KayKay #CRB5 Review #48 Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

**SPOILER ALERT**

My book reviews are written as a discussion of a book, and not as an advertisement.  Please be aware that there may be information that some would consider spoilers.  Continue on at your own risk!

After my review of Storm Born by Richelle Mead (short version: I liked it), I got a comment from Malin who recommended two series: 1- October Daye and 2-Kate Daniels.   Not only did she enjoy the series, but she said they get better as the series develops (which is a rare find).  I finished the first October Daye book- Rosemary and Rue and here is what I thought….

Rosemary and Rue

Malin’s #CBR5 Review #114: Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire

This is the seventh book about October Daye and as such, not the best place to start the series. If you like a paranormal series focused more on mysteries and adventure than on romance (not that there isn’t romance too, once you get a few books in), then this is a good one. Go check out Rosemary and Rue if you haven’t already.

As the only changeling (half human, half fey) knight in existence, October “Toby” Daye concerns herself with a lot of quests and issues that others don’t bother with. Changelings are dying all over San Francisco from their addiction to goblin fruit. A fruit that’s only pleasant and harmless to full-blood faeries, the goblin fruit is extremely addictive to changelings and humans, and the addiction gets so strong that they die from eating nothing else. Toby wants it off the streets and goes to the Queen of the Mists to have the problem dealt with, only to discover that the Queen is the one peddling the fruit, as she sees nothing wrong with changelings and humans dying. She also banishes Toby for her insubordination, giving her three days to remove herself from the kingdom.

Having started out a loner, with no recourse but to dive into danger by herself, Toby now has a squire and a boyfriend and a growing band of allies who can help her in situations such as these. When they discover that the Queen’s claim to the throne isn’t in fact valid, and that the children to the last King are still alive, but in hiding, Toby and her friends realise that they’re going to have to stage a full scale rebellion. They just need to keep Toby alive long enough to succeed.

Full review on my blog.

Rochelle’s #CBR5 Review #10: Discount Armegeddon by Seanan McGuire

First, I am continuing my ranting about disappointing books.  Second, I love Seanan McGuire’s October Daye books, so I expected to like her new series, InCryptid, as well.

To add some context, the excellent October Daye books are emotional and fraught with loss.  I can understand why McGuire would want some relief from writing the heaviness of Daye’s San Francisco.  Unfortunately, this first book just doesn’t gel.  There are a lot of good elements, but I found it a frustrating read.

Verity Price was raised in a special family.  She comes from a long line of reformed monster hunters, who are now “crypto-zoologists.”  Instead of slaughtering monsters, they study and protect them, killing them only when there is no alternative.  In order to become former monster hunters, they broke off from a hard-line ‘all monsters are evil’ organization, the Covenant of Saint George.  The Covenant has a kill on sight policy with both cryptids and Prices.  As a result, the family is in hiding.

Verity really wants to be a professional ball room dancer, and is living in Manhattan.  There’s a lot going on.  There’s lots of clever elements – hyper-religious mice, hard working cryptids trying to blend in, free-running, sassy sayings from mothers and grandmothers, witty repartee, etc.  The problem is, Verity herself verges on too stupid too live.  She is certain of her own smarts and abilities, but she makes stupid choices that are clearly destined to go wrong.  And then there’s the rather flat love interest – Dominic, a Covenant of Saint George operative.  For whatever reason, instead of killing her, he skulks about offended by her pro-cryptid attitude, interferes with her dance audition, and sleeps with her.  And then there’s a dragon.

I have a lot of faith in Seanan McGuire, so I’m going to try the next book in the series, which was released last month.  I hope it’s better.