Review:  How Not to Kill a Hellhound (Hellhounds of Paradise Falls #5) by Shannon Mae

Rating; 4🌈

How Not to Kill a Hellhound  is the fifth book in the Hellhounds of Paradise Falls series by Shannon Mae, a fated mates paranormal/urban fantasy series set in Paradise Falls, a location where several of her interconnected series take place.

Mae’s actually working towards an overall universe storyline that encompasses all her series and characters I’m guessing, and one of the ultimate main characters has an impactful role here.

I appreciate that it was left to Sebbie , mostly, to decide when he was emotionally ready for the next step in his quest to remember everything that happened and move forward. This is 90 percent Sebbie’s journey. Who he is, the past and how those characters around him support this journey. He’s a sweet, engaging person and I loved reading his story.

It’s a good tale with many creative elements, including mythological aspects, but leaves the Hellhounds mostly removed from this even as Corbin is a major player as Sebbie’s fated mate and Hellhound.  The Crow familiar is on the same level with Corbin here. Except for the many sex scenes with the emphasis on Sebbie’s appendage size being ā€œcuteā€.  

I ended up wanting more exposition, less sex, more exploration of their developing relationship and each person’s history as opposed to their body parts. 

When things get interesting, things get misty.  I did like the interpretation of Charon and the boat ride. Amazing.

And loose ends were tied up finally from Aiden’s story while setting up Jude and the Sheriff for their fated mates romance. That should be interesting!

Cover design by Morningstar Ashley

Hellhounds of Paradise Falls: (Paranormal Romance) 

How to Flirt with a Hellhound #1

How to Hack a Hellhound #2

How to Tame a Hellhound #3

How to Trust a Hellhound #4

How NOT to Kill a Hellhound #5

How To Catch a Hellhound #6 – Oct 1,2026

The Revenge Playlist: A Collection of Afterlifer Revenge Stories (Hellhounds of Paradise Falls)

Linked series:

Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures (8 book series) fated mates romance set in Paradise Falls 

Buy link

        How Not to Kill a Hellhound (Hellhounds of Paradise Falls Book 5)

    

Blurb 

Sebbie 

Life’s pretty good. I love my job, I feed the crows in my yard, and I have some awesome friends. Sure, I was kidnapped by a cult recently, but my friends rescued me, so no harm done. And, okay, people do tend to die around me, but I work in a hospital. That’s normal… right? Death isn’t scary anyway—it’s just another beginning. Unfortunately, most guys I date don’t see it that way. My love life has been pretty empty, but I just met someone new. He’s ridiculously cute and even likes crows. I just hope he’s not scared off when he learns about my job. 

Corbin 

I take great satisfaction in removing hellbound souls from the world—especially the ones who prey on the weak. With my pack and my familiar, Crow, at my side, life is steady and peaceful. At least, it was until Sebbie. The cute, bubbly man is far more than he realizes, and he’s about to turn everything upside down. There’s just one little problem: he doesn’t know the supernatural exists… or that he’s a supernatural being. I want to help him harness his powers, but there’s a catch—if I’m not careful, Sebbie might end up killing me in the process. 

Tags: Crows hold grudges; Death is actually cheerful; Corbin’s as obsessed with shiny things as his birds; The pack shows up to create chaos; Thea is determined to be Sebbie’s new bestie; Jude doesn’t get arrested (or maybe he does?); 

Review: Nerds, Words & Werecats (Witchwolf) by Sam Burns and W. M. Fawkes 

Rating: 3.5🌈

This is a side story in the terrific urban fantasy Witchwolf series written by co-authors Burns and Fawkes. That series is currently awaiting its next release of its second book but in the meantime, the authors have published a side story in the same universe that they wrote on the authors’ Patreon page.

I enjoyed reading it. The characters are engaging, especially the cat shifter Landon Smith, who’s a far more fully developed personality than the other main character Dean St. James.

Dean’s a big cat shifter but the story has the potential of becoming a much better version of itself. The entire tale has the feel of an almost completed outline of a novel than a finished story. One half of the couple, Landon,  is more multi dimensional, given a better storyline and execution of his character and situation, while Dean’s character sits needing more heft. In his history, shifter foundation, and, even tragic past romance. We really don’t feel even remotely close to him and those events.  But we do with the fantastic cat shifter, Landon. We love his new crew, his bravery in relocating away from everyone he knew and family, just everything about him. He’s a fully fledged amazing personality. He’s the one we relate to.

It also took me a while to remember how this was connected to Witchwolf. The company and the pack. I wish the authors had brought that element of the series stronger into play here. 

As a standalone, there’s absolutely no world building. Within an established universe but with a minimum connection, it’s a good story with some terrific characters with great potential. 

Read it for yourself and hope, like I did, that I will see Landon popping up again later on in this series. He’s a joy.

Cover art Ā© 2025 by Zoe Perdita at Rainbow Danger designs

Witchwolf series side story 

Witchwolf (2 book series)

Witchwolf #1

Moonmagic #2 – March 19,2026

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comSam Burns

Blurb 

Landon Smith’s life has imploded in a dramatic fashion. Following a devastating betrayal, his brother is marrying his fiancĆ©, and his family wants him to get over it already. The only way he can move forward? Fleeing across the country and cutting contact with them, starting his life over with a new job and new friends. Well, no friends, really.

But a new coworker introduces him to a whole new circle of people, including the alluring Dean St. James. The lyrics Dean writes speak directly to Landon’s heart, but Landon’s not ready to jump into another relationship, and Dean brings his own baggage to the table.

A brutal illness stole Dean’s childhood sweetheart, and with the walls he put up to survive, he’s not sure he’ll ever love again. But a fresh project sparks Landon’s lost passion and opens a door to a future Dean turned his back on.

Their unexpected collab has the highest stakes of all: the last hope of healing two broken hearts.

This novella is set in the same world as Witchwolf, but features different characters and can be read as a standalone. It was originally published on the authors’ Patreon page.

date

February 26, 2026

Language

ā€ŽEnglish

Print length

145 pages

Review;  How to Reap a Soul (And Fail Miserably) Soul Management Bureau Book One  by April Kelley

Rating: 3🌈

How to Reap a Soul (And Fail Miserably) is the first book in the urban fantasy series, Soul Management Bureau by April Kelley. 

It’s a fated mate romance between reaper and their soul mates, so it’s instant love/instant sex romance with a plot that’s not always easy to follow because Kelley is trying hard to lay down all her histories and plotting for multiple characters, not just the main couple, and her world building into one story.

And it’s not always effective because someone gets lost in the narrative. Some connection between her characters, some chemistry is left behind in the rush to get it all accomplished.

It’s interesting but I’m not sure I’m really engaged with this world or characters. 

Try it out and see for yourself if Grym and Elliot Coyne work together for you.

Cover artist: Miblart

Soul Management Bureau

How to Reap a Soul and Fail Miserably #1

How to Reap a Soul (And Lose an Assistant) #2 – Dec 29,2026

Buy link

 Book 1 of 2: Soul Management Bureau 

Blurb 

Love was never on my to-do list, but now that I have it, I’ll let the world burn before I let anything happen to him.


Grym

I’ve reaped souls for three hundred years without a single mistake. Until Elliot Coyne. I’m supposed to ferry him into the afterlife, not bring him back to life and turn him immortal.

Now HR is threatening me, the world is acting like it might explode, and my reaper brothers are stress-snacking like it’s Armageddon.

Even worse? My soul insists Elliot is my beloved. Reapers aren’t supposed to have those. Are they? Regardless, it’s wildly inconvenient.

Elliot
So I die, wake up immortal and able to walk between realms, not that I know what those actually are.

The guy responsible is an annoyingly hot reaper who apparently broke the universe just to keep me breathing.

We’re suddenly stuck together, hunted by his supernatural bosses, and if we fall for each other it might tear reality apart.

Love isn’t supposed to end the world. Yet here we are.

January 14, 2026

Language

ā€ŽEnglish

Print length

187 pages

Book 1 of 2

Soul Management Bureau

Review: Not Dead Yet By Jenn Burke

This was a DNF but I read enough to rate it for creativity of premise and the main character’s backstory. 

Rating : 3🌈

I like Jenn Burke as an author which is why I bought this book but immediately the character of Wes Cooper, the ā€œnot ghostā€ who died and was resurrected but in a different state, one where he’s not exactly alive, is the issue. 

What sort of person is Wes? Has Wes used the opportunity for a new life, no matter what form, to progress in his development as a person? Matured or at least, become grateful to those who saved him, given back, or in any way done anything that would make the reader not immediately write him off as a waste of our time? 

Nope.  He’s cowardly, content to do as little as possible to get by and maintain his life, such as it is. 

For me, every interaction with Wes was a constant fight not to just not quit the story right there. He’s that much of a reminder of everything that I avoid in RL atm.

The story is short. Extremely short. There’s no realistic scenario where Wes decides that years of stagnation and avoidance is overcome and he accumulates all the missing assets and pieces in that time period. 

Unfortunately this is a no go for me. 

Burke has other excellent series and characters to explore. This isn’t one of them. Wes and Hudson, his ā€œsilver foxā€ police detective are underwhelming in their dynamic and chiefly the reason it’s a DNF. 

NOT DEAD YET (book one) 

GIVE UP THE GHOST (book two) GRAVEYARD SHIFT (book three)

Buy link

 Book 1 of 3: Not Dead Yet 

Blurb 

Don’t miss this thrilling and suspenseful second chance romance, book one in a fan-favorite supernatural detective series from Jenn Burke.

Dying isn’t what it used to be.Wes Cooper was dead. Then he wasn’t—though he’s not exactly alive, either. As an immortal not-ghost, he can transition between this world and the otherplane, which makes him the perfect thief for hire. For seventy years he’s made a ā€œlivingā€ returning items to their rightful owners, seeing his fair share of the bizarre in the process. But he’s never witnessed murder. Until now.

His latest mission brings him more than he bargained for: a very-dead actor who is definitely going to stay that way. It’s just Wes’s luck that his ex-boyfriend, Detective Hudson Rojas, is assigned to the case. Hudson broke Wes’s heart years ago—and could again, given he’s rocking a hot silver-fox look that shouldn’t be legal.

As they work together to track down the murderer before anyone else gets hurt, it becomes clear Wes and Hudson have unfinished business. And when a secret Hudson’s been keeping threatens more than just their happiness, it might mean the end of their not-life together—permanently.

Review: Evan (The Wild Edges Book 2)

by Lark Taylor

Rating: 4.5🌈

Evan is the second in Taylor’s crossover series in her fabulous Reckless Damned universe. I’m highly fond of the foundation series and its sequel featuring Lucifer’s sons and their fated mates. Just incredible tales. 

The Wild Edges contains characters from many of their stories and preceding events which have been woven into newer characters and their search for their own fated mates.

Evan and his clan are werewolves with ties to the original characters who are mentioned here. The dramatic storyline carries over from Finlay’s book and his tragic story, the ripples of which continue on centuries later.

There are trigger warnings associated with Reid story that are listed on Taylor’s website and I suggest that a reader should take the time to check them out. It includes DV, child abuse, and physical violence. 

Reid suffers from his childhood trauma and the damage inflicted by his father and clan. He’s has untreated ADHD as well as a terrible self image issues from years of neglect and continual abuse.  This includes his depression. All of which are handled throughout the storyline with sensitivity and a clear understanding of these issues by the author. 

So although it’s titled Evan, the book is really about Reid, the human born into the jaguar clan. And how Evan, the werewolf, handles his involvement in Reid’s past and reappearance in Evan’s clan’s territory. 

Because that’s as hurtful and traumatic to them, but especially to Reid. 

I really enjoyed their romance and the entire storyline with multiple new characters, family members as well as some of my old favorites. Like Logan.

Taylor’s setting up several different couples for their fated mates storylines, all of which look intriguing. Calan’s next up. A glimpse of his is a bit of a cliffhanger. 

I’m so looking forward to it.

Another winner.

 Book cover design: BreathlessLit

The Wild Edges: 

Finlay #1

Evan #2

Calan #3 – Dec 9,2026

Complete universe in the order it should be read:

ā–ŖļøReckless Damned Series ( the OG foundation series /Lucifer’s sons)

Devil’s Mark 1

Devil May Care 2

Deal With the Devil 3

Luck of the Devil 4

Damned Collections: Volume One 

ā–ŖļøDamned Connections Series – 2nd series:

Patience 1

Justice 2

Temperance 3

Humility 4

ā–ŖļøHopeless Blessed (crossover):

Conflicted 1

Devoted 2

Guarded 3

Enchanted 4

ā–ŖļøThe Wild Edges (crossover ):

Finlay 1

Evan 2

Calan 3

Buy link

 Book 2 of 3: The Wild Edges 

Blurb 

Thirteen years ago, I made a terrible mistake.

One I’ll never repeat again.

When I first met Reid, I failed to see the signs that were right in front of me. He asked me to do one thing–take him away and keep him safe.

I turned my back on him.

Now I have to live with the guilt and shame of knowing I let him down. He can’t forgive me, and that’s okay.

Because I’ll never forgive myself.

When Reid’s family comes to take him away, I have a chance to redeem myself. I can keep him safe. But the more I watch him, the more I fall for the man who doesn’t see his self-worth.

Trouble is, can either of us forget the past in favour of the future? Or did my mistake all those years ago cost me any chance with the man of my dreams?

Either way, I’m not giving up until I find out.

Evan is a heartfelt hurt/comfort, M/M shifter x human romance. The second in the Wild Edges series, these books are best enjoyed in order. Each story follows a new couple, and always ends in a HEA.

Publisher

Lark Taylor

Publication date

January 2, 2026

Language

ā€ŽEnglish

Print length

466 pages

Book 2 of 3

The Wild Edges

ā–ŖļøReckless Damned Series ( the OG foundation series /Lucifer’s sons)

Devil’s Mark 

Devil May Care 

Deal With the Devil 

Luck of the Devil 

Damned Collections: Volume One 

ā–ŖļøDamned Connections Series – 2nd series:

Patience 

Justice 

Temperance 

Humility 

ā–ŖļøHopeless Blessed (crossover):

Conflicted 

Devoted 

Guarded 

Review: The Little Shop of Curiosities Cursed Object 1 The Music Box – Part 1. (Crawshanks Guide to the Occult) by Vawn Cassidy) 

Rating: 4🌈

With this crossover series in the The Dead Serious Universe, two previously supporting characters are finally getting their own story and relationship series.  

That’s which Harrison Ames, recently relocated to town to look for his mother. And former DI, now PI Sam Stone, with his own connections to Danny and Tris, and magical powers of his own. 

Both characters have figured largely in prior stories, and author Cassidy takes many of these impactful moments and dramatic events from these novels and repurposes them here.  The reader gets to see certain scenes again, only this time from either Harrison’s or Sam’s perspective. 

I have to admit I loved (spoiler alert) seeing Chan meet Death all over again. I can’t get enough of this couple, so this was an enormous surprise and plus for me. 

I think Sam turned out to be my favorite character, more mature and better defined character of the pair. 

Or maybe it’s because Harrison spends the entire story lying to everyone around him. Sam, Tristan, Danny. Even as the mystery and investigation surrounding the magical bookstore, the portal, and other aspects of that storyline, Harrison, knowing full well he had important information and details about the events surrounding the ongoing crisis, kept quiet. 

He’s not a teenager. He’s in his thirties. Not communicating highly needed information to people who consider him a friend in a time of crisis. 

No, I long ago learned that I’d had enough of this type of character. Whether the author needed him to be incommunicative due too plot purposes or considered it a necessary part of his personality, either way it led to a disconnect for me. 

Yes to Sam, no to Harrison. And there are things I do like about him. Like his dynamic with his dads. So funny. But everything else? No. 

I’ll continue to read because all the wonderful crossover characters and scenes.  Maybe Harrison will win me back over. Who knows. 

A definite winner otherwise. 

Cover design by Natasha Snow

Crawshanks Guide to the Occult:

The Little Shop of Curiosities Cursed Object 1 The Music Box

Connected series:

The Dead Serious Universe,

Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed (6 book series)

Crawshanks Guide to Mischievous Spectres & Spirits(2 book series)

The Grim Adventures of Death & Chan Vol 1-3 (on the author’s website)

Buy link

 Book 1 of 1: Crawshanks Guide to the Occult 

Blurb 

The Music Box – Part 1.

Despite being raised and well loved by his two adoptive fathers Harrison Ames has always felt alone. As an incredibly powerful witch he’s never come across anyone else who can do the things he can. Moving to London from Devon, he’d hoped that if he finally gathered the courage to confront the biological mother who’d given him up as a baby, he might finally have some answers.

Sam Stone, carries scars of his own, both physical and otherwise, but he’s determined to ignore them and get on with his life. But when fate drops a gorgeous prickly red haired witch in his life, he figures his luck is finally changing.

With mediums, dead drag queens, and supernatural beings as his new friends Harrison finds himself drawn into a world of magic and chaos. But amidst all the insanity that is his life, there’s Sam, his anchor when the secrets of his biological family begin to tear his life apart…

Underside Press

Publication date

December 25, 2025

Language

ā€ŽEnglish

Print length

320 pages

Book 1 of 1

Crawshanks Guide to the Occult

 Book 1 of 1: Crawshanks Guide to the Occult 

Review: Deadly Arrogance: Necromancer Tales #4 by M.J. May

Rating: 5🌈

Deadly Arrogance is the series finale that brings the journey of  Necromancer Erasmus Boone to an exciting and happy conclusion. 

I’ve been absolutely thrilled by this fantasy/paranormal universe of May’s since the first Perfect Pixie novel, a series which introduced necromancer Erasmus Boone.

So it’s fitting that many of those characters play roles here in Boone and Franklin’s battle against a terrifying enemy. It’s emotional and wonderful to see each one, settled into their own lives and relationships, as they come together to fight and support their friends and own communities. 

And May, who has created throughly villainous characters in the past, has exceeded herself here in crafting shadow bourne Tenzen Huxley, a seemingly unbeatable and immortal being. Huxley is an ominous figure whose role is one that’s always in the game, even when absent from the current situation. The enormous threat he brings to the couple and those around them is a real concern, no matter what else they are dealing with.

They are mentally, emotionally and spiritually under pressure and attack all the time and the reader, who’s intimately connected with them, feels that same overwhelming stress and suspense. 

On top of Huxley’s magical threat to everyone, there’s a multiple murder investigation that requires the attention of both Franklin and Boone. It’s highly unusual, incredibly rare in its sheer scope of detail and complexity.

I won’t elaborate further because there’s many twists here that spin beautifully within the plot.  The story is highly suspenseful, compelling emotionally, and has some truly heartbreaking scenes. 

And yes, it does end happily with everyone in attendance. I absolutely love it.

And there’s a new connected series on the horizon. Thrilled about that too!

Check out all the books below if you’re new to this universe. Read them in the order they are written. Enjoy them!  Highly recommended!

Cover design by cheriefox.

Perfect Pixie Series 

Perfectly Imperfect Pixie 

Perfectly Perfect Pixie: Peaches’s Story 

Perfectly Charmed Pixie: Parsnip’s Story 

Perfectly Perplexing Zombie: Wendall’s Story 

Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie: Phlox’s Story—finale 

Perfectly Petite Shorts: Short Stories from the Perfect Pixie Series M/M 

Necromancer Tales Series: Spin-Off from the Perfect Pixie Series 

Deadly Lineage: Necromancer Tales Book I 

Deadly Deception: Necromancer Tales Book II 

Deadly Avarice: Necromancer Tales Book III 

Deadly Arrogance: Necromancer Tales Book IV—End 

Warlock Nikodemus Holland’s Book—Coming Spring 2026

Buy link

 Book 4 of 4: Necromancer Tales 

Blurb 

Necromancer Erasmus Boone’s life is on hold—every shadow suspect, every trip outside his warded home a gamble. Afraid of bringing more attention to already wary necromancers, Erasmus has stopped hunting for his own kind. Unwilling to place an even larger target on his back, Erasmus has even delayed his own wedding.

Human homicide detective Franklin O’Hare wants nothing more than to be there for the necromancer he loves. Unfortunately, he’s neck-deep in not one but two separate multiple-body dump scenes. With little more than skeletal remains to go on, Franklin’s days are consumed with work, and his sleepless nights are spent wishing he had more time for his fiancĆ©.

Waiting and wondering when Tenzen Huxley will make his move is physically exhausting and emotionally draining. Information regarding shadow borne is slim and little more than hearsay, and what is known is horrifying.

Will Erasmus and Franklin be ready when Tenzen finally makes his move? Is there truly any way to be prepared for the hell a shadow borne can unleash? Despite the support of powerful friends and family, Erasmus and Franklin desperately need to find a shadow borne’s weakness.

Sometimes, weakness comes from within, not without, and often, arrogance is the deadliest flaw of all.

Deadly Arrogance is the fourth book in the Necromancer Tales series and should be read in order. This series is a spin-off of the Perfect Pixie series and takes place in the same world but can be read as a stand-alone series. Deadly Arrogance is a m/m romantic fantasy mystery with an unusually sane necromancer just trying to make a living, a humble human detective attempting to keep his necromancer fiancƩ alive, an arrogant but redeemably overprotective warlock father, a questionably moral all-powerful djinn who may just get her scuttlebutt wish, a welcome Mississippi spring, and an ancient being who desires more power than any creature should wield and has decided a certain necromancer is key to satisfying that greed.

Review: The Diamond in the Rough (Beyond the Veil Book 10) by KM Avery

Rating: 4.75🌈

This is one of the best written, and often times hardest to read series and universe because of the topics and complexity of damaged histories of the main characters here. 

I often start with saying that the readers must read the trigger warnings for each novel as well as for the universe that Avery has created and continues to explore in such horror detail. 

Here bad things happen, often to children. First by disease, the Arcana virus which acted like a plague, transformed the World’s population, reducing its numbers drastically. Some remained human, others were transformed into fantasy or horror beings. Vampires, elves, werebeings of all kinds, orcs, ghouls, the virus , if the human survived, became whatever the Arcana provided. Adults or children. Didn’t matter. And the human race terrified acted accordingly. 

 Beyond the Veil is divided into mini-series where different characters have their own stories told while adding to the overall series world view and theme that’s being presented.   They interact and sometimes the same events happen in different perspectives. 

Now it’s Rayn’s turn. Rayn, a death witch, who was rescued from an horrific situation was first introduced in Ward’s series (The Boy in the Locked Room #2).  It’s book 10, Rayn has had time to grow up, adjusting to their powers and life outside the cage and hospital. (Trigger warnings).

Avery does an excellent job in relaying a character without any social skills, or understanding of how some situations work. Rayn’s lack of knowledge and inability to understand the signals given feels believable and honest. And Raj’s reactions to Rayn are part of a whole picture that has to be assembled the more they interact. A neat feat. 

One person pov, it’s fascinating to see how Rayn has matured but still is learning how to use and manage their magic and various powers.  

I love seeing Hart here, in his role as partner with Raj. He’s still my favorite. The mystery, while good, doesn’t have as much of a complex role as Rayn’s development and growth with those characters around the agency and with the investigation. It’s more of a personal journey, which I really enjoyed and thought was really exceedingly well written.

And certain aspects are left open enough for the investigation to continue further. 

Amazing series and fantastic characters. One of the best paranormal group of storylines I’ve read. Certainly one that has the most impact on current events.

Highly recommended. 

Beyond the Veil Series 

šŸ’€Ward’s story (1-3): 

The Ghost in the Hall 

The Boy in the Locked Room 

The Skeleton Under the Stairs. 

šŸ’€Hart’s story (4-6): 

The Dog in the Alley 

The Bones in the Yard 

The Elf Beside Himself 

šŸ’€Seth’s story (7-9): 

The Turning of the Tables 

The Badger in his Burrow 

The Past in the Present 

šŸ’€Rayn’s Story (10-12) 

The Diamond in the Rough 

The Rut in the Road (coming 2026) The Rock and the Hard Case (coming 2026) 

šŸ’€Dan’s Story (13-15) Coming 2026-2027

Buy link

 Book 10 of 10: Beyond the Veil 

Blurb 

My life has been… rough. I spent most of my childhood in an asylum, and I’ve spent the better part of the last six years trying to deal with the fact that everything I touch tells me something about the last person who owned it, the person who made it, and sometimes several people in between.

It’s exhausting, and I hate it. I will do pretty much anything to avoid doing it, in fact.

Until a six-four, golden-eyed FBI agent walked through the door and dropped literal diamonds into my hands. Well, a diamond necklace. And he asked me to tell me everything I could about who’d owned it, who’d given it to her, and so on.

I guess I have to learn how to control my abilities fast, or a murderer might go free.

And I might lose my chance to impress the FBI agent who haunts my dreams.

An M/M paranormal romance.

December 19, 2025

Language

ā€ŽEnglish

Print length

396 pages

Book 10 of 10

Beyond the Veil

Review:  A Beginner’s Guide to Sea Monsters, Messenger Angels, and Other Management Mishaps (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures #5) by Shannon Mae

Rating: 4🌈

The penultimate (so the author says) book in this delightful  paranormal romance series,  Mae is looking towards tying up several important series storylines by bringing back secondary characters from previous stories. The purpose of which is to connect them together with their soulmate by way of elevating them into main character roles.

Gabriel,the tightly wrapped, overly worked, stressed out Divine Herald, the messenger of the Lord, the Angel of Revelation we’ve known before is now ready for a new path. Mae’s charted a sexy, joyful story for Gabriel here. It’s one of discovery and insight for himself and his afterlife. We feel so happy for him. And his partner. 

That’s the demon Leviathan aka Levi , a sea demon/monster who has also made appearances in preceding books. Levi is a sexy tentacled delight of a demon and his development along side his relationship with Gabriel is wonderful to read.

The story also brings in important elements and characters that will help finish off the series in the concluding storylines. I’m really excited to see what this will entail. 

Shannon Mae has written a highly entertaining, happy and sexy story. It’s a terrific read and one I’m happy to recommend.

Cover artwork by, Grimm Kat Cover assembly by, Tammy, Aspen Tree E.A.S.

Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures:

Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures: (Paranormal Romance ):

šŸ”· A Beginner’s Guide to Death, Demons, and Other Afterlife Disasters #1

šŸ”·A Beginner’s Guide to Mistakenly Summoned Demons and Other Misadventures #2

šŸ”·A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades #3

šŸ”·A Beginner’s Guide to Ghosts, Fallen Angels, and Other Afterlifers #4

šŸ”·A Beginner’s Guide to Sea Monsters, Messenger Angels, and Other Management Mishaps (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures #5)

Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Novellas: 

šŸ”·A Beginner’s Guide to Christmas Miracles (A Holiday Novella) 

šŸ”·A Beginner’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Pet Demons 

šŸ”·A Beginner’s Guide to Demonic Possessions

Demonic Disasters and 

Afterlife Adventures Collections: šŸ”·Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Collection 1

Hellhounds of Paradise Falls -sequel series:

  • How to Flirt with a Hellhound #1 – (Coming Soon)

Buy link

        A Beginner’s Guide to Sea Monsters, Messenger Angels, and Other Management Mishaps (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Book 8)

    

Blurb 

Gabriel:

Gabriel is the Divine Herald, the messenger of the Lord, the Angel of Revelation… and he’s currently losing ground to social media. (Really, how is he supposed to compete with that ticking app?) When the afterlife’s management team forces him into a ā€œprofessional development partnershipā€ with a demon, Gabriel is horrified—until he meets Leviathan, a sea monster with tattoos, tentacles, and a knack for helping him connect with mortals.

Levi:

Leviathan has no interest in going back to the underworld. He’d much rather spend his time topside with his octopus sidekick and now, apparently, one very uptight angel. Teaching Gabriel about mortal pleasures—food, coffee, books, and other things (that require less clothes)—is the best adventure Levi’s had in centuries.

But as they both start to enjoy their unexpected partnership, one problem remains: what happens when the leadership team decides the partnership is over? Levi isn’t about to give up his angel, and Gabriel isn’t sure he wants to return to Heaven without his demon.

Tags: Featuring one grumpy angel and one cheery sea monster demon; accidental stroke of genius from the leadership team (very accidental); Mt. Everest is overrated, but mortal coffee is divine; even angels enjoy a good book; Gabriel discovers the joys of food, and other mortal pleasures (wink, wink); Levi has tentacles, and Gabriel definitely approves.

December 1, 2025

Language

ā€ŽEnglish

Print length

262 pages

Book 8 of 8

Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures

Review: FaƧade (Knight & Daywalker Book 2) by Sam Burns 

Rating: 4.5🌈

Sam Burns is an auto buy/read author for me, a consistently excellent writer whose stories never fail to engage my imagination as well as my heart. 

Knight & Daywalker is another fantastic hit of a paranormal/urban fantasy trilogy from Burns with one last novel to go. 

In FaƧade, the second book in this series, Burns moves her characters into new territory, exploring new powers, expanding their relationships, and diving further into their respective backgrounds to bring them and this series into a broader and richer world and with a darker mystery to investigate.

Flynn Knight has multiple problems ahead of him, new friends and neighbors to explore and help get settled, along with maybe bf/business partner, Davin Byrne to sort things through with. Plus he’s got his scary kitty of unknown origins, to feed. 

How Burns beautifully develops the new storylines alongside the evolution of the characters growth in their relationships and powers is a joy to read. This is a great read and one I couldn’t put down until it was finished. 

And that teaser at the end? That intro into the first chapter of Masquerade?  How I want that book right now! 

Low spice romance, high adventure, fantastic characters and amazing storytelling. 

Highly recommend this book and the series. Read them in the order they were written. 

Cover art Ā© 2025 by Natasha Snow 

Knight and Daywalker – a planned trilogy:

  • Smokescreen #1
  • FaƧade #2Ā 
  • Masquerade #3 – April 2,2026

Same universe as 

THE FANTASTIC FLUKE-complete ā¤ļø

The Fantastic Fluke 

Fluke and the Faithless Father

 Fluke and the Faultline Fiasco

 Fluke and the Frontier Farce 

Fluke and the Fantastic Finale

Content Warning: gruesome deaths described in detail, violence, fraught parental relationships, serial killer & kidnapping (prior to book, off-page). 

Buy link

        FaƧade (Knight & Daywalker Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Flynn Knight has a million things to do. From the mundane, like helping his new friends open the restaurant next door, to feeding his cat—a near full-time job. Then there are the unexpected things, like trying to find out about his father’s people, now that one has tried to kill him.

When someone adds yet another attempted assassination to the mix, the only thing he knows for sure is that he can’t hide in his back office until everything blows over.

Right?

No, of course not.

Besides, if he’s in danger, then so are his friends, and he can’t have that; he’s attached. Especially to his new business partner, Davin Byrne, the world’s weirdest vampire, who has dark secrets of his own.

FaƧade is second in a new series set in the Fantastic Fluke universe. It settles Flynn into his new life with his friends and family, begins to explore the slow burn romance plot, and continues the main overarching plot, which will complete in book three, Masquerade.

date

November 23, 2025

Language

ā€ŽEnglish

Print length

258 pages

Book 2 of 3

Knight & Daywalker