Kiss Me Deadly

August 9, 2010
"Paranormal love" may be the subtitle, but it's better to approach this anthology as paranormal, period. Most of the writers are more occupied with communicating the otherworldly apparatus of their tales than with supernaturally inflected romance. Daniel Marks's story about purgatory, "Vermillion," overstuffed with cultures, time periods, and genres, is perhaps the most extreme of these. In a few cases, such as Sarah Rees Brennan's Peter Pan/James Bond mashup, "The Spy Who Never Grew Up," a potentially cool concept misfires. It's notable that several stories tease their authors' series: "Errant" by Diana Peterfreund (Rampant) is a harsh and poignant take on the unicorn myth; Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush, Hush) delves into the angelic possession of Chauncey Langeais; and Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth) offers a story about devastating decisions in villages threatened by the Unconsecrated. The most successful stories come from authors willing to forgo the happy ending. Maggie Stiefvater captures the agony of first loss in "The Hounds of Ulster." And Daniel Waters, in a companion to his Generation Dead books, looks at the tragedy of "differently biotic" children through the eyes of an anguished father. Ages 14–up.

July 15, 2010
Can true love die if you're already dead? This tantalizing collection of 13 short stories by some of the best writers of paranormal fiction in the United States and Great Britain explores "the other side of love." Whether it's an old-fashioned ghost story, as in Caitlin Kittredge's "Behind the Red Door," in which Jo wonders about the dashing resident of an abandoned house and a string of mysterious murders; a story with a twist, as in Michelle Rowen's "Familiar," in which a reluctant witch discovers that her chosen pet is a shapeshifter in disguise; or a story with dark humor, as in Sarah Rees Brennan's "The Spy Who Never Grew Up," in which a slightly older Peter Pan connects with Wendy's granddaughter to fight evil in Her Majesty's Secret Service, each story features a paranormal kiss. Fans who can't get enough of their favorite authors will also be thrilled to find a back story to Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth, a Generation Dead companion by Daniel Waters and more killer unicorns from Diana Peterfreund. (Short stories. YA)

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November 1, 2010

Gr 7 Up-The title of this short story collection is a little misleading. Most of the selections have some romance, but they definitely take a backseat to those that run the gamut from fairy spies who can fly to vampires. While some of the stories are a little creepy, they are a far cry from truly frightening. Nonetheless, there are some fine and engrossing entries by popular authors, including Diana Peterfreund's "Errant," which is set in medieval Europe. It features a sassy nun who is charged with training unicorns that are becoming endangered. Justine Musk's "Lost" is set in modern times and features a girl with psychic power and a very handsome guy named Haiden, which turns out to be a morphing of the word "Hades." One kiss with the irresistible fellow and she will have sold her soul. Karen Mahoney's "The Spirit Jar" brings a fresh twist to the vampire genre. Sarah Rees Brennen and Carrie Ryan offer very good selections, too, but one of the best is Maggie Stiefvater's "The Hounds of Ulster," which melds Celtic myth with punk rock.-Jake Pettit, Thompson ValleyHigh School, Loveland, CO

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2010
Grades 9-12 The usual cast of otherworldly suspectsghosts, genies, demons, banshees, witches, and morefills the pages of this collection, but these 13 stories of the paranormal come with a twist: all are love stories, of one sort or another. Not surprisingly, there is an air of the ominous about each, and (no spoiler here!) not all end happily. Though readable and entertaining, too many of the stories will probably be predictable to fans of this sort of fiction or are too long to pack much of a punch. Nevertheless, the best selections are wonderfully offbeat, inventive, and, well, haunting. Among these: Sarah Rees Brennans The Spy Who Never Grew Up, a wickedly funny and wonderfully written story about that eternal child Peter Pan, now grown to a teenager; Diana Peterfreunds Errant, a deliciously dark tale of unlikely nuns and even more unlikely unicorns; and Maggie Stiefvaters The Hounds of Ulster, an unforgettable story of music and love, rooted in Irish folklore. These three stories alone make the collection well worth reading.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)