The Door and Other Uncanny Tales by Dmetri Kakmi Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

The Door and Other Uncanny Tales

Author: Dmetri Kakmi

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: September 28, 2020

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: No Romance

Length: 46800

Genre: Horror, LGBTQIA+, sci-fi/fantasy, paranormal, horror, family-drama, crime gay, lesbian, demisexual, asexual, art/visual, ghost, body horror, prostitution, murder, abortionist, ancient evil

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Synopsis

Living paintings, spectral children, cannibal serial killers, lost souls, haunted houses, and ancient evil proliferate The Door and Other Uncanny Tales. Everywhere reality and fantasy collapse to create a new unstable world, even the body is not what it seems. Combined with Dmetri Kakmi’s gothic imagination and mordant humor, the result is fiction that is as memorable as it is unsettling.

This collection contains three new and three previously published stories, including the acclaimed Haunting Matilda, The Long Lonely Road and The Boy by the Gate.

Excerpt

The Door and Other Uncanny Tales, Dmetri Kakmi © 2020, All Rights Reserved

The Door: Chapter One
“There now,” Orestes said, standing back to admire the painting.

It hung before him from a sturdy hook on the landing of the staircase leading from the darker downstairs part of the house to the lighter upstairs, with rows of small windows and the French doors that opened on a balcony, overlooking narrow Transom Street. This had been after all, in other times, an industrial area, filled with factories, abattoirs, noise, and the stench of hard labor in the shadow of the nearby Convent of the Good Shepherd, by the river. Now the suburb was gentrified and provided accommodation for the likes of himself, Orestes Gallanos, and his partner Simon Cole, artists both, living the inner-city dream in lofty warehouse spaces.

“There now,” Orestes repeated, casting an eye over the artwork he had labored upon for almost five months, in the garage turned studio with its stuffy air and bad light. He folded his arms across a narrow chest, tilted his head to the side, and stepped back to admire the results of his efforts. Not too far back because the hardwood landing was small and he risked falling down the steps to the polished concrete floor below.

It was a splendid work, even if he thought so himself. Very effective. It achieved exactly the outcome he aimed to produce in its creation all along.

It was a door painted with oil on linen. A life-size door, seven feet in height and three feet wide, with an old-fashioned handle that gave off a pleasing brass gleam. The square frosted glass panel above complemented two vertical panels below, and he had found that working with oil allowed him to capture perfectly the desired grain and texture of wood.

He descended the stairs and studied the painting from the entrance hall. From there, should a guest visit, the painting looked like a real door, complete with architrave and wooden step to complete the illusion. Only Orestes knew that, if he should by a miracle manage to open it, there would be nothing on the other side except plasterboard. A guest ascending the stairs and brushing by the painting would assume it was a real door, leading to, presumably, a newly built room on the other side.

At that moment, the front door opened behind Orestes and Simon came in, bringing with him a cold gust of July wind. His hair was cut short and newly dyed blond to accentuate the navy in his deep-set eyes.

“Hello,” Simon said, removing the black plastic raincoat and hanging it with a sprinkle of rainwater on the coat rack. “Why are you in the dark?”

It was four-thirty in the afternoon and almost pitch-black in the hallway. Orestes pointed wordlessly at the painting; a smile played on his lips.

“Oh,” Simon uttered, coming to stand beside him. “It’s terrific. It really is.” He gave Orestes a peck on the proffered cheek. “Congratulations. Are you pleased?”

“I think so…” Orestes cupped his chin and stared at his work for a while.

Simon stepped forward, rested both forearms on the staircase handrail, and gazed at the painting with a contented sigh. Orestes bathed in the way Simon was always so genuinely enthusiastic and encouraging about his work. It gave him confidence, made him feel he was worthwhile after all.

The electric light from upstairs streamed down and fell on the painting with intensity, making it resemble a well-lit stage, set for a play.

“Any moment now the door will open,” Orestes whispered behind Simon, “and the actors will step forward to pronounce the made-up lines meant for made-up lives.”

Simon’s smile was warm when he said, “That’s what I was thinking.” Then he caught the expression on Orestes’s face. “Something’s bothering you.”

“I wondered if I should have the door slightly open.”

Simon was also a painter, of a more esoteric order, and, although slightly younger than Orestes, had strong opinions on this sort of thing.

“No,” he cried, shaking his head and glancing at the painting as if he might have to fight for its right to remain as it was. “That’d be overemphasizing it. Glass is a kind of opening for one’s perceptions even though one’s body remains shut out.”

Orestes considered. “You’re right,” he said finally. “Glass lets your eye enter the other side, but only partially, since it’s not clear glass.”

“Oh, baby,” Simon cried, coming up to Orestes and catching his wiry form in his arms. “This can be the centerpiece for a series of trompe l’oeil for your next exhibition. Imagine a whole room!” Simon twirled happily around the floor with Orestes in his arms, smiling and pressing him to his body. The room spun with them, the glass bricks of the bathroom at one end and the darkness of the garage-studio at the other. “This calls for a celebration.”

“There’s a bottle of Taittinger in the fridge,” Orestes offered.

They went upstairs. Orestes popped the champagne bottle and poured the amber liquid in tall crystal flutes inherited from Simon’s mother, Orestes’s side being poorer and lacking in luxuries and good taste. After watching Laura with Gene Tierney for the umpteenth time, they made quiet, habitual love on the couch and much later still, after watching Farewell, My Lovely for the sixth time, they crossed to the bedroom and slept soundly in their double bed, behind an elaborate wooden Japanese screen.

In the long winter’s night, the building settled with a sigh around them. It resolved its sound angles and determined lines into a world filled with peculiar, shifting disturbances, some fleeting and others lasting, deep in the mortar and concrete of the century-old foundations. The last train raced by unnoticed on the raised tracks a block away, the procession of near-empty windows piercing the night like accusations. In the early hours of the morning, when traffic slowed on nearby Hoddle Street, only the icy wind was left to prowl the empty streets. It slid past the grille pulled over the sturdy front entrance, passed through the barely discernible crack under the door, and set out feelers toward the stairs, from there to reach the painted door with the frosted glass panel and the glistening doorknob. The painting showed faint in the cold silver of a night-light left on halfway down the stairs. If there was anyone at the top of the stairs at that hour, one would have been forgiven for thinking the door looked forlorn on the landing, where people pass but rarely stop. An invitation.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Books2Read Universal Link

Meet the Author

Dmetri Kakmi was born in Turkey to Greek parents. His fictionalized memoir Mother Land was shortlisted for the New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards in Australia; and is published in England and Turkey. Dmetri also edited the acclaimed children’s anthology When We Were Young. His essays and short stories appear in anthologies. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.

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Evie and the Pack-Horse Librarians by Laurel Beckley Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Evie and the Pack-Horse Librarians

Author: Laurel Beckley

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: August 17, 2020

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 24100

Genre: Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, libraries, fantasy, lesbian, romance, shifters, magical abilities, paranormal

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Synopsis

As an assistant editor at the prestigious Hanhat Publishers, Evie Southiel is entrusted with fine-tuning the manuscripts of the company’s most important authors. Her skills as a book witch allow her to manipulate the stories she reviews and bring them to life.

When her girlfriend steals the secret manuscript of Hanhat’s best-selling author and leaks it to the press, Evie is exiled to become a journey carrier with the Pack-Horse Librarians in the eastern mountains.

Timid city mouse Evie doesn’t know the first thing about surviving in the wilderness, riding a horse, or dealing with the rugged mountain folk and coal miners surrounding the town of Hevis. She does know books, though, and she’s determined to do the best job she can. But that goal is jeopardized when her horse gets spooked on her first solo run, sending her tumbling out of the saddle and into a mysterious woman’s life.

Excerpt

Evie and the Pack-Horse Librarians, Laurel Beckley © 2020, All Rights Reserved

A hard knot had formed in Evie’s throat since she was summoned into Mr. Lodge’s corner office, and now the butterflies in her stomach transformed into a hive of angry bees threatening to upset her meager breakfast.

Mr. Lodge gave another long humph, the fifth in as many minutes.

Evie shuffled in her seat, trying to keep her fingers knotted together in her lap, struggling to prevent her feet from tapping with anxiety.

After an eternity, Mr. Lodge looked up from the newspaper, placing it carefully onto his desk. He closed his eyes. When he opened them, his usually cheerful expression was gone, replaced with a stern man Evie didn’t recognize.

“Miss Southeil,” he began, then stopped. Another sigh. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his long nose. Evie unconsciously mimicked the gesture, pushing her own wire-rimmed glasses further onto her face. She caught a glimpse of her ink-stained fingers from the corner of her eye and hastily dropped her hands into her lap, letting her dull-gray skirt envelop them.

Mr. Lodge opened his eyes. “Miss Southeil,” he repeated. “Of all the journeys present, I might have expected this egregious misstep from anyone else. But not from you.”

Evie bit her lip, trying to prevent the knot in her stomach from bringing up actual food onto Mr. Lodge’s manuscript-filled desk—manuscripts she had nurtured into books to be published and read and devoured by the hungry readers of historical fiction. Even among the handful of journey-rank editors at Hanhat Publishing, Evie was special. She knew she had the gift of turning rough sentences into delightful bouquets for the eyes, and yet here she was. Quivering in her boss’s office. Oh, how she had messed up.

Mr. Lodge removed one manuscript from the pile and placed it directly underneath the damning newspaper. Evie stared at it, trying to will away the blasted thing’s existence.

He tapped the stack of papers with an inky finger. “How did you let this come to pass? Our competitors are breathing down our backs, eager for any hint of weakness, and you give them the scoop of the year!”

“I-I’m sorry, Mr. Lodge,” Evie whispered, ducking her chin to prevent tears from escaping. It wasn’t her fault. Well, it was, but it wasn’t. “I won’t—”

“You’re damn right you won’t!” Mr. Lodge slammed his hand onto the table.

Evie squeaked, jumping in her seat.

He reeled in his anger, grimacing at the appendage as though alarmed that such an outburst had come from his body. He heaved another sigh. “Forgive me, but you know as well as I that Mr. Cabot’s novel was to be the highlight of our publishing year. Having the plot…splattered across the gossip rags is an embarrassment to the company and the Guild.”

Evie wanted to curl up inside herself until she became nothing more than a ball of gray cloth, hidden from the world.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, blinking furiously.

Mr. Lodge’s face softened as did his voice. “Evie, I’m not going to fire you.”

She lifted her head, hopeful.

“You’re the best assistant editor I’ve had in years, but I think this promotion came too fast, too soon.” He shook his head sadly. “But it’s no use having you here waiting for this whole scandal to blow over. It’ll harm the company’s reputation, and to have your face associated with this whole thing…” He paused, staring at her until she lifted her head. She tried to meet his gaze and failed. Eye contact had always been a struggle for her. “I’m sending you away,” he declared.

With her head bowed, Evie nodded. “I’ll clear my desk and head to the printers’ office.” The printers’ office was located five blocks away in the factory district. Dark, dingy, labor-intensive, and where Hanhat Publishing usually sent their screw-ups for menial labor.

“No, Evie.” She looked up, startled. “It’s going to be farther than that. I’ve reassigned you to the Librarian’s Guild.”

Evie’s heart lifted. At least she’d be near books. Near words and stories and life. Not confined to operating the massive printing machines, spending every minute in danger of getting an industrial injury. She blinked, realizing that she was still being sent away. Being transferred from one guild to another was hardly unique, but certainly not a common practice.

He went on. “Think of this as an opportunity, a chance to use your journey time to, well, journey.”

Journey? Evie wondered. Members of the Librarian’s Guild were stationed in every city, town, university, and village in Isten with a large enough population to support them, but they certainly did not travel.

“You’ll be part of the pack-horse librarians stationed in District Forty-five,” Mr. Lodge said. Obviously interpreting Evie’s miscomprehension as shock, he added, “This will be a two-year assignment. After that, you may return to Hanhat Publishing. I’ll always need copyeditors.”

“Th-thank you, Mr. Lodge,” Evie stuttered, lips moving automatically, mind still trying to figure out what had happened. Pack-horse librarians? Two years? And a copyeditor? She pressed her fingers to her lips, struggling to choke down bile and disappointment.

Her supervisor slid a folder across the table. It was depressingly thin. Mr. Lodge smiled, a mixture of kind and condescending that hurt worse than any of his words. “Someone will come by your flat to collect any remaining manuscripts. You’re dismissed.”

Evie rose from her chair to stand on legs she wasn’t certain would work and took the folder with shaking hands. She pressed the packet of papers to her stomach and bolted, bumping into her fellow journey, Anda, on her sprint to the bathroom. Once inside, she emptied the contents of her breakfast, along with the entirety of her previous life, into the toilet.

Someone knocked softly on the bathroom door, interrupting Evie’s hundredth heave.

“Evie?” The voice was hesitant.

“One minute.” Evie wiped her mouth and ran cold water over her wrists and face, trying to fight the nausea. She avoided the mirror above the sink. Her eyes were surely red and puffy, her dark skin sallow and splotchy. She didn’t need a mirror for that information.

She opened the door, nearly jumping as her girlfriend Anda burst inside and locked the door behind her. “Evie, I just heard, and I’m so sorry!” She tried to wrap her arms around Evie in a hug.

Evie pushed her away, staring into the face of the girl she had loved so fiercely until that moment in Mr. Lodge’s office. “How could you?” she demanded.

Anda’s eyes widened innocently. “Whatever do you mean?” she asked, placing a hand on her chest.

Rage bubbled in Evie’s chest, replacing the nausea and sickness. “I let you review that manuscript in confidence, Anda,” she hissed, “to help you polish your editing skills.”

If possible, Anda’s eyes opened wider. “Evie,” she cooed, “I gave that manuscript back to you a week ago. You must have misplaced it. You know how forgetful you are.”

Evie shook her head. Tears continued streaking down her cheeks, and she wiped them off vigorously with her sleeve, her fist clenched tightly.

The story had broken the night before, and since Evie had first found out about it as she entered the building for work that morning, she’d had the sinking suspicion that Anda was behind her situation. Evie was allowed to take manuscripts home and help smooth them over, but only with the explicit understanding that no one else could review an author’s latest creation.

“I returned that manuscript to Mr. Lodge a week ago. Besides me, no one but you had hands on it.”

Anda lips twisted in a facsimile of a smile. There was something predatory in her gaze, which Evie had seen her deliver to their fellow apprentices and journeys but never to her.

“Evie, dear, you know it wasn’t me. Just accept responsibility and take your punishment at the pressman’s office.” She bit her lip and looked down, fluttering her eyelashes. The predatory gleam disappeared, replaced by the image of a remorseful girl. “I think that, with all this in mind, we shouldn’t be together anymore.” Her eyelashes fluttered again. “I mean, an assistant editor with a disgraced pressman? That would taint my career.”

Evie gasped, tears beginning to spill out again. Anda’s betrayal was worse than anything she had ever anticipated, but to end their four-year relationship so… callously… was something else.

“I can’t believe you,” she whispered. “I knew you were ambitious, but—”

The remorse vanished, and Anda was replaced by a hardened creature Evie had never seen before.

“But what? I’ve been here eight years, Evie. Do you know how hard I’ve worked only to be passed up by a girl who just got promoted to journey? This position is my due. Not yours.” She sniffed. “And clearly you don’t have the maturity to handle such a job.”

Evie placed a hand over her mouth, trying to stuff her sobs back down her throat as Anda threw open the door and stormed out.

Tears overwhelmed Evie’s senses as she slid down the wall and hit the tiled floor. This was so, so much worse than she had ever imagined. She’d lost her job, been betrayed by her girlfriend, and was being sent away in disgrace.

How would she tell her parents?

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NineStar Press | Amazon

Meet the Author

Laurel Beckley has been writing ever since she started her first novel the summer before eighth grade—a hand-written epic fantasy catastrophe that has lurked in her mind and an increasingly ratty college-ruled notebook ever since.

She is a writer, Marine Corps veteran, and librarian.

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Power Inversion by Sara Codair Blog Tour, Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Sara Codair - Power Inversion Banner 1

Hi guys! We have Sara Codair visiting today with the tour for her new release Power Inversion, we have a fantastic interview, a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 Amazon GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~

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Power Inversion

(The Evanstar Chronicles 02)
by

Sara Codair

Do you have to be a monster to fight one?

Erin Evanstar is a demon hunter, a protector of humanity from nightmarish predators that feed on people’s fears and flesh. They are settling into their dual life of being a teen and hunting demons.

When a tentacled horror abducts Erin’s partner, José, Erin and their family go on the hunt to get him back. But Erin gets an ultimatum: help the Fallen Angels bring on the apocalypse or watch José die. Erin will do anything to save José, but fighting monsters comes with a grim price–becoming one themselves.

.•.•.**❣️ NineStar | Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N ❣️**.•.•.

Continue reading “Power Inversion by Sara Codair Blog Tour, Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway!”

Power Inversion by Sara Codair Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Sara Codair - Power Inversion RB Banner

Hi guys! We have Sara Codair visiting today with her new release Power Inversion, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~

Sara Codair - Power Inversion Cover cnx7sh

Power Inversion

(The Evanstar Chronicles 02)
by

Sara Codair

Do you have to be a monster to fight one?

Erin Evanstar is a demon hunter, a protector of humanity from nightmarish predators that feed on people’s fears and flesh. They are settling into their dual life of being a teen and hunting demons.

When a tentacled horror abducts Erin’s partner, José, Erin and their family go on the hunt to get him back. But Erin gets an ultimatum: help the Fallen Angels bring on the apocalypse or watch José die. Erin will do anything to save José, but fighting monsters comes with a grim price–becoming one themselves.

.•.•.**❣️ NineStar | Amazon US | Amazon UK ❣️**.•.•.

Continue reading “Power Inversion by Sara Codair Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!”

Third Eye by Rick R. Reed Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Third Eye

Author: Rick R. Reed

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: April 20, 2020

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 93300

Genre: Horror/Thriller, NineStar Press, LGBTQIA+, crime, suspense, dark, men with children, reporter, hurt/comfort, psychic ability

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Synopsis

Who knew that a summer thunderstorm and a lost little boy would conspire to change single dad Cayce D’Amico’s life in an instant? With Luke missing, Cayce ventures into the woods near their house to find his son, only to have lightning strike a tree near him, sending a branch down on his head. When he awakens the next day in the hospital, he discovers he has been blessed or cursed—he isn’t sure which—with psychic ability. Along with unfathomable glimpses into the lives of those around him, he’s getting visions of a missing teenage girl.

When a second girl disappears soon after the first, Cayce realizes his visions are leading him to their grisly fates. Cayce wants to help, but no one believes him. The police are suspicious. The press wants to exploit him. And the girls’ parents have mixed feelings about the young man with the “third eye.”

Cayce turns to local reporter Dave Newton and, while searching for clues to the string of disappearances and possible murders, a spark ignites between them. Little do they know that nearby, another couple—dark and murderous—are plotting more crimes and wondering how to silence the man who knows too much about them.

Excerpt

Third Eye
Rick R. Reed © 2020
All Rights Reserved

Prologue

She was only thirteen. It wasn’t fair she now lay, bound, waiting for death. Before, there had been struggling: clawing and fighting, scratching their faces, pulling at their hair, batting at whatever part she could reach. Her breath had come in choking spasms, adrenaline pumping, burning, anteing up the hysteria so much she thought her air would be blocked. Then had come the dread that made her lose most of her fight, when her terror-addled brain had begun to accept her fate was to die here, in this tiny, hot room, with the only witness to her demise the sparkling eyes of her killers and the maddening, crooked whirl of a ceiling fan long past its prime and wobbling, doing nothing more than blowing the overheated, moist air around the room. The dread had risen up, a nausea twisting her gut and making her afraid she would vomit. And then had come the numbness, a dull tingling throughout her body that precluded movement, stripping her of coherent thought.

They stood above her. Faces she had trusted, faces she had seen before, around her neighborhood. The man she and her friends had had a crush on. He used to drive by her little house on Ohio Street in his old red Mustang, looking the picture of youth, confidence, masculinity. His hair was dark, cut bristle-brush short, and his face always clean-shaven. Thin lips bordered rows of perfect white teeth, and when he had smiled at her, only hours ago, she had lit up. A tingling had started in her toes and had worked its way up until the color rose to her cheeks. At her young age, the interest of a man in his twenties was inconceivable, although it had been something she had hoped for since the first day she had seen him, back at the onset of summer, when the sun had turned white-hot, burning up the grass and making illusory waves rise from the hot, cracked sidewalks.

He had pulled to the curb and sat there, car idling. She sat in the front yard, sorting through Barbie clothes: ball gowns and swimming suits, miniskirts and stretch pants. He didn’t say anything, not right away. She had looked at him once, then looked away, certain his interest could never be in her. Suddenly she felt ridiculous with her metal trunk, her Barbie dolls, and all the outfits she had once been so proud to collect. Swiftly, she returned the clothes to their case and slammed it shut.

She leaned back, resting on her palms, and lifted her face to the sun. Its heat beat down relentlessly, making the skin on her face feel tight.

She felt his eyes on her still. She opened her own eyes a crack and regarded him peripherally. He really was looking at her! The adorable little smile that caused a dimple to rise in his right cheek deepened in the sun’s play of shadow and light. She leaned back more, left hand reaching out to surreptitiously move the Barbie trunk farther away. In this posture, here on the withered and brown grass, she felt that her breasts, little more than two tiny bumps an unkind boy at school had once referred to as her anthills, looked larger. She could be eighteen, couldn’t she? With the right makeup and her hair pulled up….

But now her long blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, clipped with a pink plastic barrette. She wore a pair of cutoff shorts and an oversized South Park T-shirt belonging to her older brother. He would have killed her had he known she was wearing it. But he was away at the Y’s summer camp and would never know the difference.

The idling of the car was like an animal purring.

And then the sun disappeared, and she sat in darkness. Beneath her closed lids, she sensed someone standing over her.

Why hadn’t she heard the slam of the car door? Her eyelids fluttered, but she did not open them. It would be just like her mother to come outside now and stand above her, hands on hips, and ask her what she thought she was doing.

“Lucy?”

Finally, she opened her eyes and blinked at the brightness of the August day. He was smiling. So unlike the other guys in Fawcettville, he was dressed in pressed black slacks and a collarless white shirt, buttoned to his neck.

“How did you know my name?”

“Oh, I make it my business to know the names of all the pretty young ladies around here.”

Lucy felt the heat rise to her face once more. She grinned and could not think of a single word to say.

“Playing Barbie?”

She shoved the case farther away, until it was completely out of her grasp. The case lay in the white heat, glinting, looking, she hoped, as if it had nothing to do with her.

“What? Oh…no, no. These are my little sister’s. She always makes such a mess of things, and I was just organizing for her.”

“What a good sister.”

“Yeah, well…”

The two said nothing for a while, and Lucy began to grow uncomfortable under his gaze. She shifted her long, tanned legs in front of her, crossing them at the ankle.

“I was driving by and saw you sitting there, and I had to tell you”—he hunkered down beside her—“what a lovely sight you are. It made me stop just to have a better look.”

She laughed and thought she sounded way too much like the thirteen-year-old she was. “Thank you,” she whispered, wondering where her voice had gone.

“No, thank you, for being here, for making the heat of this day a little more pleasant.”

Oh, stop! she wanted to cry out but whispered again, “Thank you.”

He leaned closer, enough for her to feel his breath near her ear. In spite of the day’s heat, his nearness caused gooseflesh to rise on her arms, her spine to tingle.

“Listen.” He glanced around the empty street with eyes like none she had ever seen: green, ringed with thick black lashes. And in his gaze was a conspiracy that included only the two of them. “My car has air-conditioning. I know this is out of the blue and all, but I wondered if you’d like to go for a ride with me.”

Lucy glanced back at her house. She wished suddenly she lived in a bigger house, in a better neighborhood. Here on this modest residential street close to the river, her small white clapboard house was surrounded by other houses very much like it, some of them covered in rusting aluminum siding. She pictured her mother inside, on a vinyl-covered kitchen chair, watching All My Children on a thirteen-inch portable TV on the Formica-topped kitchen table. Her mother, she knew, would never approve of what was transpiring here, right in her front yard.

He stood suddenly. “Okay, okay. I get the message.”

“Wait.” She sat up straighter. A pickup rumbled by and left in its wake a smell of exhaust and a rush of hot air.

He turned. “What? Need to get your mom’s permission?”

“Of course not!” Her voice came out higher than she would have liked, the whiny protest of a child. She stood. “I’d like to come with you. But I can’t stay out too long.” She was about to say “My mom will be worried” but realized how immature that would sound. “I’ve got some people I have to meet in a little while.”

He smiled. And the smile erased any nervousness she had about going with him. After all, she had seen him around the neighborhood dozens of times. He wasn’t exactly a stranger, not really.

“That’s fine, Lucy. I’ll have you back within an hour. I promise. I certainly wouldn’t want to get off on the wrong foot with you.” He winked, and she followed him to the waiting car.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his husband, Bruce, and their fierce Chihuahua/Shiba Inu mix, Kodi.

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Trials by Sean Ian O’Meidhir & Connal Braginsky

Sean Ian O'Meidhir and Connal Braginsky - Crossing Nuwa; Trial Cover s jfd7rhTitle: Trials

Series: Crossing Nüwa 02

Author: Sean Ian O’Meidhir & Connal Braginsky

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Length: Novel (190pgs)

Publisher: DSP Publications (February 4, 2020)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Blurb: With the help of technomage and hacker Theo, rare snake shifter Robbie escaped his mother and clan, who planned to use him as breeding stock. While still working to break through the conditioning and mind control of his past, Robbie is enjoying exploring a new relationship with the worldlier Theo.

But their fight isn’t over yet.

A trip to his aunt’s house for Thanksgiving is highjacked by political intrigue, leaving the couple wondering who their friends really are. They cannot help but be drawn into larger plots while trying to find justice for Robbie at his mother’s trial. When clan rivalries turn deadly, they’ll need their allies—and each other—more than ever.

ISBN-13: 978-1-64405-628-8

Product Link: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: Robbie and Theo are settling in their new lives together when they are pulled into politics that neither are interested in. I liked that Robbie got justice for the way he was treated by his mother. I really did not like that woman and wanted to slap her most of the time.

It was nice seeing Robbie’s family in a different light without the constant tension as in the previous book. It was cute watching Robbie and Theo together. They are an adorable couple.

This book was a dramatic story with a satisfying conclusion though had some unnecessary drama near the end. Despite that I enjoyed reading it.

Great read.

Escape by Sean Ian O’Meidhir & Connal Braginsky

Sean Ian O'Meidhir and Connal Braginsky - Crossing Nuwa Escape Cover s 78343Title: Escape

Series: Crossing Nüwa 01

Author: Sean Ian O’Meidhir & Connal Braginsky

Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Length: Novel (192pgs)

Publisher: DSP Publications (July 9, 2019)

Heat Level: Low – Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Blurb: For sheltered Robbie, one week of freedom leads to sexual awakening and adventure… but when his world intersects with Theo’s, they’ll need all their wits and Theo’s magic to fight for their future.

Rare male weresnake Robbie has had his whole life decided for him down to his meals. But when the time comes for him to perform an unspeakable duty to his clan, he runs.

San Francisco Pride is in full swing when technomage Theo spots a scared-looking young man with brilliant emerald eyes. He’s only looking for a hookup, but before he knows why, he’s taking Robbie home and introducing him to champagne and enchiladas. He doesn’t have any intention of falling in love.

Robbie doesn’t want to return to his clan, at least not without trying to fit a lifetime of experiences into a week, but every day he stays puts Theo in more danger.

ISBN-13: 978-1-64405-258-7

Product Link: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | B&N

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: Robbie is a rare snake shifter that his family has plans for despite what he wants. he decides to take some time to himself and escapes. He sets off and meets Theo, a technomage during a pride parade. Theo wants Robbie but decides to back off some due to Robbie’s innocence, The two strike up a friendship until Robbie’s family comes for him.

I liked this story. Robbie had a lot of growing to do and finding himself considering how his family treated him. I liked that he finally took a stand. Theo was not what I expected but he eventually started to change for the better.

An intriguing story full of drama and some tense situations. All in all it was an intriguing book.

Great read.

Crossing Nuwa; Trial by Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky Blog Tour & Excerpt!

Sean Ian O'Meidhir and Connal Braginsky - Crossing Nuwa; Trial Tour Banner

Hi guys! We have Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky popping in today with the tour for their new release Trial, we have a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! ❤️ ~Pixie~

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Trial

(Crossing Nüwa 02)
by

Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky

With the help of technomage and hacker Theo, rare snake shifter Robbie escaped his mother and clan, who planned to use him as breeding stock. While still working to break through the conditioning and mind control of his past, Robbie is enjoying exploring a new relationship with the worldlier Theo.

But their fight isn’t over yet.

A trip to his aunt’s house for Thanksgiving is highjacked by political intrigue, leaving the couple wondering who their friends really are. They cannot help but be drawn into larger plots while trying to find justice for Robbie at his mother’s trial. When clan rivalries turn deadly, they’ll need their allies—and each other—more than ever.

.•.•.**❣️ Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks ❣️**.•.•.

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Crossing Nuwa; Trial by Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky Release Blast & Excerpt!

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Hi guys! We have Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky popping in today with their new release Trial, we have a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! ❤️ ~Pixie~

Sean Ian O'Meidhir and Connal Braginsky - Crossing Nuwa; Trial Cover jfd7rh

Trial

(Crossing Nüwa 02)
by

Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky

With the help of technomage and hacker Theo, rare snake shifter Robbie escaped his mother and clan, who planned to use him as breeding stock. While still working to break through the conditioning and mind control of his past, Robbie is enjoying exploring a new relationship with the worldlier Theo.

But their fight isn’t over yet.

A trip to his aunt’s house for Thanksgiving is highjacked by political intrigue, leaving the couple wondering who their friends really are. They cannot help but be drawn into larger plots while trying to find justice for Robbie at his mother’s trial. When clan rivalries turn deadly, they’ll need their allies—and each other—more than ever.

.•.•.**❣️ Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks ❣️**.•.•.

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A Demon Inside by Rick R. Reed (3rd Edition)

Rick R. Reed - A Demon Inside Cover bhe674hTitle: A Demon Inside (3rd Edition)

Author: Rick R. Reed

Genre: Paranormal, Horror

Length: Novel (269 pages)

Publisher: JMS Books (18th January 2020)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖 3 Hearts

Blurb: Hunter Beaumont doesn’t understand his grandmother’s deathbed wish: “Destroy Beaumont House.” He’d never even heard of the place. But after his grandmother passes and his first love betrays him, the family house in the Wisconsin woods looks like a tempting refuge. Going against his grandmother’s wishes, Hunter flees to Beaumont House.

But will the house be the sanctuary he had hoped for? Soon after moving in, Hunter realizes he may not be alone. And who — or what — he shares the house may plunge him into a nightmare from which he may never escape.

Sparks fly when he meets his handsome neighbor, a caretaker for the estate next door, but is the man salvation…or is he the source of Hunter’s terror?

ISBN: 9781646562466

Product Link: JMS Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Prime

Review: A Demon Inside by Rick R. Reed is a rather spooky novel and not for the faint of heart. For anyone who has read the first edition of this book, I have to admit that I never read the first edition, so I’m not entirely sure what has changed since.

The story itself has left me with some rather mixed feelings. This book isn’t a romance, means that any romance is not front and centre of the plot, and what romance there was throughout the story was really nicely done. However, it is not that aspect that has bothered me. The horror was fantastically written and I really enjoyed it. In hindsight, though, I think that there was some sort of spark missing with the horror that connected all the dots for me in my head. But mostly, I found that after the build up in the horror and the terror felt by Hunter, the ending was a little too flat and a little too quick for my liking.

Nonetheless, this book does the creepy and poltergeist things perfectly, so on the surface this is a fantastic horror story which may well leave you with chills running down your spine.

The story follows Hunter Beaumont and finds his life at loose ends when in a tumultuous short period of time his beloved grandmother dies and his boyfriend dumps him. In a move that is something like a classical gothic horror, Hunter decides to live in Beaumont House after being told by his grandmother on her death bed to burn it down. Beaumont House has no end of secrets (which leads Hunter to uncover the memory of when his parents had died when he was a child) and some of them are quite deadly (this is one house with a bad history).

The subplot featuring the neighbour of Beaumont House, Michael, is where the romance comes in. Michael is a sweet guy and matches well with Hunter. However, Hunter seems to spend a lot of time doubting his new relationship and I’m not entirely sure whether or not this is actually to do with the “demon” of Beaumont House or just Hunter being insecure. This adds a nice, lighter plot to the otherwise dark/horror we otherwise get.

Despite my conflicted feelings, this is a good book and anyone into horror and anything that is generally just creepifying (in the words of Joss Whedon) stories will at least enjoy this read.

Hallelujah by Kim Fielding and F.E. Feeley, Jr. Cover Reveal, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Kim Fielding and F.E. Feeley, Jr. - Hallelujah Banner

Hi guys! We have Kim Fielding and F.E. Feeley Jr. stopping by today with their fantastic cover to their upcoming release Hallelujah we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $20 Amazon GC giveaway so check out the cover, enjoy the excerpt and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~

Kim Fielding and F.E. Feeley, Jr. - Hallelujah Cover 3487hfr

Hallelujah

by

Kim Fielding and F.E. Feeley, Jr.

Can you hear it?

Whispering in the dark.

Secrets only the dark knows.

Joseph Moore, choir director for the First Baptist Church of Lenora, Nebraska, has secrets of his own. Terrible, lonely secrets. One that involves natural human desire. One that calls forth powers he cannot begin to understand. Both with the potential to destroy him and those he loves.

Now the world is changing. The darkness, the shadows, the ghosts, are closing in—and Joseph and his lover, Kevin, are being stalked by a merciless demon, hell-bent on possession.

Can you hear it now?

There in the dark.

It’s whispering your name.

Warnings: violence. This is not a romance.

Release date: 31st March 2020
Pre-order:
.•.•.**
❣️ Amazon US | Amazon UK | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo | iBooks ❣️**.•.•.

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Life Minus Me by Sara Codair Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Hi guys! We have Sara Codair visiting today with her new release Life Minus Me, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~

Sara Codair - Life Minus Me Cover gd5g6

Life Minus Me

(Evanstar Chronicles 0.5)
by

Sara Codair

Mel is half Angel, but despite her ability to heal and read minds, she feels powerless to help anyone. When a prophecy shows a local pet supply store owner driving their car off a bridge, Mel sets out to stop it.

Baily, owner of Barks and Bits, is barely holding it together. Things keep going wrong, and their depression spirals out of control. Just as they start wondering if they’d be better off dead, a new friend provides a glimmer of hope. But is that enough to keep living?

Mel never thought saving Baily would be easy, but she can’t figure out when, where, or why Baily’s suicide will happen. As her confidence fades away, she wonders how she can help anyone when she needs so much help herself.

Warning: Depression, Suicidal ideation, Suicide attempt, Self harm , mention of infertility and miscarriage

.•.•.**❣️ NineStar | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo ❣️**.•.•.

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Vicious Circle by Elle E. Ire Guest Post & Excerpt!

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Hi guys! We have Elle E. Ire stopping by today with her upcoming re-release Vicious Circle, we have a brilliant guest post from Elle and a great excerpt so check out the post and enjoy! ❤️ ~Pixie~

Elle E. Ire - Vicious Circle Cover cdsj7e4b

Vicious Circle

by

Elle E, Ire

Assassin meets innocent. 

Kicked out of the Assassins Guild for breach of contract, hunted by its members for killing the Guild Leader, and half hooked on illegal narcotics, Cor Sandros could use a break. Down to her last few credits, Cor is offered a freelance job to eliminate a perverse political powerhouse. Always a sucker for helping the helpless, she accepts.

The plan doesn’t include Cor falling in love with her employer, sweet and attractive Kila, but as the pair struggles to reach the target’s home world, pursued by assassins from the Guild, Cor finds the inexplicable attraction growing stronger. There’s a job to do, and intimate involvement is an unwelcome distraction. Then again, so is sexual frustration.

Release date: 7th January 2020
Pre-order:
.•.•.**
❣️ Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | BooksAMillion ❣️**.•.•.

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Testament by Jose Nateras Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Hi guys! We have Jose Nateras popping in today with his new release Testament, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~

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Testament

by

Jose Nateras

Gabe Espinosa, is trying to dig himself out of the darkness. Struggling with the emotional fallout of a breakup with his ex-boyfriend, Gabe returns to his job at The Rosebriar Room; the fine dining restaurant at the historic Sentinel Club Chicago Hotel. Already haunted by the ghosts of his severed relationship, he’s drastically unprepared for the ghosts of The Sentinel Club to focus their attentions on him as well.

When a hotel guest violently attacks Gabe, he finds himself the target of a dark entity’s rage; a rage built upon ages of racial tension and toxic masculinity. Desperate to escape the dark spiral he’s found himself in, Gabe flees across the city of Chicago and dives into the history of the hotel itself. Now, Gabe must push himself to confront the sort of evil that transcends relationships and time, the sort of evil that causes damage that ripples across lives for generations.

Gabe must fight to break free from the dark legacy of the past; both his own and that of the hotel he works in.

Warning: mentions of suicide, assault, rape

.•.•.**❣️ NineStar | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo ❣️**.•.•.

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The Hunt by Sarah Elkins Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Hi peeps, we have Sarah Elkins popping in today with her new release Psychic Underground: The Hunt, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~

Sarah Elkins - The Hunt Cover mzk8dj

The Hunt

(Psychic Underground 02)
by

Sarah Elkins

The Facility is undergoing repairs after a chaotic failed escape attempt by several psychic test subjects some months ago. Neila and Henry’s mission is to locate potential psychics for the scientists at the Facility to study, but they have other ideas.

Neila can’t shake the idea of Nikola Tesla from her mind, and it’s getting worse as bizarre things start happening to herself and Henry. As they hunt for more about Neila’s possible past life, they aren’t sure if they will find answers or if they will become the hunted.

Things are not peaceful back at the Facility as troubling secrets come to light, and the Psychic Underground may never be the same.

Warning: Body horror, description of the torture of an animal

.•.•.**❣️ NineStar | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo ❣️**.•.•.

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Escape by Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky Blog Tour, Guest Post & Excerpt!

Sean Ian O'Meidhir and Connal Braginsky - Crossing Nuwa Escape Tour Banner

Hi guys! We have Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky popping in today with the tour for their new release Escape, we have a brilliant guest post and a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! ❤️ ~Pixie~

Sean Ian O'Meidhir and Connal Braginsky - Escape Cover 3473uye

Escape

(Crossing Nüwa 01)
by

Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky

For sheltered Robbie, one week of freedom leads to sexual awakening and adventure… but when his world intersects with Theo’s, they’ll need all their wits and Theo’s magic to fight for their future.

Rare male weresnake Robbie has had his whole life decided for him down to his meals. But when the time comes for him to perform an unspeakable duty to his clan, he runs.

San Francisco Pride is in full swing when technomage Theo spots a scared-looking young man with brilliant emerald eyes. He’s only looking for a hookup, but before he knows why, he’s taking Robbie home and introducing him to champagne and enchiladas. He doesn’t have any intention of falling in love.

Robbie doesn’t want to return to his clan, at least not without trying to fit a lifetime of experiences into a week, but every day he stays puts Theo in more danger.

.•.•.**❣️ DSPP | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | Google Play | iTunes | B&N ❣️**.•.•.

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Escape by Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky Guest Post & Excerpt!

Sean Ian O'Meidhir and Connal Braginsky - Escape Banner

Hi guys! We have Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky popping in today with their upcoming release Escape, we have a short guest post and a great excerpt so check out the post and enjoy! ❤ ~Pixie~

Sean Ian O'Meidhir and Connal Braginsky - Escape Cover 3473uye

Escape

(Crossing Nüwa 01)
by

Sean Ian O’Meidhir and Connal Braginsky

For sheltered Robbie, one week of freedom leads to sexual awakening and adventure… but when his world intersects with Theo’s, they’ll need all their wits and Theo’s magic to fight for their future.

Rare male weresnake Robbie has had his whole life decided for him down to his meals. But when the time comes for him to perform an unspeakable duty to his clan, he runs.

San Francisco Pride is in full swing when technomage Theo spots a scared-looking young man with brilliant emerald eyes. He’s only looking for a hookup, but before he knows why, he’s taking Robbie home and introducing him to champagne and enchiladas. He doesn’t have any intention of falling in love.

Robbie doesn’t want to return to his clan, at least not without trying to fit a lifetime of experiences into a week, but every day he stays puts Theo in more danger.

Release date: 9th July 2019
Pre-order:
.•.•.**
❣️ DSPP | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | Google Play | iTunes | B&N ❣️**.•.•.

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Murder in Torbaydos by Ian James Krender Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Hi guys! We have Ian James Krender popping in today with his new updated re-release Murder In Torbaydos, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~

Ian James Krender - Murder in Torbaydos Cover 102ijn

Murder In Torbaydos

by

Ian James Krender

What could possibly go wrong when buying an old Victorian property by the seaside to remodel and run as a hotel. Plenty when the ghostly inhabitants from past generations want their say…

Marjorie, Stanley, and the apple of their eyes—their camp son Christopher, buy a leaky wreck, transforming it into a 1970s house of wonders. Marjorie’s Bejam inspired cuisine soon puts their seaside guesthouse on the tourist map. The utterly vile Marjorie’s ambitions for her henpecked husband will stop at nothing, even murder when it comes to climbing to the top.

Meanwhile, in the 2000s, gay couple, Jez and Graham—who have exquisite taste, escape the London rat race and buy the same building—now derelict and full of Marjorie’s draylon headboards and lace curtains. They refurbish it into a modern five-star hotel, the self-described jewel in the crown of English seaside hotels.

Jez, a shallow yet fabulous queen with a penchant for designer clothes, is soon led astray by the opportunity of television fame, a not-so-straight Bulgarian boxer, and a cocaine-fueled celebrity lifestyle—all overseen by the malevolent spirits, an evil bunch, determined to create misery for all.

Warning: scenes of graphic violence, the deaths of secondary characters, and references to drug addiction and cheating

.•.•.**❣️ NineStar | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo ❣️**.•.•.

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Interpretation by Catherine Lievens

Title: Interpretation

Series: Lost in Translation 02

Author: Catherine Lievens

Genre: Contemporary, Mystery

Length: Novella (171 Pages)

Publisher: eXtasy Books (November 2, 2018)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Blurb: Dorran is finally getting over finding a dead body, getting shot, and having to share his apartment with a ghost. So of course, things start going wonky. Dorran and Eli’s relationship hits a rough patch when Eli refused to let Dorran see his apartment, Francis the ghost is getting cheekier and stronger, and even worse, Dorran’s brother is arrested for killing his pregnant girlfriend. Dorran has no intention of sticking his nose into the investigation—except that’s exactly what he ends up doing.

The sheriff in charge of the investigation has already pegged Chris as guilty, and he’s not going to look any further, so it’s not Dorran’s fault if he has to do the man’s job for him, right? With a recalcitrant Eli and some help from Francis, Dorran starts looking for the real murderer. What’s the sheriff hiding? And what on earth is happening with Francis suddenly being visible?

Chris’ life is in danger, and Dorran isn’t going to let his brother pay for a crime he didn’t commit.

ISBN: 978-1-4874-2252-3

Product Link: eXtasy Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Lisa

Review: Francis saves the day!! Dorran and Eli are having a few troubles in their relationship, but the love is going strong. Eli doesn’t want to bring Dorran over to is place and Dorran is trying to figure out what he is hiding from him. Secrets never go the way you want to, but wait till you find out what he is hiding. Trust me you will laugh your ass off. When Chris calls and tells Dorran that he is in big trouble, as in murder, well you can guess Dorran runs to help. Of course you can guess who tags along. Francis saves the day!! I will let you figure out that part.

I will say that I pretty much knew who the killer was, even without Francis’ help. However as always it was a pretty amazing story. It caught my attention and had me sitting on the edge of my seat the whole entire time. I absolutely love Francis, as you can probably guess. Ghost just keep me smiling. Now for a bit there I was ready to deck Eli, but once I found his secret, I basically called him a old softy. This story gives you action, danger and some fun hot sexy times with a bit of touchy feely from a ghost. I wonder if he does watch them when they are getting good.

I had a blast reading this and can not wait to get my hands on the next book. This is one of those books that will be read more than once. And I can guarantee that you will be enchanted also. I would definitely recommend it.

Don’t Fear the (Not Really Grim) Reaper by Carole Cummings

Title: Don’t Fear the (Not Really Grim) Reaper

Author: Carole Cummings

Genre: Paranormal, Angels & Demons

Length: Novella (62 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-64080-679-5

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (11 Jan 2019)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖 3 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: When unassuming college student Emery Sutton wakes up in the morgue, it takes him a few minutes to remember he has magic (superpowers, damn it!) and free himself from the refrigerated drawer. And the body bag. (God.) It doesn’t take long, though, for him to remember the hot guy with wings he ran into just before a city bus ran into him.

Junior Reaper John must explain to his supervisor how his first solo assignment went so wrong. All he knows is that he happened upon Emery quite by accident, that Emery saw John when he shouldn’t have been able to, and when they accidentally touched, a bus came out of nowhere and plowed Emery under. (John really does feel bad about that.)

Hot angels, annoying demons, hijinks, absurdity, drunk siblings, a dash of silly romance, an inordinate attachment to wings, and a highly disorganized bid for world domination—Don’t Fear the (Not Really Grim) Reaper follows Emery and John down the rabbit hole where they find that moms are scarier than demons from hell, a goat is not a puppy no matter what Emery’s sister says, and awkward romance can happen anywhere.

Purchase Link: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Carole Cummings is an author that I’ve heard of and until I went through my book files, I could have sworn I have read something by her in the past. I didn’t really know what to expect from this one. However, reading the blurb I thought that it would be a really fun, quick read with the possibility of angels and demons and all in a package that doesn’t seem to take itself seriously. Which, is exactly what I got.

Emery is a mostly normal college guy who has a penchant for getting into trouble because of the “superpowers” he’s had since he was a kid. His parents have shielded him for the most part and that has meant that he hasn’t crossed the radar of anyone magical. That all changes when Emery encounters Junior Reaper, John.

John is fresh out of training and starting his career in the afterlife as a reaper. John was born and died a human, he doesn’t remember much and he isn’t meant to, but the afterlife presents him with the chance to become a reaper, helping the souls of dying. His encounter with Emery has Emery waking up very much alive in a hospital morgue. As for John, he is in a whole world trouble as the angels and demons quickly find out what has been hiding on earth.

I’m not sure what to feel about this book. There is a little bit of romance, because Emery and John are attracted to each other, but this is not something overly explored in the story. It is more the ending point for their possibility of a HEA. I think on the whole that is ok as there is a lot more to unpack. Yet the downside to that is I think that there was too much goofing off between characters, which made me impatient as it just felt like filler for the story and so other ends of the story wrapped up quickly within all the chatting. It is a shame because Emery’s character really appealed to me. His pop culture references were also right up my alley – Firefly, Doctor Who, Star Wars and Star Trek. The biggest problem in the end was that I just feeling underwhelmed by the whole thing.