Book 62 of 2008: Vigilantes of Love by John Everson

Book Description:

The collection includes 15 dark fantasy and horror tales, including the title story, written especially for this collection and "Lovesong" a 5th Place winner in the 2000 World Horror Convention Fiction Contest. Included are tales reprinted from the anthologies TransVersions and Freaks, Geeks & Sideshow Floozies, and the magazines Sirius Visions, Crossroads, Eulogy and Plot, as well as a number of original works.

My Opinion:

Yet another great anthology by John Everson. This collection isn't as dark as his NEEDLES & SINS collection so I did enjoy it a bit more, but this one is still a great read! Several of the stories in VIGILANTES OF LOVE left me with a warm feeling in the heart as the stories were just rather "sweet", which is very different from what I'm used to reading by Everson (think sacrificial orgies, demons, etc...) Within this collection, I'd have to say that my favorite stories (I won't include AFTER THE FIFTH STEP since I read it within NEEDLES & SINS already) would have to have been (in order):

Lovesong
A Lack of Signs
Christmas, the Hard Way
Seven Deadly Seeds
Trick and Treat
Hard Heart

I enjoyed the other stories as well, but these really stood out to me.

The sad thing about finishing this book is that I just realized I only have 1 more John Everson book left to read. Outside of that, there are only a few odds 'n' ends short stories out there. So... hopefully he'll be writing some new stuff soon 'cause I need more books to read!!! (yeah, yeah... I have other authors to read, but I need more by my favorite! *grin*)

Book 36 of 2008: Sundays at Tiffany’s by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet

Book Description:

As a little girl, Jane has no one. Her mother Vivienne Margaux, the powerful head of a major New York theater company has no time for her. But she does have one friend--Michael--and no one can see him but her. But Michael can't stay with Jane forever, and on her eighth birthday, her imaginary friend must leave her.

When Jane is in her thirties, working for her mother's company, she is just as alone as she was as a child. Her boyfriend hardly knows she's there and is more interested in what Vivienne can do for his career. Her mother practically treats her as a slave in the office, despite the great success of Jane's first play, "Thank Heaven." Then she finds Michael--handsome, and just the same as she remembers him, only now he's not imaginary. For once in her life, Jane is happy--and has someone who loves her back. But not even Michael knows the reason behind why they've really been reunited.

My Opinion:

Patterson's latest "girlie book" was a fast read and tear-jerker as were both SAM'S LETTERS TO JENNIFER and SUZANNE'S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS. I love Patterson's mysteries, but these dramas he has come out with I really get into emotionally and I can't put them down until I finish. They are typically a 1 or 2 sitting read depending on how much time I have available at the moment. I'm not sure what Charbonnet's contribution to this book was, but whatever it was, the story worked. This one was a bit different than the other 2 books I mentioned considering it had an "imaginary" person involved as a main character, but it worked well for the story.