Format: Kindle Edition, 82 pages
Release Date: July 28, 2015
Publisher: Elewyn Publishing
Source: Amazon Freebie
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Tarot-reading artifact hunter Sara Wilde has had her share of tough assignments, but this one just might take the cake. When her newest client hires her to steal a fertility idol from an Amazonian sex-and-death cult, she finds herself south of the equator and shoulder deep in true believers, while Rio de Janeiro gears up for the closing celebrations of Carnival.
Stealing the idol is one thing, however. Keeping it is another.
The arcane black market has drawn a host of cutthroat operatives and Sara’s now in their sights. In a race across one of the most colorful cities in South America on its most famed night of the year, Sara must navigate cunning enemies, backstabbing allies, a fifty-foot wedding cake float and a new, sensually mysterious contact who may be friend or foe… and whose name she’ll never learn if she doesn’t make it to dawn alive.
No matter what the cards predict, it’s going to be One Wilde Night.
One Wilde Night, by author Jenn Stark, is the opening introduction to her new series called Immortal Vegas. Jenn Stark is actually a pen name for Jennifer McGowan, the author of the Maids of Honor series. Protagonist Sara Wilde is paid handsomely to find priceless artifacts belonging to long dead tribes and in forgotten family vaults. Sara is known as a Finder, and one of the best around which also means she has some powerful enemies. She uses her Tarot cards to guide her to the artifacts location, and they also let her know when danger is bound to jump out at her.
One Wilde Night takes place entirely in Rio de Janeiro during the final night of Carnival. If you are looking for how this novella connects to the actual series, the story takes place (One) year before Getting Wilde. Since the book is only 82 pages long, you can't exactly fill the story with a whole lot of background information or what happened between Sara and certain other characters who show up in this story. What you can expect is a story filled with action, suspense, a bit of betrayal, and the first appearance of Magician Armaeus Betrand. Betrand belongs to a group known as the Arcana Council. I can't tell you anything about either Betrand or the Council because Start has chosen to let Getting Wilde do the talking for her. I can tell you that Sara and Betrand are going to be an interesting powerful couple to watch.
This isn't the first novel that I've read where the main character uses Tarot Cards. See Laura Bickle's (Alayna Williams) Oracle Duology. I think I am pensively eager to read Getting Wilde, along with its sequel called Wilde Card (November 2015). Review for Getting Wilde can be found below!
*Currently Free!*
Amazon | Kobo
Amazon | Kobo
Series: Immortal Vegas #1
Format: E-Galley, 218 Pages
Release Date: August 18, 2015
Publisher: Elewyn Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Using her well-worn Tarot deck, magical-artifacts hunter Sara Wilde can find anything—for a price. And the price had better be right, since she needs to finance her own personal mission to rescue several young psychics recently sold on the paranormal black market.
Enter Sara’s most mysterious client and occasional lover, the wickedly sexy Magician, with a job that could yield the ultimate payday. All she’ll have to do is get behind Vatican walls… and steal the Devil himself.
But play with the Devil and you’re bound to get burned.
Pressure mounts for Sara to join the Magician’s ancient and mysterious Arcana Council, as militant forces unleashed by even darker powers seek to destroy all magic—including the young psychics Sara is desperate to keep safe. The Council may be their only hope. . . but it could also expose Sara’s own dark past.
From the twisting catacombs of Rome to the neon streets of Vegas, Sara confronts ancient enemies, powerful demigods, a roiling magical underworld about to explode… and immortal passions that might require the ultimate sacrifice. But oh, what a way to go.
No matter how the cards play out, things are about to get Wilde.
Enter Sara’s most mysterious client and occasional lover, the wickedly sexy Magician, with a job that could yield the ultimate payday. All she’ll have to do is get behind Vatican walls… and steal the Devil himself.
But play with the Devil and you’re bound to get burned.
Pressure mounts for Sara to join the Magician’s ancient and mysterious Arcana Council, as militant forces unleashed by even darker powers seek to destroy all magic—including the young psychics Sara is desperate to keep safe. The Council may be their only hope. . . but it could also expose Sara’s own dark past.
From the twisting catacombs of Rome to the neon streets of Vegas, Sara confronts ancient enemies, powerful demigods, a roiling magical underworld about to explode… and immortal passions that might require the ultimate sacrifice. But oh, what a way to go.
No matter how the cards play out, things are about to get Wilde.
Getting Wilde is the first full length novel in a promising new series called Immortal Vegas. After reading One Wilde Night the day before this book, I got the jist of what Jenn Stark's main character Sara Wilde is all about. Sara is paid handsomely to find priceless artifacts belonging to long dead tribes and in forgotten family vaults. Sara is known as a Finder, and one of the best around which also means she has some powerful enemies. She uses her Tarot cards to guide her to the artifacts location, and they also let her know when danger is bound to jump out at her.
Sara meets a whole new brand of trouble in this installment while retrieving an artifact from the Vatican. They are called Sanctus. While the Arcana Council is supposed to stand for the equality of good and bad magic, Sanctus wants to rid the world of all artifacts. Sara travels take her to Paris, and again to the Vatican in search of powerful artifacts. Sara isn't a character that is afraid to get her hands dirty. She loves the challenges of getting away with artifacts before anyone knows she was there. She also speaks up for those who are unable to. This isn't a happy world. There is darkness all around with young Connected's being killed and body parts harvested for use in dark magic spells and recipes.
I do wish, however, that Jenn had created a bit more of a background between Sara and the other members of the Arcana Council who she's met before this story picks up. Between the novella, and this book, Sara has had at least a half dozen adventures working for The Magician aka Armaeus Betrand. She's met The Fool, The High Priestess (Eshe), and knows about the Emperor and Empresses. In this installment, Sara meets the Devil himself Alexsander Kreios, and finally arrives in the one place she hates; Las Vegas.
I will say that there are certain background surprises awaiting readers this time around. Sara is a character that has an amazing heart, and one that drives her to seek out other Connected's like her (Psychics). I love her connection to Father Jerome, and also to Nikki Dawes. I found the background surprise hopeful that Sara can now move on with her life and not be bogged down by memories. I like Sara. I really do. I like that she uses Tarot Cards in order to find artifacts for the council, and I like that she doesn't do it for personal gain.
**I received this book for free from (Publisher) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
Amazon | Kobo
I love the prequel and I am hoping that Sara isn't a "troubled tortured" soul who's in this because she's running away from the past? She reminds me a lot of Owl (KCharish).
ReplyDelete