Showing posts with label Justin Gustainis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Justin Gustainis. Show all posts

17 May 2012

Winner: EVIL DARK by Justin Gustainis

Thank you all for entering this giveaway to win a signed or electronic copy of EVIL DARK by Justin Gustainis

The winner is…

10 May 2012

Today we are excited to have Justin Gustainis here today sharing his definition of urban fantasy and celebrating the release of EVIL DARK (available now from Angry Robot Books), the second book in his Occult Crimes Unit Investigations series. In case you missed it, Julia reviewed EVIL DARK earlier this week calling it, “Neither as hard-boiled as most police procedurals, nor as arcane as pure urban fantasy, EVIL DARK is a blend that does justice to both genres without taking either too seriously.”  Check out the giveaway below for a chance to win your choice of a signed copy of EVIL DARK or an electronic copy.

What the Hell Is Urban Fantasy, Anyway?

by

Justin Gustainis

Evil Dark (Occult Crimes Unit Investigation, #2)      I don’t pretend that my topic for today is an original one.  Arguments about defining urban fantasy (and distinguishing it from paranormal romance, dark fantasy, and horror) have been going on for years.  But some of the discussions have been characterized, IMHO, by a lack of precision.  Maybe that’s because the topic, by nature, defies precise categorization.  But I’m here to take my shot at it.

     Urban fantasy introduces a supernatural element into a world that is mostly like our own.  The latter part of that definition distinguishes it from high fantasy, which is set in a world unlike our own.  Much high fantasy takes place in a universe resembling medieval Europe, with the addition of magic and without the dirt, disease, and cruelty that characterized the real thing. 

     So, does urban fantasy have to, literally, be urban? 

08 May 2012

Review: Evil Dark by Justin Gustainis

 

Evil Dark (Occult Crimes Unit Investigation, #2)

Title: Evil Dark
AuthorJustin Gustainis
Series: Occult Crimes Unit Investigation #2
Cover Art: N/A
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Excerpt: Yes
Source: Author
Reviewed by: Julia

  • Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Angry Robot; April 24, 2012
  • ISBN-10: 0857661361
  • ISBN-13: 978-0857661364

buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery 


Sexual Content:
References to sex, rape, child abuse, and a threesome.


Rating:


Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now & put this author on your watch list.


04 January 2012

Cover Art Coverage: 9 New Titles!

My favorite thing about a four day week is how the weekend can sneak up on you, Friday comes so quickly!  It is less fun, however, when Wednesday pops up out of no where.  I apologize for the late post today, my head was still back enjoying the holiday weekend.  I kicked off 2012 by shouting, “Wait, it’s Wednesday?!”, how has everyone else been enjoying the new year?
 
 

03 September 2011

A big welcome back to author Justin Gustainis today who is celebrating the recent release for his 3rd Quincey Morris urban fantasy, SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (available now from Solaris Books).  He’s talking with us about the hidden ‘easter egg’ pop culture references in books and giving you the chance to find some of his easter eggs through a special contest and win a $50 Amazon GC & have a character named after you in the next book.  See details below


25 July 2011

**Visit Dark Faerie Tales today for her Deadly Destination tour of Katherine Kerr’s from CHARACTER San Francisco from Nola O' Grady & a chance to win WATER TO BURN**

Today’s Deadly Destinations tour comes courtesy of Justin Gustainis's Stan Markowski, Detective Sgt. with the Supernatural Crimes Investigation Unit. You can read more about Stan in HARD SPELL available on July 26th from Angry Robot.  We’ll be visiting Scranton, PA, which, as Stan says, ‘[Is] a good place to live and raise a family — apart from vampires, werewolves, ghouls, wizards, and the occasional demon.’  Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of the book!  See details below


Detective Sgt. Stan Markowski’s Guide to Haunted Scranton

by

Justin Gustainis

  Hard Spell (Supernatural Crimes, #1)  This is the city — Scranton, Pennsylvania.

    It used to be a coal town, back in the days when anthracite was king.  That was a long time ago -- the last of the mines played out in the 1950s.  But people here are tough, and they learned to adapt.  Today, Scranton’s got a healthy economy based on light industry, tourism, and retail.  They've cleaned out a lot of the culm banks left by the mines, too.

     It's a good place to live and raise a family — apart from vampires, werewolves, ghouls, wizards, and the occasional demon.

     Scranton's got a "live and let unlive" relationship with the supernatural, just like everyplace else.  But when a vamp puts the bite on an unwilling victim, or some witch casts the wrong kind of spell, that's when they call me.

     My name's Markowski.  I carry a badge.

     Also a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9 mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.

     I was never a Boy Scout, but "be prepared" is still a good motto to live by.  Especially if you plan to keep on living.

     America’s been coming to terms with what law enforcement calls the "supernatural element" for more than fifty years.  It hasn’t always been a real smooth adjustment.

     You can find supes everyplace now, but they’re not evenly distributed.  There’s lots in the big cities, of course.  A big population means more potential “blood donors” if you’re a vamp, a bigger client base if you’re a witch or wizard for hire, and more to eat if you’re a ghoul.  It’s true that some, like the werewolves, used to settle in mostly rural areas – better to hide in, I guess, and farm animals are easier prey than people.  But even that’s changed now.

     Scranton’s got about 75,000 people, which puts it about midway between New York City and Hicksville.  But there’s an awful lot of supes here, relative to the population.  Nobody understood why that was, until 1966.  That was when a couple of profs from the local college, the University of Scranton, figured out that a whole bunch of ley lines intersect in the Wyoming Valley.  Several of them come together right here in Scranton.

     It’s not known for sure where ley lines came from – there’s four or five major theories, and every one makes my head hurt.  But all the experts agree they exist.

     They’re a powerful source of magical energy, ley lines.  The more lines intersecting, the stronger the energy.  Passon and Warner, the professors, proved that there are four points in and around Scranton where at least ten different ley lines come together.  That’s kind of a big deal, in magical terms.  Or so they say.

     The intersecting ley lines are like a magnet for supes, which explains why we’ve got so many.  They were drawn here over the years, even if they didn’t realize why.  Weres, vamps, ghouls, witches, trolls, you name it.  We’ve got ‘em all in Scranton.

     Lucky us.

     The Supernatural Crimes Investigation Unit, which everybody calls the "Supe Squad," is located in the basement of Police H.Q.  There's no windows down there, but none of us mind.  You never know what might get out through a window when you're not looking.  Or what might get in.

     I pull the night shift, which is the busiest time for our kind of work.  I've racked up enough seniority to get whatever shift I want, but I work the graveyard (yeah, I know) because I like the action.

     The boss is Lieutenant McGuire.  They say his wife was grabbed by a gang of werewolves years ago, and that McGuire tracked them down, all by himself.  When he left the house where they’d been hiding, there wasn’t a creature alive inside, including McGuire’s wife, who was found with a silver bullet in her brain.

     McGuire always claimed it was a stray shot that killed her.  But there are stories about that – rumors, really. Stories that one of the weres had already bitten her, that she was infected with lycanthropy.  Some of the stories say that she begged him to do it.

     It might be true.  McGuire's an okay guy and a good boss, but he's got a darkness about him that has nothing to do with the fact that he doesn't see much sunlight.

     Despite whatever may have happened in the past, McGuire's no vigilante.  He plays by the rules.

     But may Almighty God help any supe who breaks them.

     It's not against the law to be a supernatural creature, or to engage in most kinds of occult rituals and practices.  But there are laws concerning all that stuff.  The bottom line for supes is the same one that applies to humans: you can't hurt anybody, unless they give consent, and you'd be surprised how many do.  But there are rules about that, too.

     In Scranton, there’s no shortage of what my mom used to call beer gardens.  There are straight bars and supe bars.  That doesn't mean a supe can't walk into any joint in town for a beer (or a Bloody Mary – with or without real blood), assuming he's of age and has the money to pay for it. Discrimination's against the law.  Anyway, no bartender’s going to refuse to serve somebody who might come back during the next full moon and tear his throat out.

     But most supes prefer the company of their own, and the biggest supe bar in town is Renfield's on Wyoming Avenue.  I've been there plenty of times.

     My partner and I stopped by there one night last week, hoping to get some information on a new wizard in town who’s been causing a lot of trouble.  The place was busy when Karl and I walked in a little after 3:00 a.m.  Supe bars usually stay open all night and close at dawn, for obvious reasons.

     You'd think we might get a hostile reception in a place like that, but you'd be wrong.  Cops on the Supe Squad spend as much time investigating crimes committed against supes as we do on crimes with a supe perpetrator, and the supe community knows that.  If a cop is fair in his dealings with them, the supes remember.

     And if he's not fair, they remember that, too.

     I try to be fair, even when dealing with vamps.  I really hate bloodsuckers, but you can’t let your personal views get in the way of your work – it’s not professional.  And I’m always professional.  Well, almost always.

     We got nods of welcome from a couple of ogres sitting in a corner, and a quiet wave from a werewolf we knew.  The rest of the customers ignored us, or pretended to.

     Elvira was tending bar, like she usually does on weeknights.  That's not her real name, of course.  But she's tricked out like that vamp wannabe who got famous hosting bad horror movies on TV.  Like the original, our Elvira's got boobs big enough to look good in the low-slung dress that's part of the get-up, and I bet that cleavage of hers is good for a lot of tips.

     When she slinked over, I ordered a ginger ale for myself and a seltzer for Karl.  That thing about no booze on the job may be a cliché, but it's also a rule.  

     Besides, if I was going to drink, I wouldn't do it in a supe bar, despite my good relations with most of the locals.  There’s always the chance that I’d get careless and have one too many.

     A circus animal trainer may get along pretty well with the lions, tigers, and leopards in his act, but he'd be a fool to turn his back on them.

     If any of you urban fantasy fans are ever in Scranton, be sure to look me up.  I’ll take you out for a drink some night – but not in Renfield’s.

     I usually finish my shift around dawn.  Sometimes, as I leave City Hall, I like to stand for a minute on the top step and watch the sun rise over the city.

     I know that Scranton's not a big deal like New York or San Francisco.  But I still like the way the skyline looks at dawn.

     It's not a big town.  And the way most people figure these things, it's not a great town, either.  But it's my town.  And protecting it from the forces of darkness is my job.

     My name’s Markowski.  I carry a badge.

-----------------------------------

About Justin Gustainis

Justin HeadshotJustin Gustainis was born in Northeast Pennsylvania in 1951. He attended college at the University of Scranton, a Jesuit university that figures prominently in several of his writings.

After earning both Bachelor's and Master's degrees, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the U. S. Army.

Mr. Gustainis currently lives in Plattsburgh, New York, and is a Professor of Communication at Plattsburgh State University.

Visit Justin Gustainis online:
Website

Want to read more from Justin Gustainis?

The Hades Project Black Magic Woman Evil Ways Sympathy for the Devil (Mass Market Paperback) Those Who Fight Monsters: Tale... Hard Spell


Giveaway provided by Justin Guststainis

One copy of HARD SPELL by Justin Gustainis

Hard Spell (Supernatural Crimes, #1) 
Available on July 26, 2011 from Angry Robot

Description:

Stan Markowski is a Detective Sergeant on the Scranton PD's Supernatural Crimes Investigation Unit.

Like the rest of America, Scranton's got an uneasy 'live and let unlive' relationship with the supernatural. But when a vamp puts the bite on an unwilling victim, or some witch casts the wrong kind of spell, that's when they call Markowski. He carries a badge. Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.

Read an excerpt

Pre-Order from

buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery

Giveaway Guidelines

  1. Open internationally

  2. Leave a comment for Justin & a way to contact you unless it’s listed in your profile

  3. All Deadly Destinations winners will be announced on August 7th

  4. See our Giveaway Policy if you have any questions


    Don’t miss any of the tours & giveaways from Deadly Destinations.  Check out all the previous posts from this event!

    04 March 2011

    Justin Gustainis is the editor of  the brand new urban fantasy anthology called THOSE WHO FIGHT MONSTERS: TALES OF OCCULT DETECTIVES which I got to review this week (read my review HERE).  The line up is excellent and the stories are perfect little tastes to whet the appetite for the full series. In honor of it’s release, Justin is sharing his Top 10 Reasons why Urban Fantasy Rocks and giving away a signed copy.  Details below.
    image

    You can read all the previous Top 10 Lists HERE

    The Top Ten Reasons Why Urban Fantasy Rocks!
    by Justin Gustainis

    #10
    No unicorns
    #9
    You don’t need a degree
    in physics to read it
    #8
    Unlike “literary” fiction,
    something usually happens
    #7
    Most urban fantasy writers are hot chicks.
    #6
    I get to sit with #7 at con panels
    #6
    The heroines can kick your ass
    #5
    Two words:
    leather pants
    #4
    Nobody ever says
    “thee” or “thou”
    #3
    Anita Blake inspires
    porn stars everywhere
    #2
    You learn how to fight off
    werewolf attacks

    And the #1 reason
    Why urban fantasy rocks:
    It inspires cool web sites, like
    All Things Urban Fantasy
    -----------------------------------
    Justin Gustainis
    Justin Gustainis was born in Northeast Pennsylvania in 1951. He attended college at the University of Scranton, a Jesuit university that figures prominently in several of his writings.
    After earning both Bachelor's and Master's degrees, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the U. S. Army.
    Mr. Gustainis currently lives in Plattsburgh, New York, with his wife, Patricia Grogan. He is a Professor of Communication at Plattsburgh State University.

    Visit Justin online:
    Website
    Want to read more from Justin Gustainis?

    Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigation

    1. Black Magic Woman
    2. Evil Ways
    3. Sympathy for the Devil
    Occult Crimes Unit
    1. Hard Spell
    Standalone
    The Hades Project
    Anthology
    Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives
    Black Magic WomanEvil WaysSympathy for the DevilHard SpellThe Hades ProjectThose Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives

      Giveaway provided by Justin Gustainis
      One signed copy of THOSE WHO FIGHT MONSTERS Edited by Justin Gustainis

      Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives

      Got Vampires? Ghosts? Monsters? We Can help!
      Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives, is your one-stop-shop for Urban Fantasy’s finest anthology of the supernatural. 14 sleuths are gathered together for the first time in all-original tales of unusual cases which require services that go far beyond mere deduction!

      Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives brings together popular characters from many Urban Fantasy paranormal investigative series, for your enjoyment.

      Meet the Detectives:
      Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman’s Cosa Nostradamus series.
      Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series.
      John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.
      Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.
      Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.
      Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
      Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt’s Marla Mason series.
      Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.
      Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.
      Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.
      Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.
      Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.
      Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.
      Cassiel - from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.

      Demons may lurk, werewolves may prowl, vampires may ride the wind. These are things that go bump in the night, but we are the ones who bump back!


      Giveaway Guidelines
      1. Open Internationally
      2. Leave a comment that includes a way to contact you if you win
      3. Entries must be received by Midnight MST on March 11th.


      Interested in guest blogging on All Things Urban Fantasy?  CONTACT ME

      01 March 2011

      Review: Those Who Fight Monsters anthology


      Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives Title: Those Who Fight Monsters
      Editor: Justin Gustainis
      Series: N/A
      Cover Art: N/A
      Genre: Urban Fantasy
      Excerpt: Yes
      Source: Author
      Reviewed by: Abigail
      • Paperback: 240 pages
      • Publisher: EDGE Science Fiction & Fantasy; 1st edition (March 1, 2011)
      • ISBN-10: 1894063481
      • ISBN-13: 978-1894063487
      The Book Depository


      Sexual Content:
      See each story


      My Rating:

      Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.

      Description

      Got Vampires? Ghosts? Monsters? We Can help!
      Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives, is your one-stop-shop for Urban Fantasy’s finest anthology of the supernatural. 14 sleuths are gathered together for the first time in all-original tales of unusual cases which require services that go far beyond mere deduction!

      Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives brings together popular characters from many Urban Fantasy paranormal investigative series, for your enjoyment.

      Meet the Detectives:
      Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman’s Cosa Nostradamus series.
      Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series.
      John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.
      Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.
      Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.
      Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
      Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt’s Marla Mason series.
      Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.
      Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.
      Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.
      Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.
      Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.
      Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.
      Cassiel - from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.

      Demons may lurk, werewolves may prowl, vampires may ride the wind. These are things that go bump in the night, but we are the ones who bump back!


      Review


      Little Better than a Beast (a Marla Mason story)
      by T.A. Pratt

      Have you met Marla Mason, chief sorcerer of the city of Felport?  She’s ‘an ass-kicking sorcerer who doesn’t wear a leather catsuit, doesn’t suffer from low self-esteem, doesn’t wallow in angst, and is almost always absolutely certain she’s right… even when she’s dead wrong. ‘  In our brief acquaintance, that description fits her to a tee. She’s a lot to take at times, but endlessly entertaining.  In Little Better than a Beast, Marla has to face a time traveling Beast and the chauvinistic sorcerer who hitched a ride with it into modern day. 
      Sexual Content: None. Rating 3/5

      Dusted (a Cosa Nostradamus story)
      by Laura Anne Gilman

      The Cosa Nostradamus is “the name given to the entire magical community – Human Talent and non-human ‘fatae.’ Also the all-encompassing name for the books set in the world of the Cosa Nostradamus, including the Retrievers and P.S.I series.” In Dust, we are introduced to Danny Hendrickson a half-faun PI working in New York City.  If you like Harry Dresden, you’re going to love Danny.  They could be brothers except for the whole horns thing. Very similar dry wit and pragmatism.  Brute strength isn’t his strength, but he’s determined and willing to bend the rules to solve a case, in this story, it’s tracking down a teenager who was lured away by fairies. 
      Sexual Content: Some discussion of sexual awakening in regards to a minor. Rating 4/5

      The Demon You Know (a Demon-Hunter Soccer Mom story)
      by Julie Kenner

      Chronologically, this story falls between DEJA DEMON and DEMON EX MACHINA and features grown up Buffy-like Kate Conner and, a first for this series, her teenage daughter Allie fending off a demon drop out at a college party. This was my first foray into this series and I found the mother daughter relationship to be a refreshing changeup from the normal UF relationships.  A fun, smart story that manages to convey a lot of series/world building info while still delivering a satisfying story. 
      Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5

      The Spirit of the Thing (a Nightside story)
      by Simon R. Green

      John Taylor is a P.I. in the Nightshade, a “otherworldly realm in the center of London where fantasy and reality share renting space and the sun never shines.”  He’s hired to investigate liquor tampering in a seedy bar and ends up helping a beautiful ghost solve her own murder.  Nightshade stories are always a bittersweet treat and seem particularly suited to the short story format.  A highlight for the anthology. Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5

      Holding the Line (a Jill Kismet story)
      by Lilith Saintcrow

      Jill Kismet is a Hunter in Santa Luz.  She wages war with demons and other hellspawn on a daily basis.  Holding the Line has her attempting a rescue mission when her teacher/mentor Mikhail goes missing.   I can tell my enjoyment of this story suffered by my ignorance of the series overall. I found Jill too cold and hard to be sympathetic and the story itself overly detailed for this length.
      Sexual Content: None. Rating 2/5

      Defining Shadows (a Detective Jessi Hardin story)
      by Carrie Vaughn

      Set in the Kitty Norville universe (and even featuring a cameo from Cormac and a Kitty name drop) Defining Shadows was one of the most surprising stories in this collection and plays off a little know myth about a Philippino Vampire.  It was creepy and reminded me of Diana Rowland’s Kara Gillian UF/Police procedure series.  One of my favorites ever from Carrie Vaughn.
      Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5

      Deal Breaker (a Quincey Morris story)
      by Justin Gustainis

      Quincy Morris--descendant of the Morris who hunted Dracula--is an Occult Investigator.  Deal Breaker is a quiet, unassuming story about a desperate man who finds Quincy only hours before a demon is due to collect his soul.  There’s no action, no crazy fight scenes, no magical duels, and yet this was my favorite story in the whole anthology. It’s cool and clever without having to lift a finger. 
      Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5

      See Me (a Smoke and Shadows story)
      by Tanya Huff

      I used to love Tanya Huff’s Vicki Nelson series about a visually impaired detective who ends up working with a 450 year old vampire.  But I had a bad falling out with the series after book 3 specifically because of how the character Tony, who is the protagonist in this spinoff series, was treated.  I wasn’t going back there and did not make it through this one.
      Sexual Content: Prostitution. Homosexuality. References to sex etc... Rating N/A

      Soul Stains (a Vampire Babylon story)
      by Chris Marie Green

      Dawn Madison, ex vampire turned hunter, and her crew are following up on reports that a dead Hollywood starlet has been haunting a club in Vegas.  Dawn and her crew suspect the ghost maybe a surviving vampire from a nest they recently destroyed.  I definitely felt lost in this story having not read the series.  I didn’t fully understand Dawn’s state as a former vamp with a Dragon stain on her soul, nor did I have the necessary back story from the vamp nest extermination to really become invested in this story.
      Sexual Content: None. Rating 2/5 Excerpt

      Under the Hill and Far Away (a Black London story)
      by Caitlin Kittredge

      Petunia “Pete” Caldecott is a former Detective Inspector in London.  In Under the Hill and Far Away, she agrees to travel into Faerie and investigate a murder in the Seelie Court.  Her jaded and tough demeanor soon get her into trouble, but her keen observations and Sherlock Holmes like investigative skills solve the case in record time.  Black London series fans will appreciate the cameo Jack makes at the end, and newbies like myself will find a compelling new UF series to start similar to the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire.
      Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5

      An Ace in the Hole (a Sazi story)
      by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp

      Tony Giodone is a psychic-powered werewolf assassin.  He gets attacked and abducted while on a fact finding mission for Wolven, the law enforcement branch of the shapeshifting known as the Sazi.  The abductors want Tony to led them to a mystery box.  Along with the psychic help of his wife Sue, Tony has to retrieve the box himself and elude Snake shifters in the process.  I can see promise in the idea of this series, but this was not the best way to get introduced to the Sazi.  I had to reread a few scenes before I even understood what was going on in the beginning.  If you want to try the Sazi, I’d recommend starting with the first book HUNTER’S MOON.
      Sexual Content: None. Rating 2/5

      Hell Bound (a Hell on Earth story)
      by Jackie Kessler

      This is a prequel story to the Hell on Earth series following succubus Jezebel on a job to score and steal the soul of a purported magical serial killer.  Easily the most sexual of the stories in this anthology with plenty of sexual dialog and steamy scenes with a demonic twist.  Easy world building to slip into and a nice set up for the main series especially for fans who want to see what Jesse/Jezebel was like before she reformed.
      Sexual Content: A scene of semi graphic sensuality. A brief non graphic sex scene. Rating 3/5


      Impossible Love (a Piers Knight story)
      by C.J. Henderson

      Professor Piers Knight is a curator at the Brooklyn Museum and secretly specializes in magical history and the occult.  In Impossible Love he visits an old friend with a special needs daughter and offers a supernatural explanation—and possible cure—for her condition.  This is one of the more heartbreaking stories in this anthology as it explores not just the paranormal, but the harsh realities of love and betrayal. Piers was mainly the catalyst for this story about his friend, so it’s difficult to comment on his character or series as a whole. 
      Sexual Content: None. Rating 3/5

      Running Wild (an Outcast Season story)
      by Rachel Caine

      Former Djinn trapped in human form Cassel and her Earth Warden partner Luis Rocha investigate a string of disappearances and savage murders in Albuquerque's Sandia Peak mountains.  They run into an ancient evil that nearly takes Cassel over in the battle and forces her to examine her feelings for Luis.  I haven’t read the Outcast series yet, but I did read the Weather Warden series that it is a spinoff from.  Total newbies to this world probably won’t fully get the Djinn world from this story, but fans of either series will enjoy this short.
      Sexual Content: References to rape. Rating 3/5


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