#NetGalley Book Review: Tangled Web by Gail Z. Martin

This action packed Urban Fantasy is full of strong characters.

Tangled Web
by Gail Z. Martin

File Size: 2862 KB
Print Length: 244 pages
Publisher: SOL Publishing (May 10, 2018)
ASIN: B07D1C6Y55
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating 4.25 of 5.0.

Cassidy Kincaide runs Trifles & Folly in modern-day Charleston, an antiques and curios shop with a dangerous secret. Cassidy can read the history of objects by touching them and along with her business partners Teag, who has Weaver magic and Sorren, a 600-year-old vampire, they get rid of cursed objects and keep Charleston and the world safe from supernatural threats.
When zombies rise in Charleston cemeteries, dead men fall from the sky, and the whole city succumbs to the “grouch flu,” Cassidy, Teag, and Sorren suspect a vengeful dark witch who is gunning for Teag and planning to unleash an ancient horror. Cassidy, Teag, and Sorren—and all their supernatural allies—will need magic, cunning, and the help of a Viking demi-goddess to survive the battle with a malicious Weaver-witch and an ancient Norse warlock to keep Charleston—and the whole East Coast—from becoming the prey of the Master of the Hunt.

Review:
Cassidy can read history by touching objects. She is part of a group of friends who protect Charleston from supernatural threats. Her gentle business partner, Teag, uses Weaver magic to create fabrics that heal and protect. His personal partner is a local police officer who is aware of the magical world but tries to operate without making the magic known to the public. Sorren is the senior business partner as a 600-year-old vampire who has years of knowledge and connections in the supernatural realm.

Charleston is experiencing an unprecedented rise in supernatural activities. Cassidy and friends are already looking into a ghostly horse hunt going on with the alarming sound of galloping horses and baying dogs. Then they are asked to investigate when several hunting horses go missing by vanishing at the local horse hunting stable. Cassidy and Teag are soon dodging zombies from the cemetery and working around citizens with a “grouch flu”. Next Cassidy suffers a firsthand attack and her friends, plus a master weaver and local witch, gather to face the dark threat.

Clues lead to an angry weaver-witch who is seeking to raise a powerful Norse warlock so she can take revenge against those who have hurt her – particularly some in the horse community. It will take all the resources Cassidy and friends can pull together, including some from Sorren’s past, in order to prevail in this magical battle.

I enjoyed the fast action of the story. This is the first story I have read in the series, so it took me a little bit to sort through the many characters. Cassidy and her friends are well developed characters. None are presented as ‘superheroes’ on their own but they make a formidable team. The plot is well written with twists and turns to pursue to uncover the source of the evil and locate the hidden villains. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy fast-paced Urban Fantasy.

Source: NetGalley 2019. This qualifies for 2019NetGalley goal.

Audible Book Review: Monster Hunter Memoirs:Sinners by Larry Correia, John Ringo

This is an easy, fun listen.
Monster Hunter Memoirs: Sinners
By: Larry Correia, John Ringo
Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

Series: Monster Hunter Memoirs, Book 2, Monster Hunter , Book 2
Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 12-06-16
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.75

Publisher's Summary
A new novel in the Monster Hunter Memoirs series. Two authors, who combined have over four million books in print and 10 New York Times best sellers, team up to expand Larry Correia's Monster Hunter universe!
Nightmare in the Big Easy
With New Orleans out of control, Chad Oliver Gardenier, one of Monster Hunter International's premier hunters, has been dispatched from Seattle to reinforce the beleaguered members of MHI'S Hoodoo Squad in their fight against the darkness.
Chad had once taken a werewolf while wearing only jogging gear. With half a dozen or more loup garou appearing every full moon, mysterious shadow demons, houdoun necromancers, 50-foot bipedal crocodiles showing up every couple of months, and more vampires than a Goth concert, New Orleans in the '80s gives a whole new perspective to the term hell on earth. In fact more monsters are popping up than crawfish at a fais do do! Chad may be able to collect enormous bounties for the monsters he kills. But there's one catch: He has to stay alive to do it!
©2016 Larry Correia and John Ringo (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Chad Oliver Gardenier took the chance to get out of Seattle where he had a target on his back for messing with a young (40 year old) elf. Chad doesn’t like the heat of Louisiana but soon realizes that he likes the food, the women and the busy hunting action, not necessarily in that order.

New Orleans is experiencing an increase of supernatural creatures and it is important for the forces who fight the monsters to get control of the infestations before the issues leak to the pubic at large. The local communities aren’t such a problem since they are inclined to believe in the paranormal and magic and most of the people love the HooDoo squad.

I liked the more relaxed relationship between the Monster Hunter International (MHI) team and the local authorities including the local officers in the Federal Monster Control Bureau (MCB). The MCB is tasked with keeping supernatural from the public eye. When an incident occurs the MCB have a clean up crew and a mostly reasonable accidental explanation for the damage and deaths.

I was glad to listen to this cheeky monster hunting journal in the MHI universe. This series is full of action and humor. Chad is fun although on the wild side as a Casanova aka Player. He feels his exuberance in life is justified since he expects to die soon considering the nature of his business fighting werewolves (loup garou), vampires, zombies, strange squid, giant (elephant size) mole rats and eventually giant land scrambling, people eating lobsters (or similar crustacean). Chad actually does have a soft side for his friends and teammates and he tries to save the innocent bystanders whenever he can. This comes out even with some bad language and lots of ‘battle’ action.

It was nice to have some regular MHI characters join the New Orleans battle including, Earl, Ray, Milo and even MCB Agent Franks. This story is presented as a journal of Chad’s early days in New Orleans. The journal includes fun and serious tips for younger hunters and fun details regarding the Puff bounties which were numerous. I recommend this to those who already love the MHI series and as a fun listen to someone who might want to try the series.

Audio Notes: Oliver Wyman does a wonderful job narrating this series. I love his emotional energy as well as his multiple voices. Listening is a wonderfully entertaining experience.

Source: July 2017 Audible Sale $4.95. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goal.

#NetGalley Book Review: Fury: An Urban Fantasy & Mystery (The Fae Awakening Book 1) by Will O'Shire

This is a decent, quick fantasy.

Fury: An Urban Fantasy & Mystery (The Fae Awakening Book 1)
by Will O'Shire

File Size: 6865 KB
Publication Date: November 28, 2018
ASIN: B07KYXXS8V
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Indebted to the Fae council, Hunter investigates crimes committed by Fae beings against humanity, as required by a treaty between the human and Fae worlds. Hunter is secretly building out a large retirement fund by operating an illicit business on the side.
When Hunter returns from a botched theft overseas, he finds out his business partner, George, has taken on a job from an untrustworthy leprechaun. His team must work together to find a monstrous unicorn, covered in a black moving liquid and surrounded by flames, who has destroyed the site of a new energy project and killed several humans, leaving empty holes in their chests.
Along the way, Hunter will have to take on the protection of two young men, Brad and Andy, who have no idea the Fae world exists. They'll follow Hunter rather than risk being alone, meeting many friends, and many enemies they thought only existed in fairy tales.

Review:
Hunter is a human working in a precarious position as a human investigator of Fae crimes against humanity. He works under the watchful eye of the Fae council but still manages to secretly work side jobs (for example, unauthorized thefts) to build a retirement fund so he can exit the Fae world.

Hunter’s partner takes on an assignment from a leprechaun that no one trusts. He isn’t thrilled but the job pays very well. He and his team are to find a monstrous unicorn who is dripping black goo and flames as it kills several humans. Presumably the leprechaun is more concerned because the unicorn has destroyed a work site at one of his investment projects.

Hunter is called in by the police investigator to view the scene of one of the killings where he finds a charred building and a woman killed with a hole in her chest. While watching the video of the attack Hunter notices a specific detail that may help his search for the creature. He also becomes aware of two witnesses, humans Brad and Andy, who do not know about the Fae world. Hunter must protect them as he moves forward with his investigation.

Hunter pulls together his team members to help work on the cases. There is a woman who is a brownie who can be helpful at home until her anger rises. Then there is the bartender who I think is an ogre and a wonderfully beastly creature, Kawa, who reminds the boys of Chewbacca of Star Wars --- or maybe a Yeti? And let’s not forget the help from Henry, the gargoyle.

While Hunter and the team work to track and capture the dangerous unicorn, Hunter is trying to avoid an angry goblin who wants the ‘treasure’ he engaged Hunter to steal. Meanwhile authorities are seeking to question Kawa about some other crimes.

This is a quick, short fantasy that pulled me in. I enjoyed the crazy set of characters and the world building. The specific plot is engaging too – who doesn’t like unicorns? This story reaches an appropriate end although there is a good bit of character history and side issues that remain unanswered for further stories. I recommend this to readers who enjoy Fae related fantasy.

Source: 2018 NetGalley. This qualified for 2018 NetGalley Challenge.

Audible Book Review: Spider Bites by Jennifer Estep

This left me with mixed feelings. It is entertaining with a few positives, but not enough to make me continue the series.

Spider's Bite
Elemental Assassin, Book 1
By: Jennifer Estep
Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang

Series: Elemental Assassin, Book 1
Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-28-10
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South -- when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.
Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way -- good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction... especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.
©2010 Jennifer Estep (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Gin is better known as Spider, a feared assassin. Gin has been honing her skills since she was rescued off the streets by her mentor/handler, Fletcher. Gin is a stone elemental with some Ice magic. Although she has worked with her magic she prefers to rely on her physical dexterity and weapons, particularly knives.

Fletcher has an assignment for Gin even though she is asking for a break. He assures her that this assignment could be the final one and then she can retire. Instead, the job turns into a double cross with the murder framed back to Spider so the evidence can be eliminated with the target. As Spider tries to extricate herself from the job, she comes face to face with Donovan Caine, a hero type detective, whose partner Spider killed.

Fletcher is brutally tortured and slain and Gin has to save his son, Finn, before the Air elemental gets to him. Although Gin is on the run as a murder suspect, she soon has a surprising ally on her side. And the client who hired her has underestimated Spider’s skills and determination.

There is strong action as Spider takes down opponents, usually quickly, leaving bodies in her wake. I liked the premise of the fantasy and the elemental magic skills. I liked the secondary characters -- the older mentor, Fletcher, his young, almost flamboyant son, Finn, and the betrayed cop, Caine, as well as other friends who help Gin when she returns with injuries. I was glad for Caine as so many of the other cops were corrupt, child molesters.

Sadly, I couldn’t embrace Gin/Spider as a character. For a skilled assassin she makes careless mistakes and poor decisions. There are vulnerabilities and caring of those she considers family, but I think I found her just a tad too harsh and cold. That fits her assassin nature but doesn’t make for a warm, empathetic character. I also didn’t care for the sexual aspects of the story. It is mostly primal, pushy lust which is not my thing.

There is unnecessary repetition of trite phrases – descriptions of eyes and body shapes. I did find some humor in the repetitious “sloppy, sloppy, sloppy” and “MMmm” comments. Although the package didn’t quite grab me, there are many positive reviews. I think many urban fantasy fans would enjoy the series. Take a peek at the “inside” sample or listen to the audio sample to see what you think.

Audio Notes: Lauren Fortgang does an interesting job with the narration. I actually like her accents and drawls that fit the female character. I didn’t care for it as much with the ‘rugged detective’ who sounded growly or druggy most of the time. I can’t say the narration hurt the story but it didn’t help make it for me either.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If anyone has read this series I would be curious to know if the writing got more mature as the series continued. What kept you interested?

Source: Audible 2012 Sale purchase. This qualifies for 2018TBR and 2018 Audiobook Challenge.

#NetGalley Book Review: Jack Gilmour: Wish Lawyer by Ed Ryder

This is a fun pulp noir, lawyer tale.

Jack Gilmour: Wish Lawyer
by Ed Ryder

File Size: 1508 KB
Print Length: 108 pages
Publication Date: July 12, 2018
ASIN: B07D91TXQN
Genre: Noir, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Don’t be careful what you wish for, be certain!
Meet Jack Gilmour, Las Vegas’ first and only demonic contract lawyer, protecting people against themselves from offers they can’t refuse.
When a casino owner Eddie Malfitano’s nephew makes a potentially fatal pact to be with a woman he met at a club, the paper trail leads to Lucia Oredis, a powerful demon from Jack’s past. She proposes a deal: to cancel the contract, Jack must investigate a conspiracy in the corridors of demonic power, and help her destroy it.
With time running out and his assistant missing, Jack goes on a quest to solve both mysteries and gets in over his head with both the human and demonic underworld. With only his wits, the Malfitano family and a gambling wizard for help, can Jack save the day and both worlds?

Review:
Jack Gilmour is a Las Vegas attorney specializing in demon contract law. His job is to protect people from entering into contracts with the devil, or, if they have already made a deal he may be able to help get the contract voided. Jack works with some unusual characters to accomplish his goals. One is Sebastian, a wizard who is able to work magic against demonic powers. The other is a powerful, seductress Lucia, a demon of the Inner Circle.

Jack is called upon by a local casino owner to get his nephew out of a poorly chosen deal. The young man might get a night of his dreams but it would most likely be followed by his death. Jack enlists the help of Sebastian and Lucia. Lucia agrees to help but only if Jack agrees to investigate a demonic conspiracy that threatens Lucia’s control as well as human safety. Jack has to infiltrate a demon stronghold to uncover answers. He has to follow one clue to another to unravel the contract and he is racing against time.

I enjoyed the mystery and the noir elements of this story. Jack and Sebastian are likeable characters and even Lucia has a bit of a draw – well she is a temptress demon after all. This is a quick, entertaining read and it supports an adage I often tell my clients: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! I recommend this fun, easy read to those who enjoy noir mystery.

Source: NetGalley 2018. This qualifies for my 2018 NetGalley and 2018 Alphabet Challenges.

#NetGalley Book Review: The Year of the Knife by G.D. Penman

This is strange but entertaining urban fantasy.

The Year of the Knife
by G.D. Penman

File Size: 1827 KB
Print Length: 236 pages
Publisher: Meerkat Press, LLC (November 28, 2017)
ASIN: B074PCTG14
Genre: Alternate History, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
(This does have a f/f romance but I would not call this lesbian romance as it is a side element -- IMO)
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

"An addictive blend of magic and murder noir." -Gareth L. Powell, BSFA award-winning author of Ack-Ack Macaque
Agent "Sully" Sullivan is one of the top cops in the Imperial Bureau of Investigation. A veteran witch of the British Empire who isn’t afraid to use her magical skills to crack a case. But Sully might need more than a good education and raw power to stop the string of grisly murders that have been springing up across the American Colonies. Every one of them marked by the same chilling calling card, a warning in the form of a legion of voices screaming out through the killers' mouths: "It IS tHe YEAr oF the KNife."
Sully’s investigation will drag her away from the comforts of home in New Amsterdam, the beautiful but useless hyacinth macaw that used to be her boss, and the loving arms of her undead girlfriend, in a thrilling race against time, demonic forces and a shadowy conspiracy that will do anything to keep its hold on power and ensure that Sully takes their secrets to her grave, as soon as possible.
G.D. Penman’s imaginative The Year of the Knife is a fun, fast-paced urban fantasy mystery with an engaging set of characters, most notably Agent Sully of the Imperial Bureau of Investigation.

Review:
Sully is a top cop in the Imperial Bureau of Investigation (IBI). She is a tough witch who often uses her magical skills to help solve a case or take down a culprit. Her department is dragged into a grisly investigation in the American Colonies. Bodies seem to be possessed by an evil that sends them on a killing rampage leaving the message "It IS tHe YEAr oF the KNife." Sully's initial confrontations with the killers don’t go well. She keeps trying to save the civilians and even the possessed killers, but the results aren’t working out as she ends up with serious collateral damage.

Although Sully is strongly dedicated to her work chasing down monster criminals, she has issues with her IBI office recognizing the political problems that exist. The prior Director, whose name no one can remember, has been turned into a Macaw nesting in his office which has been commandeered by the current Deputy Director. Like the missing name spell, there is a key word that is hidden by powerful magic that is hindering the investigation.

Sully first seeks the help of a rather ghoulish (in a twisted fun character) coroner who loves experimenting with the corpses brought in for autopsy. When Raavi can only provide limited information, Sully pulls in a master magician and even consults with a demon trapped in a doll (shades of Chucky or Annabelle).

In her personal life Sully is trying to keep it under wraps that she is hooking up with her former lover who is now a vampire – a species generally killed off or exiled. Marie gives encouragement to Sully but also puts her mission at risk.

The story is full of action with magic and monsters. This is a bit zany as it bounces from murder scene to consulting scene. The dialogue is snarky and fun. Sully's sexual orientation is upfront and her relationship with Marie is an interesting side thread that is nicely handled. My favorite extra element is the alternate reality/history which is revealed slowly at first, emerging more strongly as the book progresses.

My last note on the reading was “How do authors think up this crazy stuff?” I do recommend this to readers who like urban fantasy and want something out of the ordinary.

Source: NetGalley 2017. This qualifies for 2018TBR, NetGalley and Alphabet Challenges.

Audible Book Review: Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire

This has good elements for urban fantasy but didn’t grab me.
Discount Armageddon
InCryptid, Book 1
By: Seanan McGuire
Narrated by: Emily Bauer
Series: InCryptid, Book 1

Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 11-20-12
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Urban Fantasy
My Rating: Story and Audio: 3.75 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Ghoulies. Ghosties. Long-legged beasties. Things that go bump in the night....
The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity - and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and is spending a year in Manhattan while she pursues her career in professional ballroom dance. Sounds pretty simple, right? It would be, if it weren't for the talking mice, the telepathic mathematicians, the asbestos supermodels, and the trained monster-hunter sent by the Price family's old enemies, the Covenant of St. George.
When a Price girl meets a Covenant boy, high stakes, high heels, and a lot of collateral damage are almost guaranteed. To complicate matters further, local cryptids are disappearing, strange lizard-men are appearing in the sewers, and someone's spreading rumors about a dragon sleeping underneath the city....
©2012 Seanan McGuire (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Verity Price is from a long line of monster hunters who broke away from the original Covenant of St. George. The Covenant believes in killing all monsters whether they are predators or not. The Price family line realized that some cryptids (other than human) are harmless and innocent. The Price family now train as cryptozoologists who study the cryptids, protecting them instead of killing them. They still need to defend themselves and the criptids so they train in all sorts of battle skills and weaponry. Verity’s favorite method of training is through dance but her family will only let her participate in dance under an assumed name and if she can show she still manages her true family purpose.

Verity has gained the privilege to be away from the family, living in Manhatten with a wonderful collection of special talking mice who love to Hail a new celebration almost every day. Verity works as a waitress at a local strip bar which is owned by a boogeyman. She participates in local dance contests hoping to advance to regional and national contests.

Verity stumbles into a trap set by a Covenant hunter in town scouting the monster situation. Their first encounter is less than friendly although they soon find themselves working together to help find local criptids who are going missing. Dominic and Verity encounter lizard-men in the sewer while investigating the missing women and a rumor about a dragon under the city.

I was drawn to the description of various monsters and monster hunters. There is plenty of action but for some reason I had trouble connecting with the main character. I don’t know if it was her portrayal as a young, rather careless warrior or the audio presentation just didn’t jive for me. I liked the secondary characters including Dominic, the Covenant hunter, and Verity’s friend/cousin Sara, a telepathic mathematician. There was more sexual discussion that I like, which isn’t unusual for the genre. As the story moved along I did enjoy the danger and the rescues. Although there are good elements for a strong beginning to an urban fantasy series, it just didn’t get me enthused. There are mixed reviews so take a peek at the inside of the ebook or listen to the sample and see if you want to give it a try.

Audio Notes: Emily Bauer provides a perky presentation with sometimes nasally and whiney sound. She does provide distinct character voices and energy. Still, the narration didn’t make the package work for me.

Source: 2016 Audible Credit Purchase after I saw this at Book Haven. This qualifies for 2018 TBR and Audiobook Challenge.

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.

Start Listening Now

Audible
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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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Book Review: Oberon's Meaty Mysteries: The Squirrel on the Train by Kevin Hearne

This is a very fun quick mystery story.

Oberon's Meaty Mysteries: The Squirrel on the Train
by Kevin Hearne

File Size: 560 KB
Print Length: 120 pages
Publisher: Subterranean Press (November 30, 2017)
ASIN: B076JB7YKH
Genre: Animals, Mystery, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Oberon the Irish wolfhound is off to Portland to smell all the things with canine companions, and, of course, his human, ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan. The first complication is an wolfhound Orlaith and Boston terrier Starbuck unmistakable sign of sinister agendas afoot: a squirrel atop the train. But an even more ominous situation is in store when the trio plus Atticus stumble across a murder upon arrival at the station. They recognize Detective Gabriela Ibarra, who’s there to investigate. But they also recognize the body—or rather that the body is a doppelganger for Atticus himself. The police, hampered by human senses of smell and a decided lack of canine intuition, obviously can’t handle this alone. Not with Atticus likely in danger. Oberon knows it’s time to investigate once more—for justice! For gravy! And possibly greasy tacos!
Alongside his faithful Druid, Oberon and the other loyal hounds navigate by nose through Portland to find a bear-shifter friend with intel, delicious clues at the victim’s home, and more squirrels. Always more squirrels!
But will our hungry band of heroes be able to identify the culprit before someone else is murdered? Will there be mystery meat in gravy as a reward or tragedy in store for the world’s (or at least the Pacific Northwest’s) greatest dog detective?
Like its predecessor The Purloined Poodle, the latest of Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries, The Squirrel on the Train, is not to be missed by fans of Kevin Hearne’s New York Times best-selling Iron Druid series.

Review:
This is a fun, easy adventure with Oberon, the Irish wolfhound who keeps company with Iron Druid, Atticus. Atticus is taking Oberon and his friends, wolfhound Orlaith and Boston terrier Starbuck, on the train to Portland where they can have a run. Initially the dogs are distressed because there is a squirrel on the train. The dogs are convinced that all squirrels have an evil plan against dogs and humans.

They all get distracted when they get to the station and find a body that looks an awful lot like Atticus. Detective Gabriela Ibarra, who has worked with Atticus before, is there to investigate. Since Atticus isn’t official to help, he and the dogs join in unofficially with the dogs using their noses to hunt down clues.

The story is told from Oberon’s doggy brain, acknowledging that he doesn’t understand time where 10 minutes might be 10 hours or years for all the dog knows. And of course they get distracted by food, not to mention the squirrels.

This made me want to pick up the series where I left off (at Book 5). If you have never read this series I recommend it for fun and excitement. This is just a short side story but could be read to get a feel for the characters and a taste of the author’s writing. It should give a reason to smile.

I received this from NetGalley. This qualifies for my 2017 NetGalley Challenge.

Audible Book Review: Skinwalker: Jane Yellowrock, Book 1 by Faith Hunter

I really enjoyed this shapeshifter story.

Skinwalker: Jane Yellowrock, Book 1
By Faith Hunter
Narrated By Khristine Hvam

Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins
Series: Jane Yellowrock, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:04-13-10
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind - a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she's been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie's Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who's killing other vamps.
©2009 Faith Hunter (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Jane Yellowrock is a unique creature- skinwalker of Cherokee descent. She can transform into other creatures but her primary figure is the “beast” that shares her soul. Jane has developed a reputation for her successful career in hunting vampires. In this modern-day vampire community the “vamps”, as Jane somewhat disdainfully calls them, are out of the closet. They are bound by certain rules regarding blood slaves and protecting innocents from rogue killers. The vampire hierarchy have hired Jane to track and eliminate a rogue vampire that is leaving brutalized bodies in his wake.

Jane has found the rogue but discovers that the killer has more in common with her than a vampire gone bad. She can smell death on him…not just the death of victims but the rogue’s own decay.

Jane has to disable spy cameras and watch her back as there are others following her as she tracks and gathers clues. Several men seem to be interested in Jane physically and one of the major vampire family heads is pushing hard to learn her secrets.

The rogue causes damage close to Jane’s temporary home and he appears to be accelerating out of control. Jane is racing to meet the deadline and get the bounty bonus. But when the dust has settled, Jane has made a major a new enemy who is set on eliminating her, no matter who or what she is.

The story gives a bit of Jane’s childhood background so the reader gets to know how she has developed her current K-A, self reliant attitude. The beast senses enhance Jane's own keen senses and skills just as her “beast” weapons add to Jane’s full pack of human weapons. There is plenty of action and I liked the POV switch offs between Jane and her “beast.” Jane also has some witch friends, a mother and a precocious child, who will make good additions as support characters. I will be glad to pick up more in this series for future entertainment.

Audio Notes: Khristine Hvam does a fine job with the narration. She pulls in the southern accents and different voices for the elite vampires, the cops and the secondary support. I also enjoyed the beast narration. I will continue to listen to this series.

I picked this from my Audible TBR. It qualifies for Mount TBR, Audiobook Challenge and for "S" in Alphabet Challenge.

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: Shadow Sight: Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective Series

This is a great introduction to Ivy and her world of magical and fae creatures.

Shadow Sight: Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective Series

Written by: E. J. Stevens

Narrated by: Traci Odom

Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
Series: Ivy Granger, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:04-24-13
Publisher: E.J. Stevens
Genre: Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Some things are best left unseen...
Welcome to Harborsmouth, where monsters walk the streets unseen by humans...except those with second sight, like Ivy Granger.
Ivy Granger's second sight is finally giving her life purpose. Ivy and her best friend Jinx may not be raking in the dough, but their psychic detective agency pays the bills - most of the time. Their only worry is the boredom of a slow day and the occasional crazy client - until a demon walks through their door. Demons are never a good sign...
A demon attorney representing the water fae? Stranger things have happened. And things are about to get very, very strange as a bloodthirsty nightmare hunts the city of Harborsmouth.
There's blood in the water...kelpies have a reputation for eating humans. Unfortunately, kelpies are the clients. When an Unseelie faerie this evil stalks the waterways of your city, you have to make hard choices.
The lesser of two evils...
Shadow Sight is the first novel in the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens.
©2012 E. J. Stephens (P)2013 E. J. Stephens

Review:
This book introduces the series for Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective. Ivy is careful what she touches as she gets images of the history and location of objects or people related to them. Unlike most humans in Harborsmouth, Ivy knows there are monsters and other magical creatures living among us. Ivy has second sight and, with the help of her roommate and first-rate assistant, Jinx, they have opened a psychic detective agency that specializes in finding lost objects … or people… including those of a non-human nature. Things are plodding along in the office when a demon visits to engage Ivy’s services. He has been sent as the lawyer for the kelpies to find and retrieve the bridle of the kelpie king. It appears that an evil tribe of rival Unseelie have captured the bridle with the king. Whoever holds the bridle controls the kelpie king so his own people can’t even fight against the evil that controls him.

Ivy must find as many allies as she can in the magical and fae realm if they want a chance to defeat the evil that will otherwise feed on the creatures, human and other, as they swarm into Harborsmouth. Ivy starts with her friend Kaye who is an aging but still powerful witch. Kaye directs her to other local fae and Ivy must figure out what deal she has to make with each fae group to gain their assistance and agreement to support the defense of the city.

I have listened to books three and four so I was familiar with many of these characters. Still, I appreciated starting at the beginning to meet the characters as they are introduced. I especially liked learning more about Kaye’s hearth brownie, Hob, and the initially scruffy and dismal looking troll child, Marvin. This story also begins the romance between Ivy and Ceffyl, the Kelpie King.

Ms. Stevens has done a great job of world building, creating many fae communities which each have their own strengths, weaknesses and rules and all insist on a deal that exchanges some favor for their participation. The story is told first person from Ivy’s view, complete with snark and sincere emotions. The characters are fun and the story full of deals and action that kept me listening.

Audio Notes: Traci Odom does a fine job with the narration, picking up different voices and conveying the emotions and dangers. I enjoyed listening to this as it moves quickly and easily.

Reviews of earlier books:
Burning Bright: Ivy Granger Book 3 by E.J. Stevens
Birthright: Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective, Book 4 by E.J. Stevens 
Coming up this month Hound's Bite, Book 5

I received this Audiobook from the Author. This qualifies for 2017Audiobook Challenge.

You have a chance to pick up Shadow Sight for free by checking here at Ivy Granger World Blog.

Book Review: Bookburners by Max Gladstone, Mur Lafferty, Brian Francis Slattery, Margaret Dunlap

This is a fun read - a squad fighting magic by confiscating the books that let the monsters out.
Bookburners
by Max Gladstone, Mur Lafferty, Brian Francis Slattery, Margaret Dunlap

File Size: 2920 KB
Print Length: 800 pages
Publisher: Serial Box (January 24, 2017)
ASIN: B01N0SKM0F
Genre: Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Magic is real, and hungry. It’s trapped in ancient texts and artifacts, and only a few who discover it survive to fight back. Detective Sal Brooks is a survivor. She joins a Vatican-backed black-ops anti-magic squad—Team Three of the Societas Librorum Occultorum—and together they stand between humanity and the magical apocalypse. Some call them the Bookburners. They don’t like the label.
Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in a fast-paced, kickass character driven novel chock-full of magic, mystery, and mayhem, written collaboratively by a team of some of the best writers working in fantasy.
Originally presented serially in 16 episodes, this omnibus collects all installments of Bookburners Season One into one edition.

Review:
This book tells the tales of a squad known as the Bookburners. Thank goodness they don’t really burn books – well at least Team 3 doesn’t. They capture the magical books that allow monsters, usually evil and harmful, out to hurt the world.

The reader first meets Detective Sal Brooks when her brother shows up at her home with a strange book. The next thing Sal knows people are knocking on her door looking for her brother. The strangers burst into her apartment and she experiences a warp in time as her brother vanishes. Sal joins ‘the team’ to find her brother and soon learns that things are much stranger than she knew.

The team is based out of the Vatican and consists of a Menchu, a priest, Asanti, an archivist, Liam, a computer whiz, Grace, a fierce monster fighter (with secrets) and now Sal, an observant and determined detective. Actually, they all have secrets from their pasts that resulted in them being selected or recruited to Team 3. There are other teams who may be called in if Team 3 can’t contain the situation or if there needs to be clean up after Team 3 captures the book and shuts down the demon it contains.

The book consists of 16 Episodes which were apparently originally released in serial form. Combining them made this a bit long (at least for me) but I liked reading all of the adventures together. The episodes tell different assignment adventures running chronologically. There are four authors but the episodes flow well together. Although several of the monsters are very strange, there were only two episodes that I found really bizarre. One of those was a trip into a very strange ‘hellish’ realm.

I really liked the characters, whose traits, quirks and vulnerabilities are revealed though the assignments with each getting a time when their strengths are ‘showcased’. The interactions of the team add engagement beyond the monster fighting action. I found myself rooting for them to work things out together and to overcome the enemies within their own organization. This is a bit zany but a lot of fun. I recommend it to readers who like monster hunting adventures served up with humor.

I received this title through NetGalley. It qualifies for 2017 NetGalley Challenge, 2017 Mount TBR and “B” in Alphabet Challenge.

Audible Review: Silence Fallen: A Mercy Thompson Novel, Book 10 by Patricia Briggs

This is wonderful entertainment and my only disappointment was that it ended.

Silence Fallen: A Mercy Thompson Novel, Book 10
Written by: Patricia Briggs
Narrated by: Lorelei King, George Newbern

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
Series: Mercy Thompson, Book 10
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:03-07-17
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Adventure, Romance
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
In the New York Times best-selling Mercy Thompson novels, the coyote shapeshifter has found her voice in the werewolf pack. But when Mercy's bond with the pack - and her mate - is broken, she'll learn what it truly means to be alone....
Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form Mercy escapes - only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe.
Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise....
©2017 Patricia Briggs (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Review:
Mercy has died at the hands of her step-daughter… as a merciless pirate in a computer game. She heads off to the local corner market to pick up supplies for cookies. Before she can return home she is brutally attacked and kidnapped. One of the most powerful vampires in the world, from Italy, was told that Mercy was the power behind the Tri-Cities coalition of werewolves, fae, gnomes and other supernatural creatures. He doesn’t exactly believe this when the attack to capture her nearly kills her.

Mercy awakes in a foreign place. Although it appears that her ‘host’, Iacopo aka Joseph, has set her up for a failed escape, she manages to surprise the master vampire and his unusual, enslaved drone. Mercy escapes in coyote form, finally arriving in Prague with no clothes, no money and unsure of any safe allies. The pack and mating bond aren’t strong enough to reach half-way across the world. As she walks in the shadows of the streets, Mercy comes upon the Golem of Prague who gets to serve an important role further into to story.

When Adam feels the loss of his mating bond with Mercy, he races to find her and discovers the scene of her attack. He knows she has been kidnapped but has no idea what condition she is in. Mercy’s vampire friend, Stephan, also feels the bond loss and meets Adam at the crime scene. They contact Marsilia, the mistress of the local vampires and are soon ‘invited’ to travel to Italy to be reunited with Mercy. Marsilia and Adam each get to bring two companions plus the pilot and copilot. Marsilia brings Stephan and the head of the goblins, Larry. Adam brings Honey, a strong female from his pack, and his employed, powerful witch, Elizaveta. Adam calls Charles, from Mercy’s childhood pack, to be their pilot, but due to political reasons, her adoptive father, Bran, has separated his ties and is not willing to allow Charles to go. They send a different pilot, another goblin, and a co-pilot who appears to be a submissive wolf.

The story alternates between the POVs of Mercy and Adam as they are separated. I enjoyed the interesting character dynamics particularly from Adam and his team as Adam attempts to remain calm in the negotiations with Joseph. Mercy has to deal with some ghostly elements and unfamiliar packs. She needs all of her usual resourcefulness to wade through her dark misadventures. The chapters are not chronologically sequenced and are introduced by Mercy giving the reader audience a summary of the event setting. Rather than interrupting the flow of the story, this actually adds some priceless Mercy satirical humor.

There are interesting political, philosophical and social musings, including bits of coyote lore, and Golem folklore, woven into this story. Briggs does a masterful job of creating a plot that shares pack and ally dynamics and emotions amid the tense, dangerous situations.

The mixture of suspense, action, humor, romance and emotional dynamics makes this a great series. I stayed up a few hours I should have been sleeping so I could keep listening. Then I was sorry when it ended. I highly recommend this series, starting from the beginning!

Audio Notes: Lorelei King always does a suburb job with the narration of this series. I love her character voices and how she matches the personalities as I believe the author intends. George Newbern was a surprising addition. Unlike many other reviewers, I found George’s performance an okay touch even if I did miss Lorelei’s male voices that we have become accustomed. I love this series in audio.

This is a must listen series for me so I had to get it when it became available. :-) This qualifies for my 2017 Audio Challenge.

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.

Giveaway Celebrating Audiobook Month and Audio Release of Birthright, Ivy Granger Book 4

[Please see the prior post for MBS review of Burning Bright, Ivy Granger Book 3. Review of Birthright will be posted tomorrow.]
FROM E.J. Stevens:
Happy Audiobook Month!  To celebrate Audiobook Month and the audio release of BIRTHRIGHT, the fourth full-length novel in the award-winning Ivy Granger urban fantasy series, we're giving away an Ivy Granger swag pack.

Birthright (Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective #4) by E.J. Stevens, narrated by Melanie Mason and Anthony Bowling.

Being a faerie princess isn't what 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.


BTS Red Carpet Award winner for Best Novel, finalist for Best Cover, PRG Reviewer's Choice Award finalist for Best Urban Fantasy Series, and winner of the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Urban Fantasy Novel.

Buy Now at Amazon, iTunes, Audible UK, and Audible.

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Whispersync for Voice Ready

Add to Goodreads.

About the Author:

E.J. Stevens is the author of the HUNTERS' GUILD urban fantasy series,the SPIRIT GUIDE young adult series, the award-winning IVY GRANGER urban fantasy series, and the upcoming the DARK ARCANA urban fantasy series.She is known for filling pages with quirky characters, bloodsucking vampires, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines.

BTS Red Carpet Award winner for Best Novel, and winner of the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Fantasy Novel, Best YoungAdult Paranormal Series, Best Urban Fantasy Novel, and finalist for Best Young Adult Paranormal Novel and Best Urban Fantasy Series.

When E.J. isn't at her writing desk she enjoys dancing along seaside cliffs, singing in graveyards, and sleeping in faerie circles. E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.

About the Narrators:

Melanie A. Mason is a voice actress known for Ghost Hunt, Fairy Tale, Blassreiter, and Case Closed.
Anthony Bowling is a voice actor knownfor Samurai 7, Baka and Test, Sekirei, Ultimate Otaku Teacher, Is This A Zombie?, and The Devil is a Part-Timer.

Birthright Audiobook Release Swag Giveaway

We are giving away a button, pen, custom earbuds, and a signed Birthright mini poster to one lucky winner!

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is international.  Giveaway ends June 29, 2016.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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!

Audible Book Review: Fire Touched: Mercy Thompson Series, Book 9, by Patricia Briggs

Another warm and engaging installment to this strong series. 
Fire Touched: Mercy Thompson Series, Book 9
Written by: Patricia Briggs
Narrated by: Lorelei King

Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
Series: Mercy Thompson, Book 9
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:03-08-16
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy,
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Mercy Thompson has been hailed as "a heroine who continues to grow and yet always remains true to herself."* Now she's back, and she'll soon discover that when the fae stalk the human world, it's the children who suffer....
Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.
Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?
*Library Journal
©2016 Hurog, Inc. (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Review:
Mercy, a coyote shapeshifter, and her mate, Adam, the Alpha of the Tri-Cities Werewolf pack, are called in by the local authorities to help stop a rampaging monster on one of the city’s bridges. They don’t know exactly what they are dealing with until it is described to them. Mercy’s guess that it is a troll are confirmed when they arrive on site to stop the creature who is killing humans and playing crash with the cars. Although there are three werewolves and Joel, the fire-god dog, in the battle the troll is not easy to take down.

Mercy had promised not to step into danger but has to weigh that promise against the need to save a mother and infant trapped in a car not far from the troll. Mercy takes the risk to help others and places herself in the path of the troll. Surprisingly she has a few tricks that help but she is facing death when the enraged troll is brought down by the Joel in the crazed fire-god dog form. The out of control dog is a danger, even though it is part of the pack until a child steps onto the bridge and calms the dog.

The boy, Aiden, looks like a child but in fact is hundreds of years old. He was stolen by the fae and has recently escaped with the help of two of Mercy’s fae friends. He is seeking sanctuary which Mercy grants short term in exchange for the help he has given.

Mercy wasn’t fully aware of Aiden’s fire-touched powers or the fact that other fae will attack to try to get to him. Adam and Mercy commit their pack to protect the child even as he causes havoc in their home. The pack has also been set up as the protector of the humans in 'their territory'. The Greylords of the fae are prepared to engage in full out war with the pack unless a treaty can be reached. Fortunately, not all the fae want to destroy the humans and Mercy has powerful friends willing to step up and offer help in negotiating a way out of this mess.

Once again Ms. Briggs presents the magic warmth of Mercy, with the strength of her pack and friends, in a setting that mixes love, humor, conflict and action. I like the strong pack dynamics displayed by the care and loyalty to their own and those they claim as theirs. The strong bond between Mercy and Adam is a plus and even the conflicts with Mercy's step-father added an interesting element. The story is creative and engaging and I have enjoyed the 'specialness' of the walking stick in Mercy's life. I was only sorry it ended too quickly.

Fans of the Mercy Thompson series should enjoy this installment. If you haven’t read the series yet I recommend that new readers start at the beginning to learn all of the characters and relationship developments… not to mention enjoying all of the dangerous adventures.

Audio Notes: Lorelei King is the voice of this series! She does an impressive, excellent job with the various character accents as well as delivering the tone and intensity of the actions. I always love to listen to books narrated by Lorelei.

I picked this up with a February Audible credit. It qualifies for my Audiobook Challenge and “F” in Alphabet Soup Challenge.