Title: Stalked by Shadows
Series: Simply Crafty
Author: Lissa Kasey
Genre: Paranormal
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Publisher: Self
Pages: 346
Reviewer: Maryann / Linda, Paranormal Romance Guild
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About The Book
A missing girl, ritual murders, and a shadow stalking every footstep.
Alexis Caine survived an attack in the deserts of Afghanistan. An attack the government denied and discharged him for, leaving him broken and in a mental institution. What Alex saw that day in the desert continues to haunt him.
When a new job working as a bodyguard for a New Orleans ghost tour guide, Micah Richards, opens Alex’s eyes to a world of paranormal possibilities, he’s not sure he can believe his eyes. What if he’s not crazy after all? When a ritual murder in which two fellow tour guides die and a tourist vanishes, Alex wonders if he brought a curse down upon them all.
A shadow from the desert rears its nightmarish head offering Alex something he wants more than anything, but at what cost?
The Review
Maryann:
I have to say this was quite good for a paranormal read. The setting for the start to this new series, is one of the most haunted cities in America, New Orleans and one of my favorite places to visit.
Lissa Kasey not only does some amazing paranormal building but brings us some weird and interesting characters. Alexis and Lukas Caine are interracial twins. Both chose different careers: Lukas is a homicide detective with the NOPD and Alex became an Army ranger. After a tragic and unbelievable experience in Afghanistan Alex ended up in a physic ward and now lives with Lukas. Alex still deals with PTSD and the eerie nightmares from his military experience. Although he wants to pull his own weight, he’s finding it difficult to get a job. Lukas steps in and makes a suggestion and Alex finds himself working at Simply Crafty.
Simply Crafty is an eclectic and strange little shop, managed by Micah Richards. Micah not only runs the shop but he does Ghost Tours of the cemeteries and haunted city sights. Micah also has a form of protection in the way of a cat by the name of Jet. He also has a very lively friend who helps him at the shop by the name of Sky.
Immediately, I thought for sure this was going to turn into “insta love” when Alex realizes what Micah’s former employment was. But I was surprised by Alex and his moral beliefs and the gradual understanding that develops between him and Micah.
Lissa Kasey not only builds many vulnerable and emotional moments with Alex and Micah’s relationship, but there are those emotional, brotherly love, moments between Lukas and Alex too. Lukas’ urgency to keep Alex safe is very heartfelt but in protecting Alex he seems to keep secrets from him. There’s also a teasing connection between Lukas and Sky that adds to the intrigue of the story.
As far as the paranormal goes, there’s just the right amount of eerier, creepy and gory moments that build up to something strange and evil that both Micah and Alex have experienced and it seems to be just the beginning.
This first book has me hooked and it’s got an ending that has me wanting more. I’m really curious to see what Lissa Kasey has planned for this Alex, Micah and company. Bring on book 2!
Linda:
Alexis Caine always planned on having a military career until something happened in Afghanistan. He saw a shadow, a shadow that tore apart his entire base leaving most of his men dead. Noone wanted to listen to his story and he found himself homeless and then in a psych ward. It was his identical twin Lukas a New Orleans detective who took him home and got him a job.
Alex suffers from severe PTSD has nightmares reliving what happened in the desert and is convinced he is crazy. An ex Army Ranger and weapons specialist he is now working at a wicca shop that hosts walking tours and it is run by his favorite porn star, Micah Richards. Like Alex Micah suffers from his own nightmares, a nightmare of disappearing for three months.
Micah gives tours that sometimes can be dangerous and so beside working at the shop Alex is acting as his bodyguard. Things change when Alex finds out who Micah’s silent partner is but that is something I won’t reveal. Two tour guides wind up dead, a tourist is missing and there is a ritual murder leaving Alex to wonder if he brought something back with him from the desert.
I had a problem with this book because it just was too slow moving and was too long. The first half started out exciting and I was hooked but then I found myself struggling to finish the book and to find out that it was a cliffhanger something I have no problem admitting that I hate big time. I did give this book three stars because the first half did hold my attention.
The Reviewer
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.
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