Pretty When They Collide

Pretty When She Dies #0.5

by Rhiannon Frater

An exciting new short novel set in the world of Pretty When She Dies...

Cassandra is a dhamphir-the offspring of a vampire and mortal woman-and a thief of occult relics.

Aimee is a full-blood witch that is bound to a powerful vampire who traffics in the slavery of supernatural beings.

Both are powerful, lonely, and trapped in the dangerous world of the vampires.

When Cassandra steals a relic from Aimee’s vampire master, he targets her as his next acquisition. What he doesn’t realize is that a chance encounter between Cassandra and Aimee ignited a spark between them that they cannot deny.

To survive, the women must find a way to band together and fight against the ruthless evil that conspires to enslave them forever.

Genres: Vampires, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Lesbian, Audiobook

145 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2013

About the author

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor) as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog).

She was born and raised in Texas where she currently resides with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets).

She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.

Reviews

[Roxie Voorhees · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty When They Collide is an action packed, strong female led novella by Rhiannon Frater. Cassandra is a dhamphir-the offspring of a vampire and mortal woman. Aimee is a full-blood witch. Both are powerful. Both are rare.

They collide into each other as Cassandra leaves the hotel room of the vampire she just killed and robbed. Little does she know, Aimee is blood bound to a powerful vampire, Frank, that owned the relic Cassandra stole. (oops!)

Frank traffics rare supernatural beings and now he wants Cassandra. Using her powerful magic, Aimee warns Cassandra and requests her help to break the bond she has with Frank. Between great action scenes, Cassandra and Aimee begin to feel something deeper.

Can they come together to break the bond that threatens to enslave them for eternity?

Well there are more books in the series so obviously :p It was a great start to the series and certainly makes me want to read the next one. It was written well with great attention to detail. It left me wanting to know more.

[Rea Nicole ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassandra is a dhamphir (vampire/human hybrid) who uses her talents to obtain priceless relics and exact revenge on less than ideal characters. On her latest assignment she steals a relic from an ex-serial killer vampire and ends his life. Except this time she has a close call as the vampire's client slides out of the elevator while Cassandra is making her exit. While entering the elevator Cassandra bumps into the alluring Aimee, and the two feel an unmistakable spark between them. Cursing herself Cassandra heads quickly out of town.

Aimee is a full-blooded white witch and a rarity in the supernatural world. She is blood-bonded against her will to the vampire Frank who is a supernatural trafficker. When Cassandra is the next asset in Frank's cross hairs Aimee decides its time for her escape. Entering a powerful game of cat and mouse Cassandra is ready to rescue the damsel in distress but there are more than one betrayals and plots in the making.

This was my first read by the author and WOW this was definitely a page-turner and action-packed with descriptive scenes. The reader travels with the characters to the glittering and bustling Las Vegas casinos all the way to the countryside in west Texas. There were also an array of supernatural beings which made the novel very interesting- not just vampires. We encounter a dhamphir, witch, Anubis, vampires, and enhanced humans.

I loved the characters and their story was incredibly sweet and powerful. Cassandra is such a kick-ass heroine who uses her stilettos as weapons, fights evil, and manages a normal life with her mother and a part-time job as a waitress. Aimee is a delicate but indomitable force and the reader gets to experience her full ascent to power and her release from bondage. The chemistry between the two is what really tips this novel off the scale. Cass and Aimee have such an untainted and passionate connection that I was definitely swooning!

I plan to continue with this series and hopefully read more of Cass and Aimee along the way! I definitely recommend this to readers of well-written paranormal romance with two women who will warm your heart.

[Smash]

I was excited when Rhiannon released this short story in the Pretty When She... universe. Aimee and Cass are introduced near the end of the second book, but they made a serious impact. I immediately felt their connection and dedication to one another. I'm so happy that Rhiannon decided to write the story of how these two characters met. It was action-packed, heart-warming and cray-zay! We meet some serious villainous bastards, as is always the case in Rhiannon's books. I was sickened by these horrible creatures and their warped ideas of fun and pleasure. We get glimpses of the unique aspects of Aimee and Cass, the things they are capable of, the hardships they have endured, and their fragile yet strong personas. Their hearts collide and while they don't understand the connection, at first, they use that bond to save each other, in very different yet similar ways. They are a duo that packs a supernatural punch! And I adore the love and passion for their mate that seeps from their pores!

Favorite Quote

"Be careful, Cassandra. Be very, very careful. Sometimes, the knight in shinning armor gets eaten by the dragon."

"Oh, I'm not a knight in shinning armor," Cassandra corrected him. "I'm the ninja sneaking up the back stairs."

[Mihir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this novella before jumping into the series because I have never read the author's work before. With this being a prequel and the length made it easy in my current scenario. The story features Cassandra who is a Dhamphir and works as a procurer of special items. Aimee is a witch who is beholden to a person who doesn't have her best interests at heart.

This novella deals with how these ladies come together to find solace and strength in each other whilst also learning more about who their friends or foes are. A dark, action-packed story which ensconces a love story that is apparent from the beginning but doesn't overwhelm the main storyline. I'll be reading the main trilogy of which the first 2 books are out and feature a different protagonist.

[Anna (Bananas) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm wondering if I would've enjoyed this more if I knew the series. Or maybe I'm just a romance junkie and this didn't have enough lovin' for me.

As a one-off read this was decent. The characters of Aimee and Cassandra, a witch and a dhamphir, were interesting and the action in the latter part of the story was done well. Overall though I didn't connect with this world.

Oh! I HATE that Frank bastard! His control over Cassandra got me all riled up. I hope he dies a slow, painful, bloody death. I hope she eats him.

[Rachael Orman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars!!

I'm not a huge paranormal reader, but every now and then I like to pick one up just to change things up. I've never read this author but thought the synopsis sounded interesting... Boy was I pleasantly surprised with how wonderful the book turned out to be!

Cassandra is a dhamphir (vampire/mortal offspring). On the side from her normal job of being a waitress (I believe.. this was brushed over and not a big part of the story), she is a thief of relics for a price.

Aimee is an extremely rare full-blooded witch... too bad she is tied to a vampire that treats her just like another one of his belongings.

Things change for both women when they just happen to bump into each other, starting a long entangled web of events (sort of).

I don't want to giveaway any of the story, which is hard to do since its so captivating and every page is important and makes you want to flip to the next one just to see what is going to happen and how things are going to end up. Such a great novella!!!

While it is a 'romance' per se, there wasn't a whole lot of romance in it besides the development of the characters relationship, which was more emotional than anything. Still it grabbed me and made me want to keep reading to find out what happens to each character and their relationship.

**ARC given for HONEST Review for Rainbow Gold Reviews - http://www.rainbowgoldreviews.wordpre...**

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love, love, love novellas!i like that they tend to be high on action, are able to experiment a bit from the norm, and highlight the side characters of many favorite series! This one was a great addition to that tradition! If you enjoyed the Pretty When She Dies series, this one will be a wicked little treat!

[Christine Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Representation:
- Black (mentioned one time)
- LGBT (Lesbian)
- Prosthetic Leg (Mentioned once)

Content/Trigger Warnings:
- Gore
- Slavery (monsters in slavery)
- Talk of owning people

Words that may bother some readers:
- 1 time
Bullshit
Cock
Cockblock
Erotic
Finger bang
Foreplay
Gawddamn
Laid
Nazis
Nipple
Orgasm
Pissed
Porn
Pussy
Shithole
Shit-ton
Slutty
Suicide
Tool
Tramp
Wench
Whore
Wise ass
- 2 times
Bimbo
Horny
Kick ass
- 3 times
Badass
Dammit
- 4 times
Arouse
Bastard
Bitch
Breasts
Damn
Hell
- 6 times
Gawd/God (not religious)
- 9 times
Shit
- 10 times
Ass
- 11 times
Asshole
- 49 times
Fuck

[Rtz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. 4 and a half stars. Only because I wanted more. It is short, action packed, with an interesting take on the supernatural. It also has a bit of grit and gore. The mains have a instant connection and they both need each other. A full blood witch and a damphir. What a combo. This is a f/f loving book. Don't know about the rest of the series. This can be read as a stand alone.

[mia]

I loved this book, the first in the series I've tried and its just whetted my appetite - I now want to try the rest of the series. I loved Cassandra and the way she rode to the rescue, Aimee was not your typical damsel in distress - she was ready to kick butt and take names at Cassandra's side, these two were an amazing team and I want to know more!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these characters!

[13 · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

It saddens me to know that these two are just side characters.

[Vidya-Book Driven Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I have been following Rhiannon Frater's literary works for months now, but this is the first opportunity I got to read her book and after reading this, I am definitely NOT going to stop it at this.

-----------------------------------------------

Cassandra is a dhamphir - vampire father and human mother - who works as a thief stealing important relics using her powers. Killing vampires on the go, is just another advantage of her work. During one such jobs, she comes in contact (accidental bump) with a very rare full-blooded witch and immediately magic flows between the two, along with the desire. Cass doesn't know that that her current job - the relic that she stole belongs to this witch's vampire master, Frank.

Aimee is a full-blooded witch, who is enslaved by the blood bond of a vampire, Frank. Aimee can't work against Frank because of their bond, even though she is much more powerful than him. When she accidentally collides with a beautiful woman, she knows that she is a dhamphir. And her blood can break the bond between Frank and her. But that is not the only reason Aimee wants to see that woman again. She felt some hot desire that she never felt before when she touched her. So, when Frank plans to capture Cassandra, Aimee contacts her in dream and asks her to come, explaining the situation.

Is Aimee's request enough for Cass to risk her own life? Even if Cass helps by going into a trap knowingly, will Aimee get rid of her vampire 'monster' master, who is also planning to collect Cass to add to his possessions?

As I said before, this is my first Rhiannon's novel, although I was trying to read her books like months ago. I have even bought her books and kept. But, as always my life has been very busy lately and now, I found my reading time somehow.

The two main characters, Cass and Aimee, will entrance the readers to never stop reading. Their attitude and powers made me want to learn more about them. I think I have to start reading other books soon. Frank is just pure evil. I just hate that guy for the way he behaved towards Aimee. Rhiannon has created the villain more horrible that we would want to hurt him ourselves. That's a real success to a character.

About the writing, the flow is smooth, the pace is fast and the narration is awesome! One would be happy for Aimee, enjoy the toughness in Cassandra and feel the need to kick Frank. The action scenes were brought out so well, that I was clutching my Kindle so hard and reading with my face so near to the Kindle, as if I am going to miss something if I keep my Kindle in some distance from my eyes.

Favorite character: Cass' mother. With her forgetfulness and love towards Cass, she made me feel the love that she felt in me too. Such characters are very hard NOT to love.

Favorite scene: The action scene in the climax scene. Excellent narration!

This book is an action-filled short novella from "Pretty when she Dies" series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Recommended for fans of fantasy and paranormal romance readers!

--

More reviews can be found at Books Are Magic.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aimee is a full blooded witch who is blood bonded to Frank a horrible vampire that deals in slavery of supernatural people. He also loves to collect relics. Aimee has to create spells to protect Frank and do what ever he says. She really just wants to be free. Cassandra is a dhamphir which is a rare supernatural. Her does odd jobs stealing relics and other things people ask her to get. When she steals a relic that was supposed to go to Frank he finds out what she is and wants her for his collection of supernaturals. Cassandra is drawn to Aimee and when they touch she feels a spark. She finds herself drawn to Aimee and will do whatever it takes to get her free. Aimee knows Cassandra is the one who can free her from Frank and she also realizes she is drawn to Cassandra for different reasons. Will these two manage to be free to explore what seems to be a growing spark between them or will Frank capture and control them both.

Never think Aimee is weak. She really grows stronger the more you read this and you really get to see her grow and become stronger. She is treated horribly by Frank sometimes on the verge of dying. She doesn't give up and keeps trying to break free. I love how she reacts when she meets Cassandra. You can see she is confused by her feelings for another woman. Cass is simply fantastic. From taking care of her mom, getting over an ex, to doing her job she is amazing all the way around. She is willing to fight for someone she has only bumped into because she feels something stronger. This kinda shows you how she will protect those she cares about. Her mom while she has problems is great. She loves Cass so much and it is nice to see the sweet side of Cass's life. Frank is a horrible monster that I kept hoping would die. He is truly evil. If you have read this series you get to see some more familiar faces in this book.

I am a huge fan of this author and always enjoy reading her work. This book has plenty of action that keeps you on the edge of your seat and shows you just how tough these two girls can be. It had a few twist in it I didn't see coming and I couldn't tell at times whose side one character was on. This book has plenty of paranormal creatures in it that fans will love. It is nice to see the sparks between Cass and Aimee grow as the book moves along. Having read the Pretty When She Dies series I was wanted the background on these two and the author did a fantastic job on it. I want to see more from these two and eagerly look forward to reading more. Pretty please write more about these two. If you haven't read this series yet you should it is awesome.

[Amy Fournier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read the first two books in the Pretty When She Dies series, so when I saw this novella I knew I wanted to read it. I love the world and I will take more where I can get it until the next installment of the series is out. This read so much like a full length novel and I really enjoyed that about it. It was short enough that it was a quick easy read, but long enough that I was able to really get into the story. It had a lot of great action to it, and the brutal vampire violence that I love!!!

Cassandra is a really great character. I loved getting to know her better. She is half vampire and all badass!! She has got some massive skills when it comes to retrieving items, and killing off the enemy. She's smart, sassy, and knows how to get things done. She's been through a lot, but she doesn't let that make her weak. She's not a pushover. She is just herself and I really enjoyed that.

Aimee is a witch, and I really liked her. She is powerful, but has been enslaved to a horrible power hungry vampire. He tires to control her, but she is able to fight it to a point. When she meets Cassandra she knows that she is her chance to get away from him. She will do whatever she has to to break the bond. She knows that he only wants her for power, and she isn't happy. At one time she was fond of him, but that is long past. When she meets Cassandra, she is drawn to her. They have an undeniable chemistry right off. I liked that Aimee wasn't afraid to go for what she wanted either.

This was so awesome. It starts off with a bang and continues all the way through. I was instantly drawn in and connected with the characters, and I loved that characters I already knew from the other books were part of this. It all ties together so well and I think that this really adds to the series. It's not just a filler novella like some tend to be. This was a story in itself, but flows with the bigger story also. It was suspenseful and had my heart pumping. I enjoyed every page of it and it has me really needing more of this series!!

[Francis Franklin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was picked for me to read as part of a goodreads challenge. I enjoyed Pretty When She Dies but had been avoiding this prequel. For one thing, Aimee and Cass are introduced in a later book so it's really a prequel to a story I haven't actually read. Prequels are odd things. When exactly should they be read? Before? After? Never? Still, a challenge is a challenge - and witches, vampires and lesbian make for an attractive mixture. Besides, it got a five-star review over at Lipstick Lesbian Reviews.

It didn't grab me - at least, not until about halfway through. It's an interesting setup, more urban fantasy than vampire story, with witches, a dhamphir, vampires and other. Lots of special abilities and amazing powers. Pretty When She Dies, on the other hand, was very much a vampire story, focussing on Amaliya's transformation and her slow discovery of what it is to be a vampire. Pretty When They Collide has the vampires as bad guys, pure and simple.

But with so many characters with different powers it starts getting confusing. What could look pretty cool on the big screen doesn't (for me) translate to an interesting story. (The X-Men always suffers from this, I feel. There's never a clear sense to the reader of what the different characters are truly capable of.) The other problem with focussing so much on special powers and abilities is that it's harder to connect on a human level between reader and character.

I don't know. I think this novella suffers because it is a prequel. Rhiannon Frater writes well and her characterisation is good, and I can overlook the distraction of pop-culture references, but the story underlying the novella isn't really satisfying and the end of the novella descends unnecessarily into soap opera.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Pretty When They Collide we get to see how Aimee, the full blooded witch and Cass, Cian's dhamphir daughter meet.Their introduction to each other is less than idea to say the least. We were introduced to these two briefly in Pretty When She Kills. However, I think if you haven't read either one of those books you should still be able to follow along in this novella fairly easily.
This novella is by far my favorite from author Rhiannon Frater's PWSD's world. I love Cass. As in she is my book girlfriend love her. She is everything I want in a book heroine. She's tough, smart, and has a soft side that she doesn't show often. Aimee is amazing as well. She is tied to a douchebag vampire named Frank. Yup he goes by the name Frank. The scenes between Aimee and Frank are spine chilling. They are so dark. I was literally shaking and my fingers where freezing they were that intense. Rhiannon really writes great horror. If I don't feel like I am going to be sick to my stomach because gore, or human actions then it's just not good horror to me. This book has a bit of both.
The action is heart stopping. It's intense. At some points I felt like I was watching a spy movie from the way Cass was able to move around and manipulate fights. She's just great.
Aimee and Cass have instant chemistry, but not in the insta-love way. They just sort of click, but it's not some silly predestined thing.
Overall another awesome work from Rhiannon. I really hope that she can write more about these two again. I loved learning about them.

[Nika ♥Marie♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review can be read at Oh My Shelves

Rhiannon Frater has done it again. Pretty When They Collide is my first F/F book. This was exceptionally written and engaging.

In this book you meet Cassie and Aimee. Cassie is a antique acquirer that’s also a half-vampire half-human. Aimee is a rare full blooded witch trying to escape her vampire master.

For this book to be a novella it had everything that one of Ms. Frater’s novels would have possessed. From the beginning it is packed with action and it makes you want to continue to turn every page until you reach the end.

The love story between the two characters was well written and it didn’t turn me off or make me uncomfortable with sex scenes, that a lot of books seem to put in just to call it erotica, but if you ask Ms. Frater she doesn’t particularly enjoy writing sex scenes anyway because she writes horror. I have read about dhampirs before and never did I read about a dhampir that possess the powers that Cassie did in this book.
If you want to read a F/F book and don’t have a place to start I recommend this one and remember these aren’t your sparkly vampires or your good witches.

[Nicole Hadaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very lucky enough to be a test reader for the draft of this novella. Having read Pretty When She Dies and Pretty When She Kills, I was anxious to see the origins of a very dynamic couple from the Pretty When universe.

What can I say -- they are my favorite couple!! Frater has a gift for showing characters, for letting you get to know them, in just a few short paragraphs. Cass and Aimee have distinct personalities, and while I was reading the novella, I wasn't always sure the characters stayed true to themselves, until -- BLAM!! They meet. The novel is appropriately named, because it is one hell of a collision! The chemistry between the two is electric. They are very likable and believable, neither is over-thet-op, each possesses strengths and weaknesses that fit together quite nicely. Yin and Yang.

Sorry -- I get so wrapped up in Cass and Aimee. As wonderful as they are, the villains are hideous, and Frater doesn't spare us the horrors that can be real life. True to form, Frater keeps us guessing until the very end -- once you think things will go one way -- they don't, and you're left biting your nails until the final page.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This novella is jam-packed with action, emotion, and intensity! I have no nails left on either hand, my heart is still pounding from the last action scene, and I seriously have tears in my eyes. I became very connected to Cassandra's relationship with Galina while reading this because my own mom has similar issues (not vampire related, obviously) which really tugged at my heart strings. It has nothing to do with how badass Cassandra is or how magically delicious Aimee is, but it made me feel a lot of emotion, which pulled me deeper into the story. Rhiannon Frater really knows how to write extraordinary characters and allows their stories to unfold naturally.

I haven't had the pleasure of reading the other books in this series, but you can bet I'm on my way to amazon.com as soon as I complete this review. I MUST have the other books in this series!

My full review will be posted on My Book Addiction this Friday, March 15th - along with the cover reveal!

[Jackie's Bookbytes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The synopsis pretty much says it best but Cass and Aimee made their debut in PWSK and I thought they were awesome and together they make a great team.
We got to know more about Aimee, the witch, in this novella. She is the one who is being abused by a monster named Frank. He's a major asshole. Cass is still my favorite idk maybe it's because I love Rhiannon Fraters portrayal of vampires but she does know how to fight and is more kickass. Cass robs from bad guys and she is going to steal Aimee away, watch out.

Did you know it is in the Dhamphirs nature to kill their vampire fathers and feed on their mortal mothers? I guess that's why meeting her father Cian in Pretty When She Kills was not the correct response? Lol

[Rhiannon Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book a while ago and I'm slow getting my review out, so hang with me here lol.

I loved how the characters and the world they're in is described and how the Pretty When She Dies books are set up altogether. Rhiannon Frater creates characters I can either really love or really hate. There has never been a grey area as far as characterization goes (at least not for me and not where books by this particular author are concerned.

I hated that the story ended, but loved the ending. That being said, you can always tell a good story when you're mad it ended. I'd recommend this to anyone.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked Pretty When They Collide, the prequel novella set in Rhiannon Frater's Pretty When She Dies series. That said, I must admit that being late to the game and starting with this prequel, I'm disappointed that Cass and Aimee are only briefly in the series. I personally think they could carry a full-length novel, if not a series. A bad ass, lesbian dhamphir and a sexually confused, full-blooded witch working together and falling in love? Sign. Me. Up.

[Art Lueder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story tells how Cassandra the dhampire and Aimee the witch from PWSK met and became a couple. I haven't started Pretty When She Destroys, the third in the series, so I'm not sure how big a part they play but I really like their characters. The story is a sweet romance though you sure wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of these two.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out slow for me, I thought it was just a vampire book and didn't realize it was a vampire/shifter/witch/demon/every other mythical creature plus all the possible offspring mixes between them book which I'm not really fond of. I am also not a fan of a lot of action and magical battles. Despite this not being my type of book I ended up enjoying it.

[Darlene Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great addition to The Pretty when she Dies series! I can definitely see Cass and Aimee having their own series of adventures. This might be my favorite Rhiannon Frater series. I can't wait for Pretty when she Destroys to come out. I hear we may see more of Cass and Aimee in that book.

[Pili · Rating 4 out of 5]

So happy that I found out about this novella on the very day it released!

I really loved Aimee and Cass on Pretty When She Kills, and I've loved reading more about both characters and how they became the fantastic duo of kick arse supernaturals and lovers we meet in PWSK.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome Novella in the Pretty When She Dies World. All I can say is that I want more of Cassandra and Aimee. They have to be my favourite couple now in this series and I desperatlty want to see more of them.

[Runningrabbit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine, the characters were good, however I found it a bit slow. The detailing, although good in background material made the story sluggish. The character development was well done, and the story itself kept you going, although the outcome was always predictable.