Immortal Love Stories With Bite Book Review

Immortal Love Stories With Bite Edited by P.C. Cast
Publisher: BenBella Books, 2008
Pages: 259
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Action, Horror
Reviewed by Kate

Review: I know, another anthology but like I said I've been reading a couple of anthologies for a while. My first experience with anthologies was very good. I really liked it. This one, however, gave me a little bit of a different experience.

Introduction by P.C. Cast: I'm reviewing the intro because I really liked it! The main point throughout it was why teens and adults alike are so into vampires these days. I usually skip intros. but I won't be anymore. I really liked her points and opinions and I found myself agreeing with many of them. Now I'm thinking of buying anthologies of essays.

Hunted Love by Cynthia Leitich Smith: This story is a love triangle involving a vampire, ghost, and girl at a haunted movie theater. First I have to say that I love the overall idea of the story. Now for the unfortunate part, I did not like this story so much. I did not like it from the beginning, I felt there was hope in the middle and it would turn around, then came the disappointing end. The end was disappointing for me at least, I personally did not like it but I think other people might. The one thing that really turned me off about this story was because the characters emotions did not seem real at all. There was one point when the main character, Cody, said that this girl brought sunshine in his life and I thought to myself "what?" It left me confused. I really wanted to like it but couldn't.

Amber Smoke by Kirstin Cast: This is a story about a vampire with Greek mythology heritage and a girl that he travels through time to save. I went into this story really excited as I love the House of Night Series which Kirstin co writes with her mom. This story also left me a tad disappointed. It's just that I was expecting more from it than I felt it gave. It just did not work for me, almost not at all but it was saved by some not-laugh-out-loud but put-a-smile-on-your-face where people may be looking at you funny wondering what you're so darn happy about humor. Again, for me a major downfall was the main character Jenna. Sometimes she was likable and relate-able but a lot of times she just seemed really snobby and arrogant. She was funny though. Something which I feel is a problem with short stories is that the author has way to much going on in the story. It's probably really hard going from a 300 page novel to a 30 page story and getting people to care about your characters and have a good and plot that leaves you satisfied. That's what happened with this story. I think it just needed more room for detail and to not have to cram anything in.

Dead Man Stalking by Rachel Caine: This is a spin off of Caine's Morganville Vampire Series. It has to do with a guy named Shane and his dad kidnapping him to join him in the fight against vampires. I've never read the Morganville Vampires so I'm hoping that nothing was spoiled. Other than that I liked this story. It was more of an action story but I did like it. It was not great but it was a lot better than expected based on the first two stories. I thought Shane was funny and I cared about him.

Table Manners by Tanith Lee: A young woman encounters a misguided vampire. I was extremely disappointed in the story for one reason...it ended. I loved this story! I've never heard of Lee before but I am going to see what books she's written, hoping this was a spin off of another book she has. This story was very funny and an very different way to look at vampires. I loved all of the characters and the story itself. I was honestly beginning to think that the intro. was the best part of this book but then there was this story. It blew me away.

Blue Moon by Richelle Mead: Another really good story. I liked the characters and the plot. This story, I feel, is a very good way for a short story to be. It keeps you wanting more from the story but has enough in it and a good ending that it is satisfying. Another thing I really liked was that Mead created a whole new vampire world. It wasn't at all like her Vampire Academy, which I also love. She started from scratch and created a really good and satisfying short story.

Changed by Nacy Holder: This story explores an apocalyptic world of vampires in which two best friends need to decide what is important. Out of all the stories I have to say that this was my least favorite. Maybe it's because I don't like the end of the world stories. It was confusing to read at times because it felt like there were thoughts that were started but never completed. There was one point when the main character saw a vampire and you could tell she was scared but then she started thinking about rain and it was like the vampire was forgotten, even from Holder's mind. It was hard for me to read and I was about to give up and skip the rest but it did start to get interesting at the end but it was only for a few pages. I really liked how the main character was in love with her best friend who was gay, it seemed different to me. There was also stuff about drugs and other things which I felt was a too heavy for a 30 pages story.

Binge by Rachel Vincent: We are taken into the world of leanan sidhe's and sirens and the men in their lives. I loved this story! It was probably my favorite. It was really different and I liked the different paranormal aspects of it. Another author that I have never read a book from but I am going to check out Soul Screamers. Normally I would never hope for characters from a short story to be in a story that I want to read but haven't yet but this is an exception. I really liked the two main characters and their friendship. I'm crossing my fingers that these two are in another story of Vincent's. I even liked the ending, which is weird considering how it ended. You will know what I mean if you read it. I loved it!

Free by Claudia Gray: In the 1800's a courtesan-to-be is courted by an unusual man with a deep love for someone else. Again, I was considering skipping this since I just got Evernight right before reading this. But I didn't and I'm glad. The story was sad and I didn't like the last few pages but it was good overall. The plot was good but it was cliche. It left me satisfied. A good ending story to this anthology.

Rating: I wish I could rate them all seperatly but because of the few disappointments it is 3 Kisses.


Quotes
Smith: "The chandelier rattles, distracting us both.
"Drafty," Ginny says, glancing around. "But where's it coming from?"
She asks too many questions. "I turned on the air conditioning."
It's a lie.

Cast: "Hey! Paul's here so I'm heading out on my date. Maybe I'll even have a little sex. Hehe." I cringed as she flitted past m. That doesn't get any better the second time around."

Caine: "There goes your tip," I said. Marjo, already heading off to her next victim, flipped me off.
"Like you'd ever leave one, you cheap-a** punk."

Lee: "Fine. Question seven: Do you shape-shift? I mean, can you seem to become another thing, an animal say, or even an inanimate object?"
"Yes," (He sounded almost embarrassed, as if he boasted and hadn't wanted to) "A wolf mostly. But one time I-I kind of made myself kind of like a phone booth."
I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. "Did anyone try to get inside and make a call?"
He grinned. Oh that grin was beautiful.
"Yeah, but the door stayed shut."

Mead:"What's going on?" I hissed. "You guys make it sound like a common thing, vampires dressing up like humans."
"Wow, you really are an innocent, aren't you?" He seemed genuinely amused. "Don't you know any vamps who do it?"
I frowned. "No. Why would they? Like...For costume parties?"
"No, because it's a turn-on for them."
"Ew."

Holder:"Eli searched Jilly's face with his fingers and she felt each brush of his fingertips close a wound the long days and nights had cut into her soul. There was no one she loved more. She would go to her grave loving Eli Stein."

Vincent:"Oh I bet we can find something you're good at..."
"Well, I do have my moments." They just don't involve instruments, paints, pens, cameras, clay, or even paper mache.
Evan's grin deepened, and the look in his eyes could have set off the fire alarm. "Maybe you just need help finding your hidden talents."

Gray: "A far superior dance, the Waltz. Much more intimate."
"I quite agree."
"Did your mother tell you that?" His eyebrow arched disdainfully. "To agree with anything I say?"
"She did say that, actually. Not that I pay her any mind.I said I agreed with you because I really do. As you should know by now, if you say something foolish I'll tell you so."