Lex ChaseReseñas

4.5 stars.

Very fun read. Rounding down to four only because two people in tight quarters is not exactly my comfort zone. Does it make me a closeted claustrophobic? *scratches head* lol

Good book, tho. Very good :)

Um... there is a woman on the cover. O.o Is it M/M?

“Look. Enchant history is not what a cartoon mouse drawn by some advertising genius would have you believe. It’s messy. It’s twisted. And it’s not all that beautiful or magical. There is no f*cking ‘wishing upon a star’ shit.” Corentin Devereaux, Huntsman

The above quote is from the first book in this fantastic series, but it very accurately describes the “feel” of these books. Yes, there is magic and there are princesses, but just like the entire fairy tale world has been modernized and moved into an alternate version of today’s reality, so have the villains. And the darker turn the plot took at the end of book one continues in this second volume. Taylor and Corentin may have decided to retire from the business of saving the world and are pretending to be mundanes, living the quiet life, but Fate, the powers that be, and the Storyteller seem to have other ideas. A few chapters into the second installment there was more than one hint about major new trouble brewing, and a few pages later the sh*t hit the fan, and another action-packed adventure took my breath away.

Taylor may have figured out which princess he is – and if you have not read book one and don’t want to see any spoilers for that part of the trilogy, stop reading HERE – but things are not exactly what he expected. Sleeping Beauty, or so he thinks, is a useless princess, but I totally disagree with that assessment. Some of his magic is cool, he has a hidden part of his heritage that comes in pretty handy as well, and his deep love of Corentin may just be what they all need to save the Enchants from extinction and the mundanes from more than one major catastrophe.

Corentin faces his own set of challenges. He still forgets everything he ever knew once a week and has to start from scratch over and over again. His diary helps him remember, as does Taylor, but he can’t be the man he wants to be for Taylor while the curse destroys all they have every seven days. His past could be coming to haunt him – and it does – and he wouldn’t even know what the problem is. The real question for him is whether he can accept the price Taylor is willing to pay to save him…

If you think you’re ready for the second part of this exciting trilogy, including a secret organization, enchanted blizzards, and betrayal at almost every level, if you want to know what happens next in the epic battle between good and evil in the world of the Enchants, and if you’re looking for a read that is creative, tension-filled, surprising, and deeply emotional, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It’s a worthy successor to ‘Americana Fairy Tale’ in every way – and nicely sets the stage for the final volume of the trilogy. I can’t wait!


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Reimagined fairy tales, especially those with a twist or modernized to bring them up to date, and stories that challenge accepted gender identities and traditional roles are two of my favorite genres. Imagine my delight when I discovered the ‘Fairy Tales of the Open Road’ series and found out that it contains both elements in abundance. I know I’m late to the table with this first book having been out for a while, but now that I am into the concept of this somewhat crazy world, I am very motivated to catch up quickly. As I understand it, “Americana Fairy Tale” is the first of three books around the “screw-up princess” Taylor Hatfield (a guy with a few issues) and the “skillful huntsman” Corentin Devereaux (also a guy, and one with even more issues).

So far, so interesting. But here’s the thing. As much as the setup sounds like a fairy tale I sort of know, if you’re expecting any hint of tradition, this is not your book. Lex Chase has, instead, taken existing fairy tale characters and put them in a magical world of Enchants who live among nonenchanted humans in today’s world. Each Enchant has some sort of curse (except those who don’t – and that’s an issue in and of itself). Enchants also have an abundance of rules to obey and are tasked with keeping up tradition, which has led to princesses and princes being reincarnated over and over again, trying to follow the mysterious Storyteller’s plan.

Taylor is a princess, gay – much to his homophobic father’s disgust, and the older brother of “perfect” Atticus. Taylor has a few problems. He doesn’t want to adhere to tradition and get married to the prince of his parents’ choice (who happens to be a girl). Taylor doesn’t even know which princess he is supposed to be the reincarnation of – different from Atticus who is Snow White and, in this world, the highest-ranked princess of them all. When Taylor runs rather than marry a prince he doesn’t love, taking his equally unconventional fairy godfather with him, he sets in motion a series of events that will lead to the discovery of a nefarious plan, unprecedented cooperation between a princess and a huntsman, more ambition and spells than you can shake a wand at, and an adventure of epic proportions.

Corentin may be a feared (and somewhat despised) huntsman, but his spell has rendered him almost powerless. It is so bad that he is prepared to do almost anything, even work with the bad guys, to get back to a normal life. Meeting Taylor changes a few things for him, but their partnership is uneasy and volatile at first. Their road trip and efforts to solve the evil witchking’s riddles so they can save Atticus pushes them closer together, but a Happily Ever After seems more unlikely by the page.

If you’re looking for a highly imaginative story in the form of a novel that is so funny it might just make you laugh out loud, if you don’t mind this book just being the first part of a trilogy - which means more than one question remains without an answer by the end of it, and if you’re ready to have your preconceived notions about what a fairy tale “should be” challenged, you will probably like this novel as much as I do. I can’t wait to read the next installment!


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

‘Some Assembly Required’ is a unique book with its concept of purgatory as a home furnishings store and a humorous approach to the people (or are they ghosts?) who inhabit it that made me laugh out loud more than once. There are probably as many concepts about what the afterlife is like as there are people who believe in it, but this specific one is so modern and relatable that it had me in stitches. And as for a ghost story - most of which are either scary, creepy, or sad - this one is “none of the above” and excellent entertainment instead.

Benji is such a nice, likable character that he and his worries pulled me right into the story. He loves animals to the point that he kept the ex’s cat despite the fact he is allergic, he is a kindergarten teacher, and is trying desperately to get over his boyfriend leaving him. I felt for him in life – and even more so in death. How horrible to come to in the store that made the DEL TORO bookcase that killed him. Benji has no idea what is going on, and I loved learning how everything works alongside him.

Patrick, while I found him more difficult to understand initially, has not fared much better. He too was killed by a DEL TORO bookcase, but it’s been a while, and he has been working in the store that produces DEL TORO bookcases and other affordable furniture. He is a prankster, seems to take nothing seriously, and has a definite bad boy vibe that intrigued me. He helps fellow spirits move on to their final destination, but he is jaded and bored, no longer believing in an afterlife beyond where he is now.

Benji makes Patrick question what he’s been up to. It takes a while, but as the two men get to know each other, they begin to realize they not only mean a lot to each other but also may be able to “move on” together. Their journey of realization is filled with humor, sarcasm, and great observations about human nature. And the ending is just perfect!

If you like stories about the afterlife, if you prefer your ghosts to have a sense of humor, and if you’re looking for a read that is hilariously funny yet wonderfully emotional and romantic at the same time, then you will probably like this novel as much as I did. It’s great whether you want something to cheer you up, or whether you’re just looking for a great laugh.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Okay, I’ll admit it: this story had me intrigued from the moment I read the blurb. Two demons, incubi no less, from the seventh circle of hell, have settled on Earth, run a diner together in a town “even Google Maps can’t find”, and are roommates. Oh, and the diner is well known for its “devilishly decadent pies”. Jackson is the one who tells the story, and he has been secretly in love with Vegas for – a very, very long time. I had my suspicions about Vegas as well…

They have a bet going to fall in love by Christmas. If Jackson wins, Vegas will agree to close the diner for holidays and taking a vacation – not something he is a fan of. If Vegas wins, Jackson will have to clean out grease traps for eternity. And if that wasn’t enough excitement, they find a baby girl in the trash who only stops crying in Jacksons arms, and their slightly new-age-y sort-of friend, whom Jackson suspects to be in love with Vegas and vice versa, comes to work at the diner part-time. Between desperately finding a date he can fall in love with, figuring out how to take care of a baby girl and being upset that Vegas won’t see him for anyone other than a roommate, Jackson sure has his hands full.

Written with a great sense of humor, some demonic subterfuge, and more than one unexpected twist, this is an absolutely wonderful story. It may not contain any “traditional Christmas spirit” in the stricter sense of the definition, but it sure has its moments!

If you like tongue-in-cheek stories, if you’re a fan of demons finding a new purpose outside their hellish origins, and if you’re looking for a read that is funny, extremely hot, and full of quirky characters who do the unexpected, then you will probably like this novella as much as I did. I’m still laughing.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

As a collection of stories, I think the 2015 Advent Calendar was one of the best of its kind. I have been following these since 2009, but the number of stories I totally adored has never been this high. And even though I had my ten favorites (see individual titles for my reviews and ratings), I really liked the vast majority of the remainder as well. Each story had something to contribute, and that included (as it does every year) stories of winter traditions other than Christian. I had a ball reading these and already look forward to the 2016 collection.


NOTE: The stories in this collection were provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of reviews on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Set in Maine, one of my favorite states because of – need I say it – lobster, ‘The Unlikely Prospect’ is a sweet, heartwarming story about two men who would have never expected to be a couple, yet fall for each other almost the moment they meet. Harper, a lobsterman with writing talent, takes a long time to come out of the shell he’s been using to protect himself from being seen as different, and Sean, a first-grade teacher from LA, needs to figure out how to trust again despite the fact he has sworn never to have expectations again. These guys captured me with their combined charm from the very beginning. Then there is the wonderful setting, the charming local details of the small fishing village Harper lives in, and the fantastic supporting characters. With an authentic flavor of Maine added to the lovely story details, this quickly became one of my favorites in the ‘States of Love’ series.

Harper is all about his work as a lobsterman – well, almost. There is his love of writing stories, but that secret is better guarded than the PIN code to Fort Knox. It’s important for Harper to fit in, to be an upstanding member of the small community he has lived in all his life, and to succeed with his and his brothers’ lobster fishing business. He is gay, but not willing to admit it because it would make him stand out. But then two things happen: he notices the new first-grade teacher, Sean, who has moved to Maine from LA and then Sean asks him to participate in a calendar the proceeds of which will fund a playground for the elementary school. Posing like a model would be bad enough for someone as shy as Harper, but then it turns out the men will all be nude…

Sean, whom I unfortunately only got to see through Harper’s telling of the story, is unsure what his future holds. He’s had a bad breakup – hence the cross-country move – and doesn’t find it easy to trust again. But Harper, in all his forty-year-old innocence, is too attractive to resist. He is also scrupulously honest, and that is not something Sean is used to or takes for granted. The pinup calendar is a good “excuse” for them to have a few meetings and to start talking, but both men are clearly interested in more.

Harper’s somewhat hesitant, shy fumblings charmed me as much as Sean’s patience and determination. Watching both of them get closer and figure out their relationship was a treat! But there is more to the story as well, and all of the subplots and secondary characters who got involved made this novel come alive in the best way.

If you like stories about men who meet a little later in life, if you think that “shy” and “determined” make a good combination, and if you’re looking for a read that is as sweet and adorable as it is heartwarming, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. Makes me wish for a sequel, just to see what Harper and Sean get up to next!


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

What a finale to an utterly stunning series! Full of surprises, a desperate struggle to make things right, betrayal, unexpected support, magic, and characters who need to figure out what it is they really want. Princess Sleeping Beauty Taylor and huntsman Corentin have their hands full trying to save the world of Enchants from Atticus, Taylor’s brother with the scary powers of Snow White, rewriting their entire history and editing out anyone he does not like. Idi the Witchking has had a change of heart – or is he still up to no good and making everyone’s lives impossible? Then there is The Library, a secretive organization that first appeared in the previous book, who is ready to end Atticus’s life by any means necessary.

Even though Taylor and Corentin are still hunting Atticus, and failing again and again because the evil man is too powerful and slippery, the tone of their quest has changed and is now much darker than ever before. The reasons for Taylor’s guilt over what Atticus has turned into becomes clearer as some of their family details and back story emerges – and it’s a whopper. Taylor is as determined as ever to help Atticus get better – but it seems less and less likely that he will be able to stop the inevitable – his own brother’s death.

‘Urban Fairy Tale’ is a story of changing allegiances and betrayal. It is also a study of how “good” and “evil” can be relative and depend on someone’s perspective, not necessarily some “absolute” principles. Taylor and Corentin face almost impossible odds and tremendous pressure and have to decide what is most important to them. In the end, they are the ones deciding who they will become, and I loved how skillfully Lex Chase kept up the suspense until the last second and managed to tear a brilliant ending from the wide-open jaws of utter defeat. I was emotionally drained by the end of it, but very happy about the result. This series, in fact, has more than one Happy Ever After, and all of them are unusual, unexpected, and about as far removed from the “fairy tale standard” as is possible.

If you want to know how this amazing trilogy brings its multiple story threads to a very satisfying end, if Taylor and Corentin are as close to your heart as they have grown to mine, and if you’re looking for a read that is imaginative, fantastical, overflowing with magic and curses, and very, very intense, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It’s a brilliant final installment in an amazing trilogy that I won’t soon forget.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

With two very unusual shifters as main characters, this story took me to unexpected places. Chris is a parakeet shifter and just as flighty and easy to panic as a human as when he is in his bird form – except in matters of the heart. Dash is an iguana shifter with a heart of gold, out to rescue the world, and full of commitment issues. They were engaged for twelve years (!!!), then Dash lost his passport in Thailand and wasn’t able to attend their wedding. And now they end up on a deserted island and depend on each other to survive. The result is a hilarious story filled with snark, interpersonal fireworks, and a rediscovery of what’s really important. Absolutely wonderful!

Chris is very likable with all his flaws: he panics easily, can’t find his way even with a map, and is desperately in love with Dash despite the fact that the man “stood him up” at the altar. It must be his nesting instinct, but he really wanted to make a home with the iguana shifter. When he meets Dash on the cruise his mother gifted him so he can finally have some fun over a year after the canceled wedding, he is incensed.

Ending up on a deserted island together is probably the only thing that can get them back together again. Not that it looks likely –they bicker all the way, more like an old married couple than lovers. But then things get dangerous and everything changes…

If you like unusual shifters, if reunions and reconciliations are your thing, and if you’re looking for a hilarious read with lots of heart, then you will probably like this cute short story.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

This was a cute little story about two incubi who find a baby abandoned in a dumpster behind their restaurant, Eaven (the "H" is burned out ;) ). Jackson has been in love and lust with his best friend, Vegas, for a long time, but Vegas only sees him as a friend and roommate. Or so he thinks. But it's Christmas, and maybe a miracle can even happen for two demons. ;)

Almost a comics in written format, I have the feeling that Pawn Takes Rook, first episode in the Checkmate series is part of something bigger in the author’s mind, something she has already developed and that is now feeding us little piece by little piece. A lot has already happened when the story starts and I struggled a little to fit all the details, but in the end I had a good idea: the time is the same as today, 2013, but it’s an alternative universe; the poly vaccine caused a genetic variation in the newborn who acquired special powers, and now almost everyone is a superhero. If you are really a good one, you are part of the Alliance, fighting the villains in the name of the law. Things you consider as given, televisions, laptops, are luxury items people save a life to buy.

Hogarth, the nephew of the Google’s algorithm creator, want to be part of the Alliance, but he is actually more a nerd than a hero. When he is rescued by Rook, a former Alliance hero, he sees him as his chance to meet the Alliance standards: if he cannot make it alone, why not try with a dynamic duo? But Rook is like a loose cannon, not really trustworthy, plus he is defective, like a pot that, when reaching the boiling point, instead of going in off mode, explode. Doesn't hurt that Rook is also an hunky viking, with startling icy eyes and long, blond locks.

You can say the author had a lot of fun writing this novella, I had the feeling like she planned it with friends, like a videogame she was playing and trying all the special effects. Yes, the mood was of fun, light entertainment, winking the eye probably to some favorite cartoon or comic character I’m not able to point out (not really a comic fan here). But even if I cannot pinpoint the origin, it was a funny little piece.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BT7KGWU/?tag=elimyrevandra-20