mleetm's review
3.0
I only read the one story in this anthology: dirty magic.
......
What in the bloody hell did I just read? For real. What?
I. I think it was meant to be a plot twist, but instead it felt more like the author started writing one story and finished writing another. Same character, different storyline. The hell. This really really perturbs me.
......
What in the bloody hell did I just read? For real. What?
I. I think it was meant to be a plot twist, but instead it felt more like the author started writing one story and finished writing another. Same character, different storyline. The hell. This really really perturbs me.
tkat's review
1.0
I was really looking forward to reading this anthology as I am a large fan of Kim Harrison. However about halfway through the book I had to give up, mostly because the stories were not making a lot of sense.
The first short story was ok. But then it was followed up by a story about the Greek goddess Artemis and her nymphs who have awakened in today's world and gone eco-terrorist on some oil barons and mining tycoons. Normally this would be awesome as what Artemis does is turn them into stags and kill them. Brilliant! What I did not enjoy was the fact that a Navy Seals type group was sent after her thinking her and her nymphs were human terrorists, the Seals being captured, and Artemis and her nymphs throwing away millennia-old vows of celibacy and chastity to get it on with sed Seals because Artemis wants to fade into memory with the other Olympian gods and none of them think the vow is 'necessary' in today's world.
I mean, what?!?! All of a sudden you're going to toss your vow and panties aside because you wake up in a strange world and some hot military buff guys are hunting you in the forest? Please.
And then following right on the heels of this Artemis gem is the tale of a woman named Caitlin who has been used and abused by men and retreats to Mexico for a little R&R. What happens? She falls for a handsome stranger and swiftly into his bed. Only problem is, handsome stranger was a Spanish invader 500yrs ago and was cursed by his Native American wife to spend his days as a stallion and nights as a man until on of her line forgives him after his people destroyed her village. And guess who that descendant is? Caitlin.
But instead of explaining any of this to Caitlin, he beds her and tricks her into forgiving him. She figures it out and reverses it in time so he's still cursed because he used her and she's P.O'd about it. Oh but it's ok because she turns around and forgives him for real a day later. So she essentially forgives a man who used and abused her within 24hrs after men have used and abused her for years. Ugh.
Its stories like these two that remind me why I stayed away from Romance for so long. Contradicting characters and throwing logic out the window when it gets in the way of the characters making out.
I am sure the rest of the book is fine, but I gave up after these two, because they were the first three of seven stories. I'll probably go back to read Kim Harrison's tale, and I'm sure it will be golden as usual, but yeah. I need to wash my brain in some good story and plot lines before I think about picking this one up again.
The first short story was ok. But then it was followed up by a story about the Greek goddess Artemis and her nymphs who have awakened in today's world and gone eco-terrorist on some oil barons and mining tycoons. Normally this would be awesome as what Artemis does is turn them into stags and kill them. Brilliant! What I did not enjoy was the fact that a Navy Seals type group was sent after her thinking her and her nymphs were human terrorists, the Seals being captured, and Artemis and her nymphs throwing away millennia-old vows of celibacy and chastity to get it on with sed Seals because Artemis wants to fade into memory with the other Olympian gods and none of them think the vow is 'necessary' in today's world.
I mean, what?!?! All of a sudden you're going to toss your vow and panties aside because you wake up in a strange world and some hot military buff guys are hunting you in the forest? Please.
And then following right on the heels of this Artemis gem is the tale of a woman named Caitlin who has been used and abused by men and retreats to Mexico for a little R&R. What happens? She falls for a handsome stranger and swiftly into his bed. Only problem is, handsome stranger was a Spanish invader 500yrs ago and was cursed by his Native American wife to spend his days as a stallion and nights as a man until on of her line forgives him after his people destroyed her village. And guess who that descendant is? Caitlin.
But instead of explaining any of this to Caitlin, he beds her and tricks her into forgiving him. She figures it out and reverses it in time so he's still cursed because he used her and she's P.O'd about it. Oh but it's ok because she turns around and forgives him for real a day later. So she essentially forgives a man who used and abused her within 24hrs after men have used and abused her for years. Ugh.
Its stories like these two that remind me why I stayed away from Romance for so long. Contradicting characters and throwing logic out the window when it gets in the way of the characters making out.
I am sure the rest of the book is fine, but I gave up after these two, because they were the first three of seven stories. I'll probably go back to read Kim Harrison's tale, and I'm sure it will be golden as usual, but yeah. I need to wash my brain in some good story and plot lines before I think about picking this one up again.
bookfessional's review
2.0
Dirty Magic - The Hollows, 4.5
2 stars
I'm not sure what this novella was supposed to accomplish. The only thing I learned was that Mia (the Banshee from Black Magic Sanction) is an unreliable narrator and perhaps as big a psychopath as her husband, Remus. Not my favorite.
2 stars
I'm not sure what this novella was supposed to accomplish. The only thing I learned was that Mia (the Banshee from Black Magic Sanction) is an unreliable narrator and perhaps as big a psychopath as her husband, Remus. Not my favorite.
vaderbird's review
3.0
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
heregrim's review
3.0
Very centered on the erotic relationships that the supernatural can get into, although some the plot held up better than others. Kim Harrison's story was good, it was awesome to see an old character again for the Hollows series. Like a Virgin of the Spring was also an interesting retelling of an old story. But for the most part the stories were just ok.
lpcoolgirl's review
5.0
Oh, such a wonderful collection of short stories, awesome characters, and worlds, I think my favourite is Kim Harrison's!
thenia's review
2.0
Dirty Magic on Books On Track
Kim Harrison - Dirty Magic ~ ★★ (02/05/2021)
A story about Mia, the banshee who causes a mess in [b:White Witch, Black Curse|3475268|White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows, #7)|Kim Harrison|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442365029l/3475268._SY75_.jpg|3516587], that proves that she has indeed gone off her rocker...
There is a man who loves her knowing exactly what she is and what she is taking from him and
Spoiler
she tells him that she has a wish that if it works might mean that they can be together without him dying. He is eager to try it, and the two become intimate and he ends up dying, completely drained, at which point she reveals that she already used her wish with Remus, the psycho father of her daughter... She stores up all of his dying aura, not using up any for herself, but that means nothing in the endSimply unforgivable...
sarahconnor89757's review
4.0
I love Marjorie M. Liu's story. Every time I read one of her short stories I am taken with her style; beautiful prose, emotionally gritty, and original. In her story, Minotaur In Stone, she does a great job of using the Minotaur and labyrinth myth into a stereotypical paranormal-romance story. She doesn't do anything especially out of the box, but her style makes it seem like the first time you had read something with the dream-lover premise.
jmshirtz's review
4.0
This review is only for "Dirty Magic" by [a:Kim Harrison|17054|Kim Harrison|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1309989149p2/17054.jpg]. I will admit I did not see that ending coming. I entertained it for a little while, but in the course of thirty short pages, [a:Kim Harrison|17054|Kim Harrison|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1309989149p2/17054.jpg] had me snowed. It shouldn't be possible to tell as complete a story as it is in so few pages, but she does it amazingly well. It was very interesting to see life through a banshee's eyes; especially one we've met before in The Hollows series.
silverdire's review
1.0
To begin with, I'd like to say that I absolutely love some of the authors in this anthology...which is why it totally blows my mind as to why these stories were so completely awful.
If you must read this to get your fix from a favorite author, please check it out from the library. Don't waste $8.50 like I did.
If you must read this to get your fix from a favorite author, please check it out from the library. Don't waste $8.50 like I did.