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The Others #5
Not Your Ordinary Faerie Tale
After her two best friends marry a blood-sucking vampire and furry-faced werewolf, Corinne D’Alessandro is making a vow of her own: NO interspecies dating. But when her editor asks her to investigate “leprechaun” sightings, the sassy New York reporter finds herself on the trail of the hottest story of the year—and the sexiest man alive…
His name is Luc, and he’s as gorgeous as any Prince Charming in any bedtime story. There’s just one problem: He’s not human, he’s fae. A captain of the Fae Queen’s Guard, Luc is on a dangerous mission—and he could use the help of a certain leprechaun-hunting reporter. But when their two worlds collide, the sparks begin to fly. If Corinne and Luc can’t control their lust—and focus on the villains in this story—their faerie-tale romance won’t end happily ever after.
308 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2011
62 people are currently reading
2108 people want to read
About the author
Christine Warren
44 books1,829 followersBorn and raised in coastal New England, Christine Warren lived in the South and the Mid-Atlantic before hopping to the other side of the country to take up the life of a transplant in the Pacific Northwest. She completely bypassed those states in the middle due to her landlocking phobia. Hmm, need to research a scientific term for that...
When not scrambling frantically to complete her latest writing project, Christine spends most of her time as a crazy animal lady, hanging out with her dog Levi (he’s the one with the hair) and pretending to train him to have some manners. She also hangs out with her horse, Cal—a thoroughbred with a craving for strawberry licorice twists—her goddog, Merlin; and her best friend, fellow author Hannah Murray. In addition to playing with her pets, Christine’s hobbies include identifying dog breeds from photos of their underbellies, appreciating fine and not-so-fine wines, shopping for the perfect pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, and most of all reading things someone else had to agonize over.
She enjoys hearing from readers and can be reached via email sent to Christine@christinewarren.net or by postal mail to Christine Warren, PO Box 871900, Vancouver, WA 98687-1900.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/christ...
When not scrambling frantically to complete her latest writing project, Christine spends most of her time as a crazy animal lady, hanging out with her dog Levi (he’s the one with the hair) and pretending to train him to have some manners. She also hangs out with her horse, Cal—a thoroughbred with a craving for strawberry licorice twists—her goddog, Merlin; and her best friend, fellow author Hannah Murray. In addition to playing with her pets, Christine’s hobbies include identifying dog breeds from photos of their underbellies, appreciating fine and not-so-fine wines, shopping for the perfect pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, and most of all reading things someone else had to agonize over.
She enjoys hearing from readers and can be reached via email sent to Christine@christinewarren.net or by postal mail to Christine Warren, PO Box 871900, Vancouver, WA 98687-1900.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/christ...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
December 23, 2011
Look, let me just say that I actually love the premise of this book. Supernatural creatures living among humans, a land of Faerie ruled by Queen Mab, magic doorways...all of it is aces in my book. But what I don't care for is when authors insist on forcing sex to equal intimacy. Now, I love a hot steamy sex scene as much as the next gal (maybe even more) but I don't care for it when it's shoehorned in as a way to physically manifest a sense of intimacy between two characters.
**SPOILER ALERTS**
Since I tend to think in terms of lists, I'll just jot down some of the things that bothered me about this book below, in list form:
1. Why do none of the characters in this book have a history? And I'm not exaggerating - not ONE of the characters had any kind of backstory other than a brief mention of Corinne growing up Catholic and the fact that Fergus and the Queen were an item a couple centuries ago. If you want to give depth to your characters then you've got to explain (at least somewhat) why they believe, think, say and do what they believe, think, say and do.
2. At the beginning of the book, Luc is carrying around a huge four-foot sword. He carries it strapped on his back all the way through town, into Corinne's apartment and right up to the first sex scene at which point it mysteriously disappears. You get a play-by-play of how the characters peel each other's clothes off before going horizontal but at no point does the HUGE FOUR FOOT SWORD make an appearance. Does Luc keep it on during sex? Did he drop it off at the cleaners? Not even in the battle at the end of the book does it come back. It's just...gone.
3. Supposedly the doorways between Earth and the land of Faerie are very closely watched and are not allowed to be used without the Queen's permission. Based on this I think it's fair to assume that the Fae aren't booking day trips Earthside on a regular basis. So how in the hell does Luc seem to have no trouble whatsoever in navigating his way through Manhattan? He knows what a taxi is. He knows what coffee is (although he doesn't drink it.) He knows how to use a cell phone. And, my personal favorite, he freely uses words like "sweetheart" and "baby" when speaking to Corinne. Really? What the hell do they do over there in the Land of Faerie? Watch old Humphrey Bogart movies? Personally, I think Luc's character would have been about 1000% more engaging if he'd acted more like a Fae and less like an emo yuppie.
4. Why in the name of six holy hells could Queen Mab tell Luc and Corinne not only which faerie doorway the perp was trying to permanently wedge open, but also at the PRECISE time he would attempt to do so, but she somehow had NO IDEA that the bad guy wasn't really her nephew. I mean, that's like telling someone to mix up this list of ingredients and then bake it for this long at this temperature, but not being able to tell them if they're going to end up with cupcakes or enchiladas. Gah!
5. Did I mention that the characters had NO HISTORY? In case you hadn't guessed, that really, really bugged me.
So in short, the book was heavy on the superflous sex, and light on everything else. Too bad really, because I still believe the premise could have made for a kick-ass story.
**SPOILER ALERTS**
Since I tend to think in terms of lists, I'll just jot down some of the things that bothered me about this book below, in list form:
1. Why do none of the characters in this book have a history? And I'm not exaggerating - not ONE of the characters had any kind of backstory other than a brief mention of Corinne growing up Catholic and the fact that Fergus and the Queen were an item a couple centuries ago. If you want to give depth to your characters then you've got to explain (at least somewhat) why they believe, think, say and do what they believe, think, say and do.
2. At the beginning of the book, Luc is carrying around a huge four-foot sword. He carries it strapped on his back all the way through town, into Corinne's apartment and right up to the first sex scene at which point it mysteriously disappears. You get a play-by-play of how the characters peel each other's clothes off before going horizontal but at no point does the HUGE FOUR FOOT SWORD make an appearance. Does Luc keep it on during sex? Did he drop it off at the cleaners? Not even in the battle at the end of the book does it come back. It's just...gone.
3. Supposedly the doorways between Earth and the land of Faerie are very closely watched and are not allowed to be used without the Queen's permission. Based on this I think it's fair to assume that the Fae aren't booking day trips Earthside on a regular basis. So how in the hell does Luc seem to have no trouble whatsoever in navigating his way through Manhattan? He knows what a taxi is. He knows what coffee is (although he doesn't drink it.) He knows how to use a cell phone. And, my personal favorite, he freely uses words like "sweetheart" and "baby" when speaking to Corinne. Really? What the hell do they do over there in the Land of Faerie? Watch old Humphrey Bogart movies? Personally, I think Luc's character would have been about 1000% more engaging if he'd acted more like a Fae and less like an emo yuppie.
4. Why in the name of six holy hells could Queen Mab tell Luc and Corinne not only which faerie doorway the perp was trying to permanently wedge open, but also at the PRECISE time he would attempt to do so, but she somehow had NO IDEA that the bad guy wasn't really her nephew. I mean, that's like telling someone to mix up this list of ingredients and then bake it for this long at this temperature, but not being able to tell them if they're going to end up with cupcakes or enchiladas. Gah!
5. Did I mention that the characters had NO HISTORY? In case you hadn't guessed, that really, really bugged me.
So in short, the book was heavy on the superflous sex, and light on everything else. Too bad really, because I still believe the premise could have made for a kick-ass story.
July 11, 2022
Not Your Ordinary Faerie Tale
4 Stars
When her editor asks her to investigate a series of "elf" sightings, Corrine D’Alessandro immediately suspects that one of the "Others" is the culprit. She soon finds herself teaming up with Lucifer "Luc" Macanaw, Captain of the Fae Queen's guard, on the trail of a wayward fae whose careless actions may start an interdimensional war.
Warren finally seems to have found her groove with these expanded and re-released novellas. To begin with, the lackluster world-building of the previous installments is finally resolved with more explanations on the connection between the Fae and human worlds and the function of the Council of Others.
Luc and Corrine's romance is fun. They initially rub each other the wrong way, and their banter is snarky and entertaining. Their chemistry deepens as they work together and there is thankfully very little angst over Luc's secret -. Warren handles this trope well as it is clear by the reveal that Luc and Corrine's feelings go beyond physical attraction.
The suspense plot focusing on the search for Queen Mab's reckless nephew is well-developed and the revelation of the villain is actually quite a surprise even though, in hindsight, there are sufficient clues. So, kudos to Warren for the twist
In sum, this is definitely the best in the series so far and begins to show the promise of the later books. Kate Reading's narration of the audiobook is excellent as she a broad vocal range for both the male and female characters. I will definitely be listening to the rest.
4 Stars
When her editor asks her to investigate a series of "elf" sightings, Corrine D’Alessandro immediately suspects that one of the "Others" is the culprit. She soon finds herself teaming up with Lucifer "Luc" Macanaw, Captain of the Fae Queen's guard, on the trail of a wayward fae whose careless actions may start an interdimensional war.
Warren finally seems to have found her groove with these expanded and re-released novellas. To begin with, the lackluster world-building of the previous installments is finally resolved with more explanations on the connection between the Fae and human worlds and the function of the Council of Others.
Luc and Corrine's romance is fun. They initially rub each other the wrong way, and their banter is snarky and entertaining. Their chemistry deepens as they work together and there is thankfully very little angst over Luc's secret -. Warren handles this trope well as it is clear by the reveal that Luc and Corrine's feelings go beyond physical attraction.
The suspense plot focusing on the search for Queen Mab's reckless nephew is well-developed and the revelation of the villain is actually quite a surprise even though, in hindsight, there are sufficient clues. So, kudos to Warren for the twist
In sum, this is definitely the best in the series so far and begins to show the promise of the later books. Kate Reading's narration of the audiobook is excellent as she a broad vocal range for both the male and female characters. I will definitely be listening to the rest.
December 10, 2011
I haven't read one of Christine Warren's books before. I picked it up on a whim and, based on the summary, the hope of a leprechaun subplot (alas, that is a lie).
If you like bitchy, unlikeable heroines who hate everyone and heroes with no personality beyond being creepy, possessive assholes, you will like this book. The heroine, Corinne, is supposed to be "smart" and "sassy," but she never shows it. She just shows that she is an idiot and a jerk. She's a jerk to people she has just met, she's a jerk to her boss, she's a jerk to her friends, she's a jerk to her lover... She's not what I would call a likeable lead.
Luc, the hero, is basically just a fairy beefcake who has no personality beyond Neanderthal-like desire to have lots of sex with Corinne and force her to be attached to his side forever.
I should mention, Warren skips the need to build attraction between her characters by telling you how much they lust after each other even though they don't seem to like each other at first. The whole novel only covers about a week or so, and that they would become so in love in that amount of time is bizarre. Warren found a great way to get out of all that romantic chemistry stuff by making it all about how Fate wants Corinne and Luc to be together. This means that neither of them has any choice in the matter. They have to be together for all of eternity. That's kind of creepy, and because of that none of the romance really feels like romance. It's just sex and the writer telling you they love each other so much because of this whole fate thing, but you never really feel it.
The two spend most of the novel unable to function as the plot requires because they can't control their lust for one another. This really gets old when the chemistry isn't strong, and after a certain point it just becomes absurd.
The plot is weak. I don't expect much from romance novels, but it was weak. It appeared and disappeared whenever it was convenient. Corinne's reporter job that was so important in the beginning also conveniently disappeared about halfway through. You never hear about it again.
The writing was rather poor. I have an immediate dislike for authors who overuse fragments to create tension or for emphasis. This is pretty much the only way Warren builds tension. Oddly, her style got smoother and less irritating in the sex scenes. Why she can't keep that up for the rest of the book is beyond me. The book also needed another go for editing. There were several typos, a lot of repeated phrases, and just a general lack of polish.
I did not like the male/female dynamics of the book. All the women were gossipy and useless, and really terrible friends to each other. The only thing they ever talked about with one another was men, which should be a red flag. Speaking of red flags, you could have stuck some all over the guys in this book. They were all controlling and possessive and were always humoring the silly antics of their women. Warren makes gestures toward the women not being OK with this, but any time they speak up, you get the whole strong-man-humoring-silly-woman thing. There's no way I would find any man with an attitude like that attractive, regardless of what he looks like (or what I'm told he looks like). Her men fall flat as romantic heroes, and her women are too weak and unlikeable to be good romantic heroines.
Not Your Ordinary Faerie Tale is readable, but it's not very enjoyable unless you love nonsensical/magically disappearing plots and reading what sounds like the start of an abusive relationship. I would not recommend it and I don't believe I would pick up any of the author's other books.
If you like bitchy, unlikeable heroines who hate everyone and heroes with no personality beyond being creepy, possessive assholes, you will like this book. The heroine, Corinne, is supposed to be "smart" and "sassy," but she never shows it. She just shows that she is an idiot and a jerk. She's a jerk to people she has just met, she's a jerk to her boss, she's a jerk to her friends, she's a jerk to her lover... She's not what I would call a likeable lead.
Luc, the hero, is basically just a fairy beefcake who has no personality beyond Neanderthal-like desire to have lots of sex with Corinne and force her to be attached to his side forever.
I should mention, Warren skips the need to build attraction between her characters by telling you how much they lust after each other even though they don't seem to like each other at first. The whole novel only covers about a week or so, and that they would become so in love in that amount of time is bizarre. Warren found a great way to get out of all that romantic chemistry stuff by making it all about how Fate wants Corinne and Luc to be together. This means that neither of them has any choice in the matter. They have to be together for all of eternity. That's kind of creepy, and because of that none of the romance really feels like romance. It's just sex and the writer telling you they love each other so much because of this whole fate thing, but you never really feel it.
The two spend most of the novel unable to function as the plot requires because they can't control their lust for one another. This really gets old when the chemistry isn't strong, and after a certain point it just becomes absurd.
The plot is weak. I don't expect much from romance novels, but it was weak. It appeared and disappeared whenever it was convenient. Corinne's reporter job that was so important in the beginning also conveniently disappeared about halfway through. You never hear about it again.
The writing was rather poor. I have an immediate dislike for authors who overuse fragments to create tension or for emphasis. This is pretty much the only way Warren builds tension. Oddly, her style got smoother and less irritating in the sex scenes. Why she can't keep that up for the rest of the book is beyond me. The book also needed another go for editing. There were several typos, a lot of repeated phrases, and just a general lack of polish.
I did not like the male/female dynamics of the book. All the women were gossipy and useless, and really terrible friends to each other. The only thing they ever talked about with one another was men, which should be a red flag. Speaking of red flags, you could have stuck some all over the guys in this book. They were all controlling and possessive and were always humoring the silly antics of their women. Warren makes gestures toward the women not being OK with this, but any time they speak up, you get the whole strong-man-humoring-silly-woman thing. There's no way I would find any man with an attitude like that attractive, regardless of what he looks like (or what I'm told he looks like). Her men fall flat as romantic heroes, and her women are too weak and unlikeable to be good romantic heroines.
Not Your Ordinary Faerie Tale is readable, but it's not very enjoyable unless you love nonsensical/magically disappearing plots and reading what sounds like the start of an abusive relationship. I would not recommend it and I don't believe I would pick up any of the author's other books.
December 30, 2011
This is re-write of Ms Warren's Fighting Faer Fighting Faer which was originally published in the Fixed (http://www.goodreads.com/series/46283...) series by Ellora's Cave.
If this had been a first time read for me then I would have enjoyed it more - in fact I gave the original 4 stars. I know Ms Warren has expanded the story but there really wasn't enough to warrent me purchasing this story again. To be honest I am getting a little fed up with the re-writes I understand that she wants to add them to this 'Others' series especially for those who never read the originals but if you already have and read Fighting Faer then I would say that it isn't worth you getting this book as it is basically the same.
To date I have read all the re-writes and in my opinion the only real difference is the sex scenes. They are no where near the same amount of them and the steam has been turned down considerably!
I don't think I will bother reading any more of the re-writes in this series!
If this had been a first time read for me then I would have enjoyed it more - in fact I gave the original 4 stars. I know Ms Warren has expanded the story but there really wasn't enough to warrent me purchasing this story again. To be honest I am getting a little fed up with the re-writes I understand that she wants to add them to this 'Others' series especially for those who never read the originals but if you already have and read Fighting Faer then I would say that it isn't worth you getting this book as it is basically the same.
To date I have read all the re-writes and in my opinion the only real difference is the sex scenes. They are no where near the same amount of them and the steam has been turned down considerably!
I don't think I will bother reading any more of the re-writes in this series!
November 23, 2011
I suck at English, but I believe this book was proof read by a 2nd grader. When I notice, I know it is BAD. That being said...I've enjoyed some of C.W.'s books in the past, but this was unbearable!
Typos every few pages. She even managed to misspell the main characters name at one point (Luc, not that hard). After making a big deal about Corinne having to write an article about an elf for her boss "or else!", the book concludes with no mention of whether or not she met the challenge.
Shame on you St. Martin, Christine, & your copy editors! Take some pride in your work. If it was my name on this book, I'd be embarrassed.
Typos every few pages. She even managed to misspell the main characters name at one point (Luc, not that hard). After making a big deal about Corinne having to write an article about an elf for her boss "or else!", the book concludes with no mention of whether or not she met the challenge.
Shame on you St. Martin, Christine, & your copy editors! Take some pride in your work. If it was my name on this book, I'd be embarrassed.
January 21, 2012
I saw this book and figured, why not? It's the first I have read of this series and by this author, and I am glad i gave it a chance! The author's writing style is pretty good, not the best, but likeable all the same. I say this because there was some awkward phrasing here and there that had me rereading to get a better grasp of the situation. It definitely didn't stand in the way of my liking the story!
The MC, Corrinne, is a reporter for a small newspaper and she has been given an assignment that puts her smack dab in the middle of Other territory. Now, as I said, I have not read the previous books in the series, so I gathered pretty quick that she has watched her best friends marry into the Other world and is less than thrilled about it. In fact, she is pretty thoroughly creeped out by it and has sworn off any possibility of ever getting involved with the opposite species. It's so distressing in fact that she depends heavily on her bottle of aspirin to an almost unhealthy degree--which I found quite humorous.
Luc is from Faerie and is part of the Sidhe race. He is the head of Queen Mab's warrior elite and he has been sent through the magical doorway to Manhattan to retrieve her troublesome nephew who has been calling far too much attention to himself. He seems to both love and hate his job. And he definitely holds some pent up rage against the nephew of his Queen. When he seeks help from Rafe, the head of the Other council, he runs into Corrinne, who is also seeking Rafe's assistance.
Luc has never considered the human race as particularly attractive. Actually, he and his kind consider humans to be children in comparison to their longevity and life experience. So when he sees Corrinne and is instantly overwhelmed by his attraction to her, he is take aback. Likewise, Corrine can't believe she is fantasizing about the hot "fairy" in the room, considering her massive distaste for anything Other.
Their relationship took off like a bullet and the heat never went below a low simmer. The two of them pair up to hunt down this mischief making nephew while trying to unravel another layer to the mystery surrounding him that I won't give away. All this while trying, and failing, to keep their hands off each other! Along the way, Luc discovers the connection between him and Corrinne goes deeper than simple attraction that I found simply lovely.
This is definitely a series that I would like to check out. It's a refreshing departure from the traditional vampire saga, although hints at previous books in the series tell me they are no exception. I'm hoping to see more characters from the Other community, like Leprechauns and Brownies!
The MC, Corrinne, is a reporter for a small newspaper and she has been given an assignment that puts her smack dab in the middle of Other territory. Now, as I said, I have not read the previous books in the series, so I gathered pretty quick that she has watched her best friends marry into the Other world and is less than thrilled about it. In fact, she is pretty thoroughly creeped out by it and has sworn off any possibility of ever getting involved with the opposite species. It's so distressing in fact that she depends heavily on her bottle of aspirin to an almost unhealthy degree--which I found quite humorous.
Luc is from Faerie and is part of the Sidhe race. He is the head of Queen Mab's warrior elite and he has been sent through the magical doorway to Manhattan to retrieve her troublesome nephew who has been calling far too much attention to himself. He seems to both love and hate his job. And he definitely holds some pent up rage against the nephew of his Queen. When he seeks help from Rafe, the head of the Other council, he runs into Corrinne, who is also seeking Rafe's assistance.
Luc has never considered the human race as particularly attractive. Actually, he and his kind consider humans to be children in comparison to their longevity and life experience. So when he sees Corrinne and is instantly overwhelmed by his attraction to her, he is take aback. Likewise, Corrine can't believe she is fantasizing about the hot "fairy" in the room, considering her massive distaste for anything Other.
Their relationship took off like a bullet and the heat never went below a low simmer. The two of them pair up to hunt down this mischief making nephew while trying to unravel another layer to the mystery surrounding him that I won't give away. All this while trying, and failing, to keep their hands off each other! Along the way, Luc discovers the connection between him and Corrinne goes deeper than simple attraction that I found simply lovely.
This is definitely a series that I would like to check out. It's a refreshing departure from the traditional vampire saga, although hints at previous books in the series tell me they are no exception. I'm hoping to see more characters from the Other community, like Leprechauns and Brownies!
February 25, 2012
This book is another installment of the Other Series. I have found that some of the books are either hit or miss. This one was just okay for me. I was captured by the fact that the story involved Faes- I mean who can resist, right?
The hero, Luc, was a very likeable character. I liked the fact that he fell for the one thing he could not stand—a human. Said human he fell for- Corinne D’Alessandro. I, however, did not fall for her. Honestly, I did not care for her character in the past books. I thought I would like her more since she got her own story-NOT. The plot of the story was a little boring for me since it was about finding a character that the reader does not know anything about. Many of the previous characters are reintroduced in this book but it also causes a timeline issue for me. I read about one of the characters in an earlier book where she met her mate, however, in this story it has her single and no mention of her mate.
I have read all the books in this series with the exception of Black Magic Woman. With that being said I will probably continue to read future books in this series.
The hero, Luc, was a very likeable character. I liked the fact that he fell for the one thing he could not stand—a human. Said human he fell for- Corinne D’Alessandro. I, however, did not fall for her. Honestly, I did not care for her character in the past books. I thought I would like her more since she got her own story-NOT. The plot of the story was a little boring for me since it was about finding a character that the reader does not know anything about. Many of the previous characters are reintroduced in this book but it also causes a timeline issue for me. I read about one of the characters in an earlier book where she met her mate, however, in this story it has her single and no mention of her mate.
I have read all the books in this series with the exception of Black Magic Woman. With that being said I will probably continue to read future books in this series.
April 17, 2016
I haven't reviewed most of these because they are all pretty meh. A couple of things in this one just struck me as stupid though so I thought I'd share. This is supposed to be book 5 of the series (I know its a rewrite) and Corrine knows the other 4 women, but we only every hear about two being with Others. What about the last two sisters who ended up with Fae type men (as opposed to your average werewolf)? And how is it that Luc can stand to be in Manhattan - ride around in taxis, etc. if he's supposed to be affected by iron and steel? Isn't that why the Fae left in the first place?
Any way, the plot is OK although there's no real resolution just like all the others. The love is insta and forever. The girlfriends are just as obnoxious, nosey, and rude as usual. If any man told his friends as much about his sexual encounters as these women expect each other to tell they'd be horrified. If any of my friends ever expected a detailed account of my sex life, I'd delete her number from my phone.
Any way, the plot is OK although there's no real resolution just like all the others. The love is insta and forever. The girlfriends are just as obnoxious, nosey, and rude as usual. If any man told his friends as much about his sexual encounters as these women expect each other to tell they'd be horrified. If any of my friends ever expected a detailed account of my sex life, I'd delete her number from my phone.
October 5, 2012
(October) I know I've read one or two of the books in this series, but honestly I can't remember which ones! That doesn't really speak well for the series- or maybe it's just my memory! That said, I liked this. Usually I hyperventilate at the idea of reading a series out of order, but these were first e-books, then they were changed, expanded, given title changes and published out of order, so it's less bothersome for me. I hear the e-books were steamier and better, but alas, they are not gettable. Too bad, since I hear the wolf one was amazingly hot and I've always wanted to read it! If anyone has it to lend...but I digress. Reading this was like reading a Kerrilyn Sparks PNR- lighthearted, some humor, some very mild love scenes, very easy to read and at times surprisingly charming. I didn't follow the whole door thing, but I didn't care- it was cute. I may read more of these one day.
January 3, 2012
Books by Christine Warren are really hit and miss for me, and this one missed the target (which makes the hits and misses a 3-3 tie).
While it's listed as #12 in 'The Others' series, 'Not Your Ordinary Fairy Tale' is actually a re-working of a previous work from Warren (she's done this before) and as such it was confusing when it fits into the timeline of 'The Others'. I also had issues with the "cultural" aspects of the story - supposedly our Fae hero Luc is from the faerie dimension that has essentially been cut off from the human realm, yet he had no problem getting the slang and pop-culture references spewed at him from the "sassy" (more annoying really) heroine. All in all, I found it a convoluted and skim worthy story... I'm tapping out on 'The Others' for now.
While it's listed as #12 in 'The Others' series, 'Not Your Ordinary Fairy Tale' is actually a re-working of a previous work from Warren (she's done this before) and as such it was confusing when it fits into the timeline of 'The Others'. I also had issues with the "cultural" aspects of the story - supposedly our Fae hero Luc is from the faerie dimension that has essentially been cut off from the human realm, yet he had no problem getting the slang and pop-culture references spewed at him from the "sassy" (more annoying really) heroine. All in all, I found it a convoluted and skim worthy story... I'm tapping out on 'The Others' for now.
June 1, 2017
Corrine and Luc's interactions were hilariously. I found myself laughing out loud a lot of the times they were conversing.
That is what saved this book from getting less than 4 stars from me. There were times I almost rolled my eyes out of my head, but the laughter kept me going.
That is what saved this book from getting less than 4 stars from me. There were times I almost rolled my eyes out of my head, but the laughter kept me going.
January 9, 2012
Not your Ordinary Faerie Tale, Book #12 of the Others series
Author: Christine Warren
Synopsis:
After her two best friends marry a blood-sucking vampire and furry-faced werewolf, Corinne D’Alessandro is making a vow of her own: NO interspecies dating. But when her editor asks her to investigate “leprechaun” sightings, the sassy New York reporter finds herself on the trail of the hottest story of the year—and the sexiest man alive…
His name is Luc, and he’s as gorgeous as any Prince Charming in any bedtime story. There’s just one problem: He’s not human, he’s fae. A captain of the Fae Queen’s Guard, Luc is on a dangerous mission—and he could use the help of a certain leprechaun-hunting reporter. But when their two worlds collide, the sparks begin to fly. If Corinne and Luc can’t control their lust—and focus on the villains in this story—their faerie-tale romance won’t end happily ever after…
Our Review [by Michelle L. Olson – LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha]:
This book came up in my Amazon recommendations list. I snatched it up because it looked good, only to read it and find that it was the best Fae book I had ever read.
Christine Warren is an amazing story teller. Her characters are witty, strong, independent, and identifiable and her story is well crafted and fluid.
I found out after starting this book that it is actually the 12th of the Others series, but I wasn’t lost at all (though I did read somewhere that this was actually a rewrite of a story done with Ellora’s Cave and therefore was more standalone than the other of the series).
Corinne is a reporter with multiple friends who have become involved with or married members of the supernatural community. She has basically sworn that while she loves them, she will never be one to date outside of her species.
Luc is the captain of the guard for Queen Mab of the Summer Court. He is sent to the human realm to find and bring home the queen’s nephew, Seoc, before he can cause too much trouble and spill the secret of the Others.
The minute Luc sees Corinne he feels something he has never felt before, and 1 touch is all it takes for him to know that it’s more than just idle attraction. Once some things are brought to light, Luc can no longer deny that Corinne is his heartmate and he knows that he’ll do anything to keep her by his side.
Corinne plays coy and puts on a good poker face, but she can’t deny the feelings that Luc imparts. After teaming up to find Seoc together, thus getting her story for her boss, keeping her friends safe and helping Luc with his mission, one things leads to another and she is helpless to do anything but feel.
LITERAL ADDICTION gives Not your Ordinary Faerie Tale 5 skulls and would recommend it to everyone – Paranormal Romance lovers, Urban Fantasy readers, and anyone who likes strong, witty female leads, sexy, alpha, sensitive male leads, and a story with just enough twists and turns to keep you engaged from the 1st to the last page.
Author: Christine Warren
Synopsis:
After her two best friends marry a blood-sucking vampire and furry-faced werewolf, Corinne D’Alessandro is making a vow of her own: NO interspecies dating. But when her editor asks her to investigate “leprechaun” sightings, the sassy New York reporter finds herself on the trail of the hottest story of the year—and the sexiest man alive…
His name is Luc, and he’s as gorgeous as any Prince Charming in any bedtime story. There’s just one problem: He’s not human, he’s fae. A captain of the Fae Queen’s Guard, Luc is on a dangerous mission—and he could use the help of a certain leprechaun-hunting reporter. But when their two worlds collide, the sparks begin to fly. If Corinne and Luc can’t control their lust—and focus on the villains in this story—their faerie-tale romance won’t end happily ever after…
Our Review [by Michelle L. Olson – LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha]:
This book came up in my Amazon recommendations list. I snatched it up because it looked good, only to read it and find that it was the best Fae book I had ever read.
Christine Warren is an amazing story teller. Her characters are witty, strong, independent, and identifiable and her story is well crafted and fluid.
I found out after starting this book that it is actually the 12th of the Others series, but I wasn’t lost at all (though I did read somewhere that this was actually a rewrite of a story done with Ellora’s Cave and therefore was more standalone than the other of the series).
Corinne is a reporter with multiple friends who have become involved with or married members of the supernatural community. She has basically sworn that while she loves them, she will never be one to date outside of her species.
Luc is the captain of the guard for Queen Mab of the Summer Court. He is sent to the human realm to find and bring home the queen’s nephew, Seoc, before he can cause too much trouble and spill the secret of the Others.
The minute Luc sees Corinne he feels something he has never felt before, and 1 touch is all it takes for him to know that it’s more than just idle attraction. Once some things are brought to light, Luc can no longer deny that Corinne is his heartmate and he knows that he’ll do anything to keep her by his side.
Corinne plays coy and puts on a good poker face, but she can’t deny the feelings that Luc imparts. After teaming up to find Seoc together, thus getting her story for her boss, keeping her friends safe and helping Luc with his mission, one things leads to another and she is helpless to do anything but feel.
LITERAL ADDICTION gives Not your Ordinary Faerie Tale 5 skulls and would recommend it to everyone – Paranormal Romance lovers, Urban Fantasy readers, and anyone who likes strong, witty female leads, sexy, alpha, sensitive male leads, and a story with just enough twists and turns to keep you engaged from the 1st to the last page.
February 21, 2024
It started out alright. I’ll give it that. I was slightly confused because even though it’s a series it really jumped in with not even a sliver of background for some of the characters AT ALL.
the first 100 pages had me interested and it was going steady then from there it just dropped off and got messy. All the characters from her precious books (I haven’t read them) came off childish and annoying the way they reacted to her and Lucs relationship. It didn’t necessarily make me want to read about Regina and dmitri or missy and graham just by their personalities in this book. The ending wrapped up super quick and it did lay the ground for Ava to have a story of her own which I would be willing to read.
I did not like Corrine really at all in this book. She was bitchy and annoying and honestly luc could do better than her. She had her moments but the sour attitude she had the entire novel got old quick. There was always a comment or petty gesture that she was making towards someone she claimed to “care about”. If it wasn’t so fast paced and a simple interesting read I’d have given it less stars. If I’m a few years I’m in the mood for a smutty romance I would consider giving this another skim through.
the first 100 pages had me interested and it was going steady then from there it just dropped off and got messy. All the characters from her precious books (I haven’t read them) came off childish and annoying the way they reacted to her and Lucs relationship. It didn’t necessarily make me want to read about Regina and dmitri or missy and graham just by their personalities in this book. The ending wrapped up super quick and it did lay the ground for Ava to have a story of her own which I would be willing to read.
I did not like Corrine really at all in this book. She was bitchy and annoying and honestly luc could do better than her. She had her moments but the sour attitude she had the entire novel got old quick. There was always a comment or petty gesture that she was making towards someone she claimed to “care about”. If it wasn’t so fast paced and a simple interesting read I’d have given it less stars. If I’m a few years I’m in the mood for a smutty romance I would consider giving this another skim through.
December 3, 2011
First book I've read in this series, saw it in a supermarket and decided to give it a shot without reading any reviews or the like.
Glad I did--the book was a quick, fun read full of wit and humor. I was laughing and grinning quite a bit, and I'm pretty sure I read half the book in a single setting.
Luc's handsome, overprotective, and clearly overworked--he goes surprisingly well with the high-strung Corinne, who clearly has had a bit too much insanity in her life.
The book was mostly about Luc and Corinne trying to keep their hands off each other (and failing miserably), but a plot about a wayward Fae nephew and lost gates snuck their way in once in a while.
As well as a lot of cameos from books I haven't read yet. :D
The point is--it was a fun ride, I enjoyed it way more then I thought I would, and I'd pick up another book in this series any time.
Glad I did--the book was a quick, fun read full of wit and humor. I was laughing and grinning quite a bit, and I'm pretty sure I read half the book in a single setting.
Luc's handsome, overprotective, and clearly overworked--he goes surprisingly well with the high-strung Corinne, who clearly has had a bit too much insanity in her life.
The book was mostly about Luc and Corinne trying to keep their hands off each other (and failing miserably), but a plot about a wayward Fae nephew and lost gates snuck their way in once in a while.
As well as a lot of cameos from books I haven't read yet. :D
The point is--it was a fun ride, I enjoyed it way more then I thought I would, and I'd pick up another book in this series any time.
April 30, 2012
My biggest problem with this book had to do with continuity. Early on Corinne mentions her friends who are married to Others, including Danice married to half-human half-Fae Mac. Then when she meets Luc she doesn't know what a Fae is. Later, Luc asks if she knows what a changeling is and she says that is who Mac is but Danice told her it meant half-human half-Other. Next error is when she talks about Dmitri as being over a thousand years old and a few pages later they say he is 800. Did anybody edit this book? Other problems were present as far as plot and characters go but I really get annoyed when the story contradicts itself. It is not even 300 pages long so keep it straight.
November 20, 2012
This series has been on my auto-buy list for a while, and with very good reason. I love the author's sense of humor. She's great at creating sexual tension infused with wit and humor. Her heroines aren't wilting flowers but they aren't stubborn bitches either. Her heroes are all hunky Alpha males that I can easily conjure in my mind's eye from her descriptions.
In this story a Fae male has to travel to Ithir (our dimension) to recapture the wandering nephew of the Summer Queen. Little did he know his destiny awaited him in the form of a human female.
Very hot sex scenes that make sense. Loved it!
In this story a Fae male has to travel to Ithir (our dimension) to recapture the wandering nephew of the Summer Queen. Little did he know his destiny awaited him in the form of a human female.
Very hot sex scenes that make sense. Loved it!
May 24, 2017
Other than the minor continuity issues, this was a really good story. Come on, how can you dislike a book with a good guy named Lucifer. I really liked the sarcasm and bickering between Luc and Corinne. It always makes a romance more exciting than the I love you, I love you more dialogue.
I have the most trouble with this series just figuring out the sequence. This one is listed as #5 yet other reviewers claims it's #12. Apparently I've read this series completely out of order but no worries. They've all been enjoyable to a degree either way.
I have the most trouble with this series just figuring out the sequence. This one is listed as #5 yet other reviewers claims it's #12. Apparently I've read this series completely out of order but no worries. They've all been enjoyable to a degree either way.
January 13, 2016
Freaking loved this book! The books in this series keep getting better and better. It was an insta-love type story so if you aren't into that then you won't like it. But if done right, I don't mind the insta-love story lines and I think this one was defiantly done right. I think what makes it work in this book is Corinne's attitude toward Luc. She doesn't gush all over him. That's when the insta love drives me nuts.
But the story was good. Hell of a twist. I honestly did not see that ending.
But the story was good. Hell of a twist. I honestly did not see that ending.
November 3, 2011
Another great read by Christine Warren! I treally enjoyed this book. The only thing that bothers me and keeps me from rating it a 5 is that it does not read as a series should. It is supposed to be the 12th book in the others series, but there are characters in the book who have found there mates in other books, but are now back to being single in this one. Makes the story a bit confusing that she doesn't thread the story chronologically.
Other then that it was a great fun read.
Other then that it was a great fun read.
April 20, 2010
Has issues with the heroine in this one too. I've found when Warren tries to make a heroine appear strong- the character comes off more like a cranky B. But I liked the hero and the whole "who's trying to open the door to the other side" plot.
March 14, 2017
I swear 90% of this book was exposition.
March 26, 2015
content warnings: dub con bordering on non con, abuse
So, I picked this up at the library without realising it was part of a series. That's the first thing I'm going to say about this. The next thing I'm going to say is that if I could give this a 1.5 star rating I would. It's not bad enough for a full 1 star but it's not decent enough for a full 2 star in my eyes.
There's A LOT that really did NOT work for me and pretty much all of it is going to be spoiler-y shit.
But here's what DID work for me:
-the spelling of faerie and the actual explanation in the book that faerie is a place not a thing
-the explanation of all the different faerie races
-vampires and werewolves and other were-animals(ok there was only 1 other in the book but point still stands)
-the fae being immortal creatures
Now for what DIDN'T work for me:
-dubious consent bordering on non consent (this NEVER works for me)
-soul mates (I'm sorry heart mates same concept different terminology almost never works will go into why after the list)
-one of the main character's best friends
-motivation for bad guy
So from here on out will be spoilers. You've been warned.
I just.....I can't with this book. I doubt I'll like the first book any more but I'm going to give it a try at least before moving onto things I might enjoy more.
So, I picked this up at the library without realising it was part of a series. That's the first thing I'm going to say about this. The next thing I'm going to say is that if I could give this a 1.5 star rating I would. It's not bad enough for a full 1 star but it's not decent enough for a full 2 star in my eyes.
There's A LOT that really did NOT work for me and pretty much all of it is going to be spoiler-y shit.
But here's what DID work for me:
-the spelling of faerie and the actual explanation in the book that faerie is a place not a thing
-the explanation of all the different faerie races
-vampires and werewolves and other were-animals(ok there was only 1 other in the book but point still stands)
-the fae being immortal creatures
Now for what DIDN'T work for me:
-dubious consent bordering on non consent (this NEVER works for me)
-soul mates (I'm sorry heart mates same concept different terminology almost never works will go into why after the list)
-one of the main character's best friends
-motivation for bad guy
So from here on out will be spoilers. You've been warned.
I just.....I can't with this book. I doubt I'll like the first book any more but I'm going to give it a try at least before moving onto things I might enjoy more.
November 18, 2017
Red Herring!
This story a Faerie Tale in more than 1 way as it’s a story of not only love but betrayal too.
Luc is sent on a mission by Mab, The Queen of Faerie but before he leaves she says “...may what you find to please you, ever be yours.” Which was her way of matchmaking as Luc does find someone who pleases him & she does become his.
Corinne is 1 of the 5 “Fantasy Fix Friends” as I like to call them (Reggie found Dmitri; Missy found Graham; Danice found Mac & Ava hasn’t found anyone yet). Corinne is a reporter & he boss gives her the job of tracking down a story that has an “unrevealed Other” in it & she immediately goes to see Rafe about that story to give him the heads up & there she meets Luc & attraction was immediately in the air.
Not as I’m not the person to “kiss & tell” you will have to read the book in order to find out what happens next & to find out who the betrayer is; but I will tell you that this was a very good book with fast paced action, good vs bad plot, some sex scenes, a fight scene & a couple of scenes with Mab.
This story a Faerie Tale in more than 1 way as it’s a story of not only love but betrayal too.
Luc is sent on a mission by Mab, The Queen of Faerie but before he leaves she says “...may what you find to please you, ever be yours.” Which was her way of matchmaking as Luc does find someone who pleases him & she does become his.
Corinne is 1 of the 5 “Fantasy Fix Friends” as I like to call them (Reggie found Dmitri; Missy found Graham; Danice found Mac & Ava hasn’t found anyone yet). Corinne is a reporter & he boss gives her the job of tracking down a story that has an “unrevealed Other” in it & she immediately goes to see Rafe about that story to give him the heads up & there she meets Luc & attraction was immediately in the air.
Not as I’m not the person to “kiss & tell” you will have to read the book in order to find out what happens next & to find out who the betrayer is; but I will tell you that this was a very good book with fast paced action, good vs bad plot, some sex scenes, a fight scene & a couple of scenes with Mab.
April 7, 2021
This wasn't a bad book but it wasn't a great book.
It started out well with a reporter (Corriinne) who knows about the "others" (werewolves and vampires) living on earth but not knowing about elves and the land of faerie. When Luc is sent by Queen Mab to bring back her nephew who made an illegal and non-sanctioned visit to earth and is showing himself to the humans, he meets Corrinne and sparks fly between them both romantically and socially. But then the book devolves into instant sex between them and "Heartmates" and it just fell to pieces for me after that.
I'm not a prude but falling into bed with a guy the day you meet him seems to be a little bit fast which is what happened in this book.
However, that aside, the characters were well written and the plot was good. However, sex, sex, and sex does not interest me anymore as I'm an old lady. And to be honest, skipping over a good part of any book does not make reading enjoyable. However, if you like erotic sex popping up on a regular basis, you will LOVE this book as it has everything for you. :)
It started out well with a reporter (Corriinne) who knows about the "others" (werewolves and vampires) living on earth but not knowing about elves and the land of faerie. When Luc is sent by Queen Mab to bring back her nephew who made an illegal and non-sanctioned visit to earth and is showing himself to the humans, he meets Corrinne and sparks fly between them both romantically and socially. But then the book devolves into instant sex between them and "Heartmates" and it just fell to pieces for me after that.
I'm not a prude but falling into bed with a guy the day you meet him seems to be a little bit fast which is what happened in this book.
However, that aside, the characters were well written and the plot was good. However, sex, sex, and sex does not interest me anymore as I'm an old lady. And to be honest, skipping over a good part of any book does not make reading enjoyable. However, if you like erotic sex popping up on a regular basis, you will LOVE this book as it has everything for you. :)
November 27, 2017
This is one of the better books in the series. I read many of them when I was MUCH younger and loved them, but now they’re lackluster and irritating.
There are a couple minor consistency issues that I find irritating.
I also have developed a hatred for Warren’s bullheaded, extreme feminist, and culturally ignorant/rude heroines. Can these women just stop, listen to those who know better, and follow direction so that shit does not hit the fan? They can do that and people will not question your ability to do whatever they need to do, and there can still be an awesome story. Thankfully this installation does not feature this trope that Warren clings as much as some of the previous.
There are a couple minor consistency issues that I find irritating.
I also have developed a hatred for Warren’s bullheaded, extreme feminist, and culturally ignorant/rude heroines. Can these women just stop, listen to those who know better, and follow direction so that shit does not hit the fan? They can do that and people will not question your ability to do whatever they need to do, and there can still be an awesome story. Thankfully this installation does not feature this trope that Warren clings as much as some of the previous.
October 27, 2019
This was terrible. The characters were so cardboard cut-outs. The “plot twist” seemed tacked on at the end. And the romance was ridiculous. They had sex four hours after meeting each other. They said they loved each other on the second day. Where is the build up? I thought since Luc thought humans were inferior there wouldn’t be insta love but I was so very wrong.
And the way the men treat their partners is actually terrible. There was one scene where the girls were trying to talk to Corinne and all their collective partners, Luc included, clapped a hand over their mouths—literally and figuratively. And all the characters went with it. It was disgusting.
And the way the men treat their partners is actually terrible. There was one scene where the girls were trying to talk to Corinne and all their collective partners, Luc included, clapped a hand over their mouths—literally and figuratively. And all the characters went with it. It was disgusting.
April 24, 2024
One of the most readable books in the series. A semi compelling plot which goes no where fast. But at least the main characters create an actual rapport and have a good not controlling relationships with some fun moments not under the sheets. My only negative is having certain principles for why revealing Fairy to humanity would be bad repeatedly spelled out even though the female had figured that out already on her own. I think that's just an editing mistake.
June 26, 2017
Another extraordinary book in The Others series by Christine Warren. She does an exceptionally great job of insuring the characters introduced in one book are the same in the ensuing books - even many books later in the series. Makes for easy reading and picking up what is happening. Great characters, romance, humor, action - what more could you ask for in a book?
September 30, 2023
The two main characters are so unbelievably obnoxious that while I can't understand why I should care about them or why they care about each other, I can at least rest assured they deserve each other.
No part of this story made any sense, the sex scenes were terrible, the romance was forced, the plot was tissue-thin. Total waste of time.
No part of this story made any sense, the sex scenes were terrible, the romance was forced, the plot was tissue-thin. Total waste of time.
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