Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Rogue Brotherhood #3

Midnight Hunter

Rate this book

Hunters of the supernatural,the Execution Underground are an elite group tasked with protecting humanity but can dark temptation destroy good intentions

Occult specialist and witch hunter Dr. Shane Grey is called upon to investigate a string of crimes that bear all the hallmarks of black magic. But he can't take on this daunting assignment for the Execution Underground alone. He'll need the help of Vera Sanders, a witch with a dark past–and a woman who disturbs him as much as she intrigues him.

Vera is determined to ignore the dangerous chemistry between herself and Shane so she can prove her loyalty to his cause; otherwise she risks the wrath of the Execution Underground once again. If she can't make Shane trust her, they won't stand a chance in hell of defeating the evil that's terrorizing their city. No easy task, considering old habits die hard and Vera may be the very person responsible for luring Shane into a killer's trap.

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2015

1 person is currently reading
186 people want to read

About the author

Kait Ballenger

23 books1,199 followers
Kait Ballenger is an award-winning author of dark romantasy and paranormal romance. She is obsessed with tales of morally gray, sometimes villainous heroes and can’t resist a spicy redemption arc. When Kait’s not busy writing kinky paranormal fantasy, she can usually be found with her nose buried in someone else’s naughty books. She lives in Florida’s Bible Belt with her two adorable sons—and will gladly use that belt to whip you.

For news on future releases, exclusive bonus scenes, and NSFW character art, sign up for Kait's newsletter: https://bit.ly/3t7zXLA

You can also find Kait on TikTok @kaitballenger or Instagram @kait.ballenger

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
24 (38%)
4 stars
22 (35%)
3 stars
14 (22%)
2 stars
2 (3%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Lorna.
1,832 reviews115 followers
August 25, 2015
(RabidReads,com) 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. This latest in Kait Ballenger’s Execution Underground series, was a fairly good read, but not without a few problems. I have read all of the previous books in this series. My thanks goes to Net Galley for providing me with a copy from the publisher, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It’s Shane Grey’s turn to have his story told, and I was really glad about that. As a professor and resident geek of the Execution Underground team, he has been mostly behind the scenes. Not so with this story of black magic, witches and necromancy-since that is his specialty. The Execution Underground agency is tasked with fighting and investigating all things paranormal-at least the bad apples of the paranormal group anyway. The agency is made up of hunters, and each has his own specialty. We first met Vera Sanders in Immortal Hunter. She’s a witch that has spent time on the wrong side of the agency, and has even been imprisoned by them for using black magic. Evidently the use of black magic is highly addicting because of the power that courses through the practitioners body. Vera is addicted, and although she tries to stay clean she occasionally breaks over and practices. She’s a bartender at her uncle’s strip club out of necessity, and is a college student in one of Shane’s classes. When evidence surfaces that a black magic practitioner is raising the dead and using them to murder innocent people, Damon(the head of the agency in Rochester) hands the case to Shane. Shane’s first thought is to involve Vera, even though he has a thing for her and as her professor, he can not act on it.

I did like the characters of Shane and Vera-Shane in particular. Shane tries to do the right thing when all he wants to do is take Vera to bed, but he doesn’t. He loves his job and doesn’t want to lose it. That gets tested throughout the read, until the test eventually fails, if you understand what I am saying! Vera, I had a bit of a problem with. She’s an addict, and I know that isn’t that uncommon. I am just not used to that in a main character of a book of this sort-even if her drug of choice is practicing black magic. I thought she was fun at times though, and I did love her snarky attitude. I guess I just wanted her to be stronger, although I think she was working hard on it. And no, all characters don’t have to be cookie cutter for me.

It took me awhile to actually get into the story. There’s action here and there, but not as much as there is in previous books. Raising the dead evidently takes a lot longer to do, so there is waiting in between each raised body. To be honest, I almost sat the book down, but persevered, and ended up enjoying the read more towards the end. I think the previous books had a lot more scenes of the sensual nature as well. Necromancy isn’t my favorite sort of paranormal read, so there’s that as well. Personal taste is not the author’s fault.

If you are already reading this series, you definitely shouldn’t miss this installment. If you are like me, Shane was one of the team members that I really wanted to see get his story. If you haven’t started this series, I would suggest starting with the first one, Twilight Hunter. It’s still my favorite of all of them. This book could be read as a stand alone, but you would be missing out on all the background and romances of the hunters from previous books. I would recommend this to adult paranormal romance/urban fantasy fans-adult due to sexual situations and violence.
Profile Image for Angela (Angel's Book Nook).
1,707 reviews979 followers
August 30, 2015
~ 3 Midnight Hunter Stars ~

Midnight Hunter is book three in the Execution Underground by Kait Ballenger. It was a fairly good read. We get black-magic, witches, warlocks, and necromancy.

I have read all the previous books & novella in this series. The books do need to be read in order. The characters build in each book and each book is about one of the guy’s in the Rochester, Execution Underground team.

This is Dr. Shane Grey’s story. He is a professor and resident geek of the Execution Underground team, which puts him mostly behind the scenes doing research for the guys. Dr. Grey gets a case which involves black-magic and raising the dead. He decides to involve Vera, even though he has a thing for her and is her professor. He knows he can’t act on his feelings, but he still ends up getting closer to Vera. Vera Sanders we first met in Immortal Hunter . She is a student of his, a bartender, and also a witch, who has spent time on the wrong side of the agency.

I liked Shane. He tries to do the right thing when all he wants is Vera in his bed. He loves his job and doesn’t want to lose his professor status. I'm not a fan of the professor/student romance/relationship stories, so this was not my favorite relationship set up. I did not have a big issue with this relationship, because Shane really does try to fight his feelings, but you just know, with all the sexual tension that they would give in.

Vera, I had a bit of a problem with. She’s an addict and I know this, but I really did not like her wavering so much with her addiction - drug of choose is practicing black-magic. She knows she’s addicted, but does not try very hard to stop or find help. She also felt immature at times for her age group and it felt like she did not know all that much about her magic. I did find her fun at times and I liked some of her snarky attitude. I just would have liked her to be stronger and more knowledgeable.

There is some action which was well written, but not as much as previous books. There was only one sensual scene which was hot, but I think the previous books had more. The plot was straight forward and progressed nicely, though I thought finding and vanquishing the bad guy was a little easy.

I enjoyed Midnight Hunter even with my issues with Vera, the professor/student aspect, and how the ending went. This is a good read for any Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy fans. If you are reading this series, don’t miss this installment. If you have not picked up the series, then start from the beginning.

*Disclaimer: Review copy provided by Harlequin & Kait Ballenger via NetGalley with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.


angelsgp-seethisreview-blure
Profile Image for Laura *Little Read Riding Hood*.
682 reviews239 followers
September 6, 2015
A good sweet PNR. Good build up of relationship, no insta love, lots of character depth. Fab!

I love a good, traditional, paranormal romance story. Midnight Hunter did not disappoint. Add in the forbidden romance aspect of the teacher/student trope, and *fans self* oh my goodness.

Shane and Vera have both obviously had the hots for each other for some time, but he is her professor and she his student. On top of that he is a member of the Execution Underground and she is a witch - the kind of being he usually hunts down - and of course neither of them think anything could ever come of their mutual attraction. *giggles with glee*

With many authors trying to throw crazy twists and turns, it is refreshing to read something that you know going in is going to work out, but you have no idea how. I went in trusting Ballenger to lead me to a satisfactory ending, and she did more than that, I was grinning like an idiot by the time I finished. I am anxiously awaiting her next installment in the Execution Underground series!
Profile Image for Linda.
1,128 reviews54 followers
September 11, 2015
An original, suspenseful, action-packed paranormal romance!

A tiny cage of butterflies suddenly buzzed around the inside of her gut. Her superhot professor wanted to take a nighttime stroll with her and he was offering her his jacket. Before she could decide whether she wanted to be the type of girl who did that sort of thing with her professor, which was clearly inappropriate, she grasped the leather jacket in her hands and slipped it on. Aw, shucks, who was she kidding? She totally was that kind of girl.

MIDNIGHT HUNTER by Kait Ballenger marks the much-anticipated return of Kait's fantastic Execution Underground (EU) series! It's been almost eighteen months since the last installment and this entry abates the hunger pangs ...for a short while. MIDNIGHT HUNTER is a paranormal romantic thriller. It's fast-paced with witches, wicked warlocks, the entire swoon-worthy EU team, lots of action, suspense and messy crime scenes.

In MIDNIGHT HUNTER, it's Dr. Shane Grey's turn to find his special someone. Shane's expertise is in the occult. He's a witch hunter; Guess who he'll be paired with!

Vera Sanders is a witch. Her father gained notoriety as one of the most accomplished black magic warlocks ever. Vera wasn't really interested in practicing her father's dark magic so she was ostracized by her family. Even so, she is addicted to the high she gets from dabbling in dark magic. She tries to stay away, but the lure is too tempting. Vera is also one of Shane's religious studies students. She's shocked when her sexy professor asks for her assistance with one of his EU cases - one that involves the darkest spectrum of magic: necromancy.

Even though MIDNIGHT HUNTER is the third installment in this series, it works well as a standalone if that is your preference. There is a continuing theme and interconnected characters, but a reader could jump into the series at any time as the danger element and the romance are fully contained within this story. Both Shane and Vera have appeared in a previous EU book, but have no fear, Kait fills in what you need to know.

I bet that once you read one of the books that you'll then want to read them all. I like that the series doesn't focus on just one paranormal species. Each EU hunter specializes in one area, such as vampires, demons, or in Shane's case, the occult. The hunters work individually on their cases but the team is always there when needed for support so each book offers a wide range of the paranormal spectrum.

Kait's writing is superb, as always. I was introduced to Kait's EU series with the anthology, AFTER DARK, in which Kait's SHADOW HUNTER was paired with Gena Showalter's THE DARKEST ANGEL. I loved SHADOW HUNTER - even though it ended with a cliffhanger to top all cliffhangers (AAAGH!) - and have been hooked on the series ever since. I hope we don't have to wait so long for future EU installments! I highly recommend MIDNIGHT HUNTER and the entire EU series to anyone who enjoys original, addictive, suspenseful, action-packed, paranormal romances!

My full review is posted at Reading Between The Wines Book Club. Please check it out here: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...

4 1/2 Wine Glasses!
Profile Image for Sabina Bundgaard.
Author 16 books25 followers
September 1, 2015
Midnight Hunter is the third full novel in Kait’s Execution Underground Series and with each book I am falling more and more for the world she has created and for her amazing writing.
This time we get to read more about a more quiet member of the Rochester unit of the Execution Underground.
He is the unit’s Witch Hunter, the researcher, the professor and a bit of a geek.
When someone start going on a murderous’ spree in Rochester the division is on full alert and Shane have no other choice but to turn to Vera Sanders, a witch who has been dabbling in Dark Magic and been a help to the Rochester Unit on a previous case.
In a way it’s the logical choice, but at the same time Shane is struggling to keep his hands of the arresting beauty.
When the case go haywire and bodies starts to pile up, Shane and Vera have no choice but to trust each other and hope the ship doesn’t go down in the battle.

I have always been fascinated by Shane. He’s the more quiet type, not the one who runs around with guns blazing and swearing a storm up. He is the professor, the cute geeky one. And packing just as much muscle as his fellow hunters. *smiles*

The start was a bit slow to me. I had a hard time getting into the story. I couldn’t understand why until it hit me – it’s been too damn long since I read the other books. It took me some time to get back into the world that Kait have created.
Once I did however – once I remembered who they all are, their little traits and the way they speak.
I was done for.
The way Shane and Vera circle each other – it is AMAZING. Both of them have secrets from their pasts that haunts them, both of them afraid of taking the next step, were it could lead. If they started a relationship it would be forbidden due to the professor/student relationship they have.
It doesn’t mean they don’t want each other.
Add in the mix of dark magic, bad decisions, white lies and baggage from the past and I couldn’t put it down.
Once I got past the hurdle of getting back, I couldn’t out it down and loved every second.
Vera is… how to describe her?
She’s though as nails. She’s ballsy. Yes, she made some bad decisions in the past, some even more recently, but she is fighting. She’s trying.
She’s also insanely brave. Soft hearted. Caring. I truly admire her and I am not in the least surprised that Shane fell for her. They are truly a great couple.
Looking away from the love story and the web that they create, the story is intriguing on its own. Magic have always fascinated me and the way Kait describes it all makes it come so much more alive to me.
The villain in this story is a particularly nasty one and I have to say he gave me the shivers – and not in a good way.
The last battle is… oh wow. It was freaking awesome. I tore down the road, racing toward the end.
Kait Ballenger is back, and she is just as amazing as ever!
If I have seemed a bit vague to some, it’s because I have been trying desperately to be a good girl and not give away too much of the plot.
Profile Image for Under the Covers Book Blog.
2,840 reviews1,342 followers
September 13, 2015

Someone is bringing the dead back to life and they are up to no good. The elite group, Execution Underground are on top of it assigning Shane Grey to lead the investigation. Because of his knowledge as an Occult Specialist, Witch Hunting, Magic and Necromancy, he is perfect for the job. But he'll need the help of his student to know what's going on in the streets of the magic world.

Vera is one of Shane's student who has plenty of knowledge when it comes to magic. Her DNA says it all but this is her dark past she'd rather not visit. Unfortunately, her fond for the high magic gives her keeps her in the loop and deeper in her addiction. When her professor asks her for help, she will be given a chance to prove her worth and not by her family ties or associations but who she truly is. Falling in love with the nerdy hunter is just a bonus.

Shane and Vera's story was sweet. Though their relationship was a professor-student relationship, it didn't have a New Adult feel to it. They were both consenting adults who are participating in their own volition and new what they wanted. Vera did have her insecurities but overall a strong heroine. Shane, of course was a mixture of confidence and arrogance but has an aura of being inexperienced with love. He was very sweet.

I enjoyed the multiple Point-Of-Views in this story. Getting in the head of all the characters was exciting especially the villain's POV. There were a several laugh-out-loud and endearing moments as well as nail biting zombie scenes that surprisingly, I enjoyed. Note that zombies are not at all my typical read; they freak me out. I think Ms. ballenger did a great job not making it the focus but more so on the magic.

I'm not sure what Ms. Ballenger's plans are but I hope to see more of this series.

*ARC provided by publisher

Reviewed by Angela

❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤

Profile Image for Traceys.
1,499 reviews72 followers
August 18, 2015
The execution underground returns, this time it's Dr Shane Gray's time to find a special someone.

Vera is into black magic, it gives her a high she cant match, she desperately tries to keep away but temptation is always there.

Shane has a new assignment, someone who said he was being haunted by his wife is now dead, murdered. The bad news is necromancy is involved, which means the Dr will have to use all his contacts to solve this, including his student Vera. As always he has the back up of all his team.

The was lots blood in this read, and plenty of action. The sexual attraction between the H/h simmered along nicely, Ms Ballenger makes you wait for that passion filled moment, I suppose we should blame Shane really as he tries to keep his distance.

I wasn't keen on the heroines name - Vera, it seemed a dated name to me, but as you get to know the characther more it becomes clear she is no dated lady.

Shane and the team were stunning gorgeous and witty as usual, which added to the storyline.

A great read full of witches and warlocks and of course the execution underground.

4.5 star read
Profile Image for Franjessca.
1,739 reviews101 followers
October 22, 2021
Full Review posted at A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog

I give this book 4 stars and recommend it to PNR readers out there. If you've read the previous books in the series, you'll definitely be excited to read this one. If you haven't started the series yet, I highly recommend you do. Start with the prequel first though, because you'll want to follow along with the series. Believe me you want to know about the EU hunters. =)
Profile Image for Sandy S.
8,504 reviews210 followers
August 30, 2015
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release date September 1, 2015

Hunters of the supernatural, The Execution Underground are an elite group tasked with protecting humanity…but can dark temptation destroy good intentions?

Occult specialist and witch hunter Dr. Shane Grey is called upon to investigate a string of crimes that bear all the hallmarks of black magic. But he can't take on this daunting assignment for the Execution Underground alone. He'll need the help of Vera Sanders, a witch with a dark past—and a woman who disturbs him as much as she intrigues him.

Vera is determined to ignore the dangerous chemistry between herself and Shane so she can prove her loyalty to his cause; otherwise she risks the wrath of the Execution Underground once again. If she can't make Shane trust her, they won't stand a chance in hell of defeating the evil that's terrorizing their city. No easy task, considering old habits die hard…and Vera may be the very person responsible for luring Shane into a killer's trap.

••••••••••

REVIEW: MIDNIGHT HUNTER is the third full length installment in Kait Ballenger’s adult Execution Underground(EU) paranormal series focusing on an elite group of hunters whose job it is to protect the human world from the evil side of the supernatural element. This is witch hunter and university professor Dr. Shane Grey, and Vera Sanders’s storyline. Vera is a witch who has dabbled in the dark arts; we were first introduced to Vera in Immortal Hunter (EU #2) when she was called in to work an investigation with Dr. Shane Grey.

Told from third person point of view MIDNIGHT HUNTER focuses the hunt for a necromancer-someone is raising the dead in Rochester New York leaving a path of destruction in its’ wake. Enter Dr. Shane Grey and the Execution Underground whose responsibility it is to hunt for the supernatural being reanimating the corpses. Because necromancy uses black magic Shane reluctantly enlists the help of one of his students-Vera Sanders-a witch with ties to black magic and a woman who stirs something deep within Shane’s soul.

The relationship between Shane and Vera begins acrimoniously as the two have butted heads in this and the last storyline. Shane is aware of Vera’s travels to the dark side, and with it comes a series of lies and lies by omission as our couple go on the hunt for the person practicing the art of black magic. What ensues is a relationship built upon mistrust and betrayal as the truth about Vera’s connections to black magic go deeper and are much closer than anyone could have imagined. Shane’s attraction to Vera finds our hero sending mixed signals of what it is he wants and doesn’t want from Vera Sanders-Shane will continue to push Vera away right up until the very end.

All of the Execution Underground Hunters make an appearance including the introduction of a kilt-clad Scotsman with connection to Detroit’s EU and Vera’s past. Speaking of Hunters, I am still waiting for Damon Brock’s storyline. Damon is the head of Rochester’s Underground Execution and a man whose heartbreaking introduction was told in Shadow Hunter (EU .5). Damon’s story is not complete; he has lost the love of his life to the very thing he abhors the most.

The world building continues to focus on the hunt for the bad guys of the supernatural world. So far, each of our hunters has fallen in love with the very thing he was ordered to destroy. I guess it is true what they say-love is truly blind.

MIDNIGHT HUNTER is an action packed story of mystery and suspense wrapped in a blanket of paranormal magic and powerful beings. The premise is engaging; the characters are colorful and intense; the happily ever after was not unexpected but the quick resolution to the story is becoming a mainstay of Kait’s style of writing.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

www.thereadingcafe.com
Profile Image for Jen (That's What I'm Talking About).
1,783 reviews316 followers
September 8, 2015
Midnight Hunter is the third book in Ms. Ballenger’s intense and action-filled Execution Underground series. Mixing both traditional and unique paranormal mythologies, the author has constructed an exciting world that successfully pairs opposites to create dynamic romances.

Dr. Shane Grey is a popular professor of Religious Studies at the local college and serving as a Witch Hunter for EU on the sly. While equally as rough and tough as his EU counterparts, Shane has that straight-laced, nerdy professor vibe going for him. He’s attracted to one of his students-a former black magic practitioner at that-which causes him endless internal strife, especially since he needs her help on a case.

Vera Sanders has worked hard to distance herself from her notorious father and get over her addiction to black magic. In a moment of weakness, she falls off the wagon and indulges in spell-casting with a dark coven. When her heart-throb-of-a-professor comes seeking her help to find the very coven she’s recently met with, Vera tries hard to help without revealing her secrets - or act on her desires for Dr. Shane Grey.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and premise behind Midnight Hunter. The mythology of magic was interesting, and thankfully, wasn’t nearly as complex and confusing as the were and demon mythologies found in the previous two stories. I liked how everything was pretty straight forward. I also loved how the EU team worked together and had a camaraderie which has been building over the course of the past few books.

I found the author did a good job creating a likable hero. I liked seeing the more personal side of Shane via his home life. I felt like I understood his motives and actions, even his uptight, stick-to-the-rules personality. Similarly, we got to see Vera, but she had a less three dimensional feeling. For too long, her primary motives revolved around hiding her black magic nature, understandable so, but it didn’t allow me to see as much of her character. She was very defensive and felt immature at times, making it harder for me to connect to her character.

While I enjoyed watching each of the primary characters grow and work to uncover the truth behind some gruesome deaths, as a couple, they fell a bit flat. The fact that each worked so hard to maintain a professional distance and fight their mutual lust, and Vera lied to Shane about the very thing they were working on, made it difficult for me to connect to this couple. There were a few sparks now and then, but mostly, I didn’t feel any palatable connection between the two for a majority of the story.

My biggest complaint is that it took entirely too long for Shane and Vera to let the truth come out, and even when it did, the couple still kept their distance. And then… when they FINALLY got past their hangups and hooked up (with less than 20% left in the book), the fact that they did in a way which was so against Shane’s character irritated me. I felt that there were a few times earlier in the book when the couple could have come clean and hooked up; it just took way too long.

Shane’s case of zombies and murders was exciting and added great tension to the book. There were a few twists that made the story more meaningful to the primary couple, adding to the overall story. And the final climatic scenes were well played!

In the end, I enjoyed Midnight Hunter, which a solid addition to the Execution Underground series. While I had a few issues with the romance between the primary couple, especially how it played out, I found the characters and plot entertaining. Although the book could be read as a standalone, I feel that having read about the characters and mythology in the previous books added a lot to my overall enjoyment.

My Rating: B- Liked It, but I had a few small issues
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by Author/NetGalley
Profile Image for Angela Carr.
772 reviews80 followers
September 4, 2015
4.5 Stars


Someone is bringing the dead back to life and they are up to no good. The elite group, Execution Underground are on top of it assigning Shane Grey to lead the investigation. Because of his knowledge as an Occult Specialist, Witch Hunting, Magic and Necromancy, he is perfect for the job. But he’ll need the help of his student to know what’s going on in the streets of the magic world.
Vera is one of Shane’s student who has plenty of knowledge when it comes to magic. Her DNA says it all but this is her dark past she’d rather not visit. Unfortunately, her fond for the high magic gives her keeps her in the loop and deeper in her addiction. When her professor asks her for help, she will be given a chance to prove her worth and not by her family ties or associations but who she truly is. Falling in love with the nerdy hunter is just a bonus.

Shane and Vera’s story was sweet. Though their relationship was a professor-student relationship, it didn’t have a New Adult feel to it. They were both consenting adults who are participating in their own volition and new what they wanted. Vera did have her insecurities but overall a strong heroine. Shane, of course was a mixture of confidence and arrogance but has an aura of being inexperienced with love. He was very sweet.

I enjoyed the multiple Point-Of-Views in this story. Getting in the head of all the characters was exciting especially the villain’s POV. There were a several laugh-out-loud and endearing moments as well as nail biting zombie scenes that surprisingly, I enjoyed. Note that zombies are not at all my typical read; they freak me out. I think Ms. ballenger did a great job not making it the focus but more so on the magic.

I’m not sure what Ms. Ballenger’s plans are but I hope to see more of this series.
Profile Image for nikkia neil.
1,150 reviews19 followers
September 2, 2015
Hot to trot! lol About time we get the hunky nerds love story. Pefect match for him. One of my favorite paranormal series
57 reviews
May 28, 2018
Love this series

Great read! Love this series! This is a great book to consider in this series I enjoyed the suspense and the writing! Bravo to the Witch hunters in this book
Profile Image for Monikat.
1,750 reviews48 followers
October 14, 2019
This was almost a YA book. It read like a Halloween T.V. episode of a supernatural series. It is a great fun story and should be on everyones PRN Halloween list.
Profile Image for Kristin .
1,194 reviews165 followers
July 17, 2017
Shane is a witch hunter. He's familiar with all things that fall under the cult and is well equip to battle them. What's he's not prepared for is falling for a witch. A witch who not only practiced (and quite possibly still dabbles in) black magic but who is also his student at his day job on campus. All those things add up to disaster. However, he can't stay away from her, even if he wanted to. You see, there is someone out there raising the dead and causing chaos in the area. The only way to figure out what's going on is to get the help of a witch. Thus, Shane and Vera team up to help take down the wicked witch... or in this case, warlock.

We got a snippet of Shane and Vera in the previous book when Shane requested Vera's help on another case. That's when we learned that Vera had dabbled in black magic, was his student, and also a bartender at a strip club. All things though sounded like a hot mess of fun. So, I was really excited to read their story.

However, this one just fell flat for me. I don’t know what it was but I wasn’t as invested in Vera and Shane as I was in the previous book. I honestly just cannot put my finger on it. Maybe it was that their sexual tension was like child’s play to the previous books. I mean these two just pussyfoot around each other the entire time. There’s really not any heat until just about the end of the book. Maybe that’s what my issue was because Kait is an amazing author. She paints images so vividly with her words that you feel like you’re there with them. It’s just these two characters just didn’t make me feel. They could have been killed and I would have probably shrugged my shoulders and wondered who the next book was about.

With that being said, I normally have an inkling of who’s story is next but I haven’t the faintest idea. I will still continue to keep up with the series. I love the author’s writing and the world that she creates.
Profile Image for Once.
2,344 reviews81 followers
March 12, 2016
Someone's causing trouble and it's big enough to catch the Execution Underground's attention. Shane, the witch hunter/magic specialist slash genius, is called to deal with the resident trouble maker when the dead are being brought back to life, and husbands are being murdered by their very dead wives. But he can't do it alone, so he asks one of his students for help.

Vera is one of Shane's students who knows all too well about dark magic and the damage it can do. She still has the buzz from her former addiction of dark magic and it's kept her in the loop with it all these years and keeps the flame lit for her addiction. When Shane asks for her help it's the perfect opportunity to redeem herself from the dark she's practiced. Falling in love with the wonderfully nerdy Hunter was just a bonus.

Shane and Vera's story was sweet. Shane's a true gentleman (but can be a a total badass when acquired) and Vera's a lot softer than she looks (but will put you in your place if you underestimate her). They're a very unconventional couple but their pairing was perfect. Shane's definitely my favourite guy so far. He wasn't the typical guy you would expect to be working with the Execution Underground, but Shane was the brains of the operation. He may not be all fists on the job but he didn't need to be. He makes smart sexy.

It combines a student/teacher romance, zombies and my favourite kind of hunter crew all in one book. Although it was a student/teacher romance, it wasn't an expected New Adult type. It was only a minor factor in the book. And the zombies and hunter crew? Awesome.

I don't know who's next (but I have heard Damon's book is going to be last which is killing me) but I really look forward to whatever is next.

http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2016...
Profile Image for AlenGarou.
1,782 reviews137 followers
August 21, 2016
Avevo molte aspettative verso Shade, ma devo dire che come romanzo mi è sembrato all'acqua di rose.
Non è che sia brutto, ma manca tutta l'azione e la grinta che c'erano nei precedenti.
Ok, lui è un professore universitario che non ha quasi mai lavorato sul campo e lei ha una brutta storia alle spalle e una dipendenza alla magia nera, però avrei preferito vivere più emozioni che non leggere di loro che facevano perennemente la lista dei motivi per cui non potevano stare assieme.
Una lista davvero lunga, per intenderci.
Insomma, più che concentrarsi sul caso di Shade, la trama si focalizza su ciò che accade nei suoi pantaloni ogni volta che è vicino a Vera. Fortunatamente ci pensano quei coglioni dei suoi colleghi a portare un po' di allegria in questa soap opera.
E l’episodio dello scoiattolo mutante mi ha fatto quasi cadere dalla sedia dal ridere.
Ma se c’è davvero una star in questo romanzo è Binks, il famiglio/gatto obeso di Vera.
È troppo tenero… per avere delle unghie affilate e una pancia che è un davanzale.
Questa serie si sta dimostrando davvero carina nonostante i difetti tipici del genere e non vedo l’ora di sapere di chi tratterà il prossimo.
Forse Ash?
Profile Image for Angela.
1,719 reviews42 followers
September 21, 2015
I loved Shane, the hunky nerd, and loved seeing him in action. Vera was a good character, but for a witch she didn't use her magic very often. For some reason that I can't put my finger on, I didn't like this book as much as the others in the series. Still worth the read. I'll definitely be reading more books by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Profile Image for Louisa.
8,843 reviews103 followers
October 22, 2016
This book was so fantastic! I really enjoyed Shane and Vera, they were awesome together! I really hope that we get more of this series, Trent, Ash, and Damon need full length books!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews