#Review - Dancing With a Demon by L. R. Braden #Paranormal #Fantasy

Series: The Rifter Series # 4
Format: Kindle, 298 pages
Release Date: March 28, 2025
Publisher: L. R. Braden
Source: Bell Bridge Books
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Mira's always up for a good hunt, but things get complicated when she goes undercover as her partner Ty's plus one for his sister's upcoming wedding. Her job? To confirm whether a dangerous paranatural has infiltrated Ty's family.

As a PTF agent, Ty Williams has faced down powerful fae, hungry demons, and worse, but he never expected to find a threat in his own home. Haunted by the past and unable to trust those around him, Ty needs Mira's help to protect those he loves.

Unfortunately, Mira's brought troubles of her own to town, and her skills are proving unreliable. Adding to her misery is her less-than-warm welcome from Ty's family. All too soon she's ready to get the hell out of Boston…but that would mean abandoning more than just her partnership.

Mira and Ty are facing something new, and nothing will be the same after.

L.R. Braden's Dancing With a Demon is the fourth installment in the authors Rifter Series. This series follows the adventures of Mira Fuentes—a human possessed by a demon since childhood—and her partner Ty Williams, a Paranormal Task Force (PTF) agent who has sworn to protect humanity from people like Mira and her demon. After traveling to Arizona to help her friend Vivi with a small issue of fae cat that got away from her, she wonders why Ty ditched her in Texas for a solo mission. So, Mira, her demon, and yes, a fae cat (nekomata) she will soon call Peanut, end up in Boston. 

Mira ends up going undercover as Ty’s plus-one at his sister’s wedding in Boston—a seemingly innocuous assignment that quickly spirals into a life-or-death investigation. Her mission is to determine whether a dangerous paranatural entity has infiltrated Ty’s family, a task complicated by her own unpredictable abilities and the frosty reception she receives from Ty’s relatives. Mira’s undercover role forces her to grapple with her outsider status, both within Ty’s family and in her own skin, while Ty’s journey reflects the difficulty of reconciling personal loyalty with professional duty. 

Meanwhile, Ty, haunted by his past and grappling with trust issues, must confront the possibility of a threat within his own home—a scenario he never anticipated after years of battling fae, demons, and other supernatural foes. Ty emerges as a more vulnerable figure than in previous books. His past traumas and self-doubt, hinted at in earlier works, come to the forefront as he navigates the personal stakes of protecting his family. This vulnerability humanizes him, making his partnership with Mira—a relationship built on mutual reliance despite their differences—all the more poignant. 

Mira’s internal struggle—balancing her human identity with the demon she shares her body with—remains a fascinating thread. Her demon, a snarky yet loyal presence, isn’t just a plot device but a fully realized character whose evolving connection with Mira adds depth and humor to the story. The budding romance between Mira and Ty, subtle yet palpable, adds an emotional layer that enhances the stakes without overshadowing the central mystery. The narrative crescendos into a gripping clash between old enemies and new threats, with Mira’s demon playing a pivotal role in the unfolding drama.

This is a nice addition to the series, and the ending will leave readers finally feeling warm and fuzzy. Although, I have to wonder if the dynamics between Mira and her Demon have changed thanks to the events of this book. No spoilers!!  

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#Review - A Demon Faerie Tale by L.R. Braden #Fantasy #Paranormal

Series: The Rifter Series # 3
Format: E-Book, 129 pages
Release Date: September 13, 2024
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Source: NetGalley Invite
Genre: Urban Fantasy

It's always a demon, right? Unless it's a curse…

When a fellow PTF agent dies of unnatural causes, Ty suspects a demon, so who better to help him track down the killer than his demon-possessed partner, Mira? But one wrong turn in the investigation lands Ty in the crosshairs of a deadly curse that turns simple desires into lethal obsessions.

With less than 48 hours until Ty's sanity unravels completely, the partners must track down the culprit and neutralize the magic…or Mira will lose the only person she's ever let near her heart.

A Demon Faerie Tale, by L.R. Braden, is the third installment in the authors Rifter Series. Key Characters: Mira Fuentes who is a Rifter aka Demon possessed magic practitioner, and Ty Williams, crime fighting PTF agent who has become partners with Mira even though the PTF isn't exactly warm and welcoming to people like Mira. Mira and Ty are sent to Seattle to investigate a series of twisted deaths. First, there is the wife who suddenly finds cannibalism appealing and decides her husband is her next meal and dies grotesquely. 

Second, a veteran PTF agent suddenly finds himself in the movie Constantine where no matter how much he drinks, he can't satisfy his thirst after stealing a coin from the Johnson family. Third, a clerk at the convenience story where the PTF agent drank himself to death, decides to steal the coin from the agent, and doesn't survive an encounter with a bus. Finally, Ty himself is infected after he picks up a coin which appears to have been cursed. In all cases, whatever the person was craving when they touched the coin, that's what they become obsessed with. 

In Ty's case, his obsession becomes shoes. But who cursed the coin and why? All Mira knows is that she has no time for games. She needs to hunt down the person, likely Fae per her personal demon named Number Two, and get that person to break the curse before Mira loses Ty like Ty lost his last partner which is still hanging over his life and every action he takes. 

This story, in my opinion, could have been longer, but the ending was wrapped up nicely. Lastly, I do hope the author keeps writing about Mira and Ty. They make a great team and Mira's demon has a snarky attitude which makes the story entertaining.   

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#Review - Chaos Song by L.R. Braden #Fantasy #Contemporary

Series: The Magicsmith # 6
Format: Kindle, 393 pages
Release Date: November 11, 2022
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Source: Amazon
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Everything Alex has struggled to create is about to come unraveled…

Nothing has gone to plan since she joined the PTF. Now mysterious "natural" disasters are happening all over the world, and all signs point to a fae attack. But by whom? And why now?

In the midst of this chaos, she faces Purity protesters, coworkers looking to undermine her every decision, and werewolves who can't stop snapping at each other long enough to prove they're safe to work with.

Now is not the time to abandon her fledgling alliance for an off-the-books mission, but if she doesn't… the fragile peace between the Realms may shatter.

Chaos Song, by L.R. Braden, is the Sixth installment in the authors The Magicsmith series. Alex Blackwood is the key protagonist of this series. She is a half practitioner, and half fae. She is able to imbue magic into weapons and has changed James, her vampire boyfriend's life in ways he never thought possible. After literally saving the world by stopping a sorcerer rebellion that happened in Baltimore, and other places, she then made a peace agreement with her Grandfather (Lord Bael) who leads the Fae court of Enchantment. 

 

The agreement means peace for one year before it needs to be renegotiated, or a war breaks out. Alex was given the title of Deputy Director in Charge of paranatural relations for the Paranatural Task Force (PTF). Her job is to match paranaturals with humans so they can fight together against rogue forces that want to see the world overrun. Alex really does have a whole lot to deal with in this installment. Her friend Emma, who was a witch, lost her sight acting as Alex's paladin. She has Victoria, the Master Vampire of Denver, pushing her to create the same pendants that she allegedly made for James, her vampire boyfriend who can now daywalk. 

 

She's supposed to pair magically inclined agents with human partners, but she has issues with the various wolves who have joined PTF not getting along with each other. Just when it seems she may have a solution, members of the Unified Church show up. The same Church who used to kidnap people and ship them overseas as slave labor. The Church, which suffered greatly in the Sorcerer uprising, now wants a say in if the PTF's goals of humans and paranaturals working together for the greater good but with a bigoted governor in charge of Colorado, Alex will be lucky not to be locked away. 

 

In the middle of all this chaos, Alex is ordered to investigate whether the Fae are starting a war when tons of human garbage is redistributed back on the beaches of the west coast, and other even more dangerous incidents seem to be spreading across the world. This means a visit to the Water Fae, and a shocking discovery that could mean an end to everything that Alex's has been working for. But the kicker is when the villain of this story creates so much havoc, that the one person who has Alex's back is severely injured, and put out of commission while Alex is literally fighting for the world's survival.

 

*Thoughts* I missed this series but thankfully have the next book in the series thanks to the publisher. I had to go back to my notes from the previous installment (Of Mettle and Magic) to remember the key characters like Alex Blackwood, James, Chase, Emma, and Kai. The author does a good job of summarizing events, but not overloading readers with everything that has happened so far. The key issue with this story is that once again a powerful villain, who was supposed to be locked up, has chosen to begin a war on the world using all sorts of new characters. Alex literally has to run around like a chicken with her head cut-off just to stay alive, and keep her ideas for a peaceful balance between humans and Paranaturals from imploding. However, trouble is ahead for our heroine, and this time, it may take a miracle to escape.

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#Review - Personal Demons by L.R. Braden #Fantasy #Paranormal

Series: The Rifter Series # 2
Format: Paperback, 294 pages
Release Date: September 29, 2023
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Protecting her secret and hunting demons is a matter of survival for possessed-practitioner Mira Fuentes. She's spent years learning to work with the snarky demon housed in her body, and it hasn't always gone smoothly. Nor has her recent partnership with an agent of the Paranatural Task Force. Ty Williams—uncomfortably-attractive and overly-protective—may never fully accept that his partner has a literal inner demon.

But work-life-demon balance is the least of Mira's problems when a figure from her past drags her back to the hometown she's avoided for nearly a decade to investigate a string of potentially-magical disappearances. Someone or something is snatching teens from the local high school.

Emotionally off-balance in a city full of old ghosts and new dangers, Mira will have to confront her past to discover what is hunting the innocent.

Personal Demons is the second installment in author L.R. Braden's The Rifter series. The Rifter Series takes place in the same world as the author's Magicsmith world. In this world, Demons dwell in the Rift which is chaotic energy that connects all the realms. Demons can't manifest without a physical body and that's when a Rifter is created. Key Characters: Mira Fuentes, and Ty Williams. Mira is a practitioner possessed by a demon since she was eleven years old. 

She maintains a fragile alliance with the snarky soul who shares her body. Together they hunt down unstable Rifters-- demon-controlled humans bent on causing chaos in the mortal realm. While Mira's snarky demon keeps her on her toes, Ty a former Baltimore Police Officer, a Soldier, and now an agent for the Paranormal Task Force, has to learn to trust Mira and her inner demon. After events that happened in Baltimore, Mira is something of a superstar. 

Mira, who grew up in Miami, ends up being called back there by a Priest (Father Bembe) who knows her secret. He knows what happened to her in Detroit, and he knows why her mother feels angry whenever Mira is around. It's possible that someone is taking kids from school, and it might be something that Mira can do something about. Unfortunately, going back to Miami also brings back bad memories, as well as a not-so-friendly reunion with a woman, Gianna, who is now a police officer, and was a bully in school.

Leaving out the missing children, Mira's most important battle might just be with her family who have wondered for years what happened to Mira, and why she never came back home. So, when the daughter of one of Mira's aunts goes missing, Mira, Ty, and even Gianna know that they only have a very short window to find the girl before something bad happens to her. The author also freely offers a never before novella at the end of the book, so if you've read the Magicsmith series, make sure you read the novella as well.

*One of the more interesting aspects of this story is when Mira and her Demon are having a conversation forgetting that there are others like Ty around. When a demon hunt goes wrong, Mira questions her faith, and yes she truly does have faith that often conflicts with her job. Although this story can be read as a standalone, I absolutely recommend reading the first installment to get a better understanding of who Mira is and what she's been able to accomplish. She calls herself an investigator, but she's really a Rifter Hunter. If there is another story in this series, and I do hope there is, I hope it is sooner rather than later. 

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#Review - Demon Riding Shotgun by L.R. Braden #Fantasy

Series: Magicsmith Universe
Format: Paperback, 389 pages
Release Date: November 30th 2021
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Possessed by a demon since she was eleven years old, Mira Fuentes maintains a fragile alliance with the snarky soul who shares her body. Together they hunt down unstable Rifters-- demon-controlled humans bent on causing chaos in the mortal realm. But when a routine hunt leads to a powerful Rifter with plans for Baltimore, Mira quickly finds herself in over her head and at the top of the city's Most Wanted.

Recently retired from the PTF after losing his partner, Ty Williams now works for the Baltimore PD and keeps his distance from cases involving magic. But when a person dies of clearly magical causes and the PTF doesn't have any agents to spare, Ty is the closest thing the department has to an expert. Saddled with a new partner he doesn't want and a mountain of self-doubt, it's his job to track down a suspect who looks suspiciously like the one-night-stand he brought home from the bar last night.

Mira will have to set her trust issues aside and enlist the help of a man determined to uncover her secrets if she hopes to learn the identity of the demon's host and prevent the human race from becoming meat puppets for the denizens of the Rift.

Demon Riding Shotgun, by author L.R. Braden, is a story that takes place after the events of, Of Mettle and Magic. In this world, Demons dwell in the Rift which is chaotic energy that connects all the realms. Demons can't manifest without a physical body and that's when a Rifter is created. Mira Fuentes is a rifter, a human possessed by a demon. But unlike other rifters, Mira and her demon found a way to share a body since she was 11 years old without it being destroyed. The demon preserves her free will and lets her make her own choices, even bad ones. 

Mira and her demon have a symbiotic relationship which shows with a bit of humorous dialogue along the way. One of the more curiouser aspects of Mira is the fact that she prays using a variety of prayers while also making cuts in her skin to keep track of all the lives that she's taken trying to free humans from demon possession. The author reminds readers that Mira played an important part in the final battle that took place in Baltimore. Now, we return to the same city where Mira is tracking down Riders who managed to escape. 

The story really takes off when a routine hunt leads to a powerful Rifter with plans for Baltimore. Mira quickly finds herself in over her head and at the top of the city's Most Wanted after being involved in two incidents. Enter Ty Williams formerly of the PTF (Paranormal Task Force) who left the job after losing his partner and is now a Detective in the Baltimore Police Department. When a person dies of magical causes and the PTF doesn't have any agents to spare thanks to the events of Of Mettle and Magic and its sorcerers being sidelined, Ty is the closest thing the department has to an expert. 

Saddled with a new partner he doesn't want and a mountain of self-doubt, it's his job to track down a suspect who looks suspiciously like the one-night-stand he brought home from the bar last night. Ty must decide whether to trust his instincts and believe Mira is trying to stop the real bad guys. Ty’s intuition, confusion, grief, guilt, and drive to do good are raw and compelling. He clearly struggles with PTSD, magic, small places and unnecessary partners, but he’s never portrayed as weak or incompetent because of it. 

This was an entertaining story and I wouldn't be shocked if the author kept this world going with new characters. Especially after what happened to Alex and her friends at the end of Of Mettle and Magic. 

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