Shattered (Iron Druid Chronicles #7) by Kevin Hearne

Atticus has brought his old Archdruid to the 21^st century. Owen faces a near impossible task – adapting to the last 2,000 years of history, not least of which the various shenanigans his apprentice has got up to (and, perhaps, questioning his own teaching style with him, looking at what Atticus as become).

Granuaile is clear of Owen – but Laksha calls for help. Granuaile’s father is in India on an archaeological dig and has been possessed by a very dangerous, worrisome creature. With Atticus busy, new druid Granuaile is ready and able to set off and handle this herself.

While Atticus, in between helping Owen, is still facing Ragnarok and Loki’s ongoing plotting. He has the support of a number of deities from different pantheons, but he needs to know what help they can give, what is motivating them and, basically, what is going on and what his next move should be. He’d also quite like to know which of the Tuatha de Danann is trying to kill him – that would be helpful, but he ends up uncovering something far larger than expected

Set the Fanpoodles to drool!

Honestly, I’ve started writing the review 3 or 4 times because I didn’t even know where to start. There was so much I loved so I’m just going to throw gushing praise at a page.

I loved the three characters with the different voices. Atticus, Granuaile and Owen all have their own separate but connected storylines and they all sound very different. Atticus’s style is something I always love – his age peaking through his general fun and light hearted exterior. Granuaile has a much more formal, even poetic way of thinking and speaking and I think it still resonates with how she approaches druidism, her deep and abiding reverence for the Earth that led her to choose druidry over witch magic. And then there’s Owen – crotchety, ornery but with bits of wisdom poking through his general rough and readiness. He’s dealing with a major case of culture shock but he’s dealing with it in a way that is both very druidic (with its focus on learning) and shows just how tough he is. I also like the byplay between Owen and Atticus – he still sees Atticus as his young apprentice but every now and then realises that Atticus is literally 2 thousand years older than him

It’s interesting to see a book from multiple points of view because it not only lets you see the different characters through different lenses but if the author can pull off the different voices and make them authentic it really carries so much to the characterisation.

I also loved that they were doing their own thing. It’s not just the Atticus show – Granuaile is a grown woman, a full druid and fully capable of doing things by herself. She doesn’t need to check in with Atticus all the time, she doesn’t need his permission or his guidance. He’s definitely the better druid – 2,000 years experience and all that – but she still has skills and talents he doesn’t and she doesn’t need a babysitter. I love that, now her training is finished, she is definitely more than a sidekick; she’s a character in her own right. And she will do her own thing. No, she’s not always successful, yes she faces tragedy and set back – but she also gets to be the hero and save Atticus and a considerable amount of the day as well – so her set backs are not even remotely  linked to her being lesser.

Rogue Descendant (Nikki Glass #3) by Jenna Black

Nikki wanted to stay out of any further conflict with the Olympians. Konstantin had stepped down, she could now avoid any more fighting. But Anderson wants vengeance – and Nikki to hunt it down for him

She adamantly won’t do that, but when someone starts targeting her life and her family, she feels like she has no choice, especially when innocents begin dying. Of course, the question is who is actually targeting her – and whether they can be stopped without violating the treaty that prevents the more numerous Olympians going to war with Anderson’s Liberi.

I think this book is, in part, meant to give us chance to catch our breath and recover from the big, dramatic game changers that took place in Deadly Descendant and it definitely does that but I’m not sure it’s needed since there already was the novella Pros and Cons in between to help break up the action.

I’m also not entirely sure if the book was supposed to be a slow lead in to more action or if it just came across as a slow lead in and wasn’t really meant to be.

This ambiguity kind of follows me throughout the book. Nikki is being targeted by cruel and terrible unknown forces (well, the Olympians) who are burning down her parents’ home and her own flat! How terribly traumatising and upsetting…. I guess. I mean, I think it would be terribly upsetting and it certainly is for her sister and parents but Nikki? I don’t know, she doesn’t seem all that upset. Is this supposed to be her emotional disconnect to things, or how she’s moved on from these places? I don’t know – it’s kind of left out on a limb and I’m extrapolating her emotional distress more than it actually being portrayed.

Similarly, when she flips from being willing to risk her life and Anderson’s wrath to not be a murderer to accepting the need to hunt down Konstantin. I can see the reasoning, I can follow the reasoning, I agree with the reasoning – but I don’t FEEL the emotional change I would expect

The same applies to Nikki’s growing affection for Jamaal, it just isn’t really sold to me. Surprisingly, his affection for her is really clear and blatantly obvious even when Nikki doesn’t realise it.

I don’t know – is this “show don’t tell” being taken just a little too far? We can infer Nikki’s emotions based on the vague cues and our knowledge of how we’d feel in her shoes but it feels stand-offish for the protagonist.