Reviewed by: Rabid Reads 
 There's nothing like a Christmas themed book to put me in the holiday spirit and this anthology is no exception. I'm a newcomer to Lynsay Sands' writing but a long-time fan of Jeaniene Frost's so this novel was a nice mix of new and old for me. I wasn't lost by starting at book 15.5 in the Argeneau series but I did find the storyline a little odd. On the other hand, I'm caught up in Frost' Night Huntress series and couldn't help but get a little giddy at the chance to check-in with Cat and Bones again. 
 The Gift by Lynsay Sands 
 This is a cute novella that introduced me to a few of the characters in the Argeneau series and also provided me with a bit of background information. Every author has their own take on vampires but I struggled with Sands' version. It's a little "out there". My understanding is that the undead are a result of some weird science project and they need blood to feed their "nanos". Also, they are originally from the lost city of Atlantis. Sounds more like the makings of a sci-fi novel than a paranormal one in my opinion. 
 I liked how she spun the mate concept. Vampires have soul mates but sometimes it can take them centuries to find theirs. Katricia is ancient and has spent so many years alone that she no longer craves food or sex but all of that changes when she meets Teddy. At first she's reluctant to inform him of the fact that they're mates for fear of him running for the hills. I don't want to go into too much detail because this is only a novella and I don't want to ruin it but a few unexpected things do happen to keep things interesting. It's a Christmas story though, so as expected, everyone lives happily ever after! 
 Home for the Holidays by Jeaniene Frost 
 Ian fans will love this short story because he gets lots of face-time. He's not on my list of favorite fictional characters but he does have a few personality traits that make his POV a fun read. A new persona is introduced in this novella that had my head buzzing with possibilities. Mainly I started speculating as to how Frost was going to incorporate this tidbit into her series. Things didn't work out as I expected but a brilliant author is always a step ahead of her readers! 
 As usual, Cat and Bones are spectacular together and I gobbled up the pages faster than I would have liked. The next full length novel isn't due out for a while so I try to savor my time with these two as much as possible. Unfortunately for me, that never works out as planned. I become so engulfed in Jeaniene's awesome world that I end up finishing the book in record time without even realizing it until it's too late. Ooh well, if I become desperate I can always re-read an installment or two! Home for the Holidays is a quick and spicy read that'll put you in the mood for more things than just Christmas (if you get my meaning!). 
 The two stories in The Bite Before Christmas are festive while managing to maintain their paranormal cores. A great read for those looking to read something holiday-themed without having to go overboard on the Xmas cheer.