Book Review: Demon Soul (DarkWorld: SoulTracker #4) by T.G. Ayer

Demon Soul: A SoulTracker Novel #4: A DarkWorld Series (DarkWorld: SoulTracker)
by T.G. Ayer 

November 30, 2017

270 pages

Book 4 in the SoulTracker Series

Mel’s adventure continues as she heads to New Orleans on the hunt for the witchdoctor who put the evil curse on her. But finding him proves harder than she expected and she has to dodge assassins and evil minions alike.

Her to do list doesn’t get any shorter either with Samuel and Ari, the Dark One and the Ni’amh to consider.

Hopefully she can stay alive long enough to save everyone, including herself.

Demon Soul is the fourth installment in the Soul Tracker series, a series I’ve been following since book one. The series centres on Mel Morgan, a remarkably talented mage capable of jumping between dimensions, as well as astral projection. She can track beings using their DNA ‘threads’ and has turned her talents into a business tracking the missing with her partners Steph and Drake. Recently, Mel’s talents have been severely hindered by a poltergeist parasite sent to drain her power. Mel’s health is dramatically deteriorating and she’s in a race against time to save herself and those she cares for.

Soul Tracker has been an entertaining series. It’s immensely creative and Mel is a superb heroine. My criticisms of this series stand, however. The plot is overly complex and there is simply too much going on. I don’t want to reveal the series’ numerous plots for new readers; suffice it to say, it’s quite the catalogue. For someone on death’s door, Mel has a seemingly endless appetite for danger and adventure. While I admire her devotion to those around her, I have a hard time accepting how dire Mel’s circumstances are when she continues to fight, jump, and project. I keep waiting for some advancement in the larger plots, but instead, readers are constantly introduced to smaller plot lines. As a spin-off series to Ayer’s larger Dark World work, characters and relationships are often tied to the other series. I haven’t read Dark World. As such, I’m often confused by the cameo appearances of Dark World characters.

I’m not saying I won’t continue with this series, I’ve invested a lot of time in Mel Morgan. I am curious to see how Ayer plans to adequately unite these countless loose threads; a formidable challenge to be sure.

Review: Blood Magic (DarkWorld: Soul Tracker #1) 
Review: Demon Kin (Soul Tracker Book 2)
Review: Blood Curse (DarkWorld: Soul Tracker, #3) 

Three Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Tee is the author of over 25 Contemporary Fantasy, Thriller & Paranormal novels

Tee's Valkyrie Series is a Norse Mythology based Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy

Her Hand of Kali Series is a diverse YA Contemporary Fantasy using Indian Mythology as a setting

Tee's DarkWorld contains two current series:

* The SkinWalker Series, a NA Shifter & Magic Urban Fantasy with a black panther, reluctant alpha tracker who will keep you on your toes.

* The SoulTracker Series, a NA Contemporary Fantasy with a teleporting, astral-projecting kick-ass main character.

Upcoming in the world are:

* The MetalSinger (Tara), * The DeathTalker (Nerina) & * The Stolen Queen of Dracys

Tee also has an Angels & Demons Urban Fantasy series, the Chronicles of the Irin, and if you like strong female leads with wings, and a dreadlocked albino demon side-kick, Evie's story is for you.

Tee also writes Romantic Suspense and Psychological Horror as Toni Vallan. Click on Thrillers on Tee's website to find out more.

And because Tee hardly ever sleeps and loves making stuff up, look out for more books, coming soon.

Book Review: Blood Curse (DarkWorld: Soul Tracker, #3) by T.G. Ayer

Blood Curse (DarkWorld: Soul Tracker, #3)

by T.G. Ayer

April 28, 2017

318 pages

Mel's journey continues down dark paths as she is forced to find who put the curse on her. The closer she gets to the one responsible the more her health deteriorates and the worse the evil behaves.

Mel has to battle loneliness, illness and despair . . .

As well as fend of the evil dead.

Book 3 in the SoulTracker Series

In the third installment of the Soul Tracker series, Mel has been hired to find a twenty-something vigilante suspected to possess supernatural powers. Mel’s client is the outlaw’s mother bent on protecting her own financial interests. While this central plotline unfolds, several other stories continue to develop, the most pressing of which is the dilemma of Mel’s poltergeist; an evil spirt inhabiting her body and draining her life force.

I like this series. There’s never a dull moment. It has a bit of everything; paranormal activity, suspense, action, adventure, and a bit of romance. Mel is a strong, independent, kick-ass character. In the past, my criticism of this series has centred on the number of plot lines developing in a single book. At times I find the pacing frantic and disjointed. In book three, however, the various plot lines were better integrated than in book two and I found this installment to have a better rhythm. I still find the shifter storyline to be out of place in this series. While I understand the author is integrating another series, as well as building to some major revelations, because I’ve only read Soul Tracker, I simply feel lost.

Urban fantasy fans with a penchant for action should definitely track down some Soul Tracker.

Review: Blood Magic (DarkWorld: Soul Tracker #1) 
Review: Demon Kin (Soul Tracker Book 2)

Four Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Tee is the author of over 25 Contemporary Fantasy, Thriller & Paranormal novels

Tee's Valkyrie Series is a Norse Mythology based Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy

Her Hand of Kali Series is a diverse YA Contemporary Fantasy using Indian Mythology as a setting

Tee's DarkWorld contains two current series:

* The SkinWalker Series, a NA Shifter & Magic Urban Fantasy with a black panther, reluctant alpha tracker who will keep you on your toes.

* The SoulTracker Series, a NA Contemporary Fantasy with a teleporting, astral-projecting kick-ass main character.

Upcoming in the world are:

* The MetalSinger (Tara), * The DeathTalker (Nerina) & * The Stolen Queen of Dracys

Tee also has an Angels & Demons Urban Fantasy series, the Chronicles of the Irin, and if you like strong female leads with wings, and a dreadlocked albino demon side-kick, Evie's story is for you.

Tee also writes Romantic Suspense and Psychological Horror as Toni Vallan. Click on Thrillers on Tee's website to find out more.

And because Tee hardly ever sleeps and loves making stuff up, look out for more books, coming soon.

Book Review: Demon Kin (Soul Tracker Book 2) T.G. Ayer

Demon Kin (Soul Tracker Book 2)

T.G. Ayer
January 17, 2017
308 pages

When a business tycoon hires Mel Morgan to find his missing daughter, the SoulTracker is thrown headlong into twists and turns of unexpected deaths and unusual killers. But to find the girl in time to save her, she has to first understand the killer. Demonic or human killers? Mel can't decide which will be worse.

Things get a little complicated when she has to help find both a Panther Alpha's mother, and a reluctant Djinn Queen. Add to the mix an evil spirit plus her mentor Samuel sending her terrifying messages in the Ether. Save him, or else.

It's just all in a days work for a SoulTracker.

Soul Tracker Mel Morgan can find almost anyone almost anywhere. Something of an anomaly in the paranormal world, Mel can use the DNA material of a lost person to track their ‘threads’ and pinpoint their location, be it on the earthly plane or some other dimension. Mel’s gifts of astral projection and ‘jumping’ allow her to rescue people from peril and return them to safety. Tracking has become a career for Mel and her roommate assistants and she’s the best in the biz. Much to the puzzlement of Detective Fulbright, Mel typically succeeds where local law enforcement has failed. So when local police fail to produce meaningful leads on a local teen, Mel is hired by the teen’s tycoon father to find answers.

I quite like this series and its cast of characters. The storytelling is colourful and imaginative. I like how Ayer uses a few conventions of horror in this particular installment. There were a couple moments I found myself actually shuddering. I enjoy the more thrilling aspects of the story and the fast-paced action. Ayer also tosses in a little romance, though the relationship between Mel and Saleem, a djinn turned police detective, has yet to be fully realized.

My major criticism of this book is a plot that can be best described as frantic. There are no fewer than three storylines unfolding in this book in addition to the Mel’s current case. In defence of Ayer, this book is a spinoff to a larger series that I have not read. As such, I was confused by the shifter kidnapping subplot. Additionally, Saleem’s family troubles continue to slowly develop in the background. Add to this Mel’s own failing health, and abject instance to soldier on at all costs, the mysterious disappearances of her sister Ari and mentor Samuel, and the pace is almost too much. I really liked the main storyline. It’s creative, eerie, and horrific. It definitely had enough substance to carry the book without some of the extras. Simplification would have improved this book.

Review: Blood Magic (DarkWorld: Soul Tracker #1) 

Three sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Tee is the author of over 25 Contemporary Fantasy, Thriller & Paranormal novels

Tee's Valkyrie Series is a Norse Mythology based Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy

Her Hand of Kali Series is a diverse YA Contemporary Fantasy using Indian Mythology as a setting

Tee's DarkWorld contains two current series:

* The SkinWalker Series, a NA Shifter & Magic Urban Fantasy with a black panther, reluctant alpha tracker who will keep you on your toes.

* The SoulTracker Series, a NA Contemporary Fantasy with a teleporting, astral-projecting kick-ass main character.

Upcoming in the world are:

* The MetalSinger (Tara), * The DeathTalker (Nerina) & * The Stolen Queen of Dracys

Tee also has an Angels & Demons Urban Fantasy series, the Chronicles of the Irin, and if you like strong female leads with wings, and a dreadlocked albino demon side-kick, Evie's story is for you.

Tee also writes Romantic Suspense and Psychological Horror as Toni Vallan. Click on Thrillers on Tee's website to find out more.

And because Tee hardly ever sleeps and loves making stuff up, look out for more books, coming soon.

Book Review: Blood Magic (DarkWorld: Soul Tracker #1) by T.G. Ayer

Blood Magic (DarkWorld: Soul Tracker #1)
by T.G. Ayer
May 3, 2014

272 pages

Infinite Ink Books

In the DarkWorld the things that go bump in the night are most likely true. And the problem is they are probably not sticking to bumping around in the night. They are everywhere. Your work colleagues, your teachers, even your friends. They've been living that way for a long time. And you haven’t noticed because they don’t want you to.

You’re much better off not asking any questions.

Mel Morgan is a Master Teleporter. She can move through the Veil into the otherworldly planes. A handy skill when looking for missing people. It’s a lonely job, but with her gargoyle partner she’s never minded lonely.

Until a certain super-hot Djinn walks into her life. He needs her help to find someone he loves. And Mel can never say no to someone in need. But the road to helping Saleem is fraught with secrets better left uncovered.

Can Mel and Saleem dodge demons and sorcerers long enough to save the ones they love?

amazon

Melisande “Mel” Morgan is a soul tracker. Using DNA material, Mel can track anyone anywhere. She also possesses the unique ability to jump, or teleport. Mel uses her powers to rescue people held by evil, supernatural forces. Aided by her friends and roommates, a gargoyle and human computer genius, Mel has built a business using her tracking abilities.

This series is marketed as a companion series to another by the author, DarkWorld: SkinWalker, as characters crossover both series. I read the book as a standalone apart from SkinWalker. I quickly found some controversial accusations surrounding this book and its striking similarities to Shannon Mayer’s Rylee Adamson books. Both series feature strong, kick-ass female leads in the business of rescuing lost souls across various realms. Both Rylee and Mel are seemingly propelled by the abduction/loss of a younger sister. I’ve read Mayer’s series and feel each is distinct enough to avoid the charge of blatant ‘plagiarism’ some have levelled at Blood Magic.

Overall, I found Blood Magic to be a quick, engaging read. I liked the characters and the action-packed plot. At times, however, I felt the book could benefit from a longer format. While some sequences, such as the concocting of a spell, are wildly drawn out, other basic facts, like the appearance of characters, are glossed over or avoided altogether. The action, as well, is quite hurried. Mel accomplishes a lot in such a short period of time. While I appreciate the author’s efficiency, it left me a little baffled.

To supplement the action is a bit of romance between Mel and police investigator/djinn Saleem. Their romance is currently building under a slow simmer that I expect to explode in future installments. There also appears to be some mysterious unfinished business surrounding Mel’s relationship with her mentor, Samuel, as well as the disappearance of Mel’s sister. I expect both plot threads to be picked up at the series progresses.

The author’s website indicates two additional installments in this series slated for release in 2016. I plan to follow this series as it develops.

Four Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Tee is the author of over 25 Contemporary Fantasy, Thriller & Paranormal novels

Tee's Valkyrie Series is a Norse Mythology based Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy

Her Hand of Kali Series is a diverse YA Contemporary Fantasy using Indian Mythology as a setting

Tee's DarkWorld contains two current series:

* The SkinWalker Series, a NA Shifter & Magic Urban Fantasy with a black panther, reluctant alpha tracker who will keep you on your toes.

* The SoulTracker Series, a NA Contemporary Fantasy with a teleporting, astral-projecting kick-ass main character.

Upcoming in the world are:

* The MetalSinger (Tara), * The DeathTalker (Nerina) & * The Stolen Queen of Dracys

Tee also has an Angels & Demons Urban Fantasy series, the Chronicles of the Irin, and if you like strong female leads with wings, and a dreadlocked albino demon side-kick, Evie's story is for you.

Tee also writes Romantic Suspense and Psychological Horror as Toni Vallan. Click on Thrillers on Tee's website to find out more.

And because Tee hardly ever sleeps and loves making stuff up, look out for more books, coming soon.

NA UF Spotlight: DarkWorld-SkinWalker series by T.G. Ayer

Skin Deep: A New Adult Urban Fantasy Novel (DarkWorld: SkinWalker Book 1)

Abandoned by her mother and raised by her aloof Alpha father, panther shifter Kailin Odel has finally found a way to feel like she makes a difference. Discovering her unique power to track Wraith's, Kailin moonlights as a Hunter - ridding the streets of Chicago of these soul-sucking demons. Her human friends have no idea the supernatural worlds exists alongside theirs. No idea shifter and demons walk in the shadows. And Kai prefers to keep it that way.

Until she discovers the body of a murdered shifter, and is quickly embroiled in a world of supernatural drug-dealing and renegade shifters who leave a trail of blood and mayhem wherever they go.

When Logan Westin, paranormal investigator and super-hot human, begins investigating the murder Kai refuses to allow her feelings to control her. Humans are off-limits, no matter how sizzlingly sexy they are. But can Kai keep him at bay? And does she even want to?

In her quest to find the killer Kai inadvertently puts her friends' life in danger and brings her to the attention of the sadistic shifter killer. Her comfortable life is gone, her friend murdered, and shifters are disappearing around her. To survive and to save her friends, Kai must allow herself to trust Logan, to give her scarred heart to someone again.

Warning: Mature reader recommendation- this book contains violence & torture.

amazon

Lost Soul: A New Adult Urban Fantasy (DarkWorld:SkinWalker Book 2)

The things that go bump in the night are real

With her sister missing and her mother and Anjelo stuck in the Wraith World, Kai must find a way to save them all. But the Wraith poison has brought her to her knees and only Logan's fire can help ease her pain.

A sister stuck in the Dead Lands

Uncertain who to rescue first, Kai's decision is made for her when she discovers her sister Greer is stuck in the Greylands and slowly going insane. Desperate to save her, Kai will go to incredible lengths to obtain a portal key to the land of the dead - and maybe, she'll go one step too far.

Who will betray her?

From Death-talkers to demons, trackers to ghosts, Kai must fight against betrayal and evade the clutches of danger to set her sister free. Can she save Greer from a horrific death - and will she ever be able to forgive herself if she can't?

amazon

Last Chance: A New Adult Urban Fantasy (DarkWorld:SkinWalker Book 3)

The things that go bump in the night are real

With the loss of her sister still weighing down both her conscience and her heart, Kailin Odel must take on the next part of her mission - find her mother and Anjelo and bring them back from Wrythiin.

Danger & betrayal lurks in the Wraith World

Kailin uses her mother's portal key and enters the Wraith world intent on saving the ones she loves, but from the moment she arrives her mission is fraught with peril.

Can she save her mother?

Arriving in Wrythiin, Kai steps right into the middle of a Wraith rebellion. And only to find that though Anjelo is safe, her mother is held captive by a subversive faction of Wraiths once led by the Wraithlord that Kai had killed.

Demons come in many forms

From Wraiths to Shapeshifters, rebel causes to fraying family ties, to inexplicable new powers, Kai must fight her darkest demons while entering the blackest pits of Wrythiin to save her mother.

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Blood Promise: A New Adult Urban Fantasy (DarkWorld: SkinWalker Book 4)

The things that go bump in the night are real

Kailin Odel, alpha shapeshifter and demon hunter, made a deal that helped her save her sister's soul: a Blood Promise.

A blood promise to fulfil

Now, the High Priestess of the DeathTalkers is calling in her marker, and Kai had better hope she can hold up her end of the bargain, because either way, it's all about to hit the fan...
A terrible betrayal

Someone close to Kai and her friends is guilty of the worst kind of evil. Will she be strong enough to deal with them?

A horrible loss

Everything snowballs into a violent end. Will Kai handle the loss she faces and still be able to carry on?

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Scorched Fury: A New Adult Urban Fantasy (DarkWorld: SkinWalker Book 5)

The things that go bump in the night are real

The Great Ash Trees - supernatural guardian trees of the DarkWorld - are dying, and Kai enlists the help of MetalSinger & Fae Queen Tara to find those who threaten the stability of all the realms.

Logan's life hangs in the balance

Then, Logan - still in his cryo-induced coma - makes a request of Kai that she cannot refuse. "Save her." Whether Logan lives or dies, Kai is determined to fulfil her promise to find the girl from Logan's memories and help him find peace.

A journey to fulfil a promise

What Kai doesn't expect is to find her in a world on the brink of extinction, a world Kai didn't even know existed. But there is more at stake than a missing girl. Can she keep her promises or will it be an impossible ask?

A destiny not her own

Filled with grief, and blossoming passion, redemption, and growing hope, Scorched Fury reveals secrets long buried and brings together a band of friends who are destined to one day save the DarkWorld.

amazon

About the Author:
website-FB-twitter
Tee is the author of over 25 Contemporary Fantasy, Thriller & Paranormal novels

Tee's Valkyrie Series is a Norse Mythology based Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy

Her Hand of Kali Series is a diverse YA Contemporary Fantasy using Indian Mythology as a setting

Tee's DarkWorld contains two current series:
* The SkinWalker Series, a NA Shifter & Magic Urban Fantasy with a black panther, reluctant alpha tracker who will keep you on your toes.
* The SoulTracker Series, a NA Contemporary Fantasy with a teleporting, astral-projecting kick-ass main character.
Upcoming in the world are:
* The MetalSinger (Tara), * The DeathTalker (Nerina) & * The Stolen Queen of Dracys

Tee also has an Angels & Demons Urban Fantasy series, the Chronicles of the Irin, and if you like strong female leads with wings, and a dreadlocked albino demon side-kick, Evie's story is for you.

Tee also writes Romantic Suspense and Psychological Horror as Toni Vallan. Click on Thrillers on Tee's website to find out more.

And because Tee hardly ever sleeps and loves making stuff up, look out for more books, coming soon.