BARGAIN ALERT!

MELANCHOLY DELUSIONS

Cemetery Gates Media

My debut short story collection.

A dark gathering of 17 melancholy horror tales where mothers, lovers, friends and monsters intersect with disastrous and tragic consequences.

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👻😈💀

AN UNNATURAL LIFE by Erin K. Wagner

An Unnatural Life by Erin K. Wagner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I read that this novella was Murderbot meets To Kill a Mockingbird, I HAD to check it out.

812-3 is a robotnik and he's in prison because he killed a human worker, but he says he didn't do it. His lawyer, Aiya Ritsehrer, agrees to post an appeal, but in Europa, the military doesn't appreciate her interference...

I really enjoyed this SF tale. Not just because it's set on Jupiter's moon, Europa, and introduces an intriguing robot character, but also because it explores a lot of interesting themes.

Prejudice. Violence. Conspiracy. Disrespect. Violation of an individual's life. What constitutes an individual? How the moral code is so easily corrupted by humans.

I also liked Aiya because although she carries her own prejudices and is fed up with people, she still wants to do the right thing. No matter what that means, which includes putting herself in danger.

It's a bleak and sad story, but it's great! And I enjoyed the writing style and worldbuilding.


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So Many Short Stories!

How are you today? Did you have a nice week?

Although the rain stuck around last weekend, it eventually went away during the week. So we finally got a chance to catch up on the washing and went for walks around the river without pesky umbrellas. But it's supposed to come back. 🙄

The last time I posted, I talked about finishing another short story. Surprise, surprise, I ended up doing the same thing again.

Last Sunday, between sorting a bunch of stuff, I ended up writing a new shortie (1,550w) on my phone. And then worked on it some more, and more... until I completed the final read-thru on Thursday night.

Total word count: 3,395.

This story came to me pretty quickly and during my afternoon walks, I ended up coming up with several twists and turns that strengthened the narrative. I'm very excited about how it turned out. And of course, I've already started another short story.

Yeah, the vampire world I created keeps getting bigger and bigger. The best thing about it is how much fun I'm having with the many characters who won't stop whispering their stories directly into my brain.

So, here's the update: two novels, one novelette, and eleven short stories.

Asides from that, I spent most of the week reading the rest of the Carniepunk anthology. The book contains fourteen stories and I enjoyed thirteen of them. There's a single awful story that I can't believe was included. I mean, eleven of these stories are absolutely fantastic. This is definitely one of the best anthologies I've ever read because the majority of the tales were so interesting and well-written.

You can read all of the individual reviews below.

I also read a novella and started another one. 

Yeah, I'm reading as much as I can between writing and sorting. And grabbing whatever book I feel like at the time. I love reading and books and stories so much.

Well, that's about it. I'm going to enjoy a three-day weekend with my husband.

Have an awesome one! 😁

A PSALM FOR THE WILD-BUILT by Becky Chambers

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've had this novella on my TBR pile for a while and decided to get stuck into it last night.

Monk has a good life in the City, but feels like there's something missing. So they venture out to the villages to become a tea-monk. But that's still not enough. So they venture out into the Wilderness, where they encounter Mosscap...

I found this story to be so philosophical. It's also bittersweet, but so very cozy. And somehow calming. Like a comforting blanket on a cold winter night. And that's before Mosscap is introduced. This self-aware robot adds a lot of awesome to this tale of pursuing more, even if you're not sure what that more happens to be.

There's some wonderful conversations between Monk and Mosscap. Things that make you think, and question the purpose of existence. Or if we even need to question it.

Such a well-written story set in an interesting world that I thoroughly enjoyed.


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THE DEMON BARKER OF WHEAT STREET by Kevin Hearne & THE SWEETER THE JUICE by Mark Henry

Carniepunk: The Demon Barker of Wheat Street by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This great short story is part of The Iron Druid Chronicles. I've read the first two books in this series, as well as a few other short stories, so it was good to catch up with Atticus.

The druid, Atticus, his apprentice, Granuaile, and the Irish wolfhound, Oberon, are in Kansas because Granuaile is hoping to catch a glimpse of her mother. They don't see her, but end up in the middle of a demonic problem...

Great story! It's an interesting and gnarly standalone tale set in this intriguing world. Lots of freaky demonic characters, plenty of unsuspecting humans, and a lot of magical action.

Atticus is such a cool character and so is Granuaile. Not to mention the adorable and always hilarious Oberon.

Yeah, I really enjoyed this!

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Carniepunk: The Sweeter the Juice by Mark Henry
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

OMFG.

I have to start with this: all the bad things the other reviewers mentioned here are right.

This is a terrible story. Not only because of the obvious transphobia, but also because it's a really shitty story. It's all over the place. It makes no sense. It's not even about a CARNIVAL. Like, at all. If the author was trying to be funny and witty, that's even worse.

I hated it. And actually can't understand how such a gross short story made it into a high-quality anthology featuring a great collection of stories. Except for this one, of course.

Total disappointment.


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RECESSION OF THE DIVINE by Hillary Jacques & DAUGHTER OF THE MIDWAY, THE MERMAID, AND THE OPEN, LONELY SEA by Seanan McGuire

Recession of the Divine by Hillary Jacques
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love Greek mythology so I was looking forward to reading this one.

Olivia does inspections for an insurance company, but she wasn't always human. She's bound her powers while living in the human world and the day she inspects an accident in a travelling carnival, everything unravels...

You know, I should've loved this tale because, like I mentioned above, I love when Greek mythology is mixed into modern narratives. Olivia was interesting enough and so was the muse that keeps popping in and out, but there was something about this story... I'm not even sure what it was, but it's missing something.

Yeah, I liked many of the elements and carnival descriptions, even the writing style, but I didn't love it.

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Carniepunk: Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open, Lonely Sea by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With a title like this one, I was intrigued instantly.

When Ada’s carnival passes through Alabama the secrets buried in the past rise to the surface...

Wow. What a stunning tale. The melancholy storytelling is as thick as the wonder about Ada's family and the world she lives in. The carnival is all she's ever known, but stopping at this town changes everything.

I especially found her mother's story to be the saddest, but of course that carries forward to her daughter as well. And Ada is such a lovely character that my heart broke.

Loved this. Very moving. And that ending. 😫


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PAINTED LOVE by Rob Thurman & PARLOR TRICKS by Jennifer Estep

Carniepunk: Painted Love by Rob Thurman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I didn't know what to expect from this story, but I'm really glad I read it. That's for sure!

Doodle has been all over the world meeting people. He usually blends into the background, more an observer than a participant. But when he meets Bartholomew, all of that changes...

OMFG. This story!! Everything starts out simple enough, and then you slowly start to realise that you have no idea what's really going on. Well, until you understand EXACTLY what's going on and: 🤯 !!

Yikes. I loved this so much. The writing style totally hooked me in, and I couldn't stop reading. There's something very disturbing about Doodle's story, but the way that it's told weaves a spell of dark magic around the reader. There's plenty of ugly, but there's also some fascinating imagery.

Awesome!

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Carniepunk: Parlor Tricks by Jennifer Estep
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is part of the Elemental Assassin series. I've actually read several other short stories set in this world, as well as the first book, so it was cool to catch up with Gin again.

Gin and Bria are sisters who go to the carnival looking for a missing teenage girl, but they get more than they bargained for when Esmerelda the Amazing sets her sights on Bria. Good thing Gin is also an Elemental Assassin...

What a fun story! What starts out as two sisters going to the carnival soon becomes the mystery of what happened to a missing girl last seen at the carnival, and delves into the cunning secrets of a ringmaster who is willing to do whatever it takes to stay young.

I really enjoyed it! I also should get back into this series. 😊


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HELL'S MENAGERIE by Kelly Gay & FREAK HOUSE by Kelly Meding

Carniepunk: Hell's Menagerie by Kelly Gay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, this short story packs a hell of a punch! It's part of the Charlie Madigan series and although I haven't read it yet, I still really enjoyed the story.

Emma is determined to rescue a litter of hellhound pups that were stolen, and when Rex finds out, he tries to stop her. Instead, they end up catching the eye of a creepy ringmaster who has plans of his own...

I was seriously hooked from the beginning and absolutely love this version of hell. The details were so vivid and the worldbuilding so natural that I had no trouble visualising everything. There's a lot of creepy, freaky stuff that goes on here.

Also, did I mention it's action-packed?

The story is told in the alternating POVs of Emma, a twelve-year old with a really cool power, and Rex, a former jinn and now human.

Terrific story that makes me want to get stuck into the series!

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Carniepunk: Freak House by Kelly Meding
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the prequel short story to the Strays series. I haven't read any of the books, but I still enjoyed it. A lot.

Shiloh Harrison's djinn father has gone missing and she's just figured out where he is. Held in a freakshow hosted by a despicable warlock. When she teams up with a human and a werewolf, she finds more than she bargained for...

This is definitely a solid and very interesting urban fantasy tale that introduces a cool half-djinn heroine with some very unique set of powers. I thought the worldbuilding was excellent, and I love the characters. As well as Shiloh's voice.

It's an awesome story that has me intrigued. I need to know more...


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A CHANCE IN HELL by Jackie Kessler & THE INSIDE MAN by Nicole Peeler

A Chance in Hell by Jackie Kessler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, this was another great story! I haven't read the Hell on Earth series, but I enjoyed the hell (pardon the pun) out of this one.

Jezebel used to be a succubus but she's just a human now. Well, a human who has access to a very powerful sword. But when her Ceci insists on going to a travelling carnival, demonic trouble finds her...

Wow. This is a very cool and very fun story featuring an awesome heroine who knows everything about Hell because she used to live there. I loved her voice and how the worldbuilding felt very natural and interesting.

I'm a sucker for a good demonic tale and this one didn't disappoint. Also, I enjoyed the playful, raunchy side of the story. And I have to admit that I would love to know more about the incubus, Daunuan. 😈

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The Inside Man by Nicole Peeler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This one is a creepy story that needs several trigger warnings because it contains scenes that show sexual abuse.

Capitola, Shar, and Moo are private investigators of the supernatural kind. When they're hired by a mob boss to find out what's been happening to a bunch of towns where the people are left empty, the girls find themselves in the middle of nowhere. With a clown...

Yikes! This is another great story with a cool mystery that turns out to be super creepy. And freaky as well. The way that clown is described sure is nightmare fodder. 😳

I really liked the main character in this one.
Capitola is interesting and funny, has a lot of attitude and intriguing origins. Not to mention her two equally interesting friends.

I've read a few books in the Jane True series and really enjoyed them but I don't remember these three side characters.

I really enjoyed this!


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It's August!

Hey! Can you believe how fast the year is going?! Yikes. 😳

So, how are you? I hope you're having a cool week. Here, in Sydney, the weather took a turn for the miserable on Wednesday. And it's been raining since. It's also freaking cold. I dislike being cold. At least it's the last month of winter.

After a week full of editing, I wanted to take a mental break. You know, a bit of reading and sorting. Maybe taking story notes. Instead, I started writing a new short story on Sunday night and kept adding words. A few days later, the first draft was done. Then, I did the second draft, and... To cut a long story short, I completed the final read-thru tonight.

Total word count: 5,781.

So much for a break, right? 😅 But if a story hounds me, I'm not going to ignore the words. Especially since everything about this tale was so vivid in my mind, and I couldn't wait to write it. Before you ask, yes, it's another story set in my vampire world. 

That's 2 novels, 1 novelette, and 10 short stories. So far. Because I'm not done yet. I'm very excited about all of these characters, their world, and I can't stop writing about them. Which is awesome. Writing these stories make me happy.

As for the reading side of things, it didn't start well. I got stuck into Rose Madder on Monday, but had to put it down the next day because I couldn't get into it. I found the beginning intriguing but lost interest fast. Here are my thoughts.

Instead, I started reading some Carniepunk short stories. I've read four so far and they're awesome. Very impressed with the quality of these dark tales. Looking forward to reading more. You can check out my reviews below.

Okay. That's about it. I'm excited about the weekend.

Hope you have an awesome time!

THE THREE LIVES OF LYDIA by Delilah S. Dawson & A DUET WITH DARKNESS by Allison Pang

Carniepunk: The Three Lives of Lydia by Delilah S. Dawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a story set in the Blud world, so I was excited about checking it out. And wow, glad I did!

When Lydia wakes up in a strange and dangerous, but exciting world, she meets Charlie Dregs and agrees to become the Tattooed Lady. But nothing is as it seems...

Like I said, this is an amazing short story. First, I got swept up in the mystery of how Lydia got to Sang. Then, I was captivated by the mutual attraction between Lydia and Charlie. Before I feared about her safety. Until I was shocked to find out the truth.

Yikes!

O.M.G.

This is definitely a story I'll think about often. It's so well written, and so dark. A twisted fairy tale that I enjoyed. A lot.

Fantastic!!

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Carniepunk: A Duet with Darkness by Allison Pang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the prequel to the Abby Sinclair series and features a few familiar faces.

Melanie is a gifted violinist trying to escape the pressures of someone else's expectations. She's happy touring with a band of OtherFolk and everything is fine until they hit the carnival...

I really enjoyed this! It's a great story that is able to establish a lot of worldbuilding without much effort. There's no infodump, everything is revealed very organically. And I loved the cast of characters.

Incubus. Werewolf. Fallen angels. And so much more.

One of the best things about this story is how well it taps into becoming a cautionary tale about pride. Melanie is a great musician but she's got a chip on her shoulder and is too arrogant to see what's happening right in front of her eyes. Instead of appreciating what she's got and the one person who truly cares about her, she does the unthinkable.

BTW, Nobu is such an intriguing character.

Awesome story!


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THE COLD GIRL by Rachel Caine & THE WEREWIFE by Jaye Wells

Carniepunk: The Cold Girl by Rachel Caine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to start this review by saying that I miss Rachel Caine. She was such a brilliant author and a lovely person, too. I don't think I've ever read a story of hers that I didn't enjoy, and this is another one to add to the awesome list.

Kiley's story starts out average enough. A teenage girl who loves her boyfriend is eager to go to the carnival with him. But everything soon falls apart when it becomes obvious that her perfect relationship with Jamie is a charade she's been too scared to accept.

There's a lot to love about this story: the writing is outstanding, Kiley's voice drags the reader into her nightmare, how vivid the sights and sounds of the carnival are, the true-crime aspect, and the realisation that Jamie is a monster hiding behind good looks. That's before I get started on the intriguing characters.

I loved the pacing, how everything unravelled, as well as the chilling imagery and descriptions.

What a great story!

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Carniepunk: The Werewife by Jaye Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first thing I need to mention is how cool the title is. I mean, it fits the story but it also sounds so cool.

Brad has a problem: his wife changes every month. Annie has a problem: she kinda likes becoming a beast every month.

Yeah, that's pretty much the gist of the story. It's a great study about two people who resent each other but insist on staying together. The whole werewolf thing becomes a way to hide behind all their other marital problems, but when they return to the carnival that started everything, some really surprising things happen.

I didn't expect their problems to turn out the way they did, which is very cool. I like unpredictable endings.

Great story!

 

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Another Busy Week!

Hey! How are you today? Hope you had an awesome week. I can't believe July is almost over.

A few weeks ago I completed the first edit of my upcoming novel, Fallen Destiny. And this week, I read the proof. From start to finish. Yeah, I worked really hard on this edit. I enjoy smoothing out stories, especially when the editor's cool suggestions push me to make the book even better. Smoother. I was obsessed and totally distracted all week because it's all I could think about. LOL

This is what I said on Bluesky the other day: I'm at that stage of the proofreading where it's eating my brain & I can't wait to get back to it, but need a break because I have to eat, sleep, etc. 😅

So true. I felt like that all week.

Anyway, here's the tagline for the book: How does a demon, hired by a mysterious nun, find a lost angel?

Think Hellboy x Constantine with a twist of Supernatural, and that's Destiny's story. It's a cozy fantasy with a mystery. It's a bit UF, and definitely has a pinch of horror. There's a love story in there, a road trip, and features a found family.

I'm very excited about Destiny's tale, which will be released late this year from Brigids Gate Press! I'll keep you posted.

Asides from going for daily walks, sleeping, eating, and spending time with hubby, I didn't do anything else. 

Well, that's it for now. I'm going to enjoy the weekend with my husband because I need a mental break. 😃

Have an awesome weekend!!

PS. The graphic I posted above is Destiny, and I made it via Picrew, which is a doll maker website I've been using for years. Human artists upload their art and users can make cute versions of themselves, or characters. This isn't AI. I despise gen AI slop.

Watching, Revising & Reading

Hey, how's it going? I hope you're having a great day.

This week turned out to be great, as far as my writing goals and spending time with my husband, but it was the worst for dealing with people. I seriously hate that the general population doesn't seem to understand common courtesy anymore, or manners. Even customer service appears to be a forgotten thing. And I hate how most people don't understand the concept of criticism. Too many thin-skinned assholes out there who like to act like rotten bastards and don't want to be called out on it. And don't even get me started on companies who advertise about offering an easy way to transfer different currencies and then end up stealing all your money.

Like I said, it was the week of motherfuckers.

But onto other better things.

I finished watching the rest of DAISY JONES & THE SIX and really enjoyed it! The 70s aesthetics were as perfect as the music, and the ending hit as hard as the book. Overall, they did a great job at capturing the essence of the book and the characters. It was a trip to watch the band perform songs that could've easily fit into the 70s. Cool show! 😊🎶

Glad I finally watched it. 

The other great thing I did was complete the novelette I finished writing last week. I had a great time writing and revising this story, and everything that happened surprised me in many ways, but also made total sense.

Total word count: 13,001.

This is actually the tenth story I've written in this (vampire) world this year. And that doesn't include the two novels (90k each) that started all of this. Plus I still have a list of other characters waiting to tell their tale, LOL.

I also read a very cool novella, CRANBERRY COVE by Hailey Piper, and got started on the final proofing of my upcoming novel from Brigids Gate Press, FALLEN DESTINY, which I'll get stuck into on Monday.

Yeah, got lots of things to do. 😊

Have an awesome weekend!

CRANBERRY COVE by Hailey Piper

Cranberry Cove by Hailey Piper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After I finished revising one of my stories, I decided to reward myself with this novella.

Emberly and Conner are partners sent to investigate what happened at the derelict hotel called Cranberry Cove, but what they find is a lot darker than either expected...

Eerie. Tense. Mysterious. Entertaining.

Yeah, I really enjoyed this story. It's full of dark supernatural goodness that hints at what lies beneath the fabric of reality, lost within liminal spaces. It's packed with interesting characters that kept me glued to the page because I wanted to follow them into the darkness. I particularly like how the writing style and the way the story unfolds adds to the surreal quality of the narrative, and throws everything off balance.

Also, I'm totally intrigued by Angelica.

The occult stuff is really cool, and I felt like this story definitely had X-Files and Twin Peaks vibes.


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Sorta Break

Hi, how are you today?

I hope everything is okay in your corner of the world. I know it's hard at the moment because there are so many crappy things going on all the time, but that's why it's important to find happiness.

So, after spending last week doing an intense round of edits, I enjoyed a nice mental break. Which is actually a good thing because not only was I mentally exhausted, but the weather has been so shit lately that I caught a cold. I felt pretty shitty most of this week. 🤧

And yes, I was sickish on my birthday. Ugh.

It sucks, but I kept up with my daily walks around the river. Hell, I even managed to finish the first draft of the story I've been working on. The word count ended up being 10k, and I just completed the second draft about ten minutes ago.

It's now 12k. 🦇

I really didn't expect this particular character's story to end up past 10k, but I'm not surprised because it's really a tale that covers several changes between two different characters. Also, last night I came up with a very small tweak that made a huge difference to the second draft.

Love when that happens!

Oh, and I finally got a chance to read! I've been so busy with my own writing and organising my new bookshelves lately that I didn't get a chance to read for a while. I read two cool books: THE NIGHT GUEST by Hildur Knútsdótti and SUNBURN by Laura Lippman. Really enjoyed both of them, especially TNG.

Also started watching the DAISY JONES & THE SIX TV show and I'm enjoying it. A lot. I'm four episodes in and can't wait to see how it turns out. I read and absolutely LOVED the book last year, SO MUCH. The 70s vibes and music match the book so far, plus the aesthetics are beautiful. 🎶😍🎶

Also, the MURDERBOT S1 finale was awesome.

Well, that's about it for now. I'm looking forward to enjoying a nice and relaxing weekend with my husband.

Have a great time!

SUNBURN by Laura Lippman

Sunburn by Laura Lippman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading a great book the other day, I wanted to get stuck into another story, so I went through my Paperwhite... and started reading this one yesterday.

When Polly walks out on her husband and daughter during their summer vacation, she ends up in Belleville, Delaware. And inside a tavern, she crosses paths with the alluring Adam. Both are apparently passing through on their way to better places, but the secrets they hide bring them together. And will probably tear them apart...

Well, this book turned out to be quite interesting. It's well written and there are secrets buried within secrets that lead to an unexpected conclusion. There's also a great cast of grey characters that prove good people can do bad things, and bad people can do good things.

It all starts with a seemingly average woman, Polly, sitting in a bar after leaving her family because she wants to be free before her husband leaves her. But it doesn't take long to realise that there's a lot more to her story. Then there's the man, Adam, watching and assessing her every move because he seems to be interested in her. Yet, he has ulterior motives too.

I liked the way this unravelled. Told mostly in the POV of Polly and Adam, there are also several other POVs peppered throughout that provide clues that help round out the overall mystery. And these definitely help the reader figure out exactly what's going on with Polly.

Cool book, glad I read it.


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THE NIGHT GUEST by Hildur Knútsdóttir

The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've been busy working on writing, revision, edits, and a whole bunch of other stuff. But this week I wanted to get stuck into a bit of reading, and started with this novella.

Iðunn is desperately trying to find out what's going on with her. She's always tired, wakes up with bruises and knows there's something wrong. But doctors can't help her and won't even take her seriously. Until her life starts to unravel when she figures out she's leaving the house at night. While she's supposed to be sleeping...

Well, this is quite the creepy tale.

It's also full of snappy chapters that flow so well into each other that I found it hard to put my Paperwhite down. Seriously, I read this in one sitting that took a few hours.

There's a lot I enjoyed about this story. The writing style. The mystery. The narrator that's so confused she takes the reader along for the ride. The many breadcrumbs the author lays out in the narrative. The social commentary about how women are ignored, or are expected to behave, how so many are practically invisible. How shitty men hide in plain sight with their 'good intentions' on show but secretly hide obsessive, controlling agendas.

Yeah, it's all there and works really well in the context of what happens to Iðunn's life. She's trapped in a cycle she can't escape while awake, which I think says a lot about how things turn out.

I also love the ending. Some might call it ambiguous, and while that might be true, I think the answers are there if you pay attention. Not to mention that leaving the conclusion open for interpretation is very cool.

Loved it!!


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Busy Week Full of Words

Hey! How are you today? I hope you're well and finding some happiness and fun during the shittiest timeline ever. 🙄

Every single morning there's a new stupid and cruel thing happening. It's awful to watch. I wish people had paid proper attention and saw exactly what we did. But hate means more to some people than anything else. It's a shame.

See the lovely demon girl above? That's Destiny. She's the main character in my upcoming novel from Brigids Gate Press. Why am I talking about her? Well, I spent this week revisiting her story during an intense round of edits, which I completed early this morning.

It was nice to catch up with Destiny, Kenan, and all the other occultish characters. It's a stand-alone cozy/urban fantasy novel about a demon who is hired by a nun to find an angel. 

You know, Hellboy x Constantine. 😁

Oh, just a quick note about the graphic I posted here. I made this on a website called Picrew several years ago. Picrew is a doll maker website where human artists upload their art and users can make cute versions of themselves. Or as I like to do, my characters. This isn't AI. You all know how I feel about AI. I despise gen AI and don't use it for absolutely anything. Personally, I don't understand people's dependency on it, but that's a different story.

I just wanted to make it clear that the graphic I made isn't AI slop. It's from a cool doll maker website I've been using for years.

Anyway, let's get on with the rest of the post. LOL.

As I mentioned above, I spent all week working on edits. It's been a while since I last read this novel, so I paid special attention to everything. Really happy with the result and I'll keep you updated on the cover, release date, etc.

Although I spent most of my time editing, I also squeezed a bit of writing into the week because my two vampire boys are loud and demanded I keep telling their story. I added another 2k words, which brings the total to 5,600. Yeah, this one's going to be a much longer one.

I didn't get a chance to continue my Kallax organising, but my bookshelves are a WIP, so that's okay.

Well, that's about it for now. I'm kinda mentally and physically exhausted right now, so having a three-day weekend is going to be great. Yeah, my husband is taking Monday off because the 7th is my birthday. 😊

Have an awesome weekend!!

Sorting, Sorting & More Sorting

Hi! How are you today? Even though the world is currently a bizarre mess, I hope you're able to find good vibes and happiness to make your days better.

I swear this timeline is the most ridiculous timeslip ever. It's like people had a chance to turn their backs on evil fucks, and instead decided to vote them in to screw everything up for the rest of us. Don't get me started on the anger I have for the ones responsible for a lot of what's going on at the moment.

Better not to fall down that rabbit hole.

So, my knee is almost fully healed. No more open wounds/scratches, and the irritation the constant band-aid wearing caused is almost gone too. It's still a bit messy to look at, but I don't care about that.

My husband went back to work this week (😢) and on Monday, I completed the final read-thru of the three stories I added to my Paperwhite the other day. All three are under 2k, so that's why it didn't take long to read each one and fix the final tweaks/changes. Didn't find too many things this time, but they're all finalised now.

As I've mentioned before, I'm having a lot of fun writing these stories set during different time periods, and featuring a variety of secondary characters. Another thing that I love about this world is how the ideas and characters are challenging me to write all sorts of different styles. Whatever suits the character/s.

I actually started another story midweek, but I'm taking my time with it. This one is going to be a bit longer. It's up to 3k so far, and nowhere near done. I'll keep writing until this guy's tale is out of my head. This is a tricky character because he's quite an asshole. Either way, I'm having a cool time visualising everything because the idea came to me in such a visual way that it keeps playing inside my head like a movie.

Asides from the above, I spent ALL week organising the two Kallax bookshelves we bought/built last weekend. The problem is that it's not a matter of just adding books and walking away. Nope. I had to go through every single bookshelf in the house, as well as the random piles I have everywhere.

It's a LOT of books, but I'm having a great time finding some titles I didn't remember I had! 😳

Asides from the books, I also have to go through the cute toys/figurines. Not to mention my stationery, because I'm trying to put things in easily-accessible places. I'm tired of never having a sticky note, notepad or pen available when I need it even though I have hundreds of all of them. LOL.

It's mentally and physically exhausting. Carrying books from one room to another and back again, while also packing Drönas full of stuff, is super tiring. My arms hurt as much as my legs. I mean, I'm still going for long daily walks, so yeah. SO TIRED. But you know what? It's definitely worth it. I'm so happy to have more places to display my books and cute things.

Unfortunately, going through all my books means that I've found some with foxing. It's so disappointing because I keep them in nice, clean shelves. And a bunch of them are from my Stephen King collection. 😫

Plus, once I find this, I get rid of the book. From what I read, it's not contagious, but I just can't keep them next to other crisp books.

That's what I've been doing lately. It turned out to be a very busy week! I packed as much writing/sorting/organising into every minute as I could. Great progress but still not fully done.

Only thing I didn't have time for was reading.

Well, have an awesome weekend!!

 

Taking a Break

Hey! How are you today?

We've been enjoying a fantastic week. My husband had an RDO last Friday that led into a week off, and we made the most of our time off.

We went on a lot of shopping trips to different shopping centres we don't usually visit, which always leads to cool walking adventures. As well as finding bargains and trying out new places to eat. Very cool and a lot of fun.

There was also quite a bit of lounging around and watching movies, catching up on shows, plus playing ACNH every day.

Sometimes, we watch YouTube to keep up with the crap that's going on in the world, but there's only so much I can take, so I usually end up grabbing my phone and start sorting my writing files. Or pics, maybe a bit of research. I ended up writing two new pieces, and finished the story in verse I mentioned last week. I even revised all three and added them to my Paperwhite for the final read-thru next week.

The stories that I'm writing are set in the VampNovel1 and VampNovel2 world. The characters just won't shut up, and since I'm having a lot of fun telling their stories, I reckon I'll probably end up with enough shorties for a short story collection.

Oh, we finally watched POSSESSION. An 80s movie that I've wanted to watch for years. And wow, what an intense trip that turned out to be. The characters were over the top and their marriage was totally broken. Not to mention how their son got lost in the insanity, and how these two wanted to change each other completely. There was a lot of insanity, but I mostly enjoyed it. Glad we finally watched it.

The other movie we watched was THE GORGE. This one hooked me in because I found the whole Gorge secret intriguing. It was cool to get the answers hidden within such eerie imagery. And the connection between the two characters was great, but the ending could've been better, to make more of an impact.

Anyway, we're finishing up the week with a whirlwind of buying more bookshelves from IKEA, donating some furniture to Salvos, and now sorting everything out. Yikes! It's been a crazy 24 hours and we're both sore and super tired, but getting more shelves is always an awesome thing!

Well, that's it for now. Catch you later.

Have a great weekend!

Writing, Watching, Reading...

Hey!

How are you today? What did you get up to this week?

We started ours with a public holiday, so that was great. What isn't great is how cold it is. As soon as June started, the temperature has dropped dramatically and I'm already over it.

Well, we finally watched SINNERS and absolutely LOVED IT. What an amazing movie. I'm a vampire fan from way back and never get tired of new vamp tales, and this one was original, gory and visually stunning. Not to mention the cool music.

We also finished watching S4 of ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING. This is a show we started years after everyone else, but I'm SO glad we caught up because it's fantastic! Addictive and cozy. Has a great cast and twisty mysteries. Plus it's very funny. I miss it already.

In my last post, I mentioned that I slipped during a rainy walk last week and skinned my knee. Well, it's still scraped and the big band-aid has become a permanent fixture. I mean, it's definitely getting better, but the healing process is slow. Not to mention that the band-aid protecting the wound has kinda irritated the skin around it. 😫

Anyway, let's talk about writing.

Last weekend, while taking it easy on the couch with my husband, I wrote a new short story on my phone. I challenged myself to write it in a style I've never tried before, and had a lot of fun! I even revised it on my laptop on Tuesday, so it's done. Yay.

Final word count is: 1,834.

I then spent a couple of days reading a book called SLAGS. You can read my review below, but spoiler: I really enjoyed it. ☺️

And on Thursday night, after I wrote and posted my review, I ended up writing another story on my phone. It's currently under 1,000 words. To be honest, it's more like a shortie told in verse. Not sure when I'll finalise this one, but I've already started revising and read it to my husband.

I know I've mentioned this before, but the stories keep coming so... Although VampNovel1 and VampNovel2 are done, the secondary characters who live in this world with the two main characters aren't done with me yet. They keep whispering in my ear, pound my brain with ideas, and the words keep coming.

I'm not complaining because I'm having a great time. Writing these tales is fun and exciting, plus I'm doing a lot of research about the twentieth century, which is actually very cool and insightful.

Okay, that's it for today. We've got a week off because my husband has annual leave, and I can't wait.

Have a great weekend!

SLAGS by Emma Jane Unsworth

Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When my husband saw this book on Amazon we both had a good laugh at the title and the cover. And I instantly knew that I had to check it out.

Sarah and Juliette are sisters who decide to go on a campervan road-trip across Scotland. After all, it's Juliette’s birthday and she's about to enter her 40s. The only problem is that they both packed too much baggage from their shared past...

Well, I devoured this book in 24 hours because it totally grabbed me. I had a hard time putting this down. I'm really not surprised because I love reading honest and raw stories about what some might call unlikeable women/girls written by women, but I call interesting and realistic.

The story unfolds in the POV of Sarah, during two separate timelines. Present day, while she's in her 40s. She's a workaholic who loves her job and her close friends, while engaging in a string of sexual conquests. The past focuses on 15-year-old Sarah. A teenager who isn't afraid to get involved in sexual relationships, but is secretly in love with her English teacher.

I enjoyed both timelines. The 90s part is full of nostalgia and the reality of what it's like to be a girl dreaming about love, while also falling into unsatisfying sexual situations. The other shows a grown woman who is content where she is in her life, surrounded by close friends and a job she enjoys, but has quite a few problems with her family. As well as serious issues with alcohol and drugs.

But at the heart of the story is the sisterly love and connection these two women have. I enjoyed how Sarah and Juliette's interactions unravelled the farther they went from home. How the distance, denial, secrets and so many unspoken words come out in the most unexpected ways. Drawing them closer, while also alienating them. The dynamics of their relationship is written really well. It's funny to see them connect with cigarettes, whisky, and 80s movie quotes.

Plus the conversations in this book are a lot of fun to read.

Yeah, I really enjoyed this!


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My Version of a Week Off...

How's it going?

Well, Friday's finally here and when my husband gets home, the long weekend begins. And then, next week, we have another long weekend, followed by a week off. Can't wait! But first we're going to enjoy the next three days. 😁

This week turned out to be a little heavy. Hubby started work earlier than usual so it kinda threw our sleeping out a bit. It's tiring, but we got through it.

Of course, it doesn't help that I spent two nights making more tweaks/additions to VampNovel1 & VampNovel2, when I was supposed to be taking a mental break. LOL. But you see, I wrote a new short story set in this world, and it takes place during these two books. So, while going through the timeline to make sure everything matched, I found something that I had to alter. Nothing big, but minor details that needed to be fixed.

That's one of the coolest things about writing these short stories, they're enhancing the two novels. Tightening threads that I might have missed because on the surface, they don't seem to be important.

Oh, and the best thing? Tonight, I finished the final read-thru of this particular story on my Paperwhite. So it's done!!

Final word count is: 4,861.

This is the longest one (set in this world) so far.

Also, that's my eleventh short story this year.

OMG. On Wednesday, I was walking in the rain and slipped on the wet pavement. Fell on my left knee and ripped my leggings, plus scraped the hell out of the skin underneath. Ugh. So now, I'm walking around with a big band-aid because the skin is screwed up. Not to mention that it's starting to scab so I can feel the tightening of the skin. Your knee isn't the best place to have a giant scab. 😫

So, I did manage to read one book and watch one movie. I read THE VILLA by Rachel Hawkins and absolutely LOVED it! I can't believe this book didn't get more attention. Especially if you're a Mary Shelley fan, like me. And the movie I watched is, THE IDEA OF YOU, which I really enjoyed. It's faithful to the book, but also different. I think both are great!

This weekend I have no definite plans to write anything, but sometimes late at night when I'm checking out my phone... inspiration strikes and I end up starting something. 😅

I'll keep you posted.

Have an awesome day!!

THE VILLA by Rachel Hawkins

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Last night, while looking through the books on my Paperwhite, this one caught my eye. I didn't know much about it, but I was instantly hooked.

Emily and Chess have been friends since they were kids, but life always gets in the way. So when Chess asks Emily to go on a trip to Italy, she jumps at the chance. Especially since they're going to the Villa Aestas in Orvieto. A place where a murder took place in the summer of 1974...

Wow. This is such a fantastic story. Or should I say, stories? I mean, there's the Emily and Chess story, but then there's also the Mari and Lara tale. Plus all the other cool additions. And I loved them both!

Emily is going through a hard time. Her husband cheated on her, then left and now thinks he deserves money for the cozy mystery series she's writing. And because of all of this, she's barely written a word. Chess is a successful self-help guru. So Emily hopes that spending a summer break in Italy sparks her imagination. But it's not the book she's contracted for that excites her, it's the true crime that happened in the Italian villa in 1974.

Mari and Lara are teenage stepsisters when they fall under the spell of the much-older, Pierce. He's a talented musician, magnetic, and although he's married, Mari knows they were meant to be together. Yet, when tragedy strikes he's not there for her, and the promised stardom never comes. Until the three spend a summer in Villa Rosato with a music idol and everything falls apart.

I REALLY enjoyed how the past and present stories unravel in a way that complement each other. I also love how Mari's life mirrors Mary Shelley.

Yeah, I couldn't put this down. It's a clever mystery, contains the right amount of twists, and is totally addictive.

And you know what? I want to read Lilith Rising! ☺️


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Hey!

How are you today? Can you believe May is almost over? Yikes.

For us, that means winter starts tomorrow. 😫

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of the colder months and shorter days, but what can you do? As long as the overcast days are balanced out with sunny days, I'm cool. LOL.

I intended to take this week off but ended up making a few tweaks to the novels I've been working on. I also started reading Stephen King's latest novel, but put it aside after 122 pages. I don't know why but this story just didn't grab me. I usually love King books and especially Holly. She's a great character, but this book... I don't know.

Anyway, I put it aside.

So, today is Saturday and I finished writing the first draft of another short story on my phone. The word count is: 4,013. It's one of the shorties that have been buzzing inside my brain since I finished the revision of VampNovel2 and the secondary characters won't leave me alone. 😅

And that reminds me, these are the writing/reading things I did this month:

• Completed the full revision of VampNovel2 

• Updated VampNovel1 after changes made to VampNovel2 

• Completed 2 short stories

• Wrote the first draft of 1 short story 

• Read 2 books

I'm very happy with this list. Yay.

I mean, getting through three drafts of a 90k-word novel makes me very happy. That means that my 80s horrormance vampire duology is now complete. Of course, it turns out that I'm not actually done with this world, but finishing the two novels was one of my goals for this year.

What did you get up to this month? Did you achieve much during May?

Okay, that's about it for now. I just wanted to post an update about my week and month.

Have an awesome weekend!!

THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART by Monika Kim

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

At the beginning of this week, I started reading a book but couldn't get into it, so I decided to pick this up... and was hooked instantly.

When Ji-won’s father leaves, her family starts to fall apart. Umma is depressed, Ji-hyun is scared, and she wants to protect her mother and sister. Then George enters the picture. A shitty man who sweeps Umma off her feet, but is obviously hiding things. If only he didn't have such pretty blue eyes...

Bizarre. Surreal. Addictive. Gross.

What a trip this story turned out to be! Ji-won's voice is strong and takes the reader deep into a seriously dark and creepy psychological story. At times, it feels like a fever dream that made me wonder if the things she narrated were actually happening in real time.

There's also a real sense of family shown via the crumbling pieces of what is going on in her life. Situations that affect her studies and personality. I especially love how many times she blindsides the reader with glimpses of terrible traits, as well as some strange surprises that put her motivations into perspective.

Not to mention how the story deals with everyday racism and sexism. Plus white savior complex.

I also love the ending! Those final chapters are so well written and unravel at a great pace. There are also a few twists and a malicious, but very satisfying, ending.

Enjoyed the hell out of this one! 👀


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The Revision is Done!

Hey! How are you today? I hope you all had a great week. Ours started with a long weekend (awesome) and the next four days turned out to be a blur of revision and rain.

Yeah, we've been having some shitty weather in NSW. I really hope the sun makes a comeback and sticks around for a while. Fingers crossed.

Well, as I mentioned above, I got stuck into the final read-thru of VampNovel2 this week. So, after listening to my Playlist during my daily afternoon walks (except for Thursday because it was pouring for most of the day), I grabbed my Paperwhite and some scrap paper. Then, I settled down to read the story, while taking note of any errors.

I cut a bunch of excess, but added quite a bit too. Something peculiar happened. Just before getting started on Tuesday, I decided to add a new subplot that fit the narrative and complicates things a little more. As well as changed a certain detail about a few characters. So that required a little extra work.

Anyway, after working really hard on this final draft, I finally reached The End! 

• New VampNovel1 final word count is: 90,348.

• New VampNovel2 final word count is: 90,746.

I'm SO excited! Not only did I finalise the second novel tonight, but because the two books are connected, I also had to update VampNovel1. Any changes/additions made to VampNovel2, directly affect VampNovel1. That meant a lot of extra tweaking. But I absolutely LOVED every single minute spent with these characters, so I didn't mind.

As I mentioned last month, the initial story idea came to me around this time last year. This 80s vampire story is a violent horrormance with plenty of complications.

I'm very happy because I set myself the personal goal of completing VampNovel1 in April, and VampNovel2 in May. As you can see, I did it. Yay!!

Oh, and one more thing. Do you watch Only Murders in the Building? We started watching it the other day and binged the whole first season very quickly. It's ADDICTIVE & I love it. Love cozy mysteries. They're very comfy and intriguing, with quite a bit of danger. Loving it.

We're also enjoying Murderbot and Duster.

That's about it for now. Have an awesome weekend! 

 

The Revision Continues...

Hey, how are you today? The weekend is finally here, and because my husband has an RDO on Monday, it's a three-day weekend. Awesome!

So, did you have a nice week? We slept in and hung out most mornings before hubby went to work, but today we had to get up early so our apartment intercom could be updated. Ugh. And because of that, I've been feeling wonky all day, especially since I slipped on the tiles in the laundry and hurt my left knee. 😫

Anyway, on Monday, I got stuck into the third draft of VampNovel2 and lost myself in this vampire world every afternoon/night. I love spending time with these characters, so I'm really enjoying the process.

This is how I went:

• Monday: 53/236pgs (90,621w)
• Tuesday: 102/234pgs (90,122w) 
• Wednesday: 158/237pgs (90,214w)
• Thursday: 212/237pgs (90,113w) 
• Friday: 240pgs / 91,125w

As you can see, the third draft is DONE. And I'm SO excited. I worked really hard on this draft because there were certain things I wanted to tweak and rewrite to deepen the characters and story. Nothing drastic, but additions/deleting that had to be made. And of course, any changes in this book, need to be reflected in VampNovel1.

It's challenging, but a lot of fun!

Oh, and did I mention that this 80s vampire world keeps throwing new short story ideas my way? Yeah, I started taking notes because a bunch of these characters refuse to shut up and their whispers are too hard to ignore.

Okay, time to sign out so I can enjoy a three-day mental break. Before hitting the final Paperwhite read-thru next week. 😁

Have a good one!

Time to Revise!

Hey! How are you today? What did you get up? I hope you had a great week.

Last Saturday, was Election Day in Australia, and I'm excited to report that the LNP (right-wing idiots) lost. Big time. And the Labor party won. Actually, it was a freaking landslide, and the election was won by Anthony Albanese in two hours! Yep. Looks like Australia responded to what we think about fascists.

Now, if only the US would get rid of that fucking Orange Turd.

Anyway, let's chat about better things.

After taking a two-week break to read and write short stories, my goal was to complete the second draft of what I'm tentatively calling, VampNovel2.

Here's how I went:

• Monday: 51/231pgs (92,446w)
• Tuesday: 102/230pgs (91,302w) 
• Wednesday: 153/228pgs (89,897w)
• Thursday: 209/231pgs (90,060w) 
• Friday:  234pgs / 90,624w

As you can see, I cut quite a few words. All fat that didn't need to be there.

I reached the end tonight, and I'm really happy. Yay. 😁

Working on stories set in this 80s vampire world is turning out to be SO MUCH FUN, and I don't think I'm done yet. Oher characters are lining up to tell their tales next. LOL.

Now that the second draft is done, I'll put it aside until next Monday and then I'll tackle the third draft. I'm looking forward to it, but first I want to enjoy a few days with my husband.

Well, my brain feels like mush so that's it for now.

Hope you have an awesome weekend!

Reading, Writing & Revising

Hey! It's me again. How are you today? What did you get up to this week?

Personally, I got a bunch of stuff done. Initially, I planned to concentrate on reading, and to be honest, it did start that way. On Monday, I read and thoroughly enjoyed the novelisation of The Lost Boys. I finished it in one afternoon/night because it was SO much fun. LOVED IT! There's just something about 80s movie novelisations that really grab me. Of course, the fact this is based on the screenplay of one of my all-time favourite movies might have something to do with it. 😃

Then on Tuesday, I completed the final read-thru of the monster lovin' short story that I wrote on my phone over the long weekend. Yeah, it's a shortie but definitely a lot of cheeky fun. I even read it to my husband, and by Monday night, it was sitting on my Paperwhite for one last revision/read.

Final word count is: 1,698.

During Wednesday and Thursday night, I read Retreat by Krysten Ritter. It's such a great and totally twisty psychological thriller. Lots of glitzy rich lifestyle vibes, with a good dose of scandalous mystery and plenty of attitude.

Between reading this book, I also wrote and revised another short story. This one came to me on Sunday and I started writing it on my phone. But after the initial 200 words, I stalled. It wasn't until my afternoon walk on Monday that I realised a simple format change was just what this tale needed. And it worked! Because I finished writing it shortly after that.

Tonight, I completed the read-thru on my Paperwhite.

Final word count: 3,147.

This short story ended up a bit longer than I thought it would be, but I'm not surprised because it's set in the same world as VampNovel1 & VampNovel2. Man, the characters in this world are very chatty. Every time I finish one story, another idea drops into my brain. And these side/prequel tales are deepening the overall story. 😳

Speaking of these novels, I'm hoping to get started on the revision of VampNovel2 next week. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, this was the first full working week in three weeks, and it sure turned out to be productive. My muse has been buzzing and I'm having such a great time getting to know all of these secondary characters.

Now it's time to enjoy two days with my husband. Tomorrow it's Election Day in Australia, so we'll be popping in to the local school to vote. I really hope that the LNP (conservative assholes) don't win. They just want to fuck things up with cruelty and bullshit. Wish I could trust people to be smart enough to realise this is the case, but sadly, I don't have much faith in humanity nowadays.

Hope things turn out well, like they did in Canada. Wish us luck. 

Have a great one!

PS. So far, I've written and revised 8 short stories this year.

RETREAT by Krysten Ritter

Retreat by Krysten Ritter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed Krysten Ritter's first book, Bonfire, so I was really excited about reading this one.

Liz is a con artist. She's beautiful, knows how to draw people into her orbit, and she's intelligent. She's also a chameleon and has learned a lot of trades that help her slink in and out of rich people's lives. But when she goes to Mexico for a real job, she gets caught up in the glitzy life of the rich woman who hired her...

Wow. What a great mystery! It's also a terrific psychological thriller that's full of twists, turns, and a cast of characters that keeps you guessing until the shocking truth becomes very clear.

I really enjoyed this book. It's such a great story that starts out simple enough: a con artist has built a busy life for herself that keeps her financially afloat, but when her web of lies starts to unravel, she gets the opportunity of a lifetime.

Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Except it's not. Nothing about this story or characters is as it seems. The Mexican setting is lovely and the vivid descriptions put you right there in the heart of the action, but there's also a sinister underbelly that creeps up on you.

This is one dark and messed-up tale full of lies, secrets, and a bunch of conniving players. And I loved every minute of it. I couldn't stop reading because the author's voice is as compelling as the awesome writing style. The ending was perfect.

Liz is such a great character. I mean, she's definitely no saint and gets up to a lot of awful shit, but there's just something about her that totally captivates the reader.

Loved it!


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