Christel

• Rated 3 stars

“When we last left Zoey and her friends, they were fleeing Kalona (the fallen angel), to the old prohibition tunnels beneath the city of Tulsa. Stevie Rae and the Red fledglings have been residing in these tunnels for a while now and have made quite a nice home (with the help of Aprodite’s credit card). While secluded there, they must find a way to heal Stevie Rae from her wound made by the arrow Stark shot at her that is still protruding from her chest. They also must make a plan to rid the House of Night of Kalona and Neferet. Just as Erik and Zoey make up, Heath shows up to profess his love. While trying to keep her 2 men from fighting, Zoey is injured by one of the Raven Mockers (those ½ bird, ½ man creatures). Her wound is a fatal one and in order to heal, she must be taken back to the House of Night, right into the waiting arms of Kalona and Neferet.

Stark is now a red fledgling and has been brought to the “dark side” by Neferet. Though he struggles with his humanity, and he still shows glimpses of good, he commits some terrible acts. Zoey and her friends have to come up with a plan to save themselves and the humans from a war with this new and terrible evil.

What I liked: I still like the matriarchal society that these vampires live in. It is old and steeped in tradition as is Zoey’s Cherokee heritage. Kalona is a figure from an old Cherokee legend and his story is captivating. The Raven Mockers are scary and hideous creatures that are said to be the children of Kalona. And Neferet is even more evil than before, if that is at all possible. All of these creatures make for a formidable enemy to the students of the House of Night.

Aphrodite is becoming one of my favorite characters. She may have that snobby rich girl attitude, but her heart is in the right place. She and Darius seem to be the most helpful and probably the most mature of the whole bunch. They can see what is really important and seem to cut through all the teen angst the others have to face. Granted, Darius is older and has already passed through this time in his life, but it is refreshing and necessary to have someone along who can bring everyone back to reality and to the topic at hand.

What I didn’t like: I am getting a little tired of Zoey’s boyfriend drama. I mean what girl has to juggle 3 boys on a consistent basis (if ever!)? Please For the love of Nyx let Zoey pick a guy and be done with it. She can break up with him later and meet a new one if she likes, but the 3 at one time thing is really starting to get old. It is actually becoming a distraction from the story. Perhaps I am just too old to be reading this series. Maybe a gaggle of jealous boys is something every teenage girl longs for. But somehow, I doubt it.

Another distraction comes in the form of excessive cultural references. It was almost like the story was interrupted with commercials and I felt like reaching for the remote to fast forward. Netflix, Christopher Moore, Project Runway, Juicy brand clothing, etc., etc. While I love the shout out to Christopher Moore, and even though the use of the term “fierce” and Project Runway (used by Christian Siriano winner of Project Runway season 4) reminded me of my niece, I wonder if some of these references might date the book. 10 years from now will young adults know about the fierceness of Project Runway or a certain clothing or make-up brand? I’m just sayin’.

Last word: I have to say, that my expectations for this book were not met. The book was OK, but in the end I don’t feel like Zoey and her friends have come very far from the last book. Hunted spans a couple of days and while the conflict is resolved (sort of) I still feel like I have been left hanging. That being said, I still plan to continue reading the House of Night Series. I don’t know what draws me to these books. Is it the wonderfully thought out world of the Vamps trying to blend in and live in modern society? Is it Zoey’s Cherokee Grandmother, who is always there for her and extremely supportive? Is it the camaraderie of Zoey’s friends who stick by her through thick and thin? I really don’t know what it is, but even with the annoying love triangles, I will keep reading this series. So, until the next one… Tempted which should be released in November 2009 (according to P.C.’s blog).”

Christel wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“I will start out by stating that this is a “boy book” What do I mean by that? Well if the paranormal romance or urban fantasy books I read are considered “girl books”, this is definitely the “boy book” version. Cole Warnecki is what every geeky guy wants to be. By trade he is a video game designer (hello, this is any geeky guys dream job!) who goes on what he thinks is a hunting vacation in Canada (man vacation) and gets wrapped up with something unbelievable. A strange monster attacks his cabin. When the dust settles, Cole finds himself as the lone survivor. A man named Gerald gives Cole a satellite phone and phone number to call for rescue just before he dies. And he tells him to ask for Paige.

Cole travels to Chicago to meet up with Paige, and finds himself in the midst of a whole new world of creatures he didn’t even know existed. Paige is a Skinner (translation: butt kicking, supernatural creature hunting, attractive woman who likes her weapons). Skinners keep the supernatural creatures in line. They are the only ones who know how to kill them. Since Cole is still being tracked by that thing in Canada, he opts to stick with Paige and learn to be a Skinner. But something sinister is happening in Chicago. There is a Nymar (vampire) named Misonyk on the loose. He has been attacking other Nymar and suddenly Cole’s training becomes more “hands on” as together they set off to track him down.

What I liked: I liked the different take on supernatural creatures that Mr. Pelegrimas has written. There are vampires, werewolves and shape-shifters, but they are called by different names and the explanation for how they are made or exist is quite interesting. The imagery in this book is great, I felt like I was watching a movie. I think this book would actually make a great movie, loads of action and special effects opportunities. Unlike most books I read, this one kind of scared me.

What I didn’t like: Like I said the imagery was good, so many times I was watching ladies round, but firm buttocks’ walk away (obviously a man thing).

Last word: I liked this book. Even with all of the man things Cole made me endure. Gentleman, if you are looking for a horror/urban fantasy without all of the female emotional stuff, this is your book. Cole even gets to stop in a strip club on his journey and meets a very sexy nymph. But ladies, don’t skip this book just because it is a “boy book”. It is a great read and a nice departure from the Paranormal Romance (”girl books”) we are used to. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series Howling Legion (Skinners, book 2) which comes out on October 27, 2009. Sounds like I have found my Halloween book for this year!”

Christel wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“The first chapter of this book is actually the last. What events have led to Evangeline Hollis fighting a demon dragon in the public restroom at Qualcomm Stadium in her flip flops? Well, I guess you will just have to read on to find out…

Six weeks ago, Evangeline Hollis (Eve) was an interior designer. She was called to Gadara tower for an interview with Raguel Gadara himself. After waiting patiently, Eve was informed that Gadara was too busy at this time and would have to reschedule their meeting. This is a power play he uses against the interviewees just like a football coach might use his time-outs to “ice” the kicker. She had been waiting for an opportunity like this and was disappointed. But she left Gadara tower with an air of confidence, not wanting Gadara to know he could throw her off of her game. On her way out, a hunk of a man (who bares a striking resemblance to someone from her past), shoved her into a stairwell and kissed her passionately. Pleasantly surprised by this mystery man’s suddenness, Eve allowed the tryst to continue and was shocked when he touched her arm with his palm and it burned. “Bear the Mark of Cain” were the words ringing through her ears as she looked up to see massive white wings enfolding her.

Alec Cain and Eve have met before. When Eve was a young woman of 18, she caught Cain’s eye. (Yes, that Cain…) For her safety, he left and tried to forget about her. That has since become impossible. His brother Reed, also known as Abel, has Marked her. Reed is now her handler and Cain has chosen to be her mentor in order to protect her. The stories are true. These brothers do not get along and this new working relationship puts them a little too close for comfort. Their supervisor, the Archangel Raguel, is the head of the North American firm. As there are seven Archangels, there are seven firms around the world.

Being a Mark means you are now a servant of God and employed in the fight against the Infernals. Eve, being and agnostic, is having a little trouble with her new assignment. She has yet to be trained and is thrust into the field where many dangers await her. The brothers have to work together to keep their love, Eve, safe and keep the Infernals from taking over and starting the apocalypse.

What I liked:

I really like the characters Cain and Abel in this book. They provide a different story line which I find refreshing. I read alot about Vampires, Fairies, demons and Werewolves, so reading about Angels is a nice departure. Not that the Angels are any kinder than the aforementioned monsters, but just different.

The Angels are still jealous of Jehova’s fondness for humans. They now serve him here on earth and to fit in with the humans they are stripped of their powers for most of their tenure. Once a year they are allowed to use their powers to train new Mark’s, but they must rotate the training, leaving only one Archangel with their powers at a time. The rest of the time they are acting as businessmen/women running corporate fronts to raise the cash to keep their firms running smoothly. Imagine Archangels acting as CEO’s. It’s like heaven has gone corporate and the results are not flattering.

What I didn’t like:

I don’t know if this falls under the category of “didn’t like” because I still can’t decide if I liked this part or not. The Archangels doing the nasty kinda freaked me out a little. I mean, do I really need to hear about how Sarakiel can sound like a porn star when she is getting freaky with Reed (Abel)? I see where this is going, with the Archangels being jealous of the humans over Jehova’s favor, and their steady decline from grace. But their hunger for power would have been enough to express their discord without the explicit sexual trysts. This book is filled with plenty of equally explicit sex on the human level. On the other hand, when do you ever read about angels doing anything beyond their station? These angels definitely have human qualities and this is very different from the norm. I like the ingenuity.

Last word:

Ms. Day takes on the classic good vs. evil story from a new and exciting point of view. I really enjoyed reading Eve of Darkness and I am looking forward to the next book in this series, Eve of Destruction. Lucky for me, there are 3 of these books coming out within 3 months, so I won’t have long to wait for Eve’s next adventure.”

Christel wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“What girl doesn’t love a faerie tale? Fairies have captivated most of us females our whole lives, even though at my age, some would feel silly admitting it. But not me! I love a good Fairy tale.

Kaye lives in New York with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend. Throughout Kaye’s life she has followed her mother from club to club, watching her perform with whatever band she belonged to at the time and taking care of her. Kaye even dropped out of high school and got a job to help pay the bills. One night Kaye’s mom Ellen, gets into a fight with her boyfriend (actually he tries to kill her). Kaye and her mother are forced move back to New Jersey to stay with her grandmother for a while.

Kaye has been gone from New Jersey for so long now. She knows she can reunite with her old friend Janet, but what else is there in Jersey for her now? Should she return to school? Should she find a job? Will her long lost faerie friends from her childhood come still be there?

Yes, you heard me right, I said Faeries. When Kaye was a child she had 3 Faerie friends, Gristle, Spike and Lutie-loo. She hasn’t seen them in years and wonders what has become of them since she has been away. She puts out food for them and waits patiently for their return. Were they real or were they just her imagination as everyone told her?

When her faeries finally reappear, she finds that things are not exactly as she left them. There are 2 faerie factions: the Seelie Court, the Unseelie Court, and yet a third group of faeries that claim no allegiance to any court. To keep the solitary faeries under the control of one of the courts, a sacrifice must be made. Kaye finds herself in the middle of the battle between faerie factions and she learns that things are not always what you think they are.

What I liked:

Holly Black has a wonderful imagination. So far I have enjoyed everything I have read that she has written. Tithe is no different. The Faerie world that Ms. Black has created could be found right in your own back yard and that makes it all the more scary and beautiful. The characters are easy to identify with, even though they have much larger problems than teens normally have to deal with.

This truly is a modern faerie tale. There are many modern social issues in this book mixed with the magic and folklore of Faerie’s.

What I didn’t like:

I can’t seem to conjure up anything that I didn’t like about this book.

Last Word:

This was a quick and easy read that held my attention. Every time I pick up a young adult novel that appears short and easy to read, I worry that it will be too juvenile for me. I am wrong every time. Don’t shy away from the young adult section feeling you are too old to enjoy the stories. These books are often just what I need, a thought provoking quick read that is entertaining and imaginative.”

Christel wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“There are Dark Reapers and there are Light Reapers. Then there are things in between. Madison Avery falls somewhere in the latter category. You see, Madison is dead. Killed by the Dark Reaper Kairos on her prom night. Somehow, Madison managed to snag his amulet on her way out of this world, which has made her something different. Not quite a ghost, she has an illusion of a body. The Light Reaper, Barnabus was assinged to save her from her fate but he failed. Now he is charged with training her to be a reaper.

Dark reapers and Light Reapers are not as black and white as they sound. One would surmise that Dark Reapers are evil and Light Reapers are good. But that is not that entirely true, they all fall somewhere in between, in the gray areas. There are Light Time Keepers and Dark Time Keepers. The Time Keepers are humans who can live for centuries as the amulets they wear stops their aging. They make the amulets for the Reapers and remain on earth as their leaders until a new Time Keeper is born to take their place. Kairos is the current Dark Time Keeper and Chronos is the current Light Time Keeper. Since Madison took the amulet of Kairos he has begun aging again and he is not happy about it. Kairos is hunting Madison to retrieve his amulet.

When Madison’s Light Reaper/ trainer Barnabus, has to leave her to speak to the Seraphs, she is left with only her mortal friend Josh and her limerick singing Guardian Angel Grace. Together they have to figure out Madison’s new powers and just what the heck is actually going on! All while dodging the detection of the black wings. The black wings look like crows to human eyes, but in fact they are black sheets that can track a person by their aura. You do not want to be caught by a black wing! Trust me!

Just when things start to get serious, you get to see what Madison is thinking. Being a witty 17 year old, she delivers some much needed antidotes and she really puts things into perspective. I pulled one example that comes toward the end of the book.

“I’m sitting at a table with an angel on the other side of the world. How freaky is that?”

There are many wonderful characters in this story but Grace the guardian angel is a riot. I just loved her!

When I began reading this book I said ” hmm I feel like I am reading the novel of Dead Like Me”. (I loved that show) But as I read on, the story became more complex and turned out to be nothing like that show. About the only thing the 2 have in common is a dead girl and reapers. I love them both!

Kim Harrison is one of my favorites and she delivers again with her YA debut. There is always plenty wit and humor to make her novels really fun to read.”

Christel wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Norse CODE is a modern agency founded with the sole purpose of finding decendants of Odin to serve as Einherjar in the final battle of Ragnarok. Mist is a Valkyrie, and once she finds a person who carries Odin’s blood, she must kill him and escort him to Valhalla. Mist is new at this whole Valkyrie gig, having recently been shot and killed along side her sister, Lilly. Mist was chosen to serve and her sister was sent to Helheim to wander with the dead. Mist can’t accept the fate of her sister and she decides she will find a way free Lilly from Helheim.

Grimnir is her Einherjar / trainer. It is his job to teach Mist how to find candidates and dispatch them to Valhalla. When Mist goes rogue to help her sister, Grimnir tracks her down and decides to aid in her search.

A God is here on Midgard (earth) and he is residing in Venice Beach, California. His name is Hermod. If they can find him, they have a chance at getting into Helheim to save Lilly. Hermod is the only being to ever enter Helheim and return. As the son of Odin, he traveled there once to bargain with Queen Hel for the life of his brother Baldr. The death of Baldr is the act that set Ragnarok in motion and Hermod is determined to stop it. He has grown fond of Midgard and does not wish to see his new home destroyed.

Together, they travel on Odin’s 8-legged stallion, Sleipnir. On their journey, they encounter many gods and goddesses, including Hermod’s brothers; Baldr, Hod, Thor, Vidar and Vali. They also run into his parents Odin and Frigg, and countless other gods and sons of gods. Loki is freed from his punishment to steer the ship Naglfar to the final battle where gods are pitted against one another and it has been prophesied that they will destroy one another. If Hermod and Mist can change just one of the events leading up to Ragnarok, they believe they can stop it from happening.

I was really excited to read this book as Norse mythology is a new urban fantasy twist for me. I thought it would be fascinating and completely different that what I usually read. And it was. I enjoyed reading about all of the characters from Norse mythology interacting with the modern world. It was Doomsday Norse style. I had very little knowledge of Norse mythology and reading this book made me want to research it more.

At first I had some trouble getting into the story. I think the problem was my unfamiliarity of the characters, because once I learned more about them, the story became much more interesting to me. I feel like I would have been able to enjoy it right from the beginning if I had a little more knowledge of the background of Norse mythos.

With all the buildup to Ragnarok, the battle felt a bit abrupt to me. I would have liked to read more detail regarding some of the battles between the gods, but perhaps there was no more detail. Perhaps legend portrays them as swiftly as they are portrayed in this story.

I really enjoyed reading something with a different slant. NorseCODE is unique and entertaining; a wonderful journey into the world of Norse Mythology. There are Great Battles, Ancient Gods, Draugr (Zombies), Dwarves, Giants, Mythical Creatures, the occasional severed limb and 2 talking ravens. What more could you ask for?”

Christel wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“I have been eyeing this graphic novel at the store for quite some time now. I haven’t read a graphic novel in a while and I wasn’t sure I would like it. I used to read comics and I was pretty picky about them then (really only liking 1 or 2 different series’) so what would change my mind about them now? Well, you just don’t know until you try so I decided to jump in and see what it was all about. And I am glad I did.

Kin is a story about a young lady named Rue. Rue has a lot of turmoil surrounding her right now. Her parents got into a fight and her mother has left for a while. Her father was unfaithful and her mother just couldn’t stay. No one knows where she is. Rue’s father is a professor, but he hasn’t been going to work lately due to his despair over the disappearance of his wife. Not to mention one of his students has died and he is the prime suspect.

Yes, Rue has a lot to deal with. In addition to her current familial problems, Rue has started “seeing things”. Strange things indeed. Rue can see Faerie’s. And she is about to learn more about the Faerie’s than she ever wanted to know.

Holly Black knows how to write about Faeries. I enjoy all of her stories and this one is no exception. Kin has love, betrayal, mystery and suspense all wrapped up in one tale with some great artwork to bring it all to life.

I usually like colorful art in my comics, the kind that tend to look like a painting, but this black and white drew me in. After the first few pages I was sold on the art and fell into the story.

KithThe story is short (only 117 pages) but it is the first in the series. I do think I would have enjoyed the story more if I had the next volumes in hand to read right away. While some of the issues are resolved, some are still hanging out there. But let’s face it, if there were no unresolved issues, what would the next volumes be about?

I am looking forward to the next volume The Good Neighbors Book 2, Kith coming in October 2009 and the third volume, The Good Neighbors Book 3, Kind coming in 2010. If you are into graphic novels, or even if you aren’t, give it a try. You just might find you like it”

Christel wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“It helps to know the right people and Eve’s got connections. She was just killed by a dragon and suddenly she is awake and alive. Resurrected after the brothers Cain and Abel pleaded on her behalf, Eve is now back in business as a Mark. And it is time for her to complete her training.

It is Raguel’s turn to hold Mark training and he doesn’t plan to make it easy on the newbies. The new Mark’s are traveling to Fort McCrosky, (a military installation that is all but abandoned now) to train in a controlled environment. Of course nothing is that easy for Eve and the nice pre-planned training exercises quickly turn into “on the job training”.

There is a new classification of demon in town and Reed (Abel) is investigating just what kind of demon it is. This new and terrible demon is obliterating Mark’s with incredible ease. How can it be defeated if even the best and brightest can’t defend themselves against it? Good thing Reed can shift anywhere at a moments notice. He finds himself shifting between Australia and California trying to keep Eve safe while his investigations continue. He must find out what is destroying the Mark’s before it comes for Eve.

Alec (Cain) is on assignment. He is charged with sending the werewolf pack leader Charles back to Hell. While separated from Eve and hunting Charles, Alec runs into several demons who are terminating themselves. Just what is going on to make them want to send themselves back to Hell? Alec has to get to the bottom of this, but having Eve in his head is proving difficult for him to concentrate on the task at hand.

All the while, the 3 have formed a bond quite unlike anything they have ever seen. Constantly being in the forefront of each other’s awareness is starting to take its toll. While it would be amazing to have 2 angelic men clamoring for your affections, I am not sure it would be fun for them to be brothers. Especially brothers who have the biggest sibling rivalry in history! The whole “brothers being into the same girl who is named after their mother thing” was at first bit odd for me, but Ms. Day makes it work somehow. Perhaps Cain and Abel have been around for so long, they really aren’t that brotherly anymore. While they are still testosterone laden rivals, they must find a way to work together in order to protect the woman they love. Makes for some rough patches, but in general they have managed to get through it, thus far.

For the first couple of chapters I thought this was going to be one of those “middle books”. You know the ones I mean. The kind that pretty much goes nowhere but sets up the story for its big conclusion in the third book. And then it got exciting and I found out I was wrong. There is a dangerous mystery to solve and while there is a conclusion to the story part of the plot is left unfinished, making me want to run to the store and grab the third book Eve of Chaos to see what happens next. Unfortunately, as of the time I finished reading this book, the next installment isn’t out yet. So I must wait. Since the books are being released in 3 consecutive months, my wait is thankfully brief.”

Christel wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 2 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“Damn you Daniel Waters! First you suck me in with your pretty pretty book covers, then you make me actually LIKE zombies! I take pride in my hatred for zombies, but now when I tell people that I hate zombies I will have to qualify my statement with a “except for the zombie kids in the Generation Dead books”. Damn you I say!

If you didn’t get the hint yet, I am now a Daniel Waters fan (but still I say Damn you!). I thoroughly enjoyed Generation Dead (see my review here) and I also enjoyed its sequel Kiss of Life. If you haven’t read Generation Dead, stop here and go read it before I give away something you don’t want to know yet.

We begin with Phoebe spending most of her time helping Adam “come back” from dying. You see Adam took a fatal bullet for Phoebe. Adam and Phoebe have been friends forever, but recently he has discovered his love for her. Being teenagers and not realizing that it is OK to date someone out of your peer group, they have just been friends until now. Phoebe was dating a zombie named Tommy Williams, but when Adam sacrificed himself for her, Phoebe pretty much gave up her relationship with Tommy to spend all of her spare time with Adam.

The kids are still spending time at the Hunter Foundation, learning about the social repercussions that zombies have to face on a daily basis. People can get pretty ugly when they are faced with something they don’t understand. Pete Martinsburg, (the kid who shot Adam), has been assigned to work off his sentence at the Hunter Foundation. Since Adam isn’t really dead, (he has been reanimated) Pete gets off with some counseling and community service. This is an uncomfortable situation for everyone and Pete really doesn’t seem to feel any remorse for his actions.

Tommy has decided to leave and travel to Washington D.C. to see what good he can do for the differently biotic (pc word for zombies). During his travels, he submits travel logs to his blog and asks Phoebe and their DB friend Karen to run his site www.mysocalledundeath.com. The site has become a cultural phenomenon and a place for the differently biotic to read about others like them and even track down their traditionally biotic (living) relatives and friends.

Around the nation, stores and clubs are opening that cater to the differently biotic. But unfortunately, there are still many people who are filled with hate for the DB’s. Just as with any other group of people who are different from the population’s idea of what is normal, the DB’s have to deal with extreme prejudices and they are in constant fear of the mysterious white vans. White vans are always spotted when something bad happens to DB’s. And most of this hate seems to be spurned on by a crazy Reverend and his extreme religious zealot followers.

Daniel Waters does a fine job delivering an entertaining story along with a message of the ugliness of prejudice and the value of social responsibility. So I say again, Damn you Daniel Waters! Damn you for making me actually like some zombies, damn you for writing a socially relevant book, and damn you for making me stay up late to finish reading this story because once I got to the end of the novel I didn’t want to put it down. Also, Damn you for leaving me with a cliff hanger so now I have to wait until the next book to find out what happens to Phoebe, Tommy, Adam and mostly Karen! Damn you I say!”

Christel wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“I am sure by now you all know that I think Christopher Moore is a genius. So since I am late to the party (as usual), I am going back and starting from the beginning, with Mr. Moore’s first novel Practical Demon Keeping.
We journey to what has become one of my favorite little odd towns, Pine Cove. Pine Cove has the most outrageous residents. They all seem to be normal, but when they are presented with the most strange and awful circumstances they are brave and free thinking enough to believe in the impossible and they rise to the occasion (well they ARE Californians after all!). Throughout this story we follow The Breeze, Travis, Catch, Robert, Jenny, Rachel, Effrom, Amanda, Detective Rivera, Gian Hen Gian and Augustus Brine. Watching the story unfold from so many characters may seem a bit disorienting to some readers. But trust me, when they all converge at the end, it all makes sense.
The Breeze is a middle aged, drug selling, surfer type who lives out of his trailer and hits the bars regularly to pick up chicks. It is obvious that The Breeze stopped aging mentally when he was 21 but unfortunately his body did not do the same. The Breeze doesn’t even have his own ride because it is being held collateral in anticipation of his next big delivery. While hitchhiking home from an evening of being rejected by the young ladies, The Breeze finds trouble. Serious trouble. He meets the Demon, Catch.
Travis, who is pretty much a wanderer by necessity, travels the country looking for a woman he met decades ago. He looks the same, but she would have aged. (Being the keeper of a demon does have one perk.) Travis became the demon’s keeper by mistake and can’t find a way to send the demon back. His demon companion Catch, a terrible people eating demon. Somehow, Mr. Moore makes the terrible people eating (no he isn’t purple) demon, witty and you just can seem to be really afraid of him. You want Travis to be rid of the demon but he is terribly funny and entertaining and you kinda want to keep him around to see what trouble he gets himself into next.
Robert and Jenny are getting a divorce. Robert an aspiring but unemployed photographer is more likely to be found in the local bar, The Head of the Slug, drinking or hanging out with The Breeze, than out looking for gainful employment. His wife Jenny works as a waitress and in her desperation to make something of herself, she has joined a coven of earth witches.
Rachel (leader of the earth witch coven) has her own encounter with Catch as he tries to manipulate her into thinking he is an earth spirit. He convinces her if she simply renounces the creator, she will be able to control Catch and thusly she will have great powers beyond her imagination. (uh huh, sure.)
Effrom and Amanda have been married for many years. Effrom is a WWI vet who spends most of his time out in his workshop, carving. Amanda, his wife is away visiting thier daughter, leaving Effrom to fend for himself for a few days. Catch finds out that Amanda is important to Travis and abducts Effrom to use him as a bargaining chip. He is trying to free himself from Travis’ control, and he believes Amanda can help him accomplish his goal.
Augustus Brine, a resident and proprietor of Brine’s Bait, Tackle and Fine Wines, has been chosen by Gian Hen Gian (a small fantastical man) to help him send the demon Catch back to where he came from. Gian Hen Gian has been around as long as Catch has and they have a long and complicated history. Augustus Brine happens to have the mental fortitude and courage to devise a plan that just might work. Gian Hen Gian has chosen his hero well.
And then there is poor detective Rivera. Detective Rivera always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I hate to say too much about any of Mr. Moore’s books, because I feel like it takes away from the joy of reading them. His stories unfold in such a way that you never really know what will expect next. There are so many wonderful characters to follow and you get to experience the story from everyone’s point of view.
Practical Demon Keeping is witty and entertaining. I enjoyed Mr. Moore’s first novel quite well. Admittedly, I like some of Mr. Moore’s more recent books a little more as some of the characters are revisited and they themselves have grown and become more complex. I am never bored reading one of Mr. Moore’s novels and I recommend them to everyone I know. If you haven’t read one of his books yet, you are really missing out on something unique.”

Christel wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink )