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Saturn's Daughter #1
Boyfriend from Hell
They say justice is blind. But Justine isn’t.
Justine (Tina) Clancy is just an ordinary law student with a faulty arrest record, a part-time job in Baltimore’s radioactive Zone, and a family secret so bizarre even she doesn’t believe it. That is, until in a fit of fury she damns her boyfriend to hell—and it’s exactly where he ends up.
Much to her surprise, Tina is apparently one of Saturn’s daughters, with the power to wield vigilante justice. But poor Max didn’t deserve to go up in flames, even if he did almost run her over with her own car. Tina’s convinced someone cut the brakes—and now a relentless nemesis is stalking her through the Zone’s back alleys, where buildings glow, statues move, and chemical waste exposure comes with interesting consequences. Tina’s usually a loner, but now she needs a posse like no other: a shape-shifting kitten, an invisible thief, a biker gang, a snake-charming private detective, a well-meaning cop, and her sleazy, sexy boss. But in between freeing Max from hell, saving her own neck, and solving a mystery that threatens the Zone and her new-found friends, how is she ever going to study for finals?
Justine (Tina) Clancy is just an ordinary law student with a faulty arrest record, a part-time job in Baltimore’s radioactive Zone, and a family secret so bizarre even she doesn’t believe it. That is, until in a fit of fury she damns her boyfriend to hell—and it’s exactly where he ends up.
Much to her surprise, Tina is apparently one of Saturn’s daughters, with the power to wield vigilante justice. But poor Max didn’t deserve to go up in flames, even if he did almost run her over with her own car. Tina’s convinced someone cut the brakes—and now a relentless nemesis is stalking her through the Zone’s back alleys, where buildings glow, statues move, and chemical waste exposure comes with interesting consequences. Tina’s usually a loner, but now she needs a posse like no other: a shape-shifting kitten, an invisible thief, a biker gang, a snake-charming private detective, a well-meaning cop, and her sleazy, sexy boss. But in between freeing Max from hell, saving her own neck, and solving a mystery that threatens the Zone and her new-found friends, how is she ever going to study for finals?
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 25, 2012
18 people are currently reading
1845 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Quaid
5 books63 followersJamie Quaid is a pseudonym for best-selling romance author Patricia Rice. This is her first novel under the name Jamie Quaid.
With several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice is one of romance's hottest authors. Her emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards.
A firm believer in happily-ever-after, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina, she currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri, and now does accounting only for herself. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and Novelists, Inc.
With several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice is one of romance's hottest authors. Her emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards.
A firm believer in happily-ever-after, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina, she currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri, and now does accounting only for herself. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and Novelists, Inc.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
September 21, 2012
First off, that chick on the cover is way to thin….she needs a hamburger and a large milk shake b/c I’m pretty sure she has a Barbie waistline and that just ain’t cool. Having said that she looks pretty fierce and they did a decent job matching the girl to the book….though later in the book. You’ll understand in a minute, hold on.
Tina is your average woman with a limp, weird teeth and mousey brown hair who no one ever notices. She is working toward a law degree she’ll never get because of a sketchy past, including a cop and a riot and her now mangled leg. Even knowing it would take a miracle to expunge her record she plows ahead in her studies and works hard to pay her bills. She works in “The Zone”, a part of Baltimore thick with past chemical spills and a area normal people have written off as dangerous. Those that live there seem to enjoy being outsiders and aren’t stunned when strange occurrences happen. Tina lives nearby and while she certainly notices buildings changing color and money disappearing out of her bag, she has wrote it off as quirkiness until her loving boyfriend tries to mow her down with her own car. She screams about him burning in hell…and pouf, the car explodes. Wow. I need some of that power. I mean, not that the guy deserved to burn in hell because all things are revealed later but….with that power you could scare the crap out of people. I like to scare the crap out of people. I digress.
As Tina gets backed in to walls and damns people to hell she grows prettier. Which is equal parts horrible and awesome. Let’s face it, some of the people that attempt to hurt her deserve to lick the flames in the bowels of hell for all eternity. While she starts out looking like a frumpy unfashionable unattractive woman, she ends up looking….well like that unnaturally thin cover girl up there. Smoking hot and now everyone seems to be looking at her or for her. She goes from driving a crappy old car to hauling ass on a motorcycle. Her whole demeanor changes over the course of the book. Her anger management issues stir up trouble on a continuous basis and she often bites off more then she can chew, which allows for some pretty snarky dialogue that kept me laughing. I am curious to see what the consequences are for using her power as the books move forward. Nothing is free and I have a feeling that the price of her new body will be a steep one.
Boyfriend From Hell is primarily UF and so the love story in this one is light but just enough to keep those romance junkies happy. She’s able to communicate with her dead boyfriend through mirrors and it seems to be much stronger the closer she is to The Zone which adds to the speculation of what the area and Tina herself are. She misses him and though he was lying to her, wants to help him solve his murder and figure out the secrets to The Zone and it’s inhabitants. One of those inhabitants is her boss and he is equal parts strange and alluring. He’s tough, shadowy and surprises me with his spontaneous tenderness. I enjoyed their push and pull throughout the book as each tries to deny their attraction to each other.
Even with all the weirdness of The Zone, Tina and her rag tag group of friends know that can’t be all of it. Though they may all have their quirks Tina can damn people to hell and that’s not taken lightly. I can’t wait to read more about the Saturn’s Daughter lore because that was only touched upon lightly in this book. I would have liked more info on that but I will patiently wait for the next one and hope I have a better understanding then. Boyfriend From Hell gives more questions then answers and as a first in a new series I’m okay with that as long as I don’t have to wait forever for the next one. Filled with action, snark and darkness, I definitely enjoyed this one! Quaid’s remarkable storytelling is top notch!
I give Boyfriend From Hell by Jamie Quaid 4.50 stars!
Tina is your average woman with a limp, weird teeth and mousey brown hair who no one ever notices. She is working toward a law degree she’ll never get because of a sketchy past, including a cop and a riot and her now mangled leg. Even knowing it would take a miracle to expunge her record she plows ahead in her studies and works hard to pay her bills. She works in “The Zone”, a part of Baltimore thick with past chemical spills and a area normal people have written off as dangerous. Those that live there seem to enjoy being outsiders and aren’t stunned when strange occurrences happen. Tina lives nearby and while she certainly notices buildings changing color and money disappearing out of her bag, she has wrote it off as quirkiness until her loving boyfriend tries to mow her down with her own car. She screams about him burning in hell…and pouf, the car explodes. Wow. I need some of that power. I mean, not that the guy deserved to burn in hell because all things are revealed later but….with that power you could scare the crap out of people. I like to scare the crap out of people. I digress.
As Tina gets backed in to walls and damns people to hell she grows prettier. Which is equal parts horrible and awesome. Let’s face it, some of the people that attempt to hurt her deserve to lick the flames in the bowels of hell for all eternity. While she starts out looking like a frumpy unfashionable unattractive woman, she ends up looking….well like that unnaturally thin cover girl up there. Smoking hot and now everyone seems to be looking at her or for her. She goes from driving a crappy old car to hauling ass on a motorcycle. Her whole demeanor changes over the course of the book. Her anger management issues stir up trouble on a continuous basis and she often bites off more then she can chew, which allows for some pretty snarky dialogue that kept me laughing. I am curious to see what the consequences are for using her power as the books move forward. Nothing is free and I have a feeling that the price of her new body will be a steep one.
Boyfriend From Hell is primarily UF and so the love story in this one is light but just enough to keep those romance junkies happy. She’s able to communicate with her dead boyfriend through mirrors and it seems to be much stronger the closer she is to The Zone which adds to the speculation of what the area and Tina herself are. She misses him and though he was lying to her, wants to help him solve his murder and figure out the secrets to The Zone and it’s inhabitants. One of those inhabitants is her boss and he is equal parts strange and alluring. He’s tough, shadowy and surprises me with his spontaneous tenderness. I enjoyed their push and pull throughout the book as each tries to deny their attraction to each other.
Even with all the weirdness of The Zone, Tina and her rag tag group of friends know that can’t be all of it. Though they may all have their quirks Tina can damn people to hell and that’s not taken lightly. I can’t wait to read more about the Saturn’s Daughter lore because that was only touched upon lightly in this book. I would have liked more info on that but I will patiently wait for the next one and hope I have a better understanding then. Boyfriend From Hell gives more questions then answers and as a first in a new series I’m okay with that as long as I don’t have to wait forever for the next one. Filled with action, snark and darkness, I definitely enjoyed this one! Quaid’s remarkable storytelling is top notch!
I give Boyfriend From Hell by Jamie Quaid 4.50 stars!
October 11, 2012
1.5 Stars
Recommendation : Do you really want me to go there? Nope, I did not think so.
This cover screams Kickass Heroine, so I quickly snatched up an ARC. There really is nothing like a great Kickass Heroine especially if there is a Hunky Hero to go with her.
Sadly, I am here to report that my expectations were shattered. I really wanted this one to succeed for me, but it just did not.
I can sum this book up with one phrase: A Series of Unfortunate Events!
Replace “movie” with “review” and there you have it. You have been warned.
It’s true. This book was one unfortunate catastrophe after another. This, my fellow readers, was not in any way, shape or form a good thing. I found this book painful to read and to be quite honest it left me wondering why an author, with previous published books, could put out an ARC that is purely an outline.
Transitions? Nope, it did not have any!
Plot? Not original.
I believe that comic books have this story’s plot bought and paid for. Justine works in an area that is known for a chemical spill and people seem to become “other” or “more.” Does this not sound familiar to you too? They get “superpowers,” if you will. Yeah I thought that sounded way too similar to some comic books.
Kickass Heroine? Umm.
She really was not kickass till the end and that was due to gaining superpowers. Tina had poor self-esteem. She let her boyfriend, well her ex-boyfriend, walk all over her. She was the one with a job supporting both of them. It was her apartment that they lived at. Her car that he used and ultimately destroyed while dying himself. I know I should not hold that against him, but I am. You know what let me just let the quote say it all.
In a few short weeks I’d gone from passive, mousy student …
Hunky Bad Boy? Yup she got this one right, but lack of relationship building sunk this ship like the titanic.
Seriously, would it have been that hard to put in a sex scene or an illusion of one? Or some serious sex appeal between these two? Apparently, the answer is yes.
I have to point out here that the Bad Boy and the Ex-Boyfriend are two different people. Hunky Bad Boy - Andre - is Justine’s boss and I actually really loved his character. I just wanted more to take place between him and Tina. He kept saving her life and protecting her and she just blew him off every time. I tell you, it was just too much.
Now Ex-Boyfriend – Max - was a jerk. He lies to her about his family and she was practically supporting him while he sat on his butt doing nothing. Well, we find out it was not nothing and that the man has left her with a shitload of grade A crap.
My boyfriend was trying to kill me!
The man kept popping up in every mirror that Tina used. This oddly enough reminded me of ‘Ella Enchanted’ with the man in the book.
I really did not like Max and his reappearance at the end did not go over well with me. It was a WTF? moment.
Murder Mystery? Well if you mean we are bounced back & forth from who did what, where, and why than yes it does.
However, it is like playing Guess Who when you wanted to play Clue. I just wanted more. I feel like we skimmed the surface without diving into what was actually going on. So much potential.
At this point what can I say?!
This book just did not do it for me. I was entertained with a few parts here and there. I did feel that the overall plot could have really soared but, as mentioned earlier, it just fell flat and fell hard.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pocket Books for providing me with a copy of this book for an honest review. I did really want to love it, but it was not meant to be.
Recommendation : Do you really want me to go there? Nope, I did not think so.
This cover screams Kickass Heroine, so I quickly snatched up an ARC. There really is nothing like a great Kickass Heroine especially if there is a Hunky Hero to go with her.
Sadly, I am here to report that my expectations were shattered. I really wanted this one to succeed for me, but it just did not.
I can sum this book up with one phrase: A Series of Unfortunate Events!
Replace “movie” with “review” and there you have it. You have been warned.
It’s true. This book was one unfortunate catastrophe after another. This, my fellow readers, was not in any way, shape or form a good thing. I found this book painful to read and to be quite honest it left me wondering why an author, with previous published books, could put out an ARC that is purely an outline.
Transitions? Nope, it did not have any!
Plot? Not original.
I believe that comic books have this story’s plot bought and paid for. Justine works in an area that is known for a chemical spill and people seem to become “other” or “more.” Does this not sound familiar to you too? They get “superpowers,” if you will. Yeah I thought that sounded way too similar to some comic books.
Kickass Heroine? Umm.
She really was not kickass till the end and that was due to gaining superpowers. Tina had poor self-esteem. She let her boyfriend, well her ex-boyfriend, walk all over her. She was the one with a job supporting both of them. It was her apartment that they lived at. Her car that he used and ultimately destroyed while dying himself. I know I should not hold that against him, but I am. You know what let me just let the quote say it all.
In a few short weeks I’d gone from passive, mousy student …
Hunky Bad Boy? Yup she got this one right, but lack of relationship building sunk this ship like the titanic.
Seriously, would it have been that hard to put in a sex scene or an illusion of one? Or some serious sex appeal between these two? Apparently, the answer is yes.
I have to point out here that the Bad Boy and the Ex-Boyfriend are two different people. Hunky Bad Boy - Andre - is Justine’s boss and I actually really loved his character. I just wanted more to take place between him and Tina. He kept saving her life and protecting her and she just blew him off every time. I tell you, it was just too much.
Now Ex-Boyfriend – Max - was a jerk. He lies to her about his family and she was practically supporting him while he sat on his butt doing nothing. Well, we find out it was not nothing and that the man has left her with a shitload of grade A crap.
My boyfriend was trying to kill me!
The man kept popping up in every mirror that Tina used. This oddly enough reminded me of ‘Ella Enchanted’ with the man in the book.
I really did not like Max and his reappearance at the end did not go over well with me. It was a WTF? moment.
Murder Mystery? Well if you mean we are bounced back & forth from who did what, where, and why than yes it does.
However, it is like playing Guess Who when you wanted to play Clue. I just wanted more. I feel like we skimmed the surface without diving into what was actually going on. So much potential.
At this point what can I say?!
This book just did not do it for me. I was entertained with a few parts here and there. I did feel that the overall plot could have really soared but, as mentioned earlier, it just fell flat and fell hard.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pocket Books for providing me with a copy of this book for an honest review. I did really want to love it, but it was not meant to be.
September 25, 2012
Tina Clancy is a 26 year-old law student with a crippled leg who lives near the Zone in Baltimore, an area affected by a chemical spill many years ago. She’s just a week away from taking her final exams and works in the Zone collecting deposits from different businesses that belong to Andre Legrande, making one bank run for him every day. The Zone is an area most people stay away from, except for those who can’t afford to leave. At least that’s Tina’s belief. And she likes living her life under the radar.
But one day a number of events take place that really shake up her world. It begins when witnessing a government limo mowing down a group of kids and not even stopping. During the melee the day’s deposit, chained to her wrist, is stolen by someone no one claimed to see, using a bolt cutter. But the most upsetting to her is that it appears her boyfriend is trying to kill her using her own car and in her anger and frustration, wishes him to Hell. She’s kind of shocked to discover she makes that very thing happen. She’s now caught the attention of the government.
There are a number of different story threads taking place in the book which not only deal with a couple of investigations but Tina’s growth as she learns what she is and the best way to use her new abilities which come with benefits. There’s a lot to learn along those lines, but that’s one area that really shines in this story. We get to see, through another character, how unbalanced that power can make you if you don’t weigh the results and Tina does eventually start to make sound decisions.
What makes this story unique is not only the heroine and her abilities, but the secondary characters and the Zone, which if you live in it long enough, can cause weird things to happen. Inanimate objects become somewhat animated. One woman turns into a chimpanzee. I do believe that’s my first experience with any shifter from the ape family. Then there is Milo, a kitten that growls warnings and in a fight grows to the size of a bobcat. I want Milo!
We don’t learn what Andre is, other than he used to be special forces. He bends over backwards to take care of Tina and keep her safe, all while she treats him like dirt; I had a desire to knock her upside the head. But in her he sees something the Zone needs. We’ve also got communication from Max while in limbo via Tina’s mirrors, and an invisible thief. All of these make for an interesting read as does a nice twist near the end.
My only criticism is that the story could have been tighter. At times it feels like there are too many threads and the story seems to stall for a bit. Tina grows in this book, which is a really good thing because her attitude at times, especially early on, seems childish. But like I said, she does start to make sound decisions after balancing possibilities.
I’m definitely going to be watching for the next book.
Reviewed as an ARC through Edelweiss.
But one day a number of events take place that really shake up her world. It begins when witnessing a government limo mowing down a group of kids and not even stopping. During the melee the day’s deposit, chained to her wrist, is stolen by someone no one claimed to see, using a bolt cutter. But the most upsetting to her is that it appears her boyfriend is trying to kill her using her own car and in her anger and frustration, wishes him to Hell. She’s kind of shocked to discover she makes that very thing happen. She’s now caught the attention of the government.
There are a number of different story threads taking place in the book which not only deal with a couple of investigations but Tina’s growth as she learns what she is and the best way to use her new abilities which come with benefits. There’s a lot to learn along those lines, but that’s one area that really shines in this story. We get to see, through another character, how unbalanced that power can make you if you don’t weigh the results and Tina does eventually start to make sound decisions.
What makes this story unique is not only the heroine and her abilities, but the secondary characters and the Zone, which if you live in it long enough, can cause weird things to happen. Inanimate objects become somewhat animated. One woman turns into a chimpanzee. I do believe that’s my first experience with any shifter from the ape family. Then there is Milo, a kitten that growls warnings and in a fight grows to the size of a bobcat. I want Milo!
We don’t learn what Andre is, other than he used to be special forces. He bends over backwards to take care of Tina and keep her safe, all while she treats him like dirt; I had a desire to knock her upside the head. But in her he sees something the Zone needs. We’ve also got communication from Max while in limbo via Tina’s mirrors, and an invisible thief. All of these make for an interesting read as does a nice twist near the end.
My only criticism is that the story could have been tighter. At times it feels like there are too many threads and the story seems to stall for a bit. Tina grows in this book, which is a really good thing because her attitude at times, especially early on, seems childish. But like I said, she does start to make sound decisions after balancing possibilities.
I’m definitely going to be watching for the next book.
Reviewed as an ARC through Edelweiss.
September 12, 2012
This book is bonkers in quite a unique way :D
First of all there are no your average monsters, no vamps or werewolves, no magic... Instead there is a chemical spill once upon a time, and a certain area called The Zone is quarantined and forgotten.
Strange things are happening in the Zone, statues stalk you and posters on the walls have a mind of their own, and if you really really want something, Zone will grant you your wish. Literally. So be careful what you wish for if you've lived in the Zone long enough.
Justine is an accountant with a leg crippled years ago in uni when she was protesting against some sort of discrimination against students. A policeman pushed her down the stairs and now she has a criminal record, can't find a decent job and re-graduating from the university as a criminal lawyer.
The only job Justine can find is for Andre, a seedy bar owner in the Zone, and her boyfriend Max as of late is more and more unreliable, until one day she believes he tries to run her over with her own car. Enraged, Justy screams "Damn you to hell, Max!" and Zone grants her wish...
Now, Max talks to her through the mirrors, she tries to find a corrupt politician who crashed into kids in his car the same time her boyfriend died and some corporate spooks are after her and her new abilities.
Not only the Zone protects its own, but Justine finds out that she is Saturn's daughter whose goal is to dispense justice with a side perk of correcting her appearance with each kill...
I can't even go further into the plot. It's mad, fun, messy and pretty bizarre. I certainly think that fans of Nancy Holzner, Vicki Pettersson and Kelly Meding will appreciate this type of insanity.
First of all there are no your average monsters, no vamps or werewolves, no magic... Instead there is a chemical spill once upon a time, and a certain area called The Zone is quarantined and forgotten.
Strange things are happening in the Zone, statues stalk you and posters on the walls have a mind of their own, and if you really really want something, Zone will grant you your wish. Literally. So be careful what you wish for if you've lived in the Zone long enough.
Justine is an accountant with a leg crippled years ago in uni when she was protesting against some sort of discrimination against students. A policeman pushed her down the stairs and now she has a criminal record, can't find a decent job and re-graduating from the university as a criminal lawyer.
The only job Justine can find is for Andre, a seedy bar owner in the Zone, and her boyfriend Max as of late is more and more unreliable, until one day she believes he tries to run her over with her own car. Enraged, Justy screams "Damn you to hell, Max!" and Zone grants her wish...
Now, Max talks to her through the mirrors, she tries to find a corrupt politician who crashed into kids in his car the same time her boyfriend died and some corporate spooks are after her and her new abilities.
Not only the Zone protects its own, but Justine finds out that she is Saturn's daughter whose goal is to dispense justice with a side perk of correcting her appearance with each kill...
I can't even go further into the plot. It's mad, fun, messy and pretty bizarre. I certainly think that fans of Nancy Holzner, Vicki Pettersson and Kelly Meding will appreciate this type of insanity.
Read
May 13, 2018DNF. Couldn't make it past 15% so no rating.
September 27, 2012
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/09/26/...
I’m always on the lookout for new urban fantasy books. It’s one of my favorite genres, with some of my favorite authors. While a lot of people have criticised the cover of the first Saturn’s Daughter book, it actually caught my eye. Not just the uncomfortable positioning of the woman’s body, but the fact that she is holding a tire iron next to a Harley, instead of a sword or gun in some faraway land. It’s something I’d never seen before, and knew I was in for a heroine who wouldn’t mind getting down and dirty.
Tina has been working in the Zone for a few years now, trying to make ends meet while finishing up her law degree. She never expected the Zone to change her life, but instead of offering her a regular paycheck, she developed some weird supernatural powers. She accidently sent her boyfriend to hell when he tried to kill her, she caused a freak tornado, sprinkler systems to randomly go off, and who knows what else.
Tina just wants to graduate law school and find out who terrorized a group of kids in the Zone. But the secrets of the area are quickly unraveling, and Tina will have to do things she never imagined possible in order to keep herself and her newfound Zone friends safe from danger. But will she be able to do so without damning herself?
I have to admit that when I put this book down, I had some mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I really liked that Quaid set up her paranormal world in a way I don’t ever remember reading before. Instead of your standard things that go bump in the night, a chemical spill has contaminated a poor area of Baltimore known as the Zone. People from the area are beginning to notice weird things, special abilities and that basis for her world building was unique enough to keep me engaged and wondering. However, the book progressed SO SLOWLY from start to finish that I found myself getting bored and wanting to skip ahead. Never a good sign.
Despite her ability to deny, deny, deny, I really liked Tina. She had spunk and character and was an all around good character. She struggled a bit with the paranormal super powers, and although she walked into a bar daily where the Lady Justice over the door winked and flirted with her, she seemed to have a hard time accepting that the supernatural could take over people as well as objects. I thought it was a good mix of acceptance and struggle on her part though, as I can imagine finding out you can literally curse people to hell isn’t exactly something to toy with.
One of the things I hope Quaid does NOT do in this series is start an on-going and never ending love triangle. Sure, Max seems like a nice guy, and despite the whole ‘being sent to hell’ thing, he tried to prove time and again that he really did love Tina, regardless of how their relationship started out. At the same time, Tina’s boss Andre makes his big play for the girl he loves to fight with. I personally had a soft spot for Andre, because I love my heroes to be absolutely Alpha in everything they do. But Tina waffled between the two of them, never seeming to make a commitment to one or the other. Like I said, I hope this doesn’t become a recurring theme in the series.
All in all I thought this was a decent debut UF novel. There were some major pacing issues for me in the first half, and I felt as if the story dragged horribly. However, Tina and her battle with gaining super powers, trying to figure out how to get her ex-boyfriend out of hell, and keeping the secrets of the Zone were enough to keep me reading. I will definitely be willing to give the next book in the series a shot, especially if we get to see some more romance time between Tina and Andre.
I give Boyfriend from Hell a C
I’m always on the lookout for new urban fantasy books. It’s one of my favorite genres, with some of my favorite authors. While a lot of people have criticised the cover of the first Saturn’s Daughter book, it actually caught my eye. Not just the uncomfortable positioning of the woman’s body, but the fact that she is holding a tire iron next to a Harley, instead of a sword or gun in some faraway land. It’s something I’d never seen before, and knew I was in for a heroine who wouldn’t mind getting down and dirty.
Tina has been working in the Zone for a few years now, trying to make ends meet while finishing up her law degree. She never expected the Zone to change her life, but instead of offering her a regular paycheck, she developed some weird supernatural powers. She accidently sent her boyfriend to hell when he tried to kill her, she caused a freak tornado, sprinkler systems to randomly go off, and who knows what else.
Tina just wants to graduate law school and find out who terrorized a group of kids in the Zone. But the secrets of the area are quickly unraveling, and Tina will have to do things she never imagined possible in order to keep herself and her newfound Zone friends safe from danger. But will she be able to do so without damning herself?
I have to admit that when I put this book down, I had some mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I really liked that Quaid set up her paranormal world in a way I don’t ever remember reading before. Instead of your standard things that go bump in the night, a chemical spill has contaminated a poor area of Baltimore known as the Zone. People from the area are beginning to notice weird things, special abilities and that basis for her world building was unique enough to keep me engaged and wondering. However, the book progressed SO SLOWLY from start to finish that I found myself getting bored and wanting to skip ahead. Never a good sign.
Despite her ability to deny, deny, deny, I really liked Tina. She had spunk and character and was an all around good character. She struggled a bit with the paranormal super powers, and although she walked into a bar daily where the Lady Justice over the door winked and flirted with her, she seemed to have a hard time accepting that the supernatural could take over people as well as objects. I thought it was a good mix of acceptance and struggle on her part though, as I can imagine finding out you can literally curse people to hell isn’t exactly something to toy with.
One of the things I hope Quaid does NOT do in this series is start an on-going and never ending love triangle. Sure, Max seems like a nice guy, and despite the whole ‘being sent to hell’ thing, he tried to prove time and again that he really did love Tina, regardless of how their relationship started out. At the same time, Tina’s boss Andre makes his big play for the girl he loves to fight with. I personally had a soft spot for Andre, because I love my heroes to be absolutely Alpha in everything they do. But Tina waffled between the two of them, never seeming to make a commitment to one or the other. Like I said, I hope this doesn’t become a recurring theme in the series.
All in all I thought this was a decent debut UF novel. There were some major pacing issues for me in the first half, and I felt as if the story dragged horribly. However, Tina and her battle with gaining super powers, trying to figure out how to get her ex-boyfriend out of hell, and keeping the secrets of the Zone were enough to keep me reading. I will definitely be willing to give the next book in the series a shot, especially if we get to see some more romance time between Tina and Andre.
I give Boyfriend from Hell a C
August 29, 2012
4,5/5
Mon avis en Français
My English review
As soon as I saw the cover of this new novel I knew that I absolutely had to read it. And after this synopsis, it did not take long for me to jump on this little gem. Well I must say that I am always ready for a good urban fantasy book, and I really liked this one. I loved the characters, I loved the story, what more can I ask for?
Clency Tina is a young woman who works in the Zone, this place that most people avoid. Well, a lot of strange things happen there and the people living in this place seem to possess abilities quite incredible. However, she tries to not spend a lot of time there to work and become a lawyer. But things get complicated when one day, her boyfriend tries to kill her by rolling over her and without realizing it, she sends him to hell. Literally! And when she receives a word that announces her that she is a daughter of Saturn, her whole life is turned upside down. We do not realize how much it will disrupt her routine. She will then have to manage with her own abilities and with the persons who now seem to want to kill her without she can understand the reason.
Tina is a young woman I really enjoyed to follow throughout the novel. Well, she is determined to do what she wants whatever everyone wants. And especially to pass her exams even if she is shot or if her life is in danger. We learn to discover her, understand her strengths and weaknesses, to see how she manages to adapt to this new world, as everything changes radically overnight without her asking for it. I loved the Jamie Quaid’s ideas, she approaches new things that I had not yet the opportunity to read in an Urban Fantasy novel and I liked it. Discovering this new world we didn’t know anything about, some characters with unique abilities, and an involved plot, we can’t ask for anything more.
We meet many protagonists here. It also arises many questions about them. If they are trustworthy, if they want something from our heroine, and especially what the Zone has changed them into. We'll find the truth gradually throughout the story, establishing the truth little by little to finally understand what is really going on. I loved each of them. How can we not love this baby cat? Impossible! And what about Andrew? I asked myself a lot of questions about him, trying to figure out what he was trying to get from our heroine. Well I haven’t yet concluded on his case, but something is certain, we learn to love him more and more with each chapter. But he is not alone and all these people will help our heroine, much more than what we had originally thought. Well, she really need that even if she thinks she can handle everything all by herself.
As I said many things happen in this novel and there is no downtime. Not here, not any chance to get bored that's for sure! The rhythm is sustained throughout the novel so that I couldn’t let it go until finished.
Well, I think you understand, I loved this first novel that announces a new great series and I really look forward to learn more now.
Mon avis en Français
My English review
As soon as I saw the cover of this new novel I knew that I absolutely had to read it. And after this synopsis, it did not take long for me to jump on this little gem. Well I must say that I am always ready for a good urban fantasy book, and I really liked this one. I loved the characters, I loved the story, what more can I ask for?
Clency Tina is a young woman who works in the Zone, this place that most people avoid. Well, a lot of strange things happen there and the people living in this place seem to possess abilities quite incredible. However, she tries to not spend a lot of time there to work and become a lawyer. But things get complicated when one day, her boyfriend tries to kill her by rolling over her and without realizing it, she sends him to hell. Literally! And when she receives a word that announces her that she is a daughter of Saturn, her whole life is turned upside down. We do not realize how much it will disrupt her routine. She will then have to manage with her own abilities and with the persons who now seem to want to kill her without she can understand the reason.
Tina is a young woman I really enjoyed to follow throughout the novel. Well, she is determined to do what she wants whatever everyone wants. And especially to pass her exams even if she is shot or if her life is in danger. We learn to discover her, understand her strengths and weaknesses, to see how she manages to adapt to this new world, as everything changes radically overnight without her asking for it. I loved the Jamie Quaid’s ideas, she approaches new things that I had not yet the opportunity to read in an Urban Fantasy novel and I liked it. Discovering this new world we didn’t know anything about, some characters with unique abilities, and an involved plot, we can’t ask for anything more.
We meet many protagonists here. It also arises many questions about them. If they are trustworthy, if they want something from our heroine, and especially what the Zone has changed them into. We'll find the truth gradually throughout the story, establishing the truth little by little to finally understand what is really going on. I loved each of them. How can we not love this baby cat? Impossible! And what about Andrew? I asked myself a lot of questions about him, trying to figure out what he was trying to get from our heroine. Well I haven’t yet concluded on his case, but something is certain, we learn to love him more and more with each chapter. But he is not alone and all these people will help our heroine, much more than what we had originally thought. Well, she really need that even if she thinks she can handle everything all by herself.
As I said many things happen in this novel and there is no downtime. Not here, not any chance to get bored that's for sure! The rhythm is sustained throughout the novel so that I couldn’t let it go until finished.
Well, I think you understand, I loved this first novel that announces a new great series and I really look forward to learn more now.
June 7, 2013
Boyfriend from Hell by Jamie Quaid
Do you think you would like to live your life knowing that, if you wished someone to go to Hell hard enough, they would really go? Maybe you would like to dispense justice in its more violent form. Well maybe if you lived some of your life in the section of radioactive Baltimore known as the Zone, you might be able to. But really… how would you feel if you saw your no-good boyfriend sitting behind the wheel of your car burning to death because you wished him to Hell?
This is just one of the things that Justine (Tina) Clancy has to worry about these days. Well that and her ability to kill at the mere thought. She also has to worry about a kitten that turns into huge wildcat, statues that move, women that turn into chimpanzee and the fact that she just found out her boyfriend wasn’t such a jerk in the first place! She also has to worry about the fact that she may be one of Saturn’s daughter and what that will mean in the next couple of years. Oh and she has to worry about her very sexy boss too.
One last thing – along with your ability to dispense Justice, every time you sent a person who really needed it to Hell something good happened for you. Like sentence a murderer, get big boobs. Would you be able to ‘do the right thing’ knowing this?
This was a fantastic, fast; thought provoking read that I almost didn’t go for. I felt that the story line sounded a little too out there, the characters sounded like they would be too young for me, and that perhaps it was a book for young adults. Nevertheless, this was one of the best choices of speculative fiction I have made in the last couple of months! It is new, fresh, quirky, has a really good mystery and so far even though interesting things are physically happening to Tina she hasn’t become a ‘Mary-Sue’ and I really hope the author doesn’t end up eventually writing her that way.
It’s not to say that this book didn’t have its flaws –sometimes you just wanted to smack the heck out of Tina and her whininess, sarcastic mouth and her attitude that I can do it all by myself – and then other times you just wanted to wrap her up and hug her to death. Also at 400 pages this book may have been a tad long, but since this is a book setting up a new series and had tons of world building to do, I can see why Ms. Quaid opted for the length of it.
It is clever to have this as a first person point of view book so we never get confused with the thoughts and emotions of the other main and secondary characters. However, you can still clearly ‘feel’ what is going on in the other characters heads simply by Ms Quaid’s clever writing. Even for a world like this everything is totally believable-the dialogue, the world, the mystery…none of it feels contrived and you can really feel the anguish and angst that Tina is going through. Yet even with the angst Tina still goes along with her old routines and still is doing her very best to pass her Law exams!
Do you think you would like to live your life knowing that, if you wished someone to go to Hell hard enough, they would really go? Maybe you would like to dispense justice in its more violent form. Well maybe if you lived some of your life in the section of radioactive Baltimore known as the Zone, you might be able to. But really… how would you feel if you saw your no-good boyfriend sitting behind the wheel of your car burning to death because you wished him to Hell?
This is just one of the things that Justine (Tina) Clancy has to worry about these days. Well that and her ability to kill at the mere thought. She also has to worry about a kitten that turns into huge wildcat, statues that move, women that turn into chimpanzee and the fact that she just found out her boyfriend wasn’t such a jerk in the first place! She also has to worry about the fact that she may be one of Saturn’s daughter and what that will mean in the next couple of years. Oh and she has to worry about her very sexy boss too.
One last thing – along with your ability to dispense Justice, every time you sent a person who really needed it to Hell something good happened for you. Like sentence a murderer, get big boobs. Would you be able to ‘do the right thing’ knowing this?
This was a fantastic, fast; thought provoking read that I almost didn’t go for. I felt that the story line sounded a little too out there, the characters sounded like they would be too young for me, and that perhaps it was a book for young adults. Nevertheless, this was one of the best choices of speculative fiction I have made in the last couple of months! It is new, fresh, quirky, has a really good mystery and so far even though interesting things are physically happening to Tina she hasn’t become a ‘Mary-Sue’ and I really hope the author doesn’t end up eventually writing her that way.
It’s not to say that this book didn’t have its flaws –sometimes you just wanted to smack the heck out of Tina and her whininess, sarcastic mouth and her attitude that I can do it all by myself – and then other times you just wanted to wrap her up and hug her to death. Also at 400 pages this book may have been a tad long, but since this is a book setting up a new series and had tons of world building to do, I can see why Ms. Quaid opted for the length of it.
It is clever to have this as a first person point of view book so we never get confused with the thoughts and emotions of the other main and secondary characters. However, you can still clearly ‘feel’ what is going on in the other characters heads simply by Ms Quaid’s clever writing. Even for a world like this everything is totally believable-the dialogue, the world, the mystery…none of it feels contrived and you can really feel the anguish and angst that Tina is going through. Yet even with the angst Tina still goes along with her old routines and still is doing her very best to pass her Law exams!
September 7, 2012
3.5 stars
I loved the world. It was dark, dirty, and gritty. The Zone had a dangerous, forbidden feel to it. I loved the fact that the artwork and statues literally had an opinion. The characters had all sorts of entertaining eccentricities which made the book more interesting.
I had a little difficulty with the main character, Tina. I did like her and found her to be hard-working, goal oriented, pragmatic, and smart. Tina did have an anger management problem, resulting in some curious occurrences. I think what frustrated me was the fact that her skill was not fully explored. I understand that this is a series and that the skill was being set up, but this was something that I would have appreciated a just a little more background. Once she realized that her talent resulted in a little gift, she was quite preoccupied by her good hair. Aside from that, I did like Tina and enjoyed her interactions with the other characters.
The rest of the characters made this book fun to read. I felt horrible for Max, the boyfriend who was damned to hell. Max could communicate with Tina through her bathroom mirror and her compact. Andre was perfect as the sleazy business owner with a thing for Tina. The biker boys were perfect – big, burly, and protective. My favorite had to be Milo the kitten, who was more than he seemed.
Boyfriend from Hell is a solid start to Jamie Quaid’s Saturn’s Daughter series and a series to keep on the radar. I can’t wait to read more about this world.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pocketbooks for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
“Other people just told their boyfriends to go to hell and could take back the words and make up. Me, I actually had to send mine there.”Boyfriend from Hell by Jamie Quaid is an entertaining read. Set in the slums of Baltimore in an environmentally damaged area called The Zone, Boyfriend from Hell has a different take on environmental pollution. The Zone is an area where electronics don’t work; buildings have a blue glow at night (without electricity) and inanimate objects such as statues and garbage dumpsters move. The population of The Zone has all sorts of talents; shape shifting, invisibility, and snake charming are some of the abilities of the residents.
I loved the world. It was dark, dirty, and gritty. The Zone had a dangerous, forbidden feel to it. I loved the fact that the artwork and statues literally had an opinion. The characters had all sorts of entertaining eccentricities which made the book more interesting.
I had a little difficulty with the main character, Tina. I did like her and found her to be hard-working, goal oriented, pragmatic, and smart. Tina did have an anger management problem, resulting in some curious occurrences. I think what frustrated me was the fact that her skill was not fully explored. I understand that this is a series and that the skill was being set up, but this was something that I would have appreciated a just a little more background. Once she realized that her talent resulted in a little gift, she was quite preoccupied by her good hair. Aside from that, I did like Tina and enjoyed her interactions with the other characters.
The rest of the characters made this book fun to read. I felt horrible for Max, the boyfriend who was damned to hell. Max could communicate with Tina through her bathroom mirror and her compact. Andre was perfect as the sleazy business owner with a thing for Tina. The biker boys were perfect – big, burly, and protective. My favorite had to be Milo the kitten, who was more than he seemed.
Boyfriend from Hell is a solid start to Jamie Quaid’s Saturn’s Daughter series and a series to keep on the radar. I can’t wait to read more about this world.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pocketbooks for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
July 9, 2014
This is a very quirky, hard edged novel. I was quite intrigued with this book but I never felt entirely comfortable and that could have been the intention of Ms Quaid. Nothing is as it seems at first glance in the Zone.
Tina Clancy's boyfriend Max has been flaking off lately and when he comes screaming down the hill straight at Clancy in her car, she thinks he is trying to kill her. She damns him to hell and that's where he ends up.
The book is set in Baltimore's radio-active Zone, which reminds me slightly of Kate Daniels' Atlanta. The ACME Chemical Company had a dangerous accident 20 or 30 yrs ago and strange things are starting to happen in the Zone. Both to things and people.
Clancy has had a very hard life with a hippie mother who moved them all over the place and no dad or other family. Turns out that Clancy is a Daughter of Saturn which means she is a Justice Demon. She just doesn't know that yet. And living and working in the Zone has enhanced her vigilante skills. She goes to school doing law and works part-time for Andre, doing his accountancy and banking. Andre owns lots of businesses in the Zone and employs lots of people. Almost like the mob.
This was a who dunnit with paranormal overtones, lots of action, spies, political implications and corrupt authorities, and a cute kitty.
Clancy learns that she does indeed have friends and she doesn't need to always rely solely on herself.
Tina Clancy's boyfriend Max has been flaking off lately and when he comes screaming down the hill straight at Clancy in her car, she thinks he is trying to kill her. She damns him to hell and that's where he ends up.
The book is set in Baltimore's radio-active Zone, which reminds me slightly of Kate Daniels' Atlanta. The ACME Chemical Company had a dangerous accident 20 or 30 yrs ago and strange things are starting to happen in the Zone. Both to things and people.
Clancy has had a very hard life with a hippie mother who moved them all over the place and no dad or other family. Turns out that Clancy is a Daughter of Saturn which means she is a Justice Demon. She just doesn't know that yet. And living and working in the Zone has enhanced her vigilante skills. She goes to school doing law and works part-time for Andre, doing his accountancy and banking. Andre owns lots of businesses in the Zone and employs lots of people. Almost like the mob.
This was a who dunnit with paranormal overtones, lots of action, spies, political implications and corrupt authorities, and a cute kitty.
Clancy learns that she does indeed have friends and she doesn't need to always rely solely on herself.
August 31, 2012
Imagine one day you are trying to get on with your life , trying to pass law school so that you can find a way to expunge your record for a minor mistake and then the next thing you know, you are a witness to a limo that runs down a couple of children and your boyfriend is trying to kill you with your car of all things. Then the next thing she realises is that she whispers out the words damn you to hell and the car blows up with her boyfriend Max inside. For Justina aka Tina/ Justy life is about to get a whole lot weirder when she discovers that she is one of Saturn's Daughters and her grandmother is Themis. Tina has the power to send people to hell and kill others and when she does it seems that the universe loves rewarding her as everytime she kills , she becomes more perfect. Can Tina get to the bottom of what is going on and what is happening around her ? It seems that "The Zone" where strange things occur is about to get weirder and a whole lot of suits are investigating and attracting the wrong attention. With the help of Themis , and friends Andre/Sarah/Cora and of course the Man in the Mirror - Max can Tina save not only "The Zone" from destruction but also in time to pass her Law finals and sit the bar .
A nice, quick and easy read that will have the readers entranced by the first page as you want to discover more about who exactly is Saturn's Daughters and what Tina has to do with them .
A nice, quick and easy read that will have the readers entranced by the first page as you want to discover more about who exactly is Saturn's Daughters and what Tina has to do with them .
September 1, 2012
Radioactive Baltimore has to be one of the best settings I've read in a long long time. The place was alive, upbeat, and extremely unique. With statues that moved, building that glowed flourescent at night, and a population that couldn't help but "change" in such creative ways while living there, each page had a new surprise for me, but somehow still managed not to overdo it.
Tina is surrounded by characters - in every sense of the word. They bring the neighborhood to life (well, the moving statues did help) and added so much color to the story. While not much happened in the way of real romance, Tina does have a few hot and heavy moments as she tries to figure out who was really behind the attempt on her life.
Tina is surrounded by characters - in every sense of the word. They bring the neighborhood to life (well, the moving statues did help) and added so much color to the story. While not much happened in the way of real romance, Tina does have a few hot and heavy moments as she tries to figure out who was really behind the attempt on her life.
July 14, 2013
This one started out slow for me, but I kept reading, the world really drew me in. I wanted to know more about the Zone, wanted to know more about the changes that Andre kept alluding to, so I kept reading. As I kept going, Tina grew on me. I liked her attitude and her sense of morals, something that was quickly becoming super important to her. I though that Tina dealt with all the changes in a good way, she was skeptical until she was forced to face the reality that what was happening was really happening.
I am sort of torn with how this one ended. I don't know that we can trust the person that was given a second chance, and as much as I want to trust Andre I don't know that I can. Either way I can't wait to read more about this misfit crew that inhabits the Zone.
I am sort of torn with how this one ended. I don't know that we can trust the person that was given a second chance, and as much as I want to trust Andre I don't know that I can. Either way I can't wait to read more about this misfit crew that inhabits the Zone.
February 24, 2015
2.5
The plot was promising and it had all of the ingredients for a promising UF book. I never connected with the characters which is a deal breaker for me. I never became engaged and never cared what happened to Tina. The Zone had a very Kate Daniels feel so I kept hoping somewhere along the way I'd have one of those I'm glad I kept reading moments....that moment never came! I typically don't notice or care too much about a flaw in the writing (i.e. We're eating dinner and all of the sudden were somewhere else) but this one had those kind of things standing out to me. Maybe it was just me or my mood but I didn't enjoy this and won't be residing the next in the series.
The plot was promising and it had all of the ingredients for a promising UF book. I never connected with the characters which is a deal breaker for me. I never became engaged and never cared what happened to Tina. The Zone had a very Kate Daniels feel so I kept hoping somewhere along the way I'd have one of those I'm glad I kept reading moments....that moment never came! I typically don't notice or care too much about a flaw in the writing (i.e. We're eating dinner and all of the sudden were somewhere else) but this one had those kind of things standing out to me. Maybe it was just me or my mood but I didn't enjoy this and won't be residing the next in the series.
December 18, 2013
Turned out better than I was expecting. I was impressed with the lead characterization of Tina. She was fierce.
The writing was very detailed. World plot not bad, some originality meets oldschool comic geek. The plot I have some mixed feelings about.
didn't like any of the men in this book. For a romance that is bad for business. Max was better drawn, but there was so little information in the beginning scenes you end up feeling no empathy for his character when he gets sent to hell.
The writing was very detailed. World plot not bad, some originality meets oldschool comic geek. The plot I have some mixed feelings about.
didn't like any of the men in this book. For a romance that is bad for business. Max was better drawn, but there was so little information in the beginning scenes you end up feeling no empathy for his character when he gets sent to hell.
October 12, 2012
~* 3.5 Stars *~
Series Opener Finishes Strong
The only thing that scarred, limping, and mousy Justine Clancy wants to do is pass her law school finals and get her degree. Maybe then she can quit her part-time job in the radioactive area of Baltimore known as the Zone. Not that the Zone, altered by a series of chemical spills a decade ago, doesn't have its inherent charms. I does. It's just...those charms tend to seem more like freaky mutations or flat-out oddities to the uninitiated.
For two years Tina has worked for the sexy if ego-endowed Andre Legrande, keeping the books for the enigmatic man's many business holdings. She's gotten as used to the Zone as any normal person could, though she does avoid it at night. Still, after all that time Tina thought she'd seen all the weirdness the Zone could dish out. She thought nothing could surprise her anymore.
Then she witnesses a government car mow down a bunch of teenagers in a crosswalk without so much as tapping the break, she has the bank deposit she's carrying stolen by an invisible assailant, and she barely survives when her boyfriend Max, driving her own damn car, almost runs her down - seemingly on purpose. Sure, they had a fight and she was ticked off at him, but vehicular homicide is just overkill. Literally.
Just before Max puts a painfully permanent end on a very bad day, Tina's panic and anger lashes out and she damns him for his actions. Damns him straight to hell.
And okay, it's the Zone, but come on. She didn't expect to actually send him there.
~*~
Quaid kicks off her series debut with a fascinating, quirky world that reminds me - in spirit, at the least - of Simon Green's Nightside series. That series forever endeared me to books set in those pockets of peculiarity, be they magical or paranormal in nature...or caused by toxic spillage, in which inhabitants are a different sort of breed entirely from "normals" even though they exist practically side by side. The Zone is just such a pocket.
I wish that the storyline had allowed for more depth in the world building and even more Zone weirdness, as those were my favorite elements in the book. It was almost a disappointment when Tina's sudden ability to banish annoying bastards turned out to be an issue of heritage, not radioactivity.
Don't get me wrong, I thought Tina's woo-woo stuff was unique and completely original. I think it's a nifty idea for personal weirdness, and the potential for crazy in it was great. I do wish it had been slightly better defined and explained, though. The whole Saturn's Daughter thing remained a bit too much of a mystery throughout the book given that so much else was going on around Tina. It had the unfortunate overall effect of muddying some of the plot threads for me, especially in the middle of the book.
I wasn't totally sold on Tina as the heroine, either. As much as I enjoyed her sarcastic, in-your-face, jaded awareness in the earliest chapters, she waffled back and forth between that and a willful disbelief about Max as the storyline progressed, despite some compelling evidence. It got a little tedious hearing her claim again and again that Max was a figment of her imagination. Especially as she easily acknowledges invisible thieves and Lady Justice statues that wink at her when she walks by. I would have thought her ability to embrace the surreal would be more advanced.
What I did like was the concept of a heroine who is all about justice. The Zone and its inhabitants, especially Andre Legrande, are steeped in the sort of shades of gray that make the idea of black versus white seem positively adolescent. The ethical issues inherent in Tina's natural ability seem perfectly suited for that sort of environment.
Andre is his own enigma. There definitely wasn't enough of him in the book, he stole every single scene he was in, and the questions about his character and backstory teased my mind long after I set the book down. He's a rather odd chap, really. Not quite an antihero, but he doesn't work on the side of angels, either. Tina's ambivalence to his less-than-pristine character was a lot of fun, and I'm hoping for some relationship evolution for the two of them.
I would have liked a few more of my questions about Saturn's daughters answered in this book, and I wouldn't have quibbled over a more linear external conflict. The Bad Guy was fairly straightforward, but I was a bit unclear on why Tina was considered such a loose thread. I just didn't think there was enough of an established connection between Max and Tina to warrant the Bad Guy's intent in making Tina dead.
This one wasn't a complete win for me as a reader, but there was definitely enough solid writing and intriguing story to appeal. In general I felt the story ended on a stronger note than it began, and I liked Tina much more at the end than I had even in the middle. That, coupled with a definite an air of originality and a wicked twist or three speaks loudly for the potential of this series. A potential I don't want to miss seeing realized.
Quotables:
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Pocket Books publisher Simon & Schuster via Edelweiss. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
Series Opener Finishes Strong
The only thing that scarred, limping, and mousy Justine Clancy wants to do is pass her law school finals and get her degree. Maybe then she can quit her part-time job in the radioactive area of Baltimore known as the Zone. Not that the Zone, altered by a series of chemical spills a decade ago, doesn't have its inherent charms. I does. It's just...those charms tend to seem more like freaky mutations or flat-out oddities to the uninitiated.
For two years Tina has worked for the sexy if ego-endowed Andre Legrande, keeping the books for the enigmatic man's many business holdings. She's gotten as used to the Zone as any normal person could, though she does avoid it at night. Still, after all that time Tina thought she'd seen all the weirdness the Zone could dish out. She thought nothing could surprise her anymore.
Then she witnesses a government car mow down a bunch of teenagers in a crosswalk without so much as tapping the break, she has the bank deposit she's carrying stolen by an invisible assailant, and she barely survives when her boyfriend Max, driving her own damn car, almost runs her down - seemingly on purpose. Sure, they had a fight and she was ticked off at him, but vehicular homicide is just overkill. Literally.
Just before Max puts a painfully permanent end on a very bad day, Tina's panic and anger lashes out and she damns him for his actions. Damns him straight to hell.
And okay, it's the Zone, but come on. She didn't expect to actually send him there.
~*~
Quaid kicks off her series debut with a fascinating, quirky world that reminds me - in spirit, at the least - of Simon Green's Nightside series. That series forever endeared me to books set in those pockets of peculiarity, be they magical or paranormal in nature...or caused by toxic spillage, in which inhabitants are a different sort of breed entirely from "normals" even though they exist practically side by side. The Zone is just such a pocket.
I wish that the storyline had allowed for more depth in the world building and even more Zone weirdness, as those were my favorite elements in the book. It was almost a disappointment when Tina's sudden ability to banish annoying bastards turned out to be an issue of heritage, not radioactivity.
Don't get me wrong, I thought Tina's woo-woo stuff was unique and completely original. I think it's a nifty idea for personal weirdness, and the potential for crazy in it was great. I do wish it had been slightly better defined and explained, though. The whole Saturn's Daughter thing remained a bit too much of a mystery throughout the book given that so much else was going on around Tina. It had the unfortunate overall effect of muddying some of the plot threads for me, especially in the middle of the book.
I wasn't totally sold on Tina as the heroine, either. As much as I enjoyed her sarcastic, in-your-face, jaded awareness in the earliest chapters, she waffled back and forth between that and a willful disbelief about Max as the storyline progressed, despite some compelling evidence. It got a little tedious hearing her claim again and again that Max was a figment of her imagination. Especially as she easily acknowledges invisible thieves and Lady Justice statues that wink at her when she walks by. I would have thought her ability to embrace the surreal would be more advanced.
What I did like was the concept of a heroine who is all about justice. The Zone and its inhabitants, especially Andre Legrande, are steeped in the sort of shades of gray that make the idea of black versus white seem positively adolescent. The ethical issues inherent in Tina's natural ability seem perfectly suited for that sort of environment.
Andre is his own enigma. There definitely wasn't enough of him in the book, he stole every single scene he was in, and the questions about his character and backstory teased my mind long after I set the book down. He's a rather odd chap, really. Not quite an antihero, but he doesn't work on the side of angels, either. Tina's ambivalence to his less-than-pristine character was a lot of fun, and I'm hoping for some relationship evolution for the two of them.
I would have liked a few more of my questions about Saturn's daughters answered in this book, and I wouldn't have quibbled over a more linear external conflict. The Bad Guy was fairly straightforward, but I was a bit unclear on why Tina was considered such a loose thread. I just didn't think there was enough of an established connection between Max and Tina to warrant the Bad Guy's intent in making Tina dead.
This one wasn't a complete win for me as a reader, but there was definitely enough solid writing and intriguing story to appeal. In general I felt the story ended on a stronger note than it began, and I liked Tina much more at the end than I had even in the middle. That, coupled with a definite an air of originality and a wicked twist or three speaks loudly for the potential of this series. A potential I don't want to miss seeing realized.
Quotables:
"Men scratch their bellies and speak gibberish and would still be swinging from trees if we lived in jungles. They probably wouldn't bathe and would still be still be picking nits, too, except the ones with small weenies learned they could make money to compete in the testosterone wars and civilization happened."
"Having a bad day?" Andre taunted. "Doesn't your best - and only - boss deserve at the very least a cheery greeting?"
"I'm having a bad life, and cheery gets you killed around here."
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Pocket Books publisher Simon & Schuster via Edelweiss. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
August 9, 2012
Original Post appears at Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust with the Title Boyfriend from Hell by Jaime Quaid
BOYFRIEND FROM HELL
The Saturn's Daughters Series: One
Jamie Quaid
Sept. 25, 2012
Pocket/Simon and Schuster
Mass Market Paperback/E-Book 400 pages
Disclosure: E-Galley loaned by publisher via Edelweiss. No remuneration exchanged and all opinions herein are my own except as noted.
From Jamie Quaid's Website:
The Upside of Industrial Waste
This is a new idea for a novel with interesting characters and not filled with answers to all of its mysteries.
It takes place in Baltimore where a super toxic industrial site takes up part of the area near the working waterfront. The pollution has had very strange effects on both the animate and inanimate city's denizens. This is a new and interesting way of looking at pollution. And using the powers gained gives one great, assets.
While the theme is urban fantasy, with healthy doses of conspiracy theory, social oppression by "the man," I found some of the more mundane portions of the urban landscape more troubling than those more fantastic components. I have no problem with the dead boyfriend haunting her, but the idea that her student protest arrest record would be as much trouble as Tina thought was somewhat hard to grasp. This is in a near future and somewhat different society. I find the idea that a chemical spill could create sentience in objects as well, but it's not a huge issue and makes the tale fun.
I was thinking of what young heroines to whom I would compare Quaid's Tina Clancy. She's not as snarky as Chloe Neill's Merit, Not the ruthless assassin of Jaye Wells Sabina nor the self-righteous bitchiness of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake. Tina is, at the beginning of the story, more beaten than bitchy. Before the book ends she has become prouder and less beaten down, and a bit snarky. I would say that if you like Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan it's likely you'll like Tina Clancy. Even some of the situations are similar: science caused a large mishap that altered society, there are familial mysteries, and like Kim Harrison's Trent Kalamack, Andre is a hot guy to whom she is strongly attracted but who is also rather suspect.
As the series progresses, I imagine we'll hear more about the mystery of what Tina is becoming and who Saturn's daughters are. I am really looking forward to learning more and getting to know these characters. Highly recommended.
BOYFRIEND FROM HELL
The Saturn's Daughters Series: One
Jamie Quaid
Sept. 25, 2012
Pocket/Simon and Schuster
Mass Market Paperback/E-Book 400 pages
Disclosure: E-Galley loaned by publisher via Edelweiss. No remuneration exchanged and all opinions herein are my own except as noted.
Justine (Tina) Clancy is just an ordinary law student with a faulty arrest record, a part-time job in Baltimore’s radioactive Zone, and a family secret so bizarre even she doesn’t believe it. That is, until in a fit of fury she damns her boyfriend to hell—and it’s exactly where he ends up.
Much to her surprise, Tina is apparently one of Saturn’s daughters, with the power to wield vigilante justice. But poor Max didn’t deserve to go up in flames, even if he did almost run her over with her own car. Tina’s convinced someone cut the brakes—and now a relentless nemesis is stalking her through the Zone’s back alleys, where buildings glow, statues move, and chemical waste exposure comes with interesting consequences. Tina’s usually a loner, but now she needs a posse like no other: a shape-shifting kitten, an invisible thief, a biker gang, a snake-charming private detective, a well-meaning cop, and her sleazy, sexy boss. But in between freeing Max from hell, saving her own neck, and solving a mystery that threatens the Zone and her new found friends, how is she ever going to study for finals?
Jamie Quaid is the pseudonym for a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri
Edelweiss
From Jamie Quaid's Website:
Tina Clancy here, and before you ask, that’s not my picture in the corner. Maybe there’s a Saturn’s Daughter in the universe who has the good fortune to work her way up to sword-wielding goddess, but it ain’t me, babe. Given the weirdnesses I’ve been plagued with lately, I might end up looking like a chimp or a demon, but for right now, I’m a law student. I’m a mouse brown, gap-toothed, four-eyed cripple. Instead of a sword, my weapons are a messenger bag…and a manx cat.
But apparently I was born under some weird conjunction of Saturn with a few stray asteroids and that gives me a thirst for justice, which is a bloody damn nuisance. So far, my intolerance for the bullies of the world has made me lose my scholarship, given me a crippled leg, and sent my lying boyfriend to hell. Okay. So maybe there are some advantages to what I do. If only my ex would stay in hell where he belongs.
And since I took this job counting money for Andre Legrande in the environmental disaster Zone of Baltimore where cash registers and computers don’t compute, I’m discovering, just a little bit late, I might have taken a wrong turn. But I need the money, and Andre ain’t half bad to look at. Besides, I sort of feel at home with invisible thieves, buildings that glow blue in the dark, and statues that wink.
But since my boyfriend died in a fiery ball of flame and started showing up in my mirror, life has been getting even stranger.
jamiequaid.com
The Upside of Industrial Waste
This is a new idea for a novel with interesting characters and not filled with answers to all of its mysteries.
It takes place in Baltimore where a super toxic industrial site takes up part of the area near the working waterfront. The pollution has had very strange effects on both the animate and inanimate city's denizens. This is a new and interesting way of looking at pollution. And using the powers gained gives one great, assets.
While the theme is urban fantasy, with healthy doses of conspiracy theory, social oppression by "the man," I found some of the more mundane portions of the urban landscape more troubling than those more fantastic components. I have no problem with the dead boyfriend haunting her, but the idea that her student protest arrest record would be as much trouble as Tina thought was somewhat hard to grasp. This is in a near future and somewhat different society. I find the idea that a chemical spill could create sentience in objects as well, but it's not a huge issue and makes the tale fun.
I was thinking of what young heroines to whom I would compare Quaid's Tina Clancy. She's not as snarky as Chloe Neill's Merit, Not the ruthless assassin of Jaye Wells Sabina nor the self-righteous bitchiness of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake. Tina is, at the beginning of the story, more beaten than bitchy. Before the book ends she has become prouder and less beaten down, and a bit snarky. I would say that if you like Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan it's likely you'll like Tina Clancy. Even some of the situations are similar: science caused a large mishap that altered society, there are familial mysteries, and like Kim Harrison's Trent Kalamack, Andre is a hot guy to whom she is strongly attracted but who is also rather suspect.
Observing the statue's dip from the reflection in the mirror behind the bar, Andre smirked. Or, maybe gazing at his own handsome image produced that smug smile. Legrande, after all means "the large one," and I 'd figured long ago that he'd made up the name to match his ego, if not his size. (Quaid, Jamie: Boyfriend from Hell, page 3, Simon and Schuster, 2012)
As the series progresses, I imagine we'll hear more about the mystery of what Tina is becoming and who Saturn's daughters are. I am really looking forward to learning more and getting to know these characters. Highly recommended.
November 21, 2014
Goodreads Teaser:
With a creative premise, this book provides interesting character development - focused on a strong female protagonist, as well as several of the secondary characters, though to a lesser degree for them. All of the characters, Andre, Max, Sarah, Cora, Jane, Lance, Tim, etc., are just that - characters. But in a good way. They reveal the very creative mind of Ms. Quaid, who puts each of them to good use.
The unique use of the antagonist(s) is fascinating, especially as we never did get a solid answer as to who is the "mastermind" behind all the terrible things happening, to Tina and to the Zone and it's inhabitants.
Though this book offers a solid storyline, while interesting it ran a tad slow overall. Yet I feel that can be excused as this first book in the 'Saturn's Daughters' series was used as the vehicle to set the scene for the larger story.
The arc of the story worked well, and the action and character development were smoothly entwined into the arc. With a quirky ending this could have possibly been a stand alone book with a few tweaks, yet as the beginning of a saga it was very well designed. We got both a relatively complete wrap to the story, as well as some choice morsels left dangling in the breeze, just begging to be (devoured by a pack of hungry dogs, each unearthing just a little bit more of the overall picture in their seething, snarling, frantic quest for dominion over the bloodiest, prime pieces of meat) explored and answered. All told it is an eventful start to what looks to be a solid series.
They say justice is blind. But Justine isn’t.
Justine (Tina) Clancy is just an ordinary law student with a faulty arrest record, a part-time job in Baltimore’s radioactive Zone, and a family secret so bizarre even she doesn’t believe it. That is, until in a fit of fury she damns her boyfriend to hell—and it’s exactly where he ends up.
Much to her surprise, Tina is apparently one of Saturn’s daughters, with the power to wield vigilante justice. But poor Max didn’t deserve to go up in flames, even if he did almost run her over with her own car. Tina’s convinced someone cut the brakes—and now a relentless nemesis is stalking her through the Zone’s back alleys, where buildings glow, statues move, and chemical waste exposure comes with interesting consequences. Tina’s usually a loner, but now she needs a posse like no other: a shape-shifting kitten, an invisible thief, a biker gang, a snake-charming private detective, a well-meaning cop, and her sleazy, sexy boss. But in between freeing Max from hell, saving her own neck, and solving a mystery that threatens the Zone and her new-found friends, how is she ever going to study for finals?
With a creative premise, this book provides interesting character development - focused on a strong female protagonist, as well as several of the secondary characters, though to a lesser degree for them. All of the characters, Andre, Max, Sarah, Cora, Jane, Lance, Tim, etc., are just that - characters. But in a good way. They reveal the very creative mind of Ms. Quaid, who puts each of them to good use.
The unique use of the antagonist(s) is fascinating, especially as we never did get a solid answer as to who is the "mastermind" behind all the terrible things happening, to Tina and to the Zone and it's inhabitants.
Though this book offers a solid storyline, while interesting it ran a tad slow overall. Yet I feel that can be excused as this first book in the 'Saturn's Daughters' series was used as the vehicle to set the scene for the larger story.
The arc of the story worked well, and the action and character development were smoothly entwined into the arc. With a quirky ending this could have possibly been a stand alone book with a few tweaks, yet as the beginning of a saga it was very well designed. We got both a relatively complete wrap to the story, as well as some choice morsels left dangling in the breeze, just begging to be (devoured by a pack of hungry dogs, each unearthing just a little bit more of the overall picture in their seething, snarling, frantic quest for dominion over the bloodiest, prime pieces of meat) explored and answered. All told it is an eventful start to what looks to be a solid series.
August 16, 2012
Life has been hard on Justine Clancy. Her mom moved her around all the time then ditched her to move to Europe, she’s been physically crippled by a police officer and spent months in the hospital afterward and kept a limp as a reminder and has to work in The Zone to survive while finishing law school. Let’s say she had enough on her plate, but everything got worst when her boyfriend tried to kill her then died, right after she witnessed a couple of students being run over and her cash deposit had been stolen. To say it was a bad day doesn’t cover it.
I would lie if I said I was sold to this book right away, but after a few chapters I was really into it! The Zone is a post chemical spill area good –and smart- people usual avoid. Glowing in the dark buildings might have its charms, but if the building glows, you can’t help but wonder what it will do to your DNA. Quaid introduce an original Lore where people living in the area for a while changes, on top of mystical Gods involvement. I have to say, even after finishing the novel the God part is still pretty hazy to me, so hopefully Jamie will reveal more about it – and Justine’s powers- in the following novels.
The characters were most definitely my favourite part of this urban fantasy novel. Clancy is a loveable and capable woman with good intentions but questionable methods. Her rather unusual technics makes for a highly entertaining read and I really liked her “hands off the annoying but oh so sexy boss” policy. Said boss is quite a mystery and I really can’t wait to learn more about him because I thougth he was awesome and his exasperation toward Justine is simply priceless. Tina is surrounded by an amazing selection of characters and I don’t what to mention every one of them, but her cat is worth a howler!
I truly enjoyed the plot and The Zone citizens’ twisted sense of justice. The novel is action-packed from beginning to end, sparkled with a great dose of humour and just a touch of romance. I really think Boyfriend From Hell has everything to please urban fantasy lovers and I would definitely recommend it. Jamie is offering us an highly original tale, because quite frankly, I can’t think of any other novel I could compare it to. I’m anxious for the second instalment!
I would lie if I said I was sold to this book right away, but after a few chapters I was really into it! The Zone is a post chemical spill area good –and smart- people usual avoid. Glowing in the dark buildings might have its charms, but if the building glows, you can’t help but wonder what it will do to your DNA. Quaid introduce an original Lore where people living in the area for a while changes, on top of mystical Gods involvement. I have to say, even after finishing the novel the God part is still pretty hazy to me, so hopefully Jamie will reveal more about it – and Justine’s powers- in the following novels.
The characters were most definitely my favourite part of this urban fantasy novel. Clancy is a loveable and capable woman with good intentions but questionable methods. Her rather unusual technics makes for a highly entertaining read and I really liked her “hands off the annoying but oh so sexy boss” policy. Said boss is quite a mystery and I really can’t wait to learn more about him because I thougth he was awesome and his exasperation toward Justine is simply priceless. Tina is surrounded by an amazing selection of characters and I don’t what to mention every one of them, but her cat is worth a howler!
I truly enjoyed the plot and The Zone citizens’ twisted sense of justice. The novel is action-packed from beginning to end, sparkled with a great dose of humour and just a touch of romance. I really think Boyfriend From Hell has everything to please urban fantasy lovers and I would definitely recommend it. Jamie is offering us an highly original tale, because quite frankly, I can’t think of any other novel I could compare it to. I’m anxious for the second instalment!
September 25, 2012
Tina Clancy is trying to finish law school and stay out from underfoot at her job in The Zone, the radioactive area of Baltimore where things...aren't always what they seem. When her boyfriend of several months nearly runs her down, she curses him to hell while diving out of his path. She didn't mean it literally, but it seems she apparently has the power to do that. To curse people to hell. This is news to her. It's also news that each time she commits an act using her "power," she has a physical transformation. First it's her hair - it goes from mousy to glorious. Then it's other things, like her prominently messed up leg that suddenly, one morning, has healed back to its original shape. If that weren't weird enough, Tina is haunted by images of her deceased boyfriend, and he's claiming that he ws set up. So what's a girl to do? Investigate, of course. She dives into getting information on corporate honchos her honey used to rub elbows with (unbeknownst to her), and in the process invites unwarranted attention to herself and the people she works with. Her boss, a sexy yet secretive wall of a man, is concerned both for her and for his business. Tina, meanwhile, just wants to finish her degree, yet the crazy shit-storm she's gotten herself into won't abate.
This was a strange book. Strange in that it had a lot of interesting potential, but it played out in a way that wasn't bad, per se, but wasn't quite what I expected either. The tone was a plateau to me; there weren't many twists and turns that kept me engaged or at the edge of my seat. I wasn't really sure what, exactly, the relationship was between Tina and 1) her boyfriend and 2) her boss. It was clear that she hadn't been with her boyfriend all that long, yet she felt seriously obligated to him in a way that seemed to go beyond what we had been told. And her boss? Yeah. Not sure what's going on there, either.
Boyfriend just isn't quite all there. At least not yet. The foundation of the first book leaves a bit to be desired (or defined), though hopefully with future installments we'll get a bit more clarification.
This was a strange book. Strange in that it had a lot of interesting potential, but it played out in a way that wasn't bad, per se, but wasn't quite what I expected either. The tone was a plateau to me; there weren't many twists and turns that kept me engaged or at the edge of my seat. I wasn't really sure what, exactly, the relationship was between Tina and 1) her boyfriend and 2) her boss. It was clear that she hadn't been with her boyfriend all that long, yet she felt seriously obligated to him in a way that seemed to go beyond what we had been told. And her boss? Yeah. Not sure what's going on there, either.
Boyfriend just isn't quite all there. At least not yet. The foundation of the first book leaves a bit to be desired (or defined), though hopefully with future installments we'll get a bit more clarification.
September 21, 2012
Justine Clancy (aka Justy/Tina) works part time doing accounting in The Zone, and is a college student working towards becoming a lawyer. The story starts out with a bang (literally) when her boyfriend crashes her car into a bank and almost kills her. Not sure who or what to blame for his death she wonders if she had anything to do with it. Her words directly before the crash were damning her boyfriend Max to hell.
Tina never really thought of all the weird things that happen in The Zone, caused by a chemical spill. Flying gargoyle statues, an invisible thief, and buildings that glow are just some of the weird events happening. When her mousy, thin hair randomly turns into luscious, full locks she knows something weird is going on. Finding out she is one of Saturn’s daughters changes everything. She is able to dispense her own form of justice. With someone gunning against her, she has to be careful who she trusts since thugs in suits are tailing her every step.
There wasn't much of a romance aspect in this book. I didn't like Max at all. On the other side, I couldn't really figure Andre (Tina's boss) out. I kind of hoped they would get together, even if Andre seemed like a Casanova. I could feel the chemistry between them. Tina pretty much did things nonstop, so honestly she didn't have very much time for a relationship.
Boyfriend from Hell was a great read with a story outside the box. I recommend this book if you enjoy paranormal books that aren't the same old plot.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for an honest review.
Tina never really thought of all the weird things that happen in The Zone, caused by a chemical spill. Flying gargoyle statues, an invisible thief, and buildings that glow are just some of the weird events happening. When her mousy, thin hair randomly turns into luscious, full locks she knows something weird is going on. Finding out she is one of Saturn’s daughters changes everything. She is able to dispense her own form of justice. With someone gunning against her, she has to be careful who she trusts since thugs in suits are tailing her every step.
There wasn't much of a romance aspect in this book. I didn't like Max at all. On the other side, I couldn't really figure Andre (Tina's boss) out. I kind of hoped they would get together, even if Andre seemed like a Casanova. I could feel the chemistry between them. Tina pretty much did things nonstop, so honestly she didn't have very much time for a relationship.
Boyfriend from Hell was a great read with a story outside the box. I recommend this book if you enjoy paranormal books that aren't the same old plot.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for an honest review.
November 18, 2012
Boyfriend from Hell
Even though I didn’t quite figure out the actual layout of the Baltimore area in relation to the Zone most of the action takes place in, I really liked the world building.
The whole “Saturn’s daughter” business seemed a bit unnecessary to me as I would have been totally happy with explaining mutations due to chemical (or whatever!) spills.
I guess that Tina would be walking a thin line between being pleasantly sassy and annoyingly obnoxious for some people, I was lucky enough to enjoy her tone most of the time. She needn’t have repeated quite as often that she didn’t want to rely on or be indebted to other people, but in the end her acceptance of their support firmly grounded her in the secret community and she accepted and embraced her part in it, even though she (like the reader) did not quite understand what being a daughter of Saturn entails. We’ll have to wait for the next part in the series, I presume.
Stories, regardless of whether told in novels or TV shows, mostly work through their character dynamics, Boyfriend from Hell has a great cast of supporting and minor characters who make this a truly entertaining read.
Even though I didn’t quite figure out the actual layout of the Baltimore area in relation to the Zone most of the action takes place in, I really liked the world building.
The whole “Saturn’s daughter” business seemed a bit unnecessary to me as I would have been totally happy with explaining mutations due to chemical (or whatever!) spills.
I guess that Tina would be walking a thin line between being pleasantly sassy and annoyingly obnoxious for some people, I was lucky enough to enjoy her tone most of the time. She needn’t have repeated quite as often that she didn’t want to rely on or be indebted to other people, but in the end her acceptance of their support firmly grounded her in the secret community and she accepted and embraced her part in it, even though she (like the reader) did not quite understand what being a daughter of Saturn entails. We’ll have to wait for the next part in the series, I presume.
Stories, regardless of whether told in novels or TV shows, mostly work through their character dynamics, Boyfriend from Hell has a great cast of supporting and minor characters who make this a truly entertaining read.
October 10, 2015
The book was perfectly named because that is exactly what Max is, even before he gets cursed to go there. He is a lazy, arrogant rude idiot who spends his days driving her car around but can never be bothered picking her up from work. Why does she stay with the self obsessed moron? Because he's hot. Gag.
Then there is the potential love interest-the sexy boss. Actually he is a rude sexist pig at the start of the book and is hardly the sort of boss you want to deal with. He does show that he gives a damn when he starts to help after the Max incident.
The one thing I did like was our heroine, who was plain, ordinary, normal and had medical issues which affected her mentally and physically. Great! I thought we were getting diversity here but when the magic stuff comes in she starts turning into an uber hot babe, which really frustrated and annoyed me. It ruined the one thing about the book that might have persuaded me to give it a few more chapters.
A bit disappointing.
Then there is the potential love interest-the sexy boss. Actually he is a rude sexist pig at the start of the book and is hardly the sort of boss you want to deal with. He does show that he gives a damn when he starts to help after the Max incident.
The one thing I did like was our heroine, who was plain, ordinary, normal and had medical issues which affected her mentally and physically. Great! I thought we were getting diversity here but when the magic stuff comes in she starts turning into an uber hot babe, which really frustrated and annoyed me. It ruined the one thing about the book that might have persuaded me to give it a few more chapters.
A bit disappointing.
September 22, 2012
Boyfriend from Hell is the first book in Jamie Quaid's urban fantasy, Saturn's Daughter series. It was highly imaginative, incredibly funny at times, and due to the oddities in the Zone, had me sucked in within a few chapters. Though a little slow at times, I really enjoyed the concept of vigilante justice. Tina is a fantastic new addition to urban fantasy. Haven't we all (at one time or another) wanted to curse a bad boyfriend to hell?
I love that there are still many questions left to be answered as it opens up a world of possibility. What is a Daughter of Saturn? What is her purpose and why now? I look forward to reading more in this unique world and getting those questions answered. I give Boyfriend from Hell 3.5 stars.
*ARC PROVIDED BY EDELWEISS*
I love that there are still many questions left to be answered as it opens up a world of possibility. What is a Daughter of Saturn? What is her purpose and why now? I look forward to reading more in this unique world and getting those questions answered. I give Boyfriend from Hell 3.5 stars.
*ARC PROVIDED BY EDELWEISS*
October 17, 2012
This book was entertaining as long as I read very quickly. The premise - that in this alternate universe, chemical pollution had caused mutations of the super/supernatural kind in those who live or work in "the Zone," where chemicals had spilled - is interesting and allows for many potential characters and events, exciting and/or funny. The protagonist is a fairly appealing woman in her mid-twenties who is self-reliant and mouthy. If the writing were better - a lot better - I would have happily given this book 3 1/2 stars. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the "Jamie Quaid" is apparently the pen-name of a New York Times "bestselling author," the writing is pretty bad and I give it 2, maybe 2 1/2 - reading at a fast clip.
January 27, 2014
Solid 3 1/2 Stars!
Story started out a bit slow and I was quite frustrated with Justine's unwillingness to accept the obvious. But, she grows and has developed into a rather interesting character. I loved the 'ZONE', it's inhabitants, and the mysteries still waiting to be revealed from within. I'm anxious to learn more about Andre and his interest in Justine. I will definitely continue this series!
Story started out a bit slow and I was quite frustrated with Justine's unwillingness to accept the obvious. But, she grows and has developed into a rather interesting character. I loved the 'ZONE', it's inhabitants, and the mysteries still waiting to be revealed from within. I'm anxious to learn more about Andre and his interest in Justine. I will definitely continue this series!
October 1, 2012
3.5*s
good start - a LOT to get your head around, curious to see where it's going to go next now the world has been set up.
good start - a LOT to get your head around, curious to see where it's going to go next now the world has been set up.
March 12, 2013
If I could give a book more than 5 stars this one would get it.
November 10, 2016
This book is the first entry into the Saturn’s Daughters series. This one has the female hero learning about who she is. The writing in this one was pretty good. It reminded me of some of the more exciting romance\action books out there. That made the story easy to get in to the feel of. The people in this one were so much more down to earth and realisticly portrayed. The action portion of the book was kind of on the slow side. It just seemed to focus more on the romantic and self discovery side of things. It didn’t really do any kind of taking away from the enjoyment of the book. There were other parts that did not fare as well. There was the fact that the heroine had a really annoying self pitting feel that made her kind of hard to feel any kind of real emotion for her. It wasn’t like the more enjoyable women that have been in other, similar stories. That made this feel like a lesser version of such heroines as, well really any that has come before. The love story side of the book was kind of in the middle. It didn’t fall into the awful category. But it can’t be called one of the most memorable love stories of all times either. It just kind of seem to be only a barely interesting try. The book in all was an ok if not quite remarkable effort. Unfortunatly, it only gets a three stars review
November 14, 2020
Fun urban fantasy
I've read quite a bit of historical romance/fantasy by this author and a couple of more contemporary books. This book is quite different from all the rest. The tone and voice are more gritty and upbeat. The characters are very well drawn and the premise is intriguing enough to draw you in. The setting, an industrial slum in Baltimore, provides for an eclectic mix of characters. There is some romantic tension and a possible slow burn romance which might turn out to be quite interesting to see develop.
I've read quite a bit of historical romance/fantasy by this author and a couple of more contemporary books. This book is quite different from all the rest. The tone and voice are more gritty and upbeat. The characters are very well drawn and the premise is intriguing enough to draw you in. The setting, an industrial slum in Baltimore, provides for an eclectic mix of characters. There is some romantic tension and a possible slow burn romance which might turn out to be quite interesting to see develop.
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