I’ve yet to read a book by this author I didn’t love. This book is no exception. The action is so intense. Scarlett leaves town and Shadow is taken leaving Jesse close to death. Will Scarlett be able to save them both? Get this series and find out.

I loved Shadow Hunt! There's very little to fault in this installment. I devoured every page. Scarlett's world is so magical (sorry - had to) and I don't want to see it end! I want to see more Scarlett Barnard installments! Very engaging, fast paced, and the fantastic world-building Olson is known for. *****FIVE STARS*****

Since the day I first discovered the Boundary Magic series, I have devoured every single book this author has put out. This latest installment to Scarlet Bernard's story is definitely one of the best. It wraps so many things up brilliantly while still leaving you aching for more. The tie-in to the Boundary series was so amazing that I've gone back to re-read that series. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. I love how this character grow in each book and the stories never get old. Scarlett is one of my favorite book characters and I can't wait for the next one.

As always Melissa Olson delivers. This was such a fun and surprising read. I loved every minute. I read this while pregnant and definitely felt where she was coming from. I must say tears were shed!

Nulls are infertile. Everyone knows this. Scarlett certainly knows this

So being pregnant was… unexpected to say the least and raised all kinds of implications which she has to learn about quickly

But the luparii witches have arrived - they want their Barghest back (Scarlett’s cute pet abomination) and more - they plan something big - possibly apocalyptic and Scarlett is the key to stopping it and likely much much more.




I think this book represents a rather excellently timed shift. After two books that have established Scarlett’s life, her relationships (fraught and in flux as they are), her friends, her purpose in the city and how she relates to the city’s leadership, this book turns more outwards and even a little grander. While, at the same time, not necessarily pulling the focus from Scarlett or her more regional concerns

The arrival of the Luparii brings not only a sinister threat to the city to be hunted down before they bring carnage. They also represent the greater supernatural community, the wider supernatural politics

The examination of null physiology, null breeding and how this relates to the witches also adds a much larger scale to the whole world, the nature of magic and the nature of the supernatural. It expands the world from a relatively narrow circle around Scarlett and puts and entirely new spin on it looking at her world and especially her place and importance within it. Again, it doesn’t shift the focus but it does expand it far more with consequently raised stakes

I also think it brings some really fascinating stakes to Scarlett herself. She’s always been a good character - capable and strong without being wonder woman, confident without being too reckless (as far as urban fantasy protagonists go - let’s face it this is a genre where everyone has major overdoses of recklessness) and she’s caring without setting herself up as a martyr. She has friends but a lot of them she doesn’t entirely trust especially within the supernatural community, while she also has some excellent, powerful friendships with people like Molly who are clearly in a very different mental category for her than her political allies.


But now her very very personal decisions have such a broader context including for the future of all magical races and at a time where global supernatural politics just became very very confused and very subject to change. It is both very personal to her while also having vast implications which promises a whole lot of exciting storylines in the future.

I think this works well with the renewed focus on both Scarlett dealing with her pregnancy and her reconnecting with her brother and considering the deep implications of him being involved in her life. While we’re widening the lens we do have this excellent call back to Scarlett;s personal life so the focus of the story doesn’t change entirely.

The direct plot itself is a search and destroy - not so much a mystery as a hunt with a hidden enemy with considerable power. There’s not a lot of questions as to motives or who is behind this but a lot of action and hunting and running. There is an unfortunate habit of the hunted protagonist deciding she really needs to wander around alone going on. But generally it’s an exciting well paced plot full of sinister enemies and desperate good guys with a few fascinating twists which is always good

I thought the ending was somewhat epic but I also found it surprisingly narrow. We had a wonderful grand battle that was set up as epic and was… fun? But perhaps not quite living up to how it was laid out. But I think this is less due to the awesomeness of the fight and more due to the excellent job of setting up the conflict and then the rather narrow focus during it.

Also her barghest is the cutest abomination man was not meant to know ever.

I do feel, though, that I haven’t seen enough of the other predominant characters in this book; especially central core characters in her home city like the heads of each of the supernatural councils. I feel sometimes that I am not understanding the relationship between them and Scarlett. However, I think this is my fault - this book series appears to be a spin off of an older book series that covers far more of this and I actually appreciate an author who isn’t bogging down their books with unnecessary recaps. The book still reads extremely well without this information - but I think would be even richer when I pick up the other series as well

We have some POC - Sashi, a side character witch is south Asian, there’s a Native American witch matriarch who is all kinds of nice and snarky and we’re reminded that the (deceased) father of Scarlett’s child is a Black man. But I think Jesse, her new love interest, good friend and general foundation in her life is the most prominent POC as a latino man - we generally have a few POC scattered around but not in hugely major roles I’m hoping Jesse’s now escalating presence will change that

We have no LGBTQ characters.

This story is excellent on its own, it’s got a great plot, it’s exciting and fun with some excellent characters I really enjoy following with an interesting world and a really good concept of the null in this greater supernatural world - giving her both a great deal of influence and skill while, at the same time, not giving her super powers or constant levelling up. I’m leery of how her special status may reflect on her pregnancy but that remains to be seen. On the whole this is one of my pinned series I always look forward to.

I had a wonderful time reading Shadow Hunt. The story was really good, and the characters were quite likable. The villains were easy to hate, and plenty of twists and turns occur as the story moves forward. There are vampires, witches, werewolves and some other great magical beings. People looking for a good fantasy book will want to check this one out.

Scarlett is a null who lives in LA with her bargest Shadow. When something happens that turns her world upside down, she leaves town in a panic to figure out what to do. This puts Shadow and her partner Jesse in danger. She get through everything that is happening in order to survive.
This was a pretty decent story. My one complaint is it takes a while to explain things that took place in other books that is important information. I did like Scarlett and the journey she went through. I look forward to reading more from this author.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

I always love the books in both of this author’s main series, and this one was no exception. This book was exciting and suspenseful with a cast of interesting characters. The plot was an unexpected throwback to prior books in the series that tied together well.

I did not notice that this was the third in the series and I haven’t read the second yet. If I do, I will post a review.

First I will start off with an apology for not reviewing this in time.  You see I have been following the Old World series for some time now and listened to all the previous installments via Audible.  So I was extremely excited about getting this new installment for review but couldn't get into the book without the narrator reading the story.  She does such a great job and it didn't feel the same.  So I waited for the audio book to be available and then I had to wait for my credit.  Sorry.

Anyway, Shadow Hunt is the third book in the Disrupted Magic part of the Old World series.  After the shocking news at the end of book two, Blood Gamble, I was expecting this book to be too focused on that news.  However despite the news being worked through it wasn't something that completely took over the story.  Which I was happy to see because sometimes authors can go a little crazy in those situations and it gets boring.  

That news aside the story in Shadow Hunt tied up some loose ends.  This making me fear that this was the last adventure for Scarlett Bernhard. One nice piece of information that answered some long unanswered questions was finding out more about where Scarlett may have gotten her powers from and more about the history of Nulls.  While the information wasn't complete, it was enough to give some satisfaction of knowing that Scarlett had found some more pieces for that puzzle.  Maybe even enough to keep her happy.

This book revolved heavily around Shadow, where the Bargast came from, how she was made and the people behind the magic that created her.  It was an interesting conclusion that answered a lot of Old World questions and put a probable end to some annoying enemies.  However, while this part of the story was interesting the conclusion of the Hunt aspect was somehow satisfactory but a little underwhelming.  

There were many more threads tied together in this installment.  Will, a series regular, gets a part in the story, Lex also makes a cameo and of course there is some Jesse time.  All in all this felt like closure but I hope that while this maybe the last book dedicated to Scarlett's adventures that it is not the last Old World book featuring her in some way or form.  Actually I just hope there will be more books set in the Old World because the author has weaved an amazing story that makes sense and still has a lot to reveal.  I look forward to more.

shadow hunt by Melissa f Olson.
For years now, Scarlett Bernard has counted on two things: her ability to nullify magic, and Shadow, the bargest who guards Scarlett with her life. But after a sudden revelation turns Scarlett’s world upside down, she panics and leaves town without warning, leaving Shadow with her partner, Jesse. In the chaos that follows, the bargest is stolen—and Jesse nearly dies from a brutal psychic assault.
a slow but good read.  had to put it down and leave it for a day then picked it up again and finish it in one read. Scarlett was my favourite character. 3*.

I really enjoyed this book and the characters. I like that they all grew.

A good light ready, a weekend fun read, and I will be on the lookout for the rest of the books in this series!

another really great book by Melissa.F.Olson. it is fun to follow Scarlett Bernard's journey

I absolutely love every book that author Melissa Olsen has written and this did not disappoint. The characters were fantastic and amazing to read about. This was a action packed book with so many surprises. Thank you for allowing me to read this and write about it.

ARC E-book/Fantasy:  I love the Scarlett Bernard books and this one was no exception.  I want to thank NetGalley for letting me have an advanced copy in lieu of an honest review.   This is book 3 in this story ARC of about nine books (if you count Lex) in this verse.  I still haven’t read the stories that take place in Chicago. 
 
This book takes place right where the last one left off with the conversation with Molly (no spoilers).  Now Scarlett has to find her voice again with a new set of problems.  There not too much Molly, but a lot of Jesse.  Her pet Shadow is always around and smarter than most people.  It wasn’t until I was near the end (well when Scarlett told me) the tie in to the title to the plot.  The bad guys are bad, but not over the top like some fiction I’ve been reading. 
 
The ending was surprising and I didn’t realize it was going that far.  Nothing felt rushed and the author is great about plotting her outline.  It is a story with a beginning, middle, and end and there’s not letdown.

I love this series, and this book too.

Can I just leave it at that? No? Okay fine.

This book went into the history of bargests and Old World History in Europe, and was quite interesting. I find that each book deepens my knowledge and understanding of the world setup, and nothing ever seems unnecessary or extra. It's this whole life that slowly unfolds and draws you deeper with every book.

On the character side, there is so much happening and developing, it's crazy! No spoilers, obviously, which means I can't really say anything except that Jesse gets lots of deserving page time, and there are just so many twists and reveals.

The way the overall Old World series is set up with sets of trilogies means this particular arc is ending, and it's bittersweet. As a trilogy, the flow is good, and the ending is right, but as part of the overreaching series, I'm left craving the next segment.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley for an honest review.

Another great novel by Melissa F. Olsen! I love the character of Scarlett Bernard!  Scarlett needs to go back to Las Vegas to get an answer to a problem. While she is away Jesse is watching Shadow. Shadow is then kidnapped and Jesse is put in a deep sleep. Now Scarlett has to find Shadow and get Shadow back any way possible. I love the way that Scarlett and Shadow interact with each other. I love this series! I can't wait to see what is coming next. I recommend this series to everyone. I give Shadow Hunt (Disrupted Magic) 5/5 stars.

I just can't seem to get enough of Scarlett and her friends.

A lot happens in SHADOW HUNT to wrap up the storyline that has been building in the past two books. If you have not read book two, BLOOD GAMBLE, do not continue to read my review as there will be spoilers for that book included. 

As we know from the ending of BLOOD GAMBLE, Scarlett brought a little something home with her from Vegas. SHADOW HUNT sends her on the hunt for answers about what the future will hold for her child. I loved watching Scarlett and Lex work together and it was neat seeing their worlds collide. 

I think those that have been frustrated with Scarlett and her choice of love interests in the past will be happy with the developments of SHADOW HUNT. Scarlett ends up with who I have always wanted her to be with and they're finally on the same page at the same time.

The pace in SHADOW HUNT follows the same flow that we have always enjoyed from Melissa Olson. I was very happy with how things turned out with Scarlett and hope that we get to see more of her in the future of this world.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Shadow Hunt is the third book in the Disrupted Magic series by Melissa F. Olson. I highly suggest reading the series in order, preferably after having read the Scarlet Bernard series that this particular series follows. This installment is currently scheduled for release on February 13 2018.

For years now, Scarlett Bernard has counted on two things: her ability to nullify magic and Shadow, the bargest who guards Scarlett with her life. But after a sudden revelation turns Scarlett’s world upside down, she panics and leaves town without warning, leaving Shadow with her partner, Jesse. In the chaos that follows, the bargest is stolen—and Jesse nearly dies from a brutal psychic assault. It seems that an old enemy has returned for revenge…and the attack on Shadow was only the beginning. As Scarlett races home to find the bargest and rescue her friends, she is dragged deeper into a terrifying legend that has somehow found its way to present-day Los Angeles. Now she will have to recruit every possible ally for a battle that will test her null ability to the limit. Scarlett has been in over her head before, but now she risks losing everything, and she’s never had more to lose.

Shadow Hunt is an action and information packed book. Scarlett is still reeling from her life changing revelation when her entire world is thrown into chaos, again. Shadow is gone, Jesse attacked, and the future hold some scary possibilities. As they unravel the mystery of who, what, and why behind the original attack it leads them down a rabbit hole that no one could have predicted. The stakes are higher than ever, and everyone will be tested to the limit. Even beyond the life threatening moments at hand, Scarlett has to deal with the personal and emotional issues that she has been trying to ignore. All the cards are laid on the table and alliances, friendships, and more become even more important. I love that Scarlett is pushed even further out of her comfort zone, and that the different factions of her city need to come together in order to save themselves. High action, high emotion, big mystery, and plenty of character development make for another great addition to this series. Yes, I know I am being very vague about what is happening in this book, and the series in general- and that is by design. I want everyone to have the same excitement as they unravel the layers of the story that I had.

Shadow Hunt is exactly what I was hoping for, with plenty of character growth and action even after the big reveal in the previous book. Olson continues to prove her skill, and seems to only improve as her world continue. Fans of the series will not be disappointed.