Paranormal Romance.

Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison- living vampire trying to get around her partner. I'm not entirely sure if I like the way sex is used in this story. But, Ivy is a strong female character who is smart and beautiful, and uses that to get ahead in her world.

The Claire Switch Project - Lyndsay Sands. A poorly written story with science that doesn't make sense, a stupid girl who only wants to do the head scientist, and a horrible plan that I'm fairly sure I've seen in every Saturday morning cartoon (without the kinkiness). Also, the star the lead character turns into, Brad Cruise, is just wrong. The author could have at least attempted to give the star a new original name. Horrible, terrible, derivative story.

Chaotic - Kelly Armstrong. The best one out of this collection. Its well written, with a lead character that is quite resourceful. I really enjoyed this story, and how Hope meets Karl.

Dead Man Dating - Lori Handeland. The story is cute, but making the lead lady a rather frumpy book lover is rather clichéd, and after the announcement that Armageddon is coming, Kit only thinks about her lost virginity. ( )

A bit of a mixed batch, but 2 of thew stories were a lot of fun and 1 of the others was also entertaining. ( )

Undead in the Garden is about vamps (Ivy) and I got bored with it & didn’t finish. Claire Switch was a little too cutesy in the love relationship. Armstrong’s Chaotic was awesome, and involved a chaos demon and Karl, the werewolf that isn’t quite a member of the Pack. Handeland’s story was ooookay, but the love was a little too overdramatic… ( )

In Kim Harrison’s contribution to Dates from Hell, she centers the story around Ivy Tamwood as she works in the homicide division of Interlander Security. The story occurs prior to our introduction to the Rachel Morgan series, where we meet Ivy as Rachel’s best friend. Here we find Ivy realizing that she is trapped in the twisted world of Piscary and feels like there is no way out. Through the novella, Ivy deals with her twisted desire for Piscary’s love as well as for her freedom from Piscary’s love. She begins to question her views on blood, sex, and love and realizes that changes need to be made. Of course, she’s doing all of this while trying to solve a murder that is not quite what it seems.

I thoroughly enjoy the Rachel Morgan series and Harrison hasn’t lost me yet. The complexing feelings we see in Ivy only stregthens her personality and gives us an insight into what makes her tick. In Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil, we find that ivy has not always been as confidant as we thought she was and that she has had to work to stay in control. After receiving some unwarranted advice from a banshee, Ivy is forced to admit that she can change as long as she accepts what she already knows.

I, for one, cannot wait to see how Harrison continues to develop Ivy’s character and her twisted fate.

I was amused with the second novella within the new Dates from Hell anthology. This was the first time I had read anything by Lynsay Sands and I think I will pick something else up.

In Sands contribution, the story revolves around Claire and Kyle. Our two lead characters are two scientists who have known each other since they were tiny and have started working together. While I could go into the plot and tell you all the juicy details, I won’t, but I will say this. I liked it. The plot isn’t as deep as the In the Garden of Good and Evil, but it doesn’t have to be. Every reader will be able to relate to the situation Claire and Kyle finds themselves in and will even envy them in the end. I know I do.

In Kelley Armstrong’s contribution, the story revolves around Karl Marsten. Now if you’re familiar with the Women of the Otherworld series, than you’ve met Marsten before. In this story, we find Marsten meeting up with Hope, a chaos half-demon. Unknowingly, Hope is thrown into a situation that opens her eyes. She’s been working for Tristad Robard on behalf of the Council or has she been?

I won’t go into the plot, it would spoil it for you, but this story made me think. I was under the impression that Armstrong had two separate books, but I may be wrong now that I have read this novella. I think I’m going to have to pick up the other two books. Either way, I enjoyed reading about Marsten. I’ve come across him a couple of times, and while he was the bad guy, he was never evil-bad. I would be interested in finding out if he gets back with Hope or not. Maybe we’ll find out in Armstrong’s new book. After reading the third novella, I have to say this book hasn’t disappointed me yet.

In Lori Handeland’s Dead Man Dating, it starts out with our heroine (Kit) on a date with someone she met off of the internet. As the date goes in, she begins to realize something is off. With the help of a mystery man, Kit, handles the situation and finds something she has been looking for.

While I enjoyed this selection, I must say that it doesn’t rate as well as the previous novellas in Dates from Hell. The premise is something new, a little close to the Buffyverse in my opinion (which they even remark upon), but not done as well. This is the one novella that I am having a hard time reviewing as nothing about the story is sticking with me, contrary to the other novellas in this anthology.

http://www.literaryescapism.com/2006/... ( )

This is great because it has Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison both!!!NICE ( )