The first four e-books in the popular Oona Goodlight urban fantasy series Book 1 Ice-Cold Death Oona Goodlight just wants to get through hockey practice, but a dead body on the ice means practice is canceled. A secret psychic and empath, she is shocked by the brutal death and shocked again when she witnesses the murder—and the killer—in a vision.
When a wizard investigator asks her to use her psychic abilities to find the murderer, she’s pulled into a battle she never wanted to fight against a grudge-holding foe who’s waited a long time to see her dead.
Book 2 Barbed Wire Heart Oona has had more than enough of the dark side of magic. She wants nothing more than to dust her hands clean of all things supernatural and go back to a quiet life in her oceanfront cottage. If only the supernatural would leave her alone.
Despite her attempts to stay clear of intrigue, she’s pulled into a hunt for a missing woman by a client whose story doesn’t ring true, and for the truth for a murdered stranger and a dead friend. There’s also a mystery stalker, that raging seven-foot-tall beast-man, an angry djinn, and her feelings for the wizard, Diego Adair, to deal with.
When the stalker’s attentions turn deadly, Oona will have to draw on every bit of magic inside her to stay alive.
Book 3 Vulture Moon When a murder victim’s mother hires Danyon and Peet to prove her daughter’s coven is to blame for her death, psychic Oona Goodlight and wizard Diego Adair are plunged into magic that's deeper and darker than either imagined.
Things get personal when Diego’s mentor mysteriously disappears and Diego vanishes soon after. With the night of the Vulture Moon approaching and rumors of black magic rituals under that moon growing ever more persistent, Oona has to work fast before those dearest to her are the next victims.
Book 4 Chalice and Blade Oona hadn’t woken that morning thinking her life was about to change. Her life had already changed plenty in the year since she’d discovered a dead body at the ice rink and fallen in with the wizard, Diego Adair. She certainly hadn’t expected to be asked to find a stolen chalice and help avert a war between humans and fairies. And for her mother and grandmother, who famously don’t get along, to go with her.
But the second part, discovering who murdered the Keepers of the artifacts and bringing the killer to justice—that might be not only impossible but deadly.
Alexes Razevich grew up in Orange County, California and San Francisco. She attended California State University San Francisco, earning a degree in creative writing. She is a former editor for Electronic Engineering Times and freelance writer. Her work has appeared in The Easy Reader, (winner, fiction contest) Ceramics Monthly, Rolling Stone, and several electronics industry specific publications.
How to review 4 books? Sort of impossible. But reading all four over a few days leaves me with a stronger sense of the overall flow and value of the story.
First, the writing is spectacular. There are so many layers to these characters, the plots, subplots, and overall plot for the series, they cannot be counted. And I found myself entranced by all of it.
Best, while there's (a) a bit of intimacy and (b) violence where the forces of dark and light clash, the details are limited. Intimacy is fade-to-black. Violence is never valued except in defense of life.
Next, Oona's growth into her abilities and her struggles to adjust are beautifully and compassionately written. She had no clue she would evolve as she has; her entire sense of self is altering. Like grief, all major changes require acknowledgment, acceptance, and action: adapting to a life forever different. It was moving to see.
Then there is Maurice, a rather unexpected mentor. I would so hug him if I could! He points out what Writer Alexes has been quietly weaving through each book: the purpose of magic.
The stories were good and some of the characters like Gradma were great. However, i think the lead character Oona isn't fleshed out very much. She has no friends and not even a pet to make her a bit more real. Her relationship with Dee is superficial, they don't ever just talk. Maurice the rat is a good character. So I liked it in parts but wouldn't rush out to buy more.
Several different quests across the boxed set. Read these books before the other sets- spoiler alerts exist Nice relationships and interesting villains