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purplebookfox's review against another edition
3.0
A nice bit of fluff with a lot of spice. I'm giving it 3 stars because I figured out the problems and mystery.
mystery_jem's review against another edition
5.0
Anthropologist Jillian Ramsay's career has taken a turn south.
Concerned that technology is about to chase mythological creatures out into the open (how long can Sasquatch stay hidden from Google maps?), the League for Interspecies Cooperation is sending Jillian to Louisiana on a fact-finding mission. While the League hopes to hold on to secrecy for a little bit longer, they're preparing for the worst in terms of human reactions. They need a plan, so they look to Mystic Bayou, a tiny town hidden in the swamp where humans and supernatural residents have been living in harmony for generations. Mermaids and gator shifters swim in the bayou. Spirit bottles light the front porches after twilight. Dragons light the fires under crayfish pots.
•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•...
What a fun new series- read by two different readers adds to the fun. I love the characters and the world Ms. Harper has created.
Concerned that technology is about to chase mythological creatures out into the open (how long can Sasquatch stay hidden from Google maps?), the League for Interspecies Cooperation is sending Jillian to Louisiana on a fact-finding mission. While the League hopes to hold on to secrecy for a little bit longer, they're preparing for the worst in terms of human reactions. They need a plan, so they look to Mystic Bayou, a tiny town hidden in the swamp where humans and supernatural residents have been living in harmony for generations. Mermaids and gator shifters swim in the bayou. Spirit bottles light the front porches after twilight. Dragons light the fires under crayfish pots.
•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•...
What a fun new series- read by two different readers adds to the fun. I love the characters and the world Ms. Harper has created.
zlitalien's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
kerrythefire's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.25
This story had great bones. But then it ended up just having some clothes draped over them... there was really no meat. And that makes me sad.
I was having a good time for about the first half, really enjoyed the setting and community dynamic and the mystery element... and then I blinked and all of a sudden the two main characters were having sex... then blinked again and they were done having sex. (Not closed door, but like, the door is cracked and you only catch a glimps through it.) Jillian and Bael's relationship came out of nowhere. Absolutely no emotional buildup. One moment they were starting to develop a reluctant maybe friendship and the next they were undressing each other. I literally rewound the audiobook because I thought I zoned out and missed something.
Unfortunately, the whole plot kinda felt this way. Like there were just a bunch of key plot points, which had a little bit built around the edges of them, but then the story just moved on or skipped a week or two and another plot point sorta happened. And all of a sudden then Jillian and Bael were in a full fledged relationship, and then the major conflict/climax happened and the mystery was resolved in another blink and then there was the minor, barely explained relationship conflict and then the resolution and it all just felt so fast and barely/not even skin deep because *see note about there being no meat on these bones.
Man, I'm just so bummed because this could have been such a fun story and romance.
I was having a good time for about the first half, really enjoyed the setting and community dynamic and the mystery element... and then I blinked and all of a sudden the two main characters were having sex... then blinked again and they were done having sex. (Not closed door, but like, the door is cracked and you only catch a glimps through it.) Jillian and Bael's relationship came out of nowhere. Absolutely no emotional buildup. One moment they were starting to develop a reluctant maybe friendship and the next they were undressing each other. I literally rewound the audiobook because I thought I zoned out and missed something.
Unfortunately, the whole plot kinda felt this way. Like there were just a bunch of key plot points, which had a little bit built around the edges of them, but then the story just moved on or skipped a week or two and another plot point sorta happened. And all of a sudden then Jillian and Bael were in a full fledged relationship, and then the major conflict/climax happened and the mystery was resolved in another blink and then there was the minor, barely explained relationship conflict and then the resolution and it all just felt so fast and barely/not even skin deep because *see note about there being no meat on these bones.
Man, I'm just so bummed because this could have been such a fun story and romance.
booksarebetter's review against another edition
3.0
A solid three stars. I liked it but I wanted more from it.
sarahsbooklife's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Vomit and Injury/Injury detail
lexia_39's review against another edition
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
everybody's review against another edition
3.0
This book was so charming I rarely even stopped smiling.
I think revealing the dragon nature in the title is a lost opportunity but oh well.
I am a bit surprised this is not marked as a Cozy Mystery because that is clearly what it is but I think it could've benefitted from ditching the mystery part which is entirely secondary anyway.
It's also by far the weakest part of the book. The final revelation that leads to the solution of the mystery was literally my first idea when first thinking about the motive but it is portrayed as this sharp insight.
What I found even more disappointing was that the only reason the perpetrator got caught was because That made all the effort meaningless and left me unsatisfied.
Beyond that, the mystery plot was just unoriginal across the board.
A more unique plot away from cozy mystery could've made that part of the book much more interesting.
I never even cared about anything beyond the interpersonal dealings of the protagonists. Not the mystery and not the rift either.
The world was interesting but I found it a bit hard to believe that the general public still had no idea in the information age.
What I loved about this book were the character interactions. They were funny and cute and never felt out of place except for the final big. The romance developed very naturally and without being overly cheesy. The sex scenes felt a bit rushed in the literal sense. They could've very well been just two minutes long. And while it was passionate and all, they might as well just have eaten cake together for how much emotional impact the intimacy had.
I was totally blinded by the charm of the interactions between these great characters. Only when I started to think about that stuff in retrospect did I realize how shallow the plot was. Something about this book immersed me in a way that allowed me to not notice all the small and even big flaws. This is rare for me. I don't even really know how it happened. Right after I finished I initially wanted to rate this high 4 stars just by gut feeling.
If you just want a cute romance on the side this one is for you but I guess that should be obvious judging by the title and cover.
I think revealing the dragon nature in the title is a lost opportunity but oh well.
I am a bit surprised this is not marked as a Cozy Mystery because that is clearly what it is but I think it could've benefitted from ditching the mystery part which is entirely secondary anyway.
It's also by far the weakest part of the book. The final revelation that leads to the solution of the mystery was literally my first idea when first thinking about the motive but it is portrayed as this sharp insight.
What I found even more disappointing was that the only reason the perpetrator got caught was because
Spoiler
he kidnapped the girlfriend of the dragon shifter sheriff right from his house and not because anything anyone contributed to the effort to solve the case or any kind of clue.Beyond that, the mystery plot was just unoriginal across the board.
A more unique plot away from cozy mystery could've made that part of the book much more interesting.
I never even cared about anything beyond the interpersonal dealings of the protagonists. Not the mystery and not the rift either.
The world was interesting but I found it a bit hard to believe that the general public still had no idea in the information age.
What I loved about this book were the character interactions. They were funny and cute and never felt out of place except for the final big
Spoiler
L word exchange. While I expected some kind love confession the forever after came somewhat out of the blue and felt rushed. I think there should've been an extra 50 pages to get thereI was totally blinded by the charm of the interactions between these great characters. Only when I started to think about that stuff in retrospect did I realize how shallow the plot was. Something about this book immersed me in a way that allowed me to not notice all the small and even big flaws. This is rare for me. I don't even really know how it happened. Right after I finished I initially wanted to rate this high 4 stars just by gut feeling.
If you just want a cute romance on the side this one is for you but I guess that should be obvious judging by the title and cover.
leggothemeggoreads's review against another edition
4.0
My only complaint is that I'm not a fan of dual narrations. I don't like when the voices of the charterers change.
bookbruin's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
This was just the fun and quirky read I was looking for. The set up was unique and I loved this twist on the usual paranormal romance. The banter and snark between Bael and Jillian (and Zeb!) was definitely the highlight of the book. It was especially fun to watch Bael come to terms with his feelings. This was a great start to the series and I’m looking forward to reading the rest.
The audio was really well done and both narrators did such a fantastic job! I was very impressed by all the different accents and voices used by Jonathon Davis and Amanda Ronconi. Definitely recommend the audiobook!
Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3.5 stars
The audio was really well done and both narrators did such a fantastic job! I was very impressed by all the different accents and voices used by Jonathon Davis and Amanda Ronconi. Definitely recommend the audiobook!
Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3.5 stars
Content Warnings
CW: gaslighting, toxic and emotionally abusive ex, parental estrangement, murder, kidnapping