The 13th Floor Complete Collection

The 13th Floor

by Christine Rains

Six supernatural tenants
Living in a haunted apartment building
On a floor that doesn't exist.

Six novellas telling their tales.

A retired demon acquires a price on his head.
A werewolf is hunted by her pack.
A modern day dragonslayer misses his target.
A harpy challenges Zeus for the soul of the man she loves.
A vampire is obsessed with a young woman he can't find.
A banshee falls in love with someone whose death she has seen in a vision.
And a sweet ghost must battle a primal monster to save them all.

All the stories take place at the same time intertwining their lives together on the 13th Floor.

Includes "The Shadow," a bonus short story.

Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Werewolves, Romance, Anthologies, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

444 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 2013

About the author

Christine Rains is a multi-genre writer, book blogger, and geek mom. When she's not playing games with her son, she's playing games with her friends. She has four degrees which do not help at all with motherhood but make her a great Jeopardy player.

Christine has several novels, novellas, and short stories published. Her writing covers all genres of fiction, but she loves to lose herself in paranormal romance most of all.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a 4.5 star read.

I just enjoyed this collection SO much, it really was a surprisingly complete package!
I love how the author has tied together all the novelettes around the floor they live on and a destructive event. I think the stories were originally published separately, but you get a wonderful sense of connection by having them all together. A very interesting way of putting together a collection of supernatural tales!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this grabbed me!
It took me by surprise.
I am not a huge fan of the paranormal, BUT I really enjoyed this collection.
From the highly fertile imagination of Christine Rains comes:
6 tenants...
A haunted apartment building...
The 'non-existent' 13th floor...
Romantic duos - and a threat posed to each pair.

Marc & Mae - and a trickster named Vetus!
James & Stefanie - and a tormentor named Wyatt!
Xan & Lois - and a governor named Whittaker! (I really loved this!)
Sam & Meira - and a thunderous god! (This one too!)
Kiral & Harriet - and an old crone...
Jeremy & Chiharo - and at this point, the fate of the entire 13th floor residents hang in the balance!

A host of otherworldly creatures all in one spot.
Their worlds begin to intersect in a series of fascinating plots.
A feast of speculative fiction!
Great entertainment!

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

(*Note: I initially read The Marquis as a free purchase on Amazon, but it was so unbelievably good, I purchased the collection.)


This review is for: The 13th Floor Complete Collection


It’s a Collection I Keep Reading Over and Over. Each novella is written about a tenant who lives on the ‘non-existent’ 13th Floor of a ‘haunted’ apartment building. Although each novella could be read as a stand alone, because of the skill Ms. Rains has in connecting these stories into one phenomenal read, I HIGHLY recommend treating yourself to the collection. Each story is woven into every other story in some small way creating a bigger picture. At the end, all I could say to myself was, ‘That was amazing; I want to write like that. How did she do it?’

If you’re into stories of the supernatural, then you will love this-- vampire demons seeking redemption, mixed in with some werewolves, dragon slayers, banshees, and ghosts, oh my!!

The characters in each story were well-developed and fleshed out. I became invested in their lives, turning the pages and needing to know what finally happens. The stories all flow well and readers stay engaged. Ms. Rains makes it a point not to use superfluous words in her work that could draw readers out.

Kudos to her editors; I was hard pressed to find any grammatical or spelling errors in this work.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve become addicted to her stories…particularly The Marquis (sigh). I hope Ms. Rains releases another collection soon. I’ll be waiting.

[Chrys Fey · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to read about supernatural beings (demons, werewolves, dragonslayers, harpies, banshees, vampires, ghosts, and shadow assassins this is THE collection for you to sink your fangs and talons into. This series is full of darkness and love. It is thrilling, bloody at times, fun, and entertaining. I enjoyed every single story and devoured them as fast as I ould. All of the characters are fascinating and by the end, they felt like good friends. The 13th Floor isn't just a secret floor in an apartment building but an essence in itself. All of the stories and characters are linked together in a brilliant way. Christine Rains is a master story teller. Trust me, read this collection!

1301: The Marquis - 4 Stars

1302: The Alpha - 5 Stars

1303: The Dragonslayer - 5 Stars

1304: The Harbinger - 4.5 Stars

1305 & 1306 The Oracle and The Vampire - 5 Stars

The Ghost - 5 Stars

The Shadow (a bonus short story) - 4 Stars


The Shadow Review:

Veenya and Galen are shadow assassins. When Veenya refuses to kill a little girl,, she becomes a traitor. Her clan, including her lover, Galen, are supposed to take her out but she goes on the run. During her escape, she finds herself on the 13th Floor as a new resident. I really hope this story has a sequel!

[T.B. Markinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection and all of the stories are original, fun, scary, and exciting. Such a great series!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have previously reviewed the first six novellas of this series and enjoyed each and every one of them. This series is a highly imaginative and entertaining set of stories. The time-lines of each book are interwoven with the others with each giving us a unique view. I think putting these stories together into a collection was a natural progression and a wise move by Ms. Rains. It leaves no question to the order they should be read in.

Here are snippets of my earlier reviews from the first six novellas:

In The Marquis, Heaven refuses to grant Marc absolution and he refuses to go back to Hell. The main characters are well drawn and the story moves fast and furious once Vetis mounts his attack against the city of Carmine and Marc. Ultimately Marc had to face his own worst fears to find the best in himself. I enjoyed this journey and learned some demons are worth rooting for.

The Alpha takes a unique view of werewolves. The action is nonstop from the very beginning as Stephanie and James try to escape the wolf pack.

The Dragonslayer, I found Ms. Rains world building made a cunning statement about today’s society and loved the snarky dialogue.

The Harbinger, the author’s intelligent writing style and contemporary view of the Gods won me over. The inner turmoil that Meira felt was real and the turmoil had me reeling.

The Oracle and the Vampire, I found this story to be the weakest of the series. However there is more weaving of the rest of the stories into the timeline as the stakes get higher, which I really appreciated.

The Ghost, was entertaining and gave us a different view as Chiharo is unable to communicate with the rest of the inhabitants of the 13th floor. This is a unique storyline that has been woven into the previous novellas and there is an interesting turn of events at the end of this story that I was not expecting.

The Shadow is a new short story that has been added to the end of this collection and ties in nicely, it takes place shortly after the other stories reach their conclusions.

The Shadow is a new supernatural being to me, I had not read anything like this story before. It's original and Veenya's story is unique and captivating. The Shadows are ninja type assassins that live in the shadows. Veenya has been branded a traitor, by their Alpha, for refusing to make a kill and is now being hunted by her own kind. Veenya's story is engaging, heart-rending, and action-packed. I feel like this short story is a five-star addition to The 13th Floor series. Ms. Rains' imagination and story telling abilities are exceptional. She is definitely an Indie author to check out if you enjoy paranormal romance or urban fantasy.

FYI: My full reviews of the first six novellas can be found at Books and Pals website by searching the author's name.

Format/Typo Issues: I found no significant issues.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** January 3, 2014

[T.F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of Christine Rains and have loved every story she’s written, including each novella in The 13th Floor Complete Collection. I can’t tell you how excited I was when she brought out the series in a complete collection, and there’s a new ghost story added. Yay! I’ve got my very own physical copy too.

This is the kind of story I’ll be reading over and over, and I know I’ll find something I missed the first time round. That’s how brilliant Rains’ world building is, and it was one of the first things that that caught my attention—a 13th floor that no one is aware of, oh, except the supernatural beings living there.

Each novella introduces us to a new couple, a new paranormal creature, and lots of problems, but ultimately these are love stories. The characters have to overcome obstacles to be with the ones they love. The stories takes place at the exact same time, and Rains did not disappoint in tying up all loose ends. Rains is already on my automatic buy list.

I’d highly recommend The 13th Floor Complete Collection to anyone who loves paranormal romance with kick-ass characters.

[Heather Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY FOX MULDER!!!

If you haven't read all of these fantastic stories yet...you are missing out on some great characters, awesome adventures and an amazing thrill ride. Each story is unique and fun but they all have elements that tie them together.

If you haven't read them before...now is the time to get the complete collection ALL IN ONE BOOK!!!

Six novellas telling their tales. Includes “The Shadow,” a bonus short story.

What's that? A bonus short story?
Yes!
You read that correctly!

This story ROCKS!!

Loyalty. Love.

Helplessness. Hope.

Passion. Pain.


Darkness.

Shadows.


Galen is awesomely frightening and incredibly desirable. Handsome and deadly.

Veenya is a fierce warrior and a faithful woman. She is beauty personified.

Together they're on fire. Apart ... well ... there is hope.


As for all of Christine's books, I highly recommend this one as well.

She drop kicks you into a completely amazing story and won't let you go until you've had the time of your life but not before she wrings every drop out of your heart.

[Eric Juneau · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like this is meant for a middle school audience. It's a collection of short stories, but all the plots are the same -- paranormal romance. But it's not really romance, it's adventure. Like old-school serial, afternoon cartoons style. And they're generally cliche, like superhero stories. It has as much romance as an action movie. Instead of stories about passionate love or keeping couples apart, there's Greek god tournaments and vampires fighting Big Bad Demons and werewolf girls in pack politics.

It's an amateur book and has all the earmarks. The writing style involves too much telling, characters without goals (or stereotypical ones), and overwriting/telling the reader what they already know.

[Loni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection was fantastic. My favorite of the stories is The Dragonslayer. Xan's neat-freak personality cracked me up!

That was the best part of this entire collection. Each of the characters had a distinct, unique personality. As I've said in other reviews, characters make or break a story for me. And these characters definitely made them.

All of the stories run in parallel, and they are all romances. So if you can't handle a lot of relationships coming together at the same time, then maybe this isn't for you. But it delighted me. If you like paranormal romance, give this collection a try.

[Crystal Collier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ADORED this collection, from start to finish. Christine has built such a rich world in the 13th floor and the surrounding Carmine. Even the building has personality. Each of the characters was loveable and unique, and goodness would I LOVE to see a TV series made out of this collection. My favorite story was probably the Dragon Hunter's tale (because it satisfied the inner pyro), but I really loved the Harpy story too, and the retired demon... I loved it all and will be greedily reading everything labeled "Christine Rains" from now on!

[Kimberley Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win this book and I couldn't put it down.I can usually tell if a book is going to capture my attention if I continue reading passed the first 5-10 sentances. Not only did I go passed that but I finished "The Marquis" the first time I open the book. I was captivated. The 13th Floor is well written, pulling you into the stories and bringing a different perspective to the "supernatural tenants" that reside on the 13th floor. I would recommend this book and I'm looking forward to reading Christine Rains other books. Thank you for the oppertunity to read it.

[Kyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to be astounded by Christine Rains' talent. The 13th Floor Collection is such a creative idea, and doesn't even nearly stick to the stereotypes of paranormal creatures. It flips everything upside down, and twists it around so readers experience something new with werewolves and vampires, not to mention the addition of a banshee, which I am positive I have never read about before.

Every story is unique, but they all tie together in the most seamless way. I highly recommend this book to everyone, even people who don't usually read paranormal books!

[Elizabeth Seckman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these stories, even though I am not a huge fan of paranormal. The stories were fast paced and well written. Ms. Rains does a great job making the non-human characters feel very human. I also liked that these were shorter stories, so I could read through one in a day, but they were compiled in one book and the characters were living in one building, so there was the common thread of characters.

All the stories are good. My favorite was Xan the dragon slayer. Yummy guy...check him out!

[Joan Lisanti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really liked this. It is a collection of novellas/short stories about supernatural residents of an apartment house, all on the 13th floor (duh). Each story is about a different resident, but they take place at the same or overlapping time, so events that are in one story show up in other stories, and everything is wrapped up with the last one. Although the stories are short, there is a LOT of action in each one.

[Jossie Solheim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing collection of short stories. All if which mould together beautifully. The story flows well, the characters are loveable and full of detail. Leaving you rooting for each and everyone of them. Christine Rains is an incredibly talented author and I can not recommend this book highly enough. A must read.

[Annalisa Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are awesome, and fit together so perfectly. The six novellas all take place at the same time, meaning that characters interact and pop up in each other's timelines. The writing is tight and the different voices really come through - I have no idea how the author kept all the timelines together. My favourites were The Harbinger and The Ghost. I definitely recommend this collection.

[Lisa Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the first book for free and decided to get the collection. I enjoyed each and every story. Even though there was a main thread to the event that took place in the book, it was not what dominated each story. The stories them selves are as individual as the characters in them. This was almost like getting a boxed set of different stories as each story was unique even with the central theme.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice

Short, and good characters. Could have a bit more world and character building but overall it was pleasant to read, and none of the books are cliff hangers. Definitely would recommend.

[Brenda S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a First Reads lucky winner for this book look forward to getting started.

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. Also really glad I got it as a collection as the stories are all intertwined.