Spotlight on Anthologies & Giveaway

In the last few months I have noticed quite a few short stories being released and it got me to thinking, whatever happened to all those anthologies I used to own??  After finding them in my never ending TBR, I teamed up with Arlene and we came up with this!  A spotlight on Anthologies!  We selected the following three to chat about and we have a special surprise at the end so don't leave without checking it out =)

 Foretold

Arlene: When I heard that Foretold had Dimitri and Rose’s story which takes place after the last VA book, I was immediately on the hunt to get my hands on this anthology. Then, I come to find out that Laini Taylor was in the line-up too! Okay, move over bookers this anthology has my name written all over it!!

Crystal: I agree this book totally caught my attention!  Besides the cover being one of the best I have ever seen the author line up is insane!  I mean how could we not pick it up??!!

Gentlemen Send Phantoms by Laini Taylor

Crystal's Thoughts:
5 Snowflakes
I loved this!  Taylor's writing is so amazing and so unique and as always I found myself hanging on every word.  This short story is about three girls who believe if they back a special cake then that night on St.Faith's Day they will see the phantom of the boy they will marry.  The story was really cute and I loved how it ended with everyone getting the happy ever afters, even if it wasn't with who they originally thought it should be with.  Laini has a gift with words and even in this short story she brings to life something that I am begging more of.  Amazing!

Arlene's Thoughts:
4.5 Snowflakes
Okay, I’m stating an obvious fact…. Laini Taylor is a gifted story teller and this short story of Gentlemen Send Phantoms is just one example of her gift. She’s able to accomplish what many authors struggle with when delivering a short story… an abbreviated tale packed with several layers of depth and substance. She had the characters fully fleshed out, the lore delivered in gold trimmings, and a plot that feels complete despite the limited pages. This story truly is the heart of Foretold. Worth it’s price by far! In this story, we meet three friends (Ava, Elsie and Cathy.. aka Pippen) who gather on St. Faith’s Day to bake a cake to lure forth the phantom of the man they’ll each marry. Each girl has her heart set on Matthew Blackgrace, but only one girl will see his phantom after dark. What unfolds is an original and captivating tale that was nothing short of entertaining. Laini proves once again what a great writer she truly is. Well done!

Homecoming by Richelle Mead

Arlene's Thoughts:
4 Snowflakes
I really needed this short story back when I finished the last VA installment a while ago. I was never quite over the little scene where Dimitri pissed me off with his horrible words to Rose, so after all this time I can finally say… okay Dimitri maybe I can start to fall for you all over again. Maybe he does stand a chance for me in Bloodlines after all… who knows?? Anywho, Homecoming takes place immediately after The Last Sacrifice where Dimitri and Rose head to Siberia so he can reunite with his family after his Strigoi turning. During their visit, they are asked to help bring down the Blood King that’s responsible for many killings in the area, so they head to the hills with the help of another Dhampir. I really enjoyed reading about Rose and Dimitri fighting together once again. There were moments in this short story that I feel would have been a perfect inclusion in The Last Sacrifice as it provided the needed elements to complement their final story. Perfectly told! AND… I can’t wait to see Yeva’s prediction come to fruition!!

The Curiosities

Crystal: When I first saw this I knew I would buy it since Tessa Gratton was involved, what I wasn't counting on all the side notes and interaction between the three authors.  Tessa Gratton, Maggie Strievater, and Brenna Yovanoff have made this book into something very special and unique. Throughout the book you get to see all kinds of funny qips between all three authors and it is just so personal, and to make it even more amazing the side notes are in their own handwriting! 

The Vampire Box by Tessa Gratton

Crystal's Thoughts:
5 Snowflakes
Tessa Gratton is one of my most beloved authors and her story The Vampire Box is awesome and I want more!  The story is about a vampire who is caged in a basement by a family and the girl, Nicole, who has been feeding him for the past 12 years.  These two seem to have some sort of a friendship and even though Saxton, the vampire, seems terrifying I am not sure if he would hurt Nicole.  There in lies the whole brilliance behind the short story.  Nicole is about to leave for college and Saxton asks her to take him with her.  Will he hurt her?  Will he protect and love her forever?  The story ends very suddenly and we are left hanging and normally this would irritate me but in this case I loved the open ending.  It leaves us questioning everything and I for one loved it!  Also as a side note if you have read Tessa Gratton's novels then you know she can describe blood better than anyone and this story is no exception.  I had the heebe jeebies from the start!

Puddles by Tessa Gratton

Crystal's Thoughts:
5 Snowflakes
I will never look at another puddle the same!  This story is simply about a girl who loves staring into puddles.  See nothing creepy or out of the normal right? WRONG!  Imagine looking into an ordinary puddle and then seeing tiny hands pop up and try to grab you. *shivers*  Yeah I am officially skipping every puddle I see from now on.  I loved that this concept was so simple but after you read a few pages you see that there is something very sinister inside those puddles and again I want to know more.  Another creeptastic story from Tessa Gratton!

Eternal Kiss              

Arlene: I chose to read a few stories from this anthology because it has a couple of my favorite authors, and to get any sort of entertainment from them, I’m definitely game. I immediately went to Clare and Caine’s stories because they are my standout favorites in this group of writers. Overall, they were entertaining, but not quite to the caliber that I know these ladies are capable of. Fun, but I still wanted more.

Other Boys by Cassandra Clare

Arlene's Thoughts:
3 Snowflakes
This story definitely felt a bit different from what I’d expect from Clare. I love her Shadow Hunter series, so to read a story on vampires by her was intriguing. It did feel a bit abbreviated and light on some necessary details, but that’s expected with a short story… obviously. Collin’s fate was an unexpected twist, and I was left curious about Jennifer’s future. Overall, I felt Clare had a good premise going and if she was afforded a few more pages, Other Boys could be a fun and captivating read.

 All Hallows by Rachel Caine

Arlene's Thoughts:
3.5 Snowflakes
All Hallows is a great story for all Morganville fans. It’s told through Eve’s POV, which is always a fresh perspective. In this story, Michael comes to Miranda’s aid when she recruits the wrong crowd to help her become a vampire. When things don’t go quite as planned, Eve, Claire and Shane come to Michael’s aid to help with a messy situation, which is signature style Morganville. I think the thing that caught my attention was Miranda’s prediction at the end of the story. We all know not to ignore this little twisted piece of freak because most often she’s pretty spot on with her visions. I’m interested to see who will be the victim of her prediction… Excitement!!

That was so much fun!  I think I might need to look into more Anthologies this year!  And now for the surprise!  We are giving all three anthologies to one lucky follower!  All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below, Good luck!

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