I am not usually a huge fan of anthologies; the stories often seem rushed and lacking in depth. While I have liked several anthologies enough to keep and reread, I think this is the first anthology that actually captivated me, start to finish, entirely. I absolutely loved it.

There are 12 very different stories by 12 authors: Catherine Asaro, Elizabeth Bear, Deborah Coates, John Grant, Elizabeth Hand, Sandra McDonald, Claudia O'Keefe, Sarah Prineas, Heather Shaw, Delia Sherman, Jane Yolen and Rebecca York. Each story is surprisingly rich in detail, making it easy for the reader to fall into the imagination of the writer. Even when a story is only 11 pages, I never felt cheated or like I was missing something while reading; I always felt I was getting a complete story. It kept me turning the pages, and with each story I was delightfully surprised at the uniqueness of the tale.

The stories touch on different subjects in the paranormal realm, from witches, fairies and empaths, to houses with personality, futuristic wars and magical creatures. Not one story in this collection was a disappointment, I enjoyed them all. I tried to single out a few for this review, and couldn't do it. They were all fantastic.