What do you think?
Rate this book
Kali James #1-4
Kali James: The Complete Series
Two things are impossible to walk away death and vintage clothing. Trust me. I've tried.
Moving across the country and opening a costume shop was supposed to be my chance for a normal life. What I wanted was a fresh start, one where the biggest danger would be a carelessly wielded sewing needle.
What I ended up with was a trail of dead bodies, a power I didn't ask for, and a host of enemies with ties to my twin sister's decade-old murder. Throw in a stony-eyed enforcer I can't seem to shake and a new goat shifter BFF, and I'm knee deep in trouble.
Walking away from this alive is going to require more than my wicked fashion sense. To survive, I'll have to embrace the legacy I've spent most of my life running from.
The complete series omnibus
Fastening the Grave
Threading the Bones
Stitching the Talisman
Gathering the Dead
What reviewers are saying about the Kali James
"Original, superbly crafted and rib-ticklingly funny, it's a beautiful introduction to a fascinating cast and a spell-binding world. "Not to be missed!" Amazon Reviewer
"A must read for all who love urban fantasy." Amazon Reviewer
"L.A. McBride has taken a nice premise of a girl who can speak with the dead and morphed it into a more powerful and electrifying series." Amazon Reviewer
"One of fantasy's most unique characters" GoodReads Reviewer
Moving across the country and opening a costume shop was supposed to be my chance for a normal life. What I wanted was a fresh start, one where the biggest danger would be a carelessly wielded sewing needle.
What I ended up with was a trail of dead bodies, a power I didn't ask for, and a host of enemies with ties to my twin sister's decade-old murder. Throw in a stony-eyed enforcer I can't seem to shake and a new goat shifter BFF, and I'm knee deep in trouble.
Walking away from this alive is going to require more than my wicked fashion sense. To survive, I'll have to embrace the legacy I've spent most of my life running from.
The complete series omnibus
Fastening the Grave
Threading the Bones
Stitching the Talisman
Gathering the Dead
What reviewers are saying about the Kali James
"Original, superbly crafted and rib-ticklingly funny, it's a beautiful introduction to a fascinating cast and a spell-binding world. "Not to be missed!" Amazon Reviewer
"A must read for all who love urban fantasy." Amazon Reviewer
"L.A. McBride has taken a nice premise of a girl who can speak with the dead and morphed it into a more powerful and electrifying series." Amazon Reviewer
"One of fantasy's most unique characters" GoodReads Reviewer
1001 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2023
566 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 14, 2023
What a fun series! Kali is a costume maker, no big shakes, right? Hang on though, she's a necromancer too! A necromancer who can see and talk to dead people, oh boy, instant headache that! Especially when she'd rather leave the dead, well dead and not hounding her. Which is exactly what Jack does. He hounds her to solve his murder and so the fun begins. For me, not so sure about Jack or Kali. Kali and her awesome, very reckless, loud mouthed sassy friend Riley, are thrust into a world of lies, greed and reincarnation wannabes. The tempo kept rising throughout the series, drawing me further and further into the books until I was lost in it. The author kept me on the rollercoaster of my life, refusing to let me off, as I went from one exciting event to the next, trying to solve the mystery, which all started with Jack's murder. Which I couldn't. Which the author janked away each time I got close. And the revelations! And the realisation of whodunit was spectacular! A bit of budding romance, a lot of snark, courtesy of Riley, an amazing plot and fabulous storytelling make this a series I'll read over and over again. Each book upped the ante significantly, the tension and the drama, opening up a world so unique to me, so compelling and immersive, I was distraught that I had come to the end of the series! But, there's good news, Riley will have a series dedicated to her and I CAN'T WAIT!
March 7, 2024
Fashion! Fashion makes the world go round, doesn’t it? And not just any old fashion, COSTUMES! Now THAT’S where it’s at! Kali James is a Chi-Town girl who’s found herself in the heart of America’s Heartland, Kansas City, MO. Now KS, MO is by no means a “small town”... but it’s no burgeoning metropolis like Chicago. Which is EXACTLY what Kali loves about it!
As a newly minted private business owner, cranking out the best the midwest will ever find in special-order costumes and styles, Kali has fallen in love with the ambiance that Kansas City’s “haunted house district”, West Bottoms. Think about it, it’s the perfect location! All of the haunted house actors need costumes if they’re going to be great at their jobs, and then there’s the Ren Faire…and Halloween…and, and, and… well, you get the picture. Despite some ups and downs, Kali’s been making her way here in Kansas City. She’s made friends, Riley and Emma, she’s got an employee, Emma, and she’s made quite the name and niche for herself in the costuming world.
When you make unique costumes for a living, being a thrift shop diva is a MUST! Unless you want to pay an arm and a leg for materials, runs to vintage clothing stores have to be a regular thing. Kali can’t stay away from them, and because of this, her costumes are one of a kind and absolutely a must-have. But Kali’s got a secret none of her new peeps in KS know. When she was younger, she’d seen and talked to ghosts. Most notably the ghost of her dead twin sister. Needless to say, when you share this with your family at age 15, you’re looking at a whole lot of therapy, and a serious case of trauma-silence. That’s ok though, ghosts have left her alone for a while now, and life is good.
That is until Kali and Emma stumble on to a freshly murdered corpse in the middle of a haunted house. And the victim’s ghost starts showing up. And some creepy stalker keeps following her around. Now Kali’s got a mystery on her hands, and a desire to be rid of a talkative ghost in her heart, so she’s on the case. Kansas City is an old city, there’s a lot of history, and secrets floating around waiting for Kali to find! Stay sharp lady, that one’s got teeth!
The Kali James Omnibus by L.A. McBride is a phenomenal read. Encompassing all four books in the series, and gorgeously narrated, West Bottom in the heart of Kansas City comes to life for the reader and listener as they fall deeper and deeper in love with the story and introduces the uninitiated into a world built with care, love, and a lust for danger. The characters are fun, funny, and definitely not your run-of-the-mill monsters. McBride plays with classic tropes and comfortable fantasy archetypes while giving it a gritty, urban fantasy twist that will have the reader turning pages like a hemoglobin-deprived vampire locked in a blood bank. The series is full of twists and turns, and you definitely won’t expect what’s coming at you, from page one and on. No spoilers though, you’ll have to read it yourself!
I highly recommend the “Kali James - The Complete Series” omnibus by L.A. McBride. I seriously couldn’t shut it off, I simply HAD to see what happened next! 10/10, highly recommended!
As a newly minted private business owner, cranking out the best the midwest will ever find in special-order costumes and styles, Kali has fallen in love with the ambiance that Kansas City’s “haunted house district”, West Bottoms. Think about it, it’s the perfect location! All of the haunted house actors need costumes if they’re going to be great at their jobs, and then there’s the Ren Faire…and Halloween…and, and, and… well, you get the picture. Despite some ups and downs, Kali’s been making her way here in Kansas City. She’s made friends, Riley and Emma, she’s got an employee, Emma, and she’s made quite the name and niche for herself in the costuming world.
When you make unique costumes for a living, being a thrift shop diva is a MUST! Unless you want to pay an arm and a leg for materials, runs to vintage clothing stores have to be a regular thing. Kali can’t stay away from them, and because of this, her costumes are one of a kind and absolutely a must-have. But Kali’s got a secret none of her new peeps in KS know. When she was younger, she’d seen and talked to ghosts. Most notably the ghost of her dead twin sister. Needless to say, when you share this with your family at age 15, you’re looking at a whole lot of therapy, and a serious case of trauma-silence. That’s ok though, ghosts have left her alone for a while now, and life is good.
That is until Kali and Emma stumble on to a freshly murdered corpse in the middle of a haunted house. And the victim’s ghost starts showing up. And some creepy stalker keeps following her around. Now Kali’s got a mystery on her hands, and a desire to be rid of a talkative ghost in her heart, so she’s on the case. Kansas City is an old city, there’s a lot of history, and secrets floating around waiting for Kali to find! Stay sharp lady, that one’s got teeth!
The Kali James Omnibus by L.A. McBride is a phenomenal read. Encompassing all four books in the series, and gorgeously narrated, West Bottom in the heart of Kansas City comes to life for the reader and listener as they fall deeper and deeper in love with the story and introduces the uninitiated into a world built with care, love, and a lust for danger. The characters are fun, funny, and definitely not your run-of-the-mill monsters. McBride plays with classic tropes and comfortable fantasy archetypes while giving it a gritty, urban fantasy twist that will have the reader turning pages like a hemoglobin-deprived vampire locked in a blood bank. The series is full of twists and turns, and you definitely won’t expect what’s coming at you, from page one and on. No spoilers though, you’ll have to read it yourself!
I highly recommend the “Kali James - The Complete Series” omnibus by L.A. McBride. I seriously couldn’t shut it off, I simply HAD to see what happened next! 10/10, highly recommended!
August 29, 2024
Painful slow start, but the last few pages somehow make up for some of the pain
This might be the hardest series I've ever rated because I didn't enjoy the first two books but the last one was a really solid winner, making this omnibus a win overall, despite me being slightly annoyed and wanting to dock the rating for it.
First of all, let's just all recognize immediately that Riley is the better leading female character in this series, and her portion of the series is better too. The first book of Kali's series was a painfully slow start for me, possibly because I read the first 3 Riley books first and wanted to get into the meat of the story faster but I would have stopped reading the series if I hadn't started with and loved Riley's stories first. I don't know how they were released but I would recommend overlapping the two series if you're starting fresh (Kali 1, Riley 1, Kali 2, Riley 2 etc) to have better flow and fewer questions.
The author does a really amazing job avoiding spoilers between the two FMC sets. That said, I feel like this could have been more fun to read smashed together instead separating the heroines. I had a hard time feeling that I was missing facts between the two books. Kali's portion of this series felt overly complicated in a lot of ways but the resolutions were often overly simplistic. The mysterious bits of the plot are much too obvious and neither Volkov nor Craig would have missed obvious questions that would have allowed them to succeed more quickly.
I do not love Kali. I wasn't impressed with her in Riley's books and her being the focus didn't help. She's whiney, selectively weak, and makes really bad self-centered decisions while trying to convince herself she's the smartest and best in the room. Riley however is very self aware, more concerned with the comfort of others than herself, and makes some of the most brilliant choices (while totally off the wall). Craig deserves better and is my preferred MMC between these books.
At the end of the day, it's a good series but not one I would read again.
This might be the hardest series I've ever rated because I didn't enjoy the first two books but the last one was a really solid winner, making this omnibus a win overall, despite me being slightly annoyed and wanting to dock the rating for it.
First of all, let's just all recognize immediately that Riley is the better leading female character in this series, and her portion of the series is better too. The first book of Kali's series was a painfully slow start for me, possibly because I read the first 3 Riley books first and wanted to get into the meat of the story faster but I would have stopped reading the series if I hadn't started with and loved Riley's stories first. I don't know how they were released but I would recommend overlapping the two series if you're starting fresh (Kali 1, Riley 1, Kali 2, Riley 2 etc) to have better flow and fewer questions.
The author does a really amazing job avoiding spoilers between the two FMC sets. That said, I feel like this could have been more fun to read smashed together instead separating the heroines. I had a hard time feeling that I was missing facts between the two books. Kali's portion of this series felt overly complicated in a lot of ways but the resolutions were often overly simplistic. The mysterious bits of the plot are much too obvious and neither Volkov nor Craig would have missed obvious questions that would have allowed them to succeed more quickly.
I do not love Kali. I wasn't impressed with her in Riley's books and her being the focus didn't help. She's whiney, selectively weak, and makes really bad self-centered decisions while trying to convince herself she's the smartest and best in the room. Riley however is very self aware, more concerned with the comfort of others than herself, and makes some of the most brilliant choices (while totally off the wall). Craig deserves better and is my preferred MMC between these books.
At the end of the day, it's a good series but not one I would read again.
April 2, 2024
Very entertaining
This was a very entertaining series, but if I had not purchased the omnibus, I’m not sure if I would have gone beyond book 1.
In Book 1, Kali is just an idiot. She’s not a very likable character. She’s supposedly investigating a murder, but is more interested in what outfit to wear. While a little of that is fine (due to her job), she takes it to an extreme.
And her idea of investigating is to walk up to her suspect and ask if he is the murderer. She shows no brains at all, other than realizing that her car is too distinctive for tailing someone.
I often have issues with a heroine that thinks she can do a better job at something than the experts, and that was definitely the case here. She’s just too stupid. However, the writing is very good, and other than her, the rest of the story was enjoyable. Therefore, I continued on….
The rest of the series is better. Kali is still too clothing conscious, but she’s growing up. And she definitely steps up when she needs to (trying not to give spoilers!). Her relationship with Craig is interesting, and relatively well done. I would have liked a little backstory as to how he became the enforcer for the region, but it’s never given. There are hints of his background here and there, but that’s it.
Overall, the series was enjoyable, the style and flow of the writing was excellent. The author just needs to work on her characters a bit, to make the pairings more realistic to the readers, and to show how they got to where they are as a person.
We are introduced to Riley, who is the FMC of the next series. Will definitely read that too.
This was a very entertaining series, but if I had not purchased the omnibus, I’m not sure if I would have gone beyond book 1.
In Book 1, Kali is just an idiot. She’s not a very likable character. She’s supposedly investigating a murder, but is more interested in what outfit to wear. While a little of that is fine (due to her job), she takes it to an extreme.
And her idea of investigating is to walk up to her suspect and ask if he is the murderer. She shows no brains at all, other than realizing that her car is too distinctive for tailing someone.
I often have issues with a heroine that thinks she can do a better job at something than the experts, and that was definitely the case here. She’s just too stupid. However, the writing is very good, and other than her, the rest of the story was enjoyable. Therefore, I continued on….
The rest of the series is better. Kali is still too clothing conscious, but she’s growing up. And she definitely steps up when she needs to (trying not to give spoilers!). Her relationship with Craig is interesting, and relatively well done. I would have liked a little backstory as to how he became the enforcer for the region, but it’s never given. There are hints of his background here and there, but that’s it.
Overall, the series was enjoyable, the style and flow of the writing was excellent. The author just needs to work on her characters a bit, to make the pairings more realistic to the readers, and to show how they got to where they are as a person.
We are introduced to Riley, who is the FMC of the next series. Will definitely read that too.
May 6, 2025
Really enjoyable series with thrilling action, too...
The series began slowly, along with Kali getting a late introduction then slowly transitioning into the supernatural world of shifters, witches, vampires, and other paranormals. By book 2, Kali has accepted she's a necromancer, so the action picks up, especially given her penchant for passionately standing up for her loved ones and her spirited, almost reckless rage over her sister's murder when Ckaire was only fifteen. The murder fuels her anger, frustration at the injustice of all that has gone wrong in her family since, as well as her never ending goal to end the man who deliberately killed her sister.
The plotline for each book feeds into Kali's vendetta, and I think each book got better, more captivating, and hilarious with every new character becoming part of Kali's new-found family. The final cemetery showdown features Riley & Kali's zany imagination and determination to make getting rid of a psychopathic demon possessed necromancer a fun event, not to mention successfully poking digs at an Alpha werewolf and gargoyle shifter who happen to be enamored of these two unconventional supernaturals. I highly recommend this series if you're a reader who enjoys stories about young magical users and shifters who always attract trouble, and are able to keep you laughing all the way to its happy ending! Really great writing and storytelling! Five stars just don't seem to be enough. . .
The series began slowly, along with Kali getting a late introduction then slowly transitioning into the supernatural world of shifters, witches, vampires, and other paranormals. By book 2, Kali has accepted she's a necromancer, so the action picks up, especially given her penchant for passionately standing up for her loved ones and her spirited, almost reckless rage over her sister's murder when Ckaire was only fifteen. The murder fuels her anger, frustration at the injustice of all that has gone wrong in her family since, as well as her never ending goal to end the man who deliberately killed her sister.
The plotline for each book feeds into Kali's vendetta, and I think each book got better, more captivating, and hilarious with every new character becoming part of Kali's new-found family. The final cemetery showdown features Riley & Kali's zany imagination and determination to make getting rid of a psychopathic demon possessed necromancer a fun event, not to mention successfully poking digs at an Alpha werewolf and gargoyle shifter who happen to be enamored of these two unconventional supernaturals. I highly recommend this series if you're a reader who enjoys stories about young magical users and shifters who always attract trouble, and are able to keep you laughing all the way to its happy ending! Really great writing and storytelling! Five stars just don't seem to be enough. . .
June 7, 2023
What a thrill ride!
LA McBride has taken a new look at urban fantasy. Her main character, Kali, is a costume designer with a pesky problem. Ghosts like to follow her around and demand to fulfill their last wishes before they move on.
All she wants to do is make costumes and be home with her friends and lover. But she can’t do that quite yet. She has to find her sister’s killer, and stop the coming demon war. Only, how does a costume designer achieve that?
The writing is paced well, the story never drags, and you can't wait to find out what happens next, all hallmarks of a great book and great series.
She’ll figure it out with the help of her friends. Only, can she trust them all? The bad guys are always a step ahead. Is there a betrayer?
If you enjoy a good murder mystery, new creatures (a weregoat? really?), and old (werewolves, vampires, necromancers) and a fun new magical world—you'll love this!
This series is full of many twists and turns! Exciting and action packed, you can’t go wrong with LA McBride and these amazing books! Now, on to Riley’s books, and hopefully, we’ll get more from Kali in the future!
LA McBride has taken a new look at urban fantasy. Her main character, Kali, is a costume designer with a pesky problem. Ghosts like to follow her around and demand to fulfill their last wishes before they move on.
All she wants to do is make costumes and be home with her friends and lover. But she can’t do that quite yet. She has to find her sister’s killer, and stop the coming demon war. Only, how does a costume designer achieve that?
The writing is paced well, the story never drags, and you can't wait to find out what happens next, all hallmarks of a great book and great series.
She’ll figure it out with the help of her friends. Only, can she trust them all? The bad guys are always a step ahead. Is there a betrayer?
If you enjoy a good murder mystery, new creatures (a weregoat? really?), and old (werewolves, vampires, necromancers) and a fun new magical world—you'll love this!
This series is full of many twists and turns! Exciting and action packed, you can’t go wrong with LA McBride and these amazing books! Now, on to Riley’s books, and hopefully, we’ll get more from Kali in the future!
January 15, 2025
Gathering the Dead was fantastic
I reviewed each of the other books in this series individually but had to sum up the end of this series as fantastic. Kali is sentenced back to the Romanian Enclave to learn how to deal with the demon she unwittingly received with the tattoo. Training with Max’s brother Aleksei and not being allowed to communicate with her friends and family she discovers quite a bit about how to control Raum and develop a plan to go after Frederick Masterson. The time is now as the demon whispers of a prophecy of twins and the demon war that is upcoming. I am so glad Craig and Kali stopped avoiding the deep attraction and started dating. This book was full of snark, shadows, shifters missing and vampires who hate Kali. The last couple of chapters are fast paced and dangerously exciting. I absolutely love how Kali deals with the vampires and ribs Riley who was AWOL for a bit about Max. I can’t wait for Riley series to conclude and I love the way the author handled spoilers as I read Riley’s series before Kali’s. The witches were like the golden girls 2.0 - loved them! And a shout out to Liv!
I reviewed each of the other books in this series individually but had to sum up the end of this series as fantastic. Kali is sentenced back to the Romanian Enclave to learn how to deal with the demon she unwittingly received with the tattoo. Training with Max’s brother Aleksei and not being allowed to communicate with her friends and family she discovers quite a bit about how to control Raum and develop a plan to go after Frederick Masterson. The time is now as the demon whispers of a prophecy of twins and the demon war that is upcoming. I am so glad Craig and Kali stopped avoiding the deep attraction and started dating. This book was full of snark, shadows, shifters missing and vampires who hate Kali. The last couple of chapters are fast paced and dangerously exciting. I absolutely love how Kali deals with the vampires and ribs Riley who was AWOL for a bit about Max. I can’t wait for Riley series to conclude and I love the way the author handled spoilers as I read Riley’s series before Kali’s. The witches were like the golden girls 2.0 - loved them! And a shout out to Liv!
November 26, 2025
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
4.5*
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
4.5*
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
February 26, 2024
This cup of surprises runneth over.
L.A. McBride is a wizard of suspense.
Finding myself constantly in freakout mode throughout this series had me internally reminding myself that more chapters and more books meant everything would probably turn out fine, but I was certainly kept guessing.
Kali is a leap-before-you-look kind of heroine. Justice is the harness tethering her to the action-Zipline. If this series is ever made into movies, I would often cover my eyes, unable to watch some of her daring heroics.
She's not afraid to tell the Alfa Wolf to "fetch!". Her heart barely skips a beat when surrounded by a Sucker of Vampires. Witches are no match, and don't get me started on demons. Her badassery will have you amazed well after this omnibus is closed.
But you won't know this for yourself until you open it up.
110%WORTH IT!
L.A. McBride is a wizard of suspense.
Finding myself constantly in freakout mode throughout this series had me internally reminding myself that more chapters and more books meant everything would probably turn out fine, but I was certainly kept guessing.
Kali is a leap-before-you-look kind of heroine. Justice is the harness tethering her to the action-Zipline. If this series is ever made into movies, I would often cover my eyes, unable to watch some of her daring heroics.
She's not afraid to tell the Alfa Wolf to "fetch!". Her heart barely skips a beat when surrounded by a Sucker of Vampires. Witches are no match, and don't get me started on demons. Her badassery will have you amazed well after this omnibus is closed.
But you won't know this for yourself until you open it up.
110%WORTH IT!
August 4, 2024
Once I started, I couldn’t stop
Ahhhh, what a great story! And what a ride, from Kansas to Bulgaria and across the Black Sea, with a few quick stops in Chicago. Whew!
I loved all of the characters, good and bad, stony and furry. Kali was amazing — she’s the person I hope I’d be if I found myself in a supernatural world. She rescues lost souls, both literally and figuratively, and the circle of friends she builds is hilariously diverse in personalities and fighting styles.
If you like a heroine who has a powerful fashion sense and learns to be kick-butt, but is full of doubts about herself and relies on her friends to help her succeed; a hidden supernatural world with an interesting take on vampires (hint: they don’t sparkle); and the idea of a self-made family, you’ll like this series.
Ahhhh, what a great story! And what a ride, from Kansas to Bulgaria and across the Black Sea, with a few quick stops in Chicago. Whew!
I loved all of the characters, good and bad, stony and furry. Kali was amazing — she’s the person I hope I’d be if I found myself in a supernatural world. She rescues lost souls, both literally and figuratively, and the circle of friends she builds is hilariously diverse in personalities and fighting styles.
If you like a heroine who has a powerful fashion sense and learns to be kick-butt, but is full of doubts about herself and relies on her friends to help her succeed; a hidden supernatural world with an interesting take on vampires (hint: they don’t sparkle); and the idea of a self-made family, you’ll like this series.
August 18, 2023
Ahhhh yes
I have no idea what to say.
Do I mention that I read the entire thing in two days? Do I mention that when I did take a break to sleep, I dreamed of the world L.A.McBride created? How about the smiles and glee I felt during certain scenes, and the satisfaction I felt in others?
From book one where Kali first learns about who she is, until book four where she accepts and qrows into who she could be - I enjoyed every page.
From found family and friendships, to crime solving and murder. Slow burn and fade to black, and shenanigans with Riley. Great books to enjoy and keep your brain occupied.
I'm super excited for Riley's books and cant wait to read more of the world that the author created.
I have no idea what to say.
Do I mention that I read the entire thing in two days? Do I mention that when I did take a break to sleep, I dreamed of the world L.A.McBride created? How about the smiles and glee I felt during certain scenes, and the satisfaction I felt in others?
From book one where Kali first learns about who she is, until book four where she accepts and qrows into who she could be - I enjoyed every page.
From found family and friendships, to crime solving and murder. Slow burn and fade to black, and shenanigans with Riley. Great books to enjoy and keep your brain occupied.
I'm super excited for Riley's books and cant wait to read more of the world that the author created.
August 7, 2023
I’ve only read one book by this author, but I enjoyed it so much, I had to try the series that book was an offshoot for. I binged the entire series in a weekend, and what a series it is. I have come to love Kali the way that one book made me love Riley. Now I’m even anticipating the next book in Riley’s series even more than I did before. Kali just grew so much from the first book until the fourth one. This series is well-written, fun, has some awesome characters, and all the books left me wanting more. Excellent and fun series. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
December 17, 2024
This was a fantastic series- each book had me eager to read the next one and I listened to them all back-to-back! Each one was full of humor, suspense, action, and tons of magic! my favorite part was trying to guess who the villain was in each book!!
I absolutely love Kali and the other characters in this series-each one was unique and I enjoyed all of the back story for several of them woven in. The series left me feeling as if there was a clear end, yet I would enjoy further stories later on.
The narrator used various voices and told the stories with great energy and at a great pace too.
I definitely recommend!
I absolutely love Kali and the other characters in this series-each one was unique and I enjoyed all of the back story for several of them woven in. The series left me feeling as if there was a clear end, yet I would enjoy further stories later on.
The narrator used various voices and told the stories with great energy and at a great pace too.
I definitely recommend!
March 14, 2024
I love this series. It's lighthearted and quickmouthed. The way this supernatural world works is a bit different from what I've read before, which brings in some fresh air, but it is not too different, so you can still just lean back and enjoy the ride this stories take you on.
What I liked most was the way Kali learns her way in this world, how she grows without stumbling over the "almighty lead" obstacle. Closely followed by her building her circle of friends.
I would love to read more out of this world!
What I liked most was the way Kali learns her way in this world, how she grows without stumbling over the "almighty lead" obstacle. Closely followed by her building her circle of friends.
I would love to read more out of this world!
July 27, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Great collection of stories. FMC is such a cool and interesting character, eclectic yet believable. Her character development as she is pulled into the supernatural is exciting even as her reactions are realistic. Giving her a background as a midwest cops daughter informs the character and her approach.
The supporting characters were also strong in their own right, enough to warrant their own stories.
Nicely done with a good amount of lol humor, heart, danger and mystery. Slow burn low heat. Excellent narration.
Great collection of stories. FMC is such a cool and interesting character, eclectic yet believable. Her character development as she is pulled into the supernatural is exciting even as her reactions are realistic. Giving her a background as a midwest cops daughter informs the character and her approach.
The supporting characters were also strong in their own right, enough to warrant their own stories.
Nicely done with a good amount of lol humor, heart, danger and mystery. Slow burn low heat. Excellent narration.
May 26, 2023
I LOVED this series! You literally have everything, magic, romance, evil villains, sewing and fashion!! I fell pretty hard for the main characters and was sucked completely into this series. I marathon read this entire series in about one to two days! That’s how seriously good this series is and will be continued with the best friend Riley in the future! I cannot recommend this Author or Series enough! Seriously, you will love this read!
May 19, 2024
The book has the perfect balance between fantasy, suspense and romance. Kali is a necromancer and this is the first necromancer book I have ever read. The world is simple yet nicely detailed. At no point did I feel like a scene was too stretched or if a particular downtime was too boring.
I liked how each book developed and that when they were plotting they actually were plotting schemes and executing them. A gargoyle is also my first.
I liked how each book developed and that when they were plotting they actually were plotting schemes and executing them. A gargoyle is also my first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2023
I loved the series!
This is a fresh take on necromancer fun. It has great characters including a gargoyle shifter, unique locations, and lots of suspense and action. The final battle was a surprising, unique scene. I’m only sorry it’s over, but I’m looking forward to the Riley Cruz spinoff.
This is a fresh take on necromancer fun. It has great characters including a gargoyle shifter, unique locations, and lots of suspense and action. The final battle was a surprising, unique scene. I’m only sorry it’s over, but I’m looking forward to the Riley Cruz spinoff.
January 30, 2024
on a whim
I bought this set on a whim and I do not regret it for one single minute! I loved it. I finished it to quickly and will more than likely read it again. I can’t wait to read the next ones about Riley!! Hopefully I will get to see my favorites from this series in a different light!
I bought this set on a whim and I do not regret it for one single minute! I loved it. I finished it to quickly and will more than likely read it again. I can’t wait to read the next ones about Riley!! Hopefully I will get to see my favorites from this series in a different light!
May 28, 2023
Exciting from the first stitch to the last
Meet Kali James- costumer who can sometimes see ghosts. This series is filled to the brim with action, supernatural people, and some very fine stitching.
I really loved this series
Meet Kali James- costumer who can sometimes see ghosts. This series is filled to the brim with action, supernatural people, and some very fine stitching.
I really loved this series
June 8, 2023
I read each book as they came out and I loved them all! Kali is a great FMC that brought me many hour of reading pleasure. I am truly excited for one of these characters having their own stories! I Loved them all!!
August 11, 2023
love this series
I love the Kali and Riley. They are both strong women with lots of sass. This series has parts that make you laugh out loud, feel the pain and anger of the characters. I can’t wait to read more about Kali, Riley and their adventures.
I love the Kali and Riley. They are both strong women with lots of sass. This series has parts that make you laugh out loud, feel the pain and anger of the characters. I can’t wait to read more about Kali, Riley and their adventures.
August 17, 2023
demons, necromancy, shifters and more
Wonderful collection of supernaturals in a series of books that build up well.
Good strong characters with occasional flaws and strong evil characters to bring down
Good urban fantasy
Wonderful collection of supernaturals in a series of books that build up well.
Good strong characters with occasional flaws and strong evil characters to bring down
Good urban fantasy
July 17, 2024
DNF - Kali is unbelievably stupid and cringy. The premise of this book really drew me in but Kali ruins everything. She’s stubborn in a bad way. She’s immature and arrogant. I wanted to like this book, I did enjoy the world it was set in, but couldn’t get past the MC.
August 30, 2024
Great story!
Interesting concept. A costume designer who had no idea that there was a supernatural world with witches, shifters, vampires, necromancer s and demons. She had no idea she was a powerful necromancer.
Interesting concept. A costume designer who had no idea that there was a supernatural world with witches, shifters, vampires, necromancer s and demons. She had no idea she was a powerful necromancer.
September 2, 2024
Fun Convoluted Read
Fun read. Not completely believeable. A young woman, finds out she is a Necromancer, totally naieve, yet competes at the highest level. Great supporting cast. I read the Riley books first. Also a fun read.
Fun read. Not completely believeable. A young woman, finds out she is a Necromancer, totally naieve, yet competes at the highest level. Great supporting cast. I read the Riley books first. Also a fun read.
September 6, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyable!
I was looking for something to read while waiting for the release of another authors latest book. Thrilled to have found this author! I adore the characters and their adventures!
I was looking for something to read while waiting for the release of another authors latest book. Thrilled to have found this author! I adore the characters and their adventures!
August 20, 2025
omg, I loved this series!
I just binged my way through this series and absolutely loved it! It started off a tad slow in the beginning but won me over with great character development. I am promptly uploading Riley’s next!
I just binged my way through this series and absolutely loved it! It started off a tad slow in the beginning but won me over with great character development. I am promptly uploading Riley’s next!
July 29, 2023
Worth reading
I like a well written story that's not predictable. Although I read all the previous books, like the others, this was still one you can't put down.
I like a well written story that's not predictable. Although I read all the previous books, like the others, this was still one you can't put down.
August 8, 2023
fun
This series was a fun quirky read. Gray assortment of characters and a good story arc. I inhaled all of them
This series was a fun quirky read. Gray assortment of characters and a good story arc. I inhaled all of them
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews