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kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Second in the October Daye urban fantasy series set in San Francisco and revolving around Toby Daye, a private detective who happens to be half-human, half-faye.
The Story
Sylvester is worried when he isn't able to get hold of his niece, the Countess January O'Leary, so he sends Toby. Toby's allegiances are vague enough that it shouldn't stir up his enemy, the Duchess Riordan. But when Toby gets there, no one is cooperating. It takes forever to actually meet January and everyone is hostile. Well, on some levels, it makes sense, Jannie is in a delicate position situated as she is between the Duchess Riordan and her uncle, Duke Torquill. Her county, Tamed Lightning, is the buffer zone between the two and there is no guarantee that Toby is who she says she is nor that she is on her uncle's side.
Especially when you are using computers to accomplish something radically unorthodox...
The Characters
October "Toby" Daye, released from a spell confining her to 14 years as a fish, is back in action as a private detective and on-call for Duke Torquill as one of his knights. She's owned by two half-Siamese cats, Cagney and Lacey, with a bit of spice provided by Spike, a rose gremlin. Quentin is a page at Sylvester's court, a blind fosterling, whom the duke sends with Toby that Quentin may learn how Toby handles things.
Tybalt, King of the Cait Sidhe and fascinated by Toby. He can't resist teasing her and harassing her about her manners. At least, he can't resist until Toby displays a most uncomfortable skill.
Sylvester Torquill, Duke of Shadowed Hills, and Connor, a selkie, is married to Rayseline Torquill, Sylvester's daughter in an arranged alliance and still in love with Toby.
January ap Learianth a.k.a., January O'Leary, is Sylvester's niece and a computer programmer living and working in Fremont as the Countess for Tamed Lightning and the head of her computer company, ALH Computing. Employees include Elliot (a Bannick), Gordan (part Coblynau and able to handle metals), the dead Barbara (Queen of Cats who betrayed her subjects), Colin (a selkie), Peter (a pixy), Alex and his sister, Terrie, (both Gean-Cannah), and April (a dryad saved by January when she placed her in the computer tree).
A spooky appearance by Dare (from Rosemary and Rue) in which we learn the true purpose of the night haunts; rathe practical really and I don't understand why McGuire thinks it's such an icky thing.
My Take
Fascinating, but not as much fun as Rosemary and Rue. I suspect because it was so frustrating with people dying right and left and we never got to empathize with them nor did we get many clues as to why people were dying. Oh, yeah, I picked up on one of the killers even as I did flip-flop as to whether they were one. But, it was mostly Toby and Quentin getting the brush-off from January and her people with some particularly vicious barbs from one employee. Even some veiled hints would have been nice. Elliot's particular skill was interesting...I wouldn't mind him showing up at my place every once in awhile!
With Toby's success rate, I'm rather surprised Sylvester still wants her around. Toby seems to be developing an interesting relationship with the Luidaeg. She's pretty pissed off that Quentin isn't getting any self-defense lessons at Shadowed Hills.
The Cover
Another rough pastel cover with a rather ugly, leather-clad Toby clutching Dare's knife glancing back in a dark space at the red, glowing eyes of a hooded creature. The best guess I can make as to the title is that ALH Computing was A Local Habitation for this group of computer geeks perched precariously between rival counties.
The Story
Sylvester is worried when he isn't able to get hold of his niece, the Countess January O'Leary, so he sends Toby. Toby's allegiances are vague enough that it shouldn't stir up his enemy, the Duchess Riordan. But when Toby gets there, no one is cooperating. It takes forever to actually meet January and everyone is hostile. Well, on some levels, it makes sense, Jannie is in a delicate position situated as she is between the Duchess Riordan and her uncle, Duke Torquill. Her county, Tamed Lightning, is the buffer zone between the two and there is no guarantee that Toby is who she says she is nor that she is on her uncle's side.
Especially when you are using computers to accomplish something radically unorthodox...
The Characters
October "Toby" Daye, released from a spell confining her to 14 years as a fish, is back in action as a private detective and on-call for Duke Torquill as one of his knights. She's owned by two half-Siamese cats, Cagney and Lacey, with a bit of spice provided by Spike, a rose gremlin. Quentin is a page at Sylvester's court, a blind fosterling, whom the duke sends with Toby that Quentin may learn how Toby handles things.
Tybalt, King of the Cait Sidhe and fascinated by Toby. He can't resist teasing her and harassing her about her manners. At least, he can't resist until Toby displays a most uncomfortable skill.
Sylvester Torquill, Duke of Shadowed Hills, and Connor, a selkie, is married to Rayseline Torquill, Sylvester's daughter in an arranged alliance and still in love with Toby.
January ap Learianth a.k.a., January O'Leary, is Sylvester's niece and a computer programmer living and working in Fremont as the Countess for Tamed Lightning and the head of her computer company, ALH Computing. Employees include Elliot (a Bannick), Gordan (part Coblynau and able to handle metals), the dead Barbara (Queen of Cats who betrayed her subjects), Colin (a selkie), Peter (a pixy), Alex and his sister, Terrie, (both Gean-Cannah), and April (a dryad saved by January when she placed her in the computer tree).
A spooky appearance by Dare (from Rosemary and Rue) in which we learn the true purpose of the night haunts; rathe practical really and I don't understand why McGuire thinks it's such an icky thing.
My Take
Fascinating, but not as much fun as Rosemary and Rue. I suspect because it was so frustrating with people dying right and left and we never got to empathize with them nor did we get many clues as to why people were dying. Oh, yeah, I picked up on one of the killers even as I did flip-flop as to whether they were one. But, it was mostly Toby and Quentin getting the brush-off from January and her people with some particularly vicious barbs from one employee. Even some veiled hints would have been nice. Elliot's particular skill was interesting...I wouldn't mind him showing up at my place every once in awhile!
With Toby's success rate, I'm rather surprised Sylvester still wants her around. Toby seems to be developing an interesting relationship with the Luidaeg. She's pretty pissed off that Quentin isn't getting any self-defense lessons at Shadowed Hills.
The Cover
Another rough pastel cover with a rather ugly, leather-clad Toby clutching Dare's knife glancing back in a dark space at the red, glowing eyes of a hooded creature. The best guess I can make as to the title is that ALH Computing was A Local Habitation for this group of computer geeks perched precariously between rival counties.
laureenreads's review against another edition
5.0
Toby Day, among with the other characters, are the reason I loved this book so much. The characters are fun, and well-developed and made for an interesting read that I couldn't get enough of!
crowsandprose's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely stronger then the first book, there are still more details -- mostly in the technical world of ALH -- that I would have liked in this book. However, I'm guessing that Seanan McGuire is not a computer programmer, so she may not be blamed for the 'how does this blend into Faerie' computer gobleydegook that I would have liked added.
The twists were better, (though I knew something was up with the siblings immediately; I wasn't surprised by what they turned out to be) and better spaced. I read this book over the space of a day, just like I did the first one, but this one held me much better.
To say that I like them is easy; I do. I think they can be better, maybe. But so far they're pretty good. Enjoyable, if not earth-breaking fiction, but really-- not a lot of writers DO earth-breaking fiction. Either way, after the first I bought the next three in the series and over my sick-day at home, read the entirety of the second book. I am currently headed to bed where my husband is reading the first Toby Daye novel, and I'm considering cracking open the third.
But as I have an 8am class, that's probably unwise. Those books tend to sneak up on you. I kept trying to find a good place to set it down and do other things, but the mystery did keep niggling at me. I had part of it, but I needed the rest.
A good sign. I see only room for improvement, and have hopes that the next two can reach a five start status.
The twists were better, (though I knew something was up with the siblings immediately; I wasn't surprised by what they turned out to be) and better spaced. I read this book over the space of a day, just like I did the first one, but this one held me much better.
To say that I like them is easy; I do. I think they can be better, maybe. But so far they're pretty good. Enjoyable, if not earth-breaking fiction, but really-- not a lot of writers DO earth-breaking fiction. Either way, after the first I bought the next three in the series and over my sick-day at home, read the entirety of the second book. I am currently headed to bed where my husband is reading the first Toby Daye novel, and I'm considering cracking open the third.
But as I have an 8am class, that's probably unwise. Those books tend to sneak up on you. I kept trying to find a good place to set it down and do other things, but the mystery did keep niggling at me. I had part of it, but I needed the rest.
A good sign. I see only room for improvement, and have hopes that the next two can reach a five start status.
inwit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
hungry_ghosts's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
jenhurst's review against another edition
2.0
2.5.
I really like the wayward children by Seanan McGuire but so far this urban fantasy series hasn’t impressed me. Toby is the worst investigator I think I’ve ever encountered. The series shows promise and I might continue if the books get better but compared to Harris, Briggs and Andrews this just isn’t as good. I’m wondering if the people raving about it haven’t read those ones?
I really like the wayward children by Seanan McGuire but so far this urban fantasy series hasn’t impressed me. Toby is the worst investigator I think I’ve ever encountered. The series shows promise and I might continue if the books get better but compared to Harris, Briggs and Andrews this just isn’t as good. I’m wondering if the people raving about it haven’t read those ones?
cjhuitt's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
katieinca's review against another edition
3.0
[2020:] I'd still say this isn't my favorite in the series, but again, loved re-meeting these characters (this time as a 2 person book club w/ my SO, who totally picked up big picture plot hints that flew right by me the first time I read them).
[2015:]I decided to try again with these even though I wasn't as taken with the first one as I'd expected, because I adore Seanan McGuire as exhibited on her Tumblr. In this one the characters make more sense, but the mystery was weak. I have a B&N.com settlement credit to spend, so I'm going to check out the third...
[2015:]I decided to try again with these even though I wasn't as taken with the first one as I'd expected, because I adore Seanan McGuire as exhibited on her Tumblr. In this one the characters make more sense, but the mystery was weak. I have a B&N.com settlement credit to spend, so I'm going to check out the third...
disabledbookdragon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5