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amyjstar's review
3.0
I was really excited when I saw that I'd won this a a goodreads giveaway, and only in part because I haven't won one in over a year. I love how creepy the cover is and I have already read The Splendour Falls by this author and remember how surprisingly creepy that novel was. However, this novel isn't creepy at all, but I found it enjoyable nonetheless.
There was lots of action and adventure, which I appreciated and I didn't expect any of the twists, which was nice. Some of the romance was a bit cringey, but I've definitely seen worse in other novels, so I wasn't too fazed by it.
I really enjoyed the action scenes in the book as no two were alike and took place in several different locations, which made it so that I was hooked all the way through and I'm sure you will be too if you decide to give it a go.
There was lots of action and adventure, which I appreciated and I didn't expect any of the twists, which was nice. Some of the romance was a bit cringey, but I've definitely seen worse in other novels, so I wasn't too fazed by it.
I really enjoyed the action scenes in the book as no two were alike and took place in several different locations, which made it so that I was hooked all the way through and I'm sure you will be too if you decide to give it a go.
princess_starr's review
4.0
Texas Gothic was one of my favorite books a few summers ago, and once I realized that it was going to be a series, I got really excited. Even the small glimpse that we got in the first book of the extended Goodnight clan was awesome. And then I read that book 2 was going to focus on Goodnight cousin Daisy, teen psychic who pops up to help solve the mystery of the McCulloch Ranch. Yes good. (Also good? You don’t need to read Texas Gothic to set up the plot of Spirit & Dust. Sure, the first book introduces you to the wild and wacky Goodnight clan, but Spirit & Dust does just as good of a job establishing this fact with Daisy as well. I don’t know which one I’d recommend to start with since they’re both equally good on that level, but I would say go for whichever you think is more interesting to start with.)
The one thing Clement-Moore does extremely well with her characters is that even though they share a lot of traits across the board (mainly the ability to snark), there’s still enough to differentiate from each character so that they don’t become carbon copies of each other. (Methinks that Daisy and Lisa from the Maggie Quinn series would get along fabulously.) This does feel a lot different from the other books of hers that I’ve read, not because of the tone, but because I did feel something different with all of the characters, plus a much grander plot to work with in here.
So, our Heroine! For the few chapters she popped up in Texas Gothic, I did actually like Daisy—she was a nice foil to the overly tense Amy and Phin being…Phin. To have her take the stage definitely sets up the kind of book here—Daisy is a way more dynamic and outspoken person than her cousins and I like that we get that upfront. I also like her morality and how she’s willing to do the right thing. (I loved that Daisy gets pissed off when she’s forced to make a triple vow for a job she’s already willing to do.) It’s not just the finding lost coed daughters of mob bosses, but her willingness to help stranded souls move on. Sure, Daisy’s going to milk a remnant for all the information they have on a current crime scene…but she’s also going to see if they’re happy where they are at the moment.
Much like the intricacies of the Goodnights’ supernatural products and brand of witchery (and whatever the hell Phin does—please let the next book be about her), I liked that we get a clear explanation of what Daisy actually does and how it effects her physically and mentally. While there’s some points that feel like she’s just using her powers wily-nily, such as when she’s in the St. Louis museum, there’s at least consequences to when she’s finished and then MIGRAINE FROM HELL. I really liked that there’s even a clear explanation for not only how Daisy talks to the dead, but also that she makes it clear that it’s not just a person’s soul she’s talking to, but a piece of it. Hence the use of “remnant” over spirit; it’s what memories and experiences have tied a soul to a specific object/place, and that’s what Daisy utilizes. And I like that we get to see this used in several different fashions: the remnants who haunt places because they have objects tied to them there, the ones who’ve just died and even calling up other people’s memories to utilize a remnant.With that last one, using the photograph of Ivy Goodnight is fantastic, especially given Daisy’s hero-worshipping; but, how awesome was Daisy calling up the spirit of Sue the T.Rex in Chicago? C’mon, that was epic. Plus, I really liked how the remnants’ ability to observe from certain objects plays a major role in the plot—it feels like a throwaway detail at first, until the one big reveal. It’s small enough that it doesn’t need a lot of repeating, and we do get to see the use of the device in action before it becomes hugely plot important.
The plot here is much more action-packed and grandiose than Clement-Moore’s other books, which is another detail that I really liked. There’s mob bosses, mummies, and an end-of-the-world cult that has the potential to demolish Chicago and then the world. (As an end-of-the-world cult does.) There a few twists that seem fairly obvious from the beginning—I called that Devlin Maguire would have been in on his daughter’s ‘kidnapping’ from the start; Alexis, I wasn’t so sure about until closer to the reveal . But it’s still a lot of fun to read and try to figure out the plot points as Daisy tries to unravel the mystery.
I really liked Daisy’s rapport with both Agent Taylor and Carson. With Taylor, I liked that Daisy acknowledges that she really just has a puppy crush on him that’s never going to go anywhere, but that the two of them are able to tease each other on it. And do I think that Agent Taylor does care about Daisy—more like siblings, in a way. (If there’s more books about Daisy, I really want to see this relationship expanded on.) I did also really like Carson—I like his chemistry with Daisy, I think that they work well together, even when they’re both trying to outsmart each other (the scene where Carson admits he realized that Daisy stole a cell phone off him, that was adorable). My main problem with Carson—and this is an issue I’ve had crop up with all of Clement-Moore’s romantic heroes—is that I get what his motivations are…but I never get all of the reasons and backstory behind it. There’s enough here to explain why Carson does the things he does, but there’s a lot that’s not covered as well.Like when we find out that yes, Carson is a member of the Brotherhood of the Black Jackal, and the implications of why he joined are there. But we never get the full animosity between him and the other members, it’s just left as “Oh, well, Carson just feels like he made a mistake that he needs to atone for!” I don’t want a complete info-dump on Carson’s entire life and background, but I do want more exploration into his past, especially since there feels like there’s another story between him and some of the other lackeys.
As I said above, Spirit & Dust is bigger and more involved than its predecessor or some of Rosemary Clement-Moore’s other books. The story, though, is solid (and actually wraps up pretty neatly, only leaving romantic entanglements to expand in future installments), the characters are completely engaging, and there’s just enough world-building to expand on what we got in book 1 and leaves enough wiggle room for future installments. As I said, it’s really hard for me to say which book you ought to read first in the Texas Gothic series, but if you want to start with Spirit & Dust, I would say that it’s a great book to kick off with. In the meantime, I will be awaiting the next adventure of the Goodnight clan.
The one thing Clement-Moore does extremely well with her characters is that even though they share a lot of traits across the board (mainly the ability to snark), there’s still enough to differentiate from each character so that they don’t become carbon copies of each other. (Methinks that Daisy and Lisa from the Maggie Quinn series would get along fabulously.) This does feel a lot different from the other books of hers that I’ve read, not because of the tone, but because I did feel something different with all of the characters, plus a much grander plot to work with in here.
So, our Heroine! For the few chapters she popped up in Texas Gothic, I did actually like Daisy—she was a nice foil to the overly tense Amy and Phin being…Phin. To have her take the stage definitely sets up the kind of book here—Daisy is a way more dynamic and outspoken person than her cousins and I like that we get that upfront. I also like her morality and how she’s willing to do the right thing. (I loved that Daisy gets pissed off when she’s forced to make a triple vow for a job she’s already willing to do.) It’s not just the finding lost coed daughters of mob bosses, but her willingness to help stranded souls move on. Sure, Daisy’s going to milk a remnant for all the information they have on a current crime scene…but she’s also going to see if they’re happy where they are at the moment.
Much like the intricacies of the Goodnights’ supernatural products and brand of witchery (and whatever the hell Phin does—please let the next book be about her), I liked that we get a clear explanation of what Daisy actually does and how it effects her physically and mentally. While there’s some points that feel like she’s just using her powers wily-nily, such as when she’s in the St. Louis museum, there’s at least consequences to when she’s finished and then MIGRAINE FROM HELL. I really liked that there’s even a clear explanation for not only how Daisy talks to the dead, but also that she makes it clear that it’s not just a person’s soul she’s talking to, but a piece of it. Hence the use of “remnant” over spirit; it’s what memories and experiences have tied a soul to a specific object/place, and that’s what Daisy utilizes. And I like that we get to see this used in several different fashions: the remnants who haunt places because they have objects tied to them there, the ones who’ve just died and even calling up other people’s memories to utilize a remnant.
The plot here is much more action-packed and grandiose than Clement-Moore’s other books, which is another detail that I really liked. There’s mob bosses, mummies, and an end-of-the-world cult that has the potential to demolish Chicago and then the world. (As an end-of-the-world cult does.) There a few twists that seem fairly obvious from the beginning
I really liked Daisy’s rapport with both Agent Taylor and Carson. With Taylor, I liked that Daisy acknowledges that she really just has a puppy crush on him that’s never going to go anywhere, but that the two of them are able to tease each other on it. And do I think that Agent Taylor does care about Daisy—more like siblings, in a way. (If there’s more books about Daisy, I really want to see this relationship expanded on.) I did also really like Carson—I like his chemistry with Daisy, I think that they work well together, even when they’re both trying to outsmart each other (the scene where Carson admits he realized that Daisy stole a cell phone off him, that was adorable). My main problem with Carson—and this is an issue I’ve had crop up with all of Clement-Moore’s romantic heroes—is that I get what his motivations are…but I never get all of the reasons and backstory behind it. There’s enough here to explain why Carson does the things he does, but there’s a lot that’s not covered as well.
As I said above, Spirit & Dust is bigger and more involved than its predecessor or some of Rosemary Clement-Moore’s other books. The story, though, is solid (and actually wraps up pretty neatly, only leaving romantic entanglements to expand in future installments), the characters are completely engaging, and there’s just enough world-building to expand on what we got in book 1 and leaves enough wiggle room for future installments. As I said, it’s really hard for me to say which book you ought to read first in the Texas Gothic series, but if you want to start with Spirit & Dust, I would say that it’s a great book to kick off with. In the meantime, I will be awaiting the next adventure of the Goodnight clan.
vanessaessarus's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
An awesome companion to Texas Gothic and in a similar style to Clement-Moore's other book The Splendour Falls. Loved that. I finished the book in less than a day. I fell in love with Daisy's humour. I wasn't totally sold on all the Egyptian mummy stuff, but if you can suspend disbelief then it is a really fun read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Death
Minor: Kidnapping
seejennread's review
3.0
This companion novel to Texas Gothic focuses on Daisy Goodnight, cousin to Amy & Phin, and voice of dead people everywhere. Daisy is sassy, sarcastic, and a lot of fun. She's also barely 17 and assists the FBI in missing persons cases. When she's pulled out of her chemistry class to help on a case in Minnesota, she doesn't expect it to be any more unusual than her other cases. But it is, from the first moment she talks to the dead guy in a dirty alley.
There's a lot more going on in this story than the first and I think that somewhat detracts from it. We've got the ghosts sure, but then there are super powerful witches, people with other kinds of powers, dead people living in objects, dead people rising from the beyond, dead people going to the beyond, dead people everywhere lol. And that's not even counting the mobsters or the freaky things that happen at the museums. (I know, you're thinking "what museums??" but you should really be focused on the mobsters.)
I liked the story overall, but didn't love it like the first. It was maybe a little too smart for me at certain points, when Daisy & mobster Carson were researching Egyptian mythology and the like. I enjoyed the museum parts (I know, again with the museums. Just read it and see!) in that it felt like the movies Night at the Museum. I'm a sucker for lame children's movies like that and this had that same kind of "impossible, but maybe it could happen" feel.
Reviewed at Give a Hoot Read a Book!
There's a lot more going on in this story than the first and I think that somewhat detracts from it. We've got the ghosts sure, but then there are super powerful witches, people with other kinds of powers, dead people living in objects, dead people rising from the beyond, dead people going to the beyond, dead people everywhere lol. And that's not even counting the mobsters or the freaky things that happen at the museums. (I know, you're thinking "what museums??" but you should really be focused on the mobsters.)
I liked the story overall, but didn't love it like the first. It was maybe a little too smart for me at certain points, when Daisy & mobster Carson were researching Egyptian mythology and the like. I enjoyed the museum parts (I know, again with the museums. Just read it and see!) in that it felt like the movies Night at the Museum. I'm a sucker for lame children's movies like that and this had that same kind of "impossible, but maybe it could happen" feel.
Reviewed at Give a Hoot Read a Book!
funkyfresh's review
4.0
I just finished this book this morning. I bought it in September at ATBF, where I saw the author speak in a panel. (It was my first time at an event like that and I had a LOT of fun.) Life got super busy and I haven't yet managed to work my way through the wonderful purchases I made that day. Spirit and Dust was a great book. I liked Daisy's sense of humor and general sassiness, and I liked that the plot was so complex.
hazellie's review
5.0
I loved this book even more than the first one! At first, I wasn't very happy that this book was going to focus on Daisy instead of Amy, like the first book, but it ended up being so much better. I like Daisy a lot. The story is thrilling, and I just kept turning pages wanting to know what happens next. I love the dynamics between Daisy and Agent Taylor, and their code language. I feel like there could be a whole series here for Daisy and her work with the FBI. Ohhhh, please make it happen, Rosemary Clement-Moore! <3
watermelonvodka's review
4.0
Ok. So this book was fun. It was just a very fun book with a lot of magic and a hot guy.
I really really reaaaalllly liked Carson, even when he was still a jackass at the beginning. He was just so hottt.
The only thing I didn't like about it was the twist. I seem to be having issues with a lot of twists, lately. I just think that the ENTIRE story was SO not necessary after we found out the twist. NONE of the stuff that happened, had to happen, and the bad guys could have gotten what they wanted in like 2 seconds. So I really disliked that part, and it made the entire story just seem hard to believe. Like, come on, people.
Despite the stupid twist that made the story pointless, I still had a lot of fun reading it, and I enjoyed it overall.
-- Aaaaand I just found out that this is a sequel??? I had no idea.
-- ookkaaaay it's a sequel about a different person. From the same family, but it's a whole new story. I feel better now. haha
I really really reaaaalllly liked Carson, even when he was still a jackass at the beginning. He was just so hottt.
The only thing I didn't like about it was the twist. I seem to be having issues with a lot of twists, lately. I just think that the ENTIRE story was SO not necessary after we found out the twist. NONE of the stuff that happened, had to happen, and the bad guys could have gotten what they wanted in like 2 seconds. So I really disliked that part, and it made the entire story just seem hard to believe. Like, come on, people.
Despite the stupid twist that made the story pointless, I still had a lot of fun reading it, and I enjoyed it overall.
-- Aaaaand I just found out that this is a sequel??? I had no idea.
-- ookkaaaay it's a sequel about a different person. From the same family, but it's a whole new story. I feel better now. haha