Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween

from Michele ‘n Jeff’s Reviews

Our reviewers: Michele, Jeff, Lisa, Michelle, and Sidney

would like to wish you all a delightful and terrifying Halloween experience.

We hope you have enjoyed our Parnormal Week focus, and we ask for your indulgence as we continue with parnormal reviews into next week. We simply didn’t have enough days of the week to get them all in…
Stop by tomorrow for a special post-Halloween treat. We are featuring an amazing horror author, Joshua Dagon. You’re not going to want to miss it!

>Vampire’s Prisoner by Scarlet Blackwell

>

The Vampire’s Prisoner
Author: Scarlet Blackwell
Publisher: Torquere Press
Pages: 61
Characters: Alexander Somerville, Raphael Lefevre
POV: 3rd person
Scene Setting: 1880s England
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book Cover Rating: Torquere Press Generic
4 KISSES
Buy Here

Blurb:

Doctor Alex Somerville has a fascination for all things paranormal. He arranges for a captured French vampire to be brought to his Victorian London home, where he plans to study the creature for a scientific paper. Arriving unconscious and burned by the sun, Raphael Lefevre’s survival as a lab specimen appears in doubt. But a vampire’s recuperative powers are legendary, and soon Raphael is making it clear that he is none too pleased by his situation. It’s not long before he sets about seducing Alex. Will Raphael be able to turn the tables and make Alex into the vampire’s prisoner?

Review:

Dr. Alexander Somerville is a circumspect and impersonal man who uses his sexual partners, including his footman, Jonathan, to slake his physical needs but entirely disregards anything that might resemble an emotional connection.

The sole enthusiasm he seems capable of generating is for his interest in the paranormal, so to slake his thirst for knowledge, he answers an advertisement to purchase a Parisian vampire, Raphael Lefevre, for research. When his cage arrives with Raphael imprisoned within, more dead than alive, the reader begins to get a glimpse of who the true monster is in this very short, very erotic story.

Much to Alex’s horror, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to the beautiful nosferatu, drawn by both his physical attraction and something that may resemble an inkling of sympathy for the gorgeous specimen. After a passionate encounter, Alex learns that being truly alive means something more than simply participating in life.

Written in what I’m beginning to believe is dependable Scarlet Blackwell style, The Vampire’s Prisoner is steeped in sensuality and written with the perfect pace, keeping the reader turning page after page.

While this very short story doesn’t lend itself to the author’s usual flair for character and plot development, what is revealed between its covers is more than well worth the few moments it takes to read. What it may lack in exposition, it more than makes up for in its torrid sexuality.

Review by Lisa

>Secrets in the Attic by Damian Serbu

>

Secrets in the Attic
by Damian Serbu
Quest Books
Pages: 159
Genre: Paranormal
POV: First Person Singular Narrative
Characters: Jaret Bachmann, Steve Williams
Setting: Fremont, NE, present-day
Book Cover Rating: 3
4.5 KISSES

Buy Here

Blurb:

In Secrets In the Attic, Jaret Bachmann travels with his family to his beloved grandfather’s funeral with a heavy heart and, more troubling, premonitions of something evil lurking at the Bachmann ancestral home. But no one believes that he sees ghosts, and no one else saw his grandfather’s ghost warning him to stay home except his dog, Darth. Grappling with his sexuality, a ghost that wants him out of the way, and the loss of his grandfather, Jaret must protect his family and come to terms with powers hidden deep within himself.

Review:

Jaret Bachmann is eighteen years old, shy and reserved. His story begins while he’s in transit, on his way from Colorado to Nebraska to attend his grandfather’s funeral. Jaret holds within himself two secrets which he is afraid to share with anyone. Firstly, he is gay. It would seem obvious, actually, because Jaret possesses all of the stereotypes. He is softspoken and somewhat effeminate. His timidity makes him seem vulnerable, and almost immediately he becomes a sympathetic protagonist. The portrayal of this endearing character is, in my view, the strongest aspect of this story.

Jaret’s other secret is that he sees ghosts. He has a paranormal gift which he’s known about nearly all his life. It is confusing to him, though, and somewhat frightening. He’s tried talking to his family about this secret, but they dismiss him, thinking he simply has an overactive imagination.

When Jaret and his family arrive in Fremont, Nebraska, this supernatural gift begins to manifest itself repeatedly. Jaret begins to see ghosts in his grandfather’s house, and one of these ghosts is Jaret’s Gramps himself.

Early on in the story, Jaret makes a connection with one of the local residents of the small town. Steve Williams is a seventeen year old jock that Jaret remembers from his early grade school years when his family lived in Fremont. Steve seems to be everything that Jaret is not. He’s athletic and muscular, and he exudes confidence and masculinity. He senses a mutual attraction, but is too timid to immediately pursue anything. When Steve makes the first move on him, though, things escalate from there.

As the story continues, it unfolds as a paranormal mystery, but it is also a coming-of-age and coming-out drama. Jaret reveals the truth of his sexual orientation and supernatural abilities first to his sister Jenn. Eventually these secrets are revealed to several others, including all of Jaret’s family. A nemesis emerges—an evil ghost who inhabits the Bachmann house. The identity of this ghost is the primary element of the story’s mystery. All is revealed in the end, when Jaret finally assumes his role as hero while confronting the villain with the help of his supernatural powers.

The story contained a great deal of symbolism, including the existence of some preternatural family jewels. This jewelry is what empowered Jaret to face his enemies and to find his inner strength. The issues of Jaret’s sexual orientation and his identity as a wizard were presented as parallels. By embracing the fact that he was special, different from almost everyone else, Jaret was able to find his inner hero.

I will admit that I have a soft spot for these sorts of stories. I especially love a gay romance which depicts the contrast of a softer, less masculine character with a stronger, dominant love interest. I immediately took to Jaret’s character, but as soon as Steve was introduced, I was hooked. The dynamic that existed between these two characters is one of my favorites: the jock/nerd romance. The presentation of a protective, self-confident, heroic figure who falls in love with a sensitive, shy and vulnerable character is my absolute favorite romantic theme.

My only quibble with the story is that the romance itself seemed a bit rushed to me. This was a bit startling to me simply because it is the polar opposite of Damian Serbu’s first novel The Vampire’s Angel. In that novel, the love story was drawn out very slowly—almost too slowly. I’d love to see a happy medium.

Ultimately, though, I feel that Serbu has done it again. He’s given us a fantastic story, filled with enigma and suspense. The romance was presented beautifully, though not erotically. There were no graphic sexual descriptions. It is definitely a ghost story, but it is also filled with drama, romance, and superb characterization. Without question, it is one of my recommended reads.

Review by Jeff

A Pint of Light by Devon Rhodes

A Pint Light (Vampires & Mages & Weres, Oh My! #1)
Author: Devon Rhodes
Publisher: Total e-Bound Publishing
Pages: 40
Characters: Valerian, Raine
POV: 3rd person
Scene Setting: Contemporary
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book Cover Rating: 4
3.5 KISSES

Buy Here

Blurb:

Valerian stole Raine’s blood, his magic…and his heart.

What’s a vampire to do when every day is the same old dull quest for blood? Head to Maui, of course. But before Valerian can hit the beach, he needs to get rid of the sultry mage seducing him in his sleep. She may have fooled his subconscious, but he doesn’t need a mate complicating his life. Imagine Val’s shock when he finds out she’s a he, yet still has the power to arouse him beyond anything he ever imagined.

Raine faints at the sight of blood and isn’t looking forward to being a vamp’s chew toy. Still, family duty calls, and Valerian turns out to be the hottest, and most powerful, male on two legs. Raine is crushed when the sexy vamp of his dreams runs from their rough play in horror. But his pride can’t stand in the way when Valerian accidently steals his magic along with his blood.

Now, with time running out, Raine needs to seduce Val one last time to even up the score, and maybe this time, they’ll exchange more than blood and power. Magic is in the air, and sometimes love only needs a little nudge…

Review:

Valerian is a powerful, middle-aged vampire who is suffering from the ennui of having lived for countless years of nothing new. He’s recently begun having dreams which feature his life-mate, an Offering who will become his partner for eternity and who will increase his strength through the sharing of blood. The problem—his life-mate is a man and Valerian is straight, or he was until he laid eyes on Raine.

Raine is an Offering selected by the Delegate. His family is in a precarious position and Raine needs to secure a power exchange with the vampire, Valerian, in order to strengthen his family’s standing in battle. Trouble ensues, however, when their first encounter leaves Raine leached of all his powers and sends Valerian retreating to Hawaii with the only antidote to Raine’s dilemma.

Coming in at just forty pages, A Pint Light is a very quick and entertaining read. The pacing is brisk, and for such a short story, the plot was well thought out. In fact, the world-building was so well plotted I felt it left room for so much more exposition. The Delegate, the Offerings, and their political hierarchy would have made for some interesting background. Overall, though, Devon Rhodes has provided a fast, fun read.

Reviewer: Lisa

Through the Red Door by Devon Rhodes

Through the Red Door (Vampires & Mages & Weres, Oh My! #2)
Author: Devon Rhodes
Publisher: Total e-Bound Publishing
Pages: 68
Characters: Seth, Kyrian
POV: 3rd person
Setting: Contemporary
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book Cover Rating: 3
4.5 KISSES

Buy Here

Blurb:

Just a demon’s luck. Seth finally finds the perfect house…and it comes with an angel.

The last thing that demon Seth expects to come across while house hunting is an injured angel…especially one who has no idea he’s anything but human. Every instinct in him wants to stay far away, but Kyrian is being targeted by another demon, and Seth reluctantly finds himself playing guardian to the irresistible male.

Kyrian has no idea what is ‘haunting’ his house, but after he breaks his ankle being shoved off the deck, he’s had enough. Strong, handsome Seth is a godsend, making him feel safe and secure. But he alludes to secrets that will test everything Kyrian believes…and turns the tables on just who needs protecting.

Review:

As Through the Red Door opens, the reader finds Seth on an arduous and daunting pursuit—he’s house shopping. At the end of a frustrating day, he comes to the final home on the realtor’s list, and it appears to be the perfect house in every way, except for one small issue: it’s warded against demons. So, what’s the problem with that? There wouldn’t be a problem at all, if Seth wasn’t a demon himself.

As his curiosity gets the best of him, he reinforces his power and prepares to cross the threshold of the house, wondering who, or rather, what would be living in a warded, suburban home. Catching a heavenly scent, he follows it to the master bedroom, realizing then precisely what owns the house, but he also catches the impression of another, more malevolent presence.

Determined to do a little bit of investigating on his own, Seth sends his realtor on her way with instructions to make an offer on the home. When he comes across the owner himself, Kyrian De Angelo, Seth’s suspicions are confirmed: Kyrian is a half-angel and is Seth’s inherent nemesis. Kyrian, however, has no clue of his demi-angel status, and without powers, is entirely vulnerable to the evil that pursues him. What’s a demon to do when he feels an undeniable attraction to someone he should instinctively avoid—he says, to Hell with that, of course, and the flare of an undeniable attraction rules.

Unlike A Pint Light, the first in the Vampires & Mages & Weres, Oh My! series, Through the Red Door is a more complete story and can be read as a stand-alone. While the elements of this short tale are every bit as cohesive and compelling as in the first, Devon Rhodes takes the reader just a bit further, tearing through sixty-eight pages of action, romance, passion, and just enough exposition to help the reader feel satisfied that s/he has closed the cover on a wonderfully entertaining story. And the ending? Well, that leaves the reader with the promise of a third book in the series.

Reviewed by: Lisa

>And Hell Itself Breathes Out by AR Moler

>

And Hell Itself Breathes Out
Author: A.R. Molar
Publisher: Torquere Press
Pages: 186
Characters: Evan Garrett, John Benchley
POV: 3rd person
Scene Setting: Washington, D.C.
Genre: Paranormal
Book Cover Rating: 3

3 KISSES

Buy Here

Blurb:

Evan Garrett is a psychic DC homicide cop, and his latest case is triggering all his instincts. When one murder becomes two, he can’t help but start connecting the dots, putting cases and clues together. He’s not the only one, though. John Benchley, director of Special Investigative Services, a tiny government agency attached to Homeland Security which deals with darker realities, and his team are soon on the case, and they bring Evan and his special skills on board.

Both bisexual, Evan and John find they are attracted to each other, even as they work together to solve this string of murders which keeps growing in scope. Their serial killer seems to be moving toward darker and darker deeds with every murder and ritual performed. Can John and Evan find solace in each other, even as murderous men and demonic forces threaten not only their own team, but the city as well?

Review:

Something strange and sinister is happening in Washington, D.C., and it has nothing to do with the elected officials and lobbyists running the country. “Hell has three gates: lust, anger, and greed.” And all three are explored in And Hell Itself Breathes Out. Ritualistic murders, bodies eviscerated and dumped, sacrifices made in the name of the lust for money and power, offered to the demon Telaroth, each serve as a device to involve the unique talents of Special Investigative Services to solve the crimes.

Detective Evan Garrett works for the DCPD, but his talents lie beyond the mundane world of simple forensics and investigative work. Evan is also a telepath/empath, capable of registering the moods, emotions, and at times, the thoughts of others. Raised in a pagan household, Evan is given to a broader understanding of the unusual events surrounding the latest round of murders plaguing his city. It’s at a murder scene that he meets John Benchley, the director of SIS and a man with whom Evan shares abilities. As it becomes evident that a serial murderer, or murderers, is on the loose, and that these killers are dabbling in the black arts, Evan joins the SIS team to help the agency bring an end to the killings.

And Hell Itself Breathes Out is a difficult book to categorize. Technically, it’s not a mystery, as the murderers are introduced and their identities revealed from the outset, eliminating some of the enjoyment for fans of a good “whodunit”. The police procedural element of the plot was fairly satisfying, watching the investigation unfold held my interest, but knowing who the agency was looking for could’ve lent a more cat-and-mouse style aspect to the plot. Not all criminals have a gift for carrying out the perfect crime, but when one of the boys uses his father’s prescription pad to fill an order for one of the drugs used in the crimes, and that same boy was interviewed as a suspect, it seemed that one and one should’ve equaled two much quicker than it did.

As a fan of a great horror story, I thought the book had potential. The idea of a group of rich, spoiled, and egotistical boys carrying out the grandiose plot to gain money and power by summoning a demon, had the earmarks of a great story, but I felt it ultimately fell short in that what could’ve made for a compelling supernatural element was never fully explored. What should’ve been the primary focus of suspense, ended up really being nothing more than a vague idea, starting off well but ending too abruptly. A demon on the loose, wreaking havoc on the city, holding sway over those who had summoned him, would’ve made for a better storyline. It was a big idea with a facile resolution; the demon never seemed to pose as more than a modest threat, there one second and gone the next. What did work, however, was the concept of the human monster. As Stephen King once said, “Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.”

Where this book succeeded for me was in its character exposition. The relationship between Evan and John develops slowly and believably, never forcing the reader to accept the attraction, but allowing him/her to become fully involved in the budding relationship. While there is still much more room for this new bond to grow and strengthen—it still feels a bit tenuous, at best—I’m looking forward to seeing what happens between these two magnetic characters. Each of the minor characters were distinct individuals who played varying roles in the development of the plot, supporting the storyline and the protagonists well.

Reviewer: Lisa

>Haunted House

>

Paranormal Week Continues

on Michele ‘n Jeff’s Reviews

Horrifying and Horrible!!

>I Fell in Love with a Zombie by Sean Kennedy

>

I Fell in Love with a Zombie
Author: Sean Kennedy
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pages: 74
Characters: Jay, Dave
POV: 1st person
Scene Setting: Contemporary US
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book Cover Rating: 4
4.5 KISSES

Buy Here

Blurb:

Jay didn’t expect to be one of the very few survivors of the virus that decimated the country, leaving shambling, ravenous zombies behind. Fighting for his life amongst the dead, he keeps moving until the day he’s surrounded and facing his bloody end—and shockingly, another zombie saves him. But not just any zombie… it’s Dave, the first man Jay ever loved, and there’s something special about him even now, in the midst of the horror around them.

Review:

The US population has recently been decimated by a flu pandemic that has thrown the country into a dystopia, leaving its landscapes littered with abandoned homes, cars, and decaying bodies. The oddity surrounding this particular strain of the virus, however, is that some of the dead, quite unfortunately, don’t seem to choose to remain dead for very long.

Jay has lost his lover to the disease, and finding that it’s too dangerous to remain in the city any longer, he sets out on his own to search for other survivors. As his journey leads him into danger, then into the acquaintance of a monster of the human variety, he travels further still, until he finds himself stranded in the city where his ex-lover, Dave, had moved some years before.

Finding himself in the midst of a group of the living dead, Jay prepares for his own demise, until an undead savior comes to his rescue, and he begins to see that not all zombies are created equally.

The story itself becomes a metaphor for the hazard of collectively judging and condemning a group of individuals, for allowing prejudice to overshadow reason, and as Jay soon discovers, the familiarity of the heart is more powerful than the differences in appearance.

If you’re a reader who likes a little humor mixed in with his horror, Sean Kennedy delivers beautifully. I Fell in Love with a Zombie is a fun, fast paced story that propels the reader through its seventy-four pages at a full-tilt, coming to an ending that, while rather abrupt, fits the tone of the story entirely. Can two men who are at the “high end of unnatural” find a happily-ever-after? That’s left for the reader to decide.

Reviewer: Lisa

>Wolfsbane (MIA Casefile 1) by KC Burns

>

Wolfsbane (MIA Casefile 1)
Author: K.C. Burn
Publisher: Loose Id
Pages: 177
Characters: Lachlan Carmichael, Adam Farelli
POV: 3rd person
Scene Setting: Rothburg, USA
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book Cover Rating: 4
4.5 KISSES
Buy Here

Blurb:

Agent Lachlan Carmichael has a job to do. A portal is open in Rothburg, and this time the Umbrae passing through it are creating werewolves. He needs to close the portal, even if it means losing two-thirds of the people possessed by the Umbrae.

So what if Adam Farelli, the town’s screw-up, is the sexiest man he’s ever seen? Carmichael’s been content to live with ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ for most of his life. A gorgeous, shiftless layabout isn’t going to convince him to step out of the closet.

But when Carmichael needs Adam’s help to close the portal, he’s unable to resist the temptation Adam represents. But his lies and lack of trust put Adam in danger when one of the werewolves, obsessed with Adam, kidnaps him. Even if Carmichael can save the man he’s grown to love, he’s going to have to convince Adam to forgive him.

Review:

Adam Farelli is a pariah in his hometown. Twenty-six years old, still living at home with his parents, working meaningless jobs, and being openly gay in a small, conservative town all serve to make him an easy target for the ridicule of the fellow residents of Rothburg, as well as of the rigid, aloof, and closeted MIA agent, Lachlan Carmichael.

Carmichael and his fellow agent, Oliver Cardosa, are in town under the guise of authors researching the local folklore. In actuality, they’re there investigating an outbreak of paranormal activity for the Metaphysical Investigative Agency—an agency that doesn’t exist, according to the US government. Someone or something is causing an outbreak of inexplicable events in Rothburg: deaths, disappearances, and other mysterious occurrences that can’t be defined by modern forensics or technology.

Being strangers in a town with a “Stepford Wives vibe to it…,” Cardosa realizes that he and Carmichael will need to become friendly with a local if they’re to make any headway in their investigation. Much to Carmichael’s annoyance, it’s Adam who accepts the job, forcing the two men together and opening the door for the exploration of much more activity than of the metaphysical variety. Carmichael also learns a very humbling and valuable lesson about calling a case closed before all the facts have been collected.

Wolfsbane is the debut novel by K.C. Burn, and to say I’m impressed is a massive understatement. The writing is tautly paced from start to finish; Adam and Carmichael are both fully realized protagonists with a tangible chemistry between them, and the book left me wanting nothing more than to get a second book in the series as soon as possible.

Danger, suspense, and intrigue propel the story along, giving the reader a glimpse into the mind of a psychotic stalker, and offering a bit of a new twist to the werewolf mythology. In the end, my one and only qualm is that I was left wishing there had been a bit more exploration of the mythology. The way in which the residents of Rothburg were infected with the werewolf power was interesting, and I was more than a little fascinated by it. Unfortunately, the reader doesn’t get a clearer picture of the origination of the mysterious beings that have the power to infect humans with all manner of stranger paranormal powers. Overall, however, that ended up being a rather small frustration that was more than made up for by the relationship between Carmichael and Adam.

Review by Lisa

>Boo!

>

profile editor