I really like anthologies. And anthologies with some of my favorite authors writing about some of my favorite characters I like even more. If you're fans of the authors, are considering reading any of the series, or want a good overview of some of the women of urban fantasy, this is the book for you. ( )

I really only read one story out of this anthology. I read Karen Chance's dhamphir short. Feel like I was missing a reference to how she had helped Raymond. Maybe in another anthology? ( )

Found this during a bookstore browse in Toronto, deeply discounted, and worth it at the full price. :-) Only one story was meh with amaturish writing, and one other story suffered from telling rather than showing, but the rest were quite good. I like seeing a story from Bobbi's perspective from The Vampire Files, and there was a fun CinSim mystery from C. N. Douglas. A solid line up of authors and a nice variety of tales. ( )

The introduction certainly struck a chord with me. I was born in 1954, so my girlhood chick adventure reading, besides Baum's Dorothy and Carroll's Alice, was pretty much limited to female amateur sleuths: Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton, Trixie Belden, the Dana girls; and comic book superheroines. Of course, the only ones with great strength that I recall were Wonder Woman and Supergirl. The Invisible Girl, Marvel Girl, and the Scarlet Witch had power, sure, but I didn't get to see them trading punches with super villains. I am so glad to be able to follow the adventures of today's butt-kicking chicks!

'Shiny' by Rachel Caine**** Great chase scene and two tough chicks -- I wouldn't care to wear a diamond bikini, though. Eh -- at least it wasn't as ridiculous as when Marvel Comics gave Red Sonja a chain mail bikini, for a reason that will make sense within the story.

'In Vino Veritas' by Karen Chance*** 1/2 Our heroine has been put in a bad situation because of a twit snitch. Her gamble on getting both of them out alive was interesting.

'Hunt' by Rachel Vincent

'Monsters' by Lilith Saintcrow

'Vampires Prefer Blondes' by P. N. Elrod

'Nine-Tenths of the Law' by Jenna Black

'Double Dead' by Cheyenne McCray

'A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still Be Red' by Elizabeth A. Vaughan

'Superman' by Jeanne C. Stein

'Monster Mash' by Carole Nelson Douglas

'Wanted: Dead or Alive''by L. A. Banks

'Mist' by Susan Krinard

'Beyond the Pale' by Nancy Holder ( )

Fun collection. I was satisfied with most of stories in this collection. The only story I did not like was Monsters, by Lilith Saintcrow which was boring and not all surprising. It's not the girl doing the butt kicking, it's a vampire(girl). The only problem with story collection's is you want to read more about a certain character or the rest of the story. This anthology gives you a nice taste of girl power. ( )