Michaela Miles is Philly’s best detective. Sometimes her methods are medieval, but that's not surprising. Michaela has been fighting evil for nearly four hundred years.
George Matthew Franklin, Matt to his friends, is on the cutting edge of forensic science. He has been paired up with the city's best detective to prove what the new techniques can do. There's only one problem: he won't find much evidence if he can't take his eyes off his new partner.
Michaela and Matt make enemies, because Bad Guys don’t like detectives or investigators. Demons and Fae, Vampires and Thugs, none of them can get away with misbehaving when these two are on the case. When they all join forces to take vengeance, everyone involved will learn that there are always worse things to fear.
So I totally fell in love with Micah and Phil in the first book in this series. Now I totally adore Mike and Matt. *sigh* You know the worst part about a good series is waiting for the next one to hit the stores. Sooo I guess while we wait I will ramble on a bit about this wonderful volume. One of my favorite thing about this series (other than X and Ricardo the fairy godfathers) is the fact that when the story begins you don’t know what the main characters are. It makes the reading and discovery of their origins a fun romp. Picking up 40 years after the first book in the series, Fae Eye for the Golem Guy, we are introduced to new characters and still get to see the characters from the first book. Michaela is a police detective, and a bit of a brawler, which is surprising given her petite size. But she is so much more than that and the only hints to her true origins start out with her back itching. Now I really like Mike. She is a deep and conflicted character with some pretty serious issues that are resolved well. She is a bit of a hot head but she is also fiercely independent and not at all thrilled when she is saddled with a new partner. Little does she know that this hulking fellow is going to prove to be more than she expected. Matt is an investigator. He is not a cop but he and his father make a deal with the Philly police to assist on cases. That is when he meets a tiny woman with an angelic voice who totally turns his world upside down. He is also Ophilia and Micah’s godson. (Tying back to the first book.) So yes I loved this story. I really liked how Robert tied the conflict from the first book to the conflict from the second book. The imagery was as always vivid and wonderfully descriptive and the finale of the book was delicious. The interactions between the characters are well written and fun to read. I particularly loved when The Morrigan showed up at dinner. That was one of the best scenes in the book. And I have to admit I probably would have had a kitten if she showed up at the table in my place. I cannot wait to see what sort of adventures the gang faces in the next volume.
Reviewed by Kate B. Book provided by the publisher for review Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
Feisty Michaela Miles is one of the best police detectives Philadelphia has ever seen. She may be diminutive in size but makes up for her petite stature with a fighting attitude and medieval methods that make her a force to be reckoned with. And she does it alone.
So when her boss partners her with George Matthew Franklin, a forensic expert and big friendly giant, she’s understandable a little ticked off. But when faced with a demonic southern Belle, Michaela quickly comes to appreciate Matt’s help and finds that it’s not just his brains that she appreciates.
One of the things I liked most about this novel was vast number of different mythological creatures – fae, demons, golems, pixies and more. There were a lot of different story lines going on concurrently but all of them managed to mix fantastically together.
I enjoyed the characters of Michaela and Matt from the first time we meet them. Michaela, tough girl on the outside, has some serious self-doubt issues and is deeply conflicted regarding her faith and the status of her relationships – both with the Creator and now Matt. Matt was equally as fascinating with his family history, his career and his sheer size. Whilst I liked both these characters on their own, I loved them as a couple. They had chemistry. Their scenes together were sexy and funny.
This novel is fast paced and exciting. There’s a lot of action and humor from the first page to the last. I loved the supporting characters and found myself laughing aloud at the antics of the pixies, X and Ricardo, a number of times. Although this is the second book in the Artifice series but can be read as a standalone.
I thought for sure I would be confused as I started with book 2 first. I didn’t notice when asked to review this, actually I didn’t notice until I was finished lol, and although it’s part of a series you really don’t feel lost and can get into the story quite well. I loved the character’s Robert has created. Michaela and Matt’s chemistry together is fantastic. I really took to Michaela, despite her petite size, she is A bit of a tough, brawler, go-get’-em kinda gal and I just love her. This story had everything I love in a book and it just wasn’t your normal paranormal book. It had almost all of the creature’s I love to read about in it: Fae’s, Vamp’s, Thugs, Fairy Godfathers. The Fairy Godfathers: X and Ricardo are a great addition to the story, I really enjoyed them. Now when you start reading the book, you can’t figure out what the main characters are, and it makes you keep reading to find out. I loved discovering it. It’s full of action and mystery and again I love Michaela and Matt. I’m not going to say anymore or I will spoil the story for you, but you must pick this up and read for yourself. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. Enjoy!!!! 4 Stars = The waves of goodness smacked against me on my rock, but the oomph to send me to the deeps of the sea just weren't there.
Michaela Miles is a police detective in Philly. She may be petite, but big things come in small packages. Even though she never draws her weapon, she has the highest arrest record in the department. Willful and strong minded, she is a force to be reckoned with—even for her boss.
George Matthew Franklin is a freakishly tall man. An extremely talented forensics expert, he's brought in to help Michaela on her latest case. The pair find themselves confronted with a perpetrator not of this world. It takes all the talent, willpower and strength they have to conquer their foe.
What Not to Fear is another urban fantasy by Robert C. Roman. Once again, Roman delves into the supernatural world. The well paced paranormal novel is compelling, urging the reader to move ahead. The characters are intriguing and well rounded. The plot is exciting and the villain appropriately evil. I highly recommend What Not to Fear for anyone who likes a great read.