Next installment in the odd-couple adventures of timid nerd Robin and her inquisitive, impatient demon. This one brings Robin ever closer to the answers she is seeking, but her refusal to face her feelings is actually beginning to put both of them in (even more) danger. I love all the details we’re getting about demon history and culture, and how humans inadvertently messed with it; we are also seeing tantalizing hints of things going on in Tori’s part of the series, hinting at a merging of the plotlines soon. Dukehart does a stellar job voicing the demon Zylas, shading wonder, contempt, or exasperation into the smallest exchanges.
Tag: format-audiobook
Druid Vices and a Vodka, by Annette Marie, read by Cris Dukehart
I have been loving Dukehart’s audiobook narration. I am now familiar enough with the shading of her voices for the various characters that I don’t need the text to explicitly introduce them. That said, for the first time, the plot became tense enough that I wished I was reading text; I so wanted to skip ahead of Dukehart’s (very appropriate!) dramatic pauses so I could catch up on the action. This book brings the morally gray character Zak to the fore, forcing Tori to reckon with her own loyalties, set against a backdrop of (of course) mortal danger. The interweaving storyline from the “Demonized” companion series is both enjoyable and frustrating; as the events intertwine you just want to shake the characters into talking to one another despite their (very solid) reasons to keep their secrets close. I continue to love Tori’s resourcefulness in magical combat situations.
Slaying Monsters for the Feeble, by Annette Marie, read by Cris Dukehart
Second in Marie’s “Demonized” series, but really ninth in her linked series of books: this one is from the perspective of Robin Page, the shy, awkward nerd who would rather bury herself in books and baking than deal with the fact that she’s accidentally made a highly illegal contract with a demon. Her flinching cowardice gets old quickly (even though it’s totally how I would react in similar situations) but it’s refreshing how everyone, from her assertive cousin to her combat-trained guildmates to her demon Zylas, does their best to try to help her overcome her fears and prepare for challenges. The layers of secrets that she keeps from different audiences is complex and exhausting for the reader as well as for her, but it’s fun to watch her (nervously) chase down leads in search of the answers she needs.
The Alchemist and an Amaretto, by Annette Marie, read by Cris Dukehart
Oh man after four books of comparatively lighthearted urban fantasy, and then after 75% of a book being spent mainly on trivia like Tori trying hard not to be impressed by her friend’s parents’ magic school (basically Hogwarts, but for privileged combat sorcerors), and doing a little bit of werewolf hunting, the plot suddenly hammers Tori (and the poor reader) with a huge emotional bomb. Over the preceding books Marie had been dropping hints and gradually ramping up the tension and urgency around this issue, but the revelation at the end of this book abruptly turns things up to 11. Dukehart does such a great job with the narration too, her Tori switching between indignation and vulnerability. I’ve been trying to pace myself with this series, and it was a fight for me not to instantly run off and download the next. (This is why I dislike rating individual books – the plot of this particular book was pretty standard, but its effect on the overall series is huge.)
Hellbound Guilds and Other Misdirections, by Annette Marie and Rob Jacobsen, read by Iggy Toma
This is the second book from the perspective of Kit Morris, the reformed criminal, police officer in training, and nonstop snark factory. This time Kit finds himself going up against actual demons, who are immune to his psychic magic; he’s also getting nowhere trying to get closer to his partner, the incredibly kickass and unimpressed Agent Lienna Shen. Both Kit and Lienna suffer from a bad case of “won’t ask for help when they really should,” which is annoying to me as a reader; Kit is a loner but Lienna should know better. Toma’s narration remains light and sardonic throughout, which works really well, and his falsetto rendition of Lienna is much less annoying than before.
Demon Magic and a Martini, by Annette Marie, read by Cris Dukehart
Eemotional drama finally hits this lighthearted series as a demon attack drags secrets into the open, and Tori is forced to reckon with how far she is willing to go to protect her friends. (Answer: extremely far.) Her usual snarky attitude remains firmly in place, which helps to move the story along without things getting too heavy. I also like how firmly this series is set in Vancouver; when demon attacks threatened the cobblestone streets of Gastown, I was able to picture the scene very well.
Two Witches and a Whiskey, by Annette Marie, read by Cris Dukehart
Another of Marie’s Guild Codex books; in this one, human bartender Tori tries to stay out of trouble with the magical police, who are investigating fallout from her earlier adventures. Being Tori, of course she fails utterly at lying low, and finds herself not only getting entangled with powerful fae and dark magic guilds, but pulling her friends into the mess as well. Entertaining and amusing as usual. Dukehart’s Tori, sassy and pouty by turns, helps the character’s choices seem more believable in the moment.
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri, by Annette Marie, read by Cris Dukehart
Second in the Guild Codex “Spellbound” series, human bartender Tori quickly gets over her head when she goes off-script and gets herself kidnapped by a notorious magical criminal; snark and action ensue. I like how her actions grew out of her past trauma, and how her friends are understanding but still call her out when she’s behaving badly. Fun and satisfying, and Dukehart does a great Tori: perky, indignant, and brave.
Warping Minds and Other Misdemeanors, by Annette Marie, read by Iggy Toma
The main character is one of my favorite tropes, the snarky criminal with a good heart, who is forced to work with the police to stop an even worse crime. Great one-liners and snappy comebacks, good handling of tension throughout. Toma’s voice was perfect for the character, though I’m not a huge fan of using falsetto to voice the very strong female characters.
A Damsel and a Demigod, by Annette Marie, read by Nelson Hobbs
Side novella for the Guild Codex series. Frankly not very good; the supposed master strategist character makes a chain of questionable decisions, and although for this genre I don’t mind love stories that come out of nowhere, I really did hate how poorly the guy used his magical electricity powers. I could have done so much better! Even so, Hobbs did a great job with the audio reading, and Marie’s snarky, snappy dialogue was still a fun time.