• Angel's Ink

  • The Asylum Tales, Book 1
  • By: Jocelynn Drake
  • Narrated by: Michael Urie
  • Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (204 ratings)

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Angel's Ink  By  cover art

Angel's Ink

By: Jocelynn Drake
Narrated by: Michael Urie
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Publisher's summary

Buyer beware....

Looking for a tattoo - and maybe a little something extra: a burst of good luck, a dollop of true love, or even a hex on an ex? Head to the quiet and mysterious Gage, the best skin artist in town. Using unique potions - a blend of extraordinary ingredients and special inks - to etch the right symbol, he can fulfill any heart's desire. But in a place like Low Town, where elves, faeries, trolls, werewolves, and vampires happily walk among humanity, everything has its price.

No one knows that better than Gage. Turning his back on his own kind, he left the magical Ivory Tower where cruel witches and warlocks rule, a decision that cost him the right to practice magic. And if he disobeys, his punishment - execution - will be swift.

Though he's tried to fly under the radar, Gage can't hide from powerful warlocks who want him dead - or the secrets of his own past. But with the help of his friends, Trixie, a gorgeous elf who hides her true identity, and a hulking troll named Bronx, Gage might just make it through this enchanted world alive.

©2012 Jocelynn Drake (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Angel's Ink

Average customer ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Worst Narrator for a sorry story

Would you try another book from Jocelynn Drake and/or Michael Urie?

The narrator made this less than stellar book worse that it had to be. If you like someone who sounds like he is always angry, just fed up with everyone he comes in contact with and has no talent for different voices....then you will like this one. OMG....he made what was supposed to be a sexy little imp speak with a lisp. I'll let you judge for yourself but I was very disappointed and it possibly could have been a good book, but it wasn't a good audible.

What could Jocelynn Drake have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

There was just one disaster after another. No respite. DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA and NO story!

How could the performance have been better?

Get someone with a range of voices and characters.

What character would you cut from Angel's Ink?

The narrator!!!!!

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Badass with a lisp?

What disappointed you about Angel's Ink?

The story was fine, I suppose, but there should be a label on books that says girl porn!! Why are so many books in the sci-fi/fantasty genre just blah romances?

Would you be willing to try another book from Jocelynn Drake? Why or why not?

Probably not. I imagine that all her other books are similar, and have the same weak romance plots, and characters that see ONLY ONE way things can be done.....

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Michael Urie?

I dont know- someone who didnt lisp, and could manage a broader range of voices; voices that were not so annoying

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

If you are a woman, and are looking for romance, with a half way decent plot; this might be for you. If you are not, this book is not for you.

Any additional comments?

Ugh.....

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

If your into Sci-fy & tattoos get this book!

Any additional comments?

I got a kick out of this book. I love tattoos, getting them & looking at them on others as well as sci-fy books so this was right up my ally. I am a big believer that the tattoo you get should have meaming to you and can grant you strength/power even if it is only psychological, this book follows that idea. If you have read the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne and liked them then you'll most likely enjoy this book.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining but somewhat problematic

I really liked the narrator, EXCEPT (and this is a huge except) for Trixie’s voice. Trixie’s voice was incredibly irritating. It was all light and wispy and had a lisp. She sounded like a five year old. She’s a pretty major character, so you had to hear that awful voice ALL THE TIME. She should’ve had a sultry voice, not a grating one. If he’d done a better voice for Trixie I would’ve given his performance five stars.
My problem with the story also has to do with the treatment of Trixie. I really liked the premise and the plot of the story, but towards the beginning at least, Trixie was really objectified. Like yes, she’s hot, I get it, but you don’t have to constantly talk about her breasts. Gage sounded like a 13 year old boy. Also his machismo throughout the story did get irritating at times.
Other than that, though, I do like the world she’s built with magic and fantasy races in a modern context. The idea of magical tattoos is really cool.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Loved the narration

Which character – as performed by Michael Urie – was your favorite?

Gage was my favorite character narrated by Michael Urie. I love the sarcasm.

Any additional comments?

What I loved most about this was the narration. The story was a pretty good one, but I felt it dragged on at times. But, I really liked the narration by Michael Urie. I thought the female voice of Trixie sounded like Adam Sandler in the movie Jack and Jill and it made me giggle. And the character Gideon sounded like Clint Eastwood, but I loved loved loved the sarcasm of Gage that was captured. I was pleasantly surprised when I googled Michael Urie and saw it was the guy from Ugly Betty. I loved that show and him on it, and I love his narration. I will buy any book he narrates.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Nicely surprised by this one

Any additional comments?

I bought this because I like the narrator and I figured it would be a simple story to pass the time. It was so much more than that. Unpredictable , unique and refreshing . I was forced to reconsider this author as a seriously good storyteller. Nicely done

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome book!

What did you like best about this story?

I don't really have any one favourite thing about this story, I loved the whole thing and can't wait for the next instalment.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favourite scene would have to be when Gage goes to see Chang.

Any additional comments?

Fantastic book, well narrated. Absolutely loved it!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Unexpected

This book was not what I expected, but was very good. I'm glad to have this opportunity so I can listen to it again.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

excellent

dramatic narrator, great book. loved the characters. Will have to get the second book soon.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Fun, dark, edgy urban fantasy

Angel’s Ink had been sitting in my Audible library since December 2017, so I couldn’t say I was in a hurry to get to it. Audiobooks aren’t my main format for reading, so that’s not much of a surprise. I guess I got it because it was on sale and the blurb seemed really interesting and pretty much had everything that could hook me to a book. The funny thing is, at the time I didn’t have a tattoo yet (but I wanted to have one!) or the blog (funny coincidence with the series title, but then I don’t believe in coincidences), so I had no idea what a good fit it’ll be within 2 years, hah!

As urban fantasies go, I pretty much enjoyed Angel’s Ink, but I also had a few issues, which is why I ultimately decided to review it.

Gage lives a, well, let’s call it quiet life, running a tattoo parlor along with his friends Trixie, a beautiful (of course) and mysterious elf and Bronx, a troll who doesn’t talk much but knows more than you’d think. All three of them has their own secrets and troubling pasts they try running from, but past has that annoying habit to catch up with you when you least expect it. Trouble comes knocking on the Asylum’s door in the face of a young woman with terminal illness, looking for a tattoo to fulfill her last wish. Things go downhill from here as Gage tries to unmake his mistakes and avoid early retirement – for the disappointment of many parties.

I liked Gage as a character – he is somewhat your typical UF male MC with a quirky attitude, a knack for trouble, a tortured past and a big kind heart. But of course it works, because, let’s face it, we all love characters like him – though poor guy could have do with a much better name than Gage. The narrator – Michael Urie – did a pretty good job impersonating him, and most of the characters. I hated his voice for Trixie with a passion though. He made her sound like an affecting bitch, and I don’t think she was that. Especially since she liked to listen to bands like Papa Roach, and that’s a nice big point from me. The chemistry between the characters worked well, banters and all. I especially liked Bronx and Sophie – I hope she’ll get a bigger part in the story later on, because she has an interesting background and I’m pretty sure she’s a mischievous one.

What I had an issue with was the plot(s). Where to start? The love plot. Because, yes, there is a love interest *eyeroll*. To be fair I liked the relationship itself, they are good together. However. It would have worked much better if they were already in a relationship to begin with and were introduced as such. Personally I just don’t see the necessity to insert such a cliché into the story. It was OBVIOUS to even blind people that they were in love, and that the author intended for them to have a relationship, and I don’t think it added anything to the story in general that – conveniently – they started to realise their feelings right around the time we dropped into their lives. Seriously, I would have just left this whole thing out as it was annoying, and that sex scene was just… ugh, a bit too much information. If I was interested in some steamy scenes, I would have picked a romance book. And I don’t like romance books.

So, that was one unecessary plotline, without which there would have been space for a bit more worldbuilding. All we know is that we are in a city, and that the world is ruled by warlocks who live in Ivory Towers – but why and where the name comes from and a few other questions are never answered. There are hints about a past war which made some races extinct, but these are only hints. We never really learn about that either. Or about why the warlocks are said to be evil and why they need to practically kidnap young kids who have magical abilities. There is a lot of saying and not much showing which makes the world feel like its built out of carton shapes. You know what I mean? Like it’s all an illusion, a stage decoration. Everything is subordinated to cram as many plotlines (and creatures) into the book as possible, while it would have benefited if there was only one or two but those were well rounded out. It feels like the author wanted to add a lot of action and throw in a lot of hardships for the characters to deal with, but it resulted in chaos and too many unanswered questions. Drake wanted to give a history to all three characters – Gage, Trixie, Bronx – by dragging their past into the present, but all she managed to do was overcomplicate things and take away the focus from worldbuilding and from her characters to really have time to shine. Less would have been more as I’m sure there would be plenty of time as the series progressed to slowly introduce these plotlines and actually make more sense out of them.

Despite my complaints, I still enjoyed Angel’s Ink. Books with snarky protagonists are my weaknesses and besides I really dug the idea of a magical tattoo shop. Especially one in which there is at least one person with a great music taste – fun fact, when I almost got my first tattoo, I bonded with my artist over my favourite Hungarian band, so that was cool and set the mood early on. The Asylum Tales (I swear this wasn’t an inspiration for my feature) has the potential to be a good series if it gets a bit cleared up and the world itself gets a bit more attention. I blew through the audiobook pretty fast, so I imagine it must be a fast read as well. If you need a palate cleanser, as I did and look for some fun – although a bit dark – UF read, then absolutely give a go to Angel’s Ink.

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