This novel is a solid UF read by an established fantasy writer. Set in San Francisco, the narrative is mystery driven, with a nice romance that compliments it well. ( )

This novel is a solid UF read by an established fantasy writer. Set in San Francisco, the narrative is mystery driven, with a nice romance that compliments it well. ( )

This is not a bad book although not a great one. The story is engaging; it reads easily and fast. The San Francisco atmosphere comes through: the city’s hills and streetcars, the inescapable fog and quirky denizens. But the main characters are rather distant. They’re more than two-dimensional cardboard personages but not exactly three-dimensional, breathing people either. More like two-and-a-half dimensions. And their romantic affair, quick like instant coffee, has the same flat taste.
The protagonist Nola O’Grady is working for some paranormal agency. She has a license to ensorcell. Her male counterpart, a hunk Ari Nathan, is an Interpol agent from Israel. The guy is good with guns but leery of the paranormal. Together, they hunt the bad guys who kill werewolves. Along the way they fall in love (or lust).
The plot lines are mostly predictable. Although there is a parallel world somewhere on the periphery of the story, and Nola’s unconventional family pops in and out, the entire package somewhat failed to draw me in. I turned the pages rapidly, but my emotional core remained untouched. It might be what some people are looking for in the urban fantasy genre but it’s not my favorite kind of story.
( )

First of a new series of urban fanasy. Nothing particularly special but fun in places.

Nola comes form a 'talented' family, and works as part of a secret government organisation helping to keep the world in Harmony between the stultifying forces of Order, and the disruptive forces of Chaos (Chaos gets better creatures). She is psychic - sees visions, can trace people, a bit of telepathy, that sort of thing. When her brother goes missing - suspected werewolves, she takes it somewhat personally, and when this leads to an involvment in a suspected supernatural terrorist case she realises something big might be happening. It so turns out that there is also an Israeli agent - hunky of course - who is following the same leads from thre sides. You can guess most of the rest.

None of the details of the whole Order Harmony Chaos scheme are particularly explained and neither are the limitations of the magics that can be involved. the rmonace simmers along without getting too steamy at any point. Like the plot it remains very obvious.

Other than the chaos creatures resembling small lizards there isn't anything that original here, but it's well enough done all the same. ( )

I quite liked this book which is a bit of a fresh take on the genre - but if it hadn't been recommended by Seanan McGuire I likely never would have purchased it due to the fact that it possibly has one of the worst titles in the history of titles. ( )