Indie Saint

Words of Power #1

by V.K. Fox

Urban legends and horrifying fairy tales spring to life in a sleepy Pennsylvania town, and they are haaangry.

Jane Davis has modest goals: pay the bills, obsess about her new crush, and - oh yeah - control her raging saint-like superpowers before they kill her. But searching for arcane answers puts Jane on a collision course with villains so gruesome they previously only existed in fiction.

Now they’re invading New England.

Can Jane, who must spend her own life to heal others, lead a small band of heroes to victory against the nightmarish onslaught without becoming a martyr herself?

Indie Saint is the first book in the Words of Power quartet. Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets the Umbrella Academy in this new weird / urban fantasy romance full of Arthurian mythology, smart humor, found family, and spicy slow-burn m/f and m/m love stories.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Magic, Romance, Science Fiction Fantasy

260 pages, ebook

First published May 18, 2021

About the author

VK Fox is an Amazon Best Selling, 2021 Indie Top 20, and Literary Titan Silver award winner. In the longer term V has been a professional world builder, story teller, and weird history expert for twenty years. Her darkly whimsical style marries these skills to a passion for romance, an obsession with folklore, love of classic literature, and goosebumps.

Reviews

[Cozy Ginger · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise sounded really fun and unique and a couple of paragraphs in I expected a strong and gritty heroine. Instead I got a heroine that is literally filled with contradictions and super slow on the uptake. It felt disjointed and scattered ( not due to the multi POVs ), bouncing between a potentially really cool immersive magic system / world building and really cringy romance. The amount of times Ian’s size is mentioned is astronomical ( height, size of his hands etc ) and the relationship takes place in 2 days and all of a sudden she’s his girlfriend. There’s a lot of “I normally don’t do this” behavior as well as some concerning times when she’s being a peeping tom even though she’s asked to not look, listen in on conversations that are personal and intimate, things of that nature, that just made me not like the MC. I like taboo things and I like smut ( ps this is not spicy ), so not much makes me give the hairy eyeball to a character. There’s even a time where it mentions that she might be sterile but it’s completely glossed over at first mention and then brought up again like it’s some big revelation. It’s things like that that turned me off from this. There’s a lot of stuff I would have loved; cryptids, mythology, fantasy, romance.

While I won’t be continuing on with the series I feel like the author has some really great ideas that are unique. However these ideas weren’t given their due in the book.

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Kept me invested the entire way through. Loved the idea of people getting power through books. Loved that I got to exercise my English lit degree trying to figure out the books they got their powers from before it was told. The pace was steady and the plot was well thought out. There were a few times i was confused about some things but then the epilogue sorted them out for me. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Jane is a great female lead, learning how to be tough and finding out what she can do with her powers. Loved that all the Sana Baba people are named after authors.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was up for one of the giveaways on here a couple months ago. I didn't win (because of course I didn't), but I got the book anyways because it looked interesting.

And wow. What an incredibly unique, fascinating urban fantasy. I don't even know how to summarize it. A girl reads a book about saints, gains their powers (and weaknesses), and gets involved with a secret organization? That seems reasonable, I guess. But this book also has urban legends like Mothman and kidney thieves. And it has nuns with guns and explosives. And there are some great references to classic literature.

I very, very strongly recommend this book if you enjoy urban fantasy (think Kim Harrison, Seanan McGuire). That it has so few ratings - less than 40 (!!!) at the time of writing this - is appalling. Go forth and read. It's worth it.

[Mettesknit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audiobook narrated by
Chelsea Stephens
⭐️⭐️⭐️

It started out promising but took a turn into left field and never returned.

[Melindeeloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was an interesting series starter, the magic system is original, with the good guys and the villain getting powers from reading a book. The lead Jane gets hers, which includes healing, from reading a book about Catholic Saints and then connects with other individuals who use their similarly acquired book character powers as supernatural bounty hunters. There are several organizations involved in hunting those whose powers present a danger to the world and the villain's arc brings in some creatures of urbam myth. It is always nice to find something different in the UF genre.

Edited to add - I am on book three right now and still enjoying these. I thought I'd give a heads up to mention that there is some sex in later books (short scenes that are not terribly explicit but not completely closed door either) and to point out that the author does say up front that the series has a slow burn MM romance (in books 2 and 3). I just mentioned this because it isn't apparent from book one that things are headed this way and these things are a deal breaker for some readers.
I did this in audio, it is currently (1/19/2022) included as a free read on Audi ble and is also KU.

[Faith Hakimian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that was fun!

Wasn't sure what I was getting into with this, but I found it thoroughly enjoyable. Fantastic references, characters, and shenanigans. Can't wait to read more!

[Christopher Morgan, · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy and sci fi at its best

I am a fan of science fiction mixed with supernatural or mysterious goings on so this ticks all the boxs for me. Raised as a catholic I personally love the lore and references to the history of the church.

This story follows a young woman whose parents thinks shes ill but really has just awakened her powers. She is found by a MIB type organisation and is helped along her path of discovery as well as helping them with their current mission.

Fans of the Gunn files or Gaia files from aethon should love this book. Or if you havent read them yet if you tv shows such as supernatural, Xfiles and Angel.

[Anniken Haga · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3.

I'm not a christian, and I tend to avoid Christian based books because they're often very one-sided in their POV. This book felt like it might be that way in the beginning, but it thankfully got better! I liked the idea of how the powers worked and the bonding worked. As well as the effects of using their magic.

I also really liked the fact that there was some interesting disability rep going on! Both as a result of the magic use, but also in general.

The story was a little messy at times, and I didn't really get what was happening until a while into it. Part of that may have been the writing as well, or just my mental state, for it happened on more than one occasion that I had to stop and double check what was going on, because it completely lost me.

I'll be continuing on with the rest of the series, tho. At least for now.

[Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is worth your time. I lost sleep finishing it.

The story has all the things I like about urban fantasy: gritty action, a world filled with supernatural strangeness, and the people charged with maintaining the veil between us and the monsters. What set this book apart was the magic system and the price of power,

In this world, people "link" with famous books and stories and receive powers based on those books. Healing might come from a book about Catholic saints, summoning a sword from the story of King Arthur, super strength from Gilgamesh. However, using these powers have a cost: blindness, stigmata, or losing memories. The downsides are usually temporary, but not always.

Linking is also dangerous. Sometimes what's on the other side wants to come into our world, possessing the user. Magic isn't instant awesomeness, and I really liked the extra layer it added to the story as the characters were trying to solve murders linked to urban myths. It made me feel for them and so when I got to the 90% mark, *had* to finish it. Worth the lost sleep.

[Cmoore · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you know me at all, you'll know that it'd be nearly impossible for me to pass up this tale, because Cryptids and "Impossible" books, are my jam!
In this universe, books can be dangerous things... just imagine that simply by reading a book, it could unlock your own dormant magical power! Not all books have this power, but the older a book gets and the more times it's been read, makes it more likely for this situation to occur. Hmmmm... it's a wonder that reading hasn't been outlawed altogether! if you're a reader, this could happen to you, and without proper training, you might actually be a danger, not only to society, but to yourself as well!
Luckily, there are safeguards in place... a branch of law enforcement, whose "Literary Agents" are dedicated to hunting down dangerous books and wild magic users...
This is the story of two women that recently unlocked their powers! One woman read a book about Saints and started performing miracles, and the other... well she read The Never Ending Story!
Fans of Jim C Hines and his Magic Ex Libris will adore this series!
Chelsea Stevens gave a great performance as the narrator of this story!

[JZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as part of a giveaway.
This book was very enjoyable to read and I quickly became invested in the characters and action.
The concept of "incredible powers" was made more plausible by the offsetting negative reaction to the powers. The characters were relatable, however, my major criticism was some of the back stories seem rushed, there almost should have been a prequel or origin story development. That being said, I devoured this book and will be certain to read future episodes.

[Melanie Rightmyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a page turner, you won't want to put it down!

Urban fantasy is not a genre that I normally read, but Indie Saint is a captivating and fun read! I stayed up to the wee hours hours of the morning because I was so reluctant to set it down! I am glad to see that the next book in the series comes out this summer, I will be looking forward to it!

[Jay Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun and interesting concept, good execution. I originally thought it was M/M but it wasn't, not sure how I got that confused but it was good enough that I kept reading and that I'm probably going to pick up the next in the series.

[Andrew Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indie Saint is a genuine delight to read. Fun characters, great pacing, and it has one of the more unique styles of magic I’ve read in ages. Also, enough cannot be said for 90s nostalgia.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun romp. It's a bit of a whirlwind plot wise and we don't know much about Jane's powers yet but it looks like the ending segues right into the next book. I look forward to it.

[Ella Rokotyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!

Ok, it took me by surprise. The whole idea of links, books, cute and terrible monsters. Excellent plot, believable characters, humor and a touch of romance.

[Aleah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!!!!!!! I can’t wait to read the rest!!

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun characters, fast-paced read, and some beautiful passages!

Beware of some language, but the author’s take on literature and books taking on a life of their own is fun and original!

[J. T. Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A one, two punch

This action packed, magically delicious story grabs you from the start and doesn't let go! I cannot wait to read the next book!

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled to get through this. I thought I would try it because the series was available on Audible. I can't go on.

[Winter Arcane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was genuinely surprised at how much I liked about this book, which may have only enhanced how ultimately disappointed I felt in it.

This book has great characters and story hooks. The main character is refreshingly real, likable but flawed. She doesn't know what the hell she's doing as would be expected of someone in her situation. She gets teamed up with intensely interesting characters, each with their own virtues and foibles. Nobody is just flawlessly amazing. I love how the romantic stuff was handled. There's some great world building that establishes a unique magic system and organizations that have formed around policing it. The main "villain" was also fairly fresh feeling, which makes it a shame that she also felt kind of wasted.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of potential wasted here, because as a whole the book falls flat in the execution.

Too much happens too fast in the first third. The middle third feels like it spends a lot of time treading water going nowhere. The last third starts out feeling like it's setting up something epic and exciting only for things to get quickly wrapped up in a couple of decent but not great action scenes.

Better editing could have turned this into something great. The ingredients were there, they just weren't put together in the right portions to satisfy.

As disappointed as I was in the ending, though, I definitely intend to read the next book in the series because I like the characters and concepts so much that I really want to see where they go. I just hope the series gets the pacing issues of this book under control.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE this book! Seriously, love almost everything about it.
I happened upon this series by accident after finishing SK's Fairy Tale and this was in my Audible "available with your membership" options. I'm SO glad I randomly chose it as a palate cleanser.
First off, even though it was written recently, it appears to take place in the 90s. There are no cell phones, a character is using online bulleting boards to communicate with a like-minded community of unknown folks with random usernames, and everyone still reads the newspaper. :) It was sort of refreshing to not have today's technology at the forefront of so much, requiring some actual legwork on the part of our characters.
Next, the idea of books and their characters, both real and fictitious, having power and creating bonds with people in our world makes so much sense!
There, there are a variety of literary and pop culture references that were fun, as well as several levels of mystery going on here.
Overall, this is great fun and I can't wait to read/listen to the next one!
Oh yeah, and the narrator is perfect for the story.

[Milla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is somewhat unique urban fantasy with somewhat interesting characters. I like a heroine that is not 17, I love the idea of the different links and all historical, literature and pop culture references that this is peppered with (Neverending Story was one my favourites as a kid). Did not like the romance, it was so sudden and made absolutely no sense - would have preferred strong friendship slowly transitioning, this way just didn't work for me. I was going to stop reading here, but the epilogue worked very well so I'll consider the next book.

I listened to this as a freebie from Audible+ catalogue.

[M Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a new approach to UF than this book, and completed series, might be the thing for you. Instead of vampires and werewolves driving the narrative there are special books that link to the reader, giving that person the powers of one of the story's characters. These powers come with a price of course, which is kept secret by the organisation maintaining the collections of linked books. Indie Saint is set in the 90's and follows Jane through her growing understanding of her powers. If you like an original concept, mystery and action with some humour to lighten the mood, found family and some romance, I'd recommend this book.

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some books are so rare and powerful that humans can form bonds with the characters in those books, and channel their powers.

The story was disjointed, which was likely the author's intent. But I found it hard to sink into the story for all of the jumping around. I appreciate the non-standard hero and how the source of his emotional resilience is based on his natural/birth traits rather than magic.

I would have liked the story far more without the epilogue. Minus 1 star for blatant attempt at a book-2 hook, done badly.

[Katherine R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over all, this was fun and well told. There were a few moments of confusion as the perspective changed and the author chose to show us through the characters eyes rather than with an overall understanding, but I liked that. It made it more visceral.

Note to anyone with triggers: there is a large dose of animal violence in this. Most of it happens offstage so-to-speak but some happens in the moment.

[It's Me - Yvette · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn’t even make it to chapter 7. This didn’t grab me at all and I restarted it once. I feel like I don’t know what’s happening so that means that I’m not paying attention. Again, didn’t grab me. Its a DNF for me. Glad this was in the audible plus catalog thus costing me NOTHING! I would have been very sad had I used a credit or had paid for this one. Others have loved this from the reviews I’ve seen; just not for me.

[KimReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. Not religious enough (I’m not at all religious )to understand about saints but this book wasnt bad plot wise. Writing was good. Fairly interesting but not enough to continue with the series for me. One and done. Good work, Author. I didn’t like the performance of the guy voices on the audio book and would have loved to hear this with an actual deeper voice for Ian and Dahl. (2.5 for the audiobook.)

[Andrés Pérez Camarasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good enough

For a YA novel, it's ok. Interesting premise, the characters are nice to follow.
Maybe the beggining is better and far more interesting than how the story goes.
Feels "videogamey" in the "boss battle events" of the book, but it was fun to listen.
The epiloge has the mandatory "mistery part to hook you up" and is so upfront is almost comical.
I think I've had enough of this universe for now. Maybe when an offer comes I will pick another one.
Not a bad read, just good enough

[Natashia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one may just not have been for me. I found the “magic system”, if you can call it that, to be bizarre and not well thought thru. Character development was non existent and some of the relationships were choppy and disjointed rather than being a progression.

In fact, most aspects of the storyline, characters, and magic system all have a common disjointedness about them which is the primary reason for my rating. Unfortunately, I will not be continuing with the series.