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The Last Oracle #2
The Book of Peril
As the custodian of the oracular bookstore Abernathy’s, Helena has faced any number of challenges in learning her new role. But when the store begins giving out false prophecies, Helena comes up against her greatest challenge yet: how can she fix Abernathy’s when she doesn’t truly know how it works?
Armed only with a few special talents and her desire to protect her magical charge, and with the assistance of her best friend Viv, her reluctant assistant Judy, and the enigmatic and handsome Malcolm Campbell, Helena must navigate the treacherous depths of the magical world, where secret enemies lurk behind illusions capable of fooling even the most powerful of magical entities. Helena is the only one who can see past those illusions, but will her abilities prove strong enough to save the oracle?
Armed only with a few special talents and her desire to protect her magical charge, and with the assistance of her best friend Viv, her reluctant assistant Judy, and the enigmatic and handsome Malcolm Campbell, Helena must navigate the treacherous depths of the magical world, where secret enemies lurk behind illusions capable of fooling even the most powerful of magical entities. Helena is the only one who can see past those illusions, but will her abilities prove strong enough to save the oracle?
Audiobook
Published September 7, 2020
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About the author
Melissa McShane
94 books861 followersMelissa grew up a nomad, following her family all over the United States, and ended up living in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains with her husband, four kids, and three very needy cats. Her love of reading was always a constant during those uncertain years, and her love of writing grew out of that. She wrote reviews and critical essays for many years before turning to fiction, and was surprised at how much she liked it. She loves the fantasy genre and how it stretches the imagination.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
August 10, 2018
Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
Abernathy’s Bookstore is a powerful oracle, used by the community of mages to answer important questions and foretell the future. Its proprietor, Helena Davies, is a critical part of the bookstore’s oracular function: she takes augury slips of paper with questions on them from customers, wanders among the bookshelves until she finds a book that glows to her eyes, and sells the book to the customer as the answer to their question. The price for the augury is conveniently and magically printed inside the book on the title page, along with the customer’s name. It works great … until suddenly it doesn’t.
The trouble begins when the book that glows for a particular customer’s question has the wrong customer’s name magically printed inside of it. When the next request for an augury comes in, Helena finds three glowing books on the shelves ― something that has never happened before. And the false auguries continue, making Helena seem unreliable to magical society. But Helena isn’t without resources: she has the magical ability to see through illusions that would confuse the eyes and mind of almost everyone else. And she has the ability to consult the Athenaeum, a vast library that’s the magical world’s successor to the ancient Library of Alexandria.
Meanwhile, Helena’s ex-boyfriend Chet is hanging around, hoping to reconnect with her, and worryingly unwilling to take no for an answer. Malcolm Campbell, a magus who shares a fondness for old films with Helena, is willing to protect her, but Helena (despite a fairly major crush on Malcolm) is concerned about letting him get too close to her. The Accords, the rules that govern the magical world, require the custodian of an oracular bookstore to stay strictly neutral, not favoring either of the two major factions among the magi.
The Book of Peril is the second book in Melissa McShane’s new THE LAST ORACLE series, which began with The Book of Secrets. It’s an enjoyable and fairly light urban fantasy, despite some grave dangers for our heroine and for Abernathy’s itself. With much of the world-building behind us, I found The Book of Peril much more engaging than the first book. Helena is beginning to find her footing in magical society as the custodian of Abernathy’s, the "greatest oracle since Delphi." Some of the types of magic that were briefly introduced in The Book of Secrets get a chance to show their powers here. There’s a fascinating development with origami being used as a powerful tool to create illusions, and it turns out to be a major benefit that bone mages can quickly heal most types of bodily injuries.
Helena has a deepening relationship with not only Malcolm, but also Abernathy’s itself. The oracle demands respect, but Helena feels a deeper connection than that. She tells the oracle:
P.S. I love the book covers of this series.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the author for review. Thank you!!
Content note: There's a brief scene of severe violence toward the main character.
Abernathy’s Bookstore is a powerful oracle, used by the community of mages to answer important questions and foretell the future. Its proprietor, Helena Davies, is a critical part of the bookstore’s oracular function: she takes augury slips of paper with questions on them from customers, wanders among the bookshelves until she finds a book that glows to her eyes, and sells the book to the customer as the answer to their question. The price for the augury is conveniently and magically printed inside the book on the title page, along with the customer’s name. It works great … until suddenly it doesn’t.
The trouble begins when the book that glows for a particular customer’s question has the wrong customer’s name magically printed inside of it. When the next request for an augury comes in, Helena finds three glowing books on the shelves ― something that has never happened before. And the false auguries continue, making Helena seem unreliable to magical society. But Helena isn’t without resources: she has the magical ability to see through illusions that would confuse the eyes and mind of almost everyone else. And she has the ability to consult the Athenaeum, a vast library that’s the magical world’s successor to the ancient Library of Alexandria.
Meanwhile, Helena’s ex-boyfriend Chet is hanging around, hoping to reconnect with her, and worryingly unwilling to take no for an answer. Malcolm Campbell, a magus who shares a fondness for old films with Helena, is willing to protect her, but Helena (despite a fairly major crush on Malcolm) is concerned about letting him get too close to her. The Accords, the rules that govern the magical world, require the custodian of an oracular bookstore to stay strictly neutral, not favoring either of the two major factions among the magi.
The Book of Peril is the second book in Melissa McShane’s new THE LAST ORACLE series, which began with The Book of Secrets. It’s an enjoyable and fairly light urban fantasy, despite some grave dangers for our heroine and for Abernathy’s itself. With much of the world-building behind us, I found The Book of Peril much more engaging than the first book. Helena is beginning to find her footing in magical society as the custodian of Abernathy’s, the "greatest oracle since Delphi." Some of the types of magic that were briefly introduced in The Book of Secrets get a chance to show their powers here. There’s a fascinating development with origami being used as a powerful tool to create illusions, and it turns out to be a major benefit that bone mages can quickly heal most types of bodily injuries.
Helena has a deepening relationship with not only Malcolm, but also Abernathy’s itself. The oracle demands respect, but Helena feels a deeper connection than that. She tells the oracle:
“I’m not angry with you. I’m angry with whoever is doing this. Because I’m convinced there’s someone behind it, and we have to figure out who. And then … then I will make that person pay for corrupting you. Because you deserve better.”The Book of Peril ends with somewhat of a cliffhanger on a personal matter for Helena, which was a little frustrating but understandable given the intended ten-book length of this series. But the central mystery posed in The Book of Peril is answered at the end … or is it? I have my doubts. We’ll have to see what happens in the next book!
The oracle’s silence filled me. It wasn’t active, but I felt as if something were listening to me, and if I only knew the right language, I could speak with it, and everything would be all right.
P.S. I love the book covers of this series.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the author for review. Thank you!!
Content note: There's a brief scene of severe violence toward the main character.
Read
February 3, 2024Re-read 1/3/24: Still recovering, still too numb mentally for anything challenging, and my own books wear a groove in my brain that makes them satisfying for these situations. I like Helena and Malcolm's developing relationship, and their quote game is fun because I use those quotes myself.
Re-read 7/3/20: Reviewed the audiobook before its publication. It was still very enjoyable, and I love the narrator's interpretations of the characters.
Read 5/28/18: Having introduced Helena into the fantasy world of The Book of Secrets, I knew I had to enlarge on that world in the sequels. There were a lot of things I could play with, particularly Judy Rasmussen's character (because I had never imagined she would become Helena's friend), but I wanted this second book to be a challenge to the oracle itself. That led to a brainstorming session in which I came up with a bunch of other named Neutralities, one of which, the Athenaeum, makes its appearance in this book. Lucia Pontarelli's role gets firmed up as well, and of course Helena's friendship with Malcolm Campbell expands.
One of the best things about writing this series has been watching old movies as part of my "research" into Helena's personality. I freely admit that her favorites are my favorites, and most of the quotes she and Malcolm trade are ones I use myself.
What else can I say? I really like this one. I hope the ending works as I intended.
Re-read 7/3/20: Reviewed the audiobook before its publication. It was still very enjoyable, and I love the narrator's interpretations of the characters.
Read 5/28/18: Having introduced Helena into the fantasy world of The Book of Secrets, I knew I had to enlarge on that world in the sequels. There were a lot of things I could play with, particularly Judy Rasmussen's character (because I had never imagined she would become Helena's friend), but I wanted this second book to be a challenge to the oracle itself. That led to a brainstorming session in which I came up with a bunch of other named Neutralities, one of which, the Athenaeum, makes its appearance in this book. Lucia Pontarelli's role gets firmed up as well, and of course Helena's friendship with Malcolm Campbell expands.
One of the best things about writing this series has been watching old movies as part of my "research" into Helena's personality. I freely admit that her favorites are my favorites, and most of the quotes she and Malcolm trade are ones I use myself.
What else can I say? I really like this one. I hope the ending works as I intended.
July 4, 2018
This is second in a series and there's enough establishing in the first that I highly recommend reading in order.
So this is another book written by the love of my life (and not in a creepy, stalkery way, but in the we're-married-and-very-happy-together-thank-you-very-much way). So weight this review as you will for the circumstances. This is, as always, my honest opinion but I can hardly call it unbiased.
I really like the relationship developments in this story—particularly in illustrating Helena's friendship with Viv and growing trust and care with Judy. You can see that Judy is still smarting from the derailing her life took when Helena took over the store/oracle, but you can also see that she really is doing her best to adjust. So I love Helena's response when Judy becomes a suspect and how that firms up their dedication to what's best for the Oracle. I also love developments with Malcolm and have to admit that I have a huge crush on that guy.
Like with the first book, my abysmal memory is an advantage because I never remember who the culprit was so I get to experience the thrill of discovery all over again (particularly as it has been a year or two since I read the draft of this one). So I get to be tense as the mystery heats up and danger looms for the store and for its custodian.
I will admit that the ending crushes me, even though I have the luxury of reading ahead. Mega spoilers in this one, guys.
Anyway, I love the relationship developments. And I like what we learn of the magical world and the exploration of illusion and paper magic. And Malcolm really stole my heart in this one.
A note about Chaste: There's no real romantic relationship and no sex. The romance is
So this is another book written by the love of my life (and not in a creepy, stalkery way, but in the we're-married-and-very-happy-together-thank-you-very-much way). So weight this review as you will for the circumstances. This is, as always, my honest opinion but I can hardly call it unbiased.
I really like the relationship developments in this story—particularly in illustrating Helena's friendship with Viv and growing trust and care with Judy. You can see that Judy is still smarting from the derailing her life took when Helena took over the store/oracle, but you can also see that she really is doing her best to adjust. So I love Helena's response when Judy becomes a suspect and how that firms up their dedication to what's best for the Oracle. I also love developments with Malcolm and have to admit that I have a huge crush on that guy.
Like with the first book, my abysmal memory is an advantage because I never remember who the culprit was so I get to experience the thrill of discovery all over again (particularly as it has been a year or two since I read the draft of this one). So I get to be tense as the mystery heats up and danger looms for the store and for its custodian.
I will admit that the ending crushes me, even though I have the luxury of reading ahead. Mega spoilers in this one, guys.
Anyway, I love the relationship developments. And I like what we learn of the magical world and the exploration of illusion and paper magic. And Malcolm really stole my heart in this one.
A note about Chaste: There's no real romantic relationship and no sex. The romance is
Read
August 13, 2018What a roller coaster of a ride!
This second installment in the series works like gangbusters. The first (which readers really should read) I had trouble with in the sense of tone, mis-reading several aspects. Either the storyline in this second volume found the right tone, or more likely, I'd been trained by the end of the first book, because this second book came in with a strong, sure voice.
I really enjoy a series that begins to develop an over-arcing storyline but also a smaller arc so that there can be closure at the end of each particular volume. The Book of Peril does this quite niftily, starting out slowly, establishing the main characters, then accelerating steadily to a white-knuckle climax.
At the end my heart did a flipflop , but we are still early on. I trust things will resolve in that direction!
The idea behind the oracle continues to be intriguing, and I don't think I've ever read a fantasy that does what this one does with origami. Whoa.
Very hooked now, looking forward to Number Three.
ARC provided by author
This second installment in the series works like gangbusters. The first (which readers really should read) I had trouble with in the sense of tone, mis-reading several aspects. Either the storyline in this second volume found the right tone, or more likely, I'd been trained by the end of the first book, because this second book came in with a strong, sure voice.
I really enjoy a series that begins to develop an over-arcing storyline but also a smaller arc so that there can be closure at the end of each particular volume. The Book of Peril does this quite niftily, starting out slowly, establishing the main characters, then accelerating steadily to a white-knuckle climax.
At the end my heart did a flipflop , but we are still early on. I trust things will resolve in that direction!
The idea behind the oracle continues to be intriguing, and I don't think I've ever read a fantasy that does what this one does with origami. Whoa.
Very hooked now, looking forward to Number Three.
ARC provided by author
November 8, 2025
The Book of Peril is a magical mystery. I love that a non-magical user has been put in charge of something so magical. Twists and turns, highlight McShane's 2nd edition in The Last Oracle series.
I received this ARC copy of THE BOOK OF PERIL from Curiosity Quills Press. This is my honest and voluntary review. THE BOOK OF PERIL is set for publication July 3, 2018.
I received this ARC copy of THE BOOK OF PERIL from Curiosity Quills Press. This is my honest and voluntary review. THE BOOK OF PERIL is set for publication July 3, 2018.
July 3, 2018
So I loved this book. I'm a fan of a lot of Melissa McShane's books, and this series is no exception. I love the strength of her characters, all while still being flawed people. And I love seeing the changes which have come about since book one, especially when it comes to Judy and seeing how someone who was such a pain in the butt can change.
The paper magic at the heart of this book is tremendously fun, and I like the unique aspects of the powers in the Abernathy's world.
Don't even get me started on the joy of Malcolm...and that ending! Breaks my heart and makes me antsy to read the next volume.
Definitely a great read. If you like UF with smart, fun heroines with friends and family who are an important part of her life The Last Oracle series is a MUST read.
The paper magic at the heart of this book is tremendously fun, and I like the unique aspects of the powers in the Abernathy's world.
Don't even get me started on the joy of Malcolm...and that ending! Breaks my heart and makes me antsy to read the next volume.
Definitely a great read. If you like UF with smart, fun heroines with friends and family who are an important part of her life The Last Oracle series is a MUST read.
June 21, 2018
I got an ARC copy of this book because I couldn't wait to read it and I basically begged. Loved it. The quirky characters are back in a new adventure. The magical bookstore is under attack again. The perfect blend of magic and cozy mystery. Highly recommended.
July 11, 2018
This book pulled me in immediately. The story, the world, the mystery, the action and the subtle romance kept me turning pages. There are some great twists and great reveals. I quickly found myself invested in what happened to the oracle and to Helena.
I love the characters in this series! Helena is so genuine and real. I love her loyalty to her friends and the way she cares about the oracle. I enjoy learning about this world right along with her. Malcolm – sigh! There is just no way to gush enough about him! A whole new side of Judy is coming out, and it’s wonderful to see. She’s growing on me. :) Viv is such a true friend, and keeps Helena grounded. There are so many other great side characters, and some pretty menacing ones, too. The oracle itself is one of my favorite characters!
The main storyline wraps up well, but something happens at the end that really, really has me itching for the next book. I hope I don’t have to wait long!!
I received a complimentary copy of the book, which I voluntarily reviewed. I have given my honest opinion.
I love the characters in this series! Helena is so genuine and real. I love her loyalty to her friends and the way she cares about the oracle. I enjoy learning about this world right along with her. Malcolm – sigh! There is just no way to gush enough about him! A whole new side of Judy is coming out, and it’s wonderful to see. She’s growing on me. :) Viv is such a true friend, and keeps Helena grounded. There are so many other great side characters, and some pretty menacing ones, too. The oracle itself is one of my favorite characters!
The main storyline wraps up well, but something happens at the end that really, really has me itching for the next book. I hope I don’t have to wait long!!
I received a complimentary copy of the book, which I voluntarily reviewed. I have given my honest opinion.
July 29, 2018
E-book/NA/Urban Fantasy: I think this book is better than the first one. Granted the ending part of the mystery didn't explain everything fully as I wanted, but the book makes me jealous because I want to be Helena. The book is narrated in first person so you get to know Helena and all her faults and triumphs. This book brings back the same crew as the first book so I was familiar with everyone.
I do want to see Helena do more than work at the bookstore. If you think about it, she is in a dead end job. She needs to go to college and finish her education. I like Helena's heart because it is always in the right place, except when she's had a macchiato. She could be so much more selfish. I like that things don't always come easy for her when she's is trying to figure things out.
I want to thank the publisher for letting me have an advance copy of book 2 through NetGalley in lieu of a honest review. This is an easy read and I read it in two sittings. I contemplated procrastinating because I didn't want to leave Helena's world so soon.
I do want to see Helena do more than work at the bookstore. If you think about it, she is in a dead end job. She needs to go to college and finish her education. I like Helena's heart because it is always in the right place, except when she's had a macchiato. She could be so much more selfish. I like that things don't always come easy for her when she's is trying to figure things out.
I want to thank the publisher for letting me have an advance copy of book 2 through NetGalley in lieu of a honest review. This is an easy read and I read it in two sittings. I contemplated procrastinating because I didn't want to leave Helena's world so soon.
July 17, 2018
*Source* NetGalley
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
The Book of Peril is the second installment in author Melissa McShane's The Last Oracle series, and the follow-up to The Book of Secrets. The story takes place 5 months after protagonist Helena Davies became custodian of Abernathy's. Abernathy's is a magical place where prophecies (auguries) are given out for a price. Helena, along with her assistant Judy Rasmussen, have been trying to understand not only her role, but how the Oracle actually works. But, as the story opens, it appears as though the Oracle has gone wonky giving out the wrong auguries or auguries for those who never actually requested one.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
The Book of Peril is the second installment in author Melissa McShane's The Last Oracle series, and the follow-up to The Book of Secrets. The story takes place 5 months after protagonist Helena Davies became custodian of Abernathy's. Abernathy's is a magical place where prophecies (auguries) are given out for a price. Helena, along with her assistant Judy Rasmussen, have been trying to understand not only her role, but how the Oracle actually works. But, as the story opens, it appears as though the Oracle has gone wonky giving out the wrong auguries or auguries for those who never actually requested one.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
June 9, 2018
Cozy mystery meets urban fantasy in this follow up tale about a clever magical bookshop.
The book nerd in me connects emphatically with Helena, the realistic shy nerd heroine.
But oh the ending broke my heart. I am definitely going to need more books in this series.
The book nerd in me connects emphatically with Helena, the realistic shy nerd heroine.
But oh the ending broke my heart. I am definitely going to need more books in this series.
April 23, 2019
This book was a bit of a damp squib. I understand that as the second book in a nine book series, there are supposed to be dangling possibilities for future exploration, but so much was left unresolved (and not even addressed as being unresolved) that I start to question the integrity of the writing. In particular (massive spoilers for the ending ahead):
Also, in non-spoilery things:
Clunky romance dialogue: Malcolm and Helena flirt by exchanging movie quotes, which... don't feel organic to the story. Mostly because neither of them is seen reacting to the quote beyond "oh yeah, that's from x." The fun of movie quotes is that by quoting a movie, you're bringing up all the context and feeling of that movie (for example, if character A always quotes from noir thrillers, character B might feel a bit nervous about character A). Malcolm and Helena quote almost exclusively from old romantic comedies, yet it never seems to occur to Helena to wonder if this might, you know, mean something. Or that she might send him a message by her choices.
I think a large part of my problem is that Helena, as a character, is very young and vague. It's hard to get a sense of who she is or what she values. We know she will always Do The Right Thing, but we don't know where this sense of moral rectitude and duty comes from. She's pretty formless, and that's very frustrating.
Also, in non-spoilery things:
Clunky romance dialogue: Malcolm and Helena flirt by exchanging movie quotes, which... don't feel organic to the story. Mostly because neither of them is seen reacting to the quote beyond "oh yeah, that's from x." The fun of movie quotes is that by quoting a movie, you're bringing up all the context and feeling of that movie (for example, if character A always quotes from noir thrillers, character B might feel a bit nervous about character A). Malcolm and Helena quote almost exclusively from old romantic comedies, yet it never seems to occur to Helena to wonder if this might, you know, mean something. Or that she might send him a message by her choices.
I think a large part of my problem is that Helena, as a character, is very young and vague. It's hard to get a sense of who she is or what she values. We know she will always Do The Right Thing, but we don't know where this sense of moral rectitude and duty comes from. She's pretty formless, and that's very frustrating.
July 31, 2018
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
THE BOOK OF PERIL was an entertaining cozy paranormal mystery with quirky characters, intrigue, and danger. I was most interested in how the bookstore works as an oracle of sorts. It's a unique take on the concept of the oracle though there were some world building issues I had. I couldn't really understanding just how customers get the answers to their questions. Do they have to read the whole books for the answers? Granted this might have been answered in the first book which I didn't read. Also, the reason for the divide between the two magical factions was hard to figure out annoyingly so since it kept coming up.
These were minor issues that didn't take away from the action packed main plot involving the bookstore giving out false prophecies. I liked seeing Helena's exploration into the past bookstore custodians writings and her journey into figure in out who has been messing with the bookstore. It's been awhile since I've read an urban fantasy book where the character starts as a normal human who is thrown into a magical world. I love seeing the magical world through the eyes of a non-magical person for once. It gave the story an interesting perspective and frankly made it easier to enter the world as a reader as we (Helena and the reader) happen to be both newish to this world.
The side characters were the typical quirky cast of characters you'd expect to find in a cozy mystery and were exceptionally well-rounded to the point where I was equally as concerned for them as for Helena.
With a dose magical mayhem and a courageous heroine, THE BOOK OF PERIL was a thrilling ride. While the ending was heartbreaking for Helena on a personal level I'm excited to see how she meets this challenge in the coming books.
THE BOOK OF PERIL was an entertaining cozy paranormal mystery with quirky characters, intrigue, and danger. I was most interested in how the bookstore works as an oracle of sorts. It's a unique take on the concept of the oracle though there were some world building issues I had. I couldn't really understanding just how customers get the answers to their questions. Do they have to read the whole books for the answers? Granted this might have been answered in the first book which I didn't read. Also, the reason for the divide between the two magical factions was hard to figure out annoyingly so since it kept coming up.
These were minor issues that didn't take away from the action packed main plot involving the bookstore giving out false prophecies. I liked seeing Helena's exploration into the past bookstore custodians writings and her journey into figure in out who has been messing with the bookstore. It's been awhile since I've read an urban fantasy book where the character starts as a normal human who is thrown into a magical world. I love seeing the magical world through the eyes of a non-magical person for once. It gave the story an interesting perspective and frankly made it easier to enter the world as a reader as we (Helena and the reader) happen to be both newish to this world.
The side characters were the typical quirky cast of characters you'd expect to find in a cozy mystery and were exceptionally well-rounded to the point where I was equally as concerned for them as for Helena.
With a dose magical mayhem and a courageous heroine, THE BOOK OF PERIL was a thrilling ride. While the ending was heartbreaking for Helena on a personal level I'm excited to see how she meets this challenge in the coming books.
June 26, 2018
The Book of Peril was even better than the first! Helena has just settled into her position as custodian of Abernathy's, with Judy—her former adversary turned co-worker...and possibly friend—when the oracle starts giving false auguries. Discovering that her charge is not only malfunctioning, but is at risk of destruction, Helena takes matters into her own hands. As Malcolm and Lucia's teams hurry to track down the paper magus responsible for planting illusion-casting origami all over the city, Helena—who can see through illusions—goes in search of her own answers, putting herself in dangerous, sometimes life-threatening, situations. And, of course, this story wouldn't be complete without Helena's growing feelings for the handsome and protective Malcolm Campbell. The ending wrapped up nicely—though it was a bit heartbreaking—and set the stage perfectly for the next book in the series.
June 21, 2018
I enjoyed the first book in the series, though I felt it could have had more of a sense of urgency. In this one, I didn't feel that lack; not that it was a sky-high-stakes, high-octane thrill ride, but it didn't seem excessively relaxed either.
The main character is a principled, courageous, determined, and competent young woman, which is my favourite kind of protagonist. There's a mystery and a potential romance, which means plenty of plot. All in all, a strong, enjoyable urban fantasy.
I had both books from Netgalley for review, which means I see them before they're published, and I always hesitate to mention editing in my reviews in those cases. I am going to mention a thing, though, which I passed on to the publisher directly about Book 1, but is still there in Book 2.
The bookstore that the main character works in is called Abernathy's. That means that when she refers to something that belongs to the bookstore - its door, for example, or its custodian, which is her - there's a problem. Since you can't very well say "Abernathy's' door," I personally would work around it by saying "the door of Abernathy's", but she doesn't, and every time I struck a phrase like "Abernathy's door" it brought me up short, because the door doesn't belong to Abernathy, but to Abernathy's. A minor annoyance, but one that could easily be removed with a bit of rephrasing, and I'm going to deny the book the "well-edited" tag solely because of it.
I have no complaints about any of the rest of the editing (apart from one vocabulary confusion which I will again pass on to the publisher privately); Melissa McShane has an excellent grasp of the mechanics, as well as the craft, of writing, and her prose is very clean. The story is involving, the characters are frequently admirable, and all in all it's a good time.
The main character is a principled, courageous, determined, and competent young woman, which is my favourite kind of protagonist. There's a mystery and a potential romance, which means plenty of plot. All in all, a strong, enjoyable urban fantasy.
I had both books from Netgalley for review, which means I see them before they're published, and I always hesitate to mention editing in my reviews in those cases. I am going to mention a thing, though, which I passed on to the publisher directly about Book 1, but is still there in Book 2.
The bookstore that the main character works in is called Abernathy's. That means that when she refers to something that belongs to the bookstore - its door, for example, or its custodian, which is her - there's a problem. Since you can't very well say "Abernathy's' door," I personally would work around it by saying "the door of Abernathy's", but she doesn't, and every time I struck a phrase like "Abernathy's door" it brought me up short, because the door doesn't belong to Abernathy, but to Abernathy's. A minor annoyance, but one that could easily be removed with a bit of rephrasing, and I'm going to deny the book the "well-edited" tag solely because of it.
I have no complaints about any of the rest of the editing (apart from one vocabulary confusion which I will again pass on to the publisher privately); Melissa McShane has an excellent grasp of the mechanics, as well as the craft, of writing, and her prose is very clean. The story is involving, the characters are frequently admirable, and all in all it's a good time.
August 2, 2018
This has second book of a trilogy syndrome in a series that I'm not sure is a trilogy. There is no proper ending. The bookstore is giving books to the wrong people or can't figure out which book to pick. Does Helene figure out the culprit? No. They find his accomplice but it's a random person who's never been introduced.
The main character still feels like she should be in high school when she's around her friends. Her ex-boyfriend shows up and wants to get back together with her. People think she should get back together with him. It's so strange because they've only dated for two months. (Insert joke about what has lasted longer than their relationship).
Viv, her best friend, isn't as bad as last book but she still gives horrible advice. You don't get over someone by dating someone else. That's just rude to the person who you are dating. And you really shouldn't investigate magic infested buildings if you can't do magic to protect yourself.
The main character still feels like she should be in high school when she's around her friends. Her ex-boyfriend shows up and wants to get back together with her. People think she should get back together with him. It's so strange because they've only dated for two months. (Insert joke about what has lasted longer than their relationship).
Viv, her best friend, isn't as bad as last book but she still gives horrible advice. You don't get over someone by dating someone else. That's just rude to the person who you are dating. And you really shouldn't investigate magic infested buildings if you can't do magic to protect yourself.
August 15, 2018
3.5- docked for idiocy at the end about not being together because of neutrality. Him at least is too knowledgable about their world to be that dumb. It felt cheap, like a plot device to artificially keep them apart and rack up sexual tension.
The damn oracle wouldnt have given you the prophecy unless there was a way, dumbass! No mention of him trying to become neutral and leave his faction. Blah blah blah.
The damn oracle wouldnt have given you the prophecy unless there was a way, dumbass! No mention of him trying to become neutral and leave his faction. Blah blah blah.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2019
Disappointing ending
I really enjoyed the first book and had high hopes for this one. But sadly it fell flat. The ending leaves a sad disappointing taste and leaves the core character story in ruins. Not how I want to finish a fantasy romance. I also don’t feel the book added anything. It felt the same, bumbling through, false accusations and accidental resolution.
I really enjoyed the first book and had high hopes for this one. But sadly it fell flat. The ending leaves a sad disappointing taste and leaves the core character story in ruins. Not how I want to finish a fantasy romance. I also don’t feel the book added anything. It felt the same, bumbling through, false accusations and accidental resolution.
December 2, 2019
feels in between
i don’t like the in between feeling of this book. the big bad did not get caught, but the solution was to much of a set-up for the future. it should have been more...complete. and the people thing? well, the will linger in an annoying way. still a good world and i plan to read the next one shortly.
i don’t like the in between feeling of this book. the big bad did not get caught, but the solution was to much of a set-up for the future. it should have been more...complete. and the people thing? well, the will linger in an annoying way. still a good world and i plan to read the next one shortly.
June 29, 2018
Reviewed at my blog: Babbling Books
One of the things this book delivered on was the development of the characters, by the end of this book I was wholly invested in each of them and am enjoying their journeys together. Malcolm especially has developed as a favorite for me, his modern day chivalry and the cool, confidence he has every time he’s on the page is just amazingly charming. I would love for a short novella about his backstory, or something from his POV, that would be amazing! Helena really shone in this book to, becoming more protective and confident as a custodian. I like that as a heroine she’s not perfect and while she has her own strengths she can still be vulnerable and rely on others.
Plus, the friendships are such a cute and sweet part of this book. It was nice to get a glimpse at the other relationships people in this world have, plus the new ones that have started within the story. Like I enjoyed getting to see and know more about the friendship between Viv and Helena since they’re mostly opposites and their moments were some of the funnier and lighter ones in the book. Seeing Helena and Judy bond together was a great addition that I hadn’t really considered after the last book but liked a lot, her character was surprisingly enjoyable all around and I’m hoping to see more of her in the next book.
As far as romance goes I was overly thrilled with the direction this book went in. It was still such a mature and slow burn for the two of them, yet so cute at the same time. I think that the best part of the romance between Malcolm and Helena is that he respects her and knows she can stand on her own but at the same time still comes to her defense and protects her when needed while she lets down her guard and trusts him completely with the things that matter most to her. I’m so excited to see where they’re headed in the next book because their last moments together were just so emotional.
It was nice too that this book gave a lot more information on the custodians and Neutralities, with everything happening at Abernathy’s it was nice to see Helena be so attached to it and how she went about trying to discover what was wrong. Getting a bigger glimpse at all the fantastical elements that make up this series was great and I hope there’s going to be more included in the next one because it’s in the descriptions of the magical elements that McShane seems to really shine. I’ll admit to having a hard time putting down these books, the pacing is excellent with just enough action in-between the day-to-day things to keep the story moving.
I only had a couple gripes with this book. I did think the whole problem surrounding Chet needed to resolve differently, it kind of made Malcolm look bad in the end and I’m afraid that’s going to come back and bite the characters in the next book. The other was that I felt the overall conflict with Abernathy’s was built up so well but then ended so abruptly. I was excited to see some sort of confrontation or battle but the ending just sort of fizzled out. Plus I could’ve done without that very last part with Helena and Viv, I felt like that was out of character for Helena to do. Even feeling the way she did, that just didn’t seem right. Hopefully it’ll all work out for the better though.
Overall this book was a marvelous follow-up to the first book. The writing really just pulls you in until you feel like you’re experiencing the journey right alongside the characters. There’s still so many things I want to know, about the characters, the fantasy elements, everything! I’m looking forward to the next book, here’s to hoping it comes soon.
– I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book I received through NetGalley from Curiosity Quills Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own. –
“If I knew what evil lurked in the hearts of man, I’d have a better-paying job than this one.”I was excited when I got approved to read the next book in The Last Oracle series because I enjoyed the first one considerably. It’s funny, I like to go back and read my previous reviews of a series before writing a review of a next book, and in doing that for this series I found that it kept that uniqueness of the series as a whole and really delivered on a lot of the things I was hoping for.
One of the things this book delivered on was the development of the characters, by the end of this book I was wholly invested in each of them and am enjoying their journeys together. Malcolm especially has developed as a favorite for me, his modern day chivalry and the cool, confidence he has every time he’s on the page is just amazingly charming. I would love for a short novella about his backstory, or something from his POV, that would be amazing! Helena really shone in this book to, becoming more protective and confident as a custodian. I like that as a heroine she’s not perfect and while she has her own strengths she can still be vulnerable and rely on others.
Plus, the friendships are such a cute and sweet part of this book. It was nice to get a glimpse at the other relationships people in this world have, plus the new ones that have started within the story. Like I enjoyed getting to see and know more about the friendship between Viv and Helena since they’re mostly opposites and their moments were some of the funnier and lighter ones in the book. Seeing Helena and Judy bond together was a great addition that I hadn’t really considered after the last book but liked a lot, her character was surprisingly enjoyable all around and I’m hoping to see more of her in the next book.
As far as romance goes I was overly thrilled with the direction this book went in. It was still such a mature and slow burn for the two of them, yet so cute at the same time. I think that the best part of the romance between Malcolm and Helena is that he respects her and knows she can stand on her own but at the same time still comes to her defense and protects her when needed while she lets down her guard and trusts him completely with the things that matter most to her. I’m so excited to see where they’re headed in the next book because their last moments together were just so emotional.
It was nice too that this book gave a lot more information on the custodians and Neutralities, with everything happening at Abernathy’s it was nice to see Helena be so attached to it and how she went about trying to discover what was wrong. Getting a bigger glimpse at all the fantastical elements that make up this series was great and I hope there’s going to be more included in the next one because it’s in the descriptions of the magical elements that McShane seems to really shine. I’ll admit to having a hard time putting down these books, the pacing is excellent with just enough action in-between the day-to-day things to keep the story moving.
I only had a couple gripes with this book. I did think the whole problem surrounding Chet needed to resolve differently, it kind of made Malcolm look bad in the end and I’m afraid that’s going to come back and bite the characters in the next book. The other was that I felt the overall conflict with Abernathy’s was built up so well but then ended so abruptly. I was excited to see some sort of confrontation or battle but the ending just sort of fizzled out. Plus I could’ve done without that very last part with Helena and Viv, I felt like that was out of character for Helena to do. Even feeling the way she did, that just didn’t seem right. Hopefully it’ll all work out for the better though.
Overall this book was a marvelous follow-up to the first book. The writing really just pulls you in until you feel like you’re experiencing the journey right alongside the characters. There’s still so many things I want to know, about the characters, the fantasy elements, everything! I’m looking forward to the next book, here’s to hoping it comes soon.
– I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book I received through NetGalley from Curiosity Quills Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own. –
June 30, 2018
As usual, I enjoy looking at the cover of a novel before discussing the story’s content. This is what catches our eye first after all. I noticed that the red curtains from the top of the first novel are present in this book as well. The woman, I assume Helena, looks very different in this image. Her hair is shorter and a different color. She looks more comfortable though, which would be true now that she has settled into her position. I love that books still surround the image.
Now, I reviewed the first book in this series, The Book of Secrets, a while ago. I was browsing NetGalley-because you know my TBR pile is huge but I always want more-and saw that there was a sequel. I knew that I had to give the second book a chance. I needed to know what happened next. So, here we are.
I want to begin by saying although the first book lacked a sense of urgency at points, this one does not. This novel is not cram-packed with action but it does not bore you either. I think much of this is because we do not need time in the second novel to get to know characters and the world of magic.
“I can’t be fooled, and neither will you if you see through my eyes.”
Once again, Melissa has pulled me into this wonderful magical world. I really love that we see so many more interactions between some of the characters here. We see the relationships between Helena and her friends continue to grow and transform. Though, not all are pleasant. Someone wants to harm Helena and the Oracle. I really liked the friendship between Judy and Helena. I began despising Chet until I learned what really was occurring. Then I felt pity for him.
The story was paced well, leaving me turning page after page craving more. I really enjoyed how the reader only knew as much as Helena. This pulls us in deeper, making us more invested in the story. The plot was compelling, evenly displacing intense action scenes with more calm dialogue. This was nice, I did not feel as I was always reading at a high adrenaline level, it allowed me to come to rest before once again having danger erupt.
“I had more coffee than I usually did, hoping it would make up for my deficiencies, and stumbled downstairs wishing it was Sunday and I could go back to sleep.”
I did drink more coffee than usual staying up to finish this book, but I did not wish to go to sleep. I was enthralled by this magical tale. I did enjoy that the action scenes were not as anticlimactic as the first book. The ending leaves it open for yet another novel which makes me really excited. I was impressed by Helena’s decision in the end. It was a tough one, but the right one. She has grown a lot as a person since the first novel. I am officially invested in Helena and her story. I need to know if she will be alright, how will she continue to grow and learn about the Oracle?
If you enjoy a mysterious fantasy novel that is filled with magic and danger, this might be a good choice for you.
Now, I reviewed the first book in this series, The Book of Secrets, a while ago. I was browsing NetGalley-because you know my TBR pile is huge but I always want more-and saw that there was a sequel. I knew that I had to give the second book a chance. I needed to know what happened next. So, here we are.
I want to begin by saying although the first book lacked a sense of urgency at points, this one does not. This novel is not cram-packed with action but it does not bore you either. I think much of this is because we do not need time in the second novel to get to know characters and the world of magic.
“I can’t be fooled, and neither will you if you see through my eyes.”
Once again, Melissa has pulled me into this wonderful magical world. I really love that we see so many more interactions between some of the characters here. We see the relationships between Helena and her friends continue to grow and transform. Though, not all are pleasant. Someone wants to harm Helena and the Oracle. I really liked the friendship between Judy and Helena. I began despising Chet until I learned what really was occurring. Then I felt pity for him.
The story was paced well, leaving me turning page after page craving more. I really enjoyed how the reader only knew as much as Helena. This pulls us in deeper, making us more invested in the story. The plot was compelling, evenly displacing intense action scenes with more calm dialogue. This was nice, I did not feel as I was always reading at a high adrenaline level, it allowed me to come to rest before once again having danger erupt.
“I had more coffee than I usually did, hoping it would make up for my deficiencies, and stumbled downstairs wishing it was Sunday and I could go back to sleep.”
I did drink more coffee than usual staying up to finish this book, but I did not wish to go to sleep. I was enthralled by this magical tale. I did enjoy that the action scenes were not as anticlimactic as the first book. The ending leaves it open for yet another novel which makes me really excited. I was impressed by Helena’s decision in the end. It was a tough one, but the right one. She has grown a lot as a person since the first novel. I am officially invested in Helena and her story. I need to know if she will be alright, how will she continue to grow and learn about the Oracle?
If you enjoy a mysterious fantasy novel that is filled with magic and danger, this might be a good choice for you.
July 21, 2018
The Book of Peril by Melissa McShane is the second book in The Last Oracle series. Helena Davies is the custodian of the oracular bookstore Abernathy’s. She has been busy cleaning the shop after the attack and the shop is brighter and definitely smells better. Helena’s birthday party thrown by her best friend, Viv, is interrupted by her ex-boyfriend, Chet. He has decided he still loves Helena and is determined to win her back despite Helena’s objection (oh dear). On Monday, Helena performs an augury requests and the oracle provides the wrong prophecy. She tries it again and it works perfectly. When it starts happening more frequently, Helena needs to discover what it happening to the oracle. Helena needs to learn more about Abernathy’s (the manual does not have an index and puts her instantly to sleep) and visits The Athenaeum (the spiritual successor to the Library of Alexandria). When Helena continues to have difficulty with auguries, a magical team sweeps the store. They discover magical origami in Helena’s kitchen. Someone is deliberately sabotaging Abernathy’s. When Judy Rasmussen, Helena’s assistant, is arrested for the crime, Helena works to prove her innocence, find the real culprit and evade Chet.
The Book of Peril is not a standalone novel. You need to read The Book of Secrets first or you will be lost. I thought the story was well-written, to have a steady pace and engaging. I like that we are learning more about the oracle and the magical community. Melissa McShane has created a special magical world (the neutralities, the various types of magic, the oracle, etc.) in this series. The handsome Malcolm Campbell is back, and Helena finds herself drawn to him. However, there are those pesky rules called The Accords that might thwart their budding romance (there has to be a way around them). I appreciate the strong female characters in The Last Oracle series. Helena is slowly learning her role as custodian, and I find her smart, curious and spunky. Viv adds humor to the story and is the perfect counterpart to Helena. It is wonderful to see the changes in Judy since The Book of Secrets. She is helping Helena update Abernathy’s and I like that Helena trusts her. I do want to warn readers that there is a violent scene where a female is badly injured (if these type of scenes upset you, I suggest fast forwarding past it). I was not thrilled with the ending. We are left with unanswered questions and we must wait for the next book to get answers. The Book of Peril is a fast-paced paranormal novel that will have you reading late into the night to get to the end (and then you are upset that you finished it so quickly).
The Book of Peril is not a standalone novel. You need to read The Book of Secrets first or you will be lost. I thought the story was well-written, to have a steady pace and engaging. I like that we are learning more about the oracle and the magical community. Melissa McShane has created a special magical world (the neutralities, the various types of magic, the oracle, etc.) in this series. The handsome Malcolm Campbell is back, and Helena finds herself drawn to him. However, there are those pesky rules called The Accords that might thwart their budding romance (there has to be a way around them). I appreciate the strong female characters in The Last Oracle series. Helena is slowly learning her role as custodian, and I find her smart, curious and spunky. Viv adds humor to the story and is the perfect counterpart to Helena. It is wonderful to see the changes in Judy since The Book of Secrets. She is helping Helena update Abernathy’s and I like that Helena trusts her. I do want to warn readers that there is a violent scene where a female is badly injured (if these type of scenes upset you, I suggest fast forwarding past it). I was not thrilled with the ending. We are left with unanswered questions and we must wait for the next book to get answers. The Book of Peril is a fast-paced paranormal novel that will have you reading late into the night to get to the end (and then you are upset that you finished it so quickly).
August 24, 2024
Book of Peril is the second title in The Last Oracle series.
February 11, 2021
After enjoying The Book of Secrets, I had high hopes for book 2 in the series - but it fell short.
On the positive side, I like that Helena is evolving as a character as she learns more about the world of magic and how to be a custodian for the oracle at Abernathy’s book store. I also like how she is befriending Judy Rasmussen - a character who was earlier set up to be her nemesis.
However, the main plot involving the sabotage of Abernathy’s was a real MacGuffin for me - an excuse to allow Helena to learn more about the world of magic and get closer to Malcolm.
On the positive side, I like that Helena is evolving as a character as she learns more about the world of magic and how to be a custodian for the oracle at Abernathy’s book store. I also like how she is befriending Judy Rasmussen - a character who was earlier set up to be her nemesis.
However, the main plot involving the sabotage of Abernathy’s was a real MacGuffin for me - an excuse to allow Helena to learn more about the world of magic and get closer to Malcolm.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2022
Enjoyed the protag
The plot, often. The 3stars is for several TSTL moments from multiple characters (our main antag is an A-level illusionist who's already manipulated one person into beating the protag, so let's take no thought to going out to the middle of nowhere when our bestie calls! Heck, let's, just for fun, mind, lose my bodyguard!) Plus, the resolution of both main plot threads is just...two big ol' steaming bags of stupid. No, we didn't catch the main antag. Yawn. I'm sure he's so over trying to kill the protag and her bookstore. I love you, M, and you love me, but the accords won't let me be with you 'cause conflict, yet J, whose dad is head of one faction--she'da made a great bookstore employee! I spent the last couple paragraphs waiting for M to face palm at her about that and was stunned when he was every bit the same kind of idiot about it. And sure, let's drag some other random regular guy she doesn't really care about into this dumpster fire. That turned out well for Chet and that poor wannabe teacher from bk 1. Left me seriously wanting to smack the fmc, I fear. Which means no bk 3 for this reader. ::pouts:: I wanted a good long run with this series. Loved seeing the way she and the bookstore became closer and changed each other. Liked her other relationships, too.
The plot, often. The 3stars is for several TSTL moments from multiple characters (our main antag is an A-level illusionist who's already manipulated one person into beating the protag, so let's take no thought to going out to the middle of nowhere when our bestie calls! Heck, let's, just for fun, mind, lose my bodyguard!) Plus, the resolution of both main plot threads is just...two big ol' steaming bags of stupid. No, we didn't catch the main antag. Yawn. I'm sure he's so over trying to kill the protag and her bookstore. I love you, M, and you love me, but the accords won't let me be with you 'cause conflict, yet J, whose dad is head of one faction--she'da made a great bookstore employee! I spent the last couple paragraphs waiting for M to face palm at her about that and was stunned when he was every bit the same kind of idiot about it. And sure, let's drag some other random regular guy she doesn't really care about into this dumpster fire. That turned out well for Chet and that poor wannabe teacher from bk 1. Left me seriously wanting to smack the fmc, I fear. Which means no bk 3 for this reader. ::pouts:: I wanted a good long run with this series. Loved seeing the way she and the bookstore became closer and changed each other. Liked her other relationships, too.
July 18, 2018
This world is so unique and engaging, I found it incredibly hard to put this book down. Even as the second book in this story, it kept me guessing every step of the way.
If you’re new to this world, you should really start from book 1 (but could probably muddle through from here). Helena is the newly appointed custodian of a bookstore that doubles as a sort of oracle. Opposing factions of the magical world come by to get their future read or to find answers to their troubles. It’s not free, and requires a certain gift to deliver, so Helena has been trying to find her way through this exciting new occupation. As if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, she’s also finding some strange irregularities to the prophecies given. Since there isn’t really a FAQ for the bookstore, she’s forced to detective answers out on her own.
To compound her drama, she’s also dealing with her forbidden feelings for Malcolm (the magical hottie), and trying to free her only qualified assistant from a nonsense charge. Oh, and there’s still a lot of bad guys that want to kill her. All of this pretty much sums up the life of Helena. Surprisingly, she manages to conquer just about every obstacle, whether by accident or not. I’m absolutely loving this world and cannot wait for more!
July 2, 2018
I did read the first book in this series, and I was excited to read this second installment. And, I was in no way disappointed. While I really did enjoy this first book, this second book really hit its stride. The characters were developed so much more, we learned a lot more about this world, and the plot was more detailed. I love where Malcolm and Helena’s complicated relationship might be headed. The end just made me a little sad even though I know the author will probably pull some of her own magic and find some way they can overcome their obstacles. Viv did annoy me a little in the last book, but in this one, I think she’s not quite as annoying, and I enjoyed their interactions. And, I loved how much Helena has grown in her role as a caretaker of the store. With the little details being filled in where the world is concerned, the reader can sit back and enjoy the plot, the characters, and the world so much better. Don’t get me wrong; I suspect we haven’t learned all the world’s secrets. All in all, I am looking forward to more books in this world. If you love urban fantasy, give this one a try as I highly recommend it! I was provided the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed.
July 11, 2018
Yay! A sequel I actually liked better than the first in the series! Don’t get me wrong; I liked The Book of Secrets, but it took me a while to get into the world of that novel. The sequel popped me straight back in, and I found myself really loving being there. In this book the characters are developed much more deeply, and we start to see hints of their backstory, which I enjoyed. In fact, I had trouble putting the story down! I particularly enjoyed the pop culture references and the high-tech yet magical nature of the Aethenium (another oracle we “meet” in this book). I can’t wait until the next book; now I’m hooked! I was lucky enough to receive an advance readers copy of this book, but my opinions are all my own.
February 1, 2021
The second book in the series and the second one I started and finished in one sitting. It was just really fun and light, thou it had its' serious moments, nice character and relationship development. I would say that the mystery was not particularly complicated and a little bit out of the blue - probably it's a set up for bigger events to come. I will mention that it doesn't feel like something I haven't read or heard before, but again - so much fun! Random thing I appreciated most - how MC was always aware if she's acting recklessly or being in over her head and thinking through what to do, who to ask for help, how to act and not simply doing things with the hope that everything will work itself out.
June 26, 2018
I enjoyed this follow up to the first book. We get to see more of the Oracle and also more of Helena and her friends. I like how the relationship between Helena and Malcolm is developing. We follow Helena on another mystery, this time why the Oracle is acting up. We explore some new places but as always come back to the bookstore. I like the mix of books and magic. I really hope there are more in this series. I would really like to see Helena grow in this role and also see what happens between her and Malcolm.
*I received a free copy of this book via Curiosity Quills Press and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
*I received a free copy of this book via Curiosity Quills Press and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
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