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Magic After Midlife #1
Throwing Shade
Miriam Feldman is ditching her shapewear and finally letting her magic fly free.
When Miri¬ was a teen, her parents were murdered by magic assassins. These days, her aggressively normal existence as a law librarian at a boring firm has excellent medical insurance and won’t get her daughter killed.
But when her bestie, her ride-or-die, gets tangled up with some vampires and goes missing, Miriam unleashes the rare and powerful shadow magic she’s kept hidden.
It’s heady, liberating—and totally dangerous.
Now in a race against time to save her friend, this single mom is descending into the spiderweb of the secret supernatural community where not knowing the rules is a fast-track to a painful end.
Her guide? A grumpy French wolf shifter with a particular set of skills, a baffling drive to protect Miri at all costs, and the infuriating habit of constantly disagreeing with her. He may mock her To-Do lists, but he’s learned firsthand that her shadow magic literally packs a hell of a punch.
The tricky thing about shadows, though, is the past casts a long one, and if Miri isn’t careful, those magic assassins will come back for the one who got away¬¬¬—¬and she’ll lose everything.
Featuring a slow burn shifter romance and a smart older heroine, this clever mix of urban fantasy and mystery will take you on a wild ride.
Get reading now!
When Miri¬ was a teen, her parents were murdered by magic assassins. These days, her aggressively normal existence as a law librarian at a boring firm has excellent medical insurance and won’t get her daughter killed.
But when her bestie, her ride-or-die, gets tangled up with some vampires and goes missing, Miriam unleashes the rare and powerful shadow magic she’s kept hidden.
It’s heady, liberating—and totally dangerous.
Now in a race against time to save her friend, this single mom is descending into the spiderweb of the secret supernatural community where not knowing the rules is a fast-track to a painful end.
Her guide? A grumpy French wolf shifter with a particular set of skills, a baffling drive to protect Miri at all costs, and the infuriating habit of constantly disagreeing with her. He may mock her To-Do lists, but he’s learned firsthand that her shadow magic literally packs a hell of a punch.
The tricky thing about shadows, though, is the past casts a long one, and if Miri isn’t careful, those magic assassins will come back for the one who got away¬¬¬—¬and she’ll lose everything.
Featuring a slow burn shifter romance and a smart older heroine, this clever mix of urban fantasy and mystery will take you on a wild ride.
Get reading now!
340 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2021
2236 people are currently reading
2793 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Wilde
44 books1,035 followersFormer screenwriter, global wanderer, and total cynic with a broken edit button, Deborah Wilde writes funny, sexy urban fantasy and paranormal women’s fiction.
Smart, sassy women who can solve a mystery, kick supernatural butt, banter with hot men, and still make time for their best female friend are the cornerstones of Deborah’s stories. Her books are beloved by readers craving magic adventures, swoon worthy steamy romances, hilarity, and happily ever after.
she/her
Smart (ass) heroines. Epic magic. Red-hot romance.
Smart, sassy women who can solve a mystery, kick supernatural butt, banter with hot men, and still make time for their best female friend are the cornerstones of Deborah’s stories. Her books are beloved by readers craving magic adventures, swoon worthy steamy romances, hilarity, and happily ever after.
she/her
Smart (ass) heroines. Epic magic. Red-hot romance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews
June 6, 2021
Throwing Shade by Deborah Wilde
Paranormal women’s fiction. 1st book in the Magic After Midlife series.
Miriam is loving her 40’s. Until she discovers she has magic and she needs to use it to find her missing friend. Now she is working with a vampire, a wolf shifter and a golem but needs to keep the otherworld away from her daughter.
Humorous and entertaining. Much sarcasm, snark and hilarious comments like coming home from work and taking off her bra.
“Disco made everything better.”
I alternated between a paperback copy and an audiobook. The narrator was Croix Provence. I LOVED the audio version. It was upbeat, extremely well timed and included a wide variety of accents. I was occasionally confused on characters that sounded the same at times but overall the humor was infectious.
Paranormal women’s fiction. 1st book in the Magic After Midlife series.
Miriam is loving her 40’s. Until she discovers she has magic and she needs to use it to find her missing friend. Now she is working with a vampire, a wolf shifter and a golem but needs to keep the otherworld away from her daughter.
Humorous and entertaining. Much sarcasm, snark and hilarious comments like coming home from work and taking off her bra.
“Disco made everything better.”
I alternated between a paperback copy and an audiobook. The narrator was Croix Provence. I LOVED the audio version. It was upbeat, extremely well timed and included a wide variety of accents. I was occasionally confused on characters that sounded the same at times but overall the humor was infectious.
May 6, 2021
4 stars
Another contender in the Paranormal Womens Fiction! I gotta say I'm loving discovering all of these. Though the idea is more or less the same I'm having fun discovering each authors "stamp" on the genre.
I loved that Deborah Wilde stuck with the Jewish mythology that also features in her other series. It really makes her books stand out amid the sea of paranormal/fantasy/supernatural books out there. They make for a really interesting read just for that to be honest. I know some basic facts about the Jewish faith but that's it, so I find it really captivating when the author creates a whole mythos around it all.
In this book we meet Miriam Feldman a middle age divorcee, working hard to support her teen daughter in a boring but safe job. She has been supressing her magic for years and when a guy she meets at a bar, follows her and then attacks her she snaps. On the heels of the attack her best friend goes missing and Miriam can't help but draw conclusions. She suddenly finds her self immersing in the magical community trying to figure out friend from foe.
I liked Miriams guts but sometimes her hesitancy/indecisiveness with her own magic didn't sit well with me even though I understood her reasons. No sexy times in this book and it looks like the author is going for slow romance. The vibes were there but no irresistible chemistry. Still, I plan to read the next book when it's out. I really want to see more of Miriams magic and Jewish lore/mythology.
Another contender in the Paranormal Womens Fiction! I gotta say I'm loving discovering all of these. Though the idea is more or less the same I'm having fun discovering each authors "stamp" on the genre.
I loved that Deborah Wilde stuck with the Jewish mythology that also features in her other series. It really makes her books stand out amid the sea of paranormal/fantasy/supernatural books out there. They make for a really interesting read just for that to be honest. I know some basic facts about the Jewish faith but that's it, so I find it really captivating when the author creates a whole mythos around it all.
In this book we meet Miriam Feldman a middle age divorcee, working hard to support her teen daughter in a boring but safe job. She has been supressing her magic for years and when a guy she meets at a bar, follows her and then attacks her she snaps. On the heels of the attack her best friend goes missing and Miriam can't help but draw conclusions. She suddenly finds her self immersing in the magical community trying to figure out friend from foe.
I liked Miriams guts but sometimes her hesitancy/indecisiveness with her own magic didn't sit well with me even though I understood her reasons. No sexy times in this book and it looks like the author is going for slow romance. The vibes were there but no irresistible chemistry. Still, I plan to read the next book when it's out. I really want to see more of Miriams magic and Jewish lore/mythology.
October 4, 2021
I'm really torn on this story. There's some great humor and the setup with the main character is engaging. And the worldbuilding is interesting. But I felt the author's thumb weigh heavy on the scales and in ways I disliked.
Wilde excels at banter and a forty-something single mom with no inhibitions and little stake in the social order is a goldmine for wit and wry observation. So there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, and not least with the emotionally distant shifter semi-partner, Laurent. I'm not sure about Miri for herself, though. I was sometimes a bit impatient with her ignorance with magical things (particularly when it seemed rather convenient when she pulled out some obscure tidbit that others seemed unaware of). And I particularly disliked her ignorance with her own magic, though that was better supported and more consistent.
The budding relationship between Miri and Laurent was pretty awesome, though. We only get enough hints of his tragic past™ to feel like he isn't a complete poser, but that was enough for me to enjoy seeing her crack him open a bit to find the squishy center at his core. So seeing them start to care, just a little bit, about one another was a delight. Plus, I mentioned Wilde's steady hand with banter, right?
So I mentioned the thumb on the scale issue and I'm having a hard time articulating it, entirely. Some of it is a kind of casual misandry that felt manufactured. There's a one-note jerkoff at her work, for example, that we see being incompetent and blamey at her. And that's played as misogyny because he doesn't bother distinguishing between the various underlings at the firm and got the wrong one. But that smacked more of arrogance to me. So throwing in a creepy power move against a new (female) partner felt rather extra. Like Wilde didn't feel she'd established her point about men being awful to work for/with enough so we needed an extra scene just to drive the point home. A scene with no other relevance to the plot or story. Frankly, that whole work episode was kind of extraneous because none of it matters to any of the plot in any way.
But the part that really bothered me is a hold-over from another series where we get the same moral dynamic that bothers me more than a little. Wilde writes books with monsters in them. They're despicable and depraved and think nothing of killing and torture to get their way. And yet her heroes have this whole "killing is bad" code that is held to be absolute, somehow. Like, at one point, Miri has a vampire guy who has threatened her and her daughter. He has shown himself to be absolutely ruthless already. And yet, when she gets him to the point where she can do something about it, she doesn't. Wilde has to manufacture someone else who steps in to take out the garbage and Miri congratulates herself on her moral superiority over the dude who does the hard deed for her. And that just bugs me. Look, if you want to establish a moral absolute about killing, that's fine. But let's see the consequences and without this convenient varnish that yanks the cost before it manifests. To me, the "bad guy" who eliminated the evil monster was the better moral actor in this scenario. I'm open to alternatives because this is a tricky moral space. But have the courage to make the case.
And that whole scene happened after Wilde manipulated a stupid . It was all stupidly convenient to be inconvenient.
So that's enough friction that I'm having a hard time giving this more than three stars. So three it is. I'm a little bit interested in further books in the series because Miri and Laurent were awesome. Plus, I kind of love how her and her ex are still close and are a good parenting team despite keeping separate households. And really, there's a lot to be said for the jaded forty-something woman with no social brakes that I find appealing. So we'll see if the mood remains when the time comes.
A note about Chaste: One of the less-examined aspects of Miri's life is her default celibacy. I know the dating pool at that age is thin, but she seems completely uninterested, even as her internal monologue complains about being lonely. Anyway, there's some hint that Laurent may be a future romantic partner. But this story has nothing of any sexual nature in it at all. So it's extremely chaste, I think.
Wilde excels at banter and a forty-something single mom with no inhibitions and little stake in the social order is a goldmine for wit and wry observation. So there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, and not least with the emotionally distant shifter semi-partner, Laurent. I'm not sure about Miri for herself, though. I was sometimes a bit impatient with her ignorance with magical things (particularly when it seemed rather convenient when she pulled out some obscure tidbit that others seemed unaware of). And I particularly disliked her ignorance with her own magic, though that was better supported and more consistent.
The budding relationship between Miri and Laurent was pretty awesome, though. We only get enough hints of his tragic past™ to feel like he isn't a complete poser, but that was enough for me to enjoy seeing her crack him open a bit to find the squishy center at his core. So seeing them start to care, just a little bit, about one another was a delight. Plus, I mentioned Wilde's steady hand with banter, right?
So I mentioned the thumb on the scale issue and I'm having a hard time articulating it, entirely. Some of it is a kind of casual misandry that felt manufactured. There's a one-note jerkoff at her work, for example, that we see being incompetent and blamey at her. And that's played as misogyny because he doesn't bother distinguishing between the various underlings at the firm and got the wrong one. But that smacked more of arrogance to me. So throwing in a creepy power move against a new (female) partner felt rather extra. Like Wilde didn't feel she'd established her point about men being awful to work for/with enough so we needed an extra scene just to drive the point home. A scene with no other relevance to the plot or story. Frankly, that whole work episode was kind of extraneous because none of it matters to any of the plot in any way.
But the part that really bothered me is a hold-over from another series where we get the same moral dynamic that bothers me more than a little. Wilde writes books with monsters in them. They're despicable and depraved and think nothing of killing and torture to get their way. And yet her heroes have this whole "killing is bad" code that is held to be absolute, somehow. Like, at one point, Miri has a vampire guy who has threatened her and her daughter. He has shown himself to be absolutely ruthless already. And yet, when she gets him to the point where she can do something about it, she doesn't. Wilde has to manufacture someone else who steps in to take out the garbage and Miri congratulates herself on her moral superiority over the dude who does the hard deed for her. And that just bugs me. Look, if you want to establish a moral absolute about killing, that's fine. But let's see the consequences and without this convenient varnish that yanks the cost before it manifests. To me, the "bad guy" who eliminated the evil monster was the better moral actor in this scenario. I'm open to alternatives because this is a tricky moral space. But have the courage to make the case.
And that whole scene happened after Wilde manipulated a stupid . It was all stupidly convenient to be inconvenient.
So that's enough friction that I'm having a hard time giving this more than three stars. So three it is. I'm a little bit interested in further books in the series because Miri and Laurent were awesome. Plus, I kind of love how her and her ex are still close and are a good parenting team despite keeping separate households. And really, there's a lot to be said for the jaded forty-something woman with no social brakes that I find appealing. So we'll see if the mood remains when the time comes.
A note about Chaste: One of the less-examined aspects of Miri's life is her default celibacy. I know the dating pool at that age is thin, but she seems completely uninterested, even as her internal monologue complains about being lonely. Anyway, there's some hint that Laurent may be a future romantic partner. But this story has nothing of any sexual nature in it at all. So it's extremely chaste, I think.
March 16, 2021
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Throwing Shade is the first book in Magic After Midlife series, following a heroine in her forties that is figuring out that there is still life to be had in her mid-life. Miriam seems to have conquered being divorced and co-parenting but she is now going to add some magic into her life and that will shuffle things up good.
Miri seems like your everyday mom making things work for her and her kid. She goes to work and is in a book club for fun. But when her best friend goes missing and she is attacked, the magic she has been pushing down for decades comes snapping back and opens her eyes to the world around her. It also introduces her to Laurent, a grumpy French wolf who seems to have an interesting past and could be someone Miri might be able to form some kind of connection to.
The world in this is set in Vancouver Canada and most of the magic seems Hebrew mythos based. I don’t have a strong background in that so I’m not sure if it is following established lore or not. I did like that the Heroine is older and has a little more life experience under her belt and some other issues that come up with being in her forties.
Overall, the worldbuilding, characters and plot is good. I think there were some ways the dialogue and scene transitioning could have been made a little smoother. I was also disappointed we didn’t get more development on the romance front of the book, but since this the first book of the series I’m sure we will see some more fleshing out later in the series. I did find most of the characters interesting and would like to see where Miri’s magic and new place in the world go in the future.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Throwing Shade is the first book in Magic After Midlife series, following a heroine in her forties that is figuring out that there is still life to be had in her mid-life. Miriam seems to have conquered being divorced and co-parenting but she is now going to add some magic into her life and that will shuffle things up good.
Miri seems like your everyday mom making things work for her and her kid. She goes to work and is in a book club for fun. But when her best friend goes missing and she is attacked, the magic she has been pushing down for decades comes snapping back and opens her eyes to the world around her. It also introduces her to Laurent, a grumpy French wolf who seems to have an interesting past and could be someone Miri might be able to form some kind of connection to.
The world in this is set in Vancouver Canada and most of the magic seems Hebrew mythos based. I don’t have a strong background in that so I’m not sure if it is following established lore or not. I did like that the Heroine is older and has a little more life experience under her belt and some other issues that come up with being in her forties.
Overall, the worldbuilding, characters and plot is good. I think there were some ways the dialogue and scene transitioning could have been made a little smoother. I was also disappointed we didn’t get more development on the romance front of the book, but since this the first book of the series I’m sure we will see some more fleshing out later in the series. I did find most of the characters interesting and would like to see where Miri’s magic and new place in the world go in the future.
March 11, 2022
I really want to say I liked this book because there were so many elements I DID like. I liked the use of Jewish mysticism as the basis for much of this urban fantasy. I liked that the heroine was a divorced, middle-aged law librarian. I liked her healthy relationship with her ex and her kid and her friends.
But why did she have to be so stupid?
Any time she's told not to do something...you guessed it, she does it. I think it is supposed to be part of this "strong female empowerment!" message. But that message goes over as well as a sledgehammer to the head when her behavior continues to get her in stupid situations. You can be strong and smart!
I also found it annoying that all the men in this book are assholes of one degree or another. It doesn't speak much to female empowerment if you make the men all terrible.
Also, being a law librarian is a kick-ass job so don't go hating on it!
Overall I would say this one had enough potential to keep me intrigued but didn't provide the payout I was looking for with such a promising premise.
But why did she have to be so stupid?
Any time she's told not to do something...you guessed it, she does it. I think it is supposed to be part of this "strong female empowerment!" message. But that message goes over as well as a sledgehammer to the head when her behavior continues to get her in stupid situations. You can be strong and smart!
I also found it annoying that all the men in this book are assholes of one degree or another. It doesn't speak much to female empowerment if you make the men all terrible.
Also, being a law librarian is a kick-ass job so don't go hating on it!
Overall I would say this one had enough potential to keep me intrigued but didn't provide the payout I was looking for with such a promising premise.
November 14, 2022
Quit at 34% ! The Main character was unbelievable, with the personality whiplash of a toddler. There is mention of Jewish culture/beliefs with no explanation or tie in leaving me out of the story. The dialog was not that of a 40 year old professional, f bombs dropped without need. Silly inner dialogs we that just made m we wan to to skim. That 34% felt like 500 pages. It was time to jump ship
February 19, 2021
A fabulous introduction to a new series and it’s one that’s firmly aimed at grown ups, hurrah ! Don’t misunderstand I love urban fantasy and honestly don’t mind reading some that’s perhaps more YA but this forty something heroine with baggage and life experiences was just such fun to read about. Miriam has a clever, sassy teenage daughter, a warm, loving ex husband trying to make co parenting work and a job that’s ok but perhaps not the stuff of dreams. Miriam is kind of stuck in a rut if I’m brutally honest but I’m not the only one who thinks that because step forward Jude, best friend and someone who is pushing Miriam to grab life whilst she can. Trouble is Jude goes missing round about the same time that Miriam gets attacked and Miriam can’t help wondering if it’s connected ? After all Miriam isn’t quite the boring, middle aged white female she pretends to be and that’s when the fun really starts !
I really loved the characters here and our heroine is an absolute hoot ! She’s honest and I absolutely loved her thoughts which frequently both shocked and had me laughing out loud. The magic here is seemingly based on Jewish /Hebrew teachings which worked very well to give the reader a wholly new slant on paranormal fiction. I will definitely read the next book and actually came quite close to rating this a five but there’s just a couple of times when the dialogue didn’t quite wow me but overall this was an excellent read which I heartily recommend to those seeking something a little different.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
I really loved the characters here and our heroine is an absolute hoot ! She’s honest and I absolutely loved her thoughts which frequently both shocked and had me laughing out loud. The magic here is seemingly based on Jewish /Hebrew teachings which worked very well to give the reader a wholly new slant on paranormal fiction. I will definitely read the next book and actually came quite close to rating this a five but there’s just a couple of times when the dialogue didn’t quite wow me but overall this was an excellent read which I heartily recommend to those seeking something a little different.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
October 6, 2021
I really wanted to like this book.
The plot was interesting, I liked the characters in general and the world building was good.
But sadly the humour and writing style didn’t appeal to me, at all.
The writing style was simply to fast and too unsettled. There was no calm in it and the sentences also didn’t flow into another. It was a Staccato reading.
The humour was not bad but it was simply too much. It overflowed the book and burst out of every scene and every sentence and every character. It was so overwhelming it wasn’t fun to read for me.
That you have your inside jokes and behaviour with family, sure. Probably even with your best friend. But with every single character you meet? Not so much. It was a slapstick joke and word play after another with no time or breather to actually enjoy them.
Because on its heel another one already waited and made your head spin.
Same went on with the story telling. Bam wham, next scene, it gave me whiplash to read.
And it prevented also that the reader actually got to know the characters on a deeper level.
So besides all the good stuff. This book desperately needed a good editor to balance the delivered work. I am sad to say, despite my curiosity on how the story developed about Miriam and Laurent. The writing style deters me from doing so, I won’t pick up the follow up books. As I was already skipping some pages on Miriams inner monologues in the end, which is never a good sign. And despite the good ratings, the numbers on the second book have more then halved, which could indicate I am not completely alone with my assessment.
The plot was interesting, I liked the characters in general and the world building was good.
But sadly the humour and writing style didn’t appeal to me, at all.
The writing style was simply to fast and too unsettled. There was no calm in it and the sentences also didn’t flow into another. It was a Staccato reading.
The humour was not bad but it was simply too much. It overflowed the book and burst out of every scene and every sentence and every character. It was so overwhelming it wasn’t fun to read for me.
That you have your inside jokes and behaviour with family, sure. Probably even with your best friend. But with every single character you meet? Not so much. It was a slapstick joke and word play after another with no time or breather to actually enjoy them.
Because on its heel another one already waited and made your head spin.
Same went on with the story telling. Bam wham, next scene, it gave me whiplash to read.
And it prevented also that the reader actually got to know the characters on a deeper level.
So besides all the good stuff. This book desperately needed a good editor to balance the delivered work. I am sad to say, despite my curiosity on how the story developed about Miriam and Laurent. The writing style deters me from doing so, I won’t pick up the follow up books. As I was already skipping some pages on Miriams inner monologues in the end, which is never a good sign. And despite the good ratings, the numbers on the second book have more then halved, which could indicate I am not completely alone with my assessment.
April 29, 2021
I keep reading Deborah Wilde and I keep wanting to like her books and I keep finding them disappointing. They just lack some depth of character that I need to really enjoy a book.
What I liked:
She was divorced, but she did not hate her ex. In fact, they shared custody of their daughter and a duplex. Their divorce occurred because he was gay. It is always nice in the Paranormal Women's Fiction realm when the heroine isn't dumped ceremoniously at 40 because she is old.
The whole shade thing was interesting and new to me. I really enjoyed the magic world.
What I didn't like.
The characters were all shallow. There were a lot of "f" words tossed around which is uncommon in this genre. (Sorry, not a fan of the "f" word.)
Really, I found the whole thing a bit boring and had a very hard time getting into it. I *wanted* to. There was humor tossed around, Miri was likeable enough and there were enough other characters around. It just really fell flat to me. I will probably read on in this series and hope it gets better. I really *want* to like it.
What I liked:
She was divorced, but she did not hate her ex. In fact, they shared custody of their daughter and a duplex. Their divorce occurred because he was gay. It is always nice in the Paranormal Women's Fiction realm when the heroine isn't dumped ceremoniously at 40 because she is old.
The whole shade thing was interesting and new to me. I really enjoyed the magic world.
What I didn't like.
The characters were all shallow. There were a lot of "f" words tossed around which is uncommon in this genre. (Sorry, not a fan of the "f" word.)
Really, I found the whole thing a bit boring and had a very hard time getting into it. I *wanted* to. There was humor tossed around, Miri was likeable enough and there were enough other characters around. It just really fell flat to me. I will probably read on in this series and hope it gets better. I really *want* to like it.
March 13, 2021
Deborah Wilde has nailed this new genre. Miriam is 40 and isn’t taking crap from anyone! No matter who it is. Having suppressed her magic for years, it’s a whole new world she’s thrust into. And she does it on her own terms! Snarky, sassy, and oh so sarcastic! Love it!
March 18, 2021
Miriam ‘Miri’ Feldman is 42 and at that stage of life where she has stopped giving any effs about what other people think. She’s mother to a 16-year-old, bored in her job as librarian to a major Vancouver law firm, and very tired of dealing with the male half of the species, to whom as a woman over the age of 30, she appears to have become indistinguishable from the furniture.
She’s also been hiding a secret since her parents were murdered when she was only a teenager; Miriam is one of the Banim Shovavim, descended from Lilith and gifted with dark, shadow magics. Forced to call up her long-dormant magic to defend herself one dark night, Miriam is quickly sucked into the magical underworld when a white werewolf kills her attacker right before her eyes… and her best friend disappears, leaving behind a strange golem who speaks impossible prophecies of the future.
It’s fun to read an urban fantasy with a mid-life aged protagonist; in my 40s and a parent myself, though not part of the dating pool, I found Miriam both hilarious and extremely relatable. But what I REALLY liked about this book is that the magic system is heavily rooted in Jewish myth and legend. Miriam is Jewish and so are many of the other characters we meet, including werewolf Laurent and the ex-rabbi leader of the local vampires. It’s an eclectically diverse crew as well, from Miriam’s Vietnamese bisexual ex (and her half-Vietnamese daughter) to French-Algerian Jew Laurent, it definitely reflects Vancouver’s diverse reality even while adding in the magically fantastic elements.
I honestly loved everything about it; I learned some more about Jewish mythology, laughed along with Miri as she snarked at everyone who annoyed her and got thoroughly invested in the plot. I definitely want to read more in the series - and I hope the sexy Laurent makes a move, because I’m sure I detected some sparks flying between the two! I also admit to being intensely curious about Miriam’s daughter Sadie; the whole ‘she hasn’t inherited magic’ thing just seemed a little TOO pat to me and I suspect that might come up in future books.
Five stars for a fun and clever read!
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
She’s also been hiding a secret since her parents were murdered when she was only a teenager; Miriam is one of the Banim Shovavim, descended from Lilith and gifted with dark, shadow magics. Forced to call up her long-dormant magic to defend herself one dark night, Miriam is quickly sucked into the magical underworld when a white werewolf kills her attacker right before her eyes… and her best friend disappears, leaving behind a strange golem who speaks impossible prophecies of the future.
It’s fun to read an urban fantasy with a mid-life aged protagonist; in my 40s and a parent myself, though not part of the dating pool, I found Miriam both hilarious and extremely relatable. But what I REALLY liked about this book is that the magic system is heavily rooted in Jewish myth and legend. Miriam is Jewish and so are many of the other characters we meet, including werewolf Laurent and the ex-rabbi leader of the local vampires. It’s an eclectically diverse crew as well, from Miriam’s Vietnamese bisexual ex (and her half-Vietnamese daughter) to French-Algerian Jew Laurent, it definitely reflects Vancouver’s diverse reality even while adding in the magically fantastic elements.
I honestly loved everything about it; I learned some more about Jewish mythology, laughed along with Miri as she snarked at everyone who annoyed her and got thoroughly invested in the plot. I definitely want to read more in the series - and I hope the sexy Laurent makes a move, because I’m sure I detected some sparks flying between the two! I also admit to being intensely curious about Miriam’s daughter Sadie; the whole ‘she hasn’t inherited magic’ thing just seemed a little TOO pat to me and I suspect that might come up in future books.
Five stars for a fun and clever read!
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
May 23, 2025
I think this book just wasn't the right fit for me. I got about halfway through and there was just too much going on for me.
I love paranormal fiction. I love strong female characters. I especially love a book with cheeky, sarcastic humour. This book has all those things so I thought it would be for me. But it also has a bunch of religious aspects, divorced single mother dramas, many, many paranormal people randomly arriving into the story without much explanation for why they're here or what role they are supposed to play and an obvious romantic interest for the main character which is fraught with a lot of "will they, won't they" angst and snapping at each other.
It was all just too much, too fast, too convoluted, too confusing for me. I am sure this is a winner for other readers, it just wasn't right for me.
I love paranormal fiction. I love strong female characters. I especially love a book with cheeky, sarcastic humour. This book has all those things so I thought it would be for me. But it also has a bunch of religious aspects, divorced single mother dramas, many, many paranormal people randomly arriving into the story without much explanation for why they're here or what role they are supposed to play and an obvious romantic interest for the main character which is fraught with a lot of "will they, won't they" angst and snapping at each other.
It was all just too much, too fast, too convoluted, too confusing for me. I am sure this is a winner for other readers, it just wasn't right for me.
October 17, 2021
I can honestly say, I knew this was going to be different from Nava and Ash, but I didn't think that Miri would be so awesome! :D As someone who is getting to that age, she's my new role model (though not sure that is such a good idea lol)
Worldbuilding:
A great urban fantasy setting in present-day Vancouver. You get a lot of information about the different factions, their place in the world and how they view each other (spoiler -the only one you're getting- it's not favourable) but it never feels too much of an information dump, rather, well spread out through the book.
Miri goes all over the place, but the author does a great job of giving us the necessary information so we can stay fully immersed in the story.
Character development:
At the start of the book, we meet our main character Miriam, a librarian, who is pretty much sick and tired of her life (and some of the people she works for). While she loves her job, she can't stop envisioning murdering them in the most bookish way possible. I think I loved Miri from that moment on (as I might have done the same on *ahem* numerous occasions ;) )
Her life really changes when she meets a guy in a bar and things go sour and we meet the awesome Delilah :D
Oh oh oh and not to forget: Laurent (aka Huff 'n' Puff). Our silent and broody (but hella sexy) French wolf shifter.
Throughout the book, we learn more about Miri, her past and her current situation with her ex and daughter. We understand more about her motivation for doing certain things as well as her norms and values.
While we learn more about Laurent, he is still a delicious mystery I can't wait to know more about in the next instalment!
We've met a lot of the players (though I'm sure we're missing a couple of big ones) and each has his/her own story to tell. As we've come to expect from the author, all character feel real and believable.
Pacing and flow:
It started slow and steady, but don't let it fool you... once it has your full attention you're stuck till the book is done! :D
It kept my attention with Miri's witty remarks and her trying to figure out the grumpy wolf shifter.
There was quite a bit of action but nothing felt rushed. Good balance between conversations and action.
The book:
The book itself was well written with no (noticeable) errors. Strangely enough, there is no sex described (which isn't a bad thing, just not something we're used to from the author haha) but I'm sure we'll see more of that in the next books.
The book is 28 chapters long and written from Miriam's point of view.
Final thoughts:
It was very different from the authors other series, so it took me a bit of time to get really into it. I must admit I've not read many books where the heroine is over 40 years old, but I really enjoyed it! Miri is such a fun (and relatable) character, you just can't do anything but love her! I mean, she has baggage and a ton of life experience, so it makes sense that she would be able to utilise all that for something greater, no?
Plus, it makes me feel like there is still hope for me as well haha ;)
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book and all I can really say is, well done! Another great start of a new series and one which I will be recommending to many readers.
Worldbuilding:
A great urban fantasy setting in present-day Vancouver. You get a lot of information about the different factions, their place in the world and how they view each other (spoiler -the only one you're getting- it's not favourable) but it never feels too much of an information dump, rather, well spread out through the book.
Miri goes all over the place, but the author does a great job of giving us the necessary information so we can stay fully immersed in the story.
Character development:
At the start of the book, we meet our main character Miriam, a librarian, who is pretty much sick and tired of her life (and some of the people she works for). While she loves her job, she can't stop envisioning murdering them in the most bookish way possible. I think I loved Miri from that moment on (as I might have done the same on *ahem* numerous occasions ;) )
Her life really changes when she meets a guy in a bar and things go sour and we meet the awesome Delilah :D
Oh oh oh and not to forget: Laurent (aka Huff 'n' Puff). Our silent and broody (but hella sexy) French wolf shifter.
Throughout the book, we learn more about Miri, her past and her current situation with her ex and daughter. We understand more about her motivation for doing certain things as well as her norms and values.
While we learn more about Laurent, he is still a delicious mystery I can't wait to know more about in the next instalment!
We've met a lot of the players (though I'm sure we're missing a couple of big ones) and each has his/her own story to tell. As we've come to expect from the author, all character feel real and believable.
Pacing and flow:
It started slow and steady, but don't let it fool you... once it has your full attention you're stuck till the book is done! :D
It kept my attention with Miri's witty remarks and her trying to figure out the grumpy wolf shifter.
There was quite a bit of action but nothing felt rushed. Good balance between conversations and action.
The book:
The book itself was well written with no (noticeable) errors. Strangely enough, there is no sex described (which isn't a bad thing, just not something we're used to from the author haha) but I'm sure we'll see more of that in the next books.
The book is 28 chapters long and written from Miriam's point of view.
Final thoughts:
It was very different from the authors other series, so it took me a bit of time to get really into it. I must admit I've not read many books where the heroine is over 40 years old, but I really enjoyed it! Miri is such a fun (and relatable) character, you just can't do anything but love her! I mean, she has baggage and a ton of life experience, so it makes sense that she would be able to utilise all that for something greater, no?
Plus, it makes me feel like there is still hope for me as well haha ;)
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book and all I can really say is, well done! Another great start of a new series and one which I will be recommending to many readers.
February 19, 2023
2.5 stars
The subtitle of this novel is "Humorous Paranormal Women's Fiction". That says it all. I wanted to like this book, it sounded right up my alley, but I couldn't.
Positive things:
* The heroine Miriam is 40+. She's size 12. She is a single mother. She has magic. She is Jewish. The combination doesn't happen too often in this particular genre.
* The action takes place in Vancouver, Canada - my hometown. It's rare that urban fantasy takes place in my backyard. I think Vancouver is a unique setting for the genre.
* The magic and the magical shenanigans in the world the author has crafted are based on Jewish mythology and have roots in the Torah. As I'm Jewish too, I liked this aspect of the story. Again, it is rare for the genre.
Negative things:
* I didn't really like any of the characters, couldn't bond with any of them.
* The heroine behaved like a teenager most of the time, rushing into danger, not thinking things through. I was in her position, and I would never do or say what she did. Never in my life. Her actions were stupid and irresponsible, and I don't like stupid people.
* All the characters were rather shallow. More than flat but less than 3D. Maybe 2.5 dimensions would be the right description. And distant too. I couldn't feel their emotions. Half the time they didn't seem to have any emotions, the other half, they hid them behind incomprehensible banter.
* And then, there is this banter, this strange slang they use, based on some cultural references I didn't understand. So most of the dialog was only partly transparent to me.
* Humor? What humor? It wasn't funny at all.
Overall: I finished the novel, and it was sort-of OK, but I don't think I'll read more of this author.
The subtitle of this novel is "Humorous Paranormal Women's Fiction". That says it all. I wanted to like this book, it sounded right up my alley, but I couldn't.
Positive things:
* The heroine Miriam is 40+. She's size 12. She is a single mother. She has magic. She is Jewish. The combination doesn't happen too often in this particular genre.
* The action takes place in Vancouver, Canada - my hometown. It's rare that urban fantasy takes place in my backyard. I think Vancouver is a unique setting for the genre.
* The magic and the magical shenanigans in the world the author has crafted are based on Jewish mythology and have roots in the Torah. As I'm Jewish too, I liked this aspect of the story. Again, it is rare for the genre.
Negative things:
* I didn't really like any of the characters, couldn't bond with any of them.
* The heroine behaved like a teenager most of the time, rushing into danger, not thinking things through. I was in her position, and I would never do or say what she did. Never in my life. Her actions were stupid and irresponsible, and I don't like stupid people.
* All the characters were rather shallow. More than flat but less than 3D. Maybe 2.5 dimensions would be the right description. And distant too. I couldn't feel their emotions. Half the time they didn't seem to have any emotions, the other half, they hid them behind incomprehensible banter.
* And then, there is this banter, this strange slang they use, based on some cultural references I didn't understand. So most of the dialog was only partly transparent to me.
* Humor? What humor? It wasn't funny at all.
Overall: I finished the novel, and it was sort-of OK, but I don't think I'll read more of this author.
Read
July 5, 2022DNF
March 24, 2022
Started out a bit slow and had some questionable magic issues (like why do these people keep using their magic for random mundane things if there's a chance it can backfire on them and kill them?? Most of the magic we saw used in the book is hardly worth it for such a high risk of backfire. Like we saw 4 cases I believe in this book alone and the book spans less than a week of time). Anyway, once the book got going I resolved to ignore the above mentioned plot issues and the ending was enjoyable. Realistically I rounded up a star to support a small time author.
February 25, 2024
4.75
I really enjoyed this book. I don't really read women's fiction, but this book was really enjoyable. I expected more romance, but that's probably just a me thing. The story was very interesting, and the magic system was fascinating. The characters were very dynamic, and I wish I got to spend more time with these characters within the story. This book also gave me similar vibes to Cupcakes, Trinkets, and other Deadly Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge, but that might be just because I read them so close together.
I really enjoyed this book. I don't really read women's fiction, but this book was really enjoyable. I expected more romance, but that's probably just a me thing. The story was very interesting, and the magic system was fascinating. The characters were very dynamic, and I wish I got to spend more time with these characters within the story. This book also gave me similar vibes to Cupcakes, Trinkets, and other Deadly Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge, but that might be just because I read them so close together.
January 25, 2022
Quick(ish) Review
Keeping it simple because I devoured this whole series and moved onto another series by this author so suffice to say, yeah I liked it. This is womens fiction paranormal mystery with interesting, diverse, characters, as well as great worldbuilding based on Hebrew mythology which is different. I wouldn’t consider it a romance, though there’s a minor tease for a potential relationship. If this sounds good to you, you may enjoy like I did.
Keeping it simple because I devoured this whole series and moved onto another series by this author so suffice to say, yeah I liked it. This is womens fiction paranormal mystery with interesting, diverse, characters, as well as great worldbuilding based on Hebrew mythology which is different. I wouldn’t consider it a romance, though there’s a minor tease for a potential relationship. If this sounds good to you, you may enjoy like I did.
July 4, 2024
Creative. Fun. Real for a woman in her prime. I love how it was a story not centered around the main characters falling in love or hanging on a spark and needing answers.
A clever mix of all popular paranormal beings and some I hadn’t heard of before and some new lore about histories and where magic comes from.
A clever mix of all popular paranormal beings and some I hadn’t heard of before and some new lore about histories and where magic comes from.
Read
October 25, 2021Brilliant first line - I felt, sadly it went downhill from there.
I'm finding it really annoying when a PWF or Paranormal Womens Fiction book (pre-requisite to qualify is a minimum age of 40 and an understanding that we're done with whiny 20-somethings) fails to BE a PWF book.
The original fab 13 who launched this genre all kept to the basics of the idea and gave us some new and genuinely wonderful, fun, well-worth-reading books but some of the newer authors who seem to have leapt onto the bandwagon are starting to really disappoint me.
I'm not rating this because I gave up at about 30% on a KU loan.
To have a woman (I think she's stated as 42 years old) behave like a whiny teenager and/or a disempowered idiot at work (and I can see how that could be but the author didn't explain any reason why it is was) and then engage in the usual old-school UF/paranormal antics of being TSTL and not appearing to have actually learnt anything about the world, herself, her magic, (yes, yes it's explained why she chose not to use it - but then hey, she does, almost immediately - so it's also annoying) was just a huge disappointment. Walking through dark alleys alone, if you're probably being followed isn't TSTL - Noooooo.
I have a policy of if I read less than 50% I don't rate. Maybe I should have given it longer - others seem to enjoy it and that's great - but frankly, at my age, I have enough nonsense dramas in my real life and I don't need more in a book especially when there's a whole bunch of typos in it and it still doesn't seem to be going anywhere interesting almost 34% in. She didn't even tell me enough for me to care about her friend/the victim - Perhaps I should have met her while she was alive?
PWF should equal women we'd like to have lunch with and not ... idiots.
I'd recommend Elizabeth Hunter (any of her PWF stuff), Leigh Raventhorne (The Magickal series) or Victoria Danann (the Not too Late - Midlife series) instead.
I'm finding it really annoying when a PWF or Paranormal Womens Fiction book (pre-requisite to qualify is a minimum age of 40 and an understanding that we're done with whiny 20-somethings) fails to BE a PWF book.
The original fab 13 who launched this genre all kept to the basics of the idea and gave us some new and genuinely wonderful, fun, well-worth-reading books but some of the newer authors who seem to have leapt onto the bandwagon are starting to really disappoint me.
I'm not rating this because I gave up at about 30% on a KU loan.
To have a woman (I think she's stated as 42 years old) behave like a whiny teenager and/or a disempowered idiot at work (and I can see how that could be but the author didn't explain any reason why it is was) and then engage in the usual old-school UF/paranormal antics of being TSTL and not appearing to have actually learnt anything about the world, herself, her magic, (yes, yes it's explained why she chose not to use it - but then hey, she does, almost immediately - so it's also annoying) was just a huge disappointment. Walking through dark alleys alone, if you're probably being followed isn't TSTL - Noooooo.
I have a policy of if I read less than 50% I don't rate. Maybe I should have given it longer - others seem to enjoy it and that's great - but frankly, at my age, I have enough nonsense dramas in my real life and I don't need more in a book especially when there's a whole bunch of typos in it and it still doesn't seem to be going anywhere interesting almost 34% in. She didn't even tell me enough for me to care about her friend/the victim - Perhaps I should have met her while she was alive?
PWF should equal women we'd like to have lunch with and not ... idiots.
I'd recommend Elizabeth Hunter (any of her PWF stuff), Leigh Raventhorne (The Magickal series) or Victoria Danann (the Not too Late - Midlife series) instead.
May 15, 2021
PWF of Action, Humour, Wit and Banter a Plenty
Miriam is a woman of my own heart. She’s a mum, is acutely aware of her flaws, but also her own power, supernatural things aside. I was laughing and snapping throughout this entire book. Miriam is my spirit animal. Internal monologues in books usually annoy me but Miriams inner voice is what I wanna be like when I grow up.
I love the storyline and banter she has with the male lead, Mr Huff ‘n Puff. What is his real name again?… It doesn’t matter. Their nicknames for each other are endearing and I’m looking forward to seeing where the tension between them leads to.
The action and pacing of this book suited my tastes well, and went down like a bottle of Moscato on a school night – really happily and quickly. There are bad guys everywhere, and even the man in her employ has secrets of his own. Tick, tick and tick for me.
‘Throwing Shade’ was slightly different to what I thought it would be. But it delivered what I was wanting. Fast action, sexual tension, wit, badassery and humour within the paranormal UF setting. Thoroughly enjoyed it and will be continuing this series for some good light-hearted easy reading.
I received a copy of this for review from the publisher Te Da Media Inc and NetGalley (thank you so much!) All opinions are my own.
Miriam is a woman of my own heart. She’s a mum, is acutely aware of her flaws, but also her own power, supernatural things aside. I was laughing and snapping throughout this entire book. Miriam is my spirit animal. Internal monologues in books usually annoy me but Miriams inner voice is what I wanna be like when I grow up.
I love the storyline and banter she has with the male lead, Mr Huff ‘n Puff. What is his real name again?… It doesn’t matter. Their nicknames for each other are endearing and I’m looking forward to seeing where the tension between them leads to.
The action and pacing of this book suited my tastes well, and went down like a bottle of Moscato on a school night – really happily and quickly. There are bad guys everywhere, and even the man in her employ has secrets of his own. Tick, tick and tick for me.
‘Throwing Shade’ was slightly different to what I thought it would be. But it delivered what I was wanting. Fast action, sexual tension, wit, badassery and humour within the paranormal UF setting. Thoroughly enjoyed it and will be continuing this series for some good light-hearted easy reading.
I received a copy of this for review from the publisher Te Da Media Inc and NetGalley (thank you so much!) All opinions are my own.
April 27, 2021
I really wanted to love this more than I did but something was holding me back. I would be curious to see if book two was better and I could connect more with the story. This wasn't a bad read at all though and I think many people are going to love it, especially those like me who are loving this "new" genre!
August 4, 2021
Did not care for the author's writing.
August 27, 2021
Awful narrator on audible - dreadful attempt at an Irish accent, unfinishable.
October 22, 2021
2 stars
DNF @ 25%
This does not spark joy.
While this did start out promising, that did not last.
The writing did not work for me. It feels kind of flat.
DNF @ 25%
This does not spark joy.
While this did start out promising, that did not last.
The writing did not work for me. It feels kind of flat.
March 14, 2022
Gruesome confusing mess full of incredibly unlikable characters.
October 17, 2023
I couldn’t get past the middle of chapter 5.
February 28, 2022
This review does have things that people might view as spoilers. Read at your own risk.
This book has a high review because of Laurent (a person after my own heart because yes people should have books in their homes).
Oh my word, Miri was so annoying with her moral compass and “oh we can’t kill them” like you had no problem killing the poor vampire or the spirits, but any mention of oh hey we need to get rid of this person it’s all “oh no we shouldn’t because it’s murder”. Can anybody say hypocrite?
I must have a very different sense of humor because I found none of this humorous. In fact, Miri killed all of the humor with her self righteousness.
I liked that the story took place in BC, but at the same time I hate how as soon as the author mentioned one character moved from Alberta to Vancouver it was like oh now we can throw places around that will make people realize where they are. I wished there was a little more finesse to that. And I also wished we got Laurent or someone else’s pov because I needed a break from Miri’s character. She’s a little strong in her moral dilemma (normally there’s nothing wrong with this, but this is done in the extreme), and she really picked and chose her targets for feminism like if you are going to have this many issues with men at least do it for all of them.
This story did not go how I thought it would because it turns out she always had magic, but from reading the blurb I was under the assumption that she just got her magic. Also, the golem is not in the book that much to warrant him being in the blurb which is too bad because his sassiness is awesome. Laurent was my favorite and I think I’d continue the series just to get to know more about him (fingers crossed Miri tones down her character a bit because I can only handle her for so long).
Another thing that bugged me in this book is that it was a plot of conveniences. Meaning that things happened for the sake of it not because it actually moved the plot along like the one person who was supposed to help her…let me say one half sentence and then oh look vampire oh look let me goad them and oh look they died. Now she will never know, but wait another character she can’t stand is waiting for her at home and inadvertently gives her the answer she seeks. Like I gave up even pretending to follow along.
Don’t get me wrong I normally love these kinds of books, but this missed the mark for me so I couldn’t give it five stars like these books normally get from me.
Also, I love how the characters are diverse, but somehow every character that we meet properly is Jewish. I would have loved to have had the religions be more diverse because it was starting to feel like only Jewish people could obtain any magic or be supernatural or they could still be Jewish but have another faith as well especially since it is on earth.
I also don’t get how Miri went from knowing practically nothing about the magic world to all of a sudden being a flaunt of knowledge.
If you read this book it’s better if you suspend all disbelief and go into with the knowledge that it’s a very very slow burn romance like none of the characters really do anything romantic.
⭐️3.5
💧6
This book has a high review because of Laurent (a person after my own heart because yes people should have books in their homes).
Oh my word, Miri was so annoying with her moral compass and “oh we can’t kill them” like you had no problem killing the poor vampire or the spirits, but any mention of oh hey we need to get rid of this person it’s all “oh no we shouldn’t because it’s murder”. Can anybody say hypocrite?
I must have a very different sense of humor because I found none of this humorous. In fact, Miri killed all of the humor with her self righteousness.
I liked that the story took place in BC, but at the same time I hate how as soon as the author mentioned one character moved from Alberta to Vancouver it was like oh now we can throw places around that will make people realize where they are. I wished there was a little more finesse to that. And I also wished we got Laurent or someone else’s pov because I needed a break from Miri’s character. She’s a little strong in her moral dilemma (normally there’s nothing wrong with this, but this is done in the extreme), and she really picked and chose her targets for feminism like if you are going to have this many issues with men at least do it for all of them.
This story did not go how I thought it would because it turns out she always had magic, but from reading the blurb I was under the assumption that she just got her magic. Also, the golem is not in the book that much to warrant him being in the blurb which is too bad because his sassiness is awesome. Laurent was my favorite and I think I’d continue the series just to get to know more about him (fingers crossed Miri tones down her character a bit because I can only handle her for so long).
Another thing that bugged me in this book is that it was a plot of conveniences. Meaning that things happened for the sake of it not because it actually moved the plot along like the one person who was supposed to help her…let me say one half sentence and then oh look vampire oh look let me goad them and oh look they died. Now she will never know, but wait another character she can’t stand is waiting for her at home and inadvertently gives her the answer she seeks. Like I gave up even pretending to follow along.
Don’t get me wrong I normally love these kinds of books, but this missed the mark for me so I couldn’t give it five stars like these books normally get from me.
Also, I love how the characters are diverse, but somehow every character that we meet properly is Jewish. I would have loved to have had the religions be more diverse because it was starting to feel like only Jewish people could obtain any magic or be supernatural or they could still be Jewish but have another faith as well especially since it is on earth.
I also don’t get how Miri went from knowing practically nothing about the magic world to all of a sudden being a flaunt of knowledge.
If you read this book it’s better if you suspend all disbelief and go into with the knowledge that it’s a very very slow burn romance like none of the characters really do anything romantic.
⭐️3.5
💧6
February 27, 2021
She’s tossing her shapewear, owning her hormones, and letting her magic fly free.
Underestimate her. That’ll be fun.
It’s official. Miriam Feldman is killing it in the midlife crisis department. She’s mastered boredom, aced invisibility, and graduated Summa Cum Laude in smiling and playing nice in her post-divorce life. But when a drink with a “good guy” goes sideways, Miriam snaps, and in a cold dark rage unleashes a rare and powerful shadow magic.
If you’re craving funny urban fantasy or paranormal women’s fiction featuring sassy women who kick butt, strong female friendships, and swoony, sexy romance, you’re in the right place.
This is the first book in what looks to be a fantastic new series and one where I actually have something in common with. Miriam is happy-ish. She has an ok job, a well adjusted 16 year old daughter,an ex-husband who she has a great relationship with and Jude, her best friend who is trying to convince Miriam to grab life by the horns.
Miri and Jude arrange to meet for after-work drinks but Jude doesn't show up. The same night, Miri is attacked and it is during this that Miri's magic is awakened and she begins to wonder if perhaps these incidents are connected in some way.
As she begins to investigate this and the magic that she has hidden and ignored since she was a child, Miri is propelled in to the world of magic, vampires, golems and gargoyles. She also seems to have teamed up with an irritable French wolf shifter who until now has very much been a "lone wolf".
I adored this book and would have read it so much faster if work hadn't got in the way. The main characters are great and you can really see that they're going to be firm favourites and it's going to be great to see them develop.
I've even signed up to the mailing list - and I never do that.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley.
Underestimate her. That’ll be fun.
It’s official. Miriam Feldman is killing it in the midlife crisis department. She’s mastered boredom, aced invisibility, and graduated Summa Cum Laude in smiling and playing nice in her post-divorce life. But when a drink with a “good guy” goes sideways, Miriam snaps, and in a cold dark rage unleashes a rare and powerful shadow magic.
If you’re craving funny urban fantasy or paranormal women’s fiction featuring sassy women who kick butt, strong female friendships, and swoony, sexy romance, you’re in the right place.
This is the first book in what looks to be a fantastic new series and one where I actually have something in common with. Miriam is happy-ish. She has an ok job, a well adjusted 16 year old daughter,an ex-husband who she has a great relationship with and Jude, her best friend who is trying to convince Miriam to grab life by the horns.
Miri and Jude arrange to meet for after-work drinks but Jude doesn't show up. The same night, Miri is attacked and it is during this that Miri's magic is awakened and she begins to wonder if perhaps these incidents are connected in some way.
As she begins to investigate this and the magic that she has hidden and ignored since she was a child, Miri is propelled in to the world of magic, vampires, golems and gargoyles. She also seems to have teamed up with an irritable French wolf shifter who until now has very much been a "lone wolf".
I adored this book and would have read it so much faster if work hadn't got in the way. The main characters are great and you can really see that they're going to be firm favourites and it's going to be great to see them develop.
I've even signed up to the mailing list - and I never do that.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley.
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