I got this trade paperback from Barnes and Noble in part because of the steamy theme, and in part because the contributors include Jeff Mann, 'Nathan Burgoine (aka BCer N8an), Trebor Healey, and others whose works I've enjoyed.

Given the premise, it's not surprising that some of the stories are quite dark, but some of the authors have managed to include demons while pulling out some more upbeat tales; a nice variety. Among my favorite stories here:

"Discodemius" by Jerry L. Wheeler features a demon who's set on pulling the "be careful what you wish for" trick to cause maximum pain to a human - but he gets his comeuppance in an unexpected way.

"Loki's Boy" by Jeff Mann takes Mann's fondness for hot, hairy, sweaty sex and rolls it into the Loki myth, pairing him with a young Viking who finds that there's a price for swearing fealty to such a god.

"Necessary Evils" by 'Nathan Burgoine introduces not only a demon but a vampire and a wizard as well, in a world where supernatural beings are better able to function without going on massive murder-sprees if they form a triad. Most form these groups with their own kind, but somehow our main trio has managed to make their disparate powers work - not without sacrifices, though. The story features a new demon who hasn't grown into his own powers yet, and a painful lesson from the more experienced one...

"The Truth in Your Eyes" by Joseph Baneth Allen pits supernatural beings against a demon-summoning coven; among other things, the bad guys learn it is not wise to attempt to harm any cats. [This could be seen as an example of "humans are the real demons", at least in some cases.] Very satisfying resolution to this one!

"You've Got the Eyes of a Stranger" by Mel Bossa is one of the darker stories here, one of those that does not make being a demon seem desirable {wry grin}.

And Trebor Healey's "Imp" - oh, this one's fascinating, dealing with an imp who's compelled to play pranks on people, yet who becomes attached to his victims after a while, upsetting the balance of things...

I'm adding this book to the LGBTQIA bookbox, which will be on its way again on Tuesday. Hope someone enjoys this book!

Taken from the bookbox.

Overall, I was a little disappointed with this collection. Most of the stories didn't grab my attention all that well, meaning it took me months to actually finish it because I kept putting it down in favor of something else; I actually re-shelved it in the middle of a story several times. There were some good stories in here, but as an anthology, it felt a little weak and poorly organized.

The stories I liked best were:

"One Night, Then Another" by Max Reynolds features some engaging, morally questionable characters taking a progressively darker path.

"Imp" by Trebor Healey was a wild romp that had me laughing even as things became melodramatically tragic.

"You've Got the Eyes of a Stranger" by Mel Bossa is a horror tale about a demon's attempt to get back into Satan's good graces by destroying a human's life.

"Necessary Evil' by 'Nathan Burgoine has an urban fantasy feel, with its supernatural characters figuring out how to live something like a "normal" life in our world.

Heading out as one of the starting books in the Otherworldly Bookbox

Taken from the Otherworldly Bookbox.