Much Ado About Magic (2012)

This is the fifth book of the Enchanted Inc. series and after making her fans wait for four years, Shanna Swendson is back with yet another dazzling read. Katie Chandler is back in NYC and has been rehired as marketing director of Magic, Spells and Illusions Inc. MSI is rapidly losing its market to rival firm Spellworks, which is openly selling illegal magic formulas as well as their solutions. New York has become a dangerous place as people are using illegal magic to create havoc in the city. Katie is supposed to retain the loyal customers of MSI while Owen Palmer has been given the responsibility of finding out exactly what is going on out there in the city and figure out how to fight the evil magic. Amidst of all the chaos, Katie and Owen are fighting more and more and drifting apart from one other. This book has everything which makes it a must-read - love, emotions, magic, action and mystery. (SS)

Don't Hex with Texas (2008)

In the latest book in the Enchanted series, magical immune Katie Chandler has left her job at Magic, Spells and Illusions in New York City and is back in her Texan hometown. Her plan to relieve her boyfriend and powerful wizard, Owen Palmer, from the distraction and danger that her presence has become in the civil war in the magical community amidst good and evil seems to have come to a head. No sooner does Katie get back into the family business in Texas than she begins to see all the strange, magical and evil activity she had just left behind. All things strange and evil in magic usually lead to evil mastermind, Phelan Idris, and Katie quickly calls her old boss, Merlin, for back up in the form of an old friend and protector, Sam, the gargoyle. You can bet where Phelan Idris can be found, Owen Palmer is never far behind and so it is no surprise when he shows up at Katie's work shortly after Sam's arrival. Soon enough a magical battle ensues revealing family secrets, true love and passion and a whole other part of the magical community that Katie never dreamed she'd find in her family's backyard. Will Katie and Owen survive the drama that ensues? Find out in this exciting and provocative fourth novel full of magic, romance and southern belles. (CH)

Damsel Under Stress (2007)

I started this third book in the Enchanted series immediately after finishing the second, which was helpful since it picked up right where the other left off. Like the first two novels, Damsel under Stress is a quick, fast-paced read in which the lead heroine, Katie Chandler, is helping save the world from diabolical magic. It seems like every time she goes on a date with her crush, co-worker and magician Owen Palmer, Katie finds herself in a distressing situation in need of a helping hand of a strong man and some strong magic. The only problem is that Katie's not sure who's at the source of all this dark magic. Is it Ari, who's escaped from MSI's hold? Is it Ethelinda, a new magical woman who's introduced herself as Katie's fairy godmother? Could it be Phelan Idris, a known enemy to her, Owen and the rest of MSI? It appears that Idris has found a woman to financially back up his evil magic and plans to take over the world - maybe she's behind all the "accidents" and chaos that keeps happening around Katie. Whoever it is, Katie and Owen are determined to get to the bottom of this and she once again sacrifices her non-magical immunity to figure it out. I was hooked very early with all the excitement, magical creatures and diabolical chaos and found myself reading it at every opportunity. If you like Harry Potter, chick lit or just fantasies and fairy tales, I definitely recommend giving Shanna Swendson's series and Damsel Under Stress a try! (CH)

Once Upon Stilettos (2006)

What would you do if you were on your way to work and you saw a gargoyle changing posts with an owl to watch out from atop a clock tower? Then, you hopped on the bus to get away from the madness on your walking route and across the way from you sat two fairies and the ugliest ogre you'd ever seen? Did I mention that every woman in a five-mile radius was acting like they were so attracted to this ogre that none of them could help themselves but to fawn all over him, sit in his lap and otherwise make goo-goo eyes at him? I think at that point, the running thought in my head would be, "you're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy!" Once again, Shanna Swendson hits a magical double play with her second book in the Enchanted Series, starring heroine and magical immune, Katie Chandler. Katie, a native Texan turned New Yorker, finds herself using her "powers" of non-magic in an attempt to save the company, Magic, Spells & Illusions (MSI) from evil. This time it appears to be an "inside job" and Katie is assigned to snoop around the office to unveil the spy. By the time Katie gathers any information, it appears the spy has already made an attack against her - and for some reason her magical immunity has worn off! With a spy on the loose, Katie's not sure who she can trust. This paranormal chick lit novel is a must-read as it mixes together various elements of romance, fashion, corporate espionage and of course magic. (CH)

Enchanted, Inc. (2005)

Moving from Texas to New York has been quite a culture shock for Katie Chandler, to say the very least. Aside from having a monster of a boss at work, Katie sees all different kinds of visions and odd creatures while riding the subway and walking the streets, from women with wings on their backs, to hideous-looking men who appear to look like Johnny Depp in everyone else's eyes and ever-moving statuesque Gargoyles who can be found perched atop various buildings along the city's skyline at different times of the day. Soon, however, Katie learns that these visions may not be so weird after all. After receiving several recruitment emails from the ugly man on the subway who appears to be stalking her, Katie finally decides to hear their offer out - anything could be better than working for the she-devil, Mimi. After a few more vision-inducing enchantments, the recruiters of Magic, Spells and Illusions, Inc (MSI, Inc.) tell Katie quite simply that "magic is real". Not only is magic real but Katie is a rare breed, who is so "ordinary" and non-magical that spells, illusions and magic do not affect her in the least bit. She is offered a job at MSI, Inc. to verify when magic is being used to do malevolent business. Katie is in for a magical adventure like no other she could have imagined in any fairytale, storybook and certainly not in Texas. This is the first book in a four-part series. A fun, light and quick read, it's perfect for anyone who misses shows like Sabrina the Teenage Witch or Bewitched. This book makes itself a nice little niche in the chick lit/magic/romantic-fantasy/paranormal category. (CH)

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