Good Things

Legendary Consultants #2.75 included

by Mia Darien, K.B. Thorne

Magic and mayhem. Vampires and gods. Cops and werewolves. The binding thread of mysticism in the modern world and acts of kindness, small and large, random and focused. Join these nine authors as we travel through their worlds. All of the author proceeds from the sales of this anthology will go to the Random Acts Organization, sponsoring kindness throughout the world. This is not official Random Acts merchandise, but is a fundraising project under permission from the charity.

Genres: Anthologies

316 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2018

About the author

Born a Connecticut Yankee in nobody’s court, Mia Darien grew up to brave snow and talk fast. She started reading when she was three and never looked back, soon frequently falling asleep with a book under her cheek. (Something she still does, though these days it’s her Nook as often as a paperback.)

At eleven, she discovered “Night Mare” by Piers Anthony and entered the world of grown-up fantasy fiction and it was all over from there. She started writing at fourteen, then met vampires as a teenager and the concept for what would become Adelheid was soon born. Epic fantasy remains her first love, but she enjoys writing whatever stories come to mind in any genre.

Now she loves both writing and helping her indie community with her freelancing. A geek till the end, she enjoys role-play by email games and World of Warcraft when she has the time. Married to her very own Named Man of the North, she lives with him, their mini-tank (also known as their son) and pets, who usually act more childish than the child.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

GOOD THINGS the perfect name for the stories, the authors and the cause they are writing for. Prepare to feel good yourself as ten authors give us their best offerings under one cover for a worthy cause. With a complete range of talents, tales and styles, get ready to find new authors to follow and read, re-visit authors you already love and escape into a world of fantasy, romance, alphas and passion. As always, I have a favorite or ten, but as always, it is the overall book that shines through and every story needs to be recognized as a winner!

ALPHA ASCENSION by A.Star
Pack laws and treaties have been broken by the pack alpha and at best, he will be replaced. Is the new alpha ready to undergo the transformation and accept the responsibilities he has never wanted? A brief tale of love, loyalty and newfound strength! Short, but very complete!

FOR YOU by Angela B. Chrysler
Two soulmates are cursed by a jealous witch to never remember the other, for to remember is to die. He gave up his heart to keep his love safe, but not without a deal struck that he knows will cause him eternal pain, but will free his love to live her life, never thinking of him. But love is stronger than a curse and once again, they meet, each avoiding the reality of what will happen next. Could it be that this time love will conquer all? Dark, edgy and rife with emotion, love should never hurt this much.

WHAT WE DO FOR LOVE by J. Kim McLean
Alex’s life has been harder than usual lately. She has a gift or a curse that allows her to know what people are thinking. A call from her ex brings forth her feelings for the love she had to let go. Jesse is getting married and she wants Alex in her ceremony. Can Alex show her love by letting go? Can she escape in her solitary work or will she find her own desires satisfied? Sometimes reading people’s thoughts is a burden no one should have, sometimes they truly are a gift. A very good tale of homosexual love and what one will do for love, no matter their preferences.

OUTREACH:PART ONE by Dariel Raye
Jaci is far too young to look so old, but that is what nightmares and insomnia will do to a soul who has lost everything she loved. An Outreach Worker, she has a plan to start a program for young offenders. Andreus is a prisoner, since he was 16. Different and shunned or feared by others, what or who he really is will be witnessed by Jaci at the moment her life flashes before her…I see a great story here, amazing characters and will definitely look for the series.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITYby Mia Darien
She is a witch working for a special branch of the FBI and has been assigned to protect a vampire, the star witness in a newsworthy trial that could get him killed. Supernaturals have long been outed and the object of scorn and death from human groups. Her job heats up when she must save the sleeping vamp from an arsonist’s fire. Not only is her the first vampire she has ever known, he is more human than she dared to believe.

PSYCHED by Abigail Owen
She has psychic abilities, she can understand all languages and more. Once held prisoner to be used as a weapon, she is free now and uses her powers to help others, even at the risk of her very own life. When working with the charming and seductive Daniel Cain, Quinn finds she is more attracted to this man than she should be and how well he reads her is both tantalizing and terrifying. Can she trust Cain to keep her safe in a world of surveillance and espionage? Can she trust him with her heart?
Once again, Abigail Owen brings life and believability to the world she brings us into with well-fleshed characters, intense suspense and the passion of attraction!

KAMRY’S HOPE by Crystal G. Smith
Kamry was finished with Steven’s abuse. His mouth was like a razor, slashing through her very soul, his temper left her bruised and scarred. Now she needs to protect herself, to get back the inner power that was stolen from her. It was Jose who helped build her confidence, and it was old Ms. Maybelle who kept her heart strong. The day that Ms. Maybelle passed, was the day that Kamry learned of the impossible and met a man that would change her life and her heart forever, but not until she once again relived and beat the nightmares of the past. It all happened because of Jose and Ms. Maybelle.

AN ACT OF LOVE by Kat Jameson
She came to remembering nothing about the accident. Tom lay next to her, unconscious and bloody. A stranger had stayed with her giving her comfort until help arrived. Jesse and Tom had been in love all their lives, but now she was losing him. What is she willing to sacrifice to save him? Would she make a deal with the devil or an evil god? What will it cost her?

WINDSONG by Christi Rigby
Jemine wanted to go home, but she had no money, no means to and as and troubled as her young life has been, even the kindnesses bestowed on her by others were difficult to accept. Part Lakota-part white, she had fallen under the care of CPS and became a number in the system. It was a Druid who accepted her gods and spirits, believing in her visions and determined to take her back home, but will she be accepted? Whose spirits and gods guided her way? Is faith in a more powerful being like a guiding light bringing others home?

THE WILL OF NYX by Jessica Nicholls
He was a soldier in the bowels of a war he wouldn’t survive, his dreams were to find his love in a special place he had dreamed of. It has been five years since Scott’s death, but now a young woman is haunted by the lack of love in her life, her need for love and family and a snese of home. Amanda has seen her true love in her dreams, but in reality he is nowhere to be found. Will the goddess Nyxx be the guiding force that brings a man beyond the veil of death and a woman craving love so badly, she would rather die without it? Perhaps these two are more than mere mortals and perhaps the gods are involved in their real love story. But will it have a happy ending?

I received this copy from Abigail Owen in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: August 18, 2016
Self-Published
ISBN: 1535202564
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Print Length: 251 pages
Available from: Amazon |  Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Jewlsbookblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psyched by Abigail Owen
4 stars
A few supernaturals with awesome superpowers trying to save other kidnapped supernaturals -it’s fiction! How cool would it be to do what they can do ;P

One of Quinn’s super powers is being able to translate any language. When she hears demons talking about kidnapping other supernaturals, she immediately reports and requests help from her friend, Delilah, who in turn sends Daniel and his team in. Daniel has some nifty powers of his own!

For a novella, I was happily engrossed! I was asurprised by how much was condensed into a short time! A feisty heroine and somewhat bossy hero, their cute attraction, and one very interesting firefight was pretty entertaining.



Kamry’s Hope by Crystal Smith
4 stars
Kamry, a victim of domestic violence, is determined to not become one again. Training at her local gym, she meets Jose, who offers to help train her better then the YouTube videos she’s been watching. But all isn’t as it seems.

I liked Kamry. She had guts and determination. I was really surprised about Jose, because I didn’t see the twist coming at all!

[N.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice anthology of paranormal and urban short stories, written by ten different authors. All of the stories are well written, although, unsurprisingly in an anthology, there are stories a reader finds more engaging than others. My absolute favorite story was written by Dariel Raye, "Outreach." It was also a bit of a tease. You'll see what I mean when you read her story. I also enjoyed "Kamry's Hope" by Crystal G. Smith. It's a wonderful story about survival, friendship, and second chances. The absolute best part of this book is that all proceeds goes to Random Acts, a charity intended to "promote kindness throughout the world." And, let's face it, this world needs more kindness. So the kind thing to do would be to buy this anthology and support a worthy charity.

[Molly Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Initial Thoughts: Overall I enjoyed this anthology. It was a balance mix of stories ranging from more light urban fantasy to dark. I liked the overall balance and the stories included.

Alpha Ascension (A Wesley Werewolves Story) by A. Star: This felt like a prequel to the series. The mythology is different and I liked the bit of history we learned about these werewolves. X was a fascinating character and I liked the set up, though I wish there had been more. My rating: B

For You (The Letters #2) By Angela B. Chrysler: This story is a sad tale. It starts off a bit confusing, but the pathos is strong in it. I think it is supposed to be a bit fuzzy. Though it is the continuation of a on-going story, I was had no difficulty reading it. It has a heartbreaking end, but I have hope that maybe love will win in the end. My rating: B+

What We Do for Love by J. Kim McLean: This is another heartbreaking story of love but a powerful one. Alex's ex Jessie is getting married. Alex never gave up hope that maybe she and Jessie might get back together, but with her impeding nuptials, Alex knows she needs to let go. Sadly though, sometimes life does not go as you plan. This was a bit abrupt in the conflict at the end that seemed to come out of nowhere but the story was powerfully told and flowed well. My rating: B+

Outreach: Part One (An Orlosian Warriors Story) by Dariel Raye: This story feels like a part 1. Though the author will give you the second half of the story for free through her website, I felt like this story was cut short. The world and mythology are really different, but I felt I didn't get enough background and history. I was a bit lost but that could also be due to the fast pace. It was interesting but I felt a little lacking. My Rating C+

Personal Responsibility (An Adelheid Story) by Mia Darien: This story was quirky and fun. I enjoyed Sera and her unique personality. Her job in keeping Ben the vampire alive to testify was a quick but delightful story. I enjoyed the banter between her and her boss. This was a nice introduction to this series. My Rating: A-

Pysched by Abigail Owen: I received this anthology from this author for an honest review of her short story. This mythology was interesting and it had a full novel feel, just shorter. Though a bit quirky it had a few predictable moments. I enjoyed the banter and play between Quinn and Daniel. It was a fun cloak and dagger, paranormal romance. My rating: B
Please click on the link to the full review by myself and my review partner, Gikany, posted at That's What I'm Talking About blog: http://twimom227.com/2017/01/review-t...

Kamry's Hope by Crystal G. Smith: This is yet another sweet haunting tale. I enjoyed Kamry's character. She was a survivor and yet retained her kind nature. Her friendship with Jose was sweet and I loved how the story evolved and resolved. This was truly a powerful story of love and courage and one of my favorites in this anthology. My rating: A

An Act of Love by Kat Jameson: This was a wonderful story of the lengths someone will go to save their true love. I loved this story of Jessie and Tom. Her determination and wit was inspiring. I found the story to be gripping and fascinating with its Norse mythology. My rating: A

Windsong by Christi Rigby: This story based on true events was another hauntingly beautiful story of a woman who was ripped from not only her family, but her people. With the assistance of a new friend and spirit guides, Jemine is reunited with her people. This story is as heartwarming as it sounds, from Jemine's perspective, we watch as she learns to trust Gabby - a stranger that becomes a dear friend. This was another lovely story. My rating: A-

The Will of Nyx by Jessica Nicholls: The final story in the anthology is a story of a second chance. A soldier who is killed in action is given another chance to reunite with the love he left at home. Though the goddess Nyx, Scott is given the opportunity to return home to be where his path would cross with his soulmate, Amanda. I was surprise how Nyx rights a wrong and in doing so reconnects two soulmates. I enjoyed this story as well. My rating: A-

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Things is a collection of paranormal short stories. Each authors did a great job on writing and the stories were funn and individual. My favorite was the the first, "Alpha Ascension" by A. Star. Once I was finished I immediately researched to find out if this was a soon to be series. This is a perfect book if you looking for a something short but definitely. that is worth your while. I believe this collection is a four star read!

Reviewer for Romance Authors That Rock

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 3 out of 5]

These unique tales are based on the premise that compassion and kindness can come from anywhere and anyone.

Read full review in the 2016 December issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Readalot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good story lines but need to be completed. In other words they are starting points for a complete book or series that are not available yet. Disappointing as there is no closure.