#Review - The Book of Peril by Melissa McShane (Urban Fantasy)

Series: The Last Oracle # 2
Format: E-Book, 231 pages 
Release Date: July 2, 2018
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre: Urban Fantasy

As the custodian of the oracular bookstore Abernathy’s, Helena has faced any number of challenges in learning her new role. But when the store begins giving out false prophecies, Helena comes up against her greatest challenge yet: how can she fix Abernathy’s when she doesn’t truly know how it works?

Armed only with a few special talents and her desire to protect her magical charge, and with the assistance of her best friend Viv, her reluctant assistant Judy, and the enigmatic and handsome Malcolm Campbell, Helena must navigate the treacherous depths of the magical world, where secret enemies lurk behind illusions capable of fooling even the most powerful of magical entities. Helena is the only one who can see past those illusions, but will her abilities prove strong enough to save the oracle?

The Book of Peril is the second installment in author Melissa McShane's The Last Oracle series, and the follow-up to The Book of Secrets. The story takes place 5 months after protagonist Helena Davies became custodian of Abernathy's. Abernathy's is a magical place where prophecies (auguries) are given out for a price. Helena, along with her assistant Judy Rasmussen, have been trying to understand not only her role, but how the Oracle actually works. But, as the story opens, it appears as though the Oracle has gone wonky giving out the wrong auguries or auguries for those who never actually requested one.

As the story progresses, Helena must contend with origami-wielding bad guys, a stalker ex-boyfriend who thinks he deserves a second chance, an attractive ex-Navy SEAL who should be her love interest, as well as the tribunal after her co-worker is charged with being the cause of the Oracle's issues. As Helena fights to protect the oracle, clear her co-worker who she was actually enemies with in the first installment, she finds time to visit the spiritual successor to the Library of Alexandria, the Athenaeum, searching for clues in past custodian’s reports of strange behavior.

Helena is a curious character who I like. Helena has the unusual ability to see through illusions which is a fantastic thing to have when someone is trying to mess with your livelihood. Although she often puts her life on the line, and ends up in dangerous situations, she has a decent heart and means well. She could have just walked away from her co-worker and let her figure out how to get out of her troubles, but she knew in her heart that she wasn't responsible for what's happening with the Oracle.

Then there is the prickly Lucia Pontarelli aka the Custodian of the Neutrality known as the Gunther Node. In this world, she is the local law enforcement when it comes to keeping the various factions in line with the accord. She and Malcolm Campbell are what's standing between normals finding out about the ongoing battle that has ensnared both the Nicolliens, and the Ambrosites. Malcolm is also said love interest who Helena should be able to be with without all the stupid restrictions placed on both of them by the accords. I dare hope that the author finds a way to work around that instead of shoving either character with someone else. Even though they can't be together, I think Malcolm would charge into a burning house to save Helena with no regrets about being hurt or injured. I dare you not to call that love.

Amazon 

Monday #Review - The Book of Secrets by Melissa McShane #Fantasy

Series: The Last Oracle # 1
Format: E-Book, 192 pages
Release Date: February 20, 2018
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Fantasy

Helena Davies just wants a job that will get her out of her parents’ basement. Abernathy’s Bookstore is disorganized, out of the way, and smells funny, but it pays well and promises to be interesting. She has no idea how interesting. By the end of the first day, Helena has a dead boss in the basement, an unexpected promotion, and the news that she is now a part of an endless war against creatures from another reality.

As Abernathy’s newest custodian, Helena is responsible for its secrets, including the most important one: Abernathy’s isn’t just a bookstore. It’s the world’s only living oracle, producing prophecies to help fight the war against alien invaders bent on draining this world of its magic. Helena’s job is to find books to answer questions put to the oracle by the Wardens, fighters in the Long War. It seems simple enough, but Helena’s new job is anything but.

Without training, without any knowledge of the magical world, and facing the hostility of those who’d wanted someone else to be Abernathy’s custodian, Helena must navigate the treacherous waters of her new world and find a place for herself within it. But there’s still a murderer on the loose, someone who intended to control Abernathy’s by killing its custodian—and Helena might be next on his list.

The Book of Secrets is the first installment in author Melissa McShane's The Last Oracle series. This is a brand new series from the author. I first became aware of the authors work through her series called The Extraordinaries which I am looking forward to continuing. McShane's new world is a curious one. It is a world in which our protagonist, Helena Davies, walks in for an interview at Abernathy's, and gets hired by the mysterious Nathaniel Briggs on the spot. Abernathy's does business via phone calls, order forms, catalog trade, and in person. 

After Nathaniel is found dead, a curious thing happens. Helena inherits the bookstore as custodian. Of course, this leads to all sorts of questions. Why did Nathaniel hire someone with no experience, and no knowledge of what Abernathy's really is? Will Helena be able to do the job she's supposed to be paid fairly well for, or will she have to abdicate to someone else? It's obvious that Nathaniel had no reason to believe that he would die any time soon, but the questions still continue right until the very end at why Helena was chosen over someone who has had previous training.

There are also questions regarding the war which has been ongoing for 700 years. There are creatures who come from somewhere outside our reality. Nightmareland creatures want the magic that humans are born with, but only a few have access to. As a custodian like Lucia Pontafelli who becomes a support mechanism in all of Helena's questions and circumstances she finds herself in, she can also see through glamour and what the monsters actually look like. Wardens like Malcolm Campbell, who is predicted to become Helena's romance buddy, fight and die every day in order to protect this world from the monsters that invade our world.

Abernathy is also a weapon in that it gives out answers at how to fight the long war. It is expected to treat each side (Nicollien & Ambrosite) as equals regardless of personal feelings. Abernathy's runs on what's called indeterminacy. Abernathy is never organized by author, title, or subject. By never being organization, no one actually knows what is in here, therefore anything can be in here. While Helena is learning all about her new function in life, there's those pesky police detectives who truly believe that Helena is involved in some way even though they have zero evidence of actually accusing her of doing evil. Thankfully, Helena does have a bit of relief in her best friend Viv.  

There are times the synopsis is perhaps a bit too revealing at what happens in this book. This is one of those cases. So, let me highlight the more interesting aspects. First, Helena isn't a member of the cast of the Librarian, but she is being compared to Flynn. Second, Abernathy's isn't a Library, it's a living oracle, and the greatest of its kind since the disappearance of the Lady at Delphi. People come into Abernathy's with questions, and it is up to the custodian to find the answers given by the oracle. Sometimes those answers are not what the person wants to hear. 

Abernathy's is a place that takes both money and magic in payment for augery's. Custodians of Neutralities can't use magic or ask questions on their own behalf. However, many custodians like Helena have abilities bestowed on them by the virtue of their position as custodian. This is not a standalone, although you might think it was after everything is said and done. I would love to have the author dig deeper when it comes to Silas Abernathy. I think there is a fountain of information just waiting to be revealed.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35968517-the-book-of-secrets?ac=1&from_search=true

Thursday #Review - Abounding Might by @mmcshanewrites #Fantasy #Historical @CuriosityQuills

Series: The Extraordinaries # 3
Format: E-Book
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Source: NetGalley/Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Historical

Abounding Might is the third installment of The Extraordinaries

Calcutta, 1813. Lady Daphne St. Clair, who as an Extraordinary Bounder is capable of transporting herself anywhere in the world with a thought, has longed to serve in the Army for years. But an unexpected weakness at the sight of blood makes her responsible for a good man’s death in battle. Unable to serve on the battlefield, Daphne is sent to India to be transportation for the Governor-General’s wife and children. In disgrace, Daphne fears she will never achieve the fame and glory she has worked so hard for.

A chance encounter with Captain Phineas Fletcher, attached to the Honorable East India Company as a troubleshooter and investigator, leads to Daphne being given a new opportunity: help Captain Fletcher discover the truth behind a series of strange occurrences in the town of Madhyapatnam. Daphne is willing to do anything to restore her reputation, even something as small as Captain Fletcher’s investigation. As the days progress, her attachment to the members of the team grows deeper, as does her growing attraction to the captain.

But as Daphne and Captain Fletcher dig deeper into the mystery, the truth turns out to be much more sinister than anyone imagined. Dark currents run deep beneath the pleasant surface of Madhyapatnam, and the echoes of a twenty-year- old story threaten not only the Company’s rule over the town, but the safety and well-being of everyone in it. Soon only Daphne’s talent and courage stand between Madhyapatnam and the evil that threatens to overwhelm it.

Melissa McShane's Abounding Might is the Third installment in the authors’ The Extraordinaires series. The Extraordinaires is an alternate history Regency-era fantasy series that will apparently feature eight different women who have powerful magical talents. In this universe, there are two separate groups of talents: The Corporeal Talents (Mover, Sharper, Scorcher, and Bounder) & The Ethereal Talents (Seer, Speaker, Discerner and Coercer.) Each book follows one woman as she learns to use her magic to change the world.

The series begins in 1812 and, according to the author, will cover the final years of the Napoleonic Wars, culminating in a confrontation with Napoleon himself. If you have read the first two installments, or if you followed my reviews for the first two installments, you will know that Lady Daphne St. Clair appeared in Wondering Sight. Daphne is what the author is calling an Extraordinary Bounder. She can move from one place to another without passing through intervening space. Daphne has a minor issue with blood which was discovered at the end of Wondering Sight. Oh wait, that's not true. 

She has a major issue with blood which causes her to pass out which unfortunately causes the death of a superior officer. Like other Extraordinaires before her, Daphne agreed to a 4-year term of enlistment with the War Office. But, with her "condition," Daphne soon finds herself banished to India, and the East India Company to serve as the Governor-General's wife and children's transport to and from England. But, don't worry your little head that Daphne is going to be stuck as a glorified human transport. The thing you should understand about Daphne is that she wants to have adventures before she finally settles down to marry. 

She is an amazing Bounder who may be the most talented Extraordinary in the War Office. But, she is also prone to being called out for her short stature, and the fact that she is a woman which has been the case for all three women who the author has introduced. Daphne meets the dangerous & charming Captain Phineas Fletcher & ends up getting involved with life or death mystery against the East India Company. She develops a friendship with Miss Bess Henley, Extraordinary Speaker, and perhaps a future that even her parents would be proud of. Her actions in this book are amazing, and she has definitely become a heroine that readers will enjoy reading about. 

McShane has a tendency of introducing the next character in her books before they end up with a story of their own. One could presume that Bess would be the next protagonist, and that would be fine with me. Bess is a really interesting character who is nearly as important to what happens in this book as Daphne and Phin. But, I wouldn't wage money on that just yet. According to the author, she foresees Daphne in future installments as well. That's actually a very good idea.

**As of 09/27/2017, I have no BUY links to provide you. Hopefully once this book releases on October 3, 2017, there will be and I can update this review. Sorry for the inconvenience!" 

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