How the Necromancer in the Gold Vest Saved My Life: Who Woke the Dead? #4 (Princes of Mayhem) by Jocelynn Drake feels more like a stepping stone to more adventures than it does a series finale. One of the reasons why is that this is a prequel series to the author’s Lords of Discord series (the vampire Variks) and now, happily, a lead in to a new series about those chaotic male witches who are both Sky’s best friends and form his coven. Be still my heart.
So yes, Drake packs a ton into the fourth story of this crazy but highly entertaining serialized story about a powerful necromancer who finds a loving boyfriend in a human fantasy romance author and they continue to have grand adventures together along with their friends and demon minions!
Who Woke the Dead doesn’t come together as fully as a whole storyline like the previous books have. This felt more like a group of engaging events loosely tied together leading the characters and readers to a HFN for Sky and Nolan.
In each small scenario, Nolan and Sky get to discuss their experiences and why they are so different and yet well suited for each other. Whether it’s Nolan taking care of an exhausted Sky after he’s made sandwiches for the underworld (an element I loved) or having an after party for witches, this couple just is #couplegoals. They are supportive, committed, and they communicate, with humor and sexy affection. What’s not to love?
So maybe it doesn’t matter that there’s not an all consuming drama here but two men finding each other and becoming boyfriends under extraordinary circumstances. Plus I love me some Dandy Dogs! More of these please!
I really hope Drake makes a second season of this series. I’m really excited to see what happens next on this couple’s journey.
In the meantime, I’m looking forward to the witches series starting with the blood witch , Moon. He’s up first.
I’m highly recommending the series (must read all four stories) , then continue on.
How the Necromancer in the Gold Vest Saved My Life:
✓ Disaster #1: Fun With Family
✓ Disaster #2: Pet Problems
✓ Disaster #3: Date Night
✓ Disaster #4: Who Woke the Dead? – finale
Related new series with connected characters:
Kings of Chaos- the witches of above
◦ Two Thousand Dreams (Kings of Chaos Book 1)-Nov 10,2023
Sky would like to point out that this is NOT his fault.
But, yes, something has escaped, and it has all the dead crawling out of their graves.
Naturally, the humans are freaking out.
Except for the sexy one living across the street.
Nolan is ready to jump into the fray and help Sky round up the underworld fugitive.
Sky’s going to need all the help he can get–not just from his coven but all the witches he can get his hands on.
How the Necromancer in the Gold Vest Saved My Life is a serial comprising four novellas that follow the insane adventures of necromancer Skylar Wallace and his next-door neighbor Nolan Banks. This is the final book and contains witches, demons, underworld minions, more sandwiches, stolen smexy time, an angry Grammy, and something scary running wild in Connecticut.
Deep Impact is the finale story to Fox’s Wrecked:Guardians series and the author sees her characters off in their new roles and pathways in a totally satisfying manner. This comes complete with a great epilogue that lets us see our couples happily together in the future.
It makes sense to save the head of the agency, DeShaun Blaylock , of the legal firm Blaylock Security and Investigations, as the last person to concentrate on for a story.
Well , DB as he’s known,boss of Wrecked:Guardians, and the man who’s loved him for years not so secretly.
That’s Odd Bash. Twin brother to Anders Bash. Where Anders is the medical doctor, Odd is the technical genius. Both men working for Wrecked as well as the Guardians.
Throughout the series there’s been a serious underlying romantic connection between DB and Odd that’s never been acted on or acknowledged. Just sexual tension everywhere that is the talk of the team.
Why DB doesn’t engage with Odd has been a question.
Fox wraps her story around that answer here, one that rests in DB’s current disabilities and mental state.
The author does offer a trigger warning about the subject matter involved here with DeShaun. It goes back to a military mission that goes horribly wrong. A bomb explodes, a team is destroyed and DeShaun will survive having to go through multiple surgeries, savage wounds, burns , and ongoing medical issues that are believably described and discussed.
This is the author’s note:
“DeShaun (DB) has serious physical issues, as noted in earlier books. In this book we find out the full extent of his injuries, and in describing them I endeavored to use frank, accepting, often wry language. While I specifically avoided being overly graphic, the depictions may still be disturbing to some readers.”
FYI. DB also has PTSD and reoccurring nightmares about the mission. This element includes Jake , a character that DB blames himself for the failure of that man’s mission as well. It’s a package of guilt, nightmares, old history, and inability to heal.
This makes for compelling reading and gives us real insight into DB’s actions all this time.
Odd, whose personality is the opposite of his brother, has been giving DeShaun the space he’s indicated he wanted. Have to admit, I adore Odd, the quiet man to Anders wild one. But Fox’s interaction between the brothers here is wonderful, playing up their love for each other, their friendship and support. It also showcases Anders in a better light than Anders own book did. Great to see Anders and Omar again.
Every aspect of this team was spot on. Seeing the couples, getting DeShaun and Odd together, the missions to save the children being trafficked, it’s all here.
If the one thing, the “bad guy” felt a tad weak, well , I think he was just a little bit of a narrative ploy more than an actual good villain.
But everything else was so solid. The action, the ending, the epilogue. Absolutely satisfying. And there’s a new series getting ready to start where we’ll see these characters again.
I felt Deep Impact (Wrecked: Guardians, #4) by Kelly Fox might be the strongest story of the series and the great way to finish. I’m absolutely loving it and recommend it.
Read the series in the order that they were written.
DeShaun and I have been locked in a mutual imaginary affair since the day we met.
So many close calls, drunken flirtations, exchanged glances…and then his unfailing sense of duty would kick in. He has always outranked me and was never going to cross that line.
Even though we’re no longer in the service, he insists he’s not good enough for me. And sure, he’s still the boss…of our highly illegal mercenary organization. But that’s not the only thing holding him back. He’s scarred and in pain and believes his physical limitations should deter me.
What he doesn’t seem to get is that I would sacrifice a limb for him. Major organs. My entire heart.
If he thinks he can push me away for good, he doesn’t know Odd Bash.
Odd, the quiet man with the strange name, believes he can love me as I am. I will never let him do that to himself.
The bad guys never take a break, and every time he’s in danger I lose another night of sleep. Fall apart a little more.
Physically, let’s just say my knee isn’t the only problem. There’s an experimental surgery, but…I’m not going through that again.
In a perfect world, no one would ever know the extent of my injuries or the toll it has taken on my mind. Odd insists he loves me without reservation, but he doesn’t understand the reality of my life.
And I love him way too much to ever put him through that.
Deep Impactis a mercenary MM romance set in Austin, Texas. It features a nineties sing-along, an interfering sociopath, a surprise marriage, and a machine perfectly engineered for the bedroom.
This is the fourth and final book in the Wrecked: Guardians series. Several characters from my series about a gym for combat vets, Wrecked, crossover in this series. While you don’t need to read the Wrecked books to enjoy the slightly more nefarious Guardians, most folks end up wanting the juicy backstories.
Magical Mates, part of Macy Blake’s The Chosen One universe, is an adorable little series , and With Kid Gloves it goes out with a magical, magnificent narrative bang!
Absolutely my favorite of the series, it plays beautifully to the strengths of Blake’s themes and characters, reminding us and them of the importance of love in every aspect, the need for support from people who love and support each other whether it be family or pack or both, and the deep emotional connections that we make and share are sometimes broken. And need to be grieved for.
What a story.
The base structure starts with Tiger shifter, Bayu, who’s been a bit of an enigma. He’s a crush for Ollie, a formidable force that lingers in the woods, protecting the compound, and silently guarding those around him. Now as Bayu starts collecting rocks to build something, his past is slowly revealed. This nebulous project becomes, as a perfect narrative tool, a way for Blake to build a strong framework for a secondary theme . As the project grows, reshaping itself into something memorable, something remarkable happens. I won’t spoil it. Just say this thread is such a deeply rooted one in the philosophy of this universe and the overall storyline. I love it so much.
It helps with the relationship between Ollie and Bayu, which builds realistically. And they in turn extend outward to the other players in the compound who have need of them both.
Several major characters we have grown to love through past storylines and novels are at crossroads here. And one will die. And everyone will grieve deeply, including the reader.
I didn’t expect this element in a book about children, rescues, and even babies. But it makes sense. Because this is about cycles of nature too. Natural passages of life. Blake handles this so perfectly, with the love, compassion and sensitivity I have come to expect from the author.
The ending is so powerful and well conceived. It’s hard to believe that this is the last in this series but it also makes sense that it is. That it’s put a closure to so many threads and we get to see so many of the couples who got their families.
As I said, it by far, my favorite of the series. An absolute 5 star read and a comfort level storyline!
I’m highly recommending this fabulous book! Read them in the order that they are written. Unfamiliar with the Chosen One universe? The author’s website has a comprehensive reading guide for you there. It’s a must with so many series and books involved.
A grumpy tiger thinks he can be a lonely drifter? Not on Ollie Jerrick self-proclaimed Happiness Champion’s watch.
Ollie Jerrick has a hero complex. As a wolf shifter, he’s been surrounded by real-life heroes since his dads rescued him from an evil witch when he was six. He’s the son of a doctor wolf shifter, his boss is a billionaire griffin, and his big brother…well, he’s a super-powered mage mated to the mythical Chosen One. Not convinced yet? The hellhounds, guardians of the human realm…they’re Ollie’s adopted uncles. So when a mysterious tiger arrives, Ollie decides to save him from his miserable, lonely life. It’s not like it’ll be hard…right?
Bayu prefers the solitude being a tiger provides, but tragedy leads him to Nick Smith and the menagerie of kids he rescued. He accepts the role as a pack guard on one condition: the lion shifter will use his powerful connections to help Bayu find the answers he seeks. He has zero intentions of staying on a permanent basis. Some pack members seem to have other ideas, though. Especially Ollie, a young, gorgeous wolf who seems to enjoy nothing more than talking Bayu’s ears off while coaxing him into leaving his isolated existence behind.
Bayu and Ollie find themselves brought together in ways neither of them could have anticipated. When tragedy strikes again, this time it’s Bayu who has to decide if he’s hero enough to save Ollie from himself, especially when the cost will be nothing less than Bayu’s heart.
An MM Paranormal Fated Mates Romance
“The Chosen Universe is a group of interconnected series set in one universe. There is some overlap to the series, so it’s recommended to read the books in order. You can download a FREE reading order guide.”
— With Kid Gloves (Magical Mates: Book Four) An MM Paranormal Fated Mates Romance by Macy Blake
I always have such mixed emotions about the last book in a series I absolutely love. I don’t want to say goodbye so I dread reading it but I also want to see where the author is going to go with the compelling, complex characters they have created. And how the author will do so within the context of the framework of the series themes they’ve set down.
Walker sends off The Storm Boys in a manner we might not have expected but one that is so much more than I anticipated. It gives Tully and Jeremiah the happiest of moments going forward, the satisfaction for us and themselves in their lives, and all the characters we’ve come to know and adore.
If I were to be greedy, yes, I’d want holiday special stories. And yes, I hope I get them. But am I in love with the way they ended here? Yes.
Storms and lightning. Jeremiah ‘s traumatic past, and how it’s still been a lightning rod in many respects for Jeremiah, holding him back , from being able to see himself in certain roles, to being able to say I love you to Tully. Walker brings all this into the story, weaving it into their evolving relationship. Tully’s family is a terrific source of narrative joy here, with great characters and supportive, meaningful conversations.
Tully’s character is one who has always been an impulsive person away from the family but now a traumatic event causes major emotional changes in Tully’s perspectives. It’s realistic, painful, and makes Tully even more vulnerable .
It’s hard to describe how the layers of loss, tragedy, and trauma are combined, pulled apart, rendered into something more meaningful, and the new reality becomes more complex and , through Walker’s writing, something beautiful.
I love these men. I truly hope that the author will visit them again. But if not , I know this series just became a comfort read.
I highly recommend it and this book. Read them in the order they are written! And enjoy!
The Storm Boys:
✓ Outrun The Rain
✓ Into The Tempest
✓ Touch The Lightning-finale
Second Chance at First Love: Prequel to The Storm Boys
Without a working office, Jeremiah is tasked with repairing the automated weather station on Oxley Island. It’s remote, only accessible by boat, and with there being a good chance of crocodiles, he’s dreading it.
Tully, on the other hand, can’t wait.
With a boat licence, his dad’s boat, and two days alone with Jeremiah—and with thunderstorms likely—to Tully, it’s another perfect adventure.
But their plans go awry when Jeremiah’s research gets far too close for comfort. Thirty years ago, the day his life was touched by lightning, he was changed forever.
It’s about to change again, only this time he’s determined to set things right.
With Endurance, Cari Z’s Trilogy, The Triad, comes to an end. Maybe.
I say that, because it sounds as though from the author’s notes towards the end as though she’s not yet ready to say goodbye to these characters and this universe. That must have been weighing on her mind as she wrote this because it doesn’t exactly feel like a series finale to me.
A series finale is held to another higher standard than any other book in a series. It has a certain set of expectations to meet before the author can call a series wrapped up. The majority of plot lines should be tied up, no humongous storylines left dangling, no major or significant cast members left behind or their own stories left unfinished.
While the main characters should be happy with their own romance, the main issues should have narratively been laid out and carried forward in such a manner that the reader feels that everything, the other events in the other stories, were worth waiting for.
Did that happen here? I don’t think so. Dominion is a really good third story in a series, but it’s not a great series finale.
Cari Z does some wonderful stuff here starting with keeping the three person separate format she began in Endurance. It really let the reader into the mindset of each individual of this polyamorous relationship. We got to know and connect with each of them in depth. That becomes especially important here as the author sends each man off in a different direction and with huge implications for their relationship and stresses that they must deal with.
That’s aspect of this book is both a weakness and an interesting way of moving the arc forward. Before, the three way break in the book let us into the way each man starts to accept each other’s place in their lives. We watched , each figuring out their strengths and weaknesses, especially when there’s magic, shifters, political plotting, and a long term relationship that’s having to shift to accommodate a new partner and commitment.
Now just as Symon, Petur, and Deyvid have found a deep connection and relationship, they are pulled into different directions by family responsibilities and dire kingdom needs. Part of the joy was watching each become a part of the new family , revealing their true selves and growth.
Especially Symon whose magical abilities are apparently surpassed by almost none. That’s a storyline that gets lost here. Sy can do some amazing things, and the reader “hears” third hand about the magic he’s creating in a few sentences in events mentioned towards the end. That’s an issue seen here regularly.
Cari Z has set herself such a huge goal narratively for themes and plots to tie up that even with this file/page size, there’s no room for everything to be finalized.
So there’s a fair amount of battles that happen offscreen, important elements that should have been handled (the entire aspect of Deyvid’s journey afterwards , no mention of what happens to Deyvid’s father), Symon’s ex’s disappearance , etc. That’s pushed aside or just ignored in favor of getting the men back together.
Did I feel shortchanged in that area? Yes. I won’t go into details but for me it didn’t hold the emotional payoff it should have because of one element that was absent. I understand why the author chose to go in this direction but it negates some of the points made previously with this polyamorous family.
I did love Symon, the entire section with his father and dealing with the events at that castle. So beautifully written and it captures the essence of their father/son dynamic and love for each other perfectly. The same for Alie and Deyvid. Only Petur and his dysfunctional royal family is left behind here in terms of the emotional heft.
So Dominion has :
✓ A great 3-character format
✓ A three-character different location format that works in depth for two of them
✓ Multiple storylines that are only loosely finalized
✓ Missed opportunities to push and further character development (Symon’s magical abilities) and relationship dynamics between the three men.
✓ Some secondary plot points endings ignored, which bothers me even now.
✓ Disappearing character (Symon’s ex and best friend)
✓ A author who admits she’s not ready to let this universe go.
So enjoyed Dominion as a story. Not so much as a finale. I would definitely love seeing it continue as it feels unfinished with warring clans and plotting within Petur’s family clearly an issue.
Endurance was the outstanding novel of the trilogy. But the three books are remarkable and I highly recommend all three. Read them in order they are written to understand the events and relationships.
Three parted lover who can only reunite once the war is won…or lose all hope of a future together.
Symon, Petur, and Deyvid have been torn apart, running in different directions as they work to prevent all-out war. Symon returns home to Bekkon only to find himself thrust into the role of king—whether he wants it or not.
With Petur hundreds of miles away raising an army of shifters and Deyvid pursuing his runaway daughter to make sure she’s not assassinated the moment she crosses the border, Symon must put his magic and his life on the line to keep the Harriers from overrunning his kingdom.
Petur and Deyvid are racing against time to come to his aid…but new enemies lurk around every corner. Before they can save Symon, they’re going to need to save themselves.
Dominion is a polyamorous M/M/M fantasy with enemies to lovers, graphic violence, snarky humor, and explicit sexual content.
“That is totally spacy! Oh my God, Duri, that is super spacy! Like beam me up, Socrates!” Eli huffed and glared at me. “What now?!”
Excerpt From
The Chanteuse and the Bodyguard
Yes, as Gigi/Eli says “what now?” What am I going to do without this absolutely magnificent, beautiful, and heartfelt series about drag queens getting their happily ever afters In Mother Sitka’s Campo Royale’s drag club in Wilmington, Delaware.
I love so many of Locey’s other hockey players and series but this? It’s special. And that narrative magic has grown book by book, couple by couple. It started out strong and it’s ending just as endearing and more deeply satisfying than when we first all met backstage at the club, amidst drag queen chaos.
Locey gives us a mystery, a new perspective on a drag queen who’s been a part of the series from the beginning, that’s Jo Jo Jewels! Aka Duri Yoo, a Queen whose makeup and drag appearance is inspired by the Asian BL characters and anime series he’s so crazy about . Jo Jo and Gigi are also the only queens who actually sing their own songs instead of lip-syncing.
Duri is such a beautiful character, whose personality and demeanor are due as much to his family and cultural background and support as it is to his own sweet nature. Concerned about his body , due to harmful bullying, and past relationships, Duri is a darling we can immediately relate to.
As his bodyguard does. Keaton Black Bird, owner of his own security firm, has had his firm hired to guard Gigi when fan letters and gifts turn violent. As Duri is Gigi’s best friend, the duty extends to both.
Locey weaves a wonderful story , one that draws the reader in on many levels. There’s the funny, snarky friendship between Gigi and Jojo, two queens sharing wigs and tea backstage, the family Duri has at home, and then the marvelous developing romance between Duri and Keaton .
It’s almost impossible to choose which aspects of this book I enjoyed most. Gigi is a favorite of mine, able to deal out the bast shade while being all up in everyone’s business. What a Queen! And to pair her up with Duri, who’s drag is so different and who’s personality is just as mesmerizing but in a totally unique way, it’s just works to highlight each of them to the best extent.
The romantic relationship side between Keaton and Duri let’s us into each person’s world, their backstories, their fears, their “realness “, and the foundation where they connect and relate on a emotional level. Outwardly different, inwardly touching and connecting. Locey makes it so easy for the reader to see into this dynamic and get it!
We love these two characters together immediately and jump right on their journey together.
It’s a wild one, complete with stalking fan, nasty gifts, and some very scary moments. If the stalking is a trigger for you, please take note.
It all ends on a positive and lovely note back at Campo Royale with all the Queens and their significant others.
Is this the end? Likely. But perhaps, if we’re good, Locey might deliver up a Christmas reunion story or two to help us through our withdrawal.
I’m so sorry for the series to end, but thrilled I got to know them all. I’m absolutely recommending all the books, this included.
Read them in order for a fabulous journey through the love lives of the Queens of the Campo Royale!
It’s going to take all his skills to keep an innocent songbird safe.
Duri Yoo is struggling with life. Maybe the funk that’s hanging on his shoulders like a soggy sweater has to do with his thirtieth birthday, which is just around the corner. Maybe that blah feeling is due to everyone at the Campo having found their true heart’s desire except for him. Over the past few months, Duri has started questioning everything right down to if he needs to change his stage name from Jo-Jo Jewels to…well, he hasn’t a clue. All he knows is that he’s feeling down in the dumps. Heck, even his fellow queen has picked up a new secret admirer/super fan. He’d stamp a high heel in vexation, but the way things are going the darn heel would snap right off. When he’s sure life couldn’t get any worse, he’s proven wrong. And yet horribly right…
Keaton Black Bird’s job is straightforward. He’s hired to protect people. Generally, ridiculously rich business tycoons or heads of state. Being hired to keep a drag queen out of harm’s way is a new one for the former Secret Service agent. However, he’s being paid incredibly well to ensure that one of the Campo Royale’s performers isn’t harassed off-stage while the tiny queen’s hockey playing boyfriend is on the road. It’s while he’s protecting one drag queen he meets another, and the connection to Jo-Jo Jewels is undeniable. Keaton’s never been in such a unique situation before. All the men in his past were more or less like him: austere, professional, athletic. Jo-Jo is none of those things, but the owner of Black Bird Executive Protection is falling hard and fast for the delightful and quirky songbird. Unfortunately, emotions tend to cloud the mind, and Keaton and Duri soon find themselves in a situation that’s far more dangerous than either of them could have imagined.
The Chanteuse and the Bodyguard is a bodyguard romance with an anime-loving songstress, a rugged guardian, lots of BL adoration, a huge loving family, rainbow-toned wigs, unexpected danger, and a techno-colored happily-ever-after. (This book contains scenes of stalking/violence that some may find upsetting.)
Gateway Catastrophe is the almost finale for Louisa Masters Ghostly Guardians series and it had a lot of ground to cover for a book about the end of the world.
At the end of Conduit Crisis, a higher demon, Marc has arrived from the Otherworld, as they are calling the realm trying to break through to Earth through the portals. He’s here to save his realm’s species and world from the mad leader, Cato, that’s coming for Earth.
Marc has a complicated and messy relationship with quite a few of the people at the estate as he’s been back and forth between his world and theirs often trying to figure out how to stop the planned invasion.
Masters has brought in all the couples, including the young brothers of Connor and Gabe, Ian and Matt, who’re studying at Franklin U (Mr Romance). We have the great ghosts, now including Tom’s Italian grandmother added into the mix, a few new disposable hunter characters, the odd townspeople, and the cast is about at overflow levels.
Sometimes that’s great here but occasionally it’s a bit too much for the storylines to handle for clarity sake. The main pov’s here are Gabe the demon hunter, and Tom, the part-time cab driver with the ghostly Italian grandmother who rides with him . Tom (a childhood friend of Skye) has been unaware until recently of the existence of the paranormal world that now threatens theirs. Tom had a terrific backstory that we don’t get enough of, a homophobic Italian family, a childhood deep friendship with Skye that includes Skye’s father’s basically “adopting” him into their family. A closeted adolescence for Tom that almost destroyed him. That’s a lot of emotional baggage to unpack.
That it’s a end of the world quickly dealt with conversation is understandable but, hmmmm, it’s an example of the types of narrative choices Masters had to make here when looking at the huge amounts of information, storylines she’d created (sabotage, mysteries, betrayal, paranormal universes, chemistry problems, wars, good vs bad vs grey, portals etc) , the need to complete college degrees if the world might be ending, and romance!
Sometimes it’s successful and other times it’s too many people, too many voices , and situations that are overpowering the very huge theme . The baddies are coming, the world is ending. What are we doing?
The suspense and anxiety should be over the top here towards the end, the reader on the edge of their proverbial seats. But, for me , at least, it starts to head the other direction.
By the time Cato, the high demon who’s the bigger bad, it’s almost anticlimactic. When the battle is engaged, we see what’s happening from Gabe’s perspective , which deals with the portals. The actual battle and fighting? The stuff that makes the adrenaline rush and the heart rate spike? Nope, that a “as told to” afterwards.
That’s my biggest issue with this story. It’s the popped balloon we were hoping to do ourselves only for someone else to get to it before us. The element of anticipation that is never going to happen.
When we get back to the scene it’s over. And the characters fill other characters (and the readers) in on what happened.
From an author’s standpoint, I can see where writing about this part of the story might have meant that the book went on for several more chapters. But wouldn’t that have been worth the payoff? Emotionally?
Or less portal, more the actual physical fighting?
I don’t know. The climatic scenario and the revelations felt unbalanced. And unsatisfactory. After all that hefty exposition, all that tons of information and huge cast of characters, that’s the way it ends? With a battle off the page? A narrative whimper?
There is a sweet payoff for everyone involved but it’s still not grounded enough in the narrative to be an emotional element. To have that kind of reaction you need to have the reader be involved in the actual situations that require a resolution. We weren’t.
A plus here is the romantic relationship between Gabe and Tom, with the “end of the world “ supplying the necessary energy for them to get themselves together and go for the chance of a life together. And Tom, he was a great surprise and success as a character. I wish we could have seen more of him. Supplying Tom with being a Tendo master and then not utilizing this fully in the climax seems like a waste.
That’s this story. Sometimes too much, and sometimes not enough. Often at the wrong times.
And there’s another book coming because Masters isn’t finished yet with these characters and universe. It’s with Ian and Marc.
So does that make this an almost finale? Or the new book a side story.
Not sure but it’s seems about right for the series and Gateway Catastrophe, a story that doesn’t really seem to have an core ending in itself.
So overall, it’s a jammed packed paranormal end of the world story, with a lovely romance. Tons of interesting elements, some great characters (as always adore the ghosts and the insufferable higher demon Marc), but I felt that some of the immense complexity of that theme (nothing bigger than ending the world) got lost in the shuffle.
Perhaps it was who got chosen as the final narrator (Gabe versus Tom) or which field of action the author chose to concentrate on, either way, it’s my personal opinion it was the less interesting path to go down.
I’m still recommending it for those fans of this series and the author. If you haven’t read the series, then this book will probably not make any sense to you. This series must be read in the order that they were written for the events, relationships, and situations to make sense.
I live a simple, small-town life. Helping with the family restaurant, my side gig as a ride-share driver, hanging with my best friend, making the most of the extra time with my ghost grandma. The only exciting thing to happen to me in the past year was when Gabe moved to town—too bad Nonna scared him off. It’s hard to impress a guy when your dead grandmother calls him the devil.
The last thing I expect when I pick up a ride-share client and take him to Mannix Estate is that he’s a demon. An actual, breathing, can-kill-me-with-a-thought demon. That night blows my simple life apart and changes everything. Turns out, ghosts aren’t the weirdest things out there, my best friend and Gabe are both part of this alternate world, and there’s a big bad demon who wants to end us all. What’s a small-town boy to do but roll up his sleeves and join the fight to save the world?
Working side by side with Gabe reminds me just how much I liked him when we first met… and the feeling’s mutual. As the clock counts down and we both struggle with personal issues, it’s good to know there’s someone to lean on. But I don’t know if our tenuous connection can survive the hell that’s coming and see us through to the other side.
Well that was as close to absolute perfection as I can remember reading in a series finale, especially one as intense, as incredibly complex as well as mentally challenging at times to read as this one.
I will miss this universe and characters so.
And it starts where Saffron Wilds ends, on that heartbreaker of a cliffhanger (spoiler alert for that novel) with the God Darkness having lodged itself firmly within the body of Nick King , San Amaro police detective/alchemist and now husband of Fae Parker Ferro, the Windrose of the Fae Courts.
But Kai Butler has created over the course of seven books a fascinating, magnificent labyrinthian plot that involves a World Tree with ties to worlds and thousands of realms outside of that of Earth, the Fae Courts and its duplicitous politics that extends beyond into eras long ago and the murderous schemes of the Gods, which can mean the end of everything.
And what Gods and power struggles Butler’s has thrown at us! Most are ones we have some knowledge of, even with the author’s twists and unique perspective on one’s such as the Mother, the Sun, Darkness, the Trickster (my personal favorite), and Santa Muerte, among the main gods.
Cypress Ashes offers up the most imaginatively beautiful to think about scenes and elements, one’s I’m still trying to wrap my mind around. Magical test battles between two great spirits, Reality and Distance, with one a titch drunk on the power being offered up. It’s witches, alchemists, Laurel (if you know you know), Nick, and Parker, trying to figure out a meaningful way to fight the Sun God and what that’s means to everyone’s moral compass and mental health. Huge questions the author is asking on multiple levels.
That’s only a tiny fraction of what this story has to offer up in terms of elaborate narrative design and exciting storytelling.
There’s Sugar, the incubus, Runt, the not cat, Prometheus, the demon not dog, all the great brownies characters from the garden, the blade Tremble that can bring lightning, the Five Dragons, every important element and character, and maybe quite a few that slipped under a reader’s notice from previous books. All have important roles to play here. Some villains even find a surprising redemption.
The power of family and love, whether it’s on a small or infinitely universal and complex scale is also a key here. Where Shannon, Parker’s foster mom is now a God, Mother , to be exact, the nurturing aspect of her being that saved Parker now becomes the element that helps save everything. And Parker’s love for Nick and San Amaro.
There’s so much that Butler pours into this finale , all the narrative threads that needed pulling together, the interwoven storylines of all sizes that we needed to know how they evolved and ended. We got it, as much as we could when gods are involved.
I expect Butler is ready to move on. But I’m not. So I’m diving back in, to experience this again and see what I missed out in the first reading.
What a wild ride, what a magnificent journey this has been! Don’t miss out!
But the books absolutely must be read in order for the characters growth, the revelations, and plot details to make sense. Enjoy the books and the ride! I’m highly recommending the series and this finale!
In the heart-pounding conclusion to the San Amaro Investigations series, Parker faces down enemies on all sides, including one within his own family. With his city under lockdown, Parker is fighting for everyone and everything that he cares about.
The fate of the thousand realms rests on his shoulders. What’s a local PI to do?
Luck of the Devil is the finale to Lark Taylor’ The Reckless Damned series. Each book has been the story of how each of the four rebelling sons of Lucifer has found their fated soulmate as a war has begun against Lucifer himself by his own high demons wanting to take control.
Luck of the Devil has the largest slate of items to accomplish, narratively speaking. And it’s get it done so well.
First off, there’s Dagon, fourth son of Lucifer and the last to be mated. He’s involved in a prophecy that includes Demetrius, an angel, who has appeared to be someone important to Dagon through the previous books but their full relationship wasn’t revealed until now.
And the fact that they are fated to be a triad. It’s the only way they can be together happily.
This is a M/M/M storyline, one that highly sexy, and, as written, makes sense, emotionally, for all the people involved. A demon, an angel, and a human.
Taylor’s story has to include the build up of a relationship between the three characters, and the discussions between the original two characters as to why their original bond failed as well as how Lucky is the missing part to make all three complete.
Not even close to being done with major storylines, there’s the major rebellion going on in Hell against Lucifer, one that’s threatening their own mates and lives above, there’s revelations from Demetrius’ past to deal with, Lucky’s present danger, and more.
All to flesh out, and then satisfactorily bring to a conclusion, while delivering battles, emotional high drama, sexual tension and hijinks, and deep loving soul bonds.
This is pure entertainment. It’s got something for everyone . And if you loved a couple from another book, well all the brothers and their mates are here and playing huge roles in this book. As are other noteworthy characters.
It seems Taylor is writing a new series that picks up with some of these characters when the events here conclude.
I can’t wait.
This series was a fabulous wild ride of fated mates, emotional drama, some well written traumatized characters and four HEA’s.
I’m hoping that they will pop up as visitors in the upcoming series.
Until then, I’m highly recommending this series and book. Read them in the order they are written for development of characters relationships and events.
One demon. One angel. A relationship that’s failed so many times. Could it really be just one human they’ve been missing?
Dagon
For centuries, Dimitri and I have tried to make it work. Each time we’ve been torn apart by our dominant natures, neither of us willing to back down. A hundred years ago, I thought he’d betrayed me in the worst possible way. In a fit of anger, we made a deal that led to my downfall.
Now Dimitri is back in my life, reshaping our history with the truth. But love still isn’t enough to make it work, not when being together tears us apart.
When he tells me he’s met our human mate, I can’t help but hope that Lucky will be the key to loving Dimitri the way I’ve always wanted.
But with Hell knocking at our door and an uprising threatening us all, can we persuade Lucky to give us a chance before it’s too late?
Dimitri
I haven’t given up on Dagon for one hundred years, and I won’t now.
When Lucky crosses my path, I finally understand why Dagon and I have never quite worked. Fate never intended us to be a couple…we were destined to be a triad. Lucky is the piece we need to complete us.
Winning Lucky over won’t be easy. Someone is hurting him, making him put up walls that are nearly impossible for us to cross.
But chasing Dagon has taught me that I’m a stubborn angel. I won’t give up on either of my mates.
Lucky
What an ironic nickname. Never in my life has anything lucky ever happened to me.
But everything changes when I meet Dagon and Dimitri. Two super-hot guys who aren’t put off by my inexperience? All my dreams are coming true.
Not for long though. Even with my boss and his family looking out for me, I know it’s only a matter of time before my past catches up to me.
So, for now, I’m going to soak up every drop of happiness Dimitri and Dagon have to offer.
Drink it up and pray they forgive me when I do what I always do.
Run…and don’t look back.
Luck of the Devil is an action-filled, fated-mates MMM paranormal romance with an HEA and no cliff-hanger. It is the final instalment in The Reckless Damned series, which is best enjoyed in order due to the overarching plot. Each book focuses on a different couple or triad and has an HEA
Ten out of ten. Happily recommend. Isn’t that how it’s done? Although for me that not nearly enough for this outstanding work by Sam Burns.
“The magic filled every cell of my body to bursting, and the scorching, white-hot pressure made me want to scream. Born a fire mage, I’d never been burned before. I could jump into a bonfire naked, and it wouldn’t even feel overly warm.
For the first time in twenty-five years, I truly understood what it meant to burn.”
So begins , The Elemental Ruins, the second book of Circle The Square’s two – story arc, a tale that involves no less than the dark magic, twisted murderous family histories and labyrinthine secrets, and four brothers whose fates and bonds will save two worlds.
Burns’ first novel was set on Earth on the day it was about to die, the birthday of Blaze Keys, water mage, twin brother to fire mage (and criminal king), River Keyes.
A fabulously detailed, exciting, adventure filled story, it ended on a cliffhanger. Which this book starts out on.
There’s no way to go into the specifics of this intricately written, fabulously woven, adrenaline rush of a story. The characters are beautifully achieved in terms of their personalities and backgrounds, they have great storylines, and each is memorable in their own right, from the main characters to the supporting cast that have just scenes scattered throughout. They are solid and purposeful.
While I wish we could have spent more time throughout the world here to see how it differs from Earth, if any, what we do get is fascinating, so much so I hope Burns revisits this universe in the future.
The drama, the action, the downright white knuckle suspense? Amazingly well written. Especially racing towards the conclusion, where there’s fast action, shocking moments, and a great ending that awaits!
I love these characters, their journey to each other’s hearts, the race to save the Kingdom and the people. I wanted to linger to get to know them better. Especially the ones who had such an impact in such defining scenes. Grandmother, I’m looking at you.
So to the people left on Earth, there’s a chemistry and appeal to them that’s lasting. Crossover anyone?
Until that occurs, I’m highly recommending Circle The Square two book series. They must be read in order. What an absolute joy! Read them now. Then read them again, savoring the journey.
This blurb contains spoilers for book one, so proceed with caution!
What do you do the day after the world doesn’t end?
If you’re River Keyes (yeah, me), you try to figure out how you’re going to live without the internet. Because we might have kept two worlds from being destroyed, but now I’m trapped in a place with no electricity, no takeout, and no phoning home.
Worse, it’s a world where my absent father is not just present, but in power, and even more of a jerk than I remember.
At least if I’ve got to be trapped away from home, there’s Lasya Zarani, hot elven general and best eye-candy ever. Once he decides whether he wants to cut me to ribbons or take me to bed, things might get interesting.
But that’s only if my father doesn’t kill one or both of us first.
The Elemental Ruins is the second of two books featuring travel between two very different worlds, a snarky criminal trapped far from home, the angry elven general he’s lusting after, his terrible father, and a few surprises along the way. It concludes the story begun in The Elemental Keyes with happily ever afters all around.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 