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    Boundary Crossed
    Boundary Crossed
    Boundary Crossed
    Audiobook9 hours

    Boundary Crossed

    Written by Melissa F. Olson

    Narrated by Kate Rudd

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    After her twin sister’s brutal murder, former US Army Sergeant Allison “Lex” Luther vowed to protect her niece, Charlie. So when two vampires try to kidnap the baby, it quickly turns into a fight to the death—Lex’s death, that is.

    She wakes up to two shocking discoveries: she has miraculously survived the fight; and baby Charlie is a “null,” gifted with the ability to weaken supernatural forces...and a target for creatures who want to control that power. Determined to guarantee her niece’s safety, Lex makes a deal with the local vampires. She sets out with the mysterious—and undead—“fixer” Quinn to track down whoever’s responsible for the kidnapping, sharpening her newfound magic skills along the way. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her powers become.

    Boundary Crossed is a dark, thrilling journey into a world where the line between living and dead isn’t nearly as solid as it appears...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateMay 1, 2015
    ISBN9781501230769
    Boundary Crossed
    Author

    Melissa F. Olson

    Melissa F. Olson is the author of numerous Old World novels and stories, as well as the novella Nightshades and its two sequels. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband, two kids, two dogs, and two jittery chinchillas. Read more about her work and life at www.MelissaFOlson.com.

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    Reviews for Boundary Crossed

    4/5

    164 ratings16 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Unique look on the paranormal. Good character, storyline, and plot development. Lex, Quinn, and Simon take steps to protect an infant with a unique gift. Lex discovers herself. This book has a little bit of everything, talk of werewolves, witches, vampires, null, kidnapping, party, suspense, drama, death, friendship, and much more.
    • 5/5
      Yet another series off to a great start! I am absolutely in love with Olson’s style of writing and have flown through this and the Scarlett Bernard books beforehand. Thank goodness for audiobooks or the housework would never get done because I would be glued to my chair with a book in hand 24/7.
    • 5/5
      Deep characters, interesting story line, first bk of 5 series. Unusual. Original.
    • 2/5
      It was okay, nothing spectacular. I probably won't go out of my way to read any more of the series. I didn't really connect to the characters - they all just felt kind of flat. The plot was alright, fairly typical paranormal story.
    • 5/5
      Boundary Crossed by F. Olson and narrated by Kate Rudd is a fabulous witch and vampire story with a very unique story line! I had hooked right away as our gal is working in a store when two people come in to buy diaper but don't know anything about it. When she goes over to help, she sees her niece in the stroller! They where kidnapping her. That's when they kill our hero. But that doesn't stop her. It is a great story with strange magic, action, and a touch of possible romance. The narration was spot on!
    • 4/5
      Yaaay good urban fantasy!
    • 3/5
      This review covers the Boundary Magic Series by Melissa F. Olson: Book1 Boundary Crossed; Book 2 Boundary Lines; Book 3 Boundary Born.

      I read the three books in this series back to back and something that struck me about them is how well-planned it felt. I expect bigger and badder powers and enemies in each book, and this book had them so no surprise there. To me, each of those increases felt logical and as if the series had left room for it or foreshadowed it. It just felt very planned and I appreciated that.

      Another thing I appreciated was that the love story in this series was first and foremost between Lex and her family and most importantly between Lex and her niece. Family is everything to Lex, it motivates everything she does. Her family is huge and sprawling and they populate her world. It's nice to have a woman in an urban fantasy not be alone and lonely.

      Okay, yes, there is a love story, at least in that Lex falls in love. But it never dominates the true story of Lex doing whatever it takes to protect her niece. Actually, it doesn't take center stage much at all, to the point that when Lex did think about it I was sort of confused by her strong emotions because there hadn't been the intense buildup I expect from UF.

      Other things I liked:
      The witch stuff, how they were organized, how magic was treated.
      Lex's new friends who teach her magic.
      Lex's family and their number and variety.
      That family was always the most important thing in these books, from start to finish.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book in the Boundary Magic trilogy by Olson. I have had this urban fantasy on my TBR pile for a while and I am happy I finally picked it up to read. This was a very enjoyable read about a ex-military woman who is trying to eke out a living working at a convenience store. Everything changes for her the night she intercepts a kidnapping and finds out that she's not as human as she thought she was.I listened to this on audiobook and thought it was well done. It’s one I would recommend listening to if you are a fan of audiobooks.I really enjoyed the heroine in this book. She is struggling with some PTSD and trying to make it in the "normal" world. I loved that she had so many fears and doubts but constantly strove to work through them and do what was right. She also has a good sense of humor and is very dedicated to her family throughout.Some of this book is very typical investigative urban fantasy: there are werewolves, witches, and vampires and our heroine runs herself ragged. However these more typical elements were nicely offset by a heroine with a unique background and a supportive extended family.Overall I really enjoyed this. While it wasn't the best urban fantasy series I've ever read, it is well written and engaging and has some unique elements to it. I plan on continuing with the series.
    • 4/5
      Boundary Crossed is a fun, fast-paced story with intriguing characters and worldbuilding. It's not perfect, but it definitely exceeded my expectations. (And it's not easy for an urban fantasy to surprise me these days!) I finished it in a day, and I'm already looking forward to picking up book two!
    • 5/5
      I was so incredulous that I would enjoy this book as much as I did. I got it for free on Kindle First on Amazon, but I enjoyed it so much that I actually purchased the second book in the series. Though I've been partaking in Kindle First for several months now, this is the first book I've actually read from the three or four that I've "purchased." I was sort of inclined to think that the quality of the books they offer probably wasn't the best, so I held off on reading any of them. However, I'm in the process of moving and I've packed most of my books away, so I thought it was a good time to use the Kindle app.So yes, it's a really good book. People threw around comparisons from Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, and I can definitely see that. But it also stands out on its own, because the character's voice is different enough from Anita's. Probably one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much was because it reminded of the spirit of the Anita Blake series, before it went to weird orgies and succubus plot lines that became sort of trite and plot-less. I will say that there was a time when I was really trying to find good series with a strong character like Anita, that weren't so involved in sex and romance. I read other vampire, witch, werewolf, and even weather witch stores. For example, I've read some of the Weather Warden series, some of the Dresden stories, some of the Kitty Norville series, and a few others.None of them really gripped me like the Anita Blake series did when I first read, until I read this book. Firstly, it appears that many of these authors don't have a very good concept of sentence structure, and I also struggle with even caring about their characters.. It's the reason I never got into the Charlaine Harris thing. I don't care how interesting your plot lines may be, if I read a book and am completely bored by the stilted sentence structures and repetitive grammar speech patterns, chances are that I won't continue reading the series/books. But this series is the first in years that I have enjoyed in the vein of paranormal romance, because it is well written and I actually care about the main character. The chapters left me wanting more, not struggling to complete the book,The character goes by Lex, and it is sort of the introduction story to her being placed into the word of witches and vampires and werewolves (though I imagine those will be introduced at a later date). The character is surly, independent, and she has strong familial ties. While that is generally the same recipe for so many of these strong heroines in these urban fantasy books, this character was still "different" enough for me to be interested in her story. (though really, most of these "strong heroine" types all seem like they're related.) You enter sort of in the middle of Lex's life, so there are still elements of her past that are brought to light as you read.SPOILER. I think the necromancy concept is very interesting, and when it is incorporated into a story that I actually want to read about, then I am all the more intrigued. There is, of course, a romance element in the story. You can already see a potential love triangle brewing up the future, thanks to the way it's written. But the romance wasn't super in-your-face-sexytimes romance. More of a subtle, blossoming romance. While I don't particularly care about that aspect in most stories, it was building slowly enough that it didn't bother me or take away from the plot of the story itself.I found myself eagerly reading each chapter, curious to read what would happen next. No, it's not Charles DIckens, but it was still highly enjoyable book for me. Olson manages to write about a world that hundreds of writers have written about, with a slightly interesting perspective on the whole witch/necromancer thing that gives her a fairly fresh voice to the genre. I don't read a ton of literature like this, so maybe something similar is out there, but I'm also not easily impressed with trite, unlikable characters, or poorly written books that seem so common in this genre. I will say, however, that I would love for a bit more darkness to be introduced into the series. With the particular kind of witch that she is, you would think she's be a bit more gray and inbetween white and black. What I mean by that is she is "I'll never kill a human being!" and she's very gung-ho about that. At least for now. ;)
    • 5/5
      Unique look on the paranormal. Good character, storyline, and plot development. Lex, Quinn, and Simon take steps to protect an infant with a unique gift. Lex discovers herself. This book has a little bit of everything, talk of werewolves, witches, vampires, null, kidnapping, party, suspense, drama, death, friendship, and much more.
    • 5/5
      4.5*Book source ~ Kindle FirstThere’s something strange about Allison “Lex” Luther. She has a difficult time dying. Ok, the dying part isn’t so difficult. It’s the staying dead that’s giving her problems. For some reason she can’t stay dead. Not necessarily a bad thing, but most definitely strange and it’s the reason why she suddenly ends up over her head in a magical world she never knew existed when she dies yet again while protecting her baby niece from the vampires (?!) kidnapping her. Vampires. Lex had no idea. But now she needs to learn all she can and asap before the bad guys go at her niece again.Woo doggie! Just when you think there can’t be any other way to tell a story involving magic and vampires, along comes an author with a unique spin on the old standby. A boundary witch is something I’ve never heard of and it is some interesting shit. Lex has to learn her stuff on the fly and she does a decent job of it, but she’s still ass deep in vampires and the magical world and not a clear picture of what she can do or what’s expected of her by the larger community. Not to mention she needs to protect her magically gifted niece, all while keeping everything a secret from humans. Well, isn’t that a kick in the head? Well-written and edge-of-seat gripping, with only a few areas of stretching believability past the limits, I’m most definitely going to be reading the next book in this series.
    • 4/5
      Lex Luther is an Army vet working in a convenience store in Boulder, Colorado. She is content, living alone, with her variety of rescue animals and babysitting for her dead sister's eighteen-month-old daughter once a week. She is abruptly introduced to the paranormal world around her when she sees two people - vampires - shopping for diapers for a child in an infant carrier who happens to be her niece Charlie. While rescuing her niece, she is stabbed in the back and dies.When she wakes up in the hospital, she meets Quinn who wants to know what happened and really wants to know why his attempt to change her memory isn't working. Quinn is a vampire working for the vampires who control Colorado. He takes her to meet them and Lex bargains her skills for her niece's safety. Lex learns that she is a witch and that her niece Charlie is a Null. Anyone who gets within a few feet of Charlie become human. This makes Charlie a desirable tool for the vampires. Lex and Quinn team up to discover who is trying to kidnap Charlie. Meanwhile, Lex needs to learn to control these new witchly powers that she didn't know she had. She also learns that she is a different kind of witch, one that scares other witches. She has the power to pull the life out of living things and use that power. Lex even scares herself with her new powers.I liked Lex. I thought she handled all the changes in her life with courage. I also liked her devotion to her dead sister's child. I liked the relationship that is growing between Quinn and Lex too. I enjoyed this new urban fantasy.
    • 2/5
      For more reviews like this check out Weezled.“The third time I died was early on a Monday morning, a week after Labor Day.”The opening line of Boundary Crossed is, by far, the high point of the novel. Olson does a great job of capturing your attention in the first chapter, but I found my interest waning in chapter two. From there it plateaus into a flawed but easy read, allowing you to relax and enjoy the Benny Hill sketch that is Boundary Crossed complete with vampires, secret witches and whispers of werewolves.The character of Lex Luther has so much potential. Unfortunately, she fails to live up to her borrowed name. Olson could have told the story of a troubled character struggling to deal with the ghosts of her past as well as the vampires of her present. Instead, we read the tale of a woman who seems to be awfully well adjusted for having died three times and served two terms in the US Army.I expected a character who was still trying to hold her life together only to have it thrown back into chaos when her niece it kidnapped. Olson delivers on the chaos, but from the point of view of a character who barely reacts to being thrown into a car by a person she just met. It seems to me that that author was too caught up in writing a strong heroine that she failed to make the character feel whole.Unfortunately, Lex is not the only character who feels underdeveloped. The entire roster of supporting characters suffer a similar fate. Though, I must admit that supporting characters in a series may develop more over time. The main character, on the other hand, should have felt more complete from the start.But the book wasn't all bad; the fast paced plot is often fun and engaging, with few lulls, and there is a bit of romance that I suspect will progress further as the series continues. If you are looking for something fun and fast, this new series might just be right up your alley, but remember, don’t look at the first installment with too much scrutiny, or you might be disappointed.
    • 5/5
      This is the first book of a new series that's threatening to be truly great! Lex gets to live the dream that we all have had at some point; she discovers she has magic! After the death of her twin sister, Lex assumes responsibility for the safety and well-being of Charlotte, her niece. For some reason, someone in the magical community has decided that Charlotte would be a great prize, and decides to kidnap her. Lex, along with her new magical friends try to keep her safe. I can't wait for the rest of this series!
    • 5/5
      Fairly unique story to any of the others I’ve read in the Urban Fantasy genre. Yes, we have a woman who doesn’t know she has abilities, and of course she’s very powerful, but the position she’s put in because of it makes for an interesting read.Allison Luther (Lex) is not aware that anything supernatural exists when working her nightshift in a 24-hour convenience store until a couple comes in to buy disposable diapers and the child with them is her niece, Charlie! She’s suddenly thrust into the world of vampires, witches and werewolves and agrees to work for the head vampire who controls all of the supernaturals in Colorado in order to guarantee Charlie’s safety.I was sucked in with the first sentence “The third time I died was early on a Monday morning, a week after Labor Day.” Lex hasn’t been home for long after being discharged from the army. She’s still dealing with her experiences there, as well as losing her twin sister earlier that year. So now add Charlie’s situation, learning she is a powerful witch and that her abilities have an affinity with the dead; well there’s a lot on her plate. The characters were interesting and for the most part, very likable. I love Lex’es family as well as the Pellars, most of whom do their best to help train Lex. And then there’s Quinn, a vampire Lex ends up working with when trying to discover who is still attempting to kidnap Charlie. The book ends with some interesting possibilities and scenarios.Plenty of emotion, tension and action. I can see myself rereading this in the future.