Spells, Salt, & Steel, Season 1 (Spells, Salt, & Steel, #1-4)

Spells, Salt, & Steel #1-4

by Gail Z. Martin, Larry N. Martin

“When all else fails, the ass end of a carp makes a damn fine weapon.” Your new favorite monster hunter has arrived! Bubba the Monster Hunter has some competition in this horror comedy collection from best-selling author duo Gail Z. & Larry N. Martin! By day, Mark Wojcik can be found elbow-deep in engine grease, making cars and trucks safe for the highway. By night, he can be found traipsing through the wilds of Pennsylvania, making the world safe for humans. He’s more than just a mechanic, he’s a New Templar Knight. He travels the backroads and byways fighting weresquonks, ningen, selkies, ghosts, and…gnomes? Is that gnome…naked? (sigh). Season One collects the first four novellas in the Spells, Salt, & Steel series – Spells, Salt, & Steel Open Season Deep Trouble Close Encounters

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Zombies, Vampires, Ghosts

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2018

About the author

Gail Z. Martin discovered her passion for science fiction, fantasy and ghost stories in elementary school. The first story she wroteat age fivewas about a vampire. Her favorite TV show as a preschooler was Dark Shadows. At age 14, she decided to become a writer.

She enjoys attending science fiction/fantasy conventions, Renaissance fairs and living history sites. She is married and has three children, a Maltese and a golden retriever.

Gail Z. Martin is also Morgan Brice, which is her pen name for urban fantasy MM paranormal romance.

In addition to the online sites listed below, you can find me on
Facebook.com/Groups/MartinShadowAlliance
Facebook.com/Groups/WorldsOfMorganBrice
Twitter: @GailZMartin and @MorganBriceAuthor
YouTube: YouTube.com/c/GailZMartinAuthor
IG: @MorganBriceAuthorGail & Larry newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dd5XLj
Morgan Brice newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dy_8oL
BookBub for Morgan: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/morga...
Bookbub for Gail: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gail-...
Amazon profile: https://www.amazon.com/Morgan-Brice/e...?
Amazon profile: https://www.amazon.com/Gail-Z-Martin/...
Pinterest (for Morgan and Gail) www.Pinterest.com/Gzmartin

Reviews

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spells, Salt, & Steel by Gail Z Martin and Larry N Martin

Season 1, books 1 - 4.
Paranormal monster hunter adventures. Aka urban fantasy.
Mark Wojcik is a mechanic by day and monster/ghost/paranormal mystery solver by calling. He doesn’t get paid to get rid of ghosts or monsters but it’s a huge part of his life.

The stories are broken into pieces by monster or event but are connected overall. There are recurring characters like a ghost with a flask.

The story of the Sentient painting was a little creepy. You’ve seen those paintings where the eyes seem to follow you around the room? Here, the painted characters actually turn to face out to look at you. Shudder.

There is humor throughout, some situational, some in the monsters themselves.
“Just because gnomes have short stubby legs, doesn’t mean they are slow.The repetitive butchering of his last name paragraph gets a little old, but is explained by the fact this is 4 books combined like a TV series into a Season. I don’t think you’d start with book 3 or 4 but ok.

And at the end - cliffhanger on the last monster hunt.

Intriguing and entertaining. Not quite horror level but I wouldn’t read this alone at night either.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spells, Salt, & Steel
Season 1
by Gail Z Martin and Larry Martin
Who doesn't want to travel around with an oddball crew and fight monsters, mtyhs, and legends? Fun book and lots of action.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Humorous Action Fantasy! Great characters and interesting storylines.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of you may have noticed that I’m moving right along with the books in this crazy world created by Gail Z. Martin (AKA – Morgan Brice) and Larry N. Martin. You also may have noticed that I’m not exactly reading them in order. If you’ve read more than a couple of my reviews, you have probably noticed that’s not anything new. I have a little bit more back tracking to do because I’ve only scratched the surface – so stay tuned. 😉

Spells, Salt, & Steel
That reading order thing? Yeah, this particular book in the Spells, Salt, & Steel series came out before the previous books I’ve read (Badlands, Witchbane, Sons of Darkness & Dark Rivers.) Which only means that I feel like I already knew Mark before I started, even though pretty much all of his interactions with the other books were by phone. It didn’t take me long to totally fall in love with Mark Wojcik. ❤

He shares a lot in common with his fellow hunters, mainly, most of them fell into this business by loosing someone they cared about to the monsters that most people don’t even know exist. One thing that I’ve noticed already is that these authors are great at writing monsters – in all their gory detail. *shivers* And for the record – I love every minute of it. This story, just like the others, has some really great supporting characters from all walks of life. What I really loved about Mark so far, was his sense of humor. There were some pretty gruesome moments in Spells, Salt, & Steel that were made a lot lighter by Mark’s quips and inner dialogue.

Basically, this was a great beginning and I can’t wait to continue. 😉

Open Season
I can’t remember the last time I started reading an Urban Fantasy and highlighted as many “LOL” moments as I have while reading the books in this series. Mark faces real danger with every case he takes. Some think he has a death wish and sometimes he thinks he might as well. Yet, he’s determined to rid the world of creatures like the ones who tore his family from him – and not just the ones who didn’t survive the attack that changed his life. Then there are lines like this that can’t help but make me want to get to know him better:

So here I was, loaded up with more weapons than Elmer Fudd in duck season, looking for a carnivorous cryptid in a bottomless swamp. What could possibly go wrong?
F*ck-all, that’s what.

I’m beginning to adore Mark Wojcik. 😉

As the title suggests, most of the “hunts” that Mark is hired for in Open Season have to do with “hunting” and not just the kind Mark does. People are disappearing, evil’s lurking in unexpected places and new and interesting allies are found while old enemies are still just as crazy as ever. Through it all, the “family” that really matters is right by his side when he needs them most. ❤

Deep Trouble
Another installment in the Spells, Salt, & Steel – Season 1 that makes me adore Mark Wojcik even more. He gains even more unlikely allies in Deep Trouble that add to the menagerie.

One of the things that make me like Mark so much (and there are many, many things) is the fact that he doesn’t just arbitrarily eliminate every “monster” he hunts down. If they’re not a danger to anyone around them, he finds a way to help them.

There’s only one more story left in Season 1 and with the promise of more to come, I can’t wait to get to know Mark and friends even better. 😉

Close Encounters
Things get a little personal in Close Encounters and then a little crazy… uh crazier? than normal.

This is the last book in Season 1 of Spells, Salt & Steel, and if I didn’t already know that the 5th installment was already in the works, I’d be a little miffed. As it is, I’m going to have a hard time waiting to see what happens next. It seems that Mark’s ghost hunting escapades have just leveled up a notch.

All the stories in this installment are even more connected than all the others and trust me when I say, they end with a bang… literally. I love how this series is also connected with characters from other series – even characters that don’t belong to just Gail Z. Martin, Larry N. Martin and Morgan Brice. As a matter of fact, I’m planning on delving into the characters created by other authors because this world is amazing.

Stay tuned! I can pretty much guarantee that there’s MUCH more to come!

I received Spells, Salt, & Steel - Season 1 in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Anne Barwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection is the first four novellas in the series. Each novella read like short stories over a few chapters—or different cases Mark investigates—which tie together with a common theme or magical artifact. I loved reading that way, as I could read one or more of his cases, or a novella, in one sitting.

I loved Mark as a character, and the tone of these. Written in first person, his personality came across very well. He feels very much like an everyman with his reactions. The interior monologue/narrative feels very down to earth, and is fun to read, yet not at the expense of the action and tension. The banter is wonderful, and an added bonus for me is that he’s a bit of a geek and his knowledge of Japanese comes from watching anime so there is a fair bit of pop culture and anime references!

I really felt for Mark and his survivors’ guilt after his family are killed. I thought that came across very realistically. I liked that it never really went away, as it’s something you wouldn’t ever really get over, and that he lives with the consequences every day. It’s sad that he views having to socialize with those outside his immediate ‘family’ as more scary than the monsters he hunts.

The supporting cast aka his friends and family are wonderful. I loved Chiara and Blair, and their relationship, and how Mark has built himself a new extended family and support network. Chiara’s family are interesting, and I wouldn’t want to cross them! Fr Leo definitely isn’t your typical priest and it was interesting seeing the Occulatum from the flip side of other books I’ve read by this author. As an aside I liked that he and Mark are on the older side of your typical action hero as Mark is in his mid 30s, and Leo is 40. It brought a realistic sense of experience to the story, both life and their history of hunting. Donny, the nerdy werewolf is a wonderful addition to the cast. Sara rocks, and I hope she and Mark continue their relationship.

I also liked that this series is set in his home town and the history that comes with that as he’s grown up with many of the people he interacts with. The small town feel comes across well, and is a nice contrast with the monster hunting. The settings—both town and back woods—come across almost like characters in their own right, and I got the feeling of rich history. I love that the authors draw on the mythology of the area—it adds to the layers and texture of the stories, and left me wanting to learn more.

One of the strength of these is that Mark and his friends don’t just go in blindly, but do their research first, even if they end up improvising—and blowing stuff up—when things don’t go according to plan. I love how this series hooks into the other series I’ve read by these authors, and I was especially happy when Simon from Badlands helped Mark out with his research. I also liked that Mark can’t just waltz in anywhere and take down the monsters, but has to make sure he has a license for his visible weapon and provide a feasible explanation for the police.

One of my favourite monsters in this collection has to be the weresquonk. I had to look it up as I hadn’t heard of it before, and the squonk is a ‘real’ mythical creature from the Pennsylvania area as are the other monsters Mark goes up against. A lot of thought has gone into this series, and it shows.

The descriptions of the various monsters are wonderful, and vivid. I love the history of this universe, and there is a real sense of history within the world building with the Occulatum, and the Feral Fey Accords of 2011, which come in handy when a gnome needs relocating! Like many seasons of a TV show, this ends with the introduction of something not boding well for the future. I hope we don’t have too long to wait.

I’d recommend Spells, Salt & Steel Season One to readers who enjoy urban fantasy based on mythology, a down to earth realistic hero, fantastic banter, and a crew who feel like family.

[Karolina Cebula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review in English and Polish || Recenzja po angielsku i polsku

From the perspective of his ordinary every day life, Mark Wojcik is a simple car mechanic, but after working hours he hunts for all kinds of supernatural creatures that cause trouble or are a threat to human life. In the past, just before the supernatural world stopped being only a fiction for him, he was the only survivor of an unexpected clash with wendigo, during an ordinary family hunt. The death of his relatives still haunts him in nightmares, which makes him a really fierce opponent when he faces supernatural beings he needs to get rid of one after another. It doesn't matter how nasty is the creature with which he needs to fight or how unfavorable are the circumstances. Mark Wojcik always makes every effort to win all of his fights, even if not everything goes as he planned and being victorious requires a lot of creativity from him.

"Spells, Salt, & Steel: Season One" is a collection of the first four novellas of "Spells, Salt, & Steel" series. The main character is Mark Wojcik, a guy you really should get to know as he is second to none. Believe me, there are many different reasons why you should read "Spells, Salt, & Steel" series and Mark is undoubtedly one of them. On the one hand, he is a simple guy with tragic past that is the reason he's a paranormal hunter. In this respect, he is not particularly different in any way from many other people doing this type of job. However, this is just the first step of his creation, because Mark is also a wonderfully nerdy person with weakness for comic books and anime, which immediately brought me closer to him, as we share the same interests. But the thing that makes him really special is his bad luck. What can I say, this guy is truly unlucky. If anyone has to get in some serious trouble, it has to be Mark Wojcik. Hunting does not go according to the plan? Yep, he undoubtedly takes part in it. So, is it even possible not to love him? I will add that the supporting characters in the series are just as fantastic. They are funny, interesting and likable, so it's really worth getting to know them.

The humorous side of the series is largely related to Mark's numerous misfortunes, which is another advantage of "Spells, Salt, & Steel: Season One". Believe me, when it comes to the wit in books, I am a very picky person so often I am not very amused by sophisticated or clearly exaggerated humor. Well, no wonder some people consider me as a person without a sense of humor. All the more you can trust me when I say that the collection of novellas about Mark Wojcik written by Gail Z. Martin and Larry N. Martin is a really funny one. We can notice it already during the first hunt, in which we accompany the main character, and the farther we are drawn into his adventures, the more fun we have. Really, I haven't laughed so sincerely reading a novel from a very long time. It's the perfect way to improve your mood and relax. Anyway, it is said that laughter prolongs your life, so why looking for the fountain of youth or other miraculous remedies to stop aging, if all you need to do is to reach for "Spells, Salt, & Steel: Season One". It really works!

The action is another unquestionable advantage of this collection of novellas. In these stories, something interesting, funny and to some extent moving that keeps you in suspense happens almost on every page. Mark is a character who is in constant motion, who looks for paranormal cases and accepts orders to get rid of some supernatural beings almost all the time, and what's more, he has such bad luck that being at his side we simply can't be bored. In his case, even the seemingly simplest hunting can't reach the climax quickly, easily and without complications, which naturally works for readers' benefit as they are drawn into the whirl of crazy, fascinating events. I know something about it, because while reading "Spells, Salt, & Steel: Season One" on my way to the university, I almost missed the train station where I was supposed to get off. As you can see, these novellas really draw the readers in completely and don't allow them to take a break from reading.

Finally, I must also mention the supernatural side of the universe the authors created. On the one hand, Mark has to face some really diverse creatures, about existence of which the average reader did not even know. This undoubtedly makes these interesting novellas all the more fascinating and it makes them not only a great entertainment, but also gives us the opportunity to learn something from them. What's more, Gail Z. Martin and Larry N. Martin shape their fictional world by highlighting the existence of larger, and to some extent legendary, institutions which deal with the paranormal "problems". Undoubtedly, this is a great advantage because it shows that the universe of "Spells, Salt, & Steel" has a lot to offer and certainly has many secrets.

To sum up, "Spells, Salt, & Steel: Season One" should be included in the list of books "for immediate reading" of every person interested in the urban fantasy novels, who has not yet had the opportunity to meet Mark Wojcik. The novellas included in this volume are interesting, amusing, addictive and thanks to them even our reality seems to be more magical. This collection is a great entertainment, fantastic adventure and an opportunity to enrich the circle of our fictional friends with some really amazing characters.

__________________________________

Mark Wojcik na co dzień jest zwykłym mechanikiem samochodowym, jednak po godzinach zajmuje się polowaniem na wszelkiego rodzaju paranormalne istoty, które sprawiają kłopoty lub zagrażają ludzkiemu życiu. W przeszłości, kiedy świat nadprzyrodzony istniał dla niego tylko w fikcji, jako jedyny przeżył nieoczekiwane starcie z wendigo podczas rodzinnego polowania. Śmierć bliskich nadal nawiedza go w sennych koszmarach, co czyni z niego tym zacieklejszego przeciwnika, kiedy staje twarzą w twarz z kolejnymi nadprzyrodzonymi stworzeniami, których należy się pozbyć. Nie ważne z jak paskudną kreaturą przychodzi mu się zmierzyć lub jak niesprzyjające okazują się okoliczności. Mark Wojcik zawsze dokłada wszelkich starań by wyjść z każdego starcia zwycięsko, nawet jeśli nie wszystko idzie jak zaplanował i wygrana wymaga od niego sporej improwizacji.

„Spells, Salt, & Steel: Season One” to cztery pierwsze nowele serii o tym właśnie tytule, zebrane w jeden tom. Ich głównym bohaterem jest Mark Wojcik, facet, którego naprawdę musicie poznać, jako że nie ma sobie równych. Wierzcie mi, jest wiele różnych powodów, dla których warto sięgnąć po serię „Spells, Salt, & Steel” i Mark jest niewątpliwie jednym z nich. Z jednej strony jest prostym facetem, mającym za sobą tragiczne przeżycia, które pchnęły go na drogę paranormalnego łowcy i pod tym względem nie różni się jakoś szczególnie od wielu innych osób o tej profesji. Jednak to dopiero początek, bowiem Mark jest cudownym nerdem ze słabością do komiksów oraz anime, co sprawiło, że od razu stał mi się bliski, jako że pod tym względem nasze zainteresowania się pokrywają. Tym, co jednak czyni go naprawdę wyjątkowym jest jego pech. Co tu dużo mówić, ten facet to pechowiec jakich mało. Jeśli ktoś ma wpakować się po uszy w jakieś kłopoty, to będzie to właśnie Mark Wojcik. Polowanie nie idzie zgodnie z planem? Tak, niewątpliwie on będzie brał w nim udział. I jak tu go nie kochać? Dodam, że równie fantastycznie prezentują się także postacie poboczne serii. Są bowiem zabawne, interesujące i łatwe do polubienia, toteż naprawdę warto je poznać.

Nieszczęścia, które ciągną się za Markiem w ogromnej mierze ściśle wiążą się z humorem serii, co jest kolejną zaletą „Spells, Salt, & Steel: Season One”. Możecie mi wierzyć, że jeśli chodzi o stronę komediową to jestem bardzo wybredna i nierzadko wyszukany, bądź też naciągany humor zupełnie mnie nie bawi. Nic więc dziwnego, że niektórzy uważają mnie za osobę pozbawioną poczucia humoru. Tym bardziej możecie mi więc zaufać, kiedy mówię, że zbiór nowel o Marku Wojciku napisanych przez Gail Z. Martin oraz Larry’ego N. Martina to prawdziwie zabawne cudeńko. Zauważamy to już przy okazji pierwszego polowania, w którym towarzyszymy głównemu bohaterowi, a im dalej się posuwamy w jego przygodach, tym lepiej się bawimy. Naprawdę, od dawna nie śmiałam się tak szczerze czytając jakąkolwiek powieść. To idealny sposób na poprawę humoru i odstresowanie. Zresztą, mówi się, że śmiech przedłuża życie, więc po co poszukiwać źródeł wiecznej młodości lub innych cudownych remediów na starość, skoro wystarczy sięgnąć po „Spells, Salt, & Steel: Season One”. Efekt murowany!

Akcja jest kolejną niewątpliwą zaletą tego zbioru nowel. Tutaj na każdej stronie dzieje się coś interesującego, trzymającego w napięciu, zabawnego lub w pewnym stopniu wzruszającego. Mark jest bohaterem, który jest w ciągłym ruchu, który wyszukuje i przyjmuje zlecenia pozbycia się paranormalnych istot niemal bezustannie, a co więcej, ma takiego pecha, że u jego boku zwyczajnie nie możemy się nudzić. W jego przypadku nawet z pozoru najprostsze polowanie nie może przebiec szybko, łatwo i bez komplikacji, co naturalnie działa na korzyść czytelnika, który zostaje wciągnięty w wir szalonych, fascynujących wydarzeń. Coś o tym wiem, ponieważ czytając „Spells, Salt, & Steel: Season One” w drodze na uczelnię, niemal przejechałam stację kolejową, na której miałam wysiadać. Jak więc widzicie, te nowele naprawdę wciągają czytelnika bez reszty i nie pozwalają na oderwanie się od lektury.

Na koniec muszę także wspomnieć o paranormalnej części uniwersum stworzonego przez autorów. Z jednej strony mamy bowiem naprawdę różnorodne stworzenia, którym Mark musi stawiać czoła, a o których istnieniu przeciętny czytelnik nie miał nawet pojęcia. To niewątpliwie sprawia, że te interesujące nowele są dla nas tym bardziej fascynujące i stanowią nie tylko rozrywkę, ale także pozwalają nam czegoś się nauczyć. Co więcej, Gail Z. Martin oraz Larry N. Martin kształtują świat przedstawiony także poprzez zaznaczenie istnienia większych, do pewnego stopnia legendarnych, instytucji, które zajmują się walką z paranormalnymi „problemami”. Niewątpliwie jest to ogromną zaletą, ponieważ pokazuje, że świat „Spells, Salt, & Steel” ma nam do zaoferowania naprawdę wiele i z pewnością kryje w sobie niesamowicie wiele tajemnic.

Podsumowując, „Spells, Salt, & Steel: Season One” powinno znaleźć się na liście książek „do natychmiastowego przeczytania” każdego czytelnika powieści z gatunku urban fantasy, który nie miał jeszcze okazji poznać Marka Wojcika. Nowele wchodzące w skład tego tomu wciągają, bawią, uzależniają i sprawiają, że nawet nasza rzeczywistość wydaje się nam bardziej magiczna. Ten zbiór to przednia rozrywka, fantastyczna przygoda i okazja do wzbogacenia grona naszych fikcyjnych przyjaciół o kilku naprawdę niesamowitych bohaterów.

[Alexandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed these books more than I expected. There were some creepy stories in this one. I did enjoy Mark's weird sense of humor and outlook on life. He has an interesting group of friends that help him with his monster hunting. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This starts off the first season of these stories and gives you the first four novellas, Spells, Salt & Steel; Open Season; Deep Trouble and Close Encounters. The main character is Mark Wojcik, who owns his own garage and loves working as a mechanic. However, that is not his only job. He covers the wilds of a large area of Pennsylvania, trying to keep the nights free of monsters, ghosts, zombies and other supernatural creatures, that shouldn’t be harassing people. He started in this type of work after he and some family members were attacked whilst hunting deer.

He does this work for an organisation that covers the whole country. His local contact is actually a local priest, not the sort of person you would expect to be dealing with such matters. Mark deals with all sorts of creatures, mostly at night and is known as a Hunter in his local area, to some, not all. A bit like the brothers in Supernatural on TV. The blurb describes him as a New Templar Knight. A task that often takes him away from his garage and his normal life.

I like the names and descriptions of some of the creatures he combats, such as weresquonks and ningen. The name ‘selkies’, was one I had already heard of, living in Scotland and having the Loch Ness monster tales and the 30m high Kelpies statues at the Falkirk Wheel. There are also the usual ghosts, haunted places, zombies and even the more unusual nasty gnome!

I loved the fact you got four separate, but complete, stories to introduce you to the series. Each one was different and found Mark and often the local priest, Father Leo, helping to stop all these mysterious occurrences of supernatural beings. It seems there may be something much more sinister behind each of these events, making the effects of each so more extreme. It places Mark and his friends in mortal danger and leads to a wonderful ‘out of this world’ scenario.

I really enjoyed each separate story, they are somewhat linked to the world of the Deadly Curiosities book series, by one of the authors and as I love reading those, these hit the mark as well. Certainly reminds me of one of the Winchester brothers in Supernatural. They are dealing with evil spirits, demons etc, whereas Mark has to deal with a very wide multitude of different creatures and has no family diary of contact with certain creatures and how to defeat them. He has to learn that from his own and others experiences, where these are shared in the organisation.

Another great read from the authors and I can’t wait for the next seasons or parts of the series to come out. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two chapters were totally boring and I nearly stopped reading this story of a mid-thirty “looser” who hunts supernatural beings and makes it look like a comic. The style just was a bit too masculine for me. Also the best friends/helper, lesbian super hot Chiara and military Blair, were too much cliché. But the third story got a bit more flesh to it and I stuck around till the end of Part I. Now there might be a love interest flaming up and while this is something that gives the story more depths and makes it more interesting for me, I don't know if this is the general opinion.
In a way it's refreshing to see an older hunter around all those super cool twenty-somethings in other books but unfortunately the ripen age doesn't carry over consistently with him leading a typical pizza, beer and poker student life.

Part II carries on where part I left, although the hoped for “romance” isn't even mentioned until later. There isn't a lot of depth to the characters or explanation to the supernatural beings and little to non development. Wojcik gets called to some strange incident, sometimes he needs help from his friends with online-research or the priest, but comes to it, a bit of salt, an iron crow bar and a firelighter, sometimes a bit of explosives, do always the trick.

If you are happy with a short, comic like story about a man who hunts monsters quickly and efficiently with no questions asked, then read this.
If you want your main character to develop and get out of his self-loathing misery then this falls short.

[V. Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two paragraphs into this compilation, I realized that I had already read the first novella that makes up Season 1. However, I had enjoyed the former reading so much that I reread that one – and the next two. Only the fourth in the set was new to me.

Rereading them was like becoming reacquainted with old friends. Mark and his companions are well-rounded characters, reminiscent of persons I have met in real life. In addition, the settings – locations in western Pennsylvania – are familiar or similar to places I have visited.

The difference? These places are populated by monsters and the characters confront them with courage and innovation. I never encountered those types of monsters in those familiar places, but I could imagine doing so.

The Martins write with realism of setting and enough research into history and myth to make me question what is truth and what is fiction: I admit to looking up a few incidents to find out how much was grounded in the past. The authors also include characters who are diverse without being put there for the sake of diversity, believable and with backstories to help the reader care.

I recommend this book, and the entire series, to those who enjoy urban fantasy in realistic settings.

Full disclosure: I was offered a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Wojcik works as a mechanic by day. But at night he hunts the paranormal creatures in Pennsylvania. Mark works for the Occulatum as a New Templar Knight. He had a “normal” life once until his family was killed by a wendigo. Since then he protect other humans by clearing out the paranormal creatures. But things are not easy when hunting the creatures and what could go wrong does as Mark seems to have to do everything the hard way.

This is a collection of four novella so you will jump from one adventure to another. Mark is quite the character. He is a serious cutie that has a great sarcastic sense of humor. Plus it seems no matter what he does things are going to go wrong in the worst way possible. I really enjoyed his views on dealing with his family, I can relate.

I loved this book and can’t wait to read more in this series. It has everything for anyone that likes paranormal stories. I didn’t realize that I have read a couple books from Gail Martin that I absolutely loved but nothing from Larry Martin. I will have to fix this shortly.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

[Maya Preisler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Martins excell at creating damaged heroes with a painful past whom the readers cannot help by fall a little in love with. Fast paced action, creepy cryptids, and witty narration are skillfully combined with a dash of pop culture references for a humorously entertaining read sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Facing a variety of monsters that leave him knee deep in swamp muck, graveyard dirt, and zombie guts (to name a few), Mark Wojcik’s sense of humor remains intact; his hilarious narration providing a sharp contrast to the mortal danger he consistently encounters.

Some of my favorite excerpts from the book include:

“Best friends not only help you dig the grave, they bring snacks.”

“So here I was, loaded up with more weapons than Elmer Fudd in duck season, looking for a carnivorous cryptid in a bottomless swamp. What could possibly go wrong?”

And

“Which explained how a grown-ass man like me ended up squatting down behind a cemetery angel in the middle of the night, looking for a two-foot-tall prankster with a helium-high giggle.

[K.C. Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gail never disappoints. Her talent for bringing seemingly average, everyday characters to heroic life is second to none. Our hero throughout Season 1 is Mark Wojcik. Seemingly an average joe running an auto shop, but he rarely has time for his day job as monster hunting is his primary job, and passion (whether he realizes it or not). Mark takes the reader along with him on monster hunts as he cuts down zombies, destroys tulpas, and a wide variety of monsters and things that go bump in the night -- and all with a sense of dry, self-deprecating humor. His sidekicks are equally unique, funny, and relatable and makes you want to kick up your heels at the coffee shop and talk monster hunting shop talk with the gang, even the fascinating, monster-hunting Father Leo. Every character, even the monsters, are brought to life with Gail's talent for story-telling. I am anxiously awaiting Season 2 to see what trouble Mark and friends get into next.

[Bobbie Kirkland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of SPELLS, SALT, & STEEL by Gail Z. and Larry N. Martin in exchange for an honest review. Mark Wojcik owns his own garage; however, he’s rarely there. Instead, he’s off hunting monsters with the help of a few friends. Mark’s quest to eradicate the things that go bump began the night he survived a wendigo attack while his family did not. This book reads like a travel log of “went there and killed that” for the first 80%. It’s scant on the details of Mark’s life outside of monster slaying, and there’s little focus on the events leading up to each hunt. I had the feeling that, fleshed out, each event or two could have had its own book. About 80% in, the book finally develops a storyline where a series of the “went there and killed that” events become linked, and the novel then works towards a conclusion. The end of the book indicates that there is more to come.

#SpellsSaltAndSteel #NetGalley

[Debbie Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as part of an ARC review. I really like the character of Mark Wojcik. He is tenacious in his job as a monster hunter and able to think on his feet as needed. He didn't break when the wendigo killed his immediate family and instead set out to protect others from the same pain he suffered. The set of four books are action packed and Mark's personal blend of humor comes out as he works. Mark had developed a new circle of friends who support him after his old ones left him when his family was killed. I liked that he met and started a relationship with Sara who supports his activities and is even willing to help on a hunt. I really hope there is more as the CIA and Occulatum come to get his help to deal with a serious problem as the fourth book is finished. If you want action, definitely read this series and learn about all kinds of different monsters.

[Jennifer Olivas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carp, as a deadly weapon? Do tell!!

Honestly, I was hooked on this story as soon as the carp started flying! Lol! I thought this book was full of interesting supernatural beings, and a very interesting cast of characters. Mark Wojcik is our monster hunting mechanic who was thrown into this strange world of hunting monsters after his family was killed by a wendigo. He works with these two women and a priest to take care of any problems before they get out of hand. I really enjoyed the various jobs he had to go on. Being a fan of two other hunters, Sam and Dean, I really loved going on these cases with Mark. The book was a lot of fun for me. If you like bad-ass monster hunters and some crazy supernatural stuff, then this is the book for you. I did receive a copy of this book for review, and this is my honest opinion.

[Adena Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gail Z. Martin has the remarkable ability to make you feel like you are right in the middle of the action with her characters and that her characters are everyday folks you deal with all the time. This omnibus is no exception. Mark is just the back-country guy-next-door with the crappy failed marriage and difficult in-laws and quirky friends. He is not the stereotypical hillybilly out to make a killing or the cop in blue armour or Buffy reincarnated. He's just a guy who chooses to do a difficult side job because it needs to be done and it helps him deal with his nightmares. The fact that the side job is monster hunting only makes his ordinariness stand out more. I really want to meet Mark in person. I got the ARC of this book from Hidden Gems and I am reviewing voluntarily.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Wijcik by day runs a car repair shop in rural Pennsylvania, but at night he hunts monsters. Several years ago, he lost his father, a brother, an uncle, and some other relatives to a wendigo attack that he survived. Now he hunts monsters such as zombies, ghosts, weresquonks, gnomes, and maybe aliens. This volume contains the first four novella collections of Mark Wijcik adventures sent in the same universe as a number of Gail Z. Martin and Larry N. Martin's tales. If you like short adventures featuring hand to hand combat using carp and other improvised weapons, do pick up this volume!

I wish to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read this volume!

[Ani Conda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a while since I have read anything from Gail Z Martin, I am definitely judging myself for this faux pas! When I read the blurb and it stated these authors make a great duo they weren’t wrong. A great set of stories from The first instalment of this Hunter. On occasion I felt the story slowed a little too much for me but then it dragged me back in with intrigue. Humorous and paranormal filled I can say I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories and am definitely not missing out on any more of their stories!

[Joscelyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did I miss this series? I have no idea but luckily the first four novellas are now in one place and I could binge read them. As soon as I finished I was ready for season two. Mark is a great character and he has an impressive cast of secondary characters surrounding him, I loved every page of this and the next collection can't come soon enough. Mark Wojcik: mechanic by day, Templar Knight by night, and funny as hell.

[April Schilling · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of Bubba the Monster Hunter, I'm always on the look out for other hunters in the Bubbaverse. Mark is a damn fine example of one. I absolutely love him! This book is a compilation of four novellas and each one is better than the one before. And since the one before is awesome, that's a lot of good stories! Can't wait to read more about Mark!

[Mark Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Bubbaverse there are some unique characters and Gail and Larry hit a home run with Mark Wojcik. Seeing monster hunting in Pennsylvania as opposed to the South was unique. The authors introduce some less familiar cryptids and tell some good ghost stories. This is a must read for fans of ghost and monster stories.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four paranormal books packed into one volume, this was a great urban fantasy series. The stories included do have some common threads running through them, but there was clearly a different focus for each. Definitely more thriller than horror, you still get a few chills when reading. A great introduction to the series, and makes me want to read more.

[Miki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is excellent, i really loved it!
i may try to review each novella separately later but right now i'm writing about the omnibus and i love it, we see how Mark improve, how he meets Gus. I still have some questions as i've read it out of order but i'm addicted and want more

Lot of action, humour several paranormal creature very little know off it's a great mix! to be recommended

[irv Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to get.

The book is something else to read that leaves you on edge for what happens next. The stories are worth while to read they keep you wondering what will happen next. Well done look forward for more books.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually go in for books full of shorts but this was okay. It worked for me because it was the same characters and themes thought. Interesting plots but not quite enough depth because shorts but the characters are likeable and not stupid.

[Alexis Meuche · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this is actually written like a tv series. Like each chapter feels like an episode. But I will say if you don’t like supernatural you probably won’t love this. It’s very much inspired by it.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and interesting monster hunting stories.

[Jenay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like some of these stories could, and should be a lot longer. Overall, likable characters, decent writing.

[Kandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun stories in this universe. A new to me narrator and I loved him! Great job