And Then There Were Crows (Shades of Hell)

New York City has always been a big fat sack of stress for Amanda Grey. From turning herself into knots to evade rubbing ass cheeks with strangers on the train, to round-housing public bathroom door handles to stave off plague contaminations, Grey has always found the simple technique of avoidance best in dealing with NYC. Luckily, the one-bedroom apartment in Queens she shares with her parents has always served as a refuge from a world that’s too loud and too bright for Amanda Grey.

Of course, that’s all about to change.

When she inadvertently rents a room to a demon, Grey goes from a woman concentrated on her own personal demons to the woman responsible for recapturing the six Shades from Hell she’s unleashed upon the city. She manages to survive by accepting the help of Barnem, an antisocial seraphim who just happens to reside in an upstairs apartment and the demon she now shares her apartment with—and who oddly eager to help her vanquish the Shades, though she can't be sure if he’s motivated by roommate loyalty or a secret plot to enslave humankind. Probably the latter.

Together the unlikely trio will have to face off with the (actual) devils of New York politics, break the curse of infomercial jingles, and figure out exactly how Grey has become the leader of a cult, all as Grey begins to realize that maybe the end of the world is exactly what her life needed. Now she just needs to figure out how to survive it.

About the Author

Alcy Leyva on Points in Case – Alcy Leyva is a Bronx-born writer, teacher, and pizza enthusiast. He graduated from Hunter College with a B.A. in English (Creative Writing) and an MFA in Fiction from The New School. His personal essays, poetry, short fiction, book reviews, and film analysis have been published in Popmatters, The Rumpus, Entropy Mag, and Quiet Lunch Magazine.

Editorial Reviews

“A high-energy debut.”
–Publishers Weekly

“Watching [Amanda Grey] face an increasingly wild and wacky battle—one with real-life political resonances–to avert the looming apocalypse is satisfying…a comedic urban fantasy that is both rich and delightful.”
–Foreword Reviews

Reader Reviews

“…a rocking adventure of a story that made me smile more than once, laugh out loud (literally a few times), and snort unattractively (many, many times).”
-GoodReads Reviewer

“The style reminds me of Neil Gaiman a bit, which is, of course, high praise. Read this if you like shows like Supernatural and books like American Gods. Warnings: There is a lot of violence, a fair amount of language, and a heaping ton of sacrilege.?”
-NetGalley Reviewer

“Amanda isn’t the most likable heroine…but she is the perfect heroine for this unique novel and difficult to classify novel.”
-GoodReads Reviewer

“Do NOT read this book in public. You WILL get odd looks when you inexplicably burst out laughing at random moments.”
-NetGalley Reviewer

More Book Details

• Series: Shades of Hell (Book 1)
• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Black Spot Books (July 3, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0999742329
• ISBN-13: 978-0999742327
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches