Nightshade

by Donna Augustine

17 original stories by some of today's bestselling urban fantasy authors.

The Agency-Donna Augustine: Before Karma joins the agency, she’s just another assignment handed to Fate from the Universe. But she’s destined to become more than that.

De Facto-Annie Bellet: Verity Li’s just a bureaucratic cog, going through the motions until she interrupts a kidnapping next door, and now all the problems are hers.

Venom-Sarra Cannon: On the run from a coven of witches determined to capture and enslave him, Rend must overcome the limitations of the human world and embrace his true demon power. But will he survive?

Honeysuckle Memory-Selene Charles: Scarlett Smith’s on a mission to track down the man who sentenced her to an eternity of purgatory, but first she needs to pass the mental health assessment board of the paranormal investigative department.

Spirits of Bourbon Street-Deanna Chase: It’s Halloween and time to party, but when a spirit traps everyone in the past, white witch Jade Calhoun’s forced to forgo the cocktails in order to save those she loves.

The Ghost & Mrs. MacKay-Kate Danley: It's Halloween and Maggie's mother has invited all the ghosts of the neighborhood over for a party. Unfortunately, one of the ghosts is wanted by the Other Side's finest. It’s up to Maggie and Killian to find out what caused this soul's unrest and return him to his happy haunting ground.

Full Moon Mischief-Debra Dunbar: Getting summoned on Halloween isn't any demon's idea of fun especially when yanked from a rocking party into a coat closet. But rules are rules and Imp Sam must find a way to get rid of a gold-digger hussy then hope the pint-sized mage sends her back before the party’s over.

Dog Days of Summer-Hailey Edwards: When a fae boy goes missing, Thierry is called to lead the hunt for the rogue. But the closer she gets to locating the boy, the further she gets from the truth.

Victoria Gardella: Vampire Slayer-Colleen Gleason: Balls, beaux, dance cards....and stakes? Lady Victoria Gardella must juggle her responsibility as a debutante in 19th century London Society while fulfilling her family legacy as a vampire hunter.

Atomic-C. Gockel: Sigyn is prophesied to be the consort of a king. Instead she marries a fool. Centuries after his chaos destroys their marriage, the fallout begins .

Highland Magic-Helen Harper: The Veil has kept the Highlands of Scotland free from demons for centuries, and ensured relative peace for the Sidhe Clans. However, a strange encounter on a dark, heather-strewn hillside might mean all that is about to change.

Contents May Have Shifted-Shawntelle Madison: Return to the Coveted universe in this tale featuring werewolf Natalya Stravinsky. Two werewolf shopkeepers in a mystical flea market encounter deadly merchandise that has no intention of being sold.

Illusions-Christine Pope: Warlock Damon Wilcox is plotting to kidnap the most powerful witch in a rival clan. But Damon’s brother Connor has plans of his own.

Dying Night-SM Reine: Hell’s trying to squeeze its way onto Earth via the Grand Canyon. Elise and James, a demon hunting team, haven’t spoken about that thing that happened in Copenhagen for six months. With all the pressure boiling under the surface, something's sure to blow.

Brea's Tale: Arrival-Anthea Sharp: When a faerie girl is sent on a mission to the mortal world, she must learn to navigate the intricacies of life among humans - but will she survive undetected?

Angels and Demons-Colleen Vanderlinden: A mysterious woman haunts the streets of Detroit, dishing up her own version of vigilante justice.

Dragon's Fury -Phaedra Weldon: A tragic part of Crwys Holliard's past is revealed when his lover becomes a target in a serial killer's vendetta against women who have crossed Crwys's path. Unfortunately, this also makes Crwys the prime suspect in their deaths.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Anthologies, Demons, Paranormal Romance, Vampires

418 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 21, 2015

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reason I bought this anthology? S.M. Reine. Because Elise Freaking Kavanagh, obviously. I didn't think I was going to bother reading the other stories in this collection but finally decided to give them all a try. I shouldn't have. Damn it all to hell, I shouldn't even have read the S.M. Reine story. But more on that later.

► So. This anthology? Let me break it down for you real quick:
♦ Stories: 17
♦ Bloody Hell Yes material: 5
♦ Hell To The No material: 3
♦ WTF material: 1
♦ Yes But No material: 1
♦ DNFs: 7 ← I have just been contacted by the Guinness Book Of World Records.

Not so good, huh? You could say so, hahaha. But (and this is a big BUT here no, not a big butt, you silly people), the Bloody Hell Yes material was as awesome as the Hell To The No/WTF/DNF material was crappy. So despite the desperately low overall rating for this collection, I'm pretty happy I read it. Three cool series to continue + one on its way to my doom and oblivion shelf (Ms TBR is very happy right now) = not bad! ← I'm beginning to see the bright side of things, I think I should get my head examined.

So. Since I know you people pretty well, I'm guessing you're probably too lazy to read each individual review for these stories busted!. And since I'm ever kind and thoughtful hahaha, I'll just tell you which ones are worth reading: The Agency by Donna Augustine, De Facto by Annie Bellet, Honeysuckle Memory by Selene Charles, Angels and Demons by Colleen Vanderlinden and Dragon's Fury by Phaedra Weldon. The rest of the stories are crap, don't bother ← yes, this also applies to the S.M. Reine story *cries*

Now if you feel adventurous enough to read my individual reviews for these mostly delightful stories, by all means, go ahead! Take a deep breath, you can do it! You might even get a medal if you make it to the end of the page!



• • • • ۰° • ิ • ۰° • ิ • ۰° • ิ • ۰° • ิ • ۰° • ิ ° ۰۰° • ิ• ۰° • ิ • ۰ ° • ิ • ۰° • ิ • ۰° • ิ ° ۰• • • • ۰

① The Agency by Donna Augustine: YES!
✏ Prequel to the Karma series.
✔ One of the coolest premises ever: welcome to The Agency, where employees like Fate, Death, Sixth Sense, Jinxes, Lady Luck and Karma work for the Universe.
✘ One of the shortest short story ever.
✘ Anachronistic use of language: part of the story is set in the 1850s and some the characters say things like "damn, you get all the cool shit," "what's your gig here?" or "arrogant as fuck all." Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's exactly the way people spoke in the mid-19th century. Ridiculous.
►► This world has great potential and is refreshingly vampire and werewolf-free. The rest of this series is set in the present day so improper use of language shouldn't be a problem ← wishful thinking is what this is called. Oh well, I already have book 1 on my Kindle so I might as well bump-bump-bump, bump it up.

② De Facto by Annie Bellet: YES!
✏ Standalone. Sob, sob.
✔ Another pretty cool premise: Verity works for the Office of Banned magic. She has a magic-sniffing rat called Ruby. Verity and Ruby communicate through tattooed spell-links. Ruby the rat loves playing videogames on Verity's touch-screen TV.
►► I thought this story was part of a series but apparently it isn't, sob sob. I would have loved to read more about Verity and Ruby. I guess all that's left for me to do is continue with Bellet's Twenty-Sided Sorceress series. Maybe by the time I catch up on it Bellet will have decided to do something with this storyline.



③ Venom by Sarra Cannon: NOPE!
✏ Prequel to the Sacrifice Me series.
✘ This is basically the story of a guy running around in some woods while being hunted by a bunch of witches. Yay. Fascinating.
►► DNFed the hell out of this one.

④ Honeysuckle Memory by Selene Charles: YES!
✏ Prequel to the yet unreleased Southern Vampire Chronicles: Whiskey, Vamps, and Thieves series.
✔ A story about a recently murdered/recently turned vampire/police investigator who lives with a pack of shifters? Had I known this before I started reading it I wouldn't have bothered. Because vampires + shifters = been there, done that and YAWN. But this story sounds different and more original than your typical fang & fur novel. And scarlet's character seems pretty complex and she sounds deliciously conflicted.
►► Where the hell is the rest of this series?! I want to read it now! I want to know more!



⑤ Spirits of Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase: NOPE!
✏ Book 6.5 in the Jade Calhoun series.
✘ There are very few books I find more desperately stupid than the paranormal chick lit kind. I look at covers for this genre and I shudder. You know, Bewitched-type covers like this one? *starts convulsing*
✘ This story is so badly written it's ridiculous. How old is the author? 15? And don't get me started on the plot. I think I lost one of my eyeballs from all the eyerolling I did while I was reading.
►► It's a miracle I read this one to the last page. What a bunch of crap.

⑥ The Ghost & Mrs. MacKay by Kate Danley: NOPE!
✏ Book 2.5 in the Maggie MacKay, Magical Tracker series.
✘ This? Urban Fantasy? You must be joking. Boring Fantasy is what it is. It's so decaffeinated that I almost fell asleep. Come to think of it, this might be a great cure for insomnia. Or a deadly weapon of some kind: bore your enemies to death! Give them this book to read! They'll fall asleep and never wake up! Yay!
►► DNF Graveyard, here I come!

⑦ Full Moon Mischief by Debra Dunbar: WTF?!
✏ Book 0.9 in the Imp series.
✔✘ Not sure if this was funny, pathetic, rant-material, exasperating, fantastic, original or just plain crap.



⑧ Dog Days of Summer by Hailey Edwards: NOPE!
✏ Prequel to the Black Dog series.
✘ An immature 18-year-old American female mc with a French male name? I'm too old for this shit.
►► DNF is me again. Yay. Dog with a Bone (book 1 in this series) has been on my tbr for a while. Hahaha. Bye bye little book, there's no way in hell I'll be reading you any time soon.



⑨ Atomic by C. Gockel: NOPE!
✏ Prequel to the I Bring the Fire series.
✘ Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Please shoot me somebody.
✘ Magic + science + modernity + antiquity = overdoing it much? Keep things simple and improve the writing, then we'll talk.
►► All Hail the Holy DNF.

⑩ Victoria Gardella: Vampire Slayer by Colleen Gleason: NOPE!
✏ Book 1.5 in the Gardella Vampire Hunters series.
✘ The Book Standard says: "Buffy meets Jane Austen." I say: "you're joking right? Please tell me you're joking."
✘ Lady Catherine de Bourgh does not approve. And neither do I.
►► DNF. Because there's only so much sheer stupidity I can take. And because rolling one's eyes gets tiring after a while.

⑪ Highland Magic by Helen Harper: NOPE!
✏ Prequel to the yet unreleased Highland Magic series.
►► Silly fae in kilts = DNF, Highland style.



⑫ Contents may have shifted by Shawntelle Madison: NOPE!
✏ Book 3.5 in the Coveted series.
►► The blurb is quite possibly more interesting than the story itself. Hear me snore.

⑬ Illusions by Christine Pope: yes but no.
✏ Prequel to The Witches of Cleopatra Hill.
✔ Not bad compared to the other shorts in this collection, so yes.
✔ Not too PNRish but the potential is there, crawling, stalking, ready to attack at a moment's notice, so no.
►► I did not NOT like it but this type of story just isn't my thing. I'm pretty sure those who enjoy fantasy romance and PNR would enjoy it, though.

⑭ Dying Night by S.M. Reine: ARGH! NOOOOO!!!!!
✏ Book 0.8 in the OMG-Elise-Kavanagh-Is-Bloody-Awesome-And-This-Is-One-Of-The-Best-UF-Series-Ever Descent series.
✘ What. The. Bloody. Fuck???? What happened to Elise??? What happened to James??? What the fuck is this??? Fanfic????
✘ I love this series so much that I'm pretending this thing (whatever-it-is) never happened. And I'm blaming it all on Malcolm. He's a total dick anyway.
►► S.M. Reine, I don't like you very much right now. But since I usually LOVE you, I've decided to forgive you. Please Will, do your thing and make me forget about it all.



⑮ Brea's Tale: Arrival by Anthea Sharp: NOPE!
✏ Prequel to the Feyland series.
✘ Silly fae time again. And a stupid, hare-brained one at that. Yay.
✘ Confusing, badly written story. Yay.
►► I think not.

⑯ Angels and Demons by Colleen Vanderlinden: YES!
✏ Prequel to the Hidden series.
✔ Wooooooo Blooooody Hoooooooooo!!!!!!!!
✔ Kickass vigilante chick meets potentially aggravating, reformed demon!!!!
►► YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!! And I already have Lost Girl (book 1 in the series) on my Kindle!!!!! YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

⑰ Dragon's Fury by Phaedra Weldon: YES!
✏ Standalone? Nooooooooo!
✔ Because, as Casey would say: mothafucking dragons!!
✔ Because this was well-written, with an interesting plot and complex characters.
►►Too bad this is a standalone, I would have loved to read more about these characters. But all is not lost, because Elemental Arcane (book 1 in Weldon's Eldritch Files series) is waiting for me on my Kindle. Yes!


Still here? Wow, I'm impressed! I always keep my promises, so hhere you go:

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this mostly for the Karma series short, The Agency so my rating is based on that book/story alone.
I loved this short. It explains so much about the first book and I'm so glad I took the time to read it! I can't wait to read more in this series!

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read the short story Highland Magic by Helen Harper the prequel to the series that I read this week. The story concerns Integrity's parents and her birth and has no spoilers for the series.

I'll keep this book and read other stories if I ever start any of the other related series.

[Leiah Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the anthologies I am reading now, this one has been my favorite. Lots of “new-to-me” authors I intend to follow through on!
The Agency - Donna Augustine: Normandy, France, 1350s. The Black Plague is in full swing, Death reigns. And Fate has a job to do. Make sure Some Girl doesn’t die of the plague. She won’t. But it isn’t anything Fate does. This is one special girl, and she doesn’t need anyone to hold her hand. Nor does her next incarnation. Or the next. But this one? No matter what Fate thinks, some things will simply not be stopped. I will be going back to read a Donna Augustine short I found in another anthology I haven’t read as yet, The Keepers: Alchemy Series Book One I found in Wicked Magic (7 Wicked Tales . . . ) 5 of 5

De Facto - Annie Bellet: Verity Li is bored with her life as a bureaucratic cog in the magical world. Just going through the motions, catch em’ and bag em’. Then it’s SEP: Somebody Else’s Problem. Until she interrupts a kidnapping next door. Now, she must rely on a former arrestee to help her find a little boy. A new author to me, Ms. Bellet writes the Twenty-Sided Sorceress series. 5 of 5
Venom - Sarra Cannon: Rend has crossed the Shadow Barrier for a very important reason. A reason that he is willing to give his life for. But now, Rend is on the run from a coven of witches determined to capture and enslave him. Stopping them not only saves his life – but could save the life of thousands of others. Can he save himself in order to save others? 4 of 5

Honeysuckle Memory - Selene Charles: Scarlett Smith’s on a mission to track down the man who sentenced her to an eternity of purgatory, but first she needs to pass the mental health assessment board of the paranormal investigative department. And unless Dr. Elijah Monroe accepts that Scarlett is no longer a mass murderer, she can’t join the Silver Creek PD’s paranormal investigative unit. Well, it is hard to not be a mass murderer when you are turned into a vampire and then abandoned by your sire. But finding said vampire who turned her is now the whole point of Scarlett’s undead life. 4 of 5

Spirits of Bourbon Street - Deanna Chase: It’s Halloween and time to party in New Orleans. But the past won’t go away for Jade Calhoun and her friends. And in order to save them all, the past and present must come together and old debts must be paid. I am a big Deanna Chase fan, and this is as good as the rest of her Bourbon Street series. 4 of 5

The Ghost & Mrs. MacKay - Kate Danley: It’s Kate Danley, so it has to be good! In this Halloween tale, Maggie is once again guilted into attending her mother’s “All Ghosts, All the Time” party. But a poltergeist seems determined to destroy the party, and all of Main Street. But finding out what has the poltergeist’s plasma in a twist may be much more important than anyone could have thought. 5 of 5

Full Moon Mischief - Debra Dunbar: All Sam wanted to do is enjoy her most recent prank. Watching the chaos when the politicians piss Phenazopyridine red. But noooo. Instead, she gets summoned. Summoned, by the way, by an eight year old boy and his maybe six year old sister. Admittedly, I am not an Imp fan, per se. But I got a kick out of this one. Maybe I will try more of her work in the future. 4 of 5

Dog Days of Summer - Hailey Edwards: I read another Thierry story, Dog With A Bone, in Wicked Magic. This is YA, but not to the extreme “OMG” mentality. Thierry is older than her age, strong and determined. A paranormal marshal, she had handled some hard cases. But chasing a stinky cockatrice on foot is apparently the job for the day. But when her partner Shaw comes rolling up with their second job in the same neighborhood, well, things get complicated. Oh, and funny as well. This is part of the Black Dog series. 4 of 5

Atomic - C. Gockel: Sigyn is prophesied to be the consort of a king. Instead she marries a fool. Centuries after his chaos destroys their marriage, the fallout begins. Didn’t read this one, right now I am not into the whole swords and knights thing, so I can’t say if it was good or not.

Victoria Gardella: Vampire Slayer - Colleen Gleason Blurb: Balls, beaux, dance cards….and stakes? Lady Victoria Gardella must juggle her responsibility as a debutante in 19th century London Society while fulfilling her family legacy as a vampire hunter. I am not a historical person, so this one I didn’t read. Personal tastes.

Highland Magic - Helen Harper: The Veil has kept the Highlands of Scotland free from demons for centuries, and ensured relative peace for the Sidhe Clans. However, a strange encounter on a dark, heather-strewn hillside might mean all that is about to change. Haven’t read this one yet, but Helen writes Bo Blackman, so it must be good, I just accidentally skipped over it in the anthology. I will pull it up later and give it a read. If it is as good as the last Harper story I read, I will enjoy it.
Contents May Have Shifted - Shawntelle Madison: I enjoyed this one. I hadn’t heard of Shawntelle before, but I will want to read more of her works based on this little story. Natalya Stravinsky, werewolf shopkeeper in a mystical flea market, gets more than she expected in an antique trunk. A trunk containing deadly merchandise with a mind of its own and an axe to grind. And apparently Natalya is the axe it wishes to grind. 4.5 of 5

Illusions - Christine Pope: Connor Wilcox has a problem. His brother, Warlock Damon Wilcox, is plotting to kidnap the most powerful witch in a rival clan. Angela McAllister is just twenty-one, an innocent. And Damon is anything but. Now, Connor needs to develop plans of his own to save the beautiful girl he dreams of. 4 of 5

Dying Night - SM Reine: Set in the world of Sara’s Preternatural Affairs, this story focuses on Elise and James. Kopis and Aspis, they are at a hard spot in their partnership after an “incident” in Copenhagen. Now, Hell’s trying to squeeze its way onto Earth via the Grand Canyon, and everything that is wrong with their partnership is coming to a brutal head. As with all of Sara’s works, I loved this story. 5 of 5

Brea’s Tale: Arrival - Anthea Sharp: She was once human. But that was long, long ago. Now returned to the mortal world by the Dark Queen on a mission, she must learn to survive in a world completely different not only from the fae lands, but from the world she knew so very long ago. Survival means becoming more mortal. But mortal means her fae powers suffer. This story falls between Sparks and Royal in the Feyland series. Being a “middle” story, I really couldn’t lock into the tale, it was simply too confusing. 3 of 5

Angels and Demon - Colleen Vanderlinden: Another new author for me, I really liked this story – though I really couldn't make myself like the hero as much as many probably do. A mysterious woman known only as “Angel” haunts the streets of Detroit, dishing up her own version of vigilante justice. She Rocks the whole vigilante thing, and the people she takes down more than deserve it. But Nain is convinced she could end up being the city’s biggest nightmare, and should be put down. Well, when you are a reformed demon I suppose you really are a “glass half empty” sort of fellow. I am going to want to read more of the Angel’s story. Just have to figure out which series Angel and Nain are featured in - ;-) 4 of 5

Dragon’s Fury - Phaedra Weldon: Crwys Holliard has a long, and bitter, history. And now, that past is catching up with him. Now, the tragedy and horrors of his past is revealed when his lover becomes a target in a serial killer’s vendetta against women who have crossed Crwys’s path. Unfortunately, this also makes Crwys the prime suspect in their deaths. This was an interesting story, one with depth and a painful, and yet hopeful, storyline. 4 of 5

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'll confess I only read 4 out of the first 5 stories before giving up. The one I skipped was written in all italics and so on pure principle that all italics is an incorrect use of formatting I didn't read it.

I love anthologies that help me find new authors. Unfortunately this anthology felt like chapters stolen from books and plopped on the page as teasers. When I read an anthology I expect actual short stories written for that purpose. Therefore you wouldn't have 8 main characters in relationships to keep track of, lore and history tidbits that feel half baked, or incomplete stories. I'm okay if they lead into a series or as a jump point but the main plot still needs to be there and be resolved in the short story.

A definite disappointment to me.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC from Sarra Cannon for an honest review and I am reviewing the story she wrote as I have not had a chance to read the others.

Venom by Sarra Cannon

If you've read the Sacrifice Me Series by Sarra then you'll love this glimpse into Rend's past. Always mysterious with an unknown yet surly tragic past this showed Rend with power and vulnerability.

It was a wonderful treat to show those who were intrigued by Rend's character just exactly what he went through when his fight against the order first started.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe two stories were kinda fun, I suppose. The rest of this mess, however, is truly terrible.

[Marianne]

I'm not going to rate this book as a whole, but rather the stories that I've actually read. Truth be told, I only bought this anthology because Debra Dunbar and Kate Danley were two of the contributors, I might not even read the other stories. Then again - you never know... :-/

THE GHOST & MRS. MACKAY - Kate Danley:
Maggie's about to introduce Killian to the human celebration known as Halloween. To say that things don't go smoothly, is an understatement. It could have something to do with the witchy brew he accidentally drinks, perhaps the meddling ghost - or merely the little children playing dress-up... As usual, Killian's human studies have not prepared him for the real deal, and before the night is over, he just might have changed his mind about this particular celebration...
4 stars.

FULL MOON MISCHIEF - Debra Dunbar:
Prior to meeting Gregory, becoming an angel of chaos and generally having to act (moderatly) responsible, Sam was just a carefree little imp - partying hard and pulling demonic pranks on unsuspecting humans. In this case; spiking the major's drinks and watching people freak out. At least, that is the plan... until two miniature humans yank her from the Halloween party she's attending and into a far less festive broom closet. Their task: Help them get rid of the new woman their dad has invited into the house. But who's the real baddie? Daddy dearest - Or the snooping woman?

It was nice to take a stroll down memory lane and revisit Sam while she still was a true demon.
4 stars :-)

[Llaph · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mainly got this anthology because I <3 SM Rein and similar sets were pretty good. A good portion of the stories were set in worlds of other free books that I bought and either read and liked, starting reading and ended up DNF’ing, and started with the first page and said F'No. I will confess that some of those free books were just not my thing and will own up to the fact that I skipped some of the shorts in this collection.
Besides my feelings about those worlds I did try to read some of the stories but got pretty frustrated with the typos most contained. I can say that I’m not perfect, I’m not a grammar genius or a punctuation pro, but since I am blind and listen to my books I pick up on when a wrong word is used or a word that should be there is missing. One or two is not so bad, but when it happens a lot—along with actual misspellings—it drove me nuts and I ended up skipping those stories.
I did—as usual—love SM Reine’s entry and enjoyed Debra Dunbar’s and plan to investigate the Imp series some more, and the stories that I did read, which were set in worlds of those few books that I liked were pretty good additions too. I was also reminded to shuffle those books closer to the top of my way-too-big TBR shelf. hah

[Angel Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

The good,the bad, and the ugly.

The Good: Deanna Chase, and Selena Charles had stories that fit well into their already established series. Felt like I was learning something new about the characters.

The Bad: Most of the stories were nothing more than very short stories that may or may not have been part of a further series. I know that the above mentioned two authors had stories that fit with their series.

The Ugly: I was so disappointed with S.M. Raine, and several others. I had hoped for stories that were actually complete, not what amounted in most of the stories to being what felt like the first few chapters of a book, and then having the book yanked out your hands and being told to go buy it.

As a result, I'll be changing how I buy box sets. My husband was right, a box set has complete stories. This was more of an anthology.

[Hermit Hank · Rating 3 out of 5]

17 tales

Unfortunately I don't care about unfinished stories that are what I consider a come on to buy the rest of the story. I prefer a definite ending a closure to the story. I gave this book three stars so I wouldn't hurt the rating. I hope I don't select any other books like this.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Stories are as follow:

The Agency - Donna Augustine - 2 Stars
De Facto - Annie Bellet - 4 Stars
Venom - Sarra Cannon - 4 Stars
HoneySuckle Memories: A Scarlet Smith Memoir - Selene Charles - 4 Stars
Spirits Of Bourbon Street - Deanna Chase - 1 Star
The Ghost & Mrs. MacKay - Kate Danley - 1 Star
Full Moon Mischief - Debra Dunbar - 3 Stars
Dog Days of Summer - Hailey Edwards - 3 Stars
Atomic - C. Gockel - 1 Star
Victoria Gardella: Vampire Slayer - Colleen Gleason - 3 Stars
Highland Magic - Helen Harper - 4 Stars
Contents May Have Shifted - Shawntelle Madison - 1 Star
Illusion - Christina Pope - 4 Stars
Dying Night - S. M Reine - 3 Stars
Brea's Tale: Arrival - Anthea Sharp - 1 Star
Angels and Demons - Colleen Vanderlinden - 1 Star
Dragon's Fury - Phaedra Weldon - 4 Stars

[Jim Kratzok · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice collection

The only problem with a collection like this is that it's an advertising vehicle for the collected authors' other works. Not that this is bad in itself. Writers have to eat too.... But some of these stories were so good that they were like a big tease. I have so many other things to read first before adding new books to my list. Guess I'll just have to keep this collection in mind when it's time to stock up on more books.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are all short stories, some of which are prequels. One nice feature is a short write-up about each author and links to contact them or find additional writings. One thing I have noticed is that a lot of these women seem to have cats. Is that a prerequisite? Overall I enjoyed all of these but I personally prefer full length novels.

[MaryKaye O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great short reads

Became my go to reading on the bus. Great variety, found a couple of new authors to watch. Nice introduction to their work

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

All but one of the stories was excellent. I found 16 new authors to follow!

[Lorrie (Clockworkbookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished-
Hidden #0.01 3/8/19

[Georgina Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I haven't managed to read all the short story's yet but have provide a brief review on the ones i have.
Overall i have given this boxset 5 stars as so far i will be reading more from most of the below authors and hopefully the rest once i have finished reading them.


A Karma Prequel
Donna Augustine

I think this book is something I could get into.
Very different to the other supernatural books I have read.
I feel this could have been a bit deeper, something to entice more readers to follow on to the series.

De Facto
Annie Bellet

Although I think this book will have a good story line, I didn't feel any connection with the main character. This makes it hard for this book to be memorable.

Venom
Sarra Cannon

Wow, action from the start. I definitely want to read more about this character. Deep, dark and mysterious!
I have read the other books from Sarra Cannon and have not been disappointed.
Hopefully this is a new series in the making.

Honeysuckle memories
A scarlet smith memoir
Selene Charles

Really liked this short story and will be looking out for the series as soon as I've read the remaining short stories.
Selene gave just enough to keep you wanting more...

The Ghost & Mrs MacKay
Kate Danley

Found it hard to describe this story, the best I can do is to say it was fresh and light... For a supernatural book! It was refreshing to read and flowed really well.
I have already downloaded the first book in the series, Maggie for Hire.

Full moon mischief
Debra Dunbar

This story made me chuckle a few times. I liked that the main character is a bit naughty and not your normal heroine type. Will be giving the other books ago very soon.

Dog Days of Summer
Hailey Edwards

Upbeat for a werewolf story. Interested to read more as witches and incubuses are also incorporated, so would like to see more of them in the mix.

Atomic
C. Gockel

I found this story to be intriguing but also slightly confusing.
I would be tempted to read more, especially as it's free, but have preferred choices i'l be reading first.

Victoria Gardella: Vampire Slayer
Colleen Gleason

Straight into the action! I felt the emotions of the character in this story, I felt all rushed and flustered by the time I had finished reading. 1st book in the series already downloaded.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really only picked up this book with the intention of getting to the one story I wanted to read – the one about James and Elise. I was genuinely surprised when I found myself really enjoying a large majority of the other stories included. It was a nice variety of witches, vampires, ghosts, demons, and anything else that falls into the paranormal category. While not all of them are romantic in nature or set in the somewhat present, they all gave a good look into their respective worlds.

There were definitely some standouts in the collection and rather than review them all, I’ll pull out my favorites. All of these short stories left me wanting to know more about their worlds (with the exception of the SM Reine read, of which I have already read all there is to read about my favorite angsty pair – James and Elise).

Spirits of Bourbon Street: This was a good mix of fun, sizzle, and mayhem all rolled into an enjoyable paranormal package. What begins as a simple Halloween party ends up throwing everyone into a “time warp.” There are witches and ghosts and men in body paint – what more could you want?

The Ghost & Mrs. MacKay: Maggie is my type of girl – sarcastic and prone to chaotic nights dealing with her family. Oh, and she’s got a wonderfully clueless elf partner. These two had me hooked from the start and I immediately added the author to my “to-read” list. Maggie’s band of misfits is tasked with attending her mother’s ghost-filled Halloween party and tracking down an aggressive attendee. Oh, and there’s witchy booze thrown in, too. This was a super fun read!

Dying Night: I’m not sure how easy it is to dive into the world of James and Elise, but as a fan I absolutely loved this. We get to see what happened on that night in the Grand Canyon and boy did it exceed expectations. The relationship with James and Elise is complicated to say the least, but here we see them handle things as they always do – by saving the world. And there’s Malcolm, and who doesn’t love Malcolm?

[Gerd · Rating 2 out of 5]

I downloaded this eBook for free and as such I guess it would be worth a three star rating.
The writing on most of the "stories" isn't bad at all. The problem with this collection is that they ain't actually stories in a common sense, most of them just serve as a longer prologue to the series the respective author wants to promote.
So usually you get a character introduced and aquainted with their world and mission in life - and end. If you want to know more download the first book in the series... thus I do have to deduct a star from pure annoyance.

Some of the stories herein I actually enjoyed, like "Victoria Gardella: Vampire Slayer", by Colleen Gleason or "Highland Magic", by Helen Harper.

Others felt just too sketchy to make much sense to me, like the opening "The Agency", by Donna Augustine, which needs you to already be familiar with the series it belongs to, or "Atomic" by C. Gockel, a story I had high hopes for because I vastly enjoyed her SF story in Starbound: Eleven Tales of Interstellar Adventure. But "Atomic" just seems to lead nowhere.

And then there's the story "Illusions", Christine Pope, including this gem:

A young woman destined to be the next prima had to bond with her soul mate during her twenty-first year, or she would never develop her full powers,

Really?
As a woman she has to "bond with her soul mate" at a given date or else she won't grow into her full power, where as apparently the same does not apply to the men?
A sort of "best before" date for women's powers?
Consider me annoyed (although, the writing was good enough to almost make me forgive the fact that this too ends right in the middle of the story).

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll admit, a lot of these authors were new to me. 15 to be exact. Some of the short stories were prequels to new series. Some of them were character introductions and some of them were little treasures that added to existing series. Naturally, I enjoyed the tidbits from characters that I was familiar with, but the others gave me incentive to check out some new authors and broaden my Urban Fantasy horizons. ;) Even if you’re not familiar with some of the stories and/or authors, I bet you can find at least one or two characters in this compilation that you’d like to learn more about. You can check out my 'mini reviews' on each story at Creative Deeds Reads

I received Nightshade in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for my honest review.

I only had time to read Sarra Cannons book "Venom" but will add to my review as I read.

Venom is about Rend, which if you have read Sacrifice Me, then you'll know who I'm talking about. Rend was always so mysterious and secretive in Sacrifice Me, so of course he got my attention. I wondered what he went through to make him this way, while enjoying what he brought to the story.

In Venom, we read about his past. We learn why he is this way, and it's heartbreaking. The story is fast-paced, full of action, revealing what readers have wanted to know about him.

I love Sarra Cannon's works, I have read each and everyone-multiple times-and am never disappointed.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read Honeysuckle Memory-Selene Charles before the book's release.

Let me tell you, it was too short! LOVED IT! I find the southern appeal great, the mix of vampire and werewolves and the dynamics the character will be facing compelling and entertaining. I will definitely be one of the first to buy from this author when the rest of the world of Scarlett Smith comes out. If you like Selene Charles, I say read this book - amazing authors are also included too.

If you really liked Honeysuckle Memory, check out her other works. I truly suggest getting this, even if only to read this short but really good story.

As to the other amazing stories by the other authors - so many talented authors all in one! READ READ READ

[Crystal Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Read for Halloween!

This was a really fun collection. I enjoyed the short stories in this book very much for the most part, as with most collections some were more to my specific taste than others. However, I loved being introduced to some new authors that I will definitely be adding to my collection in the future.

Also, this collection is a good read to start getting into the spirit of Halloween, it will be here before you know it.

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reviewing Venom, Sarra Cannon's short story, as I have not had a chance to finish reading the others.

Venom is about one of the characters from Sarra Cannon's Sacrifice Me series. If you've read the series, then you'll love reading about Rend's past. Rend has always been mysterious and this short story gives you a better understanding of why Rend is the way he is.

I highly recommend reading it!

I received this as an ARC from Sarra Cannon for an honest review.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely enjoyed most of these stories. There were only one or two I couldn't get into and that was mostly due to not quite having enough info on the world. Otherwise, fantastic.

Honestly, I originally picked this anthology up for S.M Reine's Dying Night because I'm a hardcore James and Elise fan. LOVED IT! But then, I'm always down for more craziness from that world.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Kelsey Goodey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I revived this book for an honest review by Sarra Cannon.

Venom by sarra Cannon. This is a really good short story in to Rends life before we meet him in sacrifices me. There was on a little thing with this story and that was it was too short. The story wanting to read more.
I have to had a chance to read the other story yet.

[Jamila Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC for an honest review.
Having already been a fan of Sarra Cannon's Sacrifice me series, I was delighted to be able to read Venom. It was a thrill to be able to get a bit of a background on Rend's story. I highly recommend reading this book, this story in particular!

[Penny Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this whole collection in this box set. And I have definitely found some new Authors and I really enjoyed Ms. Selene Charles, SM Reine and Ms. Deanna Chase's books and I've definitely found some new Authors to look into. I received this book for my honest review.

[Sarz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mainly bought this mainly for Colleen Vanderlinden's contribution, which as always totally rocked. I haven't paid much attention to the other stories as yet, but particularly looking forward to Kate Danley's.