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Patricia Briggs kicks this anthology off with Seeing Eye. Moira Keller is irritated at the ringing of the doorbell but can’t turn down werewolf Tom Franklin’s request for help. His brother, an undercover detective, has disappeared and he believes Samhain’s Coven is responsible. Can they save him in time? Patricia Briggs departs from her usual cast of characters and introduces us to a witch I hope we see more of in the future. Moira is an enigmatic character with a heart for justice. Patricia Briggs keeps the readers on their toes as there are several clever twists in Seeing Eye. Jim Butcher takes us into the world of Harry Dresden with Last Call. Harry just wanted to drink a beer at his favorite pub. Unfortunately, something has gone seriously awry at McAnnally’s pub. Can Harry uncover the culprit before more chaos ensues? Harry Dresden is one of my all time favorite heroes. Jim Butcher once again shows off the quick wit, clever dialogue, and phenomenal action scenes that have made this series such a hit. Molly is also developing as a strong character of her own. If you haven’t read anything in the Dresden series, Last Call gives you an excellent taste of this superb series. Death Warmed Over by Rachel Caine delves into the world of resurrection witches. Holly Caldwell is the best at raising the dead but surely Andrew Tolland deserves eternal peace after all he’s done. Unfortunately, her choice is to resurrect him or see him resurrected by someone far more ruthless. What do the police want from Andrew? Rachel Caine’s story edges into some very dark places…and yet she pulls it off quite well. The twists and turns made this one quite intriguing but it is the characters who make it a hit. One can’t help but cheering for Holly and Andrew, both so much alike with their refusal to give up in the face of evil. I hope we see more stories set in this world soon! Vegas Odds by Karen Chance is set in a world with war mages. Lia de Croissets’ new job training recruits should be fairly harmless but someone wants her dead. Can she uncover who is behind the plot? Vegas Odds is a fast paced tale with an intriguing twist to it. Karen Chance crafts a world where danger lurks around every corner. I particularly like her use of illusions as it adds an element of mystery to the overall ambiance of the tale. Lia is a character I want to see more of in the future! Hecate’s Golden Eye by P.N. Elrod features vampire detective Jack Fleming and his human partner, Charles Escott. Miss Mabel Weaver wants to hire them to recover a piece of jewelry stolen by her cousin. Will the curse of Hecate’s Golden Eye claim another victim? P.N. Elrod’s Jack Fleming is always a fun character to read about. His adventures are sometimes a bit quirky and Hecate’s Golden Eye is no exception. Readers who haven’t had the pleasure of reading any of the Vampire Files series will get a nice taste of what the series entails as the story stands alone quite well. P.N. Elrod is an author who really should garner more attention as her books and stories are excellent. Charlaine Harris’ Bacon shows what happens when a vampire is crossed. Dahlia Lynley-Chivers intends to avenge the death of her husband. Kathy Aenidis is just the witch Dahlia needs to complete her diabolical plan. Bacon is tied to Charlaine Harris’ story, Tacky, featured in the anthology MY BIG FAT SUPERNATURAL WEDDING. However, it can be read as a stand alone although I must admit I was a bit surprised by how things have taken a turn since the previous story! Bacon is a very dark story with elements some may find disturbing. Charlaine Harris shows a gift for crafting a devilish story of revenge! Signatures of the Dead by Faith Hunter has Jane Yellowrock and her friend and earth witch, Molly, hunting down a ruthless band of murderers. Can they find the rogues before more people are killed? I haven’t read anything by Faith Hunter prior to this - something I hope to correct soon! Jane Yellowrock is an interesting character. We see her through the eyes of Molly, who is the narrator for the story. Both women are strong in very different ways. Faith Hunter does a marvelous job at creating an atmosphere of danger and I look forward to reading some of her books in the near future. Ginger by Caitlin Kittredge is set in the world of Nocturne City. Sunny Swann and her cousin, Detective Luna Wilder, are in court when a magical attack gets messy. Unfortunately, Sunny has attracted the wrong kind of attention as a result…. Caitlin Kittredge is another author I’ve meant to read and haven’t. After finishing Ginger, I’m moving her up the list as well! The storyline is clever and intriguing but it is the character of Sunny that I found to be the most interesting aspect. I enjoyed watching her grow in confidence as she faces a tough opponent in Ginger. The anthology concludes with Dark Sins by Jenna Maclaine. Cin Craven and her friends, known as The Righteous, are overtaken by a group of wizards. Edmund Gage wants vengeance. Will Cin be able to resist or will she lose all those she loves? Dark Sins can easily be read as a stand alone story. Jenna Maclaine shows us another side of Cin Craven, one that offers up some moral questions. Cin will have to reach within herself and examine some dark corners. This is particularly intriguing since Cin is a member of The Righteous as Dark Sins adds a layer of complexity to Cin’s series overall. STRANGE BREW is a phenomenal anthology! Each and every story is enjoyable, a feat not all anthologies attain. Readers get a glimpse of some of the top authors in the urban fantasy genre as STRANGE BREW is highly recommended. Reviewed by Debbie |
Strange Brew Rating:
Posted August 2009 |
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