Title: Josh of the Damned Omnibus Collection
Series: Josh of the Damned
Author: Andrea Speed
Genre: Paranormal, Comedy
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Gay
Publisher: Self
Reviewer: Pat
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About The Book
Josh is a typical late-night convenience store clerk, except for the fact the Quik-Mart where he works has a hell vortex behind the store. Amidst all the usual customers, he deals with zombie, demons, and other terrifying creatures of the night—who still manage to be more polite than the stoners.
The unusual clientele is a welcome break to his otherwise monotonous job, especially when it bring a hottie with a sweet tooth across his path. And while it’s also a job that could very well get him killed, Josh is willing to take that risk.
* This is an omnibus collection for all of the Josh of the Damned stories, including a couple never before published!
The Review
Finding a gay romance that’s funny and snarky with laughable cultural references is difficult these days. Too much snark these days is of the snide, ugly variety whose whole purpose seems to be insulting someone or something to puff up the person making the remark. And if the reader happens to be physically, emotionally, psychologically, or otherwise similar to the insulted person, then the popular response seems to be “oh, well, too bad, get over yourself.”
In Josh of the Damned, Andrea Speed gives readers a roller coaster ride of laughs and fun, quirky characters laced with a mild romance and an alternate reality that’s to die for.
And snark that’s good-natured and genuinely funny that’s like a breath of fresh air. Unless you’re a potato chip-eating lizard, zombie in search of a frozen burrito, or any of the other casual visitors from the underworld that shop in the convenience store where Josh is midnight cashier, you won’t be blindsided in an attack by maliciously meant comments. In fact, Josh will accept you as one of his regulars.
The affable and loveable Josh works the midnight shift at a convenience store that’s beset by werewolves whose human-size poop decorates the parking lot, monsters that try to pay for their purchases with teeth, and a yeti so infatuated with him that it brings him love offerings. With all this going on, you’d think that Josh’s character would be overshadowed. But, no. Josh glides through his midnight job sometimes horrified, sometimes entertained, and always rolling with the punches.
He stumbles on a dastardly plot and with the help of a new boyfriend manages to save mankind—all with the blessing of his supernaturally-endowed employer who recognizes what a magnificent job Josh is doing considering the circumstances.
For pure fun, laughs, and a captivating hero battling his way through a complicated world, readers will totally enjoy reading this novel appropriately sewn together from bits and pieces of experimental pieces Speed has been working on for years. If nothing else, Josh’s saga leaves us wanting to read more of his adventures.
The Reviewer
Pat Henshaw:
- Is a she, not a he.
- Writes MM romances.
- Has interviewed Arlo Guthrie, Big Bird, Fred Rogers, Liberace, and Vincent Price.
- Has lived and worked on all three US coasts and in the middle of the country, too.
- Has been a reviewer, costumer, librarian, and teacher.
- Has ridden an elephant, touched the pyramids, and stood at the edge of a volcano.
- Believes love is essential to everyone’s happiness.
- She wants you to remember: Every day is a good day for romance!