Short Review: Paint by E.M. Hamill

Title:  Paint

Series: ---

Author: E.M. Hamill

Publisher:  Star Bard Books

Release Date: November 04, 2018

Heat Level: 2 - just a quick taste

Pairing: M/M

Length: 7 pages
Genre: Paranormal

Tags: Dark, Paranormal, Gay, Urban Fantasy

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42953523-paint

Synopsis:

A broken heart leads to sensual, dark magic. A fantasy short

My Review:

I love E.M. Hamill's writing. She's one of the few authors I've come across in the last couple of years that captures me with her tales effortlessly. So, it's no surprise that I love everything she pens. This quick little tale is no different.

Paint, is a short yarn, something that could easily be read on a ten-minute coffee break. But don't let that deter you. Once again Hamill has managed to weave a beautiful tapestry, twisted, dark and most assuredly a walk into the deepest shadow.

Imagine a lover who's jealousy is so profound they take the "If I can't have you, neither can anyone else," to its extreme.

Immerse yourself in the feeling of being trapped forever, and surrounded by others who were also once lovers of a supernaturally talented artist. Confined and locked in a permanent state of bloody, exquisite torment.

Honestly, this is short to the extreme. But if you let your mind wander deep into a state of empathy for the lovers who once were, the full ramifications of this heinous tale linger with you for a long time.

Well done, Hamill. 

Rating:

Available At:

Amazon 

Meet The Author:

E.M. (Elisabeth) Hamill writes adult science fiction and fantasy somewhere in the wilds of eastern suburban Kansas. A nurse by day, wordsmith by night, she is happy to give her geeky imagination free reign and has sworn never to grow up and get boring.

Frequently under the influence of caffeinated beverages, she also writes as Elisabeth Hamill for young adult readers in fantasy with the award-winning Songmaker series.

She lives in eastern Kansas with her family, where they fend off flying monkey attacks and prep for the zombie apocalypse.

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Book Review: Undertow by Brooklyn Ray

Title:  Undertow

Series: Port Lewis Witches, #2

Author: Brooklyn Ray

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: September 10, 2018

Heat Level: 4- A good amount of sex

Pairing: M/M

Length: 58000
Genre: Paranormal

Tags: Witches, Dark, Paranormal, Transgender

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38102484-undertow

Synopsis:

Port Lewis, a coastal town perched on the Washington cliffs, is home to Crescent Cafe, a slew of micro-breweries, a downtown packed with antique boutiques, and violent, ancient sotrms.  Thunder shakes roogtops and lightning cuts through dark skies, but Liam Montgomery has never been afraid.

Until now.

One night, Liam hears the scream of a kelpie, a Water horse whose cry foretells the beginning of a prophecy. Kelpies have not set foot on shore for decades, but as Liam digs into his magic and his family's history, he uncovers a mysterious secret that could ripple into the lives of everyone around him.

Liam's tea-leaves spell out murder. The life of someone he loves is on the line. An unwelcome kelpie speaks in riddles. The Queen of Water demands a sacrifice.

The Montgomery name is soaked in blood and secrets. Liam's fate is sealed, but he'll do whatever it takes to change it - even if it risks his circle, his magic, and his life.

My Review:

Hold on kids, this is darkness at it's best.

I HAVE to APOLOGIZE - this review was supposed to go out in September - but you know what life is like sometimes. So...yeah, there it is. My deepest apologies to Brooklyn Ray.

Now, no secret - I have a twisted dark side. I suspect Brooklyn Ray has a similar shadowy self that they dwell within while writing the Port Lewis witch series.  Unbroken, the third in the series, and Predatory, the fourth, are both set to be released in 2019 - AND I WILL BE BUYING THEM.

Holy Hot Damn on a Cracker Batman. 

Fair warning, these short novels are intense, hot, steamy, and dark. If you have any issues with blood-letting or questionable gray magic, these stories are not for you. But, if you desire to experience some intense sex scenes, dive deep into the wetness of water magic, to search your shadow side and siphon energy from others, get this book. Get it now.

In the first novel, Darkling (see my review here), we were introduced to Ryder, who is an elemental fire witch, but also a necromancer - a powerful combination. Ryder is also transgender. In this novel, we get to see Liam, Ryder's boyfriend, as he grapples with looming, and grim prophecies of a catastrophic event that is about to unfurl - like the tentacles of an angry octopus.

One of the biggest draws for me in this story is the take on the Kelpie, a water fae that is a shapeshifter, a trickster, dangerous (like most fae), and usually takes the form of a horse with a fishtail.

(Kelpie by Krizdole was taken from the website: https://wendyjargonncom.blogspot.com/2013/03/kelpie-celtic-water-horse.html)

I think most of us have read tales about werewolves, vampires, unicorns - you know, the usual urban fantasy fare. But here, Ray takes us into the lesser known realm of the fae, and I loved it.

Ray is able to weave words together in such a way...it envelopes the reader. I feel as if the spells cast in the book are happening besides me, and I can see the wispy trails of magic swirling around my feet, spiraling up, wrapping and gripping a stranglehold on me. Her stories are like that too. Unapologetically, the sentences act just like the magic spell. They grab you, and drag you through the story, experiencing the tale through comparisons and clever wordplay that I've not seen done by any other author.

I ate this book in a couple of sittings, and the entire time I read it, I felt damp, and cold, and could smell the salt breeze, and hear the ocean waves as they roared with ferocity. So far, this is a brilliant series and one I will always suggest to those who enjoy wallowing in the not-so-light-and-fairy-twinkle-lights of most paranormal/urban fantasy books.

This is gloomy and dark. Unsettling and morally gray.

Get it. Read it.

You will not be disappointed.

Rating:

Available At:

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

Meet The Author:

Brooklyn Ray is a tea connoisseur and an occult junkie. She writes queer speculative fiction layered with magic, rituals and found families.

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Book Review: Dead Wrong (Thorns and Fangs #4) by Gillian St. Kevern

Title: Dead Wrong: Thorns and Fangs, Book Four
Author: Gillian St. Kevern
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: February 26, 2018
Heat Level: 3 - some sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 110100
Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, Vampires, Werewolves, Alternate Universe, Demons, Occult, Suspense

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38235121-dead-wrong

Synopsis: 

Nate’s no supernatural expert, but even he knows a murdered man coming back to life to kill him can only mean one thing—the necromancer is back and out for revenge.

Recruited by Department Seven in a desperate attempt to stop Peter before he claims new victims, Nate quickly realizes he’s in way over his head. His powers are failing him, he’s haunted by Peter’s ghost, and he can’t even remember how he stopped Peter the first time—or why he feels that someone very important is missing from his life.

Ben is fighting for his afterlife. Trapped in the supernatural version of solitary confinement, he knows freeing himself will destroy New Camden’s fragile peace—but what choice does he have? The longer he spends in his magical prison, the harder it becomes to resist his inner vampire. But if Ben wants to help Nate prevent Peter taking over the city, he has to prove himself to his sire—Saltaire, a thousand-year-old vampire with no qualms about using his immense power to suppress Ben’s free will.

As the casualties mount and the city descends into chaos, Ben and Nate must overcome their worst fears and impossible odds—or be written out of existence entirely.

My Review:

I believe that this is the last in the Thorns and Fangs series, although I could easily see how the story might continue. I'm sad to see the last of Nate and Ben. Over the last couple of years, they have wormed their way into my heart.  Nate is by far, one of my favorite queer characters that I've stumbled across and primarily because of his supernatural abilities, which relates to plants. I won't really go much further than that, otherwise, I'd spoil everything. But I have hundreds of plants, and so there's a secret part of me that wishes I could be Nate.

In this installment, Ben, our conflicted vampire, has been entered into New Camden's Final Register. New Camden is the city where the story takes place, and it has a very high population of supernatural folk. In order to maintain law and order, and to protect both supes and normals alike, there are a series of books that have been spelled that maintain a classification system, as well as carrying out the worst of the worst sort of punishments for supernaturals. If you're entered into the Final Register you only exist to yourself. It's a permanent solitary confinement. At the end of Life After Humanity - book three in the series - Ben is entered into the Final Register. The final installment in the Thorns and Fangs series sees Ben and his struggles while on the Final Register, all while not being remembered by anyone, the effects of that type of confinement, Nate's reaction to all that, all while attempting to figure out why or how the Necromancer has returned from the dead, or has he?

I highly suggest St. Kevern's books. They are clever, well written, imaginative and she knows how to paint an interesting world. St. Kevern has another series called Deep Magic, and I'm anxious to get my paws on that.

Rating:

Available At:

NineStar Press: https://ninestarpress.com/product/dead-wrong/

Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/keiez4

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/789722

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dead-wrong-gillian-st-kevern/1127941397

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dead-wrong-37

Meet The Author:

Gillian St. Kevern is spending Christmas in her native New Zealand, where the seasonal festivities include pavlovas, walks on the beach, and a distinct lack of sweaters, seasonal or otherwise. She will almost certainly get sunburnt at some stage.

Gillian reads and writes a variety of genres. She’s a huge fan of paranormal with an emphasis on vampires. The third and fourth books in her vampire series, Thorns and Fangs, are due for release in January and February 2018. She also explores Welsh Mythology in the on-going Deep Magic series. In 2018, she plans to explore another beloved genre―vintage mysteries. She loves discovering new books and authors, so please get in touch if you have any good book recommendations to share!

Author Links

Website: http://www.gillianstkevern.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gillian.stkevern

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GillianStKevern

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/gillianstkevern/

Book Review: Souls for Sale by Asta Idonea

Title:  Souls for Sale

Author: Asta Idonea

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: March 26, 2018

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 51600

Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, humor, demons, angels, nerds-geeks, artists, hell

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39004760-souls-for-sale

Synopsis

When demon Saul persuades comic book artist Tom to sign over his soul in exchange for a night of passion, little does he know what lies in store. Demons can’t fall in love—or so he’s been told—but he finds himself smitten and attempts to destroy the contract, desperate to save Tom from an eternity of torture.

With Saul and Tom forced to run, a showdown between Heaven and Hell ensues as the angels and demons argue over who owns Tom’s soul. But does either party have a stronger claim than Saul?

My Review:

This was a quick, hot, devilish read!

I have to give kudos to Asta Idonea for writing this novel in first person, present tense. As an author, I have attempted this writing style and failed miserably. There's a certain skill required in telling a story from this perspective, a skill I don't possess. 

The story revolves around Saul, a demon from hell, who is a top-notch salesman in obtaining satanic contracts, signed by silly humans willing to give up their souls for an eternity of damnation in exchange for their deepest desire.

A very familiar storyline. And yet, Idonea kept me entertained the entire way through the story by injecting present day realness into the tale. I giggled out loud when Saul exclaims that all demons watch the TV show Supernatural. And in fact, it was required watching. Hilarious - and deeply wonderful, as the TV series antics of demon-hunting brothers Sam and Dean are a regular show at my household. 

I was also pleasantly surprised when Saul, the demon, turns to the reader of the story and actively includes them in the narrative. Here's an excerpt just before Tom and Saul are about to have sex, as an example of what I'm talking about:

"While I'm not always adverse to an audience, I don't really want a bunch of comic book superheroes watching. Oh, don't worry, you can stay. I wouldn't send you packing just as things are getting interesting. Not after you've come so far on this journey with me already you sneaky little voyeur, you."

I'm not entirely certain that our inclusion isn't a 'breaking of the fourth wall', but it was a decidedly odd technique to ensure the reader was wrapped up in the story - as we became part of it! It worked well and I loved it - and thinking back, I don't believe I've ever read another story that utilized such a device to include the audience.

It's no secret that I like my dark and creepy stories, but Idonea's version of hell and demons, although dark, and potentially gruesome never truly 'went there' for me. We were given hints as to what hell would be like, and we met a couple of different types of demons, but the focus was on Saul and his decidedly human physical attributes. Throughout the story, we definitely watch his burgeoning humanity as he falls in love with Tom. And I was tickled with the notion that demons love luxury, so the next time you check into the Four Seasons hotel - make sure you're on the lookout for a sexy demon. They should be around in droves.

All in all, this is a great read, a sexy dark temptation of giving up your soul to love.

Rating:

Available At:

NineStar Press: https://ninestarpress.com/product/souls-for-sale/

Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/v19qd7

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/803834

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/souls-for-sale-asta-idonea/1123356857

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/souls-for-sale-3

Meet the Author

Asta Idonea (aka Nicki J Markus) was born in England but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist, having studied several foreign languages.

Asta launched her writing career in 2011 and divides her efforts not only between MM and mainstream works but also between traditional and indie publishing. Her works span the genres, from paranormal to historical and from contemporary to fantasy. It just depends what story and which characters spring into her mind!

As a day job, Asta works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys music, theater, cinema, photography, and sketching. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel, all of which have provided plenty of inspiration for her writing. She is never found too far from her much-loved library/music room.

Author Links

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NickiJMarkus
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickiJMarkus

Book Review: Life After Humanity (Thorns and Fangs #3) by Gillian St Kevern

Title: Life After Humanity Series: Thorns and Fangs, Book Three 
Author: Gillian St. Kevern 
Publisher: NineStar Press 
Release Date: January 15, 2018 
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex 
Pairing: Male/Male 
Length: 119000 
Genre: Paranormal, vampires, supernatural beings, werewolves, alternate universe, cliffhanger ending  

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37482280-life-after-humanity

Synopsis

Ben is a recovering vampire determined to pick up the pieces of the life that came to a halt when he was murdered over a year ago—even if that means distancing himself from his few remaining friends. Nate, struggling to navigate his new identity as a Class 3 Unknown paranormal, knows it will take more than mastery of his affinity with plants to convince Ben they belong together.

When Ben’s application for human status is denied, he must fight to leave the paranormal world behind him while Nate’s generous impulses drag him into conflict with a werewolf pack with designs on ruling New Camden. As Ben’s vampire family draws closer to finding him, his vampire instinct awakens—throwing his continued existence into jeopardy. The hunt for the missing werewolf continues, and Nate and Ben become pawns in Councilor Wisner’s plans to take control of the city. Their only hope is each other—if they can see that before all is lost.

My Review:


I believe I have done an injustice to St Kevern with her last two books in this series by not extolling their virtues further than an "I loved this book" type of review. Shame on me! (Check out Thorns and Fangs and Uprooted on Goodreads.)

I shall attempt to remedy that with a more expanded review.

Life After Humanity is the third in the Thorns and Fangs series, and each installment of the series gets better. The saga revolves around Nate, a male escort, and Ben, a retired investigator for the ARX Security Company, and a vampire. Throughout the tale we see the two meet, watch them as they negotiate some rather tricky relationship issues, and are privy to their own journeys of self-discovery.

The setting is the city of New Camden, where the existence of supernatural entities is viewed as a normal occurrence, and the city denizens make allowances for such creatures, albeit with a healthy dose of respect. St Kevern has quite subtly added ripples of prejudice throughout the books - I mean, after all, who wouldn't be a little leery of ancient vampires who like to compel humans and werewolves with power-hungry political aspirations? The city even has a unique law enforcement branch referred to as Department Seven.  Through laws and regulations, all supernaturals are given various classifications, including registries, one of which no one wants to be one: The Final Register.

Now Nate's case is unique. We're not exactly sure what he is - but the closest thing would be a dryad, but "Dryads are all girls." Nate has power over, or perhaps with plants, which brings some unusual abilities to the forefront.

Ben, on the other hand, started off as human, was changed to a vampire, and in Life After Humanity seeks to have himself reclassified as Human after his vampire form dies at the end of Uprooted (Thorns and Fangs #2). But can a vampire cease to exist?

St Kevern is a master at not revealing absolute truths. Nate's true form has never been given a name, and many questions were raised throughout Life After Humanity regarding Ben's human existence. The writing is comfortable and easy to slip into. The New Camden nightlife is vibrant and seedy, dark and creepy. Secondary characters are far from two dimensional, and I found myself wanting much more of Grant, the alpha-werewolf struggling to emancipate himself from his pack, and Vazul and Charlotte, two magic users. We can't forget Diya, the Department Seven caseworker with a vampire child, and Aki, Nate's best friend. There are many more characters, the cast of past books, that play minor roles throughout this story, and each remains true to their original introductions.

I've often said that finding really well-written LGBTQA+ Urban Fantasy stories is a tough task. Sure we have lots of them where there might be a gay secondary character or two, but the Thorns and Fangs series has definitely earned its spot on my bookshelves as one series I will go back and reread over and over. Thoroughly enjoyable, totally believable, and with creatures that are familiar and yet still have clever twists to the well-known mythos.Wait...A review of the fourth book, Dead Wrong is forthcoming!

Rating:

Available At:

NineStar Press: https://ninestarpress.com/product/life-after-humanity/

Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/2gry8y

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/772926

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life-after-humanity-gillian-st-kevern/1127744309

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/life-after-humanity

Meet the Author:

Gillian St. Kevern is spending Christmas in her native New Zealand, where the seasonal festivities include pavlovas, walks on the beach, and a distinct lack of sweaters, seasonal or otherwise. She will almost certainly get sunburnt at some stage.

Gillian reads and writes a variety of genres. She’s a huge fan of paranormal with an emphasis on vampires. The third and fourth books in her vampire series, Thorns and Fangs, are due for release in January and February 2018. She also explores Welsh Mythology in the on-going Deep Magic series. In 2018, she plans to explore another beloved genre―vintage mysteries. She loves discovering new books and authors, so please get in touch if you have any good book recommendations to share!

Author Links:

Website: http://www.gillianstkevern.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gillian.stkevern

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GillianStKevern

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8337607.Gillian_St_Kevern

Email: gillian.stkevern@gmail.com

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/gillianstkevern/

Book Review: The Calling by M.D. Neu

Title:  The Calling

Author: M.D. Neu

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: January 1, 2018

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 108300

Genre: Paranormal, paranormal, gay, dark, immortal, magic users, psychic ability, vampires

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36990715-the-calling

Blurb:

Being a nobody isn’t Duncan Alexander’s life goal, but it’s worked for him. He has a nondescript job, a few good friends, and overall he’s content. That’s until one fateful trip to San Jose, California, where he is “Called” to meet the mysterious Juliet de Exter. Juliet is a beautiful, wealthy, powerful Immortal who is undertaking The Calling—a search for a human to join her world of Immortals. Inexplicably, Duncan’s calling is more dangerous than any of the Immortals, even Juliet, ever thought it would be.

There is more to this nobody, this only child of long-deceased parents, than anyone thought. When Duncan experiences uncontrollable dreams of people he doesn’t know and places he hasn’t been, Juliet and the other Immortals worry. Soon, his visions point to a coven of long-dead witches. The dreams also lead Duncan to his one true love. How will Duncan navigate a forbidden romance with an outcast Immortal? How will he and the others keep the balance between the Light and Dark, survive vicious attacks, and keep the humans from learning who they truly are? More importantly, who is this implacable foe Duncan keeps seeing in his dreams?

The Review:

The Calling by MD Neu is an interesting romp through a new version of the Vampire mythos. Neu has created (for me) a version of the legendary creature that is reminiscent of the Fae, featuring both Light and Dark sides to this tribe of predators. As the story unfolds and the vampire lore is discovered I was reminded (fondly) of The Hunger (1983 film with Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon), Lost Girl (TV series 2010-2015 with Anna Silk) and the infamous Twilight series by Stephanie Meyers.

The writing is unapologetically casual, and easy going. The blurb states “Being a nobody isn’t Duncan Alexander’s goal, but it’s worked for him.” And as Duncan is the narrator of the story, you quickly get a sense that his character is uncomplicated, honest, and simple.

Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. 

Without spoiling any fun, let’s just say that Duncan is anything but ‘a nobody’ and as he becomes enveloped into the world of immortals we find out how truly unique and special he is.
I suppose the one downside for me was the oddly lighthearted, and at times glamorous lifestyles of the Light side of the vampire clan where Duncan starts his journey. I had a hard time relating to Juliet, Duncan’s maker, and leader of the Light as she was more like a fairy godmother than a vampire. 

I’ve always had a penchant for dark and creepy, and it wasn’t until the introduction and more grotesque scenes of the Dark side of the immortal world, and the brilliant descriptions of Duncan’s visions where I was treated to the dank underbelly of the magical realm I so enjoy. I instantly fell for the charms of Victor, the leader of the Dark clan. He was quick to anger, prone to whim and fancy, and decidedly nefarious in his dealings – just the kind of creature I enjoy – he was charismatic, handsome, spellbinding and completely untrustworthy. I loved him, and his motley crew of dark companions.

Neu captured my attention with his main character’s coupling – a love interest from the Dark tribe. The history of Kirtus was most inventive. A vampire who through strange circumstance ended up on the wrong side and who shall remain there forevermore. Neu adds a special element to vampiric lore as each one has a special gift. Kirtus has the ability to control the elements, and is a redhead, so what’s not to love? I’m excited to see where this relationship goes.
There are little shots of humor scattered throughout this story as well, including a small dig at the current political climate – well done – that gave me a good giggle.
I was disappointed to discover that true magic with its infinite possibility and unchecked potential is not something humans can handle. I’d love nothing more than to see a clumsy witch attempt spells with this type of magic. The carnage would be spectacular.
The last few pages of the novel set this story up for a sequel and I’m already chomping at the bit to read how the next great battle between good and evil (or perceived good and evil) comes to pass.
So, if you’re interested in a new spin around the block in the Vampire-mobile, one where high fashion meets creative blood infused cuisine, masquerade parties, magic, pomp, and circumstance, tradition and ritual, then you’re in for a treat.

Rating:

Purchase Links:

NineStar Press: https://ninestarpress.com/product/the-calling/

Amazon: http: http://hyperurl.co/uhvg88

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/769919

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1127687304

Kobo: https: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-calling-80

Meet the Author:

M.D. Neu is a LGBTQA Fiction Writer with a love for writing and travel. Living in the heart of Silicon Valley (San Jose, California) and growing up around technology, he’s always been fascinated with what could be. Specifically drawn to Science Fiction and Paranormal television and novels, M.D. Neu was inspired by the great Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, Stephen King, Alfred Hitchcock and Kim Stanley Robinson. An odd combination, but one that has influenced his writing.

Growing up in an accepting family as a gay man, he always wondered why there were never stories reflecting who he was. Constantly surrounded by characters that only reflected heterosexual society, M.D. Neu decided he wanted to change that. So, he took to writing, wanting to tell good stories that reflected our diverse world.

                                         

When M.D. Neu isn’t writing, he works for a non-profit and travels with his biggest supporter and his harshest critic, Eric, his husband of eighteen plus years.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.mdneu.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mdneuauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Writer_MDNeu

Book Review: Darkling by Brooklyn Ray

Title:  Darkling

Series: Port Lewis Witches, book one

Author: Brooklyn Ray

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: January 8, 2018

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 33200

Genre: Paranormal, Romance, paranormal, trans, magic users, bonded, demons, friends to lovers

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36572967-darkling

Synopsis

Port Lewis, a coastal town perched on the Washington cliffs, is surrounded by dense woods, and is home to quaint coffee shops, a movie theater, a few bars, two churches, the local college, and witches, of course.

Ryder is a witch with two secrets—one about his blood and the other about his heart. Keeping the secrets hasn’t been a problem, until a tarot reading with his best friend, Liam Montgomery, who happens to be one of his secrets, starts a chain of events that can’t be undone.

Dark magic runs through Ryder’s veins. The cards have prophesized a magical catastrophe that could shake the foundation of Ryder’s life, and a vicious partnership with the one person he doesn’t want to risk.

Magic and secrets both come at a cost, and Ryder must figure out what he’s willing to pay to become who he truly is.

My Review

Every now and then I read a book, see a movie or watch a TV show, and then sensations that are elicited through the soundtracks, visuals, and words linger...the vibe of the experience settles into your bones and it becomes part of you.

Now, it's no secret, I tend to like the dark and creepy stuff, and if it's sitting on the edge of "oh man, I can't believe it went there", so much the better.

Darkling is a perfect example of this. After every reading session, I found myself walking off the train (my mode of transportation to and from work) with dark powers swirling around me, Ryder's angst sat comfortably within my skin, and I looked at strangers as if they were playthings...toys to be tormented - in other words, the dark magic was brewing.

This was my 'takeaway' from Brooklyn Ray's short novel. The book is steeped in clever descriptions and laced with flavors and sounds, in short, the story is magical, witchy, and absolutely dark.

Those who have issues with blood, be forewarned, this may not be the story for you - but for me and my inner horde of demons, we screamed in delight as the story unfolded.

Each character was distinct and unusual in their own mystical way. I loved Christy's psychic white witchery and Liam's water mastery. But by far, Ryder with his blend of Fire and Necromancy stole my heart. Donovan has us guessing as to his true nature, and Tyler was the one you loved to hate. I particularly loved the dynamics within the Wolfe clan, and how they treated Ryder and his 'coming to terms' with his necromantic talents. And I can't forget to mention the familiars - super wow!

This is a well thought out story, steeped in history, with rich characters and an intriguing setting. I anxiously await whatever else may come about from the Port Lewis witches!

I want to live in Port Lewis, and I want to be a witch.

Well done!

Rating:  

Available at:

NineStar Press: https://ninestarpress.com/product/darkling/

Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/wju4ae

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/769959

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1127687735

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/darkling-13

Meet the Author

Brooklyn Ray is a tea connoisseur and an occult junkie. She writes queer speculative fiction layered with magic, rituals and found families.

Author Links

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BrookieRayWrite

Tumblr: http://www.brooklyn--ray.tumblr.com/