What do you think?
Rate this book
Gigi Monroe #1
The Moon Rises
Who is Gigi Monroe?
Waking up in a magical flare called the Circle, Gigi has no real memories and the lies placed in her mind are fading. Whoever stole her memories has also created rules in her mind.
Live in the Circle
Work at The Moon Rises
Don’t get angry
Hide
Hired as a waitress at The Moon Rises, an upscale club for the supernatural elite in the Circle, Gigi makes many new friends including feuding alpha Weres, a devious master vampire, troublemaking witches, bubble loving ghouls, and a human waitress named Sara.
When Sara is taken by a creature stealing away the human waitresses at the club, Gigi decides to find her friend. Yet facing the monster awakens something in Gigi which might have better been left to rest.
Maybe the question isn’t who Gigi Monroe is, but what is she and what might she unleash on the Circle?
Waking up in a magical flare called the Circle, Gigi has no real memories and the lies placed in her mind are fading. Whoever stole her memories has also created rules in her mind.
Live in the Circle
Work at The Moon Rises
Don’t get angry
Hide
Hired as a waitress at The Moon Rises, an upscale club for the supernatural elite in the Circle, Gigi makes many new friends including feuding alpha Weres, a devious master vampire, troublemaking witches, bubble loving ghouls, and a human waitress named Sara.
When Sara is taken by a creature stealing away the human waitresses at the club, Gigi decides to find her friend. Yet facing the monster awakens something in Gigi which might have better been left to rest.
Maybe the question isn’t who Gigi Monroe is, but what is she and what might she unleash on the Circle?
279 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2012
About the author
Angela Horn
21 books75 followersNote: I publish New Adult romance novels as Bijou Hunter and Christian romantic fantasy as Dakota Shepherd.
I've heard these profiles can be used to mock writers on certain craptactular sites. Better put my best face forward then.
I'm a saint. No really.
I read to the blind, feed the hungry, buy wigs for bald people – you know, real heartwarming shit. I never drink, drive too fast, or fart. I really am a saint.
Try not to be jealous. For some people, like me, sainthood simply comes naturally. It’s not something that can be taught either. Just be happy with yourself, even if you suffer from minor infractions.
Say you’re a public farter. Or you smoked pot that one time because your friend dared you. Or when in a hurry, you speed a little too much and occasionally run over cats. Or maybe for fun, you’ve been known to steal old ladies’ walkers then run away laughing. Embrace your flaws. After all, no one can be perfect like me.
Oh, and along with my saintly works, I write books. Urban fantasy, open roads fantasy, zombie fantasy (as compared to realistic zombie), and young adult fantasy. See the common denominator there?
Of course you do, you public farting, pot smoking, cat killing, old lady tormenting sons of bitches!
Find me at the following:
Indie Angie
Where Zombies Come To Read
BBA Whisperer
La La in Indieland
Facebook
Amazon Author Page
I've heard these profiles can be used to mock writers on certain craptactular sites. Better put my best face forward then.
I'm a saint. No really.
I read to the blind, feed the hungry, buy wigs for bald people – you know, real heartwarming shit. I never drink, drive too fast, or fart. I really am a saint.
Try not to be jealous. For some people, like me, sainthood simply comes naturally. It’s not something that can be taught either. Just be happy with yourself, even if you suffer from minor infractions.
Say you’re a public farter. Or you smoked pot that one time because your friend dared you. Or when in a hurry, you speed a little too much and occasionally run over cats. Or maybe for fun, you’ve been known to steal old ladies’ walkers then run away laughing. Embrace your flaws. After all, no one can be perfect like me.
Oh, and along with my saintly works, I write books. Urban fantasy, open roads fantasy, zombie fantasy (as compared to realistic zombie), and young adult fantasy. See the common denominator there?
Of course you do, you public farting, pot smoking, cat killing, old lady tormenting sons of bitches!
Find me at the following:
Indie Angie
Where Zombies Come To Read
BBA Whisperer
La La in Indieland
Amazon Author Page
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 13, 2013
Spoilers
-I hardly ever read indie/self published books, I'm a bit of snob like that. I just don't think they'll be very good, thankfully this was much better than I expected. I read a lot of UF books, and lately I've not really enjoyed them, and I thought I'd feel the same way about this but I was pleasantly surprised.
-I liked the premise of a heroine who had no real memories and had to follow a list of instructions left by a mysterious person… it was different from the UF I've been reading lately.
The heroine, Gigi, was very naive and clueless — which made her come across as dumb for most of the book but it was more funny rather than annoying. She was a likeable character, and I really loved how hot she was for all the guys she met… usually UF heroines are only allowed to be attracted to one guy so it made a nice change. I really liked that the book was mainly set at the club Gigi worked at, she got to meet all the different supernaturals in one place and her interactions with them were fun to read about.
-I was more entertained by the first half of the book than the latter. I wasn't all that interested in the what/who was killing all the waitresses plot. I found the development of Gigi's friendships and relationships more engaging than the murder mystery arc. I also thought Gigi was funnier and more charming in the first half, towards the end she became a little less interesting - I think it was due to her super speshul powers and everyone being amazed by her… I didn't feel that she earnt that level of admiration, loyalty and love.
-I wasn't impressed with Gigi getting everyone's devotion so easily. ALL the guys went mad for her and it seemed like they would do anything for her. I don't like it when characters would do anything for the hero or heroine in the story when they barely know them… Honestly, the things that some characters do in books for people they've only recently met, I wouldn't even do for my own family and friends (Heh, I sound like a bitch but when it comes to giving my time/resources/help/heart/life… I won't just give it away lightly and easily especially to someone I hardly know so I find it unrealistic when so many characters in books do just the opposite). The girls weren't as bad as the guys, I really loved Sara and Gigi's friendship because it was based on something meaningful - Gigi selflessly helping Sara find her missing friend — it made their friendship more real (I could understand Gigi helping Sara because she was innocent, clueless and overly generous rather than jaded and world weary).
I hated that all the guys fell at Gigi's feet - I didn't want them to be dick heads and bastards to her but I would have liked them to be mostly indifferent to her until they saw something in her that was worthy of that level of admiration — but because she was beautiful and innocent they all worshipped her. I doubt they would have liked her if she was average looking or less child like. At times I found the guys obsession with her cringey because of how child like Gigi was — it felt like the main reason they were so turned on by her was because she acted like a little girl… all those old, powerful, alpha guys liking child like Gigi was rather creepy.
-I was a bit put off by everyone calling each other and themselves whores and sluts. Even Gigi thinks she's one just because she wants to have sex. I don't mind it when guys are called sluts and manwhores but when girls are it pisses me off. I know, I'm sexist.
-I noticed that there were quite a few evul/bad/bitchy female characters. Yes, that's realistic but in comparison there was only one guy (the one that made Gigi fall over) that was kind of bad whereas there were loads of women that were made out to be bitches or evil — the witches, the necromancer at the end, Dahlia and Justine. Dahlia and Justine bothered me the most they were really cold and bitchy to Gigi all because they were jealous that the guys were more interested in her than them. I didn't want them to be all chummy with her but they didn't have to act like mean, petty bitches. What made their treatment even worse was that none of the guys acted bitchy to Gigi when she showed interest in someone else… the guys were able to gracefully accept that the person they liked liked someone else unlike the girls who couldn't handle it. I wanted the side female characters (Sara and Ella were cool though) to be more than just the bitchy girl who was jealous of the heroine.
-Was Gigi actually a virgin?! I can't believe she's not had sex before, I think she just doesn't remember it. She must have had a few guys before ending up in the circle considering how eager she was to have sex. I refuse to believe that before she went to the circle she was a virgin and then as soon as she was in the circle she suddenly became randy… she must have always been horny and therefore she must have satisfied her sexual needs in that bog place and just forgotten about it.
-Declan pissed me off so much. How dare he cock block Ella?! WTF?! What a dick head! What's so wrong with her having sex?! I don't think he was protecting her, I think he just wanted Ella to remain virginal and 'pure' because if she had sex he'd probably lose respect for her and think she was no longer worthy. I'll be pissed if Ella ends up losing her virginity with her 'twu wuv'. No, Ella deserves to have loads of fun sex and boyfriends before she ends up with her HEA.
-Finn was a decent love interest and I think he'll be a great first boyfriend but I hope he's not Gigi's HEA. I don't want it to be that vampire guy (Simon?), Anton, Declan or the necromancer guy. I liked that werewolf that was ignoring her - I had a feeling that he might have known her before… he was acting very strange towards her.
All in all, a fun entertaining book. I'm looking forward to the next one, I really want to know who Gigi ends up with and why she had to be hidden in the circle.
-I hardly ever read indie/self published books, I'm a bit of snob like that. I just don't think they'll be very good, thankfully this was much better than I expected. I read a lot of UF books, and lately I've not really enjoyed them, and I thought I'd feel the same way about this but I was pleasantly surprised.
-I liked the premise of a heroine who had no real memories and had to follow a list of instructions left by a mysterious person… it was different from the UF I've been reading lately.
The heroine, Gigi, was very naive and clueless — which made her come across as dumb for most of the book but it was more funny rather than annoying. She was a likeable character, and I really loved how hot she was for all the guys she met… usually UF heroines are only allowed to be attracted to one guy so it made a nice change. I really liked that the book was mainly set at the club Gigi worked at, she got to meet all the different supernaturals in one place and her interactions with them were fun to read about.
-I was more entertained by the first half of the book than the latter. I wasn't all that interested in the what/who was killing all the waitresses plot. I found the development of Gigi's friendships and relationships more engaging than the murder mystery arc. I also thought Gigi was funnier and more charming in the first half, towards the end she became a little less interesting - I think it was due to her super speshul powers and everyone being amazed by her… I didn't feel that she earnt that level of admiration, loyalty and love.
-I wasn't impressed with Gigi getting everyone's devotion so easily. ALL the guys went mad for her and it seemed like they would do anything for her. I don't like it when characters would do anything for the hero or heroine in the story when they barely know them… Honestly, the things that some characters do in books for people they've only recently met, I wouldn't even do for my own family and friends (Heh, I sound like a bitch but when it comes to giving my time/resources/help/heart/life… I won't just give it away lightly and easily especially to someone I hardly know so I find it unrealistic when so many characters in books do just the opposite). The girls weren't as bad as the guys, I really loved Sara and Gigi's friendship because it was based on something meaningful - Gigi selflessly helping Sara find her missing friend — it made their friendship more real (I could understand Gigi helping Sara because she was innocent, clueless and overly generous rather than jaded and world weary).
I hated that all the guys fell at Gigi's feet - I didn't want them to be dick heads and bastards to her but I would have liked them to be mostly indifferent to her until they saw something in her that was worthy of that level of admiration — but because she was beautiful and innocent they all worshipped her. I doubt they would have liked her if she was average looking or less child like. At times I found the guys obsession with her cringey because of how child like Gigi was — it felt like the main reason they were so turned on by her was because she acted like a little girl… all those old, powerful, alpha guys liking child like Gigi was rather creepy.
-I was a bit put off by everyone calling each other and themselves whores and sluts. Even Gigi thinks she's one just because she wants to have sex. I don't mind it when guys are called sluts and manwhores but when girls are it pisses me off. I know, I'm sexist.
-I noticed that there were quite a few evul/bad/bitchy female characters. Yes, that's realistic but in comparison there was only one guy (the one that made Gigi fall over) that was kind of bad whereas there were loads of women that were made out to be bitches or evil — the witches, the necromancer at the end, Dahlia and Justine. Dahlia and Justine bothered me the most they were really cold and bitchy to Gigi all because they were jealous that the guys were more interested in her than them. I didn't want them to be all chummy with her but they didn't have to act like mean, petty bitches. What made their treatment even worse was that none of the guys acted bitchy to Gigi when she showed interest in someone else… the guys were able to gracefully accept that the person they liked liked someone else unlike the girls who couldn't handle it. I wanted the side female characters (Sara and Ella were cool though) to be more than just the bitchy girl who was jealous of the heroine.
-Was Gigi actually a virgin?! I can't believe she's not had sex before, I think she just doesn't remember it. She must have had a few guys before ending up in the circle considering how eager she was to have sex. I refuse to believe that before she went to the circle she was a virgin and then as soon as she was in the circle she suddenly became randy… she must have always been horny and therefore she must have satisfied her sexual needs in that bog place and just forgotten about it.
-Declan pissed me off so much. How dare he cock block Ella?! WTF?! What a dick head! What's so wrong with her having sex?! I don't think he was protecting her, I think he just wanted Ella to remain virginal and 'pure' because if she had sex he'd probably lose respect for her and think she was no longer worthy. I'll be pissed if Ella ends up losing her virginity with her 'twu wuv'. No, Ella deserves to have loads of fun sex and boyfriends before she ends up with her HEA.
-Finn was a decent love interest and I think he'll be a great first boyfriend but I hope he's not Gigi's HEA. I don't want it to be that vampire guy (Simon?), Anton, Declan or the necromancer guy. I liked that werewolf that was ignoring her - I had a feeling that he might have known her before… he was acting very strange towards her.
All in all, a fun entertaining book. I'm looking forward to the next one, I really want to know who Gigi ends up with and why she had to be hidden in the circle.
July 24, 2013
LOL. DNF'd this crappy book at about 20%. I could see within the first few percent why this was self-published. The writing wasn't technically as bad as a lot of self-published books, but just about everything else was. To wit:
World-building? We don't need no stinking world-building. We're told that Gigi--our lovely speshul snowflake heroine--wakes up in "the Circle". Too bad we have to read the book description, rather than the book itself, to find out anything about this Circle. The reader also quickly hit with references to the "real" world and real geography, but no time or place is given for the story. A very amateur mistake.
The little world-building that does occur includes nonsensical and unexplained rules like the Alpha weres in the Circle don't take mates or have children. WTF? Protip: have your world-building make sense. (I did have a bottle of wine riding on whether or not poor silly Gigi turned out to be a virgin--my vote was YES for one of the most annoying tropes ever--but I couldn't bring myself to read far enough to find out.)
Then we have the Mary Sue heroine who is dumb as a box of rocks and has the survival instincts of a suicidal gerbil. She really is just super speshul, though, because all the males immediately lust after this woman who appears (to them) to have the mentality of child. cough***sexual predators***cough. Made my skin crawl.
And let me not forget to mention the reason for her cluelessness: Someone has wiped out all her memories and, in some cases (this is not clearly explained) replaced them with new ones. So she knows what a checkbook is but not how to use it. She doesn't know how to waitress, but she does know that she wants to cook (and how she remembers how to cook is ????).
Overall, just a poor execution of what might maybe have possibly been an interesting concept in the hands of a writer with some talent.
World-building? We don't need no stinking world-building. We're told that Gigi--our lovely speshul snowflake heroine--wakes up in "the Circle". Too bad we have to read the book description, rather than the book itself, to find out anything about this Circle. The reader also quickly hit with references to the "real" world and real geography, but no time or place is given for the story. A very amateur mistake.
The little world-building that does occur includes nonsensical and unexplained rules like the Alpha weres in the Circle don't take mates or have children. WTF? Protip: have your world-building make sense. (I did have a bottle of wine riding on whether or not poor silly Gigi turned out to be a virgin--my vote was YES for one of the most annoying tropes ever--but I couldn't bring myself to read far enough to find out.)
Then we have the Mary Sue heroine who is dumb as a box of rocks and has the survival instincts of a suicidal gerbil. She really is just super speshul, though, because all the males immediately lust after this woman who appears (to them) to have the mentality of child. cough***sexual predators***cough. Made my skin crawl.
And let me not forget to mention the reason for her cluelessness: Someone has wiped out all her memories and, in some cases (this is not clearly explained) replaced them with new ones. So she knows what a checkbook is but not how to use it. She doesn't know how to waitress, but she does know that she wants to cook (and how she remembers how to cook is ????).
Overall, just a poor execution of what might maybe have possibly been an interesting concept in the hands of a writer with some talent.
May 8, 2022
This is a book/author that desperately needs to decide on a genre.
I really wanted to like it and it had potential. No follow through. A tough editor would have helped. Hopefully this author is still writing under another name and has polished her craft more.
I really wanted to like it and it had potential. No follow through. A tough editor would have helped. Hopefully this author is still writing under another name and has polished her craft more.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews