Lily Harper Series by H.P. Mallory, J.R. Rain

From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, HP Mallory, Comes BETTER OFF DEAD, the first book in the Lily Harper series!If there's such a thing as luck, Lily Harper definitely doesn't have it. Killed in a car accident before it's her time to go, Lily learns that the hereafter isn't exactly what she hoped it might be... moreFrom New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, HP Mallory, Comes BETTER OFF DEAD, the first book in the Lily Harper series!If there's such a thing as luck, Lily Harper definitely doesn't have it. Killed in a car accident before it's her time to go, Lily learns that the hereafter isn't exactly what she hoped it might be. First, there's AfterLife Enterprises, the company responsible for sorting out the recently dead and sending them on their way to the Kingdom, (aka happily ever after, ) or to the Underground City, (not so happily ever after.) Learning that Lily's death was indirectly their fault (her guardian angel, Bill, was MIA during her accident and was one of their employees, ) Afterlife Enterprises offers Lily the chance to live again. But, as with most things involving the afterlife, beware the fine print. Most notably, Lily will have to become a soul retriever, venturing into the bowels of the Underground City to retrieve souls that were mistakenly sent there by Afterlife Enterprises during a Y2K computer glitch. Second, there's angel Bill. As if risking her second life in the Underground City wasn't enough, Lily's guide to the Underground is none other than her incompetent, alcoholic, womanizing guardian angel, Bill, the antithesis of anything wholesome. With only Dante's Inferno and Bill to help her in her quest, Lily's future isn't looking bright. Finally, there's the legendary bladesmith, Tallis Black. As Scottish as his kilts and heavy brogue, Tallis Black is a centuries-old Celt who, for reasons only known to him, offers to train Lily and act as her escort into the depths of the Underground City. Dark, brooding and definitely dangerous, Lily knows she shouldn't trust Tallis, but she also can't deny her attraction to him. Between soul retrieving in hell, dealing with Bill and trying to figure out what's in it for Tallis, Lily wonders if maybe she would've just been better off dead. less

So, I narrowly survived my first mission as a Soul Retriever in the first level of the Underground City.After that harrowing trip, I’m looking forward to some downtime, but as with most things involving the afterlife, nothing ever works out the way I want it to.My newest mission will see me traveling to the sewer aqueduct of the Underground City and, later, the prison. Yay me!But, luckily for me, I’ve got the hunky yet antisocial bladesmith, Tallis Black, by my side... moreSo, I narrowly survived my first mission as a Soul Retriever in the first level of the Underground City.After that harrowing trip, I’m looking forward to some downtime, but as with most things involving the afterlife, nothing ever works out the way I want it to.My newest mission will see me traveling to the sewer aqueduct of the Underground City and, later, the prison. Yay me!But, luckily for me, I’ve got the hunky yet antisocial bladesmith, Tallis Black, by my side. Let’s see how many words I can manage to get out of him this time!And not so luckily for me, I’ve also got my guardian angel, Bill, along for the ride. And, yep, he’s still up to his old, foul-mouthed antics.Between learning how to wield my sword from the foul-tempered bladesmith, personal training with a hot-headed demon, traveling to the Underground City not one but two times, and discovering that the leader of the Underground City harbors a curious fascination with me, I’m ready to have a nervous breakdown. less

My third mission into the depths of the Underground City finds me battling its demonic residents in the Toy Store, level four of the hellish afterlife.Although my guardian angel, Bill, is by my side every step of the way, Bill isn’t much of a consolation when it comes to fighting things that go bump in the night. Instead, I’d much prefer to rely on the brawn and brains of the two-thousand-year-old Celtic warrior, Tallis Black.But Tallis is busy battling his own demons…the internal type... moreMy third mission into the depths of the Underground City finds me battling its demonic residents in the Toy Store, level four of the hellish afterlife.Although my guardian angel, Bill, is by my side every step of the way, Bill isn’t much of a consolation when it comes to fighting things that go bump in the night. Instead, I’d much prefer to rely on the brawn and brains of the two-thousand-year-old Celtic warrior, Tallis Black.But Tallis is busy battling his own demons…the internal type. Ugh, men.While in the Underground City, I find myself on the wrong end of a demon’s wrath. A surprising encounter with the master of the Underground City, Alaire, not only ensures my survival but also leaves me in the unenviable position of being in Alaire’s debt.It’s no secret that Alaire harbors this strange and unsettling fascination with me, but I’m more concerned with solving Tallis’s deep and dark mysteries hidden beneath his stoic exterior.While becoming better acquainted with the master of the Underground City and coming ever closer to unraveling the enigma that is Tallis Black, I can only hope I make it through hell and back. less

I’m on yet another mission deeper into the Underground City. Woot woot.More specifically, I’ll be traveling to the dreaded City of Dis where heretics and sinners remain imprisoned in their crypts, burning for all eternity. Yeah, so stop sinning and hereticing… pronto!In hell’s lovely little acre of Dis, I’ll find myself battling real and imagined nemeses.Luckily for me, I’m accompanied by Bill, my foul-mouthed guardian angel, and Tallis Black, the hard-headed Bladesmith... moreI’m on yet another mission deeper into the Underground City. Woot woot.More specifically, I’ll be traveling to the dreaded City of Dis where heretics and sinners remain imprisoned in their crypts, burning for all eternity. Yeah, so stop sinning and hereticing… pronto!In hell’s lovely little acre of Dis, I’ll find myself battling real and imagined nemeses.Luckily for me, I’m accompanied by Bill, my foul-mouthed guardian angel, and Tallis Black, the hard-headed Bladesmith. Unfortunately, even though Tallis is an expert at keeping me safe, he isn’t exactly an expert when it comes to matters of the heart. I’d get further talking to a wall.Where Tallis is concerned, I’m as frustrated as I’ve always been. But if I’m anything, it’s determined, which means I won’t give up on the evasive Bladesmith so easily.Our journey will bring Tallis and me closer, and I’ll get a rare glimpse into my enigmatic companion—oh, I can’t wait!However, it will also pit us against hellish creatures and obstacles which could tear us apart. Literally. That part I can wait on.Then there’s the enigma that is the Master of the Underground City, Alaire. Ugh, Alaire. Once I live up to my end of the agreement between us, I’ll find myself facing my greatest battle yet: my own struggle between light and dark. less

THE BLADESMITH is a novella in the Lily Harper series and is narrated by leading character, Tallis Black! Please note, this is a novella and is, therefore, shorter in length than the other Lily novels. Tallis Black is not accustomed to playing the role of prisoner. Yet that is exactly the predicament in which he finds himself in this latest installment of the Lily Harper Series... moreTHE BLADESMITH is a novella in the Lily Harper series and is narrated by leading character, Tallis Black! Please note, this is a novella and is, therefore, shorter in length than the other Lily novels. Tallis Black is not accustomed to playing the role of prisoner. Yet that is exactly the predicament in which he finds himself in this latest installment of the Lily Harper Series. Tortured, malnourished and at the mercy of Persephone, a vengeful spirit who resides within the body of the woman he loves, Tallis’s future looks bleak. But the two thousand year old Druid is not concerned with himself. Instead, he wants nothing more than to free Lily from Persephone’s grasp. In doing so, Tallis will face his own struggles as Persephone forces him to expose information about himself that he’s previously kept hidden from Lily. Tallis’s only hope is that if he is able to save Lily, she won’t turn on him once she learns the truth about his sordid past. less

What’s a girl to do when her body is possessed by the spirit of a crazy queen and her friends are prisoners? Playing captive to the Queen of the Underground City is no joy ride for Lily. It only makes matters worse that Lily is a prisoner in her own body and trying to defeat the powerful soul of Persephone is near impossible. Throw in the fact that both of her allies, Tallis and Bill, are chained within the dungeon of Alaire’s castle, and things just went from bad to worse... moreWhat’s a girl to do when her body is possessed by the spirit of a crazy queen and her friends are prisoners? Playing captive to the Queen of the Underground City is no joy ride for Lily. It only makes matters worse that Lily is a prisoner in her own body and trying to defeat the powerful soul of Persephone is near impossible. Throw in the fact that both of her allies, Tallis and Bill, are chained within the dungeon of Alaire’s castle, and things just went from bad to worse. Oh, and Tallis is also now human and as such, basically useless. Or is he? While in the land between lands, Tallis visits Lily and buffers her with his Druid magic to aid in the fight for her soul. The most unlikely of comrades will be the answer to saving Lily for good but at what cost? REBIRTH is the fifth book in the bestselling Lily Harper Series. less

What’s the worst place in The Underground City? How about the Ninth Level, the Morgue?After I narrowly escape the clutches of Alaire, the Master of the Underground City, I find myself on the back of a winged fury in the middle of the ninth circle, The Morgue, and I’m not sure where to go, what to do or… how to get down.Tallis has been left to his own defenses in the eighth level, The Asylum, and Bill is MIA. I have no idea how to find either one of them or where to even start... moreWhat’s the worst place in The Underground City? How about the Ninth Level, the Morgue?After I narrowly escape the clutches of Alaire, the Master of the Underground City, I find myself on the back of a winged fury in the middle of the ninth circle, The Morgue, and I’m not sure where to go, what to do or… how to get down.Tallis has been left to his own defenses in the eighth level, The Asylum, and Bill is MIA. I have no idea how to find either one of them or where to even start.After I get attacked mid-air, I find an unconventional ally in the form of Manfred Albrecht Freiherr, otherwise known as ‘The Red Baron’. Yeah, that one.Manfred informs me that a civil war is brewing in the Ninth Level of the Underground City between a legion of rebel demons and the old-world order.And guess what? I find myself smack-dab in the middle of this war, a war that’s encouraged by Alaire because, as usual, he wants something…All I want is to make sure Tallis and Bill are safe, but in doing so, I’ll get thrown into the thick of it, where I’ll be forced into the fight of my life.Yeap, just another day working for Afterlife Enterprises. less