Magic takes many forms. From malignant hexes to love charms gone amok, you’ll find a vast array of spells and curses, creatures and conjurings in this massive collection—not to mention a steamy dose of man-on-man action. Charmed and Dangerous features all-new stories of gay paranormal romance, supernatural fiction and urban fantasy by ten top m/m paranormal authors.Rhys Ford – Dim Sum Asylum For … Sum Asylum
For Detective Roku MacCormick, working Arcane Crimes is his passion. Now cleared of any wrongdoing for shooting his last partner, MacCormick is given back his badge… as well as a new case and partner. Trent Leonard isn’t exactly what he’d expected, but then nothing in San Francisco’s Chinatown ever is.
Ginn Hale – Swift and the Black Dog
When Jack Swift killed a tyrant and won the revolution he became a national hero. But someone in the new government prefers dead heroes to living, swearing, cynical wizards. Caught between bullets, revenge and desire, Jack had better be swift indeed.
KJ Charles – A Queer Trade
Apprentice magician Crispin Tredarloe returns to London to find his master dead, and his papers sold. Papers with secrets that could spell death. Waste paper seller Ned Hall can’t resist Crispin’s pleading—and appealing—looks. But can the wasteman and the magician prevent a disaster and save Crispin’s skin?
Nicole Kimberling – Magically Delicious
Occult attacks against NIAD agents aren’t remotely Keith Curry’s department. But when his lover, Gunther, is assaulted, Keith refuses to just sit back and fill out paperwork. He’s on the case—even if that means enraging powerful mages, crossing leprechaun picket lines, or braving dinner with Gunther’s goblin parents.
Jordan Castillo Price – Everyone’s Afraid of Clowns
Psychic medium Victor Bayne can spot a ghost any day of the year, but Halloween holds some special surprises. His psych-groupie boyfriend Jacob coaxes him to the location of an old spirit sighting, but they can’t ghosthunt without enduring a cheesy “haunted house” that’s even more disturbing than they realize.
Jordan L. Hawk – The Thirteenth Hex
Hexman Dominic Kopecky doesn’t understand why dashing crow familiar Rook wants his help investigating murder by patent hex. For one thing, Dominic isn’t a witch. For another, the case is already closed—and someone is willing to kill to keep it that way.
Charlie Cochet – The Soldati Prince
Riley Murrough goes from serving lattes to being chased by demons. If that wasn’t bad enough, he bears the mark of a shapeshifter king from a magical realm. Riley’s determined to get answers, but if the demons out for his blood don’t kill him, the urge to strangle the arrogant king might.
Lou Harper – One Hex Too Many
Veteran detective Mike Mulligan is an expert on violent crimes—of the occult variety. He might even be cursed. Detective Hugh Fox is eager to partner up and prove himself, but Mulligan is accustomed to flying solo. Can they trust each other enough to track a killer who’ll stop at nothing, not even summoning a demon?
Andrea Speed – Josh of the Damned vs. the Bathroom of Doom
It’s a boring night at the Quik-Mart for Josh and his friend Doug. Until a vampire with a grudge—and the most adorable backup ever—crashes the store. Can Josh survive the Bathroom of Doom?
Astrid Amara – The Trouble With Hexes
P.I. Tim Keller has a problem. And the only person who can solve it is his ex-boyfriend, Vincent, whose job as a hexbreaker was the reason they broke up. It’s hard admitting he was wrong, especially when coughing up organs. But there’s a missing person to find, a hexmaker to hunt down, and a romance to repair before Tim breathes his last.
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As with all anthologies I find some stories better than others, although all of the short stories in the collection are good in their own right. I’m a Jordan Hawk fan so was happy to see her on the list, and she didn’t disappoint. Two or three more of my fave authors are represented here to add to the enjoyment. Scary, bizarre, downright twisted, there’s something here for everyone who enjoys a well written paranormal story..
Lovely little anthology.
“A Queer Trade”
KJ Charles’s magnificent inventive and illustrative writing prevails again. In this clever story she brilliantly combines witty humor – I’m talking downright laugh out loud moments – seamlessly with the macabre and sensational. I’d love to include some quotes, but will leave readers to discover and enjoy them within the context of the entire story this time around.
Crispin – a magical protégé- arrives home following a trip out of town to discover his mentor has died. Seems the man’s family has wasted no time clearing the house of everything. Crispin becomes quite desperate to locate some potentially damaging spelled papers that were given over to an unidentified waste-man. As Crispin methodically searches for this man, readers will no doubt be delighted to see which particularly memorable version of Victorian London this story takes place in.
Ned, the mystery waste man, watches with interest and a particular awareness as Crispin first approaches his shop. I swear I was a voyeur within the story as the two men meet, set about searching through papers, and become oh so aware of one another. Aware in EVERY sense. Crispin is suffused with a brave vulnerability, recognized immediately by Ned. Calm and confident Ned, once he recovered from some initial realizations, barely blinked an eye at the strange goings on unleashed by the spelled papers he had unknowingly sold. We’re talking macabre fountain pens, a nod to zombie lore, and a whole new meaning for fresh food. The quick and fierce connection between Crispin and Ned is delivered in a deeply believable fashion. The fact that they are two men who both know what it’s like to be disdained by society – despite being from different cultures – plays no small part. The magical elements of the story are wicked awesome.
These characters and their world leap off the pages. I certainly loved gaining insight into Crispin and Ned, and would dearly love to know what happens to them next.
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“The Trouble With Hexes”
How I love the word play in this title. You see, in this urban fantasy, PI Tim and tattoo artist Vincent are exes. Tim ended their relationship when he couldn’t fathom Vincent’s newfound obsession with hex breaking, and he certainly couldn’t deal with the physical side effects Vincent suffered from it. Until the day Tim realizes he himself has been hexed and turns to Vincent, who guardedly agrees to help.
Tim is dying. The men have a limited time to find out who hexed Tim, gain the hex root, and break the hex. Tim is also refusing to quit work on finding a runaway girl. This all makes for a fantastic, edge of your seat, thrill of a read. The supernatural aspects are both horrific and mesmerizing and they are interspersed craftily with humorous moments. I love Astrid Amara’s imagination and writing style. As Tim and Vincent desperately work together, their feelings for each other get a work out too. This is ultimately a story of, awakened understanding, second chances and the rekindling of profound love.