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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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: , , , , , , , ,

The Christmathon by Valerie J. Patterson

August 8, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Christmathon by Valerie J. Patterson
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Romance, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Sophia Brady, mayor of Noelville, has only one wish for Christmas: to put an end to the Christmathon. To end the rivalry between her town and Garland Falls. What’s stopping her other than 75 years of tradition? The new mayor of Garland Falls. He likes the snow games, the reindeer cup, and healthy competition. He’s just as unyielding in his stance that they continue. When Sophie meets a handsome stranger at her favorite restaurant, will romance be enough to take her mind off the Christmathon?

Competition comes in many forms.

Since the holidays are a time for relishing all sorts of rich dishes, it made perfect sense to describe the food and alcohol the characters consumed in vivid detail. I must admit to needing to grab a few snacks while reading because of how hungry those passages made me. The narrator made every meal and bottle of wine sound amazing, including the ones that I’ve never actually eaten or drunk in real life.

This story would have benefited from another round of editing. Along with the multiple punctuation and other errors I noticed, Sophia’s name was regularly written as Sophie without any explanations as to why that change had occurred. This happened so frequently that I’m not actually sure which one was correct, and it distracted me from the plot itself even though I was originally quite interested in checking it out.

The chemistry between the two main characters was incredibly strong, and this is something I’m saying as a reader who generally prefers a slower burn in the romances I read. Ms. Patterson did a great job of showing why her characters were such a compatible match for each other within just a few pages. There was an electric connection between them that made me excited to see what would happen next. That is not easy to do, so kudos to her for pulling it off. It was exactly what this tale needed to gel together.

The Christmathon made me yearn for romance, wine, and Christmas lights.

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The Party by Mona Ingram

July 7, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Party by Mona Ingram
Dear Santa Christmas Romance series, Book One
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

He’s the town’s most eligible bachelor. But he’s more than that… much more Exhausted after catering a high-profile company Christmas party, Paige accepts an invitation to relax with the man in charge of the clean-up crew. He’s handsome and intelligent, but most of all he’s a good listener. When they say goodnight, she has no idea that the meeting will trigger consequences that will change her life.

I woke up craving a little winter-holiday romance to cheer me up—and to cool me off on this typically hot and humid Florida day. The Party is book one in the Dear Santa Christmas Romance series, and it was exactly the feel-good fix I needed.

This cute, short novel made me feel lighter and happier. At just 91 pages, it’s a fast and furiously fun read. This was my first Mona Ingram book, but it definitely won’t be my last. The Party charmed me enough to want to explore the rest of the series—especially if they’re as delightful as this one.

Jake Donovan is 100% a gentleman. Almost too good to be true, which made the story so sweet and easy to enjoy. He’s drama-free, kindhearted, and genuinely tender—the kind of man you’d hope your daughter falls in love with and marries.

Paige is an independent, successful career woman, also caring for her younger brother. She’s hardworking, honest, and grounded. Her chance encounter with Jake had me smiling from the start, and the consequences of that meeting made the story all the more endearing. The chemistry between Jake and Paige is swoon-worthy, respectful, and refreshingly free of baggage.

One of the things I appreciated most was Jake’s acceptance and support of Paige’s brother, Simon, and his two friends, Kimberley and Randy. For such a short book, the characters were surprisingly well-developed and relatable. Jake’s best friend Damian owns a motorcycle repair shop, and Paige’s best friend Dana specializes in home décor. Dana and Damian’s own spark added an extra touch of charm and possibility. I loved how the author brought everyone together like one big happy family.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming story to lift your spirits and make you smile, I highly recommend The Party. Paige and Jake are the embodiment of kindness and goodwill. My only wish? That there had been an epilogue—I wasn’t ready to close the book on their happily ever after.

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Department Store Santa by Sean Michael

May 20, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Department Store Santa by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Holiday, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Luke loves his seasonal job as Jolly Elf at the mall’s Santa display. It suits his sweet and joyful nature and compliments his summer landscaping job perfectly. This year there’s a new man playing Santa and Luke thinks he’s great, even if he isn’t the traditional old guy under the beard.

Life hasn’t been easy for Chris, but he’s doing the best he can and the job as Santa at the mall is a godsend. He likes the job well enough, even if Jolly Elf Luke is unnaturally happy all the time. When Luke invites him over to watch movies one evening, Chris figures why not and the two co-workers slowly become friends.

Chris has a secret, though, and when Luke finds out, he sets about doing something to help whether Chris wants him to or not.

Can a little Christmas magic bring this unlikely pair together for more than just the holiday season?

Luke has a seasonal job as Jolly Elf in his local department store and he looks forward to the fun work each year. But this year there’s a new Santa – slightly rough around the edges Chris. Luke can’t help being cheerful and soon a delicate friendship develops between the two men. Can they both embrace the magic of Christmas?

I thoroughly enjoyed this mid-length story even though it’s not quite the right time of year for a Christmas tale. Fun and light, this was a delightful pick-me-up and I was thrilled to find it at the sweeter end of the steamy romance ratings. Indeed readers looking for an inta-lust heavily erotic read might find this a little too slow and light in the romance department – but personally I really enjoyed this.

Readers looking for a slow burn friendship that develops into more should find this as enjoyable as I did. I also found both Luke and Chris’ characters to be fairly realistic without going overboard on the cliches. Yes, Luke is a light and happy young adult – but he’s not obtuse nor is he particularly niave. Similarly, while Chris is fairly quiet and somewhat gruff, he’s absolutely no Grinch nor is he mean or hard. I thought both characters were well drawn and believable and – better still – I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book was watching these two men interact together in a new job and we the reader got to know them both as they slowly became friends.

I thought the pacing of the story – and the slowness of the romance – did a solid credit to the author. There were a number of things in the plotline that could have become flags or somewhat unhealthy, including the speed with which two virtual strangers connected, and I thought it was all handled very well. The author also managed to keep an air of lightness and holiday spirit running throughout the entire story and I strongly feel this book will go onto a regular reread list for me, personally.

Fun, light and happy, this was a lovely story that I greatly enjoyed. Recommended.

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Movie Review: The Christmas Quest Directed by: Dustin Rikert

March 17, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Christmas Quest
Directed by: Dustin Rikert
Writers: Andrew Gernhard, Marcy Holland, Dustin Rikert
Starring: Lacey Chabert, Kristoffer Polaha, and Derek Ridell
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars (8 on IMDB)
Reviewed by Dicentra

An archaeologist, her ex-husband who is a Norse language expert, search for legendary treasure in Iceland during Christmas. Others join the hunt, leading to a thrilling race to secure the treasure before the wrong people obtain it.

Lacey Chabert is one of the unquestioned queens of holiday movies, and her newest Hallmark release, The Christmas Quest, was a charming holiday tale that meshed the best of cozy movies and the Indiana Jones style mystery dynamic. The movie, which also stars Kristoffer Polaha and Derek Ridell, takes the characters on a trip to Iceland to find a hidden treasure before Christmas day.

This is the first time I’ve heard of the legend of the Yule Lads, and it’s such a fun tale. Each of the lads comes down from the mountain on their specific day to enact mischief and collect what they love most (i.e. candles, milk, etc.). They also drop off a potato to children who misbehave (I’m not sure if that’s better or worse than coal, haha) The Yule Lads story such a playful tale compared to some of the other holiday stories around the world, and I loved how the history bridged the gap between Lacey Chabert’s character and her mother (both archaeologists).

I also loved the setting of the story. A lot of Hallmark movies in the past have featured New England settings, but this has Chabert and Polaha traveling to an Icelandic locale. They make their way through the mountains, traverse caves, and even set off booby traps a la Temple of Doom. The Indiana Jones references were not lost on the writers, as the map detailing their travels mirrored the one from the movies and they subtly nodded at some of the most famous scenes.

Overall, The Christmas Quest was an entertaining and exciting movie. I’m excited to see the new creative direction Hallmark seems to be going in, and I’ll definitely be checking out more of their new movies as they release. Check out this movie if you like adventure and romance complete with mystery and folktales.

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