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Title: Witch Upon a Star
Author: Jennifer Harlow
Series: A Midnight Magic Mystery #3
Publication: March 1, 2015
Genre: Adult ~ Urban Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 5/5
He's come for me. My savior, my heart, and ultimately, my devil.
As a child, Anna Olmstead is rescued from her life of poverty and drugs by a vampire named Asher. Over the years, she grows to love Asher, first as a father and later as a lover. But soon trouble interrupts her once-perfect life. While Anna wants to settle down, Asher wants a more voyeuristic, party-driven lifestyle.
When Anna leaves him, Asher does everything he can to bring her back to him--including murder. Even as she finally escapes and starts a new life with a special agent of the F.R.E.A.K.S., Asher makes a new move to kidnap Anna and her children. This time, she may not be able to escape him.
I'm not sure how to review Witch Upon a Star. So much happened and I've been thinking about the story ever since I finished the book. Lately I don't give five stars to a book easily, at least not unless I'm truly blown away by it so obviously I loved this book. I've read every book by Jennifer Harlow so far and though it took me a while to finally get started on the book, it is absolutely a top favorite of mine by her.
This book felt really different to me compared to the other two book in the series. I can't really put my finger on it but it was just unique. The story starts with 29 year-old Anna Olmstead who's happy with her life, husband and two little boys until a man tries to kidnap her and her children. There are some flashes, where you just know something happened to Anna in her past, that she escaped someone. The next chapters go back in the past from the moment Anna is 9 years old up, when she meets Asher, a vampire that's over 800 (if I remember correctly) until she's 19. We read about her when she was 9, 11, 13, 15 and eventually 19. Always on her birthday. Usually I'm not a fan of books that take you back to where a character is a child but I actually loved it with this story. I wanted to know Anna's past and the way Jennifer Harlow wrote it was just so captivating. From the moment I started reading, I was pretty much enthralled by the story and characters. I barely stopped reading until I finished.
I have to say that I don't think this book is for everyone, though of course I hope everyone will give it a shot. It's pretty dark at times and there were some moments where even I was disturbed. But even so I was intrigued by Anna, the way she grew from the 9 year-old girl who was so enthralled by Asher to her 19 year-old self who finally saw what Asher was really like. I'm not sure what so say about Asher. Some scenes with him and Anna sincerely brought tears to my eyes. And I did like him when he was good to Anna. But to be honest, they were obsessed with each other from the moment they met. Asher wanted a good life for her, gave her everything she wanted, gave her the best teachers and tried to do the right thing for her when she was young, and eventually they ended up being lovers. This story is actually pretty tragic but I thought there was a sort of beauty to it too, at moments, especially the ending.
Now, there are a lot of references to Jennifer Harlow's F.R.E.A.K.S. series. I'm a huge fan of tha series, especially of Oliver, a vampire who's been kind of forced to work with the F.R.E.A.K.S. And this book actually revealed how Oliver happened to join the F.R.E.A.K.S. There were some hints about that in that series, but I'm so glad to actually know the full story of that. And I must say that I loved the start of the book where a certain main character from a certain favorite series of mine appeared. *wink wink*
As for the other characters, aside from Anna, Asher and Oliver, I also really liked Nathan who ends up being Anna's husband eventually. He might not be in it much, not until the end, but I adored him and he's exactly what Anna needed that Asher was not. Her two little boys were also too damn cute.
Like I said before I thought the ending was actually pretty beautiful. Sure, it was sad and tragic, but there was a certain elegance to the way Anna ans Asher ended up saying goodbye to each other. Even now, thinking about it, makes me a little emotional. The story was that good and affected me quite a bit.
What more can I say about this story other than that I adored it? The story, the characters, the way it was written so perfectly, in my opinion - it all was incredible!
About the Author:
Jennifer Harlow earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia. She has been a bookseller, radio DJ, lab assistant, and government investigator. She lives in Atlanta and is hard at work on her next book.
Title: Werewolf Sings the Blues
Author: Jennifer Harlow
Series: A Midnight Magic Mystery #2
Publication: March 8th 2014 by Midnight Ink
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Cover Rating: 5/5
Overall Rating: 3/5
Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The last thing Vivian needs is to be thrust into a werewolf war
If Vivian Dahl's life had a soundtrack, every song would be the Blues. She's pushing thirty, her singing career is going nowhere, and the partying lifestyle is taking its toll. Plus, a mysterious man is stalking her. But when she's abducted from a singing gig, Vivian is surprised to see her stalker become her savior. Jason is her werewolf rescuer sent by the biological father who abandoned her as a baby. Finding herself on the run, Vivian drives across America with the enigmatic Jason and learns about the werewolf war her father's pack is caught in. Now that an opposing pack has targeted her, Jason will stop at nothing to make sure Vivian's song isn't cut short.
Werewolf Sings the Blues takes if I'm not mistaken place eight years before the first Midnight Magic Mystery book, What's a With to Do. I did like the idea of reading Vivian and Jason's story of how they came to be together but it wasn't as good as the previous book. Overall I did like it but I didn't love it.
Vivian wasn't at all how I pictured her. In the beginning of the book as we get to know her we find out she uses drugs, drinks a lot and tries to make a living of singing which hasn't worked out like she'd hoped. So clearly she's very damaged. Damaged people are the most interesting to read about in books I think, though. But I have to admit that I wasn't too sure in the beginning if I was going to like reading in her point of view. Throughout the book she did grow on me, however. She turned out to be very fierce and knows how to kick ass if she has to. Not my favorite female character ever but I liked her spunk.
Jason is someone totally different. Although the oppossite from Vivian, he also was very damaged with what he went through with his father. But still, he knew how to love fiercely and didn't let his past put him down. I loved that about him. I loved him. And I do think he's a good fit with Vivian.
The story wasn't much of a mystery like the previous book and I couldn't seem to like it as much as I loved What's a Witch to Do. But there were some pretty awesome moments in it so the good definitely outweighs the bad. One of my favorite moments were where characters from the F.R.E.A.K.S series came in like Will and Oliver. I might've squealed out loud when I read Oliver was there. Also George and Mona from What's a Witch to Do made an appearance. And of course Adam Blue was there too. It's always nice to see other characters come in.
So overall, Werewolf Sings the Blues was a good read if you like werewolves, action and the paranormal as much as I do. It isn't the best book I've read from Jennifer Harlow but I did like it and read it pretty fast because I didn't want to stop reading this story.
Favorite Quotes:
After a few breaths to calm myself, I put my shoes on, and get out of the car.
Hello.
My shittier-by-the-second life momentarily dissolves as I drink in the sight of my road-trip buddy. Without his shirt on. He must spend every spare moment at the gym. His pecs are bigger than my boobs, he has a perfect six-pack, and the rest of him might as well be chiseled in marble. I don't think there's an ounce of fat on him, and his skin's the color of milk mixed with honey. Yummy. I collect myself before he looks up and catches me. Eye candy fix achieved.
"I want to understand you," he says, as usual emotionless. Jesus Christ, it's like Spock's riding shotgun.
The man scarffed down five Big Macs like he was in a competition. I can add "almost only eats meat" to the werewolf file growing larger in my brain. Went through an entire box of Slim Jims too. I pity any cow crosses his path.
About The Author:
Jennifer Harlow spent her restless childhood fighting with her three brothers and scaring the heck out of herself with horror movies and books. She grew up to earn a degree at the University of Virginia which she put to use as a radio DJ, crisis hotline volunteer, bookseller, lab assistant, wedding coordinator, and government investigator. Currently she calls Northern Virgina home but that restless itch is ever present. In her free time she continues to scare the beejepers out of herself watching scary movies and opening her credit card bills.
Title: What's a Witch to Do?
Author: Jennifer Harlow
Series: A Midnight Magic Mystery #1
Publication: March 8th 2013 by Midnight Ink
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Mystery
Format: Paperback, 323 pages
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Cover Rating: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5
A suspenseful brew with a dash of passion.
High Priestess might sound like an ’80s hair band, but its Mona McGregor’s life. She runs the Midnight Magic shop in Goodnight, Virginia, and leads a large coven. She’s also raising two nieces and hasn’t been with a man for fifteen years…until a handsome doctor takes an interest in her. But Mona’s life really heats up when Adam Blue, a sexy werewolf, arrives at her door. Adam informs her that someone wants her dead and he is there to protect her. Hell’s bells! When a demon begins stalking her, Mona has to suspect her coven members, and even her family.
With two handsome men and a determined demon after her, Mona teams up with Adam to find out who really wants her dead . . . and who really wants her.
~My Thoughts:
I loved this book! Sure, I love all books by Jennifer Harlow but What's a Witch to Do is definitely one of my favorites from her.
What's a Witch to Do follows witch Mona McGregor, who's the high priestess of her cover. When werewolf Adam Blue shows up beating bloody, claiming that someone wants to kill her, she's forced to suspect friends and family. Together with the sexy werewolf at her side, Mona starts investigating...
Jennifer Harlow really did a great job with this book. I adore her FREAKS book and What's a Witch to Do being in the same world as FREAKS was such a great surprise since I didn't know that. Especially when characters from that series came in this book and a certain vampire got mentioned. Hee Hee.
The story (as always) was very entertaining, with fun and witty dialogue + an intriguing mystery that I, just like Mona, wanted to solve.
As for Mona as a character... I really liked her and the lists she made were so awesome. Also it's amazing how she could keep it together the way she did with everything going on like trying to find out who's trying to kill her, trying not to doe by the hands of a demon and raising two little girls on top of that + a whole lot of other things... I also loved her relationship with Adam and how it didn't really came out of the blue (pun not intended). They did know each other for almost two years, although didn't see each other a lot but at least there was the connection. Adam was an amazing hero. I love, love, love, LOVE werewolves and he was just so swoon-worthy and too darn cute with those little girls.
Overall, What's a Witch to Do by Jennifer Harlow for me was like the love child of Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld and Kim Harrison's The Hollows series. A great urban fantasy/mystery that definitely fits with them. I enjoyed reading it so much and never got bored. And I'm definitely looking forward to more in this series and by this author.
About the author:
Jennifer Harlow spent her restless childhood fighting with her three brothers and scaring the heck out of herself with horror movies and books. She grew up to earn a degree at the University of Virginia which she put to use as a radio DJ, crisis hotline volunteer, bookseller, lab assistant, wedding coordinator, and government investigator. Currently she calls Northern Virgina home but that restless itch is ever present. In her free time she continues to scare the beejepers out of herself watching scary movies and opening her credit card bills.
