Mya Lairis

Title: Let Your Love Fall Like Rain
Author: Mya
Publisher: B. Love Publications
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Let Your Love Fall Like Rain" by Mya
My Opinion:

"Let Your Love Fall Like Rain" was quite some read that kept me shaking my head and saying, wow! It was hard to conceive that an adult would want to have a relationship with a child such as Alana was to him, especially with his own daughter's best friend. After some thirty years with his wife Christiana, how could this happen...but it did. The outcome of it all seemed to have worked out after the daughter Cari who was out of control for a bit, finally came around, but still, the story left me in awe of it all—and then moving on with Alana's parents...oh my goodness, what a mess! If you love drama, then this one is for you because drama is all over the place in this story. If there are lessons to be learned...well, you will have to pick up this one to see for yourself if you can find one. The author gives the readers a story that will provide much thought to ponder over after the read.… (mais)

The world Mya Lairis has created in ‘Love Stoned’ is simply amazing. It comes with a complete history, a set of fascinating preternatural characters, and a plot full of mystery, suspense, and a resolution I did not at all expect – which makes it just about perfect in my book. Honestly? The blurb had me at “gargoyle” since I am fascinated with them. In our reality, gargoyles are creatures of legend (first mentioned in the 7th century AD) much like dragons and other supernatural beings, and today they are stone figures mostly on old churches. In ‘Love Stoned’, they are physically enormous individuals, almost indestructible and close to immortal, with a metabolism that relies on various types of stone for sustenance. They live in a different dimension, have tasked themselves with protecting the much younger human race from all kinds of evils in the universe, and have an all-male society that breathes “survival of the strongest” to the extreme. Absolutely fascinating!

The story is told mostly from Devron’s point of view, which works well because he doesn’t even know he is a gargoyle until Farhad, a powerful older gargoyle, finds him. I learned about the gargoyles of this world along with Devron, although there was frustratingly little to find out in the beginning. There were all kinds of hints about the brutality of gargoyle society and the need for Devron to mature – from the seven foot or so when Farhad finds him to a stronger twelve foot or so at the least. Only then would he be able to survive the “trial” his fellow gargoyles would put him through once he enters their dimension. To help Devron become a better warrior, Farhad places him with Scylla, an organization tasked with protecting Earth. Its members are recruited from all kinds of preternatural societies, and it was fun to find out what missions they went on and how they worked together – or not, as the case might be.

But Devron is impatient, as was I. Training and waiting for decades without any details, as well as fighting an ever-growing attraction for Farhad, is not Devron’s thing. More and more hints point toward far graver problems than a physical trial upon Devron’s entry into the gargoyles’ realm, and the gradual reveal was tantalizing and kept me turning the pages. Finding out more about gargoyles, their society, and Devron’s and Farhad’s bond was interesting enough, but then the author added yet more elements. Politics and conspiracies abound as the novel barrels toward the unavoidable major crisis, and the sense of foreboding was so strong, I had real trouble taking breaks for things like sleep and food.

If you like preternatural stories that expose the darker side of human nature, if two gargoyles who seem destined for each other yet have trouble communicating sound like an interesting couple, and if you’re looking for a suspenseful read full of secrets, subterfuge and evil political machinations, the fight against evil in several dimensions and all its consequences, and a magnificent love story wrapped up in one breathtaking action/adventure, then you will probably like this novel. I am impressed with the world Mya Lairis created here, as well as the characters and the many imaginative twists and turns they went through before achieving their happy end. Bravo!


NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.… (mais)

The Kretcher Hotel opened it's doors in Atlanta in the 1960's. It's a rundown place in the slums of the city surrounded by prostitutes, drug dealers and any kind of crime you can imagine. Some people say that the Kretcher Hotel was built by the devil himself. Bad things happen there and some say its cursed. In charge of the hotel is Sybline Kretcher, a six-foot 4 woman with a long dark past and a personality that can't be controlled by Satan himself.

The Kretcher Hotel is a place where anything goes. Within its walls are suicidal men, evil monsters, witches, a succubus looking for redemption, thieves, addicts and any other abominations you can imagine. The Kretcher Hotel is a place surrounded by evil, but people also go there for redemption.

Forever Vacancy is an anthology of 13 horror stories that all feature diverse characters that you don't see in most horror anthologies. The setting of a broken down hotel is a perfect place for a horror anthology and that comes across loud and clear in the story The Thing In Room 204 by C. W. Blackwell. It begins with a cloaked man being led to the hotel by a mysterious man. There is a mystery as to what is going on here which is made more complicated by the prostitute on the street. Another good story is The Honeymoon Suite: Jacob's Reunion by Sumiko Saulson which is about a grief-stricken man who is trying to make the choice between being consumed by the bitterness of loosing someone, the need for revenge and wanting the chance for forgiveness.

My favorite story in this book is Salvation by Ross Baxter. This story follows a succubus who wants to find salvation after centuries of taking the souls of men. She goes to a priest for salvation, but is the priest strong enough to resist her and give her the help she needs? What I liked about this one was how offended the priest is when he sees how Sybline acts towards him and how sure he is of himself before being given the ultimate test. I also liked the idea that despite how evil the succubus is, she still hopes to change her ways.

I loved the concept behind Forever Vacancy. This is a book where each story has the same location and one character in common. I loved how Sybline shows so much depth of character even though she is a small part of each story. In some stories Sybline shows herself as being cold and uncaring but in others she proves that she is helping the protagonists. Sybline may be working for the devil but she has a mind of her own and does as she pleases. Every story in this book is fast paced and filled with gruesome situations in a dark setting. This is the kind of book that all horror fan should read because it's a great example of how good horror stories can be. I would love to see a series of books based on this setting. Despite the desolation of the location there are still souls in search of redemption and that is what makes this anthology good.… (mais)