Audible Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Hunting in Bruges by E.J. Stevens

This is a fun, action listen.
Hunting in Bruges: Hunters' Guild, Book 1
by E.J. Stevens
Narrator: Melanie A. Mason, Anthony Bowling

Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 04-03-18
Language: English
Publisher: Sacred Oaks Press
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Finalist for the 2017 Raven Award for best urban fantasy.
The only thing worse than being a hunter in the fae-ridden city of Harborsmouth, is hunting vampires in Bruges.
The medieval city of Bruges is quaint, but the local Hunters' Guild is understaffed, the canals are choked with dead bodies, and there's no shortage of supernatural predators as likely suspects.
On second thought, maybe Bruges isn't so bad after all.
With a desire to prove herself, protect the innocent, and advance within the ranks of the Hunters' Guild, Jenna Lehane hits the cobbled streets of Bruges with blades at the ready. Someone, or something, is murdering tourists and dumping their bodies in the city's scenic canals. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Jenna begins to piece together clues that are dotted throughout the city like blood spatter.
Determined to stop the killings, Jenna delves into a bloody local history that only raises more questions - but some secrets are best left buried. Jenna must put her combat training to the test as she struggles to unearth the truth about an ancient enemy.

Review:
The Harborsmouth Guild Hunter master has sent Jenna on assignment to Bruges. She suspects that the assignment to find a serial killer is a test and she plans to be up for the challenge. One of Jenna’s unique skills is seeing ghosts and she finds plenty in the medieval city. There are living – well maybe undead – killers to hunt too.

Jenna meets Ash, a dashing fellow, on the train. He is a bit strange but eagerly volunteers to show her around. Jenna discovers the local guild is short handed and has some severe member problems. The man left in charge doesn’t think women should be hunters and he is belittling and abusive. The witch member is drugged out, the archivist in the library is blind, one warrior is bomb happy and the doctor is surly, resentful and has no records of the autopsies to help Jenna’s investigation.

In spite of the difficulties Jenna heads out alone to scout out the previous murder sites. When she walks into a trap of deadly vampires, Jenna is glad that Ash shows up to protect her back. While dealing with rusalka, grindylow and swan maidens, in addition to the vampires, Jenna uncovers a plot by the vampires that could be even worse than the current killings. Jenna will have to rally the other hunters and use her smarts as well as her combat skills if she wants to stop the plot and save the innocents.

Jenna is a friend of Ivy Granger and a character in the psychic detective stories. This spinoff introduces new characters, good and bad. I especially liked Ash and the blind archivist. Although Jenna is narrowly focused on saving everyone around her, I felt that she didn’t always think things through as expected. Still, I like how she rallied the hunters for battle. I enjoyed this spinoff with the fast pacing and consistent action. It is a good start to more adventures. I recommend this to readers who enjoy urban fantasy and monster challenges.

Audio Notes: I liked the alternating voices provided by Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling. They both do a fine job of presenting different characters with personalities and emotional energy. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: Author for Review and Giveaway Post. This qualifies for Audiobook Challenge and 2018 entry for Alphabet Challenge.

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Learn more on Goodreads, Audible, and the author's website.  Keep reading for a chance to win a Hunting in Bruges prize pack.

Want more fun? Take a trip to Bruges with monster hunter Jenna Lehane in this Hunting in Bruges animated book cover video. Watch a few times to find all of the effects!  Things to look for...

• Sword
• Jenna's hair
• Clock
• Jenna's arm and face
• Clouds
• Lights in Windows 

Did you find all of the special effects?

Audiobook Release Party Giveaway

Happy audiobook birthday to Hunting in Bruges! We're celebrating the audio release with a giveaway.

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win a Hunting in Bruges Prize Pack, including
a pen, custom earbuds, a Hunting in Bruges mini
poster signed by the author, and a Passport to the World of Ivy
Granger signed by the author and the audiobook narrators!
To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below.

This giveaway is open to the US/UK/CA.  Giveaway ends April 30, 2018 midnight EST.
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Audible Book Review and Feature: Hounds Bite by E.J. Stevens

Fast paced action brings friends to Ivy's side!

Hound's Bite: Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective, Volume 5
Written by: E.J. Stevens
Narrated by: Melanie A. Mason , Anthony A. Bowlin

Length: 7 hrs
Series: Ivy Granger, Book 5
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:05-04-17
Publisher: Sacred Oaks Press
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Mystery, Supernatural Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
PRG Reviewer's Choice Award finalist for Best Urban Fantasy series.
Ivy Granger thought she left the worst of Mab's creations behind when she escaped Faerie. She thought wrong.
In a cruel twist of fate, Ivy has unleashed a powerful horde of Unseelie beasts upon her city, turning her homecoming into a potential slaughter of innocents. Now Ivy must gather her allies to fight a reputedly unstoppable force - The Wild Hunt.
Will the training Ivy received in her father's court be enough to save her city, or will Harborsmouth be forced to kneel before the Lord of the Hunt? She is willing to risk her own life, but some sacrifices come at a cost worse than death. When an ally is bitten by one of The Wild Hunt's hounds, Ivy must face the possibility that winning this battle may mean killing the one person she has come to love most.
Hound's Bite is the fifth full-length novel in the award-winning, best-selling Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens. The world of Ivy Granger, including the Ivy Granger Psychic Detective series and Hunters' Guild series, is filled with action, mystery, magic, dark humor, quirky characters, bloodsucking vampires, flirtatious demons, sarcastic gargoyles, sexy shifters, temperamental witches, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines.
The Ivy Granger series has won numerous awards, including the BTS Red Carpet Award for Best Novel, the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Fantasy Novel, Best Urban Fantasy Novel, and finalist for Best Urban Fantasy Series.
©2016 E.J. Stevens (P)2017 E.J. Stevens

Review:
Ivy escaped from the land of Faerie with her fiancé, Ceffyl, and a testy friend, king of the Cat Sidhe, Sir Torn. But as they return, they discover that an evil force followed them into Ivy’s home town, Harborsmouth. The Huntsman and his powerful Barguest are bringing the Wild Hunt to Ivy and her community. The Huntsman will blow his horn at sundown to loose the dark hounds on the city. Any bite from the hounds turns the victim into a new black hound.

Ivy would normally call on her witch friend, Kaye, to help prepare a defense but Kaye has gone off the deep end on a power trip and may be as dangerous as the Huntsman. Ivy has to deal with Kaye before she can gather allies to face the Wild Hunt.

I enjoyed the action and the usual characters, plus extra creatures, brought in to help in each of the crisis that Ivy faces. I was a little distracted by some repetition of Ivy sort of whining. Still, she is growing and those around her recognize her special ability to bring adversaries together to face a common foe. She’s done it before and hopes to do it again to protect the city from the Wild Hunt. She tries to protect those she loves but can she save all her friends, including Ceff when he gets caught by the hounds? There are threads from prior books, and a few surprises, that get tied in nicely here. I liked how the friends come together in this good adventure.

Audio Notes: Melanie A. Mason and Anthony A. Bowlin do a nice job with the character voices. Their back and forth combination works well to make this a fun and entertaining listen.

Reviews of earlier books:
Burning Bright: Ivy Granger Book 3
Birthright: Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective, Book 4
Shadow Sight: Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective Series, Book 1

I received this audiobook from the author as part of release tour. It qualifies for 2017 Audiobook Challenge.

Ivy Granger Series - Audible Page
Ivy Granger Series - Amazon Page

Hound's Bite Chapter 1 on SoundCloud
Hound's Bite Retail Sample on SoundCloud
Behind the Scenes with Narrator Anthony Bowling

Don't Miss the Happy Audiobook Month Giveaway Celebrating with E.J. Stevens
Open US/CA/UK. Ending 6/31/2017

Audible Book Review: Birthright: Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective, Book 4 by E.J. Stevens

I was more engaged with this installment and really enjoyed all the dangers navigated by Ivy and her friends.
Birthright: Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective, Book 4
Written by: E.J. Stevens
Narrated by: Melanie A. Mason, Anthony Bowling

Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins
Series: Ivy Granger, Book 4
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:05-12-16
Publisher: Sacred Oaks
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranomral, Detective
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Being a faerie princess isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Ivy must go to Faerie, but the gateway to the Wisp Court is through Tech Duinn, the house of Donn - Celtic god of the dead. Just her luck.
Unable to share her secret with Jinx, and with Jenna called away on Hunters' Guild business, Ivy must rely on Ceff and Torn to lead her to Death's door, literally, and back again. As if that wasn't dangerous enough, there's no saying what horrors lay in store within the Faerie realm. Too bad the Wisp Court is the one lead Ivy has in the search for her father - and possible salvation.
Maybe hiding away and dodging sidhe assassins isn't so bad after all.
Birthright is the fourth full-length novel in the award-winning Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens. The world of Ivy Granger, including the Ivy Granger Psychic Detective series and Hunters' Guild series, is filled with action, paranormal mystery, magic, dark humor, quirky characters, bloodsucking vampires, flirtatious demons, sarcastic gargoyles, sexy shifters, temperamental witches, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines.
©2015 E.J. Stevens (P)2016 E.J. Stevens

Review:
Ivy has saved Jinx but she has to leave her behind protected by Forneus. Ivy can’t tell them where she is going as she sets off to follow the clues to find her father. She cannot continue to hide out pretending to be dead so she has to find a way to convince the Faerie court to drop their death order on her. Ceff and Torn are by Ivy’s side to face the dangers as they journey through Faerie land. If they can travel through the water and the forest safely, they hope to find the house of the Celtic god of the dead. If he does attack first, they hope to find the secret door to Wisp.

Each step poses its own dangers and surprises. Some channels recognize Ivy’s blood as the royal blood of her father the former King of the Wisps – this could be for good or ill.

I really liked the dynamics between Ivy and Ceff which is growing deeper. Torn is along to add his usually snark and insouciance. Although there seems to be a little repetition within the story, there is plenty of action that keeps the story moving at a good pace. We meet new characters, some villains and some friends. There is a new hearth brownie who is an especially fun addition. Ivy has to go through heartache and the twists in the story are well done as dark secrets are revealed.

Now that I have read books 3 and 4, I do want to read more in the series. I have book 1 for Kindle so I will get to that at some point. I recommend this series to urban fantasy fans who enjoy adventures in the mixed world of humans and paranormals (although this one is mostly paranormals).

Audio Notes: I have to admit that I didn’t realize that Anthony Bowling was not the same male narrator as Book 3. He did a fine job with the numerous male characters while Melanie A. Mason continued to a portray the females with distinct voices. Mason manages to convey Ivy’s pain as well as her strengths. The narration definitely enhances the story experience for me.

I received this audiobook from the author for an honest review. It adds to my Audio Challenge. Please check my review of Burning Bright, Book 3 and don’t miss the Giveaway feature.

Audible Book Review: Burning Bright: Ivy Granger Book 3 by E.J. Stevens

The primary character in this fun listen has a lot of sass and courage.

Burning Bright: Ivy Granger Book 3
Written by: E.J. Stevens
Narrated by: Melanie A. Mason, David Wilson Brown

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
Series: Ivy Granger, Book 3
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:10-20-15
Publisher: Sacred Oaks
Genre: Detective, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Burning down the house....
Things are not going well at the offices of Private Eye. Jinx is having demon problems, the city is overrun with pyromaniacal imps, and Ivy's wisp powers are burning out of control, attracting the attention of both the Seelie and Unseelie courts.
Along came a faerie queen.... It's the worst possible time for the Green Lady to call in a favor, but Ivy's bound by her deal with the glaistig. Too bad there's no wiggle room in faerie bargains.
Ivy must rid the city of imps, keep Jinx from murdering her one solid link to Hell, and fulfill her bargain with the Green Lady - with sidhe assassins hot on her tail.
Just another day's work for Ivy Granger, psychic detective.
©2014 E.J. Stevens (P)2015 E.J. Stevens

Review:

Ivy Granger has a very unique, and rather difficult psychic gift which has helped her build a successful Private Eye business. Ivy and her assistant, Jinx, usually stay busy with the business but Ivy has been distracted spending funds and energy trying to find her father. Meanwhile Jinx has gotten trapped in a life-draining situation. To save Jinx Ivy makes a bargain with the Green Lady which requires Ivy to kill Kaye, a powerful witch who has helped Ivy and become a friend.

Ivy is half human and half ‘wisp’ princess. She was abandoned by her father, the King of the Wisps, so she never learned how to control her abilities. The current, ruling faerie court view her as a risk to maintaining the secrets of the paranormals in the human world. Accordingly, they have sent an enforcement team to “eliminate” her.

Not only is Ivy dealing with these personal issues but suddenly fires are popping up all over the city. Ivy has discovered that pyromaniacal, demon imps have gotten loose and she needs help to stop them. Along the way to that task Ivy rescues a “runt” of a fire imp who is being played with by the clan of Cats.

Ivy gets support from her boyfriend, Ceffyl, who is the local Kelpie King. She also gets backup from another “ally”, if not exactly a friend, Torn, the leader of the Cats. Ivy also calls on Forneus who is a demon lawyer -- as in a lawyer who happens to be a demon. Ivy doesn’t exactly trust Forneus, but she knows he is interested in Jinx and will help protect her if they can rescue.

Ivy needs to find a way to kill Kaye without really killing her while also keeping herself from being killed so she can save Jinx from her kidnapper and save the city from burning. The tasks all blend together and keep Ivy and her 'friends' on the run in creative and dangerous situations.

Even as Ivy stumbles through some of her exploits, I soon realized that being a rescuer is a big part of who she is. I liked the steady support from her strong water Kelpie boyfriend, Ceff, and the flirty, suggestive snipes from Torn and Forneus which add another fun element to the mix. You might not think a demon is cute, but little imp “Sparky” is really an adorable character with an importance that Ivy didn’t know when she saved him. I am expecting/hoping he will grow into a helpful member of the team. There are other fun characters, including Father Michael, Humphrey the Gargoyle and a  mischievous hearth brownie.

I might have more easily and more quickly related to the characters if I had read/listened to the first two books of the series. However, I think I finally adjusted to them and was able to pick up on the important characters, elements and tensions as presented in this third book. I enjoyed the fun and by the end I was looking forward to listening to the current release, Birthright (which I enjoyed even more than book 3 - review coming soon).

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the team narration by Melanie A. Mason and David Wilson Brown. Melanie presents the female characters and aspects and David adds depth and counterbalance with the male characters. They both did a good job with the different character voices and the teamwork made the narration a fuller experience which I liked.

I received this audiobook from the author for an honest review. This qualifies for my Audio Challenge.

Please see the next post for a GIVEAWAY CELEBRATING AUDIOBOOK MONTH and RELEASE OF IVY GRANGER BOOK 4!