Review: Some excellent paranormal short stories, and enticing samples
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 17, 2011
I purchased "Magic Graves" for the Ilona Andrews story "A Questionable Client" about Kate Daniels' first meeting with Saiman.  This was a good read, and helped to explain Kate and Saiman's rather complicated relationship in the Kate Daniels Magic series.If you are unfamiliar with the Kate Daniels Magic series, then this is the perfect book to check it out because "A Questionable Client" is a prequel. It is a captivating series written by a husband & wife team about Kate Daniels, a mercenary who helps to clean up messes caused by magic in a post-apocalyptic Atlanta. Kate is tough as nails with a sarcastic streak, but vulnerable as well. She fights monsters with her trusty magic sword and tries to keep a low profile because of her heritage - if it comes out who she is, people will want to kill her. Kate is slow to trust people, but throughout the series she begins to form relationships with others, including Curran, the Beast Lord, who is the leader of the Pack of shape shifters. All characters are well written, unique and authentic, even small supporting characters.  The world building is absolutely incredible to the point that one could think it is completely real and that the authors are just really good at describing it.  It's a vivid, interesting, detailed, authentic world that is completely captivating.  Worth reading and re-reading.I also greatly enjoyed Jeaniene Frost's story, "One for the Money."  In this interesting and fun story, vampires Cat and Bones are protecting a spoiled rich kid who is being chased down by an undead creature who is trying to kill her.  The dynamics in Cat & Bones relationship make me want to read more of their back story.Finally, there are a number of samples in this compilation, which kept me busy adding to my TBR list.  Good value all around, but especially for anyone interested in paranormal or urban fantasy.