A review by nelljustice
The Myth Manifestation by Lisa Shearin

5.0

This book has no sex, no graphic blood and gore, no swearing since Mac edits it out of her ongoing dialog. This has got a tiny little bit of romance that includes one very rich and charming goblin courting our protagonist. SPI is made of a team of agents that will do their share of kicking asses and taking names while protecting the mundanes from learning about the supernatural. There is a tiny cliffhanger, but it's the overarching relationship stuff - not the story itself. It's easy to handle. Don't worry.
I love Mac and the gang. I also love Mac and Rake's relationship. He's under Mac's skin and Mac has got Rake swooning. Okay, maybe the other way around. Anyway, there is a supernatural summit taking place and anywhere there are a bunch of supernaturals trapped together you know there will be trouble.
Goblins and Elves do NOT have a harmonious vibe going on. All other attendees also have problems intermingling, so security for this event is beyond difficult. It's not enough that it's all races and creeds of creatures attending this summit, it's their political leaders that take the spotlight and create a ton of drama. SPI is on high alert but all the special drills they could go through would never cover this problem.
This is a good old "Clue" episode. Who did it in the ballroom or the bedroom or the beer keg with a big ol' knife? Yeah, I said beer keg. You caught that, huh? That's what's fun about the supernatural culture differences in this book. There are so many variations between cultures that anything goes but one wrong step or a simple action or comment could be construed as offensive and then watch out! With the caliber of individuals attending this convention, we have political fallout first and foremost to worry about. After that, then we could have not only an international incident but an interdimensional incident that could very well incite a war. Tread carefully and walk on eggshells. But we still gotta figure out who's killing whom and why.
You want details on the story? Well, ok... I can give you this. Rake's impossibly above high class, ten-star hotel has been hijacked. Yes, that's right. Hijacked. At first, it looks like a security issue, but then it evolves. Boy, does it evolve. It involves mythological creatures materializing out of nowhere. And Rake has no answers. Can you imagine? He's got no "clue" as to what's going on.

I can also give you a small detail on the romance between Mac and Rake. It's moving very, very slow. I like that Lisa Shearin is making their relationship a gradual thing. It builds anticipation. I love that a nice southern seer girl can capture the attention of a suave, sexy, interdimensional uber rich playboy. Makenna is all sassy common sense if not skill. She is not Rake's type, per se. You'd expect him to be with fussy, glossy, supermodel bombshells in tight dresses with 4-inch heels and coifed hair. Except... he's choosing Mac. She has her own style, no-nonsense woman that knows her limits and tries very hard to be an asset to the SPI crew. She loves her job and I love her unique personality.
Johanna Parker is the narrator for this book as well as all the other SPI novels. She gives the story that much more depth and complexity. Another 5 star hit if you ask me.