#Review - Wish Bound by J.C. Nelson (Urban Fantasy)

Series: Grimm Agency # 3
Format: E-Galley, 304 pages
Release Date: August 25, 2015
Publisher: Ace
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre: Urban Fantasy

As a partner at Grimm’s magical Agency, Marissa Locks is used to working odd jobs. But when an evil queen reappears in Kingdom, life becomes too strange to handle…

Even when she’s not starting it, trouble follows Marissa everywhere. First there was the incident with the homicidal Fairy Godmother. Then there was the time she accidentally started Armageddon. But the problems that always seem to arise on Marissa’s birthday take the cake.

This year, her annual bad-luck presents include an army of invading goblins, the resurrection of two vengeful enemies from hell, and the return of the Black Queen, the evil sorceress whose reign of terror still haunts Kingdom and who happens to have claimed Marissa as her servant.

As Marissa’s friends try to save her from the Black Queen’s clutches, Marissa fights to end a bitter war that started before her birth. But her quest for peace is about to bring up some inconvenient truths about her own past—ones that might cost her the happily ever after she’s always dreamed of…

Wish Bound, Grimm Agency # 3, is the apparent final story arc for protagonist Marissa Locks. Marissa is a character who you can't but help feel a bit of concern for. She was sold by her own mother to Fairy Godfather Grimm on her 16th birthday, she then went to work for him on her 18th birthday, and has been there ever since. For the last 10 years, she's done pretty much whatever he tells her to do. This book actually jumps ahead several years from the end of Armageddon Rules. Marissa is now a partner as well as an Agent for the Grimm Agency. The story takes place in a realm called Kingdom, where there are Kings and Queens, uptight and selfish Princes and Princesses, Goblins who deliver mail and idolize Marissa, Trolls who protect buildings, Witches and Werewolves just to name a few. 

Marissa has found love in Liam Stone, a man with the ability to shape shift into a rather large Dragon. Marissa's best friend is Arianna Thompson, a princess and a witch who has been training with Grimm to keep her from going over to the dark side. I dare say that Ari really stands out in this novel. She's daring, she's a bit reckless, she stands up for her friends, she takes charge of situations, and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty if the situation warrants it. There is a bit of a shock involving Ari and her time spent in another realm. I dare say that it wasn't the only surprise that Nelson has in store for readers.

I do feel that you should start from the beginning with Free Agent, and work your way forward. Otherwise, you will miss a whole lot of back story including why Arianna Thompson, and Liam Stone matter to readers of this series. As Wish Bound starts, Marissa is about to celebrate her 28th birthday. If you've followed this series from the beginning, you know that Marissa avoids all parties and celebrations for fear that something bad will happen. With Marissa's track record from her first day at the Agency, you can count on something horrible happening and people getting hurt badly.

But, that is just the icing on the cake. While Marissa and Ari are off to another realm, the Black Queen makes her appearance felt in the Kingdom. Again, by not reading the previous novels, you don't know that Marissa has become the Black Queen's handmaiden, or that she wears her mark, or that she's stood in front of Queens and lived to tell the story another day. On top of the Black Queen's arrival a century earlier than predicted, and the apocalypse she wants to reign down on Kingdom, Nickolas Scratch, The Adversary, demands that Marissa find 3 souls that were taken from him, or he will make more problems for the Kingdom, and Marissa. Naturally, these lost souls have a major beef with Marissa. 

Please note; Marissa is also one of the Harbingers of the Apocalypse. In this case, she's famine. I only mention this fact due to the other 3 Harbingers do make brief appearances. Death, one of my favorites of this entire story, does get his fair share of story time. Marissa has tried to remain rather humane towards her job and the fact that Grimm isn't the most forthright person when it comes to revealing what he knows. She has killed in the past, but really would prefer not to get her hands bloody, if at all possible. I wasn't at all happy with this aspect of the story. I felt as though Marissa should have stood up earlier in the story and put together a coalition of the willing. It isn't until the last third of this story that Marissa brings in the Wolves, vampires, goblins, and shocking guest appearance by a character I honestly thought was dead to take on The Black Queen's minions.  

Lastly, and I said so in my updates, I thought the whole thing with Marissa losing her purse every five minutes was just plain ridiculous! Most heroines I've read about, including Gin Blanco, and Kate Daniels, either bring a bag filled with weapons, or they are stash in their vehicles. Too much time was spent on whether or not Marissa had her purse with her that carries her id and gun. Not carrying her gun around at all times put her in a rather difficult situation when the badness comes for her. After doing a bit of Twitter research, I had totally forgotten about Kitty Katt who also carries a purse. But, Kitty carries enough supplies to start a world war, and she wears it over her SHOULDERS!  

There does appears to be a fourth novel in the Grim Agency series called The Reburialists. But, it has nothing to do with Marissa, Arianna, Liam, or Wyatt. It apparently will be an entirely new cast of characters. We shall see when January comes around if I continue to read that story or not.

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.

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*Book Review* Armageddon Rules by J.C. Nelson

Series: Grimm Agency # 2
Publisher: Penguin/Ace
Released: February 24, 2015
Source: Penguin
Format: Paperback, 336 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy

*Book Blurb*

Marissa Locks, newly appointed partner of the Grimm Agency, has a reputation for making a mess of magical matters—although causing Armageddon is a new low, even for her…

Marissa is due for a little happily ever after. After all, she did kill the evil Fairy Godmother, end a war, and snag a sweet promotion within the Fairy Godfather's magical-problem-solving Agency. But between maintaining a relationship with someone whose amorous advances can cause third-degree burns, dealing with a killer-poodle infestation, and helping her best friend, Princess Ari, learn to wield spells more powerful than curing a hangover, she’s not getting as much peace and quiet as she hoped.

When an enemy from her past appears to exact a terrible revenge, Marissa’s life goes from hectic to hell on earth. With Grimm inexplicably gone and Ari trapped by a sleeping spell, Marissa decides to fight fire with hellfire—and accidentally begins a countdown to the apocalypse.

With the end of days extremely nigh, Marissa will have to master royal politics, demonic law, and biblical plagues in a hurry—because even the end of the world can’t keep the Agency from opening for business.

Armageddon Rules is the second installment in the Grimm Agency series by J.C. Nelson. Rules picks up 2 years after the end of Free Agency, and once again is told in the first person narrative by Marissa Lock. The same Lock who was once sold to Fairy Godfather Grimm to pay off her family's debts and has spent the past 8 years working for him. This includes hunting down serial killers, putting an end to the evil Poodle infestations, and going up against spoiled princes and princesses in a land where fairy tale characters really do exist.

There are lots of things to talk about in this installment, so I'll get to it. Marissa has earned a bit of a reprieve after killing the evil Fairy Godmother Odette and surviving. But, time marches along and doesn't stop for anyone. She really doesn't have time to dwell on past events when assassins appear at your doorstep nearly every day, and an evil Queen sends Rip Van Winkle to kill you. Marissa's life has been changed since she was first introduced to readers in Free Agency. She met half dragon Liam Stone and fell in love with him and now wants a family. She has a best friend and partner in Arianna (Ari) Thromson who is also a princess/witch she once hated.

In Armageddon Rules, Nelson adds even more suspense, and action. Nelson includes a new character named Beth who doesn't realize that she's a pied piper; continues Marissa's war of attrition with Queen Isabel Mihail who really wants to see her and Ari dead; forces Marissa into facing off against a powerful demon named Malodin who wants to bring about the Apocalypse, which means appearances from the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death), and gives readers their first glimpse into the Court of Queens and what could happen next.

I do think that Armageddon Rules is a bit better than Free Agent was. Marissa has received a promotion to partner, and it becomes her job to run the Grimm Agency when Grimm disappears. Her relationship with Liam hasn't exactly stalled, but he is sent on an important mission to protect vampires, and is missing for most of the story. Once again, Marissa's relationship with Grimm takes center stage, and I wouldn't necessarily say that's a good thing. Grimm has been keeping important facts and secrets from her, including the truth about the Queen of Thorns, Isolde. On one level, that bothers me, but on another, I guess you could say that Grimm is trying to give her an actual life without putting the entire world on her shoulders to hold up.

I do believe that Marissa shows a bit of growth as a character in her chess match with Malodin. The results definitely show that when she uses all her resources, anything is possible. This also includes finding a way to save her best friend from a magically induced coma, to putting her hostilities towards wolves away. I continue to say that Marissa's relationship with Ari is probably the strongest storyline of this series. As stated before, Marissa didn't have any real friends until she meet Ari. She also feels a bit remorseful for things that happen to Ari because of her rational but not necessarily good ideas. Then again, Grimm also holds a bouquet of blame for Ari's situation.

Penguin/Ace is releasing the third installment in the Grimm Agency called Wish Bound in September. I definitely am eager to see what happens next as I have fully become engaged with this series after reading these books back to back. The little teaser at the end of the book tells much in what direction Nelson is heading for next. I also want to understand more about Marissa's mother who continues to be mentioned, but not revealed.

**I received this book for free from (Penguin/Ace) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

 

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*Book Review* Free Agent by J.C. Nelson

Series: Grimm Agency # 1
Publisher: Penguin/ACE
Released: July 29, 2014
Source: Library
Format: Paperback, 281 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Working for Grimm isn’t Marissa Locks’s dream job. But when your parents trade you to a Fairy Godfather for a miracle, you don’t have many career options. To pay off her parents’ debt and earn her freedom, Marissa must do whatever Grimm asks, no matter what fairy-tale fiasco she’s called on to deal with.

Setting up a second-rate princess with a first-class prince is just another day at the office. But when the matchmaking goes wrong, Marissa and Grimm find themselves in a bigger magical muddle than ever before. Not only has the prince gone missing, but the Fae are gearing up to attack Kingdom, and a new Fairy Godmother is sniffing around Grimm’s turf, threatening Marissa with the one thing she can’t resist: her heart’s wishes.

Now Marissa will have to take on Fairies, Fae, dragons, and princesses to save the realm—or give up any hope of ever getting her happy ending…

Free Agent is the first installment in the Grimm Agency series by J.C. Nelson. Nelson is a male author who tells his story through the eyes of 24-year old Marissa Lock. Marissa is a character who you can't help but feel a bit of concern for. Sold to Fairy Godfather Grimm on her 16th birthday, she then went to work for him on her 18th birthday. For 6 years, she has had to do pretty much whatever he tells her to do, and can't get out of her contract/servitude until her parents debts are paid off. What's a girl to do?

If you are Marissa, you face off against evil Queens, princes with agendas, goblins, Fae, Trolls, witches, wolves, dancing princesses, and a Fairy Godmother who wants to start a war against said Fae. You come face to face a princess (Ari) you truly hate, but she ends up being your only real friend after you realize she's not a snotty brat after all. You also find yourself falling in love with your mistaken prince (Liam Stone), and learn that he's half dragon. You also clean up massacres, work with the IRS, and hunt down serial killers.

So, when you pick up this book, you should start by asking yourself questions. How would you feel if your own parents sold you to pay off their magical debts and then had your memories erased by your boss? How would you feel if you had to work for a Fairy Godfather (Grimm) until your debt was paid off which is nearly impossible to do since you are most likely to face death before freedom? You work with co-workers who think you were hired for your looks, and not your talents. And, then there is the fact that this is a reality where fairy tales and mythology mix with characters straight out of the Grimm Brothers tales, and not all of them are well behaved.

I can allow a whole lot shenanigans from Marissa in this first book. It is the first time we've met her as a so called heroine, and she has a bit of a rough start. She's sarcastic as they come, she loves getting into trouble, and her birthdays always lead to major incidents, and there are those who truly hate her. I realized while I was reading this book, that there were hints as to Marissa's heritage, and I truly wonder if Nelson will explore this avenue further, or cut us off at the knees before revealing even more secrets. I truly hope that Nelson finds a way to allow us to understand who Marissa's parents really are and what their relationship was with Grimm.

I liked the relationship/friendship that grows between Ari and Marissa after a rocky start. Even though it is slow going at first because of Marissa's own actions, they both have a whole lot to offer, especially for Ari and her magical abilities. They both have family issues as well which makes them understand the other. I liked Evangeline who is apparently a djinn with some kickass fighting abilities. I liked that she came face to face with her nemesis Fenris wolf. While Marissa and Liam face individual challenges, the story leaves their relationship in an interesting place. I do believe that there is just the right about of romance and it doesn't overwhelm the plot and action.

I do have the next book, Armageddon Rules, and will be reading that next.

 

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