UPDATE! Suzanne Johnson: SENTINELS OF NEW ORLEANS SERIES

UPDATE!

I have just updated an ongoing post for Suzanne Johnson's  SENTINELS OF NEW ORLEANS SERIES with a review of Pirate's Alley, the fourth novel in the series. 

Click on the pink-link series title above to go directly to the new review.

UPDATE! Jennifer Ashley: SHIFTERS UNBOUND SERIES

UPDATE!

I have just updated an ongoing post for Jennifer Ashley's SHIFTERS UNBOUND SERIES with a review of Mate Bond, the seventh novel in the series.

Click on the pink-link series title above to go directly to the new review.

UPDATE! Diana Rowland: KARA GILLIAN SERIES

UPDATE!

I have just updated an ongoing post for Diana Rowland's KARA GILLIAN SERIES with a review of Vengeance of the Demon, the seventh novel in the series. 

Click on the pink-link series title above to go directly to the new review.

Shelly Laurenston: CALL OF CROWS

Author:  Shelly Laurenston  
Series:  CALL OF CROWS 
Plot Type:  Soul Mate Romance (SMR)
Ratings:  Violence—4; Sensuality—4; Humor—3   
Publisher and Titles:  Kensington
          The Unleashing (3/2015)

          The Undoing (3/2016)
          The Unyielding (3/2017)

This ongoing review post was revised and updated on 8/23/2017 to include a review of the third novel, The Unyielding. That review appears first, followed by an overview of the world-building and a review of the first two novels.

                         NOVEL 3: The Unyielding                         

PUBLISHER'S BLURB:
    Stieg Engstrom, Angriest Viking Ever, has got big problems. The human Viking Clans of earth are in danger of being obliterated—along with the rest of the world—and the only one who may be able to save them is a super pain-in-the-ass Crow. Most people annoy Stieg, but this is the one woman he really can’t stand…

     Erin Amsel loves being a Crow! Why wouldn’t she when the other Viking Clans are so hilariously arrogant and humorless? She’s not about to let all that come to an end! She just didn’t expect to be shoulder to shoulder in battle with Stieg. Then again, he’s so easy to torment—and also kind of cute.

     With the future of the world riding on them, Stieg knows he’ll have to put aside his desperate need to kiss the smirk right off Erin’s face. Wait. What? He didn’t mean that—did he? No! They have one goal: To conquer the idiots. Because nothing bugs Stieg more than when idiots win. If only he can keep himself from suddenly acting like one.

MY REVIEW: 

     The hero and heroine of this novel are Stieg and Erin. In the first two books, Stieg was presented as a skilled, always-angry warrior who spent his down-time watching TV and playing videogames with Siggy and Vig and refusing to speak to anyone other than his Raven brothers. We met Erin back in book 1 when she was assigned to be Kera's mentor and caused all sorts of trouble when her idea of "mentoring" meant aggressively trying to change Kera 's personality and her approach to life without Kera's consent. Although they had lots of fights back then, Erin and Kera are now BFFs. 

     So...we have a pair of opposites: a strong-but-silent, angry Viking and a self-deprecating, argumentative prankster who gets up into everyone's face just for the fun of it. She doesn't care whether it's a Viking or a god; at one point in this book, she literally pokes her finger deep into Odin's good eye (he's blind in the other) because he refuses to help her with a dangerous quest. You can see from the very beginning that this will be an explosive relationship as the couple constantly snarks at one another while their hormones ramp them up to stratospheric lust levels.

     In the action part of the plot, the nine Clan leaders plus Kera (who is now the War General for all of the Clans) decide that since they have failed to get rid of the dreaded goddess Gullveig permanently, they have no choice but to send Erin to the Underworld to steal a magical sword that is the only means of completely destroying Gullveig and her minions: Hel's Carrion and the Mardröm (aka the Mara). The Clans thought that they had banished Gullveig for good at the end of book 2, but unfortunately, the evil, fashionista goddess is back and ready to get started with the final battle of Ragnarok.

     Once again, the plot teems with characters: members of the Nine Clans; various friendly and unfriendly deities; a conversational, corpse-eating dragon; and—SURPRISE—a whole new branch of the supernatural community. (I'll let you discover this one on your own with no spoilers from me.) 

     Just as in the previous book, several supporting supernatural groups play their parts in the drama. See my review of book 2 for more information about each of the following: the Sisters of St. Mary Magdalene convent of All Saints (aka the Chosen Warriors of God); The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; the Archangels (Michael, Raphael, and Khamael); and that untrustworthy scamp-in-a-squirrel's-body, Ratatosk.

     Laurenston tells the story by moving quickly from one group/person to another as she adds pertinent details and suspense-generating actions to the plot. This is where the story can get confusing if you don't recognize each and every character in this universe. (I include most of them in my annotated list in the "World-Building" section of this post.) 

     Meanwhile, while the Clans on Earth scramble to get ready for the coming war, Stieg follows Erin from one weird, otherworldly realm to another as she attempts to fulfill her quest. The couple meets, defeats, and sometimes befriends some very strange entities as they jump through portals that take them from realm to realm. Naturally enough, they find plenty of time along the way to engage in the numerous erotic sexual acrobatics that are Laurenston's hallmark. The book ends with a major cliffhanger that, for me, was completely unexpected.

     Laurenston's trademark snarky humor is also on full display throughout the book, particularly in the conversations/arguments among the Clan members, but also in some really funny situational humor. In one hilarious scene, the god Tyr promises to help Erin if she will allow him secret access to the Crow Clan's library, which one of the Protectors has described as "a sad shack of pop culture frivolity." As it turns out, that's exactly what Tyr is looking for: mass-produced paperbacks by the likes of Stephen King, Nora Roberts, and Dan Brown—not to mention all of the Game of Thrones novels. 

     As Stieg and Erin meet all sorts of supernaturals on their journey through the realms, they discover that every single group hates the Crows with a passion. Erin is frustrated by this massive hatred because she has no idea what the Crows have ever done to all these people to make them so mad. Finally, a female dwarf takes pity on Erin and tells her the history of the Crows—a story of rage and violence that explains exactly why everyone in the supernatural world is anti-Crow. 

     I always enjoy Laurenston's story-telling because it tears along at such a compelling pace that it pulls you into the story even when you can't quite remember all of the previous details about the characters. Eventually, the author provides just enough information that you say to yourself, "Oh yes, I remember her/him now," and then you just try to keep up with the 90-mile-an-hour pace. Obviously, Ragnarok is getting closer and closer, so the next book may well be the final one. (I haven't yet been able to determine that fact.) In any case, if you love Laurenston and her Crows, you'll love this novel.

     Click HERE to read or listen to an excerpt from The Unyielding on its Amazon.com page by clicking on either the cover art for print or the "Listen" icon for audio. 

                     WORLD-BUILDING                       

     This world is built on a modified Norse mythology and revolves around two Viking Clans—the hot-chick Crows and the macho-man Ravens. Laurenston explains in an opening note to readers that she introduced this world back in 2005 in Hunting Season, but that The Unleashing "is me taking the whole thing to the next level, and it's a definite stand-alone." She goes on to explain that she has "taken some liberties with these gods and their histories" because she found multiple interpretations as she did her research.

     Odin is the top deity in this mythology, with Freyja, Thor, and other familiar Norse gods just below him in the hierarchy of power. Nine Viking Clans serve as representatives of the gods in the mortal world. As one Clan member explains, they are the hammers of the gods. Each Clan member is marked by a magical rune tattoo specific to his or her Clan's god or goddess. 

     Eight of the nine Clans come from pure Viking (Scandinavian) blood lines. The ninth Clan—the Crows, Daughters of Skuld (one of the Norns)—is very different: "Unlike the other Nordic Clans representing different gods, the Crows weren't born into this life. They weren't raised in the Old Way or the New Way. They didn't worship the well-known gods like Odin or Thor or Freyja. None of them had last names like Magnusson or Bergström. Most Crows came to this life knowing so little about Vikings that they thought what they saw in movies was accurate...And yet, here these mostly non-Nordic women were part of one of the most feared Viking Clans. Feared because they didn't rescue, they didn't work to prevent Ragnarok, they didn't actively care about anything that the other Clans cared about. Instead, the Crows were known for their rage, for their hatred, and for their loyalty to each other." (from The Unleashing) 

     The Crow Clan is the only racially diverse, multi-ethnic group among the nine Clans so the other Clans call them "Crow Mutts" and look down on them because they don't have pure Viking blood. Plus, eons ago, the Crows were the slaves of the gods and the other clans, and so everyone still sees them in that light. Each Crow was saved by Skuld at the point of her death by her promise to become one of Skuld's warriors. The Crows' motto is "Let rage be your guide," and they follow that motto as they spend their nights slicing and dicing various enemies identified by Skuld, always living up to their reputation of being the harbingers of death. They also stand up for one another, always having each other's backs both on and off the battlefield. Each Crow has a particular special talent that is connected with her emotional state at her time of death. All of them can fly, and they all have the ability to communicate with real crows, who are their allies. The Crows, like the Ravens (another Clan), use their wings during battle, so they do all of their fighting at night to keep their identities hidden from human view. During the day, they have normal human careers (e.g., lawyers, bankers, actresses).

     The cast of characters is HUGE, with most of them being Crows, Ravens, and Protectors (at least in the early books). Here is an annotated character list that I am including for my own benefit and for yours so that we can look back on it for review before reading the next book in the series. 

THE CROWS:

Chloe Wong: She is the excitable head of the Crow Clan and the bitter ex-wife of the head of the Raven Clan. 

Tessa Kelly: She is Chloe's calm second-in-command and the leader of Kera's Strike Team.

Kera Watson: She is the heroine of book 1, a former U.S. Marine with a penchant for organization and efficiency. Her special skill is massive strength. 

Jacinda (Jace) Berisha): She is the heroine of book 2, a book-loving, introverted loner who is a member of Kera's Strike Team. Her special skill is that she is a berserker. She also can read and speak multiple foreign languages.

Erin Amsel: This gorgeous, diminutive redhead is the heroine of book 3 and is Kera's best friend. She is a tattoo artist for the rich and famous, but her most favorite thing to do is antagonize people, from her fellow Crows all the way up to the king of the gods, Odin. Her special skill is shooting fire out of her hands. She is a member of Kera's Strike Team.

Maeve Godhavi: She is a hypochondriac who makes a fortune off her medical blog, which tracks deadly diseases across the world. She hoards medications and medical equipment in a huge medical fortress. 

Leigh: She was a bank robber before she became a Crow. She is now a well-known painter and is a member of Kera's Strike Team.

Annalisa Dinnapoli: She was a sociopath before she became a Crow and is now a forensic psychologist. She is a member of Kera's Strike Team.

Yardley King is a mega superstar actress in the human world, but she always puts her Crow sisters first in her life. Her contacts within the celebrity world frequently come in handy during the Clans' various and sundry missions.

Alessandra Esporza: She owns a Spanish-language TV station and is a member of Kera's Strike Team.

Betty Lieberman: She is an abrasive, cut-throat Hollywood agent who is a Seer. She is Erin's mentor.

Paula: She is the Crows' no-nonsense business manager and financial expert.

Rachel: She is an ambitious, narrow-minded former bodybuilder whose first death was caused by steroid overuse. In book 2, she decides to change Jace's personality, with tense—sometimes violent—results.

THE RAVENS: They are Odin's chosen warriors—fierce, fearless Vikings who frequently fight alongside the Crows. They, too, can fly and are known to be more skilled at fighting than thinking.

Josef Alexandersen: He is the head of the Raven Clan and the bitter ex-husband of Chloe Wong. 

Ludvig (Vig) Lundström: He is the shy hero of book 1, a skilled blacksmith and weapons maker known for his "thousand-yard stare," which tends to scare everyone away (but not Kera). He has a sister (Katja—"Kat") who is a Valkyrie. 

Rolf Landvik: He can read runes and hear the dead speak.

Stieg Engstrom (aka Stieg the Always Angry): He is a cranky, chronic complainer who spends a lot of time gaming and watching TV at Vig's house and giving him cynical advice. His alcoholic, abusive father was also a Raven, but lost his wings due to dishonorable behavior. Stieg is the hero of book 2.

Siggy Kaspersen: He is the Clan's accountant—great with numbers and hand-to-hand combat, but otherwise kind of a good-natured slacker. He spends a lot of time gaming and watching TV at Vig's house with Stieg.  

THE PROTECTORS: They are loyal to the god Tyr. They keep the world in balance by ensuring that no Clan ever becomes too powerful. Historically, they have been enemies of the Crows and Ravens. They are the thinkers and scholars (aka, nerds) of the Clans and have a huge library of ancient texts that they fiercely protect. Their members are identified early in life and removed from their parents' homes for intensive training and education.

Ormi: He is the leader of the Southern California Protectors, and his job is primarily to maintain good relations with the Protectors' patron god, Tyr. Ormi relies on Ski to keep the Clan running smoothly. Ormi's wife is Inka, leader of Holde's Maids.

Danski "Ski" Eriksen: He is second in command to Ormi and hero of book two. Ski manages the Protectors, making sure that they get their heads out of their books long enough to pay their bills, do their chores, and eat regular meals. Ski is the hero of book 2.

Marbjörn "Bear" Ingolfsson: He is highly protective of the Protector's library and of books in general.

Gundo and Borgsten: Two Protectors who work, fight, and read alongside Ski, Bear, and the other Protectors.

THE OTHER CLANS: Here is an annotated list of the remaining six Clans of Southern California:

> Giant Killers: They are led by Freida and are loyal to the god Thor. Their weapons are hammers (just like Thor's). The Killers are terrific in battle, but, like their patron god, they are definitely not the sharpest arrows in the quiver, if you know what I mean. At one point, Tyr succinctly sums up Thor's level of intelligence: "It is so tragic when your hammer is smarter than you are."

> Valkyries: The Valkyries are nicknamed Choosers of the Slain. They are all females, and their job is to take heroic warriors who die in battle either to Odin or Freyja to await the final battle of Ragnarok. Sefa Hakonardottir leads the Valkyries.

> Isa: They are led by Mist Falker and are loyal to the goddess Skadi. They live in the mountains and national parks among nature and wild animals and are good skiers.

> Claws of Ran: They are led by Rada Virtanen and are loyal to Ran, the goddess of sea and storms. This Clan includes both males and females, most of whom are surfers and/or fishermen. When members of other Clans attempt to swim in or travel across the ocean, the Claws send vicious gulls to attack them—just for the fun of it.

> Holde's Maids: The Head Priestess of the Maids is Inka Solberg-Bentsen (wife of Ormi). They are the best healers. They also like to cause pain, and they call themselves hags. Click HERE for more information about their patron goddess, Holda. 

> The Silent: They are led by Brandt Lindgren (who is loathed by everyone) and are loyal to the god Vidar. Outside of All-Clan meetings, they never speak to the other Clans. They are peacemakers who work for the UN and other world peace organizations. They loathe the Crows (“useless whores”), Ravens (“dangerous thugs”), and Protectors (“intelligent bullies”).

     This description of an All-Clan meeting demonstrates the ongoing discord among the Nine Clans of Southern California: "Each Clan stayed in its designated area, behind the correct runes, while they pointed and yelled at each other…The Silent loudly [argued] with the Isa, who gestured inappropriately at Holde's Maids, who threatened hexes on the Claws of Ran, who spit seawater at the Giant Killers, who sexually harassed the Valkyries, who told the Ravens to kill the Killers, and the Ravens agreed because anything was better than listening to Josef fight with Chloe while the Crows told the Silent that the Isa were planning to kill them." (from The Undoing)

     There are a few clueless humans scattered through the books in mostly minor roles. They are called the Unknowing because they know nothing about the Clans and the gods who had created them.

     Laurenston also writes the PRIDE series featuring sexy shape shifters. Click HERE to read my reviews of books in that series. 

                       NOVEL 1:  The Unleashing                       
PUBLISHER'S BLURB:
     Kera Watson never expected to face death behind a Los Angeles coffee shop. Not after surviving two tours lugging an M16 around the Middle East. If it wasn't for her hot Viking customer showing up too late to help, nobody would even see her die.

     In uncountable years of service to the Allfather Odin, Ludvig "Vig" Rundstrom has never seen anyone kick ass with quite as much style as Kera. He knows one way to save her life—but she might not like it. Signing up with the Crows will get Kera a new set of battle buddies: cackling, gossiping, squabbling, party-hearty women. With wings. So not the Marines.

     But Vig can't give up on someone as special as Kera. With a storm of oh-crap magic speeding straight for L.A., survival will depend on combining their strengths: Kera's discipline, Vig's loyalty... and the Crows' sheer love of battle. Boy, are they in trouble. 

MY REVIEW: 

     In the opening scene, Kera is murdered by a street thug behind the coffee shop she manages. One of her customers (Vig) calls for Skuld to save her, and Kera agrees to become a Crow as long as she can bring along her beloved pit bull, Brodie Hawaii. Almost as soon as she arrives at the Bird House (the Crow residence facility), Kera is attacked by Freida and her Giant Killers. After the Crows save her from Freida's warriors, Kera begins a very rough introduction to her new life. 

     Kera is used to a military life with its organization, rules and regulations, instruction manuals, training sessions, and hierarchy of command. She expects to be trained for her new position, but that's not how the Crows operate. They like to throw the new girls into the action without preparation or explanation, forcing them to sink or swim. This, of course, drives Kera crazy, and she and her mentor (Erin) get into some major fights (both verbal and physical) before Vig steps in to teach Kera the ropes. Much of the snarky humor comes from Kera's failed attempts to get the Crows organized into a sleek, well-organized military unit. Kara is used to working with serious warriors, but now her battle buddies are a bunch of cackling, gossiping, squabbling, party-hearty women. Kera also has some Brodie-related problems when some of the Crow girls fall in love with the dog and take her out on walks, buy her a pink tutu, and spoil her so much that Brodie spends more time with them than with Kera.

     Another problem facing Kera is her resistance to killing. In the Marines, Kera was taught to try to defuse situations and not to kill unless absolutely necessary. Now, she is being ordered to slay a series of enemies without understanding what crimes those people have committed. Soon, her Crow sisters begin to think that she is a wuss who can't be counted on to follow through during a battle. To help her work through this difficult moral problem, Vig takes her on a trip to another realm for a talk with the ancestral Crows. 

     This book is STUFFED with expositional material, mostly world-building details and introductions to the gigantic cast of characters. In the background, the plot simmers along at low heat until it inevitably boils up at the end. That plot begins when someone begins stealing jewelry and precious metals from various Clans, all of whom believe that the Crows are the thieves. (That's what Freida's raid was all about.) Then the Protectors begin to find an increasing number of human sacrifices surrounded by mysterious runes. Meanwhile, Chloe has to deal with a rich and venomous neighbor who keeps suing the Crows because she wants them out of her neighborhood. Who is behind the sacrifices? What is their end game? What do the runes mean? Will the Crows and the Ravens solve the mystery? Why are the Clan leaders having debilitating nightmares? Will the neighbor succeed in ejecting the Crows from their mansion? All of these questions are answered by the end of the book.

     As Kera learns the ins and outs of her new life, she and Vig find their friendship turning into lust and then love. Although Vig is a scary guy to most people, he is a gentle giant with Kera. The scene in which he teaches her to fly is especially touching. The lead characters are well developed and multi-faceted. Kera, especially is a fully formed character with whom we can empathize. Vig leans, perhaps, too much toward being a tough-guy-with-a-heart-of-gold stereotype, but he is such a great match for Kera that I didn't mind that very much. The other characters are mostly just sketched in at this point, but I'm assuming that we'll learn much more about each one as they take their turns in the romance spotlight.

     I always enjoy reading Laurenston's books, with their snarky humor, quirky characters, and straightforward plots. This time around, though, I have to admit that the extremely large set of characters bogged down the pace, particularly when some characters (like Erin, for example) are sometimes called by their first names and sometimes by their last names. I think that Laurenston gives the Crows last names because she wants to emphasize their cultural diversity, but really, it just adds to the confusion. Now that I have all of the people and personalities sorted out, I'm hoping that I can sail right through the next book with minimal references to the lists in this review. 

Note to the author: Readers would benefit from an annotated character page and a mythology page on your web site. Better still...include this information as an appendix to the next book.

     Click HERE to read or listen to an excerpt from The Unleashing on its Amazon.com page by clicking on either the cover art for print or the "Listen" icon for audio.

                       NOVEL 2:  The Undoing                       
PUBLISHER'S BLURB: 
     No one would ever accuse Jace Berisha of having an easy life—considering her husband…you know…killed her. But that was then! Now she fights for mighty Viking gods with the spectacular and vicious Crows. 

     But things are turning very bad, very quickly because a vengeful, ancient goddess has come into the world with just one thing on her mind—ending it. And the only way they can hope to stop her is if the Crows join forces with their one-time enemies, the Protectors. A Viking Clan created to do nothing but kill every Crow they see. 

     Thankfully, Protector Ski Eriksen is a peace loving kind of guy. Because the woman he is desperately trying to get close to is the beautiful and not-very-chatty Jace. Battling Nordic Clans? Unkillable goddesses? Jace's mean-spirited dog? None of these things would ever get in the way of a true Viking!

MY REVIEW: 

     Danski "Ski" Eriksen is second in command of the Protectors. Jacinda "Jace" Berisha is a Crow. Although they don't realize it at first, they share a love of books and a curiosity about historical events and people. As the book begins, the two know each other only through their experiences of occasionally fighting side by side. Ski has watched Jace go into her Berserker mode, in which she loses all reason and is driven completely by rage. Unlike some, he is not repulsed by her Berserker side, but sympathizes with the aftereffects she suffers—depression and exhaustion. 

     As the story begins, the Crows and the Protectors meet up at the headquarters of a Russian mobster, each on a different mission. Jace's team is recovering a stolen bracelet that belongs to Freyja, while Ski's team is recovering stolen crates of ancient texts. When the Protectors discover that all of the texts are written in Russian and other Slavic languages, they search for a translator and eventually ask Jace to take the job. At first, she refuses because she keeps herself mostly isolated from other people, preferring a nice thick history of the Punic Wars over small-talk with her sister Crows or anyone else, for that matter. When Chloe, the Crows leader, decides that Jace needs to get a job that will socialize her and get her out into the world, Jace decides that the translating job with the Protectors is the lesser of two evils.

     Meanwhile, Betty Leiberman, one of the Crows, still is in a coma as a result of events that took place in book 1. Although the Crows have tried and tried to awaken her, they have had no luck. Then, the Clans are faced with a series of violent crimes involving human sacrifices and dark, magical runes, and the Crows begin to get a bad feeling that the goddess they thought they had gotten rid of in book one might not be gone after all. 

     The two primary plot lines—the romance and the sacrificial murders—revolve around Ski and Jace's love story and the Clans' attempts to take care of a problem they thought they had solved. Both plot lines move along at a moderate pace, building in suspense and anticipation as Laurenston drops clues and provides lots of sardonic dialogue from beginning to end. A secondary story line involves a threat from Jace's ex-husband, who will apparently figure in the resolution of the series story arc—the imminent threat of Ragnarok (aka the End of Days, the Apocalypse, Armageddon).

     The action plot centers around the goddess Gullveig and her minions: Hel's Carrion and the Mardröm (aka the Mara). The Carrion are huge fanged men from Hell: "big, strapping Vikings of old who hadn't been taken by Odin or Freyja, but Hel herself." Their touch causes instant rot and decay. If they hold onto you long enough, all of your skin, organs, and bones will rot completely away. The Mara appear out of black smoke and have rows of black fangs. They are "female demons who made their victims physically experience the nightmares they gave them." This Ragnarok-related story line is unresolved and will continue in the next book. Although this is a serious challenge to the Nine Clans, it does provide an opportunity for Kera to find her true purpose in her new life with the Crows. Jace's grandmother shows up in the nick of time to provide Jace and the Crows with some needed assistance, and I'm sure we've not seen the last of this eccentric, magically powerful lady.

In a single scene midway though the book, Laurenston adds some additional characters to the mythology:

> The Sisters of St. Mary Magdalene Convent of All Saints (aka the Chosen Warriors of God). For centuries, the Sisters have worked in the background to protect the world from itself and to prevent the End of Days. The Sisters and the Crows currently have a tenuous peace treaty, but they have a bloody, antagonistic history. Sister Theresa Marie Rutkowski is the leader of the Sisters.

> The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death): In this book, all they do is sit in the Sisters' waiting room reading magazines and talking on their cell phones. (Death enjoys leafing through House and Garden magazines.)

> Three archangels: Michael, Raphael, and Khamael, all of whom appear to be long-time friends of Jace. We don't learn the specifics of that relationship until late in the book.

     In another scene, Laurenston introduces Ratatosk, the never-to-be-trusted messenger of the gods who takes the form of a squirrel, which is a dangerous way to approach the Crows' house because of the two dogs in residence: Kera's gigantic, winged pit bull (Brodie Hawaii) and Jace's huge puppy mutt (Lev).

     The romance ambles along slowly as Ski slowly discovers that Jace is not as shy as she appears. Actually, she had a terrible human life (forced into a religious cult as a child, married off to the cult's "Prophet," and murdered by that Prophet when she rebelled). She hates small-talk and chitchat and prefers reading books to interacting with people (especially her boisterous, noisy, never-silent Crow sisters—with the exception of Kera). Soon, though, she begins to prefer Ski—especially when he's naked in her (or his) bed.

     Naturally, Laurenston provides plenty of her patented sardonic, wise-cracking dialogue and over-the-top bedroom scenes. Much of the fun comes from an ongoing scheme by the trickster, Erin, to "mess with" Kera about arrangements for the big celebration that will introduce her to members of all of the U.S. Crow Clans. Erin's shenanigans can get to be annoying after awhile, but still are pretty funny. She never misses a chance to agitate. The Protectors call her the "vicious little redhead" and describe her as having a "devil's tongue."

     Even though the mythology is complex and the cast is HUGE, I am enjoying this series because of Laurenston's skillful story telling—just the right amount of sarcastic humor blended into a relatively straightforward—but not simplistic—story. As we get to know these characters, Laurenston adds more and more nuance to each one, making them interesting and sympathetic. Here's what RT Book Reviews has to say in its 4½ star Top Pick review of The Undoing: “As fans know, no one beats Laurenston when it comes to combining the weirdly wacky with humorous and over-the-top violence. So settle in and enjoy one very strange—not to mention hazardous—courtship!”

     Click HERE to read or listen to an excerpt from The Undoing on its Amazon.com page by clicking on either the cover art for print or the "Listen" icon for audio.

NEW SERIES! Nicole Peeler: JINN AND JUICE SERIES

Author:  Nicole Peeler  
Series:  JINN AND JUICE 
Plot Type:  Urban Fantasy (UF)
Ratings:  Violence—4; Sensuality—2; Humor—2   
Publisher and Titles:  Orbit
          Jinn and Juice (e-book—11/2014; paperback—4/2015)

     This is Peeler's second urban fantasy series. She also wrote the JANE TRUE series. Click HERE to read my reviews of the books in that series.

                      WORLD-BUILDING                      

     The series is set in Pittsburgh, which Peeler describes again and again as "steel-soaked" or "steel-stained" or "steel-corrupted." Pittsburgh lies at the confluence of three rivers, two above ground and one underground, and the moving water indicates the presence of magical ley lines. When ley lines converge, they form a powerful Node of magic, pulsing with magical "juice." A century of industrial development and its accompanying pollution have permanently polluted the ley lines and the magical Node under the city. Most magical beings cannot draw on the Deep Magic of the Pittsburgh Node because its magic will poison them.

     In this mythology, supernaturals can live either in the human world or in Sideways (which is similar to the Fae realm found in other mythologies). They can also create pockets of Sideways in the human world. For example, many supernaturals have Sideways pockets in their clothing in which they hide their weapons, making their guns and swords invisible to the human eye.  

     This supernatural world has two general types: Purebloods and Immunda. Purebloods are powerful, purely magical beings, like Jinn or sidhe Lords that use Deep Magic that runs deep in the ley lines and the Nodes. The Immunda are "everything else, really. Including creatures like sirens, vampires, gaki, succubi…anything that gathers its magic parasitically off humans…also things with mixed human-and-magical blood, including shape shifters. Those..creatures can skim off the surface of the Node and ley lines, but they can't use the Deep Magic." (Jinn and Juice, p. 55) Purebloods need Deep Magic to survive, so they cannot live in Pittsburgh because they can't pull magic from the Node. That is why Pittsburgh has become a haven for the Immunda.

     The two main characters in the series are a Jinn and a Magi, two supernatural entities who are almost always fierce enemies. The Magi are "a race of humans taught that another species of being existed simply to serve them, whether they liked it or not. Magi had no problem yanking Jinn away from their…families and friends. And powerful Magi tribes would keep a Jinni forever if they could, passing down a binding from parent to child." (Jinn and Juice, p. 193)

     Jinn have Fire power (black flames) and can change shape and size at will. Powerful Jinn can teleport. They survive by drawing power from the Deep Magic of Nodes. According to their own origin myth, Jinn were originally created from the heat of the universe, but in real life, two Jinn can meld together and reproduce. They stay as far away from Magi as they possibly can.

     Magi are born with latent abilities, but their true powers don't kick in until they are initiated by another Magi. During the initiation ceremony, the mature Magi Calls an unBound Jinni, who then says a different set of magical words to initiate the immature Magi. Immediately, the new Magi's eyes turn silver and his/her magical powers are activated.

      A Magi captures a Jinni by speaking magical words in a See, Call, and Bind sequence. Once a Magi Binds a Jinni, that Magi becomes the Jinni's Master. The Jinni must do the Master's bidding and never lie to him/her until the Magi either dies or rescinds the Binding spell. In this world, Jinn are almost always bound to Magi. They can sense one another, so it is difficult for a Jinni to remain free. Most Magi are power-hungry, cruel Masters who use their Jinn for selfish purposes. 

     The series heroine is Lyla, a thousand-year-old Jinn who is a belly dancer at a magical nightclub called Purgatory. Lyla is unique in that she began life as a human and was changed into a Jinni after being cursed by a powerful Jinni named Kouros. Other Jinn view Lyla as an abomination who deserves to be killed, which is why she is hiding out in Pittsburgh, where other Jinn cannot tolerate the steel-soaked, poisonous Node. Because Lyla is a Jinni in a human body, she is the only Immunda who can draw on Pittsburgh's Node without being poisoned. As the first novel opens, no one else knows about Lyla's curse or that she can access Pittsburgh's Node, except for her tight circle of friends.

                      NOVEL 1:  Jinn and Juice                      

     As the story begins, Lyla is very close to the end of her curse. If she can get through the next few days without being Bound by a Magi, she will become human again for the first time in a millennium. She and Charlie have been living in Pittsburgh for a long time because it is a place where they feel safe from predatory supernaturals. Although Charlie and Lyla are considered Immunda, they are different from the others. As Lyla explains to Oz, she and Charlie have something extra: "Charlie has gods inside of him—his magical channels are about as wide and well-worn as you can get, And I'm just…different…I'm decently strong for a Jinni…When I'm Bound, I'm a lot stronger, And when I'm Bound to a strong Magi…I'm even stronger."

     Layla has never seen a Magi since she moved to Pittsburgh. As the end of her curse gets closer and closer, she is having nightmares about Kouros, the treacherous Jinni who changed her from a human woman to a Jinni. She has dreamed about him for many years, but these recent dreams seem almost real.

     Lyla has a small group of close friends who support her throughout her various trials and tribulations:

   > Charlie: He owns Purgatory and is an immortal oracle possessed by gods.

   > Rachel Divide: She is a human—a psychic gay drag queen and Charlie's lover. 

   > Yulia: She is a will-o'-the-wisp and Lyla's best friend.  

   > Aki: He is a kitsune, a shape-changing fox (from Japanese mythology).

     One night, as Lyla is performing at Purgatory, she senses the presence of a Magi. Determined never to be enslaved again, she tries to escape, but to no avail. Soon, she finds herself Bound to a Magi named Ozan (Oz) Sawyer, who inherited his pale features and sandy hair from his Irish father and his Magi abilities from his Turkish mother. Lyla has been bound many times during her life (but never in Pittsburgh), and she knows from experience that Magi are cruel Masters who never give a thought to the well-being of the Jinn they enslave. 

     As it turns out, Oz has only been a mature Magi for a month, so he is quite unsure of his abilities. All he wants is for Lyla to help him find an Afghan girl named Tamina. Oz was an American aid worker on assignment in Afghanistan when he was befriended by Tamina's relatives, a Magi family who realized immediately that he was an immature Magi. Recently, Tamina and her family left Afghanistan and resettled in Pittsburgh, but when the Afghan relatives learned that Tamina's parents had been murdered and that Tamina was missing, they arranged for Oz to be initiated so that he could return to America, Bind a Jinni, and command the Jinni to find Tamina. Oz promises that he will unBind Lyla in time for her end-of-curse deadline, but she doesn't believe him—at first, anyway.

     The story follows Oz, Lyla, and Lyla's friends as they search for Tamina, investigate an infestation of obnoxious magical creatures from Sideways, and learn the truth about Tamina's disappearance and her connection with Kouros. As you would expect, Oz and Lyla move well beyond a Master-Slave relationship, although they only get as far as a few passionate kisses in this book (much like the hero-heroine relationship in Peeler's JANE TRUE series).

     The first book in a series is always packed to the gills with world-building, and this book is no exception. Unfortunately, there is so much exposition that both plot and characterization suffer terribly. Some details (like the poisonous Node) are repeated over and over again, while others (like the Blood sect and the Crypt) pop up suddenly with little or no explanation. Another problem is that the plot relies on several "Aha!" moments to carry it along—epiphanies in which the heroine has implausible flashes of insight based on nothing but a few flimsy clues and some questionable assumptions. 

     The relationship between Lyla and Oz is weak and lacking in emotion. Even though we learn Lyla and Oz's back stories, they are thinly developed characters with a definite lack of human qualities. I could never truly connect with either of them—the same problem I had with the characters in the JANE TRUE novels. Another problem is the stilted dialogue and the lack of emotional bonding between the hero and the heroine. Their romantic scenes always feel forced. The secondary characters are entertaining, but I always question the wisdom of dumping lots of different types of supernatural creatures into a series—particularly into the first book. It's difficult enough to introduce a new mythology and to flesh out a cast of characters, so why add a host of weird supernatural beasties to the list, each of which must be described in some detail. That just slows down the pace, overwhelms the plot, and adds little to the story.

     One last quibble: The paperback version is full of copy-proofing errors in spelling and word-use, mostly the kind that slip past auto-spell-checks. Orbit should have done a better job with this.

     In the final analysis, I always judge a book by its ability to keep me engrossed. This one didn't have me glued to the page, but I was interested enough to read it through to the end just to find out what happened with Kouros. If you enjoyed Peeler's writing style in JANE TRUE, you'll probably like this series as well. Click HERE to read an excerpt from Jinn and Juice on the Orbit web site.