Relic Hunter

Riley Cruz, Book 1

By: L.A. McBride

Narrated by: Maria McCann

Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

I'm a shifter with a checkered past and sticky fingers. I like my new life. I've got good friends, cheap booze, and weekly karaoke. Sure, I live in an apartment with more deadbolts than functioning windows. And yeah, I earn just enough tips as a mediocre bartender to buy name brand ramen noodles. But I can be as flamboyant and fun as I want—as long as I keep my hands clean.

When a mysterious stranger strolls into my bar with tales of a magical dagger so rare it's guaranteed to start a bidding war, that old itch is back. One last heist—for old times sake. At least, that's what I tell myself.

With an uptight alpha werewolf breathing down my neck and a demon hot on my tail, this job could be my downfall. One wrong move, and the pack of werewolves I ran from eight years ago will come looking for payback. Only this time, they wont leave me breathing. Hopefully, my survival skills are better than my bartending.

Relic Hunter is the first book in the Riley Cruz series about a goat shifter who steals magical artifacts. If you like fun, fast-paced urban fantasy with quirky characters and a dose of slow-burn romance, this is the book for you.

©2023 Lisa McBride (P)2024 Lisa McBride

The characters are outstanding

I absolutely love Riley, the goat-shifter protagonist. She gets herself in lots of trouble with a certain lack of forethought & a high level of recklessness. That combination does not always serve her well, although she is great at thinking on her feet and making it work. Somehow her human form retains a number of marvelous goat qualities, including tenacity, determination, and an ability to eat everyone else under the table. She manages to pull off her various plans, get away from pursuers, stay safe, and beat the odds, while retaining her boundless energy and optimism. She grows in her self-confidence and organization skills and I can't wait for the next book!! Maria McCann is absolutely the perfect voice for Riley! I loved listening!

No Demon's trinkets are safe from the G.O.A.T.

It’s been 8 years… 8 wonderfully long years since Riley escaped from under the Santa Fe Alpha, Carl’s, paw, and absconded to Kansas City. While she’s kept most at arm’s length, she’s made some good, solid connections and friendships. “The girls” (the oldest and most powerful witches in the midwest if not the entire US) are basically her grandmas, Kali James is her necromancer besty than the resty, and of course, there’s Dex, part-time vampire, full-time computer geek.

Obviously things are all sunshine and rainbows. Riley is constantly making sure Carl hasn’t caught up to her, and her crappy job at the dive bar is pretty meh, but still, life is good! But when a job that she just CAN’T say no to comes her way (a demon-killing dagger!), it’s time to dust the cobwebs off of her lockpicking kit and plan a heist.

Carl can’t possibly find her in Kansas City, right? And “demon dagger”, psht! Just a way to get the richy-riches of the world to bid on it for big bucks, right? And what the heck is she going to do about KC’s Alpha Volkov… by the goat he’s a conundrum. But Riley’s got this! Sure…! Oh
boy…

“Relic Hunter” is the first novel to the new Riley Cruz spin-off series from the award-winning Kali James series by L. A. McBride. It lives in the same world as Kali James and features a new perspective on characters fans already know and love. The hits just keep on coming, and the humor is on point! The settings are rich, the characters dynamic, the action just keeps coming, and the book is unputdownable! I highly recommend this book and look forward to Riley’s continuing solo series!

I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Amazing Characters

This was such a fantastic book! I really love the Main Character, Riley-she is bold sassy and pretty darn confident considering she was treated terribly growing up in her teens!

The supporting characters are great as well and I love seeing the true friendship and loyalty with the 3 witches and Dez.

I'm looking forward to the next book, as I know Riley will get herself into so scrapes...and I just love how she comes up with unique ways to get herself out of them!!

Alpha Who

This book was a delight. Riley is a goat shifter with an authority problem, and a being underestimated problem, and an adrenaline rush problem. But she also has friends in her corner. When she acquires a dagger it sends her on the path to some of the greatest challenges in her career. Through disguises, near misses, and some glitter bombs (courtesy of the stitch witches) Riley just needs to make it through.

I love Riley

I am in love with Riley's spin off series so far!! After reading the Kali James series, I was so excited that Riley would get her own books! In this book, Riley gets word that a rare dagger is going up for auction, she can't help but go back to her old ways. She wants this payday in case she has to run from Carl again. At the same time, she is also trying to help Kali rid Kansas City of a demon and find out more about Kali's grandmother as well. Can she keep Max off her back long enough to get this dagger and make her fortune off it?
Riley is such a fun character. She has survived being on her own after a horrible alpha made her into a thief at a young age. She is a fun, snarky, sassy girl who is also vulnerable. Max is definitely a swoon-worthy character and even Riley isn't immune to him! and the ladies - oh the ladies! I love the witches! They are so fun and make me laugh! And poor Dez, he's such a great guy, I feel bad for him and his not wanting to drink blood.
This was such a great companion book to the Kali James series as well. After reading that, this goes into more of Riley's details that you don't get in those books. (But even if you haven't read those, this will still make sense.) If you get the chance I recommend those books as well!
There is lots of action and suspense in this book. I found myself almost biting my lip waiting to find out what would happen next! I can't wait for book 2 on audio!

Fun Book

I really enjoyed this book. Quirky MFC is funny. It was an easy going listen, with a slow build story that kept you entertained and engaged. I would recommend listening :)

Wry young adult

I thought this book was more Adult than it actually is. I really wish everyone would tag their books truthfully. I do not like YA at all.