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Baba Yaga #3
Wickedly Powerful
Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one…Barbara Yager loves being one of the most powerful witches in the world, but sometimes she’d rather kick back in her enchanted Airstream with a beer in her hand than work out how to grant the requests of the worthy few who seek her out. But when a man appears with the token of a family debt of honor, Barbara must drop everything to satisfy the promise owed by her predecessor—and she isn’t above being a little wicked to make sure the debt is paid in full…
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published February 2, 2016
45 people are currently reading
1257 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Blake
81 books1,790 followersDeborah is the author of over a dozen non-fiction books on modern witchcraft and a tarot and oracle decks from Llewellyn. Her fiction includes the Baba Yaga series, The Broken Rider series, and the Veiled Magic series, and her cozy mysteries The Catskill Pet Rescue series (mostly from Berkley) as well as a few stand-alone novels.
Deborah lives in a 130 year old farmhouse in upstate NY with multiple cats. She believes in magic, laughter, chocolate, and wine. The order may change depending on the day.
Deborah lives in a 130 year old farmhouse in upstate NY with multiple cats. She believes in magic, laughter, chocolate, and wine. The order may change depending on the day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
January 25, 2016
I've been a fan of Deborah Blake's nonfiction books for Llewellyn Publishers for years, and they are old standbys on my magical research shelf. Then, last year, I discovered her wonderful Baba Yaga series for Berkley Sensation, and have been eagerly waiting for each new title. This is the most recent, the story of the third of the Americans who presently hold the title of witch-protectress Baba Yaga. Bella's territory is the mountainous and forested areas of the middle of the country, where she spends long periods of time with herself, the creatures of the forest and the air, and her companion dragon, disguised as an outsized (if you can imagine it!) Norwegian Forest Cat.
Something is seriously awry with this forest, though, where fires are popping up seemingly out of the blue. Is it possible that a renegade former Baba Yaga is responsible? Just as bad, the three immortal Riders who have come to the aid of the Baba Yagas of the two previous books have turned up missing, and Bella has been tasked with finding them. She finds aid--or interference--in the shape of a sexy, damaged former HotShot, a fire jumper damaged by a blaze that killed everyone in his team but him, leaving him able only to do firespotting from a lonely tower at the forest's heart, and a lively, equally lonely runaway teenager. It's a volatile mix of characters, passion, and danger from nature and from a vicious foe. I put it down only because I had to sleep and eat.
While the book is part of a series, it can be read on its own. However, you'll be denying yourself a serious treat if you don't read the previous two!
Something is seriously awry with this forest, though, where fires are popping up seemingly out of the blue. Is it possible that a renegade former Baba Yaga is responsible? Just as bad, the three immortal Riders who have come to the aid of the Baba Yagas of the two previous books have turned up missing, and Bella has been tasked with finding them. She finds aid--or interference--in the shape of a sexy, damaged former HotShot, a fire jumper damaged by a blaze that killed everyone in his team but him, leaving him able only to do firespotting from a lonely tower at the forest's heart, and a lively, equally lonely runaway teenager. It's a volatile mix of characters, passion, and danger from nature and from a vicious foe. I put it down only because I had to sleep and eat.
While the book is part of a series, it can be read on its own. However, you'll be denying yourself a serious treat if you don't read the previous two!
February 27, 2016
This is book 3 of the Baba Yaga series and I read it right after finishing Book 2 - that is UNHEARD of for me - normally I like a break for some fresh characters and situations, but I just wanted more and I binged them. Next up Deborah writes about one of the Riders that you meet in these books - Dangerously Charming - I can't wait!
February 4, 2016
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
There is a Dragon-Cat, people. A Dragon-Cat. OMG. Seriously. This series. I'm freaking loving it down to it's toes!
Damn. That was good! A Russian fairytale witch, a former firefighter turned fire spotter, a runaway teen and a dragon disguised as a cat battling nature and an evil magic trying to destroy the forest and those dear to Bella. Action, romance, humor. Loved it. Seriously.
So the quick of it is that Bella is a Baba Yaga. They're witches that watch over the elements and can be called to help with there's trouble. This time it's unnatural forest fires that are plaguing the area. And it's up to Bella and her dragon-cat, Koshka, to figure out who is behind the fires and if there are magical elements involved. And, while they're at it, figure out what happened to a group of immortal men who help the Baba Yagas and have mysteriously disappeared. Are the two things connected? Something is definitely afoot!
Alright, flat out. I loved all of the characters. Blake does an amazing job bringing together an ensemble cast that'll give you all the feels. Sexy heroes, fierce heroines, delightful animals. I loved them all. Bella with her fiery spirit, her worries about controlling her powers, and the life that just radiated from her. Sam with his need to protect and his inner battles with PTSD and the scars on his skin from the fire that ended his career. Jazz, the runaway teen, who was full of hurt and in desperate need of people to watch over her. And the dragon-cat who watched over them all with the attitude only a dragon-cat could posses. They were each amazing on their own but together there was a special dynamic that was just magic. It was one of those times where you just look at a group and go...yes! these people were meant for one another. On the romance front it's fairly light but I loved the two and the way they were drawn to one another.
The suspense was very well done. You know who is behind the malicious fires and the disappearance of the Riders but you don't know how they'll be stopped. Or if they even can be stopped. I thought so many bad things about the bad guy in this one. Whew, boy! I wanted them to get it hard. I did want just a bit more with the big tado at the end but overall it kept me on edge and my palms sweating as Bella and her group worked to figure out what was going on in the area.
All in all, The Baba Yaga series is freaking badass and one you can't miss. Wickedly Powerful? Phenomenal addition to the series. I would say read this one in order if possible. They each have complete stories and romances but I think it would be more enjoyable if you get to know them all as the series unfolds. :)
~~~~
Notes:
1/29--Damn. That was good! Russian fairytale witches, a scared former firefighter, a runaway teen and a dragon disguised as a cat battling nature and an evil magic trying to destroy the forest and those dear to Bella. Action, romance, humor. Loved it. Full review to come.
1/28-- OMG THERE'S A DRAGON-CAT!!!!!
1/1 Oh I really love this series. I'm excited to see what will come about with this Baba Yaga.
Reviewing for herding cats & burning soup.
Grab it: http://amzn.to/1QY7kqE
February 4, 2016
Finally Bella's book, I've been waiting for her book at the end of Wickedly Wonderful... And I can't wait for the next book in these series.... I can't wait for The Riders books to come out...
February 23, 2016
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
In this third Baba Yaga book we are introduced to Bella, the Baba Yaga who watches over the forests and deserts of the Midwestern states. It was fun coming back to this series and seeing a modern take on the Baba Yaga of Slavic fairy tales. Since Baba Yaga lives in the forest in the old stories, Wickedly Powerful portrays a Baba in her most natural habitat amongst the trees and forest creatures.The plot was pretty interesting and what seemed like a small magical fire issue slowly unraveled into a huge fight for Belle, and her friends lives. I liked the steady build up to the final intense battle in the forest and I love the world building with the Babas living in magical houses that connect to the Otherworld of fairies.
It would be so easy to create three women and make them carbon copies of eachother over the course of three books since they are the same 'fairy creature' doing the same job. Luckily each Baba Yaga is different in not only looks and personality but in their backstories. I liked Bella's quasi-tragic backstory and since her element is fire she is a bit hot-tempered but very down to earth and caring. I loved her Chudo-Yudo, Koschka who was a dragon disguised as a unusually large house cat. Sam, her love interest complimented her very well being a firefighter damaged by a fire. Both of them helped eachother with their fire related past traumas and their love story was very touching.
Aside from the sweet connection between Bella and Sam, I enjoyed getting POVs from the Riders in this story. The Riders are sort of immortal Baba Yaga protectors. They were each pretty interesting and amusing from what we saw of them as they were playing the 'damsels in distress' and not up to much talking in this story. Usually my wish for a secondary character to have a book of their own doesn't come true. So I was very happy to see that one of the Riders is getting his own book!
Wickedly Powerful is a great paranormal romance that is heavy on the paranormal and fantastical. I enjoyed this trek into a modern day fairy tale and look forward to more of these lovely characters and this world in the next book.
In this third Baba Yaga book we are introduced to Bella, the Baba Yaga who watches over the forests and deserts of the Midwestern states. It was fun coming back to this series and seeing a modern take on the Baba Yaga of Slavic fairy tales. Since Baba Yaga lives in the forest in the old stories, Wickedly Powerful portrays a Baba in her most natural habitat amongst the trees and forest creatures.The plot was pretty interesting and what seemed like a small magical fire issue slowly unraveled into a huge fight for Belle, and her friends lives. I liked the steady build up to the final intense battle in the forest and I love the world building with the Babas living in magical houses that connect to the Otherworld of fairies.
It would be so easy to create three women and make them carbon copies of eachother over the course of three books since they are the same 'fairy creature' doing the same job. Luckily each Baba Yaga is different in not only looks and personality but in their backstories. I liked Bella's quasi-tragic backstory and since her element is fire she is a bit hot-tempered but very down to earth and caring. I loved her Chudo-Yudo, Koschka who was a dragon disguised as a unusually large house cat. Sam, her love interest complimented her very well being a firefighter damaged by a fire. Both of them helped eachother with their fire related past traumas and their love story was very touching.
Aside from the sweet connection between Bella and Sam, I enjoyed getting POVs from the Riders in this story. The Riders are sort of immortal Baba Yaga protectors. They were each pretty interesting and amusing from what we saw of them as they were playing the 'damsels in distress' and not up to much talking in this story. Usually my wish for a secondary character to have a book of their own doesn't come true. So I was very happy to see that one of the Riders is getting his own book!
Wickedly Powerful is a great paranormal romance that is heavy on the paranormal and fantastical. I enjoyed this trek into a modern day fairy tale and look forward to more of these lovely characters and this world in the next book.
March 23, 2016
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: The Baba Yaga’s Riders have gone missing, and Bella is on the case in this riveting third installment of the Baba Yaga series.
Opening Sentence: The early morning fog blanketed the area surrounding the fire tower, stippling the windows with condensation and cloaking the ground below in mystery.
The Review:
The Riders have gone missing, and the Queen of the Otherworld wants to know what happened to them. So, she assigns Baba Yaga Bella to the case. Bella is already in the area investigating who is behind numerous fires that have been set. During the course of her investigations, she meets Sam, a former firefighter who now makes a living watching for potential fires in the area. There’s an immediate attraction, but Sam is still hurting from the death of his fiancee and doesn’t want to get involved in a new relationship. This is fine with Bella, as she has always been more of a loner. As their paths continue to cross though, their attraction becomes harder and harder to deny. Will they both be able to let go of their pasts in order to have a future together? Will they be able to figure out who’s setting these fires? And most importantly, will Bella be able to find the Riders before it’s too late?
After reading the first book in this series, I was a little on the fence regarding how I felt about it. I then read the second book and enjoyed it more than the first, but I wasn’t hooked yet. With this third entry in the Baba Yaga series, I’m officially hooked. Almost all of the issues I had with previous entries were fixed here, leaving me with a very enjoyable and entertaining read. For some reason I can’t quite articulate, everything seemed more believable in this installment. Bella and Sam are a likeable couple, and I really enjoyed getting to know them in the course of the story. As a cat person, I also really enjoyed the addition of Bella’s Chudo-Yudo (dragon disguised as a cat).
One of my biggest issues with the previous books is that the villains were a little over the top, which made the scenes from their perspective hard to read. The villain in this installment, however, is completely believable (and 100 percent crazy), so the scenes featuring her were very entertaining.
The one weaker aspect in this series continues to be the romance aspect. This feels more like a paranormal romance series, with a different couple featured in each story, but the romance doesn’t seem like the focus when you read the book. This makes the romance scenes feel like they’re actually detracting from the story, which isn’t good. It ultimately didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story, but I felt it needed to be mentioned.
Overall, this is shaping up to be a very enjoyable series.This installment was fast paced and filled with great characters. I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book!
Notable Scene:
A faint glow from behind him made him turn around. The glass slid unnoticed out of his grasp and hit the floor, bounced on the braided blue rag rug in front of the sink, and rolled under the table.
She stood in the middle of the room – Heather, looking much as she had the last time he’d seen her alive, her fire gear draped over one shoulder, helmet tucked under the other arm.
Sam reached out one hand, and then pulled it back, clenched into a fist. It wasn’t her. He knew that. It wasn’t as though he didn’t believe in ghosts; of course he did, with the grandmother he’d had and all of her tales. In fact, he’d waited after the disaster, waited night after night for Heather’s ghost to appear. First in the hospital, then, figuring its antiseptic stink and hissing machines had kept her away, back at home. Waited, but she never came.
So why would Heather be here now? She wouldn’t, would she?
FTC Advisory: Penguin/Berkley provided me with a copy of Wickedly Powerful. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: The Baba Yaga’s Riders have gone missing, and Bella is on the case in this riveting third installment of the Baba Yaga series.
Opening Sentence: The early morning fog blanketed the area surrounding the fire tower, stippling the windows with condensation and cloaking the ground below in mystery.
The Review:
The Riders have gone missing, and the Queen of the Otherworld wants to know what happened to them. So, she assigns Baba Yaga Bella to the case. Bella is already in the area investigating who is behind numerous fires that have been set. During the course of her investigations, she meets Sam, a former firefighter who now makes a living watching for potential fires in the area. There’s an immediate attraction, but Sam is still hurting from the death of his fiancee and doesn’t want to get involved in a new relationship. This is fine with Bella, as she has always been more of a loner. As their paths continue to cross though, their attraction becomes harder and harder to deny. Will they both be able to let go of their pasts in order to have a future together? Will they be able to figure out who’s setting these fires? And most importantly, will Bella be able to find the Riders before it’s too late?
After reading the first book in this series, I was a little on the fence regarding how I felt about it. I then read the second book and enjoyed it more than the first, but I wasn’t hooked yet. With this third entry in the Baba Yaga series, I’m officially hooked. Almost all of the issues I had with previous entries were fixed here, leaving me with a very enjoyable and entertaining read. For some reason I can’t quite articulate, everything seemed more believable in this installment. Bella and Sam are a likeable couple, and I really enjoyed getting to know them in the course of the story. As a cat person, I also really enjoyed the addition of Bella’s Chudo-Yudo (dragon disguised as a cat).
One of my biggest issues with the previous books is that the villains were a little over the top, which made the scenes from their perspective hard to read. The villain in this installment, however, is completely believable (and 100 percent crazy), so the scenes featuring her were very entertaining.
The one weaker aspect in this series continues to be the romance aspect. This feels more like a paranormal romance series, with a different couple featured in each story, but the romance doesn’t seem like the focus when you read the book. This makes the romance scenes feel like they’re actually detracting from the story, which isn’t good. It ultimately didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story, but I felt it needed to be mentioned.
Overall, this is shaping up to be a very enjoyable series.This installment was fast paced and filled with great characters. I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book!
Notable Scene:
A faint glow from behind him made him turn around. The glass slid unnoticed out of his grasp and hit the floor, bounced on the braided blue rag rug in front of the sink, and rolled under the table.
She stood in the middle of the room – Heather, looking much as she had the last time he’d seen her alive, her fire gear draped over one shoulder, helmet tucked under the other arm.
Sam reached out one hand, and then pulled it back, clenched into a fist. It wasn’t her. He knew that. It wasn’t as though he didn’t believe in ghosts; of course he did, with the grandmother he’d had and all of her tales. In fact, he’d waited after the disaster, waited night after night for Heather’s ghost to appear. First in the hospital, then, figuring its antiseptic stink and hissing machines had kept her away, back at home. Waited, but she never came.
So why would Heather be here now? She wouldn’t, would she?
FTC Advisory: Penguin/Berkley provided me with a copy of Wickedly Powerful. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
February 3, 2016
After the tantalizing hints at the end of book two about a new threat and the Riders disappearance plus getting to meet Bella, I was rarin' to go. There is something about this series that is a unique and refreshing voice in the paranormal romance genre. There is the Baba Yaga legend of course and Chudo Yudo guardian dragons, but I've anticipated each and have yet to be disappointed.
This is book three in the fantastic Baba Yaga series. I suppose in a pinch it could be read out of order, but I wouldn't recommend missing getting this whole series from the beginning.
The story opens with Bella, the Baba Yaga responsible for the heart of the country coming to a forest in Wyoming after feeling a Calling to bring her there. Bella along with her dragon disguised as a Norwegian Forest Cat and her gypsy caravan, settle in. But it isn't long before she realizes that something is wrong. Mysterious fires smelling faintly of magic, a note carried by a pixie with a plea for help from the riders, and a feeling of being followed. Bella is called by the Queen of the Otherworld and tasked to find the Riders and she is commissioned by a group of humans to find the source of the fires and if she can, stop it. Meanwhile, a scarred hurting man draws her attention and Bella is attracted for the first time, but he is human so how can it work?
Sam was once a Hot Shot firefighter, but now, scarred and struggling with survivor's guilt and PTSD, he has chosen the isolated and lonely job of fire spotter high in his tower. He tried to go back to the work he loved, but he failed. Now, he hides his face and hides away from the world. That is until a certain sunny red-head moves her wooden caravan camper into his part of the forest and he seems to bump into her everywhere. He is suspicious of Bella since he has found her to be in the vicinity when a couple of the fires happen and there is something odd about her and that huge cat. Sam isn't used to being around people and makes some blunders with Bella. He is ready to step back and leave her be when a danger he is ill-prepared for is made known and they are all in grave danger.
Alrighty...so this was an enjoyable read from cover to cover. A fun Baba Yaga, a magical caravan, a dragon-cat (oh, love it!), a cranky ex-firefighter that is still a hottie, a spunky teen runaway, a truly wicked witch, and some Riders in peril. It all wove together for a book that I struggled to put down when life responsibilities interfered.
There are several narrative threads beyond Sam and Bella even. I enjoyed getting that secondary story where the Riders were with the villain. And also young Jazz's point of view.
Sam and Bella were interesting people that hesitated to reach out and connect with people after incidents in their pasts. Sam's is obvious, but then Bella's issue finally comes out. I was cheering for them both to reach out and take their chance with each other because they were good together.
The ending was a bit of a nailbiter and I was into it. My only niggle was that it was over so fast after the big build up. Not that it was bad, just quick. And the result after the big scene was a little sad, but I liked the open thread when it comes to the Riders. And yes, the series does carry on with the Riders, woohoo!
So, this was another strong and engaging book in the series. Loved getting to know the third Baba Yaga and her story. I would recommend these to those who enjoy their paranormal romances filled with witches, magic, magical plots, romance on the sweeter end between likable characters.
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is book three in the fantastic Baba Yaga series. I suppose in a pinch it could be read out of order, but I wouldn't recommend missing getting this whole series from the beginning.
The story opens with Bella, the Baba Yaga responsible for the heart of the country coming to a forest in Wyoming after feeling a Calling to bring her there. Bella along with her dragon disguised as a Norwegian Forest Cat and her gypsy caravan, settle in. But it isn't long before she realizes that something is wrong. Mysterious fires smelling faintly of magic, a note carried by a pixie with a plea for help from the riders, and a feeling of being followed. Bella is called by the Queen of the Otherworld and tasked to find the Riders and she is commissioned by a group of humans to find the source of the fires and if she can, stop it. Meanwhile, a scarred hurting man draws her attention and Bella is attracted for the first time, but he is human so how can it work?
Sam was once a Hot Shot firefighter, but now, scarred and struggling with survivor's guilt and PTSD, he has chosen the isolated and lonely job of fire spotter high in his tower. He tried to go back to the work he loved, but he failed. Now, he hides his face and hides away from the world. That is until a certain sunny red-head moves her wooden caravan camper into his part of the forest and he seems to bump into her everywhere. He is suspicious of Bella since he has found her to be in the vicinity when a couple of the fires happen and there is something odd about her and that huge cat. Sam isn't used to being around people and makes some blunders with Bella. He is ready to step back and leave her be when a danger he is ill-prepared for is made known and they are all in grave danger.
Alrighty...so this was an enjoyable read from cover to cover. A fun Baba Yaga, a magical caravan, a dragon-cat (oh, love it!), a cranky ex-firefighter that is still a hottie, a spunky teen runaway, a truly wicked witch, and some Riders in peril. It all wove together for a book that I struggled to put down when life responsibilities interfered.
There are several narrative threads beyond Sam and Bella even. I enjoyed getting that secondary story where the Riders were with the villain. And also young Jazz's point of view.
Sam and Bella were interesting people that hesitated to reach out and connect with people after incidents in their pasts. Sam's is obvious, but then Bella's issue finally comes out. I was cheering for them both to reach out and take their chance with each other because they were good together.
The ending was a bit of a nailbiter and I was into it. My only niggle was that it was over so fast after the big build up. Not that it was bad, just quick. And the result after the big scene was a little sad, but I liked the open thread when it comes to the Riders. And yes, the series does carry on with the Riders, woohoo!
So, this was another strong and engaging book in the series. Loved getting to know the third Baba Yaga and her story. I would recommend these to those who enjoy their paranormal romances filled with witches, magic, magical plots, romance on the sweeter end between likable characters.
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 1, 2016
Wickedly Powerful
is the last book in the Baba Yaga sisters trilogy, this time featuring Bella Young, the Baba Yaga of the middle United States. Wyoming’s Black Hills has been experiencing forest fires and there is wrongness about them. Bella has been called upon by the community to find out what causes the magical fires and to stop them. In addition, Bella discovers a call for help from the missing Riders and she has been tasked by the Queen of the Underworld to investigate where the Riders are gone…
I have to say that this book didn’t entertain me as much as the previous two. I think maybe because the story offered several matters at the same time: the magical fires, the missing Riders, heck, even Bella had to deal with a runaway orphan teenager too!! The explanation of those might be connected … but for me, it was slightly distracting. I also didn’t enjoy the multiple POVs aside from Bella and Sam. I guess I wanted this to be Bella and Sam’s book, and I didn’t want them to share it with other characters.
On top of that, the climax of this book where the Baba sisters came to the rescue and facing the villain was very anti-climatic!! After the build-up, and all the problems the villain created, it was over in one sentence. ONE SENTENCE . Urgh, I didn’t like that one bit. I was expecting an epic battle, with both sides showing off their power.
But the book did conclude things that weren’t solved before – we had a villain returned to wreak havoc, we finally found out what happened to the Riders (by the way, they are getting their OWN books!!), and in between, we had Bella and her love interest Sam, plus a Chudo-Yudo that this time took a form of humongous Norwegian cat. Overall, it was still a good read and I can’t wait to read about the Riders.
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
I have to say that this book didn’t entertain me as much as the previous two. I think maybe because the story offered several matters at the same time: the magical fires, the missing Riders, heck, even Bella had to deal with a runaway orphan teenager too!! The explanation of those might be connected … but for me, it was slightly distracting. I also didn’t enjoy the multiple POVs aside from Bella and Sam. I guess I wanted this to be Bella and Sam’s book, and I didn’t want them to share it with other characters.
On top of that, the climax of this book where the Baba sisters came to the rescue and facing the villain was very anti-climatic!! After the build-up, and all the problems the villain created, it was over in one sentence. ONE SENTENCE . Urgh, I didn’t like that one bit. I was expecting an epic battle, with both sides showing off their power.
But the book did conclude things that weren’t solved before – we had a villain returned to wreak havoc, we finally found out what happened to the Riders (by the way, they are getting their OWN books!!), and in between, we had Bella and her love interest Sam, plus a Chudo-Yudo that this time took a form of humongous Norwegian cat. Overall, it was still a good read and I can’t wait to read about the Riders.
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
February 11, 2016
See this review and others like it at Badass Book Reviews!
Wickedly Powerful is not the place to begin your Baba Yaga journey, but it was a great addition to the series. While certain elements diverged from its predecessors in many ways, some worked out better than others. Bella was a wonderful new Baba and her story with Sam was both heart breaking and exciting. Deborah Blake continues to create stories that obviously belong in the same universe without telling the same tale over and over again.
One thing I really loved in Wickedly Powerful was Bella Young herself. Ms. Blake did a great job with making her very different from Barbara and Beka. I would describe Bella as the middle child; she wasn't as experienced as Barbara but she had much more confidence and time under her belt than Beka. I loved that her Chudo-Yudo, Koshka, was a cat.... erm, dragon cat... and that her caravan manifested as a modern day gypsy cart. She was smart but a little hot-tempered, as befitting the fire element, and had great chemistry with the romantic lead, Sam Corbett. Sam was a very sympathetic character, but also still bruised and haunted. He and Bella complimented each other well and he definitely came out of his shell as the story went along. I still think it would have been interesting to see a Baba choose someone other than a human as her spouse, but I can't be too upset since we got Sam instead.
Readers of this series will remember Brenna, Beka's evil Baba mentor that refused to step down until the Queen forced her hand, and the three Riders - Mikhail Day, Alexei Knight, and Gregori Sun - that aided Barbara before going missing after the events of Wickedly Dangerous . Wickedly Powerful is as much their story as it is Bella's and I think the book suffered a little from that. Because Brenna and the Riders don't interact with Bella for much of the book, they were also given POV time to fill in the blanks behind the scenes. Add this to Jazz, Bella's protégé, and Sam's POVs and Bella doesn't get as much time in her own story as I would have liked. While I'm glad that the mystery behind the Riders was solved, I actually enjoyed the Bella-centric plots more. I liked seeing her fight fires and would have been interested to learn more about the ways she tackles them, especially the times when she is masquerading as a volunteer. I also would have loved to see a little more of the magic training/testing she put Jazz through, a Baba Yaga aptitude test of sorts.
Even though I didn't get as much Bella POV as I wanted, I still felt like I connected with her more than Beka from Wickedly Wonderful . Bella also has a certain "down-to-Earth" sense about her that Barbara can, at times, lack. This made it very easy to slip into her sections and to engage with her as the lead. I would very much like to revisit Bella's story and to see her in action again in the future. I've enjoyed each of the Baba Yagas in different ways and do have to say that I am a little wary that the next book won't follow them. Mikhail takes over as the first non-Baba lead for book 4. I hope that our favorite ladies are still included somehow and that we get to jump back into their lives in future books.
If you are looking for a good paranormal romance that is heavier on the paranormal than the romance, you could do a lot worse than the Baba Yaga series. Each book has a great female lead with a smoking hot romantic foil, plus plenty of world building, magic, and action. Wickedly Powerful lived up to my expectations and Bella and Koshka are standouts for the series!
Thank you to Berkley Romance via Netgalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wickedly Powerful is not the place to begin your Baba Yaga journey, but it was a great addition to the series. While certain elements diverged from its predecessors in many ways, some worked out better than others. Bella was a wonderful new Baba and her story with Sam was both heart breaking and exciting. Deborah Blake continues to create stories that obviously belong in the same universe without telling the same tale over and over again.
One thing I really loved in Wickedly Powerful was Bella Young herself. Ms. Blake did a great job with making her very different from Barbara and Beka. I would describe Bella as the middle child; she wasn't as experienced as Barbara but she had much more confidence and time under her belt than Beka. I loved that her Chudo-Yudo, Koshka, was a cat.... erm, dragon cat... and that her caravan manifested as a modern day gypsy cart. She was smart but a little hot-tempered, as befitting the fire element, and had great chemistry with the romantic lead, Sam Corbett. Sam was a very sympathetic character, but also still bruised and haunted. He and Bella complimented each other well and he definitely came out of his shell as the story went along. I still think it would have been interesting to see a Baba choose someone other than a human as her spouse, but I can't be too upset since we got Sam instead.
Readers of this series will remember Brenna, Beka's evil Baba mentor that refused to step down until the Queen forced her hand, and the three Riders - Mikhail Day, Alexei Knight, and Gregori Sun - that aided Barbara before going missing after the events of Wickedly Dangerous . Wickedly Powerful is as much their story as it is Bella's and I think the book suffered a little from that. Because Brenna and the Riders don't interact with Bella for much of the book, they were also given POV time to fill in the blanks behind the scenes. Add this to Jazz, Bella's protégé, and Sam's POVs and Bella doesn't get as much time in her own story as I would have liked. While I'm glad that the mystery behind the Riders was solved, I actually enjoyed the Bella-centric plots more. I liked seeing her fight fires and would have been interested to learn more about the ways she tackles them, especially the times when she is masquerading as a volunteer. I also would have loved to see a little more of the magic training/testing she put Jazz through, a Baba Yaga aptitude test of sorts.
Even though I didn't get as much Bella POV as I wanted, I still felt like I connected with her more than Beka from Wickedly Wonderful . Bella also has a certain "down-to-Earth" sense about her that Barbara can, at times, lack. This made it very easy to slip into her sections and to engage with her as the lead. I would very much like to revisit Bella's story and to see her in action again in the future. I've enjoyed each of the Baba Yagas in different ways and do have to say that I am a little wary that the next book won't follow them. Mikhail takes over as the first non-Baba lead for book 4. I hope that our favorite ladies are still included somehow and that we get to jump back into their lives in future books.
If you are looking for a good paranormal romance that is heavier on the paranormal than the romance, you could do a lot worse than the Baba Yaga series. Each book has a great female lead with a smoking hot romantic foil, plus plenty of world building, magic, and action. Wickedly Powerful lived up to my expectations and Bella and Koshka are standouts for the series!
Thank you to Berkley Romance via Netgalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2016
Bella is one of the three Baba Yagas in charge of the United States. When she feels an urge to head to the forest in Wyoming, Bella is originally unsure if she is there to investigate the missing Riders, or to deal with the sudden fires that are occurring. Growing up as a Baba Yaga in training was hard for Bella and she found that never really fit in with humans and therefore now enjoys spending time by herself with her companion Koshka, a dragon disguised as a cat. The stakes her high but despite all Bella has to do, she finds herself distracted by the handsome but deeply scared, former hotshots fireman Sam Corbett. If that were not enough, when Bella finds Jazz, a runaway teen living rough in the forest, Bella realises that she cannot just leave the girl to fend for herself. Can Bella somehow handle it all?
By now, the Baba Yaga series has become pretty predictable. When Bella meets Sam and Jazz, there's never any doubt that all three of them will end up together living as a family. It's always only a matter of how it happens. That beings said, when Bella's fellow Baba Yagas show up to look for her, I was expecting Deborah Blake to bring on the awesome. I feel very much at this point that we were due, particularly given that this book was written largely by the numbers. Unfortunately, to say the big showdown was anticlimactic is to be kind. Blake didn't bring the epic and seemed rush to wrap everything up in a neat little bow, so that she could move onto writing about the Riders.
I liked watching Jazz and Bella bond; however, I wished that the bond had not occurred over the fact that they are both orphans and come from a history of abuse. I suppose at least for Jazz, there was no other way to have her living in a forest withput adult supervision. The issue for me is that suffering is used too often as a shortcut to characterization. The same issue occurred with Sam, with his PTSD, survivor's guilt and scared face. I never felt like I got to know Sam as a person and he really became was his loss and fears. The only good thing I can say is that while woo woo was used to cure Sam of his lung damage and scars, at least Blake had Sam acknowledge that dealing with his PTSD was going to take some time.
The antagonist is Brenna, a former Baba Yaga the queen had forced to retire. We met Brenna in Wickedly Wonderful; however Blake did a good job of explaining to readers where Brenna's anger stemmed from and her history with the Baba Yagas. If you have not read any of the other books in this series, you will not have any trouble following along with Wickedly Powerful. Brenna, is not pleased to have been forced to retire and she is further enraged that this means the loss of the Water of Life and Death, which slows down the aging process of the Baba Yagas and strengthens their powers. As her hair begins to go grey and bones begin to creak, Brenna is driven to kidnap the Riders and torture them until they lose their immortality so she that she can become what she once was - powerful.
Read More
By now, the Baba Yaga series has become pretty predictable. When Bella meets Sam and Jazz, there's never any doubt that all three of them will end up together living as a family. It's always only a matter of how it happens. That beings said, when Bella's fellow Baba Yagas show up to look for her, I was expecting Deborah Blake to bring on the awesome. I feel very much at this point that we were due, particularly given that this book was written largely by the numbers. Unfortunately, to say the big showdown was anticlimactic is to be kind. Blake didn't bring the epic and seemed rush to wrap everything up in a neat little bow, so that she could move onto writing about the Riders.
I liked watching Jazz and Bella bond; however, I wished that the bond had not occurred over the fact that they are both orphans and come from a history of abuse. I suppose at least for Jazz, there was no other way to have her living in a forest withput adult supervision. The issue for me is that suffering is used too often as a shortcut to characterization. The same issue occurred with Sam, with his PTSD, survivor's guilt and scared face. I never felt like I got to know Sam as a person and he really became was his loss and fears. The only good thing I can say is that while woo woo was used to cure Sam of his lung damage and scars, at least Blake had Sam acknowledge that dealing with his PTSD was going to take some time.
The antagonist is Brenna, a former Baba Yaga the queen had forced to retire. We met Brenna in Wickedly Wonderful; however Blake did a good job of explaining to readers where Brenna's anger stemmed from and her history with the Baba Yagas. If you have not read any of the other books in this series, you will not have any trouble following along with Wickedly Powerful. Brenna, is not pleased to have been forced to retire and she is further enraged that this means the loss of the Water of Life and Death, which slows down the aging process of the Baba Yagas and strengthens their powers. As her hair begins to go grey and bones begin to creak, Brenna is driven to kidnap the Riders and torture them until they lose their immortality so she that she can become what she once was - powerful.
Read More
September 29, 2025
I'm sad it's the last book of the series (the first one is my favorite) but glad to know there's a spin-off waiting for me :p
There's our world. And there's the Otherworld. The Otherworld is where magical creatures live, ruled by a Queen and King. Sometimes, those creatures are sent to our world to help us with different kind of environmental and climate problems. That's the reason why the Baba Yagas live among us, but only a small portion of the population knows about their existence. If you check the Russian fairy tales, the Babas used to be old wicked witchs living in hut on chicken legs, but things are different nowadays. The Babas can take the appearance of young women and live in more modern vehicle with their dragon who disguise as pet. They are here to help humans or complete a task that the Queen of the Otherworld asked them.
This time we meet the third Baba, who have an affinity with fire, but she doesn't control it as well as she should because she sometimes set things on fire when she's nervous or upset. Bella is sent to Wyoming to investigate about the unusually numerous forest fires . She pretend she's travelling to do some paintings and she stationned her modern gypsy caravan not too far from a fire tower.
Sam Corbett live in the fire tower. Or I should say he hide in the tower. The left side of his face was disfigured and his voice damaged by smoke in a forest fire that killed all his friends, comrade firefighters and his fiancée. Sam was the only survivor and now live in the tower where he watch for fire and notify the firefighters when he spot something. He's also known to nurse back to health injured animals. The new girl seem pretty odd to Sam, but there's also something captivating about her that he find attractive. But the young man is used to be alone and still have to face his demons.
Finding who is causing the fire and putting a stop to it is not the only mission Bella will have. The Queen command her to find the Riders (an other group of immortals who protect the Baba Yagas) who seemed to have disappeared from both worlds. Not to mention that Bella discover a teenager living in the forest.
I think the pace was slower at the beggining and it took more time before the action begin and I admit I would have prefer a different villain (because we saw this one before), but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this book. I liked the verbal exchange between Bella and Sam, the hero background with the tragic fire and his new living arrangement (and how can I not melt when the guy care for animals). And the other reasons why I liked this book is the same reasons why I really appreciated this series ; the plots are always connected to nature, there's talking dragon/dog/cat and there's also funny dialogues, a little bit of irony and a little touch of romance. I said it before but I'll say it again; I love the whimsical vibe !
There's our world. And there's the Otherworld. The Otherworld is where magical creatures live, ruled by a Queen and King. Sometimes, those creatures are sent to our world to help us with different kind of environmental and climate problems. That's the reason why the Baba Yagas live among us, but only a small portion of the population knows about their existence. If you check the Russian fairy tales, the Babas used to be old wicked witchs living in hut on chicken legs, but things are different nowadays. The Babas can take the appearance of young women and live in more modern vehicle with their dragon who disguise as pet. They are here to help humans or complete a task that the Queen of the Otherworld asked them.
This time we meet the third Baba, who have an affinity with fire, but she doesn't control it as well as she should because she sometimes set things on fire when she's nervous or upset. Bella is sent to Wyoming to investigate about the unusually numerous forest fires . She pretend she's travelling to do some paintings and she stationned her modern gypsy caravan not too far from a fire tower.
Sam Corbett live in the fire tower. Or I should say he hide in the tower. The left side of his face was disfigured and his voice damaged by smoke in a forest fire that killed all his friends, comrade firefighters and his fiancée. Sam was the only survivor and now live in the tower where he watch for fire and notify the firefighters when he spot something. He's also known to nurse back to health injured animals. The new girl seem pretty odd to Sam, but there's also something captivating about her that he find attractive. But the young man is used to be alone and still have to face his demons.
Finding who is causing the fire and putting a stop to it is not the only mission Bella will have. The Queen command her to find the Riders (an other group of immortals who protect the Baba Yagas) who seemed to have disappeared from both worlds. Not to mention that Bella discover a teenager living in the forest.
I think the pace was slower at the beggining and it took more time before the action begin and I admit I would have prefer a different villain (because we saw this one before), but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this book. I liked the verbal exchange between Bella and Sam, the hero background with the tragic fire and his new living arrangement (and how can I not melt when the guy care for animals). And the other reasons why I liked this book is the same reasons why I really appreciated this series ; the plots are always connected to nature, there's talking dragon/dog/cat and there's also funny dialogues, a little bit of irony and a little touch of romance. I said it before but I'll say it again; I love the whimsical vibe !
September 21, 2017
I have really enjoyed this series, and I liked this book the best so far.
I love the world-building in this, and the Baba-Yagas as main characters. They are a different type of paranormal, and I love the uniqueness of their history and powers. The Chudo-Yudos are hilarious in each of the books, and the "Otherworld" aspect also adds to the creativity of this world.
I love that the Babas are incredibly strong characters who don't *need* anyone to help them with their responsibilities, but who are smart enough to accept help and love when it is offered. I find the Babas in these books the perfect combination of strong and loving and it really works for each of the books.
The plots in each book are different enough to be unique for each of the Babas, but include enough similarities with the world to provide continuity of the world and structures. This story was definitely my favourite, including both the Riders as well as Bella's mountain to climb. It was fast-paced, exciting, suspenseful and emotional and I loved every page of it!
I had thought that this was just going to be a trilogy, but have learned that the Riders are getting books, and I will definitely read those as I want to continue visiting this world. Fun, easy-to-read and strong female characters in a cool paranormal world - what's not to like???
I love the world-building in this, and the Baba-Yagas as main characters. They are a different type of paranormal, and I love the uniqueness of their history and powers. The Chudo-Yudos are hilarious in each of the books, and the "Otherworld" aspect also adds to the creativity of this world.
I love that the Babas are incredibly strong characters who don't *need* anyone to help them with their responsibilities, but who are smart enough to accept help and love when it is offered. I find the Babas in these books the perfect combination of strong and loving and it really works for each of the books.
The plots in each book are different enough to be unique for each of the Babas, but include enough similarities with the world to provide continuity of the world and structures. This story was definitely my favourite, including both the Riders as well as Bella's mountain to climb. It was fast-paced, exciting, suspenseful and emotional and I loved every page of it!
I had thought that this was just going to be a trilogy, but have learned that the Riders are getting books, and I will definitely read those as I want to continue visiting this world. Fun, easy-to-read and strong female characters in a cool paranormal world - what's not to like???
July 9, 2016
A bewitchingly brilliant, wonderfully witchy brew!
"You say wicked like it's a bad thing."
Deborah Blake concludes her utterly charming Baba Yaga series with WICKEDLY POWERFUL. It's the third and final book in the series. It could be read as a stand-alone if that is your preference, but, your enjoyment would most assuredly be increased if the series is read in order as there is a mystery that plays out through the series. The author does fill in what a newbie would need to know - so no worries about being lost - but, heck, the series is exciting, incomprehensible and mystifying - and you won't want to miss out on any of the wild adventures within it. So do yourself a favor, and read the series in order if you can.
Since I met Deborah at the Coastal Magic Convention this year, she has become one of my favorite go-to authors and WICKEDLY POWERFUL does not disappoint! Her Baba Yaga series is a fracturing retelling of the wicked witch in the old Russian folk tales who lived in a wooden chicken hut on legs. This book is the story of Baba Yaga Bella Young and tower firewatcher Sam Corbett. Both characters shined and I ate up the chemistry between them.
Bella is one of just three Baba Yagas in the United States. Each has a special affinity; Bella's is to fire and she is appropriately a flaming redhead. Bella's magical chicken hut home has evolved into a colorful gypsy's caravan.
Sam Corbett is our tortured hero. He is a former hotshots firefighter who was the only survivor after a raging wildfire backtracked onto his team. The aftermath left him scarred inside and out. He lost his whole crew which included his best friend and his fiancé. Now he can't be around fire and suffers from PTSD. He still wants to be of service in some way, so he works as a conscientious tower firewatcher in the darkly beautiful Black Hills forest in Wyoming. Strangely, there's been many more fires this year that can't be explained, so he and the firefighters have been kept hopping. You would think that there's no way he could be around a firewitch, right? You might want to think again.
Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from this oh-so-addictive read:
"You're welcome to join us again sometime," Bella said....
"Right. Well, I don't know." Sam looked at the ground. scuffing one boot in the dirt. "I'm usually not very good company."
"I'm hanging out with a teenager and a temperamental cat." Bella said with a small smile. "The bar is set very low around here."
---
"You should stay," he repeated. "The worst of the storm may be over, but it is still raining. It's pitch-black out there, and you're already tired and soaked to the bone. "Not exactly great conditions for riding a dirt bike. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."
Bella took another small step toward him, tilting her head up so she could look into his eyes.
"And that's the only reason you want me to stay?" To keep me safe?"
Sam shook his head. "No. Not the only reason." And he leaned down to kiss her, suddenly realizing he'd been wanting to do it since the day he met her.
---
Sam started to move away, and she pulled him closer.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"Shhh," he said. "I'm just going to grab the blanket and turn out the light. I'll be right back."
Bella chuckled sleepily and waved her right hand. The blanket lifted off the back of the chair where she'd left it and came slowly sailing across the room to drape itself over their entwined bodies. A snap of her fingers and the single lamp in the kitchen went out.
Sam blinked in the sudden darkness. "You're a very handy woman to have around," he said.
"You have no idea," she replied, and proceeded to demonstrate that she wasn't quite as tired as he'd thought.
---
Sam could feel his jaw drop open, but it took him a moment to gather himself together enough to shut it. He blinked at Jazz. "Did that cat just talk, or am I losing my mind?"
Koshka laughed, a bizarre sound coming from something with whiskers and ear tufts. "So you believe in witches but not to talking cats? You have a very limited worldview, Human. You might want to work on that."
If you are a fan of this series, you would be acquainted with the Riders, a trio of sexy brawn who respond to the Baba Yagas' calls when they're needed. The problem is that they've stopped responding and have gone missing. Bella has been charged with finding them. There's fear that a certain retired Baba Yaga may be involved. I will share that the situation with the Riders is dire and sad. But, the book is really good and the Riders will be featured in a new series soon - so, thankfully, they do survive.
Supporting characters include Jazz, a feisty runaway, and, for good measure, a dragon disguised as a large cat. I inhaled this book in one day as I wasn't able to put it down once I started it. WICKEDLY POWERFUL is a romantic, suspenseful mystery with plenty of thrills. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys bewitchingly brilliant, wonderfully witchy brews! I'm happy dancing that Deborah is writing a spin-off series set in this same magical world entitled the Broken Riders. (Remember? I told you they survived!) The first book is DANGEROUSLY CHARMING and it's making its debut in October 2016! I can't wait!
My review is posted at Reading Between The Wines Book Club. Please check it out there: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...!
4 1/2 Wine Glasses!
"You say wicked like it's a bad thing."
Deborah Blake concludes her utterly charming Baba Yaga series with WICKEDLY POWERFUL. It's the third and final book in the series. It could be read as a stand-alone if that is your preference, but, your enjoyment would most assuredly be increased if the series is read in order as there is a mystery that plays out through the series. The author does fill in what a newbie would need to know - so no worries about being lost - but, heck, the series is exciting, incomprehensible and mystifying - and you won't want to miss out on any of the wild adventures within it. So do yourself a favor, and read the series in order if you can.
Since I met Deborah at the Coastal Magic Convention this year, she has become one of my favorite go-to authors and WICKEDLY POWERFUL does not disappoint! Her Baba Yaga series is a fracturing retelling of the wicked witch in the old Russian folk tales who lived in a wooden chicken hut on legs. This book is the story of Baba Yaga Bella Young and tower firewatcher Sam Corbett. Both characters shined and I ate up the chemistry between them.
Bella is one of just three Baba Yagas in the United States. Each has a special affinity; Bella's is to fire and she is appropriately a flaming redhead. Bella's magical chicken hut home has evolved into a colorful gypsy's caravan.
Sam Corbett is our tortured hero. He is a former hotshots firefighter who was the only survivor after a raging wildfire backtracked onto his team. The aftermath left him scarred inside and out. He lost his whole crew which included his best friend and his fiancé. Now he can't be around fire and suffers from PTSD. He still wants to be of service in some way, so he works as a conscientious tower firewatcher in the darkly beautiful Black Hills forest in Wyoming. Strangely, there's been many more fires this year that can't be explained, so he and the firefighters have been kept hopping. You would think that there's no way he could be around a firewitch, right? You might want to think again.
Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from this oh-so-addictive read:
"You're welcome to join us again sometime," Bella said....
"Right. Well, I don't know." Sam looked at the ground. scuffing one boot in the dirt. "I'm usually not very good company."
"I'm hanging out with a teenager and a temperamental cat." Bella said with a small smile. "The bar is set very low around here."
---
"You should stay," he repeated. "The worst of the storm may be over, but it is still raining. It's pitch-black out there, and you're already tired and soaked to the bone. "Not exactly great conditions for riding a dirt bike. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."
Bella took another small step toward him, tilting her head up so she could look into his eyes.
"And that's the only reason you want me to stay?" To keep me safe?"
Sam shook his head. "No. Not the only reason." And he leaned down to kiss her, suddenly realizing he'd been wanting to do it since the day he met her.
---
Sam started to move away, and she pulled him closer.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"Shhh," he said. "I'm just going to grab the blanket and turn out the light. I'll be right back."
Bella chuckled sleepily and waved her right hand. The blanket lifted off the back of the chair where she'd left it and came slowly sailing across the room to drape itself over their entwined bodies. A snap of her fingers and the single lamp in the kitchen went out.
Sam blinked in the sudden darkness. "You're a very handy woman to have around," he said.
"You have no idea," she replied, and proceeded to demonstrate that she wasn't quite as tired as he'd thought.
---
Sam could feel his jaw drop open, but it took him a moment to gather himself together enough to shut it. He blinked at Jazz. "Did that cat just talk, or am I losing my mind?"
Koshka laughed, a bizarre sound coming from something with whiskers and ear tufts. "So you believe in witches but not to talking cats? You have a very limited worldview, Human. You might want to work on that."
If you are a fan of this series, you would be acquainted with the Riders, a trio of sexy brawn who respond to the Baba Yagas' calls when they're needed. The problem is that they've stopped responding and have gone missing. Bella has been charged with finding them. There's fear that a certain retired Baba Yaga may be involved. I will share that the situation with the Riders is dire and sad. But, the book is really good and the Riders will be featured in a new series soon - so, thankfully, they do survive.
Supporting characters include Jazz, a feisty runaway, and, for good measure, a dragon disguised as a large cat. I inhaled this book in one day as I wasn't able to put it down once I started it. WICKEDLY POWERFUL is a romantic, suspenseful mystery with plenty of thrills. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys bewitchingly brilliant, wonderfully witchy brews! I'm happy dancing that Deborah is writing a spin-off series set in this same magical world entitled the Broken Riders. (Remember? I told you they survived!) The first book is DANGEROUSLY CHARMING and it's making its debut in October 2016! I can't wait!
My review is posted at Reading Between The Wines Book Club. Please check it out there: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...!
4 1/2 Wine Glasses!
February 12, 2018
This book could've been better with more time with Bella and Sam instead of a pingpong of POVs. What happened, instead of a solid entry with the fiery Bella, we got a bridge to the next series which isn't altogether bad, but not what I expected. Sam and Bella just seemed very....rushed.
I would've liked more Sam and Bella and more history about both Sam and the fires.
What this book did do is get me excited about future Babas and the Riders' series.
I would've liked more Sam and Bella and more history about both Sam and the fires.
What this book did do is get me excited about future Babas and the Riders' series.
January 6, 2022
a very cool way for Ella and Sam to lose their hearts and a tragic way to intro a spin-off series for the Riders. Glad that crazy witch Brenna finally got her karmic justice
December 3, 2025
"Wickedly Powerful" is the third book in the "Baba Yaga" series by Deborah Blake. This was a fun read, and I enjoyed Bella's story. Bella is a Baba Yaga, and she has a "dragon," Koshka, that is in the shape of a cat to help her out. Bella is tasked with figuring out who is setting the fires. Sam is helping out, and there have been lots of things going on that Sam has to take in. My favorite scene is when Sam hears Koshka talk for the first time. I also liked when the other Baba Yagas, Beka and Barbara, showed up. Deborah does such a wonderful job writing these Baba Yaga stories. The ending definitely has me wanting to read the next book. I enjoyed the Queen's announcement, and book four is going to be fun.
February 7, 2016
The only thing more fiery than Bella Young’s red hair is her temper. She knows that a Baba Yaga’s power without strict control can leave the people she cares about burned, so to protect her heart—and everyone around her—the only company she keeps is her dragon-turned-Norwegian-Forest-cat, Koshka.
But when Bella is tasked with discovering who’s setting magical fires throughout Wyoming’s Black Hills, she finds herself working closely with former hotshots firefighter Sam Corbett—and falling hard for his quiet strength and charm.
Sam may bear the scars of his past, but Bella can see beyond them and would do anything to help him heal. Only before she can rescue her Prince Charming, she’ll have to overcome the mysterious foe setting the forest fires—a truly wicked witch who wields as much power and even more anger than Bella…
My Review:
Oh my God why did she have to do that? Deborah you built up so much anticipation and suspense just to fall flat when you get to it? Big bummer.
But thank you for Sam, I totally adore him. He's the broken hero every girl wants to love and fix. As for our BY girls the world continues growing and the fun continues getting better.
I really love this series with each new installment. I would suggest anyone that hasn't read the previous books to get into them before reading this book because there are plenty of carry over goodies for Yaga regulars.
My Rating:
Reviewed By:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews
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Note: I received a print copy in exchange for an honest review from Berkley Publishing
But when Bella is tasked with discovering who’s setting magical fires throughout Wyoming’s Black Hills, she finds herself working closely with former hotshots firefighter Sam Corbett—and falling hard for his quiet strength and charm.
Sam may bear the scars of his past, but Bella can see beyond them and would do anything to help him heal. Only before she can rescue her Prince Charming, she’ll have to overcome the mysterious foe setting the forest fires—a truly wicked witch who wields as much power and even more anger than Bella…
My Review:
Oh my God why did she have to do that? Deborah you built up so much anticipation and suspense just to fall flat when you get to it? Big bummer.
But thank you for Sam, I totally adore him. He's the broken hero every girl wants to love and fix. As for our BY girls the world continues growing and the fun continues getting better.
I really love this series with each new installment. I would suggest anyone that hasn't read the previous books to get into them before reading this book because there are plenty of carry over goodies for Yaga regulars.
My Rating:
Reviewed By:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews
Booklikes
Goodreads
Google Plus
Blogger
Note: I received a print copy in exchange for an honest review from Berkley Publishing
February 27, 2017
In Wickedly Powerful, we meet the third of the three Baba Yagas watching over North America.
Bella's power, or abilities all revolve around fire, so it is not unlikely to see her helping to put out forest fires, or just living in her trailer in the woods. As soon as I read "red hair" in the blurb, I knew we were dealing with fire. In fact, there are a lot of heroines I read about are gingers... I wonder why that is.
Anyway, back to the book. Because of the fires her temper or feelings trigger, she has isolated herself. Just like our hero. He is isolating himself for a different reason, it just seems appropriate that the two come together.
There seems to be more than just forest fires going on that Bella is battling. She gets a surprise visitor that her cat seems more than happy to welcome, and she also gets included in the search for a few missing Riders.
I really loved Bella. The strong, spunky heroines are always my favorite. Her Prince Charming was a little on the weak side for me. He pulls it together in the end, but he just didn't feel like Bella's match. He definitely deserves the surprise he gets.
When all comes together it ends up being a big surprise all the way around. Threads are ended, and Bella goes back to her Baba Yaga life. Since there are only the three of them, and they have all had their HEA's, my guess is, their stories are over. We move on with the Riders which I think are going to be really interesting. It's hard not to get pulled in to the tortured male.
This series was really fun. I enjoyed that the Baba's all have their animal/dragons and how they help and contribute to the story. This world was full of mystery, excitement and some good humorous moments. I definitely recommend!
This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict
Bella's power, or abilities all revolve around fire, so it is not unlikely to see her helping to put out forest fires, or just living in her trailer in the woods. As soon as I read "red hair" in the blurb, I knew we were dealing with fire. In fact, there are a lot of heroines I read about are gingers... I wonder why that is.
Anyway, back to the book. Because of the fires her temper or feelings trigger, she has isolated herself. Just like our hero. He is isolating himself for a different reason, it just seems appropriate that the two come together.
There seems to be more than just forest fires going on that Bella is battling. She gets a surprise visitor that her cat seems more than happy to welcome, and she also gets included in the search for a few missing Riders.
I really loved Bella. The strong, spunky heroines are always my favorite. Her Prince Charming was a little on the weak side for me. He pulls it together in the end, but he just didn't feel like Bella's match. He definitely deserves the surprise he gets.
When all comes together it ends up being a big surprise all the way around. Threads are ended, and Bella goes back to her Baba Yaga life. Since there are only the three of them, and they have all had their HEA's, my guess is, their stories are over. We move on with the Riders which I think are going to be really interesting. It's hard not to get pulled in to the tortured male.
This series was really fun. I enjoyed that the Baba's all have their animal/dragons and how they help and contribute to the story. This world was full of mystery, excitement and some good humorous moments. I definitely recommend!
This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict
February 3, 2016
These books are always more than they seem. I mean they give the impression of being much lighter reading than they usually end up being and this one was no different.
The synopsis lays out the story well enough that I have no need to repeat it but there are several unexpected developments along the way, especially if you are a fan of the series there are some real shocking changes coming.
As usual the mystery to solve and the action are at the forefront in these books and the romance takes a backseat even though it is a main part of the story but it gets a light touch and less development than true romances. None of this makes this less entertaining but these books do present an overarching story in addition to the story in each book.
Since I have now read them all I can say they are auto-buys not because they are huge works of literary excellence but because they are just plain good. You enjoy the stories, you read the books, you end up with a smile on your face, what more can you ask from a story about witches that used to live in a hut on chicken-legs centuries ago :)
Bottom Line: Just a plain good story, it keeps you entertained, does not drag and has a nice ending although this one was a bit darker than the rest have been but there is a setup for a spin-off I guess you would call it so be prepared, things they are a changing :) I can't wait for the next one.
The synopsis lays out the story well enough that I have no need to repeat it but there are several unexpected developments along the way, especially if you are a fan of the series there are some real shocking changes coming.
As usual the mystery to solve and the action are at the forefront in these books and the romance takes a backseat even though it is a main part of the story but it gets a light touch and less development than true romances. None of this makes this less entertaining but these books do present an overarching story in addition to the story in each book.
Since I have now read them all I can say they are auto-buys not because they are huge works of literary excellence but because they are just plain good. You enjoy the stories, you read the books, you end up with a smile on your face, what more can you ask from a story about witches that used to live in a hut on chicken-legs centuries ago :)
Bottom Line: Just a plain good story, it keeps you entertained, does not drag and has a nice ending although this one was a bit darker than the rest have been but there is a setup for a spin-off I guess you would call it so be prepared, things they are a changing :) I can't wait for the next one.
September 29, 2016
The 3rd book in the Baba Yaga series finds Bella Young with her Chouo-Yudo (dragon camouflaged as a Norwegian Forest Cat) settled in her caravan in the Wyoming Black Mountain Forest. Not sure whether she is there because she loves the forest and its isolation or because she has been called as the Baba Yaga, she quickly learns it is because she has been called. She is requested to learn and bring under control the cause of recent forest fires that have been mysteriously cropping up and threatening homes and livelihoods. Oh, and along the way, the Queen of the Otherworld has also tasked Bella with finding the location of three Riders who seems to have mysteriously vanished. Making her task a little harder is the presence of Sam Corbett, stationed in the nearby fire tower. Sam comes with his own set of scars, both physical and emotional, that makes him also value his self-inflicted solitude in this forest. Will their meeting be a disaster, or an answer to both of them? I love this series and the interesting character traits that each Baba Yaga portrays. We have already had Barbara (earth) and Beka (water) and now Bella representing fire. I look forward to more stories about the Baba Yagas, as well as the new upcoming series about the Riders.
February 2, 2016
Not as sweet and soft as Becka and not as hard and fierce as Barbara, Bella falls right in the middle. I enjoyed getting to know the third American Baba Yaga and watching her get over her fears and fall in love. Bella has a bit of an attitude and I had no trouble liking her from the start. Sam was really easy to connect to and I really felt his struggles. I really enjoyed watching him open up and I liked how he was able to put his fear aside when it mattered the most.
One thing that all the Baba's share is that they are all extremely loyal to those they care about. I really loved that they were all able to come together—for a short time—in WICKEDLY POWERFUL and give us a taste of what it's like for them to work together. Bella's Chudo-Yudo was a lot of fun and a character all in its own. He brought a lot of spunk to the story.
If I am reading Blake's website right, there will be more books in the Baba Yaga series. Not sure who they will focus on, but I have enjoyed the series so far and will be picking up book four when it comes out.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
One thing that all the Baba's share is that they are all extremely loyal to those they care about. I really loved that they were all able to come together—for a short time—in WICKEDLY POWERFUL and give us a taste of what it's like for them to work together. Bella's Chudo-Yudo was a lot of fun and a character all in its own. He brought a lot of spunk to the story.
If I am reading Blake's website right, there will be more books in the Baba Yaga series. Not sure who they will focus on, but I have enjoyed the series so far and will be picking up book four when it comes out.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 7, 2016
To protect her heart and everyone around her, Bella Young, keeps to herself but finds herself working closely with former hotshot firefighter Sam Corbett when she’s tasked with discovering the origins of the magical fires in this exciting paranormal romance. This series keeps surprising me with all of its fascinating elements and mixture of mythology and paranormal with the whole Baba Yaga idea that the author has created making a refreshingly different type of witch which adds mystery and flare to the characters. There was no way I could put Bella’s and Sam’s story down once I started reading it and I can’t wait to find out what happens next, especially to the Riders.
“Copyright Night Owl Reviews”©
4 1/2 STARS
See my full review at:
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
“Copyright Night Owl Reviews”©
4 1/2 STARS
See my full review at:
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
February 13, 2016
While I liked this one Bella is my least favorite Baba Yaga. I think it's because she seems like a loner, one who doesn't care for other people. It's odd though because for someone who doesn't care for others Bella managed to collect quite a few people. The romance with Sam was blah for me. I was actually more interested in the potential protegee Jazz. Bella seemed to "get" Jazz more than anyone else. I think it was due to their shared history of being in foster families and not having good experiences.
While the drama with Bella was a bit tame, I was more intrigued with what was going on with the Riders. They sure were put through the ringer and have come out so different. It was be interesting to see how they all go forward with their lives.
While the drama with Bella was a bit tame, I was more intrigued with what was going on with the Riders. They sure were put through the ringer and have come out so different. It was be interesting to see how they all go forward with their lives.
February 23, 2017
It was wonderful to enter back into Blake's world of the Baba Yaga after a dirth of disappointing books lately. I love all the Babas and really enjoy this magical world, somehow I always feel a little like I'm coming home when I pick up one of these books.
I will say that once we'd met Sam and Jazz I knew the exactly how everything was going to tie up. That didn't dissuade me from reading, or enjoying, the rest of the book - I simply immersed myself in the story of the Riders - but it would have been nice to see at least one of the books follow a unique plot arch. Or, maybe for one of the Babas to not be straight...
All in all, I truly enjoyed it and I already have Dangerously Charming on my shelf waiting to read it!
I will say that once we'd met Sam and Jazz I knew the exactly how everything was going to tie up. That didn't dissuade me from reading, or enjoying, the rest of the book - I simply immersed myself in the story of the Riders - but it would have been nice to see at least one of the books follow a unique plot arch. Or, maybe for one of the Babas to not be straight...
All in all, I truly enjoyed it and I already have Dangerously Charming on my shelf waiting to read it!
January 30, 2016
Another great read by this author. Fun characters, exciting story, enjoyable stories. I'm thrilled to learn that even though this is the last Baba Yaga book, it's not really the end because the author is continuing the series with stories about the Riders.
February 10, 2016
I love how the Brenna arc ended. Go Chudo-Yudo! There's also a new Baba in training, maybe the series will live long enough for Jazz's story to be told.
Excited to read the Riders' books too. I've been panting for these dragons since book 1.
Excited to read the Riders' books too. I've been panting for these dragons since book 1.
December 19, 2015
A great addition to the series, the only problem with reading ARCs is there is an even longer wait until the next book and you don't want to wait!
August 21, 2016
Bella didn't get nearly as much page time as Beka and Barbara did in their books, I don't think, and the resolution was kind of anti-climactic for all the build-up...
February 8, 2016
Good reading! I'm glad the Riders are getting their own stories! They deserve it!
February 9, 2016
Love this series, love this book.
I cannot wait to read the stories of The Riders.
I cannot wait to read the stories of The Riders.
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