Thursday 22 December 2011

Review: Wolfsbane and Mistletoe anthology

Genre: Urban fantasy 
Pages: 384
Published: 2010
Publisher: Penguin
Source: I won it :)

The holidays can bring out the beast in anyone- particularly lycanthropes. Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner have harvested the scariest, funniest, saddest werewolf tales by an outstanding pack of authors, best read by the light of a full moon with a silver bullet close at hand. 

Whether wolfing down a holiday feast (use your imagination) or craving some hair of the dog on New Year's morning, the werewolves in these frighteningly original stories will surprise, delight, amuse, and scare the pants off readers who love a little wolfsbane with their mistletoe.

Giftwrap 
Sookie finds a wounded shifter in the forest, it's Christmas and she is all alone and takes him home. This one had a little heat in it, a tiny bit. But it was a good and surprising story.
Edit: I read this one last year actually in another anthology

The Haire of the Beast by Donna Andrews 
This was a short one (but then they all are short) and I liked what the heroine did...and I am not telling you ;)

Lucy, at Christmastime by Simon R. Green 
Not much happened in this one except for a surprise that was thrown in, and which made me like it.

The Night Things Changed by Dana Cameron 
I am not sure about this one. A vampire sister and brother tracks down a baddie, but I was just not that interested.

The Werewolf Before Christmas by Kat Richardson 
Poor reindeer, lol. A werewolf starts munching on them and Santa is not happy. Good enough.

Fresh Meat by Alan Gordon 
I liked this one and mostly because at first I did not know what to make of it.

Il Est Ne by Carrie Vaughn 
Would this one make me read the Kitty books...ok perhaps not, but still ok.

The Perfect Gift by Dana Stabenow
I was a bit confused but this one, it should be fleshed out more.

Christmas Past by Keri Arthur 
Eh, boring.

SA by J.A. Konrath 
This one was freaky, and you know I like freaky...it also got poop in it..yup, poop.


The Star of David by Patricia Briggs 
Perhaps cos I always expect so much I got disappointed.

You’d Better Not Pyout by Nancy Pickard 
I had not guessed that about Santa, I liked the twist and yes I could see it ;)

Rogue Elements by Karen Chance 
I'd read a book by her, enough said.

Milk and Cookies by Rob Thurman 
At first I was not sure but the end, oh that messed up ending was the best. Christmas joy.

Keeping Watch Over His Flock by Toni L.P. Kelner 
And I can't remember a single thing about this one...

Some good ones, some not so good ones. But that is me and anthologies, I never like all the stories. Because in the end I want long stories and things are never really fleshed out in these and it is hard to connect. But as an xmas anthology it works well.

28 comments:

  1. It sounds really familiar, how old is this book?

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  2. This sounds like a good book and that cover is pretty cute too looking all Christmasy. Lol.

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  3. I'm running out of time for all the Christmas reading I had planned. This one sounds like a fun collection.

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  4. It looked like too many short stories for a paperback anthology, it makes me think that each story is just two pages long... is that long enough to build a plot? Never mind world building...

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  5. I'll have to make a note of this one for next year. Anthologies are hit and miss with me too.

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  6. Aurian
    Well my copy said 2010, it did say 2008 somewhere too, but could that mean the book or just the old Sookie story?


    Darlene
    For xmas is was perfect :D As for other times, there might be too much xmas


    Carol
    Luckily I had not planned much ;D Only this one really


    Cherry
    Well...my hones opinion no. Some did not manage it and those stories just left me confused. Some stories worked as shorties.

    Some where a few pages, one was 30

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  7. Linda
    Same here, mostly they are ok for me, not a miss, but not a hit either

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  8. I just recieved this as part of a christmas present from a friend! I'm quite excited about it but think I might save it for next years christmas reading! :-)

    Oh, and do read some Karen Chance - her UF books are more fast paced and detailed than many and I love them! :-)

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  9. I have never actually read an anthology. I have to admit that I harbor some skepticism towards that kind of collection of stories. I'm afraid that it's one good story and several mediocre ones.

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  10. Mel
    Yay, xmas pressie! Lol, I do love getting books. but yes save it for next xmas since..well it just fits best then.

    I think i need to have a trip over to Goodreads and check out Chance.


    Mari
    I get your fear because, well it is true. Lots of bad ones, a good one, ok ones, but nothing that makes me want to read more even if it is by authors I love

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  11. And I can't remember a single thing about this one...


    Mwahahahaha....my feelings exactly when it comes to short stories...

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  12. Anthologies are always so hit or miss.
    I think I read that Sookie story before too - it was cute.

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  13. I don't know; werewolves (or any other paranormal creature) doesn't really go with Christmas, at least to me. Perhaps this book will change all that?

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  14. I only read the Sookie story and enjoyed it.

    Merry Christmas!

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  15. hahaha sounded like a fun read.

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  16. Oh, I read this anthology a long time ago. I think I read it just for the Sookie story, but ended up enjoying a few of the others as well. It's a good one to break out during X-mas time.

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  17. Ana
    Truer words have never been spoken. Who could remember a shrot story? Some I do remember, but 99% go missing within a week.


    Karen
    A friend told me she had read it too, and it seems that it can be found in at least 3 books. It sure gets around


    Steph
    They...oh, lol, no I can't really say that they go together with xmas either.

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  18. Yvonne
    Merry Christmas :)


    Chris
    *saves Chris*


    Carole
    It was :)


    Misie
    For that purpose it was just perfect :) And it was cos of that I read it too

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  19. This sounds cute. I think its the same with all short story collections, some are good, some are not so good.

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  20. Chris
    *gives cookie*

    Naida
    True, I have never found anything else than that

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  21. *hopes cookie is gluten-free*

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  22. *grumbles and bakes more cookies*
    ;)

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  23. I enjoyed this one, but yes... some good some not so much. I need to re-read some of these.

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  24. Chris
    You are welcome :)


    Melissa
    Like always, good ones, bad ones, but I enjoyed it none the less

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  25. This is new to me...could be fun!

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