Beguiled by Darynda Jones

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Title: Beguiled
Author: Darynda Jones
Series: Betwixt & Between #3
Published by: Tantor Audio
Release Date: May 11, 2021
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Traci Odom
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Source: Hoopla
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2023 Audiobook Challenge, Lenoreo's 2023 COYER Chapter 1
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ IndieBound ✩ iTunes ✩ Book Depository ✩ Libro.FM ✩ Chirp
My rating:

Blurb:

Newly indoctrinated witch, and a charmling to boot, Defiance Dayne discovers there’s more to life after forty than she'd ever imagined possible. Especially since one neighbor is trying to seduce her, another neighbor is trying to steal her house out from under her, and a third neighbor is trying to get her kicked off the planet. Oh for three, but things start to look up when a new witch moves to town, one who says she’s been sent to thwart an attempt on the charmling’s life.

Dephne decides she has three things to do before she can die. Find out who killed her beloved grandmother, teach her BFF, Annette, the finer points of spellcasting before she blows up the world, and figure out how serious her relationship with the Adonis living in her basement really is. If it’s heading in the direction she’s hoping for, she can die happy. Though, admittedly, she’d rather not.

None of that will matter, however, if she can’t figure out how to foil the supernatural assassin who’s been sent to kill her. Until then, it’s business—and hopefully romance—as usual. Now if she can only figure out how to tame a lacuna wolf.

My Review:

4 stars — This series still contains some of the more hilarious characters I’ve ever met, and it delights me to no end…I just wish the pacing was cleaned up a bit, and some bits just feel really repetitive.  Still eminently entertaining, especially with Ms. Odom’s narration.

I seriously adore Dephne and Annette.  They are just absolutely crazy BFFs that have the most amazing banter.  And it extends to the wide variety of other characters, from secondaries like her family and Roan, to background characters like the coven members.  It’s truly a delight to listen to their weirdness.

While I adore Dephne, she is a seriously frustrating character.  I feel for all she’s been through in her life, and the fact that not much time has passed even since the first book in the series.  That’s a lot of changes, a lot of information, and it’s all just blasted at her at times.  But I also wish she were a bit more involved and curious about it all.  It’s hard, b/c I think this book takes place over the course of maybe 3 days, but I still would love to see her wanting to learn more about her powers and what it all means for her.  She takes actions that to me seem crazy and not well thought out, and she doesn’t trust the people who love her about dangerous situations.  She’s kind of a conundrum.

I appreciated that we got some more developments in the love department, that was satisfying.  And we definitely learned more, though maybe not quite enough for this greedy reader.

Some twists I didn’t see coming at all, but one in particular I was proud to have guessed from seriously early on and may have had an “I FUCKING KNEW IT” moment!

I feel like occasionally the author leaves us out of important information, and I’m not entirely sure the point of that.  I have so many questions about SO MUCH, and I know some will probably be answered in future books, but I don’t understand why if Dephne learns something we don’t at the same time (I’m looking at you Beata).

So yeah.  There are things that frustrate me for sure, but the humour is just THAT good that I’m willing to overlook most of that and still desperately want to continue.

COYER Community: I buddy read this book with Brandee, and we both absolutely love the wacky characters and the humour in this one.  She also rated it 4 stars, see her review here.