Wayward Souls by Devon Monk

Wayward Souls (Souls of the Road, #1)

by Devon Monk

Betrayals and secrets, devils and saviors, fae folk and foul, and a magic stronger than even the gods can tame...

Lovers Lula and Brogan Gauge have dealt with magic, monsters, and gods for eighty years. Bound to travel the lonely roads of Route 66, Brogan’s a spirit with no chance of leaving the earthly realm while Lula, neither human nor monster, is only half-alive.

Their search for a way to break their curse might finally come to an end if the ghost in Illinois is telling the truth about a magical journal.

Lula and Brogan aren’t alone in wanting the journal. If they don’t get to it first, their chance at freedom might just turn into the fight of their un-lives...

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

3 of 5 stars

Share

Wayward Souls is the first novel in a new series (Souls of the Road) by Devon Monk – one of my favorite urban fantasy authors. The second I saw this book, it immediately got added to my TBR pile, though I'm ashamed to admit that it took me this long to get around to reading it.

Lula and Brogan Gauge don't have what most people consider a typical relationship. They love each other – some would say to death and back. They have been traveling the roads of Route 66 for years and will likely be doing so for many years to come.

You see, they are in search of a cure for the curse that plagues them both. It's a modern tale of Lady Hawk, with a few darker twists – because magic and curses are never so simple, are they?

Since I love Devon Monk and her writing, I went into Wayward Souls with really high hopes. Unfortunately, I didn't end up loving the novel nearly as much as I had hoped. Don't get me wrong – it was still a decent read. It just didn't blow me away as I had hoped.

Lula and Brogan's stories did admittedly break my heart. It was an interesting choice to throw us into their story long after they had been cursed. There's something very somber about that choice, and it sort of sets the tone for the whole novel. At least, that's how it felt to me.

Actually, there are several somber tones in this novel, all of which weave together. And I'll admit that I spent more than my fair share of time worrying over the dog and his well-being (I do that a lot, so no surprise there).

Do I think that there's a lot of potential? Absolutely. Do I think I'll be reading the rest of this series? Maybe? But it probably won't be making the top of my TBR pile, which at this point is pretty overwhelming anyway.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 30 December, 2021: Finished reading
  • 30 December, 2021: Reviewed