Oddly Enough: Tales of the Unordinary, volume one

by Kim M. Watt

Old gods rise.

A jewel thief falls.

A late night wish is tragically granted.

And somewhere, on the edge of the dark or in the belly of an unknown machine, stories are born. Stories of heroic chickens and lost demons, dangerous golf games and pies full of fury. Stories of magic and uncertainty. Stories of the unordinary.

Come on in and discover them. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe. This world is just like yours.

Well, almost. But there’s nothing to fear here.

Except maybe the sheep. I’d watch the sheep …



Oddly Enough is the first collection of short stories from Kim M. Watt, author of the Beaufort Scales Cozy Mysteries (with dragons) series and the Gobbelino London, P.I., series. These 24 tales are full of the same humour, friendship, and joy as her novels, with the addition of story machines, rubber ducks, dangerous cruises and sock monsters, to name a few. Plus tea and cake, of course.

None of the stories contain graphic violence, sex, or strong language, although they do contain blasphemy.

Some of the stories have been previously published on Kim's blog or in her newsletter, but there are also five new tales written just for this collection.

Happy reading! Just mind the very hungry caterpillar ...

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery

Kindle Edition

First published December 19, 2021

About the author

Hello lovely people!

I’m Kim (as you may have guessed, given that you're on the author page for Kim). I write funny fantasies and off-beat cosy (or cozy, depending where you're from) mysteries set in a world not so dissimilar to ours - and in fact sharing many locations.

And in this not-dissimilar world you'll find mystery-solving dragons with a strong affection for barbecues and scones, and snarky feline PIs with human sidekicks. You'll run across baking-obsessed reapers running petting cafes stocked with baby ghouls, Apocalyptic riders on Vespas, and women of a certain age Getting Things Done. There may even be the odd born-again troll redefining troll-ness for the modern age about the place.

You'll find myth and reality clashing in small and spectacular ways, and discover the healing magic of tea and a really good lemon drizzle cake.

But, most of all, there will be friendship, and loyalty, and people of all species looking out for one another. Because these, above all things, are magic.

And you can find me rambling on about all this (and more) over on my website, or join me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for bad puns and many, many cat memes. Many.

Come join me!

Reviews

[Marie Cordalis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The great thing about short stories is that if you don't like them, they're quick and you can either blow through them or pass them by. The bad thing is that if you like them, they are too short and always leave you wanting more. And that's what this short story compilation did for me. Kim Watt is never predictable. You think you have it figured out and then, what? Did I miss something? Was there a U turn? I really like that as I read enough formulaic books and sometimes I just want something different. And if there's anything about Kim's writing that you can count on, it's that it's different.
When I was wracking my brain trying to think of how to describe her works that would really make sense I thought of Harry Potter and the train station to Hogwarts. You know gate 9 3/4? It's like our world, but just a little off center. Just a little to the left. I very much recommend these stories. I think there rs something for everyone. Some are a bit dark, some are hilarious. Coffee, Cake and Ghoulets and An Unconditional Rescue were a couple of my favorites, although I liked many more.
I received this book as an ARC through the kindness of the author but the opinions are totally, completely and as always unequivocally mine.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of short stories by Kim M. Watt. Insight to her often convoluted mind. Bizarre, whimsical, flighty, but as Watt says, we often do not know how a story gets started and likewise how it ends.

Beware the Sock Monster and the Sexy Armor.

Fun interludes from more serious reading.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these short stories by Kim Watt. All are enchanting, some are a little darker than usual but all are interesting and inventive. Not all the stories go the way you think they will, some surprises are in store. I thoroughly enjoyed them all.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Somewhere, reality shivered. … A cat vomited on the tiles instead of on the rug, and someone caught a mug before it smashed. … On such small foundations are good days built.” So Kim yet again gives us a taste of her delightful imaginings of small things to give us good days.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many short story compilations have one pretty good story, one not so good story and the rest meh. This book was enjoyable all the way through. It's kind of like your favorite album. The songs are similar enough that you know they're by the same artist but different enough to keep you listening to it over and over.

[Sam Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this collection, and although I had read some of the stories before on Kim's blog, it was an absolute joy to read them again as part of this collection.

One of the things that was made clearer for me whilst re-reading is how multi-layered Kim's stories are. There's always humour, often laugh out loud, often gentle, and with the 'cozy' moniker it would be easy to dismiss her work as light-hearted feel-good 'fluff'. Which it is, kind of. Light-hearted and feel-good, certainly, in general. But when you really think about what you're reading, there's some pretty incisive social commentary going on beneath it all. I particularly noted the thematic undercurrent around how women are often treated poorly, or underestimated, in society. I love how Kim turns that trend around. Kim's work puts me in mind of a gentler Terry Pratchett; funny, a bit mad, but with hidden depths that keep unfolding with repeated readings.

Then there are the short stories in this collection that are, let's say, a little darker. Kim has a unique way of imagining and bringing to life the things we think we see out of the corner of our eye, but really don't want to believe. Heroes come in unexpected packages in Kim's work, that's for certain! Even the darker stories contain some chuckles, even if they're the slightly unsure ones of a person glancing repeatedly over their shoulder, just in case...

[Tsippi Jelingold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a fondness for short stories in general and fantastic, original, poignant, and hilarious stories in particular. This collection is an excellent example. It's also very useful and informative; the stories teach you what to bring to a summoning (a chicken is always a good choice), how knights conduct their battles with dragons, what the horsepersons of the apocalypse actually ride, and that too much technology is dangerous. Also that you should always listen to your wife, and never send text messages without proofreading them carefully first. My favorites are A Memorable Cruise, which starts a lot like Lewis's Gentleman Overboard but takes a sharp turn into the macabre, and Organ Thieves, which is different than you might imagine. It makes me happy that this is Volume One, which promises more stories in the future.

[Tammie Painter · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an utter delight! I don't normally like short story collections but when I received a review copy of this one, I dove right in to this collection of tales and forgot to come up for air.

The stories are quirky, charming, hilarious, and some are all of the above without a dud amongst the bunch...which is really saying something for such a huge assortment.

What are you in for? Well, how about some superhero seniors. Or perhaps the sensible wife of a guy who doesn't realize he's a supernatural being. And, best of all, a few gargoyles who get involved in some black market dealings....with laugh-out-loud results.

[Jingizu · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read! Some are good, most are great and they are all unique and beautiful!

A cake-baking Reaper has pet problems... A chef gets revenge... A man gone fishing finds the unexpected... Dragons and Knights clash... Be careful what you wish for... Full moon madness... and more.

I really enjoyed all the short stories, some more than others of course, but all of them with interesting plots, good characters and the unexpected. Some are eerie, some are funny, some are endearing, but all of them are great reading.

I am already looking forward to the next collection! Highly recommended.

*I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[Mary (Biblophile) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I certainly enjoyed this short story collection which featured some funny and some darker elements. A few of the characters were old favorites and some I wouldn't care to meet. Overall, a delightful collection that takes you into the mind of quirky Kim Watts.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the author but it clearly did not impact my review.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say I was quite surprised by this set of stories. In a VERY good way! First, its not your usual dozen or so. There are 24 gems in here. And some of them are now my favorites among Ms. Watts' writings. She has a way of letting you know early on that this story isn't going to go the way you think it will, and manages to slip in more surprises you don't expect. I am a firm fan, and can't wait for her next brilliant work to come out.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly readable set of short stories with cats, ducks, demons and other bizarre and delightful fantasies. I can recommend this selection for its variety and humour although some are a little dark. Just don't mention the ducks to me.........

[Angela Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting collection of weird short stories, I also enjoyed the introductions to each one. The thing I like most is that you can relax and read them knowing this writer is never unkind in her stories and no matter how spooky or odd nothing too graphic or gory will appear. I was lucky to get an advanced copy although christmas preparations got in the way of finishing it sooner

[OldBird · Rating 5 out of 5]

A seriously stellar set of short stories resides in this anthology. If you like dry, down to earth observational British humour with the cosy-but-weird vibes of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams only with a more female bent, then you have struck gold.

They are for the most part contemporary urban fantasy (not paranormal romance), are written with great emotional intelligence, and often feature older characters. Darker themes like strained marriages, criminal underworlds and random causes of the apocalypse jostle alongside childhood dreams, fantastical dragons and meta fiction-about-fiction.

While I wasn't sold on the first story - one of magic rituals goes a bit wrong - and worried the tone of the rest of the stories wasn't going to be for me, I needn't have. Apart from that one which I just didn't quite get (and maybe one that was very predictable from the title alone), the rest were an absolute riot of dark humour and bizarre observations on human nature. Often with cats, tea and/or baking (because: a- why not?, and: b- Yorkshire).

I loved how regardless of how strange the tale, it always had a very human heart to it. I actually don't think I could pick a favourite as so many hit the mark. Ones like "A Significant Debt" and " A Demon of Small Frustrations" merged dark paranormal eeriness with redemption (and baked goods) so well it physically hurts. Others like "You Can Get Anything At The Market" and "That Time Of The Month" featured older married characters who felt so real you'd believe any of the fantastical strangeness around them. Then there were straightforward genre stories: "Plausible Deniability" went down the mystery/British police drama route and was super satisfying in a weird and quirky way, while "Coffee, Cake & Ghoulets" was one of those urban fantasy mysteries that was delightfully tongue-in-cheek rather than acidly snarky (and one I wish there was more of!). That ending with "A Risk Of Sexy Armour"? Pure meta perfection. And this is just a snippet of the glorious madness of this anthology.

Basically, they're all like a big fictional hug of comfort read for anyone with an ounce of Britishness and a liking for the through-the-mirror-darkly bizarre.

I cannot recommend this highly enough.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read nearly all of the publications by this author (still to read Melee or Mages) and really enjoyed them all. I began with the Beaufort Scales series - well written cosy mysteries with unpredictable lot twists, well-observed female characters, talking dragons, teleporting cats and cake recipes. Then I moved on to the Gobelino London books - slightly darker, urban fantasy set in a modern British city (Leeds). Most recently I finished this collection of short stories, Oddly Enough.

This collection was unexpectedly my favourite so far, containing all of the humour, skill and imagination of the novels but in a very varied collection of stories. Each one is completely different to the last, so different, like a really good assortment of chocolates (think £25 box from Hotel Chocolate here) each one makes you go wow and is like nothing you've tasted in the box yet.

As with all of the books by this author, there is no gore, sexual content or extreme violence. This collection is slightly grittier than her other novels with a few (four I think) of the stories containing "baddies" who come to a deserved and appropriate end. There is some minor swearing, never gratuitous, often funny.

So if you fancy meeting a grim reaper called Gertrude with a love of cats and baking, or finding out what happens when the horsemen of the apocalypse need a new member, or how a hired henchman can find the courage to walk away for his boss and live the life of his dreams, or even what happens when the zoombas take over the world, this is the book for you. The tales are fantastical, the endings satisfying.

Loved it!

[Susan Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Kim M. Watt since I began reading the Gobbelino series because I’m addicted to snarky cats. Once I realized dragons are cats with scales thanks to How to Train Your Dragon, I also enjoyed the Beaufort Scales books. Oddly Enough: Tales of the Unordinary is their first collection of short stories. Some have been published before but many are new. I like short story collections because they let me read a whole tale when I only have a small amount of time to pick up a book. One thing I liked about the collection was the variety of settings, reminding me of a time when travel was easy and fun. The level of oddness varies from mildly different to completely strange. As the author warns, the short stories tend to be darker than their novels and it is a fair warning. As someone with a low tolerance for horror, there were a few tales I just skimmed, but overall the book was another great escape from the seemingly unending grimness of reality thanks to a virus. I received a free copy of the book courtesy of the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Trisket · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Believe me, if I didn't like this book, I would say so. Fortunately, I don't have to, because I've loved everything I've read by Ms. Watt. If you've ever encountered Beaufort Scales or Gobbelino London, you know exactly what I mean.

This collection of stories is a microcosm of all the things I like about the world Ms. Watt has created: the snarky humor, the edge of darkness, the irony, the genuine emotions, the way magic fits into everyday life as though it belongs there (which it does). And, of course, the animals. The animals are every bit as important as the people, and just as believable. I think the thing I like best about her world is that "normal" is like a sheet of aluminum foil wrapped around who-knows-what. You can guess at what's underneath. But you're going to have to take that wrapping off if you want to find out for sure - and what's inside might not be at all what you expected.

Especially when it comes to the sheep.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to receiving my ARC of "Oddly Enough" and it was every bit as good as I was hoping for! I'm not usually a fan of short stories but these were so much fun, filled with Kim's quirky humour and off kilter perspective, however I will say that there were a few with a darker edge that made it a little hard to get to sleep LOL. A few of them tie into her series, but some are completely stand-alone. The only omission.. and this is being very picky here... is that there were no recipes! She what she gets for spoiling us so much in the past LOL Thank you Kim for another satisfying and entertaining read.

[Ана Хелс · Rating 5 out of 5]

Страхотна колекция от забавни, странни, свежи разкази, основно ърбън и фентъзи, с персонажи като демонични кокошки, обожаващи следобедния чай конници на апокалипсиса с малка буква, бебета гули - домашни любимци, възрастни супер дами в спандекс, мъркащи дяволи от съседни измерения, пенсионирани гаргойли, чорапени чудовища и какви ли не още откачени същества, борещи се за внимание в забързания ни свят. Очаквайте много чувство за хумор, весели страшки и страшни смешки, добро количество смърт и разчленявания, но обещавам - всичко е веселяшко, ако и да е странно на н-та степен. Това си е чисто коледно четиво!

[Dave Wadler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could just describe this book as a collection of humorous stories involving dragons, rubber ducks, reapers, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse and chickens, among others. But these stories are more than just funny. They all have great characters and underlying themes which make you want more. I really to want to here more about Rachael and the Unfriendly Librarian.

If you haven't read any of Kim M. Watt's books before then buy this and see what you are missing. If you have read any of her books the why are you bothering with the reviews, just buy it.

[Daydreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!

I was kindly given an Arc of this book.
So far I’ve enjoyed every book of this author, so I went in with high expectations.
And they were fulfilled

This book is a short story collection, with mostly darker themes.
The stories range from sock-eating monsters to young girls summoning ghosts and helpful sea dragons. It’s a bunch of stories ranging from just weird and silly to dark, though it never gets graphic.
Even though the book was much darker than usual, I still very much enjoyed the stories. My favourite stories were the one with the sea dragon, with the girl summoning ghosts and the one set on a cruise ship.

All in all, I recommend this book if you enjoy some darker themes woven into the stories. Particularly, women unhappy with their husbands for various reasons and taking action, so to speak.

[Rosalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

More quirky stories from the mind of Kim. Actually, quirky is too light a word for most of these tales; odd, disturbing, and downright warped also fit. Even so, they all have a certain amount of rightness to them, as though the Universe has been listening to all of our unsaid thoughts over time and has come up with a way to balance the scales (sometimes in our favor). They aren't all light reading, but there is a moral to the story that feeds a reader's soul. That said, watch out for the water hazard.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oddly Inspired

I got this book in December 2021. It must have bided its time or was off on its own adventure before bringing itself to my attention. But finally it popped up on my Kindle. As a big fan of Kim's eccentric take on stories, I must say her mind is a weird and wonderful place. Every story is different and the inspiration in the introduction of each story only enhances the telling. Magic, murder, justice and occasional dystopia blend well in this collection. Oddly Enough truly is.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

A look into an authors mind...............

And it's brilliant!

As much as I LOVE Kim's Dragons ;) :D this was a great chance to see how stories come to fruition and it's awesome.

Each story isn't tied to the rest in the book, but some of them are tied into parts of the main series. Hopefully that came out right lol.

I loved each chapter, and can't wait for more Dragon/Cat shenanigans to come ;)

[Rachel Ganney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, so much so that it kept me coming back to it when I was supposed to be doing other things. I've read a few other books by this author, but this collection is a bit darker and less cosy, without losing an essential delight in humanity (and assorted other creatures) that makes her writing so attractive. My favourites were the horsemen, I don't know why as there are so many delights to chose from, but my mind kept going back to them again and again. Highly recommended!

[Keli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oddly enough, I wasn’t surprised

Because I’ve read some that Kim Watt has written and that this book was so good didn’t shock me at all! All the stories were well written and I just flat loved reading them. She doesn’t lower herself to a lot of cuss words to get things across - she doesn’t need them. Her characters are a hoot and you’ll find yourself smiling quite often thinking, “I wish I was that brave/funny/interesting.” You’ll enjoy it - go ahead and indulge. ;)

[Emma Dobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not usually a fan of short stories - this book will change your mind!

If you are familiar with Kim Watt's novels then you will have a good idea of the kind of thing to expect here. You won't be disappointed. If you haven't read a Kim Watt book before this is a great introduction to her style. You are in for a treat. She turns the mundane into magical with a hearty dose of humour thrown into the mix. If you are a fan of the late great Terry Pratchett this is sure to appeal.

[Beckett Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful collection of short stories! I'm sure it's cliche to compare it to the original "Twilight Zone" episodes, but that's the feeling I gained from reading it. Beautifully written, some of the stories were light-hearted; others slightly darker, but all had such amazing, unexpected twists to them. And, of course, as with all short story collections, if you don't particularly enjoy one story, well, just hustle yourself right along to the next.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, It took me some time to finish this one. Between a 5 day trip to Denver and other things, it took me nearly a month! I really liked it as I do other books by this author, but I have to admit that the stories are odd indeed. If you like odd and different short stories then this one is for you! Have fun reading this book. Included is the opportunity to get another short story for free!
Thank you to Kim! You are one of my all time favorite authors.