I’ve recently stumbled into several new short paranormal romance series, each by a different author. The authors are new discoveries as well. So a novella works so well to get a feel for their writing style and love for the subject matter.
A Hellhound Called Derek (Mated to a Human Book 1) by Michelle Frost is about 87 pages. Frost gives us a barebones framework for the universe, humans and paranormal beings are, for reasons political and social, given mates from each other’s species. Names plucked from folders, mated, and hopefully, a HEA.
We meet the three paranormal beings getting their mates sitting in a bureaucrat’s office, waiting for their names. Each will have books in the series. First up is Derek, Alpha Hellhound. The way in which he chooses his mate from the folder pile makes sense.
His human mate is adorable. Hollis runs along the lines of the cute, human in need of a protector character but he’s still engaging and earns our sympathy.
The storyline does a good job of building a relationship given it’s a short story. Same goes for the dramatic elements.
There’s a subplot with a human hate group that needs more foundation, more details to come in future books I’m sure.
But in 87 pages, we get a quick romance, terrific characters, and an ongoing dramatic arc. I enjoyed it. Very entertaining and looking forward to the other stories.
Touch his mate and you’ll wish for the fires of hell.
Alpha of the Hellhound enforcers, Derek doesn’t think he has time for a mate until the Paranormal Council of the city gives him one.
Hollis is smart, funny, vulnerable…human, and his police commissioner uncle has designs to use Hollis’s new mating for his own ends.
He’ll learn quickly not to mess with a hellhound’s mate.
A Hellhound Called Derek is the first in this fast-paced novella series where the paranormals are all deliciously protective of their humans…no matter what type of trouble they get into.
Asher, the first in Masters’ new Demons-In-Law series about the fabulously wealthy Bailey clan of demons, see Gideon now mates to Lucifer Sam in the connected Hidden Species/Here Be Dragons series.
It all happens in the very isolated picturesque village of Hortplatz, high in the snowy, very snow mountains of Switzerland, where it has housed an entire settlement of demons.
After a visit by a verified surprises Lucifer Sam , there to meet his bf’s family, it becomes a mission to help them understand the world they live in, it’s diverse paranormal activity and species.
Enter Garrett Smythe! Masters excels at the instant connection, the chemistry that also brings a personal bond. The sex and the emotional touches that come from that first night between Garrett and Asher set the tone for what follows.
They are magic together. Absolutely believable as a couple bonding and in love.
The formidable Bailey family is led by Damaris, the family matriarch. Warrior, politician, all around scary person who adores her family, I love this character! The many Baileys , all the cousins to grandchildren are beings you want to spend time with. I enjoy the species history and physical biology that Masters has written that makes this and them so fascinating.
The other half is, of course, Hellhound. That’s Garrett. And his cousin Alastair. His cousin is a well known character, part of several books. As much as I love him exuberance and way out there actions, here Alastair was actually too much. He had lost some of his charm and veered into being a bit of an irritant. He’s just getting used too much without the necessary underlying depths that made him a better person.
Garrett has those qualities and it makes him a fully dimensional Hellhound. And teacher, anthropologist, and loving new husband.
The relationships between the many characters, teachers to students, children to their large families, families to their community, it’s real protective, and loving. I smiled through the entire read.
This story is funny, surprising, sexy, and has a great twist at the end to bring in familiar faces and a bridge to the next book.
I’m only sorry I can’t go directly onto the next book. But I’ll wait and perhaps reread some of the stories from the two previous series. It’s a great universe!
When your imaginary boyfriend turns up in your hometown, marriage is the only option.
I’m not anti-relationship, but my life is good right now, and love is not a priority. Too bad my grandmother disagrees. People say she’s scary, and sure, some of her enemies went missing under mysterious circumstances, but she loves me and wants the best for me… which, right now, is marriage. The matchmaking is a lot, and she’s not letting up. What’s a demon to do except invent a long-distance boyfriend?
That backfires hard when the one-night stand I based my fake boyfriend on arrives in our tiny village. Garrett’s here to help our cut-off town assimilate with the rest of the Community of Species. He’s not expecting to find he has a boyfriend he knew nothing about.
It doesn’t take me long to convince him to agree to my new plan. I need the matchmaking to stop; he needs our insular little community to accept and trust him. The perfect solution: marriage. A business agreement with a time limit.
Just business.
Until he demands more. A sexy, nerdy hellhound in my bed isn’t a deal breaker.
But as we get closer to our end date, it gets harder for me to imagine life without him. And when my little cousin goes missing, it’s Garrett who saves the day… and reveals secrets the village didn’t know we had.
In this hilarious spin-off from the Hidden Species series, Gideon’s cousins get their time to shine… beginning with Asher and his brand-new hellhound husband.
Innocent mistakenly ends up in Hell, falls for a Demon, has his HEA.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s has become a popular theme lately, a new trope forming.
Shannon Mae (a new to me author) is the latest to tackle this idea and she does so very amusingly. Her book, A Beginner’s Guide to Death, Demons, and Other Afterlife Disasters, a suitably detailed title, has charming characters and a well crafted universe. It’s the first in her new series, Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures, which features gods, goddesses, Heaven, levels of Hell, and Limbo which is the place to partay! We have bureaucrats on every level, hellish and heavenly. Turns out, as suspected, there’s not much difference.
Mae has crafted some very entertaining elements and a romance that’s a winner. There’s Adam, sent to Hell by mistake . And a very bored Minos, Judge of the Damned, whose unlife needs a shaking up and is about to get it.
This story is a fast, enjoyable read and I had so much fun with these characters.
I’m looking forward to a return when the next story is released.
Cute cover.
Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures:
✓ A Beginner’s Guide to Death, Demons, and Other Afterlife Disasters #1
◦ A Beginner’s Guide to Mistakenly Summoned Demons and Other Misadventures #2 – TBR July 15,2023
Adam: Adam is not having a good day. First, he finds out his very long time boyfriend has been having an affair. Then, his dramatic exit becomes a little too dramatic when he ends up dead. To top it off, he finds out that the afterlife isn’t at all what he expected (he has no desire to learn to play the harp, thank you very much). Fortunately for him, some afterlife bureaucratic screw up ends him up with the most smoking hot demon he’s ever seen, and he decides he’s keeping him. Maybe the afterlife won’t be so bad after all.
Minos: As Judge of the Damned, Minos has seen all sorts of human depravity over his endless existence. When a beautiful, shining soul pops into his chamber for judgment, he knows it’s a mistake. The human, however, seems quite content to hang around, and it isn’t long before Minos decides he just might decide to keep this one. Minos isn’t the optimistic or happy sort, but he can’t help but be caught up in the whirlwind that is Adam. When forces beyond his control want to return Adam to his designated afterlife, Minos decides that will not be happening, heaven and hell be damned.
Tags: A very grumpy demon meets his match in a snarky, sunshine-filled human; not all angels are nice; Limbo is the party place to be; the afterlife is run like a corporate office, complete with red tape, pointless memos, and high levels of frustration; Minos has a tail and knows how to use it.
The Magic That Binds is the first in a new series by A.J. Sherwood and it’s an excellent story. By the author’s own admission, it’s been a long time coming. A fact made clear by the detailed nature of the book’s world building and the way in which Sherwood slowly creates this incredible, intimate bond between three unusual, and extremely distinct individuals.
This bond, a threefold relationship that forms from wary friendships and tenuous business/political connections then strengthens through mutual attraction, deepening connections, mysterious events, and ultimately love.
Sherwood’s beautifully plotted tale of a poly romantic journey is founded upon a backdrop of intricate magical intrigue and political power struggles. We are given a prologue as a base for our world knowledge before we jump into the high drama and mysteries that will bring the three men together in a fascinating, satisfying romantic tale.
It’s starts with Dag Gates, rogue healer, on the run in Nova Scotia, a country only recently having found peace and stability under new rule. Dag, an orphaned boy, a powerful healer, and a bit of an enigma, might start off as a favorite character. He’s all damaged soul, PTSD, and yet so bright and caring. A great character. Yet the two men coming into his life shortly after are different, in looks, backgrounds, and power. And will slide into the reader’s heart as well. Maegan Stefan Bjorne, powerful mage, of a large loving theatrical family and possessing a heart wary of affection and commitment. Dark, strong and instantly drawn to Dag.
I felt their chemistry immediately.
Then came the bad boy or man. Businessman Mikkel Vinters, with two families, of which one is his chosen found family of a less lustrous reputation. Vinters so layered , his found family so fascinating , his mind so open to the possibilities both men represent to him and the future, that you are all in where he’s concerned.
With each perspective, we get to know intimately the way each man thinks and feels, about the others and the increasingly precarious situations they find themselves in .
I just couldn’t put this book down.
They grow together, Dag ‘s new stable life lets him start to settle down emotionally, and that impacts the others. I really don’t see how Sherwood missed out on the natural progression here with the men and their poly relationship. Even the sexual scenes, which have the added element of one man being a virgin, feel believable , sexy, and loving.
I’m thrilled that Sherwood isn’t done with these men and this universe. I honestly need more . The author teases us with fabulous glimpses of family life, personal history, and castle home life. But we know that there’s so much more happening.
And we want to be a part of it. And them. Whenever we may get it.
The Magic That Binds (Haelan Book 1) by A.J. Sherwood is a fabulous book and one I’m highly recommending!
All Dag Gates wants is a place to call home. (And to practice magic freely.)
All Stefan Bjorne wants is peace in his adoptive country. (And less paperwork.)
All Mikkel Vinters wants is both of them. (No, really, he could do wedding bells.)
So why, pray tell, is half the magical community set on denying them all their wishes?
Tags:
Urban fantasy anyone?, slow burn, Mikkel is dying its so slow, pray for him, age gap, millionaire CEO is loose with no limits, cinnamon roll protection squad assemble!, polyamory at its best, Dag wants to eat all the things, all, magic, healing, childhood trauma, who’s chasing who is the question, Dag’s shy, Stefan’s a little insecure, thankfully Mikkel is neither, there is far too much food in this book, short but mighty, rules are established, Mikkel’s type in men is sexy and dangerous, it hasn’t killed him yet, accidental husband acquisition, magical bindings, shenanigans shall now commence
Quill Me Now is a short first story that introduces the reader to a new world and series by Jordan Castillo Price. Urban fantasy that immediately lets us into the urban setting we’re familiar with, given a magical twist. Late food and bad service due not to service gone wrong but because of a magical signage done poorly.
That seems legit somehow. And twin brother and sister trying to hold onto a magical family business but grappling with debt.
The magic is divided into two groups. Scriveners and Seers. Scriveners create spells with words, and the skill is genetic. The other side is the Seer, they paint a magical picture. Non magical people are called Handless.
Into this world, there’s Dixon Penn, of the well known Penn Scriveners family only he failed his test.
The story is about Dixon’s plight to be a Scriveners, the job he finds, the mysterious Russian Yuri he meets, and the trouble they get into.
It’s fun, with some magic, mystery, and the beginnings of romance. It could use some more world building and magical information but it’s a fairly long series now so I expect to see more of it as I get into the books.
But definitely a cute, quirky paranormal read and one I’m recommending.
Spellcraft isn’t exactly a respectable business, but it does pay the bills. At least, it should. Unfortunately, Dixon Penn failed his Spellcraft initiation. Instead of working in his family’s shop, he’s stuck delivering takeout orders in his uncle’s beat-up Buick.
Winning a Valentine’s Day contest at the largest greeting card company in the tri-state area would be just the thing to get his life back on track—but something at Precious Greetings just doesn’t add up. And despite numerous warnings to quit pestering them about his contest entry, he simply can’t stop himself from coming back again and again.
It doesn’t hurt that the head of security is such a hottie. If Dixon had any common sense, he’d be scared of the big, mysterious, tattooed Russian.
To be fair, no one ever accused him of being too smart….
The ABCs of Spellcraft is a series filled with bad jokes and good magic, where MM Romance meets Paranormal Cozy. A perky hero, a brooding love interest, and delightfully twisty-turny stories that never end up quite where you’d expect.
Quill Me Now originally debuted in the Bad Valentine collection, along with Love Magic by Jesi Lea Ryan, Hidden Hearts by Clare London, and Temporary Dad by Dev Bentham.
Casey Cox is diving further into the billionaire romance trope with the first in Cox’s new Upper Eschelons series, Givers.
I’m a fan of this author from the Vet Shop Boys and thought I’d see what sort of perspective they’d bring to this popular contemporary romance trope.
There’s some good elements here with respect to the characters and their personalities that made for some interesting moments. I also enjoyed the You’ve Got Mail approach the author took with the dating app, something Cox admits to. It’s a charming ploy , and works here as well as it does on screen.
However, my thoughts after finishing the story is that every element, each neat aspect of the narrative I thought special or outside the usual plot line never got the attention of detail or was carried to its fullest potential that the author was capable of achieving.
Robbie Small (he’s also short in stature) is involved in the Wellness business (his company) , working out, and extremely conscious about diet. It relates back to a painful family history and his mother. This is an important part of his life and personality. It’s made him what he is today. Yet once it’s out in the story, it’s over. And this topic disappears completely.
This is a trend within the narrative. A storyline or aspect of one that may strike a reader as a compelling element is only partially put into use, and then discarded.
When both Dunlop and Robbie Small are matched up by the dating service we get an enjoyable, engaging conversation that adds to the anticipation for these men to share more of themselves and gain a deeper understanding. But that doesn’t happen. Spoiler alert. This element is stopped short.
The book actually contains a scene where Dunlop and Robbie go to meet a couple from another book (Heart Unbroken). It makes no sense if you haven’t read that story. And really, except for the author’s own need to include it so a brother can be yelled at twice, it’s hard to understand why it’s included here. The argument that the company and brother are “cold hearted” has been made satisfactorily.
It’s choices like that, extra page time that makes the book dense, less interesting, less focused on the characters and central themes of this story.
Dunlop wasn’t a character I was immediately drawn to. It took time to find any type of connection with him, unlike Robbie Smalls who was engaging and likable from the start.
The billionaire trope is , imo, a type of contemporary romance that’s harder to find a realistic connection with , so the author has to look deeper into the characters themselves for elements for readers to understand and be drawn to. I’m not sure Cox was able to find those elements and make us or at least me, care about the billionaires here. That’s a hard sell any day, but more so now.
So it’s a good romance. If you’re a fan of Cox or this trope, give it a try. Otherwise, check out the Vet Shop Boys! There’s a series I can recommend.
I’m so bad at love, I’ve resorted to outsourcing it.
ALGRL is a next-level, algorithmic-based online dating service with a 97% guaranteed success rate! With odds like that, even I can’t mess it up. Right?
One thing I’m sure of—Dunlop Palmer is not the Mr. Forever I’m looking for.
He’s a billionaire alpha playboy. Filthy rich, criminally attractive, and 100% not settle-down material.
He irritates me from the moment we meet. He gets under my skin once we start working together. And he totally catches me off guard when I start catching glimpses of the real him.
Turns out, my first impressions of him were way off-base. There’s a lot more to Dunlop than meets the eye. And see? This is why I can’t be trusted when it comes to men.
I should be focused on the perfect guy I’ve been matched with online—hello, 97% success rate—and not the walking, talking, sex god of a disaster that is Dunlop.
Am I about to make another huge mistake?…
GIVERS is an opposites-attract billionaire MM romance with You’ve Got Mail rom-com vibes. It features an alpha billionaire who’s guarding his heart, online dating, a ginormous size difference, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
I picked up Pressure hoping by reading the first of the Lunar Wolves books I’d get a better understanding of the universe and setting for Burrell’s stories and characters.
Unfortunately, the answer is not really. I still don’t know if the world the events take place in belongs to humans AND lunar wolves originally, or if lunar wolves came later.
Also unanswered is the question of how and why the solar and celestial wolves clans or species came to this world or dimension. And who they are exactly. They appear to have, at least the solar wolves do, a very specific and rigid culture.
But this is a lunar wolf series. Where’s their rich background? Are there other series I’m missing?
At any rate, once again, I enter a story with a incomplete picture of the world and it’s cultural history and current affairs. That lack of information will have the reader try to piece together essential bits of storylines and failing because we just can’t make sense of them.
If you can toss aside the backstory and concentrate on just the relationship of Axe Landry, Chief of LCEA, and Caden Borealis, only son of a isolated witch clan, then the story is very interesting. I like the main characters as they met and finally agreed to mate. A messy path indeed.
Axe has a hidden secret (one the reader doesn’t know until later), but he must obtain a mate to continue on in his job.
All wolves ,apparently, must mate with a witch, due to The Sacred Pact. That’s actually spelled out for the reader and Caden. Otherwise, they go primal, lone, and wild.
So arranging for a mate is a common practice among clans of witches and wolves.
Caden is a different sort of person. He’s headed towards being a drug dealer, with a sleazy boyfriend and loser attitude. I like how this turns out.
Burrell could have spent the entire storyline on the adjustments both Caden and Axe had to make to each other, to the surprises inherent in their relationship and mate bond. Also to Caden’s reaction to Crescent City and the paranormal world. It would have been a excellent time to get those pesky things like background elements and foundation building in.
But instead there’s a mystery and murder to investigate too.
For myself, that took away from character development and pushed the story toward more threads than it could possibly handle.
Did I enjoy Pressure? Yes. Did I feel I had read a story that had a firm foundation of its universe set out for its readers? No. Likable characters and romantic relationships are engaging but within a story where we don’t have a complete picture of the world around them.
That’s a tad frustrating. Where did those solar wolves come from?
So if you’re a Burrell fan and have the answers, then I’m sure you will be picking up this book. All others make your own choices.
Axe Landry is the disgraced heir of a defeated Alpha. He craves law, order, and stability, but he’s clinging to his position of Chief of the Lunar Council Enforcement Agency, the protectors of Crescent City, by a thread. If he doesn’t find a mate—a witch mate, at that—by the next full moon, he’s bound for a life of ridicule and isolation. And to Axe, that kind of humiliation is a fate worse than death.
Enter Caden Borealis—wild, reckless…and irresistible.
Caden hasn’t made much of his twenty-three years on earth. His dysfunctional family and traumatic past sent him on a five year bender, but when his grandpa gets sick, Caden knows he needs to take care of the only person who ever cared about him. Caden’s life is a mess, though, and he desperately needs money if he wants to save his grandpa’s life.
A deliciously indecent proposal.
When Caden first hears Axe’s proposal, he can’t believe Axe is serious. All he has to do is pretend to be Axe’s husband and Axe will give him half a million dollars? There has to be a catch. Sure, Axe is a little strict. And yeah, there’s a list of rules Caden has to follow. But he can play the obedient pretend husband for as long as it takes for his grandpa to get better.
Unless it’s all real…
When werewolves start to go missing in Crescent City, Caden realizes he might be in over his head. He’s never let himself rely on anyone before, but Axe—older, gorgeous, steady Axe—becomes his rock as he learns to navigate this newfound world of witches and werewolves. But as the lines between real and pretend blur, Caden can’t always remember that he’s only acting like he’s in love. He needs to keep his head in the game, but it might just be his heart that’s calling the shots now.
Pressure is the first book in the Lunar Wolves series. It is a paranormal gay romance with mystery, suspense, a stern and sexy wolf, and an impulsive twink who maybe should’ve actually read that contract—like Axe had instructed—before he signed it.
First thing. This book should come with a trigger warning for domestic assault/violence. While the assault happens off page the immediate physical damage and emotional effects upon the victim ,a main character, is on page . The resulting trauma and continuing aftermath, for the victim, his family and the man who loves him is a major part of the storyline. It’s just one of several elements that readers might not be aware of from reading the description.
Another potentially triggering storyline is one where Noone explores the devastating consequences of outing a person, no matter why, by using Justin Moore’s genetic makeup instead of his sexuality to demonstrate just how dangerous and devastating outing a person can be. It’s realistic, especially when some States now are trying to roll back rights for LGBTGIA , non-white races , and Women (no order involved). Jobs lost, housing lost, even more. So this becomes even more involved with bullying and harassment.
Both the D/A , D/V, and outing storylines are well written and handled with sensitivity and respect.
Readers who find these are triggering elements should consider whether this is a book they should read.
Having dealt with the warnings, onto the main characters and narratives. It’s a very well written story and the characters have depth and dimension I hadn’t anticipated.
In fact, the entire story surprised me.
It begins with a famous, has been rocker, Kris Starr, trying and failing to come out with a holiday album of his ex-bands hits. It’s familiar story territory . It gets more so with the addition of a beautiful young music record company assistant , Justin , who’s been working with Kris to produce it.
Justin Moore, the young music assistant, has had a long time crush on the older singer. This also isn’t new ground. But it’s what Noone does with these easily recognizable character models that elevates their personalities and relationship.
I would love to say it’s done in tandem, that Noone builds the characters to their final depths together. And to a degree, that happens. But as Starr pulls out of his depression and stasis as a person and musician , it’s a path he’s started on . He wants a recovery of the soul, as he’s reconnecting with the people important to him. It’s Justin that helps with his continued emergence, and it will be Kris in turn who will join in committing to helping another’s survival and restoration.
However, as Kris and Justin wobble along a obstacle strewn path, the author surrounds both with a veritable banquet of memorable multi layered people and scenes of heart searing moments. Jason’s family is superb.
From the many siblings, the scarily wonderful twins being my favorite, the parents, and yes, those Aunts, to the emotional support that Kris is shown to be able to bring, Noone swings the characters from one dramatic twist to another , often with heart wrenching detail. The author lets the readers feel fully immersed and invested in the lives and emotions as the events unfold through the pages.
Does this sounds like that simplistic, perhaps humorous synopsis written for this book? No it does not, and it is not.
There’s light hearted moments here as it needs to because otherwise the pain and trauma the person and characters are experiencing would be overwhelming. As they acknowledge. Doesn’t matter what species you are, trauma is trauma.
There’s a section at the end that might give some people pause. But again, it’s all about asking for permission, it’s about control, and no matter what, think about perspective.
Another great example of how this book tilts one way when you’d expect to go another.
I was unaware of The Demon Universe until I read Snowed In: Kit and Harry, a superb book about a magical Regency mystery. That seems to have no bearing on this, so perhaps they are all standalones.
I intend to find out. This one and Snowed In set the bar high indeed.
Kris Starr used to be famous. Rock and roll. Sold-out shows. Literal magic. Empathic talents and screaming fans.
But he has a problem or two. He’s having a hard time writing new music. It’s Midwinter, which means he’s surrounded by depressing holiday cheer. And he’s in love with Justin, his manager, who has a talent for rescuing almost- or once-famous bands … and who’s hiding secrets of his own.
Justin Moore, on the other hand, is very good at keeping those secrets — he’s had to be for years. One secret involves a demonic inheritance that would make him a target of suspicion. Another involves his past.
And the third involves Justin’s feelings for Kris Starr, rock and roll icon and now his client … and a powerful empath of his own.
Faeted Under Fire was a wonderful find. The vibrant cover caught my attention and the imaginative storytelling is just so well done. Both authors are new to me, so I was excited to see what they brought to paranormal fiction.
The universe building is sparse as far as how human beings and the paranormal realm came to exist together. The authors deal with this question in smattering of sentences that raise more questions than answers. Where they spend their narrative energy and enthusiasm is in the creation of the paranormal “section’ of the city much like we have a Chinatown or Little Italy. Only more as in the past when the cities were more racially segregated.
It’s a lively, culturally diverse community, with food trucks and bars owned, and run by the various paranormal species. It feels alive. Sometimes grungy and a perfect fit for the pod or group of paranormal investigators to run through or hang at .
O’Connor and Lyn spent considerable time as well as in creating engaging personalities for their main characters. One is Tristan James, a human cop, who’s prejudiced towards paranormals, and then has to undergo a psychological and physical traumatic change when he’s attacked. Tristan is an amazing perspective for the reader into paranormal life as he’s a fresh viewpoint. I adore him. He’s a good cop and someone trying to be a good person, whoever they may be.
His partner, half orc/half Fae, with prejudices of his own, is Maddox Smith. This character has layers, which continue to get peeled back throughout the story and into the next. He’s one whose character consistently deepens and matures to accommodate changes in the relationships around him.
This is the first story so everyone is still learning about each other and getting settled into their new roles.
O’Connor and Lyn kept me involved in the paranormal and human investigations and emotional stories playing out throughout the novel. If I had a bit of a quibble it was that I recognized the villain early on. Not the motivation for all the events, but who it must be at least behind one attack.
However, I do admit that mysteries and crime investigations have been my jam since early childhood. So take that for whatever it may be worth.
In total, Faeted Under Fire (Paranormal Investigative Service Book 1) by Cassidy K. O’Connor and Sheri Lyn is a exciting, immersive journey into a new partnership and journey towards a romantic relationship for two memorable people . I’m absolutely thrilled with my find and recommending it to others.
A human cop, a paranormal agent, and nine missing kids. Prejudice aside, they have to work together if they want to stop number ten.
Tristan James didn’t know he had a latent paranormal gene in his body until he was attacked on the job as an officer with Tampa PD and killed. As a phoenix shifter, he rose from the ashes and came back stronger than ever. Unfortunately, he was no longer human, this meant no job, no home, no friends. New purpose finds him with the help of a paranormal federal agency offering him a job. He has to put his own learned hatreds aside and accept the paranormals he was now one of.
Maddox Smith loved his job with the Paranormal Investigative Services. He knew what it was like to have no one looking out for you and that’s what made him a good agent. Someone is taking paranormal kids and he has no leads. When a recently turned human is booted from the police and brought to P.I.S. and partnered with him, Maddox wants nothing to do with him. What had the humans ever done for their kind?
Can they forget their biases and solve the case before there’s a tenth?
Nicole Kimberling is such an amazing author. I adored her Bellingham Mysteries and then lost track of her writings. But happily I’ve found her again through her series about a other-realm investigator who used to be a chef. That’s Keith Curry’s Case Files.
I believe the series started in a collection called Irregulars, 4 short stories by 4 authors about NIAD. That’s NATO Irregular Affairs Division. They police other-realm traffic, beings, and artifacts that come through portals to this world. The division’s are made up of many species including Faerie lawyers, rumpled magicians, business witches and weary specialists human agents.
That’s where Keith Curry comes in.
We get Keith’s dramatic and sickening introduction to the agency and how he came to be recruited here. To be honest, parts of the book aren’t for those who have a weak stomach or are highly sensitive. We are talking about cannibalism here as part of the mystery and narrative. Just a Fyi.
There’s several elements that are raised throughout the narrative that challenge Keith’s vision of himself as a neutral investigator. Species bigotry is brought up and examined through the viewpoint of different characters, very effectively. Whether it’s goblins or vampire, it forces Keith to look at his own judgments and review them for reactions he’s thought he’d worked through.
There’s reasons for his reasons. It’s in his past. And understandable by any standards.
It’s his new teammate and former hookup , Gunther, who has been assigned to help Keith figure out where the human dead (and butchered) bodies are coming from. A fellow agent who will make Keith aware of his suppressed feelings towards other species.
Kimberling sets her story in and around Portland, Oregon and her familiarity with the city and deep roots with the place shows. From the markets to the food trucks, it’s realistic, even when run by goblins. I found the idea of a goblin race that transformed to conform in utero a thought provoking idea. I’m certain this is just the beginning of this thread.
The author crafted so many interesting elements to fold into the story and world building of the series. We got just hints here and there about a topic, enough to pique our interest and imagination, but not enough to satisfy. Hopefully we’ll get more in the coming stories.
The mystery and investigation was crisp and complicated. I loved following the clues along with Keith and Gunther, his fellow investigator and perhaps future boyfriend.
Especially as the relationship that’s just starting here between Gunther and Keith continues.
Now I really need to locate that original collection as well. I’m sure that’s Keith’s origin story. Yikes.
And I’m onto the next in his series. But do be aware, unlike the Bellingham Mysteries, Keith Curry seems to see the absolute worst and often stomach churning cases . Be forewarned.
If you’re ok with that, I’m highly recommending this!
NATO’s Irregulars Affairs Division is a secret organization operating in thousands of cities around the globe. Its agents police relations between the earthly realm and those beyond this world, protecting us from terrible dangers as well as enthralling temptations. Agent Keith Curry is a former carnivore chef turned vegetarian. Keith must navigate Portland, Oregon’s culinary underworld to catch a killer bent on harvesting human flesh. But things get complicated when he hooks up with an old flame who he’s never been able to refuse.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 