Love Like Ghosts by Ally Blue

3 STARS

Bay City Paranormal Investigations - Book 7

Mojo Mystery Series - Book 1
So this book is officially #7 in the Bay City Paranormal Investigations series, but it really is the introduction to a new series, the Mojo Mystery Series which stars the oldest son of one of the MCs of the BCP series. So, that being said... I picked this up because someone recced the latest in the Mojo series and since this one was on sale, I figured to give the series a try.

I got tricked (okay, not tricked but...) into a NA book, I think. I found both the main characters, Adrian (the afore-mentioned son) and Greg really quite unlikable. Both of them whine, they both jump to silly conclusions, they both have tantrums, they're both suspicious of everything the other does... they were just very tiresome. I found myself thinking that if they were both open and honest with each other about the shit from their pasts that was making them both so 'skittish?', then more attention could be paid to actually growing their relationship and also, figuring out what the deal was with the ghost. But isn't all this DRAMA part and parcel of the New Adult book experience? UGH!

Another thing that bothered me was the introduction of a ton of negligible characters - classmates, neighbours etc... Do we really need to name them and give them a tiny backstory if we're only going to see them on one page handing something to one of the MCs? I don't think so.

So, that being said, will I read the other books in the series? At some point, probably. I've enjoyed other stories by this author and I do respect the opinion of the person who recced the latest in the series to me, but for now, I think I shall let Adrian and Greg be.

Long the Mile by Ally Blue

3 STARS

So this is the final book in the "Home for the Holidays" collection from Riptide. It was the first published, if I'm not mistaken, but I didn't get around to it until now. I was disappointed. Yes, the blurb said that it was angst-filled, and I should have expected it, but my LORD it was depressing.

The story is about two men, Judah and Toby. Both men are homeless and live on the streets. Judah has been in prison for insider trading and when he is released, his sentence complete, he cannot find a job anywhere and soon ends up on the streets where he meets Toby. Now, quite understandably, Judah is negative, down, scared, depressed, angry... all those things. And Toby is the more positive of the two, hopeful from time to time, easier to smile, easier to love. Opposites attract and all.

Did the novella have anything to do with the holidays? Not so much. Sure, parts of it were set around Christmas, but it was barely even a plot point. I guess I was expecting a Christmas Miracle type of thing for these two men. I will admit that the characters were well done, although Gloomy Judah was really starting to grate on my nerves by the time the last third of the story began. And of course, I felt guilty for that because I should have more compassion and understanding for a homeless man and his plight.

One plus about the book was the setting. It's set in Asheville, North Carolina, a place I've visited and it was kind of nifty to re-visit places I'd been.

All in all, I found that while Long the Mile is a very well-written book, with full, rounded characters, I didn't enjoy it much. It brought me down and that was certainly not what I was looking for in a Christmas read.