| Title | : | The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance (Otherworld Stories) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0762436514 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780762436514 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 532 |
| Publication | : | First published February 12, 2009 |
24 new short stories from the hottest names
Fall in love with someone out of this world.
If love transcends all boundaries then paranormal romance is its logical conclusion. From the biggest names around, here are 24 tales to take you to another time and place.
Let Alyssa Day, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Cheyenne McCray, Jeaniene Frost, Ilona Andrews, Kelley Armstrong, Maria V. Snyder, Carrie Vaughn, Allyson James Marland and others show you powers beyond your wildest imaginings.
Within these pages mythical beasts, magical creatures of all shapes and sizes, heart-stoppingly handsome ghosts, angels, and mortals with extra-sensitive sensory perception play out the themes of extraordinary desires.
Includes:
"The Temptation of Robin Green" by Carrie Vaughan
"Succubus Seduction" by Cheyenne McCray
"Paranormal Romance Blues" by Kelley Armstrong
"John Doe" by Anna Windsor
"Taking Hold" by Anya Bast
"How to Date a Superhero" by Jean Johnson
"Daniel" by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
"Light Through Fog" by Holly Lisle
"The Tuesday Enchantress" by Mary Jo Putney
"Trinity Blue" by Eve Silver
"Grace of Small Magics" by Ilona Andrews
"Once a Demon" by Dina James
"Night Vision" by Maria V. Snyder
"Pele's Tears" by Catherine Mulvany
"Pack" by Jeaniene Frost
"When Gargoyles Fly" by Lori Devoti
"The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife" by Sara Mackenzie
"Blood Song" by Lynda Hilburn
"The Princess and the Peas" by Alyssa Day
"At Second Bite" by Michelle Rowen
"Blue Crush" by Rachel Caine
"The Wager" by Sherrilyn Kenyon
"In Sheep's Clothing" by Meljean Brook
"The Dream Catcher" by Allyson James
The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance (Otherworld Stories) Reviews
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Before you Little Barnacles freak the fish out, let's make something real clear here: the only reason this delightful collection of *shudders preemptively* Bloody Shrimping Paranormal Romances (BSPNR™) *starts convulsing a tiny little bit* was added to my shelves is because it features an Ilona Andrews story. You didn't really think I'd willingly read 500+ pages of paranormally romantic
crapstuff, did you now? I mean, the mere thought of this anthology being in a 30,568-mile radius of Glen Cook, Craig Shaefer, Richard Kadrey and their most wondrous colleagues kind sorta makes me feel like this:
Also, I'm pretty sure my bookshelves would have done the Spontaneous Combustion Thingie (SCT™), hadn't been for Ilona Andrews' presence in this enchanting collection of most charming suicide-inducing tales.
Anywayyyyyy, this is about Grace of Small Magics and stuff. By Ilona Andrews and stuff ← this in case you didn't know. And now is the time for you to be glad and rejoice, because I won't write a full crappy non review for this story because this happens to be a reread and because I already wrote some pathetic excuse for something not even remotely resembling a crappy non reviewand because I feel lazy as fish today.This doesn't mean the thing I'm about to write won't be longer than the story it's supposed to non-review, though.
» Sooooo, the moralsssss of this reread are :
➘ My tolerance for romanticcrapstuff was obviously higher back in the days when I was a puny human. Because, let me tell you, the lovey doveycrapstuff is strong in this one. And if I had to be honest I'd give the story a lower rating than my initial 4 stars. But I'm not, so I won't, and you are quite welcome.
➘ This world is pretty cool and stuff. There are super powerful clans/families with different magic abilities, which kinda sorta reminded me oftactile tactile tactile
Hidden Legacy, which is kinda sorta never a bad thing. Becausetactile tactile tactilereasons.
➘ Invertebrates are at their friendliest and cuddliest and fluffiest when in XXL size. Theirserratedlovely teeth might slightlychopgraze your armoff, but it's just a display of affectionate kindness on their part. Yeah, these cordial little critters are positively chummy like that.
Oops. You'll have to excuse Howie, he hasn't been feeling quite himself lately. Not sure why. Maybe it has to do with digestive problems and stuff.
➘ Revenants and bodysnatchers and abominations and aberrations are yum and a little hot and quite possibly High Quality Harem Material (HQHM™). Especially when they grow wings and stuff.
➘ Hacking at things and being slightly drenched in blood is the bestest and most entertaining hobby ever.
➘ Thou shalt not, under no circumstance, trust the Andrews when they tell you their heroine is the Supposedly Lame Underdog with Super Little Magic (SLUwSLM™) type. No, thou shalt not. Because these two wouldn't know how to do a Pathetically Weak, Me-No-Kick-Ass Female Character (PWMNKAFC™) even if they tried ridiculously hard. Yep, these two are so hopelessly hopeless, they can't even do a kiddie PWMKNAFC™. *waves at
Little Helen and stuff*
➽ And the moral of the morals of this reread is: should the Wicked Authorlords decide to write a novella/full-length story/series/whatever set in this world, there's a slight chance I might perhaps be interested in reading it. Maybe. Provided96.5%some of the romanticcrapstuff was cut. Obviously.
[Original review]FriendlyWarning: I wrote this during my previous life as an underage, unalcoholified, ungloriouslynefarious puny human. You're welcome.
More! More! I want more! I think this is possibly the best Andrews short story I have read so far. Ilona, Gordon, we have to talk. Seriously. You cannot, I repeat, you cannot, leave this story as it is. It has too much potential. This is a series waiting to happen!
I love Grace, Nassar, the blood debt, the clans, their world, the arbitration… everything! I was drawn into the story from the first page and just couldn’t put it down. It finished much too soon and now I want to know what happens next! The Andrews did tie things up nicely at the end of the story but it just isn’t enough for me! I. Want. More.
I rest my case. -
Paranormal Relationship Q&A
Q: My superhero hubby has a habit of throwing expensive SUVs at villains when fighting them on the street. We’re getting sued left and right for restitution by the owners. What could I do to change this bad habit?
Super-annoyed in Texas
A: Tell your hubby to look for cheaper alternatives. If he must throw something big at a super villain, he could use street lamps instead. They’re pretty effective, and the best thing of all --- they’re owned by the government! The government wouldn’t charge your hubby for them --- they’re more likely to give him a medal for taking down a dangerous super villain instead!
Q: I’m a zookeeper in a military facility that studies paranatural creatures. Lately, I seem to have fallen in love with one of my charges, which is a Selkie. I know that I’m not supposed to do that, but I can’t help it! Especially when he parades naked in front of me whenever I come into his cage to feed him. I’m thinking of running away with it/him.
Confused in NY
A: Don’t do it! Everyone knows how human/Selkie affairs end. A Selkie (Homo Pinnipedia) uses its sealskin to travel in water, but could shed it to walk on land as a human. But they’re not human! The males have a predilection for seducing human women using magic, so what you’re feeling now might be the result of it. This only works when you’re near him. So stay away from him! He’s just manipulating you to get out of the facility. You must not let your personal feelings overcome your duty to science. Besides, you’ll be committing bestiality, which is a federal offense.
Q: I met this really gorgeous woman at a party last week and we’re getting serious pretty fast. But a church friend saw us together and warned me that she might be a “succubus”. What does it mean? She speaks with a thick Irish accent. I really want us to be together.
Paul
A: A succubus is a kind of a demon. She will ride you and take your seed and your soul to Queen Rusalka of the Unseelie Court. They all have Irish accents because their HQ is in Ireland (and not in hell, as so many erroneously believe). If you really love her, you must resist her. If she can’t take your soul after three attempts, their queen will punish her by turning her into an ordinary mortal woman. Then you will be able to be together with your ladylove. Good luck!
Q: I’m a newlywed whose wife happens to be a mermaid. She has the cutest tail and I love her Irish accent. We’re very happy together and always agree on virtually everything, except when it comes to food. She doesn’t like normal human food, even sushi. What should I feed her? She gets tired of the cat’s canned tuna after just a week.
Newlywed in Tokyo
A: Here’s a tried and tested recipe for your mermaid bride:
Ocean Treasures Salad
Ingredients: 1 pail of cut up tuna or whole mackerel, a few abalones, fresh kelp leaves.
Cut up the abalones and kelp leaves. Sprinkle with fresh sea salt. Add a liter of seawater. Mix all ingredients in a pail. Serve cold.
Q: I’ve just found out that my dad is a demon. I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do. Help!
Teen Damian
A: Yours is an increasingly common problem nowadays, with so many children from human/demon unions just finding out about their mixed heritage. Don’t worry! There are support groups for half-demons in nearly every major city in the US. Join the H.D.A (Half Demons Anonymous) group in your area. Remember, being half-demon doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to spend your life doing evil. There’s hope for everyone --- even for Lucifer!
Q: I’m reading this really thick book about paranormal romances. It’s a collection of short stories about people who date seals, vampires, ghosts, demons, Djinns, etc. A few of the stories are decent, but the rest is just unromantic, unreadable, tedious, stupid crap. I’m reading it for something called The Twelve Labors of Goodreads.* What should I do?
Sandybanks
A: Throw it away! Life’s too short to read crappy books that you don’t enjoy.
Well, that’s all for this week’s Q&A, folks. Remember, relationships with paranormal beings can be challenging, and even downright dangerous (and perhaps illegal in some cases), but if you make the effort, the rewards could be very great indeed. They’re mysterious, they have cool supernatural powers, and they ALL have gorgeous faces and hot bods! What more can you ask for?
Supernatural Dating Tips of the Week
- Unicorns hate non-virgins.
- For a vampire, 4-day old blood is fine vintage.
- If you are dating someone hairy called Wulf or similar, he is likely to be a werewolf.
- Succubi and mermaids generally have Irish brogues.
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*
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/2... -
I finally, finally finished this. Some good, some ok, some not so good. I found some interesting authors. I've had this book on my reading shelf for a long time. I would probably rate several of the stories a star lower now than they actually are, as I have started to rate a bit more conservatively in recent months.
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Very good, 5 stars:
Paranormal Romance Blues, Kelley Armstrong (vampires, demons) - FUN!
John Doe, Anna Windsor (angels) - I don't like angels, but this was a positive surprise.
The Tuesday Enchantress, Mary Jo Putney (guardians) - very entertaining, good sense of humour, I might get something longer by this author.
Trinity Blue, Eve Silver (demons, sorceres) - fun! I want to read more of this.
Night Vision, Maria V. Snyder (light bender): fun as well. The heroine is blind in daylight and has absolute vision at night. Refreshing idea.
Pack, Jeaniene Frost (werewolves): excellent werewolve story. Likeable characters. Reads like the first chapter of a book I want to finish reading.
Blue Crush, A Weather Warden story, Rachel Caine (djinn, mermen) - fabulous, loved it. Snark, humour, great characters from the get-go. I was fully immersed in the story right from the start. Taking a break right now to finally read that first book of the Weather Warden series.
Good, 4 stars:
Grace of small magics, Ilona Andrews (revenants, magic battle) - slow build-up, too fast ending, but entertaining.
Temptation of Robin Green, Carrie Vaughn (selkies, vampires, the lot...) - nice, nothing earth shattering
Daniel, C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp (vampires) - Generally not a bad plot, but the story had a very abrupt ending.
Pele's tears, Catherine Mulvaney (gods, alternate reality): Instalove, nicely written, characters I could easily relate to, story not terribly exciting, but a nice idea.
Blood Song, Lynda Hilburn (vampires, magical healing powers) - Fun, neat plot idea, a little simplistic, but might be tempted to try more by the author.
The Princess and the Peas, Alyssa Day (fae, fairytales) - complete and utter fluff, with a princess, some fae and a little humour.
In Sheep's Clothing, Meljean Brook (werewolves) - pretty decent werewolf story. Nothing earth shattering, but I already have one of her books on my shelf to check her out further.
Ok, 3 stars:
Taking Hold, Anya Bast (werewolves) - good plot idea, sounds like it could be an interesting series. Reminds me a bit of Patrica Briggs. But I did not like the tone of the writing very much.
Light through Fog, Holly Lisle (alternate universes) - a little too sweet for my taste.
Once A Demon, Dina James (demons, vampires): nice plot idea, but the characters were a little wooden. Nothing earth shattering.
When Gargoyles fly, Lori Devoti (gargoyles) - the initial idea, a woman waking up a gargoyle, is not bad. But the plot has a twist that feels rushed and not believable. And Instalove is not my thing.
The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife, Sara Mackenzie (gods, alternate timeline) - the lighthouse keeper gets a second chance.
The Dream Catcher, Allyson James (mind reading, wish fulfillment) - unusual idea, not badly written. But a bit too shallow for my taste, too sweet and characters that are too black and white. Plus Instalove.
Not for me, skimmed, 1-2 stars:
Succubus Seduction, Cheyenne McCray (succubi, faeries) - the plot was daft, the characters were silly, too much saccharine.
How to Date a Superhero, Jean Johnson (superheros) - a lot of talking, not much happening, not interested in those superheroes.
At Second Bite, Michelle Rowen (vampires) - not badly written, but it rubbed me the wrong way. Very cliched. And a man that does not like women has to be gay... Really?
The Wager, A Lords of Avalon story, Sherrilyn Kenyon writing as Kinley MacGregor (Merlin) - ramble, ramble, ramble, nothing happening, DNF. Must remember to never again buy anything by this author. Was underwhelmed by her novels, too. -
This is my favorite anthology book so far and here are the books that I really like:
The Temptation of Robin Green by Carrie Vaughn
4/5 stars
I wasn't expecting for the story to end that way. I thought it was just the usual PNR story about a biologist (the heroine) and a selkie but I was wrong. This made my heart hurt a little bit and the ending took me by surprise. I might read another
Carrie Vaughn book in the future.
Taking Hold by Anya Bast
4/5 stars
I admit I was kinda shocked to read an Anya Bast story where the eroticism is not that intense but I love this one. It was a perfect blend of suspense, PNR and sweetness.
Light Through Fog by Holly Lisle
4/5 stars
*cue sound of my heart breaking*
This shit is the most beautiful story in the book and I don't have anything else to say because sometimes, the lesser I talk the more it become beautiful.
Grace of Small Magics by Ilona Andrews
4/5 stars
WHY ISN'T THIS A FULL BLOWN SERIES?!
Once a Demon by Dina James
4/5 stars
Probably the most intriguing story of all. I was hooked by the story and I wish as hell that this wasn't just a short standalone story but a novella of a series.
Nigh Vision by Maria V. Snyder
4/5 stars
You gotta believe that the person who created Valek in Poison study can create a marvelous and one of a kind PNR romance.
Pele's Tears by Catherine Mulvany
3.8/5 stars
Spooked me a little but it was a fun second-chance PNR romance.
The Wage by Kinley MacGregor
4/5 stars
Same with Once A Demon, this is also an intriguing story. I'll be checking out this author to read more of her books.
The Princess and the Peas by Alyssa Day
3.8/5 stars
The funniest short story. Reminds me of a
Rosamonde: The Real Story of Sleeping Beauty.
Here are the stories that though I enjoyed reading them, doesn't really make an impression to me.
In Sheep's Clothing by Meljean Brook: 3/5 stars
The Dream Cathcer by Allyson James: 3/5 stars
At Second Bite by Michelle Brown : 3.8/5 stars
Blue Crush by Rachel Caine: 3.7/5 stars
In Sheep's Clothing by Meljean Brook: 3/5 stars
When Gargoyles Fly by Lori Devoti: 3.7/5 stars
The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife by Sara Mackenzie : 3/5 stars
Blood Song by Lynda Hilburn : 3.6/5 stars
Pack Jeaniene Frost: 3.8/5 stars
Trinity Blue by Eve Silver: 3.8/5 stars
Daniel by C.T Adams and Cathy Clamp : 3/5 stars
Paranormal Romance Blues by Kelly Armstrong: 3.5/5 stars
John Doe by Anna Windsor: 3.5/5 stars
Succubus Seduction by Cheyenne McCray: 3/5 stars
Stories I didn't read:
How to date a Superhero by Jean Johnson
The Tuesday Enchantress by Mary Jo Putney -
Grace of Small Magics
This shouldn't have been a short story. It should have been a full size novel. There's so much potential in this that it makes me pull my hair out because it's so short. So to put it simple, the story is really good but too damned short. It's like a delicious aroma when you know you'll never get to taste the dish. I want more stories set in this world, please!
I read all of the stories but am too tired to sit down and write a review for every single one. So to summarize some were good, some were mediocre and some were amazing. It was definitely worth reading. -
Twenty-four, that's right. Count 'em, twenty-four short stories from some of the big names in current paranormal romance...all in one fairly heavy trade paperback! "The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance" is a mammoth undertaking edited by Trisha Telep with stories by Carrie Vaughn, Cheyenne McCray, Kelley Armstrong, Anna Windsor, Anya Bast, Jean Johnson, CT Adams & Cathy Clamp, Holly Lisle, Mary Jo Putney, Eve Silver, Ilona Andrews, Maria V Snyder, Catherine Mulvany, Jeaniene Frost, Lori Devoti, Sara Mackenzie, Lynda Hilburn, Alyssa Day, Michelle Rowen, Rachel Caine, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Meljean Brook, Allyson James, & Dina James...whew! I hadn't planned to include every author, but who on that list would you leave out?
Now at 528 pages divided by 24 authors...ummm, OK you do the math. None of the stories are long , but each is just enough to give you a quickie taste of your favorite, or give you an idea of whether or not you'd like the author. Since I'd read at least one book by all the authors with the exception of Dina James, this was more of a 'quickie read before bed' book than a 'sit down and power read book'. Some of the stories are set in worlds I already knew from other books by that author with familiar characters. Others were something new and different. All but a couple left me wanting more and hoping that respective author would expand in a full-length novel soon.
Since there are so many stories, it would be difficult for any paranormal reader NOT to find some gems. The heroes and heroines run the gamut from human to vampire to gargoyle to shifters to witches and on and on. "The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance" will stay on my keeper shelf. -
I bought this book because it was on offer for 99p and I was under the impression I would like it. When I think of paranormal romance I think Margit Sandemo and that one summer where I had nothing else to do so I read all 47 volumes of her Legend of the Ice People. It was one hell of a summer.
Then I realized paranormal was big these days and there was pretty much an unlimited supply of Sandemo-like things. I was very excited, until, of course, I started reading those books.
Sandemo wrote more than just erotic fantasies about getting it off with demons, devils and all sort of murky beings. All I know about Scandinavian history I know from her books and that seems to be weirdly a lot. Those 47 volumes, going from the year 1581 to modern times, were like a crash course in in the history of Northern Europe. So where Sandemo had her historical research, the contemporary paranormal ‘writers’ have “I will just make shit up as I go”. The worlds they create are inconsistent, full of contradictions and just have a general haphazard air about them.
The writing is quite often atrocious and makes it seem like the authors have never read a serious book in their lives. And of course, I am not saying Sandemo should be awarded a Nobel Prize – her novels stick clearly to the rules and conventions of writing romance but they are very readable and not really cringe-worthy. Her writing is good enough not to distract you from the story.
So here are the flaws of this book in a list form:
1) Poor world building skills
2) No research into anything whatsoever, it’s all fantasy so just make shit up
3) Bad, bad, bad writing, some of those authors have a vocabulary of 500 words
4) Replace developing the characters and creating a believable connection between them with some dogmatic, nonnegotiable, magic “they were meant to be together” that just leaves me cold because it is a very lazy way to write a romance
5) Short stories are a very difficult form. Short stories are not mini-novels with all the descriptions of the weather cut out. Most of the authors completely failed to understand what a short story should be and how you go about writing one.
And what’s up with all those fantasy males smelling of cinnamon and cloves?
Having said all that, there were a few stories in this collection that weren’t altogether bad and I will keep those authors on my radar for when I need my paranormal fix.
They are:
Carrie Vaughn (because of good sexual tension)
Ilona Andrews (interesting world, and a gripping story for once)
Dina James (for giving some dimension to her characters)
Kelley Armstrong (for a tongue-in-cheek look at the whole paranormal craze, I liked the certain irony in it)
Anya Bast (I think mostly because I like when characters walk through snow)
Mary Jo Putney (for the male POV, and a male that is not some hunky, sexy, brooding thing but more
of a Spiderman kind of guy)
Eve Silver (there was some potential here but wasn’t fully realised, but might be interesting to see what she can do in a full novel)
Sherrilyn Kenyon writing as Kinley MacGregor (the writing was really good in this one) -
Ok how to review this, I will not talk about all those stories. So a few short lines about those I really enjoyed.
The Temptation of Robin Green by Carrie Vaughn
I did not like it at first, which is bad since it's so short, but then I liked it. A story about a zoo with paranormal beings, and it was the selkie that got me. One hot hot scene too.
Light through Fog by Holly Lisle
This was a sort of ghost story but at the same time not. And it was heartbreaking, a wonderful little story she brought to life.
Grace of Small Things by Ilona Andrews
I guess it was set in that world she writes about, with magic clans and such, not sure. Anyway clans, a hunt, and I found myself liking this little story.
Once a Demon by Dina James
I think this was my fav, what a bittersweet story, heart wrenching about a demon and love.
The lighthouse keeper and his wife by Sara Mckenzie
Neptune, the sea, a lighthouse, lost love, a good history that evolved.
The Princess and the peas by Alyssa Day
Oh I liked this one, set in a lost country long ago, with fae and magic. Even though I imagined another thing happening and was a bit disappointed when it didn't.
At second Bite by Michelle Rowan
This was my second fav. A girl, vampires, soulmates, and it was funny. I loved her style, I really can see myself reading more Rowan.
The Dream Catcher by Allyson James
A strange world, repressed passion and a truly hunky guy. I liked what she begun.
So some I liked, some I have forgotten, some were ok. These were the good ones. Though the Jeanine Frost was kind nice too. Still I am not a short story girl, I want more, a beginning, an end, more! I need a long story. -
I got this strictly for the Ilona Andrews short story, and it was FANTASTIC. It's a stand alone--nothing to do with either The Edge, or Kate Daniels (or Kinsman if you're a true, die-hard Ilona Andrews fan), and it was amazing in a way that short stories and novellas seldom are. It always surprises me (though I should be used to it by now) how in a few short pages, the Andrews can create a tangible world with characters you care about.
Love, love, LOVED it. -
The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance edited by Trisha Telep
4.5 starsI’m doing this review differently. I’ll list the title, author, my rating on the story, what it’s about, and thoughts (if I have particular ones). This is a collection of 24 short stories that focus on the paranormal. Let’s move on to the first story.
The Temptation of Robin Green by Carrie Vaughn
3 stars
This story focused mainly on selkies. The story was interesting and I think I could’ve loved it if it hadn’t been lacking in characters and depth. It’s not every day in the paranormal world you find a story about selkies, but when you do you hope they are amazing since they are such a rarity, but this one didn’t live up to my standards and was extremely lacking.Succubus Seduction by Cheyenne McCray
5 stars
This story focused on a succubus (Lilin) and an ex-incubus (Archer {it’s a long story}). This is one of my favorites of the collection. I loved the storyline and just everything all together. The story was intriguing and I was just swept away by how fantastic it was.Paranormal Romance Blues by Kelley Armstrong
4.5 stars
This one is about Melanie, a half-demon and a string of vampire murders being investigated and she ends up meeting a human named Carter. I had expected a lot more from Armstrong. I’ve heard such amazing things about her work and was a little disappointed. I had been expecting an amazing story, it wasn’t terrible, but it was nowhere near what I was expecting.John Doe by Anna Windsor
5 stars
This story focuses on angels. This story was absolutely amazing. I mean amazing, I was blown away. It was just so good. Shant and Dutch were such an interesting couple. I wish this was a novel, because it was just way too short.Taking Hold by Anya Bast
3.5 stars
This story focuses on a human helping a wolf pack find a young boy that went missing. I liked the chemistry between Lilin and Mac, but I felt the story was missing something when I was reading it.How to Date a Superhero by Jean Johnson
5 stars
The title should say it all. I thought it would be some regular human dating a superhero. Nope it was two superheroes. This story was really interesting and I definitely enjoyed it. I just wish there would’ve been more action, but the romance was nicely done and the story was cute and won me over.Daniel by C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp
4.5 stars
Daniel is a vampire and Karen is his lover. I think the only reason I’m giving it 4.5 stars is because I’m a fan of Adams & Clamp. If it wasn’t for that I would probably only give it about 3 stars. The story wasn’t all that interesting and I didn’t feel much attraction between Karen and Daniel, but that ending was totally awesome.Light Through Fog by Holly Lisle
5 stars
This story is about two humans in love, but as we go through the story there’s a big twist. Sam and Sarah knew they were meant for each other. When Sam dies in a car accident Sarah is torn, but when she visits her and Sam’s special place and meets his ghost, they spend the night and as much time together as they can. There was also a parallel universe thrown in where Sarah died and Sam was alive and Sarah was the ghost. I loved this story. It was beautiful, heartfelt, touching and I cried. This story was beautiful and amazingly told.The Tuesday Enchantress by Mary Jo Putney
4.5 stars
A Guardian is basically a type of magic user. The relationship between Charlie and Maggie is cute, but it was way too short. I actually really enjoyed the aspect of the Guardians and their world. I’ll definitely check out the series.Trinity Blue by Eve Silver
5 stars
Sorcerers/ vampires would be the easiest way to sum up what this novel is about. Jen and Daemon are an interesting couple and I really enjoyed this little story. I read one of Silver’s works before I read this and was somewhat disappointed with it, but I really loved this story. I wish this story was an actual novel. I loved everything about it.Grace of Small Magic by Ilona Andrews
5 stars
I had heard marvelous things about Andrews, but have always been iffy about adding her books to my TBR list, but this changed any doubt I had in my mind. Grace comes from a family that works for revenants (I don’t want to give away the story, since it’s just so good) and when she is summoned to compete in a dangerous game with Nassar it’s time she try to set things right. I loved this. Andrews in an amazing writer and I regret being so hesitant about reading her work, the story was fast-paced at times, but I thought it fit well with the story. I wish the relationship between Grace and Nassar would’ve been touched on more, but it was just starting to develop which is understandable when it comes to writing a short story. I’m definitely looking forward to picking up her work in the future.Once a Demon by Dina James
4 stars
Kyle is an ex-demon who recounts his story to Katrina about a love gone wrong and the consequences it came with. This story was really sad, but I felt it was lacking a certain something. I did enjoy reading Once a Demon, but I didn’t love it. The world created wasn’t really touched on and it bothered me, but Kyle’s story made up for it.Night Vision by Maria V. Snyder
4 stars
Sophia a lightbender who doesn’t go out into the sunlight or interact often with humans, on a random night she witnesses something she wasn’t supposed and meets, Mitch, a man who can help her get over her fears. I liked this story and enjoyed reading it, but I didn’t really like the romance between Mitch and Sophia. It was supposed to be a romance, but it just felt like a developing friendship. Sophia’s ability to bend light was very interesting and probably one of the most unique things I’ve come across in PNRs.Pele’s Tears by Catherine Mulvany
3 stars
Pele’s Tears focuses on Dillan and Noelani who embark on a mission to prove that Noelani’s grandmother didn’t commit suicide and encounter the goddess, Pele, along the way. I liked Pele’s Tears and I usually love anything with mythology, but this mythology was lacking and I think it was just thrown in for the sake of the collection it was featured in. If the mythology would’ve gone in the story more, flowed, I think this book would’ve been at least 4.5 stars.Pack by Jeaniene Frost
5 stars
Marlee is attacked by a werewolf and starts to experience the transformation. Daniel is her enforcer and watches her every move. Marlee’s choices are to be a werewolf or to be killed because they can’t risk their secret getting out. I have never read Jeaniene Frost before! I know, I know that’s a terrible thing to say if you’re a fan of adult PNR. Every time I go to the library to get a book from her they never have the first one in the Night Huntress series, so it’s not entirely my fault. Jeaniene Frost is amazing! I can see why everyone raves about her, she’s a gifted writer and she creates such a vivid, unique world in area that’s common. I liked the place these werewolves lived, but I especially liked Daniel. I wish this would’ve been a novel. I have absolute faith it would’ve been an amazing one.When Gargoyles Fly by Lori Devoti
5 stars
Mord is a gargoyle who has been asleep for thousands/hundreds of years and Kami who has a unique ability to awaken gargoyles and their enemies the chimera. I’ve never read about gargoyles before, but I’m quite impressed. I like gargoyles for some strange reason and wish there were more novels about them because they are just so interesting. Chimera, you say? Sounds familiar, well if you read Daughter of Smoke and Bone it should be. The only complaint I have is that I want more of this story because it felt somewhat rushed and short. I want more gargoyles!The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife by Sara Mackenzie
4 stars
Isabel “Izzy” is a reincarnated human to Ezekiel “Zek”, a lighthouse keeper. I liked the story, but I was kind of just like “What, wait, why is Neptune here and where did he come from, better yet whose this Sorceress lady?” I liked the story and the romance, but it was really out there and random.Blood Song by Lynda Hilburn
3 stars
Grace is a human with a special ability (healing with her voice in song) and Ethan is a vampire that falls in love with Grace. I liked the story, but it’s not worth raving about and it was average, cheesy, and weird. Why does Grace have this ability and what exactly happened at the end? The end hardly made sense and I had to reread it five times.The Princess and the Peas by Alyssa Day
4.5 stars
Faeries! Yes, faeries. I like faeries because I don’t read very many faeries stories because I don’t want to get tired of them. Lucy is a human servant to this bitch-princess (I forgot her name) and Rhys a fae comes to the court to make peace with Lucy’s race. I liked this story it was adorable and cute, but why did Rhys have to be who he turned out to be it seemed so weird and misplaced? That’s pretty much my only complaint with this story, but other than that I pretty much loved this story.At Second Bite by Michelle Rowen
5 stars
Julia is at a club when Evan Frost walks up to her and starts sprouting sonnets and talk of how they are soulmates. While running away from him she bumps into his brother, Henry, who wants Julia dead. This story was hilarious and I loved it. I had come across Rowen on Goodreads and was curious about her work. It’s obvious she’s a talented writer and she can come up with great, unique story lines. Henry was sexy and I was rooting for him the minute he was introduced. I like the bad boys. ;)Blue Crush by Rachel Caine
4 stars
Jo is a Weather Warden (I don’t really know what that is since I have yet to read the series) and her boyfriend, David is a Dijinn (genie), they are relaxing on the beach when a strange drowning occurs and they uncover something that is a lot worse than they sound. They encounter merpeople.
They look similar to that not like Ariel, sorry. I’m definitely interested in the Weather Wardens now and will be looking for them whenever I get the chance.The Wager by Sherrilyn Kenyon (written as Kinley MacGregor)
4.5 stars
The story is really hard to explain and I think the easiest way is Merlin. Yep that’s right Merlin. I’m slightly curious in reading this series, but I don’t know if I want to. I love Kenyon, she’s probably my favorite author, but I don’t know if I’ll like her series as much as her others because I didn’t really connect with the characters.In Sheep’s Clothing by Meljean Brook
4.5 stars
Emma Cooper was on her way back home when she was attacked and she rekindles a relationship with her ex, but first she has to reveal a secret… she’s now a werewolf. I liked In Sheep’s Clothing, but at the same time I don’t feel the need to rave about it. Read it and decide for yourself if you love, like, or hate it.The Dream Catcher by Allyson James
5 stars
Natalia is the black sheep in her society and is constantly being judged when she goes to a party and is publicly humiliated by having Ochen a dream catcher read her thoughts. I loved this story. I have never read something so unique before. I mean dream catchers are this really cool race in this story and I just don’t want to ruin the awesomeness. This story was just so good; all I want to do is gush.I was introduced to a lot of new authors and I’ll definitely try to check them out, some I’m more interested in others, but I definitely want to get my hands on a Jeaniene Frost and Ilona Andrews novel more than anything. Fingers crossed that once I get my hands on these writers work they’ll blow me away.
Cover Thoughts: I think the cover is sexy. I don’t know it’s just something about it that makes me want to howl at the moon. :D
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Nothing to write home about, that's for sure. There were a couple of good stories in here, but were unfortunate to share space with other not-so-good stories, and so seemed rushed and not long enough. The potential was there, though.
The Good:
Paranormal Romance Blues by
Kelley Armstrong (good humor)
Taking Hold by
Anya Bast (wanted to read more about Mac and Lily)
How To Date a Superhero
Jean Johnson (it promised, but didn't show the "big scene")
Trinity Blue by
Eve Silver (again, wanted to read more)
Grace of Small Magics by
Ilona Andrews (the absolute best in the bunch)
Night Vision by
Maria V. Snyder (interesting premise, too little space)
Pack by
Jeaniene Frost (what's not to love about werewolves, especially hunky ones, although the heroine was the most annoying one of the bunch)
The Dream Catcher by
Allyson James (definitely not long enough)
The So-So: (with a little more work, and more plot, they might've worked)
John Doe by
Anna Windsor
Light Through Fog by
Holly Lisle
Once A Demon by
Dina James
The Princess and the Peas by
Alyssa Day
At Second Bite by
Michelle Rowen
In Sheep's Clothing by
Meljean Brook
The Bad: (utterly unnecessary, IMO)
The Temptation of Robin Green by
Carrie Vaughn
Succubus Seduction by
Cheyenne McCray
Daniel by
C.T. Adams and
Cathy Clamp
The Tuesday Enchantress by
Mary Jo Putney
Pele's Tears by
Catherine Mulvany
When Gargoyles Fly by
Lori Devoti
The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife by
Sara Mackenzie
Blood Song by
Lynda Hilburn
Blue Crush by
Rachel Caine
The Wager by
Kinley MacGregor -
First read: July 2009
Original rating: 3/5 stars
Re-read: October 2021
New rating: 4/5 stars
“The Temptation of Robin Green” by Carrie Vaughn - 5/5 stars FAVOURITE
“Succubus Seduction” by Cheyenne McCray - 4/5 stars
“Paranormal Romance Blues” by Kelley Armstrong - 4/5 stars
“John Doe” by Anna Windsor - 4/5 stars
“Taking Hold” by Anya Bast - 4/5 stars
“How To Date a Superhero” by Jean Johnson - 4/5 stars
“Daniel” by C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp - 3/5 stars
“Light Through Fog” by Holly Lisle - 5/5 stars FAVOURITE
“The Tuesday Enchantress” by Mary Jo Putney - 3/5 stars
“Trinity Blue” by Eve Silver 3.5/5 stars
“Grace of Small Magics” by Ilona Andrews - 5/5 stars FAVOURITE
“Once A Demon” by Dina James 3/5 stars
“Night Vision” by Maria V. Snyder 2/5 stars
“Pele’s Tears” by Catherine Mulvany 2/5 stars
“Pack” by Jeaniene Frost 5/5 stars FAVOURITE
“When Gargoyles Fly” by Lori Devoti - 4/5 stars
“The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife” by Sara Mackenzie - 4.5/5 stars
“Blood Song” by Lynda Hilburn - 4/5 stars
“The Princess and the Peas” by Alesia Holliday - 4/5 stars
“At Second Bite” by Michelle Rowen - 5/5 stars FAVOURITE
“Blue Crush” by Rachel Caine - 5/5 stars FAVOURITE
“The Wager” by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 3.5/5 stars
“In Sheep’s Clothing” by Meljean Brook - 4/5 stars
“The Dream Catcher” by Allyson James - 4/5 stars -
Great variety... not so great quality...
A widesweeping selection of paranormal fables of the romantic persuasion, THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF PARANORMAL ROMANCE, is a tantalizing sampler for fans of both the paranormal romance and urban fantasy genres. Filled with short stories from some of the biggest names—and some little known—in paranormal romance and urban fantasy I highly recommend this for other readers who are seeking a taste of new authors or to try something from an old favorite. To keep things brief let me offer information on each short story...
[THE TEMPTATION OF ROBIN GREEN:] by Carrie Vaughan, Lieutenant Robin Green's work at the Center for the Study of Paranatural Biology introduces her to some strange and interesting creatures of myth and legend, one of which may steal her heart. -- This was classic Vaughan and fans of her Kitty Norville series will recognize a familiar face at the center. 4/5 stars
[SUCCUBUS SEDUCTION:] by Cheyenne McCray, Lilin, a succubus, has been charged by the queen of the Unseelie Court to seduce Archer Dane and bring her his soul... but Archer won't be won so easily. -- Definitely more erotic than romantic this was an okay story but not really my thing. 3/5 stars
[PARANORMAL ROMANCE BLUES:] by Kelley Armstrong, Half-demons looking for love in all the wrong places. -- I'm known for not caring for Armstrong's writing style and unfortunately this one didn't help win my fandom. 1/5 stars
[JOHN DOE:] by Anna Windsor, Celebrating her 30th birthday working the late shift at the Riverview Psychiatric Hospital would be really boring for Dutch Brennan if it weren't for the interesting new arrival. -- An interesting mythology and okay premise, fans of her Dark Crescent Sisterhood should like this one. 3/5 stars
[TAKING HOLD:] by Anya Bast, Human nurse, Lily, has volunteered to help in the search for a lost young werewolf with Mac, the wolf she's got a jones for. -- One of the most well executed plots in the collection, this actually felt like a complete story, nicely done. 4/5 stars
[HOW TO DATE A SUPERHERO:] by Jean Johnson, Partnered superheroes struggle to find a way to balance their conflicted feelings toward each other without endangering the team. -- Love a good superhero story but this one felt reeeeeally cheesy and more about sexual attraction than romance. 2/5 stars
[DANIEL:] by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp, When a process server gets tangled up with a sexy vampire and his master things could get nasty. -- This one felt like a reject from the Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, not much story or romance. 1/5 stars
[LIGHT THROUGH FOG:] by Holly Lisle, When Sarah's husband Sam died all that was left to connect them was their tree and a mysterious magic in the fog. -- By far the stand-out story of the bunch, vividly imagined, extremely romantic and touching, doesn't quite make up for the less-than-stellar rest of the collection but a must-read! 5/5 stars
[THE TUESDAY ENCHANTRESS:] by Mary Jo Putney, It's not everyday Charlie meets a gorgeous fellow Guardian but this might be his lucky day... or a really, really unlucky one when the two are put in a hostage situation. -- Haven't read the series this ties into but I think I want to now, this story was really clever, the characters very real and likable, loved it! 5/5 stars
[TRINITY BLUE:] by Eve Silver, Jen's love-life heats up when she hires a mysterious drifter to help with some painting around her grandmother's house, but could he have something to do with an equally mysterious murder? -- This one ties into Silver's Compact of Sorcerer's series (I think?) and therefore was a little confusing but wasn't too bad. 3/5 stars
[GRACE OF SMALL MAGICS:] by Ilona Andrews, When warring mage clans clash Grace not only discovers that her family is essentially owned by one of them or that she must now fight beside her new master but that there's a lot more to herself and her master than meets the eye. -- Not sure if this one ties into one of Andrews' series but was a very interesting concept and an okay story. 4/5 stars
[ONCE A DEMON:] by Dina James, Kyle prefers his solitude but when a friend offers a chance to speak of the love he lost it may lead to his salvation. -- Loved the ending but the pace was really slow and tedious overall. 4/5 stars
[NIGHT VISION:] by Maria V. Snyder, Most of her life Sophia has hidden from those who would use her unusual gifts but perhaps putting them to use in the right ways could be a good thing. -- Another interesting concept delivered in an okay package but didn't really wow me. 3/5 stars
[PELE'S TEARS:] by Catherine Mulvany, Dillon Makua never forgot his first love and when she comes crashing back into his life to solve the mystery of her grandmother's suicide maybe Neolani hasn't forgotten him either. -- I'm a sucker for Hawaiian mythology being used in fiction and I love first love reunion stories so this one was a favorite. 5/5 stars
[PACK:] by Jeaniene Frost, Getting lost in the woods alone has definitely gotten Marlee in over her head when she gets attacked and rescued by two very different wolves. -- My first taste of Frost's writing and I like it, am guessing her fans will too. 4/5 stars
[WHEN GARGOYLES FLY:] by Lori Devoti, When Mord the gargoyle is awakened by Kami after a hundred years of slumber the world of humans could be in mortal danger. -- Ugh, a too-stupid-to-live heroine and a really one-dimensional hero killed what could have been a cool gargoyle story. 1/5 stars
[THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER AND HIS WIFE:] by Sara Mackenzie, Sent back from purgatory to right a past wrong, Zek strikes a bargain to see his wife in her reincarnation one more time. -- An okay romance and a slightly confusing mythos make for an okay story. 3/5 stars
[BLOOD SONG:] by Lynda Hilburn, Ethan is a vampire who gets stuck on clean-up duty when he meets the enigmatic sound-healer Grace and what their meeting brings is simply magic. -- Liked the characters and I thought the sound healing was pretty cool but some will find it hokey or even cheesy, def not for every reader. 4/5 stars
[THE PRINCESS AND THE PEAS:] by Alyssa Day, A princess, 'peas' made of iron and a gathering of fae are all it takes for trouble and romance in this tale. -- Humorous and original if pushing into silly territory. 4/5 stars
[AT SECOND BITE:] by Michelle Rowen, Evan Frost is convinced that Julia is his soulmate reincarnated and when his brother Henry tries to kill her things get even more confusing. -- I tried to like this one but the romance felt very contrived and the concept just didn't work for me. 2/5 stars
[BLUE CRUSH:] by Rachel Caine, Joanne and David from the Weather Warden series spend a day at the beach saving lives, kicking booty and getting a little frisky. -- I've only read the first book in the series so not sure where this tale should fall but I think this is definitely for fans of the series only. 3/5 stars
[THE WAGER:] by Sherrilyn Kenyon, A strangely narrated Lords of Avalon tale of loving and pissing-off the wrong woman. -- This might have been okay but the narration was sooo badly done (and I normally like Kenyon). 1/5 stars
[IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING:] by Meljean Brook, Five years ago Emma left Oregon and Nathan behind but when she comes home and faces off with a murderer she and Nathan will need one another to bring the bad guy down. -- I actually really liked this one, it was believable and not too predictable. 5/5 stars
[THE DREAM CATCHER:] by Allyson James, Set in an unusual world where high society humans no longer have sexual relations a creature meant to fulfill fantasies of all kinds will awaken Natalia to the pleasure and joy of her secret desires. -- Unique, intriguing and a nice cap to the end of this collection... I dunno why this felt a little steampunk to me but it did. 4/5 stars
As a whole I felt that this collection had a few strong tales but was mostly a very random selection of stories with paranormal elements. There was definitely a lot of variety in concepts (fae, gargoyles, selkies) but a sad lack of quality storytelling. I think most fans of the paranormal romance genre won't find this to their taste. There are a few vampire stories, a couple of shapeshifter ones and lots of magic users but it was missing the really juicy sensuality and deeply heart-felt romance most of them (us!) want to find in something like this. -
Average rating ≈ 2.6
Short stories generally work best as snapshots and it takes a strong writer and/or ruthless editor to pull them off. I wasn't sure how effective shorts would be in this genre as believable romances tend to need a fair degree of fleshing out and, unfortunately, most of these stories were underwhelming. The best delicately wove in emotion, back story, and with it, credibility. The worst ones fell to tropes and instalove. Sadly, none involved any LGBT+ romance. A mini review for each follows:
The Temptation of Robin Green by Carrie Vaughn
2 stars
Selkies are a vastly untapped well of potential for this genre and I was glad to see one feature. I disliked the military aspect and the decision to keep animals, humanoid or not, in cages but I was pleased at the open ending; that we never quite know whether the human or the selkie was really the instigator, whether it was lust or an elaborate escape plan or a bit of both.
Succubus Seduction by Cheyenne McCray
2 stars
I enjoyed the period of succubus learning to be human, although this was somewhat diminished by my inability to believe that the hero didn't phone the police on her several scenes before. A sexy stalker is still a stalker. Considering how sexual both protagonists are in this story, I found it disturbing how dismissive the heroine is of sex workers, throw away comment or not. The whole thing felt a bit as though she was saved from her horrible life of magic and casual sex by waiting for the right man. Umm, no thanks. I'll keep the magic.
Paranormal Romance Blues by Kelley Armstrong
4 stars
One of the best. It takes the piss out of its own genre. The heroine is over vampires (who isn't?), terribly jaded from dating paranormals, and could really just do with a nice, normal guyTM. She's snarky and has largely inconvenient powers and I just loved her.
John Doe by Anna Windsor
3 stars
Fairly enjoyable. A touch of humour and fairly believable for the most part (although I can't help but wonder why you'd spend a week travelling by wing when you could just get a plane...). Some Armenian mythology seems to be woven in here and I would've loved a footnote or glossary or something to elaborate.
Taking Hold by Anya Bast
4 stars
Smouldering is how I'd describe the chemistry in this story. The characters are well developed and somehow just fit together. It's not instalove; it's connection and it's done really well.
How To Date a Superhero by Jean Johnson
1 star
I hated this story. HATED it. I don't care for jealousy or catfights or the way this heroine thinks she's entitled to a man just because - wait for it - their boss rostered them together. Get over yourself woman! And stop shaming another woman for being flirty. He isn't a possession you psycho!
Daniel by C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
2 stars
A bit grungy. I'm over vampires, but it wasn't bad and I was amused by the holy water in squirt gun technique. I am a bit perplexed that a short story with only one voice needed two authors but perhaps that's simply their thing.
Light Through Fog by Holly Lisle
4 stars
The most emotional story by a very long shot.
The Notebook ending, kick in the chest, kind of a story. I was near to tears for much of the read. I felt the family estrangement was a bit overdone, but other than that, a very romantic tale.
The Tuesday Enchantress by Mary Jo Putney
3 stars
A sole male protagonist which is a rarity in this genre. "Who said that nothing ever happened on Tuesdays?" is its concept, with magic users of varying abilities meeting by chance in a robbery at an NYC bodega. The story was mildly humorous and I liked one of the secondary characters, Rajiv. I could've done without the magical soulmates stuff though.
Trinity Blue by Eve Silver
3.5 stars
Sweet. I loved the touch of the wallpaper - it's in these specific gestures that you feel a real connection between people. It's not generic instalove. It's someone who cared enough to do something kind and meaningful. The romance still seems to have moved a bit too fast but hey - let's just roll with it.
Grace of Small Magics by Ilona Andrews
4.5 stars
One of my favourites. If this was expanded into a full length book, I'd 100% read it. I loved so much about it, but particularly that the hero makes it very clear that he won't start anything with the heroine until she is entirely free to choose. It's a powerful sentiment.
Once a Demon by Dina James
1 star
Hated it. A melodramatic tale that takes itself and its genre way too seriously. Also, vampires disguised as ennui-ridden, blood-drinking demons are still basically vampires and is anyone not over vampires? The weird sort-of flirtation with a moronic secondary character seemed a bit misplaced too.
Night Vision by Maria V. Snyder
2 stars
I've expressed in many many reviews that I'm over Maria V. Snyder and I'm sorry Snyder, but you haven't changed my mind.
Pele’s Tears by Catherine Mulvany
2 stars
I SHOULD have loved this take on Hawaiian mythology. The world NEEDS more exploration of non euro-centric legend. It should have been fascinating. Frankly, though, this felt more like a thriller than a romance because - even knowing the genre and having an idea of the concept - I couldn't shake the notion that someone was just fucking with the characters and it was creepy af. Almost as creepy are the characters each waiting for someone they kissed once at ages 13 and 14 respectively. Because obviously that person you kissed at 13 is the love of your life, aren't they? It's ridiculous. It would've been far more poignant to actually tell the story of the grandmother, collecting Pele's tears.
Pack by Jeaniene Frost
2 stars
I was intensely fucking creeped out by wolves speaking. In human words, whilst in wolf bodies, in case that wasn't obvious. Then I started thinking about furries and, honestly, there was no coming back from there. The whole thing disintegrated into instalove and any opportunity to look at why a wolf who lost his mate to a hunter might want to hurt the hunters back was evaded. Disappointing, really.
When Gargoyles Fly by Lori Devoti
2 stars
Gargoyles are another under-explored creature and I was glad to see one featured. I liked the idea of a sculptor who could bring creatures to life but I found the heroine to be a bit of a drip. She's all-in after a day or so of meeting this guy and her moping and sobbing and whatnot was more annoying than sympathetic.
The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife by Sara Mackenzie
3 stars
I'm struggling to come up with much to say about this story so that, I suppose, says it all. Not bad but not particularly memorable either. I wish Izzy had a bit more personality and that I understood where the sorceress came from.
Blood Song by Lynda Hilburn
1 star
Another bloody vampire and a special snowflake heroine who apparently can cure cancer and revive the undead with the power of her song. Are you kidding? No, thanks.
The Princess and the Peas by Alesia Holliday
4 stars
Another favourite! This reminds me of something
Patricia C. Wrede would write and that is high praise indeed! A funny fairytale - what more can you want?
At Second Bite by Michelle Rowen
2 stars
A fairly bizarre meet-cute at the "Meet Market". Vampires. Again. Boo. Also instalove again. Boo. But I did like that the heroine wasn't a total pushover and I did smile at the thought of a bitchy soulmate being reincarnated as a pit-bull - and that her soulmate still wanted to meet her!
Blue Crush by Rachel Caine
2 stars
Mildly enjoyed. I like a woman who can stand up for herself and I like the idea that someone who can manipulate an element might be seen as a threat by that element - in this case, the ocean - and that it might try to fight back. This isn't crucial to the story, but is something I've never thought of or seen explored before.
The Wager by Sherrilyn Kenyon
2 stars
One for the fans of Arthurian legends, this one! Ever wondered where
Thomas Malory got his ideas?Then you don't know much about him.I kid, I kid! The Wager gives a fantastical version of events leading up to the authorship of
Le Morte D'arthur. An interesting premise, with middle of the range execution.
In Sheep’s Clothing by Meljean Brook
3 stars
A werewolf story, in case you couldn't guess, complete with serial killer for added drama. The romance actually works quite well here in that the characters have plenty of backstory to reinforce their relationship. Some major decisions are made pretty rashly; I would prefer the story had been left a little more open-ended. I would like to see a book with Aunt Letty as heroine - she seems like a bit of a legend!
The Dream Catcher by Allyson James
3.5 stars
A smutty grand finale. The premise is interesting and certainly something I'd like to see filled out into a full book. There are two main types of people herein - the wealthy upperclass who are taught to shun any expression of emotion or sexuality - and the dream catchers - supernatural beings who live on emotion and are able to create fantastical dreams, spicing up the otherwise cold lives of the wealthy. The heroine is an ostracised member of the upperclass, desperate for love. Ideally, I'd like to have seen more of a social shift towards it being ok to love and want sex and less of a swing towards instalove but I suppose that's probably beyond the scope of these few pages. I enjoyed the tale nonetheless. -
I'm extremely surprised by how much I enjoyed this anthology! I picked it up intending to just read the stories by authors I know I like—Kelley Armstrong, Ilona Andrews, Carrie Vaughn, Holly Lisle, Jeaniene Frost, Maria V. Snyder. I had never heard of some of the other authors. A few names I remembered seeing in other anthologies and not enjoying their work.
I did, however, deliberately put myself in a tolerant mindset: this is a book of romance stories. It wouldn't be fair to judge them as anything else.
That worked rather better than it has in the past. I still got a little annoyed at having so much of each story dedicated to couples (and all het/mono couples, at that!) rather than some intriguing world ideas, but managed to stay on track.
In the end, I only skipped one story—I just don't like the Weather Wardens stuff at all. I found a couple of others substandard, but all in all, Telep chose very well. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance (maybe even those who usually stick to just romance), and most urban fantasy fans. -
Whenever I travel I like to take plenty of reading material along for long waits in the airport or for other boring moments. However, for my trip to Arizona last week I neglected to bring more than two books. Thus I found myself browsing the shelfs at B&N desperate for something light and fun to read. That's where I found this book and I'm glad I did. It has 24 short romantic stories and not only didi I find them all enjoyable, I also discovered three new authors to add to my TBR shelf.
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waited a long time on my Library's hold list for this book...and #1 its not mammoth
#2 stories were way too short
& #3 not the quality you would expect from these authors
#$ was just disappointed in it period -
This book features my second foray into the world of the Destrati. There's more Kyle.... Pick it up and let me know what you think! Available 26Feb2009 in the UK and April 13, 2009 in the US!
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I originally bought this book so I could reference it in my Creative Writing Project, to draw inspiration from the stories contained inside.
Here's my thoughts on each story:
The Temptation Of Robin Green - Carrie Vaughn
Second time I've come across selkies, I have never even heard of them before 4 months ago. This is such an inspiration and exciting to learn about a new whole supernatural creature, eager to find out more and I love how they trance people. This was set in a supernatural biological zoo and somewhere I would definitely work for if it were real. (4/5)
Succubus Seduction - Cheyenne McCray
Totally loved this one, Archer and Lilin were great characters and worked so well together, couldn't help laughing at Lilin's failed attempts to "bed" Archer, and the ending was so cute and so lovely, and it was like they put the finger up at the queen. (5/5)
Paranormal Romance Blues - Kelley Armstrong
This one was interesting with various twists and turns keeping me guessing and involved. I definitely related to Tiffany and loved the start and how she thought it was all a dramatic stunt and part of a game, the ending was quite surprising but it was wrapped up easily. (3/5)
John Doe - Anna Windsor
I loved this story a lot, it was a bit confusing at the start but as I read on it started to make sense. I really liked the whole idea behind it and it gave me a few giggles here and there. Was obsessed with the whole idea of angels. (4/5)
Taking Hold - Anya Bast
This one took some time to take a hold of, but once I had I was engrossed and enveloped inside, I was eager to read on and on and on and although I felt I was missing something, like a previous story or something, I rolled through this easily. I liked the idea of humans turning into wolves at adolescence and vice versa, that was definitely a unique spin (4/5)
How To Date A Superhero - Jean Johnson
Well how do you date a superhero? Because I seriously have no idea and apparently this story was supposed to give me the answer... And all I got was: 1) find exceptions to rules within rules 2) forsee making love with that so called superhero and 3) make sure that superhero know you forsaw it and it was so strong that nothing will change the inevitable so where's my superhero? Overall, engaging and interesting although again it was confusing at the start (too many characters) and I felt there was more to this than just this one short story (4/5)
Daniel - C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
Well here is a perfect vampire story making me not only wish there was a sequel to this short story or even a while series, but also making me wish I was a part of it. Enrapturing to the fullest I just couldn't get enough of this... And the inclusion of holy water actually working excited me, something that is usually dismissed in the most recent vampire books/films/tv series, a story I shall treasure for sure (5/5)
Light Through Fog - Holly Lisle
Awww such a sweet story that didn't make me tear up but definitely made me emotional and definitely a story I won't forget. It was so lovely and well written too. A shaky start, I have to admit but it got better and became flawless. The light through the fog, the pairing of two people who's partner died in their worlds and yet was reunited through the fog and made the unbelievable happen. I have to admit I loved the DNA test scene I was like "you go girl!" Such a sweet story that I loved so much totally reminding me of a..... (5/5)
The Tuesday Enchantress - Mary Jo Putney
Well I have to admit I did like this and I hope to read this guardian series sometime in the future although near future seems impossible with my mountain of books, but we'll see... The short story, however took a week for me to read, which totally surprised me, but think that might have been down to characterization as I wasn't that into the characters, although I have to commend the author for including paragraphs of understanding, people who have read from this series would understand what a guardian is, however people like me, who haven't read a single guardian novel these helped so much that we understood what was going on and who they were and what a guardian is. I have read many short stories belonging to a series I've never read that expects you to understand what is going on, these sort of short stories annoy the hell out of me as I actually don't know what's going on. So therefore I have to give this a high rating. Maggie was intriguing to me and Charlie's powers interested me too... Maybe I just didn't want this story to end? Who knows why it took me so long to read? (4/5)
Trinity Blue - Eve Silver
Jen and daemon are the perfect pairing and I loved this story exponentially. They work well as a team and it just worked for me. I liked how daemon became her handyman, reminding me of Leo from charmed. Their powers were interesting and I would've loved to see where this story would've carried on to. I loved the ending, without so much as a bother in their world! (5/5)
Grace of Small Magics - Ilona Andrews
This one engaged me straight away, I was in the story magically and I wasn't coming out until I had finished it.Grace was an easy character to identify with, and I liked the whole blame idea behind everything. I did love the battle too, reminding me a lot of the hunger games. I hope that Ilona Andrews continues with this world as I would jump at the chance to be in it again (5/5)
Once a Demon - Dina James
Always a Demon. Right? Wrong? I loved how this story unfolded. From two people just having a conversation, Kyle's storytelling is so good that you imagine every detail. This is how you write a story and it was fully engaging. Definitely not only and inspiration but a very real and mythical story that belongs in a world I would never want to forget. (5/5)
Night Vision - Maria V. Snyder
This one was different, interesting and engaging. The main character, Sophia, was identifiable and I liked her unique ability, but felt something was missing overall and I felt I was looking into a story to which I didn't belong and never would. I loved the overall story and it worked well and I couldn't help but hoping everything would turn out all right in the end, and it did! (4/5)
Pele's Tears - Catherine Mulvany
This was a brilliant concept and pretty engaging, I wanted to solve the mystery and yet I had no idea and was surprised by the ending... However this story took me ages to read making me think I wasn't quite so enveloped in the story as I thought I was. Personally I don't think Dillon and Noelani were that great characters and I never felt connected to them at all. As well as that I don't think they matched that well. (3/5)
Pack - Jeaniene Frost
A short story from one of my favourite authors (I actually have a lot of favourite authors, unsurprisingly) and Jeaniene Frost doesn't disappoint. This short story is exciting, scary and and all things werewolfy. Exactly what I wanted and needed. Marlee was an easy character to sympathise with and I definitely understood where she was coming from and Daniel was such a good character too... But who really stood out was both Joshua (his undenied power over the town) and Daniel's cousin: laurel. I so hope this becomes a series as I loved these characters and storyline. (5/5)
When Gargoyles Fly - Lori Devoti
Wow like seriously wow!!!! This intrigued me from the very start! Gargoyles are fascinating creatures and although rare, them coming to life isn't exactly new, but its not completely old either and I think I've only come across it once in another story. I really liked Mord, his characterization was exactly what I needed and couldn't help feeling sorry for him towards the end... As for Kami... She's crazy, loopy and oh so real... The typical sort of young woman unsure of herself and not exactly clever. She was a little dumb for my liking yet there are people in the world just like her. It was a perfect pairing, and with so many questions unanswered, I'm begging for a follow up short story at least (5/5)
The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife - Sara Mackenzie
Don't really know what to make of this, Zek and Isabel/Izzy were okay characters and their love for one another was obvious. And yet something was missing. I felt detached and uninvolved. Neptune wasn't scary at all and lacked everything... The stand out character was definitely the sorceress. I was fascinated by her and definitely someone who inspired me a bit... A rushed ending completed this nice story (yep I used that horrible "nice" word but it's the only word to describe this). However definitely a memorable story (2/5)
Blood Song - Lydia Hilburn
A pretty good story, enchanting and engaging. Grace is an extraordinary character and definitely intriguing, unfortunately most of the story is from Ethan's point of view, who is a typical vampire and nothing special... The story unfolds magically and I was wrapped up in it so easily... Who knew sound could be so good? (4/5)
The Princess and the Peas - Alyssa Day
The fae appears again, although this time I actually have a point of view from the fae, which made a completely nice change on a supernatural creature I am not all clued up on. Can't help but think they'll forever be the mysterious paranormal creature for the rest of time, so little is known about them. But I guess that's the way they're meant to be. I loved Ian and Lucy, such great characters, and definitely was engaged in the entire story... It was a little on the short side though and maybe a little rushed (4/5)
At Second Bite - Michelle Rowen
A whole story based around an alley way and singles night, doesn't sound good does it? and yet it was incredibly engaging and I was hanging off nearly every word... Although the story and writing was good the characters fell flat. I didn't get to know any of them and didn't connect with them either. Julia was boring, Evan was the mysterious vampire who is extremely creepy. Henry was the only one I was interested in and that was because he had a knife and would've killed Julia. (3/5)
Blue Crush - Rachel Caine
First few pages took its toll mainly because I wasn't sure what was happening as such and there was a hell of a lot of detail plunged right at the start confusing the hell out of me and making me annoyed, yeah Rachel Caine clearly doesn't expect us to know this but instead of giving us information slowly so we can get our bearings, we have to learn quickly. Apart from that I was extremely intrigued by Joanna and the whole weather wardens thing... I also like how this story not only continues a series I haven't read before but it gives us a mystery which could quite be a connection into the future books. (4/5)
The Wager - Sherrilyn Kenyon / Kinley MacGregor
This one was interesting... It was in a style I've only just recently come across, reminding me a little of Tristram Shandy what with the babbling and making us repeat our reading... However it's a good read and main protagonist Thom is a character you could easily understand. And the whole story is based on king Arthur and Avalon.... Meg Cabot also wrote a book with this back story, it's a common story theme that's effective and interesting. I like the ending although not everything is wrapped up and yet its another twist the more I think about it. Unsurprised that I loved this story as I am obsessed with this author anyway. (5/5)
In Sheep's Clothing - Meljean Brook
Well this wasn't what I was expecting.... A shock about the third page in announces that this is a werewolf story, I really should've guessed and yet I wasn't aware, which made this story so good.... And what with a murderer and rapist on the loose in a small town... Can the police find out who it is with the help of a werewolf? Such a good story I have no choice but to give it this rating (5/5)
The Dream catcher - Allyson James
I love dream catchers in stories, they rarely appear, and yet they're so mysterious. This story fell totally flat, and I wasn't engaged, and definitely not memorable. (1/5)
Overall a great collection of stories, and it has excited me to read another mammoth book, however I need a break from these stories for the time being. -
I think I got this when I first got my Kindle, in a rush of enthusiasm for free books and to see what paranormal romance was all about.
Some of the stories were pretty good. I liked the one about the supernatural creature zoo, with a vampire and a werewolf and a mermaid in an aquarium, and the one about the woman working at a psychiatric hospital who was visited by real demons. After that they blended into one mass of vampires, werewolves and miscellaneous supernatural creatures. -
"The Temptation of Robin Green" by Carrie Vaughan - 4
Interesting, good read, not sure how I feel about the ending
"Succubus Seduction" by Cheyenne McCray
"Paranormal Romance Blues" by Kelley Armstrong - 4
Interesting story, the romance is very light the I just met you kind
"John Doe" by Anna Windsor - 4
love story with a winged man, good read
"Taking Hold" by Anya Bast - 4
good shifter short story
"How to Date a Superhero" by Jean Johnson - 3
Seemed like the beginning of a good story, I felt it started out strong and sort of faded
"Daniel" by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp - 4
well done novella, think it would have gotten steamier if it had been longer
"Light Through Fog" by Holly Lisle - 5
Sweet, tender love story
"The Tuesday Enchantress" by Mary Jo Putney - 5
Would recommend, will be looking for more from this author
"Trinity Blue" by Eve Silver - 4
I want more of this interesting story, background, etc. at the end I wanted learn more about this world
"Grace of Small Magics" by Ilona Andrews - 5
"Once a Demon" by Dina James - 5
a story within a story, interesting twist, at the end I wanted more more more :)
"Night Vision" by Maria V. Snyder - 4
Light bender, FBI, human trafficers - I enjoyed the story
"Pele's Tears" by Catherine Mulvany - 3
Not really sure that sci-fi is best genre, but Para didn't seem right either. Lost love reunited after her grandmother's apparent suicide. Lukewarm for me
"Pack" by Jeaniene Frost - 5
Very good, full rich story, didn't feel like a short. Another author for me to read more of
"When Gargoyles Fly" by Lori Devoti - 5
nice short, feels like a great lead in to a series
"The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife" by Sara Mackenzie - 4
interesting, one item not explained but good story
"Blood Song" by Lynda Hilburn - 4
song healer, vampires, interesting, might be a series there.
"The Princess and the Peas" by Alyssa Day - 4
Fae, a twist on a fairy tale. Enjoyable
"At Second Bite" by Michelle Rowen - 4
vampire looking for the reincarn of his soulmate, has some interest, curious enough to read more of the author
"Blue Crush" by Rachel Caine - 4
interesting fantasy piece, with a touch of heat
"The Wager" by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 2
Didn't care for this one, originally published in Elemental: The Tsunami Relief Anth May 2006
"In Sheep's Clothing" by Meljean Brook - 4
"The Dream Catcher" by Allyson James - 4
Dream Catcher allows a woman to feel passion when folks in her world find it repulsive. Standalone story set on Bor Narga the Shareem plant.
The Dream Catcher by Allyson James - 4
Dream Catcher allows a woman to feel passion when folks in her world find it repulsive. Standalone story set on Bor Narga the Shareem plant.
Once a Demon by Dina James - 5
a story within a story, interesting twist, at the end I wanted more more more :)
Last Thursday Night by Holly Lisle - 4
Historian travels back in time to meet author he fell in love with via her books. Good read
The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife - Sara Mackenzie - 4
interesting, one item not explained but good story
The Tuesday Enchantress by Mary Jo Putney - 5
Would recommend, will be looking for more from this author -
Unlike with The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance I've read almost all of the authors present in this collection to some degree. Obviously some of them more (Maria V. Snyder, Rachel Caine, Mary Jo Putney and Ilona Andrews), but I've read at least one story per an author before now.
Even though I knew I would enjoy the authors more in this collection then the other, I was still hesitant to think I would enjoy the collection more. I read a lot of paranormal--for fun and review--and I've been disappointed before in far shorter anthologies. I'm happy to say that I was not at all disappointed this with this book as a whole. Individual parts perhaps, but not as a whole.
Kelley Armstrong ("Paranormal Romance Blues"), Jean Johnson ("How To Date a Superhero") and Ilona Andrews ("Grace of Small Magics") were my favorites. Armstrong's story was a fun balance of paranormal issues and dating issues--two things that have perhaps more in common then most people think. Johnson's is just a fun superhero love story and the foibles of being able to see the future (note to authors and publishers: we need more superhero romances! A.J. Menden is doing a fine job with the Elite Hands of Justice but come on folks!). And Andrews is the fun of underestimating the small guy (or girl in this case). They always surprise you in the end.
I enjoyed Cheyenne McCray's "Taking Hold" as well. It was a werewolf story, but it was really less about that (romance wise at least) and more about two outsiders coming together. Mac is a funny mix of strong silent type and 'Did I say that wrong?' under-confidence. I wanted it to be longer however--I liked Mac a lot and wanted to know more about him.
The other authors and stories I enjoyed reading, but they didn't spark my interest as the others did. The collection surprised me with just how many different paranormals you could fit into one anthology. There's angels, demons, succubi, inccubi, werewolves, vampires, selkies, mermaids, superheroes, Gods, immortals...it was astounding and so much fun. Some of them don't get enough love, others are so overdone we are all screaming for something different, but each author presents them in a different light.
The only story I didn't quite gel with as well as I would have originally thought was the selkie story by Vaughn ("The Temptation of Robin Green"). Vaughn does a good job of everything but Robin Green. We're told she's very committed to her work, very proper and strait-laced, but we're not shown that really. It was perhaps the short nature of the story that ultimately made this happen--if the story had been longer there would have been more time to build up to Robin and the selkie's encounters.
This was a fun, entertaining anthology however and sure to please many fans of the varied authors present. In fact it might make fans of several other authors as well. -
Before reading this book I had a nosey at the reviews and recall seeing someone claiming there 'was not enough romance' - well, for the first few there seems to be more smut with paranormal thrown in as a setting and little else. Don't get me wrong, the paranormal element was great, I just wish the author had focused more on that and then had romance as a theme and not the other way around.
Once I got past these few 'oh my god, take me now' stories as I like to call them, I found myself in a world of amazing paranormal writing. Quite a few of these authors have since been added to my 'to read' list although I was sad to find that a lot of these seem to be one off stories. The worlds created for the reader in these short stories are incredible and I wish they had been continued in fully fledged series.
There is something for everyone. There are even some stories in there that when I think of 'paranormal' I might not have considered before - and I was really glad they were included! There's romance of all sorts here, from all ages and situations. I definetly recommend this to fans of the genre. -
I enjoyed most of the stories in this book and I'm pleased to have read it. Many of the authors are producing novellas in paranormal romance or urban fantasy, so they are skilled in this area already, but you don't need to have read their books to get into their short stories.
I particularly enjoyed: a tale about a lighthouse keeper and his wife, who contend with a murderous sea god; a stone gargoyle who is wonderfully well brought to life for us; a werewolf lady who needs to catch a serial killer of women on the highway, even if it means revealing her true nature to the sheriff who used to love her; a sad tale of a selkie in a research laboratory; and a Hawaiian tale about 'tears' of Pele the volcano goddess.
The few tales which did not grab my attention are on the darker side and anyone who enjoys horror will probably like them. That said there is nothing I would call straight horror. I recommend this book for adult readers due to various kinds of content but quite a few of the stories are fine for young adults. The book would be worth re-reading so I find it great value, and it will introduce readers to many great authors currently producing this kind of material. -
A solid collection of original 24 short stories that were easy to read and great examples of the genre. I think this would be an ideal introduction to the genre for someone interested, and a great read for fans.
There is a nice variety - vampires, shifters, ghosts, and even a gargoyle and only a few that had links to the authors series eg Blue Crush by Raechel Caine (Weather Warden series) and The Wager by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Lords of Avalon series).
I have read something from most of the authors so far but a few were new to me like Anna Windsor (John Doe), Lori Devoti (When Gargoyles Fly) and Meljean Brook (In Sheeps Clothing) and i'll be looking for more from them.
My favourites were mainly by authors I am already familiar with - Taking Hold by Anya Bast; Gace of Small Magics by Ilona Andrews and Pack by Jeaniene Frost. There were only two that didn't appeal.
My local library got this for me on interlibrary loan from another state - have to say - libraries rock! -
They weren't kidding when they said Mammoth Book. SO many authors I like are in this book. I find it interesting they are all females.
The one that really stuck out for me was Holly Lisle's Light Through Fog. This one was the one that moved me most. I could say it upset me the most because I was angry at the woman's parents. It also moved me most with their dedication of love to transcend anything else.
I do like Ilona Andrew's "Grace of Small Magics". I've read it before already so perhaps this would have been my favourite one. All the others were decent and I enjoyed more or less. Allyson James's story "the dream catcher" now makes me want to read the entire series of the Shareem. The "Pack" by Jeaniene Frost intrigued me and I'll have to go look up to see if she has any other stories that fall in this world.
If you want a little taste of each author's writing, I recommend this book. -
I was thinking after I'd read this that it would make a great series, then I realised that they'd based the new series Hidden Legacy on it. Not the people, but the world building is very similar. Thankfully no revenants in
.
Its amazing that Gordon & Ilona can write a short story and its totally engrossing. You want more, there is never enough. They are so talented!! -
I only read the short story "The Wager" by Sherrilyn Kenyon writing as Kinley Macgregor. I really enjoyed it especially since the main character is Thomas Mallory. It's a part of the Lords of Avalon series but I feel it could be read as a standalone. It seems like a good series, I will definitely be reading more of it.
-
A good read. It's an early Ilona book and you can see the preliminary thoughts and writing style that have evolved and spawned a new series Hidden Legacy (not identical characters but similar).
Re-read today. I'm so glad Ilona developed this concept into a series. -
It took me a while to read this anthology. I carried it around and read here and there, which is what I really enjoy. Lately, I'm more interested in short stories while I'm waiting in line to pick up my son from preschool.
For the most part, I really enjoyed these stories. They're all written by bestselling authors who've already made a name for themselves with readers. Some authors I've read before, but for the majority were new to me, as in I've heard of them but I've never read any of their stories. There were a few stories that I questioned, since at least two of them didn't really have a happily-ever-after or an even happy-for-now endings. They were interesting stories, but not what I'd label as romance. Not that I found them disappointing, but the just didn't seem to fit in this collection.
The rest, of course, fit the genre perfectly. Here we find a slew of paranormal creatures that are sure to satisfy, such as vampires, werewolves, selkies, gargoyles, djinn, superheroes and so much more.
I thought about reviewing each, but thought that might take up too much time, so I'll just highlight the stories that really struck me as good!
Paranormal Romance Blues by
Kelley Armstrong. When it comes to paranormal stories, you just can't go wrong with Ms. Armstrong. I've loved her writing since the first book I read written by her,
Dime Store Magic. The only problem I saw with this particular story is that I wished it was longer. But, that could just be my natural hunger for her writing.
How to Date a Superhero by
Jean Johnson. This is the first superhero romance that I've ever read, and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am a superhero fan (give me Marvel or DC hero any day!) but I've never read a romance featuring this type of hero. I loved it! It made me want to read more superhero romances. And really, with all the women I know who go crazy over the Avengers, why haven't I seen more superhero romances out there? We need more people!
Night Vision by
Maria V. Snyder. Oh, I loved this one! Maybe it was the setting, maybe it's just me with my insatiable hunger for certain stories, but with a few tweaks, this one could have easily been a paranormal MacGyver story. For whatever reason, MacGyver spoke to me through this story, and I realize the author probably had no intention of that. It's probably just my obsession. But I enjoyed the story so much! I loved the characters and the thrill of running for their lives, the danger and suspense and the connection between the hero and heroine. It was a fun ride! I'll read this one again in the future, just because I love this kind of story.
The Princess and the Peas by
Alyssa Day. This one was way different for me! I loved it! Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, the author diverted direction and I ended up reading a story I had no idea how it would unfold. Which, I'm sad to say, is mostly unusual for me. Maybe its because I'm a writer, with some stories, I can predict which direction the characters are going. Not this time. This was interesting! I especially loved the humor. I just wish it was longer! I'd love to read more!
At Second Bite by
Michelle Rowen. Another fun, fast-paced story with a snarky heroine. It was an incredibly quick read with a lot of danger, suspense and humor. I loved the characters and the struggles they were facing. The author painted a very thorough picture in such a short story that made it feel much longer. It tied up neatly (maybe a little too neatly), but for a short story this was fine. I feel the author could have made this a longer story and it would be just as enjoyable.
Blue Crush by
Rachel Caine. Alright. I'll say this now. I can't tell you how many times I placed Ms. Caine's books on the bookshelves in the bookstore where I worked for so many years. I'm disappointed with myself that I never picked up one of her books to read. Are they all like this? I'm going to have to find out. This story was probably the best short story in the entire collection. Yes, I said it. That's how much I loved it! Now, granted, the characters were already established, the hero and heroine were already together, and I know nothing of them. This is part of her Weather Warden series, which, like I said, I've heard about, but never read. Well, now I have to start reading them because of this story.
In Sheep's Clothing by
Meljean Brook. Oh, this was another fun one that takes the reader on a full journey with just a few short pages. We get an entire backstory within the action that propels the story forward. It was like reading a full novel in a few minutes. I really enjoyed this one!
