Helpful Score: 14
Four short stories by four great authors.
Blood Upon My Lips by Laurell K. Hamilton
This is a condensed and slightly modified version of the first 13 chapters (95 pages) from Incubus Dreams, the 12th book in the Anita Blake series. It leaves out a lot of parts that don't specifically have to do with the Ardeur, making slight modifications to the story to allow it to flow smoothly without the missing pieces. Thus new readers who may have picked up this anthology as their first introduction to Anita Blake may not be all that impressed since most of the Anita books have multiple plot lines going on simultaneously and a lot of the good stuff has been stripped from this story.
It all takes place during a single 24 hour period, focusing on Anita's Ardeur. We also find out a great deal more about both Nathaniel and Damian. I found it okay reading only because I really love the Anita Blake series, however this particular story had nothing of danger or intrigue to it and seemed to drag on tediously in some spots. You're really better off just reading Incubus Dreams.
Dead Girls Don't Dance by Mary Janice Davidson
Though I haven't read her other books yet, this short story is supposed to take place between the times of Undead and Unwed and Undead and Unemployed. It's a funny, quirky tale of a girl vampire making her way to Minneapolis to pay homage to the new Queen. The writing style is drippy sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek humor. Overall, a fairly decent read.
Originally Human by Eileen Wilks
This is the second Eileen Wilks short story I've read, and though I didn't like it as much as the other (Only Human found in the Lover Beware compilation), it was still a pretty good read. For those who appreciate romance more than danger and intrigue, unlike me, you might actually prefer this one over the other.
Burning Moon by Rebecca York
A blind psychic and a werewolf, whose paths are thrown together by destiny, and danger. I appreciated this story enough that I've added all the books from York's MOON series to my wish list.
Blood Upon My Lips by Laurell K. Hamilton
This is a condensed and slightly modified version of the first 13 chapters (95 pages) from Incubus Dreams, the 12th book in the Anita Blake series. It leaves out a lot of parts that don't specifically have to do with the Ardeur, making slight modifications to the story to allow it to flow smoothly without the missing pieces. Thus new readers who may have picked up this anthology as their first introduction to Anita Blake may not be all that impressed since most of the Anita books have multiple plot lines going on simultaneously and a lot of the good stuff has been stripped from this story.
It all takes place during a single 24 hour period, focusing on Anita's Ardeur. We also find out a great deal more about both Nathaniel and Damian. I found it okay reading only because I really love the Anita Blake series, however this particular story had nothing of danger or intrigue to it and seemed to drag on tediously in some spots. You're really better off just reading Incubus Dreams.
Dead Girls Don't Dance by Mary Janice Davidson
Though I haven't read her other books yet, this short story is supposed to take place between the times of Undead and Unwed and Undead and Unemployed. It's a funny, quirky tale of a girl vampire making her way to Minneapolis to pay homage to the new Queen. The writing style is drippy sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek humor. Overall, a fairly decent read.
Originally Human by Eileen Wilks
This is the second Eileen Wilks short story I've read, and though I didn't like it as much as the other (Only Human found in the Lover Beware compilation), it was still a pretty good read. For those who appreciate romance more than danger and intrigue, unlike me, you might actually prefer this one over the other.
Burning Moon by Rebecca York
A blind psychic and a werewolf, whose paths are thrown together by destiny, and danger. I appreciated this story enough that I've added all the books from York's MOON series to my wish list.
Helpful Score: 8
The first 83 pages, a story by LKH, is a waste of your time if you're already an Anita Fan, as it's just the beginning of the novel Incubus Dreams.
Dead Girls Don't Dance is a typical Mary Janice Davidson offering...not as good as the story of Dr. Sophie in the Bite Anthology (which actually had a bit of charm) featuring many of the same authors. Its just a mindless little bit of brain candy, and frankly, it sounds just like all her other stories. Vampires and their humans who act goofy/ditzy while Queen Betsy bitches endlessly about how inconvenient and annoying her immortality is and how much she loves shoes. Snore.
Originally Human, by Eileen Wilks, was actually the only standout in this volume, and it made me want to go out and find other things by this author. A blessedly original look at the supernatural, this time our heroine is a succubus and our hero...well, she finds him wounded and naked on the beach, a refugee from another dimension...and I won't ruin it for you, but let's just say he's NOT your typical werewolf/demon/vamp or similar.
If you are a fan of Eileen Wilks World of the Lupi series, these characters are tangential... existing in the same universe and making an appearance, very briefly, but their origins are never explained.
Rebecca York's story, Burning moon, was just ok. A bit predictable, and just not very original. Werewolf, check. Psychic, check. Murderous psycho keeping them on their toes, and apart, check. Vengeance, check.
Dead Girls Don't Dance is a typical Mary Janice Davidson offering...not as good as the story of Dr. Sophie in the Bite Anthology (which actually had a bit of charm) featuring many of the same authors. Its just a mindless little bit of brain candy, and frankly, it sounds just like all her other stories. Vampires and their humans who act goofy/ditzy while Queen Betsy bitches endlessly about how inconvenient and annoying her immortality is and how much she loves shoes. Snore.
Originally Human, by Eileen Wilks, was actually the only standout in this volume, and it made me want to go out and find other things by this author. A blessedly original look at the supernatural, this time our heroine is a succubus and our hero...well, she finds him wounded and naked on the beach, a refugee from another dimension...and I won't ruin it for you, but let's just say he's NOT your typical werewolf/demon/vamp or similar.
If you are a fan of Eileen Wilks World of the Lupi series, these characters are tangential... existing in the same universe and making an appearance, very briefly, but their origins are never explained.
Rebecca York's story, Burning moon, was just ok. A bit predictable, and just not very original. Werewolf, check. Psychic, check. Murderous psycho keeping them on their toes, and apart, check. Vengeance, check.
Helpful Score: 3
I enjoyed the short stories in this anthology. It's nice to be presented to a new author in this way so you know if you should spend the money to purchase their other books.
Helpful Score: 3
OK stories. Nothing spectacular.
Helpful Score: 2
My favorite story in this anthology was "Dead Girls Don't Dance" by MaryJanice Davidson. It made me laugh, a rare event when reading a vampire book. Now I have to read more by her!
My second favorite story "Burning Moon" by Rebecca York. It's a romance between a blind, psychic woman and a wolf shapeshifter though they don't start that way.
"Blood Upon My Lips" by Laurell K. Hamilton was taken from one of her books that I read. I remember not liking that scene since it was so drawn out and just seemed to be stuck into the book for the sex which culminates at the end of the scene and isn't shown in this story. But, don't worry, you didn't miss anything. I like a lot of Hamilton's work but she can get too wordy.
"Originally Human" by Eileen Wilks is a story about the relationship between a succubus and a strange man she finds hurt on the beach. I found it hard to relate to the characters and the plot moved slow. Yet, in its own way, it's an interesting, unusual story.
If only for my two favorite stories, I'm glad I ordered this book.
My second favorite story "Burning Moon" by Rebecca York. It's a romance between a blind, psychic woman and a wolf shapeshifter though they don't start that way.
"Blood Upon My Lips" by Laurell K. Hamilton was taken from one of her books that I read. I remember not liking that scene since it was so drawn out and just seemed to be stuck into the book for the sex which culminates at the end of the scene and isn't shown in this story. But, don't worry, you didn't miss anything. I like a lot of Hamilton's work but she can get too wordy.
"Originally Human" by Eileen Wilks is a story about the relationship between a succubus and a strange man she finds hurt on the beach. I found it hard to relate to the characters and the plot moved slow. Yet, in its own way, it's an interesting, unusual story.
If only for my two favorite stories, I'm glad I ordered this book.
