Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge: A Novel

Paul Krueger

Jun 2016 · Quirk Books

About this ebook

This “snarky, diverse” urban fantasy featuring a kick-ass heroine and 14 cocktail recipes will be “an absolute blast” for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Nerdist).

Booze is magic, demons are real—and millennial Bailey Chen joins a band of monster-fighting Chicago bartenders instead of finding a “real” post-college job.

Bailey Chen is fresh out of college with all the usual new-adult demons: no cash, no job offers, and an awkward relationship with Zane, the old friend she kinda-sorta hooked up with during high school.
 
But when Zane introduces Bailey to his monster-fighting bartender friends, her demons become a lot more literal. It turns out that evil creatures stalk the city streets after hours, and they can be hunted only with the help of magically mixed cocktails: vodka grants super-strength, whiskey offers the power of telekinesis, and rum lets its drinker fire blasts of elemental energy. But will all these powers be enough for Bailey to halt a mysterious rash of gruesome deaths? And what will she do when the safety of a “real world” job beckons?
 
This sharp and funny urban fantasy is perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, and grown-up readers of Harry Potter. Includes 14 recipes from a book of ancient cocktail lore.

Ratings and reviews

I liked this book. It took me a bit to get into it, but once I did, it was a fun idea. I love the idea Paul Krueger created with drinks and bartenders. I have always enjoyed alternate histories, and Krueger did a great job of creating a well thought out world and concept. I especially loved the recipes, history and breakdown of the different ingredients. These interludes after the chapters demonstrated how carefully thought out and planned Krueger was with his concept and world. I would love to see more of that! I enjoyed the characters, if they there a little more basic than the concept Krueger created. I took me a long to really get "into" or connect with Bailey. I understand the concept Krueger was creating with this coming of age and coming to terms with "going home again". While I loved the plot, there were times I thought the characters were very predictable, or at least Bailey and Zane. That being said, I LOVED Bucket! This is an example of a supporting character stealing the show. This was a fun ride and I found myself up until 1 AM to finish the book! I would visit this world again in the future.

But kinda fell short of my expectations. Expensive! Why so much for a digital copy?

About the author

Paul Krueger is a fantasy writer and cocktail connoisseur whose work has appeared in the Sword & Laser anthology. He lives in Los Angeles.