Dead After Dark anthology

While I didn't LOVE this anthology as a whole it was worth the read for Ward and Squires' contributions. Both were wonderfully written and left me wanting more- in a good way. Ward is always on my to read list and I'll definitely be reading more from Squires now too.

So, what about yall? Do you love anthologies or try to avoid them? Anyone else find a great new author to read from picking one up like I did with this one?

Type: Paranormal Romance
Heat: 2-3 out of 5
Rating: 3 out of 5


Shadow of the Moon by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Ah Fury. I've loved him for a while now. I have such a soft spot for the ones who are always on the outside and have so few people that believe or care about them.  He really is a good man even if so few see that in him and I was really excited that he finally got his own happily ever after. 400 years after betraying his trust and ending their friendship Angelia has fallen back into Fury's life right when animal shifters are being attacked and trapped in their animal forms. Both filled with hatred for the other and more than willing and determined to kill one another. Things turned so quickly. She got over her deeply ingrained fear/hatred for his kind (animal to human shifters), he forgave her for nearly killing him and being part of the attacks on his kind, they're madly in love, the attacks are dealt with. Was just a lot to happen in a mere 91 pages. I think it would have been an amazing full story. It would have been much easier to take if it were a longer story so Fury and Angelia could slowly rebuild their relationship and trust in one another instead of falling into bed with each other and everything being magically fixed between them. As it was it was just an average and fairly typical short story in an anthology.  One thing I did love was seeing all the big, strong, scary alpha men taken to their knees by little kids. Fury, Fang, Vane and Zarek (oooh Zarek!). It's just amazingly wonderful to see them completely taken and smitten with the little kids in their lives. Hands down my favorite part of this tale.

The Story of Son by J.R. Ward- 5 Stars

I loved this one! It may be one of my favorite short stories and is definitely one of the most well written. Ward can do amazing things in so little time. Creating both a sweet relationship and characters you can't help but love and care about. Doubly amazing since one is a lawyer that sees no need for relationships or marriage. Claire's entire life changes when she goes on a routine business call to finalize an elderly client's will. Everything's going fine until she wakes up drugged and locked in a basement dungeon with a huge male, as it turns out, vampire. One that's been locked up for decades and never known a woman or love. So. What I love about them. Claire's all business. She gets right to the point of things and has that whole I'm-in-charge-and-you-will-answer-me bit going on. Very much the take charge lawyer who gets her way. She may freak out for a moment or two but she gets her act together and opens her heart up to someone who has never experienced a kind word. Michael is such the formal gentleman. He's shy and a bit bashful. Inexperienced but craves being touched and learning. He's had a terrible life filled with abuse and neglect that most wouldn't be able to overcome but he comes out a wonderful man. I loved how she guided him and how determined she was to save him. How delighted and emotional he was with each new feeling or experience. This was a well developed story that felt complete and ends in a way that leaves you feeling quite satisfied.

Beyond the Night by Susan Squires
This was my first time reading Squires and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another of her stories. While connected to a series it was very easy to read as a stand alone. Drew Carlowe left home to become a respectable man. When he returns to claim his long lost love he instead finds his new estate haunted by a beautiful ghost that drinks blood. Neither he nor his ghost, Freya, have really been living. He's been consumed by his need for revenge and she's tormented by her past and the "parasite" that's inside her. I liked the little twist on being a vampire and how it was somewhat separate from her and a parasite that kept her alive and needing blood. While getting to know one another and figure things out Influenza hits the town and brings life to a halt. A bit of a horrifying glimpse into the past and what people went through in the early 1800s. How easily life could be ended by something so simple. Overall it was a nice quick glimpse into the lives of Drew and Freya with a lovely ending. I'd love to see where things go with the two of them and how they've moved on from there.

Midnight Kiss Goodbye by Dianna Love
I really wasn't feeling this one at all. It was hard to get into and never caught my attention. It took longer to read this story than the other 3 combined because I kept wandering away from it. The two main characters, Trey and Sasha, were likable enough but there wasn't enough of them together to really form any type of connection to them. There was some running around, mystery attacks, possession, gods showing up, demons escaping hell and attacking, witches, mystery creatures, Beladors, Alterants, random guest appearances from the series this is linked to and sex thrown in here and there between the couple for their relationship building. Eh. Just did nothing for me and was a relief to finally be finished. Maybe it would have been best to read it along with the series but as a stand alone too much information seemed to be missing and it just wasn't all that captivating.

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