My review of paranormal romance horror Kiss Me Deadly by Tamela Miles
You never see the claws until you feel them.
Kiss Me Deadly is the chilling follow up horror and paranormal romance anthology to the fan favorite collection of stories, Rock Paper Scissors, brought to you from author Tamela Miles. Five unsettling tales of horror, with a pinch of the paranormal romance many readers have come to enjoy.
The Swinging Tree:
Audrina and Matt are all set to enjoy a vacation in a charming little town in Northern California. But the town holds deadly secrets that no citizen is willing to speak about. Silence may be golden, but it puts Matt and Audrina on a collision course with a dark force that is hell-bent on vengeance.
Hands Clean:
Lili’s life is forever changed after a beach house getaway with her friends. She is given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to exact punishment on the one who betrayed her trust, and she grabs it once because she doesn’t believe in transcendence.
Be Home by Sunrise:
Chase has been taking care of headstrong Tiffany since he turned her into a vamp. When she does the unforgivable, he whisks her away into hiding. She hopes their bond will go from maker and child to lovers, but there’s a looming presence that won’t let them ride off into the moonlight together. Or let them go unpunished.
Witch Bitch:
An afternoon spent with friends and new girlfriend, Luna, has Mason feeling hopeful about the future after his struggle with depression. When the situation goes from friendly to life or death, he is forced to confront the demons he has spent so many years running from. For some, forgive and forget isn’t an option.
Paper Dolls:
Zach makes a great escape from his old life to Vegas with his new partner in crime, Paris. She challenges him to reflect on his ways and embrace the dangerous path they’re both on. Too bad, for a city full of women, his soul searching takes him to an even darker place. Two is company, three is murder.
An Excerpt from Kiss Me Deadly
Matt slowly made his way across the field, completely unaware of the rugged ground beneath his bare feet. He had one objective on his mind as he moved along. He had to get to the source of the whispers. The mist was heavy and dampened his bare chest and pajama pants. Still, he trudged on until he reached the tree. He stopped abruptly and looked around.
The woman in the flowing white dress emerged with a lilting laugh. She danced around him; her lips parted provocatively. She whispered his name over and over. The beauty of her brown skin and short wavy hair captivated him, and he shuffled toward her. He could hear her in his head.
Not tonight, lover. But, soon, you’ll come to be with little ol’ Jewel to stay.
She disappeared into the mist, and Matt’s eyes snapped open. Confusion set in as he realized that he was in the field behind the Bellewood and not still sleeping beside Audrina. He looked around, completely dazed.
“What the hell…”
He ran the whole distance back to the hotel, and as he entered the lobby, one of the employees gave him a once-over. He met the older African American man’s eyes and was surprised at his direct gaze. “A bit early in the morning for a long walk. Watch out for that mist, Mr. Marsh. It can change your whole life.”
Matt gave him a terse nod. “Thank you.” He swiftly headed for the elevator and, once inside, looked down at his feet blackened with dirt. He desperately needed a shower, and he hoped Audrina was still sleeping so he wouldn’t have to explain something that he himself couldn’t understand. As far as he knew, he had never sleepwalked.
Review of Kiss Me Deadly
Well, yikes. I don’t typically read horror because I’m a big wimp, but every so often, it catches my fancy. This collection is all kinds of creepy and terrifying. Despite this, I quite enjoyed it, and my wimp side didn’t even curl up in a ball and whimper.
These stories make great use of the paranormal. I loved the various ways paranormal elements were used and how they contributed to a set of unique tales that still felt like they were penned by one person. The theme of romance gone deadly is present throughout, more obviously in some places than others, and this book is a firm reminder not to tick off angry spirits if you want your love life to end well. If abusive situations/relationships or adult content aren’t your thing, you may not enjoy this, but otherwise, I suggest giving this a read…if you dare. 🙂
About Tamela Miles
Tamela Miles is a school psychologist with Ed.S and PPS credentials and a graduate of California State University San Bernardino and California State University Dominguez Hills. She is also a former flight attendant. She grew up in Altadena, California, in that tumultuous time known as the 1980s. She now resides with her family in the Inland Empire, CA. She’s a horror/paranormal romance writer mainly because it feels so good having her characters do bad things and, later, pondering what makes them so bad and why they can never seem to change their wicked ways.
She introduced herself to readers in 2015 with her debut bestseller horror/paranormal romance anthology, “Rock Paper Scissors”.
She enjoys emails from people who like her work. In fact, she loves emails. She can be contacted at tamelamiles@yahoo.com or on her Facebook page, Tamela Miles Books. She also welcomes reader reviews and enjoys feedback from people who love to read as much as she does.
Giveaway
Tamela Miles will be awarding a $5 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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I liked the excerpt.
Sounds like a good book.
The book sounds intriguing. Great cover!
I like the cover. it sets the tone for the book.
I enjoyed reading the review!! Sounds like an intriguing and scary read!! Looking forward to checking it out!!