Deceptions by Kelley Armstrong

 Spoiler-y Reread Review

Okay, so, Deceptions is the book where everything hits the fan. It ramps up to 11 on the Fae side of things, the whole Matilda thing is completely explained, and there is more than a hint at a love-triangle brewing. I’m personally not happy about that last one, but the rest is pretty good. It’s a little hard to believe that these books have only taken place over a few weeks, at most. I will warn right now that, due to the nature of this story and the way I feel about it, this review does contain spoilers.

Cult. Deprogrammers. Because Olivia broke up with you and you can’t take “no” for a damn answer. WTF James. My hatred is clearly justified. James just keeps getting worse. It’s gross. This feeling doesn’t change because of what happens to him mid-book. Still gross. Don’t do this shit. Take “no” for an answer, regardless of how you feel about the situation.

I really hate the whole Gwynn, Arawn, and Matilda thing. It’s incredibly cis, het, misogynistic BS. “Ah yes, Gwynn and Arawn keep make pacts about Matilda without letting Matilda know and she’s expected to just… go along with it? But she doesn’t know so… wtf even. Oh, and these pacts affect EVERYTHING because weird Fae reasons.” Some polyamory would have done these knuckleheads a world of good. Oh, and maybe TELLING MATILDA could have been part of the plan????? I’m happy Ricky agrees with me, at least as far are Gwynn and Arawn being pricks.

Also “Neither will accept that, because it dilutes your power and they both want it all. They will insist you choose.” Which, like, okay… but also, no. Olivia’s the one with the power, she should insist right back about a “Persephone solution,” as she calls it. This is so dumb. Tristan coming into the mix doesn’t help either, really.

All this is not to say that I’m not happy with the lore dumps. I am. They were interesting. All of them. I think I most enjoyed the visions at the mansion and the bits at the end. Getting the visions explained was also a bonus I’d forgotten happened.

Deceptions was a fun ride, despite my issues with the romance plot. It did have a bit of a feel of finality, if I’m honest. I know there’s more to go with the Olivia’s parents’ trials and maybe fully shaking out what’s going to happen with the whole Matilda thing, but the ending really felt like an ending. That’s not a bad thing, by any means. It’s actually quite nice to have a definitive ending and not being pulled along to the next book as strongly as the last two. 

Favorite Line

"I like the foreign names. It makes these conversations mildly less ridiculous." - Olivia Taylor-Jones

In Other News

I finished another OviPets project. This one is MetalSeadramon for my Mega Digimon Project line. Took me exactly 8 months.

Daughter of Fire by Sofia Robleda

I’m honestly not a fan of Daughter of Fire. It was alright, but only alright. I did not connect with Catalina at all, which is just not great for the main POV character. I think part of the reason for this is the lack of inner monologue. Catalina just doesn’t have one for most of the book and when she does, it’s centered on her feelings for Juan… which I personally didn’t care about. The whole thing reads like a someone is telling a story they aren’t emotionally invested in.

I did enjoy the parts where the Popol Vuh was being rewritten. Those bits were much more vibrant and full of feeling than the rest of the book. It’s always fun for me to get a look into the mythologies of other cultures, especially those that have been and continue to be overlooked by western society.

I think that’s something that also bugged me, to be honest. Catalina just didn’t feel like she was struggling at all being half Maya and half Spanish. Yes, the stuff surround the Popol Vuh had to be done in secret and she was very sheltered otherwise, but… I just feel like she didn’t have any thoughts about this dichotomy within herself. Just suppression of what happened to her mother and a need to not be seen favoring Juan in public. That’s it.

There’s also a distinct lack of place descriptions. The most described places are a tunnel and a cave, I’m pretty sure. I don’t feel like I could accurately describe 1500s Guatemala or any particular place Catalina went, based on the lack of description here. Even Catalina’s clothes are a mystery. I just didn’t feel immersed in Catalina’s world at all.

Daughter of Fire just didn’t tick enough of my boxes. I’m pretty sure I skimmed the last couple chapters trying to get it done. 

Favorite Line

"People are always arguing about which stories are true and which are not. It’s a pointless argument, for all contain a speck of truth about our world and ourselves." - Catalina's Mother

 

In Other News

I finished the first project of my Mystique Color Series on Ovipets. Took me about 8 months.

Visions by Kelley Armstrong

Not sure whether this is relevant or not, but I did not previously review Visions. I reviewed Omens and Betrayals, but not Visions for some reason. I’m not sure what that reason is, as my first two reads were 10-ish years ago. However, thinking about how I feel about Visions now, I think maybe I didn’t have the language to talk about the characters. I’ll get into that more as I write this review.

First and foremost: everyone needs some therapy. Olivia, due to her parental situation and dead body encounters. Gabriel, because of his past, mostly. James, to get over this toxic bullshit he’s got going on. Just therapy all around, might be smart.

I like the Ciara Conway mystery for what it brings in terms of world-building. We know that Cainsville has some weird crap going on, apparently to do with Fae. That’s definitively confirmed here. That Cainsville has some sort of perception filter is honestly par for the course. I like that Olivia and Gabriel are pushing through it. That said, the preternatural stuff is rearing its head a lot more firmly in Visions. It’s still woven neatly with the “normal” stuff, which I think is a plus.

Given that I’ve only read the first three Cainsville novels and a smattering of short stories so far… I honestly did not remember what happened with James. It is safe to say that I actively hate him. I hate the way he’s decided he basically owns Olivia despite her saying very clearly, several times, that she doesn’t want him. Hate it. Hate him. He’s really giving me Riley from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer vibes. More milk-toast and excluded from the actual goings on than everyone else and resenting it. Well… resenting that Olivia is not “his.” Blech.

I actually quite like Ricky, so far. He’s so far done very little wrong. He’s a charming character. Apparently has ties to something Cainsville-related… which I don’t remember if that’s made more explicit in Omens or one of the short-stories, but yeah… don’t know much about it from a Visions perspective anyway. Ricky’s a pretty good character.

I love that we get to see Gabriel’s trauma hoard, even if Olivia has no idea… I won’t say anything more about that, though, as it is late enough in the book to be a spoiler. But Gabriel does loosen up some more here, which is good.

Visions is largely about Olivia discovering and figuring out exactly what’s up with Cainsville and breaking more firmly into her own life away from the life she had at the beginning of the series. I enjoyed the ride and — despite rereading my Betrayals review — looking forward to the next one. I’m genuinely interested in learning more about the Fae in this “realm” and hope there’s more of that to come. 

*Amendment: I completely forgot Deceptions existed while writing this review. I also haven't reviewed it.

Favorite Line

     "I don't think angels are supposed to grant wishes."

     "They should. It would make them much more interesting." - Olivia Taylor-Jones & Rose Walsh

The Wolf's Eye by Luanne G. Smith

The Wolf’s Eye is the sort of sequel that gets into the nuts and bolts of how magic in the world it’s set works. It’s not devoid of action, but it’s also not super full of it, either. What there is, is well done. The conflict stems mainly from wanting Petra’s powers and finding a cure for Josef.

I was originally confused when Dimitri, the second vlkodlak, was constantly referred to as “the starshina.” There’s no explanation as to what that means in the book. I had thought it was some other supernatural creature, but a quick google reveal that a starshina was a military rank in some Slavic states. While I appreciate not being spoon-fed everything, an explanation of that would have been nice.

That’s really my only complaint about the book. I may not have been super captivated, but the story held my attention and was entertaining enough. I know, not exactly glowing praise, but… yeah. Solid story. Solid sequel. Not a whole lot to say.

The last thing I’ll discuss is Petra and Josef’s romance. I like that they’re both kind of awkward around each other. They’ve only know each other for maybe a week or two, so this makes sense. They also haven’t had any time alone together, so the slow nature of the romance also makes sense. I buy them as a couple and I appreciate that we, as readers, aren’t slammed over the head with it.

So yes, The Wolf’s Eye is a solid sequel. I’d be content if the story ends up ending here. I’m not sure if this is a duology or not.

Omens by Kelley Armstrong

2024 Reread Review

Going to start this out by saying: I really do love Omens. I think it’s very well paced, the story is well put together, and the characters are engaging. I flew through it the first time I read it. Definitely a fantastic start to a new series.

The herding of Olivia to Cainsville honestly gives me horror story vibes. Of course, most of the chapters that aren’t from Olivia’s POV have overt weird vibes. I quite like it. Little reminders that Olivia’s story is being at least partially observed and manipulated by Cainsville residents. Keeps more tension going that way.

I love Rose. She’s no-nonsense, for a fortune teller. She’s practical and caring, in her own way. She kind of gives me a “Golden Girls” vibe, though I think she’s younger than that crew.

I really, really like that Olivia and Gabriel’s relationship is kept platonic. It’s so nice to not have much relationship drama thrown into this. There’s definitely enough of that with James and, to be honest, I don’t think this story needs it.

The weaving in of Cainsville’s supernatural underside is well done and intriguing. It’s very clear, assuming you’re up on your Fae lore, that this leans more than direction than the “traditional” witchy or vampiric direction. I like it, largely.

I feel like the MKULTRA stuff came out of nowhere. It was done fairly well, I think, but on this third read-through, feels forced. That may also be because, just due to the timing of my reading, I sat and stewed in those chapters for a few days… but yeah. I mean, it’s apparently connected to something down the line (which I don’t remember, but which is hinted at in the text), so, set up.

But yeah, if you’re a fan of mystery and the supernatural, I definitely recommend giving Omens a read.

2016 Review

Favorite Lines

"Of course. That's the problem with most theories of prognostication. They presume a single future. You will marry a handsome, rich man and have two children.  Is life so predetermined from birth to death, like a car on a fixed track, no room for detours, no allowance for free will? There are futures, Olivia. Possible outcomes based on choices." - Rose Walsh

"Don't be dull, Olivia. There is no graver sin." - Rose Walsh

"Demon possession strains the boundaries of credibility, given the sheer number of times it seems to happen. One would really hope demons had better things to do with their time." - Rose Walsh

"Rain on a sunny day. That's good luck." - Omen-sense

"Yes, I'm a whole lot braver when they can't hear me," - Olivia Taylor-Jones

The Witch's Lens by Luanne G. Smith

I quite enjoyed The Witch’s Lens. It’s refreshing to get a more Central European take on the supernatural. Too often it’s more English-based, I guess. I dunno, I liked the change of scenery from the more “classic” fantasy stuff I’ve been reading. The story was very good, too, if it felt a little rough-shod toward the end.

Petra’s an interesting main character. She starts out kind of timid, but quickly finds her feet in the war zone she ends up in. I liked that her backstory wasn’t dropped until mid-book, though it would have made a good intro… I can see why it wasn’t, though. The reader, as much as Petra’s compatriots, needs to be kept in the dark about her powers for a while. None of the “well why didn’t she just…” needs to come into the story, after all.

I think combining the general misery of the Eastern Front with the horror elements of actual monsters was very effective. I also liked that the general populace apparently has little idea what magic can do, while apparently the upper echelons do. It’s always interesting to see how the world of magic clashes or doesn’t with the “human” world.

The upir mythology and “realization” was neat. I’m definitely used to the “traditional” vampire stuff, so getting an, I wanna say “earlier” but I’m not sure if that’s correct… different, is what I’ll go with, take on a vampiric creature was fun. Upir are kind of a cross between vampire and zombie, at least from a Western-centric viewpoint. The horror with them worked really well, I thought.

So yeah, I enjoyed The Witch’s Lens and am cautiously looking forward to the next one in the series.

Favorite Line

"Men’s eyes have always shone with the light of greed and will take what they covet." - King Wahaj

Led Astray: The Best of Kelley Armstrong by Kelley Armstrong

My review is broken into pieces following each individual story in the order I read them in. I read six stories from this anthology.

I will say: The Cainsville stories are best injected into the chronological reading order after a first read of at least the first couple novels. The short stories are up front about the Fae stuff where the novels are decidedly mysterious about it at first.

The other three I read while doing my Otherworld read-through and did not review them at the time… so those reviews are from memory and skimming.

"Learning Curve": Twas a thing.

"The List": More of mostly the same. I like Zoe, but these stories are mid at beat.

"V Plates": Eeehhhh… I mean, funky zombies and werewolves. What’s not to enjoy?

"The Screams of Dragons": I was not expecting that to be as seriously dark as it was. Just… wow. Even after the child abuse from Bobby’s grandmother, I was not expecting… wow. This was very well done.

"Devil May Care": I’m not sure how I feel about this one. Not entirely sure I needed Patrick’s side of Gabriel’s backstory, though I do like Patrick as a character. Also, this one is definitely one to read after reading the main Cainsville series, as Patrick’s role in things is a mystery to Olivia and Gabriel.

"The fae understood the concept of give and take, but none more than the bòcan. Treat them well, and they'd return the favor. Treat them poorly, and expect trouble, which was only fair, after all."

"The best stories -- the ones he strove to tell -- were the ones that lingered after that last page was turned. The ones that kept readers thinking and, more importantly, feeling."

"Gabriel’s Gargoyles": Cute, if also somewhat maudlin. Gabriel’s childhood was not the best. I was not expecting a cute Gabriel story, to be honest. 

"Easter was the holiday recognizing the death of Christ, and, while he understood the concept, he thought it rather presumptive to die for strangers."

Talking to Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

I love Talking to Dragons. Patricia C. Wrede says in her introduction that Talking to Dragons was one of those books that basically wrote itself without her really thinking about it. It feels that way to read. The story grabs you and pulls you along to the end. The whole thing is very good.

It's interesting to know more than the main character. Daystar knows absolutely nothing about his family history and very little about the Enchanted Forest. Whereas, having read the previous three books, we know much, much more. Morwen and Telemain, for instance. We know who they are and that they can be trusted, even is Telemain is messing around with a wizard staff for research reasons, probably. Then there's the whole castle thing and freeing Mendanbar... we know that's where Daystar and Shiara are ultimately headed, even if they have zero clue.

I really quite liked Shiara, Suz, and the young dragon. Shiara's right up my alley, as far as temperament goes. Love those fiesty characters. Suz reminds me a lot of The Worm from Jim Henson's Labyrinth. I don't quite imagine Suz having The Worm's voice, but it's close. The young dragon was a delight. It's nice to see a young dragon, as up 'til now, we've only seen adults. Plus, I think they lend an extra air of whimsy to the whole thing.

I think the most memorable random-happening outside of cameos was the princess and her knight. That seemed to go on a bit, but it was amusing. I was very much of the same mind as Shiara about the princess. Girl needed to grow a brain, that's for sure. Also actually gave a bit of added perspective on how Cimorene was expected to behave when she was a princess.

It seems like Antorell has really gone downhill in terms of intelligence in the 17-ish years since we last saw him. I mean, he wasn't too bright to begin with, but... yeah. Man's got some serious issues regarding his thinking process.

But yeah... Talking to Dragons is easily my favorite of the quartet after Dealing with Dragons. It's refreshing to have that sparkle back after the, uhm, slowness... drudgery... of Calling on Dragons. Definitely a fitting end to the series, even if it was written first.

Favorite Lines

"Being upset is no excuse," Mother said sternly. "If you're going to be rude, do it for a reason and get something from it." - Cimorene

"That," said Morwen, "was a sword. They are long, pointed, and very sharp. You're lucky it didn't take your head off."

A Slight Spoiler Comment

I just want to say that Morwen and Telemain planning on getting married all of a sudden is unecessary, in my opinion. I know that we're basically missing 17-ish years of their lives between Calling on Dragons and Talking to Dragons, but their relationship just wasn't skewing romantically, like, at all in Calling on Dragons.

I remembered that this was a thing and so I was looking for some kind of romance between them... but no. It's just not there. I'm personally going to head cannon it away. They are platonic friends forever in my mind.

Nine Tailed by Jayci Lee

I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed this. I’m not generally a fan of romance, so that Nine Tailed was billed as one had me thinking I was gonna end up DNFing it. I did not. That said, Sunny and Ethan’s romance is fairly well done. I didn’t feel like it was forced or too much in the forefront.

I did find it distracting when Sunny was distracted by Ethan, though. Had the thought of “is this what non-ace people experience” just about every time it happened. I was glad even Sunny was perturbed by the level to which she was distracted.

There is an abrupt tone shift about 70% of the way through and it’s jarring. The story also grinds to a halt at this point, because politics or something apparently. This is also where the Shinbiin are introduced, which was kind of fun, I guess. It’s pretty much a setup point for the rest of the series, getting us out of the Mortal Realm. I am not going to remember much of the information dumped here, even if I do continue with the series.

But yeah, Nine Tailed was better than I was expecting. Getting a world not steeped in Western mythology was pretty cool.

Favorite Line

"Besides, I wouldn’t mess with the Greeks. Their mythology is part of the US public school curriculum." - Sunny Cho

Calling on Dragons by Particia C. Wrede

A Spoiler Free Reread Review

Calling on Dragons is, ah, very much a middle book. The characters spend most of the time running around to track down Mendanbar’s sword, which is key to the problem also set up in this book. Calling on Dragons is definitely more of a romp than it isn’t, but I’m not sure it’s a particularly good bit of story.

First off, I very much dislike this cover (the one with the blue donkey front and center). Something about the way Killer is portrayed in the art is just… 🤢 Thanks, I hate it. So, so much hatred. Growing every time I look at the cover. It has to sit face-down at all times because that blue donkey is just BLECH. Killer himself is probably the most annoying character I’ve encountered in recent memory. If he wasn’t needed to resolve a thing at the end, I’d have rather Morwen just left him alone to deal with his own stupidity.

You like cat companions? Like more than one? Oh good, cuz Morwen’s got 9. Not that we spend all book with all 9 cats, but the cat companions are definitely highlights. Trouble and Scorn are a very helpful, snarky duo.

The quest for Mendanbar’s stolen sword is largely just a series of mishaps, largely to Killer’s detriment. It was only slightly amusing to come across a Farmer MacDonald. He was boring, in my opinion. Getting Brandel on board the sword-finding-train was much more satisfying. I like the concept of fire-witches. I liked the small reference to Baba Yaga’s flying mortar and pestle. But yeah, the rest of the quest was just whatever.

So now we’re set up for Talking to Dragons. Yay. That’s really all Calling on Dragons was, was set up.

Favorite Lines

"Wizards don't know how to handle cats. I don't think they're very smart." - Fiddlesticks

"You shouldn't give advice you don't follow." - Queen Cimorene

"Rabbits aren't supposed to have adventures. Our temperaments aren't suited to them." - Killer

"Telemain and Morwen?" Kazul muttered. "What am I, diced troll food?"