2 stars I read two stories from this collection and they were okay. I wish I could give this more stars, but based on what I read, I cannot do that. Ella and the Alien Prince - Margo Bond Collins 3 stars I received an ARC of this story, part of the larger collection, and I enjoyed it. Personally, I find that most books about alien/human mating are a bit difficult for me to relate to because we’re talking about a different species and that just feels wrong to me. Still, when the aliens are described as basically human, that makes it a bit easier to understand. Having an emotional connection in addition to a physical one is also helpful, although that is lacking here. It’s difficult to work sex into a short story without it feeling contrived or unnecessary. I felt that the sex in this story may have taken up a bit more space than necessary, but it did fit with the story, since it was part of formalizing the mating bond. I would have liked to see the emotional connection that would have made me relate to the characters better. The story does a pretty good job of connecting to the original Cinderella without becoming derivative. It’s unique and I liked the concept. Although I didn’t love it, the writing was good. Fairest A Snow White Retelling - K.M. McKenna 1 star I received an ARC of this book and I was excited because I love fairytale retellings. Partway into it, I almost stopped reading, but then I realized how short it was and decided to finish. Here is my assessment of this thankfully brief story. It is primarily a vehicle for a BDSM scene that packs little heat and just left me squirming uncomfortably. Ewww. There is very little similarity to the original Snow White. In fact, Snow White is just a peripheral character. The Queen is difficult to understand. I have no idea what her motivations are. Is she good or bad? Is she mistreated or not? A grammatical issue that bothered me was the use of the phrase “ever slightly” instead of “ever so slightly.” The first time I thought it was a typo. The second time, I figured it must be intentional and that made me question the quality of writing and editing. The story ends abruptly without answering any questions. What is the point of it all? I don't know and I can't think of a good reason to recommend it. August 13, 2020
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