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Sparrow Falls #1

Shades of Night

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In Sparrow Falls, Louisiana, something strange is always going on. It is a hub of murder and mayhem, ghostly apparitions and just plain weird people. Some folks even say there are monsters there.

Nick Lange left his hometown behind twelve years ago, dreams of making it big somewhere else looming bright in his mind. What he got instead was a drug habit that led to a long prison sentence for a crime he did indeed commit. Newly released and with nowhere to go, Nick heads home to Sparrow Falls, land of the freakish and the bizarre, with hopes of rebuilding his life in the town he tried to leave behind.

Nick’s quiet new life is soon interrupted when he learns about the newest happenings in town. Since August, things have gotten extra peculiar and not long after Nick’s arrival the murders start. Brutal, senseless killings that leave the victims mauled beyond recognition... and partially eaten. The townspeople whisper that it’s something that hides under the bed or lurks in the closet, waiting and hungry.

Nick, ever the skeptic, says it’s only a man and that’s bad enough because whoever—or whatever—it is, they’ve got Nick in their sights. Nick’s never been one to back down from a fight and that’s a good thing because as the dark gets deeper, it becomes a vicious game of live or die. One that Nick isn’t sure he can survive.

Tick. Tick.

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 18, 2016

15 people are currently reading
496 people want to read

About the author

Justine Sebastian

9 books56 followers
Justine Sebastian began writing at the age of four. It took her quite a few years longer to realize she might actually be able to make a living doing so. She was born and raised in the south and does indeed have an accent. She does NOT write romance novels.

Readers can contact her via email at: just_sebastian@outlook.com. She promises not to bite unless you ask her to.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Martin.
807 reviews603 followers
February 7, 2017
Do you remember the time when monsters weren't romanticized (thank you, Twilight), but were actual horror creatures that made your blood run cold?

description

If you've grown accustomed to handsome vampires falling in love with pretty maidens (or young men), you need to read this book and remember what it meant when a pair of gleaming eyes stared at you from the underbrush of the forest behind your house.

description

Nick Lange just spend 12 years behind bars due to a drug running gig across the Mexican border. He's now back out and trying to hitchhike his way to his home town Sparrow Falls in Louisiana, where his cousin Nancy promised him to let him stay at a trailer and help him get back on his feet.

description

It all begins when Nick walks the last few miles through the woods to his cousin's house and a strange feeling sends shivers down his spine.

Something was watching him; he could feel its eyes on him though he couldn’t see a damn thing in the faint light from the half moon that was partially obscured by clouds. The road was a faint gunmetal gleam in front of him, the star-sprinkled sky visible through the tops of the pines in places, but near the ground the darkness was absolute. Nick still leaned forward, squinting; he hadn’t heard anything walk away, so whatever it was still stood there.
...
He took a step forward then froze again. He cocked his head and listened. He could hear something breathing. Each breath sounded like gusts gently pushed from a bellows. He listened to the watcher’s breath and thought he heard it shift its weight, its breath changing in pitch. There was a rasping undertone to the sound, like it was holding back a growl. Ice grew inside of Nick, slid through him like a caress.
...
As he took another step, a branch cracked behind him and Nick jumped, breath catching in his throat. He wanted to run.


(If you only want to name one thing that this book reaches perfection in, it's building suspense and terror of the unknown).

When Nick arrives at his cousin's place, the first thing he notices are huge scratching marks on her door. Not really wanting to talk about them, she welcomes him home and helps him settle in in his new trailer and she even organized a job interview for him as a janitor in the hospital she works in.

Nick is grateful and doesn't think too much about the terrible threat that he knows is lurking in the woods. This is Sparrow Falls, after all, where a maniac serial killer has been on the loose for years and is treated like the town's guilty pleasure, even though nobody wants to be the next victim, of course. The town is also known for many macabre circumstances, such as Gallagher House, where a family went missing in the 1930s and strange noises can still be heard at night. Or the guy who was hanged under a bridge and allegedly appears as a ghost if you take the time to visit him.
So what is one more monster roaming the woods?

Nick has many other problems to deal with, such as his current lack of money. Nick is a pretty shady guy and a real anti-hero, so when he needs quick money, he has no qualms to resort to his old ways of

It doesn't take long until the first people end up dead, stirring up the quiet town. First it's just pets and farm animals that die horrible deaths at night with their owners shaking with fear behind their presumably safe walls, listening to the terrible death screams of their animals. Soon it's also humans who (in parts) are found dead.
*Something* is on the loose.

Despite Nick's illustrous circle of friends' insistence that it must indeed be a supernatural being lying in wait for unsuspecting victims, Nick is convinced that no matter how gruesome the deaths are, it must be an insane man killing these people.

In the end, Nick will find out the truth soon enough - and it will cost him more than any man would be willing to give.

I freaking LOVED this book. I felt like a piece of cardboard stuck to a vacuum cleaner. I absolutely could not put this down. The book was very very heavy on long, describing passages that gave you insight into the character's heads (most characters got their own POV at some point, especially those that were killed by the *creature* and those scenes were totally and horribly scary - I LOVED them!! Nothing like watching a character die horribly through his own eyes!!), but it never felt overly long to me, even though I tend to read shorter books, usually.

The characters were simply amazing.

Nick with his emotional issues and his dark past - I absolutely fell in love with him and he PROVED that he was a good guy, even though he considered himself scum

Nancy, his doctor cousin who is trying to help Nick get his life back on track - she was literally the ONLY absolutely normal acting character in this book. If 'normal' is anything you can go by in Sparrow Falls.

Hylas, Nicks's high school buddy who is now a reporter for the local newspaper. He suffers from narcolepsy, dropping off to sleep at the most inconvenient of times.

Tobias, Hylas' brother (who will be the MC in the next book), a beautiful young man with skin as white as marble and an aura about him that makes people feel scared - the whole town avoids him, but nobody can tell why. He's a nice guy who feels a bit lonely and rejected since nobody talks to him, but he got used to it and still has a bunch of friends who overcome their natural fears and socialize with him.

Crash, a guy who works at the morgue and seems to have a crush on Nick, showing him the corpses he's taking care of like trophies to impress his new flame. Too bad that Crash has terrible social skills, and Nick doesn't do love anyway.

Wes, an adorable and awkward young man with , who is fascinated by the town's reputation and decided to visit and write a book about his findings, even though he's too insecure and shy to call what he does 'writing a book'. I seriously loved this young man and how he interacted with Nick.

Shades of Night is a perfect and disturbingly realistic masterpiece of horror literature which manages the rare feat of both building suspense until you cannot stand it any longer AND THEN letting you have a close-up look at the horrors without having you lose interest (which you usually do once a big mystery is revealed). But not with this book. Even after all cards are on the table, you simply have to read on and follow Nick on his painful and heartbreaking journey through the shadows of Sparrow Falls.

Big badass spoiler:


Even though I will probably have nightmares from some of the scenes here, there's nothing clearer than this book deserving the highest rating! It's a real masterpiece of m/m horror literature!

5 stars and an early Top 10 favorite read in 2017!
Profile Image for Diana.
643 reviews18 followers
June 16, 2017
4 Boogey Man Stars

This book reminded me of the spooky movies I loved as a child. Vampires, ghosts, it didn’t matter, I was hooked. Now, I am scaredy-cat, practically hiding under a blank while reading this book.

Nick Lange has just been released from prison and heads back to his home town, Sparrow Falls. This little town is used to weird things. It already has ghosts and a serial killer running around. But when a few people are concerned about “something” is out there killing pets and farm animals, rumors start flying, especially after the grisly murders start. It is a bear, a dog, or is it something else? Whatever it is, it wants Nick. Of course, Nick thinks it is an animal doing all the grisly killing. Even when he starts putting pieces of the murders together, he still doesn’t believe it could be what the townspeople and his friend’s say it is.

The writing sucked me into the story from the beginning. The author had me second guessing a few times, who it could be. Was it the fairly new guy in town, or is it the guy that the town think is a freak? The side characters were very likable and had me laughing, especially Nick’s narcoleptic best friend, Hylas.

Honestly, I was a little upset with the ending. Besides being a I wanted more. I know I will definitely be reading book 2, but I just need some time to get my nerves calmed down.
Profile Image for Helen.
172 reviews25 followers
May 19, 2017
I really enjoyed this , although it has genuinely creepy moments , there is so much more to this story than just that ! ( Maybe it's even going on my favourites shelf ).

It is so well written , that even though main character Nick is an anti-hero , his thoughts and motivations are described in such away that you are rooting for him to turn his life around . And even though he doesn't consider himself a good person , you the reader know he really is .

It is possibly because of his past experiences , that the romance in the book is subtle , for Nick does not recognise it himself initially .

This book is a creepy palate cleanser :
The small town of Sparrow Falls weirdly used to deaths and strange happenings , with a very spooky backstory .

The supporting characters , some with problems and weirdness of their own , but all uniquely quirky .

Being introduced to victims only to see through their eyes as they meet the " monster " and fight to survive .

The building of suspense , as the story progresses .

This book is a little treasure , I urge you to try it !!
Profile Image for Marion.
1,878 reviews44 followers
May 17, 2017
I finally put on my big girl pants, and with much hand holding from my BR group, started Shades of Night. Boy am I glad I did. I would have hated to have missed out on this gem of a story.
While not your typical MM romance (it can barely be called a romance), or even a typical paranormal story, it was so worthwhile, so well written, so creepy (but not scary...that distinction is very important)...just so perfect! Everything I didn't know I was looking for.
Martin, so many thanks for this recommendation.
My BR group, thank you for holding my hands!
Tick Tick.
I can't wait to read Falls the Shadow (Sparrow Falls 2)!!
Profile Image for Caipi.
1,252 reviews33 followers
May 19, 2017
Not my usual type of books.......
This was creepy, but awesome.....

tick-tick

I really enjoyed reading it!

Thanks to the ladies from TPAM for the buddy read!!!! :)

4,5 stars
Profile Image for Beth doesn't write  enough reviews.
612 reviews34 followers
October 19, 2018
Amazing! Suspenseful! Goodness I enjoyed the hell out this. Then again my love of reading began with the great Stephen King. My love of horror I got from my mother’s admiration of the incomparable Lon Chaney Jr.

I love a good scare. Not a cheap jump scare used by lazy movie directors, the real tight muscle goosebumps scare. As a child my friends and I played hide & go seek after dark and if nobody was watching we played it in the cemetery. Those nights were the best.

That’s the scare I got here. Sitting on my patio in the dark reading the hell out of this and screeched when a branch fell from a tree. Yes I’m a dork.

I loved Nick. Not at all the hero usually found in books. Whore, drug addict, drug smuggler, ex con. But he thinks of himself as a good guy. It turns out, he’s right.

The author did an amazing job of building suspense, giving you the creepy something is watching feel and making sure you cannot put the book down or you will miss something.

I can’t wait to start the next book to see what comes up with next!
Profile Image for Stacie.
2,572 reviews276 followers
September 27, 2017
4 1/2 "Super creepy guy" Stars!

Wow! What comes right to mind about this book is that it is wonderfully weird! My TPAM girls read this book as a BR a few months ago. I was intrigued but I am also a big scaredy cat when it comes to horror stories. But despite my scaredy cat-ness, this story still sounded good to me. Well, there was no need to be so afraid. This book was more of a mystery than a horror story. Even better than that, it was full of weird, wonderful, interesting characters. I kept asking myself, "What is going on?", and "What is he?" . Sparrow Falls is a seriously strange place...

I'm so glad I gave this one a try. I loved it! I'll be on to the next book very soon. Gotta get more information about Tobias. What is he??? Happy reading!
Profile Image for SammiSue.
75 reviews6 followers
October 4, 2018
The main story ends @ 90%. Beware!

So yeah, other than the ending running up on me like that, (It said I had 52 minutes left, then ended, and a sample of the second book started 😵😒) it was a good book. Not to say it wasn't a satisfying ending, it was. Just unexpected.

It had a nice fresh take on older supernatural themes, wonderfully developed characters all around, (although I found myself wishing for more backstory on Crash) with a lil 'rentboy' (rentMAN) trope thrown in for good measure.

Not sure if I am jumping into the sequel right away tho. Need a slightly calmer book, me thinks.
Profile Image for Leaf of Absence .
128 reviews23 followers
June 17, 2020
Very entertaining! Gruesome and deliciously creepy. A menagerie of weirdos populate a small Louisiana town, complete with a rather baffling nonchalance towards murder and all sorts of supernatural occurances.

Nick, returning after ten years in prison, fits right back into his hometown, with his self-destructive behavior and compulsion to prostitute himself. He is a great anti-hero, and his struggles are realistic, though his refusal to accept the murders as supernatural (when the town is full of ghosts and serial killers etc) become a little frustrating towards the end, as it is clear what is going on, not only to the readers but all the other characters as well. The last chapter is fantastic, a really well done little epilogue.
Profile Image for caroline wilson.
606 reviews5 followers
January 19, 2017
I probably won't do justice to this book in my review but this is one of those books that I just loved loved loved!
What can I say this book had it all and made me go through a range of emotions whilst reading through this book:
*Crapping my pants scared
*Over the Richter scale of grossed out
*Laughter
*Made me love the characters even the big bad wolf
*Sadness
*Happiness.
When the author describes her books as "she don't write romance" it's not strictly true yes there wasn't a lot of smoochy scenes or the whole I love you's and skipping away hand in hand, in sparrows fall your more likely to be running screaming. BUT there was a sort of unconventional love story but just on the edges of the story, mostly this book concentrates on the things that go bump in the night. Sparrow Falls a small unassuming town, population going down by the week, idyllic if you don't count on all the strange disappearances, a serial killer on the loose for years and the weird people who live in the town. Nick Lange is coming home after having gone to jail for drug smuggling and being a prostitute, he's coming back to a place he couldn't wait to be shot of. Nancy his cousin has offered to put him up but on his way to her house he gets his first encountered with the thing that's terrorising the neighbourhood. Nick those not to show fear at whatever's growling at him from his time as a druggie prostitute and the dangers he survived. Don't run! Even though his senses are screaming for him too. He walks with this beast hiding in the trees taunting Nick, daring him to run, when he finally arrives at his cousin's door
"soft growl at last. "Nighty-night and thanks for playing".
Nick’s pulse stuttered and thumped, but his steps did not falter. This was the homestretch, the last leg of the last mile he had to go. This was when people panicked the most—when they felt they were closest to safety. Safety would not save Nick from the monster (man) that had accompanied him on his walk. Safety would be a word that meant nothing to them. If Nick stayed brave though; if he did not flinch then he would make it to the door and would be allowed to knock and go inside.

I liked that the main character was not your average normal man and that he was flawed and cynical with rough edges but an everyday hero who would help those he loved with every fibre of his being, a bad boy with a heart. But it's not long before he reverts back to his whoring ways picking up Wes who's got a kinky nature and who is slowly worming himself into that small cache of people Nick likes.
Crash is another interesting character who is the morgue attendant that Nick gradually starts to like even though he's mad and slightly off.
Then there hylas and tobias, hylas has been nicks partner in crime but who suffers from narcolepsy and tobias who creeps out the whole town ( I did originally think vampire but I think maybe he's a type of fae but I'll find out in the next book)
Anyways whatever is terrorising the town has stepped it up a gear and is now killing people, the author not only describes the grisly scenes but writes it from the victim's point of view which was just creepy and really gave you the scary factor. I think it was quite easy to find out who was the monster it was between 2 characters for me but when one got hurt I thought well it's got to be the other though I don't think the author was trying to hide who the culprit was, it was more the suspense and what's going to happen next, to see the monster behind the everyday facade. There were sweet moments and moments that made me laugh interspersed with tension and tucking my legs up with fright, but I enjoyed this book even with its all creepyness glory and engaging characters. I must admit it did make me cry when the werewolve died which is strange after all the horrible things it did but I got the feeling that it really did love Nick in its own damaged way and I felt sorry for him. I would of loved if the author had just given us a little more insight into what and how this man ticked and its past as you got snippets of gentleness and that he just wanted to be loved.
I'm so glad that even though I wasn't going to read the book after the sample I read and shelfed this as "nope nuh uh!" that after reading a review on this book it intrigued me enough to pick it back up and I'm glad otherwise I would of missed a cracker. Good story, tension, thrilling with a side of romance I loved it and its a must read for any who enjoys intrigue and paranormal books. Can't wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Daniel Mitton.
Author 3 books36 followers
February 3, 2017
(Originally reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews.)

Wow, this book came to my attention through a recommendation from a friend on Goodreads. I was intrigued when I read the blurb, but I had no idea that the MC and a couple other characters were gay until I started the book and found out.

This book is a true horror story. I would go so far as to liken it to an old-time Stephen King book in my humble opinion. It has all the pieces of a good horror story.

Shades of Night is set in the small-ish town of Sparrow Falls, Louisiana. I think somewhere along the way it said there are 30,000 residents, so not a true small town, but small-ish. The town has a long history of unsolved serial killings dating back years. The corpses are always found completely drained of blood, with flowers in their mouths and other ‘tells’ that show they are all the work of one person. The town has learned to live with them because there has never been any evidence found to point to the killer. This book, interestingly, is not about those killings… they are saved for book two.

Instead, in this book, something new has come to Sparrow Falls. Some sort of vicious animal has been attacking livestock and humans, killing both. The body count is starting to climb. Enter Nick Lange. Nick was arrested and served ten years in jail for transporting drugs across the Mexican border. He has come back to Sparrow Falls, where he supported himself as a male prostitute selling himself to other men when he was a teen. He is back to his old profession, but also working at the local hospital as a janitor, and he totally doesn’t believe everyone’s tales of some sort of animal creature doing the attacks. He is sure it is a man… maybe using some sort of ‘claw’ device to do the killings. But that doesn’t explain the teeth marks and partially eaten bodies now does it?

Is he correct? You will have to read it to find out. It kept me reading late last night and when I couldn’t keep my eyes open, I closed the Kindle down and forced myself to wait to finish it until tonight.

I highly recommend this book. If you are a lover of horror stories, I believe you will really enjoy this one. It is dark, has some twists, and a lot of carnage.
633 reviews7 followers
March 16, 2016
Great read and more

This was my first read by author Justine Sebastian and I will definitely check out what else he has written. I love werewolf horror stories and loved the characters. It was well worth reading and I look forward to more.
Profile Image for HaloLove.
276 reviews9 followers
June 25, 2017
Wes...Wes...my sweetly...weird Wes ❤️

LOL This freakin story is sooooooo far from the mm romance norm you almost forget about the romance (almost) because you're so lost in the gory horror of it all! And I loved every word of it.

I loved how Nick became so protective of Wes. And goodness...Wes had some freaky weird quirks that usually turns me off of a character but just like Nick, I found myself so protective of him and absolutely adored him by the end of the story and what a horror slash of a story this was.

Most Creepy Moment:

Nick walks to his cousin's house.


Most sexy moment:

Hospital blow job. -giggles-


Most Sweetest Moment:

Nick actually pulling Wes into his arms, holding him.


Most Memorable Character:

Tobias. WTF is up with him? I'm about to find out.

Profile Image for Laurel.
175 reviews2 followers
January 27, 2017
Best book I've read in a long time 6 * finally a mm story that isn't your typical shifter romance! It has monsters that scare you like in classic horror stories with crazy bizarre stuff and murders happening to folks who live in the out skirts of town. Add that to unique characters (some whom you hate)and a very complex different long story line and I was in heaven! Just started reading book 2 and am loving it too!
Profile Image for Joan.
2,209 reviews
October 9, 2018
Okay.



Review time.



What the hell do I write? (looks at all the highlights….) ( be patient - there are a LOT of them..)



Takes a deep breath.

Okay. Here goes.

First two sentences:

Nick Lange was released from prison on a Wednesday in early November. Given that he had gone to prison in the state of Texas, it was a wonder they decided to let him out at all.

At the point I seriously wondered whether to carry on reading - simply because that opening was so GOOD I knew I was going to be disappointed later on. But I read on..

The cabbie laughed, but he walled his eyes to the side a little, giving the prison one last look.

As he’d waited out his sentence, the world had moved on and left Nick a dinosaur in the digital age, a creaking old man that should be put out to pasture though his posture was good and he had no grey in his hair. His brain felt atrophied and stagnant, too slow to catch up with all the apps and buttons and blinking lights; things that beeped, clicked, hummed. Machines that spoke in absurdly realistic and patronisingly kind female voices like the most passive-aggressively hateful pre-school teacher in the known universe.

Wow. I mean WOW. This is an author who really knows how to write.

This is a bit like a risotto - a mix of everything: violence, love, monsters, friendship, murder, kinks, freaks, horror, brutality, generosity, ghosts, serial killers… (I hadn’t read any reviews before starting this novel, and so the m/m aspect was a surprise - though not unwelcome) All those different parts came together to create something filling and tasty and that left me wanting more.

So. This is a Marmite novel. (hmm… second ‘food’ reference. I must be getting hungry) You will either love it or loathe it.

I LOVED it.
Profile Image for Whitney.
238 reviews11 followers
May 21, 2020
I loved it.

This book was so good. I could not put it down. Wes was adorable. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves suspense/thrillers. ****Spoiler*****
I love how she turned the whole mate/insta-love thing on its head.
Profile Image for Georgie.
1 review
February 9, 2018
Just discovered this author a few days ago and wow!!!

I loved this book. The worldbuilding, the characters... ALL OF IT. I am so excited. Ffs, I finally made a GR account to emerge from tragic lurkerdom to leave a review.

And um, as someone who has read Poppy Z. Brite, the only comparison I can draw between her and Justine Sebastian is they both write books based in Louisiana.

OK! Now on to SF 2. I am dying to find out what Tobias is. Vampire? Gargoyle? Whaaaat?
Profile Image for Dan.
3,682 reviews642 followers
May 28, 2024
Set in Sparrow Falls, Louisiana.

Nick Lange, 34, is fresh out of prison. Incarcerated in Texas for the last twelve years, Nick is returning to his hometown.

Cousin (and BFF) Nancy lets Nick stay in a trailer on her property.

Nick has been turning tricks since age 14.

What’s out in the woods? All the townsfolk believe it’s an animal. Only Nick is convinced that it’s a man.

Nick was never a skinny twink, but he got buff in lockup. Golden hair, blue eyes, tall with broad shoulders.

He soon meets Wesley “Wes” Panzram, a john with some very intense fantasies he’s eager to act out. Wes is very…cute. And damaged.

Wes is new in town. He’s just relocated to Louisiana from Atlanta, Georgia.

Nancy helps Nick get a job as a janitor at the hospital.

Calvin “Crash” Newman is the morgue attendant there. Very hot but very eccentric…sinister.

Suspects and paramours…the two begin to blend.

Justine’s original writing style works well here. The attacks are actually quite scary. Writing from the victim POV attends to the horror elements.

Absorbing. Very American/Southern Gothic with scene and setting.

And…this drops off right after things with Nick and one of his suitors get serious. It becomes super obvious who the killer is (good choice), and it becomes super obvious which man Nick will choose (terrible narrative choice).

The first 60% is stellar. Then…it just all falls apart.

Nick’s decisions stop making sense.

Incredibly disappointing. Can’t say much else without spoiling. Handled so poorly. This had major potential; for it to end up in The Dud Pile is a travesty.


“I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that you were the one. Do you know how rare that is, Nick? It’s incredibly rare. I thought it would never happen, but you came along and I watched you and I saw you and I knew.”
Profile Image for Myriam.
380 reviews68 followers
November 17, 2020
Where to even start with this? Oh yes the cover art. Don't let it stop you from experiencing one of the best horror, thriller, southern gothic, m/m stories out there. I'm sure the sketchy cover art on her works is like 90% of the reason it has taken me and apparently the rest of Goodreads this long to find Justine Sebastian and that is a downright shame.

Justine Sebastian can fucking write. The horror elements of this story grab you by the throat and squeeze with vicious delight. It's scary, it's gory and 'worst' of all she makes you care about every single victim because they all get their own neat little chapters that make the reader feel for the life that was just cut short. 

And if you care about the murder victims, wait until you meet Nick. Nick is so great because he's not the typical m/m Romance hero. In anyone elses hands he'd either be a sweet broken mess in distress or an incredibly unsympathetic asshole you wouldn't want to read about. Justine Sebastian is so great at building characters because he's a real person instead. 

The rest of the cast is just as interesting and lovable. I can't wait to read more about all of them. The only slight criticism I would give is that there's a sense of place missing. This is set in a small Louisian town that supposedly has reputation for strange goings-on. But I couldn't feel the oppressive humidity, nor hear the twang in people's voices. Maybe the point was to avoid these kinds of cliches and the story certainly didn't need it to still be creepy as all get out.

I'm a fan for life.
Profile Image for Adam  .
239 reviews19 followers
April 6, 2021
A horror/paranormal story with a minor mix of M/M romance.
An ex-convict, Nick, returns to his hometown after being released from prison. The town seems to be plagued with unusual murders that no one could solve.

The love interest wasn't obvious because there were multiple characters Nick interacted with and there was no strong indication of any romance. Sex scenes were mostly fade to black and brief.

The horror and suspense elements were adequate for myself but the length of the book made the story plodded for me. I did not really enjoy the chapters They did not felt particularly captivating to me and I would have been fine without them.

Nick's consistent denial of any other views other than his own felt irksome at times for me so it definitely reduced my enjoyment of the story. If the story was shorter I think I might have enjoyed it more.

Three Stars
Profile Image for Jesse.
348 reviews5 followers
January 11, 2018
3.5.

A good book, with interesting characters and an intriguing setting, marred by wonky pacing and occasional lapses in prose style. Sometimes it's really beautiful and vivid, other times it comes off clumsy and awkward. With its prominent gay characters, Louisiana setting, and vaguely mystical atmosphere, it can't help but feel a bit like sub-imitation Poppy Z. Brite in parts. However, the author balances horrifying gore and suspense with decent explorations into various character's psyches and ooey gooey sexy gayness well, enough to keep me glued to my e-reader until I was finished. Things wrapped up satisfyingly, if a bit abruptly and slightly rushed, and overall, I enjoyed my time with this book. I'll be looking out for other books in the series, and I hope the author only improves with time.
Profile Image for Lacey.
359 reviews10 followers
September 9, 2024
I really wish I hadn’t waited to read this one, it was THAT good! The author did an amazing job creating such a creepy atmosphere. She wrote the murders in such a descriptive, frightening and gory way and my heart was POUNDING.

The writing was well done and the progression of the story was great too. I have no complaints whatsoever other than, I am SO SAD that this book is underrated 😭

Tropes: Paranormal Horror M/M Romance
Bondage
Belt use
Ex-con finding his way through a new life

Triggers: Graphic murder
Stalking
Blood
Graphic violence
Alcohol and drug use
Prostitution
Injury in detail
Gun violence
Profile Image for Tionne.
367 reviews3 followers
February 2, 2018
I started this book because I thought it was gonna be SUPER fucked up..........it wasn’t. I didn’t like Wes at all. He was super annoying & weak and the only good thing about him was his kinks. I sometimes root for the bad guy & with this book I definitely fucking was. I was team Crash all the way and I was hoping Nick would go evil and join him but sadly that didn’t happen. I’m so disappointed. Also why throw that whole “mate” thing in there if they won’t even end up together? This is the first mm paranormal book I’ve read where 1 mate can live without the other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tails.
80 reviews1 follower
June 10, 2022
Very slow and overly descriptive. I skimmed over 5 pages, and some Christmas fair scene was still being described.
Too many pages dedicated to describing the victims lives, leading to their unfortunate deaths.
I was not that fond of Nick, the MC, and despite him jumping into bed with Wes for kinky sex, their relationship did nothing for me. I more enjoyed Nicks relationship with Cash (who seemed more vampire than werewolf).
It could have been that me skimming meant I was not emotionally evolved with any of the characters, but it's difficult to do when the reading was tedious.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Aethena Drake.
1,184 reviews3 followers
February 3, 2025
I am not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book. My favorite books tend to be dark thriller mysteries with a supernatural element. This book fits the profile. The characters were interesting, but I felt a bit distant from them. The mystery has multiple layers. This is a series, so not everything is completely resolved by the end of the book, but I was satisfied with the resolution.

I might read more of the series eventually. The story kept me engaged, and the next book focuses on the character that I am most interested in. I do still need more answers...
Profile Image for Lunae Laenen.
175 reviews4 followers
November 1, 2024
A friend of mine was curious if I was going to find this book creepy because nothing really scares me. I have read Stephen King books and didn't find them scary at all. While this book was sooo fricking good. It's slow paced with just enough tension to be curious for more. It's the build-up that is written so well that it makes it creepy with a lot of tension. I never expected to enjoy it this much.
This author is a genius and deserves more recognition!
Profile Image for Loren.
93 reviews1 follower
May 9, 2025
Freaky af. But I liked it.
Profile Image for Christa.
48 reviews
May 24, 2021
So creepy...not a book I would have selected as normal, but those always turn out to be the best surprise. Nick was such a great MC even as the anti-hero. Sparrow Falls is one weird place.
Profile Image for Mari .
12 reviews
Read
June 7, 2018
Читала отзывы, что у автора в книгах сплошная жесть. Жесть есть, в отличие от сладких флаффных книжек, но не более, чем в обычных ужастиках.
Такое впечатление, что это ответка автора всем историям про оборотней, вампиров и прочую нечисть, где главный герой встречает свою пару и сразу у них взаимная любовь-морковь.
Все клише присутствуют: маленький городок, где творится непонятное; оборотень, который встречает свою пару (пара, кстати, не так давно вышел из мест не столь отдаленных со всеми прилагающимися по этому поводу клише) и начинает ухаживать. Жуткие моменты охоты оборотня присутствуют (сначала леденят кровь, как и полагается ужастику, а потом уже начинают утомлять), да и ухаживание своеобразное: момент с кроликом, например, точно не в стиле любовных романов.
Я в свое время книг ужасов много перечитала, поэтому меня особо не проняло. Но впечатлительным людям этого автора читать не советую: она не пишет любовных ММ-романов, к которым мы все привыкли.
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