Review: Club Nexus by E.J. Stevens

Title: Club Nexus

Author: E.J. Stevens

Series: Ivy Granger, #2.5

 •Source: Author
 •Publisher: Sacred Oaks Press
 •Publication Date: December 3, 2013

Opening Line: Welcome to Club Nexus, a singular entertainment experience deep in the heart of Harborsmouth.

  

A demon, an Unseelie faerie, and a vampire walk into a bar...

ICED
A bargain gone wrong leads a highborn Unseelie faerie to life as an enslaved bartender with a taste for revenge.

DUSTED
Being a highly skilled predator doesn't necessarily put you at the top of the food chain at Club Nexus. A southern vampire with a hankering for blood and wanton violence may have bit off more than he can chew.

DEMONIZED
The demon attorney we love to hate has his eye on a certain rockabilly human. Too bad she's brought a crossbow loaded with holy water dipped bolts for this night on the town.

JINXED
Just when Jinx needs a carefree girl's night out with Ivy, a smoking hot demon tries to buy her a drink. She really is the unluckiest human on the planet.

  

Club Nexus is a set of four short stories that covers a particular night at, you guessed it, Club Nexus. Club Nexus is written in such a unique way. Each short story covers that nights events from a different character's point of view. It was cool seeing the same event through the eyes of a fae, vampire, human and demon. Each character brings such a fresh perspective. I would definitely recommend reading Iced, Dusted, Jinxed and Demonized in order to get the full effect of a truly amazing story.

All four short stories essentially revolve around one character, a trickster Seelie who thrives on chaos. Puck. His current venture is hosting something called Bite Club at Club Nexus. Bite Club is for vampires who frown upon Vampire Law. Vampire Law states the vampires must feed off the people that human society has forsaken; the homeless, addicts, people who will not be missed; basically the forgotten. Even then the hunting must be done discretely. With Bite Club, vampires pay for a victim and then get to privately do what they want with them. Eww. Puck also supplies a drug called Ice, which numbs the minds of whoever takes it. Puck offers Ice to the vampires in case they like their meal with no fight. Again, eww.

I blew a stray lock of hair from my eyes while running a damp cloth over the bar.

ICED
Beryl, a highborn Unseelie, was tricked by Puck and now has to work off her debt as a bartender at Club Nexus. I could have been worse, but Puck was amused by the idea of her chilling a customer's drink by touching the glass. Being a servant has given Beryl a certain taste for revenge. When the opportunity arises Beryl cannot refuse.

The first rule of Bite Club is there are no rules.

DUSTED
Cyrus, a southern vampire, needs an abundance of blood and pain to feel sated. Cyrus fully embraces the freedom he has found at Club Nexus. He is also willing to take out anyone who threatens the blood and torture of Bite Club.

Of all the nightclubs, in all the cities, in all the world, the freakin' demon had to walk into Club Nexus.

JINXED
Jinx has finally talked Ivy into taking her to Club Nexus. Not exactly the safest place to be human, especially when you're one of the unluckiest ones on the planet. Jinx is starting to enjoy herself when Forneus walks into the room. It's never a good thing when you cannot decide whether you want to kiss or shoot a man. Jinx learns that flirting with a fae to make a demon jealous can have disaterous consequences.

The ogre glared at me from beneath his unfortunate simian brow, waiting for my response.

DEMONIZED
This is my favorite of the four short stories. I absolutely loved being inside Forneus' head. Finally, the question is answered!!! Does Forneus actually have feelings for Jinx or is he using her? The end of Demonized surprised me and made me hate Ivy a little bit.

Favorite Quotes

We do hope you enjoy your visit to Club Nexus. Whether you are in need of a drink, a special someone to drink, we at Club Nexus are at your service.

He is so frustratingly attractive and yet every time he opens his mouth I feel the urge to wipe that smug smile off his face-with a sledgehammer.

I was going to die and I wasn't even wearing shoes. There was something tragic about facing death in your bare feet. 

Lucifer's pointy pitchfork, what is wrong with the woman?

Can't Wait, Must Buy Now