Wedding of the Century by Balogh, James, Featherstone

Title: Wedding of the Century

Author: Mary Balogh, Kristin James, Charlotte Featherstone

Publisher: HQN 2011

Genre: Historical romance

Pages: 384

Rating:  Putney 4/5 stars; James 4/5 stars; Featherston  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC -- Flowers on cover; Romance; TBR Pile; 52 Books -- W33

How I Got It: I own it

The Wedding of the Century by MARY JO PUTNEY

Stunningly beautiful and extraordinarily wealthy, Sarah Vangelder had always wanted more for herself than to be sold into marriage for the price of a dukedom. But marriage to Justin Aubrey might be the adventure she's always dreamed of….

Overall I enjoyed this song.  I liked the main characters.  Sarah and Justin are likable if a bit melodramatic.  But this is a romance short story, so I forgive it.  The story is predictable, yet I'm okay with it.  However, I knocked the story down a star for the turning point of the story.  It's a bit uncomfortable and I'm still not sure where I stand on the ethics behind it.

Jesse's Wife by KRISTIN JAMES

When a late-night walk on her father's ranch inadvertently destroys her reputation, Amy McCallister finds herself married off to Jesse, a sinfully handsome farmhand. But can he convince her to give him her heart, despite their rocky beginning?

Loved this story. It reminded me of all the western themed romances I've read in the past.  Very light, very fluffy, very predictable, but still a lot fo fun to read.

Seduced by Starlight by CHARLOTTE FEATHERSTONE

Jase Markham, London's most dashing—and notorious—rake, has loved his brother's fiancée for as long as he can remember. When his brother casts Blossom aside, Jase is determined to finally make her his—if she's willing to overlook his scandalous reputation!

Most definitely my favorite story of the book.  I loved the set up between Blossom and Jase.  And we get to see the story from Jase's perspective.  Very unexpected.  I couldn't wait to get to the end of the story.  I sped through the pages even with a horrendous headache.  Very enjoyable.

The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance

Title: The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance

Edited By: Trisha Telep

Publisher: Running Press 2010

Genre: Regency Romance

Pages: 512

Rating:  4/ 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romance; Mount TBR

How I Got It: I own it!

From some of the biggest names in Regency historical romance, over twenty witty, romantic, and sensual short stories. The collection will include stories from Mary Balogh, Julia Templeton, Sara Bennett, Jo Beverley, and Amanda Grange.

Overall, this collection was good, but not great.  After finishing this book, I realized that I have some definite likes and dislikes about Regency era romances.  Likes: strong characters, good storylines (no tired cliches), interesting circumstances or events.  Dislikes: long drawn out sex scenes, damsels in distress, constant miscommunications.  Unforunately, many of the stories in this collection fell into my dislike category.  I am giving this four stars because of the 9 stories I really enjoyed.  Here are the highlights:

1. Elizabeth Boyle's "Cynders and Ashe" -- Classic Cinderella story redone for the Regency Era.  I loved the female lead and how she played off of the others.  Great little story.
2. Patricia Rice's "Lady Invisible" -- A widower with small daughter looking for a wife.  Verity was just adorable and I was really rooting for all parties involved.
3. Caroline Linden's "Like None Other" -- Next door neighbors fall in love.  I really enjoyed the characters and the set of a moonlit garden.  To die for!
4. Shirley Kennedy's "The Catch of the Season" -- A classic arrange marriage but then she meets a man who sweeps her off her feet.  Somehow Kennedy makes this cliched story feel new and fresh. 

The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance

Title: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance

Edited By: Trisha Telep

Publisher: Running Press 2009

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 532

Rating:   4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Romance - Paranormal

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 beyong 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.

Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology.  There were a few stories that I didn't really love, but I think that has more to do with the style of writing.  I did absolutely adore a few.  My favorites:

• "John Doe" by Anna Windsor -- Really loving the angel theme stories lately.  This one intrigues me.  Definitely want to read more from the author.
• "The Tuesday Enchantress" by MJ Putney -- Two Guardians meet in a surprising circumstance.  Neither can deny the attraction.  Whole story takes place in the span of a few hours.  Great meet and instant attraction story.
• "Pack" by Jeaniene Frost -- A great werewolf story.  Love Frost's writing and characters.  When I get the rest of the series, I am blasting my way through the Night Huntress books.

The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire

Title: The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire

Publisher: Running Press 2009

Genre: YA vampire short stories

Pages: 416

Rating:   5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Vampire; A to Z Titles: E

How I Got It: borrowed from library

This anthology is full of high-quality fiction that mixes some well-established authors of vampire stories with some new ones. The selections have diverse story lines, some strong on the horror component but including lighter fare with some comedy and romance, and an array of writing styles. Vampires are portrayed in a variety of ways along with their history and lore, making this an entertaining read. Particularly noteworthy are Sarah Rees Brennan's "Undead Is Very Hot Right Now," Karen Mahoney's "Falling to Ash," Holly Black's "The Coldest Girl in Coldtown," and Libba Bray's "The Thirteenth Step." These fang-tastic tales are a must for libraries with a strong vampire fan base.—Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

I loved this anthology!  Such a mix of stories.  All about vampires, but not all vampires are the same.  My favorite stories:

• "Sword Point" by Maria Snyder -- A girl training to fence stumbles upon a seedy underground.  Classic horro vampires and new style vampire hunters.  A great classic style story.
• "The Thirteenth Step" by Libba Bray -- A mystery involving vampires and a half-way house.  Had be guessing til the end.  I loved te mystery of it!
• "Wet Teeth" by Cecil Castellucci -- A loner vampire tries to make a friend.  You know this won't end well, right?  Still a great little story.
• "All Wounds" by Dina James -- Defnitely did not see this one coming.  I was so focused on the classic horror side of vampires, that I forgot about other supernatural beings.  This really sets up a series.  Wonder if there is one?  Found my next assignment after the readathon.

For vampire fans, a must read.  And don't be put off by the young adult classification.  These stories may star teens, but they are well thought out journeys.

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love

Title: Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love

Edited by: Trisha Telep

Publisher: Running Press Teens 2010

Genre: YA paranormal

Pages: 430

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library: Summer Romance - Paranormal

The usual cast of otherworldly suspects—ghosts, genies, demons, banshees, witches, and more—fills the pages of this collection, but these 13 stories of the paranormal come with a twist: all are love stories, of one sort or another. Not surprisingly, there is an air of the ominous about each, and (no spoiler here!) not all end happily. Though readable and entertaining, too many of the stories will probably be predictable to fans of this sort of fiction or are too long to pack much of a punch. Nevertheless, the best selections are wonderfully offbeat, inventive, and, well, haunting. Among these: Sarah Rees Brennan’s “The Spy Who Never Grew Up,” a wickedly funny and wonderfully written story about that eternal child Peter Pan, now grown to a teenager; Diana Peterfreund’s “Errant,” a deliciously dark tale of unlikely nuns and even more unlikely unicorns; and Maggie Stiefvater’s “The Hounds of Ulster,” an unforgettable story of music and love, rooted in Irish folklore. These three stories alone make the collection well worth reading. Grades 9-12. --Michael Cart

Awesomely beautiful collection of stories.  As mentioned above, not all end happily, but I find that I like those the best.  The ones with the ominous endings make much more sense to me in the paranormal world.

My favorites (so hard to pick, but I finally did):

1. "Lost" by Justine Mark -- Can you guess who the man in the white house is?  I certainly didn't until he said he's name.  Interesting take on a very old myth.
2. "Behind the Red Door" by Caitlin Kittredge -- A traditional style ghost story with a secret.  The house was like another character with moods and dreams and definitely nightmares.  Very creepy story.
3. "The Hounds of Ulster" by Maggie Stiefvater -- I love Irish mythology and this one plays off the old stories while placing it squarely in today's world.  Definitely not a happy ending, but a wonderfully crafted story of loss.

The other two mentioned in the summary paragraph above (Brennan and Peterfreund) were also amazing, but these three were my absolute favorite.  And each one of them ended on a note of despair.  Not that they didn't have an element of happiness in them.  It's just each story had such atmosphere, like a foggy day in the woods.  I loved them so much!  Curled up in my reading chair listening the Mumford and Sons channel on Pandora.  The perfect day.

Zombies vs. Unicorns

Title: Zombies vs. Unicorns

Edited by: Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (Team Zombie)

Publisher: McElderry Books 2010

Genre: YA Short Stories; Zombie; Paranormal

Pages: 415

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; 2011 - It Wasn't Me

It’s a question as old as time itself: Which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? This all-original, tongue-in-cheek anthology edited by Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (Team Zombie), makes strong arguments for both sides in the form ofspectacular short stories. Contributors include bestselling authors Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan.

Discover how unicorns use their powers for evil, why zombies aren’t always the enemy, and much more in this creative, laugh-out-loud collection that will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?

This is definitely the best anthology of the year.  I love every single story included here.  Half were zombie stories (of course I would like them) and half were unicorn stories (kinda surprised I liked them).  It was really hard to narrow it down, but here are my four favorite stories:

1. "Bougeinvillea" by Carrie Ryan -- Set in the same world as The Forest of Hands and Teeth, this story was a classic post zombie apocalypse story.  Our heroine (can't think of another word, so I'm going with that) lives on an island in the Caribbean visited by pirates and traders.  Her father controls everything, but of course that never works right?  I loved how the story switched back and forth from the present and bits of her past.  We get a lot of character information in just a few pages.  And it's action packed and filled with zombie dread.  Perfect!

2. "The Children of the Revolution" by Maureen Johnson -- You ever read about one of those crazy cult religions and think "what's really going on there?"  Here's your story.  It has a crazy religion, an unsuspecting participant, a famous actress, a big house in the country, five little kids and a secret.  Can you guess what the secret is?  I guess before I even started reading, but that didn't make this story any else creepy.  Just how I like them.

3. "Princess Prettypants" by Meg Cabot -- Just what I would expect from the author of The Princess Diaries.  It was a fun little story with a pretty interesting unicorn.  And I'm not even a huge fan of unicorns.  It had the right blend of action, despair, and fantasy.

4. "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn" by Diana Peterfreund -- Uber fun story.  I had absolutely not clue where the author was taking us, and that's the fun part.  Definitely check this one out.

Overall, amazing collection of stories.  Although I'm still squarely in Team Zombie, I have a new found respect for Team Unicorn.  They can really pull in the creep factor when they want to.  Kudos to you!

Faeries Gone Wild

Title: Faeries Gone Wild

Author: MaryJanice Davidson, Lois Greiman, Michele Hauf, Leandra Logan

Publisher: St. Martin's Press 2009

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 389

Rating:  5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Summer Romance - Paranormal

So much fun.  A great collection of faery stories.

Stories:

1. "Tall, Dark, and Not So Faery" by MaryJanice Davidson -- A continuation of "The Magicka" from No Rest from Witches.  I absolutely loved the characters in the first story and the second one did not disappoint.  In addition to the old characters, we also met a 6'4" faery and a half-giant mechanic.  A great little romance story.  And we even got a twist ending dealing with two of the other characters.  A great addition.

2. "Pixie Lust" by Lois Greiman -- Probably my least favorite of the stories, but still a good one.  Full of imagery, sex, confusion.  I didn't love it, but it was good.

3. "Dust Me, Baby, One More Time" by Michele Hauf -- A tooth fairy and a sand man... unlikely pairing.  But such a fun romance!.  I especially loved the descriptions of Sidney's wardrobe, white orthopedic shoes and a huge amount of polka dots.

4. "A Little Bit Faery" by Leandra Logan -- A half human, half faery moves to NYC to find her father.  A fun romance and then a mystery complete with arson.  Tia was a fun character if a bit "flighty."  Hee hee!

Steampunk edited by Ann and Jeff Vandemeer

Title: Steampunk

Edited by: Ann and Jeff Vandermeer

Publisher: Tachyon Publications 2008

Genre: Steampunk

Pages: 373

Rating:  4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Steampunk; A to Z: Author V

A good collection of steampunk stories from the later days of the 20th century.  A lot of authors that I recognize, but none that I've actually read.  I don't have a huge amount to say about this anthology.  It was enjoyable.  It was fun.  It gave me a nice history of the Steampunk genre. It was nice to read something a bit more modern after Steampunk Prime.  I have the second volume from the same editors, but have decided to read some others first.  A good introduction to the genre.  My favorite story: "Lord Kelvin's Machine" by James Blaylock.  A good combination of intrigue, exploration, and machines.  I definite must read!

Steampunk Prime edited by Mike Ashley

Title: Steampunk Prime

Edited by: Mike Ashley

Publisher: Nonstop Press 2010

Genre: Steampunk

Pages: 239

Rating:   4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Local Library; Steampunk

An anthology of classic (written between 1880-1914) steampunk stories.  The origins of the genre.  I thought it would be good to read this anthology before diving completely into the modern takes on the genre.  While most were science heavy with explanations of the machines, they were great reads.  Ashley chose not to include the more famous authors (like H.G. Wells and Jules Verne), but instead focused on some relative unknowns.  My favorites:

1. "The Automaton" by Reginald Bacchus and Ranger Gull (1900) -- A creepy story about a chess playing automaton.  Right amount of suspense, supernatural, and intrigue.  Definitely my favorite from the entire anthology!

2. "The Gibralter Tunnel" by Jean Jaubert (1914) -- A classic style man-made disaster.  What could go wrong by digging a train tunnel underwater from Spain to Morocco?  Yeah.  Try everything.  Great action adventure story!

3. "In the Deep of Time" by George Parsons Lathrop (1897) -- A good story involving Mars, suspended animation, and a love story.  Supposedly written after a conversation with Thomas Edison, the story definitely focuses on the new machines.

The Living Dead 2 edited by John Joseph Adams

Title: The Living Dead 2

Edited by: John Joseph Adams

Publisher: Night Shade Books 2010

Genre: Zombies

Pages: 496

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; May Read and Review; Zombies

Another day, another anthology.  But this one features my favorite: ZOMBIES!  According to the editor, John Joseph Adams, this anthology gives the newest of the new running the full spectrum of stories.  It definitely delivered.  I loved so many of these stories.  I like almost all of the stories.  I only disliked a couple.  Out of 43, I would say 40 were enjoyable.  That is quite a score for an anthology.

Here were my absolute favorites:

• Seth Lindberg "Twenty-Three Snapshots of San Francisco" -- Interesting way to show live before and after the zombie apocalypse.  I connected with the characters without them ever speaking.  Great concept!  Really hit home.  Loved it.
• Karina Sumner-Smith "When the Zombies Win" -- What would the world be like after the zombies win (and they will, don't kid yourself, they won't stop)?  According to Sumner-Smith, it's a pretty depressing place.  A philosophical look at the world.  I like it.
• David Wellington "Good People" -- Classic survivor tale set in the desert in a motel.  A group goes out to check out the surrounding area.  This is going to well, right?  Watch out for the twist at the end.  A character finally realizes the definition of "good people."  Instant classic!
• Brian Keene "Lost Canyon of the Dead" -- Zombies, cowboys, and dinosaurs.... need I saw more?
• Cherie Priest "Reluctance" -- Set in the same world as Boneshaker (which I own, but haven't read yet.  steampunk fun!) during the American Civil War.  Classic story with a steampunk twist.
• Bret Hammond "Rural Dead" -- How would the Amish deal with the zombie apocalypse?  Hammond tries to answer with a great short story.

Loving me some zombies this week.  But this book definitely took me longer to read than I anticipated.  I need to be more focused in my reading.  I am going to commit myself to reading at least 1 hour day.  Hopefully that will get me back on track.  Next up: I'm thinking a romance.  As much as I love zombies, I think I need a bit of a break after 43 zombie stories.

Death's Excellent Vacation

Title: Death's Excellent Vacation

Edited By: Charlaine Harris and Toni Kelner

Publisher: Ace 2010

Genre: Paranormal

Pages: 339

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon

Really got into this anthology.  I loved reading the wide range of styles.  Many of the stories had twists and turns that I didn't see coming until the end (those are the best ones).  A majority of stories earned high marks.  I'm highlighting my favorites (this is becoming a pattern):

1. Jeaniene Frost "One for the Money" -- I know this is part of her Night Huntress series.  I haven't read any of those books (they're on my list), but I really got into this story.  Frost gives enough background that you understand the bigger storyline.  A great action/adventure story featuring vampires, hit men, ghouls, and ghosts.  Thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
2. Daniel Stashower "Meanwhile, Far Across the Caspian Sea" -- Really intrigued by this author.  The story, set at LifeSpan books, started innocently enough.  But you know somethings up pretty quickly with the mention of Thaddeus Palgrave.  I loved the big twist at the end.  Extra points for having a character who loves researching and history as much as I do.
3. A. Lee Martinez "The Innsmouth Nook" -- A bed-and-breakfast in the dreary little town of Clam Bay.  Nothing too interesting, right?  Wrong, Clam Bay has its own deep secret (hee hee for my bad pun).  Definitely did not see the secret until the end, but that's really what makes the story awesome.
4. Sharon Newman "Home from America" -- Great story from Ireland.  Definitely called the big reveal at the beginning, but a really well-constructed story.  And the twist at the end, priceless!
5. Toni Kelner "Pirate Dave's Haunted Amusement Park" -- I love amusement parks and the supernatural, so of course I loved this story.  Great humor and mystery.  Vampires, werewolves, and pirates!  Oh my!

No Rest for the Witches

Title: No Rest for the Witches

Author: MaryJanice Davidson, Lori Handeland, Cheyenne McCray, Christine Warren

Publisher: St. Martin's 2007

Genre: Paranormal (Witches)

Pages: 330

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon; Fantasy

Usually I have mixed feelings about anthologies.  This one surpassed my expectations.  I loved each of the four stories presented.

1. MaryJanice Davidson "The Majicka" -- I absolutely loved the crazy cast of characters in this story.  As usual, we have a strong heroine that can't necessarily see her own worth.  In the end, everything works out great, but what a ride.  My only issue: Micah.  Maybe it was because he wasn't as "out there" as the rest of the characters.  But overall a good story.
2. Lori Handeland "Voodoo Moon" -- A suspected serial killer, a voodoo king, a skeptical FBI agent, and a mysterious secret government agency.  A great mystery story with twists and turns.  The sex scenes were a bit intense for my tastes, but good.
3. Cheyenne McCray "Breath of Magic" -- Probably the least favorite in this anthology, but still really good.  Obviously this story goes along with a larger saga.  McCray did a good job of giving enough information that I understood.  But I'm sure it would be better after reading more of the saga.  Good mythology and characters.
4. Christine Warren "Any Witch Way She Can" -- Interesting love spell story.  I definitely saw the ending coming, but it was still enjoyable.  Great little story.

Hungry for Your Love

Title: Hungry for Your Love

Edited By: Lori Perkins

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin 2009

Genre: Zombie; Short Stories

Pages: 368

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon; Zombie

Finally finished!  I love zombie stories, but I really feel like I've been reading this book forever.  Like most anthologies I have mixed feelings about the stories.  Initially, I was concerned about the mix of zombies and romance.  Was I going to read zombie porn?  EWWW! Definitely not the part of the genre that I enjoy.  Thankfully only a few stories alluded to that activity.  There were a couple zombie (or zombie-ish)/human pairings and a few zombie/zombie pairings, but there were many classic survivors find love stories.  I am highlighting my top five stories (out of 21 total):

1. R.G. Hart "My Partner the Zombie" - A model private investigator, her zombie (but high functioning with unrequited love) partner, the circus, midgets, and a meglomaniac!  What a cast! Mystery, intrigue, and a great happy (if slightly improbable) ending. Really enjoyed this one.
2. Jan Kozlowski "First Love Never Dies" - A police officer stumbles into a grotesque compound owned by a former acquaintance. It has a happy ending in an appropriate conclusion kind of way.  Not happy, but satisfying.  Full of very relatable emotions, zombie infestation nonwithstanding.
3. S.M. Cross "Through Death to Love" - How can someone fall in love with a zombie?  Perhaps through speech therapy.  However it happens, you bet it's going to be slow and steady.  (hee hee get it?)  Ignoring my ridiculous puns, I liked the quiet emotions to this love story.
4. Jeanine McAdam "Inhuman Resources" - Aren't all office drones zombielike?  But what if they actually were zombies.  Could you spot the difference?  These are the questions our heroine must ask herself at the Shibboleth Insurance Agency.  And to complicate matters, she meets a mysterious, slightly geeky guy claiming to be a zombie hunter.
5. Steven Saus "Kicking the Habit" - Romeo and Juliet style story except R and J are now zombies.  I loved the subtle humor to this piece.  Zombies are hard to make humorous, but Saus definitely achieved a slightly funny, definitely engaging love story.

The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance

Title: The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance

Edited by: Tricia Telep

Publisher: Running Press 2009

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 468

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon; Fantasy

Twenty stories of time travel romance. What's not to love?  Overall this collection was a lot of fun.  Some stories were traveling back in time.  A few from the future back to our time.  And a few into the future.  I think I liked the into the past ones the best.  Instead of rating each story for the review (I did as I read them, just for me), I thought I would highlight my five favorite stories.  In order of best to a little less than best:

1. "The Walled Garden" Michele Lang - A tales of safety, mystery, self-exploration.  I couldn't tell if the story was a metaphor or meant to be taken literally.  Doesn't matter really.  The story is amazing.  And Lang's writing is so lyrical.  She doesn't give you all the answers, but that's the beauty of the story.  Definitely need to look up her other works.

2. "Stepping Back" Sara McKenzie - A mysterious house hidden under the water in remote Australia.  A woman escaping her old life (or is she?).  A mysterious photograph.  A receding reservoir.  And a rip in time itself.  A great story of self-discovery and romance.

3. "Iron and Hemlock" Autumn Dawn -- I have always loved gargoyles, shapeshifters, and faeries.  This story put them all together with a time traveling woman. I loved the surreal quality of the story.  I want to learn more about this mysterious world.

4. "MacDuff's Secret" Sandy Blair -- I connected to the main female character within the first paragraph.  A passionate history teacher trying to manage five teenage boys?  Sounds a lot like me.  But then the story turned on its ear with a travel in time, a hunky Highlander, and a mysterious glen.  I especially loved the ending to this story.  Usually happy endings slightly annoy me, but this one was done well.

5. "The Key to Happiness" Gwyn Cready -- A bridesmaid meets a strangely familiar man at the reception.  He tells her secrets, but she will only remember them as long as they keep their hands clasped.  What happens when she releases his hand?  A plot twist I saw coming a mile away, but the writing still made it enjoyable.

Unusual Suspects edited by Dana Stabenow

Title: Unusual Suspects: Stories of Mystery and Fantasy

Author: edited by Dana Stabenow

Publisher: Ace Trade 2008

Genre: Paranormal; Mystery

Pages: 320

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon

Interesting collection of fantasy and mystery stories.  Like all collections, I liked some and not so much for others.  Instead of trying to summarize the entire book, I thought I would list all the stories, share a few thoughts, and rate the stories.

1. "Lucky" Charlaine Harris -- A great Sookie Stackhouse short story.  A nice fill in between novels with some great characters (both new and old).  5 stars
2. "Bogieman" Carole Nelson Douglas -- Loved the plot.  Really want to read more of her work. 5 stars
3. "Looks are Deceiving" Michael Stackpole -- I got very confused very quickly.  His world sounds pretty interesting, but I obviously need to read some of his other works first. 2 stars
4. "The House of Seven Spirits" Sharon Shim -- Great ghost/mystery story.  I was definitely impressed. 5 stars
5. "Glamour" Mike Doogan -- Interesting world, but really couldn't get into the story. 3 stars
6. "Spellbound" Donna Andrews -- Witches, mages, gremlins, and origami?  Perfect crazy story.  Reminded me of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. 5 stars
7. "The Duh Vice" Michael Armstrong --Good sci fi story. 4 stars
8. "Weight of the World" John Straley -- Wow!  What an awesome story featuring Santa Claus, elves, and "the list." 5 stars
9. "Illumination" Laura Ann Gilman -- Good start to what looks like an interesting character. 4 stars
10. "The House" Laurie King -- Loved loved loved this ghost story with a twist. 5 stars
11. "Appetite for Murder" Simon Green -- Great mystical whodunit.  I really want to read more of his Nightside world. 5 stars
12. "A Woman's Work" Dana Stabenow -- Too many names and odd plot lines.  I couldn't even finish this story. 1 star

Date with a Devil

Title: Date with a Devil

Author: Anne Stuart, Cherry Adair, and Muriel Jensen

Publisher: Harlequin 2004

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 376

Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library

I'm really into the fun breezy reads lately.  (Actually I'm trying to read all the books that I've already checked out from the library.  I've banned myself from getting more.)  This one fits in nicely.  Three paranormal romance short stories featuring naughty dates.  Yes, I referred to them as naughty dates.  I liked the stories, but felt like they could have been turned into full length books with some time and effort.  They felt a little short.  The story was finished, but the characters could have offered a lot more to the reader.  Alas, they were short stories.  I'm still trying to decide if I should look into other works by these authors,  I think I'll go to the library and peruse the covers.  Good, fun read for the day.  Nothing too exciting or memorable, but that's okay.  I think I'll continue with the breezy fun reads and then get into heavier stuff next week.

Cupid Cats

Title: Cupid Cats

Author: Katie MacAlister, Vicki Lewis Thompson, Connie Brockway

Publisher: Orbit Books 2011

Genre: Paranormal romance

Pages: 391

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Vampires; February Romance Month; A to Z Titles: C

Another fun read.  This time a paranormal romance featuring cats... Cats aren't my faorite animal in the world, but the stories were pretty entertaining.

1. Unleashed by Katie MacAlister -- Another one of her Dark Ones stories.  I read the first in her series A Girl's Guide to Vampires and loved it, the mythology, the stories, the characters.  This story did not disappoint.  Makes me want to read her other Dark Ones stories... Maybe that will be next.
2. Cat Scratch Fever by Connie Brockway -- Interesting, vaguely paranormal, love story involving a cat, a genius scientist, a hotty administrator, and a 6 year old girl.  I liked the story.  It had heart, comedy, and drama. Definitely an author I want to look into.
3. A Cat's Game by Vicki Lewis Thompson -- More of a straight romance, and my least favorite of the stories.  I just couldn't get into this one like the other two.  It felt a little flat, both characters and plot.

Overall a fun read.  Perfect for February and Valentine's Day.  Not something I would buy, but I good library rental.

Valentine's Day is Killing Me

Title: Valentine's Day is Killing Me

Author: MaryJanice Davidson, Leslie Esdaile, Susanna Carr

Publisher: Kensington 2006

Genre: Romance

Pages: 295

Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; February Romance Month; A to Z Titles: V

Another short story compilation, this time Valentine's Day themed.  Like almost every compilation I pick up, I like some of the stories, and not some of the stories.  This one included:

• Cuffs and Coffee Breaks by MaryJanice Davidson -- Already love Davidson and this story was a fun adventure "who dun it."  The only think that I didn't like was the logic with the crime featured.  It seemed a little convuluted, more like a plot device than a real crime.  The two main characters were fun and likable.  Overall I did like this story.
• A "No Drama" Valentine's by Leslie Esdaile -- Just could not get into this story at all.  Maybe it was the writing, maybe the characters, maybe the plot.  I just didn't enjoy reading this one.
• Valentine Survivor by Susanna Carr -- Fairly interesting story, fairly interesting characters.  I give this one a middle grade, not amazing, but not horrible.  The main character was a little too neurotic for my tastes.

A fairly decdent Valentine's Day themed compilation.  Maybe I'll pick up another one this month.  Until then, I'm going to move to a book recommended by a friend.  It's a little heavier in tone, but she says it was amazing.

Wildflower Brides

Title: Wildflower Brides: Four Romances Blossom Along the Oregon Trail

Author: Andrea Boeshaar, Cathy Marie Hake, Sally Laity, Pamela Kaye Tracy

Publisher: Barbour Publishing 2002

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Pages: 350

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; February Romance Month; A to Z Titles: W

So I just don't really know what to say about this one.  I liked it, but didn't like it.  It had some good parts, but then really predictable parts.  This anthology falls into my Christian historical fiction dilemma.  I like them, but don't like them.  I have mixed feelings about the entire genre.  I did like this one because the four stories, all written by different authors, were set in the same wagon train heading for Oregon.  The crossover of characters was a nice touch.  The story was definitely more believable than many of the Christian historical fiction that I've read in the past.  However, it wasn't anything exciting.  A nice read during a snowy day.

Bespelling Jane

Title: Bespelling Jane Austen

Author: Mary Balogh, Colleen Gleason, Susan Krinard, Janet Mullany

Publisher: HQN 2010

Genre: Paranormal; Jane Austen

Pages: 377

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Vampires

Jane Austen retells, vampires, witches, and romance... must read.  I absolutely loved this book!  Well, all except the last story, but that had more to do with the writing style than the subject matter.  The volume consisted of four short retellings of Austen novels with paranormal twists.

1. Almost Persuaded by Mary Balogh -- a retelling of my favorite Austen novel Persuasion, but through reincarnation.  I loved that this story was still set in the Regency era world of Austen.  The characters, similarly but not the exact same as Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth, were perfectly cast into the world.  I liked the reincarnation twist to the story.  It was an interesting change; not an intrusive one.
2. Northanger Castle by Colleen Gleason -- Northanger Abbey but filled with the threat of vampires.  Well, more of the idea of the threat of vampires.  For our heroine Caroline Merrill doesn't have any real evidence of vampires existing, but she looks for them anyway.  Imagine her surprise when it turns out there really are vampires in Regency era England.  My second favorite Austen book retold.
3. Blood and Prejudice by Susan Krinard -- Another vampire retelling.  This time set in today's world but inhabited by the familiar characters of Bingley, Darcy, and the Bennett.  Good story, but not the absolute best from the book.
4. Little to Hex Her by Janet Mullany -- A retelling of Emma, but in a modern world with vampires, witches, elves, werewolves, and various other supernatural beings.  I just couldn't get into this story.  I read it, but definitely didn't enjoy it like the others.  This may be because Emma is my least favorite of the Austen novels.

Must read for fans of the genre of Austen retellings, sequels, spin-off, and prequels.  I will definitely recommend this one!