#Review: Wickedly Ever After by Deborah Blake - 4.5 Wine Glasses

Title: WICKEDLY EVER AFTER
Series: Baba Yaga #2.5
Author: Deborah Blake
Format: Kindle, 66 Pages
Published: InterMix (January 19, 2016)
ISBN: ASIN:B012QH593W
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Reviewer: Linda
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 Wine Glasses

Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one…

Having triumphed over a powerful enemy and ended up with both a wonderful guy—Sheriff Liam McClellan—and an adorable adopted daughter to raise as a Baba Yaga, Barbara Yager is ready to welcome her happily ever after.

But first she must bring Liam to the Otherworld and get the Queen’s permission to marry him. The Queen, however, is not so easily persuaded. She gives them three impossible tasks to complete in two weeks’ time—and if they fail Barbara will have to watch Liam slowly age and die like all humans, and kiss her happily ever after good-bye forever.

Linda's Thoughts:
"Couldn't I just take up juggling fire over a pit of alligators?" Liam muttered. "I think it might be easier."

WICKEDLY EVER AFTER by Deborah Blake is a short, perfectly enchanting novella in the author's Baba Yaga series. I would not recommend reading it without previously reading WICKEDLY DANGEROUS as that is where you meet the primary characters. Both books are highly entertaining reads. Be aware, too, that if you read WICKEDLY EVERY AFTER before reading the second book in the series, WICKEDLY WONDERFUL, there are some spoilers for that book in this novella. I actually read it out-of-order before the second book and don't feel that it affected my enjoyment of the second book in the least.

As the story opens, Barbara, Liam and Babs travel to the Otherworld to ask the Queen's blessing on their marriage. If the Queen refuses, Liam will not have access to the Water of Life and Barbara will have to watch him grow old while she remains young. At first, the Queen refuses. When Barbara vows to choose Liam over remaining a Baba Yaga, the Queen proposes a compromise in which Barbara must successfully complete three seemingly impossible tasks. If she accomplishes them, the couple will have the Queen's blessing; If she does not, Barbara will remain a Baba Yaga and is never to bother the Queen about the matter again. Their highly entertaining quest to complete the tasks ensues.

Happily, all our favorite characters from the previous story return in this delightful romp including Baba Yaga Barbara, small-town Sheriff  Liam McClellan, young Baba-Yaga-In-Training Babs, dragon dog Chudo Yudo, the otherworld Queen, her consort and court. In addition, more colorful, quirky characters join in the fray as the story evolves.

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from this bewitching read:

Liam's lips tightened. "She's only a little girl. She doesn't know anything about swords. What if she cuts herself? It's sharp, right?"
"Of course it is sharp, Liam. What would be the point of having a sword that wasn't?"
---

"Cookies, a dragon dog, and a sword: what every well-equipped little girl takes on a journey."
---

"You wouldn't believe the things that go missing in these labs. Remind me to tell you the story about the radioactive spider sometime."

Deborah's fractured retellings of the modern Russian Baba Yaga witches are unique and fantastically imaginative! The entire series is wonderfully magical but this installment is my favorite. Even though it's only a novella and a light, quick read, there is absolutely nothing that falls short in this book. If you savor fun paranormal reads featuring witches, I highly recommend that you delve into Deborah's Baba Yaga series!



Suggested Reading Order: 
WICKEDLY MAGICAL (Book # 0.5)
WICKEDLY DANGEROUS (Book #1)
WICKEDLY WONDERFUL (Book #2)
WICKEDLY EVER AFTER (Book #2.5)
WICKEDLY POWERFUL (Book #3)