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Kit Melbourne #2
Treemaker
Something is wrong with Kit's boyfriend, really wrong. Kit knows he's under a curse, but no one seems to believe her or want to help her--except Fain, the sexy vampire with ulterior motives. When she's not working inhuman hours making a fake forest for the creepy and mysterious Ms. Yseulta, Kit is busy gathering the ingredients to throw off the curse. The only trouble is, the last ingredient grows in the Realm of the Faerie, a place that probably doesn't even exist. And time is running out...
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First published June 24, 2011
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352 people want to read
About the author
Kater Cheek
37 books290 followersKater Cheek is the author of the urban fantasy Kit Melbourne series, the Alternate Susan series, and the chicken comic Coop de Grace. Her short work has appeared in The Steampunk User’s Manual, The Living Dead anthology, Weird Tales, Fantasy Magazine, and some other forums including foreign textbooks. Kater Cheek is a graduate of 2007 Clarion San Diego. www.catherinecheek.com. When not writing, she enjoys dangling in the air and making the sort of art that requires safety glasses and good ventilation.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 22, 2020
Dryad’s Blade, the second book in the Kit Melbourne series, begins about a year after the conclusion of Witch’s Jewel. Kit has been inducted into the Guild, and her boyfriend is acting unusual. Kit is certain something otherworldly is affecting him, and she is right. Fenwick has been hexed and saving him is near impossible. On top of that, Kit’s new job is grueling, and high expectations take up much of her time.
To help Fenwick, Kit enlists the help of a sexy vampire who wants to be more than friends. However, to save Fenwick, Kit must retrieve magical objects, one of which lies in the Realm of the Fairies. Can Kit complete her burdensome job, find a way to collect the magical objects to break the hex and save Fenwick, and resist Fain’s charms?
This is a complex and immersive story that I didn’t want to put down! It focuses on Kit’s journey to save Fenwick and the lengths she will go to to help someone she loves. Throughout the book, Kit shows selflessness and determination, much like in the first book. I love this aspect of her character. Her life hasn’t been easy, and yet she still has hope and trust in the people she cares about, and she is willing to do anything to help them.
In this story, Kit is even more ingratiated into the supernatural world. That is, when she’s not working long and grueling hours constructing a forest for her enigmatic and frightening boss. Between working for this mysterious and possibly supernatural woman, becoming more involved with vampires, having a hexed were-boyfriend, attaining a familiar, and traveling to the Realm of the Fairies, Kit’s journey is filled with adventure, mystery, and danger.
At first I was frustrated in how Kit reacted to Fenwick’s troubles. Though she’s determined to find a way to help him, she barely sees him. She also seems to have feelings for Fain. Upon reflection, I think Kit is afraid of losing Fenwick, and facing that possibility is too difficult for her. At one point in the story, she says to her familiar, “Don’t ever leave me. No matter what happens.” She doesn’t really understand why she says this, but I think it’s because she’s been “left” by almost everyone she loves. Her father and mother emotionally abandoned her, her uncle died, and the only constants in her life are her brother and Fenwick. Kit can’t stand the thought of losing Fenwick and avoids his presence because of that.
Cheek seamlessly weaves the supernatural world with the human world in a way that feels natural and realistic. Furthermore, the pacing and the tone reinforced the urgency in Kit’s quest, and the great use of dialogue, action, and a myriad of different characters and setting made for a fascinating and immersive read. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
https://onebookmore.com/2020/05/22/re...
To help Fenwick, Kit enlists the help of a sexy vampire who wants to be more than friends. However, to save Fenwick, Kit must retrieve magical objects, one of which lies in the Realm of the Fairies. Can Kit complete her burdensome job, find a way to collect the magical objects to break the hex and save Fenwick, and resist Fain’s charms?
This is a complex and immersive story that I didn’t want to put down! It focuses on Kit’s journey to save Fenwick and the lengths she will go to to help someone she loves. Throughout the book, Kit shows selflessness and determination, much like in the first book. I love this aspect of her character. Her life hasn’t been easy, and yet she still has hope and trust in the people she cares about, and she is willing to do anything to help them.
In this story, Kit is even more ingratiated into the supernatural world. That is, when she’s not working long and grueling hours constructing a forest for her enigmatic and frightening boss. Between working for this mysterious and possibly supernatural woman, becoming more involved with vampires, having a hexed were-boyfriend, attaining a familiar, and traveling to the Realm of the Fairies, Kit’s journey is filled with adventure, mystery, and danger.
At first I was frustrated in how Kit reacted to Fenwick’s troubles. Though she’s determined to find a way to help him, she barely sees him. She also seems to have feelings for Fain. Upon reflection, I think Kit is afraid of losing Fenwick, and facing that possibility is too difficult for her. At one point in the story, she says to her familiar, “Don’t ever leave me. No matter what happens.” She doesn’t really understand why she says this, but I think it’s because she’s been “left” by almost everyone she loves. Her father and mother emotionally abandoned her, her uncle died, and the only constants in her life are her brother and Fenwick. Kit can’t stand the thought of losing Fenwick and avoids his presence because of that.
Cheek seamlessly weaves the supernatural world with the human world in a way that feels natural and realistic. Furthermore, the pacing and the tone reinforced the urgency in Kit’s quest, and the great use of dialogue, action, and a myriad of different characters and setting made for a fascinating and immersive read. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
https://onebookmore.com/2020/05/22/re...
June 1, 2022
This is the second book in the Kit Melbourne series, and honestly, it's even stronger than the first novel. If you haven't read the first novel, you can certainly start with this one. I think there's very little you'll miss out on.
The main character in this novel is the same as in the previous novel, Kit Melbourne, a sometime barista and sometime tree-maker in the fictional city of Seabingen. Seabingen has a hidden supernatural underside, and Kit falls headlong into it in Dryad's Blade (Originaly called TREEMAKER). Here's the blurb I wrote for the book's page:.
Something is wrong with Kit's boyfriend, really wrong. Kit knows he's under a curse, but no one seems to believe her or want to help her--except Fain, the sexy vampire with ulterior motives. When she's not working inhuman hours making a fake forest for the creepy and mysterious Ms. Yseulta, Kit is busy gathering the ingredients to throw off the curse. The only trouble is, the last ingredient grows in the Realm of the Faerie, a place that probably doesn't even exist. And time is running out...
Like the first novel, this book is in a very close first person, and has a linear plot. I do have flashbacks, but not many. There's a romantic subplot, but mostly the story is a hero's journey. Or, more to the point, a heroine's journey. It's about the lengths Kit will go to save her best friend, and about what she loses along the way. It's about temptation, and sacrifice, and the rewards of hard work.
If you're okay with your teen reading a (mild, non-graphic) sex scene, some intermittent swearing, and some (mild, non-graphic) violence, I would recommend it for them. The sex and violence is about on par with the first book.
I recommend this for people who like urban fantasy, adventure stories, or fairy tales. I recommend it for people who want a fun, fast-paced read. I recommend it for right-handed people, and those born under the sign of Taurus. I also recommend this for anyone whose body is about 90% water, and for people who live in the northern hemisphere. You might like it even if you don't fit any of these categories.
The main character in this novel is the same as in the previous novel, Kit Melbourne, a sometime barista and sometime tree-maker in the fictional city of Seabingen. Seabingen has a hidden supernatural underside, and Kit falls headlong into it in Dryad's Blade (Originaly called TREEMAKER). Here's the blurb I wrote for the book's page:.
Something is wrong with Kit's boyfriend, really wrong. Kit knows he's under a curse, but no one seems to believe her or want to help her--except Fain, the sexy vampire with ulterior motives. When she's not working inhuman hours making a fake forest for the creepy and mysterious Ms. Yseulta, Kit is busy gathering the ingredients to throw off the curse. The only trouble is, the last ingredient grows in the Realm of the Faerie, a place that probably doesn't even exist. And time is running out...
Like the first novel, this book is in a very close first person, and has a linear plot. I do have flashbacks, but not many. There's a romantic subplot, but mostly the story is a hero's journey. Or, more to the point, a heroine's journey. It's about the lengths Kit will go to save her best friend, and about what she loses along the way. It's about temptation, and sacrifice, and the rewards of hard work.
If you're okay with your teen reading a (mild, non-graphic) sex scene, some intermittent swearing, and some (mild, non-graphic) violence, I would recommend it for them. The sex and violence is about on par with the first book.
I recommend this for people who like urban fantasy, adventure stories, or fairy tales. I recommend it for people who want a fun, fast-paced read. I recommend it for right-handed people, and those born under the sign of Taurus. I also recommend this for anyone whose body is about 90% water, and for people who live in the northern hemisphere. You might like it even if you don't fit any of these categories.
April 22, 2022
This book was a good continuation from the first book and I really enjoyed it. The characters continued to grow and develop and people especially the main character (Kit). I loved how to would do anything for her love. The storyline was very engaging and use had you sitting on edge of seat waiting to see what would happen in parts but was engaging throughout and had you turning pages almost faster than you could read. I can’t wait for next book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 3, 2022
I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. This is only book two in the series and the burdens and tasks placed on Kit's shoulders are overwhelming. Kit is trying to stay on top of her task for her new boss, save someone she cares about and there is someone who is a friend that wants to be more. Her life is constantly in flux and she is doing her best to hold it together. This has me feeling a lot for her and the journey she is no matter how impossible it seems at the time and the weight of the decisions that she has to make and take what comes with those choices.
May 29, 2020
This is book two of the Kit Melbourne series and continues following the life of Kit now she has been accepted into the Vampire Guild by its leader and continues to live with witch Elaina. Her relationship with her boyfriend Fenwick has been going really well and the story starts with her waiting for him to meet her at the shindig she was told to come to by her vampire sponsor at the Guild. He doesn’t show and she has to stay there for hours to ensure she was seen by the Guild’s leader. Angry at Fenwick, she turns up at his flat, to find him almost zombie like staring at his TV and not even bothering to reply to her!
Kit gets a sudden job offer to make a forest inside a wealthy old woman’s home, which she thought her friend had referred her for. She makes an agreement on the hours she will work, which are quite odd, being from moonrise to moonset. Kit thinks this equates to the normal day or night hours, but she is sadly mistaken as she finds out. This take sup loads of her time and has to be finished by a set date and will be weeks of work for her. She finally catches up on Fenwick to find he doesn’t seem to have moved, washed or done anything since she saw him last, over a week ago. Something is seriously wrong with him, but it isn’t anything medical!
A vampire who sided up to her at the Guild party, Leo Fain, wants to go out with her, but her loyalty is with Fenwick. She starts to get tempted, the longer it takes for Fenwick to return to normal and ends up having to rely on Fain’s assistance to find someone who deals with black magic to help her stop the curse on a little girl, whose father has been draining all of the apartment block residents energies to save his daughter. A curse was placed on her by her mother, who then killed herself, without cancelling the curse, so only someone with strong black magic can assist her. Fain refers her to someone that can help, but he wants a lot of weird things from her, ingredients that have to be cut in a particular manner and with certain types of knives or tools. Some are very rare and one also means she will need to travel to the Fae realm, through an unknown located portal. Someplace she didn’t even know existed, nor do most of her magical friends or family.
If she goes through the Fae portal, she is warned that she may never come back, as most who travel there never want to return to what is known as the dead lands, ie Earth. Her new tree making customer seems to always know what she is thinking about and lets her know she cannot go there until she finishes her commission for her! Weird is not the word to apply to this woman, but Kit’s magical bindi doesn’t allow her to figure out what this woman might be. Fain has given her until Easter to take their somewhat relationship further. Something she can’t think about, whilst Fenwick and a small girl’s lives are at risk. Her loyalty to her friends and family is something the Vampire Guild leader holds in high regard and will lead to further opportunities for her in the next book of this series.
A tough new commission from a weird old lady, a boyfriend who is suddenly drained of all his energy and is lost to her, a vampire who wants her for himself and a horrible boyfriend for her flatmate and witch friend Elaina who is completely bad and sleazy. She can’t get Elaina to realise what a sleaze her new boyfriend is, but there is nothing she can do about it, until Elaina realises it for herself. A dangerous and energy sapping time for Kit, but also with an adventure in another world to experience. I loved the descriptions of that otherworld and the people within it, as well as the forest Kit was trying to create inside the woman’s home. Another great adventure for Kit, with some real lows, but also some unexpected highs, which lead me wanting to read the next book in the series as soon as possible. The series is getting more intriguing, as each storyline progresses and I can’t wait! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Kit gets a sudden job offer to make a forest inside a wealthy old woman’s home, which she thought her friend had referred her for. She makes an agreement on the hours she will work, which are quite odd, being from moonrise to moonset. Kit thinks this equates to the normal day or night hours, but she is sadly mistaken as she finds out. This take sup loads of her time and has to be finished by a set date and will be weeks of work for her. She finally catches up on Fenwick to find he doesn’t seem to have moved, washed or done anything since she saw him last, over a week ago. Something is seriously wrong with him, but it isn’t anything medical!
A vampire who sided up to her at the Guild party, Leo Fain, wants to go out with her, but her loyalty is with Fenwick. She starts to get tempted, the longer it takes for Fenwick to return to normal and ends up having to rely on Fain’s assistance to find someone who deals with black magic to help her stop the curse on a little girl, whose father has been draining all of the apartment block residents energies to save his daughter. A curse was placed on her by her mother, who then killed herself, without cancelling the curse, so only someone with strong black magic can assist her. Fain refers her to someone that can help, but he wants a lot of weird things from her, ingredients that have to be cut in a particular manner and with certain types of knives or tools. Some are very rare and one also means she will need to travel to the Fae realm, through an unknown located portal. Someplace she didn’t even know existed, nor do most of her magical friends or family.
If she goes through the Fae portal, she is warned that she may never come back, as most who travel there never want to return to what is known as the dead lands, ie Earth. Her new tree making customer seems to always know what she is thinking about and lets her know she cannot go there until she finishes her commission for her! Weird is not the word to apply to this woman, but Kit’s magical bindi doesn’t allow her to figure out what this woman might be. Fain has given her until Easter to take their somewhat relationship further. Something she can’t think about, whilst Fenwick and a small girl’s lives are at risk. Her loyalty to her friends and family is something the Vampire Guild leader holds in high regard and will lead to further opportunities for her in the next book of this series.
A tough new commission from a weird old lady, a boyfriend who is suddenly drained of all his energy and is lost to her, a vampire who wants her for himself and a horrible boyfriend for her flatmate and witch friend Elaina who is completely bad and sleazy. She can’t get Elaina to realise what a sleaze her new boyfriend is, but there is nothing she can do about it, until Elaina realises it for herself. A dangerous and energy sapping time for Kit, but also with an adventure in another world to experience. I loved the descriptions of that otherworld and the people within it, as well as the forest Kit was trying to create inside the woman’s home. Another great adventure for Kit, with some real lows, but also some unexpected highs, which lead me wanting to read the next book in the series as soon as possible. The series is getting more intriguing, as each storyline progresses and I can’t wait! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
January 9, 2021
Fun adventure!
Kit's boyfriend is mysteriously taken ill, left in a catatonic state, and in order to restore him to his previous life, Kit must undergo an incredible adventure.
I liked this book even more than the first book in this series. It's a fun story with interesting characters.
Kit's boyfriend is mysteriously taken ill, left in a catatonic state, and in order to restore him to his previous life, Kit must undergo an incredible adventure.
I liked this book even more than the first book in this series. It's a fun story with interesting characters.
September 30, 2020
Well...
I read the first book in the series which was fun and made me laugh. THIS one I didn't care for. Not as funny and the story didn't grab me. It took determination to finish it.
I read the first book in the series which was fun and made me laugh. THIS one I didn't care for. Not as funny and the story didn't grab me. It took determination to finish it.
June 19, 2020
I got tired of this book when Kit started look at Fain, a vampire, as a love interest. Fenwick her boyfriend is under a curse and can’t get up the energy to get off the couch. Kit is also working night an day on a project that is exhausting her. So I got bore with the book.
June 8, 2020
Book 2 keeps the hits coming loved it well written great story flow and kept me turning the page! Fabulous job!
June 6, 2020
Kit is a witch and belongs to the guild. Now her boyfriend is acting peculiar almost like a spell was put on him. This story is exciting. I couldnt put it down. I love stories like this. I loved the characters too. I cannot wait for book three.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 4, 2020
This is book 2 of the Kit Melbourne series. I loved book 2. The plot was well written and I was pulled into the story. The characters are well developed and written. A really hard book to put down. I love this series. I recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 27, 2020
ONE FANTASTIC JOURNEY!!!
Greedy gremlins! Kater stirs one electrifying mix that's as thrilling as it is riveting with this brilliantly composed delight, displaying a thrilling storyline and engaging plot, melding this baby together seamlessly. Anarchy, escapades and havoc run amuck, kicking this gem into a tailspin with a life-changing realization. Divvying up incredibly, well rounded scenario's that punch dead center, ramping up the anticipation and adrenaline with such intensity and precision, thrusting this gem to a whole new level. A surging vortex full of unsettling mishaps and baffling circumstances, alongside the intimidating trials and challenging tribulations, rock this baby to the core, exposing a slew of striking twists and wicked turns, testing our characters in ways they could have never imagined. The characters are authentic, relatable and realistic with depth and on point personalities that blend and flow fluidly. The scenes are so graphically detailed and descriptive you have no trouble interpreting each depiction as they play out perfectly. Fantastic job Kater, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
Greedy gremlins! Kater stirs one electrifying mix that's as thrilling as it is riveting with this brilliantly composed delight, displaying a thrilling storyline and engaging plot, melding this baby together seamlessly. Anarchy, escapades and havoc run amuck, kicking this gem into a tailspin with a life-changing realization. Divvying up incredibly, well rounded scenario's that punch dead center, ramping up the anticipation and adrenaline with such intensity and precision, thrusting this gem to a whole new level. A surging vortex full of unsettling mishaps and baffling circumstances, alongside the intimidating trials and challenging tribulations, rock this baby to the core, exposing a slew of striking twists and wicked turns, testing our characters in ways they could have never imagined. The characters are authentic, relatable and realistic with depth and on point personalities that blend and flow fluidly. The scenes are so graphically detailed and descriptive you have no trouble interpreting each depiction as they play out perfectly. Fantastic job Kater, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
June 2, 2020
Dryad's Blade by Kater Cheek is a wonderful story that I have read. This is book number one written by a brand new author for me to read and I can not wait to read the next book in this wonderful series. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about horror, fantasy and mysteries.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 18, 2020
“Dryad’s Blade ” the second installment in the “Kit Melbourne Series” by Kater Cheek seamlessly follows the first book in the series (“Witch’s Jewel”) with Kit evolving from a starving artist making ends meet as a barista in her brother coffeehouse to a magical person.
Kit has abandoned her senseless crush into a very shallow guy, found a better suited boyfriend and learn to use her powers without danger. But – as the rules of fantasy demand – happiness cannot last forever, thus her boyfriend becomes the target of a black magic spell that put him in a coma and would kill him along the way, should Kit not find way to break the spell, unfortunately the solutions implies one-way only journey in some dangerous magical land. Meanwhile, to make things more interesting (not that Kit really need more thrill in her life right now), she has to joggle fulfilling a contract for a dubious client and fending off the romantic advances of a gorgeous vampire, who vehement want to seize the day and fill the boyfriend role, much to Kit’s exasperation.
What follows is an action-packed tale that keeps the reader interested and invested in the characters throughout the book and, true to Kater Cheek writing style, interweaves several side plots, multidimensional characters and realistic situations into a coherent urban fantasy story.
Kit has abandoned her senseless crush into a very shallow guy, found a better suited boyfriend and learn to use her powers without danger. But – as the rules of fantasy demand – happiness cannot last forever, thus her boyfriend becomes the target of a black magic spell that put him in a coma and would kill him along the way, should Kit not find way to break the spell, unfortunately the solutions implies one-way only journey in some dangerous magical land. Meanwhile, to make things more interesting (not that Kit really need more thrill in her life right now), she has to joggle fulfilling a contract for a dubious client and fending off the romantic advances of a gorgeous vampire, who vehement want to seize the day and fill the boyfriend role, much to Kit’s exasperation.
What follows is an action-packed tale that keeps the reader interested and invested in the characters throughout the book and, true to Kater Cheek writing style, interweaves several side plots, multidimensional characters and realistic situations into a coherent urban fantasy story.
May 23, 2020
Sad. sad. sad. Such a sad story. I won’t ruin it but Kit has to go through so much in order to save someone she love loves but it backfires. And she is heartbroken. But was the source of the curse what she thought it was or did someone else have a hand in it in order to gain her affections? I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
September 18, 2012
In the interest of full disclosure, I know the author but I can honestly say I love this series.
This is the second in the Kit Melbourne series and better than the first. The story had Kit making a forest for a strange woman while her boyfriend Fenwick is suffering from a strange depression. The book is well imagined with fabulous descriptions. It leaves you wanting more. Luckily there are more books in the series! A wonderful fun read.
This is the second in the Kit Melbourne series and better than the first. The story had Kit making a forest for a strange woman while her boyfriend Fenwick is suffering from a strange depression. The book is well imagined with fabulous descriptions. It leaves you wanting more. Luckily there are more books in the series! A wonderful fun read.
May 14, 2014
Kater continues the Kit Melbourne saga with a terrific second entry. The story is eerie, a bit creepy, and very very real, all at the same time. When she finally meets her mysterious client an awful lot is revealed and a relationship is formed that gives Kit responsibilities and power that make her a player in the supernatural realms.
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July 22, 2013Review to be revised!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews