Chronicles of Josie Hawk: acción paranormal + romance vampírico

Buenos días, arrebatadores. ¡Qué poquito queda para mis vacaciones! Me están entrando unos nervios ya... ;o)

Hoy toca acción paranormal y romance vampírico. Hace un par de meses leí un relato de esta autora, cuyo estilo divertido y gamberrillo me gustó tanto como las escenas de combates sobrenaturales. Así que acepté la oportunidad de leer otro relato corto, Crimson Beat (ritmo escarlata, el nombre de una banda de rock compuesta sólo por vampiros) y la novela Indigo Dawn (Amanecer añil), de Elle J. Rossi.

En el relato corto, la cazadora semi-humana Josie Hawk está a cargo de vigilar la noche en Nashville y proteger a la población de criaturas sedientas de sangre. Está tratando de convencer a la Asamblea de que organice un equipo de seres oscuros y de la luz para mantener las amenazas a raya. Mientras tanto, se resiste a entregar su independencia al vampiro Keller. Entre combates nocturnos, una escena muy tórrida en la ducha y un enfrentamiento contra un mafioso que casi le cuesta la vida, Josie tiene una aventura muy movidita en este relato que sirve de puente a la novela.

En Indigo Dawn, el estilo sardónico, divertido e ingenioso de la autora brilla a través de la voz de Josie. A veces da su opinión demasiado a menudo de cada detalle, lo que ralentiza un poco el ritmo de la trama, pero está bastante compensado con lo entretenida que resulta su perspectiva tan original de las cosas. Se mete en muchos líos dolorosos mientras investiga una nueva droga que está asolando la ciudad al tiempo que se pega buenos achuchones con el vampiro irlandés y lucha por demostrar su valía ante la Asamblea. 

Me ha gustado bastante su descripción de los vampiros (que sí se reflejan en los espejos, menos mal), las hadas pixi (que son unas sinvergüenzas de mucho cuidado) y los poderes que empiezan a manifestarse en Josie. El final es apoteósico con un gran enfrentamiento contra el narcotraficante en el que participan hadas, vampiros y brujas. Promete mucha caña para la siguiente historia.

Crimson Beat

(The Josie Hawk Chronicles #0.6)

The Spring Equinox brings a slew of nasties to the streets of Nashville. Huntress Josie Hawk is determined to get her arch enemy to sign a treaty, whether the Assembly is behind her or not. But when Keller O’Leary–sexiest vampire alive–returns, will Josie learn to be a team player, or will she stake the heart that has captured hers?

Amazon

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Indigo Dawn

(The Josie Hawk Chronicles #1)

Vampire Lust and Pixie Dust.

Josie Hawk is a Huntress. A killer devoted to protecting the humans of Nashville from the shadows that lurk in the night. But the shadows are gaining ground.

When an infamous pixie tricks Josie into a drug-induced nightmare, Josie envisions the death of her vampire lover, Keller O’Leary. Was the vision a threat … maybe even a promise? But from whom?

Desperate to track down the source of the toxic psychedelic pixie dust, Josie kicks and punches her way toward the truth. But her efforts backfire, provoking a deadly attack at Wolfie’s—the bar Josie co-owns with her sister-in-arms, Sage.

Tag. You’re it.

Haunted by the threat to Keller, Josie scrambles to outwit her elusive opponent before the deadly game escalates and claims more lives. But in saving Nashville, will Josie lose those she loves?

Or will she be too late to stop the deadly game of tag?

Amazon

Add Indigo Dawn to your Goodreads list!

Elle J Rossi grew up in rural Indiana surrounded by great people, a huge family and more animals than she could count. But the sites and sounds of the world beckoned, so she left her small town to escape into a creative world full of music. As a full time singer she was able to lose herself in a thousand different songs in a hundred different places. After meeting the love of her life and settling down, she yearned to find a new and fulfilling creative outlet. Overly fond of the happily ever after, she wondered what it would be like to have her own characters lead her down dark and twisted paths. The very first word on the very first page sealed her fate. She’d found a new love. She’d found her escape. Now along with weaving haunting tales about the journey to love, she’s creating cover art for authors around the world and loving every second of it. For fun, she cranks country music to take her back to her roots, and sings karaoke anytime she gets a chance. Her husband, two children, and a cat that rules the roost keep her company along the way and guarantee she doesn’t get lost in the enchanted forest. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

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MY OPINION OF CRIMSON BEAT & INDIGO DAWN

Crimson Beat is a novella packed with heat that had my blood pumping fast and hot for the all-vampire rock band. Wolfie's bar falls under the musical spell of this band while Ostara, the Spring Equinox, sets the city on paranormal fire.

Mind you, this novella should be read before Indigo Dawn. Josie Hawk is a Huntress bent on keeping her emotional independence. Her vampire suitor has other ideas that involve protecting Josie against her will and enveloping her in much appreciated hotness.

Here is where we get to meet the band: Lucian, Mathew, Alex, Grant. All are puzzles waiting to be unraveled. I just hope they each get their chance.

Josie can tolerate vampires as long as they behave in her city, but the look rather suspicious one night when she finds them around a very dead body. She's also trying to convince the Assembly to put up a team, both light and dark, to fight the evil that prowls the night.

It gets really intense on two accounts. One, Josie tries to deny her feelings for Keller, her own hot vampire. To no avail. Their connection is too wild and deep. That scene in the shower proves it. On the other hand, Josie has a big confrontation with Cross, a mean man with meaner aims. She has to prove the Assembly she can take control of the city and he may just be in the way.

The novella is the perfect bridge to cross over to INDIGO DAWN. I wanted to read this book because I had a taste of the author's writing style in Alabaster Nights, and I was happy with it. Catchy story, strong characters. A good bet.

We have a neat bunch of vampires patrolling the night alongside Josie Hawk. They have some cool powers such as teletransport (dangerous business, it's always good to know there are perils to the bloodsuckers lifestyle), and they play in a band too! I nod at the fact that a vampire can be reflected on the surface of a mirror. For the life of me, I could never understand why the traditional vampire would not appear on a reflective surface. After all, they're made of matter and they're not exactly ghosts, so why the weird invisibility?

Then there is Josie. Bad-tempered, weaponized Josie who thinks she owns the city she's honoured to protect. The city, though, is going to prove a challenge for her these days. Or nights full of terror.

While searching for the culprit behind an emerging drug market, the Huntress and the vampire Keller test the power of their emotional bond. There are some steamy moments that don't disappoint either.

What keeps things interesting is the way Josie is bombarded with issues all the time. She has to deal with the nasty drug effects in the population of Nashville, the Assembly wants to control her, she still has to show her worth because she's half human, and an uncanny power surprises the hell out of her. Still she's the most badass Huntress and she fights to the end which, along with her naughty wit, makes the plot pulse with energy.

The author's strong and fun prose kicks the plot into a lively rhythm. It might give out the impression that not much is happening at the beginning, but the main character's voice is quirky enough to get us hooked on her musings and misadventures.

A very entertaining read with a blade-wielding, cool heroine, and lots of sexy vampires, nasty pixies, regal witches, a half-starved shifter, and a drug lord screaming for a painful execution. I loved the ending for its exhilarating action and the promise of a power shift. Big things coming to Nashville!

**

Decidme, arrebatadores, ¿hay alguna serie que estés leyendo ahora?

Babel siempre en busca de una heroína interesante.