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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
The first chapter ends with this changling being turned into a koi for 14 years.
“We have to burn brightly. We can’t burn forever.”
October “Toby” Daye is a changeling and after spending fourteen years living as a koi in a pond she’s back to trying to live a normal life working the night shift at a grocery store. Ha, honestly, I already love it. Toby has to solve the murder of a fae friend, her own life is on the line if she doesn’t, and Toby is such a badass. She’s a changeling, only half-fae, so she doesn’t possess quite the badassery that everyone else does but she really holds her own. The side characters are also surprisingly fantastic (Danny, the Bridge Troll taxi driver was my personal favorite next to Tybalt), I loved seeing all the various fae species (especially the rose goblins), and there’s clearly much to learn about Toby and her backstory which I’m super eager for. There’s a romance in this installment but it doesn’t consume the story and thank gawd because ew. But there’s another romance that we only get hints of and…
I’m totally kicking myself. I listened to Rosemary and Rue on audio in late 2011 and I gave it two stars because I was so fucking bored. I’m now chalking that up to the fact that I was brand new to audiobooks and didn’t really know what I was doing because I clearly wasn’t listening to this super interesting urban fantasy story with an awesome heroine. Or maybe the narrator was really bad? I have no idea, guys, but I’ve officially re-read it and while I only gave it 3 stars, it was an excited for the next installment 3 stars. (Which means I also need to give [b:Moon Called|71811|Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, #1)|Patricia Briggs|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1272070347s/71811.jpg|69530] another shot since I also listened to it around the same time and also didn’t like it.) Anyways, many, many thanks to Christina for being book pusher extraordinaire. I’m so glad I gave this one a second chance.
October “Toby” Daye is a changeling and after spending fourteen years living as a koi in a pond she’s back to trying to live a normal life working the night shift at a grocery store. Ha, honestly, I already love it. Toby has to solve the murder of a fae friend, her own life is on the line if she doesn’t, and Toby is such a badass. She’s a changeling, only half-fae, so she doesn’t possess quite the badassery that everyone else does but she really holds her own. The side characters are also surprisingly fantastic (Danny, the Bridge Troll taxi driver was my personal favorite next to Tybalt), I loved seeing all the various fae species (especially the rose goblins), and there’s clearly much to learn about Toby and her backstory which I’m super eager for. There’s a romance in this installment but it doesn’t consume the story and thank gawd because ew. But there’s another romance that we only get hints of and…
I’m totally kicking myself. I listened to Rosemary and Rue on audio in late 2011 and I gave it two stars because I was so fucking bored. I’m now chalking that up to the fact that I was brand new to audiobooks and didn’t really know what I was doing because I clearly wasn’t listening to this super interesting urban fantasy story with an awesome heroine. Or maybe the narrator was really bad? I have no idea, guys, but I’ve officially re-read it and while I only gave it 3 stars, it was an excited for the next installment 3 stars. (Which means I also need to give [b:Moon Called|71811|Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, #1)|Patricia Briggs|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1272070347s/71811.jpg|69530] another shot since I also listened to it around the same time and also didn’t like it.) Anyways, many, many thanks to Christina for being book pusher extraordinaire. I’m so glad I gave this one a second chance.
Not too bad...the main character is an awful fighter, though.
Perhaps it will be a tradition that I re-read this book every September...or, at least as long as the author publishes new installments in the fall, anyway.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don't think urban fantasy is my genre. Normally I love Seanan McGuire but just couldn't get into this one.
I plan to read more in the series and I really liked the world and some of it's characters, but there was a lot I didn't like. Mostly Toby's relationship with Devin. She doesn't see him as evil, thinks she loves him, and yet fully admits that he abuses children, grooms them to be physically and sexually subservient, and keeps them prisoner. No Toby, you don't fucking love him, that's called a trauma bond. Also the book had a lot of that sexism that young women harbor for other women (ie speaking ill of sex workers, shaming other women for how they express their body autonomy, etc) but I know McGuire's other works don't have that so I'm hoping that this series grows out of it in future books. Also Toby is so immature she doesn't read as an adult character.
i'm usually really into this kind of thing! at first i was excited because the main character seems tough and rad, but it turned out she was super incompetent and it was frustrating.
This was, okay.
I liked the setting, and the idea of the fae in this kind of world was very cool. Some of the creatures and concepts were very fun. However this book was seriously let down by it's main character.
She was fickle, often downright stupid, and had confusing logic or entire lack of logic in all of her decisions. One of the things I couldn't stand reading was the TEDIOUS tendency to "accidentally" end up wearing very revealing and stupid outfits which she made a point of describing and going through a full process of "Oh look at me so silly but there's nothing I can do about it now I must valiantly continue looking like a skimpy idiot because reasons". This happened repeatedly and it was just annoying. It gave off "Why do I have to be so beautiful - sigh" vibes which just made me like the character less. Its the sort of thing I would have found poetic and relatable as an angsty teenager, but as an adult it just comes across as a bit lame.
In addition to this, she seemed to glorify inappropriate or toxic relationships and love triangles, which gets a bit boring after a while. Would love a cool fantasy series with a female lead that doesn't feel the need to swoon at every attractive male she encounters, no matter how boring they are as characters.
I finished the book, but have no drive to read any more in the series. If I knew they would have different main characters I might be more interested as the world is interesting enough, but I have no interest in exploring this character more.
I liked the setting, and the idea of the fae in this kind of world was very cool. Some of the creatures and concepts were very fun. However this book was seriously let down by it's main character.
She was fickle, often downright stupid, and had confusing logic or entire lack of logic in all of her decisions. One of the things I couldn't stand reading was the TEDIOUS tendency to "accidentally" end up wearing very revealing and stupid outfits which she made a point of describing and going through a full process of "Oh look at me so silly but there's nothing I can do about it now I must valiantly continue looking like a skimpy idiot because reasons". This happened repeatedly and it was just annoying. It gave off "Why do I have to be so beautiful - sigh" vibes which just made me like the character less. Its the sort of thing I would have found poetic and relatable as an angsty teenager, but as an adult it just comes across as a bit lame.
In addition to this, she seemed to glorify inappropriate or toxic relationships and love triangles, which gets a bit boring after a while. Would love a cool fantasy series with a female lead that doesn't feel the need to swoon at every attractive male she encounters, no matter how boring they are as characters.
I finished the book, but have no drive to read any more in the series. If I knew they would have different main characters I might be more interested as the world is interesting enough, but I have no interest in exploring this character more.