Something Different

I loved this book! I have been looking for something fresh and a little different, and this was just the thing! It was fun and entertaining, lots of tension between the main character and the love interest, but still clean, and the story moved along at a good pace. This was a very satisfying listen, and I hope the next in the series comes to Audible soon. My only criticism is that, although I really like Hollis McCarthy's performance, English accents are not her best skill. Otherwise, this was very well done!

5 people found this helpful

Middle of the road

I’ll start by saying that I chose this book because I had read and loved several other books by Angie Fox. I adore the Southern Ghost Hunter mystery series and really enjoy the Demon Slayer series. Since I love fantasy and paranormal, I thought this would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, The Monster MASH wasn’t a hit for me. It had some really strong aspects that I liked quite a bit but then there were some other not so great things. It was very back and forth and didn’t all add up to be a cohesive and complete story.

The setting was a bit confusing. The story takes place at The 3063rd MASH unit which isn’t on earth, it’s in limbo… kind of like an in-between place where wars are taking place between the old gods army and the new gods army. They refer to their families and homes as being “topside”. It is supposed to be taking place in current day but it just didn’t feel that way. It felt completely different at The MASH unit, which makes sense because it is in limbo, yet there were bits and pieces thrown in that are modern things and when that happened, it didn’t really fit.

They have mortals and immortals. Some like the Gods and demigods joined voluntarily but many people, were involuntarily drafted from their homes by the gods and forced to live out their lives in the army or serving as doctors for the armies. They get something like 5 minutes of leave for every year they work and can’t cash it in until they’ve reached a full week. So for them to earn enough leave to go home they have to work for over 2,000 years. Not feasible for mortals like main character, Petra.

The extensive number of gods and demigods didn’t get enough explanation. We also didn’t spend enough time on her background and why she would go into medicine and become a doctor knowing there is an ongoing war and she would likely be drafted into the army and taken from everyone she knows. Instead, we spent a ton of time on descriptions and things that were insignificant and not paramount to the story. The first five hours of the book could have been easily and completely covered in a single hour. Plus, there was so much filler throughout the book that once the real stuff started happening, the book was almost over and it was quickly wrapped up. The big prophecy was so important and such a huge issue for Petra, yet the resolution of the third prophecy happened in the blink of an eye.

I really liked the characters. They were the best thing. When I was bored from filler, the characters are what kept me in it. Both main characters and the primary side characters were great. Main character, Petra, is half human, half fae and although she will have a longer than human life, she is mortal. The other main character is Galen. He is a demigod and commander in the new gods army. The primary side characters are Petra’s fellow doctors and bunk mates, Rodger and Marius. Rodger is a werewolf who is really struggling with missing his wife and children/pups but is the closest buddy that Petra has there. Marius is a moody vampire but also a friend to Petra when it counts. Another character worth mentioning is Jeffe. He is a Sphinx and a guard and protector. He watches over Petra. Oh, one other character I really liked was the Pastor guy. He was really nice and he was raising a baby hellhound puppy.

There was some humor written into this book and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. There were also some really cute moments that made me smile. I also liked the relationship that formed between Petra and Galen.

Since I liked so many things and also didn’t really like other things, this was hard for me to really determine how I feel. I kept going back and forth. I’m not sure that I will continue this series. At this time, I am not going to start the next book. That doesn’t mean I won’t sometime down the line though.

The narrator did a good job. She had quite a few different voices and accents and her reading was enjoyable. Her pacing was good and her enunciation also good. Except for one character who I still can’t figure out what his name is and it was driving me crazy every time it was said. I couldn’t figure out what the demigod doctor guy’s name was that she was assigned to go on that special off the books mission with. It sounded like Face and surely that is not what the guy’s name was. I would absolutely listen to this narrator again.

4 people found this helpful

Disappointed

This had so much potential but it was like getting excited to go to a theme park and finding there are only small roller coaster. I LOVED LOVED Angie fox in her other two series I couldn’t get through them fast enough but this one although it wasn’t horrible I will not get the next two in this trilogy.

Ann P

2 people found this helpful

Hard to review

Perhaps the story would seem better if read as opposed to listened to. I don't really know. I wasted enough time to get halfway through the story before giving up. everything is narrated in the same nasal monotone. it's excruciating. Her nasal tones imposed on a poor attempt at Louisiana drawl is just horrid.

1 person found this helpful

nope, not even.

nope, drops you in with whinny person. and keeps going. whine and sex do not make a good book

1 person found this helpful

Excellent new trilogy

Angie Fox has created a great imaginary world with excellent character you want to encourage in their struggles. Characters who quickly become more like acquaintances. I can’t wait to start the next installment. Oh wait, I’ve already downloaded it and will start listening as soon as I finish this review. I highly recommend this book/audiobook to fans of paranormal fiction.

1 person found this helpful

Mixture of good and bad

There were some scenes in the story that was interesting but generally there was too much where the story just dragged. For example there was a scene where Galen had to go off to war and the goodbyes just dragged on and on and on. There was some humor but the general sense I got from the story was depressing. Ms. McCarthy‘s narration was not pleasant to me. There were too many times where there were loud intakes of breath and the way that Delphi was repeatedly pronounced irritated me. I won’t be pursuing the series.

Intense

It grabbed me throughout the story. I liked the action, humor, mystery, and romance. It was nice to have a female narrator for a female heroin.

Definitely not Sugarland.

This story is darker and has more depth than any story of Angie Fox's that I have read.
While there is humor in the story, I didn't do more than chuckle. Could be my mood as it was dark while listening to the story.
Having watched MASH, both the movie and series, I much prefer this story as I became tired of the juvenile antics in the series. This story feels more real as I could relate to the emotions of the characters.
One character named Face reminds me of the A-Team; which is a program that I detest. Face is well named as he shows one face to his coworker's and only shows his real face to his enemies.
I did feel that this story has a feeling of 2021 politics at times.
I probably will listen to the next installment.

Monster Mash Bk 1

Dr Petra Robichaud is drafted and assigned to a MASH unit helping to fix paranormal characters and send them back out to fight in an immortal war. Like many, Petra grows unhappy living in a camp with no previous luxuries of her former life, and no end to the war on the horizon.

Galen is a demi-god and show's up on Petra's operating table half-dead. Petra reacts and puts Galen's soul back in his body before anyone notices. Unfortunately, this small reactive or act of kindness now exposes Petra to Galen and he too knows her secret. Galen is convinced Petra is part of an ancient prophecy - one that can end the war for good. Petra doesn't believe it nor in herself and so their journey begins