Strings

Among the Mythos #2

by Ruthanne Reid

My music made a lovely magic. It was tiny magic, sure, but effective: it thickened the air and deepened the candles' warm light, caressed the listener like intimate fingertips and teased sleeping nerve-endings toward a gently quivering wakefulness.

Go, me. I made it all happen.

Need help? You probably shouldn't ask Grey.

He's a runaway Fey prince in New York City. He feeds on love like some kind of vampire. He really doesn't like people.

Then a monster hunts him down in late-night Manhattan, ruins his vacation, and forces him into the fight of his life.

He's marked, and monsters are coming for him. Grey had no plans to be ahero, but that doesn't matter. This time, he isn't pulling the strings.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

ebook

First published July 21, 2014

About the author

A bestselling author, Ruthanne Reid has led panels on world-building, taught courses on plot and character development, and been the keynote speaker for the Write Practice Retreat. Author of seven books and dozens of short stories, she creates daily videos to help other creatives get unblocked and into a healthy habit of creation.

Ruthanne has lived in her head since childhood when she used up her mom’s red typewriter ribbon writing a story about a pony princess and a genocidal snake-kingdom. When she isn’t reading, writing, or reading about writing, Ruthanne enjoys old cartoons with her husband and cats, and dreams of living on an island beach far, far away.

P.S. Red is still her favorite color.

Reviews

[Evelina | AvalinahsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so much fun! Strings branches out to talk more about one of the characters we met the first story (The Christmas Dragon), and since I LOVED him in that one, I had no trouble gobbling it up. Grey is a Fey that’s essentially a very attractive magical bard, who works his magic through song and music, making it into raw emotion. He’s such a fun character! Full of himself, but in such a sweet, adorable way. Seriously, Ruthanne writes it better than I do, and I’m afraid to mangle all the names and terms, so just read Strings for yourself!

But aside from that, the story also makes some important character introductions. If I loved Grey, I absolutely ADORED Notte. He’s this ages old super refined vampire gentleman with impeccable style, and he owns everyone with his charm – despite being on the other side of the page than he is, I was wondering whether his magic was working on me!! You’d think it’s bound to be corny, but it’s just so classy instead (I am fawning.) Seriously, Ruthanne, how did you not fall for Notte as you were writing him? Or did you? He’s an irresistible character, I’ll give you that. And I am happy, because I know Ruthanne is currently writing something about him!!! (CAN. NOT. WAIT.)

I also loved the tone of the book, and a lot of that is to do with Grey being the main character of this one. (The tone changes slightly from book to book due to that!) Strings is a very whimsical novelette and it goes down super well for the kind of story it is. It reads fast and pleasantly. And it’s not just that – it is also a truly touching, even heart-breaking story.

I actually have this whole post about these books, this series is AMAZING!!! My reasons why:



I thank the author for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter

[Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Story Cartel in exchange for an honest review

This was so fun! I haven't read the first book in this series [although I am definitely going to go back do that now] but I don't think you necessarily HAVE to have read it in order to understand this [although it IS free on the author's newsletter so really there's no excuse]. Anyway this was a really fun short story about a somewhat whiny but still very entertaining fairy prince who gets roped into saving the world. I really like the reluctant hero type so this was right up my alley. It was also very funny and did some interesting things with the mythology so I'm looking forward to getting into this series some more.

[Jess O. (From Jess to You) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"4 out of 5 stars! Three months after “The Christmas Dragon,” book 2 in this series, we now follow John Grey, who’s an Unseelie Fey Prince, while he sates his needs in Manhattan. However, at the end of one of his “sets” Grey finds himself hunted by something to be thought of as a myth with only the “help” of humans to save him. Will his “help” be enough?

This interesting look into Grey, really sets the tone for the series and makes me wonder as to where all of these “personal stories” will lead. It was a touching tale..."

Read more of this review and TWO teasers here: http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2015/04/feasted-on-among-mythos-series-book-3.html

Guest post and Blog Tour Spot to be posted on April 22nd 2015.

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Grey’s story.

The Seelie feel they are the ones meant to rule everyone, including the humans.

Music is his magic. He is a prince, but left home to weave a magical spell of music around the humans and share the love.

Now he is called on to save them from the Slivers. He is determined to save the humans, no matter the consequences. But, who can he trust? He lives in a magical world where your enemy could be your friend and savior.

Among the Mythos, science fantasy and twenty thousand years of Earth’s history, Grey is an unwilling hero, but a hero just the same.

My only complaint is the story goes on and for how long, I do not know.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked The Christmas Dragon better than this one, maybe because I had higher expectations about Grey, who ended up being not very likeable during most part of the book. The end and the twist on one of the other characters were very good though.

What I like best of the author, besides her funny writing, is the way she manages to create a very complex world without too much explanation. I think that's a very interesting virtue.

[Naturalbri (Bri Wignall) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooooo……I love elves. When playing any video games, I am always and elf. My favourite characters in magical films, are always elves. Yes, just like Grey, our runaway Unseelie, they are often a race who stick to themselves, don’t want to offer assistance and frequently dislike humans. It isn’t a malicious thing. They are just a race who live forever and often grow tired of meddling in the affairs of races that frequently get themselves in trouble and whose lives last such a little amount of time.



In The Christmas Dragon, we get this side of Grey. He is distant and often appears rude and unwilling to be a part of the larger story.However, in Strings, we see the real Grey. We see inside his soul, through to his magic. He is around and willing to help, so much that he would do anything to protect the humans, at any cost.



Though this was another short story, I thought it was excellent. It is great if you want a quick read, and don’t have a lot of time, but still want something that is packed with brilliant writing and a depth in the world and characters.



I love Grey. His character was created so well. He has a great personality, even if he hides his true intentions and feelings most of the time, as in Christmas Dragon. I love that he is willing to go beyond measures to protect a race that he wants to save. He is exciting and his musical ability is lovely. I found myself imagining the notes he would string together and what the music would sound like.



I really enjoyed this read and cannot wait to read more about Sundered and Grey!!!

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The land of the EverDying is full of magic, both good and bad, but most of the inhabitants are human and don't know it. For those that do, however, the world is a scary place, full of shadows that go bump in the night. John Grey doesn't worry about that though, he's Fey, and one of the good guys... at least he's not one of the bad guys. Usually.

So when an honest-to-goodness evil monster crosses his path, Grey doesn't have any plans to be a hero, he just wants to get out alive. He has every intention of packing up and heading to greener pastures, but instead he finds himself siding with a misfit group of humans who are determined to bring the ancient being to its knees.

STRINGS is the third book in Reid's fantasy series Among the Mythos and takes place some time after The Christmas Dragon. Once again Grey has gotten himself in over his head, and yet he somehow manages to keep finding his way. A well written fantasy with engaging characters, snappy dialog and a dramatic story-line.

My OFFICIAL REVIEW written for Carly’s Book Reviews

[J.A. Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart, witty urban fantasy with hilarious dialogue and a lead I want more of. I loved Grey, and I'm hoping he appears in the other titles in the series because what's not to love about a snarky, gorgeous (even if he says so himself), muso elf who gives great ear descriptions? Perfect writing. Fun, addictive, short read!

[SeasaltRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked the first story but I loved this one!

Grey is the main character POV in this short story (novella?) and it was interesting to see his perspective as a fey. The monsters were scary and the story compelling and the ending will stick with me for a bit.

Once again the lore is great and I enjoyed the introduction of Notte. I hope he gets a story too!

[RaChelle Holmberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of the ordinary

Found on a free site, this was a great introduction to this writer, I wasn't sure what to expect, but was very pleasantly surprised. Great story, great ending, definitely had " the feels"-)

[Brian Greiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nicely-done novelette (novella? long-ish short story?).
The author has created a rich mythos, with enough depth that allows viewing it from the point of view of different characters (ie. the different books in the series). Her characterizations are well done, and the plotting is crisp.
Assigning a rating for a novelette is rather more difficult than for a book, I think. Sort of like comparing a picture to a movie ... both can be appreciated for their own sake, but difficult to contrast and compare. Still, this novelette is a welcome part of the universe that the author has created.

[Mellisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this Grey The Elf who live in Manhattan!!

At first, I am not sure where this book will bring me. But, I keep on reading as I curious about this book. Grey's sarcasm really makes me enjoy the reading!! I was smiling, laughing and enough to make me late to go to work!!

Beware!!! Don't read it in public if you can't hold your laugh!!

And now I'm going to read another series.

[TheGood ByeGirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh vampires, fey, dragons! what's not to love! diving right into Half-Shell Prophecies 😃

[TM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll admit, I liked The Christmas Dragon better than Strings. The writing's good and the humour's still awesome. Take that, Orlando Bloom was probably the best pop culture reference I've ever seen (and amongst the few I can actually get ahaha).

I'm giving it a 4 stars instead of 5, but I'll touch on that later.

I felt that writing this in the point of view of one of the previous book's characters (I still can't get over the fact that his name is actually John. It's so normal! been reading too many Cassandra Clare books where faeries have fancy-ass names like Merlion) is a really good idea. I like Grey, and his backstory and personality had interested me greatly. It had been one of the things I'd wished book 1 had explored more by the end of it, had it been longer. This story had given me - well, not exactly a backstory - but a further development of his character in a sweet, simple story.

There was a lot of character development for Grey in Strings. To be honest, while I enjoyed his quirk and charm (and mischief), I wasn't too big on his holier-than-thou personality towards others at first, though I liked how straightforward the author wrote that part of him. That made the story engaging, and it did let me recognise that was just who he was. I really liked him, in the end, because seriously, his character development was great.

The only thing I didn’t really like was the part was the climax (where Grey and Barry were fighting). I felt that some of the descriptions of Grey’s attacks via song were rather repetitive. There was a lot of pretty language used, and sometimes it became a little of a drag to read through what should’ve been the most exciting. It did wrap up nicely though, so kudos to Ms Reid for that.

All in all, Strings is still a good read, perhaps best as a nice bedtime story. Anyone who wants to read this though might want to read The Christmas Dragon first, as there were some references to that in the book. Will be keeping a lookout for the author’s future works.

Note: Strings by Ruthanne Reid was also downloaded for free from Story Cartel in return for an honest review.

[Sanah · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Review -

I downloaded this book for free in exchange for an honest review. As usual, I won't tell you what the book is about, but I'll tell you how it makes you feel. Strings by Ruthanne Reid is a realistic fantasy based in New York. The book revolves around Grey, a Fey prince who has run away from home and is living in New York. He is a singer and though it isn't explicitly stated, it is implied that he makes his livelihood by singing. The book is narrated in first person by Grey.

Strings by Ruthanne Reid is a realistic fantasy based in New York. The book revolves around Grey, a Fey prince who has run away from home and is now living in New York. He is a singer and though it isn't explicitly stated, it is implied that he makes his livelihood by singing. The book is narrated in first person by Grey.

Grey is shown as a naughty, impatient protagonist who find himself in the middle of sticky situation when certain beings from the supernatural realm invade New York. The story is fast paced and easily read. The characters are simple but lack any depth. The plot is good but lacks in many areas. For one, the length of the book is very limiting. It doesn't allow the reader to form any kind of connection with the characters or even feel for them. The story is linear without any cliff hangers or any twists. Strings, reads without any emotional attachment. The story never seems hurried, but for a reader who loves detail, this book can be disappointing.

Strings keeps you engaged for sure, but leaves you feeling discontent at he end. The book is a young adult read and I recommend it for a new reader. But for anyone who likes to be challenged by a book and it's characters, Strings is not the book for you.

The Deets-

Author -Ruthanne Reid

Pages- 114

Publisher- 4th Floor Publication

Where to buy it-

Amazon

Hope this helps! Have fun reading, I'll be back with another book review soon!

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover and blurb perked my curiosity on this one. I didn't read the first book in the series, but that didn't prove to be a problem. This can be read as a stand alone.

I had a pretty open mind when starting this story, which is important. Magic and all the creatures usually seen in a fantasy world are a given, and they are mentioned and appear as if they are as common as the flick of a wrist. That said, this book is placed in our normal, modern day world.

The first pages are simply a treat to read; the way the elf is introduced-and his magic-is poetic and beautiful. The introduction to his thoughts and character immediately drew me in, making me like him before the plot even began.

The plot itself held a nice, even pace. There's never a dull moment, and action is nicely mixed with quieter but still tense moments. Even the slower scenes had enough mystery and flair to keep them from dragging. Part of this has to do with the side characters. They maintain their own secrets and hints of dangerous sides, which kept me on my toes guessing at what was really going on or happening.

That said, this is a story which has an anime feeling. The main character is snarky and his actions a bit spontaneous. There are moments where the character speaks directly with the reader, which is a style I'm not necessarily fond of but won't hold it against the book either. There's humor mixed in with the tense scenes, keeping the story refreshing and never too dark or bogged down. It's definitely entertaining and makes for an easy read.

Summed up, this is a short, fun read which is packed full of personality, magic, danger and humorous snark. I only wish it would have been a little longer.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

It appears John Grey hasn’t changed much since his adventure with Katie Lin in A Christmas Dragon. This story takes place some time later and Grey is marked by some deadly creatures. He can’t fight them in the Ever Dying land of Manhattan and needs the help of humans to defeat them.

This doesn’t sit well with Grey at first, The Ever Dying (us humans) have no place in his life. He doesn’t like them, prefers to avoid them.

So when Grey had to align himself with a group of humans I was curious if his feelings for them would change. They had to. He was fighting for his life and they were risking theirs to help him.

One in particular had Grey looking at humans differently. The bartender he escaped with from a horrific attack. But his distaste for humans makes him wary of him. Grey senses something’s not quite right about the bartender. He seems to know more than he should.

Notte is back. He really creeped me out in the earlier book. He’s kind of a vampire, but different, even scarier. In this story he shows a different side of himself, a nurturing one, as he tries to help his friend, Grey.

By the end of the story, I began to see some redeeming qualities in the arrogant, brash, John Grey. And his power that flows from his music and song is fascinating.

This is darker than the first adventure and added to my enthusiasm for this world. I’m hoping Grey and Katie bump into each other again in the next one.

I received this book for my honest review.

[MarikaCiarrocchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we are with another chapter of 'Among the Mythos'. This short novel is really funny! The adventure is full of tension, questions and coupes de théatre. The story is very good, unknown monsters appear and track down the main character who gets involved with humans to defeat them. The alliance and the attachment that our Fey develops toward them is touching and almost inevitable (try to face death with someone, I bet you'll become best friends). The thing I liked the most is knowing Grey more. He's a great character. He's totally different from all the main character you can find in other novels. He is arrogant like every dark hero but he's not brave, he's not willing to risk his own life, he has fears. He is ironic and this makes the novel amusing. I found very interesting the way he feeds, and the way he expresses magic ( I've finally understood how the Pitchi Pitchi magic from Mermaid melody could work!). And then there's Barry, a soul so strong to face magical gods. His story makes us understand how strong is our will, we're just humans but we can fight our demons if we really want to. Notte ... he is a real character. I mean, he is unique, he is almost weird. I'm really curious about what comes next! I'm waiting!

[Cloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this short story after finished The Christmas Dragon, the previous book, so this is a great follow up with one particular Fey Prince who has now found himself in trouble. I really enjoyed him in The Christmas Dragon and maybe that was because he was a bit more mysterious and arrogant that it was fun to see him thrown out of his element. In this one he feels a lot more down to earth and we discover some of his more pronounced flaws. As far as the story goes, I enjoyed it greatly. It was a very enjoyable romp Among the Mythos and I absolutely adore the author's voice. I found the humor witty and quick and loved the character interactions and will always want more! I will admit however some of the more musical language was lost on me because of my lack of musical knowledge, otherwise the magic and spells sounded great.

I received a free copy from Story Cartel for an honest review.

[Tahlia Newland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grey is an elf, a beautiful, rather self-obsessed and somewhat snarky but, nevertheless, likable elf, who lives in Manhattan, and in this fairly short urban fantasy, he finds himself helping a bunch of forever-dying, (otherwise known as humans), to escape the clutches of the beasts that stalk them. The powerful, mysterious and almost all-knowing Notte—we never find out what kind of being he is—adds further interest to the story. I can’t say more about the plot than that without giving it away, but I can say that the end surprised me, the writing impressed me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Not only was it well told in crisp, interesting prose, but also it had an integrity of spirit not often seen in genre fiction. There was meaning in the outcome, a ‘message’ of inspiration. 5 stars. Highly recommended.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Elf in Manhattan, Fey, Unseelie, and royal is not a common occurrence. An outcast elf who weaves melody and harmony in intimate settings and draws the Ever-Dying listeners together (showing the author's love & knowledge of music). John Grey is confronted with an opponent that he cannot fight on earth, aided by a local bartender who is not what he seems.

This is not a long book (only 86 pages) but it well worth the time spent reading it.

Urban fantasy with a dash of Cthulhuian horror. Clever handling of profanity in the story. Great cover. Gratefully, this is not the only book Ruthanne Reid has written; you can find her bibliography at http://ruthannereid.com/.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from StoryCartel in exchange for an honest review.

Strings takes place some time after the events of The Christmas Dragon and in this novella Grey is the main character. He is a runaway Fey prince whose magic is music, and he has nothing to envy of Orlando Bloom apparently :P

I think I liked TCD a little more, but Strings is amazing too. The writing and the humour are there too, and I liked that Grey's character is more developed here,

After reading The Christmas Dragon, Strings was THE next thing to read on my list. So... if you enjoyed TCD, you should read this one too.

[Krystyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The song of death

Another good but weird read. Zany, quirky and definitely off the wall. Our hero from book 1 is in Manhatton singing for his supper. A bar and a group of middle aged women when an attack takes place. An attack that leaves just him and a bartender alive. Even the bar is gone. Now they run from the monsters. A group of displaced fighters, an old acquaintance and the truth about the monsters. Plus a plan. Can he and the bartender follow the plan, kill the monsters and survive? Is music really the food of love or is it death?

[Lena Donan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle-Earth kissed adventurous story about one annoyed Fey who doesn´t like humans and yet he was the only one who manages to save their as*es - Readable, cry no more. (for the further intel I have to think, unluckily B-))

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very good writing, with an endearing character. Good action and plot, interesting world-building. Gray was sort of a snob, but humble about it at the same time. I would love to read more books with him as the central character.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this little romp through Grey's world. We were introduced to him in The Christmas Dragon and it was fun to get to know him in this novelette. Now I'm anxious to see more Notte.

[Trina Talma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm enjoying the feel of this series, which is reminiscent of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series: semi-comic urban fantasy with a steady pace. Quick action, but at the same time easy to follow. I'm looking forward to seeing how the world and the characters continue to develop.

[Joy Des Anges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely addictive. 2 books in 2 days...starting #3...

[Elmax · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to squeeze Grey until his eyes pop out