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Signs of the Zodiac #6
The Neon Graveyard
The Final Sign of the Zodiac
Once she was a soldier for the Light, the prophesied savior who would decide the outcome of the eternal conflict raging in the dark corners of her glittering hometown.
Now Joanna Archer is just another mortal – still born of an impossible union of Shadow and Light … still hunted by both – and carrying the unborn child of a lover held captive by a depraved demon goddess. Joining forced with a band of rogue Shadow agents, Joanna’s ready to storm the stronghold of her demonic foe, risking everything to enter this ghastly, godforsaken realm. Because in a world that has stripped her of her power, identity, and fortune, Joanna has nothing left to lose – except her baby, her future, and the epic war poised to consume the city.
Once she was a soldier for the Light, the prophesied savior who would decide the outcome of the eternal conflict raging in the dark corners of her glittering hometown.
Now Joanna Archer is just another mortal – still born of an impossible union of Shadow and Light … still hunted by both – and carrying the unborn child of a lover held captive by a depraved demon goddess. Joining forced with a band of rogue Shadow agents, Joanna’s ready to storm the stronghold of her demonic foe, risking everything to enter this ghastly, godforsaken realm. Because in a world that has stripped her of her power, identity, and fortune, Joanna has nothing left to lose – except her baby, her future, and the epic war poised to consume the city.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2011
27 people are currently reading
1560 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Pettersson
30 books1,303 followersVicki Pettersson is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of ten novels, most set in her hometown of Las Vegas. Though she'll ever consider that glittering dustbowl home, she now divides her time between Vegas and Dallas,Texas, where she's learning to like good Tex-Mex (easy) and the Dallas Cowboys (easier than you'd think).
Her most recent release is SWERVE, aptly titled as it's both a chase book and a hard departure from her fantasy work. A pure adrenaline, white-knucked thriller, Swerve releases on July 7, 2015 -- perfect for the novel's Fourth of July setting. If you're looking for a romance with little to no violence ... this is not your novel. If, as with her other work, you're looking for a strong female protagonist who comes out swinging when pushed into a corner, then perhaps you can connect. Welcome!
Her most recent release is SWERVE, aptly titled as it's both a chase book and a hard departure from her fantasy work. A pure adrenaline, white-knucked thriller, Swerve releases on July 7, 2015 -- perfect for the novel's Fourth of July setting. If you're looking for a romance with little to no violence ... this is not your novel. If, as with her other work, you're looking for a strong female protagonist who comes out swinging when pushed into a corner, then perhaps you can connect. Welcome!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
May 21, 2011
4.5 stars
After a volatile adventure of love, loss, denial, betrayal, revelations, heartbreak, mystery and war, Joanna Archer’s journey reaches its climax in this final installment of the brilliant Signs of the Zodiac series, The Neon Graveyard.
***This will have series spoilers and maybe minor spoilers for the book*** You really should read the first five books before starting The Neon Graveyard, or you most likely will be lost and you will miss a lot of great action. Which, if you haven’t yet read the series, then you need to go get them right now because this is the best UF series out there imo. Signs of the Zodiac is dark & gritty with a complex world, expertly written from the first person pov, - Pettersson’s writing and creativity is pure genius.
Las Vegas, Nevada; where we find comic books, super heroes and evil villains - where the lines between good and bad blur to shades of gray.
Being a mortal now has its limits but Joanna soon learns that even without powers, she can make a difference. Especially when it comes to her troop of Grays, rogue light and shadow agents. We dive into the dynamics of this spurned group as they navigate the dessert of Nevada, holding raves to recruit new agents and staying to the shadows of the streets of Las Vegas avoiding the troop of Light. You really see the heart in each of these characters, especially Carlos who is willing to sacrifice it all for the greater good of the troop.
Occasionally we meet up with some of the Light, and these adventures are stories of their own. Will Joanna be able to forgive her old friends and troop for turning their back on her?
But all that takes a back seat to Joanna's determination to get to and navigate MidHeaven to rescue her lover Hunter Lorenzo, the father of her unborn child, from his crazy ex-wife and self-proclaimed goddess, Solange. Her rescue attempts take up a good percentage in this book and it sometimes moved slowly but it was emotionally packed and every line was necessary in the overall story. When the fight between Joanna and Solange finally occurs it is explosive, but I was somewhat distracted by another creature that creeped me out. You’ll have to read this book though find out what I’m referring to!
My only complaint with this novel is Hunter; he was so passionate in previous books that when him and Joanna finally got together again I felt he lacked his usual fever that I often looked forward to in each novel.
The final battle between our protagonist and antagonist, Joanna's father the Tulpa, was well written and worth the wait, full of action and suspense. Everyone was invited to that party and revelations were revealed.
In The Neon Graveyard, Joanna has finally developed into the woman she was meant to be, each piece of her life and person in it, molding her into the strong, kick ass, self assured person who can take on the world, the woman she ends this book as. Pettersson stays authentic to her characters in the unique world of the Zodiac and you can tell that she puts her heart into her writing. Bringing the series to a satisfying conclusion ending on a beautiful note of hope. It was not neatly wrapped up, some threads were left hanging for possible future stories in this amazing world created, but most questions and loose ends were tied-up and resolved, and certainly the main ones.
The whole ride has been incredibly emotional; I’ve spit food across the room laughing so hard, bawled my eyes out, and wanted to kick some Warren ass. Sometimes I wanted to scream in frustration and throw my book, other times I just sighed and cradled it to my chest, and my heart hurt when I read the last page of The Neon Graveyard. It takes a true master of words to bring you to all these points. Every book was heart wrenching, with characters that will stick with you long after you have finished reading. In each novel Joanna has grown and changed, like a chameleon, adapting to her surroundings; she is one of the most multi dimensional characters that I have ever had the privilege to read. I am devastated to have it end but I think Pettersson did it at the right time and I definitely applaud her in her choices and direction that she took this superb series.
The Neon Graveyard is a bittersweet ending to one of the best series out there from an extremely talented author and a must read to say the least!
http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub...
Series Order:
The Scent of Shadows
The Taste of Night
The Touch of Twilight
City of Souls
Cheat the Grave
The Neon Graveyard
After a volatile adventure of love, loss, denial, betrayal, revelations, heartbreak, mystery and war, Joanna Archer’s journey reaches its climax in this final installment of the brilliant Signs of the Zodiac series, The Neon Graveyard.
***This will have series spoilers and maybe minor spoilers for the book*** You really should read the first five books before starting The Neon Graveyard, or you most likely will be lost and you will miss a lot of great action. Which, if you haven’t yet read the series, then you need to go get them right now because this is the best UF series out there imo. Signs of the Zodiac is dark & gritty with a complex world, expertly written from the first person pov, - Pettersson’s writing and creativity is pure genius.
Las Vegas, Nevada; where we find comic books, super heroes and evil villains - where the lines between good and bad blur to shades of gray.
Being a mortal now has its limits but Joanna soon learns that even without powers, she can make a difference. Especially when it comes to her troop of Grays, rogue light and shadow agents. We dive into the dynamics of this spurned group as they navigate the dessert of Nevada, holding raves to recruit new agents and staying to the shadows of the streets of Las Vegas avoiding the troop of Light. You really see the heart in each of these characters, especially Carlos who is willing to sacrifice it all for the greater good of the troop.
Occasionally we meet up with some of the Light, and these adventures are stories of their own. Will Joanna be able to forgive her old friends and troop for turning their back on her?
But all that takes a back seat to Joanna's determination to get to and navigate MidHeaven to rescue her lover Hunter Lorenzo, the father of her unborn child, from his crazy ex-wife and self-proclaimed goddess, Solange. Her rescue attempts take up a good percentage in this book and it sometimes moved slowly but it was emotionally packed and every line was necessary in the overall story. When the fight between Joanna and Solange finally occurs it is explosive, but I was somewhat distracted by another creature that creeped me out. You’ll have to read this book though find out what I’m referring to!
My only complaint with this novel is Hunter; he was so passionate in previous books that when him and Joanna finally got together again I felt he lacked his usual fever that I often looked forward to in each novel.
The final battle between our protagonist and antagonist, Joanna's father the Tulpa, was well written and worth the wait, full of action and suspense. Everyone was invited to that party and revelations were revealed.
In The Neon Graveyard, Joanna has finally developed into the woman she was meant to be, each piece of her life and person in it, molding her into the strong, kick ass, self assured person who can take on the world, the woman she ends this book as. Pettersson stays authentic to her characters in the unique world of the Zodiac and you can tell that she puts her heart into her writing. Bringing the series to a satisfying conclusion ending on a beautiful note of hope. It was not neatly wrapped up, some threads were left hanging for possible future stories in this amazing world created, but most questions and loose ends were tied-up and resolved, and certainly the main ones.
The whole ride has been incredibly emotional; I’ve spit food across the room laughing so hard, bawled my eyes out, and wanted to kick some Warren ass. Sometimes I wanted to scream in frustration and throw my book, other times I just sighed and cradled it to my chest, and my heart hurt when I read the last page of The Neon Graveyard. It takes a true master of words to bring you to all these points. Every book was heart wrenching, with characters that will stick with you long after you have finished reading. In each novel Joanna has grown and changed, like a chameleon, adapting to her surroundings; she is one of the most multi dimensional characters that I have ever had the privilege to read. I am devastated to have it end but I think Pettersson did it at the right time and I definitely applaud her in her choices and direction that she took this superb series.
The Neon Graveyard is a bittersweet ending to one of the best series out there from an extremely talented author and a must read to say the least!
http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub...
Series Order:
The Scent of Shadows
The Taste of Night
The Touch of Twilight
City of Souls
Cheat the Grave
The Neon Graveyard
December 21, 2012
If you've liked the series all along, I'm sure you will thoroughly enjoy this final installment.
Most every little loose end is tied up, big changes occur, both the bad guys and good guys get what's coming to them, and it's all wrapped up in a pretty bow. Just what you long for in a series ender.
So why am I stingy with the stars?
Because Signs of the Zodiac infuriated me from the get-go. All the promise of a unique paranormal world, tainted by confusing explanations and baffling characters. I wanted to put it aside. But at the end of each book, I lamented the mobster pull of the final scenes - the writer always throwing in a twist that made me just curious enough to read on.
I was never attached to the characters. I didn't buy into the threat posed by the Shadow agents to the city at large, so I didn't care whether they were defeated. The Light agents had been vilified in so many ways that I couldn't want them to win. I didn't quite feel the big connection between Hunter and Jo either, so I couldn't focus my energy on wanting them reunited...
And Joanna is a pain in the ass. Her mind frequently wanders to talk of her Playboy-centerfold body, the malleability of her sex, the perception of all attractive females as stupid, and the concept that regardless of all the roles she might play, the most important one is Woman. And a Woman always wants to be Chosen (by a man). Sure, there's some truth to these generalizations. But bringing them to the fore again and again makes me think this woman defines herself only through a man's eyes, no matter how much she might outwardly cry otherwise.
In short, I wanted her to stop obsessing over her looks and her gender and just get the job done.
I also wanted her to stop taunting the kids at the comic shop. Since readers of this series are likely to have an affinity for comics, it seems an odd choice for the main character to verbally insult these children all she can. The excuse that they won't remember any of it when they grow up is...pathetic.
I feel I should say something about the tulpa - the true Big Bad of the series - yet I can't muster up the energy for it. That's probably because his thunder was so effectively stolen by Solange, with only the last fifty pages devoted to the all-important confrontation. Anti-climactic, to say the least, but the scenes with Solange were freaky enough to almost make up for it.
Almost.
So despite the fact that I read all six books, despite the fact that I applaud Pettersson's attempt at an unusual world, I was left dissatisfied. No more from this author for me.
Most every little loose end is tied up, big changes occur, both the bad guys and good guys get what's coming to them, and it's all wrapped up in a pretty bow. Just what you long for in a series ender.
So why am I stingy with the stars?
Because Signs of the Zodiac infuriated me from the get-go. All the promise of a unique paranormal world, tainted by confusing explanations and baffling characters. I wanted to put it aside. But at the end of each book, I lamented the mobster pull of the final scenes - the writer always throwing in a twist that made me just curious enough to read on.
I was never attached to the characters. I didn't buy into the threat posed by the Shadow agents to the city at large, so I didn't care whether they were defeated. The Light agents had been vilified in so many ways that I couldn't want them to win. I didn't quite feel the big connection between Hunter and Jo either, so I couldn't focus my energy on wanting them reunited...
And Joanna is a pain in the ass. Her mind frequently wanders to talk of her Playboy-centerfold body, the malleability of her sex, the perception of all attractive females as stupid, and the concept that regardless of all the roles she might play, the most important one is Woman. And a Woman always wants to be Chosen (by a man). Sure, there's some truth to these generalizations. But bringing them to the fore again and again makes me think this woman defines herself only through a man's eyes, no matter how much she might outwardly cry otherwise.
In short, I wanted her to stop obsessing over her looks and her gender and just get the job done.
I also wanted her to stop taunting the kids at the comic shop. Since readers of this series are likely to have an affinity for comics, it seems an odd choice for the main character to verbally insult these children all she can. The excuse that they won't remember any of it when they grow up is...pathetic.
I feel I should say something about the tulpa - the true Big Bad of the series - yet I can't muster up the energy for it. That's probably because his thunder was so effectively stolen by Solange, with only the last fifty pages devoted to the all-important confrontation. Anti-climactic, to say the least, but the scenes with Solange were freaky enough to almost make up for it.
Almost.
So despite the fact that I read all six books, despite the fact that I applaud Pettersson's attempt at an unusual world, I was left dissatisfied. No more from this author for me.
June 28, 2011
It's possible I just don't remember Cheat the Grave very well but I feel like we skipped some important steps between book 5 and 6 so I felt like I was playing catch up for the first few chapters.
It was an anti-climactic end to the series.
It was an anti-climactic end to the series.
May 7, 2012
I remember when I read the first book to this series, The Scent of Shadows, back in 2007. It was so different; it really stood out from the bookshelves filled with Buffy Vampire slayers and Werewolf lovers, or vice versa. Not that there is anything wrong with either one of those things if done right but it was so refreshing to find a brand new world. In Pettersson’s Urban Fantasy, there is not a Vampire, or a werewolf to be found, but there are all kinds of new crazy villains and screwed up heroes.
Set in the already loco world of Las Vegas, the series is mixed with two troops of supernaturally powerful people, both good and evil, whose powers came from their zodiac signs and who continuously fought each other, with the balance in Las Vegas always in jeopardy. The books also featured children who ran a comic bookstore and knew the truth about these superheroes. They provided a sanctuary of sorts for either side and created comic books that told the truth about their activities. The Comic store kid’s belief actually provided the power for the characters. The books were exciting, and while the violence and the action were extreme, in an almost Manga like way, the world of Signs of the Zodiac was refreshing in its creativity.
Joanna Archer was a seriously damaged protagonist, her entire life riddled with tragedy. A victim of a terrible assault, a stepfather never loved her and her mother abandoned her, she had two people she believed in and loved, her sister Olivia and her boyfriend. When Olivia was killed, and with Joanna coming into her powers, the troop took her in but changed her appearance to match that of her dead sister’s to hide her from the one person who wanted her dead more than anything and hated her with a passion, her true father, the Tulpa, a Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker situation. This of course caused a problem as her boyfriend couldn't know she was her dead sister. It sounds more confusing then it was. Or maybe not. It was pretty confusing with all the identities going around.
Joanna learned her mother had been a member of the troop and had left her as a way of trying to avoid her coming to the Tulpa’s attention, to protect her. As the series continued we learned her mother had actually never really left her but had watched over her and protected her. Joanna was trained by the troop to control her newfound abilities, learned to fight her evil father, and found a new, albeit dysfunctional family and a new love, Hunter.
Then a few books ago, she lost everything she’d gained. In order to save a human child, she lost her super powers, without those her new family “the troop” kicked her out, and the man she’d given her heart to, appeared to abandon her for another. Joanna had to learn how to survive on her own and find a reason to live.
As the series progressed, a plot convention, Midheaven, threatened to derail my enjoyment of the series. Midheaven is a place between our world and the next where a former superhero Solange had become an evil goddess, trapping men and using their energy to fuel her world. Joanna’s lover Hunter got trapped in Midheaven a couple books ago, and I felt the series got stuck a bit too.
Action and dialogue are Pettersson’s strengths and Midheaven did not play to those, as it was so dreamy and hard to visualize.
Traveling there and back was particularly hard to keep track of, with crazy spiritual doorways, and astral traveling, cigarettes that wouldn't kill the smoker but would destroy anyone whose smoke they touched. There was a saloon with men gambling away pieces of their souls, and people’s eyes were getting turned into gems. I really struggled to keep track of what was happening, and just gave up on why. There was one room where a lot of the action took place that I never was able to grasp how it looked in my mind, which kept throwing me out of the scene. I actually got out a paper and pen and tried to draw it and gave up.Midheaven just seemed to bog down for me, with the description leaving me flailing to understand where I was. I wished that part of the story arc was wrapped up a couple books ago. Back in Las Vegas, on solid ground the books would always pick right back up and be exciting and easy to visualize.
In this, the final installment Joanna reminds me of the Lynda Hamilton’s character, the mother in Terminator 2. She’s human, but she’s a total badass. Tried in the fire , Joanna makes better choices in this book and will not give up, she will not leave Hunter to be tortured by the evil Solange. She goes back and back and back. There in lay the strength and the weakness for me. Despite the risks (which were higher now than ever) Joanna must try to rescue Hunter/overcome Solange, try to keep her new troop of other outcast troop members, "the Grey's" together, must protect her secret and finally kill her evil father.
Despite my frustration with the plot device of Midheaven, this was a very enjoyable series finale. She did a great job of wrapping up all the pieces and providing a solid ending to the Signs of the Zodiac series. It's been a fun ride, and while I am sorry to see it end, I'm glad to see the way it ended.
Set in the already loco world of Las Vegas, the series is mixed with two troops of supernaturally powerful people, both good and evil, whose powers came from their zodiac signs and who continuously fought each other, with the balance in Las Vegas always in jeopardy. The books also featured children who ran a comic bookstore and knew the truth about these superheroes. They provided a sanctuary of sorts for either side and created comic books that told the truth about their activities. The Comic store kid’s belief actually provided the power for the characters. The books were exciting, and while the violence and the action were extreme, in an almost Manga like way, the world of Signs of the Zodiac was refreshing in its creativity.
Joanna Archer was a seriously damaged protagonist, her entire life riddled with tragedy. A victim of a terrible assault, a stepfather never loved her and her mother abandoned her, she had two people she believed in and loved, her sister Olivia and her boyfriend. When Olivia was killed, and with Joanna coming into her powers, the troop took her in but changed her appearance to match that of her dead sister’s to hide her from the one person who wanted her dead more than anything and hated her with a passion, her true father, the Tulpa, a Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker situation. This of course caused a problem as her boyfriend couldn't know she was her dead sister. It sounds more confusing then it was. Or maybe not. It was pretty confusing with all the identities going around.
Joanna learned her mother had been a member of the troop and had left her as a way of trying to avoid her coming to the Tulpa’s attention, to protect her. As the series continued we learned her mother had actually never really left her but had watched over her and protected her. Joanna was trained by the troop to control her newfound abilities, learned to fight her evil father, and found a new, albeit dysfunctional family and a new love, Hunter.
Then a few books ago, she lost everything she’d gained. In order to save a human child, she lost her super powers, without those her new family “the troop” kicked her out, and the man she’d given her heart to, appeared to abandon her for another. Joanna had to learn how to survive on her own and find a reason to live.
As the series progressed, a plot convention, Midheaven, threatened to derail my enjoyment of the series. Midheaven is a place between our world and the next where a former superhero Solange had become an evil goddess, trapping men and using their energy to fuel her world. Joanna’s lover Hunter got trapped in Midheaven a couple books ago, and I felt the series got stuck a bit too.
Action and dialogue are Pettersson’s strengths and Midheaven did not play to those, as it was so dreamy and hard to visualize.
Traveling there and back was particularly hard to keep track of, with crazy spiritual doorways, and astral traveling, cigarettes that wouldn't kill the smoker but would destroy anyone whose smoke they touched. There was a saloon with men gambling away pieces of their souls, and people’s eyes were getting turned into gems. I really struggled to keep track of what was happening, and just gave up on why. There was one room where a lot of the action took place that I never was able to grasp how it looked in my mind, which kept throwing me out of the scene. I actually got out a paper and pen and tried to draw it and gave up.Midheaven just seemed to bog down for me, with the description leaving me flailing to understand where I was. I wished that part of the story arc was wrapped up a couple books ago. Back in Las Vegas, on solid ground the books would always pick right back up and be exciting and easy to visualize.
In this, the final installment Joanna reminds me of the Lynda Hamilton’s character, the mother in Terminator 2. She’s human, but she’s a total badass. Tried in the fire , Joanna makes better choices in this book and will not give up, she will not leave Hunter to be tortured by the evil Solange. She goes back and back and back. There in lay the strength and the weakness for me. Despite the risks (which were higher now than ever) Joanna must try to rescue Hunter/overcome Solange, try to keep her new troop of other outcast troop members, "the Grey's" together, must protect her secret and finally kill her evil father.
Despite my frustration with the plot device of Midheaven, this was a very enjoyable series finale. She did a great job of wrapping up all the pieces and providing a solid ending to the Signs of the Zodiac series. It's been a fun ride, and while I am sorry to see it end, I'm glad to see the way it ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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June 8, 2021Reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blo...
Another great series has come to an end. Vicki did a great job of wrapping up things. I didn't feel that she left anything unresolved and everything flowed into everything else at a great place. All the characters seem to make an appearance at some point which was neat. We get answers to some things that might not have made sense when they first happened. There is plenty of action and drama. I wasn't crazy about some of the midheaven scenes and some of the things we learn are shocking to say the least but I can see how they needed to be done the way they were to close certain plot holes. I'm sad to see the series end, and I wish we could follow Joanna a little longer to see what her future holds.
Another great series has come to an end. Vicki did a great job of wrapping up things. I didn't feel that she left anything unresolved and everything flowed into everything else at a great place. All the characters seem to make an appearance at some point which was neat. We get answers to some things that might not have made sense when they first happened. There is plenty of action and drama. I wasn't crazy about some of the midheaven scenes and some of the things we learn are shocking to say the least but I can see how they needed to be done the way they were to close certain plot holes. I'm sad to see the series end, and I wish we could follow Joanna a little longer to see what her future holds.
April 12, 2011
This is the sixth and final book in the Sign of the Zodiac series by Pettersson. This book did an excellent job of wrapping up the series. It was fairly predictable but moved at a good clip and wrapped things up nicely. You definitely need to read the previous books to know what is happening in this book.
Joanna Archer is in hiding with the grey rogue agents. As a unit they have two goals: get access to Midheaven and destroy the Tulpa. Joanna is also set on rescuing Hunter from Midheaven's ruler, Solange. It will take all of Joanna's wits and cunning to do all she needs to do to survive and to protect herself and her unborn child.
This book was a fitting conclusion to the series. It moves at a fast clip and a lot happens throughout. I did think it was a bit predictable; but that being said it should give readers of the series the type of ending that they will enjoy.
It was nice to see that things that happened earlier in the series (for example Joanna loosing some of her power in Midheaven) finally make sense in this book. There are a number of little things that come together in this book, showing that Pettersson really had things well thought out when she started this series.
In this book basically all the agents are here. We learn more about the grey agents and see significantly more of the Light Agents. Of course the Shadow Agents join into the fun too. Some significant people are killed and things really comes to a head with Warren, the leader of the Light Agents. And, yes, Hunter is in this book.
Overall I enjoyed this book. It was paced well and did an excellent job of wrapping up this series. Fans of the series should be pleased with how it ends, even if it is a bit predictable.
Joanna Archer is in hiding with the grey rogue agents. As a unit they have two goals: get access to Midheaven and destroy the Tulpa. Joanna is also set on rescuing Hunter from Midheaven's ruler, Solange. It will take all of Joanna's wits and cunning to do all she needs to do to survive and to protect herself and her unborn child.
This book was a fitting conclusion to the series. It moves at a fast clip and a lot happens throughout. I did think it was a bit predictable; but that being said it should give readers of the series the type of ending that they will enjoy.
It was nice to see that things that happened earlier in the series (for example Joanna loosing some of her power in Midheaven) finally make sense in this book. There are a number of little things that come together in this book, showing that Pettersson really had things well thought out when she started this series.
In this book basically all the agents are here. We learn more about the grey agents and see significantly more of the Light Agents. Of course the Shadow Agents join into the fun too. Some significant people are killed and things really comes to a head with Warren, the leader of the Light Agents. And, yes, Hunter is in this book.
Overall I enjoyed this book. It was paced well and did an excellent job of wrapping up this series. Fans of the series should be pleased with how it ends, even if it is a bit predictable.
June 8, 2011
The Sign on the Zodiac series written by Vicki Pettersson has come to an end with this 6th installment. It's hard for me to believe that this series has had 6 books and come to an end already. Each book has offered something new and never grown old.
Joanna Archer is flawed and has been thrown into a world where she's pretty much on her own, caught between the age old fight between good and evil. She's been abandoned by those she considered to be her friends and allies and there are still too many people who want her dead and are actively trying. The man she loves is stuck in another dimension and being tortured and to top it all off, she's pregnant without any of her previous super powers to help keep her safe. You can't help but root for her as she faces one challenge after another.
Vicki Pettersson has done a great job with this book, as she has with all the previous ones. Her writing is fluid and colorful. I was easily able to visualize the settings and characters. The story progressed quickly and at a good pace, and for the last installment, it had a lot to cover. Most of the action was packed in at the end, and thankfully it left room for a possible spin-off series/comeback.
I have really enjoyed reading about Joanna and her journey and do hope she's not completely done kicking butt. I'm also looking forward to whatever Vicki has coming out next!
Joanna Archer is flawed and has been thrown into a world where she's pretty much on her own, caught between the age old fight between good and evil. She's been abandoned by those she considered to be her friends and allies and there are still too many people who want her dead and are actively trying. The man she loves is stuck in another dimension and being tortured and to top it all off, she's pregnant without any of her previous super powers to help keep her safe. You can't help but root for her as she faces one challenge after another.
Vicki Pettersson has done a great job with this book, as she has with all the previous ones. Her writing is fluid and colorful. I was easily able to visualize the settings and characters. The story progressed quickly and at a good pace, and for the last installment, it had a lot to cover. Most of the action was packed in at the end, and thankfully it left room for a possible spin-off series/comeback.
I have really enjoyed reading about Joanna and her journey and do hope she's not completely done kicking butt. I'm also looking forward to whatever Vicki has coming out next!
May 2, 2011
What to say about this book? It's going to be a difficult review for the following reasons:
1) If you haven't read book 1-5, this book will make ABSOLUTELY no sense. Thus, I can't write a review for this book encouraging you to read it out of the blue.
2) Since it is a book 6, there is nothing I'm going to say that will discourage someone or encourage someone to read this book. In fact, at this point, you are either a fan of the series or not. You are going to read this book, or not. What I say is a mute point.
Even with my weird, warped reasoning, I feel the need to write a review since it is the final book in the series. So, here I go...
I loved it. It wrapped up the entire series nicely. Lots of questions were answered and the ending was just right. If you can get beyond the weird world building in book 1 and 2, and you like really dark urban fantasy books, I encourage you to start this series. If you are planning to read book 6, you won't be disappointed.
1) If you haven't read book 1-5, this book will make ABSOLUTELY no sense. Thus, I can't write a review for this book encouraging you to read it out of the blue.
2) Since it is a book 6, there is nothing I'm going to say that will discourage someone or encourage someone to read this book. In fact, at this point, you are either a fan of the series or not. You are going to read this book, or not. What I say is a mute point.
Even with my weird, warped reasoning, I feel the need to write a review since it is the final book in the series. So, here I go...
I loved it. It wrapped up the entire series nicely. Lots of questions were answered and the ending was just right. If you can get beyond the weird world building in book 1 and 2, and you like really dark urban fantasy books, I encourage you to start this series. If you are planning to read book 6, you won't be disappointed.
June 3, 2011
Hrm. Well, first I didn't realize this was the last one of the series. It's such a neat concept I'm sad to see it go. But I guess I just didn't like this particular one as much as everyone else. It felt choppy to me and I found myself just not getting sucked in to the story very much. I didn't really feel like it was as clear this time around; more concept, less firm description if that makes any sense. Like, I don't really "get" how she defeated the Tulpa exactly; it was like one moment Vegas is being sucked into a blackhole (literally? I don't know) and then the next, he's defeated.
In my defense, I was reading this while in a lot of pain after being in the ER and a lot of late nights too so maybe part of it was me. But I just didn't really like this one and I feel bummed it went out (for me) on a whimper.
In my defense, I was reading this while in a lot of pain after being in the ER and a lot of late nights too so maybe part of it was me. But I just didn't really like this one and I feel bummed it went out (for me) on a whimper.
February 17, 2019
It still feels like a slap dash effort with plot holes throughout. In saying that though, the ending is satisfying. So on a reread 3.5 stars.
It's weird, I have really enjoyed this series but this finale feels rushed and slapped together. I think too many loose ends needed to be tied up and that created a hasty rush to the finish line. More like a 3.5-4 stars.
It's weird, I have really enjoyed this series but this finale feels rushed and slapped together. I think too many loose ends needed to be tied up and that created a hasty rush to the finish line. More like a 3.5-4 stars.
March 6, 2014
The perfect end to a fantastic series
August 20, 2020
All in all, on its own it's a very nice book. If I can be honest I didn't really get into the other books as much as I did the first one so I probably won't review them or anything. It's just that there were parts that seemed very repetitive, enough that they got kinda annoying. Personally they didn't hold my interest and found myself skipping more often than not. It's awful and I'm not proud of it but they weren't for me I guess. For those who love and are more dedicated to this series I think you will love each of the other books and this one does a good job of summing up and tying ends together. Some were solved too easily in my opinion especially because some things were hyped too much, so I was expecting "more". I'm not sure what I expected necessarily but more than I read. Anyway, I still liked the book.
January 6, 2024
This series is now one of my favorite Fantasy series. I had only one favorite of all time. This is now added to that very short list. As a prolific reader, at age 70, when I say this is one of my favorite Fantasy series out of only two, that tells you how fantastic these books are. Psychologists vary on the number of emotions a human can experience, but one says there are over 34,000. These books will evoke every one of those. Having finished the series, I will miss the world I was introduced to. I’ll miss Joanna’s strength to do what’s right, and her strength to realize she’s not always right. I will miss the friends she made, and the adventures they had. But I have found the perfect author to introduce me to new worlds, new friends, and new adventures.
May 8, 2011
Well....I think Vicki Pettersson did a fine job on this series. I really liked this last installment. A lot. The series as a whole, IMO is one of the more clever & well thought that I've read. It also has a helluva' lot of heart.
It wasn't perfect by any means but it was completely solid, IMO.
The cons about this installment before I get to all the likes:
It was a little slow to start (but picked up round the 35-40% mark).
My main complaint is that sometimes I lost the action sequences. A bunch of times I didn’t completely follow. Now, I'm not sure if it's b'c I was kind of on the edge of my seat so maybe I was reading too fast (for me) & therefore, missed some crucial descriptions or if she really didn't execute the action that well. My instinct was that she is so imaginative that it's actually almost to hard to completely describe, therefore imagine what she's created (which is kinda ironic given the theme of this book).
Last thing, to be honest I felt the end battle was a little anti-climatic.
However, I just really, really liked the way she ended the series & I really enjoy Pettersson's tone. They way she imparts philosophy & without ending up sounding preachy or like a self help book. There’s just simply a groundedness to her prose which I really like.
I love Petterson's poignancy too. She never gets maudlin & more often than not find when she writes those moments, they're so articulate that they’re beautiful. Her analogies are often close to perfect IMO & make you think from a different perspective which I appreciate.
The character's she gives voice to are always authentic & it helps so much b’c then message in the story resonates with me really well. Overall, I found the series intelligent, super creative with a lot of thought, heart & soul behind it. Pretty fierce really.
I also found VP to be more "adult" than most of the series I have read. It just came across that way to me in her overall prose. She had her own clear storyline & formula she followed & stuck to & it was obvious nothing distracted. She was on a mission to get from points A to Z.
One of the few authors who didn't do a love triangle either. Not once did I feel she pandered to anyone. Not even her own ego. Nor did I feel she ever lost sight of the world she created. When I finished the final page in the series, I thought about the character of Joanna. From her beginning stages in the 1st book & I have to say, I think VP really achieved the character’s journey. Took her there & gave her readers one heck of a ride in the process. So much so that when I finished, I felt it. I felt like I went on the journey too. It felt very gratifying b'c normally, finale's are often lackluster at best. Think Seinfeld, MASH etc..
However, I think VP just ended it on the right note & that note was really no different to how she's written the entire series. Inspiring, bittersweet, hopeful. Yet, the final pages had a now more experienced/wizened narrative which had a maturely philosophical POV yet a 'we'll see' edge to it. I thought it was spot-on.
On another note, I was very happy to see a few characters get their due, but one in particular (Warren) but can I just talk about Master Comics for a moment? I swear in every book, those scenes are practically always my favorite. They always adds a levity to the series. Like he neutrality of the shop itself, a scene at the shop is a refreshing breather to each book. I really think VP crafted that setup pretty damn perfect.
What I love about the shop so much is that the kids are 100% kids & like kids, there’s a certain truthful innocence which just doesn’t allow any artifice at all & I think VP portrayed that extremely well. No one's is overly precocious & I LOVE that she never has Joanna talk down to them or baby talk them. In fact, it's like Joanna is her most natural there as well. She completely joins in & immerses herself. There’s no distinction. She banters, teases, gets provoked, pissed off & allows herself to do or say whatever she feels as a result. I guess what I'm trying to say VP never allowed the character to condescend. I adored that b’c honestly, I could see where someone less focused (or er...competent, aware, humble?) could’ve really cocked that up. Those kids could’ve easily been majorly annoying & the whole thing could’ve come off false. It never did.
In the end, I can see how this series wouldn’t be for everyone, although in some ways I wish it would be so VP can get her due. It’s a bit existential, a bit trippy, kinda rock ‘n roll, somewhat complicated b’c it’s a tad circuitous to get some basic simple messages but most of all, I felt it really required he reader to stretch their visual imagination, which I found could be a bit daunting at times.
I felt the material kind of demanded a very strong mental visualization. Sometimes that pulled me out of the story & I would have to go back & re-read to make sure I ‘got the picture’ so to speak & then found I would draw from my pop culture knowledge to give me a frame of reference. Here’s what I came up with - a bunch of mash up’s. I would picture Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 'Don’t Do Come Around Here No More’ video, Johnny Depp’s version of Wonka with a little X-Men, Raider’s & a dash of Clerk’s/High Fidelity.
Props to Ms. Pettersson. I can’t complain about an author with serious intent & the heart to back it up. I think she did a wonderful job as a whole & I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I thought It kinda kicked ass. I look forward to whatever she comes up with next.
It wasn't perfect by any means but it was completely solid, IMO.
The cons about this installment before I get to all the likes:
It was a little slow to start (but picked up round the 35-40% mark).
My main complaint is that sometimes I lost the action sequences. A bunch of times I didn’t completely follow. Now, I'm not sure if it's b'c I was kind of on the edge of my seat so maybe I was reading too fast (for me) & therefore, missed some crucial descriptions or if she really didn't execute the action that well. My instinct was that she is so imaginative that it's actually almost to hard to completely describe, therefore imagine what she's created (which is kinda ironic given the theme of this book).
Last thing, to be honest I felt the end battle was a little anti-climatic.
However, I just really, really liked the way she ended the series & I really enjoy Pettersson's tone. They way she imparts philosophy & without ending up sounding preachy or like a self help book. There’s just simply a groundedness to her prose which I really like.
I love Petterson's poignancy too. She never gets maudlin & more often than not find when she writes those moments, they're so articulate that they’re beautiful. Her analogies are often close to perfect IMO & make you think from a different perspective which I appreciate.
The character's she gives voice to are always authentic & it helps so much b’c then message in the story resonates with me really well. Overall, I found the series intelligent, super creative with a lot of thought, heart & soul behind it. Pretty fierce really.
I also found VP to be more "adult" than most of the series I have read. It just came across that way to me in her overall prose. She had her own clear storyline & formula she followed & stuck to & it was obvious nothing distracted. She was on a mission to get from points A to Z.
One of the few authors who didn't do a love triangle either. Not once did I feel she pandered to anyone. Not even her own ego. Nor did I feel she ever lost sight of the world she created. When I finished the final page in the series, I thought about the character of Joanna. From her beginning stages in the 1st book & I have to say, I think VP really achieved the character’s journey. Took her there & gave her readers one heck of a ride in the process. So much so that when I finished, I felt it. I felt like I went on the journey too. It felt very gratifying b'c normally, finale's are often lackluster at best. Think Seinfeld, MASH etc..
However, I think VP just ended it on the right note & that note was really no different to how she's written the entire series. Inspiring, bittersweet, hopeful. Yet, the final pages had a now more experienced/wizened narrative which had a maturely philosophical POV yet a 'we'll see' edge to it. I thought it was spot-on.
On another note, I was very happy to see a few characters get their due, but one in particular (Warren) but can I just talk about Master Comics for a moment? I swear in every book, those scenes are practically always my favorite. They always adds a levity to the series. Like he neutrality of the shop itself, a scene at the shop is a refreshing breather to each book. I really think VP crafted that setup pretty damn perfect.
What I love about the shop so much is that the kids are 100% kids & like kids, there’s a certain truthful innocence which just doesn’t allow any artifice at all & I think VP portrayed that extremely well. No one's is overly precocious & I LOVE that she never has Joanna talk down to them or baby talk them. In fact, it's like Joanna is her most natural there as well. She completely joins in & immerses herself. There’s no distinction. She banters, teases, gets provoked, pissed off & allows herself to do or say whatever she feels as a result. I guess what I'm trying to say VP never allowed the character to condescend. I adored that b’c honestly, I could see where someone less focused (or er...competent, aware, humble?) could’ve really cocked that up. Those kids could’ve easily been majorly annoying & the whole thing could’ve come off false. It never did.
In the end, I can see how this series wouldn’t be for everyone, although in some ways I wish it would be so VP can get her due. It’s a bit existential, a bit trippy, kinda rock ‘n roll, somewhat complicated b’c it’s a tad circuitous to get some basic simple messages but most of all, I felt it really required he reader to stretch their visual imagination, which I found could be a bit daunting at times.
I felt the material kind of demanded a very strong mental visualization. Sometimes that pulled me out of the story & I would have to go back & re-read to make sure I ‘got the picture’ so to speak & then found I would draw from my pop culture knowledge to give me a frame of reference. Here’s what I came up with - a bunch of mash up’s. I would picture Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 'Don’t Do Come Around Here No More’ video, Johnny Depp’s version of Wonka with a little X-Men, Raider’s & a dash of Clerk’s/High Fidelity.
Props to Ms. Pettersson. I can’t complain about an author with serious intent & the heart to back it up. I think she did a wonderful job as a whole & I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I thought It kinda kicked ass. I look forward to whatever she comes up with next.
February 9, 2020
Totally loved my first book by Vicki Pettersson ! Loved the super cool world building. Here's why it was so intriguing:
I hadn't forgotten about the memory Hunter and I had shared, the one where he'd joyfully witnessed the birth of his daughter in this world. Was it possible that the aureole operated with the same disregard of time as Midheaven? That it might actually show visions of the future as well as memories of the past? Had I possibly seen Hunter celebrating the birth of our child all the way back on the first occasion we'd touched and kissed?
May 13, 2020
Wow! What a ride. sometimes I had to hold on to the book with both hands. I finished this last book of the series faster than the first 5 because I was in suspense to see how it ends. By now I have learned to expect the unexpected and I loved it. I loved the whole series and this was an excellent ending. I have to admit I prefer excellent endings. Thank you Vicki Pettersson for the the never a dull moment entertainment.
July 4, 2024
Like saying good bye to an old and dear friend...
Have thoroughly enjoyed this series through tears of sorrow and delight. Also, like any true friend I look forward to revisiting it in its extensions and offshoots yet to come. This world will be seen again in the future and I look forward to the privilege of revisiting.... Unique, entertaining, and thoroughly engrossing! 5+ stars all the way!
Have thoroughly enjoyed this series through tears of sorrow and delight. Also, like any true friend I look forward to revisiting it in its extensions and offshoots yet to come. This world will be seen again in the future and I look forward to the privilege of revisiting.... Unique, entertaining, and thoroughly engrossing! 5+ stars all the way!
January 17, 2020
The Neon Graveyard
What a great way to conclude a series. I wish it weren’t the end of the series. There is so many more characters who deserve their own series, not to mention the children. Also, a prequel series would be awesome. Maybe, I wouldn’t dislike Warren so much if I could see what shaped him.
What a great way to conclude a series. I wish it weren’t the end of the series. There is so many more characters who deserve their own series, not to mention the children. Also, a prequel series would be awesome. Maybe, I wouldn’t dislike Warren so much if I could see what shaped him.
December 16, 2020
Superfantastic Thrillride!
The Archer and Vicki never disappoint! Pulling you in, weaving prose like a pro and has you hooked before you can blink. You might set it down, yell out loud and curse, or squeal in delight at the sweet parts but one thing is for sure: this series is vibrant, intense, complex and extraordinary!
The Archer and Vicki never disappoint! Pulling you in, weaving prose like a pro and has you hooked before you can blink. You might set it down, yell out loud and curse, or squeal in delight at the sweet parts but one thing is for sure: this series is vibrant, intense, complex and extraordinary!
May 31, 2011
Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/05/rev...
Favorite Quote: “It’s time for me to draw my own damned line. I’m not running anymore. Not taking one step backward. Not giving one small inch. This time I’m doing the chasing.
And God help anyone who gets in my way.”
The Neon Graveyard is the 6th and final book in Ms. Pettersson’s Signs of the Zodiac series. An addicting noir Urban Fantasy blend of superhero/comic book mythos mixed with horror and hope. This series has led me on an intoxicating roller coaster ride of infinite proportions. Betrayal is the main theme in this series and Ms. Pettersson has wield her pen like a fine double edged sword. She cuts and slices her characters down to the bone; allowing no quarter. Yet, from the carnage she rebuilds them and us; allowing for truth and courage to shine through. This isn’t a happy series. Ms. Pettersson never promises you rainbows and roses. You will laugh, groan, shudder, cheer, and weep as you follow Joanna through her trials and tribulations. Yet for all the darkness, Ms. Pettersson never makes Joanna a martyr. She doesn’t minimize Joanna’s humanity. Joanna makes mistakes and bad decisions and she pays for those, but you never get the feeling of, “OMG not AGAIN!,” from here. The good and bad balances perfectly and it what made me a convert of this series.
From the beginning -The Scent of Shadows- we have followed Joanna Archer through hell and back as she learned, embraced, and then altered her destiny. A child born of a light and shadow agent-Joanna Archer has always straddled the line between good and evil and has paid over and over a horrendous price for her family ties. Betrayed by almost everyone she has trusted, Joanna has reached her limit. For now she has more to protect then just herself. Her unborn child and her captive lover need her and Joanna is not leaving this game till she saves them both.
Joanna Archer is now for all intents and purposes mortal. She has been stripped of everything; her power, her family, her fortune. But rather then lay down and die, she has allied herself with a group of rogue light and shadow agents. Men who have seen, like Joanna, that the game has changed and everything they were taught is now circumspect. Good and evil are nothing more then six degrees of separation, something that Joanna and her fellow Grays have learned the hard way.
Joanna knows Tulpa (her father) is attempting to enter Midheaven and will need Joanna alive in order to do so. Joanna is also set to enter Midheaven herself, defeat the goddess who rules there, save her unborn child’s father, Hunter, and defeat Tulpa. She has forgiven Hunter’s supposed betrayal, learning that the path to victory isn’t always righteous and it’s not as important as the final destination. I have never been a fan of the Midheaven storyline. It’s complexity is layered and didn’t translate well to paper for me. I felt it stalled the series for me. Not enough for me to stop reading; just a little hard to get on board with.
The world of this series is incredible. A comic book set in novel form. Truly a unique setting that grips you in it’s complexity. Smooth writing and fast pacing rides like a wave; cresting over and over till you crash onto the shore. Hard action, nerve racking suspense, and superb dialogue play a huge part in the over all enjoyment of the series.
I loved the dialogue and interactions between Joanna and the Gray troop. Some don’t trust her and some fear her, but they stand by her.
“I was wrong.” Fox said woodenly. I turned to find his eyes wide, gaze locked on my face. “You’re not just mortal. You’re crazy.”
“It’s hereditary.” I said.
As we follow Joanna into her final battle, we watch as her layers are peeled back and the true Joanna Archer emerges. This is what has been led up to in the last 5 books. Joanna is finally free to be who she wants and do what she wants without any artifice. She is fighting for her own agenda; playing by her own rules. The action scenes are epic in that Joanna has to use her wits and skills against powerful forces. I liked that Joanna makes better choices in here and the end results more then satisfy this reader.
Part of me is sad this is the last book. I have found Joanna Archer’s world to be so different from what’s offered these days that that thought of not visiting again is a bit disheartening. Yet, Ms. Pettersson does a wonderful job is wrapping it up for us. Some what predictable; questions are answered, plots and subplots are wrapped up nice and tight, and we are left with an acceptable ending for Joanna and the series.
I would recommend this series to everyone who enjoys a darker Urban Fantasy that reviles in deception, betrayal, and hope. A word of advice though-if you have not read the first 5 of this series, then you will not understand this last one. This is a convoluted series that builds upon itself with each new book. The arc is long reaching and not self explanatory. Characters evolve and bleed over into to each story with no pause in between.
Rating: B
Favorite Quote: “It’s time for me to draw my own damned line. I’m not running anymore. Not taking one step backward. Not giving one small inch. This time I’m doing the chasing.
And God help anyone who gets in my way.”
The Neon Graveyard is the 6th and final book in Ms. Pettersson’s Signs of the Zodiac series. An addicting noir Urban Fantasy blend of superhero/comic book mythos mixed with horror and hope. This series has led me on an intoxicating roller coaster ride of infinite proportions. Betrayal is the main theme in this series and Ms. Pettersson has wield her pen like a fine double edged sword. She cuts and slices her characters down to the bone; allowing no quarter. Yet, from the carnage she rebuilds them and us; allowing for truth and courage to shine through. This isn’t a happy series. Ms. Pettersson never promises you rainbows and roses. You will laugh, groan, shudder, cheer, and weep as you follow Joanna through her trials and tribulations. Yet for all the darkness, Ms. Pettersson never makes Joanna a martyr. She doesn’t minimize Joanna’s humanity. Joanna makes mistakes and bad decisions and she pays for those, but you never get the feeling of, “OMG not AGAIN!,” from here. The good and bad balances perfectly and it what made me a convert of this series.
From the beginning -The Scent of Shadows- we have followed Joanna Archer through hell and back as she learned, embraced, and then altered her destiny. A child born of a light and shadow agent-Joanna Archer has always straddled the line between good and evil and has paid over and over a horrendous price for her family ties. Betrayed by almost everyone she has trusted, Joanna has reached her limit. For now she has more to protect then just herself. Her unborn child and her captive lover need her and Joanna is not leaving this game till she saves them both.
Joanna Archer is now for all intents and purposes mortal. She has been stripped of everything; her power, her family, her fortune. But rather then lay down and die, she has allied herself with a group of rogue light and shadow agents. Men who have seen, like Joanna, that the game has changed and everything they were taught is now circumspect. Good and evil are nothing more then six degrees of separation, something that Joanna and her fellow Grays have learned the hard way.
Joanna knows Tulpa (her father) is attempting to enter Midheaven and will need Joanna alive in order to do so. Joanna is also set to enter Midheaven herself, defeat the goddess who rules there, save her unborn child’s father, Hunter, and defeat Tulpa. She has forgiven Hunter’s supposed betrayal, learning that the path to victory isn’t always righteous and it’s not as important as the final destination. I have never been a fan of the Midheaven storyline. It’s complexity is layered and didn’t translate well to paper for me. I felt it stalled the series for me. Not enough for me to stop reading; just a little hard to get on board with.
The world of this series is incredible. A comic book set in novel form. Truly a unique setting that grips you in it’s complexity. Smooth writing and fast pacing rides like a wave; cresting over and over till you crash onto the shore. Hard action, nerve racking suspense, and superb dialogue play a huge part in the over all enjoyment of the series.
I loved the dialogue and interactions between Joanna and the Gray troop. Some don’t trust her and some fear her, but they stand by her.
“I was wrong.” Fox said woodenly. I turned to find his eyes wide, gaze locked on my face. “You’re not just mortal. You’re crazy.”
“It’s hereditary.” I said.
As we follow Joanna into her final battle, we watch as her layers are peeled back and the true Joanna Archer emerges. This is what has been led up to in the last 5 books. Joanna is finally free to be who she wants and do what she wants without any artifice. She is fighting for her own agenda; playing by her own rules. The action scenes are epic in that Joanna has to use her wits and skills against powerful forces. I liked that Joanna makes better choices in here and the end results more then satisfy this reader.
Part of me is sad this is the last book. I have found Joanna Archer’s world to be so different from what’s offered these days that that thought of not visiting again is a bit disheartening. Yet, Ms. Pettersson does a wonderful job is wrapping it up for us. Some what predictable; questions are answered, plots and subplots are wrapped up nice and tight, and we are left with an acceptable ending for Joanna and the series.
I would recommend this series to everyone who enjoys a darker Urban Fantasy that reviles in deception, betrayal, and hope. A word of advice though-if you have not read the first 5 of this series, then you will not understand this last one. This is a convoluted series that builds upon itself with each new book. The arc is long reaching and not self explanatory. Characters evolve and bleed over into to each story with no pause in between.
Rating: B
June 1, 2011
The Signs of the Zodiac Series by Vicki Pettersson
“Before you plan your next trip to Vegas, you might want to answer...
Are you Light? Or are you Shadow? Because there’s another world behind the bright lights and nonstop action of Sin city ... one where Light and Shadow wage an immortal war for supremacy.
But the eternal battle has reached the tipping point, and only one person can change the future – casino heiress, photographer, and vigilante: Joanna Archer.
And no one knows the darkness within better than she does.”
Who is Joanna Archer? Victim, survivor, photographer, vigilante, heiress, socialite, superhero- Yes. Joanna, Jo, Jo-Jo-, Olivia, Livy-girl, Ms. Archer, the Kairos, the Archer-Yes. Daughter, sister, soldier, leader, followers, mother, everyone, and no one- Yes. Joanna is such a complex character, one living in both the shadow and light. Everyone wants her dead. Everyone wants a piece of her. And Joanna, well she’s only beginning to have a clue to what she wants.
All her life Joanna has known loss. Her mother abandoned her as a child and then she was dutifully despised and ignored by her so-called father. She has sought violence and death in the streets of Sin City. And you what they say, if you knock long enough the devil will answer the door. That door swung wide open to Joanna. In a very short span of time, she lost her sister, entered a group of super beings known as Zodiac Troop 175, and became her dead sister as a cover identity. And that was only the beginning.
Joanna fights the good fight or so she thinks fulfilling the first sign of the zodiac- the unveiling of the Kairos, the second sign, a plague, and the third sign the awakening of the Kairos' dormant side. By the fourth sign, Joanna thinks she may have a chance at some normalcy. Maybe she can hang with friends or fall in love like any other girl. Nope. Joanna must enter a new world known as Midheaven. A fantastical place run by amazonesque women that make the shadows look tame. She has her mission and if she fails, the fourth sign will not happen and all will be lost. Just a typical day for one Joanna Archer. During the course of the fifth sign, we see Joanna waiver. We see her frail and lost both physically and emotionally. She is once again abandoned and betrayed. She has no stability. Her lover is disloyal and her troop leaves her defenseless. This is a book of questions. What is right and wrong? What does she have to live for? Is she a rainbow or just plain grey? What are her lover’s real motives and are they meant to be? Some questions are answered and others are raised. But, by the end, Joanna Archer knows one thing, she’s pissed and if she’s going down, she’s going down swinging.
This may not be a series of HEA’s, but it is a gritty kick-ass urban fantasy. The world building is phenomenal and only gets better in each book. The writing is seamless with engrossing characters that have you wanting/demanding/needing more. Each book leaves the reader eager for the next rollercoaster ride. In an age of vampires and werewolves, Pettersson’s superheroes pack a punch that cannot and will not be ignored.
Here are the books in order and Vicki’s site: http://www.vickipettersson.com/home.html
• The Scent of Shadows: The First Sign of the Zodiac
• The Taste of Night: The Second Sign of the Zodiac
• The Touch of Twilight: The Third Sign of the Zodiac
• City of Souls: The Fourth Sign of the Zodiac
• Cheat the Grave: The Fifth Sign of the Zodiac
• Neon Graveyard: The Sixth Sign of the Zodiac (May 31st 2011)
`Happy Reading!
**Update**
Neon Graveyard: The Sixth Sign of the Zodiac
"Once she was a soldier for the Light, the prophesied savior who would decide the outcome of the eternal conflict raging unseen in the dark corners of her glittering hometown. Now Joanna Archer is just another mortal—still born of an impossible union of Shadow and Light . . . still hunted by both—and carrying the unborn child of a lover held captive by a depraved demon goddess. Joining forces with a band of rogue Shadow agents, Joanna's ready to storm the stronghold of her demonic foe, risking everything to enter this ghastly, godforsaken realm where the price of admission is her eternal soul. Because in a world that has stripped her of her power, identity, and fortune, Joanna has nothing left to lose—except her baby, her future, and the epic war poised to consume the city."
The sixth and final installment of the Zodiac series did not disappoint. The series comes to and end and I feel Sad yet Satisfied. Pettersson's writing is, as always, phenomenal. I will miss the struggle between the shadow and the light. I will miss the sarcasm and cynicism of Jo but all good things must come to an end and Pettersson let Jo go out on a high note. The sixth sign of the Zodiac revolved around The Serpent Bearer. Jo had to take down her two big baddies, the Tulpa and Solage and she also had to deal with the insane Warren. And Jo did what Jo does best, she survived. As Jo would say, “Nothing gets between me and mine.”
@karenvtavares
“Before you plan your next trip to Vegas, you might want to answer...
Are you Light? Or are you Shadow? Because there’s another world behind the bright lights and nonstop action of Sin city ... one where Light and Shadow wage an immortal war for supremacy.
But the eternal battle has reached the tipping point, and only one person can change the future – casino heiress, photographer, and vigilante: Joanna Archer.
And no one knows the darkness within better than she does.”
Who is Joanna Archer? Victim, survivor, photographer, vigilante, heiress, socialite, superhero- Yes. Joanna, Jo, Jo-Jo-, Olivia, Livy-girl, Ms. Archer, the Kairos, the Archer-Yes. Daughter, sister, soldier, leader, followers, mother, everyone, and no one- Yes. Joanna is such a complex character, one living in both the shadow and light. Everyone wants her dead. Everyone wants a piece of her. And Joanna, well she’s only beginning to have a clue to what she wants.
All her life Joanna has known loss. Her mother abandoned her as a child and then she was dutifully despised and ignored by her so-called father. She has sought violence and death in the streets of Sin City. And you what they say, if you knock long enough the devil will answer the door. That door swung wide open to Joanna. In a very short span of time, she lost her sister, entered a group of super beings known as Zodiac Troop 175, and became her dead sister as a cover identity. And that was only the beginning.
Joanna fights the good fight or so she thinks fulfilling the first sign of the zodiac- the unveiling of the Kairos, the second sign, a plague, and the third sign the awakening of the Kairos' dormant side. By the fourth sign, Joanna thinks she may have a chance at some normalcy. Maybe she can hang with friends or fall in love like any other girl. Nope. Joanna must enter a new world known as Midheaven. A fantastical place run by amazonesque women that make the shadows look tame. She has her mission and if she fails, the fourth sign will not happen and all will be lost. Just a typical day for one Joanna Archer. During the course of the fifth sign, we see Joanna waiver. We see her frail and lost both physically and emotionally. She is once again abandoned and betrayed. She has no stability. Her lover is disloyal and her troop leaves her defenseless. This is a book of questions. What is right and wrong? What does she have to live for? Is she a rainbow or just plain grey? What are her lover’s real motives and are they meant to be? Some questions are answered and others are raised. But, by the end, Joanna Archer knows one thing, she’s pissed and if she’s going down, she’s going down swinging.
This may not be a series of HEA’s, but it is a gritty kick-ass urban fantasy. The world building is phenomenal and only gets better in each book. The writing is seamless with engrossing characters that have you wanting/demanding/needing more. Each book leaves the reader eager for the next rollercoaster ride. In an age of vampires and werewolves, Pettersson’s superheroes pack a punch that cannot and will not be ignored.
Here are the books in order and Vicki’s site: http://www.vickipettersson.com/home.html
• The Scent of Shadows: The First Sign of the Zodiac
• The Taste of Night: The Second Sign of the Zodiac
• The Touch of Twilight: The Third Sign of the Zodiac
• City of Souls: The Fourth Sign of the Zodiac
• Cheat the Grave: The Fifth Sign of the Zodiac
• Neon Graveyard: The Sixth Sign of the Zodiac (May 31st 2011)
`Happy Reading!
**Update**
Neon Graveyard: The Sixth Sign of the Zodiac
"Once she was a soldier for the Light, the prophesied savior who would decide the outcome of the eternal conflict raging unseen in the dark corners of her glittering hometown. Now Joanna Archer is just another mortal—still born of an impossible union of Shadow and Light . . . still hunted by both—and carrying the unborn child of a lover held captive by a depraved demon goddess. Joining forces with a band of rogue Shadow agents, Joanna's ready to storm the stronghold of her demonic foe, risking everything to enter this ghastly, godforsaken realm where the price of admission is her eternal soul. Because in a world that has stripped her of her power, identity, and fortune, Joanna has nothing left to lose—except her baby, her future, and the epic war poised to consume the city."
The sixth and final installment of the Zodiac series did not disappoint. The series comes to and end and I feel Sad yet Satisfied. Pettersson's writing is, as always, phenomenal. I will miss the struggle between the shadow and the light. I will miss the sarcasm and cynicism of Jo but all good things must come to an end and Pettersson let Jo go out on a high note. The sixth sign of the Zodiac revolved around The Serpent Bearer. Jo had to take down her two big baddies, the Tulpa and Solage and she also had to deal with the insane Warren. And Jo did what Jo does best, she survived. As Jo would say, “Nothing gets between me and mine.”
@karenvtavares
October 6, 2017
I loved this series, and this final book was everything I expected and more. I could not put it down!
June 27, 2023
A satisfying conclusion to the series. I’m glad I saw it through to the end.
July 15, 2024
Definitely different from other paranormal romances but a good book to read.
July 8, 2011
*Rating* 4.0
*Genre* Science Fiction
**Review**
The Neon Graveyard, by Vicki Pettersson, is the final book in the Sign of the Zodiac series. If you haven’t read any of the books in this series before this, or haven’t stayed with it during the rather mundane books like City of Souls, then you won’t understand anything that is happening in this one.
The story picks up with Joanna Archer, the series protagonist and storyteller, still banished from her troop called the Light after she lost her powers, and her immortality. She has found shelter among a group of individuals called the Gray on the outside of Las Vegas where none of the other troops can reach her. They are all rogue members of either the Light or the Shadows who have come to Las Vegas from other places like NYC and Arizona. Carlos, the default leader of the Gray, has offered to help Joanna in her mission to retrieve Hunter from Midheaven and is also very protective of Joanna knowing that she is carrying an unborn child in her womb.
This is rather like a comic book mixed with some Greek mythology where you have the good guys called the light, and the evil villains called the Shadows. There is even a Comic Book store where so called storytellers write about the events that happen to both camps. They each have different powers that are linked to the Western Zodiac signs. There are twelve active members at one time in each troop. Right now, the Light is missing members with Joanna’s banishment and Hunter’s disappearance to Midheaven and Warren's pure stubborness and refusal to allow discussion.
Obviously with the last book of any series, the writers’ goal is to wrap up the unanswered questions and storylines that have been building up since the beginning. Will Joanna actually save Hunter or will Solange win in the end? Will Joanna ever get her powers back that she gambled away in Midheaven as well as two-thirds of her soul? Is Joanna really the fabled Kairos that is said to be so power that whichever side has her, the power shifts in that direction? Will Joanna and Warren finally come to blows after the way he has turned her out? Lastly, what can be done to kill the Tulpa once and for-all before he finds a way into Midheaven and kills all the Light forces and those living in Las Vegas?
Joanna finds that she has some hard choices to make both for her own survival, and that of Hunters. She absolutely refuses to allow Solange to keep Hunter and gather more and more rogues in her clutch which in turns gives her more power. She learns more about yet another prophecy called the Sixth Sign of the Zodiac. She realizes that she is a mix of gray, light and shadow, and that’s not really a bad thing in her estimation. She knows that a final confrontation is looming with the Tulpa, who has basically taken away his troops weapons so that she can’t gain her powers back, and Warren, who kicked her out after lying to her and using her and altering her appearance to make her look like her deceased sister Olivia.
Questions will definitely be answered. Are they sufficient to make even the true believer of this series happy? I believe the answer is yes. There are several emotional parts as well as not everyone survives this installment. This story is dark at times, but the story telling is first rate. Pettersson doesn’t waste time with fru fru story lines and isn’t afraid of killing off a character or two in order to get to the final cut as well as the final showdown between Joanna, Solange, Warren and Tulpa.
The story of Midheaven could in itself, could be separated into a separate story by the author that might actually do well. The darkness and the desperation of the men who end up there and end up staying for the rest of their lives is definitely worth reading about. There is even a twist when it comes to the other three women who Midheaven was made for as well as the fate of Solange and Hunters so called child.
The final hard fought battle between Joanna and the Tulpa was definitely worth the wait, but Warren’s battle with Joanna kind of disappointed me as well as fizzled. I was hoping for more of a hard fought battle that what we got.
--------------------------------**Spoilers if you really want to know**-----------------------
*Genre* Science Fiction
**Review**
The Neon Graveyard, by Vicki Pettersson, is the final book in the Sign of the Zodiac series. If you haven’t read any of the books in this series before this, or haven’t stayed with it during the rather mundane books like City of Souls, then you won’t understand anything that is happening in this one.
The story picks up with Joanna Archer, the series protagonist and storyteller, still banished from her troop called the Light after she lost her powers, and her immortality. She has found shelter among a group of individuals called the Gray on the outside of Las Vegas where none of the other troops can reach her. They are all rogue members of either the Light or the Shadows who have come to Las Vegas from other places like NYC and Arizona. Carlos, the default leader of the Gray, has offered to help Joanna in her mission to retrieve Hunter from Midheaven and is also very protective of Joanna knowing that she is carrying an unborn child in her womb.
This is rather like a comic book mixed with some Greek mythology where you have the good guys called the light, and the evil villains called the Shadows. There is even a Comic Book store where so called storytellers write about the events that happen to both camps. They each have different powers that are linked to the Western Zodiac signs. There are twelve active members at one time in each troop. Right now, the Light is missing members with Joanna’s banishment and Hunter’s disappearance to Midheaven and Warren's pure stubborness and refusal to allow discussion.
Obviously with the last book of any series, the writers’ goal is to wrap up the unanswered questions and storylines that have been building up since the beginning. Will Joanna actually save Hunter or will Solange win in the end? Will Joanna ever get her powers back that she gambled away in Midheaven as well as two-thirds of her soul? Is Joanna really the fabled Kairos that is said to be so power that whichever side has her, the power shifts in that direction? Will Joanna and Warren finally come to blows after the way he has turned her out? Lastly, what can be done to kill the Tulpa once and for-all before he finds a way into Midheaven and kills all the Light forces and those living in Las Vegas?
Joanna finds that she has some hard choices to make both for her own survival, and that of Hunters. She absolutely refuses to allow Solange to keep Hunter and gather more and more rogues in her clutch which in turns gives her more power. She learns more about yet another prophecy called the Sixth Sign of the Zodiac. She realizes that she is a mix of gray, light and shadow, and that’s not really a bad thing in her estimation. She knows that a final confrontation is looming with the Tulpa, who has basically taken away his troops weapons so that she can’t gain her powers back, and Warren, who kicked her out after lying to her and using her and altering her appearance to make her look like her deceased sister Olivia.
Questions will definitely be answered. Are they sufficient to make even the true believer of this series happy? I believe the answer is yes. There are several emotional parts as well as not everyone survives this installment. This story is dark at times, but the story telling is first rate. Pettersson doesn’t waste time with fru fru story lines and isn’t afraid of killing off a character or two in order to get to the final cut as well as the final showdown between Joanna, Solange, Warren and Tulpa.
The story of Midheaven could in itself, could be separated into a separate story by the author that might actually do well. The darkness and the desperation of the men who end up there and end up staying for the rest of their lives is definitely worth reading about. There is even a twist when it comes to the other three women who Midheaven was made for as well as the fate of Solange and Hunters so called child.
The final hard fought battle between Joanna and the Tulpa was definitely worth the wait, but Warren’s battle with Joanna kind of disappointed me as well as fizzled. I was hoping for more of a hard fought battle that what we got.
--------------------------------**Spoilers if you really want to know**-----------------------
May 10, 2011
Joanna Archer, who used to be a mere mortal stalking the images of her past and then discovered she was a real superhero, is only a mortal again. Now only able to go through life as a mortal with only the human strength and the supernatural ability to use any conduit –Shadow or Lights, her own or someone else’s, Joanna must continuously face her shadow enemies as well as her once- troop-now-turned-enemies agents of light. She does this while delicately avoiding leading the Gray troop and traversing back to Midheaven in an attempt to save more rogue agents as well as the man she loves. With the growing secret inside of her, Archer knows that time is not on her side and if she doesn’t free the agents soon it may be too late. It seems that everywhere Joanna turns she has to fight, and each fight is to the death.
This is the sixth and final installment of the Pettersson’s Zodiac Series, and I have to say that I am not really ready to say good-bye to this cast of characters. In what I have come to think of as “the Pettersson Way”, she tells a complete story in the first chapter that reminds you of what has already happened as well as daring you to try to figure out what is about to happen. It’s a style the pulls you in-almost unwillingly as you try to decide for yourself if you like the things that Joanna has discovered about herself. There is nothing better than a good fight with an obvious villain and hero(ine). What make Joanna so astutely likable is the fact that she is at moments all of us and none of us. She has run from who she is as well as embraces her identity. She has made hard decisions in such a cold calculating way that we don’t instantly like her for it. But we don’t hate her either. If anything I found that I was mostly undecided about Joanna. I was compelled to examine the question what would I do if I was in Joanna’s shoes? We all have issues with our parents, sometimes they’re minor and other times they’re minor. But this series takes family issues to a whole new level.
Knowing that this is the last in the series, I find myself torn. A part of me wants to make sure that everything is resolved and all of the strings are tied before the end of the book. The other part wants a door to be left open so there is a chance that we will hear more of Joanna Archer sometime down the road. I have been with Joanna since the beginning and I know the stuff that she has gone through, I have seen her grow and develop as a person (okay fine, I will admit it- she is not real and she is only a character. But I was there and she seems a little real to me. I can forgive Joanna’s flaws easily, because more than being a mixture of both shadow and light, Joanna is human in the best way possible. (This is funny because Joanna is doing her best to learn to be simply human in this story.) In The Neon Graveyard, Joanna has been stripped of all of the identities that she has had to take on and is given space and time to become the person that she wants to be. She is free to design her own fate.
After each new challenge/obstacle a layer is removed and the real Joanna Archer comes forward; the one that is free from a physical shell that isn’t truly her own and from the cage of expectations. I stopped liking Warren a book and half ago, maybe even before that, but now he proves that he really isn’t better than the Tulpa; no longer a good guy seeking balance but a man with his own agenda. Action and drama keeps you turning the page, as well as Joanna’s unwavering determination to free Hunter. Though I thought the buildup would mostly be between Joanna and the Tulpa, I am not disappointed with the way things ended. The first five books deal with her overcoming her past and her attempts to be the person that everyone expects her to be. The Neon Graveyard is more about Joanna becoming the person that she wants to be and doing what she thinks is right simply because it is not for anyone’s benefit. The series left off in a great –of not perfect-place, the opportunity and attempt to live a life of normalcy.
The Zodiac series has been something that I have enjoyed tremendously and would definitely recommend to others. This was a well-written series, with strong characters that calls you back again and again. If you want to know more about the series or the author, or if you want to learn about the new Celestial Blues series check out Pettersson’s website at www.vickiepettersson.com. You can also discover the anthologies that she is a part of.
This is the sixth and final installment of the Pettersson’s Zodiac Series, and I have to say that I am not really ready to say good-bye to this cast of characters. In what I have come to think of as “the Pettersson Way”, she tells a complete story in the first chapter that reminds you of what has already happened as well as daring you to try to figure out what is about to happen. It’s a style the pulls you in-almost unwillingly as you try to decide for yourself if you like the things that Joanna has discovered about herself. There is nothing better than a good fight with an obvious villain and hero(ine). What make Joanna so astutely likable is the fact that she is at moments all of us and none of us. She has run from who she is as well as embraces her identity. She has made hard decisions in such a cold calculating way that we don’t instantly like her for it. But we don’t hate her either. If anything I found that I was mostly undecided about Joanna. I was compelled to examine the question what would I do if I was in Joanna’s shoes? We all have issues with our parents, sometimes they’re minor and other times they’re minor. But this series takes family issues to a whole new level.
Knowing that this is the last in the series, I find myself torn. A part of me wants to make sure that everything is resolved and all of the strings are tied before the end of the book. The other part wants a door to be left open so there is a chance that we will hear more of Joanna Archer sometime down the road. I have been with Joanna since the beginning and I know the stuff that she has gone through, I have seen her grow and develop as a person (okay fine, I will admit it- she is not real and she is only a character. But I was there and she seems a little real to me. I can forgive Joanna’s flaws easily, because more than being a mixture of both shadow and light, Joanna is human in the best way possible. (This is funny because Joanna is doing her best to learn to be simply human in this story.) In The Neon Graveyard, Joanna has been stripped of all of the identities that she has had to take on and is given space and time to become the person that she wants to be. She is free to design her own fate.
After each new challenge/obstacle a layer is removed and the real Joanna Archer comes forward; the one that is free from a physical shell that isn’t truly her own and from the cage of expectations. I stopped liking Warren a book and half ago, maybe even before that, but now he proves that he really isn’t better than the Tulpa; no longer a good guy seeking balance but a man with his own agenda. Action and drama keeps you turning the page, as well as Joanna’s unwavering determination to free Hunter. Though I thought the buildup would mostly be between Joanna and the Tulpa, I am not disappointed with the way things ended. The first five books deal with her overcoming her past and her attempts to be the person that everyone expects her to be. The Neon Graveyard is more about Joanna becoming the person that she wants to be and doing what she thinks is right simply because it is not for anyone’s benefit. The series left off in a great –of not perfect-place, the opportunity and attempt to live a life of normalcy.
The Zodiac series has been something that I have enjoyed tremendously and would definitely recommend to others. This was a well-written series, with strong characters that calls you back again and again. If you want to know more about the series or the author, or if you want to learn about the new Celestial Blues series check out Pettersson’s website at www.vickiepettersson.com. You can also discover the anthologies that she is a part of.
May 26, 2011
Joanna has been knocked down time and time again. She's gone from a damaged woman to an incredibly strong superhero who was prophesized to be the Kairos, and then back down to being mortal again. She's taken up with the grays, or the rouge agents of the zodiac as she is being hunted by both the Shadow and the Light. She carries her trapped lover's unborn child and will do almost anything to free him, even risk her soul.
The thing I have always loved most about the Signs of the Zodiac series was the characters and their relationships with each other. Of course the constant danger was more than entertaining, but when it all is said and done, it will be the characters themselves, Joanna most of all, that have made the lasting impact on me, not their journey. Joanna could be described as nothing less than damaged goods, however instead of being weak from that damage, she turned it into a strength like no other. Countless times she is battered down and torn apart only to pick herself up and come back even stronger. It is a funny thing to say, but at times I think her sister's death may have really helped her in the long run. Of course she will always have that pain associated with the loss, but in taking Olivia's identity, it also forced her to allow a softer side, capable of love. This brings into play her relationship with Hunter, who was the only one who saw her for who she was, not what he could use her for. I could go on and on all about all of the characters, especially the two-faced Warren, but I'll let you read the books and find out for yourselves.
I have to admit that I never really cared for the Midheaven aspect in these books. I would have preferred for it to have taken a less important role. In fact, it really lessened the Tulpa's "big bad" aspect, as Solange just seemed so much worse. Of course you know what they say about "A Woman Scorned." All of the conflict and danger was so immense with Solange, that when it came time to deal with the Tulpa, I just didn't really feel the threat. Perhaps it just was the fact that by the time he reared his ugly little head, Joanna was completely done with being pushed around and used, making the Tulpa just another annoyance to her. In the end I guess it makes sense as Joanna states several time that she would sacrifice anyone, including herself in order to protect Hunter, and since the Tulpa wasn't really threatening him, she just really wasn't affected that much.
The Neon Graveyard did have a slightly slow start, but it quickly gained a heart pounding momentum. While the ending wasn't strictly a happy ever after, the characters did find a resolution of some sorts. At the very least, Joanna will be getting the break she so desperately needs, but who really knows what is in store for the future. I did feel a sense of closure and satisfaction with the ending, however things were left more than open enough for Vicki Pettersson to pick things back up in the future if she wants. So, it was the perfect blend of completion yet left me wanting more, and a fantastic place to end the series before reader fatigue could even think to set in. The Neon Graveyard is one you won't want to miss as it really is a great ending to a fantastic series.
The thing I have always loved most about the Signs of the Zodiac series was the characters and their relationships with each other. Of course the constant danger was more than entertaining, but when it all is said and done, it will be the characters themselves, Joanna most of all, that have made the lasting impact on me, not their journey. Joanna could be described as nothing less than damaged goods, however instead of being weak from that damage, she turned it into a strength like no other. Countless times she is battered down and torn apart only to pick herself up and come back even stronger. It is a funny thing to say, but at times I think her sister's death may have really helped her in the long run. Of course she will always have that pain associated with the loss, but in taking Olivia's identity, it also forced her to allow a softer side, capable of love. This brings into play her relationship with Hunter, who was the only one who saw her for who she was, not what he could use her for. I could go on and on all about all of the characters, especially the two-faced Warren, but I'll let you read the books and find out for yourselves.
I have to admit that I never really cared for the Midheaven aspect in these books. I would have preferred for it to have taken a less important role. In fact, it really lessened the Tulpa's "big bad" aspect, as Solange just seemed so much worse. Of course you know what they say about "A Woman Scorned." All of the conflict and danger was so immense with Solange, that when it came time to deal with the Tulpa, I just didn't really feel the threat. Perhaps it just was the fact that by the time he reared his ugly little head, Joanna was completely done with being pushed around and used, making the Tulpa just another annoyance to her. In the end I guess it makes sense as Joanna states several time that she would sacrifice anyone, including herself in order to protect Hunter, and since the Tulpa wasn't really threatening him, she just really wasn't affected that much.
The Neon Graveyard did have a slightly slow start, but it quickly gained a heart pounding momentum. While the ending wasn't strictly a happy ever after, the characters did find a resolution of some sorts. At the very least, Joanna will be getting the break she so desperately needs, but who really knows what is in store for the future. I did feel a sense of closure and satisfaction with the ending, however things were left more than open enough for Vicki Pettersson to pick things back up in the future if she wants. So, it was the perfect blend of completion yet left me wanting more, and a fantastic place to end the series before reader fatigue could even think to set in. The Neon Graveyard is one you won't want to miss as it really is a great ending to a fantastic series.
June 4, 2011
Warning: Some Spoilers Below
Don’t get me wrong I love the Zodiac series, but Neon Graveyard was what I wanted for the wrap up to this series. I loved the characters, the world; it was all very new & stand alone in a genre that is usually dominated by vampires, werewolves & faeries. Unfortunately it came to an abrupt disappointing ending.
The majority of the book is spent by Jo hoping in & out of Midheaven & accomplishing pretty much nothing. I think it’s only 3 times she goes in, could be 4, I can’t remember but it honestly felt like 100 times so I can’t keep it straight. The first time is completely useless & just ate up pages. The second time she goes in after that moron Carlos, this is where I can’t recall if it’s just the one time because all of it just blurs together. Anyway she saves him dumbass, tries & fails to get Hunter AGAIN, & then kills that freakish thing with Carlos that I figured out immediately was supposed to be Lola. The last time Jo finally gets it done but pretty much gets her ass handed to her & gets lucky Vanessa knew she’d probably die. Hooray for finally getting Hunter out but Booooo for execution.
The wrap up to Warren was by far the most disappointing part for me I think. After everything that prick did to everyone & didn’t bat an eye, he was by far the main antagonist for me & WAY more evil than the Tulpa ever was. That MF deserved to die, not be locked away in Midheaven, what BS! Tekla should have just finished him off instead of holding him at the end of her conduit; it would have been a more fitting end. The characters were deprived of the justice they deserved & the reader was deprived of the satisfaction of his demise.
The way the Tulpa was taken down was satisfying for the most part. Though for being the climax of the book/series, there wasn’t much of a build up to the “final battle”. It was like the Wham Bam Thank You Mam when it should have been a slow simmer up to a rolling boil over. I liked how Jo just basically imagined him back out of existence; it was very appropriate & poetic.
The ending & the goodbye to Olivia, while sweetly sad, just didn’t feel right for the series. It got the “Ride off into the Sunset” so typical of the happy ending. While I like that there was a happy ending, I felt it was not fitting to the uniqueness of the series.
Overall Neon Graveyard felt like it was rushed. It lacked flow, cohesion & a proper climactic event. Honestly I get the impression that Vicki intended for there to be a few more books in the series. I don’t know if that was the case or not but it feels like there was supposed to be more but that the deal didn’t come through so she had to wrap it all up prematurely.
An unfortunate end to an otherwise great series. I think I will at some point reread the entire series as one story to see if it feels different put altogether but I doubt it will change my opinion of this last book.
Don’t get me wrong I love the Zodiac series, but Neon Graveyard was what I wanted for the wrap up to this series. I loved the characters, the world; it was all very new & stand alone in a genre that is usually dominated by vampires, werewolves & faeries. Unfortunately it came to an abrupt disappointing ending.
The majority of the book is spent by Jo hoping in & out of Midheaven & accomplishing pretty much nothing. I think it’s only 3 times she goes in, could be 4, I can’t remember but it honestly felt like 100 times so I can’t keep it straight. The first time is completely useless & just ate up pages. The second time she goes in after that moron Carlos, this is where I can’t recall if it’s just the one time because all of it just blurs together. Anyway she saves him dumbass, tries & fails to get Hunter AGAIN, & then kills that freakish thing with Carlos that I figured out immediately was supposed to be Lola. The last time Jo finally gets it done but pretty much gets her ass handed to her & gets lucky Vanessa knew she’d probably die. Hooray for finally getting Hunter out but Booooo for execution.
The wrap up to Warren was by far the most disappointing part for me I think. After everything that prick did to everyone & didn’t bat an eye, he was by far the main antagonist for me & WAY more evil than the Tulpa ever was. That MF deserved to die, not be locked away in Midheaven, what BS! Tekla should have just finished him off instead of holding him at the end of her conduit; it would have been a more fitting end. The characters were deprived of the justice they deserved & the reader was deprived of the satisfaction of his demise.
The way the Tulpa was taken down was satisfying for the most part. Though for being the climax of the book/series, there wasn’t much of a build up to the “final battle”. It was like the Wham Bam Thank You Mam when it should have been a slow simmer up to a rolling boil over. I liked how Jo just basically imagined him back out of existence; it was very appropriate & poetic.
The ending & the goodbye to Olivia, while sweetly sad, just didn’t feel right for the series. It got the “Ride off into the Sunset” so typical of the happy ending. While I like that there was a happy ending, I felt it was not fitting to the uniqueness of the series.
Overall Neon Graveyard felt like it was rushed. It lacked flow, cohesion & a proper climactic event. Honestly I get the impression that Vicki intended for there to be a few more books in the series. I don’t know if that was the case or not but it feels like there was supposed to be more but that the deal didn’t come through so she had to wrap it all up prematurely.
An unfortunate end to an otherwise great series. I think I will at some point reread the entire series as one story to see if it feels different put altogether but I doubt it will change my opinion of this last book.
May 25, 2011
Favorite Lines: “I was here because of the choices I’d made, and even in hindsight, I’d choose each of them again. But today I’d take those lessons learned and choose something else entirely. I’d leave this world’s conflict and battle to those who wished for it instead.”
The conclusion to Vicki Pettersson’s Sign of the Zodiac series ties up all the loose ends while taking Joanna to new heights. In book one, the first sign of the Zodiac (the rise of the Kairos) was met. The Kairos is the person fated to protect humanity from the Shadows (read evil).
In books 2 through 5, Joanna learned to use her powers, fought evil, lost her super powers to save a human and joined with renegade light and dark members to form the Grays. The sixth sign of the Zodiac if the grand finale. The sixth sign is Joanna even learns why several key players in the dispute between Light and Shadow seem to hate her. It’s because she found freedom from the battle raging between the Light and Shadow first. She sacrificed herself for another, something that distanced her from her allies and made her easy pickings for her enemies. In doing so she created a new, well-known troop of Gray.
Throughout the series Joanna has grown as a character and she continues that growth through the final pages of The Neon Graveyard. She knows that those who believe in strictly good vs. evil are chosing to ignore everything that separates the two. What does this mean? Well bad that chooses to be bad…is well never going to be good. But the light that chooses to wear blinders to its surrounding risks becoming blind or evil.
I’ve been waiting to see if Joanna gets a happy ending and I won’t spoil your finding out by telling you. But in general, I wonder if Joanna and Hunter can have a happily ever after. Say they survive the events of The Neon Graveyard, will their budding relationship get up off the ground or will it fizzle and die out? Pettersson has created an urban fantasy world where things are constantly changing. You never know when the gritty reality of life is going to intrude and force the characters to adapt. If the couple were to drive off into the sunset, will they be able to live a quiet, white picket fenced life?
The animosity that has been building up in the series has been leading to a final showdown between the light, gray and dark. It’s time that Midheaven is dealt with, for emotions to be examined and a new era to begin. If you’ve ever wanted to know what a mortal forced into a corner and surrounded by people with super powers is capable of to pick up The Neon Graveyard.
Warning: Do not read this book as a stand alone. It is the final book in a six book series.
Scooper Speaks
The conclusion to Vicki Pettersson’s Sign of the Zodiac series ties up all the loose ends while taking Joanna to new heights. In book one, the first sign of the Zodiac (the rise of the Kairos) was met. The Kairos is the person fated to protect humanity from the Shadows (read evil).
In books 2 through 5, Joanna learned to use her powers, fought evil, lost her super powers to save a human and joined with renegade light and dark members to form the Grays. The sixth sign of the Zodiac if the grand finale. The sixth sign is Joanna even learns why several key players in the dispute between Light and Shadow seem to hate her. It’s because she found freedom from the battle raging between the Light and Shadow first. She sacrificed herself for another, something that distanced her from her allies and made her easy pickings for her enemies. In doing so she created a new, well-known troop of Gray.
Throughout the series Joanna has grown as a character and she continues that growth through the final pages of The Neon Graveyard. She knows that those who believe in strictly good vs. evil are chosing to ignore everything that separates the two. What does this mean? Well bad that chooses to be bad…is well never going to be good. But the light that chooses to wear blinders to its surrounding risks becoming blind or evil.
I’ve been waiting to see if Joanna gets a happy ending and I won’t spoil your finding out by telling you. But in general, I wonder if Joanna and Hunter can have a happily ever after. Say they survive the events of The Neon Graveyard, will their budding relationship get up off the ground or will it fizzle and die out? Pettersson has created an urban fantasy world where things are constantly changing. You never know when the gritty reality of life is going to intrude and force the characters to adapt. If the couple were to drive off into the sunset, will they be able to live a quiet, white picket fenced life?
The animosity that has been building up in the series has been leading to a final showdown between the light, gray and dark. It’s time that Midheaven is dealt with, for emotions to be examined and a new era to begin. If you’ve ever wanted to know what a mortal forced into a corner and surrounded by people with super powers is capable of to pick up The Neon Graveyard.
Warning: Do not read this book as a stand alone. It is the final book in a six book series.
Scooper Speaks
April 23, 2011
http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/2011/...
This is the 6th and last book in the Signs of the Zodiac series. There isn’t much point in reviewing the actual book. If you have read the first 5 books in this series, then you *will read this one. You have too! No one who has watch Pettersson, tear down Joanna Archer, then build her up just to tear her down again, through out this series would want to miss the conclusion to this dark, completely captivating and gut wrenching Urban Fantasy!
It has been almost a year since I read the 5th book (Cheat the Grave) and I had forgotten why I love this series so much. When I started reading The Neon Graveyard I was swept back into one of the most original and darkest and well written UFs out there.
So instead of talking about The Neon Graveyard and possibly spoiling an ending that has been 4 years in the making, I will tell you why you should start this series. To truly enjoy this series you must start with the first book.
I remember, vividly, reading the first pages of the The Scent of Shadows (book #1). It was the first time a book grabbed me so quickly and completely. It was then I realized I loved dark UF. The world of the Zodiac is intelligent and clever. This isn’t light reading. I cried and cussed at Ms. Pettersson (in my head ) for how she treated poor Jo Archer! But that is what this series is about.
Joanna is suddenly thrust into a secret world where a battle rages between the Shadow and the Light, and both sides feel she is the key to their success. She experiences extraordinary love and devastating loss as both sides try to control her fate. She stuggles with the discovery that maybe she isn’t meant to be with either side, but somewhere in the gray, and in a world where there can only be Shadow or Light where does that leave her?
Another reason to read this series is the writing. Vicki Pettersson is a damn fine writer. Her books contain fighting action, suspense, dark humor and are emotionally packed. For those who care, it is expertly written from the first person POV.
Here some examples of her writing from The Neon Graveyard:
Blackness, pure and raw as a midnight grave.
That was my first though. My second?
Shoulda brought a lighter.
I shook my head, utterly serious, cutting out his laughter. He needed to hear me on this. “You don’t understand. I will not love you gently, Hunter.”
“No?” The honeyed softness in his gaze hardened. After a moment, I realized it was done in challenge. “Then how will you love me, Jo?”
Recklessly, I thought, holding that steady gaze. With a rampaging heart, I decided, narrowing my own eyes. “Like a bull loves red.”
I give The Neon Graveyard and the whole series 5 sheep!
This is the 6th and last book in the Signs of the Zodiac series. There isn’t much point in reviewing the actual book. If you have read the first 5 books in this series, then you *will read this one. You have too! No one who has watch Pettersson, tear down Joanna Archer, then build her up just to tear her down again, through out this series would want to miss the conclusion to this dark, completely captivating and gut wrenching Urban Fantasy!
It has been almost a year since I read the 5th book (Cheat the Grave) and I had forgotten why I love this series so much. When I started reading The Neon Graveyard I was swept back into one of the most original and darkest and well written UFs out there.
So instead of talking about The Neon Graveyard and possibly spoiling an ending that has been 4 years in the making, I will tell you why you should start this series. To truly enjoy this series you must start with the first book.
I remember, vividly, reading the first pages of the The Scent of Shadows (book #1). It was the first time a book grabbed me so quickly and completely. It was then I realized I loved dark UF. The world of the Zodiac is intelligent and clever. This isn’t light reading. I cried and cussed at Ms. Pettersson (in my head ) for how she treated poor Jo Archer! But that is what this series is about.
Joanna is suddenly thrust into a secret world where a battle rages between the Shadow and the Light, and both sides feel she is the key to their success. She experiences extraordinary love and devastating loss as both sides try to control her fate. She stuggles with the discovery that maybe she isn’t meant to be with either side, but somewhere in the gray, and in a world where there can only be Shadow or Light where does that leave her?
Another reason to read this series is the writing. Vicki Pettersson is a damn fine writer. Her books contain fighting action, suspense, dark humor and are emotionally packed. For those who care, it is expertly written from the first person POV.
Here some examples of her writing from The Neon Graveyard:
Blackness, pure and raw as a midnight grave.
That was my first though. My second?
Shoulda brought a lighter.
I shook my head, utterly serious, cutting out his laughter. He needed to hear me on this. “You don’t understand. I will not love you gently, Hunter.”
“No?” The honeyed softness in his gaze hardened. After a moment, I realized it was done in challenge. “Then how will you love me, Jo?”
Recklessly, I thought, holding that steady gaze. With a rampaging heart, I decided, narrowing my own eyes. “Like a bull loves red.”
I give The Neon Graveyard and the whole series 5 sheep!
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