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Gothika #4
Spirit
Volume Four
Seeing dead people. Haunting and being haunted. Ghosts and those trying to deal with them add a supernatural flair to these four tales of romance.
In Among the Dead, Neil Gaven sees dead people. A gentle ghost guides him to Trist, who needs his help. But Trist is tormented by spirits, so maybe together they can find a way to live among the dead.
Dei Ex Machina is the story of Sabbio, a Roman slave who was killed 1700 years ago. He’s been alone until he meets landscaper Mason. But because they're separated by centuries, it will take a miracle to make love work.
The Mill brings a supernatural challenge to Frank Carter and his team of paranormal investigators. The owner’s personal psychic, Toby Reese, is supposed to help. Frank doesn't have much respect for psychics, but when the dangers of the old mill threaten his team, he realizes he and Toby will have to work together to survive.
Mike Ellsworth finds himself suddenly deceased. Now he’s a ghost with lots left undone in Unfinished Business. He's never been able to be honest with his wife. He's never been able to tell the man he loves how he feels. He's barely been able to admit he's gay. If only there were a way he could make up for all he’s failed to do….
Seeing dead people. Haunting and being haunted. Ghosts and those trying to deal with them add a supernatural flair to these four tales of romance.
In Among the Dead, Neil Gaven sees dead people. A gentle ghost guides him to Trist, who needs his help. But Trist is tormented by spirits, so maybe together they can find a way to live among the dead.
Dei Ex Machina is the story of Sabbio, a Roman slave who was killed 1700 years ago. He’s been alone until he meets landscaper Mason. But because they're separated by centuries, it will take a miracle to make love work.
The Mill brings a supernatural challenge to Frank Carter and his team of paranormal investigators. The owner’s personal psychic, Toby Reese, is supposed to help. Frank doesn't have much respect for psychics, but when the dangers of the old mill threaten his team, he realizes he and Toby will have to work together to survive.
Mike Ellsworth finds himself suddenly deceased. Now he’s a ghost with lots left undone in Unfinished Business. He's never been able to be honest with his wife. He's never been able to tell the man he loves how he feels. He's barely been able to admit he's gay. If only there were a way he could make up for all he’s failed to do….
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2015
8 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Eli Easton
83 books2,805 followersHaving been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a game designer, an organic farmer, an avid hiker, and a profound sleeper, Eli is happily embarking on yet another incarnation as a m/m romance author.
As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.
Her website in www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com
COMING SOON:
See what's in the pipeline here: http://elieaston.com/work-in-progress/
As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.
Her website in www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com
COMING SOON:
See what's in the pipeline here: http://elieaston.com/work-in-progress/
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 19, 2015
~3.75~
Spirits, people. They're REAL.
Sometimes they seek revenge or inhabit your dreams. They wear bowler hats and drag you back from the dead. Or to the light.
This is a hauntingly good collection of novellas. I enjoyed all the stories, although the stadouts were Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding and The Mill by Jamie Fessenden.
Individual story reviews to come when I recover from GRL. Drinking and fangirling take a lot of energy, yo.
Individual story reviews below:
The Mill
Jamie Fessenden
~4~
This is an interesting mystery and a low-key romance. The author did well balancing the two.
Something is haunting an old mill where a fire killed many young women more than a hundred years before. Frank (a private "ghost hunter") has been hired to investigate and reluctantly accepts help from Toby, who can communicate with the dead.
This is a fast-paced story with strong secondary characters, a bit of steam, and a great HEA. I loved the no-angst relationship between Frank and Toby and the side plot revolving around Frank's younger brother.
Dei ex Machina
Kim Fielding
~4.5~
Fielding always seeps her stories in a time and a place. This contemporary tale is set in Croatia and involves a lonely man grieving the death of his husband and a ghost who's waited for centuries to be noticed ... and loved.
Dei ex Machina asks you to believe in the impossible: that we can find our soulmate in a dream and that the old gods still wonder the earth.
This is a beautiful tale with a HEA that will melt your heart.
Among the Dead
Eli Easton
~3.5~
Eli Easton's Gothika stories have always been standouts, but I couldn't fully get behind the weird twist in this one, probably because it relied heavily on the Christian concept of angels and heaven.
Neil sees dead people. He has done so since he was in an accident that left him with a severe concussion. The Man in the Bowler Hat starts following Neil. He has a story to tell, if only Neil will stop and hear.
The mood here is creepy but subdued. Neil doesn't meet his romantic interest until the halfway point, and there is no steam (but plenty of sweetness). This story made me sad, even though the ending is meant to be redemptive. Is there a HEA? That depends on YOU.
Unfinished Business
B.G. Thomas
~3~
Mike doesn't appreciate Joel until he dies (Mike, not Joel). Mike, who's deeply closeted, is married to a woman but has been having an affair with Joel for a year. We eventually find out the wife is no stranger to affairs herself. I hate cheating in stories, but I tried not to let it influence my rating.
Mike wants to make peace with his wife and Joel before he moves on, so it's helpful that a police officer he begins, er, haunting can talk to the dead (this is all very Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost).
There is no steam, but Joel's grief and Mike's sorrow are realistically portrayed, and the ending is a nice HEA.
Spirits, people. They're REAL.
Sometimes they seek revenge or inhabit your dreams. They wear bowler hats and drag you back from the dead. Or to the light.
This is a hauntingly good collection of novellas. I enjoyed all the stories, although the stadouts were Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding and The Mill by Jamie Fessenden.
Individual story reviews below:
The Mill
Jamie Fessenden
~4~
This is an interesting mystery and a low-key romance. The author did well balancing the two.
Something is haunting an old mill where a fire killed many young women more than a hundred years before. Frank (a private "ghost hunter") has been hired to investigate and reluctantly accepts help from Toby, who can communicate with the dead.
This is a fast-paced story with strong secondary characters, a bit of steam, and a great HEA. I loved the no-angst relationship between Frank and Toby and the side plot revolving around Frank's younger brother.
Dei ex Machina
Kim Fielding
~4.5~
Fielding always seeps her stories in a time and a place. This contemporary tale is set in Croatia and involves a lonely man grieving the death of his husband and a ghost who's waited for centuries to be noticed ... and loved.
Dei ex Machina asks you to believe in the impossible: that we can find our soulmate in a dream and that the old gods still wonder the earth.
This is a beautiful tale with a HEA that will melt your heart.
Among the Dead
Eli Easton
~3.5~
Eli Easton's Gothika stories have always been standouts, but I couldn't fully get behind the weird twist in this one, probably because it relied heavily on the Christian concept of angels and heaven.
Neil sees dead people. He has done so since he was in an accident that left him with a severe concussion. The Man in the Bowler Hat starts following Neil. He has a story to tell, if only Neil will stop and hear.
The mood here is creepy but subdued. Neil doesn't meet his romantic interest until the halfway point, and there is no steam (but plenty of sweetness). This story made me sad, even though the ending is meant to be redemptive. Is there a HEA? That depends on YOU.
Unfinished Business
B.G. Thomas
~3~
Mike doesn't appreciate Joel until he dies (Mike, not Joel). Mike, who's deeply closeted, is married to a woman but has been having an affair with Joel for a year. We eventually find out the wife is no stranger to affairs herself. I hate cheating in stories, but I tried not to let it influence my rating.
Mike wants to make peace with his wife and Joel before he moves on, so it's helpful that a police officer he begins, er, haunting can talk to the dead (this is all very Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost).
There is no steam, but Joel's grief and Mike's sorrow are realistically portrayed, and the ending is a nice HEA.
Read
March 12, 2017My review is only for Among the Dead by Eli Easton.
I generally don’t like ghost stories (too creepy) but I read this one anyway because it’s an Eli Easton story. But from now on I guess I’m not going to risk (at least for a while) to read a story with ghosts even if it is written by a favorite author of mine.
After an accident, Neil Gaven sees dead people. It makes his life incredibly difficult, as ghosts always try to interact with him, which Neil definitely doesn’t want to. So he hardly leaves his apartment, which is a ghost-free area. But one day he meets a very insistent spirit, Edward, who asks for his help. Edward leads Neil up to Trist who is tormented by ghosts too.
Among the Dead was creepy, but not in the good way. I hated it. It didn’t give me pleasurable shivers. And the ending!!?
1.5 star to this story, but no rating for the anthology.
I generally don’t like ghost stories (too creepy) but I read this one anyway because it’s an Eli Easton story. But from now on I guess I’m not going to risk (at least for a while) to read a story with ghosts even if it is written by a favorite author of mine.
After an accident, Neil Gaven sees dead people. It makes his life incredibly difficult, as ghosts always try to interact with him, which Neil definitely doesn’t want to. So he hardly leaves his apartment, which is a ghost-free area. But one day he meets a very insistent spirit, Edward, who asks for his help. Edward leads Neil up to Trist who is tormented by ghosts too.
Among the Dead was creepy, but not in the good way. I hated it. It didn’t give me pleasurable shivers. And the ending!!?
1.5 star to this story, but no rating for the anthology.
June 22, 2020
Four stories about people who die to young, too unhappily, before they have a chance to fully live. A little romance, a little horror, a lot of melancholy.
First up, "The Mill" by Jamie Fessenden, an author who came to my attention a couple Christmases back with his well-reviewed Tomte (which I still need to buy). Prose solid if not exceptional, ditto character-building. I appreciated the he employed the "psychic vs skeptic" dynamic without either person being a jerk about their position. The ghost story itself is a very traditional one; whether that is a positive or negative obviously depends on your taste. I found it fine but nothing special. However, my overall feel about the story was positive and I'm still planning to read more by Fessenden. (Possibly also my enjoyment of a story based on a real, not uncommon event, in which large numbers of workers died because labor protections were insufficient and no one cared about their lives is somewhat hampered by the current retrograde political climate.)
Dei Ex Machina by Kim Fielding
A widower's concerned loved ones drag him on vacation in an attempt to cheer him up. Out of the blue, he is approached by a man who claims to know a medium who can put him in touch with his late husband. He knows it must be a scam but can't resist trying. Instead of his husband's ghost, he contacts the ghost of a slave mason who died building the palace. Kudos to Fielding for having a haunt who isn't romantically tragic or anyone "special". I've read quite a lot of this author and wouldn't say this was the best or worst of her stories; it's a fair example or her style if you want to try her at short length.
Stuck haunting the Riva Promenade? Could be worse...
Eli Easton joins the general consensus of fiction writers in agreeing that seeing dead people would be no fun in "Among the Dead."
"Unfinished Business" by B.G. Thomas. Don't text and drive! Especially when you're almost at your destination; then you'll spend your afterlife mad at yourself for not waiting a few minutes and getting laid instead of crashing your car six blocks from the hotel where the person who doesn't know you love them is waiting naked.
First up, "The Mill" by Jamie Fessenden, an author who came to my attention a couple Christmases back with his well-reviewed Tomte (which I still need to buy). Prose solid if not exceptional, ditto character-building. I appreciated the he employed the "psychic vs skeptic" dynamic without either person being a jerk about their position. The ghost story itself is a very traditional one; whether that is a positive or negative obviously depends on your taste. I found it fine but nothing special. However, my overall feel about the story was positive and I'm still planning to read more by Fessenden. (Possibly also my enjoyment of a story based on a real, not uncommon event, in which large numbers of workers died because labor protections were insufficient and no one cared about their lives is somewhat hampered by the current retrograde political climate.)
Dei Ex Machina by Kim Fielding
A widower's concerned loved ones drag him on vacation in an attempt to cheer him up. Out of the blue, he is approached by a man who claims to know a medium who can put him in touch with his late husband. He knows it must be a scam but can't resist trying. Instead of his husband's ghost, he contacts the ghost of a slave mason who died building the palace. Kudos to Fielding for having a haunt who isn't romantically tragic or anyone "special". I've read quite a lot of this author and wouldn't say this was the best or worst of her stories; it's a fair example or her style if you want to try her at short length.
Stuck haunting the Riva Promenade? Could be worse...
Eli Easton joins the general consensus of fiction writers in agreeing that seeing dead people would be no fun in "Among the Dead."
"Unfinished Business" by B.G. Thomas. Don't text and drive! Especially when you're almost at your destination; then you'll spend your afterlife mad at yourself for not waiting a few minutes and getting laid instead of crashing your car six blocks from the hotel where the person who doesn't know you love them is waiting naked.
November 10, 2015
BR with Mishyjo!
The first half of the anthology was very good, the second half not so much. I'll take the middle route and give it 3 stars. Ghosts aren't my favourite on the paranormal spectrum, so I'm not surprised that this has been my lowest rating for the Gothika anthology series.
However, if you're a fan of MM romance and ghosts, this anthology will be right up your alley.
'The Mill' by Jamie Fessenden
Date read: Nov. 7, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Frank Carter and his paranormal investigator team are hired to look into the possible haunting at an old mill. Things quickly go to shit, and the owner sends in her personal psychic, Toby Reese, to help. Frank doesn't believe in non-scientific psychics, but he can't deny that he finds Toby very attractive. This short story is genuinely creepy, which I wasn't expecting. The plot kept me on the edge of my seat, and the romance was a mellow but nice addition. I really liked the side-story with Frank's brother too. Overall, a very good beginning to the anthology.
'Dei ex Machina' by Kim Fielding
Date read: Nov. 8, 2015
Rating: 4.5 stars
Okay, that was heartwrenching. And so good. After the death of his partner, Mason is forced in to a group vacation to Croatia with his family and friends. Sabbio was a Roman slave who died centuries ago, and has been roaming the old city of Split ever since. When the two unexpectedly come in contact with each other, sparks fly and they just know that had they met at a different time and place, they would have had something together. I really enjoyed this story. It was quite angsty for such a short read, but the HEA was so worth it. The interesting setting of Split, Croatia was an added bonus.
'Among the Dead' by Eli Easton
Date read: November 8-9, 2015
Rating: 2.5 stars
After a serious head injury, Neil began seeing the dead in all of their gruesome and horrifying glory. It's taken a toll on his quality of life, to the point that he rarely leaves his apartment. He's content that way, until a ghost follows him home lets him know that a young man named Trist needs his help. Frankly, this was disappointing. Eli Easton's entries in the Gothika anthologies have so far been very good, but this short just fell flat. I guessed the twist early on, and it made me a bit sad. Neil and Trist don't meet until the halfway point, and then sort of just stick together for no particular reason, so the romance wasn't that engaging. But the writing was phenomenal as always, and the descriptions of the dead were very creepy.
'Unfinished Business' by B.G. Thomas
Date read: Nov. 9, 2015
Rating: 2 stars
Mike Ellsworth is married to a woman, but has been carrying on an affair with a man for over a year. On the way to meet his lover, Joel, Mike is killed in a car accident. He's now a ghost with some very big regrets. I did like seeing Mike grovel and make up for what he did, and the format reminded me a bit of 'A Christmas Carol'. However, I'm not a fan of changes of heart that only come about because one's own happiness is on the line. It makes me question the sincerity of it. This one was also the least romantic of the anthology, with most of the focus on Mike's growth as a person.
The first half of the anthology was very good, the second half not so much. I'll take the middle route and give it 3 stars. Ghosts aren't my favourite on the paranormal spectrum, so I'm not surprised that this has been my lowest rating for the Gothika anthology series.
However, if you're a fan of MM romance and ghosts, this anthology will be right up your alley.
'The Mill' by Jamie Fessenden
Date read: Nov. 7, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Frank Carter and his paranormal investigator team are hired to look into the possible haunting at an old mill. Things quickly go to shit, and the owner sends in her personal psychic, Toby Reese, to help. Frank doesn't believe in non-scientific psychics, but he can't deny that he finds Toby very attractive. This short story is genuinely creepy, which I wasn't expecting. The plot kept me on the edge of my seat, and the romance was a mellow but nice addition. I really liked the side-story with Frank's brother too. Overall, a very good beginning to the anthology.
'Dei ex Machina' by Kim Fielding
Date read: Nov. 8, 2015
Rating: 4.5 stars
Okay, that was heartwrenching. And so good. After the death of his partner, Mason is forced in to a group vacation to Croatia with his family and friends. Sabbio was a Roman slave who died centuries ago, and has been roaming the old city of Split ever since. When the two unexpectedly come in contact with each other, sparks fly and they just know that had they met at a different time and place, they would have had something together. I really enjoyed this story. It was quite angsty for such a short read, but the HEA was so worth it. The interesting setting of Split, Croatia was an added bonus.
'Among the Dead' by Eli Easton
Date read: November 8-9, 2015
Rating: 2.5 stars
After a serious head injury, Neil began seeing the dead in all of their gruesome and horrifying glory. It's taken a toll on his quality of life, to the point that he rarely leaves his apartment. He's content that way, until a ghost follows him home lets him know that a young man named Trist needs his help. Frankly, this was disappointing. Eli Easton's entries in the Gothika anthologies have so far been very good, but this short just fell flat. I guessed the twist early on, and it made me a bit sad. Neil and Trist don't meet until the halfway point, and then sort of just stick together for no particular reason, so the romance wasn't that engaging. But the writing was phenomenal as always, and the descriptions of the dead were very creepy.
'Unfinished Business' by B.G. Thomas
Date read: Nov. 9, 2015
Rating: 2 stars
Mike Ellsworth is married to a woman, but has been carrying on an affair with a man for over a year. On the way to meet his lover, Joel, Mike is killed in a car accident. He's now a ghost with some very big regrets. I did like seeing Mike grovel and make up for what he did, and the format reminded me a bit of 'A Christmas Carol'. However, I'm not a fan of changes of heart that only come about because one's own happiness is on the line. It makes me question the sincerity of it. This one was also the least romantic of the anthology, with most of the focus on Mike's growth as a person.
December 6, 2015
I only read 3 out of the 4 stories in this anthology, but they were all SO good! It’s rare for me to have so many 4 star reviews in an anthology, they usually average out at about a 3 star, but these were just all wonderful. Different and complex and kinda dark and romantic. I’d for sure recommend this, and I don’t think it needs to be limited to a Halloween read!
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden - 4 stars Fuuuuck yeah Jamie Fessenden! Fuck yeah. This was a great combination of ghost story and romance, balanced perfectly. Solid secondary characters fill up the rest of the cast. Jamie Fessenden usually sets his stories in New England which is fun to read while living here, and certainly a spooky story around Halloween! The ending was a perfect HFN that was completely realistic , and it was cool to read the blurb at the end how he fashioned The Mill and it's fire after The Cocheco Mill in Dover, The Granite Mill in Fall River, and The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in NY. The Granite Mill ballad gives me goosebumps!
Die ex Machina by Kim Fielding - 4 stars Oh what a beautiful story you weave, Ms. Fielding! How does she come up with this stuff?! First I was sad for Mason, then I was devastated for Sabbio, then I was happy, then I was sad again, then I was delighted , then I was ecstatic! Nicely done.
This was such a unique ghost story, since often times the older ghosts are written off as fading away or being in a fugue. Sabbio did at times have difficulty maintaining his attachment to the world, but I loved seeing him people watch and explore. His loneliness was palpable, but handled oh so well. The secondary characters of Viktor and hi mother were an absolute delight and a wonderful addition to propel the story.
Among The Dead by Eli Easton - 4 stars I did not see that coming. Really interesting twist that had my heart pumping the last chapter , it didn't feel forced at all. Just part of the story.
I liked the first half even though I wasn't sure this was gonna turn out to be a romance at all. Niel was just living his life, telling us about how things have been since his concussion and he started seeing dead people. It broke my heart that he was so lonely and I can't imagine having to deal with that on a daily basis, it really would be scary to leave your front door. Then he meets Trist, and things start changing. It was sweet to watch as these two people desperately clung together, because you could feel how the other was like a life raft when they were sinking.
It's one of those stories that keeps you thinking. Rehashing things you missed, contemplating life and death and love. We're getting deep as fuck up in here!
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas - Soooooo I feel kinda bad skipping a story in an anthology I’m supposed to review, especially when there are only four stories total. But two stories I generally don’t like reading are ones with a preexisting relationship, and ones in which the gay guy is actively married to a woman. This has both of those. I know it’s different, cuz he’s dead and all, and maybe there’s some twist that’s makes it all okay. But it just kinda bums me out, so I’m gonna take a pass on this one. If I end up coming back around later and reading it then I will edit my review as such.
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden - 4 stars Fuuuuck yeah Jamie Fessenden! Fuck yeah. This was a great combination of ghost story and romance, balanced perfectly. Solid secondary characters fill up the rest of the cast. Jamie Fessenden usually sets his stories in New England which is fun to read while living here, and certainly a spooky story around Halloween! The ending was a perfect HFN that was completely realistic , and it was cool to read the blurb at the end how he fashioned The Mill and it's fire after The Cocheco Mill in Dover, The Granite Mill in Fall River, and The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in NY. The Granite Mill ballad gives me goosebumps!
Die ex Machina by Kim Fielding - 4 stars Oh what a beautiful story you weave, Ms. Fielding! How does she come up with this stuff?! First I was sad for Mason, then I was devastated for Sabbio, then I was happy, then I was sad again, then I was delighted , then I was ecstatic! Nicely done.
This was such a unique ghost story, since often times the older ghosts are written off as fading away or being in a fugue. Sabbio did at times have difficulty maintaining his attachment to the world, but I loved seeing him people watch and explore. His loneliness was palpable, but handled oh so well. The secondary characters of Viktor and hi mother were an absolute delight and a wonderful addition to propel the story.
Among The Dead by Eli Easton - 4 stars I did not see that coming. Really interesting twist that had my heart pumping the last chapter , it didn't feel forced at all. Just part of the story.
I liked the first half even though I wasn't sure this was gonna turn out to be a romance at all. Niel was just living his life, telling us about how things have been since his concussion and he started seeing dead people. It broke my heart that he was so lonely and I can't imagine having to deal with that on a daily basis, it really would be scary to leave your front door. Then he meets Trist, and things start changing. It was sweet to watch as these two people desperately clung together, because you could feel how the other was like a life raft when they were sinking.
It's one of those stories that keeps you thinking. Rehashing things you missed, contemplating life and death and love. We're getting deep as fuck up in here!
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas - Soooooo I feel kinda bad skipping a story in an anthology I’m supposed to review, especially when there are only four stories total. But two stories I generally don’t like reading are ones with a preexisting relationship, and ones in which the gay guy is actively married to a woman. This has both of those. I know it’s different, cuz he’s dead and all, and maybe there’s some twist that’s makes it all okay. But it just kinda bums me out, so I’m gonna take a pass on this one. If I end up coming back around later and reading it then I will edit my review as such.
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
Want to read
October 19, 2015"Spirit" is almost out! Just in time for Halloween. This volume is about ghosts, obviously. My story, "Among the Dead", started from a one line idea I had in my 'idea file' word doc. The line was "A guy sees dead people".
I've always been a fan of horror and paranormal stories, and I love a good haunted house or ghost story. I hope you all enjoy "Among The Dead" and the other awesome stories in this volume.
You can read an excerpt from my story here:
http://elieaston.com/among-the-dead-f...
I've always been a fan of horror and paranormal stories, and I love a good haunted house or ghost story. I hope you all enjoy "Among The Dead" and the other awesome stories in this volume.
You can read an excerpt from my story here:
http://elieaston.com/among-the-dead-f...
Read
October 10, 2015I am having such a wonderful time with this series. Who wouldn't have fun in the company of such great authors? This time around we've got 4 novella-length stories with ghosts. Mine takes place in Split, Croatia, where a Roman emperor built a palace 1700 years ago. People still live in that palace today. I figured a place like that is bound to have a few ghosts floating around. And if one of those ghosts has been around since Emperor Diocletian's time? Well, the poor guy is bound to be feeling pretty lonely. Let's see if we can do something about that.
February 21, 2016
I have always loved these anthologies in the 'Gothika' series, so I was looking forward to what these four authors would bring me in this newest installment. Each of the previous books has dealt with a different aspect of the paranormal, and 'Spirit' is no different. I knew, before even starting to read, that Jamie Fessenden, B.G. Thomas, Kim Fielding, and Eli Easton would blow me away.
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden
The instant I started reading Jamie's contribution to this anthology, all I could think of was Ghost Hunters, a ridiculous (in my opinion) reality show about a group of people trying to track down ghosts and paranormal entities and catch them on film. What always makes me laugh, whenever I see a preview, is that they're always whispering to each other, as if the ghosts can't hear them. *grins* Anyway, it didn't take long to see that Frank and his team were up to a challenge at the Old Hawley Mill where ninety-seven mill workers died in a fire in 1907.
Mrs. Hawley is a formidable woman who hires Frank to get to the bottom of the supposed hauntings. She'd like to sell the building, but nobody will come near it due to so many accidents ever since the fire, and then it's shut down in the late nineteen eighties. She also asks Toby, a local medium, to help, although that doesn't go over too well with either party. Their agreement that they each view the other as a fraud is rather entertaining. Too bad, though, what Mrs. H wants, she gets. The fact that Frank and Toby are ridiculously attracted to each other doesn't hurt either.
Frank and Toby are seriously adorable together. Frank is like a mama bear in the way he watches over everyone, and even though he's ex-military, and a big guy, he's rather hesitant and sweet, not having dated a whole lot. Watching Toby take the reins, so to speak, made me giggle several times. However, seeing what Toby and all of them went through during the séance gave me the chills.
Excellent addition, Jamie - I enjoyed every minute.
Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding
My heart really hurt for Mason, perhaps because I could empathize very well with his sadness. Mason's husband died eight months before, and his friends have taken him on a trip to Croatia to get away, and to try to not be in so much pain. Much like Mason tried, I would've told them it's impossible and there's no timeframe on grief. While in Dalmatia, Mason meets a local man whose mother is a medium. At first Mason thinks it's a scam, but it's not, and instead of Carl coming to see Mason, Sabbio, a lonely and unsettled spirit, visits.
Sabbio was a slave in Roman times who died while helping to build the palace. He has seen many things change in all of his centuries as a ghost. Sometimes he's awake and aware, and others he's in a black pit, with no real concept of anything. Until one day he responds to a woman's voice and meets Mason, and somehow they find themselves in a dream together.
A beautiful and very touching addition that made me smile for the ending, and make a wish. Thank you, Kim.
Among the Dead by Eli Easton
Neil's life is split into two distinct timeframes. BC - Before Concussion, and AC - After Concussion. It was a pretty bad one because AC hardwired his brain to see dead people. Neil has gotten pretty good at ignoring all the ghosts he sees, especially after trying to help a few didn't turn out very well. But when Edward Cleary shows up, Neil can't help but get involved, particularly when Edward goes to a lot of trouble to communicate who he was to Neil. Turns out Edward was a medium who died in 1898.
Edward helps direct Neil to Trist, who just happens to be the cute guy Neil used to see in the park, BC. It turns out Trist can see the dead, too, but he's homeless and has no way of getting away from them, whereas for some reason, Neil's apartment is free of ghosts. They're both so excited, and relieved, to find someone like them, someone who can understand, and empathize. It doesn't take long for them to fall in love.
Oh, Eli, what a wonderful and somewhat surprising ending. If only that's how it really is, wouldn't that be lovely?
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas
I can't even begin to imagine dying, then still being here, realizing you're dead, looking at your dead body, and trying to deal with seeing your loved ones’ reactions. This is what Mike goes through as he's doing the unthinkable of texting while driving, gets in an accident, and dies, all while his lover Joel is waiting for him at a hotel a few blocks away.
This was a painful story to read, in some ways. It made me wonder if my loved ones had stood by after their deaths, and had to watch me crying for them, and not be able to help. I grieved for Mike when he realized his wife had him on life support even though he was brain dead. I suffered watching Joel sit next to his hospital bed, reading to him, not wanting to believe he wasn't coming back.
I honestly didn't see the ending coming. Thank you, Ben, for making it beautiful and full of hope.
Thank you, Jamie, Kim, Eli, and Ben, for another wonderful book in this series. I absolutely love each and every one of them, and I hope there will be more.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden
The instant I started reading Jamie's contribution to this anthology, all I could think of was Ghost Hunters, a ridiculous (in my opinion) reality show about a group of people trying to track down ghosts and paranormal entities and catch them on film. What always makes me laugh, whenever I see a preview, is that they're always whispering to each other, as if the ghosts can't hear them. *grins* Anyway, it didn't take long to see that Frank and his team were up to a challenge at the Old Hawley Mill where ninety-seven mill workers died in a fire in 1907.
Mrs. Hawley is a formidable woman who hires Frank to get to the bottom of the supposed hauntings. She'd like to sell the building, but nobody will come near it due to so many accidents ever since the fire, and then it's shut down in the late nineteen eighties. She also asks Toby, a local medium, to help, although that doesn't go over too well with either party. Their agreement that they each view the other as a fraud is rather entertaining. Too bad, though, what Mrs. H wants, she gets. The fact that Frank and Toby are ridiculously attracted to each other doesn't hurt either.
Frank and Toby are seriously adorable together. Frank is like a mama bear in the way he watches over everyone, and even though he's ex-military, and a big guy, he's rather hesitant and sweet, not having dated a whole lot. Watching Toby take the reins, so to speak, made me giggle several times. However, seeing what Toby and all of them went through during the séance gave me the chills.
Excellent addition, Jamie - I enjoyed every minute.
Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding
My heart really hurt for Mason, perhaps because I could empathize very well with his sadness. Mason's husband died eight months before, and his friends have taken him on a trip to Croatia to get away, and to try to not be in so much pain. Much like Mason tried, I would've told them it's impossible and there's no timeframe on grief. While in Dalmatia, Mason meets a local man whose mother is a medium. At first Mason thinks it's a scam, but it's not, and instead of Carl coming to see Mason, Sabbio, a lonely and unsettled spirit, visits.
Sabbio was a slave in Roman times who died while helping to build the palace. He has seen many things change in all of his centuries as a ghost. Sometimes he's awake and aware, and others he's in a black pit, with no real concept of anything. Until one day he responds to a woman's voice and meets Mason, and somehow they find themselves in a dream together.
A beautiful and very touching addition that made me smile for the ending, and make a wish. Thank you, Kim.
Among the Dead by Eli Easton
Neil's life is split into two distinct timeframes. BC - Before Concussion, and AC - After Concussion. It was a pretty bad one because AC hardwired his brain to see dead people. Neil has gotten pretty good at ignoring all the ghosts he sees, especially after trying to help a few didn't turn out very well. But when Edward Cleary shows up, Neil can't help but get involved, particularly when Edward goes to a lot of trouble to communicate who he was to Neil. Turns out Edward was a medium who died in 1898.
Edward helps direct Neil to Trist, who just happens to be the cute guy Neil used to see in the park, BC. It turns out Trist can see the dead, too, but he's homeless and has no way of getting away from them, whereas for some reason, Neil's apartment is free of ghosts. They're both so excited, and relieved, to find someone like them, someone who can understand, and empathize. It doesn't take long for them to fall in love.
Oh, Eli, what a wonderful and somewhat surprising ending. If only that's how it really is, wouldn't that be lovely?
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas
I can't even begin to imagine dying, then still being here, realizing you're dead, looking at your dead body, and trying to deal with seeing your loved ones’ reactions. This is what Mike goes through as he's doing the unthinkable of texting while driving, gets in an accident, and dies, all while his lover Joel is waiting for him at a hotel a few blocks away.
This was a painful story to read, in some ways. It made me wonder if my loved ones had stood by after their deaths, and had to watch me crying for them, and not be able to help. I grieved for Mike when he realized his wife had him on life support even though he was brain dead. I suffered watching Joel sit next to his hospital bed, reading to him, not wanting to believe he wasn't coming back.
I honestly didn't see the ending coming. Thank you, Ben, for making it beautiful and full of hope.
Thank you, Jamie, Kim, Eli, and Ben, for another wonderful book in this series. I absolutely love each and every one of them, and I hope there will be more.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
February 2, 2016
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden - I think the author should expand this story into a paranormal series, the MCs are great together 4.5
Dei ex Machina Kim Fielding - 3.5
Among the Dead Eli Easton - 3.5
Unfinished Business B.G. Thomas - 3
Dei ex Machina Kim Fielding - 3.5
Among the Dead Eli Easton - 3.5
Unfinished Business B.G. Thomas - 3
November 2, 2015
Among the Dead by Eli Easton
In Among the Dead, Neil Gaven sees dead people. A gentle ghost guides him to Trist, who needs his help. But Trist is tormented by spirits, so maybe together they can find a way to live among the dead.
**
This is a lovely and sweet story with a little twist. Eli Easton’s writing is smooth and flawless and her characters are rich and full. I loved the attention to details with the subtle blurring that at first causes confusion then clarity as the story draws to its finale. I suppose the story has a HEA – depending on your point of view. ☺ It’s excellent. 5 of 5 stars
Dei Ex Machina by Kim Fielding
Dei Ex Machina is the story of Sabbio, a Roman slave who was killed 1700 years ago. He’s been alone until he meets landscaper Mason. But because they're separated by centuries, it will take a miracle to make love work.
**
Kim Fielding always gives us a remarkable story location and almost always teaches me something new. She’s a gifted story teller and this is a wonderful short story.
As compared to some of the others in this anthology, this story was a bit harder to dive into – mostly based on the separation of our MCs for most of the story.
I appreciated the history lesson and the sweet and happy ending.
4 of 5 stars
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden
The Mill brings a supernatural challenge to Frank Carter and his team of paranormal investigators. The owner’s personal psychic, Toby Reese, is supposed to help. Frank doesn't have much respect for psychics, but when the dangers of the old mill threaten his team, he realizes he and Toby will have to work together to survive.
**
This was by far the “scariest” of the four stories. I was on the edge of my seat! I loved it! It had a little bit of everything: sappy romance, GFY, scary and vindictive ghosts, murder and mayhem, hot sex and a happy ending! Jamie also included a bit of real life history that was really interesting and I loved the “song” that started each chapter. It really set a spooky mood! Perfect for this time of year!
5 of 5 stars
Unfinished Business by BG Thomas
Mike Ellsworth finds himself suddenly deceased. Now he’s a ghost with lots left undone in Unfinished Business. He's never been able to be honest with his wife. He's never been able to tell the man he loves how he feels. He's barely been able to admit he's gay. If only there were a way he could make up for all he’s failed to do….
**
This was the weakest of the bunch, but still very good. I loved the blending of modern technology with the spiritual aspect. It was very satisfying when our MCs got their second chance.
3.5 of 5 stars
In Among the Dead, Neil Gaven sees dead people. A gentle ghost guides him to Trist, who needs his help. But Trist is tormented by spirits, so maybe together they can find a way to live among the dead.
**
This is a lovely and sweet story with a little twist. Eli Easton’s writing is smooth and flawless and her characters are rich and full. I loved the attention to details with the subtle blurring that at first causes confusion then clarity as the story draws to its finale. I suppose the story has a HEA – depending on your point of view. ☺ It’s excellent. 5 of 5 stars
Dei Ex Machina by Kim Fielding
Dei Ex Machina is the story of Sabbio, a Roman slave who was killed 1700 years ago. He’s been alone until he meets landscaper Mason. But because they're separated by centuries, it will take a miracle to make love work.
**
Kim Fielding always gives us a remarkable story location and almost always teaches me something new. She’s a gifted story teller and this is a wonderful short story.
As compared to some of the others in this anthology, this story was a bit harder to dive into – mostly based on the separation of our MCs for most of the story.
I appreciated the history lesson and the sweet and happy ending.
4 of 5 stars
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden
The Mill brings a supernatural challenge to Frank Carter and his team of paranormal investigators. The owner’s personal psychic, Toby Reese, is supposed to help. Frank doesn't have much respect for psychics, but when the dangers of the old mill threaten his team, he realizes he and Toby will have to work together to survive.
**
This was by far the “scariest” of the four stories. I was on the edge of my seat! I loved it! It had a little bit of everything: sappy romance, GFY, scary and vindictive ghosts, murder and mayhem, hot sex and a happy ending! Jamie also included a bit of real life history that was really interesting and I loved the “song” that started each chapter. It really set a spooky mood! Perfect for this time of year!
5 of 5 stars
Unfinished Business by BG Thomas
Mike Ellsworth finds himself suddenly deceased. Now he’s a ghost with lots left undone in Unfinished Business. He's never been able to be honest with his wife. He's never been able to tell the man he loves how he feels. He's barely been able to admit he's gay. If only there were a way he could make up for all he’s failed to do….
**
This was the weakest of the bunch, but still very good. I loved the blending of modern technology with the spiritual aspect. It was very satisfying when our MCs got their second chance.
3.5 of 5 stars
October 24, 2015
Another very good anthology. I loved all these stories...
November 20, 2015
This review was originally wrotten for Joyfully Jay REviews and can be accessed here: http://joyfullyjay.com/2015/11/review...
4.25 stars for the whole collection.
This is an anthology of four long novellas that have nothing in common excepting themes of the supernatural. They are varied in content and scope, some being more paranormal romance and some being more horror. Because they are all standalones, I’m going to talk about each of them on their own.
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden is a classic ghost story, with a dash of romance.
The Hawley Textile Mill has stood empty for twenty years. It is well-known that 97 women died in a fire back in 1907, and it is rumored that there is a lot of ghost activity in the building. Mrs. Hawley, last of the Hawley dynasty, wants the building cleansed so the property can be converted into a park. She hires Frank Carter and his team of paranormal investigators (think Ghost Hunters) to examine the building. Frank’s brother, Louis, sees a full-fledged apparition, but is injured. While a comatose Louis lies in the ICU, it becomes clear that he’s channeling some of the souls lost in the big fire. Mrs. Hawley convinces her personal psychic and medium, Toby Reese, to assist in setting the ghosts free. In order to save Louis, Toby and Frank must cooperate and determine the reason why these souls have lingered in the desolate mill.
This was an excellent ghost story with a pair of leads, Frank and Toby, that I enjoyed. Frank is a scientific thinker and he’s unsure about Toby’s skills. Toby’s sure that Frank will never take him seriously, and he’s wrong about that. The men don’t know if they can trust the other, but they have a combined goal to help Louis and clear the mill. It soon becomes clear that there was funny-business that occurred the day of the big fire, and Louis and Toby are mouthpieces to that. In the meantime, Frank and Toby build a rapport that feels organic. Their first sexual encounter was rather funny, and hastily aborted. I liked that there was humor to lighten this story. They are a cute couple, Frank charmingly awkward and Toby forward and friendly. The ghost story is both appropriately paced and appropriately horrifying, and kept me turning the pages so I could find out how Louis was going to escape his coma. Expect a ghoulish séance, two happy endings and some yummy sexytimes.
Dei Ex Machina by Kim Fielding is a love story that spans the centuries, when the ghost of a young slave touches the soul of a grieving man.
Mason Gould is landscape engineer on a trip to Croatia with friends and relations to help him grieve the loss of his husband, Carl, who was gunned down in a mass shooting on his college campus. Mason is still emotionally wrecked, and on a whim goes to see a medium in order to make his final goodbyes—those he hadn’t made when Carl left for work on that fateful day. This will only work if Carl’s sprit has lingered, as in if unfinished business has kept his spirit on this plane—which isn’t the case. Instead, the medium channels the soul of Sabbio, a slave who died in the building of the historic palace Mason and his party have visited. Sabbio doesn’t leave when the reading ends, however. He follows Mason to his hotel and engages him in his dreams. It’s the first peace that Mason has encountered, and he thrives on it. He is enchanted by these glimpses into Sabbio’s life, and even gets hints about how to bring him through the ether.
I really liked how this book brought in the ancient religions, and how the relationship between Mason and Sabbio was very sweet and special. How they soothed each other emotionally. I loved the secondary characters of Viktor and his medium mother; they were so open and compassionate. It was also such a pleasant twist that Mason’s steadfastness brought Sabbio’s grieving spirit peace. The struggle that Sabbio’s spirit endured was really well-crafted, and I liked this glimpse beyond the veil. The historical and contemporary details witnessed by both Sabbio and Mason were deftly interwoven, and I really got a sense for both places within the same city. This was a sentimental story that had a pretty somber tone until near the very end. I really enjoyed it.
Among the Dead by Eli Easton absolutely bent my noodle. I’m a big fan of M. Night Shyamalan and well…
Neil Gaven suffered a traumatic brain injury a couple of years ago, and now he sees dead people. He’s turned a bit antisocial since then, working from home all the time and venturing out infrequently. On one of his monthly trips to the office he encounters the ghost of a beautiful man in a bowler hat—who is the first to try to communicate with him. He does some investigation and learns the man’s identity—what it was when he was alive so long ago. This bowler hat man wants Neil to help a homeless young man in a bad park of the city park—Trist, who also sees dead people. It’s scary to Neil, but he can’t resist once he learns that Trist is like him in more ways than one. The twist ending absolutely made my day with this one, and I fully enjoyed the mind blow.
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas was a bit A Christmas Carol meets Ghost.
Mike Ellsworth is a deeply closeted man who’s always been faithful to his college sweetheart wife, Lori, until a year ago when he met Joel Kauffman on a business trip. Their attraction was instant and upsetting. Mike didn’t want to be a cheater, and he’d resisted his attraction to men for so long—twenty years!—but Joel was everything Mike had longed for. They spent a lot of time together in that week, and Mike made efforts to return to Joel whenever he could. He was en route to their latest rendezvous when he wrecked his rental car and his spirit is not at rest. Mike’s yanked into scene after terrifying scene, seeing the difficulties in his marriage in a fresh light, and knowing what he feels for Joel is the love of his lifetime. He regrets not saying so when he had the chance.
I had mixed feelings over this one, honestly. I’m usually turned off by cheater tales, but I did sympathize with Mike. He’s a complex man who relishes his companionship and beneficial relationship with his wife, even if his love for her is mostly platonic, and hungers for the passion he and Joel share. For their parts, Lori and Joel are great characters. I loved the cop, Daphne Brookhart, who can hear Mike’s rants and becomes his unwilling mouthpiece. She was so Whoopi Goldberg from Ghost, for me. The secondary story of Mike communing with other ghosts in his realm was excellent. He’s able to put some spirits to rest, and fix his mistakes with both Joel and Lori. The end was everything I hoped for, considering that I’m a sappy romantic that wants the HEA more than a chocolate lava cake. This is a non-sexytimes read, for the most part, and the bittersweet regret of Mike is infused throughout, which made this one really somber, until the end which was rather celebratory and drove home theme of the redemptive power of true love.
On the whole, this anthology is really engaging and has a lot to be enjoyed. Some horror, some suspense, some sexytimes and some redemption. I would recommend to anyone who likes spooky stories and plots that deal with ghosts in all their forms.
4.25 stars for the whole collection.
This is an anthology of four long novellas that have nothing in common excepting themes of the supernatural. They are varied in content and scope, some being more paranormal romance and some being more horror. Because they are all standalones, I’m going to talk about each of them on their own.
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden is a classic ghost story, with a dash of romance.
The Hawley Textile Mill has stood empty for twenty years. It is well-known that 97 women died in a fire back in 1907, and it is rumored that there is a lot of ghost activity in the building. Mrs. Hawley, last of the Hawley dynasty, wants the building cleansed so the property can be converted into a park. She hires Frank Carter and his team of paranormal investigators (think Ghost Hunters) to examine the building. Frank’s brother, Louis, sees a full-fledged apparition, but is injured. While a comatose Louis lies in the ICU, it becomes clear that he’s channeling some of the souls lost in the big fire. Mrs. Hawley convinces her personal psychic and medium, Toby Reese, to assist in setting the ghosts free. In order to save Louis, Toby and Frank must cooperate and determine the reason why these souls have lingered in the desolate mill.
This was an excellent ghost story with a pair of leads, Frank and Toby, that I enjoyed. Frank is a scientific thinker and he’s unsure about Toby’s skills. Toby’s sure that Frank will never take him seriously, and he’s wrong about that. The men don’t know if they can trust the other, but they have a combined goal to help Louis and clear the mill. It soon becomes clear that there was funny-business that occurred the day of the big fire, and Louis and Toby are mouthpieces to that. In the meantime, Frank and Toby build a rapport that feels organic. Their first sexual encounter was rather funny, and hastily aborted. I liked that there was humor to lighten this story. They are a cute couple, Frank charmingly awkward and Toby forward and friendly. The ghost story is both appropriately paced and appropriately horrifying, and kept me turning the pages so I could find out how Louis was going to escape his coma. Expect a ghoulish séance, two happy endings and some yummy sexytimes.
Dei Ex Machina by Kim Fielding is a love story that spans the centuries, when the ghost of a young slave touches the soul of a grieving man.
Mason Gould is landscape engineer on a trip to Croatia with friends and relations to help him grieve the loss of his husband, Carl, who was gunned down in a mass shooting on his college campus. Mason is still emotionally wrecked, and on a whim goes to see a medium in order to make his final goodbyes—those he hadn’t made when Carl left for work on that fateful day. This will only work if Carl’s sprit has lingered, as in if unfinished business has kept his spirit on this plane—which isn’t the case. Instead, the medium channels the soul of Sabbio, a slave who died in the building of the historic palace Mason and his party have visited. Sabbio doesn’t leave when the reading ends, however. He follows Mason to his hotel and engages him in his dreams. It’s the first peace that Mason has encountered, and he thrives on it. He is enchanted by these glimpses into Sabbio’s life, and even gets hints about how to bring him through the ether.
I really liked how this book brought in the ancient religions, and how the relationship between Mason and Sabbio was very sweet and special. How they soothed each other emotionally. I loved the secondary characters of Viktor and his medium mother; they were so open and compassionate. It was also such a pleasant twist that Mason’s steadfastness brought Sabbio’s grieving spirit peace. The struggle that Sabbio’s spirit endured was really well-crafted, and I liked this glimpse beyond the veil. The historical and contemporary details witnessed by both Sabbio and Mason were deftly interwoven, and I really got a sense for both places within the same city. This was a sentimental story that had a pretty somber tone until near the very end. I really enjoyed it.
Among the Dead by Eli Easton absolutely bent my noodle. I’m a big fan of M. Night Shyamalan and well…
Neil Gaven suffered a traumatic brain injury a couple of years ago, and now he sees dead people. He’s turned a bit antisocial since then, working from home all the time and venturing out infrequently. On one of his monthly trips to the office he encounters the ghost of a beautiful man in a bowler hat—who is the first to try to communicate with him. He does some investigation and learns the man’s identity—what it was when he was alive so long ago. This bowler hat man wants Neil to help a homeless young man in a bad park of the city park—Trist, who also sees dead people. It’s scary to Neil, but he can’t resist once he learns that Trist is like him in more ways than one. The twist ending absolutely made my day with this one, and I fully enjoyed the mind blow.
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas was a bit A Christmas Carol meets Ghost.
Mike Ellsworth is a deeply closeted man who’s always been faithful to his college sweetheart wife, Lori, until a year ago when he met Joel Kauffman on a business trip. Their attraction was instant and upsetting. Mike didn’t want to be a cheater, and he’d resisted his attraction to men for so long—twenty years!—but Joel was everything Mike had longed for. They spent a lot of time together in that week, and Mike made efforts to return to Joel whenever he could. He was en route to their latest rendezvous when he wrecked his rental car and his spirit is not at rest. Mike’s yanked into scene after terrifying scene, seeing the difficulties in his marriage in a fresh light, and knowing what he feels for Joel is the love of his lifetime. He regrets not saying so when he had the chance.
I had mixed feelings over this one, honestly. I’m usually turned off by cheater tales, but I did sympathize with Mike. He’s a complex man who relishes his companionship and beneficial relationship with his wife, even if his love for her is mostly platonic, and hungers for the passion he and Joel share. For their parts, Lori and Joel are great characters. I loved the cop, Daphne Brookhart, who can hear Mike’s rants and becomes his unwilling mouthpiece. She was so Whoopi Goldberg from Ghost, for me. The secondary story of Mike communing with other ghosts in his realm was excellent. He’s able to put some spirits to rest, and fix his mistakes with both Joel and Lori. The end was everything I hoped for, considering that I’m a sappy romantic that wants the HEA more than a chocolate lava cake. This is a non-sexytimes read, for the most part, and the bittersweet regret of Mike is infused throughout, which made this one really somber, until the end which was rather celebratory and drove home theme of the redemptive power of true love.
On the whole, this anthology is really engaging and has a lot to be enjoyed. Some horror, some suspense, some sexytimes and some redemption. I would recommend to anyone who likes spooky stories and plots that deal with ghosts in all their forms.
November 19, 2015
I'm a sucker for ghost stories, I've been since my childhood. I've read so many ghost stories over the years (and don't let me start with ghost movies), but only a very few - maybe two or three - gave me what I was searching for: unease, mounting tension, genuine fear.
So, here's a warning: now I'm a little stern when it comes to rate this kind of stories.
The Mill, by Jamie Fessenden - 3 stars
For me, this story was in part a missed opportunity, because the elements to build up a very scary story were all there: the haunted building, a malevolent spirit, a guy in a coma that talks with the voice of a dead man, a psychic, the ghost hunters...
but, after a very promising start, the story swelled up. Even the seance (the fuckin' seance!) wasn't scary. The old lady chatting with the spirits about selling the Mill? Bah.
And I think that maybe there was a little confusion about the dates. How old must be in 1990 a man that was a grown up in 1917? And in 1990 Toby had to be a little child, so, how it's possible to say that the police may think... if you've read the book, you know what I'm talking about.
However, I appreciated the setting, and this kind of classic ghost story is just my cup. What is better than an haunted house or building? I tell you: nothing.
Dei ex machina, by Kim Fielding - 2.75 stars
This is a ghost story because... well, there's a ghost. But here there isn't haunting, or some scary stuff. Not at all. This is a sweet story about a very lonely ghost, and a living man that mourns his dead husband.
Somebody said Neil Gaiman? I don't wanna do spoiler, but the whole "dei ex machina" thing reminded me so much of Neil Gaiman's American Gods.
Nothing wrong with it. I loved that book, so this tribute for me is ok. Just ok.
Now a little note:
Croatian pizza is like italian one? Well, croatian pizza is like some crap that in some touristic place in North Italy they serve to the poor tourists, ok, that's right. But real italian pizza is not better. It's on another planet, it's a completely different thing. Excuse me, but I'm tired to hear/read about some horrible stuff that people believe it's the real pizza. I'm from the city where pizza is born, and where there's the best pizza in the world, so you can understand that reading that sentence made my eyes bleed. No offence taken, only a little clarification. ;)
Among the dead, by Eli Easton - 3 stars
I liked very much some parts of this story, the whole "seeing the dead" thing was good enough, funny in some moments (Margareth), and creepy in others (the hookup). But then Trist appeared, and from that point, I became slightly bored. I would have preferred that the story was more focused on Edward and Neil, rather than on Trist and Neil. The ending? I've already figured it out, because, like I said, I've read and seen tons of ghost stories and movies. I think that this story took inspiration from a movie. I will not say what movie, because you know, spoiler.
Unfinished business, by B.G. Thomas - 2.5 stars
The better part? The first meeting between the two MCs. I really liked it. The rest? Ordinary stuff. The ending? I didn't buy it. Too forced, too implausible.
So, here's a warning: now I'm a little stern when it comes to rate this kind of stories.
The Mill, by Jamie Fessenden - 3 stars
For me, this story was in part a missed opportunity, because the elements to build up a very scary story were all there: the haunted building, a malevolent spirit, a guy in a coma that talks with the voice of a dead man, a psychic, the ghost hunters...
but, after a very promising start, the story swelled up. Even the seance (the fuckin' seance!) wasn't scary. The old lady chatting with the spirits about selling the Mill? Bah.
And I think that maybe there was a little confusion about the dates. How old must be in 1990 a man that was a grown up in 1917? And in 1990 Toby had to be a little child, so, how it's possible to say that the police may think... if you've read the book, you know what I'm talking about.
However, I appreciated the setting, and this kind of classic ghost story is just my cup. What is better than an haunted house or building? I tell you: nothing.
Dei ex machina, by Kim Fielding - 2.75 stars
This is a ghost story because... well, there's a ghost. But here there isn't haunting, or some scary stuff. Not at all. This is a sweet story about a very lonely ghost, and a living man that mourns his dead husband.
Somebody said Neil Gaiman? I don't wanna do spoiler, but the whole "dei ex machina" thing reminded me so much of Neil Gaiman's American Gods.
Nothing wrong with it. I loved that book, so this tribute for me is ok. Just ok.
Now a little note:
Croatian pizza is like italian one? Well, croatian pizza is like some crap that in some touristic place in North Italy they serve to the poor tourists, ok, that's right. But real italian pizza is not better. It's on another planet, it's a completely different thing. Excuse me, but I'm tired to hear/read about some horrible stuff that people believe it's the real pizza. I'm from the city where pizza is born, and where there's the best pizza in the world, so you can understand that reading that sentence made my eyes bleed. No offence taken, only a little clarification. ;)
Among the dead, by Eli Easton - 3 stars
I liked very much some parts of this story, the whole "seeing the dead" thing was good enough, funny in some moments (Margareth), and creepy in others (the hookup). But then Trist appeared, and from that point, I became slightly bored. I would have preferred that the story was more focused on Edward and Neil, rather than on Trist and Neil. The ending? I've already figured it out, because, like I said, I've read and seen tons of ghost stories and movies. I think that this story took inspiration from a movie. I will not say what movie, because you know, spoiler.
Unfinished business, by B.G. Thomas - 2.5 stars
The better part? The first meeting between the two MCs. I really liked it. The rest? Ordinary stuff. The ending? I didn't buy it. Too forced, too implausible.
January 12, 2016
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden~ Rating: 5 Stars
So I made the mistake of reading this after dark, alone and now I am seriously freaked out lol. This story was so scary at the same time so sad when you find out what really happened to these poor souls. I loved Frank and Toby together. You get your scary ghosts that go bump in the night in this story. You also meet different characters like Frank's brother and the rest of his team plus a few other characters. So I will leave this review with I loved this story.
Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding` Rating: 5 Stars
I thought this story was so beautiful but at the same time so painful for everything Mason and Sabbio had to go through. Mason lost someone he loved not almost a year ago when he goes on a trip with his brother and their friends. Well when he is there he meets a older lady who offers to help him say goodbye to his past love. But he ends up sensing Sabbio instead. Poor Sabbio who was a slave and died so young has fallen for Mason but knows their is no way for them to be together. Until he finds two someone's who are willing to help. I don't want to give anymore away. So I will leave this review of this story with this story was equal parts beautiful and painful and I loved this story!
Among the Dead by Eli Easton ~ Rating: 5 Stars
Wow talk about a twist I did not see coming at all... This story was so good! Neil was in a accident when he was hit in the head he received a concussion that was when he starts seeing dead people. He sees Edward who was also a medium when he died but he can not communicate with him. Eventually Edwards finds a way to let Neil know that a man named Trist needs his help. So Neil helps him but what happens after that I did not see coming at all! This story was just wow I have no words for how much I loved this story.
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas ~ Rating: 4 Stars
So I want to start this review by saying there was something in this story that is one of my no's I just don't like reading stories with this in it because once I find out that was going on it always brings the story down for me. So the way it was told in this story and to know it was going on while the other person just yea I cant even say without spoiling this story but I thought the author handled it perfectly.. So Mike was texting while driving which is a huge no no and was hit running a red light. Well he was ghost who could see the people he left behind and other ghosts who were dead. He helped the ghosts move on and tried to talk the ones he left behind through a detective who could hear him. The ending I thought was perfect and once I understood were the author was going with this story and the way the author handled everything that happened even though at first I almost stopped reading because of what I mentioned before I am glad I kept reading because I ended up really liking this story.
All together I thought this stories were perfect for Halloween and I loved these stories!
I would definitely recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
So I made the mistake of reading this after dark, alone and now I am seriously freaked out lol. This story was so scary at the same time so sad when you find out what really happened to these poor souls. I loved Frank and Toby together. You get your scary ghosts that go bump in the night in this story. You also meet different characters like Frank's brother and the rest of his team plus a few other characters. So I will leave this review with I loved this story.
Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding` Rating: 5 Stars
I thought this story was so beautiful but at the same time so painful for everything Mason and Sabbio had to go through. Mason lost someone he loved not almost a year ago when he goes on a trip with his brother and their friends. Well when he is there he meets a older lady who offers to help him say goodbye to his past love. But he ends up sensing Sabbio instead. Poor Sabbio who was a slave and died so young has fallen for Mason but knows their is no way for them to be together. Until he finds two someone's who are willing to help. I don't want to give anymore away. So I will leave this review of this story with this story was equal parts beautiful and painful and I loved this story!
Among the Dead by Eli Easton ~ Rating: 5 Stars
Wow talk about a twist I did not see coming at all... This story was so good! Neil was in a accident when he was hit in the head he received a concussion that was when he starts seeing dead people. He sees Edward who was also a medium when he died but he can not communicate with him. Eventually Edwards finds a way to let Neil know that a man named Trist needs his help. So Neil helps him but what happens after that I did not see coming at all! This story was just wow I have no words for how much I loved this story.
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas ~ Rating: 4 Stars
So I want to start this review by saying there was something in this story that is one of my no's I just don't like reading stories with this in it because once I find out that was going on it always brings the story down for me. So the way it was told in this story and to know it was going on while the other person just yea I cant even say without spoiling this story but I thought the author handled it perfectly.. So Mike was texting while driving which is a huge no no and was hit running a red light. Well he was ghost who could see the people he left behind and other ghosts who were dead. He helped the ghosts move on and tried to talk the ones he left behind through a detective who could hear him. The ending I thought was perfect and once I understood were the author was going with this story and the way the author handled everything that happened even though at first I almost stopped reading because of what I mentioned before I am glad I kept reading because I ended up really liking this story.
All together I thought this stories were perfect for Halloween and I loved these stories!
I would definitely recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
January 3, 2016
After reading this part of my favorite anthology series I suppose it's true what they say about ghost stories: there are not much variations on that topic and it doesn't mix easily with romance or maybe my expectation after haveing read the previous parts was just too high.
The Mill
A Haunted House story with just the right setup and I liked that it wasn't about some creepy mansion but a closed mill and that a fire like the one that started the haunting has a real historical background made it all the better. I really enjoyed the lightly spooky vibe Jamie Fessenden created so much that I could easily ignore the small confusion about dates and years that Daniela Green mentions and the antagonism between the psychic and the semi-sientific investigator team let me hope for a nice romance with bantering especially because the characterization of the MC's were exactly to my taste. Unfortunately the romance was the part where I got lost. It was so easy to believe in the guys and that they were made for each other but the actual romance did nothing for me. Only read about it but didn't feel it.
Dei ex machina
I know a lot of reviews claimed it to be one of the best of this book but the only effect it had on me is that I could imagine to spent one of my next vacations in Croatia. Kim Fielding already proofed with Motel. Pool. that a ghost romance is a thing and Sabbio is one of those Fielding character I immediately could sympathize with but the story missed that special touch her other stories of this series had and that I was looking forward to get again. In a different story I could have enjoyed an introduction of roman gods, in fact I'd like to meet Venus again in another story, just not in a story supposedly gothic.
Among the Dead
Yeah, definitely a Sixth Sense variation but a good one. I loved Neil and his view on his "gift" and it was so easy to follow Eli Easton through every part of her story. The romance was just as sweet as it should be and I didn't miss anything here and I can't even complain about the end, also that one is as it has to be for such a story.
Unfinished Business
There are for sure some Whoopie moments in this one but it's no "Ghost" variation. It's really about what the title implies: unfinished business and the need to make things right even after your own death. The grief and sorrow were realistic and I was able to feel them too. Could have been my favorite story of this book if B.G. Thomas would have remembered the end of "Ghost" instead of adding a HEA that didn't allowed my tears to fall.
The Mill
A Haunted House story with just the right setup and I liked that it wasn't about some creepy mansion but a closed mill and that a fire like the one that started the haunting has a real historical background made it all the better. I really enjoyed the lightly spooky vibe Jamie Fessenden created so much that I could easily ignore the small confusion about dates and years that Daniela Green mentions and the antagonism between the psychic and the semi-sientific investigator team let me hope for a nice romance with bantering especially because the characterization of the MC's were exactly to my taste. Unfortunately the romance was the part where I got lost. It was so easy to believe in the guys and that they were made for each other but the actual romance did nothing for me. Only read about it but didn't feel it.
Dei ex machina
I know a lot of reviews claimed it to be one of the best of this book but the only effect it had on me is that I could imagine to spent one of my next vacations in Croatia. Kim Fielding already proofed with Motel. Pool. that a ghost romance is a thing and Sabbio is one of those Fielding character I immediately could sympathize with but the story missed that special touch her other stories of this series had and that I was looking forward to get again. In a different story I could have enjoyed an introduction of roman gods, in fact I'd like to meet Venus again in another story, just not in a story supposedly gothic.
Among the Dead
Yeah, definitely a Sixth Sense variation but a good one. I loved Neil and his view on his "gift" and it was so easy to follow Eli Easton through every part of her story. The romance was just as sweet as it should be and I didn't miss anything here and I can't even complain about the end, also that one is as it has to be for such a story.
Unfinished Business
There are for sure some Whoopie moments in this one but it's no "Ghost" variation. It's really about what the title implies: unfinished business and the need to make things right even after your own death. The grief and sorrow were realistic and I was able to feel them too. Could have been my favorite story of this book if B.G. Thomas would have remembered the end of "Ghost" instead of adding a HEA that didn't allowed my tears to fall.
November 20, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
This is an anthology of four long novellas that have nothing in common excepting themes of the supernatural. They are varied in content and scope, some being more paranormal romance and some being more horror. Because they are all standalones, I’m going to talk about each of them on their own.
On the whole, this anthology is really engaging and has a lot to be enjoyed. Some horror, some suspense, some sexytimes and some redemption. I would recommend to anyone who likes spooky stories and plots that deal with ghosts in all their forms.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
This is an anthology of four long novellas that have nothing in common excepting themes of the supernatural. They are varied in content and scope, some being more paranormal romance and some being more horror. Because they are all standalones, I’m going to talk about each of them on their own.
On the whole, this anthology is really engaging and has a lot to be enjoyed. Some horror, some suspense, some sexytimes and some redemption. I would recommend to anyone who likes spooky stories and plots that deal with ghosts in all their forms.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
October 26, 2023
The only reason this is getting a 4.5 stars is Jamie Fessenden & B.G. Thomas wrote some pretty awesome ghost stories. Sorry, even though I love the other two authors, their stories were 3's.
Loved The Mill by Jamie and would love to see some more ghost hunter stories by him.
As for B.G., love Unfinished Business, the ending was not what I expected.
You guys rock when it comes to spookies!
These stories immediately suck me in and I had a tough time putting them down once I started reading them. Going to bed and to work the next day was very strenuous on my good nature. Ha!
Loved The Mill by Jamie and would love to see some more ghost hunter stories by him.
As for B.G., love Unfinished Business, the ending was not what I expected.
You guys rock when it comes to spookies!
These stories immediately suck me in and I had a tough time putting them down once I started reading them. Going to bed and to work the next day was very strenuous on my good nature. Ha!
October 30, 2015
4.5 Heart Series Review by Vicki
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden
Oh… this is a nice spooky story. Frank and his crew are paranormal investigators, hired to look in to possible hauntings in an old abandoned mill in Hawley Maine. The current owner of the mill wants to know if it can be torn down, or remodeled. After a rough start for C-Troop Paranormal, and an injury to Louis, Frank’s younger brother and fellow investigator, Mrs. Hawley bring in her own personal psychic, Toby. Now Toby is the real thing. He heads over and gets drawn in to this story…
I loved this story, I liked the team of investigators with their Forest Gump like nicknames, and I liked the authentic feeling of the story. Well, and it reminded me of paranormal investigation TV shows, only better, because these guys actually discover the mill is haunted! I loved the romance that blooms between Frank the skeptic, and Toby the psychic. I also liked the little side romance I won’t say anymore about.
This felt like the beginning to a fantastic series, I’d love to see what Frank and Toby get in to next! Jamie Fessenden is an author I don’t read much of, I’ve read his contibutions to the other books in this series and I’ve really liked them. I really do need to go get more of his books, what I’ve read has been just great.
We are off to a good start to this book with this fantastic story!
4.5 Hearts
Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding
Very cool story! I love this one!
This story takes place in Split Croatia, a place I am not familiar with at all. We have a ghost, Sabbio, who has been around a looooong time. Hanging out watching time pass, floating wherever ghosts float, just existing but barely. He was once a slave, dying an ugly death at a young age, working on a palace. His one lasting contribution is his work on the palace which still stands hundreds of years later. Once in his floating and observing, he sees a tourist, who almost, but not quite, sees him back.
Mason Gould is in Croatia with his brother, sister-in-law and a friend. Mason is only sort of there, he’s still in mourning for his murdered husband. He is so sad, sometimes suicidal, just barely getting by. While having a glass or two of wine with his fellow travelers, he sees something hovering in the sunlight, but then it’s gone.
This is such a wonderful story, sweet and poignant, it made me really feel. I felt sad, it made me tear up, but also made me happy and hopeful. I couldn’t see the end and how it could possibly work out. I loved it when it did. I liked the extra characters, it’s short so I’m keeping details to a minimum, but it’s got some great side characters in it. I so want to say more, but I won’t! There’s this whole thing with dreams that was very cool.
I am a huge Kim Fielding fan, and this is such a good story. She writes creative and believable stories, with excellent characters. I can’t recommend her enough, her contributions to these anthologies have been wonderful. If you haven’t read any of her books, seriously, go get some after reading this book.
4.5 Hearts
Among the Dead by Eli Easton
Oh geez…. this one made me cry!
Neil Gaven is a bit of a recluse. He lives in a great neighborhood in Seattle, works for a tech company, but he has a problem. He sees dead people. Everywhere. He’s gotten to the point that he can barely leave his house. He manages to take the bus to work once a month for a meeting with his boss, and can do his grocery shopping, but everything else is a struggle. He used to be social, even had a boyfriend at one point. Then he hit his head, and life has sucked ever since. But things are about to change when Edward comes in to his life. Edward leads to Trist and he’s in love…
Wow. This story is so good. I was blown away. I can’t say anymore, damn, I really want to say something but I can’t! Seriously, read this story! I have really liked all of the books I’ve read by Eli Easton. This one is also set in Seattle, my hometown, and I am happy to say Eli got the details included in this book right! This does not always happen, and bugs the hell out of me. So this one is well written, very emotional, great characters, and good details. Loved it!
5 Hearts
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas
Mike is having a bad day. So bad, that he actually dies while driving and texting his lover Joel, to tell him he’ll be to their hotel room in just a few minutes. But Mike can’t seem to move on until he finishes something… With the help of others, he does what he needs to do.
I liked this story, it was quite sweet. There isn’t a lot of plot to it, so I can’t say much here without giving too much away. I liked the characters and the… hmmm…. task I guess, that Mike has to do. I think this is the first story I’ve read by BG Thomas, and I enjoyed it. It didn’t affect me emotionally as much as the other stories in this anthology, I think it took a little too long to get to the end. But that’s just me, wanting something more to happen. I liked the extra character and what she did to affect the story. I loved the ending!
I’ve been curious to read a book by this author, and this made me want to go see what else he has out there! Good writing, great characters, an interesting plot, and a great ending.
4 Hearts
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden
Oh… this is a nice spooky story. Frank and his crew are paranormal investigators, hired to look in to possible hauntings in an old abandoned mill in Hawley Maine. The current owner of the mill wants to know if it can be torn down, or remodeled. After a rough start for C-Troop Paranormal, and an injury to Louis, Frank’s younger brother and fellow investigator, Mrs. Hawley bring in her own personal psychic, Toby. Now Toby is the real thing. He heads over and gets drawn in to this story…
I loved this story, I liked the team of investigators with their Forest Gump like nicknames, and I liked the authentic feeling of the story. Well, and it reminded me of paranormal investigation TV shows, only better, because these guys actually discover the mill is haunted! I loved the romance that blooms between Frank the skeptic, and Toby the psychic. I also liked the little side romance I won’t say anymore about.
This felt like the beginning to a fantastic series, I’d love to see what Frank and Toby get in to next! Jamie Fessenden is an author I don’t read much of, I’ve read his contibutions to the other books in this series and I’ve really liked them. I really do need to go get more of his books, what I’ve read has been just great.
We are off to a good start to this book with this fantastic story!
4.5 Hearts
Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding
Very cool story! I love this one!
This story takes place in Split Croatia, a place I am not familiar with at all. We have a ghost, Sabbio, who has been around a looooong time. Hanging out watching time pass, floating wherever ghosts float, just existing but barely. He was once a slave, dying an ugly death at a young age, working on a palace. His one lasting contribution is his work on the palace which still stands hundreds of years later. Once in his floating and observing, he sees a tourist, who almost, but not quite, sees him back.
Mason Gould is in Croatia with his brother, sister-in-law and a friend. Mason is only sort of there, he’s still in mourning for his murdered husband. He is so sad, sometimes suicidal, just barely getting by. While having a glass or two of wine with his fellow travelers, he sees something hovering in the sunlight, but then it’s gone.
This is such a wonderful story, sweet and poignant, it made me really feel. I felt sad, it made me tear up, but also made me happy and hopeful. I couldn’t see the end and how it could possibly work out. I loved it when it did. I liked the extra characters, it’s short so I’m keeping details to a minimum, but it’s got some great side characters in it. I so want to say more, but I won’t! There’s this whole thing with dreams that was very cool.
I am a huge Kim Fielding fan, and this is such a good story. She writes creative and believable stories, with excellent characters. I can’t recommend her enough, her contributions to these anthologies have been wonderful. If you haven’t read any of her books, seriously, go get some after reading this book.
4.5 Hearts
Among the Dead by Eli Easton
Oh geez…. this one made me cry!
Neil Gaven is a bit of a recluse. He lives in a great neighborhood in Seattle, works for a tech company, but he has a problem. He sees dead people. Everywhere. He’s gotten to the point that he can barely leave his house. He manages to take the bus to work once a month for a meeting with his boss, and can do his grocery shopping, but everything else is a struggle. He used to be social, even had a boyfriend at one point. Then he hit his head, and life has sucked ever since. But things are about to change when Edward comes in to his life. Edward leads to Trist and he’s in love…
Wow. This story is so good. I was blown away. I can’t say anymore, damn, I really want to say something but I can’t! Seriously, read this story! I have really liked all of the books I’ve read by Eli Easton. This one is also set in Seattle, my hometown, and I am happy to say Eli got the details included in this book right! This does not always happen, and bugs the hell out of me. So this one is well written, very emotional, great characters, and good details. Loved it!
5 Hearts
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas
Mike is having a bad day. So bad, that he actually dies while driving and texting his lover Joel, to tell him he’ll be to their hotel room in just a few minutes. But Mike can’t seem to move on until he finishes something… With the help of others, he does what he needs to do.
I liked this story, it was quite sweet. There isn’t a lot of plot to it, so I can’t say much here without giving too much away. I liked the characters and the… hmmm…. task I guess, that Mike has to do. I think this is the first story I’ve read by BG Thomas, and I enjoyed it. It didn’t affect me emotionally as much as the other stories in this anthology, I think it took a little too long to get to the end. But that’s just me, wanting something more to happen. I liked the extra character and what she did to affect the story. I loved the ending!
I’ve been curious to read a book by this author, and this made me want to go see what else he has out there! Good writing, great characters, an interesting plot, and a great ending.
4 Hearts
October 23, 2015
I've been eagerly awaiting this fourth installment in the Gothika series; it's the only anthologies where I have not been at least a little disappointed at at least one of the stories incorporated in an anthology. "Spirit" is no different than my previous experiences with the Gothika collections - it's yet another wonderful and a bit creepy anthology.
The common theme for this part are ghosts, and ghosts we get, in a few different flavors, all of which I very much enjoyed. I read them all in order as presented in the anthology during just a couple of days.
First story is by Jamie Fessenden. I didn't get the chance to finish the piece in one sitting and had to put it down to get some sleep in order to go to work the next day. And I must say at felt more than a little unsettled at the time I put out the light. Fessenden's story is in my opinion the most scary of the four. These ghosts are if not viscous, at least very hostile and the setting, the old closed textile mill from the turn of the last century made the perfect place for a haunting. I'm glad Fessenden completed the story with a comment regarding the history of old mills like the one in the story as well as a comment to the ballad which is used as chapter introduction to most of the chapters.
Kim Fielding's story is next. As usual she didn't disappoint, and showed what I've come to think of as her trademark, exquisitely kind and gentle, but oh so lonely characters. And of course she has returned to Croatia, and the city of Split. Fielding's story wasn't scary, but definitely sad. The good thing with Fielding is that it (almost, with the exception for the poor man in the asylum in the book The Tin Box) always ends on a positive note, two lonely souls finding each other and happiness as well as peace.
Then comes Eli Easton's piece. And I don't know if it's just me, maybe I'm a lazy reader or maybe I was just so absorbed into the story but apparently I missed a few details, and despite having a few movie experiences in common with the story's main character I was completely taken by surprise when the turn of events took place. I had a lot of fun reading this story. I thought the main character's voice was well paced and more than a little bit fun. I loved his descriptions of the dead around him. I ended up a bit baffled, but in a very good way.
B.G. Thomas' story comes with more than one important lesson for the reader as well as the main character. We see it every day, the drivers who drive and text, and we even hear about those watching movie clips or entire films while driving. This story begins with Mike just getting hit by an other car when passing a red light due to inattention when texting. He is killed instantly and watches his own body and car wreck from the outside. Too late he realizes he has not been honest with the important people in his life, not with his lover, and not with his wife. The message Thomas' gives us, and Mike, that we shouldn't put up saying and doing to our loved ones what's on our minds, someday it can be too late, and we don't know whether that day is today or in twenty years.
This message along with the quote Thomas' story starts with, something along the line that "ghosts are unfinished business" can be said to be a main theme through out the entire anthology. Every ghost in "Spirit" Gothika 4 has some unfinished business one way or another, and all four stories are really good and very enjoyable, each in their own way. Highly recommended October reading!
The common theme for this part are ghosts, and ghosts we get, in a few different flavors, all of which I very much enjoyed. I read them all in order as presented in the anthology during just a couple of days.
First story is by Jamie Fessenden. I didn't get the chance to finish the piece in one sitting and had to put it down to get some sleep in order to go to work the next day. And I must say at felt more than a little unsettled at the time I put out the light. Fessenden's story is in my opinion the most scary of the four. These ghosts are if not viscous, at least very hostile and the setting, the old closed textile mill from the turn of the last century made the perfect place for a haunting. I'm glad Fessenden completed the story with a comment regarding the history of old mills like the one in the story as well as a comment to the ballad which is used as chapter introduction to most of the chapters.
Kim Fielding's story is next. As usual she didn't disappoint, and showed what I've come to think of as her trademark, exquisitely kind and gentle, but oh so lonely characters. And of course she has returned to Croatia, and the city of Split. Fielding's story wasn't scary, but definitely sad. The good thing with Fielding is that it (almost, with the exception for the poor man in the asylum in the book The Tin Box) always ends on a positive note, two lonely souls finding each other and happiness as well as peace.
Then comes Eli Easton's piece. And I don't know if it's just me, maybe I'm a lazy reader or maybe I was just so absorbed into the story but apparently I missed a few details, and despite having a few movie experiences in common with the story's main character I was completely taken by surprise when the turn of events took place. I had a lot of fun reading this story. I thought the main character's voice was well paced and more than a little bit fun. I loved his descriptions of the dead around him. I ended up a bit baffled, but in a very good way.
B.G. Thomas' story comes with more than one important lesson for the reader as well as the main character. We see it every day, the drivers who drive and text, and we even hear about those watching movie clips or entire films while driving. This story begins with Mike just getting hit by an other car when passing a red light due to inattention when texting. He is killed instantly and watches his own body and car wreck from the outside. Too late he realizes he has not been honest with the important people in his life, not with his lover, and not with his wife. The message Thomas' gives us, and Mike, that we shouldn't put up saying and doing to our loved ones what's on our minds, someday it can be too late, and we don't know whether that day is today or in twenty years.
This message along with the quote Thomas' story starts with, something along the line that "ghosts are unfinished business" can be said to be a main theme through out the entire anthology. Every ghost in "Spirit" Gothika 4 has some unfinished business one way or another, and all four stories are really good and very enjoyable, each in their own way. Highly recommended October reading!
October 3, 2022
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden - ★★★
There were some things with this I liked, but I felt like the relationship, even for a short story was rushed. Or maybe it was just awkward. But I did really liked the paranormal elements of this story. The ghost story was well put together and was the right amount of spooky.
Dei Ex Machina by Kim Fielding - ★★
This was just a little too out there for me. Mason's grief was understandable, but he got over it and "fell in love" a little too quickly for me. Especially because the connection he had with Sabbio' ghost really didn't have much in the way of getting to know each other. It's not poorly written, it just didn't make a lot of sense as to why now, why these two, and why the gods would be there or care. Strange, but in the end I was happy for the two guys.
Among the Dead by Eli Easton - ★★★
This was an interesting twist on the ghost tale. I liked how the story developed. Sure the relationship was a little rushed, but it was a lot before these two even got to meet. But I did enjoy how everthing was revealed. It wasn't a surprising twist, but it was done in an interesting way.
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas - ★★★★
I don't think I should have liked this one as much as I did. Normally any sort of cheating bugs the crap out of me. Sure in this case it's supposed to be muted by the fact that both spouses are cheating, but that still normally would bug me. But maybe it's cause Mike's already "dead" and trying to make up for past mistakes. But I liked the way he started to figure things out and dealt with his own unfinished business while helping other ghosts with theirs. The ending was sweet as well.
There were some things with this I liked, but I felt like the relationship, even for a short story was rushed. Or maybe it was just awkward. But I did really liked the paranormal elements of this story. The ghost story was well put together and was the right amount of spooky.
Dei Ex Machina by Kim Fielding - ★★
This was just a little too out there for me. Mason's grief was understandable, but he got over it and "fell in love" a little too quickly for me. Especially because the connection he had with Sabbio' ghost really didn't have much in the way of getting to know each other. It's not poorly written, it just didn't make a lot of sense as to why now, why these two, and why the gods would be there or care. Strange, but in the end I was happy for the two guys.
Among the Dead by Eli Easton - ★★★
This was an interesting twist on the ghost tale. I liked how the story developed. Sure the relationship was a little rushed, but it was a lot before these two even got to meet. But I did enjoy how everthing was revealed. It wasn't a surprising twist, but it was done in an interesting way.
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas - ★★★★
I don't think I should have liked this one as much as I did. Normally any sort of cheating bugs the crap out of me. Sure in this case it's supposed to be muted by the fact that both spouses are cheating, but that still normally would bug me. But maybe it's cause Mike's already "dead" and trying to make up for past mistakes. But I liked the way he started to figure things out and dealt with his own unfinished business while helping other ghosts with theirs. The ending was sweet as well.
July 18, 2019
The Mill - Jamie Fessenden - 4/5 - Frank Carter is a paranormal investigator with his team and they’re trying to determine whether Hawley Mill is haunted. On the first night of their investigation, Frank’s younger brother has a vision of a fire and ends up falling down some stairs and into a coma. The patroness who is funding the expedition adds a psychic, Toby, to Frank’s team. They’re skeptical and a bit resentful of Toby’s presence, but Frank is also intrigued by him. And it’s Toby’s vision that has them investigating in the right direction, which allows them to uncover the true villain in the haunting of Hawley Mill and uncover the mystery of what really happened so long ago.
Nice story. I haven’t read this author before, but after this, I would again. It has enough balance between romance, main character tension and mystery/horror to keep one engaged and it’s tightly condensed while still managing to get a complete story into a short length. Nothing’s rushed or glossed over, so it felt like a neat story. Toby and Frank maybe lacked a strong chemistry, but they were still a cute couple and I liked Frank’s protectiveness. Now, I did the math with the villain and I struggled with that one...it would mean that at the age of 98, he was still able to spryly run away from ghosts (and that’s if he did his dastardly deed when he was only 15!) I wonder if the author maybe forgot his timeline… It was a small thing, but had me scratching my head in puzzlement.
Dei Ex Machina - Kim Fielding - 3.5/5 - 8 months ago, Mason’s husband died and he’s mourned ever since, wishing he’d been able to at least say goodbye. Now he’s on vacation in Split, Croatia and he’s overheard by a man who invites him to his mother’s house, so she can try to contact the spirit of Mason’s husband. She is unsuccessful, but the attempt lightens Mason’s heart. But she is successful in bringing another spirit into Mason’s orbit - Sabbio, a Roman slave who has been dead and alone for seventeen centuries. Mason feels for Sabbio’s situation, but it isn’t until he sleeps and Sabbio appears in physical form in his dreams that he really starts to feel for Sabbio. But Mason can’t quite believe what’s happening and without faith and belief, there’s nothing Mason can do for Sabbio. But perhaps some prayers to the right gods could help…
This was cute, but didn’t do a whole lot for me. This relied heavily on insta-love between Mason and Sabbio, especially given that they basically had two dream-nights together and barely knew each other. They didn’t get a whole lot of page-time together either. I also struggled with how quickly Mason stopped grieving for his husband and moved on so totally. It felt like there really wasn’t enough length to this story to satisfactorily deal with Mason’s grief and his disbelief in Sabbio. Still, overall a nice concept and as the title suggests, a cute “dei ex machina” .
Among the Dead - Eli Easton - 2.5/5 - Neil has been living a nightmare since his concussion two years ago because now he can see the dead and they’re everywhere. He does his best to ignore them and stay inside all the time, but when one of them, Edward, starts stalking him, Neil is intrigued instead of scared. Edward finds a way to communicate and tells Neil to rescue Trist Lassiter, in Volunteer Park. Trist turns out to be a guy Neil used to see on his way to work that he thought was cute and Neil regrets not stopping to talk and luckily for Neil, Trist has the same “gift.” He and Trist start up a relationship, and things seem quite happy, but something isn’t quite what it seems and Neil is going to have to deal with it.
This one threw me off. It was good and well-written, but it seemed at first that it was setting up for a romance between Neil and Edward and then halfway into the story Trist is introduced as the love interest and from there the relationship is on super-fast-forward. I think Trist should have been introduced much earlier...but the twist might have been harder to pull off if that was the case. I didn’t really care for the twist very much, but it was definitely unexpected with all kinds of foreshadowing for it that you only notice when you go back and look for it. Still...it didn’t all add up unless It still worked, but I kept questioning everything.
Unfinished Business - B.G. Thomas - 3/5 - Mike, a married businessman who always denied that he was gay, is on his way to meet his guilty male lover, Joel...a man he loves but doesn’t have the courage to say it to. On his way, he gets into a bad accident and to his understanding, dies. He is wooshed around as he watches Joel and his wife (who is also having an affair apparently) receive the phone call. Then, he’s helping people cross to the other side. Finally, he realizes he needs to tell Joel he loves him and apologize to his wife before he has to cross over - but this is how he discovers he’s not dead yet, merely brain dead. When he seeks out help from the detective who could hear him, she helps him communicate what he needs his loved ones to know. Will it be over for him then or will he get a second chance?
This was a lot less romance and a lot more drama...not dwama, but real drama as we watch Mike struggle with his life decisions and his regrets and try to fix those relationships from the other side. There’s a lot of guilt about cheating on his wife and about not telling Joel how he really felt about him and it’s certainly an engaging little story. But I was looking for romance and this wasn’t it (though it did have some romantic elements and the only sex scene is Mike cheating on his wife with Joel, and I dislike infidelity strongly), though Mike does learn his lesson a bit here.
Nice story. I haven’t read this author before, but after this, I would again. It has enough balance between romance, main character tension and mystery/horror to keep one engaged and it’s tightly condensed while still managing to get a complete story into a short length. Nothing’s rushed or glossed over, so it felt like a neat story. Toby and Frank maybe lacked a strong chemistry, but they were still a cute couple and I liked Frank’s protectiveness. Now, I did the math with the villain and I struggled with that one...it would mean that at the age of 98, he was still able to spryly run away from ghosts (and that’s if he did his dastardly deed when he was only 15!) I wonder if the author maybe forgot his timeline… It was a small thing, but had me scratching my head in puzzlement.
Dei Ex Machina - Kim Fielding - 3.5/5 - 8 months ago, Mason’s husband died and he’s mourned ever since, wishing he’d been able to at least say goodbye. Now he’s on vacation in Split, Croatia and he’s overheard by a man who invites him to his mother’s house, so she can try to contact the spirit of Mason’s husband. She is unsuccessful, but the attempt lightens Mason’s heart. But she is successful in bringing another spirit into Mason’s orbit - Sabbio, a Roman slave who has been dead and alone for seventeen centuries. Mason feels for Sabbio’s situation, but it isn’t until he sleeps and Sabbio appears in physical form in his dreams that he really starts to feel for Sabbio. But Mason can’t quite believe what’s happening and without faith and belief, there’s nothing Mason can do for Sabbio. But perhaps some prayers to the right gods could help…
This was cute, but didn’t do a whole lot for me. This relied heavily on insta-love between Mason and Sabbio, especially given that they basically had two dream-nights together and barely knew each other. They didn’t get a whole lot of page-time together either. I also struggled with how quickly Mason stopped grieving for his husband and moved on so totally. It felt like there really wasn’t enough length to this story to satisfactorily deal with Mason’s grief and his disbelief in Sabbio. Still, overall a nice concept and as the title suggests, a cute “dei ex machina” .
Among the Dead - Eli Easton - 2.5/5 - Neil has been living a nightmare since his concussion two years ago because now he can see the dead and they’re everywhere. He does his best to ignore them and stay inside all the time, but when one of them, Edward, starts stalking him, Neil is intrigued instead of scared. Edward finds a way to communicate and tells Neil to rescue Trist Lassiter, in Volunteer Park. Trist turns out to be a guy Neil used to see on his way to work that he thought was cute and Neil regrets not stopping to talk and luckily for Neil, Trist has the same “gift.” He and Trist start up a relationship, and things seem quite happy, but something isn’t quite what it seems and Neil is going to have to deal with it.
This one threw me off. It was good and well-written, but it seemed at first that it was setting up for a romance between Neil and Edward and then halfway into the story Trist is introduced as the love interest and from there the relationship is on super-fast-forward. I think Trist should have been introduced much earlier...but the twist might have been harder to pull off if that was the case. I didn’t really care for the twist very much, but it was definitely unexpected with all kinds of foreshadowing for it that you only notice when you go back and look for it. Still...it didn’t all add up unless It still worked, but I kept questioning everything.
Unfinished Business - B.G. Thomas - 3/5 - Mike, a married businessman who always denied that he was gay, is on his way to meet his guilty male lover, Joel...a man he loves but doesn’t have the courage to say it to. On his way, he gets into a bad accident and to his understanding, dies. He is wooshed around as he watches Joel and his wife (who is also having an affair apparently) receive the phone call. Then, he’s helping people cross to the other side. Finally, he realizes he needs to tell Joel he loves him and apologize to his wife before he has to cross over - but this is how he discovers he’s not dead yet, merely brain dead. When he seeks out help from the detective who could hear him, she helps him communicate what he needs his loved ones to know. Will it be over for him then or will he get a second chance?
This was a lot less romance and a lot more drama...not dwama, but real drama as we watch Mike struggle with his life decisions and his regrets and try to fix those relationships from the other side. There’s a lot of guilt about cheating on his wife and about not telling Joel how he really felt about him and it’s certainly an engaging little story. But I was looking for romance and this wasn’t it (though it did have some romantic elements and the only sex scene is Mike cheating on his wife with Joel, and I dislike infidelity strongly), though Mike does learn his lesson a bit here.
December 23, 2015
I love them all!!
The first story was super creepy, but I couldn't put it down. I was fascinated by the history and the mix of science and supernatural in the story. It would be great if this story were turned to be series.
The second story was much lighter than the first one. And although it was implausible, I was glad of the happy ending.
The third story was surprising. I did not see that plot twist! It's happy but kind of sad too. At least those two finally got together.
I think the fourth story is the happiest of them all. What a perfect ending to these collection of stories about spirits.
The first story was super creepy, but I couldn't put it down. I was fascinated by the history and the mix of science and supernatural in the story. It would be great if this story were turned to be series.
The second story was much lighter than the first one. And although it was implausible, I was glad of the happy ending.
The third story was surprising. I did not see that plot twist! It's happy but kind of sad too. At least those two finally got together.
I think the fourth story is the happiest of them all. What a perfect ending to these collection of stories about spirits.
September 29, 2016
3.5 stars, bumped up to 4 for the first story (which was my favorite!) The other three stories were entertaining, but didn't take me in like the first one. Still a pretty decent read and perfect for Halloween. :)
January 31, 2017
Spooky and sexy. Can't wait for the next one!
December 9, 2015
Best one yet!
July 26, 2017
Loved Jamie's story so much!
March 14, 2018
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden - 4 stars
Dei Ex Machina by Kim Fielding - 3 stars
Among the Dead by Eli Easton - 2 stars
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas - 1.5 stars
Dei Ex Machina by Kim Fielding - 3 stars
Among the Dead by Eli Easton - 2 stars
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas - 1.5 stars
December 9, 2018
Excellent!
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden - 4.5
Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding - 5
Among the dead by Eli Easton - 4.5
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas - unrated because it didn't work for me.
The Mill by Jamie Fessenden - 4.5
Dei ex Machina by Kim Fielding - 5
Among the dead by Eli Easton - 4.5
Unfinished Business by B.G. Thomas - unrated because it didn't work for me.
November 25, 2019
3.5 so while I did like the previous books in this series more, this was still a rollicking good time. And who doesn't want to read about ghosts right before Thanksgiving? XD
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