ARC Review:Pooka in my pantry by RL Naquin

The Particulars: Urban Fantasy, Carina Press, available as e-book

The Source:  Review copy, courtesy of the author

The Grade: B-

The Blurb:

Zoey Donovan—empath, wedding planner, go-to girl for monsters with personal problems—has been marked twice for pickup by Death. On both occasions, Riley the smoking-hot reaper has refused to follow through. For his breach of protocol, Riley is now on probation. For her refusal to die on schedule, Zoey's right to live is challenged. She will have to undergo a life-or-death trial, but she won't know when or where it will happen…

Staying alive might not be so difficult if the Leprechaun Mafia hadn't strolled into town. Now every business owner with the slightest connection to the supernatural community is being threatened with the most appalling bad luck if they don't pay up. Mirrors are smashed, bodies are dropping, and Zoey's still got clients waiting for fabric samples.

With a little luck, she might be able to save everyone and still have time for a second attempt at a decent first date with her favorite reaper.

The review:

I read and liked the first book in the series, so when I got the chance to read an arc, I took it.

In this book, the author took the world she introduced in Monster in my closet to another layer. I liked how she deftly revealed the existence of both Mafia and the governing system. Both elements made sense, since no society is without crime.

Zoe was her normal cheery, helpful self in this book. I loved reading about her adventures as she faced down the Leprachaun Mafia ( I loved that idea, an refreshing twist) as they caused havoc in the city and adjusted to the fact that she was an Aegis. I also liked how her empathy gift was tied into something that she had no idea existed.

I also liked seeing Zoe taking tentiative steps with her relationship with Riley. Their dates were charming, but not with out their troubles.

The plot was filled with unexpected twists, that took me by surprise. Yet they made sense once they had occurred. The different subplots were interconnected, and helped making Zoe's life much harder. In fact, a couple of times I wondered if Zoe would survive.

That said, the thing that I missed in this book was a feeling of increased tension, that the scenes were building towards a confrontation with the bad guys.