Book Review: The Witch Is Back

Author: H.P. Mallory
Title: The Witch Is Back
Publisher: Bantam
Publish Date: July 31, 2012
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: Funny and feisty witch Jolie Wilkins is back—or rather, she’s back to her humble beginnings. Propelled into the past to her old Los Angeles fortune-telling shop, Jolie has no idea she possesses extraordinary powers, and she definitely doesn’t remember becoming Queen of the Underworld. But at least she has two incredibly sexy men vying for her affection: Rand Balfour, who looks very familiar, though Jolie can’t place his gorgeous face, and Sinjin Sinclair, who is tall, dark, and perfect . . . except for the fangs. Yet despite her steamy love life, Jolie can’t shake the sense that something is not quite right—like she’s stuck in a déjà vu gone terribly awry. As both men race against time—and each other—to win Jolie’s heart, the fate of the Underworld hangs in the balance. And Jolie’s decision can either restore order or create an absolute, drop-dead disaster.

Review: H.P. Mallory is one of those authors I loved when she was self-published. Her Dulice O'Neill series is one of my favorites in the paranormal/urban fantasy genre.

Jolie Wilkins however doesn't do anything for me.

I read Witchful Thinking, and while I enjoyed it. It didn't make me say WOW! or anything like that.

This book reminded me there are some books that everyone loves, that just don't work for some people. This is one of those books, and probably one of those series.

Why?

Mallory hit the reset button with this one, allowing herself to rewrite the first book, only with Sinjin Sinclair as the hero that opens Jolie's eyes to her witchy nature, all the while telling her that Rand is the bad one. Not that Sinjin is really bad.

Mallory's reset button comes in the guise of time travel and it just doesn't work for me at all. Having read the previous book and knowing the characters as I do, this plotline felt like a cop out and it didn't move the story along at all. The threat of the Lurkers is still out there.

I doubt I'll follow this series any further than this book.

Rating: 2 flowers

Book Review: H.P. Mallory - Witchful Thinking

Author: H.P. Mallory
Title: Witchful Thinking
Publisher: Bantam
Publish Date: February 28,2012
Buy: Witchful Thinking: A Jolie Wilkins Novel
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: From H. P. Mallory—the exciting author of Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble—comes her new paranormal romance featuring the sassy, self-deprecating witch Jolie Wilkins.

Jolie thinks she’s seen it all, but life continues to spring surprises. The latest shocker? She’s just been crowned Queen of the Underworld. Jolie may possess a rare gift for reanimating the dead, but she doesn’t know the first thing about governing disparate factions of supernatural creatures. She can barely maintain order in her own chaotic personal life, which is heading into a romantic tailspin.

First there’s sexy warlock Rand, the love of her life, from whom Jolie is hiding a devastating secret. Then there’s Sinjin, a darkly seductive vampire and Jolie’s sworn protector—though others suspect he harbors ulterior motives. As the two polar opposite yet magnetic men vie for Jolie’s affection, she must keep her wits about her to balance affairs of state and affairs of her heart. Overwhelmed, under pressure, and longing for love, Jolie decides it’s time to take charge—and show everyone that this queen won’t take jack.

Review: I was part of a book tour for the first two books of H.P. Mallory's Dulcie O'Neill series, which I absolutely loved, so when I saw this book on Net Galley, I had to grab it. I haven't read the first two books, but because this book is published by a major publisher, there's a lot of back story so that new readers can pick things up.

I did just fine there, but I do want to read the first two books.

I'm not sure I'm completely sold on Jolie being the Queen of the Underworld, but I do like that Jolie is smart and insecure at the same time. It makes her more "real," because she's flawed. She loves two men who are very difficult, Rand, a warlock that doesn't really want to admit to his feelings and Sinjin, who she trusts more than she should.

These two guys are really sexy in their own way. I have to say I'm more Team Sinjin, even though he doesn't really have feelings for Jolie, outside of wanting to bed her and well drink her. It really helps give a little oomph to a story that is a little slow. But even though the plot is a lot of getting to know the characters, it still is enough to keep you interested and the ending definitely wants to make you go OMGWTFBBQ!

I can't wait to read book four The Witch Is Back to see what is going to happen next.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: A Tale Of Two Goblins

Author:  H.P. Mallory
Title: A Tale Of Two Goblins
Publisher: Createspace
Publish Date: March 21, 2011
Review Copy Provided By: The Bookish Snob Promotions and the Author
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: A Dreamstalker— a creature that stalks and kills its victims in sleep.


A fairy in law enforcement determined to stop him.

A potions smuggler who possesses something she wants.

A vampire with his own agenda.

And a partner who couldn’t possibly be sexier or more frustrating.

Dulcie O’Neil is a fairy working in law enforcement for the Netherworld.

When Knight Vander approaches her with a case regarding comatose victims, she agrees to help him, imagining the most difficult part will be combating her attraction to him.

But, what Dulcie isn’t betting on is the fact that the case becomes personal when she learns all the victims are somehow linked to her.

When her best friend falls victim to the Dreamstalker, Dulcie must do everything in her power to ensure her friend’s survival, including associating with criminals and accepting the fact that desperate times do definitely call for desperate measures

Review: It isn't often the case that the second book in a series is so much better than the first, but in this case, it is true. It is just a shame that A Tale Of Two Goblins is much shorter than the first book. This story could have really gone on for another hundred pages and I would have been happy.

Why?

We got to know Dulcie better, and we found out...she is likable, even though she's a bit of a curmudgeoun! This book really shows us that Dulcie has a heart. Sure she's gorgeous. Sure she'll kick some ass when it is called for, but in A Tale Of Two Goblins we see she really has feelings for most of thecharacters that were introduced in To Kill A Warlock.

That's why this book is so much better. Dulcie's crankiness has a focus. She isn't just taking out all her frustrations on all the gorgeous men that want in her pants this time. She's taking out her frustrations on the Dreamstalker that is trying to get to her friends and maybe even her!

Here's hoping H.P. Mallory has another installment coming soon, because if the books get better as the series goes on, Dulcie O'Neil is going to be my new favorite heroine!

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: To Kill A Warlock

Author: H.P. Mallory
Title: To Kill A Warlock
Publisher: Createspace
Publish Date: Aug 25, 2010
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By:The Author and Bookish Snob Promotions
Book Blurb: The murder of a dark arts warlock. A shape-shifting, ravenous creature on the loose. A devilishly handsome stranger sent to investigate. Sometimes working law enforcement for the Netherworld is a real bitch. Dulcie O'Neil is a fairy. And not the type to frolic in gardens. She's a Regulator-a law-enforcement agent who monitors the creatures of the Netherworld to keep them from wreaking havoc in the mortal world. When a warlock is murdered and Dulcie was the last person to see him alive, she must uncover the truth before she's either deported back to the Netherworld, or she becomes the next victim. Enter Knight Vander, a sinfully attractive investigator sent from the Netherworld to work the case with Dulcie. Between battling her attraction to her self-appointed partner, keeping a sadomasochistic demon in check, and fending off the advances of a sexy and powerful vampire, Dulcie's got her hands full. As the body count increases, Dulcie finds herself battling dark magic, reconnoitering in S&M clubs and suffering the greatest of all betrayals.

Review: H.P. Mallory knows how to create a fun, sexy paranormal mystery, and while Dulcie is not the most likable heroine, she certainly is one of the most amusing.

She's surrounded by hot men/netherworld beings, and they all seem to have the hots for her, but she doesn't quite do anything about it, except fuss and write romance novels and try to catch the thing that killed Fabian, owner of the dark arts store. (who also turned her into a giant booger!)

Though Dulcie was annoying at times, especially when it came to her romantic life, it was hard not to like her. She's very gutsy and of course, she's sexy and she's a fairy and a law enforcement officer. There just aren't many characters like her.

If only she would just give in and really go out and like some of the guys that are sniffing around her. She just seems to just take them part of the way...and these are guys that are pretty hard to resist, like Bram the sexy Vampire and A Gentlemen or Knight.

But the real focus of the story is the mystery involved, and H.P. Mallory, writes a good mystery, because you will not see who was involved in this one. In fact, the whole whodunit will leave some of the readers a bit depressed, because the bad guy, isn't really a very bad guy.

This was a quick fun read, and if you like paranormal creatures with a bit of mystery tossed into the kettle, this should be up your alley.

Rating: 4 Stars