Anthology - His Immortal Embrace

This one was my Anthology read for the month of March. I had this one in my TBR pile for forever (at least three years). I bought it for Lynsay Sand's story since, I recall, I was just discovering her vampire series around the time. I was not disappointed in that story although my favorite has to be Howell's tale.

Hannah Howell's The Yearning: Lady Sophie Hay discovers that her ancestor has cursed her line to lose love when in an act of vengeance, Roma cast a curse on her lover's kind. She cursed them to live a life of darkness and to drink blood until one would choose love over wealth. Sophie goes out to seek the MacCordy Laird so that she can try to break the curse and save herself from the fate all her ancestors have lived with, what she didn't realize was that she would have a bigger role to play in breaking the curse. Alpine is on the edge of turning into the beast his forefathers had become when a ray of hope enters his keep. He wants to spare her the life of darkness that is his destiny but finds it more difficult with ever smile she gifts him with. Great short story that didn't feel rushed or abrupt at all. A.

Lynsay Sands' Bitten: Keeran MacKay has been cursed by a vampire that sought vengeance on his family after they killed her mate. He has lived two centuries in darkness, hating who he has become. When he saves Emily from the ship that was taking her to an arranged marriage he never thought she would breath life back into him. When Emily awakens in MacKay's castle she is surprised by the lack of servants that the house has and is upset that the laird is forcing the old couple caring for the place to do so alone. She is put to straight when the housekeeper tells her that everyone fears the MacKay and no one will work for him, Emily is determined to correct this, even if Keeran does not want her interference. In no time at all the house is filled with voices and is getting repaired. Keeran hates the reminder of what he can no longer have but the innocence in Emily is too alluring to deny. I liked this one although Emily's acceptance of the Vampire lure was a bit too easy, but the characters were so well drawn you felt their attraction as well as their suffering, so you were rooting for them all along. Gave this one a B.

Sara Blayne's Stranger in the Night: Worse one in the pack... Georgiana Thornberry is a antiquarian and is summoned away from a very promising excavation by her uncle who doesn't show up in the story at all. Julius is a mystery for most of the story since he barely shows his face until mid way in the book and then delivers a few lines before he is exposed as the boogey man. If you haven't picked up on my complete disdain for this piece, read the review again. There was barely any conversation in the story, mostly it was Georgiana who kept analyzing her life or so much background details that made this short story feel VERY long, then all of a sudden Georgiana is in love with Julius, yet we, the reader, have seen them converse once! Also, the story's point of view kept shifting all over the place. At some points it's told as if it was in the past, then others in the present, sometimes past and present mixed up and had me, the reader, shaking my head and thinking, WTF? On top of that Julius, who has just found acceptance and love wants to throw it away by awaiting the dawn? I thought I would lose it altogether at that point! Gave this one an F.

Kate Huntington's The Awakening was decent writing, unfortunately the plot took a twist down a path I have issues with. Thalia Layton goes to aid her elderly aunt who is very ill. What she finds startles her because the servants of the house flee before sunset and her aunt is eager to have her leave too. The man that has been lover to her aunt is known to be a monster. Adrien Lucerne is not happy to have this young, innocent woman in his home, when he has not feed on a human for 6 mo. Cordelia is dying and her niece is tempting him. This is the issue I have... Adrien is actually the cause of Cordelia's death and he is eyeing her niece as candy? I hate to give spoilers so if you don't want to know, I suggest you...
STOP READING NOW!
The kicker was that the night her Aunt dies, Thalia seduces Adrien. They went from her Aunt's grave to her bed. So not cool!! The writing itself was smooth and enticing but honestly, the distasteful nature of the story was too much for me and graded this one a D-

Grade: C