Darlene's Book Nook: #Audiobook #Review: 3 out of 5 stars for Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison @TantorAudio

Friday, December 2, 2016

#Audiobook #Review: 3 out of 5 stars for Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison @TantorAudio

TITLE: Dead Witch Walking

SERIES: The Hollows, Book #1

AUTHOR: Kim Harrison

NARRATOR: Marguerite Gavin

PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio

PUBLICATION DATE: June 27, 2007

FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook

LENGTH: 13 hrs and 14 mins

GENRE: Urban Fantasy

Rachel Morgan is a runner with the Inderland Runner Services, apprehending law-breakers throughout Cincinnati. She's also a witch, one of the many Inderlanders who revealed themselves after a genetically engineered virus wiped out 50 percent of humanity. Witches, warlocks, vampires, werewolves: the creatures of dreams and nightmares have lived beside humans for centuries, hiding their powers. But now they've stopped hiding, and nothing will be the same.

On the run with a contract on her head, Rachel reluctantly teams up with Ivy, Inderland's best runner...and a living vampire. But this witch is way out of her league, and to clear her name, Rachel must evade shape-changing assassins, outwit a powerful businessman/crimelord, and survive a vicious underground fight-to-the-death...not to mention her own roommate!

Fun, sassy, filled with action, humor, and romance, Dead Witch Walking is the perfect summer listen for anyone who likes vampires, paranormal fantasy, romance, or just a great beach book.

MY REVIEW:

I love urban fantasy and the paranormal, and I have seen this series recommended over and over again on other blogs and review sites. It appears that I am in the minority here, but I have to admit that this series-starter was a bit of a disappointment!

Rachel Morgan is a witch, and she works for Inderland Security (“IS”) which was established to pick up the cases that the human-run police force can’t handle. Rachel’s job as a bounty hunter brings her into contact with all sorts of supernatural beings, known as Inderlanders. Fed up with being given only the rookie assignments, she quits but winds up with a price tag on her own head as a result. She pairs up with a vampire named Ivy Tamwood who also worked at IS, and they start their own business. Rachel also has her own pixie as back-up, and his name is Jenks.

Harrison’s urban fantasy world has great potential, but Dead Witch Walking kind of fell flat for me. I actually love Rachel’s character! She’s smart, cocky, and a bit snarky and sarcastic. It wasn't that I didn't like the book, because I did but I just expected MORE. I thought it was a bit slow, and there wasn’t a whole lot of action going on. I bought the first two audiobooks in the series, so I will continue with the second book and hope that the series picks up and gets better!

Marguerite Gavin is a new-to-me narrator, and I thought she did a really good job at conveying Rachel’s spunk and attitude! She made each person’s voice unique and distinctive, and she was very easy to listen to. You can listen to a sound clip of the narration on SoundCloud.

MY RATING: