Rachel Aaron

This was SO FREAKING GOOD! GAH!! HELL OF A WITCH kicks off with just as much fire as HELL FOR HIRE and gave me a new appreciation for all things magical and WITCHY! I was hoping this would be as good as the first book, and, gosh, was it.
Continuing shortly after the last book left off, we get more sorceror-slaying and demon-freeing, except this time, Adrian and Bex take us places we haven't seen in the first book and end up in huger battles that change not only the very nature of their relationship but possibly the Kingdom of Gilgamesh and the world. It's a HUGE story that never gives itself time to drag, all woven into the perfect length. I was always DYING to read more - and AM NOW even when the third book isn't released! I can't WAIT for more of these characters next year!

One thing HELL OF A WITCH avoids *beautifully* is what I refer to as "second book bridge syndrome," which is when the second book feels like a bridge between the first and third books without having a whole lot of substance of its own. This totally subsumes that! Developing everything from characters' personal growths, familial histories, and the war raging between Bex and Gilgamesh on these pages, the overarcing story going HARD while the interpersonal ones go on some intense emotional rollercoasters. It's an exciting, RICH read with all of the beloved characters from book one and a few new ones masterfully created ans represented.

The writing in this book is just superb, creating easy-to-follow lore and dynamic action. I got sucked in from the first chapter and found myself wanting to read "just one more chapter" over and over again, even when I had intended to only read a little. The way the plot develops naturally, the adorable slow-burn and very mild romance between the MCs? It's addictive!

If you liked book one, book two has more fights, more burgeoning feelings, more clever witchcraft, and more delicious lore. I'm thirsting for more, for ALL of this EPIC story and these beloved characters.

I am honored to have been an ARC reader for HELL OF A WITCH and am eagerly anticipating 2025 book three's release! All I can say is this is a SUPERB continuation of a masterpiece, and I couldn't recommend it more!… (more)

HELL FOR HIRE is an explosively unique and clever read full of driven, realistic characters, rich history, interesting lore, and magic building.

From the gorgeous cover alone, I was confident this was going to be a good book, but the contents are even better than expected! Well-written and easy to read, the plot takes a couple of turns as we learn more about Adrian's history and his reasons for moving as well as Bex's complicated and dangerous past. This thrilling progression as histories unravel, secret identities are revealed, and chess pieces are set into motion as battles both expected and unexpected ignite, had me on the edge of my seat, furiously flipping pages.

What makes all this exciting plot have such emotional weight, however, are the characters, each with individual personalities, each with their own personal histories and motivations. Somehow, the author managed to combine dire importance, agelessness, and capability with charming ignorance and naivete. This well-orchestrated character-building makes the whole crew so lovable and easy to root for.

Most of all, HELL FOR HIRE has a special je ne sais quoi, a quality to it that's hard to describe. It's unique - it changes the lore and takes directions I didn't see coming. There are outside forces pulling and pushing and beings I only sort of came to understand. There are horrors only glimpsed and magics only tasted. This gives "good versus evil" in a totally unexpected way, flipped sideways from any sort of classical story. It's just really likable and really well-done.

HELL FOR HIRE deserves every fraction of its 5* stars, and I can't wait for book two, HELL OF A WITCH! I'll be scooping that up as soon as I can get my hands on it.
Basically, if you love an urban fantasy full of magic, powerful beings, action, encroaching strategy, and relatable, excellent characteres, this book is for you, too.… (more)

I finally bit the bullet and picked up this short book, which seems to have a reputation as a bit of a classic, especially among some indie authors I read/listen to writing advice from. I'm glad I did! I’m currently in the final struggle of finishing my current WIP, and this book really helped me to feel enthusiastic about writing in general. Hopefully, it'll be enough to get me over the hump, even if I take a break before even trying to edit it (frankly, I hate it right now, it's Christmas, and I need to breathe.)  I’ve read her original blog post on this topic but there was still a lot of new, useful info here.  I like how short it was, because it’s the kind of book I can see myself re reading multiple times for motivation and knowledge when I get stuck. I have a couple of Youtube videos I watch when I feel my writer energy flagging, same thing. I’ve put forth the thesis that writing IS work and sometimes it’s okay to enjoy having written more than actually writing. Rachel strongly disagrees with this, and I see her point. She’s also a publisher author and I’m not, so. I’m going to implement some of her ideas (especially when I’m outlining another book; this book cemented for me what a mistake it was to do a weak job outlining the last 30-40% of my book) and see how it goes. I DO think enthusiasm for what you're doing is so important, and it's easy to overlook your gut feelings when they're mixed with general laziness.  I like that this book clarifies that her huge word counts are only possible with lots of writing time, something I just don't have in this season of my life.  Still, I know I could be doing more, and working fast does motivate me and helps me to stay in the story.  I completely agree with her that stuff written fast can actually be better (not for everyone, but for me, definitely) than things written slowly, with time to "fall out" of the story. Anyway, I definitely think this book is worth a shot if you need some common-sense advice. If you don't feel like spending the 4$ on it (I wish it was a little cheaper, but that's okay. I don't feel ripped off or anything), Rachel Aaron's blog posts will get you started for free. Kudos to her for keeping them up.

Full blog post here.… (more)