Review: The Charlatan's Conquest by Vivien Dean

The Charlatan's Conquest (Phantom Fixers #1) (Dreamspun Beyond #2) by Vivien Dean
Dreamspinner Press, Goodreads, Amazon, Audible
Novel: 216pgs

3 Pants Off

Blurb: A Phantom Fixers Story

With love and ghosts, the challenge is figuring out what’s real.

Software engineer Cruz Guthrie needs money for his sister’s cancer treatments. He needs it so badly he’s willing to stand in for a ghost hunter friend and investigate a millionaire’s supposed specters. It should be an easy gig—after all, nobody thinks the haunting is real.

Neurological researcher Brody Weber is furious that Cruz would take advantage of Brody’s father. But his mind changes when spirits manifest—and he realizes Cruz genuinely wants to help. When they learn the paranormal activity centers on Brody, Cruz is willing to fight to free Brody from the entities determined to make his life miserable. With a little help from friends and family—both living and dead—they must figure out why Brody is attracting spirits and how to banish them. Only then can they pursue a future together.

Review

The Charlatans Conquest is the second book in the Dreamspun Beyond series and quite a disappointment for me. I really wanted to like it because ghosts man but failed to wow me… 

Cruz Guthrie has decided to fill in for his ghost hunter best friend. While he isn’t 100% behind the idea he would greatly benefit from the twenty thousand payout that would help with his sister medical bills. He doesn’t like the idea of doing a job that Etienne has already proven the lack of ghosts but the client is sure that he is being haunted and won’t take no for an answer. So spending 2wks doing a house cleansing seems like a money making vacation. What should have been a super easy job comes with some complications when the clients son Brody Weber shows up, and clearly Etienne was wrong because the house is haunted and there is more than one ghost. 

Brody doesn’t want anyone taking advantage of his father and clearly this charlatan is. Pretending he’s a ghost hunter and feeding his father s disillusionment, but Brody has got a secret that makes him a hypocrite and also a tad bit on the stupid side. Brody knows his father isn’t being haunted and he knows the strange happenings have everything to do with him. For someone who deals in neurology his brain is real slow on the uptake.  Now he has to deal with his attraction for Cruz and also realize for all these years his ass has been haunted by some trouble-making possible malevolent ghosts (who knew).  

Now it’s up to Cruz and Brody to figure out how to rid Brody of his hitchhikers while also falling into serious like. Cruz is this sweet family orientated guy who really wants to help Brody and Brody just wants to have a little bit of normalcy. Things are moving forward but first they’ve got to exercise some ghost. 

I wanted to like this a lot more because umm ghost and creepy are my thing but this really failed to spook or keep my interest. The writing was good, and the story was nice but overall I became bored and lost interest. The relationship between Cruz and Brody is hella sweet and Cruz’s friend Etienne offers up some intrigue as to how he started seeing ghost and made it his job, so I’m definitely interested in that. Otherwise there wasn’t much here for me. 

Overall, an alright read but it missed its mark with me….

Review: Out of The Ashes by Ari McKay

Out Of The Ashes (Asheville Arcana, #1) ( Dreamspun Beyond, #1) by Ari McKay
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 220pgs

3.5 Pants Off

Blurb: Asheville Arcana

In their differences, they’ll find strength—and love.

Alpha werewolf Eli Hammond returns from a fishing trip to discover a nasty surprise—five members of his pack murdered and the rest missing. He needs help locating and rescuing his pack mates, but the supernatural council in Asheville, North Carolina, turns him away.

Except for one man.

As they work together, Eli is stunned—and not especially thrilled—to discover half-elf Arden Gilmarin is his destined mate. But as Arden and his friends struggle to help Eli in his quest, Eli surrenders to the demands of his body—and his heart. They’ll need to bond together, because the forces opposing them are stronger and more sinister than anyone predicted. The evil has its sights set on Arden, and if Eli wants to save his mate and the people he is entrusted with protecting, he’s in for the fight of his life.

Review

 OUT OF THE FRYING PAN & INTO THE FIRE

I’ve now moved on to the Dreamspun Beyond series and I am really looking forward to what this entire imprint has to offer. Out of the Ashes was a cute read, and I am looking forward to reading the other books.  

Alpha Werewolf Eli Hammond has come back home only to find some of his pack mates dead and all the others missing. He can’t quite explain as to why it happened but he does know the neighbouring pack had something to do with the deaths and his missing friends. Instead of rushing in and trying to avenge and rescue,  Eli realizes he will need the help of the supernatural council. When his concern falls on deaf ears, Elie realizes he’s going have to get things done on his own, until the beautiful half elf Arden offers up his help and expertise. What Eli never anticipated was finding his mate through all the hardship and while at anytime it would be something to celebrate, Eli knows a mate has no place in his life especially one that isn’t a wolf. 

Arden is unusually drawn to the Alpha Wolf Eli and before he knows it he’s offering his help an getting caught up into something that is more sinister than pack rivalry. When Arden finds out that Eli is his mate he’s hurt that the man doesn’t seem to want to honour a bond that is as old as time. While he’s willing to to put in his all, Eli keeps him at arms length but Arden realizes he’s willing do anything to keep his very reluctant mate safe. Because demons are on the horizon and they are out to destroy some things. 

First, I really liked the world building. I love all things fantasy and with a bit of fairytale element and this book had it. Think of any lore creature, and this book had it in drones. It was just so fantastical and I really enjoyed the world.  

Secondly, Eli and Arden worked for me. While there was nothing so amazing about them, they have presence and their story kept me entertained. They were fun and with their friends it offered up a great eclectic mix of characters that could be a delight for many readers. 

Thirdly, the weakest part of the story, is the overall plot. Demons should strike fear and all that but if anything all of it was very comical made even more so by the dismissal by the supernatural council of something so dire. Like demons were out there possessing people and shit and everyone was just out there coasting. From what I’m gathering this will be a series within the Dreamspun Beyond series, and I am really looking forward to how it will progress. This world has got me hook, line, and sinker.  

Overall, an entertaining read and a great start to DP line. Looking forward to finding out more about these demons because right now they skills is surely lacking. So ready to revisit the world Ari McKay created.