Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication Date: 6/24/14
Format: Audio
Length: 11 hrs, 48 min
Source: Gift
Rating: 5 stars
Purple-haired, sharp-tongued Reese MacKay knows all about making the wrong choice; she’s made plenty of them in her twenty-odd-years. So when her impulsive, short-lived marriage ends in heartbreak, she decides it’s time for a change. She moves to Miami with the intention of hitting reset on her irresponsible life, and she does quite well…aside from an epically humiliating one-night stand in Cancun with a hot blond bouncer named Ben. Thank God she can get on a plane and leave that mistake behind her.
Football scholarship and frat parties with hot chicks? Part of charmer Ben Morris’s plan. Blown knee that kills any hope of a professional football career? So not part of the plan. Luckily Ben has brains to go with his knockout looks and magnetism. After three long years of balancing law school with his job as a bouncer at Penny’s Palace, he’s ready to lead a more mature life—until his first day of work, when he finds himself in the office of that crazy, hot chick he met in Cancun. The one he hasn’t stopped thinking about.
If Ben truly were a smart guy, he’d stay clear of Reese. She’s the boss’s stepdaughter and it’s been made very clear that office romances are grounds for dismissal. Plus, rumor has it she’s trouble. The only problem is, he likes trouble, especially when it’s so good-looking…
The Short of It....
First of all, I need to thank Nereyda at Mostly YA Obsessed for recommending FWtF to me. I'd won an audio giveaway from her blog, and when I asked her to pick a book out, she recommended this one. Good call, Nereyda, because I loved this book. I shouldn't be surprised I loved it, given that One Tiny Lie is one of my favorite books of 2013. I'm not sure why I haven't kept up with this series, other than "so many books, so little time".
For starters, the narration was excellent. This was my first time for both, but I loved listening to both Elizabeth Louise and Deacon Lee. Good narrators are an absolute must for me. I would listen to these two again in a heartbeat. In fact, I'll likely seek them out.
As for the story, Ben and Reese were great MCs. I liked their backstories, how they connected, and the friendship that formed. For the bulk of the book, they were friends more than anything else, though the attraction was strong. Both had good character development, truly growing and changing for the better throughout the story. There were moments that had me so steamed up, more that had me laughing, and a few that had me holding back tears.
Five Ways to Fall was an excellent conclusion to the Ten Tiny Breaths series, and my new favorite KA Tucker book.
Favorite Quotes
“If you have to fight over a guy, he’s not worth it. Go for the one who’s waiting for you.”
“Have you always loved yourself this much?”
“I had an awkward year in ‘ninety-nine, but I got over it quick.”
I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of hearing her sing. Or talk. Or laugh, or bust my balls, or tell me I’m a jackass. And I don’t see how I could ever get sick of waking up next to her in the morning, or pulling all her clothes off of her at night, because I haven’t yet. It’s the exact opposite, actually. I just want her more. She’s everything I never knew I wanted. She’s everything I never knew I could have.
She just . . . fits with me. So perfectly.
About KA Tucker
Born
in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with
the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a
voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything
from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small
town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting
brood of four-legged creatures. Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads
Series: The Hollows #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: 7/19/12
Format: Audio
Length: 13 hrs, 14 min
Source: Purchase
Rating: 4 stars
All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party ... and to feed.
Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining -- and it's Rachel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized.
A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead ... or undead.
I originally reviewed DWW in 2011. The first portion of my review is for the audio version, which I recently listened to.
I was looking for a good UF to listen to, but wanted one I knew I would like. I went with DWW because I enjoyed it so much the first time around. The audio version was great. The narrator was lively and her voice was perfect for Rachel and the gang. Her take on Jenks made me laugh. I'd forgotten how funny he was. I really enjoyed DWW this time around, maybe even more than the first. It's always nice when a previously liked book turns out to inspire the same feelings the second time around. This is an audio I definitely recommend! ***
And my review from 2011...
Dead Witch Walking is a book that I might have never found if not for the Preternatura Book Club ran by Suzanne Johnson at her blog. That would have been such a shame. Dead Witch Walking was a true pleasure to read.
The world that Kim Harrison built is truly ingenius. She has firmly woven the human and supernatural world into one unit. In the interest of not revealing spoilers, I'm not going to tell what brought about The Turn (kind of like The Great Revelation in True Blood), but it just makes me shake my head and laugh at the sheer brilliance.
Main character, Rachel Morgan is just so darn wonderful. She is the ultimate girl's girl, meaning a girl just can't help but love her. She is so, well, Rachel. If you've read the books, you'll know what I mean. She has the best of intentions, but sometimes, the follow through is flawed. She tends to jump into perilous situations without thinking. Most of the time to disastrous results. She is loyal and determined to use her powers only for good, no matter what. Rachel is surrounded by a tremendous "supporting" cast. I say "supporting" because in many ways they steal the book. Ivy is a living vampire. She is a compulsive over-planner, methodical and pretty much the complete opposite of Rachel. There is also Trent Kalamack, a shrewd, ruthless, and (grudgingly admitted)handsome businessman that Rachel is determined to bring down. Seriously, my face is scrunching up into an ugly grimace just thinking about him. Rachel and Trent play a dangerous cat and mouse game throughout the book. Each remains determined to maintain the upper hand. And Jenks. Oh, Jenks. I think I have a little wee crush on Jenks, the magnificent pixie. The little guy possibly has the best one-liners I've ever read. He is my favorite character in the book.
Truthfully, I did have a little trouble maintaining my focus through parts of the book. The parts of the book that kind of backslid into the world-building started to lose interest for me. I just felt it went on a bit too long. But with the world of The Hollows fully established, I don't think that will be much of a problem moving forward. This series has a cult-like following and I've heard that this series gets better with each successive book. So I am ready to jump into Book 2, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead with no hesitation.
Favorite Quotes
“Tink's a Disney whore."
“What is it you want?”
My heart pounded at his promise of freedom. I followed his gaze to my hands and the dirt under my nails. “You,” I said.”
About Kim Harrison
Kim Harrison, dark urban fantasy author of the New York Times bestselling Ever After, was born and raised in the upper Midwest. After gaining her bachelors in the sciences, she moved to South Carolina until the lure of snow pulled her back to Michigan When not at her desk, she is most likely to be found landscaping her yard or on the links with her mom.
Genre: Contemporary Romance
