The Shifting Price of Prey (Spellcrackers.com) by Suzanne McLeod

Spellcrackers.com #4

by Suzanne McLeod

Sometimes a bit of magical help might cost more than you bargained for . . .London is hosting the Carnival Fantastique, and Genny's job has never been busier or more fulfilling. Only not everyone is so happy. The fae are in trouble again and Genny learns the mysterious Emperor may have the solution they need – if Genny can find him.Genny needs help. She turns to the vampire, Malik al-Khan, only to find he’s wrestling with his own demons. Genny’s own problems are about to multiply too. An old flame arrives with a tragic situation, just as the police request her urgent assistance with a magical kidnap. Is it all unconnected, or can the Emperor help her solve more than the fae’s troubles?

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Paranormal, Fantasy, Fae, Witches, Magic

Paperback

First published February 1, 2012

About the author

Welcome to my Goodreads page! I write the Spellcrackers.com urban fantasy series about magic, mayhem and murder – liberally spiced with hot guys, kick-ass chicks and super-cool supes! I live on the sunny (sometimes) South Coast of England with my wonderful husband and our two much loved boisterous HellHounds!

Reviews

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under normal circumstances, I read urban fantasy to take a little holiday from the real world and to simply enjoy a story. But Suzanne McLeod refuses to let me coast, she provides a plot of such complexity that I have to pay attention and her characters are down-right Machiavellian in their manipulations of one another.

In her acknowledgements in this volume, she talks about getting to meet Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse series and one of the queens of urban fantasy. I enjoyed the Sookie series, but I think that McLeod is head and shoulders above Harris in every aspect—plot, characters, setting, complexity. One of my other favourite authors, Ben Aaronovitch, also appreciates McLeod’s work and their series are set to intersect somehow in a future volume of Spellcrackers.com.

How in the world am I going to fill my time until The Hidden Rune of Iron? (Very much a rhetorical question, as I have an enormous stack of library books waiting for me in my reading nook).

[Caroline The HEA Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final version 2012: 5 Freaking Stars!

(This Review was originally published on Book Lovers Inc)

What a book! I’m still trying to cope with the ending…even though it was the second time I read it! Talk about a powerful book. But let’s start from the beginning. The Shifting Price of Prey is the 4th book in the Spellcrackers.com series. I’ve read and loved the previous books in the series but THIS book beats them all. I’ve never felt so shocked/engrossed/nervous/surprised by a book before.

Suzanne is really a Master (Mistress? *wink*) of suspense , she will make you squirm in your seat. I can’t count the number of times she made me go all ‘OMG No way!!!’, ‘This can’t be!’ or start to shout at my E-reader. The book innocently drives you from a nice ballad in the countryside to a race for your life on a cliff-road . That’s how I felt when reading this book. At first I liked it but it was still possible to put down the book (to… say eat, or sleep) but the farther you get into the story the more impossible it is to stop reading. It’s hard to talk about the story without spoiling it for those who haven’t started the series, so I’ll just try to make you go through my journey to insanity without giving out spoilers.

Genny is still searching for a way to break the Fertility Curse that has been plaguing the Fae. The closer she gets to finding the answer the more dangerous it gets. She will have to face her childhood nightmare (Scary Motherf*cker!) and a whole new set of Big Bads. But you just need to trust her, she’s strong enough to make it (I hope)!

Can I say how happy I am that there’s a LOT of Malik scenes in this book? *g* I’ve never loved him so much. He’s sexy as hell and we finally get to know more about his past. Because let’s admit it, he’s been a mystery from the start. I’ve always been torn between Malik and Finn but now I’m a Malik fangirl. I wanted to slap Finn silly way too often. But then he got all sweet and he was all forgiven. Did I tell you how evil the author is? lol Very! She makes you change your mind about characters in the blink of an eye!

One of the great thing about this book is how much humor is incorporated in the story. I laughed a lot and smiled even more. Genny is wonderful. There’s also a bunch of awesome secondary characters. My favorite being Ricou who has a thing for using Johnny Depp glamours, my favorite being Captain Jack Sparrow *swoon*. I love that this book is not JUST one story and everything leading to the final rundown. Nope here you get to see many aspects of Genny’s life. You never know what is or isn’t relevant to the main plot, so you’re on the edge of your seat , getting paranoid about everything. And still you don’t see it coming in the end! Suzanne is evil I told you!

The story is gripping and very original you can’t even try to guess what’ll happen next. Even the second time around I was still completely lost to the book. You know the feeling you get when you watch Titanic and they are trying to avoid the Iceberg and you’re seriously hoping they’ll make it safe (yes, shouting ‘TURN you fools!’ at the Tv) even though you already KNOW they will sink? LOL This book is just like that, I knew what would happen and still I kept shouting at my book, hoping it would go differently. (Yes I’m crazy <== possibly an aftereffect from reading this book lol).

Oh the revelations we get in this book!!! I can’t tell you what but OMG. Evil Suzanne went full blown Evil with the ending. EEEEEEEEEEp I NEED the next book ASAP!! I just couldn’t believe she would let us hang like this! I wouldn’t say it’s a cliffhanger (Really, it is) but it’s a game changer for sure.

The Shifting Price of Prey is made of Awesomesauce. I got sucked in the book and couldn’t let go till the end. It’s unexpected and sexy, gripping and scary. It’ll play with your emotions and leave you half crazed for more! I can’t recommend it enough. This series is one of my favorite ever. It keeps getting better and better. I always think it impossible for a book to top the last but each time I am happily surprised.

I give The Shifting Price of Prey 5 stars

PS: If I summed up the notes I took on the book when I first read it, it’d look like this : OMFG… O_O… Oh no she didn’t!!! OMG WOW. <== I kid you not LOL




2011: (definitely worth the wait.Like WOW. Am excited to read the final version)

[Linda (un)Conventional Bookworms · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an e-ARC from the author in order to write an honest review of this book*

This and other reviews can also be found on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews.

The Shifting Price of Prey picked up a few months after the end of The Bitter Seed of Magic, and Genny is herself – business as usual. There is a lot of humor in this book, and I love the laugh-out-loud moments it helped me have :) even if it’s sometimes a little weird trying to explain to people why I’m laughing when I’m sitting with my kindle…

The story isn’t all light and romance, though. Genny has to face her strongest fears, both in dreamscape and in the real world. She also has a lot more emotional and romantic tangles than in previous books, and it has something to do with the trapped fertility, even if she and everybody else thought that part was already dealt with.

[mrsj · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is hard to write a review for this book.
Seriously.

It can be interesting.
It can be frustrating.
It can be annoying.
It can be confusing.
It can be over imaginative like too much info is pouring into you and you go "whoa. Stop!"

The ending has left me anticipating for more though it still left me confused.

And the whole love triangle thingy, the cryptic talks and conspiracies???
Fix it soon!!!!!

Damn faes. Damn vamps. Damn supernaturals.

[Mardel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading The Shifting Price of Prey, like other books by Suzanne McLeod, reminds me of the many layers of petals on a rose - or the layers of an onion (but every one uses the Onion Layer thing). The first layer of petals is the beginning of the novel - Genny is checking out a Gnome's business, and his use of naturally dying garden fairies. Something strikes her weird about this...and on top of that, this creepy Gnome keeps offering her refreshments that a fairy would eat - insects, slugs, etc., though she reminds him that she's Sidhe, NOT a fairy.

In another layer of petals there's Tavish, who is affecting her more strongly than ever. In fact, a few people seem to be affecting her in a lustful, wanting to jump bones kind of way. Finn, her sometimes boss and possible love interest is out of town, 'In Between' taking care of his daughter and she hasn't heard from him. Even though in the last novel/adventure Genny had managed to (if you haven't read any of the novels, this could be a spoiler...) grab the fertility spell, something's not quite right about it, only one of the fae has become pregnant, and Genny is finding herself obsessed with the shape and majestic breasts of Sylvia - the pregnant fae. Tavish brings her some information help that actually causes more questions than answers, and Genny decides she needs to talk with Malik, and then in another layer of this rose being peeled, plucked away, also finds herself in a situation with him.....oooh, boy.

Meanwhile, the Carnival Fantastique is being hosted by London,bringing its own set of potential problems of the magical variety so there is a lot going on there, the pixies are showing up everywhere causing pixie mischeif, there are prank spells appearing here and there and a visiting abassador's family disappears - is it a kidnapping?

I'm wary of writing any spoilers, I think I might have mentioned some minor spoilers already. But The Shifting Price of Prey is such a multilayered story - Those rose petals keep being peeled away, each time revealing another twist or turn in the plot - just enough information to drive Genny forward, until the center of that rose is completely opened and the final event is brought to a close....and then there is this chilling set up for the next book...that would be those thorns of the rose...(*g*). Thorns aren't always bad - you just have to use care, and I loved every minute of reading this novel. In this metaphor, the thorn is the wait for the next novel to come out, and it's promising to be a hell of a story. But those thorns just make roses that much sweeter for the risk. (is that too much metaphor? time to get off the metaphor train? nah, I might have more) Hey - I'm not a writer, and it shows with this metaphor attempt, doesn't it? *g*

One of the things I'm always impressed about with McLeod's writing is the world building. Her London is amazing. The varied species of fae, faelings, vampires and other supernaturals is very fun, and she describes them so well. All different types are peppered through out the story, some as secondary characters, main characters, and peripheral characters. There are spells, magical items, myths and legends with her spin on them. Genny Taylor herself is a mix of Sidhe and Vampire. Her pupils are shaped like a cat, and even though she has this heritage of magic, Genny herself can't create magic, unless magic decides to use her. However, she does have this talent - cracking spells, SEEing spells and absorbing spells. There's this other talent she's picked up lately, you'll see it used in the novel.

One of the great things about a Suzanne McLeod UF - there will be female friends for the main character. Genny is not the typical (though some writers are getting better about avoiding this particular pitfall) tough girl that has virtually NO female friends yet many men panting after her. Sure there are some men that want Genny, but then it fits the story, the fae/vampires aren't saddled with old fashioned morals that humans have. This is represented very well, with the way McLeod writes Genny's appreciation of the handsome dryads, the Satyr in his natural form, the Kelpie in his forms, and so on. There are Gay and Lesbian characters within without it being a big deal, it's just part of the life within the novel (like it should be in real life - natural) and Genny herself has a few run-ins with feeling a bit of desire for a female here and there without getting all freaked out about it. I find this refreshing.

Within her world building are mentions of historical events - like an alternate history of the world and London that she briefly salts throughout the novel - kind of like on a need to know basis. I always enjoy when authors handle information giving like this. As well, there are landmarks of London that she involves in her stories, and it's fun to try to picture all the places she uses in her books - the Gardens, the fountains, the London streets, and The Eye - which I try to pick out when I'm watching a movie or Dr. Who show set in London. I'm pretty sure I can match at least a few of the visuals with her descriptions.

Then there is the narration and dialogue. The narration is first person, and just flows - you find yourself reading along and finding it hard to put down for things like real life, eating, talking to people (lol, this can be fun - using a great book to avoid people, 'sorry, didn't hear you, reading this enthralling novel' lol). Add to that her skillful use of language, speech styles and dialects and the characters feel like they could be any mix of people you might hear on the streets of a major city. And then there is Malik's formal way of speaking, along with Tavish's oh so interesting brogue. Love it. I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention something, but it boils down to this; The Shifting Price of Prey is as fresh and exciting novel as the first, second and third in her series, and I thoroughly enjoyed every novel I've read by Suzanne McLeod. She has done a brilliant job of keeping the Spellcrackers series alive, fresh, interesting, and heart thumping. There's a little bit for everyone's taste in good proportions - adventure, danger, lust, relationship issues (not over done, thank god) and all around exciting reading. Can't wait to get to the next one, might even start re-reading the series if I feel like I'm going to go into McLeod withdrawal. *g*

See? A rose, this story is, a multi layered rose with many petals to pluck as the story unfolds.....


For a small taste of an in between story - take a look at Full Scale Demolition in the Home Improvement anthology (edited by Charlaine Harris).

[Kathy Davie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fourth in the Spellcrackers.com urban fantasy series based in London and revolving around Genny Taylor, part fae, part human, and part vampire, and totally hunted. It’s been three months since The Bitter Seed of Magic , 3.

My Take
There’s no end to the action in this quest, and I found myself wishing I had gotten hold of The Shifting Price of Prey a lot sooner than six years later! There is so much detail I’ve forgotten!! It doesn’t help that a good bit of that detail carries on in this story, and this story is also quite involved and twisty with all that’s happening.

McLeod had me twisting and twining, dipping and ducking…I suspect I was standing on my head numerous times. She keeps the tension up, never letting up on Genny’s suspicions, fears, and worries, providing wee touches of relief. And Genny’s irritating me in this. She’s whining because Finn “doesn’t call, doesn’t write”, and yet she knows his family are being jerks, that time moves differently in the Fair Lands.

I suspect that all this confusion is aided by McLeod using that first person protagonist point-of-view, twisting us up in Genny’s head.

We learn a lot about Malik’s past, and that eventually gets so twisted. It doesn’t help that McLeod is so contradictory about the relationships between Emperor, Empress, Suleiman, the Ikbal, Malik, his parents who sold him out, and the children. Gods, it’s giving me a headache trying to sort it all out!!

There’s a deep and twisty end game playing out, and you won’t know until the end…and I don’t think skipping to the end to find out will help. There’s simply too much — in so many ways — that happens along the way.

The Story
The key to returning fae fertility may be known, but it’s only half the battle. It seems there’s another half of the curse that must be found if fertility is to be restored. Genny also discovers the reason for her amped-up sexual frustrations. It seems Finn being gone for so long is not wholly responsible.

All of that merely adds to the craziness occurring all over London as the solstice approaches and magic goes mad with a unicorn mutilated, garden fairies dying out of turn, and werewolves appearing all over London.

To cap it off, the Carnival Fantastique has arrived, as has the wicked auction…with an eminent wildlife activist and her young son in danger.

The Characters
Lady Genevieve “Genny” Taylor is half-fae, half-human, and, somehow, vampire due to the 3V with which Malik infected her. Her magic is haphazard, but she can see magic and crack a spell. She also carries Ascalon, a Roman magical gladius that cleaves through any- and everything but the innocent. It disappears into a ring until Genny needs it. Rosa had been the vampire body that had merged with Genny’s. Robur is an ancient dryad who lives in Genny’s wardrobe.

Sylvia, a dryad, is pregnant (thanks to the Blue Sapphire), and Ricou, her naiad partner, is ecstatic. They’re living with Genny. They’ve already named the baby after a friend of Genny's who died saving her. The Ladies Isabella and Meriel are the head dryad and head naiad, Sylvia’s and Ricou’s mothers, respectively. Bertha is a nasty gigantic eel (Ricou’s pet) who guards the rooftop and who keeps trying to eat Genny. Gustaf, a giant squid, is Bertha’s pal.

Spellcrackers.com is…
…a proper company owned by Finn Panos, a satyr and a sex god. Genny's employer. However, he’s left it in Genny’s hands while he’s in the Fair Lands with his pregnant teenage daughter, Nicky. Dimitris is Finn’s closest brother.

Tavish, a soul taster, is a kelpie, coworker, techno-geek, and friend as well as the àrd-cheann, the top water horse, of London’s fae. Now that the truth about fae fertility is known, Tavish isn’t hitting on Genny any more. Viviane is a leannán sidhe trapped inside the tarot cards by Tavish 241 years ago.

The company’s mission is to aid people and the police in breaking spells. Katie is their part-time receptionist, Genny’s occasional taxi service, and a part-time waitress at the Rosy Lea Café; she intends to be a dancer. Paula is Katie’s mum. Leandra is the witch who monitors the company’s night phones.

Marc is Katie’s current boyfriend. Carlson is his pushy uncle. Shona was Carlson’s mate. Steve Dean was the third shifter.

London Metropolitan Police
Detective Inspector (acting) Hugh Munro, a mountain troll, is about the only copper on Genny’s side. Detective Sergeant Mary Martin is also a witch who is mighty friendly with Sylvia and Ricou. Emily is her nine-year-old daughter. Constable Lamber is another troll. Constable Taegrin is with the Met’s Magic and Murder Squad. WPC Odessa, a.k.a., Dessa, comes along to Trafalgar Square. Peelers are non-magical human coppers.

Detective Inspector Helen Crane had been Hugh’s boss and Finn’s wife; she’s still a witch; and, still on the lam for being dirty. Dr. Craig had been the nutso baby-making wizard partnered up with Helen in The Bitter Seed of Magic . Helen has been having it off with Mad Max as well; Jack is their child who is now one of the Morrígan’s ravens, a sidhe changeling.

The vampires
Oathed to Bastien, Malik al-Khan is the London Oligarch and Genny’s “owner/protector”. Suleiman became sultan and was Malik’s liege and friend. Sanguine Lifestyles is Malik’s answering service. Darien is Genny’s ex-fang pet. The Blue Heart is a vampire club. Janan, Beloved of Malah al-Maut (the Angel of Death), is a silver dagger.

Bastien is the sadistic psychopathic Autarch, the leader of all of Britain’s vampires. He was supposed to marry Genny when she turned fourteen, but she ran.

The Emperor, a.k.a., Romulus Augustus and the last western Roman Emperor in AD 475 is the one who made Bastien. He’s also the Head Fang of Europe. Fur-jacket-girl, a.k.a., Dilek, is a werewolf and sister to Aisha. I think they may be Bastien’s sisters?? Shpresa is said to be Malik’s favoured Ikbal as well as Suleiman’s; she’s also the Empress blood-bonded to the Emperor. She can shapeshift into an eagle and is mother to Bastien and Dilek. And Malik.

The Red Shamrock are one of several vampire blood-families. Their talent is evoking a person’s emotions from memories. Their Irish pub, Tir na n’Og, is quite successful. Declan is the head vampire. Fiona is Declan’s seneschal and human partner.

The witches are ruled by the Witches’ Council.

Mrs. Bandevi Jangali, an environmental activist; her six-year-old son, Dakkhin Jangali; and, Jonathan Weir, the publicity director, were kidnapped from the London Zoo. Balinder Bannerjee is her husband and the ambassador from Bangladesh. David O’Reilly is a zoo employee with a great voice and partnered with Jonathan.

Carnival Fantastique is…
…a way for Others to make a living. Two centaurs offer Heavenly Rides. Mini the Minotaur offers the chase. O’Keefe is a leprechaun who tells the truth. Cupid is the “Divine Love God” who was born a cambion, the result of a witch and an incubus (or vice versa as a wizard with an succubus), which means they’re into sex magic and have a gift for prophecy. This Cupid is quite talented at shape-changing to suit your fantasies.

The Forum Mirabilis is…
…an auction for rare items and invitation-only. Mr Lampy, an accredited conservationist, is a filthy gnome who is also the auctioneer. Mr. Kaito is an international purveyor of rare epicurean delicacies.

Harrod’s is having issues with Magic Mirror spells and is the reason behind Operation Nip Tuck. Obadiah is a Gatherer goblin.

Genny’s family history includes…
…her grandmother, Clíona, a fae queen who had laid the original curse. Genny's mother, Angel, is a whacko sidhe; her father, Andrei, a vampire, was raped by her mother. Matilde was Genny’s stepmother. Grianne is Genny’s fairy dogmother.

Maxim “Mad Max” Fyodor Zakharin is a vampire, wizard, and Irish wolfhound shifter who is Genny’s uncle on the sidhe side (Angel’s brother) and a distant cousin on the vampire side. He’s also the Autarch’s pet vamp. Brigitta (Angel’s daughter with a fossegrim, the fountain fae guardian at Trafalgar Square) was Genny’s half-sister, and the niece Max had had a fling with; Ana is the daughter Max and Brigitta had. Andrea Freya is Ana’s daughter and Max’s granddaughter who turns into a Norwegian elkhound, is a part fae/human/vampire/sidhe, who needs Genny’s blood to survive.

Dr. Grace, Genny’s friend, had been a part of HOPE, a health clinic. Jacob Sabine, a Victorian naturalist and wizard, discovered the Viagra qualities of dried garden fairy. Sclalter’s Intervention was a bill passed by Parliament in 1902. The Shining Times were millennia ago when sidhe, magic, and the human world first came together. It’s said that Tavish was born then. Between is the space between the Fair Lands and the human world. Sanguine lemurs are revenants used by Suleiman, the skeletons in the vampire closet. Changelings are human babies raised by the sidhe and given sidhe magic. Their places are taken by ùmaidh , a dim-witted dolt made of something inanimate. And Viviane claims Gold Cat is an ùmaidh.

The Cover and Title
The cover is mostly black from the bottom up as it merges into Genny’s tank top and part of the forested background. Genny is obviously on the move, heading to the right, but her head has swung back, her pageboy haircut with the ends flipped under, swishing across her cheek. One hand is braced on her hip and the other holds her sword, Ascalon. In the background, there’s the green flare of magic behind her, and a lighthouse in black-and-white on the right. The title and author’s name is in a gothic textured white while the series information, nestled between the two, is a subdued green.

The title can apply to so many possibilities, and I suspect The Shifting Price of Prey is all about Genny, what she hopes for, what she fears, what she must achieve.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shifting Price of Prey is the fourth book in Suzanne McLeod’s Spellcrackers series and therefore this review will contain spoilers for the previous books. I'm not sure they would hold up as standalone reads but the world is amazing once you get into it.

Genny thinks she’s finally got her life back; Sylvia’s pregnant and living in Between in a talkative wardrobe. Business is good at Spellcrackers with the contract for Harrods and the Carnival Fantastique, which brings with it a host of supernatural creatures. But it would seem that all the pent-up fertility in the fae’s necklace is backfiring and Genny finds herself in a compromising position with her cousin Maxim. As she tries to calm her libido, a diplomat’s wife and child have been kidnapped at London Zoo and the police need her help in bringing them home safely.

Suzanne introduces some creepy characters into the mix, and they can’t all be blamed on the carnival! In the opening pages, Genny is investigating a gnome who is dealing in garden fairy penises, a popular magical aphrodisiac. I loved that the garden fairies where the magical equivalent of insects, dead after one mating cycle and it added a little credible mythology to the world. Whilst Genny and Katie are poking around fairy bits, they notice they are being watched. Katie is convinced the man changed into an animal, Genny is not so sure, but soon she is finding out more than she ever knew about shifters.

Along with the diplomat’s family, Suzanne also gets her publicist kidnapped. It’s a little inside joke but it made me laugh when Jonathan Weir’s name popped up. I started to get a bit concerned that he’d been forgotten about and what had he done to deserve being killed off in a book?! On top of that, there are loads of small touches of humour which really make this an entertaining series, in a many layered world.

Once again, there’s a lot going on but it all ties up at the end. The Autarch has always been the bogeyman in Genny’s mind but we start to learn a little more about him. By the end, I found him really entertaining and looking forward to seeing more of him in future. Even if he is very much still the bad guy. Genny has some haunted tarot cards leading the way in her mission to get to the bottom of the fae’s fertility curse. The curse that never ends! They lead her to believe that The Emperor holds the answer, another ancient vampire that might even be scarier than the Autarch.

We get to see a different side to Malik. OK, maybe several different sides and a glimpse into his murky past. Genny has finally admitted to herself that she fancies him but he seems to be keeping her at arm’s length. Is he not interested, up to no good, in trouble or could it just be that he doesn’t want his relationship with Genny to be a quick fling?

I know I’ve been charging through these books back-to-back but the previous three books weren’t particularly cliffhangery. I was just so wrapped up in the world that I carried on reading. However now that I’ve got to the end of the currently published books, there is a big stonking cliffhanger ending and I want to know what happens now! Argh!

[Kara-karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5!
always thought that Spellcrackers.com was a little gem of a series. The latest creation from Suzanne McLeod is one of her finest.


Wonderful, complex and very imaginative world-building, London packed by an amazing range of paranormal creatures all living in the open, cohabitating with humans and legally having their own rights, - witches, sidhe, vampires, shifters, dryads, nyads, kelpies, gnomes, fairies... There are so many of them, and yet in each book I learn something new.

As usual the intricate plot is impossible to predict. Poor Genny is a permanent fixture between a rock and a hard place, she just can't catch a break from all the trouble that follows her.

Plenty of surprises in book #4, plenty of yummy Malik, a little bit of Finn and Tavish, and of course hilarious flatmates of Genny - nyad Ricou who impersonates Johnny Depp, his pregnant dryad-wife Sylvia and their ever so biteful giant eel Bertha.

Genny is under a lot of pressure to crack the fertility curse for the good of the supernatural community, and a "clever" idea from Tavish forces her to use sidhe-made Taro cards to find the answers to her questions. As soon as she opens the first card, she is up for a wild ride involving an ancient vampire Emperor, Malik's past, Bastien games, werewolves and a huge danger to her nearest and dearest. Oh, dear! And she still has four cards to go...

Fabulous, brilliant story in a sparkling urban fantasy series from a British author. Very much recommended, especially for the fans of Karen Chance, Kim Harrison and Seanan McGuire.

[Pamela / SpazP · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this fourth Spellcrackers.com novel, we meet back up with Genny in the wonderful supernatural London that Suzanne McLeod has created for us. The stakes are raised higher than ever, as we learn more about Malik al-Khan's backstory, and my own expectations of this fourth book were just as high. I squealed with delight, because The Shifting Price of Prey totally delivers.
With the Carnival Fantastique in town, Ms. McLeod introduces a terribly interesting and unique storyline to an already multi-layered Urban Fantasy London setting. Genny quickly learns that the fae just can't help themselves, their entire future is still in jeopardy with the Fertility Curse, and Geneveieve is their only hope. Just as always, she takes on the responsibility, steps right up to her duties, and sets out to get to the bottom of what this mysterious Emperor has to do with the recent magical kidnappings. Of course you throw in the Vampires to the mix, and there is nothing but sweet and glorious drama from start to finish, with some crazy family trees, to boot.
The sweet and hot tension that has built between Malik al-Khan and Genny has been nothing but intense, and in The Shifting Price of Prey, we get some action of the sexy variety, people! But remember, this isn't a Paranormal Romance... we get just enough to keep us holding on, and it burns so good. Secondary characters, such as Tavish the Kelpie, have grown on me so much, I couldn't wait to see him appear, even if you never fully know if you can trust him. At times, I felt utter disappointment in other characters, such as Finn. Boooo, Finn, Boo. The humor in this series also keeps me coming back, and even the so-called "bad guys" have me charmed. The author does a fantastic job at making you completely unsure of whom to trust, yet at the same time making you want to trust everyone. I sat at the edge of my seat through the entire book, waiting for the other shoe to fall. I felt dread for what might happen, but hope too, for other possibilities. I was basically a big ol anxious mess while reading this and couldn't quit turning the pages. By the time I arrived to the last page, I was beaming with satisfaction. I am so pleased with the way the story is concluded!! It doesn't necessarily end with a cliffhanger, so much as a total mind-f*ck, but I sure can't wait for the next book! And the author gave me exactly what I wanted with the very last line.
The Spellcrackers.com series is very heavy on world building, and it is very complex. I got a little overwhelmed initially in the first book, but once I got in to the flow, I seriously devoured books 1 through 4 as fast as I could. So much happens from page to page in The Shifting Price of Prey, that I had a book hangover. I was ruined to other books for a while after completion. Fans of Genny will be so super pleased! And Urban Fantasy fans who have not tried this series yet, seriously, get busy! Start with The Sweet Scent of Blood, and be sure to come back and thank us for the recommendation. You're welcome! :)

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did it end with a cliffie, yes and no. It made me scream for more, but no one was falling off that cliff. They were just close, and getting closer. But that does not mean anyone will fall down. But you get idea. This book makes you crave more. Of course I told the author how evil she is ;) The best authors always are. They make delicious cliffhangers, not irritating ones. And she does know how to write a book.

Genny is like Genny always is. Lusting over Malik (you and me both girl!), misses Finn as he left (I never lusted after him anyway so no worry for me there), and trying to solve cases. And there is Tavish too, oh I can’t help liking him too, sometimes even more than Malik. It must be what he is all about, luring people down into the river and drowning them. Anyway enough with the men (like I could get enough). Seriously the attraction is oozing out of the pages in this one. There is this build-up, both good and bad for Genny.

Creepy Autarch is back, and new player. She must find the Emperor to finally crack the lost fertility of the Fae. This is not easy. And we get more that we bargained for. I shall not spill it all, but it’s good. And again poor Genny. She does not have any easy job.

And how about those revelations in the last book! Wow, messed up. This is the series to read, wicked vampires, lots of nice and bad Fae. And a heroine that has to tread carefully between the different worlds.

[Helen Hollick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely the best magical romp yet - the series is growing in strength and is a wonderful "escapism" read, though I'm not sure that the books will stand alone out of sequence (hard to tell when I've devoured each one as if I'm a glamoured vamp in need of sustenance! LOL)

I adore Malik; Finn is a pain & as for that Kelpie..... but I'll not say more as I don't want to give any story away.
My only comment would be that this one is _very_ adult in sexual content, which may put some readers off - no bother for the broad-minded though.

I happened to be at Trafalgar Square while reading this one (several scenes set there) - I looked for Genny and the pesky pixies, but I guess there was an invisibility spell being used :-( pity. LOL

Anyone who loves magic, vamps, and a hurtle through a romp of an adventure will enjoy these quirky books - its about time we had a TV series based around them I think Buffy, Charmed, Twilight....? Not a patch on Genny & co!

Suzanne's books are a wonderful advert for the London Tourist Board as well (providing you have a spellcrackers.com phone number to hand ..... just in case.....

One complaint. I now have to wait for the next one in the series :-(

(disclaimer: I know Suzanne personally, but this is a genuine review of a book I thoroughly enjoyed)

[Veronica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series just continues to feel discombobulated to me. The magic seems to be one deux ex machina after another and the romance angle...just seems to center on whichever male is standing in front of Genevieve at the time. Why I've continued reading it is unknown to me but at this point, with only one book left in the series, I may as well see it through to the end.

[JB]

GRRRRR, not available thru US sellers yet, and no quick & easy Kindle/ebook version to download either! Had to order my copy on Amazon thru a seller in the UK. Will take minimum of 18-26 days to get here :(

[Bell Curran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the beta version and it's amazing. No plot, no spoilers, I'm just saying, it's worth the wait.

[Rhys Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want this.

Badly.

[Scooper Speaks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, so didn't see everything that happened coming.

[Runningrabbit · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm disappointed here. Exactly the same as the other books. Unrequited love, battles blah blah blah.

[Dangerous Romance Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

SABINA: I was in Italy when I got an email from Suzanne saying the E-ARC of The Shifting Price of Prey was now available. Can I just say how frustrating it was that I just couldn’t download it straight away?! I had to wait until I came home to sit down with this book. It was worth the wait, but still. I’m terrible at waiting!! ;-)

LAURIE: I felt guilty when I saw it had finally come in and I was going to get to read it two weeks ahead of you! Although...you were basking on the beaches of Italy and boating along the canals of Venice at the time, so it isn't like I was going to shed tears over it for you.

SABINA: In The Bitter Seed of Magic, Finn had to leave because his (and Helen’s) daughter, Nicky had been caught in the middle of the fight with the bad guy and ended up pregnant. And since they didn’t know if she was pregnant with her mates child or if it was the experiment that got her pregnant, they chose to go to Faery to make sure both Nicky and the unborn child would be able to survive. All the pregnant faelings did that. Finn left Spellcrackers.com to Genny while he was away, and she has enjoyed the challenge it represented – and the freedom.

Tavish (the Kelpie) is a… kind of a part-time helper/worker, and even if Genny is happy he can help out, it pisses her off he’s so fluctuating in his presence. Let's just say, he kind of operates of Fae time. Suddenly he turns to her and needs her help. Not just Tavish, but the entire Fae need her help. Their fertility was recovered in The Bitter Seed of Magic, but it’s still trapped in the pendant. They can’t figure out how to release it without destroying the fertility – and it’s not like Helen’s around to force – eeh, ask.

Sooo, Gen’s back into to trouble again. No surprise really. Tavish gives her a deck of Tarot cards that will give her a reading – the price is a little blood freely given. Through the entire book we run into these Tarot cards, popping up unexpected places and giving Genny little frustrating clues to how the fertility can be restored.

At the same time a family has been kidnapped, but it’s not a normal kidnapping. There’s something magical about it, so the police (and Hugh) want Genny to help them out. But things are not entirely as they seem and soon Gen needs to avoid being trapped by those out to use her, and she has to race against time to save those she loves the most and the price for helping them might just be too high….

As the rest of Suzanne McLeod’s books this one is just as complex, filled with surprises, alliances, romance, frustration, anger, helplessness and humor. I love the world Suzanne has created, I could get lost in it. There are scenes (I will not reveal them, since that would be to spoilerish) where my heart was racing SO fast because just the thought of the decision Genny had to make, the consequences if she failed and the heartbreak that could follow was almost overwhelming.

Some of the characters in this book I started to like a little less, mainly because of the way they reacted towards Genny. It didn’t destroy the story, but it seemed to lead to a decision to the direction Genny was headed. There were some AMAZING scenes with Malik, and some confusing ones. And there was some amazingly confusing scenes with Finn.

LAURIE: This book gave me emotional whiplash. Just when I'd think, "Oh thank god. Gen's finally got this figured out. She's headed right where I want her to go...some situation would come up and she'd be forced away from her hearts desire, towards situations that could have lasting and in my mind DIRE consequences. When we meet Suzanne McLeod, I'm going to talk to her "Off the record" about the stress levels she put me through with this book.

SABINA: Aaah, yeah... Good luck with that. Well, without revealing too much about what happens in the book, I’ll have to say the ending was not exactly what I expected.

LAURIE: Nor in all honesty, were some of the events what I wanted to happen. I am putting my trust in Suzanne because she has NEVER steered me wrong, but the events at the ending of this book...How can we wait a year? The suspense is going to kill me. I can only hope we can get some hint out of Malik when we get to interview him. He has to know what is going to happen, right?

SABINA: We can only hope so. I just kept looking at the last page and went; What?! No, that’s not right. It was more; NO, no, no – how can she leave it there?! ARGHH!!! :-) But I am a bit concerned about the ending, because it can go both ways. Either really good or horrible wrong. Luckily the book is in Suzanne’s very capable hands and I have all the faith her next book will be as awesome as all the books in this series have been.

LAURIE: It is a sign of what a great author she is, that Sabina and I have both gotten so emotionally invested in this series, we begged to interview a character from the series. I've never done that before. I'm not even sure how to go about it! If you haven't started this series, really, some of the best, most intricate and well written Urban Fantasy out there, with one of the most amazing Vampires ever written.

SABINA: "The Shifting Price of Prey was just released on August 30 in UK. If you live in the States, try www.thebookdepository.com, they'll ship to the US. Also stay tuned, we should have our interview with Malik Al Khan up shortly! If we get through it alive, that is....

[Hayley Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellcrackers 😍

I am absolutely loving this series and can’t wait to read book 5. I love that there have been twists and turns that I haven’t guessed, it’s kept me reading through the night.

[Jacqueline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extra 1/2 star

A lot of it seemed familiar while I was reading it so I may or may not have previously read this and simply forgot to add it to goodreads.

[vyoletkyss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute. I see more book are coming out in 2018, not sure how I feel about it.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler:

Gold cat is a hero, MC threatening/wanting to kill her is horribly wrong.

[Melliane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mon avis en Français

My English review

I was very impatient to read this book, I really love the Spellcrackers.com series and it’s always a real pleasure to get into a new adventure. I have to say that many things always happen in the Genny’s life, and this book is the perfect example. It’s a series that is in constant evolution and I think that each book is better than the last one. So I’m sure you know now, as I already loved the third book, this one was really awesome.

Genny thinks she is tranquil now that they have found the pendant but she is far from suspecting what will fall on her. Indeed, the fate will turn against her and she will eventually have to seek out a lasting solution for the Faes fertility. But all this will cause her to rub the danger, more than we might think. Genevieve will be caught up in a quest combining intriguing plots, betrayal, love and hope. How can we not be swept away by the ideas of Suzanne McLeod? Especially when so many things happen here, events we've been waiting a long time. Would I dare to say there is a progress in the love stories of our heroine? I was completely thrilled by that. Because yes, it means more Malik and Finn! YAY, okay I'm not very objective but I am totally a fan of Malik, what do you expect? The reverse would be impossible. Team Malik!!! Would I dare to say that we finally have a real meeting with Bastian? Yes, really! I was waiting for this meeting from the start of the series and I was a little afraid to be disappointed after all this time. Admittedly, this is a very important event. And no, I finally loved it, everything we had imagined can’t surpass this meeting. I’m sure it’s not very pleasant for our heroine, even far from that, but I really loved to have an interaction between these two characters.

This fourth book is full of wonderful surprises and Genny has to learn how to deal with all her greatest fears, which will also allow her to evolve a little more in her life. It was very interesting to follow her here and to see all the problems she had. And above all, to see how she managed to resolve each situation. Many answers were finally revealed, but of course come new questions and Genevieve will have to deal with many things in the next volume. I'm really going to wait again with great anticipation to see what the next book reserves for us as I am sure we will have many surprises.

Well I think you understand, if you want a good Urban Fantasy series, I can only recommend this one that will allow you to discover a world full of magic.

[Noodle The Naughty Night Owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book four in the Spellcrackers.com Series and it was worth the wait. These are not light-weight reads. They're a bit gritty, full of information and magical nuances, complicated relationships and a deeply intriguing world. The author managed to recap on the last book nicely, so it was easy to find our place again without being bombarded with repeated scenes or flashbacks.

This time Genny is up against a powerful vampire, whilst still trying to find the solution to the Fae's lost fertility. That continued plot theme, (the Fae's fertility issues) is a nice way to pull all the stories together, but each instalment has its own mystery to solve.

I liked The Emperor - our baddie in this book and I particularly liked how he linked into the other vampires in this story. We learn some more about Malik - Genny's beautiful vamp and about the Autarch - nasty piece of work. Although the vampires are still not your diamond-skinned romantic sort of vampire, we don't see the true venom-fanged version in this book. There is just a hint of that side to them, enough to remind us these vampires are different from any you have read about before.

Malik Al-Khan - what can I say? He is definitely a contender for Genny's heart, but still retains that superior, all-knowing, powerful facade.

"Genevieve." His eyes darkened with grim mockery. "The correct greeting of blood-property to their master should carry more reverence. An offer of the throat is ideal, a wrist acceptable, a deferential falling to your knees the bare minimum."

Finn is back and although Genny has a soft spot for him, I'm all about the beautiful vampire. Still he offers up a nice contrast and adds a little confusion into the mix.

All in all this latest addition to the series carried just as much weight and intrigue as previous instalments. I love this series. Definitely one to get your teeth into.

This one gets a well deserved high-score of 9/10: "Fantastic, left me wanting more," on the NBRS. Heading straight for my Top Reads Bookshelf.

[Michelle Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved this series since the first book, but I found this to be the absolute best in the series (so far!). If you have not started this series, I highly recommend it to everyone. The world building, characters, plot are all fantastic. I am not going to be able to review the first 3 books in the series here, but please read them first. Do not start the series at book 4, you will miss too much.

The series is set in London. The main character, Genny is Sidhe Fae, but since her mother was Fae and her father was a vampire, she cannot perform magic herself. She can however "crack" magic, hence the name of her company, spellcrackers.com. Whenever magic is performed in the committance of a crime, she is usually called in to help track the criminal.

Most of this book revolves around a kidnapping, and the fact that the fae of London's fertility has been trapped for a number of years in an amulet. Genny is trying to help release the fertility from the amulet, which takes her on a tarot card quest.

What I really loved about this story was that while Genny and the people in her life, have varying magical abilities, and histories which she is slowly learning about, and while misunderstandings sometimes ensue, they are all played out very realistically (albeit magically) and she really stands up for herself, and what she wants out of life. She does not run off half-cocked when those she loves are in danger (which always annoys me in other books, when it is done to drag out a storyline). And she doesn't let misunderstandings simmer to her detriment.

I cannot wait for the next one in the series!

[readerinthedesert_(SaraBeth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spellcrackers series continues to be on of my very favorites. Top 10 for sure! Book was purchased by me. This is the fourth book in the series and continues Genny's adventures as she tries to unravel her, somewhat muddled, family history, the current state of her love life, and keep a handle on all the problems involving the Fae and Vampires popping up in London. Genny's innervoice really makes these stories for me. She sounds just like me when she forgets something or realizes she has made a mistake she can't take back. The twists and turns in this novel just keep coming and while we have some foreshadowing look out for the reality, wow just didn't see that coming! If you haven't read these then I suggest you start. At this time the first three books are available in the US, but this one you will have to pick up from the UK. Such a shame the marketing in the US didn't do these justice. Spoilers ahead from the previous books so stop reading if you haven't read them yet!

Genny and company realize their big fix for the Fertility Curse wasn't a "big" fix at all but only on a small scale so she continues to make cracking the curse her priority. Along the way she continues to be torn between Finn and Malik and there are some bizarre twists in her triangle. The Carnival has come to town and it is set to turn London upside down. The Vamps are up for a huge power play and there are more shifters under the moon than Genny ever imagined. Genny is in for one wild ride!

Coming next in the UK only (as of now) "The Hidden Rune of Iron" June 2013.

[Yaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The latest instalment of the Spellcrackers series, The Shifting Price of Prey has the same humour, brilliance and fast paced action which I have come to expect from these books. Not only must Genny face her greatest fear - a confrontation which was inevitable but one she has dreaded for a long time, she has to deal with managing males who keep vital information from her in a unwelcome attempt to protect her.

Genny is an awesome heroine, she isn't all powerful and she doesn't whine about things that are out of her control but does whatever she can to solve the problem at hand and doesn't need anyone to protect her - she can protect herself, thank you very much.

I love the way the thread of the story is resolved by the end of the book yet opens up so many more questions without needing an enormous cliffhanger, but still manages to have you gagging for the next book which unfortunately is not out until next year.

With Spellcrackers Suzanne Mcleod has created an amazing series with vivid worldbuilding, flawed but likeable characters that act according to their nature, which is one of the many reasons I love it so much. The writing flows well and there is always something happening which makes it extremely difficult to put the book down. If you haven't read this series then I suggest you try them, you won't be disappointed.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series, but it's a hard one to explain. It mixes up witches, fae, and vampires in different ways than most contemporary fantasy, and there is a strong mystery component to this series. It can also be sexy and violent at times. It takes place in a version of modern day London. This is book 4 in the series, and they would make no sense at all out of order.

In this one, Genny (bean sidhe with a vampire father, works for witches as a magical hazmat contractor) is working on a kidnapping case for the police, while at the same time trying to finish restoring the London fae's fertility. They were cursed by her grandmother (who wants Genny dead) a long while back. Her adventures lead her to the Emperor, an ancient vampire who makes the Autarch look kind and loving. Malik's hiding all kinds of stuff from her, but in this book, she starts to figure out some of it. Eventually, she finds herself on the verge of an adventure in the fair (as in Fairy) lands (next book) with an impostor in the wings.

[Rhona Sheila Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Shifting Price of Prey is the fourth book in the Spellcrackers series. Genny is temporary boss of Spellcrackers and business is going well under her command. Life has gotten easier for Genny, she has acquired two new house mates in the form of pregnant Slyvia and her boyfriend, who live in a magical wardrobe in between. Unfortunately the happy ending of the previous book wasn't as neat as Genny had hoped. The Fae are still having problems with their fertility and look to Genny to solve it. Like the previous books the author throws in a couple of murders and kidnappings into the mix. Malik and Finn reappear and Genny finally gets down and dirty without actually choosing which gorgeous supernatural male she wants to be with. The author introduces more of the supernatural world Genny inhabits. Some weird, wonderful and some truly icky. Unlike the other books The Shifting Price of Prey ends on a cliff hanger. I'm looking forward to the next book as I liked the direction the plot has taken and I am interested in learning more about Genny's Sidhe side of the family.

[Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have one problem with this book "Who's" DOES NOT FUCKING EXIST! IT'S 'WHOSE' OKAY? WHOSE! (I re-read this before posting and literally automatically corrected that before realising I was making a point. Apologies for me being a slight grammar Nazi)

Other than that I really like series, loving the Jaye Wells book references too.

Occasionally something seems a little 'off' and I'm not quite sure what it is. I'm not sure if it's Genevieve reiterating conversations in her head a little too much or if your telling rather than showing a little too often, but something was slightly 'off.' (Yes, I realise that isn't exactly an iron clad criticism- there is a reason I stopped doing English Literature!)