Tag: paranormal

This Chick Read: Dusk’s Portent (Aileen Travers #7) by T.A. White

When Aileen finds fae trespassing in her woods and her best friend attacked on the same night she is soon neck deep in trouble. The local werewolf pack has been taken hostage and the fae barrow has fallen. In order to help Caroline, she travels to Las Vegas, the territory of a dangerous supernatural. Surrounded by her own family of vampires, she soon finds herself also having to save her entire family line. Aileen has to embrace that darkness inside in order to save those she loves.

I’m going to admit that this series, for me, started off a little rough. As this is the seventh book in the series and I’m still reading it, I’ve obviously gotten invested in Aileen’s story and care about each characters storyline. Caroline, her best friend, was turned into a werewolf early in the series- actually not too long after Aileen was turned into a vampire, so we’ve gotten to watch both of those characters evolve, although as the main character we care a bit more about Aileen’s outcome. In this story the lives of both of these characters will be affected by the outcome of their interactions with this dangerous new character in Las Vegas and I have to admit the descriptive scenery of the fae barrow grabbed me and I knew we were going to be in for a fun ride.

Aileen’s vampire family continues to grow and her relationships to each of them while still contentious, seems to also mean more to her. I like that they are becoming “family” instead of vampires that she just has to deal with to survive. Her hesitation to become involved or allow herself to care about them seems to be crumbling which makes me look forward to the next book even more. What will her relationships look like? How will her character keep evolving? Will the other paranormal species continue to be threatened by her? Those unanswered questions as well as the non-stop action will keep me coming back to the next novel. I’m kind of surprised because I didn’t start out the series feeling this way, but I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for Aileen.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book! Dusk’s Portent

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick’s Audio Review: The Sam Quinn series by Seana Kelly

Thanks to my sister who pointed me in the direction of these audiobooks, I spent a few weeks immersed in this really great paranormal fantasy series by Seana Kelly. The heroine, Sam Quinn, runs a bookstore/bar called the Slaughtered Lamb, which caters to the local San Francisco paranormal community. I’m talking fae, werewolves, vampires, mermaids, etc. You name it and that species frequents her bar. Learning about all of these species and the way this author imagined them captured my imagination and held my interest.

There are seven books in the series, the first being ‘The Slaughtered Lamb’ and the seventh ‘The Bloody Ruin’. All are narrated by the very talented Samantha Desz, who imbues the character of Sam Quinn with such humanity, even though she is a werewolf-witch hybrid. There is a ton of humor in these novels and the narrator is spot on with the snarky dialog, accents, and good vs. evil personas. I was hooked from the first chapter and spent all of my time with this fascinating new character- watching her evolve, fight to survive everyone who is trying to kill her, and fall in love with Clive- the Master Vampire of San Francisco. If you are in the mood for a bit of fun, well these books are certainly that.

Each novel has its own mystery of sorts, but there’s a common theme or plot that runs through all of the books. Sam’s werewolf bloodline goes back to the origination of werewolves and her witch line is similarly historic. Those two things mean that she finds herself with some cool physical traits and powers that develop during these stories, but also that other beings find her too dangerous and are always out to kill her. Clive, too, has his own historical storyline, being centuries old, so between the two of them there is never a dull moment in these books and their characters are a constant surprise, revealing hidden depths to their backgrounds and nature. I loved each moment and really found these audiobooks unputdownable. Seriously, they were very addictive so beware.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Slaughtered Lamb

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick’s Audio Review: Nightfall’s Prophet (Aileen Travers #6) by T.A. White

Aileen Travers has come to grips with the fact she’s a vampire. In fact, she is gaining her independence by starting her own house with her “brother”, and is kind of ok with the fact she has to drink blood to survive. She has also sort of made up with her human family and is trying to retain some sort of relationship without letting them know she’s one of the undead, of course. When she starts hearing voices and having nose bleeds her vampire family is concerned but not as much as they are when they realize the patriarch of their family seems to have taken an interest in her and is stalking her. Add in a visit by the vampire council and an attempt at a coup and Aileen wonders if things will ever be normal or is this just her life.

T.A. White has written some of my favorite fantasy novels and series. I’ll admit it took me a little while to warm up to this one but I’ve now bought into this vampire series and have enjoyed seeing Aileen’s character grow. What I keep forgetting is how much I dislike the narrator for the audio books for this series, which is funny because she didn’t bother me at all in the pathfinder series. Maybe it’s just her attempt at narrating male vampire’s that I find offensive. I’m not sure, but I’m not going to let a bad narration spoil a good romantic fantasy/paranormal novel. This series is finally getting good!

There are many plots and subplots in this book and some of them are intertwined so I don’t want to give any details away. Just know that there is plenty of action, Liam is still her hot vampire love interest, and her family dynamics (both vampire and human) get revved up. It was hard to press the stop button and actually go work for a living!

If you’re a fan of vampire novels, or even if you aren’t and just like a good romantic fantasy, I think you’ll like this series. You’ll need to slog through the first novel, it was the hardest to read, but after that these characters really start to grow on you. I’m now eager to see where they will be in the next iteration and want to read them through to their conclusion. You will too! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book! Nightfall’s Prophet

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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It’s Monday, what are you reading? (12/11/23)

December is the busiest time of the year at work which means time is pretty limited. However, there’s nothing like escaping into a good book to help you destress. I’ll admit that I’m not reading anything challenging and am choosing books that are easy to fall into and finish. Here’s what I’ve been reading.

JUST FINISHED

I was lucky enough to get an Advanced Reader Copy of this book and gobbled it up as soon as it hit my kindle. Oh my god, Ali Hazelwood wrote something completely different than her other novels and it worked! Loved these characters and the world she built. I can’t wait for the audiobook to come out.

JUST STARTED

I’ve enjoyed Ashley Poston’s book and this series has been totally cute. The first two took place in a Comic con environment and the characters were actors in a sci-fi franchise. This novel follows another character from that sci-fi franchise but takes place in a small town. It’a little harder to get into but I’m not giving up on it yet.

Have a great Monday and happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick’s Audio Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (Hollows #2) by Kim Harrison, narrated by Marguerite Gavin

One of my all time favorite series, I decided to see if my first impression still stands after eighteen years by slowly listening to the audiobooks, narrated by Marguerite Gavin. In this novel, Rachel is asked to investigate the disappearance of an Ley Line instructor at the local college. While investigating Rachel manages to fight off an amorous roommate, create an unwanted bond with her boyfriend, and piss off the local Master of the City. Just another day in the life of Rachel Morgan!

It’s funny how the mind works. I remember some of these earlier plots but only the cataclysmic or heart-breaking moments, so this book caught me somewhat by surprise. I didn’t really remember anything from the plot, but some of the more important storylines start in this book so it was interesting to see that groundwork laid. She has her first “romantic” moment with Kisten, starts to develop her relationship with the demon who becomes a sort of mentor for her in later books, Al, and goes through her first of many boyfriends- oh and she is of course, fighting to bring Trent Kalamack in on charges that seem pretty flimsy despite her protestations of his guilt. All of these moments are very important to the future roles Rachel plays and to the development of her character. So, it may not have been the most exciting book, it was certainly one of the most important.

Marguerite Gavin, who narrates this series does an excellent job of giving these characters life through her voice acting. Ivy is certainly more sultry than the voice in my head when I was reading, and Jinx is very pixie-like with his rapid fire, high intensity falsetto. Because I read the entire series first it’s been a little distracting that the voice in my head doesn’t match the narrator’s but by the second chapter I found myself immersed in the narrative and managed to stay in the moment and enjoy her interpretation.

One of my favorite moments from this book is when Ivy is goaded into trying to trap Rachel into becoming her psion. A role Rachel has no interest in playing but that her demon scars wants her to take. The chemistry between the two of them, although false become of those scars, is so intense! It’s amazing to me that these two characters were able to overcome their feelings of failure, relief, and horror to become the best friends they do end up becoming. I’m not sure that scene would have the same effect on me if I hadn’t read the future books but it’s definitely a pivotal moment regardless of my inside knowledge.

If you haven’t read this series, the audiobooks may be an enjoyable way to pass the time. The story is action-packed, thrilling, emotional, and fun. The narration matches the scenes, characters, and world. I am enjoying this second peek into the series. I hope I inspire some of you to do the same! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Wild Sign (Alpha & Omega #6) by Patricia Briggs

When a “camp town” goes missing in the woods of northern California the FBI delivers the news to the owner of that land, the Marrock’s pack. That land is tied to the origin story of Bran and Leah and that story has always been shrouded in mystery. Bran sends his enforcer and son, Charles, and his mate Anna to investigate, warning them that there is something mystical in those mountains. When they arrive they find that the camp was empty with no signs of struggle but some mysterious carvings lead them to believe that magic was involved in their disappearance.

I have waited a while (3 years!) for another Alpha and Omega novel as Charles and Anna are one of my favorite paranormal couples. Each novel in this series reveals more about this pair that intrigues me and keeps me wanting to find out more. Burn Bright, the last novel in the series, centered around its own mystery but as they were investigating that mystery Anna became more determined to find a way to have a child. As a female werewolf carrying a baby to term wasn’t possible and at the beginning of Wild Sign we find out that Anna and Charles are exploring adoption and Anna is frustrated at the length of the waiting list. This storyline has me looking differently at Anna and Charles individually, or more aptly, as a couple. Anna, as an Omega has a nurturing personality unless she’s backed into a corner, but mostly she’s a peacekeeper and it’s easy to see her as a mother. It’s Charles evolution that is the most interesting to me. As the pack’s enforcer Charles must wade in where others fear to go, often being called upon to kill wolves who may cause danger to their packs or society in general. This conflicts with the thought of Charles as a father, however, through Anna we see Charles the nurturer. Through their relationship he’s had to be very calm and patient with his mate creating a sense of safety for her after her abuse at the hands of her previous pack. As time has passed, now into book #6, we see Charles in a different manner. He’s still the enforcer and is called upon to do the difficult things that need carrying out, but he is also a man who wants to be loved, who wants to nurture, who wants his own family. I love this contrast in his character because it creates so much more meaning when he does react to situations, laying aside that man and giving over to his wolf who is the darker side of himself. Why do I bring all of this up? This theme continues in Wild Sign and becomes a defining factor in the mystery they are trying to solve.

OK, let’s talk about the mystery. Yes, there is a big bad magical being in the woods. One that has been there for eons capturing and captivating the people who happen upon it. Without giving away the details of the book I think I can say that this being is part of the legends of that area and as with most legends you don’t truly believe, the locals also make sure to stay away. So, why did the people of this missing town set up right in the midst of it’s territory? As with any story of this nature, it was hubris.

I like the balance of puzzling out the investigation with the powerful moments of outsmarting the baddies with smarts and brute strength. As with any story involving werewolves, there is a lot of action in this novel, but sometimes the more meaningful moments are when the story is quiet and they are deliberating through the facts. Those quiet moments of reflection often more their characters forward in their own story. As we are in book six if they aren’t moving forward in their relationship I think I would be let down and that’s something Patricia Briggs has not done so far in this series.

Wild Sign was as good as the cover makes it look. Seriously, what a fabulous cover! We find out a lot about some characters who have been a bit of a mystery which was fun, and that ending? Wow, Ms. Briggs, please don’t wait another three years for the next installment in this series. I don’t think I can wait that long! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book from through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase!* Wild Sign (Alpha and Omega)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chicks Audio Review: Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1) by Kim Harrison and Narrated by Marguerite Gavin

One of my new favorite things to do is to revisit previous favorites by listening to them as audiobooks. Kim Harrison’s Hollows series has been one of my favorite urban fantasy series and recently when she came out with a surprise novel in what was a completed series I decided to take a look back and listen to the first novel, Dead Witch Walking. Narrated by Marguerite Gavin, I was pleasantly surprised at how much the main character Rachel Morgan, still resonated with a much older me.

The Hollows series is set in a world just like ours, but where magic and paranormal beings are commonplace ever since “The Turn” when a genetically altered tomato killed a good portion of the human race. Rachel Morgan is a witch, but she’s also an investigator, and Dead Witch Walking is the start of her story and her investigative team of Ivy, a living vampire, and Jenks, a pixy. The three of them live and work out of an old church in the Hollows, the more magical part of Cincinnati. Rachel has a price on her head and in order to pay it off she tries to bring in evidence against mysterious millionaire Trent Kalamack, that shows he’s dealing in Brimstone a street drug. In Dead Witch Walking you get a lot of set up, not only to the world, but also to the characters and Marguerite Gavin does a great job at voicing all of them. My favorite voice being Jenks, who’s a small pixy (picture tinkerbell sized) and his voice somewhat matches that size. It’s too cute.

Rachel Morgan, despite her witchiness, attracts trouble. She’s somewhat of a blunderer but she has great instincts and in this case she’s taken on a bit more than she can chew in Trent Kalamack who exhibits supreme bad guy vibes in this first novel. In the end, Rachel gets what she wants by paying off her debt and getting rid of the price on her head, but it’s not exactly done in the way that she hoped. Dead Witch Walking is a mad-cap adventure story with great characters that develop into true friends and a great investigative team, and also sets the story for many of the things that happen to and for Rachel in the next 15 novels. If you love well done urban fantasy novels and have the patience to see your character grow into the kick a&$ she becomes, please pick this up, listen to it, or plug it directly into your brain in whatever means possible. This book is good, but the series is even better and I’m excited that Marguerite Gavin does such a great job with the narration because I’ll be listening to them for a while to come. (15 books! Sixteen if you count the flashback, The Turn.)

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase the audiobook!* Dead Witch Walking: Hollows, Book 1

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Re-Read: Oracle’s Moon (Elder Races #4) by Thea Harrison

When I was choosing my next book I found myself hovering of Oracle’s Moon, a book I’d read back in 2014. I didn’t remember the plot but I did remember that I really enjoyed the story and tried to talk my sister into reading it even though she hadn’t read any others in the series. Thinking about that and wondering if I’d think it was as good as the first time I’d read it I downloaded the book and settled in to read.

With the exception of the first book in the series, Dragon Bound, Oracle’s Moon is my favorite of the Elder Races novels. Grace Andreas finds herself as not only the Oracle of Louisville but new parent to her niece and nephew after the sudden death of her sister and her husband. In her family the Oracle line is passed down from daughter to daughter and her sister’s daughter was too young to inherit the gift so it passed to Grace. What a way to find out your sister is dead! Overwhelmed by the demands of raising the children as well as becoming the Oracle she is struggling to make ends meet. When Drago, the leader of the Elder Races lands on her land (he’s a dragon) to have a “discussion” she comes to the attention of a Djinn, Khalil, who becomes fascinated with the children. He starts popping in for after hours discussions with the kids and Grace has to put her foot down. His fascination quickly changes over to her and he becomes enamored.

The plot doesn’t sound too different from other paranormal romance novels does it? Yet there’s a helplessness to Grace when she finds herself a new parent as well as the Oracle which contrasts with her steely determination to not let this djinn mess with her kids. I became fascinated myself! Combined with the humor from his obtuseness in dealing with her and the human-like need he has to be around them because they remind him of his own child? It’s hard to put across on paper but all of that makes for a wonder novel about magic, humanity, and love. I can’t say it was the right book at the right time because this is my second time reading it and I enjoyed it just as much as I did in 2014! It’s just a good book.

So, if you like paranormal romances this series is a fun read for the first I don’t know maybe 6 books or so? After awhile the newness of this world wears off a bit but Dragon Bound and Oracle’s Moon are definitely worth a read. Give them a shot and then let me know if I steered you wrong! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Oracle’s Moon (Elder Races Book 4)

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you should purchase this book through the above link I will receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Storm Cursed (Mercy Thompson #11) by Patricia Briggs

After Mercy stood on a bridge and declared the citizens of her territory safe from others, she and her pack have been seriously busy. Called out to take care of some miniature goat zombies (or was it goat mini zombies?) she stumbles onto the fact that her territory is under siege by a coven of witches. The timing could have been better, after all, Adam and the pack are helping the government negotiate a meeting with the Gray Lords (fae) that will hopefully end in peace. Mercy again finds herself in the middle of a ‘situation’ and it takes the combined efforts of her pack to facilitate the survival of everyone.

Mercy is one of my favorite urban fantasy heroines. Even though she’s mated to the Alpha of the Columbia Basin pack, is the daughter of Coyote, and step daughter to Bran- THE North American Alpha, she is a character that many of us readers can identify with. She is a woman who lives for normality. However, being Coyote’s daughter, mischief is never very far away. In Storm Cursed, Mercy’s role as ‘she who spoke big words on the bridge’ is never more apparent. She now has to leave that wish for normality behind her and actively interfere for those who ask for her help. Her interference previously has always been passive. Mischief finds her, but now she must find the mischief in order to stop all of the chaos. It’s an interesting change for this character and I quite like seeing her take a more leadership role in her own life.

There were many plots and sub- plots intertwining through Storm Cursed that makes it really hard to talk about the plot without giving away some key plot points so I’m not going to talk too much about those other than to say there was a lot of very satisfying action scenes where Mercy and the gang got to outsmart the bad guys. I loved these action scenes, but a more subtle defining moment for Mercy’s character was when she and Mary Jo were dealing with the mini goat zombie’s (or was it zombie miniature goat’s?) and they had a heart to heart. Mary Jo is one of the wolves who is against Mercy and Adam’s relationship. Even though Adam declared a cease fire on any active resistance to he and Mercy’s marriage, Mary Jo still subtly lets Mercy know she’d prefer Adam with Christy, his ex-wife. Mercy usually rolls with the punches, but Mary Jo’s dig catches her at a weak moment and she speaks her thoughts on why Adam and Christy were bad together. Why would you want your Alpha to be with someone who tore him down and made him regret who he was? Christy was that woman who make him feel bad about himself and ashamed of being a wolf. I believe this conversation with Mary Jo will be the turning tide in Mercy’s relationship with the pack and we could see a united front in future storylines. I could be wrong, but I don’t think so!

The title of this book is Storm Cursed which is certainly apropos because they are in fact battling a coven of witches and their evil curses, but that is not the only cursed storm in this novel. In fact, this series is rife with objections against behavior that is beyond the norm. There are government factions who are against non humans, both fae, wolf, and vampire. There are vampire politics and hierarchy whose lineage becomes transparent both in Marsilia’s seethe as well as rooted throughout America and Europe’s vampire community’s. Then there are the more commonly found bias’s among humans against homosexuals and women, themes that are vividly portrayed on these pages. In Storm Cursed, we see the beginnings of absolution for many of these things. Kyle, Warren’s lover, is given a hierarchy of sorts within the pack, politicians begin to see more clearly through the clouded glasses of bias and hate, and yes, women’s roles are not subjugated but given strength through their actions. This novel starts as Storm Cursed, but almost ends up being a blessed storm. One that provides a cool wind of change. I can’t wait to see what the next Mercy Thompson novel will bring and in what other ways the subjugated will become uplifted.

I received a free copy of this ARC through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase!* Storm Cursed (A Mercy Thompson Novel)

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson #1) by Darynda Jones (audio book review)

First Grave on the Right was first published in 2011, so this is not a new book. However, recently I had another blogger recommend Darynda Jones to me because of my love of paranormal fantasy novels. When I looked up Darynda Jones I saw there were 13 books in this series and I’ll admit I was excited. There’s nothing like finding a great new author and getting to read through a bunch of their novels that are already published. I chose to explore by listening to the audio book narrated by Lorelei King. I’ll be the first to admit that I am just learning to recognize narrators names and I didn’t recognize Lorelei King, but when I heard her voice I knew immediately who she was. Ms. King also narrates Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series, one of my favorites, and also a series I am currently listening to. Once I got over the fact that the voice may be the same, but the characters definitely weren’t I really enjoyed the novel.

First Grave on the Right introduces us to Charley Davidson, PI and Grim Reaper. Charley is not the Grim Reaper of horror stories. She doesn’t wear a cape and carry a scythe. She is a person who see’s dead people and helps them cross. The dead people see Charley as a brilliant white light which attracts them to her and to get them to cross she helps solve the problem that’s keeping them in this realm. In this case it is a murder. Charley’s character has such a joie de vivre! Ms. King read’s her with a sense of humor and irreverence that really makes listening to this novel enjoyable. It is part slapstick, romance and mystery; think Stephanie Plumb meets Nancy Drew.

First Grave on the Right is also a paranormal romance novel, but Charley’s lover is not corporeal, he is an entity that at first we’re not sure is a bad guy or good guy. We are only introduced to this character, but he has played an integral part in Charley’s entire life. Moving into future novels his character becomes a bit more fleshed out, but in First Grave on the Right Charley is trying to determine who and what he is, while also solving this other murder.

I really enjoyed Darynda Jones since of humor in writing these characters. It’s a paranormal fantasy so throw away your expectations of reality and just enjoy the ride!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

First Grave

Click this link to purchase the audio book! First Grave on the Right: Charley Davidson, Book 1

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am an Amazon Associate and receive a small stipend if you purchase through the above link.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads