A Ferry of Bones & Gold

Soulbound #1

by Hailey Turner

When the gods come calling, you don’t get to say no.

Patrick Collins is three years into a career as a special agent for the Supernatural Operations Agency when the gods come calling to collect a soul debt he owes them. An immortal has gone missing in New York City and bodies are showing up in the wake of demon-led ritual killings that Patrick recognizes all too easily from his nightmares.

Unable to walk away, Patrick finds himself once again facing off against mercenary magic users belonging to the Dominion Sect. Standing his ground alone has never been a winning option in Patrick’s experience, but it’s been years since he’s had a partner he could trust.

Looking for allies in all the wrong places, Patrick discovers the Dominion Sect’s next target is the same werewolf the Fates themselves have thrown into his path. Patrick has been inexplicably attracted to the man from their first meeting, but desire has no place in war. That doesn’t stop Patrick from wanting what he shouldn’t have. Jonothon de Vere is gorgeous, dangerous, and nothing but trouble—to the case, to the fight against every hell, and ultimately, to Patrick’s heart and soul.

In the end, all debts must be paid, and Patrick can only do what he does best—cheat death.

A Ferry of Bones & Gold is a 115k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot and a HFN ending.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, M M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Magic, Shapeshifters

406 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2018

About the author

Hailey Turner is a big city girl who likes to spoil her cats rotten. She writes science fiction and fantasy with lots of action, epic plots, and romantic relationships that satisfy the heart. Hailey lives in sunny California when she isn’t adding stamps to her passport.

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Reviews

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 3 out of 5]

All of my friends love A Ferry of Bones & Gold, and so when I polled everyone on social media to see which book I should read next, this was the overwhelming winner.

While I enjoyed A Ferry of Bones & Gold, I wish it was... more.

I'm an urban fantasy lover, and I'm a long-time reader of authors like Ilona Andrews and Jim Butcher, so I expect a lot from my urban fantasy. What I really value is impeccable world-building and really tight editing, and I think that's where Hailey Turner could have stepped up her game.

I think this book needed a very firm hand with an editor. Lots of repetition and lots of extra information really bogged down the story. There was a lot of potential with the magic plot and backstory (which I feel like I needed more of), but it was weighed down by too much extraneous content. Too many types of creatures thrown in at once, too many secondary characters... it felt muddled and confusing at times.

I think the relationship had potential, but it felt more like a relationship of convenience and not one with true chemistry. Jono was too willing to do anything for Patrick very quickly, and I couldn't get a good feeling as to why. I think the dynamic will improve in subsequent books, and I'm sure I could fall in love with these two together, eventually.

A fun, exciting book that was weighed down by world-building that needed improvement, I think A Ferry of Bones & Gold had potential to be excellent but fell just short.


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[carol. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a QB¹ read, but strangely addicting. I found the combination of ex-military, magic-wielding, NYC, and inclusion of the pantheon of gods downright irresistible. I finished this and went straight (haha) on to the next.

My synopsis, aka what makes this different from everything else I've read: A very damaged² ex-military mage is called in by the locals to consult on a stalled investigation² of what seems to be supernatural serial killings. In the course of the investigation, he runs into one of NY's most powerful seers, who happens to have strong ties to the local Pack.² Solving the crimes will mean facing his own troubled past.²

There is a bit of a rocky start that feels somewhat like a first book. Turner has the tendency to over-explain or re-explain as she builds her world. However, I'll note that there are some readers out there that like Every Single Thing spelled out, so perhaps this technique was in response to those kind of beta readers.³ Once our hero, Pat, came into conflict with a demon and things started popping, I was able to ignore such wordy moments. (Either that, or I used my Super-Skimming Power®.)

I haven't read many (really any) military urban fantasy (excepting Larry Correia), so it was interesting to take the culture and background of someone with that focus and bring it into the UF setting. I probably stay away from that genre because of the machismo and inherent -isms (again, see Correia), but the male-romance eventually softened the testosterone angle.

Action turned out to be an interesting combination of independent-operator and team-operation, which also feels like a nice change in my reading. There's a good combination of questionable allies², as well as definitely-villains, as well as villains-but-on-our-side-now² types, which kept me guessing at how it was all going to play out. Patrick has a complicated backstory that ends up being important.²

The genre tropes and the information-dumps in the beginning really make this a candy-level read. However, the PNR tropes were strangely tolerable for me because they involved a male-male romance, although in this book, I think I'd hesitate to call it 'romance.'


Off-topic commentary follows.

I don't believe I've ever read any male-male romance before, which may or may not say something for my prejudices or predilections. Honestly, it probably does, but what it should mostly say is that I rarely read romance or erotica, and when I do, it's always a sub-plot, and apparently, it takes work to find male-male representation. The interesting thing that I discovered reading this series is that the tropes that drive me batty in normal PNR romance hardly bother me at all in the gay male romance, perhaps because I'm so outside of the norm for the leads that I have nothing to react to?

I'm spit-balling here. So there can be insta-attraction/lurv, there can be over-protective behavior, there can be the obligatory try-to-push-them-away-so-I-don't-hurt-them trope (there's gotta be a short-hand for that one), and I find it eyebrow-raising, but not eye-rolling. If one part of the male couple decides not to tell the other something, well, is that really patriarchal patronizing behavior? Or is is just, you know, emotionally stupid behavior? And what if they each take turns doing it? Neither seemed to be socially/economically 'dominant' (although perhaps one was sexually dominant?), that kind of defangs my trigger-irritation of it as a social more, and just makes it a mild plot-irritation. It was so fascinating to me how little deconstruction it triggered. Speaking of potential eye-rolls, for those who may or may not be comfortable with it, I'll note there are three quite explicit sex scenes, taking it a step or two beyond the normal PNR/UF.

So, definitely up there for quarantine reads. I burned through the next, then gave a few days before I went on to book three and four. On the upside, Turner does seem to be avoiding cliffhanger endings, though there is an overarching plot. It also seems the series is done, 'for now,' which is always a bonus. The romance has turned into a relationship, which I've discovered is kind of sweet, and not at all annoying³. The world-building has continued to enlarge, which I always appreciate.

Overall, I'd say I've definitely found it more interesting than a lot of the female-lead PNR/UF I've given a try (The One With the Graves², The One With the Vampires², The One with the Seer², The One With the Werewolf Beta², The One with the Fae and the Art Gallery², The One with the Vampires in Chicago², The One with the Weather Mages², etc., etc).
Really, probably 2 1/2 stars at the moment on overall quality, but a solid 3.5 on the QB¹ scale. For a better description of pros and cons, please see Elena C.'s review.



¹QuarantineBrain™ You've heard people relapse after recovery, right?

²Trope

³You know, the over-explanation stuff. Maybe I'm not the ideal audience here. I prefer the organic build.

⁴I know, I'm shocked too.


Hey! Guess who decided to use All The Symbols today?

[Simone - on indefinite hiatus - · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook: ***4 Stars*** (July 2019)

Gary Furlong rocked Jono's voice. The rest of the characters could have been a bit more distinctive, especially the female voices.

-----------------------------------------------

***4.5 Stars***

Magic, willed out from his tainted soul, spun itself into a pale, glowing blue sphere no bigger than a golf ball. It nestled against the curve of his hand, mostly hidden from sight.

It was one of those phone calls. One of those phone calls you are bound and determined to ignore when you are already halfway out the door and mentally in full-blown vacation-mode, attuned to weeks of umbrella-decorated cocktails, a nice tan and loads of hot sex. But when Special Agent Patrick Collins's boss at the Supernatural Operations Agency aka SOA and guardian for almost his entire life calls and sends you to New York, it is not a 'your mission, should you choose to accept it' call. You accept. Period. Especially when there are higher powers involved - umm, and I don't mean the worldly kind - and you owe them a soul-debt that makes you their good little soldier. This phone call is the reason why Patrick, mage by trade with a military background, ends up knee-deep in dead bodies - or should I say parts of dead bodies? - while dealing with several quite obnoxious and demanding gods, a cult set out for world domination, agents gone rogue and ghosts of the past that should better have stayed dead, culminating in some kind of Ragnarok...

... and all that when Patrick's soul already took a deep hit the last time it happened and he failed spectacularly. But that's not all. Not by a long stretch. Throw some vampires, witches, sorcerers, seers, faes and werecreatures - just to name a few - into the mix and you might get an idea of how much Patrick has his hands full with reconciling the whole bunch of old enemies and new allies, although the enemy/ally part might get mixed up a little.

And then there's Jono... Jonothon de Vere, Alpha werewolf without a pack and with ties to some deities himself, doesn't fall exactly under Patrick's favorite species, but something about him makes Patrick feel magically - no pun intended - attracted to this guy. Jono seems to understand Patrick's lonely soul - and vice versa - and wondrously doesn't care about his damaged soul and tainted magic, so when the immortals set their mind on both guys not leaving each other's side, their connection deepens gradually and both men form a special bond, boosted by magic.

Lordy! Once again I'm doffing my metaphorical hat to Hailey Turner's power of imagination! It's been a year and a half - almost to a day - that I discovered her Metahuman Files series and became one of its biggest fans since. But I'm honest here, so when I heard that the author's next series would be Urban Fantasy I gulped, winced and cringed a little because even if I'm all in for some hot superheroes, I'm still more of a down-to-earth kind of girl and fantasy is usually not my thing. But when Hailey writes it I'll read it and boy, was I wrong! I loved the world she created here with magic being a part of the everyday life, a healthy dose of mythology and gods living among mortals, running around in jeans and T-shirts. And with Patrick and Jono she brought two flawed and damaged characters to life whose complexity enfolded bit by bit and I'm sure there are some layers I still have to peel away. Contrary to the Metahumans it's not an already established team who has to save the world, more like a crowd of unlike allies cobbled together by a mutual cause, but I have a feeling just like between Patrick and Jono, their bond will deepen over time and we will get to see more of these guys. The story is plot-driven with action scenes and underlying tension - umm, there's a lot going on, like a lot, and we are talking about only a week here - and a romantic subplot that will surely develop over the course of the series. The sex - albeit not quite as long and frequent as in the Methuman Files - was hot, sweet and sensual.

So why not 5 stars? It took me a bit to get into it. I mean, I love me a detailed worldbuilding, but at the beginning it was quite the info dump. So many agencies and names were introduced and background stories only addressed with a lot of hints and insinuations that my old muddled brain needed some time to adjust and process what was going on here. I had to turn back a few times when I scratched my head and asked myself 'who was that again?', sure I've read the name before and that pulled me a bit out of the story. For all those with the same issues, there's a detailed index at the end of the book, I just realized it a tad too late.

I absolutely loved the second half, though, and since there are quite a few unsolved threads, I can't wait to see where this is going. Soooo, Hailey... please write faster! ;-)

Highly recommended for all die-hard and aspiring fans of urban fantasy!

***ARC generously provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!***

[Wendys Wycked Words · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is no secret that I am a big fan of Hailey Turner's "Metahuman" series. I fell deeply in love with the characters from that series, especially Kyle and Alexei...they were awesome. So when I found out she was releasing a new "Urban Fantasy" series, I was all in !!



Now I have got to be honest here and confess, that I don't exactly know, which of the books I have read, fall under the "Urban Fantasy" genre. I just know, that I love reading PNR and that I have definitely read my fair share of those, either MM or MF. I am also a big fan of magic, so I figured BRING IT ON :P

She definitely brought it !! This book is full of all sorts of creatures... There are Gods, witches, vampires, shifters, mages ...you name it and they are in it.



I absolutely loved the world-building in this one, which I think is very important, especially when it comes to a fantasy book, but... I have got to admit, that I felt a bit lost at times.

There was just a lot of information to process, which is to be expected, because this is the first book in a series. Now, it's not the book nor the author's fault, that I had to go back and re-read certain parts. This is mostly because English is not my first language. My English might be good, but it's not perfect by any means.



That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it though, it just took me a bit longer to read, which ...wasn't such a bad thing :P

Now I won't go into the whole plot, because don't want to spoiler anything, but also because I wouldn't be able to explain everything properly. This is one you just have to experience for yourself... at least I think you should !!

I got sucked into the story from the very first page, which is also the exact page I fell in love with Patrick <3



Patrick is a mage and he works for the Supernatural Operations Agency (SOA for short). All he wanted was to go on vacation....sucks to be him !!

The romance in the story took a bit of a backseat, but I myself didn't mind one bit. That said, I do hope we get a bit more "Patrick and Jono" time in the second book, because they were HOT together. I also want to give some extra credit to all the other characters in this book, who made this story so interesting.

Highly recommended ;)

My reviews are posted on DirtyBooksObsession

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[Nataliya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh dear. A part of me loved so much about this book. A part of me was terribly annoyed by it. Which part won, you ask? Well, I’m starting the second book now, so that’s your answer.

Let’s start with the good, shall we? This book is just so much fun!

“Patrick had a tendency to put out fires with gasoline.”

It takes the staples of the Urban Fantasy genre and tosses them all together and somehow makes the resultant mix a vibrant and fascinating mishmash and not just a trope casserole.

This is a world chock-full of paranormal preternatural things — all in the open, as part of society. There are military mages, and basically magical FBI, and sorcerers, and witches, and vampires, and werewolves were creatures (regular and god-pack variety), and all kinds of gods (Greek variety included) immortals, and succubi, and Thirty-Day magical war in the Middle East, and god-hunting sects, and Seers, and soul-taking demons, and Fates, and lasting magical soul-wounds. There is a string of brutal ritualistic murders in Manhattan. There are complicated backstories that are managed well, and contracts with gods that by all legal means should be null and void and not legally enforceable — but you can tell it to gods yourself:

“We are not ones to cast aside a weapon when we find one,” Hera replied coolly.
“Takes a real shitty person to think a child should be turned into a weapon.”

And all this jumble somehow works, creating a world that I can see working more or less plausibly. And it manages to feel fresh and fun and engaging.

Our protagonist Patrick is a former military Mage, crippled by a soul wound which limits his magic use, and traumatized by his prior war experiences, and now in a kind of magical FBI organization. He also seems to be a designated go-to guy when immortals and Fates need things done and murders solved and end of the world prevented, while having managed to seriously piss off pretty much everyone important in the preternatural world.

“Taking a deep breath, Patrick reined in his anger as much as he could, but he’d never reacted well to orders given by gods.
They always ended up fucking him over, and not in the good way.”

By the magic of plot requirements he is paired with a lone werecreature Jono, and sparks fly and pants are off and fun times are definitely had by the parties involved. Graphically, yes, but *not* brain-bleachingly so, which is fine by me.

Although the extreme possessiveness could have been dialed down a notch or ten.

——————————

And now, inevitably, the bad. The annoying Big Bad which is the lack of proper editing. Because, while having a great story to tell, Turner tends to overexplain and weigh it down with clunky and unnecessary details. Like the color of clothes, over and over again. Like specifying how many 200-mg tablets of Tylenol Patrick takes. Like specifying “Chukka boots” where just “boots” would do. Like writing down every single word said in a phone call when a one-line summary would suffice.

With a proper editor, the following lengthy paragraph full of unnecessary details that stop the story dead in its tracks would have been a simple: “They grabbed some food and drinks”, and not this, well, *this* (hidden under spoiler tag because I don’t even want to see its pointlessness here):

“Whaddya want?” she asked.
“Large coffee with two shots of espresso and an everything bagel,” Patrick said. He looked over his shoulder at Jono. “What do you want?”
“Double espresso and two chocolate croissants.”
The woman punched in his order on the screen. “For here or to go?”
Patrick dug out his wallet. “For here, but make the drinks to go.”
He paid with his card, getting an emailed receipt for reimbursement purposes, then stepped aside to wait for their order. When it came, their drinks were in paper to-go cups, though they’d served Jono’s free shot of sparkling water to go with his espresso as a palate cleanser in a small glass. Their food was in small plastic baskets, and they carried everything over to the empty table in the corner.”

Or this passage, which could have been summarized as: “Patrick used the bathroom”. Or even better, omitted altogether because it adds exactly nothing to the story or the scene. It’s a book, not a diary.

“Patrick looked over his shoulder at the large porta potty someone had hauled in. Walking on unsteady legs, he went to use it. The thing smelled like a sewer, but Patrick didn’t care. He closed the door, undid his jeans, and aimed his dick at the dirty urinal until the pressure on his bladder eased.
At least Victoria didn’t give me a catheter, he thought to himself. He fucking hated those things.
When Patrick finished, he washed his hands in the tiny plastic sink near the door. No paper towels were in the dispenser, so Patrick wiped his hands on his jeans before leaving.”

—————————

Luckily these editing-poor moments do not overpower the story which remains engaging and fun and somehow, despite a fair share of tropes, still fresh. The narrative tension stays decent and characterization is not half bad.

So yeah, I still liked it a lot, despite the flaws. It has the potential to become an addictive series.

3.5 stars. Let’s see how the next book shakes out.
———————

carol’s QuarantineBrain review both warned and intrigued me and helped me find this story.

——————
Also posted on my blog.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting another re-read ready for the new release in 2 days 🤗🤗🤗

Re-read 8th - 10th September 2019.

Just as good third time round.

Re-read 21st - 23rd March 2019

Figured I’d best do a re-read before starting the new one.

Original review.

If it wasn’t for the fact that I’d irritate myself with my corniness I’d refer to this book as spellbinding.

Usually it takes me a chapter or two to settle into a book. To get a feel for it and see if I’m going to like it. This hooked me immediately. Which was surprising in a way because this is a first in series and it comes with a ton of information. And I do mean a ton. We have a world where magic is prevalent. This comes with witches, mages, vampires, soul eaters, werewolves etc.
Then there’s variations within each group.

All magic users were taught according to what their magic had an affinity for. Some practitioners handled the elements. Other practitioners healed. Still others tried to raise and enslave the dead...

Patrick Collins works for the SOA (Supernatural Operations Agency). Patrick is a mage (a combat mage) on his way to Maui. He’s actually at the airport when he makes the mistake of answering his phone.
So Special Agent Patrick Collins finds himself in New York City. Trying to solve a series of murders. The bodies are mutilated with astrological signs sliced into the eyelids.

Yes this is a very different world that’s been created here and I loved it.

Patrick has a troubled past, he has more baggage than any one person should ever have to carry.

I loved this book. The world building, the characters and of course the romance. I do love a hot muscled werewolf and Jonothon is delicious . This book is fast paced in fact there’s never a dull moment.

I can’t wait for the next one.

I very rarely give 5* but this book held me completely captivated from the first page to the last.

[Len Evans Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just perfection from start to finish!

Awesome book populated by wonderfully flawed characters with the perfect balance of action and romance! Full review tomorrow! Highly recommend it to all that love sexy paranormal stories!

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening #AUDIOBOOKADDICT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio – 5 + Stars! I really enjoyed Gary Furlong’s performance. Not only does he give Jono a British accent to die for, he also does a great job with the New York accent he gives Casale. Yum! Too bad Patrick's character didn't call for an Irish Brogue..lol (that's me being greedy)

Story – 5 + Overwhelming but I loved it Stars!

I can’t even begin to review a book like this. Kudos to my GR friends who were able to.

All I have to say is, I read Hailey Turner books because I know I can count on tons of suspenseful action, an amazing DIVERSE cast of characters, incredible world building, a swoon-worthy couple and hawt AF sex scenes. Oh, and she has the smarts to cast the right narrator to bring her stories to life. As an audio addict, I can’t say thank you enough for that!!

On a side note: Am I the only one who fell a little in love/lust with Lucien?

[Dia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's my first book by this author and the first book in this series. I enjoyed the suspense and the world building even if paranormal is not my favorite. Now I really want to try The Metahumans series by this author. For some reason I postponed it.

I'll give this one 4 stars because it was intense and full of action. But it was exhausting to read. For me. As much as I loved the couple, there are SO many secondary characters. My head was spinning! And I am sorry to say this but I think it could have been shorter. I wouldn't have minded. So many creatures, vampires, gods, immortals... I really think you have to have patience with this one. The story is revealed slowly. In the end we get some missing pieces that help us better understand the main characters. But honestly, I would have preferred more hot scenes. This book is full of action and suspense, but not much romance. I don't know what I feel about the forced bond between them. I suppose we will get more relationship angst in the second book.
This doesn't end in a cliffhanger and maybe I'll give the second book a try.

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whisper it quietly but I think Hailey's written another amazing pair of lovers who might have just kicked Alexei and Sean to the curb in my list of favourites (but please don't let the Russian pyrotechnic know okay?!).

I am absolutely head over heels for Patrick and Jono, both individually and as a partnership. Patrick is every thing I love in a flawed hero, both metaphorically and literally as his magic has been damaged beyond repair when first we meet him.

Jono is a British boy, and every time he spoke, visions of North Laandon (that's the accent I hear) fluttered through my head, bringing with them the sounds of the city.

The world building in this book is beyond brilliant, the mythology of the Greek Pantheon is seamlessly merged with that of the Norse Gods, and with the folklore of West African, Egyptian and European cultures.

In terms of the plot, it's fast paced, complex, at times sets the heart racing and at others makes you melt and at the centre is a new group of characters I know I'm going to love just as desperately as the Alpha Team in Hailey's Metahuman Files series.

I'm not giving away anything plotwise because I'm not spoiling it, but this is everything I want in the opener of a new series. The romance is present but doesn't overtake the urban fantasy, and the fantasy is firmly rooted into the "real world".

There's good guys to root for and bad guys you want to see wiped off the face of the Earth and a bunch of brilliant secondary characters I want to know more about.

Now, I know this book isn't even out yet, but when can I have the rest please?!

#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

All fangirling is my own work because I am such a mythology nerd.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ????

I am really conflicted on how to rate this one. As much as I liked the story itself, there was so much world building thrown at you, I was utterly lost. It was even more difficult because I was listening to the audiobook, and I had no idea there was an index. I eventually switched over to the book and found the index which did make things a little easier.

I did enjoy Gary Furlong as the narrator, his voice for the main characters, especially Jono, was perfect. I did, however, find it difficult when he had to voice a female character. He really didn’t change his voice much and I had to pay attention to figure out who was talking.

So after all my complaining, why did I rate it 4 stars? The story is really good, if you can figure out who is who and all the lingo. There is plenty of action and it does deal with the supernatural. I will continue with the series, now that I kind of know what’s going on

[Jilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is such a crazy mix of mythologies and magic going on in this book that I have no desire to explain it. It was fun and super fast paced with the focus on magic fighting more than the romance. If you like to go to the soda machine and pour a little of each flavor in there, this is for you.


I can guarantee that the book is better than this atrocity.

[Shin Mon Thway · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to read a lot of mainstream urban fantasy books and they are one of my favorite genres. I love them because they are creative, wild, imaginative, magical and oh-so-fun. 😋 So I’m very pleasantly surprised when I found out Hailey Turner is writing one. And ding-ding-ding, I was on cloud nine when I found out again that Gary Furlong is going to do the narration of this book because we all know he’s my very favorite narrator. 😁🥰 And all in all, this book met all my expectations. 😌


In the fascinating and magical world Hailey Turner beautifully created, werewolves, vampires, mages, deities and all the other magical beings you can possibly think of co-exist together with humans. And Patrick is an SOA Agent who handles all thing supernatural related and dangerous. And now he’s being sent to New York City to handle the mysterious murders which so cruelly and frighteningly eviscerate it’s victims. And the Dominion Sect is on the rise again on their quest to capture a god and use their powers for black magic. And the local werewolves and the seer on call isn’t being very cooperative. The only good thing out of this entangled mess is Jono, the packless Godpack Alpha from England, who was exiled to America. But if Patrick doesn’t act fast, he might lose Jono and possibly even his own life to the evil and ugly magic of Dominon Sect and the ruthless gods who are holding his soul and puppeteering him to their wills.


This book is near perfect except for one thing. I didn’t realize there was a glossary before I started listening to it. I’m sure if I read this instead of listening to it, it would have been mentioned. But since I had no idea there was a glossary, I was seriously lost for like first two hours because I couldn’t figure out who, why, where or when. 😅 I think it should have been mentioned at the beginning of the audio as a side note that there’s a glossary. That being said, when I finally caught up, the whole story started to make sense. 😁 And my, what a fascinating and intriguing story with its vast and enormous world-building, interesting and attractive characters and a lovely romance weaved in it. 💙 I mean who doesn’t love a mage and a powerful werewolf shacking up because I seriously did. 😉 And needless to say, Gary Furlong’s narration was simply flawless and beautiful. 👏 Couldn’t get enough. 🥰 I will say though, this is not exactly romance focused and read more like mainstream urban fantasies with its evil, malicious evils, unforgiving and manipulative gods and a healthy dose of mystery, thriller thing. Loved it and will be waiting for the day second book in the series came out as an audio. 😌 Highly recommended if you are a fantasy fan like me. 😉



4.25 Soulbound and mated for life stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨







Audio rating

Story - 3.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 4.25 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨











Disclaimer: An audio copy of this book was provided by the author via LesCourt services for an honest and unbiased review.

[Elise ✘ a.k.a Ryder's Pet ✘ · Rating 3 out of 5]

⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Actually Not So Bad*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱

Look, I read in a review somewhere that this book had a possessive alpha male in it and I just needed an alpha male. A possessive alpha. And that was enough to change my mind about reading this one after all.. Did I make the right choice? Well... I'm have to be honest and say that I was pleasantly surprised. I actually liked it. Sure, it wasn't great, but it was enjoyable and had a plot line with cool characters. My problem however was that there was a lot of characters and it was hard to keep remembering who was who and what and where. In order to keep up I had to make a long character list with tons of information about what's going on.

That said, the book had huge potential, with action and reminded me of Kate Daniels series just with M/M, which I love. I didn't like though, that the "relationship" between the two main character was so quick to make. There was no frustration and build up there. I wanted more depth, and I wanted more possessiveness, protectiveness and more dominance, even though there were some. I just wanted more. That said, I liked it, and I'm glad I decided to read the book after all. One to the next one.

Characters & Information/Spoilers:
The list is long so I've put it in a spoilers tag.
→ Patrick ‘Pat’ ‘Pattycakes’ Collins (29?), a special agent for the Supernatural Operations Agency: SOA (DC office). He was nine years as a combat mage in the Mage Corps under the direction of the US Department of the Preternatural. The SOA, a National Intelligence Service under the supervision of the Department of Defense, had immediately recruited him when he left the Corps, which is where he's worked for three years. Which meant Patrick continued doing what he’d been trained to do in the military, just on domestic soil rather than foreign, with a little less ordnance thrown into the mix. Being assigned to the Rapid Response Division within the SOA meant Patrick never got the easy jobs. Patrick’d survived a premeditated attack and still carried the scars—physical, mental, magical—from when he was a child and a demon nearly clawed out his heart. His ability to track and kill demons and monsters with ties to the preternatural world was a side effect of that childhood trauma. That little quirk in his magic had made him an asset to the Mage Corps and was the reason he had been assigned to a Special Operations Forces team. His hunting skills meant the Hellraisers’ mission success rate looked good on paper.
→ Jonothon ‘Jono’ de Vere (30), a werewolf in a werewolves-god pack. European god pack in New York City? The god pack alpha. Got infected when he was seventeen: bad blood transfusion at a hospital after a car accident on the M1 while coming back from hols. The mistake shouldn’t have happened. When Marek showed up in London three years ago with a job offer to manage his friends’ bar, Jono didn’t say no. When he left, the London god pack exiled him. The New York City god pack wanted nothing to do with him. The Fates/Marek won't let the god pack run him out of town, even if even if Estelle and Youssef wish him gone. He's an independent werecreatures: people who either hadn’t found the right fit in a pack yet, or they’d been exiled from ones who wanted nothing to do with them anymore. Independents were the least powerful in any territory werecreatures held beneath the watchful eyes of their local god pack. It was a lonely sort of existence. Jono, a god pack alpha, had yet to form his own pack when his instincts had to be screaming at him to do so. There are very few god packs in existence who are truly guided by the patrons their kind once worshipped. Jono is one of those of the god that resonates in his soul: the immortal, Fenrir. He guides Jono: he'd his pack if Jono had one.
→ Supernatural Operations Agency Director Setsuna Abuku (51), Patrick’s former childhood guardian (for 9 years - she cared for him but had never seemed to care about him) and current boss. A witch.
→ SOA Special Agent in Charge Rachel Andrita at the New York office (SAIC). A witch. Setsuna believe that Rachel belongs to the Dominion Sect: had gone by many names throughout the centuries, but their number one priority always remained the same: the subjugation of the gods and removal of the veil between worlds. Rogue magic users of every creed who belonged to the shadowy group all lived double lives, as did their many human followers. Ferreting any of them out was difficult. The higher-ups rarely made mistakes, but when they did, those mistakes were brutal for everyone involved.
→ Clara Patterson, Patrick’s mother who had never really known the true nature of the family she married into, which cost her her life when Patrick was eight years old and Ethan Greene had murdered her. She was a witch, a healer, who belonged to the Salem Coven: they were one of the oldest covens in the country and the most powerful, a tight-knit group of extended family. Ethan was a former SOA special agent. Ethan is Patrick's father by blood and is the reason Patrick owe a soul debt to the immortals. He can break any spell Ethan creates because of that connection. Hannah Greene, Patrick's twin sister, had disappeared, a missing person presumed dead and relegated to a cold case that still haunted the detectives who’d covered the crime. At the time, the sacrificial murder of a loving mother and the assumed deaths of her twin eight-year-old children had rocked Salem’s magical community to its core. Ethan, the prime murder suspect, had gone on the run and disappeared, only to show up years later on grainy CCTV footage in Europe, making a new life as a mercenary. Over the years, every shred of evidence that proved Ethan was alive had never confirmed the same fate for Hannah. As for Patrick: the sins of the father were owed by the son in the eyes of the immortals. However the truth about Hannah was the Ethan used her soul for magic and is now a broken soul that somehow carried the power of an immortal.
→ Giovanni Casale, the PCB’s Chief of Preternatural Crimes (New York). His son, Tyler Casale a sorcerer in charge of protecting Marek during the case Patrick is working on - courtesy of the Crescent Coven.
→ Angelina, Casale's wife who's a priestess in a coven here in Manhattan.
→ Detective Specialists (NYPD) Allison Ramirez and Dwayne Guthrie, they’re the lead on the case Patrick got in the beginning of the book and reports directly to Casale.
→ Marek Taylor, one of the United States’ few true god-touched seers and the company PreterWorld's owner and founder. Young (late 20s), as most tech entrepreneurs were, and stupidly rich after the IPO went public. PreterWorld was the largest tech company originally catering to the social media habits of those born with magic or who belonged to the preternatural world and weren’t shy about sharing their identities. The social media platform, which incorporated status updates, photos, and video on a feed, initially had a cultlike following before more and more mundane users began wanting access. Part of the Tempest pack.
→ Leon Hernandez, a werecreature of the Tempest pack who owns Tempest in Manhattan, a local werecreature spot with Emma ‘Em’ Zhang, alpha and co-leader of Tempest pack (under the protection of the god pack) with Leon.
→ Isadora Cirillo, Manhattan’s most powerful high priestess witch of an old coven. Her husband, Malcolm Cirillo, is missing. Is an immortal: Hera, the titular queen of the Greek gods and her husband is Zeus, the king of the Greek gods.
→ Brianna, Setsuna’s executive assistant in DC.
→ Hermes, an immortal: the messenger god.
→ Sage Beacot, Marek's partner and a lawyer, specifically his. A senior associate at Gentry & Thyme. She's a werecreature (weretiger) but works for the fae.
→ Nicholas Kavanaugh, the god pack’s dire, essentially a rank held by a loyal pack member who enforced their alphas’ orders, was a traditional role usually filled by arseholes in Jono’s experience.
→ Estelle Walker (35), a born god pack werewolf, and her husband of five years (though the pair of them had been together for several years before that) Youssef Khan (40), the alphas of the god pack in New York: they’d fought to take over the god pack six years ago in a challenge and were successful—but the pair had affection for each other. Caring for each other didn’t mean they cared about the packs under their guardianship.
→ Lucien (1000), one of the world’s most notorious vampires and leader of Night Court. Hates Patrick. Lucien was still riding high on everyone’s Top Ten Most Wanted Lists, no matter what name he went by.
→ Carmen, a succubus, and the favored lover to a vampire, any attack against Carmen was an attack against Lucien.
→ Einar, undead, the sucking emptiness where a soul once resided in human flesh, vampire. Carmen’s protection.
→ Ashanti, Lucien's mother. As one of the first immortals and a goddess in her own right, Ashanti’s rare ability to walk in sunlight and not be burned to ashes had manifested itself in only a handful of her direct descendants. Ashanti had always been fiercely loved by her children. Most people didn’t know the mother of all vampires was dead. Patrick hadn’t been able to save her, and Lucien would always, always blame Patrick for his mother’s death.
→ Naheed, a human, a willing feeder to vampires. She was Lucien’s favorite meal, had been ever since Patrick first met her years ago.
→ Skuld, an immortal who uses Marek.
→ Special Agent Nadine Mulroney of the Preternatural Intelligence Agency. Nadine was Setsuna’s second call-in to help Patrick with the case in NY. She’d joined the Mage Corps when she was nearly twenty-two after earning a degree in political science at the Paris Institute of Political Studies in three years. She was a few years older than Patrick but had earned the same sort of honorable discharge he had after the Thirty-Day War. Instead of transitioning into civilian life, Nadine had joined the PIA and opted to return to her adoptive country. She was based out of Paris now, working counterintelligence cases in Europe. Nadine was a combat mage whose magic leaned toward defensive rather than offensive. The shields she could build with her own magic while tapped into a ley line were nearly impenetrable. Patrick's friend.
→ Hades, the Greek god of the Underworld. His daughter, Macaria: Ethan stole her godhead. Macaria’s godhead had been transferred into Hannah’s soul instead of Ethan’s, and his twin was now forever bound to their father. The feedback loop between their souls and the siphoning off of her power to Dominion Sect acolytes kept Hannah’s body from dying. As for Macaria, she wasn’t dead and gone, but she might as well be in the eyes of the Greek pantheon.
→ Zachary Myers, a mage. Works for Ethan.
→ Victoria Alvarez, a healer, an RN witch at Mount Sinai.
→ Irena, one of Lucien's vampires, the youngest vampire he’d turned. Her age hadn’t stopped her from becoming one of his cruelest. Lucien had pulled Irena out of a sex-trafficking ring in Eastern Europe decades ago.
→ Persephone, the Greek goddess and queen of the Underworld who owned Patrick's soul debt: she’d saved him from dying beneath his father’s hands all those years ago. Hades's wife.
→ SOA Deputy Director Priya Kohli, a powerful mage with an affinity for defensive magic.
→ Captain Gerard ‘Smooth Dog’ Breckenridge, Patrick's old team captain. Commanding officer of the Hellraisers. Sergeant Keith Pearson, the team’s demolitions specialist.
→ Spencer Bailey, a mage whose magic was technically classified in the family of necromancy, but the government had issued him a pardon to live when he was a child. Spencer was a soulbreaker, but he used his magic to exorcise demons and send the dead to rest; he didn’t raise them.
→ Henry Ng, the new SAIC after Rachel's betrayal and capture.

Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Urban Romance (M/M).
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? - No.
Cheating? - No.
HEA? - HFN.
Favorite character? - Jonothon ‘Jono’ de Vere.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Sure.
Will I read this again in the future? - Unsure.
Rating - 3.5/3 *surprised* stars.

[Corina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A Ferry of Bones & Gold is my first book by this author but it won't be my last - I actually DEVOURED book 1 and 2  - and didn't want to leave the house at all this weekend. That's a fantastic sign if you ask me.

If you love UF, if you love MM, and if you loved Kate Daniels you'll love this series.

There was NOTHING I didn't enjoy about this book. Mainly because it had everything I love about a great UF series. A fantastic main couple that I could cheer on, lots of action, a great supporting cast, mythology, gods, and lots of different creatures. There were werewolves, witches, vampires and GODS. And most of all I adored the main couple, Patrick and Jono. Also the plot was right up my alley. Interfering gods are since Kate Daniels Magic Bites a plot that I can't get enough of.

Patrick and Jono are a fantastic couple.

Both are dominant in their own way. Patrick, a mage specializing in offense magic, and who was part of the Mage Corps for years, is now, after a soul wound being relegated to domestic cases. Jono, a british independent alpha werewolf, wishing for his own pack and now bar manager, meets Patrick at a pivotal point in his life. Both are in need of someone to fill the loneliness in their hearts.

Nothing is coincidence in this book. There are so many strings that are being tweaked and moved, to align just right when needed. I loved the machinations, and the many twists and turns that are such a big part of this book.

I also loved the action. The story was packed to the roof with well plotted action scenes. It reminded me so much of Kate Daniels. Also the never ending interference by the gods was something I enjoyed immensely. And of course the always important balance between good and evil.

In all honesty this book (and now series) gave me a bit of a book hangover that's how much I enjoyed the first two books. Ever since I found Kate Daniels, I'm looking for similar books. I never thought I would find what I love about KD in an MM UF series. And best news of all, book 3 A Crown of Iron & Silver is coming out on September 10th.

It's also seldom that I want to read an author's backlog, but I'll be checking out this author's Metahuman Files Series In the Wreckage asap. I'm excited to have found a new author and a new series to obsess about.

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a lot of feelings about this book. Most of them good. Some, not so much.

First the good. I loved the concept of the story and it was really good to see an actual urban fantasy that also includes a m/m romance. I loved Patrick and Jono and thought they were great together. They had a ton of chemistry and were smoking hot in the smexy scenes. Their relationship is fated mates kind of thing which I love. It's one of my favorite tropes so that was a giant win for me. I also really liked all of the side characters. There were a lot of them but they all added to the story.

Now the bad. What on earth did the copy editor actually do? Not his/her job, because this was so clunky and messy in places. So, So much info dumping. So much information told to the reader over and over and over. Yes, I know Patrick has a soul injury. You've told me 399x now (ok, slight exaggeration). The world building was also very clunky. It was dispersed in random places and didn't always make sense. The author held back info the reader needed until the end while simultaneously giving out too much information in other places. The book was way too long. It could have easily been cut down by 50-75 pages. So much pointless stuff like the telephone call from an old friend at the end. Zero reason for the scene to be there (and the reader doesn't need to know every line of a conversation). Look, we're at the end. It's time for the book to be wrapped up. I as a reader am ready to move on to another book and yet here the author is, just throwing in random, pointless scenes. There was way too much of it is this book. This type of stuff happened too many times and by the end I was super annoyed.

I actually read the notes in the back cuz I was sure this had been self pubbed w no editor. Then I saw how she had all these beta readers (which doesn't do any good if they're the author's friends and they're going to only give you good feedback) but apparently there was an editor. An expensive one too according to their website. I don't even know what to say about that (Ok, I do, but I'm going to refrain).

So....this had the potential to be an excellent book. There were a lot of good things about it. Things I really, really liked. The lower rating though is due to the abysmal editing. I liked it enough to read the next one. I do recommend it. Just be prepared to skim in places.

[Jewel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This book was so up my tree, I can't even tell ya. Loved it!



----------------------------------------------------
Woot!!! Thank you Impatient Elf!!!! I can't WAIT to read this! <3

[Gerbera_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/15/2022 reread

8/13/2021 reread. Wow, it's been almost 3 years since I read it first time. It was good and I enjoyed it.

All men's souls are immortal, but the souls of the righteous are immortal and divine.

Socrates

Ms Turner has done it again. She brought new world and new magic into our lives. I would venture a guess that this is the best urban fantasy novel I've read to date. It is spectacular! I loved every page! Among humans and immortals, werewolves and vampires, mages and witches we find ourselves at the epicenter of an epic battle between good and evil. How much are people willing to sacrifice to become omnipotent? Too much or not enough?


Whatever comes from God is impossible for a man to turn back.

Herodotus

Patrick Collins's life is bearable. He knows the score and he settles his debts as they come. As a man with secrets in his past and many enemies he is always aware and always ready. But this case is the straight nightmare that will bring him face to face with the truths and memories better left forgotten. As he fights to keep everyone alive he has to learn to trust and forgive himself, to open up and to start living again.

Jonothon de Vere is someone who believes in Fates. He is a creature feared but strong and loyal. He does not know what future brings but he knows that Patrick is in it. At first they clash, shamelessly flirt and antagonize each other. But as the danger mounts they become a force to be reckoned with, they become a team and with the help of their allies they forge forward straight into the abyss.

Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.
Epicurus

The story is so engrossing, full of Gods, paranormal creatures of all types, mages and witches, but all of them are connected by their desire to fight. Some choose the side, some are forced to it. But no one stays behind. It was a wondrous experience and I felt privileged to read it in advance. I can only say that this book is off the charts good. The plot twists, the mystery and suspense, the brotherhoods and divided loyalties, the magical fights and diverse characters bring forth a magnificent story that will keep you on the edge of the seat. I highly recommend it!

P.S. As this is the first book of hopefully many it ends on HFN.

** ARC was kindly provided by Leslie Copeland for my honest review **

[⚣Michaelle⚣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

And of course the audio comes out less than a month after I've already read this...with Gary Furlong narrating. Looks like a re-read/listen is on the horizon!

20Aug2019: Yep, re-read via audio. Just as enjoyable this time around!



29Mar2019: 5 FULL STARS

I'd give it more if GR had them...it was that good.

The mythology, the magic, the plot, the action, the romance. Gah. I was up all night reading this (my eyes feel like I planted face first into a pile of sand) and I'm exhausted...but I'm totally gonna read the next one ASAP. Well, I think I want to read that short prequel I picked up at Prolific Works first...but then OMG bring on Book 2.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the Goodreads Giveaway program.
This is the first book I've won in years. Ironically, I had already borrowed a paper copy and read it, but thanks for the ebook, goodreads and/or publisher!

Summary review:
This was quite fun. Lots of mythology and magic, lots of action.
More like a 3.5, but I chose to round up because I enjoyed it enough that I will likely read the sequel.

I think your enjoyment of this book will largely depend on how much Urban Fantasy you've read. And yes, I would definitely class this as UF and not Paranormal Romance. There is a relationship and some short sex scenes but the plot is primarily about people fighting supernatural evil, not about love. I've seen a few reviews indicating disappointment in that aspect, so do know before you pick this up that it is not a romance except in the base sense that two people meet and end up together.

I read quite a bit of UF back in the day and got bored with how much it was the same and predictable. So I liked that the MC here was a bit different and there is denser world-building with a lot of mythologies mixed together. Basically, all the mythologies are real, and all the deities exist: they are immortal and powerful and you don't want their attention (so fairly faithful to Greek mythology, in that sense!). Even if they help you in some material way they will almost certainly up-end your life. Our MC Patrick's life has been pretty much one dramatic upheaval after another since he was a little child, but he copes as best he can and works in supernatural crime investigation, trying to keep things under control. The law enforcement agencies were realistically complex and bureaucratic.

Those are all elements I liked. I think the author was aiming this at people who were new to the subgenre, because there was a lot of repetition of important details in case you forgot, and a lot of explaining of basic mythology that I already knew. I personally would have been happier with a tighter edit that eliminated this and trusted me to pay attention, but I see other readers complaining that they wanted more explanation, so clearly your mileage may vary. In any case, go ahead and order the book without worrying that you need to be familiar with any background folklore. There's a glossary, or check wikipedia for info on Fenris, Persephone, etc.

To sum up: Not mind-blowing or groundbreaking (I think it was a bit over-hyped) but a solid and enjoyable urban fantasy action story.

[Anne Boleyn's Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Although I am a big fan of Hailey Turner's Metahuman Files series, I was slow to pick up A Ferry of Bones & Gold. I haven't read an urban fantasy novel in years, and I worried that I would miss the romance. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it.

Well, I enjoyed it. So much that while I still missed the romance, I didn't miss it as much as I thought I would. A Ferry of Bones & Gold drew me in. Here's how:

*A compelling story. As former combat mage turned supernatural law enforcement agent Patrick investigates a series of murders by an evil occult intent upon world domination, he juggles enemies and allies, a sexy werewolf bodyguard, soul debts, and demon assassination attempts.
*A diverse cast of supernatural characters that made the landscape more lively and fun
*Jono. Ever since Kresley Cole introduced the Lykae in her Immortals After Dark series, werewolves have remained my FAVORITE paranormal heroes
*Cleverly incorporating the gods and monsters of Greek mythology (with a hint of Norse mythology too!)
*The writing. As always, it was rich and engrossing.

The world-building was as dense and complex as the characters' backstories, and piecing it all together was challenging at times. Information reveals were occasionally muddled.

The blurb is upfront that the m/m romance is a subplot. But at this point, even calling it a "subplot" is something of a stretch. I loved reading Jono's perspective, and his growing feelings for Patrick were palpable. But Patrick's feelings for Jono? Well, Patrick had a lot on his mind, what with saving the world and all, and when his thoughts did turn to Jono, they seemed to be driven by either lust or annoyance. At the end, I didn't believe that he felt anything particularly deep for Jono (or, at least, not anything independent of his guilt). In future installments, I would like to see Patrick's feelings evolve into more tangible and genuine ones. This may not be a romance series, but Turner can write romance well (shout-out to my babies Alexei and Sean).

Read for SBTB October - December 2018 Quarterly Challenge: Read whatever you like.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so torn with this book. See, by the half way mark it really wasn't doing it for me and I set it aside. In fact, I returned it through KU. Then it started to niggle at me and wouldn't get out my thoughts so I downloaded it again and .... I'm glad I did.

Once the real action kicked it up a notch and the big reveals about Patrick's past started to flow I was hooked. But this needed to come way, way earlier in the story and this is where it lost its shine for me. The author's imagination and world building is phenomenal, though at times I felt it overshadowed the characters and this frustrated me. This is a longish book with plenty of opportunity for more character details and fleshing out, they're all so fascinating and I'm hoping that the author gives us more on them in future books. I mean, at times I was so desperate for them to be fleshed out I would've been glad for flashbacks, and me no likey flashbacks. Jono's transformation into a were-creature fascinated me but it was so lightly touched on I was clamming for MORE.

Both Jono and Patrick are such strong, badass characters who still have quite a way to go with their relationship because the romance, what very little there was of it, took a back seat to everything else that was going on. I can't even say it's a HFN because their relationship hasn't really gotten off the ground yet so I'm hoping for a lot more Patrick and Jono together time in the next book. Jono is all in and was from the get to, Patrick needs to extract his head from is arse and get with the program.

So all in all I'm really glad I went back to it.

[Eugenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dang!

Re-read/listen: 5/5/19
Gary Furlong!!! How could I NOT listen to him??! I’m upping my rating from 4.0 to 4.5!! Because...Gary Fucking Furlong is a VOICE GOD!

I’ll admit that it was strange to hear him do an American accent for Patrick and for the narrative. But when he spoke for our hot and hunky alpha god pack werewolf from England??? Gahhhh!!! Voicegasm!!!

I also enjoyed the story more—I’d forgotten most of it and really, really liked it this second go around. I’m not sure what it says about me that I totally forgot about this book (that I’m getting old or that I have too many stories in my head to keep track of). 😂😂

Original Review September 2018:

Well, this is my third go at writing this review before my Kindle deleted everything. (I miss my iPad!).

Let’s leave it at a few critical observations:
1. It’s Urban Fantasy.
2. Gods, magical creatures, magic users and normal humans roam our contemporary world.
3. Hell and it’s allies are seeking to take over topside.
4. The gods are in this fight and still use humans/creatures/magic users as their pawns.
5. Hermes is a punk rocker.
6. The military has magic combat branches as do the intelligence agencies.
7. The world building is confusing at first.
8. After an initial WTF is going on, I got into the story.
9. There is a lot less sex than in Turner’s Metahuman series.
10. Lots o’ action.

I enjoyed it after my initial confusion. If you need to brush up in your gods, use the glossary.

Cheers!

[fleurette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve started this book completely unaware that this author is already familiar to me. I have read first two books in Metahuman Files series and really liked them. But I have to admit that I enjoy this book even more.
 
Maybe it’s because it is more on the urban fantasy side than science fiction and I’m generally more keen of this genre. And even though the world and idea of magic presented in Soulbound series is not tremendously innovative, it is still different enough from the other concepts I know to be fascinating. I really appreciated the world-building – both its familiarity and the dissimilarities.
 
And, as always with Hailey Turner, the characters are exceptional. Here we have two tortured heroes – Patrick and Jono. Their past is so interesting, I certainly want to know more about it. Their former experiences are so significant for their present reactions and acts. It’s so good to see Jono and Patrick relaying on each other and working together. I seriously hope they will also work as partners in the next books.
 
The plot is also truly grabbing. Terribly magically damaged bodies are found around New York City, just before the summer solstice. The main suspect is Dominion Sect, the one that once already tried to take over the god’s power and almost succeeded. Patrick Collins, special agent to the Supernatural Operations Agency, is sent to contain the mayhem.
 
Another thing that has to be mention is the city of New York that is like additional character in this story. The city with its famous points, attractions and everyday life is so much a part of the whole experience, I can’t imagine setting this story in any other city. I’m so glad Patrick is moved permanently to New York and that the next book is likely to be also set in NY.
 
I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. I hope it will be rather soon than later.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Ferry of Bones & Gold
Soulbound, Book 1
By: Hailey Turner
Narrated by: Gary Furlong
This book was addicting! I love an alternative world, urban fiction with magic, weres, vampires, other magical creatures, ancient gods, and sorcerers. The plot is complex, well thought out, and unpredictable. Great world building! Of course you have to have love! Patrick and Jonathan, or Jono, keep things hot with their sex scenes.
I thought the narrator performed awesomely! I could distinguish each voice by sound and he was great with the emotions and dialogue performances. I never stopped to think about if it had been recorded or not. I was lost in the story. Great job.

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread September 2019

Another reread that was totally gratifying!
On a second read all the creatures and people didn't feel as overwhelming as on my first read, because I knew about them to start with, and I also remembered to check the glossary at the back when I needed some info.
As for Patrick and Jono ... ahhhhhh. So good and what a start to a series!



Original review:

My mind is offically …



Hailey Turner’s imagination is bottomless. That’s all I can say.
If you read the Metahuman series In the Wreckage, you might have a slight idea what’s hitting you here:

.) Tough, lovable guys with extra special powers
.) An alternative universe that is intricate and complex and pretty mind-blowing.
.) A ‘hell’ (sorry, could not resist that) of a lot of action. I could hardly take a breath after 60%!

To start with I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland: dropped into a completely new world with no idea of anything. I discovered step by step who is who and what is what. And although we follow Patrick and his job, it is clear from the beginning there is way more going on here than some horrific murders.

It was like following breadcrumbs of info (cleverly dropped into conversations for example) until we finally get to see the bigger picture in the last third of the book, and darn. My heart went out for Patrick. Hailey Turner really doesn’t go easy on him!

As for Jono … I’m in love. I just can’t resist a tall, tough (werewolf) guy who is that nurturing, caring and protective! He is so good to Patrick it melted my heart again and again and …

So why not 5 stars for this one?

There is no discussion here about Hailey Turner’s mad writing skills or her limitless creativity. I love what she did here!

Just … it was overwhelming at times. There are so many people and so many creatures (From Greek Gods, vampires, seers, mages, witches and werewolves to gargoyles, it's all here!) who all have backstories and explanations what they can do and can’t do, my brain started seriously sizzling after a while. Please read the glossary at the end FIRST, it will help you to navigate through everyone and everything!

I wanted more of Patrick and Jono. I needed more of Patrick of Jono. The romance definitely takes a backseat here in favour of world building and action. I am not sure where they stand at the end. They are in some sort of 'relationship'.
But despite the oozing attraction and the sizzling sexy times (which don't happen too often because ... action...) , they haven't really talked about emotions. And being 'glued together' by a connection neither man would have sought at this stage doesn't make things easier.

I very much hope we will get into that in book 2! I can see lots of problems ahead of them, with the bond between them being contender no 1. How will it effect them? Will they doubt any real feelings because of it? Will they resent it?

Heading straight for book 2.

[haletostilinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

Whew. What a story.

It's no secret that I positively adored Turner's Metahuman Files series, Jamie and Kyle especially but I eventually came to love Alexei and Sean almost just as much.

For that, it was a tough act to follow because I was expecting a lot - couldn't help it.

For the most part, this story held up for what I've come to expect from this author, who is definitely an auto-buy for me.

A lot of the good and awesome in this story was a little lost in the setting up of this world, which is understandable. There is SO much going on this world. It actually has gods - greek gods, norse gods, other gods...as well as mages, sorcerers, witches, wizards, werecreatures, vampires and so on.

And we see just about all of those I listed in this, so there was a lot of introducing and explaining how each supernatural creature worked, and the gods' part in all this.

It tended to make it drag at times, which is why I ultimately rounded down instead of up, but it wasn't so bad that I ever lost interest. It did just enough explaining before getting back to the story that I didn't feel like it was too slow or meandering. It just came close to that at times, I felt.

Also, I could have done with more of Patrick and Jono, a lot more - but seeing as this is the first in the series, I expect a lot more is to come with these two. Didn't make it less frustrating that this barely felt like a beginning for these two. Also, with Patrick having been through so much, and literally having a damaged soul, I felt like his walls were UP and Jono barely cracked through the surface of them in this book, I felt, even with Patrick talking to him at the end about his past.

I mean, the main action takes place over a weeks time. Not a lot of time, and these two aren't in love yet - they barely get time to get to know one another and act on their attraction, so that was understandable. It was slightly reminiscent, to me, of Jamie and Kyle of book one of the Metahuman series, which means I hope we get to go more in depth with Patrick and Jono.

They definitely had that spark, and that chemistry that made me perk up and want oh so much more, and the sex was definitely hot (although, compared to Turner sex scenes of the past, not nearly as steamy as those. Definitely hoping for more in future books ;)).

But despite a pretty crowded book and a barely starting romance, the plot was interesting and engaging and had me glued to the pages, waiting to see what happened next. And the connection between Patrick and Jono had me wanting more, excited to get scenes between them.

There were a few twists and turns as well, and it made for an exciting read, and with the story not over yet by the end of this, I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.

***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review***

[Santy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read/Listen 20-May-2020
Still soo good!! The narrator was great for the male voices especially Jono’s but the female voices were all quite similar and not as distinctive as they could’ve been.

Nonetheless, the story more than made up for this as it gripped me from the beginning and didn’t let go till the very end!

Moving on to the next one!


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Perfection. Sheer Perfection.

It had great Characterisation, seamless melding of various pantheons the world over(including some from my west African folklore ) and nonstop badassery and action from start to finish. Among all of these, she still managed to weave in the beginning of an unconventional sort of romance between our baggage-carrying imperfect MCs.

Hailey rocked the hell out of this book and I For one, cannot wait for the next book!

[Jennifer☠Pher☠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I forget that I kind of do like Urban Fantasy and not just Paranormal Romance. I think somewhere in my head I think too much Fantasy and not enough Romance just won’t work for me.

Sometimes I’m just silly.

The beginning of this book took some getting used to, so many freaking acronyms guys, but once I got my groove I couldn’t put this down.

Hailey’s writing is superb.

The world building was amazing, so many supernaturals! I can’t wait to see where else we get to go in this world and man, this world is fantastic. The words created such a brilliant visual I felt like I could see the magic.

This was super exciting. We have another body. Gah! Time was running out and the stakes were high and I felt every bit of it. The twists and turns just kept coming and I felt winded.

Ok, let’s talk about the Romance. Yeah, it is for sure less in UF but man, what we got I freaking loved. First of all, I loved Patrick. He just kept going. How he did I don’t know but his strength and resiliency were astounding. I can’t wait to learn more about him and I can’t wait for him to become a new him, a him that is loved. Really, I can’t wait.

I’m going to go with equally here, yeah, that sounds about right, I equally loved Jono. Here is another example of keep on keepin’ on. An Alpha without a Pack is never good. How he survived alone for so long is unreal. I love that he just accepted his fate and rolled with it. It wasn’t a complete hardship for him though (wink, wink) and I love that he was honest about that too. I hope he just keeps on giving that slow and sweet. Whew!

And then these two together? Wowza.

So yeah, there definitely was romance, just not a lot of time for it. It was there though. It was fast, it was fate but at times it was sweet. It was also off the charts hot. These two burned up the pages for sure.

Overall I am super happy with this read. I’m glad I took a chance on it even if I feel it isn’t always my thing. I just forget sometimes it can also be my thing.

Um, when is the next one?

Superb.

**ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take Promotions in exchange for an honest review.**

[Lisazj1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

**EDIT** I just got Hailey Turner's newsletter and this book is FREE TODAY ONLY in all territories! HOLY SHIT, if you don't already have this, GET IT NOW!!!

4.5 stars. I loved every bit of this, the world, the characters, everything. It was like it was written to appeal specially to me and it damn sure did. I can’t wait for more of this!