Book picks similar to
Spell of the Ball by Deanna Chase


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Gatekeeper


Debra Glass - 2008
    But now her eccentric sister has been abducted and nothing in her criminology background has prepared Jillian for that tragedy - or for Benton Smith, the powerful and devastatingly attractive ghost of a Civil War officer and the only witness to Amy's abduction. Fearful of the brazen specter, Jillian nevertheless needs him. Benton is her Gatekeeper, a spirit sworn to protect her from the soul collectors, who attack each time she unleashes her long-dormant psychic senses in an attempt to find her sister. Yet she must somehow keep the devilishly seductive spirit at arm's length, for Benton's soul is at stake - and succumbing to his desires could have dangerous consequences for them both.

Shadow of Doubt - Part 1


W.J. May - 2014
    He's a guy so he should be out to have fun but unlike the rest of his kind, he is solemn and withdrawn. That is, until he meets Aurora, a law student at Cornell University. His entire world is shaken. Feelings he's never had and urges he’s never understood take over. These strange longings drive him to question everything about himself. When a jealous ex stalks back into his life, he must decide if he is willing to risk everything to be with Aurora. His desire for her could destroy her, or worse, erase his own existence forever. * This is a two book series: Part 1 and Part 2 *

What You Can't See


Allison Brennan - 2007
    And when tough, sexy local sheriff Skye McPherson refuses to believe something supernatural is at work, Anthony realizes that to "Deliver Us From Evil" he must first win Skye's trust, then her heart. Roxanne St. Claire Popular TV psychic Arianna Killian's conversations with the dead have earned her the attention of a killer who fears her abilities, and Bullet Catcher Chase Ryker is the skeptical bodyguard assigned to protect her. æWhen the messages turn deadly, they are given a "Reason to Believe" in life after death...and love...after all. Karin Tabke After a fatal car crash, bad boy cop Zach Garret's descent into hell is interrupted by an unusual deal for "Redemption." All Zach has to do is return to earth as a warrior sworn to defend his ex-fiancŽe Danica Keller, the unknowing keeper of a power coveted by the forces of darkness. But even harder than keeping Danica alive that long is convincing her to give a second chance to the man who once betrayed her.

Christmas Spirits


Lynn Kurland - 1997
    A quaint inn at Christmastime. Three matchmaking ghosts have found the perfect setting for a modern-day romance between a free-spirited American and a single-minded British executive.Keeping Faith by Casey ClaybourneWhen a little orphaned girl is befriended by a ghost and saved from the streets of Regency London, she proves to be a Christmas miracle for a grieving couple.Only Fifteen Shopping Days Left by Elizabeth BevarlyWhen the jolly matchmaking ghost of a department-store Santa makes his Christmas gift list, he has a very special present planned for the busy store manager: one of Santa’s elves.The Ghost of Christmas Present by Jenny LykinsAlane was looking forward to spending a cold, snowy Christmas alone—until an unexpected visitor causes a change of heart.

Beyond the Pale


Henry L. HerzNancy Holder - 2014
    Was that my imagination, or did I hear something under my bed? What was that blurred movement in my darkened closet? There is but a thin Veil separating the real and the fantastic, and therein dwell the inhabitants of these stories. Beyond the Pale contains twelve short stories by award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors Saladin Ahmed (Throne of the Crescent Moon), Peter S. Beagle (The Last Unicorn), Heather Brewer (Vladimir Tod), Jim Butcher (Dresden Files), Rachel Caine (The Weather Warden), Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures), Nancy Holder (Wicked), Gillian Philip (Rebel Angels), and Jane Yolen (Owl Moon). The noun “pale” refers to a stake (as in impaling vampires) or pointed piece of wood (as in a paling fence). “Pale” came to refer to an area enclosed by a paling fence. Later, it acquired the figurative meaning of an enclosed and therefore safe domain. Conversely, "beyond the pale" means foreign, strange, or threatening. You are about to go Beyond the Pale.

Out of the Light, Into the Shadows


Lori Foster - 2009
    headlines a sinful new anthology where the dark and light sides of desire collide... Embrace the darkness and experience the light in this all-new anthology filled with touching stories of happily ever after alongside smoldering tales of irresistibly dangerous, otherworldly passion. From bewitching emotions and untamed desire to dazzling romance and tantalizing sensuality, these novellas explore the complex facets of the human heart-both the light side and the dark.

Dark Siren


Lee Dignam - 2016
    A city of monsters. One girl’s soul caught in the middle. Supernatural bounty hunter Alice Werner loves her job. She gets paid the big bucks to take down her targets and doesn’t ask her clients too many questions as long as the money’s good. But when a girl goes missing and the case feels all too familiar, Alice can’t help but act.Concern for the girl’s safety draws her into a risky case. Compassion keeps her involved when the stakes begin to rise. Desperation forces her to call on an old flame for help. Despite their unfinished past, Alice and Isaac Moreau, a prominent Mage, must work together to save the girl.When clues reveal more than meets the eye, Alice must face her deepest fears and confront demons from her past to protect the victim, and herself, from a fate worse than death.Dark Siren is the first book of the Half-Lich Urban Fantasy series, a collection of tales set in the grim, unforgiving metropolis of Ashwood. If you like mysterious supernatural creatures, fast-paced suspense, and conflict-ridden romance, then you’ll love Dignam and Martinez’ otherworldly series starter which early reviewers are comparing to works by Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews and Ella Summers! Buy Dark Siren and dive into the city of Ashwood today!

Wicked Games


Angela Knight - 2014
    This volume also features a special selection of stories, previously published as ebooks, but completely revised and expanded for this anthology.

Blood Lite III: Aftertaste


Kevin J. AndersonHeather Graham - 2012
    Banks, Kelley Armstrong, and many more! Horror fiction explores the dark side of human nature, often pushing the limits of violence, graphic gore, and extreme emotions. But with the popularity of shows and movies, such as "The Walking Dead," "True Blood," "Twilight," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," audiences have demonstrated their love for the genre--especially accompanied with a dose of humor to tone down the terror."Blood Lite III: Aftertaste" continues to put the fun back into dark fiction, featuring a wide range of humorous and highly entertaining horror-filled tales. Edited by Horror Writers Association founding member and award-winning author Kevin J. Anderson, the stories vary in tone from wry to downright laugh-out-loud funny. Featuring such well-known horror writers as Jim Butcher, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Christopher Golden, and many others, this collection of tales is perfect for anyone who enjoys being entertained as much as they love a good scare.Contents:I was a teenage Bigfoot / Jim Butcher --Blood-red greens / Joel A. Sutherland --V plates / Kelley Armstong --Put on a happy face / Christopher Golden --Devil's contract / E.S. Magill --Nine-tenths of the law / Eric James Stone --Scrumptious bone bread / Jeff Strand --Let that be a lesson to you / Mark Onspaugh --Mint in box / Mike Baron --Great zombie invasion of 1979 / J.G. Faherty --Dating after the apocalypse / Stephen Dorato --Typecast / Jeff Ryan --Making the cut / Mike Resnick, Lezli Robyn --Acknowledgments / Will Ludwigsen --Mannequin / Heather Graham --Short term / Daniel Pyle --Distressed travelers / Nina Kiriki Hoffman --Bayou brawl / L.A. Banks --Steeple people / John Alfred Taylor --For sale / David Sakmyster --Man who could not be bothered to die / Norman Prentiss --Last demon / Don D'Ammassa --Misadventure to call your own / Adrian Ludens --Smoke and mirrorballs / Chris Abbey --Brians!!! / D.L. Snell --Still life / Ken Lilli-Paetz --Day in the life / Sherrilyn

Blood Lite


Kevin J. AndersonJim Butcher - 2008
    NOTE: This story has been re-released in the Dark Bites anthology.Celebrity necromancer Jaime Vegas is headlining a sold-out séance tour, but behind the scenes, a disgruntled ghost has a bone to pick, in Kelley Armstrong's The Ungrateful Dead.Plus tales guaranteed to get under your skin - in a good way - from:* Janet Berliner* Don D'Ammassa* Nancy Holder* Nancy Kilpatrick* J. A. Konrath* F. Paul Wilson* Joe R. Lansdale* Will Ludwigsen* Sharyn McCrumb* Mark Onspaugh* Mike Resnick* Steven Savile* D. L. Snell* Eric James Stone* Jeff Strand* Lucien Soulban* Matt Venne* Christopher WelchSo let the blood flow and laughter reign - because when it comes to facing our deepest, darkest fears, a little humor goes a long way!

A Very Gothic Christmas


Christine Feehan - 2001
    Ever since the fire that claimed his troubled wife's life and left him horribly disfigured, Dillon has shut out the world. With Christmas approaching, the spark between him and Jessica might light the future, but there are those who shared Dillon's wife's love of the occult . . . and their evil machinations may plunge the family into darkness -- unless a Christmas miracle occurs. . . .LADY OF THE LOCKET by MELANIE GEORGEThe echoes of history and romance lure Rachel Hudson to Glengarren, the Scottish castle where her parents met many Christmases ago. But it is the portrait of fierce Highlander Duncan MacGregor that sparks an inexplicable yearning inside her. On a storm-tossed night, as lightning cracks across the castle's turrets, Rachel finds herself face-to-face with MacGregor himself, astride a mighty stallion. Now, stepping into Rachel's time -- and her heart -- the warrior from the past is pursued by an ancient, evil enemy. . . .

Flesh and Blood


Willow Rose - 2018
    As if their constant bickering and embarrassing behavior wasn’t bad enough, they’ve forbidden her from hanging out with her crush just when a flirty new girl moves to their block. Strangely enough, Robyn’s parents look the other way when her big brother breaks curfew… even after a local girl's violent murder.With the neighborhood on high alert, strange sightings are on the rise and the accusations begin to fly. Between her brother’s nighttime excursions and her parents’ odd behavior, Robyn starts to worry that the killer may be living under her own roof. In a town where neighbor has turned against neighbor, deciding whom to trust with her dark fears could be a matter of life and death…Flesh and Blood is the first book in a fun and frightening series of romantic paranormal mysteries. If you like terrifying thrills, flesh and blood characters, and vampires without the sparkle, then you’ll love Willow Rose’s tale of suburban terror. Buy Flesh and Blood to discover a dynamic series that puts the bite back into vampire lore today.

A Death Displaced


Andrew Butcher - 2012
    A vision that could save her ...Nicolas Crystan, struggling to cope with his traumatic past, shuffles through life keeping mostly to himself ... until he has a disturbing daydream of a woman's death. At first he tries to forget it, but when real life mimics the daydream, he realises it was no ordinary fantasy—it was a vision of the future. To save a life, he must act fast.When Juliet Maystone escapes death, defying fate, she becomes 'displaced' in this world. All she wants is to return to her bustling day-to-day routine, successfully running her own business, but as hard as she tries, she can't ignore that things have changed for her. She has to face up to the fact that being 'displaced' comes with an unexpected ability.On Lansin Island, a quaint place with a dark history of its own, Nicolas and Juliet must learn to use their newfound abilities and work together to unravel a mystery more connected to Nicolas than he could ever have imagined ...A Death Displaced is the first book in a paranormal suspense/contemporary fantasy series with light romance.

Halloween Boo


Sarah Spade - 2018
    Really.Spooky things have been happening to me ever since I moved in last year. At first, I ignored them. Later, I got used to the idea that I shared my place with a ghost. I even called him Casper. We got along just fine.Until a sexy hunk showed up the night before Halloween and told me that his name wasn’t Casper--it was Zack. And that, on All Hallow’s Eve, certain ghosts sometimes have the power to cross over into the human world. Which he did, because he loves me.Okay then.ZackI’m in love.The only problem?She’s alive. And me?I’m kinda not.At least, I’m not on every day except for October 31st. Because on Halloween? Anything goes.I want Dani. And even if it’s only for the one night when ghosts can cross over to the living world, I’ll take what I can get. Because I love a mortal, and it’s not just hocus pocus.***Dani Williams doesn’t believe in ghosts. But this Halloween, after a year of watching over and falling in love with his mortal houseguest, Zack Banks is ready to prove that this particular ghost might just believe in her.This sweet Halloween treat is chock full of insta-love, over-the-top Halloween magic, and enough Hocus Pocus nods to make you cackle like a sexy witch in between moaning for more. A Sarah Spade HEA guaranteed!

Death's Excellent Vacation


Charlaine HarrisChris Grabenstein - 2010
    P. Kelner return with an all-new story collection of postcards from the edge of the paranormal world...It really can be an endless summer - if you're immortal. Though a vampire would be ill-advised to take a cruise to Bermuda, the possibilities for getting away from it all - and maybe snacking on some unsuspecting tourist - are many...Sookie Stackhouse and her vampire friend Pam take a weekend getaway to Mississippi in #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris's "Two Blondes." And when they end up in a shady gentleman's club, to escape in one piece they need to do something that wasn't on their itinerary - something involving a stage, a pole, and very little clothing.New York Times bestselling author Katie MacAlister's "The Perils of Effrijim" follow a demon whose vacation in Paris is disrupted when he's banished to another plane, thus kicking off a crazy dimension-hopping road trip across Europe.Protecting an heiress from supernatural hit men isn't Cat and Bones's idea of a relaxing vacation in New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost's "One for the Money," but it could get worse. And it does - when Cat's mother shows up.With ten more original tales, editors Harris and Kelner bring together a stellar collection of tour guides who offer vacations frightening, funny, and touching - for the fanged, the furry, the demonic, and the grotesque.