Scan barcode
deeplydippy's review against another edition
5.0
I tend not to review books, as reviews are dependent on the reader's personal likes/dislikes/quirks, and what I may find annoying another reader may love, so I just keep my opinions to myself (online, in person it's a whole other story). However, I was fortunate to receive an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review. So here it is:
I loved it.
I did have one quirk about it, which I discussed with the author (she is amazingly understanding and patient btw) and that quirk has been 'dealt with'.
The lead character, Victoria, isn't your normal svelte heroine which pulled me in to start with. She's overweight, somewhat pretty, with an amazing personality - she also just happens to be a funeral director and a necromancer in a world where necros are hunted to extinction.
I won't give anything away any spoilers as readers who come here looking for reviews/opinions BEFORE they read don't deserve that.
The author manages to develop Victoria's character incredibly well, and her relationships/friendships with the people she comes across during the story. At one point I cried - there have been (now) 4 books in total that have made me cry (the first when I was 14 - SE Hinton's The Outsiders - and I'm closing in on 50) over the years, so for me that shows how good the story writing is, how it pulls you in.
The love interests are different and intriguing, and I found myself switching teams often as each character was developed further as the story continued.
The sexy scenes have been very light (whether that will change as the series continues, who knows - I mean hell, look at how the Anita Blake series started to how it is now...sigh) but I doubt it, I get the feeling from dealing with the author that it is the story itself that matters, so for readers not interested in that kind of thing, there is no worry in that regard.
I hadn't read any of the other books by this author (I dislike YA books and most non-Fantasy/Sci-Fi), so I was pleasantly surprised, and will now be taking a peek at the rest of her work.
I also cannot wait for the next book in the series.
I loved it.
I did have one quirk about it, which I discussed with the author (she is amazingly understanding and patient btw) and that quirk has been 'dealt with'.
The lead character, Victoria, isn't your normal svelte heroine which pulled me in to start with. She's overweight, somewhat pretty, with an amazing personality - she also just happens to be a funeral director and a necromancer in a world where necros are hunted to extinction.
I won't give anything away any spoilers as readers who come here looking for reviews/opinions BEFORE they read don't deserve that.
The author manages to develop Victoria's character incredibly well, and her relationships/friendships with the people she comes across during the story. At one point I cried - there have been (now) 4 books in total that have made me cry (the first when I was 14 - SE Hinton's The Outsiders - and I'm closing in on 50) over the years, so for me that shows how good the story writing is, how it pulls you in.
The love interests are different and intriguing, and I found myself switching teams often as each character was developed further as the story continued.
The sexy scenes have been very light (whether that will change as the series continues, who knows - I mean hell, look at how the Anita Blake series started to how it is now...sigh) but I doubt it, I get the feeling from dealing with the author that it is the story itself that matters, so for readers not interested in that kind of thing, there is no worry in that regard.
I hadn't read any of the other books by this author (I dislike YA books and most non-Fantasy/Sci-Fi), so I was pleasantly surprised, and will now be taking a peek at the rest of her work.
I also cannot wait for the next book in the series.
sjeckert's review against another edition
4.0
I had been wanting to read this for months and finally got the chance...did not disappoint! Though it took me a few chapters to get into it, I was enthralled pretty quickly and found myself reading well into the night every time I picked it up. I loved Tori, and the fantasy elements truly felt like unique spins on fantasy. However, I couldn't quite give it a perfect rating due to poor proofreading (issues with grammar, typos, and switching tenses throughout), but these issues were not noticeable enough to take away from how much I enjoyed the book. Be warned, though. It's got some really dark themes and elements, including child trafficking and rape, so if that is something that will bother you, read with caution. All that said, I can't wait to pick up the next book!
bookwormbunny's review
5.0
A world after WWIII. The world was thrown into chaos, but when the call of the blood of the many dead became too strong the power of necromancers rose to the surface. Then the world stopped its petty squabbling and aligned against a common "enemy"...the necromancers. Victoria was born during the surge of fear of necromancers. She was kept hidden so that her blood couldn't be tested and her life extinguished due to ignorance and fear. Now she is a grown woman, a necromancer, but not fully in control of her power. She keeps it a secret to avoid the tortuous death that would await her should her secret ever be found out. A funeral director is her main job, but she helps to solve crimes with her local small town police department. What she is facing now is a true horror. Little girls have been abducted, and one has turned up...dead. The spirit still lingers, but Tori knows that she must help the child move on. She needs answers, too. Victoria quickly finds herself drawn into a darkness that she had no idea was lurking so close to home. Her secret is put in jeopardy, an enemy surfaces that shows that it is more than she thought it was, and she learns that she is more than she could have ever imagined.
Garden of Lilies by Eli Constant is book one in her Victoria Cage Necromancer series. This is the first book that I have read by this author and let me tell you it had me hooked from the beginning. I was immediately pulled into the story as the author weaves a tapestry painting a picture of life after WWIII for someone like Tori. It's a dangerous place. She must keep the secret of what she is at all times or face the consequences. She's never hurt anyone but the powers that be...the government doesn't care. There is so much going on with this story. There is a heavy air of danger and mystery as Tori races against the clock to find out who killed sweet little Lilly and find the remaining missing girls. The author introduces us to unique characters that will draw you in, each with their own uniqueness. This book is so full of surprises I didn't want to put it down. Even when I was exhausted I didn't want to stop. (Too bad my body said otherwise and crashed. LOL) This story is full of paranormal, mystery, horror and some romance to balance it all out.
There isn't a single thing that I can complain about this book! I honestly wish that I could step into the pages and enter this world for myself. The author does such a fantastic job with this story and I love Victoria as a character. She's engaging and I like how different she is. I really applaud the author for having Victoria be so different from other authors main female character. Usually, the main female character is fit, slim and has the perfect body, but Victoria (Tori) isn't that. She's a bit overweight, but she's working on it. She's been through a lot, but she is working on improving herself and healing. I love that we have a less than perfect character in more ways than one and that we get to see her changing, evolving and developing.
This book honestly has so much going for it. The author has put so much research into this book with the proper medical terms, the fun police jargon that most of us even have picked up from watching a ton of Law & Order. I absolutely am a huge fan of horror and this story has some fantastic horror moments that bring the perfect shock element at the right moment. I literally shouted more than once whooping about how awesome a particular scene was because of how much it surprised me.
As you can tell I absolutely loved this book. A top 5 favorite for the year so far for me. I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. This story is absolutely fantastic and I'm beyond eager for the next book in this series. This book is a must-have in your library if you like necromancers, fae, and lots of mystery. This book will NOT disappoint.
Garden of Lilies by Eli Constant is book one in her Victoria Cage Necromancer series. This is the first book that I have read by this author and let me tell you it had me hooked from the beginning. I was immediately pulled into the story as the author weaves a tapestry painting a picture of life after WWIII for someone like Tori. It's a dangerous place. She must keep the secret of what she is at all times or face the consequences. She's never hurt anyone but the powers that be...the government doesn't care. There is so much going on with this story. There is a heavy air of danger and mystery as Tori races against the clock to find out who killed sweet little Lilly and find the remaining missing girls. The author introduces us to unique characters that will draw you in, each with their own uniqueness. This book is so full of surprises I didn't want to put it down. Even when I was exhausted I didn't want to stop. (Too bad my body said otherwise and crashed. LOL) This story is full of paranormal, mystery, horror and some romance to balance it all out.
There isn't a single thing that I can complain about this book! I honestly wish that I could step into the pages and enter this world for myself. The author does such a fantastic job with this story and I love Victoria as a character. She's engaging and I like how different she is. I really applaud the author for having Victoria be so different from other authors main female character. Usually, the main female character is fit, slim and has the perfect body, but Victoria (Tori) isn't that. She's a bit overweight, but she's working on it. She's been through a lot, but she is working on improving herself and healing. I love that we have a less than perfect character in more ways than one and that we get to see her changing, evolving and developing.
This book honestly has so much going for it. The author has put so much research into this book with the proper medical terms, the fun police jargon that most of us even have picked up from watching a ton of Law & Order. I absolutely am a huge fan of horror and this story has some fantastic horror moments that bring the perfect shock element at the right moment. I literally shouted more than once whooping about how awesome a particular scene was because of how much it surprised me.
As you can tell I absolutely loved this book. A top 5 favorite for the year so far for me. I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. This story is absolutely fantastic and I'm beyond eager for the next book in this series. This book is a must-have in your library if you like necromancers, fae, and lots of mystery. This book will NOT disappoint.
More...