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.

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Romance, Fiction, Adult, Audiobook, Anthologies

416 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2024

About the author

Olivie Blake is the pseudonym of Alexene Farol Follmuth, a lover and writer of stories, many of which involve the fantastic, the paranormal, or the supernatural, but not always. More often, her works revolve around what it means to be human (or not), and the endlessly interesting complexities of life and love.
​
Olivie has penned several indie SFF projects, including the webtoon Clara and the Devil with illustrator Little Chmura and the viral Atlas series. As Follmuth, her young adult rom-com My Mechanical Romance releases May 2022.

Olivie lives in Los Angeles with her husband and new baby, where she is generally tolerated by her rescue pit bull.

Reviews

[Esta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heading into an anthology, I usually brace for some gems mixed in with a few duds. But with Olivie Blake’s collection, every story hits. At worst, they’re good, at best, they’re brilliant.

Blake’s range is pretty mind-boggling, bouncing from modern fairytales for adults to speculative fiction with a dash of fantasy, poetry/verse, and a pinch of Greek mythology retold like you’ve never seen before. It’s a quirky experimental fusion of the magical and the mundane, where fairytales, myths, humour, satire, and absurdity collide. Expect encounters with fairies, connoisseur foodie demons, witches, vampires, reanimated souls, gods, demigods, eldritch spirits, sentient houses—and even fountain nymphs.

One moment, you’re reflecting on life’s big questions—like why wait for retirement to enjoy your lifetime earnings—and the next, you’re empathising with burnt-out eldritch spirits dishing out wishes in eternal service to a magic bridge. And somewhere along the way, you’ll start questioning what eternal damnation really looks like and if it involves cutting lemons with a million paper cuts or filling out endless forms for a tax audit.

My personal favourites leaned towards her modern adult fairytales and the laugh-out-loud, weird ones—The Wish Bridge, The Animation Games, To Make a Man, Fates and Consequences, Sous Vide, Chaos Theory, and A Year in January, all 5-star reads for me. Your top picks might vary, but there’s something for everyone in here.

The entire collection is a wild, whimsical, witty, weird ride that still feels rooted in the human experience. If that sounds like your vibe, this anthology will likely bring you as much joy as it brought me, and make you wonder why you haven’t yet read a full-length novel by Olivie Blake yet (also me). Rounded up to 5 stars for the creativity, the variety, the range and the stories that stick with you long after.

Individual story ratings are below this review.

Biggest thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan | Tor for a treat of an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Spring

1. The Wish Bridge | ★★★★★
2. The Audit | ★★★★☆
3. Sucker for Pain | ★★★★☆

Summer

4. The Animation Games | ★★★★★
5. The House | ★★★☆☆
6. To Make a Man | ★★★★★
7. Preexisting Condition | ★★★☆☆

Autumn

8. Monsterlove | ★★★☆☆
9. How to Dispel Friends and Curse People | ★★★☆☆
10. Fates and Consequences | ★★★★★
11. Sous Vide | ★★★★★

Winter

12. Sensual Tales for Carnal Pleasures | ★★★☆☆
13. Chaos Theory | ★★★★★
14. A Year in January | ★★★★★

🔹🔹🔹

Ever wondered what a tethered spirit approaching burnout, a banished fairy answering a Craigslist ad, and a multiverse assassin have in common? Me neither, but they all have a story in this anthology.

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 5 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺

˚₊‧꒰ა . 10/15/24 Release Date ˖ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

I will read everything and anything Olivie Blake writes, which even means reading a collection of short stories because it's not typically a go to for me but I really enjoyed these.

In this collection you’ll find witches, fairytales, multiverses, and life lessons. I found many of the them captivating, super weird, moving, or charming. Even a set of wedding vows.

It's divided by season and the stories range from sci-fi to fantasy to speculative or metaphorical. Sometimes drawing on mythology or folklore, sometimes poetic, often tragic. Covering topics such as relationships, motherhood, mental health, power and more.

ೃ⁀➷ ★ ₊ ˚ If you love lyrical, witty prose with whimsy and all the magic- highly recommend.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I received the audio arc and the cast of narrators are absolutely fantastic - Olivie Blake aka Alexene Farol Follmuth even offers her own narration which was amazing.

ೃ⁀➷ ★ ₊ ˚ Perfect for spooky season and available right around the corner on 10/15/24 - highly recommend for when you need something extraordinary - but with minimal pages.

✨ Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio (BFF's 😘) for the advanced audio copy - all thoughts are my own. ✨

[Noi (in & out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part 1:
* The Wish Branch - Crossroads romance, I loved this one ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
* The Audit - interesting concept but something was off ⭐⭐⭐
* Sucker for Pain - this was really good, I would so read a full version ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Part 2:
* The Animation Games - Took me a minute to get into, I also needed to restart this one a time or two, but once it got going I was into it ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* The House - How can something so short be that good? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (6 if I could)
* To Make a Man - I NEED MORE IN THIS WORLD PLEASE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
* Preexisting Condition - Frenkenstine vibes? ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Part 3:
* Monster Love - DNF, sorry but it freaked me the hell out
* Hot to Dispel Friends and Curse People - ⭐⭐⭐
* Fates and Consequenses - ⭐⭐⭐
* Sous-Vide - ⭐⭐⭐

Part 4:
* Sensual Tales for Carnal Pleasures - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* Chaos Theory - Chaos is the word, unsure of the rating as I am unsure what really went on.
* A year in January - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overall - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
-----------------
If this sucks, I will cry.

[lisa (fc hollywood's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

being one of the first readers on booktok to discover olivie blake's self-published works and long-time follower of her tumblr and youtube series, watching her evolution as a writer and rise to fame has been an immense pleasure, i truly wish nothing but the best for blake. this short story collection reminds me that blake, despite whatever grudge i hold against her for the atlas complex, remains one of the most exciting writers to read about imo. the woman has range i seem to have forgotten that it was the same person who wrote my religious script but also one of the worst reads of my life. this collection doesn't drive me to that either extremity, rather balancing between delightfully good and utterly forgettable, but i am glad that this ends up being my "rediscovery" of olivie blake's writing.

i, spring
the wish bridge 4⭐/5
the audit 3⭐/5
sucker for pain 5⭐/5

ii, summer
the animation games 3.5⭐/5
the house 5⭐/5
to make a man 2⭐/5
preexisting condition 2⭐/5

iii, autumn
monsterlove 5⭐/5
how to dispel friends and curse people 2⭐/5
fates and consequences 3⭐/5
sous vide 3.5⭐/5

iv, winter
sensual tales for carnal pleasure 5⭐/5
chaos theory 4⭐/5
a year in january 4.5⭐/5

two things of importance to me:
* monsterlove is genuinely one of the scariest but most prodigious portrayals of the ambivalence of motherhood i have ever had the chance to witness. listening this on audiobook at midnight was terrifying, but oh i am in awe of this short story
* i am deeply appreciative of olivie blake's continuously unflinching portrayal of mental health, especially bipolar disorder, without being heavy-handed or moralizing. this sensibility, of course, comes from her own personal history, but i am quite grateful for everything she has done for the representation of bipolar in general and for me in particular.

[Maeghan 🦋 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Olivia Blake book

Spring
* The Wish Bridge : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
* The Audit : ★ ★
* Sucker for Pain : ★ ★ ★

Summer
* The Animation Games : ★ ★ ★ ★
* The House : ★ ★ ★
* To Make a Man : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
* Preexisting Condition : ★ ★

Autumn
* Monsterlove : ★ ★
* How to Dispel Friends and Curse People: ★ ★ ★ ★
* Fates and Consequences : ★ ★ ★
* Sous Vide : ★ ★

Winter
* Sensual Tales for Carnal Pleasures : ★ ★ ★ ★
* Chaos Theory : ★ DNF. I have enough chaos in my real life. I don’t have to read about it.
* A Year in January : ★ ★ ★

Waterstones exclusive short story :
* Pins and Needles : ★ ★ ★ ★

[sakurablossom95 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll read anything by Olivie Blake. Instantly knew this would immediately be a five-star read right after I finished that first story. Januaries is a collection of short stories, each one vastly different in vibe, length, and styles.

This book doesn’t stick to just one genre. It’s a little bit of everything: love, magic, horror, humour, heartbreak. It’s weird sometimes…..like, really weird….but it’s also so beautiful at times. Every story felt like a tiny universe of its own, each with its own rules and quirks, and by the end of each one, I found myself sitting there just thinking about life and the meaning of…well, everything. Is that what Olivie Blake intended? Who knows. But I’m not okay.

While I loved every story, a few absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible like The Wish Bridge, The Animation Games, To Make a Man, Fates and Consequences, and A Year in January. I definitely won’t mind if any of these turn into full-length novels, cause I NEED MORE OF THESE WORLDS!!

These stories made me laugh, cry, and honestly just want to sit in silence and stare at the ceiling. I especially loved the endpaper art and the illustrations between sections were gorgeous and added so much to the whole vibe of the book.

These stories won’t resonate equally with everyone, but that’s kind of the point. They’re all so different, and there’s something in here for everyone.

Thank you TorBooks for the final copy for review!

[Maddie Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING BREAKDOWN
Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 5⭐️
Plot: 4⭐️
Themes: 4⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 5⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 4.25⭐️

Olivie Blake was born to write short stories! My God! These were so fun and witty. I was so invested and sucked into each tale and missive. I especially loved Animation Games, and really everything from the Summer section. Autumn wasn't as strong, but I didn't dislike a single thing in this book.

I love having this collection. This is Olivie Blake having so much fun, and I was giggling and dancing while reading. So scrumptious!

[Melanie (meltotheany)]

♡ olivie blake anthology >>>

blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon

[carolina · Rating 2 out of 5]

࿐ Because to allow yourself to be known is to allow yourself to be wounded.

ᝰ.ᐟ 2.5 stars

I apologise for the amount of times the word “stories” appears in this review lol

After finishing this book, I've learnt that short stories are not for me. I hate not getting a proper ending to a story, I feel like most of the stories in this book are missing something and have no purpose. I enjoyed a few of them, but the majority were messy and didn't have a proper structure and made me feel so stupid, because they were too metaphorical and I couldn't understand what the author was trying to say. I don't think the book is bad and I'm a big fan of Olivie Blake's books; in this case, my disappointment boils down to the content of the stories not being very interesting to me, and also not loving the structure of these stories [I have to point out that the arc I received is badly formatted, and I think that's another factor that made me enjoy it even less. Some stories were very difficult to read].

I think Blake has a truly unique writing style and it shows in each of these stories. In my opinion, these are tales of love and betrayal, life and death, and although I couldn't appreciate them all, I think they brilliantly showcase Olivie's artistry and versatility as a writer. Each story is different! Some are very weird and strange, and there's one in particular that I hated, but others have an almost fairytale quality to them, I marvelled at how magical some of the stories were. Especially the ones at the beginning - the very first story, The Wish Bridge, had me enthralled, it was very enchanting and I wish each of the stories kept that magical quality. I found that the more contemporary stories were my least favourite.

The book is divided into 4 parts - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter (I have no idea why). Spring and Summer were the parts I enjoyed the most, the others were mostly disappointing and I admit that I skimmed through some stories and even skipped two because I was so bored. My favourite short story was “To Make a Man”. I can't explain why, it was the only one that evoked feelings and I almost shed a tear. It made me wish it was a full-length novel. Some stories, like I said, I enjoyed, others were really confusing, some I enjoyed certain aspects of but they left me with conflicting thoughts, and others were just bad and very metaphysical in a way I didn't appreciate. It's as if the author was trying so hard to convey something, but it came across as pretentious writing.

Overall, most of the stories were fine, but they didn't stand out to me and I'm sure I'll forget them quickly. I think about this book and feel nothing, which isn't what I expected.

If you don't like Blake's writing, or have never read one of her books, I wouldn't recommend this. But if you're a fan of metaphysical stories with very strange elements, it may be something to consider if you want to read a collection of short stories.

Thank you NetGalley and PanMacmillian for the e-arc!

➛ quotes

I was born with a vastness inside me, and sometimes I feel it will swallow me up.

"You're a wanderer who's been all over the world. What are you looking for?"
He stares at me. "Myself, for a while," he says slowly, and then, even slower, "But I think since I met you, I've been looking for you.”

It's a curious thing, darkness. The looming swell of the horribly unknown. Strangely, though, I find it relatable. After all, I was born with a vastness inside me, and now, at last, the world is at my feet. It's a very freeing thing, really, to be granted a wish. Even if it isn't technically mine.

For the story does end, as most stories do, with a familiar tale of a boy and a girl, and a happily ever after. But this tale concludes with a lesson, too: that the end is never the end. For the gift, the magic of it all, is in the sharing of a life together.

Lina, Lina, Lina. You are the softness of your skin, the sharpness of your mind. You are the knife edge of your humor, which doesn't look like humor at first because, on you, joy looks like suspicion. You are the distance you so meticulously keep between us. You are the door, the latch, the key. I understand now that I am an invasion; even with my best intentions, you can only trust me the way you'd trust a flood. There's no choosing which parts of me you accept or which parts of you I want. We seep in through each other's cracks, all or nothing.

[Jan Agaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

favorite story probably that I've ever read in my whole life: "The House"

despite this taking me 2 months to finish, the writing is gorgeous and this collection has everything from vampires to parallel universes to romance to the underworld to magic bridges, etc. Olivie Blake is so damn talented.

[Sue Miz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book for January. 5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 based upon the enjoyment I had and the sheer imagination of the author
A wonderful collection of Short Stories brought by one of my favorite authors
the book is divided into four seasons with each season having 3 to 5 stories

underneath is the rating of each story

Spring

1- The Wish Bridge amazing imagination 5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

2- The Audit i don't get it but I liked the idea of AI audit. 2🌟🌟

3- Sucker for Pain Nooooooo...this story deserves to be a complet book 😭 I'd devour it whole ....and Great Expectations retelling with paranormal twist!!!!!! 10/5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Summer

1- The Animation Game This was absolutely extraordinary... and ghostly revenge story...5/5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

2- The House more like a diary. 2🌟🌟

3- To Make a Man I know there is a strong moral here...but it felt short. 3🌟🌟🌟

4- Preexisting Condition I liked it 4🌟
🌟🌟🌟
Autumn

1- Monsterlove weord..and itbwill be weirder if done audio....2.5🌟🌟🔅

2- How to Dispel Friends and Curse People i looooved this poem-ish love story
Communication is important
And listening is the hardest part

3-Fates Cosequences fun Underworld story..4🌟🌟🌟🌟

4- Sous Vide looooved 5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
How can art ever love you back?

Winter

1- Sensual Tales for Carnal Pleasures Woooow 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

2-Chaos Theory This should be turned into a movie 😍 loved it 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

3- Special Waterstone Story needed more but ok 🌟🌟🌟

[Jillian B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Olivie Blake book and now I get what all of the hype is about. Even as someone who doesn’t usually read fantasy, I loved this collection of fantasy stories, because they are so well-written and character driven. The stories in this book all centre around relationships, from sublime love stories to dark tales of revenge, so they’re still fun reading for those of us who aren’t usually into stories about fairies, witches and demons. I was surprised by how much I loved this, and now I want to binge all of the author’s books!

[River · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall Rating: 4.25/5

You can be anything here. By winter it will have fallen away.

Quite frankly, I adore everything Olivie Blake writes. There's always something so unique and magical about her writing and this is no less true for this anthology. I had such a brilliant time reading it.
There were many stories that I absolutely adored with all my heart, yet even the ones I didn't feel as passionately towards (which is inevitable in any short story collection) I still found incredibly enjoyable and engrossing. Olivie Blake is an author that inspires fascination and I loved diving into each story as there was always something to ruminate on.

We are led through the seasons into a vast array of stories. We are given the time to extrapolate our own thoughts and conclusions as we are fed the themes inextricable of the many different types of love that are showcased. I had so many favourite stories within this collection, but I will expand upon only a few that I can talk about without spoilers.
Chaos Theory is the longest story by far—I don't know if it would technically count as a short story or a novelette or even a novella. It is also my favourite. I think because of its length, we are given that much more time to connect with the characters and it's an incredibly imaginative concept to explore. So many poignant and emotional themes are fit into such a limited word count, and I found this to be true even for all the other much shorter stories. Chaos Theory is about resistance and strength and bravery in worlds that are fighting for your submission, I can't say much about the plot without spoiling it, but it is immensely genius and I desperately want a full novel version of it! It really is awfully difficult to write about such short stories without giving anything away, but I did want to mention this standout one in particular.
(Others of my favourites included; Monsterlove, a beautiful, emotionally-driven and lyrically written story that I will let you interpret for yourselves; The Animation Games, a rampaging, blisteringly beautiful story of love and betrayal, devotion and duty, revenge and bloodshed; and A Year in January, the very last story of the collection, an accepting rendition of a wholly separate kind of love.)

You will notice, if you have already read the stories I've mentioned, that I am drawn to the more emotionally searing, heartfelt ones. I think Olivie Blake is at her best when she writes about such moving, sometimes haunting, topics. I adore how her prose bleeds from the page like a song, there are so many stories that are cut straight from her marrow. I admire how much of herself she leaves on the page, it is why her characters are always so complex, well-rounded and fully realised, because she infuses them with a vulnerability and a humanity that is so hard to achieve in mere writing.

She feels the danger. But she has looked danger in the eye before without becoming it.

I loved this collection. If you love Olivie Blake then definitely pick this one up! I'm so curious to know which stories people love the most, or which ones speak to them the most! I can't wait for more Olivie (Gifted and Talented please come sooner)!

Thank you Tor for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf @ 73%

The wish bridge - 3.5⭐️
The audit - 1⭐️
Sucker for pain - 4.5⭐️
The animation games - 2.5⭐️
The house - 4⭐️
To make a man - 3⭐️
Preexisting condition - 2.5⭐️
Monsterlove - 1⭐️
How to dispel friends and curse people - 2⭐️
Fates and consequences 4⭐️
Sous vide 2⭐️
Sensual tales for carnal pleasures 3⭐️

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Video: https://youtu.be/gGsJi_WVaKY

Okay wow!! This was a phenomenal short story collection and I'm hard pressed to find any bad ones, most of them are bangers.

It's divided thematically by season and the stories range from sci-fi to fantasy to lightly speculative or metaphorical. Sometimes drawing on mythology or folklore, sometimes poetic, often tragic. Thematically there is a lot on love, relationships, motherhood, mental health, power and more. I generally like Blakes writing and was excited for this, but often stories in collections are fairly hit or miss for me . Januaries I enjoyed all the way through and would definitely recommend if you like her writing style!

The audiobook is narrated by a full cast and is really well done. Loved it and would recommend! I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Sarah (berriesandbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivie Blake’s short stories take her half-brilliant and half-bizarre ideas and make them more digestible overall. Her novels usually leave me confused and dizzy, unsure of what I just read, or if I just hallucinated a whole plot. Her stories in bite-sized formats worked incredibly well for me. If you, like me, want to love Blake’s works but struggle to enjoy her full-length works, try this anthology out. While not every story was a homerun, you are bound to find one you enjoy due to their diverse subjects, setting, and plots.

My favorite stories were, “The Wish Bridge,” “The Animation Games,” and “Monster Love.”

“The Wish Bridge” ★★★★★
“The Audit” ★★★☆☆
“Sucker for Pain” ★★★☆☆
“The Animation Games” ★★★★★
“To Make a Man” ★★☆☆☆
“Pre Existing Condition” ★★☆☆☆
“Monsterlove” ★★★★★
“How to Dispel Friends and Curse People” ★★★☆☆
“Fates and Consequences” ★★★☆☆
“Sous Vide” ★★☆☆☆
“Sensual Tales for Carnal Pleasure” ★★★★☆
“Chaos Theory” ★☆☆☆☆
“A Year in January” ★★★☆☆

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the advanced audiobook copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Kalena ୨୧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⋆.˚✮ 4.5 stars (overall) ✮˚.⋆

⤿ Thank you to Tor Books for the arc through netgalley as well as a finished copy in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely adore Olivie Blake as an author, as her Atlas Six series is one of my favorites of all time (no I'm not done with it, but it's still a favorite). I was so excited to receive an arc copy of this novel, as well as the finished copy and was specifically holding onto this for January. It would've felt wrong to read it at any other time haha! Overall, I think all the stories were interesting, even if I enjoyed them more than the others but when I averaged the ratings it came out to exactly 4.5 stars, which I feel is an accurate representation of how much I enjoyed this collection.

Spring Collection
🌷 The Wish Bridge - 5 stars
What a way to kick off this collection! This story is about a bridge that appears only when there's a full moon, with a woman on it who can grant wishes, but with certain stipulations. The main character's mother was the former woman on the bridge but now it's her turn to take her place. On one of her nights, a young man stumbles across the bridge by accident (but people usually search for years and don't find it). For the rest of the story, he tries to figure out how they can be friends and find her every time. This was SO heartwarming, and the ending was so bittersweet.

🌷 The Audit - 4 stars
This was more of a futuristic story rather than a fantasy but was still pretty interesting. This is something I could see the future becoming, sort of like a dystopian. The main character is a part of the audit, where people are given money and time to spend their formative years how they want before they work for the rest of their lives. But this is associated with their worth and what the agency believes their work will be worth. She falls in love slowly with a man who lives below her and is slowly dying but has participated in the audit too. I wish there had been a little more of this story but it was really interesting to read and I liked it.

🌷 Sucker for Pain - 5 stars
Olivie Blake really gave me witches, vampires, and dark obsession and didn't expect me to absolutely fall head over heels for this story. This is definitely my favorite story from this collection and I had SO much fun reading it. I would absolutely adore a full-length novel about this world and these characters, but I can imagine more for myself for sure. It was just so well written and included some of my favorite tropes ever, so it was a hit for me.

"I'm guessing being kept by the d'Estes made you a predator, didn't it? Or at least prey with considerable teeth?" (66)

"I have always belonged to Nora Denshaw, in whatever form she or I take, and I wait for her as I have always done." (92)

Summer Collection
☀️ The Animation Games - 4 stars
This story is about a couple who are arranged to be married and enjoy each other's company enough, but then their parents are learning away from the arrangement. But both of them want to follow through, so they meet in the woods and the girl ends up falling and dying. Throughout the course of the story, she haunts him until she manages to kill him in the ethereal form. They kill one another back and forth for decades, trying to gain the upper hand. While it took a second for me to get into, this was one of the longest stories in the collection and I ended up really enjoying it, even if it was a bit strange it had the vibes of a great story.

"The last thing I remember is looking up at her face-my lost betrothed, my terrible darling, my most cruel and my dearest beloved-and in that moment, she is strange and beautiful and cold. I know that she is the only woman who has ever delivered me to such primal fear, to such unmatched awe and wonder." (118)

☀️ The House - unrated
I don't think there's a way for me to be comfortable with any rating I give this one, especially as it was about two pages long. But, I will express that I really enjoyed this small snippet from Olivie Blake's brain and the themes within it. It relates marriage to a house and how there are foundations but things can change over time, and did make me a little emotional.

☀️ To Make a Man - 3.75 stars
A strange story, but I understood the reference in the title and the Greek Mythology within the story. I thought that the story itself was an interesting concept, but it took me until almost the end of the story to understand what was happening. I also didn't like the jumping around in perspectives and time, I would have preferred a more linear story for this. It's about a guy who is approached by a woman during a boxing match who tells him that to not die soon he must change the way he's acting or something about himself, and there are more godly forces at play.

☀️ Preexisting Condition - 3.75 stars
This was also one that took me a while to get into, as well as to understand. It felt like there was a lot more backstory here that Olivie Blake didn't get into but maybe should've as it would've helped me understand things more initially. I think this story was fine, it's about this person who wakes up in a body that doesn't feel like his but he doesn't know for sure. He lives with this sorceress who takes care of him and forbids him from talking to others. There's more that goes on with this story, it's strange and mysterious but I wanted more out of it.

Autumn Collection
🍁 Monsterlove - 4 stars
This one's a bit startling at first, it wasn't what I was expecting based on the title. It's hard to decipher what it means in the first few paragraphs, but then it becomes so powerful once you understand what is happening. I recommend you go into this one blind.

🍁 How to Dispel Friends & Curse People - 5 stars
Poetry is one of my favorite things to write and consume, and I was thrilled to see a small collection of poetry included in this. It's about this man who falls in love with this "witch" and his village eventually finds out and tries to kill him for it, but she defends him. It's absolutely adorable and has some of the best lines in the book in my opinion.

"But I think it will be sad not to be living / And to miss things / Like when your garden starts to bloom / And you threaten the insects that crawl on your tomatoes / I think your tomatoes are lucky to have you / And I also think you should have my bones / If that means that I can help them grow" (227)

🍁 Fates and Consequences - 5 stars
This is about the group of Fates from Greek Mythology accidentally cutting the wrong person's fate threat too early, and he's sent to the underworld. There he meets Hades and has to live out certain scenarios that are meant to induce unhappiness, but he also meets Persephone who takes a bit of a liking to him. It's an interesting one, and I only wish there had been a bit more depth built into some parts but the Greek Mythology vibes were strong in this one and I enjoyed it.

🍁 Sous Vide - 5 stars
Also a very strange story and not one I'm sure I have a total grasp on, but it felt like that was what it was supposed to be. It didn't feel out of place, but it was about a woman who needed extra money and signed up for this service where she cooks meals in these houses. Supposedly there's people there, but she's not allowed to talk to them. She does, and starts getting weird texts and more things happen. There was definitely some horror threaded throughout here and my only complaint is that I wish I could have more.

Winter Collection
❄️ Tales for Carnal Pleasures - 5 stars
Spectacular, incredible, I love morally ambiguous characters who are beaten at their own game by the antithesis of what they are, but then they end up together. This was one of my favorites too because of the gorgeous prose and how the lore was drawn together. I don't want to say any more to risk spoiling too much, but it was SO fun to read about the two characters in this story.

❄️ Chaos Theory - 5 stars
This one also had more science fiction vibes than fantasy, but the concept was super interesting. It's about this spy who kills her archrival but finds out that there is always one of her and him in alternate universes. Because she killed the version of him in her world, in those other universes chaos will ensue unless she convinces the other versions of herself to also kill the version of him in their worlds. It was cool seeing the different versions of her, and when I thought it was all resolved the ending threw me for a complete loop. I loved it!

❄️ A Year in January - 5 stars
Honestly, this one was very emotional for me and had more sci-fi elements than I thought it would. It's about a girl who finds an ad for a roommate on craigs list and signs her onto her lease. The new roommate says she's in exile from her colony as she did something she wasn't supposed to, and her queen said she needed time away from them. So she's learning about their world while living with the roommate. The connections made in this story about culture and society and being yourself were sweet and this was a great way to end the book.

[Azthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a quirky, captivating mash-up of adult fairytales, speculative fiction, and poetry. The whole collection has this unique charm—it’s part modern fairytale, part magical realism, and fully character-driven, with stories that bring together the magical and the mundane in unexpected ways. Blake’s imagination really shines as she pulls together everything from fairies and foodie demons to sentient houses and even fountain nymphs, making them feel surprisingly relatable.

The stories are centered around relationships, from love stories to dark, twisted tales of revenge. Blake has a knack for blending humor and depth, which makes the book both fun and meaningful. Her writing feels poetic but grounded, with scenes that make you laugh and others that hit right in the feels. Each story is unpredictable, with plenty of satirical jabs and heartfelt moments woven in.

Overall, this book is a joy to read if you’re into stories that feel fresh and surprising, with characters that stay with you. Blake brings a bit of everything to the table—myth, magic, and modern relationships—and wraps it all in her unique, poetic style.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The very first story had me hooked into this book it was so full of emotion and beautifully written I had high hopes for the rest, and I was not disappointed. This is a heartfelt anthology of stories/fairytales and poems on life and love with a hint of whit and lots of unexpected twists.

The worlds are magical and the characters delightful and sometimes deliciously sneaky as each story is crafted, drawing you into each one and leaving you wanting more. The author has a great sense of the world and conveys her words with tenderness and care, a very talented writer indeed.

This book will appeal to those who like something that tugs on the heart strings and also fills you with anticipation or surprise. I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more like it.

[jagodasbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

HALF OF THESE ARE FROM FAIRYTALE COLLECTIONS!!! I was so sad I couldn't buy third book, cus two first were phenomenal and OMG I LOVE THE ANIMATION GAMES SO MUCH

These fairytales will haunt me, they were twisted and gruesome and strange and beautiful, Olivie Blake ate with this one, everyday thinking about this collection of short stories, my absolute favorite is The animation games, it's such an amazing love story, literally nothing says ily better than repeatedly offing each other. some stories hit me more, some less, but they were all fascinating, my other favorites: The wish bridge and Sucker for pain

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

[eerika (taylor's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

tumblr user energy is strong with this one

[Diellza Kaba · Rating 5 out of 5]

spectacular gimme 14 of em

[Sabina · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who doesn’t read a lot of short stories I found myself unexpectedly enchanted by this collection—I fell head over heels down the rabbit hole of Olivie Blake’s sometimes absurdist, always fantastical writing and couldn’t have enjoyed myself any more thoroughly doing it. The first stories were stunners (I unlocked new secret emotions reading The Audit) and I wasn’t disappointed by a single story that followed them. Trust me when I say the characters are delectable, each story romantic in a new, sometimes frightening way—what constitutes true love if not repeatedly haunting and murdering your fiancé—and each season of the book better than the last. Absolutely delicious. Thank you for the meal Olivie Blake.

[avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

olivie blake’s writing goes perfectly with short stories!

[fem – femsbookshelf(f) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the E-Arc of this book!!

Olivie Blake did it again you guys! I just love this woman’s writing style so much. Usually I’m not the biggest fan of short story collections, but this one was so well done (and I’m not saying this because I’m biased). This was so well thought out. The vibes and themes throughout the collection were immaculate. I can’t wait to see the physical copy of this book so I can reread and annotate accordingly!!

Olivie ilyy and you can do no wrong!! <33

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Is love beauty?"
"Yes. But not always beautiful."

A collection of stories contemplating human existence, relationships, and the pain of loving and living and leaving divided into seasons.

Overall, sadly more misses than hits. I think this was too chaotic and melancholic for me. It felt like a brain vomit, but also sometimes a cathartic experience?

Notable mentions:

SPRING

The Wish Bridge
This is a story about the guardian of a bridge that appears with every full moon who is able to grant wishes.
This has the biggest case of miscommunication, unrequited or misplaced love, and murder as a backdrop to a persistent wanderer who can't make up his mind who wants the guardian to wish for herself.

The Audit
The Life Audit pilot program uses the latest AI technology to determine a person's capacity for accumulated lifetime wealth which is given as an up front as a loan before the age of 30 where the person must work to pay it back.

Blake satires the fear of growing older, the mislabelled freedom of youth, and the bonds between people.
Money doesn’t buy happiness.

What do I want? I have all the money in the world. What do I want? What do I want? Time feels like it's slipping away from me. It's already been five days. I can't breathe.

Sucker For Pain - Not a huge fan - problematic.
Nora, an ordinary human, is adopted by an immortal cruel woman to be little more than maid, plaything and co-student for her son who is training as a witch.

This one made me uncomfortable. Not only is the nickname ‘kitty’ used, Nora is seen as a pet. This had a great urban paranormal setting, but the storyline left me feeling icky.
For a similar recommendation I adored - A Sorceress Comes to Call by T Kingfisher.

SUMMER

The Animation Games
With a boy like Bran Barza and a girl like Rhosyn Viteri, sparks were no doubt going to fly— but this is no tale of ordinary love. Rather, it is a twisted story of murder, revenge, and obsessive, toxic love.
Think the currently popular serial killer romance book ‘Butcher and Blackbird’, but with haunting reanimations.

To Make A Man:
A story about a being which seemingly isn’t human and the fighter who she confides will die in one year unless he changes.

Repetition is the beast of captivity, habit the tyrant of awe. He would have traded euphoria just to keep her, to make her the subject of his tedium. To live a colorless life in the shade of her bones, in the sound of her breath, knowing and eternally recounting the monotony of her details until he ground himself down to nothing, never learning or experiencing another beautiful thing,

Monsterlove
What the heck?! What. No. Just no.
What did I read?
My least favourite by far.

Fate and Consequences
Guy Carrington’s thread of fate was mistakenly cut which finds him meeting Hades’s and suffering in the Underworld.
Do we deserve our fates? What determines our actions?

Sous Vide
Cooking for demons.

I don't get how people can say that money doesn't buy happiness. Because my whole life revolves around money. It has to! That's the system I'm plugged into! You know? You can't be happy without money, because in order to be happy you need choices, you need freedom, you need the ability to think and dream and wonder and you just simply cannot do that if you spend all day and night thinking about how you'll pay your next bill.

WINTER

A Year in January
Using Craigslist to find a roommate may have been a terrible idea, but it finds her January. January is odd for sure, but very endearing.

This was one of my favourites! This reminded me of the book Beautyland!

I explained that I'm more like a place than a thing; I have seasons of poor weather, tourist seasons, El Niño or Santa Ana winds. At my foundation I am always the same, but atmospherically there can be issues.

“Transcendentally it's an issue of work product."
"What type of work?"
"Well, the canvas is me, I suppose? But the debilitation of creation is such a competing factor."
"Shouldn't the not-knowing keep it interesting?"
“Yes, I think so? But it's also quite exhausting," I said, referencing where I lay on my bed.

Thank you to Tor for providing me the arc in exchange for a review!

Bookstagram

[ingrid ₊ · Rating 4 out of 5]

olivie blake i love you..

i: spring
the wish bridge ★★★★☆
the audit ★★★☆☆
sucker for pain ★★☆☆☆

ii: summer
the animation games ★★★★★
the house ★★★★☆
to make a man ★★★☆☆
preexisting condition ★★★★★

iii: autumn
monsterlove ★★★★★
how to dispel friends and curse people ★★★★☆
fates and consequences ★★☆☆☆
sous vide ★★★☆☆

iv: winter
sensual tales for carnal pleasures ★★★☆☆
chaos theory ★★★☆☆
a year in january ★★★★☆

[Sophie (lambsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

Fav Stories: The Animation Games, To Make A Man, and A Year in January

Overall thoughts: I flewwww through these stories. I’ve read a few short story compilations and when they’re written well, I find them really fun, and this one was really fun. A little hard to review, so I broke it down to each of the Seasons and then each story within the seasons. Some thoughts but mostly questions 😂

Thank you Tor Books, Coloured Pages Book Tours, and the author for this eARC and physical ARC!

Spring

The Wish Bridge - 4.5 stars

I was born with a vastness inside me, and sometimes I feel it will swallow me up.

Okay, what? That was so beautiful. 😭 I turned the page and there was no more and I needed more wandering. More wishes. More full moons and bread and sin and forgiveness. More Nile and Lila.

The Audit - 4 stars

I wonder what makes me so valuable when I am unquestionably the most boring person in my life.

This was an exercise in patience. On my end. Because the main character was annoying 😂

This was about living life to the fullest - but maybe not the way you imagined. It was about choices and bad decisions and being unprepared for, well, life. Sometimes the easy decision isn’t the smart one. Or is it?

What do I want? What do I want? Time feels like it’s slipping away from me. It’s already been five days. I can’t breathe.

Sucker for Pain - 4.75 stars

To be wealthy, to be powerful, was to bleed. She would later find this observation to be both very correct and hugely mistaken.

Witches and vampires. Magic and murder. Captivity and freedom. Love, betrayal, and heartbreak. This one had it all. And what an ending, full circle and all that.

“Because I hardly know what I am without you,” he replied. “If there was ever a time I existed without you, it is long gone now. In a different world, or a different life. As if the universe itself rearranged to fill the gaps, and before you, there was no me at all.”

Summer

The Animation Games - 5 stars

Sometimes the end is just the beginning.

When the story starts with death, you know you’re in for a rollercoaster of a ride. An emotional rollercoaster with no seatbelt and you're hanging on for dear life.

There is part of me that knows I am ending even as I am so filled with beginnings, and I don’t suffer any pain; I only feel numbness, and then an abject chill.

If you want to read about two people falling in love and living happily ever after, don’t read this. Or maybe do?

If you want to read about a game of two people who seem to hate and love each other, who can’t stop hurting each other, killing each other, destroying each other, then read this. Or maybe it's not about that at all?

“I think,” he murmured, taking a step toward her, “that we have had so many lives together, Rhosyn, we may very well be soulmates.”

The House - No rating, it was 3 pages 😂

Step 1: Get married
Rule 1: Marriage is a house you build together
Step 2: Maybe don’t get married

To Make a Man - 5 stars

“Just keep your head down, be good. Get out of this neighborhood and make something of yourself before it’s too late.”

What would you do if a stranger walked up to you and said “One year from today, you’ll be dead in this spot, everyone watching, but no one helping”?

And what would happen if you added in fate, gods, and unrelenting heartbreak and sadness?

You cry.

Well, I cried.

She wondered how to tell him that he was a deck consisting entirely of aces. Arrange his features any way you liked and he was still a winning hand.

Preexisting Condition - 4 stars

"The best parts are always fleeting. Love is never true. Men are mostly garbage fuckers. Women are deceitful and envious. Every day is hot as seven hells. Every waking morning is somehow worse and more despairing than the last.” She is pounding the cassava roughly but then looks up for a moment, as if she forgot something.
“Life is a gift.”

I have no words for this story, what the fuck did I just read lmao

I guess this story is about lovers, enemies, death, magic, and the power of revenge reparations.

Autumn

Monsterlove - 4.5 stars

A howl escapes and it is pain. The pain takes off its mask, aha it has been anger this whole time! The anger hurts because—a dramatic reveal—it is actually guilt in disguise!

Well, this was a depressing take on being a mother but it might be fulfilling to those who are new moms or just bone-dead exhausted moms.

I mean, if you weren’t willing to retain the metaphysical walls of this form permanently, why did you even have a child?

Or just women who are sick of the comments telling them that no matter what we do, we’ll never win.

Actually she can see now that the Good One is always holding a knife, only it’s shoved into her own chest, and the Anti-Self is guiding it in, and it is the monsterlove, and her other forms splinter upward from around its center, and it is the most alive she knows how to feel.

How to Dispel Friends and Cure People - 4.5 stars

So I think what you meant to say was
Come in
But seeing as you are out of practice I’ll just wait here
Until you inevitably realize
You used the wrong words

A love poem. Um, of a sort. But cute.

I would dig up bodies for you if you needed it
I think maybe that’s a bad sign
I think maybe that might be love?
You might remember
I mentioned that briefly
My affections et cetera et cetera
And you sighed
And turned me into a beetle

Fates and Consequences -3.75 stars

ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD TIMES. DO NOT ENJOY THIS AUDIT.
SIGNED, MANAGEMENT

NO EXERTING OF EFFORT TO MAKE THINGS EASIER. SUFFERING ONLY!
SIGNED, MANAGEMENT

What happens when Fate cuts the wrong thread?

Guy Carrington ends up in Hell.

He has to attend brunch with his mother, get audited, make lemonade with papercuts, a prostate exam, a colonoscopy…you get the picture.

What happens when you have to live out your worst nightmares all day, every day? What happens when you deserve your fate?

Sous Vide - 3.5 stars, 3.75 stars?

Because my whole life revolves around money. It has to! That’s the system I’m plugged into! You know? You can’t be happy without money, because in order to be happy you need choices, you need freedom, you need the ability to think and dream and wonder and you just simply cannot do that if you spend all day and night thinking about how you’ll pay your next bill. It’s unfair that people don’t do more to help each other. People shouldn’t let other people go hungry. It’s so cruel.

What do you do when you are desperate for money and are handed an opportunity of relief? Cook for someone? Cook for…something? Don’t break the rules but don’t worry, everyone breaks the rules.

This was a weird one. AND THE ENDING

Winter

Sensual Tales for Carnal Pleasures 3.25 stars

I was born as much for love as I was made for destruction, and now, at last, I understand. There is always a price, my mother tells me sadly, for nothing beautiful is ever as it seems.

This one was a little confusing to me but it did have a “who did this to you” from her to him so that was nice 😂 but it was a magical castle? I dunno, I was confused. It’s about actions and consequences, costs, benefits, and losses. AND THE REVEAL! I gasped😯

He is a beautiful, dangerous thing.

Chaos Theory - 4.5 stars

Maybe the truth is that I am a vessel of chaos. Touch me and I will explode.

Um, so yeah, this was chaos and I don’t even know what to say? There was a OMG 😂😂 moment, you’ll know it when you get to it, but this was…um…yeah, chaos? There’s literally nothing I can say that won’t spoil it completely 😂

A Year in January - 5 stars

I am not very good at friendships. I find I have a tendency for devotion and therefore expect the same. When I do not receive it I become despondent, though not fruitfully so.

I think this main character has mania or depression/anxeity from the way things read, but it was a little hard to read because of that. She did mention mania at one point, but I don’t think that was all. But, yeah it was hard to read. Mainly because it was described, or not described, so well. I understood what she was saying. I felt seen.

It was really sad.

“Does everyone take sabbaticals?”
“No. But I think most people are better at it than me.”
“Better at what?”
“All of it,” I said, but what I meant was existing.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories I loved I really loved. The ones I loved were quirky, a little off centre with characters I enjoyed reading about. My favourites, one of which was the couple who would reanimate after death and seek one another out in a most bizarre game of hide, seek and kill. Very unique love story, that one😁 I enjoyed the one where a guy ( named Guy, if I recall correctly)got sent to Hades mistakenly as he hadn’t done anything (yet)that would get him sent there. There was a lot of humour and an interesting take on what time spent in hell would entail. Very entertaining. There was a very good witch and vampire story that was fun as well. There was one story, the longest, which had me thinking I should skip because I was not getting what was going on, but it came together and it was very interesting and engaging read. Overall, I was entertained. There were a few that didn’t quite work for me, which kept it from being the full five stars, despite some of the stories being quite worthy. But that’s how it goes with a very creative and nimble mind. Some times the author will delightfully surprise with what they come up with and sometimes it’s a complete mystery as to what the author was trying to achieve with the story. Monster baby is definitely in the wtf category, and not in a good way. Those stories just kind of went over my head or didn’t engage me. But overall I enjoyed my read of this quirky book and it was a good way to start January off with reading a book called Januaries. On a side note to self: don’t write reviews after taking your sleeping pills or you will certainly be appalled at the number of mistakes you made and that Goodreads pals had read it and kindly liked it come the morning 😁

Ps: this has been thoroughly edited. Any mistakes now are all on me😁
Pps: had to correct the word thoroughly in previous sentence. I have January blues brain😒
Ppps: now questioning the copious amounts of emojis to this review …funny or more editing? 🧐

[Asia Paoloni · Rating 4 out of 5]

If it is written by Olivie Blake I WILL READ IT