This wasn’t my favourite short story – I mean, it played with some pretty big taboos from the very beginning. But then, somehow I also kind of loved it. There was just something about it that I found really fun and enjoyable, even while I was kind of cringing – for so many reasons. I may not read this again, but I don’t regret reading it in the first place.
I did love that this is a short story about taking what you want and not toeing the line for others. Particularly as a woman, this can be an incredibly hard power to harness. And it was achieved beautifully in this – plus, there was the fact that this was all about sex and using that for power. Power over oneself and others.
I honestly don’t know why I enjoyed this short story as much as I did – when in theory it’s everything I don’t tend to like in a story. It’s enough that I want more Cathy Clamp on my bookshelves – just because if I enjoyed something that I would normally nope right out of, then they’re an author worth having on my shelves.
If love transcends all boundaries then paranormal romance is its logical conclusion. From the biggest names around, here are 24 tales to take you to another time and place.
Let Alyssa Day, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Cheyenne McCray, Jeaniene Frost, Ilona Andrews, Kelley Armstrong, Maria V. Snyder, Carrie Vaughn, Allyson James Marland and others show you powers beyond your wildest imaginings.
Within these pages mythical beasts, magical creatures of all shapes and sizes, heart-stoppingly handsome ghosts, angels, and mortals with extra-sensitive sensory perception play out the themes of extraordinary desires.
The thing that I love most about this collection is that it completely runs the gambit of supernatural and paranormal creatures. There are a number of standalone stories and tales that are part of series. But mostly, there’s just stories which feature vampires and werewolves; djinn and selkies. Some of the paranormal beings that feature in this are not ones that I normally come across. Which of course just made it all that much more exciting. You didn’t know what sort of paranormal creature would be next!
These stories were all sweet and incredibly easy to read. They’re tales which make you happy and kind of hopeful about true love. Something which I think everyone needs at some point in their lives. Having said that, there were a few unwieldy stories in this collection. They weren’t annoyingly so, but a few did need to be reread so that I could grasp what was really happening.
I recognised most of the authors in this collection. Which was good, because then I could turn to my shelves in some cases and grab down the books that will get me a further fix of their writing. There were a few that I need to add to my wish list. But mostly I got to enjoy the collection, without feeling the insane need to buy more, more, more books… which is probably a good thing for my bank account.
On a routine night on the job, she runs into a completely horrific vampire. It’s enough to throw her into the arms of the one that she loves… but at what cost? Will they survive the coming battle?
This story didn’t quite go the way that I expected. I was
kind of anticipating the lead to be a woman who had some serious ties to the
paranormal world. And maybe even some powers of her own that would help her in
her chosen career. Not really the case, she has a single, kind of sexy, tie to
the paranormal world. But nothing more. Nothing more intense and terrifying. Just
one Daniel that (I think) lives in her home and is her friendly companion…
There is something incredibly amusing about a mortal woman
defending herself from a vengeful vampire with a super soaker. Something that
had me laughing out loud, reflecting on this story and just remembering the
general fun that I had while reading it even days after I turned the last page.
I would like to think that even I could take on an angry undead with my awesome
super soaker skills (alright, I’m delirious, but a girl can dream).
This isn’t quite that simple girl meets boy story. For
starters, girl met boy way before the start of this story. And boy that
girl meets in this story starts out by having his throat cute open by a pair of
keys. But it does have that simplicity and sweetness. Girls almost death makes
boy make a move. Girl and boy get together and vow to try and survive. They do
survive and fun little happily ever after ensues… like I said. Fun, sweet and simple.
Everything that I felt like in a short story at the time.
From the biggest names in paranormal romance, here are over 25 tales of a hunger like no other…
Let Karen Chance, Keri Arthur, Lilith Saintcrow, C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp, Amanda Ashley, Vicki Pettersson and Susan Sizemore and others take you hot-blooded on the trail of the sexiest creatures of the night.
In the world of the Undead there are strange codes of conduct, dark rituals and dating games, as they seduce the locals and engage in the most sensual encounters you’ll sink your teeth into this side of the grave.
These ain’t your mother’s vampires!
I kind of loved this collection. It definitely isn’t one
that you can read cover to cover in one sitting – there’s only so many vampire
romances that I can happily read before they start to blend into one. But as a slow
read that I just picked up every now and again… it was really, really good.
The short stories in this collection ranged from the
classical and predictable vampire stories to ones that took a whole new spin on
the ideal. Some were just sweet and some just downright disturbing. And
although they all follow a similar theme, not one is the same. I now have a very
long list of new authors and series that I want to sink my teeth into…
Her partner died two years ago. And now she has a mysterious stalker. When her ex-partner comes back from the dead, she finds out that her life is about to completely change.
When I started reading this story, I didn’t really understand how it tied into the idea of vampire romance (since I found it in The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance). It starts out with a cop who is being stalked. And I kind of assumed that this stalker was probably going to be a vampire… but still, it was probably the least romantic of the tales in this collection so far. At least at the beginning, the end had that za za zing that I’ve come to expect.
The premise that there are a bunch of rogue vampires running free, and that Tim is desperate to stop them with the help of his old partner was kind of fun. That it involves sex, romance and true and deep love just made it all the more intriguing. It did, however, annoy me a little that his condition was caused by a creepy little girl with a crush… but I digress, the story wouldn’t have happened without this catalyst.
All in all this was a fun and engaging short story that featured a vampire, sex and crime. There’s not really much more I could ask for from a vampirific short story.
Title: To Ease the Rage
Earth and Skye 