Review: Raven Cursed series by Mckenzie Hunter (Books #1-3)

My magic isn’t just a curse – it’s an addiction. I crave it the way some people crave chocolate. But, chocolate doesn’t kill – my magic does.

This post focuses on the first three novels in the Raven Cursed series by McKenzie Hunter: Fireborne, Silverfall, and Nightsoul.

Fireborne is the first novel in the Raven Cursed series. Erin Katherine Jensen is a retrieval specialist who collects rare artifacts for clients in Chicago. Her identity is classified as a death mage within the supernatural community. She can borrow magic from someone, and temporarily use it as her own. If she takes too much, they will die. In other words, she has a magic addiction that she carefully tries not to feed--for she is still monitored by law enforcement. That’s always been the case—until she met her devilishly handsome and enigmatic client, Mephisto. He has his own brand of unique magic and a mysterious past. Erin requests his assistance anytime a curse goes wrong, a magical object is lost, or a rogue supernatural needs apprehending. So Mephisto offers a trade. He’ll give her some of his magic, and in return, she accepts a job from him. It seems like a simple deal until all hell breaks loose. The duo have to team up to stop a god from unleashing destruction upon the city. Distrustful of Mephisto despite the growing attraction, it leaves Erin to wonder: can she battle a god with the devil at her back?

Silverfall is the second novel in the Raven Cursed series. Erin is still struggling with her magic addition. It seems difficult to control that urge to take magic from others. She is trying to lift the curse of her magic, when Asher gets her the supposedly extinct ancient book of spells, Mystic Souls. She might not need Mephisto's deal any longer. When she gets together with Corey and Madison to go over the book, Corey decides to try an illegal spell. It unleashes something, but they don't know what. When working on a job for Victoria, she comes across the person that Corey accidently released. A powerful supernatural from another realm is after the Fae and using the shifters to attack. He’s wreaking havoc, and everyone wants to know who let him out. Meanwhile, Erin is avoiding the possibility that the parents who raised her are not really her biological parents. The person that could be scares her of the possibilities of her true magic. Suddenly, being Raven Cursed doesn’t seem so bad. She has drawn the attention of Mephisto, a mysterious fae, and a god. And now, saving her best friend’s life isn’t her only problem.

Nightsoul is the third novel in the Raven Cursed series. For years, Erin thought that she was Raven Cursed—only to discover she was something much worse. The past comes back to haunt her as she learns the truth about her real parents and why her magic was blocked since birth. But nothing about her life is as shocking as what she discovers about Mephisto's background. However, her curse and Mephisto’s secrets have to take a back seat when the most powerful vampire in the city of Chicago hires her for a job. It seems simple enough: negotiate the acquisition of a weapon that can kill vampires faster than a stake to the heart. In her line of business, there are rules that a retrieval specialist never breaks—or if you do, you make damn sure no one finds out. First, never betray a client. Second, never piss off a vampire, especially the Master of the City. Somehow, Erin managed to break both rules. Now, Erin has less than seventy-two hours to fix her mistakes, or the Master will claim her life as payment for her failure—and he’s made it clear there won’t be any renegotiations.

I enjoyed reading Mckenzie Hunter's previous novels in the Legacy series. As a result, I was excited to learn about her newest series on the Raven Cursed. Erin Katherine Jensen feels empty without magic, even though she grew up among the supernatural community. As the younger adopted sister of Madison, Erin created a confident personality to prove that she can succeed on her own as a private citizen after the childhood incident. It is a taboo topic that Erin struggles to outgrow -- from the lost memories to perception as a murderer. As a result, she vowed to never kill on the job. Fireborne started slow with the character development, but the pacing picks up speedily in Silverfall with a lot of suspense and action. We finally get a detailed description of the alternate realm, the Veil. Secrets among the major cast are finally revealed in Nightsoul. I won't spoil the plot, but the persistence was worth the wait. I also love the humor and banter among the characters. While there are elements of a love triangle (Who will Erin choose: Asher or Mephisto?), Hunter leaves the readers guessing on whom Erin favors. Both men have their own unique strengths (and annoyances). I can't wait to read what Hunter has planned for Erin after unlocking her magic.

Stay tuned for the next novel in the Raven Cursed series!

Review: The Angel Trials series (Dark World Universe, Books #1-7)

The Angel Trials is a seven-book series by USA Best-Selling author, Michelle Madow. The series is part of the Dark World universe. The book titles are The Angel Trials, The Angel Hunt, The Angel Trap, The Angel Gift, The Angel Island, The Angel Secret, and The Angel Test.

Below is a description from Goodreads:

Raven Danvers is a typical student… until a demon attacks her on the night of her birthday. Luckily, she’s saved by Noah—a mysterious, sexy wolf shifter who appears and disappears before she can ask him any questions.

Then Raven's mom is abducted by the same demon who came after her. And who turns up at the scene of the crime again? Noah. He’s hunting the demons who are taking humans, and he’s ultimately heading where Raven needs to go to save her mom—the mystical island of Avalon.

Now Raven’s joining Noah’s demon hunting mission whether he wants her there or not. Which he doesn't. But nothing stops Raven, so she and Noah will have to learn to work together—if they don’t kill each other first.

More importantly, she has to survive his crazy demon hunt. Because surviving is the only way to get to Avalon and save her mom’s life.

Raven Danvers is your typical college student until she is attacked by a demon on her 21st birthday. She is rescued by Noah, a werewolf shapeshifter, who is seeking as a form of redemption from the catastrophic events that unfolded in the finale of the Vampire Wish series. Demons have been released from their prison in the Underworld. A greater demon, Azazel, is dead set on ruling the world. Noah is on a hunting mission to kill 10 demons so that he can enter the enchanted Avalon and join the Earth Angel's army--nephilim soldiers chosen to fight evil. When Raven's mother vanishes, Raven must set aside her normal life and put her trust into the wolf shapeshifter. They are joined by other powerful characters, Sage Montgomery (sister of the alpha of the Montgomery pack in Los Angeles, CA) and Thomas Bettencourt (vampire prince based in Chicago), on their journey to Avalon. Together, the team will encounter numerous challenges that will test their resolve and unlock their deepest feelings for each other.

I liked how the seven-novel series build upon each other and expands the spectrum on the different species in the Dark World Universe. Vampire Wish focused primarily on vampires and witches. The Angel Trials focused primarily on werewolves and nephilim (category of angels). Raven's character grew on me as I adored her dogged determination that allowed her to survive and rescue her mother. As a result, she undergoes a major transformation on this mission that awakens her warrior spirit. Reoccurring characters from the Vampire Wish series also make cameo appearances in The Angel Trials; thus, I recommend new readers to start from the beginning. I also loved Sage and Thomas' side story, which got me hooked (Team Sage-Thomas!). Madow also incorporates some medieval legends in the storyline that will excite fans. If you enjoy fairy tales and urban fantasy with a dramatic twist, I highly recommend this series.

Stay tuned for my next review on the third spin-off series, The Dark World: The Faerie Games. This series will take a deep dive into the mythological realm of the fae.