The only thing worse than being a Hunter in the fae-ridden city of Harborsmouth, is hunting vampires in Bruges.The medieval city of Bruges is quaint, but the local Hunters’ Guild is understaffed, the canals are choked with dead bodies, and there’s no shortage of supernatural predators as likely suspects.On second thought, maybe Bruges isn’t so bad after all.With a desire to prove herself, protect … a desire to prove herself, protect the innocent, and advance within the ranks of the Hunters’ Guild, Jenna Lehane hits the cobbled streets of Bruges with blades at the ready. Someone, or something, is murdering tourists and dumping their bodies in the city’s scenic canals. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Jenna begins to piece together clues that are dotted throughout the city like blood spatter.
Determined to stop the killings, Jenna delves into a bloody local history that only raises more questions–but some secrets are best left buried. Jenna must put her combat training to the test as she struggles to unearth the truth about an ancient enemy.
Finalist for the 2017 Raven Award for Best Urban Fantasy.
“I quite enjoyed the tale.”
-Jana Oliver, award-winning author of The Demon Trappers series
“[E.J. Stevens] remembered that vampires are supposed to be flat out scary…highly recommended.”
-James A. Moore, Bram Stoker Award nominated author of the Seven Forges series
Hunting in Bruges is the first novel in the Hunters’ Guild urban fantasy series set in the world of Ivy Granger. The world of Ivy Granger, including the Hunters’ Guild series and the award-winning Ivy Granger Psychic Detective series, is filled with action, mystery, magic, suspense, dark humor, quirky characters, bloodsucking vampires, flirtatious demons, sarcastic gargoyles, sexy shifters, temperamental witches, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines.
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Hunting in Bruges
Hunters’ Guild, Book 1
By: E.J. Stevens
Narrated by: Melanie A. Mason, Anthony Bowling
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. What a terrific action packed book! The main character is a tough female that is a hunter of the supernatural and she is the deadly one! Others are a sexist jerk, another hunter with a secret past, a witch with drug problem, a doctor with a drinking problem, and a blind librarian. This is her team! She also can see ghosts. She is sent to Bruge due to the increase in supernatural attacks. She has to figure out what is going on, which she does.
Great narration that enhances the story.
“Hunting in Bruges”, the first installment in the “Hunters’ Guild” is in fact an spin-off of Steven’s main series “Ivy Granger” which links with both the world and the characters of the original series (in fact this book is listed as Hunters’ Guild #1/Ivy Granger #3.5 on Stevens’ own website). However, the book can be read without difficulty as a standalone, all necessary information on the world is given throughout the action.
This is an awesome reading, urban fantasy as its best, fast-paced and action-filled, with multidimensional, interesting, credible, relatable characters, able to bring the story forward while interacting with each other. Jenna Lehane (FMC) is a skilled hunter, who has just been sent to Bruges (Belgium) on a mission, which has made a dent into her confidence and has her wondering if the assignment is in fact a concealed punishment. Bodies are pilling in Bruges canals with no-one the wiser on the culprits’ identity. Jenna begins her ‘hunt’ and finally comes to as disturbing conclusion: vampires are behind the killing spree. An ancient vampire feud has resurfaced and it’s up to Jenna and the Guild to put an end to it. Unfortunately for Jenna, the Guild does not really take her serious, luckily for her Ash, a fellow hunter, befriends her and show her the city and her peculiarities, which eventually help her to find the solution to the killing spree.
The story is narrated from Jenna’s POV, and allow us to see the city and the plot as they were developing before our eyes. EJ Stevens has done a wonderful work in bringing Bruges alive, those unfamiliar with the city will enjoy discovering its peculiarities, those of us who know the city by heart, feel once again transported to its canals, looking right into the Reie as the action develops. EJ Stevens writing style is fresh, easy-to-follow, filled with detail and amazing characters. “Ivy Granger” is one of the top series in urban fantasy, and this spin-off is not exception.
There is although a small caveat, until now the most expected second book in the series (Hunting in Paris) has not been released, pity because I was living to see what Stevens’ was able to do with Paris, a city even more familiar to me as Bruges is.
I enjoyed this spin off from the world of Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective. It is great to at last find out more about Guild Hunter, Jenna Lehane’s, time in Europe and the secrets, challenges and battles she faced there. There is lots of action, secrets, intrigue and oddities in this story. I liked the concept that vampires used glamour to appear attractive and that they were actually shrivelled husks in reality. Ash was intriguing and very entertaining, then throw in a vampire war, a drunk MD, a drug addicted, sex obsessed witch and a blind librarian, and you have got an interesting story. The narrators, Melanie A. Mason & Anthony Bowling did a great job, with Melanie doing the main narration (as the story is told from Jenna’s POV) and Anthony doing the male characters. They meshed well together and kept a good pace. I enjoyed this story and will look forward to the next.
Audiobook review: Entertaining story and interesting characters. The paranormal aspects were intriguing. The characters are likable and believable. The use of a male and female narrator was well done. I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are mine.
Here, Jenna is a member of the Hunters’ Guild and she is sent to Bruges to help figure out who has been killing people and dumping their bodies in the canals. Jenna has the ability to see and hear ghosts. She meets Ash, who tells her he used to be a member of the Guild but is no longer. He helps her along the way as she investigates. However, there is something off about Ash and Jenna is not quite sure what it is.
I loved the setting of Bruges – an old city with a very colorful history. The way it was described makes you want to travel there and experiemce it. I found this story to be completely entertaining and action-packed. I liked Jenna and her take no prisoners/I know it all attitude. But, I found Ash to be the more compelling – definitely a ying to Jenna’s yang.
I listened to this book – The use of two narrators here was perfect. As the story is told from Jenna’s POV, Melanie Mason does most of the heavy lifting and does it well. The voice of Ash is done by Anthony Bowling and is edited seemlessly into Mason’s narration. Just perfect.
Loved the protagonist and the book kept my attention. I enjoyed this so much that I’ve picked up other books by the same author (Ivy Granger series).
http://theliteratekitty.blogspot.com/2017/08/battling-baddies-in-bruges.html