Kiss Me Deadly

Gr 7 Up—The title of this short story collection is a little misleading. Most of the selections have some romance, but they definitely take a backseat to those that run the gamut from fairy spies who can fly to vampires. While some of the stories are a little creepy, they are a far cry from truly frightening. Nonetheless, there are some fine and engrossing entries by popular authors, including Diana Peterfreund's "Errant," which is set in medieval Europe. It features a sassy nun who is charged with training unicorns that are becoming endangered. Justine Musk's "Lost" is set in modern times and features a girl with psychic power and a very handsome guy named Haiden, which turns out to be a morphing of the word "Hades." One kiss with the irresistible fellow and she will have sold her soul. Karen Mahoney's "The Spirit Jar" brings a fresh twist to the vampire genre. Sarah Rees Brennen and Carrie Ryan offer very good selections, too, but one of the best is Maggie Stiefvater's "The Hounds of Ulster," which melds Celtic myth with punk rock.—Jake Pettit, Thompson ValleyHigh School, Loveland, CO