Broke, blacklisted, and keeping secrets—the deadly kind.
Name? Ana Calliope Holt. Occupation? Demon vermin hunter. Status in the human magic community? Rock bottom, basement level.
And for a half-angel, that’s quite a feat.
I don’t mind it—the less anyone pays me any attention, the better. Because if anyone in the mortal, angelic, or demonic realms learns I’m the reincarnation of the Red Angel, an ancient weapon that can end immortal lives, I’ll be the hunted instead of doing the hunting.
So, when rumors about my existence begin to circulate, I must cover up my tracks, no matter what.
Unfortunately, when you’re already scraping the bottom of the barrel, the only help you find is the one you probably don’t want. Like the magical black market, where backstabbing is more of a competitive sport than a hobby, or the infuriating nightmare that’s the angel Zel.
But we don’t talk about him. Because murder is illegal, and I might just strangle him.
We’ve featured the wonderful talents of Isa Medina on the blog before with her upbeat Urban Fantasy, The Magical Artifacts Institute series of novellas. These books seriously reminded me of The Mummy films because they were fun of treasure hunting adventure and plenty of banter. Well, Medina is back with the start of a new Urban Fantasy series with a new fun and hopeless main character who dials the banter up to eleven.
Enter Ana Calliope Holt, a demon hunter who’s status among the demon hunters is rock bottom. She’s taking whatever dirty jobs she can get in order to pay the rent in a world where angels and demons are commonplace. But her life somehow magically gets worse when the hunter’s guild begin searching for a magical sword. The problem? Ana herself is the reincarnation of the Red Angel, a sword which can kill mortals and immortals alike. If anyone were to discover this secret, her life, as amazing as it is, would be over.
Cue shenanigans as Ana has to balance her life and secrets by attempting to cover her tracks. And unfortunately, this means enlisting the help of a handsome but unhelpful angel…
What I’ll whine about:
As with Medina’s last Urban Fantasy series, the Realms Unleashed: Red Angel series is going to be a slow burn on the old romance. I absolutely loved Zel the angel as part antagonist, part romantic interest, but I want more on the romance front. I’m definitely hoping for more in the sequels to come!
What I’ll gush about:
Medina has a fantastic sense of humour and this shows in her books through the banter between characters and the zany situations that Ana finds herself in. Ana herself is a sassy character who can take care of herself, but none of her sass comes across as overbearing or annoying. Her relationship with Zel was hilarious at times and touching at others. Zel himself is a fun angel with the personality of a cat, and I loved learning about how the demon and angel realms interacted with the mortal one, especially the role that summoners play in trapping their own demon and angel pets. I’m eager to read more of this dynamic in future books.
I also especially enjoyed the relationship between Ana and her best friend. It’s great to see two awesome women encouraging each other to commit crimes!
Final words:
Mortal Secrets is another fun and fast-paced entry into the world of Urban Fantasy.
Find Mortal Secrets on Amazon and Goodreads
About the Author
Isa Medina loves writing and reading Urban Fantasy books, playing MMORPGs, and scouring the Internet for pet pictures and beautiful art.
As a child, she was first introduced to the world of Fantasy through Dragonlance and she has never looked back. She also has a soft spot for Gothics and treasures all her old Victorian Holt paperbacks. If it has Fae, ghosts, vampires, demons, mythical creatures, or magic in it, she’s all in.
Great review!