The Lesser Devil: A Book of the Keening Chronicles

De: Tia M. Grubb

Narrado por: Tia M. Grubb

Lydia Keening, a modern witch living in the buckle of the Bible belt, has no patience for fantasy, even to the point of doubting her own abilities, but soon, she learns that magic is more than a whisper - it’s a battle cry!

Hekate's Crossing, a comet marking the new awakening, is fast approaching. The world of men and monsters blurs the line between allies and enemies as they fight for Lydia's allegiance or her submission.

The hounds of heaven, the bastard sons of the church, seek out their dark desire to bring forth an ancient horror so that fear finds the hearts of men and the "one true faith" is reborn. The Bahlael have other plans.

Vampires, shifters, and nameless devils refuse to lose their place as the apex predators to the things beyond the veil. They will have Lydia for their own ends at any cost. Her destiny calls, and her fate is to be met.

Can Lydia face her own demons so she may walk in the darkness with the devils we fear and save us from the light?

©2015 Tia Grubb (P)2019 Tia Grubb

Best Read Book in Audible!

You have to listen to it! The book kept me wanting more, but truly the audible version brought it to life! Tia did a fantastic job creating the characters and giving them life in her readings. It just adds another dimension to the story. Can’t wait for the next one!

Amazing Performance!

First of all this book is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. Some of the topics brought up in this book are not suitable for children or anyone that is triggered by violence or torture. This book is Horror and the way Tia reads some of the dark parts adds to the creepiness of the situation. With that said, this book also included moments of true tenderness, love, and loyalty,

I was already a fan of Tia's writing, having inquired a hardcopy of her book, a couple of years ago. (which is saying something since I am not a fan of Horror); and I was blown away by how well Tia read/edited this audiobook.

The book twists the perspectives of good and evil. The monsters will admit that they are monsters, yet at the same time, they are noble in that they know they are the first line of defense against the evils behind the veil, and thus will risk their lives to protect the world as we know it. Meanwhile, those claiming to be Godly, allow evil in because they believe they can control it, morph it, and use it to spread fear and hatred; all in the name of bringing God back into the world.

Lydia, the heroine, is stuck between these two worlds. She lost everything dear to her because she is a witch and does not fit into the societal norms of the Bible Belt, so she makes ends meet by teaching about magic and the occasional ghostbusting, yet she doubts herself and her abilities. Meanwhile, there are forces she knows nothing about who are fighting over her.
The journey she undergoes in this book is an awakening, of her powers, of who she's meant to be, and how giving up her power affected the one she loves the most. Something that I do not believe will ever happen again, once Lydia learns the truth.

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. Now I will patiently wait for the next installment of the Keening Chronicles.

This Voice Will Haunt You

I had already read this <don't call it spellbinding, that's too cute, think of something better> spellbinding book, and after hearing the Audible version, I find myself wishing I had listened to it first.

The author's voice wraps itself around the story, conveying another layer of meaning. There is palpable fear in the fearful places, joy and laughter in the intervals of relief. Skillful use of reverb opens up space.

The recording quality is outstanding; the reading is precise. I happen to have followed the tortuous progress of the recording on social media, but now I know why: Tia holds herself to a standard of performance that professional actors would struggle to meet.

I already reviewed the text, so the keywords are: metaphysical horror and magic written by One Who Knows. Characters to love. The bloodstains on the pages have been tested by the best forensic lab in Alabama, and DNA shows that it belongs to Tia M. Grubb. You will add the sweat and tears.

The main reason I am not bothering the author about the next book (which I NEEEEEED *ahem*) is that I fear it will kill her. Let's all pray to our respective Gods for her to have the strength for it.

I am not a reader of much fiction any more, nor even really a fan of this genre. I imagine someone who is a fan might somehow, inconceivably, like it even more.

Excellent, Dark, Authentic Narrative & Performance

I am picky about narrators, and Tia M. Grubb's narration makes her already raw, primal story darker and even more connective.

The story arcs are well written and performed with a genuine gusto. I thoroughly enjoyed Lydia's story and found myself empathizing with her. The exploration of Paganism in the South and how that can impact the life and practice of a parent in the Bible Belt made Lydia easy to relate to. I hope in the following books we will see and discover more about the network of friends and support Lydia has in her life. Especially her mentor and those she learned from.

Hauntingly brilliant!

As with any good novel novel, it starts off slowly and then builds momentum giving me reasons not to put it down. I was blown away by her use of sound effects. When I felt that I had missed something I was eager to replay because the story is too good to miss any little detail because all of it is important. Her characters are fully thought out. As I listen to this book, it reminded me of what I feel when I watch movies. I was heavily into it and trying to imagine what would happened next. I wanted to start over from the beginning once it was finished.