Reviewed by Sarina
TITLE: Haunted Hotties Volume 2
AUTHOR: McKay, Rob Rosen, Dakota Caudill, Elizabeth Coldwell, Jessica Payseur, Jessica Chase, Louisa Bacio, Charles Payseur, Helena Maeve, Avery Dawes
PUBLISHER: Torquere Press
LENGTH: 198 pages
BLURB:
This Halloween collection has a little something for everybody. With demons, ghosts, psychics, reapers, shifters, and witches… a rainbow of paranormal/supernatural is included.
In Everything a Big Bad Wolf Could Want by McKay, Whimsy has to decide if he’s in love with his straight, next-door neighbor by Halloween or risk losing him forever. In Casper the Horny Ghost by Rob Rosen, Chris not only inherited a long-abandoned house, he also inherited the ghost that came with it. In Necromantic by Dakota Caudill, Kaitlyn’s always felt like she was waiting for something, but she never expected her new girlfriend to be able to raise the dead. In The Man in Green by Elizabeth Coldwell, Richard intends to cut down all the trees surrounding his new property, but the man in the woods has other ideas. In Haunts Old and New by Jessica Payseur, Rosalie doesn’t like the new ghost that’s in her house and yet, she can’t seem to stay away from her. In The Fisher Lot by Jessica Chase, it turns out being dared to spend the night in the local “haunted house” might be the best thing that’s ever happened to Barney.
In Open by Louisa Bacio, Martina keeps trying to pretend that everything is fine, but the ghosts in her new B&B are just as determined to get her attention. In A Friendly Ghostbusting by Charles Payseur, an old rival who once humiliated him is not what Cas needs as he sets out to explore an old psychiatric prison. In Darkling by Helena Maeve, Eugene tried to warn Caleb and his friends away from Ledwich University and soon enough they’ll learn… they really should have listened. In The Devil’s in the Details by Avery Dawes, since they died during the Civil War, Oliver and Francis get one night a year together; but they have to be careful or they’ll never get another one.
REVIEW:
Everything a Big Bad Wolf Could Want by Mckay
Whimsy Hickes must connect with his true love by Halloween or risk losing him forever. Is his sexy—and straight—werewolf neighbor Harlan Edgewood the answer or is Whimsy barking up the wrong tree?
This was a great start to the anthology; I enjoyed all the characters, especially Whimsy’s ancestor (the names were great, too!) and I was drawn into the story quickly. I thought the author did a nice job of blending all the different aspects of the story and I never felt as though something was missing even with this being a short story. I would read this author again.
Casper the Horny Ghost by Rob Rosen
When Chris inherits the long-abandoned house in the woods, he doesn’t expect to also inherit the ghost within. Though most of all, he doesn’t expect the ghost, Casper, to be so damned handsome and that he’s soon to fall head over heels for him.
Interesting concept; it isn’t the first story I’ve read where someone inherits a ghost along with a piece of property but I will say this is the first time the ghost was a relative. I think I found it more odd to hear the two main characters call each other ‘cousin’ while getting on with some sexy times but I kept reminding myself they were related by marriage not blood. (Even though Casper has no blood because he’s a ghost, but I digress) The only thing that really didn’t fit for me was Casper’s manner of speaking; I kept seeing him as British instead of from the south. Still, it was an enjoyable read.
Necromantic by Dakota Caudill
Kaitlyn just wanted a date. What she got instead was a look at Salem’s hidden underworld and a reanimated pug skeleton.
This is the first of the F/F stories in this anthology and I really enjoyed it. The characters were as unique as the concept though I have to admit my favorite was Samp, the pug. Call me crazy but I just thought he was adorable. The story took an unexpected turn at the end, which I loved, and I thought the ending was great. There’s no sex in this one which was actually perfect since I think it would’ve taken away from the overall story.
The Man in Green by Elizabeth Coldwell
Who is the gorgeous stranger in the woods, and what does he want with Richard?
This story was a different variation on the haunted/death theme instead featuring a nature spirit instead of a ghost. The majority of the story revolves around Richard with Jay popping up at odd moments throughout the narrative. I liked both characters but found some of Richard’s reactions a little off in some of the situations with Jay, though that could just be me. The only thing I was really disappointed with was not being able to see more aspects of the Green Man in the story but it was still good.
Haunts Old and New by Jessica Payseur
When a new spirit enters her home, old soul Rosalie is both annoyed with her and drawn to her. They clash over intentions, only to discover that they have the same desires after all…
I hate to say it but this is my least favorite story in the anthology. I enjoyed the beginning of it, when Rosalie and Bailey first meet, but Bailey began to grate on my nerves after a while. Regardless of how she became a ghost, she’s abrasive and fairly nasty to Rosalie at one point. Then, when Rosalie tries to explain what she’s realized, her words are brushed aside in favor of sex. I just didn’t feel it between these two; it felt as though Rosalie was bending over backwards and not getting anything worthwhile in return regardless of how it felt when the two main characters touched.
The Fisher Lot by Jessica Chase
Barney gets dared to spend the night in a haunted house. It’s going well until he finds Max—who used to live in the house and needs his help.
I thought this story was really cute, especially since it comes with the addition of a matchmaking ghost. Barney doesn’t really want to be in the house but doesn’t hesitate to go farther in and help someone when they need it. Max was sweet but I felt bad for him, especially since all he wanted to do was honor his sister; it was nice to see him cheered up by the end. The two together just worked for me (though I did think at first Max was a ghost) and I could see them making a go of things after the story ended.
Open by Louisa Bacio
Matchmaking from beyond the grave. Weird things happen when Martina buys a B&B in the mountains of Big Bear. Leigh, a vivacious redhead, reminds Martina what it’s like to laugh, love, and live.
I thought this one was okay but it wasn’t totally believable to me. Martina is still trying to get over the loss of her girlfriend and at the beginning of the story is waking up with tears on her face and is still in mourning. By the end of the story, however, she’s getting some major sheet time with Leigh, the granddaughter of the woman whose home Martina purchased. I can get behind the matchmaking ghosts and Regina wanting Martina to move on with her life but I just don’t find it believable that she went from grief to sex that quickly over the course of the story.
A Friendly Ghostbusting by Charles Payseur
Cas, an amateur ghost hunter, is ready for anything when he takes on his biggest challenge yet, anything except his former friend and current rival Yasahiro getting involved. Forced to work together, it’s more than their pasts that haunt them when a spirit at the location they’re investigating decides to turn the ghost hunters into the ghost hunted.
I think this was my favorite story of the anthology; the start immediately took me back to the times I sat in the dark watching shows like Ghost Hunters. Cas seemed more like the ‘traditional’ seeker of the paranormal while Yasahiro made me think he was kind of the ‘mindfreak’ of ghost seekers; both had something to bring to the table. I really liked the different incorporations of the spirits and how it was Yasa and Cas coming together that set things right. The only thing I really wanted to know, but was never given an answer for, was why Yasa posted the video that caused Cas so much trouble. It probably doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things but enquiring minds and all that.
Darkling by Helena Maeve
Eugene warned that Ledwich University was the last place Caleb should’ve sought shelter. But are the ghosts of yesteryear all that Eugene fears?
This was the perfect ending to the book and was just the right amount of creepy. I could believe the setting and totally see this happening in real life; I could also see the story being expanded into a much longer novel. I really liked the various characters, even though I kind of thought Sean and his girlfriend were a little obnoxious, though I do wish I’d seen more chemistry between Eugene and Caleb before their first kiss. To me it kind of came out of nowhere but the entire thing still worked. The ending though? That was just perfect; I couldn’t help but compare it to the end of Michael Jackson’s Thriller video and I don’t care if that dates me.
This anthology was so much better than the first volume! The stories were diverse and entertaining and there were way more hits than misses in my opinion. I will more than happily read this again and will probably add it to my annual Halloween reading list.
RATING: 
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