Review: Charity Anthology has Something for EVERYONE
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 29, 2014
Sadly, I wasn't able to read all of the stories yet.  I skipped around, not reading in any type of order.  I do plan to go back and read the missed ones soon.  Seriously, this book has something for everyone.  The shorts that I did read were so different from each other.  And I have been told that the ones I missed were very good.  Sometimes, I get stuck in a grove reading a certain type of book so it was great to try some of the different genres from what I've been on lately.  I plan to check in to some of the authors and series further.  No matter what you like, this book is for you, and you can feel good about the purchase knowing that it's 100% for charity.“The Airship’s Heart” by Dominic K. Alexander  A captain’s young widow longs to avenge her husband’s death, so disguises herself as a boy and enlists in Her Majesty’s Navy to take a post on an . . . airship?I've barely read any steampunk much less erotic steampunk. It's was a great experience, and I'd like to try more. This book is written by a man in the female perspective. He does an awesome job of it.  Reading this book was like a fresh new experience for me.“Baby Special” by C.C. Brown  A gung-ho Marine learns to adapt to a situation beyond his control as his wife gives birth to their first child.Super sweet. <3 From what I could tell, these characters are from other stories by the author. I hadn't read them, but this short story is a great standalone. I loved how focused the man is on his pregnant wife. It was lovely.“Because You Are Mine” by Madeline Sheehan  Half human, half wolf, and promised to a purebred alpha wolf who wants her to submit. What’s a girl to do?I love alphas. This book is hot!This book is a fantasy about people that change into wolves, lycanthrope, werewolves. They aren't the bitten kind. It's just in their genetics. The female lead has a pure human mother and human/wolf father so she's kinda going in halfsies. This story is about her struggle with the ins and outs of wolfdom.If you like Madeline's The Holy Trinity series, there's a good chance you'll like this short story. It deals with love and attraction on a cell-deep, spiritual level-when it can't just be mind over matter.I wouldn't mind reading some more of this world from the mind of Madeline.  Excellent read, one of the best in this anthology.“The Benson” by Karina Halle  Ghost hunters investigate a hotel rumored to be haunted, and discover more than they bargained for.Very interesting. I felt a little lost because I haven't read any of the Experiment in Terror books. I felt kinda scared while reading, gives you that spooky feeling. I'm definitely going to look into this series.“Dark Paradise” by Karina Halle  Distraught by her husband’s affair, a woman flees to Hawaii to lose herself, but instead finds something unexpected.Super loved. Can't wait for more with Esteban and Dirty Angles! LOVED!This story is related to The Artists Trilogy and the Dirty Angles series. I think the Artists Trilogy was amazing, and I can't wait for Dirty Angles.This is about a woman who has lost her will to go on. There is no color in her world until Esteban comes into the picture. He swept me away right along with her. This short story is amazingly hot, just wow, and I mean WOW! It drew me in as much as a full-length novel. If this is a preview of things to come with those sexy Mexican drug lords I've been lusting over for so long, please, please bring it on soon!I definitely recommend!  I would buy the anthology just for this one story.  It's that great! 5 stars!“Home” by Joanne Schwehm  Newly divorced Sophia DeMarco returns to her childhood home ready to pack up her past and begin her new life. What she discovers is there are parts in her past that aren’t so easily left behind.Sweetness made for the middle aged couple. Every story can't be about twenty somethings. This is a story about finding happiness when everything isn't new anymore, when you open your eyes and see what's around you.“Maverick” by Chelsea Camaron  An ICU nurse takes a personal interest in a patient’s recovery, changing both his life and hers forever.“One Night Away” by Nicole Jacquelyn  After chasing her kids around the house all day, a stay-at-home mom goes out for a much-needed night on the town and encounters a sexy man.I really thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was sexy and sweet and brought a smile to my face. It's a great read for the mothers out there. Romance isn't dead. I really want to recommend for certain reasons, but I don't want to name them and spoil the story. It's truly one you shouldn't pass up. Also, great mood lifter if you're down.  Out of the stories I read from this anthology, this is one of the best ones.“One Night with a Cowboy” by Lisa M. Harley  What’s a sure-fire cure for a broken heart? A cowboy, of course!“Reaching for the Stars” by Sophie Monroe  A shallow, self-centered party girl sets her sights on a rock-and-roll star for her happily-ever-after.“Sapphire” by Ashley Suzanne  Traumatized by the abuse in her past, a hooker working in a strip club is shocked to learn that fairy tales sometimes do come true.The point of this story, in my opinion, is that no matter what you've been through, you are worth something. Everyone can come back from whatever depth they have dropped. A person can change their life at any time for better or worse.It's nice to read about a man willing to accept a way less than perfect past.If you like dirty female leads that make no apologies, this may be the story for you.“Shouting with Silence” by Kahlen Aymes  An off-Broadway actress struggles with whether to continue an online relationship that has been a constant presence in her life. But when the enigmatic man she chats with refuses to allow her to truly get to know him, she is forced to face the fact that words—while powerful—may not be enough.“The Slum Queen” by Daryl Banner  Though she came from the slums, she is now queen of a world far in our future. Ignoring the uprising that threatens her throne, she sets her focus on filling the hole inside her heart. But will she succeed before it’s too late?I would classify this book as sci-fi. It could maybe also be classified as dystopian. It takes place sometime in the future. Humans have evolved biologically. The world has changed geographically, theologically, pretty much in every way possible basically. The storyline is about the queen of this world.This was my first time reading anything from this author. I had no idea what the story would be going into it. I had no expectations so I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it so much. I plan to look into more stories from this author.“Uncharted Waters” by Amber Lynn Natusch  After years on the run from her abusive ex, Cristina seeks refuge in an unlikely place—Alaska. When a handsome fisherman enters her life, can she stop looking over her shoulder long enough to give him a chance, or will her past continue to dictate her future . . . a future full of solitude and regret?This didn't feel like a short story. Somehow, it seems like the author managed to share the full tale without omitting or rushing important parts. I like how the leading man is captain of a crab boat. That's not a role portrayed in anything I remember reading lately. It gave him a certain appeal. So while the couple is getting to know each other, the ex is always lurking dangerously in the background. Will they find happiness?“Unleashed” by Erin Noelle  A young shifter who has been captured and abused is eventually unleashed in more ways than she could imagine.This story has several different genre elements. It's fantasy with the shifters. It's darkish because of her slavery and what she goes through. And then it has some erotic ménage à trois thrown in. So chances are it has something for you. ;)toniFangirlMoments and My Two Cents