Caffeinated Reviewer

Stone Cold by Devon Monk is the second audiobook in the Broken Magic urban fantasy series narrated by Paul Bellantoni. Once again, Monk pulls us back into this world and into the complicated lives of Shamus “Shame” Flynn, a death magic user and Terric Conley, a life magic user. Mystery, danger and friendship await you when Shame pushes magic too far…

Shame Flynn is one of the most powerful Death magic users in the world. He has pushed himself and magic to the limit, even though there's hell to pay. But he's finally miscalculated and pushed magic too far.

The price for breaking magic? Death magic is eating him alive.

The only thing stopping it from slipping his grip and killing everything in a hundred mile radius, is the Life magic user, Terric Conely.

Bad news: Terric is losing his own battle with magic.

Worse news: A powerful old enemy bent on revenge found out about the broken magic. He stole forbidden technology so he can weaponize magic against the people who destroyed his life. People like Shame and Terric. People like their family and friends.

Shame and Terric are holding on by a thread. But that won't stop them from fighting for the people they love.

Even if it means losing their humanity. Even if it means losing control of magic. Even if it means they have to die to do it.

Shame is losing control of his magic and the only one who grounds him to humanity is Terric Conley, but unbeknownst to Shame, Terric is struggling with his life magic. To make matters worse, Eli Collins has stolen forbidden technology and is hellbent on revenge. He blames Shame & Terric for breaking magic. Can Terri and Shame work together and stop Eli, or are they doomed? You’ll want to grab your earbuds and buckle in for this fast-paced, dark and twisted ride.

It is absolutely necessary to begin with book one, Hell Bent, in the Broken Magic series. Stone Cold continues the same overall arc and villain story. I think this was once a duology, but the series now has four books.

This tale was darker than its predecessor and quickly pulled me in. For fans of the Allie Beckstrom universe, you get updates and page time with those characters. I did not read the other series, but didn’t feel slighted as the author did a good job of weaving them in while keeping the focus on Shame, Terric and other key characters.

This was darker and felt like an intense thriller. It also provided chapters from Terric’s point of view. Monk balances things out with lighter moments, banter and, well, life. I like Terric, but Shame is my favorite anti-hero. His tough, never care, “f@#k you attitude,” hides his struggles to fight the death magic that wants to consume him. Despite how cynical he is, Shame is loyal and loves with his whole heart. I found it interesting when he finally loses control and I’m delighted this series will continue. I need more.

Secondary characters added depth, created problems for Shame, and actually helped him as well. His ghosts and friends are always there for him, even when he pushes them away and closes himself off. Sure, they threaten to take him down all the time, and blame him for every death, but each has his six.

Be prepared for death, torture, out-of-body experiences and more in this nail-biting tale. Paul Bellantoni’s narration is superb, bringing Shame and the other characters to life.

The story concluded with a powerful and satisfying ending. I look forward to listening to Back Lash after this.

Amazon | Audible

About Devon Monk

Devon Monk is a USA TODAY Bestselling fantasy author. Her series include Ordinary Magic, Souls of the Road, West Hell Magic, House Immortal, Allie Beckstrom, Broken Magic, and the Age of Steam steampunk series. If it's a Monk story, it's stuffed with magic, action, heart, and humor. She also writes all sorts of short stories which can be found in various anthologies and in her collection: A Cup of Normal.

She lives happily beneath the rainy skies of Oregon. When not writing, she can be found drinking too much coffee, watching hockey, and knitting silly things.

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About Paul Bellantoni

Paul Bellantoni, a classically trained actor, is a former opera singer in the US and Europe. He voiced all the fight efforts for Wenwu in the Marvel movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and made his animated feature debut in the Annie Award–nominated Ruben Brandt, Collector. Thrilled to be narrating audiobooks, he excels in character voices, accents, and captivating passionate storytelling. He was the singing voice for the Cowardly Lion of Oz ornament from Hallmark, and is the voice for Uatu, The Watcher in the Marvel Super War videogame. He has voiced lead characters in the English versions of several Netflix and Hulu series, and has appeared in many videogame franchises, including Dungeons & Dragons, League of Legends, Hearthstone, Black Desert, Genshin Impact, and Shenmue. He sang lead roles in opera companies throughout the US and Europe for over a decade, appears on the cast recording of "The Ballad of Baby Doe" with Central City Opera, as well as a solo CD of arias "Heroes & Villains" with the Moravian Symphony. He made his solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall as a winner of the Koussevitzky Prize.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2025 Audiobook Challenge

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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