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The Journals of Octavia Hollows #1-6

The Journals of Octavia Hollows: Volume One

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With a touch of her hand, Octavia Hollows can restore life. Yet, she couldn’t save the man she loved from the horrific accident that stole him from her. Octavia thought she could outrun the pain, but ghosts from the past refuse to be silenced. Out of options, she chooses to retrace her wayward journey across the country in search of answers. Surrounded by baffling mysteries of the undead, what she learns about herself along the way might become her greatest weapon.

This six novella series chronicles Octavia's adventures in:
Wake the Dead
Dead Man's Hand
Caught Dead
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Dead Ringer
Dead as a Doornail

401 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2022

300 people are currently reading
154 people want to read

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Stacey Rourke

65 books736 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for Carole (Carole's Random Life).
1,938 reviews607 followers
December 26, 2019
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I liked this one! I am always on the lookout for new Urban Fantasy series to try and I just couldn't resist a story about a necromancer with a resurrected pet pig named Bacon! This book is a collection of 6 different novella-length stories that all tie into a larger story. I did like some of the stories much more than others but I had a good time with the collection overall.

I loved Octavia! She had a lot of spunk and was just a lot of fun. Every time she put her pet pig, Bacon in a baby carrier under her shirt and pretended to be pregnant, I couldn't help the smile that would work its way onto my face. She was tough and rather resourceful. I liked seeing her handle herself in such a wide variety of settings.

In this collection, we see Octavia encounter a lot of different challenges. Each story was different but sometimes things from a previous story would carry over. I liked some of the stories a lot more than others which is normal for a collection of shorter pieces. I liked the stories at the beginning and the end of the collection the best and found that the middle stories dragged a bit. This audiobook did keep the beginning and ending credits for each of the six shorter works which I found somewhat unexpected.

This was the first time that I have listened to Brenda Scott Wlazlo narrate a book. I thought that she did a marvelous job with this one. I probably enjoyed this book a bit more because of her narration. She made the story come alive and everything flowed beautifully. I loved that when Octavia sang, we got to hear it. I hope to listen to more of her narration work.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well done collection of stories with great characters and just the right amount of humor. I would love to see what comes next for Octavia, Bacon, and friends!

I received a review copy of this audiobook from the author via Caffeinated Services.

Initial Thoughts
Probably more of a 3.5 star read. I liked this book and had some fun with it. This is a collection of 6 novella-length stories that come together to tell a larger story. I liked some of the stories much better than others. I did like the characters and thought that the narrator did an amazing job.
Profile Image for Sarah.
3,358 reviews1,236 followers
November 26, 2019
This book is actually a collection of the first 6 novellas in the Octavia Hollows series by Stacey Rourke. I listened to the audiobook which narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo who I thought did a brilliant job with the different character voices. I often find my mind drifts when I'm listening to audiobooks but she did a great job of holding my attention and I ended up devouring the whole series far faster than I usually listen to audiobooks.

I'll talk about each one separately below but lets start with a brief overview of the series. Octavia is a necromancer with a rather unusual ability. Rather than raising a zombie like creature she is actually able to restore a dead body to its original healthy state and the person she raises is effectively given a whole new chance at life. Her life was turned upside down by the death of her fiancé Elba, that wouldn't usually be a big problem for her but when someone steals his body before she can reanimate him it all goes to hell. Now Octavia's only focus in life is to try and figure out where Elba's body is so that she can bring him back from the dead.

This was a fun and light hearted urban fantasy series that I couldn't read fast enough and I really, really hope that Stacey Rourke decides to write more stories set in this world.

Wake the Dead

This is a great introduction to Octavia and this world. We get to find out about her ability to raise the dead and meet the most adorable sidekick in her pet pig called Bacon. The story starts with Octavia retracing her steps to Seattle looking for clues about Elba's missing body. While there she is asked for help by a desperate family whose children both seem to be dying. Add in a dead nurse, a visit to the morgue and a dangerous curse and Octavia is going to need to keep her wits about her if she wants to survive this adventure.

We only find out a little about Octavia's past here but we start to understand how alone she has been since falling out with the Coven who raised her until she was 16.

Dead Man's Hand

The second story sees Octavia retrace her steps to Las Vegas where she's hoping her old boss might have some answers for her about the man who is stalking her. We get to see Bacon cause chaos on a construction site before Octavia gets herself caught up in a new supernatural case after she reanimates an ex gambler who was burned alive. She's trying to stay under the radar of her Coven, dodge the police and a mob hitman while trying to figure out who is behind the murders so it's probably no surprise that things get a little crazy.

I'm really enjoying getting to know Octavia, she may be on a mission but that never stops her from trying to help others along the way.

Caught Dead

The next stop of Octavia's journey sees her in Galveston, Texas. She's still searching for Elba's body but at the same time she's also trying to find out more about the mysterious stalker who seems to be shadowing her every move. While here she witnesses a body being recovered from a fishing net but he's too far gone even for her magic abilities. Unable to ask the victim directly about his murder she has to do a bit more digging on her own here and soon gets caught up in a tale of sea monsters.

This story gives us a lot more information about Octavia's past as she uncovers things about herself and her family that she'd never heard of before. She was an orphan before the Coven took her in but this gives her a chance to find out about the parents she doesn't even remember. It ends on quite a cliffhanger so I was really pleased that I had the entire series on hand ready to continue!

Drop Dead Gorgeous

After her abduction in the previous story Octavia is still at the mercy of a cold blooded siren who would happily see her dead. With Bacon and her new friend Squidface being held hostage and used against her Octavia didn't have much choice but to agree to travel to meet the rest of the siren pod. The last thing she's expecting is to find them running a travelling beauty pageant where they target pervy old men to feed from but it's actually a pretty perfect way for the sirens to feed without going on a killing spree.

Octavia finds herself caught up in siren politics after stumbling across a double homicide and she'll have to keep her wits about her if she wants to save her friends in time. This ends in another cliffhanger so again I was ready to dive straight into the next story.

Dead Ringer

Knowing that her stalker has abducted her entire coven has put Octavia's hunt for Elba's body on hold. She will do anything to save the women who raised her and her search for them begins in New Orleans. Retracing her steps seems to be working well for her so far so she heads back to the boxing gym she used to work at. When she realises her old boss and one of the new fighters Reid have got themselves in some kind of trouble with an underground fight club she knows she has to step in and help but she's definitely going to end up with more than she bargained for this time.

All the way through this series I've been rooting for Octavia to track down Elba and bring him back to life but for the first time I'm starting to wonder whether that's actually the best option for her. She had some great chemistry going on with Reid so although nothing has really happened there so far I find myself almost hoping that will change in the future. We're definitely getting closer to a resolution one way or the other when it comes to Elba though so I couldn't dive into the final book fast enough.

Dead as a Doornail

Her journey has come full circle and now Octavia is back in Tallahassee, Florida, the place where Elba died and where her stalker is now holding her coven captive. Reid has travelled with her wanting to help her and pay back the debt he feels he owes her but her focus remains on finding Elba's body and rescuing her coven.

I'm not going to say too much about this final instalment because I don't want to give spoilers but I will say I was really happy with the way this series ended (although I'm still hoping for more in the future!). This was an intense part of Octavia's journey, she has to face some terrible choices and is forced to face up to both her past and what she wants from her future.

I had so much fun reading this series, I ended up devouring all 6 novellas in less than 24 hours because they kept me totally hooked from beginning to end. I loved the colourful characters and the humour and while this may have been my first Stacey Rourke series it definitely won't be the last!
Profile Image for Sophia.
Author 5 books399 followers
October 23, 2019
I originally grabbed the first book separately, but I knew within minutes of listening that I definitely was going to love it. At the end, which left thing open for the series arc after closing out the specific suspense plot for that story, I was eager for the next installment. Easy decision to go for the complete series of six books and still enjoy the wonderful audio work of Brenda Scott Wlazlo.

Wake the Dead
The character, the world, and the series arc was introduced while giving the reader an exciting first supernatural mystery to see Octavia in action.
Octavia is a necromancer and through the gift of a mysterious burner phone learns of a family's plight as their son dies of a curse and of the curious death of the baby's nurse. Octavia was in Seattle looking for clues to her boyfriend, Elba's missing body. and about herself, but her generous, if very snarky spirit, chooses to help the family. One thing leads to another and Octavia learns there is more to her than she thought before she and her pet resurrected pig bacon zoom out of town on her bike for the next leg of her journey to find out more about the love of her life.

Dead Man's Hand
Octavia has come to Las Vegas to visit her old construction job boss for clues about her boyfriend, Elba. Instead, she lands another after life mystery when people are dying of immolation. A dead gambling addict resurrected helps Octavia discover what is going on. Meanwhile, she learns she is being followed by a mysterious man in a cap asking about her and she has made the witch coven watch list because of her illegal activities of raising the dead.

Caught Dead
Hiding out from her stalker and still looking for clues about Elba, Octavia finds herself with a new supernatural mystery that leads to reveals about her family. This one ends on a cliffhanger. I think these just keep getting better.

Drop Dead Gorgeous
Octavia ends up at a Siren beauty pageant camp where she's herded in with other half-sirens. Not wanting to get involved in siren politics. She's pulled in when a death occurs. Then things got fun and zany. Another cliffhanger. Must keep going.

Dead Ringer
Worried about the disappearance of the coven who fostered her and knowing they were last known to be with the mysterious man who was stalking her, Octavia shows up in Belle Chasse outside New Orleans at the boxing studio she worked at for a time. Her plan to work while hunt down clues to the witches is sidetracked by her old boss and a ferocious fighter in trouble with an underground fighting ring.
This one was exciting for the boxing and gang scenes, but also because her latest rescue mission leaves her with an attraction sparked and a few emotional epiphanies about her past. But, then yes, cliffhanger with her mysterious stalking throwing down a gauntlet and pointing her back to Florida where her run across the country began.

Dead as a Doornail
Octavia has learned a great deal about herself as she slowly backtracks her way across country over the ground she had once been fleeing out of guilt and sorrow. She's coming into her own and making amends with her past even as she starts to look up and take a look to the future.
However, a malicious enemy has been stalking her and now has her coven. He's leading her right back to the place where her running began- the place Elba died. Can she make peace with that death and find the strength and cunning to deal with the new threat all with Reed her new werewolf pal and Bacon her swine-kick at her side?

Brenda Scott Wlazlo was a brilliant narrator match for this series of books. She captured a young, snarky and trash-talking yet vulnerable and hurting Octavia so well even as all her other voices were distinct so that each character was easy to pick out. She puts a heavier nudge of acting in now and then, but I didn't mind.

It ended with a smash finish that was emotional and complete as well as exciting as all came to fulmination. It left things with a promise of more seasons of Octavia Hollows' adventures. Those who enjoy entertaining urban fantasy involving supernaturals from necromancer to siren and even a mythological beast now and then in a colorful variety of settings should give these a go.

My thanks to Caffeinated PR services for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jenny  Zimmerman.
1,663 reviews71 followers
September 8, 2023
The Journals of Octavia Hollows

Written and narrated by Stacey Rourke


OVERALL ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

PERFORMANCE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

STORY ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


This is an amazing set of stories and my husband and I enjoyed every minute of it.


The characters were phenomenal and I still say Bacon is our favorite. And Octavia was so filled with spunk and sass which made it even more awesome.


The storyline was incredible. We were completely drawn in from beginning to end. 


The narrator was freaking awesome!!! Did you know the author of this set of books also narrated these books? Why yes, yes she does and the voice overs that she did were entertaining and very enjoyable!! We highly recommend this audiobook!!
Profile Image for Ashley Yungbluth.
658 reviews7 followers
December 16, 2023
I enjoyed "The Journals of Octavia Hollows" by Stacey Rourke. I absolutely loved her pet pig, Bacon. I like Stacey's style of writing and would definitely read other books by her. I caught myself laughing out loud a few times and couldn't wait to continue reading. I am adding book two to my books to be read list.
Profile Image for Samantha.
1,909 reviews39 followers
January 1, 2021
I loved this series when I read the individual installments, and I was thrilled to see them all make it into one giant volume so that I could have another go round with these characters back-to-back.
The formatting in this volume is absolute perfection; it was so pretty! And the stories are just as awesome as they were the first time around.
I love the humor that Rourke writes with. Octavia is a force to be reckoned with; she's feisty and yet has me laughing so much along the way.
Each story was just as great as I remembered it from the solo books, maybe even more so this second time around.
About halfway through the story (Book Four) Drop Dead Gorgeous, there were several typos and errors, but the story was no less enjoyable for these mistakes.
Reading this entire series again was so enjoyable. I devoured these stories and loved being transported back into this book world. I am already hoping for more Octavia and Bacon in the future.
Profile Image for Nichole Watson.
Author 3 books30 followers
February 12, 2021
I am so glad this series was recommended to me. I absolutely loved the world tjis author created. It played like a movie as I read each book in this set. The characters were developed to have all the great qualities I enjoy reading. The humor mixed with the adventure in each book will keep you turning the pages.
Profile Image for Martha.
867 reviews49 followers
November 19, 2019
This is a very fun listen! My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Octavia is a gutsy young woman with special gifts. She is a necromancer who can restore life and she has a little bit of magic learned from her witch coven friends. Still, she never felt like she belonged or had a family anywhere.

One of her special restorations is her sidekick and constant companion, a miniature pig she named Bacon. Octavia is distressed that she wasn’t able to save her boyfriend, Elba, from a tragic accident. But someone has hidden his body so she is retracing her steps to try to find him. In each episode Octavia faces a challenge of death and learns more about herself along the way.

Wake the Dead
Octavia starts off in Seattle. She is surprised to be contacted by a couple desperate to hire her to help their baby son. Although waking the dead is frowned upon, Octavia uses the resources she has available and that means waking the nurse who was present in the hospital room when things went wrong for the family. Can Octavia banish the creature that has taken control of the children?

This story introduces the reader to Octavia, Bacon some of Octavia’s history and her friendship and strained relationship with her coven mentor, Dina. The snarky fun is obvious from the opening pages.

Dead Man's Hand
Moving on to Las Vegas Octavia visits her old boss to make inquires. They open a tool cabinet to discover a charred body and a huge stack of cash. Octavia thinks she can help by waking the man to ask him what happened. Soon she is dodging the law and hiding from the mob while she tries to figure out the mystery. This time she faces a monster who is willing to grant her deepest wish. Can she resist?

Caught Dead
Next Octavia stops in Galveston, Texas. By this time she knows that someone is shadowing her as he drops a burner cellphone in her lap and she learns a man has been asking about her.

While she tries to figure out who would stalk her, Octavia is witness to the arrest of a woman accused of murdering her husband. Octavia slips out in the dark to hunt for clues and is confronted by a strange creature from Davy Jones Locker. The creature is threatened when others start rushing to the area to investigate strange noises. Octavia manages to whisk “Squidface” away to hide him in her motel room. This becomes a sweet character but faces danger when Octavia confronts a Siren who is causing murders along the beach.

Drop Dead Gorgeous
From the blurb for book 4:

“Campsite; Middle of nowhere
Abducted by a pod of sirens claiming to hold secrets to her past, Octavia is forced into the hell that is the sequin and taffeta lifestyle of a traveling pageant circuit. But this tour is leaving a trail of deception in its wake. Stumbling onto a double homicide, Octavia must choose a side in a decades old rivalry.
Will she use her gifts to unveil the killer, if it means sacrificing her chance at freedom?”


This situation reveals alarming facts about Octavia’s birth parents. Octavia has to find a way out of her predicament before Squidface, Bacon, and Octavia herself lose their freedom, if not their lives.

Dead Ringer
Octavia returns to another former employer in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. Octavia is worried about the members of her coven who have gone missing. She fears they have been lured out by her stalker and she is close on his heels. But before she can find the stalker, Octavia meets a handsome boxer, Reid, who has a unique ability – he can’t die. As usual, Octavia steps into the ring (literally this time) to lend a helping hand, punch or kick.

There is fun chemistry and banter between Octavia and Reid to the point that she has to remind herself that she is still hunting the body of her “ex” boyfriend, Elba. Will Octavia allow Reid to tag along when she follows the next clues to find Elba and the stalker?

Dead as a Doornail
Octavia finally returns to Tallahassee, Florida where the love of her (Elba) life died. Time has come to face the stalking menace who is out for revenge. He is vicious and holds the tricks: he has the body of Elba and has kidnapped her coven members. Elba is materializing as a ghost trying to help protect Octavia from the stalker and maybe from Reid as the two “men” face-off.

Octavia will need all the help she can gather to fight this threat from her past. Octavia is willing to offer an apology and forgiveness as she continues to mature her emotions and confidence, standing firm to face the enemy.

Boxed Set:
The whole package is a great ride of snarky fun with lots of action and unusual paranormal characters. There is some language and a small bit of crudity that was unnecessary for me. But as stated in the Tour Blitz, if “you like urban fantasy and snarky heroines…. you'll want to meet necromancer Octavia Hollows and her sidekick Bacon.” Do you like urban fantasy and snarky heroines?

Audio Notes: Brenda Scott Wlazlo does a wonderful job delivery the energy and fun of these stories. I am thankful to have received the audio to enjoy the listening fun!

Source: Audio provided for Tour Blitz.
643 reviews2 followers
January 1, 2024
These stories were all great. I love Octavia's sass. She's a strong character. She's trying to rebuild her life after her fiance dies. She is a strong character. One of my favorite parts of this book was her pet pig, Bacon.

I would love more stories about Octavia and Bacon.
Profile Image for Crystal Gray.
1,088 reviews33 followers
August 10, 2019
This series of novellas was so fun! Each one brings her to a different place, with a different problem. Octavia and Bacon for the win.
Profile Image for Nicci.
723 reviews228 followers
July 13, 2020
Octavia Hollows is one weird chick.
She is a necromancer who is set apart from other necromancers in that she can fully restore life to dead things. She doesn't bring back zombies, she fully heals the body/vessel and restores the soul so you have a 100% living breathing being back.
She travels with a pig she brought back from the dead and named Bacon, and Bacon seems to be her only friend.
She was bounced around foster homes as a kid until she was taken in by a coven who she also had to leave when she was a teenager and she has been painfully alone for all her life except from when she was with Elba - her fiance.
However, when the story starts Elba is already dead.
Not a problem for someone who can fully restore life, right?
Right.
Except, someone stole his body before Octavia could get to him. So he is gone.

That is where we meet Octavia. Travelling around and trying to solve the mystery of what happened to Elba.
Each instalment takes her to a different town and helps her piece together more of the puzzle and in each book, you learn a little more about Octavia and her background.
In each town, she is thrown into some supernatural mystery - independent from the overarching mystery of what happened to Elba - that she helps to resolve before moving onto the next location.
Each story is a little bit nuts, very quirky and funny as all hell.
Seriously, one of the things I loved most was that despite the grim subject matter it made me laugh. Octavia is snarky, her pig provides endless comic relief and the people she brings temporarily back from the dead are oddballs that make you laugh too.

These aren't exactly comedies though, some are a little creepy... They're not scary but they can definitely be atmospheric!
They're also full of heart and you wouldn't expect them to be. Octavia cares about people and things and it takes her a long to realise that maybe others care too.

The ending wasn't what I expected it to be but I was 100% there for it.
It was simple, heartfelt and perfect. An ending that didn't take Octavia backwards but cemented who she'd become and moved her forward into the future with hope and a new beginning.

The audiobook is so easy to listen to and the fact that it's comprised of six novellas is fantastic as you can break it up into one a day without stopping in the middle of a story! Or, if you just need a breather and want to dip into something else before continuing.
I could listen to one, be happy at the conclusion and when I dove back into the collection at some later point I didn't feel like I was scrambling to get back into the story as I was starting a new novella and embarking on a new adventure!
The series thread was easy to remember and somewhat recapped each time.

The narrator didn't get on my nerves (a massive win for me when it comes to audiobooks) and she was clear and animated in her narration as well as giving different voices to different characters which helped bring the stories to life and made it easier to follow.

All in all, I highly recommend this series for UF and mystery fans who are not opposed to a little bit of magic!
Profile Image for Jenn Klingberg .
30 reviews4 followers
February 5, 2023
I Didn't Know I Needed This Book!

Oh my goodness! OK, let me start off by saying I just happened to find Stacey Rourke when I was looking through Kindle Unlimited books-- I had no idea the treat I was in for! I read anything and everything-- for me it needs to make me feel something (happy, emotional, uneasy, whatever!). This series did NOT disappoint!!

I didn't realize at first it was several stories in one book-- THAT was awesome! It allowed me to take a couple minute breather between stories! Octavia as a character was surprisingly relatable which is awesome even though I'm quite a bit older than what she's supposed to be in the book. I loved the realness, the humor, the sarcasm, and rawness that Stacey was able to incorporate into this character. Bacon....oh who couldn't love him! He was the perfect little sidekick throughout it all.

I enjoyed that the stories built off of the last one-- it was moreso a continuation than a new story each time. While I absolutely loved the first book and it's characters, the last 2 stories were a little bit of a struggle for me. I won't go too far into detail-- they just seemed to be missing something. I was looking for those same feelings of "omg this is wild!!", but instead it felt like it was falling short in places.

Overall I think the storyline is a hilarious and have been recommending Stacey Rourke to every person I talk to it seems. She is an incredibly talented author and cannot wait to devour her next book!!
Profile Image for Gwen Shafer.
2,203 reviews39 followers
February 12, 2023
This is the first book that I have read from Stacey in a long time. She gained my interest back easily. This book was intense, gripping, interesting, page turning and mind blowing from beginning to end. I absolutely love the characters in each and every book. This book has all 6 books in the series all in one. You get to travel on a great adventure with Octavia Hollow and her pig Bacon. Stacey did an amazing job with these two characters and everyone she throws into the mix.
Octavia has a special skill that will allow her to learn things from the dead. But in doing this she ends up putting herself and Bacon at risk. But in the end she is just looking for answers. She travels all over the country trying to get those answers. This is a series that is a must read. I cannot wait to read the next part of this series to see what happens with Bacon and Octavia and see if she gets the answers that she is looking for . This book will take you on many different paths but will leave you wanting more. Highly recommend reading this one.
Profile Image for Christina A.
44 reviews
February 14, 2023
Octavia Hollows is a pink-haired, bad-ass, Necromancer living in modern times. With her side-kick Bacon, a pig she brought back to life, and a wild cast of characters, this collection of journals is a wild ride. This book contains six novellas but they all flow right into each other. The pacing of the books were great for novellas and as a whole.

Octavia is relatable, sans powers, and her compassion makes her a loveable character. As the tale unfolds we learn about her past and how is shapes her into the woman she is today. Overall I enjoyed the motely crew of characters she assembles.

There is quite a bit of language used in the book. If that's something you find offensive, this may not be for you.

The only negative note I have is novella four, Drop Dead Gorgeous, being poorly edited compared to the rest and it kept pulling me from the story.

That said, I look forward for more from this world and Octavia in the future.
Profile Image for Sarah Evangeline.
15 reviews8 followers
April 26, 2023
Who knew a story about an undead pig and a necromancer could be so charming?
This was my first Stacey Rourke book and I very much enjoyed every second of it! It is full of unexpected twists and turns and I love that it has several stories within the one book. Each story kept you engaged and excited to see what was going to happen next. The journeys Octavia goes on are both thrilling and heartbreaking and definitely kept me on my toes. The Journals of Octavia Hollows is a charming book that is definitely worth the read.
This book takes you on an emotional roller coaster while you follow Octavia through her adventures of finding her fiancé while getting herself into some very serious situations.
Octavia is witty, sassy, and one hell of a badass.
I cannot wait for my next journey with Octavia and Bacon to begin! Oink oink!
Profile Image for Jocqueline.
126 reviews89 followers
January 29, 2023
Rourke's comedic timing and storytelling comes full-force in this urban fantasy story of a necromancer and her pet pig Bacon. The backstory is from Havenwood Falls, but you won't really need to read that to know what's going on.
The collection follows Octavia on a journey to discover what happened to her boyfriend a few years ago and along the way she runs into some very interesting characters. I swear book 2 was my favorite.
If you are looking to read something that has humor, great story plots and a sidekick that makes you question your eating habits, then you'll want to grab this book. The books are fairly short, so you can get through them in about a week.
Go ahead and read now because I hear volume two is around the corner!
Profile Image for Shayne.
562 reviews4 followers
February 7, 2023
Grab everything you could need, you're not going anywhere for awhile

Grab water, snacks, tissues, something to hug, things to throw..... You'll need them all with this book.
Octavia and the path she follows across 6 stories made me laugh like I was on nitrous, cry like I just lost my best furry friends, get nervous to the point I chewed my lip raw, made me swear enough to make a gunnery blush, and about every emotion in between. The ending was perfectly suited for the path we went down with her and Bacon but leaves the idea of more so temptingly in reach. 400 pages you won't wanna put down so order some takeout for your humans and put extra treats out for your non-humans coz this book will hold you to the end.
Profile Image for Karen Pearman.
247 reviews7 followers
February 14, 2023
I am a huge fan of this author! This is a group of six books in “The Journals of Octavia Hollows” series and IT WAS FANTASTIC! As is the case with all the books written by this author, it will make you laugh aloud. The heroine is phenomenal. But it is her compadre, a pig named Bacon, that really steals the show. And I do mean steals the show. The two of them together are a perfect match for all the physical and paranormal shenanigans that go on. I laughed until I cried reading this story. I am so glad that I was able to get the collection as opposed to the individual books because I do not know that I could have waited in between the stories. If you are looking for an entertaining, laugh aloud supernatural series to read then run, do not walk to get this series.
Profile Image for Traci Otte.
562 reviews8 followers
June 2, 2023
These journals are kind of like Supernatural, where they go from town to town to find information/a person/a thing and help folks along the way. I've read a number of other series by this author and had "met" Octavia Hollows in one of them, so I sort of knew what she was like, but reading her point of view is so much better! I love her personality (snarky and sarcastic) and how she jumps into situations to help (even if she doesn't really know what she's doing). And BACON! Oh, my goodness, is he an adorable little piggy, and he has quite the feisty personality! So... carrying forward the Supernatural comparison, would that mean Octavia is Dean and Bacon is Sam? :D

I've already started reading the sequel and already know it's going to be as good as this book!
Profile Image for Theresia.
26 reviews5 followers
February 3, 2023
It has been a very long time since I have been able to find a character that I can connect with in a series. I found that in this series. Octavia Hollows is, at times, a bumbling, mess of self-realization, but mostly just a complete badass. Right from the first few pages of book 1 I loved her, but then throw in an absolutely adorable sidekick pig and I'm hooked. The preview snippet above does a decent job of giving an overview of the story plot, but trust me when I say that it's the author's ability to create amazing characters that just plop you right in that piggy infant carrier and drag you along for the ride that will make you wanting for more!
Profile Image for David Hankins.
Author 14 books26 followers
February 28, 2024
Comprised of six novellas that give it an episodic feel, The Journals of Octavia Hollows is a riotous tale about an unwilling necromancer and her porcine sidekick that she accidentally raised from the dead while working at a butcher shop.

Yeah, that teaser caught my attention too.

This one's full of urban fantasy snark and the occasional crass humor (I'm not handing this to my 11yo to read, but it's only jokes, nothing explicit). If you're looking for a lighthearted book about death, give this one a read.
Profile Image for Sue M. Van.
237 reviews7 followers
January 30, 2023
What's not to love about Octavia and Bacon? You can't help but fall for these 2 characters. They fit perfectly together. Who would have thought that a person would combine so well with a pig? I sure never thought it would happen but it did. I fell in love with this story. On top of these characters, is a story that enthralls the reader. You just can't stop until you know what happens in the end. A great story with a great plot and great characters! This is not to be missed!
Profile Image for Kristen.
748 reviews87 followers
February 15, 2023
This series drew me in from the first page of book one with the feisty main character, Octavia Hollow. Each story within this series has brought about very intriguing and interesting adventures in her life and sometimes with figuring out what the ending was going to end up being there was never a moment of disappointment felt because the writing was amazing in the descriptions of people, places as well as things. I am looking forward to the next books in the series.
Profile Image for Kelly Mccurdy.
899 reviews38 followers
February 19, 2023
Bacon for the win!

I don’t know how Stacey does it! She has managed to write a book that is funny, witty, has suspense and a pig. Octavia is a special person that is a mix of sass and spite. We follow along with her in her quest to bring her fiancé back from the dead. We get to see her adventures, make new friends along the way, and see who she really is. I can’t wait to see what the next adventures Octavia, Reid, and Bacon have.
Profile Image for Dona Brown-Forrest.
113 reviews9 followers
October 8, 2022
Loved it

This is my first series by this author and I’m hooked. Snarky humor, amazing PN situations, a likable necromancy heroine and an undead Pig named Bacon.. and who doesn’t love bacon..
I can’t wait to see what else Octavia and Bacon get into.. oh and a werewolf, a hot werewolf named Reid
Profile Image for Rachel Unsworth.
38 reviews
February 7, 2023
My first time reading anything written by Stacey Rouke and I wasn’t disappointed!! I started the book not knowing what to expect but thought it was brilliant! It’s well written, upbeat, funny, quirky and serious. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the next instalment. I need me some more bacon ❤️ 🐷
Profile Image for Jennifer.
269 reviews2 followers
February 19, 2023
I couldn't get enough of this book. There was so many parts that you didn't know what was going to happen. This book is about Octavia Hollows and how she deals with life being a necromancer or being able to raise the dead. You never know what will happen and I had no idea who was going to even be the bad guy in this story. I was sure it was going to be a werewolf, and it wasn't.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jen.
408 reviews1 follower
April 3, 2021
Awesome

I so loved all 6 stories. It was fun to read. Octavia's life is hard but works out at the endbof the series. I hope there is more because I would like to see where the story will go.
Profile Image for Madeline.
151 reviews7 followers
July 15, 2022
Really liked this series. It was witty, snarky in a good way. The girl always has a way to get into trouble because of her big heart. The pig, OMG, it is just adorable. Lived it. I hope we get more adventures soon.
Profile Image for Amanda Broussard.
148 reviews1 follower
August 29, 2023
Books (all 6) average at 4.65⭐️

Audio 5⭐️!!!!

Stacey can do no wrong...I have enjoyed every single book and with audio becoming available read by Stacey herself, it just brings it even more to life!
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