Ba-Pef

Malicious Gods: Egypt

by Ashlynn Mills

Arlo thinks his life has already taken a turn for the worst when he loses his husband in a robery gone horribly wrong. Little does he know, the worst has yet to come. Broken hearted, and barely hanging on, his grief takes him so far from reality, he struggles to find his way back. He reaches the point where he's not sure he wants to. Arlo is ready to lose a little bit of himself with each passing day if it means he can forget about everything he lost the dreadful night.

BA-Pef, an entity that feeds off people's misery, is happy to provide Arlo's mind with plenty of distraction. He's ready to show Arlo the true meaning of pain, and pleasure. Only claiming Arlo's mind, and dreams isn't enough for BA-pef. He wants so much more. He wants everything. All of him.

Genres: Dark, M M Romance, Paranormal, Horror, Fantasy, M M Paranormal, LGBT

154 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2021

About the author

Ashlynn Mills is a Latina from Texas who currently resides in Missouri with her family running a farm. She enjoys reading and writing all genres about people falling in love.

Reviews

[Rina Pride · Rating 4 out of 5]

É isso que acontece quando você deixa uma entidade maligna tomar posse da sua vida.

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 4 out of 5]

wesomely written story, clearly outlined, dark and thrilling.

Arlo loses the love of his life and is in agony. His husband is cruelly murdered, Arlo had to witness it all, they left him for dead too.
Mourning fucks up his head, his dreams are getting more real than he can imagine.

Ba-Pef feeds from Arlo’s pain, it’s what he does. Only this man is different, so different.
Step by step Arlo can take revenge and the price at the end... dreams come true, who's? Ha! read it.

The process of mourning, distancing himself from everyone around is awesomely written.
The further the story the crazier and darker it gets.
Captivatingly and vividly written story, strong character, and fast-paced.
I love dark stories and this one is a great addition to the Malicious Gods: Egypt!

[Jacquie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark

Some of the series only lightly touched on whichever Egyptian God they were written about. Here, Ba-Pef is integral to the story, mixing the paranormal with contemporary.
It's dark and twisted starting with the murder of Michael and attempted murder of the mc Arlo and then with Arlo's revenge as Ba-Pef becomes entwined with him

[the kevin (vaguely alive) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was awesomely fucked up! I loved it!!

First: read the CW. Take them seriously. It starts off dark and only gets darker.

This has a wonderful level of trippy mindfuck, and a beautiful revenge plot. I loved seeing Arlo slowly give into Ba-Pef. I never knew what was coming next! A malevolent ancient god, mysteries, some paranormal…it pulled me in from the start and never let go. I can see why someone might say its a subjective HEA, but tbh, its perfection as is.

My only dislike was having (even limited) dual POV - I think it would have been better if it’d stayed only Arlo’s POV.


Ghostliness level: eventually reasonably high. not counting dream world.

[Jenny (Nyxie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tags: horror, dark, noncon, monsters

This is dark and spooky and excellent. Ba-Pef is definitely not the hero in this story yet I found myself rooting for him from the start. Mind the CW’s, lots of tough stuff in here. I really enjoyed it!

[Jennifer Reilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um I’m not quite what to say but I swore at Ashlynn while reading this book and told her she has a messed up mind and gave her the finger a few times.

What a wild ride we are taken on with Arlo and Ba Pef.
Yes, heed those trigger warnings. They are there for a reason. They a dark and delish. Lol. Omg what is wrong with me for living it so much

Great job Ashlynn. I will say it yet again, I love your dark reads. You have an evil mind.

[Anne Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to start
Arlo had gone through the worst nightmare of his life. His husband had been murdered in front of his own eyes. There was a home invasion and what they did to them was beyond grim. And he had to witness what they did to his husband. How on earth was Arlo ever going to recover from this.
But as time goes on secrets start to be revealed secret he knew nothing about. Did he even know his husband?? But then he started to hear a voice. He thought it was sleep deprivation but it wasn’t!! what was going to happen next will change all is life forever.
That is all I’m giving you because you truly will be on the edge of your seat throughout this book. The emotions I went through for Arlo just didn’t stop. I just didn’t see some of these things coming I’ve never read a book like this before And I must admit I’m truly hooked. There was just something about this book it was an amazing read and I hope there are more to come!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Latecia Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC Review**

I'm really liking this dark series and Ashlynn's contribution to it was good. In the beginning you feel Arlo's pain and the darkness of Ba-Pef taking control. I was beginning to hate and like Ba-Pef. He was so bad for Arlo but good in some ways. The ultimate show down at the end was kind of predictable but it was good. Arlo has dealt with his grief and he gets his own twisted HEA.

[Tammy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sinister, yet satisfying!

This book had an edge to it that kept me turning the pages! It was sinister but I
found myself liking how empowered the lead character became as his life went horribly wrong. There are twists and turns that will keep you guessing how exactly it will turn out but I definitely recommend BA-Pef in the Malicious Gods series.

[Bren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowza this book was much more than I expected Ashlynn has done a 180 from her normal stories. Ario and BA Per's entanglement is one journey you'll never forget. This book is 100% a must read it's so good you'll be tempted to read it again I did.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because of hype and predictably, it didn’t live up to expectations I had built up. It wasn’t as dark as I had expected but I think the larger issue is I enjoy more character driven stories whereas this, being more of a dark horror romance, was more about existential dread. I did enjoy the ending.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Look at me. You and I are more real than anything in this world.“

one big mind fuck

[Sascia Weyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly intense and thrilling novel, it definitely goes into the Hall of Fame of my most favorite books so far! One of the author's masterpieces!
It is dark, it is eerie, it is addictive.
While there are some cruel scenes in there which some readers might find irritating, what really catched me full way was the supernatural, described in an all too real way. It made shivers creeping up my back! I read this book in one go at night until early morning, and the darkness of my room made me hear dripping water, crackles and moving shadows in every little corner of my room! Brilliant!
Perfect story, believable characters, fluently written und exciting.
For all those readers who say: ooh no, please not a story without a romantic happy end, well, in my view there is a certain happiness in the ending, just a different kind of. Don't be shy, give it a try, it is a fabulous story!
I hope the author will write more in this dark and mysterious genre!
Definitely a full 5 star from me, but only because there is no option for a 6 star!
I received this book for free but leave a review freely and voluntarily because I absolutely enjoyed reading it!

[Guardian.angel54 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love dark, gritty stories that take on unique and surprising themes and this book definitely had that and more.

The story starts out with a horrific act of violence that leaves Arlo barely alive and his husband, Michael dead. As Arlo struggles to function in the aftermath of this tragedy, he begins to question his own sanity as strange occurrences and phantom voices plague both his waking and dreaming states. Something is there! Something that is slowly taking over Arlo's life and consuming his mind. Who or what is this entity and what is the connection to his late husband?

I really loved the introduction of the Egyptian entity, Ba-Pef, and how Arlo is slowly drawn under its evil influence, until nothing else matters but him. The push and pull of wanting to resist but also wanting to just let go and accept, is chillingly well developed and I was completely engrossed in Arlo's internal fight. There are lots of "Oh!" and "WTF" moments and the ending was a complete surprise! In fact, my only criticism is that I wanted more! I'd definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH. MY. GOD.

Make no mistake, this is not a romance and it's not trying to be. But if you like gothic, spooky, psychological horror, this is the book for you. This book was insane and such a mindf*ck. If you say saw that ending coming, you are the biggest liar.

I can't say much because spoiler city but I will say that this is not necessarily a book that rewards you for paying attention. No one really knows what's going on or what is real except for Ba-Pef and we only get his thoughts a few times. It's such a wild ride and I can't even say which character I feel bad for because spoilers!

There is a little bit of gore but it's not gratuitous and the smut is there but it's not meant to be seen as sexy or romanticized because again, not a romance. This is psychological horror meets ghost story and it's beautiful. Five stars because I'm still gagged. Ashlynn Mills, don't ever question what your calling is sis because you have found it.

[CAROLINA · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like psychological thrillers with a paranormal element, this book is for you.
This series is amazing, each story is very different than the others, but they're all so good. This is no exception.

Arlo is a guy who sees everything he knows evaporate and now he can't move forward, he's adrift, and Ba-Pef takes full advantage of that weak state of mind and infiltrates himself, taking over Arlo's mind and body. The question is: is Ba-Pef really unwelcome there?

Wow, that was a nice twisted story! Arlo blew hot and cold all along and even at very close to the end, I had my doubts about what he'd actually do. And I loved the path he set for himself.

Does it have a HEA? Well, let's just say it has a fitting and perfect end.

[Kathy Seabrease · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMGOODNESS! This was a total veer off of anything that Ashlynn has written... she really took a chance ... and this book did not disappoint! I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive going in cause I am really not a fan of horror.... but I am so glad I did! Arlo was a pawn in this wicked plot and he played it so well. Ba-Pef was a force he couldn't reckon with. Try as he might at first in his weakened state to resist Ba-Pef, Arlo just didn't have the strength and after a while did not want to! And poor Gage! Only Ashlynn can take something like this and still turn it into some kind of love story, lol.

[Genevieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twisted mm tale.

“𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓅𝑒𝓃𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝒶 𝓃𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓂𝒶𝓇𝑒, 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊? 𝒩𝑜𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓅𝒶𝒾𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉.” - Ba Pef

This twisted tale centering around Egyptian mythology was a nice surprise. Nothing better than a malevolent minor god, playing trickster, seeking to make himself corporeal. Old world deities, in modern cult storylines make for fun reading.

“𝐼'𝓂 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓋𝑜𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝒶𝒸𝓀 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝒹. 𝐼'𝓂 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝒶𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓈 𝑜𝓃 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓌𝒶𝓁𝓁, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒹 𝓅𝓇𝒾𝒸𝓀𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝒶𝒸𝓀 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓃𝑒𝒸𝓀.”

Dark themed as an mm horror. Check the warnings. This is a quick read. A little repetitive, upsetting the flow for me.

[Shannon Janssen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would have never expected a psychological horror thriller from Ashlynn Mills, so I was totally surprised when I saw this book by her. What is not surprising is how awesome this book is. It is a dark and twisted page turner that I could not put down. The story grabs you right from the start and continues to suck you in as it goes. The world building is fantastic, the dark and paranormal aspects are perfect. I read some of the pages through squinting eyes. I hope that Ashlynn Mills writes more romantic suspense books.

[Leandre Botha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely, incredibly, astoundingly AMAZING!!!!! Wow what an amazing read. Very different form what Ashlynn Mills usualy writes, but it was amazing and I could not stop reading. Even though this was a twisted sort of romance/love I love that Ba-Pef and Arlo got their HEA. I loved learning about another Egyptian diety. It was so descriptive and well written, and I loved the plot twist and how Ba-Pef actualy helps Arlo. This was amazingly twisted and dark and not for the faint of heart and incredibly HOT & STEAMY. Ashlynn Mills well done on an amazing book.

[Kkhmonrai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm usually not a big fan of horror, but reading this series is like seeing a car crash...you want to look away, but You. Just. Can't. At first, I felt bad/sad for Arlo, falling prey to BA-Pef in his low state of pain and misery, but then I realized he was getting what he wanted in a dark, twisted way. They both were. If you are looking for a dark, guilty pleasure, this is it, BUT if you have ANY triggers, read the warnings first.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read the trigger warnings, this is not romance novel. This is a psychopathic, parasitic coupling that is fascinating and terrifying all at the same time. Entertaining and interesting. A great addition to the Malicious Gods: Egypt collection. Arlo definitely fell down the rabbit hole, but is Wonderland real or just a figment of a broken mind?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[FHR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arlo is adrift In his own world of grief as he experienced irreplaceable loss.
He is trying to cope and get himself through life but little did he know, life was only going to get more twisted for him when Ba-Pef sets his sights on him.

This was definitely a twisted read that is not for the feigned hearted. The storyline is horror and dark, so heed the warnings.
The ending was in line with the characters and their experiences and I thought suited this plot very well.

[Syd Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger warning!! Please read the disclaimer before reading I am a huge Ashlynn Mills fan and this book is way out of your "usual" writing that I was hooked from the very beginning. I absolutely loved this book and Arlo. I could go on but I would HIGHLY suggest you just go get this book right now. I would highly recommend this book and Ms. Ashlynn as truly gifted and a must read author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just gets better and darker. Ba-Pef, the god who feeds on pain and misery finds his perfect person in Arlo. Their relationship gives both of them what they need and that's part of what makes this story an uncomfortable read at times. You wonder if you should pray that Arlo runs as far away as possible or feel glad that he's found Ba-Pef. Definitely read the trigger warnings, but if you're following this series as avidly as I am, you'll love this one.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arglo finds his deceased husband was not entirely who he believed him to be while seeking revenge with the help of an Egyptian deity. The story goes to the darker side of things in Arlo’s quest for revenge. I feel bad for Arlo’s family, always trying to help him out. It did not end the way I expected at all and I feel really bad for that guy. The plot was very different and I greatly enjoyed it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please pay heed to the warnings about this book. If you are in the mood for something very dark and atmospheric then you might like this book. I did like it but I can’t say that it’s my favorite in this series. It is very rich in detail and atmosphere but it was more difficult for me to get into the characters of this book. Heed the warnings and be in the mood.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[MM Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

BA-Pef by Ashlynn Mills was dark and I love dark. But it wasn't well-developed. I think more needed to develop the plot and narrative arc. The concept was great. Perhaps it would have worked better as a third person POV narrative instead of a first person narrative.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book will completely mess with your mind. If you’re looking for a traditional love story, then you are in the wrong place. However, if you’re looking for a riveting, psychological horror slash romance then look no further. This book was so good and I could not stop turning the pages. Excellent work.

[Vanessa Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What did I just read and yes I mean that in the most positive way possible. The dark threads wrapped around this novel, the characters, the heartbreaking loss at the start all twisted together to make this a story unlike any I have read before.

Even just the ending is a good reason to read this book. It was fantastic