Haunted Holiday (The Holiday Chronicles, #3) by Lindsey Gray + giveaway

Haunted Holiday (The Holiday Chronicles, #3)

by Lindsey Gray
September 29th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance, Supernatural
Everyone in Clarkstown believes they know who killed firefighter Zane Gravenhurst.

His girlfriend, Jillian, sits behind bars, accused of leaving him to die after a rainy night ended in tragedy. The case is all but closed.

Only Zane’s younger sister, Molly, knows the truth isn’t buried because she can communicate with his ghost.

Molly needs help to get justice for her brother.

Her shy neighbor, whom she’s crushed on since high school, Duncan, comes to her aid.

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EXCERPT:

Molly

“Molly! Wake up!”

Molly groaned and rolled over to check the red numbers on her bedside clock. She wanted to jump back into the dream she’d been having before the voice rudely awakened her. In that dream, her thoughts lingered on her neighbor, Duncan, the one with the scar etched across his ear. Something in the scene comforted her; she wished to slip back into that warm haze and forget all the chaos that surrounded her.

“It’s five am, Zane. I’m not making you breakfast this early.” Her older brother, Zane, tended to work odd hours as a firefighter, but Molly spent three days climbing out of the grip of the flu going around the high school where she taught theater. She had no desire to indulge her brother’s cravings.

“Molly Gravenhurst. Please wake up. We need to talk,” the new voice pleaded.

The voice of her grandmother, Dawn, reached her foggy brain. Her dead grandmother.

Molly jerked up in bed and focused on the two ghosts that stood at the end. The appearance of her grandmother didn’t surprise her. What her grandmother called her “second sight” made her capable of communication with earthbound spirits. Genuine shock and abject horror slammed into her when she saw her brother, Zane. The night before, he’d been alive and kicking.

“No,” Molly whispered in utter terror. A simple, horrifying truth struck her. If her brother were a ghost, then he was dead.

Molly could see ghosts, a gift she possessed since toddlerhood. Three years ago, when her grandmother died, she and Zane inherited her house and the care of their grandmother’s ghost. While he lived, Grandma Dawn’s ghost remained invisible to Zane. Now, a ghost himself, he could finally see her.

“I know this is a shock, Molly, but Zane needs you to pull yourself together.” Grandma Dawn’s tone snapped Molly out of her silence.

“Wha-wha-what happened, Zane?” Molly fisted her blanket while she tried to gather herself.

“Jillian dropped me off at Paddy’s. He wanted to continue the Halloween party back at his house. After Paddy and I walked into the garage, everything is blank. I appeared in the kitchen here, where I found Grandma.” Zane spoke with clinical precision, not an ounce of emotion. She understood the pain of death since she dealt with the pain ghosts experienced every day.

“Where’s Jillian?” Molly grabbed her cell phone from her bedside table. “I need to call her.”

“She’s asleep on the sofa.” Zane’s voice cracked at the end of his statement. “I just peeked for a second. I can’t go …I don’t …”

Grandma Dawn took Zane’s hand in hers in a gesture of comfort and compassion.

Molly struggled with what to do next. She’d barely adjusted to her grandmother’s death. How could she live without her brother’s hugs, his teasing slaps, or witnessing his love and devotion for Jillian?

“What do I need to do?” Grandma Dawn died in her sleep. She found her in the primary bedroom of the very house she lived in. Where was Zane’s body? If it were at Paddy’s house, Paddy would have called her by now? He was Zane’s best friend. He’d had her number since the day she got it thirteen years ago.

Before Zane or Grandma Dawn had a chance to answer, Jillian burst into Molly’s attic space.

“You’re awake. Thank God.” She burst into the room and threw herself onto Molly’s bed, her blonde hair pulled back into a crooked ponytail. “Zane hasn’t come home yet. It’s still pouring outside. Visibility is shit. What if he got in an accident? What if he and Paddy are in a ditch? What if he tried to walk home and got hit by a car? I’ve called him five times and texted him six times. He hasn’t responded.”

Jillian’s frantic questions made sense, but she couldn’t confirm anything because she didn’t know whether any of those possibilities were correct. Neither did either of the ghosts.

“Let’s think.” Molly pushed away the knowledge of her brother’s death and gathered her thoughts. “You all went to that big Halloween party downtown, right?”

“Yeah. Paddy invited a bunch of us over to his house, but I told Zane I needed sleep. My sinuses have been getting worse. I think I caught whatever you have.” Congestion clogged Jillian’s voice, and tears or illness left her eyes red and bloodshot. Molly’s heart sank. The same symptoms had stalked her for the past several days.

“You dropped him off at Paddy and Lucky’s house, then?”

Jillian nodded. “It started to rain a few minutes before I got here. Now it’s pouring.”

“Let’s call Paddy first. Who else came to the party?” Molly scrolled through her numbers in her contacts to find Paddy’s number.

“Barb Sterling and her husband, Rhett.” Jillian dialed the number on speaker. “Then Marty and Ellen Culver. Maybe Grant Hannah. I think Paddy’s little brothers and a bunch of their friends were in town and staying with him for a while.” Voicemail answered after five rings. “It’s Jillian and Molly. Zane isn’t home. Is he with you, or do you have any idea where he went? Call me.”

“I’ve got Barb’s number.” Molly dialed and placed it on speaker.

“Molly?” Barb answered with a yawn. “What’s going on? It’s the butt crack of dawn.”

“Zane never came home from Paddy’s last night. Did he stay over? We can’t contact Zane or Paddy.”

“Wait a minute.” The sound of sheets and blankets shifting came through the speaker. “Jillian’s car pulled up outside Paddy’s house, but neither of them came in. I tried calling and texting Zane after her car left, but I never got an answer. We left here around two.”

“We need to look for him. I dropped him off and came back to his house,” Jillian’s voice carried extreme anxiety, burgeoning into mania.

“Jillian?” Barb yawned again on her end.

“What’s going on?” Molly heard a sleepy Rhett ask on the other end of the line.

“Jillian said she dropped Zane off at Paddy’s. I never saw him, did you?” Barb asked her husband.

“No. I thought it was weird you said you saw Jillian’s car, but they didn’t come in. But I started singing karaoke with Marty and lost track of everything.” Molly imagined the sound of strangled cats coming from Marty. None of Zane’s friends had a lick of musical or theatrical talent as she did.

Every wasted second ratcheted up Molly’s anxiety. They were no closer to answers. She looked to Zane for any suggestions while Jillian threw out scenarios left and right. Zane shrugged as he watched his girlfriend torment herself with grim what-ifs.

Barb decided she would come pick up Jillian, and they would search around town. Molly agreed to stay home in case Zane made his way back.

Molly knew for an absolute fact that November 1st would be the worst day of her life.

 

 

About the Author:
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Lindsey Gray is a writer, an over-thinker, and a chronic list-maker, but her passion for writing stories you'll love always tops the list. Her author journey began in 2010 with the publication of her first novel, and she has spent the last decade creating worlds for readers to play in. In addition to her own work, Gray uses her skills in novel formatting for other authors and hosts the weekly show Gray Matters on TMV Cafe Internet Radio. She lives and writes fueled by iced tea, her handsome hubby, and the beautiful chaos of mothering her children. 

GIVEAWAY!
Haunted Holiday Blitz

Three Shades Called Horace: Witchery, Trickery, Love & Serendipity by Jinx James + giveaway

Three ghosts.
One psychic.
Zero patience for corporate greed.
A hilarious, fast-paced romp through the supernatural underbelly of the Isle of Man!

Three Shades Called Horace: Witchery, Trickery, Love & Serendipity
by Jinx James
Genre: Humorous Paranormal Thriller

"delightfully twisted...offbeat supernatural romp" Amazon Review ★★★★★

"A unique and hilarious story with a lot of twists and awesome revenge. I loved the ending!" Amazon Review ★★★★★

They have the magic, the visions, and the afterlife on their side. But will it be enough to stop an ROI Reaper of the airwaves from hostilely taking over their dream?

Their "Super Moon Show" is the viral hit of the year. Too bad the stars are all dead.

Pansy Peonie is a psychic with a problem. Actually, three problems, and they’re all called Horace. As the host of the world’s craziest paranormal livestream, she spends her nights herding her team of opinionated ghosts and her days trying to keep her witch mother from accidentally summoning something worse.

But when you’re the top-rated supernatural show on the internet, you don't just attract spirits—you attract sharks.

Enter Rollo Mansell: a ruthless media mogul who doesn't care about the afterlife unless he can monetise it. He wants the show. He wants the ghosts. And he’s not above using a little corporate necromancy to get what he wants.

Now, Pansy is caught in a high-stakes tug-of-war between the living and the dead. To save her show—and her skin—she’ll have to outmanoeuvre a billionaire, survive a voodoo conspiracy, and figure out if Rollo’s assistant, Max, is actually on her side.

Featuring a new cover and a tighter, more suspenseful edit, this revised edition of Three Shades Called Horace will keep you on the edge of your seat, while laughing uncontrollably.

If you love fast-paced paranormal suspense with sharp wit, mysterious secrets, and unforgettable characters, dive into the newly polished edition of Three Shades Called Horace.

**Celebrate the relaunch and get it FREE until Oct 3rd!!**
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Over on the ever-lovely Isle of Man, it’s turned out to be the most sensational evening. The Three Shades, Horace Flaccus, Horace Walpole and Horace Silver are already there, hovering in the twilight, when PP and Fenella finally arrive on Pansy’s motorbike. They’re late as usual, but The Three Shades don’t seem to mind. After all, they do have all the time in the world, don’t they?

The team is getting together at dusk, at an ancient place where they like to meet when the weather’s nice. It’s in the middle of the most beautiful circle of prehistoric standing stones on the island’s southwest. This mystical place is situated on a remote hillside, one side of which looks across to the mountains and the other down towards the sea.

Hearing the vroom of a hot, racing motorbike heading up the hill towards them, the three ghosts turn their heads expectantly. Pansy, aka PP, parks behind the largest of the enormous stones.

She appears first, walking briskly towards the Three Shades, unbuckling, lifting her helmet off and shaking out her hair. Behind her, Fenella, her older, White witch partner, picks her way over the rough ground.

‘We just have to tell all you Horaces straight away!’ says Pansy, getting excited now. ‘Barrett says the ratings for the last show were amazing!’ she gushes, adding, ‘he even told us they were “Earth-shattering!” she grins.

‘Er, would it be possible for you to explain to us what exactly that means, Ma’am?’ asks the ever-polite Walpole.

‘What it means, gentlemen,’ says PP, grinning, ‘is that not only are we already getting a huge worldwide audience, but it’s growing bigger and bigger with every show!’

‘And after the last one,’ Fenella butts in excitedly, ‘we’ve had so many people trying to sign up that Barrett has been overwhelmed. His computers and the social media department can’t cope. He’s having to put on more people every day to handle it!’

‘Yes, but, um, what precisely does all of this mean, Ms Pansy?’ asks Flaccus.

‘Look, I’m sure we explained it to you before, Horace. Don’t you remember? The viewers of our Supermoon show all over the world are also a part of the show, right? They’re active participants with their “Cozmics”, says Pansy.

‘Well, yes, my dear, you certainly did,’ said Flaccus, with that lovely smile of his. ‘But I’m afraid that was the part I could never quite understand,’ confesses the Roman Horace. ‘I’m so sorry,’ he adds, looking seriously embarrassed now.

‘Not to worry at all, Horace,’ says Pansy gently. Flaccus has always been her favourite, even though she always enjoys teasing him.

‘Did you know that on the next show,’ she says, ‘the Supermoon is going to be the closest it’s been to the Earth for sixty-nine years! Yes! And that means that if we can add the viewers’ Cozmics together with all of that extra Moon energy,’ she tells them excitedly, making a fingers-crossed sign.

At that point, Pansy pauses, grins, and says, ‘Well, just try to imagine the power involved!’

‘The technical guys even think we might have enough energy,’ says Fenella, ‘to maybe bring you back in full colour… and all of you at the same time!’

‘All of us in colour… and at the same time?’ says Horace Walpole, getting really excited himself now.

‘Are you sure?’ says Horace Silver, ‘In full colour?’

‘Absolutely!’ says the by-now almost gushing Fenella! ‘Bye-bye to all that fuzzy black and white stuff, eh?’

They can all feel the excitement rippling the air between them. The psychic, the witch, and the three Horaces gathered in the magic circle of prehistoric standing stones.

‘It’s called “collective mental focus”,’ says PP. ‘And that means that if it all works out, you three guys will materialise as psychic energy through me!’

‘And that’d be sooo cool, baby! Right?’ smiles jazzman Horace Silver.

Fenella grins again and nods; ‘But, how about this? If we can get enough Cozmics from the global audience, all three of you Shades may even seem to fully come back to life for a while!’

This time, all three of them just stand there, totally gobsmacked!

‘Now, nobody is certain exactly what will happen,’ says Fel, ‘but whaddya reckon, gentlemen? Let’s give it a go, eh?’ she gushes.

By now, they’re all totally in love with the idea… and it shows.

‘I’m afraid I still don’t quite understand it,’ Flaccus says to her, almost flapping his toga with excitement, ‘but wouldn’t it be wonderful if it did actually happen? Especially for me after two thousand years in the shade!’

‘Hey, you could even really “Seize the day!” says Pansy!

* * *

“It is charming to totter into vogue.”

Horace Walpole

1717-1797

⚛︎ ⚛︎ ⚛ 

**FREEBIE ALERT!!**
To celebrate the relaunch of Three Shades Called Horace, the author is having an exclusive giveaway of the supernatural short story The House on Via Magliocco!

The House on Via Magliocco
by Jinx James
Genre: Supernatural Dark Fantasy
To be beautiful forever. Would you turn down that offer?

A mesmerizing one-hour dark fantasy short read.

Silvia is a top fashion model who lives for the spotlight, but the camera's love is fleeting. When she’s offered a mysterious assignment at the secluded House on Via Magliocco, it feels like the ultimate canvas for her creativity and passion for dance.

But inspiration quickly twists into a feverish obsession.

As the mansion's haunting music bleeds from her dreams into her waking life, Silvia realizes she hasn't just accepted a job—she has stepped into a beautiful trap. The house demands a performance, the wealthy owner demands perfection, and the price of eternal beauty might just be her soul.

Get this exclusive supernatural short story delivered directly to your inbox.

Get it FREE Here!

About the Author:

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Bestselling dark humor fiction author Jinx James was born in the UK and lives in Australia. He has worked in music and advertising, and has always been fascinated by charisma, satire, and what makes people laugh He used to write comedy sketches for a well-known Australian TV and film star, but that was after he was in the music game, as a performer. Later came writing and producing music for advertising, and for big events like the Sydney Olympics. All that time he was trying his hand at writing fiction, mostly humorous. Eventually it became his new way of living while having fun. He writes under two author names. As Jinx James his dark humor draws on his life in show business. As dog lover Kit James, his Mutt to Megastar series features Elliott, a rescue dog who becomes a TV star.

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Three Shades Called Horace Giveaway Here

Urban Fantasy: Cursed City (Harker Academy Book 2) by Kate Golden

Masterfully blending dark academia, urban fantasy, and a slow-burn forbidden romance, CURSED CITY is perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Cursed City (Harker Academy Book 2)
by Kate Golden
September 29, 2026
Genre: Urban Fantasy
This deluxe, first-edition trade paperback of Cursed City will feature beautifully stenciled edges and captivating interior cover art!

Welcome back to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense, where the line between hunter and hunted has never been thinner.

Viv Abbot will do whatever it takes to rescue Reid Graveheart, the reformed Brood demon she loves—even if it means teaming up with his violent, unpredictable older brother, Deacon. Her uneasy truce with him offers Viv something Reid never could: the chance to embrace her darkness.

As the search for Reid intensifies, Viv and her friends must maintain appearances on Harker grounds while wading into Astera's seedy underbelly with none other than the White Stag as their guide. But when a bounty on Viv's head puts those she cares about most in danger, Viv will be forced to go to lengths she never dreamed in order to protect them.

With enemies closing in from all sides and a ticking clock on her life, Viv must save the Half City from destruction while surviving a betrayal that strikes at the heart of everything she’s fighting for. Because in a world where monsters wear familiar faces and temptation cuts deeper than any blade, making it through her second semester at Harker will take more than skill—it will take everything Viv has left to give. Who can she really trust in a city that thrives on lies? 

Reviews

“Sexy, fast-paced, and utterly addictive. Cursed City is a delicious sequel that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. What a rush!!!” — Kaylie Smith, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked Games series

"If Half City was a gorgeous appetizer, Cursed City is the sumptuous main, served rare & oozing red. Violent, brutal, with a sizzling will-they-won’t-they dynamic, and all the vibes of your favourite paranormal shows dialed up to eleven. I devoured this. An absolute knockout. P.S. Viv can step on me."—Brigitte Knightley, New York Times bestselling author of The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy

"Cursed City had me on the absolute edge of my seat, turning pages late into the night almost faster than I could read them. This one's for everyone out there who watched Buffy and agrees with me that, yes -- the slayer should have two bad-boy demon boyfriends. The Harker Academy series is deliriously twisty, sexy as hell, and has me entirely by the throat. I am counting down the seconds until the next book arrives."—Jenna Levine, USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire

"Cursed City is a thrilling and seductive sequel to Half City, and I could not stop turning the pages! The stakes are higher than ever, the romantic tension is off the charts, and I was fully immersed in this vivid, dangerous world and the characters who inhabit it. Kate Golden has perfected the art of Romantasy, and Cursed City is a sexy and dagger-sharp installment in my new favorite series.”—Sarah Hawley, USA Today bestselling author of Servant of Earth

"This is how sequels are done! Cursed City is not a book, it is a battering ram that targets readers’ hearts. You could not have paid me to put it down. Funny, propulsive, nostalgic, and totally spellbinding, I truly cannot get this book out of my head. Cursed City is hands down my favorite read of 2026."—Meg Smitherman, author of Entity and Thrum

Amazon 

About the Author:
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Kate Golden is the USA Today bestselling author of both The Sacred Stones and Harker Academy trilogies. When she isn’t writing, Kate is an avid book reader, puzzle addict, and game night enthusiast. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their puppy, Milo.

Coming Soon: The Princess Murders #1 from Image Comics

The Princess Murders #1 from Image Comics will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, December 9

Bestselling creators Tony Fleecs (Stray Dogs, Feral) and Seeley (Revival, Hack/Slash) are teaming up for the ultimate blend of dark humor, satire, and campy slasher fun in the upcoming The Princess Murders. This playful new twist on fractured fairytales launches this December from Image Comics.

In The Princess Murders, a princess has been murdered and it’s up to her wicked stepsister and fairy Godmother to catch the killer. A Snow White Slasher! Sleeping Beauty Giallo! The Princess Murders combines the self-aware cheek of films like Enchanted and the Barbie movie and pushes them into the magical realm of campy horror.

“Tim and I knew we wanted to make another series together, we just couldn't land on what that would be," said Fleecs. "We bounced around a bunch of ideas and nothing really sparked until Tim manipulated me by just smooshing two of my favorite things together. He said, ‘What if we did an Animated Princess Giallo?’ Immediately I saw what this could be and, just like when I had the idea for Stray Dogs, I knew Tim and I were specifically the people who had to make this book—the guy who made Hack/Slash and the guy from Stray Dogs? With colors by the genius colorist behind Marvel's Spinstress? That's who you want making your Animated Princess Slasher comic.”

The Princess Murders has all the makings to be one of the most buzzed about new series to wrap up 2026 and lead fans into 2027 on a high note. Here Fleecs leverages similar viral marketing potential to his previous sales hits Stray Dogs and Feral yet again with a series rife with opportunity for easter eggs, homage variants, character cameos, and innuendo. Seeley adds his talent for slasher horror and character development and the resulting alchemy will provide fans of D’orc, I Hate Fairyland, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, Chew, Dexter, Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil, Shaun of The Dead, and What We Do in The Shadows with the perfect new read.

Seeley added: "The Princess Murders combines our love (and hate) for fairy tale animation and whodunnit slasher horror. It's got all of the affection and innovation that's become the hallmark of one of our collaborations—plus lots of really twisted ideas."

The Princess Murders #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, December 9

 

Cover A by Seeley & Fleecs - UPC: 70985304963000111
Cover B virgin by Jenny Frison - UPC: 70985304963000121
Cover C Army of Darkness Horror Homage by Seeley & Allen Passalaqua - UPC: 70985304963000131
Cover D Sleeping Beauty Animation Homage by Seeley & Passalaqua - UPC: 70985304963000141
Cover E Blank Sketch - UPC: 70985304963000151
Cover F Polybagged NSFW variant by Seeley & Fleecs - UPC: 70985304963000161
Cover G 1:50 by Suspiria - UPC: 70985304963000171
Cover H virgin foil 1:100 by Frison - UPC: 70985304963000181

Dark Night of the Soul (War of the Brotherhood Book 1) by Michelle Miles + giveaway

Love made him dangerous.
Devotion will make him unstoppable.

  

Dark Night of the Soul (War of the Brotherhood Book 1)
by Michelle Miles
Genre: Dark Paranormal Romance
Love made him dangerous. Devotion will make him unstoppable.

For centuries, Kincade survived by control.

Forged by the Brotherhood, he learned to bury his humanity, suppress his instincts, and become exactly what they needed him to be—a weapon. Darkness was safer than feeling. Obedience was survival.

Then she changed everything.

When the woman he loves is taken, restraint shatters. The careful balance he's fought to maintain slips—and the Brotherhood sees their opening. They want the monster he used to be. The weapon they never quite lost.

To save her, he may have to become exactly that.

As ancient secrets rise and factions fracture, the line between protector and destroyer begins to blur. Every step closer to her pulls him deeper into the war he tried to escape—and toward the darkness he swore would never rule him again.

Because this time, love isn't his weakness. It's his point of no return.

Dark Night of the Soul is a dark paranormal romance set within the War of the Brotherhood—a high-stakes spin-off arc in the Dream Walker universe. You do not need to read the previous Dream Walker books to enjoy DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL. This spinoff is designed to stand on its own.

 

Perfect for readers who love:

* Dark, emotionally intense paranormal romance
* Immortal antiheroes and devotion-driven stakes
* Secret orders, hidden wars, and found family
* Love that becomes defiance

Content Note: This book contains dark themes and intense scenes, including violence, injury and blood, torture / forced restraint, psychological trauma, and situations involving coercion / control. It also includes threats to a loved one. Reader discretion is advised.

"Dark Night of the Soul by Michelle Miles is everything dark paranormal romance should be—intense, emotional, and completely consuming. I devoured it."
— Michelle M. Pillow, NYT Bestselling Author

Available in eBook, paperback, and audio!
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MICHELLE MILES believes in fairy tales, true love, and a little bit of magic in every story. She writes fantasy, paranormal, and young adult books packed with adventure, action, and swoon-worthy romance—because what’s a story without a bit of danger and a whole lot of heart? From angels and demons to dragons, elves, and time travelers, her books are filled with epic quests, fierce heroines, and the kind of heroes worth falling for.

When she's not crafting new adventures, she brings stories to life as a narrator and hosts Miles Beyond the Page, a podcast where she chats with authors about their writing journeys. A Texas girl through and through, she loves getting lost in a good book, binge-watching movies, hiking the trails, and sipping a glass of wine. Come hang out with her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and more!

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway! Enter the Dark Night of the Soul Giveaway Here

Book Review: Keeping Score by Brittany Kelley

Keeping Score
by Brittany Kelley
August 25, 2026
Genre: contemporary sports romance
Love is on the line, and this goalie is playing for keeps, in this steamy soccer romance from Brittany Kelley, author of Relationship Goals.

Michelle Oxford lives and breathes soccer. After an injury that ended her dreams of going pro, she snagged the next best thing: a position as the director of operations for the LA Aces. And even if it’s not quite what she imagined it would be, it’s still better than cutting out soccer altogether.

The only problem? Carefree, wonder boy goalie, Tristan Gold.

Tristan has wanted more than just friendship with Michelle since the moment he laid eyes on her, but nothing would kill her career faster. When she loses a bet, the team gleefully insists she has to take lessons on “being chill” from Tristan himself.

They couldn’t be more different, but Tristan’s always met her perfectionist tendencies with good-natured goofiness, so she reluctantly agrees. The more time she spends with him, the more she likes what she sees . . . and Michelle starts to think that with him by her side, she could do just about anything—even saying goodbye to the future she thought she always wanted.

Amazon

A very easy read with Everything: in-depth characters, fun, romance, comedy, and soccer. Ms. Kelley kept each chapter interesting and flowing with each character title. This was a first time read for this author, and I would consider any previous or up-and-coming novel as another read.

I give "Keeping Score" 4 Barts

 

 

Grandma Vivian

About the Author:
https://www.brittanykelleywrites.com/
Brittany Kelley writes romantic comedy with a shot of spice. If there's a chance she can tip it into the absurd, still spike up the heat, and get the characters to a happy ever after? Well, she's going to write it. From monster rom-coms to haunted halloween romances and spicy sports romps, Brittany's going to add her brand of humor and heat.

Brittany lives in the northeast US with her family, overgrown garden, and too many pets to name here. 

Book Review: I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy by Kimberly Lemming

I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy
by Kimberly Lemming
August 18, 2026
A zany and sexy romance about a woman who finds herself stranded on a far-off planet and mated to the warlord alien king, from USA Today bestselling author Kimberly Lemming.

It’s not in Blair’s nature to just give up. Not when she’s beamed up to a spaceship and then dropped on an alien planet. Not even when she’s in the middle of a forest fire surrounded by dinosaurs. And definitely not when she’s captured by an arrogant alien king. If King Osid thinks he can break her, he’s in for a shock. Blair lives by one motto: If you stay ready, you never have to get ready.

But absolutely nothing could have prepared her for finding out that she’s that arrogant King Osid’s mate.

Despite recent hiccups, the alien researchers are determined to get their breeding program back on track. With that in mind, Blair and Osid are bundled off to the research center for what they’re told is couples counseling. As they face a series of increasingly dangerous challenges, it soon becomes clear the research aliens may have confused an episode of The Bachelor with Survivor. Bonding over their common enemy, and shall we say...encouraged by love darts, Blair and Osid let down their walls (and take off their clothes). When they discover that there are—somehow—even more secret plans in the works, another hilarious, steamy, over-the-top adventure is in store.

Amazon

When I started reading the prologue, I thought, "Could this get any zanier than the title?", and it did. A very fun, enjoyable read. At least Ms. Lemming had characters and places with names I could pronounce- and funny also.

This was also a first time read for this author, and I am sure I all her previous and up-and-coming novels are and will be just the same great read. Her characters and situations may be alien, but are they? She has a way of making a situation seem like a normal occasion or just an everyday happening.

I give the book 4 1/2 Barts.

 

 

Grandma Vivian

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1
Blair
July 5, 2025, Earth
I loved Porsha, but she made you realize why they put "Warning: contents may catch fire" on a blowtorch. "You stole a bush viper?"

Our drummer nodded enthusiastically. "A spiny bush viper," she corrected. "Isn't she pretty? Look at her coloring!" She held the little snake higher, showing off spiky bright-yellow scales that screamed "I'm fucking venomous." To drive that fact home, the snake locked eyes with me and hissed. "They also had a red one, but it was more of a muddy red, and I figured the fans would be able to see her bright-yellow coloring better. I named her Piper."

I struggled to clip the skull mask to the shoulder of my lucky jacket, but the clasp snapped back into place too soon, clamping down on the end of my finger. "Ow!" I shook my hand. The skull's jaw fell open, as if in shock. I chose to believe the snake was the reason, instead of my inability to hook a mask onto a damn jacket. I could go on without it. But the skull's eyes had a glowing red light that I had programmed to light up during certain chords of our songs. Combined with the jacket's neon-green color and pins from my favorite bands, it always made me feel like a true rock star. I am nothing if not a thematic bitch.

Jackie took pity on me and set her eyeliner aside to hook the skull in place. Naturally, because it hated me, the skull snapped in on her first try. She gave me a look.

I returned it in kind. "Well, I loosened it."

"Sure."

"Anyway, Porsha, my dear friend, my reason for day drinking-"

"Hey!"

"Why?" I asked, abandoning my jacket on the dresser table to face her. "Why did you steal a bush viper?"

Porsha fixed me with an incredulous look as if the answer was obvious. Seeing that I still wasn't picking up what she was laying down, Porsha yielded and said, "Blair, this is the finals! If we want to win this thing, we need a gimmick. You know Stray Planet is gonna come in hard with a crazy light show. If we want any kind of chance of winning against oiled-up
K-pop dancers with strobe lights, then we need this. Besides, we're literally named the Vipers; she's the perfect mascot."

She wasn't completely wrong. K-pop wasn't the usual genre seen at the Emergenza Festival, but Stray Planet came in and dominated with the younger audiences. On stages full of rock, indie, and alternative bands, their group stuck out like a shining beacon. I couldn't even just blame it on the light show or glistening pecs either. K-pop might not have been my usual genre, but I couldn't deny that their music was fire.

"Oh Porsha." I reached out to pat her pretty, empty head, but thought better of it seeing as she was still holding her contraband viper. "I want to know what possessed you to immediately jump to a deadly animal as a gimmick. Where did you even get that thing?"

"Didn't I tell you? My uncle got me a part-time job at the zoo. The snake guy always spends his lunch breaks in his truck, so all I had to do was sneak into his office and snag his little snake grabby thing and one of the portable cages. She didn't even fight me when I picked her up." She held the snake near her face and cooed lovingly at its death glare. "Cause you're a sweet girl, aren't you, Piper?"

The snake hissed, causing Porsha to rear back with a start and all but toss the poor abductee back into her cage.

"See?" I shouted. "She damn near tore your face off. That's what you get for stealing snakes like a damn fool. After the show, you're bringing her right back to where you found her."

"No, come on, Blair, give her a chance. Look, we've been building our fan base for the past two years, and look at where we are. Still no record deal, no major exposure outside of the US, and we're still competing for scraps in every music competition we can afford to enter. If we want to make it big, we need to up our social media game. The best way to do that is with some kind of gimmick. Like how Ozzy bit the head off that bat."

"Ah, uh, no. I'm not biting the head off no damn snake. Porsha, you lost your mind."

"No, no! Nothing like that at all. Just give her a little kiss on the head before the show. It will be just like the bat thing but more humane. That's the kind of thing that will go viral on TikTok!"

"Yes, I can see the caption now. 'Dumbass lead singer dies live on stage after kissing a snake.' I'm sure you and Jackie will make a fortune selling T-shirts with my obituary on them."

Jackie snorted behind me, not even bothering to pause putting on her makeup. "As if anyone would buy a shirt with your face on it."

I met her gaze through the reflection in the mirror. "I hope you get sick."

She snort-laughed into her makeup, causing blush to plume around her face until she was left coughing.

Colton appeared in the doorway. "Vipers, you're on in ten." The stage manager held up a finger when Jackie opened her mouth to speak, pressing his other hand to his earpiece. He left just as quickly, shutting the door behind him.

"It's now or never," Porsha said to me. "Come on, just give her a-"

I cut her off with a wave of my hand. "No, we are not doing the snake thing. We made it this far into the competition without any silly gimmicks. We don't need a light show or a bush viper."

"But-"

"No," I stated firmly, grabbing my guitar. My phone buzzed in my pocket. The caller ID read "Red Car." I blocked the number, then set my phone down on the counter and checked my eyeliner.

"Bad date?" Porsha asked.

"No, they were fine. And we move on."

"Damn, that's cold."

I shrugged. "What do you want me to do, send them a fruit basket? We had some fun in the sun, the pool, Jackie's greenhouse-"

"What?" cried Jackie.

"And now we go our separate ways," I finished.

Porsha shook her head. "Girl, you need to be careful playing with these hearts."

"Excuse you, I'm clean. All my partners get tested."

"I meant attracting crazy people, Blair." Porsha stuck a hand on her hip, glaring at me the way she always did before launching into another true-crime safety briefing. "There was this guy who offered a woman his watch, only to report it stolen and have her arrested. Just so she would be brought back to him and be under his control!"

I rubbed at my temples. "Porsha, darling, sweetheart, that was Alchemy of Souls. We watched it together."

Her mouth fell open before she patted her hair and turned away. "Oh."

"Forget my dating habits. After we win this competition, I'll have enough money to abscond to a beach somewhere anytime I need to get away from a clinger. I haven't met anybody yet that could match my freak, and I refuse to settle for a damn thing."

"Say it again; it sounded so sweet," Jackie said, smiling. She got up from her chair and clasped each of us on the shoulder. "Fuck settling, fuck my dad; Porsha, I don't know who pissed you off-"

"Darius, from my spin class."

"Then fuck Darius too! After today, we'll be swimming in record deals and more money than we know what to do with."

"Oh my god, I could quit my job," Porsha gushed. "No more cleaning up animal shit!"

"You mean pay your bail after they found out you stole that snake," I corrected.

"Don't stress, it'll be fine. I just have to get her back before they do the security rounds in the morning. They take that shit pretty seriously after a sea lion got shot in a drive-by."

"I . . . bitch, what zoo do you work at?"

"Hey, guys?" Jackie asked.

"Look, I'm telling you it's fine. And I still think we should give the snake a try."

"Guys?" Jackie called again.

I held up a finger to Jackie and shouted, "For the last time, I am not kissing a snake."

"Guys!"

"What?" Porsha and I yelled in unison.

"Where's the snake?" Jackie asked in a voice way too damn calm to announce that a venomous snake was now on the loose.

I looked over to see an empty cage. Porsha sucked her teeth. "Well, that's not good."

"Oh shit," I screamed, jumping up on the counter. "Porsha! Porsha, where's the damn snake?"

Porsha held up her hands, eyes darting around the room. "All right, nobody panic, she couldn't have gone far, she's only eight inches long."

"That's worse!" Jackie screamed, jumping up next to me. "That little death bringer could be anywhere! Girl, why the fuck didn't you lock the cage?"

Porsha crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay, there's a lot of finger-pointing going on, so why don't we all just take a breath and look around the room? She probably just curled up somewhere warm."

Carefully, very carefully, Porsha and I searched the dressing room for any signs of the viper. Yet among all the musical equipment, changing outfits, and the small outlet store amount of makeup scattered among every available surface, we may as well have been searching for a needle in a haystack. One where you died if the needle pricked you. Fun stuff.

"Vipers, you're up!" Colton said, peeking his head through the door. When he noticed Porsha and me searching around the floor while Jackie was still firmly planted on the counter, he cocked his head to the side and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Well, fuck. Now what do we do?" Jackie asked.

I got to my feet and put on my best customer service smile. "Hey Colton, could we maybe go on after the next band? We kind of-"

"Absolutely not." The schedule's made well in advance, if your band can't compete, you automatically forfeit."

"We just need-"

"No exceptions, perform or don't. There're plenty of other bands waiting to take your spot. Are you coming or not?"

Both my bandmates looked at me. I clenched my teeth, calming my nerves. "We're coming."

Colton nodded and left.

I snatched my jacket from the counter and put it on. Then quickly checked the inside pocket just to make double sure there was no snake hiding inside. Thankfully, the pockets were empty, save for my pistol and lip gloss. "Looks like it's now or never. Grab your shit, girls; we'll lock the door on the way out and find the snake after."


Nothing got your blood pumping like the moment just before you struck your first chord onstage. The dimmed lights, the silent anticipation of the crowd, the pounding of your heart as your mind dances on the cusp of that high you can only get from roaring applause.

I steadied my breathing as the announcer made his introduction. Up here I wasn't just a fry cook. Up here, I wasn't a forgotten member of my own family. Up here, people listened.

And when the music started to play, the magic of their attention felt like gold in my veins. Unfortunately, the music was far too loud for me to actually listen to them. At the first scream of "SNAKE!" I thought maybe the crowd had come up with a new stage name for one of us. It wasn't until I heard the telltale hiss against my ear that I looked to my shoulder to find Piper half uncoiled from her hiding place in the skull of my jacket. In the corner of my eye, I could see Porsha throw her drumsticks aside and lunge for me. She wasn't fast enough. The snake poised to strike and shot out to bite my face.

A blinding white light flashed. The snake's fangs were frozen mere inches from my eye. I couldn't move an inch. My body became weightless as I was hurled toward something in the sky.

"Is that a damn spaceship?"

Chapter 2

Blair

Monsoon 54, Year 10, Waffles

Terrible squawking noises woke me out of a dazed slumber. I rubbed at my tired eyes, only to be startled by the sound of sloshing water as I brought my hand up. I opened my eyes to see a cracked glass pane that obscured most of my view. A thick green liquid came up to my neck and gushed out of the crack in the glass in a steady stream. Just beyond the glass, I could make out the blurred shapes of what looked like panicked birds fighting off a much bigger, snarling blob.

There was a shriek, then an orange bird slammed against the glass, causing the crack to spiderweb even further until the glass broke completely, and I fell from the tank in a rush of the green liquid. The room was in utter chaos. Freaky looking owl creatures were locked in battle with the most pissed off lion I'd ever seen. Rows of cylinder tanks like the one I'd been in lined the room, each of them held their own floating unconscious occupant.

"What . . . what's happening?"

Someone screamed, and I followed the noise to find a woman with wild red hair holding what looked like a cattle prod. She swung at the freak owls like a mad batter before bolting out of the room, several of the owls hot on her trail. The lion noticed the girl's departure and tried to run after her. A blue owl zapped him with his cattle prod. The lion gave off an enraged roar before sinking his teeth into the bird's skull. There was a crunch, and the bird fell limp. The lion tossed it aside and took off in the direction the girl ran.

The remaining birds flew out of the room in absolute chaos. One chirped loudly into a mic on the wall while owls in white coats rushed in to cart off the wounded. Several larger looking birds grabbed cattle prods from a shelf on the wall and chased after the lion.

I slowly stepped away from my broken pod. Glass crunched beneath my boots, alerting the owl shouting commands into the mic. His large yellow eyes locked in on me. Both of us froze to a standstill. Then the owl shrieked, pointing at me with his little clawed hand as he began shouting new commands into the mic.

I whipped my pistol from my jacket and took aim, but water gushed out of the barrel. Not knowing what else to do, I pocketed the pistol, picked up the unconscious orange owl from the pile of broken glass, and chucked it at the screeching snitch, effectively shutting him up. Before I could find out who the bird was calling, I darted out of the room toward where I saw the girl and lion escape. For all I knew, the redhead had found a way out, and I sure as hell didn't want to stay in the creepy-ass lab room with the rest of the floaty tube women.

About the Author:
https://www.kimberlylemming.com/
Kimberly Lemming is on an eternal quest to avoid her calling as a main character. She can be found giving the slip to that new werewolf that just blew into town and refusing to make eye contact with a prince of a far-off land. Dodging aliens looking for Earth booty can really take up a girl's time.

But when she’s not running from fate, she can be found writing diverse fantasy romance. Or just shoveling chocolate in her maw until she passes out on the couch.