Anthologies are always hit or miss for me. It is rare that I like all the stories or am able to finish the entire book, especially when the authors are new to me. Dates From Hell is not one of those anthologies. I loved the stories. Dates From Hell has stories by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, and Lori Handeland. Two authors that were familiar to me, and two authors that I had not yet read. Each story explores dating in the paranormal/supernatural world. Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil by Kim HarrisonThis story takes place immediately before Dead Witch Walking and introduces Ivy and Kisten, living vampires. Ivy is struggling with her job and a boss that holds a promotion over her head for a price. Kisten is Ivy's love interest. Kisten is a little flat in this story. Ivy is portrayed with both vulnerability and ingenuity as she plans revenge against her boss. 4/5 stars The Claire Switch Project by Lynsay Sands This is a very cute story about a girl who becomes a lab experiment by mistake. The result? She is able to shape shift into any person merely by looking a photo. A very sweet look at love and a fun twist at the end. 3.5/5 stars Chaotic by Kelley Armstrong Clearly, my absolute favorite story in this book. This story introduces Hope Adams and Karl Marsten. Hope is a half demon who thrives on chaos. Karl is a werewolf that specializes in jewelry theft. I never really enjoyed Hope's stories in Personal Demon; Hope was never one of my favorites. I really liked this story. It was action packed, it kept me on the edge of my seat, and it had a lot of sexual tension between the main characters. 5/5 stars Dead Man Dating by Lori HandelandHere's a good reason not to look for dates on the internet: Poor Kit - Her dates keep wanting to suck the life out of her through sex. As one of the few remaining virgins in New York City, Kit is a target for a demon and Chavez the demon hunter must protect her. I liked this story. Kit is one normal girl. She wears glasses and doesn't have a perfect figure. She has a normal job and she doesn't like it. Her protector, Chavez is mysterious but is attracted to her because she is well read. 3.5/5 starsThis anthology was a fun read. I got to enjoy two stories by Kim Harrison and Kelley Armstrong where I got some background into their characters. I hope to start reading other books by Lynsey Sands and Lori Handeland.
