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A review by renpuspita
Night Owls by Lauren M. Roy
3.0
3 stars
The first genre I love is fantasy. No matter what how many books I read, I still love fantasy. Even I still a little bit wary when it comes to Urban Fantasy. Since the second genre I love is romance, and Urban Fantasy usually just have HFN (Happy For Now), less don't have romance. Surprisely, last year prove that I don't mind with the lack of romance. So when there's new urban fantasy with catchy cover by a debut author called Night Owls, I snatched a copy on the NetGalley. I admit the blurb also help, for the idea of the vampire as a bookseller/librarian is interesting.
Night Owl is a very traditional urban fantasy, but instead have 1st POV like much UF we know today, it have 3rd POV and told from multiple POV. That's the problem number one. The story told from Valerie McTeague (aka Val), the vampire that own the bookstore Night Owls, her Reinfield Charles (aka Chaz) and Elly Garrett as a hunter who hunt Creeps, the enemy of this book. First I don't have any idea what is Creeps. I think it something paranormal creature going awry and zombielike (or ghoul-like). And then when Val called it Jackal, I realize that it was like werewolf, but they eat human flesh, and they love when their prey were virgin.
Night Owls have 7 important character, Val, Chaz, Elly, Elly's foster brother, Cavale, Val's employer that pursue by Creeps, Justin and two lesbian succubi called Sunny and Lia. All must cooperate to prevent the Creeps for harm Justin, because Justin somehow have a knowledge from the book that had been snatched by Elly and cost her teacher's life, Father Value. The story first told from Elly's POV, then Val's, then Chaz's and then all intertwined in the middle of the story. This is for me, is problem number two, too much character but not enough world building. The world is too simple and somehow lack of explanation. So many characters and so many event happen,make me confused and hard to focus to the story. Also lack of emotion make me can't attached to the characters.
It's not that Night Owls bad, but I will said it's not stellar either. I see it have "first book in series" syndrome and I can see that this book have potential. I think if Night Owls focus just in one character, like Val or Elly, it will make the story more interesting and reader can connect with the the characters. The myth about vampire (like how the vampire made) and the Jackal is interesting and I think can be explored more. I want to give this 3,5 stars, but the ending somehows make no sense whatsoever. I don't know if I can called it cliffhanger, just not connected with the main story.
I think if you want to read a traditional urban fantasy with things that go bump in the night, consider to read Night Owls. If you love romance, maybe you will disappointed to see the lack of romance, even there's just a little hint of romance between some characters, but I'm not sure if it will be explored more.
Thanks to Random Publishing and NetGalley for provide the copy
The first genre I love is fantasy. No matter what how many books I read, I still love fantasy. Even I still a little bit wary when it comes to Urban Fantasy. Since the second genre I love is romance, and Urban Fantasy usually just have HFN (Happy For Now), less don't have romance. Surprisely, last year prove that I don't mind with the lack of romance. So when there's new urban fantasy with catchy cover by a debut author called Night Owls, I snatched a copy on the NetGalley. I admit the blurb also help, for the idea of the vampire as a bookseller/librarian is interesting.
Night Owl is a very traditional urban fantasy, but instead have 1st POV like much UF we know today, it have 3rd POV and told from multiple POV. That's the problem number one. The story told from Valerie McTeague (aka Val), the vampire that own the bookstore Night Owls, her Reinfield Charles (aka Chaz) and Elly Garrett as a hunter who hunt Creeps, the enemy of this book. First I don't have any idea what is Creeps. I think it something paranormal creature going awry and zombielike (or ghoul-like). And then when Val called it Jackal, I realize that it was like werewolf, but they eat human flesh, and they love when their prey were virgin.
Night Owls have 7 important character, Val, Chaz, Elly, Elly's foster brother, Cavale, Val's employer that pursue by Creeps, Justin and two lesbian succubi called Sunny and Lia. All must cooperate to prevent the Creeps for harm Justin, because Justin somehow have a knowledge from the book that had been snatched by Elly and cost her teacher's life, Father Value. The story first told from Elly's POV, then Val's, then Chaz's and then all intertwined in the middle of the story. This is for me, is problem number two, too much character but not enough world building. The world is too simple and somehow lack of explanation. So many characters and so many event happen,make me confused and hard to focus to the story. Also lack of emotion make me can't attached to the characters.
It's not that Night Owls bad, but I will said it's not stellar either. I see it have "first book in series" syndrome and I can see that this book have potential. I think if Night Owls focus just in one character, like Val or Elly, it will make the story more interesting and reader can connect with the the characters. The myth about vampire (like how the vampire made) and the Jackal is interesting and I think can be explored more. I want to give this 3,5 stars, but the ending somehows make no sense whatsoever. I don't know if I can called it cliffhanger, just not connected with the main story.
I think if you want to read a traditional urban fantasy with things that go bump in the night, consider to read Night Owls. If you love romance, maybe you will disappointed to see the lack of romance, even there's just a little hint of romance between some characters, but I'm not sure if it will be explored more.
Thanks to Random Publishing and NetGalley for provide the copy