by B.R. Kingsolver
Series: Rosie O'Grady's Paranormal Bar and Grill #1
Narrator: Madeleine Dauer
Length: 6 hours and 53 minutes
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Narration: 4.5 cups Speed: 1.3x
When my magic manifested at puberty, my parents sold me to the Illuminati. They trained me as an assassin, spy, and thief. But when they sent me to steal a magical artifact that reveals Truth in all things, I discovered that I was working for the Dark and not the Light. The Illuminati trained me well, and paid the ultimate price for their deception.
Thousands of miles away, I landed a job in a quirky little bar. But the scattered remnants of the Order still strive for world domination, and no one leaves the Illuminati alive.
Shadow Hunter by B.R. Kingsolver is the first audiobook in the Rosie O’Grady’s Paranormal Bar and Grill urban fantasy series and it’s narrated by Madeleine Dauer. It offered an interesting premise, new beginnings and enough bite to have me looking for the next audiobook in the series.
We meet a young assassin trained and sold to the Illuminati when her magic manifested around puberty. She is one of their best hunters until she learns that not everything is black and white, dark and light, good vs evil. She leaves the order with a bang, abandoning everything she knows and takes back her birth name Erin. In hiding, she accepts a job as a bartender in a supernatural pub in the rural town of Westport.
While the story wasn’t perfect and Erin’s background and lack of social experience clashed with what I expected of a highly trained hunter, the storyline was well-paced with a mix of humor, snark, building of friendships and suspense as murders involving vampires plagued the town.
There is a little romantic interest from others, but Erin is inexperienced and getting her footing, but things could develop as the series progresses. The world-building isn’t complex and provided throughout as needed which kept the flow moving but also left me with questions.
Madeleine Dauer narrated and I thought she did an excellent job with Erin and secondary characters. She helped amp up the suspense and emotions along with intensifying some key battle scenes.
Rosie O’Grady’s Paranormal Bar and Grill series currently has three books out in KU and paperback. Each with over two hundred four-star ratings. I am looking forward to Night Stalker and Dark Dancer on audio.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Anne
Sounds interesting but I can’t take on one new thing right now. Fantastic review!
Anne – Books of My Heart
Debbie S Haupt
This has my interest Kim even though a 3.5 it still sounds like something I could enjoy. Thanks for sharing
Nadene
I am loving the sound of this one. This book showed up in my KU recommendations. I guess I will be getting this one soon. Thanks for your review.
Lorna
I’m sold. I just got it from KU. I keep finding more and more reasons to keep KU.
sjhigbee
This one sounds like fun, Kimberly. Another lovely series I’ve made a note of… Thank you for sharing.
Berls
Sounds like one I might like – something about it makes me think of the Hollows… any similarity at all? It’s going on my tbr either way. Great review 🙂
Kimberly
Not really if you mean Rachel Morgan but I am curious to see how this develops.
Sophia Rose
Yeah, that does sound like its off to a good start with her leaving the Hunter job and getting out on her own.
Melliane
I saw this one around and I wonder if I bought it but I don’t remember.
Mary Kirkland
That sounds like a book that I would probably enjoy. Thanks for the great review.
sherry fundin
a paranormal bar and grill, sounds like a place i would love to drop in and share a cocktail or two
Ailyn Koay
this sounds really interesting, using your enemy’s skill against them
verushka
There’s a lot to like in this, though I take your points about the flaws. I am curious about her bc of the Illuminati angle and working for the dark and not the light. That is definitely interesting!
Chanzie
This sounds like a promising series! often I find book 2 makes up for the things that book 1 sometimes lacks. Great Review!