Wrapped in Tinsel by Sarah Stein

December 2, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Wrapped in Tinsel by Sarah Stein
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Romance, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

IVY CANE TINSEL
He’s bad news.
But I can’t help staring.
His eyes pick me apart every time we’re in the same room together.
He’s drop-dead gorgeous, and my body reacts in a way that surprises me.
I thought his job was complete, but it was just the beginning.
He’s taken residence in my mind and refuses to leave.

ASHER BOYD
I was hired to do one job, and that was it.
Unfortunately, things never happen as expected.
It takes longer than expected, only because of her.
Just as I finish, another request pops up.
I’ve never played Santa before.
My only thought is whether Ivy will take the opportunity to sit on my lap and reveal her Christmas wishes.

The holidays are the perfect time for a little romance, whether for a few nights or maybe for much longer than that.

Ivy and Asher were a good match for each other. Not only did they have similar personalities and interests, they had nice chemistry as well. All of these things were important to establish early on in order to help explain why their relationship heated up rapidly, so I was glad to see so much proof that these two were compatible right away.

I did find myself wishing that a few plot holes involving the protagonists’ places of employment had been filled in better. Given how busy both of their jobs seemed to be, especially in a store during the holiday season, I would have loved to have a more thorough explanation as to why they seemed to have so much free time to do things other than work. There were hints that Ivy had some truly caring and fantastic bosses and Asher was the boss at his workplace, so this could have been easily explained with a few more details added to show why there were so many lulls in activity.

There was a fun Christmas-themed plot twist involving Bells & Whistles, the store Ivy worked at, that made me smile. Obviously, I can’t go into detail about what it was without sharing spoilers, but I appreciated the humor it injected into the storyline and thought it fit the mood of this piece nicely.

Wrapped in Tinsel was playful and festive.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Movie Review: Dear Santa

December 1, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Dear Santa
Writers: Ricky Blitt, Peter Farrelly, and Dan Ewen
Director: Bobby Farrelly
Starring: Jack Black, Robert Timothy Smith, and Keegan-Michael Key
Publisher: Paramount+
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars (6 Stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by Astilbe

When a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error, a devilish Jack Black arrives to wreak havoc on the holidays.

A little miscommunication goes a long way.

It was cool to have a protagonist who had a learning disability, especially since Liam’s struggles with reading and spelling played such an important role in where his letter to Santa ended up and what happened when the unintended recipient decided to reply anyway. This is something I’d love to see more of in the film industry in the future given how rare it is to explore the lives of people with these sorts of difficulties on the big screen.

I found the ending confusing and out of sync with what was going on in the beginning and middle of this film. The themes about grief, friendship, and Christmas magic that had been slowly building up to this point were suddenly switched out for a conclusion that sharply contradicted what had previously been established as the rules Liam must follow while making his three wishes.

It was interesting to see the wide variety of jokes. Some of them were the sorts of things elementary and middle school aged kids often find funny like bodily functions while others were definitely meant for adult viewers. In certain scenes, one of these jokes would be immediately followed by the other sort which made this feel like something that the whole family could enjoy.

With that being said, I do think this would have benefitted from having a clearer understanding of which audience it was written for. There were playful scenes I would wholeheartedly recommend to kids but others that were too dark, scary, and in one case even tragic for me to feel comfortable including them in the list of people who should see this. The ending played a big role in my discomfort here.

The dialogue felt natural and was often witty. Jack Black has played plenty of roles in other movies that I enjoyed in the past, and it was fun to see how he approached such a surprising character. He had a great sense of humor in this piece and provided plenty of laughs exactly when they were needed.

Dear Santa made me chuckle.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Movie Review, Television Show Tagged With: , , ,

Bunny’s Special Treat by Wanda Violet O.

November 28, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Bunny’s Special Treat by Wanda Violet O.
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Holiday
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

His Bunny. His rules. One night of denial becomes a lifetime of surrender.

I never dreamed being Max’s Bunny would feel like this. Owned, protected, and utterly consumed by his desire shouldn’t be the enticement, but pleasing Max, submitting to him, fulfills something inside me I didn’t know I was missing. Every touch, every command, every whispered promise reminds me I belong to him. But belonging comes with its own exquisite torment.

Daddy Jacob’s masquerade promises a night of temptation and denial, where every glance burns hotter and every stolen touch leaves me trembling on the edge. I ache for release, but Max’s rules are absolute: I come only when he allows it. And tonight, he intends to push me further than I’ve ever gone before.

Surrounded by power, lust, and dangerous devotion, I have only one truth to hold on to. I’m Max’s Bunny. Always.

Max and his Bunny are enjoying a special night at Daddy Jacob’s masquerade. Even though the night is filled with friends, power and lust, Bunny knows Max’s rules come above all else. No matter the provocation or situation, she only comes when Max allows. Can Max and his Bunny enjoy this exquisite but tortuous evening together?

I enjoyed this brief but spicy Daddy Dom erotic short story. While I think I’ve read one of this series before – I haven’t followed along fully, and I still found the story spicy and enjoyable. I do think readers might feel a stronger connection to Bunny and Max and their friends if they’ve read the other books – but I found it certainly easy to pick this up pretty much by itself and still enjoy the proceedings.

Readers should be aware this spicy romance has multiple partners for Bunny, and the party is quite the enticing and exotic event. While there isn’t really much of a plot – I still found this an interesting and fun quick read. Absolutely have a cold drink on hand and I’d recommend not reading it anywhere public – Bunny is thoroughly put through her paces, and this isn’t the sort of book you want to be reading when others are around.

Short and sexy, this was a fun Halloween themed erotic story that should appeal to many BDSM readers.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

All Dressed Up by Ashlynn Monroe

November 27, 2025 By Leave a Comment


All Dressed Up by Ashlynn Monroe
Jack-O-Lanterns, Book 8
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Holiday, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Halloween isn’t just for trick-or-treating. Sometimes it’s about playing dress up. When Isaac’s wife brings home a friend on Halloween, he never expects them to show him just what his sex life has been missing or that demons are real. Will he be willing to share his wife with two demons?

Isaac and Suzy’s marriage had gone from strength to strength after they moved. Reconnecting in the bedroom they each had loved the injection of heat into their sexy antics. Isaac is somewhat disappointed, therefore, when he gets home on Halloween to discover Suzy is out collecting her good friend Roneka who had come over for an unexpected visit. Can Issac and Suzy be honest about what each of them want?

I found this to be a super spicy foursome romance. While Suzy and Ronnie have been friends for quite some time, neither had acted on their attraction. When Ronnie also brings fellow demon Renault the four of them virtually set the bedroom on fire. Readers should absolutely sit back, keep calm, and enjoy the ride.

I do feel readers should be aware that there is very little plot to this spicy short story, and I found each page thoroughly enjoyable. The chemistry between all four characters is sky high and I really didn’t mind they didn’t even leave the house for the duration of the story.

Readers looking for a smoking hot four-way Halloween orgy can’t go wrong with this spicy short story.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Headless Horseman by Marteeka Karland

October 23, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Headless Horseman by Marteeka Karland
Jack-O-Lanterns
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

One too many Flying Broomsticks and a phobia about Halloween aren’t the only thing chasing Isabelle Crane into the darkness. She’s got one very real-life family legend on her — err — tail.

Literally.

Anything can happen on Halloween.

This was the most creative instalment of the Jack-O-Lanterns series that I’ve read so far. I liked the way Ms. Karland used the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow to bring a few frights to this tale. It balanced out the steamier scenes nicely and made me wonder what could possibly happen next. While I’d recommend reading the original ghost story first to those who aren’t already aware of it, the plot is still perfectly understandable without that prior knowledge. It’s simply a nice bonus for those who are already familiar with it.

There were some plot holes involving Isabelle’s reactions to the Headless Horseman that I would have liked to see explained better as she behaved differently to him in nearly every scene. She changed her mind about him so often that I was never quite sure how she really felt, especially given the limited amount of time they had together. With more development in this area, I would have felt comfortable choosing a higher star rating.

The ending made me smile as I wondered if a sequel might be in the works. While I don’t know whether or not that will happen, there were hints dropped about the fates of the characters that made me hope it will. There’s nothing like a little foreshadowing to keep a reader interested, after all, and the author did leave space for many different possibilities in these characters’ futures.

The Headless Horseman was a fun take on a classic part of this time of the year.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Cat Out of Hell by Isabella Jordan

October 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Cat Out of Hell by Isabella Jordan
Jack-O-Lanterns
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Joey has gone to Hell.

OK, so it’s not the real hell. It’s still an exciting hotbed of women and sex this Halloween night and that’s just what he’s looking for. When a beautiful blonde dressed as an angel catches his eye, he knows he has to have her and he’s willing to pay to make that happen. Yet, he senses something isn’t quite right here.

Katrina’s been kidnapped by an group of evil werewolves and now she’s being forced to sleep with a man for money. If she resists, they’ll kill her. Still, it could be worse. He’s gorgeous and makes her feel things she’s never felt before.

On top of all of this, when she’s done pleasuring this man, the wolves are coming for him. Will either of them get out alive?

Run faster if you want to survive.

Some of the most interesting scenes in my opinion were the ones that played around with the audience’s expectations of how certain characters should act or what might happen next. This is something I’m always happy to find in any genre of fiction, and it kept my interest levels high as I continued to read. Playing around tropes is a great way to make a storyline fresh and exciting.

It would have been helpful to have more plot development in this tale. I had some trouble understanding the rules of this universe and why, for example, Joey was able to travel freely while Katrina didn’t seem to be able to do the same thing. There were some other rules involving how characters behaved in a crisis that I also would have liked to have clarification on. With a few more paragraphs of exposition, this could have been easier to understand and would have encouraged me to choose a higher rating.

With that being said, I did enjoy how open-ended the final scene was. It left space for all sorts of possibilities for the characters which I thought was a good choice given how much danger they’d already faced and how much more they’d have to endure in the near future. There is definitely something to be said for allowing readers to come up with their own theories about what characters will do once the final sentence is written and the audience is no longer aware of anything.

Cat Out of Hell made me wonder what would happen next.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Raven by Will Okati

October 20, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Raven by Will Okati
Jack-O-Lanterns
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Holiday, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

On All Hallows’ Eve, when spirits walk the earth, Leonard goes to Andrew for their yearly tryst. The lovers spend all their time waiting for their one chance to be together and seize it with both hands.

One night is never enough time.

I loved the character development in this piece. Leonard and Andrew were only able to share a small portion of their lives together for reasons that were explained later on in this tale, but the limited amount of time they could have together was described in detail and told me everything I needed to know about their personalities as well as the special connection between them. A little goes a long way sometimes.

The loving relationship between these characters only made their one annual night together even hotter. There was so much time to build up their emotional and sexual longing for one another that it was impossible to resist each other once Halloween arrived yet again. Honestly, I’m hoping for both a prequel and a sequel to this in order to get to know these characters even better, although of course I have no idea if such things are in the works behind the scenes.

It was only when I read the last few paragraphs that I realized there was another possible interpretation to this tale. Obviously, other readers should discover that for themselves and make up their own minds about which way the ending should be interpreted but having that twist was what convinced me to go for a full five-star rating due to how much depth it added to the storyline. Bravo for ending on such a high note, Mr. Okati! Raven was the perfect erotic read for Halloween.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Voodoo Queen by Lia Connor

October 16, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Voodoo Queen by Lia Connor
Jack-O-Lanterns #4
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Holiday, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

You can’t stop the party for long!

Something big is going down in the rebuilt New Orleans, and Marie is behind the big show. She has a secret up her sleeve about who and what she is, but word is getting out.

A young stud by the name of Paul comes to check Marie out and determine whether or not she’s who she claims to be. But will he end up condemning her, or wind up in her bed?

Marie is rooting for the bed…

Halloween treats come in many forms.

The chemistry between Marie and Paul was smoking hot and couldn’t have been written more satisfyingly. That’s not something that’s always easy to accomplish between people who have never previously met each other in a short story, so kudos to Ms. Connor for heating things up between them so quickly as well as making them seem like such a good match. It paid off nicely and made me curious to read the rest of this series, too.

It would have been helpful to have a little more character development in this piece. While I wouldn’t expect as much of that as I would in a full-length novel, I did find myself wishing I could know more about why both characters were interested in spending Halloween night with a stranger and what their lives might be like after the final scene ended. Had this been included, I would have happily gone for a higher rating.

I liked seeing how the world building was woven in-between the sex scenes. Exactly enough of it was shared for me to understand what was going on without slowing down the pacing of the plot at all, although I wouldn’t mind a sequel in the future that explains things in even greater depth if the author ever plans to write one. There was still so much about New Orleans and the Voodoo Queen left to explore, especially when it came to her importance to this community.

Voodoo Queen was a wild ride.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Pop Tarts and Mistletoe by S.L. Sterling

September 1, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Pop Tarts and Mistletoe by S.L. Sterling
The Happy Holidates Series Book 1
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Being stuck at the airport wasn’t part of my holiday plans.

I was on my way to stay with my best friend and his family for the holidays when a freak snowstorm hit. Now I’m stuck, all planes are grounded, and there are no hotel rooms available. I also have no clue of when I’d be able to get on another plane, so here I sit.

Then I saw her.

She stood in front of a vending machine, scrounging through her purse. When she found her last bit of change, she carefully made her selection. A disappointed look came over her face and she began to punch and kick the vending machine trying to get whatever she’d selected to drop. When it did, she threw her hands in the air as if she’d just made the winning touchdown. Then she bent down and pulled out a package of pop tarts. Pop tarts? Who buys pop tarts from a vending machine?

She was feisty and cute, and I knew I needed to meet her. So, I invited her to sit with me. The night passed quickly, with flights heading out the next morning. It was then I realized I’d missed an opportunity as I watched her disappear into the airport crowd.

However, Father Christmas smiled down on me once again when I discovered that the beautiful holiday angel, I’d met earlier was my best friends sister, and I only had a few days to make her mine.

Oh, my cuteness—Pop Tarts and Mistletoe was a wicked fun holiday treat! This short novel made my heart feel all gushy and left a goofy smile plastered on my face. I totally want to re-read it just to get that happy-ever-after glow all over again. A Pop-Tart! As a plot thread! So unique, so unexpected—and so perfectly delightful. If the synopsis pulls you in like it did me, go ahead and start reading. Just be warned: it’s too delicious to put down until you finish it.

Maya, the heroine, was laugh-out-loud hilarious. I could totally relate to her—I’ve beat up a vending machine or two in my college days myself. And yes, strawberry frosted Pop-Tarts are the best! Also, who drinks eggnog without rum? (Not me.) I won’t spoil anything, but her brother gave her a childhood nickname that had me howling when I read why. It reminded me of my own brother, and the family dynamics were spot on and so much fun.

Now Liam—the leading man—was 100% my kind of book boyfriend. I adored him from the moment he met Maya at the airport, but I fell head over heels at the Christmas festival. (You’ll know why when you read it.) He’s sincere, romantic, and totally transparent—no mind games, just honesty and heart. The chemistry between Maya and Liam? Hot enough to warm an entire horse-drawn sleigh ride in the dead of winter. Forget coats, the steam between these two was more than enough.

It took Maya a hot minute to realize Liam was the one, but when she did…? Chef’s kiss. I felt so completely satisfied and happy. I also loved the setup for book two—it’s a romance between Maya’s brother and her best friend, and now I have to know how that story plays out.

This was my first read by S.L. Sterling, and it definitely won’t be my last. I don’t think I’ll ever forget Pop Tarts and Mistletoe, and for that reason alone, I whole pop tart-ly recommend it!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Menagerie in the Dark-Stories by Chris Kauzlarich

August 26, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Menagerie in the Dark-Stories by Chris Kauzlarich
Publisher: Phantom Quill Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Holiday, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Life often appears darkest just before the dawn of a new day.

In Menagerie in the Dark, Chris Kauzlarich immerses us in a speculative journey that explores the darker aspects of the human condition before bringing us back to the surface with the light of a new day. Through fourteen stories, this menagerie of characters faces trials of sorrow, death, loneliness, regret, deception, murder, delight, wonderment, and bliss, revealing what will either strengthen them enough to survive or plunge them to their demise. A boy’s home burns down, forcing him to confront a terrifying new world. A man enters a door where he witnesses his wife’s death, leaving him devastated; yet, he cannot stop returning to the scene, convinced he can save her. A nurse’s patients continue to perish under her care, but she harbors a dark secret—an administered cocktail for nefarious purposes.

These and other stories will stretch the limits of your emotions, from heartbreak to horror, leaving you yearning for more.

Fear comes in many mysterious forms.

Katelyn was in severe pain and desperately seeking more medication in “Echoes.” What I found most interesting about her tale was how many different ways it could be interpreted. Yes, she had a back injury that could explain why she needed her pain pills so regularly, but she also showed some signs that her reliance on them had possibly grown past what they were originally prescribed for. There were also inconsistencies in her memories that had multiple possible meanings as well. Other readers should decide for themselves which explanations they think fit the clues best, but I sure enjoyed the process of coming up with my own theories.

I loved the twist on what zombies are like in “Scalpel.” This was actually one of the biggest reasons why I chose a full five-star rating for this collection as the cause of the outbreak was as creative as it was original. It’s not easy to surprise me with this subgenre, so I must tip my cap to the author for pulling it off and making horror feel so relevant to life in 2025. The references that were included about current events from the past several years not only fit into the storyline nicely, they also made me chuckle in a few places which isn’t easy to do when I’m simultaneously scared.

While they were walking around trick-or-treating, Connor told his friends a terrifying local legend about a supernatural killer in “The Legend of Chucky Mudd.” What made the tale even more memorable was that the main character lived in the same house Chucky used to live in! I enjoyed seeing how Connor’s friends reacted to this conversation and how they changed their Halloween plans as a result of it. These scenes reminded me of things like Bloody Mary that used to scare me as a kid, although, of course, these characters were in serious danger and didn’t realize what their games were going to lead to. This was deliciously spooky, just the right amount of gory, and made me want a sequel.

Menagerie in the Dark was a perfectly balanced mixture of genres.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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