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mellhay's review against another edition
3.0
With this anthology I'm not going to try to give a short synopsis of each story, as the stories are so short I don't want to give anything away. There are many authors in here I have never heard of, then there are a few I have. These stories were all short segments and great for reading in brief moments when I need a book fix and can't read a whole story. Or even between books.
But as a few of these stories where great fun there where a few that didn't click with me. I have to mention a few of the stories where to short. I felt as I was just getting a scene of a bigger picture, but didn't really have a plot. Then there are the stories that in the short number of pages told a story I enjoyed. But both sides of the coin will come with an anthology this size.
This was a fun witty dark fantasy horror read. If you like a little yucky with your humor you might enjoy this book. But don't look for deep story lines here. There are a few story lines that seem like short stories but mostly not.
The stories I enjoyed the most are: Dark Carbuncle, Death and Taxes, Dog Tired (of the Drama!), The Halloween War, Oh, the Ho-Ho Horror, Her Lucky Day, Barewolf, American Banchee, The Ghoul Next Door, Daycare of the Damned, The Close Shave, Lucifer's Daughter.
But as a few of these stories where great fun there where a few that didn't click with me. I have to mention a few of the stories where to short. I felt as I was just getting a scene of a bigger picture, but didn't really have a plot. Then there are the stories that in the short number of pages told a story I enjoyed. But both sides of the coin will come with an anthology this size.
This was a fun witty dark fantasy horror read. If you like a little yucky with your humor you might enjoy this book. But don't look for deep story lines here. There are a few story lines that seem like short stories but mostly not.
The stories I enjoyed the most are: Dark Carbuncle, Death and Taxes, Dog Tired (of the Drama!), The Halloween War, Oh, the Ho-Ho Horror, Her Lucky Day, Barewolf, American Banchee, The Ghoul Next Door, Daycare of the Damned, The Close Shave, Lucifer's Daughter.
ofearna's review against another edition
5.0
there's a story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman. I had to buy it :>
crankyfacedknitter's review against another edition
3.0
Either I don't care for horror, or I just don't care for horror writers. "Ooh, I am edgy monster, I use the r-word because I'm SO NAUGHTY!"
"What, there are lots of women in this short story! I mean, yeah, they're unnamed, barely speak, and are almost all reduced to boobs and meat, but...so?"
"...what's a non-white person?"
There were exceptions, of course; mainly by the bigger-name authors, ones I tend to read by choice. And of course there were a few clever stories in both this book and the previous one, but now I'm looking at Blood Lite III and kind of don't even want to pick it up.
"What, there are lots of women in this short story! I mean, yeah, they're unnamed, barely speak, and are almost all reduced to boobs and meat, but...so?"
"...what's a non-white person?"
There were exceptions, of course; mainly by the bigger-name authors, ones I tend to read by choice. And of course there were a few clever stories in both this book and the previous one, but now I'm looking at Blood Lite III and kind of don't even want to pick it up.
superstucked's review against another edition
Dnf at 30%
The short stories were not very good and not very funny. I read the first 9 short stories before putting down the book unfortunately.
I really wanted to like this collection.
The short stories were not very good and not very funny. I read the first 9 short stories before putting down the book unfortunately.
I really wanted to like this collection.
pamwinkler's review against another edition
3.0
Dark Carbuncle by Kevin J. Anderson and Jains Ian didn't really appeal to me.
Death and Taxes by Heather Graham was funny, and I liked it. It seemed to get a little overcomplicated toward the end, though.
Table for Two by Jeff Ryan was pretty disturbing.
Treatment by J.A. Konrath was nice.
Dead Clown Seance by Christopher Welch was not my kind of thing.
The Day the Devil Swallowed a Heapin' Helpin' of Pride at the Beaulahville Gospel Jubilee by Scott Nicholson was interesting. Overall, I pretty well liked it.
Piecemaker by Don D'Ammassa was interesting and a little disturbing.
Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban was funny in the way I don't like; people being idiots.
Tails by John R. Little was interesting and kind of horrifying.
Dog Tired (of the Drama!) by L.A. Banks was good.
A Sweet Girl for Todd by Mark Onspaugh was not what I expected.
Tastes Like Chicken by Jordan Summers was good; I liked it.
Presumptions Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast by Mike Baron didn't really appeal to me.
Bad German by Edward Bryant was pretty amusing.
The Halloween War by Brian J. Hatcher was pretty amusing, until the end. Surprise endings with a date work very poorly when it's been five years since then.
Oh, The Ho-Ho Horror by Joel A. Sutherland had both good parts and bad parts; kind of a mixed bag.
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish was odd. Dick and Larry by D.L. Snell was also very odd, and I don't think I liked it.
Son of...a Bitch! by Sam W. Anderson was disturbing, but kind of in a good way.
Her Lucky Day by Alison Brennan I didn't like very much.
A Wing and a Prayer by Sharyn McCrumb was very good; I liked it a lot.
Barewolf by Daniel Pyle wasn't my kind of thing.
American Banshee by Eric James Stone I liked a lot; it was very good.
The Epicurean by Amy Sterling Casil was ok?
The Ghoul Next Door by Nancy Kilpatrick was also ok. There were parts of it I liked, but it didn't appeal over all.
Daycare of the Damned by Nina Kiriki Hoffman I loved. I tend to love her stuff, and it was awesome.
Season Tickets by Derek Clendening wasn't interesting to me. I mostly skipped it.
The Close Shave by Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn was fun, I liked it.
Shaggy Dog Story by Steve Rasnic Tem was ok.
Eight-Legged Vengeance by Jeff Strand started interesting, but it's another 'people being idiots' humor piece, and I don't tend to like those as much.
Lucifer's Daughter by Kelley Armstrong was nice.
Overall, a pretty mixed bag. I liked it overall.
Death and Taxes by Heather Graham was funny, and I liked it. It seemed to get a little overcomplicated toward the end, though.
Table for Two by Jeff Ryan was pretty disturbing.
Treatment by J.A. Konrath was nice.
Dead Clown Seance by Christopher Welch was not my kind of thing.
The Day the Devil Swallowed a Heapin' Helpin' of Pride at the Beaulahville Gospel Jubilee by Scott Nicholson was interesting. Overall, I pretty well liked it.
Piecemaker by Don D'Ammassa was interesting and a little disturbing.
Good Breeding by Lucien Soulban was funny in the way I don't like; people being idiots.
Tails by John R. Little was interesting and kind of horrifying.
Dog Tired (of the Drama!) by L.A. Banks was good.
A Sweet Girl for Todd by Mark Onspaugh was not what I expected.
Tastes Like Chicken by Jordan Summers was good; I liked it.
Presumptions Beast Throws Sumptuous Feast by Mike Baron didn't really appeal to me.
Bad German by Edward Bryant was pretty amusing.
The Halloween War by Brian J. Hatcher was pretty amusing, until the end. Surprise endings with a date work very poorly when it's been five years since then.
Oh, The Ho-Ho Horror by Joel A. Sutherland had both good parts and bad parts; kind of a mixed bag.
The Unfortunate Persistence of Harold Francis Beamish was odd. Dick and Larry by D.L. Snell was also very odd, and I don't think I liked it.
Son of...a Bitch! by Sam W. Anderson was disturbing, but kind of in a good way.
Her Lucky Day by Alison Brennan I didn't like very much.
A Wing and a Prayer by Sharyn McCrumb was very good; I liked it a lot.
Barewolf by Daniel Pyle wasn't my kind of thing.
American Banshee by Eric James Stone I liked a lot; it was very good.
The Epicurean by Amy Sterling Casil was ok?
The Ghoul Next Door by Nancy Kilpatrick was also ok. There were parts of it I liked, but it didn't appeal over all.
Daycare of the Damned by Nina Kiriki Hoffman I loved. I tend to love her stuff, and it was awesome.
Season Tickets by Derek Clendening wasn't interesting to me. I mostly skipped it.
The Close Shave by Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn was fun, I liked it.
Shaggy Dog Story by Steve Rasnic Tem was ok.
Eight-Legged Vengeance by Jeff Strand started interesting, but it's another 'people being idiots' humor piece, and I don't tend to like those as much.
Lucifer's Daughter by Kelley Armstrong was nice.
Overall, a pretty mixed bag. I liked it overall.
craftingrama's review against another edition
2.0
The only story I liked the best was Kelly Armstrongs, the second one the werewolf one that ended up as a hairdresser. the rest IMHO were just a waste of time and one of the reasons it took so long to get through this book
emitchellwrites's review against another edition
4.0
Very enjoyable! Some more my taste than others but definitely a collection worth checking out.
audiobookmel's review against another edition
4.0
I only read the Kelley Armstrong story. I love Hope and Karl is okay too. It is a short story, only 30 something pages. Very cute story. I really enjoyed this story.
bookfessional's review against another edition
3.0
Lucifer's Daughter - 4 stars
In which Karl's sticky fingers unleash the soul of a demon to wreck havoc on unsuspecting museum guests. *snickers*
If you love Hope and Karl like I love Hope and Karl, this is definitely not one to miss.
In which Karl's sticky fingers unleash the soul of a demon to wreck havoc on unsuspecting museum guests. *snickers*
If you love Hope and Karl like I love Hope and Karl, this is definitely not one to miss.
laurla's review against another edition
read only "lucifers daughter" by Kelley Armstrong in the anthology "otherworld nights"
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