The Faerie Key by Denise D. Young
(Into the Faerie Forest: Book Two)
Paranornal romance isn’t usually my thing, but “six-foot-something, muscled house-elf” in the description kind of sold me on The Faerie Key. I’m a sucker for a play on mythologies. And (apparently) hunky elves. The writing in this novelette is solid, and the story is fun with some nice twists on fae lore. Somehow, I missed that this was story #2 in a series, but the events of #1 are covered well enough that I wasn’t lost. I haven’t gone back and read The Beltane Kiss (story #1) yet, but it’s definitely on my list for when I’m in the mood for a little magical romance.
“Diet of Worms” by Valerie Valdes
(read at Nightmare Magazine)
In “Diet of Worms,” Valerie Valdes does something I thought was impossible. She uses second person present narration, that didn’t drive me up the wall, and actually really made sense for the story. The “you” narration is ideal for the type of discombobulation and vertigo that the story aims to elicit. Very intriguing read!
Simple Tricks & Nonsense 