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.

My personal favourites leaned towards her modern adult fairytales and the weirder 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 | ★★★★★

I’m not usually one for reading short stories. (I’m usually the person who will steer clear of novellas no matter now much I love the author) However, this collection of short stories had me enchanted! Olivie Blake’s writing is beautiful at the best of times, but this was just something else!

The book features mainly character driven short stories, that revolve around the relationships of these characters. Whether it be love or revenge. I found myself becoming somewhat emotionally invested in these characters, even though they were only in the book for a short period of time.

Now, this book may not have changed my feelings on reading novellas, buuuuut if I was presented with something similar to this, I would definitely give it a chance.

This collection of short stories was a beautiful read overall. It combined elements together that I wouldn't have considered before and it was done very well complete with vivid images that it conjured up whilst reading.

First of all thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I will read anything by Olivie Blake regardless of pen name. One thing I really appreciate is how often a character in her books will be Filipino or half Filipino. Growing up I didn't get that sort of representation in media.

The writing in these short stories is clever, I would expect no less from Blake's writing. This collection includes 16 short stories divided equally into the four seasons. These stories vary in content, some including mythology, some Sci fi, and others fantasy.

My issue with most of the stories being that I wanted them to be longer. Some particular favourites were The Wish Bridge, the Animation Games and How to Dispel Friends, Curse People and A Year in January. My least favourite was Monsterlove.

I usually don't read short stories, and this is the first time I have read one. I loved Januaries. Fantasy and sci-fi lovers are going to enjoy this anthology a lot. It has something for everyone. What I liked about this is that there are so many tropes to pick from, and each story is unique in its own right. There were very few stories that I didn't enjoy.

I was hooked from the beginning. The book begins with The Wish Bridge, a perfect story to set the mood for the rest of the book. However, I wish it was longer. The book is divided into four sections based on seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. I enjoy stories from all four sections, but the best ones are in spring and summer!

I loved how each story tugged on different emotions. "The Wish Bridge" made me feel cosy and warm. "The House" talked about how marriage changes a relationship. It was very sweet and insightful. "The Animation Games" was AMAZING. I am not going to say anything about it; just read it. One of my favourites! Another masterpiece in this anthology is "Chaos Theory," MINDBOGGLING. It is high-energy and action-packed. LOVE IT. I hope Chaos Theory becomes a full-length book.

I want to give a special shout-out to the stories "Preexisting Conditions" and "Sous Vide." These two stories started very vague and weird, but their respective endings had me staring at the wall for a moment.

MY FAVOURITES:
The wish Bridge
Sucker For Pain
The Animation Games
The House
How To Dispel Friends and Curse People
Sensual Tales of Carnal Pleasures
Chaos Theory

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

From a woman linked to a wish-giving bridge, to a couple destined to keep killing each other, to a resurrected person trying to discover their identity, Januaries is what Blake does best - short stories that pack a punch. The seasons of the year are presented to us through vignettes, some with the hazy dreamlike quality of a summer day, others with the cold bite of winter snows. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and think it's one I might return to as well.

One of the standout characters for me was the protagonist from The Audit, who undergoes a surreal experience when her life is audited and she gets a huge sum of money. Her realisation that has to live up to this, created a relatable narrative as she grows throughout the stpry. However, not all characters in Januaries stood out in the same way, with some blending into the background of less memorable narratives.

The collection contains a wide array of short stories, each with its own unique premise. While there were some gems – The Wish Bridge and The Audit being particularly engaging – other stories fell flat and lacked the same level of intrigue. The earlier stories captured my attention, but as I moved through the collection, some of the later tales became harder to follow or less engaging. Stories featuring betrayal and darker themes, like the couple who repeatedly kill each other, echoed familiar tones from Blake’s other works.

Blake’s experimentation with different writing formats within the short story genre was interesting to observe, though it wasn’t always successful. While some stories thrived in this format, others felt disjointed or overly ambitious. The writing, at times, felt like it was stretching to find its footing, making certain stories more challenging to connect with.

Each story carries its own theme, ranging from the absurdity of modern life, as in The Audit, to magical realism and vengeance in fairy tale-style settings. However, there wasn’t a clear overarching theme uniting the entire collection. Magic and romance are present throughout, but the lack of thematic consistency left me feeling disconnected from the work as a whole.

While the collection fits within the realms of fantasy and magical realism, it also flirts with absurdism and romance. Some stories are firmly planted in these genres, while others seem to drift outside them in an attempt to tackle more abstract ideas. This makes it hard to classify the collection as a cohesive whole.

Positives of Januaries
Engaging and unique stories such as The Audit and The Wish Bridge.
Blake’s willingness to experiment with different storytelling formats.
Some character-driven narratives that explore intriguing personal journeys.
Negatives of Januaries
Uneven quality between stories, with some feeling underdeveloped or unengaging.
Lack of a unifying theme across the collection.
Certain stories feel repetitive or reminiscent of Blake’s previous works.
Some stories drag and lack the same impact as earlier ones.
While Januaries offers glimpses of Olivie Blake’s creative potential, the collection as a whole is uneven. The early stories and certain standout narratives showcase her talent for weaving magical and surreal elements into everyday life, but the latter half of the collection feels less compelling. For die-hard fans of Blake, this might be an intriguing read, but for others, the inconsistency in story quality may not justify the journey. Ultimately, it’s a collection that had potential but didn’t quite live up to expectations.

Overall Rating: 4.25/5

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.

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 Netgalley and Tor for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this collection of stories and found myself flying through these stories and desperately wanting more. Olivie Blake is a fantastic writer and I honestly love her lyrical and witty prose. There is a wide range of stories from different genres while also covering different topics.

I found some stories in this collection that have become new favourites and ones I haven't stopped thinking about. I also think this is the first collection of short stories where I actually enjoyed each story!

This is perfect for spooky season and I definitely recommend picking this one up, especially if you're a fan of Olivie Blake!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The one thing about me is, if Olivie Blake writes it I will read it.

The Januaries is a collection of stories written like never before. I would say it's a bite sized introduction to Blake’s writing and I think every story shows how amazing she is in what she does.

I can't pick favourites but I loved:
- Monsterlove
- Fates and Consequences
- Sensual Tales for Carnal Pleasures

Go read it, its so much fun and when you get the physical copy, the illustrations are just OUT OF THIS WORLD BEAUTIFUL!

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this early as an eARC!
I'm only recently getting into reading short stories and usually find that they fall a little flat or don't draw me in as intensely as full length novels- this is not one of those collections.
Olivie Blake's writing is (as always) beautiful, elegant, and touching, and it takes real talent to create such fleshed out, dimensional characters in a shorter format.
There were one or two stories that didn't fully pull me in but that's the beauty about a short story collection- there are stories that will resonate more with some than others.
The art is stunning and overall I'd rate this 4.5 stars.

A lovely collection of short stories, lots of great little reads, along with some 5* short stories, my favourite has to be the first one, because who knew I would be crying over a bridge 😅

These short stories felt like they were missing depth and it felt quite jumbled. I really struggled to get into them.

Januaries has 12 different stories inside divided by four seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

I don’t know how to review this book, I have mixed feelings for each story.
I find some of the stories quite interesting
Some are too short that I wished they are developed into a full length novel instead
Some are very thought-provoking
But some are also confusing and too long….

Out of 12 stories, there are only a few that I like such as The Wished Bridge, The Animation Games, To Make a Man, Chaos Theory, The Audit

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Death, violence, sexual content, grief, mental illness

Olivie Blake's new short story collection 'Januaries' is a cabinet of curiosities. Stories range from the supernatural with witches and vampires, folklore, Greek myths and strange futures. There is even a speech given at a wedding, comparing matrimony to a house. Many of the stories are clever, witty, and transporting, but one or two require some perseverance. For example I felt that 'Chaos Theory' could have been cut in half, with only the later half kept. Nevertheless, this is a book that will appeal to fans of Angela Carter as well as of the author and genre. It is well written and compelling. Plus, if the illustrations in the proof are anything to judge from, the book will make a very pretty edition to bookcases!

I loved every single story in this collection. All of them.

Olivie Blake has created a suite of work that combines fantasy with dystopia and a good seasoning of fairy tale. We encounter assassins, gods, mortals, watching over hell, bridges and the multiverse. Each story feels like a complete journey, yet they all complement each other. Reading Januaries felt like a warm hug, a bracing wind and a vanilla slice. Perfection.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan and TOR for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Januaries is a hauntingly beautiful collection of short fiction by Olivie Blake, showcasing her mastery at blending the fantastical with the deeply emotional. The book consists of 14 stories, divided into the four seasons, each exploring themes of longing, the fragility of trust, and the inescapable pull of destiny. At its heart, Januaries is about transformation—of people, places, and the intricate web of fate that binds them. Each story carries a shared trace of emotional depth and enchantment.

If you’ve read Blake’s other works, you’ll recognize her gift for creating atmosphere, making every page feel like an invitation into a world of complex emotions and nuanced characters. This book is another testament to her remarkable ability to evoke mood and empathy.

Though each story is relatively short, Blake’s talent for capturing the essence of a moment or a character's inner turmoil is impressive. Her writing moves swiftly, yet never sacrifices the emotional depth that makes these stories resonate, leaving readers wanting more.

If you love emotionally charged stories with a touch of the mystical—ones that explore the complexities of relationships and the human condition through a magical lens—then Januaries is a book you won’t want to miss.

4 stars

Januaries is a collection of shorts stories by Olivie Blake that are most of them amazing written but left you wanting more.
My favorite one was The Wish Bridge, and ugh, I'd love a full-length book about those two. It was amazing.
The rest of the stories are entertaining, and some are fun others, not so much, but overall, it was a nice anthology.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with the eARC for this book!

The first time I’ve ever picked up a book by Olivie Blake was roughly 3 or 4 years ago — back when she’d still been self-published — and I’ve never truly been disappointed since. ‘Januaries’ is a delightful collection of short stories, front to back, and every single story within packs a punch in one way or another. As you read through the seasons you get to meet very different kinds of love from mystical to obsessive to haunting and you get dragged in close again and again to listen to each character tell their story.
Whether they suffer a mental breakdown after filling out a pricey questionnaire or haunt their fiancé again and again, Olivie’s character work truly gets to shine in this format. Within a handful of pages and sometimes even after just a few paragraphs one can’t help but root if not feel for each story’s main character. Olivie’s visceral and sometimes whimsical writing style only aides this.
Grouping the stories into seasons is not only a nice structural touch it also makes sense narratively — the stories of each season share overarching themes.

Overall, ‘Januaries’ cannot be recommended enough whether you’re already a fan of Olivie’s or brand new here — the stories are a great look into her writing style and her versatility.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - absolutely love Olivie Blake’s writing and these short stories were so much fun to read.

The writing style is so enchanting and engaging leaving me wanting so many more short stories included! The writing flows so well and is

I had so much fun reading these short stories and knew from the first story that I was going to enjoy this.
I went into this book completely blind and was absolutely pleasantly shocked when it was a collection of short stories providing me with an easy and refreshing experience.

I loved reading a collection of short stories as it provided different experiences with each all in one book!! It was full of emotion and provided so so many plot twists and unexpected moments!

Short stories are absolutely for the mood readers and people who love exploring each and every emotion possible whilst reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Olivie Blake for allowing me to read and review this collection of short stories. It was such a fun experience and I cannot wait to see the beautiful editions of this book when it is published 🖤