All the Rules of Heaven

What I Think: Finally, a paranormal tale from one of my favorite authoresses which makes it purely irresistible. Mme. Amy’s tales drag one through the feels and this was no different. It’s a sad tale, yet filled with so much hope and renewal, even in the midst of death. Tucker’s mission has been set all his life. All because he inherited something that he didn’t even choose. After watching his aunt fade away in full technicolor, Angel wants to be different with the next empath he has to guide but doesn’t know what’s coming for him even as I ready myself to go to war for Tucker. And then the fall begins from the moment empath and spirit clap eyes on each other. You know the fall I mean, that one I can’t get enough of. I love instalove even more when there are good reasons to fight it. How else do we remember that love makes no sense most of the time? If ever there was a desciption of a witch’s house that betters the one in this tale, then I haven’t found it. I’m dying here as Angel and Tucker start to navigate not only their relationship, but their newfound family and the job they must both continue. I need to take some time to build an alstar to Tucker. Having been dealt such a cruel hand by the Divine, not only does he still say ”fuck you” to the powers that be while doing his duty, but he finds a way to still be sane and truly happy. Hold on. I need a statue for my altar. I’m dying here. As Angel finds himself bewildered by all things Tucker, including feelings he doesn’t understand, I am choking with laughter. Good thing I’m reading at midnight in my home. If I’m reading this on the bus tomorrow and end up in Psych, you know who to blame. I expected many things of Angel but that he would be this humane? Perish the thought. A psychic… er… sex worker still loving weddings made me want to curl up and hide considering how close I came to giving up on ever finding love. In (Naija speak), I shame for ma sef. It turns out that his Aunt was surrounded by way more believers than she ever knew, and I was saddened for her and the life she’d lived when she could have had more companionship as she dealt with a spirit that has abilities that are the height of being bigender and who showed his love for her in ways that she never even realised. What a beautiful gift Tucker has and what a high price he’s had to pay. Which of course, made me want to unravel Daisy Place (an innocuous name for a terrible place) in the hopes that I could give Tucker his freedom. There were so many questions that needed to be answered and the Authoress (drinker of her readers’ tears as a Tiramisu) kept me running in the hopes of finding the answers even faster. I thought Tucker had his heart broken when Damien couldn’t return his feelings. That would have been better than what really happened. Ghosts have never been more pitiful nor more alive. The pain Bridget and Sophie endured at the hands of a more than evil man, is unbearable even as glimpses of their love story is enflaming. I desperately need Tucker to deliver some good smacking to their tormentor and it happened in spectacular fashion. Yet, the frustration of not knowing what makes Angel touchable might kill me before the ghosts get Tucker. Talk about the worst cock block ever! How could a story of 2 ghosts leave me so warm that they felt more alive to me than any one else? This tale was heart rending and heart scouring. It felt like I was too sad to even unleash the waterworks as my heart stayed frozen in its grief, bleeding for the ghosts that needed to be released, but shattering again and again everytime Angel needed to soothe the one he loved and couldn’t. Their desire was strong enough to to power them both through the horror of their reality but still sweet with childlike innocence and wonder. The pouring out of the deep love in the Greenaway family’s soul to Tucker at first irritated me (I never lied about being a cave woman) but as the tale went on, I realised it was because I would have loved to have a family like this when my immediate family had no one but each other. No extended family, no friends we grew up with and irritation morphed into longing. The power of self hate and loathing is sickening, enough to make me want to drop all of mine, if only I knew how or had an Angel of my own to rip it out of my soul. Knowing to whom you belong had never been this important as Tucker is embroiled in an all-out war against a vengeful spirit that should never have existed, unwittingly dragging his newfound family with him. Possession has never been so pricey nor so vital as when locked in a bottle of life and death. The last thing I expected was to ache for a monster created, not born. And I lost the battle with the waterworks, lightweight that I am, breaking as Tucker found absolution in the unlikeliest of places. One he wouldn’t even have needed if he wasn’t the innately good man that he is. I hurt, ached, laughed, trembled, froze and melted for this tale. Only one problem: At the risk of being masochistic, is there a sequel? Because I can see ten more books in Tucker and Angel’s eyes. Please, Ma’am, can I have more?

Verdict? A comfort keeper of a tale to remind us that love is pure magical essence, as grounding as its cleansing, as painful as it is truthful, yet all the more necessary for this!

All the Rules of Heaven by Amy Lane was given to me in exchange for an honest review. This was a fantastic story filled with mystery, guilt, ghosts and love. Amy brought the world building of creepiness and forgiveness to life. I could feel the menacing forces pressing against the goodness of Tucker and Angel working together to help those who needed it. This was the perfect story to read on Halloween or anytime you need to find a little happiness in our little corner of the universe. I can’t wait to hear more stories from the house.

Perhaps my favorite thing about Amy Lane is she makes you empathize with the characters. Her characters have so many layers they seem real. Whether good or bad, you will end up having a solid idea of how they came to be how they are. There are consequences to any action or inaction and the good guys grow from mistakes and the bad guys break and become something twisted. Tucker and Angel, while awesome, also have their moments of pettiness or selfishness. What makes them good is they recognize their own flaws and apologize and try to do better, to grow. Tucker aches from the consequences of his own past inaction and as we understand that ache, the connection he forms with Angel becomes so much more meaningful. Angel was awesome - both male and female, (“he” used for simplicity) he while good intentioned, is also flawed in that he fails to think outside the box. Tucker and Angel end up being exactly what the other needs. Their quest to provide cathartic release via empathic storytelling brings them in to contact with both beautiful and horrible people /ghosts. They learn things about the ghosts, about each other, and about how they can break the rules to be with each other. It was their fight to bring peace to Sophie and Bridget that introduced them to Thomas (the bad guy in this story). In the case of Amy’s bad guys, their actions are never excused – not in the least – but the story gains significant depth by understanding all the ingredients that make up these characters. Thomas was a horrible person from the time he was first introduced to the last page he was written on and nothing about his past changed that he was unlikable. However, learning his past and understanding what broke him, that made me grieve a little for the person he could have been. And that is what is so fantastic about All the Rules of Heaven; everyone has a story to tell.

Tucker and Angel have a big job to do. Tucker inherited a haunted house. Tucker meets Angel and sparks start to ignite. Together, Tucker and Angel work to release the trapped ghosts. However, there is a darkness trying to take over. They must learn to work together and not be afraid to ask for help.

This was a bit different then most books I’ve read. From the gender shifting Character to the mystery solving ghost story. Overall it was a fun, action packet, mystery with light romance and fun characters. I look forward to more in this new series and discovering and cleansing more rooms in the manor! The story was expertly written so if you in for something fun and a bit exciting do read!