Review: Strange Brew (anthology)

Seeing Eye by Patricia Briggs (12/15)

Seeing Eye tells the story of blind witch Moira Keller, who’s faced with a dilemma when cop/werewolf Tom Franklin from the Emerald City Pack requests her aid in finding his brother, who went missing on an undercover mission. The thing is, the person responsible for the kidnapping (wolfnapping?) is the same person who took out her eye – her father, Kournos.

Fans of Briggs’ works will recognise Moira and Tom as side characters from her second Alpha and Omega book, Hunting Ground. It was great reading more about witchcraft in Briggs’ predominantly werewolf fantasy realm. The interaction between Moira and Tom was great to read, and the concept of Moira being able to see when touching Tom was an interesting one to process.

Last Call by Jim Butcher (8/15)

Last Call follows Harry Dresden, a snarky modern-day wizard as he navigates some very messy business in Chicago. Jim Butcher tells the tale from a… well, very male perspective. The story exuded an excessively masculine “I am a P.I. wearing a hat with a holster at my hip, crime-doers begone” vibe, which didn’t really do it for me. If you’re into that kind of thing, though, you’ll probably enjoy the action a lot more than I did.

Death Warmed Over by Rachel Caine (10/15)

Holly Anne Caldwell is a seventh-generation witch that specializes in resurrecting the dead. Rachel Caine spins a fast-paced, engaging tale of Holly and her reluctance to raise a particular dead man – Andrew Toland, a resurrection witch dead from the zombie wars. Orders from higher-up demand that Holly resurrects him (again) as a disposable for one of their missions – witches like Holly are being attacked en masse, and Andrew has to play bodyguard. Things get a little more complicated when Holly’s feelings for the dead man are reignited, but there isn’t much time to reminisce about old days when there’s a monster on the loose.

Overall, an enjoyable read. Caine doesn’t take it overboard with the romance, and the action keeps the plot flowing smoothly.

Vegas Odds by Karen Chance (12/15)

Accacila de Croissets (Lia, in short)’s job is to train young recruits at the War Mage Corps, and her life takes a turn for the worse when the delivery guy ends up being a trained assassin determined to blow her head off. Thankfully, her werewolf boyfriend Cyrus has some pretty good timing – the two manage to exchange some witty banter with gunfire going off around them. In the riot of action, Lia winds up accidentally killing one of her students, Jason.

I adore Karen Chance – she manages to inject life into all of her characters. Vegas Odds is no exception. The story is full of unexpected twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat. Highly recommended read!

Hecate’s Golden Eye by P. N. Elrod (9/15)

Hecate’s Golden Eye is told from the perspective of Jack Fleming, a vampiric investigator situated in Chicago. His client happens to want to retrieve a little something known as Hecate’s Eye (eek!), an item known for bringing good luck to women and cursing men. Fleming and his partner, Escott, are flung into a wild goose chase up around town in search of the mysterious diamond, with one clue leading to another, culminating in an action-packed conclusion.

Bacon by Charlaine Harris (13/15)

Fans of Charlaine Harris (author of the now famous Sookie Stackhouse series) will LOVE Bacon. Dahlia Lynley-Chivers is an age-old vampire, and she has revenge on her mind. To avenge her late husband (a werewolf of the Swiftfoot pack)’s death, she seeks out Kathy Aenidis, a direct descendent of Circe, to aid her in killing her husband’s murderers – or so it seems. What Kathy doesn’t know is that what Dahlia’s really after is her prized grimoires. With the help of her friends, Taffy and Clifford, the impassive Dahlia manages to hatch a brilliant plan to turn the tables in an ending that you won’t soon forget.

Signatures of the Dead by Faith Hunter (9.5/15)

Faith Hunter steps it into gear with Signatures of the Dead, a tale told from Molly Meagan Everhart Trueblood’s (that’s a name I won’t soon be saying out loud anytime soon) perspective. An earth with with a flair for sensing the dead, Molly gets caught in more than she bargained for when vampires come into play whilst investigating a grisly murder. With help from Paul Braxton, Jane Yellowrock, and husband Evan, Molly pulls through some very messy vampire business. Not the best from Hunter (who’s authored some notable series, like the Rogue Mage), but a decent read nonetheless.

Ginger by Caitlin Kittredge (10.5/15)

Ginger branches off from Kittredge’s Nocturne City series (if you haven’t read it, give it a shot – it’s not half bad) and is told from Rhoda Sunflower (Sunny) Swann ‘s  POV. The story opens with Sunny on trial in a courtroom, but things go awry and Sunny is left using her magic to protect herself. As a witch using primarily white magic, Sunny is startled when she gets recruited to do some undercover work, wire and mouthpiece and all. The next thing she knows, she’s being caged as a prisoner underground, and it doesn’t look like anyone’s coming to her rescue…

Dark Sins by Jenna Maclaine (10/15)

If you’re a follower of Jenna Maclaine, then you’ll be familiar with Cin Craven, a key protagonist in Maclaine’s works. A vampire and a witch, Cin and romantic interest Michael get sucked into yet another mystery as Marco Gage, Regent and local master vampire, has blood and revenge on his mind. Fast-paced and engaging, Dark Sins draws in readers with its quick, snappy narration.

See also: Hunting Ground