Hell Hounds Don't Heel by Kim McDougall

 

3 Star

Kyra is still waiting on Mason to return from France.  It's been months with no word.  To top off the stress of not knowing what happened with Mason his ex wife is creating chaos in town for all the guardians.  Kyra will need to find away to keep everyone safe and take out the ex before she gets too powerful.

There were too many too stupid too live moments in this book.  I don't know if this is the last book in the series or if McDougall will be continuing it but this is my last book.  It finished the arc from book one with the stone and Mason's ex wife and I am good with being done.  Considering all of the training Kyra and Mason should have had they shouldn't be as stupid as they are.  They nearly die way too many times and it got old.  I am still unsure about the world and characters as there is no development with either in any of the books.  The best I can say is the book concludes the arc nicely and there is somewhat of a happy ending.

Book 3 Valkyrie Bestiary

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Dervishes Don't Dance by Kim McDougall

 

3 Star

Kyra Greene is doing what she always does.  Tracking down creatures that are causing trouble and moving them outside the city where they won't bother others.  While performing this task she discovers that those with major magic are going missing.  Human, Fae, and others alike are missing and no one is interested in finding them.  She decides to try and track down where these people are going and why.  

These are books you really need to read in order.  This book builds off of the last book.  Kyra and Mason are still sniffing around each other.  I felt there was a bit of a pacing issue with this book.  The beginning was incredibly slow and then about the halfway point it picked up and ran.  The book also leaves a lot strings left untied and makes it so I have to pick up the next book to see if things are resolved.  Some of it makes sense but others not so much.  The issue with book one where Kyra didn't want to kill anyone continues into this one but also trusts everyone even when they shouldn't be trusted and have shown they shouldn't be trusted.  It was very frustrating.  Overall, if it weren't for cliffhanger esq ending I would not have picked up book 3.

Book 2 Valkyrie Bestiary

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Dragons Don't Eat Meat by Kim McDougall

 

3 Stars

Kyra Greene is still saving as many creatures as she can.  When she is releasing her latest rescue in the forest she stumbles upon dragons digging up graves eating gold and jewels.  She soon realizes they are being enslaved for some purpose and she can't let the slavers win. Kyra gets more than she bargains for with her rescue.  She ends up on poop watch with a baby dragon as the poor baby ate a very dangerous gem stone and Mason, head of the Guardians, needs that stone back NOW.  They will have to team up again to search for the dragon's family while they wait for the stone to pass.

This was an ok book.  There were parts that really frustrated me.  Kyra refuses to kill anyone for reasons but yet she runs headlong into battles.  You can't have it both ways.  Some of the "issues" wouldn't have been as anticlimactic if she actually was willing to kill.  You kind of get the world has been flooded with magic and everyone has to live in specific cities that have huge protections on them.  That is the extent of the world building.  I need more information.  The other big glaring issue I had was Kyra and Mason are on this quest.  Kyra is kidnapped and Mason goes back to the city.  Doesn't really try and find her or the dragon.  Ummmm please don't go on a quest with Mason because you will end up lost and no one will care.  The story itself was interesting and I enjoyed it enough to read the rest of the series but there could have been things tightened.  Plus it needed some world building to make it more enjoyable.

Book 1 Valkyrie Bestiary

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Three Half Goats Gruff by Kim McDougall

 

3 Star

Kyra Greene is the city's pest control.  She's called in to handle anything weird that needs to be moved outside the city.  On a day when she was hoping to head home early she is notified there are three half goats that need to be removed before they cause too much trouble.  She gets those three plus more.

I read this after all of the other books in the series.  I don't feel it aided in understanding the series better.  This also didn't clear up any of my questions I had with the first book (tomorrows review).  There isn't any world building or character development.  I felt thrown into the story and the only reason I wasn't confused was because I had already read the other books.  Overall, it was cute and it did give some information from the first book.  Don't start with this one but start with book 1.

Prequal to Valkyrie Bestiary Series

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