Oh, I loved this collection of short stories so, so, so much. There’s a part of me that is always looking for a level of fantasy that perfectly clicks with me, and quite often I find that the stories I pick up just fall short. I can never say what, exactly, they were missing, but there’s just something not fully there - yet somehow this book scratched every itch. Blake weaves these wonderfully fantastical tales, but adds in her unique humour, and wistfulness, and has brought forth a collection of tales that I, frankly, never wanted to end.

The book is split into the four seasons, with each short story somehow corresponding to that season - when not always necessarily in nature, in feel. Each season also begins with a beautiful illustration, depicting a scene from one of the short stories.

My absolute favourites here include ‘The Animation Games’ where two not-quite-lovers get pulled into an eternal cat and mouse death chase, ‘Monster Love’ which is a unique take on motherhood, ‘Sous Vide’ where a student takes up feeding demonic entities to help make ends meet, and ‘A Year in January’ which spoke to me in ways that I’ll struggle to write down.

I read a lot of short story collections, and this one has already become a firm favourite. Some stories are full of longing, some lean towards humour, and others are simply beautiful dreamscapes. Each one is special and unique, and I adored the whole collection.

Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.

Januaries is a masterful blend of magic, heartbreak, and human introspection, showcasing Olivie Blake’s signature wit and imagination. This collection of 14 short stories brims with whimsical twists, dark humor, and emotional depth, creating a unique tapestry of love, betrayal, and second chances. From a wish-granting spirit on the brink of burnout to a Victorian orphan navigating an occult romance, each story offers a new lens through which to view the extraordinary and the mundane.

The characters are delightfully complex and imperfect, struggling with desires, regrets, and relationships that linger beyond time and space. The themes range from the power of forgiveness to the resilience of love, all wrapped in enchanting narratives that feel both familiar and otherworldly. Blake’s ability to merge fairy-tale whimsy with modern sensibilities is particularly striking, and her exploration of multiverse assassins, magical Craigslist ads, and poetic heists keeps the reader constantly engaged.

This is a collection for fans of magical realism and those who enjoy pondering life’s deeper questions. If you’re looking for a book that’s equal parts thought-provoking and entertaining, Januaries is a perfect pick. It’s not just a read—it’s an experience.

Thank you very much for this eARC.
Olivies Writing is so good, this was pretty enjoyable. Like every story collection, some are a miss, but still, a nice read.

I don't typically gravitate toward anthologies of short stories as, in my experience, they often only include one or two really excellent stories that make an impact. Januaries is different in that I only struggled with two stories and the rest I wished were full books.

Every story was so very different and each of them gripped me in a different way. I was never quite sure where they would go and for 80% of them, I was sad when they ended.

Even though they were short, every world and character was fully realised and I was able to understand them quickly. I do think my favourite story was about the bridge as it was such a simple premise but done so beautifully.

Whether you enjoy story anthologies or not, I would recommend giving Januaries a try as each story is beautifully written. Plus an anthology where only two stories don't resonate is incredibly rare.

I loved this anthology! Some stories were more for me than others but I loved that about the book because there was a little of something for everyone and they were all beautifully written. I would definitely recommend this to any fans of the author’s other work, or someone just looking for an interesting read with lots of fantasy hints throughout.

<blockquote><i>”It’s easy to tire of beautiful things. Watch the sun rise from your bed each morning
and it loses its majesty, becomes white noise. Reverence collapses, terror fades. Boredom is woefully accessible. There’s an oppressive sameness to doing things that will never change to living days that are carbon copies of each other. Repetition is the beast of captivity, habit the tyrant of awe.”</i></blockquote>

I’ve been in a major reading slump recently but lckily, I can always count on the works of Olivie Blake to remind me of the joy of reading. Her writing literally scratches my brain in a way no other author can. I will read anything and everything that this author writes.

Januaries is a beautiful anthology of short stories with genres ranging from magical realism to sci-fi to fantasy. Several themes are addressed including mental health, relationships, envy, regret, ambition. Love and heartbreak. The book is weird and wonderful, radiates feminine rage, and I just adored it. The stories were diverse and increasingly complex, I didn’t think a short story collection would be for me but for this Olivie I made an exception and I’m glad I did! It was also a nice one to leave and come back to when I had the time with easily digestible stories and made a nice change to rushing through huge novels.

<blockquote><i>“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.”</i></blockquote>

I felt like the stories got increasingly bizarre as they went on but some of my personal favourites were The Wish Bridge, The Animation Games, To Make a Man and A Year in January. But the entire collection is a magical experience and there is something for everyone here. Blake’s writing is gorgeously unique, magical, fun and witty as always and I became instantly invested in each tale. I’d love to spend a day in her brain.

I would recommend if you’re into quirky and surprising stories and characters that stick with you!

<blockquote><i>“I was born with a vastness inside me, and sometimes I feel it will swallow me up”</i></blockquote>

Wow, what a fabulous selection of offerings, like an exquisite box of chocolates. I love Blake’s prose and would have been thrilled to see some of these as full length novels, particularly The Animation Games and Chaos Theory. An excellent collection from an outstanding writer.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own unbiased opinion.

Another superb story from one of my favourite newly discovered authors. You've got to love a story that grabs you on page 1 and doesn't let you go until you finish the last page.

Januaries is an incredible anthology with stunning accompanying artwork.

Olivie Blake is one of the best character writers and I adored the collection. From the absolute joy that is The Wish Kingdom, to the delights of Sucker for Pain and Sensual Tales of Carnal Desires. We traverse across various time periods and differing levels of paranormal in a way that leaves you desperate for more.

I really enjoyed almost all of the stories, but A Year in January was my absolute favourite. The depiction of mental health and chronic illness felt incredibly raw and real in a truly painful way. The explanation of seasons and the variability of illness was so profound. The conversation about love and the love the main characters shared was very special: “”What was this one?” she asked me. “Gentle,””. My favourite quote from this story was this: “Make sure you only let people in who are reverent with it. People who don’t understand magic can be a real drain on available resources, so don’t be irresponsible with your supply.” The need for gentle love and understanding when navigating long term health challenges is so vital. I can see myself returning to this short story regularly.

I can’t wait to explore more from this author and would highly recommend this beautiful collection of short stories.

After reading a couple of the stories I decided that, once and for all, Olivie Blake's writing style just isn't for me. I though a different format might help break up the overly pretentious writing, but instead we get poetry scattered in and on skimming further into the book I found that the writing doesn't really change. I liked the way this was organised though, into differing seasons. But no, not for me.

This was a unique collection of the magical, mysterious and sometimes macabre all characterised by Olivie Blake's intriguingly beautiful style of prose. Stylistically these felt to me very much like reading Grimm's Fairytales, with some endings ambiguous and others chilling except if they were a mixture of fantasy, dystopian, speculative, romance and historical stories. While I enjoyed some more than others and had my favourite stories
(The Animation Games, How to Dispel Friends and Curse People and Chaos Theory with special mentions to To Make a Man and Pre-existing Condition) I didn't think any of the stories were bad and liked the collection as a whole as well as the individual stories. One of my favourite things about Olivie Blake's books is how there are always pieces of beautiful artwork bringing the characters and stories to life and the illustrations in Januaries were some of my favourites! I feel like short story collections don't get enough love and aren't as common or popular as they should be and I really hope that people read Januaries and, like me, feel an urge to read more!

"Januaries" contains a unique combination of short stories and novellas that include elements of fantasy, romance and some magic. OIivie Blake is a storyteller who provides an escape into fairy tale lands, populated with many imaginative angled stories.

The stories that make up this anthology, called "Januaries", show a variety of forms from contemporary retold fairytales to science fiction, and in all of them, love, treachery and the issues of living and dying are at the center. Whether it is a wish giving earth spirit on the verge of depression, a displaced pixie who responded to a Craigslist ad, or a Victorian orphan in an occult-defined relationships, Blake’s skilful narrating was gripping at all times.

The book is a combination of the much loved reprint of some classic stories and brand new tales which means that the book will appeal to lovers of children’s literature as well as to fans of magic realism and fantasy. To the humor of the book also contribute such things as outlandish poetry and even a bunch of real wedding vows.

In short, 'Januaries' is a captivating work that tackles old concepts in an inventive manner and takes the readers deep into different never-seen-before worlds. This is an enchanting book that every person who loves fairy stories and uncanny adventures and relaxing yet engrossing pieces should read.

A great mix of short stories. Some of these had me crying, some had me laughing and others had confused which is exactly what I have come to love and expect from Olivie Blake.

A beautiful collection of stories about love, magic and betrayal from one of my favourite authors. Escape the mundane of morality with these magical ruminations on life, death, love and revenge that outlasts both. This collection featured versions of modified fairy tales, contemporary heists and absurdist poetry. There was something for everyone with this anthology and I have to say that I had a really fun time meeting a banished fairy, a victorian orphan and a multiverse assassin.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧 (𝐓𝐨𝐫) 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 & 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞

Blake has done it again, made me fly through a book because I did not want to put it down at all. I love short stories and these were all written so well and made me feel every emotion possible. I adored it so much.

I loved almost all of these stories, Olivie is so special and she managed to create amazing stories that felt like books with just a few pages. The Animation Games was a favorite in between all of them, and it was fantastic to see how her writing fits all other genres that are not fantasy or romance.

Thank you so much netgalley for providing me the arc of this book, I feel honoured being able to read this beautiful book. I would highly recommend the book, it is so beautifully written. Olivie Blake never fails to engage me and capture my heart

This was my first Olivie Blake book, and it did not disappoint. I was very excited to read it, because I have heard great things about the author before.

This book is a collection of short stories, some of them I loved even more than the others. The first story was my favourite, it grew to my heart dearly, and I even cried. The others were also very interesting and emotional, some of them I wish would have became a whole book because I feel like I just need to know more about the characters and about their lives.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone, who is looking for some emotional and heart wrenching stories and if you don't feel like you want to read a whole book or get too attached, but want to read something here and there. A story a day can make your life beter.

I enjoyed this, I thought this was a great collection of short stories. I loved how varied they were and how Blake took on many different types of genres and storytelling techniques. In particular I enjoyed the stories that took inspiration from Greek mythology. I loved how Blake adapted the myths!

I think this collection really showed the strengths of Blake as a writer, and I feel like she really got to flex all her different skills and interests.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc!

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

"It's easy to tire of beautiful things. Watch the sun rise from your bed each morning and it loses its majesty , becomes white noise. Reverence collapses, terror fades. Boredom is woefully accessible. There's an oppressive sameness to doing things that will never change, to living days that are carbon copies of each other. Repetition is the beast of captivity, habit the tyrant of awe."

What a delectable collection of stories! Olivie Blake's newest shows just how versatile an author she is. Blake draws on a wide range of not only genres but also themes, moods, and writing styles. We have fairytales for adults, two insanely creative takes on Greek mythology (never thought I'd enjoy Greek myths again but these were really something), weird sci-fi, poetry and so much more. There's something that will resonate with every reader. Some stories will fill you with delight, other with melancholy. Most will leave you wondering, 'wtf did I just read?!'. My favorites were The Wish Bridge, To Make a Man, Chaos Theory, and A Year in January! There are more than a few that I'd love to read as full length novels. The thing that unites these stories is OB's exquisite prose. Overall, I really enjoyed this short story collection and I'm glad the hits outnumbered the misses!