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E.M. Hamill's Blog, page 7
March 9, 2021
This Weekend’s Appearance Schedule at Rainbow Space Magic
Here is the schedule for my appearances at the Rainbow Space Magic Virtual Con this weekend! Register to attend for FREE here: https://www.rainbowspacemagic.org/ (so they can email you the Zoom links)
Writing for Bisexual and Pansexual Characters Panel (#ownvoices)Saturday PT 11:00am / MT 12:00pm / CT 1:00pm / ET 2:00pm / UK 7:00pmWith E.M. Hamill, Steve Turnbull, A.M. Leibowitz, Chloe Spencer
Description: Bi and Pan characters aren’t sometimes straight and sometimes queer. Panelists discuss the portrayal of Bi/Pan characters, good rep and the perpetuation of stereotypes, and provide recs for readers.
Readings & Author Q&A Sunday PT 10:00am / MT 11:00am / CT 12:00pm / ET 1:00pm / UK 5:00pm With Chloe Spencer, E.M. Hamill, Edale Lane Description: Readings by RSM author panelists of some of their latest work, followed by a Q&A
March 6, 2021
Rainbow Space Magic Virtual Con!
imaginary deep space starfield image with stars and planetsCome geek out with us at RAINBOW SPACE MAGIC Virtual Con for LGBTQ+ Sci Fi and Fantasy 2021: March 12, 13, and 14!
I will be a guest on one of the own voices panels on Saturday and doing a reading from one of my works on Sunday afternoon.
I attended several panels last year and it was a complete blast. Come join the fun!
February 14, 2021
DRAGON MAGE: ML Spencer’s Rivenworld Series debut is brilliant!!
OMG. My little fantasy-loving heart is going pitter pat.
This book seriously rocked my world. It’s been a long time since I read an epic fantasy that had me so absolutely invested in the characters, the magic system, the world building…DRAGON MAGE had everything I wanted and even a few things I didn’t know I needed.
Aram is the odd child in the village, out of step and different. Markus protects him from the village bullies, and so begins a friendship of legend: one that will sustain them through trauma, and ultimately allow them to stand together against the forces of evil. Aram has the potential to become the most powerful magic user in centuries, but he has to survive long enough to face his Trials–and Markus is the one who has to make sure he stays a step ahead of an evil wizard order who want to drain Aram of his powerful magical essence and use it to fuel their own dire spells.
Holy heck. Dragons. Dragonriders. Mages and warriors. Creepy as hell beasts from the void, charismatic villains and heroes abound. I love the world Spencer has built, full of magical creatures and brave people of all genders who fight side by side and love who they love with the fire of a thousand suns. I can’t wait for the next book to see what is in store for Aram and Markus.
October 5, 2020
CAT’S GOT YOUR HEART–the debut novel from Jem Zero has all the feels!
I keep saying romance isn’t my thing, but when it’s good, it’s good. I guess I protest too much. This romantic, low-heat level story was as fluffy as the cat on the cover and I devoured it in about four hours.
Jericho needs a cat in the worst way. He accidentally let his sister’s cat run out the door into the night, and he’s devastated because she won’t talk to him now. When he finds the perfect cat (named Dumpling) in the adoption room at a small pet store, he expects to be able to pay the fee, sign on the line, and take the kitty home to his sister.
Au contraire, says Harinder. He considers himself an advocate for all the animals in the store (even the feeder goldfish), and takes an immediate dislike to Jericho for no particular reason other than he hates most people. He won’t let animals go home with just any jerk who walks in, despite the fact it’s a pet store. Hari immediately sets a series of ridiculous obstacles for Jericho as a vetting process to adopt Dumpling, thinking Jericho will just give up and go to Petco.
But Jericho has no such intention. He’s going to get that cat by fair means or foul, and out of spite decides to meet every condition Harinder sets for him–maybe just not exactly the way Hari wants him to. That means hanging around the store a lot just to spite the short, grumpy pet store guy…but to their surprise, a strange sort of friendship develops. Jericho’s there just when Harinder needs him, responding with compassion and generosity despite Hari’s prickly outsides. Once Jericho cracks that veneer, Harinder doesn’t stand a chance against a rush of feelings. But Jericho is worried if Harinder discovers he’s lied to him, their new trust will shatter.
Oh, this was just a lovely little story. Hari is a grumpy little troll who has a tender heart behind all the snarling and growling. He’s almost unlikable at first, but as he begins to thaw to Jericho’s tenacity, we start to see who he really is–still acerbic, but desperately lonely. Orphaned Jericho has an abandonment issue that’s heartbreaking, so terrified of losing his sister he will do anything to get the one thing he thinks will make her love him again.
This is a quick read and absolutely adorable with some laugh out loud moments. Don’t miss this debut novel from the disgustingly talented Jem Zero.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Giveaway –
One lucky winner will receive a $10.00 NineStar Press Gift Code!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/555033ec820/?widget_template=589504cd4f3bedde0b6e64c2
Title: Cat’s Got Your Heart
Author: Jem Zero
Publisher:NineStar Press
Release Date: October 5, 2020
Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 75100
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, contemporary, gay, trans, new adult, enemies-to-lovers, interracial, pet store, pets, snark, nerds, bullying, grief/grieving, hurt-comfort, romantic comedy/comedy of errors
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52295879-cat-s-got-your-heart
Summary
A Fluffy Feline Isn’t the Only Thing They’re Fighting For
Adopting a cat doesn’t sound hard. Then Jericho Adams meets Harinder Mangal, the surly pet store employee who loves animals and hates customers. Their first encounter inspires more than simple loathing—it puts the ball in motion for an absurd game of deceit that boasts a fluffy cat named Dumpling as the prize.
Harinder hates Jericho’s attitude, especially when it comes to owning a pet. He attempts to chase the other man from his store and is shocked when Jericho overcomes every obstacle, no matter how bizarre. Not only that, but he generates some of his own wild inconveniences that leave Harinder seething in his ugly sweater and mom jeans.
Before either man can get the other to crack, Harinder finds himself unexpectedly homeless. Despite their mutual antagonism, Jericho invites Harinder to crash at his place. The increased proximity makes it difficult for Harinder and Jericho to maintain their respective ruses, not to mention stopping themselves from actually caring about their pet-parenting rival.
Excerpt
Cat’s Got Your Heart
Jem Zero © 2020
All Rights Reserved
Jericho Is Not Prepared
There’s a Petco another half hour down the bus line, but it’s snowing and Jericho doesn’t have that kind of time. Well, he does. But his phone is only at thirty-seven percent battery, and he’s not patient enough to go that long without entertainment. Fortunately, there’s a small hole-in-the-wall ten minutes from his apartment.
Aquariums & More doesn’t have a website, but according to Yelp, the “more” includes live pets. Half the Yelp reviews complain about hostile and unwelcoming employees, but that’s none of his business.
The pet store looks even shittier in person than it did in the picture. Multiple neon signs have been added since the pixelated, overexposed image was captured—probably somewhere in the early 1800s. Combined, they shine so brightly they distract from the puke-green awning, torn from years of weather, with faded navy font that looks like it’s trying to be Comic Sans but isn’t quite.
The visual assault is such that Jericho briefly overlooks the grime on the windows and how there seems to be something alive inside the trash can.
Any animal bought from this place is guaranteed to have three kinds of rabies and possibly congestive heart failure in addition to being intellectually dishonest and a kleptomaniac. It’s perfect for his sister, Shiloh, so Jericho spits a wad of tasteless gum into the cigarette disposal (he isn’t going near that trash can) and steps inside.
The bell on the door jingles merrily, but upon passing the threshold, there’s no one in sight: no customers, no pimply teenage employees, not even a grizzled old man to regale him with stories of putting live mice in freezers.
Alrighty then.
Along the entire front wall is what must be a six-foot-long, gargantuan tank full of…sand and wood? Jericho looks closer, blinking when he sees some small things skittering through the thick foliage. Oh, hermit crabs.
“They’re not for sale,” a rough voice says behind him.
He startles, but not enough to make a fool out of himself. Instead of swinging around to face whoever came up behind him, Jericho casually rolls his back. See? He isn’t bothered in the least.
“There’s a sign right there.” He points down at the far corner of the tank where Hermit Crabs $5 per ea. is written in Sharpie on an off-white piece of cardstock. It’s placed away from the reach of the fluorescent tank lighting as if someone doesn’t want it to be noticed.
A dark hand reaches into his line of sight and unceremoniously rips the sign off the tank. “That was a prank,” the other person says. “Feel free to ignore it.”
“Okay,” Jericho says—because sure, whatever—and turns toward the speaker. The voice made him expect someone at least moderately intimidating, but the fluffy hair, round cheeks, and full lips are suspiciously cherubic despite the rather genuine scowl. Also, this guy is, like, five feet tall, give or take a few inches. “Do you work here?” He’s dubious about whether or not this is customer service or an attempt at stealing his lunch money.
The guy rolls his eyes—which makes Jericho think the answer is no, and he’s about to be held at gunpoint in a pet store—and then he grabs the front of his mustard-yellow sweater and tugs the wrinkles straight to reveal a worn laminated tag that reads: Hello, my name is Harinder. The first thing Jericho notices is that his nails are painted black, although heavily chipped. The second thing he notices is the bottom of the nametag where the phrase How may I assist you? has been cut off at the bottom and heavily frayed.
Harinder drops the sweater and reaches up to brush his overgrown bangs out of his eyes, then folds his arms over his chest. It turns him into a puffball of rumpled wool and flyaway hair, which Jericho fails to find either professional or impressive. A hissing alley cat, at best.
Speaking of. “Do you have any kittens?”
If Harinder’s face looked offended before, now it looks straight-up murderous. “If you want a kitten, I invite you to look into one of the mills of inbred, abused, unloved, soon-to-be-abandoned, backyard-bred animals. Might I suggest Craigslist, or some cushy chain pet shop balanced on the rusty, beloved seesaw of quality photography and appalling ethics? There’re at least three of them downtown.
“If you want to pay five hundred dollars for an animal you’ll only care about until it stops being small and inoffensive, be my guest, but I’m afraid I can’t fff— I can’t help you.”
Jericho blinks very, very slowly. He didn’t miss that aborted f-bomb, but as with the Yelp reviews, that isn’t Jericho’s problem. He tries again. “Do you have any…cats?”
Hunching his shoulders around his ears, Harinder jabs a thumb at the wall behind him. “Cat kennels are through that door.”
“Thanks.”
There are, in fact, no kittens. However, the eight kennels filling in one side of the room give him enough to choose from. The moment he catches the attention of the room’s inhabitants, there’s a chorus of noise as all the cats come to the doors of their steel prisons to bat fluffy paws through the bars in a sordid appeal for pets.
Jericho obliges the nearest one, threading his fingers through a gap and allowing the animal to smash its head into them, purring enticingly. He wiggles his hand as best he can to facilitate a more effective petting motion. This one is a skinny tabby, and the note on the front of its—his—cage says he’s two years old and calls him Princeton.
It’s such an obnoxious yuppy name that Jericho can’t help but snort. What a terrible name for a cat. He shakes his head and moves to inspect the next prisoner.
In total, there are nine cats. Two green-eyed, gray longhairs inhabit one of the lower cages. They remain curled around each other, staring dispassionately at Jericho from the back of the kennel.
“Fuck y’all too,” Jericho comments, leaving both “Lacey” and “Casey” to their own shitty devices.
A ten-year-old Abyssinian boy going by the name of Sir Charles immediately becomes his favorite. Jericho loses about five minutes trying to cram his whole hand through the tight bars so he can stroke his sleek honey-colored fur.
He doesn’t think giving Shiloh a pet that might die soon is the best idea, and he isn’t prepared to take on his own cat, so he moves on.
He ends up two cages to the left, shoulder pressed against the wall, studying a creamy Siamese point. She has a shaggy medium-length coat, faint textured stripes, and piercing blue eyes, with which she regards him coolly before padding over to give his extended fingers an inquisitive sniff.
Her body is long and lanky. Regal, Jericho thinks for all of thirty seconds before he looks at her infocard and discovers that her name is Dumpling.
A short, surprised laugh bursts from his chest; Dumpling’s ears flick backward in disapproval. She’s perfect. At a solid four years, she’s old enough to know how to use a litter box and, hopefully, a scratching post, but isn’t quite aged enough that he has to worry about being strong-armed into frequent vet-related errands.
The adoption fee is sixty-five dollars. A little steep, but manageable. Before he can do anything about it, the door to the kennel room bursts open and Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony Performed Entirely by Cats nearly deafens him.
Harinder snarls. “What the f—” His teeth settle for a moment on his bottom lip. “—are you doing?”
“Just looking,” Jericho says, pulling his hand away from the cages and shoving it in his pocket as if he was doing something wrong, although he’s pretty damn sure petting cats in a pet shop is not actually illegal.
“I’ve heard people use their eyes to do that,” is the surly reply. Of course this jackass would go there.
“Gonna call the cops?” he asks, rolling his eyes. Jericho is used to threats of police intervention in his simple existence. No innocence when you’re Black. Even being albino doesn’t change that.
Harinder’s face clouds. “I wouldn’t.” Then he wraps his whole fist around a cable lying against the room’s back wall and gives it an unnecessarily forceful yank. A thick brown curtain rolls up to the ceiling, exposing a greasy window. Harinder doesn’t say anything more, but the message of “I can see you and will rain unholy hellfire down on anything that displeases me about your conduct” is clear.
Jericho doesn’t respond. He only finds his voice when Harinder turns toward the exit. “Hey, wait. I want to buy a cat.”
Harinder stops dead, spine stiffening. Again, Jericho imagines some kind of small, furry creature raising its hackles in a misinformed attempt to look threatening.
“We don’t sell cats,” Harinder says, voice gravelly.
“Uh, what?”
He turns around, jaw clearly set. “I. Said. We don’t sell cats, you—” He clamps his mouth shut.
“What are these here for, then?”
Harinder’s eyes flick to the kennels, then back to Jericho. “They’re up for adoption.”
Jesus fucking Christ. Jericho rolls his eyes again. “Fine. How do I ‘adopt’ a cat?”
Purchase Links
NineStar Press | Books2Read Universal Link
https://ninestarpress.com/product/cats-got-your-heart/https://books2read.com/u/barQ98
Meet the Author
Jem Zero is a disabled lesbian who lives in a house built by zir great-grandfather with zir family and two rescue greyhounds. Zir work is unapologetically queer and strives to communicate the frustration of being limited by one’s meatsack & brainjuice.
While arguing zir way through an Accounting Certificate, Jem makes a living as a portrait artist and, similar to most tortured creators, is attempting to establish zirself in creative writing.
September 30, 2020
Bloodlaced by Courtney Maguire #Blogtour
Kanjin hardly view their servants as human. Even less so when they are different.
Asagi is different. Both a man and a woman.
In the wake of his failure to protect a boy he saw as a son from their abusive master, Asagi is sold into the house of a young nobleman, Mahiro, who is the opposite of everything Asagi has ever known—gentle, kind, and generous.
Mahiro bonds with Asagi and their friendship blooms into a deep and profound love. But when Asagi is poisoned out of jealousy, Mahiro reveals himself to be youkai, a demon who feeds on blood, and he has no choice but to turn Asagi to save his life.
Asagi awakes reborn, strong, and eternally youthful. But the price for Asagi’s new life is high.
The blood of the innocent.
Just as Asagi’s trust in Mahiro falters, the boy he failed to protect, now a man, reappears.
New master, same threat.
With both a literal and proverbial monster at the door, Asagi must decide what it means to be human to protect what he loves most.
If you like Bella Forrest, P. C. Cast, AJ Tipton, or Anne Rice, you will love this beautiful dark paranormal fantasy romance.
Publisher: City Owl Press (September 29, 2020)
Releases on: September 29, 2020
Genre: LGBTQIA Dark Historical Paranormal Romance
Language: English
ISBN 9781648980152
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://smarturl.it/Youkai1Amz
Amazon Paperback: https://smarturl.it/Youkai1AmzPrt
B&N: https://smarturl.it/Youkai1BN
Kobo: https://smarturl.it/Youkai1Kobo
iBooks: https://smarturl.it/Youkai1iBooks
GoodReads: https://smarturl.it/Youkai1GR
City Owl: https://smarturl.it/Youkai1CO
September 24, 2020
Youkai Bloodlines: BLOODLACED by Courtney Maguire is an anime-flavored vampiric delight
I was intrigued by the premise when I was approached to do a read and review for this book, and I am so happy I did. The story was a fresh enough take on bloodsuckers to keep my interest, and I became completely invested in Asagi’s journey.
Asagi identifies neither as male nor female but treads a “sliding scale between masculine and feminine” (Chapter 20, “Arrangements”). A household slave and someone with male anatomy, who presents as female, Asagi has been the victim of assault and abuse. When she and a child named Tsukito are sold to a new, monstrous master with an eye for young boys, Asagi throws herself between the man and the child she has come to love like a son, taking the abuse to spare the child. This is noticed by one of her master’s guests, who ‘rescues’ her from the brutal position by purchasing her service after she is badly injured.
The new household is nothing like the old one—the servants are happy, well-fed, and devoted to their master. Mahiro is kind and generous and expects nothing from Asagi but her company. Too good to be true, she thinks, and she is right: Mahiro is a Youkai, a supernatural being who feeds on blood. There is a fine line between human and monster—so delicate that Asagi finds herself coming to care for Mahiro, but misunderstandings, jealousy, and an act of desperation soon drag Asagi across that line. Her life will never be the same.
This story was completely enjoyable, and each character is painted in fine detail. It employs many well-used vampire tropes, but the medieval Japanese setting and the wonderful characters make them seem new. It was a quick read and I’m glad to see that there will be more books coming in the Youkai Bloodlines vein (pun intended).
September 21, 2020
THE KING’S COURSE by Jessica Dawn: Fresh and exciting fantasy
Jessica Dawn’s first book, THE PALADIN’S PATH, was the highlight of my indie fantasy reads last year. I absolutely loved the book, an unusual blend of cultures and mythos, and I jumped at the chance to read the sequel. I was not disappointed.
THE KING’S COURSE picks up where the first book left off. Peleb, formerly Nameless, is struggling to learn exactly what it means to be a fledgling god. He is determined to harness his powers in order to protect Cheka: his teammate, the crown prince in disguise, and the man he loves.
The rest of Bird Squad is back and as close knit a group as ever, determined to help Cheka take the throne from his cruel, tyrannical mother. The winds of rebellion are rising. Cheka must win the favor of as many gods as possible in order to legitimize his claim to the crown. But even old friends may not be as loyal as they seem, and having secrets of one’s own makes it hard to know who to trust. When all the planning and intrigue comes to a violent head, Peleb must be willing to risk everything whether he’s ready or not.
This book was a thrilling adventure and a satisfying sequel to the previous installment. Peleb’s simplicity and earnestness comes through even as he is learning to master his godhood. The lovely romance between him and Cheka develops into something wonderful, tested when Peleb’s heroics garner unwanted commendations he can’t refuse. What can I say? I’m a sucker for combat-flirting (see my own books for proof!).
Again, the melange of Asian and European culture blends into a strange whole that works and makes it all fresh and new. Technology appears to be somewhere in the steampunk vicinity, trains and telephones coexisting with horse-drawn carriages. These books are a delightful read, and I can’t recommend them enough.
September 12, 2020
THE WORTH OF HAIR – a fairytale retelling by A.A. Freeman
I jumped at the chance to read this little short story on word of mouth and snapped up an ARC in return for an unbiased review. I was so delighted with this tale!
Based loosely on The Little Mermaid, it is told from the point of view of a middle-aged woman who goes only by “The Midwife” (but has a much more colorful past than being a simple doula). The story is by turns hilarious and thrilling. I loved the fact our heroine is world-weary, unimpressed by royalty, and more worried about when lunch is coming than facing down dragons. Kudos to the author for this, as there aren’t nearly enough stories with characters of this ilk. I adored her.
It’s a sweet, short little read with an exciting conclusion and the promise of more tales. I, for one, will be eagerly waiting should that happen. It comes out October 21, 2020, and it’s available for preorder HERE.
August 8, 2020
INNOVATION: a second-place win!
I am so very chuffed to be able to finally announce that my 300 word flash fiction piece, “Dragonslayer”, placed second in the 2020 annual flash fic contest from Queer Sci Fi. The fact that it is included in an anthology with some of my personal idols has me vibrating on a molecular level.
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IN-NO-VA-TION (Noun)
1) A new idea, method, or device.
2) The introduction of something new.
3) The application of better solutions to meet unarticulated needs.
Three definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell. Here are 120 of our favorites.
Innovation features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.
Series Blurb:
Every year Queer Sci Fi holds a flash fiction contest that solicits stories from writers around the world, and publishes the best stories as an annual anthology.
Non-Exclusive Excerpt:
“The fields are overgrown, have been for years with all the Bios underground. The wind kisses the grass in serpentine patterns long forgotten, patterns the Bios couldn’t imagine anymore. My mechanical hand stores the seed envelope in the mechanical pocket in my androgynous torso. In these suits, there is no gender. Gender is, always has been, in the mind. And I am finally, unequivocally, female.” —Seed, by Val Muller
“No one in the village knew what the Change would bring. They never saw it happen. They only knew what they had been promised: the Change would bestow three gifts.” —A New Way, by Rory Ni Coileain
“The girl kissed her, hard. Then backed away, grinning, teasing, drawing her to the end of the hallway and a flight of stairs leading downward. She took two steps and gazed back up at Lilian, one hand outstretched. Her brilliant red lipstick wasn’t even smudged. Her skin glowed in the harsh white torchlight.” —The Thing With the Bats, by Mary Francis
“Interspecies sex is outlawed on the Freespec Interplanetary Space Station. Politicians call it a safety measure. But I’ve been in the Medical Corps for half my lifecycle, and I call it criminally negligent prudery. Leaders would rather let innocents die needlessly—punctured by sperm darts and dissolved in sacks of voltaic pleasure mucus—than give them the knowledge to express their feelings safely.” — Are My Underwater Sperm Darts Normal?, Brenna Harvey
“The bell’s brassy gong echoes through the flat; the walls blush crimson. See, see! He’s at my door. The live feed shows him sniff his armpit; cup his breath. He wants to impress, but I’m impressed already. His lips softly part; he brushes them with stubby fingers, as he waits. Ugly fingers. Ugly hands. Scrawny neck. Milky eyes. But those lips, see, they’re perfect, just perfect. Plump n’ pale, a slither of my future.” —Just perfect, by Redfern Jon Barrett
“Lekke looked down over the valley, First People’s home for as long as any tales or dreams could tell. Now only Spirit Dreamer Manoot, neither he nor she but both, and Lekke, elder healer, were left. Lifetimes of Long-legs’ raids had driven First People to their deaths—or, some few, to the Way. If there truly was a Way.” —Going Back,” by Sacchi Green
“Savinna limped into her lover’s workshop, her hip still sore from tangling with the marabbecca which had knocked her into its well before she managed to kill it. Such was the life of a monster hunter. Not at all surprised to see Larissa hunched over her bench, hard at work tinkering with something, Savinna ghosted her hand over Larissa’s back.” —Those Who Hunt Monsters, by Jana Denardo
“The baby cried as Freya lowered the bartering bucket into the wishing well. Many had come to the tree-shrouded clearing to make exchanges—a bushel of azure apples for a sword, a woven blanket for a day of rain. The well had been the final creation of a thousand-year-old inventor. But dead wizards often don’t anticipate how their gifts birth consequences.” —The Bartering Bucket, by Diane Callahan
Giveaway:
Queer Sci Fi is giving away your choice of a $20 Amazon gift card OR a print copy of four of the other five flash fiction books in the series – Flight, Renewal, Impact, and Migration (US only unless you are willing to pay the shipping outside the US) with this tour. Enter via Rafflecopter:
a Rafflecopter giveawayhttps://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47138/?
Buy Links:
Publisher: https://www.otherworldsink.com/book/innovation/
Amazon eBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D2M9NXX/
Amazon Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DSR7H1M/
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1523783080
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/innovation-24
Author Bio:
120 authors contributed stories for this volume:
Adrik KempAlex SilverAlex StargazerAllan Dyen-ShapiroAndi DeaconAndrea SpeedAndrew VaillencourtAva KellyBarbara Johnson-HaddadBarbara KrasnoffBeáta FülöpBenoit LafortuneBlaine D. ArdenBob MilneBrenna HarveyBrooke K. BellC.L. McCartneyCassidy FrazeeChet GottfriedChloe SpencerChris BannorChristine WrightChristopher KoehlerClare LondonD.J. ClarkeD.M. RaschDavid GerroldDevon WidmerDiane CallahanE. L. HarrisonE. RomeisE.D.E. BellE.M. HamillEdie MontreuxElaine BurnesEloreen MoonEmilia AgrafojoEmma Johnson-RivardEric WarrenEvelyn BenvieGareth WorthingtonGinger StreuselHoward V. HendrixJ. NeedhamJ. Zachary PikeJ.S. GarnerJade BlackJames Alan GardnerJamie LackeyJana DenardoJasie GaleJeff JacobsonJennie L. MorrisJet LupinJon MillerJonathan FesmireJoshua IanJulian MaxwellK. KittsK.L. TownsendK.S. MarsdenKA MastersKatelyn CameronKellie DohertyKevin Andrew MurphyKevin KlehrKim FieldingKitt HarrisKoji A. DaeL.S. ReinholtL.V. LloydLC TreeheartLee JordanLee SoeburnLou SylvreM. X. KellyMaria ZoccolaMary E. LowdMary FrancisMary KunaMatt DoyleMere RainMilo OwenMinerva CerridwenNaomi TajedlerNathan Alling LongNathaniel TaffNicole DennisNina Kiriki HoffmanNoah K. SturdevantPatricia ScottPaul UeblerR. E. CarrR.L. MerrillRaine NormanRay LidstoneRE AndeenRedfern Jon BarrettRory EgglestonRory Ni CoileainRosalie WesselS S LongSara TestarossaSean Ian O’MeidhirShannon BradyShannon YseultSkip J. HanfordStephen B. PearlStephen J. WolfSteve CarrStone FranksStuart ConoverSusan JamesSydney BlackburnT. T. ThomasT.W. CoxTom JollyVal MullerWarren RochelleWilliam Tate
July 27, 2020
Damian Serbu’s THE BACHMANN FAMILY SECRET
Damian Serbu has written yet another creepy tale. This is a delicious little book with a YA feel to it. It’s a paranormal/coming of age thriller, and I read it over two nights (delayed only because of unimportant adulting stuff like work where I’m not allowed to read). It would be an excellent addition for high school libraries seeking own voices books for their catalogue—there is nothing explicit beyond some foul language.
The death of Jaret’s grandfather leaves a gap in the family in more ways than one. As everyone prepares to return to the Bachmann family mansion in Nebraska to say goodbye to their patriarch, Jaret’s emotions are already in full boil. He hasn’t told his family that he’s gay, and they already think he has issues. Jaret can see ghosts, and when the shade of his grandfather appears and tries to warn him against going to Nebraska for the funeral, he feels powerless to argue against his no-nonsense father. Once at the mansion, Jaret encounters another apparition who looks eerily like his grandfather but exudes a distinct aura of evil.
Missing family jewels, generations-old secrets, and a disastrous funeral throw the family into turmoil. The malevolent spirit has no qualms about harming anyone that threatens to get in its way. But Jaret’s uncanny gifts are only one link in a very special genetic legacy: one that could allow him to protect the family he loves from the demonic presence in the house.
Jaret’s struggle with a well-meaning mom who can’t understand why he doesn’t have a (female) date for the prom and his cautious, almost fearful respect and uncertainty for his father that keeps him from coming out are believably written and touching. The relationship between Jaret and his siblings are very true to life. The theme of this book is family, and ultimately, how love and acceptance can make someone stronger than they believe they are.
Jaret’s budding romance with small-town football player Steve is a sweet, innocent affair, both young men just coming to terms with being gay and reveling in each other with an adorable “no, you hang up first” kind of relationship. The utter horror of being walked in by a parent during a heavy make-out session is in full, gory display here, given humiliating weight by not having come out to the family yet.
The villain certainly enjoys monologuing and taunting Jaret, which got a little tiresome at times. There were a couple of dead end scenes I felt really weren’t necessary, but the story was compelling enough that even a little nitpicking didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book as a whole. It’s a fun tale, and definitely recommended.
