Embracing Candace: Anthology One
584349
I am bias.  Miriam is a friend of mine.  I will never let a child suffer, and I am one of the poets featured in the book.

The collection of tallent all bias aside is excellent, and the reason for this book is about as genuine, and wonderful as can be.

Restoring a smile, and giving a sense of normalcy to a child is a beautiful gift, and to be a part of this, and to consider them friends of the family makes this a no brainer.

As soon as I have my retail license, and business started I will be buying several more copies to sell in my store.

Good poetry for a great cause.  Isn't that one of the things that makes poetry what it is?  The voice of history.
417582
I love anthologies like this one. They're great for when you just have a few minutes but you want an uplifting story to brighten your day. I especially liked the stories about the young female Soldier who came back to her old home town and found her High School love and the one about the chef who finally achieved her dream of opening her own business with the support of her friends.

The other great thing about this anthology is that it benefits the Ronald McDonald House, which is a wonderful charity that helps families dealing with their children's health challenges. I highly recommend this book...
2816753
I found this anthology through the Kindleboards threads and enjoyed the variety of holiday tales. The first two stories use bad weather to throw the H & H together, one in an airport ("Once Upon a Flight Delay") and one in Boston ("Snowbound").  The couples in both stories are engaging as they discover each other. "Bringer of Gifts" is a wry tale of modern a Kris Kringle that made me smile. "Where We Love" follows one couple's year of holidays to illustrate the passages of life.  Finally, the novella "In Hiding" is a solid piece of romantic suspense.  Beautiful girl in danger; handsome, protective law man. Yeah, we love those.  "Flurries" is a good escape from the holiday hustle.  Enjoy.

Dana Taylor
Latest release: Shiny Green Shoes
4439839
I enjoy short story anthologies because even though I love to read, I find I have little time to devote to it. A good short story is like a good piece of chocolate, individually wrapped bliss. Short stories, when done properly, can provide a snapshot into another world, another life. And just like a bite-sized delicious treat, a good short story should leave you wanting more. Suddenly Lost in Words volume 1 does not disappoint.
An excellent collection of talent, filled with different but complimentary flavors, Suddenly Lost in Words is one of the best anthologies I have purchased and I am looking forward to volume 2.

While I savored the entire collection, there were a few stories that I enjoyed more than the others. I was touched by the valuable lesson learned in Grandma Silence by Kurt Bachard and the personal reflection of Smell of Time by Ahmed A. Khan. I was intrigued by the innovative direction City Speaker: Scarlett (part 1) by Tyler D. Hansen and looking forward to part 2.
I was thoroughly entertained by the all-knowing Collectives teenage adventure in Gregory Marlows The Collective. As the mother of a teenage son, this story resonated particularly well with me. I literary laughed out loud the supreme Collective is stumped time after time by teenage angst. This story is a delightful blend of Sci-fi and humor that anyone who has ever felt misunderstood by others, or raising a teenager, will quickly relate to.

All the works in Suddenly Lost in Words are certainly worth the investment of your time and money. It cost less than a box of chocolate, no calories, and will never get stale. A very enjoyable read, highly recommended.
2829433
I love this sort of collection, and I was pleased to find this anthology of short stories, poems, recipes, and photos.  I particularly liked the trio of stories that traced a southern childhood, by Myra Yeatts, written with humor and poignancy. I could see these people as I read. I do wish there had been captions under her photos, particularly a group photo of four people, because I could not tell who was who.  Her son's recipe for Low Country Boil brought me back to a lovely meal on Tybee Island years ago.  Some authors have contributed more than others, but every piece is enjoyable to read, and the photos are interesting to study.
3090114
I have to say that I love Anthologies. And that ALL the proceeds benefit a program to help our veterans made me all the more excited to check out this book. I loved all the stories to be honest. The first was my favorite, just the first chapter had my wiping the sweat off my lip... HOT. This was a very quick read for me and introduced me to all new authors that I really look forward to checking out.

The writing was great, fast read, exactly what I expect for an anthology! Thank you for the opportunity to read this book and I look forward to more from ALL of these authors!
630473
It's no secret that I love anthologies! And what could be better than a book full of werewolf stories? Almost nothing! One of the reasons I love anthologies so much is that I can revisit old favorites as well as discover new writers, and this collection was no exception. There are stories from some of my favorites, like Holly Black and Carrie Vaughn, and stories from new-to-me writers that I want to further explore.

Rather than dissect each story in this collection, I just want to touch on a few. "I Was a Middle-Age Werewolf" by Ron Goulart was an amusing look at a down on his luck Hollywood writer who finds himself cursed with being a werewolf. I also got a kick out of Darrell Schweitzer's "Kvetchula's Daughter", about a nice Jewish girl whose life is "ruined" when her parents become vampires. What can I say, I like wacky humor!

In a different vein, "No Children, No Pets" by Esther M. Friesner is about a six year old city werewolf who lives in Central Park. Don't think I've ever read a story where the main character was a child werewolf before. Or would that be a werewolf cub? Very original!

My two favorite stories were "Kitty Learns the Ropes" by Carrie Vaughn and "The Bitch" by P.D. Cacek. I've read several books in the Kitty series, so it was nice to see her again. And while I haven't read Cacek before, this story about an old girlfriend who refuses to let go was really good! Loved the ending!

All in all, I think this was a really nice collection of werewolf stories. Some were not as strong as others, but it's a good anthology. The good stories outweigh the weaker contenders, and the authors are all talented writers. Definitely recommend this one!
4101669
This romance collection had stories by some of my favorite authors, so I was excited to get it.

The first story is by Jennie Hansen called Rescuing Bailey.  Bailey's next door neighbor is constantly rescuing her---from a tree as a little girl to a broken heart as an adult woman. But when she runs away to find her footing, she thinks she's over it until her father's heart attack. Coming home brings up a lot of emotions for Bailey. Can she trust her feelings for any man?  And is it too late for her and the boy who's always been there for her? I really enjoyed this story. The characters felt fleshed out and even though it was a short story, I didn't feel short-changed at the end. Loved it.

The second story in the book is Three Little Words by K.C. Grant. This one took place in New York and it felt so real with the way it was portrayed and made for a good setting.  Elizabeth is a speech therapist that believes the way you speak and present yourself can open professional paths up for you. Her roommates aren't so sure and make a bet with her that she can't take a Texan guy with a strong accent and turn him around in three days. Only, her subject has a few Texas-sized secrets of his own which makes for a page-turner to see how it turns out. Cute, flirty, and romantic, and this one had an epilogue which really helped me feel the closure I needed for this short story.

The last one in the compilation is A Crying Shame by Aubrey Mace. Aubrey is one of my favorite romantic comedy writers and this story was just like her others---you will laugh with the characters as you get to know them and enjoy the romantic journey that much more.  Cassidy has been unceremoniously dumped and her best friend Elle is determined to move Cassidy past that jerk. Forcing Cassidy to go to Paint Nite with her is her solution and when she maneuvers Cassidy next to a cute guy in the class, the story really takes off. I have to admit, I laughed at the "trees" she was painting and the art teacher's reactions. But the best part was the building relationship between Cass and her cute painting partner.  The ending definitely left me with a smile.

This was the perfect book to start off the year with because the stories were short so I could fit them into a busy schedule and yet they ended well so I didn't feel like they were rushed. If you're looking for a quick romantic snack, then this is the book for you!
1684421
I've taken to reading anthologies right before bedtime, one essay at a time. What a great way to enjoy the variety of stories I found in Everbloom!! These ladies were honest and grounded in their journeys of faith. From tales about parenting, illness, death, mission work and self image, these writers explore it all. I highly recommend!
4414405
Team Player is an anthology with some new to me authors as well as a few of my favorite ones. Reading this anthology has given me a chance to discover new authors. So, this anthology is based on a sports theme and my favorite novella was Back in the Game by Meghan Quinn. Over all I would give Team Player anthology 4 stars
2350868
All of these authors were new to me. This anthology was great! I loved every one of the stories. The very first story had me hooked and I couldn't stop reading. I definitely recommend this.
1444885
What a great anthology!  With most collections it's difficult to find more than one or two stories that I can relate to.  This time, I have several marked to read to my owner.  Not only are they really hot, they actually speak to my own situation.  That said, there is really something for everyone, novice, light, to a bit heavier.  The stories runt the gamut with fem-dom, male-dom, casual, and more rigid.  My favorite is "Foreign Exchange," in which a Canadian couple learns the ropes, so to speak, in New York City.

One thing I would have loved was for some of the stories to be excerpts from larger works.  That way I could track down even more of these great authors with characters I already know.
647213
Kiss the Bride is a collection of 3 novellas: Picture Perfect Love by Melissa McClone, I Hope You Dance by Robin Lee Hatcher, and Love on a Deadline by Kathryn Springer.

One thing I love about novella collections like this one is that I get three stories in one  great book! I also like them because I tend to have a difficult time putting a book down once I begin. This way, because each story is shorter, I don't feel like Im neglecting everything else I need to do for quite as long. I can read one book in one sitting and not miss an entire day, lol :)

These three novellas center around weddings (as the title of the book suggests). The first one revolves around Jenna Harrison, a wedding photographer who had her heart broken when her fianc abandoned her just days before their wedding. When her ex walks back into her life and realizes how wrong he was, will she give him another chance?

The second one revolves around dance instructor Skye Foster, who wasn't sure she would ever get a chance at lovethat is, until a handsome Grant Nichols walks into her dance studio for lessons.

The third book is about Mackenzie Davis, an aspiring columnist who is assigned a high profile wedding story. The only problemthe wedding story is all about the sister of an old flame. Will she be able to handle all the close contact with a man she has loved for years (and who broke her heart)?

All three stories are sweet Christian romances. Theyre clean and entertaining reads. I definitely enjoyed the first and third story more so than the second. The second one just didn't click with me quite as much. Nonetheless, the collection was very good and I would recommend it to someone looking for a light, fun, romance book.

*I received this book for free for review, but all opinions are my own.
1317134
I enjoyed this anthology tremendously.  There is something here for every reader to enjoy.  Lots of entertaining stories and a variety of poems.
4303761
Quite often when I read anthologies, one or two of the stories are excellent and the others just OK.  I really enjoyed all the stories in this anthology. The first two stories (by Lynsay Sands and Lisa Cach) are historical, which I don't often read, but I enjoyed them both very much. The last two (by Julie Kenner and Susan Grant) are the reason I bought this and they were both wonderful.
"Mother, May I?" by Lynsay Sands is set in Medieval England. The story is about Lord Jonathan, a knight, whose mother goes to some extreme and sometimes funny antics to get him to finally wed.  This was a sweet and humourous story. This is the first story I've read by this author and I liked this one so much, I will now look for more.
"The Breeding Season" by Lisa Cach is also a historical.  Charles and Evelina's mothers force them to spend time together. She is very flamboyant and he is very shy...at first <g>  I wasn't sure at first if I would like these characters, as they did not seem to be the usual romance hero/heroine, but I did and the story was very good.
"Seeking Single Superhero" by Julie Kenner is set in the same world as her novel "Aprodite's Kiss" and was excellent. Jennifer works along with her mother at the Mortal-Protector Liaison Office and is NOT looking for a protector (superhero) boyfriend.  Her mother has other ideas <g>.  I loved this one...it was funny, sexy and I can't wait until the release of "Aprodite's Passion" next month.  If you haven't read Aprodite's Kiss before this, you will want to after!
"The Day Her Heart Stood Still" by Susan Grant is also a science fiction romance and it was fabulous!  Andie is a pilot and astronaut who's mother is (much to her dismay) a UFO fanatic.  Imagine her surprise when her mother brings home a handsome and very sexy alien. It's a lovely and touching story and Susan's dedication before the story brought tears to my eyes. Excellent and highly recommended, as are all of Susan's stories!
An all around excellent anthology.
4882473
I've read one story out of this anthology so far, Sex Weeks by Piper Rayne. I Loved it, if that is the kind of quickie stories in this book. It's a Win Win and I'd give it 10 stars if I could. Thanks for letting me read the ARC of Sex Weeks and I was not compensated in any way for this review.
3049947
This is such a wonderful collection. I loved all of these books. I love how "just one year "ended, but am also so happy that Gayle wrote the novella for "just one night". This is one of my favorite collections to date. There were quite a few concepts in these books that hit such a soft spot for me. 100% worth the buy. I could not put them down. I read "Just one year" and the novella in one day.