Myths and Magic

Ruled by Blood #0.5 - Blood Captive

by Kerry Adrienne, Bec McMaster, Felicia Beasley

MYTHS & MAGIC sends you on a wild ride across universes where a safe return cannot be guaranteed.

Abolished magic returns to Earth. Telekinetic sorcerers, witches, and fairies discover their powers. Humans become cyborgs. Dragons prowl the depths of Iceland's volcanoes.

All this and more is packed inside one boxed set overflowing with stories from today's hottest USA Today and International Bestselling authors!

From dystopian thrillers to steampunk romance, from gothic fantasies to paranormal adventures, come journey with unlikely heroes, valiant shifters, rogue vampires, and even a sensual brujo. Dabble in scientific espionage, thwart scheming sorcerers, and challenge hordes of vengeful demons. And maybe fall in love...

If you're ready for 21 exclusive full-length novels and novellas, including some BRAND NEW material, in a boxed set where vampires, shifters, ghosts, demons, and even Djinn haunt the pages, then fall into MYTHS & MAGIC, a collection of science fiction, fantasy, and a dash of paranormal romance that will take you to the edge of your imagination.

Pre-order today to secure YOUR copy of this exciting collection!




This volume includes;

The Guardian of Blackbird Inn - Kerry Adrienne
Heart of Fire (Legends of the Storm, #1) - Bec McMaster
Crimson Undercover - Bryan Cohen and Casey Lane
Kin Selection - L.B. Gilbert
Carnival Tricks (Double Helix Case Files, #4) - Jade Kerrion
A Trace of Copper (The Elemental Web Chronicles, #2.5) - Anne Renwick
Warriors of Surtu - Lisa Lace
I Am Human - Melle Amade and Michael Trozzo
Bound to the Alphas - Lily Thorn
Approaching Night (Seluna, #1) - Ilana Waters
Forbidden Thirteen - Erin Richards
Mortality Bites - R.E. Vance
Fateful Vampires, A Romance Begins - Cheri Schmidt and Tristan Hunt
Pick Your Potion (Witch's Brew Cozy Mysteries, #1) - CC Dragon
Echo Down - Bradon Nave
Cross - D.A. Roach
Alchemy With Benefits - Katalina Leon
To Catch Her Death (Grim Reality, #1) - Boone Brux
Shadowling (Shadowling Chronicles, #1)- Eric Padilla
Blood Captive (Ruled by Blood, #0.5) - Izzy Shows
Savage Dawn (Legend of Gattica, #1) - Michelle Hercules

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Anthologies, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Ebooks

4236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2017

About the author

USA Today bestselling author, repped by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency. Believer in human rights. Love my kids, my cats, and music.

Reviews

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I was provided a pre-publication copy of this book by the publisher for review purposes.* (Heart of Fire by Bec McMaster)

OK. I have to admit that I was unconsciously imagining the dreki as Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon, even though I’m sure the dreki are way more badass than that cute, little thing.

The plot and world-building are interesting. It is rather different from Bec McMaster’s other worlds. I’m a sucker for her steampunk, but I have to say that I am intrigued by all of the mythology in this book. I also don’t think I have ever read a book that’s set in Iceland, so that’s cool.

I love that Freyja is a perfect combination of fierce and vulnerable. On one hand, I think her thoughts and insecurities are relatable. On the other hand, I am glad to see that she is not afraid to talk and fight back. There is also this internal struggle with her accepting her powers and being her village’s outcast because she is accused of being a witch. She does both verbal and physical-magical fighting, which I enjoy.

I think Rurik is an adorable dreki-man. He is wise and experienced, but he also has a playful side. He likes to poke fun at Freyja, and it’s funny and entertaining. It’s a relief to see a character so straight-forward. He is honorable and his intentions are pretty crystal clear.

I am interested to see what will happen next. While this couple’s story is primarily resolved, there is still a plot evolving, and I am curious to see what will happen in the dreki world. I’m giving Heart of Fire by Bec McMaster 4 stars for interesting world-building/mythology incorporation and likable characters.

Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Is there a happy/satisfying ending? Yes, in general for the main couple, but there are some things left unresolved in the plot for later books/characters.
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level? No, no, low.
Tears-worthy? No.
Humor? Bits of cute, funny bantering.
Favorite scene? The ending – cute.
What age level would be appropriate? Mature audience. Explicit details on sex. Cussing.

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review is only for Kin Selection by L.B. Gilbert

Denise is an animal activist, breaking into labs and freeing the animals used for lab testing. She unknowingly rescued a wolf pup only to find out he shifts into a toddler once she brings him home.

Yogi has been asked by the Alpha of his pack to track down Oliver, the wolf cub and his mother. What he discovers is the mom died in a car accident and Oliver is with a human woman.

To prevent any leak to his packs existence, Yogi is forced to kidnap Denise when he retrieves Oliver. Denise is full of spunk and determined to keep Oliver safe. When she finds out she is being kidnapped, she tries everything she can to escape.

Yogi is a bit of a grump, so to see him having to constantly chase Denise was very entertaining. Then when he thinks he can drop her off with Oliver's extended family and move on, he realizes he can't leave her.

This was a very cute story and I like that it ties into the Elemental series. I voluntarily read this advanced copy provided by the author.

[Juliette Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

HEART OF FIRE Review:

Brilliant tale of the "dreki" in old Iceland. LOVED this take where the dragon shifts into a man, not the other way around. Beautiful storytelling, as always with McMaster. Yet one more series of hers I will devour.

Recommended to ALL fantasy romance lovers. Trust me.

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of Heart on Fire by Bec McMaster. Honestly I'm staggered by how much I enjoyed it as I'd thought compared to her usual much longer stories I would be disappointed. I know this is a new departure for the author as she has written so many excellent and dare I say sexy steampunk stories but this story set in Iceland about very special dragons known as Dreki was such a fun read.
Freyja is in a tough spot, running a small farm and looking after her ailing father when the unthinkable happens and the long feared dragon that lives in the nearby volcano steals the only ram they own. Most people would be absolutely terrified but knowing their livelihood is at risk something just snaps in Freyja and she goes up the mountain to take back her ram !
Rurik made a deal with the villagers but they've left him hungry so of course he's going hunting for food but it's chased by something much more delicious and that's a fierce female who boldly challenges him in his own lair! Who is she and more to the point what is she ? Freyja is a conundrum, a puzzle to solve and it's been a longtime since Rurik felt this alive. Freyja might think she's survived the Dreki but can she survive the man?
This definitely felt like a fantasy but I really liked the very strong romance aspect that ran throughout. Rurik is very much determined to woo Freyja and goes to extreme lengths to court her but I loved that he boldly announced his intentions. This male is so confident that at times it's funny and I've gotta love a guy who exudes confidence!
Yes it's a solid romance but there's a lot more going on and I thought the supporting characters particularly dragon hunter Haakon added extra depth as his backstory is very interesting. These Dreki are not as solitary as they seem and the author has only scratched the surface with this story. I note the ending states there will be a follow up book and if it's as engaging as this then I'm definitely going to want to read it although right now I think the author will find it hard writing about another couple who are as exciting as Rurik and Freyja.
Now I need to read this book in its entirety when released to discover what other delicious stories lie within.
This voluntary take is of an advance reader copy of Heart of Fire and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
Four and a half for this particular story

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Myths & Magic: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection' is a box set by various authors.
Kin Selection by L.B. Gilbert is the book I am reviewing. This is the story of Denise Hammond and Yogi Kane.
Denise and her group save Chimps and such for animal testing as such and on one of those missions she see a wolf cub who she can't help but take with her. Since the chimps have places they can ship them to save their lives they have no such place for a wolf cub so she takes him. But Denise soon learns he is also a baby.
Yogi has been asked to find a baby / cub named Oliver from the rival Avery's Pack. Oliver's father past awhile back and now the mother and Oliver a missing. Yogi finds the mother has died and Oliver missing but it doesn't take him long to find the baby with Denise. Yogi kidnaps her and the baby and takes them back with him.
I enjoyed their story!
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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[Carvanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for Kin Selection by L.B. Gilbert

Oh man, I absolutely LOVED this novella!

Denise is an animal activist who has rescued a wolf cub. Yogi is a wolf shifter who has been directed to find her and the cub. When the tiny animal suddenly shifts, everything Denise thought she knew about animals and life is turned upside down, especially when Yogi chases her down and shifts as well.

This book was so much fun! My cheeks hurt from smiling so hard when Yogi is trying to catch and then bring Denise back to the cub’s pack. She puts up one heck of a fight and blasts him with everything she’s got, including her colorful vocabulary. I never wanted it to end.

Run, don’t walk to check out this novella included in the Myths and Magic Box Set.

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read.

Dual POV
Safe
No triggers

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not kindle unlimited, and kept hesitation to buy it once took the time to look up the name of each and every person listed as having story. Ended up with a freebie/paid copy, so going to read it after all I guess. REMEMBER IT SAYS MYTHS AND MAGIC -- SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY ... NOT pseudo 'romance' or the word way more appropriate for the crap writing, words *I* can't use in review but slop that can be put in to 'writing'!!! As an average, taking HIGHEST of that, would not even equal 2 {1.5} but because of the 4 and 4/5s going to leave it at 3


1 Kerry Adrienne The Guardian of Blackbird Inn, not good start as she's checking out the guy checking her in {owner} and such things as noise reverberated off wallpaper {uh how}, trying not to let her shoes slide on the 'slick stone' of a WOODEN floor, how do you kiss someone with 'firm strokes', no you can't do a hair bun with just barrette would take ponytail then maybe use clip, supposed story using psuedo 'romance' scenes 1

2 Bec McMaster Heart of Fire, REALLY hard to believe ram stop bleating with dragon grabbing it so why all would it be quiet when grabbed if not dead, just when thought were going get actual story line, just another person using crutch of pseudo 'romance' scenes, saying clavicle but having graphic names can't even put in review body parts, can't have chemise going over butt and over head, rocky ground but not huh cliffhanger bs 1

Casey Lane/Bryan Cohen Crimson Undercover, only real interest had in this collection, read the first part/book of this one somewhere, used to their superhero books but like this one well enough {do get lost now and then but rubbish at names} little issue with all the sudden the non-humans not being able to hear what's she's saying at different times, supposed to have super hearing, so separately would have rated this a 4-ish or lower

L. B. Gilbert Kin Selection, when one is scared for their life they don't stop to check out someone's body parts or attributes, when you barely know someone no matter the circumstances it is NOT love it's lust, a 3ish at most and could have been better

Jade Kerrion Carnival Tricks, 'silencers' ALL kinds still make noise and more than 'hiss', he's not a mind reader and people with walls especially mercenaries don't fall for anyone boom like that, only an idiot puts plastic encased activated by heat microchip in pocket right next to their body/body heat, no matter the story science has proven a guy can not immediately 'do it' right away, thought just maybe {was wrong} that this one wouldn't use pseudo 'romance' crutch, if no one but Danyael could withstand his powers {unless shielded the person by holding hand which did NOT do all the time with his 'baby mama' then how come Sofia was in the same room shielded not touching but unaffected} 3ish should have been better

Anne Renwick A Trace of Copper, not much story here barely more than pseudo 'romance', nonsensical, unneeded boring details, 3 at best

Lisa Lace Warriors of Sirtu, when someone's life, some even semi normal, is at stake as in they could die in blink of an eye or worse agonizingly long painful one, a normal person doesn't think 'oh that alien's hot', then you FORGET there's a war something you've been raised thinking about and trained for, so stupid, too much wrong with 'story', and once again someone who has no idea obviously that a SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY says NOTHING about pseudo 'romance' crap especially written so BADLY ending with whatever don't care as long as over, less than 1

Mella Amade/Michael Trozzo I Am Human, 'sheer black leather'? understand need for intro of some don't need intro followed by EXACT same words/sentences/paragraphs first chapter book word padding, run on sentences lack of commas don't help figure out where story is going, parts of sentences/words left out over and over, tense changes, makes it really hard to follow, someone does not "lied" in bed, spending WAY too much time trying to decipher words and sentences, paragraphs/sentences stopped with no end, here not hear, shuddered not shuttered, there not their, would of think, to code to be fixed, mic IS microphone, suped not supped, muttered not murdered, if writers natural English speakers act like it and if not get better translators. If they can do things pressing temple then why bother to tell someone else to do it, why all sudden when can see everyone else is room barely light enough to see Jade? How does one get code written in the future, by someone else? 2ish

Lily Thorn Bound to the Alphas, my head is already hurting, this makes no sense, blah blah bored yuck, banging head on desk, it said NOTHING about shapeshifter 3some nor no real story, again one of the crap stories I am not allowed to say the words in the smut 'story' 1 or less

Ilana Waters Approaching Night, have read her stuff before but make it rule to never read in pieces, am lost in this story and can't even figure out if it's part of a series or something new or what, no reference or anything {until the very very end}, 3ish

Erin Richards Forbidden Thirteen, was shaping up to be a decent enough story then every other sentence was about not really 'romance' hormone crap crutch, the collection is sci-fi fantasy and THAT crap is not my 'fantasy' and should not be in one to that extent, 2

R. E. Vance Mortality Bites, bit odd and seemed as if would have been better to be reading it as standalone or in series but 4ish, maybe

Cheri Schmide/Tristan Hunt Fateful Vampires A Romance Begins, knew wasn't going to like it the second read the whole title, it does NOT say 'romance' it said sci-fi Fantasy, even said themselves in intro was 'steamy romance like twilight' which btw I HATED and was stupid, 1

CC Dragon Pick Your Potion, parts felt dragged out and others book over, eh 3

Braden Nave Echo Down, what is this story even supposed to be about, and why is 'not romance' even part of it, back and forth confusing the names with them being almost identical scene changes at blink of an eye, stop saying awe it's ahh or aww a 2 at best

D. A. Roach Cross, can't do 90210 teen angst junk, kept zoning out, at best being as nice as possible would be maybe a 3 AT MOST but probably 2 or less due to zone out factor

Kalalina Leon Alchemy With Benefits, no idea what supposed to be about, jumps back and forth makes no sense, drops f bomb no reason, boring 1

Boone Brux, To Catch Her Death, couple places lost me/or didn't make sense for story 4ish MAYBE

Eric Padilla Shadowling,someone explain to me how your dad dies but you are waiting for him to get home from work, if that was a flashback was a crappy confusing way to do it, people are missing possible dead but oh yeah thinking about some 'cute' guy and his snobby girlfriend totally makes sense yeah right NOT, if you are 'last of line' then how come everybody came after you did and you were able to see their faces as they then passed you, it rams you but then just before it makes contact with you uh what, too many contradictory and confusing things to be more than 3 ish

Izzy Shows Blood Captive, hard to keep up, harder to care, too twilight 90210 NOT supposed to be 'romance' 1 to 2ish tops

A. H.Soars Savage Dawn, seemed to start off fantasy, between too many names keep straight and other junk too hard to keep up with and no desire to do more than get to end why drop fbombs 2ish or less

[C. McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As in all anthologies, there were excellent stories that grabbed and held my attention until the end. A couple, The Guardian of Blackbird Inn and Heart of Fire, I didn't want to end. I was totally engrossed in the stories and the characters. Fortunately, one author promises a novel with these characters and storyline is forthcoming. While others didn't hold my interest (I have to really be caught up if the story is Sci-fi), they were well-written. I had fun reading Kin Selection. It was quirky and different. I think there's something here for everyone, and how great to have such a variety of styles and stories in a single book.

[MJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it took me a while, but I finally finished it... Kind of. There were a few I LOVED, some I hated, and a couple I just couldn't get thru, but overall, most were OK. Definitely worth the couple of bucks to read the good ones and even the OK ones. I think I've found a couple of new authors, and even a new genre or two (Steampunk... who knew!?!).


Bk1 The Guardian of Blackbird Inn, Kerry Adrienne.
2⭐️ Very wham, bam, done. Would have liked to see what could have been done with it if it had of been 'filled out'.

Bk2 Heart of Fire, Bec McMaster.
3⭐️ Pretty good, but new series so we're waiting on next books.

Bk3 Crimson Undercover, Bryan Cohen & Casey Lane.
2.5⭐️ Not bad, but something's just missing from it all. Also, I think this is a second book, so there is a lot of assumed knowledge about characters and situations.
(Not registered on GR's as a book)

Bk4 Kin Selection, LB Gilbert.
3.5⭐️ I quite liked this one. It's short and to the point, but it's still 'full'.
(Not registered on GR's as a book)

Bk5 Carnival Tricks, Jade Kerrion.
3.5⭐️ This one is actually several books into the series, but there is enough info to allow you to read it as a standalone without gritting your teeth at what you've missed. And it's good enough that I'm probably going to go read the rest of the series too ;)

Bk6 A Trace of Copper, Anne Renwick
3.5⭐️ Well, I've never read Steampunk before, so there's a little bit to get used to in the way of world rules, but I did enjoy it, and will be looking into more!

Bk7 Warriors of Surtu, Lisa Lace
2.5⭐️ all the way thru I kept thinking this was a serial that have been wedged together as a book... And turns out I was right. There were bits that 'recapped' what we had been told a few pages before, and it was a bit annoying that there was no effort in blending the stories into a flowing book. The drama/angst level was fairly high and tilted toward daytime soaps. It wasn't terrible, but I don't think I'll be looking for more...

Bk8 I Am Human, Melle Amade & Michael Trozzo
1.5⭐️ hmm, if this wasn't a part of the huge MYTHS & MAGIC compilation, I would have def DNF. It seemed to be trying for 'silly/funny' but for me, it was 'silly/ridiculous'. It did have some improvements in the final part, which is why it got 1.5 instead of 1 stars. For the most part, I was distracted by an image in my head (that had no direct relation to any characters or plot, but more of an overall impression of the book) of a busty blond, twirling her pigtails and popping her gum, while sing-songing "I'm a bimbo!" I have no doubt there are people out there who would like this one and I can totally understand why they would (some books are just 'BAD', but others are just 'bad for you'). In this case, it was bad for me, and a big miss. There's heaps of editing issues in this one too.
(Not registered on GR's as a book)

Bk9 Bound to the Alphas, Lily Thorn
2⭐️ Not horrible, but it seems to be missing some of the 'soul' that I'm used to in shifter stories. And to be honest, the guys were a bit too whiny, and there was quite a bit of irrational in there to. Def not what I would think of as alphas of any kind.
(Not registered on GR's as a book)

Bk10 Approaching Night, Ilana Waters
1⭐️ The ideas good, but I'm afraid she lost me when she stated it's a similar but different world called... 'Hartlandia'... with equally inventive 'Northernlands' and 'Easternlands'. Plus, the only real reasons that for 'this alternate reality' style seems to be to explain why it would be ok for 'troubled', aka independent, girls to be shipped off to an abusive madhouse and forgotten by the world, to explain why the moon was full all the time, and to have a reason for modern thoughts and speech could be used in a 'similar to 1800's' world. There were gaps aplenty and lots of pretty ribbons to conveniently tie those gaping holes up in an imitation of not being TSTL.

Bk11 Forbidden Thirteen, Erin Richards
1⭐️ goodness, the ONLY character in this entire book that I REMOTELY liked was the dog. I would have been happy to read a story about her (until we got to the end of the story, no spoilers, but she really lost my interest). As for the rest? They are just rinse and repeat. How many times can the h say 'my life used to be boring, and now it's a nut house?' Only so many right?... WRONG! It turns out it can be whined about in multiple ways... repeatedly... forever... and ever... and ever. If someone culled phases similar to that and in reference to 'I want them both, but can't have them both' from the book, it would likely no longer have enough pages left to be classified as a book. There's heaps of circle work, ignoring the obvious and being TSTL. And on the pet front, it's a bug bear of mine when authors pretend to write animals into the story, but then neglect or even 'vanish' the animals when they aren't easy to writing into a scene, but then they are back out of nowhere cause it will add something to this paragraph. Best way to describe this one is hollow... with several points forever echoing throughout.

Bk12 Mortality Bites, RE Vance
4⭐️ OMG! I loved this one. It took me a couple of slow blinks to fully understand what a different world we were in, but once I did, it was great. The story is different to any I've read before, and the characters are great. It has a very similar feel to I Am Human by Melle Amade & Michael Trozzo, which is also a part of the Myths & Magic compilation, but where that 'sillyish' vibe didn't work for me in that book, it certainly did in this one. The only real problems with it was that it appears to be a serial that's been put in a book, so there were formatting issues, and a few flow issues. It did leave us hanging for the next part of the story, but as they wrapped up the storyline for this part, it worked fine. Now my issue is that I don't buy serials... plus, looks like the previous storyline in this 'world' was a serial too, and it is $4ea for less than 100pgs! So way outside my product/cost ratio. It's sad too, cause if he wrote 'books' at even a slightly pushy price, I'd probably buy them in a heart beat.
(Not registered on GR's as a book)

Bk13 Fateful Vampires: A Romance Begins, Cheri Schmidt
2.5⭐️ Not terrible, but it seems to suffer from what I call 'prequelitis.' It's where the stories beyond have been written (well or not), but the author is now under pressure to wrap up all the little stories, hints and rules that have been scattered thru those books into one cohesive story that still has enough new stuff and interest. It's surprisingly hard to do well by all accounts. This one seemed to drag for the most part. And the lead in in Myths & Magic says 'steamy, imaginative series'... There is NO steam in this one... not even a wisp. Also, not many of her books are on iBooks.

Bk14 Pick Your Potion, CC Dragon
3⭐️ It kept me interested mostly. Not sure if I'll be reading the next.

Bk15 Echo Down, Bradon Nave
2.5⭐️ I didn't like any of the characters at all. They were from a different hidden culture and portrayed as very plummy, but the just came across as stupid half the time. 'Goly gosh, they have tried to kill us a couple of times, but that's not our culture, so why don't we take a dance thru the daisy's instead of hauling ass home to try and find safety!' Seriously, it took forever for one of them to have a basic clue, and even then they were all flat and lifeless in their plummy call to action. Also, the H was a normal outside human who would be talking backwood drawl one minute, standard talk the next and then thinking entirely plummy thoughts. It was a bit weird overall.
(Not registered on GR's as a book)

Bk16 Cross, DA Roach
2.5⭐️ for some reason I read the blurb on this and just wasn't interested in reading it. Few weeks later, I've pushed thru and it wasn't actually too bad. The reason it's not got 3 stars is because it spent a lot of time skipping over stuff and just giving us info. The end was extremely rushed, more so than the rest too.
(Not registered on GR's as a book)

Bk17 Alchemy with Benefits, Katalina Leon
DNF... Just kept putting it down and couldn't bring myself to finish it!

Bk18 To Catch Her Death, Boone Brux
3.5⭐️ I was surprised how much I enjoyed this one. I looked for the rest of the series, but it looks like it's stalled out at bk2, so I'll try and keep it in mind and have a look in a few months and see it it's still being written. It was a new idea tho and I liked the characters and was interested with where it was going.

Bk19 Shadowling, Eric Padilla
3.5⭐️ Oh no... Bk2's not out yet! I really want to see what happens next. There are so many options.

Bk20 Blood Captive, Izzy Shows
2.5⭐️ Not terrible, but it was fed missing things for me. Not sure I'd be interested in seeing what happens next.

Bk21 Savage Dawn, Michelle Hercules
DNF. Sorry, I'm struggling to get past the first few pages of this one. Not entirely sure what it is, but I haven't met anyone I like yet and I don't find myself the least bit interested in where the stories going, which actually surprised me, cause it sounds like it normally would. Just something missing.

[Lisa P · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for Immortality Bites by RE Vance as it is the first story from the collection that I've read. This is an alternative introduction to the GoneGods world that takes place in Canada. If you have read any of the GoneGods series then you will recognize one of the characters and her "associates". This story is told from Kat's perspective- an ex-vampire that doesn't quite trust daylight and has commentary on nearly everything- in a good way. The story is well developed, has characters that face harsh truths and realities, comical scenes, throwback references to great 80's-90's pop culture, and just for fun- torture, fights, and sacrifice. Make time to sit down and read through in one sitting.

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Multiple books

I read fast, often reading multiple books in a day, and it took me a very long time, weeks, to read it. Most of the stories were excellent but one or two were subpar. Definitely worth reading.

[Anna lost in stories *A* · Rating 5 out of 5]

rating and review ONLY for "Heart of fire" by Bec McMaster

I got an ARC of this story from the author in exchange for an honest review :) ok, it's official people... if there was any doubt before, there are none left... Bec McMaster is definitely an auto-buy author for me... :) because here we have, beginning for yet another series from her... so much different then her other ones, and once again I am absolutely in love... enchanted by the characters and the world she created... *sighs happily* so let me tell you some more about this newest one, and convince you to give it a try, so we can sigh happily together... and then wait impatiently for the sequel ;)

This is a fantasy-ish story set in the late 1800s... we have Freyja, a young woman who is doing her best, taking care of her sick father, living mostly solitary life, because she is... well... different... and it might be too dangerous if many people discovered just how much different she truly is... she lives near a small village near a volcano where one of the dreki lives... and dreki is... how to best describe him... he's *not* a dragon... trust me, they get offended by that comparison, because there are a lot of differences, but think in that direction ;) one night, when the dreki steals her last ram, and Freyja is faced with a very bleak future, it's the last straw... she marches into his lair to demand the return of her animal... you can imagine how well that encounter went... ;) dreki is definitely intrigued by her... her tenacity and courage... but most of all, the mystery of who or what exactly she is... ;) to be honest that's pretty much everything I want to tell you about the plot itself... it's definitely one of those stories, where the less you know the better your reading experience... and I want you to be able to gasp in surprise like I did during the book :) so how about I will jump straight into telling you about all the things I adored in this story ;)

As always, I loved the wrting style... *sighs dreamily* honestly you guys... I don't know how she does it... Bec has a few series out, and they are all soooo different from one another... and yet I fall in love with those worlds and characters every time... she enchants me with her words and I always finish a story wanting more... :) but back to this particular book :) I adored how strong and fearless Freyja was... how brave, even though her circumstances were far from perfect... and don't even get me started on Rurik... oh, how I loved that dreki... *sighs dreamily* :) mind you, none of them were perfect, but they were flawed in such a way that made them much closer to my heart... :) I was very glad, that it was a more slow burn kind of a romance :) because between us... that's my favourite kind :) there were quite a few very interesting secondary characters, that only made me that much more curious about the sequels... because even though the situation between our main couple is resolved, there is a few things... still not entirely explained ;) I am definitely looking forward to getting to know more about this world and those characters... because those few teasers and glimpses into all the possibilities Bec shared with us in this story... damn... ;) it's gonna be good ;) especially since at the end we get a confirmation who will be the main couple in that second story and... *sighs heavily* it's gonna be a loooooooong wait... cause I need this one ASAP :) if you haven't already, then definitely check out this author in general, because you are seriously missing out without her wonderful books in your lives :) I highly recommend this story as well... as with her other ones, it's phenomenally entertaining and will force you to read chapter after chapter, because you simply need to know what's gonna happen next... best proof? I inhaled it in one day... yeah... ;) #TrueStory :) definitely check out this gem :)

XOXO

A

[Alec Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Review is for RE Vance's "Mortality Bites"

RE Vance Author of such books as "Paradise Lot" "Muses Musing" And "Crystal Dreams" offers us a lighter, but in no way lesser, slice of strangeness and slyness in his latest story "Mortality Bites". And it's pure gold.

For those unfamiliar with the setting: the story takes place in a version of Earth where all the gods have left, all the mystical creatures that inhabited their realms are now earthbound refugees and all the supernatural creatures on earth already have reverted back to their mortal state. This is the situation that our protagonist, Kat: a 300 year old (former) vampire who has suddenly come down with a terminal case of mortality.

Turned in her teens, Kat must now insert herself into the world of the modern teenager. Predictably, it's not pretty. A brilliant observation on her part is reading about history in school, knowing that that's not how it happened (because she was there) but being forced to learn the SCHOOL'S version of history if she wants to pass. The story gets no less clever from that point forward and we are taken through her attempt to reconcile the acts she has committed as an immortal predator of the night as well as adapt to no longer being at the top of the food chain.

Unlike some of RE Vance's other tales: this story has a decidedly 'young adult' slant to it. Unlike most YA fiction however it at no point talks down to the audience. None of the cruelty, unfairness, guilt or fear intrinsic in living in the Gone God world (to say nothing of being a teenager). is diluted or sanitized for the protection of the reader because neither the story nor the reader requires it. It is an authentic tale and like most authentic tales it is uncompromising in its take on just how screwed up things can get when you know longer understand WHAT you are, let alone WHO you are: the teenage existential/identity crisis taken to the next level.

I would recommend this book to fans of such works as "American Gods" "Hunger Games", "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" & "The Dresden Files": Quirky off-beat storycrafting that does not allow itself to fit comfortable into any one genre box. In other words the best kind of storycrafting.

I would be very curious to see if, in future writings, Kat would encounter Jean-Luc, the main protagonist in the "Paradise Lot" series or Tyler and Lamia the father/daughter supernatural anarchists found in "Muses Musing". Together, these three characters form a spectrum between the lighter, more intimately narrated fare of Kat's story, the darker, more driven intensity of Jean Luc's stories and the sheer lunacy & devious cunning of Tyler & Lamia. Perhaps some kind of "Avengers" style novel, bringing these three characters into a single storyline is in the realm of possibility? We can only hope.

There is a line from Mortality Bites that sums up the story perfectly. "Being human is so hard!" Kat laments and she gets it, and we get it. Read this story, you'll get it too.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed reading this boxset of stories, which has contained a huge variety of styles, characters, and locations. Whilst I enjoyed some more than others, for the low price of this box set, it's fabulous value, and well worth a read - despite the frequent spelling errors present in most stories (which almost took it down a *)! The only thing I would say in caution is that many stories have sexual content, making this box set unsuitable for younger readers.
However, Warriors of Surtu by Lisa Lace was excessively sexual, detracting from the story which had the potential to be really good. Disappointing, and I won't be reading any more books in that series.
Another disappointment in the box set was I Am Human by Mella Amade and Michael Trozzo - it was full of errors (spelling, grammar and typos), and even the end of the concluding paragraph of chapters 11 and 22 was missing completely!
Approaching Night by Ilana Waters was my favourite story - it had horror, mystery, a touch of romance (but clean!), a strong female lead and a great ending: all the elements needed for an awesome story, and the author combined them perfectly. I'm definitely going to keep reading the series to find out what happens to Seluna next!
I also really enjoyed Mortality Bites by RE Vance - the concept of a world where ALL the gods simultaneously publicly declared they were leaving, and where therefore all the Others associated with those gods (Angels, messengers etc) would suddenly appear on earth, utterly powerless and mortal was intriguing. I loved the female protagonist who is a 300 year old vampire who's suddenly made mortal again by the loss of magic when the gods leave, and is trying to find her place - and her redemption - in the new, altered "GodGone" world. The story was brilliantly written, full of great characters and twists and turns that really kept you guessing who was involved and what was going to happen. And I LOVED the ending! I'm DEFINITELY going to read more of the series of these stories!
Echo Down by Bradon Nave was an interesting story and very original too. The tale was enchanting and the characters so realistic, it really drew you in. The only downside was that, again, there were quite a lot of spelling and grammatical errors, some of which broke the flow of the tale and meant you had to get re-engaged with it again. Overall though, I enjoyed the story and would be interested in hearing more about what happens in this world of characters.
Savage Dawn by MH Soars was a fitting final story for the collection. I loved the variety of locations throughout, all of which were so well thought out and beautifully described, and the way all the races of characters were similar but unique, each with their own gifts. The action was engaging and kept the pace of the story building until the final dramatic battle and conclusion. It's definitely a story I'd recommend, and I'd be interested in reading more instalments in the series to find out what happens to the characters next!

[Kimberly Vanderbloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a early copy in exchange for a honest review.

My review is based off of Cross by D.A. Roach

I've been a big fan of this author for awhile and was thrilled to learn that she was going to venture out and write in fantasy. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy and devour it. It is exactly what I did. I ended up staying for one more until 3 in the morning. It is crazy how easy it flowed. I will not forget this characters and to say that I want more is a understatement. This could easily be a series. The world building is incredible and fun to imagine.

My favorite character is Ray. He is a strong, confident and easy to love character. He is the type that you want to cheer for and hopes has a happy ending. He is well developed and he grows as the story continues.

My favorite moment was the ending. I'm not going to say too much except that it was fun to see that tables have turned. I also loved the banter of all the characters. It was clever and made me smile in quite a few places.

Overall, I will be recommending this book to anyone that will listen especially my fantasy loving friends. If you like dragons, love, family, friends, and a quest of a lifetime than this book is for you.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ring of Fire

This is truly a plethora of stories for all Science Fiction and Fantasy buffs out there. 21 of some of the best authors in these genres have come together to bring you hours of reading pleasure.

Alchemy with Benefits by Katalina Leon

Estele Esposito has always been thought of as a walking witchy disaster, so when the hunky, sexy Brujo flirts with her and tells her she is a very powerful witch, she almost falls over with mirth.. What would a brujo know anyway, you can’t trust them as far as you can throw him, after all her own father was one and look what he did and mama didn’t let her forget it either, said her mojo was just as bad as a brujo’s. Those are the ideas she grew up with and we all know what effect that can have on a growing child. Valentine got his information wrong, she could never be the salvation of San Buena, maybe the destruction, or does Val know something she doesn’t?

Can the Ghost Captain that resides in her apartment be the key to the mystery? Even the talking shrunken heads show up for this one…LoL

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

#ARCAugust book 5
I received a review copy of Heart of Fire by Bec McMaster from the author in exchange for an honest review.

For such a short book (180-ish pages) Heart of Fire took me a long time to read. It was just before the halfway mark that I really got into the story and it started to move.

Freyja lives in a small village in Iceland and has always been ostracized because of her mismatched eyes and her magic. I thought her powers were great but she's asked repeatedly throughout the story, "What are you?" and even at the end I felt like the answer was tentative.

Rurik is a dreki (dragon) prince in exile living alone in his volcano lair until an encounter with Freyja inspires him to rejoin the world. That brings a dragon hunter and a homicidal cousin into his life as well. I thought his history and the Court politics were quite interesting and I look forward to seeing how that plays out when the Legends of the Storm series continues next year.

3.5 stars

[Patricia (Spellbound Stories Trish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a review copy of Savage Dawn by Michelle Heracules for review purposes.

I have always loved fantasy and the worlds that authors can create. There was no exception with Savage Dawn. I love the world that Hercules created. Although it seems like fantasy many of the ongoings are that of what we face today but in a different realm and I love just how realistic it can be. Always makes me wonder what there is out there that we do not understand.

In Savage Dawn we meet Samiah and her mate Malachiax. They are explorers along with a team of others trying to figure out their planets history. Like they say though curiosity killed the cat. Can they survive the truths that they discover? Go on an epic journey and discover the legends of Gattica.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for M. H. Soars book Savage Dawn.
First time reading from the author. I thought the story was very well done, it had a feel of Sci-Fi to it. The author made a mystery world for their characters to live in. It was a very interesting read. It had a steady pace to it, there was stuff going on to pull you in that much more. Some of the characters were likable. Some pulled me in a little more to wanting to find out more about them. I couldn’t put it done once I started reading, had to find out what was going on. Hope to read other books from the author.

I haven’t read any of the other books in the collection.
Got ARC for an honest review.
Thank you for sharing your book with me.

[rm2h · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is only for Kin Selection by L.B. Gilbert. I have not read all her books but this story is awesome. It is a must read. I bought this collection only for this book. She is a fantastic author. The story is the heroine finds a shape shifter wolf cub and all the fun that ensues getting him back to his family. Hero is struck with heroine as she is his fated mate. This is not insta-love but a real romance.

[Chelsi Tauscher · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantasy and sci-fi aren't my typical reads by anymeans. However, I had the chance to read Echo Down by Bradon Nave and it made me want to read so much more.

While the story had some fantasy undertones, the story itself is amazing. The character detail is unreal and you will feel like you're living the story right along with them. Can't wait to read the rest of these stories.

[Cassie Eisenschenk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved author Bradon Knaves contribution Echo Down in this anthology it was excellent and like all his other works very well written and kept you intrigued with the story from beginning to end. I see tins of amazing contributing authors included in this anthology and I'M looking forward to reading all their wonderful stories in the rest of this book

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for MORTALITY BITES by R. E. Vance.

I loved it. A new character named Kat Darling makes her debut. What do you do when you're trying to start a new life after the Gods have all gone away and things don't go well? You kick some asses. I sincerely hope Mr. Vance continues Kat's story.

[Katrina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Almost entirely romance

The title of this collection is terribly misleading. It is not science fiction and fantasy, it is romance flavored with sf&f. To be fair, I think there were two or three stories that were not primarily focused around how he and she got together, but all of them strongly featured relationships in some form. I was so disappointed!

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many Good books

In the reading of these books, I found a number of authors I had never read before, one that I remember right now is Izzy Powers....her books now are in my kindle.

Out of all of these books there were only two I could not get into and I tried. But all in all I would tell you to read and enjoy.

[Marsha Bernabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far I have read Echo down by Bradon Nave. This was a departure from everything I have ever read of his, but I found it very well written and engaging!

Knowing many of the other authors by their works you can't go wrong with this anthology !

[David Caldwell]

This is a huge collection (over 4000 pages) by a bunch of authors. These aren't short stories but are either novellas or full length novels.

This is just a partial review for R.E.Vance's Mortality Bites. This is a story set in the world of Paradise Lots but takes place before most of the series. Katrina Darling was a vampire before the gods decided to leave. When they left, they took most of the magic with them. This caused vampires (and some other creatures like werewolves) to revert to human. Katrina is trying to fit back into normal human society by going to college since she considers herself to be 19 years old, just with a few hundred years of life experience added into the mix. She finds out that having lived through a time and what was recorded about it are not always the same thing. She is also finding out that making friends isn't the easiest thing. But she does manage to become friends with an older librarian on her first day. The bad news is that he is killed on her second day. Now, she is looking for some answers, hopefully before her own past is discovered.

This was a welcome addition to the Paradise Lots stories. Katrina is more upbeat than Jean-Luc which gave the whole story a lighter feel, but still was serious. The take on how some supernatural creatures reverted to being human was a new twist that was nice. Fans of the series should definitely grab this collection to read this story.

[Sue MacKenzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea

If you're a lover of urban fantasy you will enjoy this. I prefer PNR but won this collection so read it to see.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

1 - 2*
2 - 5*
3 - 1* DNF
4 - 3*
5 - 4*
6 - 4*
7 - 2*
8 - 4*
9 - 2*
10 - 1* DNF
11 - 1* DNF
12 - 1* DNF
13 - 1* DNF
14 - 1* DNF
15 - 1* DNF
16 - 3*
17 - 1* DNF
18 - 4*
19 - 1* DNF
20 - 2*
21 - 1* DNF

[ROBIN CONKEL-HANNAN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stories, good characters

Many of the stories are hard to follow due to errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling.. A few of the stories are impaired by graphic sex.. A whole lot of the stories are very good.. I am disappointed at the lack of proofreading.