Chicks Kick Butt

Weather Warden # - Shine

by Rachel Caine (Editor), Kerrie L. Hughes (Editor), Karen Chance (Contributor)

Today’s women don’t stand around waiting for a hero. These days, women are quite capable of solving their own problems and slaying their own dragons (or demons, as the case may be).

In this all-new anthology, Kerrie L. Hughes and New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine have collected original stories from thirteen of today’s most exciting urban fantasy and paranormal authors. Each story features a strong heroine who kicks butt and takes names in a dangerous world and makes that world a better place for everyone in it—except the bad guys, of course. And if she finds a bit of romance along the way, well, a little heat warms the heart and sharpens the mind…just as long as the man can keep up.

Includes:

Shiny by Rachel Caine
In Venito Veras by Karen Chance
Hunt by Rachel Vincent
Monsters by Lilith Saintcrow
Vampires Prefer Blondes by P.N. Elrod
Nine-Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black
Double Dead by Cheyenne McCray
A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still be Red by Elizabeth A. Vaughn
Superman by Jeanne C. Stein
Monster Mash by Carole Nelson Douglas
Wanted: Dead or Alive by L.A. Banks
Mist by Susan Krinard
Beyond the Pale by Nancy Holden

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Anthologies, Fantasy, Paranormal, Short Stories, Vampires, Fiction

349 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2011

About the author

Rachel Caine was a pen name of Roxanne Longstreet Conrad.

She has also published as:
Roxanne Longstreet
Roxanne Conrad
Julie Fortune
Ian Hammell

Her Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/rachelcainef...

Her Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/rachelcaine...

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is very misleading. Rather than being a collection of stories celebrating women who are both strong and feminine, it is simply various short sequels, prequels and spin-off stories from popular urban fantasy series. Some of them are mildly entertaining, but most are not. Or at least, they're not to those who, like me, are unfamiliar with the series they come from.

Most of the stories cannot be appreciated if you aren't already a hardcore fan and in love with the characters. Seeing as I am neither for five out of the six stories I read, I was bored, unengaged and got no real sense of what this book was supposedly about: chicks kicking ass and taking names. For example, the first story by Rachel Caine, which featured Djinn from her Weather Warden series, seemed to centre around a super hot female Djinn who our protagonist was jealous of because her (also Djinn) boyfriend was paying her a bit of attention. Surely being jealous of other women isn't a great message for female empowerment? Just saying...

The best story by far was, for me, "Hunt" by Rachel Vincent. It was almost certainly because her Shifters series was a favourite of mine prior to book 3 (where everything went downhill) and I was delighted to see the formerly meek and mild character of Abby take her turn in the limelight and save the day. In the Shifters series Abby plays only a small part as a secondary character who ends up being the victim of rape in book 1. In "Hunt" she finds herself stumbling onto the scene of an attempted rape and she is determined not to let the women suffer what she went through. I felt like cheering her on all the way through and was so pleased that she didn't submit to the pack's orders and wait for the men to turn up the way Faythe so frequently did.

If Rachel Vincent fancies writing a spin-off series centred around Abby, I would be all too happy to give her another chance to make up for the latter half of Shifters.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title CHICKS KICK BUTT sounds totally cliché and dumb and silly. But it's totally fun and entertaining. CHICKS is a short story compilation of several popular female Urban Fantasy authors—some you've heard of and some you haven't—and other than a couple of mediocre entries, is a solid group of stories.

"Shiny" by Rachel Caine starts off the book with a story from this popular author's Weather Warden series. Joanne has weather magic, and her boyfriend David is a powerful Djinn. On an outing to the beach, they come across a photo shoot for a Bugatti Veyron—and the woman draped across it is none other than a new Djinn. David makes them stop to investigate her, as she's something of a troublemaker. And, of course, trouble ensues. One of the better stories in this compilation, the characters are interesting, the story moves quickly, and the situation and ending unfoldes unexpectedly.

"In Vino Veritas" by Karen Chance is about Dory—from Chance's Dorina Basarab series—a dhampir (child of vampire and human), and vampire hunter. A previous job with the Chinese mob has come back to bite her, and she must deal with the fallout. This selection is predictable, and in order to remember what it was about I had to go back and re-read it again, which is never a good sign, even if the first read through was enjoyable enough. In the end I wasn't really sure what it was about, it was a little convoluted, and as a result it was easy to dismiss.

"Hunt" by Rachel Vincent is about college student Abby, recently turned werecat. While on a campout with some friends, they're attacked, and Abby's secret is in danger of being revealed. Traumatized in her youth, Abby must deal with her fears in order to save her friends. Despite the steady writing and believable emotions, it was had to get the full effect in so short a story without feeling like I was being bludgeoned with Abby's emotional baggage. Still, it finishes well.

"Monsters" by Lilith Saintcrow is my favorite of the compilation. It's about Eleni, a vampire Preserver, with the special skills and abilities that involve protecting "what would otherwise be lost...[those] skilled in an art that would reach its highest expression when freed from the chains of mortality." When her charges are killed in an unexpected attack by humans, she must avenge their deaths. For such a short story, the worldbuilding was well written, and the characters interesting. While the ending leaves the larger story open for more, the conclusion is still satisfying. On her site, Saintcrow says she may write more about Eleni.

"Vampires Prefer Blondes" by P. N. Elrod is one of the few in this collection where the main character is completely human. Set from Elrod's Vampire Files series, this short takes place in the 1930s, and Bobbi is the headliner for a traveling act in the Chicago area. After one evening's show, a group of roughs come looking for one of her chorus girls, and it turns out a vampire is involved. The writing is slick—the main character's PoV is entertaining to read, gives a feel for the era, and makes me believe that even though Bobbi isn't trained to fight, she's still willing to help someone in trouble with the undead.

"Nine-Tenths of the Law" by Jenna Black is about exorcist Morgan Kingsley, who happens to be 'possessed' herself (not something she advertises on her business door). She's approached by worried parents who believe their wayward daughter is possessed illegally. Demons are allowed to possess humans who are of legal age and volunteer for it—there are some benefits, after all, to having a powerful spirit inhabit a mortal body. But there are fanatical groups who will do anything to rid the world of demons. An entertaining story, if a bit predictable. The characters are well drawn, and the world interesting without being overbearing. From the Morgan Kingsley Exorcist series, which is complete.

"Double Dead" by Cheyenne McCray starts off with a sort of glossary of terms, which I'm certain is hardly ever a good thing for a short story. It's about Nyx, part-human part-Dark Elf, whose Drow abilities make her day job as a PI much less dangerous than her night job as enforcer for the paranormal council. While main character Nyx is interesting, the story was a contrived confusion of motives and behavior that didn't make sense, and the ending action scene was gimmicky.

"A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still be Red" by Elizabeth A. Vaughan is the shortest of the stories, and the action scenes are exciting and fast-paced. Unfortunately, the result is that I never got a clear vision of the setting (is it medieval?), of the main character Red's abilities, and the point of the story.

"Superman" by Jeanne C. Stein is about a newly turned vampire. "Superman" has a prologue and even 'chapters', which results in a drawn-out story. I could handle an overlong short if it were tightly written, but it's not, and even worse it's cliché and overwrought. Skip it.

"Monster Mash" by Carole Nelson Douglas takes place in Las Vegas, where werewolves and vampires own and run casinos. Delilah, from Douglas' Delilah Street series, is called in to investigate the haunting of a local casino, and get rid of the problem if she can. She's human, but walks among the supernaturals with confidence. Douglas lays on the setting pretty thickly, so it's hard to keep up with all the lingo. But the fast-paced dialogue, clever mystery, and likable heroine make this story one of the top five in this compilation.

"Wanted: Dead or Alive" by L. A. Banks is about recently turned vampire Tanya, and the short opens with an overwrought woe-is-me monologue. Then we're launched into pre-story of Tanya's bounty hunter past, and her 'lucky' kill of master vampire Dimitri. As his killer she inherits Dimitri's wealth and the vamps he's turned; and today, a month later, we learn that other vampire masters want her dead. Her distaste of bloodsucking has turned her into an altruist who'll only kill the truly criminal. The story is contrived and feels unfinished.

"Mist" by Susan Krinard is probably the most ambitious of the stories, with so much worldbuilding taken from ancient Norse mythology that the learning curve is a little high for a short story. An Earth-bound Valkyrie believes that the final battle is past...but is it? The action moves along at a steady clip, and by the end you're invested in the story and how it ends. And even though "Mist" feels more like the beginning of a novel than the other more self-contained contributions, it's an entertaining read.

"Beyond the Pale" by Nancy Holder is about Meg, former U.S. border agent, and now Fae border agent, due to her recently manifested second sight. But the battle with the Fae is not so much about illegal immigration as it is about keeping the Erl King from stealing children and replacing them with changelings. A fast-paced and interesting story, "Beyond the Pale" has magic and a cool Black Forest setting. PoV character Meg is a complicated woman; the writing does lack subtlety with her feelings and motivations, but the characterization was pretty good for a short. The ending wasn't what I expected, and I still have some unanswered questions, so I'm not sure if I'm satisfied with it—but at least it was memorable. Holder's site says she plans to continue this story in novel form, and if she continues on as she has here, it's easy to see the potential for a great series.

Recommended Age: 16+
Language: Depending on the story, but most are relatively clean; a couple of them have a smattering of stronger profanity.
Violence: All of them have violence; some are stronger than others; almost all contain death, and some of them get very gory.
Sex: Mostly reference and innuendo; "Superman" and "Wanted: Dead or Alive" have graphic scenes.

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

HUNT - RACHEL VINCENT

5 STARS

Hunt is the 6.5 in the Shifter Series, a series I read a good while back, one of my favourite too. I came across this short novel and had to read it. It brought back so many memories of how the final book in the Shifter Series played out and how Abby fit into this book.

A must for all those that read the Shifter Series, this is written just as good and with every ounce of excitement that Rachel Vincent always puts into her books.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When all of these anthologies started coming out I thought it was kind of annoying, a desperate sales technique to attach a famous author to several unknowns and convince people to buy a book. But I was wrong, it's a great way to find new authors that I might not have tried otherwise. And a book like this feature all successful authors just trying to entertain us and introduce us to their work through a new avenue. Even though I'm not normally a fan of short stories or novellas, it is a fun way to get introduced to an author's style and worlds, although a risky one for them because sometimes what works in a 300 page book just doesn't translate into a short story. Anyway, I wouldn't buy all of these books, but I very much enjoy getting them from the library and reading stories about already beloved friends and being introduced to new worlds full of fascinating people. And sometimes I find that one great author that gets me so excited that it makes it all worthwhile.

In general these are all shorter stories than the anthologies with just 4 stories in the book, so it takes a bit more skill to get a system of magic or fantasy across and tell a good story as well. I was only familiar with the first few authors, so here's my opinion about how well they did it.

Overall, this was one of the better anthologies. I enjoyed almost all of the stories and am looking forward to reading more of several of the authors books in the future. Good marketing, Ladies! You did your job well.

1) Rachel Caine - proves right away that anthologies sell books. I always thought that the Weather Warden books were otherworld fantasies from all of the descriptions I've seen here on Goodreads and from glancing at book covers. I'd avoided the books for years because I had the impression that I just wasn't interested in the basic system of magic or location. This story made me realize that I was wrong, got me intrigued about the characters and system of magic, and made me look forward to trying the books. Features Joanne Baldwin and David the Djinn.

2) Karen Chance - a very good story in the Dory Basarab series. I'm not sure how well it will work as a stand-alone story for those unfamiliar with the series, but I enjoyed the typical dose of Dory's humor and ruthlessness. Features Dory and Louis-Cesare.

3) Rachel Vincent - a little bit dramatic with some over the top (phoenix) metaphors, and the basic idea that this girl was the fifth wheel on a camping trip with two presumably horny college couples was pretty weird, but it was a good story. It should stand alone very well for people who haven't read any of the Shifter books and be satisfying for fans of the series as well. Fans will especially enjoy the lines, "But girl cats don't fight." "Welcome to the new regime." Any woman will respond to the story, but Faythe fans will understand the influence she's had on this girl and on her culture. Features Faythe's cousin Abby Wade and a small amount of Jace.

4) Lilith Saintcrow - I almost stopped reading it because it was oddly dispassionate, but I was curious once the werewolf got involved. I still ended up skimming most of it. The lack of passion in such a seemingly intense tale was just odd, I couldn't get into it.

5) P.N. Elrod - A fun story, she does period pieces really well. For whatever reason I've tried but never really gotten into her Vampire Files series, but this was a fun offshoot based on the main character's girlfriend. It was fun that the humans women were the heroes, they didn't need help to fight back against the stronger monsters. Features Bobbi Smythe

6) Jenna Black - A fun story about Morgan and Lugh, but I'm not sure that it will be that exciting for people who haven't read the series. And it didn't seem like such a great Chicks Kick Butt story. Well, Barbie did some, but Lugh kicked more butt than Morgan did. But it was a fun story, no real complaints, just comments. Features Morgan Kingsley, Lugh , Barbara Paget, Adam White.

7) Cheyenne McCray - It was a good story, but for some reason it didn't really intrigue me enough to want to read more of the series right away. I like the idea that she's a PI and the way she transformed between her daytime and nighttime forms though. I'm also somewhat interested in the different paranormal types she described and thought that the way she laid out the story was fun and practical for a short story that introduces a complex world. I'll add it to my to-read list, but not the higher priority list. Features Nyx, Adam, Olivia.

8) Elizabeth A. Vaughan - It felt more like an excerpt from a story than a complete in-and-of-itself story. She kept referring to this Barron, but we never met him and I felt not attachment or interest in him. I didn't feel her jeopardy or fear. It was just OK. Features Red.

9) Jeanne C. Stein - I didn't really like it. It wasn't much of an independent story, more of an interlude from the series that was really just an advertisement for the series. It wasn't awful, but it didn't entice me. Features Anna Strong.

10) Carole Nelson Douglas - I thought this was a well-developed and really fun story. I admit to being a fan of the series, so I didn't have any trouble following the references and enjoyed visiting with familiar characters. But it also felt like a complete story with a strong beginning, middle and end and a lot of interesting elements. I expect that a lot of people will be either very intrigued by the film noir references and the fun plots and interested in the series or think that it's all just too silly; I bet it will be much more of the former. Features Delilah Street, Sansouci, Cicereau.

11) L.A. Banks - As far as I can tell, this is an independent story, even though it's about a vampire and Banks is well known for writing a series about vampires. It was quite a good story and made me much more interested in trying her other books. My only hesitation was that the sexy scene wasn't actually all that sexy, it was a little awkward actually. Features characters names Tanya and Anastas.

12) Susan Krinard - When this one opened it felt so familiar that I was convinced that it was from a book I'd read before. Then I was disappointed for a few minutes that it was so much the same as so many other stories I'd read before, valkyrie on Earth, yada yada, but then suddenly it turned in to a really good tale that I wish was the start of a series. It appears to be a stand alone story as well, which is actually kind of fun in a way, that it's something special that she wrote just for the anthology, but I'm holding out hope that she's thinking of turning it into a series at some point, there's a lot of potential there.

13) Nancy Holder - A very good story all the way up until the very end, where it just left me confused. If it's the first chapter of a book then it makes sense, but as a stand along story it's quite a confusing cliffhanger. Features Meg, Eddie, Lukas, Sophie and Andreas.

[Melindeeloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is more like it... these leading ladies really do 'kick' it. Most of these stories are connected to long running series, some of which are complete so it was fun to get an encore from favorite characters I haven't seen in awhile. But while most popular urban fantasy authors take us to their established worlds, there are a few who give us glimpses of new ones – there are a few that I really hope I get to visit again.

Shiny by Rachel Caine ~~ A long drive to a picnic at the beach with David turns into a wild ride for Joanne ~~I love David and was happy to get another chance to see him and Joanne, one more time since Caine's wrapped up her Weather Wardens.

In Vino Veritas by Karen Chance ~~When Dorina comes up against a vampire gang, a very unusual duel is her only hope of surviving. ~~This Dorina Basarab short had some funny moments, can't wait for the next full length Dorina book.

Hunt by Rachel Vincent ~~ When faced with real monsters, Abby finds she's a victim no longer ~~ It was hard not to get depressed by the events which help Abby to find her inner strength in this Werecats connected short.

Monsters by Lilith Saintcrow ~~ Having lost her “family” to hunters, Eleni is out for vengeance ~~ Great world building in this short, I'd like to read more about these vamps.

Vampires Prefer Blondes by P N Elrod ~~ Blondes have gotta stick together, and Bobbi's intimate knowledge of vamps is going to come in handy. ~~Vampire Files connected short, I don't follow the series but I think the leading lady is vampire PI Jack's girlfriend. I have read – and liked – many of Elrod's other shorts, but it was nice for a change of pace to see a 'dame' doing the rescuing.

Ninth Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black ~~ Possessed by an illegal demon or just a rebellious teen? Either way this girl needs Morgan's help to avoid a purification - by fire. ~~ Since Morgan Kingsley Exorcist series is complete, it was fun to get a little Morgan quickie, but I would have been happier with two more paragraphs to wrap up things that Black hanging at the end.

Double Dead by Cheyenne McCray ~~ Night Tracker Nyx is captured while in her daytime PI form, by shifters who can look like anyone and have big plans. ~~ A good Night Tracker carve out with some pretty emotional moments for fans.

A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still be Red by Elizabeth A Vaughn ~~ Better not think of shooting the messenger when it's Red making the delivery. ~~This is my first story for Vaughn so I don't know if it ties in to other series. Even in a book populated by kick butt females Red has got to be the most lethal.)

Superman by Jeanne C Stein ~~ A persona non grata from Anna's past need her help dealing with a predator. ~~ An Anna Strong short,Stein does a good job of writing a story that will work for fans and newbies too.

Monster Mash by Carole Nelson Douglas ~~ PI Delilah is hired to get rid of a singing ghost haunting a casino ~~ The Delilah Street short was fairly involved, so I probably didn't enjoy it as much as fans of the series would.

Wanted Dead or Alive by L A Banks ~~ An assassin's failed hit is just the beginning of her new “life” ~~ I don't know if this one was connected to Bank's vampires since I don't follow that series, but I am not as fond of her shorts as I am of her werewolves.

Mist by Susan Krinard ~~ The fighting is over for a Valkyrie now living on Earth or is it? ~~ I find Norse myth interesting and wouldn't mind seeing more of this heroine.

Beyond the Pale by Nancy Holder ~~ A woman awakened to her hidden powers, is on her first hunt as part of a group of magic wielders protecting the world from the Erl King and the Wild Hunt ~~ As much as I love some of the other authors, this was my favorite of the stories even though it ended way too soon. This is a world that I want to read more about, and I checked Holder's site and I may get my wish since she has plans to turn this story into a full novel in the future.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has been years since I really, deeply enjoyed reading Urban Fantasy, with some exceptions. So take this review with a grain of salt. I am basically working through my TBR pile.

Based on the quarter of this book that I did read these are short stories set in between full-length novels of longer UF series. This book will be better for fans of these series. I think everybody else will miss context.

Shiny, A Weather Warden Story / by Rachel Caine ✅
Read Ill Wind in 2015, ⭐️⭐️⭐️, never continued the series and do not plan to.

The short story was entertaining.

In vino veritas / by Karen Chance ✅
Dorina Basarab #2.1, Cassandra Palmer #6.5. I read 16 of the books and stories. There is plenty more, but eventually they did not grab me anymore.

Can be read for free here: https://www.karenchance.com/extras/vi...
Or get a free copy on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

The story has lots of vampires. The usual high octane craziness. Probably better for people that know this world.

On my TBR pile and seriously considering to delete them:
Masks & Ride the Storm

Hunt / by Rachel Vincent, see Hunt. ❌
Apparently a spin off from Rachel's Shifters Series. I read the first book, Stray, in 2011. and gave it ⭐️⭐️⭐️. Never continued the series or read anything else by the author.

Attempted rape and murder. Why do so many UF stories have rape in them? Not interested, skimmed.

Monsters / by Lilith Saintcrow ❌
I have not read anything by this author. The first two pages of this story made not much sense, you probably really need to know her books for this to work. Nope.

This point in the anthology brought me to page 86 of 366 and made me realize one more time that I do not enjoy this type of UF anymore. DNF at 23%.

Also in this anthology:

Vampires prefer blondes / by P.N. Elrod
Read another one of her short stories in Hex Appeal, it was ok.

Nine-tenths of the law / by Jenna Black
Read The Devil Inside in 2013, ⭐️⭐️, and found it pretty irritating. Pass.

I have not read anything by these authors, unknown to me:
Double dead / by Cheyenne McCray
A rose by any other name would still be red / by Elizabeth A. Vaughan
Superman / by Jeanne C. Stein
Monster mash / by Carole Nelson Douglas
Wanted: dead or alive / by L.A. Banks
Mist / by Susan Krinard
Beyond the pale / by Nancy Holders

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Vampires. Vampires. Sex with Vampires. More vampires. A werewolf or two. Vampires. Sex. Sex. More sex. Dull, uninteresting, boring. If you want to write a book about strong female characters (which is what I was expecting) have them be strong, not just some wannabe tough badass who beats on men that don't have enough brain cells to rub together.

I love strong female characters, but if you're just having them win against thuggish, easily beaten men and then have them swoon into the arms of their gorgeous vampire boyfriend (did I mention he's always super-hot? He's super-hot) does not impress me.

Here's an idea: have a female character with opponents who are just as or more clever and adept than she is. Have her struggle to defeat them, maybe lose something precious in that time, but ultimately overcome her challenges and triumph. Show the pain and loss she must endure for what she believes in. A love interest is not necessary, but if you must make it someone who is interesting, not some vapid hunk who'll do anything for her because it's convenient for the plot.

And for gods' sake, unless you can make them something other than superpowerful, sexy, and dreamy, avoid vampires at all costs. They've suffered enough.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

As indicated by the title, Chicks Kick Butt is an anthology featuring heroines who might not mind being referred to as damsels but who would certainly take offense to the name if paired with the words "in distress" and the implications that accompany such a label. Though these women often find themselves in no small amount of trouble, they prefer to fight their own battles with sharp minds, sharp weapons, and sharp figurative and literal claws. Majority of the stories in this action-packed collection are highly entertaining, our heroines for the most part reaching through the pages, curling their fists in the collar of our shirts and yanking us into their world where they may temporarily go down fighting but always emerge on top - possibly bruised, most likely bloody, but also irrefutably kick-ass.

PERSONAL FAVORITES
Hunt by Rachel Vincent
In Ms. Vincent's addition to this anthology we are thrust in the brutal and gritty world of her Shifters series, accompanying main heroine Faythe's cousin Abby on a camping trip gone horrifically awry. Even those unfamiliar with the six-book series will be able to connect to this story, one of Ms. Vincent's many gifts being her ability to deny us the opportunity to remain detached, instead forcing us to shore up our courage and join the fight alongside characters who we instantly let into our hearts whether we've met them before or are introduced to them here for the first time. Abby's tale is dark and violent, but as always, Ms. Vincent gives us a young woman with unfathomable strength and resilience, and we draw on her many positive attributes to lead us through the pain and death of her world.

In Vino Veritas by Karen Chance
Ms. Chance has a wonderful sense of humor, giving us a lighter snippet from her Midnight Daughter series featuring a dhampir named Dory who has an uncanny knack for getting caught in the middle of other people's problematic business dealings. This short has her attempting to drink a full vampire under the table in order to help an acquaintance, eliciting many an amused snort from us that beautifully balances some of the seriousness of the other contributions.

Nine Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black
Morgan Kingsley is a demon-possessed exorcist who's just been tasked with exorcising a teenage girl at the request of her of her morally questionable parents. Though some of us might not be acquainted with Ms. Kingsley and how she came to be possessed by the king of the demons, Ms. Black does a fabulous job of making the need for that information irrelevant as we hit the ground running with Morgan and her demonic resident. We know enough to clearly understand and enjoy, but also remain curious enough about Kingsley's history to want to go back and start at the beginning.

There are several more standout stories in this anthology, and as usual, some where we clearly would have benefited from having read the series from which the heroine is pulled. Overall however, this is a solid collection that gives both longtime fans of particular characters a little more time in a world they love, while also providing newcomers the opportunity to find women for whom they can easily root and then walk away knowing where to find more should they color themselves impressed.

Rating: 4/5

[Shaineinok · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Venito Veras by Karen Chance—4.5 stars
A Dorina Basirab short...
The best story for me in this collection.

Shiny by Rachel Caine 3 stars
Part of her Weather Warden series


Hunt by Rachel Vincent 3 stars
Part of her Shifters series. Not bad the heroine was a lot less whiny than Faith..

Monsters by Lilith Saintcrow 3.5stars
Not part of a series. Interesting though.

Vampires Prefer Blondes by P.N. Elrod 3stars
Old time mystery feel to this one.
Plot a little confusing but I did enjoy it.

Nine-Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black 2.5 stars
Part of a series I haven't read. Not terrible though.

Double Dead by Cheyenne McCray Did not finish. I don't care for this storyline so I skipped it.


A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still be Red by Elizabeth A. Vaughn 3.5 stars
Different... possibly part of a series I have yet to read.
I enjoyed this one quite a bit.


Superman by Jeanne C. Stein 2.5 stars
Part of the Anna Strong series
I want to like this series but there's just something missing.

Monster Mash by Carole Nelson Douglas 4stars
INteresting.... I'll look for other books by this author.

Wanted: Dead or Alive by L.A. Banks 2.5
This was the only story with any romance to it. It was however extremely rushed and not all that
believably.

Mist by Susan Krinard 2stars
Confusing. To much for a short story to handle

Beyond the Pale by Nancy Holder 4 stars
Way to much for such a short story. and yet I was entirely sucked in.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not familiar with about half of the contributors to this book so I may be missing quite a bit of a story BUT the anthology contributions are supposed to be able to stand on their own. I enjoy anthologies because this is how I become acquainted with new stories/authors.

Shiny by Rachel Caine—3 stars
(Weather Warden series)—Joanne and David encounter a New Djinn as she is doing a photo shoot. Chaos ensues and Joanne uses her warden powers to try to stop bad things from happening.
This story wasn’t too bad but it lacked any depth and seemed like a flat read rather than a story where I was able to enjoy the events as they unfolded. This time they were just presented without too much explanation. One example of this is the explanation for why this particular New Djinn was created. The story is written around this but there are no details about WHY. The reasoning was quickly revealed and was incredibly weak. If I recall, creating a New Djinn is a big deal and the person should be a big deal/big sacrifice, etc…

Compared to other short stories from Ms. Caine, this short story lacks the well-written drama, descriptions, and emotion usually present.




In Venito Veras by Karen Chance—4 stars
(Dorina Basarab series) --I have read Ms. Chance’s Cassie Palmer series but not this series and I still enjoyed the short story. Dory is attacked by a Chinese vampire and seeks to find out why she was attacked. To help ‘save’ someone she has claimed, she must square off with the master vampire who is threatening/challenging her. The main fight is a drink-off between Dory and Cheung, the master vampire, involving 12 bottles of fey wine. Both succumb to the fey wine but Dory is the victor in this battle. The end involves Louis-Cesare, a possible love interest from the series? It seems to add a bit of heat to the possibility of having a relationship (it seems undefined).



Hunt by Rachel Vincent—3.5 stars
Another series I haven’t read yet (that is on my list). Abby goes camping with four friends. She takes off for a walk (in her four-legged form) and hears screaming from her camp. Her friends are attacked and the attackers are looking for Abby—they know her secret and want to kill her. The story revolves around Abby’s desire to save her friend and for vengeance. I am not familiar with the intricacies of the plot but it seems that Abby grows and develops new strength both mentally and physically. That strength is recognized by the alpha who comes to help Abby.



Monsters by Lilith Saintcrow—2 -2.5 stars
I am not familiar with Ms. Saintcrow’s work. This story was slow and at times painfully so. It may prove a better read for those familiar with her work.
Eleni , a Preserver (?), seeks vengeance for the loss of her house and charges.
She goes after a scent and then encounters a werewolf (?) who helps her. The ending appears to have been a shock ending but I’m still not sure because the story had me muddling through it. There were too many superficial details that didn’t add to the story. I found it tedious to read the story and was hoping for a faster ending.


Vampires Prefer Blondes by P.N. Elrod—3 stars
I’ve only read these stories in other anthologies and usually find them entertaining. The writing style reminds me of Mickey Spillane. This story is narrated by the (human) girlfriend of the usual vampire (sorry—I’ve forgotten his name).
In this story we learn about Bobbi.-she is a dancer/performer. The story centers around a group of guys that have been busting into dressing rooms searching for someone. It is rumored that they’ve been looking in several cities. One of the dancers hides and Bobbi helps her escape the life she was tricked into living.


Nine-Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black—3 stars
I am not familiar with Ms. Black but I enjoyed her contribution. The main character is an exorcist who is possessed by a demon. I think I enjoyed this story because she included enough world building for me to get a basic understanding of the characters. This story involved Morgan (main character) being hired by an affluent family to determine if their daughter is possessed. The story that plays out is slightly predictable but is represented well. This story seems to be more YA but since I am not familiar with her other work that may be the author’s target audience.


Double Dead by Cheyenne McCray—2.5 stars
Another author I’m unfamiliar with. I am always a little overwhelmed when I’m given definitions before I begin a story. I prefer to have the world building occur as I’m reading. Moving past that, this story is not bad but is every so slightly hard to follow. It is possible that the full-length stories are better because this seemed rushed to me. I never got a clear understanding of who or exactly what the main character was, despite the definitions given at the beginning (most of which didn’t apply to anything in the story).
This story is about Tracker (who also has several aliases which are never explained) and how, despite being a serious badass, is tricked, captured, and beaten. Then the bad guys tell her all of their evil plans before they carry them out. She escapes and I won’t spoil the ending by telling you what happens.



A Rose By Any Other Name Would Still Be Red by Elizabeth Vaughn—3.5/4 stars
Enjoyable and to the point—no background needed for this one. An enforcer is sent to a gated region to ensure that the new edict removing slavery was followed. As you would suspect, it isn’t. The enforcer shows her mettle. While battling she opens a wagon and discovers beasts. Not knowing if they are friend or foe she battles on. The only question I have that isn’t answered is—who/what are the beasts and why do they behave as they do?


Superman by Jeanne C Stein—3.5 stars
I have read several of the Anna Strong series. I’ve had to pause in the series because the story got a little too silly/drawn out for me. I am pleased to say that this story has made me want to start the series again. Anna encounters Max, her ex, and helps him with a border issue (involving a vampire). The ending leads me to think that there may be a possibility of a reunion between them.


Monster Mash by Carole Nelson Douglas—2 stars
Another author I’m not familiar with. This story had too many details that did not lead to world building or actually anything. They were just dead end details. This story is about a human who lives in a world with supernaturals (I never quite understood exactly what was going on there) and is a paranormal investigator. Her job is never totally explained but hints are given for you to try to piece it together. It is frustrating to have so many details with none of them really tying together.
She is threatened into taking a job to find and remove a bother to the werewolves. Simulated actors are hosts (or something) in a hotel and are having issues. A few have unresolved issues and she helps them resolve the issues.
The plot is poor so the author really doesn’t have anywhere to go. If the plot was improved and the details were more focused, a coherent story would be more likely.


Wanted: Dead or Alive—L.A. Banks 3 stars
I’ve heard of this author but am not familiar with her work. This story is about Tanya and how she becomes involved with Anastas Baranov.


Mist by Susan Krinard—2 stars
This started out well but fizzled out. The world building was well done to a point and then it became too convoluted.
A guardian to a weapon, from a world that no longer exists, Mist questions her existence. Many parts of the plot are questionable. For example she has a special room, full of weapons, and no one is allowed to enter it because it is magically protected. Her boyfriend doesn’t question this?
Anyway—Mist decides to randomly take a walk late at night, to a park where there are only homeless people. During this walk in the park, she learns that what she believed is wrong and battles to save something (I’m not entirely sure—I was very confused).
This story started out well enough but then it went downhill because too many details were given and too many assumptions were made without the benefit of explanation. I believe this could have been a good full-length story.


Beyond the Pale by Nancy Holder—2.5 stars
This story of an ordinary border patrol agent turned into a fairy border agent is a good idea but doesn’t follow through with the details needed to fully tell the tale and the number of subplots further muddled the full plot.
The story is told both in past and present, interchangeably. The purpose of the memories, provided to the reader throughout the story, are never fully revealed.
So many questions remained when I finished the story-- why the children were kidnapped and exchanged. What did her brother have to do with anything? Her special abilities were never explained—too many unexplained subplots.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most anthologies, this was a mixed bag of varying quality. It seem that every story is an installment in a larger series, so caveat emptor as that almost always makes the story harder to appreciate for a non-fan. Here's my breakdown for the individual contributions. I'll mark the ones where I'm familiar with the larger world with a * for your reference.

Shiny by Rachel Caine - 4 stars*

A quick, fun read. I liked the way she played with my expectations for one of the characters.

In Venito Veras by Karen Chance - 3 stars*

Humorous enough to make it fun, but some of the events will lose their significance if you're unfamiliar with the series.

Hunt by Rachel Vincent - 3.5 stars

Set in a world where shifters exist in secret, this darker entry in the anthology did a good job of walking us through the growth of an abuse victim as they develop into the titular chick who kicks butt.

Monsters by Lilith Saintcrow - 4.5 stars

Vampires, art, and vengeance - this is the highlight of the anthology, no question. I was sad to discover that it's a standalone rather than part of a series, as I definitely want to read more in this world.

Vampires Prefer Blondes by P.N. Elrod - 3 stars

Set in I'm guessing the 20s/30s, I really liked the moxie of the main character who went out of her way to help a damsel in distress.

Nine-Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black - 3 stars

I feel like my rating of this story would have gone up a star had I been familiar with the world it's part of. Still, I liked the idea of a demon-possessed exorcist.

Double Dead by Cheyenne McCray - 2 stars

Any short story that has to start with a glossary maybe shouldn't be a short story. The success of this story was really dependent on the reader knowing all the players.

A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still be Red by Elizabeth A. Vaughn - 3.5 stars

This felt more like fantasy than urban fantasy. Well-written, and made me want to read more.

Superman by Jeanne C. Stein - 2.5 stars

A bit too entrenched in the larger story world to be enjoyable without being familiar. However, enjoyable enough to make me put the series on my to-read list, so...

Monster Mash by Carole Nelson Douglas - 1 star

I still don't know what happened here. Something about movies and zombies and shoes? There's an elevator shaft? The heroine is a postmortem family therapist? I don't know.

Wanted: Dead or Alive by L.A. Banks - 2 stars

I just couldn't buy the premise of this story. Former hit-woman now newbie vamp ruler with a conscience vs. the Russian mafia vamp world. Plus romance? Might work better with more room to flesh out the character development.

Mist by Susan Krinard - 3 stars

Non-traditional supernaturals, yay! We're in the world of Norse mythology here, which you don't see too often. Felt like the prologue to set up a larger series, but enjoyable on its own. A little heavy on the info dumping. Also, Loki is an asshole.

Beyond the Pale by Nancy Holden - 0.5 stars

I couldn't even get through this one. Yuck.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

When it comes to anthology reviews, story-by-story reviews are totally my favorite. I usually only do those reviews for collections with a small handful of tales, but I decided to do it with this book, which has a little more than a handful. Onwards!

Shiny by Rachel Caine: Have you read Caine’s Weather Warden series? No? Then skip this story. Having never read the series, I know nothing about the universe and therefore knew nothing while reading this story. I felt left out and lost while reading and trying to decipher things in this story. Things that were supposed to be significant (I think) didn’t make sense to me. Nothing really made sense in this story due to the author completely alienating everyone who hasn’t read her series. This is NOT the type of story you put in an anthology, this is what you post on your official site for fans to read. The editor should have known better, oh wait, Caine IS the editor. *shakes head*

In Vino Veritas by Karen Chance: This story suffered the same issue as the one before it, it is based on a series and if you haven’t read that series then you’re going to feel lost. However, this one wasn’t as bad as Caine’s story, it was written much better, and with some consideration for newbies to her vampire universe.

Hunt by Rachel Vincent: *sigh* Again, this story mentions things that took place in another series. A series I have never read. Specifically, Vincent’s Shapeshifter books. I liked the fast-paced werecat badassery, but again, I felt a little left out.

For the record, I read a LOT of anthologies, and almost all of them have stories in them based on series, it’s nothing new. But I have never had issues with that in the past, because while they were set in a series, those stories stood well on their own and didn’t cause readers to feel like they were missing something. So far, that’s not really the case in all of the stories in this collection. Anyway, moving on…

Monsters by Lilith Saintcrow: This was a cut and dry revenge story. They kill her loved ones, so she kills them. Not even remotely memorable or original. Plus, it was far too wordy, which made the lack of story drag even more.

Vampires Prefer Blondes by P. N. Elrod: Finally! A decent story. It was by no means the most amazing short story ever, but it beats the previous stories ten-fold. I liked this one, I liked that the women of the story joined forces and fought for themselves.

Nine-Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black: Yay! Something new and exciting! It wasn’t cliché or bland. I totally loved the idea behind this one. Laws for/against demon possession – that’s a new one for me (and I read a lot of urban fantasy).

Double Dead by Cheyenne McCray: The first page labels this as a “novella” but it’s actually shorter than some of the previous stories. *shrug* This is set in the Night Tracker series and the author tried to help out new readers by having a little forward that explained the characters in her universe. While that makes it less alienating than previous stories, a good story really shouldn’t need a forward explaining what’s about to happen in order for readers to understand. Also, parts of the tale didn’t make sense. Apparently our main girl is an elf and her job is to track bad guys who can shapeshift, however, she sucks at this job and repeatedly falls for the bad guy’s ruse… even though she supposedly has the power to sense them. Yeah, it seemed silly to me too. I will say that the universe seems interesting. Nonsense story aside, I may check out the actual series.

But, after another lackluster story, I wonder if the editors know what good short stories look like.

Seriously though, a short story is an entire story in a few pages (duh). An author needs to tell a whole tale in those short pages, not a single scene, but a real story. Every word counts because space is limited. And in that limited space there should be a set tone, a voice, and a story that captivates you, a story with a start and end. So far most of these authors are simply writing scenes from their pre-existing series. They could easily fit into one of their novels as an added chapter. That doesn’t make them a short story, but simply a scene in another book. It’s frustrating. The editors should check out some award-winning anthologies for future ideas of what a short story actually is. So far this book is just sequels and prequels. Ugh. Ok ok, moving on to the next story (this is the longest review ever, good thing I am writing it as I am reading the book).

A Rose By Any Other Name Would Still Be Red by Elizabeth A. Vaughan: I actually liked this one. I have no idea if it’s part of a series or not and that’s awesome! It’s about time. It was a little too short though, I would have liked a tiny bit more. It did keep me entertained, so points for that. And points for magical dog-like creatures.

Superman by Jeanne C. Stein: Short. Choppy. Sentences. I almost stopped reading after the first paragraph. Too. Many. Pauses. Why. Did. She. Write. Like. This? It was raunchy too. I’m no prude, I have a bookshelf full of erotica, but if I wanted sex or trash, I would have read that instead. I hate authors who think adding in some crude, trashy scene and a lot of curse words adds depth to their story. It doesn’t. Stories like this are the trailer trash of the literary world.

Monster Mash by Carole Nelson Douglas: A story from The Delilah Street series. After a few pages of not knowing what the characters were talking about, I just gave up and moved onto the next story.

Wanted: Dead or Alive by L. A. Banks: This story started off well, I was drawn to the character and was definitely interested. But, the partnership in the story happened way too quickly to be even remotely believable. Also, it was another short scene from a series. Other than that, I did like this one.

Mist by Susan Krinard: This story had the potential to be awesome, except it wasn’t. This book is supposed to be about female empowerment, hence the title, but this story didn’t convey that. The main character, Mist, whines about her boring, bummer life, a life that she “chose for his sake.” Him being her lover. Ok. So she is miserable for his sake. Got it. Then there’s her credulity – she is told that her old home, the realm of the Gods, is destroyed… but she never actually looks into whether or not that’s true. So when someone from that world shows up her reaction is akin to “Gasp! You’re not all dead! OMG!” Seriously? She’s supposed to be empowering?

Beyond the Pale by Nancy Holder: An excellent story! The only one in the book that I loved. A story of goblins and changelings. A story about what is good and what is evil. The ending left me with questions, but the good kind, the kind that made me want more. I wish all of the stories in this book could have been this good. This one is what a short story should be.

And that’s the end. Overall, this book was terrible. The only way someone could love this book is if they had read every series the stories are based on.

[Jennifer (BTH Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, the only story I have read is "Vampires Prefer Blondes" by P.N. Elrod.

I read "Vampires Prefer Blondes" because I own the Chicks Kick Butt anthology, and I'm trying to actually read some of these stories rather than just let them sit around and collect dust. Because my TBR is all arranged by author, not book, I don't read all the stories in an anthology at one time, which is why I review the stories individually.

The Story

In 1937, Michigan, a singer named Bobbie is disturbed by men bursting into her dressing room. They are looking for a different girl, Katie, who escapes. Bobbie meets a man who is also looking for Katie. He claims to be her brother, but is he? This makes Bobbie want to find Katie and help her.

I was impressed by how the plot progressed to a satisfying conclusion. The story didn't have any holes, and everything made sense. There wasn't a cliffhanger, either, which I really appreciated.

The Characters

Bobbie is a likable character. Katie is too. They are characters I wanted to see succeed in the story. I thought P.N. Elrod did a great job with character development, more so than many authors of short stories I have read in the past. There isn't much time to spend on backstory in a short story, so every little bit is important. Elrod made the best of every page, making every sentence count toward either progressing the plot, setting the scenes, or developing the characters.

The vampires are a little different in this story, but there are some recognizable characteristics like their ability to hypnotize people. They can mist. Wood hurts them. I had never heard of a vampire's blood breaking a hypnotism, but I liked the addition of that detail.

The Writing

Compared to most short stories I have read, this one was really well-written. I felt like the author put a lot of thought into the plot, characters, and actual writing. I'm definitely impressed. I'll read more stories by P.N. Elrod.

Do I Recommend?

I do recommend reading "Vampires Prefer Blondes" if you like short stories about vampires, set in different eras. It's fast-paced and has interesting characters.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (A)

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Rating* Overall 3 stars
*Genre* Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance

*Review*

3 1/2 stars
Shiny is a Weather Warden short story by Rachel Caine - Not sure where in the series this story actually takes place. It follows Joanna Baldwin and her husband David as they chase a new Djinn named Whitney into the Everglades after she steals a priceless sports car wearing a diamond outfit to die for. Whitney's own rebirth as a Djinn is a mystery and one that can't be explained by anyone; not even Jonathan the uber Djinn former leader. *I enjoyed this story even though it was short. Even if it means seeing more of Joanna and David together again, I'll take what I can get from Ms. Caine.

4 stars
In Vino Veritas is a short story by Karen Chance. Ok, I so adore Dory and think Chance should write a bunch more books just about her exploits. Dory and a vampire Lord named Cheung go head to head with Fey wine to see who wins a vampire who is a snitch. Louis-Cesare makes an appearance and there's definitely a hint of romance in the air.

4 stars
Hunt by Rachel Vincent follows Abby Wade who is Faythe's cousin. Abby is all grown up now and part of Jace's pride. She is going to college to become a secondary teacher and is spending time in the woods with her roommate. Abby ends up entangled in a Hunter's attempt to capture and kill her and her friends are caught in the middle. This tale is as dark and gruesome as they come. But, it is also another reason why I enjoyed the Shifters series so much. Abby has matured and grown up since we last saw her in a cage with Faythe struggling to survive her ordeal. Personally, I wouldn't mind another Abby story in the near future.

3.0 stars
Monsters by Lilith Saintcrow tells the story of a Preserver named Eleni who goes after those who took away her charges. Not sure where this story originated from, or if it was written just for this anthology. R Rated due to graphic detail. Eleni is another character that, I believe, would do well in her own setting and storyline.

3.0 stars
P.N. Elrod - Vampires Prefer Blondes is a short story in the Vampire Files series. The story follows Bobbi Smythe the human girlfriend of PI Jack Fleming who is of course, a vampire. Bobbie finds herself going head to head with a vampire who took a 16 year old girl for his bride against her will and mind forced an entire town into doing his bidding. Interesting enough story even though I had absolutely no clue who Bobbi was, or why she was in a club singing.

3.0 stars
Nine Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black - A Morgan Kingsley short story with Lugh, Barbie, and Adam appearing in different places. An 18 year old girl is possessed by a demon illegally, and Morgan is asked by her God of Wrath parents to do an aura reading, but not an exorcism. What happens next is typical for this series. Adam comes to the rescue, Lugh takes over Morgan's body, and the bad parents go away for attempted murder.

3.5 stars
Double Dead is a Night Tracker short story by Cheyenne McCray. It features Nyx Ciar a Dark Drow Tracker who is trying to save the day from Metamorphs after they kidnap her and use her to gain access to the Paranorm Councils locations. They want to to install a new Paranorm Council that is filled with their members and a new leader in it's place. The gist of the story is that they are tired of being thwarted in their attempts in terrorizing and killing humans. Angel and Nyx team up together to take them on. Brief participation by Olivia and Adam, who was last seen walking away from Nyk at the end of Zombies Sold Separately.

2.5 stars
A Rose By Any Other Name Would Still be Red - Elizabeth A Vaughn. Not sure who Red is, or any other background information about this short story. Rose, who appears to be a mercenary, takes on an entire garrison in order to free slaves by order of the new Queen. She gets some unexpected help along the way in the form of what appears to be Werewolves. Unfortunately, with all Anthologies, you come across those writers/authors who have put together charactes or stories you haven't read before. Without an actual setting to reference as a background, it becomes nearly impossible to figure out what is happening in the story.

3.0 stars
Superman by Jeanne C. Stein is a Anna Strong short story. It follows after the events of Chosen and before the events of Crossroads which released 08/30/2011. Anna is approached by a former boyfriend Max who asks for her help in stopping a vampire from continuing her illegal human trafficking operation which could expose vampires to hunters. There is also a wink wink nudge towards Crossroads and a pending showdown with Chael who believes that he knows a way to end Anna's reign as the Chosen one and put vampires at the head of the food chain. I'm definitely looking forward to reading Crossroads shortly.

2.5 stars
Monster Mash is a Delilah Street Paranormal Investigator Short story by Carol Nelson Douglas - Street, a PI and former TV reporter, is called on by the werewolf boss himself to rid his hotel of a singing apparation. I haven't read anything in this series, so the background and Street's character was lost on me and the story is a wee bit disconcerting. The most interesting part of the story is about Immortality Mobs CinSims which produces characters like Lon Chaney, and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Maybe if this becomes available at the library, I might take a chance with one of the books.

3.0 stars
Wanted: Dead or Alive - LA Banks - Short story about Tanya who is a former bounty hunter/assassin turned into vampire after a hit went wrong and she was bitten and turned in the process. I wish I knew if this story was just for this Anthology, or was she part of another series? Sorry to say that this is my first taste of Banks work and she has since passed on 08/02/2011. She seems like an author I might want to further look into.

2.0 stars
Mist by Susan Krinard is by another author I have not heard about before now. Mist is a guardian of a weapon from a world that has been gone for a very long time now. Mist is also a valkryie warrior who lives in Midgard now, or the modern world. Norse characters intersect throughout the story and leaves an open ended finish to the story.

2.0 stars
Nancy Holders Beyond the Pale is the last story of the anthology. Meg Zecherle is a Border Patrol Agent in Bavaria defending the Pale against the Wild Hunt. Before that, she patrolled the US border with Mexico and lost her composure. This story while interesting, is too short to completely understand what is happening to Meg and why. One minute she can only speak English, the next she speaks every language and runs away with the bad guy. Holder also seems to be one of those writers you find doing alot of anthologies.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chicks Kick Butt is an anthology of stories with strong, driven female protagonists written by women. I am pretty sure that I've never read anything by the majority of the authors, and it was the concept that made me pick it. Most of the stories involved characters or worlds from other, full-length novels. Please note there are spoilers in the individual reviews for the stories, so let me just say if you're looking for a light entertaining read, I may not recommend this anthology. It was uneven in terms of writing quality overall, although the stories by Rachel Vincent and Lilith Saintcrow were quite good. I will be honest, some of the writing was so bad I couldn't finish listening, and so the review is only for the first part of the story. The audio narration was similarly off, with some of the narrators's over-the-top characterization taking me out of the story. There was a neutral male voice actor who gave each story's relevant info. While the audiobook came on disks, I transferred it to digital for ease of listening. So it is not a flaw, but on each end track the audio would fade into music, there would be the instruction to switch disks, and then the last few sentences would be repeated before moving on.

On to the individual stories:
Shiny by Rachel Caine - *** Not really my thing, but pretty good. I am unfamiliar with this author's other work, but she wove the explanations in really well. The story was really character driven over the sunny backdrop of Florida, and was definitely entertaining, with diamond bikinis, fast cars, and handsome men. I wouldn't seek out her work, but I'd listen if she was included in another anthology. The car-obsessed main character, Joanne, has a great voice.

In Vino Veritas by Karen Chance - * So bad I had to stop listening. The narrator was pretty neutral, but the writing was just bad. Admittedly, I'm pretty picky with vampire stories, but I did try to give it a chance even after they came out with the 'dhampire' bit. I enjoy well-done daywalker stories. This just wasn't one of them.

Hunt by Rachel Vincent - **** Powerful, slightly triggery with flashbacks to a sexual assault, threatened sexual assault, and violence. Werecat Abby goes on vacation with some friends only to have their camp invaded by several violent men. It is a story about finding the strength within oneself, and the narrator was a perfect match to the story. She relayed Abby's emotional reaction to the events well without distracting from the story.

Monsters by Lilith Saintcrow - **** Characters, concept, narration, all of it was great. Perfect match between the tone of the narrator and the luridly poetic imagery. This story threw together a vampire and werewolf in a quest for revenge, but the depiction of both felt fresh, more visceral than most modern vampire stories. I would definitely read more by this author.

Vampires Prefer Blondes by P N Elrod -*** Surprised how much I liked it. Narrator really sold it, effortlessly falling into the main character and the verbal ticks of the noir novel. I had my doubts for the first track or two, but the story drew me in. It had a very solid universe that didn't need much explanation, plus the realistic reactions of the characters was a refreshing change.

Ninth Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black - ** I was getting an Exorcist vibe from this (which is good, especially since it was about exorcism), but the ending was a bit weak. The build up was great, with a runaway rebellious teenage possibly possessed by a demon, an over-bearing religious fanatic, and a jaded protagonist, but then the world-building kicked in and overshadowed a really interesting story. I understand that Morgan having a demon inside her is from a series of novels, but here it felt like a cheap trick to resolve the plot. The narrator was great, completely hidden by the story.

Double Dead by Cheyenne McCray - ** I had to look this one up to see which one it was, and I still can't really remember anything about it.

A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still be Red by Elizabeth A Vaughn - ** I really wanted to like this. It was probably the most violent of the stories, and the violence was described rather well. I couldn't get a good handle on the main character or world. It felt like something that should be developed into a longer format.

Superman by Jeanne C Stein - * I couldn't get into this at all. I listened to the whole thing, but found my mind wandering. Niether the narrator's delivery nor the story were strong enough to hold my interest.

Monster Mash by Carole Nelson Douglas - **** Although I'm sure I missed a few references, I enjoyed this story quite a bit. There's a lot to keep up with as Delilah tries to figure out who or what is haunting a supernatural casino, but it's entertaining even if you're unfamiliar with this universe. Narrator did an excellent job, with just enough characterization to make it fun.

Wanted Dead or Alive by L A Banks - *** Interesting (yes, I know, damning with faint praise). It was a little hard to follow, as the beginning was an infodump on the particulars of vampires in this universe, but I would give the author another shot with something longer. The characters were interesting, there was just a lot of explaining going on.

Mist by Susan Krinard - * I couldn't finish this, and I LOVE Norse mythology. It may have been the combination of narrator and text. The voice actor droned a little while I was trying to parse which parts of the mythology they were using, and together it just lost my interest. I listened through to the fight scene in the park, but I figured I had enough when even a fight between a valkyrie and a giant couldn't keep my attention.

Beyond the Pale by Nancy Holder - NR. At first the story was amazing, although the changeling bit made me snort out loud in surprise (Hitler and Manson as changelings instead of humans) but I let that part go. Then it got to the bit where faeries actually stole babies and the Nazis were blamed for it, and no. Just no. It kept nibbling at my mind while I was listening to what seemed to be a very well written story, so it would appear this isn't the story for me.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chicks Kick Butt was a amazing anthology that gave me some great tales from a few of my favorite authors and introduced me to some great tales from new authors. As a reader, I love reading about strong, capable heroines and this anthology gave me thirteen strong heroines to save the day. Karen Chance, Rachel Vincent, Lilith Saintcrow, and P.N. Elrod all delivered great tales that kept me entertained having been familiar with their work before. I enjoyed getting a glimpse of Chance's Dory character since this was my first introduction to the character having been a new reader of her Cassie Palmer series, and P.N. Elrod delivered a treat by telling the story from Bobbi's point of view. This anthology also served as a great introduction to the works of Rachel Caine and Jenna Black that I have been meaning to read for a while now and are making me move their works up higher on my to read list. And now I have seven new authors to keep a look out for because I enjoyed each of their tales as well. Overall this was a great anthology if you like strong female characters that take no prisoners, and I would definitely recommend this book if you are familiar with any of the authors or have been wanting to try some new worlds.

[Sho · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title indicates this is an anthology of urban fantasy women kicking butts! I knew only about half of the series featured in this book, but I enjoyed both new and familiar girls kicking butt.
I especially enjoyed Karen Chance's short story about Dorina getting into a drinking bet with Chang the Chinese Vampire boss. There was no serious butt kicking in this story, however the funny banter and drunk Dorry was just great entertainment. I love the touching scene in the end with Louis-Cesare.
Now that they are making these Anthology with the original readers of the series, I can enjoy the audiobook without feeling discomforted by the difference.
There were actually some short stories that made me want to read the main story. BUT I've got to clear my "reading(already bought)" list first LOL!

[Ryu · Rating 3 out of 5]

So overall, I only really liked a couple of the stories in this anthology. Like other reviews say, if you haven't read the other stories written by these authors, you can't really understand what the hell is going on, or appreciate these shot stories at all. Oh well...

Another thing I had a problem with was that there were a lot of things wrong with the feminism aspect of these stories. Almost like they didn't really know what feminism REALLY is. Yea, let's have these girls fight based on their seeded jealousy of each other over a man. Or portraying extremely weak women that were in old black and white movies from the past to overcome a conflict. I didn't like most of the stories because of these facts.

So meh.

[The Flooze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is for Karen Chance's "In Vino Veritas."

Taking place right after book 2 of Dory's series, this brief story was a nice treat. It's a fun example of how trouble finds Dory no matter what. Chance's knack for hilarious situations made me laugh aloud several times and the ending left me so excited for the next book. I can't wait for more!

[Sandra "Jeanz" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel Caine not read in fear of spoilers!
Rachel Vincent 5 stars
Karen Chance 5 stars
Lilith Saintcrow 4 stars
P N Elrod 4 star
Jenna black 5 stars
Cheyenne McCray 4 stars
Elizabeth A Vaughan 4 stars
Jeanne C Stein 4 stars
Carole Nelson Douglas 3 stars
L A Banks 4 stars
Susan Krinard 1 star
Nancy Holder 2 stars

[Esra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read for karen chance / dorina basarab story. she didn't kick butt exactly :D but it was a cool story. and louis-cesare was there for her :heartmelting:
and I read shifter series short story by rachel vincent. this one has a really kick butt action in it lol awesome.

[Enjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only read one of the stories so far and I won't get to the others for awhile, so this rating is based just on "In Vino Veritas", the Karen Chance short with Dory. Excellent as always.

[Suzanne Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A who's who of urban fantasy. Great intro to new authors and revisit with familiar ones.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this collection, I met some new characters that I liked, and visited with one I'd met before. Most of the stories were good to great. Almost all were fun. I'd look up some of these authors again.

Shiny, by Rachel Caine - a fun story with fast, fancy cars, Djinn, and diamonds
In Vino Veritas, by Karen Chance - Chinese mafia, vampires, dhampirs. Like the heroine.
Hunt, by Rachel Vincent - Shapeshifters, hunters, a lot of sickening death. Not for me.
Monsters, by Lilith Saintcrow - Preservers, Prometheans, and diverse fantasy characters. Loved the idea of a Preserver. Loved the story.
Vampires Prefer Blondes, by P. N. Elrod - The inestimable P. N. Elrod. Love all her work in the 1930s nightlife scene. Fun.
Nine-tenths of the Law, by Jenna Black - Demons legally co-habiting your body, fundamentalist killers, liked the heroine.
Double Dead, by Cheyenne McCray - Many inhuman and divers denizens. Good story.
A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still Be Red, by Elizabeth A. Vaughan - Fabulous heroine number umpteen. Enjoyed this rollicking story.
Superman, by Jeanne C. Stein - Vampires, immigration, coyotes, and a bit of a Western flair. Good story.
Monster Mash, by Carole Nelson Douglas - Vampires, werewolves, and CinSims. Fun, but not my favorite. Lots of good stuff for black and white movie fans.
Wanted: Dead or Alive, by L. A. Banks - Bounty hunter heroine, and finally a woman of color. Liked it a lot. Would read more by this author.
Mist, by Susan Krinard - I'm not a fan of Thor-type Norse mythology.
Beyond the Pale, by Nancy Holder - Erl King, the Wild Hunt, kidnapped babies. A really original version of the story. I enjoyed it a lot.

[Jessica (a GREAT read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be the coolest anthology ever! Chicks Kick Butt is an urban fantasy anthology with 13 incredible short stories from 13 incredible authors!

Since anthologies are hard to review, I'm breaking this down by each story, so here goes in the order that they are in:

Shiny by Rachel Caine
Love the Weather Warden series and it was fun to be back with Joanne and David! Shiny includes an awesome car chase with Joanne behind the wheel trying to track down another Djinn. One with a major attitude problem and happens to be a model! It has quite a shocking twist near the end too that totally blew me away!

Overall rating 5/5 stars

In Vino Veritas by Karen Chance
This one is about Dory--Mircea's daughter who's a dhampir. There's lots of action in this one and rousing drinking game that Dory takes part in, in order to save another vamp's life. But when the alcohol of choice is faery wine, things get mighty interesting.

Overall rating 3/5 stars

Hunt by Rachel Vincent
My FAVE of the anthology!! Once again we get to go back to Rachel's Shifter world and this time Abby is grown up. It's been 2 1/2 years since the events of Stray and what happened to her. And the camping trip she takes with her friends becomes a huge mess when a group of hunters starting offing her friends. Seriously! You learn this about 1-2 pages in! And there's quite a bit of surprises to deal with as well. Abby still deals with what happened to her in Shift and does what she can to overcome it and save the friends that she has left. Oh and Jace is there too!

Overall rating 5/5 stars
Monsters by Lilith Saintcrow
This was an interesting one. We have a vampire or Protector who is out for vengeance, for her charges were murdered. She is now out on a quest to track down each and every killer. She also finds some unexpected help along the way.

Overall rating 3/5 stars

Vampires Prefer Blondes by P.N. Elrod
This was another interesting one that has an old-time kind of mystery feel. It's set in 1937, hence "old-time". It has quite the opening when a group of men are searching for a particular blonde at a show house where talent performs, both male and female. The vamps are looking for a female. Bobbi who knows more than the average woman soon finds out that there's a whole lot more going on than meets the eye and sets out to help the blonde.

Overall rating 2.5/5 stars

Nine-Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black
Morgan Kingsley is back! As far as I could tell, it seems like this takes place some time before the final book. There was nothing definite to that feeling, just a guess. Morgan is contacted by a set of parents who are concerned that their daughter is possessed and want Morgan to do an exorcism. But when the mother almost lets it slip that they're members of God's Wrath, Morgan--and Lugh's instincts are kicking! Morgan has to do some investigating and she's going to have to get help from Reporter Barbie!

Overall rating 4/5 stars

Double Dead by Cheyenne McCray
This definitely takes place before Zombies Sold Separately and if you've read that you'll know why! It might even be earlier than that. My memory is fuzzy on a particular detail, but oh well. It doesn't matter when this takes place. It was quite interesting. This time Nyx is up against Metamorphs. And they've kidnapped her, about to put their evil plan into action unless Nyx can stop them in time.

Overall rating 5/5 stars

A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still be Red by Elizabeth A. Vaughn
This was another one I wasn't too familiar with, so it took some getting used to. Red is trying to rescue someone from slave dealers. There's a lot of bad guys to eliminate in the process and then she receives some unusual help.

Overall rating 2/5 stars

Superman by Jeanne C. Stein
Loved this one! Anna is back and it turns out her ex, Max, needs her help in tracking down a vampire. And killing it. For the vampire is "helping" foreigners cross the border into the US, but then drains them dry--killing them--before they ever reach American soil. It was pretty good. Although the mention of one character has me at a loss, perhaps because it's been too long since I read Jeanne's last book!

Overall rating 4/5 stars

Monster Mash by Carole Nelson Douglas
This was a Delilah Street story and I have yet to get to this series and really considering changing that once I get the chance! Delilah was a fun character and the world setting was just amazing! Very UF! Delilah is trying to do Sansovci a favor by helping out his boss with a problem. There's some screaming going on at the casino that can't be settled. There are a lot of CinSims about the place--ghost like beings of celebs and sometimes characters they played, wasn't 100% clear on all of it. But it was rather fun, because these CinSims are a large part of the story and there was more than one familiar face in the mix!

Overall rating 5/5 stars

Wanted: Dead or Alive by L.A. Banks
This was another one I wasn't familiar with. So I have no idea if the characters were apart of her series or not. Tanya was once human and killed a powerful vampire and became a vamp. Now that vampire's friends and enemies are out to get her because she wants to change vampire ways. She ends up getting some help from a vamp who may not be all bad. And together they will do what's necessary to survive.

Overall rating 2.5/5 stars

Mist by Susan Krinard
This was perhaps the most confusing story for me. I almost stopped reading it, but I kept going. The MC is Mist and she's not quite human. That much was easy to gather. There's some sort of mystical world she once was apart of but is no longer. For some reason I was just totally lost throughout this one.

Overall rating 1/5 stars

Beyond the Pale by Nancy Holder
Meg is a Gifted person and was once a Border Patrol Officer for the borders of Mexico, but after a tragic finding she begins to question things. She ends up going to Germany and joining another group of Border Patrol Officers. This was another slightly confusing one, but not as much. There's still the fae involved of a sort. They mention the Pale which is the line between the Faery world and our world. There's mentioning of Changelings and they're a big part of the storyline as well. The ending kind of confused me as well, but I had been reading all day, so my mind was probably spent!

Overall rating 3.5/5 stars

TOTAL Overall rating for the entire collection: 4/5 stars

[Michelle Tempted By Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shiny by Rachel Caine- I haven't read the Weather Warden series but I have read other Rachel Caine. This story was fairly interesting. I am not huge on Djinn stories so I am not sure when I will get around the whole series. This short was about Joanne and David coming across another Djinn who is causing chaos. I think it resolved rather abruptly. Overall a 3 star story.

In Vino Veritas by Karen Chance- I have read all the Dorina Basarb books to this point, I actually like this series more than her Cassandra Palmer. In this short Dorina has a bit of trouble with a vampire gang. This ends in a drinking contest with pretty funny and interesting results. It was pretty much just fluff, but an excellent escape read. 4.5 stars on this one.

Hunt by Rachel Vincent- Abby is a newly turned and traumatized Werecat. On a camping trip with friends they are attacked. Its up to her to face her fears and help save her friends. This story was quite graphic and a little troubling. I am not completely sure how I feel about it. I think I may venture into other Rachel Vincent books but I now feel a little more prepared for it. This was a 3 star story.

Monsters by Lilith Saintcrow- I haven't read her work previously and honestly was thinking I would start soon. Her name keeps popping up on my radar. This story was just OK for me though. I liked the concept and the execution was great, however I felt a little lost on some of the "Kin" stuff. In this story we follow a vampiress, investigating and seeking revenge against someone who has murder all her "children". 3.5 stars.

Vampire Prefer Blondes by P.N. Elrod- I suspect this is part of a series? I am not totally sure. In this story we are set in 1920's America, with a young woman being stalked by a husband she is trying to escape from. He is a vampire who really needs to be taught a lesson. This was a 3 star for me.

Nine Tenths of the Law by Jenna Black- Exorcist Morgan Kinglsey is called in to find an underage girl who is possessed. Her parents seem genuinely concerned for their daughter yet soon Morgan finds there is a lot more to the story than she first thought. I liked this story, there were some interesting dynamics, some surprising bad guys and some equally surprising "good" guys. I think I will look into more Jenna Black books. 4 Star

Double Dead by Cheyenne McCray- Nyx is a part human, part Fae P.I. by day; council member by night. This story puts her squarely in the mess of a possible hostile take over of the council. She is intent on saving herself, friends, and job. That is about all I was able to put together with this story. I was lost the whole time. Just never made a lot of sense to me. Felt a little info dumpy. 2 Stars

A Rose By Any Other Name is Still Red by Elizabeth A. Vaughan- This is a straight up action story. There really isn't anything else to it. Red is a female warrior, charged with removing a slaver and freeing the slaves in his capture. The story has some paranormal aspects but is never fully explained. It was a little short and pretty much just covered the action and then was over. 2.5 Stars

Superman by Jeanne C. Stein- This story is very melancholy. Anna is some kind of "super" vamp but is pretty much just going through the motions. After a disastrous breakup she is very mopey. Failing to feed in a timely matter and such. Said ex-boyfriend asks her for help on a case for which she does. This is the meat of the story, the rest is just overly wordy. I didn't much care for the lack of apologies from the ex nor for Anna's helpfulness. The story was just a very depressing read. 1 star

Monster Mash by Carole Nelson Douglas- Apparently there is a Delilah Street Detective series from whence this short story came from. I am vaguely curious about it now. A strong female with something other to do besides sleep around is a bit of a rarity in PNR so I think I might check it out. This story takes place in Las Vegas, with Delilah, looking into a case of a mysterious Soprano singer "haunting" the place. I was some what lost here and there but overall I was able to gather enough info to follow this world. 3 Stars

Wanted Dead or Alive by L.A. Banks- I have not had great success with Banks' stories in the past, possibly due to, too many religious implacations. Nonetheless it was nice to try a new story from her. This one was all vampire. Tonya is a newly made vampire, former assassin. She is learning as she goes and not quite sure what to do with herself now. Along comes another vampire whom she finds very intriguing indeed. This story was more romance than any other in this anthology, it was a nice change of pace. 3 stars

Mist by Susan Krinard- I have been intending to read her books for sometime. I thought this would give me some insight. I usually enjoy Norse mythology. HOWEVER this story was just info dump hell. I was bored to tears and failed to finish. I think the story is about "Mist" a Valkyrie who believes the final battle of the gods has just begun? Or finished possibly? Either way it was just not gripping enough. 1 star

Beyond the Pale by Nancy Holder- My last hope for this book to not totally fall apart at the end. Sadly this story too, failed to keep me interested. A former US Border Agent turned Fae Border Agent is part of a team, trying to keep the Fae from stealing children and making there way across the border. Interesting concept. Apparently it needed a lot of explaining or world building because that is about all this story was. I failed to really find a resolution or purpose. 1 star

This book as a whole started out good and some of the stories were pretty interesting. There are several notable authors in the anthology as well. However I felt as though half way through this book stopped being interesting and some of the better authors failed to deliver as well. Overall I would say this is just an average 3 star book.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun anthology. I loved a few of the stories, some from authors I've loved forever - I auto-buy any of Karen Chance's Dorina Basarab stories - I didn't even know there was one hidden in this anthology until I got to it. Other contributions were from authors I've had more mixed feelings for, like Lilith Saintcrow. Her 'Monsters' was a great story that really made me want to read more in the universe or with the characters. There were a few authors I'd read before and meh'd their novels but the stories here did kick butt, and I'll go check out their more recent works. Overall, this anthology lived up to its name and also inspired me with some more good authors to check out, so thumbs up, recommend.

Read through SF Public Library, Overdrive and Kobo Aura.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An anthology of 13 stories with strong, independent, and intelligent heroines who are quite capable of solving their own problems and slaying their own dragons (or demons, as the case may be).

Series:
"Shiny" (Weather Wardens, 8.5)
In Vino Veritas" (Dorina Basarab, 2.5; Cassandra Palmer World, 6.5)
"Hunt" (Shifters, 6.5; Wildcats, 0.5)
"Vampires Prefer Blondes" (Vampire Files: Jack Fleming, xx.5)
"Nine-Tenths of the Law" (Morgan Kingsley, 5.5)
"Double Dead" (Night Tracker, 5.5)
"A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still be Red" (Epic of Palins, 1.5)
"Superman" (The Anna Strong Chronicles, 5.5)
"Monster Mash" (Delilah Street, Paranormal Investigator, 2.1)
"Mist" (Midgard, 0.5)

The Stories
Rachel Caine's "Shiny" sees Joanne and David heading out for a drive on a lovely day with a picnic at its end only to be detoured by a Bugatti Veyron and a girl, er, djinn, in a diamond bikini.

Karen Chance's "In Vino Veritas" has Dory barely surviving a drinking bout of fae wine with Lord Cheung so she can avoid fighting a duel with him.

Rachel Vincent's "Hunt" ends with Abby Wade, having spent two summers training with Faythe, finding her courage when the memories of her own rape threaten to overwhelm as she watches the attack on her friends. Jace's endorsement puts the seal on it.

Lilith Saintcrow's "Monsters" feels like an excerpt from a full-length story. And I WANT TO KNOW which one!! Eleni is a Preserver. A Preserver who has lost the children and their remarkable talents which she has been preserving for the future to a group of hunters. Well, turnabout is fair play, and Eleni goes hunting the hunters.

P. N. Elrod's "Vampires Prefer Blondes" has Bobbi on her own adventure as she is ending a singing tour and a group of overbearing men come pounding on her door looking for the right blonde. Seems the "right blonde", Katie, became immune to her husband's mesmerizing stare and learned the truth. A truth that sent her running for her life.

Jenna Black's "Nine-Tenths of the Law" is a scary indictment of religious zealots when parents look for any excuse to burn their oldest daughter to death. A demon has indeed illegally possessed the girl but only to save her HIV-infected life. Now Morgan and Barbara have to save her from her parents.

I haven't read the Morgan Kingsley series but this story feels as though it could fit between 3 and 4 or 4 and 5.

Cheyenne McCray's "Double Dead" is an interesting group of characters from Night Trackers to Metamorphs based in New York City. In this story, Nyx Ciar has been kidnapped by Metamorphs and forced to reveal the location for a meeting of the Paranorm Council. An ignored branch of the supernatural family, the Metamorphs intend to kidnap and impersonate all but one member of the Council and get their revenge. Sounds like Nyx has a nice family group going.

Elizabeth A. Vaughan's "A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still be Red" is a walk in a fantastical history in which a mercenary, Red, is supposed to deliver a message and get out. Hey, this is a chick who kicks butt and what woman would want to pass up this opportunity to get illegally-held slaves released?

Jeanne C. Stein's "Superman" is a sad little story that has Anna encountering Matt who needs her help on a case. In spite of his dumping her and then hitting on other vamps, Anna agrees to help catch the coyote giving Matt grief.

Carole Nelson Douglas's "Monster Mash" is a fun look at Las Vegas and its need for the outrageous. In this story, Cesar Cicereau, the werewolf owner of the Gehenna Hotel, is plagued by an operatic soprano driving all his customers away. Turns out there's a family issue among the CinSims which Cesar expects Delilah to fix for him. I'm curious to read more if only to find out more about Sansouci…he sounds pretty sexy to me.

L. A. Banks's "Wanted: Dead or Alive" is a different take on a human assassin turned into a vampire by her target whom she still manages to take out. In this world, when someone takes out a vamp, they inherit everything they owned including his vamps. None of whom are happy to be owned by Tanya. It's okay, this wasn't Tanya's life plan either. At least, not until she meets Anastas.

Susan Krinard's "Mist" is an exploration of Norse legends: Ragnörak, Odhinn, Loki, weapons, and living in Midgard. Mist discovers that the dead-end life she's been living in San Francisco isn't so devoid of meaning. Now that the frost giants have returned and she discovers Eric's perfidy.

Nancy Holder's "Beyond the Pale" is a different take on the Hunt and the Erl King and his true purpose in taking human children and replacing them with changelings. Interesting but a bit vague. Holder doesn't give much away and some of it is darn confusing. When she shouts "trade" to the Erl King but then doesn't trade anything when he responds. Too many questions left on this one.

The Cover and Title
The cover is a perfect graphic novel depiction of a hot chick with arms upraised and hands grasping something with light shooting out.

The title, "Chicks Kick Butt" is also perfect as every story is about a chick who don't take no shit.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun collection of short stories - all in the supernatural / urban fantasy genre - with female protagonists that, as the title says, kick butt. I got bored with the number of vampires that were involved, and really only two stories were the most interesting to me - a sort of Red Riding Hood story with big, smart wolf like creatures that work with the slave freeing assassin Red; and one about a border patrol agent who winds up in Germany protecting the border between this world and the realm of the Erl King. That one had horses in it, so it was a given. Overall, it fell into the "strong women kick ass" trope, which while I do enjoy, can get a bit redundant.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. This was a fun collection of stories, each featuring a strong female protagonist, and each with a paranormal element. As is usual in collections, some of the stories were quite good, and some less so. It was a good way to catch up on some of the fictional characters I already like, but fortunately there are a couple of stories in here that introduced me to characters I think I would like to read more about. The biggest drawback is that most of the stories don't stand alone well, and are better read by those who know something about the series/world the characters come from.