kaa's review
4.0
A free copy of the book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
I have to say, this anthology was not exactly what I was expecting based on the cover and the "paranormal" description, and that's definitely not a bad thing. I have pretty mixed feelings about a lot of what passes for paranormal these days (especially when it's romance-related), but many of these stories took the genre in some very interesting directions and the overall tone of the book is quite eerie. I also appreciated that the "lesbian/bisexual" in the description actually meant multiple characters who were attracted to more than one gender, as well as one character who was also demisexual. I was not familiar with any of the authors going into it, but there are several I hope to be reading more of in the future.
(Average score 3.2, rounded up to 4 because overall I really liked this book.)
Favorites (5 stars)
Lighthouse Five, by [a:T.S. Porter|14415315|T.S. Porter|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]: Wow. This was a really incredible story. The characters are gorgeously written - I will never stop praising writers who can create characters that are non-human, and really feel non-human, while definitely still being people. Jewels is awesome, as is the world-building around her species and culture. Chris is just such a sweetie (not just because she reminds me a little of my younger sibling). Some of the other stories in this anthology struggle a bit with length and pacing, but the arc and development of Lighthouse Five are basically perfect.
To the Sea, by [a:M.K. Hardy|16993695|M.K. Hardy|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]: Sad and sweet and lovely. I really adored the water and nature orientation of many of these stories, and this one in particular. The oil spill clean-up was such a perfect setting for this not-quite-love-story.
Really good (4 stars)
Dressed in Wolf Skin, by [a:Sita Bethel|15986573|Sita Bethel|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]: The witch and werewolf in this one are both so gentle and fierce, and I love it.
Unraveled, by [a:C.C. Bridges|2780312|C.C. Bridges|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1256539138p2/2780312.jpg]: I wanted this one to be longer! I thought Summer's abilities were really cool, and I always like a good magic user + skeptical scientist pairing.
Holy Water, by [a:Lina Langley|7375156|Lina Langley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1506372508p2/7375156.jpg]: This one was delightfully creepy and shivery.
Enjoyable (3 stars)
Dead Letter, by [a:Valentine Wheeler|17167190|Valentine Wheeler|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]: While this story was well-written it didn't totally capture me. I'm not a big fan of ghosts, and I think it was more a mismatch because of that than any shortcoming on the part of the story.
The Holy Company, by [a:Laura Bailo|16360938|Laura Bailo|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1505211704p2/16360938.jpg]: See previous comment re: ghosts. But also this was one of the stories where the pacing really needed work - I loved the initial development of the story and especially the relationship between Anna and Sophie, but the conclusion felt anti-climatic.
OK (2 stars)
Green Love, by Elna Holst: While I enjoyed the beginning and there were some wonderfully creepy elements, it went off the rails a bit in the second half once it switched perspectives.
Nope (1 star)
Seaside Escape, by A. Fae: This is supposed to be the redemption story of someone who has spent their life trafficking selkie women into what amounts to sexual slavery, which would be challenging-to-impossible to do well even in a longer form. This particular story is so full of apologism I could barely finish it. Additionally, the background of why this is taking place is nonsensical and the writing isn't great. (And if the "solution" was so easy, why the fuck hadn't anyone tried or suggested it before?)
Vampire Hours, by Jacqueline Rohrbach: (TW for suicide) Turning someone immortal against their will in order to prevent them from committing suicide isn't romantic, it's horrifying. If someone doesn't want to live, forcing them to live FOREVER sounds like pretty much the worst possible answer.
I have to say, this anthology was not exactly what I was expecting based on the cover and the "paranormal" description, and that's definitely not a bad thing. I have pretty mixed feelings about a lot of what passes for paranormal these days (especially when it's romance-related), but many of these stories took the genre in some very interesting directions and the overall tone of the book is quite eerie. I also appreciated that the "lesbian/bisexual" in the description actually meant multiple characters who were attracted to more than one gender, as well as one character who was also demisexual. I was not familiar with any of the authors going into it, but there are several I hope to be reading more of in the future.
(Average score 3.2, rounded up to 4 because overall I really liked this book.)
Favorites (5 stars)
Lighthouse Five, by [a:T.S. Porter|14415315|T.S. Porter|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]: Wow. This was a really incredible story. The characters are gorgeously written - I will never stop praising writers who can create characters that are non-human, and really feel non-human, while definitely still being people. Jewels is awesome, as is the world-building around her species and culture. Chris is just such a sweetie (not just because she reminds me a little of my younger sibling). Some of the other stories in this anthology struggle a bit with length and pacing, but the arc and development of Lighthouse Five are basically perfect.
To the Sea, by [a:M.K. Hardy|16993695|M.K. Hardy|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]: Sad and sweet and lovely. I really adored the water and nature orientation of many of these stories, and this one in particular. The oil spill clean-up was such a perfect setting for this not-quite-love-story.
Really good (4 stars)
Dressed in Wolf Skin, by [a:Sita Bethel|15986573|Sita Bethel|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]: The witch and werewolf in this one are both so gentle and fierce, and I love it.
Unraveled, by [a:C.C. Bridges|2780312|C.C. Bridges|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1256539138p2/2780312.jpg]: I wanted this one to be longer! I thought Summer's abilities were really cool, and I always like a good magic user + skeptical scientist pairing.
Holy Water, by [a:Lina Langley|7375156|Lina Langley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1506372508p2/7375156.jpg]: This one was delightfully creepy and shivery.
Enjoyable (3 stars)
Dead Letter, by [a:Valentine Wheeler|17167190|Valentine Wheeler|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]: While this story was well-written it didn't totally capture me. I'm not a big fan of ghosts, and I think it was more a mismatch because of that than any shortcoming on the part of the story.
The Holy Company, by [a:Laura Bailo|16360938|Laura Bailo|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1505211704p2/16360938.jpg]: See previous comment re: ghosts. But also this was one of the stories where the pacing really needed work - I loved the initial development of the story and especially the relationship between Anna and Sophie, but the conclusion felt anti-climatic.
OK (2 stars)
Green Love, by Elna Holst: While I enjoyed the beginning and there were some wonderfully creepy elements, it went off the rails a bit in the second half once it switched perspectives.
Nope (1 star)
Seaside Escape, by A. Fae: This is supposed to be the redemption story of someone who has spent their life trafficking selkie women into what amounts to sexual slavery, which would be challenging-to-impossible to do well even in a longer form. This particular story is so full of apologism I could barely finish it. Additionally, the background of why this is taking place is nonsensical and the writing isn't great. (And if the "solution" was so easy, why the fuck hadn't anyone tried or suggested it before?)
Vampire Hours, by Jacqueline Rohrbach: (TW for suicide) Turning someone immortal against their will in order to prevent them from committing suicide isn't romantic, it's horrifying. If someone doesn't want to live, forcing them to live FOREVER sounds like pretty much the worst possible answer.
alexreadsboooks's review
5.0
This review also appears on my blog alexreadsboooks
______________
Into The Mystic. Volume Two is a collection of ten lesbian and/or bisexual paranormal short stories published by NineStar Press.
I’d like to thank Laura Bailo, who has her story The Holy Company featured in this collection, for providing me with an eARC.
I really loved the range of stories in this collection. There is a great diversity in the topics and the paranormal elements used, and between tree spirits, vampires, werewolves, selkies and mermaids (among others) there’s something for everyone in this collection. I loved how some of the authors put twists to fairly usual paranormal creatures, while others stuck to more traditional ideas. It’s great to see a mermaid who isn’t described as the traditional “half woman, half fish” combination, but it’s also nice to get to read a fairly traditional vampire story like Jacqueline Rohrbach’s Vampire Hours.
All of the stories are great, and I can’t say that there was one that stuck out negatively to me. However I do have a few that stuck out as particular favourites.
The first one is Seaside Escape by A. Fae, a story about a water witch, who charms selkies to the shores as brides for local fishermen, and finds love in one of the selkies. I like selkie stories, and I loved how sweet this one was.
Sita Bethel’s Dressed in Wolf Skin is a great take on werewolves and finding love despite fearing that you’ll hurt them.
The Holy Company by Laura Bailo, I enjoyed for the friends-to-lovers story line and the absolutely beautiful writing and the way this story reminds me a lot of magical realism.
And last but not least there was Lighthouse Five by TS Porter, which drew me in by making its mermaid love interest not look like a traditional mermaid, and actually concerned itself with how that affects the relationship.
I could go on about the stories in this collection because they all have great qualities about them but I wouldn’t want to spoil anything. If you like paranormal romance stories, you should definitely pick up this collection.
Note: Please be advised that this collection includes sexually explicit content that may only be suitable for mature readers.
______________
Into The Mystic. Volume Two is a collection of ten lesbian and/or bisexual paranormal short stories published by NineStar Press.
I’d like to thank Laura Bailo, who has her story The Holy Company featured in this collection, for providing me with an eARC.
I really loved the range of stories in this collection. There is a great diversity in the topics and the paranormal elements used, and between tree spirits, vampires, werewolves, selkies and mermaids (among others) there’s something for everyone in this collection. I loved how some of the authors put twists to fairly usual paranormal creatures, while others stuck to more traditional ideas. It’s great to see a mermaid who isn’t described as the traditional “half woman, half fish” combination, but it’s also nice to get to read a fairly traditional vampire story like Jacqueline Rohrbach’s Vampire Hours.
All of the stories are great, and I can’t say that there was one that stuck out negatively to me. However I do have a few that stuck out as particular favourites.
The first one is Seaside Escape by A. Fae, a story about a water witch, who charms selkies to the shores as brides for local fishermen, and finds love in one of the selkies. I like selkie stories, and I loved how sweet this one was.
Sita Bethel’s Dressed in Wolf Skin is a great take on werewolves and finding love despite fearing that you’ll hurt them.
The Holy Company by Laura Bailo, I enjoyed for the friends-to-lovers story line and the absolutely beautiful writing and the way this story reminds me a lot of magical realism.
And last but not least there was Lighthouse Five by TS Porter, which drew me in by making its mermaid love interest not look like a traditional mermaid, and actually concerned itself with how that affects the relationship.
I could go on about the stories in this collection because they all have great qualities about them but I wouldn’t want to spoil anything. If you like paranormal romance stories, you should definitely pick up this collection.
Note: Please be advised that this collection includes sexually explicit content that may only be suitable for mature readers.
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