“Keep away. The sow is mine.” ― William Peter Blatty, The Exorcist

Father Zelophehad heard Nikolai Grekh’s desperate call. Zeph finds Nik and takes him back to the sanctuary of his church and private quarters but the last demon Nik fought refuses to leave and seeks another host…

the second episode in the Sin Eater serial has grown darker, more emotional and more intense. Nik is almost killed and has sustained a lot of physical injuries. he would have died had it not been for Zeph’s aid. Nik’s battles with demons are getting worse. these hellish beings are evolving into something Nik had never encountered before. there was even one chapter depicting possession and religious articles that was so extreme, blasphemous and profane to my “non-practicing” Catholic sensibilities that I could not help but cringe. however, such was the risk I took when I read this episode and the aforementioned chapter really did shake me up.

more characters are introduced and we are allowed brief access inside the sanctum sanctorum of the shadowy Old Order. one also gets to read about Zeph’s abusive childhood including some information regarding why Nik happened to be a Sin Eater. the details were still not enough and they only piqued my curiosity further. a couple of questions I had in mind while reading Episode 1.1 were answered somehow regarding Nik and Zeph’s relationship vis-a-vis their homosexuality and religious beliefs. the issues involved are deeper and more complex and as I mentioned before in my 1.1 review, I would like to see how things sort themselves out in the next episodes.

in the meantime, the bizarre turn of events at the morgue and the last chapter gave me goosebumps. everything looked grim and desperate at this point. i am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for some positive outcome.

once again, authors Pavarti K Tyler and Jessica West did an excellent job with their writing. they minced no words in shocking the hell out of me (no pun intended!). although, this may be a dark fantasy involving demons and arcane rituals, one cannot deny or ignore the fact that evil does exist in the world today. we only have to look around and witness or hear about its myriad manifestations.

 

 

*received a copy for review

“I am the perfect weapon, I can kill with a single touch.” - Melinda Salisbury, The Sin Eater’s Daughter

unlike most people who work for a living, Nikolai Grekh’s job is of a unique and dark sort – battling demons and saving possessed souls.

the first episode in the Sin Eater serial is an introduction to Nik’s world. it is a strange one, fraught with darkness, horror, sensuality, physical and spiritual demands.

the battle scenes were well-written and the descriptions of how Nik got rid of the demonic entities were quite graphic and may not be for the fainthearted. they explained what being a Sin Eater entailed and it was no walk in the park.

despite the limited length, it still shed some light into Nik’s childhood and how he met his best friend Zeph. it does not explain yet how Nik came to be a Sin Eater and why he was burdened with such a task. it does tell us from the get go about Nik’s sexual orientation though. my curiosity is piqued as we have here a Catholic gay man. i would like to see how this plays out – whether his faith and his sexuality come into conflict or not, etc. the answers would probably be found in the next episodes.

this collaborative take on sin eaters by Pavarti K Tyler and Jessica West was interesting and intriguing enough to make me want to read more about Nik. i know there would be a lot more to come especially after what took place at the end of this episode.

 

*Sin Eater Episode 1.1 is FREE 9/25 - 9/26 at Amazon so grab your copy now!

check out the authors' giveaway as well HERE

Maia wakes up in the desert and can't remember who she is. She fears someone is out to get her, but who? With the help of Jaren, she starts regaining her memory and is slowly able to piece together her past. But when she finally does, she struggles to find the purpose for her existence.

This is a lovely tale of longing, love, and sacrifice. We, too, must work to piece together the puzzle that is Maia's life. Another beautifully written and touching story by Pavarti K. Tyler.

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/heavens-vault-by-pavarti-k-tyler.html

I loved this short story. Its is an interesting short story. A mix of myth and fantasy. Maia comes to earth and tells her tale, the life she gets to exerience, even if it was only for a little while. But she finds love and that will always be enough for her. The way its told is very touching and intriguing. A great book that kept me engrossed from the start until the end.

another great read from author Pavarti K Tyler! 

 

*full review to follow*