The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance (Mammoth Romances)

I’m doing this review differently. I’ll list the title, author, my rating on the story, what it’s about, and thoughts (if I have particular ones). This is a collection of 24 short stories that focus on the paranormal. Let’s move on to the first story.

The Temptation of Robin Green by Carrie Vaughn

3 stars

This story focused mainly on selkies. The story was interesting and I think I could’ve loved it if it hadn’t been lacking in c

I’m doing this review differently. I’ll list the title, author, my rating on the story, what it’s about, and thoughts (if I have particular ones). This is a collection of 24 short stories that focus on the paranormal. Let’s move on to the first story.

The Temptation of Robin Green by Carrie Vaughn

3 stars

This story focused mainly on selkies. The story was interesting and I think I could’ve loved it if it hadn’t been lacking in characters and depth. It’s not every day in the paranormal world you find a story about selkies, but when you do you hope they are amazing since they are such a rarity, but this one didn’t live up to my standards and was extremely lacking.

Succubus Seduction by Cheyenne McCray

5 stars

This story focused on a succubus (Lilin) and an ex-incubus (Archer {it’s a long story}). This is one of my favorites of the collection. I loved the storyline and just everything all together. The story was intriguing and I was just swept away by how fantastic it was.

Paranormal Romance Blues by Kelley Armstrong

4.5 stars

This one is about Melanie, a half-demon and a string of vampire murders being investigated and she ends up meeting a human named Carter. I had expected a lot more from Armstrong. I’ve heard such amazing things about her work and was a little disappointed. I had been expecting an amazing story, it wasn’t terrible, but it was nowhere near what I was expecting.

John Doe by Anna Windsor

5 stars

This story focuses on angels. This story was absolutely amazing. I mean amazing, I was blown away. It was just so good. Shant and Dutch were such an interesting couple. I wish this was a novel, because it was just way too short.

Taking Hold by Anya Bast

3.5 stars

This story focuses on a human helping a wolf pack find a young boy that went missing. I liked the chemistry between Lilin and Mac, but I felt the story was missing something when I was reading it.

How to Date a Superhero by Jean Johnson

5 stars

The title should say it all. I thought it would be some regular human dating a superhero. Nope it was two superheroes. This story was really interesting and I definitely enjoyed it. I just wish there would’ve been more action, but the romance was nicely done and the story was cute and won me over.

Daniel by C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp

4.5 stars
Daniel is a vampire and Karen is his lover. I think the only reason I’m giving it 4.5 stars is because I’m a fan of Adams & Clamp. If it wasn’t for that I would probably only give it about 3 stars. The story wasn’t all that interesting and I didn’t feel much attraction between Karen and Daniel, but that ending was totally awesome.

Light Through Fog by Holly Lisle

5 stars
This story is about two humans in love, but as we go through the story there’s a big twist. Sam and Sarah knew they were meant for each other. When Sam dies in a car accident Sarah is torn, but when she visits her and Sam’s special place and meets his ghost, they spend the night and as much time together as they can. There was also a parallel universe thrown in where Sarah died and Sam was alive and Sarah was the ghost. I loved this story. It was beautiful, heartfelt, touching and I cried. This story was beautiful and amazingly told.

The Tuesday Enchantress by Mary Jo Putney

4.5 stars

A Guardian is basically a type of magic user. The relationship between Charlie and Maggie is cute, but it was way too short. I actually really enjoyed the aspect of the Guardians and their world. I’ll definitely check out the series.

Trinity Blue by Eve Silver

5 stars

Sorcerers/ vampires would be the easiest way to sum up what this novel is about. Jen and Daemon are an interesting couple and I really enjoyed this little story. I read one of Silver’s works before I read this and was somewhat disappointed with it, but I really loved this story. I wish this story was an actual novel. I loved everything about it.

Grace of Small Magic by Ilona Andrews

5 stars

I had heard marvelous things about Andrews, but have always been iffy about adding her books to my TBR list, but this changed any doubt I had in my mind. Grace comes from a family that works for revenants (I don’t want to give away the story, since it’s just so good) and when she is summoned to compete in a dangerous game with Nassar it’s time she try to set things right. I loved this. Andrews in an amazing writer and I regret being so hesitant about reading her work, the story was fast-paced at times, but I thought it fit well with the story. I wish the relationship between Grace and Nassar would’ve been touched on more, but it was just starting to develop which is understandable when it comes to writing a short story. I’m definitely looking forward to picking up her work in the future.

Once a Demon by Dina James

4 stars

Kyle is an ex-demon who recounts his story to Katrina about a love gone wrong and the consequences it came with. This story was really sad, but I felt it was lacking a certain something. I did enjoy reading Once a Demon, but I didn’t love it. The world created wasn’t really touched on and it bothered me, but Kyle’s story made up for it.

Night Vision by Maria V. Snyder

4 stars

Sophia a lightbender who doesn’t go out into the sunlight or interact often with humans, on a random night she witnesses something she wasn’t supposed and meets, Mitch, a man who can help her get over her fears. I liked this story and enjoyed reading it, but I didn’t really like the romance between Mitch and Sophia. It was supposed to be a romance, but it just felt like a developing friendship. Sophia’s ability to bend light was very interesting and probably one of the most unique things I’ve come across in PNRs.

Pele’s Tears by Catherine Mulvany

3 stars

Pele’s Tears focuses on Dillan and Noelani who embark on a mission to prove that Noelani’s grandmother didn’t commit suicide and encounter the goddess, Pele, along the way. I liked Pele’s Tears and I usually love anything with mythology, but this mythology was lacking and I think it was just thrown in for the sake of the collection it was featured in. If the mythology would’ve gone in the story more, flowed, I think this book would’ve been at least 4.5 stars.

Pack by Jeaniene Frost

5 stars

Marlee is attacked by a werewolf and starts to experience the transformation. Daniel is her enforcer and watches her every move. Marlee’s choices are to be a werewolf or to be killed because they can’t risk their secret getting out. I have never read Jeaniene Frost before! I know, I know that’s a terrible thing to say if you’re a fan of adult PNR. Every time I go to the library to get a book from her they never have the first one in the Night Huntress series, so it’s not entirely my fault. Jeaniene Frost is amazing! I can see why everyone raves about her, she’s a gifted writer and she creates such a vivid, unique world in area that’s common. I liked the place these werewolves lived, but I especially liked Daniel. I wish this would’ve been a novel. I have absolute faith it would’ve been an amazing one.

When Gargoyles Fly by Lori Devoti

5 stars

Mord is a gargoyle who has been asleep for thousands/hundreds of years and Kami who has a unique ability to awaken gargoyles and their enemies the chimera. I’ve never read about gargoyles before, but I’m quite impressed. I like gargoyles for some strange reason and wish there were more novels about them because they are just so interesting. Chimera, you say? Sounds familiar, well if you read Daughter of Smoke and Bone it should be. The only complaint I have is that I want more of this story because it felt somewhat rushed and short. I want more gargoyles!

The Lighthouse Keeper and His Wife by Sara Mackenzie

4 stars

Isabel “Izzy” is a reincarnated human to Ezekiel “Zek”, a lighthouse keeper. I liked the story, but I was kind of just like “What, wait, why is Neptune here and where did he come from, better yet whose this Sorceress lady?” I liked the story and the romance, but it was really out there and random.

Blood Song by Lynda Hilburn

3 stars

Grace is a human with a special ability (healing with her voice in song) and Ethan is a vampire that falls in love with Grace. I liked the story, but it’s not worth raving about and it was average, cheesy, and weird. Why does Grace have this ability and what exactly happened at the end? The end hardly made sense and I had to reread it five times.

The Princess and the Peas by Alyssa Day

4.5 stars

Faeries! Yes, faeries. I like faeries because I don’t read very many faeries stories because I don’t want to get tired of them. Lucy is a human servant to this bitch-princess (I forgot her name) and Rhys a fae comes to the court to make peace with Lucy’s race. I liked this story it was adorable and cute, but why did Rhys have to be who he turned out to be it seemed so weird and misplaced? That’s pretty much my only complaint with this story, but other than that I pretty much loved this story.

At Second Bite by Michelle Rowen

5 stars

Julia is at a club when Evan Frost walks up to her and starts sprouting sonnets and talk of how they are soulmates. While running away from him she bumps into his brother, Henry, who wants Julia dead. This story was hilarious and I loved it. I had come across Rowen on Goodreads and was curious about her work. It’s obvious she’s a talented writer and she can come up with great, unique story lines. Henry was sexy and I was rooting for him the minute he was introduced. I like the bad boys. ;)

Blue Crush by Rachel Caine

4 stars

Jo is a Weather Warden (I don’t really know what that is since I have yet to read the series) and her boyfriend, David is a Dijinn (genie), they are relaxing on the beach when a strange drowning occurs and they uncover something that is a lot worse than they sound. They encounter merpeople.

They look similar to that not like Ariel, sorry. I’m definitely interested in the Weather Wardens now and will be looking for them whenever I get the chance.

The Wager by Sherrilyn Kenyon (written as Kinley MacGregor)

4.5 stars

The story is really hard to explain and I think the easiest way is Merlin. Yep that’s right Merlin. I’m slightly curious in reading this series, but I don’t know if I want to. I love Kenyon, she’s probably my favorite author, but I don’t know if I’ll like her series as much as her others because I didn’t really connect with the characters.

In Sheep’s Clothing by Meljean Brook

4.5 stars

Emma Cooper was on her way back home when she was attacked and she rekindles a relationship with her ex, but first she has to reveal a secret… she’s now a werewolf. I liked In Sheep’s Clothing, but at the same time I don’t feel the need to rave about it. Read it and decide for yourself if you love, like, or hate it.

The Dream Catcher by Allyson James

5 stars

Natalia is the black sheep in her society and is constantly being judged when she goes to a party and is publicly humiliated by having Ochen a dream catcher read her thoughts. I loved this story. I have never read something so unique before. I mean dream catchers are this really cool race in this story and I just don’t want to ruin the awesomeness. This story was just so good; all I want to do is gush.

I was introduced to a lot of new authors and I’ll definitely try to check them out, some I’m more interested in others, but I definitely want to get my hands on a Jeaniene Frost and Ilona Andrews novel more than anything. Fingers crossed that once I get my hands on these writers work they’ll blow me away.