Reviews
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[Novella Review] The Asylum For Fairy Tale Creatures By Sebastian Gregory & Raven’s Brew Coffee Wicked Wolf
The Asylum For Fairy Tale Creatures takes the already pretty dark Grimms’ fairy tales and twists them even more, making them so horrific it’s no wonder the characters go mad. The main story being told is that of the traumatic experiences of Blood Red Riding Hood and her companions and their subsequent incarceration into an asylum with other fairy tale characters. This journey is used as a thread, weaving together several other tales, those of the asylum’s other fairy tale inmates and employees (though it’s hard to tell which is which at times), making this sort of a short story collection as well.
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[Book Review] Crane By Stacey Rourke & Coffee Shop Of Horrors Ichabod’s Dame
Crane is a very unique and imaginative take on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow that manages to stay true to the essence of the original while adding in its very own dark twists and turns. The story unfolds in chapters that alternate between present day, with the return of the murderous Headless Horseman, and flashbacks to when the original tale took place in the late 1700's, telling the real story of what transpired all those years ago in Sleepy Hollow.
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[Book Review] Takeover By Anna Zabo & Cafe Du Monde Coffee and Chicory
Sam Anderson cuts a fine figure in his perfectly tailored power suits. A high-powered CEO, Sam commands respect in the boardroom – sadly he feels he has to hide the fact that he’s gay to keep that respect. And if he’s worried about the truth about his sexual orientation getting out, he’s absolutely terrified about others finding out about his submissive and masochistic bedroom preferences.
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[Book Review] The Dark Victorian: Risen By Elizabeth Watasin & ReAnimator Coffee Foundation Blend
The Dark Victorian is a steampunk paranormal detective series featuring senior agent Jim Dastard, a top hat-wearing talking skull, and his new partner, an artificial ghost named Artifice (Art for short). Both are resurrected criminals who have been given a “second life” working for Prince Albert’s Secret Commission, dedicating their talents to protecting crown and country from supernatural threats. The Dark Victorian: Risen is the first volume in the series and sees Jim and Art being assigned as partners and working their first case together – a string of gruesome deaths attributed to a rogue re-animator.
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[Book Review] The Resurrectionist By E.B. Hudspeth & Raven’s Brew Coffee Resurrection Blend
The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black is a book told in two parts; the first half is a fictional biography of Dr. Spencer Black, the second is a series of illustrations attributed to the doctor. When I picked up the book, the first thing I did was leaf through the illustrations in the back. I was immediately struck by how well-done and detailed they were and became fascinated with the combination of mythological creature anatomy and medical science – little did I know at the time, but after finishing the fictional biography part of the book, I would never look at those images the same again.
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[Book Review] Season’s Meetings By Amy Dunne & Paramount Coffee Ugly Sweater: Santa’s Gift to You
Catherine Birch works 15 hour days at a thankless job and lives alone in the apartment she used to share with her ex-girlfriend (who left her a year and a half ago). She hates Christmas and plans to spend the holiday alone, until her best friend Katie, who Catherine hasn't seen in two years, strong-arms her into spending Christmas with her and her family in the Highlands of Scotland. Circumstance beyond her control cause Catherine to miss her flight and she’s forced to catch a ride with Katie’s cousin-by-marriage, Holly, who’s also coming up from London to spend the holidays with them. Catherine is immediately attracted to Holly’s natural beauty…
