Audiobook review: Always Be My Banshee by Molly Harper
Cordelia and Brendan, League employees from different areas, arrive in Mystic Bayou on Halloween. Cordelia is a psychic who sees object’s and personal histories upon touch. Brendan is a rare male banshee, cursed with seeing the eminent deaths of those around him. They are there to investigate the mysterious artifact pulled from the rift in the previous book. The hope is they can find out who sent it and how it affects the dangerous space/time rift.
Right from the start, the pair experiences a strong mutual attraction. Cordelia loves that she doesn’t relive Brendan’s history when she touches him – something she hasn’t ever had with another human. Cordelia had an awful childhood; raised and used by her greedy mother. Because of her mom and the fact that she can’t really touch anyone, Cordelia has been a loner for much of her adult life. I liked seeing her open up and develop real bonds with the residents of Mystic Bayou.
The pair don’t do a lot of working, as there are significant healthy risks everytime Cordelia tries to examine the artifact. This puts the focus more on their budding relationship and developing friendships with the denizens. I liked the personal side of the tale, making it meaningful. Ms. Harper’s trademark zaniness and humor is present and accounted for. As the story unfolds, the focus shifts more on the artifact and rift, and there is a lot of progress made on the overall story arc.
Narration: As with previous books in the series, the story is shared in a dual narrative, with Amanda Ronconi (AR) reading the parts told from Cordelia’s POV and Jonathan Davis (JD) the parts shared from Brendan’s POV. Overall, both do a good job, and at this point, I find that I enjoy both equally. This time around, the male lead comes from outside the country, and JD has a solid Irish brogue which I found extremely sexy. JD continues to expand his range for his male voices, giving each a unique and identifiable sound. AR’s voice for Cordelia is slightly different than the other female characters, but the range of difference isn’t tremendous. While I still feel the two narrators have narrative styles and voices that are a bit on the opposite ends of the spectrum, so when they perform the voices of the same characters, they sound completely different, it still works.
While I have no knowledge on the future of the series, Always Be My Banshee feels like it could be the end. Everything is tied up and all the characters happy by the end, and I am completely satisfied with how it all went down. However, I would love more stories in this fun and unique world.
My Ratings
Story: B+
Narration: B+
Jen
About the Book:
Cordelia Canton is on a top-secret assignment: travel to Mystic Bayou and use her powers as a touch-know psychic to learn more about the mysterious artifact that’s been pulled from the rift site. She’s partnered with Brendan O’Connor, a rare male banshee whose tall, dark, and broody good looks are a major distraction. Before long, it becomes clear that the artifact they’re studying is sentient – and brimming with supernatural power. Can they harness its magic in time to stop the secret forces conspiring to steal it?
Author: Molly Harper
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
Series: Mystic Bayou #4
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Audiobook Release Date: April 7, 2020
Publisher: Audible
Length: 7h/11m
Source: Purchased
Audio Speed: 1.4x
Purchase info:
Amazon/Audible (affilate link)
Reviews in the Series:
How to Date Your Dragon by Molly Harper (Mystic Bayou #1) – Audiobook Review
Love and Other Wild Things by Molly Harper (Mystic Bayou #2) – Audiobook Review
Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues by Molly Harper (Mystic Bayou #2.5) – Audiobook Review
Selkies Are a Girl’s Best Friend by Molly Harper (Mystic Bayou #3) – Audiobook Review