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Hunters' Guild #1
Hunting in Bruges
The only thing worse than being a Hunter in the fae-ridden city of Harborsmouth, is hunting vamps in Bruges.
Being shipped off to Belgium sucks. 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 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.
Hunting in Bruges is the first novel in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series set in the world of Ivy Granger.
Being shipped off to Belgium sucks. 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 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.
Hunting in Bruges is the first novel in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series set in the world of Ivy Granger.
278 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 2014
About the author
E.J. Stevens
53 books1,666 followersE.J. Stevens is the bestselling, award-winning author of the IVY GRANGER, PSYCHIC DETECTIVE urban fantasy series, the SPIRIT GUIDE young adult series, the HUNTERS' GUILD urban fantasy series, and the WHITECHAPEL PARANORMAL SOCIETY Victorian Gothic horror series. She is known for filling pages with quirky characters, bloodsucking vampires, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines. Her novels are available worldwide in multiple languages.
BTS Red Carpet Award winner for Best Novel, Imadjinn Award winner for Best Short Story, Raven Award winner for Best Urban Fantasy Novel, Independent Audiobook Award winner for Best Short Story, SYAE finalist for Best Paranormal Series, Best Novella, and Best Horror, winner of the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Fantasy Novel, Best Young Adult Paranormal Series, Best Urban Fantasy Novel, and finalist for Best Young Adult Paranormal Novel and Best Urban Fantasy Series.
When E.J. isn't at her writing desk, she enjoys dancing along seaside cliffs, singing in graveyards, and sleeping in faerie circles. E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.
Join the E.J. Stevens newsletter and learn about news, events, and receive a free book. http://www.subscribepage.com/n6k1a5 Monthly news updates, tour photos, and exclusive reader perks (FREE reads & giveaways!).
Website: http://www.EJStevensAuthor.com
Ivy Granger Series: http://IvyGranger.com
Blog: http://www.FromtheShadows.info
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EJStevensAuthor
@EJStevensAuthor
BTS Red Carpet Award winner for Best Novel, Imadjinn Award winner for Best Short Story, Raven Award winner for Best Urban Fantasy Novel, Independent Audiobook Award winner for Best Short Story, SYAE finalist for Best Paranormal Series, Best Novella, and Best Horror, winner of the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Fantasy Novel, Best Young Adult Paranormal Series, Best Urban Fantasy Novel, and finalist for Best Young Adult Paranormal Novel and Best Urban Fantasy Series.
When E.J. isn't at her writing desk, she enjoys dancing along seaside cliffs, singing in graveyards, and sleeping in faerie circles. E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.
Join the E.J. Stevens newsletter and learn about news, events, and receive a free book. http://www.subscribepage.com/n6k1a5 Monthly news updates, tour photos, and exclusive reader perks (FREE reads & giveaways!).
Website: http://www.EJStevensAuthor.com
Ivy Granger Series: http://IvyGranger.com
Blog: http://www.FromtheShadows.info
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EJStevensAuthor
@EJStevensAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
September 24, 2018
I posted this review on my audiobook blog Lovely Audiobooks.
I received this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review.
This audiobook production was really outstanding! But sadly, the story disappointed me a bit.
This book is an award-finalist, so obviously I don’t really know what’s good. But let me list the problems I had with the story:
#1 The secret of the protagonist’s new companion, the “mysterious stranger”, is apparent pretty early on. Yet Jenna herself only figures it out in the second half of the book. The reason for that felt very weak to me. I know this is a tool that some people love (knowing something that the protagonist doesn’t), but for me, it just doesn’t work. It made me think she’s a bit daft 🙁
#2 The story didn’t have a very good flow. The pacing was off for me and I found it difficult to figure out where we were going and what the point of everything was.
#3 Jenna is a very serious young lady. Her companions try to banter and flirt but she only gets super annoyed and would seriously prefer to be ambushed. This bothered me because it just made her not very likeable. Of course not every protagonist has to crank out the jokes. But her reaction to her friends flirting and joking felt way too harsh.
On to some positive aspects. A female protagonist, and one male, one female sidekick? That was already awesome in Buffy and it makes for a great slayer.. uhh.. Hunter team! The paranormal concept of vampires using a glamour to appear attractive was creative. Damn bloodsuckers don’t always have to be perfect!
Now that I’m done, I can say that the storyline overall has some good substance. But it took me a long time to finish this and I interrupted it for two other audiobooks because I was bored. “Hunting in Bruges” just didn’t grab me. The pace picked up a bit in the second half though.
As I said initially, the audio production was fantastic. It was a new to me concept and I truly wish everyone would do it like this! Melanie A. Mason is the main narrator. The story is told entirely from Jenna’s point of view so that makes sense. But the bonus is, that Anthony Bowling is narrating all male characters’ lines. Not only are both narrators really great, with very distinct voices, but the editing is done very well, so the men’s lines fit in seamlessly. The narration itself was very captivating.
I so wanted to love this audiobook. Because it’s a great Urban Fantasy concept and the production is so amazing. But I just can’t.
I received this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review.
This audiobook production was really outstanding! But sadly, the story disappointed me a bit.
This book is an award-finalist, so obviously I don’t really know what’s good. But let me list the problems I had with the story:
#1 The secret of the protagonist’s new companion, the “mysterious stranger”, is apparent pretty early on. Yet Jenna herself only figures it out in the second half of the book. The reason for that felt very weak to me. I know this is a tool that some people love (knowing something that the protagonist doesn’t), but for me, it just doesn’t work. It made me think she’s a bit daft 🙁
#2 The story didn’t have a very good flow. The pacing was off for me and I found it difficult to figure out where we were going and what the point of everything was.
#3 Jenna is a very serious young lady. Her companions try to banter and flirt but she only gets super annoyed and would seriously prefer to be ambushed. This bothered me because it just made her not very likeable. Of course not every protagonist has to crank out the jokes. But her reaction to her friends flirting and joking felt way too harsh.
On to some positive aspects. A female protagonist, and one male, one female sidekick? That was already awesome in Buffy and it makes for a great slayer.. uhh.. Hunter team! The paranormal concept of vampires using a glamour to appear attractive was creative. Damn bloodsuckers don’t always have to be perfect!
Now that I’m done, I can say that the storyline overall has some good substance. But it took me a long time to finish this and I interrupted it for two other audiobooks because I was bored. “Hunting in Bruges” just didn’t grab me. The pace picked up a bit in the second half though.
As I said initially, the audio production was fantastic. It was a new to me concept and I truly wish everyone would do it like this! Melanie A. Mason is the main narrator. The story is told entirely from Jenna’s point of view so that makes sense. But the bonus is, that Anthony Bowling is narrating all male characters’ lines. Not only are both narrators really great, with very distinct voices, but the editing is done very well, so the men’s lines fit in seamlessly. The narration itself was very captivating.
I so wanted to love this audiobook. Because it’s a great Urban Fantasy concept and the production is so amazing. But I just can’t.
June 25, 2020
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.
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.
April 14, 2018
For those of you that read the Ivy Granger Psychic Detective books, this could be your next must read book. This was my first book by this author, and as soon as I finished, I bought the first book in the Ivy Granger series, Shadow Sight. Why? Because I could not put this book down. I flat out loved it!
When a book(uncorrected copy) starts with the sentence “I’ve been seeing ghosts for as long as I can remember”, I am so in for the read. Jenna Lehane is an American Hunter for the supernatural Hunter’s Guild, and has been since she was thirteen. She is sent to Bruges in Belgium to help out the Guild there when bodies start being found in the canals. The Guild there is operating on a skeletal staff due to most of the hunters being away. Pretty much the only ones left are the misfits of the Guild, not good when tourists are getting killed by unknown supernaturals. She meets a man on the train that becomes her friend. Ash is very eccentric, funny, good looking, and actually pretty perfect.
This read was character driven as much as it was story driven. Jenna is the ultimate hunter, but she has self confidence issues, and wonders if she was sent to Belgium as punishment. There’s a story there, I promise. She has never made time for herself, and is pretty much all about the work-24/7. Ash is like a breath of fresh air to her. He makes her take the time to see the city of Bruges, and it comes alive for the reader. I knew nothing about Bruges before this, and now I can absolutely picture this ancient city. Once she starts hunting, it’s not long before she realizes that vampires are the culprits she is looking for. Seems there’s an ancient vampire turf war going on, and it involves hundreds of vampires. It’s up to Jenna to flush the vampires out, and try to rid the city of them. And that brings me back to the misfits. There’s a sex crazed, drugged out, but beautiful, witch, a drunk doctor, a blind, male librarian/archivist, and a explosive happy, one armed man. A pretty rag-tagged group, that super courageous Jenna, now has to lead against the vamps.
Hunting in Bruges, is told from Jenna’s point of view, and I loved her thoughts, as well as her actual dialogue, which I thought was very well written, as was this entire book. I found the characters to be very fully realized by the author, and enjoyed getting to know most all of them. There are at least two villains in this story, and I am not talking about vampires. They too, were fully fleshed out as heinous individuals.
I’ve read a lot of books about female supernatural hunters(as I am sure many of you have), but when one is so different, as this one was for me, then it quickly became one of my favorites, of all books with that very common premise. I am all about books that aren’t the same old, same old, for sure. This book is full of action, deaths, supernatural creatures, and is perfect for the adult urban fantasy fan, and I for one, can’t wait for the next installment.
(RabidReads.com)
When a book(uncorrected copy) starts with the sentence “I’ve been seeing ghosts for as long as I can remember”, I am so in for the read. Jenna Lehane is an American Hunter for the supernatural Hunter’s Guild, and has been since she was thirteen. She is sent to Bruges in Belgium to help out the Guild there when bodies start being found in the canals. The Guild there is operating on a skeletal staff due to most of the hunters being away. Pretty much the only ones left are the misfits of the Guild, not good when tourists are getting killed by unknown supernaturals. She meets a man on the train that becomes her friend. Ash is very eccentric, funny, good looking, and actually pretty perfect.
This read was character driven as much as it was story driven. Jenna is the ultimate hunter, but she has self confidence issues, and wonders if she was sent to Belgium as punishment. There’s a story there, I promise. She has never made time for herself, and is pretty much all about the work-24/7. Ash is like a breath of fresh air to her. He makes her take the time to see the city of Bruges, and it comes alive for the reader. I knew nothing about Bruges before this, and now I can absolutely picture this ancient city. Once she starts hunting, it’s not long before she realizes that vampires are the culprits she is looking for. Seems there’s an ancient vampire turf war going on, and it involves hundreds of vampires. It’s up to Jenna to flush the vampires out, and try to rid the city of them. And that brings me back to the misfits. There’s a sex crazed, drugged out, but beautiful, witch, a drunk doctor, a blind, male librarian/archivist, and a explosive happy, one armed man. A pretty rag-tagged group, that super courageous Jenna, now has to lead against the vamps.
Hunting in Bruges, is told from Jenna’s point of view, and I loved her thoughts, as well as her actual dialogue, which I thought was very well written, as was this entire book. I found the characters to be very fully realized by the author, and enjoyed getting to know most all of them. There are at least two villains in this story, and I am not talking about vampires. They too, were fully fleshed out as heinous individuals.
I’ve read a lot of books about female supernatural hunters(as I am sure many of you have), but when one is so different, as this one was for me, then it quickly became one of my favorites, of all books with that very common premise. I am all about books that aren’t the same old, same old, for sure. This book is full of action, deaths, supernatural creatures, and is perfect for the adult urban fantasy fan, and I for one, can’t wait for the next installment.
(RabidReads.com)
August 8, 2017
Hunted
I generally like YA novels but I found this one too predictable. Together with an immature protagonist I didn't manage to finish this one.
I generally like YA novels but I found this one too predictable. Together with an immature protagonist I didn't manage to finish this one.
May 12, 2018
I enjoyed this quick, light paranormal mystery. The characters had some depth to them and the world building in Bruges was well done. Parts of the plot were predictable but that didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. Jenna’s character wasn’t my favorite. She was kind of a know it all and wanted to do everything by the book until there came a time when breaking the rules would help her in which case that was ok because it suited her needs. Ash was a great character. He was easy going and funny. He balanced out the typical warrior in Jenna well. The narrators for this audiobook did a good job. It was well produced and they both spoke clearly and portrayed all of their characters with enthusiasm. I do wish that Jenna’s character didn’t sound so whiny though.
I’m curious to find out what happens what happens on the sequel once it comes out. It should be especially fun to listen to now that the story and the team is established.
I would like to thank the author/narrator/publisher for generously providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m curious to find out what happens what happens on the sequel once it comes out. It should be especially fun to listen to now that the story and the team is established.
I would like to thank the author/narrator/publisher for generously providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 26, 2018
A great kick-off to a new series by a favorite author of mine! RTF
April 17, 2018
Jenna's quickly meeting people and making friends... and enemies. Grrrr. There is one man who is against all women in the guild along with supernaturals. He's a real jerk. I couldn't wait for Jenna to knock him down a peg or five. Ash, he's a joy. I love her time with him although I want to shack her as she should have picked up the signs and hints about Ash right away. However, there is something different about Ash when he's with Jenna. I'm hoping we get answers to this in the future. But I do love Ash. He's a cutie.
I like the chapter headings. It is a line from in the chapter, but it points out Hunter ways or Jenna's "rules". It's a neat way to highlight them.
All in all, I enjoyed Jenna's adventures.
****FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW****
I like the chapter headings. It is a line from in the chapter, but it points out Hunter ways or Jenna's "rules". It's a neat way to highlight them.
All in all, I enjoyed Jenna's adventures.
****FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW****
November 25, 2016
If I could’ve had my way, I would’ve read this book from start to finish in one sitting. I was hooked the moment I started reading. It’s a fast paced story told from the point of view of Jenna Lehane, the main character. Jenna is a member of the Hunters’ Guild. The Guild is secret organization whose mission is to keep the supernatural world in check and coexisting as peacefully as possible with the human world. Jenna, a Hunter, has been sent to the Belgian chapter in Bruges to help figure out who has been killing tourists. Bruges is an old city with a very colorful history and a high population of supernaturals. Jenna has the ability to see and hear ghosts which is both an asset and a liability. The action of the story starts immediately upon Jenna’s arrival in Bruges as we follow her on the trail to discover who or what the killers are, and doesn’t let up until the end.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a fast paced adventure, especially if you like supernatural stories. It’s chock full of interesting and unique characters. I enjoyed getting to know all of them. This is the first book I’ve read by E.J. Stevens, but most definitely not my last! I’m already shopping in her catalog of books for my next read.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a fast paced adventure, especially if you like supernatural stories. It’s chock full of interesting and unique characters. I enjoyed getting to know all of them. This is the first book I’ve read by E.J. Stevens, but most definitely not my last! I’m already shopping in her catalog of books for my next read.
November 1, 2014
I received this book from the author and from Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock. Just finished Hunting in Bruges by E.J Stevens and author I honestly never heard before but after this I have to say that I will definitely be reading more from him. The book got me after the first sentence by saying she has seen ghost all her life; just by that I wanted to know what what's going on right away. We have Jenna Lehane a hunter that gets a new assignment and has to travel from America to Bruges Belgium for it. Here she befriends Ash and for the first time she is not thinking about work 24/7. As Jenna starts hunting in this city and gets to know Ash the story just gets better and better. .. I have to say the story it was very well written and it was a very good easy read.
I give this book 4 fangs!!!!!
I give this book 4 fangs!!!!!
November 11, 2014
This was a great start to a new series.
It took a moment to get going for me, but then the adventure, danger and excitement took over. It didn't stop for the whole book either. Which I loved. Even at the very end, there are things that are closed and yet open for th enext book as well.
I really loved how this series connects with the Ivy Granger series. The familiarity helped me relax easier into the story.
The characters in this one were neat. Ash, I like him. I had no idea Ash's story until it was revealed. I totally didn't see it coming.
A unique paranormal story. One that I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to reading Hunting in Paris next.
It took a moment to get going for me, but then the adventure, danger and excitement took over. It didn't stop for the whole book either. Which I loved. Even at the very end, there are things that are closed and yet open for th enext book as well.
I really loved how this series connects with the Ivy Granger series. The familiarity helped me relax easier into the story.
The characters in this one were neat. Ash, I like him. I had no idea Ash's story until it was revealed. I totally didn't see it coming.
A unique paranormal story. One that I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to reading Hunting in Paris next.
May 4, 2018
Review originally posted at RabidReads.ca.
3.5 stars
I’ve been a fan of the Ivy Granger series for a while. This spinoff series follows a character we meet in the Ivy Granger series. It takes place after book three in Ivy Granger, but can be read as a stand alone series. Jenna is a hunter. She works for the Hunter’s Guild and can see ghosts. She really likes to kill vampires and strings their fangs on a necklace as a trophy.
So, Jenna is shipped off to Bruges, Belgium to help them find out why so many people are turning up dead. Most of the hunters are in Brussels for a big meeting, so the Bruges guild is running on a skeleton crew. The man left in charge is quite the ass. He doesn’t like women and doesn’t think they should be hunters, so him and Jenna get off on the wrong foot right from the start.
I should back up a bit, on the train to Bruges from Brussels, Jenna meets a man named Ash. He shows her around Bruges just a bit before she goes to the guild. During this time, we get a good picture of Bruges. The descriptions are really great. I loved hearing about the architecture of the old buildings.
So, back to the guild, there is Simon Chadwick who is in charge of the guild for right now and he is an ass. There is also Celeste, who is a witch that is also a bit of a junkie. She smokes stuff that would be toxic to a human, but just gets witches high. It can also cause them to lose their memory and not be very good with magic any more. Aleksey Zharkov is a one-handed guy that is the demolitions expert for the team. He likes his job a little too much. Darryl Lambert is a blind librarian who gets around pretty well, even with his handicap. Last, but not least is Benjamin Martens, the doc.
So Jenna has to find out who is killing people in Bruges and just leaving them on the street and with this ragtag group of hunters. And while Ash is trying to sight see and socialize with her.
This is a fun story. There is a lot of action and, as I said, the descriptions of the town are great. It is a bit predictable. There are a few things that I figured out pretty quickly, but I still enjoyed the story. I would love to read more stories about Jenna. She really took control and grew in this story. I didn’t love this story as much as the Ivy Granger stories. While, I enjoyed the secondary characters in this, I didn’t like them as much as Jinx and the gang back in Harborsmouth. I do think this is a great addition for people who are looking to start learning about this world or for people already familiar with Ivy Granger.
Narration
This audiobook is recorded in a format called duet. It features a female and male narrator. In this book, the female does the majority of the narration, because this book is told entirely from the woman’s POV. She does all the narration for the female dialogues and the non-dialogue pieces of the story. The male just read the sentence from the male POVs. This is not my favorite form of audiobook. I find it a bit jarring at first when the male narrator comes in during the middle of a chapter (so far, this is the only series that I listen to that is recorded in this format). The more I listen to the story, the more I’m okay with it, but at the start of each book, it always takes me a bit to get into it. I know people who love this format and prefer it over anything else. So this is a person thing for me. If you haven’t tried this format, I suggest you give it a try sometime and see what you think of it.
I will say that I do like these narrators. I think they both do a really good job. I like the voices that they use for each of the characters. I did think that this sounded a lot like Ivy, though it is hard for me to say for sure because it has been over a year since I listened to my last Ivy Granger book. I would listen to this pair again.
**I like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
I’ve been a fan of the Ivy Granger series for a while. This spinoff series follows a character we meet in the Ivy Granger series. It takes place after book three in Ivy Granger, but can be read as a stand alone series. Jenna is a hunter. She works for the Hunter’s Guild and can see ghosts. She really likes to kill vampires and strings their fangs on a necklace as a trophy.
So, Jenna is shipped off to Bruges, Belgium to help them find out why so many people are turning up dead. Most of the hunters are in Brussels for a big meeting, so the Bruges guild is running on a skeleton crew. The man left in charge is quite the ass. He doesn’t like women and doesn’t think they should be hunters, so him and Jenna get off on the wrong foot right from the start.
I should back up a bit, on the train to Bruges from Brussels, Jenna meets a man named Ash. He shows her around Bruges just a bit before she goes to the guild. During this time, we get a good picture of Bruges. The descriptions are really great. I loved hearing about the architecture of the old buildings.
So, back to the guild, there is Simon Chadwick who is in charge of the guild for right now and he is an ass. There is also Celeste, who is a witch that is also a bit of a junkie. She smokes stuff that would be toxic to a human, but just gets witches high. It can also cause them to lose their memory and not be very good with magic any more. Aleksey Zharkov is a one-handed guy that is the demolitions expert for the team. He likes his job a little too much. Darryl Lambert is a blind librarian who gets around pretty well, even with his handicap. Last, but not least is Benjamin Martens, the doc.
So Jenna has to find out who is killing people in Bruges and just leaving them on the street and with this ragtag group of hunters. And while Ash is trying to sight see and socialize with her.
This is a fun story. There is a lot of action and, as I said, the descriptions of the town are great. It is a bit predictable. There are a few things that I figured out pretty quickly, but I still enjoyed the story. I would love to read more stories about Jenna. She really took control and grew in this story. I didn’t love this story as much as the Ivy Granger stories. While, I enjoyed the secondary characters in this, I didn’t like them as much as Jinx and the gang back in Harborsmouth. I do think this is a great addition for people who are looking to start learning about this world or for people already familiar with Ivy Granger.
Narration
This audiobook is recorded in a format called duet. It features a female and male narrator. In this book, the female does the majority of the narration, because this book is told entirely from the woman’s POV. She does all the narration for the female dialogues and the non-dialogue pieces of the story. The male just read the sentence from the male POVs. This is not my favorite form of audiobook. I find it a bit jarring at first when the male narrator comes in during the middle of a chapter (so far, this is the only series that I listen to that is recorded in this format). The more I listen to the story, the more I’m okay with it, but at the start of each book, it always takes me a bit to get into it. I know people who love this format and prefer it over anything else. So this is a person thing for me. If you haven’t tried this format, I suggest you give it a try sometime and see what you think of it.
I will say that I do like these narrators. I think they both do a really good job. I like the voices that they use for each of the characters. I did think that this sounded a lot like Ivy, though it is hard for me to say for sure because it has been over a year since I listened to my last Ivy Granger book. I would listen to this pair again.
**I like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
May 6, 2018
This is my review of the audio version as posted on Audible:
"Hunting in Bruges" introduces us to the "Hunters' Guild" series, with Jenna Lehane as the main protagonist and a bunch of other memorable characters as her sidekicks:)
It starts rather innocently - Jenna is sent to Bruges to solve the mystery of an overflow of dead bodies found in the town's canals. The task seems easy enough but very soon she discovers she has to deal with much more than just one or two rogue vampires... Unfortunately, the local Hunters' Guild is of almost no help, as they are heavily understaffed, and the few members still present there are not the best you could be looking for. Still, Jenna's job must be done, so she has to settle with what's at hand...
That's the starting point for the book that turns out to be a gripping, engaging and really entertaining urban fantasy. The story starts quite slow but soon gathers speed and doesn't slow to the end. Events that at first seem to have no plausible explanation soon start to connect and finally find their logical place in the big picture. And although it's a part of a series, the book has a satisfactory conclusion, at the same time leaving us ready to go on another adventure with Jenna.
As the main protagonist, Jenna takes the front seat among the cast of characters, but all of them have their 5 minutes in the story. Jenna is not this perfect, always-know-everything-never-miss-a-clue unrealistic character I met in other books, on the contrary, she feels very real and very human; she can be unobservant at times, she is not always right and the wrong decisions she makes have consequences she then has to deal with. She is strong when it's needed, but she also has a sensitive side she doesn't even try to hide... And her sidekicks? A witch addicted to mandrake, a blind archivist, an art student with secrets of his own... You really can't ask for a more colourful, unpredictable bunch of vampire hunters...:)
The interpretation of the book by Ms Mason and Mr Bowling, who respectively read female and male parts, is very good. It's fast-paced but clear, with very good differentation of the voices of individual characters and quite a bit of good acting added into the mix.
Generally, it's a really entertaining story in a very good interpretation. I listened to it in one sitting and will definitely look for the next part.
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
"Hunting in Bruges" introduces us to the "Hunters' Guild" series, with Jenna Lehane as the main protagonist and a bunch of other memorable characters as her sidekicks:)
It starts rather innocently - Jenna is sent to Bruges to solve the mystery of an overflow of dead bodies found in the town's canals. The task seems easy enough but very soon she discovers she has to deal with much more than just one or two rogue vampires... Unfortunately, the local Hunters' Guild is of almost no help, as they are heavily understaffed, and the few members still present there are not the best you could be looking for. Still, Jenna's job must be done, so she has to settle with what's at hand...
That's the starting point for the book that turns out to be a gripping, engaging and really entertaining urban fantasy. The story starts quite slow but soon gathers speed and doesn't slow to the end. Events that at first seem to have no plausible explanation soon start to connect and finally find their logical place in the big picture. And although it's a part of a series, the book has a satisfactory conclusion, at the same time leaving us ready to go on another adventure with Jenna.
As the main protagonist, Jenna takes the front seat among the cast of characters, but all of them have their 5 minutes in the story. Jenna is not this perfect, always-know-everything-never-miss-a-clue unrealistic character I met in other books, on the contrary, she feels very real and very human; she can be unobservant at times, she is not always right and the wrong decisions she makes have consequences she then has to deal with. She is strong when it's needed, but she also has a sensitive side she doesn't even try to hide... And her sidekicks? A witch addicted to mandrake, a blind archivist, an art student with secrets of his own... You really can't ask for a more colourful, unpredictable bunch of vampire hunters...:)
The interpretation of the book by Ms Mason and Mr Bowling, who respectively read female and male parts, is very good. It's fast-paced but clear, with very good differentation of the voices of individual characters and quite a bit of good acting added into the mix.
Generally, it's a really entertaining story in a very good interpretation. I listened to it in one sitting and will definitely look for the next part.
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
May 11, 2018
Hunting in Bruges is the first novel in the Hunters' Guild series, set in the world of E.J. Stevens' psychic detective, Ivy Granger. This novel follows Ivy's fellow Guild member Jenna Lehane as she travels to Bruges to battle vampires and other supernatural threats. She also faces threats from within the Guild itself. Along the way she meets Ash, a companion who turns out to be more than he seems and who is just as likable a character as Jenna herself. The character interaction is what sets this apart from other urban fantasy novels and what has me looking forward to the next book in this series. The narrators of the Audible version, Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling, do an excellent job of bringing the characters to life and setting the tone for this exciting, action-packed story.
Read
February 28, 2020Really enjoyed this!
Yes! Jenna from Ivy Granger's world is awesomely amusing as well as action packed. I can't wait to dive into the next book!
Yes! Jenna from Ivy Granger's world is awesomely amusing as well as action packed. I can't wait to dive into the next book!
November 11, 2014
*Please note: I have read every book in the Ivy Granger series and my reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon.
Jenna Lehane became a hunter at the age of 13 after the Hunters' Guild recruited her from her foster home. She is able so see, hear, and communicate with ghosts of the departed. Originally part of the Guild in Harborsmouth and lending the occasional aid to Ivy Granger, Jenna finds herself transferred to Europe.
Ivy and Jenna's friend Jinx was abused by a Hunter in one of the previous Ivy Granger installments. Jenna takes the vow to never hurt humans very seriously so when the fellow Hunter took it upon himself to strike a human, who also just happened to be her friend, Jenna made him pay. Jenna is under the assumption that the consequences of her actions lead to her reassignment to Belgium.
When she gets to Belgium she is then transferred to Bruges instead. With the assistance of Alistair Ashborn, aka Ash, Jenna learns as much as she can about the city. What she finds, however, is a convergence of two groups of ancient, nasty paranormal creatures leaving dead bodies as their calling cards. It's now up to Jenna, Ash, and a select few others she meets, to figure out what exactly is going on and why. Then they have to stop whatever/whomever it is causing the trouble.
I very much enjoyed the new branch on the tree of the Ivy Granger world. Jenna is the main character in Hunting in Bruges, which is a big deal for her. She's never played anything more than second fiddle in the other books, She's a very likable, strong character. I love how her loyalty to the Guild doesn't prevent her from shoving their rules in the toilet and doing what she knows is right. She's to protect humans and, just like any group in the world, the Hunters' Guild has a bit too much red tape for Jenna's liking.
Her new friends aren't perfect, some less perfect than others. Ash is witty, knowledgeable, and not at all what Jenna thinks - a fact I figured out almost immediately but so didn't have the heart to tell her. I knew she'd figure it out eventually - no need for me to point it out. Celeste, the only other female Hunter in Bruges, is deep into the drug scene, a huge issue with Jenna. She does eventually prove to be useful and her addiction explained. The novel also includes a blind archivist and disabled munitions officer - excellent additions to the story. The Guild doctor and temporary Guild Master were not even close to being favorites.
The new world building that E.J. Stevens undertakes in Jenna's story is fresh and new. The descriptions given for scenes, characters, and the various battles about the town are well done. Nothing overly descriptive to the point of boring or making the reader want to skip chunks of the page, yet nothing is left lacking in description. There's enough to tell the story and still allow you to imagine it in your head ~ your way.
This new storyline in the world of Ivy Granger is dynamic and engaging. Everything about the Hunting in Bruges pulls the reader in and will keep him/her completely engrossed. I highly recommend Hunting in Bruges for those who have enjoyed all of the Ivy Granger books.
Review copy courtesy of the author, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review.
Jenna Lehane became a hunter at the age of 13 after the Hunters' Guild recruited her from her foster home. She is able so see, hear, and communicate with ghosts of the departed. Originally part of the Guild in Harborsmouth and lending the occasional aid to Ivy Granger, Jenna finds herself transferred to Europe.
Ivy and Jenna's friend Jinx was abused by a Hunter in one of the previous Ivy Granger installments. Jenna takes the vow to never hurt humans very seriously so when the fellow Hunter took it upon himself to strike a human, who also just happened to be her friend, Jenna made him pay. Jenna is under the assumption that the consequences of her actions lead to her reassignment to Belgium.
When she gets to Belgium she is then transferred to Bruges instead. With the assistance of Alistair Ashborn, aka Ash, Jenna learns as much as she can about the city. What she finds, however, is a convergence of two groups of ancient, nasty paranormal creatures leaving dead bodies as their calling cards. It's now up to Jenna, Ash, and a select few others she meets, to figure out what exactly is going on and why. Then they have to stop whatever/whomever it is causing the trouble.
I very much enjoyed the new branch on the tree of the Ivy Granger world. Jenna is the main character in Hunting in Bruges, which is a big deal for her. She's never played anything more than second fiddle in the other books, She's a very likable, strong character. I love how her loyalty to the Guild doesn't prevent her from shoving their rules in the toilet and doing what she knows is right. She's to protect humans and, just like any group in the world, the Hunters' Guild has a bit too much red tape for Jenna's liking.
Her new friends aren't perfect, some less perfect than others. Ash is witty, knowledgeable, and not at all what Jenna thinks - a fact I figured out almost immediately but so didn't have the heart to tell her. I knew she'd figure it out eventually - no need for me to point it out. Celeste, the only other female Hunter in Bruges, is deep into the drug scene, a huge issue with Jenna. She does eventually prove to be useful and her addiction explained. The novel also includes a blind archivist and disabled munitions officer - excellent additions to the story. The Guild doctor and temporary Guild Master were not even close to being favorites.
The new world building that E.J. Stevens undertakes in Jenna's story is fresh and new. The descriptions given for scenes, characters, and the various battles about the town are well done. Nothing overly descriptive to the point of boring or making the reader want to skip chunks of the page, yet nothing is left lacking in description. There's enough to tell the story and still allow you to imagine it in your head ~ your way.
This new storyline in the world of Ivy Granger is dynamic and engaging. Everything about the Hunting in Bruges pulls the reader in and will keep him/her completely engrossed. I highly recommend Hunting in Bruges for those who have enjoyed all of the Ivy Granger books.
Review copy courtesy of the author, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2014
So, if you read the Ivy Granger series, which I fanatically love, you'll know who Jenna is, at least a little bit. And you'll know that in the last book, Jenna was missing from the action. Well, now we know where the hell she's been! I love that we have this spin off, because I love the world EJ created with Ivy's series, and now, we are just adding to the cool factors! So, Jenna is part of the Hunter's Guild. She hunts down the evil baddies of the world to keep the humans safe. She is also a serious vamper hunter, for her own personal reasons, but she deals with them all. She is full of brave, kick ass, heroine action that will keep you on your seat, and this is her first major story.
So, Jenna is shipped to Bruges, because their guild is missing a lot of players, but there's a whole bunch of human murders happening and she needs to help them stop those murders. She's definitely confident in her skills, but she has some vulnerabilities and I love that. She knows they are there, and yet, she keeps going when she needs to. She is in a foreign place, with a stupid leader at this guild who I think should just die, but anyways, she is gunna help these humans, because no one should have to find out the hard way that supernaturals exist, like she did. So, she bends a few rules, relies on a few unsuspected people for help, and then find out that there's even more to this whole war thing than she knew!
Here, she meets Alistair Ashford, aka Ash. He's pretty hot, but he's a little annoying, says Jenna. I like him :) I think she does too! He's funny, attractive, wears ridiculous clothes, but he sure knows his way around. And he's got lots of secrets. He's got ties to the guild, and his other secret, I guessed it, but I was still surprised when it turned into what it did. :)
Simon Chadwick is in charge of the guild right now with the real leaders out of town. He's a total ass. I wanna beat him up really bad. Benjamin Martens, aka Doc Martens, lol is the medic on staff. Celeste is a witch who is also with the guild, she's growing on me :) And Aleksey Zharkov, well, he's something of a crazy hawt piece who likes to blow things up. LOL. And Darryl Lambert, a former guild fighter, who is blind, so he's now the librarian and archivist. Dude, these characters made this one so much fun. It definitely brought some bright lights to the back ground. And I like the little team they've made. And then we have the big bad guys, two majorly old Vampers, from like forever ago, who are now fighting with each other and killing people left and right, oh and just throwing the bodies all over. I mean really, you damn crazy vampers. We get some good fight scenes because of their stupidity. :)
This one is fast paced, full of mystery, some chocking discoveries, and some very well written characters. All added into the fantastic world building from the Ivy series, but with more action and weaponry that Ivy usually does. And yet, I find Ivy and Jenna a whole lot alike, which I love. I am totally ready for the next book because I want more. It's gunna be a thrilled ride! 5 PAWS!!
So, Jenna is shipped to Bruges, because their guild is missing a lot of players, but there's a whole bunch of human murders happening and she needs to help them stop those murders. She's definitely confident in her skills, but she has some vulnerabilities and I love that. She knows they are there, and yet, she keeps going when she needs to. She is in a foreign place, with a stupid leader at this guild who I think should just die, but anyways, she is gunna help these humans, because no one should have to find out the hard way that supernaturals exist, like she did. So, she bends a few rules, relies on a few unsuspected people for help, and then find out that there's even more to this whole war thing than she knew!
Here, she meets Alistair Ashford, aka Ash. He's pretty hot, but he's a little annoying, says Jenna. I like him :) I think she does too! He's funny, attractive, wears ridiculous clothes, but he sure knows his way around. And he's got lots of secrets. He's got ties to the guild, and his other secret, I guessed it, but I was still surprised when it turned into what it did. :)
Simon Chadwick is in charge of the guild right now with the real leaders out of town. He's a total ass. I wanna beat him up really bad. Benjamin Martens, aka Doc Martens, lol is the medic on staff. Celeste is a witch who is also with the guild, she's growing on me :) And Aleksey Zharkov, well, he's something of a crazy hawt piece who likes to blow things up. LOL. And Darryl Lambert, a former guild fighter, who is blind, so he's now the librarian and archivist. Dude, these characters made this one so much fun. It definitely brought some bright lights to the back ground. And I like the little team they've made. And then we have the big bad guys, two majorly old Vampers, from like forever ago, who are now fighting with each other and killing people left and right, oh and just throwing the bodies all over. I mean really, you damn crazy vampers. We get some good fight scenes because of their stupidity. :)
This one is fast paced, full of mystery, some chocking discoveries, and some very well written characters. All added into the fantastic world building from the Ivy series, but with more action and weaponry that Ivy usually does. And yet, I find Ivy and Jenna a whole lot alike, which I love. I am totally ready for the next book because I want more. It's gunna be a thrilled ride! 5 PAWS!!
November 11, 2014
Hunting in Bruges is the story of a girl trying to prove herself in the midst of warding off the supernatural evils that plague the world. A supernatural mystery with unconventionally charming characters. The story is compelling, attracting readers in instantaneously, however world building and time spent bringing the city of Bruges to life creates cracks in the plot that stall the ease of the narrative making it difficult to stay focused at times.
Jenna Lehane is a part of the Hunger’s Guild, an organization created not only to protect humans but to also keep the heinous crimes of the sups buried. Recruited out of a foster home at the age of 13, Jenna has grown into a skilled and mouthy Hunter with an overwhelming desire to protect, and sometimes avenge, the innocent. Jenna’s upbringing and the weight of her parent’s deaths leave her with an excessive grudge against Vampires, so when she discovers that they may play a role in the brutal slaying of humans along the river in Bruges, she becomes more determined than ever to stop them. With emotions running rampant and the stakes escalating, Jenna must rely on the aide of a flaky witch, an eccentric ex-Hunter, and the Hunters of Bruges in order to keep the innocents of the city safe.
This urban fantasy paints a beautiful landscape of the city and the history that lead to the present battles the Guild is facing… and while that portion of the novel was perfect, this added to the feel that world building was too slow and predominated more of the narrative than necessary. It gives the feel that most of the action occurs in the later part of the novel, in quick succession, before ending abruptly with so many things left up in the air.
Overall, the basis is similar to many urban fantasy novels with a focus on a female hunter who is bold, guarded, and flawed with an eclectic mix of supernatural friends and of course, there is that one hot guy who challenges the heroine. With that said, there are exciting variations that drive the novel forward with interest in tote.
Characters are lively, quirky, and completely imperfect. I love them. Sure I roll my eyes at Jenna more often than not, but she is who she is and I love her for it. I just don’t understand how she could be so badass and capable when her background and the events leading up to her assignment do not support such a role. I don’t buy her awesomeness in the field. It feels like sheer luck and definitely feel like she still has a lot of growing to do.
Ash and his fedora make me giggle like a schoolgirl. My suspicious about him proved to be correct and I am wildly impatient to see how this will impact the series moving forward. I also hope to learn more about the ditzy, yet knowledgeable witch.
Hunting in Bruges is a terrific start to the series, and truly reads as such. It plays the part of set-up, captures interest, and provides countless wonderful promises of what is to come.
*** This ARC was provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review. ***
www.candidbookaddict.com
Jenna Lehane is a part of the Hunger’s Guild, an organization created not only to protect humans but to also keep the heinous crimes of the sups buried. Recruited out of a foster home at the age of 13, Jenna has grown into a skilled and mouthy Hunter with an overwhelming desire to protect, and sometimes avenge, the innocent. Jenna’s upbringing and the weight of her parent’s deaths leave her with an excessive grudge against Vampires, so when she discovers that they may play a role in the brutal slaying of humans along the river in Bruges, she becomes more determined than ever to stop them. With emotions running rampant and the stakes escalating, Jenna must rely on the aide of a flaky witch, an eccentric ex-Hunter, and the Hunters of Bruges in order to keep the innocents of the city safe.
This urban fantasy paints a beautiful landscape of the city and the history that lead to the present battles the Guild is facing… and while that portion of the novel was perfect, this added to the feel that world building was too slow and predominated more of the narrative than necessary. It gives the feel that most of the action occurs in the later part of the novel, in quick succession, before ending abruptly with so many things left up in the air.
Overall, the basis is similar to many urban fantasy novels with a focus on a female hunter who is bold, guarded, and flawed with an eclectic mix of supernatural friends and of course, there is that one hot guy who challenges the heroine. With that said, there are exciting variations that drive the novel forward with interest in tote.
Characters are lively, quirky, and completely imperfect. I love them. Sure I roll my eyes at Jenna more often than not, but she is who she is and I love her for it. I just don’t understand how she could be so badass and capable when her background and the events leading up to her assignment do not support such a role. I don’t buy her awesomeness in the field. It feels like sheer luck and definitely feel like she still has a lot of growing to do.
Ash and his fedora make me giggle like a schoolgirl. My suspicious about him proved to be correct and I am wildly impatient to see how this will impact the series moving forward. I also hope to learn more about the ditzy, yet knowledgeable witch.
Hunting in Bruges is a terrific start to the series, and truly reads as such. It plays the part of set-up, captures interest, and provides countless wonderful promises of what is to come.
*** This ARC was provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review. ***
www.candidbookaddict.com
November 12, 2014
I’ve been a fan of this author’s Ivy Granger series, and finding a new urban fantasy with a new city was hard to pass up. From the wonderful world-building of Harborsmouth, Stevens takes time and care to introduce readers to the sights, sounds and feel of the ancient city of Bruges in Belgium. Old buildings, twisty streets and the overwhelming sense of years and memories that reside within, Hunting in Bruges presents the city in a near-visceral way that will feed your imagination as it has you contemplating a journey.
Jenna is an American hunter, who has seen ghosts “as long as she can remember”. When the guild gives her a new assignment – to Bruges, she is expected to manage and lead this rag-tag group of hunters to discover who is responsible for all of the tourist bodies that are turning up at every corner. For a threat this massive, one would expect Jenna to have some backup, but her ‘team’ includes a one-armed pyrotechnics obsessed happy man, a nymphomaniac drug-addled witch, a drunk doctor, and a blind archivist/librarian. Not all that much to work with.
Character driven, Jenna is completely convinced that this ‘assignment’ is a punishment, and for a hard-working, courageous, all about the job hunter, this belief eats at her self-confidence. Fortunately, she has her new friend and possible romantic interest, Ash, to help her find a balance between work and play- and there isn’t much time for play. Jenna’s point of view is the narrative voice in this book, and her thoughts, puzzling out the mystery of the ‘who’ is committing the crimes, and navigating her way through the good, the bad and the ‘destined to be hunted’ is well-defined and detailed. Conversations are realistic and feel natural and the plot moves forward quickly as the threats and the possible villains increase.
Completely engaging, with a conclusion and characters that leave plenty of room for more ‘threats’ in Jenna’s future, this is a well-crafted and fun urban fantasy, keeping the spirit and humor found in the Ivy Granger series yet giving us new characters and obstacles to overcome. Bruges comes alive in this story, and fortunately Ash is there to help Jenna relax and enjoy her time. If you are looking for something that is unique, well-written and a fun escape read: this is the story for you!
I received an eArc copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review for The Jeep Diva. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Jenna is an American hunter, who has seen ghosts “as long as she can remember”. When the guild gives her a new assignment – to Bruges, she is expected to manage and lead this rag-tag group of hunters to discover who is responsible for all of the tourist bodies that are turning up at every corner. For a threat this massive, one would expect Jenna to have some backup, but her ‘team’ includes a one-armed pyrotechnics obsessed happy man, a nymphomaniac drug-addled witch, a drunk doctor, and a blind archivist/librarian. Not all that much to work with.
Character driven, Jenna is completely convinced that this ‘assignment’ is a punishment, and for a hard-working, courageous, all about the job hunter, this belief eats at her self-confidence. Fortunately, she has her new friend and possible romantic interest, Ash, to help her find a balance between work and play- and there isn’t much time for play. Jenna’s point of view is the narrative voice in this book, and her thoughts, puzzling out the mystery of the ‘who’ is committing the crimes, and navigating her way through the good, the bad and the ‘destined to be hunted’ is well-defined and detailed. Conversations are realistic and feel natural and the plot moves forward quickly as the threats and the possible villains increase.
Completely engaging, with a conclusion and characters that leave plenty of room for more ‘threats’ in Jenna’s future, this is a well-crafted and fun urban fantasy, keeping the spirit and humor found in the Ivy Granger series yet giving us new characters and obstacles to overcome. Bruges comes alive in this story, and fortunately Ash is there to help Jenna relax and enjoy her time. If you are looking for something that is unique, well-written and a fun escape read: this is the story for you!
I received an eArc copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review for The Jeep Diva. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
October 17, 2014
Despite owning all of E.Js books, I've never managed to read them. Well if Hunting in Bruges is anything to go by then I'm going to have to get reading the rest. I absolutely loved this book!!
Jenna is an awesome character. She kicks ass and takes no names. She has been in the Guild since she was 13 and loves her work but when she is sent on an assignment to Bruges, she thinks its as a punishment. She doesn't like leaving Harborsmouth because bad things seem to be happening there but she has no choice. People are dying in Bruges and someone has to stop it. When Jenna arrives in Bruges she is trust into the job straight away. Can she figure out why the vamps are killing people with no regard to secrecy? More importantly though is can she stop them when the Guild in Bruges is working on a skeleton crew?
Lets take a moment to talk about Bruges. I've never been there but the authors descriptions of the place make me want to go. She brings life to the city and I think it's the perfect setting. It's such an old city steeped in history and I loved learning about it along with Jenna. Jenna can see ghosts and Bruges is a place where you could imagine a lot of ghosts would linger.
Hunting in Bruges has a host of different characters and I think Ash was my favourite. He was a breath of fresh air!! Kooky, fun and sweet, he captured my heart a little. I so want to read more of his back story though!! I loved the dynamics of his relationship with Jenna and loved seeing it develop. Jenna is my second favourite. She is such a worthy heroine! Strong, smart and kind, she does everything she can to keep innocents from getting hurt (even if it gets her in trouble with the Guild!!). I loved her fire as well. She is spunky but also quite vulnerable. She was so easy to like and is right up there with my favourite heroines ever.
Anyway, Hunting in Bruges has everything a great Urban Fantasy should, a kick ass heroine, a lovable hot guy, pleanty of different supernatural beings and a fast paced story line. The plot was also well thought out and I loved the idea of a vamp turf war! Every time I picked this up, I didn't want to put it down again. Its an action packed story that will keep you guessing till the very end. From the superbly written characters to the fascinating setting, Hunting in Bruges is a must read. I loved everything about this book and so cant wait for book 2!
Jenna is an awesome character. She kicks ass and takes no names. She has been in the Guild since she was 13 and loves her work but when she is sent on an assignment to Bruges, she thinks its as a punishment. She doesn't like leaving Harborsmouth because bad things seem to be happening there but she has no choice. People are dying in Bruges and someone has to stop it. When Jenna arrives in Bruges she is trust into the job straight away. Can she figure out why the vamps are killing people with no regard to secrecy? More importantly though is can she stop them when the Guild in Bruges is working on a skeleton crew?
Lets take a moment to talk about Bruges. I've never been there but the authors descriptions of the place make me want to go. She brings life to the city and I think it's the perfect setting. It's such an old city steeped in history and I loved learning about it along with Jenna. Jenna can see ghosts and Bruges is a place where you could imagine a lot of ghosts would linger.
Hunting in Bruges has a host of different characters and I think Ash was my favourite. He was a breath of fresh air!! Kooky, fun and sweet, he captured my heart a little. I so want to read more of his back story though!! I loved the dynamics of his relationship with Jenna and loved seeing it develop. Jenna is my second favourite. She is such a worthy heroine! Strong, smart and kind, she does everything she can to keep innocents from getting hurt (even if it gets her in trouble with the Guild!!). I loved her fire as well. She is spunky but also quite vulnerable. She was so easy to like and is right up there with my favourite heroines ever.
Anyway, Hunting in Bruges has everything a great Urban Fantasy should, a kick ass heroine, a lovable hot guy, pleanty of different supernatural beings and a fast paced story line. The plot was also well thought out and I loved the idea of a vamp turf war! Every time I picked this up, I didn't want to put it down again. Its an action packed story that will keep you guessing till the very end. From the superbly written characters to the fascinating setting, Hunting in Bruges is a must read. I loved everything about this book and so cant wait for book 2!
November 17, 2014
I received Hunting in Bruges in return for an honest review from the author. Hunting in Bruges is a spin off series from Ivy Granger. Jenna has been sent from Harborsmouth to Bruges because of the influx of bodies found floating in the canals. Upon arriving in Bruges Jenna makes an unlikely friend in Ash but he’s hiding a secret that could change everything. When she arrives at the guild she learns that its short staffed with only a few who aren’t in peak hunting form like herself. The guild witch is an addict for a witch drug, the medic is gone half the time, the librarian is blind, the explosions guy has one arm and the guy in charge reminds her a lot of her childhood.
Jenna sets out alone to solve the murders that are quickly piling up. After finding a body floating in the canal she is sure that it’s vampires who are responsible. Little does she know that she’s walked into an ancient turf war, and the upcoming eclipse may just change the balance. As Jenna searches deeper into the two vampire clans that have taken up shop in Bruges she learns that their feud has gone back hundreds of years and one is in fact the once kind of France. With help from Ash and the rest of the guild just maybe they can stop it before it’s too late.
I’m sorry Ivy don’t hate me but I think I like Jenna just a little more. I really enjoyed learning her back story and getting to see how she works on her own. She’s reminds me of Alice in Resident Evil keep in mind it’s been a while since I saw the movies but I think she’s spot on. I loved every part of her, even the part that she has issues with seeing ghosts and her past. She was easy to connect with for me which is exactly what I like in character.
I’ve really enjoyed the Ivy Granger series so when the chance came up to read the new spin off series of Jenna I couldn’t pass it up. I had high expectations for Hunting in Bruges which the book exceeded. The author has done a fantastic job creating an exciting world filled with beings that go bump in the night. Hunting in Bruges is an action packed novel that draws the reader in right from the start and leaves you wanting more. I almost feel like a traitor because I love Ivy but darn Jenna just jumped ahead of her. I loved every moment of the book, it’s beautifully written from start to finish the author’s writings style is one of my favorites. I can’t wait for the next book to see what happens with my favorite hunter Jenna.
Jenna sets out alone to solve the murders that are quickly piling up. After finding a body floating in the canal she is sure that it’s vampires who are responsible. Little does she know that she’s walked into an ancient turf war, and the upcoming eclipse may just change the balance. As Jenna searches deeper into the two vampire clans that have taken up shop in Bruges she learns that their feud has gone back hundreds of years and one is in fact the once kind of France. With help from Ash and the rest of the guild just maybe they can stop it before it’s too late.
I’m sorry Ivy don’t hate me but I think I like Jenna just a little more. I really enjoyed learning her back story and getting to see how she works on her own. She’s reminds me of Alice in Resident Evil keep in mind it’s been a while since I saw the movies but I think she’s spot on. I loved every part of her, even the part that she has issues with seeing ghosts and her past. She was easy to connect with for me which is exactly what I like in character.
I’ve really enjoyed the Ivy Granger series so when the chance came up to read the new spin off series of Jenna I couldn’t pass it up. I had high expectations for Hunting in Bruges which the book exceeded. The author has done a fantastic job creating an exciting world filled with beings that go bump in the night. Hunting in Bruges is an action packed novel that draws the reader in right from the start and leaves you wanting more. I almost feel like a traitor because I love Ivy but darn Jenna just jumped ahead of her. I loved every moment of the book, it’s beautifully written from start to finish the author’s writings style is one of my favorites. I can’t wait for the next book to see what happens with my favorite hunter Jenna.
November 13, 2014
Witty and action-packed, Hunting In Bruges follows twenty-year-old Jenna Lehane as she hunts for whatever’s been killing tourists in the historic Belgian city of Bruges. Part of the Hunters’ Guild, it is Jenna’s sworn duty to protect humans from supernatural monsters – a duty she takes very seriously. Jenna is joined by a mysterious and flirty stranger with a garish sense of style and some rather unconventional guild mates – an addict witch, a blind archivist, and a one-armed demolition expert who just loves to blow things up, among others.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are fantastic and I particular liked the main character Jenna, a young woman who kicks butt and takes names and will release holy hell on anyone who hurts innocents. The world building is richly detailed and the plot flowed really well. I was completely hooked early on and just couldn’t put the book down, finding myself eating lunch with one hand and drinking my coffee with my eyes glued to the page as everything unfolded.
One of the aspects I also really enjoyed in the book was the various supernatural creatures sprinkled throughout. Yes, there were the usual vampires, witches, werewolves, and fairies that are staples in urban fantasy books, but there were also the very standout additions of swan maidens, grindylows, and rusalkis.
I absolutely recommend checking out Hunting In Bruges if you like richly detailed urban fantasies set in historic locations. I definitely plan to read more books by this author and will be on the lookout for the next book in this series (it’s set in Paris – I can’t wait!)
*I received a free ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are fantastic and I particular liked the main character Jenna, a young woman who kicks butt and takes names and will release holy hell on anyone who hurts innocents. The world building is richly detailed and the plot flowed really well. I was completely hooked early on and just couldn’t put the book down, finding myself eating lunch with one hand and drinking my coffee with my eyes glued to the page as everything unfolded.
One of the aspects I also really enjoyed in the book was the various supernatural creatures sprinkled throughout. Yes, there were the usual vampires, witches, werewolves, and fairies that are staples in urban fantasy books, but there were also the very standout additions of swan maidens, grindylows, and rusalkis.
I absolutely recommend checking out Hunting In Bruges if you like richly detailed urban fantasies set in historic locations. I definitely plan to read more books by this author and will be on the lookout for the next book in this series (it’s set in Paris – I can’t wait!)
*I received a free ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
October 30, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jenna is a member of the Hunters’ Guild. She hunts the evil supes. She’s on a personal mission to take out vampires because they killed her parents. Jenna is a confidant hunter that is sure of herself. I love that she’s a confidant woman and can take care of herself. I also love that she’s not willing to take anyone’s crap but is also compassionate to those around her. She tries to help others.
Alistair Ashford, Ash, is a man Jenna meets on the train. He always wears a specific hat and a gaudy scarf. He’s quite quirky and adds humor to the story. I just know he’s a ____. (I’m trying not to give anything away.) I was so excited when I found out I was right. He’s a former hunter and quite helpful in Jenna’s quest to catch a killer.
The other side characters are Simon Chadwick, a chauvinistic jerk, Benjamin Martens, a hunter that lost his wife, Celeste Dubois, a witch with an addiction, Aleksey Zharkov, a one-armed demo man, and Darryl Lambert, a blind librarian. What a fun bunch. They each have limitations but work well together.
I loved “Hunting in Bruges”. It was well-written, easy-to-read, and fast-paced. It sucked me in from the start and had me wanting more at the end. I’m really curious about how certain things were left at the end of this book. Will this ragtag group accomplish the mission they’re being sent on? Will Jenna and Ash have a relationship? I definitely plan to read more by this author.
5-Bombs
Reviewed by Tracy
Jenna is a member of the Hunters’ Guild. She hunts the evil supes. She’s on a personal mission to take out vampires because they killed her parents. Jenna is a confidant hunter that is sure of herself. I love that she’s a confidant woman and can take care of herself. I also love that she’s not willing to take anyone’s crap but is also compassionate to those around her. She tries to help others.
Alistair Ashford, Ash, is a man Jenna meets on the train. He always wears a specific hat and a gaudy scarf. He’s quite quirky and adds humor to the story. I just know he’s a ____. (I’m trying not to give anything away.) I was so excited when I found out I was right. He’s a former hunter and quite helpful in Jenna’s quest to catch a killer.
The other side characters are Simon Chadwick, a chauvinistic jerk, Benjamin Martens, a hunter that lost his wife, Celeste Dubois, a witch with an addiction, Aleksey Zharkov, a one-armed demo man, and Darryl Lambert, a blind librarian. What a fun bunch. They each have limitations but work well together.
I loved “Hunting in Bruges”. It was well-written, easy-to-read, and fast-paced. It sucked me in from the start and had me wanting more at the end. I’m really curious about how certain things were left at the end of this book. Will this ragtag group accomplish the mission they’re being sent on? Will Jenna and Ash have a relationship? I definitely plan to read more by this author.
5-Bombs
Reviewed by Tracy
January 20, 2015
I was provided with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What do you get when a professional supernatural hunter, representing the Hunter's Guild, is thrown into a dainty old town that has tourists' corpses strewn across its canals? You get a pacy and gripping thriller, and that's exactly what Stevens has churned out with this one. Jenna is a hunter who is assigned the task of delving into the mystery of why tourists are being brutally murdered in Bruges. She finds an unlikely comrade in Ash, an eccentric and witty character that helps her with her daunting mission. With supernatural elements at play, Jenna's battle is not just with vampires, but a lot with herself as well - she needs to fight her own confidence and esteem issues and prove her worth to herself first. Do Jenna and Ash manage to save their minds, their lives and the city of Bruges, is what the book takes us through.
Being a storyline that shows us the perceptions of the world from the protagonist's point of view, the narrative relies heavily on Jenna's thoughts. I loved this approach, but however, would have loved more in-depth portrayals of Jenna's idealogies and moralities. Nevertheless, I loved the way the story flowed, keeping the reader hooked. I also loved the characterisations of the others, such as Ash, the misfits in the Hunter's Guild and so on. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series.
I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of urban fantasies.
My rating: 4 stars
What do you get when a professional supernatural hunter, representing the Hunter's Guild, is thrown into a dainty old town that has tourists' corpses strewn across its canals? You get a pacy and gripping thriller, and that's exactly what Stevens has churned out with this one. Jenna is a hunter who is assigned the task of delving into the mystery of why tourists are being brutally murdered in Bruges. She finds an unlikely comrade in Ash, an eccentric and witty character that helps her with her daunting mission. With supernatural elements at play, Jenna's battle is not just with vampires, but a lot with herself as well - she needs to fight her own confidence and esteem issues and prove her worth to herself first. Do Jenna and Ash manage to save their minds, their lives and the city of Bruges, is what the book takes us through.
Being a storyline that shows us the perceptions of the world from the protagonist's point of view, the narrative relies heavily on Jenna's thoughts. I loved this approach, but however, would have loved more in-depth portrayals of Jenna's idealogies and moralities. Nevertheless, I loved the way the story flowed, keeping the reader hooked. I also loved the characterisations of the others, such as Ash, the misfits in the Hunter's Guild and so on. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series.
I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of urban fantasies.
My rating: 4 stars
November 10, 2014
A creepy, oppressive atmosphere prevails throughout the entire book. This gothic malevolence was the perfect backdrop for Jenna’s exploits; traversing the city of Bruges attempting to find out who or what is carrying out an escalating killing spree. To make matters worse, the local Hunters’ Guild takes extraordinary measures to let Jenna know her presence is intrusive and unwelcome. With only the help of a single, oddly attired fellow who seems to make sudden appearances and disappearances, Jenna sets out on her mission defiantly disobeying the Guild’s provisory leader.
As the story progresses the past and present intertwine. There is no shortage of suspects as Jenna unlocks ancient secrets and explores moldy, stinking tunnels. Jenna’s strong moral code is tested as she does her utmost to bring order and a sense of renewed pride to the dysfunctional and corrupt local Hunters’ Guild. With a little help from her mostly unreliable backup Jenna fights to protect the innocent citizens of Burges who have become pawns in a sinister turf battle.
Jenna is a scrappy, young Hunter who has assisted Ivy Granger, psychic detective, in previous books. I enjoyed finding out more about her in this adventure and will love to see Jenna and Ivy reunited in a new adventure.
An ARC copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
As the story progresses the past and present intertwine. There is no shortage of suspects as Jenna unlocks ancient secrets and explores moldy, stinking tunnels. Jenna’s strong moral code is tested as she does her utmost to bring order and a sense of renewed pride to the dysfunctional and corrupt local Hunters’ Guild. With a little help from her mostly unreliable backup Jenna fights to protect the innocent citizens of Burges who have become pawns in a sinister turf battle.
Jenna is a scrappy, young Hunter who has assisted Ivy Granger, psychic detective, in previous books. I enjoyed finding out more about her in this adventure and will love to see Jenna and Ivy reunited in a new adventure.
An ARC copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
December 22, 2015
DNF at 34%
I don't usually give a rating for DNF, but in this case it will serve as something of a warning label, I hope.
I'm also not usually intentionally harsh in reviews - but in this case I'm pretty sure there's no nice or tactful way to say any of it.
Writing: sloppy and juvenile
Characters: one dimensional, epically stupid, and immature
Premise: worthwhile but insufficient to carry the story
World-building: none (unless you count repeated and repetitive references to the protagonist's foster-care background)
Protagonist: so dumb it's a wonder she can stand upright without scaffolding, let alone function as a "hunter" of the supernatural
Plot: broadcasted from page 1, unoriginal, and flawed. I don't even need to skim to find out the ending; I already know it, and I don't even care enough to check to see if I'm right.
In a word: don't bother.
I don't usually give a rating for DNF, but in this case it will serve as something of a warning label, I hope.
I'm also not usually intentionally harsh in reviews - but in this case I'm pretty sure there's no nice or tactful way to say any of it.
Writing: sloppy and juvenile
Characters: one dimensional, epically stupid, and immature
Premise: worthwhile but insufficient to carry the story
World-building: none (unless you count repeated and repetitive references to the protagonist's foster-care background)
Protagonist: so dumb it's a wonder she can stand upright without scaffolding, let alone function as a "hunter" of the supernatural
Plot: broadcasted from page 1, unoriginal, and flawed. I don't even need to skim to find out the ending; I already know it, and I don't even care enough to check to see if I'm right.
In a word: don't bother.
December 19, 2014
Overall, I liked Hunting in Bruges. It's well written and the historical detail and accuracy were a bonus in an urban fantasy. The description of Bruges was also excellent. The action scenes were laid out well, making me edgy waiting on what would happen, and cringe when it did. I just think I would have enjoyed it more had it not been predictable - I figured out the mysteries right off the bat - and had Jenna not been a Mary Sue. However, I liked her despite that and I liked the supporting cast as well. I'm also intrigued with the over-arching plot line. So I will check out Hunting in Paris.
November 10, 2014
I found this to be primarily about paranormal fighting action in an awesome location, Bruges. The different historical bits and descriptions of sights in town are what caught my interest the most.
Jenna is definitely one to add to my list of kick-ass fiction heroines.
If you like the Ivy Granger series, then you will like this one too as it takes you into another aspect and perspective of that paranormal world.
Jenna is definitely one to add to my list of kick-ass fiction heroines.
If you like the Ivy Granger series, then you will like this one too as it takes you into another aspect and perspective of that paranormal world.
November 8, 2014
I love E.J. Stevens so much. Review to come!
October 26, 2016
A fun, gritty, dark, romp through Bruges with monsters. E.J. Stevens just keeps getting better. Highly recommended.
June 12, 2018
Note: This is a spin off from the Ivy Granger series and works perfectly fine as a stand a lone.
Hunting in Bruges is a worthy addition to the urban fantasy genre. I really enjoyed this book. So much fun and intensity! Jenna is an excellent character. She’s got her past and a core set of values, both of which serve her well as she’s tossed into a difficult situation. Bruges is not her first choice of where to serve the Guild. She finds thing in quite the state when she gets there. The resident witch Celeste is strung out and not in neat, tidy control of her powers. The second in command, Simon Chadwick, is a sexist pig who’s not above using his position to take advantage of people. The Guild coroner, Doc Martens, is lazy, drunk, and not dedicated to his job. Yes, indeed, looks like Jenna is on her own for solving a string of murders.
At least until Ash appears. He gives her info on the local Bruges scene and also makes her laugh. However, there is something odd about Ash. My one little quibble is that Jenna didn’t pick up on this until well into the story when it was so obvious to me as the reader. Still, she did have her hands full with the pile of bodies, the messed up Bruges Guild, and a child-killing water fae. Luckily she has a knowledgeable Guild archivist (Darryl Lambert) and a disabled munitions expert (Aleksey) on hand!
The story was well balanced with action, character growth, and setting. I’ve never been to Belgium but now I would like to! Of course, I would go after Jenna has cleared the major cities of paranormal nasties. As Jenna digs into the pile of bodies, it quickly becomes clear that vampires are involved. There’s two major vampire families in Bruges. They are ancient and well established. Jenna certainly has her hands full!
Jenna herself is someone I would want on my team. She’s not perfect but she’s loyal, stubborn, and handy with weapons. She and Ash make a good team even though Jenna doesn’t completely trust him. I really liked how she tried to clean up the Bruges Guild as best as she can without stepping on toes. That is until it becomes necessary to risk punishment by the Guild in order to save innocents. She had tough choices to make and she did it well.
The other characters round out the story. I really liked the archivist, Darryl. He used to be a good fighter out in the field but now his blindness keeps him behind a desk. He requested his current position and he serves it well. Aleksey came into the story pretty late and I look forward to seeing what Stevens does with his character in the future. Celeste brought that sexuality and a bit of playfulness to the tale. I do have to note that we had few female characters in this tale and I would have liked a few more to balance things. Celeste eventually rises to the occasion.
The story ramps up with a potential impending disaster for humanity. I was on the edge of my seat for the last 2 hours of this book. I didn’t want to put it down. The tale wraps up well, completing the story arc for this book. I greatly look forward to future additions to this series. 5/5 stars.
The Narration: Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling narrated this book. Mason had the lion’s share making a great Jenna Lehane. Bowling’s voice was used for when male characters spoke. While Bowling did well, felt that it wasn’t really necessary to have 2 narrators for this book. I think I would have enjoyed the narration a touch more if it was just Mason. While the recording was well done, I always knew that Bowling wasn’t in the same room as Mason for his small parts. The volume was good and Bowling didn’t sound tinny, but there was still something that made his additions stand apart. Setting that aside, Mason did great with the various character voices. Celeste sounds like a drug-abusing under-sexed witch. Jenna has a variety of emotions and those were performed well for the entire book. There were also a variety of accents and those all came across well. 4.5/5 stars.
Hunting in Bruges is a worthy addition to the urban fantasy genre. I really enjoyed this book. So much fun and intensity! Jenna is an excellent character. She’s got her past and a core set of values, both of which serve her well as she’s tossed into a difficult situation. Bruges is not her first choice of where to serve the Guild. She finds thing in quite the state when she gets there. The resident witch Celeste is strung out and not in neat, tidy control of her powers. The second in command, Simon Chadwick, is a sexist pig who’s not above using his position to take advantage of people. The Guild coroner, Doc Martens, is lazy, drunk, and not dedicated to his job. Yes, indeed, looks like Jenna is on her own for solving a string of murders.
At least until Ash appears. He gives her info on the local Bruges scene and also makes her laugh. However, there is something odd about Ash. My one little quibble is that Jenna didn’t pick up on this until well into the story when it was so obvious to me as the reader. Still, she did have her hands full with the pile of bodies, the messed up Bruges Guild, and a child-killing water fae. Luckily she has a knowledgeable Guild archivist (Darryl Lambert) and a disabled munitions expert (Aleksey) on hand!
The story was well balanced with action, character growth, and setting. I’ve never been to Belgium but now I would like to! Of course, I would go after Jenna has cleared the major cities of paranormal nasties. As Jenna digs into the pile of bodies, it quickly becomes clear that vampires are involved. There’s two major vampire families in Bruges. They are ancient and well established. Jenna certainly has her hands full!
Jenna herself is someone I would want on my team. She’s not perfect but she’s loyal, stubborn, and handy with weapons. She and Ash make a good team even though Jenna doesn’t completely trust him. I really liked how she tried to clean up the Bruges Guild as best as she can without stepping on toes. That is until it becomes necessary to risk punishment by the Guild in order to save innocents. She had tough choices to make and she did it well.
The other characters round out the story. I really liked the archivist, Darryl. He used to be a good fighter out in the field but now his blindness keeps him behind a desk. He requested his current position and he serves it well. Aleksey came into the story pretty late and I look forward to seeing what Stevens does with his character in the future. Celeste brought that sexuality and a bit of playfulness to the tale. I do have to note that we had few female characters in this tale and I would have liked a few more to balance things. Celeste eventually rises to the occasion.
The story ramps up with a potential impending disaster for humanity. I was on the edge of my seat for the last 2 hours of this book. I didn’t want to put it down. The tale wraps up well, completing the story arc for this book. I greatly look forward to future additions to this series. 5/5 stars.
The Narration: Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling narrated this book. Mason had the lion’s share making a great Jenna Lehane. Bowling’s voice was used for when male characters spoke. While Bowling did well, felt that it wasn’t really necessary to have 2 narrators for this book. I think I would have enjoyed the narration a touch more if it was just Mason. While the recording was well done, I always knew that Bowling wasn’t in the same room as Mason for his small parts. The volume was good and Bowling didn’t sound tinny, but there was still something that made his additions stand apart. Setting that aside, Mason did great with the various character voices. Celeste sounds like a drug-abusing under-sexed witch. Jenna has a variety of emotions and those were performed well for the entire book. There were also a variety of accents and those all came across well. 4.5/5 stars.
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