This anthology had some good stories, but nothing REALLY reached out and grabbed me.

I think one of my main issues was the a lot of the stories took place very specifically related to certain author's universes that I don't read, and so I didn't have any connections to the characters, and was a little confused. I understand that these anthologies are a really great way to get a little something extra out to fans of your series, it just helps if you've read them.

Onward to my min story reviews!

Giovanni's Farewell: I was a little disappointed, I expected more. I feel like there was really great potential built up with the twin connection and the special powers and it just kind of fizzled out with no clear conclusion.

Scenic Route: Liked this one a lot. Actually kind of wanted the main character to die a little bit, but I was satisfied with the story on the whole. Except, what's the word for Unconsecrated that starts with M? Mulatto? Morsmordre? Something along those lines. This is really going to bother me.

Red Run: One of my favorites. Actually didn't see the twist coming, but in a good way, which is hard to do in a story this short.

Things About Love: Oh, this one made me cringe because the genie character was so awkward. It ended up working out in the end, though, and I did really like Lawrence.

Niederwald: Rachel Vincent please stop writing about Sabine. Please. I cannot stand her.

Merely Mortal: It was a good story, but I got slightly pissed off because I haven't actually finished the Wicked Lovely series and therefore I am kind of really spoiled for the ending. I realize this is my fault. But I enjoyed the fairies grappling with the internet.

Facing Facts: I have read I think one of the books in this series, so I knew vaguely what was going on, but I think I got a little lost. Not the best.

Let's Get This Undead Show On The Road: With my recent One Direction obsession I am all for English boy bands. I got a little confused at the beginning because we were very suddenly plunged in, but I ended up really enjoying it.

Bridge: Apparently, I was missing some background information about these characters, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything. Congratulations Jeri Smith-Ready for doing this short story based on a series thing right! Also, sucker for in-verse. Definitely one of my favorites.

Skin Contact: An extension of The Body Finder universe, I sympathized with Rafe but I didn't really connect to him that much.

Leaving: Oh I was really pleasantly surprised with this one! I was afraid, because it was by Ally Condie, I would be subjected to the same bore as I was in Matched, but this story proves Matched was boring because Cassia was boring. And so was the love triangle. One of my favorites.

At the Late Night Double Feature Picture Show: Props to you if you sang the title to yourself. My best friend and I both really like Rocky Horror, and so I showed this to her and we laughed quite a lot at it. Not the best writing, and I got a little confused at the end, but it was definitely entertaining.

IV League: Maybe I'm really missing something here, but this story did not appeal to me at all. Between the fabrication of transcripts and the discrimination and the illegal actions, I didn't have any connection to the entire story.

Gargouille: This story was ridiculously romantic. I loved that the setting wasn't in modern times, and the mythology was original. Favorite of the collection. Go Mary E. Pearson!

The Third Kind: I've read a few books by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and I think this one might be based off of Golden? Maybe? Either way, I really liked the main character, and the prophecy was delivered really well. Nice open conclusion.

Automatic: Another series that I've never read. It was ok, but I'm sure people who knew what was going on would appreciate it much more.

To recap, worth checking out: Scenic Route, Red Run, Bridge, Leaving, Gargouille, The Third Kind

I've definitely read better anthologies, but if you're a fan of any of these authors give it a try!

This is a compilation of short stories by various authors that came about from a book tour.

I loved all the stories in the book and it was a great chance to read some work from authors I haven't yet read.
I loved a few of the ideas so much that I would love to see them written into a full length story.

I read Enthralled edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong because recently I made my way through Yellowcake by reading a story a day and I was like, oh I should do that with my other anthologies. And this one had the cover that attracted me the most with the pink and lots of authors I have been wanting to give a try. It was an okay anthology, a little uneven as there were some stories that knocked it out of the park and some that were very blahhhhh.
Read the rest of my review here
Review will be posted November 2013.

So yeah, this is sort of the average of all the stars I give to the short stories of this book and since some of the stories are BEAUTIFUL and some of them are just NOT-so-good I think it is only fair that I walk you through all of them one by one (in short, people, or else my fingers will fall off).

GIOVANNI"S FAREWELL
Three stars. One of the better stories. I have noticed that Claudia Gray has this THING about ghost and she delivers another good one. It is a classic ghost story but she just manages to put a twist here and there by her writing style like in EVERNIGT series. I'm telling you, this girl has some insane skill in writing.

SCENIC ROUTE
Four stars. One of my favourites. This is the first time I have read Carrie Ryan's story but this story is so good that it has convinced me to read THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH. Yeah, it is good.

RED RUN
Three stars. Again, Kami Garcia manages to deliver a unique story with a unique writing style like in Beautiful Creatures.

THINGS ABOUT LOVE
Two stars. This story is cute but a little confusing for me since I didn't read AS YOU WISH. P.S. I just love the title.

NIEDERWALD
Two stars. The story is really quite confusing and it leaves my head reeling with the relationship between the characters. So this girl is bringing a girl whose best friend is stealing away the guy she is absolutely in love with? Um... Yeah, just doesn't make sense. But the setting is really quite inventive.

MERELY MORTAL
Four stars. Creative and fun and funny. Old mythology and science in the perfect blend.

FACING FACTS
Four stars. I have read Kelley's story and I just heart the characters. Yes, even Victoria. And I've had a good time reading this since the four characters are just so adorable that the three thin books Kelley wrote in their honour just not justify their awesomeness. I wish Simon and Victoria would find someone though, like what Chloe and Derek has. And might I just say, Chloe and Derek are the cutest couple EVER!

LET'S GET THIS UNDEAD SHOW ON THE ROAD
Two stars. Has its funny moments. I especially like the 'knock knock' joke.

BRIDGE
Absolute five-star. I have followed this heart-wrenching story of Jeri-Smith's and for those of us who loves Logan (but I love Zachary too. I mean, who cannot adore these two guys?) it is like adding salt to the wound. Realistic and absolutely beautiful, it gives you the hard-core truth that life is just not fair and it is written in such a heart-breaking ballad (at least I read it as a ballad) that will leave you gasping for more.

SKIN CONTACT
One star. This story is just well... Confusing. Sorry.

LEAVING
Three stars. An all-too-believable future version of Cinderella where she meets her Prince who is charmingly understanding and kind (not like the real one in Disney where he cannot even catch up with a girl in heels!)

AT THE LATE NIGHT, DOUBLE FEAUTRE, PICTURE SHOW
One star. Sorry, but I just don't really enjoy it. As weird as it is though, what I enjoy is the author's message where she says, "For Time Curry, because quite frankly, you are the shit." Go Jessica. Haha!

IV LEAGUE
Three stars. Does John Harvard's shoe really smell like pee? Haha!

GARGOUILLE
Absolutely five stars. Heartbreakingly beautiful although I didn't read SOUL SCREAMERS. One of the best short stories I have ever read.


THE THIRD KIND
Two stars. Again, a unique setting but a so-so plot.

AUTOMATIC
Three stars. Again like Kelley Armstrong, I have read and adored Rachel Caine's characters in Morganville (fanged or not) and this story gives a glimpse of the hard-core truth behind the shiny idea of immortality. It sucks (literally and metaphorically) especially when THE ONE you love is mortal. I really hope they have a happy ending when the series end.

P.S., I would recommend the stories I rated three stars and above but since you cannot actually buy just one story, happy reading them all!

Discovery: Anything Melissa Marr does automatically goes on the TBR pile–I have an ongoing love affair with the Wicked Lovely series.

+ Charm. I’ve found that I tend to have high standards for short story collections, mostly because I was given so many brilliant pieces in university. If there are only 20 pages in a story, it better hold me in thrall from the first paragraph to the last. Not every story in this collection was able to do that, but they each had their own charming quirks, little tidbits that made me smile and continue to the next page and the next, even if I was a little confused about a plot twist. I didn’t realize that some stories were set in the same universe as the author’s previous books, but they were all intriguing enough that I added them to my TBR pile.

+ Themes. Enthralled seems to suggest an anthology full of love stories and starcrossed romances. Instead, the reader gets 16 fics about the importance of journeys. When I read Enthralled two weeks ago, my life was pretty quiet and settled. At this moment, however, I’m that girl on the cover: there’s a mysterious road before me and I’m looking back, not quite sure of where I’m going, but knowing I want to keep walking anyway. The time I spent away from the anthology sharpened those parallels and made the stories more valuable to me. Being a teenager is a journey in itself and it’s not always easy to see who one’s true companions are. Each story in the collection dealt with that uncertainty in a careful and beautifully-written manner.

- Backstory. Just a small caveat for readers who are unfamiliar with any of the authors in this anthology: if I recall correctly, half of the stories are set in the same universe as the author’s other books. Some stories aren’t difficult to understand, while others may require a little brushing-up on the background of that universe.

My favourite stories:

“Scenic Route,” Carrie Ryan
“Things About Love,” Jackson Pearce
“Merely Mortal,” Melissa Marr
“Gargouille,” Mary E. Pearson

Recommendations: Iwould definitely give this book to discerning teenage readers and those looking for an well-written themed anthologies.

Rating: Excellent.

Really good authors in this book amazing stories wanted more for so many of them! Was a bit sad when I read Jessica Verdays story as I was expecting more and wisking that it would be part of the Hollow

I had only one problem with this book...there are stories I really wanted to get into and they were cut short. Boo.

Didn't read all the stories, but did read these ones:
Niederwald by Rachel Vincent - 4/5 - Soul Screamers short. Enough said. I adore the series so much.
Facing Facts by Kelley Armstrong - 3.5/5 - really good little short from her Darkest Powers series, set after the trilogy so be warned, there are big spoilers for it!
Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready - 5/5 - worth the money for this alone! Just about had me in tears. Though you probably need to have read Shade to really get it. But the Shade trilogy is amazing, so do!
Skin Contact by Kimberly Derting - 4.5/5 - excellent back story for a character from Desires of the Dead (no spoilers for the series)
Leaving by Ally Condie - 4.5/5 - strangely intense and gripping. I wanted more.
The Third Kind by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - 3/5 - bit bizzare, but good. I'm sure plenty will enjoy it more than I did.

I'm 'reviewing' this now because I may or may not read the other shorts at a later time. I do think though that together the quality of those I have read, certainly makes Enthralled worth buying. And I'm certain the ones I've not read are also at least good reads, and potentially even excellent for the right people.

Reviewed for 'The Review Diaries' http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/

So I love anthologies but I hate short stories (most of the time.)

The anthology aspect is what made me want this book – the idea of a collection of some of my favourite authors and some new ones all in one place makes me hyperventilate with excitement. It’s like an all you can eat buffet where you can have a little bit of what you know and love, and then be daring and try something completely new that you’ve always looked at and never picked up before.

However, short stories and I really do not get along. There is a very fine line with them, where they either are brilliantly constructed, or they end up not working. So many short stories just leave me feeling dissatisfied because there are too many questions unanswered, too many possibilities and things left unsaid. It aggravates me and makes me want to go and find out what happened next and that’s where it stops being a short story and turns into a novel.

This is why this particular anthology was a little bit hit and miss with me. The finding new authors that I want to read more of part worked perfectly, I now have a long list of new books I want to get. However, so many of these stories were short stories hidden in amongst novels already written and out there – great if you already know the rest of the story, but irritating if you don’t.
As a result I was left feeling a bit put out and lost, because I didn’t know what the hell was going on.

The other side were the stories that were amazing, fresh new characters and concepts, but so much more story to tell than would fit in the pages offered here. So I was left feeling quite bummed after reading, despite the brilliant stories I’d read.

Don’t get me wrong the writing is brilliant, and I am so glad I got this book just so I could read more of some of my favourite authors, but I don’t think it quite did what I wanted it to.

The notable exception was Sarah Rees Brennan’s short story ‘Let’s Get This Undead Show On The Road’ which was perfection. New characters and a new setting to her novels, this was a completely fresh story, which meant that I didn’t feel left behind on back story. The story was brilliantly dark and funny and had a beginning, middle and an end – I know this seems obvious, but whilst I would have quite happily read more about the band, I wasn’t left with the feeling that I’d been cheated and where the hell was the rest of it.
It was brilliant. I love Christian, the morale vampire who could really do with some very serious hugging. Josh who could also do with some serious hugging for being so adorably nerdy, (no one does adorable nerd like SRB) Bradley, who is just made of glittery awesome and knock knock jokes, and Pez, who should perhaps stay away from any household cleaning products in future…

Other fabulous tales included Melissa Marr’s ‘Merely Mortal’ which offered another glimpse into the setting and characters of ‘Wicked Lovely’ and Carrie Ryan’s ‘Scenic Route’ which whilst the setting was from her trilogy of novels, the characters and plot were entirely new.

For making me weep, ‘Bridge’ by Jeri Smith-Ready should get a mention, and I am so getting her novels to find out more about the characters. It was compelling, exceptionally well written, and deeply moving.

The story that perhaps irritated me the most – and see that as a compliment – was ‘The Third Kind’ by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Oh good lord was it awesome, but where the hell was the rest of it???
Seriously, I want a novel out of that story, because there was so much more I wanted to know! The characters were brilliant and funny and real, and the scenario was just so intriguing. I was just incredibly peeved that there wasn’t more!

All in all this was a brilliant collection of stories that gave me the opportunity to window shop some more young adult authors that I haven’t had the chance to read yet. Yes there were irritations and upsets, but they were mostly out of wanting more of them, which I suppose is a round-about compliment really… Anyway, I highly recommend it, either as a window shopping tool, or to just get more of your favourite authors, and prepare to be swept away on some fairly epic journeys.

A great bunch of authors. I much prefer full novels to short stories but this collection gives a good taster to authors that many people may not have tried before.