Oak and Ink

Souls of the Road #2.5

by Devon Monk

This book was previously published in Dirty Deeds 2, which is no longer available.

Ricky Vargas stands six feet two, with magic tattooed across every inch of her skin, and a broken heart she doesn’t want to talk about. She’s a Crossroads who provides sanctuary for supernaturals on the run, helps negotiate peace between monsters, and takes exactly no shit.

Cardamom Oak is a half-dryad wizard on the run from an angry goddess. Stealing from the gods is a terrible idea, but his sister’s life is on the line and he’ll do anything for her.

None of this is Ricky’s problem, except Cardamom once saved her life by giving her that first magic tattoo. He also broke her heart.

When he shows up on her doorstep asking for help, Ricky is prepared to send him packing. Unfortunately, her annoying heart has other ideas, even if that means dealing with a swamp siren, her jerk of a father, and an enemy strong enough to tear her world apart.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Mystery, Novella

196 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2022

About the author

Devon Monk is a national best selling writer of urban fantasy. Her series include Ordinary Magic, House Immortal, Allie Beckstrom, Broken Magic and Shame and Terric. She also writes the Age of Steam steampunk series, and the occasional short story which can be found in her collection: A Cup of Normal, and in various anthologies. She has one husband, two sons, and lives in Oregon. When not writing, Devon is either drinking too much coffee or knitting silly things.

Reviews

[Ami]

Enjoyable side-story from the Souls on the Road universe; featuring Ricky the Crossroads and her ex-lover, Cardamom Oak, a half-dryad half-wizard. Oak asked Ricky for help to recover Fate's coins. Despite the hurt that Ricky still felt because Oak left her years ago without so much communication, she decided to help.

I always welcome story about ex-lovers... so this one is no difference. Plus it's lovely to have a story from Ricky's perspective (Brogan and Lula made cameo appearance though) and she kicks some a** here as well. Interesting ending with Oak returning to Crossroads, so maybe he will appear again in the next Brogan/Lula book somehow?

[Steph]

❮ Read as part of Dirty Deeds 2: An Urban Fantasy Collection anthology @ Aug 2022 ❯

[Cloud17Rider]

One of the issues I have w/ this book is the territory of magic buildings has been already explored and successfully conquered by Ilona Andrew’s Innkeeper series. This book is just a pale reflection. All capabilities the Crossroads house display, Gertrude Hunt can do better. Also, there are parents missing (a father figure here) — so on the originality scale, this book is barely there.

And what is it about gigantic females!? We already have a successful series about super tall women. How is it even relevant? Why so much meaning is placed on how a heroine looks? One the bestest, meanest, tallest heroines has been starring in Faith Hunter’s Skinwalker series. For years now. Also, there is Joanne Walker from The Walker Papers series who is over 6’. Wasn’t another heroine of this author super tall? Allie Beckstrom. Yep, 6’ tall. Beautiful, of course. But this Ricky is 6’2” (holy shit!) and thick, in her own words (so in reality, supersized), covered in ink every inch of her skin…Sorry, I’m having trouble visualizing and accepting this. Please don’t tell me Ricky prefers piecemeal gobbled-together Harveys?! Yes, biased.

My other bias, though? Stories where heroines get back with ex-boyfriends, who either abused them and broke their hearts, or just left them wholesale and broke their hearts. Books, where a “strong” (what they tell you) heroine decides to help one of those jerks while shamelessly lying to themselves and pretending they are not all hot and bothered, and are deep into memories of how great it was, and totally ready for another round, are a million.

These heroines are telling everyone “nope, not gonna go there” page after page after page—it’s f***ing pathetic. It happens all the time, and you look at those women with sadness and pity… so why would anyone want to spend their time and money reading about this s**t? It’s a well-trodden road, we all know where it leads (in bed; he had an explanation for being a jerk, but is white and fluffy), you get a chapter after chapter of laments and false proclamations. At this point, I don’t care what happens in this book after Chapter 6.

DNF. It’s not just bad, but pathetically bad. If you don’t have ANY original ideas, just stop writing. Find an inspiration. Respect yourself, as a writer, and don’t lower yourself by putting out meaningless, unoriginal, crappy books like this one.

Current rating 4.62 — people, are you for real?

[Shawna Kissell]

Good first book

I ended up liking the book, though I would have liked more exposition about what a crossroads is, what the magic system was and generally more introduction to the Characters earlier in the book. The relationship between the two protagonists didn't ring true until the end.

[Eileen Schneegas]

Do Tell

This (with my memory faults) A retelling of the crossroads and Card + Fates adventure. I really appreciate it more now as a stand alone. Enjoyed the read! I love Devon Monk's stories & what I term writers voice. Like silk feels, smooth and luxurious. 😁

[Mai]

So awesome! I love Ricky and Card and am happy to see them in their own series. Sooo good!

[Jenny Baron]

Better and better

Why do Devon Monk’s books keep getting better and better? Another amazing book from one of my favorite authors. You must read all of them. So great.

[Rozanne Cadotte]

All the Magic!

Such a calm view of natural magic and inter connected lives with the world around us. I’m going to love this series as it develops.

[Debrac2014]

I enjoyed this story in Dirty Deeds 2!

2025 reread! Still good! I enjoy the series!