During the month of October, I asked a few of my friends, what their favorite Monster is (some are not so scary) and what book(s) they read that they loved that associated with the Monster they picked. The answers are great and the recommendation are even better! Enjoy!
The Monster Baba Yaga
As a kid my grandmother used to tell me stories about Baba Yaga when we would go camping or at our cabin I would assume so we didn’t run off and get lost. My sister and I would spend most of the drive looking for huts on chicken legs and we actually saw one once. When we were on a summer road trip with my grandparents to Kansas we saw a little hut on chicken legs. I wish I had taken a picture because I honestly can’t remember where it was or what it exactly looked like anymore.
Review of Wickedly Dangerous
Wickedly Dangerous is the first installment in the Baba Yaga Series. Barbara is a guardian of the boarders and balancer of nature, but also a witch and sometimes the wicked witch. She’s been called to upstate New York to deal with a case of missing children as well as something that is damaging the area and a possible open door to the other world. Arriving in town she quickly draws attention being a small town and the only stranger. Barbara quickly starts to befriend people offering magical salves made from herbs to help them heal. The more time she spends in town she determined that the female assistant of Peter Callahan isn’t as human as she appears.
Needing help she calls in the riders a trio of dragons who help the Baba Yaga’s hoping to figure out who’s taking the children. However things aren’t going to be too easy it’s clear that Maya has access to a door because she’s not the only powerful creature roaming around town. The riders each encounter their own supernatural creature. After confronting the Queen she orders Barbara to figure out what’s going on and find the door. They can’t have human children being taken and brought to the other realm. With the help of the riders, Liam who she’s had to reveal her true self to and Chudo-Yudo they may just be able to figure out what Maya really is and save the children. What about her growing connection with Liam that might just change her life forever.
I adore Barbara! While she may have been born human her time with the prior Baba Yaga as well as the magic has changed her into so much more. I love that she’s joined by a dragon who takes on the form of a giant Pitbull named Chudo-Yudo. I like the added love interest of a human man who’s dealing with his own tragic past. I like the chemistry between Barbara and Liam they complement each other very well and seem to be exactly what they need. We also are given an insight into several of the supporting characters who I expect will be popping up in future books.
I’ve had this book on my kindle for far too long and regret not reading it sooner because I enjoyed it so much. I love the Baba Yaga fairytales, they are one of my favorites and the author does an amazing job putting a unique modern twist on a classic concept. I love that Barbara lives in an Airstream instead of the classic hut with chicken legs it works well for the traveling Baba Yaga. Wickedly Dangerous is the first in an exciting new series about some powerful Russian witches who have the power to protect the balance of nature and keep those from using doors into our world at bay. I really liked Barbara she’s a unique character who’s easy to connect with and I couldn’t help falling for her charm. Which is no surprise that she captured Sheriff Liams attention. The author has done a beautiful job creating a captivated story that was hard to put down. I loved every moment of Barbara’s story and look forward to checking out the next book in the series.
About the author
About the Guest
Coffee drinking book nerd who’s craft and loves to bake. Thanks for stopping by to check out A Monster and A Book!
Have a fantastic day!
ox
I love the covers Mandy! You’ve jogged my memory too and I’m sure I’ve read a book with Baba Yaga in it, but now I can’t recall what it was!
This series is on my wishlist as well. It sounds really good, and I think it’s about time we got a ‘new’ kind of monster in our paranormal stories. Thanks for sharing, Mandy!
This series is on my TBR! It was the first time I’d heard of Baba Yaga, but the gorgeous covers definitely caught my eye. That’s too funny that you actually found a hut with chicken legs once! This does seem like an interesting character to read about 🙂
What a wonderful post. I have to admit the past few years I have been intrigued by Baba Yaga as well. There is a cute middle grade graphic novel about her as well if you are looking for something to enjoy with kids called Baba Yaga’s Assistant. I’ve always been interested in this series and will have to look into picking them up.
I love Baba Yaga, though the way I know her is a bit more terrifying than huts on chicken legs and the books seem to describe her. I’ve known her as the Witch/fae that eats naughty girls. Kind of the Russian witch version of Hansel and Gretel’s witch. I had no idea about those books – will definitely be checking them out. Great post!
Great post! I love this series featuring Baba Yaga and need to learn more the lore. 🙂
I like the lore around the Baba Yaga and this series is on my tbr. Thanks for sharing your love of this “monster” as well as the review!
I need to check this series out! I can only recall one instance of Baba Yaga being mentioned in a book, but I can’t really remember which one it was. Maybe a graphic novel? I know it wasn’t too long ago. It may have been Neil Gaiman’s Books of Magic. Shit. I really can’t remember. lol Great post!
Great topic! I think I’ve only read one book with a Baba Yaga (and she wasn’t called that but you could tell that was in the inspiration), it was a high fantasy and there was a witch w/a hut that moved. I think it’s great she’s starting to show up more. I think I’ve heard of this series before too, the Airstream thing and the sheriff reminded me. I think I saw a review and read a short excerpt, cause that sounds really familiar. I might have to get these.
Great post!
This series is on my wishlist. I’ve heard good things about it and I don’t think I’ve read a book about Baba Yaga before. So I am curious to learn more about this “monster”. And the covers really look pretty!