On the Prowl (Alpha and Omega)

I actually read Cry Wolf before I read this book, and even though it was out of order it seemed as if Patricia Briggs outdid herself just as amazingly in this story even more so than in the second Alpha and Omega story. However, the other three short stories that were included in this book didn't hold my interest as much as the first, except for Inhuman. The plotlines managed to stay unique and separate from each other, and the characters were just wonderfully intriguing. It's a very good read; I would recommend it for any who desire a good angsty romance where it's not all love and kisses.

Excellent collection of stories....have a new interest in this genre and this was a perfect intro to some new writers. I know now which I'd like to pursue and read other books by some of these authors. Totally worth the read!

I purchased this book for the first short story by Patricia Briggs. It is without a doubt worth the money for the entire book and is a fantastic set up for her werewolf spin off series of Alpha & Omega.

Briggs continues to entertain with well written and in depth characters. The four star rating is simply because I have not taken the time to read the other stories in the book.

ALPHA AND OMEGA by Patricia Briggs; A good "Missing chapter" from The Mercy Thompson series, something to hold one over until the next book in the series is published.

INHUMAN by Eileen Wilks; A promising story line including a "humanized" hellhound from the wild hunt that leads me to want to read more of the story when Night Season is released.

BUYING TROUBLE by Karen Chance; A potentially good premise that descends from a fantasy story into the romance realm.

MONA LISA BETWINING by Sunny; Elements of the fantasy genre wrapped around a bodice ripper.

Both the Briggs and the Wilks were very good. Good storyline, sympathetic characters with a good strong romantic connection. The Chance was interesting and original. The Sunny? Well I prefer more story than sex.

Overall rating is that the first two (Briggs and Wilks) carry the anthology, and are of themselves worth purchasing

I enjoyed it. Convincing characters, and consistent character development. I can particularly relate to Anna's flashbacks to trauma. These are probably my favourite 2 characters that Patricia Briggs created, particularly in how the relate and interact with one another.

The only problem I had with this book was finishing too soon. Patricia Briggs gave the best story of the book by far and provides the back story to her book Cry Wolf. I enjoyed the book and am firmly in the fan camp of Patricia Briggs.

On the Prowl is a mixed bag anthology consisting of four stories:

Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs - The best of the lot and the reason I read the book in the first place, this is an offshoot of the Mercy Thompson books which features her foster brother Charles, the son of the Marrok, and the Omega werewolf Anna, and it’s the story of their first encounter. Anna learns a lot about being a werewolf and what it means to be an Omega (she has the power to calm werewolves around her for one thing) once she meets Charles. He comes to Chicago to find out what sort of trouble is brewing in the pack she’s a part of after she calls the Marrok to give him information about some of the things going on in her pack, hoping for some help. I really liked this couple and look forward to reading the rest of the Alpha and Omega books. I would give this one 5 stars.

Inhuman by Eileen Wilks - a story of magical beings in the human world, including those from Faerie. Kai has been drawn to her friend Nathan and finally discovers just who he is and where he comes from, as they search for an inhuman killer loose in their town. I enjoyed the story but would rank it 3rd in the anthology. A 3 star story.

Buying Trouble by Karen Chance - I really liked the irrepressible Claire and the Fey Lord Heidar, who aids her escape from the New York auction house where she’s ended up on the auction block. They end up in Faerie with an evil faction of the Fey after them and their adventures are not only action packed, but pretty darned funny as well, as Claire discovers new powers and more in this new world. This was my second favorite tale and I know I’ll enjoy reading more stories by this author. A 4 star story.

Mona Lisa Betwining by Sunny - I’ve read another story in this setting in the past and I was a bit nervous knowing what I was in for. It was about what I expected and I just didn’t care it. It was much more steamy than I prefer and I didn’t like the main character of Mona Lisa at all. The Monere are some sort of animal shifters but they seem to be really obsessed with sex - a lot, and there didn’t seem to be much more to the story than that. Oh and there was something about being possessed by a demon - that caused Mona Lisa to have to have sex, even though she didn’t really want to, since she already had several other lovers. This one would get 1 star (barely).

**This is a review of Patricia Briggs's story ONLY**

Even after years have gone by I still find myself drawn back to the Alpha & Omega Series. I have re-read this series a couple of times and I'm still not getting tired of the story or the writing.

I love Anna. She's the beaten down, but not yet broken heroine who finds the strength in herself to fight to stay alive. She's very docile and sweet. She always wants what's best for everyone and when Charles is around, she actually speaks her mind.

I adore Charles and the way he immediately wants to help and protect Anna. Sure he has STRONG feelings on what he'd like to happen between them, but he controls them because he understands she's skittish around other people, let alone dominate werewolves. He's also his pack's assassin, so he has a reputation. Good thing Anna only finds out after they've gotten to know each other at least to the point where she knows he won't hurt her.

My Favorite Quotes:

"All your wolves are your children, Leo, you know that. They are yours to love and feed, to guard and protect, to guide and to teach."

"'That was a prime example of testosterone poisoning, (...)'"

"He'd have to call his brother, Samuel, and tell him that he'd finally learned that his face wouldn't crack if he smiled."

The short story "Alpha and Omega" by Patricia Briggs is the only story in this anthology worth reading, IMO. The other three tales struck me as amateurish and boring. I had to drag myself to the end of each of them.

NOTE: To anyone considering starting Briggs's "Alpha and Omega" series, the story in this collection is the FIRST TALE of the series. "Cry Wolf," which is billed as first in the series is NOT. If you begin with "Cry Wolf," you will be frustrated by being dumped in the middle of a story, with absolutely no information as to what happened to the characters before the beginning of the novel to get them to this point. The publisher should be ashamed of treating readers like this.

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: This anthology delivers tantalizing views into well-loved worlds. Fun reads that can be enjoyed without prior knowledge of the series.

The Review:

I don't normally read all of an anthology. I will go to the sections with my favorite authors and then call it good. On the Prowl is not your usual anthology. The novellas are long enough to satisfy my need for details yet short enough to wet my appetite for more. I had not previously read anything by Eileen Wilks and nothing about Karen Chance's spin-off series, Dorina Basarab. Now, I can't get a hold of their other books fast enough!

"Alpha and Omega" by Patricia Briggs (Alpha and Omega series #0.5)

Events in this story follow along with what's happening during the Mercy Thompson novel, Moon Called. Charles Cornick, werewolf enforcer of the North American Werewolves and son of the Marrok, travels to Chicago to investigate the allegations of selling newly made werewolves for profit, misconduct of the Alpha, and murder. He goes to do his duty as he always has, alone. Charles is rare for his kind; he was born a werewolf, not made one. He is about to meet someone equally rare; Anna, an Omega. Anna Latham has been used and abused by her pack. It is her sense of ethics that prompt her to get their leader, the Marrok, involved. She doesn't realize how her position as Omega really works. As an Omega, she has the ability to calm those werewolves around her; most packs would consider her a gift. All of the dominate leaders in the pack she's currently in have tried to beat her into submission and it leaves her with a warped sense of how a true pack should work. Her skittishness around Charles is understandable after learning about her abuse. That doesn't seem to stop Charles's wolf from claiming her as his mate. This novella is the beginning of a beautiful relationship between two people who come together after their wolves have already committed them for life.

Rating: 5/5

"Inhuman" by Eileen Wilks (#3.5 of the World of the Lupi series)

This novella tells the story of Kai and Nathan. Nathan is an otherworldly being, working with local cops on magical cases. Kai is a telepath and the target of a serial killer who is hunting those with Gifts, or magical abilities. Nathan and Kai's relationship to this point has been about friendship, no matter how much Kai would like more. As Nathan begins to hunt down the killer, he ends up falling into bed with Kai while "protecting" her. She finds out that Nathan used to be Nadrellian, a hell hound. In the end, they find love and discover the truth behind the killer's true motivations; a need to belong. It is this ability, the voluntary binding of hearts, which prompts the Winter Queen into sending Kai, Nathan, and Dell on a quest to prove Kai's resolve and fortitude.

Rating: 4/5

"Buying Trouble" by Karen Chance (#1.1 of Dorina Basarab series)

This novella follows what happens to Dory's roommate, Claire, in Midnight's Daughter. Claire is a projective null meaning that magic doesn't work well around her. She is on the run from harvesters, people that will drain her magic and turn it into a bomb, and her family who wants to sell her to the fae for breeding purposes. She works for a magic auction house. Little did she know that tonight's auction, containing objects like a mad djinn's bottle and a rune that creates portals to Faerie, also includes her in the bidding. Heidar, half-human/half-Light Fey, helps Claire escape the auction; unfortunately they land in faerie enemy territory. Lots of fighting ensues and Claire gets to use her powers as a weapon. Run, run as fast as they can...nope, they get caught making whoopee and bringing out a part of Claire that has remained dormant until now. No, I'm not gonna spoil it for you. Read it and find out yourself; it's more fun that way anyhow.

Rating: 5/5

"Mona Lisa Betwining" by Sunny (#4 of Monere series)

I like the Monere series, I really do. I can't seem to get enough of it. Fair warning: this novella and the series as a whole, is considered to be erotic paranormal. Lots of lovin' involved, if you catch my drift. With that out of the way...Mona Lisa is still reeling from the loss of her first love, Griffon. Dontaine, her new Master at Arms, keeps trying to get in her pants. Don't worry folks, he gets there eventually. The circumstances surrounding his death and that of the former queen of Louisiana, Mona Louisa, must be explained to the High Council. During the inquiry, Mona Lisa realizes that she holds more than just the essence of the dead queen, but the bloodlust too. Her response to the High Lord of Hell's demon daughter, Lucinda, is now cause for concern. In times past, those like Mona Lisa were hunted and killed by the demons. Only the High Prince of Hell's mate claim keeps Lucinda from destroying our heroine. More lovin' (go Dontaine!) and we end with another uniqueness, and reason to kill, added on to Mona Lisa's repertoire. A little hard to follow? I'm not surprised. I recommend reading the full Monere series in order to truly understand what's going on in this novella.

Rating: 3/5

My only beef overall for the book is with Sunny, the last author. I detest having to read novellas in order to follow an ongoing series. For the next book in the Monere series to make sense, you have to read "Mona Lisa Betwining". Oh sure, you can read the novella and enjoy it for what it is but Mona Lisa Craving, the third book in the series, begins right at the end of the novella, and if you read just the book, it feels like you're missing something. I am of the notion that novella's are extra and not crucial. Extra points-of-view and side stories are a wonderful way to enhance a writer's world. Sometimes when you love a series, you need those extra bits to get you through the waiting for the next book. Some of the extra stories are a way for authors to explain events without bogging down the main book and I can respect that. If it's crucial to a storyline, it should be including in the original books. It feels like, as a consumer, I'm forced to buy extra books I don't want in order to properly follow a series. I like to be given a choice, thank you very much.

FTC Advisory: No one provided me with a copy of On the Prowl, I bought it myself. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only things I receive for payment are hugs and kisses from my boys.

On The Prowl (2007) is a Fantasy anthology. This volume contains four orginal short stories.

- "Alpha And Omega" (2007) by Patricia Briggs introduces Anna to the truth.

- "Inhuman" (2007) by Eileen Wilks brings Kai to love a Sidhe.

- "Buying Trouble" (2007) by Karen Chance sends Claire to a strange destination.

- "Mona Lisa Betwining" (2007) by Sunny causes Lisa to explode with light.

These tales include three three precursors to new series. Only "Buying Trouble" is not followed by new stories about the main characters. On the other hand, Karen Chance was taking a break from the Cassandra Palmer series.

Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys tales of feminine heroes, risky endeavors, and a bit of romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

On The Prowl
UTC Team Review posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

Alpha & Omega - 4.5 Feathers

I haven't read anything by Patricia Briggs in a long time so it was nice to go back to her writing. I forgot how well she writes. Alpha & Omega was a very quick and easy read! I thought it was a great start to a new series for Briggs! Anna is a werewolf, an Omega to be exact and under desperate circumstances she finds herself calling the Marrok behind her Alpha's back.

In comes Charles Cornick, Bran's son. I found myself liking Charles in the short time it took me to read this. He's protective, but not overly and he's got some charm too. There was a good bit of action that I was surprised to read about in such a short read, but of course, I'm not complaining. The only thing that bothered me a little bit was Anna. She's so shy and submissive, but towards the end, I was already feeling like she was developing as a character already.

I'm excited to read the rest of the series! I can't wait!

Inhuman - 3.5 Feathers

I haven't read any books in the Lupi series, and this one is supposed to be in the middle. I did struggle to understand a few things, however I managed to enjoy this series quite a bit, and has me intrigued to read the actual series. However, I was a bit disappointed with the ending and that is why my rating went down to 3.5 stars. The characters in this story are likable, as you try to figure out the story. I like that Nathan is not your usual "race", I thought that was interesting.

Buying Trouble - 3.5 Feathers

This is the second time I read something by Karen Chance, and it's again a short story. I do like her writing and keep saying I'll pick up one of her books. Maybe soon. There's a bit of everything in this story and I enjoyed it. There's quite a bit of action, families that go against their own, politics of the Fae. One thing that threw me off was when she changed into her "other" form for the first time and out of nowhere at a most inappropriate time! I had to go back and read that to make sure I understood what was happening. LOL I liked the world, I liked the characters.

Mona Lisa Betwining - No rating

I couldn't get past the first few pages in this story. I didn't like that her true love had just died and here she was running around a forest wanting to have sex with another, while she had someone else offering to have sex with her to give her children. Just couldn't finish the story. Maybe if I had read the books in this series it would all make more sense to me, and I'll eventually give them a try.

urban fantasy anthology

contains:
"Alpha and Omega" by Patricia Briggs
"Inhuman" by Eileen Wilks
"Buying Trouble" by Karen Chance
"Mona Lisa Betwining" by Sunny

I bought this anthology for the story by Patricia Briggs, as I had heard that it is set in the same world as her Mercy Thompson series. I am glad that I did, as the story was very good. Anna is the lowest level werewolf in her pack in Chicago. She has been abused and raped by most of the men in the pack, in an effort to break her spirit. Only the lead female, who took her under protection, has kept her from killing herself.

But when serious weirdness starts happening, Anna screws up her courage to call the Marrok, king of all werewolves, at his home in Montana, for help. He sends Charles, his son and executioner, and a powerful alpha in his own right, to Chicago in response. Charles immediately realizes that Anna is an omega wolf - an empath and emotional healer - the rarest sort of wolf, and invaluable. There is no excuse and reason for her pack to have treated her in such a foul fashion.

Anna and Charles must face down her pack together.

Great story, with a new novel recently released about these two characters.

The stories by Wilks and Chance were both faily solid. Wilks needs to backpedal the politics a bit, but otherwise they were both enjoyable stories that dealt with the fae world. I would read other things by both authors if I run into any of their books.

The story by Sunny was a plotless Mary Sue soft core porno fest in the worst tradition of Laurell K. Hamilton. Yuck. It really did not fit with the other three stories in any way, shape, or form. I do not think I would ever be willing to read anything by Sunny ever again - though at least she spells and uses grammar better than Hamilton. LOL.

Anthologies like On the Prowl are becoming more common these days, particularly in urban fantasy and paranormal romance. On the Prowl is a shape shifter-themed collection of 4 novellas by authors writing in pre-established worlds. It features; a prequel to Brigg's Alpha and Omega series, set in the same world as her Mercy Thompson books, a side story from Wilks' Lupi series set between the third and fourth books but starring a secondary character, a story set in Karen Chance's Dorina Basarab world but lead by side characters, and short story from Sunny that's like a summary of the first four of her Monere books.

The stories vary between very good (Briggs and Chance) to you probably need to be a fan of the series (Wilks) to terrible (Sunny). While these types of books are more for series completists than public collections they can help fans of the genre or a particular theme learn about new authors whose works they might love. On the Prowl is recommended for collections that have a lot of paranormal readers, and of course to librarians (and booksellers) themselves who like to have an understanding of the variety of books on the shelves. It's a decent "sampler" of paranormal works that requires little investment and can certainly spark the urge to go out and add more books to your shelves.

Contains: sex, mentions of abuse, some violence

Patricia Briggs writes well. Her characters are someone you would like to know. Especially if you were a werewolf. This story was a good introduction to her Alpha/ Omga tales. The next two were readable-_INHUMAN had two characters that were a little different than usual and I might look further into them. BUYING TROUBLE was fun- a different kind of shifter and one that took me by surprise. It had a nice humorous edge to it. MONA LISA BETWING was a Laurell Hamilton copy and not a very good one. Short stories are good for dentist and doctor appointment readings. Read the first ones and skip the last unless the appointments go on too long.

This book is a collection of four short stories by some of the most notable paranormal romance writers of the moment.

"ALPHA AND OMEGA" by Patricia Briggs
This story is part of the "Moon Called" series (with follow-up "Blood Bound") that I consider to be the best paranormal romance series currently being written. Patricia Briggs' skills in writing an interesting plot, varied characters and a fascinating supernatural element are all included in this short story although within the significant limitations imposed by a story of just 72 pages.

Anna has been a werewolf for three years, she was Changed against her will and since then her life has been submission, beatings and even being passed round various male members of the pack. When she reaches the final straw after a visit from one of the more powerful werewolves she calls the Marrok, or head of the werewolves in America, to tell him about an attack on a young man, Alan Frazier (who we met in "Moon Called"). Bran, the Marrok, tells Anna he will send someone to investigate and sends Charles Cornick, his son.

As soon as Charles meets Anna he realises she is something special, an Omega, which is a kind of werewolf that acts as a calming influence on other werewolves. However he finds that Anna has no idea about her status or about being a werewolf at all and he starts to teach her about the werewolf rules. It soon becomes apparent that there has to be a showdown with Anna's Chicago pack and yet someone seems to also be trying to attack Anna.

Although I very much enjoyed this book I did sometimes find the pacing a little off. There was quite a lot of buildup to the showdown which itself happened surprisingly quickly and the aftermath was also quickly dealt with. The earlier parts of the story seemed to be told at more length with more detail. However overall it was still a very enjoyable read for those who love Briggs' full-length novels.

"INHUMAN" by Eileen Wilks
This is the longest story in the collection and features Kai, a woman with a secret gift for sensing thoughts and desires. Since a big event called 'The Turning' some years before people's magical skills have become more apparent and out into the open and Kai consequently finds herself, and other magical people, occasionally feared. She knows that there's something unusual about her neighbour Nathan Hunter but it's not until some people are killed in a strange way that she and Nathan really begin to communicate. Nathan isn't just unusual he's actually not human and as the story continues he slowly reveals what he is and why he is on Earth. However the more that Kai finds out about him, the more she discovers about herself and eventually she has to flee her home to avoid arrest. When in hiding with Nathan she finally discovers who has been doing the killings and yet has to face her biggest danger from two different hugely powerful beings.

"Inhuman" was a really interesting read and part of the enjoyment was in the way that Nathan and Kai's true natures are gradually revealed to the reader. The world of magical beings became more and more complicated but fortunately it all seemed to work well in the story. Both Nathan and Kai were appealing characters, especially the way in which Nathan explained some of his past actions and didn't seek to conceal his true nature. It was an enjoyable story that felt quite meaty despite its short story length.

"BUYING TROUBLE" by Karen Chance
This was an excellent story with touches of humour and real variety - it was never clear where the plot was going but it was fantastically enjoyable the whole way through.

Claire works for an auction house which deals with magical items - her job is to protect the items and the people around them as she is a 'null,' a person who is able to damp down magical ability in others. However she knows that 'nulls' are highly prized by the Fey because they can be converted into weapons - with the unfortunate side-effect of the null's death. When she spots a Fey in the auction house she tries to escape but finds herself handcuffed to the auction platform and discovers she is one of the lots for sale and that in the audience is her brother, who wishes her dead. When trying to avoid the Fey and her brother she finds herself suddenly whisked to a different world with the Fey and being chased by another clan of Fey. The Fey, Heidar, and she, have to escape and Claire finds her null abilities seem to be rather more powerful than she had thought - except on Heidar. Eventually they hide themselves in a barn but it is there, when Claire finds herself up close and personal with Heidar, that she receives her biggest shock of all. She always knew she had a different father to her brothers but it becomes clear exactly what the father is.

There's a surprising amount of humour in this story. Heidar is a great character, amazingly phlegmatic as Claire proves to be rather more than he had initially thought, Claire is also a well-written character who finds herself having to come to terms with her parentage and what it means. The action is based both in America and the land of the Fey and although it's a short story it doesn't feel rushed or incomplete in any way. It's an excellent introduction to the work of Karen Chance and a very enjoyable story which works perfectly on its own.

"MONA LISA BETWINING" by Sunny
This is the shortest story in this series and its enjoyment rather depends on the reader having read the other Mona Lisa books. Although we are given the backstory in rather big chunks there is a lot to take on board in such a short tale and it felt rather rushed to me. Equally the actual story in this story was lacking - rather than an actual plot with a beginning, middle and end, "Mona Lisa Betwining" read more like a few linking chapters between books. Mona Lisa is discovering that some of her actions in previous books have had more long-lasting effects on her, plus she's still trying to impart some of her human morals on those around her. In a short story we have detailed sex scenes between Mona Lisa and two different men, Mona Lisa meets the brother of one of her ex-lovers who brings to light a significant problem that Mona Lisa has, she finds herself exhibiting a scary new bloodlust, but that's about it. The story isn't really wrapped up, it just requires the reader to carry on to the next book and, in that, is different from the other three stories in this anthology which all worked entirely on their own.

In summary, this is an excellent collection with "Mona Lisa Betwining" as the weakest story but still well written. It's a great read for fans of paranormal romances and has a higher standard of writing than is often seen in this genre.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, [...] © Helen Hancox 2007

I bought this book solely for the Patricia Biggs story, which is a prequel to the Alpha and Omega novels. I enjoyed 3 of the 4, though they all kind of left me hanging (though I got the sense that was the point). Here's my rating for all four stories:

Alpha and Omega (Patricia Briggs): Decent lead-in to the novels, 3 out of 5. The novels are actually quite good, so this is worth the read, as it provides necessary background for how the couple meets. On it's own, it's merely OK.

Inhuman (Eileen Wilks): I enjoyed this one probably the most of the 4, though I've never read this author. I'd be interested in reading the books. It's a creative concept, with just enough mystery to be intrigued.

Buying Trouble (Karen Chance): Surprisingly entertaining. I'm not sure if I'm interested in reading the books that (ostensibly) follow this, but worth a short read either way.

Mona Lisa Betwining (Sunny): Inexplicable inclusion. I tried to read it, but just couldn't. The graphic sex was over the top, but even worse, the story made virtually no sense. I finally started skimming just to see if it was going anywhere (not really). I would NOT read this author, and frankly, don't understand why this story was included with the others. It's not a good fit. Honestly, it seems like the author wants to write a sex book, but felt compelled to try to toss in a plot (she failed).

urban fantasy anthology

contains:
"Alpha and Omega" by Patricia Briggs
"Inhuman" by Eileen Wilks
"Buying Trouble" by Karen Chance
"Mona Lisa Betwining" by Sunny

I bought this anthology for the story by Patricia Briggs, as I had heard that it is set in the same world as her Mercy Thompson series. I am glad that I did, as the story was very good. Anna is the lowest level werewolf in her pack in Chicago. She has been abused and raped by most of the men in the pack, in an effort to break her spirit. Only the lead female, who took her under protection, has kept her from killing herself.

But when serious weirdness starts happening, Anna screws up her courage to call the Marrok, king of all werewolves, at his home in Montana, for help. He sends Charles, his son and executioner, and a powerful alpha in his own right, to Chicago in response. Charles immediately realizes that Anna is an omega wolf - an empath and emotional healer - the rarest sort of wolf, and invaluable. There is no excuse and reason for her pack to have treated her in such a foul fashion.

Anna and Charles must face down her pack together.

Great story, with a new novel recently released about these two characters.

The stories by Wilks and Chance were both faily solid. Wilks needs to backpedal the politics a bit, but otherwise they were both enjoyable stories that dealt with the fae world. I would read other things by both authors if I run into any of their books.

The story by Sunny was a plotless Mary Sue soft core porno fest in the worst tradition of Laurell K. Hamilton. Yuck. It really did not fit with the other three stories in any way, shape, or form. I do not think I would ever be willing to read anything by Sunny ever again - though at least she spells and uses grammar better than Hamilton. LOL.

Anthologies like On the Prowl are becoming more common these days, particularly in urban fantasy and paranormal romance. On the Prowl is a shape shifter-themed collection of 4 novellas by authors writing in pre-established worlds. It features; a prequel to Brigg's Alpha and Omega series, set in the same world as her Mercy Thompson books, a side story from Wilks' Lupi series set between the third and fourth books but starring a secondary character, a story set in Karen Chance's Dorina Basarab world but lead by side characters, and short story from Sunny that's like a summary of the first four of her Monere books.

The stories vary between very good (Briggs and Chance) to you probably need to be a fan of the series (Wilks) to terrible (Sunny). While these types of books are more for series completists than public collections they can help fans of the genre or a particular theme learn about new authors whose works they might love. On the Prowl is recommended for collections that have a lot of paranormal readers, and of course to librarians (and booksellers) themselves who like to have an understanding of the variety of books on the shelves. It's a decent "sampler" of paranormal works that requires little investment and can certainly spark the urge to go out and add more books to your shelves.

Contains: sex, mentions of abuse, some violence

Patricia Briggs writes well. Her characters are someone you would like to know. Especially if you were a werewolf. This story was a good introduction to her Alpha/ Omga tales. The next two were readable-_INHUMAN had two characters that were a little different than usual and I might look further into them. BUYING TROUBLE was fun- a different kind of shifter and one that took me by surprise. It had a nice humorous edge to it. MONA LISA BETWING was a Laurell Hamilton copy and not a very good one. Short stories are good for dentist and doctor appointment readings. Read the first ones and skip the last unless the appointments go on too long.

This book is a collection of four short stories by some of the most notable paranormal romance writers of the moment.

"ALPHA AND OMEGA" by Patricia Briggs
This story is part of the "Moon Called" series (with follow-up "Blood Bound") that I consider to be the best paranormal romance series currently being written. Patricia Briggs' skills in writing an interesting plot, varied characters and a fascinating supernatural element are all included in this short story although within the significant limitations imposed by a story of just 72 pages.

Anna has been a werewolf for three years, she was Changed against her will and since then her life has been submission, beatings and even being passed round various male members of the pack. When she reaches the final straw after a visit from one of the more powerful werewolves she calls the Marrok, or head of the werewolves in America, to tell him about an attack on a young man, Alan Frazier (who we met in "Moon Called"). Bran, the Marrok, tells Anna he will send someone to investigate and sends Charles Cornick, his son.

As soon as Charles meets Anna he realises she is something special, an Omega, which is a kind of werewolf that acts as a calming influence on other werewolves. However he finds that Anna has no idea about her status or about being a werewolf at all and he starts to teach her about the werewolf rules. It soon becomes apparent that there has to be a showdown with Anna's Chicago pack and yet someone seems to also be trying to attack Anna.

Although I very much enjoyed this book I did sometimes find the pacing a little off. There was quite a lot of buildup to the showdown which itself happened surprisingly quickly and the aftermath was also quickly dealt with. The earlier parts of the story seemed to be told at more length with more detail. However overall it was still a very enjoyable read for those who love Briggs' full-length novels.

"INHUMAN" by Eileen Wilks
This is the longest story in the collection and features Kai, a woman with a secret gift for sensing thoughts and desires. Since a big event called 'The Turning' some years before people's magical skills have become more apparent and out into the open and Kai consequently finds herself, and other magical people, occasionally feared. She knows that there's something unusual about her neighbour Nathan Hunter but it's not until some people are killed in a strange way that she and Nathan really begin to communicate. Nathan isn't just unusual he's actually not human and as the story continues he slowly reveals what he is and why he is on Earth. However the more that Kai finds out about him, the more she discovers about herself and eventually she has to flee her home to avoid arrest. When in hiding with Nathan she finally discovers who has been doing the killings and yet has to face her biggest danger from two different hugely powerful beings.

"Inhuman" was a really interesting read and part of the enjoyment was in the way that Nathan and Kai's true natures are gradually revealed to the reader. The world of magical beings became more and more complicated but fortunately it all seemed to work well in the story. Both Nathan and Kai were appealing characters, especially the way in which Nathan explained some of his past actions and didn't seek to conceal his true nature. It was an enjoyable story that felt quite meaty despite its short story length.

"BUYING TROUBLE" by Karen Chance
This was an excellent story with touches of humour and real variety - it was never clear where the plot was going but it was fantastically enjoyable the whole way through.

Claire works for an auction house which deals with magical items - her job is to protect the items and the people around them as she is a 'null,' a person who is able to damp down magical ability in others. However she knows that 'nulls' are highly prized by the Fey because they can be converted into weapons - with the unfortunate side-effect of the null's death. When she spots a Fey in the auction house she tries to escape but finds herself handcuffed to the auction platform and discovers she is one of the lots for sale and that in the audience is her brother, who wishes her dead. When trying to avoid the Fey and her brother she finds herself suddenly whisked to a different world with the Fey and being chased by another clan of Fey. The Fey, Heidar, and she, have to escape and Claire finds her null abilities seem to be rather more powerful than she had thought - except on Heidar. Eventually they hide themselves in a barn but it is there, when Claire finds herself up close and personal with Heidar, that she receives her biggest shock of all. She always knew she had a different father to her brothers but it becomes clear exactly what the father is.

There's a surprising amount of humour in this story. Heidar is a great character, amazingly phlegmatic as Claire proves to be rather more than he had initially thought, Claire is also a well-written character who finds herself having to come to terms with her parentage and what it means. The action is based both in America and the land of the Fey and although it's a short story it doesn't feel rushed or incomplete in any way. It's an excellent introduction to the work of Karen Chance and a very enjoyable story which works perfectly on its own.

"MONA LISA BETWINING" by Sunny
This is the shortest story in this series and its enjoyment rather depends on the reader having read the other Mona Lisa books. Although we are given the backstory in rather big chunks there is a lot to take on board in such a short tale and it felt rather rushed to me. Equally the actual story in this story was lacking - rather than an actual plot with a beginning, middle and end, "Mona Lisa Betwining" read more like a few linking chapters between books. Mona Lisa is discovering that some of her actions in previous books have had more long-lasting effects on her, plus she's still trying to impart some of her human morals on those around her. In a short story we have detailed sex scenes between Mona Lisa and two different men, Mona Lisa meets the brother of one of her ex-lovers who brings to light a significant problem that Mona Lisa has, she finds herself exhibiting a scary new bloodlust, but that's about it. The story isn't really wrapped up, it just requires the reader to carry on to the next book and, in that, is different from the other three stories in this anthology which all worked entirely on their own.

In summary, this is an excellent collection with "Mona Lisa Betwining" as the weakest story but still well written. It's a great read for fans of paranormal romances and has a higher standard of writing than is often seen in this genre.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, [...] © Helen Hancox 2007

I bought this book solely for the Patricia Biggs story, which is a prequel to the Alpha and Omega novels. I enjoyed 3 of the 4, though they all kind of left me hanging (though I got the sense that was the point). Here's my rating for all four stories:

Alpha and Omega (Patricia Briggs): Decent lead-in to the novels, 3 out of 5. The novels are actually quite good, so this is worth the read, as it provides necessary background for how the couple meets. On it's own, it's merely OK.

Inhuman (Eileen Wilks): I enjoyed this one probably the most of the 4, though I've never read this author. I'd be interested in reading the books. It's a creative concept, with just enough mystery to be intrigued.

Buying Trouble (Karen Chance): Surprisingly entertaining. I'm not sure if I'm interested in reading the books that (ostensibly) follow this, but worth a short read either way.

Mona Lisa Betwining (Sunny): Inexplicable inclusion. I tried to read it, but just couldn't. The graphic sex was over the top, but even worse, the story made virtually no sense. I finally started skimming just to see if it was going anywhere (not really). I would NOT read this author, and frankly, don't understand why this story was included with the others. It's not a good fit. Honestly, it seems like the author wants to write a sex book, but felt compelled to try to toss in a plot (she failed).

I like the supernatural-suspense genre so I thought I would widen my awareness of its authors. I only had read P.Briggs prior to this so her name caused me to take an interest in the book. Overall, the 1 star rating I gave the book I feel should have been more like 2.5 stars on a 10 star system. The main problem was that these stories weren't really self-contained stand-alone plots, but really meant to be precursors and introductory to the other works by each author.

The first story, PB was a good read. I've read a few of PB's stuff and find it either a hit-or-miss with her storytelling ability. This one was good enough to be engaging and the characters were developed enough to pull you into the plot. So for this story alone I would give it a 3 stars.

The second story by EW was alright, it took a bit to get into but it moved better afterwards. It intrigued me enough to look at some of EW's other works. The writing was alright.

KC was a very poorly written story I felt. The sentence structure and characters were really, really poorly built. I just felt that it was a bad story and really dragged down the weight I give to the overall book itself. This was my first exposure to KC and I was not very impressed.

The last story, Sunny's, was written good enough except for the fact that it was little more than erotica. I expect a little tongue-in-cheek from these type of books, but the page-after-page graphic descriptions were just too much for me. In supernatural-romance stuff I prefer a heavy dose of supernatural and maybe a page or too of the erotic; this was soft-core for almost the entire plot.

Overall, the stories weren't very impressive, although I think that PB story was interesting enough to take a look at her Alpha and Omega series that it's supposedly a precursor too. Again, I find her hit-or-miss and this read was a hit.

First I want to address the romance in the stories. The first three stories in this collection were great. The one by Sunny is, well, basically porn. Yes, all the stories have bits of romance in them, and even some love making. The first three stories handle the love making without all the graphic detail that Sunny includes in her stories. I found it out of place in the collection. Some of the details in Sunny's story were just plain icky.

So, for the stories themselves:

On The Prowl - 5 stars - This story is the reason I have this book. If you've read any of Briggs' Mercy Thompson stories, you'll be familiar with the name Charles. He's the Marrok's son and enforcer. This is mainly the story of how he and Anna meet, and a prequel to the Alpha and Omega series. Typical of Briggs writing, this story had great detail and characterization. It also clears up a couple of questions I had after reading about Mac and the others like him from her novel Moon Called. It made me want to run out and grab the series to see what happens to Charles and Anna.

Inhuman - 4 stars - Set in a world where some people have special Gifts (like magic or psychic abilities), we follow Kai and her friend Nathan. Nathan is an investigator looking into some strange deaths in the area, when a witness says he saw Kai with one of the murder victims. They have to figure out how to prove Kai's innocence while finding the killer. The story was ok, but I can't really say it compelled me to want to get book referenced at the end "Night Season", especially after reading reviews only to find out that even though the end of the story says "Kai and Nathan's story will be continued in ... Night Season" the book isn't even about them.

Buying Trouble - 5 stars - A mage named Claire finds herself as the premier item of an auction at the auction house she works at. In her attempt to escape her fate, she is accidentally transported to the land of the Fey with a Fey Lord. The Fey Lord tries to help her escape to somewhere safe, and in the process, she finds out a surprising secret about herself. I wish there was a novel tied to this short story. I found myself wanting to read more about the characters in this story.

Mona Lisa Betwining - 0 stars - There was a story in here, I'm sure, but I missed it because of all the graphic sex, which I wasn't expecting. A major turn off, if you ask me. Basically, this queen of the were-tigers has to explain how the former queen of her area was killed. The shortest story of the four in this collection was also the heaviest with sex, and extremely graphic sex at that. I'm sure that the story would have been a good one, if Sunny had spent any time in characterization and explaining what is going on in this world, but mostly it was just about the sex that Mona Lisa is having with her multiple partners. I can't say that I'm even slightly interested in any more stories from this author. Way too much sex and not enough story. I would not recommend this story to any person under ... 16 years old, and maybe not even that young.

Overall, it was a good book, but I'm glad the Sunny story was last because I might not have read the others if I thought they were all going to be like that.

I thought these were gonna be stand alone short stories like most anthology's. But nope, nope. If you wanna know what happens to the characters you have to go buy the other authors books.

Patricia Briggs - Alpha and Omega
I loved this story! It was so great, I loved Charles and Anna and I liked the story a lot. It was written really well and kept me wanting more by the end of the story that I went out and picked up the following book to it Cry Wolf. This short story was great but it will leave you wondering about the characters at the end so I definitely recommend to go pick up Cry Wolf its going to be a great series!

Eileen Wilks - Inhuman
Okay, this story was a bit confusing. One of the main characters Kai, what is she? Is she a empath or a telepath? I don't know, its never fully explained. The world that they live in isn't fully explained either. But I enjoyed it well enough. The ending left me wanting to know more, but, of course you have to go buy one of Eileen's books for that but guess what!? The story that includes these characters is in Book 5 of her Lupi Series, so if I want to read more about Kai and Nathan I have to either read the whole Lupi series, or just read book 5 and be confused with all the other characters and plots in the book. I mean COME ON!

Karen Chance- Buying Trouble
It was a okay story. It kept me interested some of the time, but I found myself occasionally reading the words on the page but my mind was completely elsewhere in boredom. It was confusing at some parts too. The characters didn't grab me and I couldn't relate at all. I didn't find feel a spark between Haidar and Claire. It was so-so. The only other thing, I can say good about this is it did have some funny bits in it.

Sunny- Mona Lisa Betwinning
Uh, this story was horrible. I really wanted to read Sunny's Mona Lisa series, but I am glad I bought this book before I bought the first Mona Lisa book and wasted my money!!!

I love anthologies. They give me a little taste of writers I may not have read before, and a glance into my possibilities for new story lines. This anthology was a jewel for showing me more of the good, and the just plain terrible!

Briggs is awesome as usual. I am a long time fan, and always enjoy everything she writes. I am glad her husband posted what he did - it makes sense that the story wasn't originally planned as a series. She writes so well, it is not surprising that her editors (and readers) are going to love her work enough to push a short story into a full series.

The Wilks story landed Eileen smack into my list of 'writers I haven't read before but are now on my must read list". Her Lily Yu character deals with being a tiny little lady cop of the Oriental variety (believe me, it is HARD being female cop, much less clicking off ALL the boxes in the "I'm not a white Anglo Saxon male" list). She does it with guts, panache, and a great sense of humour. She is a great pleasure to read about. The other characters are well written, believable (within the purview of who and what they are) and likeable. Overall, another good reason to like the anthology.

I first read Chance in "Inked" Inked and enjoyed her story there. I liked the humour, and have Chance down for what I call my "library list" - books I will pick up first at the library to read, and make my decisions from there. If I like her writing in a full novel form, then I will add her to my list of "must reads." Don't know what makes her writing push me towards the library list for now? Will update under one of her novels when I get one read. I have very high hopes.

And then, finally, there is Sunny. Pardon me while I do something truly childish (crosses eyes, sticks finger down throat and gags.) OK, there, got it out of my system. Let's do this - I am not even going to try with this one. I was nauseous within the first page or so, and never finished it - and will NEVER EVER EVER buy anything by her - and will be highly disappointed if she shows up in another anthology of such excellent writers. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, EDITORS?!?!?!

If not for Sunny, this would be a five-star read.

"Alpha and Omega" by Patricia Briggs. In Chicago waitress Anna was going home after a long shift when she was attacked and converted into a werewolf. Meanwhile the King of the werewolves sends his alpha son Charles to the Windy City to investigate potential trouble. Although Anna is the omega of the species as a "newborn, when she and Charles meet, sparks fly.

"Inhuman" by Eileen Wilks. The Turning has had less impact on Midland than most cities, but telepath Kai Michalski senses trouble. Her skill leads her to danger and her neighbor, Nathan.

"Buying Trouble" by Karen Chance. In New York, Claire the mage has the power to Null the magic of others. That is until the Lord of the Fey needs her help to overcome adversaries who want to use her special skill so he bids on her services at an auction house.

"Mona Lisa Betwining" by Sunny. Mixed blood Monere Queen Mona Lisa still grieves her loss of a loyal loved one, her first servant Gryphon. However, her new master of arms Dontaine may prove her deliverance or her death.

These are four fascinating romantic fantasies that sub-genre readers will fully appreciate and seek similar novels in the respective authors' "universe"

Harriet Klausner

The first story by Patricia Briggs was wonderful, bringing to light how we can live unhappily by the beliefs of others when those beliefs are completely self serving. What a wonderful ending. The second novella was also very well done, focusing on how lives can change over the years, so much so that a man can change completely. It is a great mystery also. The third novella didn't do much for me, so I won't comment.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

On the Prowl is a wonderful collection of paranormal romance tales with strong heroines gifted with some pretty impressive abilities. At the same time though, even the strongest of women can use a little help from their man...

In Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs, we meet Anna, a recently turned werewolf, whom everyone believes to be a true submissive wolf. But when Charles Cornick arrives, son of the Marrok werewolf (or king as we humans understand better), arrives to investigate some problems in the Chicago pack, he knows immediately that Anna is more than anyone thinks, and is one very special female he could easily fall for.

This was my first foray into Patricia Briggs's werewolf society and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fortunately, though I assume this takes place in the same society as in her two most recent werewolf books, I did not need to read them first. I had no problem following along with the rules of the werewolves and unfolding events. There are also some very interesting twists thrown into the story that explain just what did happen to the missing werewolves in the pack and why there are no females besides Anna and the pack leader's mate.

Inhuman by Eileen Wilks introduces us to Kai and Nathan. Kai has a special ability to sense people's feelings, but not by normal means. She sees something that is similar to but not exactly the same as auras and through these she hears and feels what other people are going through. She knows there is something very mysterious about her neighbor Nathan, though even her gifts can't help her figure out what that is. When someone or something goes on a murderous rampage, witnesses claim it is Kai committing the crimes. But can she prove her innocence if she goes on the run with sexy neighbor Nathan?

I had the hardest time following Inhuman out of all the stories in this anthology. I've never read anything by Wilks before though I have several of her books on my book shelf, most of which occur in the same world as this story does. I was very confused about the rules of magic in this world. Then there was the added circumstance of a powerful magic storm blowing through the country that threw numerous worlds and universes into chaos. As it turns out, Inhuman is the beginning of a new set of stories that focus on Nathan and Kai. I can only hope that future books in the series explain things more clearly for those of us new to the minds of Eileen Wilks and her players.

Claire is a rarity in the world of mages who when assisting her boss in a large sale, finds herself on the auction block. When Heidar of one of the Fae tribes helps Claire escape, he never realized he was only Buying Trouble (by Karen Chance). Now they are on the run and in the midst of it all, Claire finds out she is far more powerful than anyone, including herself, ever anticipated.

I'm a huge fan of Karen Chance's Cassandra Palmer books so I was glad to see this story in the same world but featuring different characters and many more magical creatures. We learn a little bit more about the different kinds of Fae in the author's worlds through Heidar's explanations to Claire of the differences between them. One additional aspect I enjoyed is the strong romance. Yes, there is some romance in Cassie's series, but while those books are more urban fantasy than romance, Buying Trouble is the reverse. Fans of Karen Chance, be they new or "old," will find themselves enjoying this story, which was probably my favorite in the collection.

In Mona Lisa Betwining by Sunny, the erotic adventures of Mixed Blood Monère and new queen, Mona Lisa continues. While attending a Council meeting, she comes in contact with demon princess Lucinda and suddenly finds herself in great agony as she begins to learn of a whole other side to herself she never knew she had. Only one man can help her through the discovery.

I could not get into Mona Lisa Betwining for anything and I'd have to say it's my least favorite story in On the Prowl. Though it fit the general overall theme of this collection, I do not feel it really belonged. It was much sexier than any of the other stories, being erotica and I felt, unfortunately, that the sex outweighed the plot, something I've never been a fan of. I had great difficulty following what was actually happening, probably because I've not read any of the previous books in the Mona Lisa series. Also, I had a very hard time believing that Mona Lisa, mourning her lost love would suddenly one day realize her grief has ended and start jumping into bed (figuratively speaking since a bed is not usually involved) with each man that catches her eye and then suddenly realizing that one of those men is, surprise!, her new love.

Within the covers of On the Prowl, readers can explore the worlds of a variety of magical creatures, all while getting that necessary romantic fix for us romance readers. We find werewolves, empaths (which is about as close as I can come to categorizing one heroine though it still doesn't quite fit), mages, were-tigers, and then some. There are varying degrees of heat in each story as well, so fans of tamer romance and erotic romance are sure to find something to suit their mood. I enjoyed my introduction to some of these worlds, and loved the chance to revisit others, in On the Prowl and I expect you will too.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, July 2007. All rights reserved.

The problem I find with anthologies is you tend to buy them for one (or maybe two) stories. Therefore I shall admit my bias straight off and say I bought On the Prowl for the Patricia Briggs story.

Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs.
Set in the Mercy Thompson universe (Moon Called, Blood Bound). Alpha and Omega follows Charles (the son of werewolf king Bran) when he comes to Chicago to deal with unrest in the Chicago pack. Although this story takes place during Moon Called it's not necessary to have read Moon Called to enjoy this story.

Not surprisingly I really liked this. It's also a story I've dipped back into whilst reading the other three. My favourite part being when Anna initially calls Bran for help. In a way this serves as an introduction to Anna and Charles who will be getting their own series of books in 2008, so there is something of a feeling that there is more to come. If I had any quibbles it would be that on p69 Anna smells Boyd's blood but Boyd wasn't involved in the fighting. So surely it should be Justin's blood? Rate - 4/5

Inhuman by Eileen Wilks.
As I'm not familiar with the Universe this is set in, I found it unsatisfying. I feel strongly that even if a short story is set in an ongoing series, it should be able to stand on its own. However, I felt like I'd come in part way through the action, the characters were talking about things I knew nothing about. The situation is ultimately resolved by magical means so I didn't feel like it had really been dealt with. The heroine wasn't that interesting, but Nathan was well written, I could have read more about him and how he saw the world. One for the fans who'll have a better idea of what's going on and might enjoy it more. Rate - 2.5/5

Buying Trouble by Karen Chance.
This was my second favourite. I thought the story had real humour and the characters were engaging. It had a bit of a slow start, but following the gamelans escape, the story had much more pace. Claire's transformation scene was very well done, and Heidar has a way with the witty remark. Claire had an appealing voice and I could happily read more about her. Based on this short story I'd definitely check out Karen Chance's backlist. Rate - 3.5/5

Mona Lisa Betwining by Sunny
I have only read Book 1 of the Mona Lisa series. And if you're in the same position you may want to give this one a miss - because it's got huge spoilers in it regarding the death of a character.

There is very little plot here. There's quite a bit of exposition bringing you up to date with what's happened - kind of like a 'Previously in the Mona Lisa Universe...'. It's more of a filler between books and is probably only interesting if you're a fan of the series. Nothing really happens, and it happens for about 60 pages.

Also, similarities between the Mona Lisa world and both Laurell K.Hamilton's Merry Gentry and Anne Bishop's Black Jewels stories are slightly grating to say the least. 0/5

Disregrading Mona Lisa Betwining I'm giving the anthology a four overall. Worth checking out. :)

This novella introduces Charles and Anna- and thus becomes the beginning of Briggs's Alpha and Omega series. I heart them so much.

Charles, pack enforcer and the son of Bran the alpha werewolf shifter for the North American region, is a strong alpha in his own right, but he's oh so gentle with Ana who has suffered enormous abuse in the current pack she's running with.

When he meets her while on assignment, he knows immediately she's his mate. It will take time to assure her of his need- however safe it may be- although he claims her for his own immediately, and it wont be completely resolved even in the next couple books, just so you know.

Still, these two bring something out in a reader. Empathy for Anna? To be sure. Gooey love/lust for the calmly, quiet Charles Cornick? OH YES! Desire to see what they will become together? Most definitely. HIGHLY recommend not only this series but the author as well! :p

The A&O series is more romantic then the author's Mercy Thompson series- but still very much closed door- so those who dont like explicitness have no worries.

Nobody does Alpha male so right on like Briggs- excerpt for maybe Ilona Andrews. ( Magic Bites ) For the record, both authors should be in your Urban Fantasy repertoire. Here's as good a place to start as any! :P

Short Story #1: Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs
I started this during my lunch hour and could not put it down! There is something about the story of Charles and Anna that I really enjoyed and I picked it up again as soon as I was off work and finished it really very quickly and wanted more. I was happy to see that she has followed up with a book titled "Cry Wolf." I'll be checking that out of the library soon.

Anna has been living in Chicago as a werewolf for the past three years when she was changed against her will or knowledge of what was to come. Charles is a dominant alpha male werewolf and the son and second of the Marrok - the leader of all the alphas. He is sent to Chicago after Anna warned the Marrok about the murder of a boy by the alpha in her pack. Upon arriving in Chicago Charles immediately realizes that Anna is an Omega, a rare wolf that has the ability to calm those around her. Anna doesn't believe him at first since she is considered submissive (and therefore useless) in her own pack. That Anna was changed against her will and then beaten into the appearance of submission absolutely pisses Charles off and he sets out to find out what is wrong with Anna's pack.

It is a swift plot but sets the characters and scene for a much wider scale of possible events. And I liked Anna as a character quite a bit. Charles I could take or leave since most (romantic) male leads are alpha males anyhow. It is Anna that sets this plot apart.

Short Story #2: Inhuman by Eileen Wilkes

This was not such a great story from my point-of-view. There was so much potential! The otherworldly characters and friendship and love despite the differences are an excellent foundation for a story. It just didn't follow through or came out to be too trite. There was danger, sort of, in the creature that took on human form but even that was tamed. All in all the tale seemed so watered down it was hardly worth it...

Short Story #3: Buying Trouble by Karen Chance

I've now read Karen Chance quite a bit and like much of her Cassandra Palmer series. That series is so swift and complicated that the swift but uncomplex plot of "Buying Trouble" was a tad jarring. It does touch on the Cassie Palmer series very briefly but the plot is mostly just standalone. Our heroine in this novel is a 'null' human - one that by her very presence blocks magic. Nulls can be very powerful weapons in the magical world and Claire has narrowly avoided being sold by her family (her real father is unknown) by escaping with a elfin hottie. The amusing thing is that she can't seem to keep herself away from him despite all the trouble they get into once they land in Faerie (I think I sense a theme here, Ms. Chance...). After a rather crucial interlude (*coughcough*) Claire is reborn into her second self - a dragon.

Short Story #4: Mona Lisa Betwining by Sunny

By far the worst short story in the anthology the story seems to be a work of fan fiction based off of someone else's work but poorly chopped together and badly explained overall. There is also quite a bit of unnecessary sex. I remember picking up the book and wondering "Who the heck is Sunny?" and find that now that I've read a short story of hers I really don't care to know.

Someone at a bookstore put me on to Patricia Briggs and she's mainly the reason I picked this one up. On the whole I was happy with it, but only because I knew going in what to expect. As some of the other reviewers have said, at least three of the stories are partials or starter stories with the full story in novel form to come. After saying that, two of those stories could really 'almost' stand alone in that they meet and fall in love with a mate. THe full novels (and I can only speak for Briggs story as that's the only one I've read) just extend out the rest of their story.

Okay, first off...despite the title and the cover art, not all of these books are about werewolves. Maybe I'm the only one who though they would be...anyway, they deal with werewolves, hellhounds, dragon/fae and a group of people who get their power from the moon.

Brigg's story was enjoyable, mainly, I think because I'm already familiar with her world and it's characters. This story is the beginnings of a new shoot-off series from her main "Mercy" books. It deals with the werewolf pack she grew up in. This story is Charles' and his mate. These werewolves are a mixture brutal (but without any gory details) and elegance. I mean that in the sense that Brigg writes them without the language and crudeness that are often found in paranormals nowadays. It's a good teaser story and the book (Cry Wolf) was pretty good too.

Wilks' story was interesting and could pretty much stand alone, though I think it's also part of a series. The characters were likeable and the story was okay until the twist with the murderer. It was a little hard for me to change gears. The romance was good, the world building was similiar to other authors worlds (paranormals out in the open but human groups resenting and hateful, religious persecution, that sort of thing). All in all, worth the read.

Chance's story was also a good read and could stand alone. I'm not a big fan of Fae stories, they tend to creep me out, but this one was well done and didn't have any of that drugged out, party all the time and steal babies that other fae stories do. I liked the set-up of different groups of fae and other magical creatures. I actually liked both the main characters, they had a sense of humor and the hero, while being very 'manly', could laugh at himself. Don't be put off by the auction scene in the beginning. The villains, while having bad intentions, never quite got to that creepy, evil villains often have. They seemed more comedy villains to me.

The last story was really, really odd. partly because, unlike the other two, this one was an erotic story. Beware of authors that only use one name!!!! Basically, the main character is a queeen of these moon people. Previous queens have put men and women out to stud to increase her power. No one has the right to choose their own mate-or even if they get to marry. What put me off was this queen is basically skanky. She's got multiple lovers( one love scene was 15 PAGES!! That's right-15!). Two thirds of this 'story' was her having sex with multiple partners. Not much of a story, actually. I have to admit I just skimmed through this one. It starts out with her mourning one dead lover and then a few pages later she's met up with another lover and is happily running through the forest naked. Yeah. It's hard for me to connect with a woman who can't really emotionally connect with a man enough to make a commitment to one of them.

So...to sum up...if you're looking for complete stories that stand alone-only one of them really does that. If you're looking for starter stories to give you a sense of an authors series, than this is a good place to start. Read the first three, skip the last (you'll thank me).

In a way, I really hate anthologies. I prefer novels over short stories because there's more to sink my teeth into, and anthologies are usually lacking in more ways than one. Many publishers put an established, usually best-selling, author in an anthology with other unknowns to hopefully get them noticed. Not necessarily a bad idea, except that when I just want the one author I resent paying so much for other material I wasn't interested in. That's not exactly the case here - though Patricia Briggs is definitely skyrocketing in popularity, the other three authors present have established series and pretty good sales. But, that's also a problem - if you don't read those series.

I bought this book for the Briggs and Chance stories. I love Patricia Briggs' shapeshifter Mercy, and this story is set in that world though it doesn't star Mercy. The story was meant to be a stand alone, but the editor loved it so much they asked for a new series starring the characters. I have to say, they made a good choice. The story is sharp, with good writing, a clever plot and engaging characters. For newcomers, there is just enough info to keep everyone on board, but for established fans there are extra tidbits from knowing the other series. I liked Anna and Charles, and was happy I get to read more of them.

Karen Chance's story was actually a disappointment. It is a lead-in for her new spin-off series starring half-vampire Dorina Basarab. Unfortunately, I read the novel before the story, and that may be the problem. The novel Midnight's Daughter (Dorina Basarab, Dhampir, Book 1) opens with Dorina searching for her missing roommate Claire. This story explains what happens/ed to Claire during the course of Dorina's tale and features her as the narrator/protagonist. Only, she was uninteresting, annoying and for only being a short story - it dragged on and on. The exposition of the fairy realm was interesting but not enough to save the story. (Though I have to say, Dorina's book was excellent and I highly recommend it!)

Frankly, I didn't read Wilkes story because I have never read her series it is based in and heard beforehand it was more like the beginning of one of her novels. They do this a lot with Laurell K. Hamilton and it really ticks me off. Finally, I also didn't read Sunny's story because while I enjoyed the first Monere novel, I just haven't gone back to the series yet and this takes place mid-series.

Overall, fans of Briggs may want to opt for the newly available Alpha and Omega hardcover from Subterranean Press (or Kindle version Alpha & Omega) if they aren't interested in the other stories. Overall - disappointing in that I would personally prefer publishers release novellas as an extra bonus in other novels (like many Sherrilyn Kenyon novels did) rather than throwing them into an anthology. O rheck, even release mini-paperback as they did with some of JD Robb's novellas. I'd rather pay $3.99 for something I really want.

I specifically read this book for the short story "Alpha & Omega" by Patricia Briggs. I have read and enjoyed Briggs' Mercy Thompson series, so I was very pleasantly surprised that instead of this being a whole new series is was a spin of the Mercy Thompson books. I really do not get into short stories very much, but this one I enjoyed because I already knew all about the wolf pack dynamics and got to see a little about what was behind Charles. I had always wondered about him in the MT books. I cannot wait to get to the rest of the Alpha & Omega series!

The other three stories in this book (Inhuman by Eileen Wilks, Buying Trouble by Karen Chance, and Mona Lisa Betwinning by Sunny) were okay, but if it weren't for the Briggs story in the book, I would have never even bothered with them. This book was my first experience reading Wilks and Chance, and they might be something I would read again. I've read another short story by Sunny before, and I was not very impressed with either of them.

I enjoyed this book, specially the story of Alpha and Omega, but I didn't like the fact that the short stories were publicity for you to get the book if you wanted to know how they ended. I think that a book of a short stories is a book where the stories should end, not to have a "If you want to know how it ends, read..."

That's the only thing that I didn't like.

About the plots I'm not going to talk as there are other reviews who offer nice insight on them, but there are four stories, the first one, ALPHA AND OMEGA is about werewolves by Patricia Briggs. That's one of the stories that are to be continued on a book.

The second one is about a Hellbound of the Fey, tittled INHUMAN and written by Eileen Wilks. That one also continues on the fourth book of the Lupi by Eileen Wilk.

The third one is about the Fey, tittled BUYING TROUBLE written by Karen Chance, and that's one of the stories that actually concludes in this book.

The fourth one MONA LISA BETWINING is written by Sunny, and is also auto conclusive, but it reccomends you some books in case you want to know more about the world of the Monere or about the demon Lucinda.

I have been eagerly awaiting this book. Three stories from authors, Patricia Briggs, Eileen Wilks, and Karen Chance, whose next books are already on my wish list.

Briggs and Wilks have only been putting out a book a year, so I was really happy to read their short stories here, and since the stories tie into the authors' ongoing series ( the Lupi for Wilks: Mortal Danger (The World of the Lupi, Book 2),Tempting Danger (The World of the Lupi, Book 1),Blood Lines (The World of the Lupi, Book 3), and upcoming Night Season (The World of the Lupi, Book 4) and the Mercy Thompson werecoyote series for Briggs: Moon Called (Mercy Thompson Series, Book 1),Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson Series, Book 2) and upcoming Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson Series, Book 3)) it was a great "fix" adding depth to both worlds.

Karen Chance's story was fun, quite different from her Cassandra Palmer series, but again adding detail to her existing world in a humorous way.

Sadly, On The Prowl also includes a story by the author Sunny that belongs in a whole different anthology, as its sensuality level and difficult content did not fit in at all with the others. This story (like the one written by Sunny in the anthology Over the Moon for which I had the same complaint) gets an Ellora's X, so be forewarned. There is very little story to get in the way of the sex, apparently the main character was down to only two lovers, so she picks up a third here. I am guessing that if you are a fan, this story would be a fill in to her Monere books.

Overall the anthology is worth buying for the first three stories, and although the stories stand alone, you would probably enjoy them more if you read the other books in the authors' series first, since these shorts are more like icing than cake -- sweet on their own but adding that something extra when eaten together.

I only read Patricia Briggs' story to prepare myself for Cry Wolf, Anna and Charles. This story was fantastic, I couldn't put it down. Addendum 11/23/08-I loved the story but wished that women had more value in their pack. Anna just seemed to be everyone's chew-toy. Charles saved her but it's too bad she didn't realize she could save herself. Cry Wolf was extremely intriguing and I highly recommend it.

11/23/08- I picked up this book once again from the library and read Karen Chance's "Buying Trouble" in order to prepare to read "Midnight's Daughter" by Karen Chance. I absolutely loved this story. Claire is human or so she thinks. Her life truly sucks. Everyone seems to want to either kill her and sell her to the highest bidder for the magic she possesses. Her life takes a turn for the better when she meets Heidar, a handsome Fey who seems to make her blood boil (in a good way). Together they accidently travel to Fairie where they are extremely unwelcomed and are chased relentlessly by the locals. Reality drops a bomb on Clarie when her true nature is revealed.

I wasn't disappointed about the stories' "to be continued" nature because I had already read Patricia Briggs' Cry Wolf and Hunting Ground novels. There are flashbacks and hints in those novels giving snippets about how Anna and Charles met, but it was really nice having the full background story and I'm happy to have the book for that one tale.

Briggs is such an excellent writer in both style and story line that she is a hard act to follow. The next two stories in the anthology are okay, but nothing that makes me want to read further work by those authors. The last story by Sunny... blech. Poorly written, whether you're judging it for its writing quality, fantasy story OR its porn content. I've read far better fantasy/scifi, and far better porn.

These are four long stories (or short novellas) in the supernatural romance genre. Each of these authors has a successful series with these characters, and doubtless hopes that the introduction here will entice you to buy the other books.

They share similar plot features. All protagonists are female and usually have some supernatural abilities that they know about but also some unknown powers. A tall, dark handsome man with great supernatural powers shows up and reveals our heroine's powers. He also rescues her from danger, in a classic princess rescue fantasy. They have classy sex but only once in the samples here.

The worlds vary across the stories. Each is creative in its own way, and these authors don't simply present existing legends. My favorite idea was Briggs' notion that werewolves live in packs even when in human form.

This genre isn't really my cup of tea - - you might have guessed this by now - - but these are talented writers who can move a story along nicely and make you care about the main characters. Most of the stories are self-contained, with a door left open for a sequel, but two of them end abruptly and unsatisfactorily. That's sufficiently annoying to downrate the lot.

Alpha and Omega is the novella that preceded Patricia Briggs' Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1). Part of the On The Prowl anthology, A&O is less its own story and more the introduction to Cry Wolf. It almost feels like someone decided to cut the first few chapters of Cry Wolf and publish them separately. Having read Cry Wolf previously, I already knew the basic plot of this novella as most of it is rehashed in that book. But what makes A&O worth reading is the character insight revealed through the alternating POV of Anna and Charles. And I actually found Anna to be a much stronger character this time around, despite the ongoing abuse she is enduring in A&O. She shows some spine and resourcefulness that I was proud to see. In Cry Wolf she almost seemed to take a step backwards in that sense. As a heads up, there is a lot of romance in this story. I would say the vast majority involves exploring feelings and attraction. So in that sense, A&O is very much a romance with paranormal elements and not the other way around. But even though the romance is the focus here, because this is Patricia Briggs we're talking about, the paranormal elements are top notch. The werewolf pack dynamic is fascinating and I particularly enjoyed how the wolves in this world have there own distinct personality that is not always in agreement with their human counterparts. I just wish there was more of them, especially regarding the origin of the Omega wolf. Perhaps Briggs is planning on doling out more of those details in future books. If you are reading this story first, be sure to have Cry Wolf on hand as the story does not conclude in this novella.

Sexual Content: Sexual abuse and rape is alluded to in the past tense.

Inhuman by Eileen Wilks:

This is the third book set in the compelling World of the Lupi, but it was my first visit, and right off the bat this book struck a nerve with me when the author resorted to writing two of my pet peeves: In the first chapter alone Christians and Republicans are stereotypically dismissed as evil, ignorant hate mongers. I mean how cliché can you get? And the second pet peeve is the info dump. Instead of gradually drawing her audience in to a world unlike our own, we get an entire history crammed into the first chapter. Starting chapter two, I was prepared to groan through the rest of this book for the purpose of this review, but after those initial turn offs (and basically a worthless first chapter full of irrelevant characters), not to mention the whole power wind concept which I found clear as mud, I ended up really liking this book, more to the point, I liked Nathan. His chapters are by far the most interesting (as is the revelation of what he really is). Kai, on the other hand, was pretty vanilla. Yes, she is Gifted (in some undefined way that we only get hints about initially), and yes, she does become more interesting towards the end, but Nathan is why I kept reading and why I was so disappointed to learn that nothing further has been, or is going to be written about him. Eileen had this to say on her website: ''10-05-2009 08:02 am
...when I wrote about Kai & nathan I hoped to continue their story in books or novellas. But for now, my editor wants Rule & Lily stories from me, so no Kai & Nathan books--yet. This may change.' Maybe we should start a letter campaign to Eileen Wilks' Editor to write more books about Nathan (and Kai if she wants to)? In the mean time, I'm already planning my next visit to the World of the Lupi.

Sexual Content:
There is a sex scene that is not overly graphic

Buying Trouble by Karen Chance:

I liked this story from page one. Claire is a Null (or something more), someone who can nullify magic, a rarity that her 'family' wants to cash in on by selling her to the highest bidder. Heidar, a Light Elf, lends a hand in her rescue sending the two on the lam through the Faeire realm where, of course, romance and action ensue. There isn't any explanation for the world in this story (I didn't even realize that I was in the same world as in the Cassandra Palmer series until afterwards, which, considering how I reviewed the first Cassie book is probably a good thing); its like ours in most respects, except that it is populated with fey, weres, vampires, mages, trolls and even dragons. Some hardcore UF lovers might not enjoy this story as much as I did as the majority of the story takes place in the decidedly un-urban faeire realm, and in that sense feels more like straight fantasy. The characters, however, are strong with very modern mindsets. Claire specifically was sharp and witty with just the right amount of cynicism for my taste. Another nice thing about this story is, that unlike a lot of anthology selections, this one actually has an ending. None of that, 'read the rest of the story in the next book...' And it feels like a complete story, something not all novellas do. I hope Ms. Chance plans on writing more about Claire and Heidar in the near future.

Sexual Content:
One semi graphic sex scene.

Overall a great combination of short stories.
Patricia Briggs really wet my appetite for more with Anna and Charles story. I can't wait to find out more about their story. Especially since I just finished the Mercy Thompson Series which ties in with their story. Karen Chance did a fabulous job, her characters were totally likeable and you were rooting for them all the way. She wrapped up their story nicely, but I hope to hear more about them later. Just finished up her last 3 books. Check on the Cassandra Palmer Series. Eileen Wilks had my heart pounding. Nathan and Kai deserve a longer story. I already have her other books in my wish list. I'm still not completely decided about Sunny and her Mona Lisa, there seemed to be more sex than story, and that doesn't do anything for me. To be fair I will read the first book.

I don't like to buy anthologies because usually you have one good story, one mediocre and one plain bad. This is not the case on this anthology. It's worth it just for Patricia Briggs and Karen Chance - so you have half and half worth of stories, but it's worth it because Briggs and Chance stories are so good. My favorite was Patricia Brigg's, Alpha and Omega, which she tied neatly to her first story, Moon Called, and in which we find out who's creating and selling werewolves. I loved Anna's character, from hopeless to kickass heroine, defending the enforcer who saved her. I wanted so badly for this story to continue and now I can't wait for the next story to come out of this new series.

Karen Chance's story was so much fun! It was witty, charming, action packed, tender and funny. That this author could do so much in such little length is a credit to her talent. I laughed with Claire's "transformation. And I loved that she got her "family." This is a story not to be missed. The hero is yummy, a rogue, and sexy by far. I hope this is the beginning a new series with fresh new characters because I do NOT want to let this world go.

I could have easily done quite nicely without Wilk's tortured hero and Suny's imitation of LKH's Merryweather series. Since I abandoned LKH's series a while ago, this one was the one I liked the least. But I still recommend this anthology.

I, like many other reviewers of this anthology, LOVED the first story, LIKED the second two more or less, and grimaced my way through the last story. But for more detail:

I'm a great fan of Patricia Briggs. I've re-read the two Mercy books (Moon Called and Blood Bound) a number of times, and was thrilled to hear about 'Alpha and Omega'. I rushed out and bought the book and was not at all disappointed. Her writing flows, the characters are believable, deep, and real. Her language flows, her settings are entirely credible for those who know the area (especially the Tri-cities area of Washington State) and I can't wait for the story to be turned into a full-on novel.

I had never read anything by the authors of "Inhuman" or "Buying Trouble" although I will willingly seek them out after this taste of their writing skills. They both felt a little rushed and frenetic, with things happening too fast to follow - let alone develop the way I would prefer - but I liked the twists to the plots and the sexual tension.

Which brings us, I'm sorry to say, to 'Mona Lisa Betwining'. I have not read anything by this author, and I was expecting more along the same lines - fantasy, maybe a bit of magic, some sexual tension....what I got was an attempt to shoehorn every sort of sex you can get, including the kind that can get you arrested in some states, described in tawdry detail. To hold it all together? The shakiest of threads of plot.

Buy the book. Read the first three stories. I've re-read 'Alpha and Omega' several times now. But the give the last story a miss. You'll be glad you did.

My rating is based on Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs. The others were OK but not from authors I usually read.

I love this story. I read after I had listened to Fair Game (book 3 in the Alpha and Omega series) and before I read Cry Wolf (book one in the series). Anna and Charles caught my attention from the first and I wondered how they met. This tells how Charles came to Chicago and meet Anna. It is a great introduction to both characters. If you are starting this series find this story first. It is in On the Prowl with 3 other novellas.

All four stories in this anthology are good, but if you enjoy Patricia Briggs' Alpha and Omega series this book is an absolutely must have. The story clears up questions about Anna's past, explains how Anna and Charles came to be together, and offers information about both Charles and Bran that makes the entire Alpha and Omega series more interesting. Wilkes' story was my first exposure to Kai, and I look forward to reading more about her adventures. Chance was great, as usual, and Sunny's Mona Lisa short story was very true to her other books...a bit maudlin for me...but still readable.

Each story can stand alone and be enjoyed, but if you have experience with the authors' other writings, you are sure to want to have this book.