Join author Kate SeRine and Kensington Publishing in celebrating the 10-Year Anniversary of the Transplanted Tales. Have you read them? Today I am sharing Grimm Consequences. This novella takes place after Red and gives us Nate Grimm’s story. Read my review, the excerpt, and be sure to enter the fun giveaways!
I received this book for free from Caffeinated PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Grimm Consequences by Kate SeRineSeries: Transplanted Tales #1.5
Published by Kensington Publishing Corp. Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Retelling, Paranormal Romance
Pages: 128
Format: eARC
Source: Caffeinated PR
The author of Red “takes urban fantasy, crime thrillers and fairy tale characters and creates magic" in this paranormal romance novella (Caffeinated Book Reviewer).
To put it lightly, Nate Grimm has a dark past. Fortunately, no one's bothered to look too closely at the Fairytale Management Authority's lead detective and part-time Reaper. And Nate wants to keep it that way. After centuries of torment and loneliness, he's finally found happiness with the hot and hard-charging love of his life, Tess "Red" Little.Of course, his love for Tess is the reason there's a posse of Reaper judges after him, led by a sadistic bastard acquainted with Nate from once upon a time. Now, Tess will pay the price for Nate's transgressions unless Nate severs his ties to the transplanted Tales—and Tess—forever. His enemy has the advantage of speed, malice and brutality. But the Reapers have underestimated the depth of Nate's love. And the fury of his wrath.
My top thoughts:
It was great to get to Nate better! He’s a character I’ve found interesting from the start and since he’s a reaper there’s a lot to unpack. I read this after reading books 2 and 3. While that worked fine, I do wish I had read it after book 1 as it has some great little tidbits both in the progression of Red and Nate’s relationship, as well as future characters. So I highly recommend reading in order!
What I liked/didn’t like:
After reading Red, I adored Nate but I did not truly know him. By giving us his POV and showing us so much of Nate’s history we get to see his darker side and how much he’s overcome, only to leave loving him more. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I will just say the secrets we thought Nate revealed in Red is the tip of the iceberg! Wow there’s so much more to him — and as a result his relationships — than I had anticipated. It was really great having those details laid out and I’m so glad he was able to level with Tess as well. I hate when relationships are ruined by lies and secrets!
But even better than getting to Nate’s history — getting to understand what it is to be a reaper! Holy hell y’all! Kate SeRine really has built a fascinating, complex world that just sucks you in. So many twists, turns and a few edge of your seat moments! It’s a novella, but it delivers a FULL story.
Once again, loved every minute of this world and can’t wait to read more Transplanted Tales!
Grimm Consequences
Transplanted Tales #1.5
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Read An Excerpt
Ruthlessness was one of the defining characteristics of Reapers, one of the reasons we were selected for service in the first place. But even among Reapers, Demetrius was known for his sadism. Most of us went in and did the job we were given. Everyone and everything died eventually. We were just the instrument of that universal truth. But not Demetrius. He relished the killing. He reveled in it. It fed his soul, made him stronger and completely heartless. And I’d nearly followed the same path. Until the day a scheduling snafu had brought me to a patch of woods in Make Believe. Until Tess.
I shifted uncomfortably, my muscles stiff from sitting for so long. At least, that’s what I told myself. I’m sure it had nothing to do with the sins weighing heavily on my soul. Maybe I should’ve been in the AA meeting with Tess and Lavender, facing my demons with everyone else.
Hi, my name is Nate Grimm, and I have a problem—
I laughed out loud in the confines of the car. God, even my name was a lie. I couldn’t even tell the truth about something that basic. How in the hell was I going to tell Tess everything else? The last time I’d tried to come clean, things between us had nearly ended before they got started.
I ran my hand down my face, suddenly weary. I wondered how she’d see me, what she’d think of me, when I finally grew a pair and spilled my guts to her. I imagined the first thing she’d do was clock me. Then she’d probably spit in my face and tell me to go fuck myself. And I couldn’t blame her if she did. If I’d had even a modicum of integrity, I would’ve left her alone, stayed away instead of insinuating myself into her life and becoming an integral part of it. It would serve me right if she left me and never looked back.
As I sat there waiting for the meeting to end, I hardened my heart with resolve, vowing I’d tell Tess everything, share every ugly secret I harbored. And suffer the consequences. Because there was no doubt I’d suffer one way or another.
At that moment, the doors to the cathedral opened and my beautiful Tess emerged into the evening sunlight, breathtaking in her loveliness even from where I was parked across the street toward the back of the lot. She briefly lifted her face to the summer breeze, inhaling deeply, her lips curving into a contented smile. She loved the wind on her face, I knew. I’d seen her lift her face this way on many occasions over the years when she thought I wasn’t looking.
Tess was so afraid to be seen as weak, vulnerable, that few people ever got a chance to glimpse that softer side of her—the side that ached when her friends were hurting, that wept when she’d failed to protect the ones she loved, that would say a few kind words to a woman struggling with her guilt and grief and give her hope on a night when years of being buried in a bottle could no longer numb the pain.
But I saw it all, had witnessed it that day in the woods when I’d seen the depth of her love for her fellow Tales. And I wanted to feel that love, to wrap it around me, immerse myself in its healing warmth. Over the years I’d seen Tess save more lives than I could count. And I prayed that maybe—just maybe—she could save me, too.
Transplanted Tales
Along Came a Spider
Better Watch Out (Fall 2022)
About the Author
Kate lives in a smallish, quintessentially Midwestern town with her husband and two sons, who share her love of storytelling. She never tires of creating new worlds to share and is even now working on her next project — probably while consuming way too much coffee.
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Giveaway
Help us celebrate the new cover and enter for a chance to win a $25 US eCard from Amazon, B&N, Kobo or Apple. Winner’s choice. Ends September 30, 2022.
I love it when a novella delivers a full story! This doesn’t always happen with every novella I read, sadly enough.
I really enjoyed this one. I read it quickly last week. I haven’t read #2,3 so it was perfect timing for me.
Yay..so glad you loved getting to know Nate more. Thanks for hosting!