Death's Excellent Vacation by A. Lee Martinez, Amanda Ronconi, Charlaine Harris, Chris Grabenstein, Christopher Golden, Daniel Stashower, Jeaniene Frost, Jeff Abbott, Katie MacAlister, L.A. Banks, Lilith Saintcrow, Sarah Smith, Sharan Newman, Toni L.P. Kelner Narrator: Amanda Ronconi, Christopher Lane
Published by Penguin on August 3rd 2010
Length: 12 hours 53 minutes
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 368
Format: Audiobook
Goodreads
The editors of Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and Many Bloody Returns deliver a new collection-including a never-before-published Sookie Stackhouse story. New York Times bestselling authors Charlaine Harris, Katie MacAlister, Jeaniene Frost-plus Lilith Saintcrow, Jeff Abbott, and more-send postcards from the edge of the paranormal world to fans who devoured Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and Many Bloody Returns. With an all-new Sookie Stackhouse story and twelve other original tales, editors Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner bring together a stellar collection of tour guides who offer vacations that are frightening, funny, and touching for the fanged, the furry, the demonic, and the grotesque. Learn why it really can be an endless summer-for immortals.
We decided to do a read-along together since it has been a WHILE since we did one. October is all about creatures so we picked this one, thinking it would be fun, with lots of short little stories, and get to revisit different types of creatures and stories. Since we’re both doing the audio, we’re relying on this helpful list of the story titles.
Julie’s Review:
1. TWO BLONDES by Charlaine Harris – I enjoyed this story! I forget that Sookie and Pam are actually friends in the books since in the show, well, not as much. They kick butts and take names like always and the story was fun. Don’t double-cross Pam. Ever!
2. THE BOYS GO FISHING by Sarah Smith – I couldn’t follow this at all. Part of it is I have a hard time with this audio narration style – I tune him out.
3. ONE FOR THE MONEY by Jeaniene Frost – Love Cat and Bones, always! They’re protecting a girl and bad things keep happening, as is their life. Oh that and Cat’s mom is there to cause tension. MILs right? But it was kinda neat how Bones used this opportunity to teach Cat’s mom some self-defense skills.
4. MEANWHILE, FAR ACROSS THE CASPIAN SEA by Daniel Stashower – I don’t even remember this story so that says a lot. Not even the supposed surprise at the end.
5. THE INNSMOUTH NOOK by A. Lee Martinez – Sorry I don’t remember much about this one either.
6. SAFE AND SOUND by Jeff Abbott – Poor reporter trying her best to solve a big story… but the story doesn’t want to be solved. Don’t mess with creatures of the night. Very DUH factor. Of course he didn’t want to be found, and of course the reporter had to be stopped.
7. SEEING IS BELIEVING by L.A. Banks – Cute but short paranormal romance with evil witch spells and a shifter (I mean, we knew it from the start). Too short to have a good relationship build up but it is what it is.
8. THE PERILS OF EFRIJIM by Katie MacAlister – This was kind of fun – a vengeance mission with a faerie nymph and a demon who lost his doggie form and had to walk around as a naked human haha.
9. THIN WALLS by Christopher Golden – Yea so not a huge fan of the succubus killing men and overly seductive story line.
10. THE HEART IS ALWAYS RIGHT by Lilith Saintcrow – Ooh gargoyles! Need more of these creatures. The story itself was kinda predictable, can’t say I fully understand all the ‘heart’ talk and why the gargoyle had to bring her in, but it was enjoyable.
11. THE DEMON IN THE DUNES by Chris Grabenstein – A dying man remembering when he and his buddies were all a bunch of teenagers telling ghost stories in the dunes before hooking up, but then the narrator sees a demon who stops him from hooking up with a girl. The revelation of the identity of the demon (and the real purpose of this haunting) is kind of fun.
12. HOME FROM AMERICA by Sharan Newman – Ooh a leprechauns story. That’s kinda neat, but this one was twisted.
13. PIRATE DAVE’S HAUNTED AMUSEMENT PARK by Toni L.P. Kelner – Cute story with a werewolf and vampire pirate, searching for who was sabotaging the park. The romance wasn’t too believable, but it was a fun clean read.
Lynn’s Review:
1. TWO BLONDES by Charlaine Harris – Who knew Eric and Sookie were together in the books? Not me, as it’s further along than I made it through the TV series. But generally ok story. I enjoyed Sookie’s daytime activities while all the vampires were sleeping.
2. THE BOYS GO FISHING by Sarah Smith – I didn’t really get the point of this? Some older superhero has to train new superheroes? I think? And there is fishing involved, which is not my thing at all.
3. ONE FOR THE MONEY by Jeaniene Frost – Reminded me I should get back to the Night Huntress books. I liked the first one well enough. Bones is a great character. And good fight scene in this short story.
4. MEANWHILE, FAR ACROSS THE CASPIAN SEA by Daniel Stashower – sideways\time travel. It was ok. Too short, really, to make enough of an impact.
5. THE INNSMOUTH NOOK by A. Lee Martinez – Weird book about sea monsters who stay at a BnB. And everyone is ok with this? But not with new people moving to the small town. Not too much to remark on, otherwise.
6. SAFE AND SOUND by Jeff Abbott – Meh. I didn’t even remember this story until Julie reminded me. Pretty dull, if you ask me.
7. SEEING IS BELIEVING by L.A. Banks – werewolves and shape-shifters. Again, too short to make an impact. Interesting premise.
8. THE PERILS OF EFRIJIM by Katie MacAlister – I actually liked this one. About a Demon\Dog. I’d probably read more of these.
9. THIN WALLS by Christopher Golden – hard pass on the succubus story.
10. THE HEART IS ALWAYS RIGHT by Lilith Saintcrow – there are not enough gargoyle stories out there in the world. I’d probably read more by this author. Or at least more gargoyle stories.
11. THE DEMON IN THE DUNES by Chris Grabenstein – Wow – this one had a good twist! I kept waiting for the supernatural character to appear throughout the story. And it paid off at the end. I really liked it!
12. HOME FROM AMERICA by Sharan Newman – This one was good. I think the premise was fun. And the end was great!
13. PIRATE DAVE’S HAUNTED AMUSEMENT PARK by Toni L.P. Kelner – this one was funny! And works well as a last story in the compilation.
I haven’t had a lot of luck with Urban Fantasy, so the fact that a lot of these didn’t really resonate with me isn’t too surprising. Some of the stories were meh to forgettable. I’ll add some new authors to my TBR list (Katie MacAlister and Toni L.P. Kelner specifically). I’ll skip on others.
