Tag Archives: urban fantasy

pizza shop exorcist banner

Book Review: Pizza Shop Exorcist series (#1-2), by Dakota Brown

I picked up a copy of Dakota Brown‘s The Price of Possession as an Amazon freebie. Then, I purchased a copy of The Price of Exorcism.

pizza shop exorcist covers

When my family died at the hands of a demon prince, I hung up my exorcist hat. I’d failed to protect them, and while I was willing to risk myself, the price had risen too high.

Now I’m serving up hot, fresh pizzas to everyone who wants them. I was the only person left to inherit the family business and I’m doing my best to keep it up and running in honor of my loved ones.

These days, my biggest challenge is telling off a rampaging customer, and endless paperwork. That is, until he shows up again.

Darius was the only guy I couldn’t say no to, the one who dragged me into the world of the occult in the first place. When he shows up and begs me to assist with an exorcism, I reluctantly agree. He’s still using me; because I’m the best exorcist around and he only calls when he needs my help.

Before I know it, I’ve got an incubus in the living room, a hellhound marking around my yard, and a demon prince who can’t decide if he wants to kill me or… you know. Not to mention the vampire and the nephilim I seem to have collected. Normally I wouldn’t work with the supernatural, but we all have a common goal. Prevent the crime syndicate from summoning a demon prince and becoming more powerful than we can hope to handle.

If I can keep my cool, it will be a miracle. If I can hold on to my soul it’ll be an even bigger one. No one ever claimed being an exorcist was easy, but to protect those I’m coming to love, I’ll pay whatever price necessary.

my review

I read The Price of Possession and The Price of Exorcism back-to-backs with no break between. So, I’m just going to review them the same way. I generally liked what I read of this series. I liked the characters. I liked that the heroine is a little older and established. I liked the easy-going nature of the relationship(s). (One is even still platonic after two books, but there is no doubt he’s one of the group, and there is no angst about it. I like that.) The world seems interesting. And other than an annoying tendency to overuse names in dialogue, the writing is pretty good.

However, I gave up after two books rather than continue the series because it became apparent that Price was becoming so all-powerful and gathering such a powerful harem that I was already becoming bored. Too powerful characters kill tension because there is no chance of them not easily defeating the villains. Similarly, she was just SO WORSHIPED by her men that it just felt redundant. It all left too little room for nuance.

Now, that’s why I stopped after two books. But there was also enough interest to keep me reading for two books. So, this review is a bit of a mixed bag. Ultimately, if I found freebie copies, I’d continue. But I chose not to buy any more.

pizza shop exorcist photos


Other Reviews:

semi-charmed banner

Book Review: Semi-Charmed, by Isabel Jordan

I picked up a freebie copy of Isabel Jordan‘s Semi-Charmed about this time last year.
semi-charmed cover

She’s infamous.
He’s legendary.
Together, they’ll be epic…or a complete train wreck. It could go either way, really…

Psychic and paranormal PI Harper Hall isn’t that surprised when her business partner skips town. She never really trusted the jerk anyway.

But if Harper wants to consult for the police on a high-profile case, she’ll need a new partner– preferably one with some supernatural talents of his own.

Noah Riddick, a slayer left jobless when vampires went public and earned human rights, is perfect for the gig. Too bad he’s grumpy, anti-social, and completely resistant to the idea of working with her.

Riddick’s dark secrets and shady past forced him into exile from human society–an exile he was comfortable with until gorgeous and exasperating Harper waltzed into his life. Now, all too aware of how unlifelike his life has been, he realizes partnering with her might be the best thing that could ever happen to him…even though it might be the worst for her.

Fighting vampires, making immortal enemies, staging daring rescues…it’s all in a day’s work. But falling in love? Well…that’s a little trickier. Even for the Semi-Charmed Harper Hall.

I enjoyed the heck out of this. The world is interesting, being 5 years after vampires have come out to the public and involving characters who had previously been part of the (now disbanded) secret organization to hunt them. Those characters are likable, each in their own way. Harper is snarky and feels genuine, and Riddick is dark and broody but not in an alpha a-hole way. The plot ticks along nicely, so I was entertained. I didn’t even mind the pop-culture references, which oftentimes make me gnash my teeth. (Pop culture references aren’t endearing if you’re not up to date on pop culture, just saying.)

I did think Riddick’s insta-love needed an explanation, Mischa and Hunter’s subplot (with a POV) felt out of place, and some of the characters were a little cliched. But all in all, I’d be happy to read another book in the series (and by the author more generally).

Funny side note: For the longest time, I looked at this cover wondering what a pick axe had to do with the plot. I finally figured out that it is a cross-bow and things made a lot more sense. LOL

semi-charmed photo


Other Reviews:

Review: Semi-Charmed by Isabel Jordan

blood sugar banner

Book Review: Blood Sugar, by Michaela Haze

I picked up Michaela Haze‘s Blood Sugar as an Amazon freebie.

blood sugar cover

They call my family a cult.

I’m not allowed to tell anyone what happens behind closed doors.

Our Sect worships the Old Gods. Our little community is surrounded by the Never Forest. A place neither Here nor There.
“The people that can dance with the dead will make their homes with the Demons.”

My family can do wondrous feats. Animate corpses, and see the future through the eyes of the dead.
I can do none of those things.

But the Gods have set their eye on my virtue.
There is one for each of the Seven Sins.
And I am theirs.

my review

I went into this with pretty low expectations. It was an Amazon freebie, and let’s be honest, those are pretty hit or miss. But Blood Sugar was a hit. I really enjoyed it. Now, admittedly, it wasn’t at all what I expected. Don’t—like me—go into this expecting steam and a bunch of growly alpha a-holes. That isn’t what you’ll find.

In fact, there is very little sex in the book, and what there is is past the 75% mark and pretty mild. And while the Sin’s might be a little stand-offish at times, they aren’t a-holes. These men are broken and sweet, even if they don’t always show it. Ophelia is the growly one, and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that switch. She’s also capable, loyal, and broken herself.

Now, fair warning, though there is no on-page rape, a TW for it is probably appropriate. It plays blood sugar photoa fairly large part in the plot. I probably wouldn’t have read the book if I had known that, since I try to avoid rape in the books I read for fun. But in this case, I can honestly say it’s incorporated into the plot, not a cheap device (which is one of my most common complaints when it is used in a book).

The book isn’t perfect. It could use another editing pass, and there are several times that villains are defeated; all of them are anti-climactic. As was the ending, in that it just kind of ended with a bit of a bang but no wrap-up. Despite that, Haze just went on my author-to-watch list.


Other Reviews: