Release date: June 7th, 2011
More Info: Amazon The Book Depository
Book Blurb:
Four of the bestselling names in romance and fantasy come together in this collection of thrilling novellas featuring powerful women who know how to handle a hex or two...
New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews spins "Magic Dreams." Shapeshifting tigress Dali Harimau finds herself in deep waters when she must challenge a dark being to a battle of wits or risk losing the man for whom she secretly longs.
In "Ice Shards," New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn returns to the Otherworld as Iris Kuusi, a Finnish house sprite, journeys to the frozen Northlands to confront the crazed shadow of her former lover and break the curse that is keeping her from marrying the man she loves.
National bestselling author Allyson James takes you to Magellan, Arizona, where Stormwalker Janet Begay and her friends are trapped by a powerful curse. It will take every bit of magic simmering beneath her skin for the Stormwalker to survive being "Double Hexed."
From national bestselling author Jeanne C. Stein comes "Blood Debt," in which bounty-hunter-turned-vampire Anna Strong is visited by three witches who ask her to right an old magical wrong. Anna will have to live up to her last name to make it through alive.
Today we have another guest reviewer, Elizabeth. She's another person from the Hurog board and from time to time, as her schedule allows, she will post reviews here. She's 30, lives in Alabama with her husband and young son, used to live in Japan, recently started a paying job outside the house, and loves to read. Please welcome her to the blog. :)
My Thoughts:
I’ve just read "Hexed", a collection of four novellas by some very good writers. The first story is "Magic Dreams" by Ilona Andrews, which takes place between Magic Bleeds and Magic Slays in her Kate Daniels series. I am a rabid (squees and all) fan of her work, so it should come as no surprise that I found it to be a well thought out plot and timeline. In it we follow the white tiger, Dali, as she tries to save the Feline Alpha, Jim, from a curse that is killing him. As usual, Andrews touches on more than one system of religion and magic with a well thought out flow of information that doesn’t get in the way of the plot.
The second story is "Ice Shards" by Yasmine Galenorn. I have as yet to pick up the main series that this novella is from, and I noticed the lack when reading this short. The idea behind this story is wonderful, the characters are colorful and show a good bit of growth from the background she slips in painlessly. The main character, Iris, and her friends go back to her home dimension to try to release her first love from the cursed half life he’s leading as a murderous shadow, while she searches for the truth of whether or not she caused him to be that way. I found some of the lack of forethought on the main characters part a little hard to swallow given that she’s supposedly been thinking about this for over six centuries, but overall it was a worthwhile read.
The third story is "Double Hexed", the title story of this book by Allyson James. She is a new to me author who has piqued my interest. In this installment of her "Stormwalker" series we watch Janet and her motley collection of friends try to break a disturbing curse laid on her hotel, that’s not only keeping them hostage but not so slowly driving them to their baser behaviors. With guest appearances by American Indian gods and demon goddesses this dark short story manages not to be depressing, and even a little adult in its content. I plan on picking up the first in this series sometime in the near future.
The fourth and final story is "Blood Debt" by Jeanne C. Stein. This story starts out with a familiar feel to anyone who reads Urban Fantasy novels but loses the formulaic feel quickly. Our main character Anna, a vampire PI, who just so happens to be a Chosen One who dictates human/vampire interactions, is called to another plane to answer for killing two people. This ‘call’ comes in the form of blackmail, to save her friend’s brother from death, she has to defend her actions and justify killing a dark witch and her bodyguard while in a place of sanctuary. In a genre overburdened with formula heroines with predictable angst this story keeps the appeal mainstream with subtle distinguishing plot points that keep the story fresh.
In other words, this book was well worth the read. Kudos to the four authors on such wonderful stories.
The reviewer own this book.
Novellas seem to be making a comeback.
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