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Alex Connor #1
Precinct 13
Recent college grad Alex Conner is thrilled to have landed a job as the Hughes County coroner/medical examiner in Pierre, South Dakota. But when her first day on the job ends with a missing corpse, Alex starts to wonder if she would have been better off collecting unemployment...
When the cops made some cryptic comments about being careful with the body they brought in, Alex just thought the boys in blue were messing with her. That is, until something freaky happens that no amount of med school could have prepared her for. By the time Alex gets herself together, the body has disappeared and the other residents of the morgue start talking her ear off.
After working up the courage to report the missing body, Alex is transferred to the mysterious Precinct 13 where she discovers that her new co-workers—including a cute technomage named Jack—are paranormals just like her. Now, Alex is being encouraged to use her ability to speak to the dead to solve crimes. And despite being in the middle of nowhere, Hughes County sure does have a lot of paranormal activity…
When the cops made some cryptic comments about being careful with the body they brought in, Alex just thought the boys in blue were messing with her. That is, until something freaky happens that no amount of med school could have prepared her for. By the time Alex gets herself together, the body has disappeared and the other residents of the morgue start talking her ear off.
After working up the courage to report the missing body, Alex is transferred to the mysterious Precinct 13 where she discovers that her new co-workers—including a cute technomage named Jack—are paranormals just like her. Now, Alex is being encouraged to use her ability to speak to the dead to solve crimes. And despite being in the middle of nowhere, Hughes County sure does have a lot of paranormal activity…
308 pages, Trade Paperback
First published August 7, 2012
35 people are currently reading
2190 people want to read
About the author
Tate Hallaway
21 books731 followersA Scorpio with a Leo Rising, Tate Hallaway is an amateur astrologer and practicing Witch. Tate has been a fan of vampire fiction since she first read Poppy Z. Brite in high school. Her first short fiction acceptance was to a vampire ‘zine called Nocturnal Ecstasy Vampire Coven. Tate lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota with three black cats.
This author also writes science fiction under the name Lyda Morehouse.
This author also writes science fiction under the name Lyda Morehouse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
November 4, 2016
This book was a sort of Urban Fantasy book with humor. It was pretty good. The mystery portion was way too easy to figure out, but I mostly liked all the characters. The author only wrote the one book and I don't think it is a series, so that seems weird to me. Overall, it was entertaining.
September 20, 2015
Most certainly a book and author to watch out for. I can't wait to see if this will stay a standalone or turn into a series.
July 18, 2012
First of all, lets get the genre label cleared up. My copy of the book is labeled as a paranormal romance, but I can tell you that this reads much more like an urban fantasy. The one thing (for me) that differentiates the two is paranormal romance has sex. Well, more descriptions of it anyway. And while we know that there IS sex in the book we see none of it. For me that's a good thing, I like UF better than PNR. However, there is romance and I assure you, you'll do plenty of swooning! And this opens it up to the younger readers. I would say this is entirely appropriate for mature YA readers (my opinion).
Okay, so have you read Tate Hallaway yet? I love her Garnet Lacey books (though I still need to read the last one) but they are a little bit extreme. I mean, her books teeter on the edge of a little too much, like not realistic feeling anymore, or slightly ridiculous. I still liked them, but I'm pointing this out because this series doesn't seem to teeter quite on the ridiculous. While it's chock full of supernatural beings of every type, it all felt kind of real. And there was funny thrown in without going over the top and touching ridiculous.
So the thing is... I loved this book! First of all, Alex is a great character! It took a bit to warm up to her (like a chapter or two) but then I saw her awesome personality come out and I adored her. She's kick ass and not at all shy. She's been in the dark about the supernatural until a dead body walks out of her morgue. Suddenly she realizes that she really did know more than she thought. She's introduced to Precinct 13, which deals in all manner of supernatural and it's like she's suddenly found her home, her true self and her passion. And she's good at it. She loves it almost right away. It's like she's waited her whole life for it to happen. And while this book has a lot to do with her learning about it and accepting it, it really didn't slow down for her learning or explanations. There was nothing heavy about this book at all. It was constant action and moved along without going too fast and leaving us behind.
Then comes Valentine and well, I can't even say anything about this dude, other than you want to know his secret. Trust me, you do. And you'll love it!
This is one phenomenal world. I loved each new thing that came into play. I was stunned by how creative the author managed to be in a world that's inundated with UF books and supernatural beings. Not everyone can pull off such a big magical feat, but Tate Hallaway did it, this book rocked my socks!
This book was provided for review. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.
You can find this review and others like it at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
Okay, so have you read Tate Hallaway yet? I love her Garnet Lacey books (though I still need to read the last one) but they are a little bit extreme. I mean, her books teeter on the edge of a little too much, like not realistic feeling anymore, or slightly ridiculous. I still liked them, but I'm pointing this out because this series doesn't seem to teeter quite on the ridiculous. While it's chock full of supernatural beings of every type, it all felt kind of real. And there was funny thrown in without going over the top and touching ridiculous.
So the thing is... I loved this book! First of all, Alex is a great character! It took a bit to warm up to her (like a chapter or two) but then I saw her awesome personality come out and I adored her. She's kick ass and not at all shy. She's been in the dark about the supernatural until a dead body walks out of her morgue. Suddenly she realizes that she really did know more than she thought. She's introduced to Precinct 13, which deals in all manner of supernatural and it's like she's suddenly found her home, her true self and her passion. And she's good at it. She loves it almost right away. It's like she's waited her whole life for it to happen. And while this book has a lot to do with her learning about it and accepting it, it really didn't slow down for her learning or explanations. There was nothing heavy about this book at all. It was constant action and moved along without going too fast and leaving us behind.
Then comes Valentine and well, I can't even say anything about this dude, other than you want to know his secret. Trust me, you do. And you'll love it!
This is one phenomenal world. I loved each new thing that came into play. I was stunned by how creative the author managed to be in a world that's inundated with UF books and supernatural beings. Not everyone can pull off such a big magical feat, but Tate Hallaway did it, this book rocked my socks!
This book was provided for review. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.
You can find this review and others like it at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
August 17, 2020
Read again on 08/17/2020
I lowered my original 4 star rating to 2 because honestly I can’t rate more than that (and it’s generous...) It’s seriously flawed. I found it lacking in world building, plot, characterisation. The villain was so self evident to be annoying (and no I didn’t remember anything at all from my first read). I didn’t like any character.
It was superficial at best.
3 1/2
I admit I wasn't sure this was a book for me. But I was pleasantly surprised by it. Yes, it is light, but it never became fluffy or silly (in other words, I never thought of chick lit :).
I loved Alex's voice and the world/characters surrounding her. I loved that she already has a lover, so there's no romance to dilute the plot.
On a side note: when did ebook started costing this much? One of the reason I wasn't sure I was going to buy this book is the price. 10 bucks for an (almost) unknown author is a bet many may not want to place.
I lowered my original 4 star rating to 2 because honestly I can’t rate more than that (and it’s generous...) It’s seriously flawed. I found it lacking in world building, plot, characterisation. The villain was so self evident to be annoying (and no I didn’t remember anything at all from my first read). I didn’t like any character.
It was superficial at best.
3 1/2
I admit I wasn't sure this was a book for me. But I was pleasantly surprised by it. Yes, it is light, but it never became fluffy or silly (in other words, I never thought of chick lit :).
I loved Alex's voice and the world/characters surrounding her. I loved that she already has a lover, so there's no romance to dilute the plot.
On a side note: when did ebook started costing this much? One of the reason I wasn't sure I was going to buy this book is the price. 10 bucks for an (almost) unknown author is a bet many may not want to place.
August 7, 2012
Originally posted at: http://www.fictionvixen.com/guest-rev...
Precinct 13 is the first book in a new adult urban fantasy series by Tate Hallaway, according to the author's website, and categorized as Paranormal Romance by Berkely. I would say this book leans more urban fantasy than paranormal romance. As Tate Hallaway is a new to me author, I didn't know exactly what to expect, the blurb sounded interesting and I'm always open to anything in the urban fantasy and paranormal genres.
When we meet Alex, our heroine, she has just won the position of Hughes County coroner on a bet. Her first day on the job ends with a corpse walking out of her office, a snake tattooing it's self to her arm and the Sherriff directing her to a mysterious office named Precinct 13. When she arrives at Precinct 13 to report the missing corpse she is met by all manner of paranormals who will become her new co-workers and teach Alex how she fits into their magical world. What follows is an adventure of tracking down zombies, dealing with crop circles and mutilated cows and Alex using her ability to talk to the dead to help Precinct 13 solve crime.
It took me awhile to get into this story, the first 75 pages or so were a struggle. I didn't connect to Alex at all. In fact, I found her to be quite annoying and too stupid to live the first seven or eight chapters. Early in the book we learn that Alex has a past with magic, she has been able to "see" magical creatures from an early age. After her and her lover, Valentine, try to kill her Step-Mother, whom she thought was a demon, she is put away in psychiatric ward and Valentine is incarcerated. After years of therapy and being on meds she moves to small town Pierre, South Dakota to start over. So when she is re-introduced to magic and the paranormal community she is still in that denial zone..... And while I can understand her being in denial, I was turned off by her use of sarcasm and out and out stupidity about what was right in front of her face. I mean she watched a corpse walk right off the exam table and had a snake attach it's self to her body just that morning... I wanted to shake her while screaming "take it seriously girl!".
This book seemed to be in two parts, the first part where Alex is all sarcastic wit while trying to deny what is right in front of her face, and the second part where she turns into the super sleuth who seemingly is the master of figuring out clues left by the magical bad guys. I liked the second part much better than the first. Even her sarcastic wit got easier to deal with. As the cast of characters grew and Alex's interaction with them expanded I was more and more entertained. I do wish there was a little bit more romance between Alex and Valentine, I'm hoping that develops more in the future.
I will say that the story got better the further I read. This is an interesting world with some cool secondary characters. It has the potential to be a pretty fun series. I'm intrigued by Valentine, he seems to be a more interesting character than Alex actually. Tate Hallaway has left herself plenty of room to grow with both her characters and her use of so many types of paranormal creatures. This turned out to be a light, amusing read. I'm glad I stuck with it through those first pages. I'll be checking out the next one to see in what direction Ms. Hallaway takes this series next.
Favorite Quote:
"I'm Jack," he said. "You must be Alice."
"Alex, " I corrected.
"I was making a literary reference," he said with a sniff and a London accent. He stepped aside to let me in. "Because, Alex, you're about to enter Wonderland."
Precinct 13 is the first book in a new adult urban fantasy series by Tate Hallaway, according to the author's website, and categorized as Paranormal Romance by Berkely. I would say this book leans more urban fantasy than paranormal romance. As Tate Hallaway is a new to me author, I didn't know exactly what to expect, the blurb sounded interesting and I'm always open to anything in the urban fantasy and paranormal genres.
When we meet Alex, our heroine, she has just won the position of Hughes County coroner on a bet. Her first day on the job ends with a corpse walking out of her office, a snake tattooing it's self to her arm and the Sherriff directing her to a mysterious office named Precinct 13. When she arrives at Precinct 13 to report the missing corpse she is met by all manner of paranormals who will become her new co-workers and teach Alex how she fits into their magical world. What follows is an adventure of tracking down zombies, dealing with crop circles and mutilated cows and Alex using her ability to talk to the dead to help Precinct 13 solve crime.
It took me awhile to get into this story, the first 75 pages or so were a struggle. I didn't connect to Alex at all. In fact, I found her to be quite annoying and too stupid to live the first seven or eight chapters. Early in the book we learn that Alex has a past with magic, she has been able to "see" magical creatures from an early age. After her and her lover, Valentine, try to kill her Step-Mother, whom she thought was a demon, she is put away in psychiatric ward and Valentine is incarcerated. After years of therapy and being on meds she moves to small town Pierre, South Dakota to start over. So when she is re-introduced to magic and the paranormal community she is still in that denial zone..... And while I can understand her being in denial, I was turned off by her use of sarcasm and out and out stupidity about what was right in front of her face. I mean she watched a corpse walk right off the exam table and had a snake attach it's self to her body just that morning... I wanted to shake her while screaming "take it seriously girl!".
This book seemed to be in two parts, the first part where Alex is all sarcastic wit while trying to deny what is right in front of her face, and the second part where she turns into the super sleuth who seemingly is the master of figuring out clues left by the magical bad guys. I liked the second part much better than the first. Even her sarcastic wit got easier to deal with. As the cast of characters grew and Alex's interaction with them expanded I was more and more entertained. I do wish there was a little bit more romance between Alex and Valentine, I'm hoping that develops more in the future.
I will say that the story got better the further I read. This is an interesting world with some cool secondary characters. It has the potential to be a pretty fun series. I'm intrigued by Valentine, he seems to be a more interesting character than Alex actually. Tate Hallaway has left herself plenty of room to grow with both her characters and her use of so many types of paranormal creatures. This turned out to be a light, amusing read. I'm glad I stuck with it through those first pages. I'll be checking out the next one to see in what direction Ms. Hallaway takes this series next.
Favorite Quote:
"I'm Jack," he said. "You must be Alice."
"Alex, " I corrected.
"I was making a literary reference," he said with a sniff and a London accent. He stepped aside to let me in. "Because, Alex, you're about to enter Wonderland."
October 12, 2013
Precinct 13 is a nifty combination of urban fantasy and police procedural, quite a pleasant surprise for someone who adores both like I do. Running from her old life, Alex gets a job as Hughes County medical examiner and becomes even more involved in the very thing she fought so hard to run away from – anything and everything supernatural. On her new job, she is forced to work with Precinct 13, a special police division in charge of all paranormal crimes. Alex questions everything about this, especially her own sanity, and her voice is what makes Precinct 13 a truly interesting read.
While the plot isn’t exactly original, the main character certainly is. It’s not often that we find heroines who truly question their sanity for seeing/believing in the supernatural, to the point of seeking medical assistance and agreeing to take heavy medication. Following doctor’s advice, Alex also runs from her beloved boyfriend Valentine because he tends to encourage her explorations of the paranormal, which Alex believes to be catastrophic for her sanity. The romance is a bit odd, perhaps, but that only makes it all the more interesting. Valentine is as mysterious as they come, and Alex is unsure whether she should trust him or stay as far away as possible from him.
There’s nothing to suggest that a sequel will ever be published, which is a shame, in my opinion. These characters have heaps of potential that could have been turned into a great urban fantasy series, and we’re always in need of those.
While the plot isn’t exactly original, the main character certainly is. It’s not often that we find heroines who truly question their sanity for seeing/believing in the supernatural, to the point of seeking medical assistance and agreeing to take heavy medication. Following doctor’s advice, Alex also runs from her beloved boyfriend Valentine because he tends to encourage her explorations of the paranormal, which Alex believes to be catastrophic for her sanity. The romance is a bit odd, perhaps, but that only makes it all the more interesting. Valentine is as mysterious as they come, and Alex is unsure whether she should trust him or stay as far away as possible from him.
There’s nothing to suggest that a sequel will ever be published, which is a shame, in my opinion. These characters have heaps of potential that could have been turned into a great urban fantasy series, and we’re always in need of those.
January 23, 2019
A shame that Hallaway hasn’t continued with this series. I really enjoyed the mix of urban fantasy and police procedural.
August 17, 2012
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Precinct 13 is funny, full of wit, and refreshing.
Opening Sentence: I never dreamed of being a coroner.
The Review:
I’m new to Tate Hallaway as an author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The cover is interesting with the many faded symbols all throughout the background. The blurb on the cover, under the title, says “The dead have tales to tell. And sometimes they just won’t shut up.” I knew I was going to enjoy this, and that Hallaway would turn out to be an author right up my alley.
Precinct 13 introduces us to Alex, as bold and daring as they come. After taking a bet from her best friend, she campaigned and won the election for Hughes County coroner in Pierre, South Dakota. It wasn’t a fluke chance either. Alex is a forensic science graduate, who dropped out of medical school because of complicated life issues. But all of the complications and her former life in Chicago are behind her now, and as ready as she’ll ever be. Alex’s first day on the job resulted in moving body markings, a new protective snake tattoo, as well as having a fresh corpse getting up and walking from her table. Life as she knew it will change forever, opening up Alex’s eyes to paranormal truths and become a part of something that makes her feel normal.
Precinct 13 is a secretive division of the law that handles things out of the norm. From zombies to magic curses, nothing is too paranormal for Precinct 13. Alex then realizes her ability, ignoring the past of mental issues and finally realizing her potential. Precinct 13 brings the reader on an exciting adventure with many promises of paranormal and fantasy elements.
Alex believes she has mental problems. Aside from romantic problems with Valentine, she has seen and lived through many things. Alex is convinced that her stepmother is a demon, she has seen trolls under bridges, and more tragically, she left her boyfriend as he was jailed for assaulting her stepmother. She is independent and strong-willed, until you involve her mental capabilities. Understandably so, living in a world where seeing paranormal beings just don’t belong. And while others might find the sarcasm annoying, I thought it added to the comic relief of the story.
Precinct 13 has a handful of amazing supporting characters. From Valentine, the elusive romantic interest, to Spenser Jones, the half-fairy lead detective, Hannah Stone, a gollum with both physical and mental strength, Devon, a half vampire and half werewolf, and finally Jack, a technology-using magic user. Every single character had elements to contribute to the whole story, as well as individual entertainment appeal. The personalities did so well to compliment each other, never hindering against another.
Hallaway’s world is different, bordering between reality and fiction. There were enough supernatural and paranormal scenarios to grant this a paranormal/fantasy genre, but who knows, it could also mimic real life. I did feel that there was a lot to explain, which slowed the pacing in the beginning, but once that was all out of the way, it was smooth sailing ahead.
Precinct 13 is funny, full of wit, and refreshing. Hallaway is a great writer who will entertain you throughout the pages. I enjoyed Alex, Valentine, and the officers of Precinct 13, and I think you will too.
Notable Scene:
Her kindness was like a punch in the gut. My eyes threatened to fill with tears. I held them back by biting my lip. She could not know what she was apologizing for, but it was a lot: my lover imprisoned, my medical career in ruins, my family– fuck, my family– my dad walking away when I needed him the most. A life full of accusations of being strange, weird… insane.
“It’s over now,” I heard Jones say. You’re not alone anymore.”
That did it. The floodgates broke. I sobbed like a baby.
FTC Advisory: Berkley Trade provided me with a copy of Precinct 13. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Precinct 13 is funny, full of wit, and refreshing.
Opening Sentence: I never dreamed of being a coroner.
The Review:
I’m new to Tate Hallaway as an author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The cover is interesting with the many faded symbols all throughout the background. The blurb on the cover, under the title, says “The dead have tales to tell. And sometimes they just won’t shut up.” I knew I was going to enjoy this, and that Hallaway would turn out to be an author right up my alley.
Precinct 13 introduces us to Alex, as bold and daring as they come. After taking a bet from her best friend, she campaigned and won the election for Hughes County coroner in Pierre, South Dakota. It wasn’t a fluke chance either. Alex is a forensic science graduate, who dropped out of medical school because of complicated life issues. But all of the complications and her former life in Chicago are behind her now, and as ready as she’ll ever be. Alex’s first day on the job resulted in moving body markings, a new protective snake tattoo, as well as having a fresh corpse getting up and walking from her table. Life as she knew it will change forever, opening up Alex’s eyes to paranormal truths and become a part of something that makes her feel normal.
Precinct 13 is a secretive division of the law that handles things out of the norm. From zombies to magic curses, nothing is too paranormal for Precinct 13. Alex then realizes her ability, ignoring the past of mental issues and finally realizing her potential. Precinct 13 brings the reader on an exciting adventure with many promises of paranormal and fantasy elements.
Alex believes she has mental problems. Aside from romantic problems with Valentine, she has seen and lived through many things. Alex is convinced that her stepmother is a demon, she has seen trolls under bridges, and more tragically, she left her boyfriend as he was jailed for assaulting her stepmother. She is independent and strong-willed, until you involve her mental capabilities. Understandably so, living in a world where seeing paranormal beings just don’t belong. And while others might find the sarcasm annoying, I thought it added to the comic relief of the story.
Precinct 13 has a handful of amazing supporting characters. From Valentine, the elusive romantic interest, to Spenser Jones, the half-fairy lead detective, Hannah Stone, a gollum with both physical and mental strength, Devon, a half vampire and half werewolf, and finally Jack, a technology-using magic user. Every single character had elements to contribute to the whole story, as well as individual entertainment appeal. The personalities did so well to compliment each other, never hindering against another.
Hallaway’s world is different, bordering between reality and fiction. There were enough supernatural and paranormal scenarios to grant this a paranormal/fantasy genre, but who knows, it could also mimic real life. I did feel that there was a lot to explain, which slowed the pacing in the beginning, but once that was all out of the way, it was smooth sailing ahead.
Precinct 13 is funny, full of wit, and refreshing. Hallaway is a great writer who will entertain you throughout the pages. I enjoyed Alex, Valentine, and the officers of Precinct 13, and I think you will too.
Notable Scene:
Her kindness was like a punch in the gut. My eyes threatened to fill with tears. I held them back by biting my lip. She could not know what she was apologizing for, but it was a lot: my lover imprisoned, my medical career in ruins, my family– fuck, my family– my dad walking away when I needed him the most. A life full of accusations of being strange, weird… insane.
“It’s over now,” I heard Jones say. You’re not alone anymore.”
That did it. The floodgates broke. I sobbed like a baby.
FTC Advisory: Berkley Trade provided me with a copy of Precinct 13. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
August 3, 2012
Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..
Through a funny set of circumstances, Alex Conner finds herself in a new job as the Hughes County Coroner. Considering there hasn't been any murders in the area for over two years, Alex thinks she's in for an easy paycheck. But those ideals quickly go out the window when a corpse comes in with a cryptic warning about magic. With Alex's troubled past involving magic and the psychiatric ward, she thinks she's become the brunt of a nasty joke, at least that is until some very strange things happen ending with the corpse getting up and walking away. Her chief sends her straight to Precinct 13 where she learns that magic and paranormals exist after all, and she may just be one of them.
I was really impressed with Tate Hallaway's world building in Precinct 13. There was a plethora of supernatural characters that should have been overwhelming, but weren't due to the way things were handled. Each new element was introduced to Alex, and due to her acceptance were easily taken in stride as it they were directly tied into whatever she was currently facing. There wasn't a single info-dump, which was rather impressive considering the very large amount of things that needed to be covered in such a short amount of time. In fact the entire story was paced very well with no dull or slow moments keeping me sucked in the entire time.
I really loved the characters in this book, Alex most of all. She is incredibly tough and doesn't take nonsense from anyone. Most people would have collapsed long ago under the extreme stress of being told she was literally crazy for seeing and believing in magic. All the years of therapy and anti psychotics definitely took a toll, but she came out the other side much stronger. In fact when she learns that magic is real, she only protests for a short while before accepting it and getting down to business with her case. This is where she really shines as her drive and determination make for the perfect investigator. As far as the rest of the characters go, each one stood out, being well developed and fully realized. The many different personalities at the Precinct made for a very interesting rag tag team, that only furthered my enjoyment of the book as I watched the dynamics between them play out. However, aside from Alex, one character really stood out. There was just something so mysterious and rather yummy about Valentine, that I loved him from the moment he arrived, and the reveals centering around him only made me love him even more. Take my word for it, he is awesome!
I really enjoyed Precinct 13 and felt it was a great opener to this new series. Everything from the characters to the incredible world felt fresh and unique making Precinct 13 a stand out in the Urban Fantasy genre. This is one new series you won't want to miss!
Through a funny set of circumstances, Alex Conner finds herself in a new job as the Hughes County Coroner. Considering there hasn't been any murders in the area for over two years, Alex thinks she's in for an easy paycheck. But those ideals quickly go out the window when a corpse comes in with a cryptic warning about magic. With Alex's troubled past involving magic and the psychiatric ward, she thinks she's become the brunt of a nasty joke, at least that is until some very strange things happen ending with the corpse getting up and walking away. Her chief sends her straight to Precinct 13 where she learns that magic and paranormals exist after all, and she may just be one of them.
I was really impressed with Tate Hallaway's world building in Precinct 13. There was a plethora of supernatural characters that should have been overwhelming, but weren't due to the way things were handled. Each new element was introduced to Alex, and due to her acceptance were easily taken in stride as it they were directly tied into whatever she was currently facing. There wasn't a single info-dump, which was rather impressive considering the very large amount of things that needed to be covered in such a short amount of time. In fact the entire story was paced very well with no dull or slow moments keeping me sucked in the entire time.
I really loved the characters in this book, Alex most of all. She is incredibly tough and doesn't take nonsense from anyone. Most people would have collapsed long ago under the extreme stress of being told she was literally crazy for seeing and believing in magic. All the years of therapy and anti psychotics definitely took a toll, but she came out the other side much stronger. In fact when she learns that magic is real, she only protests for a short while before accepting it and getting down to business with her case. This is where she really shines as her drive and determination make for the perfect investigator. As far as the rest of the characters go, each one stood out, being well developed and fully realized. The many different personalities at the Precinct made for a very interesting rag tag team, that only furthered my enjoyment of the book as I watched the dynamics between them play out. However, aside from Alex, one character really stood out. There was just something so mysterious and rather yummy about Valentine, that I loved him from the moment he arrived, and the reveals centering around him only made me love him even more. Take my word for it, he is awesome!
I really enjoyed Precinct 13 and felt it was a great opener to this new series. Everything from the characters to the incredible world felt fresh and unique making Precinct 13 a stand out in the Urban Fantasy genre. This is one new series you won't want to miss!
August 13, 2012
Un libro muy, muy entretenido, con todos los tópicos de la magia pero de una manera muy "mundana", incluidos los prejuicios y la división entre buenos y malos en la comunidad mágica. Una investigación policíaca bastante decente, una protagonista bastante sensata y que no es "super-woman" y una escritura muy entretenida y divertida en algunos casos (en absoluto de risas, de sonrisa por detalles, que es lo que más me gusta).Espero que sea una serie y por los menos siga con otro libro, y sepamos algo de su "stepmom from hell" y de más casos en el "Precinct 13".
August 28, 2021
A fun fast read. Witches, vampires, and dragons in Pierre, SD. Oh, my!
Re-read: super fun urban fantasy with a dash of paranormal romance. Enjoyable world building, and I'm excited for the sequel.
Re-read: super fun urban fantasy with a dash of paranormal romance. Enjoyable world building, and I'm excited for the sequel.
August 25, 2023
3.5 stars. A fun urban fantasy with interesting characters and some procedural police stuff thrown in. Nothing too new or different, but still interesting enough to finish. Honestly, I read this book because it takes place in the unlikely setting of Pierre, SD, with which I am fairly familiar. I'll probably read the second one too.
January 17, 2021
I like the story. Couldn't really keep up with the characters, and the plot was messy. (Who was a murderer? How many cases did they have? Not sure.) Interesting enough to try another one.
May 12, 2018
I really enjoyed this bright, clear, lively first-person narrative full of interesting, well-rounded characters and twists I didn't see coming in the fast-paced action; there were only two reservations that kept me from rounding the rating up to five stars, but more about that later.
The publishers seem to be calling this a paranormal romance (PNR), but in my view it's solid urban fantasy with none of the usual PNR features: Alex (the narrator) and Valentine have been lovers for a long time, they were forced to separate, and when the story begins they get back together, reestablish their relationship, and take it to a surprising new level. That's important but it's only one part of Alex's story, which has her interacting with just about every supernatural being you can think of as she works with the Precinct 13 team to solve two mysteries.
I think "Precinct 13" is a shout-out to the wonderful Warehouse 13 TV series, which was probably in its third season when this book was written. If you saw the show, you may remember the secret warehouse of magical artifacts was hidden in a remote part of South Dakota, and Precinct 13 is a magically disguised police station set up to contend with "the unnatural" in--of all places--the capital of South Dakota! There's a shout-out to Doctor Who too: Jack the Precinct 13 technomage named his magpie familiar Sarah Jane Smith and tells Alex, "Well...she is my companion."
Alex has been through the psychiatric wringer, institutionalized and still on heavy anti-psychotic drugs, convinced that the paranormal visions she's had since childhood are delusions, when she takes her therapist's advice to leave Chicago for new surroundings and new friends and arrives in Pierre, South Dakota at age 26. With an undergraduate degree in forensic science, she takes a bet to run for county coroner and wins because voters rejected the incumbent. Her first autopsy, though, turns into a frightening, life-changing pair of magical events: the corpse rises, speaks, and leaves the morgue carrying its liver; and . Alex has to report the first of those events to the chief of police, who sends her to work with the team at Precinct 13...and off we go!
Reservation #1: in the first hour or so at Precinct 13 Alex discovers the whole paranormal universe and learns she was never mentally ill; a sympathetic touch from the team's golem and she sobs her heart out, as you might expect, but then suddenly she's a full team player as though she'd been at it all her life, interacting sagaciously with some delightful partners (including the golem, a half-fairy prince, a werewolf-vampire hybrid, the technomage and his magpie familiar). Too quick?
Reservation #2: populations from the 2010 census, rounded off: USA, 309 million; South Dakota, 814,000; largest city Sioux Falls, 154,000; capital Pierre, 14,000. What a hotbed of supernaturals little Pierre is, warranting a whole major police organization just to take out the bad ones! Too many in too tiny a city? and nobody senses anything odd?
But #1 and #2 are outweighed by neat twists and surprises, enjoyable characters, and an exciting plot with brilliant touches (especially the solution to the fairy circles mystery). Recommended!
The publishers seem to be calling this a paranormal romance (PNR), but in my view it's solid urban fantasy with none of the usual PNR features: Alex (the narrator) and Valentine have been lovers for a long time, they were forced to separate, and when the story begins they get back together, reestablish their relationship, and take it to a surprising new level. That's important but it's only one part of Alex's story, which has her interacting with just about every supernatural being you can think of as she works with the Precinct 13 team to solve two mysteries.
I think "Precinct 13" is a shout-out to the wonderful Warehouse 13 TV series, which was probably in its third season when this book was written. If you saw the show, you may remember the secret warehouse of magical artifacts was hidden in a remote part of South Dakota, and Precinct 13 is a magically disguised police station set up to contend with "the unnatural" in--of all places--the capital of South Dakota! There's a shout-out to Doctor Who too: Jack the Precinct 13 technomage named his magpie familiar Sarah Jane Smith and tells Alex, "Well...she is my companion."
Alex has been through the psychiatric wringer, institutionalized and still on heavy anti-psychotic drugs, convinced that the paranormal visions she's had since childhood are delusions, when she takes her therapist's advice to leave Chicago for new surroundings and new friends and arrives in Pierre, South Dakota at age 26. With an undergraduate degree in forensic science, she takes a bet to run for county coroner and wins because voters rejected the incumbent. Her first autopsy, though, turns into a frightening, life-changing pair of magical events: the corpse rises, speaks, and leaves the morgue carrying its liver; and . Alex has to report the first of those events to the chief of police, who sends her to work with the team at Precinct 13...and off we go!
Reservation #1: in the first hour or so at Precinct 13 Alex discovers the whole paranormal universe and learns she was never mentally ill; a sympathetic touch from the team's golem and she sobs her heart out, as you might expect, but then suddenly she's a full team player as though she'd been at it all her life, interacting sagaciously with some delightful partners (including the golem, a half-fairy prince, a werewolf-vampire hybrid, the technomage and his magpie familiar). Too quick?
Reservation #2: populations from the 2010 census, rounded off: USA, 309 million; South Dakota, 814,000; largest city Sioux Falls, 154,000; capital Pierre, 14,000. What a hotbed of supernaturals little Pierre is, warranting a whole major police organization just to take out the bad ones! Too many in too tiny a city? and nobody senses anything odd?
But #1 and #2 are outweighed by neat twists and surprises, enjoyable characters, and an exciting plot with brilliant touches (especially the solution to the fairy circles mystery). Recommended!
August 8, 2012
GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Zombies/Vampires/Werwolves/Fae
RECEIVED: Received for review from Penguin
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
Precinct 13 I found to be a huge bundle of fun and a great new urban fantasy series that includes every kind of paranormal being there is. I haven’t read anything by Tate Hallaway yet, but if this series continues I’m definitely going to get the next book. I loved the characters, humor and really interesting plot.
Precinct 13 follows Alex, who made a bet with her best friend and soon ended up as the new county coroner. Little does she know that her new job is going to take a major one eighty and bring back things that she was trying to forget. All her life she was told she was crazy thinking magic was real, until one of her corpses gets up and walks away, thus meeting the crew in Precinct 13. She works with the precinct to find the body and stop whatever havocs it might bring.
Alex was hilarious; I love when the female lead has not only spunk but also a great sense of humor. She gets the shock of her life when she discover that she may have some magic of her own, along with an interesting new tattoo. Her character becomes more important and powerful as the book moves on and I’m curious to see how her power develops later on. Even though they were short scenes I loved her interactions with her best friend Robert that made me laugh and wish he was in more scenes.
Precinct 13 itself is full of some great colorful characters, which includes a technomage, whom I loved even more because he wears a Yoda hat, a fairy prince with an attitude problem and a werewolf/vampire fellow who I found very amusing. The whole gang working together makes for some great scenes because they just get a bit crazier and more exciting as the get deeper into the case.
Then there is the mysterious tall dark and handsome Valentine, Alex’s longtime lover and the person who told her about magic. He is her protector and so much more, which I wont give away. I enjoyed what he brought to the story and how what he is makes Alex even that more powerful.
Overall I enjoyed this series; there were a couple gaps that I hope Hallaway will dive into in the next book. She mentions Alex’s stepmother who put her in therapy and that she could be something paranormal too. Also with the mention of Alex past, I wished we could of started more from the beginning of her meeting Valentine instead of him just popping into the story. But nonetheless I did enjoy this new series and the world created was so full of fantastic details, creatures, romance and humor that Hallaway really brought it to life.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an urban fantasy series and has some minor sexual content. Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison will enjoy this new world in Precinct 12 by Tate Hallaway.
THEME: Zombies/Vampires/Werwolves/Fae
RECEIVED: Received for review from Penguin
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
Precinct 13 I found to be a huge bundle of fun and a great new urban fantasy series that includes every kind of paranormal being there is. I haven’t read anything by Tate Hallaway yet, but if this series continues I’m definitely going to get the next book. I loved the characters, humor and really interesting plot.
Precinct 13 follows Alex, who made a bet with her best friend and soon ended up as the new county coroner. Little does she know that her new job is going to take a major one eighty and bring back things that she was trying to forget. All her life she was told she was crazy thinking magic was real, until one of her corpses gets up and walks away, thus meeting the crew in Precinct 13. She works with the precinct to find the body and stop whatever havocs it might bring.
Alex was hilarious; I love when the female lead has not only spunk but also a great sense of humor. She gets the shock of her life when she discover that she may have some magic of her own, along with an interesting new tattoo. Her character becomes more important and powerful as the book moves on and I’m curious to see how her power develops later on. Even though they were short scenes I loved her interactions with her best friend Robert that made me laugh and wish he was in more scenes.
Precinct 13 itself is full of some great colorful characters, which includes a technomage, whom I loved even more because he wears a Yoda hat, a fairy prince with an attitude problem and a werewolf/vampire fellow who I found very amusing. The whole gang working together makes for some great scenes because they just get a bit crazier and more exciting as the get deeper into the case.
Then there is the mysterious tall dark and handsome Valentine, Alex’s longtime lover and the person who told her about magic. He is her protector and so much more, which I wont give away. I enjoyed what he brought to the story and how what he is makes Alex even that more powerful.
Overall I enjoyed this series; there were a couple gaps that I hope Hallaway will dive into in the next book. She mentions Alex’s stepmother who put her in therapy and that she could be something paranormal too. Also with the mention of Alex past, I wished we could of started more from the beginning of her meeting Valentine instead of him just popping into the story. But nonetheless I did enjoy this new series and the world created was so full of fantastic details, creatures, romance and humor that Hallaway really brought it to life.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an urban fantasy series and has some minor sexual content. Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison will enjoy this new world in Precinct 12 by Tate Hallaway.
August 16, 2012
With a reluctant heroine, a colorful cast, and supernatural occurrences taking over, Precinct 13 is an paranormal read that urban fantasy readers will not want to miss.
Alex Connor has been convinced that something is wrong with her. She has always been able to “see things,” but after lots of therapy, medications, and moving to a small South Dakota town, Alex thought she could finally leave her past behind. She begins her new job as the coroner, and once she experiences her first case where the dead body bespells her and walks away, her life will never again be normal. Alex is directed to the mysterious Precinct 13, a supernatural police force. It turns out that there is much more going on in the South Dakota town than meets the eye, and the supernatural does indeed exist.
I really enjoyed this urban fantasy. I like the heroine a lot, I feel for her and am simultaneously frustrated with her at the same time. Alex had been accused of being crazy her entire life, to the point of being medicated. So, when she is confronted with proof that she was not crazy all along, the poor girl has a tough time. She holds onto some denial, but she manages to make a place for herself in the Precinct and she begins to show more supernatural abilities of her own. There is a random quality to the magic (especially Alex’s) and the supernatural in this book that provide humor and kept my attention.
The secondary characters are all very interesting too. There are supernatural beings of all kinds and entities in Precinct 13, and I enjoyed the variety and the uniqueness to each of them. Valentine, Alex’s quasi-boyfriend, is a very intriguing character. He is big and bad, but he is not overly dominant of Alex. Alex proves that, even when she doesn’t know what she’s doing, she can take care of herself.
There is a good balance between humor, action, and plot that made this book stand out as a good urban fantasy read. While there are still some open ends to the story, I would love to see a series develop out of Precinct 13, to tie up more questions and to get to know the characters more. I am curious to see how Alex develops and grows as a character. Plus with a job as a coroner, there is definite potential for all kinds of stories to come.
Urban fantasy and paranormal readers, I highly recommend giving Precinct 13 a try. This was the first book I have read by Tate Hallaway, but definitely not the last.
*I received this book for review*
Alex Connor has been convinced that something is wrong with her. She has always been able to “see things,” but after lots of therapy, medications, and moving to a small South Dakota town, Alex thought she could finally leave her past behind. She begins her new job as the coroner, and once she experiences her first case where the dead body bespells her and walks away, her life will never again be normal. Alex is directed to the mysterious Precinct 13, a supernatural police force. It turns out that there is much more going on in the South Dakota town than meets the eye, and the supernatural does indeed exist.
I really enjoyed this urban fantasy. I like the heroine a lot, I feel for her and am simultaneously frustrated with her at the same time. Alex had been accused of being crazy her entire life, to the point of being medicated. So, when she is confronted with proof that she was not crazy all along, the poor girl has a tough time. She holds onto some denial, but she manages to make a place for herself in the Precinct and she begins to show more supernatural abilities of her own. There is a random quality to the magic (especially Alex’s) and the supernatural in this book that provide humor and kept my attention.
The secondary characters are all very interesting too. There are supernatural beings of all kinds and entities in Precinct 13, and I enjoyed the variety and the uniqueness to each of them. Valentine, Alex’s quasi-boyfriend, is a very intriguing character. He is big and bad, but he is not overly dominant of Alex. Alex proves that, even when she doesn’t know what she’s doing, she can take care of herself.
There is a good balance between humor, action, and plot that made this book stand out as a good urban fantasy read. While there are still some open ends to the story, I would love to see a series develop out of Precinct 13, to tie up more questions and to get to know the characters more. I am curious to see how Alex develops and grows as a character. Plus with a job as a coroner, there is definite potential for all kinds of stories to come.
Urban fantasy and paranormal readers, I highly recommend giving Precinct 13 a try. This was the first book I have read by Tate Hallaway, but definitely not the last.
*I received this book for review*
August 26, 2012
(2.5 Stars) When I first read the summary for "Precinct 13" it sounded like a book I could truly enjoy. The overall concept was intriguing and had such potential; unfortunately, the book proved to be a mediocre read for me.
Alex Conner's roommate Robert has bet her to run for office as coroner in Pierre, South Dakota. This is an elected office and the previous coroner was outsted for corruption. So, Alex places her name in the hat for the $60k a year job and actually wins the election. Her first day on the job proves to be quite disconcerting when a body is rolled into the office and the cops inform her to avoid opening the chest cavity or risk releasing magic. Since Alex is taking prescription medications for a myriad of phychoses she thinks someone has tapped into her background to discover her little vacation to the sanitarium.
Soon she discovers that the officer's advice had merit when the body walks out of the coroners office leaving her with a bad snake tattoo.
Alex learns that Pierre, South Dakota is more than just a sleepy little town. It is filled with magical folks and magical crimes; so much so, that there is a special unit to handle it, Precinct 13. She quickly becomes a part of this team in an attempt to locate missing body. With all of the crazy going to, the return of her ex-lover, Valentine only adds another layer of madness to the mix.
As I stated earlier, this book had such potential but relied too heavily on the ideas and chessy reference to movies and fairy tales. There are references to gollums and The Lord of the Rings, Sparkly vampires in Twilight, the ability to erase people's memory from Men in Black, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland etc. It was not very original and the characterizations, world building, and relationships were cursory and not well developed. For the first half of the book, I thought I might not be able to finish the book but then, it began to get better. However, I never truly felt as if I knew Valentine or understood his relationship with Alex. One minute they are kissing and the next we are back in the office on the next day.
I believe I read a review from a reader that indicated that the author is planning to make this into a series. I am fairly confident I will not be moving on to the other books. It just did not do it for me. However, read it for yourself, most of the other reviews I read were 3-4 stars. It just didn't do it for me!
Alex Conner's roommate Robert has bet her to run for office as coroner in Pierre, South Dakota. This is an elected office and the previous coroner was outsted for corruption. So, Alex places her name in the hat for the $60k a year job and actually wins the election. Her first day on the job proves to be quite disconcerting when a body is rolled into the office and the cops inform her to avoid opening the chest cavity or risk releasing magic. Since Alex is taking prescription medications for a myriad of phychoses she thinks someone has tapped into her background to discover her little vacation to the sanitarium.
Soon she discovers that the officer's advice had merit when the body walks out of the coroners office leaving her with a bad snake tattoo.
Alex learns that Pierre, South Dakota is more than just a sleepy little town. It is filled with magical folks and magical crimes; so much so, that there is a special unit to handle it, Precinct 13. She quickly becomes a part of this team in an attempt to locate missing body. With all of the crazy going to, the return of her ex-lover, Valentine only adds another layer of madness to the mix.
As I stated earlier, this book had such potential but relied too heavily on the ideas and chessy reference to movies and fairy tales. There are references to gollums and The Lord of the Rings, Sparkly vampires in Twilight, the ability to erase people's memory from Men in Black, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland etc. It was not very original and the characterizations, world building, and relationships were cursory and not well developed. For the first half of the book, I thought I might not be able to finish the book but then, it began to get better. However, I never truly felt as if I knew Valentine or understood his relationship with Alex. One minute they are kissing and the next we are back in the office on the next day.
I believe I read a review from a reader that indicated that the author is planning to make this into a series. I am fairly confident I will not be moving on to the other books. It just did not do it for me. However, read it for yourself, most of the other reviews I read were 3-4 stars. It just didn't do it for me!
August 22, 2012
Teaser:
The bag dropped suddenly to the ground when the breeze shifted. There was something eerie about it, that was certain. But was it magic? Jack had told me that I'd been seeing magic my whole life, but had been told not to talk about it. In effect, I'd been trained not to see, not to believe.
The bag skittered along the ground. Like some kind of strange, urban animal, it scooted behind the corner of the building, out of sight.
I decided there was definitely something creepy and weird about all this. I would keep an open mind.
My Thoughts:
I've read Hallaway before and didn't really enjoy it; her humor didn't appeal to me. But I liked the sound of this book, a sort of CSI/X-Files but with overt paranormal elements. I'm glad I decided to read it, I enjoyed it. The pacing was clunky at times and there were times that I wished Hallaway wouldn't dribble out info like it was going extinct but overall, it was enjoyable.
Alex has recently moved to South Dakota and on a dare, ran for the position of coroner, and to her surprise, won. In the past she's had mental problems and now she's trying to start over. But it turns out those "mental" problems were really Alex seeing magical beings. When Alex first encounters magic in Pierre, she's afraid she's losing it again. Even meeting other magic practitioners doesn't convince her at first but she comes to believe and begins to explore her own magical ability. There's a caste system for magic users and to her dismay, Alex is distinctly in the lowest, allegedly inferior, caste.
It's an intriguing world, with characters who are likable and an interesting magic system. The mysteries are meh, and the Precinct police seemed incompetent at times but Hallaway made that latter part of the story and accounts for it. There are some twists and turns, a few predictable events, but Hallaway writes an engaging story. On her website she mentions that this may be the start of a new series. I hope so, I'd enjoy reading more about these characters and seeing how she pulls off a magical community in such a small town.
I received both an ARC and a finished copy from the publisher for review. The review is based on the finished copy.
The bag dropped suddenly to the ground when the breeze shifted. There was something eerie about it, that was certain. But was it magic? Jack had told me that I'd been seeing magic my whole life, but had been told not to talk about it. In effect, I'd been trained not to see, not to believe.
The bag skittered along the ground. Like some kind of strange, urban animal, it scooted behind the corner of the building, out of sight.
I decided there was definitely something creepy and weird about all this. I would keep an open mind.
My Thoughts:
I've read Hallaway before and didn't really enjoy it; her humor didn't appeal to me. But I liked the sound of this book, a sort of CSI/X-Files but with overt paranormal elements. I'm glad I decided to read it, I enjoyed it. The pacing was clunky at times and there were times that I wished Hallaway wouldn't dribble out info like it was going extinct but overall, it was enjoyable.
Alex has recently moved to South Dakota and on a dare, ran for the position of coroner, and to her surprise, won. In the past she's had mental problems and now she's trying to start over. But it turns out those "mental" problems were really Alex seeing magical beings. When Alex first encounters magic in Pierre, she's afraid she's losing it again. Even meeting other magic practitioners doesn't convince her at first but she comes to believe and begins to explore her own magical ability. There's a caste system for magic users and to her dismay, Alex is distinctly in the lowest, allegedly inferior, caste.
It's an intriguing world, with characters who are likable and an interesting magic system. The mysteries are meh, and the Precinct police seemed incompetent at times but Hallaway made that latter part of the story and accounts for it. There are some twists and turns, a few predictable events, but Hallaway writes an engaging story. On her website she mentions that this may be the start of a new series. I hope so, I'd enjoy reading more about these characters and seeing how she pulls off a magical community in such a small town.
I received both an ARC and a finished copy from the publisher for review. The review is based on the finished copy.
July 12, 2012
Precinct 13 is a Paranormal Romance by Tate Hallaway from Berkley Trade.
Blurb:
Recent college grad Alex Conner is thrilled to have landed a job as the Hughes County coroner/medical examiner in Pierre, South Dakota. But when her first day on the job ends with a missing corpse, Alex starts to wonder if she would have been better off collecting unemployment...
When the cops made some cryptic comments about being careful with the body they brought in, Alex just thought the boys in blue were messing with her. That is, until something freaky happens that no amount of med school could have prepared her for. By the time Alex gets herself together, the body has disappeared and the other residents of the morgue start talking her ear off.
After working up the courage to report the missing body, Alex is transferred to the mysterious Precinct 13 where she discovers that her new co-workers—including a cute technomage named Jack—are paranormals just like her. Now, Alex is being encouraged to use her ability to speak to the dead to solve crimes. And despite being in the middle of nowhere, Hughes County sure does have a lot of paranormal activity…
My thoughts:
After a series of childhood sightings of magical creatures that no one else could see, Alex Connor spent countless hours in therapy and began a strict regime of mood altering medications.
Determined to lead a normal life with no mention of magic or magical creatures, Alex moved to a new town and on a bet, threw her name in the ring for county coroner/medical examiner.
Imagine her surprise when she was offered the job.
But that is nothing compared to the shock she feels when her first autopsy walks off the table. Or the utter disbelief when she is directed to Precinct 13 where she learns that magic not only exists - it thrives.....and Alex may be magical herself.
Precinct 13 is an okay read.
I didn’t connect with Alex and found myself far more interested in her boyfriend Valentine.
I give Precinct 13, 2 out of 5 stars.
Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade (August 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425247791
ISBN-13: 978-0425247792
Blurb:
Recent college grad Alex Conner is thrilled to have landed a job as the Hughes County coroner/medical examiner in Pierre, South Dakota. But when her first day on the job ends with a missing corpse, Alex starts to wonder if she would have been better off collecting unemployment...
When the cops made some cryptic comments about being careful with the body they brought in, Alex just thought the boys in blue were messing with her. That is, until something freaky happens that no amount of med school could have prepared her for. By the time Alex gets herself together, the body has disappeared and the other residents of the morgue start talking her ear off.
After working up the courage to report the missing body, Alex is transferred to the mysterious Precinct 13 where she discovers that her new co-workers—including a cute technomage named Jack—are paranormals just like her. Now, Alex is being encouraged to use her ability to speak to the dead to solve crimes. And despite being in the middle of nowhere, Hughes County sure does have a lot of paranormal activity…
My thoughts:
After a series of childhood sightings of magical creatures that no one else could see, Alex Connor spent countless hours in therapy and began a strict regime of mood altering medications.
Determined to lead a normal life with no mention of magic or magical creatures, Alex moved to a new town and on a bet, threw her name in the ring for county coroner/medical examiner.
Imagine her surprise when she was offered the job.
But that is nothing compared to the shock she feels when her first autopsy walks off the table. Or the utter disbelief when she is directed to Precinct 13 where she learns that magic not only exists - it thrives.....and Alex may be magical herself.
Precinct 13 is an okay read.
I didn’t connect with Alex and found myself far more interested in her boyfriend Valentine.
I give Precinct 13, 2 out of 5 stars.
Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade (August 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425247791
ISBN-13: 978-0425247792
September 4, 2014
PRECINCT 13 is a cute medical examiner meets police procedural mash-up urban fantasy. Due to it's lighter approach and mild romantic elements, the publisher bills it as a paranormal romance, but quite frankly it's a little too PG-14 for that genre. What it is though, is a light, entertaining read.
The story centres on Alex, a med-school drop-out who made a bet with her best friend and suddenly finds herself working as the new county coroner in Pierre, South Dakota. Little does she know that her new job is going to take her back down a path she has been trying to leave behind. Alex has always felt just a little (okay, maybe a lot) crazy. She’s always seen things that shouldn’t–couldn’t be real. Now in a new town, with a new job, away from a boyfriend who was ‘enabling’ her delusions, Alex is ready for a fresh non-magical start. Instead, after a series of bizarre events, she ends up as the medical liaison for Precinct 13, the magical branch of the local law enforcement. Suddenly, Alex finds out that magic is more real than she ever imagined.
My only complaint about this book is that Hallaway for some reason or other seems to have decided to start the story part way through. There is a whole back story regarding the past Alex is running from that seems to be missing and there are so many cryptic references to her old life and a scary incident with her boyfriend and stepmother, but we are never really given the whole story. Instead of being a tantalizing mysterious past, it just ends up being annoying, leaving you feeling like you've accidentally started with book two in the series.
Despite this, the book was an enjoyable read. Alex has spunk and a great voice that quickly pulls you into her story. Hallaway has also created a host of interesting supporting characters, setting the scene for what will hopefully be a series.
The story centres on Alex, a med-school drop-out who made a bet with her best friend and suddenly finds herself working as the new county coroner in Pierre, South Dakota. Little does she know that her new job is going to take her back down a path she has been trying to leave behind. Alex has always felt just a little (okay, maybe a lot) crazy. She’s always seen things that shouldn’t–couldn’t be real. Now in a new town, with a new job, away from a boyfriend who was ‘enabling’ her delusions, Alex is ready for a fresh non-magical start. Instead, after a series of bizarre events, she ends up as the medical liaison for Precinct 13, the magical branch of the local law enforcement. Suddenly, Alex finds out that magic is more real than she ever imagined.
My only complaint about this book is that Hallaway for some reason or other seems to have decided to start the story part way through. There is a whole back story regarding the past Alex is running from that seems to be missing and there are so many cryptic references to her old life and a scary incident with her boyfriend and stepmother, but we are never really given the whole story. Instead of being a tantalizing mysterious past, it just ends up being annoying, leaving you feeling like you've accidentally started with book two in the series.
Despite this, the book was an enjoyable read. Alex has spunk and a great voice that quickly pulls you into her story. Hallaway has also created a host of interesting supporting characters, setting the scene for what will hopefully be a series.
August 9, 2012
Alex is nominated to be the Hughes County Coroner on a dare. She hasn't had a crazy life so far so when her very first day on the job a corpse gets up and walks away she isn't quite sure how crazy she actually is.
Alex had a great personality and was fun to read about. There was a lot of times where Alex mentioned her past or a past event but they were only hinted at or slightly mentioned and it would have been nice to know the details of stuff that affected her so much. I felt like I missed a book or short story or something along those lines a lot during the book. I really liked Precinct 13 and the way they operated. There was a lot of mystery involved in the plot while Alex and Precinct 13 were investigating and I never felt like I knew who the bad guy was or had a grasp on the the exact situation they were in which is always nice. The romance between Alex and Valentine was just ehhh. There wasn't much in the way of explanation about him or his and Alex's past. Alex hints about him then all of a sudden he jumps in and is there. He remains mysterious for most of the book with only a little revealed about him, some big things are revealed but again it felt like I missed something.
It pains me to say this but I really wanted to love PRECINCT 13 and I only liked it. There is some decent groundwork for a series and I did like Alex and her coworkers so I will probably read a second book if one comes out, but I would probably borrow it from the library.
Alex had a great personality and was fun to read about. There was a lot of times where Alex mentioned her past or a past event but they were only hinted at or slightly mentioned and it would have been nice to know the details of stuff that affected her so much. I felt like I missed a book or short story or something along those lines a lot during the book. I really liked Precinct 13 and the way they operated. There was a lot of mystery involved in the plot while Alex and Precinct 13 were investigating and I never felt like I knew who the bad guy was or had a grasp on the the exact situation they were in which is always nice. The romance between Alex and Valentine was just ehhh. There wasn't much in the way of explanation about him or his and Alex's past. Alex hints about him then all of a sudden he jumps in and is there. He remains mysterious for most of the book with only a little revealed about him, some big things are revealed but again it felt like I missed something.
It pains me to say this but I really wanted to love PRECINCT 13 and I only liked it. There is some decent groundwork for a series and I did like Alex and her coworkers so I will probably read a second book if one comes out, but I would probably borrow it from the library.
August 12, 2012
Ah, such a refreshing book. It had action, romance, a SMART MC, not like those ditzy Mc's you see so much, where they are supposed to be smart yet they miss the most obvious things. Plot actually moved along quite nicely, the only Duh! moment was what Valentine was, but she still knew she just didn't really want to accept it. I really liked how she got over he denial of magic in a timely fashion, she didn't spend most of the book whining about all her insecurities. But it wasn't like she was magically (Ha!) cured of them either, but she was coming to terms with them pretty damn well. I also really liked the romance, mostly because you could tell she truly cared about Valentine . What I enjoyed the most was that she was a coroner so it was a bit morbid at times, and also how she quite literally cursed xD Awesomest thing ever LOL.
April 20, 2020
I loved this book! In fact, I devoured it in less than a day. The book is pitched as urban fantasy meets police procedural and it is certainly that. It is also pitched as a paranormal romance and, while I don't generally enjoy paranormal romance, this one was quite enjoyable.
Some of the reviews of this book that I have read talked about not liking the protagonist. I actually found her quite believable, especially based on her back story. I thought the all the characters were interesting and unique.
I read that this is supposed to be a new series, and if so, I am truly looking forward to reading the next books in the series!
Some of the reviews of this book that I have read talked about not liking the protagonist. I actually found her quite believable, especially based on her back story. I thought the all the characters were interesting and unique.
I read that this is supposed to be a new series, and if so, I am truly looking forward to reading the next books in the series!
April 9, 2014
Completely forgettable. It was on my bookshelf and I thought, hmm I should read that, but as I was reading I realized I'd read it before. The characters are really flat. The main character has been taking anti psychotics because she can see magic in the world and has been through horrible things. When she discovers that magic is real and she's not crazy, she has a moment of confusion, but then she just goes for it. There's no lasting angst or internal conflict or resolution. It's just bland. The story has really heavyhanded foreshadowing. Will not read more in the series.
January 20, 2013
I was skeptical at first. It took a long time to get going, but I did enjoy the author's sense of humor immensely. And once Valentine came in the pace picked up quite a bit. I enjoyed his character the most. Have a little patience with it and give it time to unfold. I would be interested in reading a sequel.
March 14, 2015
2.5 stars. Ok paranormal romance about a woman who moves to Pierre, South Dakota, to get away from an "unhealthy influence" who'd encouraged her "delusions" that magic was real. After she gets elected as coroner, she discovers maybe she isn't quite as delusional as she thought... This book seemed to be trying to cram in an awful lot of plot and subsequently felt like it was all over the place.
April 28, 2016
Everything was a soooo convenient, the MC figured out everything even though she has zero experience as a detective. I even thought this would end with her waking from a coma or something like that to justify the convenient plot. 3 stars because it's still entertaining.
May 31, 2015
Enjoyable lead and secondary characters. It got a little rushed at the end, but I liked the world this was set in. Easily would have worked as a series (this is a stand alone).
November 9, 2017
The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that there is no sequel, and there needs to be a whole series of them. :)
Really enjoyable read. I was sucked in from page 1.
Really enjoyable read. I was sucked in from page 1.
February 16, 2023
Book: precinct 13
So this is a long review so I’ll summarize in one paragraph: the plot, characters, pace, believability (for UF), research and the like, even copy editing were fine. But the wording was often wrong, missing sentences or whole paragraphs that would explain something including a whole character that popped into play with a backstory that was relevant but never discussed let alone shown. But I liked it enough that I’m willing to give the next one a try.
I tried to make the spoilers vague so if you don’t read too much into it, you won’t learn much about the actual writing from this.
I like the character. I like that she has a history of forensics so she isn’t just talking out of her ass. I love the positive stuff about mental illness in the beginning even if she got to that point by people who wouldn’t believe her. She says people shouldn’t make fun of her for that, that she’s got it under control (not cured) that she’s doing what she’s supposed to do and capable of working, etc.
I love love love the snake. I also love Devon and don’t get why everyone hates him. I really hate how he’s treated. I think it’s really funny how her magic works and how she summons it.
(Slavery is not okay. Even if ownership was accidental and biological, and even if the recipient is loathsome, acting upon it is not okay and everyone should be horrified. A familiar is different because they have a choice and it’s a co-relationship. And it’s almost always a regular animal.)
I like how she puzzles out things like noticing that something that happens to them should have happened to the first people to get to the crime scene and why. But then she makes assumptions like some spiders they are presented with are poisonous.
The first half read more like a cozy mystery than a standard UF. Not enough crustiness. Then it changed. And the love interest became the dark dangerous figure het romance readers love and I hate. He’s nit awful here though as she rescues herself or he is just a second to her saving both of them.
This book was in serious need of a content editor. The plot was fine as was the progression, most things really but the details like where there were at one point and where they were next were off. I can’t tell you how many times I paged back to figure out something thinking what? There were times I didn’t get what they were saying no matter how I parsed it and I’m a pretty smart person.
There was never a time she was needed back at the morgue for normal bodies yet her assistant wasn’t around. Even in small town people die. I suspect things were deleted in an effort to make the book shorter to get it in the key sellable range.
But there was one big problem. Either there was a section missing from my ebook or there was a HUGE plot hole. There’s a character she’s trying to find that she’s never met and never does until out of the blue she gets a call from the person. She rushes to where the person is and says that the character is dressed differently than last time. I did a search under the characters name, the brands of clothing, the role, etc., and the person did not appear until that moment when their clothing from “the last time” they’d met was revealed. Argh! Where had the character been and when were they found? The scene was probably edited out because the character only appears twice, the first time in a few paragraphs and the second in one and a half sentences. I’m guessing they tried to edit out the whole character but needed someone to get them back to another location. One time that it was clear how they got somewhere and it was way worse. Double Argh!
How does everyone know what he is the moment they see him but she doesn’t even after her magic is unleashed?
You don’t hang up cashmere. I’m an aging goth so I’ve never owned cashmere in my life but even I know that.
So this is a long review so I’ll summarize in one paragraph: the plot, characters, pace, believability (for UF), research and the like, even copy editing were fine. But the wording was often wrong, missing sentences or whole paragraphs that would explain something including a whole character that popped into play with a backstory that was relevant but never discussed let alone shown. But I liked it enough that I’m willing to give the next one a try.
I tried to make the spoilers vague so if you don’t read too much into it, you won’t learn much about the actual writing from this.
I like the character. I like that she has a history of forensics so she isn’t just talking out of her ass. I love the positive stuff about mental illness in the beginning even if she got to that point by people who wouldn’t believe her. She says people shouldn’t make fun of her for that, that she’s got it under control (not cured) that she’s doing what she’s supposed to do and capable of working, etc.
I love love love the snake. I also love Devon and don’t get why everyone hates him. I really hate how he’s treated. I think it’s really funny how her magic works and how she summons it.
(Slavery is not okay. Even if ownership was accidental and biological, and even if the recipient is loathsome, acting upon it is not okay and everyone should be horrified. A familiar is different because they have a choice and it’s a co-relationship. And it’s almost always a regular animal.)
I like how she puzzles out things like noticing that something that happens to them should have happened to the first people to get to the crime scene and why. But then she makes assumptions like some spiders they are presented with are poisonous.
The first half read more like a cozy mystery than a standard UF. Not enough crustiness. Then it changed. And the love interest became the dark dangerous figure het romance readers love and I hate. He’s nit awful here though as she rescues herself or he is just a second to her saving both of them.
This book was in serious need of a content editor. The plot was fine as was the progression, most things really but the details like where there were at one point and where they were next were off. I can’t tell you how many times I paged back to figure out something thinking what? There were times I didn’t get what they were saying no matter how I parsed it and I’m a pretty smart person.
There was never a time she was needed back at the morgue for normal bodies yet her assistant wasn’t around. Even in small town people die. I suspect things were deleted in an effort to make the book shorter to get it in the key sellable range.
But there was one big problem. Either there was a section missing from my ebook or there was a HUGE plot hole. There’s a character she’s trying to find that she’s never met and never does until out of the blue she gets a call from the person. She rushes to where the person is and says that the character is dressed differently than last time. I did a search under the characters name, the brands of clothing, the role, etc., and the person did not appear until that moment when their clothing from “the last time” they’d met was revealed. Argh! Where had the character been and when were they found? The scene was probably edited out because the character only appears twice, the first time in a few paragraphs and the second in one and a half sentences. I’m guessing they tried to edit out the whole character but needed someone to get them back to another location. One time that it was clear how they got somewhere and it was way worse. Double Argh!
How does everyone know what he is the moment they see him but she doesn’t even after her magic is unleashed?
You don’t hang up cashmere. I’m an aging goth so I’ve never owned cashmere in my life but even I know that.
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