Cursed (Alex Verus, #2)

by Benedict Jacka

[kimbacaffeinate]

Cursed takes place shortly after Fated, and Alex is enjoying or not, a bit of notoriety from the events that occurred. A friend of Luna’s takes something dangerous from his shop. A woman comes in seeking help, and something tries to kill them. Someone or something is killing magical creatures. Before you know it, Alex ends up in the thick of things. I’ve got my headphones and I am ready to help solve the case.

Despite the fast-pace and intense action scenes, Jacka allowed us to get to know the characters, in particular Luna, who made quite a few mistakes in Cursed. He also moved the overall series ARC. I enjoyed learning more about our friend Spider and was delighted she will be a repeating character. I really adore her.

Alex is clever, loyal and a likable character. His ability to see different futures, collect clues, find motives and moral compass make him a delightful hero. Much like Harry Dresden he does his own thing, isn’t part of the Council and the Dark and Light Mages.

Gildart Jackson did a stellar job with the narration from secondary characters to Alex himself. I loved all the different voices and his ability to build suspense and show emotions through inflection.

If you love quirky characters, mystery and solid urban fantasy you’ll want to begin the Alex Verus series if you haven’t already done so. I have the fourth book queue and ready for listening. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer