Strange Brew 

by P.N. Elrod, Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Karen Chance, Charlaine Harris, Faith Hunter, Caitlin Kittredge, Jenna Maclaine 

Source: Borrowed from Library!

Book Description:
Today’s hottest urban fantasy authors come together in this delicious brew that crackles and boils over with tales of powerful witches and dark magic!

In Charlaine Harris’ “Bacon,” a beautiful vampire joins forces with a witch from an ancient line to find out who killed her beloved husband. In “Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs, a blind witch helps sexy werewolf Tom Franklin find his missing brother—and helps him in more ways than either of them ever suspected. And in Jim Butcher’s “Last Call,” wizard Harry Dresden takes on the darkest of dark powers—the ones who dare to mess with this favorite beer.

For anyone who’s ever wondered what lies beyond the limits of reality, who’s imagined the secret spaces where witches wield fearsome magic, come and drink deep. Let yourself fall under the spell of this bewitching collection of short stories!

~ 4 Strange Brew Stars ~ 

I picked this book up just to read Patria Briggs story Seeing Eye, but found myself reading the rest of these quick interesting short story’s. I am now going to be checking out several of these authors and who knows I might find my next great read!

My Review On Each Short Story 

Seeing Eye by Patria Briggs

- 5 Stars – Magic – Werewolves – Witches

A very nice quick read in Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson & Alpha and Omega series world. Wendy a witch & Tom a werewolf. Wendy does not let her disability affect her, strong women. Tom is very dedicated to protecting his family and what is his. I enjoyed both characters. I like how strong Wendy is and how Tom did not coddle her. I hope we get to see these two again. 

Last Call by Jim Butcher

- 4 Stars – Magic – Wizard – Crime

A nice enjoyable quick read in Jim Butcher The Dresden Files series. Harry is a wizard investigator. He goes out for a drink, ends up investigating what happened at the bar, and learning that the mythical gods want to come back and remind humans who is in charge. This picked my interest and I plan to check out this series. I enjoyed the crime/investigation aspect along with magic added into the world. 

Death Warmed Over by Rachel Caine

- 5 Stars – Witches – Raising the Dead

I’m not big on resurrection or zombie type books, but this short story was interesting. Holly, licensed seventh-generation witch, with a specialty for raising the dead. Resection witches are ending up dead & Holly has to bring back someone whom she clearly cares about to figure out what is happening. This was an emotional read, I felt for Holly and her situation. The ending I did not see coming, so it was a surprise and I’m curious to know if this is a series or might become one. 

Vegas Odds by Karen Chance

- 5 Stars – Magic – Werewolves – Half-breeds

I liked how this one started off with lots of action and it does not stop. Loa is half-were/half-magic user. I felt connected to Loa and could feel her dilemma. She feels like she is not good enough for the Corps and not Were enough for her Were lover. Lia’s students for some reason are trying to kill her. Why? You will have to read to find out. 

Hecate’s Golden Eye by P.N. Elrod

- 4 Stars – Vampires – History – Curses

We are taking into the 1937 where Charles and Jack are detectives/retrieval of items. A neckless has been stollen and they have been hired to get it back. This neckless has a curse on it, which is quit interesting to read about. Jack and Charles work well together and the story is fun to read. 

Bacon by Charlaine Harris

- 3 Stars – Vampires – Werewolves – Witches

This was an ok read. We have an interesting concept of vampires who marry werewolves. Dahlia, a vampire and widower was married to a werewolf who was murdered. She wants revenge and has enlisted her vampire friend and one of the pack werwolves to help find those involved in taking out her husband. She concocts a very interesting pay back. 

Signature Of The Dead By Faith Hunter

- 4 Stars – Witches – Magic – Sorcerers – Skin walkers

This short story is a prequel in the Jane Yellowrock series. Jane Yellowrock is a skin-walker and only Molly her friend, an earth witch knows about Jane and her special abilities. It was nice seeing what Molly can do. They end up taking out a nest of rouge vampires in this story. We get magic, action and an in-site into the series. I’m curious to check out the series even more now then I was before. 

Ginger: A Nocturne City Story by Caitlin Kittredge

- 3.5 Stars – Witch – Magic – Werewolves

This was interesting with its Magical conspiracy storyline. Lina is Rhoda’s sister and somehow she became a werewolf plus she’s a detective. Rhoda Swann, is sister to Lina, a witch who is not very competent in her ablates, ends up going undercover to stop some black magic users. I enjoyed this story and I believe it is part of the Nocturne City series. 

Dark Sins by Jenna MacLaine 

- 5 Stars – Vampires – Witches – History

I really enjoyed this story. It’s part of the Cin Craven series and I am most decently going to be checking this out. I enjoyed the aspect of the world, war goddess Morgan, vampires, witches, and dark forces all at work. One witch turned vampire must learn how to harness her powers too one day save millions.

Was this review helpful? If so, please consider liking it on Goodreads (Angela)!

An Irishman is never at his best except when fighting.” – Irish Proverb

Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies. – Aristotle

OK, here is my little secret. Shhh….. don’t tell anyone, but I rarely ever, indeed if I ever do at all, fall head-over-heels for the hero in anyone’s book. Nope. Not me. Oh, I may drool a little, but hey, who doesn’t?

Just what I always wanted. My own little bunny rabbit. I will name him George, and I will hug him and pet him and squeeze him… …and pat him and pet him and… and rub him and caress him and…- Hugo the Abominable Snowman in the 1961 cartoon The Abominable Snow Rabbit

York is my definition of the perfect male. Tall, muscled, with gorgeous eyes and red hair all the way down to his ass and his beautiful bod covered with tattoos . . . yummers! An Irish God, in the flesh. Sigh…(OK, laugh. Go ahead. I can take it . . .)

Anyway, back to the storyline, right? This is the sixth volume in the Skin Walkers series by Susan Bliler, and it is just as good as the others. Things have been building up for the Skin Walkers of StoneCrow Estates, a private sanctuary where Skin Walkers can live safely in a dangerous world. And dangerous their world is. For no one knows of Skin Walkers in this world, and no one should – for anyone different, as we all well know, is subject to horrors. Especially the Walkers, for there are creatures more terrible than one can imagine – and they hunt the Walkers, for their heads, for their “halos” – the equivalent of an antler which grows naturally around their necks. And for their powers, which they steal by drinking a Walker’s blood. Vicious cowards, the Megalya, soulless and insane, prey on the women and children of the Walkers, those too weak or too small to defend themselves.

In this difficult world, all York McDonnough has ever wanted is his Angel –his life mate and soul partner. Hurting and alone after the incidents in Gauge: Skin Walkers #5, York takes an assignment from Mason StoneCrow to travel to the Philippines in order to attempt a rescue of Gauge’s mate’s sister. While Gauge’s Shy was held with Gauge in a Megalya research facility, Sky, her twin, has been searching the Philippines where she has been told she might find Shy.

As York arrives in Quezon, the capital city, he searches far and wide, until he comes upon Sky in an out-of-the way bar. Watching Sky take down a strange, blond man with fists and feet, York is immediately stricken with “The Affliction” the Skin Walker ailment which is brought on by finding his one true mate. As he writhes on the ground in agony, Sky is off like a shot, escaping the myriad police officers who come pouring through the back door.

York can find her, now he has her scent, but others can too – and not just the Megalya. And none of Sky’s pursuers, other than York, have her best interests at heart. York finds his Angel, but when his Angel finds out what York is, and what creatures are following her (and why) this becomes an edge-of-the-seat thriller just as much as it can be labeled a Paranormal Romance.

Susan has really found her stride with the last few Skin Walker books, and as she comes into York and Sky’s story, suspense and thriller aspects of the Skin Walkers tales are become even more intense.

___________________________________

I am the editor for Susan Bilber’s Skin Walkers books, just want to get that out there. This does not mean, however, that I gush over her books because of that. Nope. These books are good, and if PNR is your thing, I highly recommend Susan’s works!

Honestly, I read this book quite some time ago. The first book in the series is King: Skin Walkers #1, but I found the second in the series Conn: Skin Walkers #2 and picked it up on a whim. I was so glad I did, as I was really tickled with that book, not because of Conn, the Skin Walker in question, but because of Aries Bracken, the heroine of the piece.

Poor Aries, on the run and in hiding for years – and she doesn’t even know why. All she knows is that she is being hunted, tracked down like an animal. She has suffered, using only her own skills, intelligence and willingness to do whatever it takes to stay hidden from whoever is tracking her, doing all she can to stay alive. Why is this happening?

Pushed to the limit, Aries finds what she thinks is a safe hiding spot, deep in the jungles of South America. She may be living a meager life, but it is one that she can call her own. All that changes when she is captured by Conn and his men and delivered to StoneCrow Estates in the US in return for payment of his fee for bagging the elusive Aries. But things are not as they seem – for Aries is not the person this particular hunter should have caught. And things are much more complicated than they seem.

Aries is a kickin’. Heroine. My favorite scene is when her kidnappers load her onto a helicopter and take off across the jungle . . . only to have her grab a parachute when their backs are turned and bail out! They finally make it to StoneCrow, the bastion of the aforementioned Skin Walkers. Ha! Bad on you, Conn! Wrong girl. Oops.

I was going to write a review of the book back then, but before I did so I sent a note to Susan letting her know that I found a considerable number of editorial problems with the book. After correspondence back and forth we came to an agreement – I get to edit all her Skin Walker books! Whoot!

All of the Skin Walker series are exceptional Paranormal Romance books in my estimation. Hot guys, strong women, interesting world building and character development. We are working on editing all of the books, the most recent of which is York: Skin Walkers #6. Check out the whole series. You can read them out of order and keep up with the story, but it is MUCH more fun to read them in order! There is a buildup of suspense throughout the series, with unseen bad guys working behind the scenes, and some bad guys that are just as in-you-face as they can possibly be.

Highly recommended, even if I wasn’t Susan’s editor! Enjoy!