Huh?

 

No way can this be a series end.  Okay, not exactly a cliffhanger ending.  But absolutely the start of a whole new plot twist.

 

This one resolved nothing and did not move story along at all.  Okay, Kincaid learned a bit of a new twist to her powers.  New characters introduced (including a potential love interest assuming she really has moved on from last beau).  Change of scenery.

 

This is almost like a filler episode or a bit of travel before returning to "meanwhile back at the ranch."

 

This series tweaked my interest because was not same-old-same-old and seemed to be building nicely.  Now it detoured and seems to have put her back in same place as end of book 2 with that head police dude even madder at her.  The end?

This reader's personal opinion, ©2019, all rights reserved, not to be quoted, clipped or used in any way by goodreads, Google Play, amazon.com or other commercial booksellers* 

 

Oh boy, this was an excellent -- almost classic -- urban fantasy.

 

Rather surprised me; mostly because it was a random library find in with a bunch of cozy mysteries where I thought it was going to be a cozy mystery.

 

This one had a feisty heroine neither an idiot or so super-powerful it was almost like reading a deus ex machina story.  The worldbuilding kept an internal logic and clearly can develop into future books to make a juicy series.

 

Kincaid Strange is a "practitioner" -- someone who can see ghosts, the other side, and raise zombies.  I know, *groan*, how many of those series are there?  But, this is no Anita Blake ripoff.  Kincaid has a life, friends, and a struggling business since the authorities no longer allow law enforcement to use consultants like her and have outlawed raising zombies (even for court appearances).  A chance encounter with a newly raised zombie -- not raised by her -- launches a story that held me start to finish.

 

I want to read more of this world and these characters.

*©2019.  All rights reserved except permission is granted to author or publisher (except Penumbra Publishing) to reprint/quote in whole or in part. I may also have cross-posted on Libib, LibraryThing, and other sites including retailers like kobo and Barnes and Noble. Posting on any site does not grant that site permission to share with any third parties or indicate release of copyright.  

 

Ratings scale used in absence of a booklikes suggested rating scale:

★★★★★ = All Time Favorite 
★★★★½ = Extraordinary Book. Really Loved It.
★★★★☆ = Loved It.
★★★½☆ = Really Liked.
★★★☆☆ = Liked.
★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay. Would read more by author.
★★☆☆☆ = Average.   Okay. 
★½☆☆☆ = Disliked or meh? but kept reading in hopes would improve.
★☆☆☆☆ = Loathed It. Possibly DNF and a torturous read.
½☆☆☆☆ = So vile was a DNF or should have been. Cannot imagine anyone liking.  (Might also be just an "uploaded" word spew or collection that should not be dignified by calling itself a "published book." If author is going batshit crazy in the blogosphere over reviews -- I now know why they are getting bad reviews.  Or maybe author should take remedial classes for language written in until basic concepts like using sentences sink in. Is author even old enough to sign a publishing contract or do they need a legal guardian to sign for them?)

The Voodoo Killings: A Kincaid Strange N... Absolutely loved it- 10* fave!

2.75 stars rounded up

It just didn't grab me much. I ended up putting it down several times over, being distracted with Youtube videos or doing online shopping ... I couldn't really explain why it didn't. The characters were okay; I couldn't find faults in them. But it just lacked something to make me emotionally root for either one of them *shrugs*.

Although I did kind of wanting to know more about Cameron except the ending took care of that for me *sad face*. With him gone, and Nate taking his body instead. I liked Nate okay and wished they were both still available.

I am not saying that I dislike it; I just don't really care enough, which is why I'm not categorizing this as 2* read. It is one of those unexplained -- blame it on writing or story chemistry -- factors I guess. I'm not going to bother with the next book.

Urban Fantasy can be kind of hit or miss for me, but this one sounded intriguing so I thought I've give it a go...



Kincaid is a 27 year old voodoo practitioner/witch who gets called to help when a mysterious newly risen zombie wanders into her local bar. From there a story unfolds with twists and turns. We meet Nate her ghost roommate. Cameron the newly risen Zombie. Max her practitioner mentor, and Aaron her ex-boyfriend a cop. Along the way we also meet some more zombies, ghosts, poltergeists, and ghouls.

I enjoyed this one A LOT. It took a bit to get going, but since this seems to be the first book in a series the author had a lot of World building groundwork to lay. It soon picked up pace and I found myself having a hard time putting it down. It had a great cast of likable characters that I look forward to hearing more from.

Overall I am glad I gave this one a shot and will definitely be continuing on with the series.