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Forty Proof #3
Midlife Demon Hunter
Goblins and ghouls and magic, oh my! Hang tight to your britches, this laugh out loud adventure is about to light you up!
Ousted from the Hollows Group, the shadow world has officially taken notice of me.
With loan sharks sniffing around and knocking on my door, I need to figure out how my ex-husband pushed all his debt onto me, because it stinks of black magic and back alley dealings.
Until I can get some answers there, I distract myself with a new job—working for a goblin. The job is as simple as hiding some paperwork for him. Only . . . someone else wants what he gave me. And they are playing dangerously dirty to get what they want.
Throw in a lovesick bigfoot, a siren going through menopause, a demon next door, and two hot guys vying for my attention, and you’ve got my life in a nutshell.
Well, that is if you don’t count on Robert showing up and saving my bacon again. Which he has to, because this time . . .this time I’ve really put my foot in it.
Ousted from the Hollows Group, the shadow world has officially taken notice of me.
With loan sharks sniffing around and knocking on my door, I need to figure out how my ex-husband pushed all his debt onto me, because it stinks of black magic and back alley dealings.
Until I can get some answers there, I distract myself with a new job—working for a goblin. The job is as simple as hiding some paperwork for him. Only . . . someone else wants what he gave me. And they are playing dangerously dirty to get what they want.
Throw in a lovesick bigfoot, a siren going through menopause, a demon next door, and two hot guys vying for my attention, and you’ve got my life in a nutshell.
Well, that is if you don’t count on Robert showing up and saving my bacon again. Which he has to, because this time . . .this time I’ve really put my foot in it.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2020
3293 people are currently reading
1754 people want to read
About the author
Shannon Mayer
161 books7,241 followersA long time ago, in a galaxy far away, I was born into a family of Star Wars nuts. I have a lot of siblings (somewhere I lost count but I think there was more than could be numbered on one hand) and being one of the young padawans I was subjected to Star Wars marathons, on a regular basis. If you've read any of my books you'll see there is often a reference to said movies as a small homage to my upbringing. May the force be with you and all that jazz.
I started writing when I realized I didn't want to grow up not believing in magic, or not believing in creatures everyone else said didn't exist. That being said, I have never seen a fairy, unicorn or dragon. I had a neighbour who swore they fed the leprechauns in their garden, but I never caught the little buggers no matter how long I lay in wait. (And consequently had to help the neighbours plant new flowers to replace those I killed waiting for the leprechauns to show their faces.)
Along the way, I found my husband who is the rock that keeps me from floating away into my dreams, and we have a little boy who is the centre of our world. Living on a farm keeps us busy (as if the writing wasn't enough) and I have more than my share of stories about wrestling with cows, helping birth calves and ending up in the creek during the process, falling in the mud (we'll call it mud but we all know that on a farm, mud is rarely mud) and chasing escaped livestock in the hopes the four legged convicts don't make it to the highway.
I've taken up archery, and the goal is to move into horseback archery in time (you know, when I can hit the target on a consistent basis) and when no one is looking, I love to bake (this doesn't happen often as it's hard to keep the sweet treats in stock with two boys in the house.)
As to what's coming next for me? More stories (since those never stop inside my head, I might as well share them with all of you!) and more adventures. Pretty much, when the fancy strikes, I'll jump on it. Leap before you look I'm sure that motto was created for me.
Or was that . . . think big and dream bigger, ready, set, pull the trigger . . . yeah. That one is a good one too. But only if you have a gun. And are hunting elephants. Which is not cool because of so many reasons. Let's stick with the first one with an addendum.
Leap before you look and let your dreams carry you on their wings. And that, my friends, is me in a nutshell.
I started writing when I realized I didn't want to grow up not believing in magic, or not believing in creatures everyone else said didn't exist. That being said, I have never seen a fairy, unicorn or dragon. I had a neighbour who swore they fed the leprechauns in their garden, but I never caught the little buggers no matter how long I lay in wait. (And consequently had to help the neighbours plant new flowers to replace those I killed waiting for the leprechauns to show their faces.)
Along the way, I found my husband who is the rock that keeps me from floating away into my dreams, and we have a little boy who is the centre of our world. Living on a farm keeps us busy (as if the writing wasn't enough) and I have more than my share of stories about wrestling with cows, helping birth calves and ending up in the creek during the process, falling in the mud (we'll call it mud but we all know that on a farm, mud is rarely mud) and chasing escaped livestock in the hopes the four legged convicts don't make it to the highway.
I've taken up archery, and the goal is to move into horseback archery in time (you know, when I can hit the target on a consistent basis) and when no one is looking, I love to bake (this doesn't happen often as it's hard to keep the sweet treats in stock with two boys in the house.)
As to what's coming next for me? More stories (since those never stop inside my head, I might as well share them with all of you!) and more adventures. Pretty much, when the fancy strikes, I'll jump on it. Leap before you look I'm sure that motto was created for me.
Or was that . . . think big and dream bigger, ready, set, pull the trigger . . . yeah. That one is a good one too. But only if you have a gun. And are hunting elephants. Which is not cool because of so many reasons. Let's stick with the first one with an addendum.
Leap before you look and let your dreams carry you on their wings. And that, my friends, is me in a nutshell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 644 reviews
August 27, 2020
Another fantastic and fun installment of Forty Proof and the characters are simply attaching themselves to my heart!
Breenais quite something else and more, I'm just not quite sure what yet but it is so much fun and very addictive trying to find out!
Sharon Mayer has definitely hit the jackpot with this series and the characters, I am totally addicted to the books, they are fun, exciting, mysterious and full of different plots. Roll on the next installment!!!
Breenais quite something else and more, I'm just not quite sure what yet but it is so much fun and very addictive trying to find out!
Sharon Mayer has definitely hit the jackpot with this series and the characters, I am totally addicted to the books, they are fun, exciting, mysterious and full of different plots. Roll on the next installment!!!
August 4, 2020
I completely adore this series and it really is just getting better and better as it goes. It makes me laugh, it makes my heart pound, it makes me cringe, and it makes me smile.
We can all use a little something that gets us away from what is going on in the world right now and this series has been it for me. I will eagerly be awaiting the next installment!
We can all use a little something that gets us away from what is going on in the world right now and this series has been it for me. I will eagerly be awaiting the next installment!
June 23, 2020
The third installment of the Forty Proof series is out of this world amazing!
This series truly gets better and better as the series progresses. Shannon Mayer does not disappoint. I wanted to inhale this book in one sitting but mom life.
Trust me once you dive into Bree’s world it will suck you in!! Bree has no ducks to give and man she is so hilarious!! So many puzzle pieces fit in this installment. So much more is left to be discovered and I honestly cannot wait for the next installment and see what Bree and her crew are up to. I enjoyed this book very much. It had me laughing, feeling the pain that Bree feels. Sigh...Robert. I love that man.
This series truly gets better and better as the series progresses. Shannon Mayer does not disappoint. I wanted to inhale this book in one sitting but mom life.
Trust me once you dive into Bree’s world it will suck you in!! Bree has no ducks to give and man she is so hilarious!! So many puzzle pieces fit in this installment. So much more is left to be discovered and I honestly cannot wait for the next installment and see what Bree and her crew are up to. I enjoyed this book very much. It had me laughing, feeling the pain that Bree feels. Sigh...Robert. I love that man.
August 15, 2020
Well, I rounded the last book up to a reluctant 4 stars, and I'm done with that. This gets two.
Every problem has just continued to build.
Her ex is a bag of shit and she still lets him get away with treating her like garbage. Yeah, yeah, She's just so unbelievably fucking spineless.
And no, I don't find the ducking to be cute. And it's fucking constant.
The Corb situation just gets worse and worse. He still lies to her, manipulates her, sent her in to deal with fucking Annie without a fucking heads up! And she just rolls over for all of it. She sucks up his constant mistreatment of her, and every fucking time, no matter how far he has crossed the line yet a-fucking-gain, she brushes it off in like 1 second. I hate him, and her constantly swallowing every speck of his shit has made me start to hate Bree.
Also, fucking lol that Corb is one of
Corb belittles and undercuts Bree just as much as Alan ever did. And he lies to her and manipulates her into dangerous situations without informing her or asking for her help. I want to underscore this: as far as I am concerned, Corb is worse than Alan. But apparently that's all okay with Bree because he's hot.
Fucking eyeroll.
And then in this book, Crash has started to piss me off. What the fuck is his problem? And why did he do that, down by the goblins? I don't think he meant the house stuff the way Bree took it, but he was definitely being a douchebag.
The only guy I like in this series is Robert, and I'm half-convinced Robert is related to her. So, meh.
I don't know that I'll continue with the series. At this point, I doubt it. I don't want to see yet more of Alan dominating her life with this police shit. And her continuing to happily roll with being treated this way. It's fucking tiresome.
Every problem has just continued to build.
Her ex is a bag of shit and she still lets him get away with treating her like garbage. Yeah, yeah, She's just so unbelievably fucking spineless.
And no, I don't find the ducking to be cute. And it's fucking constant.
The Corb situation just gets worse and worse. He still lies to her, manipulates her, sent her in to deal with fucking Annie without a fucking heads up! And she just rolls over for all of it. She sucks up his constant mistreatment of her, and every fucking time, no matter how far he has crossed the line yet a-fucking-gain, she brushes it off in like 1 second. I hate him, and her constantly swallowing every speck of his shit has made me start to hate Bree.
Also, fucking lol that Corb is one of
Corb belittles and undercuts Bree just as much as Alan ever did. And he lies to her and manipulates her into dangerous situations without informing her or asking for her help. I want to underscore this: as far as I am concerned, Corb is worse than Alan. But apparently that's all okay with Bree because he's hot.
Fucking eyeroll.
And then in this book, Crash has started to piss me off. What the fuck is his problem? And why did he do that, down by the goblins? I don't think he meant the house stuff the way Bree took it, but he was definitely being a douchebag.
The only guy I like in this series is Robert, and I'm half-convinced Robert is related to her. So, meh.
I don't know that I'll continue with the series. At this point, I doubt it. I don't want to see yet more of Alan dominating her life with this police shit. And her continuing to happily roll with being treated this way. It's fucking tiresome.
July 19, 2020
Have you ever finished a book and then spent the day sad because you don't have anymore of it to read? This was that book for me. I can't explain how much I love Breena and her mix of friends. She is the person I think I am in my mind. I laughed so much at some of the stuff they found themselves getting into. Let us not forget she has some NICE HOT MAN CANDY that seem to be coming up everywhere. I hope with everything that there are going to be a bunch of books for Bree. They make me happy and I can't get enough of this story.
June 21, 2020
Every time I read a book by this author, I’m amazed at how well she writes, and this book was no exception. In the latest, Bree is contacted for help. However, just like normal, nothing seems to go right, and she ends up hip-deep in trouble. I love the character of Bree as a “middle-aged” woman who still has a lot of living left to do. Not only that, she has flaws, but she still can kick butt with the rest of them even if she aches afterwards. Towards the end, something happened that left me a little stunned, which then came back to shock me with the events at the very end. This book is probably the best so far; I love that this series seems to be getting better and better. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
July 13, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed the newest book in the Forty Proof series! Breena O’Rylee is kicking ass and taking names as she navigates the Shadow world. This book carried a mystery throughout and is filled with some laugh out loud comedy. I definitely recommend this entire series, you won’t regret it!
May 22, 2021
Another fun entry into this series! This book took off right from the start and didn't let up once. Loved the story, loved the mystery, loved what was insinuated that's still to come, and really hoping some things can become resolved with Crash asap! Having said that... Robert is clearly the MVP of this book! Highly recommend!
January 21, 2022
I swear this series is getting better and better with each book!!!
I tore through it all one book after another from cover to cover and wanted more.
All classy 5 star reads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
And each book better than the other.
🔥The Forty Proof Series is
A Paranormal Women's Fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass for anyone who feels like age is just a number!
🔥Full of snark, sass and class, this tale of a middle-aged woman who'd given up trying to please everyone and run out of ducks to care for, is one that gripped me from the very first page and had me set it on my shelf of all-time favourites.
What should you expect if you decide to give it a try?
🔥A tale of mystery full of plot twists you'll probably never see coming.
🔥Lots of danger and action
🔥Cool magic, creepy shadow world stuff and a whole load of classy snark
🔥A forty something woman with a broken filter who's done caring what everyone else thought,
🔥an animated skeleton and an undead horse, who happen to be among my favourites,
🔥A more or less stupid werewolf who got his tail in a twist,
🔥A love sick siren
🔥And giant spider reading and editing books, among others.
How that last bit works you're gonna have to read this to find out. 😉😎
My advice if you'll have it:
🔥Give these ducking books a try.
And you can thank me later.🤩
❤Happy reading Bookdragons
And be kind😘
I tore through it all one book after another from cover to cover and wanted more.
All classy 5 star reads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
And each book better than the other.
🔥The Forty Proof Series is
A Paranormal Women's Fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass for anyone who feels like age is just a number!
🔥Full of snark, sass and class, this tale of a middle-aged woman who'd given up trying to please everyone and run out of ducks to care for, is one that gripped me from the very first page and had me set it on my shelf of all-time favourites.
What should you expect if you decide to give it a try?
🔥A tale of mystery full of plot twists you'll probably never see coming.
🔥Lots of danger and action
🔥Cool magic, creepy shadow world stuff and a whole load of classy snark
🔥A forty something woman with a broken filter who's done caring what everyone else thought,
🔥an animated skeleton and an undead horse, who happen to be among my favourites,
🔥A more or less stupid werewolf who got his tail in a twist,
🔥A love sick siren
🔥And giant spider reading and editing books, among others.
How that last bit works you're gonna have to read this to find out. 😉😎
My advice if you'll have it:
🔥Give these ducking books a try.
And you can thank me later.🤩
❤Happy reading Bookdragons
And be kind😘
March 18, 2022
Witty, fast-paced, well-developed characters, and intriguing plots. The series gets better with each book. Can’t wait to start the next one!
January 7, 2021
Totally digging this series.
Bree is a loveable character with her humor thrown in along the way as she does her thing, breaking out on her own, but she has her tribe stepping in to help when needed.
Bree is a very relatable character as the years tick on.
Robert is always a fave with his swaying and 'friend' and partial to whiskey.
Corb and Crash... *sigh* men!
Crash is my fave for sure, but still...
A motley and colorful cast of characters.
Bree is a loveable character with her humor thrown in along the way as she does her thing, breaking out on her own, but she has her tribe stepping in to help when needed.
Bree is a very relatable character as the years tick on.
Robert is always a fave with his swaying and 'friend' and partial to whiskey.
Corb and Crash... *sigh* men!
Crash is my fave for sure, but still...
A motley and colorful cast of characters.
August 5, 2020
Note to self :) Whole Series on the Must Read Listing!
September 4, 2021
2.5
Sigh. I’m getting tired of this series. I still like it, and it has so much potential, it just feels so messy. It feels as though the author came up with a bunch of one dimensional characters and didn’t know what to do with them. It’s really annoying. I just wish the non-stop action and problems would just stop for a second so they could have some semblance of a real conversation. This is why I like Robert, at least he gets some one on one screen time.
The love triangle could have been a thing but it’s just exhausting. I like Crash but Bree’s constant insecurities make it hard to actually learn more about him. I like that she’s insecure, it makes her character deeper, but it’s always the same contradictory stuff. Don’t even get me started on Corb! That annoying little shit. He constantly lies and honestly, there’s not even any chemistry there and yet somehow, Bree keeps going back for more as if there’s nothing wrong. It’s just messy.
I will be reading the next instalment and I really really do hope it gets better.
Oh yeah! One last thing that really annoyed me was how Alan’s whole existence has just become a joke. He was the thing connecting Bree to her awful past, he was an abusive partner and the reason for all her insecurities. And yet here he is, just gallivanting about having no effect whatsoever. I think he really should have had a greater impact, he’s the last thing that’s connecting Bree to the “real” world, the world where she was unhappy. So much could have been done here but instead the author went for the “haha let’s but my ex in a bag haha” approach. Disappointing.
Sigh. I’m getting tired of this series. I still like it, and it has so much potential, it just feels so messy. It feels as though the author came up with a bunch of one dimensional characters and didn’t know what to do with them. It’s really annoying. I just wish the non-stop action and problems would just stop for a second so they could have some semblance of a real conversation. This is why I like Robert, at least he gets some one on one screen time.
The love triangle could have been a thing but it’s just exhausting. I like Crash but Bree’s constant insecurities make it hard to actually learn more about him. I like that she’s insecure, it makes her character deeper, but it’s always the same contradictory stuff. Don’t even get me started on Corb! That annoying little shit. He constantly lies and honestly, there’s not even any chemistry there and yet somehow, Bree keeps going back for more as if there’s nothing wrong. It’s just messy.
I will be reading the next instalment and I really really do hope it gets better.
Oh yeah! One last thing that really annoyed me was how Alan’s whole existence has just become a joke. He was the thing connecting Bree to her awful past, he was an abusive partner and the reason for all her insecurities. And yet here he is, just gallivanting about having no effect whatsoever. I think he really should have had a greater impact, he’s the last thing that’s connecting Bree to the “real” world, the world where she was unhappy. So much could have been done here but instead the author went for the “haha let’s but my ex in a bag haha” approach. Disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2020
Another amazing installment of the forty proof series! I dont know how many books are planned for, but it looks like there could be a bunch. I don't know about you, but I'm hoping It'll go into the double digits!
I found Shannon Mayer through her Desert Cursed books and fell in love with her writing style (Though, her early books can be a bit of a hit or miss with me) I love her writing now, so anything she writes from now on I'll continuously refreshing the amazon page on release night so I can yoink it the second it goes on sale. (Like I did last night for this book)
I also will mention that I have kindle unlimited, so I was able to read everything for free, but I love these books so much I bought the actual ebooks so I could have them forever and whenever. And I also bought the paper back versions to display on my shelf and have on hand when ever I'm craving words on actual paper. Did I say I love these books? Because I do. I love them. and I love supporting an author who writes REAL characters and situations, amazing and witty dialog, and twisty turny plots.
This story is amazing, Its got everything I want in a book, and I dont say that lightly. It's funny, fast paced, and most of all: it has refreshingly real relationships/friendships and worries. It's honestly become one of my favorite series, Actually, I'm pretty sure its taken the top spot.
**HERE BE SPOILERS/PREDICTIONS**
I will say I have been firmly on the Crash bandwagon. So much so, that I'll sometimes pick up the books and reread through just their scenes. That being said, I'm pissed at him in this book. Like god damn man! My prediction is he is trying to protect her from the consequences of their actions/ everyone knowing they have caught feels and trying to use said feels against them. He doesn't have to be such an ass about it though, and normally he lets her fight her own battles (to a point), he gives her credit where credit is due a lot of the time. He's never discounted her because of her age or gender or anything like that, and that's what is so attractive about him, so it makes me angry to think he is doing that now. Trying to protect her 'for her own good' and leaving her in the dark about it. I'm still rooting for him and Bree SO HARD (because yum), but I could also see their paths diverging if he keeps this shit up.
And now on to our boi Robert. Friend. Bless this man. Around the time that Bree and Robert went into the Demon house and she made him 'his real self' I thought to myself "Oh damn, wouldn't it be cool if there was a book that made a relationship like Bree and Roberts turn into a romance? Like a totally out of left field thing. A friend character for multiple books, whos dead- literally a skeleton, with zero romantic vibes from either party the entire time just POOF you realize he's the one for you. But not this book, naw, Crash and Bree are perfect. That would be a cool idea though, I wonder if its been done, and done well, yet. I'd love to read that." And then I just MOVED ON from that thought and went on my merry way. and now those thoughts came straight back at me the last 5% of the hecking book and I was like "OH! OHH." What if. WHAT IF?!
I'm still in the Crash boat, not as die hard as before since the Robert idea, but I'm hanging on and I'm hanging on strong. I am side eyeing Robert REAL hard though, he's been there for Bree through everything and hasn't let her down or used her once. and even though I hope the next book has a lot of Crash parts... I really want to get to know Robert more and see what he's all about.
I can't wait for the next book, its torture having to wait on new book releases! That's actually why I typically leave new 'first in the series' books alone for like 1-2 years to give them time to pop out the rest of their book babies so I can inhale the entire series all at once and suffer HARD book hangover. But Covid made it hard for me to honor that tradition, so here I am, SUFFERING.
I found Shannon Mayer through her Desert Cursed books and fell in love with her writing style (Though, her early books can be a bit of a hit or miss with me) I love her writing now, so anything she writes from now on I'll continuously refreshing the amazon page on release night so I can yoink it the second it goes on sale. (Like I did last night for this book)
I also will mention that I have kindle unlimited, so I was able to read everything for free, but I love these books so much I bought the actual ebooks so I could have them forever and whenever. And I also bought the paper back versions to display on my shelf and have on hand when ever I'm craving words on actual paper. Did I say I love these books? Because I do. I love them. and I love supporting an author who writes REAL characters and situations, amazing and witty dialog, and twisty turny plots.
This story is amazing, Its got everything I want in a book, and I dont say that lightly. It's funny, fast paced, and most of all: it has refreshingly real relationships/friendships and worries. It's honestly become one of my favorite series, Actually, I'm pretty sure its taken the top spot.
**HERE BE SPOILERS/PREDICTIONS**
I will say I have been firmly on the Crash bandwagon. So much so, that I'll sometimes pick up the books and reread through just their scenes. That being said, I'm pissed at him in this book. Like god damn man! My prediction is he is trying to protect her from the consequences of their actions/ everyone knowing they have caught feels and trying to use said feels against them. He doesn't have to be such an ass about it though, and normally he lets her fight her own battles (to a point), he gives her credit where credit is due a lot of the time. He's never discounted her because of her age or gender or anything like that, and that's what is so attractive about him, so it makes me angry to think he is doing that now. Trying to protect her 'for her own good' and leaving her in the dark about it. I'm still rooting for him and Bree SO HARD (because yum), but I could also see their paths diverging if he keeps this shit up.
And now on to our boi Robert. Friend. Bless this man. Around the time that Bree and Robert went into the Demon house and she made him 'his real self' I thought to myself "Oh damn, wouldn't it be cool if there was a book that made a relationship like Bree and Roberts turn into a romance? Like a totally out of left field thing. A friend character for multiple books, whos dead- literally a skeleton, with zero romantic vibes from either party the entire time just POOF you realize he's the one for you. But not this book, naw, Crash and Bree are perfect. That would be a cool idea though, I wonder if its been done, and done well, yet. I'd love to read that." And then I just MOVED ON from that thought and went on my merry way. and now those thoughts came straight back at me the last 5% of the hecking book and I was like "OH! OHH." What if. WHAT IF?!
I'm still in the Crash boat, not as die hard as before since the Robert idea, but I'm hanging on and I'm hanging on strong. I am side eyeing Robert REAL hard though, he's been there for Bree through everything and hasn't let her down or used her once. and even though I hope the next book has a lot of Crash parts... I really want to get to know Robert more and see what he's all about.
I can't wait for the next book, its torture having to wait on new book releases! That's actually why I typically leave new 'first in the series' books alone for like 1-2 years to give them time to pop out the rest of their book babies so I can inhale the entire series all at once and suffer HARD book hangover. But Covid made it hard for me to honor that tradition, so here I am, SUFFERING.
July 22, 2020
Another fantastic instalment of the forty proof series.
Next book is in December so that will be a fun wait.
Bre is an older woman who has moved to Savanah because she has no other options. She is a witch and a powerful one. She is also part fae. She finds herself attracted to 2 guys, the fae king and her ex-husbands cousin.
Next book is in December so that will be a fun wait.
Bre is an older woman who has moved to Savanah because she has no other options. She is a witch and a powerful one. She is also part fae. She finds herself attracted to 2 guys, the fae king and her ex-husbands cousin.
July 16, 2020
This is the 3rd book in the Forty Proof series and they just keep getting better! The cast of characters is like no other. They are ducking awesome!
This book was so funny! I'm not as old as Breena yet but even I peed a little reading this book. Breena got caught up in so much crazy crap. It's a good thing she's such a badass with some awesome friends to get out of it! I would definitely want her on my side if darkness was trying to take over my town.
I am so ready for the next installment. I'm mad at myself for plowing through this book so fast, making me have to wait longer.
This book was so funny! I'm not as old as Breena yet but even I peed a little reading this book. Breena got caught up in so much crazy crap. It's a good thing she's such a badass with some awesome friends to get out of it! I would definitely want her on my side if darkness was trying to take over my town.
I am so ready for the next installment. I'm mad at myself for plowing through this book so fast, making me have to wait longer.
September 9, 2020
The next chapter of Breena O'Rylie's new life!
Kicked out of the Hollows group and going out on her own with her motley crew of friends.
Eric, the bigfoot, a girl who is a siren and a water nymph.
Rylee is trying to figure out who to trust in the local political game of the Shadow world vs what is true or not true.
Plenty of bad guys, goblins mages, fairy Queens etc etc and it will take a lot of sorting out to find out who is trying to kill her next. And what does she do about it.
Fun series!
Kicked out of the Hollows group and going out on her own with her motley crew of friends.
Eric, the bigfoot, a girl who is a siren and a water nymph.
Rylee is trying to figure out who to trust in the local political game of the Shadow world vs what is true or not true.
Plenty of bad guys, goblins mages, fairy Queens etc etc and it will take a lot of sorting out to find out who is trying to kill her next. And what does she do about it.
Fun series!
October 29, 2021
At this point I’m just here for Breena and Robert to duck shit up. The Hollows started getting annoying and I like the group of misfits Breena has gathered. Was more interested in Eric’s relationship drama than Breena’s, Crash and Corb feel like they’re being overshadowed. Glad Alan is dead and so easily silenced as a ghost. Little bit of a cliffhanger. Looking forward to what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2021
Highly entertaining
This book was straight bam bam bam. Never a calm moment. Lots of drama and action. Being able to see Robert come to life was the best as well. Probably the only thing,Robert the skeleton, that is loyal to Breena. I’ve got mixed feelings for both Corb and Crash. Oh and Alan, the ex husband, totally hilarious. A must read
This book was straight bam bam bam. Never a calm moment. Lots of drama and action. Being able to see Robert come to life was the best as well. Probably the only thing,Robert the skeleton, that is loyal to Breena. I’ve got mixed feelings for both Corb and Crash. Oh and Alan, the ex husband, totally hilarious. A must read
July 24, 2020
I am waffling between 3 and 4 stars here. I continue to enjoy this series, it has just a few flaws. And that is what knocked it down to 3 stars for me. Will I read the next one? You betcha. Will I be annoyed? Probably. :D
The flaws?
1)even though using "auto correct", the author continues to use ONE expletive (through out her novels . . . and it keeps me away). Really, thesauruses aren't THAT hard to come by. A little variety would be nice. ESPECIALLY since the ONE she uses is the ONE that shuts me down every single time.
2) Love triangle. Sigh. I don't need a love triangle. I need a soul mate. And the will they or won't they quotient in this story is VERY annoying. I HATE roller coasters - of any sort. Every time I thought it was resolved, something else happened. 3 books is my tolerance for love triangles. We are now past that and I am annoyed.
3) Cliff hanger. And, oo boy, it is a doozy.
I continue to love Breena and those she has around her. The story here is very good and at least one part of it is completed - even though it is basically a set up for the cliff hangar leading to the next book. I just enjoy reading these stories. They make me laugh and give me the warm cuddlies . . . . While I'm reading. :D When I am done? All I remember are the flaws.
The flaws?
1)even though using "auto correct", the author continues to use ONE expletive (through out her novels . . . and it keeps me away). Really, thesauruses aren't THAT hard to come by. A little variety would be nice. ESPECIALLY since the ONE she uses is the ONE that shuts me down every single time.
2) Love triangle. Sigh. I don't need a love triangle. I need a soul mate. And the will they or won't they quotient in this story is VERY annoying. I HATE roller coasters - of any sort. Every time I thought it was resolved, something else happened. 3 books is my tolerance for love triangles. We are now past that and I am annoyed.
3) Cliff hanger. And, oo boy, it is a doozy.
I continue to love Breena and those she has around her. The story here is very good and at least one part of it is completed - even though it is basically a set up for the cliff hangar leading to the next book. I just enjoy reading these stories. They make me laugh and give me the warm cuddlies . . . . While I'm reading. :D When I am done? All I remember are the flaws.
July 10, 2021
Review at Wicked Cool FlightMidlife Demon Hunter is book three in The Forty Proof Series. Bree continues trying to iron out her problems, not to mention her love life. Her ex, Alan, has somehow managed to hack the shadow world and settle her with all his debt, something that no judge would have even agreed to without a little dark magic. She’s living in her gran’s house, but it’s owned by Crash now. She wants to get it back, but not without figuring how to undo Alan’s work. She’s still on the outskirts with the Hollows Group, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing since she still has her friends. She’s been hired by a goblin to keep something safe, there’s a demon in the house next door, and Bree’s attracted the attention of the council. You know, just another day in the life of “a mature, seasoned woman, who is all out of ducks to give”.
She still has a bit of a love triangle going on here. Corb is still in the picture though she’s not sure how much she should trust him. She’s even overheard that he might be completely playing her and Bree isn’t a fool. Her ex Alan has finally gotten his just desserts, but unfortunately, that just means that Bree is even more stuck with him than when they were married. Things have heated up with Crash. There’s a hot little shower scene and just in case, you prefer to skip, the author gives you this warning…
Now, just a warning, this is a moment where those of you with prudish tendencies might want to flip ahead a few pages. In fact, it might be best if you mosey along to the next chapter. I’ll wait for you to go. Go. Seriously.
And she does. Always nice to have an option for those who prefer their reads more on the urban fantasy than PNR side.
I’m honestly still stuck on who exactly I’m rooting for. Corb, definitely not. I think he’s just as sneaky and gross as her ex, even though he’s hot. Hot isn’t everything. Crash she still thinks is out of her league. She’s not exactly sure she can trust him either. It really seems like the only one she can trust is Robert and he’s dead, right? Her love life isn’t the only thing heating up. Her magic is really starting to snowball and Robert might just not be always stuck in skeleton form.
The plot essentially follows the formula of the first two. Things are fine, then there’s a supernatural problem, and Bree gets wrapped up in it. Her friends are there to help bail her out, thank goodness, but they end up with more questions than answers in the end. I don’t feel like there’s a ton of character development, but slowly and surely, Bree is figuring things out. She hasn’t gone from an unsure 40-something divorcee to badass woman overnight which I appreciate. It’s a slow climb to a confident magic-using life.
The Forty Proof Series just keeps getting better and better. It’s funny and action-packed and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. I’m completely invested now. Check back soon for reviews of the rest of the series!
July 16, 2020
I have to wait til December for the next book??! Nooo! 😭 I’m loving this series. Kinda wish I’d not started it until the series was done, cause they really are one long story, and some even end in light cliffhangers. But I don’t regret starting the series. It’s super good.
But now I gotta wait 6 months for the next book. Booooo. I’m likely to forget some of this book by then since I read so many books in a year. So, here’s a recap to remind myself.
Stop reading if you don’t want to see spoilers!
Seriously, stop!
Okay, you were warned.
.
.
.
Gran’s been ghostnapped by a demon and spirited off to New Orleans. The gang was evicted from Grans/Crash’s house too and is now holed up in Alan’s apartment... oh yeah and Alan (the ex husband) died and is now haunting Bree. She also got her hands on crime photos and it appears that Gran, her parents, and her ex husband were all killed by something that ripped their throats out. Hmm, coincidence that vampires have been mentioned lately? They’re thinking werewolf, but I’m thinking vamp. Or demon perhaps. Ever since Bree stopped Sarge by batting his nose, I just can’t take werewolves seriously in this series anymore. We’ll see.
In the end, Bree saved Crash, defeated a demon king, possibly thwarted some plan Klarissa (fairy queen) had for Crash, and killed a demon in her neighbors house. And Crash never even thanked her!! Damnit, I really like Crash too. Oh, and she almost had shower sex with Crash (oral, but no intercourse due to an interruption).
But currently Corb is looking like the leading contender. Even though he’s barely trustworthy; I mean he sent her to see the psychic knowing she’s probably be attacked just so they could arrest the psychic! He could have told her the plan!! Crash acts like he’s interested, but then he evicts her! Asshole. He’ll probably say he did it to protect her from something. 🙄 Stupid men and their stupid reasons.
Honestly, at this point, I’m rooting for Robert. Yes, the skeleton. He’s been the only one who hasn’t hurt her, lied to her, deceived her, or abandoned her. Who cares if he only is able to say 3 or 4 words and liquor goes straight through him? Literally, it just pours over his bones and down onto the floor. He’s still been the best man of the series. Find a way to make him permanently flesh and blood again and then kick all the other guys to the curb.
Oh, but first they gotta deal with the cops that just showed up to arrest Bree for Alan’s murder. Then run over to New Orleans and find Grams.
But now I gotta wait 6 months for the next book. Booooo. I’m likely to forget some of this book by then since I read so many books in a year. So, here’s a recap to remind myself.
Stop reading if you don’t want to see spoilers!
Seriously, stop!
Okay, you were warned.
.
.
.
Gran’s been ghostnapped by a demon and spirited off to New Orleans. The gang was evicted from Grans/Crash’s house too and is now holed up in Alan’s apartment... oh yeah and Alan (the ex husband) died and is now haunting Bree. She also got her hands on crime photos and it appears that Gran, her parents, and her ex husband were all killed by something that ripped their throats out. Hmm, coincidence that vampires have been mentioned lately? They’re thinking werewolf, but I’m thinking vamp. Or demon perhaps. Ever since Bree stopped Sarge by batting his nose, I just can’t take werewolves seriously in this series anymore. We’ll see.
In the end, Bree saved Crash, defeated a demon king, possibly thwarted some plan Klarissa (fairy queen) had for Crash, and killed a demon in her neighbors house. And Crash never even thanked her!! Damnit, I really like Crash too. Oh, and she almost had shower sex with Crash (oral, but no intercourse due to an interruption).
But currently Corb is looking like the leading contender. Even though he’s barely trustworthy; I mean he sent her to see the psychic knowing she’s probably be attacked just so they could arrest the psychic! He could have told her the plan!! Crash acts like he’s interested, but then he evicts her! Asshole. He’ll probably say he did it to protect her from something. 🙄 Stupid men and their stupid reasons.
Honestly, at this point, I’m rooting for Robert. Yes, the skeleton. He’s been the only one who hasn’t hurt her, lied to her, deceived her, or abandoned her. Who cares if he only is able to say 3 or 4 words and liquor goes straight through him? Literally, it just pours over his bones and down onto the floor. He’s still been the best man of the series. Find a way to make him permanently flesh and blood again and then kick all the other guys to the curb.
Oh, but first they gotta deal with the cops that just showed up to arrest Bree for Alan’s murder. Then run over to New Orleans and find Grams.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2021
Hey, Bree's jackoff of an ex-husband finally gets his comeuppance. Ha! Do I sound too excited? Yeah, I am. I was tired of him and his mental and verbal abuse. But, to my dismay, Bree is still stuck with this fool. Furthermore, Bree gets entangled in a love triangle with Corb (a sharer), whom she is unsure she can trust and Crash (not a sharer), that sexy, scintillating blacksmith and Fae King. Bree and Crash ignite a few pages and lead the reader to believe that Bree has made her choice. Has she? She volleys from one to the other. But there is only one who is dedicated, lovable, trustworthy, comical, and caring. The only man...um skeleton Bree needs is Robert.
This book is much darker and a sense of foreboding resonates throughout the novel. The death of Bree's parents and grandmother is like another case, one that the reader will have to wait to be solved for it is not the pertinent part of this book, nor is the demon next door. In fact, the title alludes to the book likely being about Bree hunting a demon. Perhaps the term is a reference to Davin, but I doubt it. Her deal is made with a goblin not a demon. By the time Bree does face the demon, readers are at the end of the book, after a major battle is won. Well, that was rather quick. Too quick.
Another aspect is Bree's language. At her age, if she wants to drop the f-bomb, drop it like it's hot. Own it! Own it like Bree does with those blades and her friendships! Own it like Bree did in that steamy shower scene. That girl didn't hesitate and straight-up asked for what she wanted. How dare she substitute the 'f' for a 'd'? When I first read the word 'duck', in the previous novel(s), I initially thought Bree was talking about a literal 'duck'. And the ducking, duck, duck, needs to get the duck.
This book is much darker and a sense of foreboding resonates throughout the novel. The death of Bree's parents and grandmother is like another case, one that the reader will have to wait to be solved for it is not the pertinent part of this book, nor is the demon next door. In fact, the title alludes to the book likely being about Bree hunting a demon. Perhaps the term is a reference to Davin, but I doubt it. Her deal is made with a goblin not a demon. By the time Bree does face the demon, readers are at the end of the book, after a major battle is won. Well, that was rather quick. Too quick.
Another aspect is Bree's language. At her age, if she wants to drop the f-bomb, drop it like it's hot. Own it! Own it like Bree does with those blades and her friendships! Own it like Bree did in that steamy shower scene. That girl didn't hesitate and straight-up asked for what she wanted. How dare she substitute the 'f' for a 'd'? When I first read the word 'duck', in the previous novel(s), I initially thought Bree was talking about a literal 'duck'. And the ducking, duck, duck, needs to get the duck.
August 2, 2020
Being on her own after her falling out with the Hollows Group isn't the most terrible thing to happen. I mean, Breena has a few friends she's gathered (probably more trustworthy than those she left behind. Maybe.) and her group is kinda making a name for themselves which is good.
On the downside, they seem to have caught the attention of a few less than savory characters. Some are in positions of power (or so it seems) and some want to have power over Breena and her friends. Come to think of it, it's getting a little murky about who exactly is a friend and who's playing her.
AND THE SECRETS! Wow, there are a lot of secrets being bandied about. (I sounds like I'm saying that like it's a bad thing, but it isn't. All those secrets and half-truths are just keeping things interesting, right?)
When you're not quite sure who to trust and you have friends who might turn on you on a dime and maybe not everybody on the ruling board is quite what they seem things get complicated. And when you're a magnet for weirdness and otherworldly happenings....HA. Breena is definitely wandering into complicated territory and I'm LOVING IT.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
On the downside, they seem to have caught the attention of a few less than savory characters. Some are in positions of power (or so it seems) and some want to have power over Breena and her friends. Come to think of it, it's getting a little murky about who exactly is a friend and who's playing her.
AND THE SECRETS! Wow, there are a lot of secrets being bandied about. (I sounds like I'm saying that like it's a bad thing, but it isn't. All those secrets and half-truths are just keeping things interesting, right?)
When you're not quite sure who to trust and you have friends who might turn on you on a dime and maybe not everybody on the ruling board is quite what they seem things get complicated. And when you're a magnet for weirdness and otherworldly happenings....HA. Breena is definitely wandering into complicated territory and I'm LOVING IT.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
March 27, 2022
These books keep getting more and more chaotic and exciting and fun and I just love them! Bree has so much sass and strength and can kick some serious ass despite what she thinks about herself. She battles goblins, demons and the ghost of her ex dick of a husband so I would say she's pretty strong. She's got it bad for both Crash and Corb and personally, I am team Crash all the way because he sounds so delicious and I love a man that wants to protect his love. Also, that shower scene got me needing a cold one because hot dayum!! I love Roberts character because despite being a skeleton, he helps Bree so much and I like that we got to see more of his human form in this one. I still hope that we'll get to find out what happened to him and we'll get to learn more about his backstory. Brees friends are so sweet, cute, unique and they just love each other so much. I will say my only critique is I was getting a little tired of Bree constantly having to remind us that she's older and not as young as everyone around her. I also couldve done without her constantly censoring herself because if I was in her shoes, I would be cussing up a storm and not holding back. Other than that, I just keep loving this series more and more and I definitely need to continue on with it.
July 26, 2020
Fun and fast paced read
I honestly don’t think I’ve given this series a fair shake. The quips about her age without really saying anything about what comes with middle age always bothered me.
This story skipped all of that and it made the character much more likable. This book flowed better than the previous two, probably because it had way more Robert scenes and barely any of the other B characters. Kinkly got a single scene, Eric and Suzy barely spoke or interacted with Bree... she was mostly hanging with Robert and solving things on her own and it was awesome!!!
Although this story was fun and fast paced (it legit took place in LESS than 72 hours), a lot of things were mentioned and basically never circled back to. Yes the family history/demon skin was meant to unleash all terrors, but there was no ritual or anything tying it to this sacred silver moon. No one mentioned the time or rushed things along. It was just a background thing, why was the silver lady helping Bree? Why was the silver coin etched with the Royal markings? Are goblins and sirens related somehow? So the Hallows group went from being elite to underdogs to quacks...? Corb and Sarge were triple agents of sorts? Karissa wanted to help the Goblins (a type of Unseelie fae) because they didn’t succeed in getting that relic in the last book and bygones are bygones) for the hell of it? So Bridgette was just introduced to move the story along without helping or reappearing later?
Am I excited about the potential love rectangle? Not in the least, but it sounds like dear old Robert is a serious contender. Am I excited to read book 4...yep!
I honestly don’t think I’ve given this series a fair shake. The quips about her age without really saying anything about what comes with middle age always bothered me.
This story skipped all of that and it made the character much more likable. This book flowed better than the previous two, probably because it had way more Robert scenes and barely any of the other B characters. Kinkly got a single scene, Eric and Suzy barely spoke or interacted with Bree... she was mostly hanging with Robert and solving things on her own and it was awesome!!!
Although this story was fun and fast paced (it legit took place in LESS than 72 hours), a lot of things were mentioned and basically never circled back to. Yes the family history/demon skin was meant to unleash all terrors, but there was no ritual or anything tying it to this sacred silver moon. No one mentioned the time or rushed things along. It was just a background thing, why was the silver lady helping Bree? Why was the silver coin etched with the Royal markings? Are goblins and sirens related somehow? So the Hallows group went from being elite to underdogs to quacks...? Corb and Sarge were triple agents of sorts? Karissa wanted to help the Goblins (a type of Unseelie fae) because they didn’t succeed in getting that relic in the last book and bygones are bygones) for the hell of it? So Bridgette was just introduced to move the story along without helping or reappearing later?
Am I excited about the potential love rectangle? Not in the least, but it sounds like dear old Robert is a serious contender. Am I excited to read book 4...yep!
March 21, 2021
Good
**Cliffhanger Warning** there is a small cliffhanger at the end of this book, so you might want to have the next book lined up.
Now that Bree is working for herself, she takes a job working for a goblin in order to make some money.
The job itself proves to be a little more than Bree expected, and soon she’s being dragged deeper into the shadows, and finding herself in considerable danger.
Love triangles, mystery, betrayal, deception, magic, and mayhem... they’re all in this book. It’s an entertaining book, with an intriguing world and fascinating background story.
Recommended for those who enjoy urban fantasy and paranormal women’s fiction.
**Cliffhanger Warning** there is a small cliffhanger at the end of this book, so you might want to have the next book lined up.
Now that Bree is working for herself, she takes a job working for a goblin in order to make some money.
The job itself proves to be a little more than Bree expected, and soon she’s being dragged deeper into the shadows, and finding herself in considerable danger.
Love triangles, mystery, betrayal, deception, magic, and mayhem... they’re all in this book. It’s an entertaining book, with an intriguing world and fascinating background story.
Recommended for those who enjoy urban fantasy and paranormal women’s fiction.
August 7, 2020
Midlife Demon Hunter Review
I absolutely love love love this series and this book was another fantastic addition to it. All the characters are well done but I really adore Bree aching knees and all. And Crash well Crash is in a league all his own!
There is a ton of action and the mysteries continue to grow right along with Bree's bad luck. The next book seriously can't come soon enough and I highly recommend Midlife Demon Hunter.
I absolutely love love love this series and this book was another fantastic addition to it. All the characters are well done but I really adore Bree aching knees and all. And Crash well Crash is in a league all his own!
There is a ton of action and the mysteries continue to grow right along with Bree's bad luck. The next book seriously can't come soon enough and I highly recommend Midlife Demon Hunter.
December 3, 2020
Such a great read! Really enjoyed this one. Bree is once again having a busy couple days. Considering her aches and pains, I’m surprised she makes it.
The love triangles are getting murkier.... I want Bree to end up with Robert! Team Robert!
But once again, a cliff hanger. When’s the next book out?
The love triangles are getting murkier.... I want Bree to end up with Robert! Team Robert!
But once again, a cliff hanger. When’s the next book out?
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