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    Bitter Spirits
    Bitter Spirits
    Bitter Spirits
    Audiobook10 hours

    Bitter Spirits

    Written by Jenn Bennett

    Narrated by Amy Landon

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Aida Palmer performs a spirit medium show onstage at Chinatown's illustrious Gris-Gris speakeasy. However, her ability to summon (and expel) the dead is more than just an act.

    Winter Magnusson is a notorious bootlegger who's more comfortable with guns than ghosts. Unfortunately for him, he's the recent target of a malevolent hex that renders him a magnet for hauntings. After Aida's supernatural assistance is enlisted to banish the ghosts, her spirit-chilled aura heats up as the charming bootlegger casts a different sort of spell on her.

    On the hunt for the curseworker responsible for the hex, Aida and Winter become drunk on passion. And the closer they become, the more they realize they have ghosts of their own to exorcise...
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMay 14, 2014
    ISBN9781494572105
    Bitter Spirits
    Author

    Jenn Bennett

    Jenn Bennett is the author of over a dozen books, including the young adult titles Alex, Approximately; Serious Moonlight; Starry Eyes; and The Lady Rogue. She also writes romance and fantasy for adults. Her books have earned multiple starred reviews, been Goodreads Choice Award Nominees, and have been included on annual Best Books lists from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly. In addition to being a writer, she’s also an artist with a BFA in painting. She was born in Germany, has lived all over the US, and has traveled extensively throughout Europe, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. She currently lives near Atlanta with one husband and two dogs.

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    Reviews for Bitter Spirits

    4/5

    86 ratings15 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Terrific and consistent accents; very pleased with narration.

      The story was really engaging. Some of the main characters and supporting cast are bit more than dangerous, yet the likeable kind of “ruthless” if you know what I mean. Looking forward to trying book 2.
    • 5/5
      *incoherent giggling* I loved this book SO much. Funny. Sexy. Spooky. 1920s glamour. Perfection.
    • 3/5
      A story that blends historical fiction with supernatural fantasy and romance, this book introduces readers to Aida and Winter Magnusson, people brought together by some trouble with ghosts. Aida is a medium, and is employed in 1920's San Francisco in a speakeasy, doing nightly shows where she channels spirits for members of the audience. Winter is brought to her employer, Velma, who is something of a magic wielder. Winter Magnusson is an extremely wealthy man, making some of his money as a bootlegger in this prohibition era, and he knows Velma. When he starts to see a ghost, and then succumbs to a sickness that weakens him, he goes to Velma for help. Velma realizes that he has been poisoned, presumably with a substance that allowed him to see ghosts, and enlists Aida's help as she works to cure him. Aida and Winter have an instant magnetic attraction to each other, despite the circumstances. When Winter is healed from the poison, he asks Aida to help him track down the person responsible for his attack, using her status as a medium as an excuse. Clearly, his interest in her is far more than professional. It turns out to be a good plan, though, as Winter is attacked by another ghost, this one drawn to him by a new method of enchanted coins deposited on his person. Aida and Winter deal with one supernatural threat after the next, drawing closer to each other the whole time, which only puts Aida in as much jeopardy as Winter.I liked the premise of the novel, and overall I thought it was pretty well executed. If anything, I wanted to see more the supernatural action. We have a spirit medium and a necromancer at play, and the ghost encounters were pretty tame, all things considered. The reason for this is because the romance in the book takes up a lot of plot space. Don't get me wrong, I love reading steamy romance scenes when the chemistry between the two characters is right. In this case, I wasn't that keen on the love story between Aida and Winter. It was certainly steamy, but I wanted more romantic development, more understandable angst (not the kind where characters make unreasonable choices just to extend the will they-won't they dilemma), more emotion. While Aida and Winter do fall in love, at first it's all about the sex, and then after they've had great sex, they realize they actually love each other. It's not one of my preferred romantic scenarios. This is a personal preference, but given that their love story didn't capture my imagination, I do wish the novel spent less time on all the sex scenes, and more time on the ghosts and supernatural elements. It's still a solid supernatural-romance-fantasy, and I'm thinking about giving the next one in the series a try, but this one isn't going to be a favorite.
    • 4/5
      3.5 stars

      This was a really cool, fresh, and different romance story. Set in 1920s during Prohibition our hero is a bootlegger and our heroine is a medium who can call forth ghosts, talk to them, and send them back to the veil. The details with world building and making me feel the time period and atmosphere were so good, it was the star of the show for me. (I may have a slight crush on Winter's wardrobe; suspenders, undershirts, and vests) It's set in San Francisco with Chinatown getting a lot of mentions because of the warring Tongs (different groups of Chinese criminals running the alcohol or other criminal activities) and how that connects to Winter's storyline of someone siccing ghosts on him to disrupt his bootlegging. The spiritualism/mysticism with spells and descriptions of ghosts was so cool and entertaining.

      The first half felt more like insta-lust between Winter and Aida for me; a lot of lusting about freckles and height. They had a fun a back and forth, I give a lot of credit here to the author for the way she wrote Aida. Aida was a strong independent woman but her past involving her family had clearly made her emotional vulnerable and the author did a great job showcasing both sides. The first half was more three stars for me while the second half was fours stars with an immensely improved Winter and Aida's emotional connection; was able to see and believe in their connection.
      The part where Winter tracks down Aida's brother's belongings and takes down her evil uncle-in-law almost had me in tears. How Winter acted on knowing how important this was to Aida is what makes heroes.

      I'm so on board with this series and will definitely be reading the next. If you're looking for a fun, cool, slightly spooky, and hot couple historical set in the 1920s you definitely want to pick this one up!
    • 3/5
      I liked the 1920s setting, a nice change from the usual historical-romance go-tos. I also liked the paranormal aspects a lot, with magic and ghosts being real but not usually very flashy, not things that most people believe in, but sometimes tourist attractions and things like that. The author also has a good grasp on POV, managing to convey both characters' narratives without being confusing or doing harsh transitions from one to the other. Unfortunately the rest of it was just mediocre for me. The book feels over two-thirds of the way through, so there's a big slump of interest there, and then suddenly the characters have new hang-ups that weren't apparent at all before. Like, they make sense, but where were they? Both characters would've been more compelling if those things had been consistent so we knew what we were dealing with. I liked that consent was always clear, especially since Winter could have been played as an alpha, buuut... while the writing was good all the rest of the time, the sex scenes were full of confusing, melodramatic metaphors. Liked it, didn't love it.
    • 5/5
      Bitter Spirits
      5 Stars

      After becoming the target of a series of hauntings, bootlegger Winter Magnusson hires medium Aida Palmer to help him expel the spirits stalking him and discover the culprit behind the curse. As Winter and Aida work together, their mutual attraction grows but it seems that the ghosts of their pasts are more destructive than those affecting their present. Will they be able to heal past wounds and find a future together before it is too late?

      Warning: This is historical PNR not UF. So, if you are expecting action-packed fight scenes, kick-ass heroines and detailed world-building you will be disappointed. However, anyone interested in a passionate romance with engaging characters, an original plot and a compelling setting should pick up this book immediately.

      The setting is expertly rendered and it is easy to become immersed in the atmosphere of San Francisco and Chinatown in the 1920s prohibition era. This is a relatively unknown time period for me and it was fun looking up the events and terminology mentioned in the book (thank you Wikipedia).

      Winter and Aida’s chemistry sizzles on the pages and their banter is sexy and steamy. Moreover, their individual struggles with the traumas of their pasts ultimately strengthens their emotional connection and make them a truly captivating couple.

      The suspense plot is original with some intense action scenes and a seriously disturbed villain. The paranormal elements are cleverly interwoven into the story and add an extra layer to the eerie tone.

      All in all, a fantastic paranormal debut for Jenn Bennett and I am eager to continue with the series.

    • 1/5
      There might be speakeasies and such, but there is nothing that was historically accurate about Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett. Now, I could have gotten over that minor detail, as I am not a stickler for these sort of things, had there been something else to grab onto, but the romance was not believable and the story progressed entirely too slowly.
      There were moments that were rather exciting and the paranormal piece was worked out decently enough, but it only built false hope that the story was finally taking off. Unfortunately it never did because of the miserable pacing.
      I had hopes that this book would be better. The story had promise of an interesting setting and plot, but fell flat in its execution. I will not be continuing with the series.
    • 4/5
      “A fun romp” describes this book best. Lots of sexy times, fast-paced storytelling, the Rip Roaring ‘20s as a backdrop, and a relationship that sizzles make this a book to go for if you’re looking for a light, fun read.You definitely don’t have to worry about being bored with this tale! Creepy ghosts, revenge, bootlegging turf wars, shoot-ups, and fires make this a story sure to drag in the readers. I liked how the author drew in so many elements of the roaring time period and setting to create a suspenseful background story for her romance.I loved all the supernatural stuff. Vengeful ghosts and a lead that can see them are always going to grab my attention; they’re a special weakness of mine. The added bonus of the Chinese mythology and mysticism only made the underlying paranormal tale of turf wars and revenge all the more intriguing.Now let’s chat about that romance. To me, this is the best part of the whole book. Winter and Aida play off each other so well, even from the very beginning. They click right away, literally seeming to ooze sexual compatibility and emotional resonance. I mean seriously, if a man matching Winter’s description walked in my front door, I’d be oozing pheromones also.My only wince-worthy item of consideration on the relationship front is the over-usage of the whole miscommunication/assumption trope. Both leads are prone to assuming the other’s thoughts and acting on those assumptions. More than once I wanted to sit them both down in a room and lock the door, only letting them out after they’ve fully communicated all their thoughts. This romance trope is one that irritates me the most, so big ding for me personally against this relationship.This was a promising beginning to the trilogy. I’ve since gotten and bulldozed my way through books 2 and 3. If the author ever chooses to explore more in the series, sign me up! I love the characters, their relationship, and the background storyline and setting. While it has a big ding on the miscommunication/assumption front, I’d still recommend this book to lovers of historical romance. As I said, it’s a great romp!!
    • 4/5
      Really good read. Can't wait for book 2! I wish there were more books set during this time period!
    • 4/5
      I have had this book on my TBR pile for awhile now. This is first book in The Roaring Twenties trilogy; and is a cute paranormal romance set in the 1920's. It was a bit too romancy for me at times but I still enjoyed it; it was a nice, light, fun read.The plot is fairly simple and isn't a huge part of the story; many times the plot is overshadowed by the romance. However, there are some paranormal elements in here too such as Aida’s ability to see ghosts and the Chinese curse put on Winter.I did enjoy the two main characters and the chemistry they have, they end up in a sweet yet tumultuous romance. The story ties up at a good spot too.Overall this was a cute paranormal romance read set in the 1920’s in San Fran. I enjoyed the setting and the chemistry between the two main characters. The plot was fairly simple though and the romance definitely overshadowed everything else. I prefer my stories to be a bit more balanced and because of that I don’t plan on reading any more books in this series. Those who enjoy romance heavy paranormal reads should check this book out.
    • 5/5
      love it! Winter is dreeeeeaaaaamy.
      I can't wait to read Grim Shadows.

      Review to come closer to release date.
    • 4/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: When spirits begin chasing Winter Magnusson, spiritual medium Aida is his only hope. As their attraction for each other deepens, it becomes clear that Winter’s business – and Aida – are in danger. Will they survive long enough to see where their attraction will lead?Opening Sentence: Aida Palmer’s tense fingers gripped the gold locket around her neck as the streetcar came to a stop near Gris-Gris.The Review:I’m a huge fan of Jenn Bennett’s Arcadia Bell series, so I was very excited when I found the first book in her new series in my inbox for me to review. While I did end up enjoying the book, readers going into this looking for something similar to Arcadia Bell are going to be disappointed, as this is much heavier on the romance aspect of the story rather than the on the paranormal. Once you let those expectations go though, you’re in for a very fun ride.Ever since the Great Fire, Aida has been able to see (and banish) ghosts. She makes her living working in speakeasies as a spirit medium, calling spirits into her so they can communicate with their loved ones who are in the audience. One night, she is unexpectedly called down to the speakeasy on her night off. There, she meets Winter Magnusson, one of the top three bootleggers in the area. Winter has a problem: someone’s put a curse on him, and now he’s being chased by every ghost who sees him. Aida banishes the ghost and helps remove the curse, but Winter’s troubles don’t end. It becomes obvious that someone is determined to put Winter out of business, and they’re willing to use his growing affection for Aida against him in order to achieve their ends.It took me awhile to warm up to Aida. During the first part of the book, she came off as rather hypocritical. She becomes very angry with Winter for not sharing his past with her, but at that point, she hadn’t shared everything with him either. It was very frustrating for me as a reader. Then, I began to see more to her character as her past was revealed. She’s very independent and has had to work hard for every dime she has, qualities that are very admirable in a heroine.I loved Winter right away, although his obsession with Aida’s freckles seemed a bit over the top at first. That’s the only negative thing I can say though. Winter is haunted by a car accident that left him disfigured and his parents dead. His relationship with Aida begins to bring back the old Winter, and it’s a wonderful thing to see. Their chemistry is evident from the first moment they meet. They work so well together, and it’s a joy to watch their romance unfold.On the negative side, the book starts off really slowly. It didn’t really pick up for me until the 40 percent mark. Once it did though, I didn’t want to put it down. Fans of paranormal romance might be a little disappointed, as the paranormal side of the story takes a backseat to the romance. If you’re looking for a romance with a little bit of suspense thrown in though, you’re in for a treat!Notable Scene:“And you’ve forgiven me?”“‘Forgiven’ seems too strong a word, especially when I’ve been so unhappy since you dumped me here five days ago and seemed to forget I existed.”“You stormed off – I didn’t dump anything. And I tried to forget your existence, believe me. I tried very hard. I made it my top priority. All I could think about was how I was trying not to think about you.”“That sounds taxing.”“It was. And we can argue about who stormed off and who dumped whom over dinner. I know you’re off tomorrow night, because I called Velma and she told me your schedule, so you can’t use that excuse.”“That’s-”“And you have a new coat. And a new gown, though you don’t have to wear it if it reminds you of that afternoon. It was a lousy afternoon.”“Yes, it was.”“And I’ve missed you ever since.”She stilled; her heart was beating far too fast. “You have?”“I’m not sure why. Last time I saw you, you made it clear that you hated my guts.”“I don’t hate you.”“You certain about that?”“Fairly certain.”He nearly smiled again. “I’ll take what I can get. Eight tomorrow night, right here. I’ll pick you up. I’ll even promise to keep my hands aboveboard if you do the same.”FTC Advisory: Berkley Sensation/Penguin provided me with a copy of Bitter Spirits. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 4/5
      I haven’t read a paranormal romance in a long time, mainly because I was so burned-out on vampires, shifters, demons, and such. Luckily, BITTER SPIRITS was a nice change from all that, because it featured my favorite paranormal beings – ghosts! Aida Palmer is a “modern” Roaring Twenties gal who values her independence. She supports herself by working as a medium, and yep, she’s the real deal. Not only can she channel spirits of the deceased, she can also banish the troublesome ones haunting this plane.Aida gets wrapped up with a ruggedly handsome and brooding bootlegger named Winter Magnusson. Someone’s been dabbling in black magic and put a curse on poor Winter. Pesky ghosts are haunting him, and he needs Aida’s help to get rid of them. Winter and Aida have a fiery chemistry between them, even if it does take Winter a while to break down her walls. They’re both bringing some heavy emotional baggage into this relationship, and on top of that they’re trying to figure out the who and why of Winter’s hex.I enjoyed this fast paced tale of restless spirits, dark magic, and bootlegging in 1920s San Francisco. Aida and Winter had an intriguing mystery to solve, and it all concluded with a nail-biting ending. Great romance, fun read!
    • 4/5
      Spirit medium Aida Palmer travels around the country fulfilling short term contracts mostly at speakeasies doing a stage show channeling spirits. And for those that can pay she also does private séances; something she’d prefer to focus on, but money is tight and she’ll take what she can get. She’s currently in San Francisco’s Chinatown for another month when requested to help a rich bootlegger, Winter Magnusson, who has just been hit with a curse that opens him up to seeing ghosts, and someone is sending them after him. Aida also has the ability to force ghosts to pass over. The mystery is finding out who has cursed him, but it appears—a word count probably proves otherwise—to take a back seat to the story for a good chunk of the book as we’re provided with amazingly detailed scenes of lust and eventually sex. I found this to be both good and bad. Good in that I don’t believe I’ve ever read such fine detail on the subject. Many readers will be left squirming. The author deserves kudos for how well that was written. But bad in that it was a great deal more detail than I wanted to read and it was more physical than emotional; an aspect that later becomes important to the story. So it obviously was laid out to provide the desired emotions and ending. When finishing the book, my thought was that the whole thing worked and the handling of earlier aspects fit. But it took me about 4 days to get through the book when her Arcadia Bell stories are normally read in 1 sitting. This is a Paranormal Romance where the couple getting together is more important than the mystery. The Arcadia Bell series is more of an Urban Fantasy/Mystery where relationships are an important aspect. So those expecting this to be the same type of book will be somewhat surprised.I’m really torn on how to rate the book. At different times while reading it, if asked, I would have given different answers. The author deserves high marks for her attention to detail and eventually how the mystery and relationship aspects are handled. The characters and their backgrounds, situations and what Aida can do are all interesting. But the fact that I kept setting the book down and it took so much effort to get through it can’t be ignored. I give it 3.5 stars.
    • 5/5
      Reviewed by: Rabid ReadsJenn Bennett’s urban fantasy series is already on my auto-buy list so when Bitter Spirits landed on my to-read pile I couldn’t resist opening it to see if her romance measured up to her action. And, it most certainly does! This author’s ability to write stunning characters, magical universes and gripping plot lines transcends genres. I loved everything about this novel from the setting, to the love story to the oh-so satisfying ending. This is going to be a hard act to follow but with another installment due out later this year plus a new Arcadia Bell book; I’m betting this won’t be Bennett’s only wow moment of 2014.This isn’t the first novel that I’ve read set in the 1920′s but it is the only one that’s made me want to climb between the pages and experience the prohibition era for myself. The world-building is exceptional; I adored the bootlegging aspect of this story line. The author successfully straddles the deliciously thin line between excitement and fear and, the result is infectious. I truly felt like I was stepping into another universe while reading this book; I loved the speakeasy atmosphere and the raids helped to amp up the danger element even more.Another element that immediately caught my attention was the fact that the heroine has freckles! Most protagonists in paranormal romance are portrayed as having flawless skin so I loved how Bennett took a trait that’s commonly viewed as an imperfection and turned it into something beautiful. I’ve never hated my freckles but by the end of this book, I was feeling pretty darned good about them, especially considering Aida was able to nab a hottie like Winter with hers! The two main characters in this novel aren’t good-looking in the traditional sense; they both have their respective scars and imperfections, which in my opinion, only further added to their charm. It was refreshing to read about “real” people for a change.I found the progression of Aida and Winter’s romance to be immensely satisfying; both are afraid of love after having experienced heartbreaking loss and they are reluctant to open themselves up to the possibility of more pain. At times, I found the unspoken words and misunderstanding between them to be downright devastating. I was pretty sure that these two were going to get their HEA by the end of this book but of course, Bennett loves to keep her readers in doubt until the very last chapter.If I hadn’t known beforehand I would never have guessed that this was Jenn Bennett’s paranormal romance debut; her first kick at the can puts many of this genre’s seasoned veterans to shame. Bitter Spirits was a great way to start the new year and an even better way to kick-off this exciting new series!