Night Home Rose Titus Publication date: December 2nd 2017 Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Thriller
About the Book:
When Muriel Aubrey inherits an old house in a small town, she imagines that moving into the rural community will be deathly dull. But the old house once belonged to her eccentric granduncle, a professor who was said to be researching something very mysterious and unusual before his untimely death. While exploring the slightly rundown Victorian age home, she finds the research notes that had been hidden away and discovers that the professor was researching vampires.
It isn’t long before Muriel meets residents of the small town who knew the professor almost a century ago, and that everything he wrote in the notes he kept is true… And she suddenly finds herself stalked by a vampire hunter.
There was the usual convenience store stuff on the rack: Tabloids, celebrity gossip, fashion magazines, newspapers. The store sold lottery tickets, junk food, candy, beer, a few grocery items, even a few small appliances. She noticed the guy who owned the place was watching her. It made her nervous. Not because he watched her, but because he was so pale. He did not look unhealthy. It was like he just never got out into the sun.
“You must be the new girl.”
“Huh?” She spun around to face him.
“You’re new in town. You just moved into that old house.”
“H-how do you know?”
“Well, how could I not know? I live across the field and saw the light was on for the first time in a long time.”
“Oh,” she felt silly. “Yeah. That’s right. I’m new in town. The house will need some work, but it’s not really that bad. My eccentric old uncle owned it a long time ago and—”
“I know. Professor Aubrey. He was a good man,” there was sadness in his voice.
“Yeah, that’s what they say—” how the hell would he know if he was a good man? This guy looked no more than thirty. The old guy had been dead for at least since 1936, according to the old newspaper clipping.
“Elton.” He seemed to smile as he introduced himself. “Elton Masaryk.”
“Muriel Aubrey.”
“That’s a pretty name.”
She went up to pay for the magazine she picked.
“You let me know if you need anything over there, all right? I live just across the field. If you need anything, don’t hesitate. Really.”
“Thank you.” She went for the door but turned around. “You sound as if you know something about Professor Aubrey?”
He hesitated. “A little. Why?”
“He was related to me, but I hardly know anything about him. I heard he was murdered by his colleague from the University and—”
“Yeah. That’s right. The same guy who murdered your uncle also killed three other people too. They gave him the chair. Bastard deserved it.” But then he was silent. He was beginning to sound as if he knew more than he could tell. As if it still angered him somehow. “Oh well.” Then he went silent.
“Okay. Thank you.” She left. She returned home as the sky began to brighten, and finally slept.
Meet the Author:
Rose Titus resides somewhere in cold, dreary New England with two manipulative cats and a very out of date computer with which she creates horror and fantasy fiction. She also has a restored classic Buick to ride around in while in search of adventure.
For travel she has stayed the night in an allegedly haunted castle, has taken a boat ride on Loch Ness, and has visited the Bermuda Triangle -- without getting lost.
Her work has previously appeared in Lost Worlds, Lynx Eye, Bog Gob, Mausoleum, Weird Terrain, Descend, The Dead River Review, and other literary magazines. She also writes regularly for Blood Moon Rising Magazine.
When she's not working or writing or messing with her old car, she waits by the mailbox for her Fortean Times to arrive.
Stranded... on Earth. Thrust together by fate, can these offworlders
find a way to connect?
The Pridelands 1: Darren’s Surprise
Darren is looking for his
brother, but he ends up finding something a little more alien. Durai has come
to claim his mate. He won’t let anything get in his way. Not even
Darren.
The Pridelands 2: Zula’s Stand
Jai realizes he’s found two
people that complete him. Only, one wants nothing to do with him, and the
other claims he’s only interested in women.
The Pridelands 3: Sheer’s Choice
Jai’s sister, Rabi’a,
isn’t going to sit down and let any man determine her future. She has
claws of her own, and Tigris Sheer Ma’at and Leo Rais Steinsson are
about to feel them.
The Pridelands 4: Griffin’s Joy
Griffin and Mazin have finally
found a woman who completes them both. All they have to do is seduce her.
Easy, right? Not if Joy has her way.
The Pridelands 5: Khalid’s Challenge
Khalid Steinsson and Pran
Devan were once deeply in love. It will take something monumental to bring
them back together.
The Pridelands 6: Achan’s Peace
Achan’s nightmares
won’t let him move forward. Hunter Miles needs to be able to express his
love for Achan. Tafa Morn never expected to find two wounded souls that needed
his particular brand of care. Now that he has, he doesn’t plan to let
them go.
Publisher's Note:The Pridelands Box Set contains the previously
released novellas Darren's Surprise, Zula's Stand, Sheer's Choice, Griffin's
Joy, Khalid's Challenge, and Achan's Peace.
Stifling a yawn with the back of his hand, he surveyed the loft. A bunk
bed was sidled up against the wall beside him. A single bedside table was
arranged on the side closest to the stairs, nestled between the dresser and
the bed. A large area rug was the only decoration in the middle of the room.
Across from it, a very small double bed was set up, the covers strewn about as
if a wild animal had slept there the night before.
He tensed, spying the results of his late night.
Sheets of formerly white paper littered the floor. Sketches covered the three
walls. It appeared as if he'd gone on some drawing binge last night.
Picking up one piece of paper, he studied the drawing. Anthropomorphic cats
sprawled along the page. A head here, a hand there, a full body just barely
traced out.
The next sheet he picked up had the same theme as the first. On this one he'd
focused on an ear, the pointed tip, the hint of fur shading the delicate
slope. He'd drawn the ear from the front and back and every other angle he
could possibly imagine.
The next sheet portrayed various tails, some rough and some more detailed.
There was one covered in crescent shaped spots, and another that had a hint of
stripes.
Every sheet he picked up had the same theme. He'd even used up several sheets
just drawing eyes. The corners tilted up in amusement, narrowed with heat,
wide with surprise.
Turning his attention to the walls, he realized he'd gone into even more
detail here. A planet was stretched above his dad's bed, hints of trees and
mountains sketched out in minute detail. Around the planet, he'd obviously
started and halted several prototypes, because small shadows of round globes
circled the larger shape.
He had no idea where he'd gotten this inspiration from, but he wasn't going to
complain. It was some of his best work recently. Apparently he only needed to
come out to Bumfuck, Nowhere, to get plenty of material for his next project.
The bunk bed wall and the wall by the stairs were covered with various
drawings, some of his past work that had been up for years. He'd done that
over a decade ago. It'd been so long he barely noticed it anymore.
About the Author:
Jade's writing is as eclectic as her reading tastes, with over thirty five
erotic romance stories currently published. She has been known to accept
writing challenges from friends and family just to see their reactions. Jade
is a firm believer that love and romance are universal concepts, no matter a
person's gender identity or sexual orientation.
Originally from Northern Ontario, she's lived in British Columbia and the
Sultanate of Oman in the Middle East. Jade currently lives in Calgary, Alberta
where she's hard at work on her next story. Jade loves to hear from readers!
Spring
has arrived in the Cotswold village of Rowan Vale and everyone is in an
optimistic mood.
Everyone
except Danny. He’s had a rotten eighteen years stuck in a village where all his
hopes and dreams were shattered. His annoying ex-work colleague, who seems
determined to look on the bright side of the afterlife, won't leave him alone.
And – as if that wasn’t bad enough – he’s facing eternity dressed as Adam Ant.
Meanwhile,
in London, Rory plans to whisk his wife Kirsty away to the Cotswolds for their
wedding anniversary. But when they arrive in Rowan Vale, Kirsty is horrified.
How could her husband be so insensitive?
Rory
insists that they stay at The Quicken Tree Inn and face up to the issues in
their marriage. Kirsty has no choice but to go along with him, hoping she can
finally put what happened all those years ago behind her. But when she spots
her long-dead cousin in the village, things take a decidedly difficult turn...
Will confronting the ghosts from her past be a recipe for happiness or
disaster?
My Review:
High Spirits at the Village Inn is a delightfully different ghost story.
The novel begins with a couple who've lost their way after 10 years of marriage. Cassie and Rory are at a milestone anniversary and Rory plans a trip out of town to celebrate. The town in question? The place where dear family members had passed 18 years prior. Cassie's discomfort with Rory's decision reaches a whole new level when she sees the cousin she lost. Rowan Vale is filled with spirits of the dearly department, and her cousin isn't the only one to appear.
The novel turns into a story of second chances, unpacking of emotional baggage, admissions, and redemption. I really enjoyed this paranormal fantasy romance. I found the story unique and enjoyable. The characters are fun and entertaining. I loved meeting the living and the ghosts. Rowan Vale village is a quaint town thriving on the nostalgia. High Spirits at the Village Inn is a lovely cozy romance with paranormal elements.
Of the four books in the series, this is only the second one I've read. I'm going to read the others, don't worry. I just need to carve out some time.
I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not
affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have
expressed are my own.
Sharon
Booth is the author of feel-good stories set in charming, quirky locations, and
now writes cosy romances with a magical twist for Boldwood. She lives with her
husband in East Yorkshire, England.
A strange boy. A shortwave radio broadcasting numbers. A kidnapping
plot.
About the Book:
Tahra Mamoun uses her power of remote viewing to escape the monotony of
London, only to find herself trapped in the frozen tensions of East Berlin.
There, she witnesses a spy drama unfolding around teenage Heinrich and his
illegal shortwave radio: a device receiving messages from a clandestine
numbers station.
Is it connected to his missing father? And will the Stasi kidnap the boy as an
asset designed to serve the secret police?
Thrust into the heart of a Cold War conspiracy, Tahra must rely on her friend
Edward to warn his mother. But how can one girl's mind save his family?
An eerie suspense novel, in which a grieving woman takes a job at an isolated mansion only to become wrapped up in the curse that seems to have befallen its eccentric owner.
Emily Grace has endured the worst loss imaginable. But can she survive a remote manor haunted by more than just memories . . .?
Drowning in grief, Emily Grace has lost everything: her home, her friends, her career. Only one lifeline remains—a job working for an eccentric millionaire. Along with his wife, he’s been building a mansion on a secluded island surrounded by a harsh and unforgiving sea. But when she disappears under mysterious circumstances, Emily Grace is hired to finish the project.
Locals believe the house is cursed, but their warnings go unheeded as Emily Grace works to rebuild her life. After what she’s been through, nothing can scare her—except perhaps the attention of a handsome man offering more than friendship. And yet, there’s something strange about this solitary fortress. Accidents. Mishaps. Ghostly whispers through the surrounding forest, footsteps when she’s completely alone . . .
Is there truly a curse or is the ethereal specter in the window an omen of something more sinister?
This spooky standalone from phenomenal crime author Elena Taylor will have readers sleeping with the light on for weeks! With vibes of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, fans of Riley Sager and thrillers with light horror elements will love The Haunting of Emily Grace!
Praise for The Haunting of Emily Grace:
"Taylor doesn’t just conjure suspense—she dissects it, peeling back the fragile layers of identity, memory, and trust until nothing feels safe. The Haunting of Emily Grace is deeply unsettling in all the best ways." ~ Carter Wilson, bestselling author of Tell Me What You Did
"Beautifully evocative and atmospheric, The Haunting of Emily Grace is a one-sitting read. I couldn't put it down." ~ Lisa Hall, bestselling author of suspense
"gut-tightening suspense" ~ Edward J Leahy, author of the Dan Brady and Kim Brady mysteries
Watch Now:
The Haunting of Emily Grace Trailer:
Book Details:
Genre: Suspense with a touch of light paranormal/horror
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: November 4, 2025
Number of Pages: 288 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9781448317370 (ISBN10: 1448317371), Hardcover
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Severn House
Read an Excerpt:
ONE
Over the Water
Grief is a scab that I can’t stop picking at, no matter how hard I try. It pokes at me now as I sit in my truck on the deserted ferry dock, surrounded by dense morning fog and waiting for the boat to take me across an expanse of dark water to a house rumored to be cursed.
My fingers trace a photograph taped to my dashboard. My hand trembles, likely from an empty stomach or sleeplessness, as both are constant companions. But I outline the beloved face, forever frozen, like a precious object in amber. Lost to me in the real world, calling to me from the next.
The ferry slides into the dock in front of me with a bump against the pilings. A lone figure moves across the empty deck, while an old, grizzled seaman stays inside the tiny wheelhouse. One captain and one first mate.
Tying the ferry off with ropes thicker than my arm, the mate’s actions are practiced and steady. He lowers a ramp and waves me forward. Ever so slowly, I roll across the water, fighting against holding my breath—the superstition I’ve clung to my entire life every time I cross a bridge. The thirty-minute sail to Salish Island, and tiny Monk’s Rock where my new job awaits, won’t allow me the indulgence, so I might as well continue to breathe despite my need to cling to anything, even a silly belief, to keep me safe.
After parking the truck as the mate directs, I wait as he shoves bright orange chock blocks around all four wheels, as if, without a barrier, my vehicle might drive itself into the sea.
I open my door a crack; our eyes meet. “Can I get out?”
“Of course.”
The first mate is rugged, with an air of confidence like he’d be good in a crisis. Smooth skin on his cheeks. Bright, inquisitive eyes. Broad shoulders visible under the bulky uniform of dark green waterproof overalls and a yellow slicker.
He holds out his hand as I step out. “Careful. Parts of the deck can be slippery when it’s this wet.”
Electricity flies between our fingers, and I pull away as if he poses a threat. I don’t want to feel desire. Intimacy is dangerous. But what does it mean that I’m looking at men again?
He gives me an odd look. “We’ll be underway in a few minutes.” He walks back to the ramp, where two men unload a battered white cargo van. The three of them quickly stack boxes to one side, lashing them in place. No doubt provisions for an island that’s home to five hundred hearty souls—and me. At least for the time it takes to complete the finish carpentry in one enormous house.
I’d once been a very good carpenter. Before my life exploded into hospitals and medical visits, overwhelming helplessness and all the endless paperwork connected to dying. Since then, I’ve done a poor job of putting myself back together. The rough pieces of grownup life refusing to fit a new pattern now that I’m alone.
My mentor Bill Thomlinson had started this project less than a week ago but fell and broke his leg in multiple places. After he came through the surgery, metal pins in place, he convinced the homeowner to take a chance on me.
“You need this,” he said to me over the phone, his voice surprisingly strong for someone coming out of anesthesia. “I’m done watching you flail. This job can save you. Don’t let me down.”
Now I stand on the deck of a private ferry while the engines roar out a steady vibration under my feet, and wonder if I’ve made a terrible, terrible mistake.
Crossing to the rail, I pin my eyes where the horizon must lie out beyond the mist. Clouds above and waves below. Indistinguishable from each other because of the heavy air, thick like smoke. My stomach lurches at the thought of everything that swims underneath my feet and the unknown depth of the sea.
Breathe in . . . breathe out . . . focus on the future. Focus on the work.
All I know about the job ahead of me is that the original carpenter vanished, forcing the owner, Cameron Lang, to bring in someone else, but then Bill ended up with pins in his leg. Given that I haven’t slept in so long that I shouldn’t be trusted with power tools, I hope that whatever the curse is, it doesn’t come in threes.
When I feel like I’m losing my mind, it helps to ground myself with something physical, so I grip the hard, cold rail in my hands. No matter how much ending my life is a viable choice, some small part of me refuses to let death win again.
The fog brightens, and we cross a physical line in space, plunging into a blue so pure it hurts my eyes. I gasp and grip even tighter as the sky separates from the water, which now spreads out below me in an endless black void.
“Not quite got your sea legs?” The first mate watches me with barely disguised curiosity.
Salt spray traces tears down my cheeks. I must look like I’m crying. “I didn’t expect to come out of the fog so abruptly.”
“It does that sometimes. Now you see it, now you don’t. No matter how often we sail through a bank, it always feels like magic.”
“I can imagine.”
He lingers nearby. Maybe there’s little to do once the ferry is underway. Although small talk is beyond my ability, part of me longs to hear his voice again, even if I say things that sound insane.
The temperature drops as we head further out to sea.
We’re soon dodging between uninhabited land masses. “Some of these islands are so low they disappear in high tide.” He gestures to the slopes of land. Rocky outcroppings just under the surface. Dangerous, like unexploded mines in the sand.
Panic rises. The water below us taunts me—my troubles will be over if I simply fall into a watery grave. The voice becomes louder and more insistent that I should do something I can’t take back. To keep my mind off the words in my head, my eyes search for the defiant piece of US rock thrusting out of Canadian waters. If I can make it back to dry land, I can get through another day.
“That’s what you’re looking for.” The first mate’s breath tickles my ear as he comes closer, speaking over the hum of the engines, the slap of water on the hull, and the cry of seagulls. My gaze follows his arm to the far-off outline of Salish Island, where Monk’s Rock perches off the northern-most end, tethered to each other by the narrowest of bridges.
“Take this.” He presses a business card into my hand. “Just in case.” Under his name is a single word, handyman, and a phone number.
“Adrian Han?” I look up, his eyes capturing mine. “I thought you were the first mate.”
“I’m a lot of things.” His words are casual, but something reflects in his expression, an emotion I can’t put my finger on.
“You might realize at some point there’s a project you need help with. Nothing against your skills. Everyone needs another set of hands once in a while.”
“I have a helper.”
“Chuck, yeah. I’ve worked with him before.” His tone is carefully neutral.
My new boss made the arrangements for Chuck to help me with anything that requires two people. Am I going to regret his choice?
“How do you know why I’m here?”
Adrian’s carefree expression returns. “Emily Grace Turner. Carpenter. Here to finish the End of the World.”
It’s a jolt that he knows anything about me when I’ve worked so hard to become invisible. He reads me again, and his tone turns reassuring. “It’s a small town—people talk.” He gestures toward the wood rack that fits over my camper shell and the bumper sticker: Proud Member of the Carpenter’s Union. “Plus, your name was on your ferry registration.”
I chuckle for thinking his words are sinister until a darker emotion, one that looks like fear, crosses his face. “That house—” His lips purse as if he holds something back. “Just call if you need help. Anytime.”
The island takes clearer shape, and Adrian returns to the wheelhouse, his absence palpable, as if a physical hole remains in the air after he’s gone.
He’s taken his fear with him, except for the small part he’s left behind with me.
***
Excerpt from The Haunting of Emily Grace by Elena Taylor. Copyright 2025 by Elena Taylor. Reproduced with permission from Elena Taylor. All rights reserved.
Meet the Author:
Elena Taylor spent several years working in theater as a playwright, director, designer, and educator before turning her storytelling skills to novels. Her first series, the Eddie Shoes Mysteries, written under Elena Hartwell, introduced a quirky mother/daughter crime fighting duo.
With the Sheriff Bet Rivers Mysteries, Elena returned to her dramatic roots to bring readers more serious and atmospheric novels. Located in her beloved Washington State, Elena uses her connection to the environment to produce tense and suspenseful investigations for a lone sheriff in an isolated community. The third in the series, Kill to Keep, launches summer 2026.
The Haunting of Emily Grace is Elena’s first standalone suspense novel.
Her favorite place to be is at Paradise, the property she lives on south of Spokane, Washington, with her equines, dogs, cats, and hubby.
In the spirit of Practical Magic and First Frost, a modern-day magic folk tale weaves a fantasy of love, secrets, spellbooks, and family bonds into evocative prose ....
About the Book:
It's common knowledge in Duran Hill that some women in the Kinley family have certain gifts ... and certain curses ... running through their bloodlines. But for three sisters in all but name — Rachel, Juliette, and their cousin Sylvia — the ties that bind them close as ivy throughout their childhood are pulled apart in adolescence when both the gift and curse of that power is revealed between them.
Since that fateful incident, sensible Juliette has tailored a perfect and perfectly-ordinary life which unravels after she marries — and loses — the love of her life. Sylvia, drawn to the dark side, sets up a shop that caters to all the mystical powers the latter generations of the Kinley family shunned. And Rachel, the wild child, in whom its magic seems to create a charmed life, is a carefree wanderer who finds herself suddenly drawn home again.
Her arrival will stir old rivalries and test forgotten bonds in the brief span of a few weeks. But when an old friend in desperate trouble seeks her out, she will impulsively unleash the dangerous secret behind their power: one which has lain forgotten in the Kinley house for two generations.
From the Siren's song of a dead man's violin to a jar full of harmless-looking buttons, nothing under the shadow of the family's roof is what it seems — nothing in their bloodline is safe from the dangerous past.
For Juliette, it brings a test of whether love that has withered can bloom again. For Sylvia, a question of whether a dangerous mistake can only be endured until it destroys you. And for Rachel, the choice is the price between the future of the souls she loves most in life and a powerful force that both makes her the enigma she is — and makes to destroy her like embers caught in a firewind.
Against the backdrop of Southern charm, Scottish superstitions, and bewitching romance, ABRACADABRA casts a spell which cannot be undone, from the ache of lost love to the familial links between souls which go as deep as blood and bone.
My Review:
Abracadabra is a story of love, magic, and family bonds. The family bloodline is riddled with gifts and curses, taking the once tightknit group of girls, Rachel, Juliette, and their cousin Sylvia, and sending them in different directions. Rachel's return home causes quite the flurry and pulls the three women into situations that will test everything they stand for, and may break them.
I really enjoyed Abracadabra. I loved learning about the family, their history, and the gifts and curses that make up their bloodline. The author created a very unique story and I was enthralled from page one. If you're looking for something different and not your average romantic and magical story, grab a copy of Abracadabra and get lost in Duran Hill.
I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not
affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have
expressed are my own.
Evanne Hardin Gray has spent most of her adulthood (and part of her childhood) writing novels, short stories, and screenplays. She has family roots in both New England and the South, which is where she currently writes (sometimes as a 'ghost'), gardens, and collects books and ideas for them.
Coming Up for Air Jessica Natalie Reino Published by: Fire and Ice YA Publication date: October 20th 2025 Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
About the Book:
As if the rumors and whispers from the people of her seaside town, Oceanbrook, weren’t bad enough, 17-year-old Sarah D’Antonio is troubled by the whispers from the forest. It’s not her fault that she hears voices, that she sees auras, and that she has been sleepwalking along the shore. The townspeople, and Sarah’s parents among them, claim that it is all in response to stress, including her chronic migraines and panic attacks. They believe that she can’t come to grips with the fact that her cousin, Lena, is dead. But Sarah knows that the things she is experiencing are real and not something she is bringing on herself. She also knows that Lena is not dead, only missing. She believes that there is something more supernatural going on and that the town is hiding secrets.
Sarah’s feelings are validated when she suddenly becomes thrust into a world in which she has always sensed but never seen. A world of fairy witches, shape-shifters, and legendary creatures. The world of the astral plane. And now, it will be up to her to form alliances to save the magic, fix the astral plane, and most importantly, to bring her cousin home.
I had lost so much over the span of the last few years. Second-guessing everything but still trying to find a reason behind why bad things happen. It’s not like I didn’t know that life wasn’t fair, but living with chronic illness and how everyone reacted differently to Lena’s disappearance really drove home the fact that I would never be able to fully trust my relationships, my health, or even my beliefs. I think that’s what scared me the most. Everything that I had believed was shaken, and I had to build a new normal. I had to build myself back up. Only, I didn’t have a solid foundation on which to do it.
Meet the Author:
Jessica Natalie Reino is a multi-genre author with a soft spot for sweet romance and the supernatural. Inspired by her Italian heritage and growing up in New England, she is constantly developing new story ideas that not only raise awareness for those with invisible illnesses, but also promote kindness and the importance of physical and mental health. When she is not working on her own writing, Jess can be found helping other writers achieve their goals, spending time with family and friends, or out on the Zumba® dance floor.
The only thing scarier than ghosts is falling in love.
Knox McIntyre has mastered the art of avoiding drama, especially the romantic kind. Ever since his screenwriting career went up in flames, the grumpy bartender has kept his past buried and his heart off-limits. But when a paranormal reality show sets its sights on the boutique hotel where he works, he gets roped into the production—and partnered with the one woman who just might unravel him.
Charlotte “Charlie” Fraser is the Duchess Hotel’s sunny front office manager, a hopeless romantic with a weakness for happy endings and broody bartenders. After months of pining for Knox, she’s finally ready to act—even if it means battling her inner scaredy-cat by helping him bring a ghost-hunting show to the hotel this Halloween.
As Knox and Charlie dig into the hotel’s chilling past, they find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. Every lingering look, near kiss, and shared secret brings them closer to something real. But unless they can summon the courage to face their feelings head-on, their love doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance.
My Review:
Be Our Ghost is the second book in the Duchess Hotel series. Charlotte "Charlie" Fraser and Knox McIntyre are employees of the Duchess Hotel and concede to the whims of their new GM, Preston. When Knox's friend Logan notifies Knox that he's coming to town as a field story producer for the host hunting show Canada's Most Haunted, the Duchess is now on their list of investigations. Partnered with Charlie, they work together to investigate the boutique hotel's past in hopes of finding a ghost story worthy of a paranormal investigation. If a relationship blossoms then that's definitely a bonus.
This is a cute contemporary romance with a smattering of the paranormal. There is so much depth and so many layers to each character. I loved watching Charlie and Knox's romance unfold. It's not without issues, some theirs, some because of others. There are shared secrets, baggage from the past, and wonderfully described present-day happenings.
The characters and story are well-developed and well-written. I loved being back in the world created by Carla Luna. The world-building is well-crafted and I was able to visualize the entire story. This book doesn't just focus on a romance or the paranormal but includes other themes that provide additional layers of realism to the story.
I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not
affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have
expressed are my own.
Carla Luna writes contemporary romance with a dollop of humor and a pinch of spice. A former archaeologist, she still dreams of traveling to far-off places and channels that wanderlust into the settings of her stories. Her books have been called “escape reads,” ideal for perusing during a beachside vacation, a long flight, or a relaxing weekend at the lake. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading, baking, and taking long walks while listening to pop culture podcasts. Though she has roots in Los Angeles and Vancouver Island, she currently resides in Wisconsin with her family and her feisty Siberian cat.
Two souls trapped in one body must work together to solve multiple murders before it’s too late – before they can no longer tell where one of them ends and the other begins…
Title: KNOT OF SOULS
Author: Christine Amsden
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback, Free on Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/Paranormal
Two souls, one body …
When Joy wakes up in an alley, she knows three things: she was brutally murdered, she has somehow come back to life … and she is not alone. She’s been possessed by an inhuman presence, a being that has taken over her dying body. That being is powerful, in pain, and on the run from entities more dangerous than he is.
Shade, a Fae prince on the run, didn’t mean to share the body he jumped into. Desperate and afraid, accused of a murder he didn’t commit, he only sought a place to hide—but if he leaves Joy now, he faces discovery and a fate worse than death.
Forced to work together to solve multiple murders, including her own, Joy and Shade discover hidden strengths and an unlikely friendship. Yet as their souls become increasingly intertwined, they realize their true danger might come from each other … and if they don’t find a way to untangle the knot their souls have become, then even the truth won’t set them free.
Knot of Souls is a stand-alone buddy love fantasy that forces two very different beings to work together … and come out stronger on the other side.
My Review:
Knot of Souls is a complex and intricate novel. Joy is murdered but finds herself still living and breathing. The only problem is the other inhabitant in her body. Shade, a fae prince, hopped into a dying body only to find it still occupied. On the run for a murder he didn't commit, Shade sought safety in the first body he could to hide those hunting him. Now this duo of opposites must figure out who wanted Joy dead, who is framing Shade and why, how they are able to be in the same body, and how to share.
Joy has a lot of emotional baggage, low self-esteem, and allows people to control her. She's a people-please and everyone either takes advantage of that or doesn't acknowledge her at all. As she's fighting for control of her body, Joy finds herself becoming more assertive. Shade has a hard time giving up control, especially knowing that the more they work together the more they become intertwined. I loved watching him soften and become more accepting of Joy.
The author did an excellent job writing the entire novel. The dialogue was fluid and smooth and all of the characters were likable in their own way. There was back story and history given in the right increments; not too much, not too little. The story is filled with twists and turns. There are misdirects as the reader tries to figure who killed Joy, who set up Shade, and why to both.
Joy's character is likable - she doesn't start out strong but she evolves in this book and becomes both strong and competent. Shade starts out being dominant, fight to keep control of his host body. He's full of secrets and is tightlipped with the knowledge that Joy needs in order to attempt to understand what is going on with everything. He eventually stops fighting and changes his perspective. The author has written characters that have deep layers and are emotional.
I absolutely could not put this book down!!!
I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not
affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have
expressed are my own.
The first thing I realized, after I died, was that my body could walk and talk and no longer needed my help for any of it. I was in there, able to look through my eyes and hear through my ears, but even the simple task of aiming my gaze had slipped outside my control. I was a passenger inside my own mind, an observer along for the ride.
Kristen had been right, I thought numbly as I struggled to make sense of my new reality. Had it only been lunchtime today when she’d told me I’d never get ahead if I didn’t learn to assert myself? “Take control of your life,” she’d said, “or others will take it for you.”
She couldn’t have been thinking of anything quite so literal. Whatever was happening to me, it wasn’t because I’d failed to advocate for a promotion at work or refused to ask out a coworker.
Right?
My body reached my car and slid behind the wheel. A rattled thought—not my own—cursed as it tried to understand how the contraption worked. How much can cars have changed in only a century? Visions accompanied the thoughts, memories—again not my own—of a classic car, gleaming black and elegant, its top down, my bobbed hair whipping around my face as I laughed with glee, a white-faced young man at my side gripping the door, begging me to slow down. I did not.
Which brings me to the second thing I realized, after I died: I was no longer alone inside my own mind.
Whoever was in there didn’t seem to have noticed me yet. Fine. I slid into the smallest corner of my brain I could find, ignoring the intruder as they struggled to figure out how to work an automatic transmission. Maybe they’d get frustrated and give up and go find someone else’s body to possess.
Holy shit! I’ve been possessed by the ghost of someone who died in like 1930.
But why?
I tried to remember what had happened, but the images danced just out of reach. I recalled that the night had been unseasonably cold for October, the chill biting through my inadequate jacket as I hurried to my car, parked in a garage two blocks away from the shelter where I’d been volunteering. Hugging my arms around my torso for warmth, I took a shortcut through an alley and …
There was a noise. I’d startled, my heart pounding in my throat, already on edge because of the argument.
Wait. Back up. There’d been an argument. That seemed significant, but my scattered thoughts couldn’t piece it together as yet, not when a bodily intruder fumbled at the gearshift of my two-month-old Hyundai Accent with only fifty-eight “low monthly payments” left to go.
Low is such a relative word.
– Excerpted from Knot of Souls by Christine Amsden, Christine Amsden, 2025. Reprinted with permission.
About the Author:
Christine Amsden is the author of nine award-winning fantasy and science fiction novels, including the Cassie Scot Series.
Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but Christine believes great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. She writes primarily about people, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.
In addition to writing, Christine is a freelance editor and political activist. Disability advocacy is of particular interest to her; she has a rare genetic eye condition called Stargardt Macular Degeneration and has been legally blind since the age of eighteen. In her free time, she enjoys role playing, board games, and a good cup of tea. She lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and two kids.
Christine Amsden is giving away 2 epub sets of the 4-book Cassie Scot series (gifted through BookFunnel! This includes Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective, Secrets and Lies, Mind Games and Stolen Dreams
Terms & Conditions: By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
Two winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one set of the 4-book Cassie Scot series each.
This giveaway starts July 1 and ends September 26.
Winner will be contacted via email on September 26.
A cursed lighthouse, a malevolent shapeshifter, and a deadly game. One
life-altering decision could seal their fate.
In Solitary Island, Australia. A malevolent shapeshifter haunts a
storm-battered lighthouse. When Dahlia confronts an ancient secret, she must
make a life-or-death sacrifice to save herself and Paranormal Jack from a
terrifying entity trapped between worlds.
Caught in a twisted game, Dahlia is forced to make an impossible
choice—one of them must die for the other to survive.
As Paranormal Jack fights to escape the lighthouse's sinister grip, he must
explore the human fear of death and what lies beyond to uncover the horrifying
truth. Betwixt has been claiming the souls of those who enter the lighthouse
for centuries, and its curse runs deep.
As fate hangs in the balance, Dahlia must uncover the dark history of the
Island and make a desperate bid before the evil grave wind takes hold.
Grave Wind is the first book in the Haunting Dahlia series. This riveting
tale, packed with unforgettable characters, heart-pounding paranormal
investigations, and shocking twists, will leave readers spellbound. If you
were hooked by the eerie tension of Dean Koontz's Phantoms, this electrifying
story is must-read.
About the Author:
Janice Tremayne, hailing from Australia, is a celebrated author
specializing in supernatural horror. Her novel "Haunting in Hartley" achieved
finalist status in the Readers' Favorite 2020 International Book Awards in the
category of fiction-supernatural, clinching the prestigious Distinguished
Favorite Prize for paranormal horror at the New York City Big Book Awards.
Janice's literary prowess was further acknowledged with the silver medal at
the IPPY Awards 2021 in the Australia/New Zealand/Pacific Rim – Best
Regional Fiction category, as well as the Bronze Award in Adult Fiction at the
Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards 2020. In 2023, she secured the Literary
Titan Gold Book Award, a testament to her excellence in writing.
Residing in Melbourne with her family, Janice intricately weaves cultural
superstitions into her narratives, drawing from her upbringing where such
beliefs were deeply embedded in daily life and customs. Her bestselling
series, "Haunting Clarisse," has consistently soared to the top of Amazon
Kindle rankings, captivating readers with its blend of occult supernatural,
ghosts, haunted houses, and British horror.
Janice's journey as an author began with a simple cup of coffee, sparking the
inspiration to translate her fascination with cultural superstitions into
gripping tales of horror. Her books are renowned for delivering
heart-thumping, bone-chilling, and thought-provoking paranormal experiences,
each narrative offering a fresh twist that keeps readers enthralled worldwide.
Stay updated on Janice Tremayne's latest releases by following the author.
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