Welcome to our guide on the Forty Proof series by Shannon Mayer! This series is sure to captivate those who, like us: adore a generous serving of paranormal in their books, greet the morning with creaking knees and just want to have fun. Our heroine Breena is over 40, divorced a little soft around the middle and is tired of the world (and her ex-husband) telling her she no longer has value. But, the world had better watch out as Breena has officially run out of ducks. And as her home town Savannah is about to find out an experienced woman with no ducks left is a force to be reckoned with.
This series is also, at time of writing, available on kindle unlimited.
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The Forty Proof series by Shannon Mayer
Table of Contents
- What;s the series about
- Reading order
- Why we recommend the series
- What to read next if you love the series
What’s the Forty Proof series by Shannon Mayer about?
Breena is forty one years old and starting over again. After a rough divorce, where all she seemed to receive was her ex-husband’s debt it’s official: she’s out of ducks to give. She’s now, in a strange twist of fate, living in her ex-husband’s – hot as sin – cousin’s spare room and about to apply for a job in her home town of Savannah.
But, it’s not just any job. Breena is entering the realms of her childhood: the shadow world. A world just beneath the ordinary where shifters, the fae and magic live alongside humans. It’s a perilous place, teetering on the edge of destruction. The question is: will Breena safeguard the shadow world from those who seek to plunge it too far in to the dark, or will she just hasten it’s demise?
Whatever happens, she won’t be alone. She has a motley crew of friends she can’t quite trust and two men on her mind; both dangerous, both with secrets and both extremely tempting.
Breena now faces a path fraught with uncertainty and irresistible allure. Good job she packed Advil.
The Forty Proof series by Shannon Mayer reading order
- Midlife Bounty Hunter
- Midlife Fairy Hunter
- Midlife Demon Hunter
- Midlife Ghost Hunter
- Midlife Zombie Hunter
- Midlife Witch Hunter
- Midlife Magic Hunter
- Midlife Soul Hunter
- Midlife Vampire Hunter
- Robert: A Forty Proof novella
Why do we love the Forty Proof series by Shannon Mayer?
Sometimes you come across a series that hits exactly the right spot, for us this was one of those series. All the different elements combine to create a series that’s funny, action packed, with interesting characters and some delicious romance. So, lets break down the top three things we love about the Forty Proof series by Shannon Mayer.
The heroine
The Forty Proof series is part of a new(ish) subgenre of urban fantasy called paranormal women’s fiction. Basically, it’s an urban fantasy where the heroine is over 40 and absolutely done with everyone treating her like she’s worthless. Add that to a paranormal world in trouble and you have a middle aged female protagonist showing everyone that experience trumps youth.
Breena does this with aplomb. She’s smart, she’s funny and she is done taking crap from anyone. It is refreshing to see a mature heroine and her personality drives this story expertly and with style.
The world and story
One of the most important aspects of an urban fantasy has to be the world and poor world building can make or break a series even if everything else is excellent. Luckily, in the Forty Proof series Mayer creates an interesting world for Breena to crash about in. It had a little bit of everything: ghosts, fae, shifters, vampires, magic and more. All of them living just below the surface of the normal world.
What set this world apart for me is that, with a couple of exceptions, nothing was just “evil” everything was shades of grey. This added a level of tension to the book, as you are never quite sure who to trust and what their intentions are. It makes for some page-turning storytelling.
The romance and friendships
The Forty Proof series isn’t a romance, so don’t expect a happily ever after at the end of each book. But, don’t despair! Breena’s hormones *ahem* I mean love life is a significant part of the story and adds an emotional punch and some delicious sexual tension. If you’re a fan of love triangles, you’ll eat this one right up. We are not it’s biggest fans…we still ate it up and asked for seconds.
But, what I liked more than the romance aspect of the Forty Proof series was the friendships Breena forges. After being isolated for so long in her terrible marriage and having no living family left it was a joy to watch Breena create her own found family. Not only was it heart-warming, it was downright hilarious, a lot of the humour in this series comes from the wonderful banter between them all.
What to read after the Forty Proof series by Shannon Mayer
If you enjoyed the Forty Proof series by Shannon Mayer then we have a few more series we think you will like. Conversely, if you have loved these, then I just know you will love Forty Proof series.
If you’re looking for more paranormal women’s fiction then we recommend the Leveling Up series by K.F. Breene. It shares similar vibes to Forty Proof, featuring a freshly divorced female protagonist in her forties embarking on a fresh start, hopefully packed with adventure. The journey starts with her finally moving out of her parents to an old house in a kooky small town. But, she gets more adventure than she bargained: the house has it’s own haunted agenda and the small town residents are darn right…weird? The Leveling Up series is brimming with laughs, quirky characters, and of course, romance.
The Leveling Up series is available on kindle unlimited, so come and grab the first book Magical Midlife Madness on Amazon. If you want to see more of our thoughts, check out our reviews.
The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Magic by Helen Harper
You see a lot of different groups represented in romance and urban fantasy, and yet, I have never felt as seen as I did reading The Lazy Girls Guide to Magic series by Helen Harper. Finally, being lazy and enjoying lounging around with chocolate is the stuff of heroines. I’ve never loved a protagonist more. Our heroine is a very talented witch, but she would rather watch Netflix and talk to her familiar. That is until a case of mistaken identity and a supremely irritating, and irritatingly attractive agent of the Arcane Branch stomps into her living room. Looks like she’s going to have to put Netflix on pause.
The Lazy Girls Guide to Magic series is available on kindle unlimited, so come and grab the first book Slouch Witch on Amazon. If you want to see more of our thoughts, check out our reviews.
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