Anthologies are always hit and miss for me. I'm usually happy if one story makes an impression. I picked up Holidays Are Hell because of the Kim Harrison story. Surprisingly, it was my favorite story in the book.Here is my breakdown:Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel by Kim Harrison - 4 starsThis is the story of an 18 year old Rachel Morgan. It takes place before Dead Witch Walking, before Rachel joins the I.S. and before she meets Ivy. We learn more about Rachel's illness as a child, her talents as a witch, and her family. Some surprise character appearances as well. Great story. Run, Run, Rudolph by Lynsay Sands - 2.5 starsIt's a cute story, really. This story is a continuation of a story The Claire Switch Project in the Dates From HellAnthology. Yes, they can be read on their own, however, they make way more sense when they are read in order. The story continues with the destabilizer now in Claire and Kyle's basement. The destabilizer turns people into shape shifters. Jill gets zapped and Jill spends the day getting chased by one of Kyle's old associates. It's a cute love story and probably the first time I've ever encountered a "make-out" break. Like, you are being chased by a scientist that wants to slice and dice you, you don't have time to make out! Cute story, not great. Six by Marjorie M. Liu - 2 stars This story starts with the longest sentence ever. Over 300 characters. I know this because I put it in one of my updates. It's a vampire story set in China. Very different. Quite original. I just could not get into this story.The Harvest by Vicki Pettersson -2.5 stars A story about Light and Shadows. Zoe Archer is trying to protect a premature baby. The baby disappears and Zoe must find her. Interesting concept. I thought that the resolution was just too simple. Again I could not get into this story.So there you have it. One good story and probably because I like Kim Harrison's Hollows series. Borrow from the library.
