Demon Magic and a Martimi by Annette Marie Narrator: Cris Dukehart
Series: Guild Codex: Spellbound #4
Published by Tantor Audio on April 23, 2019
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 7 hours, 15 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible
When I first landed a bartending job at the local guild, I didn't know a thing about magic. These days, I'm practically an expert on the different magical classes, but there's one nobody ever talks about: Demonica.
Turns out they have a good reason for that.
My guild is strictly hellion-free, but some people will risk life and soul to control the biggest bullies on the mythic playground. And now a demon has been loosed in the city.
My three best friends are determined to slay it, but even badass combat mages are critically out-magicked. And that's not all. The monster they're tracking--it's not hiding. It's not fleeing. It's not leaving a trail of corpses everywhere it goes.
The demon is hunting too. And in a city full of mythics, it's searching for deadlier prey.
If we can't unravel the demon's sinister motivations, more innocent people will die, but finding the answers means digging into dark secrets ... and learning truths I never wanted to know.
Once again I have to say these stories get better with each book for me! I love that in this book we really got Ezra’s back story as it was related to the theme of the story. The little short story, Four Shifters and a Stranger, was one that I should probably have read first, but it didn’t hurt to read it after as it just filled in a bit of what we learned in this book.
Tori was a lot better in this one, now that she kind of knew what was going on and that she was a part of the Crow and Hammer Guild for sure. However the danger started right off the bat in this one with a demon on the loose. Between all of the people going out and searching, and then coming back to the bar to stay safe, there was a lot going on. Tori was able to stay safely in the bar, helping to feed or do other small things for the members and other guilds using them as a respite between hunts. But when she did end up venturing out to pick up some cupcakes for the Halloween party as well as some other food to keep feeding people, that’s when now she was involved in the danger. Not to mention another tarot card reading that predicted so many things once again.
I loved Ezra and Tori’s walk and talking about costumes for Halloween. I loved the Hufflepuff reference too, as I am a proud Hufflepuff, lol. I knew of course the demon would be showing up on their walk, but I did not realize it would go the way it did. And the things that happened with Ezra led to so many new things that Tori still didn’t know about and would be learning kind of in the moment/on the job. Questions about Ezra were raised from the confrontation, and it made sense to me why she didn’t ask all of them though. With how she’d gotten into the whole magic thing, and kind of been kept in the dark, I could understand her not just coming right out and asking. I think she also felt that if she asked Ezra some of the questions she had, it wasn’t her business to ask him, that he would tell her when/if he wanted. So I got a little mad at the part where the other guys got mad at her for not asking.
But then of course, Tori is Tori, and the way she decided to ask Ezra, wow, that was not the question I would have asked at all. When the first really big battle came for them all with the demon as well as the other guild that kept demons all the time as part of their magic/powers, I liked the new character that kind of came in and saved the day in a way. I really liked how others did accept Ezra even knowing what they did about his past. And while we did get a lot of things answered about his past, I feel like there are more details I want and need to know.
The final trip to try to get safe I knew was going to be a bad idea and it did lead to an intense, very traumatic final battle scene that definitely had me on the edge of my seat. All I know is I can’t wait to pick up the next book in the series and see what happens to Tori and her world next!
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COYER Challenge is adopting our Read-along. You can read about COYER and join that challenge HERE. On the Sunday after the review posts, they will host a Discord chat at 12 PT, 2 CT, 3 ET and 9pm Europe, for a one hour chat. The chat is March 1. COYER is moving from Facebook to Discord. The Discord chat is HERE. The chat is on the COYER Discord server, which it may ask you to join if you are not already a member. You can test it out in advance as the chat room will be for the whole year.
Here’s your to-do list:
-
- Find your copies of these books, borrow them from a friend, get them at the library or buy them. The ebooks are currently in Kindle Unlimited.
- Read Taming Demons for Beginners, by March 27.
- Make note of a favorite quote or two as you read the book.
- If you haven’t read the books before, make a list of questions you have for the discussion. If you have read them, please don’t spoil new readers.
- Link up your review on Goodreads or your site to the post.
- Join the COYER book chat on the Sunday following the post.
- Enter the giveaways!
Games:
Who said (enter the answer in the Giveaway, don’t put in the comments)
Who said “You know, the fact that I’m the sanest one in this house is extremely alarming.””
There are other options in the Giveaway for you to enter discussion questions and quotes to share.
Who said “Magic is a tool. Whether you inherit it, learn it, bargain for it, steal it—it’s all the same.” in Two Witches and a Whiskey is Zak.
The villain was the Guild after the Sea Monster
Quotes you readers shared from Two Witches and a Whiskey: (thanks to Brandee)
“I should’ve been sleeping like the dead, but between the two potions Zak had fed me, I was feeling damn spritely. I could run a marathon right now. Actually, no, I couldn’t. I’d never run a marathon in my life.”
“The others can ask around all they want, but this ain’t your next-door conjurer’s type of magic. You
need a dark-arts master.”
“You’ve never called before. This better be good.” “Hello, dahling,” I purred dramatically. “Tell me how
desperately you’ve been longing to hear my voice again..”
“You put him in your contacts under Dickhead?.”
“I know you like my ass, Tori, but could you restrain yourself?”
“You are a real witch.” My good humor evaporated. “Don’t screw with my head, Zak.” He scowled. “Your
relationships with fae aren’t fake, so why would you be a fake witch? Weren’t you listening when I said
you can be human and mythic?” “When did you say that?” He huffed in exasperation. “Magic is a tool,
not a birthright. If we were limited to what we inherit, then witches and druids wouldn’t have
familiars—we aren’t born with those, are we? There’d be no such thing as contractors. Mages wouldn’t
use switches. Sorcerers would only use artifacts they made themselves.”
Be sure to enter the giveaways!!!
Giveaway:
The prize will be a $5 Chirp gift card or Amazon digital gift card (Open Intl).
Grand-Prize Giveaway:
There will be 1 winner chosen.
Tantor Audio is generously donating a set of 15 codes for the entire set (we are reading) on audio. Codes will work US or Intl.
Schedule:
We are doing one book every 4-5 weeks, posting on Fridays. We should have a review for most of the books with the team here at Books of My Heart plus some of our friends.
Nov 7: Three Mages and a Margarita – Rolé @ Hooked by the Book
Dec 5: Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors – Sophia
Jan 2: Dark Arts and a Daiquiri – Angela @ Angel’s Book Nook
Jan 30: Two Witches and a Whiskey – Jen @ That’s What I’m Talking About
Feb 27: Demon Magic and a Martini – Lisa @ Lisa Loves Literature
Mar 27: Taming Demons for Beginners – Rachel @ Waves of Fiction
Apr 24: Hellbound Guilds & Other Misdirections – Robin
May 29: The Alchemist and an Amaretto – Melissa @ That Library Girl
Jun 26: Slaying Monsters for the Feeble – Lenore @ Celebrity Readers
Jul 24: Druid Vices and a Vodka – Barb @ Booker T’s Farm
Aug 21: Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped – Brandee @ Unconventional Bookworms
Sep 18: Lost Talismans and a Tequila – Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer
Oct 16: Rogue Ghosts & Other Miscreants – KC
Nov13: Damned Souls and a Sangria – Berls @ Because Reading
Dec 11: Delivering Evil for Experts – Anne
About Annette Marie
Annette Marie is the author of YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced urban fantasy, bold heroines, and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She proudly admits she has a thing for dragons, and her editor has politely inquired as to whether she intends to include them in every single book.
Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad). She shares her life with her remarkably patient, comparatively sensible husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
About Lisa at Lisa Loves Literature
Lisa is a high school librarian in Raytown, Missouri currently. She grew up in and currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri with her two miniature dachshunds, Dora and Argyle. She used to work part time at a bookstore and was a science teacher. She also is an aspiring author, working on getting her writing finished and polished before trying to self-publish.
Authors are her rock stars, and she loves to attend book signings and conventions to meet them and take pictures with them. Along with authors, she loves all things to do with Harry Potter, and jumps at any chance to meet the actors/characters and get her picture with them as well!
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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I thought Tori really grew out of the last book and I agree, Lisa, this one got off to a real bang with all the demon surprises including Ezra.
I was also really excited about the introduction of Robin.
I really enjoyed this installment! It was so great to finally dive into Ezra’s backstory and watch Tori’s character continue to evolve. That being said, the way she handled that question with Ezra… WOW. I definitely wouldn’t have taken that approach! The demon surprises and the new character additions were fantastic. Thanks for sharing your review!
So thrilled to have you joining us on the Read-along and that you are enjoying them.
I just started Two Witches and a Whiskey so hopefully I can get through it and this one before Sunday. We’ll see.
I’m guessing you managed because you knew what you were thinking on the chat. Thanks so much for joining us. Glad you are catching up now as things get even more exciting.
I did manage! Forgot to post my link here. I’ll do it now. It’s been a busy week!
Yay and enter the giveaways!
O no…I fell behind again. I’ll catch up though.
You can do it. These are short and fun. Your review is coming up in April though, the next Warped one. But first, my favorite, Robin Page.
I enjoyed this one a lot, after getting a bit frustrated in the last couple books. It was a great discussion today, too. And hearing about the next book has me excited to start it!
I think we all enjoy it more when we join the chat because we get perspectives that we may not have grasped on our own. I hope you don’t dislike the next one as a favorite of mine. I think it’s hilarious. I’m so happy you were able to join the chat.
This was a good one, and yes, we see growth. Tori is an original.
I love how strong Tori is even when she’s afraid or feels like she is alone. She’s no dummy. Here we start to learn about the next type demonica and demon contracts. Just in time for Robin Page!!!
Final battle! EEEEK!
hahaha there will be many, many more battles.
I’m still here, just a bit late. Still loving the series. I liked that Tori is getting more comfortable there and more involved. I loved Aaron, Kai, and Ezra.
The characters in this world are great! So glad you are reading along with us.
Lisa thank you so much for contributing your review and joining the chat.