Januaries

Thank you NetGalley and PanMacmillian for providing me with the opportunity to review Januaries by Olivie Blake.

I must say, I think this may be my favourite Olivie Blake's book or rather a collection of tales, each quite unique not only in form (e.g., short story, poem, journal entry) but also feelings they evoke. Some of them were more accessible than others - I'm talking here about easier writing/diction - and some were more "flowery", written in a "typical" Olivie Blake fashion. I genuinely enjoyed both but I'm glad it was a mix. Generally speaking, each tale had an amazing build up to a rewarding conclusion and some sort of life lesson regarding relationships (mind you this is a HUGE generalisation of Januaries as it also includes stories, for example, of pathetic men, life after death, longing and the idea of multiverse) everything sprinkled with bits and pieces of magic. For me, the main realisation was that pain and love exist on the same fabric and those feelings are just two sides of the same coin. What I also liked is that Blake included an insight into the thoughts of a person with mood disorder and although I can't relate to it, I'm happy I have a deeper understanding of it.

My favourite tales are:
- To make a man
- Monsterlove
- Fates and consequences (this one was super funny as well!!)
- Sous Vide
- Sensual Tales for Carnal Pleasures
- A year in January

Yknow what this is? Literally a bedtime storybook for adults AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

Most of the stories have ambiguous endings that make you reflect and question reality/choices in life. Ngl it’s quite astounding to see how many genres and concepts Olivie Blake can actually write-so many have the potential to be full blown books. Special shout out to one of the stories: Wish Bridge! I really hope there’s more to this bc the concept of star-crossed lovers in that context is french kiss👌🏻

I must admit I wasn’t a huge fan of Blake’s writing but I’ve always believed in second chances and I’m glad I took a leap of faith in Januaries bc I thoroughly enjoyed it.

My only question: idg why the book title is called Januaries. First of many? Many firsts?

Thank you Pac Macmillan and NetGalley for this arc!

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I say often that Olivie Blake is one of my favourite authors. And reflecting on that, I think she is, despite me not loving *all* her work. I have loved her stand-alones, and I loved this anthology of short stories. I feel like this is where she thrives, where is can be weird and whimsical and sad and joyous and none of it really has to make sense.

Not every story appealed to me, but enough of them did that I flew through this. They all had that unique Olivie Blake flare I’ve come to love.
The Wish Bridge is a very strong opener. The Animation Games were insane. The multiverse story came together in the most satisfying way. And A Year in January is the perfect closer.

If, like me, you’ve enjoyed Olivie’s writing more for the vibes than the plot, this is for you.

4.5⭐️

There's nothing I admire more in Olivie Blake's writing that the ability of getting me hooked on a story by just a few sentences. I find it terribly hard, but in this book she just shows her art and her capacity to create new worlds, characters and plots that are as incredible as her bestsellers.

I loved every single story. The lyricism, the characters...I feel this book is a gift to those who enjoyed other books of Olivie, but also an incredible way of introducing her style and her amazing mind. I never enjoyed reading about human emotions and feelings, (and specifically about love) as much as I do when it's a Blake book. And this happens over and over again.

4 stars

Oh Olivie Blake!!! The writer that you are!!!

I never thought I would actually be getting an ARC of one of my most anticipated reads. So, thank you Netgalley & Pan Macmillan for this pinch me moment!

While I haven't read all of Olivie's books, the few I have read I have absolutely loved!! ('One for my Enemy' is my Roman Empire!!) So, you better believe me when I say my expectations where through the roof for this one and it did not disappoint!!!!! As with short stories there were definitely some I loved more than others ( 'The Wishing Bridge' was just the cutest thing ever!). Some actually had me laughing out loud ('The Audit') while others had me questioning what actually goes on in Olivie's brain! (The Animation Games).

I finally decided on 4 stars because while I loved the majority of them, having to start a new story everytime took me out of it just a little bit and almost made it feel like I was starting a new book - which I guess is an attribute to any anthology..

I definitely think this is one I will be recommeding for a long time and I can't wait to get my hands on it once its published!

Januaries is so quintessentially and outrageously Olivie Blake. Each story in this collection just oozes her exact brand of gorgeous prose. More than any other author I’ve ever read, I just feel like she has a window into my brain and manages to put into words feelings I’ve never been able to articulate. As is always the case with a collection of different stories, there are some I prefer to others, but each one had at least one like that took my breath away.
If you already love her writing, then this anthology is a must-read.

My favourites:
The Animation Games
The Wish Bridge
Monsterlove
Chaos Theory

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to author and publisher for the arc!

I was a bit nervous about this going into it because I usually find it quite hard to invest myself into stories that are so short, but I was so incredibly surprised by how great this was.

Blake has such a poetic way of writing short stories and I didn’t find myself bored whatsoever. I finished the entire book in one sitting, which is quite rare for me!

A massive thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my copy of this e-arc!

This anthology was so well thought out and every single short story was really well written. Olivie Blake’s writing never fails to amaze me. I’d love to get inside her brain and see how it works for her to come up with all of these ideas.

Of course there were some stories I liked better than others but I always looked forward to picking the book up!

Highly recommend

Wow! What a book! This is my third short stories collection I’ve read this year, and I can absolutely say that I’ve gotten over my dislike for novellas. I’ve always wanted more, felt like it was too short or too rushed, but I’ve really grown to appreciate them. Olivie Blake is one of my all time favourite authors, her way with words and spinning a story out of the simplest of things, is nothing short of extraordinary. I’ve cried, smiled, felt butterflies, gotten angry on behalf of the characters, and I’ve LAUGHED. God how much I’ve laughed during this read. Such humorous writing, incredible banter and just some lines the character say, that it feels like they aren’t supposed to be ”funny”, but they are. If you catch my drift, that dry sense of humour, god I love it. So sad it’s finished, I just wanted to read more and more. You will get to experience fantasy, romance, unalivings, science fiction, dystopian, literary fiction and magical realism. Truly a wide mix of genres and themes, but it all fits together so nicely. Love that it’s divided by the seasons, four parts, spring, summer, autumn and winter 🍃🌸☀️🌧️🍂❄️☃️

I absolutely love the way Olivie Blake writes, the pictures she paints with words is astonishing.

Januaries is a the collection of stories split into seasons. Well I was drawn in by the first few pages and I just ripped through.


Thank you to netgalley and publishers for the arc. .