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A review by kaa
Into the Mystic, Volume Two by Jason Bradley
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.