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laura_mayfair's review
3.0
A mixed bag of stories. I wouldn't pay full price for this one but worth picking up if you catch it on sale.
thebriary's review
2.0
Decent in-flight read but I felt that the majority of the stories barely fit the theme.
emrodav's review
4.0
1) “Gentlemen Send Phantoms”: One of the best short stories I’ve ever read. It was just long enough, developed despite its length. I enjoyed every second of it and would read a 100k word novel set in this world. Laini Taylor just has such an amazing way with words. 5/5
2) "Burned Bight”: This story was disappointing. There was just too much to touch on for the story to be so short. We’re left wondering about Sam and his feelings for Bright, and what she’s going to do after the “rapture.” 2/5
3) “The Angriest Man”: This story had a crazy amount of potential. The opening vignette was especially good. The story was a little too confusing and rushed for me to enjoy it thoroughly, but I would kill to read a longer story based on this. 3/5
4) “Out of the Blue”: I’m not usually a fan of aliens, but I actually really liked this story. The format of interviews was really well done, and there was just enough humor and romance to balance out the sci-fi. 5/5
5) “One True Love”: This was a sweet little love story. I thought the fantasy elements were a little overdone (especially the names), but I enjoyed the rest of it, especially when Essylt found her new family. 4/5
6) “This Is a Mortal Wound”: I didn’t enjoy this story at all. I think it was supposed to be a humorous attack on modern technology and learning, but I just thought it was annoying. It just didn’t seem to fit into the collection at all. 1/5
7) “Misery”: I really liked the premise for this story. I was definitely intrigued, but I think the story could’ve benefited from a few more pages of exposition and conclusion. 3.5/5
8) “The Mind Is a Powerful Thing”: This story also was pretty interesting. It was actually pretty creepy in the beginning, but that didn’t continue throughout the story I definitely think it would’ve been better with the creepy tone that was established at the beginning. The ending was kind of dumb and not worth the build-up. 3/5
9) “The Chosen One”: This is a good classic fairytale. There was the princess, her rescuer, quests, etc. It was a well-formed story that was just the right length. Highly recommended. 5/5
10) “Improbable Futures”: I really liked this story. The fortune teller aspect was really interesting—though the racist bits were a bit much. If the character is Roma, the last thing she should be portrayed as is another fortune teller. If she’s just a fortune teller, don’t call her a gypsy. If that bit of cultural misunderstanding were cleared up, I’d definitely want to read more set in this world. 4/5
11) “Death for the Deathless”: Like some of the other stories, this is one I’d kill to read a full novel of! Bring together vampires, Paris, and angsty love and I’m hooked. 5/5
12) “Fate”: This is a cute little love story. It doesn’t really seem to fit into the theme of foretold as much as the others (at least until you get to pretty much the last page), but it’s still really good. 5/5
13) “The Killing Garden”: I’ve already said this a few times, but this story would make an excellent full-length novel! The idea of the Gardener is just so unique and creepy. I loved it. 5/5
14) “Homecoming”: This story was okay. Maybe I just need a break from the world of VA for a while, but I didn’t really care for this story. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything special. 3/5
2) "Burned Bight”: This story was disappointing. There was just too much to touch on for the story to be so short. We’re left wondering about Sam and his feelings for Bright, and what she’s going to do after the “rapture.” 2/5
3) “The Angriest Man”: This story had a crazy amount of potential. The opening vignette was especially good. The story was a little too confusing and rushed for me to enjoy it thoroughly, but I would kill to read a longer story based on this. 3/5
4) “Out of the Blue”: I’m not usually a fan of aliens, but I actually really liked this story. The format of interviews was really well done, and there was just enough humor and romance to balance out the sci-fi. 5/5
5) “One True Love”: This was a sweet little love story. I thought the fantasy elements were a little overdone (especially the names), but I enjoyed the rest of it, especially when Essylt found her new family. 4/5
6) “This Is a Mortal Wound”: I didn’t enjoy this story at all. I think it was supposed to be a humorous attack on modern technology and learning, but I just thought it was annoying. It just didn’t seem to fit into the collection at all. 1/5
7) “Misery”: I really liked the premise for this story. I was definitely intrigued, but I think the story could’ve benefited from a few more pages of exposition and conclusion. 3.5/5
8) “The Mind Is a Powerful Thing”: This story also was pretty interesting. It was actually pretty creepy in the beginning, but that didn’t continue throughout the story I definitely think it would’ve been better with the creepy tone that was established at the beginning. The ending was kind of dumb and not worth the build-up. 3/5
9) “The Chosen One”: This is a good classic fairytale. There was the princess, her rescuer, quests, etc. It was a well-formed story that was just the right length. Highly recommended. 5/5
10) “Improbable Futures”: I really liked this story. The fortune teller aspect was really interesting—though the racist bits were a bit much. If the character is Roma, the last thing she should be portrayed as is another fortune teller. If she’s just a fortune teller, don’t call her a gypsy. If that bit of cultural misunderstanding were cleared up, I’d definitely want to read more set in this world. 4/5
11) “Death for the Deathless”: Like some of the other stories, this is one I’d kill to read a full novel of! Bring together vampires, Paris, and angsty love and I’m hooked. 5/5
12) “Fate”: This is a cute little love story. It doesn’t really seem to fit into the theme of foretold as much as the others (at least until you get to pretty much the last page), but it’s still really good. 5/5
13) “The Killing Garden”: I’ve already said this a few times, but this story would make an excellent full-length novel! The idea of the Gardener is just so unique and creepy. I loved it. 5/5
14) “Homecoming”: This story was okay. Maybe I just need a break from the world of VA for a while, but I didn’t really care for this story. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything special. 3/5
drez80's review
3.0
3.5 stars for Homecoming by Richelle Mead, the only story from this book that I will read.
misssophiereads's review
4.0
I only got this to read Laini Taylor's short story "Gentlemen send Phantoms" (which was whimsical and delightful), but I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the stories in this collection. While not all of them entirely hit the mark, I had a good time with these different interpretations of the concept of prophecies across different genres.
lamom77's review
4.0
It was a bit of the much desired epilogue, but also not quite was I was expecting. Still great to get more, hopefully these stories will continue to come.
Merged review:
Loved the Laini Taylor story - Dreamcake and the Richelle Mead Vampires Diaries "epilogue"
Merged review:
Loved the Laini Taylor story - Dreamcake and the Richelle Mead Vampires Diaries "epilogue"
ellyrarg's review
3.0
Some were so good, some were proper awful. I wrote notes for some of them:
Gentleman send phantoms - laini taylor
Ah, this. It’s a lovely sweet piece of whimsy and love, and stubborn girls and climbing trees and cake (!) and happy endings.
Burned Bright - Diana Peterfreund
Wow, that was grim. So so so grim. But also, a kind of interesting look at what it might be like in one of those cults… but also, you kind of only want to look at it with a side eye. That ending, though. So grim.
The Angriest Men - Lisa McMann
If I thought the last one was grim, this was worse. I guess it’s the exploration of ‘bad to the bone’, and destined to be bad. But he wasn’t really bad, and growling doesn’t make you bad. I found it hard to believe he was bad, in which case, it feels like 18 years to only go lie on a grave and die seems like a waste. This was a weird one.
Out of the blue - Meg Cabot
Lol. I mean, we’re they destined for greatness? Was that ruined by the slug man? This one was a bit out there, but I enjoyed the report style delivery.
One true love - Malinda Lo
This was very fairytale esque, but is essentially the story of Oedipus and Larius recast, fueled by a romance plot line. It was fine, I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t awful.
The chosen one - Saundra Mitchell
That was beautiful. I loved it, the best kind of fairy tale.
Gentleman send phantoms - laini taylor
Ah, this. It’s a lovely sweet piece of whimsy and love, and stubborn girls and climbing trees and cake (!) and happy endings.
Burned Bright - Diana Peterfreund
Wow, that was grim. So so so grim. But also, a kind of interesting look at what it might be like in one of those cults… but also, you kind of only want to look at it with a side eye. That ending, though. So grim.
The Angriest Men - Lisa McMann
If I thought the last one was grim, this was worse. I guess it’s the exploration of ‘bad to the bone’, and destined to be bad. But he wasn’t really bad, and growling doesn’t make you bad. I found it hard to believe he was bad, in which case, it feels like 18 years to only go lie on a grave and die seems like a waste. This was a weird one.
Out of the blue - Meg Cabot
Lol. I mean, we’re they destined for greatness? Was that ruined by the slug man? This one was a bit out there, but I enjoyed the report style delivery.
One true love - Malinda Lo
This was very fairytale esque, but is essentially the story of Oedipus and Larius recast, fueled by a romance plot line. It was fine, I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t awful.
The chosen one - Saundra Mitchell
That was beautiful. I loved it, the best kind of fairy tale.
vidhi26p's review
4.0
I only read Mead's story, but it was great to see Rose and Dimitri again. I was hoping for some more stories about those two and it didn't disappoint. Yes, it was short, but it's better than nothing.