Nicholas Erickson is happy to be the smallest cog at the US Embassy in Singapore, a big step up from prison. Nick lives with a terrible secret: he killed a family of three in a traffic accident, for which he was imprisoned and became a pariah back home. The only threat to his second chance is the truth—and Nelson Graves.

Shipping Magnate Lord Nelson Graves is secretly the head of crime syndicate Red Sky, making him the biggest arms dealer and drug boss in Southeast Asia. Graves is tired, lonely, addicted to opium, and trying to get his imploding crime syndicate back to business. There is a traitor in his organization and an old enemy is back on his tail.

A romance builds between hot-headed, reckless Nick and unhappy, ruthless Graves. But nothing is that easy. Shoot-outs, bombings, and vindictive exes prove Nick’s past and Graves’s present may be a lethal combination.

Purchase: Amazon

Goodreads: The Boss (Under Red Sky #1) by J. Calamy

Review

Rating: 4 stars

*I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

Nick Erickson tries to keep a low profile both in his job and his personal life. With mistakes from his past still haunting him and coupled with the fear of anyone finding out, he keeps himself somewhat closed off from those around him. Nick just wants to keep his life quiet. And that all changes when he meets Lord Nelson Graves. Graves is the owner of a shipping firm and also secretly the head of the crime syndicate Red Sky. Circumstances find the two drawn together and as Nick gets to know Graves he also begins to discover a lot about himself too.

I enjoyed reading this first installment of the Under Red Sky series. I liked the Singapore setting and being immersed in the location and culture. The Boss is gritty and unflinching in the descriptions of violence which really captures the genre and mood of the story well. Nick and Graves are both flawed, but human and each have likeable and not so likeable qualities. The two main characters go together well. Nick’s hot-headedness means he is unafraid to stand up to Graves’ more domineering and ruthless personality. The supporting cast are interesting and I hope to learn about them in later books in the series.

If you like a gritty, action-packed novel with a building romance between the two main characters you will certainly enjoy The Boss!

When a private client asks Ram and Will to track down a stolen yellow diamond, they quickly realise the suspects may be closer to home than he expects. Two adult children with serious issues, a jilted wife, and a young lover – and that’s just the beginning.

As what should be a straightforward case turns into a murder investigation, Serial Investigations London have to team up with their old friend Alex Heath – and an old enemy…

With Will in recovery and Ram staying on the wagon, everything seems to be looking up in their personal lives. They’ve even finally managed to admit their feelings for each other, but that doesn’t mean the road ahead is without rocks.

After an uncomfortable confrontation for Will, and with calls from their families becoming harder to ignore, the boys are going to need to work harder than ever to ignore their own issues if they want to get to the bottom of this crime – in which nothing is as straightforward as it seems.

Purchase: Amazon

Goodreads: Blood Diamond (Serial Investigations #6) by Rhiannon D’Averc

Review

Rating: 5 stars

*I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

After months apart, Will and Ram are back together and are ready to take on their first case together since the events of Blood Sport. The case appears straightforward. A diamond belonging to a wealthy family has gone missing and Will and Ram have been hired to find it. From the beginning they suspect an inside job but when theft turns to murder, Will and Ram find themselves in the middle of a much bigger investigation than they intended.

I really enjoyed reading the next book of this series. The mystery this time is different from previous ones and I enjoyed the change as well as trying to figure out who was responsible! Will and Ram are an adorable couple! They still have some issues to work through, but they have a very sweet and tender relationship, and I am glad that they finally got together! I have a feeling that their relationships with their parents might be explored further in later books and I am looking forward to this (although Will and Ram may not be so much!). The diamond theft turn murder plot was very intriguing and kept me guessing right until the end. Also, if Will and Ram think that they have seen the last of JM Coil then they are mistaken! It looks like he’s still running things from the inside and the boys will be seeing more of him in the future too.

A great next instalment of the series and I cannot wait to read further books in the Serial Investigations series!

Vampires are attempting to integrate into human society. When Alec MacCarthy first meets a ‘haemophile’ in the flesh, it’s not the obvious dangers that frighten him.

Alec MacCarthy, Lord of Aviemore and largely-forgotten descendent of a once-proud family line, keeps the wolf from the door of the crumbling family mansion by restoring classic cars.

He leaves the real world alone and wishes nothing more than for it to return the favor. But in a reality where haemophiles—still colloquially known as vampires, despite the publicity campaigns—have come out of hiding and are attempting to integrate into human society, the real world is rapidly becoming a disrupted and conflicted mess that threatens to trouble even Alec in his remote Scottish hideaway.

When he unwittingly attends a Blood Party to please a friend, he has his first meeting with one of these mysterious and dangerous beings. Terje is like nothing he has ever encountered before…literally. His reactions are as troublesome as they are undeniable.

Alec’s snap decision to help the haemophile rather than sample his sense-heightening and addictive blood sets them both on a path that will lead them into a tangled web of intrigue with consequences that will change their lives—and the world—forever.

Purchase: Amazon

Goodreads: Blood Winter by S.J. Coles

Review

*I received a copy of this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

Rating: 5 stars

Reclusive Alec MacCarthy, the Lord of Aviemore and last of his family line has no interest in the world outside his father’s mansion home. He passes the time by restoring classic cars in a distant kind of existence rather than actually living a life, and Alec likes it that way. Outside his Scottish highland home haemophiles – vampires – are now known to the world and are doing their best to co-exist in human society. However resistance on both sides inevitably leads to bloodshed. When Alec is tricked into attending a blood party, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to captive haemophile Terje. In a moment Alec’s well-intended actions set in motion a sequence of events that no one could have predicted and will have consequences that will effect and change the entire world.

Blood Winter is one of the best vampire novels that I have read in a long time. It is everything that a novel in its genre should be. Dark. Gritty. Bloody.

Alec’s character is brooding and lonely and he has all but given up on living a real life. Then he meets Terje and slowly you see him come alive through the pages as his initial fear both of what Terje is and their connection morphs into true feelings and a romance that is both dark and touching at the same time. On the surface, Terje is mysterious and dangerous, but underneath there is a tenderness to him and an ability to feel just as deeply as any human. Together the two characters complement their individual personalities and the connection between them is undeniable.

The world-building has been carefully crafted and planned, adding in a balance between detail and mystery that leaves me hoping for the possibility of a sequel. Both sides, human and haemophile, clash constantly and are both to some degree at fault, but the conclusion leaves hope for a positive future outcome.

If you like dark, realistic vampire-human romances then I cannot recommend Blood Winter enough!

Twenty authors, twenty gods, twenty stories that will chill, thrill and kill you. The Gods of the Pantheon present their first anthology of Halloween stories, the time for Samhain draws near…

Olympus Confidential: the Deep Wild by CJ Landry
Hera has been kidnapped! For four terrified teenage Gods and Goddesses, it is a race against the clock to find their mother. But to get her back, they must face and conquer their greatest enemy – themselves. Can they accomplish their feats and find Hera in time, or will the Queen of the Gods be lost forever?

Reliving the Nightmare by Moxie Malone
Moxie, the forgotten goddess, defies her mothers to pursue her heart’s desire. Her single-minded stubbornness leads innocent lovers into danger when nightgoyles break free from Tartarus at the apex of Samhain. These vicious creatures, with an appetite for human flesh, are on the hunt and they are hungry.

Sacrifice to the Dark Elves by Jeanette Rose
Eros, God of Love and Sex, along with Dionysus, God of Wine, throw an epic rave in Olympus National Park for Halloween. A party to end all. Yet, nothing is as it seems. Samhain is a night steeped in mystery, the veil between worlds at its thinnest, and someone is reaching out.

Thanatos and the House at the End of the World by Marc Tizura
Thanatos, God of Death, has left the Pantheon. Broken after the second world war, he has taken to exploring alternate worlds. He comes across one of a barren landscape and a lone structure. The dead cry out to him from the depths of the decrepit Victorian house, their souls held hostage by a demon child.

A Soul for a Soul by Rashmi P. Menon
A dark shadow has descended on Artemis’ beloved Olympus National Park. When the sinister shadow starts reaping the souls of the mortals visiting the Park, Artemis sets out on a quest with her hunting partner, Orion, and the God of Death, Thanatos. Racing against time, Artemis must unravel the mystery of the dark shadow and retrieve the lost souls before it consumes them forever.

Darkness Falls by Jennifer Morton
Something from another dimension is using Samhain to try to slip through the veil. Can Medusa stop the rising darkness before it consumes her and swallows the light forever?

The Weaver by Alice Callisto
Clio, the Muse of History, working on an archaeological dig in Egypt, is alerted to the sudden and unexplained disappearances of some mortal employees, along with strange echoing voices with no apparent source. Clio investigates, determined to stop these occurrences, but finds herself face-to-face with a monster.

A Piece of Cake by Amber Albright
Atë, Goddess of Mischief and Ruin, doesn’t believe in warning signs. So, the sign on the ancient ruin declaring “Dangers Contained Within” doesn’t concern her. She’s on a mission to cheer up her sister by baking her a cake. What she doesn’t expect? A demon appearing determined to drag her off to hell.

Mermaid’s Tale By Nikki Crump-Hansted
Nike is having one of those days. “Working here is easy,” he said. “We’ve never had any problems.” Well, Uncle Poseidon lied. Tending his newly remodeled bar and grill at The Mermaid’s Tale was supposed to be a breeze – until it’s not. Follow Nike in her what else could possibly go wrong adventure.

Purchase: Amazon

Goodreads: Immortal Fears Anthology

Review

*I received a copy of this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

Rating: 4 stars

Immortal Fears comprises twenty short scary stories featuring the Greek Gods and Goddesses in the modern day. Each faces battles against monsters, demons, and perhaps the most terrifying of all themselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this anthology collection. Each tale was terrifying and unique with its own twists and turns which made for compelling reading. I love stories showcasing the Greek Gods and Goddesses and Immortal Fears did not disappoint. It also high-lighted some of the lesser known gods which I really liked. The stories were fast paced and drew me from the beginning and I kept turning the page to see what happened next. I recommend Immortal Fears to horror and mythology fans.

Will and Ram have survived everything JM Coil could throw at them – and everything they could do to themselves.

But now, Serial Investigations London face their first Christmas apart in years. Will’s in rehab and Ram is stuck at home, wishing his favourite person in the world was by his side – and wondering how he can keep a roof over their heads with no money coming in.

Join the boys for a Christmas interlude in this novella, set between the events of Blood Sport and Blood Diamond. With no crimes or cases, get to know them – and their feelings for each other – a bit better before jumping back into the action.

Haven’t read Blood Sport yet? This book contains spoiler for books 1 – 5 in the Serial Investigations series. Make sure you catch up before you dive in!

Purchase: Amazon

Goodreads: Blood on Poinsettia (Serial Investigations) by Rhiannon D’Averc

Review

*I received a copy of this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

Rating: 5 stars

After the events of Blood Sport, Will and Ram are now faced with being apart at Christmas. With both of them having acknowledged their feelings for the other, it is especially hard and despite the separation they try to find a way to let the other know that they are still thinking of them.

Blood on Poinsettia is a very sweet and touching novella set in the Serial Investigations universe. It focuses mainly on the fallout from Blood Sport. Whilst it does not include an investigation, it builds on the character development of Will and Ram as well as the relationship between them. The result is a very heart-warming and moving read. I just love these guys so much. They both have their own inner demons and struggles that they are doing their best to overcome, not just for themselves now but each other too.

I loved how the other was constantly in their thoughts and the ending was poignant and with hope for the future between them. If you enjoyed the Serial Investigations books then you will love this addition to the series!