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Hunter's Blessing
Ever since her brother murdered four of his closest friends, Alicia Omura has been trying to start over. She changed her name, got a new job, did everything she could to make sure no one ever pegged her as Devon Blaine's sister.
Now she's a Hunter for the Caelish Order, protecting Seattle from rogue summoners like her brother, and from their Elaiyu servants. But when Devon himself turns up in the middle of her first big case, he turns everything she thought she knew on its head. His story is outlandish--traitors within the Order, corruption at the highest levels. If he's telling the truth, Alicia has more to worry about than rookie jitters and an inconvenient crush on her partner, Jordan Morrow.
To make matters worse, Jordan doesn't believe Devon. She's gone up against rogue summoners before and has a personal vendetta against them all--Devon included. But when the Order deems them all threats that are better off buried at the bottom of the Puget Sound, it becomes a race against the clock to uncover the traitor and their plot before all of Seattle suffers the consequences.
Now she's a Hunter for the Caelish Order, protecting Seattle from rogue summoners like her brother, and from their Elaiyu servants. But when Devon himself turns up in the middle of her first big case, he turns everything she thought she knew on its head. His story is outlandish--traitors within the Order, corruption at the highest levels. If he's telling the truth, Alicia has more to worry about than rookie jitters and an inconvenient crush on her partner, Jordan Morrow.
To make matters worse, Jordan doesn't believe Devon. She's gone up against rogue summoners before and has a personal vendetta against them all--Devon included. But when the Order deems them all threats that are better off buried at the bottom of the Puget Sound, it becomes a race against the clock to uncover the traitor and their plot before all of Seattle suffers the consequences.
259 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 19, 2020
Couldn't Put It Down
I started reading and barely put it down in the last 2 days. It reminded me of a sort of Artemis Fowl for adults, mixed with a dash of Mockingjay ploys and Carnival Row intensity, with a little Supernatural art and wit to round it out. Plus the main protagonist (s) are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and written in a way that the story doesn't lose anything with the characters. Definitely an author who is normalizing character diversity in their writing.
A new take on magic and fae with enough real world crossover to draw you in.
Can't wait for the next one!
I started reading and barely put it down in the last 2 days. It reminded me of a sort of Artemis Fowl for adults, mixed with a dash of Mockingjay ploys and Carnival Row intensity, with a little Supernatural art and wit to round it out. Plus the main protagonist (s) are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and written in a way that the story doesn't lose anything with the characters. Definitely an author who is normalizing character diversity in their writing.
A new take on magic and fae with enough real world crossover to draw you in.
Can't wait for the next one!
February 13, 2021
AJ Barber delivers a break-neck story set in magic-Seattle with a quippy prose and a diverse cast. Maybe its because I'm from the area, but her description of the area, from the backwoods of Highway 900 to the corners of GameWorks in downtown Seattle made me feel like I was there. They paint a vivid picture but don't waste a single word in doing so.
Barber drops the reader in an alternate world where magic runs rampant and is able to catch the reader up with the rules and history of the world without breaking pace in the plot.
The characters all shine in their own ways (though my favorite was easily Karenna) and without over-stuffing the cast, Barber creates broad representation with characters of varying races, sexualities, and gender identities.
All in all, it was a wild ride from start to finish with the promise of more to come and more for the reader to explore and discover.
Barber drops the reader in an alternate world where magic runs rampant and is able to catch the reader up with the rules and history of the world without breaking pace in the plot.
The characters all shine in their own ways (though my favorite was easily Karenna) and without over-stuffing the cast, Barber creates broad representation with characters of varying races, sexualities, and gender identities.
All in all, it was a wild ride from start to finish with the promise of more to come and more for the reader to explore and discover.
June 11, 2021
The standard demon hunter story gets a twist with a conspiracy in their organization. Alicia became a Hunter after her brother, a summoner, was accused of murder. Now her brother Devon comes back with his own side of the story. Does she trust him or turn him in?
The pacing was off at first because it tries to start in the middle of the action while also adding too much exposition, but it got better as things smoothed out.
I liked Alicia and her nonbinary friend Reyes. Jordan was a more difficult character because she has so many secrets and made some questionable decisions, and I don’t see why Alicia has such a crush on her. I hope that she gets more character development in later books. Devon is a rich character but I’m not sure if it’s a little too stereotypical to have him be autistic and aro/ace. But Karenna, one of the Elaiyu/demons, was also a lot of fun to read about. The setting, Seattle, isn’t used a lot, and the extra details added to the story.
LGBT representation: Alicia is a lesbian, Devon is asexual/aromantic, and one of their friends who makes a cameo is nonbinary. All of these characters are well-developed and their queerness is treated with respect. There is a hint of possible queer romance to come.
I recommend this book to fans of the Dresden Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Helen Harper’s Firebrand series. If you like (mostly) human protagonists who take on supernatural monsters and want a story with a diverse cast, this is a fun, action-packed read.
The pacing was off at first because it tries to start in the middle of the action while also adding too much exposition, but it got better as things smoothed out.
I liked Alicia and her nonbinary friend Reyes. Jordan was a more difficult character because she has so many secrets and made some questionable decisions, and I don’t see why Alicia has such a crush on her. I hope that she gets more character development in later books. Devon is a rich character but I’m not sure if it’s a little too stereotypical to have him be autistic and aro/ace. But Karenna, one of the Elaiyu/demons, was also a lot of fun to read about. The setting, Seattle, isn’t used a lot, and the extra details added to the story.
LGBT representation: Alicia is a lesbian, Devon is asexual/aromantic, and one of their friends who makes a cameo is nonbinary. All of these characters are well-developed and their queerness is treated with respect. There is a hint of possible queer romance to come.
I recommend this book to fans of the Dresden Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Helen Harper’s Firebrand series. If you like (mostly) human protagonists who take on supernatural monsters and want a story with a diverse cast, this is a fun, action-packed read.
February 11, 2021
Interesting
Definitely a different plot than I've read before. The end kind of just leaves you hanging but bonus the next in the series is already available. IMO it is worth the read based on these 3 things: 1. Unique plot 2. I've got a favorite character 3. I've got a most hated character
Definitely a different plot than I've read before. The end kind of just leaves you hanging but bonus the next in the series is already available. IMO it is worth the read based on these 3 things: 1. Unique plot 2. I've got a favorite character 3. I've got a most hated character
October 18, 2020
Enjoyable and an interesting world.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews