#Review - The Order of Blood and Ruin by K.M. Shea #Paranormal #Fantasy

Series: Magic on Main Street # 3
Format: Kindle, 495 pages
Release Date: April 5, 2024
Publisher: K.M. Shea
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Urban Fantasy

They used to be enemies. Now they’re partners.

I never imagined Considine Maledictus—one of the most powerful vampires alive—would go from ruling the streets at night to joining the supernatural task force just to become my partner, but here we are.

Considine claims he “fancies” me. He also used to hide his identity and pose as my charming next-door neighbor, so forgive me if I don’t believe him.

As bad as that is, my work life is worse.

My slayer identity—kept a secret since a lone slayer is an easy target—has been leaked by a suspect from a previous case. This brings a new level of danger to my job, especially since the suspect is obviously holding a grudge against me.

But I’m more worried about my city. Bad things are going down, and whatever is stirring in the shadows is more than I can handle alone. Can I trust Considine to watch my back when he used to be the biggest threat to my life?

And why is it that despite everything that has happened, a part of me wonders if it’s possible for a slayer and vampire to be together…

The Order of Blood and Ruin is the final book in the Magic on Main Street urban fantasy trilogy and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. This series is packed with humor, magical fights, and a sweet, slow-burn romance between a slayer who battles social anxiety and a vampire who is sick of his immortality. The story alternates between Jade O'Neill, a vampire slayer nicknamed Blood, and Considine Maledictus, a vampire elder nicknamed Ruin.

Considine is so powerful that even his own people, as well as slayers, stay as far as they can away from him. Jade, meanwhile, joined the Magical Response Task Force because she wanted to prove to other supernaturals as well as her own family of slayers that she could protect, not just kill. Jade has tried so very hard to become a solid member of the team and has slowly earned the position of leader of her own Team Blood which seems to always get the most dangerous jobs possible including standing in the way of a Fae war. 

At the end of the previous installment, Jade and Considine were named as permanent partners because of the dangerous threats posed by dragon shifter Gisila who now knows Jade's real identity without her mask after a violent confrontation. Meanwhile, Considine has made it his mission to impress upon Jade that she is his, no matter what her issues with her social anxiety, or her own family have to say, and she will not go anywhere without his protection since nobody would be foolish to attack her with him around. 

After Gisila does make her much-anticipated move thanks to an oracles' prophecy, Considine finds himself captured and taken off the playing field leaving Jade unprotected. Jade has no choice but to call for a Slayer Stake to find Considine and stop Gisila. This is the first time that Jade's entire family, as well as other slayers from around the country, will show up and follow Jade's directions. This puts Jade in a powerful position where she can either rise to the top or fall hard and fail owing favors to anyone who responds to her call.

This book has plenty of action, and there are lots of humorous moments as Jade finds herself in such uncomfortable positions like meeting the vampires Considine swore to protect, as well Killian Drake's One, Hazel Medeis, who has been trying to get rid of House Tellier after all the trouble they've been causing, as well as Jade's own neighbors who are thrilled that Jade has finally found someone. Considine's careless attitude about what others think of what he's doing, paired with Jade's extremely disciplined military-like mannerisms is so endearingly amusing. 

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#Revew - The Games of Enemies and Allies by K.M. Shea #Paranormal #Fantasy

Series: Magic on Main Street # 2
Format: Kindle, 372 pages
Release Date: January 12, 2024
Publisher: K.M. Shea
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Urban Fantasy

At night they’re enemies. During the day they’re friends. Only one of them is aware of this…

My stress levels skyrocketed after I discovered the deadly vampire who has taken over downtown is Considine Maledictus, one of the most powerful vampires alive.

Now I’m even more reluctant to tangle with him, but he’s started showing up in the middle of my investigations, even if they’re outside his territory. I never know if he’s there to fight or to lend me some unexpected help.

I don’t have time to ponder his weird behavior, because a group of local wizards are up to some shady practices. They’ve never been fond of the non-magical, but suddenly they’re popping up all over the city, “helping” humans.

At least I can count on my vampire friend and next-door neighbor, Connor, for some laughs. Except…he’s been acting strange and is even more touchy-feely than usual these days.

Regardless, I’m going to stay focused on protecting my city. I’m just not sure if I should be more concerned about the wizards, or the chaotic vampire who swaps from friend to foe on a nightly basis.

The Games of Enemies and Allies is the second book in the Magic on Main Street urban fantasy trilogy and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. This series is packed with humor, magical fights, and a sweet, slow-burn romance between a slayer who battles social anxiety and a vampire who is sick of his immortality. Key Characters: Jade O'Neil and Considine Maledictus. Setting: The fictional city of Magiford where humans and supernaturals share a city.

Jade works for the Magical Response Task Force which is part of the Department of Supernatural Law Enforcement. She is a vampire slayer who has left the comfort of her family of vampire slayers to move to Magiford to choose a career in protection rather than killing. Now, she works with a revolving group of supernaturals (Curia Cloisters) who call her Blood, while ensuring that supernaturals stay in their lane and don't try to cause problems like the Fae, Orrin. She's even become a team leader in her short time. 

Jade has made friends with a vampire named Connor who lives in her same building. Jade has also made her very own nemesis in Ruin aka Considine who loves to push her buttons by showing up whenever there's trouble. Considine, meanwhile, is an elder vampire who has accepted the responsibility of his friend, Ambrose Drake's family, which includes Killian Drake. Killian has tried hard to find out what Considine is doing in town but to no avail. Considine is really good at not letting anyone know where he is, or when he is stalking them in a game of cat and mouse.

In this installment, the game is afoot, as it were. House Tellier seems to be up to something, and Jade is eager to prove they are out of line. First, it was fireworks, then it was saving a library where they donated a statue, and finally, it's making it appear as though they were saving humans on an icy bridge. To make matters even more twisted, Jade seems to be the target of a dangerous dragon shifter named Gisila. She seems most interested in something that is kept at Tutu's Crypta and Custodie, and Jade has been close to exposing her secrets. 

Jade, who is really shy when it comes to intermingling with people, seems to be trying to break the ice with her teammates. The most curious aspect is that she is always given the most interesting people to be part of her Team Blood. The other curiosity in this book is when Jade finally learns who Considine is, and how far Considine goes to protect her from danger when she is hunted by rogue elements and the dragon shifter. Jade, who always wears a mask at work so nobody knows who she is, may have some issues after this story.

So, after careful research, I have learned that this is a mini-trilogy as part of a larger series that is set in a world where humans live more or less with supernaturals. While this story has plenty of action and suspense, there is also plenty of humor among Jade's co-workers, including Sunshine. Lastly, there is a character named Hazel who is Killian's One. Apparently, Hazel is the one who keeps the appropriate parties on their toes. Especially House Tellier. Hazel is from the author's Hall of Blood and Mercy series. 

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#Review - The Lies of Vampires and Slayers by K.M. Shea #Paranormal #Fantasy

Series: Magiford Supernatural City #1
Format: Kindle, 352 pages
Release Date: December 15, 2023
Publisher: K.M. Shea
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Urban Fantasy

By night, they fight in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. By day, they are friendly next-door neighbors. Neither of them know that their alter egos are archenemies.

I’ve spent my life training in the family business of slaying vampires, but I’m tired of all the death. I want to prove we slayers can help society, not just break it.

I start my new life by joining the Magiford supernatural task force, which exists to protect humans and supernaturals from harmful magic.

There’s just one problem.

All of my teammates who work the night shift with me are scared of me since slayers are the assassins of the supernatural world. Worse yet, even though I’m doing my best at pretending to be a human during the day—a necessity as a lone slayer can quickly become a dead slayer—I’ve utterly failed to win over any of the humans in my apartment complex since I have the charisma of an overdue investigation report.

That changes when a handsome vampire moves in next door. Connor may not be willing to try any of my failed attempts at baking, but he’s charming and not afraid of me. Plus, he’s the first friend I’ve made who has the time to hang out with me after work.

Things are looking up, or they would be, except a mysterious and extremely powerful vampire has declared downtown his nightly hunting ground. I’m the only one on my team who can match him in a fight, something he finds endlessly entertaining. That isn’t a good sign for my general life expectancy.

My greatest goal might be to win over my squad, but if this vampire doesn’t back off I might not live long enough to achieve it.

K.M. Shea's The Lies of Vampires and Slayers is the first book in the authors Magiford Supernatural City series. Key Characters: Jade O'Neil, who comes from a family of slayers, only to go rogue, and Considine (Connor) Maledictus a vampire Elder who is not only powerful, but can control other vampires. Jade has spent her life training in the family business of slaying vampires, but wanted something different. So, she broke with her family and moved to Magiford and now her family is disappointed in her choices. 

Jade, to say the least, is an oddity. Nobody really knows who she is, except for her friend Sunshine (Brownie), because she wears a mask to work to cover her identity. There are still those who refuse to trust her, and call her Blood because of her profession. Jade belongs to a group called Curia Cloisters Task Force part of Magical Response Task Force along with Fae, Vampires, Werewolves, and other paranormals who have chosen to keep peace in a city that is watching an ongoing battle between two Fae courts and the imminent arrival of a powerful Dragon shifter. 

All of Jade's teammates are suspicious of her intentions since she is known as an assassin in the paranormal world. In this world, slayers are a subset of Wizards. Even though Jade has few friends, that situation might be changing because it seems as though someone is intentionally creating havoc by releasing Fae monsters onto the city. Add to the arrival of a vampire named Connor who moves next door and you have the perfect match to gas situation. 

Connor pretends to be just another vampire, but here is something puzzling about him. Considine (Connor) Maledictus is the vampire who moves in next door. It seems as though Connor likes to keep things refreshed. He not only keeps fellow vampires wondering what he is going to do next, but it seems he loves to play games with Jade while she is on duty. Jade is the only one on the Curia Task Force who seems able to entertain and keep up with him. I am curious as to whether or not the arrival of Connor and that of the dragon shifter bear any similarities or is it just a coincidence?

*Thoughts* Yet another new author to me thanks to the end-of-year giveaway which I loaded up my Kindle with some interesting books. If the sequel become available, I might continue to read the series. The Lies of Vampires and Slayers is the first book in the Magic on Main Street urban fantasy trilogy, and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world which I haven't read. I think it's interesting that Jade, who has trained for years as a killer, can not cook to save her life. These scenes give the story a bit of humor you need. This series is packed with humor, magical fights, and a sweet, slow burn romance between a slayer who battles social anxiety and a vampire who is sick of his immortality.

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