Format: Kindle, 326 pages
Release Date: June 17, 2017
Publisher: Odd House Press
Source: Booklending.com
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Monsters, gods, and mayhem...
Police Chief Delaney Reed can handle the Valkyries, werewolves, gill-men and other paranormal creatures who call the small beach town of Ordinary, Oregon their home. It’s the vacationing gods who keep her up at night.
With the famous rhubarb festival right around the corner, small-town tensions, tempers, and godly tantrums are at an all-time high. The last thing Delaney needs is her ex-boyfriend reappearing just when she's finally caught the attention of Ryder Bailey, the one man she should never love.
No, scratch that. The actual last thing she needs is a dead body washing ashore, especially since the dead body is a god.
Catching a murderer, wrestling a god power, and re-scheduling the apocalypse? Just another day on the job in Ordinary. Falling in love with her childhood friend while trying to keep the secrets of her town secret? That’s gonna take some work.
Death and Relaxation, by author Devon Monk, is the first installment in the Ordinary Magic series. Police Chief Delaney Reed has been in the position of “bridge” since her father passed away a year ago. Luckily for Delaney, she has two wonderful, and supportive sisters in Myra and Jean who are also on the force. Plus, she's never had to use her abilities as the bridge. Until now. Ordinary, Oregon is anything but Ordinary. It is a place that has become the place where Gods and Monsters go when they really need a vacation.
Delaney wears several hats outside of being a bridge. She's the towns Peacekeeper, Guardian, and Law Enforcement for everyone. Everyone which includes Gods like Odin, Thor, Frigg, Zeus, Hera and Ares who use other names so as to not let mortals knows Gods really do exist. There are also others living in Ordinary as well. Vampires, werewolves, Valkyries and gillmen just to name drop a few. The most curious aspect of this story is that in order to vacation in Ordinary, all gods and monsters must give up their powers and live like ordinary humans. They must also find jobs to support themselves. If they choose to leave, they can't return for a full year.
Laney's primary job is to keep the peace and solve the murder of a rather important God. But, with the annual Rhubarb festival coming up, she has to split her time of discovering who murdered the God, judging the Rhubarb contest, and at the same time, finding a way to transfer the Gods's power to a mortal who is willing to become a God. So, you think you have a hard life? Laney must also deal with the return of Ben Rossi, a man who makes her shiver, and carries a secret which the author hasn't touched on yet, and the return of her former boyfriend Cooper Clark who walked out on her after her father died. If that weren't exciting enough for you, how about the arrival of Thanatos, the God of Death to Ordinary's doorstep? Oh baby.
I have been told that there is eerie similarities to this series and Ilona Andrews Innkeeper series. I haven't read said series, so I won't be able to accept or deny the comparison. If you have read both series, and do, drop me a line. Despite all that is happening in this story, I think the best aspect of the story was the relationship between the sisters. I haven't read a story where the sisters got along so well without being cutthroat, or causing issues for the others. When something happens, they all come together and work things out. But, whenever Ryder is around Delaney, she acts like a totally different character. A character that I really don't care for to be honest. I am hoping to get a copy of the sequel of this story shortly. I want to be able to pick up the threads that have been left behind and follow them to their conclusion. If you have the next two books, and wouldn't mind sharing them with me via Amazon, please let me know. Thanks!
Ooh nice review! I still need to start this series! I've enjoyed Devon's books in the past! This sounds like a fun one too! Glad to see you liked it well enough!
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