Prety good book, but I have come across most of the chapters from the various authors as individual Novellas.

Also, for some reason I thought I read a chapter (the opening one) by Tim Miller about a couple who end up being butchered on stage at a concert by a band whose "schtick" is "killing" people onstage. However, it isn't in this book, and I can't for the life of me find it. Seriously, if anyone is reading this knows about this chapter/anthology please leave a comment because it is bugging me.

There was only one that I skipped - skimmed and that was the last one. I didn't really get into it, but maybe I will come back

My Name is Jane was hard to read because of the hopelessness of the situation, but as far as "hard reads" that was pretty much it. ( )

Send wine and fluffy kitties, stat! Those are pretty much the only things that got me through this one.

I love the dark. I play in the dark a lot. I will read every dark thing I get and revel in it, and really, I think the darker the better. I'm perfectly happy to not have a happily ever after, a happy for now will work too. But in this book? Happy is a forbidden word. There are no happy endings. Period. There is no light, no happy, no nothing but dark, dark, dark, more dark, even darker, and black hole dark. I'm not really describing how dark it is, really.

Addison Cain-Catacombs

This story is honestly the most disturbing thing I've ever read, and considering that the last story I said that about was also an Addison Cain story, that's got to be saying something. It's an excellent story that drew me in, but holy frak, disturbing af.

Zoe Blake-My Name Is Jane

This one plays into a personal nightmare of mine, which meant it chilled me to the bone. It was fascinating though, and quite satisfying in places. I really enjoyed it.

Eris Adderly-A Sinner in Virtue

This one was really interesting. I don't think that it was quite as dark as the other stories. Of course, that doesn't mean that it wasn't dark. It appears that it's going to be the first part of a new series. I'm looking forward to seeing that. Eris Adderly always writes great stories, so I know it will be exciting.

Jennifer Bene-Breaking Beth

Having read and loved the Thalia series, I knew that there was a story about Beth. Well, this is her story. We know the end of Beth's story, but we don't know how she got to the end. Beth is tough and I've got to give her massive props for that. She goes through hell and still fights.

Yolanda Olson-What Lies Beneath

OK, this one was a total mindfrak. I had to go back and reread a few sections so that I could see if I read what I really thought I read. The answer was always yes, I read what I thought I did. Yolanda Olson has a way with words and fraking your head over and this story shows her mastery at it.

Cari Silverwood-Used

Oh, how I love this woman. I love reading her words. Used takes place in her Mesmer universe. You don't have to have read the other books to get the story because you will get enough of a backstory to get it. This is intense, and there are a lot of things that happen in it. I was completely blown away and the ending lingered in my head for a while.

Dani Rene-Severed

Severed looks like it could be the first story in a new series, but I don't know. That could just be Dani Rene messing with us. Not that authors ever do that to us, right? I would love to see more of this world, but considering what happened in it and how dark and vile it got, that may just mean that I'm completely and utterly wrong. But yeah, very twisted and vile in the best way.

Michelle Brown-Hunted

Michelle Brown is still a pretty new author, having just published her second book, but her story holds up quite well with the rest of the stories in this book. There is a lot of mind twisting going on in there and things that will boggle your brain. The end was just OMG. ( )

If you are looking for bright and cheery than move along and pass go without collecting $200 because you will not find it here. There are no happy endings. Hell, this is beyond pitch black. This is darker than 13 shades of midnight. Plan on needing therapy because there is a high possibility of finding yourself in the fetal position rocking back and forth in a catatonic trance. I will update this review as I read more of it. For now, it is a review for two of the stories; Used by Cari Silverwood and Catacombs by Addison Cain.

Used by Cari Silverwood
5 dark mesmerizing stars

This series... Mmmmm Hmmm. There is something about mind control and fantasy and not being in control that is just delicious. This author can weave a tale better than just about anyone I have read that writes dark and twisty. If I close my eyes I can picture the scene that she is writing. I am not sure what that says about me that I am drawn to her work --or that I LOVE it so much because like I said this author pushed the envelope of what is right and moral.

If you don't like dark, taboo, or 'Heroes" that tend to be more questionable than swoony then look no further. I will gladly keep following this author down the rabbit hole (and have extra therapy sessions available if needed when the time comes). Anxious for the rest of this box set to come out.

Catacombs by Addison Cain
5 Hellish stars
This author is known for pushing the limits of reality. Her innate skill at crafting a world or situation is truly sublime. I felt so bad for Pearl in this story. It was deliciously dark and I wanted it to be a full story. I wanted backstory. I wanted an expansion of what transpired with Darius at the end. I just wanted...MORE. Yet, that is nothing new because I never want the words from this author to end.

If you are squeamish, have trigger issues, or like magical unicorn dreams and happily ever after then this is not your book but if dark, twisted, and delicious is your thing and you want to push your limits then I implore you to read this anthology of the best authors and stories out there. ( )

Where to begin...

Dark and often brutal. I can't say much about these stories without spoiling them as I really think they're best experienced with no foreknowledge.

Eris Adderly's "A Sinner in Virtue" is the dark jewel in the crown here. Well worth the price of admission and I'm looking forward to her forthcoming series for which it is a prologue.

Unfortunately this anthology is no longer available at the time I'm writing this, but Addison Cain's "Catacombs" has been expanded and published separately and Jennifer Bene's "Breaking Beth" is due for republication (and continuance into a series) soon. I imagine the other works will turn up again eventually, and they're all worth checking out when they do. ( )