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Enchanted, Inc. #6
No Quest for the Wicked
Now that the Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. team has defeated the nefarious Spellworks, the only “competition” in town, Katie Chandler doesn’t have much to do as director of marketing, and she’s starting to question her role at MSI. Her boyfriend Owen Palmer, on the other hand, is in hog heaven, translating an ancient and powerful magical manuscript.
But then he finds that the cryptic text describing the location of an enchanted gem known as the Eye of the Moon has radically changed. This deadly stone gives its holder enhanced power over others and a craving for more power. It once caused a terrible war before it was safely hidden and then lost – and now it seems to be in New York and set in an elven brooch that renders its wearer invulnerable. Whoever has this brooch could take over the world.
Katie and Owen must find it before anyone else does, and they’re not the only ones searching. They’ll need all the help they can get, including Katie’s visiting grandmother. But who can they trust when their allies fall under its spell? Not to mention the new enemies who are deadlier than anything they’ve faced before.
But then he finds that the cryptic text describing the location of an enchanted gem known as the Eye of the Moon has radically changed. This deadly stone gives its holder enhanced power over others and a craving for more power. It once caused a terrible war before it was safely hidden and then lost – and now it seems to be in New York and set in an elven brooch that renders its wearer invulnerable. Whoever has this brooch could take over the world.
Katie and Owen must find it before anyone else does, and they’re not the only ones searching. They’ll need all the help they can get, including Katie’s visiting grandmother. But who can they trust when their allies fall under its spell? Not to mention the new enemies who are deadlier than anything they’ve faced before.
305 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2012
149 people are currently reading
1344 people want to read
About the author
Shanna Swendson
40 books1,133 followersOnce upon a time ...
A little girl learned to amuse herself by making up stories in her head. She turned everyday activities into exciting adventures, and she made up new adventures for characters from her favorite movies, TV shows and books. Then one day she realized that if she wrote down those stories, she'd have a book! But that was crazy, she thought. Real people don't become novelists. That was like deciding you were going to be a movie star. You couldn't just go and do it.
But, it turns out, you can, and she did. She realized her dream of becoming a novelist and seeing her stories in bookstores.
And then she started to wig herself out by writing about herself in the third-person.
This is her story.
The Novelist's Journey
As I said above in that bit of silliness, I've always been a writer at heart. My favorite way to play was to create stories and act them out with my Fisher-Price people, my Barbie dolls or myself and a box of play clothes. If none of those things were available, I could just sit and make up stories in my head. I occasionally got into trouble for being a little too creative, such as the time when I embellished a bit on my kindergarten experiences (where's the dramatic hook in coloring, cutting out and pasting?).
When I was in seventh grade and a bit old for Fisher-Price people, Barbie dolls or the dress-up box, I started writing these stories down in spiral notebooks. Later, I found an old manual typewriter, taught myself to type, then wrote a lot of first chapters of novels on it. I still hadn't figured out how to actually be a working novelist who gets paid for writing (finishing a book instead of writing a lot of first chapters might have been a good start), so when it came time to go to college, I went to journalism school at the University of Texas. While getting my degree in broadcast news, I managed to structure a curriculum that might also help me in my real career plans. I took fencing (which I thought would be useful for writing fantasy novels), an astronomy course on the search for extraterrestrial life (in case I wanted to write science fiction), psychology, interpersonal communication, and parageography (the geography of imaginary lands).
I got serious about pursuing my novel-writing ambitions soon after I got my first job in public relations (TV reporting, it turns out, would have taken away from my writing time) when I started joining local writing organizations and reading books on how to write a novel. Then I took the big step of registering for a writing conference. With the registration fee, you could enter two manuscripts in a contest that went with the conference. I figured if I was paying that much money, I'd get the most out of it, so I wrote two entries. At the conference, I met a real, live editor, who encouraged me to submit, and one of my entries won the science fiction/fantasy category of the contest. I hurried to finish the novel the editor had asked for, then mailed a proposal.
She ended up rejecting the book, but encouraged me to keep trying. I ended up selling that novel elsewhere, then sold two more books to that publisher before I had another idea for that original editor. That book ended up selling, and then one more.
And then I hit the wall. Due to a number of circumstances, some of which weren't my fault and some of which were, I didn't sell anything else for eight years. But then I had the idea that became Enchanted, Inc., I wrote it, sold it, and here I am.
Other Life Stuff
I think I need to get a few more hobbies or something else going on in my life that isn't related to reading or writing because currently my bio in my books is shorter than the "about the typeface" section. Yes, a typeface has a more interesting life than I do.
When I'm not writing, I'm most often reading. Otherwise, I enjoy watching science fiction TV shows and then discussing them on the Internet, working crossw
A little girl learned to amuse herself by making up stories in her head. She turned everyday activities into exciting adventures, and she made up new adventures for characters from her favorite movies, TV shows and books. Then one day she realized that if she wrote down those stories, she'd have a book! But that was crazy, she thought. Real people don't become novelists. That was like deciding you were going to be a movie star. You couldn't just go and do it.
But, it turns out, you can, and she did. She realized her dream of becoming a novelist and seeing her stories in bookstores.
And then she started to wig herself out by writing about herself in the third-person.
This is her story.
The Novelist's Journey
As I said above in that bit of silliness, I've always been a writer at heart. My favorite way to play was to create stories and act them out with my Fisher-Price people, my Barbie dolls or myself and a box of play clothes. If none of those things were available, I could just sit and make up stories in my head. I occasionally got into trouble for being a little too creative, such as the time when I embellished a bit on my kindergarten experiences (where's the dramatic hook in coloring, cutting out and pasting?).
When I was in seventh grade and a bit old for Fisher-Price people, Barbie dolls or the dress-up box, I started writing these stories down in spiral notebooks. Later, I found an old manual typewriter, taught myself to type, then wrote a lot of first chapters of novels on it. I still hadn't figured out how to actually be a working novelist who gets paid for writing (finishing a book instead of writing a lot of first chapters might have been a good start), so when it came time to go to college, I went to journalism school at the University of Texas. While getting my degree in broadcast news, I managed to structure a curriculum that might also help me in my real career plans. I took fencing (which I thought would be useful for writing fantasy novels), an astronomy course on the search for extraterrestrial life (in case I wanted to write science fiction), psychology, interpersonal communication, and parageography (the geography of imaginary lands).
I got serious about pursuing my novel-writing ambitions soon after I got my first job in public relations (TV reporting, it turns out, would have taken away from my writing time) when I started joining local writing organizations and reading books on how to write a novel. Then I took the big step of registering for a writing conference. With the registration fee, you could enter two manuscripts in a contest that went with the conference. I figured if I was paying that much money, I'd get the most out of it, so I wrote two entries. At the conference, I met a real, live editor, who encouraged me to submit, and one of my entries won the science fiction/fantasy category of the contest. I hurried to finish the novel the editor had asked for, then mailed a proposal.
She ended up rejecting the book, but encouraged me to keep trying. I ended up selling that novel elsewhere, then sold two more books to that publisher before I had another idea for that original editor. That book ended up selling, and then one more.
And then I hit the wall. Due to a number of circumstances, some of which weren't my fault and some of which were, I didn't sell anything else for eight years. But then I had the idea that became Enchanted, Inc., I wrote it, sold it, and here I am.
Other Life Stuff
I think I need to get a few more hobbies or something else going on in my life that isn't related to reading or writing because currently my bio in my books is shorter than the "about the typeface" section. Yes, a typeface has a more interesting life than I do.
When I'm not writing, I'm most often reading. Otherwise, I enjoy watching science fiction TV shows and then discussing them on the Internet, working crossw
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
October 3, 2012
I love this series so I am bummed to say I was really disappointed in this book. It was so slow and boring that I had to force myself to pick it up. Usually it's the opposite. The last 10 pages made the previous 194 worth agonizing over though. The ending made me excited to read #7 when it comes out.
October 9, 2017
Part Mission Impossible, part Lord of the Rings, No Quest for the Wicked takes our heroes on a hectic search through NYC. Their goal is to recover a powerful jewel before it falls into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, it's the sort of piece that gives even the well-intentioned a hankering for world domination.
In these last two books Swendson has moved away from larger story arcs, instead letting her characters' evolution become the running thread. I prefer this, as I've always felt Katie and Owen were underdeveloped.
Granny is a welcome addition. I feared at first she'd be mere comic relief. Though she does inject the story with a fair amount of humour, she's used judiciously and I look forward to more of her.
The gang picks up some other additions along the way - as you do on a quest; I hope this leads to even more exploration of the magical races in Katie's world.
There are some major twists at the end of this one, setting us up for a very different storyline - one perfectly poised to answer my cry for deeper character development.
I hope these self-pubbed installments prove successful enough for Ms. Swendson to continue!
In these last two books Swendson has moved away from larger story arcs, instead letting her characters' evolution become the running thread. I prefer this, as I've always felt Katie and Owen were underdeveloped.
Granny is a welcome addition. I feared at first she'd be mere comic relief. Though she does inject the story with a fair amount of humour, she's used judiciously and I look forward to more of her.
The gang picks up some other additions along the way - as you do on a quest; I hope this leads to even more exploration of the magical races in Katie's world.
There are some major twists at the end of this one, setting us up for a very different storyline - one perfectly poised to answer my cry for deeper character development.
I hope these self-pubbed installments prove successful enough for Ms. Swendson to continue!
March 7, 2020
This has been the least favorite. Still humorous and easily read, but it was a bit slow going. The characters are fun, but I'm always wishing for them to have a bit more or have gone a bit further in their relationship. Still a fun story and will continue to read.
May 4, 2016
While I did really enjoy this book, it wasn't as enjoyable for me to read as were a few of the earlier books in this series. By the time I finished it, I actually felt sort of burned out. (And no, my feelings are in no way affected by my having finished the wonderfulness that is The Others/The Meg shortly before starting this book.) Why you ask? Well, I'll get to that. . .
We open in New York, where Katie is trying to surprise Owen with breakfast in the manuscript room at work. The surprise sort of fizzles, but that was okay. We learn that Owen has translated the possible location of the super-powerful Eye of the Moon sapphire. Can you say "unexpected"?
So our duo (who I do love very much) heads to
It's back to MSI they go to check in with Merlin and Prophets and Lost and They find him at a restaurant, which is in the midst of unknowingly hosting a battle/skirmish between elves and wizards unknown. And from the throwing of the first dinner plate at Katie and Owen on page 23, the action never let up. It was one battle (or skirmish, I suppose) after another right up to almost the very last page. I didn't notice it as I was reading, but after I closed the cover on this book, I realized that I was exhausted. :-(
I think Granny is the main thing that saves this book from being rated lower than four "I really liked it!" stars. She was really delightful. So when I otherwise might have paused for a mental health break, Granny was enough to reset my reading delight and keep me going. And then Rod! Toward the end, when he :-)
But still, even with these moments of lightness, it was all just a bit too much.
I did laugh out loud at a couple of lines, though, which is the other thing that saves this book from being rated lower than four stars:
In Chapter Three, on page 25, we have this line, which really cracks me up: "He turned to me with an expression that made me want to go read Russian literature to cheer myself up." LOL!!! :-)
Next, and also last as I don't think I laughed again while reading this, on page 38 at the end of Chapter Four, Katie finds her Granny (yay!) at Penn Station. Granny LOL!!! :-)
Now for a few words on how the story ended: I predict fun times ahead for these two and am really looking forward to book seven. :-)
The book ends with Katie and Owen :-)
We open in New York, where Katie is trying to surprise Owen with breakfast in the manuscript room at work. The surprise sort of fizzles, but that was okay. We learn that Owen has translated the possible location of the super-powerful Eye of the Moon sapphire. Can you say "unexpected"?
So our duo (who I do love very much) heads to
It's back to MSI they go to check in with Merlin and Prophets and Lost and They find him at a restaurant, which is in the midst of unknowingly hosting a battle/skirmish between elves and wizards unknown. And from the throwing of the first dinner plate at Katie and Owen on page 23, the action never let up. It was one battle (or skirmish, I suppose) after another right up to almost the very last page. I didn't notice it as I was reading, but after I closed the cover on this book, I realized that I was exhausted. :-(
I think Granny is the main thing that saves this book from being rated lower than four "I really liked it!" stars. She was really delightful. So when I otherwise might have paused for a mental health break, Granny was enough to reset my reading delight and keep me going. And then Rod! Toward the end, when he :-)
But still, even with these moments of lightness, it was all just a bit too much.
I did laugh out loud at a couple of lines, though, which is the other thing that saves this book from being rated lower than four stars:
In Chapter Three, on page 25, we have this line, which really cracks me up: "He turned to me with an expression that made me want to go read Russian literature to cheer myself up." LOL!!! :-)
Next, and also last as I don't think I laughed again while reading this, on page 38 at the end of Chapter Four, Katie finds her Granny (yay!) at Penn Station. Granny LOL!!! :-)
Now for a few words on how the story ended: I predict fun times ahead for these two and am really looking forward to book seven. :-)
The book ends with Katie and Owen :-)
May 30, 2017
Yeah this one was bad. I decided after this book to just stop the series. The repetitiveness and the utter stupidity of the main character just got on my last nerves. The last book was fairly short and this one was longer, but honestly the author could have cut out a lot of scenes and I would have been okay with that.
in "No Quest for the Wicked" we have Owen getting used a world in which he no longer has magic. Katie is bored just working in sales now as an immune. When Owen and Katie are given a task to find two magical objects (one that Merlin created) that can lead to someone ruling the world, they agree to take it on. They have the usual cast of characters (Sam, Katie's Grandma, Rod) and some new ones. We also have the unwelcome appearance of Katie's former boss in this one too.
I don't know what to say. I just realized that when Swendson threw in another group of evil magical users that I was out. I just don't care anymore about what happens to Katie or Owen. This book dragged. I seriously wanted to know at one point why the heck didn't Katie or Owen just take a damn magic carpet back to the MSI Inc., building and hide out until they got the magical box that could contain the magical objects. But that was me having common sense. We just follow this group and others as they run around New York trying to avoid people who are trying to steal the objects from them.
And this book ends with another twist that made me roll my eyes.
in "No Quest for the Wicked" we have Owen getting used a world in which he no longer has magic. Katie is bored just working in sales now as an immune. When Owen and Katie are given a task to find two magical objects (one that Merlin created) that can lead to someone ruling the world, they agree to take it on. They have the usual cast of characters (Sam, Katie's Grandma, Rod) and some new ones. We also have the unwelcome appearance of Katie's former boss in this one too.
I don't know what to say. I just realized that when Swendson threw in another group of evil magical users that I was out. I just don't care anymore about what happens to Katie or Owen. This book dragged. I seriously wanted to know at one point why the heck didn't Katie or Owen just take a damn magic carpet back to the MSI Inc., building and hide out until they got the magical box that could contain the magical objects. But that was me having common sense. We just follow this group and others as they run around New York trying to avoid people who are trying to steal the objects from them.
And this book ends with another twist that made me roll my eyes.
September 11, 2012
So excited to start this right now!!!! THANK YOU SHANNA!! This is my all time Favorite series! I really hope book 6 isn't the end!
Review to come, in a day or two.... it won't take long! LOVE THIS SERIES!
JUST FINISHED THE BOOK!!
IT. WAS. AWESOME! Really exciting twist!! I can't wait for book 7! This is such an original series. I love everything about it. Some old characters returned and some new ones were introduced. I always feel like i'm going to give something away in my reviews, so I try to be vague. Sorry! I don't want to spoil a good book for anyone! READ THIS SERIES! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!
Review to come, in a day or two.... it won't take long! LOVE THIS SERIES!
JUST FINISHED THE BOOK!!
IT. WAS. AWESOME! Really exciting twist!! I can't wait for book 7! This is such an original series. I love everything about it. Some old characters returned and some new ones were introduced. I always feel like i'm going to give something away in my reviews, so I try to be vague. Sorry! I don't want to spoil a good book for anyone! READ THIS SERIES! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!
June 23, 2019
Katie and Owen are after a magical brooch and end up playing hide-n-seek in NYC.
What I enjoyed:
* Katie and Owen's interactions
* Katie's grandmother is a hoot
* Earl the elf
What could have been better:
* This book dragged on and was very repetitive in the chases
* Mimi is back
*
*
What I enjoyed:
* Katie and Owen's interactions
* Katie's grandmother is a hoot
* Earl the elf
What could have been better:
* This book dragged on and was very repetitive in the chases
* Mimi is back
*
*
November 30, 2012
When I read the first book in the Enchanted Inc. series, I was immediately addicted. It was the same with the second, third and fourth book. After that, I thought the series was finished. You can imagine my surprise when I found out a few months ago, that there were going to be a fifth and a sixth book. Unfortunately the fifth book wasn’t as great as its prequels and the sixth book was even worse.
Now that MSI defeated Spellworks and they have no other companies to compete with, Katie doesn’t have much to do at work. Her function isn’t really needed anymore and she’s starting to question if she’s still that important to the company. Her boyfriend, Owen, on the other hand, is still as busy as always. Now that he’s lost all of his magical powers, he can finally start translating a very powerful, ancient book he was never able to touch before. But then he finds out the location of a dangerous, enchanted gem, named the “Eye of the Moon”, has recently changed and is now in New York City. He and Katie immediately start looking for it, but it looks like someone has beaten them to it. They have to chase after the gem, which keeps changing locations, through the whole city. Soon they find out they’re not the only ones who are after it and they’re in a lot more danger than they had expected. It’s a good thing Katie and Owen are immune to magic because they’re the only ones who can get near the stone without being affected by it. Will they succeed in finding the stone and destroying it once and for all?
It kind of annoys me when you have this huge, fat book and then from beginning to end only a few days have passed in the book. But if the story is good enough, I can live with that. Unfortunately, in No Quest for the Wicked only one day passes. The whole freaking book takes place on the same day! While reading I kept hoping the day would be over and they would go to sleep so they could continue hunting the “Eye of the Moon” the next day but that didn’t happen.
Because of this, the characters didn’t have a chance to develop further. The same thing goes for the relationship between Owen and Katie. They’ve been having the same problems for three books and nothing really changes. They have no time for each other and basically the only time they’re together is when they’re working.
Overall the storyline was kind of good and there were some funny moments, as always. It just wasn’t as strong as the storyline in the first five books. It also seemed a little bit far fetched that Mimi was involved with the “Eye of the Moon”. This was a little too much of a coincidence to really be believable.
I'm giving No Quest for the Wicked three stars. The ending was the best part of the book and it made me really curious about the next installment. Based on that, I have no doubt that it's going to be much better!
Now that MSI defeated Spellworks and they have no other companies to compete with, Katie doesn’t have much to do at work. Her function isn’t really needed anymore and she’s starting to question if she’s still that important to the company. Her boyfriend, Owen, on the other hand, is still as busy as always. Now that he’s lost all of his magical powers, he can finally start translating a very powerful, ancient book he was never able to touch before. But then he finds out the location of a dangerous, enchanted gem, named the “Eye of the Moon”, has recently changed and is now in New York City. He and Katie immediately start looking for it, but it looks like someone has beaten them to it. They have to chase after the gem, which keeps changing locations, through the whole city. Soon they find out they’re not the only ones who are after it and they’re in a lot more danger than they had expected. It’s a good thing Katie and Owen are immune to magic because they’re the only ones who can get near the stone without being affected by it. Will they succeed in finding the stone and destroying it once and for all?
It kind of annoys me when you have this huge, fat book and then from beginning to end only a few days have passed in the book. But if the story is good enough, I can live with that. Unfortunately, in No Quest for the Wicked only one day passes. The whole freaking book takes place on the same day! While reading I kept hoping the day would be over and they would go to sleep so they could continue hunting the “Eye of the Moon” the next day but that didn’t happen.
Because of this, the characters didn’t have a chance to develop further. The same thing goes for the relationship between Owen and Katie. They’ve been having the same problems for three books and nothing really changes. They have no time for each other and basically the only time they’re together is when they’re working.
Overall the storyline was kind of good and there were some funny moments, as always. It just wasn’t as strong as the storyline in the first five books. It also seemed a little bit far fetched that Mimi was involved with the “Eye of the Moon”. This was a little too much of a coincidence to really be believable.
I'm giving No Quest for the Wicked three stars. The ending was the best part of the book and it made me really curious about the next installment. Based on that, I have no doubt that it's going to be much better!
October 4, 2012
I couldn't decide whether to go with the 3 that I thought this book was or give it a 4 because I love the series so much and am interested to see where the twist at the end of this one takes the series.
Owen and Katie are back doing what they do best, working together to save the world from magical mayhem. Where this book suffered for me was that the entire thing takes place in one day. We miss out on seeing many of the supporting characters that I love because Katie never goes home or has any interactions outside of the MSI folk and bad guys.
It's interesting to see Owen try to function in his new role as magical immune and how differently they have to do things with the absence of his powers.
Overall, it was a fun read, but I don't think it's at the same level as many of the previous books. There is a twist at the end that should make a potential book 7 interesting though. Hopefully, it's in the works.
Owen and Katie are back doing what they do best, working together to save the world from magical mayhem. Where this book suffered for me was that the entire thing takes place in one day. We miss out on seeing many of the supporting characters that I love because Katie never goes home or has any interactions outside of the MSI folk and bad guys.
It's interesting to see Owen try to function in his new role as magical immune and how differently they have to do things with the absence of his powers.
Overall, it was a fun read, but I don't think it's at the same level as many of the previous books. There is a twist at the end that should make a potential book 7 interesting though. Hopefully, it's in the works.
November 15, 2018
Despite having high hopes for having a more substantive and educated reading list in 2017 (I mean compared to the last couple of years...I don't want to set expectations to high...and yes I'm going to blame recovering from brain trauma for the fairly non-challenging reading materials I've been happily devouring...and not the fact that I grew up watching Mork and Mindy and haven't really expanded my entertainment experience rations in the intervening decades), I started 2017 off with yet another fluffy and entertaining read from the Enchanted, Inc. series. Because I wanted to start my year off in a good mood before tackling the serious non fiction reading I promised myself.
And I'm glad I did. Nothing like falling through the rabbit hole (or, in this case, the literary NY subway) into the magical world that Swendson has created. It's wacky and sweet, and now has more stubborn granny, so what's not to adore?
And I'm glad I did. Nothing like falling through the rabbit hole (or, in this case, the literary NY subway) into the magical world that Swendson has created. It's wacky and sweet, and now has more stubborn granny, so what's not to adore?
November 5, 2019
At some points it got too much since the situation was crazy as hell and enemies would appear all the time. It was a crazy chase and no one but our favorite duo could be trusted with the "precious". Once again, I love the references to popular films and books. I am not sure how I feel about the ending, but what I enjoyed about this book is Owen's protectiveness. he had a "dont you dare touch my girlfriend " approach that I found adorable. Yet I will enjoy the last book more if finally people drop the stupidity about Owen being bad when for the last six books he obviously keeps saving the world. I mean...for wizards...these people are pretty stupid. And merlin...he did create such a powerful weapon and he then allows two people with no magic to be out all day searching for it or shielding it knowing too well they may die. Smart move.
April 28, 2016
Owen got so tame I had to remove the book from the dhasg challenge :/...
August 11, 2017
It was a smart decision to bring Mimi back, although the resolution of that was highly unsatisfying. I don't know what I think about the ending of the book, but I'll power on and read the next one.
February 17, 2020
It's a madhouse! A powerful magic artifact has arrived in New York City. The Eye of the Moon, bestows ultimate power. The Knot of Arnhold, grants invulnerability. These two powerful artifacts have been magically forged into a single brooch. It's too dangerous for any one to own it, so Merlin tasks Katie and Owen (newly immune to magic) to recover and destroy the artifact. They are opposed by the Elf Lord and a group of Magic Puritans who have their own plans for the brooch. Fortunately, Katie and Owen are joined by the elf resistance, a gnome, and Katie's grandmother.
The biggest downfall of this book is the fact that it follows books #4 and #5. Those stories were character driven. This story is artifact driven. Very little takes place relationship wise. The first have of the book is a chase scene comprised of running in circles to find the brooch. The last half is a chase scene (running in more circles) to escape everyone trying to get the brooch. I enjoyed the book till about 3/4 of the way through when it got a bit old. If you like chase scenes that never end, you'll love this book. Otherwise, it takes way too long to get to the obvious conclusion.
The final impact on Owen is no surprise. The impact on Katie is only slightly surprising. If you want to skip this book, I'll provide a brief synopsis in my Spoiler Alert.
NOTES FROM SECOND READING:
I enjoyed this book a little more the 2nd time around, but not enough to change my overall rating. I'd put it at a 3.5 star, but the disappointments keep it at a 3 star officially. I really liked it in the beginning and couldn't understand my overall rating. It wasn't till the last fourth of the book that I understood. Unlike the previous books in the series, I had no trouble setting this book aside to do other things.
The biggest downfall of this book is the fact that it follows books #4 and #5. Those stories were character driven. This story is artifact driven. Very little takes place relationship wise. The first have of the book is a chase scene comprised of running in circles to find the brooch. The last half is a chase scene (running in more circles) to escape everyone trying to get the brooch. I enjoyed the book till about 3/4 of the way through when it got a bit old. If you like chase scenes that never end, you'll love this book. Otherwise, it takes way too long to get to the obvious conclusion.
The final impact on Owen is no surprise. The impact on Katie is only slightly surprising. If you want to skip this book, I'll provide a brief synopsis in my Spoiler Alert.
NOTES FROM SECOND READING:
I enjoyed this book a little more the 2nd time around, but not enough to change my overall rating. I'd put it at a 3.5 star, but the disappointments keep it at a 3 star officially. I really liked it in the beginning and couldn't understand my overall rating. It wasn't till the last fourth of the book that I understood. Unlike the previous books in the series, I had no trouble setting this book aside to do other things.
September 8, 2017
As a disclaimer I am reviewing the whole series (8 books) in this review because I read them all within a week, so while they are their own separate thing, I really view them as just one whole. I will likely cut and paste this review into each books review spot, with perhaps a comment or two about the individual book itself.
That said, I really enjoyed this book, and this whole series. It was a bizarre modern magical romp through New York (and occasionally Texas). I really appreciated the corporate take on the magical industry, and I really enjoyed all of the characters. It was especially interesting looking at this magical world through the eyes of a magical immune (someone unaffected by magic), our heroine Katie Chandler. She is an interesting character. I would have liked her better if she had been more secure and confident in herself and her abilities. I think one of my favorite parts of the entire series is Merlin, I love him. His character portrayal was fabulous. The romance is fun, and sweet. Occasionally I felt like descriptions of our hero's physical "hotness" was a bit repetitive, but that may have been due to the fact that I read all of these books back to back in such quick succession. On that note of repetitiveness, the beginning of each book felt a little like a babysitters club book in that the setting had to be reintroduced and it seemed like the first chapter of each book was a recap of up to that point. This is probably necessary, but when reading them all together, like I did, it becomes slightly boring (luckily it's only the first chapter of each book, then your right back into the action-which there is plenty of).
As far as content these books are quite clean. Despite the fact that this series is riddled with innuendo it's actual content on the steaminess scale is extremely low (nothing beyond kissing). I think the author did a really good job of portraying a modern working girls life, particularly love life, with out entering into sordid bedroom details. Don't get me wrong I like sex as much as the next person, but I feel no desire to watch or read about the details in anyone else's sex life.
Sorry, back off my soap box... All in all, I thought this was a fun series and I really enjoyed reading it. It was fast paced, funny, and light. Great books for when your in a lighthearted, funny, romance mood.
That said, I really enjoyed this book, and this whole series. It was a bizarre modern magical romp through New York (and occasionally Texas). I really appreciated the corporate take on the magical industry, and I really enjoyed all of the characters. It was especially interesting looking at this magical world through the eyes of a magical immune (someone unaffected by magic), our heroine Katie Chandler. She is an interesting character. I would have liked her better if she had been more secure and confident in herself and her abilities. I think one of my favorite parts of the entire series is Merlin, I love him. His character portrayal was fabulous. The romance is fun, and sweet. Occasionally I felt like descriptions of our hero's physical "hotness" was a bit repetitive, but that may have been due to the fact that I read all of these books back to back in such quick succession. On that note of repetitiveness, the beginning of each book felt a little like a babysitters club book in that the setting had to be reintroduced and it seemed like the first chapter of each book was a recap of up to that point. This is probably necessary, but when reading them all together, like I did, it becomes slightly boring (luckily it's only the first chapter of each book, then your right back into the action-which there is plenty of).
As far as content these books are quite clean. Despite the fact that this series is riddled with innuendo it's actual content on the steaminess scale is extremely low (nothing beyond kissing). I think the author did a really good job of portraying a modern working girls life, particularly love life, with out entering into sordid bedroom details. Don't get me wrong I like sex as much as the next person, but I feel no desire to watch or read about the details in anyone else's sex life.
Sorry, back off my soap box... All in all, I thought this was a fun series and I really enjoyed reading it. It was fast paced, funny, and light. Great books for when your in a lighthearted, funny, romance mood.
December 20, 2015
I think this may be the best book of the series, after the first one that introduced fairies and elves and magic and even Merlin--in downtown Manhattan. No, I am recalling incidents in several of the books that made them really top notch, so they are all right up in the top echelon of light reading--and they have heavy lacings of humor throughout, which is the final ingredient to make a delightful read.
Katy and Owen are searching for a magical brooch that could start world wars in the wrong hands--even Merlin doesn't want to handle it, he wants to destroy it! And it seems every magical creature and some not so magical have taken an interest in the piece of jewelry that will help its owner to rule the world and to be safe doing so. Time after time the brooch escapes them. Then Katie's grandmother, a very talented wizard, shows up because of a premonition that Katie needs her help, and things really start to pop.
There are few even quieter moments in this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who likes humor and magic (literally) in their stories. Oh, and this has a little romance, too, between chases and fights (but not too much!). Thank you very much, Ms. Swendson. I can hardly wait for the next book!
Katy and Owen are searching for a magical brooch that could start world wars in the wrong hands--even Merlin doesn't want to handle it, he wants to destroy it! And it seems every magical creature and some not so magical have taken an interest in the piece of jewelry that will help its owner to rule the world and to be safe doing so. Time after time the brooch escapes them. Then Katie's grandmother, a very talented wizard, shows up because of a premonition that Katie needs her help, and things really start to pop.
There are few even quieter moments in this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who likes humor and magic (literally) in their stories. Oh, and this has a little romance, too, between chases and fights (but not too much!). Thank you very much, Ms. Swendson. I can hardly wait for the next book!
February 8, 2022
Original read date: January 22, 2015 I worked really hard for this book*, but sadly it gets just 2 1/2 stars. I have a tough time when the entire story takes places over only a day or two - why write the book if you are only giving us 24 hours? And no, it's not the Keifer Sutherland exciting 24 hours; it was mostly them running, and her grandmother being sassy. And, the major character point they kept bringing up, well you just knew it was going to be fixed, they were so obvious about it.
I have really liked finding this series, and I enjoyed reading the first books during break. But it seems to be another case of not knowing when to be done, and writing another book for publications sake, without it actually having anything in it. Fortunately or Unfortunately I'm at the last book, which means things are finally going to happen, or, she was just out of ideas! :/ let's hope the former!
*the library had books 1-5 and book 7 in this series, but I had to petition for them to buy book 6! I felt like a crazy book lady waiting to see if they would accept my request! :/-
I have really liked finding this series, and I enjoyed reading the first books during break. But it seems to be another case of not knowing when to be done, and writing another book for publications sake, without it actually having anything in it. Fortunately or Unfortunately I'm at the last book, which means things are finally going to happen, or, she was just out of ideas! :/ let's hope the former!
*the library had books 1-5 and book 7 in this series, but I had to petition for them to buy book 6! I felt like a crazy book lady waiting to see if they would accept my request! :/-
April 5, 2014
Another addictive page-turner! I loved this instalment. Poor Owen is still suffering from the news of who his parents were. I really want to slap the fanatics that are determined to see him fall just because of who he was born too, never mind all he has done for good guys and how many times he's proven he has no interest in power or ruling the world, he just wants to be left alone and hide from the spotlight but they won't leave him alone!
They definitely had a surprise ending as well, one I can't wait to see play out in the next book! I love that Granny was in this book too! I love her! It sounds like she'll have a part to play in the next book too! I also love that Katie finally got to tell Mimi off in this book and that Mimi got a public dressing down from Granny too! I'm looking forward to the next book to see what adventures Katie and Owen have next and if they get to take that holiday Owen keeps promising!
They definitely had a surprise ending as well, one I can't wait to see play out in the next book! I love that Granny was in this book too! I love her! It sounds like she'll have a part to play in the next book too! I also love that Katie finally got to tell Mimi off in this book and that Mimi got a public dressing down from Granny too! I'm looking forward to the next book to see what adventures Katie and Owen have next and if they get to take that holiday Owen keeps promising!
July 29, 2015
Disappointing, to say the least. I've enjoyed the series thus far, but this book seemed utterly pointless. Besides the fact that the entire thing takes place over the course of one day (one day!), there just isn't much going on. An endless series of chase scenes, near misses, and friends-turned enemies-turned friends. Painfully boring, it felt as though the entire three hundred pages was solely to reveal the not-even-remotely-surprising "twist" in the last few pages. And because of the shortened time frame, there is zero character development. That's especially problematic as Katie and Owen got together at the end of the SECOND book. By the end of this, the sixth, I'd expect some pretty serious commitment. Mostly they just hug and act like good friends. The seventh book is only 200 pages, so I don't have high hopes for that one either. An example of an author that didn't know when to quit, I guess.
August 31, 2016
After a bit of a break I've returned to this series, as they really do make for perfect plane reading. I still love reading about Katie, Owen and all their friends (Katie's grandmother especially - she's delightful!), but must admit that the plot itself in this one didn't really do it for me. It was one long hunt that seemed like it could have been planned better and executed more efficiently. I did enjoy the return of Katie's evil ex-boss though. She's so delightfully despicable (something I can only enjoy as I know she won't get away with it).
I still enjoyed reading it, as Shanna Swendson really has a way with words, but it was more to get to spend more time with the characters, than because I was all that interested in what was going on. A bit strange to read a book in spite of the plot instead of because of it, but it kept my attention nicely on an insomniac red-eye flight.
I still enjoyed reading it, as Shanna Swendson really has a way with words, but it was more to get to spend more time with the characters, than because I was all that interested in what was going on. A bit strange to read a book in spite of the plot instead of because of it, but it kept my attention nicely on an insomniac red-eye flight.
October 4, 2012
Love this series so much! This book was so much fun! Love the building relationship between Katie and Owen. Loved getting to know grandma more!
July 30, 2015
2.5
This book had a significant weak spot. Parts of it were far too long and redundant yet the ending was pretty cool. I hope the seventh one doesn't crawl along like this one.
This book had a significant weak spot. Parts of it were far too long and redundant yet the ending was pretty cool. I hope the seventh one doesn't crawl along like this one.
July 3, 2023
Not the best one of the series. Too much running away, turning and fighting, hiding, chasing, losing. Too much action (see above) and not enough action...nobody gets anywhere or does anything to further the plot. Running, running, running. Okay, the plot line is that this very powerful stone-The Eye, is made into a brooch and it is all powerful and no one can take it away from you. Evil doers in this book want the booch to take over the world. The good guys want it kept safely out of the bad guys' hands for obvious reasons. It needs to be destroyed, but how? There are elves, and purists (people, magical, of course, who want to go back to the old ways of doing things without all this high fallutin' techno stuff), high society types, little tykes, average people, subway riders, you name it, all these people want the brooch for their own personal gain. Can Katie and Owen, our heroes, keep it safely hidden until it can be neutralized? I'm hoping the next book has more of a story to it than this one. All of the previous books were very entertaining. I hope you enjoy this book more than I did.
October 14, 2023
For the most part, I feel like these books have gotten better as we've gone along. There have been way fewer sexual references, which I appreciate, though there was some occasional mild language. I really enjoyed this one. It did have just a little much of the everything that can go wrong will, but it didn't feel forced, just slightly overdone (if that makes any sense at all). It was very much inspired by Lord of the Rings, which I love. :) I still love the fact that Katie is feminine enough to be okay being rescued, but strong enough not to be a damsel in distress. She really is a good balance. There was definitely an interesting twist at the end that will be fun in the next book. I appreciated that Katie had learned her lesson about keeping secrets. I loved the part Granny played in this.
For the most part, Shanna Swendson does a decent job of reminding the readers of details from previous books, but there were a couple of things I didn't remember that I wished she'd refreshed. (By now, I don't need to be reminded who Merlin is, but I didn't remember anything about the Ephemera...)
Overall, really fun and I look forward to the next book.
For the most part, Shanna Swendson does a decent job of reminding the readers of details from previous books, but there were a couple of things I didn't remember that I wished she'd refreshed. (By now, I don't need to be reminded who Merlin is, but I didn't remember anything about the Ephemera...)
Overall, really fun and I look forward to the next book.
February 23, 2024
I have loved the other books so far in the series, but this one felt like a bit of a strange filler to be quite honest. It didn't bring along the main storyline really, other than a twist at the end that I won't spoil. It was still good, but just didn't have the same wow factor as the others in the series.
In this book Katie, a magical immune, and Owen, a wizard who has lost his magical powers, discover the existence of a long forgotten brooch - one that renders the owner invincible and gives them ultimate power. In the wrong hands, this brooch could herald the start of WW3. Katie, Owen, and some other familiar and new characters set about trying to retrieve the brooch, encountering various "obstacles" on their way.
I felt that it meandered a bit too much, and should really just have been a short novella in the middle of the series. That being said, I am excited to go and read the next book now due to the twist at the end. So not bad, but also not as brilliant as the others have been.
In this book Katie, a magical immune, and Owen, a wizard who has lost his magical powers, discover the existence of a long forgotten brooch - one that renders the owner invincible and gives them ultimate power. In the wrong hands, this brooch could herald the start of WW3. Katie, Owen, and some other familiar and new characters set about trying to retrieve the brooch, encountering various "obstacles" on their way.
I felt that it meandered a bit too much, and should really just have been a short novella in the middle of the series. That being said, I am excited to go and read the next book now due to the twist at the end. So not bad, but also not as brilliant as the others have been.
September 21, 2024
This was a fun book. Perhaps "fun" isn't the right word, but it's the only one that comes to mind. Owen and Katie went from one disaster to another, but it was well done.
However, I believe that Shanna has never had an eccentric grandmother, or even a sometimes semi-eccentric grandmother. Granny reminded me a lot of my own grandmother, which is maybe why Granny's role in this book bothers me. Granny was sometimes so silent that I'd wonder if she was really even still there, then she'd comment on something and I'd realize she was still present, just quiet. My own grandmother could have never gone so long without saying something, especially with everything going on.
Because of my experiences with my own grandmother I think one of three things would have made this story line better -
1) change Granny's personality to a softer, gentler one so pages and pages could go by without her being expected to say anything
2) leave Granny out entirely
or 3) (by personal favorite) have Granny more involved in the plot
However, I believe that Shanna has never had an eccentric grandmother, or even a sometimes semi-eccentric grandmother. Granny reminded me a lot of my own grandmother, which is maybe why Granny's role in this book bothers me. Granny was sometimes so silent that I'd wonder if she was really even still there, then she'd comment on something and I'd realize she was still present, just quiet. My own grandmother could have never gone so long without saying something, especially with everything going on.
Because of my experiences with my own grandmother I think one of three things would have made this story line better -
1) change Granny's personality to a softer, gentler one so pages and pages could go by without her being expected to say anything
2) leave Granny out entirely
or 3) (by personal favorite) have Granny more involved in the plot
December 20, 2023
I love the drama and chemistry and mixed relationships between the main characters and supporting roles. I enjoyed rehashing the relationship with characters in previous books and the sassy women here. I sincerely enjoy how these books come in close succession to each other. I like how deep and healthy Owen and Katie’s connection/relationship is that they don’t try to change fundamental parts of each other but hold each other in the highest esteem and they try to talk through any issues.
There were times when the plot felt monotonous and just like the characters felt tired and anxious to solve the problem. But I love it when the author solves the book while still opening the door to show me a sneak peek at what the next book’s plot will deal with.
There were times when the plot felt monotonous and just like the characters felt tired and anxious to solve the problem. But I love it when the author solves the book while still opening the door to show me a sneak peek at what the next book’s plot will deal with.
February 12, 2018
What a let down after the last book in the series. Although there was a lot of action (read, running around to avoid the bad guys), it was a lot like the fight scene in the Matrix that went on for so long I was shouting (in my head) 'enough already, this is getting boring.' That's how all the running around felt; it was just repetitiveness that made the book longer but didn't add much to the story. I loved Granny and the addition of Thor and the elves was good. Mimi, as always is a great bad guy, but even she was overdone. I liked the ending and feel it could lead to some good story-lines, hopefully.
December 23, 2017
At the end of Book 5, I felt like Swendson's series was over. Her story was ended. The bad guys were vanquished.
But she kept going. She should not have. This installment was tedious.
Basically, they are trying to get a magic piece of jewelry. They get it. People and creatures chase them. They lose it. They chase people and creatures. They get it back. People and creatures chase them. Wash, rinse, repeat for endless pages.
I'll probably read the rest just to see if she found another story. Hopefully, it doesn't get more tedious.
But she kept going. She should not have. This installment was tedious.
Basically, they are trying to get a magic piece of jewelry. They get it. People and creatures chase them. They lose it. They chase people and creatures. They get it back. People and creatures chase them. Wash, rinse, repeat for endless pages.
I'll probably read the rest just to see if she found another story. Hopefully, it doesn't get more tedious.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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