Audio Book Review: Birthright

Birthright

By:  E.J. Stevens

Publish Date:  July 14, 2015, Audiobook Release May 12, 2016

Format:  Audiobook - 7 hrs 4 mins
Narrated By:  Melanie A. Mason & Anthony Bowling

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  4th in Ivy Granger Psychic Detective series; Book 1 ~ Shadow Sight, Novella 1.5 ~ Blood and Mistletoe, Book 2 ~ Ghost Light, Novella 2.5 ~ Club Nexus, Book 3 Burning Bright

First Impression:  Ivy finally learns about her heritage, and who her real family is.

Synopsis:
Being a faerie princess isn't what it's cracked up to be...

Ivy must go to Faerie, but the gateway to the Wisp Court is through Tech Duinn, the house of Donn--Celtic god of the dead. Just her luck.

Unable to share her secret with Jinx, and with Jenna called away on Hunters' Guild business, Ivy must rely on Ceff and Torn to lead her to Death's door, literally, and back again. As if that wasn't dangerous enough, there's no saying what horrors lay in store within the Faerie realm. Too bad the Wisp Court is the one lead Ivy has in the search for her father--and possible salvation.

Maybe hiding away and dodging sidhe assassins isn't so bad after all...

First Sentence:
I grimaced at the noodles currently taunting me with their salty broth and rubbery texture, and pushed the steaming bowl away with gloved hands.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I requested this book from the author or narrator for an honest review.

Ivy is known to the Faerie world as dead. This grants Ivy time to find her father, learn to control her wisp powers, and get her name cleared with the Faerie Council. Then she can get back to work to earn money again. Ivy and Jinx, at Jinx's determined request, do take one job, surprisingly it's Jinx's dad. He has floating light luring his watchmen away from his junkyard at night. Ivy can't speak the language of the faeries, and needs to find her father to learn and move the iron sick fey to another place. Summer solstice is nearing and Ivy has the key to the faerie realm to learn what happened with her father. She makes the journey and learns more than she ever thought she could about herself.

We get the dual voices of Melanie and Anthony, for female and male characters. Melanie feels the voice of what I hear or think of with Ivy. Anthony does a little voice for Sparky that reminds me of a little kid. Anthony does a few different voices and personalities with his voice for many different small character parts. I do like that the two narrators together gives us the opportunity to have one act out what is happening under the other's narration. They add in a few small audio affects as well, stone sliding over stone and water falling. Cool! However, I don't think it was my ipod but when Ivy and friends get to Faerie it seems the background becomes thicker--Ch 23 on audio. There are a few chapters that sound as though muffled, like the background is thick.  after that too. It's not a huge thing but I did pick it up.

The introduction is changed! The part about Ivy being the PI to inquire with, is different. It says that she's dead!

One thing I notice with each book is that we get each characters history the first time we meet them. This is the fourth book and I remember hearing the histories each time. I think at this point, we can back down on that detailed list. But I do like small hints of past events to remind us, and if it's from a novella that's not needed to continue in the series it makes you curious to get them.

Ivy gets a trip into Faerie. She starts to see her wisp side closer, learning more of what she's looking for. She gets time with a family member. But what she learns in the end is a shocker! Just wait until you learn what Ivy finds out about herself. Wow. Ivy's relationship with Ceff also grows. And her friendship with Torn is really something. She spends a good bit of time with Ceff and Torn, and they go through a lot for her. The two do have quick clips back and forth that is competition of each other but so fun too. They do torment each other, at least Torn torments Ceff with quick comments to Ivy. lol. We also have a new friend, Skilly. He grows on you quick.

This story had me thinking about past stories. I think Ivy, or someone, had contact with Queen Mab in a novella, and I need to go back to double check.

This is a series that is quick and easy to follow for me. Seeing it's summer time, I would highly suggest listening to this as you relax for the summer.



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