Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Bi, Gay, Non-Binary
Reviewers: Jat, Linda
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About The Book
A bunch of QSFers and others have a new queer contemporary/paranormal/fantasy anthology out (bi, gay, non-binary): Midnight in the Renaissance Elevator.
Do you like mechanical devices with personality? Sure, who doesn’t? How about when they hold your life in the palm of their hands? Hmm…less sure now, yes? Don’t worry, you’re gonna love this.
At an LGBTQ literary retreat in October of 2022, a group of authors met a particularly cantankerous elevator. Doors slamming open or closed for no apparent reason? Check. Scary noises, also for no apparent reason? Also, check. Were we concerned for our lives? Okay, listen…
This cranky elevator figured heavily into conversations for the next few days, many of which included expletives in a dozen languages, but eventually, it became a (somewhat) beloved mascot. Some people actually chose it over the other elevators!
The resulting mayhem is over twenty-five different author takes on the underlying story behind the elevator’s peculiar behavior. Possession? Poltergeists? Personified mechanical objects? Vampires?
All these unique stories come together in one volume: Midnight in the Renaissance Elevator. Join us as we attempt to explain the unexplainable, rationalize the unrationalizable, and give imagination free rein.
Proceeds for the sale of this book benefit The Trevor Project, which provides crisis support services to LGBTQ young people. More information can be found about this worthy cause at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/.
The Review
Jay:
At an LGBT literary retreat in October of 2022, a group of authors met a particularly cantankerous elevator… And so this anthology of 29 MM paranormal short stories was born. It’s worth buying anyway to benefit The Trevor Project but I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed.
Needless to say, from a group of authors who are mostly well known and loved you can expect good writing. As with any anthology this is a mixed bag, with stories ranging from low level romance to very explicit sex, and from events that could at a pinch be explained away to full scale paranormal drama of varying kinds. Some are based in the worlds of series already created by the writers but are mostly stand-alone apart from one which is a teaser for a series but is nevertheless a good tale.
Since all the stories are centered round the same elevator in the same hotel, I would suggest pacing your reading. Otherwise, the stories will tend to blur and you will wonder why the ghosts from one story are on the same floor as the aliens on another…
As these are short stories I don’t want to spoil the plots apart from the introduction from the blurb, with which I began the review. Nor do I want to single out any writer in particular as the standard is very high.
If you like romance with greater or lesser helpings of ghosts, aliens, sentient machines and anything else paranormal, buy this and read it – and probably read it again!
Linda:
This is a charity anthology and the proceeds from the sale of this book benefits groups providing support services to LGBTQ young people. I always choose to rate and talk about each story giving readers the opportunity of discovering authors they may not be familiar with.
Ride with the Wraith: Miski Harris
Lionel won big at poker but a big loser when they killed him. His husband David is at a convention at the Renaissance Hotel where the killers work and will meet justice.
The Hundred Year Curse: Adam J. Ridley
Luke has the hots for Colin Travers who comes to his rescue when he screamed in the elevator and who offers him a choice, life or death.
Gateway to the Forgotten Estate: Alexis Woods
Declan suffers from insomnia, going for ice he finds himself inside the elevator with a man who knows the answer to the sleepless nights.
Elevated Desires: Ana Phoenix
Ben and Alex meet each day in the elevator and each day Alex becomes totally tongue tied. Then Ben and Alex met at midnight, in the elevator and magic happened.
Somewhere Below the Basement: Angel Martinez
Jules who prefers they, them, their, then he/she is at a convention. They leave and take the elevator believed haunted. Orias is in the elevator, but he is going down and Jules goes along for the ride.
What Goes Up: Ari McKay – 5 Stars
Grant Stevens found himself another victim of the haunted elevator. He found himself starring at a handsome man, Reg who takes Grant to a place mortals were not allowed.
The Thirteenth Floor: Belinda McBride
Denis Cadigan is at a hotel giving lectures on history and mythology. He decided to go for a drink and wound up in the Hell elevator with a woman named Artemis who invited him to a private party on Floor 13.
A Creak in the Night: BL Maxwell
James and his husband Dean are at the Renaissance Hotel. They are part of a group of ghost hunters and James had heard about the hotel’s haunted elevator.
Something Unholy: Charity Parkerson
Adam is an unhappy man who has just spent almost all his money to attend a weekend long book convention. Waiting for the elevator Michael appears, and he will give Adam a weekend to remember.
Midnight Tango: CJ Warrant
Miguel is the night security for the Renaissance Hotel, when he enters the demon elevator at midnight, he meets Simon, lights go out and leads to a kiss and tango but that is not the end.
Love in the Elevator: Drea Roman
A conference at the Renaissance Hotel is where Chad meets Scott in the Death elevator. The next time the two are in the Death Elevator the lights go out and they are stuck.
Out of Order: Eden Winters
This is such an adorable story that brought a smile to my face and made me laugh out loud. This is the story of the elevator and the tool belt he loves.
The Resident Imp: Duckie Mack
Dean is at the Renaissance Hotel running from someone out to do him bodily harm. In the elevator he meets Jakobah an imp. Dean wants more than friendship with Jakobah who can’t leave the elevator so Dean must find a way.
His Chance: Giovanna Reaves
Royce has loved his best friend Knox since college and now Knox is getting married. He never had the courage to confess his feelings and it would take courage and a little ghostly assistance to wake him up.
Bang: JS Harker
Jason and Victor meet up at a convention after breaking up five years ago. They both enter the creepy elevator where they finally face what happened between them.
Crash Into Me: J.K. Hogan
Naveen is autistic, and at a tech convention. Loud noises and crowds make him shake when he meets Radha in the elevator, they are both attracted to each other, but Radha has a secret.
Saved by the Bell: Kaje Harper
Mitchell and Kyle are at the hotel and While Mitchell napped Kyle found himself in the death elevator with a young man. This was a story about being gay and the fears young people face every day.
All the Way to the Top: Katherine Mcintyre
James has convinced his partner Cade to join him at midnight in the haunted elevator and sex. A new exciting memory but will the elevator help keep them alone or will it do its usual interfering.
Getting the Shaft: Kiernan Kelly
Nicholas has been cursed to live in the Renaissance Hotel forever. He is not dead but eternal. Clifford, the assistant manager, visits Nicholas often and has feelings for him. This is their story.
The Renaissance Incubus: Katy Manz
Tony has writer’s block; he overhears women talking about the Renaissance Hotel and the haunted elevator He books a room and just before midnight in gets in the elevator and gets more than he expected.
Take it to the Next Level: Lee Blair
Marcus and Cory made out at a college bar Cory hoped for more, but he had to leave. And now they find themselves staring at each other in the Hell elevator. Now at his best friend Alicia’s wedding he and Marcus may have another chance.
Stop Draggin’ My Heart Up and Down: Bix Barrow
We are back at Reese and Alicia’s wedding and just like what happened to Marcus and Cory it happens again with Doyle and Kurt. When they got together, they were both anxious and Cory ran. Kurt thought he did something wrong and wants answers.
Elevate Me: Beck Grey
Well, it seems that Alicia and her wife Reese have a lot of friends and have been instrumental in bringing them love. Rick is attending the wedding and is attracted to the elevator repair man Seb. Will they get a HEA.
Death Becomes Him: Pandora Pine
Jones is telling his story, and it is not a pretty one. Five years ago, the love of his life, Beau left him for another man. Beau was murdered in the Renaissance Hotel and Jones returns every year, gets in the haunted elevator and waits for Beau.
You’re Not There: R.L. Merrill
Brian is with the Naval Special War Unit in Guam; he has come back for his best friend’s retirement ceremony. In the elevator, tired, sweaty and hungry, he meets Cole and is instantly attracted to him but when the elevator reached his floor Cole was gone. He is obsessed with finding Cole again and is given advice by one of the writers attending The Queer Lit Extravaganza.
Hard: Reese Knightley
Caleb and his husband Wolf (code name) belong to a lethal and dangerous covert team called Phoenix and that has caused a problem in their marriage. Caleb is nineteen years younger than his husband and Wolf is overprotective.
The Bond Witch Chronicles: Remi Varlow
Benny has been repairing the hotel elevator for a long time with no success so extreme measures must be taken and that means calling Jazz a psychic. What happens in the elevator is exciting and a surprise.
Love is a Bumpy Ride: R.J. Pedersen
Kyle and Jon are invited to a Halloween Party at the Renaissance Hotel. The party is for the Trevor Project, a very worthy cause. They find themselves trying to avoid the ghost elevator, but it is hit and miss.
Going Down: Zile Elliven
Sage is a successful writer but is lacking in social skills. The other writers at the hotel welcomed him and he was able to finally let loose. He is a strange man but the strangest was him having feelings for the elevator and dressing up sexy to get its attention, which he did.
Twenty-nine authors gave their time to write stories for this anthology and each story was wonderful and different, other than the spooky, deadly elevator from hell… sex, surprises, and terror in a book that should not be missed, both for the good cause and for the enjoyment.
Five stars.
The Reviewers
Jay: I’ve been doing book reviews on my website, crossposted or linked to various social media, for a few years. I read a number of genres but I really enjoy all kinds of speculative fiction so thought I’d like to share my views with you. I love sci fi and other speculative fiction because of the way it can, at its best, make us see ourselves in a new light. Quite apart from the exciting stories, of course! I used to be an English teacher, and I’m a writer (fantasy) so I can be quite critical about style etc. but I hope I can also appreciate properly some books that don’t appeal to me personally but might be simply perfect for others. I have, obviously, read widely, and continue to do so.
Linda: I am an avid reader the mother of 3 sons and grandmother to seven grandchildren. Since retiring I have been doing more reading while volunteering as a CASA worker. CASA is an organization that works with the family court system to ensure that children are in the best living situation. There are way too many children that get overlooked in the foster care system and I visit homes and make visits to the parents. I was born and raised in New York and my husband of 50 years and I live in Upstate New York.