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kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
First in the Spellcrackers.com urban fantasy series revolving around Genevieve Taylor, half-fae, half-human? -vampire? and her ages-long fight against the 3V and her flight from her prince.
My Take
The premise is good and unique to my reading list, however, McLeod is irritating with her primary character AND the activities that occur throughout the story. It's one thing to tease the reader into continuing to read. It's another thing completely to tease with very little release. It almost reads as though McLeod wrote all sorts of possibilities, cultural traits, character-related flaws onto index cards. She then tore them up, threw them into the air and then picked them up and stuck them into the story any which way. I don't mind being led, being teased, reading snippets of clues, but, eventually, I DO want explanations. I want resolution. I want those snippets to slot into some sort of order, an explanation. Oh, yes, eventually, McLeod resolves the primary picture, but she leaves WAY too much simply hanging whether it's in Hugh's red dust or the Muse's box.
Christ, McLeod has so many rules and conditions for each race and each different set has different interactions with each other. I'm surprised any of the characters can keep 'em straight. Lord knows, I want a cheat sheet!
I am really confused as to just what Genny is. I am also seriously questioning her intelligence. She comes across as a smart person, but you'd think that 10 years of experience would have made her more aware of her disability's weaknesses. And when those weaknesses are as deadly as hers, well, why hasn't she, why doesn't she, take more care???
I don't understand her relationship with Finn. He appears fascinated by her, but I have to wonder if I'm being set up. All the other relationships in this story are setups, why would this one be any different. Why does Gen feel a need to have this magic body disguise?
Salt interferes with a person's magic and Genny's magic is non-existent at worst and unreliable at best. Genny eats chips and bacon every single day. Hmmm, what parallel would you draw?
I swear this is like a vampiric Keystone Kops. Most of it seems designed to simply throw all sorts of dramatic action around with one or two threads---maybe—holding it together. It's just too convoluted. There are some three separate issues going on with Malik and it's giving me a headache.
The Story
Murder. Mr. October killed his fiancée and Bobby's father wants Genny to find out the truth. But that's not how it works. Everything Genny has built will collapse around her if she takes this case except those five little words are uttered. No fae will renege on a bargain and, besides, Stella seems okay with Genny taking the job.
It's the trip Genevieve and Alan make to the police station to check Melissa's body for concealment spells that starts the trouble rolling for Gen. Three vampires walk into a police station (sounds like the start of a joke, hmmmm)...the fact that two of them hit everyone with a mind lock does not indicate alliance, but it is death for one of their party and almost that for another unless Gen gets real creative, real quick.
It's a down-and-dirty introduction in Sucker Town to a number of players when Gen needs a blood hit. Malik saves her there when she rescues Gazza from a fang gang. Only he thinks she's Rosa---a vamp Malik had turned. In truth, it has all the hallmarks of Rosie, but it's still a blackmarket magic disguise Genny bought.
Then the VIP (full protection) invites arrive: Declan's, the Earl's, and Malik's. The Earl wants proof. Malik wants to work with her. Declan wants an exclusive.
The Characters
Genevieve Taylor is a sidhe fae and part vamp due to the 3V infection she first got when she was fourteen. A blood slave who must avoid sexual connections and vampires. Working for Spellcheckers allows for a subsidy on her apartment. Count Alexandre is her father and a vampire who killed her mother. Matilde is Genny's stepmother.
Katie is a human waitress at Gen's favorite café, the Rosy Lee owned by Freddie, in Covent Garden and she is fascinated by vampires, Mr. October especially. Gazza is the café's latest dishwasher. A Goth who is too fascinated by faeries and vampires.
The Undead Lord, the Earl, is an old vampire who runs the Blue Heart which is managed by Rio and she loves poke, poke, poking at Genny. The Earl is pretty savvy business-wise and his calendar of hot and hunky vamps whom he features at his nightclub is a big draw. He is also pretty hot for Gen's services. Westman is the vampire lawyer Alan rejected. Louis is a French vampire with his own agenda and "owned" by Rio. Red Poet is another of Rio's and the main attraction with the Human victim on stage. And the leader of the Sucker Town fang gang.
Malik al-Khan is another powerful vampire interested in Genny---even the trees are talking of his interest. Declan is the powerful Irish vampire who can steal memories. He and his brothers Seamus and Patrick own the Bloody Shamrock, an Irish pub for the fanged. Mick is a cluricaun and bartends at the Shamrock. Fiona is a vampire who can see the future and who believes she's more powerful than she is with some very wicked plans. She seems to work at the Shamrock.
Mr. October, a.k.a., Roberto, a.k.a., Bobby Hinkly, chose to go vamp to give himself time to look for a cure for the rare blood disease that killed his mother. Alan Hinkley is his devastated father, a journalist, desperate to save his son. He is determined to hire Gen to find out who really murdered Melissa, Bobby's wanna-be-a-vampire fiancée.
Stella Raynham, a witch, is her boss. Finn Panos is a lesser fae, a satyr, and if you look real close, you can just make out his horns. He's also about to become Genny's boss at Spellcrackers. A fact which doesn't prevent his trying to climb into her knickers! He's also played a rather nasty trick on her. Toni is the office manager at Spellcrackers. Real friendly. Agatha Brown is a brownie who has finagled a visit from Genny; she's nursemaid to Lady Meriel of Lake Serpentine's daughter Holly who is in trouble. One problem is Louis, the French Psycho vamp who is her friend.
Sergeant Hugo Munro is a seven-foot granite troll at Scotland Yard. And his advice has always been good. Constables Lamber and Taegrin are more trolls on the force; Constable Janet is a right bitch. Quick to judge and quicker to take advantage. Detective Inspector Helen Crane is the witch, er, cop in charge with a real hate on for Genny.
Sucker Town encounters include:
Cherub Cheeks, ZigZag and Mr. June who keep showing up everywhere including with Declan. Corset Girl, a.k.a., Hannah Ashby, accountant(!), comes onto Gen in her bloodsucker mode. Darius is Rio's toy---god knows why he stays...urgh...
The Soulers believe they must Protect the Soul and they are a right wing religious group who believes newly turned humans are selling their soul to the devil. Melissa's mother, Fran, insists on the Soulers having their way. Neil Banner is the Souler representative with Jeremiah, a Beater Goblin to protect him from vampires and magic.
The Cover
The cover is a somewhat textured black background with a Celtic knot in the upper right. The red-haired Gen is in Corset Girl's costume showcased within a sliver of blue.
The title is about Gen's fight and desire for The Sweet Scent of Blood.
My Take
The premise is good and unique to my reading list, however, McLeod is irritating with her primary character AND the activities that occur throughout the story. It's one thing to tease the reader into continuing to read. It's another thing completely to tease with very little release. It almost reads as though McLeod wrote all sorts of possibilities, cultural traits, character-related flaws onto index cards. She then tore them up, threw them into the air and then picked them up and stuck them into the story any which way. I don't mind being led, being teased, reading snippets of clues, but, eventually, I DO want explanations. I want resolution. I want those snippets to slot into some sort of order, an explanation. Oh, yes, eventually, McLeod resolves the primary picture, but she leaves WAY too much simply hanging whether it's in Hugh's red dust or the Muse's box.
Christ, McLeod has so many rules and conditions for each race and each different set has different interactions with each other. I'm surprised any of the characters can keep 'em straight. Lord knows, I want a cheat sheet!
I am really confused as to just what Genny is. I am also seriously questioning her intelligence. She comes across as a smart person, but you'd think that 10 years of experience would have made her more aware of her disability's weaknesses. And when those weaknesses are as deadly as hers, well, why hasn't she, why doesn't she, take more care???
I don't understand her relationship with Finn. He appears fascinated by her, but I have to wonder if I'm being set up. All the other relationships in this story are setups, why would this one be any different. Why does Gen feel a need to have this magic body disguise?
Salt interferes with a person's magic and Genny's magic is non-existent at worst and unreliable at best. Genny eats chips and bacon every single day. Hmmm, what parallel would you draw?
I swear this is like a vampiric Keystone Kops. Most of it seems designed to simply throw all sorts of dramatic action around with one or two threads---maybe—holding it together. It's just too convoluted. There are some three separate issues going on with Malik and it's giving me a headache.
The Story
Murder. Mr. October killed his fiancée and Bobby's father wants Genny to find out the truth. But that's not how it works. Everything Genny has built will collapse around her if she takes this case except those five little words are uttered. No fae will renege on a bargain and, besides, Stella seems okay with Genny taking the job.
It's the trip Genevieve and Alan make to the police station to check Melissa's body for concealment spells that starts the trouble rolling for Gen. Three vampires walk into a police station (sounds like the start of a joke, hmmmm)...the fact that two of them hit everyone with a mind lock does not indicate alliance, but it is death for one of their party and almost that for another unless Gen gets real creative, real quick.
It's a down-and-dirty introduction in Sucker Town to a number of players when Gen needs a blood hit. Malik saves her there when she rescues Gazza from a fang gang. Only he thinks she's Rosa---a vamp Malik had turned. In truth, it has all the hallmarks of Rosie, but it's still a blackmarket magic disguise Genny bought.
Then the VIP (full protection) invites arrive: Declan's, the Earl's, and Malik's. The Earl wants proof. Malik wants to work with her. Declan wants an exclusive.
The Characters
Genevieve Taylor is a sidhe fae and part vamp due to the 3V infection she first got when she was fourteen. A blood slave who must avoid sexual connections and vampires. Working for Spellcheckers allows for a subsidy on her apartment. Count Alexandre is her father and a vampire who killed her mother. Matilde is Genny's stepmother.
Katie is a human waitress at Gen's favorite café, the Rosy Lee owned by Freddie, in Covent Garden and she is fascinated by vampires, Mr. October especially. Gazza is the café's latest dishwasher. A Goth who is too fascinated by faeries and vampires.
The Undead Lord, the Earl, is an old vampire who runs the Blue Heart which is managed by Rio and she loves poke, poke, poking at Genny. The Earl is pretty savvy business-wise and his calendar of hot and hunky vamps whom he features at his nightclub is a big draw. He is also pretty hot for Gen's services. Westman is the vampire lawyer Alan rejected. Louis is a French vampire with his own agenda and "owned" by Rio. Red Poet is another of Rio's and the main attraction with the Human victim on stage. And the leader of the Sucker Town fang gang.
Malik al-Khan is another powerful vampire interested in Genny---even the trees are talking of his interest. Declan is the powerful Irish vampire who can steal memories. He and his brothers Seamus and Patrick own the Bloody Shamrock, an Irish pub for the fanged. Mick is a cluricaun and bartends at the Shamrock. Fiona is a vampire who can see the future and who believes she's more powerful than she is with some very wicked plans. She seems to work at the Shamrock.
Mr. October, a.k.a., Roberto, a.k.a., Bobby Hinkly, chose to go vamp to give himself time to look for a cure for the rare blood disease that killed his mother. Alan Hinkley is his devastated father, a journalist, desperate to save his son. He is determined to hire Gen to find out who really murdered Melissa, Bobby's wanna-be-a-vampire fiancée.
Stella Raynham, a witch, is her boss. Finn Panos is a lesser fae, a satyr, and if you look real close, you can just make out his horns. He's also about to become Genny's boss at Spellcrackers. A fact which doesn't prevent his trying to climb into her knickers! He's also played a rather nasty trick on her. Toni is the office manager at Spellcrackers. Real friendly. Agatha Brown is a brownie who has finagled a visit from Genny; she's nursemaid to Lady Meriel of Lake Serpentine's daughter Holly who is in trouble. One problem is Louis, the French Psycho vamp who is her friend.
Sergeant Hugo Munro is a seven-foot granite troll at Scotland Yard. And his advice has always been good. Constables Lamber and Taegrin are more trolls on the force; Constable Janet is a right bitch. Quick to judge and quicker to take advantage. Detective Inspector Helen Crane is the witch, er, cop in charge with a real hate on for Genny.
Sucker Town encounters include:
Cherub Cheeks, ZigZag and Mr. June who keep showing up everywhere including with Declan. Corset Girl, a.k.a., Hannah Ashby, accountant(!), comes onto Gen in her bloodsucker mode. Darius is Rio's toy---god knows why he stays...urgh...
The Soulers believe they must Protect the Soul and they are a right wing religious group who believes newly turned humans are selling their soul to the devil. Melissa's mother, Fran, insists on the Soulers having their way. Neil Banner is the Souler representative with Jeremiah, a Beater Goblin to protect him from vampires and magic.
The Cover
The cover is a somewhat textured black background with a Celtic knot in the upper right. The red-haired Gen is in Corset Girl's costume showcased within a sliver of blue.
The title is about Gen's fight and desire for The Sweet Scent of Blood.
katyanaish's review against another edition
3.0
There was a lot that I liked about this book. I liked the world - it was complex and interesting, and it seems like there's a lot of layers to how the supernatural works. There's a lot of potential to do fun stuff in this world.
There's also a lot that I didn't like about this book.
1 - The plot unfolded in a weirdly jumpy fashion for a book written in first person.
Genny leaped to some conclusions in the back third of the book that came out of nowhere ... nothing unfolded to lead her there, and so I felt like I didn't know what was going on. Generally, I don't expect for the hero to know so much more than the audience does when we're riding along on her thoughts and internal monologue. I would have tolerated it better if this was not first person - it's fine for the hero to surprise us - but even then, there'd need to be the explanation of how we got from A to Z.
2 - I didn't like any of the secondary cast.
Literally, none of them. From Finn, with his too-presumptuous douchebaggery, to his letting himself into her apartment and demanding information he had no right to. Frankly, Finn feels like he was playing this from a lot of different angles, and he was keeping a lot of secrets and playing Genny like a pawn.
Malik was also a dick, and the shadowy backstory was too shadowy for me to give much of a shit about whatever history was being alluded to. I don't like him, I don't trust him, and I don't want to see Genny do anything with him. I give no fucks about whatever mysterious "connection" they have. None at all.
Katie was a whiny, TSTL twit. Hugh lied to her when it suited him (though I did like Hugh, so maybe he shouldn't be on this list.. though I still don't really trust him). The cops were both inept and corrupt... including Curly-Hair who was practically a 2-dimensional, mustache-twirling villain. The witches all seemed to be outright evil - from the police captain chick to the boss who set her up to deal with the vampires in the first place... and then didn't defend her when it all went to shit... to the mysterious council and their high-and-mighty judgement.
This is a problem, because I'm unlikely to like any of the rest of the books in the series if I don't like the secondary cast. And I really don't. They run the range from imbeciles to hateful, and not a single one of them was redeemed by some action in the end... in fact, the last of them were ruined. It also undercuts Genny, because she allows herself to be treated poorly by this bunch of assclowns. I kept waiting for her to whip out some sidhe magic (given how many times we're told how powerful she is) and beat their asses for their constant dickery. But nope.
3 - The plot, as a whole, felt cheated.
This really points back to #1, but I wanted to highlight it a little. It wasn't just leaps of investigative logic that were short-changed. The big showdown at the end, I was ... I felt like I was running to catch up. There were people showing up that... what the fuck? Who is this person? How did they get here, and why? When did we get to the Thunderdome? What the fuck is happening right now? Odds, bets, what now?
We have to feel like we build up to the finale. It has to feel like a logical progression, so that it caps the book. This felt like ... and now, coming in out of left field, we have a trip to the Thunderdome where all our characters will battle it out to determine the conclusion of the book!! What the actual fuck?
4 - The weight of backstory was too heavy.
I actually looked this series up, about a third of the way in, to see if there was a book before this in the series, because there was... so much weight given to stuff with no explanation. I feel like the author was trying to avoid the info-dumping that generally happens in the first book of a series, but the end result is lots of confusion. I felt like I was swimming in a sea of half-formed elements, because I didn't know how to put pieces together. We were buried under threads of backstory elements that were only half-formed. We have piles of shadowy ideas of Terrible Things that happened in her past, but they're just wisps... impossible to grasp, understand, or put together to form the puzzle of her personality.
So that's where I'm at. I'm undecided about whether to read on... mostly because of issue 2. My severe dislike of everyone in the cast but Genny... it just can't possibly end well.
*shrug*
There's also a lot that I didn't like about this book.
1 - The plot unfolded in a weirdly jumpy fashion for a book written in first person.
Genny leaped to some conclusions in the back third of the book that came out of nowhere ... nothing unfolded to lead her there, and so I felt like I didn't know what was going on. Generally, I don't expect for the hero to know so much more than the audience does when we're riding along on her thoughts and internal monologue. I would have tolerated it better if this was not first person - it's fine for the hero to surprise us - but even then, there'd need to be the explanation of how we got from A to Z.
2 - I didn't like any of the secondary cast.
Literally, none of them. From Finn, with his too-presumptuous douchebaggery
Spoiler
(I'm not convinced that he wasn't in on the setup for her to take the spell in the restaurant, right in the beginning, when he needled her to call all the spells... it was just too convenient)Malik was also a dick, and the shadowy backstory was too shadowy for me to give much of a shit about whatever history was being alluded to. I don't like him, I don't trust him, and I don't want to see Genny do anything with him. I give no fucks about whatever mysterious "connection" they have. None at all.
Katie was a whiny, TSTL twit. Hugh lied to her when it suited him (though I did like Hugh, so maybe he shouldn't be on this list.. though I still don't really trust him). The cops were both inept and corrupt... including Curly-Hair who was practically a 2-dimensional, mustache-twirling villain. The witches all seemed to be outright evil - from the police captain chick to the boss who set her up to deal with the vampires in the first place... and then didn't defend her when it all went to shit... to the mysterious council and their high-and-mighty judgement.
This is a problem, because I'm unlikely to like any of the rest of the books in the series if I don't like the secondary cast. And I really don't. They run the range from imbeciles to hateful, and not a single one of them was redeemed by some action in the end... in fact, the last of them were ruined. It also undercuts Genny, because she allows herself to be treated poorly by this bunch of assclowns. I kept waiting for her to whip out some sidhe magic (given how many times we're told how powerful she is) and beat their asses for their constant dickery. But nope.
3 - The plot, as a whole, felt cheated.
This really points back to #1, but I wanted to highlight it a little. It wasn't just leaps of investigative logic that were short-changed. The big showdown at the end, I was ... I felt like I was running to catch up. There were people showing up that... what the fuck? Who is this person? How did they get here, and why? When did we get to the Thunderdome? What the fuck is happening right now? Odds, bets, what now?
We have to feel like we build up to the finale. It has to feel like a logical progression, so that it caps the book. This felt like ... and now, coming in out of left field, we have a trip to the Thunderdome where all our characters will battle it out to determine the conclusion of the book!! What the actual fuck?
4 - The weight of backstory was too heavy.
I actually looked this series up, about a third of the way in, to see if there was a book before this in the series, because there was... so much weight given to stuff with no explanation. I feel like the author was trying to avoid the info-dumping that generally happens in the first book of a series, but the end result is lots of confusion. I felt like I was swimming in a sea of half-formed elements, because I didn't know how to put pieces together. We were buried under threads of backstory elements that were only half-formed. We have piles of shadowy ideas of Terrible Things that happened in her past, but they're just wisps... impossible to grasp, understand, or put together to form the puzzle of her personality.
So that's where I'm at. I'm undecided about whether to read on... mostly because of issue 2. My severe dislike of everyone in the cast but Genny... it just can't possibly end well.
*shrug*
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
5.0
Genny is sidhe, a noble fae living in London and she has a secret, well perhaps more than one. She works for Spellcrackers, a witch run organisation which helps remove spells for their clients. Genny’s fae magic means she can see the spells and unwrap them but she’s not so good at casting them herself. She blames this on her condition, infected with V3, vampire venom which draws her close to the very creatures she wants to avoid. When a celebrity vampire is accused of murder, she finds herself being coerced into investigating…
The Sweet Scent of Blood marks the start of an addictive urban fantasy series by Suzanne Mcleod. Her world is full of magical creatures but grounded in a very familiar London. There’s plenty of brooding, handsome vampires but Genny doesn’t go all swoony and I love her attitude throughout. Even when she has her moments of weakness, she seems to give herself a mental prod to keep her on the straight and narrow. There’s just the right amount of sexy without it descending into porn.
The plot is twisty and turny, with lots of interesting and potentially suspicious characters. It’s a classic mystery with a supernatural twist and a smattering of humour. I loved that there was an office bet to find out if Finn, the satyr, has a tail underneath his glamour and that the goblins bling themselves up. It’s a fantastical and well thought out world that I just didn’t want to leave.
I liked her use of V3 as a medical condition. Vampires can choose to inject their venom when they feed which creates willing blood slaves. The venom acts as a drug which not only makes them more attracted and attractive to vamps, but affects them physically; causing their red blood cells to multiply…more food for the vamps but also dangerous if they don’t let blood on a regular basis. Of course, Genny being fae, she is extra tasty.
The Sweet Scent of Blood marks the start of an addictive urban fantasy series by Suzanne Mcleod. Her world is full of magical creatures but grounded in a very familiar London. There’s plenty of brooding, handsome vampires but Genny doesn’t go all swoony and I love her attitude throughout. Even when she has her moments of weakness, she seems to give herself a mental prod to keep her on the straight and narrow. There’s just the right amount of sexy without it descending into porn.
The plot is twisty and turny, with lots of interesting and potentially suspicious characters. It’s a classic mystery with a supernatural twist and a smattering of humour. I loved that there was an office bet to find out if Finn, the satyr, has a tail underneath his glamour and that the goblins bling themselves up. It’s a fantastical and well thought out world that I just didn’t want to leave.
I liked her use of V3 as a medical condition. Vampires can choose to inject their venom when they feed which creates willing blood slaves. The venom acts as a drug which not only makes them more attracted and attractive to vamps, but affects them physically; causing their red blood cells to multiply…more food for the vamps but also dangerous if they don’t let blood on a regular basis. Of course, Genny being fae, she is extra tasty.
vikingwolf's review against another edition
2.0
Genny works for Spellcrackers.com, finding and cracking problem spells for clients. The job also gives her witch protection from vampires, who take a particular interest in her. Now a vampire needs her help-he is accused of murdering his human girlfriend and wants to prove he didn't do it by using Genny's ability to find magic. The master vampires in town are trying to blackmail her into finding this spell that killed Melissa, but someone wants her stopped-permanently. Who can she trust and is this case going to get her killed?
I expected a bit more from this book. Genny wasn't as good a character as some I've read recently and the plot gets complicated with so many different vampires with different agendas trying to confuse the reader! I found the plot patchy-good in some places and drifting in others. Finn annoyed the hell out of me with his arrogant 'I'm a Lovegod' attitude and every time he appeared I lost interest. It was ok to read once but I won't bother with the rest of the series.
I expected a bit more from this book. Genny wasn't as good a character as some I've read recently and the plot gets complicated with so many different vampires with different agendas trying to confuse the reader! I found the plot patchy-good in some places and drifting in others. Finn annoyed the hell out of me with his arrogant 'I'm a Lovegod' attitude and every time he appeared I lost interest. It was ok to read once but I won't bother with the rest of the series.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
4.0
I do love Urban Fantasy and this book was also refreshing because of the simple fact that it was set in London.
Now I feel that I can't give justice to how good the book was. The good ones are always the hardest to write about.
To the story then. Genny is a Fae in a world where supernaturals walk among us. The vampires have gone for fame and "groupies", but Fae like her have it a bit harder. They never were human at all. There are also trolls, brownies, goblins, witches, and lots more. And they all bring something extra to the book.
Genny was a great character. She was also clouded in mystery and I was dying to find out mor about her. Why she was not happy mixing with vampires, or why she did not let passion take over when Finn, her boss was around. She was an enigma but little by little details came out.
The story was great. She was investigating a vampire that was said to have killed his lover. This brought her to many more vampires, and they all wanted something. On top of that something sinister was in the air.
The enigma, the mystery, loved it. I kept reading and reading, wanting to find out more. Not only about the story but about her too. The end left me wanting to read book 2 at once.
This is a book I would recommend to fans of UF. Great new world, nice setting, heroine with secrets, vampires with secrets, a bit of sexual tension all wrapped into one.
Now I feel that I can't give justice to how good the book was. The good ones are always the hardest to write about.
To the story then. Genny is a Fae in a world where supernaturals walk among us. The vampires have gone for fame and "groupies", but Fae like her have it a bit harder. They never were human at all. There are also trolls, brownies, goblins, witches, and lots more. And they all bring something extra to the book.
Genny was a great character. She was also clouded in mystery and I was dying to find out mor about her. Why she was not happy mixing with vampires, or why she did not let passion take over when Finn, her boss was around. She was an enigma but little by little details came out.
The story was great. She was investigating a vampire that was said to have killed his lover. This brought her to many more vampires, and they all wanted something. On top of that something sinister was in the air.
The enigma, the mystery, loved it. I kept reading and reading, wanting to find out more. Not only about the story but about her too. The end left me wanting to read book 2 at once.
This is a book I would recommend to fans of UF. Great new world, nice setting, heroine with secrets, vampires with secrets, a bit of sexual tension all wrapped into one.
ofearna's review against another edition
3.0
I read a short story from this series (in Home Improvement: Undead Edition) and it was very cool... the books; not so much. It was fun, but not enough to read any other books in the series
flajol's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting debut - I liked the London setting, and I really like the way so many traditional myths have been woven in to this story. Bean Sidhe, an assortment of fae, and vampires. The vampires are pretty nasty too - none of the modern tendency to make them cuddly or sparkly (although some seem to have a penchant for rhinestones and flash).
I'll definitely be reading more from this author.
I'll definitely be reading more from this author.
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
I had this on the WWBL for a long while until I found a copy. Then it resided on Mt Git'r'Read for a while until I was in the right mood to read it.
AGH! What took me so long to get in the right mood? This was SO GOOD! Awesome, even.
I felt for Genny, the main character. She has a job she loves, people she likes helping. But things are going against her for reasons out of her control.
The mixture of sidhe, vampires, witches, goblins, all sorts of paranormal, all living among humans. Power struggles, evil versus good, things not as they appear, great setting in London. A superb blend.
I look forward to the next in series, COLD KISS OF DEATH.
Definitely recommend.
AGH! What took me so long to get in the right mood? This was SO GOOD! Awesome, even.
I felt for Genny, the main character. She has a job she loves, people she likes helping. But things are going against her for reasons out of her control.
The mixture of sidhe, vampires, witches, goblins, all sorts of paranormal, all living among humans. Power struggles, evil versus good, things not as they appear, great setting in London. A superb blend.
I look forward to the next in series, COLD KISS OF DEATH.
Definitely recommend.
veronica87's review against another edition
3.0
This was a bit of an odd reading experience. I felt confused throughout the book and am still not sure that I came out of it with a solid understanding of the world or the rules of magic and how all the supernatural species fit in with each other. That said, I still somehow ended up liking it.
I enjoyed the focus on the fae and Genevieve, London's only known sidhe fae, makes for a likeable heroine. I think there might be a love triangle on the horizon though which gives me pause. One of the potential suitors, Finn, is someone who already knows our heroine at the start of the book. I hate being cheated out of that all too crucial first meeting so when that happens the author really has to work hard to sell me on the chemistry. That didn't happen here as I didn't feel any heat between Finn, a satyr, and Genevieve. Love contestant #2 is Malik, an exotic and mysterious vampire. We do get the pleasure of his first meeting with Genevieve and there was enough chemistry there for me to be intrigued.
Set in an alternate, but modern, London, the story is populated with pretty much every supernatural creature there is. It's got vampires, trolls, goblins, satyrs, witches, brownies, kelpies. You name it, it's in there. It seems a bit ambitious and, again, I'm not sure that it was blended in all that seamlessly. However, despite the first book feeling a little all over the place I'm giving the second book a try. I should probably give this story a two star rating just because of the lack of clarity in the world building but a rating like that wouldn't accurately reflect how much I did end up enjoying it. Hopefully the magic rules and the world will feel a little less nebulous with more story under my belt.
I enjoyed the focus on the fae and Genevieve, London's only known sidhe fae, makes for a likeable heroine. I think there might be a love triangle on the horizon though which gives me pause. One of the potential suitors, Finn, is someone who already knows our heroine at the start of the book. I hate being cheated out of that all too crucial first meeting so when that happens the author really has to work hard to sell me on the chemistry. That didn't happen here as I didn't feel any heat between Finn, a satyr, and Genevieve. Love contestant #2 is Malik, an exotic and mysterious vampire. We do get the pleasure of his first meeting with Genevieve and there was enough chemistry there for me to be intrigued.
Set in an alternate, but modern, London, the story is populated with pretty much every supernatural creature there is. It's got vampires, trolls, goblins, satyrs, witches, brownies, kelpies. You name it, it's in there. It seems a bit ambitious and, again, I'm not sure that it was blended in all that seamlessly. However, despite the first book feeling a little all over the place I'm giving the second book a try. I should probably give this story a two star rating just because of the lack of clarity in the world building but a rating like that wouldn't accurately reflect how much I did end up enjoying it. Hopefully the magic rules and the world will feel a little less nebulous with more story under my belt.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
5.0
Extraordinary attention to detail! If I knew how to draw, I could totally draw all of the characters, plus all of the houses, parks, streets and offices as well. Very well written, with a lot of suspense, a little romance, some big-time scary vampires, and a huge betrayal. I loved this book, and for the first time ever, I really, really loved a fae! Gen is wonderful, strong and funny, and a little bit sneaky too, but she had to be in order to try to make it. Exciting read, and a page-turner through-out the whole book.