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

‎English

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 fiancé.

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 fiancé 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

💀Ward’s story (1-3):

The Ghost in the Hall

The Boy in the Locked Room

The Skeleton Under the Stairs.

💀Hart’s story (4-6):

The Dog in the Alley

The Bones in the Yard

The Elf Beside Himself

💀Seth’s story (7-9):

The Turning of the Tables

The Badger in his Burrow

The Past in the Present

💀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)

💀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

‎English

Print length

396 pages

Book 10 of 10

Beyond the Veil

Review: To Claim a Ghost :The Ghost Protectors Book 2 by Annabella Stone

Rating: 4.5🌈

The second book in The Ghost Protectors series, part of a larger military suspense romance universe created by this author, I found To Claim A Ghost a hit, full of characters and elements that make Stone so successful in this trope.

This was especially well written in the dynamic between the two characters who were torn apart by their respective families and political factions, then eventually reunited under the worst conditions.

To be a Ghost, a member of a secret paramilitary unit, is to be “dead”. To everyone who knew them, to have been “buried” and mourned by those who loved them. Even their own teammates don’t know each other’s stories.

So the burden and trauma of seeing the past before you and everything that entails is emotionally detailed in the scenes here and within the characters themselves. Angelo, now a Ghost and his former husband, Toro, and a sketchy undercover mission in Afghanistan that involves both the Ghost team and his former husband’s current situation.

It’s an investigation that’s involves current events, layered political realities, and multiple battle scenes. Fast paced, gritty and unpredictable.

At its length, there’s still a few elements that feel unresolved. I have a feeling they will be picked up in later books and storylines.

This is a terrific series and a very engaging read. One I’m happy to share.

Cover Design: LK Graphics

Cover Photo: David Wills Photography Models: Christopher John & David Wills

The Ghost Protectors :

To Love A Ghost #1

To Claim a Ghost #2

To Tame A Ghost #3

Buy link

Book 2 of 3: The Ghost Protectors

Blurb

A dead man tells no tales—or so they say—but can he find a happy ever after?

After being declared dead by his country and recruited to an elite team of Black Ops Operators, former Italian Special Forces Consubin Angelo Selvaggio has never fully embraced the life offered to him by The Ghost Protectors. His heart has always yearned for the one he walked away from. Now the only remaining member of his blood family is missing in one of the worst hell holes on earth, to save him, Angelo needs help from the same man he swore he’d stay away from. The man who’s heart he destroyed when he walked away to save both their lives. Is Angelo willing to risk it all to find his brother? Is he willing to cross every line and break every rule for the one he loves? Hell yes, there is no price too high for one last shot at love with the man who owns his heart.

After the loss of his husband in a roadside bomb on the sand strewn streets of Kandahar, Vittorio *Toro* Gambino took refuge in the Tribal Lands of Afghanistan. Using his intelligence skills to be Italy’s eyes and ears on the ground in the Middle East. A phone call from a dead man sends his world spiraling out of control. Everything he believed in —destroyed. Everything he knew as truth—gone. Everything he’d dreamed of is once again at his fingertips if he can get past the hurt and betrayal which burns in his soul. He’s about to find out if he has what it takes to Claim a Ghost?

Embers Romance LLC

Publication date

January 30, 2022

Language

‎English

Print length

288 pages

Book 2 of 3

The Ghost Protectors

Review: A Cowboy Holiday: MM Grumpy-Sunshine Romance by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.5🌈

“There’s a little cowboy in all of us, a little frontier.” —Louis L’Amour

Of course, Lane Hayes starts this heartwarming Christmas romance with a quote from one of my favorite authors, Louis L’Amour. Perfect.

And the story that follows it is just as heartwarming and seasonally satisfying for all readers, those who are familiar with this author and those new to her stories and this holiday universe.

Written so that it’s in the same location and includes many of the characters from Hayes’ previous Christmas story, Moody’s Grumpy Holiday, this year we get a single veterinarian dad and his adorable daughter who end up helping settle in a dairy herd to a local ranch and find more than they expected.

Tanner, who’s co owner of Oak Ridge Ranch, finds himself drawn to the large, quiet vet who is marvelous with his animals and protective of his daughter.

Let me say the characters are excellently written, the relationships between each one feels grounded and believable and the town as well was a joy to revisit. The men, the children, and the animals! Heartfelt and emotionally charged. And so joyful.

I’m hoping that Hayes makes returning to the town and ranch in whatever way possible an annual story.

Two down. Hopefully more to come.

Another winner.

Cover Design by Reese Dante

Buy link:

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comA Cowboy Holiday: MM Grumpy-Sunshine Romance – Kindle edition by Hayes, Lane. …

Blurb

The cowboy, the rancher, and a little holiday magic…

Tanner

I meet the grumpiest man on the planet, and I’m head over heels in lust. No joke. Oak Ridge Ranch’s new part-time-vet-slash-ranch-hand is a bear, and he’s built like one too. If I were smart, I’d keep my distance.

In a twist, I’m not so smart.

But I can tell that under his hard-as-nails exterior, the cowboy is a gentle giant. Axel is a devoted single dad, a dedicated vet, and…I think he likes me. Or he wants me.

I can work with that.

Axel

I need the job at the ranch through December; then I’m out of here. I have a kid to think of, and it’s time to settle old scores and build a new life. But Tanner complicates things. He’s smart, intuitive, charming, and⁠—

Whoa! This is temporary. I’m not Tanner’s cowboy.

But I am attracted to him…and there’s nothing wrong with a little holiday fun, is there?

A Cowboy Holiday is an MM, bisexual romance featuring a single dad-cowboy-grump, a sweetheart of a rancher, and some holiday sparks.

Review: Temptation’s Tango: MM Romantic Suspense (Delta Force: Team Lynx Book 3) by Annabella Stone

Rating: 4🌈

“Delta Force: Team Lynx is the US Governments newest weapon in the battle against former military personal gone rogue. Led by former Delta Force Team Lynx’s Castello Moran and his team, they have recruited members from the CIA, FBI, NSA, ATF, and other Law Enforcement Agencies.”

I’ve read and really enjoyed other books by Annabella Stone. She focuses on military/black ops characters stories and their relationships. Primarily contemporary but with the occasional exception of a fantasy or paranormal twist.

And there’s multiple series set within the same connected law enforcement universe. This is one of them.

I picked up Temptation’s Tango primarily due to the inclusion of a K-9 main character, Balas, and the accuracy of the relationship between handler,Rafe Anderson, and his WMD/working military dog.

For me, this was the absolute best thing about the book. From his commands in the language used in every scene (Schutzhund) with Balas that not only enforces the depth of training but their own understanding of each other from years together. It’s a credible, deep and genuine relationship between a man and his canine partner.

Same goes for the team when they assemble in Rafe’s old home in Pine Bush due to the criminal activity he’s encountered and the seriousness of the situation that needs further investigation. They have the feel of a field team, which has been together a while and is found family.

Aspects of the story that I feel needs further exploration or more depth towards the ending are with the villains of the plot. And the romantic lead.

He’s cute and it helps that there’s some prior history as children growing up. But the timeline feels rushed.

And without giving away any spoilers, there’s no confrontation with the “real culprits” here. The boo hiss baddies. And that leaves the ending feeling less than satisfying.

The reader sorta “listens” into a gunfight that happens. Then there’s drama. Then a romantic relationship HEA.

So the story is sweet but military wise or law enforcement wise, not great. As I said, the partnership between Balas and Rafe for me stood out from everything else here as the best written and well defined.

And the teamwork is well done as well.

Haven’t read the other books but I’m sure I’ll get to them eventually.

Cover Art: Golden Czermak

Delta Force: Team Lynx (4 book series)

Salvation’s Sinner #1

Redemption’s Rebel #2

Temptation’s Tango #3

Absolution’s Assassin #4

Buy link

Temptation’s Tango: MM Romantic Suspense (Delta Force: Team Lynx Book 3)

Blurb

It was only supposed to be one kiss…

After his K9, Balas, took down an intruder on the White House lawn, former Secret Service agent, Rafe Anderson, didn’t count on his life changing quite so much. With Balas now the face of MWDs across the globe, Rafe lost his faith in the people he worked with when they decided Balas would be better off with a handler who wanted to be in the public eye and not one who shunned notoriety at every opportunity. He swore he’d never serve his country again, and he kept that promise for nine long lonely months until Delta Force Team Lynx offered him a job, using the one thing Rafe could never refuse to sweeten the deal. A chance to have Balas back in his life. Rafe agreed—Lynx delivered—he and Balas are once more a family, a team, and nobody is going to separate them again. With a month of leave in his back pocket, Rafe and Balas are going home to finally buy the house his mother sold before he could afford to buy it. His grandparents’ home in sleepy Pine Bush will make the perfect retreat from the ravages of working in war zones and the horrors of the dirty side of chasing former military members gone rouge…right?

Parker Frost loves his hometown, and unlike his brother, he doesn’t want to shake the dust of Pine Bush off his shoes. He’s happy living over his mom’s garage and working at The Hoot Owl. Slinging beer, running karaoke night, and making people laugh is his jam. If only he could avoid the unwanted advances from the man who keeps asking him out. Seriously, who offers you a thousand bucks a week just to date you? With that insult ringing in his ears, he takes matters into his own hands and begs the hottest man he’s ever seen to pretend they are a couple. Kissing Mr. Sexy Stranger will prove he’s not available, even for that much money…right?

It was only supposed to be one kiss—then one sleepover—now Rafe and Parker must figure out why their hometown is in the crosshairs of a drug lord. But before either can act on the desire pulling them together, Rafe really needs to figure out if his Temptation can really be a Tango.

Embers Romance LLC

Publication date

September 3, 2022

Language

‎English

Print length

248 pages

Book 3 of 4

Delta Force: Team Lynx

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 ):

🔷 A Beginner’s Guide to Death, Demons, and Other Afterlife Disasters #1

🔷A Beginner’s Guide to Mistakenly Summoned Demons and Other Misadventures #2

🔷A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades #3

🔷A Beginner’s Guide to Ghosts, Fallen Angels, and Other Afterlifers #4

🔷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:

🔷A Beginner’s Guide to Christmas Miracles (A Holiday Novella)

🔷A Beginner’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Pet Demons

🔷A Beginner’s Guide to Demonic Possessions

Demonic Disasters and

Afterlife Adventures Collections: 🔷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 “professional development partnership” 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

‎English

Print length

262 pages

Book 8 of 8

Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures

Review: Façade (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 Façade, 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.

Knight and Daywalker – a planned trilogy:

Smokescreen #1
Façade #2
Masquerade #3 – April 2,2026

Same universe as

THE FANTASTIC FLUKE-complete ❤️

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

Façade (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.

Façade 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

‎English

Print length

258 pages

Book 2 of 3

Knight & Daywalker

Review: The Night Vision: A Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon Murder Mysteries) by K Sterling

Rating: 4.25🌈

The Night Vision: A Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon Murder Mysteries) by K Sterling really improved upon the previous story and those characters here, especially Lord Smoak who, along with his Park Ranger lover have important roles here and show huge character developments or make that revelations.

The Moon Murder Mysteries is evolving into a group of powerful characters that Demi Sun God/anthropology professor Lennox “Nox” MacIlwraith, and his mate, Agent Nelson, along with Merlin, one of their magikal found family of witches, hellhounds, and medics is gathering together, book by book to help him fight the darkness.

Sterling’s is a rich tapestry of Irish mythology, Celtic lore and language as well as literature . She then matches this with the deep historical context of the American mountain culture and tapping into the world of the paranormal and ancient traditions for a dark, compelling mystical tale.

It can work too well as it does here with the Wolves of the Ossery, a horrific element that needs further foundation as well as exploration to due justice to such a uniquely powerful piece of this narrative. Its introduction is detailed and memorable. Dark and damaging. And pieces of it, history and their culture pops up in the story in various ways. But there’s no resolution, no insight into what happened to them.

What Sterling crafts so beautifully is a mystery. Here with visions from the Oracle (another story and person brought into the circle), is used by Nox and Parks Service investigator, Agent Silas Shelby to locate a mysterious man they believe will be killed soon if they don’t help him, Tighe Ossor.

Silas was featured heavily in the previous story, Dead Air, which was about the Ranger, Niall, and the demon, Cenn, aka Lord Smoak. Here, Lord Smoak becomes the character who is worthy of the name. Here, his character evolves to become the overwhelming threatening force with its own agenda, something that we didn’t see before in his and Niall’s book.

Other characters are showing signs of their own new powerful abilities and adaptations as new threats emerge.

The instant connection between Silas and Tighe Ossor is believable, intimate and even mystical. So the reader is eager to see how this relationship develops between them. I would liked to have had actually less sex and more time spent with them getting to know each other, especially as Tighe is so much a man “out of time “.

The Night Vision suffers from having too much of a narrative agenda to get through and not enough pages with which to get it done throughly and with all the storylines well developed.

Sterling has offered up fantastic content and ideas here. So much to think about and take into consideration. Just the idea of the emergence of a new god, its evolution and what it means for the universe and other realities is mentioned here.How much control does that god have over its own creation?

That’s just a small part of the story.

The villain is barely a part of the book. Blink twice and you will miss him. A dramatic moment and what’s highly anticipated about it is glossed over, but it’s there. One sentence.

This is a small narrative suitcase that’s bulging with all important storyline things, the sides are separating as stuff is trying to fall out. But even more is needed.

It ends on a sort of cliffhanger. Which will lead to an explosive start I’m sure to the next in the series.

We’re on the journey of an evolution of a god that started with the first trilogy, now he’s gathering his set of warriors.

I can’t wait to see what happens next.

No, not one is a standalone story.

Definitely recommend. But there’s many trigger warnings for multiple reasons. Read them.

Great covers.

Cover art by @KillerLaurent

Moon Mysteries 1 – 3 (first series)

Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon Murder Mysteries sequel series)

Back in the Hunt #1

The Tides of March #2

Dead Air #3

The Night Vision #4

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Night Vision: A Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon Murder …

Blurb

A vision of a corpse in a stream. A man with a heart too wild and a soul too pure for this world.

Parks Service investigator, Agent Silas Shelby, isn’t supposed to chase prophecies. But when an oracle named Tony shows him the skull of a man he’s never met, obsession takes hold. The trail leads him to Tighe Ossor—a descendant of ancient warrior-hunters hiding in the Appalachian wilds.

Tighe walked away from his brutal pack to live free, only to be hunted by a necromancer bent on power. To protect him, Silas must rely on anthropology professor Lennox MacIlwraith, Agent Nelson, and their magikal found family of witches, hellhounds, and medics.

Together, they must outwit dark sorcery before the oracle’s vision comes true. But with destiny, danger, and desire colliding, can Silas save a man fate has already marked for death?

The Night Vision can be read as a standalone but it includes numerous spoilers for the rest of the series and the original trilogy.

* [ inserting note of my own: imo not one of these complexly interwoven books can be read as a standalone story. Why this author and others seem to be adding this comment to blurbs for their series as a standardized note is puzzling, especially considering taken on their own merits, essentially all the characters foundation and the world building is lost without each others story ]

Publisher

Bawdy Books

Publication date

November 20, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

201 pages

Review: The Pushy Pixies Are Going Down (Hopefully) (Carry A Faerie #2) by Michele Notaro

Rating: 4🌈

The second novel in Michele Notaro’s Carry A Faerie series, The Pushy Pixies Are Going Down (Hopefully) is an entertaining tale , one jammed packed with emotional drama of the group of characters as well as their multiple personal storylines.

There’s sub plots which have a series mystery element associated with abducted fantasy creatures. A big storyline that’s building is one that features the younger characters of mages Aeson and Chaos, now working at a local museum. Their story is prominent here in, not just because they require the help of Miles (Empath) and Winter (Null) to take care of another pixie infestation but as we can see, they aren’t doing as well personally since we saw them last.

Miles and Win’s relationship moves forward in several ways, including the reveal of their own histories.

But most interesting, a third POV is added to the mix at the end of the story.

The characters of the young mages and the fantasy animals/familiars are fantastic. Detailed, engaging and engaging. Their circumstances are such that the reader is immediately empathetic to their story.

Which is why another aspect of this book is bothering me. Hard to go into details without spoilers but for the author to go down this route so early in the series (and having set up the situation to go bad considering the characters involved), makes me wonder why and what Notaro’s thoughts were. Especially given the sensitivity of the storyline.

This series seems to veer from comedic scenarios to extremely complex emotional dark scenes and histories. And I’m not sure it’s giving enough context and depth to the latter. And this talented author is more than capable of doing so. See her series, The Magi Accounts.

I’m recommending this story. It’s cute, shows lots of potential and has great characters.

It will be a year before the next book is released. I’ll be looking forward to it.

Carry A Faerie (3 book series):

Did It Have To Be Gnomes?! #1

The Pushy Pixies Are Going Down (Hopefully) #2

Gremlins, Goblins, And… What Is THAT? #3 – November 5,2026

Buy link

Book 2 of 3: Carry A Faerie

Blurb

Am I afraid of gnomes? Maaaaaaaybe.

Did I take on a huge gnome job anyway? I sure did.

Am I about to ask my crush for help?

Well, I have to ask someone, right?

I get called out to a huge mansion with the biggest number of invading gnomes I’ve ever seen, and I’m not sure who to call to help. And I definitely need some help.

So when Winter Montgomery just so happens to stop by, I know I have to ask him. I’ve been crushing on the handsome guy from afar for years, so now’s my chance to get close—and get some much needed support.

As long as I don’t let him see just how much I hate gnomes—okay, I’m actually terrified of them, but he doesn’t need to know that… right?

Did It Really Have To Be Gnomes?! (Carry A Faerie Book 1) is a MM urban fantasy and the first book in Miles and Winter’s love story. Each book will have its own supernatural problem with a HFN ending for the couple, but there will be overarching plot themes throughout the series

Publication date

July 31, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

296 pages

Book 1 of 3

Carry A Faerie

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