Early Review - Witchful Thinking (Jolie Wilkins, Book 3) by H.P. Mallory (3/5 stars)

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Size: 336 pages
Publisher: Bantam
Release Date: February 28, 2012
ISBN: 978-0345531452
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in the Jolie Wilkins series
Source: From Amazon Vine for Review
Rating: 3/5 stars

This is the third book in the Jolie Wilkins series. I got a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program for review. It was a fun read but the cliffhanger ending of the book made me roll my eyes and wonder if I want to keep reading this series.

Jolie's been crowned Queen of the Underworld...whether she wants to be or not. Rand is trying to deal with all the fallout from the battle in the second book and is still unsure about his relationship (or lack of one) with Jolie. Sinjin has wholeheartedly supported her reign and has vowed to be her top protector. Constantly tugged between these two powerful men Jolie is having trouble managing her personal life, let alone all the creatures of the Underworld.

This was my least favorite of the Jolie books to date. I guess I am getting sick of the constant non-resolution between Jolie and Rand. The number of times Jolie states she needs to move on with her life and then doesn't gets really repetitive throughout this story. This book also features journal entries by Jolie which, for the first half of the book, recap events that happened in previous stories. I think this was supposed to make the book stand on its own, but since I have read all of the previous books in the series I found this recapping a bit tedious.

The story has a lot more Sinjin than previous books and I like Sinjin as a character; but the plot hints at darker aspects of Sinjin than I wanted to know about. Sinjin was my favorite character in this series, by the end of this book...not so much.

This book is pretty soap operaish. Most of it deals with the fallout of the battle in book 2 and with Jolie setting up her reign as Queen. I found it a bit disturbing the Jolie is so weak yet is crowned Queen of the Underworld. The prophetess Mercedes is pretty much running the whole show and Jolie trusts her blindly. Jolie serves as mostly a figurehead and the fact that she never questions some of Mercedes more questionable behavior made me think a lot less of Jolie as a character. There is very little action and very little to propel the story forward; although there is mention of a new group of enemy mostly human part vampire type creatures that Jolie and crew will eventually have to face off with.

Usually these books are overly sweet and fun. While this book was well written and easy to read I didn't find it as fun as previous books. Jolie seemed tired and I was tired with her; I just wanted her to stop letting herself get pushed around and do something.

The book ends on a total cliffhanger that promises even less resolution between Jolie and her men in the future. It made me sigh in exasperation; I mean come on let's get on with the story and move past Jolie and Rand and their issues.

Overall, although this was a fun and easy read, it was my least favorite book in the series. Jolie seemed tired and doesn't really exert herself as a character; she spends a lot of time following. Jolie also gets pretty much no resolution with her guy situation and I just want to move past her guy issues and get on with the evil human vampire baddies. I guess the series is a getting a bit too chick-lit for me. At this point I am not sure if I will be reading future books in the series.

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

Novella Review - Bewitched (Jolie Wilkins, Book 2.5) by H.P. Mallory (4/5 stars)

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Size: 242 KB
Publisher: Bantam
Release Date: December 12, 2011
ASIN: B0067AMY2O
Stand Alone or Series: 2.5 book in the Charlie Madigan series
Source: Bought for Kindle
Rating: 4/5 stars

This was a short Novella that describes the events that take place near the end of the second book of the series but from Rand's point of view. It was a fun read and it was fun to see things from Rand's point of view.

This novella doesn't cover anything new; it just covers part of book 2 but is written from Rand's point of view. It gives some additional insight into why Rand did the things he did and made the decisions he made. Some of Rand's actions which seem a bit mysterious from Jolie's perspective are well explained from Rand's perspective.

It was also nice to read this right before I started reading Book 3, Be Witched (which I got for review). This novella does an excellent job jogging your memory about what happened in Book 2 and sets up things nicely for where the story starts off for Witchful Thinking. Included in this is a excerpt from Witchful Thinking as well.

Overall worth the read if you are a fan of this series. It is a fun series and it was fun to hear things from Rand's perspective. It also does a nice job summing things up so that you can remember where book 3, Witchful Thinking, is going to pick up at.

Blog Tour - A Tale of Two Goblins

Hi welcome to the A Tale of Two Goblins blog tour!  Please see below for an introduction from the author.  Then continue reading below for an excerpt from this fun new book by HP Mallory.  If you are curious about what I thought of the book (it was a lot of fun) you can read my full review here!

Make sure to stop by Baffled Books tomorrow to see more about this fantastic book!

Author Introduction:

 Hi, I'm HP Mallory and I've written two series, the first about a fairy in law enforcement (To Kill A Warlock and A Tale of Two Goblins) and the second about a witch who can bring back the dead (Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble and Toil and Trouble).

I'm a mongo fan of anything that goes bump in the night and Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! (Quick tangent--the best costume I've ever worn was last year when I went as the Headless Horseman and my baby was my Jack-O-Lantern head!) I've always loved the Twilight Zone Marathons and if I ever saw a ghost, I think I'd wet myself.

I grew up in California although I've lived abroad in the UK (England and Scotland--woo hoo, gotta love those kilts!)

I'd categorize my writing as a blend of suspense, humor, light horror, and romance with a sprinkle of fantasy to tie everything together! If you are all about fairies and witches and vampires (oh my!), you love a good alpha warlock and you like men who get a little hairy during a full moon, I got the goods.

Now for the Excerpt!

To Purchase from Amazon: A Tale of Two Goblins 
To Purchase from Barnes and Noble: A Tale of Two Goblins 
To Purchase from Smashwords: A Tale of Two Goblins




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I opened my eyes and lifted my head off the desk. I’d fallen asleep—who knew for how long. I was suddenly frightened and angry with myself. I’d been incredibly lucky that the Dreamstalker hadn’t realized I was immobilized by sleep and his for the taking. Stupid, I’d been so stupid. I stood up, angst pounding through me and walked my cold cup of coffee to the sink, promptly pouring myself another. I threw my head back and emptied the lukewarm liquid into my mouth, squelching the urge to gag. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve.

The sudden compulsion to go check on Sam almost blindsided me and before I could even register what I was doing, I had my keys in my hand and I was headed down to the Wrangler which was parked just outside. I glanced up at the dark night sky and even though the thought crossed my mind that visitor’s hours were well over, my feet didn’t slow down.

Before I knew it, I’d unlocked the door and was seated behind the wheel, my hand already turning the keys in the ignition. I put the car into drive and started down the street. The streetlights reflected through my windows and I shielded my eyes against the glare. The momentary thought that I hadn’t buckled up crossed my mind but I couldn’t focus on it. I arrived at the stop sign at the end of the street and had no memory of getting there. All I knew was that the hospital was to the right but for some reason, I turned to the left.

I couldn’t even really grasp the fact that before setting foot into the car, I’d planned to visit Sam at the hospital yet now I was headed for the highway leading out of Splendor and into the BFE district of Charity which was home to a herd of cows and endless miles of lush farmland.

I attempted to turn the Wrangler around, even issued the command to my arms, but the wheel appeared to be stuck or maybe somewhere in my subconscious I really wanted to visit Charity because my body seemed to be in complete opposition to my mind. I continued along Highway Five toward mile after mile of white fences and rolling hills, farther and farther from the hospital.

The radio suddenly flickered on and my heartbeat increased tenfold as I wondered how in the hell that was even possible. There was static for a moment and I watched the screen as it rolled through FM station after FM station. Finally it settled on something that sounded like fifties music. I wanted to turn the sound down but my hands were plastered to the steering wheel so the music continued to pour out of the speakers. I could practically see Patsy Cline in her poodle skirt and saddle shoes as she wailed into the microphone, “I Go Out Walking After Midnight.”

My brain began to protest the fact that my body had a mind of its own and was now holding me hostage. I glanced out at the night sky, realizing it was getting darker, the street lights no longer lighting my way as I entered the border of Charity. Sure enough, dark outlines of cows on the hillsides pointed to the fact that I’d just arrived in no man’s land.

Lights from behind me suddenly filled the Wrangler and I depressed the accelerator, hoping the person would pass me. I didn’t even have the chance to marvel at the fact that my body had carried out my mind’s wishes because it was suddenly apparent that the person behind me wasn’t going to pass. Instead, the car pulled up right behind me, close—as in bumpers kissing close. The headlights of the car illuminated the inside of the Wrangler and made it exceedingly difficult to see the road before me. I yanked the wheel to the right, pulling over to the side of the road and hoped the person would get the clue that I didn’t appreciate being tailed.

The car veered to the left of the Wrangler and just when I thought it was going to pass, it pulled alongside me until we were neck and neck. I couldn’t help the feeling of panic wending its way up my throat until I felt like I was going to throw up again. I glanced over and could see nothing but darkness emanating from within the car. It was so dark, I couldn’t even tell if there was a person in it. I shook my head at the absurdity of that thought—of course there was someone in it—it couldn’t just drive itself.

The fifties music continued to pour out of my speakers and the melody acted like a fire burning away at my sanity. The car beside me suddenly lunged to a stop and pulled up behind me again, flooding my car with its headlights. I wanted nothing more than to stop but my body seemed to have taken on a mind of its own again and I’d pulled back into the street and pressed the accelerator down until I was going ten miles over the speed limit. The car behind me revved its engine and kept pace.

I watched as my foot pressed the accelerator harder and the speedometer began to climb from forty five to fifty five to sixty five. I passed a white sign proclaiming the speed limit to be thirty five and somewhere deep inside me concern blossomed—this was a country road, windy and dangerous for extreme speeds. I glanced back at the speed gauge and watched in horror as it hit seventy five.

The car behind me pulled alongside me again and then suddenly sped up, passing me instantly. It veered into the lane ahead of me and before I could respond, the red of its brake lights suddenly interrupted my vision. The sound of the Wrangler crashing into the car shattered my thoughts, the melody of the fifties music still in the background. I suddenly felt myself flying forward and the explosion of glass was thick in my ears as I felt my chest smash into the steering wheel. Then before I could even gasp, the Wrangler was airborne.

I glanced down at my clenched palm and realized I’d shaken a mound of fairy dust somewhere along the way. I tossed it in the air, imagining a thick, insulating bubble surrounding me. The feel of rubber was thick against my cheek as I crashed through the passenger window and felt myself smash against the pavement.
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Make sure to check out HP Mallory's other books!  They are all lots of fun to read :-)

Dulcie O'Neil Series

Jolie Wilkins Series:

Don't forget to enter the giveaway below too!

Make sure to stop by the next Blog Tour stop at Baffled Books tomorrow to see more about this fantastic book!

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 

 

Review - Toil and Trouble (Jolie Wilkins, Book 2) by HP Mallory (4/5 stars)

Reading level: Adult

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Size: 270 pages
Publisher:  CreateSpace
Release Date: December 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1456428815
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Jolie Wilkins series
Source: Ebook from author
Rating: 4/5 stars

I got a copy of this in e-book form from the author in exchange for an honest review.  I have previously read both the first book in this series, Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble, and really enjoyed it and To Kill a Warlock (the first book in her Dulcie O'Neil series) and like that one too.  So I was excited to read this book.  It was an entertaining read; the plot doesn't progress a lot but Jolie has a lot to deal with and it is all entertaining.

Jolie is with Rand and Christie and Sinjin recovering from her battle at the end of Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble.  They are grouping together all of the paranormal allies that they can find so that they can go to war against the evil Bella.   Jolie is torn between Rand, who still won't commit to her because he is afraid of what will happen to him in the war, and Sinjin who is increasingly understanding and supportive of Jolie's need to fight in the upcoming war.  Jolie wants to fight in the war but Rand has forbidden it; so Jolie comes up with a complex plan to fight no matter what.

This was a fun and entertaining read.  Rand and Sinjin are both absolutely wonderful characters and completely swoon worthy.  Sinjin especially gets a lot of page space; he is super yummy and we learn a lot more about his past which I really enjoyed.  Rand comes off as a jerk half the time and as misunderstood the remainder and I found him a frustrating character to read about.  Jolie remains her determined, slightly silly self and is fun to read about.  Christie seems like she is baggage throughout this book and is quickly shoved out of the story because she just doens't have a place in this book.

I liked some of the turns the plot took in this book; Mallory does some neat things here.  Parts of the ending are especially ironic and satisfying.  This is definitely more of a paranormal romance than an urban fantasy.  A lot of time is spent with Jolie angsting between who she likes better Rand or Sinjin; this ended up being well done but I had hoped we would see more action.  There is a lot of build up to this big war between the paranormal races and then when the war comes it is not very long or very well described.  I thought the actual scenes with the war were a disappointment compared with all of the build up.

I still would like a better explanation of the magic system; it just seems like the witches can do whatever they want with magic without much limitation at one time and then at another Jolie is too worn out to do much.  It is a bit inconsistent and I would like more clarification.

Things between Jolie and Rand remain frustrating throughout the book.  Mallory throws in a big cliffhanger type revelation at the end of the book which really hooks the reader in and made me immediately want to find out what happens in book 3.  I am not a huge fan of authors doing that; but it does keep the readers coming back.  I would have liked a little more closure for the story than I got.

Overall this was a good addition to the series.  It is a fun, light read and I enjoyed reading it.  I love the characters and the writing style is easy to read and natural sounding.  I would have liked a better war after all the build up there was to it.  I would also like a more consistent structure for the magic system set up here.  The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger and will make you desperate to read the next book in the series.  If you are a fan of light-hearted and fun paranormal books this is the book for you.  I would recommend this for fans of Molly Harper, Katie MacAlister, and Charlaine Harris's earlier Sookie Stackhouse books.

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

 

Review - Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (Jolie Wilkins, Book 1) by H.P. Mallory (4.5/5 stars)

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Size: 304 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date:  September 2, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1453812952
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Jolie Wilkins series
Source: e-book from author in exchange for honest review
Rating: 4.5/5 stars


This is the first book in Mallory's Jolie Wilkins series.  I received this as an e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  Previous to this book I had read Mallory's To Kill a Warlock and really enjoyed it.  Imagine my surprise when I enjoyed this book even more than To Kill a Warlock.  This was just an excellent book; well-written, fun to read, and great pacing.  It was so hard to put down and when I was finished I immediately wanted to read more!

Jolie is a true psychic, she makes a living doing readings for people.  When the drop-dead gorgeous Rand shows up on her doorstep she knows something is up.  Rand tries telling Jolie that she is a witch and, when she accidentally brings a ghost Rand was doing a job for back to life...well Jolie begins to believe him...maybe she does have powers that go beyond premonition.  When Jolie accepts an invitation to a party given by a fellow witch named Bella, she is thrust into a world she never knew existed.  Now everyone wants Jolie for her unique life-giving powers; she is constantly in danger and quickly trying to find out what she can do.   Rand and Jolie are drawn together, but Rand wants to keep things strictly business and it is killing them both.  Throw in some werewolves, vampires, fairies, and an impending war between the factions and you have a mess that will take some time to fix.

This book was just an excellent read.  It is easy to read and tons of fun.  Jolie is a complex character who is more of your plain everyday type of girl...with some extraordinary powers thrown in.  Rand is an absolutely wonderful male lead; he has just the right portions of concern, alpha maleness, and sensitivity thrown in and you can't help but love him.  The writing is fantastic, Mallory is spot on with dialogue and had me laughing out loud a number of times.

This was one of those books that was very hard to put down, I would find myself reading and reading and not realizing how much time had passed.  Mallory has created a complex world and the pace is never boring, it was just perfect.  The book wraps up the main thread addressed, but leaves open a much larger over-arcing story line for upcoming books. 

There is some action in this book but most of the story is intrigue and Jolie discovering her new powers.  There are some steamy scenes, but not a ton.  This book leans more toward paranormal romance than urban fantasy.  It reminded me a lot of Molly Harper's Jane Jameson series in tone; but the world was more complex and the characters more varied.  I did wish that Mallory gave a better understanding of how the magic system in this world actually worked, that is never explained very well.  I also wished we got to spend some of our time watching Jolie train with her magic, but this is never addressed in detail.

Overall an excellent book.  Fans of light-hearted paranormal books will enjoy this one for sure.  If you like Molly Harper's Jane Jameson series or Katie MacAlister's Aisling Grey series this book should be right up your ally.  At some points it also reminded of the earlier books in Karen Marie Moning's Fever series.  I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge Book List
- The 100+ Book Reading Challenge