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Short Stories from Hell
Šėtoniškos išleistuvės
Kviečiame į amerikietiškas mokyklines išleistuves!
Penkias apysakas jų tema sukūrė populiarios bestselerių autorės, sumaniusios skaitytojus, ypač skaitytojas, pašiurpinti (bet ir prajuokinti), mat išleistuvės šėtoniškos, jose jaunimėliui kortas maišo visokia anapusinė bjaurastis: vampyrai, demonai, giltinės parankiniai ir pan., taip pat veikia stebuklingomis galiomis apdovanotos išvaizdžios panelės.
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248 pages, Hardcover
First published April 24, 2007
331 people are currently reading
8701 people want to read
About the author
Meg Cabot
279 books35.4k followersLibrarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels).
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.
She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.
Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.
Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.
Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.
She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.
Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.
Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.
Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,362 reviews
November 6, 2012
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
What do you get when five great authors come together to create a paranormal prom anthology? In a word - greatness!
Meg Cabot starts off the collection with THE EXTERMINATOR'S DAUGHTER. When Mary shows up at Swig, an exclusive VIP club in Manhattan, it's not to socialize. No, she's on a mission to take out Sebastian Drake -- and by take out, I mean kill him with a crossbow. But when Adam, a fellow student at Saint Eligius, takes his own potshots at the dreaded Sebastian, things get a lot more interesting.
Lauren Myracle, the author of THE CORSAGE, has written what is probably the saddest, and creepiest, story of the bunch. All Frankie wants is for her best guy friend, Will, to realize that it's his destiny to ask her to the prom. To accomplish that goal, she drags Will and her other best friend, Yun Sun, to visit Madame Zanzibar, a fortune-teller. She's sure that Madame Z will proclaim that Will is her one true love, and that will be that. But the psychic is short on information, but does end up grudgingly handing over to Frankie a dried up old corsage, which she says will grant her three wishes. Over the next couple of days, however, Frankie will come to realize that she'll have to make some requests that she never in her wildest dreams would have thought of making.
MADISON AVERY AND THE DIM REAPER by Kim Harrison is the longest story in the group, and the most involved. When Madison ends up at the costume prom with a dud date, she's surprised to find one guy who can pick up the slack. Seth isn't like anyone she's ever met before. Unfortunately, before too long she'll find out why that is, and the picture it paints isn't pretty. There are deaths, white reapers, black reapers, grim reapers, and odd amulets. I really liked this story, and would be happy to see more of these characters in the future.
Michele Jaffe's story, KISS AND TELL, was by far my favorite. Miranda has a secret. Not only is she a student and a part-time driver/chaeffeur, but she also fights crime in her spare time. It turns out Miranda has special abilities that allow her to do things most regular teens can't do -- like, say, knock over a lamppost just by leaning on it. This particular day turns out to be stranger than the norm, though, when she picks up young Sibby Cumean, a strange girl who has an even stranger habit of kissing every boy she can find. When weird things start happening, Miranda's day turns into an action-adventure movie beyond anything she could have expected. I LOVED this story, and I HAVE to read more about Miranda and Sibby in the future! Yes, Ms. Jaffe, that's me begging!!
Last but not least is HELL ON EARTH by Stephenie Meyer. This is the story of Sheba, a demon on earth who loves bringing misery to others. Her plan is working pretty well, too, because nearly everyone at the prom is having a downright horrible time. Everyone, that is, except for Gabe, who seems not just happy but serene. By the time Sheba can figure out what's happening, it's too late, and prom just might end up having a happy ending after all.
PROM NIGHTS FROM HELL is a great paranormal anthology that teens and adults alike will enjoy. I highly recommend picking up a copy today!
What do you get when five great authors come together to create a paranormal prom anthology? In a word - greatness!
Meg Cabot starts off the collection with THE EXTERMINATOR'S DAUGHTER. When Mary shows up at Swig, an exclusive VIP club in Manhattan, it's not to socialize. No, she's on a mission to take out Sebastian Drake -- and by take out, I mean kill him with a crossbow. But when Adam, a fellow student at Saint Eligius, takes his own potshots at the dreaded Sebastian, things get a lot more interesting.
Lauren Myracle, the author of THE CORSAGE, has written what is probably the saddest, and creepiest, story of the bunch. All Frankie wants is for her best guy friend, Will, to realize that it's his destiny to ask her to the prom. To accomplish that goal, she drags Will and her other best friend, Yun Sun, to visit Madame Zanzibar, a fortune-teller. She's sure that Madame Z will proclaim that Will is her one true love, and that will be that. But the psychic is short on information, but does end up grudgingly handing over to Frankie a dried up old corsage, which she says will grant her three wishes. Over the next couple of days, however, Frankie will come to realize that she'll have to make some requests that she never in her wildest dreams would have thought of making.
MADISON AVERY AND THE DIM REAPER by Kim Harrison is the longest story in the group, and the most involved. When Madison ends up at the costume prom with a dud date, she's surprised to find one guy who can pick up the slack. Seth isn't like anyone she's ever met before. Unfortunately, before too long she'll find out why that is, and the picture it paints isn't pretty. There are deaths, white reapers, black reapers, grim reapers, and odd amulets. I really liked this story, and would be happy to see more of these characters in the future.
Michele Jaffe's story, KISS AND TELL, was by far my favorite. Miranda has a secret. Not only is she a student and a part-time driver/chaeffeur, but she also fights crime in her spare time. It turns out Miranda has special abilities that allow her to do things most regular teens can't do -- like, say, knock over a lamppost just by leaning on it. This particular day turns out to be stranger than the norm, though, when she picks up young Sibby Cumean, a strange girl who has an even stranger habit of kissing every boy she can find. When weird things start happening, Miranda's day turns into an action-adventure movie beyond anything she could have expected. I LOVED this story, and I HAVE to read more about Miranda and Sibby in the future! Yes, Ms. Jaffe, that's me begging!!
Last but not least is HELL ON EARTH by Stephenie Meyer. This is the story of Sheba, a demon on earth who loves bringing misery to others. Her plan is working pretty well, too, because nearly everyone at the prom is having a downright horrible time. Everyone, that is, except for Gabe, who seems not just happy but serene. By the time Sheba can figure out what's happening, it's too late, and prom just might end up having a happy ending after all.
PROM NIGHTS FROM HELL is a great paranormal anthology that teens and adults alike will enjoy. I highly recommend picking up a copy today!
June 20, 2021
Are you ready to own your future?
Prom nights from hell is a collection of five short stories by five different writers revolving on or around prom night. Before diving into this, I had not expected much so it took me by surprise when I ended up enjoying this. A lot.
The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot - 4 stars
Mary's friend Lila is dating a guy named Sebastian but little does Lila know that Sebastian is a vampire and Mary is out to exterminate him. She wants to kill him and hopes that Dracula will show up as Sebastian is Dracula's son. Mary is helped by her classmate Adam who unknowingly saves Mary's life and then they team up to take down Sebastian.
I really enjoyed this story and both Mary and Adam made for good MCs. This story is told in dual POV and I loved both POVs. I would love to get an extended story of this.
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle - 3.5 stars
Frankie, Yun Sun and Will are sitting at Madame Zanzibar's house to ask the psychic a question each about their futures. Frankie wants to know if a special person will ask her a special question? Then they come across an old corsage and Madame Z tells them that the corsage was cursed and it grants three wishes but at a great price. Frankie wants the corsage thinking Madame Z is making everything up. Frankie makes her wishes but like Madame Z warned, they come at a great price.
It took me a bit to get into this story but when I did, it left me feeling so so sad and haunted.
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison - 4 stars
Madison came to this town and school not too long ago and tonight it is the prom night and also her birthday. She isn't enjoying herself but when a sexy stranger sweeps her off her feet, she feels great. Then she finds out that she is dead and she comes across Reconnaissance Error Acquisitions Personnel Evaluation and Recovery. R.E.A.P.E.R. She also finds out that the stranger who killed her or culled her is no ordinary reaper and she takes his amulet which makes her solid again and she can pass for being a human.
This was an interesting story about white reapers and black reapers and the whole R.E.A.P.E.R. affair. I'd like to get an extended version of this too and I am happy to know that there is an extended version of this available to read.
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe - 5 stars
Miranda Kiss is a senior at a boarding school, Chatsworth academy. She gets Wednesday and Saturday afternoons off from her school and spends those afternoons working. Miranda is no ordinary senior. She has powers that she is trying to understand. She has amazing hearing and strength and other powers that are still showing up. One day whilst working her shift as the local town car driver, she comes across a fourteen year old, Sibby who wants to kiss as many boys as possible. When Miranda drops her off at her destination, something seems off and as annoying as she found Sibby on her drive, she wants to rescue her.
Wow! this was the best of the bunch. I loved Miranda Kiss. I loved Sibby. I loved this unique story. This also I'd like to get an extended version of.
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer - 3.75 stars
Gabe feels a weird pull from people when they need his help. When he asked Celeste out for prom even though she's not his type, it was the same pull that made him ask her out in the first place. Now, they are at the prom and she wants nothing to do with them. That's fine by Gabe because he feels a weird pull from a girl he's never seen before. He also finds out that only he and his friends are having a good time at the prom but everyone else is miserable.
Sheba is the new girl but she's no ordinary girl as she's a demon and her job is to cause misery. She's having an amazing time by causing all this misery at the prom but then something strange happens and everyone is back to having a good time.
I did not expect to like it as I have only read the Twilight series from this writer and I didn't like it at all but this story was quite good and I ended up enjoying it. That twist even though I figured it out was good.
Even though some of the stories didn't have a lot to do with the prom theme, I still liked the way these were set up. Some of these stories were mysterious, some were thrilling and one of them was even creepy but like I said before, I ended up really loving these stories and I'd like to get extended version of most of these.
And that cover is beautiful and haunting which is apt for this collection.
Overall 4 stars
Prom nights from hell is a collection of five short stories by five different writers revolving on or around prom night. Before diving into this, I had not expected much so it took me by surprise when I ended up enjoying this. A lot.
The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot - 4 stars
Mary's friend Lila is dating a guy named Sebastian but little does Lila know that Sebastian is a vampire and Mary is out to exterminate him. She wants to kill him and hopes that Dracula will show up as Sebastian is Dracula's son. Mary is helped by her classmate Adam who unknowingly saves Mary's life and then they team up to take down Sebastian.
I really enjoyed this story and both Mary and Adam made for good MCs. This story is told in dual POV and I loved both POVs. I would love to get an extended story of this.
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle - 3.5 stars
Frankie, Yun Sun and Will are sitting at Madame Zanzibar's house to ask the psychic a question each about their futures. Frankie wants to know if a special person will ask her a special question? Then they come across an old corsage and Madame Z tells them that the corsage was cursed and it grants three wishes but at a great price. Frankie wants the corsage thinking Madame Z is making everything up. Frankie makes her wishes but like Madame Z warned, they come at a great price.
It took me a bit to get into this story but when I did, it left me feeling so so sad and haunted.
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison - 4 stars
Madison came to this town and school not too long ago and tonight it is the prom night and also her birthday. She isn't enjoying herself but when a sexy stranger sweeps her off her feet, she feels great. Then she finds out that she is dead and she comes across Reconnaissance Error Acquisitions Personnel Evaluation and Recovery. R.E.A.P.E.R. She also finds out that the stranger who killed her or culled her is no ordinary reaper and she takes his amulet which makes her solid again and she can pass for being a human.
This was an interesting story about white reapers and black reapers and the whole R.E.A.P.E.R. affair. I'd like to get an extended version of this too and I am happy to know that there is an extended version of this available to read.
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe - 5 stars
Miranda Kiss is a senior at a boarding school, Chatsworth academy. She gets Wednesday and Saturday afternoons off from her school and spends those afternoons working. Miranda is no ordinary senior. She has powers that she is trying to understand. She has amazing hearing and strength and other powers that are still showing up. One day whilst working her shift as the local town car driver, she comes across a fourteen year old, Sibby who wants to kiss as many boys as possible. When Miranda drops her off at her destination, something seems off and as annoying as she found Sibby on her drive, she wants to rescue her.
Wow! this was the best of the bunch. I loved Miranda Kiss. I loved Sibby. I loved this unique story. This also I'd like to get an extended version of.
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer - 3.75 stars
Gabe feels a weird pull from people when they need his help. When he asked Celeste out for prom even though she's not his type, it was the same pull that made him ask her out in the first place. Now, they are at the prom and she wants nothing to do with them. That's fine by Gabe because he feels a weird pull from a girl he's never seen before. He also finds out that only he and his friends are having a good time at the prom but everyone else is miserable.
Sheba is the new girl but she's no ordinary girl as she's a demon and her job is to cause misery. She's having an amazing time by causing all this misery at the prom but then something strange happens and everyone is back to having a good time.
I did not expect to like it as I have only read the Twilight series from this writer and I didn't like it at all but this story was quite good and I ended up enjoying it. That twist even though I figured it out was good.
Even though some of the stories didn't have a lot to do with the prom theme, I still liked the way these were set up. Some of these stories were mysterious, some were thrilling and one of them was even creepy but like I said before, I ended up really loving these stories and I'd like to get extended version of most of these.
And that cover is beautiful and haunting which is apt for this collection.
Overall 4 stars
May 11, 2017
I bought this book on impulse years ago because it has stories written by some of my favorite authors (at that time). The book looked interesting enough, and I thought why not give it a try. (Ok I lied, it was because my 14-year old self was obsessed with Twilight and wanted to read more of Stephenie Meyer's work).
Here's my review of a book that contains five short stories by famous and up-and-coming authors when Stephenie Meyer rules the bestseller list.
*drum rolls*
The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot
The first story is so amazing I was hoping Meg would expand it into a whole new book. The story is told in dual POV by Mary, the vampire slayer, and Adam, a boy she knows from school. Basically what happens is Adam get caught up in Mary's mission of avenging her mother's death in the hands of the wicked vampires. For me, this story is classic Meg Cabot, if you love her other works, definitely give this one a try. But I hope you won't be too disappointed when the story ends like I did, the high standard it sets for the other 4 stories nearly ruined the book for me.
Rating: 5 Ass-kicking Stars
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle
A very interesting and downright creepiest story compared to the others. Frankie, accompanied by her two best friends, Will and Yun Sun, visited Madame Zanzibar to have her fortunes told. But Frankie's real plan is to hint at the boy she's crushing on (Will) to ask her to the prom.Genius much?? If she had just straight told him "Hey, I really like you, wanna go to the prom with me as friends or more *winks*" they won't be in this shitshow in the first place *sigh*. Anyway, after some silly banters with Madame Z, Frankie's got her greedy, slimy hands on a mysterious corsage that is said to grant 3 wishes for the owner.
Hmm... I wonder how this would go...
3 Spooky-but kinda-meh Stars
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison
I gotta tell ya, five pages into the story, I kinda gave up. It was filled with boring monologue and yada, yada, freaking yadas... I couldn't even get pass the first chapter. Whatevs.
1 Zzz Star
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe
Wow. Just wow. Probably my favorite after The Exterminator's Daughter. Miranda Kiss is a girl with super strength (think: supergirl) and is tragically boyfriend-less. She reads self-help books with the hope of finding a decent guy to fall for her and be her lover.Oh, the struggle~. But when she is suddenly thrust into these action-packed series of events, things got pretty interesting. I'm not going to spoil it (much) but the twist at the end is really cute!! I enjoyed reading this and wished it was longer, oh well.
Rating: 5 Super Stars
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer
This is the most disappointing out of all the stories in this book! I'm ashamed to say that when I bought the book, my motive was to exclusively read this story by Meyer. At the tender age of 14, what with Edward Freaking Cullen and all, she was my idol and I was expecting to be blown away/dazzled/sparkled(??) by the story. How very sadly mistaken I was.
Honestly, it was downright boring. I don't know whether it's because I expected too much, or I was comparing it with the other (better) ones. Anyway, the story is about Sheba, a demon who is so evil her ultimate mission is to make everyone at freaking prom feels miserableas if that is so hard to achieve. I guess her power of misery is too much, because even I felt depressed reading this story.
Rating: 1 Deviled Star
Here's my review of a book that contains five short stories by famous and up-and-coming authors when Stephenie Meyer rules the bestseller list.
*drum rolls*
The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot
The first story is so amazing I was hoping Meg would expand it into a whole new book. The story is told in dual POV by Mary, the vampire slayer, and Adam, a boy she knows from school. Basically what happens is Adam get caught up in Mary's mission of avenging her mother's death in the hands of the wicked vampires. For me, this story is classic Meg Cabot, if you love her other works, definitely give this one a try. But I hope you won't be too disappointed when the story ends like I did, the high standard it sets for the other 4 stories nearly ruined the book for me.
Rating: 5 Ass-kicking Stars
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle
A very interesting and downright creepiest story compared to the others. Frankie, accompanied by her two best friends, Will and Yun Sun, visited Madame Zanzibar to have her fortunes told. But Frankie's real plan is to hint at the boy she's crushing on (Will) to ask her to the prom.
Hmm... I wonder how this would go...
3 Spooky-but kinda-meh Stars
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison
I gotta tell ya, five pages into the story, I kinda gave up. It was filled with boring monologue and yada, yada, freaking yadas... I couldn't even get pass the first chapter. Whatevs.
1 Zzz Star
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe
Wow. Just wow. Probably my favorite after The Exterminator's Daughter. Miranda Kiss is a girl with super strength (think: supergirl) and is tragically boyfriend-less. She reads self-help books with the hope of finding a decent guy to fall for her and be her lover.
Rating: 5 Super Stars
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer
This is the most disappointing out of all the stories in this book! I'm ashamed to say that when I bought the book, my motive was to exclusively read this story by Meyer. At the tender age of 14, what with Edward Freaking Cullen and all, she was my idol and I was expecting to be blown away/dazzled/sparkled(??) by the story. How very sadly mistaken I was.
Honestly, it was downright boring. I don't know whether it's because I expected too much, or I was comparing it with the other (better) ones. Anyway, the story is about Sheba, a demon who is so evil her ultimate mission is to make everyone at freaking prom feels miserable
Rating: 1 Deviled Star
August 12, 2017
hacılar lisedeydim ve olgunlardan 5 liraya almış olmama rağmen okuduktan sonra çok üzülmüştüm.
tek hikaye etkilemişti beni; sevgilisini ölümden geri çağıran bi kız vardı.
anasayfada görmesem aklıma dahi gelmez.
tek hikaye etkilemişti beni; sevgilisini ölümden geri çağıran bi kız vardı.
anasayfada görmesem aklıma dahi gelmez.
November 8, 2018
Fui por este libro debido a que una de las autoras es Stephenie Meyer y hay que reconocer que su historia es de lo mejorcito de la selección. En todo caso el libro no me defraudó porque imaginaba de qué iba… y acerté: relatos cortos, con tramas sobrenaturales que giran en torno a bailes de fin de curso y, por ende, la problemática adicional de ¿con quién iré?, ¿qué me pondré?, ¿me invitará el chico que me gusta? etc, etc.
Si bien los relatos entretienen, tienen el problema inherente de los cuentos: o la historia no alcanza a arrancar o su final es demasiado abrupto (en este sentido, destaco el relato de Kim Harrison que propone una historia bastante original, que podría dar para una novela completa, pero se termina ahí…)
Lo que si me contrarió, exceptuando el caso de los relatos de Meyer y Harrison, fue el estilo narrativo de las demás autoras: mucha frase corta, mucha comilla entre los textos para intercalar reflexiones de los personajes, que finalmente entorpecen la lectura y hacen perder el hilo de la narración.
En fin, el que sabe lo que esperar se entretendrá, sin mayores pretensiones. Sin embargo, el que espera un libro de mayor envergadura, claramente quedará muy desilusionado.
Si bien los relatos entretienen, tienen el problema inherente de los cuentos: o la historia no alcanza a arrancar o su final es demasiado abrupto (en este sentido, destaco el relato de Kim Harrison que propone una historia bastante original, que podría dar para una novela completa, pero se termina ahí…)
Lo que si me contrarió, exceptuando el caso de los relatos de Meyer y Harrison, fue el estilo narrativo de las demás autoras: mucha frase corta, mucha comilla entre los textos para intercalar reflexiones de los personajes, que finalmente entorpecen la lectura y hacen perder el hilo de la narración.
En fin, el que sabe lo que esperar se entretendrá, sin mayores pretensiones. Sin embargo, el que espera un libro de mayor envergadura, claramente quedará muy desilusionado.
March 3, 2016
Sólo hay una historia que merece la pena y otra que medio qué, pero ni por esas le subo la puntuación. Una pérdida de dinero.
May 2, 2019
What.The.Hell.
EXPECTATION: an exciting collection of dark-themed YA stories
REALITY a collection of dumbest and most annoying female protagonists ever in the world of YA
Don't get me started with Frankie (The Corsage) and that Madison girl (Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper) but well get into these characters later. The only decent story I find here is the Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot. It's the first story on the list (because you can't be disappointed and mad right away obviously) and since it was Meg Cabot who wrote it, I decided to read it (a bad decision, yeah).
Exterminator's Daughter- The story is short and it tells the story of Mary, who hunts down this gorgeous guy named Sebastian Drake. Sebastian is gorgeous with golden hair, movie-star perfect lips and a pair of unearthly blue eyes; but too mad, you cannot date him if you're a Christian and loves to bath in holy water
The story is told from alternate POV of Mary and Adam. Adam is your typical boy-next-door type: cute, nice and very much mortal. I like Mary and Adam's chemistry and I find it quite refreshing to know that the main girl doesn't have to always end up with the mysterious hot dude to make the romance interesting.
The Corsage- Want me introduce the first annoying character in this book? Meet Frankie a.k.a the Frankenstein girl. She's a stuck-up, shallow-minded and selfish friend of Will. Speaking of Will, the poor boy happens to be Frankie's dream date for the prom. Since we are talking about dumb protagonists, expect silly love stories and more dumb. You know the saying, desperate times call for desperate measures?
I fcking hate her to the hell and back and Will deserves better.
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper- Another dumb story with a dumber prom night scenario with the dumbest main girl. Madison is the name of our main girl, and I strongly believe that the D in her name stands for Dumb. She's a total headache, a nightmare who doesn't have a single common sense. I dislike her character with passion for so many reasons:
1. She was ignoring her prom date the entire night because she wasn't interested in him. Madison was obvious that way.
-2. Suddenly she saw a mysterious looking dude and thought he was the most charming and handsome man on the planet (I found it ridiculous since the guy covered half of his face with a mask)
-3. Of course, she ditched her prom date. Poor guy deserves better.
-4. Madison kissed Mr. Sexy Pirate guy
(take note: She didn't even know the guy's name or seen his face because the dude's wearing a mask)
And what the heck! She just knew him like, for a period of below sixty seconds!
Seriously, Madison, you were like~"Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy! But you're so sexy, so kiss me, baby" B**c*!
And the most-idiotic-thing-ever that she did, (and I bet no human with a normal, rational, or sensible-short for brain- would do) is letting a total stranger, who just mysteriously came out of nowhere while he hid his face behind a mask to ride you home. Really. What an idiot! And when she learned that Seth, the name of the Mr. Sexy Pirate guy, was indeed a lunatic, too late. Know what happened because of her super dooper major, major stupidity?
Kiss and Tell- A mixed up of annoying girls and dumb guys.
Hell on Earth- Sheba and Gabe as a pairing is an epic fail and I'm not even sorry, Stephanie.
EXPECTATION: an exciting collection of dark-themed YA stories
REALITY a collection of dumbest and most annoying female protagonists ever in the world of YA
Don't get me started with Frankie (The Corsage) and that Madison girl (Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper) but well get into these characters later. The only decent story I find here is the Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot. It's the first story on the list (because you can't be disappointed and mad right away obviously) and since it was Meg Cabot who wrote it, I decided to read it (a bad decision, yeah).
Exterminator's Daughter- The story is short and it tells the story of Mary, who hunts down this gorgeous guy named Sebastian Drake. Sebastian is gorgeous with golden hair, movie-star perfect lips and a pair of unearthly blue eyes; but too mad, you cannot date him if you're a Christian and loves to bath in holy water
The story is told from alternate POV of Mary and Adam. Adam is your typical boy-next-door type: cute, nice and very much mortal. I like Mary and Adam's chemistry and I find it quite refreshing to know that the main girl doesn't have to always end up with the mysterious hot dude to make the romance interesting.
The Corsage- Want me introduce the first annoying character in this book? Meet Frankie a.k.a the Frankenstein girl. She's a stuck-up, shallow-minded and selfish friend of Will. Speaking of Will, the poor boy happens to be Frankie's dream date for the prom. Since we are talking about dumb protagonists, expect silly love stories and more dumb. You know the saying, desperate times call for desperate measures?
I fcking hate her to the hell and back and Will deserves better.
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper- Another dumb story with a dumber prom night scenario with the dumbest main girl. Madison is the name of our main girl, and I strongly believe that the D in her name stands for Dumb. She's a total headache, a nightmare who doesn't have a single common sense. I dislike her character with passion for so many reasons:
1. She was ignoring her prom date the entire night because she wasn't interested in him. Madison was obvious that way.
-2. Suddenly she saw a mysterious looking dude and thought he was the most charming and handsome man on the planet (I found it ridiculous since the guy covered half of his face with a mask)
-3. Of course, she ditched her prom date. Poor guy deserves better.
-4. Madison kissed Mr. Sexy Pirate guy
(take note: She didn't even know the guy's name or seen his face because the dude's wearing a mask)
And what the heck! She just knew him like, for a period of below sixty seconds!
Seriously, Madison, you were like~"Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy! But you're so sexy, so kiss me, baby" B**c*!
And the most-idiotic-thing-ever that she did, (and I bet no human with a normal, rational, or sensible-short for brain- would do) is letting a total stranger, who just mysteriously came out of nowhere while he hid his face behind a mask to ride you home. Really. What an idiot! And when she learned that Seth, the name of the Mr. Sexy Pirate guy, was indeed a lunatic, too late. Know what happened because of her super dooper major, major stupidity?
Kiss and Tell- A mixed up of annoying girls and dumb guys.
Hell on Earth- Sheba and Gabe as a pairing is an epic fail and I'm not even sorry, Stephanie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2017
@ilknur a.k.a iko eklemese böyle bir kitabı okuduğumu önümüzdeki yüzyıl boyunca hatırlamazdım herhalde. O biçim silmişim hafızamdan.
April 11, 2017
This book is five prom stories by five authors.
The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot ***
This story is about a girl who is hunting and trying to kill the vampire that turned her mother. The chapters alternate back and forth in the point of view of Mary and Adam.
I liked this story right away because it has a character named Sebastian. (My son's name.) But, I quickly became frusterated with the amount of times Meg used the word 'well'.
~I'm reading along and, well, there's another one. I get back into the story when I realize that... well, this is super annoying.~
She threw in a few 'let's face it'-s and a 'to be frank' for variety, but I counted 29 'well'-s altogether (I could have missed a few) in the 49 page story.
My annoyance aside, I liked the story. It was cute. Boy meets girl. Girl is exterminator. Boy wants to help girl exterminate. Still, my favorite part is the name Sebastian.
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle ****
This story was inspired by The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs. I think this story is just as creepy.
Frankie acquires a corsage that grants her three wishes. Her first wish is for the boy she loves to ask her to the prom. It felt to me like the first half of the story was too drawn out and the second half wasn't long enough. Very creepy. Makes you think twice about wishes.
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison ***
Okay. The first thing I want to say about this story is... Where is the ending?!? But, I sort of liked it because it reminded me of the show Dead Like Me.
Seventeen year old Madison was taken (she died) before her time by a black reaper (or something). I didn't really understand a lot of this story... Anyway... She (her soul) takes, from the reaper who killed her, a stone necklace that keeps her solid. A white reaper, named Barnabas, and an old man (I don't know who or what he is) try to help her. ?? I don't understand this story! I hope she writes more about it!
*UPDATE* SEE: Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, Book 1)
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe *****
The longest story in the book. And super fun. (Pun intended. LOL) Miranda Kiss is a super-powered teen who is still learning the extent (and limits) of her powers. All the while trying to reel in a guy that she likes with cheesy pick-up lines from a self-help book. Funny.
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer ***
Sheba is a young, (186 years old) low level demon. Her job is to cause misery. So, that's what she is doing at the prom. Causing misery. Splitting up happy couples. Making girls jealous and boys full of lust. At least she tries...
I liked this story okay, it was just a little slow for me.
The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot ***
This story is about a girl who is hunting and trying to kill the vampire that turned her mother. The chapters alternate back and forth in the point of view of Mary and Adam.
I liked this story right away because it has a character named Sebastian. (My son's name.) But, I quickly became frusterated with the amount of times Meg used the word 'well'.
~I'm reading along and, well, there's another one. I get back into the story when I realize that... well, this is super annoying.~
She threw in a few 'let's face it'-s and a 'to be frank' for variety, but I counted 29 'well'-s altogether (I could have missed a few) in the 49 page story.
My annoyance aside, I liked the story. It was cute. Boy meets girl. Girl is exterminator. Boy wants to help girl exterminate. Still, my favorite part is the name Sebastian.
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle ****
This story was inspired by The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs. I think this story is just as creepy.
Frankie acquires a corsage that grants her three wishes. Her first wish is for the boy she loves to ask her to the prom. It felt to me like the first half of the story was too drawn out and the second half wasn't long enough. Very creepy. Makes you think twice about wishes.
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison ***
Okay. The first thing I want to say about this story is... Where is the ending?!? But, I sort of liked it because it reminded me of the show Dead Like Me.
Seventeen year old Madison was taken (she died) before her time by a black reaper (or something). I didn't really understand a lot of this story... Anyway... She (her soul) takes, from the reaper who killed her, a stone necklace that keeps her solid. A white reaper, named Barnabas, and an old man (I don't know who or what he is) try to help her. ?? I don't understand this story! I hope she writes more about it!
*UPDATE* SEE: Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, Book 1)
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe *****
The longest story in the book. And super fun. (Pun intended. LOL) Miranda Kiss is a super-powered teen who is still learning the extent (and limits) of her powers. All the while trying to reel in a guy that she likes with cheesy pick-up lines from a self-help book. Funny.
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer ***
Sheba is a young, (186 years old) low level demon. Her job is to cause misery. So, that's what she is doing at the prom. Causing misery. Splitting up happy couples. Making girls jealous and boys full of lust. At least she tries...
I liked this story okay, it was just a little slow for me.
February 26, 2017
Nisam oduševljena, jedino mi se svidjela priča Korsaž / Loren Mirakl, jeziva priča zbog koje sam osluškivala šuška li šta u mraku oko mene. Ostale su bile dosadne i nezanimljive, rekla bih nabacane bez reda i bez smisla. Od mene ocjena tri samo zbog jedne priče.
June 20, 2021
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" Overall
I picked up this anthology mainly for the Stephanie Meyer story, because I’m a big fan. I thought that it was a collection of YA paranormal romance stories. However, for the most part, they only have a touch of romance in them if any at all and those that do are pretty open-ended rather than having an HEA. Instead these stories are a mixture of speculative fiction from urban fantasy to horror.
The Exterminator’s Daughter by Meg Cabot - “The Exterminator’s Daughter” is roughly a novelette-length, stand-alone story about Mary, a teenage girl, whose best friend has fallen under the spell of boy, who isn’t really a boy at all. Therefore, Mary follows them with the intent of killing this creature who presents a danger to her friend. She tracks them to a club where she nearly has a clear shot, only to be interrupted by Adam, a boy who is one of her classmates. Although Mary finds Adam attractive she never thought they would ever go out, but he ends up being a surprising ally in her fight against evil and an equally surprising prom date.
This is a really cute story that I enjoyed. Mary is relatable as a shy and awkward girl, while Adam is sweet and supportive even though he’s quickly initiated into a world he never knew existed. They end up being a great team. The main aspect of the plot surrounding Mary’s friend was resolved, but another not insignificant plot point was left hanging. I had hoped that perhaps this story was part of a series of shorts or a prequel to something longer, but sadly it doesn’t appear that it is. However, Mary and Adam fit together so well that I could see them ending up together long-term and successfully fighting to right the wrongs in her past by taking down the evil baddies. “The Exterminator’s Daughter” was my first foray into Meg Cabot’s writing, and I really enjoyed her style. I found it to be quite accessible and entertaining, making me very much look forward to checking out more of her work. Star Rating: ****
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle - After carefully considering literary genres, I’ve decided to say that “The Corsage” is IMHO a YA horror story. The main character, Frankie, desperately wants her best friend, Will, to ask her to the prom, but when he seems reluctant to pop the question, she drags him and her other best friend, Yun Sun, to a fortune teller. She thinks that the medium will be able to give her hope that she’ll get her wish and that the visit might somehow light a fire under Will. Her plan seems to mostly be a bust until Frankie spots an old, dried-out corsage on a shelf and starts asking questions about it. Next thing she knows, she’s the proud new owner of this object that comes with a dire warning, but which is also purported to grant a person three wishes. However, when she uses it to wish that the boy she loves will invite her to the prom, she doesn’t exactly get what she’d hoped for.
“The Corsage” is definitely a different sort of story for me. I’m not really a horror reader and although it’s pretty mild for a horror story – mostly relying on emotions and psychological reactions – it is extremely sad and tragic. It’s a cautionary tale that has an underlying message about being careful what you wish for. Frankie is just so caught up in wanting Will to be her prom date that she basically throws caution to the wind and doesn’t even think of the possible consequences of her actions until it’s too late. Overall, this novelette was well-written, but given the extremely unhappy nature of the ending, it just wasn’t really my kind of story. Star Rating: ***1/2
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison - “Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper” is a YA urban fantasy novelette told in heroine, Madison’s first-person POV. Her parents are divorced and her mom sent her to live with her dad, where she’s having trouble fitting in at school. She’s not quite cool enough to hang with the popular kids, but she’s not geeky enough to appreciate the smart kids. The story begins with her attending prom, which she thinks is a total bust, especially when she finds out that the boy who brought her only did so because their dads set them up. Then she meets a hot guy she’s never seen before who immediately piques her interest. After dancing a while and getting some subtle revenge on her date, he offers to take her home, but things take a literal nosedive when he deliberately runs their car into a ravine. Next thing Madison knows, she’s waking up in a morgue, only to discover that she’s dead, but not quite all the way dead, and for some reason, the hot guy she was with is intent on destroying both her body and her soul. However, she manages to snag an amulet from him that allows her to take on corporeal form, leaving her in a weird limbo state.
This story started off strong with the prom scenes drawing me into Madison’s world. However, as soon as she realizes Seth, the hot guy, isn’t what he seems and he runs them off the road, things became kind of confusing for me. Madison is suddenly catapulted from the real world into this strange afterlife that IMHO was a little too complex for this short format. There are multiple types of reapers and it seems that Madison may only be dead because of a reaper’s mistake. Then she snags the amulet from Seth, which gives her the power to take solid form, but she still isn’t really alive. Also, we meet Barnabas who is a white reaper, but he also receives the assignment of being her guardian angel. And then there’s a mystery behind why Seth decided to reap Madison’s soul and now also wants to steal her body that wasn’t even explored. It was just way too much info for my brain to process in such a short space of time, plus none of the questions raised are ever answered. I didn’t even realize that this novelette was part of a series until I flipped to the back of the book and found a teaser excerpt for the first full-length Madison Avery story, Once Dead, Twice Shy. “Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper” was OK, but it’s really little more than an extended prologue or teaser for the next book rather than a self-contained story with a satisfying ending. It should have whetted my appetite for more, but unfortunately, given my confusion with it, I’m not feeling particularly motivated to continue the series either. Star Rating: ***
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe - “Kiss and Tell” is a YA paranormal fantasy novella that appears to be a stand-alone story. It tells the tale of Miranda Kiss, a senior at an elite boarding school, who was sent there by her foster parents after the deaths of her biological parents. When she’s not in class, she can be found either competing with a local roller-derby team or at her part-time job chauffeuring important people around town. But in her spare time, she secretly uses her superpowers to foil crimes. In her capacity as a driver, she’s sent to the airport to pick up one Sibby Cumean, who turns out to be an annoying fourteen-year-old girl with a penchant for kissing every boy she sees. When Miranda drops her off at the address she was given, she senses something is amiss and rescues Sibby from people who seem bent on causing her harm. In an effort to keep Sibby safe and entertained until the girl can meet up with people she can trust, Miranda takes her to her own school’s prom, but trouble follows them there.
“Kiss and Tell” is a fast-paced and fairly entertaining story that held my attention pretty well, but by the end, I found I had more questions than answers. It feels like this should be the beginning of a series, but I couldn’t find any more stories about these characters. I liked and related to Miranda quite well as a kind of awkward loner who has vulnerabilities and hang-ups that make her fond of self-help books. Her superpowers made her all the more intriguing to me. But there was so much more I wanted to know about her such as what happened to her parents. She also alludes to having a sister, but never says what happened to her either. How did Miranda get her superpowers? One of the bad guys says that some people believe she’s like Wonder Woman and there’s apparently a bounty on her head. What’s that all about? We eventually get a vague idea of who Sibby really is, but I felt like there was a lot more to explore with her character as well. And what about Will, the guy Miranda really likes, but who she thinks doesn’t like her? They finally start talking, but before they even get a chance to kiss, the bad guys swoop in. At least the final chapter shows them setting up a date, but I wanted to know what happened after that. If “Kiss and Tell” had been a prequel novella to a larger series, I would have given it a higher rating. However, as is, I felt I had to knock it down a bit to account for all the many tantalizing threads that were left dangling, apparently never to be resolved. Otherwise, “Kiss and Tell” was a decent read that made me care about the characters, but it’s precisely because I cared that I found the lack of a more solid resolution to the many questions I had rather frustrating. Star Rating: ***1/2
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer - “Hell on Earth” is roughly a novelette-length stand-alone story that fully takes place at a high school prom. The hero of the story is Gabe, who has a knack for making people happy. He also has a psychic sense when someone is troubled and an overwhelming need to fix whatever is wrong, and it was because of this sixth sense that he asked his date to the prom. However, she ditched him for someone else – several someones in fact – and meanwhile most of the other students are having an increasingly bad time. Left alone, Gabe starts getting that psychic sense again and it’s far stronger than anything he’s felt before. What he doesn’t know is that those vibes are being given off by a demon named Sheba who came to the prom strictly to cause as much chaos and mayhem as she possibly could. But once Gabe finds her and she gazes into his eyes, all her best-laid, evil plans may fall apart.
So far, I’ve greatly enjoyed everything else Stephenie Meyer has written, so I was pretty eager to check out this story. But I’m sorry to say that it ended up being just an OK read. I liked it, but I didn’t walk away with the same feeling I did when reading her other works. Gabe was a very likable guy, a real sweetheart who looks out for others and just wants them to be happy. Sheba on the other hand is unquestionably evil with her only goal to make everyone miserable. The romance here is pretty minimal with them not even kissing but merely gazing into each other’s eyes and dancing at the very end of the story. However, up to the point that they meet face-to-face, Sheba is so terrible, I couldn’t even think of her as a romantic-type heroine. If there had been more space to build her character in a sympathetic way, I might have been able to buy into it, but that didn’t happen. Maybe that’s why the author left the conclusion so open-ended, but in doing so, it also left me not entirely satisfied. There were also a few too many characters in the story, and I had a hard time keeping them all straight. Overall, this was a decent read, just not my favorite of Stephenie Meyer’s works. Star Rating: ***1/2
"3.5 stars" Overall
I picked up this anthology mainly for the Stephanie Meyer story, because I’m a big fan. I thought that it was a collection of YA paranormal romance stories. However, for the most part, they only have a touch of romance in them if any at all and those that do are pretty open-ended rather than having an HEA. Instead these stories are a mixture of speculative fiction from urban fantasy to horror.
The Exterminator’s Daughter by Meg Cabot - “The Exterminator’s Daughter” is roughly a novelette-length, stand-alone story about Mary, a teenage girl, whose best friend has fallen under the spell of boy, who isn’t really a boy at all. Therefore, Mary follows them with the intent of killing this creature who presents a danger to her friend. She tracks them to a club where she nearly has a clear shot, only to be interrupted by Adam, a boy who is one of her classmates. Although Mary finds Adam attractive she never thought they would ever go out, but he ends up being a surprising ally in her fight against evil and an equally surprising prom date.
This is a really cute story that I enjoyed. Mary is relatable as a shy and awkward girl, while Adam is sweet and supportive even though he’s quickly initiated into a world he never knew existed. They end up being a great team. The main aspect of the plot surrounding Mary’s friend was resolved, but another not insignificant plot point was left hanging. I had hoped that perhaps this story was part of a series of shorts or a prequel to something longer, but sadly it doesn’t appear that it is. However, Mary and Adam fit together so well that I could see them ending up together long-term and successfully fighting to right the wrongs in her past by taking down the evil baddies. “The Exterminator’s Daughter” was my first foray into Meg Cabot’s writing, and I really enjoyed her style. I found it to be quite accessible and entertaining, making me very much look forward to checking out more of her work. Star Rating: ****
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle - After carefully considering literary genres, I’ve decided to say that “The Corsage” is IMHO a YA horror story. The main character, Frankie, desperately wants her best friend, Will, to ask her to the prom, but when he seems reluctant to pop the question, she drags him and her other best friend, Yun Sun, to a fortune teller. She thinks that the medium will be able to give her hope that she’ll get her wish and that the visit might somehow light a fire under Will. Her plan seems to mostly be a bust until Frankie spots an old, dried-out corsage on a shelf and starts asking questions about it. Next thing she knows, she’s the proud new owner of this object that comes with a dire warning, but which is also purported to grant a person three wishes. However, when she uses it to wish that the boy she loves will invite her to the prom, she doesn’t exactly get what she’d hoped for.
“The Corsage” is definitely a different sort of story for me. I’m not really a horror reader and although it’s pretty mild for a horror story – mostly relying on emotions and psychological reactions – it is extremely sad and tragic. It’s a cautionary tale that has an underlying message about being careful what you wish for. Frankie is just so caught up in wanting Will to be her prom date that she basically throws caution to the wind and doesn’t even think of the possible consequences of her actions until it’s too late. Overall, this novelette was well-written, but given the extremely unhappy nature of the ending, it just wasn’t really my kind of story. Star Rating: ***1/2
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison - “Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper” is a YA urban fantasy novelette told in heroine, Madison’s first-person POV. Her parents are divorced and her mom sent her to live with her dad, where she’s having trouble fitting in at school. She’s not quite cool enough to hang with the popular kids, but she’s not geeky enough to appreciate the smart kids. The story begins with her attending prom, which she thinks is a total bust, especially when she finds out that the boy who brought her only did so because their dads set them up. Then she meets a hot guy she’s never seen before who immediately piques her interest. After dancing a while and getting some subtle revenge on her date, he offers to take her home, but things take a literal nosedive when he deliberately runs their car into a ravine. Next thing Madison knows, she’s waking up in a morgue, only to discover that she’s dead, but not quite all the way dead, and for some reason, the hot guy she was with is intent on destroying both her body and her soul. However, she manages to snag an amulet from him that allows her to take on corporeal form, leaving her in a weird limbo state.
This story started off strong with the prom scenes drawing me into Madison’s world. However, as soon as she realizes Seth, the hot guy, isn’t what he seems and he runs them off the road, things became kind of confusing for me. Madison is suddenly catapulted from the real world into this strange afterlife that IMHO was a little too complex for this short format. There are multiple types of reapers and it seems that Madison may only be dead because of a reaper’s mistake. Then she snags the amulet from Seth, which gives her the power to take solid form, but she still isn’t really alive. Also, we meet Barnabas who is a white reaper, but he also receives the assignment of being her guardian angel. And then there’s a mystery behind why Seth decided to reap Madison’s soul and now also wants to steal her body that wasn’t even explored. It was just way too much info for my brain to process in such a short space of time, plus none of the questions raised are ever answered. I didn’t even realize that this novelette was part of a series until I flipped to the back of the book and found a teaser excerpt for the first full-length Madison Avery story, Once Dead, Twice Shy. “Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper” was OK, but it’s really little more than an extended prologue or teaser for the next book rather than a self-contained story with a satisfying ending. It should have whetted my appetite for more, but unfortunately, given my confusion with it, I’m not feeling particularly motivated to continue the series either. Star Rating: ***
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe - “Kiss and Tell” is a YA paranormal fantasy novella that appears to be a stand-alone story. It tells the tale of Miranda Kiss, a senior at an elite boarding school, who was sent there by her foster parents after the deaths of her biological parents. When she’s not in class, she can be found either competing with a local roller-derby team or at her part-time job chauffeuring important people around town. But in her spare time, she secretly uses her superpowers to foil crimes. In her capacity as a driver, she’s sent to the airport to pick up one Sibby Cumean, who turns out to be an annoying fourteen-year-old girl with a penchant for kissing every boy she sees. When Miranda drops her off at the address she was given, she senses something is amiss and rescues Sibby from people who seem bent on causing her harm. In an effort to keep Sibby safe and entertained until the girl can meet up with people she can trust, Miranda takes her to her own school’s prom, but trouble follows them there.
“Kiss and Tell” is a fast-paced and fairly entertaining story that held my attention pretty well, but by the end, I found I had more questions than answers. It feels like this should be the beginning of a series, but I couldn’t find any more stories about these characters. I liked and related to Miranda quite well as a kind of awkward loner who has vulnerabilities and hang-ups that make her fond of self-help books. Her superpowers made her all the more intriguing to me. But there was so much more I wanted to know about her such as what happened to her parents. She also alludes to having a sister, but never says what happened to her either. How did Miranda get her superpowers? One of the bad guys says that some people believe she’s like Wonder Woman and there’s apparently a bounty on her head. What’s that all about? We eventually get a vague idea of who Sibby really is, but I felt like there was a lot more to explore with her character as well. And what about Will, the guy Miranda really likes, but who she thinks doesn’t like her? They finally start talking, but before they even get a chance to kiss, the bad guys swoop in. At least the final chapter shows them setting up a date, but I wanted to know what happened after that. If “Kiss and Tell” had been a prequel novella to a larger series, I would have given it a higher rating. However, as is, I felt I had to knock it down a bit to account for all the many tantalizing threads that were left dangling, apparently never to be resolved. Otherwise, “Kiss and Tell” was a decent read that made me care about the characters, but it’s precisely because I cared that I found the lack of a more solid resolution to the many questions I had rather frustrating. Star Rating: ***1/2
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer - “Hell on Earth” is roughly a novelette-length stand-alone story that fully takes place at a high school prom. The hero of the story is Gabe, who has a knack for making people happy. He also has a psychic sense when someone is troubled and an overwhelming need to fix whatever is wrong, and it was because of this sixth sense that he asked his date to the prom. However, she ditched him for someone else – several someones in fact – and meanwhile most of the other students are having an increasingly bad time. Left alone, Gabe starts getting that psychic sense again and it’s far stronger than anything he’s felt before. What he doesn’t know is that those vibes are being given off by a demon named Sheba who came to the prom strictly to cause as much chaos and mayhem as she possibly could. But once Gabe finds her and she gazes into his eyes, all her best-laid, evil plans may fall apart.
So far, I’ve greatly enjoyed everything else Stephenie Meyer has written, so I was pretty eager to check out this story. But I’m sorry to say that it ended up being just an OK read. I liked it, but I didn’t walk away with the same feeling I did when reading her other works. Gabe was a very likable guy, a real sweetheart who looks out for others and just wants them to be happy. Sheba on the other hand is unquestionably evil with her only goal to make everyone miserable. The romance here is pretty minimal with them not even kissing but merely gazing into each other’s eyes and dancing at the very end of the story. However, up to the point that they meet face-to-face, Sheba is so terrible, I couldn’t even think of her as a romantic-type heroine. If there had been more space to build her character in a sympathetic way, I might have been able to buy into it, but that didn’t happen. Maybe that’s why the author left the conclusion so open-ended, but in doing so, it also left me not entirely satisfied. There were also a few too many characters in the story, and I had a hard time keeping them all straight. Overall, this was a decent read, just not my favorite of Stephenie Meyer’s works. Star Rating: ***1/2
June 9, 2019
What happens when fairly good YA authors try to write a collection of short stories together?
100% chance of Bad books. The cover is a big plus though, that rose is gorgeous.
And I just get so happy when I manage to track one down... it gets my hopes up. There are reasons books are hard to find
"Hell on earth" - No characterization at all: What we know Sheba->demon Gabe & Christen-sen(I'll give you this-it's indirect-still genes), half-angel ->the conclusion? Genes drew them together, you know? Like in "breeding". No psychology, no idea, no deeper meaning, no relation to the Prom theme. It's like the old story of the depressive couple who first met in a bar, as much meaning as that.
"The Exterminator's daughter" - And it keeps going. I read the Mediator thing and it was fairly good. This is ... (words may leave me for a moment of recollection). Mary - no personality, Lila - an idiot, Ted - an idiot, Adam - clueless. Please remind me, why must I read this?
100% chance of Bad books. The cover is a big plus though, that rose is gorgeous.
And I just get so happy when I manage to track one down... it gets my hopes up. There are reasons books are hard to find
"Hell on earth" - No characterization at all: What we know Sheba->demon Gabe & Christen-sen(I'll give you this-it's indirect-still genes), half-angel ->the conclusion? Genes drew them together, you know? Like in "breeding". No psychology, no idea, no deeper meaning, no relation to the Prom theme. It's like the old story of the depressive couple who first met in a bar, as much meaning as that.
"The Exterminator's daughter" - And it keeps going. I read the Mediator thing and it was fairly good. This is ... (words may leave me for a moment of recollection). Mary - no personality, Lila - an idiot, Ted - an idiot, Adam - clueless. Please remind me, why must I read this?
December 1, 2019
Δεν είχα ακούσει και διθυράμβους για το βιβλίο είναι η αλήθεια. Ωστόσο, έτυχε και έπεσε στα χέρια μου σε μια αρκετά πιεστική περίοδο που ήθελα να διαβάσω κάτι μικρό. Οι 5 ιστορίες που εσωκλείονται είναι μικρές. Και όταν βλέπω Stephenie Meyer στο εξώφυλλο το αγοράζω άμεσα. Τελικά, μόνο η Stephenie δεν με απογοήτευσε.
Βρήκα τις ιστορίες λίγο flat. Χωρίς ιδιαίτερο νόημα και με αναμενόμενη εξέλιξη. Οι 3 πρώτες πέρασαν αδιάφορα και για αυτό έκανα κοιλιά στην ανάγνωση τους στα μισά της δεύτερης. Ωστόσο, οι 2 τελευταίες ήταν αρκετά καλές ώστε να με κάνουν να τελειώσω το βιβλίο. Βρήκα αρκετά νοηματικά λάθη (λάθη μετάφρασης υποθέτω) και οι εναλλαγές της γραφής ήταν κουραστικές (πρωτοπρόσωπη, τριτοπρόσωπη κτλ).
Τα 3 αστέρια είναι για 1,5 & 1,5 στις δυο τελευταίες ιστορίες και μόνο. Το ήξερα Stephenie ότι δεν θα με απογοήτευες!
Βρήκα τις ιστορίες λίγο flat. Χωρίς ιδιαίτερο νόημα και με αναμενόμενη εξέλιξη. Οι 3 πρώτες πέρασαν αδιάφορα και για αυτό έκανα κοιλιά στην ανάγνωση τους στα μισά της δεύτερης. Ωστόσο, οι 2 τελευταίες ήταν αρκετά καλές ώστε να με κάνουν να τελειώσω το βιβλίο. Βρήκα αρκετά νοηματικά λάθη (λάθη μετάφρασης υποθέτω) και οι εναλλαγές της γραφής ήταν κουραστικές (πρωτοπρόσωπη, τριτοπρόσωπη κτλ).
Τα 3 αστέρια είναι για 1,5 & 1,5 στις δυο τελευταίες ιστορίες και μόνο. Το ήξερα Stephenie ότι δεν θα με απογοήτευες!
Read
March 3, 2023DNF @ 46%
idk who thought writing short horror stories with romance was a good idea but they were damn wrong.
idk who thought writing short horror stories with romance was a good idea but they were damn wrong.
December 2, 2009
Disappointing stories with no endings
PROM NIGHTS FROM HELL is an anthology composed of five paranormal romances from five young adult authors: Meg Cabot, Kim Harrison, Michele Jaffe, Stephenie Meyer, and Lauren Myracle. I picked this up after reading the sister anthology, Love Is Hell, which I enjoyed a great deal. Unfortunately, as a short story collection about paranormal romance and the prom, this compilation fell short.
Of the stories, only one contained a complete story arc from beginning to end (Myracle's "The Corsage") and only one was set entirely at prom (Meyer's "Hell on Earth"). Most of the stories finished with little to no conclusion. Instead of being self-contained, most felt like the first few chapters of a book. In some cases, it's now obvious this was intended, as is the case with Kim Harrison's story that later become her YA novel, Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, Book 1). For a short story collection, though, it was unsatisfying. Also, while it's not necessary that all of the stories be set at prom, a few of the selections were very limited in their relation to the theme. The writing came off as juvenile at times too.
On the plus side, reading this anthology was a great way to sample the work of five popular authors. Without buying a book from each, I was able to get a taste of each author's writing style and characterization skills. Of the writing, Meyer's was the best written and was a bit riskier in content and description than her Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) series (though there's nothing salacious at all).
If you're looking for quick, enjoyable reads of a similar nature, I would highly recommend checking out Love Is Hell instead.
PROM NIGHTS FROM HELL is an anthology composed of five paranormal romances from five young adult authors: Meg Cabot, Kim Harrison, Michele Jaffe, Stephenie Meyer, and Lauren Myracle. I picked this up after reading the sister anthology, Love Is Hell, which I enjoyed a great deal. Unfortunately, as a short story collection about paranormal romance and the prom, this compilation fell short.
Of the stories, only one contained a complete story arc from beginning to end (Myracle's "The Corsage") and only one was set entirely at prom (Meyer's "Hell on Earth"). Most of the stories finished with little to no conclusion. Instead of being self-contained, most felt like the first few chapters of a book. In some cases, it's now obvious this was intended, as is the case with Kim Harrison's story that later become her YA novel, Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, Book 1). For a short story collection, though, it was unsatisfying. Also, while it's not necessary that all of the stories be set at prom, a few of the selections were very limited in their relation to the theme. The writing came off as juvenile at times too.
On the plus side, reading this anthology was a great way to sample the work of five popular authors. Without buying a book from each, I was able to get a taste of each author's writing style and characterization skills. Of the writing, Meyer's was the best written and was a bit riskier in content and description than her Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) series (though there's nothing salacious at all).
If you're looking for quick, enjoyable reads of a similar nature, I would highly recommend checking out Love Is Hell instead.
April 8, 2019
Devo dire che questi 5 racconti dark mi sono piaciuti anche se non sono proprio racconti da brividi..
"La figlia dell'ammazzavampiri" è incentrato su desiderio di vendetta per la vampirizzazione della madre. Alterna due punti di vista e nel complesso non è molto strutturato, il che potrebbe essere tipico dei racconti, se non fosse che alcuni di quelli successivi sono decisamente migliori.
"Il mazzolino" prende decisamente troppo spunto da "la mano di scimmia" e nel complesso risulta essere più banale. Se aggiungiamo una protagonista decisamente da prendere a sberle, direi che questo racconto è proprio da scartare.
"Madison Avery e la F.A.L.C.E" mi è piaciuto. L'ho trovato ben strutturato e per niente banale. In alcune scene mi sono persino un po' commossa. Molto carino
"Provaci ancora, signorina Kiss" parte dalla scena finale, per poi ripercorrere tutti gli avvenimenti dall'inizio. Inutile dire che questo espediente mi ha davvero incuriosito e ho apprezzato molto questo racconto.
"Ballo infernale" è l'ultimo racconto del libro e anche questo mi è piaciuto. In questo, troviamo un mondo completo, gerarchie, "missioni" nemici, ecc... è tutto ben strutturato e soprattutto autoconclusivo. sì un po di dubbio rimane alla fine, ma rispetto ai precedenti l'ho trovato il più completo.
Nel complesso sono tutti racconti YA e tutti con un sottofondo romantico. Forse questo è quello che mi ha fatto storcere il naso. Già se penso ai libri dove gli innamoramenti sono lampo non salto di gioia, ma se poi inseriamo l'amore della vita in un racconto lungo dieci volte meno di un romanzo, mi sembra un po' ridicolo..
"La figlia dell'ammazzavampiri" è incentrato su desiderio di vendetta per la vampirizzazione della madre. Alterna due punti di vista e nel complesso non è molto strutturato, il che potrebbe essere tipico dei racconti, se non fosse che alcuni di quelli successivi sono decisamente migliori.
"Il mazzolino" prende decisamente troppo spunto da "la mano di scimmia" e nel complesso risulta essere più banale. Se aggiungiamo una protagonista decisamente da prendere a sberle, direi che questo racconto è proprio da scartare.
"Madison Avery e la F.A.L.C.E" mi è piaciuto. L'ho trovato ben strutturato e per niente banale. In alcune scene mi sono persino un po' commossa. Molto carino
"Provaci ancora, signorina Kiss" parte dalla scena finale, per poi ripercorrere tutti gli avvenimenti dall'inizio. Inutile dire che questo espediente mi ha davvero incuriosito e ho apprezzato molto questo racconto.
"Ballo infernale" è l'ultimo racconto del libro e anche questo mi è piaciuto. In questo, troviamo un mondo completo, gerarchie, "missioni" nemici, ecc... è tutto ben strutturato e soprattutto autoconclusivo. sì un po di dubbio rimane alla fine, ma rispetto ai precedenti l'ho trovato il più completo.
Nel complesso sono tutti racconti YA e tutti con un sottofondo romantico. Forse questo è quello che mi ha fatto storcere il naso. Già se penso ai libri dove gli innamoramenti sono lampo non salto di gioia, ma se poi inseriamo l'amore della vita in un racconto lungo dieci volte meno di un romanzo, mi sembra un po' ridicolo..
September 5, 2022
HA!!! THIS IS THE ULTIMATE PROOF THAT STEPHENIE MEYER IS A GOOD WRITER!!! And everyone who says otherwise is just salty. Let me ellaborate:
Prom Nights from Hell is a book with five paranormal short stories from five different authors, that all take place around the theme of prom.
The wonderful thing about this concept is that you can directly compare the authors' writing, their plots, and creativity with each other. Don't get me wrong, I didn't plan on doing this going into this book, but it fucking shocked me (!) how different the quality and style of these stories were. So I couldn't help but notice.
I will rate each one of these five stories in one sentence each:
Meg Cabot - "The Exterminator's Daughter": Predictable plot, but okay writing.
Lauren Myracle - "The Corsage": Scary plot with the weirdest, most unnatural writing I have ever seen.
Kim Harrison - "Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper": Good idea, fast-paced writing style, but lost direction towards the end.
Michele Jaffe - "Kiss and Tell": Unoriginal idea, confusing plot, just overall meh.
Stephenie Meyer - "Hell on Earth": Unique and creative concept, good writing, great romance, and wonderful implementation.
Stephenie Meyer gets so much criticism for her writing, people say it's "bad"... uhm, excuse me? Have you ever read "bad" writing? All of these authors specialise in Young Adult literature, and Stephenie Meyer's story was by far the best of all of these. Her story is the reason I am rating this 2 instead of 1 stars. Some of these authors tried so hard to be "young and hip" with their writing, that they ended up making me cringe. Meyer knows how to write YA without it being forced "youthful", she knows that her audience is mature at heart.
The tricky thing about short stories, is to captivate the reader in a short time. Meyer did amazing with this. Her characters were well written, and I actually felt for them in that short amount of time. The romance was believable and cute. The overall idea could be a full-on novel in my opinion. (Demonness falling in love with half-angel boy)
So I conclude with this: If you are one of these people ranting about "how bad" Meyer's writing is, ask yourself if you have ever read other YA authors and compared them to each other. Maybe, just maybe, you are a little bit salty for the big success that Twilight was, for such a simple concept (vampire falls in love with human)?
As you can tell, my inner teenage girl will forever support this woman, as she and her writing are the sole reason I read books in the first place.
Prom Nights from Hell is a book with five paranormal short stories from five different authors, that all take place around the theme of prom.
The wonderful thing about this concept is that you can directly compare the authors' writing, their plots, and creativity with each other. Don't get me wrong, I didn't plan on doing this going into this book, but it fucking shocked me (!) how different the quality and style of these stories were. So I couldn't help but notice.
I will rate each one of these five stories in one sentence each:
Meg Cabot - "The Exterminator's Daughter": Predictable plot, but okay writing.
Lauren Myracle - "The Corsage": Scary plot with the weirdest, most unnatural writing I have ever seen.
Kim Harrison - "Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper": Good idea, fast-paced writing style, but lost direction towards the end.
Michele Jaffe - "Kiss and Tell": Unoriginal idea, confusing plot, just overall meh.
Stephenie Meyer - "Hell on Earth": Unique and creative concept, good writing, great romance, and wonderful implementation.
Stephenie Meyer gets so much criticism for her writing, people say it's "bad"... uhm, excuse me? Have you ever read "bad" writing? All of these authors specialise in Young Adult literature, and Stephenie Meyer's story was by far the best of all of these. Her story is the reason I am rating this 2 instead of 1 stars. Some of these authors tried so hard to be "young and hip" with their writing, that they ended up making me cringe. Meyer knows how to write YA without it being forced "youthful", she knows that her audience is mature at heart.
The tricky thing about short stories, is to captivate the reader in a short time. Meyer did amazing with this. Her characters were well written, and I actually felt for them in that short amount of time. The romance was believable and cute. The overall idea could be a full-on novel in my opinion. (Demonness falling in love with half-angel boy)
So I conclude with this: If you are one of these people ranting about "how bad" Meyer's writing is, ask yourself if you have ever read other YA authors and compared them to each other. Maybe, just maybe, you are a little bit salty for the big success that Twilight was, for such a simple concept (vampire falls in love with human)?
As you can tell, my inner teenage girl will forever support this woman, as she and her writing are the sole reason I read books in the first place.
June 6, 2008
i really luv this book! all the stories are really great... some are funny, others will scare you to death. it's terrifyingly awesome!!!
November 17, 2013
Se un extraterrestre avesse avuto mal di stomaco, questo libro sarebbe il risultato di una serata passata in bagno: una cagata spaziale. ♥
October 31, 2023
Meg cabot 3 stars - cute vampire story
Lauren Myracle 3 stars - inspired by the monkey paw
Kim Harrison 3 stars - this was weird but cool and def has potential to be a full novel I would consider reading
Michele Jaffe 2 stars - this was a fun one but I was kind of bored until closer to the end
Stephanie Meyer 3 stars - has potential to be a good full book I just wish it was in first person not third
Lauren Myracle 3 stars - inspired by the monkey paw
Kim Harrison 3 stars - this was weird but cool and def has potential to be a full novel I would consider reading
Michele Jaffe 2 stars - this was a fun one but I was kind of bored until closer to the end
Stephanie Meyer 3 stars - has potential to be a good full book I just wish it was in first person not third
October 14, 2022
2.4/5 stars
The Exterminator’s Daughter by Meg Cabot- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle- ⭐️⭐️
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison- ⭐️⭐️
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe- ⭐️⭐️
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feels VERY 2000s-ish. Definitely feels dated from the tropes and writing styles.
The Exterminator’s Daughter by Meg Cabot- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle- ⭐️⭐️
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison- ⭐️⭐️
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe- ⭐️⭐️
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feels VERY 2000s-ish. Definitely feels dated from the tropes and writing styles.
March 8, 2017
Una pérdida de tiempo. No entiendo con qué finalidad se sacó esto al mercado si no fue para hacer dinero después del “boom paranormal” que levantó Crepúsculo. No hay ni una historia que haga que merezca la pena leerlo, mucho menos comprarlo:
#1 La hija de la exterminadora - Meg Cabot⭐️
No me ha gustado absolutamente nada, ni siquiera la forma de escribir de la autora. La historia no tiene por dónde cogerse, el amorío y las conversaciones de las que se vale para crear ambiente y darle un contexto pasan porque sí y de manera forzada.
#2 El ramillete -Lauren Myracle ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Comienza de una manera muy simple, aunque al final la autora hace un estupendo trabajo en crear una atmósfera muy, pero que muy escalofriante y siniestra, de ahí que le haya terminado por dar 3 estrellas.
Eso sí, los personajes son odiables y las bromas que se traen con el tema de la candidiasis sobra. Si al menos tuviera algo de importancia para la trama o se le diera un sentido educativo...
#3 Madison Avery y los carontes ⭐️
Es la historia que mejor pinta tiene pero tiene el final más abierto de todas; no es de extrañar, ya que la autora tiene una trilogía que podemos comprar si queremos saber cómo termina lo que deja empezando aquí. Y es por eso que no le he dado ni dos estrellas. Me ha parecido un gesto muy feo el utilizar una idea que vas a publicar más tarde bajo el disfraz de historia corta.
#4 Verdades - Michele Jaffe -
Imposible de leer; se me hizo aburrida a más no poder.
#5 El infierno en la tierra - Stephenie Meyer ⭐️⭐️
Tenía grandes esperanzas con esta última, pero igualmente se presenta como una historia a la que le falta desarrollo, que se queda estancada en el principio y en las diez últimas páginas pretender desarrollar el nudo y el desenlace sin otro resultado que el de un final muy forzado y precipitado.
#1 La hija de la exterminadora - Meg Cabot⭐️
No me ha gustado absolutamente nada, ni siquiera la forma de escribir de la autora. La historia no tiene por dónde cogerse, el amorío y las conversaciones de las que se vale para crear ambiente y darle un contexto pasan porque sí y de manera forzada.
#2 El ramillete -Lauren Myracle ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Comienza de una manera muy simple, aunque al final la autora hace un estupendo trabajo en crear una atmósfera muy, pero que muy escalofriante y siniestra, de ahí que le haya terminado por dar 3 estrellas.
Eso sí, los personajes son odiables y las bromas que se traen con el tema de la candidiasis sobra. Si al menos tuviera algo de importancia para la trama o se le diera un sentido educativo...
#3 Madison Avery y los carontes ⭐️
Es la historia que mejor pinta tiene pero tiene el final más abierto de todas; no es de extrañar, ya que la autora tiene una trilogía que podemos comprar si queremos saber cómo termina lo que deja empezando aquí. Y es por eso que no le he dado ni dos estrellas. Me ha parecido un gesto muy feo el utilizar una idea que vas a publicar más tarde bajo el disfraz de historia corta.
#4 Verdades - Michele Jaffe -
Imposible de leer; se me hizo aburrida a más no poder.
#5 El infierno en la tierra - Stephenie Meyer ⭐️⭐️
Tenía grandes esperanzas con esta última, pero igualmente se presenta como una historia a la que le falta desarrollo, que se queda estancada en el principio y en las diez últimas páginas pretender desarrollar el nudo y el desenlace sin otro resultado que el de un final muy forzado y precipitado.
May 7, 2012
Jennica Munden
Short Stories
Critical analysis: It is an irrational collection of tales that will draw you in if you are interested in the kinds of literature produced by these authors, or if you are already a fan of these authors. However, if you have no interest in strange tales about youths trying to be normal prom dates while having to cope with insanity worthy issues concerning the undead and damned, skip this one.
Opinions: I could not get into it. Perhaps it is the genre of the authors, their styles, or the whole prom night aspect, with which I never had the experience, but I could not like it. I struggled to read the whole thing.
Summary: A collection of a handful of short stories by a handful of popular teen authors. Each stays true to their own genre while telling of a prom night in their respective imaginary worlds. This is about proms gone supernaturally, horribly wrong. While you're concerned about shoes matching your purse, the girls in these stories are worried about crossbows and vampires, zombie dates who've been dead for weeks, and a devil in a red dress who causes chaos by snapping high heels and breaking up couples.
Short Stories
Critical analysis: It is an irrational collection of tales that will draw you in if you are interested in the kinds of literature produced by these authors, or if you are already a fan of these authors. However, if you have no interest in strange tales about youths trying to be normal prom dates while having to cope with insanity worthy issues concerning the undead and damned, skip this one.
Opinions: I could not get into it. Perhaps it is the genre of the authors, their styles, or the whole prom night aspect, with which I never had the experience, but I could not like it. I struggled to read the whole thing.
Summary: A collection of a handful of short stories by a handful of popular teen authors. Each stays true to their own genre while telling of a prom night in their respective imaginary worlds. This is about proms gone supernaturally, horribly wrong. While you're concerned about shoes matching your purse, the girls in these stories are worried about crossbows and vampires, zombie dates who've been dead for weeks, and a devil in a red dress who causes chaos by snapping high heels and breaking up couples.
December 9, 2012
"Prom Nights from Hell" (yet another of my book bazaar finds) had five short stories from five different authors. I'm often hesitant to buy a collection like this because it tends to 1) end too abruptly, leaving you wondering what the heck will happen next or 2) is a novella connected to an on-going series by the author. Still, I went ahead and bought the book, anchoring my hopes on the names of Meg Cabot and Stephenie Meyer.
Of the five shorts, my favorite was Michelle Jaffe's "Kiss and Tell". No vampires, no demons, no angels. Just a teen Wonder Woman and her embracing of her superpowers. It kept me interested and actually made me want to learn more about the characters once the story ended.
The four other stories were okay. Nothing earth-shatteringly great but acceptable enough if you've got some time on your hands. I'm happy I was able to get this during the bazaar because I just spent Php75 (a little more than US$1.50) instead of the original price of Php359 (about US$9).
Of the five shorts, my favorite was Michelle Jaffe's "Kiss and Tell". No vampires, no demons, no angels. Just a teen Wonder Woman and her embracing of her superpowers. It kept me interested and actually made me want to learn more about the characters once the story ended.
The four other stories were okay. Nothing earth-shatteringly great but acceptable enough if you've got some time on your hands. I'm happy I was able to get this during the bazaar because I just spent Php75 (a little more than US$1.50) instead of the original price of Php359 (about US$9).
February 27, 2013
Sonunda okuyabildim şu kitabı!
Sırasıyla;
Madison Avery ve Kara Melek - Kim Harrison | HA-Rİ-KAY-DI! Bu hikayeden harika bir melek-insan serisi çıkar. Ama çok kısaydı ve çok pis bir yerde bitti. Yazarı buradan kınıyorum :'(
Yok Edicinin Kızı - Meg Cabot | Pek tatmin edici bir uzunlukta değildi, diğerleri gibi çok kısa sürdü. Ama sanırım yanılmıyorsam aynı hikayenin bir serisi var. Şimdi ona da bir göz atacağım. Genel olarak konuyu beğendim çünkü.
Diğer üç hikayeyi çok fazla beğenemedim. Belki Stephenie Meyer'in Dünyada Cehennem'i farklı bir konuya sahip olması açısından başarılıydı ama ilk ikisi kadar sevemedim.
EDIT: Yazarları karıştırmışım ben. Madison Avery'nin serisi varmış asıl! Okunacaklar listesine eklendi bile~ http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50...
Sırasıyla;
Madison Avery ve Kara Melek - Kim Harrison | HA-Rİ-KAY-DI! Bu hikayeden harika bir melek-insan serisi çıkar. Ama çok kısaydı ve çok pis bir yerde bitti. Yazarı buradan kınıyorum :'(
Yok Edicinin Kızı - Meg Cabot | Pek tatmin edici bir uzunlukta değildi, diğerleri gibi çok kısa sürdü. Ama sanırım yanılmıyorsam aynı hikayenin bir serisi var. Şimdi ona da bir göz atacağım. Genel olarak konuyu beğendim çünkü.
Diğer üç hikayeyi çok fazla beğenemedim. Belki Stephenie Meyer'in Dünyada Cehennem'i farklı bir konuya sahip olması açısından başarılıydı ama ilk ikisi kadar sevemedim.
EDIT: Yazarları karıştırmışım ben. Madison Avery'nin serisi varmış asıl! Okunacaklar listesine eklendi bile~ http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50...
August 30, 2023
This is a collection of five short paranormal stories by bestselling authors centered around prom night catastrophe.
Here are the five listed including a brief review and rating:
"The Exterminator's Daughter" by Meg Cabot
Mary's mother has been turned into a vampire by Drake. The only way to change her back to a human is to kill Drake. Unfortunately, both Drake and her mother have gone into hiding. Therefore, Mary has decided to kill Sebastián, Drake's son, on prom night. Thus, provoking Drake so he will come after her for revenge.
4.25 stars
"The Corsage" by Lauren Myracle
This is the author's updated version of "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacob's
Definitely my favorite! The author succeeded in scaring the out of me!
5 stars
"Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper" by Kim Harrison
Madison Avery is killed in a car accident on prom night by Seth, a black reaper (dark reaper). At the morque, Lucy and Barnabas (white reapers), are arguing over which one were supposed to watch over her and thus, prevent her death. Since, Madison's 17th birthday occurred during the night this caused a bit of a SNAFU. Lucy is responsible for all the 16-year-olds while Barnabas is responsible for all the 17-year-olds. Madison refuses to accept that she is dead therefore, when Seth shows up at the morque, she kicks him in the shins. Next, she grabs his amulet from around his head and claims it as her own. Somehow this causes her to become human (I think?!?) Barnabas is then assigned as her guardian angel.
I thought this story had great potential but I got very confused trying to understand the differences among white, black (dark), and Grim Reapers.
2.5 stars
"Kiss and Tell" by Michele Jaffe
Miranda, a high school senior, who happens to have super human powers. Such as, hearing things other people cannot, remarkable strength, and lightning fast speed. For example, she is able to hear a person's heartbeat or a snail slithering across the pavement. Additionally, she has the ability of knocking over a streetlight. Miranda has a part-time job as a chauffeur and one of her clients happens to be Sibby, a fourteen year old. Later on, we learn that Sibby is a real-life prophet who has the ability to know and control the future of the world (i.e. the Cumean Sibyl). Consequently, her life is endangered and she needs Miranda's protection.
4 stars
"Hell On Earth" by Stephanie Meyer
Logan, brings Sheba, the new girl, to the prom but, once they arrive to the event she abandons him. Subsequently, we learn that Sheba is a demoness who is attempting to use her power to corrupt the high schoolers. For example, with her mind she convinces Melanie to leave Cooper, her date, and go dance with Tyson. Next, Sheba sets out to get Cooper to use the gun he brought with him to the prom. Additionally, she causes both David and Libby to start arguing. But when she attempts to manipulate Gabe, Logan's friend, her powers are useless. In fact, Gabe has this irresistible desire to save Sheba. As a result, we learn that Gabe is a half-angel and thus changes Sheba from a demoness to a human.
4.5 stars
Here are the five listed including a brief review and rating:
"The Exterminator's Daughter" by Meg Cabot
Mary's mother has been turned into a vampire by Drake. The only way to change her back to a human is to kill Drake. Unfortunately, both Drake and her mother have gone into hiding. Therefore, Mary has decided to kill Sebastián, Drake's son, on prom night. Thus, provoking Drake so he will come after her for revenge.
4.25 stars
"The Corsage" by Lauren Myracle
This is the author's updated version of "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacob's
Definitely my favorite! The author succeeded in scaring the out of me!
5 stars
"Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper" by Kim Harrison
Madison Avery is killed in a car accident on prom night by Seth, a black reaper (dark reaper). At the morque, Lucy and Barnabas (white reapers), are arguing over which one were supposed to watch over her and thus, prevent her death. Since, Madison's 17th birthday occurred during the night this caused a bit of a SNAFU. Lucy is responsible for all the 16-year-olds while Barnabas is responsible for all the 17-year-olds. Madison refuses to accept that she is dead therefore, when Seth shows up at the morque, she kicks him in the shins. Next, she grabs his amulet from around his head and claims it as her own. Somehow this causes her to become human (I think?!?) Barnabas is then assigned as her guardian angel.
I thought this story had great potential but I got very confused trying to understand the differences among white, black (dark), and Grim Reapers.
2.5 stars
"Kiss and Tell" by Michele Jaffe
Miranda, a high school senior, who happens to have super human powers. Such as, hearing things other people cannot, remarkable strength, and lightning fast speed. For example, she is able to hear a person's heartbeat or a snail slithering across the pavement. Additionally, she has the ability of knocking over a streetlight. Miranda has a part-time job as a chauffeur and one of her clients happens to be Sibby, a fourteen year old. Later on, we learn that Sibby is a real-life prophet who has the ability to know and control the future of the world (i.e. the Cumean Sibyl). Consequently, her life is endangered and she needs Miranda's protection.
4 stars
"Hell On Earth" by Stephanie Meyer
Logan, brings Sheba, the new girl, to the prom but, once they arrive to the event she abandons him. Subsequently, we learn that Sheba is a demoness who is attempting to use her power to corrupt the high schoolers. For example, with her mind she convinces Melanie to leave Cooper, her date, and go dance with Tyson. Next, Sheba sets out to get Cooper to use the gun he brought with him to the prom. Additionally, she causes both David and Libby to start arguing. But when she attempts to manipulate Gabe, Logan's friend, her powers are useless. In fact, Gabe has this irresistible desire to save Sheba. As a result, we learn that Gabe is a half-angel and thus changes Sheba from a demoness to a human.
4.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2023
Okay this is a longer review because i want to give my thoughts on each story:
Meg Cabot's Exterminator's Daughter - 5 Stars
Everyone knows Meg is my girl. She's why I read this. At first I was worried, i won't lie. but i realized we were getting dual POV, and then i was pumped. Great as always, the guy character was super cute and i wish this was a full book because I will honestly read anything from her.
The Corsage - 3 Stars
At first Snooze. They shouldn't have started this with Meg because now I am so uninterested. This main character is kind of annoying, and I just wasn't that into it. Will was sweet honestly, and this story ended right when it got good.
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper - 1.5 Stars
Main Character grated my nerves & it was so. freaking. long. the villian in this story is named "Seth" and the hero is named "Barnabas" so I don't think I need to say much else. Too long and very middle school to me.
Kiss and Tell - 3.5 Stars
i like this. Loved the main character and this was written in my usual go-to style. romance subplot was really cute.
Hell on Earth - 3 Stars
By the author of Twilight herself. I didn't totally hate this. Gabe was an interesting character and this was an interesting concept.
Overall it was worth my read but I would never recommend it past Meg's story.
Meg Cabot's Exterminator's Daughter - 5 Stars
Everyone knows Meg is my girl. She's why I read this. At first I was worried, i won't lie. but i realized we were getting dual POV, and then i was pumped. Great as always, the guy character was super cute and i wish this was a full book because I will honestly read anything from her.
The Corsage - 3 Stars
At first Snooze. They shouldn't have started this with Meg because now I am so uninterested. This main character is kind of annoying, and I just wasn't that into it. Will was sweet honestly, and this story ended right when it got good.
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper - 1.5 Stars
Main Character grated my nerves & it was so. freaking. long. the villian in this story is named "Seth" and the hero is named "Barnabas" so I don't think I need to say much else. Too long and very middle school to me.
Kiss and Tell - 3.5 Stars
i like this. Loved the main character and this was written in my usual go-to style. romance subplot was really cute.
Hell on Earth - 3 Stars
By the author of Twilight herself. I didn't totally hate this. Gabe was an interesting character and this was an interesting concept.
Overall it was worth my read but I would never recommend it past Meg's story.
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