INFECTED PREY by Andrea Speed

Book One in the Infected Series

Second Edition
Dreamspinner Press
October 14^th, 2014
978-1-63216-325-7

Paranormal M/M, Mystery/Suspense
E-Arc
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Author
4 Hearts


 

For ex-cop, now a private investigator, Roan McKichan, life h as never been normal. When a werecat virus swept through the world, it changed everything. Roan is one of the born infected’s and this time life is about o get complicated, even for Roan.

The murder of a former cop draws Roan into the case even as secrets as well as potential bad guys emerge to cause nothing but trouble for Roan and his partner and lover, Paris. But it will take the combination of Roan and Paris to solve not just the murder of a cop but also find a boy missing who  may have become ‘cat obsessed’ and time is running out to find the answers they need. To survive in a society forever changed, Roan will need every ounce of his strength to find the answers, solve the case and stay alive. Just not in that order.

Andrea Speed is my favorite author and I love the books this author puts out. I had this series on my short list of wanting to read this year and I was thrilled to be able to finally get to it. A word of warning, INFECTED PREY is not one long novel; instead it is two novellas in one. If you are looking for an explicit story then this one isn’t it. There are some sexy bits but it isn’t in graphic detail.  The author introduces us to Roan McKichan and Paris Lehane and I got to admit, these two make me swoon something fierce. Roan is tough as nails, strong and battles his werecat daily where Paris is just flat out gorgeous and Roan marvels at how much Paris loves a guy like him. The author does a great job in creating two very different main characters and I loved how the author shows their vulnerabilities and more within the pages of the first book. The writing was tight, flowed smoothly and kept the reader entertained till the very end. The world building is amazing. You have a society totally changed, werecat infected people turning up and more all situated neatly within this amazing world Ms. Speed created. I am in awe at how fleshed out this world is and it totally pulls you into this world with barely a ripple to my imagination.

Meet Roan and Paris. These two are polar opposites but as they say opposites attract and boy do they. Roan is a born infected and finds he must battle for supremacy of his werecat inside him. Let’s just say this guy is ‘THE KING’ of the jungle in more ways than one. Paris is model gorgeous and was infected after the virus came about. We get bits and pieces of each characters pasts and it helps layer even more emotional aspects to the storyline that left me eager to know more. There is humor, sexy scenes that lead to things off-screen and mysteries that totally hooked me. There are a few scenes that hint at something coming, something that will rock Roan’s world but we don’t get the full story till later in the series. Overall the characters are well written, intriguing and definitely kept my attention to the very end. The wide cast of characters introduced in INFECTED PREY had me thinking Roan is going to have his hands full in coming books in the series if the hints in this first book are to be believed. What I really loved was not needing a scorecard to figure out who was what within the cast of characters. The author does an amazing job in keeping the cast just large enough to give the story depth and different point of views while maintaining that unique vibe I felt throughout the story.

INFECTED PREY is an introduction to a series that is fast becoming my ultimate favorite one from this author. If you like shifters, mystery, crime fiction then you might enjoy the Infected series from this author. Now all I can say is onto book two because I just can’t wait to see what happens next for Roane and Paris.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

Josh of the Damned Triple Feature #2: The Final Check-Out by Andrea Speed

Riptide Publishing
April 27^th, 2013
978-1-62649-006-2
M/M Paranormal, Comedy
E-book
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Publisher
5 Hearts

 

Josh Caplan thought he discouraged the Quik-Mart’ corporation’s expansion into hell but sometimes company CEO’s need a good swift kick in the butt to show them that they are not wanted there. Josh just never anticipates being told he is now a guardian for Hell and that Medusa’s work for him is never done. Take a ride with Josh as he navigates being a guardian as well as stopping the Quik-Mart from trying to kill him once and for all. Can Josh be able to use his new found guardian powers to stop the one thing that stands before him and death- a money hungry CEO?

Let me say that I absolutely adore this series by author Andrea Speed. The stories are a comedy of fun that has left me laughing until I cry as I cheer on Josh at his night job at the Quik-Mart. In the final three stories in this series, readers are taken on the ride of their life as Josh battles a nasty CEO, keep Quik-Mart’s expansion out of the Hell universe called Dev and keep his job all at the same time. Add in some intriguing characters, a fun storyline and you got the makings of one book that will take the reader for the ride of their life, all the while laughing hysterically and rooting for the main characters to survive.

Meet Josh Caplan. Night time Quik-Mart clerk, monster magnet and has a vampire boyfriend. I got to admit. Josh made me laugh at times with his one liners as well as his acceptance of life with an ease that astounded me when I read his adventures in the Josh of the Damned series. Josh grows within each book of the series and in the end, he turns out to be one heck of a guardian…even if he has no idea what the heck he is doing at times, which made me think that was what the author wanted to convey within this final triple feature in the series. Add in some spectacular secondary characters such as Mr. Kwon, Josh’s necromancer boss, Medusa, leader of the hell world Dev, Colin the vampire boyfriend and more leave the reader eager to see what happens next with each page and I, for one, love the adventures Josh has with these characters at one time or another in the series. Add in a love-sick Yeti stalker, Medusa’s insane sisters and you got some plot twists that leave you giggling like crazy. Andrea Speed’s world building is just flat out amazing. Her characters shine in a world where monsters come to the Earth through portals and grab snacks at Quik-Mart, meet humans and just shuffle on back to Dev with the world none the wiser. Not too many details keep the story from being bogged down when we switch over to Dev. It was just enough of a glimpse to make me want to know more about that world and the monsters that call it home.

The final three stories keep the reader spellbound and as you find out what happens when Josh takes on the CEO of Quik-Mart Corporation, Medusa’s sisters and trying to stay alive while doing all this is a fun romp in the paranormal world Ms. Speed as created. The reader will laugh, snicker, root for Josh and all his friends and then laugh some more as the final three stories show the reader how Josh can save his life, his job and find a happy ever after that makes it to the next day. I can’t say more about the final three stories in this amazing series without giving too much away. Just be warned, you should read the series in order as each story to make sense to and to meet the characters that all make an appearance in these final three stories.

If you enjoy a good laugh while reading a paranormal book, then try the Josh of the Damned series and settle in for one hell raisi8ng adventure from start to finish. I look forward to seeing where this author will go in the future for her readers to enjoy.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

 

Josh of the Damned Triple Feature #2 by Andrea Speed

Publisher: Riptide Publishing

Date published: April, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-62649-006-2
Horror, Comedy

Reviewed by Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)

Weblink: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/josh-damned-triple-feature-2-final-checkout
Obtained via publisher

Rating: 4 Hearts

This book gives us the latest adventures of our favorite Quik-Mart night clerk. We get to follow Josh on three new adventures. From zombies to Medusa’s sisters Josh has his hands full. If you are following this series you will not be disappointed. This book is full of laughs and action. First the corporate office sends zombies after Josh than he must deal with Medusa’s sister and if that is not enough the corporate office has finally had enough and comes after him themselves. Can Josh and his friends save the day or are we doomed?

I truly enjoyed this visit to Josh’s world. Full of laughs and different takes on the monsters of our childhood this book keeps you entertained all the way through to the end. There are many familiar faces in this book. As always Colin is by Josh’s side and now Doug is playing a more active role in the stories. This is a fun and fast paced read. I keep waiting to see what the next outrageous monster will be and just how Josh will get out of each jam. Never overdone or too silly this book brings out the youth in us all. I enjoyed the new take on Medusa and her sisters and every new monster that Josh must face. This author does a great job of bringing this world and its inhabitants to life without over doing it. I had fun reading this and cannot wait to see what kind of trouble that Josh will run into next.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

JOSH OF THE DAMNED TRIPLE FEATURE #1 by Andrea Speed

Book 3 in series
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Date Published: April 16th, 2012
ISBN 9781937551353
Paranormal/Fantasy Gay (M/M)
E-book
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Josh Caplan has pretty much gotten used to the night shifts at work, where the weird and sometimes unusual monsters come out from the hell mouth for munchies (heck, who knew zombies liked junk food?). But when Josh finds out that his vampire boyfriend isn’t all that he is and that the leader of the hell mouth world wants to see him, well let’s just say Josh’s days of peacefully working the night shift has just about ended. Josh has to save the world and embrace his destiny…he just wished it came with better pay and health insurance.

I love the Josh of the Damned series and when I saw they had three novellas in one book, well I was determined to have it on my e-reader pronto. From the moment you open one of these stories, you are giggling like mad and enjoying yourself immensely. What is so refreshing about this series is how the author incorporates humor into it. The snappy dialogue. The snark. The relationships Josh has with everyone-friends, lovers and unwanted stalker yeti’s. This is what the heart is of the story in my opinion. It’s the whole enchilada and frankly Ms. Speed does a wonderful job in creating a series that readers enjoy repeatedly. Each of the three stories work together as it reveals some secrets to the readers about Josh and the world the monsters come from. The writing is tight, weaving it’s spell around the reader subtly and the reader doesn’t know it until the very end when they spy that hours passed since they opened the book. This is an author who knows how to create memorable characters, intriguing storylines and more for the reader to enjoy.

Ms. Speed delivers a rollicking fun time in her latest Josh of the Damned series installment and I am so thrilled to see some mysteries of Josh’s past solved while more questions are asked on his future. With the right amount of sass, fast paced storyline, amazing characters and more, this author delivers a perfect beach read this summer. I highly recommend you run-do not walk-to grab this as well as the first two books, PRETTY MONSTERS (1) & PEEK-A-BOO (2), as well. Then settle in to laugh and laugh some more. I can not wait to see what else this author has in store for Josh and her readers in the Josh of the Damned series.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of the book.

PEEK-A-BOO by Andrea Speed

Josh of the Damned Book 2
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Date Published: January 9th, 2012
ISBN 978-1-937551-16-2
ASIN B006UZCRR8
Paranormal M/M Short Story
E-Book
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Josh is the late night cashier at the local Quik Mart. His customers are not the normal run of people he imagines that come to a corner store. Nope, he has to deal with zombies wanting munchies, werewolves trying to chase the cars in the parking lot and an occasional vampire. What Josh doesn’t expect is a yeti coming to visit. A lovesick yeti. Human criminals. What’s next? Poor Josh has no idea what normal is anymore when the hell portal monsters save him from a robbery.

I fell in love with Andrea Speed’s Josh of the Damned stories in Pretty Monsters. The follow-up to the first book, PEEK-A-BOO, is just as good and it had me laughing out loud right off the bat. You know you have a good story on your hands when you giggle continuously until the very end of the story. The story picks up a few months later after Pretty Monsters and we find Josh, still working the late shift at the Quik Mart, cleaning up after zombies, scaring an occasional werewolf away and falling, for his vampire boyfriend. The author delves into this story with humor, action and a love sick yeti that I didn’t anticipate this time around. The author does an amazing job packing a lot of action into this short story-it’s only 17 pages-and gives the reader some amazing characters to enjoy. The writing is tight, the story moves quickly and the characters are very intriguing. What I love the most is, this author isn’t afraid to give the reader a few chuckles as Josh tries to deal with the monsters that love to visit the Quik Mart—human and otherwise. I love a book that leaves a smile on my face and makes me eager for the next one.

Andrea Speed hits a home run with this next installment in the Josh of the Damned series and I, for one, am eager to see what else happens to Josh at the Quik Mart. What will be next? Plus add in a hot boyfriend, who is a vampire, a few monsters that you don’t anticipate and stir. You got the makings of a series that will leave you giggling long after the last page is read. I adore this author’s other work and can’t wait for the next short story in this series. Run-don’t walk-to grab a PEEK-A-BOO and settle in for a howling good time.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of the book.

PRETTY MONSTERS by Andrea Speed

Josh of the Damned, Book 1
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Date Published: October 30th, 2011
ISBN 978-1-937551-03-2
ASIN: B0060OIMKK
Horror, Comedy, M/M
E-book
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Self-Purchase


Josh thought working the night shift at the Quik Mart would be boring, but that was before the hell portal opens up right in the parking lot. Now nights are full of weird monsters that, despite Hollywood movies, just want junk food and end up leaving. When the hottest monster Josh has ever seen comes walking into the Quik Mart, it is hard to not fall at his feet, begging for his touch. Josh tries to figure out if the attention this new Hot Guy is giving back is the best thing to happen to him, or if he is about to find out how deadly those monsters can be.

One thing I found out about PRETTY MONSTERS is, this is a perfect lunch time read when I am short on time. At a short fifteen pages, I really don’t want to get into too many details about the story, just so I don’t spoil it for those who haven’t picked it up yet. The author completely captivated me the moment I opened the book. With interesting characters, a fast moving plot line and an ending that left me hankering for more, Andrea Speed debuts a series that is just perfect for the Halloween holiday.

Meet Josh. He just got a job at the local Quik Mart and before he could settle in there, a hell portal opens up…in the parking lot no less. Now Josh is dealing with zombies, weird monsters and more at night when he is working, who, if he’s not mistaken only want junk food, not his brains. But when the “Hot Guy” comes in, Josh finds his night gets a little brighter…especially as this hot monster seems to be into Josh as well. Can Josh figure out if the monster he’s interested in wants Josh as a play toy or a chew toy? I really enjoyed Josh. He has a job that just got more interesting and scarier on top of it all. His narration of the story was what kept me interested and plus the sparks that fly between ‘Hot Guy’ and him was just icing on the cake, in my opinion.

The set up of this new series by Andrea Speed is one I highly enjoyed. It was funny, had a nice horror vibe going on that didn’t make me want to toss my cookies or hide behind the couch in fear and I fell in love with the story itself. PRETTY MONSTERS takes the normal monsters we see and gives them a twist (junk food addicted monsters anyone?) in this newest story from Andrea Speed. I can not wait to read the next installment of Josh of the Damned just so I can see if the Hot Guy Monster finally reels in Josh or not.

If you’re looking for the perfect Halloween tale to make shivers run up your spine, then grab PRETTY MONSTERS and settle in for a fun time. I can guarantee you will laugh then sigh over Josh and his attraction to one of the PRETTY MONSTERS.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.