Gods and Monsters Book #14 Carnival of Mysteries Finale Anthology
Magic, Rockstar Romance, Gay Romance, LGBTQ fantasy
Independent
Oct 25, 2023
Kindle
226
Amazon
Welcome, Traveler, to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries!
What you see before you is no mere vagabond circus. Indeed, our show is full of wonders and delights that will leave you breathless, but whether that is with amazement or dread depends entirely upon you. We are unlike any other band of creatures you have ever encountered -- and you few brave souls who choose to step beyond your mundane expectations and join us may witness sights beyond your wildest imaginings.
So sit back, relax, and let us entertain you. For time and worlds are fleeting, but each soul has a tale to tell.
For centuries beyond count, Errante Ame has taken his Carnival of Mysteries from world to world and across times, never staying in one place too long lest his great enemy discover his location. Along the way he has accumulated friends and built a family of sorts among his ragtag band of performers, yet he doesn’t dare let anyone get too close to protect them from becoming a target as well. He stands apart, an outsider even among those closest to him, concealing his true nature.
Even from the man who has somehow come to mean more to him than his own life.
The Carnival is all Rafe Harper has ever known. Plucked as a toddler from the remains of a destroyed village on a world he doesn’t remember, he was adopted by Calliope, the Tattooed Lady, and raised among the performers. As an adult, he was given the position of Ringmaster by Errante -- though he secretly longed for far more from the enigmatic leader of the Carnival. Despite all the wonders he has seen, Rafe stayed with the Carnival to remain close to Errante, wondering if someday he could break through Errante’s walls and finally reveal how he truly feels.
But unbeknownst to either of them, a traitor lurks among their friends, and unless Rafe can discover the secret of his past, he stands to lose Errante, the Carnival, and perhaps his very soul.
Gods and Monsters is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries Series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book contains a mysterious hero, a lonely wanderer, a vengeful god, and a guaranteed HEA.
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
I have read all the books in this series, loved them all but loved this one the most. Each book is written by a different author and covers a wide range of topics, they are MM fantasies all involving a visit to the Carnival of Mysteries. The visits to the carnival owned by Errante Ame don’t last long, just long enough to help whoever the Carnival is drawn to. Errante is always a mystery and through each book we learn very little about him, but this is his story, and what a story it is, a story that goes back 5,000 years.
His life started in Egypt where his entire family was killed by his cousin desperate to drain them of all their magic, unfortunately, his plan didn’t work because all that magic was transferred to Errante who was able to get away and begin his carnival. The carnival is his sanctuary surrounded by magic enabling him to be safe if he didn’t leave. All who work for him meet no harm and live for as long as they want and have the option to leave anytime. His life is lonely since his enemy is always out there searching and a relationship would be dangerous to his partner.
Rafe Harper was found when he was about two years old by members of the carnival surrounded by the dead bodies of the villagers including his parents. The land was scorched by fire, and it was believed that Rafe was responsible for the fire not the deaths. That was seventy years ago and over time Rafe became the Ringmaster, a position he loved but not as much as he loved Errante. Errante keeps his distance from everyone, never allowing himself to get too close for fear of his enemy, a very difficult thing to do since he has very strong feelings for Rafe but also fears for his life.
When Rafe left the carnival to look for a bookstore he was attacked and that was the moment that his magic was released. His magic is fire and Errante begins to train him in how to use his power and make it stronger. Being together every night practicing magic was the catalyst that brought Errante out of his protective mode with Rafe to showing his love. The love between them was magic and they both knew there was no way they could be apart.
I always believed that the carnival followed a path to a person or persons in need of help but never knew how far they traveled and what places they would wind up. Magically the carnival would move one minute they were there then they would appear again where they were needed.
All the stories about the lives of Errante, Rafe, and all the others that are part of the carnival were amazing and I didn’t want the book to end. But as they say, “all good things must come to an end”.
This is a series that is MM fantasies, romance, mystery, sex, danger, secrets, lies and betrayals. They are all written by new and established authors with their own ideas of why the Carnival of Mysteries is part of the story and each one got five stars from me. I would suggest starting with Book #1 of the books which I am sure you will love and then you have enough books to set you up for a long winter, sitting in your favorite chair warm and ready for an adventure.
So, as I write this review, I can’t help but remember everything I read and for the first time I yelled out loud WOW!!!
LGBT/ROMANCE/FANTASY/MYSTERY
