Indomitable

by Claudia Brooke

You’d have to be indomitable to survive vampires, angels, reapers, a troll-raiser, a witch, a mob-affiliated bagel-maker, and the adorable little blood-sucking dog who started it all.

Gracie Rinelli has a more than adequate supply of stamina and spirit, which she’ll need in her new venture. She’s so close to having enough money saved to buy a used cake truck and get her big Italian family off her back. This job, dog sitting Viceroy, a cute little cairn terrier, is all she’ll need to get her truck. Marrying her boyfriend would be the icing on the cake truck.

Felix needs a full-blood vampire to sponsor and turn him, so he doesn’t have to get cold enough to wear wool. Lucy needs her mortality back so she can finally be with the love of her very long life—400 years is a long time to wait. And Viceroy? Viceroy wants to play ball, drink squirrels, and live happily with Felix, Gracie, and Lucy. Forever.

But nobody pays forty dollars an hour for dog walks in the park unless there’s something seriously wrong with the dog, and the job you apply for isn’t the one you end up with. Join Gracie, Viceroy, Felix, and Lucy, as they spin New York City’s supernatural world into a fast-paced urban fantasy adventure. Indomitable is funny, New York gothic phantasmagoria on fate, family, transformation, sacrifice, unlikely friendships, and a good cup of tea.

Gracie’s plan to launch her cake truck and marry her boyfriend may just have to wait.

Genres: Fantasy

412 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2022

About the author

Claudia Brooke has been writing since she could hold a crayon. In addition to writing poetry and short stories, she was a corporate communications and investor relations writer and a copywriter for small businesses.

Her favorite number is two; she loves James Thurber, hot buttered toast, and coffee. She can find almost anything online and plays the accordion.

She has two talented daughters, three delightful grandchildren, and lives with her tolerant husband and muse in Maryland.

Indomitable is her first novel.

Reviews

[CJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahhhh Claudia Brooke, you had me at Cake Truck. Is this an American phenomenon or something that happens in big cities? If so, I gotta move!

Humorous urban fantasy with all the shenanigans, hijinks and havoc that supernatural critters create, and the super-cute talking vampiric dog is the icing on the cake. Great characters and interesting plot with several laugh out loud moments. Will definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel.

Overall a great, fun rainy day read but BEWARE FAIR READER!!! Take heed my advice!! Stock up on reading snacks before you start reading!! Brooke constantly references the MOST delicious delectable and drool worthy foods that rivals the efforts of celebrity chiefs and food bloggers. It will leave you daydreaming of a banquet full of sugary goodness and definitely bring on the hunger pangs!

Recommended for fans of Seanan Maguire, Lish McBride, Chris Tullbane, Mercury Falls, Shades of Hell, Magic for Liars, The Gods of Love

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the reading copy.

[Kayla Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ARC through BookSirens.

Indomitable is an Urban Fantasy with vampires, angels, Death, and lots of fun! I won’t say much about the plot, because I really think this is a novel best enjoyed when you aren’t trying to predict anything and you just roll with the punches. The characters are along for a RIDE, figuring things out as they go, with new challenges and new revelations around every corner. The reader is in the exact same position, which was thrilling. I like that the characters didn’t have much more information than I did re: the mysteries surrounding the central conflict. I also appreciate that Claudia Brooke trusts the reader to just go with things in the same way her characters do. Oh this person is this weird supernatural being I’ve never heard of? Well, that isn’t any weirder than anything else, so fine. What else do you have? Indomitable felt very quick, and to me the pace was perfect, mirroring what the main characters felt as they constantly learned something new.

Indomitable was a really fun and funny novel. I did not want it to end and I’m really excited to read the rest of the planned trilogy. I can’t wait to see where Brooke takes these characters (and me!) next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[bb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruff first half but definitely follow through. FMC and MMC are classic. I think this story has a lot of east coast vibes. I would say you’d enjoy the story if you are acquainted with the area.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not even sure where to start with this review. I went into this book with an open mind and was quickly sucked in. Every time I thought I had the story mapped out in my head, a new twist or surprise was thrown at me, in the best way. This needs to be on everyone's TBR list. It has all of the action, adventure, villains, comedic relief and paranormal creatures that you could ever ask for! If you're looking for a story full of supernatural creatures that is set in modern times, Indomitable is the book for you!! I cannot wait to reconvene with all of my new friends in the next book, Incorrigible, when it comes out!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Lara (Atlas Of Stories) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Rating: 3.5 - 4 stars. Curious to see how the story continues. Interesting start of a series.

It all starts with a dog, bitten and turned into a vampire. Now has to go on walks to feed on squirrels. And this is where Gracie comes in, to take care of the dog and its walks. She needs the money and the dog's owner is willing to pay a lot.

But the story takes a big turn. What starts as a normal everyday life story turns into a fantasy roller coaster. A vampire dog (which is awesome by itself!) is just the beginning. We meet other vampires, reapers, Death, angels, and family members and friends who also have a secret or two. Someone may look like an ordinary person but could be a witch for example.

A lot happens and we get a lot of supernatural content. So it was a bit overwhelming but very interesting and compelling. Each character brought more insights into one of the supernatural aspects of the world. The concept of an indomitable soul is very interesting and brings all the other players together. Each character is well written and their chapters keep the story flowing. Because there are multiple points of view in the story, the narrative switches between Gracie, Felix, Lucy, and Viceroy. The story has a fast pace and keeps the reader enthralled in the fantasy aspect. Questions will pop up such as "What will happen next?". I had a continuous sense of wonder and thrill while reading the story.

I enjoyed reading the book, and the ending promises us a second book. I will have to see how their story continues.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the synopsis for this book, I thought I was going to get a cutesy, cozy mystery novel so I requested an ARC from BookSirens as these are just comforting, predictable reads. When I started reading, I quickly realized that I was wrong. This was so much better.

Do you get a cute K9? Absolutely. Does he happen to be a vampire? Also yup.

This book has all the makings of a wild, fun supernatural romp. We get a wild cast of supernatural beings with such strong, distinct personalities that you can't help but to love. Between a vamp dog, a half vamp snob, reapers, angels, and a cake baker, the ragtag gang takes on a force of other supernatural beings, all the while confronting their own supernatural issues.

The quirkiness of the story doesn't overpower the plot. Claudia Brooke manages to perfectly balance the bizarre and witty with a fast paced adventure that keeps you flying through the pages.

This is not the typical cozy book I was expecting. It wasn't predictable. It didn't rest on the peculiarities of the characters. This book has mirth, grit, and an unconventional approach to urban fantasy that I absolutely fell in love with.

[samreadsromance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strap yourself in for one wild fantasy ride!

This book was completely different from anything i’ve ever read. I didn’t know what to expect but it was not this! The start of this book is a little bit slow but then it gets to a point where you don’t want to do anything but see what happens next!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being a long time fan of vampire lore, Indomitable introduced me to all sorts of supernatural surprises I never heard of! The story is full of unexpected twists and turns and the 'icing on the cake' was that it all took place in familiar areas of the tri-state area of NY which made this tale extra fun to read. The ending leaves you wanting more; looking forward to part 2 of the Viceroy Chronicles!

[Anmarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book through BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving a review.

A very original plot with quirky characters.
Took me a while to get through but overall, an enjoyable read.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Quite an interesting story with unexpected reveals.

[Sara Jamieson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea or backbone of the book, but had trouble identifying with or liking the characters. So I kept going from Crazy zoned in and invested in the story- to being disengaged when the characters were thinking or conversing about their thoughts.

[Ziggy Nixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting new voice in the world of urban fantasy delivers a thrilling, multi-faceted tale!

I must admit, the beginning of this absolutely wonderful story had me grinning ear-to-ear! It will not take the reader long to realize that this story is going to be fun… even if I!!! did think at first it was perhaps going to be some tame story about a young Italian girl dealing with a wacky part-time job! Mama Mia, am I right? Sure, I felt it would be done with lovely, well-developed characters (which is true throughout the book) but I was kind of thinking "hey, this would make a good SNL sketch with Kristen Wiig" (or is it Wigg? I dunno…). Well, that was my impression up until the part with the … um, that would be a bit spoil-y now, wouldn't it?

"Or smiting? Can you smite the vampires?”

Woo boy, let me just say I did not see the twists and turns the next few chapters would take me on! And definitely, I have to admit the change in perspective - in particular the first "Felix" section - shocked me at first: "My mother had been a whore, and not the fancy kind." Well, that'll teach me to not pay attention to the author's chapter headings (and don't get me started about my stunned 'da fuh?' reaction when we meet Lucy)! Oh and what is VA anyway … HAHA, just kidding, we learn in a few pages! Seriously, it so much fun to see this book develop and morph and become just a wilder and wilder ride! Plus, who doesn't love a story where the lady hero gets to braid her hair with the embodiment of death, sorry, I mean, Death? I know I do! Seriously though, the character dynamics throughout the story are just fantastic! Getting to know these various… beings was an absolute trip!

We moved on to discussing … my spirit, soul, … and other omens, portents, and signs that might auger the rise of evil and darkness in the world. You know, just another Wednesday afternoon.

Oh and if anyone is keeping score (it's 10-7 right now with just a few minutes left on the clock), the pacing, style and yes, even location reminded me very much of Rick Gualtieri's immortal "Bill the Vampire" series, though perhaps with less nerds, large-breasted and/or (mostly AND tbh) over-sexed vampirettes plus blatant bleedy stabby parts. Less but not none, mind you. But hey, we do get Vampire Bob which isn't a bad thing now, is it? And oh the invented acronyms - HELL has a new meaning! - we come across even beyond the afore/before-mentioned VA (makes Italian cook kissy motion for emphasis). Fantastico! Seriously though, "Indomitable" - a word I can NOT spell without looking up each time - sits (will sit? Has done sat?) comfortably amidst some of my most favorite fantasy stories of the past years, urban or otherwise.

But right now, I’m better off Death than dead.

Without having much to work with - this is after all only the first chapter of what I hope will be an on-going series of several adventures (we have a commitment apparently for 3 so far) - I would place Brooks' book (say that 5 times fast!) in my own Preferred Urban Fantasy Pantheon - or PUFP (yeah, my anagrams aren't as good) - somewhere alongside
(a) the more serious yet still with funny bits that are the stylings of (again) Gualtieri's books;
(b) I'd also definitely add in Martin Shannon's "Weird Florida" tales or definitely Chris Tullbane's "John Smith: Mediator at … Medium?" (he really isn't much of a "large" per se); and
(c) the truly LOL, ROFL, pee-yourself-to-dehydration stories which D.M.Guay and Scott Burtness bring to the table!

Overkill, perhaps, but better safe than possessed.

And much like, well, all these extremely talented writers (they each have to send me a check each time I write that), Brooke has put together a wide assortment of beings, personalities and motivations! I especially liked the noir coolness of Felix, the drooling cuteness of Viceroy (trust me on this), our resident Icelandic giant Phillip (wait until you see his job description!) and also Fay, who scurries away relatively quickly... though I have a sneaky hunch this is so she'll be given a chance to shine in upcoming stories! But wowzers (have we done "wow" yet?), the book is jam-packed with an eclectic bunch of (waves vaguely)! And it's no wonder the author eventually decides that New York City might not even be big enough to hold them all! I'm just amazed she managed to include and keep track of all of them because it's quite the crowd! And that's not counting the incorporeal masses that begin showing up by the end of things!

I mulled over the difficulties of a car trip with Death in the passenger seat. What could go wrong?

So, yeah, I love having a new member to my 'pick up the next book without question' urban fantasy club! Though we may have to talk again some day about the big werewolf reveal (or lack thereof). We furry folks have to stick together you know! All kidding aside: kids, get this book, enjoy this book, and join me in waiting anxiously, impatiently and even probably a bit irreverently for the next one! You'll be glad you did!

[Anna Dunitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enjoyable! Well developed characters. The story pulls you in right from the beginning . Looking forward to the next installment!!

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is some excellent worldbuilding in this novel. Vampires exist in a sort of two-tiered fashion—full vampires and half vampires who have not been fully brought over. There are also angels and at least a few other types of supernatural beings such as reapers, who harvest the souls of the dead. Most interesting, there are a few human beings with special souls that come in multiple flavors including the “indomitable” spirit of the title. That “flavor” gives them certain special abilities—not superhero level abilities—but special none the less.

The novel starts with its most interesting character, Gracie, whose controlling family is trying to compel to go to graduate school. Gracie has other plans. Her great dream in life is to own a cake truck and make her living baking and selling fabulous cakes to whoever has the taste for one. Her family can’t understand this and isn’t interested in doing so. Even her fiancé is unsupportive of her great ambition even though he appears to be a pretty good guy by other measures.

The first few chapters focus on Gracie attempting to raise money to buy the used cake truck of her dreams. In doing so, she agrees to become the dog walker for a very rich woman who is convinced her dog is a vampire who feeds on squirrels. It’s a delightful storyline that I wish had gone on longer. Gracie is a superb character, instantly interesting and sympathetic, and I enjoyed all the chapters from her POV.

Unfortunately, she isn’t really the main character of the novel. That honor goes to Felix and he is not up to the responsibility of carrying the book. Felix is (purposely I gather) dislikeable. His only redeeming quality appears to be an out of character interest in something beside himself (i.e. keeping someone from being killed later in the novel). Seeing as he is so completely self-centered, I never understood why he would put himself out to help someone else. I kept waiting for him to become more likeable. I mean, even big bad evil supervillain types can be a joy to read, but Felix is not and it’s a big problem for this story. Had the author not made him a major POV it wouldn’t have mattered, but it’s always a problem when you are expected to read many chapters from the POV of a character that you just don’t like.

Fortunately, the other POVs are better, including a very interesting reaper, but I think the whole book would have been much stronger if the author had stuck with Gracie throughout. This would have raised a few storytelling challenges, but let’s face it, all of the most interesting things in this plot happen to her and she’s delightful. In addition to discovering the world is not as mundane as she had believed, she has to deal with some tremendously traumatic events including an emotional betrayal that was quite simply expertly constructed by the author.

And so much does happen to Gracie and those around her. The angels appear to be fighting with each other. Death is plotting to do something very selfish with potentially diabolical consequences. Vampires are seeking to elevate their place in the hierarchy of the planet. And I could go on, but you should really read the book and uncover these golden nuggets for yourself. Because you see, despite my frustrations with Felix, I want to learn what happens to Gracie. So, not only will I be reading the sequel, I suggest you read the series yourself.

If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.

[Twyla Rae Andersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars for Indomitable's unique characters

Indomitable starts off strong and with well executed writing as a novel that has the potential to be genre-bending. Particularly with the introduction of very unique characters, including a dog that is a vampire with a preference for squirrels, a half-blood vampire with singular and ultra high standards who attends Vampires Anonymous, and a 400+ year old reaper who may or may not be Death's successor.

And then there is Gracie, the woman who dreams of owning her own cake truck - if she can survive the supernatural forces that are determined to keep her from attaining that goal.

It's at about 25% into the novel that the potential for the reader to lose interest begins. It was a struggle for me to stay with the story after that point, but the characters and their struggles were just interesting enough to keep me curious about the outcome of their respective journeys.

Main characters bond too quickly, lacking chemistry without the time needed for it to grow between them. Their dialogue often felt forced and overly dramatic, which sometimes made it difficult to find their dynamics relatable.

What I feel was a detriment to the structure of the story in Indomitable is how the characters too often meander in directions aside from that of the narrative. So, I could easily skim over entire paragraphs of action and dialogue until the characters veered back onto the path of their collective journey.

I do like that Indomitable ends with the characters off to a new city and on a solid quest as a cohesive ensemble. I see that as a very promising direction for their individual arcs and the overall narrative.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sharondblk]

I started a NetGalley review copy and then set it aside because I could not stand Gracie, the main character. She was so useless she literally couldn't get sh*t of her shoe . Since it was a review copy, I thought I should give it the respect of trying to read it, so I picked it back up. I was happy to read some urban fantasy about a dog that was bitten by a vampire. Sounds fun, right? Well, it wasn't. When a second first person voice appeared I thought the book might be salvageable. Then a third first person voice showed up. Maybe it would have been better written in the third person. Anyway, I know we are not meant to quote directly from review copies, but let me give you a little sample of Gracie's thoughts after her boyfriend gets called in to work when she is at his apartment:

"He had picked me up, so if I wanted to go home, I'd have to call a relative. Scratch that. A relative ride would come with questions and lectures. Uber would be a better choice. But I was perfectly content in [his] apartment."

Then why did we have to listen to you debating your means home?

When the vampire, who is 6 foot three, don't you know, meets her he describes her as "a tiny thing", and keeps on crapping on about her tinyness. Oh good, tall men and short women again. But what really made me close the book was that the vampire dog shows up and starts talking in an "atrocious" accent. Maybe this whole thing was meant to be cute, but I found it juvenile, poorly written and not for me. Great cover though.

[Shayleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

**Possible spoilers**

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for this arc. This review is my own opinion and I am no free than willing to share it.

To begin, I feel as thought this book had amazing potential. There were interesting ideas and fascinating characters. However, for me, the negatives outweighed the positives. I felt as though the story line was incredibly rushed in the beginning and there was no character development or a way for the reader to feel as though they related to any one character. This may be due to the fact that the story switches POV every chapter between multiple characters. I usually don’t mind stories that switch between two characters point of view, but the amount of characters that it switched between and the frequency got a bit confusing, especially at the beginning. There were also many details throughout the story that felt unnecessary or even cheesy, making it hard to read. This is especially true for Viceroy’s character. I’m sorry, but a dog who was turned into a vampire by a half vampire? AND he has telepathy? That was rough to get through.

On a positive note, I would 100000% read a story that was ONLY about Lucy. Her character was my favorite and I would love to know more about her past and her life in general.

[Chris Tullbane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful debut! It starts with a cosy premise of a woman trying to earn enough money for a food truck (instead of the graduate schooling her loving but also slightly overbearing family has planned for her) by walking a cute little dog for a rich and eccentric woman... and then, before you know it, things spiral entirely out of control, and Gracie finds herself immersed into a world both stranger and more dangerous than anticipated.

I'm a sucker for everyday people finding themselves in extraordinary, supernatural circumstances, and Indomitable is no exception to that rule. There's a lot going on, from multiple POVs (including the dog's!) to a whole shoebox of plot twists, and the story moves at a lightning-quick pace. What makes it work for me are the characters themselves, from Gracie to Viceroy to Lucy, to the sprawling cast of family members, friends, roommates, and neighbors showing up in unexpected ways. (Felix is going to have to win me over in the sequel, but I suspect he's written to be that way. Meanwhile, Lucy is my favorite... but don't tell Viceroy that.) They're a fun mix of very different perspectives, wants, and needs, and they kept me invested throughout.

I'm excited to see where Claudia takes things in the sequel!

[Chandra Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indomitable is a wild supernatural ride!

So this isn't my usual type of book, my favorite reads being historical mysteries. But there was a cake on the cover, and as baking is my thing, I couldn't resist. It turns out that Indomitable is about a young woman who not only wants a cake truck but ends up being pretty indomitable herself.

The characters, most of whom I loved, one of whom I hoped would fall into a mud puddle (that never happens), wouldn't have crossed paths if it wasn't for one small vampire dog. They're thrown together because Felix (the one I wanted to fall into a mud puddle) did something stupid. The group: a reaper, a half-vamp, an angel, a troll-raiser, a witch, a young woman trying to forge her own path, and a cute little dog make the best of it, banding together, fighting vampires and discovering themselves along the way.

If you love fast-paced supernatural fantasy with reveals around every corner AND a talking dog, Indomitable is for you. Even though urban fantasy isn't my typical genre, it was a fun, fast read, and I can't wait for the next one!

[Sam Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book having no idea what it was about. Little did I know that I’d just been strapped into a wild roller coaster ride and wouldn’t come out the same (in the best way.)

The book starts out innocuously enough. Our MC picks up a gig as a dog walker for some much-needed cash. And then suddenly BOOM. She’s told dog is actually a vampire. How does this work, you ask? How does this NOT work is the answer.

The story then took me through twists and turns where I never quite knew where I was going to end up, but I was happy to be buckled in for the ride.

This book has it all: Vampires, angels, Death, family secrets, characters you love to hate, and characters you hate to love.

Hilarious and often poignant, with and ending that both destroyed me and made me immediately need to know what happens next!

If you love unconventional fantasy this is the book for you!!

[Kayjah · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only *

The first few pages seemed to open up a comedic story about a vampire dog and their new dog-sitter, but as I kept reading, I found that this book had a lot more coming than I thought. The story itself was charming, and has a quirky feel to it. However, I felt myself getting lost somewhere in the middle. There were a lot of characters that I, honestly, couldn’t find myself feeling anything for. The plot itself also became a little confusing, as there were a lot of perspective changes and different character arcs. In the end, I thought this was a unique read, and I still found myself curious enough to read to the end.

[Belinda Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Indomitable, Book 1 of The Viceroy Chronicles was an interesting read with unique characters set in an intriguing world.

Gracie Rinelli has a dream - to buy a used cake truck and get her big Italian family off her back. She takes up a job, dog sitting Viceroy, a cute little cairn terrier for the same. But Viceroy is not an ordinary dog. He is a vampire who was bitten and transformed by Felix, a half blooded vampire. Felix needs a full-blood vampire to sponsor and turn him, so he doesn’t have to get cold enough to wear wool.

Lucy, a Reaper, needs her mortality back so she can finally be with the love of her very long life—400 years is a long time to wait. There is more to everyone’s story, with secrets kept from them. They join together as they venture into New York City’s supernatural world in this fast-paced urban fantasy adventure.

“You’d have to be indomitable to survive vampires, angels, reapers, a troll-raiser, a witch, a mob-affiliated bagel-maker.”

The world created here is a very interesting one. With vampires, witches, gods, angels and reapers in this urban setting, this was a fun and exciting experience. I loved watching the story unravel as the characters figured out the secrets kept from them.

I couldn’t connect with any characters sadly. Gracie was an interesting one from the beginning. But the way she reacted to the secrets her parents kept from her was odd. This made it hard to connect with her. The introduction of angels was exciting! This was action packed till the end.

Thank you to the author and Nerdy Book Tours for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary-jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of the book from vivacious reads from the author.

This is a very different supernatural story that will surprise and delight you.

I enjoyed the fast pace of the book. There are lots of great characters and plots twists.

I'm looking forward to reading more from the author.

[Shannon Temme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, Love, loved this book. Such a unique cast of characters! I cannot wait for the next installment!