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Dead Man #2
Dead Man and the Army of Frogs
All Denton wanted was a few minions. He got frogs instead.
Web developer by day and necromancer by night, Denton Mills is used to seeing things nobody else can. When he starts hallucinating frogs, he simply assumes they have something to do with his boyfriend Bran's obsession.
Bran Maurell is a witch, who in a youthful outburst, accidentally turned his then-lover, Peter, into a croaker. Bran has been trying ever since to reverse the spell. A fresh amphibian encounter only spurs him to double his efforts.
As if Peter's ghost coming between them weren't enough, Denton and Bran are forced to deal with several errant spirits stalking the citizens of Chicago. Between a French chef who refuses to admit he's dead, and malevolent creatures bent on causing mayhem, jealousy may be the least of Denton's problems.
Web developer by day and necromancer by night, Denton Mills is used to seeing things nobody else can. When he starts hallucinating frogs, he simply assumes they have something to do with his boyfriend Bran's obsession.
Bran Maurell is a witch, who in a youthful outburst, accidentally turned his then-lover, Peter, into a croaker. Bran has been trying ever since to reverse the spell. A fresh amphibian encounter only spurs him to double his efforts.
As if Peter's ghost coming between them weren't enough, Denton and Bran are forced to deal with several errant spirits stalking the citizens of Chicago. Between a French chef who refuses to admit he's dead, and malevolent creatures bent on causing mayhem, jealousy may be the least of Denton's problems.
160 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2014
8 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
Lou Harper
34 books341 followersUnder a prickly, cynical surface Lou Harper is an incorrigible romantic. Her love affair with the written word started at a tender age. There was never a time when stories weren't romping around in her head. She is currently embroiled in a ruinous romance with adjectives. In her free time Lou stalks deviant words and feral narratives.
Lou's favorite animal is the hedgehog. She likes nature, books, movies, photography, and good food. She has a temper and mood swings.
Lou has misspent most of her life in parts of Europe and the US, but is now firmly settled in Los Angeles and worships the sun. However, she thinks the ocean smells funny. Lou is a loner, a misfit, and a happy drunk.
Blog: http://louharper.blogspot.com
Book cove designs: http://lharper.deviantart.com/gallery
Lou's favorite animal is the hedgehog. She likes nature, books, movies, photography, and good food. She has a temper and mood swings.
Lou has misspent most of her life in parts of Europe and the US, but is now firmly settled in Los Angeles and worships the sun. However, she thinks the ocean smells funny. Lou is a loner, a misfit, and a happy drunk.
Blog: http://louharper.blogspot.com
Book cove designs: http://lharper.deviantart.com/gallery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
September 15, 2014
Good news. We begin, as all good books should begin, with a man in a kilt. A utility kilt, to be specific.
Good news. We end, as all good books should end, with a man in a kilt. A utility kilt, to be specific.
That's right, it's an alpha and omega kilt-a-thon.
That's right, I just said that.
Okay, then! In Dead Man and the Army of Frogs we find ourselves back with Denton aka Dead Man, the necromancer, and his boyfriend, Bran, the witch and herbalist. I love Denton and Bran together. Denton is outgoing with a wry sense of humor and Bran is, in his own words, a "tight-lipped bastard." He also has a little something extra in his pants (and later kilt). It may not be what you think it is.
In the first book I thought Denton and Bran were the perfect example of opposites attracting. Mr. Extrovert and Mr. Grouchy-Grumpy-Crabby Pants. However in this book it dawned on me that they have more in common than I thought -- they both suffer from a mild case of not-only-am-I-unaware-of-how-you-feel-but-I-also-refuse-to-open-my-mouth-and-communicate disease. Denton's jealous of Bran's obsession with finding a cure for his ex Peter, who he turned into a frog 14 years ago. Bran's jealous of the time Denton spends with Gabe (who's a protagonist in the Spirit Sanguine series) while working a case.
At first I thought it was just Bran who sucked at communication -- he's exactly the type to never ask a question because he's afraid of the answer and so pretends not to give a shit, all while making passive aggressive comments. So it wasn’t a surprise to me that Bran didn’t seem to understand that his obsession with his ex’s frog status, while understandable, makes his partner a tad insecure. But it’s not just Bran -- no, Denton kinda sucks at communication and reading other people's feelings as well. He has absolutely no clue why Bran makes a snide remark or his lips flatten or similar every time Gabe comes up. I had the obvious Oh my god, MEN!! reaction to this. Their mutual jealousy and insecurity provides a slow tension that grows steadier as the book goes on. Sadly, Denton and Bran break up, separate for 6 years before running into each other in Vegas where Bran discovers Denton has had his child through a surrogate and never told him. Oh. Wait. No. That was a Mary Calmes book. Okay, so this is Lou Harper and she doesn’t go for that over the top drama. Thank god. No, Bran and Denton actually discuss their feelings. They communicate. Very good, boys, very good.
As well as some mild communication problems, Denton and Bran tackle a few ghosts, hang out with both a demon and Denton's extremely enthusiastic friend Joy, as well as discover an army of frogs. However, the absolute best part of the novel is The Old Crone. She's a kind of a paranormal superpower who practices Tyromancy, divination by cheese. That's right. Cheese.
The Old Crone rolled her eyes. Both of them, although they were rolling in opposite directions. "Hasn't anyone ever told you curdbrains the key to a good relationship is communication?" She snorted and turned her head. "Hob! Emmentaler!" [....] Hobart Brown appeared with three paper plates of cheese. One had several slices piled on top and he handed it to the Old Crone. The other two had once slice each. He held one plate out to Bran, who took one bite out of the cheese slice and placed it back. When it was Denton's turn he did the same. It seemed like the safest thing to do....The Old Crone slouched in her chair, thoughtfully munching on her Emmentaler. Both her eyes stared off into the distance.I find the idea of Tyromancy to be extremely worrisome as I can't eat cheese. What if she calls on me? What am I gonna say? "I'm sorry but I'm lactose intolerant? Have you got any soy cheez?" Seriously. Luckily, I have yet to cause any paranormal problems so I'll put that worry on the back burner for now.
Whether you're allergic to milk products or not, I think you'll enjoy this paranormal mystery/romance. Definitely read Dead Man and the Restless Spirits first. Also, make a point of reading Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit as not only does it tie into this book, it's also free on Amazon. Free shit! Yay! Also, this series is connected to Spirit Sanguine, where Denton first made his appearance. It's not necessary to read that book first, but if you do want to begin at the beginning go ahead and read it. And Late Night Snack (free on Amazon). And Temper Sanguine. You know what? Just read all of them. You'll enjoy it.
March 16, 2015
After reading Dead Man and the Restless Spirits, I just had to continue on with the series. This time, Denton and Bran are in a relationship, practically living together. A few more ghost stories, Denton's friend, Joy, gets in on the act, some jealousies occur, and kilts are worn! I'm really loving this series, and hopefully, more comes soon!
October 4, 2014
First I have to say this can be read as a standalone I didn't read the first book in this series and it wasn't a problem at all to follow along, although now that I've read this one, I feel the urge to go back and read book 1.
Bran and Denton are navigating a lot of things in this book. It's divided in to shorter stories that are connected and flow in to each other.
Now, I have a thing for men in kilts *drools* and I have a huge thing for Gerard Butler.
This book has men in kilts...
“It looks like a skirt to me." Denton eagerly clarified the situation. "Nah, it only would be a skirt if I wore underpants.”
These two are nothing alike, but maybe that's why it works. Bran and Denton have some unresolved issues, jealousy, kilts and not to mention the army of frogs.
I enjoyed the stories, mysteries and the relationship between them. I've discovered a new series for me and I think this book has one of my favorite quotes ever in a book : “I bet Gerard Butler in a kilt is ten times sexier than Gerard Butler naked.”
Bran and Denton are navigating a lot of things in this book. It's divided in to shorter stories that are connected and flow in to each other.
Now, I have a thing for men in kilts *drools* and I have a huge thing for Gerard Butler.
This book has men in kilts...
“It looks like a skirt to me." Denton eagerly clarified the situation. "Nah, it only would be a skirt if I wore underpants.”
These two are nothing alike, but maybe that's why it works. Bran and Denton have some unresolved issues, jealousy, kilts and not to mention the army of frogs.
I enjoyed the stories, mysteries and the relationship between them. I've discovered a new series for me and I think this book has one of my favorite quotes ever in a book : “I bet Gerard Butler in a kilt is ten times sexier than Gerard Butler naked.”
August 7, 2014
With Dead Man and the Army of Frogs, we return to Harper’s paranormal Chicago, home of vampire Harvey and slayer Gabe from Spirit Sanguine and its follow-ups. In this second book in her off-shoot Dead Man series, sequel to Dead Man and the Restless Spirits, we find young necromancer “Dead Man” Denton stretching out his powers more, as well as dealing with the day-to-day trials of being a freelance web-designer, finding the best socks to go with his new hobby of wearing kilts, and trying to figure out his taciturn half-demon boyfriend who seems to be clinging to the past.
Like in book 1, Denton is a laid-back, easygoing narrator, and a good foil for his introverted herbalist lover Bran, who is a bit bemused by Denton’s new habit of going commando under his new kilt. (Fans wondering if there will be some sexy kilt time, my Magic 8 Ball says “Aye, Laddie!”)
Also, like in book 1, this volume is broken up into three connecting stories that follow Denton on a few mysteries as he and Bran continue to work together to help clean up some of the peskier ghouls haunting hapless Chicagoans.
For fans of book 1, I think you’ll definitely enjoy being back in Denton’s head, and there are a few nice twists along the way. (My favorite? Meeting Bran’s demon dad! My second favorite? Denton’s surprise minions.) Bran is still his enigmatic self, still a little perplexed by Denton’s go-with-the-flow nature, and still shy about his half-demon-side, but this time, you get to see a little bit more spark as Bran tries (and fails) to stay so-not-jealous around Denton’s friendship with vampire slayer Gabe of Spirit Sanguine.
Can you dive into this one cold? I wouldn’t recommend that. To really enjoy the characters and their growth, I would strongly recommend reading book 1 and also, the freebie short story Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit, since there are some threads picked up from there as well.
Do you need to read Spirit Sanguine first? That’s probably less necessary, but I personally would recommend both series. They’re enjoyable and not “same-old-same-old” paranormals. Both are marked by Harper’s style, which I tend to think of as realistically creative, fun, sexy, and low-key.
Related to “low-key,” my one down point is that this visit to Dead Man’s world felt a little low on tension, even with some darker forces at work. I didn’t feel too fearful for our young necromancer, so although I very much hope for a return to Denton and Bran’s apartment, crowded with plants and one clever black cat, I wouldn’t mind an extra shot of adrenalin to shake things up a little.
But for now, if you’re looking for a nice change of pace with your supernatural m/m romances, this series, along with the related Sanguine books, are a great way to go.
Reviewed originally for Boys in our Books.
Like in book 1, Denton is a laid-back, easygoing narrator, and a good foil for his introverted herbalist lover Bran, who is a bit bemused by Denton’s new habit of going commando under his new kilt. (Fans wondering if there will be some sexy kilt time, my Magic 8 Ball says “Aye, Laddie!”)
Also, like in book 1, this volume is broken up into three connecting stories that follow Denton on a few mysteries as he and Bran continue to work together to help clean up some of the peskier ghouls haunting hapless Chicagoans.
For fans of book 1, I think you’ll definitely enjoy being back in Denton’s head, and there are a few nice twists along the way. (My favorite? Meeting Bran’s demon dad! My second favorite? Denton’s surprise minions.) Bran is still his enigmatic self, still a little perplexed by Denton’s go-with-the-flow nature, and still shy about his half-demon-side, but this time, you get to see a little bit more spark as Bran tries (and fails) to stay so-not-jealous around Denton’s friendship with vampire slayer Gabe of Spirit Sanguine.
Can you dive into this one cold? I wouldn’t recommend that. To really enjoy the characters and their growth, I would strongly recommend reading book 1 and also, the freebie short story Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit, since there are some threads picked up from there as well.
Do you need to read Spirit Sanguine first? That’s probably less necessary, but I personally would recommend both series. They’re enjoyable and not “same-old-same-old” paranormals. Both are marked by Harper’s style, which I tend to think of as realistically creative, fun, sexy, and low-key.
Related to “low-key,” my one down point is that this visit to Dead Man’s world felt a little low on tension, even with some darker forces at work. I didn’t feel too fearful for our young necromancer, so although I very much hope for a return to Denton and Bran’s apartment, crowded with plants and one clever black cat, I wouldn’t mind an extra shot of adrenalin to shake things up a little.
But for now, if you’re looking for a nice change of pace with your supernatural m/m romances, this series, along with the related Sanguine books, are a great way to go.
Reviewed originally for Boys in our Books.
August 17, 2014
This book has three short stories, tied together by the ongoing question of why Denton keeps seeing images of frogs out of the corner of his eye. Each section has a little paranormal situation for the guys to solve. Although there are hints of both jealousy and affection that keep things interesting between the guys, these stories are fairly light and superficial. I enjoyed meeting Bran's father, and learning more about Bran. The quirks and humor were fun, and this makes a nice addition to the series.
October 24, 2014
3.75 stars rounded up
With the same structure as the first book, “ Dead Man and The Army of Frogs ” contains three shorter stories – this time all of them are rather connected with one element: a frog that seems to be around Denton. First story, DINNER GHOST, was related to the short story released by Lou Harper in January (Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit). Second story, SPIRIT TALKER, was my favorite simply because I thought it had the best (in my opinion) case, with a malicious spirit (although the banishing scene was a let down). The last one, FROG DAY AFTERNOON, tied up the plot related with the frog, but again the climax was rather disappointing.
Having said that, I enjoyed the more ‘personal’ development of Denton and Bran in this story. Bran was a ‘tight-lipped bastard’ (Denton’s words, not mine) and it wasn’t always easy for him to talk or say something about the state of his heart. I mean, clearly he was jealous of Denton’s friendship with Gabe (and OMG, Denton, why didn’t you see that?!) but he didn’t know how to say anything about it. I know more about Bran now … compared to an enigma I thought of him in the first book. Also because Bran’s father was present. He was fun…
It was another cozy read from Lou Harper and I would love to read more about them…
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
With the same structure as the first book, “ Dead Man and The Army of Frogs ” contains three shorter stories – this time all of them are rather connected with one element: a frog that seems to be around Denton. First story, DINNER GHOST, was related to the short story released by Lou Harper in January (Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit). Second story, SPIRIT TALKER, was my favorite simply because I thought it had the best (in my opinion) case, with a malicious spirit (although the banishing scene was a let down). The last one, FROG DAY AFTERNOON, tied up the plot related with the frog, but again the climax was rather disappointing.
Having said that, I enjoyed the more ‘personal’ development of Denton and Bran in this story. Bran was a ‘tight-lipped bastard’ (Denton’s words, not mine) and it wasn’t always easy for him to talk or say something about the state of his heart. I mean, clearly he was jealous of Denton’s friendship with Gabe (and OMG, Denton, why didn’t you see that?!) but he didn’t know how to say anything about it. I know more about Bran now … compared to an enigma I thought of him in the first book. Also because Bran’s father was present. He was fun…
It was another cozy read from Lou Harper and I would love to read more about them…
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
November 5, 2017
Culinary ghosts, demon dads, cheese wielding seers…and kilts! (Glorious kilts!) Life sure is getting interesting for Denton Mills and his boyfriend/witchy neighbor, Bran Maurell. And that is not even going into the whole demon-ridden frogdemic hopping its way thru Chicago’s streets.
But you don’t get to be the Dead Man and live a perfectly boring life. So Denton and Bran are going to have to strap on their detecting hats, tighten those kilts (if Denton can ever manage to convince Bran of their awesomeness), and go out there and bust some ghostly ass. Or, you know, call in Bran’s dad for some help. But even a semi-parental demon might not be enough to stop the ghost of Peter Past from poking his green little nose in where it no longer belongs-–that is, anywhere within a hundred miles of Bran!
While I adore just about anything written by Lou Harper, I must admit that Denton, Bran, and their ghostly hijinks are my favorite. Denton is just so damn funny, and Bran…well he has a secret weapon (hint: it’s in his pants) that just makes my heart flutter for all types of reasons. Their stories are always a great mixture of humor and mystery, and while I kinda wish they were like a thousand times longer (because I really don’t want to stop reading them), I like the short story aspect of each case in the book. The cases always connect so well to the whole overreaching plot, but give us little problems to solve along the way-–which I find a lot of fun.
And I love the magical aspect of these stories. Denton and Bran’s magic fit so well with each other, and I like that Denton doesn’t know everything about his gift…but neither does Bran. They are trying to wing-it half the time, and I like that it is not always so simple. Plus it gives them plenty of reasons to talk to Bran’s parents, which is a lot of fun. And not just because Bran gets suitably embarrassed every time it happens.
These stories are a pretty quick read, but what they offer in place of that time is a very well constructed plot, lots of laughs, and some major sexy times. And kilts. So many wonderful kilts in this one. I, for one, am totally in favor of Denton’s plan to introduce the awesomeness of kilts into Bran’s life. And if it gets them both wearing kilts on a regular basis, then I shall be one happy lady. There are never enough kilt-wearing men in my life. Ok, that is a lie…I wouldn’t mind if my brother’s fiancé’s father would stop wearing them. So wrong on so many different levels.
This was a great addition to the Dead Man series, and Lou Harper’s work in general. I am really looking forward to whatever comes next.
4.5 stars
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
But you don’t get to be the Dead Man and live a perfectly boring life. So Denton and Bran are going to have to strap on their detecting hats, tighten those kilts (if Denton can ever manage to convince Bran of their awesomeness), and go out there and bust some ghostly ass. Or, you know, call in Bran’s dad for some help. But even a semi-parental demon might not be enough to stop the ghost of Peter Past from poking his green little nose in where it no longer belongs-–that is, anywhere within a hundred miles of Bran!
While I adore just about anything written by Lou Harper, I must admit that Denton, Bran, and their ghostly hijinks are my favorite. Denton is just so damn funny, and Bran…well he has a secret weapon (hint: it’s in his pants) that just makes my heart flutter for all types of reasons. Their stories are always a great mixture of humor and mystery, and while I kinda wish they were like a thousand times longer (because I really don’t want to stop reading them), I like the short story aspect of each case in the book. The cases always connect so well to the whole overreaching plot, but give us little problems to solve along the way-–which I find a lot of fun.
And I love the magical aspect of these stories. Denton and Bran’s magic fit so well with each other, and I like that Denton doesn’t know everything about his gift…but neither does Bran. They are trying to wing-it half the time, and I like that it is not always so simple. Plus it gives them plenty of reasons to talk to Bran’s parents, which is a lot of fun. And not just because Bran gets suitably embarrassed every time it happens.
These stories are a pretty quick read, but what they offer in place of that time is a very well constructed plot, lots of laughs, and some major sexy times. And kilts. So many wonderful kilts in this one. I, for one, am totally in favor of Denton’s plan to introduce the awesomeness of kilts into Bran’s life. And if it gets them both wearing kilts on a regular basis, then I shall be one happy lady. There are never enough kilt-wearing men in my life. Ok, that is a lie…I wouldn’t mind if my brother’s fiancé’s father would stop wearing them. So wrong on so many different levels.
This was a great addition to the Dead Man series, and Lou Harper’s work in general. I am really looking forward to whatever comes next.
4.5 stars
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
August 30, 2014
I particularly like Lou Harper's writing style, the Dead Man books like Sanguine are a series of novellas linked by a common thread.
You should have read Dead Man and the Restless Spirits before Frogs, to set the scene and get to know Denton and Bran,
Denton is a necromancer – he sees dead people, and Bran is a witch. They live in the same world as Gabe and Harvey from Sanguine, where magic, vampires and witches weave, unseen by most, in ‘normal’ daily life. Gabe plays quite a vital role in Frogs as well.
In Denton and Bran Lou has created a likeable, believable and thoroughly endearing couple. Despite their otherworldly abilities they are insecure about each other, and yet fiercely loyal. I was rooting throughout the book for them to make a declaration, but that kind of hummed away in the background, as the stories are just so good. Frogs is pacy and totally unputdownable, I read it in one sitting, laughing and highlighting my way throughout.
Joy, Denton’s work partner is a great character, and I would love for her to get her own book (hint, hint) the portion involving her ‘haunting’ is so good and funny.
I would also say that the cover for Dead Man is one for my favorites as well, also by Lou.
I could rave about the plot, and the characters – but would say, just go and buy it and have a blast reading it.
There is also a free short.
You should have read Dead Man and the Restless Spirits before Frogs, to set the scene and get to know Denton and Bran,
Denton is a necromancer – he sees dead people, and Bran is a witch. They live in the same world as Gabe and Harvey from Sanguine, where magic, vampires and witches weave, unseen by most, in ‘normal’ daily life. Gabe plays quite a vital role in Frogs as well.
In Denton and Bran Lou has created a likeable, believable and thoroughly endearing couple. Despite their otherworldly abilities they are insecure about each other, and yet fiercely loyal. I was rooting throughout the book for them to make a declaration, but that kind of hummed away in the background, as the stories are just so good. Frogs is pacy and totally unputdownable, I read it in one sitting, laughing and highlighting my way throughout.
Joy, Denton’s work partner is a great character, and I would love for her to get her own book (hint, hint) the portion involving her ‘haunting’ is so good and funny.
I would also say that the cover for Dead Man is one for my favorites as well, also by Lou.
I could rave about the plot, and the characters – but would say, just go and buy it and have a blast reading it.
There is also a free short.
August 21, 2015
This what I wanted from a paranormal series. Demons, lovers, ghosts, parents, victims and a black cat. These two get stronger and grow as a couple without angst. There are really sweet moments No crazy whining and hysterics, Lovely! I also found the magic moments with evil events were written with a clear, clean style that made it easy to visualize thank goodness.
Lou Harper must not stop this series.
Lou Harper must not stop this series.
August 6, 2014
'Dead Man and the Army of Frogs' by Lou Harper picks up where the first book (‘Dead Man and the Restless Spirits’) left off. Denton and Bran are close, but Bran is moody and unpredictable which hurts Denton's feelings. Often, Denton gets frustrated with Bran, especially when he attempts to help Bran be more sociable and receptive. Fortunately, this doesn't affect their ongoing work of battling supernatural elements plaguing the city.
Denton is studying up on his necromancy skills and has made some impressive progress in a relatively short amount of time. He has discovered that besides his ability to see the dead, Denton is also endowed with other uncanny powers which he is still discovering. He's more accepting of his abilities since he's found a productive use for them, but like any hero, he wants minions to help him; only a few, not an army. When he and, eventually, Bran too, see frogs everywhere; they begin to realize that these frogs are the key to changes which are occurring around them, due to Bran's ongoing failed attempts to bring back his ex-lover of years ago, whom he accidentally turned in to a frog. Denton wants to be closer to Bran, who often shuts him out, Denton yearns to have Bran be more emotive and supportive, but isn't sure how to convey this to him. He wishes that Bran were less obsessed with finding a way to change his first boyfriend, Peter, back into a man and is tinkering with all sorts of ways to do this. Bran has little regard for the consequences. Denton doesn't want to be jealous, but he worries about what will happen if Bran succeeds. Denton wonders if Bran will want to pick up where he and Peter left off and what will happen to him if that's the case. Despite their lack of communication, Denton and Bran are finding it easier to express themselves in bed, resulting in some hot and sexy loving. They know how to stoke each other's fire to the nth degree, but need to let some of that passion filter down into their daily lives.
Bran is a complicated, but talented and suave man when he needs to be. He loves Denton, but finds it hard to show him. He's been alone for so long that he doesn't know how to be with someone else. Bran is afraid of getting too close, especially since bad things sometimes happen when he does. When he becomes too anxious, he simply shuts down. Bran normally doesn't rely on his parents for help, but due to the complexity of a case they are dragged into and because he's messed with things he shouldn't have, he calls on both of them to help solve the case and fix the mistakes Bran has made. Due to their willingness to help, Denton sees Bran's parents in a better light.
Even though there are a lot of serious aspects in this story, they are balanced with quirkiness and humor. Lou has a talent for taking situations which would not normally be amusing and expertly wording them so they are humorous, no matter how off the wall or unlikely they may be. Bran and Denton are extraordinary characters who have remarkable character growth in this story; they are taught a lesson: people in love need to keep a clear line of communication open in order for their relationship to grow into what it's meant to be. I recommend this book to those who enjoy necromancers, witches, demons, paranormal events, and two sexy men in love. Thanks, Lou, for a delightful follow up. I look forward to more of Bran and Denton's adventures.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Denton is studying up on his necromancy skills and has made some impressive progress in a relatively short amount of time. He has discovered that besides his ability to see the dead, Denton is also endowed with other uncanny powers which he is still discovering. He's more accepting of his abilities since he's found a productive use for them, but like any hero, he wants minions to help him; only a few, not an army. When he and, eventually, Bran too, see frogs everywhere; they begin to realize that these frogs are the key to changes which are occurring around them, due to Bran's ongoing failed attempts to bring back his ex-lover of years ago, whom he accidentally turned in to a frog. Denton wants to be closer to Bran, who often shuts him out, Denton yearns to have Bran be more emotive and supportive, but isn't sure how to convey this to him. He wishes that Bran were less obsessed with finding a way to change his first boyfriend, Peter, back into a man and is tinkering with all sorts of ways to do this. Bran has little regard for the consequences. Denton doesn't want to be jealous, but he worries about what will happen if Bran succeeds. Denton wonders if Bran will want to pick up where he and Peter left off and what will happen to him if that's the case. Despite their lack of communication, Denton and Bran are finding it easier to express themselves in bed, resulting in some hot and sexy loving. They know how to stoke each other's fire to the nth degree, but need to let some of that passion filter down into their daily lives.
Bran is a complicated, but talented and suave man when he needs to be. He loves Denton, but finds it hard to show him. He's been alone for so long that he doesn't know how to be with someone else. Bran is afraid of getting too close, especially since bad things sometimes happen when he does. When he becomes too anxious, he simply shuts down. Bran normally doesn't rely on his parents for help, but due to the complexity of a case they are dragged into and because he's messed with things he shouldn't have, he calls on both of them to help solve the case and fix the mistakes Bran has made. Due to their willingness to help, Denton sees Bran's parents in a better light.
Even though there are a lot of serious aspects in this story, they are balanced with quirkiness and humor. Lou has a talent for taking situations which would not normally be amusing and expertly wording them so they are humorous, no matter how off the wall or unlikely they may be. Bran and Denton are extraordinary characters who have remarkable character growth in this story; they are taught a lesson: people in love need to keep a clear line of communication open in order for their relationship to grow into what it's meant to be. I recommend this book to those who enjoy necromancers, witches, demons, paranormal events, and two sexy men in love. Thanks, Lou, for a delightful follow up. I look forward to more of Bran and Denton's adventures.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 6, 2014
4.5 Stars
There is something so delightful about a series that continues to grow its characters with both wit and passion. When we last left Denton and Bran, they were just beginning their relationship. Bran, as reserved and seemingly reluctant as ever, is now in a near co-habitative state with the relentlessly silly and bumbling Denton. In this installment of the Dead Man series, Dead Man and the Army of Frogs, we are presented with a variety of demon banishings and much more interplay between our two MCs. We get to see a bit more of Joy, Denton’s business partner and best friend. All in all, this was another sweet encounter with two very quirky creations from the imaginative Lou Harper.
Set up in parts, this novel takes us through a “day in the life” of necromancer Denton Mills. Now in a relationship with witch and herbalist, Bran Maurell, the two take on various hauntings and demon possessions like old pros. However, all is not happy go lucky in the Mills/Maurell households. After finding out that a frog may have been the source of their client Lenny’s possession, Bran begins to hole up in his office, fixating on his former boyfriend, Peter. Fans will recall that Peter was the one who made fun of Bran’s most unique physical feature, and in his anger and hurt, Bran turned Peter into a frog. Now Bran is even more reticent and broody, and Denton is hallucinating, seeing frogs while both asleep and awake.
To both defuse the tension that is building between the two supernatural sleuths and give us another taste of that wonderful Lou Harper humor, a few chapters are dedicated to Joy and her less than stellar cooking. However, Joy has discovered an antique Dutch oven and purchased it to some amazing results. Not only can she now cook to perfection, but the oven is also possessed by the ghost of a former French chef. Joy is delighted and refuses to allow the boys to banish her ghost for the time being.
The rest of the novel is devoted to their moving through various cases and discovering that the wrong done to Peter must somehow be righted—even if it is at their own physical peril. The spell they must cast to fix the damage done could prove fatal to Denton. This book also marks that rocky period in a relationship where two people either grow into one another and accept each other’s flaws, or decide to throw in the towel and cut their losses. At times, that very idea seems to hang in the balance as both Denton and Bran deal with their own jealousies—Denton over Bran’s former boyfriend, Peter, and Bran over Denton’s relationship with Gabe.
All in all, this was another solid win by Lou Harper. This author just keeps getting better and better. Her stories are sharp and concise, well written, and teeming with humor and drama. Dead Man and the Army of Frogs is a winner in my book!
There is something so delightful about a series that continues to grow its characters with both wit and passion. When we last left Denton and Bran, they were just beginning their relationship. Bran, as reserved and seemingly reluctant as ever, is now in a near co-habitative state with the relentlessly silly and bumbling Denton. In this installment of the Dead Man series, Dead Man and the Army of Frogs, we are presented with a variety of demon banishings and much more interplay between our two MCs. We get to see a bit more of Joy, Denton’s business partner and best friend. All in all, this was another sweet encounter with two very quirky creations from the imaginative Lou Harper.
Set up in parts, this novel takes us through a “day in the life” of necromancer Denton Mills. Now in a relationship with witch and herbalist, Bran Maurell, the two take on various hauntings and demon possessions like old pros. However, all is not happy go lucky in the Mills/Maurell households. After finding out that a frog may have been the source of their client Lenny’s possession, Bran begins to hole up in his office, fixating on his former boyfriend, Peter. Fans will recall that Peter was the one who made fun of Bran’s most unique physical feature, and in his anger and hurt, Bran turned Peter into a frog. Now Bran is even more reticent and broody, and Denton is hallucinating, seeing frogs while both asleep and awake.
To both defuse the tension that is building between the two supernatural sleuths and give us another taste of that wonderful Lou Harper humor, a few chapters are dedicated to Joy and her less than stellar cooking. However, Joy has discovered an antique Dutch oven and purchased it to some amazing results. Not only can she now cook to perfection, but the oven is also possessed by the ghost of a former French chef. Joy is delighted and refuses to allow the boys to banish her ghost for the time being.
The rest of the novel is devoted to their moving through various cases and discovering that the wrong done to Peter must somehow be righted—even if it is at their own physical peril. The spell they must cast to fix the damage done could prove fatal to Denton. This book also marks that rocky period in a relationship where two people either grow into one another and accept each other’s flaws, or decide to throw in the towel and cut their losses. At times, that very idea seems to hang in the balance as both Denton and Bran deal with their own jealousies—Denton over Bran’s former boyfriend, Peter, and Bran over Denton’s relationship with Gabe.
All in all, this was another solid win by Lou Harper. This author just keeps getting better and better. Her stories are sharp and concise, well written, and teeming with humor and drama. Dead Man and the Army of Frogs is a winner in my book!
August 5, 2014
My Review:
I keep categorizing these books as romance, but that's really not accurate. I just really don't know where to put them...maybe flat-out paranormal suspense or mystery.
Lou Harper has created two really intriguing series that intertwine, but are not dependent on each other. There's this one which is based on a necromancer and witch/demon m/m couple and then there is the Sanguine series which features the m/m relationship between a vampire and a slayer. The books intertwine because Gabe, slayer from the Sanguine series, is friends with Denton, the necromancer in this series. In both series, neither of their romantic partners is happy with their friendship which causes issues. But all the books are simply written differently...and honestly, I like that about them. It's nice to read something really fresh-feeling in the paranormal market.
Each book is written as three separate suspense stories, although there is a single over-arcing story line that flows throughout all of them. In this book, that over-arcing story is the frogs that Denton is seeing. 14 years ago, Bran turned his boyfriend into a frog...accidentally, and he's never been able to let go of that guilt. Denton thinks that Bran's obsession is creating the frogs in his life.
The relationship aspect of this book was the hardest for me. Not everything is happy between Denton and Bran. Bran is obsessing about his froggy ex-boyfriend, but he's also having issues because Denton has come to rely on his friend, Gabe, for help using his PI skills. Bran is jealous and neither of these guys are communicating their issues...at all. They aren't in a happy place and Bran's personality is such that when he has a problem, he completely closes off. It was a bit difficult to watch them struggle in this one and I'll be honest, I flat-out didn't like Bran for much of the book.
But can I just talk for just a moment about something I love about Bran? Bran is half-demon and as such, he has a tail. Denton REALLY, really loves that tail and I have to admit, it's really kind of sexy especially the way he twists it around like a finger. Lou Harper's descriptions of it are awesome! I also really loved how Denton worked on the kilt issue all the way through the book...so fun and made for some great imagery in my imagination.
These books are easy and fun to read. They're interesting and captivating. While the romance scale isn't very high (the focus is really on the mystery/suspense) there's still enough romance in there to keep this romance junkie happy. Overall, I liked this one, but a minion frog army...shudder. I'm not a big fan of frogs. LOL.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I keep categorizing these books as romance, but that's really not accurate. I just really don't know where to put them...maybe flat-out paranormal suspense or mystery.
Lou Harper has created two really intriguing series that intertwine, but are not dependent on each other. There's this one which is based on a necromancer and witch/demon m/m couple and then there is the Sanguine series which features the m/m relationship between a vampire and a slayer. The books intertwine because Gabe, slayer from the Sanguine series, is friends with Denton, the necromancer in this series. In both series, neither of their romantic partners is happy with their friendship which causes issues. But all the books are simply written differently...and honestly, I like that about them. It's nice to read something really fresh-feeling in the paranormal market.
Each book is written as three separate suspense stories, although there is a single over-arcing story line that flows throughout all of them. In this book, that over-arcing story is the frogs that Denton is seeing. 14 years ago, Bran turned his boyfriend into a frog...accidentally, and he's never been able to let go of that guilt. Denton thinks that Bran's obsession is creating the frogs in his life.
The relationship aspect of this book was the hardest for me. Not everything is happy between Denton and Bran. Bran is obsessing about his froggy ex-boyfriend, but he's also having issues because Denton has come to rely on his friend, Gabe, for help using his PI skills. Bran is jealous and neither of these guys are communicating their issues...at all. They aren't in a happy place and Bran's personality is such that when he has a problem, he completely closes off. It was a bit difficult to watch them struggle in this one and I'll be honest, I flat-out didn't like Bran for much of the book.
But can I just talk for just a moment about something I love about Bran? Bran is half-demon and as such, he has a tail. Denton REALLY, really loves that tail and I have to admit, it's really kind of sexy especially the way he twists it around like a finger. Lou Harper's descriptions of it are awesome! I also really loved how Denton worked on the kilt issue all the way through the book...so fun and made for some great imagery in my imagination.
These books are easy and fun to read. They're interesting and captivating. While the romance scale isn't very high (the focus is really on the mystery/suspense) there's still enough romance in there to keep this romance junkie happy. Overall, I liked this one, but a minion frog army...shudder. I'm not a big fan of frogs. LOL.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
August 31, 2014
Finally!!! Another Dead Man book!!! Denton and Bran are one of my favorite couples and I couldn’t wait to read this.
Dead Man and the Army of Frogs picks up a few days after Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit; and since this continues on with some of the unresolved mysteries, it cannot be read as a standalone in my opinion.
The Mystery: This is told in the same style as the other Dead Man books and the Sanguine series where the book is broken up into several little stories with standalone smaller mysteries with an overarching larger mystery. There’s creepy, malicious “spirits” and a funny one too. The whole bit about Joy and her cooking kept cracking me up.
The Romance: Like I already said, Denton and Bran are one of my favorite couples. They have been together for about six months and are still fairly insecure with their relationship. I like to see the changes Denton is making in Bran…how Denton pushes him just past his comfort zone in social situations, and Denton’s whole kilt plan was adorable. Then there is the jealousy: over Bran’s ex-lover Peter and Denton’s friend Gabe from Sanguine…all perceived from lack of communication of course. So tensions get high, but Denton and Bran are so great together they don’t let it stay between them for long.
The Frogs: Ha! Yes, there are frogs in this book! I really loved how that big plot idea was introduced in the first book of the series, and then carried on in small detail throughout the first few stories of this book and on to its big conclusion at the end. I did feel that the big finale was a bit anticlimactic and over too fast. It kind of felt just like any other scene in the book; so that was a bit of a let down for me. All the pieces were there, I just didn’t feel the intensity of it.
Another fun addition to this series. Hope there will be more Denton and Bran soon!
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
Dead Man and the Army of Frogs picks up a few days after Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit; and since this continues on with some of the unresolved mysteries, it cannot be read as a standalone in my opinion.
The Mystery: This is told in the same style as the other Dead Man books and the Sanguine series where the book is broken up into several little stories with standalone smaller mysteries with an overarching larger mystery. There’s creepy, malicious “spirits” and a funny one too. The whole bit about Joy and her cooking kept cracking me up.
The Romance: Like I already said, Denton and Bran are one of my favorite couples. They have been together for about six months and are still fairly insecure with their relationship. I like to see the changes Denton is making in Bran…how Denton pushes him just past his comfort zone in social situations, and Denton’s whole kilt plan was adorable. Then there is the jealousy: over Bran’s ex-lover Peter and Denton’s friend Gabe from Sanguine…all perceived from lack of communication of course. So tensions get high, but Denton and Bran are so great together they don’t let it stay between them for long.
The Frogs: Ha! Yes, there are frogs in this book! I really loved how that big plot idea was introduced in the first book of the series, and then carried on in small detail throughout the first few stories of this book and on to its big conclusion at the end. I did feel that the big finale was a bit anticlimactic and over too fast. It kind of felt just like any other scene in the book; so that was a bit of a let down for me. All the pieces were there, I just didn’t feel the intensity of it.
Another fun addition to this series. Hope there will be more Denton and Bran soon!
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
September 4, 2014
Lou Harper again uses her fairly unique structure of complete stories as pseudo chapters within the main story. What you end up with is a series of short novellas within an all encompassing bigger story. I hope that explains it because it works really well. The first time I met this structure I was a little confused, but it actually adds interest and depth to the main story without the need for endless exposition.
This is a series but I have been reading them in slightly the wrong order with no loss of enjoyment, so I think they are happily standalone titles as well. The MCs are Bran a witch who is also half demon. I find Bran one of those stoical characters that you can imagine flooring everyone in a room when he actually smiles. The other protagonist is the adorable Denton, the eponymous, Dead Man. He is a necromancer but one learning of his powers as he goes along. This is where Bran helps him. The main message in this lovely book is about communication between couples, friends and enemies and how things can go very wrong when communication breaks down.
As always Lou Harper introduces us to some imaginative and well fleshed out secondary characters. Especially worthy of note in this episode are Joy, The Old Crone and the frogs! There are even a few crossover passages between Denton and Gabe from Temper Sanguine etc.
Dead Man and the Army of Frogs is a very happy, quirky read with some hot kilt action. I highly recommend this.
original review for www.prismbookalliance.com
This is a series but I have been reading them in slightly the wrong order with no loss of enjoyment, so I think they are happily standalone titles as well. The MCs are Bran a witch who is also half demon. I find Bran one of those stoical characters that you can imagine flooring everyone in a room when he actually smiles. The other protagonist is the adorable Denton, the eponymous, Dead Man. He is a necromancer but one learning of his powers as he goes along. This is where Bran helps him. The main message in this lovely book is about communication between couples, friends and enemies and how things can go very wrong when communication breaks down.
As always Lou Harper introduces us to some imaginative and well fleshed out secondary characters. Especially worthy of note in this episode are Joy, The Old Crone and the frogs! There are even a few crossover passages between Denton and Gabe from Temper Sanguine etc.
Dead Man and the Army of Frogs is a very happy, quirky read with some hot kilt action. I highly recommend this.
original review for www.prismbookalliance.com
February 23, 2021
Il y a quelques tomes une LC avait été crée pour le premier tome de cette saga et j’avais envie de la finir. C’est des formats assez court à chaque fois, donc parfait pour terminer en beauté. J’avais bien aimé le précédent opus. C’est à la fois fantastique et mystérieux, puisque Denton et Bran doivent à chaque fois trouver un esprit ou un démon et l’aider à partir.
Nous sommes dans le même procédé, à part qu’une trame de fond se poursuit tout au long des trois enquêtes : d’où viennent ses grenouilles ? Si les démons ne laisseront pas nos héros tranquilles, on peut aussi affirmer que leur couple va être mis à rude épreuve.
Comme je le disais trois petites enquêtes : une première autour de Joy, rigolote et gourmande – une seconde plus sombre – une dernière qui nous permettra de clôturer cette saga. C’est rapide, mais efficace. Un bon moment de détente.
Ce n’est pas possible que ce soit un coup de coeur, mais je pense avoir préféré cet opus. Le couple est plus tourmenté. La non-communication nous offre des moments épiques. Si je devais décrire cette série, je choisirais le mot Sympa. Je pensais qu’il aurait pu y avoir plus de tomes, puisqu’il y a matière à faire quelques enquêtes.
Ce qui est sûr, c’est que je continuerais à lire cette auteure. J’aime beaucoup son style et sa plume. On m’a déjà recommandé d’autres titres plus conséquents, que je me ferais un plaisir de découvrir. Une courte chronique pour un court roman que je vous recommande.
Nous sommes dans le même procédé, à part qu’une trame de fond se poursuit tout au long des trois enquêtes : d’où viennent ses grenouilles ? Si les démons ne laisseront pas nos héros tranquilles, on peut aussi affirmer que leur couple va être mis à rude épreuve.
Comme je le disais trois petites enquêtes : une première autour de Joy, rigolote et gourmande – une seconde plus sombre – une dernière qui nous permettra de clôturer cette saga. C’est rapide, mais efficace. Un bon moment de détente.
Ce n’est pas possible que ce soit un coup de coeur, mais je pense avoir préféré cet opus. Le couple est plus tourmenté. La non-communication nous offre des moments épiques. Si je devais décrire cette série, je choisirais le mot Sympa. Je pensais qu’il aurait pu y avoir plus de tomes, puisqu’il y a matière à faire quelques enquêtes.
Ce qui est sûr, c’est que je continuerais à lire cette auteure. J’aime beaucoup son style et sa plume. On m’a déjà recommandé d’autres titres plus conséquents, que je me ferais un plaisir de découvrir. Une courte chronique pour un court roman que je vous recommande.
February 20, 2015
This is another enjoyable installment into the series. Denton and Bran are back and this time they concluded an arc that started in the first book.
There were various developments between Denton and Bran, relationship wise as well as their each personal life. We also get to meet Bran's father as well.
However, the highlights for me was how Ms. Harper included something that I haven't heard before, thought it might be fictional thing but turns out it was a real thing, Tyromancy. It was certainly an interesting and weird aspect to include in the book. But it did went well with the overall tone of this series.
I liked how Denton slowly coaxing Bran out of his shell and either Bran wasn't aware of the attempt or he was indulging Denton. Either way, it was cute.
Another somewhat light fun read with more characters, both literal and not, than previous book. I would love to read more of this couple.
There were various developments between Denton and Bran, relationship wise as well as their each personal life. We also get to meet Bran's father as well.
However, the highlights for me was how Ms. Harper included something that I haven't heard before, thought it might be fictional thing but turns out it was a real thing, Tyromancy. It was certainly an interesting and weird aspect to include in the book. But it did went well with the overall tone of this series.
I liked how Denton slowly coaxing Bran out of his shell and either Bran wasn't aware of the attempt or he was indulging Denton. Either way, it was cute.
Another somewhat light fun read with more characters, both literal and not, than previous book. I would love to read more of this couple.
Read
September 19, 2014The fact I didn't much care for the book is probably not the book's fault. I need to tattoo on my hand - Do Not Push the One Click Buy Button Before Checking the Book Out On Goodreads.
D'ya think I could make a snappy acronymn from that, perhaps? DNPOCBBBCBOOG. Maybe just CBOOG for short.
There was zero indication on the Amazon product page that this was book two of the series. Not in the title, not in the description. While it was perfectly easy to follow what was going on, these three interlinked stories seemed very much to be addendums to the original book, and didn't stand alone particularly strongly.
I would have rated a 2 star, for okay, but it seems mean to rate a sequel as a stand alone. I love Lou Harper, so I am hesitant to suggest it was her storytelling that left me cold.
D'ya think I could make a snappy acronymn from that, perhaps? DNPOCBBBCBOOG. Maybe just CBOOG for short.
There was zero indication on the Amazon product page that this was book two of the series. Not in the title, not in the description. While it was perfectly easy to follow what was going on, these three interlinked stories seemed very much to be addendums to the original book, and didn't stand alone particularly strongly.
I would have rated a 2 star, for okay, but it seems mean to rate a sequel as a stand alone. I love Lou Harper, so I am hesitant to suggest it was her storytelling that left me cold.
January 18, 2025
Re-read 1/17/25 because I needed a book with either the letters of FROG in the title or an amphibian on the cover -- bonus, this has both. Denton is still just as cute, and Bran just as inscrutable. And they're still perfect together. We lost Lou Harper last November to pancreatic cancer. I wish she'd written more. Maybe this couple, maybe Gabe and Harvey. Wish I could read the L.A. Paranormal books but they're out of print. Heavy sigh.
4.75 stars
I freaking adore Denton! Sweet, happy, sock-crazy Denton...you are absolutely the best! Yes, this ended in a contentment (and smut!) filled spot, but I'd be happy to read more Denton and Bran stories any day.
4.75 stars
I freaking adore Denton! Sweet, happy, sock-crazy Denton...you are absolutely the best! Yes, this ended in a contentment (and smut!) filled spot, but I'd be happy to read more Denton and Bran stories any day.
August 31, 2014
LOVED this! I loved the Denton and Bran and the growth of their relationship in this story, and I loved the episode feeling again, how the story was split up in parts. I enjoyed the whole frog hallucinations and Denton's army of frogs, and I enjoyed all the characters and their cases that the duo took on.
And always gotta love a man in a kilt! And a tail!
And always gotta love a man in a kilt! And a tail!
March 24, 2015
Very fun. Denton and Bran are completely adorable and so, so perfect for each other. I do have to admit to being unfortunately underwhelmed by the resolution of the whole frog issue, though.
Some Favorite Quotes:
"You mean my dutch oven is haunted?"
"Don't try to undermine me by conceding before I can present my proof."
Some Favorite Quotes:
"You mean my dutch oven is haunted?"
"Don't try to undermine me by conceding before I can present my proof."
October 6, 2014
I love the story idea and the writing, but I found the story became incredibly repetitive. I know this series is quite light, but I need more depth with the story and character emotions.
April 6, 2021
Denton Mills, nécromancien infographiste, et Bran Maurell, sorcier mi-démon herboriste, sont en couple depuis quelques mois. Denton a gardé son appartement sur le même palier, où il retourne de façon très anecdotique, quand il doit bosser sur un projet de la boîte de design qu’il a monté avec sa meilleure amie, Joy. Mais il passe la plupart de son temps dans l’appartement de Bran, à papouiller son chat (qui n’est pas tout à fait un chat) Murmur et son maître.
Nous allons suivre les deux hommes dans trois affaires mêlant un esprit cuisinier qui ne veut pas quitter sa cocotte (oui, je sais, elle était facile…), un esprit serial killer qui tente de convertir le fils de sa nièce au mal et enfin, un esprit se nourrissant de haine, sans oublier de trouver pourquoi des grenouilles apparaissent tout autour d’eux.
L’explication viendra de La Rombière, sorte d’oracle pratiquant la tyromancie (connaissais pas …) : 14 ans plus tôt, Bran a accidentellement ouvert un portail avec les démons lorsqu’il a formulé un sortilège transformant son premier amour en grenouille…
Durant ces trois affaires, ils vont avoir besoin de toute l’aide nécessaire : Joy, Gabe, les parents de Bran, Murmur, mais avant toute chose, ils vont devoir réaliser que la communication et la confiance sont des bases indispensables à la réussite d’une relation épanouissante.
La plume de Lou Harper est toujours aussi plaisante, la traduction est de qualité, le mix est parfait entre les interventions psychiques du duo et leurs interactions personnelles, qu’elles soient intimes ou juste le fruit de leur vie quotidienne. Les apparitions du père de Bran sont rafraichissante, le contraste entre ce qu’il est, son rôle paternel et les réactions de Denton est vraiment drôle.
Bref, mon seul regret actuellement, c’est qu’il n’y ait pas de tome 3 en vue…
Nous allons suivre les deux hommes dans trois affaires mêlant un esprit cuisinier qui ne veut pas quitter sa cocotte (oui, je sais, elle était facile…), un esprit serial killer qui tente de convertir le fils de sa nièce au mal et enfin, un esprit se nourrissant de haine, sans oublier de trouver pourquoi des grenouilles apparaissent tout autour d’eux.
L’explication viendra de La Rombière, sorte d’oracle pratiquant la tyromancie (connaissais pas …) : 14 ans plus tôt, Bran a accidentellement ouvert un portail avec les démons lorsqu’il a formulé un sortilège transformant son premier amour en grenouille…
Durant ces trois affaires, ils vont avoir besoin de toute l’aide nécessaire : Joy, Gabe, les parents de Bran, Murmur, mais avant toute chose, ils vont devoir réaliser que la communication et la confiance sont des bases indispensables à la réussite d’une relation épanouissante.
La plume de Lou Harper est toujours aussi plaisante, la traduction est de qualité, le mix est parfait entre les interventions psychiques du duo et leurs interactions personnelles, qu’elles soient intimes ou juste le fruit de leur vie quotidienne. Les apparitions du père de Bran sont rafraichissante, le contraste entre ce qu’il est, son rôle paternel et les réactions de Denton est vraiment drôle.
Bref, mon seul regret actuellement, c’est qu’il n’y ait pas de tome 3 en vue…
February 23, 2021
Un peu en dessous du 1 mais je pense que c'est parce que l'effet de surprise est passé.
C'est le même format que le tome 1, 3 "nouvelles" forment le livre donc avec 3 intrigues différentes. Mais il y a continuité dans la chronologie, leur vie de couple..;
J'ai passé un très bon moment, j'ai rigolé (j'adore le personnage de Denton, son côté sarcastique mais son empathie et son côté jovial). Bran est égal à lui même, toujours aussi peu causant et mystérieux. On en apprend plus sur lui.
Les événements surnaturels sont originaux et je n'en ai pas beaucoup lu dans cet esprit là. Hâte de lire le tome 3 !
C'est le même format que le tome 1, 3 "nouvelles" forment le livre donc avec 3 intrigues différentes. Mais il y a continuité dans la chronologie, leur vie de couple..;
J'ai passé un très bon moment, j'ai rigolé (j'adore le personnage de Denton, son côté sarcastique mais son empathie et son côté jovial). Bran est égal à lui même, toujours aussi peu causant et mystérieux. On en apprend plus sur lui.
Les événements surnaturels sont originaux et je n'en ai pas beaucoup lu dans cet esprit là. Hâte de lire le tome 3 !
June 26, 2017
Bran and Denton's adventures with ghosts/spirits and frogs continue in this book.
The French chef haunting the Dutch oven was funny. Bran's father and mother light up the proceedings.
I am looking forward to reading more in this world.
The French chef haunting the Dutch oven was funny. Bran's father and mother light up the proceedings.
I am looking forward to reading more in this world.
July 9, 2017
4.5 stars ✨
January 28, 2018
3.5 stars
April 3, 2018
I can't say it was bad but I found it repetitive and somewhat boring. Also the presentation of the communication issue was unrealistic and out of proportion.
November 10, 2018
3.5 rounded up. Despite the m/c's being a witch and a necromancer, the stories are more light than one may expect. Entertaining read, but not a lot of depth. Good for a lazy day.
August 9, 2014
Review posted on Books on Silver Wings blog: http://onsilverwingz.blogspot.com/201...
4.5 Stars rounded up to 5
It would be good to read Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit before this because Lenny revisits and sets up the mystery with the appearance of a frog linked to demonic spirits.
Denton is obsessed with kilts. Throughout the story, he comes up with a plan to get Bran to wear one. Between the two of them, there are a lot of cute moments and funny dialogue. The main story line starts when Denton is worried that Bran is not over his first love, Peter, while Bran is suspicious that Denton is having an affair with Gabe. Bran becomes jealous of Gabe since he and Denton hang out a lot (purely to talk business). Bran and Denton stops communicating with each other and individually get stuck on the mystery of frogs until a seer comes into the picture. Clearly, Denton and Bran still have a lot to work on in the relationships department, but I like how they progress from the first book.
The weird little details like Lenny's spirit possession and a haunted oven are masterfully stringed together and become part of a bigger mystery. The side characters are fun and full of life; even the haunted oven has personality. Denton's friend, Joy, loves her new haunted Dutch oven since everything cooked in it turns out delicious and prevents Denton from exorcising the ghost cook. However, the ghost cook finally pissed Joy off by cooking too many complicated recipes and got exorcised. All of the characters are entertaining and delightful to read about.
The only thing I didn't enjoy is that various subplots seem scattered. Even though they are connected to the mystery of frogs, the plot doesn't thicken and the mystery doesn't build with each case they work on. The main mystery of Bran's ex-boyfriend-turned-frog is always in the background, not the forefront, and the conclusion feels anticlimactic.
Overall, this is a great fantasy story with lots of bizarre (but fun) characters. I definitely recommend this book for lovers of the first book and fantasy fans.
*review copy received in exchange for an honest review*
4.5 Stars rounded up to 5
It would be good to read Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit before this because Lenny revisits and sets up the mystery with the appearance of a frog linked to demonic spirits.
Denton is obsessed with kilts. Throughout the story, he comes up with a plan to get Bran to wear one. Between the two of them, there are a lot of cute moments and funny dialogue. The main story line starts when Denton is worried that Bran is not over his first love, Peter, while Bran is suspicious that Denton is having an affair with Gabe. Bran becomes jealous of Gabe since he and Denton hang out a lot (purely to talk business). Bran and Denton stops communicating with each other and individually get stuck on the mystery of frogs until a seer comes into the picture. Clearly, Denton and Bran still have a lot to work on in the relationships department, but I like how they progress from the first book.
The weird little details like Lenny's spirit possession and a haunted oven are masterfully stringed together and become part of a bigger mystery. The side characters are fun and full of life; even the haunted oven has personality. Denton's friend, Joy, loves her new haunted Dutch oven since everything cooked in it turns out delicious and prevents Denton from exorcising the ghost cook. However, the ghost cook finally pissed Joy off by cooking too many complicated recipes and got exorcised. All of the characters are entertaining and delightful to read about.
The only thing I didn't enjoy is that various subplots seem scattered. Even though they are connected to the mystery of frogs, the plot doesn't thicken and the mystery doesn't build with each case they work on. The main mystery of Bran's ex-boyfriend-turned-frog is always in the background, not the forefront, and the conclusion feels anticlimactic.
Overall, this is a great fantasy story with lots of bizarre (but fun) characters. I definitely recommend this book for lovers of the first book and fantasy fans.
*review copy received in exchange for an honest review*
October 13, 2015
Sassy web developer Denton Mills, aka Dead Man, and his handsome and gloomy witch boyfriend Bran Maurell are back, getting involved again with demons, ghosts and.. clingy frogs?
Dinner Ghost: When Joy, Denton’s partner in business and best friend, invites Denton and Bran for dinner at her place, they fear they are in for a difficult digestion. Surprisingly, the meal turns out to be exquisite. But maybe it is got to do more with a haunted Dutch oven than with Joy’s ability in the kitchen…
Spirit Stalker: When Denton saves a woman suffering a stroke in the street he suspects there is spiritual foul play. Unfortunately, he’s right, and the ghost seems a powerful one. It will take all Bran’s skill and Denton’s power to get rid of a murderer…
Frog Day Afternoon: While trying to rid a young man from a demon possession, Denton and Bran also have to deal with the Old Crone, with an increasing amount of stray frogs turning up, and with their unacknowledged jealousy…
I really like these two together; they are perfect for each other. I like Bran’s gravity and sarcasm which openly contrasts with Denton’s spontaneity and cheerfulness. Their relationship is growing stronger steadily, and they get over their issues little by little. Meeting unconventional parents, dealing with charmed ex-boyfriends and leering to deal with over-expressive best friends are some of the steps they must walk together (hopefully still wearing kilts…)
I love the mixture of paranormal, romance, humour and sexiness in these books. I honestly hope there is more Bran and Denton on the way!
Dinner Ghost: When Joy, Denton’s partner in business and best friend, invites Denton and Bran for dinner at her place, they fear they are in for a difficult digestion. Surprisingly, the meal turns out to be exquisite. But maybe it is got to do more with a haunted Dutch oven than with Joy’s ability in the kitchen…
Spirit Stalker: When Denton saves a woman suffering a stroke in the street he suspects there is spiritual foul play. Unfortunately, he’s right, and the ghost seems a powerful one. It will take all Bran’s skill and Denton’s power to get rid of a murderer…
Frog Day Afternoon: While trying to rid a young man from a demon possession, Denton and Bran also have to deal with the Old Crone, with an increasing amount of stray frogs turning up, and with their unacknowledged jealousy…
I really like these two together; they are perfect for each other. I like Bran’s gravity and sarcasm which openly contrasts with Denton’s spontaneity and cheerfulness. Their relationship is growing stronger steadily, and they get over their issues little by little. Meeting unconventional parents, dealing with charmed ex-boyfriends and leering to deal with over-expressive best friends are some of the steps they must walk together (hopefully still wearing kilts…)
I love the mixture of paranormal, romance, humour and sexiness in these books. I honestly hope there is more Bran and Denton on the way!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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