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beammey's review
5.0
I really liked this book! It's hard for me to pick a story I liked the most, or one I liked the least. Overall I thought it was very, very good. It kept me very entertained and is probably my favorite anthology I've read to date. I would definitely recommend this to others. 5 out of 5 stars.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
An anthology of 16 short stories with a theme of journey whether it was a trip, a diversion, or a path.
Series
"Scenic Route" (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, 0.5)
"Things About Love" (Genies, 1.5 )
"Niederwald" (Soul Screamers, 4.5)
"Merely Mortal" (Wicked Lovely, 5.5)
"Facing Facts" (Darkest Powers, 3.6)
"Bridge" (Shade, 2.5)
"Skin Contact" (The Body Finder, 2.5)
"Automatic" (Morganville Vampires, 10.6)
The Stories
Claudia Gray's "Giovanni's Farewell" built a wealth of background for these two in a short time with this sweet story with its promise of adventures to come for these psychic twins: Cairo and Ravenna! I must find more of Gray's (a.k.a., Amy Vincent's) writing!
Carrie Ryan's "Scenic Route" is a dystopian horror! Ryan made me feel this one! She's taken the usual tropes and woven them together with emotions and details that will raise your heart rate as Maggie and Sally cope with betrayal in their isolated mountain cabin.
Kami Garcia's "Red Run" was horrific, and I found myself wishing she had spent a bit more time on building the emotional terror and the panic of decision. It seemed as though we had just gotten started when it ended. Still, I enjoyed the story. Well, as much as you can "enjoy" being torn in two, mentally, and I'm hoping we'll learn more about Edie and Tommy's adventures!
Jackson Pearce's "Things About Love" is a metaphysical journey in which Juliet learns about kisses and love and that genies and humans are not that far apart.
Rachel Vincent's "Niederwald" felt like a blip of insight into Sabine with some hard choices to make about saving Emma in her rush to learn more about her future with Nash. Vincent made me wonder what led up to this point and what happens after this short story. Guess I'll be adding her to my TBR mountain, lol.
Melissa Marr's "Merely Mortal" makes me wonder why I haven't read Melissa Marr. I loved this story of the mortal Keenan and Donia's first honeymoon and what they come to realize about their relationship. I'll have to pick up that first one in the series, Wicked Lovely.
Kelley Armstrong's "Facing Facts" is a pivotal short from Chloe's perspective as she comes to terms with her actions in The Reckoning, 3, and Tori learns an unwanted truth about Simon. As ever, a good read from Armstrong, although I'm not sure how much my familiarity with the series is playing into my comprehension in this short story.
Sarah Rees Brennan's "Let's Get This Undead Show on the Road" is a funny look at bigotry using the lone vampire in a boy band that's riding the vampire waves of popularity. Combined with Faye's PR instincts, it's cynical as well. Sad, humorous, and headshakingly good, it is also somewhat confusing to read as it took a long while before I figured out that Faye is not part of the band. The concluding scene was rather dorky as well, as if Brennan was too close to the limit on how many pages she was allowed and didn't want to spend the time to tighten things up.
Jeri Smith-Ready's "Bridge" was hauntingly sad and a bit odd. The odd came in the layout, a poem sort of format that seemed to reinforce comprehension. It's a look back and regret by Logan as he tries to save his brother's life. Smith-Ready is vague in this, and I'm not sure if this is the intention, to keep us on our toes and wondering. I do wish I knew how the original death occurred.
Kimberly Derting's "Skin Contact" made me cry and ache in my heart. Derting did this beautifully, providing a background, a world, and a desperate hope that things would work out. I have got to add her to my TBR.
Ally Condie's "Leaving" is a quirky journey of self-discovery in this short blip about fear and shunning in high school. A bit annoying really as Condie gives not quite enough to understand this world.
Jessica Verday's "At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show" combined hysterically funny with horror as Jane's plans to prove her value to her family almost collapsed under the weight of cannibal Girl Scouts and Jason-like resurrectionists, all in the company of Rocky Horror Show-lovin' vamps.
Margaret Stohl's "Ivy League" was one of the most confusing and left me uninterested, although the ending was good. She dropped us into a world that came with little explanation and proceeded to give us little information which did not help the story of a group of high school kids touring Breather colleges. I'd definitely classify it as a horror story.
Mary E. Pearson's "Gargouille" left me in tears in this tragic love story. Nicely done.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes' "The Third Kind" is another that drops you into the story without providing much background information. But hers works if only because it provides just enough information to go on with AND puts us in the same position as Jess who also doesn't know what's going on around her. A fascinating twist on angels and demons (?) that makes me hope she'll do more with this storyline.
Rachel Caine's "Automatic" finds Michael learning more about his vampiric nature than he wants as he is Morganville's guinea pig with the new "Coke" machine.
The Cover
The cover is soft corals and deep brown from the sunrise to the glow of the road in the distance to the swirl of vapor around the lone girl standing by the side of the road. You couldn't get a better combination to reflect the theme of this anthology of stories.
Enthralled is what you'll be with the various interpretations these authors come up with in these Paranormal Diversions.
Series
"Scenic Route" (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, 0.5)
"Things About Love" (Genies, 1.5 )
"Niederwald" (Soul Screamers, 4.5)
"Merely Mortal" (Wicked Lovely, 5.5)
"Facing Facts" (Darkest Powers, 3.6)
"Bridge" (Shade, 2.5)
"Skin Contact" (The Body Finder, 2.5)
"Automatic" (Morganville Vampires, 10.6)
The Stories
Claudia Gray's "Giovanni's Farewell" built a wealth of background for these two in a short time with this sweet story with its promise of adventures to come for these psychic twins: Cairo and Ravenna! I must find more of Gray's (a.k.a., Amy Vincent's) writing!
Carrie Ryan's "Scenic Route" is a dystopian horror! Ryan made me feel this one! She's taken the usual tropes and woven them together with emotions and details that will raise your heart rate as Maggie and Sally cope with betrayal in their isolated mountain cabin.
Kami Garcia's "Red Run" was horrific, and I found myself wishing she had spent a bit more time on building the emotional terror and the panic of decision. It seemed as though we had just gotten started when it ended. Still, I enjoyed the story. Well, as much as you can "enjoy" being torn in two, mentally, and I'm hoping we'll learn more about Edie and Tommy's adventures!
Jackson Pearce's "Things About Love" is a metaphysical journey in which Juliet learns about kisses and love and that genies and humans are not that far apart.
Rachel Vincent's "Niederwald" felt like a blip of insight into Sabine with some hard choices to make about saving Emma in her rush to learn more about her future with Nash. Vincent made me wonder what led up to this point and what happens after this short story. Guess I'll be adding her to my TBR mountain, lol.
Melissa Marr's "Merely Mortal" makes me wonder why I haven't read Melissa Marr. I loved this story of the mortal Keenan and Donia's first honeymoon and what they come to realize about their relationship. I'll have to pick up that first one in the series, Wicked Lovely.
Kelley Armstrong's "Facing Facts" is a pivotal short from Chloe's perspective as she comes to terms with her actions in The Reckoning, 3, and Tori learns an unwanted truth about Simon. As ever, a good read from Armstrong, although I'm not sure how much my familiarity with the series is playing into my comprehension in this short story.
Sarah Rees Brennan's "Let's Get This Undead Show on the Road" is a funny look at bigotry using the lone vampire in a boy band that's riding the vampire waves of popularity. Combined with Faye's PR instincts, it's cynical as well. Sad, humorous, and headshakingly good, it is also somewhat confusing to read as it took a long while before I figured out that Faye is not part of the band. The concluding scene was rather dorky as well, as if Brennan was too close to the limit on how many pages she was allowed and didn't want to spend the time to tighten things up.
Jeri Smith-Ready's "Bridge" was hauntingly sad and a bit odd. The odd came in the layout, a poem sort of format that seemed to reinforce comprehension. It's a look back and regret by Logan as he tries to save his brother's life. Smith-Ready is vague in this, and I'm not sure if this is the intention, to keep us on our toes and wondering. I do wish I knew how the original death occurred.
Kimberly Derting's "Skin Contact" made me cry and ache in my heart. Derting did this beautifully, providing a background, a world, and a desperate hope that things would work out. I have got to add her to my TBR.
Ally Condie's "Leaving" is a quirky journey of self-discovery in this short blip about fear and shunning in high school. A bit annoying really as Condie gives not quite enough to understand this world.
Jessica Verday's "At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show" combined hysterically funny with horror as Jane's plans to prove her value to her family almost collapsed under the weight of cannibal Girl Scouts and Jason-like resurrectionists, all in the company of Rocky Horror Show-lovin' vamps.
Margaret Stohl's "Ivy League" was one of the most confusing and left me uninterested, although the ending was good. She dropped us into a world that came with little explanation and proceeded to give us little information which did not help the story of a group of high school kids touring Breather colleges. I'd definitely classify it as a horror story.
Mary E. Pearson's "Gargouille" left me in tears in this tragic love story. Nicely done.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes' "The Third Kind" is another that drops you into the story without providing much background information. But hers works if only because it provides just enough information to go on with AND puts us in the same position as Jess who also doesn't know what's going on around her. A fascinating twist on angels and demons (?) that makes me hope she'll do more with this storyline.
Rachel Caine's "Automatic" finds Michael learning more about his vampiric nature than he wants as he is Morganville's guinea pig with the new "Coke" machine.
The Cover
The cover is soft corals and deep brown from the sunrise to the glow of the road in the distance to the swirl of vapor around the lone girl standing by the side of the road. You couldn't get a better combination to reflect the theme of this anthology of stories.
Enthralled is what you'll be with the various interpretations these authors come up with in these Paranormal Diversions.
veganheathen's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed almost all of the stories in this book. It was a refreshing change from some of the short story collections I’ve read. I’ve read books by some of these authors before and a few others I want you to read more from because the stories intrigued me.
christiana's review against another edition
4.0
One of the better anthologies I've read.
Favorite stories:
"Giovanni's Farewell" (Gray)
"Things about Love" (Pearce)
"At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show" (Verday)
"Gargouille" (Pearson)
"The Third Kind" (Barnes) (this one should be made into a novel IMHO)
Favorite stories:
"Giovanni's Farewell" (Gray)
"Things about Love" (Pearce)
"At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show" (Verday)
"Gargouille" (Pearson)
"The Third Kind" (Barnes) (this one should be made into a novel IMHO)
beccadavies's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great little anthology! Some stories were better than others but I feel like I got a little from them all!! More stories were geared to vampires more than anything but a couple of good ghost stories were thrown in there as well.
Would recommend to any teenage girl whose into vampires and the supernatural (and right now, what teenage girl isn't?)
Would recommend to any teenage girl whose into vampires and the supernatural (and right now, what teenage girl isn't?)
pewterwolf's review against another edition
3.0
Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf
There was only two reasons why I wanted this book: Kimberly Derting and Ally Condie. I know, pretty lame reasons, but I love this authors so I had to read these!
Now, the idea behind this collection of short stories is interested. In the US, these authors were involved in a tour called Smart Chick Kick It where authors organised and toured, talking about their kiss-ass heroines and writing. And, to keep the tour experience alive for people who went (or couldn't go), they decided to write a anthology with the theme of road trips, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong.
Now, as this is a collection of short stories, the first thing you have to be aware is that not every story is going to appeal to you. It's very much a mixed-bag. You have stories about fairies, vampires, angels, zombies, angels and goodness knows what else! But, I think it's kinda important to, sometimes, read outside your comfort-zone and read authors that you weren't aware of. You might discover little gems in there...
And I did. I read them in order (which you don't have to, but as I was going to review this, I felt I had to) and it is very interesting to see where the writers went with the theme "road trips".
Now, here is a major problem with this collection of shorts. There are sixteen stories in this collection and around nine of them were linked to the series the writers are writing or a follow-up to another short story in another anthology. Not that I'm saying that's a bad thing, but if you are unaware of the series in question, you might have a "Huh?" moments.
But I found several stories I like, so (because this is my blog so I can) here is five randomly-picked stories I thought "whoa!" over (in book order):
1. RED RUN by Kami Garcia - I know of the Beautiful Creatures series for a while, though never read it. So I read this and couldn't help thinking how gothic it was.
2. THINGS ABOUT LOVE by Jackson Pearce - this is linked to her debut, As You Wish but this was nice story where there was a male lead (yeah) and he was gay and it wasn't a big deal (HURRAH!!!). I would date Lawrence in a heartbeat. Just saying...
3. BRIDGE by Jeri Smith-Ready - Now, I have read Shade and I thought it was ok. But this was an interesting thing to add to the series. And as the story was told in verses (like a song), this was one of the fastest shorts I read!
4. SKIN CONTACT by Kimberly Derting - I love Kimberly! I just love her! And this story, an extra to her Body Finder series (again, with a male lead! How rare in YA paranormal!) got me very excited. And it made me want to read the next book in the series or her new book, The Pledge...
5. LEAVING by Ally Condie - I know some of you guys have mixed feelings about Matched, but I liked it. A lot. And this was another story set in a dystopian future. This was one of the only stories I wished was longer!
This is a mixed bag but there are little gems in here. You juts have to look for them...
There was only two reasons why I wanted this book: Kimberly Derting and Ally Condie. I know, pretty lame reasons, but I love this authors so I had to read these!
Now, the idea behind this collection of short stories is interested. In the US, these authors were involved in a tour called Smart Chick Kick It where authors organised and toured, talking about their kiss-ass heroines and writing. And, to keep the tour experience alive for people who went (or couldn't go), they decided to write a anthology with the theme of road trips, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong.
Now, as this is a collection of short stories, the first thing you have to be aware is that not every story is going to appeal to you. It's very much a mixed-bag. You have stories about fairies, vampires, angels, zombies, angels and goodness knows what else! But, I think it's kinda important to, sometimes, read outside your comfort-zone and read authors that you weren't aware of. You might discover little gems in there...
And I did. I read them in order (which you don't have to, but as I was going to review this, I felt I had to) and it is very interesting to see where the writers went with the theme "road trips".
Now, here is a major problem with this collection of shorts. There are sixteen stories in this collection and around nine of them were linked to the series the writers are writing or a follow-up to another short story in another anthology. Not that I'm saying that's a bad thing, but if you are unaware of the series in question, you might have a "Huh?" moments.
But I found several stories I like, so (because this is my blog so I can) here is five randomly-picked stories I thought "whoa!" over (in book order):
1. RED RUN by Kami Garcia - I know of the Beautiful Creatures series for a while, though never read it. So I read this and couldn't help thinking how gothic it was.
2. THINGS ABOUT LOVE by Jackson Pearce - this is linked to her debut, As You Wish but this was nice story where there was a male lead (yeah) and he was gay and it wasn't a big deal (HURRAH!!!). I would date Lawrence in a heartbeat. Just saying...
3. BRIDGE by Jeri Smith-Ready - Now, I have read Shade and I thought it was ok. But this was an interesting thing to add to the series. And as the story was told in verses (like a song), this was one of the fastest shorts I read!
4. SKIN CONTACT by Kimberly Derting - I love Kimberly! I just love her! And this story, an extra to her Body Finder series (again, with a male lead! How rare in YA paranormal!) got me very excited. And it made me want to read the next book in the series or her new book, The Pledge...
5. LEAVING by Ally Condie - I know some of you guys have mixed feelings about Matched, but I liked it. A lot. And this was another story set in a dystopian future. This was one of the only stories I wished was longer!
This is a mixed bag but there are little gems in here. You juts have to look for them...
audreychamaine's review against another edition
4.0
Enthralled features 16 stories by 16 of the most popular current YA paranormal writers. Stories range from the appearance of a ghost guarding a road, to twins with unique capabilities, to a vampire trying out a new vending machine. This book is a great sampling of many of the different writers, especially of popular series, that are hot on the market today, and a nice variety for fans of paranormal fiction.
The only issue I had with the anthology was that nearly all of the stories take place in the universes of series. This is either a good or a bad thing: good if you’re a fan of the series and want more, bad if you have never read them and are completely lost. There were a couple of really strong exceptions: “Red Run” by Kami Garcia, “At the Late Night, Double Features, Picture Show” by Jessica Verday, and “I.V. League” by Margaret Stohl are all stand-alone stories. I have to say, Verday’s story was my favorite. It’s completely geeky and raucous fun. How could you not love a story that features zombie girl scouts and a carfull of vampires dressed up, going to see Rocky Horror Picture Show?
This anthology is a must-have for fans of any of the authors featured, and is worth picking up for fans of the genre in general.
The only issue I had with the anthology was that nearly all of the stories take place in the universes of series. This is either a good or a bad thing: good if you’re a fan of the series and want more, bad if you have never read them and are completely lost. There were a couple of really strong exceptions: “Red Run” by Kami Garcia, “At the Late Night, Double Features, Picture Show” by Jessica Verday, and “I.V. League” by Margaret Stohl are all stand-alone stories. I have to say, Verday’s story was my favorite. It’s completely geeky and raucous fun. How could you not love a story that features zombie girl scouts and a carfull of vampires dressed up, going to see Rocky Horror Picture Show?
This anthology is a must-have for fans of any of the authors featured, and is worth picking up for fans of the genre in general.
papidoc's review against another edition
3.0
Collection of short stories with fantasy themes...some better than others, good intro to some authors who have published full-length novels.
rusticreadingal's review against another edition
3.0
Enthralled was one the better anthologies I've read. Like all short story collections there are the good, the bad and the blah stories, but Enthralled had more good than I was expecting.
Some of my favorite stories were: Automatic by Rachel Caine. This was an awesome addition the the Morganville series, that I really enjoyed. Gargouille by Mary E. Pearson was a beautiful story that I wished would've kept on going. The gargoyle mythology was fascinating. Let's Get This Undead Show on the Road by Sarah Rees Brennan was a hilarious story about a vampire in a boy band. Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready was a bit melancholic, but written beautifully and kept me very interested in the story and makes me want to check out the series it goes with. The Third Kind by Jennifer Lynna Barnes was obviously good. I have never read anything I didn't like by her. Things About Love by Jackson Pearce surprised me by how much I liked it because I'm not usually a genie fan, but it was pretty funny and I enjoyed it.
All in all, this was a good collection of short stories which contained some of the best YA authors out there right now. I enjoyed stories by some of my favorite authors and found some new authors to check out.
Some of my favorite stories were: Automatic by Rachel Caine. This was an awesome addition the the Morganville series, that I really enjoyed. Gargouille by Mary E. Pearson was a beautiful story that I wished would've kept on going. The gargoyle mythology was fascinating. Let's Get This Undead Show on the Road by Sarah Rees Brennan was a hilarious story about a vampire in a boy band. Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready was a bit melancholic, but written beautifully and kept me very interested in the story and makes me want to check out the series it goes with. The Third Kind by Jennifer Lynna Barnes was obviously good. I have never read anything I didn't like by her. Things About Love by Jackson Pearce surprised me by how much I liked it because I'm not usually a genie fan, but it was pretty funny and I enjoyed it.
All in all, this was a good collection of short stories which contained some of the best YA authors out there right now. I enjoyed stories by some of my favorite authors and found some new authors to check out.