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Paramourtal: Tales of undying love and loving the undead
Paramour: a lover. Paramortal: a supernatural being. Together, they are "Paramourtal," a collection of ten spellbinding paranormal romance stories. Suspenseful, heartwarming and scary as hell, they’ll grip your heart and haunt you for days.
• "A Touch of Sand" by Nicole Brugger-Dethmers. The Sandman is forbidden to love humans. Then he gazes upon the enchanting face of Angeline and wonders why she stirs his cold heart.
• "Dark Legacy" by Elizabeth Ireland. As a teen, Katherine was saved by a mysterious lake spirit. Now she returns to that lake to face a dark family pact that may end her life.
• "The Fisherman's Wife" by K. Stoddard Hayes. In an Irish fishing village, Sean has the perfect life with his loving wife, Muireen. But then she discovers a very dark secret he’s hidden for years.
• "The Prince and the Spoon" by Kelly Wisdom. Walking in the park, Summer is attacked by strange fairy tale creatures who seem to know her. And then things really get weird.
• "The Flower of Hell" by Noree Cosper. When Gabriella, a demon hunter, meets the handsome Dimitri, it rekindles long forgotten desires. But those desires may get them killed.
• "His Familiar Touch" by L.K. Below. Unable to shift into her natural cougar form, Rikkita seeks the help of Derek, a mystifying man who may have the cure—for a price.
• "Of Fate and Fire" by Rebecca Rhielle. As a child, Eleia lost her family and village to savage marauders. Now, she falls in love with a beguiling stranger whose past is even darker than hers.
• "Sympathy From the Devil" by M.C. DeMarco. While protecting a soul from temptation, angel Ariel faces Forcas, a charming demon. And she soon learns her own soul may be at stake.
• "The Underlying Beat" by Evelyn Welle. After meeting the reclusive music composer Lee, Megan soon encounters mystifying forces that test both her sanity—and her heart.
• "Rain" by Kevin Hosey. When his wife leaves him, Kyle escapes to a mountain cabin. There he meets the beautiful Reanna, a mysterious woman who can only appear when it rains.
• "A Touch of Sand" by Nicole Brugger-Dethmers. The Sandman is forbidden to love humans. Then he gazes upon the enchanting face of Angeline and wonders why she stirs his cold heart.
• "Dark Legacy" by Elizabeth Ireland. As a teen, Katherine was saved by a mysterious lake spirit. Now she returns to that lake to face a dark family pact that may end her life.
• "The Fisherman's Wife" by K. Stoddard Hayes. In an Irish fishing village, Sean has the perfect life with his loving wife, Muireen. But then she discovers a very dark secret he’s hidden for years.
• "The Prince and the Spoon" by Kelly Wisdom. Walking in the park, Summer is attacked by strange fairy tale creatures who seem to know her. And then things really get weird.
• "The Flower of Hell" by Noree Cosper. When Gabriella, a demon hunter, meets the handsome Dimitri, it rekindles long forgotten desires. But those desires may get them killed.
• "His Familiar Touch" by L.K. Below. Unable to shift into her natural cougar form, Rikkita seeks the help of Derek, a mystifying man who may have the cure—for a price.
• "Of Fate and Fire" by Rebecca Rhielle. As a child, Eleia lost her family and village to savage marauders. Now, she falls in love with a beguiling stranger whose past is even darker than hers.
• "Sympathy From the Devil" by M.C. DeMarco. While protecting a soul from temptation, angel Ariel faces Forcas, a charming demon. And she soon learns her own soul may be at stake.
• "The Underlying Beat" by Evelyn Welle. After meeting the reclusive music composer Lee, Megan soon encounters mystifying forces that test both her sanity—and her heart.
• "Rain" by Kevin Hosey. When his wife leaves him, Kyle escapes to a mountain cabin. There he meets the beautiful Reanna, a mysterious woman who can only appear when it rains.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2010
44 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Hosey
5 books1 followerKevin is a writer and editor. His short stories have appeared in anthologies from Simon and Schuster, W.W. Norton and Cliffhanger Books. Besides writing speculative fiction, he also enjoys creating weird illustrated humor. His cartoons have appeared in calendars, books, newspapers and magazines, including Starlog. Visit him at http://www.kevinhosey.net."
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 5, 2011
A good group of stories that look at love from an otherworldly/supernatural perspective. A few were humorous, and a few were so poignant they brought tears to my eyes. I didn't have any expectations for this one, but I was pleasantly surprised with this anthology.
Full review to be posted on the Bitten By Books website (at a later date): http://bittenbybooks.com
Full review to be posted on the Bitten By Books website (at a later date): http://bittenbybooks.com
September 24, 2011
Paramourtal:Tales of Undying Love and Loving the Dead - Anthology
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Paramourtal is a collection of short stories that feature everything from the Sandman to Selkies to Fairies. Over all it is a good selection of stories that were very entertaining.
Some of my favorite stories were Dark Legacy where love conquers all. Katherine and her husband are in love and her cousin is jealous. Julia’s husband left her but she is convinced he will come back to her. She doesn’t want to fulfill her prophecy and tries to trick Katherine into doing it for her.
Another favorite was His Familiar Touch. I’ve read other stuff by LK Below and was excited to see one of her stories in this collection. Shifters are some of my favorite stories and I loved this one. Rikkita has led a sheltered life but can’t shift. When she finds out why she can’t shift, it causes her emotions to be all over the place. With the help of Derek, she learns the joys of shifting and finds love.
My absolute favorite was The Underlying Beat. There were so many elements that made this story work. Both of the main characters carry so much guilt from an incident that happened during college. Neither one of them have actually been living, they are really just going through the motions. With the help of a nosy ghost they find their way to each other and find forgiveness in the process.
There are so many great stories in this book it’s hard to pick out just a few. A brief synopsis of each story can be found below if you want more information. Overall I enjoyed this book and give Paramourtal 4 Flaming Hearts.
A Touch of Sand by Nicole Brugger-Dethmers: Angeline is in love with Nicholas but he is just the kitchen boy. His love for her saves her from the Sandman when he takes her to his castle, in hopes of making her smile again. He realizes that Nicholas is the one that makes her smile and sends them on their way.
Dark Legacy by Elizabeth Ireland: Katherine and her cousin Julia met at the lake house to clean it out after her grandmother passed away. While there, Julia tells her the story of the guardian of the lake and that it’s someone from their family. Little does she know that Julia has plans for Katherine that could put an end to her and Patrick’s happiness?
The Fisherman's Wife by K. Stoddard Hayes: Sean and his father have been hiding something from his wife for 10 years and the guilt is killing him. He is afraid that when she discovers their secret, she will walk out of their lives, his fears are becoming reality. When Mireen returns to them revitalized, he realizes how much damage he was done over the years. He offers her his heart, freedom and a solution that they can both live with.
The Prince and The Spoon by Kelly Wisdom: Summer loves Tar River Park; it’s the place she goes when she wants to relax. It had been a week since she broke up with her boyfriend and she was lonely. She never expected to meet Hunter or the other creatures from the fairy realm, while she was out walking the trails. She was introduced to a whole new world and finds a kindred spirit that loves the park as much as she does.
The Flower of Hell by Noree Cosper: Gabby has been searching for the demon that cursed her many years ago. She is destined to lose anyone close to her and always be alone, unless she kills the one that cursed her. She makes it her mission in life to kill any demon she finds. She wants a family and Dimitri is the first person that makes her feel alive again. He vows that together they will find he demon and end her curse.
His Familiar Touch by L.K. Below: Rikkita is a female cougar that can’t shift because she is a witch’s familiar. She sets out to find the witch so they can help her shift but in the process she meets Derek. He is sexy and very male and she is drawn to him like no other man. He tries to show her that witches aren’t as bad as she thinks and that she could have a future with her witch if she wanted. In the end, she is more than happy to share her life with her witch and stand by his side.
Of Fate and Fire by Rebecca Rhielle: Eleia’s family was killed when she was a little girl and she was found by the Rescuers and raised as part of their family. She has always known she was different, she just didn’t realize her true calling. Aurelius makes her blood sing like no other. Cryptic words from the elder begin to make sense as she approaches her 18th birthday and she has to make a crucial decision about her future.
Sympathy From The Devil by M.C. DeMarco: Ariel is a guardian angel but it seems that she is having trouble with her beliefs. While watching over Matt for awhile and she is concerned that he is going to give in and leave with the tempting woman sitting beside him. As it turns out, Forcas (a fallen angel/demon) is responsible for the woman and offers Aerial a chance to save her soul but can they live with the costs.
The Underlying Beat by Evelyn Welle: Megan can’t believe that music composer Lee Ching agreed to work collaborate with some string musicians on his next album. The only person allowed into his word is Megan and she is drawn to his music and the underlying beat of the music. Little does she know that there are underlying forces working to get her and Lee together? Both feel responsible for the death of a college cheerleader that they are connected to and it’s up to her to show them the way.
Rain by Kevin Hosey: After his wife serves him with divorce papers, Kyle escapes to the cabin he bought a year ago. The cabin looks like it could be straight out of one of his horror novels. While walking through the woods he gets lost and Reanna appears out of nowhere. She’s like nothing he’s ever seen before, ethereal, beautiful and mysterious. She has a secret that could be detrimental to Kyle; he doesn’t find out about it until it’s too late.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Paramourtal is a collection of short stories that feature everything from the Sandman to Selkies to Fairies. Over all it is a good selection of stories that were very entertaining.
Some of my favorite stories were Dark Legacy where love conquers all. Katherine and her husband are in love and her cousin is jealous. Julia’s husband left her but she is convinced he will come back to her. She doesn’t want to fulfill her prophecy and tries to trick Katherine into doing it for her.
Another favorite was His Familiar Touch. I’ve read other stuff by LK Below and was excited to see one of her stories in this collection. Shifters are some of my favorite stories and I loved this one. Rikkita has led a sheltered life but can’t shift. When she finds out why she can’t shift, it causes her emotions to be all over the place. With the help of Derek, she learns the joys of shifting and finds love.
My absolute favorite was The Underlying Beat. There were so many elements that made this story work. Both of the main characters carry so much guilt from an incident that happened during college. Neither one of them have actually been living, they are really just going through the motions. With the help of a nosy ghost they find their way to each other and find forgiveness in the process.
There are so many great stories in this book it’s hard to pick out just a few. A brief synopsis of each story can be found below if you want more information. Overall I enjoyed this book and give Paramourtal 4 Flaming Hearts.
A Touch of Sand by Nicole Brugger-Dethmers: Angeline is in love with Nicholas but he is just the kitchen boy. His love for her saves her from the Sandman when he takes her to his castle, in hopes of making her smile again. He realizes that Nicholas is the one that makes her smile and sends them on their way.
Dark Legacy by Elizabeth Ireland: Katherine and her cousin Julia met at the lake house to clean it out after her grandmother passed away. While there, Julia tells her the story of the guardian of the lake and that it’s someone from their family. Little does she know that Julia has plans for Katherine that could put an end to her and Patrick’s happiness?
The Fisherman's Wife by K. Stoddard Hayes: Sean and his father have been hiding something from his wife for 10 years and the guilt is killing him. He is afraid that when she discovers their secret, she will walk out of their lives, his fears are becoming reality. When Mireen returns to them revitalized, he realizes how much damage he was done over the years. He offers her his heart, freedom and a solution that they can both live with.
The Prince and The Spoon by Kelly Wisdom: Summer loves Tar River Park; it’s the place she goes when she wants to relax. It had been a week since she broke up with her boyfriend and she was lonely. She never expected to meet Hunter or the other creatures from the fairy realm, while she was out walking the trails. She was introduced to a whole new world and finds a kindred spirit that loves the park as much as she does.
The Flower of Hell by Noree Cosper: Gabby has been searching for the demon that cursed her many years ago. She is destined to lose anyone close to her and always be alone, unless she kills the one that cursed her. She makes it her mission in life to kill any demon she finds. She wants a family and Dimitri is the first person that makes her feel alive again. He vows that together they will find he demon and end her curse.
His Familiar Touch by L.K. Below: Rikkita is a female cougar that can’t shift because she is a witch’s familiar. She sets out to find the witch so they can help her shift but in the process she meets Derek. He is sexy and very male and she is drawn to him like no other man. He tries to show her that witches aren’t as bad as she thinks and that she could have a future with her witch if she wanted. In the end, she is more than happy to share her life with her witch and stand by his side.
Of Fate and Fire by Rebecca Rhielle: Eleia’s family was killed when she was a little girl and she was found by the Rescuers and raised as part of their family. She has always known she was different, she just didn’t realize her true calling. Aurelius makes her blood sing like no other. Cryptic words from the elder begin to make sense as she approaches her 18th birthday and she has to make a crucial decision about her future.
Sympathy From The Devil by M.C. DeMarco: Ariel is a guardian angel but it seems that she is having trouble with her beliefs. While watching over Matt for awhile and she is concerned that he is going to give in and leave with the tempting woman sitting beside him. As it turns out, Forcas (a fallen angel/demon) is responsible for the woman and offers Aerial a chance to save her soul but can they live with the costs.
The Underlying Beat by Evelyn Welle: Megan can’t believe that music composer Lee Ching agreed to work collaborate with some string musicians on his next album. The only person allowed into his word is Megan and she is drawn to his music and the underlying beat of the music. Little does she know that there are underlying forces working to get her and Lee together? Both feel responsible for the death of a college cheerleader that they are connected to and it’s up to her to show them the way.
Rain by Kevin Hosey: After his wife serves him with divorce papers, Kyle escapes to the cabin he bought a year ago. The cabin looks like it could be straight out of one of his horror novels. While walking through the woods he gets lost and Reanna appears out of nowhere. She’s like nothing he’s ever seen before, ethereal, beautiful and mysterious. She has a secret that could be detrimental to Kyle; he doesn’t find out about it until it’s too late.
August 31, 2012
Noree Cosper’s short story, “The Flower of Hell,” is a tight, well-written piece of fiction that has but one flaw: it leaves you wanting more.
It’s part of an anthology—“Paramourtal”—that features a slew of paranormal romance stories. I haven’t read the rest, but if they’re a fraction as entertaining as Cosper’s piece, it’s one helluva book.
“The Flower of Hell” offers a quick peek into the life of a demon hunter, Gabriella, who devotes her life to killing demons and other denizens of the dark. She has good reason, of course, so we root for her to be successful. When she runs into a vampire hunter intent on working together, things get a little heated.
For some reason I couldn’t put my finger on, the story kept reminding me of a hardboiled detective story. It was a good thing, though. It felt … right. Cosper also brought Van Helsing into the mix, adding to an already strong lineup—there’s sex and swordplay (two things that might be high on anyone’s “to-do” list … but probably not at the same time), vampires and demons, and a great female character in Gabriella.
HEA or not, I really (really, really) expected a dark twist at the end. No, I won’t give it away, so you’ll have to see for yourself if that twist came.
My sources tell me that Cosper’s hard at work on a full-length novel. Given what she did with “The Flower of Hell,” I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Now, where the hell’s my sword?
It’s part of an anthology—“Paramourtal”—that features a slew of paranormal romance stories. I haven’t read the rest, but if they’re a fraction as entertaining as Cosper’s piece, it’s one helluva book.
“The Flower of Hell” offers a quick peek into the life of a demon hunter, Gabriella, who devotes her life to killing demons and other denizens of the dark. She has good reason, of course, so we root for her to be successful. When she runs into a vampire hunter intent on working together, things get a little heated.
For some reason I couldn’t put my finger on, the story kept reminding me of a hardboiled detective story. It was a good thing, though. It felt … right. Cosper also brought Van Helsing into the mix, adding to an already strong lineup—there’s sex and swordplay (two things that might be high on anyone’s “to-do” list … but probably not at the same time), vampires and demons, and a great female character in Gabriella.
HEA or not, I really (really, really) expected a dark twist at the end. No, I won’t give it away, so you’ll have to see for yourself if that twist came.
My sources tell me that Cosper’s hard at work on a full-length novel. Given what she did with “The Flower of Hell,” I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Now, where the hell’s my sword?
November 12, 2010
I'd actually give the book 3 1/2 stars overall. This book was a mix of fairytales for grownups, suspense, hot reading and a few that were just so-so. I'd recommend it to others for a nice read and will keep tabs on some of the authors to see what other books they have to offer. Great thing about short stories is that you are introduced to new authors that can set you on a journey of new book worlds to enjoy.
April 11, 2011
Great collection of short stories!!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews