dancingdane's reviews
711 reviews

If you don't like foul language, or if you don't like present tense narration, this may not be the book for you. Through a simple touch of skin to skin, Miriam can see how and when someone will die. After failing to stop a young boy's death (and believing her attempt to stop it leads to his death), she pretty much just accepts what she sees as immutable fate. Until she meets Louis, and hears him utter her name as his last word before his death.

I enjoyed the premise of the story a lot, but I was somewhat disappointed in its rule in the story. Miriam's ability is more of a catalyst for the other stories, whereas I really wanted a little more about the ability itself. I guess it's like the stories would have happened if her ability to see someone's death were substituted for her being a stage magician, or an extremely skilled artist.

I still love this series, but there was just too much going on in this one. I usually don't get confused by the names in these books, but I frequently had to go back and double-check who was where. I admit, I was a bit distracted while reading this one, but still...

Disappointing. I got lured I'm by the description of the unsolved case being reopened. The book isn't about that at all. Mainly it's about a week or so of Mary Byrd's life from when she hears the case of her step-brother's murder is being reopened to a few days after she meets the detective. It's also a story about some of the other people in her life, but they seem somewhat random selections. Probably a good read if you like reading about "life in general," specifically someone else's life, but not what I was looking for.

Definitely not your average detective novel. When I first read about identity theft in the blurb, I thought the detective's identity was stolen. This is more of a borderline rogue chip story, a cop who just happens to get caught yo in a murder investigation when ask he's trying to do is flee the country and his debts and problems. You don't often see a novel about a rather morally ambivalent cop, so this was a refreshing change.

Adaptation, of sorts, of Orpheus in the Underworld. Guitarist Niko makes a deal with the devil and becomes a world famous musician. But the price is more than he wants to pay. The devil (through his negotiator Phil), takes Niko's girlfriend, Jemma's soul because she is considered chattel under the contract. Niko goes to hell to reclaim it. That's the nutshell. The book itself is mostly a portrayal of what Niko finds in hell; I can just imagine Boyett and his friends sitting around a campfire trying to fit punishments to crimes, then putting them all down in the book. Based on this story, not sure who actually gets to go to heaven...

Abbie's Panamindorah novels were the first things I read, and I didn't think I could get into a completely new world. I was wrong. This novel is a "fantasy" in the same way that Watership Down is fantasy; it touches on topics that are very human through non-human characters. Enemies are not always your enemies, friends are not always your friends. Vengeance crosses species, and peace can happen.

This novel focuses primarily on two "intelligent species," meaning they have readily understandable speech and writing; similar to how we view humans v. animals. Creasia are cats, and Ferryshaft are a new creature, somewhat between a horse and llama, but omnivorous. I would really have liked to know more about the Ela-ary, the large eagle-like birds. They have the smallest role in the novel, but I kept hoping they'd make more of an appearance. (Abbie, I hope you have a novel featuring them in you...)

As I was reading, I always managed to have to stop right at a crucial moment in the action. When I started the book, I thought I would just read a few chapters to get going, then go to bed. I ended up reading 2 hours longer than I had planned, finishing a third of the book before I had to put it down. Storm is a very compelling character, and Abbie does a good job of not revealing things you might think you know but maybe don't until the proper moments in the story.

Again, for fans of books like Watership Down or Duncton Wood, or Redwall, this is a very compelling novel. And anyone who doesn't mind anthropomorphized animals will get sucked in.

This has been my favorite James/Kincaid book so far. Could be the story lines, could be that it takes place in the Scottish highlands. And if it doesn't make you want to tour a whiskey distillery, there's something wrong with you. I vividly remember the smells of Glenlivet when I toured with my family as a child, and really want to go back.

So far, this is my second favorite in the series. We get to see Duncan's family, which adds an extra layer to Kit's relationships with Duncan and Gemma. The thing I missed, though, was Duncan and Gemma trying to do their various jobs in London. Several of the recent novels have taken place out of their jurisdictions, allowing them to work together, if not officially. I do like the novels where they have to avoid stepping on each other's toes.

Was worth the time to read it, but just barely. Zoe has just learned that she's Fangborn, which means she hasn't been going crazy thinking she's turning into a Beast, but which also brings its own set of issues. She's also learning that she's the "chosen one" of prophecy to find Pandora's Box, which has significant implications for all Fangborn; but no one knows exactly what those are because oracles are famously vague.

She also has to save her cousin, Danny, from kidnappers who want Zoe to find the artifacts that will open Pandora's Box (then find the box itself) because they think they can become Other, deal with a Fangborn senior senator who wants to use the Box to reveal the Fangborn to the world, figure out who to trust in this new world she's exposed to, AND deal with the ex-boyfriend that she left because she didn't want her Beast to hurt him. Yeah, a little much for a 23/24 year-old to deal with.

If you can ignore all of the excess drama (well, not ignore, but just go with the flow), it's an enjoyable read, and the suspense does keep the pages turning. I suspect the next book will deal a bit more with Zoe's family and her somewhat unique senses; she's not quite an oracle, but more than a werewolf.

Quite possibly one of the most "Wyoming"books yet. Oil is at the heart of the story, just like it's the heart of this state.