Strange Brew

These short stories will give you your fix of magic, vampires, witches, mixed with love and action. Only a review of 3 stories, all that would fit here.

~Seeing Eye
After reading this story of Moira Keller, a good witch in Seattle who gets a late night visit from a man - or werewolf - in need of help against Them -- I cannot believe I have not read any stories by Patricia. Tom is looking for his kidnapped "gifted" brother, Jon. Everything Tom told Moira rang true with her as it matched her dreams. Moira believes Jon was kidnapped as a sacrifice on Halloween for Kouro Samhain and his coven. I really enjoyed the unexpected turns and events of the story. This story has made purchasing the anthology worth it. And this was only the first story.
~Death Warmed Over
Holly Anne Caldwell, a witch who's the best at what she does - resurrection, hates doing ressurections on a work night, as they take all night and no sleep doesn't help the day job. But Sam asks her to do one on Thursday, it's Monday. A long-term resurrection for the Police Department can't be a good thing, and on such short notice. Will she take it? The person she is to resurrect has a long strong history himself, and a short history with Holly too. I really enjoyed this short story. I loved the way the characters where developed in this short story and connected with each other and find I want to read more of the short time Holly and Andrew spent together before. I am definitely going to have to get a few more of her books after reading this short story. Great read!
~Signatures of the Dead
A whole family is butchered and Brax wants to get the killers. Brax needs to know for sure if its vampires, if they are okay, and where they sleep to get justice. Molly is a unique Earth Witch and could help. But could it hurt her? Being a short of thirty-three pages, I felt the suspense and couldn't wait to get to the end to see where they story went. As the story went the plot thickened for me. I really felt pulled in to this world with these characters. The characters abilities and limits amazed me. I really liked the way witches were broke down and made a bigger type of character with new rules (for me) along with limits. This short story introduced me to a character I really liked the idea of, Jane Yellow rock - from Skinwalker.
~Dark Sins
Cin a witch turned vampire three years ago by Michael, unusually retained her witch powers - yet she doesn't have control of them and has premonitions. Cin and Michael are on a holiday in Venice with their friends Devlin and Justine when they are attacked by a dark Wizard and his witches. When Cin wakes up she is on a stone floor surrounded by a ward and her friends are laying on alters. Why are they wanted in this town? This story starts off with action of both sexual and physical battle. I enjoyed how the action kept moving through this story. This short story also had a start, climax, and an end to the story. There was a creation of a god and plans for the future with these characters. I look forward to other stories here in this world, whether in anthologies or full books. I am going to have to find this series of Cin Craven now.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Look forward to the next collection

I always find this collaboration of writers keep me interested. The stories are offbeat, sometimes commical, usually thrilling and definitely original.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Gives you a taste

If you haven't read anything of each of the authors who provide a short story, "Strange Brew" will help you by giving you a taste of how they write and of the characters of their books. I have all the books of the series for Butcher (Harry Dresdan), Harris (Sookie Stackhouse), and Briggs (Mercy Thompson and the Omega Series). Read this then take the time to find out more of what these authors write. They are worth the time.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Introduced me to some new SS/F writers

I am a Jim Butcher and Charlaine Harris fan already and I enjoyed the chance to read some other current SF/F writers without committing to a whole novel. I enjoyed the stories in this book and will probably end up checking out some of the authors' novels, which was, I am sure, the intent of this compilation. This is also good if you enjoy some reading before bedtime, but you're too busy to get engrossed in a long novel. I picked this up during my busy season and it was great to have something entertaining to read before bed and I didn't have to worry about staying up too late because I "just couldn't put it down".

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The title of the book was appropriate.

the book is done by several diffrent authors. thus you will have a nice variety to stories. there is a little of everything for everyone. the action, romance,humour,suspenes,saddness, and horror. i fully enjoyed the book personally. Introduced me to new authours and stories to look into futher for future reading. however, this is not a book i would recommend for younger teens or children. over all i gave it high marks.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Enjoying Strange Brew

I have read several of the short story collections edited by P.N. Elrod, and as with the others I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. The variety of stories from a number of different authors exposed me to writers that I haven't read before and resulted in my starting to read several other series.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Quick read

A fun quick read. A few of the stories are even touching.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good mix of the bizarre

For fans of the wizard, werewolf and night beastie gang, this is a great read. Butcher's Dresden stories are always a great mix of humor, magic and Sam Spade type detective story. All of these writers are at the top of their game for the genre. No eternal classics here but a lot of great fun reading. Highly recommended.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Love reading short stories by these authors

Anything by these authors is worth reading.They add more to the books they have already written.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Strange Brew

All in all I really enjoyed this urban fantasy anthology; it was a lot of fun. I gave this a 4-star rating because there were only a couple duds out of all the nine authors who contributed; and that in itself is really surprising to have so many good novellas in one anthology.

Faith Hunter "Signatures of the Dead" Now this novella was spectacular! This was definitely my favorite out of all nine authors. We are introduced to Jane Yellowrock, the heroine in Faith Hunter's new series. This novella however, focuses on Molly Trueblood, an earth witch. Molly assist her friends, Jane and a detective in locating rogue vampires who are currently on a vicious killing spree. The story was exciting, mysterious and smoothly done. The whole story felt complete even though it was only 31 pages long. 5+/5

Caitlin Kittredge "Ginger" This one comes in at a close second. This novella takes place in Caitlin's Nocturne City world. The story focuses on Sunny who helps Luna in infiltrating a blood magic coven. The story was interesting, moved fluidly and was full of action and intrigue. 5/5


Rachel Caine "Death Warmed Over" I stop reading Rachel's Weather Warden series last year because it started to seem completely unbelievable and coincidental. This story however, was flawless! Holly, a Necromancer, is asked by the police to resurrect a tenacious Zombie War hero to assist them in a current case. This story really surprised me. It was dark, interesting, humorous and smooth. 5/5

Karen Chance "Vegas Odds" Lia a mage teacher and her werewolf boyfriend Cyrus are attached in her home by a few of her rogue students, hellbent on killing her. This story was invigorating, exciting and fast paced. 5/5

Patricia Briggs "Seeing Eye" Moira, a powerful witch aids a werewolf in the search for his brother. The story was interesting but the transitions weren't smooth and flowing; instead it felt choppy and hurried. Regardless of the rushed impression, I liked Moira. She's a blind witch with a lot of courage and a steel spine. She chose to walk into a lion's den in complete darkness, for a complete stranger. 4/5

Jim Butcher "Last Call" Harry Dresden gets more than he bargained for when he goes on a beer run. This was my least favorite. Now I loved the show The Dresden files from the Scifi network and was pissed off when it got canceled. Surprisingly though, this story just didn't hook me. I found it boring and tedious. 1/5

This anthology was a surprisingly fast read and I highly recommend it. Most of the stories had a nice spooky and comfy feel to them. Like when you snuggle up and crack open a good book on a cold and snowy night, and more importantly, with a day off from work the next day.lol

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

was AWESOME!

The only reason this is getting a 4 instead of a 5 is the fact that I felt cheated. The only reason I bought this book was to read Patricia Briggs' "Seeing Eye" and it was worth it but I just felt she could have included a little more of how Tom and Moira's relationship advanced to where we know it ends up and I wouldv'e loved to see The Emerald City Pack's reaction when Tom introduces Moira. She could've at least in my opinion not ended it were she did. I know this is just a short story to go along with the main story of Alpha and Omega series but I still felt cheated, just a little.
As for the rest of the book the other stories in the anthology were pretty good.

Thoroughly enjoyed it!

All great writers. I was wishing each story was longer!

Highly Recommended

I have started picking up Anthologies containing works from my favorite authors to learn about the side stories to their major novels and series. In Patricia Briggs "Seeing Eye" we learn how a Witch and a Werewolf are introduced and just how a White Witch has the power of a without the evil taint of a black wicked witch, both characters introduced to us in "Hunting Grounds" as already married. In "Signatures of the Dead", Faith Hunter, I am introduced to a "new" character Jane Yellowstone. A character I discover has novels written around; cool a new author. I have not read any of Charlane Harris Sookie Stackhouse novels but I have seen them around, after reading some of Ms. Haris short stories featuring Sookie, I may add them to my list.

In short, I look at Anthologies as pieces of the story the author writes that are sides to the full story or background information for characters used in the novels giving us insight to the author; and as a way to learn of new authors or introduction to someone I have not considered before.

Great Read!!!

I've become a fan of many of the authors showcased in this book and they did not disappoint. I finished each short story wanting to read more about the main characters. I appreciated that, at the end of each short story, there was a summary about the author's books and how to find out more information about the author and the book series available to follow the main character of the short story. GREAT READ!!!

It is Worth Drinking this Brew!

My original intention in buying this collections of witchy stories was for the Charlaine Harris "Bacon". What I got was a myriad of great short stories worthy of a series. Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden stories have made me want to explore that particular universe. The only drawback is the use of vague magick to solve problems. The lack of solid rules for magical usage unnerved me. A great buy, especially to donate to your local library for others to enjoy.

A Strange Brew of paranormal mystery, suspense, and action

Although I often find myself reading stories spanning multiple volumes, I find myself picking up an occasional anthology to check out new authors' (authors whose novels/stories I haven't read before) writing styles. To be fully honest I more often pick them up to get those short stories that tie into other series I am reading. P.N. Elrod in this collection pulls together 9 tales of dark magic and the paranormal. These stand alone stories are easy to read and wickedly entertaining.

In this anthology I found it impossible to pick a favorite story. With the appropriately titled Bacon from Charlaine Harris, Seeing Eye by Patricia Briggs, and Signatures of the Dead by Faith Hunter all clamoring for bragging rights. However, I must say that Last Call by Jim Butcher (the main reason I had picked up this anthology) proved to be by far my least favorite, with a poor story arc and even worse writing. All in all this is a great collection of stories from authors whose works I read, have heard of, or will be on the look out for in the future.

Seeing Eye By: Patricia Briggs

Patricia Briggs manages to instill the reader within a dense world full of its own history in her tale about the blind witch Wendy Moria Keller and the werewolf Tom Franklin. This brief but volatile tale immerses the reader in a gritty noir mystery of what happened to Tom's brother. While at the same time providing characters and their world depth and history without distracting the reader from the underlying story, or slowing the pace. Although set in the world of her Alpha & Omega series this story stands by itself and is wholly enjoyable by all readers.

Last Call By: Jim Butcher

In Last Call, Jim Butcher spins a short mystery containing Harry Dresden from his series The Dresden Files. Those new to the series will find that there are brief references to events in the main story arc but may find they don't enhance the current mystery of what happened to Mac, his bar, and his beer. However if you are a fan of the series the further details on Mac and the scene with Murphy will be most enjoyable.

Death Warmed Over By: Rachel Caine

Death Warmed Over is a tale about resurrection witch Holly Cadwell and her resurrection of Andrew Tolland as per request of the Police Department. The plot unfolds with mystery, murder, and surprising twists and turns. Rachel deftly defines her characters their past and the ties that binds each of us together. This dark world will leave you hauntingly enthralled and wanting more.

Vegas Odds By: Karen Chance

Vegas Odds is an action packed thrill ride that starts off with an assassination attempt of the main character Accalia(Lia) de Croissets. This straight forward action packed thriller quickly develops into an in-depth suspenseful mystery. Karen Chance spins a dark tale of a mage trying to survive in a world in the middle of a war between mages.

Signatures of the Dead By: Faith Hunter

In a small appalacian town rogue vampires are on the loose. The local law enforcement have no choice but to ask earth witch Molly Meagan Everhart Trueblood to read what transpired at the McCarley house. Molly's reading of the deaths of the McCarley family leads her and her bounty hunting friend Jane Yellowrock on the trail of a family of cold blooded vampires.

~ Matthew @ novelmusings.com

Strange Brew

All the writers had excellent stories. I plan on looking up more boods on some of the authors I have not previously read.

All the stories were well written with plenty of action.

These nine urban fantasies make for a terrific anthology with no clinkers

These nine urban fantasies make for a terrific anthology with no clinkers and several super entries. Especially excellent is Jim Butcher's "Last Call" in which Harry stops for a beer while pursuing maenad Meditrina Bassarid, who stops for wine. Patricia Brigg's blind witch in "Seeing Eye" who cannot turn on the lights to get rid of the terrors of the dark is top gun. Also super are Ginger: A Nocturne City Story" by Caitlin Kittredge that follows the adventures of two sisters, one kick butt the other a wuss; and Rachel Caine's "Death Warmed Over" in which the resurrectionist Holly Caldwell is asked to bring back the hero of the zombie war , the late witch Andrew Toland. With Charlaine Harris providing "Bacon", the editor P.N. Elrod a 1937 family hunt ("Hecate's Golden Eye") and "Dark Sins" by Jenna Maclaine make this a winner. Finally fans will take a Chance on Karen Chance's "Vegas Odds" and have faith in the avenging vampires of "Signature of the Dead" by Faith Hunter which are top quality. These are fun supernatural mystery thrillers that accentuate why urban fantasy is so popular.

Harriet Klausner

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.