Hounded by Kevin Hearne | Audiobook Review

Hounded is the first book in the Iron Druid Chronicles series.

Book Description

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

Review

If you are looking for something fun to listen to on audio, Hounded is a great choice. Luke Daniels's voice is really age and style appropriate although Atticus's dog Oberon does sound too much like Cheech Marin to me.

I laughed out loud so many times listening to Hounded. I don't do that very often, much less multiple times in the same book.

I'm certain the book is just as fun in print as it is in audio, but I like finding audiobooks that have this level of entertainment in them.

The Iron Druid Chronicles is an urban fantasy series. Many (many) mythical creatures make an appearance in Hounded, but they all have their place. I kind of tiptoe through the urban fantasy genre every once in a while, and I've really enjoyed every UF book that I've given a try so far.

I will definitely continue on with this series, and I will likely listen to them all on audio as well.

7/10: Recommended Read

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch | Waiting on Wednesday

Oh my goodness. Have you read the Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch? I started reading it this week and it is so good. My WOW post for today is for book 3 because it comes out October 8th, and I'm looking forward to being caught up by then.

Gollancz and Marc from Fantasy Faction are hosting a readalong of books 1 and 2 leading up to the release of book 3. I thought it was an awesome idea so I joined in.

The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies

Orphan Locke Lamora leads elite thieves "Gentlemen Bastards" trained by priest Chains. In Venice-like city, as the "Thorn of Camorr", he stings the wealthy nobles. But the Gray King kills mobster Capa Barsavi’s trusted, and uses Locke as his pawn to take control. Locke vows revenge, but is best skilled at lies. His opponent has more money, men, and power.

The Republic of Thieves

Have you read or heard of this series? What are you anxiously waiting for this week? Let me know in the comments or leave me a link!

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This post is being shared as part of Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday.

August 12 | Currently Reading

I think the fact that the year is now half over is what's giving me the "I must read all the books!" panic again. This year I've been enjoying reading what I want when I want, but next year I need to plan to read a few of the books that truly haunt me from the bookcase.

Last week I posted my review of Nancy Bilyeau's excellent historical thriller The Crown.

I finished reading Red Hill by Jamie McGuire and Hounded by Kevin Hearne. I'm still mulling over my thoughts on Red Hill, but Hounded was definitely a fun read. I decided to DNF The House of Secrets by Chris Columbus & Ned Vizzini. I think a lot of kids will love it, but as an adult I just wasn't feeling it.

I'm currently reading The Troop by Nick Cutter. How could I pass up a book that scared Stephen King? It's a disturbing book for sure.

I hope everyone is having a peaceful end of summer. I'm so jealous of everyone on twitter who already has their school shopping done! I'm always a last minute gal, and we aren't prepared for the new school year at all.

Let me know what you are reading this week or leave me a link!

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This post is being shared as part of Book Journey's It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau | Book Review

Thank goodness for Nancy Bilyeau's The Crown. (And for Becky at No More Grumpy Bookseller.)

I've been very much in the mood for a Da Vinci Code type of book lately. I still haven't read Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol so I put the audiobook on hold at my library. Wouldn't you know when it was my turn, I had too many digital copies of various things checked out, and I had to let The Lost Symbol go to the next person. I was in mourning about it, but Becky came to my rescue. She recently posted a review for The Crown on her blog. As soon as I read her review, I knew I had the answer to my Da Vinci Code craving! I also watched both National Treasure movies last week. I had it bad.

Book Description

In this debut historical thriller, an aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father’s life and preserve all she holds dear from Cromwell’s ruthless terror.

When novice nun Joanna Stafford learns her rebel cousin is condemned by King Henry VIII to be burned at the stake, she makes the decision to break the sacred rule of enclosure and run away from her Dominican Order in Dartford to stand at her cousin’s side.

Arrested for interfering with king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, Sir Richard Stafford, is sent to the Tower of London. Joanna’s father is brutally tortured by Stephen Gardiner, the Bishop of Winchester who leads the Catholic faction bent on saving England’s monasteries from destruction. In order to save her father, Joanna must submit to Gardiner’s will and become a pawn in the struggle between religious extremes. Gardiner forces Joanna to return to Dartford Priory with a mission: find the long hidden crown worn by Saxon King Athelstan in AD 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain. Gardiner believes the crown itself to possess a mystical power that will halt the Reformation.

Uncovering only dark betrayals and murder at Dartford, Joanna flees with Brother Edmund, a troubled young friar, and with time running out, their hunt for the crown leads them through royal castles, to Stonehenge, and finally to the tomb of the mysterious King Athelstan under Malmesbury Abbey. There Joanna learns the true secret of the crown, a secret tracing all the way back to Golgotha and the Relics of the Passion. Now, as Cromwell’s army of destruction advances, Joanna must finally determine who to trust and how far she is willing to go to protect a way of life that she passionately loves.

Review

The Crown is a debut novel?! Nancy Bilyeau has some serious skill. This was truly a fantastic novel.

The characters had a lot to do with my enjoyment. Joanna was such a wonderful character. She evolved so much as a person through the course of The Crown. I can't wait to meet her again in The Chalice which thankfully has already been published. All of the characters in The Crown were so flawed and so passionate.

Oh, and the history in The Crown. I'm not even a fan of historical fiction really, but I'm totally singing the praises of the history in The Crown. Even though Joanna's story is fictitious, it is intertwined with real historic figures, places, and events. The amount of research that went into writing The Crown is very apparent.

If you enjoy thrillers with a lot of depth and research behind them, I recommend reading The Crown. I highly, highly recommend The Crown to anyone who loved The Da Vinci Code.

8/10: Great Read

August 5 | Currently Reading

Happy August everyone! This summer is FLYING by!

I posted my review for The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson last week. It's an exciting start to a series I'm very excited about.

I finished reading The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau. It was very good. My review will be hard to write for that one. I think that's the only book I finished last week.

I'm still listening to and enjoying Hounded. I also started reading Red Hill by Jamie McGuire. I expected a lot more romance in that one - not sad at all that it's mostly zombilicious so far. I also started listening to The House of Secrets by Chris Columbus.

Gah - I tried to listen to the audiobook of Red Moon by Benjamin Percy this past weekend - the narrator was horrible. I got 4 minutes and 47 seconds in before I returned it to the library. I have a print copy of Red Moon so I will absolutely be reading that copy instead!

Let me know what you are reading in the comments or leave me a link!

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This post is being shared as part of Book Journey's It's Monday! What Are You Reading?