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Maggie MacKay, Magical Tracker #1
Maggie for Hire
Alternative cover for ASIN:B005MZ1F8E
"It's Janet Evanovich meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
When monsters appear on Earth, Maggie MacKay is on the job. No one is better at hauling the creepy crawlies back where they belong. No one, that is, except her dad, who disappeared without a trace in the middle of an assignment.
Now an elf named Killian has shown up with a gig. Seems Maggie’s uncle teamed up with the forces of dark to turn Earth into a vampire convenience store, serving bottomless refills on humans.
The only hope for survival lies in tracking down two magical objects and a secret that disappeared with Maggie’s dad.
WARNING: This book contains cussing, brawling, and unladylike behavior. Proceed with caution.
"It's Janet Evanovich meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
When monsters appear on Earth, Maggie MacKay is on the job. No one is better at hauling the creepy crawlies back where they belong. No one, that is, except her dad, who disappeared without a trace in the middle of an assignment.
Now an elf named Killian has shown up with a gig. Seems Maggie’s uncle teamed up with the forces of dark to turn Earth into a vampire convenience store, serving bottomless refills on humans.
The only hope for survival lies in tracking down two magical objects and a secret that disappeared with Maggie’s dad.
WARNING: This book contains cussing, brawling, and unladylike behavior. Proceed with caution.
ebook
First published September 13, 2011
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About the author
Kate Danley
55 books595 followersKate Danley began her writing career as an indie author in 2010. Since then, her books have been published by 47North, she spent five weeks on the USA Today bestseller list, and she has been honored with various awards, including the Garcia Award for Best Fiction Book of the Year (The Woodcutter), McDougall Previews Award for Best Fantasy Book of the Year (Queen Mab), Best of 2014 by Suspense Magazine (M&K Tracking), and the 2017 Utopia Award for Best Anthology of the Year (Once Upon A Kiss - "Galatea & Pygmalion"). Her play Building Madness won the prestigious Panowski Playwriting Award and her play Bureaucrazy was a semi-finalist for the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference. Her works have been produced in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Canada, and the UK. She has over 300+ film, television, and theatre credits to her name, and specializes in sketch, improv, and Shakespeare. She wrote sketch for a weekly show in Hollywood and has performed her original stand-up at various clubs in LA. She learned on-camera puppetry from the man who played Mr. Snuffleupagus and performed the head of a 20-foot dinosaur on an NBC pilot. She lost on Hollywood Squares.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 547 reviews
May 29, 2018
Maggie is wonderful reading!
Maggie for Hire is a book I have had for some time and I know I have looked at the cover a hundred times or more but just the other day realized that there is another person on the cover besides Maggie! This is such a great book. Magic and portal but used in a way that is unique in some ways. There is a hot elf as a partner, that helps. No romance, just a partnership. Humor, action, lots of adventure, creatures, and vampires. This is really a refreshing fantasy. New ideas and fresh scripts for creatures. Happy endings are always a plus too!
Maggie for Hire is a book I have had for some time and I know I have looked at the cover a hundred times or more but just the other day realized that there is another person on the cover besides Maggie! This is such a great book. Magic and portal but used in a way that is unique in some ways. There is a hot elf as a partner, that helps. No romance, just a partnership. Humor, action, lots of adventure, creatures, and vampires. This is really a refreshing fantasy. New ideas and fresh scripts for creatures. Happy endings are always a plus too!
January 20, 2015
It's clear from my reviews that I have not been doing well with indie/self pub books for Urban Fantasy. That said I enjoyed the humor immensely in this book, and the grammar was clean. Wow, what a nice little twist. Sadly it felt like non-stop jokes. Which is a sad coincidence as I was talking to some Goodreads friends about how of late Urban Fantasy authors seem to think snarky/witty jokes is the way to go. Completely leaving character development and world building in the background. Which also led to how snarky humor may not be witty, but simply rude.
Thankfully it comes off witty in Maggie For Hire. Sadly the writing is bare bones. When I read a book the words need to transport me into the world. Where all I can visualize is this world. Taste, smell, feel, and just be in a freaking book coma. Where I don't need to eat or sleep because the author is providing all my needs. Maggie was a stranger going into the book, and coming out of it. She has a great since of humor. Yeah. None of the other cast of characters stood out much. And no I didn't find the elf sexy. With poor writing. Or I should say it's “telling” writing. Don't tell me how hot and sexy this elf is, make me believe it through the writing.
Now the plot. Nothing special. Runs like an uninspired UF, with nothing new. In fact, there is so little new material here that this is how it goes: chasing, little mini fight, find some one, ask questions. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. By the end of the book I skimmed. GASP! Yeah, me the advocate of no skimming. Sorry, by the last 50% I know longer cared. And actually considered exercising my “Did Not Finish” powers. But I wanted to get the last few jokes in.
Come for the jokes, and stay for them. Because you're not going to get much else out of this. There are some amazing authors out there, especially in the UF genre, and I know what I want. Sadly Maggie For Hire may have some solid writing—especially compared to some of the shit ARCs lately—but it's not quite there yet. A bit more work with world building, characters, and not telling the story is needed. Right now the book is free on Amazon for Kindle, try it out don't be shy. I read this as a group read and there were many readers who enjoyed it and moved on the the next books. For me, I want more. Nay, I need more.
Sexual Content: Sexual jokes, a few. Clean, cleaner than most YA.
2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out.
Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
Thankfully it comes off witty in Maggie For Hire. Sadly the writing is bare bones. When I read a book the words need to transport me into the world. Where all I can visualize is this world. Taste, smell, feel, and just be in a freaking book coma. Where I don't need to eat or sleep because the author is providing all my needs. Maggie was a stranger going into the book, and coming out of it. She has a great since of humor. Yeah. None of the other cast of characters stood out much. And no I didn't find the elf sexy. With poor writing. Or I should say it's “telling” writing. Don't tell me how hot and sexy this elf is, make me believe it through the writing.
Now the plot. Nothing special. Runs like an uninspired UF, with nothing new. In fact, there is so little new material here that this is how it goes: chasing, little mini fight, find some one, ask questions. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. By the end of the book I skimmed. GASP! Yeah, me the advocate of no skimming. Sorry, by the last 50% I know longer cared. And actually considered exercising my “Did Not Finish” powers. But I wanted to get the last few jokes in.
Come for the jokes, and stay for them. Because you're not going to get much else out of this. There are some amazing authors out there, especially in the UF genre, and I know what I want. Sadly Maggie For Hire may have some solid writing—especially compared to some of the shit ARCs lately—but it's not quite there yet. A bit more work with world building, characters, and not telling the story is needed. Right now the book is free on Amazon for Kindle, try it out don't be shy. I read this as a group read and there were many readers who enjoyed it and moved on the the next books. For me, I want more. Nay, I need more.
Sexual Content: Sexual jokes, a few. Clean, cleaner than most YA.
2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out.
Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
February 1, 2012
If urban fantasy could be bottled, then this story is a shot-glass full of awesomesauce.
Lessons Learned from Maggie for Hire:
1. My life will not be complete until I have a Brownie of my very own. (Pipistrelle, if you’re out there…I need you!)
2. “Fairy glamour. It is not just for seducing the ladies.” – Killian
3. Engraved stakes make classy gifts.
4. One should always keep Ambrosia Nectar on hand for visiting elves. Failing that…a beer will do.
5. “Life is too short to waste daytime cell minutes being yelled at by a vampire.” – Maggie
This story had everything I love in an urban fantasy, from an evil uncle to a priest with attitude, all served up with a twist of humor that kept me laughing out loud and flipping the pages. The writing is fast-paced and playful, and packed with entertaining dialogue. I especially loved the interaction between Killian and Maggie – they spent most of the novel playing straight-man and comedian, and the chemistry was perfect.
I popped open my glove compartment and handed Killian a Glock.
“I do not use guns.”
“Who said it was for you?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Listen, some ladies make men carry their purses. All I’m asking is for you to carry my extra gun.”
Don’t let the humor fool you, though; the world – or rather, worlds – where Maggie lives aren’t full of fluffy werewolves and sparkly vampires. The creatures she’s hunting are scary and evil, and the battles are appropriately bloody.
I enjoyed the fast-paced plot – being dropped straight into the action is my favorite way to start the story, and at no point during the tale did I feel bogged down by worldbuilding details or back story. There was just enough of it at just the right times to keep me engaged and entertained. If anything, I’d have liked to see the plot drawn out a little longer, with more time spent on developing some of the relationships in the story. That being said, I think the snappy pace of the story fits the sassy protagonist perfectly, and there was enough of an ending to make the story feel complete, even if I was sad to see it end.
A kickass heroine with a snarky sense of humor and a colorful cast of supporting characters make this a fast, fun read – but only for those with a sense of humor strong enough to handle a little tongue-in-cheek action!
Don't miss Kate's giggle-worthy interview on Dark Side of the Covers!
Lessons Learned from Maggie for Hire:
1. My life will not be complete until I have a Brownie of my very own. (Pipistrelle, if you’re out there…I need you!)
2. “Fairy glamour. It is not just for seducing the ladies.” – Killian
3. Engraved stakes make classy gifts.
4. One should always keep Ambrosia Nectar on hand for visiting elves. Failing that…a beer will do.
5. “Life is too short to waste daytime cell minutes being yelled at by a vampire.” – Maggie
This story had everything I love in an urban fantasy, from an evil uncle to a priest with attitude, all served up with a twist of humor that kept me laughing out loud and flipping the pages. The writing is fast-paced and playful, and packed with entertaining dialogue. I especially loved the interaction between Killian and Maggie – they spent most of the novel playing straight-man and comedian, and the chemistry was perfect.
I popped open my glove compartment and handed Killian a Glock.
“I do not use guns.”
“Who said it was for you?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Listen, some ladies make men carry their purses. All I’m asking is for you to carry my extra gun.”
Don’t let the humor fool you, though; the world – or rather, worlds – where Maggie lives aren’t full of fluffy werewolves and sparkly vampires. The creatures she’s hunting are scary and evil, and the battles are appropriately bloody.
I enjoyed the fast-paced plot – being dropped straight into the action is my favorite way to start the story, and at no point during the tale did I feel bogged down by worldbuilding details or back story. There was just enough of it at just the right times to keep me engaged and entertained. If anything, I’d have liked to see the plot drawn out a little longer, with more time spent on developing some of the relationships in the story. That being said, I think the snappy pace of the story fits the sassy protagonist perfectly, and there was enough of an ending to make the story feel complete, even if I was sad to see it end.
A kickass heroine with a snarky sense of humor and a colorful cast of supporting characters make this a fast, fun read – but only for those with a sense of humor strong enough to handle a little tongue-in-cheek action!
Don't miss Kate's giggle-worthy interview on Dark Side of the Covers!
October 23, 2012
The problem with humour is that it may be really personal. Quite a usual nightmare: you crack a joke and nobody laughs.
The author keeps cracking jokes every paragraph and I kept not being amused. The level of "fun" is this: [we started] "travelling at a trot. A fox trot, if you will" (they are guided by a fox). It's really cheap humour, I can find nothing witty in it. After a few chapters I was ready to drive up the wall. Definitely not my idea of fun...
Unfortunately, this is not the only problem. Word-building is non-existent, even if the idea behind the story is cool (if you use standard UF fare either you stuck to it or you really make it personal).
Characters are cardboard, dumb and bordering unacceptable. There are so many things that do no add up. You have the leading lady, who has been just tricked by an elf in to giving him a bonus, that has no problem in finding him on her sofa. After she has told him to make himself scarce. You have this elf who touches Maggie constantly (do you imagine a standard elf as a touchy-feely type?). You have the leading lady's mother that after having Seen the Armageddon, nags her daughter to give her granbabies.
Let's not talk about the villain/s. Caricature anyone?
The book is stuffed with this things. The plot is all over and...
I better stop. You might want to read a different review. Michelle loved it: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....
The author keeps cracking jokes every paragraph and I kept not being amused. The level of "fun" is this: [we started] "travelling at a trot. A fox trot, if you will" (they are guided by a fox). It's really cheap humour, I can find nothing witty in it. After a few chapters I was ready to drive up the wall. Definitely not my idea of fun...
Unfortunately, this is not the only problem. Word-building is non-existent, even if the idea behind the story is cool (if you use standard UF fare either you stuck to it or you really make it personal).
Characters are cardboard, dumb and bordering unacceptable. There are so many things that do no add up. You have the leading lady, who has been just tricked by an elf in to giving him a bonus, that has no problem in finding him on her sofa. After she has told him to make himself scarce. You have this elf who touches Maggie constantly (do you imagine a standard elf as a touchy-feely type?). You have the leading lady's mother that after having Seen the Armageddon, nags her daughter to give her granbabies.
Let's not talk about the villain/s. Caricature anyone?
The book is stuffed with this things. The plot is all over and...
I better stop. You might want to read a different review. Michelle loved it: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....
November 14, 2021
This is a 3.5 star read.
March 3, 2016
Maybe a 3.75.
Cute book. Funny cast of characters. Pretty light as UF goes, but diverting and enjoyable.
Maggie is a magical tracker who can cross between Earth and the Other Side. The Other Side is kind of an alternate Earth where magic is strong. She's a bounty hunter and often works for the Other Side police. This time though, she's been hired by the Elf Queen herself to stop someone from tearing open the "walls" between the Other Side and Earth.
She's assigned a hot hunk of an elf named Killian as her partner. He is NOT your typical hot hunk. He's really cute and funny, not constantly alpha and smoldering. Oh, he can definitely turn it on, but then Maggie yells at him and he apologizes. He loves sweets and Maggie's television and good wisecracks. He's adorable.
She also picks up a brownie along the way named Pipistrelle. I want one! He's so cute!
There are others that make their way through the story and I found myself laughing out loud and wanting to return to the story whenever I had to put it down. Ultimately, the humor makes the plot a little less than gripping, but it's still definitely an enjoyable read. I've already started the second one.
The first two have been reasonably priced so I'll continue as long as that's the case. This author has quite a few books out (even though I was completely unfamiliar with her before this) so I'll probably check out some of her other series as well. I can always use a good laugh.
Cute book. Funny cast of characters. Pretty light as UF goes, but diverting and enjoyable.
Maggie is a magical tracker who can cross between Earth and the Other Side. The Other Side is kind of an alternate Earth where magic is strong. She's a bounty hunter and often works for the Other Side police. This time though, she's been hired by the Elf Queen herself to stop someone from tearing open the "walls" between the Other Side and Earth.
She's assigned a hot hunk of an elf named Killian as her partner. He is NOT your typical hot hunk. He's really cute and funny, not constantly alpha and smoldering. Oh, he can definitely turn it on, but then Maggie yells at him and he apologizes. He loves sweets and Maggie's television and good wisecracks. He's adorable.
She also picks up a brownie along the way named Pipistrelle. I want one! He's so cute!
There are others that make their way through the story and I found myself laughing out loud and wanting to return to the story whenever I had to put it down. Ultimately, the humor makes the plot a little less than gripping, but it's still definitely an enjoyable read. I've already started the second one.
The first two have been reasonably priced so I'll continue as long as that's the case. This author has quite a few books out (even though I was completely unfamiliar with her before this) so I'll probably check out some of her other series as well. I can always use a good laugh.
May 7, 2012
I got this free for the Kindle and, unfortunately, was really glad it was free. This was an over cliched DNF for me. Maggie annoyed me. Her elf romantic interest annoyed me more and the plot and pacing were jerky and uncertain. I also struggled with accepting the world building. I think there is some good potential here, but definitely needed tightening and a good edit.
February 18, 2014
This was quite a fun little ball of fluff and the bonus was - it was free on Amazon. I would have totally paid for it, simply because of the many things I enjoyed about it.
There were so many different paranormal critters to be found in this book - vampires, brownies (yay!), ghouls, trolls, ogres, elves, a few zombies, a few mentions of witches, and a talking fox. That's one of the aspects I enjoyed was the variety of creatures, both good and bad. Pipistrelle the brownie was definitely a favorite :)
Another high point was the different sides and the means to get from one place to another. There was the Earth side, and there was the Other Side. Portals are used to get from one side to the next, and the way Maggie traveled from between the two was pretty neat. I won't go into specifics for fear of spoilage.
The characters were all pretty interesting too. Maggie is a "world walker", she is one of the few people who can travel freely from one side to the next. She can also create portals, which is a coveted gift since not many can do that.
The only thing that prevents me from rating this higher was the lack of suspense I felt while reading. Parts of the story seemed rushed to me, and some of those parts were critical to lending a "sweaty palms" feeling, like the ending. It was over rather quickly (just like many of the fight scenes were). And there was no romance or sex. Some flirting, but that was it. But, I'm still interested enough to continue on with the series. It caught my interest, and I liked too many parts of the story that it wouldn't make sense not to read the sequels. It was also quite funny for most of the book, and simple humor is often enough to hook me. Simple humor works for simple people, and I'm definitely simple :) (As a direct red flag to prove my simple-ness, I have been known to watch Spongebob. With my kid, of course, and I laugh hysterically at the episode where Spongebob receives his favorite magazine - "Simple-Ton: A Ton of Simple Things to Do." Gets me every time :) )
There were so many different paranormal critters to be found in this book - vampires, brownies (yay!), ghouls, trolls, ogres, elves, a few zombies, a few mentions of witches, and a talking fox. That's one of the aspects I enjoyed was the variety of creatures, both good and bad. Pipistrelle the brownie was definitely a favorite :)
Another high point was the different sides and the means to get from one place to another. There was the Earth side, and there was the Other Side. Portals are used to get from one side to the next, and the way Maggie traveled from between the two was pretty neat. I won't go into specifics for fear of spoilage.
The characters were all pretty interesting too. Maggie is a "world walker", she is one of the few people who can travel freely from one side to the next. She can also create portals, which is a coveted gift since not many can do that.
The only thing that prevents me from rating this higher was the lack of suspense I felt while reading. Parts of the story seemed rushed to me, and some of those parts were critical to lending a "sweaty palms" feeling, like the ending. It was over rather quickly (just like many of the fight scenes were). And there was no romance or sex. Some flirting, but that was it. But, I'm still interested enough to continue on with the series. It caught my interest, and I liked too many parts of the story that it wouldn't make sense not to read the sequels. It was also quite funny for most of the book, and simple humor is often enough to hook me. Simple humor works for simple people, and I'm definitely simple :) (As a direct red flag to prove my simple-ness, I have been known to watch Spongebob. With my kid, of course, and I laugh hysterically at the episode where Spongebob receives his favorite magazine - "Simple-Ton: A Ton of Simple Things to Do." Gets me every time :) )
February 21, 2014
I loved this book up until the last 10%, and frankly, I couldn't understand why this book wasn't rated higher. The cast included a wide variety of intriguing (and let's not forget, hilarious) creatures: Brain eating zombie bellboys, a brownie (not the chocolate kind, but don't worry you are not the only one who misunderstood,)evil minion vampires with a new Master who dreams of day-walking, ghouls who pick up ideas from union workers, a catholic priest... In fact, this book had almost everything a girl who appreciates low brow humor can hope for. Maggie and Killan, the hot elf, were hilarious together. Their flirtatious and snarky banter made my day. Don't believe me? Check out my status updates... I know Killan was sent to protect Maggie and help her out in her current predicament; but I do hope he sticks around. They make a great team and they made my day;-)
But now for the bad news: Everything related to uncle Ulrich. Wow, he was a cartoonish villain, really badly developed. I think even the book itself agrees. (There's a line in there somewhere that acknowleges this sad fact.) And the final battle: What a joke, it was over almost before it began. So yeah, if the author had made just a little more effort with the ending, I would gladly have given this book a 4. But I'm still more than enough intrigued to go ahead and read book #2.
3.75 stars
But now for the bad news: Everything related to uncle Ulrich. Wow, he was a cartoonish villain, really badly developed. I think even the book itself agrees. (There's a line in there somewhere that acknowleges this sad fact.) And the final battle: What a joke, it was over almost before it began. So yeah, if the author had made just a little more effort with the ending, I would gladly have given this book a 4. But I'm still more than enough intrigued to go ahead and read book #2.
3.75 stars
July 24, 2018
I DNF this book at 28%, I just couldn't keep reading it.
A few years back I wouldn't DNF a book, and I would force myself to finish reading the story, but nowadays I don't have much time to read, so when I'm not enjoying a book I DNF it (because if I keep forcing myself there is a big possibility of getting into a reading slump).
First, this book reminded me o Charley Davidson series by Darinda Jones (that I love) but it was nothing like it. I guess the author wanted the main character to be charismatic, funny and strong, and, yes, she was strong, but she lacked charisma and I didn't find her funny at all (the jokes were really bad). The male main character was the weak sidekick, who I felt it was one of those cases where the male character was made weaker to make the female character appear stronger. I really didn't like that.
The plot also didn't do anything for me.
Maybe others will enjoy this more than I did, but for me, it was a letdown.
A few years back I wouldn't DNF a book, and I would force myself to finish reading the story, but nowadays I don't have much time to read, so when I'm not enjoying a book I DNF it (because if I keep forcing myself there is a big possibility of getting into a reading slump).
First, this book reminded me o Charley Davidson series by Darinda Jones (that I love) but it was nothing like it. I guess the author wanted the main character to be charismatic, funny and strong, and, yes, she was strong, but she lacked charisma and I didn't find her funny at all (the jokes were really bad). The male main character was the weak sidekick, who I felt it was one of those cases where the male character was made weaker to make the female character appear stronger. I really didn't like that.
The plot also didn't do anything for me.
Maybe others will enjoy this more than I did, but for me, it was a letdown.
May 10, 2019
a lot of fun and really entertaining. a unique storyline, and something to keep me company and entertain me throughout these days when i'm too stressed over school to read anything serious. what more do i want in life?
the romance was kept at a minimum, which was kinda nice and a new change, but at the same time imma real sucker for cute romance with banter like what was being hinted at here. if i continue the series then i hope there's a building romance.
i kinda found the timeline with collapsing portals and stuff confusing, but if i could be bothered then i'm sure i could have just reread the confusing sections and understood it. i probably didn't understand it because my brain's too dead right now.
anyway, lots of fun and kick-ass heroines, and i thanks amazon kindle and the author for the free copy! god knows i love a free book :)
the romance was kept at a minimum, which was kinda nice and a new change, but at the same time imma real sucker for cute romance with banter like what was being hinted at here. if i continue the series then i hope there's a building romance.
i kinda found the timeline with collapsing portals and stuff confusing, but if i could be bothered then i'm sure i could have just reread the confusing sections and understood it. i probably didn't understand it because my brain's too dead right now.
anyway, lots of fun and kick-ass heroines, and i thanks amazon kindle and the author for the free copy! god knows i love a free book :)
May 18, 2015
#1 Maggie MacKay, Magical Tracker #1 Urban Fantasy
BRAVO!! **5 Stars**
(I'm VERY stingy with 5 stars)
100% Outstanding, knocked my socks off from the first pages! Author Kate Danley's urban fantasy world, is enchanting, totally engrossing, and unique. Talk about unputdownable!
The characters all quickly become people (well, some are elves, or brownies, or ???) you like very much and care about (or are afraid of). Exceptionally well written, exciting and well developed plot that kept me eagerly turning the pages till the wee hours.
Maggie is one tough gal. She can be protective, caring, snarky, cynically funny, or deadly lethal with her arsenal of weapons she uses (from back cover) "hauling the creepy crawlies back to where they belong". I LOVED Maggie and can't WAIT to read more in this series!
The back cover summary ends with: "WARNING: This book contains cussing, brawling and unladylike behavior. Proceed with caution." LOL!
#2 in Maggie MacKay Magical Tracker series: Maggie Get Your Gun
#3 " " " : Maggie On The Bounty
#4 " " " : M&K Tracking
#5 " " " : untitled
Author Kate Danley has other books (search G/R's), including the multiple award-winning The Woodcutter
5/17/15 Second read, same 5 stars & review as above. I failed to mention the HUGE AWESOMENESS of the author naming one character Lars, and another Ulrich. The real life Lars Ulrich being the drummer in Metallica, a favorite band.
Hoping for library's purchase of book 2 to arrive soon!
BRAVO!! **5 Stars**
(I'm VERY stingy with 5 stars)
100% Outstanding, knocked my socks off from the first pages! Author Kate Danley's urban fantasy world, is enchanting, totally engrossing, and unique. Talk about unputdownable!
The characters all quickly become people (well, some are elves, or brownies, or ???) you like very much and care about (or are afraid of). Exceptionally well written, exciting and well developed plot that kept me eagerly turning the pages till the wee hours.
Maggie is one tough gal. She can be protective, caring, snarky, cynically funny, or deadly lethal with her arsenal of weapons she uses (from back cover) "hauling the creepy crawlies back to where they belong". I LOVED Maggie and can't WAIT to read more in this series!
The back cover summary ends with: "WARNING: This book contains cussing, brawling and unladylike behavior. Proceed with caution." LOL!
#2 in Maggie MacKay Magical Tracker series: Maggie Get Your Gun
#3 " " " : Maggie On The Bounty
#4 " " " : M&K Tracking
#5 " " " : untitled
Author Kate Danley has other books (search G/R's), including the multiple award-winning The Woodcutter
5/17/15 Second read, same 5 stars & review as above. I failed to mention the HUGE AWESOMENESS of the author naming one character Lars, and another Ulrich. The real life Lars Ulrich being the drummer in Metallica, a favorite band.
Hoping for library's purchase of book 2 to arrive soon!
November 15, 2013
It's become a statement so commonly used in Goodread reviews and lampooned on other websites and numerous blogs - but you know, sometimes it turns out to be the truth: “Maggie for Hire” is a work I ordinarily would not have read if I wasn’t researching the genre and some of the archetypes involved. There. You know where I'm coming from and how to take the rest of the review if you take these things seriously.
I have to place "Maggie for Hire" in the middle of the pack. although I see that most people rate it higher. On the plus side, "Maggie for Hire"'s characters are solid, the plotting competent and the fantasy elements utilized knowingly – but there’s not much depth. Reading the book, for me, was like plopping down on the sofa to watch an episode of a television series. You stick it out until the end and have a reasonably good time watching the program, but it vanishes from your mind as soon as the next show comes on.
Author/actress Kate Danley is no light weight. She won the Garcia Award for Best Fiction Book of the Year and the Reader View Reviewer First Choice Award, 1st Place Fantasy Book for her debut novel “The Woodcutter.” “In Maggie for Hire,” the central character and narrator Maggie McKay is a “Magical Tracker.” Her job is to track down vampires, werewolves and other supernatural nasties who slip in from a parallel world into our own and send the critters back to where they came from.
So far, so good. We have “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” meets “The Bounty Hunter.” Like most of the heroines of this particular genre, Maggie sees herself as a “badass” Her language can get pretty f***ing coarse – but I can handle that. I don’t live in a hermetically sealed bag and am aware that a lot of our youth pride themselves on their ability to curse. As an established, trained actress with extensive theatre credits, author Kate Danley has no trouble maintaining the voice of her tough, Doc Martin wearing, hipster heroine. Other characterizations, including her partner, an annoyingly knight-like elf, are well maintained throughout.
There's some very good writing here. As a matter of fact, here's a paragraph I just love written in a contemporary, neo Chandleresque vein:
"The roads of downtown LA are a bizarre mash-up of good times gone by and really good times gone by. Homeless crackheads camp out beneath the art deco marquees of some of the most beautiful theaters ever to be abandoned. Sure, much of the space had been converted to lofts and fancy living, but the folks in those homes lived like robber barons under siege, locked behind iron worked gates and security codes. They were posh overlords with a panoramic view of skid row from every floor-to-ceiling window."
That ain’t bad - st all. Okay, there’s a verb tense slip. It should read “the folks in those homes LIVE like robber barons…..” and “They ARE posh overlords…” because the rest of the paragraph starts out in the present tense, but that’s small stuff. Most people aren’t anal enough to stop reading because of a couple of errors. So far we have a likeable heroine, some fast paced adventure and some passages of “class” writing. The BIG problem is that the characters, especially Maggie, are a complacent lot. There are no inner conflicts, no internal issues to be resolved along with the complications of the plot to give the characters any depth and resonance. How much depth can you give an Elf?! Well, actually she manages a little bit of character trajectory on that one as the Mr. Spock/Knightly Elf tries to become more hip and “with it.” (Wait a minute! Wasn’t that a familiar sub plot of those old, Mickey Rooney, “Andy Hardy” movies?!! That’s hip?!! Sigh.)
I don’t care if I’m reading about Vampires, Vampire Killers, Dwarves or Talking Animals: I like a little depth of character. Maggie is basically, a tough talking, too well adjusted superhero. Shoot. Peter Parker has more complications than Maggie! Maggie is simply a fantasy wish fulfillment character and because of that, ….. well … kinda routine.
I am now going to stick my neck out and no doubt become even less popular among my fellow writers than I already am.
I am going to blame the touch of rushed mediocrity that crept into “Maggie for Hire” squarely on NaNo, the National Novel Writing Event. I have never participated in NaNo, but I have some friends I respect who have. The problem with NaNo is that it encourages you to write fast and finish what you are working on no matter what stands in your way. That’s cool – admirable, in fact. The problem is, a lot of people encouraged by certain professionals in the field just sit down and let fly, expecting to fix everything in the rewrite. IN some cases, the prose may flow, the plot may be polished and the characters well maintained – but the subtext which makes a GOOD book is missing. Hell, the characters of “Lord of the Rings” had personal foibles and inner conflicts – just like real people, which is why “Lord of the Rings” is a masterpiece, the high water mark of its genre. I’ve read some Urban Fantasy that at least has the main character struggling to straighten out her family relationships and suffer romantic complications.
There’s also a pretty bad PC slip - something the author may not have intended, but it’s there.
Among hip, young people – for a couple of decades now, as a matter of fact – it’s been an easy laugh getter and good way to ingratiate yourself to your peers by saying: “F***ing Hippies!” To casually indulge in hate for ANY group: hippies, blacks, Latinos, Jews, gays, lesbians or Polish People (remember Polack jokes, gang? ) is to further the cause of extremist “haters” everywhere and make that kind of minority slur socially acceptable. F***ing writers! F***ing pointy head intellectuals! F***king potty mouth, magical trackers!
I am sure that that wasn’t the author’s intent. Oh, by the way. She didn’t write "F***ing Hippies." She wrote “F***king Elves!” It’s cute, but not okay because Elves are fictional, imaginary creatures. This HAD to have been a slip on the author's part because, like a good “buddy” story, the relationship between Maggie and her Elf deepens and matures as the story moves on – but the slur is pretty casually tossed out there. (See what Santa brings YOU this year, young lady! Elves remember!)
So, in the end, “Maggie for Hire” is a decent, professional but routine outing in the Urban Fantasy Genre. Kate Danley is a talented writer and will probably move on to greater things. For example, the mayhem/combat scenes are well handled. However, but I think the characters should have been a little more carefully thought through and the subtext developed before buying a ticket on the NaNo Express.
I have to place "Maggie for Hire" in the middle of the pack. although I see that most people rate it higher. On the plus side, "Maggie for Hire"'s characters are solid, the plotting competent and the fantasy elements utilized knowingly – but there’s not much depth. Reading the book, for me, was like plopping down on the sofa to watch an episode of a television series. You stick it out until the end and have a reasonably good time watching the program, but it vanishes from your mind as soon as the next show comes on.
Author/actress Kate Danley is no light weight. She won the Garcia Award for Best Fiction Book of the Year and the Reader View Reviewer First Choice Award, 1st Place Fantasy Book for her debut novel “The Woodcutter.” “In Maggie for Hire,” the central character and narrator Maggie McKay is a “Magical Tracker.” Her job is to track down vampires, werewolves and other supernatural nasties who slip in from a parallel world into our own and send the critters back to where they came from.
So far, so good. We have “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” meets “The Bounty Hunter.” Like most of the heroines of this particular genre, Maggie sees herself as a “badass” Her language can get pretty f***ing coarse – but I can handle that. I don’t live in a hermetically sealed bag and am aware that a lot of our youth pride themselves on their ability to curse. As an established, trained actress with extensive theatre credits, author Kate Danley has no trouble maintaining the voice of her tough, Doc Martin wearing, hipster heroine. Other characterizations, including her partner, an annoyingly knight-like elf, are well maintained throughout.
There's some very good writing here. As a matter of fact, here's a paragraph I just love written in a contemporary, neo Chandleresque vein:
"The roads of downtown LA are a bizarre mash-up of good times gone by and really good times gone by. Homeless crackheads camp out beneath the art deco marquees of some of the most beautiful theaters ever to be abandoned. Sure, much of the space had been converted to lofts and fancy living, but the folks in those homes lived like robber barons under siege, locked behind iron worked gates and security codes. They were posh overlords with a panoramic view of skid row from every floor-to-ceiling window."
That ain’t bad - st all. Okay, there’s a verb tense slip. It should read “the folks in those homes LIVE like robber barons…..” and “They ARE posh overlords…” because the rest of the paragraph starts out in the present tense, but that’s small stuff. Most people aren’t anal enough to stop reading because of a couple of errors. So far we have a likeable heroine, some fast paced adventure and some passages of “class” writing. The BIG problem is that the characters, especially Maggie, are a complacent lot. There are no inner conflicts, no internal issues to be resolved along with the complications of the plot to give the characters any depth and resonance. How much depth can you give an Elf?! Well, actually she manages a little bit of character trajectory on that one as the Mr. Spock/Knightly Elf tries to become more hip and “with it.” (Wait a minute! Wasn’t that a familiar sub plot of those old, Mickey Rooney, “Andy Hardy” movies?!! That’s hip?!! Sigh.)
I don’t care if I’m reading about Vampires, Vampire Killers, Dwarves or Talking Animals: I like a little depth of character. Maggie is basically, a tough talking, too well adjusted superhero. Shoot. Peter Parker has more complications than Maggie! Maggie is simply a fantasy wish fulfillment character and because of that, ….. well … kinda routine.
I am now going to stick my neck out and no doubt become even less popular among my fellow writers than I already am.
I am going to blame the touch of rushed mediocrity that crept into “Maggie for Hire” squarely on NaNo, the National Novel Writing Event. I have never participated in NaNo, but I have some friends I respect who have. The problem with NaNo is that it encourages you to write fast and finish what you are working on no matter what stands in your way. That’s cool – admirable, in fact. The problem is, a lot of people encouraged by certain professionals in the field just sit down and let fly, expecting to fix everything in the rewrite. IN some cases, the prose may flow, the plot may be polished and the characters well maintained – but the subtext which makes a GOOD book is missing. Hell, the characters of “Lord of the Rings” had personal foibles and inner conflicts – just like real people, which is why “Lord of the Rings” is a masterpiece, the high water mark of its genre. I’ve read some Urban Fantasy that at least has the main character struggling to straighten out her family relationships and suffer romantic complications.
There’s also a pretty bad PC slip - something the author may not have intended, but it’s there.
Among hip, young people – for a couple of decades now, as a matter of fact – it’s been an easy laugh getter and good way to ingratiate yourself to your peers by saying: “F***ing Hippies!” To casually indulge in hate for ANY group: hippies, blacks, Latinos, Jews, gays, lesbians or Polish People (remember Polack jokes, gang? ) is to further the cause of extremist “haters” everywhere and make that kind of minority slur socially acceptable. F***ing writers! F***ing pointy head intellectuals! F***king potty mouth, magical trackers!
I am sure that that wasn’t the author’s intent. Oh, by the way. She didn’t write "F***ing Hippies." She wrote “F***king Elves!” It’s cute, but not okay because Elves are fictional, imaginary creatures. This HAD to have been a slip on the author's part because, like a good “buddy” story, the relationship between Maggie and her Elf deepens and matures as the story moves on – but the slur is pretty casually tossed out there. (See what Santa brings YOU this year, young lady! Elves remember!)
So, in the end, “Maggie for Hire” is a decent, professional but routine outing in the Urban Fantasy Genre. Kate Danley is a talented writer and will probably move on to greater things. For example, the mayhem/combat scenes are well handled. However, but I think the characters should have been a little more carefully thought through and the subtext developed before buying a ticket on the NaNo Express.
May 28, 2020
Full review: https://girlswithguns.org/maggie-for-...
Blandly generic urban fantasy, it’s the kind of book I finished reading on Friday, and am struggling to remember much about on Monday. This is not to say it’s bad, and going by the fact that this series has reached 10 novels (not including a trio of holiday specials, with titles like My Maggie Valentine), there’s clearly a market for this kind of non-threatening light action. It just isn’t anywhere near me. It feels as if the writer tossed a hundred other urban fantasy novels into a blender, and poured the resulting smooth, pastel pink concoction directly onto her own pages. For there are hardly any elements here which I haven’t read, probably about a hundred times before. From the world-threatening villain, all the way through to the unresolved sexual tension with the devastatingly attractive (aren’t the partners always?) Killian. Yawn…
Blandly generic urban fantasy, it’s the kind of book I finished reading on Friday, and am struggling to remember much about on Monday. This is not to say it’s bad, and going by the fact that this series has reached 10 novels (not including a trio of holiday specials, with titles like My Maggie Valentine), there’s clearly a market for this kind of non-threatening light action. It just isn’t anywhere near me. It feels as if the writer tossed a hundred other urban fantasy novels into a blender, and poured the resulting smooth, pastel pink concoction directly onto her own pages. For there are hardly any elements here which I haven’t read, probably about a hundred times before. From the world-threatening villain, all the way through to the unresolved sexual tension with the devastatingly attractive (aren’t the partners always?) Killian. Yawn…
July 16, 2017
After the first two chapters I had begun to hate this book. I thought Maggie was going to be a ‘kickass’ heroine but then she came up with lines like;
The kind of guy you feel like you needed to apologize to afterwards for kissing because your face was unworthy of those lips.
Thankfully it didn’t turn into a trashy romance, although I would have been quite happy to get rid of Killian.
The author obviously wanted to make the book humorous but after a while the one-liners just got in the way of the story. The story didn’t flow, it felt like it was made up of string of incidents that didn’t quite fit together.
Having said that I still finished the book and I am willing to give the next one in the series a try in the hope that the author stops trying too hard to be funny and concentrates more on the story and characters.
The kind of guy you feel like you needed to apologize to afterwards for kissing because your face was unworthy of those lips.
Thankfully it didn’t turn into a trashy romance, although I would have been quite happy to get rid of Killian.
The author obviously wanted to make the book humorous but after a while the one-liners just got in the way of the story. The story didn’t flow, it felt like it was made up of string of incidents that didn’t quite fit together.
Having said that I still finished the book and I am willing to give the next one in the series a try in the hope that the author stops trying too hard to be funny and concentrates more on the story and characters.
June 6, 2019
I finished it, but it was nothing that really caught my interest.
The brownie was fun for the few scenes he was in.
The brownie was fun for the few scenes he was in.
May 16, 2022
Comic book level fun
If you're looking for a deep story, keep looking. This one has a feel more like a graphic novel read. The characters aren't much more than stereotypes. It was entertaining though. Maggie is sarcastic & quippy. Killian is a good foil with hints of possibly becoming more.
The story isn't very original but different enough variations to her world, as well as engaging writing, made it easy to get into - though I wish authors would get over the stereotype that tough people have foul mouths. Our family does martial arts & the toughest guys have the most self-control, while anyone can talk like a trashy punk
*** CONTENT ***
Moderate swears plus 29 f-bombs
31 careless uses of the Lord's Name (ie in vain) and 2 are as curses sadly & totally unnecessarily (no, lower-casing doesn't change that)
The theology is schizophrenic. Maggie doesn't believe in God ("I vowed to any gods who might be listening") which made me wonder why the author didn't just have her use "gods" for her curses - yet somehow there's holy water, blessed crucifixes & holy ground that she keeps herself equipped with. Where's the holiness coming from?
Representation of a priest on the earth side, presumably Catholic based on the descriptions, is pretty cringe. In Christianity, there's not a balance of light & dark that needs to be maintained - there's simply good & the absence of good.
If you're looking for a deep story, keep looking. This one has a feel more like a graphic novel read. The characters aren't much more than stereotypes. It was entertaining though. Maggie is sarcastic & quippy. Killian is a good foil with hints of possibly becoming more.
The story isn't very original but different enough variations to her world, as well as engaging writing, made it easy to get into - though I wish authors would get over the stereotype that tough people have foul mouths. Our family does martial arts & the toughest guys have the most self-control, while anyone can talk like a trashy punk
*** CONTENT ***
Moderate swears plus 29 f-bombs
31 careless uses of the Lord's Name (ie in vain) and 2 are as curses sadly & totally unnecessarily (no, lower-casing doesn't change that)
The theology is schizophrenic. Maggie doesn't believe in God ("I vowed to any gods who might be listening") which made me wonder why the author didn't just have her use "gods" for her curses - yet somehow there's holy water, blessed crucifixes & holy ground that she keeps herself equipped with. Where's the holiness coming from?
Representation of a priest on the earth side, presumably Catholic based on the descriptions, is pretty cringe. In Christianity, there's not a balance of light & dark that needs to be maintained - there's simply good & the absence of good.
February 21, 2012
Four stars for originality of premise, two and a half for execution, an average of three.
The premise of this book was sincerely promising - Maggie McKay is a "magical tracker," a sort of bounty hunter between worlds, wherein supernatural or fantastical creatures are relegated to Other Side but can sometimes cross to Earth to make trouble. Maggie's father was gifted as a "world walker," who could open natural portals that allowed creatures to cross freely, instead of at tightly regulated and controlled official portals; she's inherited a good bit of his talent, plus some mystical sight from her human seer mother.
When we meet up with Maggie, it's instant action - she's being pummeled by a vampire and is quickly rescued by an elf, who demands a favour in return. This favour ends up being agreeing to help him save the world(s) from an unknown threat that's trying to break down the boundaries in between them.
Okay, awesome. All well and good. We've got kind of a Stephanie Plum meets vampires vibe going on, and that's rad.
Unfortunately, the writing sort of lets down the side. Some of the slang is grating - "hellz," for instance, annoyed the bejeezus out of me - but I can work around that, since the author was obviously going for a breezy, lighthearted feel and a comfortable tone. The real problem was slipping between tenses - especially at the beginning, there's some back and forth between past tense and present that got irritating - and the fact that the tone was TOO breezy. More time spent giving the characters individual voices and less focused on creating cute slang would've done worlds to get me to identify more with the characters.
The biggest issue, though, was the relationship between Maggie and Killian. The rest of the plot moves along at a fair clip, with some interesting red herrings and Big Worldshaking Developments coming along to startle Our Heroine. The relationship subplot, however, is thin and forced...and really detracts from the novel. At first, it seems as though it's being set up as "lust at first sight." Then, suddenly, Maggie is hostile towards Killian. Then he's putting his hands all over her and making breakfast. Then they're just work partners. Then everyone - including both Maggie's mother and a priest?! - is insinuating that they NEED to sleep together. In the middle of all this, they're...not really developing much chemistry, or even consistent chemistry. They keep going back and forth between grumbling at each other and flirting, with no real relationship dynamic developing beyond "there must be a hot foil for the female action star." Killian, honestly, could be replaced by just about anyone - a girl, a non-elf male, a talking monkey - who's also just there to save the heroine from time to time and provide a touch of repartee. Deleting him, or at least giving him a personality, would've improved the story mightily. I wanted to know more about MAGGIE, not about the hot elf tagging along with her, which is what others wanted to discuss in the course of the story. It truly felt as though the author knew that urban fantasy, these days, is really more like "paranormal romance" in many cases, and that it just doesn't sell without a sexy love interest...and so one got tacked right in.
The world is interesting enough that I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel, and hoping that we get more of Maggie and her family, and less of the grafted-on not-really-romance plot. The author's got talent, and hopefully the direction will work itself out with practice....
The premise of this book was sincerely promising - Maggie McKay is a "magical tracker," a sort of bounty hunter between worlds, wherein supernatural or fantastical creatures are relegated to Other Side but can sometimes cross to Earth to make trouble. Maggie's father was gifted as a "world walker," who could open natural portals that allowed creatures to cross freely, instead of at tightly regulated and controlled official portals; she's inherited a good bit of his talent, plus some mystical sight from her human seer mother.
When we meet up with Maggie, it's instant action - she's being pummeled by a vampire and is quickly rescued by an elf, who demands a favour in return. This favour ends up being agreeing to help him save the world(s) from an unknown threat that's trying to break down the boundaries in between them.
Okay, awesome. All well and good. We've got kind of a Stephanie Plum meets vampires vibe going on, and that's rad.
Unfortunately, the writing sort of lets down the side. Some of the slang is grating - "hellz," for instance, annoyed the bejeezus out of me - but I can work around that, since the author was obviously going for a breezy, lighthearted feel and a comfortable tone. The real problem was slipping between tenses - especially at the beginning, there's some back and forth between past tense and present that got irritating - and the fact that the tone was TOO breezy. More time spent giving the characters individual voices and less focused on creating cute slang would've done worlds to get me to identify more with the characters.
The biggest issue, though, was the relationship between Maggie and Killian. The rest of the plot moves along at a fair clip, with some interesting red herrings and Big Worldshaking Developments coming along to startle Our Heroine. The relationship subplot, however, is thin and forced...and really detracts from the novel. At first, it seems as though it's being set up as "lust at first sight." Then, suddenly, Maggie is hostile towards Killian. Then he's putting his hands all over her and making breakfast. Then they're just work partners. Then everyone - including both Maggie's mother and a priest?! - is insinuating that they NEED to sleep together. In the middle of all this, they're...not really developing much chemistry, or even consistent chemistry. They keep going back and forth between grumbling at each other and flirting, with no real relationship dynamic developing beyond "there must be a hot foil for the female action star." Killian, honestly, could be replaced by just about anyone - a girl, a non-elf male, a talking monkey - who's also just there to save the heroine from time to time and provide a touch of repartee. Deleting him, or at least giving him a personality, would've improved the story mightily. I wanted to know more about MAGGIE, not about the hot elf tagging along with her, which is what others wanted to discuss in the course of the story. It truly felt as though the author knew that urban fantasy, these days, is really more like "paranormal romance" in many cases, and that it just doesn't sell without a sexy love interest...and so one got tacked right in.
The world is interesting enough that I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel, and hoping that we get more of Maggie and her family, and less of the grafted-on not-really-romance plot. The author's got talent, and hopefully the direction will work itself out with practice....
March 9, 2016
The only bad thing I have to say about this book was that it was too short. Other than that, the characters are witty, well-developed, and down-right hilarious. There's the right amount of sexual tension, though maybe a sex scene would have been nice... I'm a grown-up, I like sex. Maggie's very sharp and is presented in a way that you can relate to, even though her life is so magical. Loved every minute of this book.
Read
January 9, 2017DNF pretty early.
The reviews said it was bad because it was too full of wisecracks.
I thought, ok, I like wisecracking heroines so that's fine.
But it was annoying because the book was written like:
1. One sentence of something actually happening
2. Several paragraphs of wisecracking inner monologue
3. Another sentence of something actually happening
4. Several paragraphs of wisecracking inner monologue
etc.
Bleagh.
The reviews said it was bad because it was too full of wisecracks.
I thought, ok, I like wisecracking heroines so that's fine.
But it was annoying because the book was written like:
1. One sentence of something actually happening
2. Several paragraphs of wisecracking inner monologue
3. Another sentence of something actually happening
4. Several paragraphs of wisecracking inner monologue
etc.
Bleagh.
January 9, 2017
Vampires are evil. Elves are wise-cracking and sexy. Maggie is a kick-a heroine who can open portals between earth and the fae realm enabling her career as a bounty-hunter for rogue supernaturals hiding out on earth. And, or course she saves earth from a vampire apocalypse. All good pnr/uf material, but nothing that hasn't been done before. Mostly I kept thinking Rachel Morgan and the Hollows did it better. But then, I've always found demons more interesting than elves.
March 15, 2015
10% in and I'm at a big hell no. Every second the author is trying to make us laugh with some (not) funny witticism. I couldn't take it anymore. And then there is stuff like this:
"The kind of guy you feel you need to apologize to afterwards for kissing because your face was unworthy of those lips."
Gag.
Plot sounded cool but I hate Maggie because she talks like an imbecile.
"The kind of guy you feel you need to apologize to afterwards for kissing because your face was unworthy of those lips."
Gag.
Plot sounded cool but I hate Maggie because she talks like an imbecile.
May 26, 2019
I was hooked in the first chapter. Read that warning. It holds true. Maggie cracked me up. Sarcasm and snark spews from her mouth and thoughts throughout the story.
At the onset I was enamored with Killian, whom I thought would become something more. But he was basically just there, and I didn't quite understand his role.
This is the first book in a whole line of Maggie for Hire's. Fast-paced, unique, and had me chuckling a couple of times. If you don't like cussing and snarky talk, then this book isn't for you.
As I ventured toward the end of the story, I have to admit the cliches and sarcasm were somewhat over the top, and I felt like I was drowning in them. But, all in all, a fun read.
At the onset I was enamored with Killian, whom I thought would become something more. But he was basically just there, and I didn't quite understand his role.
This is the first book in a whole line of Maggie for Hire's. Fast-paced, unique, and had me chuckling a couple of times. If you don't like cussing and snarky talk, then this book isn't for you.
As I ventured toward the end of the story, I have to admit the cliches and sarcasm were somewhat over the top, and I felt like I was drowning in them. But, all in all, a fun read.
September 18, 2019
Irreverent and funny, Maggie for Hire makes reading about the hackneyed zombie a treat.
Maggie McKay's on a mission to save the world. Fortunately, she has the talented Killian, the elf, to lend a hand. But in the end, she's the one who goes up against her dread uncle, reunites her family and ensures her sister's safety with the help of an eager Brownie recruit.
Maggie McKay's on a mission to save the world. Fortunately, she has the talented Killian, the elf, to lend a hand. But in the end, she's the one who goes up against her dread uncle, reunites her family and ensures her sister's safety with the help of an eager Brownie recruit.
January 5, 2021
Choosing sides
An absolutely hilarious paranormal book. Maggie hunts all sorts of mystical creatures in order to make a living and keep the earth safe. When she must find a rogue uncle who has threatened her families existence no holes barred and no creature can stop her. With help from paranormal friends it is a laugh a minute fight to non existence.
An absolutely hilarious paranormal book. Maggie hunts all sorts of mystical creatures in order to make a living and keep the earth safe. When she must find a rogue uncle who has threatened her families existence no holes barred and no creature can stop her. With help from paranormal friends it is a laugh a minute fight to non existence.
November 15, 2017
Eh
I was into the book until I hit the half way mark and then it just didn't keep my attention. Unfortunately, it wasn't great enough for me to pay money to try out the second book in the series.
I was into the book until I hit the half way mark and then it just didn't keep my attention. Unfortunately, it wasn't great enough for me to pay money to try out the second book in the series.
August 2, 2018
Soooooo... you have to really suspend belief for this urban fantasy. It's definitely a fast-paced light read. It was the right book at the right time for me, and I found that once I got into it, I didn't want to put it down. I also liked Danley's book the woodcutter.
February 15, 2018
Another!
October 2, 2019
I took awhile to read this one. Not in the best of health at this time, but getting better. I might have to read this one again.
October 11, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I really liked the urban fantasy twist that uses magic in one world with portals between that and this world.
The book is written in a very conversational style. There are few details - and lots of snark and conversation. My favorite kind of book! The love interest (at least that is my assumption) is an elf. I like elves. Much better than werewolves. Or vampires. So, I am tickled as punch with the use of an elf as the love interest.
Even though I strongly resist reading anything that involves vampires, I really liked the use in this book. There is not enough detail to be creepy. It is just kind of assumed that you realize vampires are creepy. When the breed does something beyond what is "understood" to be normal for them, the author explains why they are able to do so. (I.E. be out in daylight.) And, the word sparkle was never used in the same sentence.
I purchased this book on a free promotion. As such, I tend to be on the look out for grammar and other writing issues that might (or might not) remove one from the story. Not to nit-pick, but to review for others. I did find the use of the word "bring" instead of "take" which is a personal pet peeve, so it definitely jumped me out of the story. And that could honestly happen to any author. But, I found no other grammar related issues.
The book is written in a very conversational style. If one enjoys a great deal of description or detail, they would be advised to look elsewhere. (Easily explained when I read the author blurb - she writes plays.) The only writing element that really bothered me was the use of chapters. In a 263 page book, there are 44 chapters, with the last one being 13 pages (yes, I counted). The starting and stopping really annoyed me. That being said, each section did seem to be a perfectly logical place to chapter. I also did not like the use of the f-word. (All those who know me know the quickest way to cause me to tune out of any conversation is to use that word.) Therefore, it did make me laugh to see the author apologize to her family for its use in her acknowledgments.
Even for the current price of $2.99, this is a great, fun read.
The book is written in a very conversational style. There are few details - and lots of snark and conversation. My favorite kind of book! The love interest (at least that is my assumption) is an elf. I like elves. Much better than werewolves. Or vampires. So, I am tickled as punch with the use of an elf as the love interest.
Even though I strongly resist reading anything that involves vampires, I really liked the use in this book. There is not enough detail to be creepy. It is just kind of assumed that you realize vampires are creepy. When the breed does something beyond what is "understood" to be normal for them, the author explains why they are able to do so. (I.E. be out in daylight.) And, the word sparkle was never used in the same sentence.
I purchased this book on a free promotion. As such, I tend to be on the look out for grammar and other writing issues that might (or might not) remove one from the story. Not to nit-pick, but to review for others. I did find the use of the word "bring" instead of "take" which is a personal pet peeve, so it definitely jumped me out of the story. And that could honestly happen to any author. But, I found no other grammar related issues.
The book is written in a very conversational style. If one enjoys a great deal of description or detail, they would be advised to look elsewhere. (Easily explained when I read the author blurb - she writes plays.) The only writing element that really bothered me was the use of chapters. In a 263 page book, there are 44 chapters, with the last one being 13 pages (yes, I counted). The starting and stopping really annoyed me. That being said, each section did seem to be a perfectly logical place to chapter. I also did not like the use of the f-word. (All those who know me know the quickest way to cause me to tune out of any conversation is to use that word.) Therefore, it did make me laugh to see the author apologize to her family for its use in her acknowledgments.
Even for the current price of $2.99, this is a great, fun read.
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