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The Paranormal PI Files #1
Live Fae or Die Trying
I'm a fae without a court, but that suits me just fine. Kind of. For years, I’ve hidden in my shabby East London flat, working as a private investigator for romantically-scorned supernaturals. The pay? Total rubbish. I’m broke as hell and almost homeless. But I’m stuck in this life. If anyone discovered my dark past, I’d end up dead.
But when a serial killer starts picking off London's fae, it seems fate has other plans for me. Balor, a dangerous and sinfully enticing fae prince, wants me to help him hunt down the killer. Apparently, my mind-reading abilities would be an asset. Now, I'm being whisked away into a court of wealth and magic.
Problem is, I can't read his mind, and I'm not sure I trust him. Worse, he knows I'm keeping a secret of my own, and he's determined to figure it out. Despite his allure, I start to wonder if he's behind the crimes. If he is, I'll never make it out of his Court alive.
But when a serial killer starts picking off London's fae, it seems fate has other plans for me. Balor, a dangerous and sinfully enticing fae prince, wants me to help him hunt down the killer. Apparently, my mind-reading abilities would be an asset. Now, I'm being whisked away into a court of wealth and magic.
Problem is, I can't read his mind, and I'm not sure I trust him. Worse, he knows I'm keeping a secret of my own, and he's determined to figure it out. Despite his allure, I start to wonder if he's behind the crimes. If he is, I'll never make it out of his Court alive.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2019
1095 people are currently reading
1479 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Wolfhart
61 books1,550 followersJenna Wolfhart spends her days dreaming up stories about swoony fae kings and rugged blacksmiths. When she's not writing, she loves to do CrossFit competitions, rewatch Game of Thrones, collect Taylor Swift vinyls, and drink far too much coffee.
Jenna has always had a passion for writing, books, and publishing. Previously, she worked for an academic publisher in New York and then completed her PhD in Librarianship, focusing on young adult fiction.
Jenna now lives in England with her husband and her two dogs.
Jenna has always had a passion for writing, books, and publishing. Previously, she worked for an academic publisher in New York and then completed her PhD in Librarianship, focusing on young adult fiction.
Jenna now lives in England with her husband and her two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
June 23, 2019
I'm just not sure about this book. I'm not really a fan of either main character, honestly.
Clark ... well, she talks a big game, but doesn't actually do anything. At all. Look, I don't need to be told over and over that the heroine is an independent badass who doesn't take well to orders / hierarchy / having her life managed. I need her to fucking do something about it. She is literally kidnapped out of her life, forced to join Balor's court, and made into a slave. Yes, a slave. I don't care what you call it, that's what it is. He dictates what job she has, what she can't do with her free time (no more podcasting), what her schedule is, what her clothes are, he orders her to do invasive shit with her powers and puts her into dangerous situations with no training or backup simply because she's an expendable slave. And in her inner narrative, she bitches and moans about it, but she always fucking goes along with it! Not one single time does she rebel, or try to leave, or actually do a single goddamn thing to change her situation.
No, instead she just pants after Balor. Balor the kidnapping, narcissistic, bipolar sociopath who now rules her life, and with a single glance has Clark hurling herself at him like a moron. I don't know if it is Stockholm Syndrome or magic or if she really is just a complete fucking idiot, but I cannot stand it.
Balor is a bag of shit. And Clark seems like a spineless, snarky moron who is happy to be someone's slave as long as he'll maybe have sex with her someday.
It's gross. Why is this such a constant thing in UF? Why?
I liked the mystery, and the court politics. I liked the friends that Clark made at court - Elise and Moira were cool. So I'm giving this 3 cautious stars and moving forward with a lot of skepticism, to see if the heroine grows a brain and the hero can stop being a douchebag for more than 30 seconds. But I'm doubtful.
Clark ... well, she talks a big game, but doesn't actually do anything. At all. Look, I don't need to be told over and over that the heroine is an independent badass who doesn't take well to orders / hierarchy / having her life managed. I need her to fucking do something about it. She is literally kidnapped out of her life, forced to join Balor's court, and made into a slave. Yes, a slave. I don't care what you call it, that's what it is. He dictates what job she has, what she can't do with her free time (no more podcasting), what her schedule is, what her clothes are, he orders her to do invasive shit with her powers and puts her into dangerous situations with no training or backup simply because she's an expendable slave. And in her inner narrative, she bitches and moans about it, but she always fucking goes along with it! Not one single time does she rebel, or try to leave, or actually do a single goddamn thing to change her situation.
No, instead she just pants after Balor. Balor the kidnapping, narcissistic, bipolar sociopath who now rules her life, and with a single glance has Clark hurling herself at him like a moron. I don't know if it is Stockholm Syndrome or magic or if she really is just a complete fucking idiot, but I cannot stand it.
Balor is a bag of shit. And Clark seems like a spineless, snarky moron who is happy to be someone's slave as long as he'll maybe have sex with her someday.
It's gross. Why is this such a constant thing in UF? Why?
I liked the mystery, and the court politics. I liked the friends that Clark made at court - Elise and Moira were cool. So I'm giving this 3 cautious stars and moving forward with a lot of skepticism, to see if the heroine grows a brain and the hero can stop being a douchebag for more than 30 seconds. But I'm doubtful.
July 2, 2019
UPDATED REVIEW AS OF JULY 2, 2019
*I originally picked up this book in early March but rage quit on page 2 because of simple uncorrected proofing errors. Yesterday, I got the heads up from a fellow reader that she had just finished the book and it seemed that the proofing error issue had been addressed. I am not the type of person to leave an undeserved negative review so if my initial issues with reading the book had been resolved, then I felt it was important to give the book a second chance. I mean, I had originally downloaded the book because the premise sounded interesting, and it still did, so last night I started round two with Live Fae or Die Trying.
Now that my bugaboo issue has been cleared up, let's get to the real review.
Clark is a half-fae half shifter that was born in the US but had to flee after some stuff goes down and she's been hiding/living in London on her own for the last 10 years. As a fae she should be a member of the local court, but because of her past she has tried hard to avoid coming into contact with the fae so she is "courtless." One other important little tidbit about our gal Clark... She can read minds. The power comes from her fae half, but not all fae have that particular power, in fact, it's a pretty rare power. Because of her specific skill, she has gone into the PI business and uses her mind reading power to solve her cases.
Clark's only exception to the above mentioned no-fae familiars rule is one friend named Ondine. Ondine is a source of information on the current happenings at the fae court for Clark so when members of Ondine's court start to go missing, she goes to Clark for help (because, PI). All is well and good until Clark's investigation puts her directly into the path of the Fae Prince of the Crimson Court. Then, Ondine becomes one of the missing and the shit really hits the fan.
I feel like you can kind of see where this plot is going. Live Fae or Die Trying is an urban fantasy but yes, there is a background romance situation happening, no, it is not the focus of the story (and there is no resolution at all whatsoever on the romance front so if you are looking for PNR as opposed to UF, you will be disappointed). Sexual tension, yes. Sexual situations, .
Moving on. The main story here is the mystery of the missing fae. Who took them? Why did they take them? THOSE questions ARE answered in this book so even though this is the first in the series, you are not left in a major cliffhanger situation. I will note, however, that there are many other questions left unanswered that I assume are addressed in later books. This is planned to be a 6 book series so I am not sure how long it will be before all of the questions get answered, but I'm already reading the second book so at the very least I hope to find out what happened in Clark's past that caused her to need to go on the run.
My personal feelings on the book...
I zipped through this in a couple of hours and was entertained so it fulfilled my expectations. The different characters had easy to follow naturally flowing dialog but not a ton of depth. I think part of that issue is that the focus here feels primarily about setting up future books. Having said that, the characters come off as a bit young/simple/underdeveloped so I would have liked just a bit more about them. I'm hoping that the other books in the series will build off of this introduction and provide more depth to the characters as the series continues. There are certainly glimpses of potential future growth for Clark’s character both emotionally and with her powers. It is mentioned that her powers are somewhat weak right now because she has not been part of a court. Apparently proximity to other fae has a direct effect on a fae's natural power. By the end of this book there are indicators that she will be able to do more than just read the passing thoughts of individuals. And now that she is developing real relationships and connections to others, I would like to think her internal dialog will begin to express more emotional range.
I felt like the mystery aspect of the story was well paced so that we never went too long without some progression happening. I still don’t completely understand the motives behind the actions taken by the bad guy but I think more information will come out with additional developments regarding the BIG BAD GUY.
When I initially downloaded the book, I was in the mood for a butt-kicking lady PI. I'm really glad that wasn't my primary reason for reading it when I finally started it last night. Clark is an interesting character, but she is NOT the butt-kicking lead I was hoping for. She has had no self-defense training or weapons training, yet per the character's own words, she frequently finds herself in violent situations because of the nature of her job. I don't feel like that meshes well with the expectations of a private investigator that works with volatile supernatural creatures.
Personal issues with the book other people probably won’t care about…
(none of these are really spoilers, but if you don't want my issues with the story to influence your reading experience, skip this section)
Overall:
A decent start to a series that could have really good potential. It suffers from some of the typical first book in a series issues that can happen, but I plan to continue with these books to see how things develop from here. Huge improvement over my first impression of the book.
*I have no idea how prevalent the errors were in the original copy I received (because, again, gave up on page 2), but I can tell you this was not an issue in the current version. It wasn't perfect, but easily fell into my acceptable range for a self-published e-read.
Original Review as posted on March 8, 2019
No rating because I didn’t make it beyond the second page.
I saw the ad for Live Fae or Die Trying and it sounded good so I downloaded it from Kindle Unlimited.
Sometimes editing can be a little sketchy in KU titles but if they’re not too frequent I can accept it for what it is. This was bad. These are easily caught mistakes with a single read through and if even that much time can’t be set aside for a proofread then I’m not interested in wasting my time reading it.
To prove I’m not being too harsh...
Page 1: “Normally, when supes got a little rowdy, I just let them have *had* it.”
Page 2: “The *air* along their arms began to sprout.”
Sorry, I just can’t.
*I originally picked up this book in early March but rage quit on page 2 because of simple uncorrected proofing errors. Yesterday, I got the heads up from a fellow reader that she had just finished the book and it seemed that the proofing error issue had been addressed. I am not the type of person to leave an undeserved negative review so if my initial issues with reading the book had been resolved, then I felt it was important to give the book a second chance. I mean, I had originally downloaded the book because the premise sounded interesting, and it still did, so last night I started round two with Live Fae or Die Trying.
Now that my bugaboo issue has been cleared up, let's get to the real review.
Clark is a half-fae half shifter that was born in the US but had to flee after some stuff goes down and she's been hiding/living in London on her own for the last 10 years. As a fae she should be a member of the local court, but because of her past she has tried hard to avoid coming into contact with the fae so she is "courtless." One other important little tidbit about our gal Clark... She can read minds. The power comes from her fae half, but not all fae have that particular power, in fact, it's a pretty rare power. Because of her specific skill, she has gone into the PI business and uses her mind reading power to solve her cases.
Clark's only exception to the above mentioned no-fae familiars rule is one friend named Ondine. Ondine is a source of information on the current happenings at the fae court for Clark so when members of Ondine's court start to go missing, she goes to Clark for help (because, PI). All is well and good until Clark's investigation puts her directly into the path of the Fae Prince of the Crimson Court. Then, Ondine becomes one of the missing and the shit really hits the fan.
I feel like you can kind of see where this plot is going. Live Fae or Die Trying is an urban fantasy but yes, there is a background romance situation happening, no, it is not the focus of the story (and there is no resolution at all whatsoever on the romance front so if you are looking for PNR as opposed to UF, you will be disappointed). Sexual tension, yes. Sexual situations, .
Moving on. The main story here is the mystery of the missing fae. Who took them? Why did they take them? THOSE questions ARE answered in this book so even though this is the first in the series, you are not left in a major cliffhanger situation. I will note, however, that there are many other questions left unanswered that I assume are addressed in later books. This is planned to be a 6 book series so I am not sure how long it will be before all of the questions get answered, but I'm already reading the second book so at the very least I hope to find out what happened in Clark's past that caused her to need to go on the run.
My personal feelings on the book...
I zipped through this in a couple of hours and was entertained so it fulfilled my expectations. The different characters had easy to follow naturally flowing dialog but not a ton of depth. I think part of that issue is that the focus here feels primarily about setting up future books. Having said that, the characters come off as a bit young/simple/underdeveloped so I would have liked just a bit more about them. I'm hoping that the other books in the series will build off of this introduction and provide more depth to the characters as the series continues. There are certainly glimpses of potential future growth for Clark’s character both emotionally and with her powers. It is mentioned that her powers are somewhat weak right now because she has not been part of a court. Apparently proximity to other fae has a direct effect on a fae's natural power. By the end of this book there are indicators that she will be able to do more than just read the passing thoughts of individuals. And now that she is developing real relationships and connections to others, I would like to think her internal dialog will begin to express more emotional range.
I felt like the mystery aspect of the story was well paced so that we never went too long without some progression happening. I still don’t completely understand the motives behind the actions taken by the bad guy but I think more information will come out with additional developments regarding the BIG BAD GUY.
When I initially downloaded the book, I was in the mood for a butt-kicking lady PI. I'm really glad that wasn't my primary reason for reading it when I finally started it last night. Clark is an interesting character, but she is NOT the butt-kicking lead I was hoping for. She has had no self-defense training or weapons training, yet per the character's own words, she frequently finds herself in violent situations because of the nature of her job. I don't feel like that meshes well with the expectations of a private investigator that works with volatile supernatural creatures.
Personal issues with the book other people probably won’t care about…
(none of these are really spoilers, but if you don't want my issues with the story to influence your reading experience, skip this section)
Overall:
A decent start to a series that could have really good potential. It suffers from some of the typical first book in a series issues that can happen, but I plan to continue with these books to see how things develop from here. Huge improvement over my first impression of the book.
*I have no idea how prevalent the errors were in the original copy I received (because, again, gave up on page 2), but I can tell you this was not an issue in the current version. It wasn't perfect, but easily fell into my acceptable range for a self-published e-read.
Original Review as posted on March 8, 2019
No rating because I didn’t make it beyond the second page.
I saw the ad for Live Fae or Die Trying and it sounded good so I downloaded it from Kindle Unlimited.
Sometimes editing can be a little sketchy in KU titles but if they’re not too frequent I can accept it for what it is. This was bad. These are easily caught mistakes with a single read through and if even that much time can’t be set aside for a proofread then I’m not interested in wasting my time reading it.
To prove I’m not being too harsh...
Page 1: “Normally, when supes got a little rowdy, I just let them have *had* it.”
Page 2: “The *air* along their arms began to sprout.”
Sorry, I just can’t.
sampled
March 26, 2019Idea seemed intriguing but the execution not really.
Plus NA from the start, he's the enemy but my p***y quivers every time he is near. Gah.
Plus NA from the start, he's the enemy but my p***y quivers every time he is near. Gah.
gave-up
March 22, 2021Maybe I'll come back to this later, but I'm not in the mood for candy paranormal right now.
I love the concept of a full fae heroine who is taken to a new fae court and can read minds.
But so far in the first chapter:
1. She's an idiot without explanation. Why would you tell a werewolf of all things that his wife is cheating on him with his friend....with that friend in the room. Why were they both there? Why didn't she think this situation could go wrong? She almost got killed.
2. Fae Prince pops out of thin air and instead of running, she drools over him.
3. With zero skill and brains to back her up, she is a sassy Not Like Other Girls who snarks back at deadly royalty. I'm sure that's exactly why he will fall in love with her in a few pages. If only the other ladies at fae court had thought of that 🙄
4. Despite being an elite fae with cool mind reading powers, our heroine is of course very down on her luck and practically homeless with no clan. Why does it always have to be a Cinderella situation in these books??? Can the women not have an ounce of something to take pride in? Why does she always need to be fished out of a dumpster by the golden prince? Let him sweat for once please.
I love the concept of a full fae heroine who is taken to a new fae court and can read minds.
But so far in the first chapter:
1. She's an idiot without explanation. Why would you tell a werewolf of all things that his wife is cheating on him with his friend....with that friend in the room. Why were they both there? Why didn't she think this situation could go wrong? She almost got killed.
2. Fae Prince pops out of thin air and instead of running, she drools over him.
3. With zero skill and brains to back her up, she is a sassy Not Like Other Girls who snarks back at deadly royalty. I'm sure that's exactly why he will fall in love with her in a few pages. If only the other ladies at fae court had thought of that 🙄
4. Despite being an elite fae with cool mind reading powers, our heroine is of course very down on her luck and practically homeless with no clan. Why does it always have to be a Cinderella situation in these books??? Can the women not have an ounce of something to take pride in? Why does she always need to be fished out of a dumpster by the golden prince? Let him sweat for once please.
December 4, 2025
While I didn’t care for the male voice Kristin James provided, she captured Clark’s personality. We meet Clark, an unclaimed fae who owns a PI investigation business just as clients trash the place. When Balor, the Fae Prince, appears and summons her to his court. The tale that unfolds offered an interesting case, budding sexual tension and teases at secrets regarding Clark’s origins.
First in series are hard, but Wolfhart did a great job of fleshing out the world without a lot of info dumps. We learned about Balor’s court along with Clark who spent most of her life in hiding with her grandmother. Frustratingly, we learn very little about her past, but we learn about her gift and bear witness to her fearlessness and investigative urges.
Clark cannot read Balor and initially doesn’t know if she can trust him. Their chemistry was intense as they got to know each other, and I enjoyed seeing them spar both physically and verbally.
The case was an interesting one with missing fae, plenty of suspects and danger in the catacombs. I look forward to listening to the next audiobook in the series. Currently, there are six books, and it looks like they will be released on audio. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
First in series are hard, but Wolfhart did a great job of fleshing out the world without a lot of info dumps. We learned about Balor’s court along with Clark who spent most of her life in hiding with her grandmother. Frustratingly, we learn very little about her past, but we learn about her gift and bear witness to her fearlessness and investigative urges.
Clark cannot read Balor and initially doesn’t know if she can trust him. Their chemistry was intense as they got to know each other, and I enjoyed seeing them spar both physically and verbally.
The case was an interesting one with missing fae, plenty of suspects and danger in the catacombs. I look forward to listening to the next audiobook in the series. Currently, there are six books, and it looks like they will be released on audio. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
May 8, 2021
eh the book was okay.
We have our h, a half fae/ half shifter PI named Clark who is just trying not to get kicked out of her apartment while also trying to keep up with her supernatural podcast. However, because she has no ties to her community-she is considered a "courtless fae", but considering she also has a seriously coveted power she is even more vulnerable.
Enter Balor- the fae prince that is insistent that she joins his court to help him find a few missing fae that have begun to disappear around him- and she seems to be the only one that can help. While Clark has secrets of her own-it turns out one of her best friends is amongst the missing fae, and she has no choice but to help solve this mystery.
-------------------------------------------------
So interesting premise, but I wasn't feeling the whole 'master' concept. I get thats the point, and it will probably lessen in coming books, and well probably find out but I didn't see the killer coming!- Maybe it's because I'm just a dense little bean, or maybe because there were really no hints....
So I would say this is less of a mystery and just a romance.
oh but P.S.- reading the phrase "I wet my lips" like 20 times in the book got on my nerves.
We have our h, a half fae/ half shifter PI named Clark who is just trying not to get kicked out of her apartment while also trying to keep up with her supernatural podcast. However, because she has no ties to her community-she is considered a "courtless fae", but considering she also has a seriously coveted power she is even more vulnerable.
Enter Balor- the fae prince that is insistent that she joins his court to help him find a few missing fae that have begun to disappear around him- and she seems to be the only one that can help. While Clark has secrets of her own-it turns out one of her best friends is amongst the missing fae, and she has no choice but to help solve this mystery.
-------------------------------------------------
So interesting premise, but I wasn't feeling the whole 'master' concept. I get thats the point, and it will probably lessen in coming books, and well probably find out but I didn't see the killer coming!- Maybe it's because I'm just a dense little bean, or maybe because there were really no hints....
So I would say this is less of a mystery and just a romance.
oh but P.S.- reading the phrase "I wet my lips" like 20 times in the book got on my nerves.
March 9, 2019
I really wanted to like this book, but it was lacking a certain … flair. The world building was non-existent, the characters were flat, and there is an on-going mystery that was just annoying.
Clarke is a half-fae/half-shifter (of what, we have no idea) that is Courtless. Apparently, the Fae all live in Courts controlled by Princes or Princesses (there is no longer a High King over all) unless you have been banished. Clarke has somehow been able to dodge being in a Court all her life, until now - she is seemingly captured by the Prince controlling England and forced to join his court. The oath to do so was pretty pathetic:
What type of oath is that? And then all of a sudden she started feeling overwhelming emotions to protect and defend her Master, to the point that when someone insulted him, she dumped her beverage all over his head!
Clarke tells herself that she only joined this Court to find her missing friend... but with this agreement to serve and this bond over her, how does she think she can break it to get away? And that goes into another point: Clarke isn't that smart. One would think that an American who has lived on their own in the streets of London for 10 years would have some street smarts, inductive reasoning skills, and maybe even know how to throw a punch or two. But no... she relies on her mind reading ability and that's about it. She isn't scrappy, and she has no clue how to fight.
She is also terribly concerned about her dark secret, where she actually came from, and how, when everyone (especially the Prince) finds out, she is done for. But we never learn what that secret it, and the constant reference became annoying. I can only hope it will be divulged in the second book, but I have a feeling it won't and this will be a long running arc. But we know for sure it is not her "half-shifter" status, because she freely owns and admits that about herself.
There is also some hot chemistry between her and the Prince - something they both recognize, but neither one is willing to act on it. Her, because of her secret and him because of unknown reasons... which may rest in her not being "good enough", since shifters are not looked well upon and it would cause a lot of problems if he started being with a "lesser" being. That is never said, but the thought is toyed with. And of course a modern paranormal romance wouldn't be completely without a love triangle, so meet Tiarnan - a Fae warrior from a rival House (within the same court); a house that hates the leniency the Prince shows shifters and vampires. But he is the Prince's opposite in every way, and actually invited her on a date, so start the angst now.
The cover art is very deceptive too: Clarke has no magical powers that come out of her fingertips. She is a mind reader... so I have no idea what that yellow magic is supposed to represent.
Upon reading this, it sounds like I didn't even like the book... and that's not completely accurate. I see a lot of potential with the story - especially growth potential for the characters and world building. The concept was good and the writing was well done (i.e. no glaring errors in spelling or grammar). I might give the second book a try, but I'm not dying for it to come out either.
Clarke is a half-fae/half-shifter (of what, we have no idea) that is Courtless. Apparently, the Fae all live in Courts controlled by Princes or Princesses (there is no longer a High King over all) unless you have been banished. Clarke has somehow been able to dodge being in a Court all her life, until now - she is seemingly captured by the Prince controlling England and forced to join his court. The oath to do so was pretty pathetic:
"You will swear fealty to your Master, and you will support your brethren with every breath you take. You will honour us, and you will defend us. Do you agree?"
…
"Do you agree, Clarke?"
"Yes."
"Good."
What type of oath is that? And then all of a sudden she started feeling overwhelming emotions to protect and defend her Master, to the point that when someone insulted him, she dumped her beverage all over his head!
Clarke tells herself that she only joined this Court to find her missing friend... but with this agreement to serve and this bond over her, how does she think she can break it to get away? And that goes into another point: Clarke isn't that smart. One would think that an American who has lived on their own in the streets of London for 10 years would have some street smarts, inductive reasoning skills, and maybe even know how to throw a punch or two. But no... she relies on her mind reading ability and that's about it. She isn't scrappy, and she has no clue how to fight.
She is also terribly concerned about her dark secret, where she actually came from, and how, when everyone (especially the Prince) finds out, she is done for. But we never learn what that secret it, and the constant reference became annoying. I can only hope it will be divulged in the second book, but I have a feeling it won't and this will be a long running arc. But we know for sure it is not her "half-shifter" status, because she freely owns and admits that about herself.
There is also some hot chemistry between her and the Prince - something they both recognize, but neither one is willing to act on it. Her, because of her secret and him because of unknown reasons... which may rest in her not being "good enough", since shifters are not looked well upon and it would cause a lot of problems if he started being with a "lesser" being. That is never said, but the thought is toyed with. And of course a modern paranormal romance wouldn't be completely without a love triangle, so meet Tiarnan - a Fae warrior from a rival House (within the same court); a house that hates the leniency the Prince shows shifters and vampires. But he is the Prince's opposite in every way, and actually invited her on a date, so start the angst now.
The cover art is very deceptive too: Clarke has no magical powers that come out of her fingertips. She is a mind reader... so I have no idea what that yellow magic is supposed to represent.
Upon reading this, it sounds like I didn't even like the book... and that's not completely accurate. I see a lot of potential with the story - especially growth potential for the characters and world building. The concept was good and the writing was well done (i.e. no glaring errors in spelling or grammar). I might give the second book a try, but I'm not dying for it to come out either.
April 8, 2019
To be honest, there isn't any sort of evidence YET that Clark has been a bad-ass private investigator. She doesn't really do anything -- investigative-like -- in this book. At one point, since Balor's team involves a hacker, I wonder why he really needs Clark in the first place.
Her mind-reader ability isn't as powerful as expected. She either gets confused about her feelings, trying to hide her past (and I still have no idea what her past ENTAILS) or well, being ass-kicked by Balor (of whom I imagine will be a love interest) or the enemies.
BUT, I'm trying to give this series a second try with the next book. If it still doesn't meet my expectation, I'm letting it go.
Her mind-reader ability isn't as powerful as expected. She either gets confused about her feelings, trying to hide her past (and I still have no idea what her past ENTAILS) or well, being ass-kicked by Balor (of whom I imagine will be a love interest) or the enemies.
BUT, I'm trying to give this series a second try with the next book. If it still doesn't meet my expectation, I'm letting it go.
December 28, 2024
Typical YA UF. No spice, young virgin FC running from her past, immortal sexy prince needing her help even tho she can’t help herself. Meh.
February 20, 2019
Worth a Read
In 5 words: a simple book worth reading.
It is always a pleasure to read Jenna Wolfharts’ work. There are never any complex storylines just well written, easy reads that keep you engaged. I would recommend this book to those looking for a light weight read with supernatural/fantasy themes.
In 5 words: a simple book worth reading.
It is always a pleasure to read Jenna Wolfharts’ work. There are never any complex storylines just well written, easy reads that keep you engaged. I would recommend this book to those looking for a light weight read with supernatural/fantasy themes.
February 27, 2019
I have had the privilege to read a few books lately that just blew me away, and this latest series starter by this author was one of them! Clark is a very interesting character, and I was drawn in immediately to her world from the first page. We have an intriguing mystery that keeps us guessing from one minute to the next. On top of that, we have a hot attraction between Clark and her fae prince Balor, and they are harboring secrets which draw them to each other more. All this together equaled a book I had a hard time putting down. I am a big fan of this author’s books, and I think this series is going to become my favorite. Can’t wait to read more! I highly recommend this book!
Read
October 10, 2019I read the sample. While there were elements I liked (Fae, heroine with mysterious background) there was more that irritated me (heroine in hiding that’s actively posting on social media about the people she’s hiding from; loins a-quivering; and other nonsensical things). I decided to save my money. These notes are for my documentation. My advice: Read the sample before purchasing.
June 5, 2022
some stuff that stuck with me:
- i've read the word thrumming more times than i would've liked to.
- "i am your master and your prince, obey me !!!!!!! and if you don't then no worries, there's no punishment or consequence anyway :D"
- everything ripples; his voice, his power, his body ??? YUCK miss me w that shit. use it once or twice with 1000 pages in between and i don't care but if you keep using it a bunch of times in around 200 pages then you're so overdoing it
- i'm lowkey annoyed that we don't know anything abt clark's past ?? like you had all this mystery and then we don't even get satisfaction from knowing it. not that i think it'll satisfy me, but it's about the principle
- i've read the word thrumming more times than i would've liked to.
- "i am your master and your prince, obey me !!!!!!! and if you don't then no worries, there's no punishment or consequence anyway :D"
- everything ripples; his voice, his power, his body ??? YUCK miss me w that shit. use it once or twice with 1000 pages in between and i don't care but if you keep using it a bunch of times in around 200 pages then you're so overdoing it
- i'm lowkey annoyed that we don't know anything abt clark's past ?? like you had all this mystery and then we don't even get satisfaction from knowing it. not that i think it'll satisfy me, but it's about the principle
February 23, 2019
3,75 stars
February 24, 2019
Live Fae or Die Trying begins when the heroine is found by the hero and then he tells her that she must join his court. When she finds out that her friend is missing she realizes this is the only way to help find her, even it means putter herself in danger. Now, she will do what she can to figure it out, even if that is a lot easier said than done.
This book was okay, the heroine seemed a little meek at times, and that was annoying and then she felt strong as well. So, it was a bit confusing.
Also, this could be a spoiler is, so be warned.
I really hope that the reason why the hero and heroine don't get together doesn't have anything to do with him being a prince and her not, because he's supposed to be feared by all and super powerful, yet he can't be with her because of what the other higher ups will think? I really hope that is not the case, because if it is it is total bullshit and doesn't fit the character at all. But, again that is just what I'm worried about, it has come to light why he pushes her away.
I liked this one, it was interesting and I feel it has real potential to be a great series. I do look forward to reading more.
This book was okay, the heroine seemed a little meek at times, and that was annoying and then she felt strong as well. So, it was a bit confusing.
Also, this could be a spoiler is, so be warned.
I really hope that the reason why the hero and heroine don't get together doesn't have anything to do with him being a prince and her not, because he's supposed to be feared by all and super powerful, yet he can't be with her because of what the other higher ups will think? I really hope that is not the case, because if it is it is total bullshit and doesn't fit the character at all. But, again that is just what I'm worried about, it has come to light why he pushes her away.
I liked this one, it was interesting and I feel it has real potential to be a great series. I do look forward to reading more.
September 29, 2022
hmm, this book was good, but something was missing, and I'm not sure what.
I really enjoyed the story as a whole. I am interested to learn more about both Clark and Balor's pasts. I think that if they were to trust one another and work together they would actually make a really good team. I also really enjoyed the side characters. I definitely did not figure out the culprit, so that was a plus.
Clark is the mc and we're in her pov, but somehow I still don't connect/understand her. The romance was okay as well, but I also get the feeling it's shaping up to be a love triangle or a romance that keeps being thrown stupid reasons as to why they can't be together, and I hate those! On to spoilers...
Like I said, it was difficult for me to connect to Clark. Maybe she gets better in future books, but in this one there were moments that I was annoyed.
It's the first book and most of this book was just set-up and introduction to characters. Based on the story so far I'm hopeful that the follow-up books will be better.
***Good Read, 3 Stars***
I really enjoyed the story as a whole. I am interested to learn more about both Clark and Balor's pasts. I think that if they were to trust one another and work together they would actually make a really good team. I also really enjoyed the side characters. I definitely did not figure out the culprit, so that was a plus.
Clark is the mc and we're in her pov, but somehow I still don't connect/understand her. The romance was okay as well, but I also get the feeling it's shaping up to be a love triangle or a romance that keeps being thrown stupid reasons as to why they can't be together, and I hate those! On to spoilers...
Like I said, it was difficult for me to connect to Clark. Maybe she gets better in future books, but in this one there were moments that I was annoyed.
It's the first book and most of this book was just set-up and introduction to characters. Based on the story so far I'm hopeful that the follow-up books will be better.
***Good Read, 3 Stars***
July 27, 2019
First of all, I'd like to state that the blurb, while wholely accurate, makes this book sound a lot more exciting than it is. That's not because the book is boring, it's not, it's just clumsy and clunky when compared to the smooth and slick blurb.
In this book, you get a brief intro to Clark. You learn she's a complete loner, barely managing to fend for herself and constantly paranoid that she's going to get swooped up by one of the Fae courts and some deep dark secret from her past is going to get her killed when that finally happens.
Of course, she is swooped up by the Prince of the Crimson Court within the first couple of chapters and the sky doesn't fall in on her head.
I was disappointed at how meekly she submitted to it all considering her life or death worries despite her having her own reasons for temporarily acquiescing.
Clark is assigned to the Court's security squad because of her rare mind-reading abilities and settles in fairly quickly with the other team members as she helps them detangle the mystery of some missing fae women.
She also gets dragged into Court politics and has to deal with the fact that Balor gives her the tinglies despite the fact she doesn't know if she can trust him and the fact if he finds out what her deep dark secrets are she's dead.
The twists and turns kept me guessing and I didn't have a clue who the baddie was as the story progressed so got a nice surprise.
I found it annoying that we got to know very little about Clark's background and nothing but surface information on Balor but I guess that's to come in later books.
Clark and Balor's apparent connection felt forced and I really hope if it's to be explored that it's built up slowly in subsequent books so that I don't have to deal with the jarring vibes of this one.
All in all, Live Fae or Die Trying was interesting enough for me to want to continue reading but was a poor offering when compared to other books of its ilk on the market.
It felt like a really good draft of a novel, not a completed article, but there is definitely potential!
In this book, you get a brief intro to Clark. You learn she's a complete loner, barely managing to fend for herself and constantly paranoid that she's going to get swooped up by one of the Fae courts and some deep dark secret from her past is going to get her killed when that finally happens.
Of course, she is swooped up by the Prince of the Crimson Court within the first couple of chapters and the sky doesn't fall in on her head.
I was disappointed at how meekly she submitted to it all considering her life or death worries despite her having her own reasons for temporarily acquiescing.
Clark is assigned to the Court's security squad because of her rare mind-reading abilities and settles in fairly quickly with the other team members as she helps them detangle the mystery of some missing fae women.
She also gets dragged into Court politics and has to deal with the fact that Balor gives her the tinglies despite the fact she doesn't know if she can trust him and the fact if he finds out what her deep dark secrets are she's dead.
The twists and turns kept me guessing and I didn't have a clue who the baddie was as the story progressed so got a nice surprise.
I found it annoying that we got to know very little about Clark's background and nothing but surface information on Balor but I guess that's to come in later books.
Clark and Balor's apparent connection felt forced and I really hope if it's to be explored that it's built up slowly in subsequent books so that I don't have to deal with the jarring vibes of this one.
All in all, Live Fae or Die Trying was interesting enough for me to want to continue reading but was a poor offering when compared to other books of its ilk on the market.
It felt like a really good draft of a novel, not a completed article, but there is definitely potential!
April 26, 2019
This was a good read. I’ve been in a slump and I loved finally being able to finish something! But so many questions.!!!!!! On to book 2 I go
January 10, 2026
It ended ended up a good read though the back and forth, romance wise, between the leads was dumb. Beyond that, it was a good fantasy read.
February 20, 2019
Brilliant! A wonderfully crafted mystery that kept me guessing who was the real criminal! I enjoyed the characters and all the little twists in turns that made the story unpredictable. I can’t wait to uncover more especially the hidden secrets from our two main characters.
April 26, 2019
==SPOILER I talk only about how the heroine's power works==
I'm giving this one star because this is an unpolished story that shouldnt have been published. There were so many logic holes and every single character sounds like a tween. I was expecting for the character to kick ass, and if not, then see some character growth, but there wasn't even that.
The heroine is able to read people's minds and it was established that it was a very special ability that very few Fae have. Sounds cool, right? Well this power's usefulness was squashed because when she reads someone's mind she holds still, and because she holds still it means she is reading minds. How that made sense to the author I don't know. Anyways, almost every time she used the power to read someone's mind, she was caught doing it even though they never knew she had the power to read someone's mind. If that's the case, it must mean the person must feel some kind of probe into their mind, right? I read the whole story and no, the person isn't able to feel a probe into their mind.
Do you know what else the author never explained? The fact that she is able to have a conversation in somebody else's mind. So she was only supposed to listen to other people's thoughts, but apparently the other person can listen in on her thoughts.
The author tried so hard for her to be a wannabe try hard kick ass heroine, and failed miserably. Her power to read minds was supposed to be her key to some spotlight, but it somehow made her seem like such a useless character. For the author to somehow make her power to read minds be able to make the heroine seem useless is a feat in itself. How do you mess this up.
Besides the many logic holes, there was an obvious lack of characterization for every single character. All the characters sound like one voice. I was imagining the heroine in place of all the other characters.
I don't think this needs to be said, but because the characterization was whack, the chemistry between the heroine and Balor was zero.
I'm giving this one star because this is an unpolished story that shouldnt have been published. There were so many logic holes and every single character sounds like a tween. I was expecting for the character to kick ass, and if not, then see some character growth, but there wasn't even that.
The heroine is able to read people's minds and it was established that it was a very special ability that very few Fae have. Sounds cool, right? Well this power's usefulness was squashed because when she reads someone's mind she holds still, and because she holds still it means she is reading minds. How that made sense to the author I don't know. Anyways, almost every time she used the power to read someone's mind, she was caught doing it even though they never knew she had the power to read someone's mind. If that's the case, it must mean the person must feel some kind of probe into their mind, right? I read the whole story and no, the person isn't able to feel a probe into their mind.
Do you know what else the author never explained? The fact that she is able to have a conversation in somebody else's mind. So she was only supposed to listen to other people's thoughts, but apparently the other person can listen in on her thoughts.
The author tried so hard for her to be a wannabe try hard kick ass heroine, and failed miserably. Her power to read minds was supposed to be her key to some spotlight, but it somehow made her seem like such a useless character. For the author to somehow make her power to read minds be able to make the heroine seem useless is a feat in itself. How do you mess this up.
Besides the many logic holes, there was an obvious lack of characterization for every single character. All the characters sound like one voice. I was imagining the heroine in place of all the other characters.
I don't think this needs to be said, but because the characterization was whack, the chemistry between the heroine and Balor was zero.
February 28, 2019
Is this the next great Fae story? No, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. Honestly I had no expectations for this story, I wasn't even sure I was going to like it. Needless to say, I was very surprised with the story and that I enjoyed it as much as I did.
This was a great series starter that set up the world and characters. Not a whole lot happens, and there wasn't as much action as I expected. I've said it before, but I really hate insta-love and hiding it behind a "bond" just seems kinda lazy.
I feel like Clark could have been a little more fleshed out and the fact that we still don't know her secret annoys me. It's not that she's half-shifter right? Because she blurted that out to someone else already. And Balor is just your typical Alpha male, nothing really sets him apart from other characters in this genre.
The twist at the end with the killer was very out of left field with me. I was surprised and then equally disappointed by how it ended. Again there wasn't a lot of action and then it was just over. And we never found out what happened with the Fae warrior that was there too.
I am interested in reading the second book, just to see if we find out any more about Balor and Clark's secrets and hopefully it will up the action game.
This was a great series starter that set up the world and characters. Not a whole lot happens, and there wasn't as much action as I expected. I've said it before, but I really hate insta-love and hiding it behind a "bond" just seems kinda lazy.
I feel like Clark could have been a little more fleshed out and the fact that we still don't know her secret annoys me. It's not that she's half-shifter right? Because she blurted that out to someone else already. And Balor is just your typical Alpha male, nothing really sets him apart from other characters in this genre.
The twist at the end with the killer was very out of left field with me. I was surprised and then equally disappointed by how it ended. Again there wasn't a lot of action and then it was just over. And we never found out what happened with the Fae warrior that was there too.
I am interested in reading the second book, just to see if we find out any more about Balor and Clark's secrets and hopefully it will up the action game.
February 28, 2019
As far as puns go, the title is...eh. This was a good KU find though. It JUST came out and I only have to wait like two weeks for the sequel. Which is great as I read it in one sitting. When I was supposed to be sleeping… Ever get that great idea that you’ll dip your toe in a new book right before going to bed as a way to relax? I get this idea ALL THE TIME. It’s a terrible idea yet I have never learned my lesson. But I’m digressing. Maybe it's the sleep deprivation..
So the book: Assuming you know anything about London (which I don’t), I would think it should be really easy to understand the setting. If not, it’s an urban fantasy set in London. Supernatural creatures have been outted and they don’t really seem to get along. Pretty simple and straightforward. It would be hard to do that badly and Wolfhart doesn’t, so cool.
I like Clark. I like her a lot, even her name. She’s snarky and brave. True bravery too, like “this absolutely terrifies me but I’m going to do it anyway” brave. She makes some dumb choices and has a hard time trusting others which goes towards making her real and endearing. You can tell she’s a good person that wants to do right by her one and only friend. She’s an easy character to root for. You also reeeeally wanna know this big secret she’s harboring. Like, really.
Balor I am not so sure about. Clark does not trust him at all and he terrifies her but he has his moments. Moments both good and bad which keeps me guessing. He’s a supremely powerful fae prince who is also supremely good looking. He has a bad reputation but I think maybe it’s a farce that he puts on. He gave me some Rhys vibes which I cannot tell you how high of a compliment that is. He’s complicated and mysterious. Yum.
Their overpowering attraction is NOT instalove and therefore I’m okay with it. There’s good groundwork laid for an enemy to lovers romance to develop as well as a possible triangle. I’m not a huge triangle fan so I honestly hope it doesn’t go that direction.
There’s a few support characters, not really any worth mentioning.
I gave three stars because I did really enjoy the book and will definitely read the sequel. However, I think there should have been more… something. Character development? Plot arcs? Both? There’s easily room for growth here but I still think it’s absolutely worth the read.
So the book: Assuming you know anything about London (which I don’t), I would think it should be really easy to understand the setting. If not, it’s an urban fantasy set in London. Supernatural creatures have been outted and they don’t really seem to get along. Pretty simple and straightforward. It would be hard to do that badly and Wolfhart doesn’t, so cool.
I like Clark. I like her a lot, even her name. She’s snarky and brave. True bravery too, like “this absolutely terrifies me but I’m going to do it anyway” brave. She makes some dumb choices and has a hard time trusting others which goes towards making her real and endearing. You can tell she’s a good person that wants to do right by her one and only friend. She’s an easy character to root for. You also reeeeally wanna know this big secret she’s harboring. Like, really.
Balor I am not so sure about. Clark does not trust him at all and he terrifies her but he has his moments. Moments both good and bad which keeps me guessing. He’s a supremely powerful fae prince who is also supremely good looking. He has a bad reputation but I think maybe it’s a farce that he puts on. He gave me some Rhys vibes which I cannot tell you how high of a compliment that is. He’s complicated and mysterious. Yum.
Their overpowering attraction is NOT instalove and therefore I’m okay with it. There’s good groundwork laid for an enemy to lovers romance to develop as well as a possible triangle. I’m not a huge triangle fan so I honestly hope it doesn’t go that direction.
There’s a few support characters, not really any worth mentioning.
I gave three stars because I did really enjoy the book and will definitely read the sequel. However, I think there should have been more… something. Character development? Plot arcs? Both? There’s easily room for growth here but I still think it’s absolutely worth the read.
October 1, 2019
This read off as someone who knew what to do to make a great UF novel but got the formula wrong. I actually saw this on IG and bought it when I read the synopsis, so I think the pretty cover and synopsis did a good job in bringing in potential readers. I liked the plot a lot (fae and detective work? Heck yeah!) but the writing and layout needed work. The pacing was too quick to let anything solidify, and because of that, everything felt more than rushed.
Clark is the heroine who's in hiding and eventually gets roped into helping an ongoing case in the Crimson Court. She's literally found, initiated and assigned in less than five chapters. That put me off because there wasn't time to enjoy anything: her need to hide, the prince's eagerness to find her, their bad start on having any kind of relationship. And she was annoying to me. I love a fiery character who's stubborn but Clark went along with everything that she was told to do, and she just whined about it to keep the 'stubborn' persona alive. I didn't like that she kept assuming the prince was the culprit. I know she says she's not a very good PI but if this is her job and she's done this enough times to irritate her landlord, you'd think she'd have enough sense to think before judging. Her continuous thoughts about blaming everything on him is what gave me a horrible first impression. I wasn't even 35% in and I'd already had enough of her bad attitude. She tried to come off as witty and cute and snarky but it got old when she kept doing the same punch line over and over. The prince was a disappointment but I'm going to blame the pacing on this. Had the book been better paced, his change of heart wouldn't have come off so convenient.
Some things were inconsistent, unbelievable, and it makes me not want to read the next installment. But this is the first time I've read anything by this author, so I'd be willing to check out another book by her. Not anything from this series, but something else- maybe something more recent? -that would hopefully show a different writing style.
Clark is the heroine who's in hiding and eventually gets roped into helping an ongoing case in the Crimson Court. She's literally found, initiated and assigned in less than five chapters. That put me off because there wasn't time to enjoy anything: her need to hide, the prince's eagerness to find her, their bad start on having any kind of relationship. And she was annoying to me. I love a fiery character who's stubborn but Clark went along with everything that she was told to do, and she just whined about it to keep the 'stubborn' persona alive. I didn't like that she kept assuming the prince was the culprit. I know she says she's not a very good PI but if this is her job and she's done this enough times to irritate her landlord, you'd think she'd have enough sense to think before judging. Her continuous thoughts about blaming everything on him is what gave me a horrible first impression. I wasn't even 35% in and I'd already had enough of her bad attitude. She tried to come off as witty and cute and snarky but it got old when she kept doing the same punch line over and over. The prince was a disappointment but I'm going to blame the pacing on this. Had the book been better paced, his change of heart wouldn't have come off so convenient.
Some things were inconsistent, unbelievable, and it makes me not want to read the next installment. But this is the first time I've read anything by this author, so I'd be willing to check out another book by her. Not anything from this series, but something else- maybe something more recent? -that would hopefully show a different writing style.
February 13, 2020
I really enjoyed this first book in this new to me series. Clark is half-fae, half-shifter, although she cannot shift and her fae powers are very weak in comparison to a full blooded fae. We're not told why yet, but she's been in hiding for the past 10 years and is not member of a fae court either, which all fae should be apparently. She avoids all other fae as much as possible and even working as PI for other supes she mostly manages to avoid them. She has a single fae friend, more informant than friend really.
When three female fae go missing from the Crimson Court, the master of that court tracks her down and basically forces her to join his court, so that he can use her powers of mind reading to his advantage. As much as she hates being part of the court, Clark decides to stay in order to help find the missing fae, but only until they are found. Being courtless has its advantages, but so does being part of the court. However, Clark remains adamant that she will leave once her only fae friend has been found!
While I liked Clark for the most part, some of the things she did because of the "bond" she now has with her new master annoyed me. Balor, however, is not on my to like list at all - he's such an ass to put it bluntly. He's very controlling and demanding and expects everyone to follow his orders to the letter without question. Yes he's centuries old, in charge of his house and the Crimson Court, but doesn't mean he needs to be an asshole most of the time - he did soften a little bit towards the end, but not quite enough! Maybe he will improve with time, but I'm not a fan for this book.
I was a bit unconvinced with the main story arc as well - it just seemed a bit extreme, but still fairly believable, if that makes sense. I think because the bad guy enjoyed what they were doing, the reasons behind it didn't seem to matter if it really made sense or not!
This is one series I will continue to read as I want to see what Clark will do now in all areas of her life!
When three female fae go missing from the Crimson Court, the master of that court tracks her down and basically forces her to join his court, so that he can use her powers of mind reading to his advantage. As much as she hates being part of the court, Clark decides to stay in order to help find the missing fae, but only until they are found. Being courtless has its advantages, but so does being part of the court. However, Clark remains adamant that she will leave once her only fae friend has been found!
While I liked Clark for the most part, some of the things she did because of the "bond" she now has with her new master annoyed me. Balor, however, is not on my to like list at all - he's such an ass to put it bluntly. He's very controlling and demanding and expects everyone to follow his orders to the letter without question. Yes he's centuries old, in charge of his house and the Crimson Court, but doesn't mean he needs to be an asshole most of the time - he did soften a little bit towards the end, but not quite enough! Maybe he will improve with time, but I'm not a fan for this book.
I was a bit unconvinced with the main story arc as well - it just seemed a bit extreme, but still fairly believable, if that makes sense. I think because the bad guy enjoyed what they were doing, the reasons behind it didn't seem to matter if it really made sense or not!
This is one series I will continue to read as I want to see what Clark will do now in all areas of her life!
May 31, 2022
I'm a fae without a court, but that suits me just fine. Kind of. For years, I’ve hidden in my shabby East London flat, working as a private investigator for romantically-scorned supernaturals. The pay? Total rubbish. I’m broke as hell and almost homeless. But I’m stuck in this life. If anyone discovered my dark past, I’d end up dead.
But when a serial killer starts picking off London's fae, it seems fate has other plans for me. Balor, a dangerous and sinfully enticing fae prince, wants me to help him hunt down the killer. Apparently, my mind-reading abilities would be an asset. Now, I'm being whisked away into a court of wealth and magic.
Problem is, I can't read his mind, and I'm not sure I trust him. Worse, he knows I'm keeping a secret of my own, and he's determined to figure it out. Despite his allure, I start to wonder if he's behind the crimes. If he is, I'll never make it out of his Court alive.
Heather's Notes
This was not a bad book. In fact the plot was really good. I would have liked more from Clark, as a main character she was awful, dare I say, whiny. Also she acted kind of young to have been on her own for 10 years. She is not a bad ass at all and her one true skill is not going to help her with tough situations. She needs more skills. Balor is a douche, hopefully this changes, or he becomes not the main romance hero. There is another guy, that is seems better, but it also sounds like the beginnings of a love triangle (oh how I hate triangles). I will probably read the next book and see if the characters improve. The plot was good enough to carry the story.
But when a serial killer starts picking off London's fae, it seems fate has other plans for me. Balor, a dangerous and sinfully enticing fae prince, wants me to help him hunt down the killer. Apparently, my mind-reading abilities would be an asset. Now, I'm being whisked away into a court of wealth and magic.
Problem is, I can't read his mind, and I'm not sure I trust him. Worse, he knows I'm keeping a secret of my own, and he's determined to figure it out. Despite his allure, I start to wonder if he's behind the crimes. If he is, I'll never make it out of his Court alive.
Heather's Notes
This was not a bad book. In fact the plot was really good. I would have liked more from Clark, as a main character she was awful, dare I say, whiny. Also she acted kind of young to have been on her own for 10 years. She is not a bad ass at all and her one true skill is not going to help her with tough situations. She needs more skills. Balor is a douche, hopefully this changes, or he becomes not the main romance hero. There is another guy, that is seems better, but it also sounds like the beginnings of a love triangle (oh how I hate triangles). I will probably read the next book and see if the characters improve. The plot was good enough to carry the story.
August 15, 2020
3.5* -- Enjoyed it, but would have been even better with knowing 'why' Clark was in hiding etc., so I truly understood the stakes beyond 'if they know about Clark, she's dead'. (I do have an idea of 'why' she might be, so will read later books to see if I'm right) + the in hiding yet she's a podcaster lost it 1/2 a star. -- I'm hoping the next book will actually be a 4*.
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I completely change my mind on a series, so want to change my scoring down a lot)
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
------------
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I completely change my mind on a series, so want to change my scoring down a lot)
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
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First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
March 14, 2020
Plot is weak and characters under developed
This book had doing much potential but desperately needs a plot editor. The premise use so interesting but I wasn't a huge fan of how forced the relationship between Baylor and Clark seems to be. She's this independent chick with a dark secret that he would kill her for if he found out but she's making out with him in the next chapter. Theres no sense of intelligence on her part. If he could kill you why berate him for literally simple stuff. And he's supposed to be attracted to her but you never find out what is so alluring to him. I mean she literally talks back to him at every turn.
As for the kidnapping plot, I am disappointed about that as well. You could practically guess who the villain was going to be. Predictable and honestly a bit trite. You don't even get a sense why Clark and Ondine are such good friends as the start of the book doesn't have them interact at all. So Clark is risking her life coming to the court for Ondine but literally all the reader gets is " she's my only fairy friend".
Overall everything just feels under developed. I'd skip this one if I could travel back in time and I won't be reading book 2.
This book had doing much potential but desperately needs a plot editor. The premise use so interesting but I wasn't a huge fan of how forced the relationship between Baylor and Clark seems to be. She's this independent chick with a dark secret that he would kill her for if he found out but she's making out with him in the next chapter. Theres no sense of intelligence on her part. If he could kill you why berate him for literally simple stuff. And he's supposed to be attracted to her but you never find out what is so alluring to him. I mean she literally talks back to him at every turn.
As for the kidnapping plot, I am disappointed about that as well. You could practically guess who the villain was going to be. Predictable and honestly a bit trite. You don't even get a sense why Clark and Ondine are such good friends as the start of the book doesn't have them interact at all. So Clark is risking her life coming to the court for Ondine but literally all the reader gets is " she's my only fairy friend".
Overall everything just feels under developed. I'd skip this one if I could travel back in time and I won't be reading book 2.
October 21, 2024
Clarke? Her name is Clarke? And his name is Balor?
Yikes, that seems way try too hard. As is the world building. What the hell is going on? We are told the fae courts are all powerful - yet Fionn (another stupid name) seems to thumb his nose constantly at Balor who appears to let him.
And what's up with Clarke's powers? She's got to be the most useless mind reader in existence. And she can't seem to manage her way out of paper bag - she gets caught by Balor, and made to join court. She can't fight. She can't seem to investigate. Her powers are useless. She can't even hold a sword without almost stabbing herself - but I'm supposed to believe Balor can barely keep his hands off this basically TSTL woman?
Balor is given no layers or depth. Other than ordering Clarke about and her bitching about it constantly... I got nothing.
And the murder investigation.... you-hoo, author, remember the plot? Yeah, that kind of wallows around and even with a couple of dead bodies turning up there is this major disconnect and the reader can't bring themselves to care less.
Fail on romance. Fail on main characters. Fail on plot and pacing. World building fails to follow the rules the author sets up. Double yikes people.
Yikes, that seems way try too hard. As is the world building. What the hell is going on? We are told the fae courts are all powerful - yet Fionn (another stupid name) seems to thumb his nose constantly at Balor who appears to let him.
And what's up with Clarke's powers? She's got to be the most useless mind reader in existence. And she can't seem to manage her way out of paper bag - she gets caught by Balor, and made to join court. She can't fight. She can't seem to investigate. Her powers are useless. She can't even hold a sword without almost stabbing herself - but I'm supposed to believe Balor can barely keep his hands off this basically TSTL woman?
Balor is given no layers or depth. Other than ordering Clarke about and her bitching about it constantly... I got nothing.
And the murder investigation.... you-hoo, author, remember the plot? Yeah, that kind of wallows around and even with a couple of dead bodies turning up there is this major disconnect and the reader can't bring themselves to care less.
Fail on romance. Fail on main characters. Fail on plot and pacing. World building fails to follow the rules the author sets up. Double yikes people.
December 30, 2019
To summarize how I feel about this story...
It was meh.
Not horrible. Not fantastic.
It has good twists and turns. Good plot. Good characters. The romance was a bit flat but not the worst starting point.
The problem was that to me, it all seemed just a bit flat. Not terrible. Not unreadable. Just meh.
The MC was fun and snarky but I kind of wished to know more about her past that's so dark and mysterious. And I get that it's clearly going to be a major plot line going forward but constantly mentioning that past but not saying anything specific just grates on my nerves a tad. Maybe I'm just impatient.
The MC love interest is cool but...has very little depth and a whole lot of "I'm a snob with control issues" going on. He's started to fix towards the end though, so that's good.
But that romance between them? Seems forced. I liked her with Tiarnan waaaay better and we all know that's a ship that's destined to sink.
All in all, I'm probably not going to read further. Maybe one day I'll try to and find that I like the series. But in the mean time, I'm just going to skip it and say I hope y'all liked this better than I did.
It was meh.
Not horrible. Not fantastic.
It has good twists and turns. Good plot. Good characters. The romance was a bit flat but not the worst starting point.
The problem was that to me, it all seemed just a bit flat. Not terrible. Not unreadable. Just meh.
The MC was fun and snarky but I kind of wished to know more about her past that's so dark and mysterious. And I get that it's clearly going to be a major plot line going forward but constantly mentioning that past but not saying anything specific just grates on my nerves a tad. Maybe I'm just impatient.
The MC love interest is cool but...has very little depth and a whole lot of "I'm a snob with control issues" going on. He's started to fix towards the end though, so that's good.
But that romance between them? Seems forced. I liked her with Tiarnan waaaay better and we all know that's a ship that's destined to sink.
All in all, I'm probably not going to read further. Maybe one day I'll try to and find that I like the series. But in the mean time, I'm just going to skip it and say I hope y'all liked this better than I did.
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