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Necromancer #2
Necromancing the Stone
With the defeat of the evil Douglas behind him, Sam LaCroix is getting used to his new life. Okay, so he hadn’t exactly planned on being a powerful necromancer with a seat on the local magical council and a capricious werewolf sort-of-girlfriend, but things are going fine, right?
Well . . . not really. He’s pretty tired of getting beat up by everyone and their mother, for one thing, and he can’t help but feel that his new house hates him. His best friend is a werebear, someone is threatening his sister, and while Sam realizes that he himself has a lot of power at his fingertips, he’s not exactly sure how to use it. Which, he has to admit, is a bit disconcerting.
But when everything starts falling apart, he decides it’s time to step up and take control. His attempts to do so just bring up more questions, though, the most important of which is more than a little alarming: Is Douglas really dead?
Well . . . not really. He’s pretty tired of getting beat up by everyone and their mother, for one thing, and he can’t help but feel that his new house hates him. His best friend is a werebear, someone is threatening his sister, and while Sam realizes that he himself has a lot of power at his fingertips, he’s not exactly sure how to use it. Which, he has to admit, is a bit disconcerting.
But when everything starts falling apart, he decides it’s time to step up and take control. His attempts to do so just bring up more questions, though, the most important of which is more than a little alarming: Is Douglas really dead?
344 pages, Hardcover
First published September 18, 2012
107 people are currently reading
4950 people want to read
About the author
Lish McBride
28 books1,320 followersLish McBride is the author of funny and creepy Young Adult books such as Hold Me Closer, Necromancer; Necromancing the Stone; Firebug; and Pyromantic. She has published short stories in the Normal School, Tor.com, and the anthologies Cornered, What to Read in the Rain, Freaks & Other Family, and Kisses & Curses. She got her BFA in creative writing from Seattle University and her MFA from University of New Orleans. Lish is also currently a bookseller and event host at Third Place Books, a giant thriving indie bookstore just outside of Seattle. Her first book, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults title, Morris Award finalist, and won the Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award. While she has no long term goals for world domination, she would like her own castle.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/lishmc...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/lishmc...
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July 22, 2012
Win an ARC of Necromancing the Stone over at The Midnight Garden! Open internationally through 7/30.
4.5 stars At long last, it's here! This review contains some spoilers from the first book, so proceed at your own risk.
After killing the evil necromancer Douglas Montgomery in last year's hilarious Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, Sam LaCroix has not only inherited Douglas' seat on their town's supernatural Council, but he's inherited his huge house, his shapeshifting cat butler James, and a small army of angry jam-loving gnomes as well. Just as he's settling into his new position as head of a very unusual household, however, his sister gets a nasty threat delivered to her door, and a sudden death changes everything. One thing a necromancer should always keep in mind, after all, is that just because someone's dead doesn't mean they stay that way.
It feels like we've been waiting for this sequel forever, and I'm so pleased to report that catching up with Sam and his crew is even more fun the second time around. Necromancing is more tautly plotted, faster, funnier, and full of even more madcap moments than the last time around.
Fun Necromancing Madness
A vengeful undead enemy? Check.
A werebear best friend? Check.
A harbinger of death who uses a Blackberry? Check.
A pointy-toothed, beef jerky-loving pygmy cupacabra? Check.
Stupidly entertaining gnome names like Chauncey the Devourer of Souls or Gnoman Polanski? Check.
Deceitful companions who just might be enemies? Check.
Aside from the zany one-liners and good-humored characters, there are also surprising moments of gravity that I really appreciated. Okay, so they happen to involve a sad zombie panda and throat-cutting, but still! I also got the wish I expressed in my review of Necromancer, which was that the antagonist would be more fully developed and nuanced. I loved the way the author explored his back story, and the climax and resolution felt properly serious and satisfactory, without being too somber for a book like this.
If I were to nitpick, I do wish a little more had been done with the awesome secondary cast. While I really liked the werewolf politics involving Sam's girlfriend Brid and her pack, I would love to have seen more done with the werebear, gnomes, etc. Right now they're mostly there for comic relief, while there was such a great opportunity to utilize them in the action and interpersonal scenes. I'm also not sure that James, the cat shapeshifter, also need to have a second form since he doesn't really use it and it's so different from his other two forms.
I am, however, very glad that the book mostly loses the extraneous POVs that made the first book so disjointed. Necromancing the Stone focuses on two primary characters and allows us to get to know and appreciate both. Still, a third POV is inserted very late into the book at page 161, and then again at pages 278 and 296--and being that all of them total 11 pages, it seems as though the book would be much more streamlined and would have flowed much better if those parts had been reworked somehow.
But none of that really matters in the end, because jeez, this book is just so much fun. It's awesome when a sequel is even better than the original, and I'm hoping this means we'll not only see a trilogy, but that the third book will be the best book of all. If you enjoy humor with your young adult urban fantasy, this is a series that's not to be missed.
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
P.S. Waffles make an appearance on page 50. Just in case you were wondering.
4.5 stars At long last, it's here! This review contains some spoilers from the first book, so proceed at your own risk.
After killing the evil necromancer Douglas Montgomery in last year's hilarious Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, Sam LaCroix has not only inherited Douglas' seat on their town's supernatural Council, but he's inherited his huge house, his shapeshifting cat butler James, and a small army of angry jam-loving gnomes as well. Just as he's settling into his new position as head of a very unusual household, however, his sister gets a nasty threat delivered to her door, and a sudden death changes everything. One thing a necromancer should always keep in mind, after all, is that just because someone's dead doesn't mean they stay that way.
It feels like we've been waiting for this sequel forever, and I'm so pleased to report that catching up with Sam and his crew is even more fun the second time around. Necromancing is more tautly plotted, faster, funnier, and full of even more madcap moments than the last time around.
Fun Necromancing Madness
A vengeful undead enemy? Check.
A werebear best friend? Check.
A harbinger of death who uses a Blackberry? Check.
A pointy-toothed, beef jerky-loving pygmy cupacabra? Check.
Stupidly entertaining gnome names like Chauncey the Devourer of Souls or Gnoman Polanski? Check.
Deceitful companions who just might be enemies? Check.
Aside from the zany one-liners and good-humored characters, there are also surprising moments of gravity that I really appreciated. Okay, so they happen to involve a sad zombie panda and throat-cutting, but still! I also got the wish I expressed in my review of Necromancer, which was that the antagonist would be more fully developed and nuanced. I loved the way the author explored his back story, and the climax and resolution felt properly serious and satisfactory, without being too somber for a book like this.
If I were to nitpick, I do wish a little more had been done with the awesome secondary cast. While I really liked the werewolf politics involving Sam's girlfriend Brid and her pack, I would love to have seen more done with the werebear, gnomes, etc. Right now they're mostly there for comic relief, while there was such a great opportunity to utilize them in the action and interpersonal scenes. I'm also not sure that James, the cat shapeshifter, also need to have a second form since he doesn't really use it and it's so different from his other two forms.
I am, however, very glad that the book mostly loses the extraneous POVs that made the first book so disjointed. Necromancing the Stone focuses on two primary characters and allows us to get to know and appreciate both. Still, a third POV is inserted very late into the book at page 161, and then again at pages 278 and 296--and being that all of them total 11 pages, it seems as though the book would be much more streamlined and would have flowed much better if those parts had been reworked somehow.
But none of that really matters in the end, because jeez, this book is just so much fun. It's awesome when a sequel is even better than the original, and I'm hoping this means we'll not only see a trilogy, but that the third book will be the best book of all. If you enjoy humor with your young adult urban fantasy, this is a series that's not to be missed.
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
P.S. Waffles make an appearance on page 50. Just in case you were wondering.
August 27, 2012
I don't get to say this nearly enough in my reviews, so I'm going to caps lock it: THIS BOOK IS SO MUCH FUN! As much as I like Hold Me Closer Necromancer, Necromancing the Stone is even better. Not only is it more streamlined with the focus primarily on Sam, but Lish McBride fully embraces the camp.
*Jack Bauer voice* The following takes place 6 weeks after Necromancer. Sam has gone from lowly burger flipper to Head Necromancer In Charge (HNIC). He's inherited all the property of the former HNIC, Douglas, including a shapeshifting manservant, an army of mischievous gnomes, and a minotaur. (You can shut up about your Hulk, Tony Stark!) Brid is still firmly in the picture, along with her pack, who have been helping Sam train. However, just as Sam starts to settle into his new normal, a murder throws the supernatural world into upheaval.
With this book, Sam LaCroix has become one of my favorite male YA characters. He actually reminds me of another of my favorite boys -- Ed from Graffiti Moon. Like Ed, Sam is a decent, good guy. He's not particularly smooth with the ladies, and he doesn't go chest to chest with the guys either. When his fight-or-flight instinct kicks in while training with Brid's brothers, he wisely chooses flight. However, he's not an overly sensitive, poetic soul either. He's just normal... well, aside from the whole raising the dead thing. He's also sarcastic, nice, and loyal.
As much as I love a good hero, I really love a good villain. The villain in Necromancing the Stone is so great because not only does he embrace his role, he savors it. He's like Russell Edgington.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars.
This review appears on Young Adult Anonymous.
*Jack Bauer voice* The following takes place 6 weeks after Necromancer. Sam has gone from lowly burger flipper to Head Necromancer In Charge (HNIC). He's inherited all the property of the former HNIC, Douglas, including a shapeshifting manservant, an army of mischievous gnomes, and a minotaur. (You can shut up about your Hulk, Tony Stark!) Brid is still firmly in the picture, along with her pack, who have been helping Sam train. However, just as Sam starts to settle into his new normal, a murder throws the supernatural world into upheaval.
With this book, Sam LaCroix has become one of my favorite male YA characters. He actually reminds me of another of my favorite boys -- Ed from Graffiti Moon. Like Ed, Sam is a decent, good guy. He's not particularly smooth with the ladies, and he doesn't go chest to chest with the guys either. When his fight-or-flight instinct kicks in while training with Brid's brothers, he wisely chooses flight. However, he's not an overly sensitive, poetic soul either. He's just normal... well, aside from the whole raising the dead thing. He's also sarcastic, nice, and loyal.
As much as I love a good hero, I really love a good villain. The villain in Necromancing the Stone is so great because not only does he embrace his role, he savors it. He's like Russell Edgington.
This book is a witty, snarky, pop culture feast. If there's a joke or pun to be made, McBride makes it. (Were-bears care!) If gnomes named Gnomie Malone, Gnome ChompSky, and The Darkness Known as Mittens don't convince you to read this book, how about a reference to this picture:
Yes, people. SAD KEANU! Need I say more? Okay, I'll say one more thing. Along with the puns and jokes, McBride sneaks in a message about friendship and family that is unexpectedly touching. Necromancing the Stone exceeded all my expectations. I highly recommend it and I hope there are more books in this series.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars.
This review appears on Young Adult Anonymous.
April 12, 2015
I'm a fan of happy endings, so the author better make sure that there's a next book...
November 8, 2014
Sigh. Am I the only one that was a little disappointed by this follow up?
Ok, I loved Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Madly, wildly, passionatly. So when Necromancing came in, I dropped everything I was reading. And I devoured the book in about two days.
However, the whole thing left me...wanting.
What wasn't working:
1.) Villians. We start off knowing that our hapless hero Sam is now an uber necromancer. Awesomesauce. Plus, we know that necromancers are notoriously shady. So I was thinking, we'd get some cool new villiam. Maybe another necromancer trying to sneak in on Douglas's old truff. Or some new monster-thing that causes an upset. What I did not like was that our villian is Douglas. Again. I actually think I would have been fine if Douglas was a subplot villian, but the fact he's our main antagonist, again, peeved me. Just felt forced and weak.
2.) Casting. Where did all the secondary characters go? Like seriously, everyone besides Sam and James felt like there were just there to fill space. I mean, I teared up at the end of book 1 when I thought we were gonna lose Brooke, and was so excited she was coming back all ghosty. So, where was she in this book? Occasionally in the backgroud. With EVERYONE ELSE. Like seriously, all of the supporting characters, which were so expectly woven into Hold Me Closer have fallen to the wayside to make room for James. It just felt...wasted. I missed them.
3.) Ok, while this still falls into the "snarky" category of tones, I found that Necromancing is not quite a snarky as Hold Me Closer. It's there, but it feels like the story didn't have enough time to be polished up and bring that snark full foce.
4.) Maybe it's the werewolves - I dislike werewolves. Don't know why, just do. So maybe, my biast against werewovles helped make this book less fun. There was a lot of werewolf subplot.
I will add, that I enjoy that romantic tension comes from Brid and Sam struggling to make a relationship work over a love triangle. In fact, I'm grateful for it.
5.) But what probably killed this book for me is the pacing. While the main conflict is introduced early-ish, it unravels very slowely, and often in a very conveluted way. There are so many subplots being balanced that the main plot often felt like just another subplot. This is probably what makes me feel unsatified with the story.
However, I still enjoyed this book. Sam's character growth is lovely, and well done. Plus the gnomes. OMG the GNOMES! BEST CHARACTERS EVER! I WANT MORE GNOMES! *ahem*
The writer in me believes that maybe Ms. McBride had a tough time with this book. She did well, but, I feel that if she'd been given more time it could have been better. I also understand she was probably writing with a deadline, so I don't fault her in anyway, shape or form. (Silly publishers and deadlines) I will certainly continue reading her work, but I won't be passing this one off to my friends until the next one comes out.
Ok, I loved Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Madly, wildly, passionatly. So when Necromancing came in, I dropped everything I was reading. And I devoured the book in about two days.
However, the whole thing left me...wanting.
What wasn't working:
1.) Villians. We start off knowing that our hapless hero Sam is now an uber necromancer. Awesomesauce. Plus, we know that necromancers are notoriously shady. So I was thinking, we'd get some cool new villiam. Maybe another necromancer trying to sneak in on Douglas's old truff. Or some new monster-thing that causes an upset. What I did not like was that our villian is Douglas. Again. I actually think I would have been fine if Douglas was a subplot villian, but the fact he's our main antagonist, again, peeved me. Just felt forced and weak.
2.) Casting. Where did all the secondary characters go? Like seriously, everyone besides Sam and James felt like there were just there to fill space. I mean, I teared up at the end of book 1 when I thought we were gonna lose Brooke, and was so excited she was coming back all ghosty. So, where was she in this book? Occasionally in the backgroud. With EVERYONE ELSE. Like seriously, all of the supporting characters, which were so expectly woven into Hold Me Closer have fallen to the wayside to make room for James. It just felt...wasted. I missed them.
3.) Ok, while this still falls into the "snarky" category of tones, I found that Necromancing is not quite a snarky as Hold Me Closer. It's there, but it feels like the story didn't have enough time to be polished up and bring that snark full foce.
4.) Maybe it's the werewolves - I dislike werewolves. Don't know why, just do. So maybe, my biast against werewovles helped make this book less fun. There was a lot of werewolf subplot.
I will add, that I enjoy that romantic tension comes from Brid and Sam struggling to make a relationship work over a love triangle. In fact, I'm grateful for it.
5.) But what probably killed this book for me is the pacing. While the main conflict is introduced early-ish, it unravels very slowely, and often in a very conveluted way. There are so many subplots being balanced that the main plot often felt like just another subplot. This is probably what makes me feel unsatified with the story.
However, I still enjoyed this book. Sam's character growth is lovely, and well done. Plus the gnomes. OMG the GNOMES! BEST CHARACTERS EVER! I WANT MORE GNOMES! *ahem*
The writer in me believes that maybe Ms. McBride had a tough time with this book. She did well, but, I feel that if she'd been given more time it could have been better. I also understand she was probably writing with a deadline, so I don't fault her in anyway, shape or form. (Silly publishers and deadlines) I will certainly continue reading her work, but I won't be passing this one off to my friends until the next one comes out.
December 6, 2012
A surprise gem for me was Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, about a kid thrown into the world of necromancy and werewolves and what have you. It was fun without being too goofy, campy without being tiresome, and was equal parts humorous and interesting. I have been eagerly awaiting the sequel since I finished Necromancer a couple years ago.
The unfortunate news is that Necromancing the Stone cranks the camp up to eleven, in part because it doesn't feel like the book has a ton of places to go. The book deals with the aftermath of Necromancer, eternal souls, werewolf covens, and all of it feels more thrown together than cohesive.
This is not to say the book doesn't have its moments. There are definite laugh-out-loud scenes, Douglas's minion, Minion, steals pretty much every scene he's in (the character reminds me a lot of Zap Brannigan's right hand alien in Futurama). It just doesn't do a solid job of continuing the story in a way that I think readers would care about.
I am looking forward to seeing what else Lish McBride has up her sleeve, because she's got a lot going for her overall. I'm just not sure this continuing storyline is it.
The unfortunate news is that Necromancing the Stone cranks the camp up to eleven, in part because it doesn't feel like the book has a ton of places to go. The book deals with the aftermath of Necromancer, eternal souls, werewolf covens, and all of it feels more thrown together than cohesive.
This is not to say the book doesn't have its moments. There are definite laugh-out-loud scenes, Douglas's minion, Minion, steals pretty much every scene he's in (the character reminds me a lot of Zap Brannigan's right hand alien in Futurama). It just doesn't do a solid job of continuing the story in a way that I think readers would care about.
I am looking forward to seeing what else Lish McBride has up her sleeve, because she's got a lot going for her overall. I'm just not sure this continuing storyline is it.
January 22, 2016
"He stuck his shovel defiantly in the ground, then took off his little red hat and held it in both hands. 'You have a name?' 'Twinkle.' 'Twinkle,' I said slowly. 'The Destroyer,' he added. 'Your name is Twinkle the Destroyer?' He nodded. 'Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be? Okay, Twinkle the Destroyer, I take it you guys have been popping my tires?'"
Who doesn't love fierce, little garden gnomes named Pip the BriNger of Pain, Gnoman Polanski or Twinkle the Destroyer? And who doesn't think that Lish McBride’s dialogues between her mellow necromancing hero Samhain LaCroix and multiple, wackily paranormal or frighteningly normal creatures like Pello the dread-locked, beer-bellied, leery satyr, who enjoys to attend council meetings clad neither in glamour nor in anything else that restricts his manliness, huge, vegetarian, strangely sexy bigfoots bursting with mating pheromones, vampire dandies with parasols, popker playing minotaurs, the human underdog Frank, the weregrizzly Ramon and ... last but not least the most interesting pukis in literature, James Montgomery, are prizeworthily funny, clever and naughty? Well I, for my part, I do. A lot of scenes in this sequel to the exciting and entertaining "Hold Me Closer, Necromancer" provided me with blissful moments of mirth.
In spite of that I believe the novel to be superfluous as a novel. Usually I am one of those readers who make a wide berth around short-story anthologies and anouncements of prequel 0.7 and sequel 1.5.2. But in the light of the material presented in "Necromancing the Stone" I am sure a couple of shorts titled "How to Mailorder a Chupacabra", "Bare-Assed Hiking with Pello", "Social Security for the Sexy Bigfoot", "Puking on a Pukis", "The Day Frank Became an Honorary Gnome" or "High on Goddess Juice" would have done the trick very nicely indeed.
See, the problem is the real plot. It is simply not enough around of it to fill a whole book, and the arc of tension – if you insist of looking for one – resembles rather a limp fishing line than a taut string of a bow ready to snap. The narration is split up more or less betweeen Sam and the evil, evil, evil, evil necromancer Douglas, who is a bit dead, but preparing to resurrect and reclaim everything ... and certainly to take revenge, but who has magically stored a fragment of his soul in a object (see title), which is in unsuspecting Sam’s hands but is needed in Doug's to get the action to full throttle. So there is a warning (*yawn*), some dreams, that reminded me of a young Tom Riddle, a little murder (*yawnyawnsob*), some bonding, some council-this-and-that, some re-woeing of Bridgin, the pigeon – ehhr, no, werealpha-in-spe -, and a flashy 5000 Watt bulb anouncing the final solution of the final kind-of-battle precisely at the 39% mark. That meant: enough potential to drive me nuts with boredom between the giggles.
I am not sure whether I want to read the third volume or not. But I do not want to miss out on any new attempt the author throws on the market in the future. For she is a talented one. I won’t go back on that.
Who doesn't love fierce, little garden gnomes named Pip the BriNger of Pain, Gnoman Polanski or Twinkle the Destroyer? And who doesn't think that Lish McBride’s dialogues between her mellow necromancing hero Samhain LaCroix and multiple, wackily paranormal or frighteningly normal creatures like Pello the dread-locked, beer-bellied, leery satyr, who enjoys to attend council meetings clad neither in glamour nor in anything else that restricts his manliness, huge, vegetarian, strangely sexy bigfoots bursting with mating pheromones, vampire dandies with parasols, popker playing minotaurs, the human underdog Frank, the weregrizzly Ramon and ... last but not least the most interesting pukis in literature, James Montgomery, are prizeworthily funny, clever and naughty? Well I, for my part, I do. A lot of scenes in this sequel to the exciting and entertaining "Hold Me Closer, Necromancer" provided me with blissful moments of mirth.
In spite of that I believe the novel to be superfluous as a novel. Usually I am one of those readers who make a wide berth around short-story anthologies and anouncements of prequel 0.7 and sequel 1.5.2. But in the light of the material presented in "Necromancing the Stone" I am sure a couple of shorts titled "How to Mailorder a Chupacabra", "Bare-Assed Hiking with Pello", "Social Security for the Sexy Bigfoot", "Puking on a Pukis", "The Day Frank Became an Honorary Gnome" or "High on Goddess Juice" would have done the trick very nicely indeed.
See, the problem is the real plot. It is simply not enough around of it to fill a whole book, and the arc of tension – if you insist of looking for one – resembles rather a limp fishing line than a taut string of a bow ready to snap. The narration is split up more or less betweeen Sam and the evil, evil, evil, evil necromancer Douglas, who is a bit dead, but preparing to resurrect and reclaim everything ... and certainly to take revenge, but who has magically stored a fragment of his soul in a object (see title), which is in unsuspecting Sam’s hands but is needed in Doug's to get the action to full throttle. So there is a warning (*yawn*), some dreams, that reminded me of a young Tom Riddle, a little murder (*yawnyawnsob*), some bonding, some council-this-and-that, some re-woeing of Bridgin, the pigeon – ehhr, no, werealpha-in-spe -, and a flashy 5000 Watt bulb anouncing the final solution of the final kind-of-battle precisely at the 39% mark. That meant: enough potential to drive me nuts with boredom between the giggles.
I am not sure whether I want to read the third volume or not. But I do not want to miss out on any new attempt the author throws on the market in the future. For she is a talented one. I won’t go back on that.
September 24, 2012
So much fun. This time a year ago, (has it been that long?) I was gushing over how much I loved this and that in Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Sam and his buddies' return rekindled some of that love. Sam is not the same screw up he was before, but he still does stick his foot in it at times, only made funnier with him still having some of the best lines and having friends who are each all endearing one way or another.
He’s inherited all that had been Douglas’ power, riches and plenty other little oddities. It is Sam’s attempts at fitting things together that reveal more of his go easy kid, go with flow attitude; but it’s also the very same that has him ignore (at his peril) certain things. Him figuring out how he fit in Douglas’ place with Douglas’s people, had him looking on the bright side even when there was none! So, it should be no surprise to find Sam screwing up, getting up and trying to make things right, over and over again.
Sam , the vegetarian necromancer on the supernatural council, makes it seem like the secondary characters have not much going for them. How can a shifter compare to that, or a vampire for that matter? The thing is all of them were equally quirky/ funny. With them as backdrop, he’s lack of know how is emphasized, but it’s also against them that kindness shines bright(er). Because with the pack everything is all about business, It’s here we catch a glimpse into their how to’s and who to go to’s; and it’s a glimpse that’s made me more curious because Bran, Brid and Sean differ so greatly.
Things are made doubly hard: where he stands with them is made less certain with things that unfold. An out of nowhere, heart ache-development moment, mind you. It’s not an unimportant heart ache-y moment either, as it is what propels all of them into action.
But them in action is key here. There’s a lot if Sam trying to catch up with others, with his friends Ramon a were-bear *so much win, right there,*Brooke and her ghostliness, Frank being mini-James, and Brid and her brothers being pack. The thing I loved most? It wasn’t just Sam! It’s him with everyone else; that genuine affection he has for them and even those little guilty moments he feels because of them. Simply there’s a genuine and fun connection here that I liked. Also, the fact that no matter how different he may think he is, there is always someone or something odder to consider. I mean just take the gnomes, Big Foot and a cat obsessed chupacabra!
I cracked up at how he and his friends tip toed around each other, then didn’t. Add a little drama that had my heart clutch all of a sudden… overall this was fun, fast and different. A lot of this reminds me I need to pick up Hexed now.
4/5
He’s inherited all that had been Douglas’ power, riches and plenty other little oddities. It is Sam’s attempts at fitting things together that reveal more of his go easy kid, go with flow attitude; but it’s also the very same that has him ignore (at his peril) certain things. Him figuring out how he fit in Douglas’ place with Douglas’s people, had him looking on the bright side even when there was none! So, it should be no surprise to find Sam screwing up, getting up and trying to make things right, over and over again.
Sam , the vegetarian necromancer on the supernatural council, makes it seem like the secondary characters have not much going for them. How can a shifter compare to that, or a vampire for that matter? The thing is all of them were equally quirky/ funny. With them as backdrop, he’s lack of know how is emphasized, but it’s also against them that kindness shines bright(er). Because with the pack everything is all about business, It’s here we catch a glimpse into their how to’s and who to go to’s; and it’s a glimpse that’s made me more curious because Bran, Brid and Sean differ so greatly.
Things are made doubly hard: where he stands with them is made less certain with things that unfold. An out of nowhere, heart ache-development moment, mind you. It’s not an unimportant heart ache-y moment either, as it is what propels all of them into action.
But them in action is key here. There’s a lot if Sam trying to catch up with others, with his friends Ramon a were-bear *so much win, right there,*Brooke and her ghostliness, Frank being mini-James, and Brid and her brothers being pack. The thing I loved most? It wasn’t just Sam! It’s him with everyone else; that genuine affection he has for them and even those little guilty moments he feels because of them. Simply there’s a genuine and fun connection here that I liked. Also, the fact that no matter how different he may think he is, there is always someone or something odder to consider. I mean just take the gnomes, Big Foot and a cat obsessed chupacabra!
I cracked up at how he and his friends tip toed around each other, then didn’t. Add a little drama that had my heart clutch all of a sudden… overall this was fun, fast and different. A lot of this reminds me I need to pick up Hexed now.
4/5
February 15, 2015
I absolutely love this series and the entire cast of characters! The humor continues to delight, making me laugh out loud at times.
July 9, 2016
Four stars for the amazing side characters and fun story, and two stars for the whiny bitch of a main character. What do you have? -drum roll please- You have a solid three star book.
Necromancing the Stone follows the main character Sam six weeks after the first book Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Now its been awhile since I read the first book luckily the seconded gives you a nice recap. Basically there was a bad guy, they stopped him there was much rejoicing.( I don't read these books for the one of a kind plot) The second book is about the big bad coming back with vengeance and murdering or at least trying to murder people that Sam loves.
The number one thing I love about these books is the humor. Even in the most dire circumstances Sam and friends still manage to be sarcastic beasts. Everyone has a since of humor from the main bad guy to garden gnomes. Yes, garden gnomes.
Example:
“Twinkle the Destroyer wasn't alone, it seemed. There were more gnomes than I thought. Pip the Bringer of Pain, Chauncey the Devourer of Souls, Cuddly the Inexplicable, Gnoman Polanski, Pith the Bitey, Gnome ChompSky, Gnomie Malone, Chuck the Norriser- the list went on.
'It's like a mishmash of violent imagery, TV, an political references'
'I told you they like TV. I'm not sure the understand everything they see, though, so they don't fully grasp what they're stealing their names from. Like, I think Gnome ChompSky just thought it sounded tough and Chuck the Norriser came from watching too many episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger. They believe Chuck Norris is a demigod'
'Who doesn't?”
The only major thing I have a problem with is Sam. He has his moments but god does he complain about the same thing over and over again. If he complained about something else maybe I could look past it but no has to be the "I'm a necromancer and I'm sad about this" and the classic "I have lady problems" complaint. I can look past the mediocre plot and things randomly working out but Sam really pissed me off.
Favorite moments:
“He got in my face and started jabbing a finger into my chest. “Then we don’t want your help, if this is what it looks like. First you bring a human among us, and now this? I don’t like your kind, and I’m not the only one. They can’t be trusted. You can’t be trusted.” He drew the last word out, practically hissing it. That’s our Eric. What a charmer. Ladies, try not to swoon.”
“...I'm pretty sure you could actually grate cheese of his abs.
...I had a sudden image of him using his abs to grate my face.” Gotta love Sexy Gary
Necromancing the Stone follows the main character Sam six weeks after the first book Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Now its been awhile since I read the first book luckily the seconded gives you a nice recap. Basically there was a bad guy, they stopped him there was much rejoicing.( I don't read these books for the one of a kind plot) The second book is about the big bad coming back with vengeance and murdering or at least trying to murder people that Sam loves.
The number one thing I love about these books is the humor. Even in the most dire circumstances Sam and friends still manage to be sarcastic beasts. Everyone has a since of humor from the main bad guy to garden gnomes. Yes, garden gnomes.
Example:
“Twinkle the Destroyer wasn't alone, it seemed. There were more gnomes than I thought. Pip the Bringer of Pain, Chauncey the Devourer of Souls, Cuddly the Inexplicable, Gnoman Polanski, Pith the Bitey, Gnome ChompSky, Gnomie Malone, Chuck the Norriser- the list went on.
'It's like a mishmash of violent imagery, TV, an political references'
'I told you they like TV. I'm not sure the understand everything they see, though, so they don't fully grasp what they're stealing their names from. Like, I think Gnome ChompSky just thought it sounded tough and Chuck the Norriser came from watching too many episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger. They believe Chuck Norris is a demigod'
'Who doesn't?”
The only major thing I have a problem with is Sam. He has his moments but god does he complain about the same thing over and over again. If he complained about something else maybe I could look past it but no has to be the "I'm a necromancer and I'm sad about this" and the classic "I have lady problems" complaint. I can look past the mediocre plot and things randomly working out but Sam really pissed me off.
Favorite moments:
“He got in my face and started jabbing a finger into my chest. “Then we don’t want your help, if this is what it looks like. First you bring a human among us, and now this? I don’t like your kind, and I’m not the only one. They can’t be trusted. You can’t be trusted.” He drew the last word out, practically hissing it. That’s our Eric. What a charmer. Ladies, try not to swoon.”
“...I'm pretty sure you could actually grate cheese of his abs.
...I had a sudden image of him using his abs to grate my face.” Gotta love Sexy Gary
April 23, 2013
I recommend Necromancing the Stone.
... and Lish McBride didn't disappoint! This sequel is even better than Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, like three times! Funnier, edgier, and sadder, Necromancing the Stone was a fantastic followup to the Necromancer series.
This is told in Sam's and Douglas' POVs. Sam's struggling with maintaining the house (and it's eccentric inhabitants) he inherited from Douglas. He's also dealing with the guilt over his best friend Ramon's transformation. All this while being the Head of the Council (that he doesn't even know how to run), being Brid's boy toy, and being the supposedly the most powerful Necromancer.. ever.
Sam is still this charming, dry-humored guy who is almost always on the wrong side of the track. He's at odds with his housekeeper James. Brid's pack was not his biggest fan. His powers were as reliable as the war-freak gnomes in his garden.
Despite his somewhat "still-a-loser" status, Sam was staying positive, and he sees the goodness in everyone. So cute. If there is a contest on the most compassionate necromancer, Sam will win. I love that he doesn't see death as the end, but something more. He associate his power over death with peace, contentment, even love. So nice.
I adored Brid's brothers. Bran and Sean - Sam is no better off than with these sweet, capable werewolves to back him up.
Douglas' character was pretty solid, too. Another villain that I am a fan of. His dreams of his past life was very interesting.
Necromancing the Stone has this touch of death and grief that can overcome even the most hilarious of Sam's unnatural situations. But, it was amazing that the desolation never lingers in Lish McBride's story. Death and Life were so closely intertwined in Sam's adventures. Maybe that is what made it so enjoyable. It's as real as it gets.
Guaranteed 100% Fun, you guys. I will be watching out for the next installment!
... and Lish McBride didn't disappoint! This sequel is even better than Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, like three times! Funnier, edgier, and sadder, Necromancing the Stone was a fantastic followup to the Necromancer series.
This is told in Sam's and Douglas' POVs. Sam's struggling with maintaining the house (and it's eccentric inhabitants) he inherited from Douglas. He's also dealing with the guilt over his best friend Ramon's transformation. All this while being the Head of the Council (that he doesn't even know how to run), being Brid's boy toy, and being the supposedly the most powerful Necromancer.. ever.
Sam is still this charming, dry-humored guy who is almost always on the wrong side of the track. He's at odds with his housekeeper James. Brid's pack was not his biggest fan. His powers were as reliable as the war-freak gnomes in his garden.
Despite his somewhat "still-a-loser" status, Sam was staying positive, and he sees the goodness in everyone. So cute. If there is a contest on the most compassionate necromancer, Sam will win. I love that he doesn't see death as the end, but something more. He associate his power over death with peace, contentment, even love. So nice.
I adored Brid's brothers. Bran and Sean - Sam is no better off than with these sweet, capable werewolves to back him up.
Douglas' character was pretty solid, too. Another villain that I am a fan of. His dreams of his past life was very interesting.
Necromancing the Stone has this touch of death and grief that can overcome even the most hilarious of Sam's unnatural situations. But, it was amazing that the desolation never lingers in Lish McBride's story. Death and Life were so closely intertwined in Sam's adventures. Maybe that is what made it so enjoyable. It's as real as it gets.
Guaranteed 100% Fun, you guys. I will be watching out for the next installment!
March 30, 2023
This is book number 2.
What do you need to know about book 2 is this ~ it was not disappointing.
What do you need to know about book 2 is this ~ it was not disappointing.
August 26, 2016
I find myself yet again in love with Lish, she has a way of making me laugh like no other. Honestly what I was expecting and what happened were a little off (not like omg huge, just a little) I see where she is trying to go with this and I like that she is slowly putting the crumbs down. There are MANY other books out there where things just seem to happen...and for no reason at all. Here is a great example of what you can accomplish when you spend some time thinking and making things work for the end game. Some things that stand out is that where there are a lot of characters running around and new ones introduced, or maybe, old ones one explained, I like that there are plain regular humans not forgotten in all the drama. I don't remember if it's a trilogy or not but I'm banking on another novella or short story soon. I can't spend this much time away from this family. I like them to much. I ended up re-reading HMCN so many times I can't even tell you, every time I know I was still laughing. When the audiobook comes out later next month I will most likely do the same.
December 18, 2013
I was enjoying this book until the end, where the author emasculated the main character. I'm all for having finer feelings and all but this is URBAN FANTASY where most villains have superpowers and won't give up until they're dead. How is Sam suppose to win if he's not willing to take care of business? Convince people to give themselves up for the sake of justice? PLEASE!!
I don't believe the about face of the villain, it just didn't fit with his character. He was just too selfish and didn't seem the type to put somebody else ahead of him.
I still like the humor and Sam but I really don't know how the author can move forward with the series given how things ended. Either she'll have to turn Sam around and have him realize that sometimes he'll have to eliminate the bad guys or have other people take care of the villains, which I always despise. What's the point of a main character who has to be rescued by others?
I don't believe the about face of the villain, it just didn't fit with his character. He was just too selfish and didn't seem the type to put somebody else ahead of him.
I still like the humor and Sam but I really don't know how the author can move forward with the series given how things ended. Either she'll have to turn Sam around and have him realize that sometimes he'll have to eliminate the bad guys or have other people take care of the villains, which I always despise. What's the point of a main character who has to be rescued by others?
January 1, 2015
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3-3.5
*My Thoughts*
Necromancing the Stone is the long awaited sequel to Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Six weeks after the end of Hold Me Closer, vegetarian Necromancer Samhaim "Sam" LaCroix is no longer just a fry cook or college dropout. He is a full fledged necromancer, a member of the Council that has Vampires, witches, satyrs, dryads, and furies. He has also taken Douglas Montgomery's possessions, including his home filled with unusual and dark trinkets.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://www.gizmosreviews.blogspot.com...
Published: September 18th 2012 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
*Rating* 3-3.5
*My Thoughts*
Necromancing the Stone is the long awaited sequel to Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Six weeks after the end of Hold Me Closer, vegetarian Necromancer Samhaim "Sam" LaCroix is no longer just a fry cook or college dropout. He is a full fledged necromancer, a member of the Council that has Vampires, witches, satyrs, dryads, and furies. He has also taken Douglas Montgomery's possessions, including his home filled with unusual and dark trinkets.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://www.gizmosreviews.blogspot.com...
Published: September 18th 2012 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Want to read
April 30, 2012Can we please talk about how I am practically dancing with excitement for this to come out? First of all Hold Me Closer Necromancer has to be one of the best books I have read in years, so I am all about a sequel. Especially when Lish McBride happens to be magic at capturing all the things that make my hometown of Seattle so great and putting it into words. There were times reading Hold Me Closer Necromancer that I had an exact picture of where she was talking about in my head, she is so great at this. And then she give quite possibly the most epic title in existence to the follow up? Count me in.
September 3, 2015
I almost didn't 5-star this one. I liked it less than the first book, but not by a whole lot.
The climax felt a little too easy to me(even if brilliantly written). That's literally my only complaint. And given how much I loved the rest of the book, and how good the resolution was following the climax, I went ahead and left it where it was.
There's only 2 books in this series, but they're fantastic and funny. You should read them.
The climax felt a little too easy to me(even if brilliantly written). That's literally my only complaint. And given how much I loved the rest of the book, and how good the resolution was following the climax, I went ahead and left it where it was.
There's only 2 books in this series, but they're fantastic and funny. You should read them.
November 6, 2012
Seriously, who doesn't love a book featuring a Sasquatch called Sexy Gary?
February 19, 2016
Spoilers ahead.
Wow. What the hell happened to the author? This book was nowhere near as good as either the first book or the short story he or she wrote. I found the story to be entirely anticlimactic. It was weird. In the last book, if I remember right, most of the book was from Sam's (the good guy kid necromancer) point of view, with shorter bits from Douglas (the evil old necromancer) with a few bits thrown in from Brid the sexy werewolf chick. Dastardly deeds are done, and Sam discovers that he has magic necromancer powers that have been locked away and hidden so Douglas wouldn't find him. His mom unlocks half of his power, but the can't find his uncle to unlock the other half, but he's so powerful that he is able to win at only half power, and gains Douglas's powers at the end of the book, gains all of his riches and his mansion, gets a magical servant thing named James, and starts going out with Brid. Yay!
In this book the main character is undoubtedly Sam again, but when it shifts over to another point of view... it's Douglas again? What the hell? The first thing he does is become solid again, then kills Brid's dad, making her the leader of the werewolf pack, and she has to break up with Sam for political reasons. Lame. There aren't that many werewolves, people, and only one real troublemaker, and he's just some dumbass. He also gets James to still work for him on the sly. So while that goes on, we see Douglas go on trips through memory lane, culminating in remembering how he bought James. Yay? So, most of this book, and all of Douglas's story, is about getting James to be an official good guy. I really could care less about that guy... he's just a hopped up familiar.
So, at the end, Sam kills Douglas again, for reals, and James is a good guy. Whatever. Brid is still broken up with Sam... whatever. Since we only see a few chapters of them actually going out, and she's kind of a bitch, it's hard to get really worked up over it. More sorry for Sam I guess.
Also, a big point of the last book's ending was that Sam had only managed to unlock half of his power, then absorbed Douglas's, which gave him a big power boost, doubling his power! See, Douglas's family got all their powers by stealing it from others with a special death ritual, but Sam turned it around on him at the last minute. It was cool because he was all like "whoa, I just absorbed his power, and was really hard to do because his was so evil, but we were evenly matched (or I was a bit more powerful even at half power) so it gave me a power boost", and the end of the book made it seem as if he needed to get his uncle (who was missing) before he could get his full powers, which would be even more. That was set up well, and it would have been interesting to explore his quest to find his uncle and unlock the rest of his powers, perhaps in the face of an even greater threat! However, this book dropped all that, copped out and brought Douglas back (I guess because the author couldn't think of any new bad guys?) and said... "Ha, I'm not all dead yet, so you clearly didn't get my powers after all!" Yeah... basically his uncle just shows up out of the blue and tells Sam that his side of the seal is already broken. Then, when Sam kills Douglas for good, he gets his powers finally, and they are evenly matched! What? They were evenly matched before when Sam was evidently at half power! Make up your damned mind, Author!
Oh, and now the story is that he's got some witch powers from his mom after all. Oh really? Plants like him and everything, huh? What the hell! They clearly stated that his necromantic powers were specially locked away, and that's it. Are we to believe that his Mom never noticed Witch powers leaking out? Sigh.
Finally, Sam tries to bring back the werewolf leader after Douglas killed him... partly for info, partly to impress the pack, but he ends up not being able to. Why? Turns out a goddess shows up and shuts him down. That never goes anywhere. Later we find out that the leader himself didn't want to come back because he figured he should literally throw his daughter to the wolves in her new job as the new pack leader, and Sam as well. What an asshole. People were in real danger of dying, jerk! Plus, he could have just asked the goddess lady to help out more. She said something about not being able to, or not upsetting the balance, but that's just a cop out.
So, yeah, this book really dropped the ball. Oh, and Sam doesn't get back together with Brid at the end. I guess that and the witch powers are going to be the next book? Lame. The book dwells more on the damned society of his mansion's garden gnomes than the main character's broken relationship, or the potentially interesting pack dynamics between the full werewolves, the fey dogs, and the new half and half leaders. What the hell was the author thinking? Pick a story and go with it! Half of the story of this book has been reworked compared to the last one, and the other half went in the wrong direction.
Wow. What the hell happened to the author? This book was nowhere near as good as either the first book or the short story he or she wrote. I found the story to be entirely anticlimactic. It was weird. In the last book, if I remember right, most of the book was from Sam's (the good guy kid necromancer) point of view, with shorter bits from Douglas (the evil old necromancer) with a few bits thrown in from Brid the sexy werewolf chick. Dastardly deeds are done, and Sam discovers that he has magic necromancer powers that have been locked away and hidden so Douglas wouldn't find him. His mom unlocks half of his power, but the can't find his uncle to unlock the other half, but he's so powerful that he is able to win at only half power, and gains Douglas's powers at the end of the book, gains all of his riches and his mansion, gets a magical servant thing named James, and starts going out with Brid. Yay!
In this book the main character is undoubtedly Sam again, but when it shifts over to another point of view... it's Douglas again? What the hell? The first thing he does is become solid again, then kills Brid's dad, making her the leader of the werewolf pack, and she has to break up with Sam for political reasons. Lame. There aren't that many werewolves, people, and only one real troublemaker, and he's just some dumbass. He also gets James to still work for him on the sly. So while that goes on, we see Douglas go on trips through memory lane, culminating in remembering how he bought James. Yay? So, most of this book, and all of Douglas's story, is about getting James to be an official good guy. I really could care less about that guy... he's just a hopped up familiar.
So, at the end, Sam kills Douglas again, for reals, and James is a good guy. Whatever. Brid is still broken up with Sam... whatever. Since we only see a few chapters of them actually going out, and she's kind of a bitch, it's hard to get really worked up over it. More sorry for Sam I guess.
Also, a big point of the last book's ending was that Sam had only managed to unlock half of his power, then absorbed Douglas's, which gave him a big power boost, doubling his power! See, Douglas's family got all their powers by stealing it from others with a special death ritual, but Sam turned it around on him at the last minute. It was cool because he was all like "whoa, I just absorbed his power, and was really hard to do because his was so evil, but we were evenly matched (or I was a bit more powerful even at half power) so it gave me a power boost", and the end of the book made it seem as if he needed to get his uncle (who was missing) before he could get his full powers, which would be even more. That was set up well, and it would have been interesting to explore his quest to find his uncle and unlock the rest of his powers, perhaps in the face of an even greater threat! However, this book dropped all that, copped out and brought Douglas back (I guess because the author couldn't think of any new bad guys?) and said... "Ha, I'm not all dead yet, so you clearly didn't get my powers after all!" Yeah... basically his uncle just shows up out of the blue and tells Sam that his side of the seal is already broken. Then, when Sam kills Douglas for good, he gets his powers finally, and they are evenly matched! What? They were evenly matched before when Sam was evidently at half power! Make up your damned mind, Author!
Oh, and now the story is that he's got some witch powers from his mom after all. Oh really? Plants like him and everything, huh? What the hell! They clearly stated that his necromantic powers were specially locked away, and that's it. Are we to believe that his Mom never noticed Witch powers leaking out? Sigh.
Finally, Sam tries to bring back the werewolf leader after Douglas killed him... partly for info, partly to impress the pack, but he ends up not being able to. Why? Turns out a goddess shows up and shuts him down. That never goes anywhere. Later we find out that the leader himself didn't want to come back because he figured he should literally throw his daughter to the wolves in her new job as the new pack leader, and Sam as well. What an asshole. People were in real danger of dying, jerk! Plus, he could have just asked the goddess lady to help out more. She said something about not being able to, or not upsetting the balance, but that's just a cop out.
So, yeah, this book really dropped the ball. Oh, and Sam doesn't get back together with Brid at the end. I guess that and the witch powers are going to be the next book? Lame. The book dwells more on the damned society of his mansion's garden gnomes than the main character's broken relationship, or the potentially interesting pack dynamics between the full werewolves, the fey dogs, and the new half and half leaders. What the hell was the author thinking? Pick a story and go with it! Half of the story of this book has been reworked compared to the last one, and the other half went in the wrong direction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
November 30, 2018Did Not Finish
Quit around page 200. A huge disappointment. It was boring, slow, and irritating.
Quit around page 200. A huge disappointment. It was boring, slow, and irritating.
July 21, 2012
It was so worth the wait for this book. As soon as I finished reading Hold Me Closer, Necromancer I wanted to read the next book and waiting nearly 18 months was hard but if that is what it takes to get another great book from McBride then it certainly is worth the wait. Sam and the gang is back with all of the humor you expected from the first book as well as the twists and turns, the relationships and struggles, and choices and consequences. Sam is not perfect but certainly you can relate to him. Just an amazing sequel to the first book. It did not disappoint.
June 18, 2012
I ditched every book I was reading when the ARC for NtS arrived. Everything I loved about Hold Me Closer, Necromancer returns in this second book-- action, great characters (with cool powers), humor and tender moments. In particular, I like how readers become attached to the secondary characters as much as Sam does.
October 6, 2012
I loved this just as much as the first one! Though I'm not sure I like the new covers quite as much as I enjoyed the first version. Still, had to buy it anyway because I was hoping it would be super fantastic. AND IT IS.
December 8, 2014
Definitely better than the first one! The action was faster and the humor was perfect. I love humor in books haha
June 25, 2024
Much like the first book in the series, “Necromancing the Stone” is witty, snarky, and full of pop culture references that make me giggle. If there is a pun to be made, the author makes it with their whole chest and I cannot state enough how much I love that. For a book about a necromancer, this series never takes itself too seriously and ends with a surprisingly touching message about friendship and family (of the blood and found kind). The book series, I am happy to say, never strays into the overly goofy or campy areas either, despite the obvious fun the author had writing it. Sam is one of my favorite male YA heroes because he’s just so… normal. Even in this second book as Sam navigates the consequences following “Hold Me Closer Necromancer”, his newfound powers, and a house that lowkey tries to kill him, he never strays from who he is at his core: a good guy. He’s not a soft, sensitive poet, he’s not very suave, and often chooses flight rather than fight. But he’s sarcastic, nice, loyal, and tries to do better whenever he can. He’s genuinely a decent guy and I love how normal he’s portrayed, even with the whole necromancy bit.
I loved watching Sam come into his own as a powerful necromancer and struggle with the mantle of leadership. It’s refreshing to watch a character wrestle with powers that have been labeled Evil and choose to do the kind thing with that power instead. I highly enjoyed seeing our mellow hero deal with hilariously bloodthirsty garden gnomes with names like Twinkle the Destroyer, and strangely sexy bigfoots (bigfeets?). Sam’s relationship with his friends is still exceptionally strong, even though we see a lot less of Brooke this time around. I also really appreciated the fact that the author had a nice little recap of what happened in the first book for people like me who went years in-between finishing this series. And while I loved being with these characters, the plot at times was rather thin.
The main plot of this book was to figure out who was threatening Sam’s family. The reader knows who that is fairly early on, and that really negates a lot of the tension. It seems impossible that Sam can’t figure it out, either. So the book is instead filled with Sam really trying to master his power, deal with the house, bonding with friends and family, and cement his role in the Council and what that means for someone who barely knows how to be a Necromancer. I, personally, didn’t really mind that. The book is still fun and the dialogue usually had me giggling. A lot can be forgiven, for me, if the book is FUN despite its darker themes. I especially appreciated how McBride handled the complexity of family grief and love, even if a family member is evil. Still, a little bit more tension and a firmer idea of where things stand with Sam and Brid would have been nice, which is why I am giving this 4 stars. I genuinely love and enjoyed so much of this series, and if there is ever a third book, you can bet I’ll be grabbing it ASAP!
I loved watching Sam come into his own as a powerful necromancer and struggle with the mantle of leadership. It’s refreshing to watch a character wrestle with powers that have been labeled Evil and choose to do the kind thing with that power instead. I highly enjoyed seeing our mellow hero deal with hilariously bloodthirsty garden gnomes with names like Twinkle the Destroyer, and strangely sexy bigfoots (bigfeets?). Sam’s relationship with his friends is still exceptionally strong, even though we see a lot less of Brooke this time around. I also really appreciated the fact that the author had a nice little recap of what happened in the first book for people like me who went years in-between finishing this series. And while I loved being with these characters, the plot at times was rather thin.
The main plot of this book was to figure out who was threatening Sam’s family. The reader knows who that is fairly early on, and that really negates a lot of the tension. It seems impossible that Sam can’t figure it out, either. So the book is instead filled with Sam really trying to master his power, deal with the house, bonding with friends and family, and cement his role in the Council and what that means for someone who barely knows how to be a Necromancer. I, personally, didn’t really mind that. The book is still fun and the dialogue usually had me giggling. A lot can be forgiven, for me, if the book is FUN despite its darker themes. I especially appreciated how McBride handled the complexity of family grief and love, even if a family member is evil. Still, a little bit more tension and a firmer idea of where things stand with Sam and Brid would have been nice, which is why I am giving this 4 stars. I genuinely love and enjoyed so much of this series, and if there is ever a third book, you can bet I’ll be grabbing it ASAP!
September 24, 2019
It kind of makes me sad to know that this was it for this 2 part series a.k.a. duology. One of the key elements that made it great was it's characters and the amount of weirdness and humor that was involved. Book 2 was not as strong as the first one because the plot was a little too simple and had some repetitiveness. Douglas is an interesting character but it probably would have been better to go for a new villain and maybe had them connected to Douglas in some way. I also felt that there was a lack of supporting character interaction. Obviously, Sam interacted with his friends and family because one of the main themes in this one is about family. However, there should have been more scenes with Sam and Ramon or Sam and Brid (because they are so cute together) working and fighting along side each other like it was in the first installment. On top of that, it ended on a hanging note with Sam getting a tattoo and what was happening in other characters' lives was unknown. It felt more like an ending to a part rather than an ending to an entire story.
August 13, 2020
3.5
Ah, éste me gustó mucho más. Es mucho más entretenido y dinámico que el anterior, está mucho mejor escrito también. Sam no me mata como protagonista, y Douglas ya me había cansado en el libro anterior, pero hay personajes secundarios muy interesantes que compensan.
Volvieron a aparecer todos esos personajes que en el libro anterior nombró una sola vez todos juntos, cuyos nombres jamás llegué a retener. Ahora los menciona casualmente y sigo sin tener idea de quiénes son, pero algunos resultaron ser bastante interesantes.
Hay distintos elementos de humor, algunos para mi gusto funcionan mejor que otros. Mis preferidos creo que son los gnomos del jardín, y el menos preferido todas las referencias a "Minion". La autora ve a Keanu Reeves como un idiota, aburrido y mal actor, así que todos sus personajes van a hacer referencias al respecto. No le veo demasiado sentido a hacer eso, pero para gustos colores.
En líneas generales ahora sí pienso que si sigue con la saga voy a leer el próximo, es un universo con muchísimo potencial, por momentos más aprovechado que por otros, y a esta altura ya puedo decir que me encariñé con la mayoría de los personajes.
Ah, éste me gustó mucho más. Es mucho más entretenido y dinámico que el anterior, está mucho mejor escrito también. Sam no me mata como protagonista, y Douglas ya me había cansado en el libro anterior, pero hay personajes secundarios muy interesantes que compensan.
Volvieron a aparecer todos esos personajes que en el libro anterior nombró una sola vez todos juntos, cuyos nombres jamás llegué a retener. Ahora los menciona casualmente y sigo sin tener idea de quiénes son, pero algunos resultaron ser bastante interesantes.
Hay distintos elementos de humor, algunos para mi gusto funcionan mejor que otros. Mis preferidos creo que son los gnomos del jardín, y el menos preferido todas las referencias a "Minion". La autora ve a Keanu Reeves como un idiota, aburrido y mal actor, así que todos sus personajes van a hacer referencias al respecto. No le veo demasiado sentido a hacer eso, pero para gustos colores.
En líneas generales ahora sí pienso que si sigue con la saga voy a leer el próximo, es un universo con muchísimo potencial, por momentos más aprovechado que por otros, y a esta altura ya puedo decir que me encariñé con la mayoría de los personajes.
July 12, 2023
A good followup to the first book, though the worldbuilding perhaps feels a bit shakier.
Sam has to find his place in the wider magical Seattle community, but something spooky is lurking in the woods. This was a fine sequel, delivering a lot more of the same. The problem was the slightly sparse worldbuilding of book 1 feels flimsier when Sam is no longer a recent inductee to the magical world. Also, the plot threads feel a bit at odds with each other as the tension of can Sam and friends grow up and find their place in the adult magical world is ultimately supplanted by the fighting evil spirit plot, which kind of subverts the first one. I did appreciate Sam’s struggle with his powers/role and what it means for his pacifism. I thought it was one of the better “hero struggles with killing bad guy even as bad guy kills as lot.”
Recommended if you liked the first one.
Sam has to find his place in the wider magical Seattle community, but something spooky is lurking in the woods. This was a fine sequel, delivering a lot more of the same. The problem was the slightly sparse worldbuilding of book 1 feels flimsier when Sam is no longer a recent inductee to the magical world. Also, the plot threads feel a bit at odds with each other as the tension of can Sam and friends grow up and find their place in the adult magical world is ultimately supplanted by the fighting evil spirit plot, which kind of subverts the first one. I did appreciate Sam’s struggle with his powers/role and what it means for his pacifism. I thought it was one of the better “hero struggles with killing bad guy even as bad guy kills as lot.”
Recommended if you liked the first one.
September 21, 2017
I enjoyed this book much more than the first one. It picked up right where the story left off and continued with the momentum that took so long to initially build. This book was funny and clever and I will definitely miss the song title chapter challenge. Ten extra points for multiple David Bowie references and the Ataris, San Diana high school football rules.
January 7, 2018
This was almost as good as the first, though I was a bit disappointed with the villain. James was such a squish though.
May 8, 2024
Solid sequel! Kept the things I liked about book 1 & I liked the themes of friendship & that the ending was kind of bittersweet.
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