Audio #Review: Karma by Donna Augustine - 4 Wine Glasses

Title: Karma
Series: Karma #1
Author: Donna Augustine
Narrated by: Angel Clark
Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:02-26-15
Publisher: Strong Hold Publishing
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Audible | B&N
Reviewer: Linda
Source: Author
Rating: 4 out of 5 Wine Glasses

People say karma's a...well, you know. Personally, I don't think I'm that bad. It's not like I wanted this job. I wasn't even in my right mind when I accepted the position.

Now, I'm surrounded by crazy coworkers like Lady Luck, who's a bit of a tramp, and Murphy's Law, who's a bumbling oaf. But the worst is Fate. He's got a problem with transfers like myself, and I have to see him constantly. It's unavoidable. We're hunting the same man—my murderer.

Linda's Thoughts:
People say karma's a bitch. Personally, I really don't think I'm that bad.

KARMA by Donna Augustine is an intriguing start to the author's Karma urban fantasy trilogy. This was the first book I've ever read by Donna - but it most assuredly won't be the last.

As the story opens, we meet Camilla Fontaine, a highly-esteemed public defender with loving, supportive parents. She is engaged to marry her successful physician boyfriend. She has carved a satisfying and productive life for herself defending the under-privileged. But... her life is abruptly cut off when she dies in a train wreck. As she rises from and views her dead body, she is visited by paper-pusher Harold, self-appointed middle-management czar of the Universe, who offers her a way to find and bring to justice the villain who targeted the train and took, not only her life, but that of other victims of the catastrophe. Hence, Camilla is recruited and becomes Karma in an eclectic world populated by an array of cosmic characters Camilla previously believed to be fantasies such as the Tooth Fairy, Lady Luck, Death, Murphy's Law and Cupid. LOL! Who knew that Death is addicted to golf? You will discover that tidbit and many more if you indulge in this series.

Karma was a great heroine  and easy to relate to. She's been thrown a colossal loop and the way her lawyer's mind copes was quite engrossing. Seeing her afterlife through her point of view really helps reader understand the whys and wherefores of her thinking process. I really enjoyed watching Karma develop into a kick-ass character. She could be quite the ass-kicker to those who deserved a comeuppance. Even while she grieves for the life she lost, she applies herself to her new position and sets her eyes to the future in which she hopes to be reborn.

Fate, who is ordained to be her unwilling training partner, is a piece of work. He's arrogant, hot but hostile towards her because she's a transfer which means she was a human and wasn't just born into the afterlife as most of the characters were. It seems that transfers don't have a high success rate of acclimating to the rigors of the afterlife. Karma and Fate have the scintillating chemistry if they can work through some major issues. The afterlife is certainly not fair as Karma is given a beat-up old car to drive and Fate gets a snazzy, sports machine! I really hope that Karma gets that situation rectified in future installments!

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes for this imaginative and thought-provoking listen:

I stepped out and the sun was shining. And the birds were chirping. It was the nicest day we'd had in ages. A couple of bunnies scampering about. It could have been the start of a Disney flick. 
---

After a night of wallowing in a depression that threatened to destroy me, I'd awoken with a determination to not think at all. I wouldn't think of my parents. The career I'd lost. The friends I had. Nothing. As stupid as it might seem, it was the only way I was going to hold it together and get through this next month. Too painful? Don't think about it. I only had to get through a month. I'd spent at least part of my teens not thinking. I had the skill set. 
---

Anyone who thought death warmed over didn't look good, had never seen this guy.
---

He was the type of man that could consume me. After a man like him, I didn't know if there would be any of me left. The scariest part was that when he looked at me like that, I wasn't sure if I cared.

Some of my favorite scenes involved the body-armored door guys. You'll have to read or listen to this book to find out what they do, but let's just say that Karma didn't make a good first impression on them. Their attempts to pay her back for denting their armor and her attempts to mollify them were hilarious to the extreme. I can't wait for their interactions in the next book.

This audio was narrated by Angel Clark. This was the first time I've ever listened to her voice. She delivered a solid performance. Her narration really made me feel the despair, menace and suspense and she delivered the wonderful spots of humor with aplomb. I caught myself laughing out loud in public quite a few times listening. Her guy voices took getting used to as they sounded nasal to me - but as the story riveted my attention, I didn't focus on her characterizations. I confess to squeezing in some extra workouts so I could enjoy some more listening time.

The heroine rocks and the supporting characters make for a very interesting cast. The story was original, well-paced and funny with murmurings of a deeper, darker issue. The witty dialogue was highly entertaining! I have trust that the Universe has a multitude of mystery, drama, twists and turns and humor in store for readers in the future installments and I can't wait to delve back in. I already have Jinxed, the second book in this series, on my phone ready to hit play. Let there be no doubt... "You can't escape your fate."