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Enchanted, Inc. #4
Don't Hex with Texas
Everything’s bigger in Texas—including romance, magic, and danger!
Katie Chandler has fled fast-paced Manhattan and returned home to a simpler life, working at her family’s feed-and-seed store in Cobb, Texas. In a painfully selfless gesture, Katie had left the sexy wizard Owen Palmer to battle his demons in the magical realm–after all, Katie just seemed to attract evil, which only made Owen’s job a lot harder. But now it seems that trouble has followed her Despite the fact that Merlin, Katie’s old boss at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., has assured her that Cobb is free of enchantmen, (magically speaking), Katie begins to notice curious phenomena.
Cobb is being plagued by a series of inexplicable petty crimes and other devilish mischief, and after her experiences in Manhattan, Katie knows “unauthorized magic� when she sees it. As this new darkness strikes deep in the heart of Texas, Owen appears (literally) to investigate. Now Katie’s friends and family must show the bad guys why it’s bad luck to hex with Texas, while Katie and Owen combine their strengths like never before to uncover a sinister plot before evil takes root in the Lone Star State.
Katie Chandler has fled fast-paced Manhattan and returned home to a simpler life, working at her family’s feed-and-seed store in Cobb, Texas. In a painfully selfless gesture, Katie had left the sexy wizard Owen Palmer to battle his demons in the magical realm–after all, Katie just seemed to attract evil, which only made Owen’s job a lot harder. But now it seems that trouble has followed her Despite the fact that Merlin, Katie’s old boss at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., has assured her that Cobb is free of enchantmen, (magically speaking), Katie begins to notice curious phenomena.
Cobb is being plagued by a series of inexplicable petty crimes and other devilish mischief, and after her experiences in Manhattan, Katie knows “unauthorized magic� when she sees it. As this new darkness strikes deep in the heart of Texas, Owen appears (literally) to investigate. Now Katie’s friends and family must show the bad guys why it’s bad luck to hex with Texas, while Katie and Owen combine their strengths like never before to uncover a sinister plot before evil takes root in the Lone Star State.
292 pages, Paperback
First published April 29, 2008
85 people are currently reading
1,842 people want to read
About the author
Shanna Swendson
39Ìýbooks1,125ÌýfollowersOnce upon a time ...
A little girl learned to amuse herself by making up stories in her head. She turned everyday activities into exciting adventures, and she made up new adventures for characters from her favorite movies, TV shows and books. Then one day she realized that if she wrote down those stories, she'd have a book! But that was crazy, she thought. Real people don't become novelists. That was like deciding you were going to be a movie star. You couldn't just go and do it.
But, it turns out, you can, and she did. She realized her dream of becoming a novelist and seeing her stories in bookstores.
And then she started to wig herself out by writing about herself in the third-person.
This is her story.
The Novelist's Journey
As I said above in that bit of silliness, I've always been a writer at heart. My favorite way to play was to create stories and act them out with my Fisher-Price people, my Barbie dolls or myself and a box of play clothes. If none of those things were available, I could just sit and make up stories in my head. I occasionally got into trouble for being a little too creative, such as the time when I embellished a bit on my kindergarten experiences (where's the dramatic hook in coloring, cutting out and pasting?).
When I was in seventh grade and a bit old for Fisher-Price people, Barbie dolls or the dress-up box, I started writing these stories down in spiral notebooks. Later, I found an old manual typewriter, taught myself to type, then wrote a lot of first chapters of novels on it. I still hadn't figured out how to actually be a working novelist who gets paid for writing (finishing a book instead of writing a lot of first chapters might have been a good start), so when it came time to go to college, I went to journalism school at the University of Texas. While getting my degree in broadcast news, I managed to structure a curriculum that might also help me in my real career plans. I took fencing (which I thought would be useful for writing fantasy novels), an astronomy course on the search for extraterrestrial life (in case I wanted to write science fiction), psychology, interpersonal communication, and parageography (the geography of imaginary lands).
I got serious about pursuing my novel-writing ambitions soon after I got my first job in public relations (TV reporting, it turns out, would have taken away from my writing time) when I started joining local writing organizations and reading books on how to write a novel. Then I took the big step of registering for a writing conference. With the registration fee, you could enter two manuscripts in a contest that went with the conference. I figured if I was paying that much money, I'd get the most out of it, so I wrote two entries. At the conference, I met a real, live editor, who encouraged me to submit, and one of my entries won the science fiction/fantasy category of the contest. I hurried to finish the novel the editor had asked for, then mailed a proposal.
She ended up rejecting the book, but encouraged me to keep trying. I ended up selling that novel elsewhere, then sold two more books to that publisher before I had another idea for that original editor. That book ended up selling, and then one more.
And then I hit the wall. Due to a number of circumstances, some of which weren't my fault and some of which were, I didn't sell anything else for eight years. But then I had the idea that became Enchanted, Inc., I wrote it, sold it, and here I am.
Other Life Stuff
I think I need to get a few more hobbies or something else going on in my life that isn't related to reading or writing because currently my bio in my books is shorter than the "about the typeface" section. Yes, a typeface has a more interesting life than I do.
When I'm not writing, I'm most often reading. Otherwise, I enjoy watching science fiction TV shows and then discussing them on the Internet, working crossw
A little girl learned to amuse herself by making up stories in her head. She turned everyday activities into exciting adventures, and she made up new adventures for characters from her favorite movies, TV shows and books. Then one day she realized that if she wrote down those stories, she'd have a book! But that was crazy, she thought. Real people don't become novelists. That was like deciding you were going to be a movie star. You couldn't just go and do it.
But, it turns out, you can, and she did. She realized her dream of becoming a novelist and seeing her stories in bookstores.
And then she started to wig herself out by writing about herself in the third-person.
This is her story.
The Novelist's Journey
As I said above in that bit of silliness, I've always been a writer at heart. My favorite way to play was to create stories and act them out with my Fisher-Price people, my Barbie dolls or myself and a box of play clothes. If none of those things were available, I could just sit and make up stories in my head. I occasionally got into trouble for being a little too creative, such as the time when I embellished a bit on my kindergarten experiences (where's the dramatic hook in coloring, cutting out and pasting?).
When I was in seventh grade and a bit old for Fisher-Price people, Barbie dolls or the dress-up box, I started writing these stories down in spiral notebooks. Later, I found an old manual typewriter, taught myself to type, then wrote a lot of first chapters of novels on it. I still hadn't figured out how to actually be a working novelist who gets paid for writing (finishing a book instead of writing a lot of first chapters might have been a good start), so when it came time to go to college, I went to journalism school at the University of Texas. While getting my degree in broadcast news, I managed to structure a curriculum that might also help me in my real career plans. I took fencing (which I thought would be useful for writing fantasy novels), an astronomy course on the search for extraterrestrial life (in case I wanted to write science fiction), psychology, interpersonal communication, and parageography (the geography of imaginary lands).
I got serious about pursuing my novel-writing ambitions soon after I got my first job in public relations (TV reporting, it turns out, would have taken away from my writing time) when I started joining local writing organizations and reading books on how to write a novel. Then I took the big step of registering for a writing conference. With the registration fee, you could enter two manuscripts in a contest that went with the conference. I figured if I was paying that much money, I'd get the most out of it, so I wrote two entries. At the conference, I met a real, live editor, who encouraged me to submit, and one of my entries won the science fiction/fantasy category of the contest. I hurried to finish the novel the editor had asked for, then mailed a proposal.
She ended up rejecting the book, but encouraged me to keep trying. I ended up selling that novel elsewhere, then sold two more books to that publisher before I had another idea for that original editor. That book ended up selling, and then one more.
And then I hit the wall. Due to a number of circumstances, some of which weren't my fault and some of which were, I didn't sell anything else for eight years. But then I had the idea that became Enchanted, Inc., I wrote it, sold it, and here I am.
Other Life Stuff
I think I need to get a few more hobbies or something else going on in my life that isn't related to reading or writing because currently my bio in my books is shorter than the "about the typeface" section. Yes, a typeface has a more interesting life than I do.
When I'm not writing, I'm most often reading. Otherwise, I enjoy watching science fiction TV shows and then discussing them on the Internet, working crossw
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 400 reviews
June 2, 2008
It took me a month to track this down. It was worth it, but I have such issues with this series. The writing isn't up to par, and the main characters (Katie and Owen) could be renamed Mary Sue and Marty Stu. Still, I remain charmed by the series and am sad that the publishers won't buy the fifth and last book in the series. This book resolved some of the arcs, but not all of them.
I can't quite blame them, though. The writing does feel amateurish - there is so much telling instead of showing, it's unbelievable. And every time Owen blushed (perhaps every other page), we had to read about how it made him even cuter. It was distracting. This book (and series, really) lends itself well to a drinking game - every time Katie makes a ponytail, mentions how cute Owen is, mentions how shy and charming Owen is, mentions how powerful Owen is, mentions how Owen is so powerful but is so modest about it, mentions how everyone is instantly attracted to how gorgeous Owen is, etc, take a drink. You'd be drunk by chapter three. (And frankly, I don't think Owen is all that special - I prefer Rod, his best friend, who actually seems vaguely realistic.)
This seems pretty bitchy and negative, but honestly, I like this series. It's just that I read her blog and know she can be a better writer than what these books show. There's so much potential that is nearly completely unrealized.
I can't quite blame them, though. The writing does feel amateurish - there is so much telling instead of showing, it's unbelievable. And every time Owen blushed (perhaps every other page), we had to read about how it made him even cuter. It was distracting. This book (and series, really) lends itself well to a drinking game - every time Katie makes a ponytail, mentions how cute Owen is, mentions how shy and charming Owen is, mentions how powerful Owen is, mentions how Owen is so powerful but is so modest about it, mentions how everyone is instantly attracted to how gorgeous Owen is, etc, take a drink. You'd be drunk by chapter three. (And frankly, I don't think Owen is all that special - I prefer Rod, his best friend, who actually seems vaguely realistic.)
This seems pretty bitchy and negative, but honestly, I like this series. It's just that I read her blog and know she can be a better writer than what these books show. There's so much potential that is nearly completely unrealized.
August 31, 2008
It's a good thing the publishers let her put out this book, or I might not have forgiven the ending of book 3. This was a great book though. I loved her family and can't read enough about Katie and Owen together. The author's web site mentioned that there may not be a book 5, although she is writing it, because sales dropped of book 3. I think she shot herself in the foot with the sad ending there, but she fixed it here with a lot of entertainment in a few pages. This one made the series worth it to this point, but I'm really hoping for a 5th book.
June 17, 2010
Normally I don't like it when an author moves the action in her series to a different setting, but this time it really worked! I know I'm a bit biased as a Texas girl myself, but moving the story from The Big Apple to the Lone Star State was just the shot-in-the-arm that the series needed. After leaving us unsure of what would become of our favorite non-magical bud Katie Chandler, Shanna Swendson gives us an enchanting story worthy of her earlier works!
Don't Hex with Texas is every bit the witty and effervescent read that Enchanted, Inc. was for me. This entire series is the embodiment of fun summer reading! The only downside to Don't Hex with Texas is that it ends. A little research has found that the publisher has no plans to publish Swendson's fifth book, and that is unfortunate. I am not through with Katie and Owen, but will have to imagine what comes next for them. Luckily Swendson masterfully tied up lose ends in Don't Hex with Texas while still leaving the possibility of another book open. Shanna Swendson is a fantastic storyteller!
Don't Hex with Texas is every bit the witty and effervescent read that Enchanted, Inc. was for me. This entire series is the embodiment of fun summer reading! The only downside to Don't Hex with Texas is that it ends. A little research has found that the publisher has no plans to publish Swendson's fifth book, and that is unfortunate. I am not through with Katie and Owen, but will have to imagine what comes next for them. Luckily Swendson masterfully tied up lose ends in Don't Hex with Texas while still leaving the possibility of another book open. Shanna Swendson is a fantastic storyteller!
July 12, 2008
I loved this fourth installment in the Enchanted, Inc series by Shanna Swendson...think of it as Bridget Jones meets Harry Potter set in the heart of Texas! Filled with humor, romance, and a great plot, I couldn't put this book down until I finished it!
This book is hilarious, and had me laughing out loud many times! Not to mention, that the love story between Katie and Owen is one of the best I've read in a very long time. This is the perfect summer/beach book and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an easy, enjoyable read! And don't forget to pick up the other three books in the series (Enchanted, Inc.,Once Upon Stilettos, and Damsel Under Stress: A Novel.)
****Word has it that this might be the last in the Enchanted, Inc. Series!!! Buy this book today, and help spread the word about the Enchanted, Inc. series so Shanna Swendson's publisher will publish the next book in the series. We can't let the adventures of Katie Chandler, Owen Palmer, and the rest of the MSI gang disappear!!!****
This book is hilarious, and had me laughing out loud many times! Not to mention, that the love story between Katie and Owen is one of the best I've read in a very long time. This is the perfect summer/beach book and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an easy, enjoyable read! And don't forget to pick up the other three books in the series (Enchanted, Inc.,Once Upon Stilettos, and Damsel Under Stress: A Novel.)
****Word has it that this might be the last in the Enchanted, Inc. Series!!! Buy this book today, and help spread the word about the Enchanted, Inc. series so Shanna Swendson's publisher will publish the next book in the series. We can't let the adventures of Katie Chandler, Owen Palmer, and the rest of the MSI gang disappear!!!****
January 24, 2009
She's back! After the disappointment (albeit slight) of "Damsel Under Stress", I was apprehensive about launching into the latest adventure of Katie Chandler. But I was worried over nothing! I absolutely
loved
this book (and it could be my favourite out of the four!)
Author Shanna Swendson has the scribblings ready for Book Five but there is hesitance from her publishers. Why?! Her writing is fluid and easily captivating and the characters are all adorable. I thoroughly enjoyed this series and especially this book!
My only recommendation when it comes to Katie Chandler series is to read them in order. I think you gain something by seeing the story (and characters) grow.
Author Shanna Swendson has the scribblings ready for Book Five but there is hesitance from her publishers. Why?! Her writing is fluid and easily captivating and the characters are all adorable. I thoroughly enjoyed this series and especially this book!
My only recommendation when it comes to Katie Chandler series is to read them in order. I think you gain something by seeing the story (and characters) grow.
July 28, 2008
I really really like these books. There was a part of this one that I just went DUH because it was slightly predictable but then there were a ton of things thrown in that made up for that. Seriously if you want some fun books to read, you have to read this series. They are also very easy to read. I love the characters in it and they way she describes the "main" characters makes you relate to them quite well. READ THESE BOOKS!!! I just read on her web site she had plans for a book 5 but that is only if people keep reading her books so read them:)
May 1, 2008
OMG! I just LOVED this book. I can't get enough of Katie Chandler. And...OWEN. Smart, good looking, sweet, shy, powerful, modest.....how can you not fall in love??? I love Katie's family. They are hiarious Texas bumpkins. This is a great story. (Too bad it won't get completed. I am still pissed about that!)
October 13, 2008
I loved this book! Although sometimes I just wanted to shake Katie and Owen and tell them to actually talk to each other about how they feel (something that made me compare this series to Jane Austen's books), I know that tension is part of what is driving the books. Plus the ending was very very satisfying.
October 21, 2009
This was the fourth book in the Katie Chandler series. It was a lot of fun to read. There was lots of magical warfare, new creatures, and funny scenes.
I read on the author's website that she actually has written part of book 5, but the publishers haven't agreed to publish due to sales figures. That is a bitter shame :(
Go buy these books!!!!! :)
I read on the author's website that she actually has written part of book 5, but the publishers haven't agreed to publish due to sales figures. That is a bitter shame :(
Go buy these books!!!!! :)
June 19, 2008
this is the fourth book in a thoroughly entertaining series about magic and the fun they have keeping a secret from the family!!!
October 13, 2008
It's fluff, but fabulous fluff
December 10, 2008
I love this book and I hope the fifth one gets published!
December 5, 2008
We meet Katie in Texas with her crazy family. She determined that Owen is better off her..While she thinks she's on vacation, the evil forces are in Texas to stir up trouble!
Cute novel.
Cute novel.
February 26, 2009
Just as charming as the first book, Enchanted, Inc., though set in the protagonist's small home town in Texas. Another fun read.
April 8, 2009
This was just fun! Light, not too heavy, with a great Texas twist.
April 22, 2009
Best one yet. I LOVE Owen.
September 12, 2008
The last in the series by Shanna Swendon. I loved it.
January 28, 2009
From Dorri
May 28, 2008
Of the four books in this series, this one (the 4th) is definitely my favorite. Katie, the heroine, has gone back to her home state of Texas, running away from her boyfriend (a powerful wizard) and her life in New York City because she thinks her presence puts him in danger, since she's immune to magic and has been used as a pawn between the good and the bad side in the past. Of course, magic follows her to Texas and suddenly the town that she once thought of as free from magic is brimming with inexplicable magical activity - shielded from everyone else, but completely visible to her, as an immune... as well as visible to other immunes in the area as well.
There is so much I loved about this book. The author is fantastic with pacing the story, ending each chapter on a note that makes me want more, and the story completely drew me in. It had the perfect balance of action, romance, and humor - in fact, I giggled out loud a few times at descriptions. This book reminded me why I loved the first three books and made me want to reread them.
This is a light read but very, very fun. For fans of the series, you wont be disappointed with this one. If you haven't read the series yet, I would definitely recommend this to you, though you should read the books in order for maximum enjoyment. I truly hope there is a 5th book because I want to read more!
There is so much I loved about this book. The author is fantastic with pacing the story, ending each chapter on a note that makes me want more, and the story completely drew me in. It had the perfect balance of action, romance, and humor - in fact, I giggled out loud a few times at descriptions. This book reminded me why I loved the first three books and made me want to reread them.
This is a light read but very, very fun. For fans of the series, you wont be disappointed with this one. If you haven't read the series yet, I would definitely recommend this to you, though you should read the books in order for maximum enjoyment. I truly hope there is a 5th book because I want to read more!
May 16, 2008
Another great entry in the Katie Chandler series. Katie has moved home to Texas from NYC after the events of "Damsel Under Stress" where it was determined by Merlin that Katie's relationship with Owen was distracting him from his duties to the magical world. Katie's boring stay at home is disrupted by the presence of a rogue wizard in her decidedly unmagical town.
Though I prefer the New York setting, this trip to Katie's Texas town was enjoyable. We meet more of Katie's crazy family and things really get interesting when Sam the gargoyle and Owen himself come to town to investigate the magical happenings. This is a light and sweet series and is perfect for readers who enjoy paranormal stories without all the angst of some of the darker series.
Though I prefer the New York setting, this trip to Katie's Texas town was enjoyable. We meet more of Katie's crazy family and things really get interesting when Sam the gargoyle and Owen himself come to town to investigate the magical happenings. This is a light and sweet series and is perfect for readers who enjoy paranormal stories without all the angst of some of the darker series.
June 28, 2010
I loved this book. I re-read it immediately because I went through it so fast the first time. I have to say that the ending is ridiculously cute and if you weren't already completely in love with Owen, you will be after reading this one. There is a lot of focus on Katie and her family in this book and we get a feel for how she was brought up. I wasn't sure how I'd like the setting changes but I ended up loving it. I also know what town it was based on and actually want to visit there someday, just to see what it's like. I do have to say that if this 4th book is the last, it ended well. But there is also room for more, at least one last book, and I would love to read more about these characters. Definitely recommend this and hopefully you guys go out and do the same!!
March 2, 2009
A very good conclusion to a sweet little series. I am a little disappointed that the publisher didn't pick up a 5th book, but this was a good way to end it. A very gentle book.
June 2, 2008
I would really only give this 2.5 stars if I could. And like the 3rd book in the series, when the book ends, you know there will be a next book, which to me is frusterating. This book was better than the 3rd, but none match the greatness of the first book in the series (Enchanted, Inc). If you are new to this series, I would read the first book and then just wait until the final one...no need to read the stuff in the middle.
That being said, it was nice to get out of NYC in this book and meet some new characters (Katie's family) but the story is fairly predictable and like I mentioned above, you know there will be a 5th book.
That being said, it was nice to get out of NYC in this book and meet some new characters (Katie's family) but the story is fairly predictable and like I mentioned above, you know there will be a 5th book.
July 5, 2009
Another fun read involving magical immune Katie Chandler - my favorite new character in this series has to be Katie's Granny, she is a hoot. In this installment, Katie has retreated to her hometown of Cobb, Texas after the near disastrous events of the last book - thinking that being out of the area will keep Owen from being distracted, which could be dangerous since he's a powerful wizard and the "good" guys really need his full attention! But will the problems follow Katie, or stay in New York with Owen? Will Katie and Owen ever get to be together?? Not telling, you'll just have to read and find out :)
March 26, 2016
Can't get enough of this :)
At last a series I love and that won't give me nightmares (...I hope).
In this funny world of magic, gargoyles are bodyguards/security drivers, dragons get tamed, and the bad wizards are geeks...
Every time a new character is introduced, I like him or her. Witch says a lot about the author's talent.
In this book we get to learn more about Katie's colorful family and experience how the magic works (or not) in Texas...
enough said, I'm off to read the next opus :)
At last a series I love and that won't give me nightmares (...I hope).
In this funny world of magic, gargoyles are bodyguards/security drivers, dragons get tamed, and the bad wizards are geeks...
Every time a new character is introduced, I like him or her. Witch says a lot about the author's talent.
In this book we get to learn more about Katie's colorful family and experience how the magic works (or not) in Texas...
enough said, I'm off to read the next opus :)
May 30, 2017
I really think this book would have worked out better if we got to focus more on Katie's family's background. We find out in this one that some of the people in Katie's family are immunes and some are able to use magic. I thought that was exciting. But once again it turns into a boring magical fight with Katie not staying out of the way that could have caused everyone to lose again. At this point if Katie doesn't learn some martial arts or something, I want her to say far and far away from fights.
And this is a criticism of the series as a whole. For short books (and they are short) the author needs to be more focused. This book had like 5 plots going on. A plot was Katie realizing that someone in her hometown was using magic to steal. Well she calls Sam at MSI, Inc. and the next thing you know Owen arrives. Of course there is angst. But then we have another plot of Katie's brother being an ass to Owen, Katie's family wanting her to be with Owen, Katie being scared to go back to New York since she knows that Owen cares about her and she's a liability, and oh there's someone providing classes to magical users, and there are bad wizards afoot trying to take out Owen. I don't know there was a lot going on that didn't make a lot of sense.
In this one we finally get bad guy #1 taken care of, but of course there's a bigger bad guy out there that we deal with in the next book.
And this is a criticism of the series as a whole. For short books (and they are short) the author needs to be more focused. This book had like 5 plots going on. A plot was Katie realizing that someone in her hometown was using magic to steal. Well she calls Sam at MSI, Inc. and the next thing you know Owen arrives. Of course there is angst. But then we have another plot of Katie's brother being an ass to Owen, Katie's family wanting her to be with Owen, Katie being scared to go back to New York since she knows that Owen cares about her and she's a liability, and oh there's someone providing classes to magical users, and there are bad wizards afoot trying to take out Owen. I don't know there was a lot going on that didn't make a lot of sense.
In this one we finally get bad guy #1 taken care of, but of course there's a bigger bad guy out there that we deal with in the next book.
May 4, 2016
4.5 stars - great!
I am so happy that, after the disappointment I felt upon finishing book three in this series, this book four was once again a wonderful read! It was not quite as wonderful as book two was, though (something is holding it back), so it's 4.5-stars-great. :-)
I don't know what that "something" is that's keeping this from being a full five-star read, but I do know that even though I'm once again feeling the love for Katie, et.al., it feels conditional and probationary. So...I need to read book five!!! :-)
I did feel "all the feels" while reading this story. I laughed and cried; worried and rejoiced. :-)
I may have chuckled aloud in several places, but the most memorable LOL "incident" happened on page 74 (Chapter Six), after Owen has arrived at the Chandlers' store, met various Chandler family members, and been talked into staying with the Chandlers by Katie's mother and "Mom" talked Katie into riding home in Owen's rental car (another family member will deal with her truck). "Owen didn't need any encouraging to get out of the store. As we settled into his rental car, he said, 'I see you moved to New York for the peace and quiet.' " I just had to laugh - with Katie! - at this, as I can so imagine him saying it in a rather dry tone of voice. ;-)
The tears hit me in the end, on page 289 (in the final, 22nd, chapter), when Katie arrives at the store and This was such a sweet moment! I really loved it. :-)
I worried during the final battle was there more to it?
I rejoiced when it turned out there was more to it. :-) The ending was ever-so-satisfying for me to read. It could even have been a series-ending ending, but to my everlasting joy and happiness, it's not. ;-)
In the end, Katie [fin] *sigh*
I was so, so, sooo happy with this ending. And I've decided that I do need to buy this series. My plan to buy had been cast in serious doubt after I finished the disappointing-for-me third book. I might have to reevaluate that third book after I own the series and reread it. ;-)
I am so happy that, after the disappointment I felt upon finishing book three in this series, this book four was once again a wonderful read! It was not quite as wonderful as book two was, though (something is holding it back), so it's 4.5-stars-great. :-)
I don't know what that "something" is that's keeping this from being a full five-star read, but I do know that even though I'm once again feeling the love for Katie, et.al., it feels conditional and probationary. So...I need to read book five!!! :-)
I did feel "all the feels" while reading this story. I laughed and cried; worried and rejoiced. :-)
I may have chuckled aloud in several places, but the most memorable LOL "incident" happened on page 74 (Chapter Six), after Owen has arrived at the Chandlers' store, met various Chandler family members, and been talked into staying with the Chandlers by Katie's mother and "Mom" talked Katie into riding home in Owen's rental car (another family member will deal with her truck). "Owen didn't need any encouraging to get out of the store. As we settled into his rental car, he said, 'I see you moved to New York for the peace and quiet.' " I just had to laugh - with Katie! - at this, as I can so imagine him saying it in a rather dry tone of voice. ;-)
The tears hit me in the end, on page 289 (in the final, 22nd, chapter), when Katie arrives at the store and This was such a sweet moment! I really loved it. :-)
I worried during the final battle was there more to it?
I rejoiced when it turned out there was more to it. :-) The ending was ever-so-satisfying for me to read. It could even have been a series-ending ending, but to my everlasting joy and happiness, it's not. ;-)
In the end, Katie [fin] *sigh*
I was so, so, sooo happy with this ending. And I've decided that I do need to buy this series. My plan to buy had been cast in serious doubt after I finished the disappointing-for-me third book. I might have to reevaluate that third book after I own the series and reread it. ;-)
November 18, 2008
Okay, I'm pleading with you all - if you know anyone who likes well-written chick lit and Harry Potter, PLEASE buy them all 4 books in this series for the holidays. They are so great, so much fun, and I just read on the author's website that she has the 5th one almost finished, but the 3rd and 4th books haven't sold well enough yet for her publisher to promise publishing it.
This book starts off with our heroine, Katie, back home in Texas. She made the decision to leave New York, though that is where her heart is, so as not to distract her almost-boyfriend, who is the primary fighter for the good guys in a brewing magical war. Unfortunately, she can't seem to leave the magical world behind, even in her tiny hometown in Texas. A magical crime spree starts, but Katie's the only one in town who realizes it's magical. She calls her old company back in New York to alert them, and several of her pals end up in Texas, including Owen (who pretends to be her boyfriend for the sake of her family not being suspicious), and eventually Idris even shows up. Magical hijinks ensue, and Katie finds out even MORE of her family has magical connections. SO MUCH FUN.
This book starts off with our heroine, Katie, back home in Texas. She made the decision to leave New York, though that is where her heart is, so as not to distract her almost-boyfriend, who is the primary fighter for the good guys in a brewing magical war. Unfortunately, she can't seem to leave the magical world behind, even in her tiny hometown in Texas. A magical crime spree starts, but Katie's the only one in town who realizes it's magical. She calls her old company back in New York to alert them, and several of her pals end up in Texas, including Owen (who pretends to be her boyfriend for the sake of her family not being suspicious), and eventually Idris even shows up. Magical hijinks ensue, and Katie finds out even MORE of her family has magical connections. SO MUCH FUN.
February 15, 2010
Katie's adventures with magical mysteries continue (of course) despite having moved home to get away from them. Katie's home town of Cobb, Texas sounds pretty familiar, from the DQ to the number of stoplights downtown.
I really like the style of these novels: they contain a smooth blend of slapstick, verbal bantering, and realistic characters with light-hearted satire and solid magical elements. Swendson knows how to write a highly entertaining story that pays homage rather than throws darts at things like chick-lit and fantasy nerd-dom. And anyone who can successfully blend the two wins two gold stars from me."
I really like the style of these novels: they contain a smooth blend of slapstick, verbal bantering, and realistic characters with light-hearted satire and solid magical elements. Swendson knows how to write a highly entertaining story that pays homage rather than throws darts at things like chick-lit and fantasy nerd-dom. And anyone who can successfully blend the two wins two gold stars from me."
April 30, 2016
Continuing urban fantasy as chick lit . . . . spoilers for the earlier ones
So she headed back to Texas after the events of the last book, to avoid being targeted by the bad guys since they had to realize Owen would save her over catch them.
Doesn't stop things. She survives her family, learns more about them, notices things happening, gets word back to the security gargoyle Sam, and so the trouble continues in the heart of Texas.
So she headed back to Texas after the events of the last book, to avoid being targeted by the bad guys since they had to realize Owen would save her over catch them.
Doesn't stop things. She survives her family, learns more about them, notices things happening, gets word back to the security gargoyle Sam, and so the trouble continues in the heart of Texas.
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