there was more to this story- only about 1/5 of what you download is the story- the other 80% is the first chapters of Testing Day. 

Floating and Desperate

It has been a long time since the fabulous Forest of Hands and Teeth series ended, but that doesn't mean we don't miss it. While we spent a lot of time in the world after the zombie plague ravaged civilization, what happened to the people who survived those first few weeks? Carrie Ryan gives us a snapshot of two such guys. 

Together, alone, floating on the ocean. He wished Nancy, his crush, had made it onto the boat, but all he got was Jeremy. They know they should try for land, but they can't bring themselves to leave the cruise ship they abandoned. That cruise ship holds their friends, no matter what state they might be in. To make things even worse, Jeremy is hiding a bite. 

This was a super short little story- maybe 20 pages or so, but it was fun. I really liked this story, and haven't seen much from Carrie Ryan since its conclusion. I wish she would come back and add more companion novels set in that world. She had such a knack for a really beautiful zombie stories, if there is such a thing! 

Anything but Dead and Gone

Before Benny and the others finally left to fend for themselves in the Rot and Ruin, there were bad things happening that didn't even involve zombies. Unbeknownst to them, bad, bad people had survived and even thrived in a world where the dead rose to eat the living. In Dead and Gone, a story Jonathan Maberry wrote to precede Flesh and Bone, the third book in the series, we get to see just how our new character, Riot, came to find the group. 

The Night Church is the epitome of terror, established by a serial killer who anoints his followers as Reapers, meant to quiet the living and bring them back as the walking dead. But the daughter of his second in command doesn't want to live the life of a Reaper anymore.  She manages to get away, but Sister Margaret is too valuable for the Night Church to let her go. Now she is on the run, fighting through the gray people to escape the Reapers, but they forgot one thing. She isn't Sister Margaret anymore. She is Riot, and Riot is in control of her own life. 

First of all, if you have read anything by Jonathan Maberry, you know what a fabulous writer he is. Whether his adult or young adult stories, they are equally as enthralling and exciting, so it is no surprise this simple, short little story would be jut as fabulous. Riot is a butt-kicken girl and the people she encounters out in the Rot and Ruin are just as awesome. If you have read the Rot and Ruin series, pick this up, but even if you haven't, maybe reading this short story will convince you to read more!

No Glitch in the System

We have seen Cinder's life, full of prejudice against a cyborg, an unloving stepmother, and a plague ravaging her world. But how did Cinder come to live with her stepmother and stepsisters? In Glitches, a short prequel story to Cinder, Marissa Meyer tells the tale of Cinder's arrival.

When Garan is entrusted with Cinder's welfare, he takes his job seriously, bringing her into his family as his daughter. She doesn't know how to feel about the man she can call dad, but she does feel grateful. When they arrive, however, not everyone is happy to see her. Peony welcomes Cinder, but Adri and Pearl are unimpressed by the cyborg they must now call "family". But as long as Garan is there, he will hold the family together...

These short stories publishers are pushing out in between the releases of series installments fall into three distinct categories: necessary for plot advancement and should be put in the next book, unnecessary for plot advancement but enjoyable and helps you appreciate the series, and completely useless and wasted your $.99. I will pay my measly buck for the first two, but the latter ticks me off. Luckily, this little short (which is available on TOR.com for free) falls into the second category. We already knew the dynamic between Cinder and her sisters and stepmother, but it was still interesting to watch it unfold in this short tale. It makes you love Garan more, and sympathize with Cinder, and love Peony and hate Adri, but then again, you already felt those emotions in Cinder. So, if you love the series, don't hesitate to check this freebie out. It will hold you over until the next book is over!

When an Assassin Goes Under

Celaena has defied Arobynn, her master, once already and suffered the consequences, but she survived. In fact, she has come out on top. In The Assassin and the Underworld by Sarah J. Maas, Celaena learns the truth about her master, and the truth about herself.

After returning from the Red Desert and being trained by the Silent Master himself, Celaena returns to Rifthold in an entirely different position than how she left. The Silent Master gave her enough gold to buy her contract back from her own master, and she no longer has to live under his thumb (or beneath his fist). When he gives her a new job that pays well to assassinate a slave trader trying to establish a foothold in Rifthold, she assumes he is trying to make amends for what he has done to her and Sam. But something is wrong, very, very wrong, and Celaena doesn't figure it out until it is too late.

Yet another fabulous novella from the Throne of Glass series. These four prequel novellas are truly enlightening little morsels to be gobbled up either before or after you read the first novel in the series. I love this evolution of Celaena and how she becomes a dependent young woman to an independent assassin who follows her own morals, even if it means risking her own life. And Maas is a brilliant writer. I thought that at the end of Throne of Glass, but these novellas have solidified that opinion!

Untold and Unstrung

Who can imagine a world where doctors "unwind" people by taking them apart and using their parts to use in transplants for other people? Neal Shusterman can, and in this short story from the Unwind series, he gives you a taste of how unwinding creeps through all of society... even those who don't want to be a part of the horrid practice.

Lev was a tithe- a donation to the system of unwinding by his family. He is supposed to be proud of his gift to the system, but he escapes before they can take him apart. When he ends up on a reservation, he learns the ways of the people who refused to be a part of the unwinding society. Instead, they have perfected using animal parts if needed, but the rest of society doesn't want to know about their ability to not use unwound people. They like using people, because it is a great way to do away with society's undesirables. But unfortunately, the kids on the reservation aren't safe. And Lev and the tribe learn that the hard way.

At first I wasn't impressed with this short story, but by the end, it was terrifying. I guess I was never a fan of Lev's, so I didn't care much to hear more about him, but the end of this story was devastating, even though you only know Will for a few short chapters. But that is the brilliance of Shusterman. He knows how to clock you in the gut and make you thank him for it! Great story!

In the Little Never Realm

Before Perry came across a girl from the domes, he was just a boy with a complicated family in a tribe that can barely feed itself. In Roar and Liv, and Under the Never Sky story by Veronica Rossi, we get the sense that life isn't easy for anyone... especially those whose lives can be traded.

Roar loves Liv. She is his life. Now that his grandmother is gone, Liv and her brother Perry are the only family he has, and he would do anything to protect them. But their brother, Vale, is the Blood Lord of the tribe, and when he decides the tribe's well-being is more important than what his sister wants, Roar will do anything to prevent her from being sent away. But how much will he risk? His life? Her life? The lives of everyone in the tribe?

This was a really interesting prequel because you really get an idea of how Perry came to see the world as he does. He knows the duty his brother carries on his shoulder, but he also knows what is right and wrong. It was quite an illuminating little story as you think about Under the Never Sky. How could you not be bitter and cynical when your brother has to sell his sister to feed his tribe? Especially knowing how life in the dome is!

The Assassin Meets the Desert

Celaena may be one of the most feared assassins, but her training never ends. And after setting the slaves free, her master isn't pleased with her. In The Assassin and the Desert, Celaena must seek the Silent Assassin Master for training and approval before she can return home. But after the beating her master gave her and what she fears he may have done to Sam, she is terrified to return.

The desert in the summer is more punishment than the beating she received ever was. She knows she must serve her penance for the slave escape, but she didn't expect her penance would come with such a surprise: friends. For once, Celaena actually feels like she belongs somewhere. Her roommate, although annoying at first, is even starting to grow on her. But the master hasn't agreed to train her himself, and without his approval she can't return home. Although she doesn't want to know what happened to Sam, she has to know.

Another great novella! I loved this one just as much as the last. In fact, I really hope Maas publishes these in paper as opposed to just ebooks because they are vital to understanding Celaena and everything she is doing now. This is a fabulous way to break in your new series, and congrats to Maas for such wonderful tales!

Partial Terror

In Dan Wells' Partials, the war raging between humans and Partials (humanoid machines) isn't much of a war at all considering the humans are barely surviving and their inability to reproduce leaves them with a bleak end. But did you ever wonder how the world came to be in the grip of the Partials?

Heron is a newly created Partial soldier; her specialty is espionage. Built to be a spy, Heron was created without an empathy chip. What they didn't think to include was a "lack of self-preservation" chip. In the course of Heron's training and her big job, she realizes the humans who created her think of her as nothing more than a machine. While they may have created her, Heron is more than just nuts and bolts. And her decisions won't always make her creators happy.

I really enjoyed seeing the world from the Partials' side of things, especially because in the first full-length novel, it was clear there was more to this dystopia that was created. And the worst part of this is how easy it is to imagine these humans doing such horrible things with and to the Partials. This short story isn't vital to the continuation of the story, but it is certainly central to the theme of the series. You will want to check this one out if you plan to continue with Wells' series!

16 Year Old Assassin vs. Pirate Lord

No one would think a 16 yr old girl could best a pirate lord. But no one has seen Celaena in action before. The assassin's apprentice may look young and innocuous, but there is nothing that can stop her when she has set her mind to something- not even being trapped on an island with hundreds of angry, violent, murderous pirates.

When Celaena's master sends her, the heir to the Assassin's Guild, to settle a debt with the pirate lord, she is annoyed that he also sends Sam, the boy her master passed over to make her the heir. But what sends Celaena off is when she realizes their presence on the island had nothing to do with accusing the pirate king of killing three assassins. It was to broker a deal entering the Assassin lord into the slave trade. Celaena may be a kill for hire, but she will not settle for entering innocent people into slavery. But how can a young girl take on this battle by herself? Maybe she isn't alone...

This was such a good short story, I can't wait to read the other four. I was a little skeptical about these short stories Maas released before the big release of the Throne of Glass series, but I was totally wrong. In the first book of the series, we already saw Celaena captured and fighting to regain the foothold she used to have, but with this short story, we see her in her prime. We see her as the full assassin she was born and trained to be. And it is... AWESOME! This is a great way to continue with the series (even though it is a prequel). If you liked the series or if you haven't started it and need something to entice you, try this short story. You will get hooked! (pun intended!)

Destruction of a Man's Humanity

Juliette has escaped from the asylum where she was kept, but she left Warner behind- her captor. What she didn't know in Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, is that Warner has a few secrets of his own. Dangerous secrets. Secrets that could make his father come to the final conclusion that he had gone soft. Secrets that are revealed in Destroy Me. 

Warner is beyond livid that Juliette has escaped, but there is more to his anger than just being duped by one of his own soldiers. Warner can't get Juliette out of his mind. He has always been fascinated by her, and his fascination treads on the cusp of being an obsession. Now that she has managed to escape, Warner's father arrives to clean up the mess. But he discovers Warner's secrets in the process, like the fact that Warner is weak and cares about the civilians attached to his post. This is a transgression no leader can afford. And his love (albeit warped love) for Juliette may just be the final straw.

In Shatter Me you assume Warner is just an evil jerk who needs control and enjoys hurting people, but there is more to him and I am glad this short story showed that side. This little story reveals a new Warner who will, quite honestly, change the tone of the next book. Therefore, this really becomes a short story you should read before you continue the series. And remember, there is always more to someone than meets the eye!

First and Lost Loves

In Anna Banks' Of Poseidon, we were so wrapped up in Galen and Emma's lives we barely got to see Galen's brother Grom, the prince who shall inherit the throne and carries all the burden of such a post. Grom is the brother whose marriage and mating has been decided on for generations before their own existence. He is the brother with the least ability to make decisions for his own life. 

But Grom's story is one of young love and tragedy. In Of Poseidon, we know he lost his first mate, Nalia, but you never learn how. In Legacy Lost, you not only find out about the tragedy Grom was victim to, but also how he really loved Nalia. One would think an arranged marriage is awful and loveless, but Nalia's dangerous side and impulsiveness draws the series Grom to her. And finally, even his mother can't hide the knowledge that Grom's love for Nalia is written all over his face. But Nalia's desire for more and more danger will be her undoing... and Grom's.

Sometimes these short stories are pointless, but I was really happy to read Grom's story. I always thought he was a little cold or too devoted to the throne, but it was nice to see him young and in love. Even though this is a prequel, I think the addition of this story will lead very nicely into Of Triton where Grom's position will take on an even larger purpose than in the first story. Nice addition to the series!

The End isn't as Final as You Thought

At the conclusion of the Nightshade series, many readers were left aghast at Andrea Cremer's ending (I was surprised, a little sad, but appreciative of the surprising ending). It might have been a surprising ending, but it was certainly a conclusion. In Aftermath, Cremer takes a conclusion full of finality and with a few short pages, makes things not so final again...

The Keepers have been destroyed, but Logan, son of the Nightshade's Keeper, is still free. Adne knows she should enjoy her life free of the wolf, the Keeper's and the threat of monsters worse than anything this world could deliver, but she has a sinking feeling something bad is coming. The war might have been won, but there is still plenty of evil running free.

Well, I thought this was going to wrap things up even more, but it seems to be acting as a bridge to some new spin-off series? I am not saying I didn't enjoy this little teaser, but I certainly hope Cremer plans to follow through on what she set up with this story- a continuation from the conclusion of Bloodrose and on. Otherwise, that was just mean!

A Story of Thimble and Stone

When you read the first book in Ann Aguirre's Enclave series, you were happy to follow the story of Deuce, but you wondered about Stone and Thimble, the friends she left behind as she went Topside. Underground, in a world of darkness and monsters, we finally learned what became of Stone and Thimble as the only world they had ever known crashed down around them.

Stone is just a breeder, but he is a big, strong man. He might not have a specific purpose in the Enclave other than making more brats, but he wants to have a purpose. Thimble narrowly escaped being thrown to the freaks outside the walls to become a Builder, and while most people see her as deformed, Stone has always thought she was perfect. As the Enclave erupts into a civil war with the monsters just waiting for the blood to spill, Stone, Thimble, and Boy 23, Stone's brat, know that if they stay together, they can survive... in one way or another.

This was a fantastic short story attached to this series. It isn't necessary to carry on with the story, but it is really interesting and a fabulous companion to the story currently going on in the first two books. I suggest anyone who liked Enclave to read this companion for more insight into the world of the underground Enclaves. It will leave you wanting more from Aguirre!

Tiny, Slightly Unnecessary Story

Four, or Tobias as he is now known, was a strange character in both Divergent novels. He is not an easy character to get to know, he puts up walls, and that outer, crusty shell he wears is pretty impenetrable. So a short story about the Four's first encounter with Tris from his own perspective must be pretty illuminating, right? Well, sort of. 

This was an interesting few pages from Four's perspective about how he decided to stay in Dauntless after finally deciding to become factionless (which we found out about in Insurgent). We know Tris was the reason, but from Four's perspective, we see it wasn't all love at first sight and kittens and roses; there was a more sinister reason behind his need to protect Tris. 

But this is such a short, short story, you don't really get much from it. A brief insight, but otherwise an unnecessary story this late in the game. It would have been a great chapter addition to either of the books (first one as it happened or second as a flashback), but seeing as how the information is already known, the added perspective didn't change much for me. I read it because I really like the series, but it wasn't a necessary purchase if you have read the two books in the series already released (and might give too much away if you have only read the first book). 

Brilliant Short Prequel

When you read a story, sometimes there are characters who are important, but not enough to take center stage. They lack in development in order to keep the pace of the story, but are certainly the focus of intrigue. This is how I felt about Alodia, the crowned princess in Rae Carson's Girl of Fire and Thorns, and what made me so interested in this short prequel story, The Shadow Cats.

Alodia may be the crowned princess, the one who will run her kingdom someday, but her sister, her ineffectual, frumpy sister Elisa is the one everyone talks about because of her Godstone (given to her by God and will lead her to greatness). Alodia resents the undeserved attention Elisa is afforded, but that doesn't make her shirk her duties. When she travels to a distant province within her kingdom, she finds a town suffering a curse that leaves the ground unable to sustain a harvest and people on the verge of starvation. When the conde tells her a mystical jaguar is the carrier of the curse, Alodia has no time for rumors and superstition. She is a princess who isn't afraid to put away her skirts and travel into the thick jungle to save her people. Elisa might be chosen by God for greatness, but Alodia makes her own choices and she chooses greatness.

This was a phenomenal prequel story that really gave us a glimpse into the life of Alodia. I always wondered about this sister of Elisa, since Girl of Fire and Thorns was all about Elisa. Alodia bore the whole responsibility of her people, but Elisa was just handed the glory, she never earned anything. I think Carson did a good job by releasing this story to not only keep us biding our time for the next book in the series, but also to give us another perspective and more insight into the relationship between these two sisters. And although the story is about Alodia, the presence of Elisa makes you understand the girl and her Godstone even better! This is a must for anyone who started reading this series!

Lost Letters = Vital Insight

Brother Gabriel was Daniel's Urbat (werewolf) mentor, but we never knew the full story of his transformation as an Urbat in the Dark Divine Series by Bree Despain. Not a main character, Gabriel's evolution isn't the primary focus of the series, but it certainly has a lot to do with who he is and how he led Daniel. In these lost letters, we see how he first became an Urbat, how he struggled with the wolf inside him, and how he became the man he is today.


I have to say this was an enlightening little collection of letters. They help you to know the man you thought you knew. I also appreciated how he talked about the wolf inside him as a separate entity, not a real conjoined piece of himself as we would see it from the outside. In particular, the transition from a vengeful beast to an atoning leader was one you won't want to miss. In a swirl of crappy unnecessary eShorts out there from your favorite series, this one is worth the effort!