The holiday season pounces on Cody and Demetrius like one of the monsters they’ve tangled with. After their first time hosting Thanksgiving dinner as a couple, the two travel to Colorado to visit Cody’s parents for Christmas. With all four of Cody’s brothers expected as well, they’re in for some pretty intense Bower family time.When Cody’s father drives his truck off the road and goes missing two … missing two days before Christmas, tensions run high within the Bower family. After Demetrius discovers some unusual clues at the scene of the accident, he and Cody suspect Greg Bower’s disappearance might be tied to something more monstrous than icy roads. As often happens when the guys start working a case, some bizarre twists and turns leave Cody cursing monsters as he wonders if his parents’ relationship is as solid as he’s always believed.
In between samples of Cody’s brother’s primo cannabis product, the two deal with the rest of Cody’s brothers, Christmas shopping with his nieces and nephews, a movie stuntman with a terrible sense of direction, and a police sergeant with some secrets of his own.
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It is wonderful to visit with the gentlemen of Critter Catchers yet again. This time author Hank Edwards treats readers to Cody’s commitment to his relationship with Demi in the form of a trip to meet the family in Colorado Christmas. But before Christmas, our boys must get through their first Thanksgiving as a couple living together in the home left to them by Demi’s Aunt Amelia. Demi extends an invitation to dinner to the friends they have amassed over their adventures only to discover he has bitten off a whole lot to chew. The boys are successful in hosting a wonderful gathering filled with laughter and friends that in no way prepare them for the holiday events at the Bowers home.
Cody and Demi are taken aback when they are not welcomed at the airport and are required to make their way by Uber to the Bower residence. They are stunned to find Cody’s parents financially backing Grant Bower’s cultivation of medical marijuana and its recreational use is far from the most startling thing the boys learn about Cody’s parents. With a home full of Bower boys, their partners, and children (born and unborn), all are distressed with the disappearance of Greg Bower–the family’s patriarch. Leaving the home after a disagreement with the wife, the father’s automobile is found by the side of the road with the cell phone inside. Examination of the vehicle suggests Greg Bower hit a large animal then got out uninjured, possibly to escape after being pursued.
When the boys join in with the search efforts they discover a stunt actor in a sasquatch costume who had wandered offset. But looking about for Greg Bower results in Cody and Demi finding him in addition to a very real sasquatch that was, fortunately for them all, easily distracted by the costumed stuntman. After being cornered in the shack where Greg Bower hid out, an overturned lamp causes a blaze that sets the real sasquatch on fire and running away. The guys’ burns, scratches, bumps, and bruises were all patched up at the hospital and they were released in time for Christmas. The most important occurrence for the holiday visit was Cody’s ability to tell the family about the change in the quality of his friendship with Demi–that he is Cody’s lover and his hope for the future. With only one detractor, Demi is welcomed by both parents and three of Cody’s four brothers. The story ends magnificently with Cody asking Demi to marry him!
I can NOT emphasize how delighted I am with how the writer grows the series’ principal characters within each book and throughout the entire series arc. Development of secondary characters occurs in each book of the series, too! The examples are too numerous to list! Along with remarkable world-building, the pacing (the rate at which the writer introduces key elements in the story) and balance (the distribution of varying types of elements in the narrative) is exemplary. With an awesome premise and compelling storyline, the author produces another exceptional novel for an outstanding series.
This is another great installment in a fabulous series. Cody and Demetrius are settling into living together, when Cody’s mother asks him to come home for Christmas. It’s been five years since he’s been home, and Cody is relieved when Demmy offers to go with him. The family knows Demmy as Cody’s childhood friend, but will they be ready to accept him as Cody’s lover?
The Bowers family are a mixed bag of funny, crazy, accepting, and intolerant characters. I love watching Cody and Demmy become even closer as a couple as they deal with family drama, searching for Cody’s missing father, and dealing with run-ins with Sasquatch. There is adventure, love, and marijuana-enhanced fooling around in the mountains of Colorado. I love this so much, and I’m ready for the next book, so I can see what this adorable couple has in store for them next. This series is a definite highlight of my 2019 reads!
4 ½ stars
I liked this one, even though it got a little confusing from time to time. Must be the primo weed. The investigation into Cody’s Dad’s accident and disappearance is fascinating. Once more (this seems to be a trend, whether or not marijuana is involved), they have a knack for allowing little things to distract them from serious and dangerous situations. If this were real life, they would be kibble by now. But it’s not. So, I can enjoy the craziness that goes on where ever they happen to be.
The secondary characters in this one are tedious (most of the family, except the stoned brother) and hilarious (the stuntman).
The banter between these two is still fun to read. The best part of their relationship in this book is how strong Demmy and Cody are for each other. It’s lovely to see.
The monster is a good old standby. While it was interesting to read and see this author’s take on it, there were no big surprises with it. It is big, strong, and scary. That’s all I need.
Book 6, here I come.
Another great book in the series, now the plot included familiar drama, another urban legend encounter and a mystery that needed to be solved. Cody and Demetrius kept getting stronger as a couple with every adventure they live together, confirming every time that they are one for each other. And the last scene is…just…perfect…
Nice reading to spend a good time these Holidays!!
I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest opinion
Screams of the Season is the fifth book in the Critter Catchers series by Hank Edwards. Cody and Demmy do the Holidays with Cody’s family and are met with the mysterious disappearance of his father, some split reactions on their new relationship status from the siblings, and some big secrets about his parents’ lifestyle. Of course, being the paranormal magnets they seem to be, there is a suspicious and mysterious figure lurking about, ramping up the worry over the older Mr. Bower.
This wonderful addition to the serious delivers more suspense, more humor and a great dose of love, both romantic and family love. I am loving Demmy and Cody and this series more and more with each book. I can’t wait to read more.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
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Hank Edwards is truly gifted at writing real, authentic, and poignant human interactions, and this book has it in spades. I have to commend him for handing readers a title with at least 15 Bowers in a single location and not completely losing me. In fact, he didn’t lose me at all. And that’s a lot of Bower boys and their families to keep track of. Cody’s mother requests he come visit for Christmas, and now that their relationship is real and long-term, Cody doesn’t want to go without Demmy.
From the start of the book, life is hectic. Demmy and Cody have moved in together, their hosting their first Thanksgiving get together as a couple, and now middle child Cody is thrust back into the cluster of his family, which includes his oldest brother Grant, who is a Willy Nelson-lookalike, laugh-out-loud awesome, and pretty much always a little stoned. As well as Roman, the most conservative of the five brothers, who is definitely not happy about Demmy’s presence in Colorado, let alone finding out that Cody’s taken the next step in his friendship with the “skinny gay kid” from school.
As if the brothers, nieces and nephews, Christmas shopping, and homophobia isn’t enough to send them running back to Parson’s Hollow—they learn the night they get into Colorado, Cody’s father’s truck has been found on the side of the road with him… missing. And when Demmy finds some curious hairs and an abominable-sized footprint, their track record for avoiding monsters continues to not look good.
A monster seriously couldn’t have kidnapped Mr. Bower… right? This adventure is a race against the clock. Not only do they want to find Cody’s father in time for Christmas, as so many children and grandchildren are hoping for his return, but he’s somewhere alone in the frigid woodlands of Colorado. How long can he possibly survive without adequate clothing and food?
Another homerun in the Critter Catchers series. I simply cannot say enough good things about these books. In between moments of raw and brutal human interactions, sweet and fiery sex, there’s still copious amounts of humor and crazy ‘wtf’ paranormal elements to keep readers turning the page until the end. And my God, what an amazing ending this book has.