Title: Evolving Author: Natasha Beaulieu In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this) My Bookshelves:Easy reading, Vampires Dates read: 24th March 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: Shanella grips his arm.
Anton has always wanted to be a vampire. But, what if he is already evolving into one? Does he have more power than he realises?
I’m a scientist. So I kind of loved the idea of a story in
which somebody evolved into another
version of themselves. Another version of a vampire.
This was a somewhat slow tale, and not one that really felt
like it had a beginning, a middle and an end. Rather, it was almost like a bit
of a character bio and introduction. You got to know Anton intimately, but
there wasn’t much else happening around him. Or at least, that’s how it struck
me.
Title: Le Cirque de la Nuit Author: Karen MacInerney In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep) Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Paranormal romance, Vampires Dates read: 1st April 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2009 5th sentence, 74th page: There was Bella, and the two red silks she clutched in her hands, and the magnetic presence of him on the mats beneath.
Bella wants to find a new career without such an annoying and smelly partner. But, will the price be too high? Or will she find what she’s always been looking for?
From the name, I kind of figured that this short story would
have something to do with circuses and the night. But that was really my only
hint (that, and I knew it would have vampirific romance… it’s in a book of
vampire romance). Yet, this still somehow surprised me. It wasn’t quite what I
expected, but yet everything that I was anticipating all at the same time. Which,
of course, made it thoroughly enjoyable.
I really loved the ending of this story. Actually, I enjoyed
the entire adventure, but the ending surprised me a little. Instead of being a
clean cut, she falls in love with a vampire and runs off into the night with
him, it has a little bump in the road. And although there is still a sense of
happily ever after… it’s not one that is really that complete end to a journey…
it gives a sense of further issues, complications and intrigue.
Title: Bend to Beautiful Author: Bradley Somer In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Vampires Dates read: 23rd March 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: So trapped.
He’s bought a tragically beautiful man home, but what they both get out of the interaction is far more than they had bargained for. It might be time to bend to beautiful.
When I started reading this story, I thought that it was
just another tale of a vampire seducing someone and taking them home. It felt a
little different because it was about two men, but it still kind of felt same,
same. Until about halfway through.
Halfway through the tale, my perception started to change. I
wondered if the narrator’s voice was really the predator, instead of the prey.
And just who was hunting who. Which was kind of nice. It provided a little bit
of something new to a pretty typical story.
Reading this short story was quite fun, it was just easy and
simple. Slightly unexpected, but nothing that will haunt me in the future. Just
simple, comfortable and kind of fun.
Dr Taylor is about to find out the true meaning of mercy. Taught by a man who has haunted her dreams for years, against the villain she has always fought.
I think if you talk to most people, you will find that
cancer has impacted on them in some way, shape or form. Which means that there
tends to be a whole heap of stories out there that feature cancer. What I
wasn’t expecting was to find such a story in a collection of vampire romance
tales… that kind of took me by surprise. In the best way possible.
I loved the play of mercy in this story. After all, everyone’s
ideas and experiences of mercy are different. And this story was able to
highlight that in a very few pages. The idea that each person’s experiences and
needs for mercy are different. Actually, as the story unfolds, Rosemary’s ideals
and experiences of mercy change too.
The naming of the chief protagonist as Rosemary was a final,
nice touch to this story. Rosemary is used in funerals with Thyme (for
remembrance I’m fairly certain) and I loved that a story which featured death
as a mercy has a main character named for such…
Title: Dead End Dating Author: Kimberly Raye Series: Dead End Dating #1 Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Vampires Dates read: 23rd October 2018 – 18th March 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Ballantine Books Year: 2006 5th sentence, 74th page: Not yet.
BITING IS SO LAST SEASON.
A vivacious vampire with a flair for accessorizing, Lil Marchette is unlike most of her kind. She prefers lively shades of pink to dismal black (soo not her color), plus she’s a hopeless romantic. In need of a steady paycheck to support a compulsive cosmetics habit, Lil starts Dead End Dating (DED), a Manhattan-based matchmaking service that helps smart, sophisticated singles like herself find eternity mates–and may even help her stake a claim to her very own Count Right!
When Lil meets geeky vampire Francis Deville, she knows he’s the perfect first client. If she can hook up Francis–after a little revamping, of course–she will prove her skills to the vampire community and turn DED into the hottest dating service in the Big Apple. But just as her business takes off, Lil meets the (literally) drop-dead gorgeous bounty hunter Ty Bonner, who is hot on the chase of a serial killer. Instantly drawn to the luscious vamp stud, Lil really wants a taste. But as a made vampire, Ty can’t procreate–and Lil will settle for nothing less. Luckily, between “vampifying” Francis and helping Ty solve his murder mystery, Lil has no time for silly romantic entanglements . . . even if Ty is all that and a Bloody Mary chaser!
It took me forever to read this book. And not because I
didn’t absolutely adore it, but because my version was an ebook (I went online
last night and rectified that mistake…).
Most vampire stories are kind of dark in some way, shape or
form. Whether it’s the blood drinking, but skulking around at night or the
(sometimes) ability to turn into bats, there is always an element of darkness
to the tale. Not so with this vampire story. It was kind of funny and witty. It
threw expectations to the wind and created a whole new form of vampire. Alright,
Lil would drive me absolutely nuts, and I’d probably bond better with the dark
and twisty vampires better… but this was far more enjoyable to read about.
This was one of those thoroughly enjoyable easy reads. There was a bit of a mystery throughout (who the evil kidnapper would be), a bit of romance and a lot of indecision. But, what I loved the most was the humour in the narrator’s voice. At every turn, fun was poked at common perceptions of vampires and vampirism, providing a far lighter fantasy journey that I have previously read. And now I can’t wait to see where Lil’s shopping problem and penchant for believing in true love will take her in Dead and Dateless.
Title: Soulfinger Author: Rio Youers In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Easy reading, Vampires Dates read: 15th March 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: Blind Willie McTell.
A journalist is on the trail of Soulfinger, a talented musician. But what he ends up finding may be far more than he anticipated.
I’ve been really enjoying short stories that jump around.
There is something about the movement through time and quickly changing
perceptions which I find enjoyable. The ability of the storyline to whisk you
from one story to another completely draws you in. It also makes it a little
confusing and difficult to keep track of what is really happening, but it is
still incredibly fun.
This story had a great seedy underbelly feel. The
partnership of what is (I’m fairly certain) a vampire, clubs and musicians works
really nicely. And the discussion interspersed throughout of souls matches
really well with the themes and naming of this short story.
As much as I enjoyed this story, it was completely
forgettable. I found it fun in the moment, but as soon as I turned the last
page, I wasn’t really sure of what I had just read.
Title: Paris After Dark Author: Jordan Summers In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Cops, Easy reading, Vampires Dates read: 22nd March 2019 Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2009 5th sentence, 74th page: She gagged as his coppery breath fanned out over her face.
Rachel stops an attack on a woman late one night in Paris, only to become the victim herself. As things go from bad to worse, she finds more than a quest for justice, but a reason to stay alive.
I’ve been reading a lot of vampire stories lately, and I really wasn’t sure how over them I was feeling. So I’m not even sure why I picked up The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2. But I did, and I absolutely loved the opening story of this collection. It was everything I like in a short story, a bit of action, a bit of intrigue and a bit of romance. But, unlike a lot of vampire tales that I’ve been reading lately, this wasn’t as… well… annoyingly sappy as others. There was just too much of a cop / crime vibe to it.
Rachel was one of those characters that you can immediately relate
to. She is vulnerable and kind of innocent, but at the same time completely
kick ass and independent. Something that I think most women aspire to be. Or at
least, it’s something that I always aim to be like in my own personal life. The
fact that she’s suffering a loss and grieving whilst on the streets of Paris
somehow just managed to make her all the more beautiful. I’m not entirely sure
why… but it worked perfectly.
I really liked that although there is an instantaneous
attraction between the two leads, it isn’t really about that. This story is
about justice and finding a link to Rachel’s past. It is also a really
fast-paced tale that makes it impossible to pull your nose out of the book,
because, damn it, you want Rachel to get her revenge!
Title: The Greatest Trick Author: Steve Vernon In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Politics, Vampires Dates read: 3rd March 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: He didn’t have that much in his wallet.
We all know that politicians are blood suckers. But what happens when a vampire wants to become one too?
I’m not really into politics. Or politicians or really
anything of the sort. I think that I should be a little more involved, but
realistically, it’s just not going to happen. Which made it kind of fun to read
a story about a bloodsucker going into politics. Literally.
The entire way throughout this story I was waiting for the
punchline. There had to be some kind of evil, ulterior motive to a vampire
running for office. Which there is. In the very final paragraph. And it led me
to heave a sigh of relief and gratitude when I turned the final page. There
just wouldn’t have been something right about this story if there wasn’t any
kind of punchline…
Title: A Murder of Vampires Author: Bev Vincent In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Crime, Vampires Dates read: 22nd February 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: You’ve got to help me.
When vampires came out of the closet (so to speak) all hell broke loose. And it just keeps getting worse, with a human murderer on the prowl, hunting vampires…
This had a very crime, noir theme and atmosphere to this
story. The call in the middle of the night, leaving a comfortable bed. The idea
that a murder down a dark alley is being investigated.
The scene setting in this story is brilliant and it draws
you in very quickly. But, I just didn’t really feel overly attached to the characters.
I didn’t even query who was killing the vampires. Which is odd for me, since I
always like to figure out the angles and the whys of crime. But I just didn’t
really get involved in this. At all. In the slightest. Which is why I rated it a
3 out of 5 stars. I still enjoyed the storyline. But I didn’t really get very involved
within it.
To save her brother, Isabella is about to reluctantly walk down the aisle with Mr. Dangerously Wrong.. unless Chance, a dashing vampire, can derail this wedding of the beauty to the beast.
My best friend is getting married this year. And I’m so
happy for her, but I’m kind of loving a collection of novellas with the theme “weddings
from hell”. I hope none of her big day ends up like that… but it’s still kind
of fun / funny to read these paranormal romance stories. Especially one in
which the bride doesn’t want to be married and gets her own beautiful revenge
for being forced into such a situation…
Isa is exactly the kind of heroine that I tend to love – independent,
strong, kind of protective and with just the right amount of sass. Which really
comes through in the end of the story (in case you can’t tell, I love how this
story ended). Isa is able to stay in control of who she is, even when placed in
a situation that I would find incredibly and intensely horrifying.
I might have loved Isa, but I love her grandmother far more.
She is ten times sassy, far more pithy and had me laughing out loud. Especially
when she constantly shocks her poor granddaughter with her saucy-ness. There is
just something great about having such a spicy old woman in a storyline that is
about a romance between a vampire and human.
Earth and Skye 