Hexed by Kevin Hearne

Author: Kevin Hearne

Title: Hexed

Publication: June 7, 2011

Publisher: Del Rey

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Pages: 320

Audience: 18 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty—when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.

With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor’s rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

My thoughts:

 I love this series. My husband and I are going to a book reading and signing to see Kevin Hearne, and three other authors at the end of this month. I'm trying to read them all before then, so I may review them all before then. Please bear with me.
Atticus is at it again. This time he has two weirdos following him, a coven of witches out to kill him, and a group of Bacchus worshipers ready to burn down the town.  All the while he is trying to grow back his ear, please the Morrigan and Flidais, train his padawan, and run his bookstore. However, Mr. O'Sullivan cannot stay out of trouble, even after he defeated Aengus Og. Even the trickster Coyote ropes him into helping him with a demon problem. There is plenty of humor mixed in. There are so many shenanigans he gets into. I love his Irish Wolfhound, Oberon- he is the best comedic relief as is his neighbor the Widow MacDonagh. She had me rolling in the scene where Atticus is attacked by two witches at her house. There is a enough drama, comedy, and action to keep you from putting this book down. Seriously, if you love to laugh, love urban fantasy- check this book out NOW!

Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles #1) by Kevin Hearne

Author: Kevin Hearne
Title:  Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles #1)
Publication: May 3, 2011
Publisher: Del Ray
Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 320
Audience: 17 and up
Rating: 5 out of 5
Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Atticus O'Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old--when in actuality, he's twenty-one "centuries" old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.
Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he's hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power--plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish--to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

My thoughts: 

My husband pestered me until I picked up the first book and read through it. I really could not put this book down or stop laughing at it. The characters are well rounded and develop really well in this first book of the series. The main character Atticus O’Sullivan is the last of his kind. He is a real life druid and is really old…over 2000 years old in fact. He can speak to his dog, the Irish Wolfhound, Oberon, who is hilarious! There is of course Atticus’s neighbors who had a dash of humor. Oh and his lawyers, one is a vampire and the other is a werewolf. They are able to work together because they both hate Thor (I do too. He is such a drunken jerk, we aren’t talking about the Marvel Thor either.). There is plenty of laughter, drama, and mystery. If you are a fan of paranormal, urban fantasies this is a MUST read! I am trying to squeeze in time to read the next novel, Hexed, which I may do after I finish writing this. I also want to add a word about the author, Kevin Hearne. This dude is amazing. My husband reached out to him on Facebook and Kevin Hearne actually wrote him a response and thanked him for being a fan. He is so kind and he gives you information on his website on how to contact him. We have a trip planned in October to see him in Georgia for a day. I cannot wait, but now I have to read all seven of the books before then!

Audio Review: Wail of the Banshees by Robert Poulin

Title: Wail of the Banshees

Author: Robert Poulin

Narrator: Bodine Boling

Publisher: Ghost Watch Publishing

Format: Unabridged Audio

Length: 8hrs 54mins

Publication: November 21, 2013

Source: Author

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Audience: 18+

Amazon |B&N|Goodreads

Synopsis: 
My name is Veronika Kane and dying, dying was just the beginning.

How was I supposed to know that getting smashed on my 21st birthday would lead me to becoming the 9th victim of a serial killer that's been stalking Philadelphia's streets for months? Now I'm a ghost and unlife is pretty scary. Reapers, wraiths, ghouls, gargoyles: all of the monsters that I thought were storybook characters are real! On top of it all, the powers that be in the ghost world want to enslave me and use me in their own diabolical plot to manipulate the people of the living world. Too bad I didn't turn out to be the kind of ghost they wanted me to be, and I'm not about to let them turn me into one of their puppets. These ghosts are responsible for my murder and the murders of eight other women. 

A rebellion is coming, and the ghosts that run this place are about to find out just how big a mistake they made when they had me killed. 

My name is Veronika Kane and being murdered isn't the end of my story. 

My Thoughts: This is the incredible story of Veronika Kane's journey to make the best of her second chance and to destroy the man who killed her. Veronika Kane's mortal life ends and her unlife begins, and she makes the most of it. From the beginning it was easy to tell that Veronika is something special. She is determined and observant, these two traits serve her well as the story progresses. Veronika finds trouble at every turn; by following her instincts she finds unlike allies and great powers. 

I was very impressed with this story. Immediately I was drawn into limbo with Veronika. I love characters like her. She is tough and relentless yet compassionate. I did not want to stop listening to the audio. I found myself carrying it around with me everywhere. 

This is an unabridged single-voiced audio. Bodine Boling does an excellent job at differentiating each character. She utilizes accents, tone, inflection, and tempo. Boling brought life to the characters. I felt as if Veronika was speaking directly to me. Pace is maintained throughout the productions and the plot flow without interruption. The original work lends well to audio format. 

Birds of Prey: Of Like Minds

Author: Gail Simone
Illustrators: Ed Benes, Alex Lei, Rob Lea

Title:Birds of Prey: Of Like Minds

Publication: March 1, 2004

Publisher: DC

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book

Pages: 144

Audience: 16 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): After being paralyzed from the waist down, former Batgirl Barbara Gordon took on the persona of information cyber lord oracle and began a successful crime-fighting partnership with the Black Canary.
But when the two femmes fatales are confronted by Savant, a villain whose physical and mental abilities equal their own, they become drawn into a deadly and elaborate trap. Now with the madman holding Black Canary hostage, Oracle- who reluctantly enlists the aid of the Huntress- must choose between revealing Batman's secret identity to her captor and saving the life of her friend and partner.

My thoughts:
Gail Simone is one of my favorite comic book writers. I also follow her on Twitter and she is hilarious and extremely opinionated. Either way, the lady can write. I'm not sure if this is volume three, or if she took over and made it her own. Amazon claims it is volume 1, Goodreads says volume 3. I feel like it could be a continuation of Chuck Dixon's story, but starting in this graphic novel, Black Canary knows who the Oracle is. Either way, I believe this is where the story really picks up. I gave the other two a 4 out of 5, but I could not put this book down! I was taking a 15 minute break at work, and accidentally took a longer break because I was reading. 
This story adds a more human aspect to the characters. Even though they are superheroes, they are still  human and can get hurt. It also deals with relationships- business, romantic, friendship. It just made the storyline more rounded. No matter what number in the timeline, this graphic novel falls in, it is a perfect stand alone graphic novel and I highly recommend it!

 

Li'l Gotham Volume 1

Authors: Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen
Illustrator: Dustin Nguyen

Title: Li'l Gotham Volume 1

Publication: February 25, 2014

Publisher: DC

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comic Book

Pages: 128

Audience: 10 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from the cover): Life in the big city just got crazier with this year-round all-ages holiday fun, featuring Batman and all of his adorable allies and adversaries! Crimefighting and celebrating go hand-in-hand in Gotham with Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, The Penguin, The Joker, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and more!

My thoughts:

 I have been waiting since September or October for the trade of this graphic novel to come out! It was sooooo precious! I'm not sure every character stays in the "li'l" format, but this is the cleanest novel I have ever read. I would share it with a younger audience. It is really perfect for all ages. I love corny jokes and puns, and this comic was filled to the brim with them- I laughed through the entire book. The artwork appeared to be done in watercolor, which was beautiful, but at times lacked in detail or was a bit faint. However, when you are making all your characters little, I guess small details can be forgiven.
If you are looking for a clean read or a place to jump start into comics, this one is perfect!

Review & Excerpt: Atlas by Becca C. Smith

Title: Atlas

Author: Becca C. Smith

Publication: November 16th 2013

Publisher: Red Frog Publishing

Source: Author

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Audience: 18+

Amazon|B&N|Goodreads

Synopsis:
Kala Hicks never imagined she’d be fighting demons, angels and gods when she joined the Navy.  But when her elite covert military team is on a mission aboard Air Force One and Kala is forced to shoot the President her life changes forever.

The moment the President is killed the Titan god, Atlas, speaks to Kala, telling her that she has to do his job by committing one act of atrocity every four days… or the world will end. Kala faces off against creatures of legend; from demons determined to make her fail and plunge the Earth into chaos, to angels who don’t trust her to do the job and are willing to kill her to claim it for themselves.

Pitted against the forces of good and evil, Kala must choose whether to save the world by doing the unthinkable, or sit back and let it burn. 

Four days later, she’ll have to do it again.

My Thoughts: This is a great read. I was hooked from the first chapter. Kala has incredible instincts and she needs to listen to them more. Her life and relationships are complicated. This is all by her choosing, although, I don't think she is aware that she actually made a choice. Kala is thrust into an extraordinary situation that she is well suited for. Kala is faced with saving her true love or saving the world which will she choose?  Pick up this breathtaking read and enjoy the ride. It will not disappoint. 

Excerpt:

Excerpt End of Chapter 3:

Very carefully, Jack opened the door that led to the President’s office.

What awaited them was terrifying.

President Jareth Wilton stood behind his desk. He was wearing a vest that held five grey bars of C-4 wired into a bomb. Wilton was a tall man, well over six feet with stark black hair and a long face. He was a young President, only fifty years old, but he looked like he’d aged twenty years since the last time Kala had seen him at a press conference, with dark rings under his eyes and worry lines on his forehead.

But his smile was what made the scene surreal and horrific. His thin lips were grinning as if he’d just climbed Mt. Everest.

President Wilton stared directly at Jack as the door swung open the rest of the way. “I figured it out! I figured out how to break it! No one will ever have to do what I’ve had to do again! Do you realize what this means?”

Kala knew then and there that the man was cracked. Figured what out? Break what? He was rambling like a mad man.

But the more frightening moment came when Jack responded back to Wilton. “Killing yourself is impossible. People have tried that in the past.”

Not only was President Wilton talking crazy, but apparently Jack knew his language and was responding accordingly.

Kala noticed that Wilton’s eyes lit up when Jack spoke. “You’re the one they sent to replace me.”

Jack nodded.

What? Kala was seriously confused.            

Kala spoke up, “What’s going on Jack?”

Replace him for what?

Jack didn’t acknowledge Kala or the rest of the team, which was shifting uncomfortably behind him.

Wilton shook his head, serious. “You can’t do it. You have to let me detonate this bomb. We have to crash the plane! It’s the only way to stop it!”

“You can’t stop it!” Jack yelled back.

“I can and I will!” Wilton talked into an earpiece. “NOW!”

The plane nose-dived.

Everyone jolted forward and stumbled from the force of it.

Jack barked orders, “Lali get up to the Flight Deck and by any means necessary take over this plane!”

Lali paused for a second, she looked more confused than Kala felt, but after a moment to gain her bearings as the plane was falling fast, she managed to high-tail it out of the room and up to the Flight Deck.

Kala was sure they’d hit ground at any moment.

Jack aimed his gun at the President’s head.

Wilton was frantic. He ducked behind his large oak desk that was bolted to the ground.

“You can’t kill me! You’ll ruin everything!” Wilton yelled.

Jack turned to Kala and Derek. “No one shoots him but me!”

Kala kind of nodded, but she was in shock at the fact that they were about to flatten a part of the capital with Air Force One. She really didn’t care what Jack was saying. She couldn’t let President Wilton set off that bomb and kill thousands.

Jack shot at the desk, trying to hit the president, but he didn’t come close.

Only Kala could make a shot like that and not get them all killed from shooting a hole through the plane.

Kala and Derek made eye contact. Kala could tell Derek was thinking the same thing. He whispered so only Kala could hear, “Do it.”

Kala’s nod was barely perceptible.

Jack saw her and his eyes went wide. “Kala STOP!”

Kala shrugged. “I can’t let him do this, Jack. I’m sorry.”

Only the top of Wilton’s head was showing.

It was enough.

      Kala took her shot.

Author Bio:

Becca C. Smith received her Film degree from Full Sail University and has worked in the Film and Television industry for most of her adult life. In 2010 Becca published her first novel, Riser followed by the sequel, Reaper, in 2011, and the finale, Ripper in 2013. In 2012 Becca wrote the children’s novel Alexis Tappendorf and the Search for Beale’s Treasure. She is also the co-author of the teen graphic novel Ghost Whisperer: The Haunted. Becca currently lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husband, Stephan and their two cats Jack and Duke.

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Audio Review: The Strangers by Jacqueline West

Title: The Strangers (The Books of Elsewhere Vol 4)
Author: Jacqueline West
Narrator: Lexy Fridell
Publication: July 16, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Source: Audiobook Jukebox
Genre: Children
Length: 7 Hours 14 minutes
Format: Unabridged Audio
Rating: 5 of 5

Amazon|Book Website|Author Website|Goodreads

Synopsis: 
Olive thought she'd uncovered all the house's secrets. She was wrong.

It's Halloween night when strangers come to Linden Street...and something dear to Olive goes missing. To what lengths will she go to get it back? Can she trust the strangers? Will she turn to a new and dangerous magic within the paintings of Elsewhere? Or will she put her faith in her own worst enemies to save the people and home she loves?

The stakes grow higher, the secrets more dangerous, and mystery and magic abound as Olive, the boys, and the cats uncover the true nature of the house on Linden Street. A must-read fantasy series for fans of Pseudonymous Bosch, Coraline, and Septimus Heap. 

My Thoughts: Jacqueline West continues Olives adventures with this newest installment of the Books of Elsewhere series. With each book West takes you deeper in the the world of witches. Olive sees Halloween as an excellent opportunity to get the cats and Morton out of this house. A frightening thing happens during their little excursion and when Olive returns home her most prized possessions are gone. Olive will do whatever is necessary to get her possession back. In the process more secrets are revealed. 

Lexy Fridell is an excellent narrator and Jacqueline West has given her a magnificent platform to display her skills. This is a single voiced  unabridged production. The differentiation between each character is distinct and makes it simple to recognize each character. Each character is brought to life threw Fridell's narration. I continue to be impressed with Fridell and her prowess as a narrator. I love that Penguin Audio has continued to keep the same narrator throughout the series. 

Review: Bobby's Trials by Bobby Wilson

Title: Bobby's Trials
Author: Bobby Wilson

Publication: June 27, 2011

Publisher: Apache Publishing
Source: Author/Publisher

Genre: Biography, Memoirs

Audience: 17+

Apache Publishing|Amazon|B&N|Kobo  

SYNOPSIS:
A real-life, true crime, memoir about the incredible story of a poor teenage Oklahoma farm boy who was charged with murdering his mother and sister in cold blood and then burning down the family home in a supposed attempt to cover up his crimes and his ten-year court battle to clear his name.

In the early morning hours of June 19, 1963, just four days before he was to leave for basic training, Bobby Wilson was awakened by his mother.

She held a loaded gun to his head and had a crazy, yet familiar, look in her eyes. Alongside his sister, Bobby had suffered her rants for years, but tonight was different. Bobby knew without a doubt that the demons that his mother had struggled with for years had their sights on him.

He realizes he has nowhere to turn and nowhere to run, but he has no idea that the nightmare has just begun. It is a nightmare that changes the course of his life. It is a nightmare that will ultimately take Bobby ten years to wake up from.

My Thoughts: Bobby wasn't even 20 years old when life as he knew it ended. All of his hopes and dreams went up in smoke as his home burned to the ground. Bobby's determination allowed him to survive the impossible. 

I really enjoyed this read. Bobby's story is heart breaking yet encouraging. This is an incredible story. Bobby's childhood was utterly horrifying. It's hard to imagine that anyone went through those things and survived. Early on it was evident that Bobby's mother suffered from some sort of mental illness and harbored a deep hatred for and a need to be loved by men. Bobby's memory of the events leading to his mother and sister's death is clouded. As Bobby holds on to his truths and tries to clear his name he becomes a voice for those who like him had no voice. The family for those whose family is gone. He becomes the man he was determined to be despite how he was raised. I look forward to reading more from Bobby Wilson. 

Audio Review: Alphas by Lisi Harrison

Title: Alphas

Author: Lisi Harrison

Narrator: Adriana Stimola

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Format: Unabridged Audio

Length: 6 hrs: 4 mins

Publication: April 1, 2010

Source: Purchased

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 5 of 5

Amazon|Goodreads|Lisis Harrison

Synopsis: 
Eccentric billionaire Shira Brazille founded the super-exclusive Alpha Academy on exotic Alpha Island to nurture the next generation of exceptional dancers, writers, musicians, and inventors. It's a dream come true for 100 lucky girls, but those not measuring up can be sent home at any time for any reason. The one left standing will win worldwide fame. Who will it be?

Skye Hamilton has scored an invitation to the ultra-exclusive Alphas-only boarding school where beta is spelled LBR . What happens when the country's best, brightest, and hawtest begin clawing and scratching their way to the top?

My Thoughts: This is the story about 6 girls and their first weeks at an exclusive school for exceptional girls. Each girl has her own hidden demons. I really connected with each character, especially Allie. Allie is an opportunist and attending Alpha Academy is the best opportunity she has ever been given; even though it is not her moment to take. Allie's initial decision to attend the school puts her in a situation where she must lie. I don't think she planned anything beyond her original lie that got her into the school. The rest of the story, for Allie, is a spiral deceit which may get her kicked out or worse. 

This is an unabridged single voiced audio. The original material lends itself well to audio presentation. Each character is clearly differentiated. Adriana Stimola does and incredible job with accents and making each character real and unique. A steady pace is maintained throughout the production. I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and look forward to more audio books narrated by Adriana Stimola.

Audio Review: The Second Spy by Jacqueline West

Title: The Second Spy (The Books of Elsewhere Vol 3)
Author: Jacqueline West
Narrator: Lexy Fridell
Publication: July 16, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Source: Audiobook Jukebox
Genre: Children
Length: 6 Hours 40 minutes
Format: Unabridged Audio
Rating: 5 of 5

Amazon|Book Website|Author Website|Goodreads

Synopsis: In Olive's third adventure, what lurks below the house could be as dangerous as what's hidden inside . . .

Some terrifying things have happened to Olive in the old stone house, but none as scary as starting junior high. Or so she thinks. When she plummets through a hole in her backyard, though, she realizes two things that may change her mind: First, the wicked Annabelle McMartin is back. Second, there's a secret underground that unlocks not one but two of Elsewhere's biggest, most powerful, most dangerous forces yet. But with the house's guardian cats acting suspicious, her best friend threatening to move away, and her ally Morton starting to rebel, Olive isn't sure where to turn. Will she figure it out in time? Or will she be lured into Elsewhere, and trapped there for good?

My Thoughts: Olive has had a busy and terrifying summer just as things begin to settle down she starts school; and on the wrong foot. To top it all off not only are strange things happening at the house they seem to be following her to school as well. Suddenly Olive begins to get messages from Annabelle at school, of all places. Olive makes a promise to Morton that she is determined to keep. In the process Olive manages to fall right into one of the traps the house and Annabelle has set for her. This is a quick entertaining read. There is never a dull moment when Olive is around. Friendship is tested several times during this third installment. 

Lexy Fridell is an excellent narrator and Jacqueline West has given her a magnificent platform to display her skills. This is a single voiced  unabridged production. The differentiation between each character is distinct and makes it simple to recognize each character. Each character is brought to life threw Fridell's narration. I continue to be impressed with Fridell and her prowess as a narrator. I love that Penguin Audio has continued to keep the same narrator throughout the series.