I listened to this book on audio and the narrator is not my favorite. I wasn’t thrilled with his performance in “Widdershins” and it was pretty much the same deal here. He simply has no oomph to his voice, there is very little to no emotion behind any of the words and I’m a reader who needs the oomph. I don’t enjoy having a story “read” to me. I need a performance. And it’s all about me, right? Anyway, this story is good enough for me to mostly ignore the sometimes awkward/sometimes stilted delivery and the lack of tone change in most of the character voices. Christine is done right though so that’s awesome.

This time lovebirds Griffin and Whyborne and their colleague Christine are investigating strange goings-on at a coal mine. There’s some humor, dastardly humans, some spicy love making, ancient monsters with pincers and surgical skills (yes! Gross but, yes, I loved it!). What more could I want in a story? Nothing, I tell you. Ok, maybe a little angst but that’s here too as the pair have their first real fight, face some insecurities and kiss and make up.

If you don’t like horror you will need to skim and think of this during the scary bits.


This is book #2 in the series and I most definitely recommend reading them in order so you can watch the main couple fall in love and solve their first really weird case in Widdershins. I don’t follow many series because I’m too lazy to keep track of them but this is one that calls to me. I may read the rest in paper format though unless I hear that the narration gets a whole hell of a lot better . . .

This one was a bit too supernatural for my taste and less interesting than the previous ones.

I don't feel like much happens in the story even if I know it does. I mean, there's plot, there's mystery, but it feels kind of lineal all the time. not interesting enough to catch my attention and keep me focused on the book.

It was well narrated, so it is enjoyable because of that at least.

While I had no problem with Dean's writing (I love her writing), and I thought Sutter and Max have good chemistry, but the story suffers from "less action talk only" case. Since Sutter seems to be running from very big bad guys, and he arrives at the motel bleeding (which leads to Max taking care of him), I was expecting threats looming from every corner. But it never really escalated to that point (except for a very quick scene near the end).

Sutter and Max talk a lot, going back and forth between their attraction and why Max refuses to act on it. With the tease about Sutter seems can enjoy to be submissive and those sexual tensions when Max puts on chains on him, I was also expecting a little sumthing-sumthing of bondage play. I got a bit bored with the flat tone, despite me liking both Sutter and Max as characters. It is promising but doesn't effectively deliver, which makes it just 'okay' for me ...

PS: There is a threesome scene, for those of you who need that kind of 'warning'

Owl is back!

I have wanted to read the next book in this series since I read the first book; Owl and the Japanese Circus. And, I'm quite pleased to say that the story is even better in this book. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the first book. But since the introduction to the supernatural world and its beings had been dealt with in the first book could this book focus more on the continuation of Owls adventures and less getting to know the characters and all the supernatural stuff.

Someone is impersonating Owl and stealing objects and now it seems that the person has stolen cursed objects that kill whoever touches them. Owl must now steal them back and clear her name. Thankfully she has some help; her best friend Nadja, Owls boyfriend Rynn and, of course, her cat Captain. Also, in this book we finally get to meet Carpe face-to-face in the real world instead just as a gaming partner to Owl. And, I have to admit, I think he really is my favorite character. Well, he and Captain of course.  It's just something special with the hacker elf. I mean I haven't anything against Rynn. But I wouldn't mind some Owl and Carpe action in the future.  Also the messenger Hermes had a small part in this book.  I liked him very much too and hope to see more of him in the future. Someone I'm not as sure I like is Rynn's cousin Artemis. I mean I started with liking him, he was so different from Rynn, but in the end. Well let's say he kind of messed up a bit and that was too bad since I found him to be quite an interesting new addition to the story.

This book was really good, action from the beginning to the end. Plenty of hilarious moments especially since Owl doesn't know when to shut up and keep getting in trouble all the time.  I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

One thing; the cover. I prefer the cover to Owl and the Japanese Circus. I just don't fancy this cover that much. The cover to the first book is just so beautiful, this one not so much.

Thanks to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!