Emily Hornburg

Magic Beneath the Mistletoe, Volume 2, is the second of a pair of paranormal romance short story collections for charity. “100% of the proceeds from the anthology will go to Girls Write Now, an organization dedicated to breaking down barriers of gender, race, age and poverty to mentor the next generation of writers and leaders who are impacting businesses, shaping culture and creating change.” These two anthologies are a good introduction to some of the City Owl and Mystic Owl authors. Some of the stories are snippets from on-going series, others are introductions to new series or stand-alone stories. Most of the stories have a Christmas or Solstice theme. A couple are just winter based. “The Purrfect Winter Revel Date” by Jess K. Hardy is a humorous science fiction romance story which is the introduction to a new series. “Find of a LIfetime” by Lizzy Gayle is part of her Djinn series. “A Siren’s Christmas Wish” is an episode involving some characters from Luna Joy’s World of the Legacies Series. “Heating Up the Skies” by Wren Michaels is the introduction to another new series. I had some concerns about this story. Her story takes place in a small town on Vancouver Island which can be reached in the winter by bush plane, which the heroine boarded at Vancouver International Airport. This is not really a thing. Vancouver Island has very little snow, and most communities would be reachable by float plane or boat if they are not on the main highways. Also, the hero is from the Nuu chah nulth nation and I worry about the author straying into cultural misappropriation.

I liked the touch of having holiday recipes after every story. I decided to read this book, in spite of the cover, because I have read other books by City Owl authors, particularly Luna Joy, and because I enjoy Christmas anthologies. This anthology is a good introduction to some of the authors from City Owl and Mystic Owl Press. Some explicit sexual content in a few of the stories.… (lisätietoja)

A nice collection of short stories that are quick and easy to read. Perfect lengths to read a story before bed or if you have a little break! At the end of each story a recipe for treat or cocktail is included. I think that is really fun and unique! Perfect for the Holidays! The stories all seem to be connected to an already published series, but they can all be read as a standalone. It is good to preview an authors writing style and characters before trying the series! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.… (lisätietoja)