What do you think?
Rate this book
Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian #1
Tomb of the Queen
A librarian. A spellbook. And a magical terror organization set on controlling the world.
Librarian Jayne Thorne enjoys her quiet life of tea and books. That is, until she finds a spell book in the Vanderbilt University archives that accidentally gives her access to a magical dimension. Now she's hunted by a magic-wielding terrorist group, and the only way for her to survive is to team up with a secret branch of the CIA. Her first Go undercover at Trinity College Library in Dublin and determine if the Book of Leinster is actually a magical necromantic grimoire.
With the help of a handsome Irish kickboxer, Jayne uncovers the truth of her unexpected spell The Irish manuscript is one of five grimoires that can raise five dead, master magicians, and secure their totems of power. With these totems comes the power to control the world.
But the spell book isn't the only thing with secrets in Jayne's new life. Danger lurks in every corner and Jayne must rise to meet her fated role...or perish alongside the rest of the world.
A Discovery of Witches meets Mercy Thompson, with a splash of Indiana Jones and Gilmore Girls, in this award-winning paranormal adventure. This is the fantasy you've been waiting for.
"Vivid world-building, a page-turning mystery and a smart, adventurous heroine... an outstanding urban fantasy series." -Jayne Castle, New York Times bestselling author of SWEETWATER AND THE WITCH
Librarian Jayne Thorne enjoys her quiet life of tea and books. That is, until she finds a spell book in the Vanderbilt University archives that accidentally gives her access to a magical dimension. Now she's hunted by a magic-wielding terrorist group, and the only way for her to survive is to team up with a secret branch of the CIA. Her first Go undercover at Trinity College Library in Dublin and determine if the Book of Leinster is actually a magical necromantic grimoire.
With the help of a handsome Irish kickboxer, Jayne uncovers the truth of her unexpected spell The Irish manuscript is one of five grimoires that can raise five dead, master magicians, and secure their totems of power. With these totems comes the power to control the world.
But the spell book isn't the only thing with secrets in Jayne's new life. Danger lurks in every corner and Jayne must rise to meet her fated role...or perish alongside the rest of the world.
A Discovery of Witches meets Mercy Thompson, with a splash of Indiana Jones and Gilmore Girls, in this award-winning paranormal adventure. This is the fantasy you've been waiting for.
"Vivid world-building, a page-turning mystery and a smart, adventurous heroine... an outstanding urban fantasy series." -Jayne Castle, New York Times bestselling author of SWEETWATER AND THE WITCH
494 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2021
479 people are currently reading
3783 people want to read
About the author
Joss Walker
12 books122 followersJoss Walker is an award-winning fantasy author and the alter ego of New York Times bestselling thriller author J.T. Ellison. Through her fantasy works, Joss delves into her passion for the genre and crafts stories of extraordinary women discovering their power in the world. With the creation of Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian, Joss brings you a captivating contemporary fantasy series that appeals to lovers of books, libraries, romance, and, of course, magic.
For more visit www.josswalker.com
For more visit www.josswalker.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
June 24, 2021
I think My Goodreads comments, written as I read this book, will give a good idea of how I felt about it.
Do you think I was bored? I was bored. I forced myself to the end by pure determination alone. The whole thing is too slow, bogged down in dialogue, explanations of what is to be done, rather than doing, weak characterization, and cutesy book/movie references that did not endear me to the character as intended. Honestly, I felt more for the small, relatively unimportant side character Gerard than ANY of the main characters. And NONE OF IT IS BELIEVABLE, no matter how I suspended my disbelief.
Jayne learns magic is real (and that keeping her in the dark was the decision her sister made is already questionable) and instantly believes, she’s instantly recruited by and joins the CIA, she’s instantly sent into the field (despite being untrained), she instantly meets the love interest and is instantly attracted, she instantly blends in undercover, she instantly finds and is recruited by the baddies she’s supposed to infiltrate, she instantly raises to power and importance, etc. etc. etc. She’s the smartest, most powerful, wittiest, of them all, etc. I found her utterly insufferable. And the CIA librarian department? They’re so slipshod I wouldn’t trust them to run a boy-scout troupe, let alone a government agency. They seem to be an agency by dint of “let me speak to the higher-ups” alone.
I liked Cillian well enough, though he’s a bit of a cardboard cut out. I loved the IDEA of a magical librarian department within the CIA. I think the book had a good idea. But the honest, brass tacks truth is that I didn’t like the book. The mechanical writing is fine and it’s well enough edited, but I was just bored and stuck reading about people I didn’t enjoy spending time with.
Sadie Forsythe is 80% done
Have I been reading this book for 18 decades?
I kind of feel like I've been reading this book for 18 decades.
— 20 hours, 29 min ago
Sadie Forsythe is 70% done
I'm booooooored and I think I've been reading this book for an eternity.
— Jun 20, 2021 03:40PM
Sadie Forsythe is 65% done
Ok, I guess. I'm not loving it. I kinda feel like I've been reading it forever because I'm kinda bored.
— Jun 16, 2021 07:50PM
Do you think I was bored? I was bored. I forced myself to the end by pure determination alone. The whole thing is too slow, bogged down in dialogue, explanations of what is to be done, rather than doing, weak characterization, and cutesy book/movie references that did not endear me to the character as intended. Honestly, I felt more for the small, relatively unimportant side character Gerard than ANY of the main characters. And NONE OF IT IS BELIEVABLE, no matter how I suspended my disbelief.
Jayne learns magic is real (and that keeping her in the dark was the decision her sister made is already questionable) and instantly believes, she’s instantly recruited by and joins the CIA, she’s instantly sent into the field (despite being untrained), she instantly meets the love interest and is instantly attracted, she instantly blends in undercover, she instantly finds and is recruited by the baddies she’s supposed to infiltrate, she instantly raises to power and importance, etc. etc. etc. She’s the smartest, most powerful, wittiest, of them all, etc. I found her utterly insufferable. And the CIA librarian department? They’re so slipshod I wouldn’t trust them to run a boy-scout troupe, let alone a government agency. They seem to be an agency by dint of “let me speak to the higher-ups” alone.
I liked Cillian well enough, though he’s a bit of a cardboard cut out. I loved the IDEA of a magical librarian department within the CIA. I think the book had a good idea. But the honest, brass tacks truth is that I didn’t like the book. The mechanical writing is fine and it’s well enough edited, but I was just bored and stuck reading about people I didn’t enjoy spending time with.
May 13, 2021
Wow. This story has it all. Fantastic world building that sucks you in. A likeable heroine that is kind while still kicking butt. A sexy love interest complete with Irish accent. A bit of mystery, a bit of history, and a good dose of humor. This story kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Never has being a librarian sounded more awesome.
June 1, 2022
What a wild ride that I enjoyed every minute of! Tomb of the Queen is filled with pop culture references, snarky banter, a compelling magic system, not to mention sexy men with accents, magical books and realms, library nerdiness, and a female main character I adored! I cannot wait to read book 2!
February 26, 2023
I would have given this a solid four stars but the end is a complete hook, and we all know how I feel about those. Hey, I'm not one starring them anymore. Admittedly it's more of a "same time next week" look at the next book but it's still a hook and I still resent them.
I didn't buy into the entire on-boarding to the CIA, and it was abundantly apparent early on that they weren't really the good guys and that the good guys maybe didn't even exist.
I figured out the reveal pretty early on, and the set up to justify the romance.
And even with all that it was an entertaining story, particularly the characters. The characters made this book, in truth. The magic system is pretty kewl, too.
I didn't buy into the entire on-boarding to the CIA, and it was abundantly apparent early on that they weren't really the good guys and that the good guys maybe didn't even exist.
I figured out the reveal pretty early on, and the set up to justify the romance.
And even with all that it was an entertaining story, particularly the characters. The characters made this book, in truth. The magic system is pretty kewl, too.
June 11, 2021
DNF
I wanted to like this. But it felt like recycled characters and plots throughout. The characters lacked nuances that made me want to keep reading. Made halfway before deciding I just didn’t care.
I wanted to like this. But it felt like recycled characters and plots throughout. The characters lacked nuances that made me want to keep reading. Made halfway before deciding I just didn’t care.
May 12, 2021
I really, really enjoyed reading this urban paranormal adventure fantasy thriller, the first in what I hope will turn out to be a number of other adventures on which we can join Jayne Thorne and enjoy the suspense. Jayne Thorne is a librarian who loves the peaceful life of being surrounded by her books and her cups of tea, until her life is completely turned on its head. She discovers she has magical powers, she is engaged by the CIA as their own investigator, searching for a set of grimoires which they knew the terrorist organisation known only as Kingdom where also after. She is sent to Ireland, to Trinity College to seek a book she was a specialist in, the book of Leinster, there she meets up with a hunk of a guy who starts to date her, Cillian, who is more than he seems. Jayne is surrounded by danger and thrown in at the deep end but she is not one to back down from a challenge. She manages to infiltrate the Kingdom and gain their trust but was not ready for the discoveries she makes when risking her own life to raise up Queen Madb through necromancy. I love the easy read this book proved to be, with magic shifter rogues, two factions lying through their teeth in a power struggle of 'good' against evil with poor Jayne being used by both. A book full of magic both good and dark, suspense and quite a sizzling touch of romance which will go down well with all readers and lovers of books and libraries as well as those of urban magical thrillers. I really look forward to reading further into Jayne Thorne's magical adventures.
May 11, 2021
Jayne is a book nerd, just an ordinary librarian. Or is she? Jayne is fascinated by ancient manuscripts, and feels compelled to study any original ones she can. Her new job at the library seems like the place to start. After her parents death, Jayne's sister Sofia, has them constantly moving from place to place, never allowing them to put down roots. With her appointment at the library, Jayne wants to throw herself into her work and settle down. That's when things start getting strange...and a whole new world opens up for her! One she could never imagine is real. Thus starts a wonderful tale of deception, intrigue and plots galore! And magic of course! What a terrific story! The character build up is impressive and develops magnificently. Especially Jayne and Cillian, as they get to know one another, is so cool to follow! The world building is equally compelling as different dimensions and places are explored. There are quite a few twists and turns as the plot unfolds, both with the supposed good guys as well as the supposed bad guys. I couldn't put it down! I was engaged from start to finish and it definitely left me wanting more! Definitely recommend this start to another amazing series!
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review
May 26, 2021
Tomb of the Queen
Joss Walker
Tomb of the Queen book one in a brilliant new Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance series is the BOMB!
Little did mild mannered Vanderbilt University rare book librarian Agnes Jayne Thorne know that when she had a reaction to touching a very old book it would be the start of a very new life, a life that now includes magic. But when a magical CIA operative shows up at her door and not only tells her but shows her that she just came into her magic and then offers her a job as a CIA Librarian and her first assignment is at the Trinity Library in Dublin to watch over the Book of Leinster an ancient Irish manuscript that she has an obsession with and then tells her that he is also magical. How can she say no.
Ancient texts, necromancy, family drama and shifters staring a tea and pie loving mild mannered university librarian who discovers her magic is putting lightly what the amazing creative writing team that makes up Joss Walker offers readers in, Tomb of the Queen, book one of their new, exciting Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian, fantasy series. The first installation in a new series is always a challenge for authors especially fantasy/UF authors because they not only have to tell their story and create their characters but they also have a whole lot of world building to do. Well this team of two did a first-class job of not only fabulous world building but also created some amazing staring characters, like the kick-butt heroine Jayne who was an unwilling star (at first), her sister Sofia, her CIA handler Ruger Stern, his boss Amanda Newport and one hot Irishman Cillian Pine. Then they go on to make sure every one of the other characters minor and major, good and evil in this novel is unforgettable, pair that to a page turning, awesomely unique, nail-biting storyline and you’ve got yourself one heck of a tall tale.
Bring on book 2!!
Fans of Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, the novels of Karen Marie Moning and Ilona Andrews will find this novel hard to put down.
Joss Walker
Tomb of the Queen book one in a brilliant new Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance series is the BOMB!
Little did mild mannered Vanderbilt University rare book librarian Agnes Jayne Thorne know that when she had a reaction to touching a very old book it would be the start of a very new life, a life that now includes magic. But when a magical CIA operative shows up at her door and not only tells her but shows her that she just came into her magic and then offers her a job as a CIA Librarian and her first assignment is at the Trinity Library in Dublin to watch over the Book of Leinster an ancient Irish manuscript that she has an obsession with and then tells her that he is also magical. How can she say no.
Ancient texts, necromancy, family drama and shifters staring a tea and pie loving mild mannered university librarian who discovers her magic is putting lightly what the amazing creative writing team that makes up Joss Walker offers readers in, Tomb of the Queen, book one of their new, exciting Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian, fantasy series. The first installation in a new series is always a challenge for authors especially fantasy/UF authors because they not only have to tell their story and create their characters but they also have a whole lot of world building to do. Well this team of two did a first-class job of not only fabulous world building but also created some amazing staring characters, like the kick-butt heroine Jayne who was an unwilling star (at first), her sister Sofia, her CIA handler Ruger Stern, his boss Amanda Newport and one hot Irishman Cillian Pine. Then they go on to make sure every one of the other characters minor and major, good and evil in this novel is unforgettable, pair that to a page turning, awesomely unique, nail-biting storyline and you’ve got yourself one heck of a tall tale.
Bring on book 2!!
Fans of Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, the novels of Karen Marie Moning and Ilona Andrews will find this novel hard to put down.
Read
November 28, 2021I should have loved this book - it has many things right in my lane: magic, librarians, magical books. But for reasons I can't identify I just could not get into this and did not finish it.
I may, someday come back to this, because I didn't hate it, which is why I'm not rating it.
Maybe just the wrong time for me to have tried this book.
I may, someday come back to this, because I didn't hate it, which is why I'm not rating it.
Maybe just the wrong time for me to have tried this book.
September 7, 2022
2022 bk 263. I will admit it - I had a hard time getting into this book and then staying with it. After thinking hard, I think it would have been a four-five star book with a tad bit more editing - or the splitting of the book into two volumes - One dealing with Jayne's recruitment and training, one with her first case in Ireland. I understand this is two authors working together and I imagine they had tons of fun writing and plotting, but needed to work on the fine tuning. In the end, I realized that the basic plot was fun, fairly original, and left me at the end wanting to know what happens next. I will probably purchase or borrow the next title in the series.
August 9, 2025
I felt like the author was trying too hard to make me understand that Jayne is a librarian and LOVES BOOKS by making 600 references to books. We get it. Also. This was just lame writing. Way too obvious that the parents were alive and somehow involved with the Kingdom. Throwing Jayne into 2 seconds of training and expecting her to succeed at all magic is insane. Her magically ability is directly related to her position as the protagonist not that she’s actually skilled. I almost DNFed this book because of how many times I rolled my eyes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2021
This may be the book of the year! It has everything you could ever want….magic, werewolves, sexy Irish guys…. The characters drew me in from the start and by the end I could not wait to see what happened and at the same time was sad to finish the book. Waiting on book 2!!!
May 26, 2021
Such a fresh take on UF! Great characters and very twisty. Love the Celtic mythology. Also, I have a list of new books to read because I hadn’t read a lot of what Jayne reads.
List of books Jayne reads from the author:
Brandon Sanderson - MISTBORN
Tolkien - FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
Robin Hobb - ASSASSIN’S APPRENTICE
Sharon Kay Penman - HERE BE DRAGONS
JK Rowling - HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCEROR’S STONE
Jane Austen - PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Shakespeare - ROMEO AND JULIET
Book of Leinster
Book of Kells
List of books Jayne reads from the author:
Brandon Sanderson - MISTBORN
Tolkien - FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
Robin Hobb - ASSASSIN’S APPRENTICE
Sharon Kay Penman - HERE BE DRAGONS
JK Rowling - HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCEROR’S STONE
Jane Austen - PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Shakespeare - ROMEO AND JULIET
Book of Leinster
Book of Kells
June 19, 2021
I was completely caught off guard by these two authors collaborating to bring a new fantasy book to life. For me, however, this book never took flight. While I loved the premise of a CIA librarian, the characters just never took shape. Is this a young adult novel, or a discovery of witches wannabe? Once again, we have the wicked mom, a shapeshifter, a touch of romance, all of the tropes thrown in, hoping to hit a stride. Sorry, it just didn't work for me.
to-read-have
September 1, 2022Who recommended this book to me: Hand sell by Josh at MBTB when picking up Ilona Andrews, honestly not sure what I didn't say "no thanks"
May 11, 2021
I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of this new book. Fans of urban fantasy will love this fast-paced story. Jayne Thorne is the kind of librarian I would gladly work alongside. She's smart, curious, sarcastic, and open-minded. I loved the setting and the cast of characters. I hope there are many more adventures ahead for Jayne!
January 2, 2024
Promising start to the series.
February 13, 2024
DNF @ 10%/6 chapters
This one just didn't hit me right.
This one just didn't hit me right.
June 8, 2021
I got absolutely absorbed in the plot of this book. Touted as an urban fantasy, I had no idea what to expect, but since I like the authors, I decided to try it. I’m so glad that I did because I was blown away by the intricacy of the plot and the complex characters. Jayne Thorne is a librarian who enjoys tea and research of old manuscripts. Once she is recruited by the CIA, her adventures begin! She has to travel to Ireland, a magical place already in my opinion, and there she encounters the evil entity called the Kingdom, a group of terrorists on a mission to destroy the world. I felt like each time I started this book, I left reality behind and stepped into a magical realm that kept me reading for hours at a time. There was plenty of romance, more than enough twists and so much fantasy and magic! The humor was plentiful, with laugh aloud moments and hearty chuckles at other parts. This was just a really fun read, capturing my attention from beginning to end. My favorite parts were Jayne’s forays into investigating and the fact that she took everything that happened to her as just a normal part of her day. Nothing rattled her. She was tenacious and had a fierce desire to set things right in the world. She is my new favorite heroine! Highly recommend it to those who love fantasy, magic, mystery, suspense and romance.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
June 11, 2021
This was a fun and unique story. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline, and I’m excited to read the next book.
August 14, 2022
Yay for pie-obsessed-librarian MC, but gurl, do better. Started promisingly but almost DNF. Much breathless action & tropes tropes tropes; not enough coherent character development.
February 9, 2022
I enjoyed the premise of this one. I read it for The Poisoned Pen Bookstore Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book-of-the-Month Club. I’d recommend it to those who enjoy a magic school, Harry Potter-esque type story.
The Story
It started out super strong. I liked the setting of the library, the whole idea of it.
The background story was interesting and I liked where it was going.
However it just took forever to get there.
The plot idea itself was stellar, but it became a bit boring for my taste especially by the time I came upon chapter 17. It was then when realized I had all this information about what was going on but nothing to really look forward to in how it was developing moving forward. Felt a bit stagnant because there wasn’t as much action, application, and results in ways that I would have kept me engaged.
I lost reading momentum big time. Mostly because it became more about the training, a lot of talk about preparation centered around mind over matter multiple times and drawn out so much that I became less interested as a whole. I only care for so many skill sharpening and self-reflection scenes before they become stilted.
I felt less connected to it and lacked the discipline to continue on so I skimmed the rest and didn’t feel like I was missing out on much.
The Writing
The style was easy to get into. Casual, less analytical, with a lot of dialogue. Technically clean but I would have liked a bit more pizazz and nuance.
Setting
The build up of this fantasy dimension within the library and the literary references was really fun.
Characters
I enjoyed the different aspects and what each character had to offer, but would have enjoyed them a bit more if they had more personality in the things that they did and within the dialogue, whether subtle or more distinguished traits when interacting and talking with each other. As well as some sort of underpinning where character growth was seen and less explained, less narrated and more in the way of character recognition by emotional expression and certain actionable qualities as I read along.
I would enjoy another story, perhaps one with a bit more punch to it to suit my tastes.
Blog post
The Story
It started out super strong. I liked the setting of the library, the whole idea of it.
The background story was interesting and I liked where it was going.
However it just took forever to get there.
The plot idea itself was stellar, but it became a bit boring for my taste especially by the time I came upon chapter 17. It was then when realized I had all this information about what was going on but nothing to really look forward to in how it was developing moving forward. Felt a bit stagnant because there wasn’t as much action, application, and results in ways that I would have kept me engaged.
I lost reading momentum big time. Mostly because it became more about the training, a lot of talk about preparation centered around mind over matter multiple times and drawn out so much that I became less interested as a whole. I only care for so many skill sharpening and self-reflection scenes before they become stilted.
I felt less connected to it and lacked the discipline to continue on so I skimmed the rest and didn’t feel like I was missing out on much.
The Writing
The style was easy to get into. Casual, less analytical, with a lot of dialogue. Technically clean but I would have liked a bit more pizazz and nuance.
Setting
The build up of this fantasy dimension within the library and the literary references was really fun.
Characters
I enjoyed the different aspects and what each character had to offer, but would have enjoyed them a bit more if they had more personality in the things that they did and within the dialogue, whether subtle or more distinguished traits when interacting and talking with each other. As well as some sort of underpinning where character growth was seen and less explained, less narrated and more in the way of character recognition by emotional expression and certain actionable qualities as I read along.
I would enjoy another story, perhaps one with a bit more punch to it to suit my tastes.
Blog post
April 5, 2022
Almost DNF. Maybe it’s just growing pains of being first in a series, but the story moved so slowly. And frustrated that connections that should have been obvious were totally missed by characters! I wasn’t always a fan of Jayne or the manipulations by TCO. Honestly, the conversations I enjoyed best were the banters between Jayne and Gerard. But once I muddled through to chapter 28, I jumped to Part 3 because I had enough interest in how this would work out. So glad I did! I still skimmed some (and really astounded that some of the obvious conclusions hadn’t been figured out yet!)but it ended strong enough that I’ll read the prequel, THE EIGHTH ROAD, which centers on Sofia. Depending on how that reads will determine if I preorder or borrow the next in the series, MASTER OF SHADOWS.
Edit: just finished THE EIGHTH ROAD. Much better.
Edit: just finished THE EIGHTH ROAD. Much better.
July 22, 2021
This isn't something I would choose to read on my own but it's one of my favorite authors and another with a different pen name.
It was hard for me to become interested in the story because there was many new terms to the book I am not familiar with. Grimories, necromancy, spells and such were not that familiar to me. I found the story to come together and I did find it interesting. I do look forward to reading more of Jayne and want to know what happens next in the adventure. Now that I am more familiar with the terms used I think I will enjoy the next book more.
My only negative review is the couple of missed editing that I find to be annoying they were missed. 4 stars because this book took me too long to get interested in.
It was hard for me to become interested in the story because there was many new terms to the book I am not familiar with. Grimories, necromancy, spells and such were not that familiar to me. I found the story to come together and I did find it interesting. I do look forward to reading more of Jayne and want to know what happens next in the adventure. Now that I am more familiar with the terms used I think I will enjoy the next book more.
My only negative review is the couple of missed editing that I find to be annoying they were missed. 4 stars because this book took me too long to get interested in.
November 12, 2021
Not really sure how long it's taken me to finish this book but it's been awhile. Not that it was bad but it just seemed to drag; there was a fair bit of action but then the parts in between weren't as exciting or even necessary IMHO. Also, I just had a big issue with Jayne...like obviously I can get behind a pie loving librarian but for someone who is so into fantasy books just can't wrap her mind around actually having magic and being a witch? I have to call BS. I know I would be stoked and fall into it head first and would have no trouble accepting dragons or werewolves into my life...but hey, that's just me. The characters are interesting enough and the story does work so I'll probably read the second one in this series but I can tell you, it won't be any time soon.
April 15, 2022
Reasonably good debut novel that hopefully means a fun series for urban fantasy readers
You had me at librarian, because what could be better than a hero that reads books. While a decent urban magical romp, like a lot of nerdcore authors, too much attempts to horn in puns and bits of influential pop culture get annoying by the 30th reference. We got it, it's ok to focus on your story. And that story has great bones, one of magical tomes, betrayal, myths, even a hastily developed romance. Not gonna say it'll change your life but I can say it's a good fun read to give you a break. There's a few places where the logic of what's happening gets confusing but let's see where this series goes.
You had me at librarian, because what could be better than a hero that reads books. While a decent urban magical romp, like a lot of nerdcore authors, too much attempts to horn in puns and bits of influential pop culture get annoying by the 30th reference. We got it, it's ok to focus on your story. And that story has great bones, one of magical tomes, betrayal, myths, even a hastily developed romance. Not gonna say it'll change your life but I can say it's a good fun read to give you a break. There's a few places where the logic of what's happening gets confusing but let's see where this series goes.
December 23, 2021
A quiet nerdy librarian specializing in ancient books is recruited by a small CIA group to work in a library in Dublin Ireland to investigate an ancient book the the presence of Magic Spells. She learns that she is an adept and has powers that she was not aware of and she goes undercover to investigate a group of magicians intent on pushing the world back to primitive times where magicians could rule over the non magical masses. Light hearted with danger and discoveries as she discovers the extent of her powers.
June 20, 2021
Tomb of the Queen
It was good. The characters were interesting, I kinda liked Jayne. Good premise. Good story line. Action was there. I just couldn’t get to the point where I really cared about anyone in the book. Had the feeling of “are we there yet?”. Book seemed to just drag on and on. Not sure if I will try book 2.
It was good. The characters were interesting, I kinda liked Jayne. Good premise. Good story line. Action was there. I just couldn’t get to the point where I really cared about anyone in the book. Had the feeling of “are we there yet?”. Book seemed to just drag on and on. Not sure if I will try book 2.
August 25, 2021
Interesting, but way too long.
Borderline 2.5/3 star read. I liked the premise, but I found this was way too long. Following Jayne on her journey into the magical sounded like a fun read, but I had issues with the TOC and how they were using her. Perhaps I might have enjoyed the book more if it was broken up into a duology just too many things happening.
Borderline 2.5/3 star read. I liked the premise, but I found this was way too long. Following Jayne on her journey into the magical sounded like a fun read, but I had issues with the TOC and how they were using her. Perhaps I might have enjoyed the book more if it was broken up into a duology just too many things happening.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews