Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Only Human by Meredith Katz recap: reunites with a former contestant ahead of the semi-finals. It's a shame The Voice live rounds aren't a little longer because it feels like we're just getting started with the heft of the competition and the finale is already next week! But before we get ahead of ourselves: Tonight, we will be hearing from our Top 9 twice as they sing for five finale spots. First, they'll each sing solos of their choosing and then they'll be put into trios to sing songs celebrating the '70s. Oh, and as a little bonus, season 19 finalist Ian Flanigan will be back to sing his new single with his coach Blake Shelton. That's a lot of music — let's get to it. Team Legend: Victor Solomon, "I Can Only Imagine" by Tamela Mann. Victor's singing the gospel version of this MercyMe song and his mom, who brought Victor up singing in church, couldn't be happier. He's excited, too, because he gets to show this side of his artistry on stage. As well he should be — he is electric on stage. The coaches all think so, anyway: Kelly Clarkson calls Victor "moving" and "inspiring" and — who is working with a few cracked ribs tonight after a bike accident this weekend — even manages to get up out of his seat (not easy in his condition!) and calls the performance "a special moment." Victor's coach loves that Victor showed both his "versatility" and "the full core of who [he is] as an artist." Team Blake: Jordan Matthew Young, "Rose Colored Glasses" by John Conlee. Wait, Jordan Matthew Young is getting nicknamed "Skinny Thor," and it. is dead on? He picks this song to bring his Voice journey full circle back to his country roots, but Blake doesn't want Jordan to just be country here. He thinks he should continue to blend his soulfulness with this song, too. It's not the most exciting performance, but Jordan and his sensible half-up-half-down hair certainly deliver a professional, connected one. Kelly Clarkson compares him to Travis Tritt, one of her favorites, because of Jordan's cool vibrato and the soulfulness and raspiness that were front and center in that song. Coach Blake is proud, of course, and thinks Jordan did exactly what he needed to as far as the semi-finals go. Corey Ward, Kenzie Wheeler, and Cam Anthony, "Fooled Around and Fell In Love" by Elvin Bishop. What a wild and weird and kind of wonderful boy band! In the powder blue! I was so charmed by this! It doesn't seem like these three artists could blend together into something cohesive, but the song could easily fit the more soulful voices of Cam and Corey as well as Kenzie's country sound. Corey's big high note is a highlight, but there really isn't one runaway leader in this group. This was fun! Okay, trios! Team Legend: Pia Renee, "Turn Your Lights Down Low" by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Pia's going back to reggae for her semi-finals performance and she is ready to lay. it. down. Both Kelly and Nick note that it felt like they were watching some already established star, a professional doing "an awards show performance," says Nick. Pia has such confidence and knows how to take us on a ride throughout the song without ever overdoing it. The rap section here is so full of energy and artistry, it's great. Coach John Legend is especially proud and he tells his artist that he "could not stop smiling" throughout because it was, in his mind, a perfect performance. She was "sexy and fiery" and "everything [she] needed to be" at this point in the competition. Team Nick: Rachel Mac, "Human" by Christina Perri. Rachel's showing up to the finale ready to get emotional, people. In fact, in rehearsal, Nick wants to make sure that the staging of this song doesn't get too theatrical because the vocal will be more than enough. Rachel is fully committed here — plus, her vocals are strong. John Legend calls it a "revelatory performance" because it shows her powerful, rock star side. She gave us the "full range of emotion" with this one, he thinks. Kelly also thought it was smart for Rachel to reveal this side of her voice at this point in the competition, and she loved to see the teen angst coming out — it's easy to forget Rachel is the youngest competitor this season. Rachel's coach Nick applauds his artist for not just nailing the vocal but for "digging deep" emotionally. It's a good moment for Rachel. Team Kelly: Corey Ward, "Arcade" by Duncan Laurence. Anyone else still riding high from Corey Ward taking the Wild Card spot last week? What a deserved win! He's back this week and ready to work with a song that Kelly thinks feels like a song Corey could've written for himself. And it really does feel like a Corey Ward concert performance here. The song gives him room to show that signature intensity while also displaying his big range throughout. He has big power notes and some smaller, intimate moments. It's a ride! And you know when Kelly Clarkson says your "vocal execution" is "perfect," you're doing something right. Dana Monique, Pia Renee, and Victor Solomon, "Shining Star" by Earth, Wind & Fire. The soul singers of the competition are coming together to throw us a little '70s party on stage (I mean, Victor's wig alone!). The trio promises unforgettable harmonies, and, uh, yeah, they deliver those for sure. Everyone sounds great, not surprisingly, and the coaches are loving the whole thing, also not surprising. The final few bars put the perfect punctuation on the whole performance. I'm into these trios, guys. Team Kelly: Gihanna Zoë, "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera. Coach Kelly Clarkson saved Gihanna last week because she was floored by how much growth and dynamics this 17-year-old has been showing throughout the entirety of the competition. Even with that vote of confidence, Kelly knows Gihanna has given herself a difficult task with this song: It's Christina freakin' Aguilera on a live show with a lot on the line. So, like, no pressure. The arrangement, especially in the beginning, isn't great and there's no room for Gihanna to just settle into the song. She, of course, soars on those big notes and really puts on a show. For someone who tries to be technically perfect all the time, Gihanna gets a little emotional, and therefore a little pitchy, at the end, but that's Kelly's favorite part of the performance. She loves when Gihanna marries her precision with a brokenness in her voice. Gihanna Zoë, Rachel Mac, and Jordan Matthew Young, "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac. It's just the teens and Skinny Thor out there rocking to some Fleetwood Mac. It's a weird mix of vocalists, and although this song seems to be in Jordan's wheelhouse more than anyone's, Gihanna Zoë feels like the standout. I would've never picked a Fleetwood Mac song for her, but now I want to hear more? What a time! Team Nick: Dana Monique, "Leave the Door Open" by , Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic. Nick Jonas saved Dana Monique last week because, well, come on, like he had a choice. She's a force. And now she gets to sing this song that's never been done on The Voice before, and it also happens to be a perfect choice for her. As Nick points out, Dana has similarities with singers like Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan, but also a modern sensibility, and this Bruno jam has a nice blend of classic sounds with modern "flair." Dana puts on a show here. She's a star! John Legend praises her ability as a vocalist and notes that she's been giving them "finale-worthy" performances every time she steps on stage. All the judges give Dana Monique a standing ovation for this one, and Nick Jonas can't believe she could top her En Vogue performance, but for him, this one did just that. Team Blake: Cam Anthony, "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" by Boyz II Men. Like Gihanna, Cam is taking on a monster of a song in this high-pressure situation. Not only is he going to perform it, but he's also making it even more difficult for himself by having no band to hide behind. This is Cam's voice front and center. What Blake loves most about his artist's choice, though, is that yes, it's an iconic song, but Cam is making it sound like one of his own. It's full of runs and riffs, but Cam makes it all look so easy. The coaches give Cam a standing ovation. John Legend says he "knock[ed] it out of the park" and calls him a "superstar." Kelly calls him "incredible." We already know that Blake thinks Cam can conquer the music industry, but he doubles down on his predictions for Cam's bright future after this performance. Team Kelly: Kenzie Wheeler, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones. This one's going out to Kenzie's grandma who absolutely loves this song. It works out because Kelly Clarkson calls it the "perfect song for [him]." It's super classic country and even though that spoken word bit in the middle is a bit cheeseball, there are a lot of moments for Kenzie to show off the power behind his tone — a tone that his coach Kelly is obsessed with. But more than a fan of Kenzie's on this show, Kelly wants Kenzie to know that he is "one of [her] favorite country singers that ever existed." That's a huge compliment! With only the highest vote getter from each team ensured a spot in the Final Five (the fifth spot will be another Wild Card Instant Save), a lot of this is out of the contestants' hands, but who do you think did enough to win a finale slot tonight? Cake by the Desk: Watch Joe Jonas Celebrate His 30th Birthday with an NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Red velvet cake, mini toy instruments, and a crowd of NPR staffers all made Joe Jonas’ 30th birthday celebration extra special this year. The middle Jonas Brother rang in his third decade on Aug. 15 with a Tiny Desk Concert, part of the popular NPR series where musicians perform stripped-down versions of their biggest hits in the confines of the broadcasting office. “It is in fact Joe’s birthday today,” Nick Jonas says in the clip. “And when we asked him last year, ‘What do you want for your birthday,’ he said, ‘I want to perform on Tiny Desk.’” “I did,” Joe confirmed with a faux solemn nod. RELATED VIDEO: Joe Jonas Surprises Nueva Vista High School Students. The brothers joked that the scheduling happened to perfectly align with Joe’s birthday exactly a year later. “Crazy how this all worked out. Even before the band announced we were coming back, I was like, ‘Please get us on NPR,’” Joe said, drawing giggles from the audience. The trio played acoustic versions of three recent tracks: “Sucker,” “I Believe,” and “Only Human.” Ironically, the performance ended with a song led by the crowd and not the JoBros. The NPR audience erupted into a chorus of “Happy Birthday” as Joe was presented with a cake to commemorate his special day, complete with “30” candles. Joe paused over his cake for a second, seeming to make a birthday wish, before blowing out the candles with one quick breath. “Oh yeah,” he said, dipping a finger into the icing, “Red velvet. I can’t promise there’s enough cake for everyone, but first one here gets it.” On the night of his birthday, Joe’s wife Sophie Turner surprised her husband onstage during a Jonas Brothers concert in Washington, D.C. The Game of Thrones actress, 23, brought out a birthday cake and sang “Happy Birthday” along with Joe’s brothers, bandmates and the arena filled with fans. The musician shared a video of the sweet moment on his Instagram with the caption, “Couldn’t have asked for a better night, thank you all so much. Nothing better than doing what I love with my loves on my birthday. #HappinessBeginsTour.” Earlier, Turner shared an adorable message about Joe on her Instagram Story. Less Than Three Press, LLC. Less Than Three Press is a strong rising presence in the LGBTQ romance community. Together with a network of highly talented editors, artists, and writers, LT3 provides quality fiction, priding itself on stories that put substance first. LT3 is a labor of love between three women who wanted to write and publish books, but wanted to do it their way—with other people who love what they do, for people who love to read great romance, with high-quality, well-edited stories that are also affordable, engaging, and always come with that famous happy end. Only Human by Meredith Katz is now available in the LT3 Book Market and at all major retailers! Getting sick sucks, and magic sucks worse. So when Saul finds out that his sudden bout of sickness is actually a curse, he’s understandably freaked out by being referred to a necromantic specialist. But the ordeal is made moderately better by the cute receptionist, Theo, who is exactly Saul’s type—aside from the fact that he’s dead. Sure, he’s gray-skinned and put together from the remains of various corpses, but Theo is gentle, kind, and shares Saul’s tastes in TV and video games. He knows all the right places for coffee and enjoys long walks in the park. Maybe getting involved with the undead isn’t so bad after all— and maybe you don’t have to have a heartbeat to win someone’s heart. Only Human. Summary: Getting sick sucks, and in Saul’s opinion, magic sucks even more. When he finds out that his sudden bout of sickness is actually a curse, he’s understandably freaked out by being referred to a necromantic specialist. The ordeal is made moderately better only by the cute receptionist, Theo, who is exactly Saul’s type—aside from the fact that he’s undead. To Saul’s surprise, Theo is gentle, kind, and shares Saul’s tastes in TV and video games. He knows all the right places for coffee, and enjoys long walks in the park. Maybe getting involved with the undead isn’t so bad after all—and maybe you don’t have to have a heartbeat to win someone’s heart. Reviews for Only Human.

★★★★★ “Theo is just the sweetest 7 ft. tall patchwork-bodied gay zombie you will ever meet! I loved that in this universe magic is a real thing – but it’s not quite mainstream, and there are many rules and regulations for practicing it, and a lot of suspicion leveled towards anyone involved with magic or the undead. Nice subtext. […] WOW, the heat index goes from mild to red hot as we get some serious LOVING!” – Kara Race- Moore, Author of “Dove in the Window”

★★★★1/2 “There’s humor, and the budding relationship described in the story was actually fun to watch.” – Lexxi Kitty, Goodreads Reviewer.

★★★★1/2 “This was definitely one of my favorites […] The idea that we can have a fun zombie story with a bisexual MC is like a dream come true for my dark little cold bi heart.” – Jenna, RezGirlReads Review Blog & Goodreads Reviewer. On 'E.R.,' an M.D. Who's Only Human. ON A SCORCHINGLY HOT afternoon in the San Fernando Valley, Noah Wyle, with the air-conditioning in his comfortably appointed trailer cranked up full blast, is pondering his wardrobe. Taking a break from shooting on Stage 11 at the Warner Brothers lot, Mr. Wyle, an emerging star of the most popular drama on television, NBC's ''E.R.,'' has to switch from his usual hospital scrubs to sleepwear. In the scene, Mr. Wyle's character, Dr. John Carter, a surgical intern at County General Memorial Hospital in Chicago, is to be roused from bed in his bachelor apartment by a neighbor. So Mr. Wyle (pronounced Wylie), pulls on pajama pants, then roots through a rack of T-shirts. A Warner Brothers Tasmanian Devil shirt may be too juvenile; an Animaniacs shirt is too long. A shirt labeled ''property of Chicago White Sox'' fills the bill exactly. ''Maybe the White Sox will be in the playoffs when this episode goes on,'' Mr. Wyle says. The 25-year-old Mr. Wyle is suffused with youthful exuberance in almost exactly the way that John Carter is. From the very first episode of ''E.R.,'' two years ago, Mr. Wyle has projected so much earnest eagerness-to-please that he has become a favorite both with audiences and with the show's writers. More and more stories are told through Carter's painful, often funny learning experiences in a big-pressure, big-city emergency room. Last Thursday night at 10, as ''E.R.'' started its third season, Carter was the show's primary subject, and he will be again this week, as a full- fledged physician learning for the first time what it's like to work with no older doctor looking over his shoulder. ''I think one of the reasons that the audience is empathetic with Carter,'' Mr. Wyle says, ''is that everybody can relate to being overworked, underfed and underslept and still only coming up to mediocrity.'' From the show's pilot episode, which centered on Carter's first day on the job, much of what has happened on ''E.R.'' has been seen through his eyes, although Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) and Dr. Douglas Ross (George Clooney) have been featured more often. ''He was new, and so was the audience,'' Mr. Wyle says, ''so they were going through all these firsts together.'' The firsts have included an inordinate number of embarrassing moments -- like giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a dog -- largely because the writers discovered at the beginning that Mr. Wyle had a talent for comedy. In his very first scene, he added his own bit of comic business. ''There I was in my starched white coat with a clipboard in my hand, and on the desk there's one of those desk bells,'' he recalls. ''I just moved over to where I could take a whack at it with the clipboard -- inadvertently. I gave it a good ding, and then I tried to cover up so nobody saw. And the director went, 'Mmmmm.' '' The comic touches come naturally to him. Growing up in Los Angeles as one of six children in a blended family, he explains, he started ''performing for attention'' when he was about 8. ''Everybody sort of found what they were good at,'' he says. ''I was good at telling jokes.'' With a stepfather in the business (James C. Katz, a noted film restorer who worked on ''My Fair Lady'' and, most recently, ''Vertigo''), Mr. Wyle found support for his acting ambition early on. When he was 17, he got his first, small part: he spoke one line in ''Blind Faith,'' a two-part television movie. Next came good roles in a modest but well-received movie, ''Crooked Hearts,'' and a movie that was put on the shelf, ''There Goes My Baby.'' After that, he didn't work for two years -- as an actor, although he did wait on tables at the BelAge Hotel. Finally he got another assignment: a small part in the acclaimed Rob Reiner film ''A Few Good Men'' (1992). (''You can't be low man on a better totem pole than that,'' he says.) That role led to ''Swing Kids,'' a film about young Germans who defied the Nazis by dancing to swing. Mr. Wyle played a villain. But that led only to a cable movie that Mr. Wyle described as ''a feminist retelling of the King Arthur tale.'' The climactic scene, in which he, as Lancelot, was supposed to scare an enemy by covering a hill with ''soldiers'' made of straw, went wrong. ''When the director yelled action, my horse started eating my men,'' he says. Then he was out of work for two more years. Mr. Wyle had steered clear of television series with their five-year contracts, but he was offered the script for the pilot of ''E.R.,'' written by Michael Crichton and produced by Steven Spielberg, and the part looked very good. He auditioned with several other actors for the part and was called back three times before winning it. The series became an overnight phenomenon, of course, though Mr. Wyle and the rest of the cast didn't have time to notice. ''At first we were working these 16-hour days,'' he remembers, ''and people would say, 'You got a 38 share or a 41 share.' We didn't know what that meant.'' But when NBC's two top programming executives, Don Ohlmeyer and Warren Littlefield, showed up on the set and poured champagne, ''then we knew,'' Mr. Wyle says. MR. WYLE CONTRIBUTES as much as he can to the development of Carter. He and Eriq La Salle, who plays Dr. Peter Benton, Carter's mentor and tormentor, have tried to think up ways to make their relationship less antagonistic. But again this season, Benton will be impossible to please. ''Television is all middle,'' Mr. Wyle says, ''You try to look for different ways to play similar themes.'' Because Carter has emerged as one of the best-loved characters on television, it seems inevitable that Mr. Wyle will get the kind of seductive movie offers that his co-star Mr. Clooney, the next Batman, has received. So far, however, the only new film work he has done is ''The Myth of Fingerprints,'' a small-budget movie. ''Yeah, the Big Movie people have knocked,'' Mr. Wyle said. ''But Big Movies don't really interest me that much right now. I'm a young man. I've got time on my side.''