See what happens when some of the top authors in the paranormal genre combine their talents to produce the anthology, OVER THE MOON….

Angela Knight kickstarts this anthology with Moon Dance, a tale of the Direkind.  Elena Livingston is one of the Chosen, a werewolf directly descended from the first Direwolf created by the legendary Merlin.  Unfortunately, the Chosen tend to be ruled by their Traditions, so Elena’s father intends to force her to marry the abusive Stephen Bradford.  Elena flees for the protection of Lieutenant Lucas Rollings, one of the Bitten.  Will love flourish despite the deep divide between their social classes?

Angela Knight always writes a hot story and Moon Dance is no exception!  The Burning Moon attraction instantly flares between Elena and Lucas as this is one phenomenal romance.  Angela Knight sensitively addresses the issue of abuse and discrimination in this fascinating tale.  Stephen is a classic case of the typical abuser and his arrogance had me cheering for his downfall.  Fans of the Mageverse series will enjoy this deeper glimpse into the inner workings of politics within the Direkind.

Between the Mountain and the Moon by Virginia Kantra is a tale of the treachery of the Sidhe.  Cait MacLean is hiking along the Appalachian Trail when she meets three mysterious strangers, Goodfellow, Ursus, and Rhys.  Cait soon finds herself entranced with Rhys but Rhys is hiding a deadly secret.

Virginia Kantra’s Sidhe tale is quite eerie.  The Appalachian Trail has always held a certain mystique and Ms Kantra uses this to create a wickedly clever fantasy in which the world of the Sidhe springs to vivid life.  The attraction between Cait and Rhys is a bit dark but this is entirely fitting for a story set in the realm of the Sidhe. Virginia Kantra is better know for her romantic suspense stories but she proves with Between the Mountain and the Moon that she is a force to be reckoned with in the paranormal genre as well.

MaryJanice Davidson’s Driftwood is a tale that briefly unites her Wyndham werewolves and the vampires from the Undead series.  Serena Crull and Burke Wolftauer meet in the most unexpected place- a deep pit at the beach.  Sparks immediately fly between the two but Serena has a mission to ease the ghosts of her past.  Will Burke understand?

Driftwood is the weakest story in the anthology.  MaryJanice Davidson’s heroines are always sassy and Serena is no exception.  However, I admit to a bit of disappointment with the lack of depth to either Serena or Burke.  Serena, in particular, seems almost a carbon copy of any other MaryJanice Davidson heroine with no real distinguishing traits to make her stand out.  The plot itself is a bit more interesting although the ending is completely implausible, even for a reader used to suspending disbelief quite frequently.  MaryJanice Davidson is an author I automatically buy and I expected more from her than what I found in Driftwood.

The anthology concludes with Mona Lisa Three by Sunny.  Mona Lisa is the first Mixed Blood Monere Queen.  She has a gift of healing through sex and she’ll need to use her gift more than ever when her mother, Queen Mona Sera, issues her an ultimatum. 

Sunny provides a breath of fresh air to the more erotic paranormal field.  Mona Lisa Three is a part of her series featuring the Monere and has certainly whetted my appetite for this new series.  While references are made to events that appear to be a part of the first book, enough information is still provided to make this a stand alone short story.  Mona Lisa is a well developed character who is both sexy and smart.  Readers who like their stories dark and spicy should enjoy Mona Lisa Three.

Reviewed by Debbie

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Posted February 2007