Eternally Devoted

Author: Stacey Kennedy 

Release Date: March 27, 2013

Publisher: self-published

Frostbite #4

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

Format(s): e-book

Book Source: Author

Tess Jennings, who has been gifted with the ability to see ghosts, struggles to help the Grand Master of the Animus, Alexander, cross over. She might even have discovered who murdered him, but she has no way to prove it.

Adding to her pile of failures, Tess must accept a harsh reality—she has officially run out of time. The closer she gets to an answer to save her ghost lover, Kipp McGowen, the more she’s realizing she’s been searching for an answer she didn’t want to find.

Tess will have to make difficult choices, and her decisions will lead to consequences she cannot predict. Will Kipp finally take a living breath again, or will Tess take her last and join him in the Netherworld forever?

NOTE: Eternally Devoted is the fourth and final book of the Frostbite series. This review will inevitably contain spoilers from the first three books, each of which have twists that may be more enjoyable without knowing what will happen. I highly suggest if you haven’t picked it up already, start reading this series with the first book, Supernaturally Kissed.

I am a huge fan of Tess and Kipp, the star players in Ms. Kennedy’s wonderful Frostbite series, and so I write this review for Eternally Devoted, the final book in the series, filled with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I am overjoyed that Kipp and Tess finally have their day in the sun, but at the same time I am sad to say good-bye to this series.

Eternally Devoted picks up the story of Tess and gang immediately from moment of the cliff-hangerish ending of the third book, Mystically Bound. Tess and her friends have traveled to White Castle, LA, in attempts to help a magical group known as the Animus discover who killed their Grand Master, Alexander. In exchange, their new leader, Wayde, has agreed teach Tess how to help her ghost-of-a-boyfriend, Kipp, reenter his body and wake again. At the end of the last book and beginning of the current story, Tess has just been told that the man they know as “Wayde Hagen is, in fact, dead.” This sends the whole group searching for the man calling himself Wayde in hopes he can answer the dozen questions that have surfaced - like “Did you kill Alexander, Wayde?” 

By in large, I enjoyed the story, and I was extremely satisfied with the series ending. Once again, Ms. Kennedy added a few key twists to the plot line that added suspense and excitement. One such twist I had figured out in the previous book (but didn’t know the reason ‘why’ behind it until it was explained), and another twist was a marvelous surprise that I didn’t see coming until literally the page before the reveal. Ms. Kennedy does a superb job leaving little clues for the reader to collect along the way, in hopes of piecing them all together before the clock runs out.

Tess and Kipp spent a lot of time apart in this one, but the moments they had together were insanely intense, sometimes sweet and other times sexy. There is just something about this pair that had me hooked since the beginning. I have enjoyed their journey with all the ups and downs they had to get through in order to arrive at their conclusion.

Since this is the final book of the series, there is a lot of introspection and explaining of why Tess can communicate with ghosts and in general, what was going on around Tess and Kipp. Although for the most part I thoroughly liked the reasons behind the happenings, I felt at times that there was a lot of “telling” and explaining, rather than action and “showing.” There were times that I felt like skipping ahead so I could get back to the primary storyline and more action. 

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I’ll carefully say that I loved the ending of this book. To witness the conclusion that I’ve been waiting to see since day one was worth the wait. Not only that, but Tess has really grown into a wonderful woman. I admire that she had to go through so much and loved seeing her learn to stand up for herself. In addition, I completely enjoyed seeing Tess go from a pretty lonely woman to one with an amazing extended family of close friends.

In the end, Eternally Devoted is a great treat for fans of the Frostbite series. However, I don’t feel it would be enjoyable as a stand alone book, and at the very least, one should read Mystically Bound first. Overall I enjoyed the wrap-up and conclusion of the series. Although I felt that there was a lot of explaining rather than doing, I LOVED how it all turned out.

Liked it - recommend (B+)

Eternally Devoted (Book #4)

Reviews in the Series:

Supernaturally Kissed (Book #1)

Demonically Tempted (Book #2)

Mystically Bound (Book #3)

Mystically Bound

Author: Stacey Kennedy 

Release Date: Jan. 31, 2013

Publisher: Self-published

Frostbite #3

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance

Format(s): e-book

Book Source: Author

Tess Jennings’ life is in chaos. Her ghost lover, Kipp McGowen, vanished into the Netherworld without a trace. Now, she finds herself in White Castle, Louisiana, surrounded by the Animus—a secret society of the supernaturally gifted. To make matters 

worse, they present her with an offer she cannot refuse. 

If she helps solve the murder of their Grand Master, they will assist her in saving Kipp. Soon, Tess will land herself lost in another mystery she doesn’t want. But she will have to trust her enemies to gain what she most desires—a life with Kipp. 

Only problem? People are hiding secrets and dark pasts. Tess will soon discover that nothing is as it seems. She might want to save Kipp from his ghostly state, but someone has decided it’s better for her to join him…

*Note this review contains a big spoiler from the end of the second book, Demonically Tempted.

After learning that her ghostly boyfriend has crossed over to the Netherworld, yet his body is still very much alive and in a coma, Tess takes the advice of her new best buddy, Gretchen the witch, and seeks help to save Kipp. The pair travel to White Castle, Louisiana to get aid from the mysterious magical group the Animus. Once they arrive, Tess is told that they would teach her how to "cross over" to find Kipp, but first she must promise via a blood bond to help discover who killed their Grand Master, Alexander. It isn’t until after the unbreakable vow with Wayde (the new Grand Master) is in place that Tess discovers that Alexander's son-in-law is none other than Dane... the man responsible for making Tess’ life miserable and partially responsible for sending Kipp to the Netherworld. 
Mystically Bound, the third foray into Ms. Kennedy’s Frostbite series, is the strongest story and my favorite to date. Tess has come along way since we first met her in Supernaturally Kissed. She has learned to accept her “gift” of communicating with the deceased and has gained confidence in herself from her recent experiences. Having developed a close-knit bond with Kipp’s police force partners, she’s learned to trust in others as well. She's become strong but remains caring. She stands up for herself without turning a blind eye to those that need help. She's still Tess but with an extra coating of toughness now. The growth of her character helps to create a better story.
The mystery of who killed Alexander is intriguing. Although Tess has no emotional investment in helping Alexander, I found myself drawn to his plight and wanting her to help. However, it’s not the walk in the park that previous mysteries have been for Tess. Alexander is not a normal ghost, and he cannot talk to Tess because magic was used in his death. This creates unique situations for Tess - and some down right fun as Alexander attempts to use charades to communicate.
The whodunit kept me guessing throughout the book, and I will warn you - there is a cliff-hanger ending, with many questions left unresolved. (Luckily we only have to wait a couple months for the final chapter in the series!) Every character was a suspect in my eyes. The story had me guessing until the end - well, I’m still guessing! It made for an incredibly fast and exciting read. And although I enjoyed all of the new characters and even learning more about Dane, I was suspicious of every action taken and comment made.
What I loved so much about the first two books in the Frostbite series is the connection between Kipp and Tess - one so powerful that even death doesn’t deter it. I was worried with Kipp out of the picture, that magic would be missing. But fear not! Kipp resurfaces, and the pair find their way to one another again. And WOW! it was one helluva smokin’ reunion. But beyond their physical connection, the two deepen their emotional bond. One thing that upset me in the second book was how easily the pair seemed to fall apart - that Kipp took off and that Tess believed the worst. The couple discuss the entire situation openly and honestly, which helped this reader get back on the bandwagon. 
Overall, Mystically Bound is an outstanding, entertaining story! The book is well written with compelling and cohesive story lines. The mystery of what happened to Alexander is fascinating, especially since it appears to be tied to Tess and Kipp. With everything that has occurred thus far, this mystery appears to be multifaceted and complex. I wish I had more now but honestly, I am good with the ending, especially knowing the rest is coming soon.

Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)

Mystically Bound (Frostbite Book 3)

Reviews in the Series:

Supernaturally Kissed (Book 1)

Demonically Tempted (Book 2)

Demonically Tempted

Author: Stacey Kennedy 

Release Date: April 13, 2012

Publisher: Self-Published

Frostbite Series #2

ISBN: #978-1476341873

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Format(s): e-book

Book Source: Author

Tess Jennings, now a member of the Memphis Police Department, is on her first cold case. The suspected suicide of Lizbeth Knapp ten years ago isn’t a theory her family accepts—they believe she was murdered.

But the case is only one of Tess’s worries. Ghosts are talking, and word of her abilities rapidly spreads. A dark ghost is terrifying the spirits of Memphis, and she must force the entity to cross over.

Tess doesn’t have to do this alone. Not only does she have her ghost-lover, Kipp McGowen, but the department has brought in a medium. Dane Wolfe might answer all her questions, but he also brings a world of trouble. Will Tess finally have all she’s ever wanted, or will everything she’s vowed to protect be ripped away?

**NOTE: I’m trying my new “hidden spoilers” button in this review. I have been told it pretty much always works - however if you are reading this via an RSS Feed Reader it will NOT work and the spoiler text will appear. HOWEVER, I have noted in all caps where the spoiler text begins and ends, so you can still read this review without the spoilers.  Thanks!**

After getting to know all about Tess and her “ghost whispering” abilities in the first Frostbite book, Supernaturally Kissed, Ms. Kennedy jumps right into the thick of things in Demonically Tempted. Tess is now working for the Memphis Police Department with her ghostly, police officer boyfriend, Kipp, in tow. She has stepped into Kipp’s job, working along side of his best friend and partner, Zach. They are investigating cold cases, and the current case is a creepy apparent suicide. The team visits the old farmhouse where the dead girl’s sister still lives, yet Tess cannot find her ghost. What they do hear is a tale of darkness and strange behavior.

Meanwhile, in present day, Tess’s abilities are now making the circles among ghosts - who knew that they would chat it up in the afterlife? They fear a dark presence and want Tess to make it go away. Why she didn’t see the connection between the cold case and this evil spirit is beyond me. But... she doesn’t and she agrees to help these ghosts.

Enter Dane - apparent ghost expert who works for the FBI. Tess’s boss, Max, has hired Dane to work with Tess on her abilities. And much to Tess’s chagrin, Dane’s an arrogant jerk that constantly makes her feel stupid. Dane recognizes that this darkness is a demon and knows just the right person to help the team, Gretchen - a witch.

First of all, I really like how this story starts out... it jumps right into things with no need for a big backstory about Tess and Kipp or her powers. We are right in the heart of the story from the beginning, and this grabs the reader and pulls them in quickly. Overall the demonic story line, while briefly skirting a “horror” line with the possession concerns, brings several new aspects of Tess’s abilities and widens the known mythology extensively. And it was done in a way that isn't “telling” the reader what is going on, but rather “shows” the reader more about this exciting world.

As for the characters - let me start with newcomer, Dane. He is painted in a fairly negative light. I really didn’t like him, and I credit the author with successfully portraying him to be such an ass. Kipp does NOT like Dane - and is constantly telling Tess he has a feeling Dane is hiding something. Tess continually attributes Kipp’s feelings as jealousy. I have to say after a while I got annoyed that Tess would not accept Kipp’s “gut feeling.” 

It turns out that Dane is up to something - but not as nefarious as I thought at first. He wants to protect Tess because he’s seen what happens to others when they let their special abilities rule their lives. I did not like how he approached Tess. But again, I'm sure that's what I'm supposed to feel and it is the author’s intension, so kudos to Ms. Kennedy. But I felt he could have gone about his purpose a different way and achieved better results. 

As for our main couple... I still adore Tess and Kipp. Although we don’t have as much time for relationship building in this story, they are still an exciting pair to read. The author did find a way to insert a few sexy scenes which don’t detract from the overall story line. Although I’m not at all happy about something that happens at the end of the book-not that it happened but rather the timing of the event (read about it below in the spoiler section), I am very excited to see what is in store for the couple. 

I felt Tess could be a little dense and whiny at times, but I love that she stood her ground with Dane and that she took on the demon. Over the course of this book, she learns to believe in herself and the supernatural world surrounding her. With Kipp, I felt he was a bit too angry; however he was rightfully so. There is a scene in which Kipp “goes off the deep end” over something Dane does, and I felt it was way too dramatic for his character. But then later we find out all is not as it seems. I like that!

*********NOTE: SPOILER TEXT STARTS HERE*********

Okay so here is my issue with this book. We find out that Kipp is actually in a coma. If you read my review of the first book, Supernaturally Kissed I specifically said that I thought that would happen, just like Reese Witherspoon’s character in the movie Just like Heaven. But no... he was ... dead. Yet, in the final scenes of Demonically Tempted, we are told that Kipp has been in a coma this entire time. Wait... what? And NO ONE bothered to mention that to Tess? No one asked if she wanted to see him? Ms. Kennedy has her characters do a little side stepping and get around this, but not to my satisfaction. It was like finding out Luke and Leia are brother and sister in Return of the Jedi after seeing them kiss pretty passionately in Empire Strikes Back. To me it was poor continuity and I felt cheated. Kipp’s best friend and coworkers would have brought it up well before the end of this book.

With that said, I will forgive this and move on because I really do like these characters a lot and look forward to finding out what will happen next!

*********SPOILER TEXT ENDS HERE*********

So in the end I was a bit conflicted over this book. I like Tess and Kipp, and the new supporting characters are an excellent addition. I am very happy that we learned so much more about the supernatural world. But, I did have some issues with the book... The biggest being what happens near then end of the book (in the spoiler section). It was just very hard for me to accept. But with that said, I am interested to know who the "others" (with special abilities) are and where Tess is headed. I have a strong desire to keep reading this series and seeing it to the end. And so I am highly anticipating Mystically Bound (Book 3) coming in Fall 2012. 

Liked it, but I had some issues - recommend (B)

Purchase Info:

Demonically Tempted (Frostbite 2)

Reviews of books in the series:

Supernaturally Kissed (Book 1)

Supernaturally Kissed

Author: Stacey Kennedy

Release Date: Dec. 29, 2011

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Frostbite Series #1

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Format(s): e-book

Book Source: Author

Ghosts harass and annoy Tess Jennings to save their souls. Sometimes she helps them. Other times she ignores them. But one ghost will give her no choice.

Kipp McGowen, a cop with the Memphis Police Department, will stop at nothing to gain her help, including using his ghostly charms to seduce her.

Tess must help solve the five year old cold case of Hannah Reid, because solving the case will save Kipp. But a bigger problem presents itself. Tess is falling in love with a ghost. Now she must decide. Keep Kipp forever or find the killer…

Tess is a little different from the rest of us - she sees and communicates with ghosts. She usually ignores their plight, or if she stops to listen, she tries to send them on their way to the “other side” quickly. That process has always worked for her until she meets Kipp - he is different from any ghost she’s met before. He remembers his life and acts like a “normal person.” Kipp implores Tess to help him catch the man who killed him while he was tracking down the killer of a young girl.

Right from the start, Kipp reminded me of Patrick Swayze’s character in the movie Ghost - bothering Tess until she acknowledged him and did his bidding. It didn’t hinder the story, but rather made me chuckle.

I will tell you right up front that I spent a lot of time during the first half of so of this book trying to figure out how Kipp and Tess could have a happy ending. First, I thought maybe he wasn’t really dead like Reese Witherspoon’s character in the movie Just like Heaven. Then I wondered if she would die too. Or *gulp* would there not be a happy ending? I just couldn’t see how it could possibly end well.... with him a ghost and her, well, not. Let me reassure you that this concern is addressed AND once the story got rolling, I was so engrossed that I didn’t really care.

I loved how my emotions were tugged around in this book. For example, several times my heart raced with Tess’s frustration when she tried to explain the truth to Kipp’s partners. I was waiting for one of them to put her in the looney bin. 

I did get annoyed that Kipp and his best friend and former partner, Zach, didn’t have a problem putting Tess in potentially dangerous situations. For as “protective” as they are supposed to be, time and time again they pushed her into doing things that had the potential to kill her. I was especially upset with one scene when the partners pushed Tess into dressing like a slut and had her attempt to pick up a man who could have been Kipp’s killer. Not cool. And Tess could be a pushover. She shouldn’t have allowed herself to do some of these things - like go undercover at the bar.

As I mentioned, this book really held some great emotional components. Kipp and Tess had some very touching scenes - I was especially impacted by Kipp’s words when he told Tess that dying was worth it to meet her (sounds corny when I write it, but it was very touching). There was constant tension in the book caused by the threat that Kipp would *poof* off to heaven - or whatever the afterlife brings - once the mystery of his murder is solved.

As the story approached its climax, I got very anxious something bad was going to happen to Tess. She was “alone” in the woods at the site of a buried body... come on! I was screaming at her for leaving the officers and at the police for letting her go.  Although it was pretty obvious who the “bad guy” was, it was still suspenseful and once again, my heart was racing.

At the conclusion, when Tess spoke to a parent of a murdered girl, I was in tears. What a gift to receive - parting words from beyond. And I liked how the author portrayed her parents - they accepted Tess’s gift without judgement.

Overall, Supernaturally Kissed was predictable at times, but a sweet and suspenseful story. Although not a true “HEA,” Ms. Kennedy left hope for the future, and she has written the start of what I predict will be an exciting series. Although I was fixated on how it would conclude, I am glad it wasn’t a cliched ending.

Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)

Purchase Info:

Supernaturally Kissed (Frostbite, Book One)