Review - A Tale of Two Goblins (Dulcie O'Neil, Book 2) by HP Mallory (4 stars)

Reading level: Adult

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Size:  358 KB
Publisher:  Amazon Digital Services
Release Date: March 2011
ASIN: B004TAS3BK
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Free ebook as part of blog tour
Rating: 4/5 stars

I got a copy of this book through Bookish Snob Promotions as part of A Tale of Two Goblins blog tour.  I read the first book in this series, To Kill a Warlock, and really enjoyed it.  I have also read Mallory's Jolie Wilkins series and enjoyed that as well.  This book was another fun read; it is focused around a mystery and Dulcie's snarky sense of humor really keeps things moving.

Dulcie has finally finished the romance novel she was writing and is working on writing her second book.  She is no longer part of the ANC, but has offered to do consulting work for them.  Then one morning she goes out jogging and is accosted by...Knight.  Knight wants Dulcie to consult on a case and he won't take no for an answer.  People loosely connected to Dulcie are falling into comas and Knight needs Dulcie's help to sort it before these people go from coma to a more permanent state of repose.  They think a Dreamwalker may be involved, but of course nothing is ever that straight forward.

I actually liked this book a lot better than the first book in this series (and I liked that one too).  This book is very heavy on the mystery end of things and Dulcie spends a lot of time trying to solve the complex mystery surrounding these magical comas.  There's is some play between Dulcie and the three men in her life (Quillian, Brom, and Knight).  Mallory does an excellent job of keeping things steamy between Dulcie and Knight without getting too explicit.

I enjoyed the inclusion of some new faerie types, there are some great new characters as well.  I was a bit sad that Dulcie's girlfriend, Sam, was out of the picture most of the book.  The book is fast-paced, has a decent plot, and is engaging.  Mallory's writing style is highly readable; making the book a fun and quick read.  There is a lot of humor in here; Dulcie continues to show a lot of attitude and toughness throughout.

The books wraps up nicely; leaving a couple threads dangle for the next book.  I have really enjoyed this series overall; it is light-hearted, fun, and creative. 

Overall an excellent addition to this series.  I really enjoyed reading this book; it was fun and very engaging.  A perfect escape read.  Dulcie still reminds me a bit of Rachel Morgan from Kim Harrison's the Hollows series.  The major difference being there is more humor in this series; if you like light-hearted urban fantasy you should give this series a try.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- E-book Reading Challenge
- Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge
- 100+ Reading Challenge