Evan Gilbert

I must admit that I had trouble reading and liking this book. The end result is an 'okay' rating, because I am really split about what to think about it.

On one hand, it is well-written, the characters come alive, the plot is interesting, and the suspense almost killed me. On the other hand, even though the men seem to connect and they are undoubtedly passionate about each other, there is something missing. Kevin tries to be all gentleman-like and doesn't want to endanger Eli. Eli couldn't show more care less and forges ahead. Neither listens to the other or takes into account what they want. There is lots of angst and suffering and sheer emotional torment over what Kevin did and how Eli reacted.

But what really messed it up for me was the ending. When they finally seem to 'get it', they are separated one last time, there is the hint of a solution - and BAM. The book ends. That was truly upsetting and I am still mad. I needed to see them happy and together after all that!!!

However, if you like suspenseful stories with lots of twists, if you enjoy watching the main characters go through emotional torment, and if you are not as 'devoted' to happy endings as I am, you may like this book. After that ending, I just could not quite get there. show less

Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/

High school kids are beginning to disappear after one of the coaches goes missing. The only clue in this small town is the presence of wheat straw at the scene, scarecrow sightings and Myron Mitchell's body rapidly changing into something nightmares are made of. Anoki is a necromancer that has been sent to stop the abductions but soon finds that he must stop Myron too before he transforms into a beast. Anoki is able to manipulate show more spirits and is about to tie Myron to a demon when the two come to an agreement giving Myron another day before he is bound. Anoki and Myron work as a team using Anoki's powers and Myron's heightened senses to track down the other necromancer in town.
This was one of those books that once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. It's also a book that the reader has to pay attention to because so much is constantly going on that you could easily get lost. I was expecting this story to have a romantic twist to it but there was none which was fine. A romance would probably taken away from the horror/thriller storyline. There was sex but it was just empty screwing. The relationship between Anoki and Myron was interesting to say the least and while there was an emotional spark, Mr. Gilbert kept the fire out. The story was fast paced and interesting but there was little room for character development. Yes, the story was a good read but it was carried by the action and not by interesting characters. I am hoping that there will be more character development in the sequel though it will be a little too late. This is a worthwhile book to pick up if you're looking for a complex roller coaster ride with no HEA but a cliff hanger ending. show less

The idea behind this story is quite clever, it is well written and the characters are fun.

Two gay men come back from the dead (after 67 years) to obtain new bodies. That is wonderful for them, and their happy ending is what the story focuses on. I couldn't quite get over the fact that they "stole" two young men's lives, though. Even if those two young men didn't like gays, this sort of "implied punishment" just made me cringe.

When you are torn between loyalty to your parents (or foster parents, in Austin’s case) and the feelings you develop for a potential life partner is very tough. The decisions to be made are only gradually revealed as Austin finds out about all the pieces of the puzzle from the past, and with each step, I was a little more fascinated and curious as to what would happen. The solution the characters found here was very much in line with this being a Christmas story, but it wasn’t obvious, show more and the moral dilemma was very clear throughout; so much so that I feel there is potential for a sequel.

This is a touching short story that covers a lot of ground. The strongest element, I felt, was the budding romance between Austin and Seth. The additional background and history they share, in a way, was an interesting addition. If you like short stories that solve an issue from one of the characters’ past, if you want a romance that isn’t all easy going, and if a somewhat open ending doesn’t disturb you, you will probably like this story.





NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Queer Magazine Online show less