Title: An Ember Amongst the Fallen Author: Colleen Anderson In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this) My Bookshelves:Vampires Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: Then he opened a vein on the cow’s wrist and dripped the blood into the wine, watching the drops swirl and spread.
An interesting take on the idea of vampires keeping their own “sheep”, and the ways in which they view them. It’s a little too similar to how some people view cattle.
I felt super uncomfortable reading this short story. Which
I’m pretty sure was the aim. It took a weird turn at the end which made me go
from morally questioning and uncomfortable… to just downright uncomfortable. Like
really. Like I have struggled to write any kind of review for this because I’m
just… yup, you guessed it… uncomfortable.
Actually, this made me so uncomfortable that I’m just not
going to say much more about it. Other than it is really worth the read…
Title: Bitches of the Night Author: Nancy Kilpatrick In: Blood Lite (Kevin J. Anderson) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Comedy, Vampires Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2008 5th sentence, 74th page: She pointed in the direction of Celine.
He turned three women in the hope of finding a happily ever after… in return he got a series of vindictive bitches.
This is the funniest vampire story that I’ve read in a long
time. Not because of any outward and obvious humour, but also because of the
fact that it featured a vampire that thought he was all that. Until his choices
of “wives” proved again and again and again that he wasn’t.
One of my favourite things about this short story is the
fact that it turns the idea of vampires as these gorgeous seductors completely on
its head. Alright, it’s still kind of true for the women – but not so much for
the men. Which I love. Because I’ve never understood what is sexy about an
undead man running around at night. Just ew. And now I have a story that shows
that some people still feel the same way!!!
Title: Come to Me Author: Heather Clitheroe In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Mythology, Vampires Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: Those days, she was glad to leave tiny Vauxhall – the short main street with the farm supply store at one end and the fire station at the other, the flat horizon that stretched out and away until it met the sky.
A voice keeps on telling her to go to the forest and never return. Will she obey the strange compulsion?
I’ve heard of the suicide forests in Japan. I’ve also read a
lot about the kitsune. So a
vampirific story that combines both of them? Well, that’s right up my alley.
Especially when written with the dreamy, wafty style of this short story.
There is a constant quiet voice throughout this story that
eggs on the unhappy lead. She is lost in her world and too stubborn to make a
change. So someone else decides to make the change for her… in an incredibly
negative way.
Title: The Music of the Night Author: Amanda Ashley In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep) Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Paranormal romance, Vampires Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2008 5th sentence, 74th page: She ran her hands over his broad shoulders, his chest, his belly, loving the way he quievered at her touch.
What is the Phantom of the Opera was really a vampire? What if you were his Christine? Paris, operas and a romance in the depths of the house… this story has it all.
I haven’t yet read The Phantom of the Opera… although it is due to arrive on my doorstep at any time. Yet, the very idea of it seems to pervade all sense of modern culture. I may have never read it, seen it or had the story line told to me… Yet, I still vaguely know what it’s about and feel the romanticism of the idea. So, the fact that there is a vampire romance based on this concept was incredibly fun.
I loved all of the parallels that were clearly drawn between
this short story and the original tale. Yet, there was a great sense of
modernity and joy throughout the story. I also love that although the phantom
didn’t originally gain his own true love… in this chance at a new beginning, he
finally gets his happily ever after. And who doesn’t love a happy ending?
Title: Sleepless in Calgary Author: Kevin Cockle In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Urban fantasy, Vampires Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: David pulled his arms back then struck again.
A chance meeting with a vampire no one else can see on his daily commute causes David to start seriously thinking about the way he’s living his life.
This short story took an exceptionally unexpected turn. I
thought that the man would either be insane or turn into a vampire. And he kind
of did… to both. But not even remotely in the way that I was expecting. Actually…
it was kind of super weird and tripped out to be honest. Fun though. And it
gave me a good little giggle.
I’ve read a number of stories and theories that feature the idea that we just have to all believe in something strong enough for it to become reality. Cockle is able to harness this idea in a way that was completely unexpected. And one that was quite humorous and twisted in and of itself.
Title: The Midday Mangler Meets his Match Author: Rachel Vincent In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Family, Vampires Pace: Fast Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2008 5th sentence, 74th page: My vision finally merged, and the Midday Mangler stood in front of me, tall enough that I had to crane my neck to see him.
There is a serial killer hunting vampire children, but it isn’t until he meets Keziah and Luci that he truly meets his match.
I really enjoyed the premise set in this story – that of a reality in which being a vampire is like being a human. Completely ordinary and the standard for everyone. They go to school, they have relationships, and they even have serial killers with weird nicknames such as “Midday Mangler”. It just makes the entire story line and system of vampires that much more… “normal”. And I honestly love stories that place a paranormal reality across our everyday one in such a seamless manner.
Although there is a little of a cute romance in this story, and
the male romantic partner ultimately ends the story, I got a very family-driven
vibe from this short story. The elder sister is willing to do anything to protect
her youngest sibling, and her little sister is also willing to be very
protective to save her older sister. After all, what are sisters for but to
take on a kind of creepy, child-preying serial killer?
Title: The Drinker Author: Victoria Fisher In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one) My Bookshelves:Vampires Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: I was already thirsty when I arrived.
Everyone remembers their first… even if it is the first soul that they destroy.
I’m not 100% how the vampirism works in this story… I get
the feeling that the heart is taken from the new vampire. And then they start
to suck away people’s souls and potential. That’s at least the gist that I got
from this short story. Which is a really cool concept. If I’m correct. And
honestly, my biggest issue with this story was the fact that I’m really not
sure what was going on and the background behind the story.
Some people have a run of bad luck, but the fact that
someone who is just a no hoper and willing to take someone else’s success kind
of sucked. Especially when the voice of the story was so annoyingly self centred.
As I said, great concept of a story, but didn’t necessarily enjoy the execution
of it.
Title: Atlantis Unleashed Author: Alyssa Day Series: Warriors of Poseidon #3 Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Paranormal romance, Vampires Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Berkley Sensation Year: 2009 5th sentence, 74th page: She could save us, it claimed.
Eleven thousand years ago, Poseidon’s warriors swore an oath to protect humanity from those who stalked the night. Now those powerful forces are uniting. So are two souls who are all that stand between justice and eternal darkness…
A warrior prince… Lord Justice made the ultimate sacrifice for his brother and paid for it with unimaginable torture. Now he’s back, rescued from death, his sanity shaken, and his mission inescapable: to search for the lost star of Artemis. But the beautiful female whom he has sworn to protect is shadowed by an evil that could destory them both.
A woman of science… The archaeological artifacts of Atlantis speak to Dr. Keely McDermott, sharing visions of life long ago. The ancient revelations have cast her into a world between past and present, between reality and illusion – and, when she meets the fierce Atlantean warrior assigned to guard her, between terror and temptation. As their two worlds collide, so too will danger and desire…
Although there is still an epic battle with vampires to complete this story (like the first two novels in this series), most of the story doesn’t actually involve an arch nemesis or vampires in any significant way. It is about the internal battle and war that Justice must fight with himself to survive and become whole again. And I really enjoyed this change of pace. I tend to find I jump from series to series because there becomes a certain same-same in the battles that the characters are fighting, by having an internal demon as opposed to an external, Day was able to mix it up enough that I don’t yet want to put this series down in preference for another (I’ve had to because I haven’t received Atlantis Unmasked yet, but I digress…)
One of the things I thoroughly enjoyed about Justice and
Keely’s story was that Justice is completely dual natured. Whilst there are a
plethora of external forces he has to fight against (being held captive,
rampaging vampires, etc.), the biggest battle is that with himself. And, more
importantly, the internal dialogue that highlights his duality. Although the
Nereid half is cast as the evil, I like that at the end, you find that the
Nereid was also having its own battles and trouble expecting its alter-ego (for
lack of a better term). Keely’s ability to accept them both and realise that he
is her other half in spite of his crazy just made it feel all the more sweet.
I also enjoyed Keely as a lead female. She is the first
scientist and academic to take centre-stage in this series and for that alone,
I found that I related to her better than previous female leads. I may not be
an archaeologist who has a gift to read the past in an object, but I am a
female scientist who is constantly querying the world around her and trying to
figure out how things work. I absolutely loved the way in which, even in the
most dire situations, she will trail off and start to question how things work,
the past, just anything and everything around her. It’s something that I do
often, get distracted by the how and why when I’m supposed to be looking at
something completely different…
Morgan has always been nothing but a disappointment to her father. Yet, she’ll still sacrifice everything to save her people, and maybe find a little of love for herself in the process.
I’m getting towards the end of a very big collection of
vampire romance stories. And once you’ve read a heap of stories with the same
themes it can become a little… repetitive. However, The Sacrifice had a completely different feel to it. And it was
honestly enough to make me feel refreshed towards the entire anthology.
The trope of a virgin sacrifice to appease the evil dragon
on the mountain was completely turned on its head in this short story. Alright,
the sacrifice was still a virgin, but she had an actual brain on her shoulders and
willingly sacrificed herself. The dragon was a vampire and the kingdom she was
sacrificing herself for was kind of run by a douche. It just completely turned everything
that I was expecting on its head. In the best way possible.
Title: Red Blues Author: Michael Skeet In: Evolve (Nancy Kilpatrick) Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this) My Bookshelves:Vampires Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Edge Year: 2010 5th sentence, 74th page: You wait.
A jazz musician and a vampire have decided who they want… but will he get her with his musical ways?
The beginning paragraphs of this story are very well written. They are slightly vague, and make you think of a vampire sinking his or her teeth into a woman’s neck. They give this slightly titillating feeling to the words and a very sensual ideal to a hunger that is not your own. And then Skeet turns the tables and you find out that the narrator is discussing jazz and an instrument.
Although I loved the opening of this story, the rest was a
little too typical vampirish for me… male vampire lures female victim in. Takes
a while. Which builds suspense. Then he triumphs and the cycle is set to begin
again. It’s well written and it’s fun. But it just doesn’t quite have that same
sense of intrigue that less predictable vampire stories can hold…
Earth and Skye 