I like the second story, Undead Sublet, best because it's amusing as all get out and there's very little of the "you said this but I assumed and never clarified" angst that seems to be a prerequisite for many stories. Shades of Gray was a nice peek into MacAlister's Dark Ones world, but Out With A Fang was too much of the angst again. Also, I don't understand how a shifter can become a vampire, retain their shifting abilities and gain the vampiric ones. I've yet to read any other version of the lore that pushes this. Confusing to say the least.
I'll jump n the bandwagon and try to round up my March reads. By and large, great reads that cured a reading slump, but many put me behind on reviewing because I basically had little to say beyond "I enjoyed this book."
I also did this year's Big Library Read (global buddy read where Overdrive makes a voted ebook 100% available -- no waitlist/hold -- to participating public libraries). This time was, surprisingly, a cookbook. A good one with a mix of sweet, savory, basic and advanced pies:
Finished final novella in this collection, Out with a Fang by Jessica Sims.
I liked the writing well enough, but I think I was handicapped by not being familiar with the series/universe set in. There's clearly more needed to flesh out the tale.
Not rating but I liked well enough to check out the series. I expect verdict on series will be loved it, meh, or too unoriginal because too much like Kimberly Raye's Dead End Dating series.
Finished the second of three novellas in this collection, Undead Sublet by Molly Harper set in her Half-Moon Hollows series/universe. Which is a favorite with me and usually a real hoot. This one was no exception; funny, invested in the heroine immediately, ★★★★½ .
Not anything pivotal to series timelines/storylines; just enjoyable. Novella length actually worked very well for this one; I actually think it could have had too much filler or dragged in full-length novel. A nicely completed storyline.
What stopped the final half star were a few "pranks" between the love interests were kinda forced funnies and he was pretty cardboard until towards the end plus didn't exactly do anything proactive when all his former friends his wife took in the divorce (come on, dude, what's the worst one of them could do if you gave them a call? Not answer? Say no? Still not be a friend?). Kinda insta-friends with Jane, Jolene, Andrea and the rest plus insta-welcome to small town, too — but, worked with this tale.
A sizzling vampire romance anthology featuring enticing novellas from beloved and bestselling authors Katie MacAlister, Jessica Sims, and Molly Harper.
In “Shades of Gray” by Katie MacAlister, Noelle is a Guardian: a demon-wrangler, imp-banisher, and all-round secret protector of humans from the Otherworld. While working on the set of a ghost-busting reality show in a haunted castle, she meets a sexy vampire, and together they prevent a Master Demon from killing everyone in the castle.
In “Undead Sublet” by Molly Harper, executive chef Tess Maitland is banned from her five-star kitchen in Chicago to recover from “exhaustion.” Choosing a random rental house in Half-Moon Hollow to spend time in, she’s unaware that the house comes with a strange man. Even though Sam Masden’s ex-wife has rented the house out from under him, the divorce settlement allows him access to it for another ninety days. With Tess unable to go anywhere else, and Sam unwilling, a war of epic proportions is declared—and romantic sparks and heavy pots fly.
Jessica Sims’s “Out With a Fang” features Ruby Sommers, a lonely were-jaguar who signs up for a blind date through the paranormal dating agency Midnight Liaisons. When she arrives, she finds out that her date, a vampire, was the human she’d been in love with four years ago but was forced to dump.
I enjoyed these three novellas featuring the Dark Ones, Half-Moon Hollow, & Midnight Liaisons series. I read these novellas a long time ago way before I started reviewing and I remembered a little of what was going on. It was nice to re-read them. It made me want to re-read the Dark Ones series and to read more of the Half-Moon Hollow series. The Midnight Liaisons novella in this anthology was a new to me author/series. It didn’t impress me enough to want to read more in the series.
Shades of Gray (Dark Ones #10.5) by Katie MacAlister – Rated: 3.5 Stars
It’s been awhile since I read the Dark Ones series. This novella was fun and I’m thinking I might go back and re-read the series.
From what I remember in the series Noelle had a Dark One and is a Beloved, but it turned out she wasn’t that Dark One’s Beloved and her X feel for her roommate instead. In this novella she feels rejected and when she gets another chance at finding love in Grayson she’ll do what she can to protect and keep him.
Even if you haven’t read the series the author does a good job of explaining what a Drak One is and all the steps in the joining process for Beloveds.
I’ve just started to get back into the Half-Moon Hollow series. It’s light humor, fun, and enjoyable. I like Ms. Harper’s humor.
In the Undead Sublet we have Tess a human and a chef. She’s overworked herself and other areas of her life aren’t going so well, so she ends up taking a vacation to Half-Moon Hollow. Then there’s Sam her unexpected roommate in the home she rents. These two don’t hit it off, but eventually they both find healing and what they need in each other. I love how Tess ends up falling in love with the town and starts to build an exciting future there, when she didn’t have plans to stay. Sam I loved him. He was sweet and kept Tess on her toes.
Undead Sublet was a humorous, sweet, fun and enjoyable read.
Out with a Fang (Midnight Liaisons #2.2) by Jessica Sims – Rated: 3 Stars
This was a new to me author and series. We get a second chance love story.
Well Ruby is a shifter and hasn’t been able to find a date since she broke up with her X. Deep down she still loves him, but humans and supernaturals can’t date, one nights sure, but no permanent relationships allowed. What does she do, but turn to a dating agency and go on a blind date. Things get weird and unusual at the get go.
This was a fast-paced story. The second chance at love comes quickly and they fall into bed fast. The vampires featured in this novella aren’t new. They are the dead ones with no beating hearts and can’t be out in the sun. All that typical vampire lore.
Out with a Fang was just ok.
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Owner/Review and mind behind Angel’s Guilty Pleasures. However what I am not is a writer. I apologize now for the grammatical and punctuation errors I make, because I know I’m going to make them. I’m a mother, wife, dog owner, animal, and book lover. My favorite animals are horses. As for reading I love all things paranormal & urban fantasy. My favorite shifters are dragons!
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