What a great concept - all the gods and goddesses throughout the ages are still around, working out of an office building in LA, and dealing with how to remain relevant as humanity moves away from religion and belief towards science and reason. Each of these entities is dependent on belief and some are starting to fade as they fall from memory and worship. Enter Alec - one of the Furies, not a goddess but a universal concept of justice/retribution that transcends religion so she's relatively safe - who is given the task of watching over Selene, a philosophy professor who happens to be at the centre of a prophecy and the focal point of some not so nice gods' plans. Willows does a fantastic job of setting up the premise and it's obvious she's done her research - I've always been fascinated with mythology and religion and I kept getting distracted googling to find out more about the god characters (not all of them are familiar/standard gods and goddesses and in some cases they are archetypes or global concepts like Justice or Death), which made my inner geek very happy. Between the plot and the premise, I found this to be an extremely intriguing book.

On top of an fascinating concept, Willows layers on the budding relationship between Alec and Selene and develops both the characters nicely while introducing a pretty large cast of supporting characters (loved Alec's sister and Zeus). The romance works, as does the intrigue/mystery portion as Alec and Selene dodge attacks from the bad guys and work together to thwart the larger nefarious plan as well as figure out how Selene fits into the prophecy.. This is the first in a series, so not everything is settled but the some of the main plot points do wrap up so you won't necessarily be throwing the book across the room in frustration - but you will definitely be on the look out for the next one.

This is a paranormal read that's not like any other. The premise is unique with some intriguing ideas. The main character is witty, strong and interesting. The author's background as an editor shows - the book is very well written and the plot well developed.

Stevie‘s review of Fury’s Bridge (Afterlife, Inc, Book 1) by Brey Willows
Lesbian Paranormal Romance published by Bold Strokes Books 14 Mar 17

I have a slightly uneasy relationship with books that draw on Greek mythology in a modern setting. Some work really well for me, but others just make me cross. This novel’s blurb drew me in however, especially since it drew on the legends of the Furies, rather than the flashier, better known gods and goddesses. Then, once I started reading, I discovered that the story itself draws on some very wide influences across the whole spectrum of past and current belief systems, with the idea that gods are brought into being, and then sustained, by the faith of the humans who worship them, or who call upon their names. So far, so good.

The gods of old, and a few more modern entities, have joined forces and now work out of one huge campus of office and accommodation suites in Santa Monica. This enables them to keep up with the demands of an increasingly scattered, mostly dwindling, pool of believers, but some still cannot be sustained by the faith of their remaining flocks and fade from existence, while others have integrated with the human world to a much greater extent, and got themselves normal jobs and homes away from the main buildings. Recently, however, it appears that more gods are disappearing, and at a greater rate, than ever before, so Alec, one of the three avenging sisters known as The Furies, has been tasked with finding a way of slowing the decline of her companions, and with tracking down the subject of a prophesy on the issue.

That subject turns out to be Selene, a philosophy professor who has no time for what she considers outdated beliefs, and who encourages her students to think likewise. Just as she’s realising that her current relationship is never going to satisfy her, Selene bumps into Alec – posing as a candidate for the new theology professorship on Selene’s campus – and the two strike up an unlikely friendship that slowly turns into a romance. Meanwhile, a fellow philosopher – and pop icon – invites Selene to join him in educating the public with the aim of creating a new movement based on logic rather than superstition. Obviously he’s up to no good…

This was an imaginative, well-thought-out take on religion and mythology, with a lot of consideration given to how millennia-old beings might cope in the rapidly changing modern world. Ultimately, however, the execution of the main plot fell a little flat, and it felt a little too much like the pilot episode of a series rather than an action movie in its own right. This being a new (or at least new-to-me) author, however, I’m very tempted to stick around and give the next in the series a chance to redeem things when it comes out.

Grade: C

An honest review thanks to NetGalley. I loved this book, everything about it drew me in. Alec was breathtaking, and the idea and thought that was book into this read were amazing. Alec took over the pages, and the idea of everything believed in if with enough followers existed was so new and fresh that I couldn't put the book down. This is an awesome read that you will not regret!

Is it just a massive coincidence that all three books I've read about women and ancient deities ended up on my favorites list, or do I simply have a fondness for such tales. More likely, I got lucky and really good authors wrote them. There's [book:The 100th Generation|148816], [book:Coils|28695765] and now, Fury's Bridge. All three share a similar theme about ancient goddesses (and gods) facing a common dilemma in this modern age of reason and science--being forgotten by their worshippers, and worse, rejected by modern-day folk as pure mythology. Each of the books have their own charm. Ibis had a rich historical and fantastical world, Coils was a rollicking Underworld adventure, and Fury's bridge--it has Selene. ;)

Passed around in foster homes as a child, Selene has overcome huge odds to become an tenured professor of philosophy. She may be an atheist by heart, but she's a firm believer of the live-and-let-live school, allowing people their own beliefs and superstitions. While accomplished, Selene never felt like she fit in socially anywhere--at home, in school or at work. So her universe is suddenly upended when she finds herself pursued by an otherworldly colleague and an atheist Youtube philosopher. Little does she know that she's gonna be caught between the forces of light and darkness--in a tug-of-war for the ages--that will determine the ultimate fate of mankind. Phew...that's a huge burden to place on anyone's shoulders, let alone Selene's slender ones. So her journey from mild-mannered, somewhat insecure, conformist college professor to whatever she is destined to be....that's the highlight of the book.

The "Afterlife Inc." in the book's series title refers to the association of gods and goddesses who've decided to work together to further man's (and of course, their own) ends. Debut author Bryce Willows has adorned this 'other world' with the trappings of modern society: a corporate setup, gleaming offices, gadgets, email, SUVs, etc. The ancient deities though, are still who they had always been, with their ancient powers and weapons intact. The dichotomy was occasionally jarring, but most of the time, it was fun to read about just how the ancient gods might have lived it up in our physical dimension. (I'd be surprised if they didn't get gadget envy, especially with our gizmos getting more powerful and sexier with every iteration. Thuderbolts and tridents are so...last millenia :) The world-building isn't perfect. For instance, fury interventions. <spoiler>There are a few scenes involving furies avenging evil humans....but where do you draw the line? and who gets to pick who gets punished? and where is the due process? (lol) I'm over thinking this, of course. But whenever Alec goes on the hunt, I get that uncomfortable niggle that she's only after the little guys. What about the truly evil ones who kill millions... take your pick of any of the megalomaniacs in history. Are they too big or too popular to mess with? ;) </spoiler>

On the other hand, I loved that the author did not shy away from the truly sticky questions...questions that inevitably arise when the createe gets a chance to meet their creator and isn't going to be smitten with fire for speaking up. <spoiler>though in this book, the concept of creator/createe is kind of turned on its head. :) </spoiler> Quesions about faith, belief, afterlife, prayer. And the trickiest of them all (imho): why do bad things happen to good people? There are also some serious philosophical discussions on the underlying theme of the book--whether religion is good or bad for humans. Not too much that I'd zone out, but enough to ground the book in reality and give it some gravitas.

Overall though, most of the book is about Selene and how she deals with her life-changing situation. And that's why I've put the book on my favorites list, because these also happen to be the best parts of the book. Selene's character is so well-drawn. Her reactions, so spot-on. Her convictions, so sensible and true. She doesn't just carry the future of godkind and mankind on her shoulders, she carries the book as well.

4.5 stars

ARC from Netgalley.

Wow, did I read the same book as everyone else? I found the story to be a plodding mess, full of extraneous and repetitive descriptions and events. Frankly, there is no shortage of "What if Gods were real?" novel premises and all seem to follow the tenet that amount of believers = amount of godly power/existence. This book didn't really break any new territory on that front, other than perhaps focusing more on the bland main character Selene instead of the far more interesting Gods with their past and current lives and existence. But maybe that's what (the far superior) American Gods is for...
From the moment Selene is introduced, she's grating with this underlying sense of superiority that never quite leaves her. I am thrilled beyond belief that I finally made it through the book so that I never have to read another soap box diatribe on why science and philosophy are amazing and religions are crutches. It's like trying to have a nice dinner party with friends but someone invited "that guy" who keeps bringing up religion and politics, just itching for a fight.
Alec as one of the avenging furies is the far more interesting protagonist, but once she becomes involved with Selene, she's more like a lap dog looking for a head scratch and belly rub. If this was going to be a series (ugh) pacing-wise I would have liked to see the relationship hold out a bit more from turning romantic because the moment that happens, Alec no longer felt dangerous or powerful. Or interesting, really.
Selene was a hard character for me to find sympathetic. I was on board for the initial book jacket summary of the book, but once it began to turgidly unfold, I couldn't wait to reach the end and move on. This will be the first and last "Afterlife, Inc" book I ever read.

This was an absolutely incredible first novel from Brey Willows. I don't usually read any books of the supernatural/fantasy genre but I'm so glad I decided to give this a go. I loved every minute of reading it.

Selene is a philosophy professor in LA leading a quiet and calculated life. Sensible shoes, a girlfriend of three years who she only sees on select evenings, train rides to work in company of the conductor, an air horn for the bears that sometimes come visit her in her secluded cabin... Everything is as it should be. But then she meets Alec and her life is thrown off course when Alec reveals who she really is and why they were destined to meet.

I liked that even though many of the characters were Gods and Goddesses and other mythical creatures it was still totally relatable. The book is set in LA not in some other world and I think that the ever present realism made this an easy and entertaining read in a genre I usually never venture into.

I don't know if I felt infinitely smarter after reading this book or infinitely stupider because much of the philosophical musings went over my head. This book was brilliant and thought provoking with topics touching on philosophy, religion, faith, belief, hope, evolution, perception. Can I say incredible again? Because, yes, incredible.

The tension and affection between our leading ladies was downright sizzling and downright perfect. I loved Selene's house and Alec's as well - I can just imagine how beautiful they were. The dialogue was witty and the clever humour throughout the book was fabulous - Jesus and Mohammed at the water cooler had to be one of my favourite moments in the book.

I will 100% be reading the other books in the series. I loved Death as a character and I'm hoping we get to see her again and maybe see her get her happy ending.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not a big fan of fantasy themed books, but I liked this one a lot. I think the story is more a preparation for future books in the series. The main character, Selene, in the beginning of the book, has not been presented in accordance with the behavior and reactions that she have later in the book. That is why it has semed to me that this book is a presentation, a kind of pilot of a series. In any case, I found that this is a book whit a fun approach, that is easy and entertaining to read and as other reviews have said, perhaps also the resolution of the plot was a little rushed at the end. But it is a book I recommend reading if you like fantasy and paranormal themes.

3 1/2 Stars. This is Willows debut book, and a good one at that. It may be because she is an editor, but it is obvious that she knows how to write. The book was well written, well imagined, and polished. I am a huge paranormal fan, which may make me overly critical at times. This was a good book that I enjoyed, I just didn't love it.

The story is about Selene, a non-religious philosophy professor. She believes in things she can see, not things other people have faith in. Selene, has always felt a little odd in her life, like she doesn't quite belong. When she starts having the feeling someone is watching her, she doesn't know how to act. The being that has been watching her, is Alec a fury. Alec is an ancient being created right out of Greek mythology. She spends her time working with other gods and mythological beings, dolling out justice to the worst of the worst. Her new task is different. Instead of meting out justice, she is suppose to get close to Selene. The gods are fading and Selene is the key to saving them all. Can Selene actually help, or will challenging everything she believes in prove too much to save them all?

This book was really well imagined and very different. I have only read one other book that had beings fade if they weren't believed in. Never do I remember a book that had so many beings/gods from every different possible religion. I thought the answers Willows gave for why things are they way they are, was pretty well done. Things made enough sense, for the story to actual work. And while this book does deal with a lot of religion, it does not force any beliefs down your throat. If anything it encourages you to believe in whatever you do believe in, since they are all true in a way. It was a nice sentiment, and as someone who is not very religious, I liked how it worked.

The book is not all religion, philosophy and mythical beings, at the heart is a nice romance. While the couple didn't have a ton of chemistry, no sparks jumping off the pages, I enjoyed them as a couple, and believed in their connection. Alec, was a great character and really well described. I could just picture her folding her wings around Selene as they kissed. It was a sweet romance.

The reason why I didn't rate this higher had to do with the climax of the book. The world is on the line, and I thought it was resolved a little too quickly, and too off camera. It was a little bit of a let down after everything building up to it. It was not a bad ending by any means, I was just really hoping for more excitement. I love excitement in my paranormal stories.

Overall, I thought this was a good and enjoyable story. It is very well done for a debut book, and I feel confident to recommend it to other paranormal fans. With the kind of imagination Willows has, I'm very much looking forward to reading more from her, in the future.

An ARC was given to me by BSB, for a honest review.

Fore warning, you really have to suspend your disbelief with this book but once you do it's great. It's about all the Gods you've ever heard of living in Santa Monica, including Jesus as basically a hippy. That's the tone and it's completely out there and original. Thumbs up for that!

The author definetly has a talent in writing. I'm not sure if this is her first book, which looks to be the case, but I was impressed with how smooth this story was. The characters were well fleshed out and their interactions were cute.

It took longer than I wanted to get to the meat of the story, when Selene finally realizes what's going on. Since this is a series, in the grand scheme of the story it probably won't seem like much after the second book, but since the reader (me) already knows the big secret from the book description, I just felt like it kept dragging on. Once it got passed her knowing, that's when it really started to get interesting because it was focusing on things I didn't already know.

I don't usually give 5 stars to a series starting off, since I like to see where it goes and the first book is primarily setting you up in that world. Some people may rate this 5 stars and I wouldn't disagree necessarily. I hope the next book is even better!

Side note: Why was everyone wearing Birkenstocks???

Recommendation: Buy it

genre: urban paranormal fantasy romance
length: 86,000 words, 30 chapters
main characters:
Alectho 'Alec' Graves, five thousand years old, avenging fury, over six feet tall, dark
Selene Perkton, philosophy professor at Cal State LA, blond hair, rare pale blue eyes
setting: Los Angeles, California
my opinion:
- a really great urban paranormal fantasy with a nice romance and very original story
- this is the first book in the series and I'm totally looking forward to the next book
- highly recommended
- will definitely read future books by Brey Willows
cover: nice, well related to the plot
book rating: 5 stars
eARC by Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley

A jolly good venture into the mythological/paranormal realm, which had the wonderful additional quality of literary freshness. The women were fun. sexy, the action was plentiful and the world building sufficient to keep me interested in the next entry into the series. Ms. Willows has been added to my list of favored emergent authors.

<I>*I received this book from NetGalley, and Bold Strokes Books in return for a fair review.*</i>

<b>Genre/tags</b>: Fantasy
<b>Location</b>: Earth; USA; California; Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Cal State
<b>Characters</b>: <i>Main</i> - Selene Perkton (philosophy professor at Cal State, specifically a trans-human philosophy person), Alectho 'Alec' Graves (Avenging fury)
<b><i>Side characters</i></b>: Zed (Alec's boss); Tis & Meg (sisters of Alec); Frey Falconi (famous philosopher dude who a) 'makes philosophy accessible to the masses' and b) wants to start a movement with Selene); Mika (Selene's long term (multiple year) girlfriend who is very logical, coldish, and 'exact' (7 means 7, if Mika arrives somewhere she is expected at 7 and she arrives at 6:42, she'll stand outside starring at her watch until 7).
<b>Storyline</b>: The furies wander around 'punishing' the bad, one of Alec's jobs. Selene is teaching while struggling with her cold logical robot, I mean girlfriend; and with a man who wants her to join him in a 'movement' (Frey). Unbeknownst to Selene, she is also 'needed' by the furies, and that's one of Alec's main jobs - to 'get her'.

This is not your normal kind of urban/paranormal fantasy. At least not mine. Most of the urban/paranormal fantasies I’ve read include such things as vampires, shifters (mostly werewolves, but occasionally others) and the occasional other ‘odd-ball’. Most of those, even the few that include demons and angels (oddly enough) do not actually delve that deeply into religious matters. Oh, there might be the occasional comment by a vampire about churches, or crosses or the like, but mostly in a ‘that’s fiction, this is real life’ kind of way. This book here is different – religion plays a massive role in this book.

Selene Perkton is a philosophy professor and is involved in attempting to ‘raise up’ humans, to get them to evolve to the next level. Something that doesn’t have to ‘rely’ on the ‘superstitious crutches of the past.’ This is why she was contacted by a fast rising pop-philosophy star, Frey Falconi. Falconi also wants to help break humans free from the taint of religion, in his words (Selene is less ‘breaking free from taint’ and more ‘letting people live their lives, those that believe believe, but making sure everyone has the full information’), and he wants Selene to join him in his mission. Frey, and to a certain lesser extent Selene, see humans as basically good – and freed from religion, can reach great heights (which, in its way, seems odd – since one of the major reasons they wish to break people away from religion is because so much ‘bad stuff’ has been done by ‘bad people’ pretending to be acting in ‘insert deity’s name here’ name; remove deities, they’d use some other cloak/cover for their bad actions).

And there has been a relatively steady decrease in believers. Which is somewhat unfortunate, at least it is for a certain group of people who happen to work out of an office building just off the beach in Santa Monica California. They work for Afterlife Inc. And they are gods, goddess, and various other assorted religious types. And they are starting to fade – actually many have already faded. <spoiler>For the power of man creates them, and the lack of belief causes them to fade away, to poof.</spoiler> There is this prophesized oracle, though, indicating that a certain someone will save them. That someone being Selene – the ‘rational thinking atheist’. The other lead in this story is sent out to ‘get her’ to join their side – that being Alectho Graves, one of the three furies.

This was a very interesting story. Quite enjoyable. Not one I’ve read a million different versions of under different names, but something more unique. Though, no, it isn’t completely original. I thought as I read that I’ve read some similar things. Like Bill Willingham’s Fables series <spoiler>(there the power of ‘fame’ creates beings; here the power of ‘belief’ creates beings – and the lack or lessening of either takes away the power of both). Fame as in – the written word has brought to man such things as, say, the fairy tales of the Grim Brothers, which have been repetitively told by others, filmed, etc. – so such creatures as ‘Cinderella’, ‘Beauty’, ‘The Beast’, ‘the big bad wolf’ are given form and flesh; while belief, in this book here, creates literal gods.</spoiler>

Another thought I had while reading the book – this work did not seem like it was the first thing the writer had written. Quite well written and stuff. And I had the impression that this was the author’s first work, though I now see that ‘she has published a large handful of short stories’ part in her biography.

<b>Rating</b>: 4.68

<b>Publication Date</b>: March 1 2017

<b>Review</b>: February 21 2017

This was a great read. If you like paranormal reading you'll like Fury's Bridge. Selene and Alec are strong, well written characters that will keep the pages turning. It's obvious the author is either familiar with the paranormal persona or has simply done her homework. The story was captivating and the detail was veracious. I couldn't put it down. I Highly recommend.

A great paranormal read! So I am giving it a 5 stars!

The author took their time to research different paranormal creatures and put a lot of time into the character of
Selene. Selene is funny, strong and yet her heartbreak from being in foster care and alone most of her life has caused her to doubt her worth. There is a point where you can feel Selene isn't happy with her girlfriend Mika, but Selene won't pull the trigger to end it. Yet you know Selene wants out. However when Mika suggest it, the pain of years of feeling abandoned surface for Selene.

Alec is charming, and also a fury. Enough said. She starts out on a 'job' assignment, but by the end she is having to accept different feelings than she has hand for many years.

It's a fun read and I highly recommend this book.

Avenging fury Alectho (Alec) Graves has been tasked with saving the world, when she isn’t out seeking justice for those innocents who suffer at the hands of evil-doers. If she fails in her mission, those she loves will cease to exist.

Selene Perkton is a philosophy professor in Los Angeles. She lives an ordinary, well scheduled life, and knows her place in it. When Alec appears, the world she thought she knew becomes a very different place.

Can Alec and Selene put aside their differences, or will the evil lurking in the shadows manage to pull them apart?

Now, this is how you write paranormal genre, spiced with mythological facts and creatures. This was so fun to read, a pure joy! It's so witty, fun, charming; it's has a perfect amount of humor in it... Both Selene and Alec are great characters, fantastically written, and the minor ones are no less fun. I just loved this book and I'm not a great fan of paranormal genre in general, so having me charmed and seduced by this book speaks volumes itself! Congratulations to the author for being able to transform her imagination into words with such success. 5 stars from me!