The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance by Trisha Telep

The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance Reviews

• 
  Julie (jjmachshev)

  WOW...if you like romance and if you like vampires, how can you pass this one up? There are 25, that's right 2-5 short stories in this 'mammoth' book! Most of the authors haven't hit the biggest of the big time, but many of them are authors I follow. This isn't a full list...but, there are stories by Jenna Black, Jenna Maclaine, Delilah Devlin, Keri Arthur, Alexis Morgan, Shiloh Walker, Rebecca York, Karen Chance, & Vicki Pettersson, among many others. Some I like a lot, some I just liked, and some were just plain weird. But hey, even if you don't like one of the stories, it only takes a few minutes to read! Some stories are funny, some are more serious, some are pretty sexy, and few I still don't understand. But with a price tag of only $13.95US, it's well worth the cost.
• 
  Cass

  4/5 dreams Keri Arthur
• 
  Bookwatcher

  AND THE OSCAR GO TO…
  
  The best :
  * Dancing With The Star by Susan Sizemore (the ending was perfect and hilarious! Great story)
  
  The worst :
  * The Music of the Night, by Amanda Ashley (bored me to dead)
  
  The great deception :
  * Dreams, by Keri Arthur (I was expecting more from her)
  
  Best couple :
  * The Righteous, by Jenna Maclaine
  
  Good read, and enjoy
• 
  Kathy Davie

  C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp's "To Ease the Rage" was imaginative. Could be interesting as a series.
  
  Keri Arthur's "Dreams" was ... eyyy...
  
  Amanda Ashely's "Music of the Night" was lamely sweet. A fairy tale, sorry, vampire take on Phantom of the Opera.
  
  Jenna Black's "Fangs for Hire" was imaginative but a little too obvious.
  
  Karen Chance's "Day of the Dead" was interesting. Had a very different take on vampires in Mexico involving Mayan? culture.
  
  Delilah Devlin's "Viper's Bite" was imaginative; I liked it.
  
  Barbara Emrys' "A Temporary Vampire" had a different take on vampires. Might be interesting to follow her.
  
  Sherri Erwin's "Fade to Black" did not inspire me to search her work out although she is an imaginative, good writer.
  
  Colleen Gleason's "In Which a Masquerade Ball Unmasks an Undead" was a historical paranomal romance...duh...
  
  Raven Hart's "Knowledge of Evil" was rather obvious.
  
  Nancy Holder's "Vampire Unchained" is the apocalypse---vampire style. Good.
  
  Dina James' "Play Dead"...duh...
  
  Caitlin Kiernan's "Untitled 12" was...oh yuck. Also appeared in Frog Toes & Tentacles. It was still yuck. Her Ode to Edvard Much was irritating. Well-written, but too vague. Also appeared in Sirenia Digest #6.
  
  Jenna Maclaine's "Righteous" was lame.
  
  Alexis Morgan's "What's at Stake?" was imaginative, yet predictable.
  
  Vicki Pettersson's "Remember the Blood" had a very different perspective. A bit on the creepy side.
  
  Kimberly Raye's "Love Bites" was cute and predictable.
  
  Oh gawd..dental paranomal adventures in "Overbite" by Savannah Russe.
  
  Lilith Saintcrow's "A Stand-Up Dame" was good; very P. N. Elrod-ish. Her Coming Home was also good.
  
  Susan Sizemore's "Dancing with the Star" was cute.
  
  Rachel Vincent's "Midday Mangler Meets His Match" was excellent. Created a whole new world with vampires as the norm---going to school, having jobs, etc.
  
  Shiloh Walker's "Hunter's Choice" was good; I'm hoping it's a series.
  
  Rebecca York's "Sacrifice" was a lame-ass story. So juvenile.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  The Flooze

  Stories were boring and EXTREMELY amaturish. Authors need to be taught effective POV. Also, just because it's a short story, does not mean that you drop the concepts of beginning, middle, and end.
  
  The more accomplished stories within the anthology belonged to Rebecca York, Jenna Maclaine, Dina James (if it were part of a series), and Karen Chance (I might check out her books).
  
  Overall, don't buy. Get it from the library if you must.
• 
  Inara

  As always in anthologies there were stories I loved and stories I well, didn´t love that much and so I decided only to rate my favorites. For these stories alone the book was worth reading and I will definitely buy "The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2" which is due in September 2009!
  Oh, before I forget: my favorite stories were (of course) by Karen Chance, Lilith Saintcrow, Colleen Gleason and Shiloh Walker (actually no surprise there...lol)!
• 
  Dina James

  This book features my debut short story "Play Dead"! It features Nikolai, the Destrati, and introduces the very sexy and unforgettable Kyle. Let me know what you think! Thanks!
• 
  Melindeeloo

  
  Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance - BIG Book, Big Name Authors, Short stories - not all are romances
  
  Yes, the Mammoth Book of Vampire Romances is truly MAMMOTH containing 25 short stories. You'll recognize the names of the most of the 23 well known authors as the writers of your favorite paranormal romance and popular urban fantasy series. Despite the title, only about half of the stories in the book are `romances' though most have some sex, but they do all have vampires and most all have a key element of the story associated with the vampire's bite: bringing a transformation, granting immortality, unlocking or stealing memories, sealing a bond or, with the refusal of the acceptance of its offer, breaking a heart. Together the stories pretty much cover most of the niches of the PNR and UF genres, one little tidbit at a time.
  
  Since these are truly short stories some of the endings are a bit abrupt. A few of the entries tied into the authors' existing series, Gleason's and Arthur's read like deleted scenes from early books, and Devlin's, Holder's, Raye's, Chance's and Saintcrow's (the first of her two) explore other characters/pieces of their worlds. It's my first time with authors Kiernan, Devlin, Hart and Walker, but I suspect Walker's was a connected story too. My favorites were the ones from Chance, Black, Devlin, Emrys, and Morgan, they did the best with their characters and stories in the very short space. My least favorite were both of Kiernan's entries and Pettersson's - the vague poetic style of these stories left me unconnected to their characters.
  (1 star- I hated it; 2 stars - didn't like it ; 3 stars = ok; 3.5 = pretty good; 4 = liked it; 4.5 = really liked it; 5 stars = loved it)
  
  *** "Fade to Black" - Sherri Erwin - A professor's tryst with a gorgeous student brings a whole new meaning to `unsafe sex' when he infects her with the `vampire' virus. (3 stars - This one was pointless and not a romance, it was all set up and then a too abrupt ending.)
  
  *** "Ode to Evdard Munch" - Caitlin Kiernan - A man shares his blood with a mysterious vamp for a piece of her dreams. (3 stars - no romance and the connection between the leads was odd)
  
  *** "Fangs for Hire" - Jenna Black - When a vampire hit woman finds her oh so sexy prey is not what he seems, she just might have to consider rewritting her `contract'. (4 stars - both the leads were interesting and I like the way they found to feed their hungers)
  
  *** "The Righteous" - Jenna Maclaine - A sorceress and a King put events in play to establish a group of vampires to police their own, which is the catalyst to bring a vampire and a woman who stakes them together in Paris. (4 stars - I liked the huntress and the vamp - added 12/6 this is a prequel to MacLaine's Cin Craven series)
  
  *** "Knowledge of Evil" - Ravent Hart - An ancient vampire with a passion for learning meets a gorgeous professor who shares his thirst for knowledge. (3.5 stars )
  
  *** "Viper's Bite" - Delilah Devlin - A solitary vampire and a lonely woman connect but he must steal her memories to keep her safe. (5 stars -the story was bittersweet but hopeful )
  
  *** "Dreams" - Kerri Arthur - Arthur's Riley Jensen and her sometimes lover vampire Quinn share dreams and danger. (4 stars - seemed like deleted scene from an early book but has the feel of the series)
  
  *** "Love Bites" - Kimberly Raye - From her Dead End Dating world, a hereditary vampire slayer flunks her final test when instead of finishing off the vampire she's staked she takes him her home to heal. (3.5 stars -humorous but a bit on the cutesy side)
  
  *** "What's at Stake" - Alexis Morgan - A legal enforcer must either prove the innocence of the vampire she's secretly loved or she must put him to death. (4 stars - more on the fantasy side, I liked this one a lot)
  
  *** "Coming Home" - Lilith Saintcrow - Dante Valentine's foster daughter Liana is hired by the Nichtvahren who broke her teenage heart to kill his maker. (3.5 stars - Even though the heroine is Liana, her internal dialog feels very much like Dante - who make a brief appearance. Though with Saintcrow's writing style, it took two reads to understand everything that was going on.)
  
  *** "To Ease the Rage" - CT Adams & Cathy Clamp - A police officer will join with her undead partner to find the strength to protect her city from vamps that threaten the peace. (4 stars - good chemistry between the leads)
  
  *** "Dancing with the Star" - Susan Sizemore - A vampire's dreams of a dancing movie star may signal the end of her loneliness. (3.5 stars - a long dream sequence, not a fan of those, and the italics bugged me after a few pages)
  
  *** "Play Dead" - Dina James - A vampire finds his soulmate and challenges the leaders of his clan for the right to choose his own bride. (3 stars - okay, but the most interesting character was not one of the leads. But well enough done that I would check this out if it were the start of a series.)
  
  *** "In Which a Masquerade Ball Unmasks an Undead" - Colleen Gleason - Gleason's vampire hunting debutante Victoria tries to persue her attraction to Rockley while fighting off vamps at a masquerade ball with a little help and snide remarks from Max. (3.5 stars - One of the few historicals, this felt like a deleted scene from the first book, but missing the more serious events from the books which play against lighter scenes like this one)
  
  *** "A Temporary Vampire" - Barbara Emrys - A vampire discovers a captivating `vampire' actress in New Orleans. (4.5 stars - Liked the vamp & it had a nice feel to it, but it should have been longer since it offers the promise of romance but ends before it can be fulfilled)
  
  *** "Overbite" - Savannah Russe - A vampire patient gives a dentist a chance to expand his practice to the undead and to pursue his secret fantasies. (4 stars - Almost humorous)
  
  *** "Hunter's Choice" - Shiloh Walker - Seems like a spinoff from her series the leading man is a vampire and a 'hunter'. A grieving/vengeful woman turned vamp-slayer must reexamine her beliefs about vamps to keep the star of her passionate dreams when they meet again. (4.5 stars - I liked the hero and because these two had an established connection from a previous tryst the romance worked even as a short. )
  
  *** "The Sacrifice" - Rebecca York - A princess becomes a willing sacrifice to a `monster' to save her father's kingdom under seige and gains not only her kingdom's freedom but her own salvation. (4 stars - beauty and the beast theme, with a brave heroine and the noble sacrificing hero)
  
  *** "Remember the Blood" - Vicki Petterson - Two vampires are reborn without memories each year but strive to bring forward clues to `remember' each other and their love. (2.5 stars - didn't like any of the characters and the style was too vague to be engaging)
  
  *** "The Midday Mangler Meets his Match" - Rachel Vincent - An ordinary everyday vampire teen and her younger sister discover a use for their vestigal fangs when they have a run in with a killer. (3 stars - on the humorous side but a bit overboard on the `normal vamp' slice of life bits)
  
  *** "The Music of the Night" - Amanda Ashley - A phantom of the opera obssesed woman gets a chance to star in her favorite fantasy when she meets her own phantom. (4 stars - I like the tragic phantom theme in this pleasant story)
  
  *** "The Day of the Dead" - Karen Chance - From the Cassandra Palmer series, vampire Thomas seeks to rid the world of his evil former master and to aide a magical mercenary with a forbidden power to save her missing brother from the evil vamps yearly human hunt. (4 stars - Thomas is a favorite of mine and it was fun to see a bit more of him)
  
  *** "Vampire Unchained" - Nancy Holder - A return to Holder's House of the Blood/Shadows/Flame/Phoenix world. Vampire Liam's secret negotiations with the House of Phoenix cause him to be accused of treason against his clan, his punishment is imprisonment with his human lover as the only source of blood, but their love holds the key that may free them. (4 stars - a nice little carve out from her series, Holder does a good job of developing Liam and his history)
  
  *** "A Stand-up Dame" - Lilith Saintcrow - A soft touch for a dame in danger, this PI returns from the dead to solve his case. (3 stars - Sort of a Bogart with fangs, this one was okay but didn't feel very original, sort of like a P.N Elrod knock off.)
  
  *** "Untitled 12" - Cailtlin R. Kiernan - A sick woman searches until a vampire finds her. (1 star - I detested this one. More on the horror side, the vampire and the turning were truly icky, though I debated giving an extra star to the author for inspiring such strong negative feelings with so few words.)
  
  
• 
  Elle

  Like most people reviewing this there where definitely stories I liked and stories I didn't but I only found myself skipping through the pages on two stories that seemed to include fanciful details that where uninteresting and seemed unrelated. I definitely skipped the last story though. A definite warning to everyone reading that the last story in the book is drastically different and sticks out like a sore thumb!
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed a lot of them and I couldn't pick a favourite! I was surprised about the length of them and the quantity. I'd assume this was going to be a quick read but in fact took me longer than normal to get through them.
  
  I'd say nearly all the books where of high quality and although I am not a grammar fan, I didn't find that any of them where badly written. The plots where quick and although there was definitely some cringe-worthy clichés, if you are a fan of the Vampire Romance genre, then you have to accept them!
  
  I liked the balance between the more romantic stories and the more action-y ones and I have to say quite a few of them made me want more! I actually searched out the authors for more of their work as I enjoyed them that much!
  
  It gets four stars as although I think it was a great compilation of Vampire Romance stories, I wouldn't call it truly "Mammoth" and I definitely would of put a more varied type of plot in there. I know there is only so much one can do with the whole Vampire Romance but even though some stories stayed unfinished in a way, most of them had a happy ending.
  
  
  (I should point out that I am a huge fan of short stories and I've read A LOT so where others may not like the fact they don't have a beginning or an end - it's common place in a lot of short stories.)
• 
  is mee... kissa

  The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance includes 25 short stories.
  oh, and this is an adult book, it has sex scenes, so if you're looking for a YA read.... this aint it.
  
  
  Fade To Black | Sherri Erwin -a professor has a tryst with one of her undead students and becomes infected with the vampire virus \ 1.5 stars
  this story did not start out well for me, and it ended even worse. Everything moved so quickly, like the author was trying to pack everything she wanted into it, but didn't have enough space to write it all, which gave the story a really abrupt ending. I would have given this 1 star, but towards the end, and unfortunately when the story cut of, I started getting interested.
  
  Ode to Evdard Munch | Caitlin Kiernan - a musician becomes obsessed with a vampire in the park \ 1 star
  This just bored me to bits. It was kind of like a journal entry (i hate journal stories) and took on a slightly nostalgic feel. Most of the time, I was wondering what happened and where the plot was. Oh, and I couldn't really find the romance in it. i could tell the guy was obsessed though.
  
  Fangs for Hire | Jenna Black - a vampire assassin receives a contract to kill her client's stepfather \ 4 stars
  I doubt I'm gonna give any of these stories 5 stars, so 4 stars is really good. I'm a fan of Jenna Black, and this story didn't change that. I liked both the characters, which is always a plus, especially in these short stories, where i found most of the characters just plain annoying, and i didn't think the relationship between the 2 characters become all 'deep' and 'meaningful' after meeting twice. Which is great! Because it seems like most of these stories were like that, and I despise it.
  
  The Righteous | Jenna Maclaine -a sorceress and a king plan to make a law enforcement group for vampires by ensuring the meeting between a vampire and a vampire slayer. \ 2 stars
  I didn't hate the characters, but again, there was the whole relationship moving at the speed of light thing going on. It didn't really pull me in, and I felt like the author was shoving unnecessary things to make it more interesting, however, that didn't work on me.
  
  Knowledge of Evil | Raven Hart - a vampire with a thirst for knowledge meets a vampire obsessed professor who also thirsts for knowledge, only to realise that she knows he's a vampire \ 1.5 stars.
  Didn't hate it. Didn't like it. Mostly, the characters just really, really annoyed me.
  
  Viper’s Bite | Delilah Devlin - a vampire feels a deep connection with a woman, and needs to take her memories away from her \ 4 stars
  yay for another relationship that doesn't pop out of nowhere! It was more of an emotional story compared to the other ones, so it seemed like one of the better romances. I liked how it ended with a little hope.
  
  Dreams | Keri Arthur - the characters from the Jensen Riley Guardian series appear, sharing a dream before the danger hits \ 3 stars
  i liked this one more than the actual series. This one is told in Quinn's point of view instead of Riley's and there was more action than sex... which is probably why i gave it more stars than the series.
  
  Love Bites | Kimberly Raye - a vampire slayer fails her final test when she takes the vampire she stakes home instead of killing him \ 3 stars
  another one i liked. I didn't find the characters annoying, and i liked that the slayer was conflicted about her profession
  
  What’s at Stake | Alexis Morgan - a chancellor must prove the innocence of a vampire, or stake him \ 3.5 stars
  the relationship, again, was not rushed, because both characters already knew each other and had feelings for each other before the story began.
  
  Coming Home | Lilith Saintcrow - recruited by an old flame, Liana works with him to stake his sire \ 2 stars
  nothing extraordinary for me. Didn't get into it really, and i had to do a few re-reads before i understood what was happening. To be fair, i was a little distracted at the time.
  
  To Ease the Rage | C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp - a cop deals with a B&E, surprised to find that the intruder is her old partner. A partner that should be dead \ 2.5 stars
  i think most people will find this story more interesting than i did, but at this point, I was getting frustrated with the length of this book and just wanted it to finish. It was another one of the relationships where both characters already knew each other, so the actual romance was believable.
  
  Dancing with the Star | Susan Sizemore - after receiveing a telepathic cry for help at a car wreck, a vampire dreams of dancing with a man \ 1.5 stars
  unbelievable romance. They know nothing about each other, practically, except for what they've shared in the dream and that the man is a famous movie star, yet they definitely trust each other. bah. waaaaay too cheesy for my liking
  
  Play Dead | Dina James - after meeting a woman, a vampire challenges his clan Council for the right to choose his own bride \ 2 stars.
  infatuation was too quick to me and it didn't really hold my interest all that well.
  
  In Which a Masquerade Ball Unmasks an Undead | Colleen Gleason - from the Gardella Vampire series, Victoria is unable to fully pursue her love interest when she recognises that there is a vampire at the Masquerade Ball \ 3 stars
  interesting enough. It seemed like a deleted scene from the first book in the series
  
  A Temporary Vampire | Barbara Emrys - a vampire discovers a woman who performs as a mime \ 2 stars
  it was okay. there wasn't really a romance, but the story offers a the potential for one.
  
  Overbite | Savannah Russe - a dentist is given the opportunity to take on clients from the vampire world and fulfill his secret desires \ 2 stars
  different and interesting, but not enough to really get my attention. The whole teeth factor was kinda weird to me.
  
  Hunter’s Choice | Shiloh Walker - a vampire slayer re-examine's her belief on vampires when an old flame, who happens to be a vampire, appears \ 4 stars
  again, they previously knew each other, and were lovers, so the romance was believable. I liked the characters too. The woman probably was convinced too quickly of her belief that vampires were all evil, but this is a short story, so it was reasonable.
  
  Remember the Blood | Vicki Pettersson - forgetting their love for one another each year, two vampires attempt to ensure they will remember each other for the new year \ 2 stars
  i almost understood nothing from this. All i really got is that the two vampires wanted to remember each other after they forget their memories for a new year.
  
  The Sacrifice | Rebecca York - a princess willingly sacrifices herself to a blood-drinking 'monster' to save her father's kingdom \ 3 stars
  i kinda liked this one. It held my interest and the characteristics of the vampire were a little different. The foot-licking kind of grossed me out though, especially because it was the sole.
  
  The Midday Mangler Meets his Match | Rachel Vincent - a mad killer is on the loose, abducting and killing young children, so when her little sister is abducted, Kez goes after them \ 3 stars
  The romance is already happening, so it wasn't very romance focused, based mostly on the killer and the abduction, but it was still good.
  
  The Music of the Night | Amanda Ashley - a woman with a large interest in the Phantom of the Opera, gets to meet the Phantom of her interest \ 3 stars
  This isn't an appropriation of the Phantom of the Opera, the male lead is the Phantom. The romance was good because it was quite a while before anything actually happened between the love interests.
  
  The Day of the Dead | Karen Chance - Tomas from the Cassandra Palmer series is a lead role in this. His plan to kill his sire mixes itself with aiding a Jinx to save her brother \ 2.5 stars
  Never really liked Tomas, so right off, I wasn't particularly interested in the book, but it did turn out to be an okay read. The romance sort of popped out of nowhere though.
  
  Vampire Unchained | Nancy Holder - a vampire is imprisoned with his human lover as his only source of blood \ 2 stars
  didn't hold my interest particularly well, and again, i was impatient with finishing this book as a whole, so I didn't really understand what was happening at times
  
  A Stand-up Dame | Lilith Saintcrow - a PI wakes up as a vampire and attempts to solve the case of his death, or undeath \ 2 stars
  not too bad i guess, but again with the romance. Like, huh? that came out of nowhere. One minute, he's a 'disgraceful drunk and an immoral and unethical investigator', and the next, she's stripped her top off for him.
  
  Untitled 12 | Caitlin R. Kiernan - a sick woman is found by a vampire and turned \ 1.5 stars
  very different. Definitely sticks out. This one is girl on girl, so if you're not okay with that, don't read it. It was even kind of horrorish, and since the author is know for horror, it does kind of reinforce that idea. Weird doesn't even begin to cover it. The blood regurgitation was weird, i completely lost it with the dildo, and the transformation was just disturbing. I gave the extra 0.5 stars for getting such a weird response from me.
  
  
  Usually, I'm okay with long books, but it seems like a whole series of short stories just doesn't do it for me. I got really impatient to finish it, which affected my interest in the reading.
  Overall, i don't think it's worth the read, but heck, if you don't mind reading a bunch of short stories, go for it.
• 
  A.M.

  I kept expecting these to get better… and they just kind of didn’t.
  
  2 stars
• 
  ♥ I’d Rather Be Reading ♥

  Fade to Black by Sherri Erwin:(2.5 stars)
  This is a story about a woman named Miranda. She's a teacher & is bitten by a student named Connor, who is a vampire. After she's bitten, her life changes dramatically & she has some major decisions to make. This started off alright. However, the ending was abrupt & a cliffhanger. It makes no sense if she doesn't continue to write a series after this story. Perhaps if it continued & was merely a prequel to a series, I would like it more. As it's though, it left me feeling quite jipped.
  
  --
  Ode to Edvard Munch by Caitlin R. Kiernan:(1 star)
  This is about a man who walks through Central Park & whenever he does there is a girl of about 16 or 17 there. She may or may not be a vampire? He starts having strange dreams & I begin to think he's completely out of his mind. This was weird & confusing. I've never read anything by this author & although there's one more story in this anthology by her, I will not seek out more by this author.
  
  --
  Fangs For Hire by Jenna Black:(4.5 stars)
  Gemma, who is a vampire hit woman, is hired to kill a man named Ross Blackburn. Before any kill, she always does her research to make sure the person is actually guilty. When she meets Ross he's a total asshole, but something tells her that maybe he's innocent. So, she's got to find out before she kills an innocent (and very sexy) man. This was great! A perfect short story. Entertaining -- check. Sexy Man -- check. Vampires -- check. Female Lead I Like -- check. Neck Action -- doubly check. I flew through it & it's made me very much curious to check out more of Jenna Black's work. I would also love to see these characters in the future, hopefully in their own series!
  
  --
  The Righteous by Jenna Maclaine:(3.5 stars)(Cin Craven, #0.5)
  This story was the reason I picked up this anthology. It was good to hear about how Devlin & Justine met in this little story. I'm not really sure I would have appreciated it as much if I didn't already love the series, but I thought this was pretty good. It details how they met, as well as how The Righteous was formed. In case you're not familiar with the Cin Craven series, The Righteous is a band of vampires keeping other vampires from getting out of hand & killing humans. Sort of vampire cops, if you will. Overall, I liked this. I liked the interaction between Devlin & Justine. But it was also just too short. Being that I already know these characters, I would have loved to have a longer story from them.
  
  --
  Knowledge of Evil by Raven Hart:(4 stars)
  This is about a vampire named Nick. He meets Victoria, who is a vampire enthusiast & also teaches about vampire myths & legends. He's big on learning new things so he's always taking classes at different universities. So, this is how he meets Victoria. From there, things get a little interesting. I thought this was really entertaining & I really loved Nick as a main character. Victoria was kind of annoying sometimes. But, it wasn't too bad. What's funny, is that I kind of wonder if I would react to a real vampire the way Victoria did. It was fun & made me take an outsider's view on being obsessed with vampires. :)
  
  --
  Viper's Bite by Delilah Devlin:(4 stars)(My Immortal Knight, #6.5)
  In this story Viper/Daniel is a vampire. He's following a woman who appears to be from his past, although we don't really know who she's until the end. I won't say too much so I don't give anything away. But this was such a sweet, yet heartbreaking story. Her website says this is connected to her My Immortal Knight series, which I've never read. But it almost sounds more like it's from her Dark Realm series, given the descriptions of those books. I may have to check out some of her stuff because I very much liked this.
  
  --
  Dreams by Keri Arthur:(3.5 stars)(Riley Jenson Guardian, #6.5)
  In this story Quinn (a vampire) decides to stop by Riley's (a werewolf) apartment after they share a rather exciting dream. He finds her in bed with another werewolf. Apparently, this is a normal thing for her, which I find strange. But, although he's annoyed with it, he sends the werewolf off & stays. While he has other plans for them, it appears something rather strange is going on in the basement. So, they go check it out. This was entertaining & I liked Quinn. I'm not really getting the whole being okay with multiple sex partners thing. After reading some descriptions of the other books, it's seeming very much like a constant love triangle in the series (very Anita Blake-esk). I'm not really a fan of love triangles, but, I did like this story enough to add the first in the series to my to-read shelf & we shall see. I may check them out in the future.
  
  --
  Love Bites by Kimberly Raye:(3.5 stars)(Dead End Dating, #3.5)
  In this story, Danielle Blue, a Sniper of Otherworldy Beings, is on her first mission. She's being aided by her uncle at a dance club. She must find & kill her victim, Max Marchette. Danielle finds herself lusting for him, but she also has trouble making the final kill because she doesn't think he's done anything wrong. Will she be able to go through with it or will Max end up being her biggest weakness? I thought this was really fun & I really liked the characters. I got a pretty good taste for the world Kimberly Raye has already created in the series. It definitely reaffirmed that I'd like to read this series one day. The only thing that pushed it down a half a star to me was the ending. It was just lacking a bit, but I hope we get to hear more from these characters in the main series.
  
  --
  What's at Stake? by Alexis Morgan:(3.5 stars)
  In this story, Josalyn, a Chancellor (half-breed vampire), is put in charge of being an attorney to a long time friend & almost lover, Rafferty. He's being charged with murdering a human. But, knowing Rafferty, she doesn't believe he did it. So she must find out who did & why they would try to frame him. I thought this was pretty good. Entertaining enough & I liked the romance alright. The few downfalls were it didn't have much mystery or action & the romance was kind of "meh", but for some reason I still found it to be quite entertaining. I'm kind of interested about the world as well, but seeing as it looks like a standalone story, I don't think I'll be learning anything about the world. However, I think I might look into her Paladins of Darkness series. It's completely unrelated, it looks like, but I liked her writing style & would like to see more.
  
  --
  Coming Home by Lilith Saintcrow:(1.5 stars)(Dante Valentine, #5.5)
  Lillian, who is a human, but not (no clue really), was hired (sort of -- for free?) by an ex lover (or not, kinda confusing) to murder a vampire (kind of -- they're called Nichtvren in this but sound like vampires). This kind-of-vampire is Tiens' (her sort-of ex lover's) Maker. Not sure why he wants her dead, not sure why he came to a sort of human to do the job. But apparently it's super easy to kill a really old vampire because why else would he have asked her & not someone who is also immortal & as strong as one of his kind? So this is sort of a futuristic, sci-fi type of setting with futuristic guns & hover cars/walkways, etc. But, they're also talking about Hell opening up & demons coming into the world or something, plus praying to Greek gods, so I guess it's a big melting pot of every kind of paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy type thing. It's all just confusing. Perhaps if I've been reading this series this would be better. But standalone, this did not give me motivation to do so.
  
  --
  To Ease the Rage by C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp:(3 stars)
  This story is about Sylvia Beck. She's a cop & has a stalker who's been harassing her. She's trying to figure out who it is, but one night, the stalker takes things too far & breaks into her house. When she finally sees who's been stalking her, she can hardly believe it. Okay, totally random, but one thing that really did bug me about this story was that on a few occasions Sylvia mentions that she doesn't have a weapon on her. I find it hard to believe that anyone who is a cop doesn't have a single weapon in their house or on their person at all times. It's just in their nature to protect themselves in that way. I thought that was pretty sloppy & made no sense. Other than that, I liked the story. It was interesting & a little different. I liked the take on vampires. It was unique & an approach I've never heard of -- mainly what happens right after the change. I think this would make a great series. It doesn't look like it belongs to one of their current series as of now though.
  
  --
  Dancing with the Star by Susan Sizemore:(2.5 stars)
  Serephena/Stella is a vampire. She has a dream where she's dancing with "a celebrity" (we never learn his name). Then she realizes that it wasn't a dream at all, but that the celebrity who is apparently dying is reaching out to her in her dreams psychically. This was crazy cheesy. I mean...hardcore cheesy. Not only do we have some unknown celebrity, but we also have love (or something) at first sight, dancing the night away & walking into the proverbial sunset at the end. It was all just over the top. But for some reason, it was fairly entertaining. I'm not a fan of the hero being a celebrity though. It's just...cheesy. Have I said that enough? Well, it's. I don't think I'll be looking into any more of Susan Sizemore's work. Her writing style is pretty good, but the story itself, not so much.
  
  --
  Play Dead by Dina James:(3 stars)
  This is a story about a vampire named Nikoli. He's wandering around downtown London one evening when he passes a so-called vampire bar, complete with a vampire lair in the basement! He's amused by human fascination with his kind, being a vampire himself, but also a little annoyed. About to walk away, he catches her scent -- Katrina. He immediately needs to talk to her, get to know her...take her. I thought this started off pretty good. It was interesting, but the end started to get really quite confusing. It started diving into the politics of the vampires in this world. Which would be fine, had I understood them. But they weren't really explained so it left the reader a little in the dark while all this was going on. I could see this being a potential prequel to an upcoming series, but who knows; it read like that though. I was interested in it enough to read more if this were to become a series, but it was a bit confusing on its own.
  
  --
  In Which a Masquerade Ball Unmasks an Undead by Colleen Gleason:(3 stars)(Gardella Vampire Chronicles #3.5)
  In this story Victoria goes to a masquerade ball. Underneath the puffy skirts of her costume she arms herself with her stakes, just in case. While at the ball she finds herself hunting down a vampire, as opposed to dancing with Phillip, which is all she wants to do. I thought this was decent. It didn't have much of a story/climax going on at all though so that's the only thing. I was expecting some big surprise or something, but nothing much happened. After reading it & finding it's part of a series, it makes more sense why not much did. Despite that though, I liked Victoria & the idea of a 19th century Buffy seems like a fun read. I could see myself trying out the series, but this novella was a little lacking too.
  
  --
  A Temporary Vampire by Barbara Emrys:(3 stars)
  This story is about a vampire who lives in New Orleans. He's just moved there &, for the amusement of it, he likes to take the vampire tours of Anne Rice's home & such. At the end of this tour, he sees a female vampire mime. He's stricken by her & how real she looks. She intrigues him to the point that he can't stop coming back to see her & the urge to talk to her as well. I liked this & planned on giving it four stars while reading, but the ending just didn't do it for me. I probably would have liked it if it had been a few more paragraphs & wrapped up a little more. But it just seemed too abrupt for me. Her writing style was also a little weird, but bearable. I might read more by her in the future, but she doesn't have too much more out, as of now.
  
  --
  Overbite by Savannah Russe:(2.5 stars)
  This is about a guy named Sol. He's a dentist & one day he ends up having a vampire in his chair. The vampire offers to change Sol into a vampire in order to improve his business -- to bring in more vampire clientele. So Sol has to decide if it's worth it & if it will make him perfect, but also if it will help him find his perfect woman. However, he's quite specific with what he wants in a woman. So much so, that it turned me off to this story. He's a very shallow person & it was really annoying to read. I do get though that this was supposed to be a bit of a humorous story. The ending was kind of funny & I got a giggle from it, but I also just didn't like the main character at all. I'm probably not going to look into any more Savannah Russe at this time. I didn't hate her writing style, but this story didn't really give me the motivation to check her out more.
  
  --
  Hunter's Choice by Shiloh Walker:(5 stars)(The Hunters, #11.5)
  In this story a woman named Sara is on a revenge mission. Her brother & his new wife were murdered on their honeymoon. They weren't murdered just by anyone though, they were murdered by vampires. So, she feels the need to get her revenge against all of them. But, when she runs into Wyatt -- a man who she spent a glorious week with a year ago -- she's in for some surprises about vampires & about Wyatt. This was fantastic & my favorite story in the anthology so far. A perfect short story in my mind. It left me curious about the characters, who The Hunters are, the world & just the series in general. I'm definitely going to check out this series.
  
  --
  Remember the Blood by Vicki Pettersson:(4 stars)
  This story is about Ina & Alexander. They're immortals & I suppose vampires. It's never really stated that they're, but described. I won't get into too much because the surprise of what makes these type of vampires special was half the enjoyment of this story. But let's just say that it's really unique & a little bit heartbreaking, what they have to go through as immortal vampires. Because of this thing that they have to go through, I don't think it would make a good series. While it's interesting as a novella, I could see it being frustrating as a series. Overall though, I really liked this. At first I wasn't sure about it, but then I really started to like it. I think it's very sweet & romantic, but also very sad at the same time.
  
  --
  The Sacrifice by Rebecca York:(4 stars)
  This is about a princess named Morgan. She travels to a forbidden cave in search of a great monster that is of legend. She intends to sacrifice herself in payment for his help saving her father's kingdom from attack. She doesn't, however, expect to feel anything for this monster & to realize he's no monster at all. Overall, I really liked this, the characters & I liked her writing style. I could see myself reading more from this author. Great read!
  
  --
  The Midday Mangler Meets his Match by Rachel Vincent:(3 stars)
  This is about a girl named Kez & her family. They're a family of vampires & they live in a world that seems really only made up of vampires -- no humans. It's pretty much like a human world -- tv, school, neighborhood, carton blood -- you know the usual. But when a serial killer seems to be right around the corner from their house, things get a little stranger than usual. I liked this alright. It was a little different being the way the world of vampires is set up, but still pretty cool. I have a couple of Rachel Vincent's series' on my to-read list so this gave me a good preview of her writing style.
  
  --
  The Music of the Night by Amanda Ashley:(3.5 stars)
  Christie goes to Paris to see The Phantom of the Opera in the original theater. After the show, she manages to stay past everyone leaving until she's alone. But, when she realizes she's not alone, she's shocked to find out who is with her...and what he's. This was pretty good. I thought it was pretty fun & original. I didn't really connect with the characters that much & it was a little cheesy. But, other than that, I liked her writing style & the idea for the story.
  
  --
  The Day of the Dead by Karen Chance:(2.5 stars)(Cassandra Palmer, #3.1)
  This is about a vampire named Thomas. He's somewhere in Latin America. But, it's The Day of the Dead, where they celebrate those who have died throughout the country. He's in a bar & spots a girl with a gun. She seems to be a little bit stupid in that she's waving the gun around, demanding that someone tell her where her brother is. Finally, someone tells her they saw her brother heading to the church & that he'll take her there. Thomas is suspicious, so he follows after them. In doing so, his night takes quite a turn & he must help this girl accomplish a goal they both seem to have in common. This was okay. Her writing style is a little hard to follow sometimes so that brought the story down a little in my opinion. It was interesting, but I was still a little bored.
  
  --
  Vampire Unchained by Nancy Holder:(2.5 stars)
  This is a story about a vampire named Liam. He's captured by his own nest of vampires, along with his human lover, Claire. They're angry that he's taken a human lover & that Liam has been trying to create an alliance with a mixed group of beings (The Gifted, The Ungifted & The Supernatural). So, they chain them both up in a sewer to die. But Liam has some surprises up his sleeve that even he doesn't know about. This was alright, I guess. Her writing style is a little weird though & also the world was a little bit hard to understand. I'm not sure if this is apart of a series, but it doesn't sound like any of the series she currently has out based on their descriptions. Either way, the way the world & the beings in this book were described was hard to grasp & the story was a bit boring.
  
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  A Stand-up Dame by Lilith Saintcrow:(2 stars)
  This story is about a man who wakes up in his own grave. He digs himself out, but once he does, he finds that he's changed a bit. He's on a mission to find who did it to him & get his revenge. Along the way, he get's a little help from his secretary. I didn't like this one all that much. The end was a little funny, but the visuals were blurry & the way she writes is just a bit hard to follow & understand.
  
  --
  Untitled 12 by Caitlin R. Kiernan:(1 star)
  If I thought the last story by Caitlin R. Kiernan in this anthology was weird, this one takes the cake. This was truly sickening. I'm not even sure what the plot was supposed to be about, other than about how this girl is being turned into a vampire. But the way it happens is truly disgusting & didn't even make any sense. So. Freakin. Weird.
• 
  Pamela

  I'm writing a series of ongoing reviews as I read the stories in this anthology. I'll post links to my reviews as I write them.
  
  Review #1:
  http://blog.phoenixfyre.net/2008/10/0...
  ("Fade To Black" by Sherri Erwin & "Ode to Edvard Munch" by Caitlin R. Kiernan; contains spoilers for "Fade To Black")
  
  Review #2:
  http://blog.phoenixfyre.net/2008/10/0...
  ("Fangs For Hire" by Jenna Black, "The Righteous" by Jenna Maclaine, "Knowledge of Evil" by Raven Hart, & "Viper's Bite" by Delilah Devlin; contains spoilers for "Knowledge of Evil")
  
  Review #3:
  http://blog.phoenixfyre.net/2008/10/2...
  ("Dreams" by Keri Arthur, "Love Bites" by Kimberley Raye, "What's At Stake?" by Alexis Morgan, "Coming Home" by Lilith Saintcrow, & “To Ease The Rage” by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp; contains spoilers for "What's At Stake?")
• 
  Reetta Saine

  Teki mieli kokeilla toleranssia ja addiktion syvyyttä - 510 sivua. Kaikkihan tietävät, mistä puhumme kun puhumme vampyyriromansseista.
  
  
  
  Muutama hampaallinen harlekiini, paljon kahisevia silkkilakanoita ja nöpöttäviä ihankaikkia, mutta joukkoon mahtui myös iloisia yllätyksiä.
  
  
  
  Jenna Blackin palkkamurhaaja muistuttaa hiukan Janet Evanovichin Stephanieta, Savannah Russen seksistisen luuserihammaslääkärin Overbite-kehitystarina huvitti ja Rachel Vincentin novelli Midday Manglerista, hullusta sarjamurhaajasta muuttaa vampyyrit normikansalaisiksi maitohampaineen, frillamekkoineen kaikkineen. Yksi lempijutuistani oli Lilith Saintcrown A Stand-up Dame, jonka noir-tyylinen yksityisetsivä korjaa maailman yksi femme fatale kerrallaan.
  
  
  
  Perinteisiä rakkaustarinoita ei sovi väheksyä, mutta kaksi pimeää, häiritsevää ja raakaa novellia Caitlin R. Kiernanilta jäivät parhaiten mieleen.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Donna

  I normally like anthologies as they introduce me to new writers and some (like this one) have stories from my favorite authors that tide me over till thier next book. I don't know if it was just too many stories or if they were just too short but I finished feeling let down.
• 
  Suvi

  A surprisingly good anthology! :D Didn't like all of the stories, but did enjoy most of them which was a big plus! Viper's Bite comes to mind if I have to choose a favorite. :) Warmly recommended book for all vampire romance lovers! :D
• 
  Ann aka Iftcan

  I gave this book only 3 stars because some of the stories (forgive the pun) seriously sucked. And not in a good way either. Others were extremely well done, and some were excellent.
• 
  Rhianna

  A savory collection of vampire tales of love and lust, THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF VAMPIRE ROMANCE, is a terrific sampler for fans of both the paranormal romance and urban fantasy genres. With offerings from some of the new big names in the vampire sub I highly recommend this for other readers who are seeking a taste of new authors. Others, not looking for new authors, might enjoy the few that tie into current series. To keep things brief let me offer information on each short story...
  
  [FADE TO BLACK:] by Sherri Erwin, When a vampire obsessed professor finds out one of her students is one of the undead their tryst forces choices on her she never saw coming. --While I liked the whole professor-has-vampire-as-student concept the story felt like it came out of another book and just didn't do it for me. 2/5 stars
  
  [ODE TO EDVARD MUNCH:] by Caitlin R. Kiernan, Our narrorator is a musician passing through Central Park each night where he befriends a mysterious young female vampire, one whom he dreams of in so many ways. --I loved the narration but this story was very short and poetic, not really romantic. 3/5 stars
  
  [FANGS FOR HIRE:] by Jenna Black, Gemma is a vampire hitwoman who is good at her job and when a client hires her to kill his step-father over an inheritance she gets a lot more than she bargained for. --I didn't think I'd like this one but the step-father character pulled the story together and would have made an excellent hero for a longer book. 4/5 stars
  
  [THE RIGHTEOUS:] by Jenna Mclaine, In this historical, when a vampire who is charged with weeding out the bad seeds of his race meets a human slayer who stirs his blood will they remain foes, or could he prove to her not all his kind are evil? --This tale was too cliched and sloppy for my tastes but fans who love historical vampire stories might like it. 1/5 stars
  
  [KNOWLEDGE OF EVIL:] by Raven Hart, Vampire Nick Manos has sought out a chance to study at the University of Georgia just to meet Professor Victoria Lennox, an expert on vampires... and they are both seeking forbidden knowledge. --A fluffy little tale with very little conflict, was a fun romp but not a real stand-out from the collection. 4/5 stars
  
  [VIPER'S BITE:] by Delilah Devlin, Viper is a vampire with an interest in Mariah, but just how deeply does tha interest go? --I feel like anything I can say about this story would be spoilery but it was very romantic and I loved it. 5/5 stars
  
  [DREAMS:] by Keri Arthur, Set around characters from Arthur's Riley Jenson series. --I feel bad cause I've never read any of the series so I was completely confused by the story and hence did not like it, my guess is fans of the series will love the extra 'screentime' with these characters. 2/5 stars
  
  [LOVE BITES:] by Kimberly Raye, Another offering that ties into the author's series, Danielle Blue is a newly minted SOB (Sniper of Otherworldy Beings) and she's due to make her first kill, but is sleeping with the enemy really breaking the rules? --I've got one of her books on my shelf so I was able to note the reference (though I haven't read it yet) to it... light and fluffy take on the slayer/vampire dilemna. 3/5 stars
  
  [WHAT'S AT STAKE:] by Alexis Morgan, I got the impression this may be related to a series Morgan is working on but can't be sure... When Josalyn Sloan is called in to make sure the legal rights of her former friend/almost lover are being met embers of their old flames come leaping back to life. --The set-up for a mythos got me interested but I didn't really care for the hero & heroine, they felt too familiar, like a cookie-cutter formatted H/H. 3/5 stars
  [COMING HOME:] by Lilith Saintcrow, Tying into Saintcrow's Dante Valentine series, Liana Spocarelli returns to Saint City for a job. --Another series tie-in I know nothing about but written with Saintcrow's distinct voice which is sure to please her fans and interest new ones. 4/5 stars
  
  [TO EASE THE RAGE:] by C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp, There's been a break-in at Officer Sylvia Beck's home and the last thing she expects is the man she catches fleeing the scene... since he died two years ago! --Predictable but fresh, I liked the story here a lot and plan to look into these co-authors in the future. 5/5 stars
  
  [DANCING WITH THE STAR:] by Susan Sizemore, After a vampire receives a mysterious telepathic cry for help at a car wreck she later dreams of dancing with a handsome man who turns out to be a famous face. --Another very original premise that was really enjoyable and well written, one of my favorites from this collection. 5/5 stars
  
  [PLAY DEAD:] by Dina James, Shouldn't a vampire be able to choose his own bride, not have it chosen for him by his house? --I felt like this one dropped me into the middle of a series and didn't give me enough information to really understand what was going on. 2/5 stars
  
  [IN WHICH A MASQUERADE BALL UNMASKS AN UNDEAD:] by Colleen Gleason, Readers of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles will recognize Victoria Gardella Grantworth as the lead in this short story... Victoria's attempts at a private interlude with Rockley are interupted by undead stalking about the masquerade. --I've been waiting for the final book to come out before I read the series but I've been anxious so this little peek was tantalizing but not spoilerific. 3/5 stars
  
  [A TEMPORARY VAMPIRE:] by Barbara Emrys, Set in New Orleans this is a tale of a vampire looking for a new home who meets a fascinating mime. --New Orleans is so cliched in vampire stories I expected this one to be bad and I actually really enjoyed it, it was very original and a perfectly closed short story. 5/5 stars
  
  [OVERBITE:] by Savannah Russe, When a Manhattan dentist gets sucked (no pun intended) into the vampire underworld his life is forever changed. --I think this one ended up being my favorite of the entire collection because it was smutty, silly and very original, I have had Russe's books on my wishlist forever and I think it's time to buy! 5/5 stars
  
  [HUNTER'S CHOICE:] by Shiloh Walker, Sara's brother and best friend were murdered by vampires and she wanted revenge, can a vampire show her not all of the undead are evil? --This one was okay, but how many times have we heard this story before? 3/5 stars
  
  [REMEMBER THE BLOOD:] by Vicki Pettersson, Two vampires go to great lengths to remain forever tied to one another. --Fans of Pettersson's writing will enjoy seeing this offering which has no ties to her Zodiac series but the vampire mythos presented here might not appeal to many. 4/5 stars
  
  [THE SACRIFICE:] by Rebecca York, Princess Morgan of Balacord knows of only one way to save her kingdom from the invaders who have their land under seige - she must seek out the blood drinking monster known as Garon. --Fans of fantasy and traditonal romances will probably enjoy this one greatly, I found it to be pretty good though I prefer urban vampire tales. 4/5 stars
  
  [THE MIDDAY MANGLER MEETS HIS MATCH:] by Rachel Vincent, A serial killer is murdering vampire children and when Kez's little sister is abducted by the murderer she won't let him get away without a fight. --I lied earlier... this was my favorite of the entire collection - it was so different from everything else in it with it's teen heroine and her boyfriend, the idea of a vampire dominated world and all that would entail. Fellow fans of Vincent's werecats series will recognize her voice and enjoy seeing her writing something new. 5/5 stars
  
  [THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT:] by Amanda Ashley, A new take on the Phantom of the Opera story. --I'm surprised no one has done this one before (at least not that I've seen), I didn't really care for it but I think fans of TPOTO and more traditional romances will love it. 3/5 stars
  
  [THE DAY OF THE DEAD:] by Karen Chance, Readers of Chance's Cassie Palmer series will remember Tomas and soak up this South American adventure tale. --I like the series but never really cared for Tomas and while I liked the twist this story had I didn't really care for it as a whole. 3/5 stars
  
  [VAMPIRE UNCHAINED:] by Nancy Holder, Trapped in the tunnels under Central Park, vampire Liam Cadagon must protect his Gifted human lover from his fellow vampires. --Another one of those stories where I felt dropped into the middle of a series and not quite given enough details but the ending was pretty good. 3/5 stars
  
  [A STAND-UP DAME:] by Lilith Saintcrow, A noir-ish vampire tale. --Another favorite of mine, I normally don't care for Saintcrow's writing but this was so far from her norm it was delicious. 5/5 stars
  
  [UNTITLED 12:] by Caitlin R. Keirnan, A strange and very short narrative of being turned. --This one was too strange and grotesque for me and the female/female "romance" was kind of icky when normally a same sex romance doesn't bother me much. 1/5 stars
  
  Overall there were some really enjoyable quick reads, some that felt too long and cliched and a few that tied into current series. What makes it worth buying is the variety. I chose it because I wanted to read some new stuff from authors I am a reader of already and some I wanted to try that I haven't yet. Several were authors I've never heard of but may look into now that I've tasted their style. If you don't like short stories this is definitely not for you as most are a lot shorter than your typical anthology offering where an author might have 60-90 pages to tell a story versus about 20-25 here.
• 
  Lynne weir

  The Mammoth book of Vampire Romance. Let’s see what it had to offer...
  
  Book one) Fade to black by
  Sherri Erwin- Can see it as a complete novel as it leaves many questions unanswered and many facts that I would love elaborated on. I loved how the author set being a vampire as an illness, something that was passed by a horrible virus as it makes it different. I would also love to find out what happens next and to see how the love triangle turns out. 4 stars. ****
  
  Book two) Ode to Edvard Munch by
  Caitlin R. Kiernan- Slow and a bit boring. Despite good original idea for appearance of the vampire I couldn’t get myself interest, couldn’t follow or make sense of half of what was going on and basically I was glad it was so short. Harsh but true. 1 star. *
  
  Book three) Fangs for Hire by
  Jenna Black- Loved this story and I must look up the authors work. I was easily and quickly engrossed in the story, which is particularly important for short stories and enjoyed every page. Great shame it was so short as I could have easily read on for ages. Five stars. *****
  
  Book four) The Righteous by
  Jenna Maclaine-Really strangely enjoyed this. Thought I wouldn’t but I did and it ended with a bit of a cliff hanger so will have to look up this author. 3 stars ***
  
  Book five) Knowledge of Evil by
  Raven Hart- I didn’t completely like this. Some of it was good but about half way through the girl began to bug me to the point where I started to dislike her. - Though at the same time I was still rooting for him to change her and did get a bit more into it when I found myself faced with whether or not he will kill her. 2 stars **
  
  Book six) Viper’s Bite by
  Delilah Devlin- Rather interesting, I’m rooting for the couple. Come on, find him! Will be looking up this author. 3 stars ***
  
  Book seven) Dreams by
  Keri Arthur- Fun, interesting and different. Not a bad read, for a short book it worked. Really enjoyed it. 3 stars ***
  
  Book eight) Love Bites by
  Kimberly Raye- Ooh I loved this story, really loved it to the point I reread it. I will most defiantly be reading more of this authors work. Delicious. 5 stars *****
  
  Book nine) what’s at stake? By
  Alexis Morgan- A bit slow, a bit rushed at the end and it seemed a bit too tidy as well with how everything manages to sort itself out. 2 stars **
  
  Book ten) Coming Home by
  Lilith Saintcrow- slightly confusing, wasn’t sure rather I liked it or not. I mean it was good and I really wanted to find out more but at the same time some of it seemed a bit cheesy. I’ll be really nice and give it 4 stars ****
  
  Book eleven) To Ease the Rage by
  C.T Adams and
  Cathy Clamp- Right, this was an interesting book. Vampire cops, different yet easy enough to follow and understand. I liked it, I didn’t love it, I didn’t feel any urge to find out more and to read on but I did like it so three star I think is fair ***
  
  Book twelve) Dancing with the Star by
  Susan Sizemore- This story is certainly different, and I liked it because of that but I wasn’t really feeling it so only 3 stars ***
  
  Book thirteen) Play Dead by
  Dina James- I loved this story, the fact she got so much information into such a short story while managing to make it run smoothly. Well done. The ending felt a bit rushed and slightly cheesy but then its a short story so I don’t mind. Really enjoyed it. 4 stars ****
  
  Book fourteen) In Which a Masquerade Ball Unmasks an Undead by
  Colleen Gleason- I loved this story, really loved it. the character felt a bit too modern for the setting but other than that I can’t find a fault. I loved the different characters; I loved the humour and style of writing. I just loved this story. Will defiantly be checking out this author. 5 stars *****
  
  Book fifteen) A Temporary Vampire by
  Barbara Emrys- Another story I loved in this collection, another one that was different and original and that left you wishing it wasn’t so short. 5 stars *****
  
  Book seventeen) Overbite by
  Savannah Russe- I didn’t like this story at all. The main character was just yuck! Total up himself creepy guy who insisted on calling his girlfriend Bunny after the whole playboy mansion sort of thing. Also when he says he loves her and all you can tell he’s thinking from his penis and not his brain. It just bugged me and I really didn’t like it but then maybe that’s just me. 1 star * just to be nice
  
  Book eighteen) Hunter’s Choice by
  Shiloh Walker- I liked this story, didn’t love it but liked it. found it a bit cheesy and all but otherwise a nice read. 3 stars ***
  
  Book nineteen) Remember the Blood by
  Vikki Pettersson- I thought this story was so weird yet it offered this new concept on vampires, how to become a vampire and the problems you face as a vampire. So for originality I would give it 5 stars but as for actually liking it and enjoying it...well... it didn’t really tickle my taste buds so 2 stars so altogether I’ll be nice and give it 3 and a half stars
  
  Book twenty) The Sacrifice by
  Rebecca York- I don’t know why but I adore these sorts of stories. They are cheesy, weird and unrealistic yet I can’t get enough of them. They are like my guilty pleasure, the whole virginal sacrifice and big bad monster sort. I just love them and this was no exception. I loved it, and I wished it was longer because I just devoured it. I should be giving it 3 stars but I can’t, as cheesy as it is I enjoyed it and that’s the whole point of reading. Who cares about originality or grammar or anything like that, if you enjoyed it then that’s all that matters and I enjoyed it so 5 stars.
  
  Book twenty-one) The Midday Mangler Meets his Match by
  Rachel Vincent- This was fun and different and I liked it. It didn’t blow my mind though or had me flicking the pages in desperation to find out what happened next and to be honest I personally am not into the whole murder, hostage thing. It bores me I’m afraid so though it deserves I’d say 4 stars, for me personally it only gets 2.
  
  Book twenty-two) The Music of the Night by
  Amanda Ashley- This was so cheesy it was unreal and yet I was grinning till it was painful the whole way through it and downright laughing my head off at other parts and as ashamed as I am to say it (especially as a phantom fan) I loved it, it was so terrible and painful to read but I loved it. Shame on me but I have to give it 5 stars.
  
  Book twenty-three) The Day of the Dead by
  Karen Chance- I felt like this was so long and boring, I couldn’t help it. I just couldn’t get into it. 2 stars
  
  Book twenty-four) Vampire Unchained by
  Nancy Holder - Another slow story with a cheesy ending make little sense and I just didn t like it 2 stars
  
  Book twenty-five A Stand-up Dance by
  Lilith Saintcrow- I liked it and I didn’t like it if that makes sense. Some parts were confusing which bugged me while other parts told a decent story so in all I’d say 3 stars.
  
  Book twenty-six) Untitled 12 by
  Caitlin R. Kiernan- it a strange dark story that I feel I shouldn’t like...but I do which makes me feel guilty but I don’t know why. Either way it was strange but strangely I liked it so 3 and a half stars.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Elizabeth

  A collection of short stories:
  
  *** "Fade to Black" - Sherri Erwin - A professor's tryst with a gorgeous student brings a whole new meaning to `unsafe sex' when he infects her with the `vampire' virus. (3 stars - This one was pointless and not a romance, it was all set up and then a too abrupt ending.)
  
  *** "Ode to Evdard Munch" - Caitlin Kiernan - A man shares his blood with a mysterious vamp for a piece of her dreams. (3 stars - no romance and the connection between the leads was odd)
  
  *** "Fangs for Hire" - Jenna Black - When a vampire hit woman finds her oh so sexy prey is not what he seems, she just might have to consider rewritting her `contract'. (4 stars - both the leads were interesting and I like the way they found to feed their hungers)
  
  *** "The Righteous" - Jenna Maclaine - A sorceress and a King put events in play to establish a group of vampires to police their own, which is the catalyst to bring a vampire and a woman who stakes them together in Paris. (4 stars - I liked the huntress and the vamp)
  
  *** "Knowledge of Evil" - Ravent Hart - An ancient vampire with a passion for learning meets a gorgeous professor who shares his thirst for knowledge. (3.5 stars )
  
  *** "Viper's Bite" - Delilah Devlin - A solitary vampire and a lonely woman connect but he must steal her memories to keep her safe. (5 stars -the story was bittersweet but hopeful )
  
  *** "Dreams" - Kerri Arthur - Arthur's Riley Jensen and her sometimes lover vampire Quinn share dreams and danger. (4 stars - seemed like deleted scene from an early book but has the feel of the series)
  
  *** "Love Bites" - Kimberly Raye - From her Dead End Dating world, a hereditary vampire slayer flunks her final test when instead of finishing off the vampire she's staked she takes him her home to heal. (3.5 stars -humorous but a bit on the cutesy side)
  
  *** "What's at Stake" - Alexis Morgan - A legal enforcer must either prove the innocence of the vampire she's secretly loved or she must put him to death. (4 stars - more on the fantasy side, I liked this one a lot)
  
  *** "Coming Home" - Lilith Saintcrow - Dante Valentine's foster daughter Liana is hired by the Nichtvahren who broke her teenage heart to kill his maker. (3.5 stars - Even though the heroine is Liana, her internal dialog feels very much like Dante - who makes a brief appearance. Though with Saintcrow's writing style, it took two reads to understand everything that was going on.)
  
  *** "To Ease the Rage" - CT Adams & Cathy Clamp - A police officer will join with her undead partner to find the strength to protect her city from vamps that threaten the peace. (4 stars - good chemistry between the leads)
  
  *** "Dancing with the Star" - Susan Sizemore - A vampire's dreams of a dancing movie star may signal the end of her loneliness. (3.5 stars - a long dream sequence, not a fan of those, and the italics bugged me after a few pages)
  
  *** "Play Dead" - Dina James - A vampire finds his soulmate and challenges the leaders of his clan for the right to choose his own bride. (3 stars - okay, but the most interesting character was not one of the leads. But well enough done that I would check this out if it were the start of a series.)
  
  *** "In Which a Masquerade Ball Unmasks an Undead" - Colleen Gleason - Gleason's vampire hunting debutante Victoria tries to persue her attraction to Rockley while fighting off vamps at a masquerade ball with a little help and snide remarks from Max. (3.5 stars - One of the few historicals, this felt like a deleted scene from the first book, but missing the more serious events from the books which play against lighter scenes like this one)
  
  *** "A Temporary Vampire" - Barbara Emrys - A vampire discovers a captivating `vampire' actress in New Orleans. (4.5 stars - Liked the vamp & it had a nice feel to it, but it should have been longer since it offers the promise of romance but ends before it can be fulfilled)
  
  *** "Overbite" - Savannah Russe - A vampire patient gives a dentist a chance to expand his practice to the undead and to pursue his secret fantasies. (4 stars - Almost humorous)
  
  *** "Hunter's Choice" - Shiloh Walker - Seems like a spinoff from her series the leading man is a vampire and a 'hunter'. A grieving/vengeful woman turned vamp-slayer must reexamine her beliefs about vamps to keep the star of her passionate dreams when they meet again. (4.5 stars - I liked the hero and because these two had an established connection from a previous tryst the romance worked even as a short. )
  
  *** "The Sacrifice" - Rebecca York - A princess becomes a willing sacrifice to a `monster' to save her father's kingdom under seige and gains not only her kingdom's freedom but her own salvation. (4 stars -
  beauty and the beast theme, with a brave heroine and the noble sacrificing hero)
  
  *** "Remember the Blood" - Vicki Petterson - Two vampires are reborn without memories each year but strive to bring forward clues to `remember' each other and their love. (2.5 stars - didn't like any of the characters and the style was too vague to be engaging)
  
  *** "The Midday Mangler Meets his Match" - Rachel Vincent - An ordinary everyday vampire teen and her younger sister discover a use for their vestigal fangs when they have a run in with a killer. (3 stars - on the humorous side but a bit overboard on the `normal vamp' slice of life bits)
  
  *** "The Music of the Night" - Amanda Ashley - A phantom of the opera obssesed woman gets a chance to star in her favorite fantasy when she meets her own phantom. (4 stars - I like the tragic phantom theme in this pleasant story)
  
  *** "The Day of the Dead" - Karen Chance - From the Cassandra Palmer series, vampire Thomas seeks to rid the world of his evil former master and to aide a magical mercenary with a forbidden power to save her missing brother from the evil vamps yearly human hunt. (4 stars - Thomas is a favorite of mine and it was fun to see a bit more of him)
  
  *** "Vampire Unchained" - Nancy Holder - A return to Holder's House of the Blood/Shadows/Flame/Phoenix world. Vampire Liam's secret negotiations with the House of Phoenix cause him to be accused of treason against his clan, his punishment is imprisonment with his human lover as the only source of blood, but their love holds the key that may free them. (4 stars - a nice little carve out from her series, Holder does a good job of developing Liam and his history)
  
  *** "A Stand-up Dame" - Lilith Saintcrow - A soft touch for a dame in danger, this PI returns from the dead to solve his case. (3 stars - Sort of a Bogart with fangs, this one was okay but didn't feel very original, sort of like a P.N Elrod knock off.)
  
  *** "Untitled 12" - Cailtlin R. Kiernan - A sick woman searches until a vampire finds her. (1 star - I detested this one. More on the horror side, the vampire and the turning were truly icky, though I debated giving an extra star to the author for inspiring such strong negative feelings with so few words.)
• 
  Lauren

  It's not that I don't like romance, it's that I don't like cliche romance, where the girl who's never fallen in love ends up gaga over a guy she's known for three seconds and the guy is so sparkly (sometimes literally!) and of course he's a bad boy (read good guy who whine and mopes). Unfortunately this book has a lot of cliche. There are a few gems in here, a few heroines who can hold there own and a few guys with some real charm, but unfortunately most of it is oh so blah. I admittedly skipped through more than a few short stories as quickly as possible. The readers who complain about how short these stories are - really?!? I couldn't wait for most of them to be over!
  
  If romance is your thing and you like the cliche - girl/boy fall madly in love at first sight, have random sexy-sex with or without plot and go happily ever after - this is it. If you're more UF than PNR this ain't it.
  
  The list is:
  Fade to Black by Sherri Erwin - boring. Bored (and boring) teacher meets vampire student. Lusty, lust, becomes vampire, gets kidnapped, angst, vampire, angst. Bored all the way through. Push over heroine.
  
  Ode to Edvard Munch by Caitlin Kiernan - Liked this one a lot actually. It's less romance and more shamanic journey vampire style. A man sits with a vampire every night, shares a little blood and earns wild dreams. I can't do it justice.
  
  Fangs for Hire by Jenna Black - Vampire hit woman. Highly predictable. Still an amusing read.
  
  The Righteous by Jenna Maclaine - Assuming this is part of some series? One of the better reads only because the most are so terrible. A vampire king and witch set up a vampire and a vampire huntress to fall in love in Paris. Cliche but readable.
  
  Knowledge of Evil by Ravent Hart - A bored vampire goes to a class on vampires and promptly finds himself the one studied. The woman here is extremely annoying.
  
  Viper's Bit by Delilah Devlin - Actually liked this one and I'm not sure why. Vampire Daniel steals his wife's memory away again and again to protect her but he can't help going back.
  
  Dreams by Kerri Arthur - A part of the Riley Jensen series which I never got into. Okay read. Didn't change my blah feelings about the series.
  
  Love Bites by Kimberly Raye - Vampire Hunter is much of a Vampire Hunter. Ends up taking her victim home and nursing him back to health. No real interest here.
  
  What's at Stake by Alexis Morgan - An arbitrator of sorts comes to the aid of an ex-vampire friend/love. Trying for a plot, really they should have just shagged so we could move on. Cliche, stupid bad guy.
  
  Coming Home by Lilith Saintcrow - Admittedly why I bought the book. Dante Valentine fans will enjoy this but it'll leave you drooling for more back story. Those unfamiliar with Dante and Japhrimel will be pretty confused.
  
  To Ease the Rage by CT Adamas and Cathy Clamp - Liked this one. A little long, but I guess romance readers don't believe in cliff hangers, even when the author leads you to water and practically forces you to drink. A police officer finds her ex partner risen from the grave and needing a partner for his new life.
  
  Dancing with the Star by Susan Sizemore - Silly. Just silly. Vampire witnesses car wreck, dreams about a victim and goes and changes his celebrity self into an undead self. Boring. Predictable.
  
  Play Dead by Dina James - A vampire meets his soul mate one night out on the town while hunting for an enemy. Has to challenge his liege to be able to keep her. Typical romance story. Didn't find it all that interesting. Not the worst by far.
  
  In Which a Masquerade Ball Unmasks and Undead by Colleen Gleason - A vampire hunting society girl does some vampire hunting. This must be part of a series. No sexy sex goes down but I can guess who she's going with. A historical so the "no sex" thing is a good thing! Actually enjoyable. Would consider trying the series if it exists.
  
  A Temporary Vampire by Barbara Emrys - Liked this one. A vampire becomes entranced with a vampire mime (bear with me!) and meets her in person just long enough to save her. Probably one of the best in the book - a/ it meets the short story criteria, b/ interesting idea, c/ good characterization. Would look for more by this author.
  
  Overbite by Savannah Russe - Interesting. Don't know if I'd call it romance but it gave me a smile. A dentist finds a new clientele. Said clientele grants his every wish - almost.
  
  Hunter's Choice by Shiloh Walker - A woman kills vampires after her brother and best friend (wife) are killed by vampires. Then the man she spent a passionate week with have grief sex shows up and informs her and shows her the truth about vampires. (Surprise - he's one!) Did like this one.
  
  The Sacrifice by Rebecca York - A princess sacrifices herself to a "monster" to save her kingdom. Boring. Skipped through.
  
  Remember the Blood by Vicki Petterson - Very novel idea. Vampires don't age in part because they lose their every New Year. Two vampires works to keep their memories of each other alive through diaries and more. Liked it a lot. The beginning started to drag but the idea was great.
  
  The Midday Mangler Meets his Match by Rachel Vincent - Yeah! Loved this one! Everyone (?) is a vampire in this world, complete with allergy to sunlight, need for blood and "vestigial" fangs. A teenage vampire comes to the rescue of her younger sister. Yeah, there's a boyfriend in there, but by the time he comes crashing in to help teen vamp girl has got it under control with the help of her feisty little sister. Too cute. Wouldn't mind a story about this fun family.
  
  The Music of the Night by Amanda Ashley - The Phantom of the Opera is a vampire. Don't know more than that. The main heroine passed out twice and I was out. We're not talking "hit my head fighting bad guys". We're talking "Ooh, Phantom! Scary! Swoon!" Gag.
  
  The Day of the Dead by Karen Chance - Interesting, just didn't like the characters. A vampire comes home on the Day of the Dead to face his old master and becomes embroiled with a female mercenary/magic user trying to save her brother. Only liked some side characters.
  
  Vampire Unchained by Nancy Holder - Um, sex magic. Bahahahaha. Ahem - sorry. Vampire gets in trouble with the boss. He and girlfriend are left to die. Magic sexy sex saves them.
  
  A Stand-Up Dame by Lilith Saintcrow - I'm a Lili fan but she can be an extremely repetitive writer. Unfortunately I'm not a fan of the hard boiled detective thing so seeing the words "dame" and "bum" did me in. Skipped through most of it as at this stage in the book I just wanted to finish it and move on with my life.
  
  Untitle 12 by Caitlin R. Kiernan - Didn't realize it was a new story I was so busy scanning through Lili's last short. By the time I figured it out I was going WTF Lili? Don't even know what to think. Recommend skipping this one. It should have been in horror - then I might have been properly prepared.
  
  
  Strict romance and vampire romance fans will like this, others will find some good here but overall it was a huge disappointment.
• 
  Jassicca

  Review for Dreams by Keri Arthur
  
  As I'm currently reading the Riley Jenson Guardian series, I skipped the other short stories in this book and only read Dreams by Keri Arthur. The story is told from Quinn's POV, and since the main book is from Riley's POV, this is a chance to understand what is happening in Quinn's mind.
  
  The event in this book occurred after book three because it was there that they encountered the Chameleon shifters in the secured compound and the mention of a lab being cleared out. But it could be book two too.
  
  Anyhow, the main point is that it won't give you any spoilers or interfere with the story in the main book. But it might give you a glimpse of Quinn's power.
  
  The story is just enough to give you a taste for those who have yet to read the main books on what Riley and the team are facing. There are other types of creatures, lab-engineered mixed with several DNAs. It's super exciting if you could stomach the constant need for sex by the heroine.
• 
  Skye

  I kind of loved this collection. It definitely isn’t one that you can read cover to cover in one sitting – there’s only so many vampire romances that I can happily read before they start to blend into one. But as a slow read that I just picked up every now and again… it was really, really good.
  
  The short stories in this collection ranged from the classical and predictable vampire stories to ones that took a whole new spin on the ideal. Some were just sweet and some just downright disturbing. And although they all follow a similar theme, not one is the same. I now have a very long list of new authors and series that I want to sink my teeth into…
  
  For individual short story reviews, head to:
  https://earthandskye.org/categories/s...
• 
  Katie

  This is probably unfair to the rest of the short stories, but I found two of them so repugnant I couldn't rate this collection higher. Specific story ratings (in order from the Kindle version):
  
  Fade to Black by Sherri Erwin
  Three stars, interesting start! Does contain teacher/student relationship for seemingly no apparent reason, which is...strange.
  
  Ode to Edvard Munch by Caitlin R. Kierman
  Five stars, a lovely story! Very short.
  
  Fangs for Hire by Jenna Black
  Four stars. I'm not generally a fan of Jenna Black but this was a very fun romp. Heroine says she is cleverer than what her actions show us, however, which I find frustrating. Incredibly lame dialogue, but that fit perfectly with the rest of the story.
  
  The Righteous by Jenna Maclaine
  Five stars. I read a later part of this series in a short story included in
  Strange Brew edited by P.N. Elron and this additional part of the universe was very enjoyable. I think I need to check this series out!
  
  Knowledge of Evil by Raven Hart
  Three and a half stars. Well written and a nice read...but what a patronizing douchebag the POV character is. He swings right from dismissing everything she says to shoving her up on a pedestal so fast I'm surprised she doesn't have whiplash by the end. I think I would like other things by this author, but I'm not a fan of this.
  
  Viper's Bite by Delilah Devlin
  Four stars. The author's website shows this is part of her 'My Immortal Knight' series which I am not familiar with. I think it would be more fun for fans of that series and you can tell it's part of an existing universe, but it stands by itself pretty well.
  
  Dreams by Keri Author
  Three stars. This is part of the
  Riley Jenson Guardian series which I am not familiar with. Fun, but would probably be more fun if you had any idea who anyone was. Or less fun, if what the ending hints ends up happening, 'cause that's not going to end well for anyone.
  
  Love Bites by Kimberly Raye
  Three and a half stars. Entertaining. Seems like part of a series, but I couldn't find it in a ten second Google search.
  
  What's at Stake? by Alexis Morgan
  Five stars. Also seems like part of a series. Not the best plot, but I enjoyed meeting the characters and their interactions with each other and that's what I like to see in short stories. Google says it is the first part of a new series and the next book is 'THE VAMPIRE’S DESIRE'. Sounds fun!
  
  Coming Home by Lilith Saintcrow
  Four stars. A nice piece of the Dante Valentine universe. This series depresses the hell out of me.
  
  To Ease the Rage by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
  Two and a half stars. I normally like cop stories but...this was not believable. Interesting ideas, though.
  
  Dancing with the Star by Susan Sizemore
  Three stars. Reminded me of MaryJanice Davidson in all the best ways. Nice chick-lit paranormal romance.
  
  Play Dead by Dina James
  Four stars. I liked this and thought it must be part of a series, but the ten second Google search found nothing. Pretty fun, even though it uses the tired damsel in distress that I'd really like to just stop.
  
  In Which a Masquerade Ball Unmasks an Undead by Colleen Gleason
  Four stars. Thoroughly delightful and very entertaining. Phillip is such a gentleman.
  
  A Temporary Vampire by Barbara Emrys
  Five stars, very interesting.
  
  Overbite by Savannah Russe
  Three and a half stars, odd entry and not a story typically told. Great for a short story as I can't imagine many people would read a full length novel of this. It would certainly be fun to see a collection of similar stories, though.
  
  Hunter's Choice by Shiloh Walker
  Three and a half stars. Part of
  The Hunters series. It was enjoyable but didn't particularly make me want to learn more about any of the characters introduced. I think fans of the series would like this more.
  
  Remember the Blood by Vicki Pettersson
  Five stars. I've never seen this concept before and thought this taste was very interesting. This does not appear to be part of any of her series and honestly, I am glad. I don't think it would make a good series. It's an enjoyable short story.
  
  The Sacrifice by Rebecca York
  Three stars. Always like remixed fairytales and this is a nice one.
  
  The Midday Mangler Meets His Match by Rachel Vincent
  Four stars. Fun universe, fun story. I liked this one. However, that is not how cellphones work and that threw me right out of the story. The POV character's relationship with her boyfriend also concerned me.
  
  The Music of the Night by Amanda Ashley
  One star. Masturbatory Phantom of the Opera fanfiction. If I wanted that, I'd go to AO3.
  
  The Day of the Dead by Karen Chance
  Four stars. Goodreads says this is indeed part of her
  Cassandra Palmer series. I have read the first two books of that series and it really wasn't my thing, but I certainly liked this. I would have preferred the sex scene to be...more consensual, however.
  
  Vampire Unchained by Nancy Holder
  Three stars. This really seemed like part of a series, but the author's website did not indicate that was the case. This has everything; vampires, time travel, and Irish romance!
  
  A Stand-up Dame by Lilith Saintcrow
  Five stars. Fun vampire noir.
  
  Untitled 12 by Caitlin R. Kiernan
  Zero stars. Absolutely the worst entry in the entire anthology. I have no idea why it was even included. Do not read this one.
  
  
• 
  Elisa Vangelisti

  25 racconti di autori diversi. ho iniziato valutando singolarmente i racconti, per dare poi un giudizio finale, ma non ce l'ho fatta. è vero che abbandonare una raccolta ha poco senso, ma dal 15% che ho letto non ne sono rimasta entusiasmata e giungo alla conclusione che il tipo di racconti sarà sullo stesso livello. più sotto i primi, con la loro valutazione. abbandonati o terminati, ma non piaciuti. peccato.
  ☆☆ Stingersi di nero
  ☆ Ode a Edvard Munch
  ☆☆ Vampiro in affitto
  ☆ I giusti
  ☆☆ La conoscenza del male
• 
  Christina Hannan

  This is the third romance anthology I’ve read that’s been edited by Trisha Telep and this one was just as intense, if not more, than ‘Southern Gothic Romance’ and ‘Futuristic Romance’. It was definitely a lot more sensual than the other two had been, but that worked to its advantage for this anthology. I honestly couldn’t say that I didn’t like a single story in this collection, they all were quite enjoyable and played up different aspects of vampirism and the sensuality surrounding blood-sucking fiends.
• 
  Samantha

  This mammoth book of vampire romance was a little too mammoth for me. The first few stories were interesting and then I found myself drifting because there were so many of them. You can only read so many descriptions of turning-into-a-vampire-as-sexual-act and the devastating charisma of vampires without it getting redundant. I'll give it three stars because it wasn't terrible and that's sort my default.
• 
  Marilia

  If you are a fan of paranormal adult romance, especially vampires I recommend this book. The stories are hit or miss depending if you like the narrative, writing style and characters but I enjoyed most of them. The book also contains a brief bio if each writer if you want to learn more about them and their publications.
• 
  Kaye Arnold

  A bunch of short stories about.... vampires. Some are historic and some are modern. Some are good and some are not! Unfortunately, I found many of the stories lacking, so gave up just over halfway through. I think I'll stick to the authors I know and love. This book would suit someone beginning to read vampire stories..... so that at least some of the content might seem ok.