cat's corner

"If I Had a Hammer" - Charlaine Harris: 1.5 stars
"Wizard Home Security" - Victor Gischler: 3.75 stars
"Gray" - Patricia Briggs: 5 stars
"Squatter's Rights" - Rochelle Krich: 3.5 stars
"Blood on the Wall" - Heather Graham: 4 stars
"The Mansion of Imperatives" - James Grady: 0 stars
"The Strength Inside" - Melissa Marr: 5 stars
"Woolsley's Kitchen Nightmare" - E.E. Knight: 4.5 stars
"Through This House" - Seanan McGuire: 4.5 stars
"The Path" - S.J. Rozen: 3 stars
"Rick the Brave" - Stacia Kane: 4.5 stars
"Full-Scale Demolition" - Suzanne McLeod: 5 stars
"It's All in the Rendering" - Simon R. Green: 5 stars
"In Brightest Day" - Toni L.P. Kelner: 5 stars

Overall impression: Enjoyed most of the stories in this anthology, but it definitely wasn't worth the hardcover price, nor even the trade paperback tag of $15. Had it not been available through my library, I likely would have read Stacia Kane's story during my next extended book store visit and (possibly) hoped the mass market paperback version popped up for trade either here or at Bookmooch.

Publishers take note: you would've had better sell through if your initial release had been MMPB. I would have dropped $7.99+tax to get my Chess/Terrible fix and the opportunity to check out several new-to-me authors - whose books/series I definitely plan on purchasing in the future. Which makes me wonder how many other people might pass up this volume due to the high cost/iffy pay-off associated with anthologies and no library access. Think about it New York.