Trisha Telep

Stories are reviewed individually with a wrap up overall after.

"The Assassin's Apprentice" by Michelle Zink
A young girl wishes vengeance on the demon who slew her parents, but is she being aided or hindered by a mysterious young man named Asher? Obviously, not set in her Prophecy of the Sisters books. That said, everything I loved about PotS remains true here. Rose is not an easy person to get along with--too stubborn as she freely admits and Asher is much too secretive to be trustworthy in my opinion. Some of the developments felt more shallow then usual, but as its a short story I forgave quickly. Especially as I liked the ending--it served both their needs perfectly.

"Errant" by Diana Peterfreund
This is set in her Unicorn Hunters Universe, which I haven't read. Gitta arrives at the chateau for the traditional Unicorn Hunt to celebrate Elise's upcoming marriage, but in a household of secrets no one wants what they say they want. This didn't read like a short story to me, it read more like a novel. The pacing wasn't rushed, the two characters who meant something--Gitta and Elise--were both well developed and quite a bit happened in the relatively few pages. The 'love' in this story is less of a romantic nature and more of kindred spirits I think.

"The Spirit Jar" by Karen Mahoney
This a direct sequel to her short story from The Eternal Kiss called "Falling to Ash", so I suggest you read that first before reading this. Moth's story in The Eternal Kiss intrigued me, but there was a lot of developmental problems that gave me pause. Not so in here. Moth is a year older, a year wiser and year more desperate to get away from her Maker Theo. Except Theo is hellbent on keeping her and his latest impossible mission only gets more complicated when she meets a not quite human boy named Adam. Oh I loved this story. I really, really did. Moth's struggle to retain pieces of her mortal life, to keep herself together, are bittersweet. She's kind of like the Little Engine that Could "I think I can I think I can" is her mantra. The complication presented by Adam was intriguing and gave us a chance to see Moth shine--her reluctant use of her 'vampire'-ness, urge to keep helping Adam, thoughts of Jason (from "Falling to Ash")...I hope to see more of Moth in the future.

"Lost" by Justine Musk
I haven't read Musk before, though I feel as if I should now. By the end of the story it becomes apparent what this is meant to be a re-imagining of (it ruins the surprise if I say so now). Sasha finds things, but since her best friend Josh's accident she's felt so lost. An enigmatic stranger who seems to know her holds the key to helping her regain herself--but his price may be too steep. I loved the twist, though I would have preferred if more time had spent on the relationship between Sasha and Haiden.

"The Spy Who Never Grew Up" by Sarah Rees Brennan
If the title doesn't give you an idea of who has a starring role here let me tell you--Peter Pan. But not the Pan you may know. Beautiful and dangerous, Peter works for Her Majesty as her top level spy, but he's still the little boy who never wanted to grow up. This was a kind of chilling story actually, despite the light-hearted tone. Peter Pan was always one of those books that gave me chills, but Brennan's Pan is creepifying; he's kind of grown up, but still retains his baby teeth for instance. And the deal he strikes with Her Maj is...wrong, on so many levels. But I really did enjoy it however.

"Behind the Red Door" by Caitlin Kittredge
A dare from her friends sparks a meeting between Jo and the ghost of Ash House. A kindred spirit (ha) who she spends all her time with, but does he really love her or is she living in a dream? This story was so many things. Part accepting changes in your life and part finding your place in the world, I wasn't certain where it was heading until it became glaringly obvious. I liked it, how the story was broken into parts based on the month, pulling snippets from Jo's life. I was sad for her though in the end.

"Hare Moon" by Carrie Ryan
Sister Tabitha from Forest of Hands and Teeth is the focus of this story, set during her girlhood years when she first joined the Sisterhood. Its a story about duty, love and devotion--what's more important, your selfish wants or the betterment of the whole? I enjoyed this story because it helped me understand better where Sister Tabitha was coming from in Forest. She understood, perhaps better than anyone else, what Mary was going through; the need for freedom and to see the 'world', the constricting nature of their village. How one simple choice is all that it takes to tear down generations of protection.

"Familiar" by Michelle Rowan
This was a nice story about a witch-in-training, her bad luck in choosing a familiar and the boy she accidentally bonded with. I'm rather neutral on this because I'm not a big fan of finding real emotions after magically fabricated ones, but on the bright side I liked that Owen was a werecat of all shapes and sizes!

"Fearless" by Rachel Vincent
Set in her Soul Screamers universe, this is a story about Sabine, a mara who's stuck in the Texas Juvenile Correctional Program. A mara is basically a supernatural creature that feeds off the nightmares and fears of others. This mara in particular has a connection to Nash and the story is set before Nash meets Kaylee by about 2 years (in fact Tod is still alive). This is a pre-cursor to what we can expect in the fourth book My Soul to Steal pretty much. A very ominous pre-cursor since Sabine doesn't seem like the type to say 'lol it was 2 years ago so I understand'. Let me just say the more I read about Nash the less I am liking him. Sabine however is going to be a fun, intriguing character and it makes me want My Soul to Steal now.

"Vermillion" by Daniel Marks
Velvet and Nick are sent on a mission to help out in Vermilion to track down a rogue spirit wreaking havoc in the mortal realm. And that's when things get weird. I really enjoyed this story! At first I wasn't certain, because the background of the story is told in a confusing way, but I really got into it. I liked that spirits have to cover themselves in ash while in Purgatory. That there is a Purgatory and its not terribly different from the mortal world. I really liked Velvet and Nick and hope to see more of them in the future.

"The Hounds of Ulster" by Maggie Stiefvater
Bryant and Sullivan were going to be Irish Punk Gods that ruled the world. Until She came along and ruined what they had together. I spent a lot of time wondering at Bryant's gender in this story--which is ridiculous because it didn't really matter one way or the other, but I was really really curious. At the end of the story we find out definitively. Bryant says, at the beginning of the story, that its Sullivan's story. The story of how the two of them joined the seisun at Mullen's Pub, their dreams and aspirations, of what happened when They got involved. Or who Bryant thought was Them. Interwoven throughout is the story of Cu Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster, and his rages that made him a legend. This story was so wistful and sad and I wanted so badly for them to achieve their goals.

"Many Happy Returns" by Daniel Waters
This ties in with Waters "Generation Dead" series. It should be known that the "Generation Dead" novels make me cry more often than not. This story is no different. After an accident claimed the lives of 4 teenagers (and left another comatose), the town grieves and tries to move forward. Cal, who's daughter Mandy was in the van, watches the other parents and their reactions to the knowledge that their kids may return. Its heart-breaking for a child to die, but I think its worse to have the hope they may come back and if they don't, what do you do? I cried the hardest though because of Jake's younger brother Andy who missed his big brother so much and made him his favorite breakfast every day just in case he came back. Its making me cry now and I finished the story hours ago.

"TBA" by Becca Fitzpatrick
As I received this as an ARC, which did not have Becca's story in it, I can't comment on this one. Once my finished copy arrives I will revise this review to reflect how I feel.

Like The Eternal Kiss anthology, a lot of the stories (the ones not tied in with larger universes) made me want more. Daniel Marks' story for instance or Justine Musk's. This is why I like anthologies--it gives me a chance to read authors I haven't read before (this is also the curse, because now I want more). I appreciated both Rachel Vincent's and Carrie Ryan's stories for the fact they offered insight into their respective universes. This one felt more overtly romantic Eternal Kiss however. I certainly hope there will be another anthology of this nature soon!… (mer)

For the record, I really don't like the back cover blurb. It wouldn't interest me at all if I wasn't already a fan of most of the authors herein. Stories are reviewed individually as well as an overall comment at the end.

"Falling to Ash" by Karen Mahoney
Moth is a (fairly) new vampire returning home for her mother's memorial service. Unfortunately her sire, Theo needs her to do a job for him that involves reclaiming the ashes of a dead vampire master from a deadly vampire killer. I really liked Moth and her ways of handling the various situations thrown at her. I want to know more about her, read more about her adventures. The only part I wasn't too happy about was the end, after her run-in with Vamp Slayer Jr, when it handles her family. It was rushed and we're not really given a lot of depth to understand why it was as sorrowful as I feel the author was going for.

"Shelter Island" by Melissa de la Cruz
A young girl meets a former resident of her house and the danger that has kept him from leaving. This was short, sweet and entertaining. Hannah is a level-headed girl, not prone to hysterics (thankfully) and the vampire boy she meets and befriends has angst issues, but they're understandable and not annoying. The story flowed easily and didn't seem like it was in a rush. The end came when the end came, but it was a satisfying ending.

"Sword Point" by Maria V. Snyder
Ava dreams of training under the Italian fencing master Bossemi at his illustrious school. She does not, however, dream of vampires ending that ambition before it even begins. This is only my second taste of MVS's writing outside of the Poison Study/Storm Glass world and I found this one to be as engrossing as her others. Ava is a likable character and Jarett is a fairly likable guy (dressed all in black, which is a sure marker for hero designation I sometimes think when reading her stories). You get a real sense of Ava from the story and fair sense of Jarett as well--who they are, their motivations and ambitions. The vampires (vampiros) were gruesome, creepy and totally deserving of their ending.

"The Coldest Girl in Coldtown" by Holly Black
Matilda used to be a normal girl, until she was bitten and made Cold. Now as she fights to keep her humanity by saying perpetually drunk, the friends she left behind may need her help. This was a different look at vampires and vampirism. I liked that you could, in theory, not turn into a vampire if you could hold out from drinking human blood for 88 days. The idea of Coldtown, where the vampires lived and where humans could go and party by bartering their blood for life, was also an interesting concept. While I was rooting for a different outcome to the story, I found the ending to be...poetic. It fit perfectly.

"Undead is Very Hot Right Now" by Sarah Rees Brennan
All Christian wanted to be a rock star--he got his wish, but is being the vampire gimmick of a boy band really what he wanted? Alternatively I think this should have been titled 'I'm not a brooding vampire looking for his soul kthaxbai' This is a snarky, amusing and slightly wistful tale of a guy who just happens to be a vampire that's being exploited by a grasping manager. I felt so bad for Christian, its not that no one understood him, it was more that they thought they understood him better then he understood himself. There are a bunch of really witty one-liners in here and I think that the pamphlet that Christian has memorized needs to be updated since it didn't help him handle an idiot lead singer with idol aspirations, nerdy asthmatic bandmate so very scared of him or a stoner drummer who just does not get anything, ever.

"Kat" by Kelley Armstrong
Kat and her 'Aunt' Marguerite have been on the run from the vampires hunters for two years, but are they after Marguerite the vampire or Kat the unknown supernatural? This loosely ties in with Armstrong's 'Otherworld' books and her young adult series 'The Darkest Powers' (also set in the Otherworld universe). For me this was a win because it fits nicely within The Darkest Powers books (which features the Edison Group's genetic testing on supernatural teens extensively) which I adore to pieces. I don't think I would have guessed Kat's supernatural truth though it does explain quite a bit.

"The Thirteenth Step" by Libba Bray
Lauren takes on an assistant's job at The Angelus House, a Drug Rehab center that has amazing results. But what exactly are those amazing results and how are they achieved? Okay Buffy fans, when you see Angelus it should say something to you right away (whether the author intended it that way or not). Anyhow, meta-analyzing aside, I wasn't sure what to think of this story at first. The vampires here aren't perfect, but they do help people so that's the important thing right? Lauren's choice isn't easy, but from a pragmatic standpoint I think it was the right one.

"All Hallows" by Rachel Caine
One Year after the horrific Dead Girl's Dance Morganville hosts another Halloween dance--but will this one turn out any better for The Glass House crew? The most interesting thing about this story was that it was told from Eve's POV, whereas the books are told from Claire's, and Eve has a distinctly different view of the world. More assured and confident in herself, Eve notices little things and remarks about other things that would otherwise not be mentioned in the series proper. The 'prophecy' that Miranda (the town's resident psycho-seer) says at the end, I'm not sure of the implications, but I'm definitely interested and hope to see how it plays out in the book series soon.

"Wet Teeth" by Cecil Castellucci
Miles has been a vampire for sixty years, but hasn't felt human for a single. When meets Penny he thinks that maybe things can change, and they do, just not how he expected. Sad, sad story. I had hope, because Miles isn't a bad sort, but sometimes happily ever after doesn't exist. I would have liked to know if this Penny was related to the Penny he knew, when he was a human. I fancied she was that Penny's grand daughter and that's why he felt so comfortable with her, but we're not told one way or another.

"Other Boys" by Cassandra Clare
Jennifer wasn't allowed to go out with boys, but when the new kid Colin--a self proclaimed vampire--draws her interest she suddenly finds the determination to be someone different. This was an all right story, though I probably wasn't as surprised as I should have been since a similar plot point is important to one of my favorite young adult vampire trilogies. I was however pleased with Jennifer reaction at the end.

"Passing" by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
As a young vampire hunter's graduation begins, she reflects on vampires, comrades and the coming battle that could mean her death. This story surprised me in that much of what the narrator was saying, later turns out to be misleading and there are surprises that come at you rapid fire at the end. I've also always been a sucker for those romances that have one of the leads 'against my better judgment...' sort of feelings. I kind of want more of this and would have adored this beyond measure if I had read it as a novel instead of a short story. I'll cross my fingers and hope!

"Ambition" by Lili St. Crow
Told in first person narrative--the charity case at a rich all-girls' Catholic school, a nasty trick by her oldest friend starts her on a path towards a darker tomorrow. The story was a little confusing, because sometimes it would be in in past tense and sometimes it would be in present tense. I related with the narrator strongly and the ending is sort of a 'Lady or a Tiger?' situation leaving it up to the reader to decide if Johnny came back or not and what her reaction was. There was less of a 'vampire' presence in this story then any of the others and the narrator never clarifies if he is or isn't. "I don't know what Johnny is. There's not a word for it." (page 371, US trade paperback), but contextually that's what he seems to be.

"All Wounds" by Dina James
A young girl gets a late night visitor from a classmate in need and learns that some interesting things about herself and her the grandmother she's been taking care of. According to the author blurb this story is the start of a new young adult series the author is working on. GOOD. I really want to see what sort of hijinks Becky gets into as a healer-in-training and what sort of snarky banter her and Sydney engage in. That being said, the story made me tear up because I would give (and do) anything to have had more time with my grandmother when she was cognizant of her surroundings.

I don't think you can rightfully call these romance, or at least not most of them in the Harlequin sense. Certainly some of the stories deal with that sort of romance, but all of them look at vampirism from a romantic standpoint--the mystery, the darkness and power. The allure of the unknown right? Each author took a different view of what it means to receive a vampire's 'kiss' and depicted the consequences thereof.

I honestly enjoyed all of the stories, revisiting some of my favorite series (Morganville and Darkest Powers), reading new fiction from some of my favorite authors (Snyder, Bray, Black and Brennan) and being introduced to new authors (Mahoney, and James) made this anthology a great buy and a recommended read for the post-Twilight crowd.… (mer)