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Series Review by Kate
Over the past few months I've made my way through this series. And I am hooked! Briggs is a fantastic author with a knack for world building. I am reminded of Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series in which supernatural beings are living among humans in secret.

At the start of this series in Moon Called, the fey are 'out' to the public, living on reservations. Mercedes hires a young boy, who seems to be on the run, to work in her shop. Soon enough he is killed and left on her doorstep, and her werewolf neighbor's teenaged daughter is kidnapped. Mercy returns to where she grew up (among werewolves) for help, and is reunited with the man she once loved. I was immediately sucked into the series with this book. I loved the world that Briggs created and I was anxious to read more. I also loved the start of a love triangle between Adam, Mercedes, and Samuel. (Team Adam!)

The second book, Blood Bound, puts the werewolves on the back burner and brings forth the vampires. Mercy's friend Stefan needs her help and once again she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous situation where a demon is 'riding' a vampire creating one intense and powerful creature. This book had a lot of action and tension throughout. Mercy was literally on her own in fighting the sorcerer-vampire. Talk about heart-pounding!

The third book, Iron Kissed, finds Mercy getting into trouble again when she tries to help her fey friend Zee after he is accused of a crime. She rebels against those who tell her to keep out of it and risks her life to help him. While investigating she accidentally stumbles upon the perpetrator and he does horrible things to her almost killing her in the process. This book dealt with tough situations for Mercy. My heart reached out for her when she was under someone's 'spell'. I wanted to reach in the book and pummel 'someone' but I think the retribution that Adam exacted on this person worked for me, but I still w

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Publisher: Tantor Media (July 13, 2008)
Format: Audiobook
Narrated by Laural Merlington
Length: 14 hours and 3 minutes
Genre: Adult Paranormal (witches, sorcerers, vampires, werewolves)
Series: Women of the Otherworld #4 (Bitten, Stolen, Dime Store Magic, Waking The Witch)
Kelley Armstrong's Website | Twitter

From Goodreads. In the aftermath of her mother’s murder, Paige broke with the elite, ultraconservative American Coven of Witches. Now her goal is to start a new Coven for a new generation. But while Paige pitches her vision to uptight thirty-something witches in business suits, a more urgent matter commands her attention.

Someone is murdering the teenage offspring of the underworld’s most influential Cabals — a circle of families that makes the mob look like amateurs. And none is more powerful than the Cortez Cabal, a faction Paige is intimately acquainted with. Lucas Cortez, the rebel son and unwilling heir, is none other than her boyfriend. But love isn’t blind, and Paige has her eyes wide open as she is drawn into a hunt for an unnatural-born killer. Pitted against shamans, demons, and goons, it’s a battle chilling enough to make a wild young woman grow up in a hurry. If she gets the chance.

Review by Kate
INDUSTRIAL MAGIC, by Kelley Armstrong, is the fourth book in the Women of the Otherworld series. Paige is once again the narrator and she is on a case with Lucas revolving around the death's of supernatural teens who are linked to the Cabals.

After skipping around the series for a bit I decided to read the rest of the books in order. I picked up where I left off with Paige, Lucas, and Savannah. The actual casework was very interesting and I liked only knowing as much as they did throughout. Armstrong definitely 'threw stones' at her characters and made them work to solve the murders. They didn't have an easy time finding the murderer and time ran out for many children who had been attacked. The revelation of the villian was a bit frightening and I applaud Armstrong for the detailed detective work she outlined for our protagonists.

Coupled with an awesome plot, Armstrong brought back some of my favorite characters and introduced a couple of new ones. Elena, Clay, and Jeremy eventually joined in the fray (yummy Clay!) and I was so glad to read them again! We are introduced to Benecio Cortez, Lucas's father, and also a celebrity necromancer Jamie Vegas. I liked getting to know the rocky relationship between Lucas and Benecio and I actually hoped for the best between them. Jamie was fabulous! She is sassy, saracastic, and brutally honest. I look forward to seeing more of her in the future books.

In terms of the audiobook, I was extremely impressed. Merlington did a FABULOUS job narrating this huge cast of characters. Her inflection for each character was spot on and I will be thrilled to hear anything she does.
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Publisher: Recorded Books (June 22, 2010)
Format: Audiobook
Narrated by Emily Gray
Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
Genre: Adult Fantasy/Supernatural
Series: The Parasol Protectorate #1

From Goodreads. Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Review by Kate
SOULLESS, by Gail Carriger, is fantastic, hilarious, romantic, and all together phenomenal book. I absolutely adored it and if you have not checked it out yet, please do!

Carriger throws you right into the middle of action when the book begins. We learn Alexia is a preternatural (a person without a soul, hence Soulless) who 'turns off' supernatural abilities when she touches a supernatural creature (vampire, werewolf, ghost, etc.). She accidentally kills a vampire and she is thrust into an investigation of missing supernaturals. The world that Carriger created was fantastic. I love the time period she chose and the inclusion of the supernatural within the society.

The characters in this book were equally fantastic. Alexia reminded me of Elizabeth Bennett (Pride and Prejudice) with her intelligence, her ability to stand up for what she believes in, her wonderful sarcasm, but definitely open to having love in her life. Carriger wrote Alexia so well, I was literally laughing out loud with her thought process about her family, Lord Maccon, and general society issues. Speaking of Lord Maccon (swoon), I knew from the get-go these two would be a match made in heaven. But both are stubborn in their ways (Lord Maccon being a werewolf) and they succeeded at misinterpreting each others feelings over and over, keeping other characters and myself in suspense at the outcome of the relationship.

I loved the development of the mystery surrounding the missing supernaturals. There were moments that I gasped aloud when I figured out what was going on. Carriger truly has a talent for creating a good mystery. Overall, this was an awesome book full of hilarity, romance, and a darn good mystery, this is not one to be missed!

A note on the audiobook. Emily Gray was a pleasure to listen to. She made Alexia come to life and I felt at times she was the character. Also, her narrations of other characters, Lord Maccon in particular, were precise and fit the characters well. Gray has a new fan!

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Publisher: HarperTeen (December 21, 2010)
Audiobook: 8 hours 39 mins
Narrator: Lesley Livingston
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: Wondrous Strange #3

From Goodreads.

"I don't love Sonny Flannery."

That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats—to a haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City.

But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick—and how to use her own. She's got to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.

Review
TEMPESTUOUS, by Lesley Livingston, is the final book in the Wondrous Strange series, and 'WOW' is all I can say. We pick up right after the destruction of the theater. Sonny and Kelley go their separate ways to deal with what just happened.

Livingston pulls out all the stops for this book. It was full of action, suspense, and romantic chemistry will blow your mind. I read Darklight in the early months of last year so the details were a bit hazy, but Livingston solidified the story along the way which was helpful. I loved the continuation of characters from the previous books. Tiff, as Kelley's roommate, is sarcastic and witty and I simply love her to death. Also, Livingston introduced newer characters that gave much insight to the pasts of others.

The Kelley/Sonny dynamic was interesting in this book. I was still torn between Fennrys and Sonny, and it continued that way until the very end. I wanted Kelley and Sonny to be happy together but Livingston didn't make it that easy for her characters.

Like I said, action and adventure created this fantastic book and there is not much to say without ruining the book. Fans of the series will love it, and newbies to the series should definitely read these books in quick succession because they ARE that good!

A note about the audiobook. All of these novels are read by the author, Lesley Livingston. I really enjoyed listening to her throughout the whole book. Being the author, she definitely gives feeling and emphasis certain parts which are important to the book. And I have to say I love her accent for Sonny, so perfect and dreamy for the phenomenal character.