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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
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
Overall, it was an interesting and fun read. The relationship in it felt slightly forced at times.
Wry fun start to the series. Looking forward to the next book.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Popcorn, but popcorn isn't bad. This is the kind of comfort food read-it-in-a-couple-days urban fantasy that I was raised on, so I really enjoyed this read.
That said, the plot is paper-thin and primarily exists to just push the book's sexy leads together and at odds. There are worse things a plot can do, but I was never really interested in discovering WHAT would happen next, just what Verity would say about it.
The world building was similarly light - if you're here for dense politics and well-thought-out settings, Discount Armageddon has the boilerplate "magic beings live right under your nose and hold shitty jobs" schematic and very little else.
That said, way more thought and care was put into the family mythos behind Verity, and I found myself consulting the family tree like a fantasy world map. I'd have enjoyed more time spent on the tensions between family expectation and Verity's mundane ambitions, but what I got was enough to pull me along.
The central romance is fun - we love a man having a crisis of faith in the face of a pretty girl - and the dialogue witty without being abrasive. Minimal pop culture reference is appreciated in a Dresden Files dominated space.
To sum up: light reading and fun, and if your tastes for urban fantasy run like mine, you could do way worse.
That said, the plot is paper-thin and primarily exists to just push the book's sexy leads together and at odds. There are worse things a plot can do, but I was never really interested in discovering WHAT would happen next, just what Verity would say about it.
The world building was similarly light - if you're here for dense politics and well-thought-out settings, Discount Armageddon has the boilerplate "magic beings live right under your nose and hold shitty jobs" schematic and very little else.
That said, way more thought and care was put into the family mythos behind Verity, and I found myself consulting the family tree like a fantasy world map. I'd have enjoyed more time spent on the tensions between family expectation and Verity's mundane ambitions, but what I got was enough to pull me along.
The central romance is fun - we love a man having a crisis of faith in the face of a pretty girl - and the dialogue witty without being abrasive. Minimal pop culture reference is appreciated in a Dresden Files dominated space.
To sum up: light reading and fun, and if your tastes for urban fantasy run like mine, you could do way worse.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was absolutely so much fun I have already gotten several others to read it. The major plot points are not big surprises but the point of the story is the characters and they do shine every so bright. Verity is a woman of sass and wit, strength and charm, it is a pleasure reading her thoughts and how she views this world of creatures her family requires she be a part of. Those creatures are imaginatively created and quite full of their own personality, making this a true joy to read every page rather than skipping ahead to the so-called good parts. Every part is good and I can't wait to see what happens next.
I was prepared to not really like this given the terrible cover and that most first books in an urban fantasy series, especially an older one, are not very good. But I was ready to push through. Despite a couple issues (namely brooding bad guy love interest) this was actually quite enjoyable. The cryptids are interesting, the family dynamics are hilarious and the hero is witty and fun.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Sexual assault