Kate W. (ne-katja-girl) reviewed Mysteria Lane: Disdaining Trouble / The Nanny from Hell / A Tawdry Affair / It's in His Kiss on + 21 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
For this review I am going to talk about the previous "Mysteria" as multiple references are made.
MaryJanice Davidson: The story is about the Desdaine triplets. Withering falls into the wishing well and comes out grown up (her mother makes the comment that she wished the girls would grow up.) We meet Thad (our hero) and how he falls in love with the new grown up Withering. Watch out is you will get tired of reading "this woman is/does/etc..." Her previous characters Char and Cole make an appearance and you are able to see what happened to Cole and his pack obligations. I was ready to get this story finished and if I never read the novella again, it will be too soon. (Sorry for the dramatics, I just didn't like the story.)
Susan Grant: In this story we get to see what happened to Damon and Harmony (D&H) and how they are coping with their child. We meet our hero (Quel) and heroine (Shay.) Keeping with the whole Demon-thing, Shay is a demon sent to kill "little Damon" (D&H's child) because Satan feels he is going to distroy him. Quel was hard to get excited about as a hero and Shay was too overdramatic. I liked Damon and Harmony's story better in "Mysteria" and found myself wanting to reread it rather then about Shay and Quel's story.
Gena Showalter: LOVED THIS STORY!!!! As we knew there was something up with Glory and Falon (the reader is able to find out what exactly Falon is!!!), this story brings it all to a close. I am glad Glory and Falon got their own story as there was something brewing between them and Showalter was able to round out the Tawdry sisters. I like how Showalter doesn't write that all of her characters are perfect size, weight, etc, as it makes them more relateable. I loved how Glory was able to write herself skinny and all Falon can think about his wanting her lush curves back. Candy Cox's sister makes an appearance and it leads perfectly into P.C. Cast's story.
P.C. Cast: As Candy and her boy-toy Justin are out seeing the world, Kayla (Candy Cox' sister) comes and stays at the house and takes over Candy's old job. It is great how whenever someone tries to do magic around Kayla it gets distorted. We meet our hero Colin who is Barnabas's brother as Barnabas is trying to piece back his broken heart (darn you, Hunter! Had to break the heart of your sire!) I loved how Cast described the darkness that surrounds Colin. When I was reading it, I actually got chills as I could feel the darkness. I didn't like the end as I found it didn't leave me filling satisfied. I cannot describe it correctly without ruining the ending. It just fizzled.
All in all, I was much happier with "Mysteria" then "Mysteria Lane", except of course for Showalter's novella. It was a disappointment, but still recommend that if you read "Mysteria" you should read this book as it concludes a lot of storylines.
MaryJanice Davidson: The story is about the Desdaine triplets. Withering falls into the wishing well and comes out grown up (her mother makes the comment that she wished the girls would grow up.) We meet Thad (our hero) and how he falls in love with the new grown up Withering. Watch out is you will get tired of reading "this woman is/does/etc..." Her previous characters Char and Cole make an appearance and you are able to see what happened to Cole and his pack obligations. I was ready to get this story finished and if I never read the novella again, it will be too soon. (Sorry for the dramatics, I just didn't like the story.)
Susan Grant: In this story we get to see what happened to Damon and Harmony (D&H) and how they are coping with their child. We meet our hero (Quel) and heroine (Shay.) Keeping with the whole Demon-thing, Shay is a demon sent to kill "little Damon" (D&H's child) because Satan feels he is going to distroy him. Quel was hard to get excited about as a hero and Shay was too overdramatic. I liked Damon and Harmony's story better in "Mysteria" and found myself wanting to reread it rather then about Shay and Quel's story.
Gena Showalter: LOVED THIS STORY!!!! As we knew there was something up with Glory and Falon (the reader is able to find out what exactly Falon is!!!), this story brings it all to a close. I am glad Glory and Falon got their own story as there was something brewing between them and Showalter was able to round out the Tawdry sisters. I like how Showalter doesn't write that all of her characters are perfect size, weight, etc, as it makes them more relateable. I loved how Glory was able to write herself skinny and all Falon can think about his wanting her lush curves back. Candy Cox's sister makes an appearance and it leads perfectly into P.C. Cast's story.
P.C. Cast: As Candy and her boy-toy Justin are out seeing the world, Kayla (Candy Cox' sister) comes and stays at the house and takes over Candy's old job. It is great how whenever someone tries to do magic around Kayla it gets distorted. We meet our hero Colin who is Barnabas's brother as Barnabas is trying to piece back his broken heart (darn you, Hunter! Had to break the heart of your sire!) I loved how Cast described the darkness that surrounds Colin. When I was reading it, I actually got chills as I could feel the darkness. I didn't like the end as I found it didn't leave me filling satisfied. I cannot describe it correctly without ruining the ending. It just fizzled.
All in all, I was much happier with "Mysteria" then "Mysteria Lane", except of course for Showalter's novella. It was a disappointment, but still recommend that if you read "Mysteria" you should read this book as it concludes a lot of storylines.
Brekke K. (sfvamp) -
Helpful Score: 1
Terrible! I was looking forward to this anthology and read Mysteria so I'd have some basis of reference. But OMG this is just the most shallow, blasé writing! I thought Mysteria needed some re-writes but it is downright Shakespearean compared to it's sequel. Gena Showalter's story was okay if you knew the backstory from Mysteria, but even normally consistent good authors like PC Cast and Susan Grant, made me want to scream from the inanity of their writing. And Mary Janice Dickinson reached a new level of low. I'm NOT a fan of her work and I can't believe she took such a great character, like a Dresdaine triplet, and made her boring and out of character. I think this anthology was published too fast and without a lot of editing and rewrites. Just save your money or your credit and run from this awful book.
