Scan barcode
sparklingreader's review
4.0
This is an anthology with stories by sixteen "Smart Chicks" authors including Jeri Smith-Redy, Kelley Armstrong, Melissa Marr, Rachel Vincent, and more. The stories run the gamut from sweet to creepy, from funny to serious, but all are well crafted and interesting.
Like all anthologies, there were stories I liked, and others, not so much. But even the ones that didn't top my "favorites" list were still good. All of them contained paranormal aspects. The crafting of Jeri Smith-Redy's story "Bridge" was unusual enough to make it stand out. Written in free-form poetry style, it was soul-wrenching, poignant and moving. There were others that pulled the heartstrings as well. But there were also ones that made me laugh, or cringe.
Overall, this was an really good anthology that would be a great buy for those who don't have time or don't want to spend a lot of time in a long novel. The stories are short, easy to read and very well crafted.
Recommended for any teen who loves paranormals and a little bit of romance.
Like all anthologies, there were stories I liked, and others, not so much. But even the ones that didn't top my "favorites" list were still good. All of them contained paranormal aspects. The crafting of Jeri Smith-Redy's story "Bridge" was unusual enough to make it stand out. Written in free-form poetry style, it was soul-wrenching, poignant and moving. There were others that pulled the heartstrings as well. But there were also ones that made me laugh, or cringe.
Overall, this was an really good anthology that would be a great buy for those who don't have time or don't want to spend a lot of time in a long novel. The stories are short, easy to read and very well crafted.
Recommended for any teen who loves paranormals and a little bit of romance.
kkaste's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
trisha_thomas's review
4.0
I picked this up originally because I read all the novellas to my favorite series!
I read:
Scenic Route by Carrie Ryan: 3 Stars (28 pages)
very scary but pretty real situation of what happens when you are hiding out and trying to survive as 2 young girls in the middle of the wilderness in a cabin.
Niederwald by Rachel Vincent: 4 stars (26 pages)
Sabine. Just bleh. I always want to smack her
but it was incredibly interesting to see Sabine and Emma and these other creatures and their interaction. And to know the pieces they held and bartered with meant something later on! I loved it!
Automatic by Rachel Caine: 3 stars (24 pages)
Wonderful. Michael is always good to read about. Any glimpse into his life and the life with Eve is wonderful. But it's easy to forget what he's been through when you are with Claire and not Michael, so I love remembering and seeing the vampire world from new eyes (not human, too!) Ugh, still don't like Oliver.
I read:
Scenic Route by Carrie Ryan: 3 Stars (28 pages)
very scary but pretty real situation of what happens when you are hiding out and trying to survive as 2 young girls in the middle of the wilderness in a cabin.
Niederwald by Rachel Vincent: 4 stars (26 pages)
Sabine. Just bleh. I always want to smack her
but it was incredibly interesting to see Sabine and Emma and these other creatures and their interaction. And to know the pieces they held and bartered with meant something later on! I loved it!
Automatic by Rachel Caine: 3 stars (24 pages)
Wonderful. Michael is always good to read about. Any glimpse into his life and the life with Eve is wonderful. But it's easy to forget what he's been through when you are with Claire and not Michael, so I love remembering and seeing the vampire world from new eyes (not human, too!) Ugh, still don't like Oliver.
michaela95c's review
5.0
I enjoyed reading this and getting a few loose ends tied up for the series.
katleap's review
4.0
4.5
Overall I really liked this anthology. I had read/had heard of most of the authors before I opened it. So it seemed like a good bet and it didn't disappoint. *Spoilers ahead*
Claudia Gray, Giovanni's Farewell - I haven't actually ready any of Ms. Gray's work yet but I have heard of her. I liked this story a lot. The idea of special twins is awesome. I would have liked a longer story so that I can sympathize with Ravenna a bit more. She comes off a bit abrupt but the ghost idea was lovely and the way Cairo backed up his claim. Awesome. 4 stars.
Carrie Ryan, Scenic Route - I read Carrie Ryan's 'Forest of Hands and Teeth' and i didn't love it. (blame it on the fact that I am so uber picky about straight up horror and zombies (aka people that aren't really people anymore). I do just about everything else but zombies creep me out.) That aside I liked this story a lot. I connected with Margie right away. Her paranoia was totally understandable and the way she connected to Calvin was believable. I loved the way sally totally kicked butt. Calvin's question "would you kill me for her" and Margie’s response, priceless. 4 stars.
Kami Garcia, Red Run - Loved the idea of ghosts and catching them. I liked Tommy. I really really would love to know what happens next. 4.5 stars.
Jackson Pierce, Things About Love - Ms. Pierce has been on my to-read list and I must now go investigate. I just wanted to give Lawrence a hug. He needed one. I liked Juliet and her investigation into what made love so special. I really want to know these characters better. 4-4.5 Stars
Rachel Vincent, Niederwald - This one has me a bit flip flopped. I read most of the Prey books but didn't finish the series because I had issues with the main girl (like OMG get a clue and figure it out you stupid ******). I love the premise of this story. Sabine is a nightmare and had most certainly not been domesticated. Syrie was awesome and I want to know more about her. It was actually Emma (the best friend of the girl is the girlfriends of the BOY) who stole the show. She came to the rescue, fought for herself and Sabine and totally is not a pushover. I think Sabine is a bit obsessed (like almost scarily will come back to destroy her and ruin all lives of people involved obsessed) but without actually reading the whole story I can't judge too much. 4 stars overall. 4.5 for Emma.
Melissa Marr, Merely Mortal - Have these books. Love these books. Adore Keenan and Donia, (especially Donia). Love the way they solved the video problem. 4.5 Stars.
Kelly Armstrong, Facing Facts - I have a love/hate relationship with this world. Sometimes I really like it and other s I absolutely hate it. Read the first book of this world, haven't read the other two but I liked Chloe and Derek. So it was good. 4 stars
Sarah Rees Brennan, Let’s Get This Undead Show On the Road - Another love/hate. Love the vampire band. The beginning was a bit kooky. Loved the Christian and family issues. Adored the Christian and Band issues. Found Lucille weird. Kidnapping awesome and Bradley was a kick. 4 Stars.
Jeri Smith-Ready, Bridge - This one made me cry. I almost skipped it and was so glad I didn't. It hit exactly the right notes for mourning and moving one and regret and bitterness and hope. It hit them all and I am such a sucker for a well done melancholy/tragic story with a tiny dash of 'is that light' at the end. I actually read it twice too. Although the poetry format did absolutely nothing for me. 5 stars.
Kimberly Derting, Skin Contact - The potential for this one was through the roof. It could totally be prologue for a book. One that I want to read. How does Sophie's death affect the rest of Rafe's life. Cause it will. It was awesome.
Ally Condie, Leaving – This one was weird. The idea of living in bubbles and the outside is dangerous, fine. The untouchable status, cool and I’m good with it. But the rest was weird and I’m not sure how much I really liked it. 3.5 stars.
Jessica Verday, At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show - I liked this one. The girl scouts were weird. I loved the family of hunters idea (and the possibility that her brother really does know what she’s doing). The vampires (defanged and totally rocky horror) stole the show. I spent the whole story singing Rocky Horror Songs (I blame Glee). The bleeding boy on the table, the scared vampires and the resurrectionist. It was out there but it was funny and it clicked. Although David losing his leg was odd and bit much. On a whole it was great. 4.5 Stars.
Margaret Stohl, IV League – This story was not my cup of tea. The only thing I really liked was the end where they got into the school and took the dog with them. Other than that I didn’t like it at all. 2 Stars
Mary E. Pearson, Gargouille – This story was depressing. I liked that Giselle and Etienne got to be together in the end but the whole losing their wings and then their memories was sad. 4 Stars.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Third Kind – I liked this story and I want to know how it ends. Do they go straight to the Mojave Desert? Do they meet Ariel again? Is there an actual name for the third kind? What about the black kind? And what happens in the end? Great start. Now I want more. 4 stars.
Rachel Caine, Automatic – I haven’t read any of her Morganville vampire series but I have her weather warden series. I did not like Oliver at all. I think that I might go investigate this series though. 4 stars.
Overall I really liked this anthology. I had read/had heard of most of the authors before I opened it. So it seemed like a good bet and it didn't disappoint. *Spoilers ahead*
Claudia Gray, Giovanni's Farewell - I haven't actually ready any of Ms. Gray's work yet but I have heard of her. I liked this story a lot. The idea of special twins is awesome. I would have liked a longer story so that I can sympathize with Ravenna a bit more. She comes off a bit abrupt but the ghost idea was lovely and the way Cairo backed up his claim. Awesome. 4 stars.
Carrie Ryan, Scenic Route - I read Carrie Ryan's 'Forest of Hands and Teeth' and i didn't love it. (blame it on the fact that I am so uber picky about straight up horror and zombies (aka people that aren't really people anymore). I do just about everything else but zombies creep me out.) That aside I liked this story a lot. I connected with Margie right away. Her paranoia was totally understandable and the way she connected to Calvin was believable. I loved the way sally totally kicked butt. Calvin's question "would you kill me for her" and Margie’s response, priceless. 4 stars.
Kami Garcia, Red Run - Loved the idea of ghosts and catching them. I liked Tommy. I really really would love to know what happens next. 4.5 stars.
Jackson Pierce, Things About Love - Ms. Pierce has been on my to-read list and I must now go investigate. I just wanted to give Lawrence a hug. He needed one. I liked Juliet and her investigation into what made love so special. I really want to know these characters better. 4-4.5 Stars
Rachel Vincent, Niederwald - This one has me a bit flip flopped. I read most of the Prey books but didn't finish the series because I had issues with the main girl (like OMG get a clue and figure it out you stupid ******). I love the premise of this story. Sabine is a nightmare and had most certainly not been domesticated. Syrie was awesome and I want to know more about her. It was actually Emma (the best friend of the girl is the girlfriends of the BOY) who stole the show. She came to the rescue, fought for herself and Sabine and totally is not a pushover. I think Sabine is a bit obsessed (like almost scarily will come back to destroy her and ruin all lives of people involved obsessed) but without actually reading the whole story I can't judge too much. 4 stars overall. 4.5 for Emma.
Melissa Marr, Merely Mortal - Have these books. Love these books. Adore Keenan and Donia, (especially Donia). Love the way they solved the video problem. 4.5 Stars.
Kelly Armstrong, Facing Facts - I have a love/hate relationship with this world. Sometimes I really like it and other s I absolutely hate it. Read the first book of this world, haven't read the other two but I liked Chloe and Derek. So it was good. 4 stars
Sarah Rees Brennan, Let’s Get This Undead Show On the Road - Another love/hate. Love the vampire band. The beginning was a bit kooky. Loved the Christian and family issues. Adored the Christian and Band issues. Found Lucille weird. Kidnapping awesome and Bradley was a kick. 4 Stars.
Jeri Smith-Ready, Bridge - This one made me cry. I almost skipped it and was so glad I didn't. It hit exactly the right notes for mourning and moving one and regret and bitterness and hope. It hit them all and I am such a sucker for a well done melancholy/tragic story with a tiny dash of 'is that light' at the end. I actually read it twice too. Although the poetry format did absolutely nothing for me. 5 stars.
Kimberly Derting, Skin Contact - The potential for this one was through the roof. It could totally be prologue for a book. One that I want to read. How does Sophie's death affect the rest of Rafe's life. Cause it will. It was awesome.
Ally Condie, Leaving – This one was weird. The idea of living in bubbles and the outside is dangerous, fine. The untouchable status, cool and I’m good with it. But the rest was weird and I’m not sure how much I really liked it. 3.5 stars.
Jessica Verday, At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show - I liked this one. The girl scouts were weird. I loved the family of hunters idea (and the possibility that her brother really does know what she’s doing). The vampires (defanged and totally rocky horror) stole the show. I spent the whole story singing Rocky Horror Songs (I blame Glee). The bleeding boy on the table, the scared vampires and the resurrectionist. It was out there but it was funny and it clicked. Although David losing his leg was odd and bit much. On a whole it was great. 4.5 Stars.
Margaret Stohl, IV League – This story was not my cup of tea. The only thing I really liked was the end where they got into the school and took the dog with them. Other than that I didn’t like it at all. 2 Stars
Mary E. Pearson, Gargouille – This story was depressing. I liked that Giselle and Etienne got to be together in the end but the whole losing their wings and then their memories was sad. 4 Stars.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Third Kind – I liked this story and I want to know how it ends. Do they go straight to the Mojave Desert? Do they meet Ariel again? Is there an actual name for the third kind? What about the black kind? And what happens in the end? Great start. Now I want more. 4 stars.
Rachel Caine, Automatic – I haven’t read any of her Morganville vampire series but I have her weather warden series. I did not like Oliver at all. I think that I might go investigate this series though. 4 stars.
mrsjkamp's review
3.0
I received this book through Around The World ARC Tours. Here is my honest review:
I must admit - I only read certain stories from this book. Why? Because I'm not familiar with all the authors and their respective book universes. Make sense? I read a few, some from authors I know well, and some original stories. I'm not big on short story anthologies, but I do like the short stories from series I normally read. Here are the ones I read and what I thought:
Jackson Pearce - Things About Love
This one is written in the As You Wish universe. First person/present tense with alternating POVs between Lawrence and Juliet. I have not read the As You Wish book(s), but I enjoyed this little story on love. It didn't really make me want to read her As You Wish novel(s) because I'm not all that into genies, but I may check them out. I did appreciate the gay character. :o)
Jeri Smith-Ready - Bridge
Set in her Shade/Shift series, Logan is telling this story in first person/present tense. He wants to find someone to talk to his older brother Mickey for him. He finds Krista, and the meeting is bittersweet for everyone. Good story, written in verse, and that made it very different.
Kimberly Derting - Skin Contact
Told in third person/past tense, this story is set in The Body Finder world. Rafe's story about Sophie is heartbreaking and very sad. Keep tissue with you for this one. While Jay and Vi make no appearance, this is a great addition to The Body Finder series.
Ally Condie - Leaving
A stand-alone dystopian short, Leaving is about a girl whose dad has disappeared, leaving her marked in her society. She also wants to leave, but the choice isn't always as clear-cut as it seems. I think this one can become something way more if she chooses, and I may check it out. I didn't care all that much for Matched, but this one seems different enough. Told in first person/present tense.
Jessica Verday - At The Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show
Jane, part of a family of supernatural-being hunters, runs into some trouble on an unapproved solo mission. She comes across some interesting characters dressed and ready for a Rocky Horror convention and talent show! A story about Rocky Horror? Count me in! The dedication is priceless, too. Great original. Wanted a little more from one part, but that's okay!
I must admit - I only read certain stories from this book. Why? Because I'm not familiar with all the authors and their respective book universes. Make sense? I read a few, some from authors I know well, and some original stories. I'm not big on short story anthologies, but I do like the short stories from series I normally read. Here are the ones I read and what I thought:
Jackson Pearce - Things About Love
This one is written in the As You Wish universe. First person/present tense with alternating POVs between Lawrence and Juliet. I have not read the As You Wish book(s), but I enjoyed this little story on love. It didn't really make me want to read her As You Wish novel(s) because I'm not all that into genies, but I may check them out. I did appreciate the gay character. :o)
Jeri Smith-Ready - Bridge
Set in her Shade/Shift series, Logan is telling this story in first person/present tense. He wants to find someone to talk to his older brother Mickey for him. He finds Krista, and the meeting is bittersweet for everyone. Good story, written in verse, and that made it very different.
Kimberly Derting - Skin Contact
Told in third person/past tense, this story is set in The Body Finder world. Rafe's story about Sophie is heartbreaking and very sad. Keep tissue with you for this one. While Jay and Vi make no appearance, this is a great addition to The Body Finder series.
Ally Condie - Leaving
A stand-alone dystopian short, Leaving is about a girl whose dad has disappeared, leaving her marked in her society. She also wants to leave, but the choice isn't always as clear-cut as it seems. I think this one can become something way more if she chooses, and I may check it out. I didn't care all that much for Matched, but this one seems different enough. Told in first person/present tense.
Jessica Verday - At The Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show
Jane, part of a family of supernatural-being hunters, runs into some trouble on an unapproved solo mission. She comes across some interesting characters dressed and ready for a Rocky Horror convention and talent show! A story about Rocky Horror? Count me in! The dedication is priceless, too. Great original. Wanted a little more from one part, but that's okay!
hobbitsbooksandbeyond's review
3.0
Most of the stories in this collection are little gems, i enjoyed them