A review by keepcalmblogon
Januaries: Stories of Love, Magic & Betrayal by Olivie Blake

adventurous emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is the second anthology I’ve read this year, so I’m feeling my short story era! Januaries was a Macmillan Audio pick and it did not disappoint–I absolutely love Olivie Blake! 

Short stories are fun because they often pack a punch and are easy to digest. I also appreciate that if there was a story that was not for me, I have something to look forward to after it’s over, which was the case for Monsterlove–definitely an interesting take, but it was not for me.

All of the short stories in this book center around love, magic, and/or betrayal–because sometimes betrayal or love is served with a side of the other! This collection runs the gamut of fairy story to dystopia and odds and ends in between–speculative fiction and Greek mythology included!

One of my favorite stories, The Animation Games, is a tale of love, betrayal, and magic all rolled together. It was at times funny, heartbreaking, and inspirational. It was also incredibly violent, but in a fun way with a good amount of magic and ghosts!

In the end, this book was five stars, and I think there are stories in here for everyone. I love that when I listen to a Blake book I usually get some of my favorite narrators, including Steve West and David Monteith.