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kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
Second in the Spellcrackers.com urban fantasy series revolving around a sidhe fae with an unusual disability.
My Take
It's a fascinating premise with lots of action. I do, however, understand why McLeod's series isn't more available or popular as she leaves the reader (me!) hanging and clueless on so many points. We still don't know what hold Bastien had over Gen's parents. If the tradition on changelings goes back to Boadicea, then why is Queen Victoria the one mentioned as though she were the first? Where did the snakes come from?
Then there's Genny's stupidity. She keeps dropping herself into dumb situations although the reason she has survived so far does become clear. At least this time, McLeod wasn't going on about bacon. For all her supposed smarts, Gen lets her blood be taken by a stranger? I can't believe Genny hasn't put effort into countering the vampires' mesma.
Her relationship with Malik is not as titillating as I think McLeod wants us to feel. I do feel sorry for Malik because he does seem to want her, but only if she actually wants him back. In spite of his actions, he's a vampire with morals. Who knew?
Yeah, there's a scene where the Earl appears!! Eek… And, we get more data on Genny's prince. The one from whom she ran?? With excellent reason!
Oooh, clever how McLeod gets Genny to warn Malik.
Oh boy, this whole body/soul swap is too complicated for me.
Eeek, nasty distinction between demon choices and ????
The Story
Seems there is quite a bit of information no one thought to pass on to Genny, and she keeps stumbling from one disaster to another.
The vampires have learned about Genny's condition and they're all anxious to tap that lode. Then there's the fae with their own acquisitive, lusty eye on her. And everyone thinks that Rosa owns her.
The Characters
Genevieve Taylor is half-fae, half-human, and infected with 3V making her a vampire as well (?). She ran away on her wedding day at 14 years of age and has been in hiding ever since. Rosa is a vampire whose persona and aspect Genny takes on when she needs to feed. Seems there's more to that spell than the Ancient One claimed. Nor does anyone but Malik appear to appreciate Rosa. Finn Panos is a satyr and Genny's boss over at Spellcrackers.com. He has an underlying motive, but seems sincere. Only time will tell. Dr. Grace is with the Human, Other, and Preternatural Ethical Society (HOPE), a clinic that treats Vampire Venom and 3V as well as anyone caught out by magic.
Malik al-Khan is a revenant vampire and has been plotting to steal her from Bastien since Genny was four.
Cosette is the ghost of a young girl haunting Genny. Ex-Police Constable Janet Sims is reduced to mall security after her shenanigans in Sweet Scent of Blood. She's harboring a great deal of resentment toward Genny and it comes out in some unexpected ways. She's Witch Wilcox's granddaughter.
Mr. Travers is a troll and the landlord of Genny's building. He's on her side, but Witch Wilcox has a great deal of influence. And a nasty vamp Back-Off spell. Hannah Ashby is an accountant by day and a vamp-flunky all the time. She's another with her own nasty agenda. Sweet on the outside, but watch your back. Darius is her new vamp pet whom she keeps throwing at everyone. Tomas Eriksen is the baker Genny is accused of murdering. Dr. Joseph Wainwright is one of Malik's friends. He's helping Genny recover from the bakery explosion. Another with hidden secrets. Lots of 'em.
Detective Inspector Helen Crane is also a witch with a major hate on for Genny. Mostly because Finn is interested in her. She's a pretty lousy detective with those blinders on.
Bobby is Mr. October, the previous story's victim who is caring for his dad trapped in a coma from Sweet Scent of Blood. Tavish is a kelpie, has a history with Genny, and is a whiz on the computer. Skills he may use to help clear Genny. It seems that Tavish, the Soul taster, also have more than a nodding acquaintance with a number of the men in Genny's life. He's also in charge of one of the four Gates from the Fairy Lands. Neil Banner is a Souler and a necromancer with his own secrets.
Ladies Isabelle and Meriel rule a number of the fae in London. Grianne is a phouka, and while she hates Genny, they have been working together to rescue faelings. The queen of the Fairy Lands has also been protecting her from the babymaking until Gen was 23 when the fae thought Tavish was courting her. Then working for the witches brought her under their protection. Moth-girl, a.k.a., Sharon, is a present to Gen. Only Genny misinterprets the type of present she is.
The droch guidhe is a fae curse laid by the sidhe queen which prevents the London fae from reproducing. The only way to break it is if a London fae has a child with a sidhe. And they all believe that London fae is Genny.
There are four vampire families in London who seem to owe allegiance to Bastien, the Autarch and Gen's prospective, sadistic, vampire husband from whom she ran and includes the Golden Blade family led by the vicious, human-hating Elizabetta while the Red Shamrock is led by Declan (and helped by his brothers Patrick and Seamus) who is Bobby's master; Fiona is a nasty human clairvoyant who runs Declan's pub. The Blue Heart and the White Diamond (Genny's family line) are the remaining two.
The Cover and Title
The cover is black with a warm brown silhouette of a tree in the night and Genny's concerned, cat-eyed face floating in the sky.
The title is too accurate as it's The Cold Kiss of Death for Genny several times.
My Take
It's a fascinating premise with lots of action. I do, however, understand why McLeod's series isn't more available or popular as she leaves the reader (me!) hanging and clueless on so many points. We still don't know what hold Bastien had over Gen's parents. If the tradition on changelings goes back to Boadicea, then why is Queen Victoria the one mentioned as though she were the first? Where did the snakes come from?
Then there's Genny's stupidity. She keeps dropping herself into dumb situations although the reason she has survived so far does become clear. At least this time, McLeod wasn't going on about bacon. For all her supposed smarts, Gen lets her blood be taken by a stranger? I can't believe Genny hasn't put effort into countering the vampires' mesma.
Her relationship with Malik is not as titillating as I think McLeod wants us to feel. I do feel sorry for Malik because he does seem to want her, but only if she actually wants him back. In spite of his actions, he's a vampire with morals. Who knew?
Yeah, there's a scene where the Earl appears!! Eek… And, we get more data on Genny's prince. The one from whom she ran?? With excellent reason!
Oooh, clever how McLeod gets Genny to warn Malik.
Oh boy, this whole body/soul swap is too complicated for me.
Eeek, nasty distinction between demon choices and ????
The Story
Seems there is quite a bit of information no one thought to pass on to Genny, and she keeps stumbling from one disaster to another.
The vampires have learned about Genny's condition and they're all anxious to tap that lode. Then there's the fae with their own acquisitive, lusty eye on her. And everyone thinks that Rosa owns her.
The Characters
Genevieve Taylor is half-fae, half-human, and infected with 3V making her a vampire as well (?). She ran away on her wedding day at 14 years of age and has been in hiding ever since. Rosa is a vampire whose persona and aspect Genny takes on when she needs to feed. Seems there's more to that spell than the Ancient One claimed. Nor does anyone but Malik appear to appreciate Rosa. Finn Panos is a satyr and Genny's boss over at Spellcrackers.com. He has an underlying motive, but seems sincere. Only time will tell. Dr. Grace is with the Human, Other, and Preternatural Ethical Society (HOPE), a clinic that treats Vampire Venom and 3V as well as anyone caught out by magic.
Malik al-Khan is a revenant vampire and has been plotting to steal her from Bastien since Genny was four.
Cosette is the ghost of a young girl haunting Genny. Ex-Police Constable Janet Sims is reduced to mall security after her shenanigans in Sweet Scent of Blood. She's harboring a great deal of resentment toward Genny and it comes out in some unexpected ways. She's Witch Wilcox's granddaughter.
Mr. Travers is a troll and the landlord of Genny's building. He's on her side, but Witch Wilcox has a great deal of influence. And a nasty vamp Back-Off spell. Hannah Ashby is an accountant by day and a vamp-flunky all the time. She's another with her own nasty agenda. Sweet on the outside, but watch your back. Darius is her new vamp pet whom she keeps throwing at everyone. Tomas Eriksen is the baker Genny is accused of murdering. Dr. Joseph Wainwright is one of Malik's friends. He's helping Genny recover from the bakery explosion. Another with hidden secrets. Lots of 'em.
Detective Inspector Helen Crane is also a witch with a major hate on for Genny. Mostly because Finn is interested in her. She's a pretty lousy detective with those blinders on.
Bobby is Mr. October, the previous story's victim who is caring for his dad trapped in a coma from Sweet Scent of Blood. Tavish is a kelpie, has a history with Genny, and is a whiz on the computer. Skills he may use to help clear Genny. It seems that Tavish, the Soul taster, also have more than a nodding acquaintance with a number of the men in Genny's life. He's also in charge of one of the four Gates from the Fairy Lands. Neil Banner is a Souler and a necromancer with his own secrets.
Ladies Isabelle and Meriel rule a number of the fae in London. Grianne is a phouka, and while she hates Genny, they have been working together to rescue faelings. The queen of the Fairy Lands has also been protecting her from the babymaking until Gen was 23 when the fae thought Tavish was courting her. Then working for the witches brought her under their protection. Moth-girl, a.k.a., Sharon, is a present to Gen. Only Genny misinterprets the type of present she is.
The droch guidhe is a fae curse laid by the sidhe queen which prevents the London fae from reproducing. The only way to break it is if a London fae has a child with a sidhe. And they all believe that London fae is Genny.
There are four vampire families in London who seem to owe allegiance to Bastien, the Autarch and Gen's prospective, sadistic, vampire husband from whom she ran and includes the Golden Blade family led by the vicious, human-hating Elizabetta while the Red Shamrock is led by Declan (and helped by his brothers Patrick and Seamus) who is Bobby's master; Fiona is a nasty human clairvoyant who runs Declan's pub. The Blue Heart and the White Diamond (Genny's family line) are the remaining two.
The Cover and Title
The cover is black with a warm brown silhouette of a tree in the night and Genny's concerned, cat-eyed face floating in the sky.
The title is too accurate as it's The Cold Kiss of Death for Genny several times.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
5.0
The Cold Kiss of Death is the second book in the fabulous Spellcrackers urban fantasy series by Suzanne McLeod. This review will contain spoilers for the first book, The Sweet Scent of Blood, and really they do need to be read in order!
Sidhe Genny would love to be left to live her life in peace. But now both the vampires and the lesser fae of London know who she is, they just won’t leave her alone and her witch neighbours would like to see her evicted. To make things worse, her local baker is murdered; killed by sidhe magic. And the only sidhe in town is her…
This world just keeps getting better, expanding on existing characters and introducing some great new ones. I just love that there’s a kelpie living in the River Thames! The river and its banks become entwined with the story, the setting becoming a crucial part. I always enjoy settings that I know well too (yes, I seem to spend a lot of time lurking round the river when I’m in London). Genny even pops down to the Clink Museum at one point, filled with ghosts of course.
We get to learn a lot more about the curse that binds the lesser fae in London and out of the Fair Lands, as well as Genny’s family secrets. There are naiads and dryads to be added to the mix, and Grainne who appears to Genny as a large, silver hound. We are introduced to the moths, venom junkies who risk everything in the seediest parts of Sucker Town (a.k.a. Greenwich) for a hit to the carotid.
Then there’s Genny vampire alter ego, Rosa, who plays an important part to the plot. Malik is absent at the start and Genny is convinced it’s because of her connection to Rosa. But never fear, Malik does return further on and we learn more about his love hate relationship with Rosa and what’s really going on when Genny takes over her body (something she is trying not to do, but you know, fate always gets in the way). If you’re on team Finn, he gets his fair share of airtime too, with Genny trying to patch up their friendship and maybe more…
Sidhe Genny would love to be left to live her life in peace. But now both the vampires and the lesser fae of London know who she is, they just won’t leave her alone and her witch neighbours would like to see her evicted. To make things worse, her local baker is murdered; killed by sidhe magic. And the only sidhe in town is her…
This world just keeps getting better, expanding on existing characters and introducing some great new ones. I just love that there’s a kelpie living in the River Thames! The river and its banks become entwined with the story, the setting becoming a crucial part. I always enjoy settings that I know well too (yes, I seem to spend a lot of time lurking round the river when I’m in London). Genny even pops down to the Clink Museum at one point, filled with ghosts of course.
We get to learn a lot more about the curse that binds the lesser fae in London and out of the Fair Lands, as well as Genny’s family secrets. There are naiads and dryads to be added to the mix, and Grainne who appears to Genny as a large, silver hound. We are introduced to the moths, venom junkies who risk everything in the seediest parts of Sucker Town (a.k.a. Greenwich) for a hit to the carotid.
Then there’s Genny vampire alter ego, Rosa, who plays an important part to the plot. Malik is absent at the start and Genny is convinced it’s because of her connection to Rosa. But never fear, Malik does return further on and we learn more about his love hate relationship with Rosa and what’s really going on when Genny takes over her body (something she is trying not to do, but you know, fate always gets in the way). If you’re on team Finn, he gets his fair share of airtime too, with Genny trying to patch up their friendship and maybe more…
blodeuedd's review against another edition
4.0
My thoughts:
The series continues being good, and in this I finally have answers. Anyway Genny still has a lot of problems, witches, a cop who doesn't like her, all the vampires in London that wants to suck her yummy fairy blood, Finn, her boss who wants to be more than friends and then something is going on with the Fae cos they want her now too. As you can see, problems! Not to mention being hunted for murder. What a juicy tale it is.
I like Genny, she is a bit messed up cos of her past where she was meant to be married to an evil vampire at 14 and then fled, but first after being infected by the vampire virus. Then there is the fact that she is actually half vampire/half sidhe. I do wonder when the vampire that was meant to have her will show up. Exciting stuff ahead.
Her love life is kind of non-existent. There is Finn, yes I like him horns and hairy legs and all. But then there is the vampire Malik, he is just so so, oh I am weak and I like him the best. But in this one Tavish, a kelpie got introduced, and I hope to see more of him too. What is going to happen is anyone's guess.
There is action and drama. Finding the real killer, staying out of everyone's way, evil witches, ghosts, her borrowed self Rosa, oh you never have a dull moment reading this book. It kept me guessing until the end. Who is really after her?
Conclusion:
Great urban fantasy that I do recommend. Great world building, lots of Fae, trolls and more. A bit of sexual tension, and questions to be answered. Nice London setting and when I finished I wanted book 3..which I will read later this week ;)
Reason for reading:
I needed more!
Rating:
Refreshing UF
The series continues being good, and in this I finally have answers. Anyway Genny still has a lot of problems, witches, a cop who doesn't like her, all the vampires in London that wants to suck her yummy fairy blood, Finn, her boss who wants to be more than friends and then something is going on with the Fae cos they want her now too. As you can see, problems! Not to mention being hunted for murder. What a juicy tale it is.
I like Genny, she is a bit messed up cos of her past where she was meant to be married to an evil vampire at 14 and then fled, but first after being infected by the vampire virus. Then there is the fact that she is actually half vampire/half sidhe. I do wonder when the vampire that was meant to have her will show up. Exciting stuff ahead.
Her love life is kind of non-existent. There is Finn, yes I like him horns and hairy legs and all. But then there is the vampire Malik, he is just so so, oh I am weak and I like him the best. But in this one Tavish, a kelpie got introduced, and I hope to see more of him too. What is going to happen is anyone's guess.
There is action and drama. Finding the real killer, staying out of everyone's way, evil witches, ghosts, her borrowed self Rosa, oh you never have a dull moment reading this book. It kept me guessing until the end. Who is really after her?
Conclusion:
Great urban fantasy that I do recommend. Great world building, lots of Fae, trolls and more. A bit of sexual tension, and questions to be answered. Nice London setting and when I finished I wanted book 3..which I will read later this week ;)
Reason for reading:
I needed more!
Rating:
Refreshing UF
flajol's review against another edition
4.0
Better than [b:The Sweet Scent of Blood|4278916|The Sweet Scent of Blood (Spellcrackers 1)|Suzanne McLeod|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/512U%2BEVkA2L._SL75_.jpg|4326452]! I guess because there's not so much world-building this time around, and more concentration on the characters.
veronica87's review against another edition
3.0
This is the second book in the series and I'm still feeling confused. The author has a very hodge podge way of delivering information at times and I find myself having to re-read parts and still coming away confused. For example, a certain aspect of Malik's lineage is presented as a known fact in this book even though I don't recall anyone figuring it out in the first book. I even had to double check that I didn't miss a book in between the first one and this one. And don't even get me started on the explanation for fae genetics.
That said, it is an interesting world and the author doesn't shy away from making her fae as Other as possible. There are fae with hooves, gills, seaweed hair, skin the shade of primary colors, lipless mouths, and males with...er...double the manhood. It's a colorful world to be sure but the secondary characters can use some work because so far they still feel mostly one dimensional. The only two characters that seem to be receiving the back story treatment are Genevieve, our heroine, and Malik, the vampire with his own mysterious agenda. I suppose this tactic is working because so far Genevieve and Malik are the only two characters that I really care about and I find myself mainly reading just to get to the parts where they are sharing the page.
The actual plot involved missing ghosts and Genevieve being accused for a murder she didn't commit. For me the plot seemed to meander and I don't think that Genevieve actually solved the case as much as it was a matter of the answers getting shoved into her face. But despite the continuing uneveness of this series I still plan to read more.
That said, it is an interesting world and the author doesn't shy away from making her fae as Other as possible. There are fae with hooves, gills, seaweed hair, skin the shade of primary colors, lipless mouths, and males with...er...double the manhood. It's a colorful world to be sure but the secondary characters can use some work because so far they still feel mostly one dimensional. The only two characters that seem to be receiving the back story treatment are Genevieve, our heroine, and Malik, the vampire with his own mysterious agenda. I suppose this tactic is working because so far Genevieve and Malik are the only two characters that I really care about and I find myself mainly reading just to get to the parts where they are sharing the page.
The actual plot involved missing ghosts and Genevieve being accused for a murder she didn't commit. For me the plot seemed to meander and I don't think that Genevieve actually solved the case as much as it was a matter of the answers getting shoved into her face. But despite the continuing uneveness of this series I still plan to read more.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
5.0
I love Genny. There, I said it. She's excellent, with her broken magic, her quirks, and her insecurities, she's still strong, and honest and loyal. And she fights till the very end. This book was so exciting, I kept on reading it in one og, and only finished at 1:30 am :) The story was detailed, and the descriptions of people and others, and places are extraordinary. I am sure I will dream of Genny, and her strange trips, and I hope I will see more of Malik in the next installment.
incrediblemelk's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
This was holiday read 4, bought for $2 at the Apollo Bay op-shop, which I finished at home on the couch. Now it lives on my A-format shelf among the mass-market fiction I actually love to read.
I’d never heard of this series before and as this is the second in the series it took me a while to figure out the world and characters. It’s urban fantasy set in London, in which vampires not only suck blood but also inject an addictive ‘venom’. They have four fangs, total. Our heroine is a bean sidhe with a vampire dad, and she works at a kind of paranormal detective agency called Spellcrackers.com.
If you’ve read the works of Laurell K Hamilton and Charlaine Harris you know you are in for some bluntly written crime, paranormal political infighting between fae, witches and vampires, and sexy intrigue with a brooding vampire, kelpie and satyr. Lacks the wit and the strong sense of London history in Ben Aaronovitch’s Peter Grant series but it was soothing, undemanding holiday reading
I’d never heard of this series before and as this is the second in the series it took me a while to figure out the world and characters. It’s urban fantasy set in London, in which vampires not only suck blood but also inject an addictive ‘venom’. They have four fangs, total. Our heroine is a bean sidhe with a vampire dad, and she works at a kind of paranormal detective agency called Spellcrackers.com.
If you’ve read the works of Laurell K Hamilton and Charlaine Harris you know you are in for some bluntly written crime, paranormal political infighting between fae, witches and vampires, and sexy intrigue with a brooding vampire, kelpie and satyr. Lacks the wit and the strong sense of London history in Ben Aaronovitch’s Peter Grant series but it was soothing, undemanding holiday reading
_sometimesiread's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
jknock's review against another edition
4.0
First time I've sat down and read a book cover to cover without a break in a very long time.
Easy entertaining read.
Easy entertaining read.