Member Reviews
This is the third and final book of the Disrupted Magic trilogy. Well, here we are at the end of another Scarlett Bernard trilogy, and again, I am devastated. I just fall in love with this character every single time I read these books, and this time it was even worse because this last book was the best yet. Action-packed and emotion-filled, I was led on a wonderful adventure that I didn’t want to end. I love the way the author draws the reader into the book with great characterizations, a wonderful plot, and an interesting world. Scarlett is a great character brimming with love for her friends, and in this installment, she has a new secret in her life that has thrown her a curve ball and trusting people to help her isn’t something she can do. I really can’t say too much as I don’t want to spoil anything. If you have read the other two books, you will love this one: it’s the best one! If you haven’t read any, start with the first trilogy just because they are all great books. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and 47North for the e-copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
I loved this newest edition of Scarlett's story. I love that Lex was also in the story. This is the best ever.
** FULL SPOILERS AHEAD **
4.25 stars!
The last book of the Disrupted Trilogy, which also serves as the end of Scarlett's second arc picks up immediately after the previous one left off. Yep, Scarlett is pregnant, everyone. Apparently it can happen when two nulls did the horizontal tango ... which happened with Scarlett and Jameson.
So Scarlett is trying to find more information and thinking about what this pregnancy means for her, because let's face it, null baby is RARE, and it can be used by those who want to create world domination, so to speak. At the same time, old enemies, the Lupariis return to Los Angeles for revenge, kidnaps Shadow, hurt Jesse, threats Scarlett ... and well, you know, the usual fiasco.
I really, REALLY, LOVED this series! I wish Olson writes faster because I want to read this world more than once or twice a year. Alas, I just have to be patient with her release schedule.
As usual, Shadow Hunt offers fast pace and engaging storyline. I LOVED how the Old World leaders of Los Angeles working together to fight against the Lupariis. I loved that some characters from Boundary Magic series making cross-over appearances, like Lex and Maven. We also have additional character whom I would love to see in the future, e.g. Owen. The final fight is EPIC, and while it has repercussion to the leadership structure, I think everyone will be all right... for now...
One thing for sure, Shadow Hunt for me is HEAPS better than Blood Gamble -- I was frustrated with Scarlett and her love choices back then. I wasn't sure with the pregnancy plot either. But here, well, I guess Olson proves that she has game plan for Scarlett's journey.
At the end of this book I was very much content that Scarlett finally settles down with the one that has been there since the beginning. It all makes sense. Both Scarlett and Jesse are not the same person we first met all those years ago in Dead Spots. Both has LIFE happens to them, both has matured up. Scarlett is no longer passive. Jesse is no longer rigid about the Old World. They're strong on their own but even better together.
I hope Olson fulfills her promise that Scarlett and Jesse will pop up here and there in Boundary Magic series... and that there'll be another trilogy about them. Because come on, I need to know the name of Scarlett's daughter!!
Scarlett finds herself in a situation that she desperately needs to find some unbiased and private advice. So, Scarlett and Molly head of to Vegas, Lex’s home town, leaving Jesse watching Shadow, Scarlett’s bargest. Putting Jesse in the crosshairs of a past enemy and Shadow missing.
Finding herself way out of her league and with the ones she holds most dear at risk, Scarlett has to pull out all the stops.
Amazing, action intense, unexpected and with out a doubt a new favorite, Shadow Hunt is one of those reads you just didn’t want to put down.
I started this series at book 3, Shadow Hunt as an ARC review requested by the publisher. After finishing Shadow Hunt I instantly went back and purchased book 1, Midnight Curse, and book 2, Blood Gamble because I knew Olson's writing is something that would be added to must read shelf.
I received this ARC copy of Shadow Hunt from 47North. This is my honest and voluntary review. Shadow Hunt is set for publication Feb. 13, 2018.
Written by: Melissa F. Olson
Series: Disrupted Magic
Sequence in Series: Book 3
Paperback: 316 pages
Publisher: 47North
Publication Date: February 13, 2018
ISBN-10: 1503949109
ISBN-13: 978-1503949102
Genre: Supernatural Suspense Thriller
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Disrupt...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shad...
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
10 likes
👍👍👍👍👍these books just keep readers hanging, waiting until the author graces us with another few hours of reading oblivion. The characters make us root for them because we feel so much for them. Olson has mastered the art of capturing her readers with the intensity of the story, the series-both of them-and then given us a bonus by connecting them. Wow, keep it up!
Shadow Hunt gets off to a bit of a rocky start, but once the novel hits its stride it is fantastic. In Melissa F Olson’s newest novel, Scarlett faces two of her most difficult challenges - being pregnant and going against an extremely powerful European coven of dark witches. There is plenty of action, and we get to see several of our favourite characters from Olson’s other series. Fans of Scarlett/Jesse will finally get to see some progress on their relationship. And as always Shadow is a joy - she is one smart barghest and is always good for a bit of mischief.
Shadow Hunt presumes readers are familiar with Olson’s world, but there is still enough information given for newcomers to not be at a loss. If you haven’t read Olson’s books before, it is better to start at the beginning of the series. I definitely recommend Shadow Hunt to fans of the series, as in addition to being a good story, it adds to the overall story arc a great deal.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Shadow Hunt from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
-- Crittermom
I think I might have liked this book best out of the series so far. As usual there is plenty of action and intrigue, but I think it was the characters that really gave it that extra something for me. I feel like Scarlett grew, and for once she put herself first, and what she wanted, instead of being a martyr, which is how the first two books were leaning. I can't wait to read what happens next!
Urban Fantasy
Leaving town on an urgent errand has catastrophic consequences for Scarlett. Her friend Jesse has been cursed and is dying and her dog Shadow has been stolen. An old enemy has returned and they plan on destroying the peace between the vampires werewolves and witches and starting a war.
As a null Scarlett holds the key to stopping them but to do so she will need to take control of all the supernaturals who haven’t fled LA and face their common foe in a last ditch battle.
I read a little of the first of the Scarlett Bernard books (Dead Spots) but being totally honest it didn’t really grab me and I didn’t continue with the series. I managed to get a review copy of Midnight Curse, the first in the Disrupted Magic serieswhich also features Scarlett Bernard and I was hooked. Now I think I need to revisit those earlier books and get the entire back story.
I’m not sure if Shadow Hunt is the last in this series but it’s certainly the best. Far and away my favorite thus far. I’m definitely wanting some more of these characters and especially the bargest. What’s not to love about a monstrous bullet proof demon dog?
I'm not just a fan of Melissa, I'm a RABID fan of the Scarlett Bernard books. This isn't a stand alone, so if you havent read her work before, go back, and prep yourself for binge reading!! Astonishing world building and characters you'll never forget, Melissa Olsen will quickly become your new favorite author!!
4.5 stars - After a short prolog to introduce the villain, Shadow Hunt picks up pretty much at the point of the Big Bombshell revelation that ended the previous book and Scarlett and Molly scurry off to Lex's neck of the woods to gather more info on Scarlett's situation. She leaves Jesse in charge of Shadow and he gets caught in the crossfire and suddenly Scarlett's whole world is in danger.
Boy was Shadow Hunt good. I have to admit that I never thought that I was going to like Scarlett as much as I do. She has really grown over the course of the series - I am not even sure that I liked her that much in the first book of the first series, [book:Dead Spots|16037696]. And I have grown quite attached to her and the supporting cast. I loved that author Olson used people from both Scarlet's LA and Lex's Boulder part of the world and that she tied somd side threads together for some of the characters. Then there is main story line which was action packed with plenty of peril for Scarlett, Jesse, and the LA Old World - I thought the myth based threat was very interesting. Shadow Hunt kept me turning pages until the end, leaving me satisfied but wanting more. I am not sure but I think the overall story arc may shift back to Lex who has a small but significant part in Shadow Hunt.
Scarlett and Let's stories combine into a larger Old World framework.
Starting with
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/93791-scarlett-bernard">Scarlett's first series</a>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/150191-boundary-magic">Lex's books</a>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/193634-disrupted-magic">Back to Scarlett</a>
Most of these are available on Kindle Unlimited. These are really good in audio too.
ARC received via Net galley. Release date 2/13/2018. My review is voluntary and unpaid.
I absolutely love where this series has been going. This book, in particular, was absolutely brutal in how bare and vulnerable it left Scarlett without her usual allies, but it was also uplifting to read about Scarlett persevering and changing. She's a fantastic urban fantasy heroine, and a rare one in that she is allowed to grow and change.
#ShadowHunt #NetGalley
In a vast sea of paranormal heroines kicking butt and talking sass, Olson stands out with Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews and Lillith Saintcrow. Great dialogue, great characters, great imagery. Fun and fascinating. Great job. Please keep writing more.
Melissa Olson tells a great story - she builds a world you never want to leave because it is so clearly painted and inhabited by fabulous characters. This is the last book in a trilogy that closes the latest adventures of Scarlett Bernard - a character who has been in several other stories. I couldn't put it down until the last page turned and immediately I crossed my fingers that somewhere in the future there will be more of Scarlett and her associates.
I would not suggest starting with this book - go back to the beginning ('Dead Spots') and read, read, read so that you can get to 'Shadow Hunt'. Every one of the stories is brilliant so make some space in your life for these characters to move in. What is particularly awesome is that many of the characters are weaved in and out of the various books so you meet up with them at different points in your reading journey.
This story picks up after a rather devastating event in Scarlett's life and it appears everything is shifting for her - something quite momentous is happening and she is trying to work out how to deal with the situation. Fortunately, she isn't alone - Shadow, the barghest who is her self-appointed bodyguard, and Jesse, the man who has been living just on the perimeter of her life, are right by her side as well as Molly, her roommate, and vampire bff. Lucky because events are about to get ugly when the bad guys, the Luminarii, come to town ready to create mayhem and destruction on the supernaturals of L.A starting with kidnapping Shadow and killing Scarlett. They succeed in the kidnapping of Shadow (not so much the killing of Scarlett) which sets a change of events in motion - the story becomes quite fast-paced from this point and you have to remember to take a breath now and then.
There is nothing not to love about this book (double negative I think but that makes a positive at the end) - it is super from beginning to the last word. If you have been traveling this road with Ms Olson's characters you will enjoy this part of the trip. If you haven't jumped into the back seat yet, hurry up - start reading now.
Thank you so much, NetGalley and 47north (the publishers) for a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review. So pleased it was such a great end to this arc.
I loved this story but it helped that I'd read previous books in the series. The underlying love story is believable and happens naturally as part of the story and the characters are really engaging.
It was okay, I just think I'm not a fan of the getting-pregnant-gives-meaning sort of story line. Scarlett's life was already meaningful without a surprise pregnancy. And having it be [spoiler's] kid is just kind of a cop out. I wasn't as invested in this as previous installments.
Scarlett Bernard is a "null", a being in whose presence, supernaturals lose their powers. But only when they are within Scarlett's "aura", a radius that can be expanded or narrowed. Scarlett's skill is a useful one and she works part-time for the chief vampire of Los Angeles. She also cleans houses. She is also pregnant and her baby girl might be something really special in the witch world. That means, Scarlett and the baby are suddenly in the crosshairs. Some really bad guys from Europe, the Luparii witches who were introduced in Book 1, have come to LA in full force to kill Scarlett, the baby, and anybody else they can get their hands on.
I don't think Shadow Hunt is as tightly written as Blood Gamble, but it was still pretty good. This book focuses almost exclusively on Scarlett, leaving the other characters under-handled, but the book's pacing was frenetic and panicked can we can feel Scarlett getting on with what she has to do to survive. I'll want the next book to be a bit more measured though. I would also prefer that the pov be integrated instead of switching between first and third person so abruptly.
I received a review copy of "Shadow Hunt: Disrupted Magic, Book 3" by Melissa F. Olson (47North) through NetGalley.com.
Blood Gamble
https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R3INND03UV6DRM?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl
Its only a few weeks since the events in Las Vegas and the death of Jamieson , another rare Null .
Suffering from flu like symptoms she is tired and worn down , when she makes a shocking and surprising discovery .
Needing to keep this discovery a secret until she can learn of possible outcomes/consequences she quickly leaves Town to consult with Maven , the oldest Vampire she knows .
Unable to take her bargest, Shadow , with her she asks her friend Jesse to look after him , for the short time she will be gone .
But an old enemy is back in Town ...........the Luminarii are back for revenge and much , much more .
Jesse and Shadow are captured and Jesse tortured for information about Scarlett's whereabouts .
She is seen as a threat to the Luminarii's plans and must be found and killed as soon as possible .
Scarlett soon finds that keeping her secret is no longer possible ..............and finally admitting to her feelings for Jesse could complicate matters even further .
Its takes all the Vampire, Werewolves, witches and even Humans working together with Scarlett to stand against the 'Wild Hunt' ..............defeat would mean the end of all of them .
Another excellent book in this series ........I hope their are more books in the pipline .
This is another excellent instalment in Scarlett’s ongoing journey. The crazy revelation at the end of the last book sets the scene nicely for the events unfolding here, and we start to see how this has all been leading to a much bigger overall story. This book has had the most going for it across all the books so far - action, comedy and romance all feature and are all wonderfully woven in to the mix. As always, can’t wait to see where the adventure goes next!
what a brilliant trilogy, I loved the way this story flowed with a strong and intelligent heroine. Scarlett is a force to be reckoned with and this is recognised with the three heads of the old world in LA. her skill is highly sought after and its not something you can learn, you are born with it and putting it to good use. This story line was original and took twists and turns all throughout the book which was refreshing and kept me interested. I will look for more stories by Melissa Olson!
Shadow Hunt ,(Disrupted Magic 3), Melissa F. Olson
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: general fiction(adult), Sci-fi and Fantasy.
I love this series, and the sister series set in the same world. It was that one, featuring Quinn and Lex that brought me the the Old World, and let me to buying more and being lucky enough to have some review ARCs too.
I love Scarlett, she's in a tough and dangerous world, has to do things that her heart really isn't in, but which are necessary to protect others. It means she's alone though, having to keep family and human friends at a distance as they can and will be used to get to her.
One of her few human friends from the early days is Jesse, and he's a human that's been allowed to know about the Old world because of the way he learned about it via his police job, and because Dasheil, Vampire leader for the city, feels he could be useful. Jesse is retired from the police now, but still very much friends with Scarlett and helps her when she needs assistance.
I've always had a soft spot for Jesse, wanted him and Scarlett to be together but through the series its never been the right time for either and they have both been in other relationships, and just remained good, true friends.
Its another exciting adventure, bringing into play characters, enemies Scarlett thought had been neutralised – or at least a truce reached with them. The attack, when it comes, is very unexpected, and once more its Scarlett and Jesse in the thick of things, rescuing those they love, and trying hard to prevent a massive tragedy and loss of life. We meet a few new characters, catch up from some from past stories and Maven, we learn a bit more about her too!
I really enjoyed this, perfect pacing, perfectly balanced and “realistic” within fantasy realms ;-) situations. The why ad hows were the usual puzzle for me, with me thinking “ooohhh...riight” when all was revealed. And the ending, Sob, just perfect.
I'm glad the way is open for more Old World adventures, I've grown close to many of these characters, and would love to read more from them. Molly and Wyatt, Maven, Will and Sashi, there's so much more to learn about all these guys, plus Jesse and Scarlett of course ;-)
Stars: Five all the way, fabulous finish to the trilogy. More please Melissa!
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers