Disabling Relics for Dummies

Museum of the Profane #1

by J.B. Trepagnier

There is a cornucopia of cursed objects from one of the most dangerous cults ever headed my way and I’ve never been more excited.

My twin sister, Ripley, says when your hot wolfy archaeologist exboyfriend, who likes to cosplay as Indiana Jones in the most non ironic way, shows up again, you do not add to cart. But he’s been doing digs in Norway and Ireland at the ruins of the site where one of the most dangerous cults ever met their end. He’s bringing me toys. Lots of nice, cursed toys.

One of these items is the most curious puzzle box. There are layers of curses to unravel to get to what’s inside. Maybe I’m stupid, but I’m dying to know what was so important to the Cult of the Aether Sisters that they stuck it in this box behind this much protection and buried it under ground.

Everyone is warning me not to. I should have listened.

Genres: Reverse Harem, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Why Choose, Magic

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 23, 2021

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author JB Trepagnier is secretly 30 feral cats in a trench coat and combat boots writing romance with a shared feral cat hive mind.

Reviews

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial thoughts (1/29/2022): This was set to be a 5 star. I was loving every moment of it but then J.B. Trepagnier had to go and try and add Sleipnir to the harem. I have nothing against him personally, he has a cool myth and could be an awesome future hero but his incorporation into Ravyn's poly lifestyle moves into a taboo I am not cool with so I took 1/2 a star. To not spoil, unless you're a mythology nerd like me... Ravyn, Sleipnir & Ripley's second BF is not unlike the Greek myth of Hippolytus & Phaedra but if Theseus had encouraged H&P to have a relationship. (Sorry this myth was on my mind because of Ariadne so that was the analogy I thought of.). I'll write a full review soonish.


Final Review (2/25/22): I need to stop making predictions when I will have time to review something because I will inevitably fail. Moving on, I flew through the book once I got started, dare I say I didn’t want to stop. I’ve loved a lot of Trepagnier’s work but I struggled with her Library of the Profane series so I am glad some of that has turned around here. Let’s chat about characters. I am going to skip talking about two of the important characters because their existence is a sort of spoiler for the novel. I’ll cover them in my review of the next book. Avoid looking at my updates for this book if you wanna avoid spoilers because GR tags don’t work at all.

Ravyn the heroine is the twin of Ripley . She is a witch whose expertise is on disabling cursed objects that come into the museum. She is more cautious than her twin but still fun. Dare I say, I liked her more. She’s not perfect as personified by her shitty ex Valentine who she has to work with because he made a big discovery about the Cult of the Aether Sisters.

Killian stole my heart. Bat familiar turned witch again by Reyson. He is the best. The exploration of his character was great and I cannot wait to see more. He is a person out of his own time trying to learn how to live and thrive in the modern world of witches. Also, he wasn’t pushy about his relationship with Ravyn which I respected. He’s known her a large hunk of her life but he worked to find himself first then maybe explore his emotions with Ripley.

Dr. Key very mysterious. I predicted his identity correctly, I am not going to say more because I want you to have an opportunity to do the same. He was involved in why I docked a star, not sure how to talk about that without mega spoilers, so read my updates at your own risk. I am so glad he didn’t turn out to be some jackass working for Valentine.

One last thing, I don’t normally talk about plot because I’m forgetful but I enjoyed how the mystery of the Aether Sisters unfolded. I loved the fact the mystery helped bring in the two other dudes (that have not been named in this review) into the story. This has a cliffhanger kinda, it alludes to coming drama. I could have loved Sleipnir in Ravyn’s harem if his mom was not also in the harem. That is stepparent kink to a new level. Also if they end up in a sex scene together, I’m going to skip so many chapters and maybe DNF.

4 out of 5 stars



Pre-read (1/28/22): A month later I finally am starting. I wanted to review Anarchy before starting in on Ripley's twin's story. Sadly, I went into a review-writing slump so I am just now getting to this one!


Pre-read (12/28/21): This one comes out in 2 days, yay! I liked Anarchy the final book in the Library of the Profane series which I finished yesterday. It provided great sneak peeks into what we would be getting with Ravyn. I do hope that Ripley and her boys at least cameo in this series. I love museums - I use to volunteer at our local historical society and I am an anthropology major so this should be epic. I will read this as soon as it comes out but my review will probably not be published until sometime in January.

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verified ARC Reader

Fantastic read!

by Krissy Bowlin

I'm not going to lie I I absolutely could not put the book down! I have not pulled an all nighter in years. I have a new favorite author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alex(Books-In-A-Storm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this one it was amazing. I just adore the twins and all the fucked up fun they have. I can't wait to read the rest of the series because it's going to be one hell of a ride.

[Valerie Oakley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This spinoff from the Library of the Profane series centers on Ravyn, Ripley's twin sister and the Museum of the Profane. Raven is just as Bada** as her sister, but has more hangup due to her personal history. The men in her Coven harem include her familiar, Killian; Dr. Key, otherwise known as Loki the trickster god; Sleipner, son of Loki and horse shifter; and Bjorn a seer created by Loki. They join forces to stop the return of The Cult of the Aether Sisters, a mage/bear shifter group created by Loki to keep his family safe. The Cult ultimately betrayed Loki, causing him to be captured by Odin and the Norse Gods, but not before he managed to hide Bjorn and Sleipner away for safety. Loki needs Ravyn's help to unlock the puzzle box hiding Bjorn and Sleipner so that they can help defeat the puppet assisting the Cult.
I am very interested in seeing where this series goes. I really want to know how the relationship will handle Loki and Sleipner both being with the same person.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun series starter with a spunky heroine with a badass job. This kinda continues on with heroine Ravyn whom is the twin sister of the heroine from the library of the profane series. I didn’t remember much (and you don’t have to read it first) but even so the author refreshes anything necessary to know anyways. Like her sister Ravyn lands herself a god and a now human familiar to start off her harem. Too bad she has to deal with a shitty ex returning to her life bringing trouble but he brings some interesting relics so when they win in the end it’ll be worth it 😜

[Kristian Too · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, lighthearted read! I wish we got a little more depth to the MC'S relationships, but this definitely pulled me out of my reading slump. It's not smutty like you'd expect a RH book to be, but the guys are adorable and Ravyn is a badass. I'd recommend this book to someone looking for something easy and comforting.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.B. Trepagnier is one of those authors whose books I pulled my attention but for whatever reason, I didn't read them. Not until she released the first book in a brand new series that centered on the Fae and after reading that I was a goner. So when I got the chance to finally read one of the Profane series I took it. The first book in the Museum of the Profane, Disabling Relics for Dummies, was fabulous.


I didn't realize that all the Profane series were connected so much and probably have a reading order, I know for a fact I should have read the Library of the Profane series before Museum because tidbits were revealed but that doesn’t bother me, it's not like it has happened to me before. The weird thing is that I was going to read that one first because hello magical library but it didn't work out that way. Anyway, the characters share all of the Profane series, meaning you can find all the characters in the Profane world in each other's series. I really love when authors do that because I feel like things are continuing.


This series focuses on Ravyn, Ripley's from LotP series twin sister. Ravyn is cool with her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, she's a bright soul who likes, excitement and enjoys living. Ravyn is highly intelligent and loves to learn she loves her job as the museum's curator and is successful at it. The only thing I have to critique is that she let herself get hypnotized by the D, her last boyfriend was a creep, really what was she thinking?


Good thing her taste in guys improve. Killian is her hot and nerdy familiar who has a puck look going on, is smart, and is her best friend, he's adorable. Then there is the mysterious Doctor Key, who is gorgeous, intelligent, playful, and has a great personality. There were also two last-minute additions who I don't know enough about yet to give a real opinion but seem promising.


The supernatural world is embedded within the human world they live side by side but separate. I love a good witchy story and this book had all the goods, familiars, grimoires, curses, magical artifacts, and hexes. There were witch markets, movies for supernaturals, a magical library (of course), a school, and so much more. My witchy heart was happy then things got even better with a huge dose of Norse mythology and I was in love.


Disabling Relics for Dummies grabbed and didn't want to let go. This story was entertaining, had fun characters, great world-building, and a healthy amount of mythology, I loved it. I'm not only excited for the rest of Ravyn's series but I'm most definitely picking up Ripley's as well.

[Mysty Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me two days to finish only because I didn't realize how fast I was reading it. The story flowed so naturally that I honestly didn't notice time pass. This story focuses on Ravyn, a witch who works at the Museum of the Profane. Her job is disabling all the cursed objects that come to the Museum. She just got a new shipment of cursed items and unfortunately her cheating ex was the one who dug it up. But that's not all the ex brought. The ex also brought a mysterious doctor who claims to be an expect on the subject. Given that nothing in this universe is ever coincidence, any suspicious moment potentially turns interesting or dangerous. In this book, either direction is always fun. As the story progresses, relationships get explored, a character leaves the friend zone and chaotic moments are had. It was such a fun read. I even did a whole book blog on the book, so check that out if you want to read my full thoughts.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ines · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the start of Ravyn's series, and the development of her own coven. After swearing off men for a while, consequence of a cheating werewolf ex-boyfriend who believes to be the next Indiana Jones, a lot of new hotness starts pooring into Ravyn's life. While dealing with men, Ravyn also has to deal with the objects of a dangerous cult and her mingling twin sister.

Even though this series is a spin-off of "The library of the profane" series it isn't necessary to have read it first. This series manages to find a nice balance between humor, action, character building and spice. I like Ravyn; she's confident and down to earth, but also really kind and clearly a woman with a big hearth. I love the way she lets everyone around her explore their own wishes and boundaries without any kind of prejudice. I enjoyed the differences between the new men in Ravyn's life and the way we get to know them gradually throughout the first book. Last but not least I liked the humor that was a part of this book, but I have to admit it towed the line of "too crazy" by the end of the first book, so I'm curious to find out how this will continue in the second book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bluebyyou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shallow but fun read!

Pros:
1) Likable, entertaining characters (Doctor Key was especially a hoot!)
2) Caring, respectful relationships
3) Plenty of fun interchanges between the characters
4) Sex-positive

Neutral
1) Black/white morality
2) Not a complete story, more like the first part of a serial novel introducing the characters and plot

Cons:
1) Thin or non-existent world-building (ie no information on where this is, the rules of the universe or what humans know about supernaturals)
2) Thin or non-existent descriptions (ie what does Ravyn's home look like? Or the eponymous museum? Or even just her office at the museum?)
3) Situations stated but not explained (ie why and how did Killian become a familiar after his death? why were the ghost at the archeology site laid to rest but not the ones apparently infesting this area and their enterprises?)
4) Jumping first-person perspective is too often confusing
5) Instances of poor sentence structure

Will read next in series.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this sister even more!

Things I loved:
Killian is the best boi and I liked both the self exploration of his character and the way he wasn't pushy with their relationship.
Love the lore and magic. Lots of great world building that builds on what the Library series already established.
Loved the horseboy learning about modern life. It was done in a more realistic way than the previous series. Since he can't instantly get whatever he wants like a certain God in the library.
Would love to see a School spinoff to complete the triad. Maybe with their lemon loving professor that taught them curse breaking! She'd be a fantastic leading lady!

Things I didn't love: Scholar boi had too much of a instant love, so perfect etc... would have been better for them to grow their relationship a little more organically. The harem felt a bit like a copy paste of her sisters. Do we have a god check, a familiar check, gotta have a warlock check.. Hopefully it's just because they are twins and not going to be the same formula for every series they write.
God powers are used to solve things a little too often. I prefer them using knowledge and her own Magic/skills.

Over all a fun romp and I'm very much looking forward to reading the next one!

[MsRHReviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, so good!

I finished the previous series involving Ravyn's sister, Ripley, and loved it through and through. So far this one is starting just as good!

Something I kept forgetting to mention in the previous 3 books that I'll mention here, however, is that there's the odd misspelling and improper grammar / punctuation. It doesn't take from the story though, and a while ago I learned how to point out mistakes to Amazon / the author, so I've done that a few times while reading. :) The fact I kept getting distracted enough in the book that I kept forgetting to point it out in other reviews is a good sign though! It REALLY isn't enough to make me dock stars or anything.

Also, the mysterious doctor? Totally called it shortly before the hints and reveal! Great addition, though!

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our heroine is good at what she does, but sometimes her curiosity gets the better of her. This is definitely one of those times.

This is book one of the series, so a fine place to start.

This is a paranormal reverse harem romance dealing with magical artifacts. What fun! The story is well written and easy to read. The characters are well done, with nice backgrounds and unique personalities. I really liked our heroine and her sister. The setting is also nicely done and really invites exploration. I can't wait to see more. On top of that there is a lot of action as well as a bit of steam. Overall, it makes for a great start to the series and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Highly recommended

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm already loving the series. We finally get to read about the craziness Raven deals with. The mystery slowly unfolds the cult of the Aether Sisters. The chemistry between Raven and her love interests bounce of each other as they all are intelligent, with many common interests. The closer she gets to solving the puzzle brings her to two new possible guys to add to her r.h. The ending ends with a somewhat predictable cliffhanger as her ex gets increasingly sketchy. I can't wait to see what kind of havoc Valentine wreaks.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book. JB Trepagnier has become one of my favorite authors, I love her style of writing. The multiple points of view, the plot, the twists and turns, the jokes; it all comes together wonderfully to create a story I can't put down. I was eager to read this work after finishing the Library of the Profane Trilogy and it did not disappoint. Ravyn is just like her sister Riley but in her own way. I loved the flow of the story and meeting all the characters. I cannot wait for the sequel.

Five out of five stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Colleen Melendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gods , witches...

I was gonna say Bear witches but I was laughing too much. Sounds like ice cream. Fortunately they went with a different name. This is by a favourite author who always tells a good story. I don't think there's anything she has written that I haven't read or in my TBR pile. I usually wait to.start a new series until the second one is out, but I couldn't hold back. This is Ripley's sister Rayven's story and its shaping up to be just good. I really like the POV's. Also you will still see some crossover. As it should be since they are twins and are really tight.

[Nan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ravyn is a witch who works in the Museum of the Profane taking care of cursed objects. Her familiar, Killian, has just regained his human body thanks to her twin’s God of Chaos boyfriend, and they are learning to navigate their new relationship. Now her slimy ex is coming back with some powerful relics from a dangerous cult and an unknown expert in tow. The storyline is interesting and when the background is revealed it opens up whole new questions for the next book. I love Dr. Key and can’t wait to see how the other new characters integrate. I received an advance copy of this book and voluntarily left a review.

[Dallass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, boy. Here we go again.

It’s now time for Ravyn’s adventure and I had a lot of fun reading this. The plot runs along similar lines to Ripley’s trilogy, but I’m enjoying the characters and how the mystery of the cult is unfurling. Valentine is a knuckle-dragging prat, and I’m hoping he meets an ending on par to Dorian.

Beyla also makes a short appearance (well before her undercover assignment at The P.), and I hope we see more of hr and Kaine in this trilogy. Can’t wait to get my hands on the next book.

[Florencia Lailer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you loved Ripley and Beyla you are going to love Rayvn. Disabling Runes for Dummies happens right after the events in library of the profane with plenty of character crossover.
Rayvn is fairly different from Ripley, her approach is a little more cautious, but oh is she fun!! With her familiar and a mysterious Dr. Key, Rayvin has to solve the mystery of the Aether Sisters and what is up with his terrible ex.
This is a wonderful spin off that will have you wanting more!! Since it is the first book in a new series it will end in a cliffhanger.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read for me. I e been reading Beyla’s series and in this we get to see her as a teenager after she finds out she’s a witch. This does end on a bit of a what is going to happen next, cliff adjacent. Killian, Key and two others that appear later in the book so I won’t say their names are fun mmc’s and Killian especially is a sweet, sweet man. We also see more of Ripley and her guys. The dynamic between Ripley and Ravyn is always enjoyable.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of the Library of the Profane books so I was really excited to read a book based at the Museum of the Profane. Ripley and Rayvn are Gemini twins and with Ripley running the library and Rayvn running the museum, they're both a force to the reckoned with.

Learning more about Rayvn and Killian, the museum and everything that goes on there was a real treat. When Rayvns douchebag ex turns up with a tall, beautiful stranger, it was easy to see which way the story was going but the way the story is written means that you are pulled down deep and you won't want to put it down.

I love all of the characters, they are sympathetically written with an excellent knowledge of history.

I can't praise this book and the entire series to be honest.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Dwyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valentine is back - and Rayven's cheating ex has more on his mind than rekindling their relationship. Who is Dr Key really? What secrets are hidden in the puzzle box? Will the Cult of the Aether Sisters succeed in coming back, or will the twins and their friends beat them in their attempt? Cliff hanger ending, cant wait for the next book!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it !! love this spin-off... love Ravyn... this is her story... a fast paced action packed adventure... she's a witch that takes the curses off of the relics that go to the museum... she has to deal with her twin and cheating ex... he's the one that brings in the cursed relics... so much fun...so exciting... just loved it !!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sharita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew the cliffy was coming...

I knew the cliffy was comming and yet still I felt caught off guard. LOL this book flowed so well, the story is so well written. I dont know which one of the twins is my favorite but I love them both lol. Killian is awesome but I'm loving all the additions also. I dont know how the whole familial connection is going to feel later on, because right now it feels a little weird to me. Either way I'll be here with bells on when book two drops.

[Nicole McLain · Rating 5 out of 5]

First installment of this new series was a hit as always for this author. Follows Rayven,Killian,Key(spoiler not his real name) and 2 others on the beginnings of an interesting adventure against a cult. Ends on a slight cliffhanger but it wasn’t too bad,I can’t wait to see what’s in store for book 2. It was multiple pov which is always a check in the bonus category for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Love it. Danger, love, witches and a mystery.
I love Loki. It is awsome he is in this book. But can u trust him, he is god of trickery. Also he created the coven that will cause problems.
Will they solve the problem before the eclipse.
I so do not trust Valentine. I can not wait until he gets what he deserves.
Some very hot scenes in this story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disabling Relics is book one in The Museum of the Profane series and is Rayven's story. If you've read and loved The Library of the Profane series then you are going to love Rayven's story too. From the entertaining and unique storyline to the interesting characters this is a great start to the series. After that cliffhanger ending I can't wait to read the next book in the series to find out what happens next. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[another halima]

this book should come with a warning that says “parent and child in the same harem readers beware” bec wtf. why is that being introduced at the eighty percent mark?????? like ew omg ew i can’t even critique the book bec it’s so deranged. mind you i’m anti family members being in the same harem in general but parent and child???? akhas i thought twins were weird but parent and child?????????? i’m just speechless (clearly not since i’m ranting)

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Ripley’s series and I can say that so far I am loving Ravyn’s series . I can honestly say that I did not expect some of the things that happened in this book. I can’t wait to see what happens next . I’m sure the revenge will be great and I can’t wait to see what new characters will be introduced.

[Ryan Wagoner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yesss!!!

I love this book and am so excited about this series!! I loved the Library of the Profane series and honestly have fallen in love with this book also!! Definitely a must read!! I can't wait to see what the characters have coming in the next book!! Highly recommend this book!!