What a great collection of novellas and short stories!  Each story is both informative to the series and has evil, spirits and things that go bump.  These quick, eminently readable bits leave you wishing there were more.

Trifles and Folly (A Deadly Curiosities Collection), by Gail Z. Martin, and Trifles and Folly 2 (SOL Publishing)

“Trifles and Folly” is the name of an antique store in Charleston, South Carolina, run by Cassidy Kincaide, with a bit of help from Teague, her magically talented hacker and weaver-witch assistant, and Sorren, vampire and silent business partner. But it’s not an ordinary store, it’s a front for the collection, safeguarding, and occasionally the destruction of magically dangerous objects. 

In the early stories, each featuring a different cursed or otherwise evilly charged object, Cassidy is new to the business of keeping the world safe from ghouls, ghosts, and wraiths. She’s just coming into her own as a psychometrist who can experience the history of those who owned those objects, as well as forming a network of allies, each with their own particular skill. My favorites were “Father Anne,” an Episcopal priest skilled in exorcism, and “Bo,” the ghost of Cassidy’s golden retriever, still fiercely loyal and protective.

As the stories unfold, Cassidy gains in skill and experience. The bonus stories to the first volume feature Sorren in his early life, a mere century into his vampiric existence, charged after the death of his maker with continuing the work through the shop, Vanities, a precursor to Trifles and Folly. I love that Sorren isn’t infallible, and that even his vampiric strength can be overcome with sufficiently ancient and evil sorcery. Like Cassidy, he finds allies, both human and supernatural. His shortcomings and limitations give him add to him being a sympathetic character.

Although the entries in the first volume are all short stories, those in the second include longer novellas. The “Deadly Curiosities” novel series offers even more complex delights for readers like me who find the characters and their challenges enchanting in the best possible way.

If I ever had any doubts about whether or not I should start the Deadly Curiosities series, they were squelched after reading Trifles and Folly 1 and obliterated by the time I finished this collection.

You know that you’re hooked when you can’t even pick a favorite character between the cast of friends. Even the supporting characters are amazing. From one story to the next, I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. This series seems to have everything I love about a good urban fantasy. Strong main characters whose abilities grow as the series progresses. Lots of suspense, a hint of romance, danger, great supporting characters who add to the story and so much more. I say “seem” because I have yet to pick up a full length book from this series, but I need to remedy that soon. The shorts have been great, but it’s obvious that a lot happened in between each story. Plus, I haven’t spent nearly enough quality time with Sorren, Cassie and Teag. 😉

Cassidy, Teag, and Sorren are back in another collection of short stories set in haunted Charleston, SC. In this volume, there are ghosts, evil necromancers, shifters, and a haunted serial killer loose in Charleston, not too mention the attempt to bring Krampus in to spank all the bad people located there. After the reader survives the first seven stories, there is a bonus of three stories set back in 1700's Charleston where Dante Morris meets up with his Uncle Evann and Sorren and become pirates in a good cause. Interesting to see some of the past history of Trifles and Folly. Another fun read from Gail Z. Martin. Now I need to hunt up the rest of the full length novels set in this universe.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this volume!

I've read a few of these now, and always enjoy the basic premise of an antiques shop dealing with magical, cursed or otherwise weird artifacts.   This collection of short stories and novellas kept me going for a few days, each one working as a standalone but also building on your previous understanding.  Vampires and ghosts abound, seasoned with all sorts of other things that go bump in the night and a very nice turn of phrase that made me occasionally snort.  (I did notice the same phrasing being used a few times in the intro, but luckily that did not continue.)  In short, this is not to be missed if you like weird, quirky or are looking for something else to go along with Jim Butcher or Benedict Jacka.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Trifles and Folly 2 by Gail Z. Martin a great follow up to the first book of short stories by the same name. More adventures of Cassidy and Teag that really highlights Martin's writing style and ability. Can't wait for more from this author!

I enjoyed the first Trifles and Folly so much that when I found the 2nd one, I was thrilled as only a person with a new book to read can be.  A short story anthology centered on the same premise as the 1st book, our characters can tell the history of an item by touching it.  They use this skill to rid the world of items used for evil purposes to keep them from those that would do evil over and over.  Each story revolves around a different item, giving readers a brief view of the community then moving to the next eventful item.  Lots of good story telling will keep you turning pages without having to stay up all night.  Happy reading!