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Deadly Drinks #2
Corpses and Cognac
An ancient leviathan lies buried under the town of Arcata, California—which isn’t a problem until its head goes missing and its ghost threatens to destroy the entire town. Sounds like a typical case for possessed hairdresser Retz and cursed bounty hunter Jarrod, the half-huldra Gallows brothers. But the case soon turns complicated with a string of disappearances, a madcap carnival promising eternal bliss, and a motorcycle gang of minotaurs plotting against mysterious strangers that are neither human nor monster.
Lucky for the Gallows brothers, they have staunch allies...or at least they have Nalem, the necromancer ghost who "borrows" Retz's body, and Farris, Jarrod's daredevil boyfriend coming to grips with his new un-life as a Faerie. Everyone else they thought of as friends show a different face in the funhouse mirrors, and old foes beg to be saved from "The Happiest Place Out of This World".
This case will shake Retz and Jarrod to their cores, forcing them to question everything they know about themselves and their loved ones. It'll be a struggle to save the day with their bodies and minds intact...which means it's the perfect time for a drink. Sit back and raise a glass—the Gallows brothers ride again!
Lucky for the Gallows brothers, they have staunch allies...or at least they have Nalem, the necromancer ghost who "borrows" Retz's body, and Farris, Jarrod's daredevil boyfriend coming to grips with his new un-life as a Faerie. Everyone else they thought of as friends show a different face in the funhouse mirrors, and old foes beg to be saved from "The Happiest Place Out of This World".
This case will shake Retz and Jarrod to their cores, forcing them to question everything they know about themselves and their loved ones. It'll be a struggle to save the day with their bodies and minds intact...which means it's the perfect time for a drink. Sit back and raise a glass—the Gallows brothers ride again!
- GenresLGBTUrban FantasyFantasy
440 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2021
18 people want to read
About the author
Dorian Graves
10 books25 followersDorian is the author of "Bones and Bourbon," first book in the urban fantasy "Deadly Drinks" series. Are you looking for a novel with body-hopping necromancers, gay relationships and transgender protagonists, otherworldly realms, families of supernatural beings, and the occasional carnivorous unicorn? You've found the right book!
Dorian Graves has also written a number of short stories, including "A Taste of Empty" and "The Ragabash Foxtrot," the two parts of Dorian's senior thesis, which earned Dorian a BA in English (Creative Writing emphasis) from Mills College in 2014. When not writing and calculating the perfect humor/horror ration in any given story, Dorian can be found exploring the woods, devising increasingly ridiculous World of Darkness campaigns, and possibly listening to more Blue Oyster Cult than is sane.
Dorian Graves has also written a number of short stories, including "A Taste of Empty" and "The Ragabash Foxtrot," the two parts of Dorian's senior thesis, which earned Dorian a BA in English (Creative Writing emphasis) from Mills College in 2014. When not writing and calculating the perfect humor/horror ration in any given story, Dorian can be found exploring the woods, devising increasingly ridiculous World of Darkness campaigns, and possibly listening to more Blue Oyster Cult than is sane.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 16, 2021
(This review originally appeared at HistoryThatNeverWas.com.)
Corpses and Cognac is Dorian Graves’ second book in the Deadly Drinks series, an urban fantasy series in a similar vein to Supernatural but so much better! I read and reviewed the first book in the series, Bones and Bourbon, when that book came out, and so I was excited to take a look at the second book in the series.
Diving into a series after having not read the first book for three years meant I needed to catch up a little bit as I recalled the characters and the events of the previous book, but once I got myself into the right headspace, I was ready to follow more adventures of brothers Jarrod and Retz Gallows and their companions. This time around, they’re dealing with vengeful spirits, powerful Fae, and minotaurs, all while still juggling their own problems–like staying alive and keeping the world intact.
The problems that the brothers face in Corpses and Cognac have escalated since the first book, and based on a few loose ends left at the end of this book, their problems are only going to get bigger in the future. What’s nice about Graves’ writing, though, is that they present the brothers with this increased problems and stakes, but they don’t allow the brothers’ powers to get out of hand–Retz and Jarrod are making major sacrifices as they work their way through the things being thrown at them.
The narrative continues to alternate between the perspectives of the two brothers, which felt smoother in this book than it did in Bones and Bourbon. Without giving away too much, there’s also a bonus perspective toward the end of the book that I didn’t anticipate, but utterly loved how it fit into the flow of the story!
Corpses and Cognac also continues in the trend of Bones and Bourbon with positive queer representation and careful consideration of how that colors the characters’ world views and choices. Once again, I recommend this book and series for people tired of straight white men as the protagonists of urban fantasy series, whether in print or on television.
The author provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for review consideration.
Corpses and Cognac is Dorian Graves’ second book in the Deadly Drinks series, an urban fantasy series in a similar vein to Supernatural but so much better! I read and reviewed the first book in the series, Bones and Bourbon, when that book came out, and so I was excited to take a look at the second book in the series.
Diving into a series after having not read the first book for three years meant I needed to catch up a little bit as I recalled the characters and the events of the previous book, but once I got myself into the right headspace, I was ready to follow more adventures of brothers Jarrod and Retz Gallows and their companions. This time around, they’re dealing with vengeful spirits, powerful Fae, and minotaurs, all while still juggling their own problems–like staying alive and keeping the world intact.
The problems that the brothers face in Corpses and Cognac have escalated since the first book, and based on a few loose ends left at the end of this book, their problems are only going to get bigger in the future. What’s nice about Graves’ writing, though, is that they present the brothers with this increased problems and stakes, but they don’t allow the brothers’ powers to get out of hand–Retz and Jarrod are making major sacrifices as they work their way through the things being thrown at them.
The narrative continues to alternate between the perspectives of the two brothers, which felt smoother in this book than it did in Bones and Bourbon. Without giving away too much, there’s also a bonus perspective toward the end of the book that I didn’t anticipate, but utterly loved how it fit into the flow of the story!
Corpses and Cognac also continues in the trend of Bones and Bourbon with positive queer representation and careful consideration of how that colors the characters’ world views and choices. Once again, I recommend this book and series for people tired of straight white men as the protagonists of urban fantasy series, whether in print or on television.
The author provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for review consideration.
March 6, 2021
Thank you to Dorian Graves for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
When Dorian Graves contacted me to review their book I internally screamed. Bones and Bourbon is one of those books that stuck with me since 2018 when I read it, and I had been eagerly awaiting its sequel.
Corpses and Cognac jumps us straight back into action when the Gallows brother are working on a case. Jarrod, a supernatural investigator, has to finish every quest asked of him or he turns into a rosebush. A curse given to him by his loving father. His brother Retz in the mean time is inhabited by a necromancing spirit called Nalem who sees himself as a god and wants his body back. And Jarrod's boyfriend Farris who is newly dead and fae is still searching for his long lost memories. You can imagine the things they get up to. They don't even have to try. It makes them unique and creates very interesting dynamics.
This time the foursome step into a bit of Nalem's history as they try and return a dead Leviathan's skull before its ghost wrecks the town that is build on its skeleton. And along the way they uncover a bit more. More about Nalem and his purpose. More about the relationship betweeen the Gallows brothers and their father. About the motives of those surrounding them. There is some interesting tid bits that now limk Farris and Nalem together in some way. But I won't go into any of that because I would spoil you.
I don't think this installment was as funny as the first book, but at the same time I am completely invested in these characters. It delves more into their relationship and their dynamic. Especially the dynamic between Retz and Nalem is changing. They are become more amicable towards one another. While Jarrod is discovering how his father has changed and learning to stand up to him. For himself and others. They are important bits.
I honestly can't wait to read the next instalment. This whole setting is just so interesting and unique. There are so many supernatural creatures and things that rarely get the time other (urban) fantasy books. It is so exciting. There is always something new around the corner. And even the fae t,hat are a well known supernatural portion, have new and different takes in this series.
When Dorian Graves contacted me to review their book I internally screamed. Bones and Bourbon is one of those books that stuck with me since 2018 when I read it, and I had been eagerly awaiting its sequel.
Corpses and Cognac jumps us straight back into action when the Gallows brother are working on a case. Jarrod, a supernatural investigator, has to finish every quest asked of him or he turns into a rosebush. A curse given to him by his loving father. His brother Retz in the mean time is inhabited by a necromancing spirit called Nalem who sees himself as a god and wants his body back. And Jarrod's boyfriend Farris who is newly dead and fae is still searching for his long lost memories. You can imagine the things they get up to. They don't even have to try. It makes them unique and creates very interesting dynamics.
This time the foursome step into a bit of Nalem's history as they try and return a dead Leviathan's skull before its ghost wrecks the town that is build on its skeleton. And along the way they uncover a bit more. More about Nalem and his purpose. More about the relationship betweeen the Gallows brothers and their father. About the motives of those surrounding them. There is some interesting tid bits that now limk Farris and Nalem together in some way. But I won't go into any of that because I would spoil you.
I don't think this installment was as funny as the first book, but at the same time I am completely invested in these characters. It delves more into their relationship and their dynamic. Especially the dynamic between Retz and Nalem is changing. They are become more amicable towards one another. While Jarrod is discovering how his father has changed and learning to stand up to him. For himself and others. They are important bits.
I honestly can't wait to read the next instalment. This whole setting is just so interesting and unique. There are so many supernatural creatures and things that rarely get the time other (urban) fantasy books. It is so exciting. There is always something new around the corner. And even the fae t,hat are a well known supernatural portion, have new and different takes in this series.
September 29, 2021
A Terrific Continuation of the Story
This is book two in the Deadly Drinks series by Graves and what an amazing continuation. This is not a stand-alone book, so you will need to read book one first (and you won’t regret it). There are a lot of story elements to love about this novel, and for me, there are a few features I wasn’t crazy about. The writing is solid and Greaves does an excellent job with their characterizations and plot. We continue to follow Jarrod and Retz who are brothers and half-huldra and I adore them and love getting to read more about them and where the story progresses. Corpses and Cognac is a unique story filled with colorful and odd (in a good way) tale. I don’t want to get too in the weds here about the novel, so I won’t. As I’ve mentioned, the characters are well developed and enjoyable to read about. The brothers are my favorite. Sadly for me, this did not extend to Nalem (the god-like being that is connected to Jarrod) this go around. I found them annoying and uninteresting even though we got some wonderful background information and we got to learn more about them, which was nice). Regardless, the plot was well written. The writing is fantastic, as is the continued world building.
I’m looking forward to the next book, as I’m very interested in how this often-mesmerizing story will end.
This is book two in the Deadly Drinks series by Graves and what an amazing continuation. This is not a stand-alone book, so you will need to read book one first (and you won’t regret it). There are a lot of story elements to love about this novel, and for me, there are a few features I wasn’t crazy about. The writing is solid and Greaves does an excellent job with their characterizations and plot. We continue to follow Jarrod and Retz who are brothers and half-huldra and I adore them and love getting to read more about them and where the story progresses. Corpses and Cognac is a unique story filled with colorful and odd (in a good way) tale. I don’t want to get too in the weds here about the novel, so I won’t. As I’ve mentioned, the characters are well developed and enjoyable to read about. The brothers are my favorite. Sadly for me, this did not extend to Nalem (the god-like being that is connected to Jarrod) this go around. I found them annoying and uninteresting even though we got some wonderful background information and we got to learn more about them, which was nice). Regardless, the plot was well written. The writing is fantastic, as is the continued world building.
I’m looking forward to the next book, as I’m very interested in how this often-mesmerizing story will end.
May 17, 2021
Graves has done it again!
Full disclosure, this is not a stand-alone novel. So, if you haven't read Bones and Bourbon, you really need to before you wade into the Sea Mother deep of Corpses and Cognac.
If you choose this adventure, you will be rewarded. Graves takes the threads of common tropes in Urban Fantasy and turns them on its ear. The main characters are siblings, Jarrod and Retz, who are both half-huldra, but each sibling has inherited unique characteristics from their huldra mother. They are also supernatural investigators. Jarrod has been afflicted by a rather unique curse, where Retz is host to an ancient, powerful, god-like entity, called Nalem
I can only describe the boys' journey as a walk through fairyland, on a hit of acid. Often we drum up tales of the fae that are cute and whimsical, occasionally they are grim with stern warnings for those who stray from the wooded path. Graves's Arcadia (fairyland) is a realm of nightmares overlaid in cotton candy, circus tents and ringmasters. All would seem to promise a good time, however the carnival is a dead end for those humans and supernatural beings who dream of living different lives - and let's face it - which of us has not at some point wanted more from our lives, or a simpler life, or the love of our lives. In this installment of the Deadly Drinks series, you can have everything you've ever dreamed of, at a cost.
Graves has a unique way of worldbuilding that is both humorous, and utterly frightening. I mean - Retz and Nalem's supernatural ability is to sense, control, and manipulate bones. Bones from either the dead, or the living. Think of the ramifications of rearranging, fusing, or reshaping the skeletal structure of someone who is currently alive! Once you've wrapped your head around this and get used to the idea, the thought of using your finger bones as darts seems relatively straightforward, until you also come to realization that Nalem is ripping these out of living flesh. This is only a mild taste of the horrific things the necromancer does.
Apart from the memorable world the Gallows brothers dwell in, I have to bring up a point I made in my first review of Bones and Bourbon. In most of the Urban Fantasy books we have come to know and love, we are treated to tales with witches, shapeshifters, vampires, and such. Graves goes the extra mile in this series by having main characters who are hulderkind, introduce a new way to think about the world of the fae, introduce motorcycle riding herds of minitours, and resurrected second-chance giving lamias. In other words, Graves introduces us to less familiar creatures and gives them memorable characters. It's as refreshing as it is informative.
If you're in the mood for something completely different and want to delve deep into the world of the weird, I highly suggest the Deadly Drinks series. I know there's at least one more installment coming. Brace yourself for eerie darkness, bizarre creatures, and a twisted garden vine of plot trails.
I promise you won't be disappointed.
Full disclosure, this is not a stand-alone novel. So, if you haven't read Bones and Bourbon, you really need to before you wade into the Sea Mother deep of Corpses and Cognac.
If you choose this adventure, you will be rewarded. Graves takes the threads of common tropes in Urban Fantasy and turns them on its ear. The main characters are siblings, Jarrod and Retz, who are both half-huldra, but each sibling has inherited unique characteristics from their huldra mother. They are also supernatural investigators. Jarrod has been afflicted by a rather unique curse, where Retz is host to an ancient, powerful, god-like entity, called Nalem
I can only describe the boys' journey as a walk through fairyland, on a hit of acid. Often we drum up tales of the fae that are cute and whimsical, occasionally they are grim with stern warnings for those who stray from the wooded path. Graves's Arcadia (fairyland) is a realm of nightmares overlaid in cotton candy, circus tents and ringmasters. All would seem to promise a good time, however the carnival is a dead end for those humans and supernatural beings who dream of living different lives - and let's face it - which of us has not at some point wanted more from our lives, or a simpler life, or the love of our lives. In this installment of the Deadly Drinks series, you can have everything you've ever dreamed of, at a cost.
Graves has a unique way of worldbuilding that is both humorous, and utterly frightening. I mean - Retz and Nalem's supernatural ability is to sense, control, and manipulate bones. Bones from either the dead, or the living. Think of the ramifications of rearranging, fusing, or reshaping the skeletal structure of someone who is currently alive! Once you've wrapped your head around this and get used to the idea, the thought of using your finger bones as darts seems relatively straightforward, until you also come to realization that Nalem is ripping these out of living flesh. This is only a mild taste of the horrific things the necromancer does.
Apart from the memorable world the Gallows brothers dwell in, I have to bring up a point I made in my first review of Bones and Bourbon. In most of the Urban Fantasy books we have come to know and love, we are treated to tales with witches, shapeshifters, vampires, and such. Graves goes the extra mile in this series by having main characters who are hulderkind, introduce a new way to think about the world of the fae, introduce motorcycle riding herds of minitours, and resurrected second-chance giving lamias. In other words, Graves introduces us to less familiar creatures and gives them memorable characters. It's as refreshing as it is informative.
If you're in the mood for something completely different and want to delve deep into the world of the weird, I highly suggest the Deadly Drinks series. I know there's at least one more installment coming. Brace yourself for eerie darkness, bizarre creatures, and a twisted garden vine of plot trails.
I promise you won't be disappointed.
March 27, 2021
A circus comes to Arcadia. Is it the happiest place on earth as the posters read or something more sinister? Does a gold ticket give you VIP treatment? As the missing in the community start stacking up the Gallows brothers are called upon to investigate. It's a wild ride of adventure from the very first sentence to the last. A very enjoyable ride to be sure! I Really LOVED this book ! Looking for a good read, you should check this book out! Can't wait for the next book by this author!
December 28, 2021
For sure a well written story, but with a bit too many mystical creatures for my taste.
April 7, 2022
A great follow up to the first book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews