Reviewed by Nikyta
Title: Playing with Shadows
Author: Sasha L. Miller
Heroes: Corin & Rafferty
Genre: M/M Fantasy
Length: 21,000 words
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Available FREE at: M/M Romance GR Group, Less Than Three Press, Amazon & All Romance eBooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads & Booklikes
Blurb: Corin is nearly done with his term amongst the priests. In a matter of months, he’ll be able to return home and leave his miserable days in the temple behind him. He’s tired of lazy priests and tired of stories of demon shadows that move of their own volition.
Then Corin starts to see things, and the priests begin to act strange, and he begins to wonder.. is he losing his mind, or are the shadows more than they seem?
This story was written for the Love is Always Write event at the M/M Romance Group on GoodReads.
Review:
In honor of the upcoming M/M Romance Group’s ‘Love’s Landscapes’ event, I’ve decided to go back and read a few of the stories from last year’s event. This one peaked my interest because one, it was free and two, I really enjoy Sasha’s writing.
Set in a monastery where kids of a certain age are sent to act as ‘servants’ to the priests for one year and where demons are just waiting in the shadows to be free, Corin is thrust into a world where cleaning up after lazy priests is nothing compared to the possibility of losing his mind. From not believing in demons to all of a sudden feeling and seeing them everywhere, Corin is in for one hell of a surprise when one of the priests ask for his help in fighting the demons. But the demons might not be the only evil creatures in the monastery, especially when some of the priests start acting a little weird.
To be honest, this one wasn’t what I was expecting. What I’ve read so far from this author has been sweet stories. This one is vastly different in that it is more intense, darker and scarier than I’m used to reading. I loved that it felt more like a horror story than a romance or suspense. For such a short story, it managed to get a lot of feeling behind the characters and the plot. Corin is simultaneously scared and snide. He speaks his mind (even at the cost of being an outcast) but he also fears what his senses are telling him. While he’s afraid, though, he’s brave enough to do what he can to stop the evil creatures. Rafferty is more subdued. Actually, he seems very depressed and sad but we didn’t get to understand or experience him as much as we did Corin so he’s still an enigma.
While I really enjoyed it, I won’t deny that I missed getting more details on certain things such as more into spirit energy and how priests at other monasteries handle the demons. Also, while I loved that there was a hint of romance at the end, I can’t help but feel like it was awkward. I think the story would have benefited more from either being completely devoid of romance or at least having it incorporated more throughout the story. As it was, it felt like it was just tacked on at the end, even though there were a few hints throughout the story that Corin felt something towards Rafferty, there never once was a hint that Rafferty felt anything beyond what their energies created.
All in all, this was still a good story. I liked the darkness to it, the feeling that there may just be something beyond your peripheral vision. I especially liked how the story was wrapped up and while I wish we could have gotten a more meatier read, I still enjoyed it. I really hope we get a sequel because I would love to see what happens to Rafferty and Corin next.
Overall Impression: I liked it!
*Available completely FREE as part of the Love is Always Write event sponsored by the M/M Romance Goodreads Group*
The Blogger Girls 