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Ivy Granger #4
Birthright
Being a faerie princess isn't what it's cracked up to be...
Ivy must go to Faerie, but the gateway to the Wisp Court is through Tech Duinn, the house of Donn--Celtic god of the dead. Just her luck.
Unable to share her secret with Jinx, and with Jenna called away on Hunters' Guild business, Ivy must rely on Ceff and Torn to lead her to Death's door, literally, and back again. As if that wasn't dangerous enough, there's no saying what horrors lay in store within the Faerie realm. Too bad the Wisp Court is the one lead Ivy has in the search for her father--and possible salvation.
Maybe hiding away and dodging sidhe assassins isn't so bad after all...
Ivy must go to Faerie, but the gateway to the Wisp Court is through Tech Duinn, the house of Donn--Celtic god of the dead. Just her luck.
Unable to share her secret with Jinx, and with Jenna called away on Hunters' Guild business, Ivy must rely on Ceff and Torn to lead her to Death's door, literally, and back again. As if that wasn't dangerous enough, there's no saying what horrors lay in store within the Faerie realm. Too bad the Wisp Court is the one lead Ivy has in the search for her father--and possible salvation.
Maybe hiding away and dodging sidhe assassins isn't so bad after all...
274 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2015
74 people are currently reading
693 people want to read
About the author
E.J. Stevens
53 books1,662 followersE.J. Stevens is the bestselling, award-winning author of the IVY GRANGER, PSYCHIC DETECTIVE urban fantasy series, the SPIRIT GUIDE young adult series, the HUNTERS' GUILD urban fantasy series, and the WHITECHAPEL PARANORMAL SOCIETY Victorian Gothic horror series. She is known for filling pages with quirky characters, bloodsucking vampires, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines. Her novels are available worldwide in multiple languages.
BTS Red Carpet Award winner for Best Novel, Imadjinn Award winner for Best Short Story, Raven Award winner for Best Urban Fantasy Novel, Independent Audiobook Award winner for Best Short Story, SYAE finalist for Best Paranormal Series, Best Novella, and Best Horror, winner of the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Fantasy Novel, Best Young Adult Paranormal Series, Best Urban Fantasy Novel, and finalist for Best Young Adult Paranormal Novel and Best Urban Fantasy Series.
When E.J. isn't at her writing desk, she enjoys dancing along seaside cliffs, singing in graveyards, and sleeping in faerie circles. E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.
Join the E.J. Stevens newsletter and learn about news, events, and receive a free book. http://www.subscribepage.com/n6k1a5 Monthly news updates, tour photos, and exclusive reader perks (FREE reads & giveaways!).
Website: http://www.EJStevensAuthor.com
Ivy Granger Series: http://IvyGranger.com
Blog: http://www.FromtheShadows.info
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EJStevensAuthor
@EJStevensAuthor
BTS Red Carpet Award winner for Best Novel, Imadjinn Award winner for Best Short Story, Raven Award winner for Best Urban Fantasy Novel, Independent Audiobook Award winner for Best Short Story, SYAE finalist for Best Paranormal Series, Best Novella, and Best Horror, winner of the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Fantasy Novel, Best Young Adult Paranormal Series, Best Urban Fantasy Novel, and finalist for Best Young Adult Paranormal Novel and Best Urban Fantasy Series.
When E.J. isn't at her writing desk, she enjoys dancing along seaside cliffs, singing in graveyards, and sleeping in faerie circles. E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.
Join the E.J. Stevens newsletter and learn about news, events, and receive a free book. http://www.subscribepage.com/n6k1a5 Monthly news updates, tour photos, and exclusive reader perks (FREE reads & giveaways!).
Website: http://www.EJStevensAuthor.com
Ivy Granger Series: http://IvyGranger.com
Blog: http://www.FromtheShadows.info
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EJStevensAuthor
@EJStevensAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
December 20, 2022
Birthright (Ivy Granger, #4)
by E.J. Stevens
Who couldn't love this book? The characters alone is so fun! A Chihuahua-size playful demon that acts like a little pup! A teen Troll that has been through too much that is sweet as pie! A Kelpie King, a sidhe Cat, a brownie, and lots of fae.
There's action, betrayal, romance, suspense, and more. Great plot. Fun book!
by E.J. Stevens
Who couldn't love this book? The characters alone is so fun! A Chihuahua-size playful demon that acts like a little pup! A teen Troll that has been through too much that is sweet as pie! A Kelpie King, a sidhe Cat, a brownie, and lots of fae.
There's action, betrayal, romance, suspense, and more. Great plot. Fun book!
July 15, 2015
I received Birthright in return for an honest review from the author. This is the fourth installment of the Ivy Granger series taking off right after the end of the third book. Ivy is in hiding after coming back from the dead because someone still is after her. With Ivy not working things are getting tough for her and Jinx and something has to change. After all Jinx is mortal it’s not like she can handle the paranormal investigating without Ivy. Most of their clients aren’t human. While Ivy has been pretending to be dead she has been sneaking out into the rich hotels to meet with her boyfriend Ceff the Kelpie king, he’s decided it’s time for their relationship to take it to the next level.
With the upcoming summer solstice Ivy will have to use the key from her father to travel to fairy only she may not be returning from her journey. When the time comes Ceff and Torn the cat shifter sets off with Ivy to find the portal. Along the way the encounter a ghost in purgatory that tells them in order to find the dark one which is where the portal is they need to slay the demon. While slaying the demon isn’t easy they trio overcome it quickly finding that they come before the castle where the dark one resides. What till they find when they take the portal? What does fairy really look like? Will Ivy find the answers? Will she return?
I love Ivy she’s one of my favorite Paranormal characters things don’t always work out for her but she makes them work. After all even though they are against demons she and Jinx are raising a demon toddler sparky. She’s tough but full of compassion willing to fight for her friends and risk her life for those she loves. I honestly really enjoy her as a character and I’m always anxiously waiting to see what will happen next in her life. I really like Ceff for Ivy they each have their own issues but they figure out how to make it work for them. I also enjoyed in this book we had a lot more of Torn the cat shifter we had snippets of in the past novels.
I was so excited with the news of another Ivy Granger novel but I made myself wait till a little closer to the release because I hate waiting for the next book. I finished Birthright in just one evening it was impossible to put down. I love the world of Harborsmouth with the supernaturals living among the unsuspecting humans but I really enjoyed the chance to explore fairy more. This is the first book that the primary focus was a trip into the fairy world and I very much enjoyed it. The worlds are well developed, the characters are brilliantly done and the story is enchanting. Birthright is filled with mystery, suspense, action a little romance and a whole lot of secrets. I love the characters Ivy is one of my all-time favorite Urban fantasy characters and I’ve always been able to connect with her. I loved every moment of it such a beautifully written story. My only complaint which really isn’t a complaint at all is I want the next book now. I can’t wait to see what happens next after the way the Birthright ended
With the upcoming summer solstice Ivy will have to use the key from her father to travel to fairy only she may not be returning from her journey. When the time comes Ceff and Torn the cat shifter sets off with Ivy to find the portal. Along the way the encounter a ghost in purgatory that tells them in order to find the dark one which is where the portal is they need to slay the demon. While slaying the demon isn’t easy they trio overcome it quickly finding that they come before the castle where the dark one resides. What till they find when they take the portal? What does fairy really look like? Will Ivy find the answers? Will she return?
I love Ivy she’s one of my favorite Paranormal characters things don’t always work out for her but she makes them work. After all even though they are against demons she and Jinx are raising a demon toddler sparky. She’s tough but full of compassion willing to fight for her friends and risk her life for those she loves. I honestly really enjoy her as a character and I’m always anxiously waiting to see what will happen next in her life. I really like Ceff for Ivy they each have their own issues but they figure out how to make it work for them. I also enjoyed in this book we had a lot more of Torn the cat shifter we had snippets of in the past novels.
I was so excited with the news of another Ivy Granger novel but I made myself wait till a little closer to the release because I hate waiting for the next book. I finished Birthright in just one evening it was impossible to put down. I love the world of Harborsmouth with the supernaturals living among the unsuspecting humans but I really enjoyed the chance to explore fairy more. This is the first book that the primary focus was a trip into the fairy world and I very much enjoyed it. The worlds are well developed, the characters are brilliantly done and the story is enchanting. Birthright is filled with mystery, suspense, action a little romance and a whole lot of secrets. I love the characters Ivy is one of my all-time favorite Urban fantasy characters and I’ve always been able to connect with her. I loved every moment of it such a beautifully written story. My only complaint which really isn’t a complaint at all is I want the next book now. I can’t wait to see what happens next after the way the Birthright ended
November 20, 2015
**I received this book for free from (Publisher) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My Thoughts*
Birthright is the FOURTH installment in E.J. Stevens' Ivy Granger series. Welcome back to Harborsmouth, home to Psychic Detective Ivy Granger, and a plethora of Otherworld beings who can only be seen by those like Ivy who have the second sight. Ivy is also a bit different from the rest of the Otherworlders. She's a Wisp Princess who is supposed to be dead after the events of Burning Bright.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 11/20/2015*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Rcvd via NetGalley 06/04/2015* Published: July 14th 2015 by Sacred Oaks Press
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My Thoughts*
Birthright is the FOURTH installment in E.J. Stevens' Ivy Granger series. Welcome back to Harborsmouth, home to Psychic Detective Ivy Granger, and a plethora of Otherworld beings who can only be seen by those like Ivy who have the second sight. Ivy is also a bit different from the rest of the Otherworlders. She's a Wisp Princess who is supposed to be dead after the events of Burning Bright.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 11/20/2015*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Rcvd via NetGalley 06/04/2015* Published: July 14th 2015 by Sacred Oaks Press
July 15, 2015
Desperate to learn about her father, Will-o-the-Wisp, and her non-human heritage, Ivy Grainger sets out to enter the land of Faerie. Armed with her boyfriend, Ceff, and an annoying sidhe ally, Torn, she manages to find a hidden portal that takes into the land the back way. A confrontation with unsavory creatures, including Death himself, has her worried that moving about the area isn't at all safe. When she finds her father's Court, her worry becomes even more heightened - especially when Ceff and Torn mysteriously disappear and are accused of theft by Ivy's uncle and his guards.
Ivy sets out to learn as much as she can about her fae heritage in hopes of using her powers to help locate her friends. Unfortunately, Ivy is forced to acknowledge some very harsh truths ~ Ivy's lineage isn't all what she's been lead to believe; her uncle isn't the noble leader that her father's court needs; and she's lost without Ceff. To top it all off, when Ivy and her hearth brownie friend, Skilly, discover a nefarious plan shrouded in treachery, Hell hath no fury like an irate wisp princess.
Birthright is another action-packed installment of the Ivy Granger series. Again, E.J. weaves her literary magic and creates an amazing addition to Ivy Granger's world. Each story in the series is well developed and pulls the reader in from the very beginning. Birthright is very suspenseful and downright sad in some places. I truly feel the despair and then the anger as it builds within Ivy.
As noted in other reviews I've posted of the series, Ivy is written in such a way that she is still brand new; never becoming stagnant, dull, or predictable. She continues to kick butt in the name of protecting her family, friends, and townsfolk. Ivy does all of this while maintaining safe distances since she has the ability of touching objects or people and being able to discern history of said objects/people. Her relationship with Ceff was strong as ever and progressing nicely before leaving Harborsmouth for Faerie.
I have enjoyed the world of Ivy Granger since Book 1. The series is easy to read, understand, and follow. The characters are a hoot - Torn takes the cake in Birthright. He is written with just the right amount of inappropriateness. The good guys and gals are likable and you definitely find yourself rooting for them. The baddies are also well written and sometimes give the reader the shivers ~ which means the author did her job! :)
Please make sure to read the books in order since the world and character building, plotlines, subjects, and themes build off of the previous books.
Review copy courtesy of the author, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review.
Ivy sets out to learn as much as she can about her fae heritage in hopes of using her powers to help locate her friends. Unfortunately, Ivy is forced to acknowledge some very harsh truths ~ Ivy's lineage isn't all what she's been lead to believe; her uncle isn't the noble leader that her father's court needs; and she's lost without Ceff. To top it all off, when Ivy and her hearth brownie friend, Skilly, discover a nefarious plan shrouded in treachery, Hell hath no fury like an irate wisp princess.
Birthright is another action-packed installment of the Ivy Granger series. Again, E.J. weaves her literary magic and creates an amazing addition to Ivy Granger's world. Each story in the series is well developed and pulls the reader in from the very beginning. Birthright is very suspenseful and downright sad in some places. I truly feel the despair and then the anger as it builds within Ivy.
As noted in other reviews I've posted of the series, Ivy is written in such a way that she is still brand new; never becoming stagnant, dull, or predictable. She continues to kick butt in the name of protecting her family, friends, and townsfolk. Ivy does all of this while maintaining safe distances since she has the ability of touching objects or people and being able to discern history of said objects/people. Her relationship with Ceff was strong as ever and progressing nicely before leaving Harborsmouth for Faerie.
I have enjoyed the world of Ivy Granger since Book 1. The series is easy to read, understand, and follow. The characters are a hoot - Torn takes the cake in Birthright. He is written with just the right amount of inappropriateness. The good guys and gals are likable and you definitely find yourself rooting for them. The baddies are also well written and sometimes give the reader the shivers ~ which means the author did her job! :)
Please make sure to read the books in order since the world and character building, plotlines, subjects, and themes build off of the previous books.
Review copy courtesy of the author, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2015
I started reading this knowing it was the fourth book in the series. I hadn’t read the other books but I usually don’t have a problem jumping into a series midstream. Not so with this one.
The author has built a fascinating world in her urban fantasy series and to fully appreciate and understand the plot, I’d like to have read this series from the beginning. I’m huge on kick butt female protagonists and Ivy Granger is a new favorite of mine. She’s tough, funny, somewhat vulnerable, and loyal to her friends. I just wish I’d met her before so I could see her grow with each new trial she faced.
The story starts with Ivy being dead. Supposedly killed for past transgressions. The what’s and why’s are quickly explained so I was able to grasp the scenario.
As I read more, I stumbled some over the characters I met and how they were involved in Ivy’s life. This is where I almost stopped because I felt I needed to go back and start the series at the beginning. But, I didn’t want to stop. I was having fun and starting to feel like I was getting a grasp on some of the back story.
I’m glad I stuck with this book. Once I relaxed and just went with it, I was well entertained and left wanting more.
The writing is strong, the characters are genuine, and the action is fast and furious.
A good series for urban fantasy fans. I’d recommend you read this series from the beginning though. I didn’t and that’s my bad, so it didn’t affect my rating. I’ll be going back and picking it up from the start. It’ll haunt me until I know how it all began.
I received this book for my honest review.
The author has built a fascinating world in her urban fantasy series and to fully appreciate and understand the plot, I’d like to have read this series from the beginning. I’m huge on kick butt female protagonists and Ivy Granger is a new favorite of mine. She’s tough, funny, somewhat vulnerable, and loyal to her friends. I just wish I’d met her before so I could see her grow with each new trial she faced.
The story starts with Ivy being dead. Supposedly killed for past transgressions. The what’s and why’s are quickly explained so I was able to grasp the scenario.
As I read more, I stumbled some over the characters I met and how they were involved in Ivy’s life. This is where I almost stopped because I felt I needed to go back and start the series at the beginning. But, I didn’t want to stop. I was having fun and starting to feel like I was getting a grasp on some of the back story.
I’m glad I stuck with this book. Once I relaxed and just went with it, I was well entertained and left wanting more.
The writing is strong, the characters are genuine, and the action is fast and furious.
A good series for urban fantasy fans. I’d recommend you read this series from the beginning though. I didn’t and that’s my bad, so it didn’t affect my rating. I’ll be going back and picking it up from the start. It’ll haunt me until I know how it all began.
I received this book for my honest review.
June 6, 2016
My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.
I was really excited to finally get to revisit the world of Ivy Granger. I was hoping that it would come out on audio, and I was glad that I waited and was able to get a chance to review it. I’ve been a huge fan of Ivy Granger since I met her in the first book, Shadow Sight. I just love her, all of her friends and the world built around her.
In this book, most of the story takes place outside of Harborsmouth and in the world of Faerie. Ceff, the king of the Kelpies and her lover, and Torn, lord of the Cat Sidhe, join her on this trip to Faerie to try to clear her name and try to control her powers. She has to travel to deal with the God of the Dead, but first they have to kill the Baphomet, the demon that is pictured on the cover. Oh, and let’s not forget The Morrigan, the Goddess of War, who appears in a lot of stories, but Stevens has made her own character in this story. While there, they pick up a new travel companion in a hearth brownie, Skillywedden or “Skilly” for short.
Then they are on to the Wisp court where Ivy meets her Uncle Kade. He does a lot to teach her about her powers. She spends a lot of time in the Wisp court, a lot longer than she intended. Things there don’t go as she intends. Her uncle also drops some pretty big bombs about Ivy’s past. I don’t want to tell any more, because spoilers. Let’s just say that there are things that happened that I didn’t see coming.
I really enjoyed this story, even as I missed many of the character that I normally love in this series. I’m a huge lover of secondary characters and I missed them in this story. I missed Jinx, the clutzy human best friend, Marvin the bridge troll, Hob the hearth brownie, Humphrey the gargoyle, Kay the witch, Sparky the soon to ever powerful demon lord, but now is the silly demon child. I even missed Forneus, the demon lawyer who is wooing Jinx. I did enjoy meeting Skilly and my time with him. I also enjoyed time with Ceff and Torn. This is a series that is full of some really fun characters. Even Donn, The God of the Dead, who first appears as a Santa Claus like person is really neat. Every character that Stevens has created is so much fun. Even the ones she creates that are even are great characters to read about. As a character driven reader, I can’t ask for any more. I’m ready for Hound’s Bite.
Narration
Melanie A. Mason continues to do a great job with the narration. She has become the voice of Ivy Granger to me. The more I listen to her narrate, the more I enjoy her narration. I’ve even starting to get used to male narrator doing the male voices (something I’ve only had with this series). There is a change to the male narrator. I’m not sure why the change, but he did a great job. I liked his voices for Ceff, Torn and even Sparky and Skilly. The male narrator has the harder voices here than the female voices. In this book, the female narrator mostly just had to do Ivy and a few other minor characters.
**Book was provided to me by the author. This review is my opinion and was not requested or provoked in anyway by the author.
I was really excited to finally get to revisit the world of Ivy Granger. I was hoping that it would come out on audio, and I was glad that I waited and was able to get a chance to review it. I’ve been a huge fan of Ivy Granger since I met her in the first book, Shadow Sight. I just love her, all of her friends and the world built around her.
In this book, most of the story takes place outside of Harborsmouth and in the world of Faerie. Ceff, the king of the Kelpies and her lover, and Torn, lord of the Cat Sidhe, join her on this trip to Faerie to try to clear her name and try to control her powers. She has to travel to deal with the God of the Dead, but first they have to kill the Baphomet, the demon that is pictured on the cover. Oh, and let’s not forget The Morrigan, the Goddess of War, who appears in a lot of stories, but Stevens has made her own character in this story. While there, they pick up a new travel companion in a hearth brownie, Skillywedden or “Skilly” for short.
Then they are on to the Wisp court where Ivy meets her Uncle Kade. He does a lot to teach her about her powers. She spends a lot of time in the Wisp court, a lot longer than she intended. Things there don’t go as she intends. Her uncle also drops some pretty big bombs about Ivy’s past. I don’t want to tell any more, because spoilers. Let’s just say that there are things that happened that I didn’t see coming.
I really enjoyed this story, even as I missed many of the character that I normally love in this series. I’m a huge lover of secondary characters and I missed them in this story. I missed Jinx, the clutzy human best friend, Marvin the bridge troll, Hob the hearth brownie, Humphrey the gargoyle, Kay the witch, Sparky the soon to ever powerful demon lord, but now is the silly demon child. I even missed Forneus, the demon lawyer who is wooing Jinx. I did enjoy meeting Skilly and my time with him. I also enjoyed time with Ceff and Torn. This is a series that is full of some really fun characters. Even Donn, The God of the Dead, who first appears as a Santa Claus like person is really neat. Every character that Stevens has created is so much fun. Even the ones she creates that are even are great characters to read about. As a character driven reader, I can’t ask for any more. I’m ready for Hound’s Bite.
Narration
Melanie A. Mason continues to do a great job with the narration. She has become the voice of Ivy Granger to me. The more I listen to her narrate, the more I enjoy her narration. I’ve even starting to get used to male narrator doing the male voices (something I’ve only had with this series). There is a change to the male narrator. I’m not sure why the change, but he did a great job. I liked his voices for Ceff, Torn and even Sparky and Skilly. The male narrator has the harder voices here than the female voices. In this book, the female narrator mostly just had to do Ivy and a few other minor characters.
**Book was provided to me by the author. This review is my opinion and was not requested or provoked in anyway by the author.
June 18, 2017
Ivy Granger, the heroine of the series, continues to develop in complexity. In BIRTHRIGHT she must deal with some pretty startling revelations while trying to maintain the persona she has developed over her lifetime.
If you have been reading the series, you probably feel that the very title foreshadows what is to come. To some degree, in that you will not be disappointed, yet there will still be surprises.
I remain impressed with the first person narration and its cinematic appeal. (In case you missed my review of BURNING BRIGHT, I did a shout out to Joss Whedon suggesting he might want to option the series.) You probably think of most fiction in terms of how it would translate to the big or small screen. You might even fantasize about who might play the lead roles. That's not where I'm going. I have to admit that I am not up on the latest young stars, so I have no idea who would play Ivy. What I do know is that Harborsmouth is a place that may not exist in the real world, but it has a look that is somewhere between seaside New England and New Orleans.
I've done all that I can not to talk about Ivy's friends and foes except to hint that her circle grows larger with every story. It's hard to keep the spoilers out when every character would give some little something away. Start the journey and meet Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective.
If you have been reading the series, you probably feel that the very title foreshadows what is to come. To some degree, in that you will not be disappointed, yet there will still be surprises.
I remain impressed with the first person narration and its cinematic appeal. (In case you missed my review of BURNING BRIGHT, I did a shout out to Joss Whedon suggesting he might want to option the series.) You probably think of most fiction in terms of how it would translate to the big or small screen. You might even fantasize about who might play the lead roles. That's not where I'm going. I have to admit that I am not up on the latest young stars, so I have no idea who would play Ivy. What I do know is that Harborsmouth is a place that may not exist in the real world, but it has a look that is somewhere between seaside New England and New Orleans.
I've done all that I can not to talk about Ivy's friends and foes except to hint that her circle grows larger with every story. It's hard to keep the spoilers out when every character would give some little something away. Start the journey and meet Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective.
July 14, 2015
(RabidReads.com) Humphrey the Gargoyle? Sparky the child demon lord? Marvin the troll teenager? Kitchen brownies, Hob and Skillywedden? All these, and lots more make up Ivy Granger’s friends in this series that takes place in Harborsmouth, home of many different sorts of supernatural creatures. Some of these are peripheral characters, but the author has realized them so well, that you wait to see them from one book to the next. My new favorite is Sparky-of course. He’s up to mischief at every turn, and Ivy and her sidekick, Jinx, spoil him like you would any child. What if he is supposed to turn into a scary demon when he is older, it doesn’t matter to Ivy and Jinx. He was one of the funnest part of this read for me. Just a heads up, there will be a few spoilers coming if you haven’t read the previous books.
As I have said in previous reviews, Ivy and all the supernaturals make these stories for me. In addition, the premise’s never disappoint. This time, it mostly revolves around Ivy, and her newly dead status. At least that’s what the Fae assassin’s think. They don’t know that Ivy was able to get around that little problem, and now has to play dead until she can find a way to glamour herself in front of humans. Until she does, when she gets upset or hurt, she lights up and glows, and the Fae powers that be are not happy about it. Ivy is a princess of the Wisp realm, and her hunt is on for her lost father, King Will o’ the Wisp. She feels that only he can teach her what she needs to know about her fellow wisps and how to glamour herself. So Ivy, her fiance, Ceff(King of the Kelpie’s), and Torn, the lord of the cat sidhes, set out on a journey to find Ivy’s father and birthright. This takes them to the land of Faerie.
To keep the spoilers to a minimum, I will just say that the land of Faerie is definitely nothing like I always assumed a Faerie land to be. There’s danger at every turn, and possible death at any given moment. Things that happened in this realm were certainly surprises for me and nothing I could have anticipated. What should have taken just a short time, took much much longer. Of course fae time and human time are different in this author’s excellent world building. This author certainly knows how to keep the reader on her/his toes!
These books are always well written, the characters(as I said before)well realized, and the premise of each, exciting-usually with lots of action. This keeps the pace moving perfectly. Ivy has more than her share of snark, bravery, and is loyal to her friends to the max. Her romance with Ceff is sweet, with a side of mild heat. All of this has made this series a must read for me. I can’t wait to read the next one, titled, Hound’s Bite. Highly recommended to adult urban fantasy/fantasy fans. 4.5 stars
As I have said in previous reviews, Ivy and all the supernaturals make these stories for me. In addition, the premise’s never disappoint. This time, it mostly revolves around Ivy, and her newly dead status. At least that’s what the Fae assassin’s think. They don’t know that Ivy was able to get around that little problem, and now has to play dead until she can find a way to glamour herself in front of humans. Until she does, when she gets upset or hurt, she lights up and glows, and the Fae powers that be are not happy about it. Ivy is a princess of the Wisp realm, and her hunt is on for her lost father, King Will o’ the Wisp. She feels that only he can teach her what she needs to know about her fellow wisps and how to glamour herself. So Ivy, her fiance, Ceff(King of the Kelpie’s), and Torn, the lord of the cat sidhes, set out on a journey to find Ivy’s father and birthright. This takes them to the land of Faerie.
To keep the spoilers to a minimum, I will just say that the land of Faerie is definitely nothing like I always assumed a Faerie land to be. There’s danger at every turn, and possible death at any given moment. Things that happened in this realm were certainly surprises for me and nothing I could have anticipated. What should have taken just a short time, took much much longer. Of course fae time and human time are different in this author’s excellent world building. This author certainly knows how to keep the reader on her/his toes!
These books are always well written, the characters(as I said before)well realized, and the premise of each, exciting-usually with lots of action. This keeps the pace moving perfectly. Ivy has more than her share of snark, bravery, and is loyal to her friends to the max. Her romance with Ceff is sweet, with a side of mild heat. All of this has made this series a must read for me. I can’t wait to read the next one, titled, Hound’s Bite. Highly recommended to adult urban fantasy/fantasy fans. 4.5 stars
July 29, 2015
Today, I am reviewing the Urban Fantasy story Birthright by E.J. Stevens. The fourth full novel in the Ivy Granger series, it follows Ms. Granger down into Faerie, as she seeks her father and the knowledge she needs in order to prevent further Unseelie-sponsored assassination attempts. She brings along her kelpie beloved, Ceff, and the notoriously naughty cat sidhe Torn as they hunt down the court of the wisps, Ivy’s own people, and make some new and shocking discoveries on the way.
I give this book a 4.75/5. Here is my breakdown.
Characters: 5/5. This time the story focused on just three of our large cast, and that time allowed for us to really explore them in further detail. We get to see new wrinkles in the relationship between Ceff and Ivy, including some developments that have been a long time coming, in this reader’s opinion. Torn rounds out the cast and provides the exact amount of snark and nonchalance that the other two need to balance them out.
The new minor characters, including Ivy’s uncle, the current regent of the wisp court, are well-fleshed out and intriguing. I admit to cheering when Flavio got what was coming to him ;)
Plot/Storyline: 5/5. Incredibly, I think that Stevens’ storytelling gets better and better with every book. Birthright was amazing and compelling, grabbing hold of my mind and never letting go. I followed every twist of the story with relish, looking forward to whatever was coming next. Faerie felt like a new world, as it should, and the rules and laws were both alien and familiar, the echoes of stories that many have already forgotten. Fantastic job!
Flow: 5/5. A worthy successor to a worthy series, Birthright is incredibly tight and well-crafted. The action fills the time without bloating it, and every scene is made so that it flows into the next. No wasted space, no wasted time, and a sense of urgency that makes you want to know what happens next. In the wisp court in particular, Stevens used a slower pace to her advantage, leaving me chomping at the bit in order to find out what was going on next.
Spelling/Grammar: 4.5/5. I counted exactly 4 minor spelling errors in the entirety of the work. That’s outstanding. Phenomenal. A vast improvement over Burning Bright, and a credit to both her and her editor. Well done!
Overall: 4.75/5. I don’t know how much more I can say about E.J. Stevens without seeming like a fanboy…but what the hell. She’s awesome. Her books are awesome. I recommend her to everyone that I meet that enjoys this kind of work, and hold her up as an exemplar when people discuss modern urban fantasy writers. With tight work, fantastic characters, and stories crafted from the quicksilver of Faerie itself, Stevens is a writer that you must try.
Trust me.
I give this book a 4.75/5. Here is my breakdown.
Characters: 5/5. This time the story focused on just three of our large cast, and that time allowed for us to really explore them in further detail. We get to see new wrinkles in the relationship between Ceff and Ivy, including some developments that have been a long time coming, in this reader’s opinion. Torn rounds out the cast and provides the exact amount of snark and nonchalance that the other two need to balance them out.
The new minor characters, including Ivy’s uncle, the current regent of the wisp court, are well-fleshed out and intriguing. I admit to cheering when Flavio got what was coming to him ;)
Plot/Storyline: 5/5. Incredibly, I think that Stevens’ storytelling gets better and better with every book. Birthright was amazing and compelling, grabbing hold of my mind and never letting go. I followed every twist of the story with relish, looking forward to whatever was coming next. Faerie felt like a new world, as it should, and the rules and laws were both alien and familiar, the echoes of stories that many have already forgotten. Fantastic job!
Flow: 5/5. A worthy successor to a worthy series, Birthright is incredibly tight and well-crafted. The action fills the time without bloating it, and every scene is made so that it flows into the next. No wasted space, no wasted time, and a sense of urgency that makes you want to know what happens next. In the wisp court in particular, Stevens used a slower pace to her advantage, leaving me chomping at the bit in order to find out what was going on next.
Spelling/Grammar: 4.5/5. I counted exactly 4 minor spelling errors in the entirety of the work. That’s outstanding. Phenomenal. A vast improvement over Burning Bright, and a credit to both her and her editor. Well done!
Overall: 4.75/5. I don’t know how much more I can say about E.J. Stevens without seeming like a fanboy…but what the hell. She’s awesome. Her books are awesome. I recommend her to everyone that I meet that enjoys this kind of work, and hold her up as an exemplar when people discuss modern urban fantasy writers. With tight work, fantastic characters, and stories crafted from the quicksilver of Faerie itself, Stevens is a writer that you must try.
Trust me.
July 12, 2015
I have been a big fan of this series, so I was really excited to have the opportunity to be one of the first to read the newest installment, Birthright. In my opinion, E.j. continues to astonish me with the vivid imagery mixed with snappy dialogue from her characters. Ivy continues to be a supremely likable kick-ass heroine. She gets into jams, prevails against horrific evil foes, all the while staying loyal and true to her unlikely friends and powerful allies. The whole mythical realm is becoming more and more fine-tuned and expansive with each new adventure in this amazing series. This must-read urban fantasy series is entertaining and fun!
An ARC was provided to me with no obligation to review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
An ARC was provided to me with no obligation to review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
July 26, 2015
Review to come.
October 5, 2017
My original Birthright audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Birthright is the fourth book in a series called Ivy Granger Psychic Detective by E.J. Granger. Ivy Granger is a private detective in the world of the supernatural. Having recently discovered her non-human parentage, she is desperate to find out information about her father. She is also presumed dead as the bounty hunters who had hunted her for her inability to control her powers and jeopardize the secrecy of the supernatural world think that they succeeded. But to learn about her powers, and find out more about her father, she needs to enter the Faerie world, learn to use her powers, and then convince those that want her dead that she can control her powers. On this quest, Ivy hopes to enter and return from the Faerie world safely with her friends, be acquitted, and hopefully find out some information about her father.
As this is the fourth book in a series, it would have been helpful to read the previous novels to fully understand the background of the characters, their relationships, and to truly become emotionally invested in the events unfolding. This story is essentially a quest. Ivy and a group of her supporters set off on an adventure. Luckily, Granger does an excellent job covering all the important plot points to prevent readers from getting lost. In general, I thought this was a great story and hints at a well-developed world. The supporting characters were simply amazing and clearly well fleshed out. The end had a great emotional payoff, however, I did find the motives to the villain to be a little weak and often I was really frustrated with Ivy’s actions. I just felt as if she was set up as being stronger than she ended up actually being. Also, there is a portion of time where a large amount of time passes, and Granger did a good job with that without making the story feel like it was dragging. Overall, while I enjoyed this book, I would highly recommend reading the previous novels before this one to get the full effect.
The narration by Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling was well done. I don’t typically love having two different narrators for different genders, but each did a good job with their narrations. All of the characters were distinguishable and definitely had their own personality that was supported by the narration. The production quality was also good. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes urban fantasy novels.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author
Birthright is the fourth book in a series called Ivy Granger Psychic Detective by E.J. Granger. Ivy Granger is a private detective in the world of the supernatural. Having recently discovered her non-human parentage, she is desperate to find out information about her father. She is also presumed dead as the bounty hunters who had hunted her for her inability to control her powers and jeopardize the secrecy of the supernatural world think that they succeeded. But to learn about her powers, and find out more about her father, she needs to enter the Faerie world, learn to use her powers, and then convince those that want her dead that she can control her powers. On this quest, Ivy hopes to enter and return from the Faerie world safely with her friends, be acquitted, and hopefully find out some information about her father.
As this is the fourth book in a series, it would have been helpful to read the previous novels to fully understand the background of the characters, their relationships, and to truly become emotionally invested in the events unfolding. This story is essentially a quest. Ivy and a group of her supporters set off on an adventure. Luckily, Granger does an excellent job covering all the important plot points to prevent readers from getting lost. In general, I thought this was a great story and hints at a well-developed world. The supporting characters were simply amazing and clearly well fleshed out. The end had a great emotional payoff, however, I did find the motives to the villain to be a little weak and often I was really frustrated with Ivy’s actions. I just felt as if she was set up as being stronger than she ended up actually being. Also, there is a portion of time where a large amount of time passes, and Granger did a good job with that without making the story feel like it was dragging. Overall, while I enjoyed this book, I would highly recommend reading the previous novels before this one to get the full effect.
The narration by Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling was well done. I don’t typically love having two different narrators for different genders, but each did a good job with their narrations. All of the characters were distinguishable and definitely had their own personality that was supported by the narration. The production quality was also good. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes urban fantasy novels.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author
July 17, 2015
I really think that this series, at least the main books, should be read in order. It has been a year since I read Burning Bright (book 3), and I felt a little lost at first trying to remember the details on why Ivy was in the situation she was in. The main idea is present, but I struggled trying to pull the scenes from my head.
The opportunity that Ivy has been waiting for is finally here. I was a little upset at how much of a secret Ivy kept her plans. I am a big fan of the side characters in this series, and cutting them down to just a couple made me a little sad.
The trip to Faerie brought some interesting characters, a couple of pretty dangerous encounters and some amazing changes to Ivy. I found the path to the Wisp court the most exciting. After she is there, we have pops of what happens over the time span, but just enough to give you an idea of where Ivy is at. I felt like the events were stretched over a very long period of time. This should, and probably will in the next book, but in this one, that big time lapse didn't cause as much of a problem. I thought it should have caused more conflict.
After we have this big jump in time and we are back to current happenings as they happen, a lot of really big revelations happen. When we thought Ivy's whole world was changed from being in the Wisp court, it gets changed even more when truths are unveiled! For the present, these revelations definitely work to her favor, but they are going to create a whole slew of new issues back in the human world.
I felt that the portions of the story that dealt with Ivy learning her new skills, and jumped huge timelines, took me out of the story a bit. It does point out some of the skills she learns, and some of the strangeness of her family. It was just too long of a space for me. At first I was reading it and thought things were rolling along at the usual pace, then it smacked me with how long she'd actually been there. When we finally get to the point where we are not jumping time spans, the action picks up and the story gets fun again. We have the interactions with the side characters that I enjoyed. I did disagree with Ivy on how the situation ended with her family. I felt that despite the drastic step she took, she should have been more final. I think she left herself open to future problems. But that may have been the point.
The trip back to the human world seemed to happen fast and easy, but the setup for our next adventure pops up within minutes after their arrival. I'm not expecting any time lapse between Birthright and the next book, Hound's Bite. I'm really interested on the reactions of the people she left behind to her reappearance.
I did not get quite the excitement with Birthright as I did with the previous books. I think that big jump in time was the culprit for me. I am looking forward to events that have been setup for Hound's Bite. The way Birthright ended kept you wanting to jump right into the next one!This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict
The opportunity that Ivy has been waiting for is finally here. I was a little upset at how much of a secret Ivy kept her plans. I am a big fan of the side characters in this series, and cutting them down to just a couple made me a little sad.
The trip to Faerie brought some interesting characters, a couple of pretty dangerous encounters and some amazing changes to Ivy. I found the path to the Wisp court the most exciting. After she is there, we have pops of what happens over the time span, but just enough to give you an idea of where Ivy is at. I felt like the events were stretched over a very long period of time. This should, and probably will in the next book, but in this one, that big time lapse didn't cause as much of a problem. I thought it should have caused more conflict.
After we have this big jump in time and we are back to current happenings as they happen, a lot of really big revelations happen. When we thought Ivy's whole world was changed from being in the Wisp court, it gets changed even more when truths are unveiled! For the present, these revelations definitely work to her favor, but they are going to create a whole slew of new issues back in the human world.
I felt that the portions of the story that dealt with Ivy learning her new skills, and jumped huge timelines, took me out of the story a bit. It does point out some of the skills she learns, and some of the strangeness of her family. It was just too long of a space for me. At first I was reading it and thought things were rolling along at the usual pace, then it smacked me with how long she'd actually been there. When we finally get to the point where we are not jumping time spans, the action picks up and the story gets fun again. We have the interactions with the side characters that I enjoyed. I did disagree with Ivy on how the situation ended with her family. I felt that despite the drastic step she took, she should have been more final. I think she left herself open to future problems. But that may have been the point.
The trip back to the human world seemed to happen fast and easy, but the setup for our next adventure pops up within minutes after their arrival. I'm not expecting any time lapse between Birthright and the next book, Hound's Bite. I'm really interested on the reactions of the people she left behind to her reappearance.
I did not get quite the excitement with Birthright as I did with the previous books. I think that big jump in time was the culprit for me. I am looking forward to events that have been setup for Hound's Bite. The way Birthright ended kept you wanting to jump right into the next one!This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict
June 14, 2016
AudioBook Review:
Overall: Stars: 4 Narration 4 Story 4
Firstly – you should start this series from the beginning – each new book builds on the last, and you would be wondering just where this or that element came from. For those who have read the earlier books in the series, this picks up after the events in book three, Burning Bright, and poor Ivy is right in the mix.
By this point, we know that Ivy is able to ‘feel’ others, and is determined to ferret out the abnormal events happening in Harborsmouth. To that end, she has, with her best friend Jinx, opened a detective agency. With multiple issues happening here, there and everywhere, Ivy is constantly struggling to find a balance between her life, her newly discovered genetics, her boyfriend and her best friend.
Now with one answer to her many questions, Ivy needs to rely on Ceff (her boyfriend – a Kelpie King) and Torn (a cat shifter) as she wants to discover more about her father. She’s only just discovered her half-fairy heritage, and with someone still seeking to do her harm, she’s got to make these discoveries without sharing her ‘back from the dead’ status. But, as it always is, nothing is easy for Ivy – and with a new demon to defeat, an uncle who just may be plotting against the kingdom and a plot that is far more dangerous than she ever expected – the action just keeps on coming.
Ivy and her friends are well developed and likable, and with each book they seem to grow more distinct and confident as they accept their own powers and find confidence in successes. Even if those successes are often more a result of luck than actual skill. World building for the series is solid and intriguing, and with each new dimension that opens up, the world is unique and fresh. This book is full of action, angst and several moments for sadness –but fits solidly into the collection and will have readers panting for the next book.
Narration for this story is provided by Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling, and they both presented and enhanced the story. With subtle differentiation in tone, delivery and pitch, the characters were presented as distinct individuals while subtle pauses, pacing changes and emotional overtones added to the story giving readers additional audible input to increases in action, danger or emotion. The narration allowed me to get lost in the story and moments, seeing and experiencing events as Ivy did, although without the mortal danger.
I received an audiobook copy of the title from the author via AudioBook Jukebox for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
This review was originally posted on I am, Indeed
Overall: Stars: 4 Narration 4 Story 4
Firstly – you should start this series from the beginning – each new book builds on the last, and you would be wondering just where this or that element came from. For those who have read the earlier books in the series, this picks up after the events in book three, Burning Bright, and poor Ivy is right in the mix.
By this point, we know that Ivy is able to ‘feel’ others, and is determined to ferret out the abnormal events happening in Harborsmouth. To that end, she has, with her best friend Jinx, opened a detective agency. With multiple issues happening here, there and everywhere, Ivy is constantly struggling to find a balance between her life, her newly discovered genetics, her boyfriend and her best friend.
Now with one answer to her many questions, Ivy needs to rely on Ceff (her boyfriend – a Kelpie King) and Torn (a cat shifter) as she wants to discover more about her father. She’s only just discovered her half-fairy heritage, and with someone still seeking to do her harm, she’s got to make these discoveries without sharing her ‘back from the dead’ status. But, as it always is, nothing is easy for Ivy – and with a new demon to defeat, an uncle who just may be plotting against the kingdom and a plot that is far more dangerous than she ever expected – the action just keeps on coming.
Ivy and her friends are well developed and likable, and with each book they seem to grow more distinct and confident as they accept their own powers and find confidence in successes. Even if those successes are often more a result of luck than actual skill. World building for the series is solid and intriguing, and with each new dimension that opens up, the world is unique and fresh. This book is full of action, angst and several moments for sadness –but fits solidly into the collection and will have readers panting for the next book.
Narration for this story is provided by Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling, and they both presented and enhanced the story. With subtle differentiation in tone, delivery and pitch, the characters were presented as distinct individuals while subtle pauses, pacing changes and emotional overtones added to the story giving readers additional audible input to increases in action, danger or emotion. The narration allowed me to get lost in the story and moments, seeing and experiencing events as Ivy did, although without the mortal danger.
I received an audiobook copy of the title from the author via AudioBook Jukebox for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
This review was originally posted on I am, Indeed
July 27, 2016
I was more engaged with this installment and really enjoyed all the dangers navigated by Ivy and her friends. My rating 4.25.
Ivy has saved Jinx but she has to leave her behind protected by Forneus. Ivy can’t tell them where she is going as she sets off to follow the clues to find her father. She cannot continue to hide out pretending to be dead so she has to find a way to convince the Faerie court to drop their death order on her. Ceff and Torn are by Ivy’s side to face the dangers as they journey through Faerie land. If they can travel through the water and the forest safely, they hope to find the house of the Celtic god of the dead. If he does attack first, they hope to find the secret door to Wisp.
Each step poses its own dangers and surprises. Some channels recognize Ivy’s blood as the royal blood of her father the former King of the Wisps – this could be for good or ill.
I really liked the dynamics between Ivy and Ceff which is growing deeper. Torn is along to add his usually snark and insouciance. Although there seems to be a little repetition within the story, there is plenty of action that keeps the story moving at a good pace. We meet new characters, some villains and some friends. There is a new hearth brownie who is an especially fun addition. Ivy has to go through heartache and the twists in the story are well done as dark secrets are revealed.
Now that I have read books 3 and 4, I do want to read more in the series. I have book 1 for Kindle so I will get to that at some point. I recommend this series to urban fantasy fans who enjoy adventures in the mixed world of humans and paranormals (although this one is mostly paranormals).
Audio Notes: I have to admit that I didn’t realize that Anthony Bowling was not the same male narrator as Book 3. He did a fine job with the numerous male characters while Melanie A. Mason continued to a portray the females with distinct voices. Mason manages to convey Ivy’s pain as well as her strengths. The narration definitely enhances the story experience for me.
I received this audiobook from the author for an honest review.
Ivy has saved Jinx but she has to leave her behind protected by Forneus. Ivy can’t tell them where she is going as she sets off to follow the clues to find her father. She cannot continue to hide out pretending to be dead so she has to find a way to convince the Faerie court to drop their death order on her. Ceff and Torn are by Ivy’s side to face the dangers as they journey through Faerie land. If they can travel through the water and the forest safely, they hope to find the house of the Celtic god of the dead. If he does attack first, they hope to find the secret door to Wisp.
Each step poses its own dangers and surprises. Some channels recognize Ivy’s blood as the royal blood of her father the former King of the Wisps – this could be for good or ill.
I really liked the dynamics between Ivy and Ceff which is growing deeper. Torn is along to add his usually snark and insouciance. Although there seems to be a little repetition within the story, there is plenty of action that keeps the story moving at a good pace. We meet new characters, some villains and some friends. There is a new hearth brownie who is an especially fun addition. Ivy has to go through heartache and the twists in the story are well done as dark secrets are revealed.
Now that I have read books 3 and 4, I do want to read more in the series. I have book 1 for Kindle so I will get to that at some point. I recommend this series to urban fantasy fans who enjoy adventures in the mixed world of humans and paranormals (although this one is mostly paranormals).
Audio Notes: I have to admit that I didn’t realize that Anthony Bowling was not the same male narrator as Book 3. He did a fine job with the numerous male characters while Melanie A. Mason continued to a portray the females with distinct voices. Mason manages to convey Ivy’s pain as well as her strengths. The narration definitely enhances the story experience for me.
I received this audiobook from the author for an honest review.
July 16, 2015
I started reading this knowing it was the fourth book in the series. I hadn’t read the other books but I usually don’t have a problem jumping into a series midstream. Not so with this one.
The author has built a fascinating world in her urban fantasy series and to fully appreciate and understand the plot, I’d like to have read this series from the beginning. I’m huge on kick butt female protagonists and Ivy Granger is a new favorite of mine. She’s tough, funny, somewhat vulnerable, and loyal to her friends. I just wish I’d met her before so I could see her grow with each new trial she faced.
The story starts with Ivy being dead. Supposedly killed for past transgressions. The what’s and why’s are quickly explained so I was able to grasp the scenario.
As I read more, I stumbled some over the characters I met and how they were involved in Ivy’s life. This is where I almost stopped because I felt I needed to go back and start the series at the beginning. But, I didn’t want to stop. I was having fun and starting to feel like I was getting a grasp on some of the back story.
I’m glad I stuck with this book. Once I relaxed and just went with it, I was well entertained and left wanting more.
The writing is strong, the characters are genuine, and the action is fast and furious.
A good series for urban fantasy fans. I’d recommend you read this series from the beginning though. I didn’t and that’s my bad, so it didn’t affect my rating. I’ll be going back and picking it up from the start. It’ll haunt me until I know how it all began.
I received this book for my honest review.
The author has built a fascinating world in her urban fantasy series and to fully appreciate and understand the plot, I’d like to have read this series from the beginning. I’m huge on kick butt female protagonists and Ivy Granger is a new favorite of mine. She’s tough, funny, somewhat vulnerable, and loyal to her friends. I just wish I’d met her before so I could see her grow with each new trial she faced.
The story starts with Ivy being dead. Supposedly killed for past transgressions. The what’s and why’s are quickly explained so I was able to grasp the scenario.
As I read more, I stumbled some over the characters I met and how they were involved in Ivy’s life. This is where I almost stopped because I felt I needed to go back and start the series at the beginning. But, I didn’t want to stop. I was having fun and starting to feel like I was getting a grasp on some of the back story.
I’m glad I stuck with this book. Once I relaxed and just went with it, I was well entertained and left wanting more.
The writing is strong, the characters are genuine, and the action is fast and furious.
A good series for urban fantasy fans. I’d recommend you read this series from the beginning though. I didn’t and that’s my bad, so it didn’t affect my rating. I’ll be going back and picking it up from the start. It’ll haunt me until I know how it all began.
I received this book for my honest review.
June 17, 2016
**We received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review**
Yay! We got to dive right into the world of Faerie, and E.J. Stevens didn't skimp on the details of the world. I liked learning about her new identity when reaching their destination, and how she dealt with some of the tricks of the world.
Ivy's character hasn't wavered from entertaining, snarky, and kind-hearted since the beginning of the series. She's had a lot to deal with, but she still has her roots. What was new about this chapter of the series was that Ivy got to explore the other side of her. Her father's world proves to not only be challenging and dangerous, but full of surprises.
Her grief over the lose of her companions, was well fleshed out and I liked how she got to get a better grasp of her abilities without things drawing out unnecessarily. New characters are introduced, and giving a whole new meaning to the "the creepy uncle", and the landscape proves interesting.
I felt the pacing was on point, and didn't waver. The big twist to Ivy's story and powers was a great way to end the tale, and really added up a few points that were hinted at in the previous books. Club Nexus immediately came to mind, and now I have to know what that was all about. (Sorry, I don't want to spoil it). But, I will say, just when I thought the author couldn't go any further with the ideas behind Ivy's past, I was wrong -- so wrong.
CONCLUSION
With good pacing, solid characters, and great voice actors with a side of sound effects (which really added to the whole experience, I loved it) this audio book was really entertaining and I listened to it all in one day.
Yay! We got to dive right into the world of Faerie, and E.J. Stevens didn't skimp on the details of the world. I liked learning about her new identity when reaching their destination, and how she dealt with some of the tricks of the world.
Ivy's character hasn't wavered from entertaining, snarky, and kind-hearted since the beginning of the series. She's had a lot to deal with, but she still has her roots. What was new about this chapter of the series was that Ivy got to explore the other side of her. Her father's world proves to not only be challenging and dangerous, but full of surprises.
Her grief over the lose of her companions, was well fleshed out and I liked how she got to get a better grasp of her abilities without things drawing out unnecessarily. New characters are introduced, and giving a whole new meaning to the "the creepy uncle", and the landscape proves interesting.
I felt the pacing was on point, and didn't waver. The big twist to Ivy's story and powers was a great way to end the tale, and really added up a few points that were hinted at in the previous books. Club Nexus immediately came to mind, and now I have to know what that was all about. (Sorry, I don't want to spoil it). But, I will say, just when I thought the author couldn't go any further with the ideas behind Ivy's past, I was wrong -- so wrong.
CONCLUSION
With good pacing, solid characters, and great voice actors with a side of sound effects (which really added to the whole experience, I loved it) this audio book was really entertaining and I listened to it all in one day.
June 26, 2016
The ending came out of nowhere on this one for me. I can normally see what is going to happen later on and just have to wait fot it. Not this one. It blindsided me and then all of it came together. If I would have read the first 3 in the series, this might not have happened, but I am glad it did.
Ivy has to visit Faerie to get to the Wisp's Court. She takes a couple of cohorts with her and then the fun starts. It might be bad for Faerie Land, because she decides she needs to kill a few of the main players off while getting to the Wisp's Court. Writers should be real pissed at this author because she took half of their characters away in one book. But, as they say,"Oh Well".
As you can tell, I really liked this book. I think that I will have to read the first 3 in the series now. I would love to tell you parts of the book, but I do not revel a lot in my reviews. Just enough to get you to read it. The characters were developed with great thought and the plot moved along with ease. Did not bounce around at all.
Get it. Read it. Then put it on your shelve for a later date.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com."
Ivy has to visit Faerie to get to the Wisp's Court. She takes a couple of cohorts with her and then the fun starts. It might be bad for Faerie Land, because she decides she needs to kill a few of the main players off while getting to the Wisp's Court. Writers should be real pissed at this author because she took half of their characters away in one book. But, as they say,"Oh Well".
As you can tell, I really liked this book. I think that I will have to read the first 3 in the series now. I would love to tell you parts of the book, but I do not revel a lot in my reviews. Just enough to get you to read it. The characters were developed with great thought and the plot moved along with ease. Did not bounce around at all.
Get it. Read it. Then put it on your shelve for a later date.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com."
September 22, 2015
The weakest of a decent series
Birthright is the 4th in a pretty solid series and as the title says, it's pretty weak. From dumb typos that spellcheck would have picked up ("squeeled," "sissys"), to monsters who aren't described until they're already being fought, to the heroine deciding to not do *anything* productive when something really bad happens, to a sappy feel-good ending with extra sap, this was just a misstep. It feels rushed and sloppy and kind of dumb.
If you read this, I hope you remember details about who all the characters in the series are and what they look like as well as their relationship to the heroine because you won't get much to remind you. And I hope you don't mind a lot of time spent on virtually nothing with rushed, "is that all?" resolutions to what were supposed to be serious and very dangerous problems.
SPOILER COMMENT ALERT:
She's in a big fae castle with armed guards and never once thinks to ask if there's a DUNGEON?! Argh.
I don't think I'll continue with the next in the series. It's a shame because, while not stellar, the previous books were pretty solid.
Birthright is the 4th in a pretty solid series and as the title says, it's pretty weak. From dumb typos that spellcheck would have picked up ("squeeled," "sissys"), to monsters who aren't described until they're already being fought, to the heroine deciding to not do *anything* productive when something really bad happens, to a sappy feel-good ending with extra sap, this was just a misstep. It feels rushed and sloppy and kind of dumb.
If you read this, I hope you remember details about who all the characters in the series are and what they look like as well as their relationship to the heroine because you won't get much to remind you. And I hope you don't mind a lot of time spent on virtually nothing with rushed, "is that all?" resolutions to what were supposed to be serious and very dangerous problems.
SPOILER COMMENT ALERT:
She's in a big fae castle with armed guards and never once thinks to ask if there's a DUNGEON?! Argh.
I don't think I'll continue with the next in the series. It's a shame because, while not stellar, the previous books were pretty solid.
July 29, 2015
I really liked this book. The only thing that kept me from giving it five stars is the cardboard nature of Ceff, the heroine's boyfriend. Birthright the fourth novel and Ceff has been in all of them (and a novella), but he still remains a two dimensional character. There are no conversations about his life the six days a week he's away from Ivy, the heroine. We don't know why he loves Ivy or even how old he is. All we know is that Ceff's ex-wife killed his sons, Ivy killed her, and Ceff morns for three of them. A tragic backstory just doesn't make up for character development. It seems like Ivy's ally, Torn, has more character development than Ceff.
Other than that, this is a great story. I loved the action, the humor, and the plot twists- some of which I guessed and some of which I didn't. I'm absolutely going to preorder the next book.
Other than that, this is a great story. I loved the action, the humor, and the plot twists- some of which I guessed and some of which I didn't. I'm absolutely going to preorder the next book.
March 31, 2016
Really, really good! Ivy is finally getting answers about her abilities and her parents. A lot of super interesting things happen in this book that only make you want book 5 even sooner. Series with a lot of books in them can be intimidating to start, but trust me, you will not regret starting this series. It's seriously a rabbit hole you will not regret falling in.
June 9, 2017
Well that was interesting lol Loved it!
July 30, 2016
Maybe hiding away and dodging sidhe assassins isn't so bad after all...
What a ride, love the world and the characters in it.
What a ride, love the world and the characters in it.
August 27, 2015
I never saw the twists in this book coming! This is the most exciting book of the series so far. I can't wait to see what happens next!!
June 28, 2016
Loved this series, now I have to wait for the next one. Sigh. :)
October 29, 2019
This fourth urban fantasy novel in the Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective series find Ivy, Ceff and Torn heading into Faerie to discover more about Ivy’s father’s whereabouts, and so that she can hopefully learn to control her growing powers and get off the Fae’s hit list.
This story is a continuation from the prior books in the series and so to fully understand the problems and relationships between the characters it is better is the books are listened to/read in order. This story has lots happening in it, both in Ivy’s relationship with Ceff, in her life in Faerie and the development of her abilities. There are shocking revelations, intrigue, action, deception, and betrayal in this story. It illustrates that Ivy is not infallible in her decisions and her weaker side showed to some degree. I did find it surprising that she did not think to look for a dungeon in the castle during her search though. One of my favorite characters in this story was definitely the hearth brownie, he was smart, cute and a great ally.
The duel narration of Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling was well done. All the characters were distinguishable, and I especially liked the tempting, snarky voice that was used for Torn. The narration flowed easily between the two of them and they both kept a good pace.
This is an enjoyable story that leaves you wondering how ivy’s actions and discoveries will affect her life in Harboursmouth.
This story is a continuation from the prior books in the series and so to fully understand the problems and relationships between the characters it is better is the books are listened to/read in order. This story has lots happening in it, both in Ivy’s relationship with Ceff, in her life in Faerie and the development of her abilities. There are shocking revelations, intrigue, action, deception, and betrayal in this story. It illustrates that Ivy is not infallible in her decisions and her weaker side showed to some degree. I did find it surprising that she did not think to look for a dungeon in the castle during her search though. One of my favorite characters in this story was definitely the hearth brownie, he was smart, cute and a great ally.
The duel narration of Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling was well done. All the characters were distinguishable, and I especially liked the tempting, snarky voice that was used for Torn. The narration flowed easily between the two of them and they both kept a good pace.
This is an enjoyable story that leaves you wondering how ivy’s actions and discoveries will affect her life in Harboursmouth.
October 8, 2019
This is the fourth full-length novel in the Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective series by E.J. Stevens. This story is a continuation of past entries in the series and would therefore be best read in order, but it is written so that it can be enjoyed on its own.
I thought the plot was interesting enough, but what entertained me most was the dialog. I laughed quite a bit while listening to this. Ivy occasionally annoyed me a bit with some of her choices, but I could generally understand why she behaved the way she did, so kudos to the author for good characterization.
I really appreciated the narration by Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling. The pacing was fairly good and I enjoyed the character voices. It’s especially fun to hear a prophecy in rhyme read to you in a creepy voice, or to hear a cat sidhe’s snarky comments in a sinfully delicious voice.
If you enjoy snarky urban fantasy, I recommend this book and the entire series, and I think it’s a great choice for listening. There is some swearing, but it’s generally terms like “Mab’s bones” or “Oberon’s eyes,” which I found amusing.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook by the author and volunteered to provide an honest review.
I thought the plot was interesting enough, but what entertained me most was the dialog. I laughed quite a bit while listening to this. Ivy occasionally annoyed me a bit with some of her choices, but I could generally understand why she behaved the way she did, so kudos to the author for good characterization.
I really appreciated the narration by Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling. The pacing was fairly good and I enjoyed the character voices. It’s especially fun to hear a prophecy in rhyme read to you in a creepy voice, or to hear a cat sidhe’s snarky comments in a sinfully delicious voice.
If you enjoy snarky urban fantasy, I recommend this book and the entire series, and I think it’s a great choice for listening. There is some swearing, but it’s generally terms like “Mab’s bones” or “Oberon’s eyes,” which I found amusing.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook by the author and volunteered to provide an honest review.
August 3, 2021
Both narrators are good, and I enjoy that there’s sound effects. The dialogue changes between the female and male narrators does come off as a bit abrupt at times; takes me out of the story some, but overall, I really enjoy the listen. It’s an interesting experience.
This is book 4 following Ivy Granger’s magical adventures learning about the surprises that come with being involved in the fae world. For the best reading experience, I’d recommend starting from the beginning. There’s a lot usually going on in Ivy’s life and lots of quirky characters. In this one, Ivy and a few of her allies, are on the search for Ivy’s father, but of course, things are never simple for Ivy. They find themselves in all kinds of trouble while dealing with all the shadiness and secrets going on. Cool premise, fun magic, and interesting characters. I like Ivy, but she does tend to not see the deceptions right in front of her face. Love that she stands up for herself and other though. I do think the story can move a bit slowly and I wish there was more depth to the whole story and characters, but I still enjoy the books in this series.
This is book 4 following Ivy Granger’s magical adventures learning about the surprises that come with being involved in the fae world. For the best reading experience, I’d recommend starting from the beginning. There’s a lot usually going on in Ivy’s life and lots of quirky characters. In this one, Ivy and a few of her allies, are on the search for Ivy’s father, but of course, things are never simple for Ivy. They find themselves in all kinds of trouble while dealing with all the shadiness and secrets going on. Cool premise, fun magic, and interesting characters. I like Ivy, but she does tend to not see the deceptions right in front of her face. Love that she stands up for herself and other though. I do think the story can move a bit slowly and I wish there was more depth to the whole story and characters, but I still enjoy the books in this series.
October 18, 2019
I have read/listened to some of the earlier books in this series, but not the previous two and was thus pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to jump back into the series. While things have changed quite drastically for Ivy, these changes are readily covered in passing in this new book and do not detract from my enjoyment of this instalment, which is a credit to the author as getting the balance of progression and accessibility right is a tricky task the more books there are in a particular series.
The narration helps to enhance the listener's enjoyment of this book, with suitably distinctive tones to cover an extensive cast and pleasant tones to ensure that it is not tiring to the listener.
Overall, this was an enjoyable instalment in this series and I will be looking out for subsequent ones and returning to those earlier ones I have missed out on previously.
[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]
The narration helps to enhance the listener's enjoyment of this book, with suitably distinctive tones to cover an extensive cast and pleasant tones to ensure that it is not tiring to the listener.
Overall, this was an enjoyable instalment in this series and I will be looking out for subsequent ones and returning to those earlier ones I have missed out on previously.
[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]
April 2, 2018
** Review of Audio Format **
Fun and Sassy
Ivy must travel to the land of her descendants to continue her search for her father. She has never been there, doesn't know how to get there and has no idea what's in store for her once she gets there. But she has to know about herself and find her father if she can.
This book is fun and sassy and there is a lot of action. I began with book four so I feel there are parts I missed in getting certain moments in the story but it didn't detract from the general hipness and thread of the story. The characters are well developed and the storyline is well thought out even if the ending did seem a bit rushed and just a little too easy for our heroes.
I received this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review.
Fun and Sassy
Ivy must travel to the land of her descendants to continue her search for her father. She has never been there, doesn't know how to get there and has no idea what's in store for her once she gets there. But she has to know about herself and find her father if she can.
This book is fun and sassy and there is a lot of action. I began with book four so I feel there are parts I missed in getting certain moments in the story but it didn't detract from the general hipness and thread of the story. The characters are well developed and the storyline is well thought out even if the ending did seem a bit rushed and just a little too easy for our heroes.
I received this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review.
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