#Review: Jinxed by Donna Augustine - 4 Wine Glasses

Title: Jinxed
Series: Karma
Author: Donna Augustine
Narrator: Angel Clark
Format: Audible - Unabridged Audiobook; 8 hrs and 41 mins
Published : 06/18/2015 by Strong Hold Publishing
ISBN : ASIN:B00ZY9F8VI
Links:  Goodreads | Amazon | Audible | B&N
Reviewer: Linda
Source: Gifted by Author
Rating:  4 Wine Glasses

Karma,. It's what they call me and the very essence of who I am. When I died young, I was recruited by the agency that keeps the universe running smoothly. As someone with a human past, most of my coworkers consider me inferior.

But not everyone. Something evil has been stalking me for centuries. It's been biding its time, waiting for the moment when it will strike, and it needs me to do it.

Its methods of recruitment are tearing apart every aspect of my life. I'm slowly losing myself, both mentally and physically. I don't know who I can count on, but I'm finding out how much I'm willing to sacrifice to save the ones I care about.

Linda's Thoughts
He didn't get it. That's exactly why I needed my Maker's Mark. You can't throw my life into turmoil, and then screw me out of my bourbon too. 

JINXED by Donna Augustine is the second book in Donna's fantastic Karma series whereas the reader is treated to Karma's afterlife story through her point of view. This sequel is a darker, much more intense installment than the first book and finds Karma in some seriously big trouble. Kitty, one of Karma's co-workers, has been kidnapped and Karma feels responsible. There's still humor - thank goodness - but there's an horrific villainous element in this one. Sadistic torture is just one of the creep's tools and I could only shudder during some parts. I hoped that Karma would rise to the occasion as she is truly an impressive kickass heroine, but she really needed help herein whether she knew it or not.

Thankfully, she has Fate in her corner. Fate is still sexy as hell, just as obstinate as before, but, this time, we are treated to a caring side of him and I like it. In Karma's words:

“To sum it up, Fate was like the Universe’s experiment in extra credit. If the rest of us were a scoop of vanilla ice cream, he was a sundae, with extra fudge and a cherry.”

I love the colorful assortment of characters in this series. In this installment, we meet Night Mares and Santa and more. Cupid is still playing his lusty tricks. The Tooth Fairy, Lady Luck, Murphy's Law, Death, the Jinxes and more from the first book return. The Jinxes are some of my favorites characters in the series for the comic relief that often accompanies their antics.

Following please find some of my favorite quotes from this book:

"I thought we weren't actually dead?", I asked. There was a lot of ambiguity surrounding that subject. We weren't mortal anymore. That was for sure. I could swing by my grave and prove that anytime I wanted. But, we had bodies with needs. And could get hurt or killed. And, though, I've been told we didn't age, my hair continued to grow. I still woke up hungry in the morning, and watch out, if I didn't get a cup of coffee. It was like we were straddling some invisible fence between immortality and human frailty.
"Seriously, are we dead or not? I asked again when I still received no response. I got several yes's and no's at the same time confirming my own belief. Somehow, we were neither.
---

I wonder if he ever smelt bad. Maybe if he got all sweaty. No, that wasn't a good thing to think about either. I'd seen him all sweaty as he'd covered my body with his. There was good sex, and then, there was that night.
---

"No, I might not know what's coming, but I know where you're going."
One of my favorite scenes was when Karma met and rode a Night Mare. To say I was in awe is an understatement. Following please find a short snippet setting up her mind-blowing ride:
"She's the queen of the herd."
"May I touch her?"
"If she'll let you. She doesn't take to strangers well."
I took a hesitant step forward and reached out my hand. Terror approached me with confidence, then ducked her muzzle beneath my palm. Once she came closer, for a moment, I feared she was going to trample me. But then she brushed gently against my side.
"She wants you to ride her." Jockey looked at me. "This is an honor."
All thoughts of bailing out quietly went to hell with that statement. Why not? How often did you get a chance to ride a Night Mare?

This audio was narrated by Angel Clark. She had also ably narrated the first book. As before, she delivered a solid performance. Her voice for the villains was so spot on that it gave me the chills over how evil they were. She delivered the wonderful spots of humor with aplomb. I didn't focus too much on her characterizations as the story riveted my attention. I confess to squeezing in some extra workouts as I did with the first book - so I could enjoy some more listening time.

In my opinion, there is no way you can just plunge into this book without having read the first book. You would be hopelessly lost. No big deal. Just grab the first book and delve in. You won't regret it.
Overall, JINXED is a great addition to this series. Dark forces are most definitely still threatening. I'm obsessed by this story and need the next book now. I'm so glad it's already available! I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fast-paced paranormal urban fantasies!


Suggested Reading Order:
Karma (Book 1)
Jinxed (Book 2)
Fated (Book 3)
Dead Ink (Book 4)