Cyn Newman
I've never read anything by any of these authors before, so my perspective on this piece is probably going to be skewed compared to that of most readers/listeners. However, it was free on Audible briefly and looked interesting, so I added it to my library. I happened to be in the car a long time today and this is what I had downloaded on my iPad, so this is one of the things that I listened to.
I found all three stories to be very engaging, and found myself interested in reading more about each character involved in the stories. What fascinated me the most, though, was Rose's account of how the stories were written - the different ways the authors chose to work with her, how she prepared to write from the point of view of other authors' very well-known heroes, and so on. I would recommend this to anyone interested in writing as a creative endeavor for that portion in particular.
The fact that the narrators who normally perform the voices of each character in their own series appeared in this performance adds an additional touch of professionalism to the recording, as well.
Full disclosure: I was given a copy of this book to review. I'm glad I didn't buy it. I imagine I might have been harsher.
In Forever Werewolf, Tryst is just delivering a package to Wulfsiege on behalf of his father's security company when he gets trapped there by an avalanche. He doesn't mind, though, because the recipient of that package has a luscious daughter, Lexi.
Female werewolves are rare, and those few are protected like the precious treasures they are. Even though Tryst wasn't brought up in a pack, he knows that much. He also knows there's something very strange about the fact that Lexi isn't claimed by any of the males in the pack - in fact, they seem to give her a wide berth. She's obviously highly intelligent and competent, and she's beautiful. She's far more alluring to him than her spoiled, pampered princess sister could ever be.
Lexi is fascinated by Tryst, despite being warned away from the half-blooded wolf by her ailing father. He seems interested in her, as well, but she fears that's only because he doesn't know her crippling secret: she hasn't ever shifted. A werewolf who can't shift can't mate, so she's useless in the eyes of the pack.
Tryst is warned away from Lexi by her father, head of the pack, as well, but he can't seem to stay away from her. She's like no other woman, werewolf or mortal, he's ever encountered. What is it that draws them to each other? Is it worth risking their lives for?
It was obvious to me from the first pages of the book that Tryst and Lexi would get together, and that it would cost Tryst many bruises and much grief. The bad guy was all too obvious, as well - if the average reader can't identify him in the first mention, I'll be shocked. (Perhaps I should be more specific and say “experienced romance reader” instead.)
As for Moon Kissed, it was so forgettable that I'd have to look up the main male's name. The female was Bella, something I only recall due to bad memories of Twilight. Oh, wait, the male was Severo! Right then. Severo saves Bella from vampires who chase her, while frightening the hell out of her himself, groping her, and offering absolutely no explanations of the strange new realities her world is suddenly encompassing.
After that event, Bella learns that her best friend Seth's new girlfriend is a vampire, something Seth just hadn't quite gotten around to mentioning. Seth explains that Severo (whose name she doesn't yet know) is probably a werewolf, from her description of him and his actions. Severo has, in the meantime, started stalking Bella to protect her from the vampires he's sure will continue to hunt her (for reasons unknown to him when he starts on this plan of action). After seeing Seth with vampire Evie, with whom Severo has history, Severo realizes that Evie probably sicced the vampires on Bella due to jealousy.
One of the many, many things that bothered me about this book is that Bella is supposedly a web designer, but she never seems to work. She certainly doesn't have a laptop, which would be de rigeur, and she lives in a ridiculously upscale place (an apartment with its very own heated pool?) for someone in that profession. She can afford a lot of dance lessons, too - but her real source of income or capital is never explained. Apparently Hauf was just looking for a profession that could be “done anywhere” and someone suggested “web designer” so she grabbed that and ran with it.
Of course, Severo is also supposed to “do something with real estate” - how believable is that as a character detail? I guess we're supposed to just accept that he's rich, can spend his time as he pleases, and let everything else go without question. How is it that he has a Brownie for a housekeeper? What's the relationship between Faery and werewolves and vampires? Who knows?
The story does not get more believable as it goes on. Of course Bella falls in love with her stalker and trusts him completely. There are evil vampires. There's one good vampire, just to show that they aren't uniformly bad. But you can tell where Severo and Bella's relationship is going in the earliest scenes, and that's the most important part of the book, because it's a romance. There are complications but they'll be overcome, or it wouldn't be a romance.
Set before [b:A Cold Day For Murder 271295 A Cold Day For Murder (Kate Shugak, #1) Dana Stabenow http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1335858112s/271295.jpg 3285671], this story would be an excellent introduction to the Kate Shugak series. I'm already a long-time fan, and I felt the magic all over again. In fact, I'm tempted to read the whole series all over again from the beginning, just because they're so incredibly good.The story opens while Kate is hibernating in her cabin, seven months or so after she resigned from her job as an investigator for the Anchorage D.A.'s office. There's a situation that needs to be handled in the Park, but the Ranger is off chasing a bank robber and besides, it's really more of a local issue. She's just the woman for the job - if she can be pulled out of her hermitage to do it.
Absolutely lovely little story, set between [b:A Night Too Dark 6752589 A Night Too Dark (Kate Shugak, #17) Dana Stabenow http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317065710s/6752589.jpg 6949055] and [b:Though Not Dead 8730822 Though Not Dead (Kate Shugak, #18) Dana Stabenow http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1316125669s/8730822.jpg 13603851]. Two brothers in Niniltna are courting the same charismatic woman. When she disappears from a bloody cabin, Kate is called in by Chopper Jim to investigate. While there's humor spread throughout the series, this story is one of the lighter pieces in it.
This book was an unexpected delight. Lawyers? Meh. Even lawyers with paranormal spice.
But Linnet Ellery is no ordinary lawyer, even for a young lawyer in a White Fang law firm. She has no end of backbone and smarts, not to mention luck - or should I say Luck? Because fortune swirls around her like nobody else, making her a nexus of events and a little too conspicuous for her very discreet employers.
That's not to say that she doesn't make her share of mistakes - that wouldn't be any fun, now would it? She survives and learns from them, then helps others avoid the same.
Living in a world of vampires, werewolves, and Alfar (elves) might be intimidating to most humans, especially when those beings (Powers) are essentially in charge. Linnet doesn't let them intimidate her. She uses her contacts and plays to her strengths, winning more and more significant battles every time she goes to bat.
Bornikova sets things up very nicely for a sequel, and I am personally hungry to read more. I strongly suggest this book to anyone who enjoys paranormals, urban fantasy, or simply good, humorous fiction with a dollop of suspense and a strong heroine.
And now for something COMPLETELY different. Yes, this book is out of character for me, but I like [a:Lori Handeland 17060 Lori Handeland http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1236700197p2/17060.jpg], and since I received a free copy I felt obligated to read it and write a review. I'm keeping the fact that it is a western romance in mind, and judging it accordingly.I don't know from western tropes, but I do know the standard romance tropes, and Handeland hits them all. Mary is a spinster schoolmarm who is considered too plain and too outspoken to ever be attractive to any man - in fact, another character (a real jerk) says so. It's her character, more than her looks, that is the problem, according to the jerk.But the hero, Reese, finds her beautiful in her innocence, her ignorance of her effect on him, and especially in the fact that she's as stubborn as he is. The fact that they have to butt heads is an important romance trope, as I understand these things.Mary believes she isn't the kind of woman any man would want, and Reese believes he isn't good enough for Mary, so they hold back from revealing their feelings to each other, providing the main conflict in their relationship. There's a plot that goes beyond Mary and Reese, obviously, explaining why the town of Rock Creek needed to hire Reese and his little troop of gunmen in the first place. That larger plot sets up the entire Rock Creek Gang series. I found nothing to laud or complain about in the main plot. It's probably a standard acceptable western, to be honest, and it doesn't read so differently than any other sort of adventure story. It worked to set things up, but obviously wasn't the main focus of the book. The energy is in the romance.I think perhaps romance fans read books like this because they're comfortably predictable, like an old friend wearing new clothes. In any case, Handeland has written a sweet little love story that I didn't mind reading. I could see her hand in the details, and while I would have preferred reading more of one of her paranormal series, she did a nice job with this book. Fans of western romances will probably enjoy it.
I went back and forth on the rating for this book, but finally settled on a four. I honestly found all the conflict to be exhausting and unpleasant, but it was very realistically written and I certainly felt connected to Blackstone. I decided that if del Franco weren't such a good writer, I wouldn't be feeling everything so much.I read [b:Face Off 7106094 Face Off (Laura Blackstone, #2) Mark Del Franco http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1271179558s/7106094.jpg 7364695] right after finishing [b:Skin Deep 6150364 Skin Deep (Laura Blackstone, #1) Mark Del Franco http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312520543s/6150364.jpg 6329503], which is how I recommend that you read them. That is, after all, how the plot works. There's a lot more of Jono Sinclair in this volume than the first, which will be popular with romance fans. During the events of [b:Skin Deep 6150364 Skin Deep (Laura Blackstone, #1) Mark Del Franco http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312520543s/6150364.jpg 6329503], Laura retired the Janice Crawford persona. Her life should be simpler now that she's just herself and Mariel Tate, right?Wrong, because she and Mariel Tate are being pulled in opposing directions by powerful forces, and she has two more-than-full-time-jobs. Toss in an order to impersonate an uncooperative prisoner in order to infiltrate a terrorist group, and her life is at risk every day too. In the midst of all this, there's a visit from royalty, and her boss assigns Mariel yet another top priority.The only respite is her growing relationship with Jono Sinclair, who is also undercover with the terrorist group. He's the only person in the world who always knows who she is, no matter what glamour she's wearing. Laura started wondering how much of herself was left behind all the personas in [b:Skin Deep 6150364 Skin Deep (Laura Blackstone, #1) Mark Del Franco http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312520543s/6150364.jpg 6329503], realizing that “Laura Blackstone” was in danger of becoming just another persona. She's even more concerned about that issue in [b:Face Off 7106094 Face Off (Laura Blackstone, #2) Mark Del Franco http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1271179558s/7106094.jpg 7364695], but thanks to Jono she's getting back in touch with who she is behind the masks. Will she be able to hold on to her progress? Will she be able to simply survive the undercover assignment with almost no preparation? Or will it be the internal Guildhouse politics that do her in? These questions kept me reading and interested. I was thrilled with how del Franco answered them, and I'm intensely curious as to whether those answers leave any room for further adventures with Laura and Jono.
This is an intriguing beginning to a series. I've played a character with similar abilities in a long-running roleplaying game, so I was particularly interested in this book. I think the author did an excellent job of exploring just how much could be done with “essence” (glamour), while setting believable limits to the character's abilities. She has an exceptionally well-trained memory, but even she slips on a few details here and there when juggling too many personas or with someone very close to her for a long time.
The plot was less interesting to me, frankly, than the character. In fact, the details are a little fuzzy and I just finished the book earlier today. (Of course, I've read most of the next book since then, too). Even while reading it, though, some details strained believability. That detail took the rating down a point.
Still, I was interested enough to go right on to the next book in the series, and I intend to read more of del Franco's work. I would recommend this book for those who enjoy urban fantasy.
[a:Martin H. Greenberg 6436872 Martin H. Greenberg http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-M-50x66.jpg] and company have provided a fine collection of Sherlockian holiday stories that fit in quite well with the traditional set.“The Christmas Gift” by Anne Perry is a nice little piece about a stolen Stradivarius and a couple who want to marry against the wishes of the young lady's father. There is an excellent red herring, one of the few in this anthology.In “The Four Wise Men” by Peter Lovesey, Watson must answer a call to duty from his former commanding officer in the Army, in order to help guard a medieval treasure in a Christmas pageant. The game is soon afoot, and Sherlock's powers of observation are as keen as ever.Barbara Paul's “Eleemosynary, My Dear Watson” gives Holmes a jewel theft and a kidnapping to solve, which he does in his inimitable way. One clue seemed slightly too obvious to me, but it may not to other readers.In “The Adventure of the Greatest Gift” by Loren D. Estleman, Holmes receives a wax cylinder containing a recording of a song popular in America. He takes it as a warning of a crime which could lead to war between Britain and France, and of course he leaps into action. This is Mycroft Holmes' only appearance in the volume.There's plenty of misdirection in “The Case of the Rajah's Emerald” by Carolyn Wheat. Somehow, though, I suspected one of the great revelations in this one from the beginning, but I couldn't tell you exactly why. It didn't ruin the story for me, and there was still a surprise at the end.On the other hand, Edward D. Hoch's “The Christmas Conspiracy” managed to take me completely unawares. I couldn't fathom why the crime would be committed or by whom, despite having a major clue dropped by one character. Very well done!“The Music of Christmas” by L.B. Greenwood telegraphed the identity of the criminal from the start, but was well worth reading. One of the characters also tugged at the heartstrings.Bill Crider's “The Adventure of the Christmas Bear” is largely memorable because of the appearance of Oscar Wilde as a character. “The Adventure of the Naturalist's Stock Pin” by Jon L. Breen gives us Charles Darwin as Holmes' client. The mystery is less Sherlockian than some of the others, but I didn't mind reading it.Daniel Stashower's “The Adventure of the Second Violet” was an interesting twist on a well-known Christmas story. I cannot say more without spoiling it, but he has a nice touch.“The Human Mystery” by Tanith Lee is as dark as I expect from her, and was a depressing ending to the collection. It was, however, very well-written.The anthology left me hungry for more Holmes, and wishing that I weren't between seasons of BBC's Sherlock or that I had another collection of stories on hand. That's the sign of a success, I think.
[a:Sharon Lee 57980 Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1249574929p2/57980.jpg] and [a:Steve Miller 5829 Steve Miller http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1249575165p2/5829.jpg] continue to please with this latest installment in the Liaden Universe series. Theo Waitley, now First Pilot on the sentient ship Bechimo, is in the process of deciding whether she's going to bond with the ship permanently as its Captain. She and the Bechimo are being pursued, together and separately, by the Department of the Interior. Despite that fact, she goes out to establish a new trade route for Clan Korval, with former Juntavas Boss Clarence O'Berin sitting as Co-pilot.Theo's former lover Win Ton is confined in Bechimo's restructuring facility, something a step beyond the autodoc, where he is being rebuilt cell by cell after being tortured by the Department of the Interior in its pursuit of the Bechimo. There's no guarantee that Win Ton will survive the process, or what shape he'll be in when it is completed. They aren't far into the route when they receive a distress signal from space station Codrescu, in orbit around Eylot, the planet where Theo began training as a Pilot. The political situation on Eylot has come to a head, and all Pilots there are in danger. Codrescu has put out an emergency call for help, so Theo takes Bechimo to the rescue — despite the fact that she has good reason to never want to see that system again.Theo is a very young woman, but growing by leaps and bounds. She makes any decision that doesn't rely on social intelligence very well, guided by good basic instincts and other types of intelligence. Her social skills still leave much to be desired, but she's slowly improving those and she knows she has a weakness in that area. It is always a joy to read a Liaden novel, but watching Theo grow up adds a new dimension of pleasure to the reading. While I've paused to read and re-read some of the chapbooks in order to put off the time before I ran out of new material, the time is here now. I'm back to the same old complaint: I want more, now! Please?
Theo Waitley has met her father's Clan and been Seen by the Delm of Korval now, at the end of both [b:I Dare 1103876 I Dare (Liaden Universe, #11) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181013406s/1103876.jpg 1644933] and [b:Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2) 6669085 Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2) (Liaden Universe, #13) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1276362333s/6669085.jpg 6131174]. She does not, however, consider herself of Korval — she is a Waitley, as is reasonable for a young woman raised in a matrilineal culture. She did, however, take two issues to the Delm for solving, and one has been resolved: she has been reunited with her missing father.However, she also carries the Captain's key to the sentient ship Bechimo, and that ship is looking for her. The Delm chose to put that issue aside, trusting that it would solve itself, given enough time. How much time, though, and in what manner?In the meantime, she acts as courier for Uncle, one obviously known to the Clan and not as an ally — although not necessarily as an enemy, either. As his courier, she flies his ship, Arin's Toss, which is hunted by his enemies, including the Department of the Interior. Theo acquits herself as well as any child of Korval could in meeting her challenges. She continues to experience more than the usual number of them, though, because of her Terran rearing and Liaden appearance. It seems to me that a father as dutiful as Jen Sar Kiladi (or Daav yos'Phellium) would have given her more preparation to encounter Liaden society.[b:Ghost Ship 9762449 Ghost Ship (Liaden Universe, #14, Theo Waitley, #3) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327880001s/9762449.jpg 14651808] certainly isn't limited to Theo's story. We rejoin Val Con and pregnant Miri as they move to Surebleak, and check in with Daav as he settles in to being Daav again after his long sojourn as Kiladi. There are also appearances by Pat Rin, Natesa, Quin, Padi, Shan, and other family members. Definitely an ensemble cast this time out, and just as absorbing as fans have come to expect.
[b:Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2) 6669085 Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2) (Liaden Universe, #13) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1276362333s/6669085.jpg 6131174] is good enough that I finished [b:Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) 5585180 Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) (Liaden Universe, #12) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256005889s/5585180.jpg 5756422], then read it in one sitting. It simply has the sort of momentum that doesn't allow for good stopping points — something that is true of many of the Liaden Universe novels.At the end of Fledgling, Theo was sponsored into pilot school by Scout Cho sig'Radia. Saltation begins with her time there, just as politically naive as ever, but a much more confident person than she was at the beginning of Fledgling. Many of the characters from Fledgling reappear, including Win Ton, Kamele, and Jen Sar. There are new characters too, though, such as Kara ven'Arith and Orn Ald yos'Senchul (who, by the way, also appear in a free story, Landed Alien, that has just been released at the Baen web site and should be read after Saltation).Theo is a legal adult now, but a very young one, and she has plenty of growing up left to do. That said, this is a young ADULT novel, not a children's book — while it isn't discussed specifically, Theo does take a lover. She continues to flex and stretch into an admirable heroine. She isn't perfect, by any means, being sometimes short-tempered and not understanding social cues easily. She's someone readers can relate to, though, and that is important. We were brought up concurrent with the end of [b:I Dare 1103876 I Dare (Liaden Universe, #11) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181013406s/1103876.jpg 1644933], which was vastly satisfying. I will go right on with reading [b:Ghost Ship 9762449 Ghost Ship (Liaden Universe, #14, Theo Waitley, #3) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327880001s/9762449.jpg 14651808], because I definitely want to know more!
I half-listened to part of this book as [a:Sam Chupp 11847 Sam Chupp http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1219698183p2/11847.jpg] podcast it, chapter by chapter. For some reason, it just didn't catch my fancy back then. I think I didn't let it catch my fancy, because of knowing that I would have to wait for each chapter to be released. Now, though, having it all finished and edited, it's clearly a polished Lee and Miller novel of the Liaden Universe, and I love those.It's also something of a young adult novel, but don't let that put you off. Theo is an interesting character who begins growing up in [b:Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) 5585180 Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) (Liaden Universe, #12) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256005889s/5585180.jpg 5756422]. She's 14, and she has never been off Delgado, a Safe World. Her own world is made up entirely of the University and academia, with both parents being professors. The fact that her parents live outside the Wall, in a house rather than in University housing, is unusual.As the book opens she has to deal with major life changes. For the sake of her career, her mother, Kamele, has chosen to leave her father's house and move back to the University with Theo. Delgado is a matriarchal society, and Theo is expected to stop acknowledging her father as anyone but Professor Jen Sar Kiladi. To make matters worse, Theo is considered “physically challenged,” with too-fast reflexes that cause frequent accidents. The University wants Kamele to agree to drug Theo “for her own good,” but the supposedly safe drugs have unacceptable and permanent cognitive effects. (Those familiar with the Liaden Universe novels will recognize Theo's “problems” as coming of growing into pilot reflexes.) Kamele's career situation has political ramifications that blow back onto poor Theo as well, which the girl doesn't need.Theo deals with all of the above and more in believable and admirable ways. She stretches and shows herself to be growing into a remarkable young lady, fit to be the subject of a Liaden Universe novel. I'm glad I have [b:Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2) 6669085 Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2) (Liaden Universe, #13) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1276362333s/6669085.jpg 6131174] on hand, because I look forward to seeing more of who she grows up to be.
I'm so pleased that Lee and Miller decided to give us the story of Daav and Aelliana after [b:Pilots Choice 288772 Pilots Choice (Liaden Universe, #4-5) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173445582s/288772.jpg 1644936]. (Earlier they had claimed that there was nothing to tell there.) The story is a lovely one, definitely romantic, told almost entirely from Aelliana's point of view. Those who have read the other Liaden novels know how it will end, but the details are well worth reading. It fills in some details that are helpful to know leading up to [b:Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) 5585180 Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) (Liaden Universe, #12) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256005889s/5585180.jpg 5756422].
Well, Armstrong definitely closed the series with a bang. I enjoyed this volume so much that I'm tempted to go back and re-read the entire series just to have more right now.All the characters we've gotten to know are back: Clay, Elena, Jaime and Jeremy, Hope and Karl, Paige and Lucas, Eve and Kristof, Adam, Sean, Bryce, and Benicio. Savannah, however, is the center of this novel while the others weave in and out of the action.Savannah Levine was a child when she was introduced in one of the earliest books of the series, [b:Stolen 11922 Stolen (Women of the Otherworld, #2) Kelley Armstrong http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1300923278s/11922.jpg 14289]. She is definitely a full adult now, capable of holding her own with or without spells. She is also an incredible nexus of influence — and those who want to use or influence her just don't take “no” for an answer no matter how forcefully she says it.The Supernatural Liberation Movement (SLM) wants to use Savannah in their quest to bring supernaturals into the open, but she isn't interested. She's been fighting their agents since [b:Waking the Witch 6725785 Waking the Witch (Women of the Otherworld, #11) Kelley Armstrong http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1265310260s/6725785.jpg 6921947], but some of the plots their primary members are associated in go all the way back to [b:Stolen 11922 Stolen (Women of the Otherworld, #2) Kelley Armstrong http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1300923278s/11922.jpg 14289]. These are the people who killed Eve, so why would Savannah help them?Armstrong has done a masterful job of weaving little threads together from all the different books so that they wind up in one neat package. I was enthralled from the first word through the last, but satisfied with where she left the characters. I look forward to reading any new stories she chooses to tell in the Otherworld, but I can see that this round is finished. Kudos to her for a job well done.
Journeys, literal or otherwise, are the theme of this young adult anthology. Appropriately enough, it was conceived as the result of a book tour.“Giovanni's Farewell” by [a:Claudia Gray 1192311 Claudia Gray http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1234643683p2/1192311.jpg] is a sweet, coming-of-age story of sorts. The twist is that it features a brother and sister, twins, rather than just one person. They visit Rome with a school group while dealing with major changes in their lives. There was too much background crammed into a short story, but it was interesting.[a:Carrie Ryan 1443712 Carrie Ryan http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1343410049p2/1443712.jpg]'s “Scenic Route” is a disturbing, post-apocalyptic story set in the world of [b:The Forest of Hands and Teeth 3432478 The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #1) Carrie Ryan http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320633297s/3432478.jpg 3473471] about two young sisters trying to survive in an isolated cabin. The older sister keeps the younger one occupied with the planning of a road trip that will never happen, always hoping against hope that the girl won't realize what their reality is. How long can they stay isolated enough to survive? Bloody, frightening, and visceral. “Red Run” by [a:Kami Garcia 2895706 Kami Garcia http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1289693388p2/2895706.jpg] is the story of a girl who has lost the only person she loves in the world, and the trip she takes to avenge his death. How do you hunt a ghost? Maybe it isn't fair, coming right after Ryan's story, but I didn't truly feel the main character's feelings.[a:Jackson Pearce 2761947 Jackson Pearce http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1336840299p2/2761947.jpg]'s “Things About Love” is a sweet story involving a jinn researching love. I felt like I'd come into the middle of something, so I checked and found that she's written a novel, [b:As You Wish 6750586 As You Wish Jackson Pearce http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1319175193s/6750586.jpg 6217232], in the same setting. While this story technically stands on its own, it would probably be enriched by having read As You Wish.“Niederwald” by [a:Rachel Vincent 415967 Rachel Vincent http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1262900481p2/415967.jpg] is the first story I've read in her Soul Screamers series. Sabine, a macha (nightmare), takes a road trip with a human acquaintance and detours to Niederwald, Texas, home to the harpies. No, there's no way that could go wrong. Of course you know from the moment they hit the parking lot that it will go wrong, but at least it's an interesting sort of wrong.[a:Melissa Marr 175855 Melissa Marr http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1192302741p2/175855.jpg]'s “Merely Mortal” feels as though it's probably set in the same world as her Wicked Lovely series.“Facing Facts” by [a:Kelley Armstrong 7581 Kelley Armstrong http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1199068298p2/7581.jpg] is set in her Darkest Powers universe. I read the first of those books, but obviously a lot has passed since then, and there were spoilers in this story. It really centers around Chloe and Tori, with a little Derek tossed in. Tori learns something she doesn't want to know and reacts badly, running off on her own, which is dangerous. Chloe goes after her and they get into trouble. That seemed rather predictable to me, but at least the type of trouble wasn't what I expected. Tori doesn't seem to have changed since the first book, but Chloe is coming into control of her abilities.[a:Sarah Rees Brennan 836009 Sarah Rees Brennan http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1254149255p2/836009.jpg]'s “Let's Get this Undead Show on the Road” is about a boy band that features a vampire, Christian. He's an unusual vampire, all alone without a nest or a sire. His journey seems to be about his identity as a vampire, although the band is on tour and has another sort of journey to make, as well. “Bridge” by [a:Jeri Smith-Ready 56019 Jeri Smith-Ready http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1204922569p2/56019.jpg] is told from a ghost's point of view, 233 days after death. It's frustrating being a ghost, because most people can't see or hear you. There are things you have to accomplish before moving on, though, that require communication with the living. Finding a “bridge” and working things out takes a lot of effort. This was a touching story, bittersweet and well-told.[a:Kimberly Derting 2755160 Kimberly Derting http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1229976464p2/2755160.jpg]'s “Skin Contact” nearly broke me. Rafe is looking for his girlfriend. He knows where he needs to go, and he's guided by dreams. This story nearly broke me. It's told sparingly, and something feels perfectly right about it, but it hurts. According to her author biography, Rafe was introduced in her novel Desires of the Dead.“Leaving” by [a:Ally Condie 1304470 Ally Condie http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1325882614p2/1304470.jpg] is a very literary story, about a girl left behind after her mother dies and her father leaves. She spends the story preparing to go after her father. It's hard to describe much more than that, or to have much of an opinion. It was well-written and I think I'll probably remember it for a long time.[a:Jessica Verday 1290625 Jessica Verday http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1243816082p2/1290625.jpg]'s “At The Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show” is a darkly funny story about a girl from a family of monster hunters. She's usually the bait, but tonight she has decided to be the hunter — without backup. I'd like to read more from Verday.“IV League” by [a:Margaret Stohl 2895707 Margaret Stohl http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1241421033p2/2895707.jpg] just didn't hit me right. It's the story of a bunch of southern vampires on a college tour, which could have been funny but wasn't written that way. The whole thing just didn't sit well with me, perhaps because the main character seemed too unrealistically out of touch for someone who obviously had access to television and the internet.[a:Mary E. Pearson 123463 Mary E. Pearson http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1238978651p2/123463.jpg]'s “Gargouille” is the most touching love story in the collection. Just read it.“The Third Kind” by [a:Jennifer Lynn Barnes 164187 Jennifer Lynn Barnes http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1243935916p2/164187.jpg] is, on the surface, about a road trip to San Antonio. The real journey is much deeper, one of coming to understanding one's calling. [a:Rachel Caine 15292 Rachel Caine http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1272650500p2/15292.jpg]'s Morganville is the setting for her “Automatic.” I think I've read a Morganville novella, but my memory of it is dim. The Morganville Blood Bank introduces an automated withdrawal machine, essentially a soda can dispenser. Michael Glass is ordered to try it first, as a demonstration for the older, more traditional vampires, with unexpected results. His journey is one of self-knowledge. I didn't really care much about him, his journey, his girlfriend, or anything else. The setting and characters do nothing for me, but your mileage may vary.Altogether, the anthology was worth reading. There were some low spots, but that's true of any collection. To be fair, I'm sure someone who is more enthusiastic about young adult fiction would also be more enthusiastic about the works here.
Chance must have thought readers were bored with the Cassandra/Mircea match, because much of this book is spent with Cassie falling for Pritkin without really being aware that she's getting into dangerous territory.
Palmer isn't one of my favorite characters. She isn't an ass-kicker, but she's probably somewhat more realistic than most paranormal heroines for that fact. She's coming into her own by standing up to Mircea more in this volume, but she does it in childish ways. I find her annoying partially because I'd hate to try protecting her from herself, much less anyone else.
I don't honestly understand why Mircea and Pritkin are attracted to her, either, but part of the romance formula is the heroine has to be irresistible to at least one, preferably more than one man. I do find Mircea and Pritkin interesting (they just have bad taste in women), so they and the plots hold my interest.
To be fair, Cassie seems to be growing up a little bit. Not entirely, but she's growing a little. She does vehemently claim to care about whether or not other people get hurt trying to protect her.
This book also serves as backstory time for Mircea and Pritkin, as we learn a lot more about their pasts. Things drag a bit while they relate their stories, and in fact there seems to be little point in what we hear from Mircea (readers of the series already know a lot about his family and history).
Altogether, I wouldn't have read it if I weren't already so far into the series. I do wish Chance would switch focus to another character. (I'm aware of the Dorina Basarab series set in the same universe, and consider them to be better books in general). I suppose that's unlikely, seeing as it's the Cassandra Palmer series.
[b:Waking the Witch 6725785 Waking the Witch (Women of the Otherworld, #11) Kelley Armstrong http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1265310260s/6725785.jpg 6921947] and [b:Spell Bound 7797032 Spell Bound (Women of the Otherworld, #12) Kelley Armstrong http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1292864599s/7797032.jpg 10767072] should truly be read back to back. In fact, they should be read with [b:13 10863148 13 (Women of the Otherworld, #13) Kelley Armstrong http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328820694s/10863148.jpg 15778276] on hand, almost as a trilogy within the series.At the end of Waking the Witch, Savannah silently thought that if it would reunite an orphan with her grandmother, Savannah would gladly give up her powers. Something heard her and took her up on that unintended deal, and she finds herself powerless for the first time in her life.Savannah has always been so very powerful that she has counted on her spells more than most witches or sorcerors do, so she finds living without them to be very difficult — especially since a witch hunter and others are after her. There's a Supernatural Liberation Movement that wants to use her as one of its figureheads, with or without her cooperation, in their quest to bring supernaturals out of the closet and into the spotlight. She has to do some serious soul-searching and growth in the process of avoiding enemies and getting creative about staying alive.The plot moves extremely quickly, so much so that I couldn't keep track of what day it was in the book. In fact, it moves right into the plot of [b:13 10863148 13 (Women of the Otherworld, #13) Kelley Armstrong http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328820694s/10863148.jpg 15778276]. I'm having fits because I don't have it on hand, and I just can't wait for the library to get around to me on the hold list — I might have to break down and buy it instead.
Leave it to Aguirre to take her heroine in a direction that is apparently pissing off at least half of her readers (those who expected romance). Sirantha Jax is in fine form in [b:Aftermath 10648186 Aftermath (Sirantha Jax, #5) Ann Aguirre http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311703515s/10648186.jpg 10219927], staying strong and true to herself through an all-new set of trials (literally) and troubles. Loyal Velith stays by her side throughout, continuing to depict a friendship that goes beyond mere romance.I don't normally mine books for quotes as I read them, but two bits stuck with me from this book. Musing, Jax thinks, “... the world moves on, even when you don't want it to, even when change feels like the end of everything. It never stops. That's harsh and magical and somewhat comforting because nothing is immutable, however much we want it to be. Moments cannot be caught like fossils in amber, ever-perfect, ever-beautiful. They go dark and raw, full of shadows, leaving you with the memories. And the world moves on.”Later, Velith says, “The heart is not a glass of water, but more like an endlessly pumping spring.”There is so much wisdom about love and relationships in those words that I will remember this book far longer than the plot details will necessarily stay with me. The plot is, of course, as can always be expected of Aguirre, good. It hangs together well. There was a little drag this time, but not much. I am eagerly awaiting the release of Endgame later this month, and will be purchasing it as soon as it's released.
Killbox won't make any sense without reading the previous three books, and I honestly feel that I should have gone back and re-read them before starting it. I was impatient for more fresh Aguirre after finishing [b:Shady Lady 6767883 Shady Lady (Corine Solomon, #3) Ann Aguirre http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1302689192s/6767883.jpg 6913777], though, and [b:Killbox 7843135 Killbox (Sirantha Jax, #4) Ann Aguirre http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1282093259s/7843135.jpg 6913748] is what I had on the Nook.I really love Sirantha Jax's strength and complexity. She has grown and changed a great deal over the four books of the series, and reflects on the changes in herself during this book. Her relationship with March has deepened, as well. The depiction of a mature relationship being tested, rather than one that is fresh and new, is a nice switch from most of the books I've read recently. The friendship between Velith and Jax is also a treasure. It is rare to see a pure friendship between a male and a female in fiction, without any sexual tension entering the picture. We're reminded that while he is an alien, Velith has had a human lover in the past, so it isn't as if that is impossible between the two — it just doesn't occur.The book isn't solely about relationships, of course — I just appreciate how well Aguirre depicts relationships in and around the excellent plot. That's the part that you need background to understand. The Morgut keep coming, a bigger threat than ever: they're colonizing instead of raiding. Jax secured a treaty with the Ithiss-Tor (Velith's people), but there's no help from them coming yet. Humanity's survival is on the line. Aguirre depicts battle believably, giving a sense of the horror without dwelling too much on gore. Lovers are torn apart, established characters die, new ones come on stage. It's impossible to know at any given moment whether anyone, including Jax, will survive from scene to scene. That certainly kept me reading, and I think it will engage you, as well.
I have to give a fairly high rating to a book that involves a woman who largely saves herself from multiple assassins (natural and supernatural) sent by the head of a drug cartel. There are sexy men in her life (three, in fact), but she's definitely the heroine here, not a clinging vine. That's a refreshing approach.
To be honest I don't think this book should be shelved with paranormal romances at all. It deserves to be called urban fantasy, or something along those lines, because relationships are not the main focus of the plot.
Corine has changed a great deal from the beginning of the series, and we learn much more about her background in this volume, explaining some of her behavior. The exposition is never tiresome or without reason — it's worked into the plot very nicely. I enjoy seeing character development, and getting more of the “why” helps the reader make sense of her decisions.
This volume feels like the end of the series, but it was a nice little trilogy and well worth reading.
This anthology is supposed to be humorous horror. I have a message for [a:Kevin J. Anderson 4845 Kevin J. Anderson http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1215310030p2/4845.jpg]: grossness is not nearly enough for humor. I hope volume two was funnier (I haven't read it yet), but if it was as bad as this one, the series should have been a singleton.The entire reason I skipped ahead to volume three is “I Was a Teenage Bigfoot” by [a:Jim Butcher 10746 Jim Butcher http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1205261964p2/10746.jpg]. Happily, it was worth reading. There was some humor, as is the case with all of the Dresden Files fiction. It wasn't the funniest of Butcher's stories, but the setup was good. Still, it's a Dresden Files story, and that's enough for a 4 out of 5.I probably would have appreciated “Blood Red Greens” by [a:Joel A. Sutherland 1163804 Joel A. Sutherland http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1273104573p2/1163804.jpg] much more if I played golf. As it is, I skimmed the description of the main characters' golf game on the first day of the zombie apocalypse and read for everything else. Not bad, not great. I'll give this one a 3 out of 5, acknowledging that I'm not the prime target audience.“V Plates” by [a:Kelley Armstrong 7581 Kelley Armstrong http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1199068298p2/7581.jpg] has a clichéd; setup: Noah is tired of being twitted about his virginity and wants to “fix it,” so Nick agrees to take him to a brothel. (I thought there were supposed to be problems with control where young werewolves and sex were concerned? Maybe I'm confusing my mythologies.) Anyway, of course it can't be that easy, so there's trouble. The trouble is unfunny. This from an experienced author working with established characters who have potential? No. 1 out of 5.[a:Christopher Golden 4522 Christopher Golden http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1207236514p2/4522.jpg]'s “Put on a Happy Face” is about clowns and wishes. I found absolutely nothing funny at all in it. In fact, it was horrific. It wasn't badly written, though, so it gets a 3 out of 5.“Devil's Contract” by [a:E.S. Magill 5179984 E.S. Magill http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1340147541p2/5179984.jpg] has been done before. Maybe not in an anthology, so I suppose perhaps there are non-geeks who haven't seen it done to death. But I've seen variations of it for years in various forms. Yawn. 2 out of 5.[a:Eric James Stone 2851726 Eric James Stone http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1277141800p2/2851726.jpg]'s “Nine Tenths of the Law” was actually memorable enough that I didn't have to look it up before writing this review. That puts it ahead of the crowd. It wasn't really funny, though. There's an ironic twist, but it didn't make me laugh and, in fact, I half expected the ending. 2 out of 5.“Scrumptious Bone Bread” by [a:Jeff Strand 207708 Jeff Strand http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1238033438p2/207708.jpg] was also memorable, but that's just because it was excessively gross. It was also one of three stories to make fun of rednecks or country people, and I have a personal standard of one stereotyped story per anthology. 1 out of 5.[a:Mark Onspaugh 2904745 Mark Onspaugh http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s “Let That Be a Lesson to You” was entirely forgettable. I just read the book today, so if I can't remember it at all, that's sad. 1 out of 5.“Mint in Box” by [a:Mike Baron 14024 Mike Baron http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] was, on the other hand, memorable. It reminded me of the horror comics I used to borrow from my older cousin, Shannon. It was a dark, depressing cautionary tale - or, at least, that's how I read it. I didn't see any humor at all. 2 out of 5, because of the humor fail and the excessive nastiness.[a:J.G. Faherty 4265362 J.G. Faherty http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1305607086p2/4265362.jpg]'s “The Great Zombie Invasion of 1979” was the worst of the anti-country stories. Of course everybody out in the boondocks is a drunk, trigger-happy redneck! Gross, unfunny, goes on too long - 1 out of 5.[a:Stephen Dorato 5179982 Stephen Dorato http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s “Dating After the Apocalypse” fared a bit better. For one thing, I remember it and I'm not groaning. I didn't ever laugh out loud or anything, but I did smile once or twice. That's about as good as it gets in this collection. 3 out of 5.“Typecast” by [a:Jeff Ryan 1020603 Jeff Ryan http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] introduces us to a truly nasty casting director and her put-upon assistant as they go out for a coffee break while casting a serial killer. The casting director must ruthlessly “cast” everybody she sees, revealing much more about herself than anyone else. I have no trouble remembering the story but I didn't find it very funny. Ironic, yes, but irony alone doesn't create humor. 2 of 5.I didn't even notice [a:Mike Resnick 54475 Mike Resnick http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1324507257p2/54475.jpg]'s name before - odd. Anyway, his and [a:Lezli Robyn 3154018 Lezli Robyn http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s story “Making the Cut” was a breath of fresh air. There was genuine, good-natured humor in it. I laughed. 5 out of 5.“Acknowledgments” by [a:Will Ludwigsen 773420 Will Ludwigsen http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1332907985p2/773420.jpg] is written as, well, acknowledgments for a book. It's more entertaining than most acknowledgement sections, but that isn't saying much. 3 out of 5.[a:Heather Graham 30819 Heather Graham http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1258112542p2/30819.jpg]'s “Mannequin” is one I have no trouble remembering. It was creepy as hell, but totally not funny. I don't know why it was chosen for this anthology. I can't give her better than a 3 out of 5.“Short Term” by [a:Daniel Pyle 2982216 Daniel Pyle http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1280204024p2/2982216.jpg] is, again, highly memorable. It's disturbing and unfunny to me. Serial killers just aren't funny, even when they do have almost no short-term memory any more. 1 out of 5.[a:Nina Kiriki Hoffman 12991 Nina Kiriki Hoffman http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1278864412p2/12991.jpg]'s “Distressed Travelers” is based on a highly original concept. I'd love to see what she did with it in another context. I could actually see the humor in this story, even if I didn't get any big laughs. It was amusing. 4 out of 5.“Bayou Brawl” by [a:L.A. Banks 1356336 L.A. Banks http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1319121082p2/1356336.jpg] has to take another poke at rednecks early on. It isn't as bad as the other two, at least, but I was sensitized by the time I got to this story. Then it moves on and seems to be a poor excuse for setting up a love triangle between a human woman, a male werewolf, and a male vampire. Anita Blake's been there and done that a few dozen times now, Banks - there's no shock value in it any more. There wasn't much humor in it unless you look at it on a meta-level (UFO versus terrestrial spookies) and even though - blah. 2 out of 5.[a:John Alfred Taylor 4020322 John Alfred Taylor http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s “The Steeple People” gives us demons selling steeples with resident imps. Okay, that's a little bit funny (to an irreligious person, anyway). The story didn't live up to the setup, though. 3 out of 5.“For Sale” by [a:David Sakmyster 1112860 David Sakmyster http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1284736092p2/1112860.jpg] is couched as a real estate flyer. I don't think I've seen anything done quite like that before, but the property itself is a clicé. I'll give Sakmyster 3 out of 5 for effort and originality.[a:Norman Prentiss 1346653 Norman Prentiss http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1309549281p2/1346653.jpg]'s “The Man Who Could Not Be Bothered to Die” was just gross. At least he avoided World of Warcraft jokes, but otherwise, there wasn't any reason given for the main character to avoid dying and without one, I couldn't believe it. 2 out of 5.“The Last Demon” by [a:Don D'Ammassa 353528 Don D'Ammassa http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] was actually somewhat cute. Ogerak the Off-putting escapes Hell and doesn't find the mortal realms incredibly welcoming. 4 out of 5.[a:Adrian Ludens 2937732 Adrian Ludens http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]' “Choose Your Own” is based on those “Choose Your Own...” stories that were apparently popular at one time (I missed out on them). You don't actually chose your own path in the story, but the choices are there and it's obvious which ones the main character made. I didn't find it funny, but at least I cared what was happening, which is more than I can say for many of the stories in this collection. 3 out of 5.“Smoke and Mirrorballs” by [a:Chris Abbey 5179983 Chris Abbey http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] is a parody of Dancing With the Stars, with Dracula, Van Helsing, The Mummy, and the like thrown in as contestants. It was mildly entertaining at the end, although the gratuitous gore wasn't funny. 3 out of 5.[a:D.L. Snell 1241378 D.L. Snell http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1286392859p2/1241378.jpg]'s “BRIANS!” takes a good swipe at Twilight as well as self-published authors. It was macabre yet funnier than most of the rest of the book. 4 out of 5.“Still Life” by [a:Ken Lillie-Paetz 1139420 Ken Lillie-Paetz http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1282513667p2/1139420.jpg] had too much set-up for a failed punchline. 1 out of 5.[a:Sherrilyn Kenyon 4430 Sherrilyn Kenyon http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1343159156p2/4430.jpg]'s “A Day in the Life” gives us an editor unrealistically celebrating the death of her biggest-selling author. I don't care how difficult the author was, there's just no way the editor would be celebrating the death of the author who made her career. There wasn't any funny in it, but the failed suspension-of-belief check ruined the story anyway. 1 out of 5.“Old MacDonald Had an Animal Farm” by [a:Lisa Morton 345026 Lisa Morton http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1320349809p2/345026.jpg] introduces us to an idiot. That's the only way I can describe the main character. Okay, characters in stories make mistakes because that drives the plot. But there wasn't any humor in his mistakes, nor in the rest of the plot. It was all dark and depressing. 1 out of 5.[a:Brad C. Hodson 4387361 Brad C. Hodson http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s “Two for Transylvania” starts off okay, with Dracula and Van Helsing teaming up together to scam villagers. It's a silly idea, but you go with it. It would make a decent skit. 3 out of 5.“The Four Horsemen Reunion Tour: An Apocumentary” by [a:Lucien Soulban 53306 Lucien Soulban http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] wasn't particularly funny or macabre or anything else. Of course, I find most rockumentaries somewhat boring, and it seemed like a good send-up of them, so it has that going for it. I'll give it a 3 out of 5 for that alone.Overall, I wouldn't have read it if I weren't determined to finish and review it. The things I do for you people! I certainly won't be reading it again.
This anthology gathers stories from authors who normally write in various genres. The commonality is that each story is a mystery, and there's a fantastic twist to each. Martin's introduction calls such stories the “bastard stepchild” of mystery and horror.[a:Charlaine Harris 17061 Charlaine Harris http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1307925926p2/17061.jpg]' “Death by Dahlia,” set in the Sookie Stackhouse universe, is one of a series of stories about the vampire Dahlia Lynley-Chivers. Each story stands alone, but my enjoyment grows greater with each addition to her tales. I'd much rather see Dahlia as the main character of a novel than Sookie, to be honest. This story, set at the party for the ascension of a new vampire sherrif, was a little gem, and a nice start to the collection.“The Bleeding Shadow” by [a:Joe R. Lansdale 58971 Joe R. Lansdale http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1200406474p2/58971.jpg] is grittier from start to finish, set in the south of black folks in the 1950s. A beautiful woman sends her sometime-suitor to find her brother, a blues musician who has gotten into music that isn't of this world. I couldn't be done with this one soon enough, as it gave me the willies. I have a feeling Lansdale would be happy that it stuck with me for a while.[a:Simon R. Green 41942 Simon R. Green http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1224555729p2/41942.jpg]'s “Hungry Heart” takes us to the Nightside, where John Taylor is hired by a young witch to retrieve her stolen heart. I haven't read any of the Nightside novels, but this is probably the third or fourth short story I've read, and for some reason they never leave me wanting more. I don't hunger for the darkness, I guess. I will give Green points for creativity in evil henchmen, though.“Styx and Stones” by [a:Steven Saylor 42919 Steven Saylor http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1243268148p2/42919.jpg] takes a teenage version of his novel hero Gordianus on a world tour to see the Seven Wonders of the World, and this stop is Babylon. Gordianus and his companion, Antipater, find a murderous ghost in residence near their inn in addition to seeing the Ziggurat, the Gate of Ishtar, and what's left of the Hanging Gardens.[a:S. M. Stirling 6448047 S. M. Stirling http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s “Pain and Suffering” was unsatisfying to me. It opened with an ex-soldier's combat flashback twisted into something Other, then we learn that the ex-soldier is a cop. He and his partner spend a lot of time investigating an apparent arson and possibly-connected kidnapping. The flashbacks repeat. There's more, but I don't want to spoil the story. I just felt that there was a lot of build-up for very little payoff, and that perhaps this story was meant as a teaser for a novel in which context it would all make far more sense.“It's Still the Same Old Story' by [a:Carrie Vaughn 8988 Carrie Vaughn http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1231952277p2/8988.jpg] features vampire Rick, from the Kitty Norville books. An old friend calls him needing his help, but by the time he gets to her, she's dead. Most of the story is told in flashback, with him remembering when he originally met the now-old-woman, when they were lovers for a time. The murder is no great mystery for very long. The story felt more rote than anything else, as if perhaps Vaughn wanted to humanize Rick a bit by showing that he had cared for this woman at one time. I didn't feel much of anything from it.One of the more creative pieces, “The Lady is a Screamer” by [a:Conn Iggulden 119121 Conn Iggulden http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1235073163p2/119121.jpg], is told in first person by a con man turned ghostbuster. I didn't like it, precisely, and i certainly didn't like the narrator. It stands alone, though, and doesn't feel derivative at all, so that says something all by itself.“Hellbender” by [a:Laurie R. King 6760 Laurie R. King http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1314242901p2/6760.jpg] is probably the only story that left me determined to hunt down more of the author's work. I would classify it as near-future science fiction, but it certainly fits in the noir detective genre as well. I have no hesitation giving this one story five out of five stars.“Shadow Thieves” is a Garrett, P.I. story by [a:Glen Cook 13026 Glen Cook http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1207159752p2/13026.jpg]. That's another series I haven't read, but I believe this is the first time I've read a short story set in that world. I wouldn't mind reading the series if the novels are all light-hearted like this story. There was some darkness, obviously, or the piece wouldn't be in this anthology - but overall, there was humor.[a:Melinda M. Snodgrass 725899 Melinda M. Snodgrass http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1271184595p2/725899.jpg]' “No Mystery, No Miracle” is probably the most controversial story in the book if anybody is really paying attention. I found it intriguing and well-written.“The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery” by [a:M.L.N. Hanover 1868743 M.L.N. Hanover http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-M-50x66.jpg] takes us a big city, where an overworked cop is trying to get a confession out of a supposedly demon-possessed killer. He gets help from an unusual minister (Unitarian, we're told - not something that will thrill any UUs out there). I found this one of the most chilling stories in the book. Telling you why, however, would be a spoiler.I would love to see a novel featuring the main characters of [a:Lisa Tuttle 38313 Lisa Tuttle http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1296860221p2/38313.jpg]'s “The Curious Affair of the Deodand” - a young woman in the Watson role and a young man as a Sherlock Holmes-type consulting detective. The young lady is every bit as vital to resolving the case as the man is, which is one of the things I enjoyed about the story. The resolution isn't as satisfying as it could be, though, which is one of the reasons I'd like to see the same characters in other circumstances.“Lord John and the Plague of Zombies” by [a:Diana Gabaldon 3617 Diana Gabaldon http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1213918339p2/3617.jpg] is a Lord John Grey story. This is, I believe, the first thing I've read by Gabaldon. It wasn't bad and it wasn't earth-shakingly good. It was decently-plotted with predictable characters and a nice little twist at the end, so enjoyable to read. I won't avoid her work but I'm not burning to read more, either.“Beware the Snake” is an SPQR story by [a:John Maddox Roberts 19522 John Maddox Roberts http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1285244765p2/19522.jpg]. Once again, I'm unfamiliar with the author and the series, but the story gave enough context for me to understand the setting and the characters, so that was all right. It was enjoyable, although I probably would have twigged to a couple of things more quickly were I more familiar with Roman naming customs. [a:Patricia Briggs 40563 Patricia Briggs http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1228867484p2/40563.jpg]' “In Red, With Pearls” is set in Mercedes Thompson's world but featuring werewolf Warren Smith and his lover Kyle. Kyle is set upon by a zombie assassin who is thwarted by Warren, but of course Warren wants to know who sent the zombie, why, and who made the zombie. It's a very good story, as I've come to expect from Briggs. I had a bit of a hard time keeping up with some of the secondary characters in the story, but then I was distracted at the time.“The Adakian Eagle” by [a:Bradley Denton 198305 Bradley Denton http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1320697919p2/198305.jpg] is a Dashiell Hammett story - as in, Hammett is a character. That was interesting alone, but the story in general was well-told. Spare and hard, as befits one of the main characters. All in all this is a collection that I can definitely recommend. There are very few clunkers are several excellent stories. [a:George R.R. Martin 346732 George R.R. Martin http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1195658637p2/346732.jpg] and [a:Gardner R. Dozois 12052 Gardner R. Dozois http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1247758142p2/12052.jpg] did their jobs very well.
I picked this anthology up because all proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which is a wonderful cause. Many of the authors' lives have been touched by cancer in one way or another, some first-hand. The volume is Halloween-themed, as well.I don't believe I've read anything but short stories by any of these authors in the past except for [a:Jennifer Estep 580315 Jennifer Estep http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1264385515p2/580315.jpg], and I haven't read the Mythos Academy series in which her story is set. I'm more likely to read it now than I was before.“Halloween Frost” by Estep and “Ghostly Justice” by Allison Brennan (set in her Seven Deadly Sins series) were the most polished stories in the anthology. Too many of the others had plot holes, or felt like teasers to get a reader to pursue more of the author's work. A short story should be self-contained.Some of the authors let the “romance” get in the way of the plotting. If the main character acts like an idiot because she's distracted by the bulge in a man's pants, why make her the main character of a story? Especially if, as in “Sinfully Sweet” by Michelle Miles, you fail to resolve the major plot issue you raise?While I admire the cause for which these ladies are writing, I can't help but think a shorter, higher-quality anthology might have been a better bet.