All posts by Kelly S

#Review #Audiobook – New Dominion: A Snarky Urban Fantasy (The Judas Files Book 2) by C.G. Harris

Ghostly brawls, voodoo magic and a manhunt for a power-hungry dead guy.

Underworld double agent Gabe Gantry can’t stop screwing up. And why can’t he have a cool Topside superpower like his partner Alex?

Trying to commit covert good deeds from inside Hell is a devilishly tricky balancing act and the scales have just tipped.

Being a secret agent in the Underworld is never simple, but a gig that doesn’t involve preventing the next apocalypse is suspiciously non-Satanic. But Gabe knows better. There has to be a catch.

All he has to do is uncover the truth, fend off murderous ghosts, save a young genius and do it all without colossal screw ups or giving away his secret. No problem!

If you like snarky characters, and dark humor, then you’ll love New Dominion, the second book in the action-packed Judas Files urban fantasy series by C.G. Harris.

 

Goodreads

 

Amazon

Chirp Books

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

I highly recommend listening to this via audio! The narrator is absolutely fantastic and is the cherry on top for these stories. Seriously, when I think of Gabe and his crew, everyone in The Nine and Topside, I hear this narrator. BRAVO!

The Judas Files is becoming one of my favorite series! Gabe and I are essentially one in the same. He went to Hell but still has a good heart. How is that even possible? Well, it is, LOL! He finds himself in some of the wonkiest situations. The world building is unique and not one that you find and is definitely not overplayed. I found myself doing the smallest of mundane tasks just to pop my earbuds in to listen some more. The side characters, and Gabe, all have their own demons (no pun intended) to deal with as everyone ended up in Hell for one reason or another but everything isn’t always as it seems.

This story, even when it gets deep, because it does, keeps being fun, witty, snarky and most of all captivating. I can’t wait to continue with the third book!

 

C. G. Harris profile image

Hold onto your warp drives and wizard hats. Chuck Harrelson and Kerrie Flanagan are C.G. Harris, the award-winning coauthor team responsible for some of the most thrilling escapades in the multiverse.

Together, they write fast-paced science fiction and fantasy with snark, action, and plenty of chaos. Their books include the humorous urban fantasy series The Judas Files, the young adult alien invasion series The Rax, the YA cyberpunk thriller series The Cyber Conspiracies, and the humorous space opera series Viraquin Voyage.

When they are not busy crafting the next great American novel or penning a haiku about the existential dread of Mondays, you can find them in the throes of a culinary Cold War. Kerrie fiercely defends New York’s big, floppy, fold-it-like-a-newspaper slice, while Chuck argues for Chicago’s deep-dish cheese casserole with a crust.

To this day, the debate remains unresolved. But in the heated exchange of doughy discourse, one thing is clear: when it comes to pizza, the only real winner is whoever gets the last slice.

The Nine, the first book in The Judas Files, won the Indie Author Project regional book award for adult fiction in Colorado and was a finalist for the 2021 Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award.

#Review #Audiobook – Accidental Thief: Book One in the LitRPG Accidental Traveler Adventure by C.J. Davis and Jamie Davis

Stuck in the Game, Can He Get Home?

Hal can’t catch a break.

What can he do to turn his luck around?

Wandering through a flea market, a strange woman starts to talk his ear off. She won’t let him leave. He doesn’t want any of her junk, that is, until she pulls out a bootleg copy of a new game. Maybe he can forget his troubles for a few hours?

What happens next, turns Hal’s life upside down.

You’ll love this epic LitRPG fantasy series, because every game needs a winner.

Play along with Hal as he becomes an Accidental Thief

Get it now!

 

Goodreads

 

Amazon

Chirp Books

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

A good start to what I hope is a great series. I am not a gamer. However, I have been in a household with gamers and have been sucked into the stories of some of these games. So, when I read the blurb, I figured why not? It moved a little on the slow side at the beginning and I wasn’t sure when or how it was going to get into the game mode. Hal is feeling like he is in a dead-end job, he loves his wife and daughter, but things might not be perfect anymore, Hal is definitely looking forward to this weekend being by himself and diving into a new game. He gets the bootleg copy of this game and ends up in Phantasma to ultimately start a rebellion, unbeknownst to Hal. Hal thinks he is dreaming it all when he is really participating. He starts to really “play” the game and “levels” up several times which gives him the confidence to continue playing. Once you get going and with the confidence boost as he realizes he isn’t going anywhere, the story really starts going and getting good. It took a little while for the story to get going for me but once it did, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to continuing Hal’s journey. I recommend the audiobook. The narrator is pretty great!

 

C.J.  Davis

CJ Davis is an American writer who lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife and two little girls. By day he is a marketing executive for a software company, and by night he writes novels. His artistic influences include: J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, George Romero, George Lucas, Billy Corgan, Max Brooks, and of course Tolkien, Koontz and King.

CJ has a BBA from The University of Georgia with a specialization in marketing, and has published many articles in several major industry publications.

CJ is an avid runner, and just ran his fifth marathon this November in Philadelphia.

 

Jamie Davis profile image

Jamie Davis writes stories where magic meets heart and family saves the day.

A nurse, retired paramedic, and lifelong gamer, Jamie brings a deep love of sci-fi, fantasy, and found family to every tale he tells—whether it’s an enchanted road trip, a demon-possessed soccer ball, or a suburban uncle navigating fae politics with a toddler in tow. His books mix real-world emotion with wild, magical twists, and always leave room for a laugh (or a heartfelt tear).

When he’s not writing or rolling dice, Jamie lives in the woods of Maryland with his wife, their three kids, and a dog who thinks she’s the real hero of the story. He’s the creator of Fun Fantasy Reads, a growing collection of novels across LitRPG, GameLit, urban fantasy, and contemporary paranormal genres.

Jamie loves connecting with fans at cons and online—so don’t be shy.

 

#Review #GrimReaper – Dating to Die For by Adam Gaffen

Swiping right shouldn’t lead to death—or a job offer from Hell.

Lila Martin never expected to die on a first date.

After a string of failed relationships, she reluctantly gives the Flare dating app one last shot—only to match with Ethan, a man who seems too good to be true. And he is. Because Ethan isn’t just charming—he’s a Grim Reaper. Worse, Lila is his next scheduled collection.

But instead of reaping her soul, Ethan offers her a choice: die as scheduled, or become a reaper herself. Faced with literal death—or an afterlife filled with bureaucratic nightmares and scythe-wielding incompetence—Lila begrudgingly joins the underworld’s least-efficient workforce.

Assigned to a new, unconventional reaping program, Lila must use the Flare app to guide soon-to-be-dead souls to their final destinations. But there’s a catch—if she and her assigned match fall in love within 72 hours, she could reclaim her life. Enter Daniel: handsome, kind, and utterly clueless that their dates are anything but ordinary.

As Lila wrestles with the ethics of supernatural speed-dating, her growing feelings for Daniel, and the ever-present risk of the underworld’s merciless HR department, she starts to wonder—can love really cheat death? And if it can… should it?

Blending The Good Place‘s irreverent take on the afterlife with The Dead Romantics‘s emotional depth, Dating to Die For is a darkly comedic, high-stakes romance about love, fate, and finding yourself—even after death.

 

Goodreads

 

Amazon

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

First dates can be hard. Especially when you are scheduled to die. But when given the oddest opportunity to either die or become a reaper, the obvious choice is to be a reaper. I thought the concept was quirky and funny. I love a good paranormal and why not reaping? It was easy to fall into the plot and I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between Lila and “Grandpa” Ethan. Then when Heath, the Death Ledger, starts his crazy nonsense, I just couldn’t wait to see what else he was going to say to her! Lila is really getting good at her job and feels like she is doing some good. She feels good helping souls transition. However, when she has to collect her old crush, Daniel’s, soul, she wants to invoke the Love Clause. Watching this unfold is absolutely hilarious! Sweet, but hilarious.

I think I felt like I was missing a bit more interaction with Ethan during her interactions with Daniel. Ethan just disappeared and it felt a bit off. It didn’t make or break the story for me but I would have liked a bit more. I really enjoyed her friend Mia and her dog Charlie. They were awesome too. All of the characters played significant roles in the story and it ended up be a super sweet but incredibly funny story.

 

Adam Gaffen profile image

Come for the starships. Stay for the soul.

Adam Gaffen is the award-winning author of the Cassidyverse, a genre-blending universe where science fiction, fantasy, romance, and rebellion intertwine. His books span centuries and genres but share a common thread: characters with grit, stories with heart, and futures worth fighting for. Recognized across multiple indie award platforms, his work includes sweeping sagas, pulse-pounding missions, and mythic romances with cosmic consequences.

He’s dived headfirst into urban romantasy – he swears it’s a genre! – with the GODSFALL series, a romantasy that will make you question what’s really going on in the celestial realms. That was followed in 2024 by “Tracking Tantor,” the follow-up to “The Ghosts of Tantor” in the missions of the TFS Pike. He’s venturing further afield with a heist thriller, “The Vault & The Vixen,” which will feature some Godsfall characters in supporting roles. The first proper crossover novel “Embers of Eternity”, uniting the Fantasy and Science Fiction sides of the Cassidyverse, was released in December of 2024.

His books span centuries and genres but share a common thread: characters with grit, stories with heart, and futures worth fighting for. With multiple interconnected series, each story adds depth to a universe where chosen family matters, love defies expectation, and change is always possible.

Start anywhere. You’ll find your people.

#WOTR27 #Review #Zombies – Feral Undead (Stay Dead Book 6) by L.C. Mortimer / Sophie Stern

Our survivors are doing everything they can to stay alive…

…but will it be enough?

 

Goodreads

 

Amazon

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

I thoroughly love this story. It is not all about all the different human sects fighting each other and fighting the zombies but stays focused on this one group and how they continue to survive. On a bittersweet note, this might be one of my favorite books of the series so far (aside from the very first book). Greta made it home! It wasn’t everything that they were expecting, but she did make it home. This one brought in a couple of new characters. And with these new characters bring a couple of different hurdles. However, there is one thing that this group all knows how to do and that is to take care of one another. I can’t wait to start the next book and for them to start the next leg of their journey.

 

L. C. Mortimer profile image

L.C. Mortimer likes zombies, shifters, and things that go bump in the night. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next story, Mortimer can be found dancing, traveling, or curled up with a cozy mystery.

#Review #Audiobook -The Deadly Daiquiri: An Enchanted Coast Magical Mystery (Enchanted Coast Magical Mystery Series Book 1) by Tegan Maher

What’s a witch to do when her boss is poisoned right after she wishes him dead?
Witch Destiny Maganti loves working at a tiki bar on the Enchanted Coast, a beach getaway for paranormals. Between delivering drinks to mermaids and serving rare steaks to werewolves, she meets all sorts of interesting people. Plus, as a water witch, she’s right at home on the ocean.

The only downside is dealing with her boss, a disgraced angel who thinks the world owes him a living just because of his ancestry. An hour after he publicly humiliates her, he ends up dead. Though her friends know she’s innocent, all the evidence points to her.

Can she clear her name before she’s kicked off the Enchanted Coast forever? This is book 1 in the Enchanted Coast Magical Mysteries series.

 

Goodreads

 

Amazon

Chirp Books

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

This is a fun and easy read with just the right amount of mystery with love connections. I love when you get a story that has paranormals that you are not normally used to and this story has them all! Mermaids, witches, sasquatches, unicorns, to a sphinx! I mean it literally had paranormals from all walks of life. If this was real, I could absolutely see the appeal of working at this resort. Since it is not real, I will settle for reading the series, LOL! Destiny just wants to work and be left alone. She loves her job but her boss is an epic…well, no one likes him. All of a sudden her boss drops dead, on her shift! AND SHE HAS TO CLEAN UP THE MESS!  How much worse could it get? Yeah, she is being blamed for his murder. She has so many allies but the paranormal community does things a lot different than humans and they hand out the punishments quick and swift. Time is running out for her. Her friends, ex, brother, and potential new love interest all work together and end up making things work out. All of the characters really make this story great. I look forward to continuing the series.

 

Tegan Maher profile image

I was born and raised in the South and even hung my motorcycle helmet in Colorado for a few months. I’ve always had a touch of wanderlust and have never feared just packing up and going on new adventures, whether in real life or via the pages of a great book.

I didn’t want to grow up to be a writer—I wanted to raise unicorns and be a superhero. When those gigs fell through, I chose the next best thing: creating my own magical lands filled with adventure, magic, and humor.

I live in Florida with my two dogs and when I’m not writing or reading, I’m racing motorcycles, hanging out at the beach, or binge-watching anything magical on Netflix.

www.teganmaher.com

teganmaherbooks@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTeganMaher/

#Review #Zombies – Chaotic Undead (Stay Dead Book 5) by L.C. Mortimer

Zombies never stay dead.

The apocalypse wasn’t supposed to be like this.

It wasn’t supposed to tear away everything they loved, everything they hoped for, everything they dreamed about.

But it did.

Winter, Isaiah, Greta, and Luke find themselves with a broken-down truck in the dead of night. They’ve made it to a small-town that doesn’t just have zombies – it has survivors, too.

But will the mysterious strangers holed up at the elementary school be helpful or harmful?

And how will they escape the horde that surrounds the house they’re hiding in?

Chaotic Undead is the fifth book in the Stay Dead series and should be read in order.

 

GOODREADS

 

AMAZON

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

I am crazy for a great zombie book/series and absolutely have loved this series. However, this book left me a tad wanting. I am giving it 4 stars because the storyline is still great, but I felt like there were a couple holes for me. But I am not the author and maybe it is not how the characters were speaking to the author or what the characters wanted at the time of the story. What I do love is that the four of them are still close and are realizing that they are more of a family now, rather than just friends or just survivors that are surviving together. They really have weathered some crazy storms and zombie hordes, but I think their journey is really just getting started. Stay tuned for another review!

 

L. C. Mortimer

L.C. Mortimer likes zombies, shifters, and things that go bump in the night. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next story, Mortimer can be found dancing, traveling, or curled up with a cozy mystery.

#Review #Audiobook – License to Bite: A Paranormal Romantic Comedy: New Orleans Nocturnes, Book 1 by Carrie Pulkinen

A laugh-out-loud funny paranormal romantic comedy featuring accidental fated mates, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and a cast of quirky characters…all set in vibrant, chaotic New Orleans during Mardi Gras.

It’s all fun and games…until someone wakes up dead.

Governor’s daughter Jane Anderson is used to getting what she wants. When a girls’ trip to Mardi Gras thrusts her into the arms—and fangs—of New Orleans’ hottest vampire, he gifts her with immortality, super strength, and a complexion to die for.

There’s only one tiny problem. Jane faints at the sight of blood.

When Ethan Devereaux meets Jane, his cold, lifeless heart learns to beat again. Convinced she’s his late fiancée reincarnated, he turns her, claiming her as his own. But when Jane wakes up dead in Ethan’s attic, she’s loud, sassy, and downright ornery. He doesn’t know if he should kiss her or stake her, but one thing’s for certain…

She is so not his long-lost love.

But Ethan turned her, so he’s stuck with the chaotic glitter bomb of a fledgling, whether he likes it or not. Jane has three weeks to learn the ways of the vampire and get her license, or she’ll be staked. If Ethan can’t help her overcome her aversion to blood, his undead life might also be on the line.

License to Bite is the first book in the New Orleans Nocturnes series, filled with supernatural shenanigans, witty banter, campy humor, and a vampire who faints at the sight of blood.

 

GOODREADS

 

AMAZON

CHIRP

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

Frightfully fun! Jane has come to New Orleans for her travel blog. She is truly the glitter bomb that the blurb describes her as. She is not used to sitting still or keeping quiet. No one tells Jane Anderson what to do. Ethan is a broody vamp, just sick and tired of the mundane. He is just here. Then he sees Jane and he knows Jane is his dead fiancé reincarnated. Jane almost dies and Ethan “saves” her by turning her into a vampire. Jane ends up loving being a vampire but CANNOT stand the sight of blood and refuses to learn to feed. She has to learn and get her biting license or end up staked. Ethan, the rule follower, is constantly on edge with Jane and most of the time doesn’t know what to do with her. Jane, however, is shaking things up, speaking out of line, refusing to learn to feed, etc. Jane is finally growing on Ethan. I honestly think she would get under anyone’s skin. It was a fun, quick-paced story that I listened to in one sitting. I recommend and look forward to the next.

 

USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Pulkinen (pronounced PULL-kin-in) has always been fascinated with things that go bump in the night. Of course, when you grow up next door to a cemetery, the dead (and the undead) are hard to ignore. Pair that with her passion for writing and her love of a good happily-ever-after, and becoming a paranormal romance author seems like the only logical career choice.

To learn more about Carrie, please visit her website at www.CarriePulkinen.com.

She is also on Facebook and Instagram at @CarriePulkinen

And to stay up-to-date on all her latest news and new releases, sign up for Carrie Pulkinen’s VIP Reader Group here: https://www.carriepulkinen.com/subscribe

#Review #Audiobook – The Nine: The Judas Files, Book 1 by C.G. Harris

Book 1 of the 5-Part Series: The Judas Files

It’s not what you think…

Hell is bone-chilling.

Meet Gabe: a good guy making the best of eternity in a place not known for its hospitality. That is, until he’s recruited by Judas Iscariot (yes, that Judas) to join a covert team of double agents dedicated to thwarting the chaos unleashed on Earth.

Gabe, armed only with his quick wit and zero knowledge of the modern world, must navigate his new role alongside a beautiful, tough-as-nails partner. Together, they must prevent disaster without blowing their cover or revealing Gabe’s true identity.

If this unlikely hero can’t figure it out, facing Hell’s wrath will be the least of his worries…

Dive into The Nine, the first book in the action-packed, supernatural Judas Files urban fantasy series. If you love snarky characters, dark humor, and thrilling adventures (think Dresden Files meets the underworld), then you’ll be hooked. Winner of the Colorado Indie Author Project award for Adult Fiction!

Complete series available in Audio!

 

GOODREADS

 

AMAZON

CHIRP

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

I picked this book up on a whim and I am so happy I did! Gabe and I are a lot alike. We joke about all the wrong things at all the wrong times. For that, I connected with him right away. Right from the very beginning, I was sucked in. It was exciting and gritty and dirty and disturbing and humorous and just overall fan-freaking-tastic! Gabe runs a sort of store in Hell trading items for information. Similar to black market types of items/information. Due to his resourcefulness, he has been chosen to work for the Judas Agency as a double agent. The jobs that he and his new partner get into are quite sketchy. Gabe and his partner get closer by sharing some of their past secrets. However, this brings a whole new set of shenanigans with lots of action to the story. If something can happen here, it will. I wasn’t sure about the story, but I absolutely loved it and am looking forward to continuing the series. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was pretty awesome! Highly recommend it!

 

C. G. Harris profile image

Hold onto your warp drives and wizard hats. Chuck Harrelson and Kerrie Flanagan are C.G. Harris, the award-winning coauthor team responsible for some of the most thrilling escapades in the multiverse.

Together, they write fast-paced science fiction and fantasy with snark, action, and plenty of chaos. Their books include the humorous urban fantasy series The Judas Files, the young adult alien invasion series The Rax, the YA cyberpunk thriller series The Cyber Conspiracies, and the humorous space opera series Viraquin Voyage.

When they are not busy crafting the next great American novel or penning a haiku about the existential dread of Mondays, you can find them in the throes of a culinary Cold War. Kerrie fiercely defends New York’s big, floppy, fold-it-like-a-newspaper slice, while Chuck argues for Chicago’s deep-dish cheese casserole with a crust.

To this day, the debate remains unresolved. But in the heated exchange of doughy discourse, one thing is clear: when it comes to pizza, the only real winner is whoever gets the last slice.

The Nine, the first book in The Judas Files, won the Indie Author Project regional book award for adult fiction in Colorado and was a finalist for the 2021 Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award.

#Review #Cozy #SmallTown – Cereal Killer (Blue Skies Bed and Breakfast Mystery Series) by Aubrey Elle

Blue skies aren’t the only things people will find when they come to Grovepoint, the idyllic small town nestled in the scenic openness of the Midwest.

After an early retirement, Sadie Kenner returns to her hometown and finds a dead body.
She expects the drastic shift between being a high school teacher and taking over as the manager of her aunt’s bed-and-breakfast will come with challenges. But stumbling upon the body of a local baker near the dumpster is something else entirely.

Thrust into a new career in the wake of her aunt’s death, Sadie attempts to learn all she can about the business to reopen Blue Skies B&B after a temporary closure.

Figuring out how to handle the bad press about a body on-site is no small headache. The conundrum of choosing a new bakery to provide exclusive breakfast goods is an even bigger dilemma. Caught between rival bakers and townsfolk who seem too possessive and nosy for their own good, Sadie hopes for a smooth reopening.

Perhaps with the reluctant assistance from her moody niece, Mackenzie, she can help the local rookie cop investigate this murder before another one happens.

 

GOODREADS

 

AMAZON

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

This author did not wait to get you hooked and completely invested in the story right away. Unfortunately, Aunt Cyn has passed away and has left the bed and breakfast to Sadie and her brother, Rory. Sadie uses this as an opportunity to “retire early” and start a new life path. No one expected that one of her first days in town, she was going to discover the dead body of the baker her Aunt Cyn contracted with. As Sadie is trying to get her bearings to run the family business, she is dealing with the craziness that comes with being in a small town. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knows everyone else’s business. With that being said, there are quite a few suspects, but Sadie and her new “family” at the bed and breakfast start to work through things and eventually things work out. Even with a dead body at the start and some really psychotic behavior happening within the town limits, this is a super cute cozy small-town mystery. I am hoping there is even a budding romance coming into future books. Can’t wait to see what other shenanigans will happen at Blue Skies Bed and Breakfast!

 

Aubrey Elle profile image

Aubrey Elle is an author of cozy mysteries. While she also writes romantic suspense as Amabel Daniels, Ring Gone ‘Round the Roses is her debut cozy mystery of a brand-new series. By day, Aubrey chases after her daughters and tries to keep up with her own landscaping, and by night, she writes until the midnight hour. Aubrey lives with her family and many pets in Ottawa Hills, Ohio.

Find more about Aubrey Elle at www.authoraubreyelle.com

#Review #Zombies – Fear the Undead (Stay Dead Book 4) by L.C. Mortimer

Zombies never stay dead.

Winter has seen a lot of terrible things since the start of the apocalypse, but the trouble isn’t even close to being over.

After surviving the most horrific farmhouse filled with creepy dolls – why do those even exist? – the group continues on their journey.

Then their car breaks down.

Then one of their members faces an injury.

Then they have to decide whether facing a mob of zombies is worth it to save themselves.

Winter just wishes that the dead would stay dead in Fear the Undead.

Author’s note: this is the fourth book in the Stay Dead series and should be read in order.

 

Goodreads

 

AMAZON

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

I really enjoy this group of survivors! They are one of the most unlikely teams but they are definitely growing on each other. They are definitely in survival mode but things are slowing them down. They continue toward Kansas, trying to get Greta to her family. They all feel like they will accomplish something great if they can reunite Greta with her family but in this book, you can tell how defeated everyone is starting to feel. Luke is injured and is slowing everyone down, Greta is starting to feel slower, everyone is starting to feel some sort of doubt. While they haven’t run into a ton of zombies in this specific book, they are constantly dealing with storms, dealing with vehicles running out of gas, moving slow….They need time to heal and make a plan. The end of the world was happening and they were surviving, together! I can’t wait to join them on the next leg of their journey.

 

L. C. Mortimer profile image

L.C. Mortimer likes zombies, shifters, and things that go bump in the night. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next story, Mortimer can be found dancing, traveling, or curled up with a cozy mystery.