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Strays #1
Stray Magic
Shiloh Harrison was hoping for a few days off to recover from a particularly nasty assignment, preferably with the help of the talented hands (and, well, the rest of his body too) of her sexy boyfriend, Vincent. But when a group of vampires takes an entire trailer park hostage, there’s nothing to do but make her apologies and get to the scene.
Such is the life of a Federal Marshal in the Paranormal Investigators Unit.
Yet this isn’t like her typical track-and-nab case: something is going on that has vampires scared, and it takes all her strength not to imagine what could frighten such powerful creatures. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have that option. Her boss is MIA, someone is snatching vampires, and there’s a ticking clock that can only end one way: a bloodbath.
Unless she can stop it.
Such is the life of a Federal Marshal in the Paranormal Investigators Unit.
Yet this isn’t like her typical track-and-nab case: something is going on that has vampires scared, and it takes all her strength not to imagine what could frighten such powerful creatures. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have that option. Her boss is MIA, someone is snatching vampires, and there’s a ticking clock that can only end one way: a bloodbath.
Unless she can stop it.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 19, 2018
About the author
Kelly Meding
26 books690 followersAlso writes as Kelly Meade: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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August 12, 2026
Stray Magic
by Kelly Meding is the first book in the Strays urban fantasy series. It’s mainly set in Hebron, Maryland and various locations in nearly Delaware. Shilow Harrison, a federal marshal in the Eastern Paranormal Investigator’s Unit, has just arrived home from a mission and ready to spend time with her boyfriend Vincent Ortiz. However, she gets a work call. A Group of vampires has taken an entire trailer park hostage in Delaware. As second-in-command, she takes the lead when their unit boss, Julius Almeida, if unreachable. The mission is not straightforward. It turns out someone is abducting vampires and werewolves and using the dark arts.
Shilow is half-human and half-Earth Djinn. She can grant wishes and can manipulate the combative and aggressive nature of those around her. She’s highly trained and lethal, as well as being a skilled investigator. Additionally, she’s protective, loyal, and empathetic, and heals more quickly than a human. Also on the team are Novak, Kathleen, and Jaxon, as well as their boss, Julius Almeida. Novak is a fallen incubus when can read auras and emotionally manipulate others. He’s sarcastic, observant, and protective of the other members of the team. Kathleen is half-human, half-vampire with increased speed, enhanced reflexes and night vision, and accelerated by physical healing. She tends to be pragmatic, independent, and sharp-tongued. Jaxon is a shifter with great tracking senses and reflexes. He’s stubborn, protective, and Shilow’s ex-boyfriend. Their boss, Julius, is the only fully human person in the unit. He has tactical experience and relies on his sharp administrative intelligence as well. Master Tennyson is the leader of the vampires that have taken the trailer park residents hostage. He is charismatic and has a sense of humor. He’s also protective of his line of vampires.
The author does a great job of world-building and characterization. There’s a good mix of supernatural beings along with a protagonist who is both tough and shows some vulnerableness. The book feels like a fast-paced crime thriller with supernatural cops. It has suspense and high-stakes fight scenes along with the investigation and a few futuristic law enforcement technologies. While there’s a hint of a romantic subplot, it doesn’t go anywhere significant after the initial scene in the book.
Overall, this is an entertaining and fun urban fantasy with a strong female protagonist, good world-building, and great characterization. There appears to be only one more book in the series. I hope to read it soon.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book was originally published on June 19, 2018.
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My 3.97 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Shilow is half-human and half-Earth Djinn. She can grant wishes and can manipulate the combative and aggressive nature of those around her. She’s highly trained and lethal, as well as being a skilled investigator. Additionally, she’s protective, loyal, and empathetic, and heals more quickly than a human. Also on the team are Novak, Kathleen, and Jaxon, as well as their boss, Julius Almeida. Novak is a fallen incubus when can read auras and emotionally manipulate others. He’s sarcastic, observant, and protective of the other members of the team. Kathleen is half-human, half-vampire with increased speed, enhanced reflexes and night vision, and accelerated by physical healing. She tends to be pragmatic, independent, and sharp-tongued. Jaxon is a shifter with great tracking senses and reflexes. He’s stubborn, protective, and Shilow’s ex-boyfriend. Their boss, Julius, is the only fully human person in the unit. He has tactical experience and relies on his sharp administrative intelligence as well. Master Tennyson is the leader of the vampires that have taken the trailer park residents hostage. He is charismatic and has a sense of humor. He’s also protective of his line of vampires.
The author does a great job of world-building and characterization. There’s a good mix of supernatural beings along with a protagonist who is both tough and shows some vulnerableness. The book feels like a fast-paced crime thriller with supernatural cops. It has suspense and high-stakes fight scenes along with the investigation and a few futuristic law enforcement technologies. While there’s a hint of a romantic subplot, it doesn’t go anywhere significant after the initial scene in the book.
Overall, this is an entertaining and fun urban fantasy with a strong female protagonist, good world-building, and great characterization. There appears to be only one more book in the series. I hope to read it soon.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book was originally published on June 19, 2018.
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My 3.97 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
June 13, 2018
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I absolutely loved this book! Having never read this author, I decided to take a chance on this book because I thought that the description sounded promising. Once I started reading this book, I found it to be incredibly hard to set aside. I found myself trying to squeeze in just a bit more of this book during every spare moment I could find and I probably didn't do a few things that needed to be done so that I could read instead. I am so glad that I decided to pick up this book.
Shiloh works as a Marshall in the Paranormal Investigators Unit. She is usually the second in command for her unit but when they are called on a case and her boss is nowhere to be found, she takes the lead. I should probably also mention that Shiloh is half djinn and the rest of her unit consists of a half vampire, an incubus, and a skinwalker so there are plenty of paranormal beings rounding out this story. Their unit is called to a trailer park where residents are being held by a group of vampires. This starts an investigation into a much bigger mystery involving missing vampires, werewolves, and a whole lot of danger.
I loved the characters in this book. I think the fact that Shiloh is half djinn was a big plus for me since it is rather original. Despite the fact that Shiloh has a few special abilities, I found her easy to relate to. She was willing to make personal sacrifices when it was the right thing to do and proved to be incredibly smart. Tennyson, a master vampire, was one of my favorite characters in this book. I loved the way that he worked to protect the vampires in his line. He acts selflessly several times during the course of the story and I thought that he was the perfect partner for Shiloh.
I found the story to be very exciting. Once I figured out a few things about the world this book was set in, I was hooked. There was a lot of action in the story and I found myself worrying about the safety of the characters more than a few times. The descriptions in the story were incredibly well done and I almost felt like I was there during some of the more intense scenes. I really liked that this book kept the focus on the mystery and that the mystery was pretty complex. There is just a bit of romance but it is really a very small part of the story.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of urban fiction. I found this book to be a highly entertaining start to a very promising series featuring a great group of characters. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment in this series.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Harper Voyager via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts
Loved this book! I was hooked from the start and found myself a little more invested in the story with every page. The characters were great and the story never let up.
I absolutely loved this book! Having never read this author, I decided to take a chance on this book because I thought that the description sounded promising. Once I started reading this book, I found it to be incredibly hard to set aside. I found myself trying to squeeze in just a bit more of this book during every spare moment I could find and I probably didn't do a few things that needed to be done so that I could read instead. I am so glad that I decided to pick up this book.
Shiloh works as a Marshall in the Paranormal Investigators Unit. She is usually the second in command for her unit but when they are called on a case and her boss is nowhere to be found, she takes the lead. I should probably also mention that Shiloh is half djinn and the rest of her unit consists of a half vampire, an incubus, and a skinwalker so there are plenty of paranormal beings rounding out this story. Their unit is called to a trailer park where residents are being held by a group of vampires. This starts an investigation into a much bigger mystery involving missing vampires, werewolves, and a whole lot of danger.
I loved the characters in this book. I think the fact that Shiloh is half djinn was a big plus for me since it is rather original. Despite the fact that Shiloh has a few special abilities, I found her easy to relate to. She was willing to make personal sacrifices when it was the right thing to do and proved to be incredibly smart. Tennyson, a master vampire, was one of my favorite characters in this book. I loved the way that he worked to protect the vampires in his line. He acts selflessly several times during the course of the story and I thought that he was the perfect partner for Shiloh.
I found the story to be very exciting. Once I figured out a few things about the world this book was set in, I was hooked. There was a lot of action in the story and I found myself worrying about the safety of the characters more than a few times. The descriptions in the story were incredibly well done and I almost felt like I was there during some of the more intense scenes. I really liked that this book kept the focus on the mystery and that the mystery was pretty complex. There is just a bit of romance but it is really a very small part of the story.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of urban fiction. I found this book to be a highly entertaining start to a very promising series featuring a great group of characters. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment in this series.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Harper Voyager via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts
Loved this book! I was hooked from the start and found myself a little more invested in the story with every page. The characters were great and the story never let up.
February 24, 2019
I liked the story even though it took a bit to settle in and sort out all the characters. It was also a little on the long side and I felt like the ending dragged out a bit. Still, I'm excited to see where the story goes next. I'm hoping for more in the romance department since there wasn't really anything besides a f*ck buddy, and a past love. I guess we'll see.
Cynthia Farrell's narration was good except her cadence was too slow for my liking. I turned it up to 1.5x instead of my usual 1.25x on most books I listen to. By the ending I had it up to 1.75x because, as I said, it was dragging.
Cynthia Farrell's narration was good except her cadence was too slow for my liking. I turned it up to 1.5x instead of my usual 1.25x on most books I listen to. By the ending I had it up to 1.75x because, as I said, it was dragging.
June 16, 2018
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Shiloh is a U.S. Marshall in the Paranormal Investigation Unit. Her have to be available at all hours job makes relationships difficult, to say the least. However, her current boyfriend Vincent has her wondering if maybe more could be on the horizon, until a Vampire decides to take over a trailer park.
It is all on Shiloh as her boss goes missing, black magic is creeping around, and enemies and allies get switched around.
First in a new Urban Fantasy series, Stray Magic doesn't mess around in dropping you into the world, so much so, I felt a bit lost and overwhelmed in the beginning. This is the first in the series but I couldn't help feeling I was missing some background in regards to character relationships. There are some info dumps for the world building but with references to super computers and advanced technology alongside a video rental store and flip phones, it was hard to set the story in a time and place. The acknowledgment of some supernatural and paranormal beings, being known to the world, is just that, a brief acknowledgement. I would have liked a more thorough explanation of the world; this feeling was tied into feeling like this wasn't the start of the series.
Told in first person from our heroine Shiloh's point-of-view, she is our leader through the story. She is half djinn half human with abilities to grant three wishes and has Quarrel pheromones that are hard for her to control. She is tough, snarky, and fun to follow along with but it was hard to feel her emotional connection to the other characters, thus, making secondary characters feel vaguer.
This story is basically Shiloh trying to solve a mystery with supernatural beings and seemingly involved in, not a love triangle, but love quad. Shiloh has her boyfriend Vincent, who, she keeps saying, she wants more with, the vampire Tennyson who she spends the most time with and while it seems there may be more on his side, there are leanings from her, and her co-worker and ex, Jaxon. What we get from her thoughts about Jaxon are mostly, her observations about how hot he looks, how pretty his eyes are, and remembering how much she liked him in the bedroom; it doesn't feel deep. There seems to be or was a deeper relationship between them but we never see it and I never felt it.
The mystery/thriller angle of investigating who is behind the necromancy and black magic was fun to follow along with but we barely got to know the villain and the wrap-up of that part was rushed. There are some shocking twists along the way but some felt unsupported making the plot threads feel wild and loosely thrown about.
Shiloh was a solid character but emotional connections to secondary characters helping us get to know them and create a setting and world was lacking. There was an outline of the supernatural world but random components (Shiloh's quarrel pheromones, Crux sexual transport) were thrown out there and never really integrated with the story and characters. There are loose ends at the end of the story with part of the mystery not solved and the quad love angle getting a twist. If looking for a female lead urban fantasy with supernatural beings running amok, this would fit the bill, just be prepared for this to feel more like a dry first reading and hope for emotional connections/understandings/payoffs to come in the second.
Shiloh is a U.S. Marshall in the Paranormal Investigation Unit. Her have to be available at all hours job makes relationships difficult, to say the least. However, her current boyfriend Vincent has her wondering if maybe more could be on the horizon, until a Vampire decides to take over a trailer park.
It is all on Shiloh as her boss goes missing, black magic is creeping around, and enemies and allies get switched around.
First in a new Urban Fantasy series, Stray Magic doesn't mess around in dropping you into the world, so much so, I felt a bit lost and overwhelmed in the beginning. This is the first in the series but I couldn't help feeling I was missing some background in regards to character relationships. There are some info dumps for the world building but with references to super computers and advanced technology alongside a video rental store and flip phones, it was hard to set the story in a time and place. The acknowledgment of some supernatural and paranormal beings, being known to the world, is just that, a brief acknowledgement. I would have liked a more thorough explanation of the world; this feeling was tied into feeling like this wasn't the start of the series.
Told in first person from our heroine Shiloh's point-of-view, she is our leader through the story. She is half djinn half human with abilities to grant three wishes and has Quarrel pheromones that are hard for her to control. She is tough, snarky, and fun to follow along with but it was hard to feel her emotional connection to the other characters, thus, making secondary characters feel vaguer.
This story is basically Shiloh trying to solve a mystery with supernatural beings and seemingly involved in, not a love triangle, but love quad. Shiloh has her boyfriend Vincent, who, she keeps saying, she wants more with, the vampire Tennyson who she spends the most time with and while it seems there may be more on his side, there are leanings from her, and her co-worker and ex, Jaxon. What we get from her thoughts about Jaxon are mostly, her observations about how hot he looks, how pretty his eyes are, and remembering how much she liked him in the bedroom; it doesn't feel deep. There seems to be or was a deeper relationship between them but we never see it and I never felt it.
The mystery/thriller angle of investigating who is behind the necromancy and black magic was fun to follow along with but we barely got to know the villain and the wrap-up of that part was rushed. There are some shocking twists along the way but some felt unsupported making the plot threads feel wild and loosely thrown about.
Shiloh was a solid character but emotional connections to secondary characters helping us get to know them and create a setting and world was lacking. There was an outline of the supernatural world but random components (Shiloh's quarrel pheromones, Crux sexual transport) were thrown out there and never really integrated with the story and characters. There are loose ends at the end of the story with part of the mystery not solved and the quad love angle getting a twist. If looking for a female lead urban fantasy with supernatural beings running amok, this would fit the bill, just be prepared for this to feel more like a dry first reading and hope for emotional connections/understandings/payoffs to come in the second.
July 22, 2018
As the second in command of the Paranormal Investigators Unit, Shiloh Harrison follows orders. She's good at her job and has a good relationship with her team. Her team includes a human boss (Julius Almeida), an incubus (Novak), a skinwalker (Jaxon) and a dhampir (Kathleen). Shiloh herself is a half djinn. She can grant three wishes. She also has to deal with her Quarrel, an ability to affect the combative nature of humans. If she doesn't exert control, she can be responsible for unleashing a fight where none should be.
She just finished a case and is about to spend some time with her current lover Vincent Ortiz, when she's called back to work. A trailer park has been taken hostage by a group of vampires. Her team needs to show up as soon as possible before things get out of hand. Her boss is nowhere to be found, making Shiloh the lead US Marshall.
At the scene, Shiloh meets Woodrow Tennyson, a master vampire who has moved all his line into the trailer park. Tennyson is worried. Some of his vampires have disappeared and before any more are taken he needs the team's help to discover who's behind it and why.
Shiloh knows this mission is important when Tennyson admits he's not the only master vampire or werewolf pack who has members gone missing. Forty-six vampires and twenty-eight werewolves have disappeared.
This will take the team into a never-before-seen danger where black magic is at the center of it all. Shiloh won't know who's an ally and who's a foe.
__
I love Urban Fantasy novels. I was excited about starting a new series. I was hoping to find a new favorite. I can't say that I did. However, I was entertained by the characters and the action.
I couldn't connect with Shiloh at the beginning but I liked her by the end. She made some rushed decisions. They felt too impulsive. She also has some issues with her relationships. She was with Vincent but was thinking about her ex-lover and then she throws Tennyson in the mix. She's supposed to hate vampires but she could barely keep two feet away from Tennyson.
There was a good twist at the end and a few unanswered questions. I'm hoping we get some answers in the next installment.
Stray Magic delivers a good plot and interesting characters. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in this series.
Thank you HarperCollins Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of Stray Magic in exchange for an honest review.
Cliffhanger: Not really
3/5 Fangs
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December 3, 2025
This was a good beach read -there were a number of inconsistencies and the plot logic had some gaps - so as long as you don't think about it too hard....which is why it's a good beach read. Plus it was fun to read urban fantasy again with a sarcastic, snarky, protagonist.
June 8, 2018
STRAY MAGIC was just what I needed after reading quite a few dark, twisty thrillers in a row. The unique plot line, paranormal theme, and a touch of hopeful romance kept my interest from the first page to the last.
Shiloh Harrison is a Federal Marshall in the Paranormal Investigation Unit. After a long weekend working she wants nothing more than to spend time with her completely human boyfriend, Vincent. But when a group of Vampires take an entire trailer park hostage, duty calls and she has to go try to defuse the situation. When she arrives it’s not what she expected. The vampires need Shiloh’s unit’s help. Something, or someone, is taking ages old vampires and there’s no trace of them. Shiloh has to help them. . . because not only are vampires missing, but her own boss is missing as well. Something tells Shiloh that these two situations must be related.
I am a serious sucker for UF/Paranormal stories. Anything with vampires, werewolves, or any of the other fun paranormal entity provides such an enjoyable reading experience for me. But, I have to say, when it comes to choosing a paranormal story I’m super picky. I find that some authors try to make their paranormal world too intricate, and instead of enjoying the story I’m trying to keep all the pieces together. I have to say that Kelly Meding did such a wonderful job at building her paranormal world without overdoing it. The Paranormal Investigation Unit was so unique and original without being over the top.
Another thing that I liked that made this story stand out from others is the way the author played with the types of characters. There were vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, earth djinn’s, witches, and even an incubus. The way they all played on each other was super interesting and I’m excited to learn more about these supernatural beings in the upcoming novels of this series.
Like I said above I think there will be a bit of a romance storyline in the next book. The author left some things open to explore and I’m super excited about where the series could possibly go. If you enjoy Patricia Briggs or Anne Bishop’s series, I think you’ll truly love STRAY MAGIC by Kelly Meding. The writing was rich, original, and thorough. The moment I started the first page I was enveloped in the series and I didn’t want it to end.
4.5/5 STARS
Shiloh Harrison is a Federal Marshall in the Paranormal Investigation Unit. After a long weekend working she wants nothing more than to spend time with her completely human boyfriend, Vincent. But when a group of Vampires take an entire trailer park hostage, duty calls and she has to go try to defuse the situation. When she arrives it’s not what she expected. The vampires need Shiloh’s unit’s help. Something, or someone, is taking ages old vampires and there’s no trace of them. Shiloh has to help them. . . because not only are vampires missing, but her own boss is missing as well. Something tells Shiloh that these two situations must be related.
I am a serious sucker for UF/Paranormal stories. Anything with vampires, werewolves, or any of the other fun paranormal entity provides such an enjoyable reading experience for me. But, I have to say, when it comes to choosing a paranormal story I’m super picky. I find that some authors try to make their paranormal world too intricate, and instead of enjoying the story I’m trying to keep all the pieces together. I have to say that Kelly Meding did such a wonderful job at building her paranormal world without overdoing it. The Paranormal Investigation Unit was so unique and original without being over the top.
Another thing that I liked that made this story stand out from others is the way the author played with the types of characters. There were vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, earth djinn’s, witches, and even an incubus. The way they all played on each other was super interesting and I’m excited to learn more about these supernatural beings in the upcoming novels of this series.
Like I said above I think there will be a bit of a romance storyline in the next book. The author left some things open to explore and I’m super excited about where the series could possibly go. If you enjoy Patricia Briggs or Anne Bishop’s series, I think you’ll truly love STRAY MAGIC by Kelly Meding. The writing was rich, original, and thorough. The moment I started the first page I was enveloped in the series and I didn’t want it to end.
4.5/5 STARS
May 9, 2018
Shiloh Harrison is a Federal Marshal in the Paranormal Investigating Unit. She is taking some much-needed time off after a very difficult assignment when she is called back in because a large group of vampires have just taken a trailer park hostage.
Vampires are running scared and its Shiloh’s job to figure out why when her boss suddenly appears as a talking head…
Delightfully surprised and found myself completely engaged in Meding's Stray Magic. The first book in the Stray series, I'm sure this won't be my last. I connected with the characters, was ecstatic by its uniqueness and riveted to the plot. I love urban fantasy, this is one I will be following.
I received this ARC copy of Stray Magic from HarperCollins - Harper Voyager. This is my honest and voluntary review. Stray Magic is set for publication July 24, 2018.
Vampires are running scared and its Shiloh’s job to figure out why when her boss suddenly appears as a talking head…
Delightfully surprised and found myself completely engaged in Meding's Stray Magic. The first book in the Stray series, I'm sure this won't be my last. I connected with the characters, was ecstatic by its uniqueness and riveted to the plot. I love urban fantasy, this is one I will be following.
I received this ARC copy of Stray Magic from HarperCollins - Harper Voyager. This is my honest and voluntary review. Stray Magic is set for publication July 24, 2018.
May 16, 2018
Title: Stray Magic: A Strays Novel
Series: Strays #1
Author: Kelly Meding
Release date: June 19, 2018
Cliffhanger: Yes
It's been quite a while since I've started a new urban fantasy series, so when I was offered the opportunity to read an early copy, I shuffled my schedule in order to make it happen. I've never read any other books by Kelly Meding, but it certainly sounded promising.
I loved that Shiloh is a paranormal Federal Marshal. She's seen and experienced a lot of things that have left her hardened and a bit cynical, and she's made the choice to avoid romantic attachments because of her career. Half human, half djinn, she has a significant edge with the gifts given to her by her earth djinn father. She's much harder to kill or injure than the average human, she can walk through solid objects, sense power, and unable to be turned by a vampire. But she also has something called the Quarrel that if not kept under control can affect the combative nature of humans and draw out their anger. It's a constant battle of will to dampen that side of herself.
Master vampire Woodrow Tennyson was a pretty layered character. At over five hundred years old, he's acquired a lot of intelligence and experience, and his power is rivaled by few. He holds a close bond with all of his "children" that he's turned over the years, and would go to any lengths to keep them safe. His line is being threatened by an unknown source, so he finds an unlikely ally in Shiloh and they begin to work together to solve the puzzle of the massive werewolf and vampire disappearances. I thought he was really well done. He didn't give much away emotionally, but those moments when Shiloh got a peek into his head through their telepathic bond really revealed a lot about how deeply he cared about those he loved and lost. His respect and deference to her position of power was admirable, especially considering how djinn and vamps are known for their animosity.
Her team consists of a fallen incubus, an skin-walker, and a dhampir. Each a set of magical abilities and rules that interacted with each other in varying ways. The world building was exceptional and really detailed. I must admit, it did hinder the pace a bit. While the plot was action-packed, it wasn't necessarily make it a compulsively readable book. I feel like we just scratched the surface on some of the supporting characters.
I was somewhat detached from Shiloh-I understood her, but I wasn't fully engaged. Most especially in regards to the romance that's very subtly teased. I honestly couldn't get a handle on who the love interest even was. She spent most of the book thinking about her lover that she was in a casual relationship with, and she even had conflicted feelings about her ex who was part of the para-investigation unit. Then there was the bond between her and Tennyson thrown into the mix. So the possibility of something developing there didn't really draw out any excitement. As this is just the first in the series, there is plenty of room for something more defined, but at the moment it's a story arc with unfilled potential.
There was also an impulsive decision made by her that was really unnecessary with some extreme consequences. I didn't see why she didn't try other avenues before resorting to something so awful, and it made me feel like she placed her job over the most important people in her life because of how quickly and easily she made that choice. However, it added a giant wrinkle of a plot twist that added a decent conflict to be resolved later. I was pretty shocked at the reveal at the end in relation to that, I honestly wasn't expecting it at all.
Overall, I found the pace to be a bit slower than I would have liked, and the romance veering on the ambiguous side, but I was intrigued by the world building and the addition of the necromancy to the central story. I would definitely continue on with the series to find out what direction the author to take things. If you're into urban fantasy with strong elements of mystery and suspense, this could be just the series for you.
Stray Moon: A Novel is the next installment in the Strays series, with the expected publication of November 2019.
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July 17, 2018
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I am a great lover of Urban Fantasy and the blurb of Stray Magic had me excited. Could I have found my next UF obsession? It seemed to have all the elements I like; a strong heroine, a range of paranormal races, magic, an interesting plot and a new world to explore. And although on paper I should have loved it, sadly it didn’t quite enthrall as I expected, and wanted, it to.
This is my first book from Kelly Meding as well as the first book in the Stray series. When I was reading I felt like this series precedes something else. That perhaps this is a spin off series, I am still not sure. However, this didn’t stop me from understanding the basic world dynamics, it was just a nagging feeling that perhaps there were events and relationship development that I was missing.
But, the main reason I didn’t connect with this book was that I didn’t immediately like Shiloh, the heroine. The person from whose POV this story was told. By the end I had warmed to her, so she did grow on me as the story progressed. I can’t quite see why I was apathetic towards her, she just didn’t draw me in. The way she treated her love life I also found slightly off putting, she was in a semi-relationship with one man, still a little bit in love with another and through the course of the book was developing a…thing with a vampire master she professes to dislike yet sacrifices a great deal for and barely leaves his side. I really hate love triangles so I didn’t find this aspect of Stray Magic interesting, just irritating.
Characters aside though, I did like the world that Meding had created, full of various magical races such as djinn, skin walkers, vampires, werewolves and many others. Although it wasn’t the most original set up, it was nonetheless the kind of world I enjoy. I also enjoyed the fast pace of the story, although the story itself felt a little like an ill-fitting jigsaw. Some of the pieces didn’t fit together properly for me. However, there were some open story threads that weren’t neatly tied together. Perhaps in the future it will make more sense.
Although this book was a little underwhelming, I did generally enjoy it and would be interested in reading the next in the series. I doubt it will be my next UF obsession, but if you want a little action and adventure it’s a solid read.
*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Suzanne❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
June 9, 2018
Hells yes! With, so many of my favorite urban fantasy series ending I am thrilled this series started off with a bang. From the brilliant world-building to the motley crew, and parental units that will give you nightmares. There is even a sexy four-hundred-year-old vampire. I am doing the happy dance!
I first met our heroine, in the novella, Freak House. published in the Carniepunk Anthology. Someone holds Shiloh's father, an ancient djinn, captive along with others. During the rescue Shiloh meets Julius the current commander of her paranormal unit. While unnecessary to read Freak House, I appreciated the history.
When vampires take over a trailer park, they call the unit in, only their leader Julius is missing putting Harrison in command. Vampires are missing as are werewolves and it has both in fear. The tale that unfolds was addictive with plenty of action and banter. The clock is ticking and Harrison will have to trust a master vampire to aid her. Before the case is over, Harrison and her team will meet a revenant and necromancer, encounter creepy dark magic, face death, seek answers from a witch and strike a deal that will cost Harrison something she cannot get back.
I loved Stray Magic from beginning to the end. The pacing and world-building was fantastic, addictive and filled with characters I want to learn more about. The case wraps up enough to give us a sense of closure. However, the werewolves are still missing which has left me counting down the days until the release of Stray Moon. Melding is a seasoned author and I am sorry I haven't explored her books sooner. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
I first met our heroine, in the novella, Freak House. published in the Carniepunk Anthology. Someone holds Shiloh's father, an ancient djinn, captive along with others. During the rescue Shiloh meets Julius the current commander of her paranormal unit. While unnecessary to read Freak House, I appreciated the history.
When vampires take over a trailer park, they call the unit in, only their leader Julius is missing putting Harrison in command. Vampires are missing as are werewolves and it has both in fear. The tale that unfolds was addictive with plenty of action and banter. The clock is ticking and Harrison will have to trust a master vampire to aid her. Before the case is over, Harrison and her team will meet a revenant and necromancer, encounter creepy dark magic, face death, seek answers from a witch and strike a deal that will cost Harrison something she cannot get back.
I loved Stray Magic from beginning to the end. The pacing and world-building was fantastic, addictive and filled with characters I want to learn more about. The case wraps up enough to give us a sense of closure. However, the werewolves are still missing which has left me counting down the days until the release of Stray Moon. Melding is a seasoned author and I am sorry I haven't explored her books sooner. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
May 23, 2018
I have been a fan of Kelly Meding since her Dreg City days. So when I saw she had a new urban fantasy series starting, I was super excited. And I am happy to report that Stray Magic didn’t disappoint.
The heroine, Shiloh, is a US marshal who works with a special paranormal unit. She is half human, half djinn, and as the story begins, she is just looking forward to a little R&R with her boyfriend, Vincent. Unfortunately, before they can get too cozy, she is called away on a case. A group of vampires has taken a trailer park hostage. The thing is, though, it is just an entry point into a larger mystery. Someone has been snatching vampires and werewolves… and master vampire Tennyson orchestrated the hostage situation it to get the help of Shiloh’s team in finding out who is behind the kidnappings and stopping them. This, as Shiloh’s own boss goes missing. She must work with Tennyson and the remainder of her team in a race to find the bad guy as it seems he is closing in on her at the same time.
It’s quite a good plot. There is a ton of action and layers of the mystery. The world building is very well done too. As with any book that I end up really engrossed in, the real win here is in the characters and the complicated relationships among them. From the tension filled interplay between Shiloh’s parents, to her interactions with her ex, Jaxon, to her boyfriend… and Tennyson, I was constantly trying to figure out where everyone fit in her world. Some of those questions were answered better than others. There is definitely a thread of romance by the way, but for the life of me I’m still not sure who the main love interest is supposed to be. Is it the boyfriend, Vincent? Is it the ex, Jaxon, who she clearly is still linked to? Or the forbidden possibility of a pairing between a djinn half blood and the vampire Tennyson? My money is on the last one, but there are enough storylines at play I could be wrong. I both love and hate the fact that I am not sure.
There’s plenty of violence here, as there often is in Meding’s books, but this heroine doesn’t quite suffer to the extent that some of her other ones have. Of course, we are still early in the series. There’s a lot of gore, too, and if spiders freak you out, beware.
I am very excited to see where the author takes us in the second installment. I will definitely be reading to find out.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by publisher
The heroine, Shiloh, is a US marshal who works with a special paranormal unit. She is half human, half djinn, and as the story begins, she is just looking forward to a little R&R with her boyfriend, Vincent. Unfortunately, before they can get too cozy, she is called away on a case. A group of vampires has taken a trailer park hostage. The thing is, though, it is just an entry point into a larger mystery. Someone has been snatching vampires and werewolves… and master vampire Tennyson orchestrated the hostage situation it to get the help of Shiloh’s team in finding out who is behind the kidnappings and stopping them. This, as Shiloh’s own boss goes missing. She must work with Tennyson and the remainder of her team in a race to find the bad guy as it seems he is closing in on her at the same time.
It’s quite a good plot. There is a ton of action and layers of the mystery. The world building is very well done too. As with any book that I end up really engrossed in, the real win here is in the characters and the complicated relationships among them. From the tension filled interplay between Shiloh’s parents, to her interactions with her ex, Jaxon, to her boyfriend… and Tennyson, I was constantly trying to figure out where everyone fit in her world. Some of those questions were answered better than others. There is definitely a thread of romance by the way, but for the life of me I’m still not sure who the main love interest is supposed to be. Is it the boyfriend, Vincent? Is it the ex, Jaxon, who she clearly is still linked to? Or the forbidden possibility of a pairing between a djinn half blood and the vampire Tennyson? My money is on the last one, but there are enough storylines at play I could be wrong. I both love and hate the fact that I am not sure.
There’s plenty of violence here, as there often is in Meding’s books, but this heroine doesn’t quite suffer to the extent that some of her other ones have. Of course, we are still early in the series. There’s a lot of gore, too, and if spiders freak you out, beware.
I am very excited to see where the author takes us in the second installment. I will definitely be reading to find out.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by publisher
June 28, 2018
DNF at about 33%
I enjoyed Meding’s first Dreg City book, but this was a disappointment.
I found Shiloh and most of the other characters in the book annoying at first, and the feeling only grew with longer acquaintance. The world-building was spotty, almost a hodgepodge of magical and paranormal types without a coherent whole. I found the paranormal law enforcement aspects completely unbelievable, from only the two (noncommunicating) offices to the unprofessionalism and incompetence of the staff.
The book also suffered from comparisons with the last book I read, an Ilona Andrews story. So maybe this was a case of bad timing, wrong mood, but I figure it’s time to set this one aside.
I enjoyed Meding’s first Dreg City book, but this was a disappointment.
I found Shiloh and most of the other characters in the book annoying at first, and the feeling only grew with longer acquaintance. The world-building was spotty, almost a hodgepodge of magical and paranormal types without a coherent whole. I found the paranormal law enforcement aspects completely unbelievable, from only the two (noncommunicating) offices to the unprofessionalism and incompetence of the staff.
The book also suffered from comparisons with the last book I read, an Ilona Andrews story. So maybe this was a case of bad timing, wrong mood, but I figure it’s time to set this one aside.
July 10, 2018
Stray Magic is the first book in the Strays series, and my first read by Kelly Meding. I really like this author's writing style, and I'm so happy to have found another urban fantasy series to read. It seems like the genre has been slowing and not as many UF books are being introduced these days. This series has a unique cast of paranormal character, a feisty and interesting heroine, and the promise of steamy romantic entanglements.
Our heroine, Shiloh Harrison, is a half-human djinn and federal marshall. If her heritage wasn't intriguing enough, her job policing rogue paranormals produces plenty of action and adventure to get your blood pumping. In this first installment, Shiloh must take the lead in investigating a rash of kidnapped vampires and werewolves, in addition to some crazy black magic happenings that cause losses closer to home. I enjoyed following along with the investigation, and I loved that I was not able to guess the outcome. There were some good twists and turns thrown in there, and some great fight scenes.
I found every member of Shiloh's team to be interesting. From an incubus to a stag shifter, each adds a different flavor and element to the story. They also have some very cool tech and toys to assist with their law enforcement operation, and I totally want a K.I.M. supercomputer!
Shiloh's relationships with the different team members, and her parents, had great dynamics and helped to make her relatable. I was able to forge a good connection to her as a heroine, and she is definitely one that I could read/follow long-term. I have mixed feelings about her potential romantic entanglements, there are some very good choices up for grabs!
If you are looking for a new urban fantasy series to sink your teeth into, I definitely recommend this author. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Avon.
June 15, 2018
*Source* NetGalley
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Stray Magic, by author Kelly Meding, is the first installment in the authors Strays series. Protagonist Shiloh Harrison is a 28-year-old US Marshall in The Paranormal Investigations Unit under the auspices of the DOJ. Shiloh has been with the unit for 6 years and is currently second-in-command. Shiloh is a half djinni with abilities to grant three wishes and has Quarrel pheromones that are hard for her to control. Her abilities often affect the combative nature of humans. She is tough, snarky, and fun to follow along with.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Stray Magic, by author Kelly Meding, is the first installment in the authors Strays series. Protagonist Shiloh Harrison is a 28-year-old US Marshall in The Paranormal Investigations Unit under the auspices of the DOJ. Shiloh has been with the unit for 6 years and is currently second-in-command. Shiloh is a half djinni with abilities to grant three wishes and has Quarrel pheromones that are hard for her to control. Her abilities often affect the combative nature of humans. She is tough, snarky, and fun to follow along with.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
June 1, 2018
I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
I remember years ago reading Kelly Meding's short story, Freak House from the Carniepunk anthology and thinking it was really good! It had definite series potential. Fast forward five years and today we have Stray Magic!
Shiloh is half djinn and a Federal Marshal in the Paranormal Investigators Unit, basically solving the serious crimes of the paranormal community in our world. I've pretty much been fascinated with the djinn ever since I read Rachel Caine's Weather Wardens series. While we don't get very extensive into the djinn background, we get the general idea of her abilities, so that was helpful in knowing Kelly's djinn vs djinn I've previously met!
When we start the novel, Shiloh just got off a case of some sort and was about to enjoy some rest and relaxation with her sort of boyfriend, Vincent. They keep things very casual and there's hardly anything beyond sex, but almost immediately upon coming home, she's called in for another case. A large group of vampires have taken a trailer park hostage. Just another day in the life of PIU agent! Though when she arrives she learns it's not all that simple as hungry vampires wanting their own blood supply. When she meets the Master, Tennyson, she learns there's a great deal more going on then what meets the eye. Some of Tennyson's vampires are missing and he's not able to locate them. Furthermore he has spoken with other Masters from around the United States and they're missing vampires too. It is even extending to missing werewolves too.
Shiloh is forced to take point on this one when her boss is MIA. The reasoning behind his absence is quickly revealed though. The case begins spiraling out of control when it becomes clear a necromancer may be involved. The reason why he is taking the vampires and werewolves isn't clear right way. But as Shiloh and her team investigate, they learn the necromancer is far more powerful than they imagined, for he seems to be spying on them and staying one step ahead.
Stray Magic was a very interesting read. It's been too long since I read Freak House, so I can't really remember the introduction to this world, but I found it to be quite fascinating! I love paranormal books and this one was rife with paranormal beings, some are even lesser known ones. I always love when authors include them because it's fun to learn about new beings in whichever the way the author takes them. This can be said of the classic paranormal beings too, for that matter!
I wish I was able to remember Jaxon better. Jaxon is Shiloh's ex-boyfriend and team member and while I recall him being in the short story, mainly because it was mentioned, that's about all I can really recall of their relationship. I also wish Shiloh had more interaction with him. At first, I kind of thought that the interactions would happen over the course of the book, but no dice. Shiloh spends more time with Tennyson, yet I caught no romantic vibes. She still has a sort of boyfriend, who ironically get's pulled into her career side of life that she strived to keep separate. There was very little romance in this one, which kind of surprised me. I feel like Kelly's previous Urban Fantasy books at least had some kisses or tension. There was just a very small taste of kissing in this one.
The pacing to this one was okay. It's an investigation story, so I wasn't expecting it to be fast. There were times I felt like things were dragging too much. It never lasted too long though. I guess I was wanting more interaction with whichever love interest was legit. I still don't think Tennyson was one and while I enjoyed their working relationship, I'll admit, I've gotten use to at least a little kissing in the books that I read! Lol!
The ending was a bit of shocker! When we finally learn the full scale of the necromancer's identity and his cohorts and their plan...just whoa! And then the last few lines totally blew me away in surprise! I mean I had built a theory on this tidbit, so I was psyched to see it being right, but at the same time horrified of being right! Lol. What it will all mean for Shiloh in the future has yet to be seen...or theorized! I'll be anxious to see what will come of it.
Kelly Meding is back and Stray Magic was an exciting read that I was eagerly anticipating for years! It delivers on many points, even if the pacing did bog me down a bit. I was still eating up the pages! I am very excited to see what will happen next! It you like Urban Fantasy and investigative reads, this one is definitely for you!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
Stray Magic releases June 19, 2018
I remember years ago reading Kelly Meding's short story, Freak House from the Carniepunk anthology and thinking it was really good! It had definite series potential. Fast forward five years and today we have Stray Magic!
Shiloh is half djinn and a Federal Marshal in the Paranormal Investigators Unit, basically solving the serious crimes of the paranormal community in our world. I've pretty much been fascinated with the djinn ever since I read Rachel Caine's Weather Wardens series. While we don't get very extensive into the djinn background, we get the general idea of her abilities, so that was helpful in knowing Kelly's djinn vs djinn I've previously met!
When we start the novel, Shiloh just got off a case of some sort and was about to enjoy some rest and relaxation with her sort of boyfriend, Vincent. They keep things very casual and there's hardly anything beyond sex, but almost immediately upon coming home, she's called in for another case. A large group of vampires have taken a trailer park hostage. Just another day in the life of PIU agent! Though when she arrives she learns it's not all that simple as hungry vampires wanting their own blood supply. When she meets the Master, Tennyson, she learns there's a great deal more going on then what meets the eye. Some of Tennyson's vampires are missing and he's not able to locate them. Furthermore he has spoken with other Masters from around the United States and they're missing vampires too. It is even extending to missing werewolves too.
Shiloh is forced to take point on this one when her boss is MIA. The reasoning behind his absence is quickly revealed though. The case begins spiraling out of control when it becomes clear a necromancer may be involved. The reason why he is taking the vampires and werewolves isn't clear right way. But as Shiloh and her team investigate, they learn the necromancer is far more powerful than they imagined, for he seems to be spying on them and staying one step ahead.
Stray Magic was a very interesting read. It's been too long since I read Freak House, so I can't really remember the introduction to this world, but I found it to be quite fascinating! I love paranormal books and this one was rife with paranormal beings, some are even lesser known ones. I always love when authors include them because it's fun to learn about new beings in whichever the way the author takes them. This can be said of the classic paranormal beings too, for that matter!
I wish I was able to remember Jaxon better. Jaxon is Shiloh's ex-boyfriend and team member and while I recall him being in the short story, mainly because it was mentioned, that's about all I can really recall of their relationship. I also wish Shiloh had more interaction with him. At first, I kind of thought that the interactions would happen over the course of the book, but no dice. Shiloh spends more time with Tennyson, yet I caught no romantic vibes. She still has a sort of boyfriend, who ironically get's pulled into her career side of life that she strived to keep separate. There was very little romance in this one, which kind of surprised me. I feel like Kelly's previous Urban Fantasy books at least had some kisses or tension. There was just a very small taste of kissing in this one.
The pacing to this one was okay. It's an investigation story, so I wasn't expecting it to be fast. There were times I felt like things were dragging too much. It never lasted too long though. I guess I was wanting more interaction with whichever love interest was legit. I still don't think Tennyson was one and while I enjoyed their working relationship, I'll admit, I've gotten use to at least a little kissing in the books that I read! Lol!
The ending was a bit of shocker! When we finally learn the full scale of the necromancer's identity and his cohorts and their plan...just whoa! And then the last few lines totally blew me away in surprise! I mean I had built a theory on this tidbit, so I was psyched to see it being right, but at the same time horrified of being right! Lol. What it will all mean for Shiloh in the future has yet to be seen...or theorized! I'll be anxious to see what will come of it.
Kelly Meding is back and Stray Magic was an exciting read that I was eagerly anticipating for years! It delivers on many points, even if the pacing did bog me down a bit. I was still eating up the pages! I am very excited to see what will happen next! It you like Urban Fantasy and investigative reads, this one is definitely for you!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
Stray Magic releases June 19, 2018
June 23, 2018
Shiloh Harrison, half human half djinn, is second team-leader of a federal marshals in a Paranormal Investigators Unit that consists of herself, a fallen incubus, a stag skin-walker, and a dhampir. After an exhausting case, she is ready to take days off when she gets a call that bunch of vampires have taken hostage of a trailer park. Also, their human team leader is missing.
The Master of Vampire who takes the hostage says that several vampires and werewolves and missing; this is his way to ask for help from the Para-Unit. Long story short, Shiloh discovers that her team is up against serious threat against both paranormal creatures and human...
Kelly Meding -- whose series, Dreg City, I enjoyed very much -- returned to old-school urban fantasy with Stray Magic . I immediately LOVED this book -- especially when Shiloh discovered what happened with their leader. It moved on fast, with several twists and turns until the shocking revelation about who was responsible behind the missing vampires.
Along the line, I thought Meding created several INTERESTING male characters that can actually be love interest to Shiloh, despite the book started with Shiloh seeing a human for the past nine months. I can't help it, I thought Shiloh and Tennyson had SPARKS!!
The ending was excellent, and I couldn't WAIT for the second book coming in November. Bring it on!!
The Master of Vampire who takes the hostage says that several vampires and werewolves and missing; this is his way to ask for help from the Para-Unit. Long story short, Shiloh discovers that her team is up against serious threat against both paranormal creatures and human...
Kelly Meding -- whose series, Dreg City, I enjoyed very much -- returned to old-school urban fantasy with Stray Magic . I immediately LOVED this book -- especially when Shiloh discovered what happened with their leader. It moved on fast, with several twists and turns until the shocking revelation about who was responsible behind the missing vampires.
Along the line, I thought Meding created several INTERESTING male characters that can actually be love interest to Shiloh, despite the book started with Shiloh seeing a human for the past nine months. I can't help it, I thought Shiloh and Tennyson had SPARKS!!
The ending was excellent, and I couldn't WAIT for the second book coming in November. Bring it on!!
September 25, 2018
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Read It, Rate It and Record
A short review to update challenges
I've know about this author for awhile and liked one of her books I read. I bought the second book but haven't managed it yet. Her primary series I haven't read yet either. But I was excited to try this new Strays series .
Stray Magic is urban fantasy although it feels a little scifi. I guess it is because the world-building is unusual. The supernaturals are not the typical ones and even the typical ones are not ... typical. I like different.
Shiloh is a paranormal investigator part of a team. The head of the team is missing, so she has to run this operation. The action is fast-paced and the hits just keep coming. I had a tiny bit of the first in the series overwhelming feeling. Now the primary characters are introduced and I look forward to more cases with future books. I definitely plan to read Stray Moon planned for February.
Read It, Rate It and Record
A short review to update challenges
I've know about this author for awhile and liked one of her books I read. I bought the second book but haven't managed it yet. Her primary series I haven't read yet either. But I was excited to try this new Strays series .
Stray Magic is urban fantasy although it feels a little scifi. I guess it is because the world-building is unusual. The supernaturals are not the typical ones and even the typical ones are not ... typical. I like different.
Shiloh is a paranormal investigator part of a team. The head of the team is missing, so she has to run this operation. The action is fast-paced and the hits just keep coming. I had a tiny bit of the first in the series overwhelming feeling. Now the primary characters are introduced and I look forward to more cases with future books. I definitely plan to read Stray Moon planned for February.
June 23, 2018
Stray Magic had me confused initially. I felt dropped into a story in progress, but it said book 1 one of the series. After the first chapter though, I was settling into the story pretty well and found several things I really liked:
Unique world: its modern times but the world knows about shifters and vampires. Our heroine works for an agency that deals with all things paranormal.
Shiloh is tough and spunky. If you like your heroines to be independent and in charge, you will like Shiloh.
Interesting plot! I found I liked the mystery of it all. Who is kidnapping supernaturals? Who is creating revenants? What is up with Shiloh and Vincent? What is up with Shiloh and Tennyson?
This isn't a romance really. There is a boyfriend, and an ex-boyfriend but neither relationship is the focus of the story. I actually found it more enjoyable than I expected to not be reading a straight up romance.
Overall, the story was engaging and fast paced which kept me reading! My initial confusion was quickly passed but I found the ending to be a bit sudden. Stray Magic introduced me to a world that I found fascinating and am curious to see where the author takes the story from here. The blend of magic, mythology, and the paranormal made for a compelling read for sure.
POV: 1st
Tears: no
Trope: vampires, shifters, magic
Triggers: none
Series/Standalone: stand alone
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
Authors like Dannika Dark, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews...then you will probably like Stray Magic!
Stray Magic
June 22, 2018
Agent Shiloh Harrison, a federal marshal in the supernatural world, is half-djinn and half human. Part of a five-man unit that keeps the different species on the straight and narrow, The story starts out on a high note though it levels quickly with Shiloh being called from her boyfriend’s bed to a hostage scene. Seems like a group of vampires has taken the residents of Myrtle’s Happy Acre mobile home park hostage. She and her team learn that someone or something is kidnapping various supernaturals and the vampires are demanding answers. Unable to locate her boss, Harrison becomes the lead agent and teams up with a vampire master to discover what is going on. Drawing on her investigative skills and the various supernatural talents around her. Shiloh soon learns that everyone is suspect and some secrets are worth killing for.
Fans of urban fantasy will certainly want to try Kelly Meding’s latest venture, Stray Magic. The author of the wonderful Dreg City series once again introduces the beginning of an interesting world with a strong female protagonist. The first in a new series, this story begins in the novella, Freak Show, which you can find in the anthology, Carniepunk. I would recommend picking this up before starting here as Meding starts off with the assumption you have read it. Action-packed and heavily character driven, Meding sets up this world a fast steady hand, giving us just enough background to wet our appetite. All sharp corners and angles; you really have to pay attention.
Solid characters and a strong foundation cradles the tense storyline where the suspense and mystery grip you tight as you follow the twisting and turning path that Meding has laid out for us. She takes her time fleshing out the main conflict the subplots slowly reveal the real story. Some fans may find the violence a bit graphic as Meding pulls no punches and tells it like it is. There is a low key romance in here though it is oddly laid out and feels like a major part of the storyline. It has a viable presence that simmers just below the surface and I found myself uneasy about that. The chemistry and timing felt wrong and it took away from the main conflict. Shiloh has a boyfriend yet she seems to find every man around her sexually attractive and tells us this multiple times. It looks like the beginning of a romantic quad. Sex holds a strong place in this story. I would have been more comfortable had our author spent a couple books building and solidifying the arc before investing this heavily into the romance angle.
Numerous villains and heroes dot the landscape and nobody is what they seem. There are many players in this elaborate and complicated game and the lines between good and evil are rapidly blurring. The end comes hard, fast, and ugly; effectively closing the main conflict but leaving us with many many questions and a bit of a cliffhanger.
While I liked the story, I wasn’t engrossed by it. I enjoyed the heroine’s strength and snark but felt she wasn’t as solid as she should. Various tropes are used in building the world but the blending is clunky. It’s hard to figure out exactly what year we are in as Meding borrows from the 80s through now. There is a lot of repetition in both dialogue and scenes. We are constantly told the same information about Shiloh’s heritage, other characters heritages, and her attraction to everyone. The energy level is low and the pacing showed some fillers that weren’t needed. Not a bad start overall and I am curious about book two, Stray Moon, set to release in November.
Fans of urban fantasy will certainly want to try Kelly Meding’s latest venture, Stray Magic. The author of the wonderful Dreg City series once again introduces the beginning of an interesting world with a strong female protagonist. The first in a new series, this story begins in the novella, Freak Show, which you can find in the anthology, Carniepunk. I would recommend picking this up before starting here as Meding starts off with the assumption you have read it. Action-packed and heavily character driven, Meding sets up this world a fast steady hand, giving us just enough background to wet our appetite. All sharp corners and angles; you really have to pay attention.
Solid characters and a strong foundation cradles the tense storyline where the suspense and mystery grip you tight as you follow the twisting and turning path that Meding has laid out for us. She takes her time fleshing out the main conflict the subplots slowly reveal the real story. Some fans may find the violence a bit graphic as Meding pulls no punches and tells it like it is. There is a low key romance in here though it is oddly laid out and feels like a major part of the storyline. It has a viable presence that simmers just below the surface and I found myself uneasy about that. The chemistry and timing felt wrong and it took away from the main conflict. Shiloh has a boyfriend yet she seems to find every man around her sexually attractive and tells us this multiple times. It looks like the beginning of a romantic quad. Sex holds a strong place in this story. I would have been more comfortable had our author spent a couple books building and solidifying the arc before investing this heavily into the romance angle.
Numerous villains and heroes dot the landscape and nobody is what they seem. There are many players in this elaborate and complicated game and the lines between good and evil are rapidly blurring. The end comes hard, fast, and ugly; effectively closing the main conflict but leaving us with many many questions and a bit of a cliffhanger.
While I liked the story, I wasn’t engrossed by it. I enjoyed the heroine’s strength and snark but felt she wasn’t as solid as she should. Various tropes are used in building the world but the blending is clunky. It’s hard to figure out exactly what year we are in as Meding borrows from the 80s through now. There is a lot of repetition in both dialogue and scenes. We are constantly told the same information about Shiloh’s heritage, other characters heritages, and her attraction to everyone. The energy level is low and the pacing showed some fillers that weren’t needed. Not a bad start overall and I am curious about book two, Stray Moon, set to release in November.
June 21, 2018
Summary from Goodreads:
"Shiloh Harrison was hoping for a few days off to recover from a particularly nasty assignment, preferably with the help of the talented hands (and, well, the rest of his body too) of her sexy boyfriend, Vincent. But when a group of vampires takes an entire trailer park hostage, there’s nothing to do but make her apologies and get to the scene.
Such is the life of a Federal Marshal in the Paranormal Investigators Unit.
Yet this isn’t like her typical track-and-nab case: something is going on that has vampires scared, and it takes all her strength not to imagine what could frighten such powerful creatures. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have that option. Her boss is MIA, someone is snatching vampires, and there’s a ticking clock that can only end one way: a bloodbath.
Unless she can stop it."
My Thoughts:
As soon as I saw that cover and read the above summary I just knew that I wanted to read this book! There is not nearly enough new urban fantasy series coming out for my liking so I couldn't help but jump all over this one! I may be a huge mystery/thriller fan but urban fantasy is a genre that holds a special place in my heart. I've got to say that this was a really great beginning to this series and I just cannot wait for more! One of my favorite things about this book was just how easily I was pulled into this world that the author has created. I found myself reading late into the night because I was just so compelled by this book. I couldn't stop reading as I had to see what was going to happen next. I also really liked the cast of characters that Shiloh works with. They were all characters that I enjoyed reading about and am looking forward to learning more about in future books! The action was non-stop and one of the reasons that I just couldn't set this book down. I also enjoyed the unique qualities of this book that made it stand out from others in this genre. I don't want to give too many specifics as they could be considered spoilers but let me just say that the ending of this book had me crushed and needing more. I need book two in my life as soon as possible! But besides the ending - just Shiloh's unique heritage really made this book stand out for me. I just found that this book really stood out for me in comparison to other books/series I've read in this genre. I am seriously left so excited about this series and just wishing/pining for more books just like this!
Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book immensely and cannot wait for more! Books like this are exactly why I can't get enough of urban fantasy. It was such a fast paced and wild ride but I loved every minute of it! I'm not going to lie - I ignored as much as my housework as I possibly could get away with while reading this book. Ha! Trying not to think about what that says about me - other than I sure do love my books! It was a really great beginning to this series and I'm so excited about the characters as well as what may happen next. The author did a really great job of tying everything up in this book while leaving me absolutely pining for the next book. I would highly recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy and paranormal. You certainly won't be disappointed in my opinion!
Bottom Line: A book and series that I'm so excited about now!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher.
"Shiloh Harrison was hoping for a few days off to recover from a particularly nasty assignment, preferably with the help of the talented hands (and, well, the rest of his body too) of her sexy boyfriend, Vincent. But when a group of vampires takes an entire trailer park hostage, there’s nothing to do but make her apologies and get to the scene.
Such is the life of a Federal Marshal in the Paranormal Investigators Unit.
Yet this isn’t like her typical track-and-nab case: something is going on that has vampires scared, and it takes all her strength not to imagine what could frighten such powerful creatures. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have that option. Her boss is MIA, someone is snatching vampires, and there’s a ticking clock that can only end one way: a bloodbath.
Unless she can stop it."
My Thoughts:
As soon as I saw that cover and read the above summary I just knew that I wanted to read this book! There is not nearly enough new urban fantasy series coming out for my liking so I couldn't help but jump all over this one! I may be a huge mystery/thriller fan but urban fantasy is a genre that holds a special place in my heart. I've got to say that this was a really great beginning to this series and I just cannot wait for more! One of my favorite things about this book was just how easily I was pulled into this world that the author has created. I found myself reading late into the night because I was just so compelled by this book. I couldn't stop reading as I had to see what was going to happen next. I also really liked the cast of characters that Shiloh works with. They were all characters that I enjoyed reading about and am looking forward to learning more about in future books! The action was non-stop and one of the reasons that I just couldn't set this book down. I also enjoyed the unique qualities of this book that made it stand out from others in this genre. I don't want to give too many specifics as they could be considered spoilers but let me just say that the ending of this book had me crushed and needing more. I need book two in my life as soon as possible! But besides the ending - just Shiloh's unique heritage really made this book stand out for me. I just found that this book really stood out for me in comparison to other books/series I've read in this genre. I am seriously left so excited about this series and just wishing/pining for more books just like this!
Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book immensely and cannot wait for more! Books like this are exactly why I can't get enough of urban fantasy. It was such a fast paced and wild ride but I loved every minute of it! I'm not going to lie - I ignored as much as my housework as I possibly could get away with while reading this book. Ha! Trying not to think about what that says about me - other than I sure do love my books! It was a really great beginning to this series and I'm so excited about the characters as well as what may happen next. The author did a really great job of tying everything up in this book while leaving me absolutely pining for the next book. I would highly recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy and paranormal. You certainly won't be disappointed in my opinion!
Bottom Line: A book and series that I'm so excited about now!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher.
June 3, 2018
Review originally published at Vampire Book Club and based on a copy provided by the publisher.
Shiloh Harrison is a U.S. Marshal in the Paranormal Investigations Unit stationed in Washington. DC. She’s just returned home from a grueling assignment when she’s called out on another case. Vampires have taken an entire trailer park hostage. Since the head of their unit is missing, Shiloh’s in charge of the negotiations. And of course it’s not a normal hostage situation. The Master Vampire says he’ll release the hostages when the team finds out who’s been abducting his vampires.
I loved the motley crew of supernaturals that make up Shiloh’s team. She’s half djinn and has a diminished version of their powers. Her teammates are an incubus, a dhampir and a skinwalker, who get some interesting twists to their mythos from Meding. And Shiloh’s parents both show up to assist her. (I’m starting to see a lot of parents who are neither dead nor evil in adult books lately.) The team also has a cool demon-designed super computer in their super secret headquarters.
But my favorite was the vampire Tennyson, who becomes Shiloh’s partner for the case. I liked the chemistry between the two of them so I hope he’ll be back in the next book. Meding kept most of the traditional vampire attributes, including the cast-no-reflection thing that most authors reject which led to a few cute moments. Like Meding’s earlier books, Stray Magic gets very dark though. There’s lots of violence (and torture and black magic) and Shiloh is frequently hurt. In fact, just using her powers causes her pain.
The mystery plot has plenty of twits and surprises, though there’s a big part of the case that’s left unresolved. It’s going to be addressed in the second book in the series that is planned for the fall. The big reveal at the end of Stray Magic (that I totally saw coming) sets up one of my least favorite tropes so I’m curious about how the series will progress.
There is also a Strays prequel story set six years before Stray Magic. “Freak House,” originally published in the Carniepunk anthology, shows how Shiloh met Julian and Jaxon and when they decided to form the Paranormal Investigations Unit. Those events are pretty well summarized in the book so I don’t think you need to read it first, but it does offer a preview of Shiloh and her powers.
I feel like old-school urban fantasy is making a comeback and Stray Magic is definitely part of that. While it’s not my favorite of the supernatural federal agency books I’ve read lately, I’m optimistic about the Strays series. I hope that it succeeds and helps the trend continue.
3.5 stars
Shiloh Harrison is a U.S. Marshal in the Paranormal Investigations Unit stationed in Washington. DC. She’s just returned home from a grueling assignment when she’s called out on another case. Vampires have taken an entire trailer park hostage. Since the head of their unit is missing, Shiloh’s in charge of the negotiations. And of course it’s not a normal hostage situation. The Master Vampire says he’ll release the hostages when the team finds out who’s been abducting his vampires.
I loved the motley crew of supernaturals that make up Shiloh’s team. She’s half djinn and has a diminished version of their powers. Her teammates are an incubus, a dhampir and a skinwalker, who get some interesting twists to their mythos from Meding. And Shiloh’s parents both show up to assist her. (I’m starting to see a lot of parents who are neither dead nor evil in adult books lately.) The team also has a cool demon-designed super computer in their super secret headquarters.
But my favorite was the vampire Tennyson, who becomes Shiloh’s partner for the case. I liked the chemistry between the two of them so I hope he’ll be back in the next book. Meding kept most of the traditional vampire attributes, including the cast-no-reflection thing that most authors reject which led to a few cute moments. Like Meding’s earlier books, Stray Magic gets very dark though. There’s lots of violence (and torture and black magic) and Shiloh is frequently hurt. In fact, just using her powers causes her pain.
The mystery plot has plenty of twits and surprises, though there’s a big part of the case that’s left unresolved. It’s going to be addressed in the second book in the series that is planned for the fall. The big reveal at the end of Stray Magic (that I totally saw coming) sets up one of my least favorite tropes so I’m curious about how the series will progress.
There is also a Strays prequel story set six years before Stray Magic. “Freak House,” originally published in the Carniepunk anthology, shows how Shiloh met Julian and Jaxon and when they decided to form the Paranormal Investigations Unit. Those events are pretty well summarized in the book so I don’t think you need to read it first, but it does offer a preview of Shiloh and her powers.
I feel like old-school urban fantasy is making a comeback and Stray Magic is definitely part of that. While it’s not my favorite of the supernatural federal agency books I’ve read lately, I’m optimistic about the Strays series. I hope that it succeeds and helps the trend continue.
3.5 stars
February 5, 2019
I’m a big fan of Kelly Meding’s writing and her as a person. I got to meet her at AAD a few years back and she was delightful.
She writes great urban fantasy stories with strong and likable heroines. I started my love affair with her writing with her Dreg City series a few years back. I knew I would like, if not love Stray Magic, and I’m kicking myself for waiting to finally read it.
After reading chapter 1 of Stray Magic I remembered there was a short story entitled Freak House set in the Stray world in the Carniepunk anthology which was published back in 2013 (great UF anthology, check it out!) so I went back and read Freak House before I went much further into Stray Magic. The short story is a great intro to the world building and a look at our main character, Shiloh. While you don’t need to read the short I encourage you to read it if you have access to it via your library or buy it, it along with most of the other stories in the anthology are available separately in ebook format.
The opening scene where Shiloh gets a call about a trailer park community being held hostage by vampires really set the tone of what kind of humor was going to be involved. Meding did a good job of mixing hammer sarcasm with just a touch of darkness in Stray Magic.
Stray Magic is set in the real world with mentions of real-world cities. Some paranormals are “out” to humans like vampires, werewolves, some fey, but there are many others who choose to stay hidden to humans after some outfall to the others being out. I liked how the paras who are out have been out since WWII (werewolves with vampires coming out a decade later).
Meding’s spin on some of the more infamous paranormals was refreshing where she mixed old mythology with some of her own twists.
Stray Magic focuses on the mystery of why large groups of vampires and werewolves who have been kidnapped. We follow the main character, Shiloh, and her group of coworkers/friends on the adrenaline-infused adventure to save them. At the heart of the case, there is a necromancer but Shiloh is not certain if the necromancer is the main bad guy or if he’s being used by someone else.
Meding help me get my urban fencing groove back on after reading so much romance. I now want to switch over and read nothing but urban fantasy. As I end this review I am opening up my Kindle and starting Stray Moon, the second book in the Stray series.
My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot
She writes great urban fantasy stories with strong and likable heroines. I started my love affair with her writing with her Dreg City series a few years back. I knew I would like, if not love Stray Magic, and I’m kicking myself for waiting to finally read it.
After reading chapter 1 of Stray Magic I remembered there was a short story entitled Freak House set in the Stray world in the Carniepunk anthology which was published back in 2013 (great UF anthology, check it out!) so I went back and read Freak House before I went much further into Stray Magic. The short story is a great intro to the world building and a look at our main character, Shiloh. While you don’t need to read the short I encourage you to read it if you have access to it via your library or buy it, it along with most of the other stories in the anthology are available separately in ebook format.
The opening scene where Shiloh gets a call about a trailer park community being held hostage by vampires really set the tone of what kind of humor was going to be involved. Meding did a good job of mixing hammer sarcasm with just a touch of darkness in Stray Magic.
Stray Magic is set in the real world with mentions of real-world cities. Some paranormals are “out” to humans like vampires, werewolves, some fey, but there are many others who choose to stay hidden to humans after some outfall to the others being out. I liked how the paras who are out have been out since WWII (werewolves with vampires coming out a decade later).
Meding’s spin on some of the more infamous paranormals was refreshing where she mixed old mythology with some of her own twists.
Stray Magic focuses on the mystery of why large groups of vampires and werewolves who have been kidnapped. We follow the main character, Shiloh, and her group of coworkers/friends on the adrenaline-infused adventure to save them. At the heart of the case, there is a necromancer but Shiloh is not certain if the necromancer is the main bad guy or if he’s being used by someone else.
Meding help me get my urban fencing groove back on after reading so much romance. I now want to switch over and read nothing but urban fantasy. As I end this review I am opening up my Kindle and starting Stray Moon, the second book in the Stray series.
My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot
February 11, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised by this book, it was as good an urban fantasy as some of my favorite series. I think, based on reading other's reviews, that this book may come after Kelly Meding's Dreg City series or part of the same world? However I never read that series, in fact this is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything having not read the Dreg City series. Of course I could be completely off on them having anything to do with each other. Anyways, I really liked this book, it immediately pulled me in, kept me interested and was a unique story. There isn't really any romance in this book, there is hint towards a romance and there are some sex scenes but they were so small it barely seems worth mentioning them. I will definitely read on in the series and will hopefully read the Dreg City series at some point too.
I won this book from the giveaways at Goodreads.com
I won this book from the giveaways at Goodreads.com
July 18, 2020
The plot line is interesting enough but the character development and writing is weak.
June 24, 2018
Review originally posted at http://fictionvixen.com/review-stray-...
Kelly Meding’s newest foray into the urban fantasy genre starts off easily enough with Shiloh finally back home after an assignment and ready to engage in some skin privileges with her boyfriend. Before they can get to the good stuff she and her team are called in to a sticky situation involving a whole heck of a lot of vampires, a hostage situation and a trailer park. Shiloh Harrison, half djinn/half human, is a Federal Marshall in the Para unit and she and her team, which consists of a skin walker, a dhampir, a fallen incubus, and an ex-military human, are who keep order in the supernatural world. When they get called into Myrtle’s Acres to investigate a hostage situation they are also drawn into a bigger mystery. With her boss missing, Shiloh teams up with a Master Vampire and sets out to discover who is abducting vampires and werewolves.
I’ve had a little bit of trouble lately staying focused and engaged while reading. I’m not exactly sure why, but not much has been really holding my attention lately. That is until I picked up this first book in this new series by Kelly Meding. I was intrigued from the moment Shiloh walked onto the page right up to when she woke with a faulty memory.
Ms. Meding has created an interesting world with engaging characters. Not just your usual vampires and werewolves, but she has drawn in goddesses and djinn, mentions the fae briefly, and has other less well-known supernatural species as well. I’m intrigued. The master vampire who plays second to Shiloh in the investigation, Woodrow Tennyson, is drawn so well I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will end up a love interest. He’s powerful, but honest and seemed to care quite deeply about his line, not in a “they belong to me” way, but more in a deep friendship and long-lasting relationship way. I’m hoping that mentions of his bisexuality will mean that Shiloh has a chance at more than one lover as the series continues on. This book was light on the romance, but I can see the beginnings of a connection between these two and I hope to see it develop in the future.
The mystery kept me deeply engaged and I loved the twists and turns as Shiloh and Tennyson slowly but surely figure out the identities and motives of the bad guys. There is a lot going on and it is intense and complex. I really had no idea what would happen until it all accumulated at the end. No one really comes out unscathed and I kept thinking that Ms. Meding couldn’t kill off everyone, because someone had to come back to have Shiloh’s back in the next book. (Don’t worry, it’s all good.) This means I really became invested in each of these characters and their well-being. The team may have been banged up, bruised and bloody, but I’ll be glad to see them again when the second book the series comes out next year.
Apparently this is a spin-off from a novella in the Carniepunk Anthology, but I haven’t read it and wasn’t in the least bit lost. So don’t worry if you see this mentioned in other reviews and worry that you will need to read that first. Although, now that I have been introduced to Shiloh and her team I am so intrigued I might just go ahead and pick it up.
This is one new series I am excited for and recommend whole heartedly. I am excited to see what comes next. Final grade- B-
Favorite Quote:
“Kathleen,” I said, “turn around slowly. There’s hobgoblin with a birthday present walking right toward us.”
“Is that the start of some awful joke?” she asked.
“I wish.”
Kelly Meding’s newest foray into the urban fantasy genre starts off easily enough with Shiloh finally back home after an assignment and ready to engage in some skin privileges with her boyfriend. Before they can get to the good stuff she and her team are called in to a sticky situation involving a whole heck of a lot of vampires, a hostage situation and a trailer park. Shiloh Harrison, half djinn/half human, is a Federal Marshall in the Para unit and she and her team, which consists of a skin walker, a dhampir, a fallen incubus, and an ex-military human, are who keep order in the supernatural world. When they get called into Myrtle’s Acres to investigate a hostage situation they are also drawn into a bigger mystery. With her boss missing, Shiloh teams up with a Master Vampire and sets out to discover who is abducting vampires and werewolves.
I’ve had a little bit of trouble lately staying focused and engaged while reading. I’m not exactly sure why, but not much has been really holding my attention lately. That is until I picked up this first book in this new series by Kelly Meding. I was intrigued from the moment Shiloh walked onto the page right up to when she woke with a faulty memory.
Ms. Meding has created an interesting world with engaging characters. Not just your usual vampires and werewolves, but she has drawn in goddesses and djinn, mentions the fae briefly, and has other less well-known supernatural species as well. I’m intrigued. The master vampire who plays second to Shiloh in the investigation, Woodrow Tennyson, is drawn so well I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will end up a love interest. He’s powerful, but honest and seemed to care quite deeply about his line, not in a “they belong to me” way, but more in a deep friendship and long-lasting relationship way. I’m hoping that mentions of his bisexuality will mean that Shiloh has a chance at more than one lover as the series continues on. This book was light on the romance, but I can see the beginnings of a connection between these two and I hope to see it develop in the future.
The mystery kept me deeply engaged and I loved the twists and turns as Shiloh and Tennyson slowly but surely figure out the identities and motives of the bad guys. There is a lot going on and it is intense and complex. I really had no idea what would happen until it all accumulated at the end. No one really comes out unscathed and I kept thinking that Ms. Meding couldn’t kill off everyone, because someone had to come back to have Shiloh’s back in the next book. (Don’t worry, it’s all good.) This means I really became invested in each of these characters and their well-being. The team may have been banged up, bruised and bloody, but I’ll be glad to see them again when the second book the series comes out next year.
Apparently this is a spin-off from a novella in the Carniepunk Anthology, but I haven’t read it and wasn’t in the least bit lost. So don’t worry if you see this mentioned in other reviews and worry that you will need to read that first. Although, now that I have been introduced to Shiloh and her team I am so intrigued I might just go ahead and pick it up.
This is one new series I am excited for and recommend whole heartedly. I am excited to see what comes next. Final grade- B-
Favorite Quote:
“Kathleen,” I said, “turn around slowly. There’s hobgoblin with a birthday present walking right toward us.”
“Is that the start of some awful joke?” she asked.
“I wish.”
December 20, 2021
Thankfully, I read the Acknowledgements at the back of the book first (something I rarely do but I was curious about the author as I picked up the book on a whim and thought the name sounded familiar), which jogged my memory. This series originates with a short story in the excellent Carniepunk anthology called "Freak House".
I went back and reread that first. The heroine, Shiloh, tries to rescue her 800 year-old djinn dad from captivity in a warlock's sideshow. Not integral to starting the series but really gives context to the main character, who comes across a bit too flippant and stereotypical "kick-ass babe" at first.
At one point in the book a video rental store is mentioned so this is obviously an updated older work (which was confirmed in the Acknowledgements) but that also means this is solid, "classic" Urban Fantasy and I loved it! Can't wait to track down the sequel Stray Moon!
Shiloh "Shi" Harrison is a rare half-human, half-djinn with one foot in the regular world and the other in the realm of Paranormals. In this novel, werewolves "came out" as heroes after assisting in winning WWII but when vampires did the same a few decades later, the public reaction was so bad that other supernatural races decided to stay in the shadows.
The wolves and vampires mostly police themselves, but Shi is second in the elite Paranormal Investigations Unit of the U. S. Marshals, which takes care of everything else that goes bump in the night.
When a terrified Master Vampire begs the Unit for help, a large-scale kidnapping of vamps and wolves emerges that their leaders cannot cope with.
Shi's Unit leader goes missing which leaves her in charge - and she breaks protocol by working closely with Vampire Master Woodrow Tennyson. As they work together against a rapidly ticking clock, Shi uncovers corruption deep in the ranks, endangering her team (consisting of fallen incubus Novak, dhampir Kathleen and shape-shifter Jaxon) and her own life in the process.
I liked Shiloh. Although in over head from the start, she keeps trying to swim against all odds and would do anything to save her people. The magic contributions from her parents were a nice change; usually UF heroines are loners or depend on found family.
Tennyson is a mysterious figure and has good chemistry with Shi; no romance in this installment, but hopefully in the next!
I went back and reread that first. The heroine, Shiloh, tries to rescue her 800 year-old djinn dad from captivity in a warlock's sideshow. Not integral to starting the series but really gives context to the main character, who comes across a bit too flippant and stereotypical "kick-ass babe" at first.
At one point in the book a video rental store is mentioned so this is obviously an updated older work (which was confirmed in the Acknowledgements) but that also means this is solid, "classic" Urban Fantasy and I loved it! Can't wait to track down the sequel Stray Moon!
Shiloh "Shi" Harrison is a rare half-human, half-djinn with one foot in the regular world and the other in the realm of Paranormals. In this novel, werewolves "came out" as heroes after assisting in winning WWII but when vampires did the same a few decades later, the public reaction was so bad that other supernatural races decided to stay in the shadows.
The wolves and vampires mostly police themselves, but Shi is second in the elite Paranormal Investigations Unit of the U. S. Marshals, which takes care of everything else that goes bump in the night.
When a terrified Master Vampire begs the Unit for help, a large-scale kidnapping of vamps and wolves emerges that their leaders cannot cope with.
Shi's Unit leader goes missing which leaves her in charge - and she breaks protocol by working closely with Vampire Master Woodrow Tennyson. As they work together against a rapidly ticking clock, Shi uncovers corruption deep in the ranks, endangering her team (consisting of fallen incubus Novak, dhampir Kathleen and shape-shifter Jaxon) and her own life in the process.
I liked Shiloh. Although in over head from the start, she keeps trying to swim against all odds and would do anything to save her people. The magic contributions from her parents were a nice change; usually UF heroines are loners or depend on found family.
Tennyson is a mysterious figure and has good chemistry with Shi; no romance in this installment, but hopefully in the next!
November 27, 2025
This was my first supernatural fiction book and I really really enjoyed it. I was quite confused by the hierarchy of magic and all the different creatures I’ve never heard of before, but the ending was awesome and worth it. There were times when the main character felt too childish, as she is supposed to be a 28 year old woman, but other than that it was a good read and kept me hooked.
May 21, 2018
I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
FINALLY! Finally a new urban fantasy series that has the potential to replace my favorite series that are unfortunately are close to being finished. I don’t know how long I’ve been scouring the different sites for some replacements with less than great success. Okay so to be fair this particular author is not exactly new to the genre or to overall being a published author but still this new book of hers is really phenomenal.
I was completely captivated with the story from the very first chapter and that say a lot because with urban fantasy, due to the need of introducing the new world, books usually start out on a slower note. The writing is really great and fluid, surprisingly so because my previous experiences with the author weren’t so positive. Anyway, in this case the book completely engaged me and was so easy to read.
I really like the world building which is intriguing and has a lot of interesting parts to it but not so complex that it needs chapter after chapter of explanation. I love the idea of a supernatural division within the FBI but there were a couple of faulty lines along the way, which was one of the main source of the conflict in the plot, ala those faults were intentional. But I loved the bones of the story, the different creatures like the djinns, stag shifters and such. Although when it came to the introduction of the world, while it was well incorporated in the storyline, without info dumps there were some references that made me fell as it there were some connections to other books but I found no other books. It was a bit disconcerting but manageable.
The plot is an endless chase, a continuous fast paced whirlwind of events from the frost chapter. They don’t slow down for a bit at all. It is also pretty detailed, complex web where you have to pay attention if you want to navigate it. While the characters ignored some pretty obvious clues along the way which throws a wrench into their investigation I still think that the storyline was built up brilliantly in a way that leaves you doubting your perception of thing right up until the author deems it appropriate to reveal the truths. I enjoyed it but at some point felt it was overcomplicated a smidge. One thing I didn’t like much was the big, final ‘fight’, which was so chaotic that I honestly didn’t understand what the heck is going on not to mention compared to the preparation for it, the whole thing ended within two pages max. It was a bit disappointing.
The plot mostly concentrates on the investigation of certain events and consists of action, but there is a bit of a hint about romance. I can’t say that I’m satisfied with that part but only because I don’t like the pairing, I’m good with the amount of.
The characters are really fleshed out and various. I liked most of them, even the ones with less than appealing personalities. They are all multi layered so much so that you can’t really figure out on which side they are on until the end of the book. Also don’t really get attached to any of them because the author is really liberal with their lives.
My personal favorite character is the Master vampire and his connection and dynamisms between him and the main character Shiloh. It was the driving force behind the plot.
In my opinion this phenomenal start to a promising series and the way it ended the second book is already a guaranteed wild ride. However the way unit is built up and parts of t eventually destroyed in this story also begs the question of the possibilities of a 3rd and so on books. But this really depends on how the author leads things in the second story. Anyway I’m hopeful.
FINALLY! Finally a new urban fantasy series that has the potential to replace my favorite series that are unfortunately are close to being finished. I don’t know how long I’ve been scouring the different sites for some replacements with less than great success. Okay so to be fair this particular author is not exactly new to the genre or to overall being a published author but still this new book of hers is really phenomenal.
I was completely captivated with the story from the very first chapter and that say a lot because with urban fantasy, due to the need of introducing the new world, books usually start out on a slower note. The writing is really great and fluid, surprisingly so because my previous experiences with the author weren’t so positive. Anyway, in this case the book completely engaged me and was so easy to read.
I really like the world building which is intriguing and has a lot of interesting parts to it but not so complex that it needs chapter after chapter of explanation. I love the idea of a supernatural division within the FBI but there were a couple of faulty lines along the way, which was one of the main source of the conflict in the plot, ala those faults were intentional. But I loved the bones of the story, the different creatures like the djinns, stag shifters and such. Although when it came to the introduction of the world, while it was well incorporated in the storyline, without info dumps there were some references that made me fell as it there were some connections to other books but I found no other books. It was a bit disconcerting but manageable.
The plot is an endless chase, a continuous fast paced whirlwind of events from the frost chapter. They don’t slow down for a bit at all. It is also pretty detailed, complex web where you have to pay attention if you want to navigate it. While the characters ignored some pretty obvious clues along the way which throws a wrench into their investigation I still think that the storyline was built up brilliantly in a way that leaves you doubting your perception of thing right up until the author deems it appropriate to reveal the truths. I enjoyed it but at some point felt it was overcomplicated a smidge. One thing I didn’t like much was the big, final ‘fight’, which was so chaotic that I honestly didn’t understand what the heck is going on not to mention compared to the preparation for it, the whole thing ended within two pages max. It was a bit disappointing.
The plot mostly concentrates on the investigation of certain events and consists of action, but there is a bit of a hint about romance. I can’t say that I’m satisfied with that part but only because I don’t like the pairing, I’m good with the amount of.
The characters are really fleshed out and various. I liked most of them, even the ones with less than appealing personalities. They are all multi layered so much so that you can’t really figure out on which side they are on until the end of the book. Also don’t really get attached to any of them because the author is really liberal with their lives.
My personal favorite character is the Master vampire and his connection and dynamisms between him and the main character Shiloh. It was the driving force behind the plot.
In my opinion this phenomenal start to a promising series and the way it ended the second book is already a guaranteed wild ride. However the way unit is built up and parts of t eventually destroyed in this story also begs the question of the possibilities of a 3rd and so on books. But this really depends on how the author leads things in the second story. Anyway I’m hopeful.
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