Quick Summary: A fantasy & fate paranormal mystery/thriller

My Review: Fangs, Fate, and Mondays by Hayley Reese Chow is book #1 in The AzRIO Files series. It is categorized as "Mystery & Thrillers | Sci Fi & Fantasy | Teens & YA." The novel was released on 5/26/26.


About the Book: "After her best friend was murdered, Dessa Blue McKinney swore she’d never return to the paranormal town of Azalea Springs.

Desperate for a distraction, she agrees to fill in at her uncle’s Paranormal Intermediary Office...

But when the new intern is the handsome golden boy of the most notorious family in town and her dead friend’s sister goes missing, old secrets bubble to the surface...

Meanwhile, perpetual screw-up, Jamison Kane, is reeling from his role as the primary suspect in a triple homicide and the brand-new bearer of a family curse."


In My Own Words: Death, distraction, & division meets a curse, chaos, and conspiracy.

My Final Say: This novel is my newest favorite! From the world building to the supernatural beings to the craziness of life... and death in Azalea Springs - this book had a great opening. Consider me hooked.

In terms of Dessa and Jamison, this pair had all of my attention. They are locked in a brilliant, slow-burn tension field that forces them to cooperate. Even as they do, they are driven to support each other in ways that they had not in the past. Their partnership moves to a whole new place, and I want to go right along with them to see where it ends.

Secrets, clues, and MDK are the order of the day. But with the AzRIO on the case, and more specifically with Dessa Blue and the handsome golden boy J.K. in flux, the nefarious deeds and manipulations of those who mean harm will not go unpunished. (To be continued...)

Tropes:

🔮 - Supernatural Beings & Magic
💘 - He Falls First/She Falls First
🗄️ - Workplace Antics
👥 - Forced Proximity
☯️ - Opposites Attract
⏳ - Slow Burn
✨ - Found Family
🔍- Mystery and Mayhem

📚 This book has book club written all over it! It is perfect for an Octoberfest season. 🎃

I cannot wait to listen to the audiobook version of this. I already know my dream cast of narrators. (I hope it is already in the works.)

🖤❤️🎯✨🖤💖

UPDATE (8/21/26): Yay!!! I got approved to review an ALC.

About the Audiobook: The narrator, Chance Carrasco, did his thing. His voice was entertaining and enjoyable in the way that a great story is when it lures you in and slams your senses. I was completely invested. I found myself wanting to listen to how he would reveal all the story's secrets that I already knew. I really liked his pacing, his rhythmic tones, and his accents. He sounded like he was a radio show host from the golden age. I appreciated that he had nuanced character distinctions, if you took the time to analyze and listen for it.

🖤❤️🎯✨🖤💖

Other: Readers who enjoy stories with supernatural twists and turns, found family connections, deception and dastardly deed dynamics, and crush-to-mush/he falls first/she falls first energy will love this novel. Also, readers who are into new, detailed world building will go gaga over this one, in my opinion.

🚨 *** Potential readers are advised to read any and all author/publisher notes. There may be some triggering content. ***

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: OYA/T, NA, A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Level: 💛🖤❤️
Format: 📱🎧
Narration: +
Duration: 8 Hours, 41 Minutes
Listening Speed: Modified to listener's preference
Series: Yes
Cover: +
Title: +

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Whimsical Publishing), and to NetGalley. Thank you for providing access to a digital ARC of this title, as well as to an ALC of this work, in exchange for an honest critique. I am grateful for the opportunity. I cannot wait to read (and hopefully listen to) books 2 and 3 in this series. It was an absolute pleasure to review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Whimsical Publishing for providing me with access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was such a fun new book discovery. I little Sookie Stackhouse + Stephanie Plum + Lockwood & Co. makes for an engaging and sometimes hilarious paranormal investigation story.
Dessa Blue has returned to Azalea Springs after catching her fiancé cheating. Feeling a bit off-kilter, returning to her home town after years away, she offers to help at her uncle’s paranormal investigation agency until she determines what she wants to do next. She’s pretty shocked to find a familiar - but unexpected - face already working there as an intern. Jamison and Dessa weren’t friends in high school, but they did orbit around the same people. And his presence is bringing back memories Dessa wanted to be kept buried. But when a young woman goes missing and Dessa sees connections between the tragedy that inspired her to leave Azalea Springs so many years ago, Dessa and Jamison work together before another tragedy occurs.
If you like vamps and weres, ghosts and magic, some curses, a bit of danger, an impossible relationship, and some ridiculous circumstances - this is a great start to what looks to be an excellent new series.
Narration: Chance Carrasco does a great job with the narration - voicing various characters and beings. I loved the different voices, accents, and gravitas infused into all of the characters.
Story: The story is really good; it’s obviously the start of a series because it’s giving a lot of background to the characters we’ll hopefully see in future installments. But it has similar vibes to Stephanie Plum novels, except Dessa comes in with a bit more experience and skill than Plum the bounty hunter. There is some silliness (like a focus on paperwork), and eccentric characters but at the heart - there is a fierce need to save a woman who’s been taken. I like that the tone is always appropriate and the focus isn’t lost; just it’s a world of paranormal beings so unexpected things happen.
Audiobook Flow: It flowed really well and kept me engaged. There are no extraneous pauses or distracting background sounds. It’s paced really well.
Recommendation: 5 stars. This could be a favorite new series for me and includes a lot of things I really enjoy about books - compelling characters, interesting goals, potential romance, and paranormal aspects. Lots of great fantasy fun.
Review posted to: Goodreads, Instagram, Facebook, and Barnes & Noble if the audio book is available to review.
Review posted: 8.23.26
Links: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8880784963
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