Description: Unchained from fate, the Norse gods Loki and Hel are ready to unleash Ragnarok, a.k.a. the Apocalypse, upon the earth. They’ve made allies on the darker side of many pantheons, and there’s a globe-spanning battle brewing that ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan will be hard-pressed to survive, much less win.
   Granuaile MacTiernan must join immortals Sun Wukong and Erlang Shen in a fight against the Yama Kings in Taiwan, but she discovers that the stakes are much higher than she thought. Meanwhile, Archdruid Owen Kennedy must put out both literal and metaphorical fires from Bavaria to Peru to keep the world safe for his apprentices and the future of Druidry. And Atticus recruits the aid of a tyromancer, an Indian witch, and a trickster god in hopes that they’ll give him just enough leverage to both save Gaia and see another sunrise. There is a hound named Oberon who deserves a snack, after all.

Review: Scourged is a very fitting series finale to the Iron Druid Chronicles. For eight books in this series we have watched Atticus dodge danger, widen his network of friends and enemies, and survived for centuries. The last few books, however, made me very frustrated with Atticus because his tunnel vision and stubbornness had essentially lead to the Apocalypse. It's not until he is standing at the very edge of the cliff does he realize all of his biggest mistakes. This character arc is a testament to Hearne's writing and makes Atticus a flawed hero who despite his mistakes still makes you want to root for him.
  Scourged is essentially Atticus's wake-up call. He has to correct his mistakes and form unlikely alliances all to preserve the world as we know it. His relationship with Granuaile was slowly fracturing in the last few books as she continued to disapprove Atticus's actions, but now it might be irreparably broken. I loved that Granualie has graduated from a secondary character to now a main character and especially in this book calls Atticus out on his mistakes.
  In Scourged we see a lot of favorite characters from the past books make a presence. The battle scenes were cinematic and well written. It felt as if I was witnessing it right before my eyes. There were difficult casualties to endure, but it had to be done with this epic war. Hearne does a nice job in balancing the lighter moments with humor without losing the serious and darker notes as we get closer to the big conflict. The ending was fitting though the door has been left open for new adventures. As I learned from Hearne's newsletter an Iron Druid Chronicles series is in the works and I'm definitely going to read it.
   
Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language and violence in the book. Recommended for Adults and mature teens only.

If you like this book try: Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, The Age of Misrule by Mark Chadbourn

Description: The Iron Druid Chronicles is a hilarious and action-packed urban fantasy set in a modern world in which all the gods of every pantheon are alive and well, as in American Gods; its hero is a smart-mouthed, buttkicking magician, like Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden. But it’s told in a smart, witty, unforgettable voice that’s all Kevin Hearne—a star in the fantasy world. This addictive and wildly imaginative series stars hero Atticus O’Sullivan: a handsome, tattooed Irishman who looks like a young rock star, but is in actuality a 2,000-year-old Druid with extraordinary magic powers. In Besieged, Atticus’ adventures throughout history are told in a collection of nine new and original short stories.

Review: Before you read Scourged, the final book in the Iron Druid Chronicles, I highly suggest picking up Besieged, the short story collection set in Hearne's creative and entertaining urban fantasy world. In this collection of nine original short stories we get backstory information of the past and hints of the future. In "The Eye of Horus," he hunts for scrolls underneath the Great Library of Alexandria, where he encounters two members of the Egyptian pantheon. I love how this series though heavily influenced in Celtic and Norse mythologies also features mythologies from around the world. "The Bogeyman of Boora Bog" is narrated by Archdruid Owen Kennedy in which he meets a young boy who will one day become Atticus O'Sullivan. This is my favorite story in this short stories collection. I loved getting more information about Atticus' childhood and his family. In "The Cuddle Dungeon" we follow an Irish goddess of the hunt and Slavic god of thunder walk into a sex dungeon and then strange things happen. This story was the weakest and too weird for me and I did not see how it added anything to the overall Iron Druid World. The last short story and a prequel to Scourged called "The End of Idylls," has Atticus reminiscing to his best friend wolfhound Oberon about companionship and traveling solo. This story sets up the uneasiness of the final book. I hate when characters have to ready themselves to say goodbye while going off to dangerous adventures.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language and violence in the short story collection. There are sexual situations at times graphic in this short story collection. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Scourged by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid Chronicles #9), The Age of Misrule by Mark Chadbourn, Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Description: When a druid has lived for two thousand years like Atticus, he's bound to run afoul of a few vampires. Make that legions of them. Even his former friend and legal counsel turned out to be a bloodsucking backstabber. Now the toothy troublemakers—led by power-mad pain-in-the-neck Theophilus—have become a huge problem requiring a solution. It's time to make a stand.
  As always, Atticus wouldn't mind a little backup. But his allies have problems of their own. Ornery archdruid Owen Kennedy is having a wee bit of troll trouble: Turns out when you stiff a troll, it's not water under the bridge. Meanwhile, Granuaile is desperate to free herself of the Norse god Loki's mark and elude his powers of divination—a quest that will bring her face-to-face with several Slavic nightmares.
  As Atticus globe trots to stop his nemesis Theophilus, the journey leads to Rome. What better place to end an immortal than the Eternal City? But poetic justice won't come without a price: In order to defeat Theophilus, Atticus may have to lose an old friend.

Review: I completed the Iron Druid Chronicles earlier this year and enjoyed the ride. I am, however, behind on reviewing the last few books in this series. Staked is another great installment of the Iron Druid Chronicles. The plot becomes complicated as Atticus has tunnel vision on exacting revenge, which has consequences for everyone that we have met throughout this series thus far. As with the previous book, Staked is told in three different points of views: Atticus, Granuaile, and Owen. Each of these druids have separate story lines where he/she go on their individual adventure, but they all converge in the end. I enjoyed the three different points of views as it does not interfere with what I expect from this series, which is a ton of action and humor.
    Atticus is back in Toronto, a place he swore he would never visit again, but he has a purpose which is to steal a list of all the vampires in the world. His trip has several unexpected surprises and I enjoyed revisiting some of the past characters such as The Hammers of God and The Dark Elves, not to mention an intense and bitter encounter with Leif. Granuaile is in Asgard with Oden, working on a way to remove Loki’s mark. I love that she is independent and given actual obstacle to overcome. Hearne does not make things easy for her and I really appreciated it. It always irks me when female characters are given simple tasks because they are "delicate" or can not handle it. Owen's relationship with Greta continues to grow and Greta convinces him to six young, diverse humans to become Druids.
  Emotions get the best of Atticus in this book and he really digs himself a huge hole. His actions will have huge consequences as we speed to the conclusion of this series. I was surprised by the characters that we lost in this book and I am sure Hearne is trying to prep his readers by what is about to happen in the finale.

Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: There is strong language and violence throughout the book. There are also sexual situations and crude humor in the book. Recommended for older teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Besieged by Kevin Hearne (short stories in the Iron Druid Chronicles), Scourged by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid Chronicles #9), The Age of Misrule trilogy by Mark Chadbourn

  With the recent snow storm in the Chicagoland area, my internet connection has been inconsistent. Things seem to look better now and hopefully my posts will be published as scheduled. Thanks for your patience!

Description: The Knights seek fame and fortune by entering a talent show! 
A battle is looming at Camelot Middle School--a battle of the bands, that is! Artie, Wayne, and Percy enter the talent show seeking fame and fortune. But only one of them plays an instrument: Percy. And he plays the tuba. Their only hope of winning is finding the long-lost "Singing Sword," the fabled instrument of awesome power, but how can Artie find time to rock when he's been assigned a new lab partner, Melody Claymore? Melody is a klutz and a goof, and she harbors a not-so-secret crush on Artie. Is Melody his worst nightmare or secretly the answer to his prayers?


Review: The third and final Knights of the Lunch Table is a highly entertaining read both for young readers as well as adults. Artie and his friends have been challenged by the bullies in his school to compete and win the Battle of the Bands in their school. The winner of the competition wins bragging rights as well as a trophy. Artie has added pressure and incentive to win the Battle of the Bands competition because if he loses his favorite teacher, Mr. Merlin, will get fired from his job. 
  I like how this book shows Artie and his friends defeat the bullies by using their skills and creativity. Artie also learns a valuable lesson in not having preconceived notions about Melody, his classmate. Along with the action and humor in preparing and leading up to the Battle of Bands, we do see allusions to the Arthurian legends sprinkled throughout the graphic novel which adds inside jokes to those familiar with the legends. 
  The illustrations are vibrant and visually appealing, however, I was left with the feeling of the series being unfinished. Though we do get to see some character development, I wish there was more of a fleshed out plot arc in the story, perhaps continuing the story until Artie and his friends finish middle school. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.

If you like this book try: The Lunch Lady series by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Mal and Chad series by Stephen McCranie

  Most of the urban fantasy series that I've read are told from a female point of view, but I'm beginning to read a few from a males point of view such as Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles and Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. If you are a fan of mythology, paranormal, action, and humor, I do recommend picking up the Iron Druid Chronicles. The books are fun to read and the characters are great.


Description: For a two-thousand-year-old Druid, Atticus O’Sullivan is a pretty fast runner. Good thing, because he’s being chased by not one but two goddesses of the hunt—Artemis and Diana—for messing with one of their own. Dodging their slings and arrows, Atticus, Granuaile, and his wolfhound Oberon are making a mad dash across modern-day Europe to seek help from a friend of the Tuatha Dé Danann. His usual magical option of shifting planes is blocked, so instead of playing hide-and-seek, the game plan is . . . run like hell.
  Crashing the pantheon marathon is the Norse god Loki. Killing Atticus is the only loose end he needs to tie up before unleashing Ragnarok—AKA the Apocalypse. Atticus and Granuaile have to outfox the Olympians and contain the god of mischief if they want to go on living—and still have a world to live in.

Review: After the disappointing fifth installment of the series, I am glad to say that the Iron Druid Chronicles is back on the right track. Hunted is full of nonstop action leaving us much of the time trying to catch our breaths as we follow Atticus and company in deadly pursuit from some angry Gods, and their only hope seems to be to reach an place in Windsor Great Park in England in the most human way possibly-running literally across Europe since there normal mode of transportation (i.e. teleporting between realms) is unavailable. Luckily they can call on the power of Gaia each time they touch the Earth, and they can transform into running animals that make it just a little bit easier.
  In most series that I've read, the protagonists always manage to find any easy way or things just happen too conveniently in order to solve their problems but not this time. Atticus and company's success is by no means assured, as traps and ambushes loom at every turn. When he's a few steps ahead of his pursuers, Atticus is able to investigate just who really has it in for him, but in doing so puts him in a very deadly trap. As an added bonus to the story, we are given a few chapters written from Granuaile, Atticus's protege and love interest, but I would have loved more. I am glad that she became a main character now.
 Of course the book ends with more troubling times ahead for Atticus and it's quite possibly that may have accidentally started Ragnarok (the Apocalypse)? Luckily, at the end of the story he may just have a new ally to help with the next problem. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong violence, language, and sexual situations are implied. Recommended for older teens and adults.

If you like this book try: Shattered (Iron Druid Chronicles #7) releasing June 2014, The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, Cal Leandros series by Rob Thurman,  Child of Fire by Harry Connollly

    I got a nice double dose of the Iron Druid Chronicles thanks to the series's publisher and Netgalley. Both the novella and the fifth book, Trapped, are now published and available. The Iron Druid Chronicles is a great urban fantasy series, especially if you love mythology.

Description (from Goodreads): Six years into the training of his beautiful apprentice, Granuaile, a large crow swoops down and transforms into none other than the Morrigan, a goddess who insists that Atticus come with her at once. He must leave his apprentice behind, along with his Irish wolfhound, Oberon—and he must also leave his sword. The Morrigan has always taken extreme pleasure in pronouncing the Druid’s mortal danger and imminent doom, so the fact that she won’t reveal the purpose of their journey makes him very nervous. Of course, any time the Celtic Chooser of the Slain drops in unannounced, it’s never good. When she does let slip that she’ll be saving his life in the near future, Atticus is left to wonder . . . will he soon be giving his legions of enemies something to crow about?

Review: Most novellas are fan service materials, things readers would love to read but overall don't really add much to the larger story arc. Thankfully, Two Ravens and One Crow moves the story along from book four, Tricked, to book five, Trapped, quite nicely. The novella gives the reader an intimate glimpse on Atticus's feelings toward his apprentice, Granuaile, as well as a closer look at the truly terrifying and captivating Morrigan.
  Atticus and Granuaile's relationship is extremely sweet. Both are clearly attracted to another yet are afraid to take the next step. While Atticus sounds like a man suffering unrequited love, not because he isn't sure of Granuaile's feelings but more of his fear of letting someone in, Granuaile is on the search for someone temporary, which is becoming more and more unfulfilling for both of them.

  I had such a fun time joining in the Kiss Me, I'm Irish Read-along which featured Hounded, the first book in the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. The book is filled with action, humor, and mythology. I couldn't wait to find out what happens next. Luckily, books 1-3 are out and the fourth book will be released later this month!


Description (from Goodreads): Atticus O'Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn't care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they're badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.
   With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor's rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

Review: Hexed takes place right after Hounded. New readers to the series who pick up Hexed should have no problem as Hearne provides enough recap to set the stage without dragging the plot down. After Atticus finally defeats his long time nemesis, he thought he get a nice break. Wishful thinking, of course! Not only does he almost get killed by a long distance magic attack by a new coven of witches, but he has to deal with Bacchus, a fallen angel, and the everyday troubles of keeping his true identity as a disguise. 
  Along with the action and humor, we slowly learn more about Atticus's past. We learned that he helped families in WWII. I can only imagine what he has seen through the millenniums. Though we admire Atticus as a hero who respects nature and understands his limitations of power, we are reminded that he is not perfect as his prejudice against all witches (after meeting the witches, it's kinda hard to disagree with him) come to the forefront. He struggles to change his mindset and places some of his trust on the coven he makes a treaty with, which alters his simple, black and white world view into shades of grey. My favorite moment describing Atticus's humanity is when he talks about his love for his Irish wolfhound Oberon and how losing Oberon would be devastating. For Atticus, Oberon isn't just a pet, but a confidant, a partner, and a true friend.  
  Characters that only get mentioned in Hounded get more time in Hexed such as the trickster Coyote, and Atticus's paranormal lawyers Leif and Hal. We also get to see Granuaile, Attiucs’s new apprentice, starts showing her smarts and her backbone, standing up to Attiucs when she feels he’s in the wrong. I loved to get more character development of these secondary characters in the next few books. I'm lead to believe we'll learn more about Leif as he is gunning to get his revenge on Thor (whom everyone seems to love to hate) and leaves a opening to the next book Hammered, which I can't wait to read.


Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some crude humor, brief non-explicit sex scenes, strong language, and strong violence. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Hammered (Iron Druid Chronicles #3), Harry Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green

 I'm relatively new to the urban fantasy genre. Thanks to friend recommendations I've found great reads. I first heard about Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicle series from Missie over at The Unread Reader. It's kinda hard to not pick books that are featured in her My Book Boyfriend meme. When she featured Atticus O'Sullivan, I knew I had to go out and find this book. Thanks for the recommendation, Missie!

Description (from Amazon): Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.
   Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

Review: When I picked up Hounded, I read a few books that didn't work well for me and I needed a change. Hounded hit the spot with its witty characters, a great blend of mythologies and the modern world along with a sharp sense of humor. Before reading this book, I've only read urban fantasy series such as the Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson series which are driven by a strong female character. Hounded is the first male driven urban fantasy series that I've read.
  Atticus O'Sullivan is a 2100-year old Druid, supposedly the last of his kind. He is disguised as a good looking 21 year old Irish guy. He lives in Tempe, Arizona, and runs a New Age herbal and book store. Atticus is on the run from the Celtic god of love who wants a mystical sword that Atticus took from him in a battle centuries ago. The god also wants Atticus dead. Periodically, as the god has located Atticus, he sends his minions after him to kill him. In Hounded, the god of love wants to kill him personally. 
   In the scope of the urban fantasy genre, many of the common tropes exist. The Tuatha De Danann, werewolves, vampires, witches, ghouls, gods, goddesses, demons, etc., are present in the story but they are not common knowledge to the general human population. Though the book focuses on the Celtic mythology, which I'm not well versed in at all, Hearne gives the reader enough contextual clues to understand the mythological figures and to not make the reader feel lost. Elements from other mythologies such as Native American, Slavic, Nordic and Indian mythologies are included in the book too, which made the book rich and even more interesting.
  I thought all the characters are fleshed-out and interesting, and most of all, the highlight of this book is its sense of humor. The plot has some nice twists and turns. There is enough action in the book to keep the reader's attention. I never felt bored while reading the book. Things that seem impossible things are given enough logical explanations so that I didn't have to suspend too much disbelief to take me out of the story.  
  Atticus is a delightful hero who is paranoid, smart, snarky, yet has a warm heart. He is rough around the edges, but you can easily see why he has been alive for many centuries. I loved how well he tries to adjust to live with today's world. His commentary of why today's people do the things they do were extremely amusing. As he looks back on his past, you can tell he has definitely retained life lessons that has helped him along the way. His loyalty to his Irish wolfhound, Oberon, is heartwarming and brought a smile to my face several times. Oberon and Atticus are able to communicate mentally and their conversations are hysterical. Here is one of my favorite snippets: 

Oberon: Well, give her back her check and send her packing! We don't need to play her witch's games. They always want to get you and your little dog, too!

Atticus: "I knew I should have never let you watch the Wizard of Oz."

Oberon: Toto didn't deserve that type of trauma. He was so tiny.

In addition to Atticus and Oberon, one of my favorite secondary character is the Widow MacDonaugh, an elderly woman that is Atticus's neighbor and a friend. MacDonaugh has survived the sectarian conflicts in Northern Ireland. She is incredibly funny and not your stereotypical old lady who is completely oblivious to what's going on. She actually picks up things quite quickly and in her own unique way accepts Atticus's quirks and explanations. I would love to have her as my grandmother.
   This is one of those books that I wish I could hear on audiobook. I would love to hear the Irish accent and the proper way to pronounce the various ethnic names in the book. Thankfully, there is a glossary included in the first book that I found to be useful and referred to a lot in the beginning. Hounded is one of the books that you want to read to the end once you start it.  I know that I will definitely be getting the next two books in the series.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language and violence in the book. There are also allusions to sex. Recommended for mature teens and up only.

If you like this book try: Hexed (Iron Druid Chronicles #2) by Kevin Hearne or Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher