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SPECTR: Reaper of Souls – Jordan L. Hawk
When an incubus murders the powerful ally of an anti-paranormal senator, it’s up to hotshot Federal exorcist John Starkweather to catch the demon before it can kill again. Fortunately, he has backup, in the form of his boyfriend Caleb, a telekinetic possessed by the vampire spirit Gray.
As the political pressure mounts and bodies pile up, John discovers an old enemy protecting the incubus: the Fist of God, a group that believes all paranormals are evil. But why would the Fist work with a demon? And why would they let it kill one of their own allies?
John and Caleb need to find out fast. Because the incubus lurks at the intersection of love and longing, and it’s willing to turn their deepest desires against them.
For Reaper of Souls, our SPECTR agents are dealing with an incubus and deepest darkest desires is the theme for this installment.
Caleb got a snazzy new leather coat which didn’t impress Tiffany.
“They aren’t going to give out a warrant against a senator on the say-so of a possessed hippie,” Tiffany replied. “Or are you a goth now, with the coat and boots? Way to live the vampire stereotype.”
“Tiffany,” John said, a warning edge in his voice. “Can we keep the personal insults out of it, please?”
“Fine.” She settled back in her seat, arms crossed over her chest. “But if he starts writing morbid poetry and hanging out in graveyards, I’m staking his ass.”
But it certainly got John’s blood running, John who has a dark secret desire (which doesn’t take much to figure out given his reactions). He’s keeping it from everyone including Caleb. I wonder how Caleb and Gray would react if they know. I think all readers saw it coming but I can’t wait for the moment he drops the bombshell.
Finding out who the possessed human was was a bit blah because there wasn’t much action on this part but the climax took it to the max.
Powers were amped up as Gray battles the incubus on top of a lighthouse.
The scenes where Caleb vamps out and Gray comes out to play were major hellyeah! moments. I say unleash the drakul!
P.S.
Reviews of SPECTR books here.
Reviews of Jordan L. Hawk books here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: The Hollow
Artist: A Perfect Circle
Album: Mer de Nom(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17999898-reaper-of-souls)
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Holmes and Moriarity: Somebody Killed His Editor – Josh Lanyon
For sixteen years reclusive mystery writer Christopher (Kit) Holmes enjoyed a very successful career, thanks to the popularity of elderly spinster sleuth, Miss Butterwith, and her ingenious cat, Mr. Pinkerton. But sales are down in everything but chick lit, and Christopher’s new editor doesn’t like geriatric gumshoes. It’s a pink, pink world for Mr. Holmes.
At the urging of his agent, Christopher reluctantly agrees to attend a mystery writers’ conference at a remote Northern California winery. But no sooner does he arrive than he discovers the pajama-clad body of a woman in the woods. If nearly two decades of mystery-writing are anything to go by, the woman doesn’t appear to have died a natural death.
With a storm in full force and a washed-out bridge making it impossible for law enforcement to come to the rescue, it’s practically like all those classic murder mysteries in isolated country manors that Christopher has been penning for sixteen years! If only Miss Butterwith was on hand. Or even Mr. Pinkerton…
So I got sucked in another Josh Lanyon book. The thing with her is that her characters, in this case both MCs, takes getting used to or bluntly put, hard to like but happily, in the end, they always pull through.
Christopher “Kit” Holmes is an incorrigible drama queen who can’t shut up and just had to make those inappropriate jokes but when he seriously puts his mind to work, he’s actually smarter than his verbal diarrhea made him seem. I don’t like the way Kit keeps complaining about his “old age”. Seriously dude, you are only 39, that’s not old. Kit had a “5-minute thing” with another mystery writer, JX, ten years ago and they meet again at the writers’ conference. JX Moriarity comes across as asshole-ish but he always made sure Kit is safe and that’s a big plus. JX is an ex-cop, so he took charge of the situation but that also puts him in a good place to hide evidence. He is 5 years younger than Kit, and is now more successful than him. He is the only one who calls Christopher “Kit” which I find really cute.
As par for course, the mystery takes center stage. I love the trapped in a big house mystery trope and the shout out to (and possible shade on) The Cat Who series because it’s one of my favorite mystery series. I think smarter readers would have figured out the killer but me, I placed my bets on the wrong horses. I was even halfway convince that JX was the killer if it wasn’t for the fact that he was the love interest. Hell, I’m no Sherlock, sad to say.
The romance was not fluffy. The old flames still burned and it was fun watching them deal with the past and present chemistry. But it’s also full of miscommunications because one talks too much and the other hardly explains himself. But somehow, it worked! When they talk properly that is.
Holmes & Moriarity is another murder mystery series I’m committing myself to. Lanyon has a way with mysteries that just grabs you and keeps you riveted. This duo is typical of the author but also different enough to keep things interesting. I really liked the mystery writers solving actual mysteries premise and I want to see where Kit and JX take their relationship. Also if Kit comes up with fresh ideas for his new book or if he’s stuck with the regency/mystery/paranormal/erotica thing Rachel, his agent, is pushing for. Let’s face it Kit, it’s time to put a new spin on things but safe to say, I don’t think Rachel’s going to make you attend any writers’ conference anytime soon.
P.S.
Reviews of Josh Lanyon’s books here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Jenny was a Friend of Mine
Artist: The Killers
Album: Hot Fuss(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31363985-somebody-killed-his-editor)
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Psycop: Body and Soul – Jordan Castillo Price
Thanksgiving can’t end too soon for Victor Bayne, who’s finding Jacob’s family hard to swallow. Luckily, he’s called back to work to track down a high-profile missing person.
Meanwhile, Jacob tries to find a home they can move into that’s not infested–with either cockroaches, or ghosts. As if the house-hunting isn’t stressful enough, Vic’s new partner Bob Zigler doesn’t seem to think he can do anything right. A deceased junkie with a bone to pick leads Vic and Zig on a wild chase that ends in a basement full of horrors.
Took me two tries before I got Body and Soul right. In the first try, Vic’s pill popping is so off-putting and I was like, I didn’t want to read about a junkie. Second try succeeded because I had a change of perspective and told myself Vic is taking meds and everybody takes one or two to keep going. Heck, even I got my own daily maintenance. So I’m sorry, Vic.
Victor Bayne is a person with a difficult personality. He’s neurotic, socially awkward and has a lot of bad memories of psych-wards just waiting to be triggered. That’s not to say he’s not without his charm because Jacob Marks is head over heels in love with him. And I personally love Vic’s bland attitude towards most things. That and his commentaries.
Jacob is looking for a place they could both move into, someplace free of ghosts. Vic is sure there must be a place somewhere in a city as big as Chicago. Turns out it’s harder to find one than they think. Major points to Jacob for having the patience of a saint and for indulging Vic.
Also I was listening to this in the small hours of the morning, which is the prime time for anxieties and dark thoughts. I was fervently hoping my subconscious do not pick up on the images of dead people with half their heads attached or those nasty voodooed things Vic and Zig found in the basement. What my stupid brain projected in my sleep was that of a toddler with hideous features and bendy limbs. Must be that ghost baby in Vic’s laundry room. Good job creeping me out, JCP!
Despite their ,IMO, rather abrupt start, Vic and Jacob’s relationship is going extremely well. Jacob is still the image of a perfect (sometimes too perfect) boyfriend but I’m cottoning on to the idea that there are good, dependable boyfriends in the world and one of them happens to love Vic. Also, I enjoyed tagging along with Vic and Zig in their investigation and it looks like Vic is starting to like Zigler as his partner. Zig’s a good guy so I hope he sticks around.
Yay! I am finally getting the hang of Psycop and I’m in it for the long haul.
P.S.
What on earth happened to Lisa?
Nonsensical comments on book 1, Among the Living here
Blathers on book 2, Criss Cross hereRating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Staring Through the Eyes of the Dead
Artist: Cannibal Corpse
Album: The Bleeding(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6978605-body-and-soul)
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Seven of Spades: Kill Game – Cordelia Kingsbridge
Homicide detective Levi Abrams is barely holding his life together. He’s reeling from the fallout of a fatal shooting, and his relationship with his boyfriend is crumbling. The last thing he’s prepared for is a serial killer stalking the streets of Las Vegas. Or how he keeps getting thrown into the path of annoyingly charming bounty hunter Dominic Russo.
Dominic likes his life free of complications. That means no tangling with cops—especially prickly, uptight detectives. But when he stumbles across one of the Seven of Spades’s horrifying crime scenes, he can’t let go, despite Levi’s warnings to stay away.
The Seven of Spades is ruthless and always two moves ahead. Worst of all, they’ve taken a dangerously personal interest in Levi and Dominic. Forced to trust each other, the two men race to discover the killer’s identity, revealing hidden truths along the way and sparking a bond neither man expected. But that may not be enough to protect them.
This killer likes to play games, and the deck is not stacked in Levi and Dominic’s favor.
Pity that the narration did not do justice to how good the story is but Kill Game is a great start to the Seven of Spades series. This is a plot-driven murder mystery and a hunt for the Seven of Spades, a serial killer known for their vigilante motives.
I love the twist and turns and while I already have my suspect, Cordelia Kingsbridge did a great job keeping me guessing. There were some subtle hints and that equal opportunity comment by Levi but whether or not I’m on the money remains to be seen because at the latest count, there are already 4 books released and another one about to come out. This hunt is going to take a while and I’m here to see it through to the end.
I liked that the setting is in Las Vegas but instead of casinos and gambling which is kind of cliche, the book is mostly about the streets, the ordinary people and of course, the police. There were also strong, well-written female characters, like Martine and Natasha. Dom’s friends, Jasmine and Carlos were also very likable people and let’s not forget Rebel, Dom’s dog and loyal protector.
The romantic subplot, well…I wasn’t so gung-ho about it at first. Levi was already in a relationship and Stanton seemed like a nice guy. At least for me, he had good intentions. Levi apparently did not like how Stanton talks about Levi to his parents and makes decisions for him. Dominic has been crushing on Levi for some time now but keeps it professional. Dom won me over for being a real nice person because instead of taking advantage of Levi’s moments of weakness, he made it clear he had no intentions of being the rebound guy. He’s a gentleman through and through and he’s serious about Levi. So yeah, I’m in their corner now.
Cordelia Kingsbridge is a new-to-me author and she didn’t disappoint. Kill Game has a great cast, very well-executed mystery and nicely developed romance. The red herrings were conclusive and the resolution felt satisfying but Dom and Levi were not convinced. The cards are reshuffled and the game is still on.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Arcarsenal
Artist: At the Drive-In
Album: Relationship of Command(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35138461-kill-game)
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SPECTR: Master of Ghouls – Jordan L. Hawk
Caleb Jansen’s old life is in ruins after being possessed by the vampire spirit Gray. Now all Caleb wants is for Gray to be exorcised so he can adjust to living as a registered paranormal. Instead, District Chief Kaniyar of SPECTR offers him a new choice: be locked away for public safety, or come work for the very agency he’s spent years trying to avoid. The only good thing to come from Caleb’s possession is his relationship with federal exorcist John Starkweather, but even that seems doomed to end before it can really begin.
John’s newest case is a nightmare: someone is summoning demons and forcing them to possess women and boys snatched from the streets of Charleston. If his team can’t find the summoner soon enough, the possessions will become permanent, transforming the victims into ghouls. To make matters worse, he barely prevents Gray from feeding on their only lead.
Can John shield his heart from Caleb, who only seems interested in a temporary hook-up? Can Caleb keep Gray under control while they hunt for the summoner? Or will the cost of solving the case be higher than any of them could have guessed?
Because the master of ghouls has set his sights on a new target: Gray.
Happy first of Halloween! It’s my favorite season so here are some vampires and ghouls to kick things off.
Master of Ghouls is the second novella in the SPECTR series and I admit, my brain wasn’t fully engaged when I was listening to this, what with chores and what have you. It also went by fast but given that, I liked how Gray+Caleb+John’s relationship is progressing at a reasonable pace. Cinnamon roll Gray is still bewildered with humans in general and Caleb’s issues in particular because Gray assumes them living with John is a done deal whereas Caleb is all doubts and second guesses.
There were also ghouls that Gray is itching to hunt and now that Caleb and Gray are working for SPECTR, I am excited for them to unleash full drakul power which is something that John gets a kick out of. He’s still trying to find ways to get Gray out of Caleb but take your time, John.
Distracted as I was, I still felt the rush and the suspense at the climax. Jordan L. Hawk did a good job setting up threads for the next installments and introducing a sinister villain. At the end, some doubts were put to rest and the trio took it to the next level. Yay!
P.S.
Ok, John, so I said take your time but what I really mean is please don’t exorcise Gray! Just don’t. Ever.
Review of book 1, Hunter of Demons here
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Ghouls Night Out
Artist: Misfits
Album: Collection(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17412325-master-of-ghouls)
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Merry and Bright – Joanna Chambers
Three seasonal love stories from Joanna Chambers
Humbug
Quin Flint is unimpressed when his gorgeous colleague, Rob Paget, asks for extra time off at Christmas. As far as Quin is concerned, Christmas is a giant waste of time. Quin’s on the fast track to partnership, and the season of goodwill is just getting in the way of his next big project. But when Quin’s boss, Marley, confiscates his phone and makes him take an unscheduled day off, Quin finds himself being forced to confront his regrets, past and present, and think about the sort of future he really wants…and who he wants it with.
Mr Perfect’s Christmas
Sam Warren’s new job hasn’t been going so well so the last thing he’s in the mood for is the obligatory office Christmas party, particularly since Nick Foster’s going to be there. Nick–the guy whose shoes Sam has been trying to fill–seems to take very opportunity to point out where Sam’s going wrong. But when Sam receives an unexpected Secret Santa gift at the party, he’s forced to question his assumptions about his rival. Could it be that he’s been misinterpreting Nick’s actions all along? And is it possible that his reluctant attraction to Nick is reciprocated?
Rest and Be Thankful
Things haven’t been going well for Cam McMorrow since he moved to Inverbechie. His business is failing, his cottage is falling apart and following his very public argument with café owner Rob Armstrong, he’s become a social outcast. Cam needs to get away from his troubles and when his sister buys him a ticket to the biggest Hogmanay party in Glasgow, he can’t leave Inverbechie quick enough. But when events conspire to strand him in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm, not only is he liable to miss the party, he’ll also have to ask his nemesis, Rob, for help.
Three seasonal love stories that were sweet and fluffy. Joanna Chambers writes great short stories. They are usually well-written, fully fleshed out and resolved satisfactorily. Insta-attraction is the scourge of romance short stories and the author works around that by having the characters crush on each other for a long time without the other realizing then she brings them together and BAM! The FEELS.
Humbug: posted here
Mr. Perfect: What was supposedly Sam’s Kris Kringle nightmare turned out to be a sweet revelation. Nick be like, notice me, kohai! This one’s a win.
Rest and Be Thankful: Rob and Cam did their best but it wasn’t working. Sorry guys! You’re good people. It’s just that, the story is boring. I feel bad giving you low ratings.
Rating:
Humbug – 4 Stars
Mr. Perfect – 4 Stars
Rest and Be Thankful – 2.5 StarsOverall: 4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Artist: Rufus Wainwright & Sharon van Etten
Album: Holidays Rule(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36554036-merry-bright)
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Gnomon – Luchia Dertien
Emile Delaurier is a beautiful militant revolutionary, a living beacon of righteous justice for the world. For Renaire, an artist in a constant battle against the demons in the bottle, it was obsession at first sight. His devotion led to two years of homicidal partnership as Renaire followed Delaurier in his ruthless quest for equality through the death of the corrupt, like a murderous Robin Hood.
Then Delaurier breaks his pattern, leading Renaire into Russia to kill a reporter with no immoral background, and gives no explanation for his actions.
When Interpol contacts Renaire, he already has enough problems—keeping Delaurier alive, dealing with the shift in their relationship, and surviving the broken past that still haunts him. But when he learns what Interpol wants from him, Renaire must face the truth about Delaurier: that a noble man isn’t always a good one. He’s left with a choice no man should ever have to make—to follow his heart or his morals.
My first impression was that Gnomon sounded like an 18th century novel set in the modern age. Then I learned the novel started life as a Les Miz fanfic and things started to click
Some niggles though: How are Delaurier and Renaire traipsing all over Europe with a suitcase full of weapons with nary a disguise without getting caught? With the kind of iconic face Delaurier has, somebody should have recognize them already. Plus the pair, and STB members as a whole, are really not the most circumspect of criminals. Most of all, Renaire has explicitly mentioned to an Interpol agent no less that he and Delaurier have killed people. Shouldn’t they be handcuffed and read their rights already?
And so while my analytical side keeps pointing out anomalies here and there, the more excitable part of my brain shushed it with gentle reminders to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. I did and I was swept along Renaire’s all consuming obsession that turned into love that, happily, Delaurier reciprocated just as passionately. Also, Will M. Watt charmed me with his narration, so, really, resistance is futile.
How obsessed is Renaire? Every time he gets knock down and open his eyes, he marvels at how beautiful Delaurier is. He also paints him all the time and follows him EVERYWHERE. Because Delaurier leads and Renaire follows. That is the way of their world. I normally find this kind of obsession suffocating (which is why Call Me By Your Name didn’t work for me) but Luchia Dertain did a great job portraying Renaire’s overwhelming feelings without making me gag. I also love the prose, which is written in Renaire’s point of view, and how it sounds so very Renaire.
Gnomon is a story of two beautiful, madly in love, crazy, stupid revolutionaries out to change the world. Actually, Renaire, who has PTSD and is a chain smoking alcoholic, doesn’t really believe in the CAUSE, he is in it for Delaurier. Delaurier is the leader. He is “the fire that burns so bright” that Renaire could “feel it from five stories up” because Renaire needs to feel something. This is a not a sweet, fluffy love affair. This is two unhinge people making things difficult for themselves because they’re
shitwired that way. Somehow they made it work. And yes, I will follow these stupid terrorist boys.P.S.
My unpopular opinion on Call Me By Your Name here
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Red Right Hand
Artist: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Album: Let Love In(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25765861-gnomon)
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SPECTR: Hunter of Demons – Jordan L. Hawk
Unregistered paranormal Caleb Jansen only wants a normal life. But when a demon murders his brother, Caleb knows he has to avenge Ben’s death, no matter what the cost. Unfortunately, his only allies belong to an extremist group who would kill Caleb if they found out about his talent.
Gray is a wandering spirit, summoned to hunt and destroy demons by drinking their blood. This hunt goes horribly wrong, and for the first time in his existence Gray is trapped in a living, human body. Caleb’s body…and Caleb is still in it.
Hotshot federal agent John Starkweather thinks he’s seen it all. But when he’s called to exorcise Caleb, he finds a creature which isn’t supposed to exist outside of stories. For Gray is a drakul: a vampire.
Having spent his life avoiding the government as an unregistered ‘mal, Caleb can’t let himself trust a federal exorcist, no matter how sexy. And he certainly isn’t going to give into the heat growing between them and sleep with Starkweather.
Can Starkweather win Caleb’s trust and convince him he isn’t the enemy? Can Caleb keep Gray under control, as the drakul experiences the temptation of a living body for the first time?
Because if he fails and Gray gives in to bloodlust, Starkweather will have no choice but to kill them both.
I have been curious about the SPECTR series for a long time, being a Jordan L. Hawk creation but I admit to putting it off because I don’t like the cover. Well, I’m sorry for not reading it sooner. This is one very engaging novella.
SPECTR features one of the more unusual menage a trois I have come across with. Love geometries are my pet peeves but the Caleb, Gray and John combo is something I can get behind with because it works very well and to everybody’s mutual benefit. Gray is a drakul who possessed Caleb. He/she/it has always seen the world as grey, no color or smell except for the demon prey. Inside Caleb, Gray discovers a whole new spectrum of colors and sensations. The snarky twink Caleb, on the other hand, gets accelerated healing, better eyesight and faster reflexes. And John, shameless flirt and best exorcist in town, gets two beautiful creatures for the price of one. Very win-win-win.
Hunter of Demons’ plot sounded kind of out there but it was delivered convincingly. The world-building was nicely done. It’s a very interesting world full of demons, creatures hunting demons and humans with paranormal abilities. The dialogue was a snappy banter but part of the thrill is lost because the narrator’s voices for Caleb and John sounded the same so it was confusing. The pacing was just right, it speed up on the right places and the story felt complete even though it ended with a cliffhanger.
Hunter of Demons is the the kind of fast, enjoyable novella that makes you binge-read the entire series.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Waking the Demon
Artist: Bullet for My Valentine
Album: Scream Aim Fire(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16281053-hunter-of-demons)
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Shotgun Bastards and Other Stories – Andrea Speed
A collection of tales filled with monsters, be they human or beast, ranging in setting from dystopia to pitch black noir and even general silliness. From the ludicrous to the frighteningly plausible; from deep space to after the end of the world. There are clumsy werewolves and bloody revenge, monster sleep overs and a dieting fad sure to kill your appetite.
Whether looking into the past or the future, you’re sure to find that stuff gets really weird.
Shotgun Bastards and Other Stories is a collection of flash fiction showcasing Andrea Speed’s fertile imagination. These stories range from death by crab invasion, random futuristic adverts, your average vampires and mages, and adventures in alternate dimensions. I love the stories! They were usually just a couple of pages long but most felt complete, some have high-impact and the rest showed good promise if turned into full-length books.
The collection is divided into 5 parts. The first part is the apocalypse section where various world’s end scenarios were speculated. This is my favorite part. The first story When the Rains Came reminded me of Hitchhiker’s Guide but instead of saying good bye and thanking us for all the fish, the dolphins participated in the wholesale slaughter of humanity along with the rest of ocean life. “Clean the oceans, humans” I think is the takeaway message here. It’s the End of the World as We Know It and I Don’t Give a Fuck stood out the most for me. Not only the title says it all and the MC was ace, the unnamed MC did the things I planned to do in case people were wiped out by a virus. Magic welders, aliens and vampires were also featured and there was another interesting scenario where the world falls apart because people were infected by ennui. Very plausible really. A couple of times the author was inspired by Oscar Wilde’s idea of the end of the world. Not the brightest view of humanity overall in this part of the collection.
The second part is full of absurd randomness from The International House of Cthulhu where you either eat the food or the food eats you, to Mr. Fix-it, a sweet human+bot slash where a human named Elon, with the help of a nice bot name Slom, tries to survive aliens taking over the space station. In between these, there is a cute love story, Cartoon Logic, where comic strip characters step out of a door to the real world and the fun, Mad Monster Sleep Over where monsters try to find answers to a fellow monster’s death. It is also apparent Andrea Speed does not like Christmas. I like the idea of turning the beloved Christmas symbols into terrifying beings because a monster Santa is really scary. Probably inspired by the French film or by Billy Idol, Eyes Without a Face is about pesky disembodied eyes infesting a house where a gay couple lives. Where these things come from nobody knows but yeah, that’s how random this is.
Part three is what I like to think of as the Tarantino section. Keyword: hard-boiled. Think Jackie Brown or Kill Bill. Women exacting revenge, slitting throats, firing shotguns. The title piece Shotgun Bastards features a woman shooting her way through a mob to rescue her captured twin brother who has vital information. She Broke Gods was about a woman on a mission to save all the girls trapped by a sex slave gang. She pretends to be a victim then proceeds to slaughter the gang. The two are the most action pack of the entire book. I would love to see these as movies.
Part four is more randomness, probably sketches and ideas and more monsters. Wolf & Fox is a zombie apocalypse scenario that left me wondering whether Wolf and Fox were humans or anthropomorphic animals (I wouldn’t be surprise if they were animals standing on two feet/paws). I was also shipping them but I guess it wasn’t that kind of story. They Fight Crime is a fantasy story vaguely inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk where magic-welders Coy and Danay fight skreaks with magic beans. What skreaks are, I don’t know. Spark Joy was about a women who was so meh about life but found a way to bring the spark back, literally. This is something most bored potatoes (me) can relate to minus the pyrokinetics. Noise is about that weird neighbor you never know would go berserk any minute so you have to treat nicely. Probably the weakest story of all.
Lastly, we have the sci-fi/fantasy part full of vampires, rebels and space-pirates. Past Prologue has a Ghost in the Shell feel to it where a woman with cybernetic body parts is hiding from the Imperator. This one has a nice twist in the end. I would like to see this as a full-length novel because the futuristic setting and the world are really interesting. Discount Skin Ticket and Seven Days of Fang are stories about darkest desires and the price people are willing to pay for them. The desires are the usual desires (immortality and some such) so I’m hoping someday we can have stories where the darkest desires involves something like secretly wanting to be Rainbow Brite. Soulmates and My Bloody Valentines are dark and compelling romance stories the author created for the Goodreads M/M Romance Group and plans to expand someday. I hope she does.
Shotgun Bastards and Other Stories is my first Andrea Speed book. I think it’s a good introduction to her work. The stories grab me from the start and majority of them worked.There is a streak of dark humor in some and others are just plain dark which I really liked. If you have a short attention span like me or want an in-between book for those 1000+ page door stoppers, this is a good book to dip into for some bite-size fun.
P.S.
I received a copy of Shotgun Bastards and Other Stories from Less Than Three Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Burnin’ Up
Artist: A Flock of Seagulls
Album: The Light at the End of the World(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40097180-shotgun-bastards-and-other-stories)
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Humbug – Joanna Chambers
Quin Flint is unimpressed when his gorgeous colleague, Rob Paget, asks for extra time off at Christmas. As far as Quin is concerned, Christmas is a giant waste of time. Quin’s on the fast track to partnership, and the season of goodwill is just getting in the way of his next big project. But when Quin’s boss, Marley, confiscates his phone and makes him take an unscheduled day off, Quin finds himself being forced to confront his regrets, past and present, and think about the sort of future he really wants…and who he wants it with.
A highly enjoyable retelling of the classic story of Scrooge in the guise of a workaholic who wouldn’t find the time to take a holiday and expects his subordinates to do the same. Come Christmas time, he found himself alone. Work has eaten up his life and everybody hates him. But good cheer comes from unexpected quarters and he found new love and a new lease on life.
This holiday short is perfect for bed weather days or when you just want to start celebrating early. Because Christmas starts in September why not.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Christmas in the Room
Artist: Sufjan Stevens
Album: Silver & Gold(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27268211-humbug)
