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F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad Investigation #1
Mind Over Monsters
Beatrice Alexander is no ordinary schoolteacher--she can move objects with her mind, an embarrassing skill she hasn't yet mastered or embraced. After nearly killing her brother by accident, she joins the F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad, the Federal Response to Extra-Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals. This top-secret branch of the FBI combats ghosts, ghouls, and other monsters threatening humanity.
With her teammates--among them a handsome former-detective werewolf and an annoying Don Juan vampire who's dead-set on seducing her--Beatrice investigates her first case. Disgustingly dismembered bodies have turned up, bearing bite marks of the undead. Someone--or something--is raising a horde of hideous, bloodthirsty zombies. Armed with Bette, her trusty machete, Beatrice takes on the master of the flesh-devouring corpses, who's guarding a horrifying secret . . .
Featuring a team of monster hunters with unique paranormal abilities, the F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad Investigation series combines humor, suspense, and supernatural crime-fighting.
With her teammates--among them a handsome former-detective werewolf and an annoying Don Juan vampire who's dead-set on seducing her--Beatrice investigates her first case. Disgustingly dismembered bodies have turned up, bearing bite marks of the undead. Someone--or something--is raising a horde of hideous, bloodthirsty zombies. Armed with Bette, her trusty machete, Beatrice takes on the master of the flesh-devouring corpses, who's guarding a horrifying secret . . .
Featuring a team of monster hunters with unique paranormal abilities, the F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad Investigation series combines humor, suspense, and supernatural crime-fighting.
280 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
19 people are currently reading
1588 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Harlow
28 books407 followersJennifer Harlow spent her restless childhood fighting with her three brothers and scaring the heck out of herself with horror movies and books. She grew up to earn a degree at the University of Virginia which she put to use as a radio DJ, crisis hotline volunteer, bookseller, lab assistant, wedding coordinator, and government investigator. Currently she calls Northern Virgina home but that restless itch is ever present. In her free time she continues to scare the beejepers out of herself watching scary movies and opening her credit card bills.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
October 22, 2011
Romancing the Dark Side Review:
A light-hearted and fun unconventional tale of the paranormal where two worlds of monsters collide!
Beatrice Alexander is an ordinary school teacher with extraordinary powers. She psychokinetic and knows the ability to move objects with her mind isn't exactly "normal" so she tends to keep to herself. When she accidentally hurts those closest to her, Beatrice is approached by a secret organization of the FBI, the F.R.E.A.K.S., the Federal Response to Extra Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals division (clever, right?) and decides to leave books and teaching behind to dedicate her time hunting down monsters. In F.R.E.A.K.S. Beatrice has found a family and acceptance, even among the sexy vampire and werewolf members. With her training complete she's ready to get out and kick some monster butt, but her first mission to find a necromancer creating zombies will have Beatrice questioning her choice to become the F.R.E.A.K. she's tried so hard to hide.
Mind Over Monsters is a stellar debut in urban fantasy! I was surprised at the cheeky humor in this book but it totally works against the dark urban fantasy backdrop. The author chose a diverse group of characters that perfectly mesh, even with their different personalities, a werewolf and vampire sleeping under the same roof, who would of thought?! There's always a bit of gore when it comes to dealing with zombies but I was never disgusted enough to put the book down! Beatrice is a fantastic leading lady who has some of the best one-liners, but also kicks ass when the occasion calls for it, her narrative voice really draws you into the story. My favorite element to this story has to be the awkward but intriguing love triangle developing between Will, the werewolf, Beatrice and Oliver, the vampire. The chemistry between these characters is electric and the author knows just how to keep it interesting with the always-present tension.
Jennifer Harlow has created a brand new dramatic world of monsters with plenty of mystery, an exceptional heroine and a compelling cast of characters. The story never fails to entertain and keeps you engrossed with all the action and suspense. Mind Over Monsters is a paranormal mystery that includes hungry zombies in graveyards, ghouls, close encounters with a werewolf, vampire attacks and a lesson in zombie babysitting...why wouldn't you want to read it for yourself?! Having us wait until Fall 2012 for the sequel is just torture!
{Book courtesy of Bewitching Book Tours for review}
A light-hearted and fun unconventional tale of the paranormal where two worlds of monsters collide!
Beatrice Alexander is an ordinary school teacher with extraordinary powers. She psychokinetic and knows the ability to move objects with her mind isn't exactly "normal" so she tends to keep to herself. When she accidentally hurts those closest to her, Beatrice is approached by a secret organization of the FBI, the F.R.E.A.K.S., the Federal Response to Extra Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals division (clever, right?) and decides to leave books and teaching behind to dedicate her time hunting down monsters. In F.R.E.A.K.S. Beatrice has found a family and acceptance, even among the sexy vampire and werewolf members. With her training complete she's ready to get out and kick some monster butt, but her first mission to find a necromancer creating zombies will have Beatrice questioning her choice to become the F.R.E.A.K. she's tried so hard to hide.
Mind Over Monsters is a stellar debut in urban fantasy! I was surprised at the cheeky humor in this book but it totally works against the dark urban fantasy backdrop. The author chose a diverse group of characters that perfectly mesh, even with their different personalities, a werewolf and vampire sleeping under the same roof, who would of thought?! There's always a bit of gore when it comes to dealing with zombies but I was never disgusted enough to put the book down! Beatrice is a fantastic leading lady who has some of the best one-liners, but also kicks ass when the occasion calls for it, her narrative voice really draws you into the story. My favorite element to this story has to be the awkward but intriguing love triangle developing between Will, the werewolf, Beatrice and Oliver, the vampire. The chemistry between these characters is electric and the author knows just how to keep it interesting with the always-present tension.
Jennifer Harlow has created a brand new dramatic world of monsters with plenty of mystery, an exceptional heroine and a compelling cast of characters. The story never fails to entertain and keeps you engrossed with all the action and suspense. Mind Over Monsters is a paranormal mystery that includes hungry zombies in graveyards, ghouls, close encounters with a werewolf, vampire attacks and a lesson in zombie babysitting...why wouldn't you want to read it for yourself?! Having us wait until Fall 2012 for the sequel is just torture!
{Book courtesy of Bewitching Book Tours for review}
December 27, 2019
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I had this novel for a very long time, but it took me a little while to get into the story. I had bought it after reading some nice reviews and I finally started it.
Beatrice always had a gift that put her on the margins of society. It always made her a little strange, but since she rescued one of her students who was about to be crushed, something has come out of her. Her power has become more powerful. So when a man comes forward to offer her a new life, one where she can train her power and meet other people like her, she accepts it. This special FBI subsidiary would allow her to no longer be considered as a monster.
I really enjoyed discovering Beatrice. She doesn’t know how to deal with everything that happens to her and when she discovers all these people who know each other, so different from each other and that in addition she finds herself in the middle of an investigation and danger, things completely escape her. The investigation was really very nice even if it wasn’t very complicated to find the culprit. I really liked the small team with Will the sexy werewolf, but a little alpha or Oliver, the vampire a little unbearable and yet also touching at times.
Yes, it was a good discovery and I am curious to read more!
My English review
I had this novel for a very long time, but it took me a little while to get into the story. I had bought it after reading some nice reviews and I finally started it.
Beatrice always had a gift that put her on the margins of society. It always made her a little strange, but since she rescued one of her students who was about to be crushed, something has come out of her. Her power has become more powerful. So when a man comes forward to offer her a new life, one where she can train her power and meet other people like her, she accepts it. This special FBI subsidiary would allow her to no longer be considered as a monster.
I really enjoyed discovering Beatrice. She doesn’t know how to deal with everything that happens to her and when she discovers all these people who know each other, so different from each other and that in addition she finds herself in the middle of an investigation and danger, things completely escape her. The investigation was really very nice even if it wasn’t very complicated to find the culprit. I really liked the small team with Will the sexy werewolf, but a little alpha or Oliver, the vampire a little unbearable and yet also touching at times.
Yes, it was a good discovery and I am curious to read more!
October 18, 2011
Mind Over Monsters is very well written with characters I love and can’t wait to read more about them. I’ve not read many books where the author titles each chapter but I really like it, cause it sets the tone for what’s coming up and with a chapter entitled “A Machete Is a Girl’s Best Friend” you know that the book is freaky funny.
Mind Over Monsters is a great urban fantast read with mystery, some gore (it’s going to get messy when you start cutting up zombies), and there is also a little romance, that looks like it could turn out to be a really good triangle between Beatrice, Will and Oliver.
Think X-Men with paranormal creatures, where the guys are monsters too. The bad guy is a necromancer and the zombie graveyard scenes make me think of the old Anita Blake, you know when she solved mysteries before all the orgies got in the way.
Mind Over Monsters was a great debut novel from Harlow. I will without a doubt be checking out the next book in the series.
If you’re a fan of the Jaz Parks series by Jennifer Rardin or the early books in the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamiltion you will enjoy Harlow’s Mind Over Monsters.
Mind Over Monsters is a great urban fantast read with mystery, some gore (it’s going to get messy when you start cutting up zombies), and there is also a little romance, that looks like it could turn out to be a really good triangle between Beatrice, Will and Oliver.
Think X-Men with paranormal creatures, where the guys are monsters too. The bad guy is a necromancer and the zombie graveyard scenes make me think of the old Anita Blake, you know when she solved mysteries before all the orgies got in the way.
Mind Over Monsters was a great debut novel from Harlow. I will without a doubt be checking out the next book in the series.
If you’re a fan of the Jaz Parks series by Jennifer Rardin or the early books in the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamiltion you will enjoy Harlow’s Mind Over Monsters.
December 27, 2011
My reviews can also be found at: http://escapingwithfiction.blogspot.com/
First I would like to thank the author, Jennifer Harlow, for sending me this book! I won it in a goodreads giveaway and she was nice enough to also send me an awesome bookmark, a list of songs on the playlist for the book, and a very nice card/note.
Let me begin this review by saying that this book pretty much rocked my socks! I love all things paranormal, so when I started in on this story I quickly discovered that I'd hit the motherload! In this book is the existence of every supernatural entity you could think of: ghouls, zombies, ghosts, trolls, necromancers, werewolves, vampires, ogres and so on. There are also several individuals with psychic abilities ranging anywhere from mediums to pyrokinetics--anything is possible in this book. Aside from the outstanding characters and creatures, this story is very creative and well-written. The storyline is also very fast-paced and the book is extremely hard to put down.
The protagonist and narrator, Beatrice, is my kind of gal; she's smart, witty and incredibly fun to read about, and seeing things through her perspective is a fun and exciting experience. One of the things I love most about her is how much she grows throughout the novel. She starts off being scared, unsure and isolated because of her gift as a telekinetic; but over the course of the story she ends up being more self-aware and a total badass!
Joining the "F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad" proves to be a very dangerous but rewarding experience for Bea. Her first assignment involves a grueling investigation to stop a murderous necromancer and this process involves a lot of blood, sweat and danger--and the wielding of a machete (yes, Bea's cool like that!). My favorite thing ever is a female character holding her own and kicking some serious butt, and that's exactly what Beatrice did.
Another reason to absolutely adore this book is the hot werewolf and the seductive vampire who are both interested in Bea. These two characters couldn't be more different, but they are both extremely desirable nonetheless. Will, the werewolf, is in charge of the "F.R.E.A.K.S." and he's got plenty going for him; he's smokin' hot, strong, and has a lot of integrity. This man also has a very boy-next-door vibe going on that's impossible to resist. Oliver, A.K.A. the most gorgeous man and vampire in the history of EVER, has a devilishly smooth way about him. At first I wasn't sure how to feel about him, because he's one of those guys that you should probably hate but he's just so darn charming that you can't. His interactions with Bea cracked me up every time, and I grew quite fond of him after some of his many layers were peeled back to reveal a kindness under that pompous exterior. It will no doubt be interesting to see how the tension between Bea and these men carries out.
This book has quickly become a new favorite of mine and to say that I am eagerly awaiting the second book in this series is a serious understatement. I cannot wait to read more about Bea; with her sassy talk and overall amazing demeanor that will never cease to entertain. So, do yourself a favor and get your hands on this book, because you will not be disappointed!
First I would like to thank the author, Jennifer Harlow, for sending me this book! I won it in a goodreads giveaway and she was nice enough to also send me an awesome bookmark, a list of songs on the playlist for the book, and a very nice card/note.
Let me begin this review by saying that this book pretty much rocked my socks! I love all things paranormal, so when I started in on this story I quickly discovered that I'd hit the motherload! In this book is the existence of every supernatural entity you could think of: ghouls, zombies, ghosts, trolls, necromancers, werewolves, vampires, ogres and so on. There are also several individuals with psychic abilities ranging anywhere from mediums to pyrokinetics--anything is possible in this book. Aside from the outstanding characters and creatures, this story is very creative and well-written. The storyline is also very fast-paced and the book is extremely hard to put down.
The protagonist and narrator, Beatrice, is my kind of gal; she's smart, witty and incredibly fun to read about, and seeing things through her perspective is a fun and exciting experience. One of the things I love most about her is how much she grows throughout the novel. She starts off being scared, unsure and isolated because of her gift as a telekinetic; but over the course of the story she ends up being more self-aware and a total badass!
Joining the "F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad" proves to be a very dangerous but rewarding experience for Bea. Her first assignment involves a grueling investigation to stop a murderous necromancer and this process involves a lot of blood, sweat and danger--and the wielding of a machete (yes, Bea's cool like that!). My favorite thing ever is a female character holding her own and kicking some serious butt, and that's exactly what Beatrice did.
Another reason to absolutely adore this book is the hot werewolf and the seductive vampire who are both interested in Bea. These two characters couldn't be more different, but they are both extremely desirable nonetheless. Will, the werewolf, is in charge of the "F.R.E.A.K.S." and he's got plenty going for him; he's smokin' hot, strong, and has a lot of integrity. This man also has a very boy-next-door vibe going on that's impossible to resist. Oliver, A.K.A. the most gorgeous man and vampire in the history of EVER, has a devilishly smooth way about him. At first I wasn't sure how to feel about him, because he's one of those guys that you should probably hate but he's just so darn charming that you can't. His interactions with Bea cracked me up every time, and I grew quite fond of him after some of his many layers were peeled back to reveal a kindness under that pompous exterior. It will no doubt be interesting to see how the tension between Bea and these men carries out.
This book has quickly become a new favorite of mine and to say that I am eagerly awaiting the second book in this series is a serious understatement. I cannot wait to read more about Bea; with her sassy talk and overall amazing demeanor that will never cease to entertain. So, do yourself a favor and get your hands on this book, because you will not be disappointed!
January 20, 2012
The premise of this book is intriguing. Beatrice’s fellow squad members include a reticent werewolf, an obnoxious vampire, an elegant pyrokinetic, a teleporting teenager, a baby-faced psychometric and a blind medium. Bea’s first case with the group involves evidence of a necromancer in the small town of Bridge Stone, Colorado: he or she is raising zombies, but why and can they stop him before anyone else falls victim?
I wanted to like this book. It’s a first novel and there is definitely potential: I like the idea of a top-secret team of crime-fighters with unique paranormal and supernatural abilities. I like the basic cast of characters.
I don’t like Beatrice, at least not yet. She’s 26 years old but she reads more like a teenager who’s just discovered boys. Yes, I know her romantic experience has been limited, but I think Harlow overdid the number of “OMG, our hands touched!” moments. Not only were there too many of those moments, they were too vividly described; when Bea first meets Will, she opens the door and we’re treated to 3 paragraphs of her thoughts before she says anything and another 2 paragraphs before he replies. The paragraphs may lessen but sadly, this is how most of her interactions with Will and Oliver are portrayed: too much attention focused on telling us exactly what girlish thoughts are streaming through Bea’s mind and not enough attention on simply sketching a scene and letting the reader feel it.
While I enjoy a vicarious glimpse into the life of a newly-discovered “it girl”, Harlow overdoes this as well. Rather than draw me further into the story, it distances me from it. Right off the bat, the girl whom no one noticed before has two hotties vying for her attention and one of those hotties is so traumatized by the death of his wife years before that he’s been completely indifferent to women since—until he first lays eyes upon Bea, that is. It doesn’t ring true: a guy like that would need time to let his guard down.
Not only has Bea suddenly become a hottie-magnet, she’s also at the top of the game on the Squad despite being the newest recruit—and even though she apparently needs 3 1/2 pages of clues before she can figure out she’s talking to a vampire. Ack—if she’s going to be super-quick with guessing what kind of supernatural is most likely to be involved with a particular crime, she should have pegged the vampire within the first paragraph of their meeting. Aside of that minor detail, I like seeing the Ugly Duckling turn into the beautiful swan, the caterpillar turn into a butterfly, but I want to see the transformation happen. The transformation is what makes the story interesting and so far, Harlow has skipped that step. She does show promise in her treatment of the relationship between Bea and Oliver—their scenes at the end of the book were excellent and might be enough to persuade me to give the next book in the series a shot. Untitled as of yet, it is scheduled to come out this fall.
I wanted to like this book. It’s a first novel and there is definitely potential: I like the idea of a top-secret team of crime-fighters with unique paranormal and supernatural abilities. I like the basic cast of characters.
I don’t like Beatrice, at least not yet. She’s 26 years old but she reads more like a teenager who’s just discovered boys. Yes, I know her romantic experience has been limited, but I think Harlow overdid the number of “OMG, our hands touched!” moments. Not only were there too many of those moments, they were too vividly described; when Bea first meets Will, she opens the door and we’re treated to 3 paragraphs of her thoughts before she says anything and another 2 paragraphs before he replies. The paragraphs may lessen but sadly, this is how most of her interactions with Will and Oliver are portrayed: too much attention focused on telling us exactly what girlish thoughts are streaming through Bea’s mind and not enough attention on simply sketching a scene and letting the reader feel it.
While I enjoy a vicarious glimpse into the life of a newly-discovered “it girl”, Harlow overdoes this as well. Rather than draw me further into the story, it distances me from it. Right off the bat, the girl whom no one noticed before has two hotties vying for her attention and one of those hotties is so traumatized by the death of his wife years before that he’s been completely indifferent to women since—until he first lays eyes upon Bea, that is. It doesn’t ring true: a guy like that would need time to let his guard down.
Not only has Bea suddenly become a hottie-magnet, she’s also at the top of the game on the Squad despite being the newest recruit—and even though she apparently needs 3 1/2 pages of clues before she can figure out she’s talking to a vampire. Ack—if she’s going to be super-quick with guessing what kind of supernatural is most likely to be involved with a particular crime, she should have pegged the vampire within the first paragraph of their meeting. Aside of that minor detail, I like seeing the Ugly Duckling turn into the beautiful swan, the caterpillar turn into a butterfly, but I want to see the transformation happen. The transformation is what makes the story interesting and so far, Harlow has skipped that step. She does show promise in her treatment of the relationship between Bea and Oliver—their scenes at the end of the book were excellent and might be enough to persuade me to give the next book in the series a shot. Untitled as of yet, it is scheduled to come out this fall.
June 18, 2012
The author, Jennifer Harlow, contacted me to review this book. First of all, a huuuuuge thanks to her for that. If she hadn't I probably wouldn't have read this amazing book any time soon. I almost didn't accept the review request even, but the synopsis drew me in. And also because she sent me the print book had a lot to do with it because I usually only get ebooks because I love in Belgium.
At first I wasn't sure I would like it, but after reading the guest post she send me, where she interviews the main character, Beatrice, I knew I would be hooked. The interview was really funny and cute too. Oliver *wink wink*
The thing that really hooked me about this book was how there's this team of monster hunters, who are people with paranormal abilities themselves, even a vampire and a werewolf! So of course I started reading it right away once I received it and it sure didn't disappoint!
One of my favorite aspects in the book was the action. Lately I'm all about action in the books I read, without it I feel like it's getting boring. But luckily, Mind Over Monsters had lots of it.
I have to say at first I couldn't really get into the characte of Bea, but that was maybe just some weirdness on my part because later I really liked her. She's funny. We really do have the same humor and she's also really brave. I wouldn't dare do half the things she did!
There wasn't really that much romance and even though I love my portion of romance in a book, I wouldn't have wanted it otherwise. There was some flirting, some eye contact that makes you see fireworks but no kissing, yet, which was fine by me. But it's obvious that there is or will be a love triangle. The werewolf and the vampire. Will and Oliver. Personally I love Oliver the most. I love the way he calls Bea "Trixie" but Will sure is something too.
Another thing that was just perfectly written were the zombies. I could practically smell them!
I also loved guessing about who the bad guy was and I had a lot of theories myself, of course they were all wrong but still it was fun!
The end was so good! Just when I thought everything was over, BAM! something happens again. That was probably one of the major espects of me giving Mind Over Monsters 5 stars. I just love unexpected twists and turns.
The only slightly negative thing that bothered me was the way Bea curses. Like, "Oh, fudge." Maybe that's just part of Bea's character but I'm afraid it's just not my cup of tea. Other than that I really did like her though.
All in all Mind Over Monster was a fantastic read. Funny, cute, witty, action filled and well written. I am definitely looking forward to reading To Catch A Vampire, the second book in the series, which will be available on september 8th 2012.
At first I wasn't sure I would like it, but after reading the guest post she send me, where she interviews the main character, Beatrice, I knew I would be hooked. The interview was really funny and cute too. Oliver *wink wink*
The thing that really hooked me about this book was how there's this team of monster hunters, who are people with paranormal abilities themselves, even a vampire and a werewolf! So of course I started reading it right away once I received it and it sure didn't disappoint!
One of my favorite aspects in the book was the action. Lately I'm all about action in the books I read, without it I feel like it's getting boring. But luckily, Mind Over Monsters had lots of it.
I have to say at first I couldn't really get into the characte of Bea, but that was maybe just some weirdness on my part because later I really liked her. She's funny. We really do have the same humor and she's also really brave. I wouldn't dare do half the things she did!
There wasn't really that much romance and even though I love my portion of romance in a book, I wouldn't have wanted it otherwise. There was some flirting, some eye contact that makes you see fireworks but no kissing, yet, which was fine by me. But it's obvious that there is or will be a love triangle. The werewolf and the vampire. Will and Oliver. Personally I love Oliver the most. I love the way he calls Bea "Trixie" but Will sure is something too.
Another thing that was just perfectly written were the zombies. I could practically smell them!
I also loved guessing about who the bad guy was and I had a lot of theories myself, of course they were all wrong but still it was fun!
The end was so good! Just when I thought everything was over, BAM! something happens again. That was probably one of the major espects of me giving Mind Over Monsters 5 stars. I just love unexpected twists and turns.
The only slightly negative thing that bothered me was the way Bea curses. Like, "Oh, fudge." Maybe that's just part of Bea's character but I'm afraid it's just not my cup of tea. Other than that I really did like her though.
All in all Mind Over Monster was a fantastic read. Funny, cute, witty, action filled and well written. I am definitely looking forward to reading To Catch A Vampire, the second book in the series, which will be available on september 8th 2012.
November 27, 2012
PJV Quickie: ‘Mind over Monsters’ is one of my favorite surprise reads of the year. Fun, witty and a bit of sexy, the characters are over the top enjoyable and the story is interesting and suck-you-in good. Hello Jennifer Harlow. It’s nice to meet you. Can I have some more?
Review: Jennifer Harlow introduces to a fun mix of characters and at their center is Beatrice Alexander. Beatrice is a schoolteacher who has an inexplicable talent of moving things with her mind. She has never been comfortable with her “curse”, which is how she sees it and it becomes obvious that her curse is out-of-control when she almost kills her brother during a fight. Right after the incident she is recruited by a top-secret branch of the FBI that is in place to fight everything that goes bump in the night. The group is called the F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad, The Federal Response to Extra-Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals. Beatrice is trained for combat and how to use her “talent” properly and then she is shipped to the middle of no-where (Kansas) to work in tandem with an eclectic group of FREAKS members. The team includes a former-detective, now were-wolf who Beatrice can’t seam to stop thinking about, a hotter then hot, but ridiculously annoying vampire, a cute goth who can teleport, a guy with psychometry, a girl with pyrokinesis and a few other talents thrown in here and there. It’s a crazy mix of FREAKS and Beatrice is afraid she made the wrong decision. Especially when she seems to be on the outside looking in, that is until the first case comes in and she finds out this mystery solving thing might be interesting. Someone seems to be raising zombies in a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business, but no one seems to be a suspect. Can they figure out who is doing this before it is two late and zombies descend and rip-apart the whole town?
Fun. Fun. Fun. ‘Mind over Monsters’ was gritty, fast-paced and very dramatic. Quips and fun scenes are mixed with emotionally charged heart-string pulling scenes. Beatrice is an epic character comparable to the like of Gini Koch’s Katherine Katt and Jeaniene Frost’s Catherine Crawfield (must have a thing with cat’s this morning). It is an Urban Fantasy, Police Procedural that was just well put together and engaging until the end. I could not put this one down and had to start book two the moment I closed book one. I’m so pleased that I had the pleasure to read this series and look forward to more FREAKS from Harlow.
The beginning does have a choppy start, that I found almost a tad awkward, but I pushed through that very quickly and once I found the pace of the book there was no looking back.
Recommendations: Recommended for Urban Fantasy lovers, if you like your Urban Fantasy with a little humor this is the one for you. There are more adult themes, but this book is not something I would classify as R-rated, more like PG-13. If the early Anita Blake had a sense of humor…she would be Beatrice Alexander.
I’m officially declaring myself Team Oliver!
Review: Jennifer Harlow introduces to a fun mix of characters and at their center is Beatrice Alexander. Beatrice is a schoolteacher who has an inexplicable talent of moving things with her mind. She has never been comfortable with her “curse”, which is how she sees it and it becomes obvious that her curse is out-of-control when she almost kills her brother during a fight. Right after the incident she is recruited by a top-secret branch of the FBI that is in place to fight everything that goes bump in the night. The group is called the F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad, The Federal Response to Extra-Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals. Beatrice is trained for combat and how to use her “talent” properly and then she is shipped to the middle of no-where (Kansas) to work in tandem with an eclectic group of FREAKS members. The team includes a former-detective, now were-wolf who Beatrice can’t seam to stop thinking about, a hotter then hot, but ridiculously annoying vampire, a cute goth who can teleport, a guy with psychometry, a girl with pyrokinesis and a few other talents thrown in here and there. It’s a crazy mix of FREAKS and Beatrice is afraid she made the wrong decision. Especially when she seems to be on the outside looking in, that is until the first case comes in and she finds out this mystery solving thing might be interesting. Someone seems to be raising zombies in a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business, but no one seems to be a suspect. Can they figure out who is doing this before it is two late and zombies descend and rip-apart the whole town?
Fun. Fun. Fun. ‘Mind over Monsters’ was gritty, fast-paced and very dramatic. Quips and fun scenes are mixed with emotionally charged heart-string pulling scenes. Beatrice is an epic character comparable to the like of Gini Koch’s Katherine Katt and Jeaniene Frost’s Catherine Crawfield (must have a thing with cat’s this morning). It is an Urban Fantasy, Police Procedural that was just well put together and engaging until the end. I could not put this one down and had to start book two the moment I closed book one. I’m so pleased that I had the pleasure to read this series and look forward to more FREAKS from Harlow.
The beginning does have a choppy start, that I found almost a tad awkward, but I pushed through that very quickly and once I found the pace of the book there was no looking back.
Recommendations: Recommended for Urban Fantasy lovers, if you like your Urban Fantasy with a little humor this is the one for you. There are more adult themes, but this book is not something I would classify as R-rated, more like PG-13. If the early Anita Blake had a sense of humor…she would be Beatrice Alexander.
I’m officially declaring myself Team Oliver!
August 21, 2016
Great book. I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but I really enjoyed the story.
What I enjoyed:
* Beatrice. Her life is changed when she saves a kid and ends up joining the FREAKS squad. Now she is the newbie and on an investigation that quickly gets out of hand and she holds her own.
* The squad. They have very different personalities and powers and are all really interesting characters.
* The mystery. They are called into a small town after two people are mutilated by "animals". Where it all leads is interesting.
What could have been better:
* I hate love triangles and there are definitely two guys who want Beatrice. While she is saying she would never get with one of them it is really up in the air.
What I enjoyed:
* Beatrice. Her life is changed when she saves a kid and ends up joining the FREAKS squad. Now she is the newbie and on an investigation that quickly gets out of hand and she holds her own.
* The squad. They have very different personalities and powers and are all really interesting characters.
* The mystery. They are called into a small town after two people are mutilated by "animals". Where it all leads is interesting.
What could have been better:
* I hate love triangles and there are definitely two guys who want Beatrice. While she is saying she would never get with one of them it is really up in the air.
March 15, 2016
3.5 stars. A fun and silly paranormal Scooby gang mystery except with real zombies who eat a few people. The main character tries pretty dang hard, she fights for her right to fight quite a bit and runs headlong into danger a bit much, but she meant well. The story moved fast enough to keep me interested, though i confess I rolled my eyes once or twice. But it retained my interest and I had a rollicking good time reading it.
It was darker than I expected from the cartoony cover.
It was darker than I expected from the cartoony cover.
December 16, 2018
I read the first three books in three days, so I'm writing this knowing what will happen in those next books as well. These were all enjoyable reads. It was so easy to get lost in the story.
I should start by saying I really HATE zombies, I really do. So I really hated reading about them and skipped the part where-through a vision-we feel what it's like to be ripped apart by zombies. Not fun. I also found it very unrealistic that there were so many and wanted it to be over. When she then used her powers to annihilate them all I was relieved, but when more started appearing I was like...WHAT? First of all, how many bodies does this graveyard have? Second of all, didn't they all just pop up from their graves and then got destroyed? Third of all, whoever was summoning them should be a little worn out, no? I hate it when baddies are all-powerful and would have liked to see some weakness in him, allowing them to investigate more instead of battling zombies.
However, what kept me going was the main character. I liked her, even if I didn't get her fascination with the werewolf. He was just a broody prick with issues he needed to solve. Oliver, on the other hand, WOW. What an amazing character. It's been a while since I've read a character that made me sad that I was closing the book. I love him so much and zombies or not, he's one of the main reasons I loved reading on.
It is therefore no surprise that I read the other two books as well. Two is definitely my favourite. Three a little less because I can see the main character gravitate towards Will and that was very disappointing. I got the feeling she had this idea of love and her ideal man from before she embraced her telekinetic self and was projecting that on him, instead of going for what she deep down really wanted. I mean, for one thing, she really wants kids and Oliver can't give her that. But it made me wary to read the fourth book and I haven't yet done so. I might start again with book number five, but I'm not sure yet. I do hope there will be more to come. I know from book number four on the books are self-published and there are loads of spelling errors in them, so not sure if I want to mess up my good opinion on this series and end on a high. I will SO miss Oliver, though. I'll find a way to incorporate a similar character in one of my novels one day.
I should start by saying I really HATE zombies, I really do. So I really hated reading about them and skipped the part where-through a vision-we feel what it's like to be ripped apart by zombies. Not fun. I also found it very unrealistic that there were so many and wanted it to be over. When she then used her powers to annihilate them all I was relieved, but when more started appearing I was like...WHAT? First of all, how many bodies does this graveyard have? Second of all, didn't they all just pop up from their graves and then got destroyed? Third of all, whoever was summoning them should be a little worn out, no? I hate it when baddies are all-powerful and would have liked to see some weakness in him, allowing them to investigate more instead of battling zombies.
However, what kept me going was the main character. I liked her, even if I didn't get her fascination with the werewolf. He was just a broody prick with issues he needed to solve. Oliver, on the other hand, WOW. What an amazing character. It's been a while since I've read a character that made me sad that I was closing the book. I love him so much and zombies or not, he's one of the main reasons I loved reading on.
It is therefore no surprise that I read the other two books as well. Two is definitely my favourite. Three a little less because I can see the main character gravitate towards Will and that was very disappointing. I got the feeling she had this idea of love and her ideal man from before she embraced her telekinetic self and was projecting that on him, instead of going for what she deep down really wanted. I mean, for one thing, she really wants kids and Oliver can't give her that. But it made me wary to read the fourth book and I haven't yet done so. I might start again with book number five, but I'm not sure yet. I do hope there will be more to come. I know from book number four on the books are self-published and there are loads of spelling errors in them, so not sure if I want to mess up my good opinion on this series and end on a high. I will SO miss Oliver, though. I'll find a way to incorporate a similar character in one of my novels one day.
November 6, 2011
Mind Over Monsters was A LOT of fun! I would rate it 4.5 stars if I could, but when deciding which side of the .5 the rating should fall on, I leaned toward 4, but it was indeed a great book!
This book features so many different monsters! You see vampires, werewolves, necromancers, ghouls, zombies, people who can create fire, move things with their mind, teleport, etc - honestly a possessed easter bunny could have shown up and I wouldn't have been surprised. This book really reminded me of X-Men and when I told my husband about it, he thought that it sounded similar to League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and I tend to agree! If you are a fan on those comics/cartoons/movies, etc then you will likely love this book.
I really enjoyed that the main character, Beatrice, had her imperfections. In someways, her inner workings reminded me of reading a chick-lit book, but she also kicks some serious butt, which makes it so unusual, inventive and refreshing. The main character - an elementary school teacher - doesn't seem to realize how strong or talented she is and I think that is something that plagues a lot of people, particularly women, so I could relate on that level. I also loved some of the other characters, particularly Will! For some reason throughout the book, I pictured Will as the actor Patrick Wilson, whom I think is so adorable! I was disappointed that their relationship didn't evolve more in this book , but at the same time I appreciated that she didn't turn into some lovesick woman who can't see past the man she is falling for.
As is the case in almost every book I have read this year, there is a love triangle. Not only do Will and Beatrice have a strong attraction to each other, there is also Oliver, who is trying to bed Beatrice. While initially Oliver irritated the heck out of me, it did seem that his intentions became more pure throughout the book and I think he has actually developed true feelings for Beatrice. I for one am Team Will all the way though!
I think the author did a great job with describing the different powers the characters had, as well as with character development . I found myself having a strong reaction to many of the characters - some I loved, some I could not stand - but that shows true skill in my opinion.
As for why this is only 4-stars and not 5-stars...ah, I hate to criticize this book in any way, as I so thoroughly enjoyed it, but it has to be said. I really felt some of the dialogue was SOOOOO cheesy. There are things I cannot even imagine my grandma saying, they are that lame. I cannot buy a grown woman would say such ridiculous phrases (I will need to go skim through it again and edit this later with a few examples - you will get a laugh). There were also spots in the story where it didn't feel real. I would compare the problem to this: when you are watching a movie and there are characters acting so superbly that you believe that these actors are these people they are portraying, but then walks in someone who delivers the lines so poorly that it temporarily ruins the moment, because you immediately realize that this is a person who is acting, just reading a line and not very well. It is strange to think a book could cause this feeling, but it really did. Some of the lines were so awkward and seemed so out-of-character that it felt like they were lifted from a crime TV show and the character in the book is just delivering them because she is supposed to; there were times it genuinely felt like Beatrice was acting. Given the author seems to be very talented, it may be possible that the cheesy and at times unbelievable dialogue were intentional, but for me, it was a distraction and not a good one. The only other thing I did not like about the book - and this holds no weight in my rating - was the cover. I actually had it sitting around for awhile because the cover didn't interest me at all. I am hoping there is a different artist for the next book, as I think covers these days are more important than ever and the bar has been raised so high.
So, that being said, I do highly recommend this book, despite the flaws, I really enjoyed reading it. I think this is a very promising first entry in what will likely be a very entertaining series and I CANNOT WAIT for the next book to come out!
This book features so many different monsters! You see vampires, werewolves, necromancers, ghouls, zombies, people who can create fire, move things with their mind, teleport, etc - honestly a possessed easter bunny could have shown up and I wouldn't have been surprised. This book really reminded me of X-Men and when I told my husband about it, he thought that it sounded similar to League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and I tend to agree! If you are a fan on those comics/cartoons/movies, etc then you will likely love this book.
I really enjoyed that the main character, Beatrice, had her imperfections. In someways, her inner workings reminded me of reading a chick-lit book, but she also kicks some serious butt, which makes it so unusual, inventive and refreshing. The main character - an elementary school teacher - doesn't seem to realize how strong or talented she is and I think that is something that plagues a lot of people, particularly women, so I could relate on that level. I also loved some of the other characters, particularly Will! For some reason throughout the book, I pictured Will as the actor Patrick Wilson, whom I think is so adorable! I was disappointed that their relationship didn't evolve more in this book , but at the same time I appreciated that she didn't turn into some lovesick woman who can't see past the man she is falling for.
As is the case in almost every book I have read this year, there is a love triangle. Not only do Will and Beatrice have a strong attraction to each other, there is also Oliver, who is trying to bed Beatrice. While initially Oliver irritated the heck out of me, it did seem that his intentions became more pure throughout the book and I think he has actually developed true feelings for Beatrice. I for one am Team Will all the way though!
I think the author did a great job with describing the different powers the characters had, as well as with character development . I found myself having a strong reaction to many of the characters - some I loved, some I could not stand - but that shows true skill in my opinion.
As for why this is only 4-stars and not 5-stars...ah, I hate to criticize this book in any way, as I so thoroughly enjoyed it, but it has to be said. I really felt some of the dialogue was SOOOOO cheesy. There are things I cannot even imagine my grandma saying, they are that lame. I cannot buy a grown woman would say such ridiculous phrases (I will need to go skim through it again and edit this later with a few examples - you will get a laugh). There were also spots in the story where it didn't feel real. I would compare the problem to this: when you are watching a movie and there are characters acting so superbly that you believe that these actors are these people they are portraying, but then walks in someone who delivers the lines so poorly that it temporarily ruins the moment, because you immediately realize that this is a person who is acting, just reading a line and not very well. It is strange to think a book could cause this feeling, but it really did. Some of the lines were so awkward and seemed so out-of-character that it felt like they were lifted from a crime TV show and the character in the book is just delivering them because she is supposed to; there were times it genuinely felt like Beatrice was acting. Given the author seems to be very talented, it may be possible that the cheesy and at times unbelievable dialogue were intentional, but for me, it was a distraction and not a good one. The only other thing I did not like about the book - and this holds no weight in my rating - was the cover. I actually had it sitting around for awhile because the cover didn't interest me at all. I am hoping there is a different artist for the next book, as I think covers these days are more important than ever and the bar has been raised so high.
So, that being said, I do highly recommend this book, despite the flaws, I really enjoyed reading it. I think this is a very promising first entry in what will likely be a very entertaining series and I CANNOT WAIT for the next book to come out!
September 29, 2011
I got a signed advanced reading copy of this book at Book Expo America. Harlow was great, very fun to talk to. This was a decent book; it is one of those fluffy and fun sort of paranormal books. If you are into that you will like this book; it was a fun read just not all that original.
Beatrice isn't your normal elementary school teacher; she is telekinetic. After she almost kills her brother by accident she joins the F.R.E.A.K Squad (Federal Response to Extra-Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals Squad). She's been trained and now she is moving in with her fellow F.R.E.A.K.s just in time to help them fight off some zombies and an evil necromancer.
This is one of those books that is a fun light read but not super original. If you are a fan of the lighter side of the paranormal genre; you should find this book entertaining. By lighter side I mean authors like Molly Harper, Katie MacAlister, Nicole Peeler and Jolie Wilkins.
Beatrice is one of those girls who is a good girl (schoolteacher) trying to fit in with a paranormal crowd. Beatrice doesn't necessarily like fighting, but she tries to be as tough as she can to prove herself to her fellow FREAK squad members. She's your every day girl trying to learn how to kick some serious butt.
Like many of these types of books, this book has a love triangle featuring a vampire (Oliver) and a werewolf (Will). There are some steamy scenes between Beatrice and both of these male leads; although things never get past kissing. Again this was fun, the male leads are well done, but nothing we haven't seen before.
It was interesting how the author paired paranormal abilities like teleportation and telekinesis, with paranormal species like werewolves and vampires. It gave the book kind of a paranormals with super-heroes twist to it.
One place where this book does differ from the above-mentioned authors is in the goriness. The goriness of dismembered human bodies is described in great detail; so just a "beware" for those with weak stomachs.
The writing is well done and the book easy to read. The book presents the mystery behind these zombies and wraps that up nicely.
Overall this is a good read. It is well-written, had likable characters, and was fun to read. It was a nice diversion, but there wasn't anything here that was super creative or all that different from a number of other authors out there that do this kind of light, fluffy, fun girl-next-door meets paranormal baddies. So if you are really into light paranormal you might want to give this book a read. I personally enjoy books like Nicole Peeler's Jane True series more because the races you meet are more creative and the world building is more extensive. I also think Molly Harper's Jane Jameson series is funnier. But this series does have a sort of fun paranormal girl next door meets gory violent zombies vibe to it that is fun and entertaining.
Beatrice isn't your normal elementary school teacher; she is telekinetic. After she almost kills her brother by accident she joins the F.R.E.A.K Squad (Federal Response to Extra-Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals Squad). She's been trained and now she is moving in with her fellow F.R.E.A.K.s just in time to help them fight off some zombies and an evil necromancer.
This is one of those books that is a fun light read but not super original. If you are a fan of the lighter side of the paranormal genre; you should find this book entertaining. By lighter side I mean authors like Molly Harper, Katie MacAlister, Nicole Peeler and Jolie Wilkins.
Beatrice is one of those girls who is a good girl (schoolteacher) trying to fit in with a paranormal crowd. Beatrice doesn't necessarily like fighting, but she tries to be as tough as she can to prove herself to her fellow FREAK squad members. She's your every day girl trying to learn how to kick some serious butt.
Like many of these types of books, this book has a love triangle featuring a vampire (Oliver) and a werewolf (Will). There are some steamy scenes between Beatrice and both of these male leads; although things never get past kissing. Again this was fun, the male leads are well done, but nothing we haven't seen before.
It was interesting how the author paired paranormal abilities like teleportation and telekinesis, with paranormal species like werewolves and vampires. It gave the book kind of a paranormals with super-heroes twist to it.
One place where this book does differ from the above-mentioned authors is in the goriness. The goriness of dismembered human bodies is described in great detail; so just a "beware" for those with weak stomachs.
The writing is well done and the book easy to read. The book presents the mystery behind these zombies and wraps that up nicely.
Overall this is a good read. It is well-written, had likable characters, and was fun to read. It was a nice diversion, but there wasn't anything here that was super creative or all that different from a number of other authors out there that do this kind of light, fluffy, fun girl-next-door meets paranormal baddies. So if you are really into light paranormal you might want to give this book a read. I personally enjoy books like Nicole Peeler's Jane True series more because the races you meet are more creative and the world building is more extensive. I also think Molly Harper's Jane Jameson series is funnier. But this series does have a sort of fun paranormal girl next door meets gory violent zombies vibe to it that is fun and entertaining.
May 16, 2018
Quick and lots of fun, with first-person narration in an informal, personable style that brings you directly into a group of interesting people with special powers very much like X-Men and an investigation that leads them into plenty of major supernatural action. "F.R.E.A.K.S.," which is what they cheerfully call themselves, stands for "Federal Response to Extra-sensory And Kindred Supernaturals," and the squad with that name is a highly classified "offshoot" of what else, the FBI.
The story sticks closely to the point of view of the narrator, Beatrice Alexander, as she becomes the first new member of the squad in three years and learns to control her telekinetic power while she works with George, the parapsychologist who recruited her; Will, a werewolf ex-detective and the de facto leader; Carl, a pudgy psychometrist; Irie, pyrokinetics; teenage Nancy, teleportation, who's like a clone of Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat; Andrew, around 60, a blind medium; and Oliver, a scary vampire whose death sentence is suspended so long as he cooperates. Four normal special agents also work with the squad.
Based in a Kansas mansion that masquerades as a private mental institute 10 miles from the nearest town, the squad flies to a small town in Colorado to investigate two killings that were claimed to be wild animal attacks but the bite marks on the corpses are human. A powerful necromancer is raising zombies from nearby cemeteries to kill and eat people, and with all their powers our agents have their hands full defending against mass zombie attacks and trying to identify and stop the necromancer.
Although her childhood was tragic and she's burdened by the harm she did in the past with her telekinetic power (), our heroine Bea (don't call her Trixie!) has a positive attitude, tremendous courage, and a sense of humor that go a long way to making this a lively adventure in spite of its horrors. There's romance too, but only in its earliest stages and told in a very amusing way: Bea has the hots for the werewolf and the vampire has the hots for her, and as their feelings develop you can see the possible beginnings of a triangle for the sequel.
There were a few problems, but they didn't spoil my fun. For one, after only two months of intensive training Bea is right up there with the seasoned FBI agents as they conduct their investigation and points out things they somehow didn't see. Really? Okay. This elementary school teacher is a natural detective, accept that and move on. For another, the text needs another round of proofreading. And both the author and the editor need to learn the meaning of "but for the grace of God"--Bea uses it several times in the exact opposite sense.
Overall, exciting and funny. Recommended.
The story sticks closely to the point of view of the narrator, Beatrice Alexander, as she becomes the first new member of the squad in three years and learns to control her telekinetic power while she works with George, the parapsychologist who recruited her; Will, a werewolf ex-detective and the de facto leader; Carl, a pudgy psychometrist; Irie, pyrokinetics; teenage Nancy, teleportation, who's like a clone of Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat; Andrew, around 60, a blind medium; and Oliver, a scary vampire whose death sentence is suspended so long as he cooperates. Four normal special agents also work with the squad.
Based in a Kansas mansion that masquerades as a private mental institute 10 miles from the nearest town, the squad flies to a small town in Colorado to investigate two killings that were claimed to be wild animal attacks but the bite marks on the corpses are human. A powerful necromancer is raising zombies from nearby cemeteries to kill and eat people, and with all their powers our agents have their hands full defending against mass zombie attacks and trying to identify and stop the necromancer.
Although her childhood was tragic and she's burdened by the harm she did in the past with her telekinetic power (), our heroine Bea (don't call her Trixie!) has a positive attitude, tremendous courage, and a sense of humor that go a long way to making this a lively adventure in spite of its horrors. There's romance too, but only in its earliest stages and told in a very amusing way: Bea has the hots for the werewolf and the vampire has the hots for her, and as their feelings develop you can see the possible beginnings of a triangle for the sequel.
There were a few problems, but they didn't spoil my fun. For one, after only two months of intensive training Bea is right up there with the seasoned FBI agents as they conduct their investigation and points out things they somehow didn't see. Really? Okay. This elementary school teacher is a natural detective, accept that and move on. For another, the text needs another round of proofreading. And both the author and the editor need to learn the meaning of "but for the grace of God"--Bea uses it several times in the exact opposite sense.
Overall, exciting and funny. Recommended.
February 21, 2012
It was cute. It was really more of a 2.5 star book because of all of the eye-rolling I had to do, but the series has potential and the narrative had a nice, smooth style. I like that the author is a fan of Jennifer Crusie and Sue Grafton but she didn't do such a good job of imitating either. The humor wasn't so bad, but the mystery was pathetic. Really awful, it made them all look just stupid. And the romance and the agent work suffered from the same issue - suddenly this ordinary and relatable woman is perfect. All of her life she's been the awkward, overweight, out-of-shape, plain-Jane outsider. We like her because she likes the things we like: reading, cake, movies, TV, whatever. She's supposed to be us. Now suddenly she's a hotshot agent who is fearless under pressure, does all sorts of physical things that are just ridiculous (her arms would fall off after swinging that machete a few times) and is planning a mission after two days on the job when everyone else, including the teenager, has at least three more years experience than she has and she barely even knows what the others are capable of. And instantly she's irresistible to the stunning guy who usually rejects everyone and to the other stunning guy who nornally uses everyone. And at the end one of the guys declare that she's a goddess! She has more compassion, is braver, and has more strength of character than anyone he has ever known. It's just too much.
And why did the small town with barely any stores have a butcher shop, who has butcher shops anymore?
I like a fantasy but I prefer more touchstone to reality thrown in there. Other than having a temper and occasional frizzy hair, Bea is just too perfect, the guys are too perfect, and the story wasn't nearly perfect enough. But... it has heart. I still liked Bea, I liked her compassion for the girl. I don't know. It has potential. I known the romance stuff is partly a matter of taste, a lot of people like these instant attraction stories with perfect guys, I just prefer stories where the romance develops over a time frame that feels more realistic and guys who have more quirks and depth. But the guys do have potential, they aren't caricatures. And I like the rest of the team. And the author's writing style is engaging. I'll give the next book a try and hope for a better, smarter mystery and more realistic character development.
And why did the small town with barely any stores have a butcher shop, who has butcher shops anymore?
I like a fantasy but I prefer more touchstone to reality thrown in there. Other than having a temper and occasional frizzy hair, Bea is just too perfect, the guys are too perfect, and the story wasn't nearly perfect enough. But... it has heart. I still liked Bea, I liked her compassion for the girl. I don't know. It has potential. I known the romance stuff is partly a matter of taste, a lot of people like these instant attraction stories with perfect guys, I just prefer stories where the romance develops over a time frame that feels more realistic and guys who have more quirks and depth. But the guys do have potential, they aren't caricatures. And I like the rest of the team. And the author's writing style is engaging. I'll give the next book a try and hope for a better, smarter mystery and more realistic character development.
October 31, 2015
4.5 Stars
Despite having been written in present tense, Mind Over Monsters is a great book. It's a fun mixture of horror, action, and comedy. The problem becomes apparent right away, and the pace is kept up the whole way through the book.
To me, this book falls into the urban fantasy category even though the settings are rural, because the book focuses on her government unit's efforts to investigate and contain a zombie outbreak. If the main character had been an untrained civilian, I still wouldn't categorize this book as cozy mystery because it is way too scary and graphic for most cozy mystery readers.
I liked that the characters did some normal police work in conjunction with using their special abilities. I also liked that the settings were different from the ones usually used in these types of books. When people think of paranormal and monsters, they don't typically think of Kansas and Colorado.
The main character Bea is sensitive but tough. She's brave and generally likable.
Mind Over Monsters was nearly perfect most of the way through. What made this less than a 5 star book to me was inconsistencies toward the end of the book. For example, she says she has a big chunk taken out of her leg, but then later says her worst injury was no bigger than a quarter. It didn't match up.
What really soured my opinion was when Bea named her machete. I absolutely can't stand it when characters name their weapons, vehicles, houses, or anything else that's inanimate. It's a common trope in urban fantasy, but it gets on my last nerve because it somehow makes the character seem fake to me. It makes me aware of the author trying to fit the character into a model of what an urban fantasy character should be like.
Now that I've had my rant, I will go back to my original statement that I did enjoy reading this book. As much as those little things bothered me, I can't allow them to ruin my enjoyment or overall opinion of the book. I will definitely read more books in this series when I get a chance.
If you haven't read Mind Over Monsters yet, and you like stories about kicking zombie and necromancer butts, I suggest giving it a try. It's a lot of fun to read.
Despite having been written in present tense, Mind Over Monsters is a great book. It's a fun mixture of horror, action, and comedy. The problem becomes apparent right away, and the pace is kept up the whole way through the book.
To me, this book falls into the urban fantasy category even though the settings are rural, because the book focuses on her government unit's efforts to investigate and contain a zombie outbreak. If the main character had been an untrained civilian, I still wouldn't categorize this book as cozy mystery because it is way too scary and graphic for most cozy mystery readers.
I liked that the characters did some normal police work in conjunction with using their special abilities. I also liked that the settings were different from the ones usually used in these types of books. When people think of paranormal and monsters, they don't typically think of Kansas and Colorado.
The main character Bea is sensitive but tough. She's brave and generally likable.
Mind Over Monsters was nearly perfect most of the way through. What made this less than a 5 star book to me was inconsistencies toward the end of the book. For example, she says she has a big chunk taken out of her leg, but then later says her worst injury was no bigger than a quarter. It didn't match up.
What really soured my opinion was when Bea named her machete. I absolutely can't stand it when characters name their weapons, vehicles, houses, or anything else that's inanimate. It's a common trope in urban fantasy, but it gets on my last nerve because it somehow makes the character seem fake to me. It makes me aware of the author trying to fit the character into a model of what an urban fantasy character should be like.
Now that I've had my rant, I will go back to my original statement that I did enjoy reading this book. As much as those little things bothered me, I can't allow them to ruin my enjoyment or overall opinion of the book. I will definitely read more books in this series when I get a chance.
If you haven't read Mind Over Monsters yet, and you like stories about kicking zombie and necromancer butts, I suggest giving it a try. It's a lot of fun to read.
September 29, 2011
This review is about a novel that held my attention even though the overall subject, horror, is not my chosen genre. In many ways, the clever, new to me, author was able to make the book a 'cozy' murder mystery, even though she was penning about Vampires, Werewolves, Psychokinetics and more.
Thinking it over, since I am interested in Paranormal like the psycho-fields...I guess it was a good fit for me.
The murders were appropriate to the perpertrators of the crimes, although, a bit gruesome for me, personally. They were cleverly plotted and had me turning the pages to see 'what happenened.'
I liked the main characters, even felt compassion for their plights. The main sleuth, to us readers, is a psychokinetic, named Beatrice Alexander. Bea knew of her powers but was terrified and unable to control them. She truly becomes a champion of the innocent in this book. Bea also earns friends and a type of family that she never had a chance to have in her 'normal' life.
Will I buy her next novel? Oh yes. The goreiness isn't as off-putting as I feared due to good writing and excellent plots. If you enjoy mild monster action on a fast-pace...buy this book!
Thinking it over, since I am interested in Paranormal like the psycho-fields...I guess it was a good fit for me.
The murders were appropriate to the perpertrators of the crimes, although, a bit gruesome for me, personally. They were cleverly plotted and had me turning the pages to see 'what happenened.'
I liked the main characters, even felt compassion for their plights. The main sleuth, to us readers, is a psychokinetic, named Beatrice Alexander. Bea knew of her powers but was terrified and unable to control them. She truly becomes a champion of the innocent in this book. Bea also earns friends and a type of family that she never had a chance to have in her 'normal' life.
Will I buy her next novel? Oh yes. The goreiness isn't as off-putting as I feared due to good writing and excellent plots. If you enjoy mild monster action on a fast-pace...buy this book!
October 8, 2011
What a fabulous debut novel!
Harlow has created an awesome world where the good guys fight the bad- and they all happen to be "monsters"- or in this case the good guys are FREAKS- the Federal Response to Extra Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals.
Yup the government has their own top secret agency full of supernaturals that fight the paranormal bad guys.
Harlow's book is blend of Buffy the Vampire Slayer kick ass girl power style action, dry but witty humor, mystery, all wrapped in a paranormal book that is dark but fluffy at the same time.
For fans of romance- there's even something for you a love triangle featuring a vampire and a werewolf as Beatrice's love interests(I know not original but hey if it ain't broke don't fix it)- just don't expect any sizzling sex scenes because the love scenes never go past kissing (bummer if you like you books on the hotter side, good if you don't).
Warning there is a bit of gore for the horror fans- yes zombie killings and body dismemberments are described in gory detail.
So there's a little something for fans of all types of supernatural books. and it's an eclectic genre blend that works.
Harlow has created an awesome world where the good guys fight the bad- and they all happen to be "monsters"- or in this case the good guys are FREAKS- the Federal Response to Extra Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals.
Yup the government has their own top secret agency full of supernaturals that fight the paranormal bad guys.
Harlow's book is blend of Buffy the Vampire Slayer kick ass girl power style action, dry but witty humor, mystery, all wrapped in a paranormal book that is dark but fluffy at the same time.
For fans of romance- there's even something for you a love triangle featuring a vampire and a werewolf as Beatrice's love interests(I know not original but hey if it ain't broke don't fix it)- just don't expect any sizzling sex scenes because the love scenes never go past kissing (bummer if you like you books on the hotter side, good if you don't).
Warning there is a bit of gore for the horror fans- yes zombie killings and body dismemberments are described in gory detail.
So there's a little something for fans of all types of supernatural books. and it's an eclectic genre blend that works.
October 23, 2011
My thoughts:
I loved this story! I'm not a huge zombie fan, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book.
The writing is wonderful. The author's use of the language is superb, giving her words life and making the scenes into images as well. I easily pictured every character and place in my mind through her vivid descriptions and attention to detail.
The characters are cleverly created and so very easy to invest in. As a licensed elementary teacher, I was thrilled to find one as the main character.
We are given a little bit of everything paranormal with this story! Each is well developed and given a unique personality.
The plot is original and entertaining. The reader isn't spoon fed the ideas, but neither is the reader left hunting for them. The story is easy to read, but not elementary in it's development.
This was my first Jennifer Harlow read, it will not be my last - can't wait for more!
I loved this story! I'm not a huge zombie fan, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book.
The writing is wonderful. The author's use of the language is superb, giving her words life and making the scenes into images as well. I easily pictured every character and place in my mind through her vivid descriptions and attention to detail.
The characters are cleverly created and so very easy to invest in. As a licensed elementary teacher, I was thrilled to find one as the main character.
We are given a little bit of everything paranormal with this story! Each is well developed and given a unique personality.
The plot is original and entertaining. The reader isn't spoon fed the ideas, but neither is the reader left hunting for them. The story is easy to read, but not elementary in it's development.
This was my first Jennifer Harlow read, it will not be my last - can't wait for more!
October 9, 2012
Mind Over Monsters is a fun and unconventional tale that stands out against others in the urban fantasy genre. Harlow uses clever witticisms and great characters to ground the otherwise horrific nature of the story. If you’re looking for something funny and easy to read with a lovable spook squad then this is the perfect series for you. What a stellar debut for Harlow! Currently devouring book #2 as we speak…
The main character, Bea, is snarky, smart, fierce but most importantly real. She goes from shy, timid elementary school teacher to a kick-ass F.R.E.A.K.S. agent with a knack for things she never thought she would ever do! The plot of this story was well thought out and at no point was I wanting to take a break! It gives you a perfect picture of the world you are reading without going overboard with useless descriptive information.
The main character, Bea, is snarky, smart, fierce but most importantly real. She goes from shy, timid elementary school teacher to a kick-ass F.R.E.A.K.S. agent with a knack for things she never thought she would ever do! The plot of this story was well thought out and at no point was I wanting to take a break! It gives you a perfect picture of the world you are reading without going overboard with useless descriptive information.
September 9, 2016
I wasn't impressed by the cartoon-y cover of this book, which made me assume Mind Over Monsters was going to be a fluffy (and sure, gory) urban fantasy. It IS light-hearted in many parts, with snappy, hilarious dialogue... but by the end of the book, what impressed me was Jennifer Harlow. She brought an appropriate level of gravity to the story, even as funny as it is, and made me truly care about her characters--most especially Bea and Oliver--even though I was resistant at first. Just goes to demonstrate the old maxim: don't judge a book by it's cover! Mind Over Monsters is definitely worth picking up, both if you want fun entertainment and characters who will stay with you. I'll be waiting for the next installment!
April 26, 2012
Fantastic first book in a new series. Our former 4th grade teacher who's gift (or curse depending on how it affects her life) is virtually Shanghaid into a Gov't agency under the pretense of learning how to control her "gift". From that point on she wonders if her name is really Alice and that she's fallen down a hole into Monsterland. You really need to read the book, I'm off to find the next one in the series.
I got it from my public library.
I got it from my public library.
January 14, 2016
I admit I skimmed to the latter half of the book just to finish but at that point I was just forcing myself to finish. I like the premise of the book, it reminds me of a similar series that I really enjoy. Unfortunately I can not say the same thing here. The thing with 1st POV if I really can't emphatize with the main character, it doesn't work. I couldn't connect with Beatrice, she comes out very judgemental and immature. Might just give this series a pass
September 6, 2011
With a coy blend of whimsy and vivid imagination, Jennifer Harlow delivers both humor and horror in an action-packed zesty brew of fantasy, mystery, and romance. At turns vulnerable and ferocious, equally sardonic and sweet, Beatrice Alexander is a heroine that combines the best qualities of Buffy, Stephanie Plum and Sookie Stackhouse.
Of course, as the agent of the book, I may be biased!
Of course, as the agent of the book, I may be biased!
June 19, 2013
I loved this book! The characters are so interesting you just can't help root for them! It had me flipping through the pages like something was chasing after me because I could not put this book down! Great first book to the series!! If you love paranornal you will love this book! It has a bit of everything!
January 10, 2012
Fluffy fun with light romance. Could be given to high schoolers.
November 2, 2017
DNF. I stopped at page 44. The first couple pages were fine but then it just kept getting worse. The main chick Beatrice can lift things with her mind which makes her abnormal. She almost accidentally kills her dick of a brother and then tries to kill herself. She woke up in the hospital and was approached by Dr. Black, a kindly old man that deals with paranormal things.
Naturally Bea is weary of this man but goes to him anyway after the episode with her brother. It was after this point that things started to go downhill. Bea is a whiny creature. She doesn't want to go, she wants to stay and continue on with a shell of a life. She doesn't want to believe that the creatures that go bump in the night are real.
Reluctantly she agrees to go to the 'Building' with Dr. Black for training and testing. The book fast forwards two months ahead so you don't get to see what is going on. Then our character is jetting off to Kansas, mentally whining about how all the others on the F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad are probably in groups now and how she will most likely be an outsider.
Of course when she gets to the compound all that changes! Suddenly I am told that the building looks like something out of a Jane Austen book and how Bea can just imagine Mr. Darcy opening the door. I have never read a Jane Austen book but this sort of thing has happened so frequently that I have come to hate Pride and Prejudice! Mr. Darcy can suck it and Jane Austen can lick my butt! If I am going to read about a mansion I want the description to be new and fresh not just saying it resembles one from a Jane Austen book. That sort of thing takes no skill and just screams lazy.
Then we get to the inside of the building and Bea sees her room and starts acting like a teenage girl. Squealing and hopping on the bed because she just 'Loves it so much!'. It's like the author tried to mix in some 'Legally Blonde' into her writing and it's awful. Also, for someone who considers herself poor and had a terrible apartment, how on earth can she afford to buy a cashmere sweater? That made no sense to me.
Then we have the other people on the squad. Irie is this beautiful black woman who looks like Beyonce. Nancy is a goth and one of the most irritating characters ever. I get that she is about 19 but was it really necessary to make her say 'like' every other word? HATE!
But the real kicker is, in the squad there are these two handsome dudes. Well built and studly, could probably have anyone they want. So if that is the case, why are they eyeballin Bea? She has plain features, is 20lbs overweight and describes herself as 'curvy'. Once upon a time that actually meant a woman with an hourglass figure. Now the term curvy usually means fat. Which I think in this book is true because Bea leaves the kitchen with a roast beef sandwich and not 1 but 3 slices of cake. Mhm... 'curvy'.
There is no way that such handsome men would be interested in a woman like this, especially when you have Irie walking around. No way José! I get that this is fiction and what not but this is just ridiculous. Will and Oliver are waaayyyy out of her league and by what I have read the author is going to set up a love triangle. No thanks!
I had looked forward to this book but I just can't do it. In the world of Urban Fiction this set up is completely unrealistic. Love triangles are awful too especially when it's between an unhealthy human, hunky werewolf, and vampire who is English because they ALWAYS have to be English! Ugh... I just can't do it. Pass!
Naturally Bea is weary of this man but goes to him anyway after the episode with her brother. It was after this point that things started to go downhill. Bea is a whiny creature. She doesn't want to go, she wants to stay and continue on with a shell of a life. She doesn't want to believe that the creatures that go bump in the night are real.
Reluctantly she agrees to go to the 'Building' with Dr. Black for training and testing. The book fast forwards two months ahead so you don't get to see what is going on. Then our character is jetting off to Kansas, mentally whining about how all the others on the F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad are probably in groups now and how she will most likely be an outsider.
Of course when she gets to the compound all that changes! Suddenly I am told that the building looks like something out of a Jane Austen book and how Bea can just imagine Mr. Darcy opening the door. I have never read a Jane Austen book but this sort of thing has happened so frequently that I have come to hate Pride and Prejudice! Mr. Darcy can suck it and Jane Austen can lick my butt! If I am going to read about a mansion I want the description to be new and fresh not just saying it resembles one from a Jane Austen book. That sort of thing takes no skill and just screams lazy.
Then we get to the inside of the building and Bea sees her room and starts acting like a teenage girl. Squealing and hopping on the bed because she just 'Loves it so much!'. It's like the author tried to mix in some 'Legally Blonde' into her writing and it's awful. Also, for someone who considers herself poor and had a terrible apartment, how on earth can she afford to buy a cashmere sweater? That made no sense to me.
Then we have the other people on the squad. Irie is this beautiful black woman who looks like Beyonce. Nancy is a goth and one of the most irritating characters ever. I get that she is about 19 but was it really necessary to make her say 'like' every other word? HATE!
But the real kicker is, in the squad there are these two handsome dudes. Well built and studly, could probably have anyone they want. So if that is the case, why are they eyeballin Bea? She has plain features, is 20lbs overweight and describes herself as 'curvy'. Once upon a time that actually meant a woman with an hourglass figure. Now the term curvy usually means fat. Which I think in this book is true because Bea leaves the kitchen with a roast beef sandwich and not 1 but 3 slices of cake. Mhm... 'curvy'.
There is no way that such handsome men would be interested in a woman like this, especially when you have Irie walking around. No way José! I get that this is fiction and what not but this is just ridiculous. Will and Oliver are waaayyyy out of her league and by what I have read the author is going to set up a love triangle. No thanks!
I had looked forward to this book but I just can't do it. In the world of Urban Fiction this set up is completely unrealistic. Love triangles are awful too especially when it's between an unhealthy human, hunky werewolf, and vampire who is English because they ALWAYS have to be English! Ugh... I just can't do it. Pass!
October 6, 2017
Originally I'd stumbled across this book when I was reshelving others during the brief stint of time I worked in a library. The cover caught my eye pretty quickly due to the fact there are zombies prominent in the artwork, but I had pondered over it because something about the cover just seemed inherently fun. I gave it a chance back then, and I'm so glad that I did, because the guess of "fun" for this book was on-the-mark, and I was so disappointed when I had to return it to the library.
Having finally purchased a copy of my own, I wanted to give this a re-read and share my thoughts and opinions, in the event they'd changed.
They haven't, I'm happy to announce~.
Our plucky protagonist, Beatrice Alexander (fondly nicknamed "Bea") is
A couple of things I will note here, and the first is Bea herself. She's very much got the witty, snarky female protagonist angle going on, and she's also a bit vocal in her narration about her attraction to a couple of her coworkers, as well as her mixed nerdiness and girlishness. However, I personally didn't completely connect or relate with her; I feel like she's the sort of MC we'd expect to find in this niche genre of [new] adult supernatural/urban fantasy thriller with a dash of heavy humor and rom-com. I swear there's got to be an easier way to dub that niche and the people who are its fans, but for now I'll leave it at my best guess, which is that Bea probably could fit right into Buffy. I have no doubts there are plenty of readers who will identify with Bea and get attached to her character, but she wasn't wholly relatable for me as far as I'm concerned. I did find her to be a fun and entertaining protagonist and narrator, though!
The other thing I wanted to mention is that this book is very heavy on the snarky humor. I am not sure about everyone, but I have a feeling that might put a few people off. The story still stays pretty serious and has plenty of violence and bloodshed to balance things out, but comedy is one of its prominent genres in my opinion.
That being said, for a first novel, I found this one very fun, as stated at the beginning of my review. It's fresh, fast-paced, and just snarky enough to go above and beyond my regular appreciation for a book. I'm genuinely looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
Having finally purchased a copy of my own, I wanted to give this a re-read and share my thoughts and opinions, in the event they'd changed.
They haven't, I'm happy to announce~.
Our plucky protagonist, Beatrice Alexander (fondly nicknamed "Bea") is
A couple of things I will note here, and the first is Bea herself. She's very much got the witty, snarky female protagonist angle going on, and she's also a bit vocal in her narration about her attraction to a couple of her coworkers, as well as her mixed nerdiness and girlishness. However, I personally didn't completely connect or relate with her; I feel like she's the sort of MC we'd expect to find in this niche genre of [new] adult supernatural/urban fantasy thriller with a dash of heavy humor and rom-com. I swear there's got to be an easier way to dub that niche and the people who are its fans, but for now I'll leave it at my best guess, which is that Bea probably could fit right into Buffy. I have no doubts there are plenty of readers who will identify with Bea and get attached to her character, but she wasn't wholly relatable for me as far as I'm concerned. I did find her to be a fun and entertaining protagonist and narrator, though!
The other thing I wanted to mention is that this book is very heavy on the snarky humor. I am not sure about everyone, but I have a feeling that might put a few people off. The story still stays pretty serious and has plenty of violence and bloodshed to balance things out, but comedy is one of its prominent genres in my opinion.
That being said, for a first novel, I found this one very fun, as stated at the beginning of my review. It's fresh, fast-paced, and just snarky enough to go above and beyond my regular appreciation for a book. I'm genuinely looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
November 13, 2020
Beatrice Alexander, A telekinetic school teacher gets recruited by the F.R.E.A.K.S Squad [Federal Response to Extra-Sensory and kindred supernaturals] - the paranormal branch of the F.B.I to solve supernatural crimes. She joins Oliver (a sexy vampire) Will (a hunky but grumpy werewolf) Irie (supermodel pyrokinetic) Nancy (Goth teleporter) Carl (preppy psycometrist) Andrew (African American medium). In this first case the team have to find a necromancer raising zombies to kill people.
I read a hell of a lot of urban fantasy and this one whilst great fun doesn't cover any new ground. Zombies. Werewolves. Vampires. Necromancers. Seen it all before, a million times. This reminded me a lot of the very early Anita Blake novels (before they got oversexed) We have a sassy heroine who doesn't know the extent of her powers caught in a love triangle between a vampire and a werewolf. I'm definitely pro Oliver (the vampire) but Bea seems more drawn to werewolf Will. It'll be fun to see how that pans out.
It's written in first person present tense, something I usually hate, but I have to say it really works here making this punchy, immediate and really fast paced. This one's thoroughly enjoyable and loads of fun, but unoriginal - a template example of the genre. Still when you've run out of Anita Blake, Dresden Files, Ghost Hunters, True Blood and Buffy... It's always nice to find more in a similar vein.
I read a hell of a lot of urban fantasy and this one whilst great fun doesn't cover any new ground. Zombies. Werewolves. Vampires. Necromancers. Seen it all before, a million times. This reminded me a lot of the very early Anita Blake novels (before they got oversexed) We have a sassy heroine who doesn't know the extent of her powers caught in a love triangle between a vampire and a werewolf. I'm definitely pro Oliver (the vampire) but Bea seems more drawn to werewolf Will. It'll be fun to see how that pans out.
It's written in first person present tense, something I usually hate, but I have to say it really works here making this punchy, immediate and really fast paced. This one's thoroughly enjoyable and loads of fun, but unoriginal - a template example of the genre. Still when you've run out of Anita Blake, Dresden Files, Ghost Hunters, True Blood and Buffy... It's always nice to find more in a similar vein.
September 23, 2021
This book was in my brother's Kindle which I inherited when he died. It looked like something I would like so I began reading it. This is the first book I have read by Jennifer Harlow.
This book started out good and stayed good. Beatrice is a school teacher of 3rd graders when she accidentally almost killed her brother. Because of his hatred for her and what she almost did, she leaves her Nana's house and ends up in the hospital. There George finds her and recruits her for the agency known as F.R.E.A.K.S or Federal Response to Extra-Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals (a lesser known branch of the FBI.)
I like the premise of the story, but I thought they could have dwelled a bit more on Bea's education in the first place they sent her to. That way we would have learned more about how Bea thinks. But I guess this agency believes more in the "throwing individual into the raging river to teach her to swim" theory.
I had the "villain" pegged almost from the beginning but the author did a good job on introducing red herrings along the way. What I had all wrong was the murderer's reasons (which were pretty good). Heck, I might consider it if I faced the same circumstances. :) (OK, I wouldn't really but if I were a book character I would).
I gave this book 4 stars so if the rest in the series were better, I would be able to show my like of the changes. :) AND I am now starting to read book 2 in the series!
This book started out good and stayed good. Beatrice is a school teacher of 3rd graders when she accidentally almost killed her brother. Because of his hatred for her and what she almost did, she leaves her Nana's house and ends up in the hospital. There George finds her and recruits her for the agency known as F.R.E.A.K.S or Federal Response to Extra-Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals (a lesser known branch of the FBI.)
I like the premise of the story, but I thought they could have dwelled a bit more on Bea's education in the first place they sent her to. That way we would have learned more about how Bea thinks. But I guess this agency believes more in the "throwing individual into the raging river to teach her to swim" theory.
I had the "villain" pegged almost from the beginning but the author did a good job on introducing red herrings along the way. What I had all wrong was the murderer's reasons (which were pretty good). Heck, I might consider it if I faced the same circumstances. :) (OK, I wouldn't really but if I were a book character I would).
I gave this book 4 stars so if the rest in the series were better, I would be able to show my like of the changes. :) AND I am now starting to read book 2 in the series!
May 1, 2023
This was a gory read. I found the premise fun and plot was satisfactory. But there were some questionable descriptions that needed some editing and basic research.
What are cauliflower eyes? "I looked into his cauliflower eyes." Were they wrinkled up, white eyeballs?!
She finds the Library - "At least a thousand books. Two floors of wall-to-wall books ." Really? 1000 books would fill, at most 34 shelves. At 10 foot ceilings in a 1 floor room, that would be FOUR units. Hardly enough to go wall-to-wall much less go up 2 stories. Let's do some research here!!
There are other things that threw me off but I'll leave it at that.
What are cauliflower eyes? "I looked into his cauliflower eyes." Were they wrinkled up, white eyeballs?!
She finds the Library - "At least a thousand books. Two floors of wall-to-wall books ." Really? 1000 books would fill, at most 34 shelves. At 10 foot ceilings in a 1 floor room, that would be FOUR units. Hardly enough to go wall-to-wall much less go up 2 stories. Let's do some research here!!
There are other things that threw me off but I'll leave it at that.
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