When the half-demon Carter approaches Menolly and her sisters desperately asking for their help, they think he's just had a tiff with Shimmer, his blue dragon girlfriend.
But after talking to Alex Radcliffe, the owner of the Fly By Night Magical Investigations Agency where Shimmer works, they suspect that she has been kidnapped by an old enemy of Alex's.
Now, Alex must join forces with the D'Artigo sisters in a desperate race to find Shimmer before Julian, a powerful vampire from Alex's past with a grudge to settle, can use the dragon to wreak havoc on Seattle as revenge.
NOTE: I SELDOM visit Goodreads and do very little here. Please see my website for more information on my work: https://galenorn.com
New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and is the author of over 80 books & numerous series, including the Wild Hunt Series, the Moonshadow Bay Series, the Fury Unbound Series, the Otherworld Series, the Bewitching Bedlam Series, and more. She wrote for trad publishers for 20 years until she went indie in 2016.
She’s also written nonfiction metaphysical books. She is the 2011 Career Achievement Award Winner in Urban Fantasy, given by RT Magazine. Yasmine has been in the Craft since 1980, is a shamanic witch and High Priestess. She describes her life as a blend of teacups and tattoos. She lives in Kirkland, WA, with her husband Samwise and their cats. Yasmine can be reached via her web site at Galenorn.com. Sign up for her newsletter at: http://galenorn.com/newsletter/
NOTE: ALWAYS check the website and blog, and please sign up for her newsletter there to keep current with new and upcoming releases. Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter are NOT viable places to find out all this information.
Yasmine Galenorn is starting another series. In Flight from Hell, we are introduced to these new characters through Galenorn's well known and loved Otherworld cast. It seems a dragon called Shimmer gets herself into some trouble and the D'Artigo sisters are called in for help.
Although this is a novella length story, we are given a good taste of the new Fly By Night Series to come leaving me ready to follow Alex, Ralph and Shimmer and what is sure to be another fabulous paranormal fantasy...with hopeful crossovers from the D'Artigo clan.
I highly enjoyed this quick, engaging read. It made me want more of both the new Fly By Night Series and look forward to the next in the D'Artigo story (Otherworld Series).
I received this ARC copy of Risky Business from PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW - Intermix in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication on August 19, 2014.
A prequel in the Fly By Night urban fantasy spin-off series from Galenorn's Otherworld / Sisters of the Moon and introducing Shimmer, a dragon outcast from the Dragon Reaches. Both series are set in Seattle.
My Take This is a very smooth introduction to the Fly By Night spin-off series with most of the action involving the D'Artigo sisters and told from Mennolly's viewpoint. Which is rather odd since it is supposed to be a subseries with new protagonists.
The action is typical Otherworld problems — Galenorn does spend a LOT of time explaining past events. Most of it isn't necessary, and I'm wondering if she was padding the story out.
The new characters Galenorn introduces are fascinating, and it's enough to make me extremely curious to read Flight From Death to see what happens next.
Loose threads that aren't that important (but inquiring minds wanna know *grin*) include that comment Alex makes about Carter being the master of pain, the reason for those tunnels under the mausoleum, who's right about Shimmer — Carter or Alex, and was it the danger that turned Shimmer away or…?
I had the impression that Shimmer had been here on Earth for a few years, but it turns out she's only been here a few weeks. It didn't feel right. Shimmer certainly accomplished a LOT on Earth in those few days! Buying a house, working on the garden, dating, causing people to fall in love with her, online dating… Nah, Galenorn needs to change those "weeks" to at least "months". Another niggle was how easy it was to pull Shimmer out. All that lead-up and that's it??
Yeah, I'm still curious. I do enjoy this series despite Galenorn's uneven writing — its those characters you can't help but love!
The Story There's trouble in Seattle. Vampires are being made and let loose to kill, and Roman is insistent on Mennolly putting a stop to it. Then Carter steps in with a problem. He's a friend, and they must help. Only, it seems he holds the key to it all.
The Characters Shimmer is an orphan, an outcaste blue dragon caught in the act. Her boyfriend is Carter, a demi-god — half-demon and half-Titan (his father was Hyperion, a Greek Titan, and his mother a demoness), as well as a friend of the D'Artigos. He's also a member of the Demonica Vacana Society, which well suits his fascination with history. Lara and Roxy are his cats.
Fly By Night Magical Investigations Agency is… …owned by Alex Radcliffe, a vampire and an old friend of Lord Vine. He's involved with a very possessive succubus, Glenda. Bette is a Melusine, a water spirit who changes into a water moccasin, and the receptionist at the agency. Ralph, a werewolf, is in charge of IT and faints at the sight of blood.
The D'Artigo sisters are… …half-fae and half-human sisters who run the Otherworld Intelligence Agency (OIA) Earthside for the fae. Mennolly D'Artigo is the youngest sister and was turned vampire when she was caught spying. She's married to Nerissa, a werepuma, and she is the official consort to Roman who re-sired her. Her bar, the Wayfarer, burned down two weeks ago (Autumn Whispers, 14).
Camille D'Artigo, the oldest of the sisters, is a Moon Witch and priestess for the Moon Mother. She's also married to Lord Iampaatar, a.k.a., Smoky, a half-white, half-silver dragon; Trillian, a Svartan; and, Morio, a youkai-kitsune who is teaching her to use death magic.
Delilah D'Artigo, the middle sister, has three aspects: a two-faced Were as a kitty and a black panther. Her blade is Lysanthra. She's engaged to Shade, a half-shadow dragon, half-Stradolan. Both are servants of the Autumn Lord, a Harvestman. More of the "family" includes Rozurial, an incubus; Iris who has started up an advice column to provide her with some balance as she takes care of the twins; and, Hanna, their housekeeper (Courting Darkness, 10).
Wilbur Folkes, former Special Ops, is a necromancer who looks like ZZ Top and is a neighbor of the D'Artigos. When his brother, Martin, died, he turned him into a poker-playing ghoul.
The Dragon Reaches are… …the homeland of the dragons and on another plane. The Wing Liege is Lord Vine. The Elder Council rules the dragons. The Greanfyr caste are white dragons, greedy and vicious. Smoky's mother is Lady Vishana and his father is Iamfosan Dreyerie, Lord of the Celestial Caste. Lost and Foundling is an orphanage dreyerie (with a bad reputation) for unclaimed dragon children.
Roman is a vampire, the son of Blood Wyne, who is the Queen of the Crimson Veil (all the vampires).
The Faerie-Human Crime Scene Investigations Unit (FH-CSI) is… …run by Detective Chase Johnson who is missing Sharah. Mallen is the current chief of the medical unit.
Julian Eichmann is a vampire-sorcerer who started up a new club. Glory had been Julian's wife two hundred years ago.
The Greenbelt Park District, a.k.a., Spooksville Central, is the most haunted area in Seattle. An FBH is a full-blooded human. Bunny Severance had been the matriarch back in the 1940s; Clyde had been the family member who went bugnuts. Teddy was the family friend. Dredge was a vicious, truly nasty vampire who turned Mennolly.
The Cover and Title The cover is a range of deep blues with a sassy and skeptical-looking Mennolly, blue beads in her cornrows, a royal blue turtleneck (at last, a sense of reality!), blue jeans, and a black leather jacket. She's carrying a fancy-looking ax and standing, with one leg bent, in front of a midnight-dark mausoleum, the full moon hanging low.
I'm not sure what the title refers to. It could be a "Flight From Hell" in that Shimmer has escaped death in too many ways.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Group and Net Galley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
3.5 Stars
I should know better by now. I mean seriously I am not dumb but I can not tell you why I keep grabbing books and novellas that are deep in series without reading any other books in the series. I am not sure that I will ever learn. I am positive that readers who know this series will like this novella quite a lot. I, on the other hand, knowing nothing of the world and nothing of the characters found myself having a hard time keeping up at the beginning. To be fair to myself though, I did think that since this is the start of a spin off series I would be OK to jump in here.
Once I had the characters and the world figured out, I liked the story and the writing quite a lot actually. This story is the starting part of the Fly By Night Investigations Series. Once the characters from the Fly by Night Investigations Agency were introduced and became a part of the story things started to click for me. Menolly and the rest of the D'Artigo sisters are working to find Shimmer, a blue dragon. After talking to Alex, the owner of Fly By Night Investigations, the group realizes that more may be going on than they had first thought. Alex has a long standing enemy who is using Shimmer to seek his revenge.
I really enjoyed this story after the new characters were introduced and the rescue mission was in full force. I wanted to read this story because this is my kind of story....dragons, demons, vampires and I am all over it. I also like to sample an author's writing in a novella. My only real issue was being a bit confused at the beginning but that was completely my fault for jumping in at book #15.5 in the series. I like how this story was written and would like to read other works by Yasmine Galenorn.
A new cast of heroes join the D’Artigo sisters on the hunt for Carter’s missing girlfriend in this thrilling Otherworld story. When Carter asks for help locating Shimmer, they set off for the Fly By Night Magical Investigations and discover a rogue vampire with a diabolical plot of revenge and mayhem.
This fast paced and smooth flowing plot keeps readers shivering in anticipation with thrills and chills as Menolly takes the lead in finding Shimmer. The author brings the story to life with well written scenes and details that capture the imagination and the well orchestrated suspense and drama draws the reader deeper into the plot. Not only is the beloved D’Artigo sisters and some of their friends in this story, but readers are introduced to more strong and bewitching characters that they will definitely want to get to know better.
There’s very little romance in this quick and thrilling read because they just don’t have time on this particular mission. Shimmer is an exiled dragon that might be in some very serious trouble add to that some more deaths around the area that involve vampires and the sisters and their new friends have a lot on their mind and the reader can’t help but get caught up in all the drama and excitement.
I found this to be an enjoyable and thrilling addition to the Otherworld series and I loved meeting the new characters. This story is a great introduction to the Fly By Night Investigations Agency which will have their own series sometime around July 2015 and I can’t wait for the first book and of course Priestess Dreaming is up next in September for the D’Artigo Sisters. - Eva
Like other likeminded paranormal book lovers who doesn’t enjoy a D’Artigo sisters book?
Flight from Hell is a novella about Shimmer an outcast Blue Dragon that is sent to Earth as a punishment. With no powers to defend herself she soon falls prey to an elusive vampire (a upcoming enemy to the sisters if you ask me). Menolly is on the hunt for the vampire siring all the wreck loose vampire that are leaving a trail of blood in their wake, when she is asked to look in on Shimmer as a favor. This is when the shit really hits the fan. First there seems to be an uncharted vampire taking up residence in Seattle. Alex Radcliffe, funny he runs in similar circles as the D’Artigo sisters, they know a lot of the same allies. I have a feeling he will be of great use in the future books. Working together the sisters and Alex pinpoint their nemesis.
I have loved these books in the past I found this one to be extremely descriptive. Like pages for the back drop and pages about the park and pages about how they all run in similar circles. Yet Shimmer doesn’t show up again until around 70% percent of the book has been read. That was what brought the stars down for me. It was all searching and chatting and then a brief moment of action followed by more question building for the next book. I hoped this was a standalone novella I was left unfulfilled. The good thing is if you have read this short story you can use it as an introduction to these new players in the D’Artigo sister’s books.
Quick-look at the Book The sisters agree to help a half-demon find his dragon girlfriend, who has been kidnapped.
Sadly, I don't remember the specifics--it has been a while. But at least, you get to enjoy my:
Thoughts on the Series I don't know what is it about this series that it doesn't click for me. It has all the UF elements I usually like, such as the importance of family, strong-minded female characters, and loads of supernatural creatures. But something's missing. Mebbe it's all the sex scenes that remind me of Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series?
This is a crossover introducing a new series. We get the D'Artigo sisters who are helping to figure out what's going on, not only with a new nest of vampires popping up, but also with the blue dragon, Shimmer, who is working for a vampire private investigator. It seems like she's all of a sudden very grumpy. Before she tries to murder him. An interesting story and a fast read. I felt like there were almost more details in the first book of Fly by Night than in this story. You almost don't need this if you've already read that.
4.25/5 This review is taken from my notes from when I finished the book years ago.
Camille is the POV for this episode in the series. There are hints of things to come Earthside and we are led to believe many ancients are now awakening including an ancient wyrm that is a powerful ancestor of the much weaker dragon descendants. So Camille is sent to wake the Merlin with Morgaine, Mordred, and Arthur in tow.
I have read Flight from Death before this, even if this book is supposed to happen before. Oupp my bad. I do like Shimmer & Alex and this was a quick introduction to the Fly by Night Magical Investigation Agency world. It was ok, but I found it focus too much on the D’Artigo sisters. I haven’t read the other Otherwold novels so I was a little bit lost.
I've loved the Otherworld series since I was first introduced to them. And the Fly By Night Agency spinoff is an excellent addition to the world. I enjoyed this story immensely and can't wait to read the next one.
If you didn't already love Menolly (really, what's wrong with you? She's a total badass) - you will now. It's sad, but we learn that through great trauma can blossom a wonderful existence.
Love this introduction of new characters and new series. It is a short read but it is so filled that you feel you read a full size book. You become arched to the characters and their stories.
Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Vivacious Valkyrie - Marta: *Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review
Fans of the Otherworld series will no doubt rush to get this novella as it's a chance to catch up with the lives and antics of the D'Artigo sisters but it's so much more than just a short read. This book introduces new characters which will feature in the authors new Fly By Night series. This is a short crossover story that is expanding Otherworld and giving greater depth and dimension to the people who inhabit it but rest assured it's still the same glorious ride that readers have come to expect from this amazingly talented author.
This story introduces Shimmer a dragon who is exiled from the Dragon Reaches for five years and sent Earthside to work for Alex a vampire who runs a magical investigation company. She goes missing, and Menolly and her sisters, (half human, half Fae and all attitude!) are asked to investigate. Menolly is already trying to solve the mystery of rogue vampires in Seattle and can't help but question whether or not there's a connection . Alex is an unknown and can Menolly and her sisters really trust him? As their investigation hots up its clear that a powerful and deadly foe without conscience is targeting Alex and anyone caught in the crossfire is in danger. Struggling to find Shimmer whilst catching the murderous vampires plaguing the city will put all their lives in peril but with an enemy who has revenge on his mind and anger in his heart to fight , there is no choice. Fight or die trying!
Most of this book is told from Menolly's point of view and as she is my favourite of the D'Artigo sisters I'm a happy reader! When we first read about Menolly at the beginning of this story she's somewhat at a loss. Menolly has recently lost a true friend and also her bar but in true Menolly style she's not down and out , no she's prepared to embrace new challenges . Unfortunately the problem of the rogue vampires is going to prove to be a lot more complicated then anyone could have predicted and add to that the mysterious Alex who has definitely been keeping under the supernatural radar and you can understand that this story is just the beginning. I think that's what just might irritate some readers as although there is an end of sorts, it's not a complete and absolute definitive ending. So in order to get to the truth readers will need to get the next book in this series.
This author writes very good urban fantasy in my opinion and although there are relationships within her books it's not really my idea of romantic fiction . These sisters have very unusual love lives but in this short story there's no real interaction .This story however pulled me in from the first page and it was such fun meeting new characters and I have to admit they are very intruiging. It's also worth noting that I thought this worked well as a standalone and would be an ideal way for new readers to sample the authors work although I have to admit that reading a series in order is clearly the best way to get maximum enjoyment . I loved catching up with the sisters and we even get a glimpse of a supporting character who previously has not been the most pleasant but Ms Galenorn gives a glimpse of his inner pain in this book. Her books are both dark and humorous at times and there's never a dull moment. Although Menolly may have started this story missing her friend but I think these new characters are about to rock her world! If the mission was to expand the Otherworld universe then mission well and truly accomplished !
Shimmer is a blue dragon, exiled from the Dragon Reaches after a very ill-advised theft, she now has to live Earthside with most of her powers stripped from her.
She only been on Earth for a short time - but when she starts acting very out of character, Carter, her lover calls on the D’Artigo sisters to try and find some answers and try and find Shimmer herself, who has vanished
Menolly quickly uncovers a connection between Shimmer’s odd behaviour and a new threat in town – a vampire sorcerer looking for revenge.
I have issues with this novella. Mainly the same issues I have with the Otherworld Series in general, but exacerbated by this being a shorter story. There is just such a lot of recap and reminder of previous stories, so much hammering home who everyone is, what everyone has done, what has happened before and why and how that wasn’t really needed here which would clutter up even a full length novel, let alone a novella
This novella has been bogged down with all the litter of the last story. Menolly being Roman’s consort, Smoky and Shadow’s existence, Camille’s relationship, Delila’s dead twin, Menolly’s past and scars, the previous vampire serial killer, what Iris is currently up to, chase and his elven heritage, the magical storm in Otherworld – all of this is completely unnecessary to the plot and has been added in almost as padding
This adds to some other elements of over-descriptiveness – like a lecture on the merits of locking your car from Menolly. Or detailed descriptions of Carter’s cats. We really don’t need this – we don’t need this in a full length book, in a novella this is overwhelming the short plot line we have. It also makes elements that would have worked – like following up a dead end in the investigation with Wilbur – not work because it felt like more padding. When you have so many excess story elements, every new dead end or red herring, even for plot purposes, just adds to this padding
This excess padding contributes to another major problem – this isn’t a book in the Otherworld Series. It’s set in the same world, but it’s supposed to be the first book in the Fly By Night Series following Shimmer, Ralph and Alex. And in that it failed epicly.
Every part of this story was told almost entirely from Menolly’s point of view – one of the main characters from the Otherworld Series. All the relevant action was performed by the three D’Artigo sisters who are the protagonists in the Otherworld Series. Alex just follows the sisters around really adding a great deal or doing an awful lot to establish his character. We have some, but he’s so overwhelmed by the sisters. Ralph is barely even there, I completely forgot about him repeatedly and thought he was an excess character. And Shimmer? We get a little from her at the beginning of the book and enough of her back story and culture to make her interesting enough as an outcast from her society with strong class parallels. I think her story could be interesting. But this isn’t her story. This is the story where she is the object – she exists in this story to be rescued and that’s about it. The background we’re given could easily have been the background for someone the sisters are investigating – she’s nearly completely absent as a character in this book.
Fans of the Otherworld series will no doubt rush to get this novella as it's a chance to catch up with the lives and antics of the D'Artigo sisters but it's so much more than just a short read. This book introduces new characters which will feature in the authors new Fly By Night series. This is a short crossover story that is expanding Otherworld and giving greater depth and dimension to the people who inhabit it but rest assured it's still the same glorious ride that readers have come to expect from this amazingly talented author. This story introduces Shimmer a dragon who is exiled from the Dragon Reaches for five years and sent Earthside to work for Alex a vampire who runs a magical investigation company. She goes missing and Menolly and her sisters, (half human ,half Fae and all attitude!)are asked to investigate. Menolly is already trying to solve the mystery of rogue vampires in Seattle and can't help but question whether or not there's a connection . Alex is an unknown and can Menolly and her sisters really trust him? As their investigation hots up its clear that a powerful and deadly foe without conscience is targeting Alex and anyone caught in the crossfire is in danger. Struggling to find Shimmer whilst catching the murderous vampires plaguing the city will put all their lives in peril but with an enemy who has revenge on his mind and anger in his heart to fight there is no choice. Fight or die trying! Most of this book is told from Menollys point of view and as she is my favourite of the D'Artigo sisters I'm a happy reader! When we first read about Menolly at the beginning of this story she's somewhat at a loss. Menolly has recently lost a true friend and also her bar but in true Menolly style she's not down and out , no she's prepared to embrace new challenges . Unfortunately the problem of the rogue vampires is going to prove to be a lot more complicated then anyone could have predicted and add to that the mysterious Alex who has definitely been keeping under the supernatural radar and you can understand that this story is just the beginning. I think that's what just might irritate some readers as although there is an end of sorts it's not a complete and absolute definitive ending. So in order to get to the truth readers will need to get the next book in this series. This author writes very good urban fantasy and although there are relationships within her books it's not really my idea of romantic fiction . These sisters have very unusual love lives but in this short story there's no real interaction .This story however pulled me in from the first page and it was such fun meeting new characters and I have to admit they are very intruiging. It's also worth noting that I thought this worked well as a standalone and would be an ideal way for new readers to sample the authors work although I have to admit that reading a series in order is clearly the best way to get maximum enjoyment . I loved catching up with the sisters and we even get a glimpse of a supporting character who previously has not been the most pleasant but Ms Galenorn gives a glimpse of his inner pain in this book. Menolly may have started this story missing her friend but I think these new characters are about to rock her world! If the mission was to expand the Otherworld universe then mission well and truly accomplished !
I'll be honest, I used to adore this series. I preordered every new book the second they came out, and I moved to the Indigo Court series with ease, I loved this author and her style so much.
But lately the books have become tedious. I'm starting to become so exasperated with them, I'm almost shocked.
This new novella is supposed to be a jumping off point for the new series Galenorn will be working on, Fly By Night. I appreciate the effort taken to tie the new series to her old one, it's a clever idea but unfortunately in execution it doesn't really work. Without reading the Otherworld series first, you'll be incredibly lost and confused since the story is told through the D'Artigo sisters perspective. This, to me, is where it falters. I can see including characters from the previous series, but this is relying far too strongly on the original and that could be a chore for new readers. On top of that, I see this new protagonist, Shimmer, a blue dragon cast from her home becoming a carbon copy of Camille (Otherworld) and Cicely (Indigo Court). Think about it, curvy, smartass magical women with long dark hair, pale skin and an especially generous bust? For some this might not be a big deal but to me it's so noticeable as to be reading the same damn series.
Now my next biggest gripe. I'm only halfway through so I could be missing some things, but I really can't bring myself to read anymore. To me this novella has all the issues I have with Otherworld packed into one tiny story. First of all, how many times is Menolly going to recap what happened to her? We're nearly 16 books in, and that storyline was buried. I'm not saying she should be happy go lucky and forget all about her torture but she brings it up so constantly, I'm sick of it. Second, I don't care about the D'Artigo girls in this new series. I simply don't. I've spent near 16 books with them and I'm so damn tired of them. They're incredibly self centered. The main issue of this book is brought to their attention, with a reasonable request for it to be kept away from their dragon beaus, and given how dragons react to dragon business, I can't argue with that. However, it all becomes "well what about the demon war? What if it affects that, huh? Huh?" In what way would a dragon being twitchy affect the demon war?! Third, the sisters are so....judgy. They constantly make these snap decisions about potential allies, and this ongoing commentary drives me mad. Poor Carter gets it worst of all, I've never understood what he did to deserve this overwhelming wariness and snark. My final complaint is again how much this revolves around the sisters. They return to their home, all these other characters from the original are there...it could easily be a subplot for one of their books, not a fresh jumping off for a whole new series.
Perhaps this is all just me becoming frustrated with the Otherworld series and Galenorn, (after book 15 I don't really want to pre order any of the books, it's just that dismal) but I can't finish this. If it improves, great but I don't think this can be overcome
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
When the half-demon Carter approaches Menolly and her sisters desperately asking for their help, they think he's just had a tiff with Shimmer, his blue dragon girlfriend. But after talking to Alex Radcliffe, the owner of the Fly By Night Magical Investigations Agency where Shimmer works, they suspect that she has been kidnapped by an old enemy of Alex's. Now, Alex must join forces with the D'Artigo sisters in a desperate race to find Shimmer before Julian, a powerful vampire from Alex's past with a grudge to settle, can use the dragon to wreak havoc on Seattle as revenge.
This is an impressive novella by Yasmine Galenorn, introducing the reader to a new series - Fly By Night - and a new cast of characters to look forward to. To aid introducing these new characters, she has written this story to include the D'Artigo sisters from her Otherworld series. I have never read any of her books before (I know, sacrilege!!) but I figured this might be the perfect opportunity to jump in and see what her writing was like.
From the start, I was hooked. Shimmer, a blue dragon, is banished Earthside for an indiscretion. She is put in the employ of Alex who runs the FBNMIA. When she disappears, her "boyfriend" Carter turns to the D'Artigo sisters for help. With the aid of Alex and geek/werewolf Ralph, the learn of a powerful vampire/sorcerer who has taken a liking for creating vampires in Seattle - and he has a grudge to settle with Alex...
The writing, like a lot of urban fantasy, is told in a very lighthearted way with lots of one-liners, tough-as-nails female protagonists, a mix of Fae, vamps, weres and other magical creatures. It isn't going to win any awards for literature - but I think this story has won over a reader. I will now have a look at the early Otherworld series and see what they are like.
The characters that we meet - seemingly for the new series - have a lot to like about them. Alex seems like a vampire who will be worth learning more about and Ralph will add a degree of interest as the resident tech-head. Although Ralph's part is minimal in this story, you can see he will be a valuable asset down the track.
All in all, quite an enjoyable read and it has done exactly what it would have set out to do - attract new readers. Either to the new series, or to the older Otherworld novels. I look forward to investigating both.
Flight From Hell, Yasmine Galenorn Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
I took a real gamble with this novella. I knew it was part of an existing series, none of which I’d read but....didn’t realise it was book 15.5!! Ah well, a challenge
So, I plunged straight into a complex world where there were demi gods, sorcerers, vampires, dragons shifters of every colour and people that were more than one thing....thankfully in the main paranormal authors stick to a few standards for each type of creature such as the vampires v stakes and fire. That makes it easier to follow the story, as did the brief explanation of how Shimmer came to be outcast from the paranormal Other-world down to the human one. She’s been stripped of many of her powers and is working under the guidance of Vampire Alex who’s a friend of the Dragon Overlord. Shimmer though has been acting strangely and her new boyfriend is concerned. His friends talk to her employer Alex and find out she’d been odd there too...and done something that would break her probation and get her sentenced to death! I really enjoyed this, found the story easy to follow despite not knowing the characters...It’s a novella but at 126 pages had enough length to make a complete and realistic ( within fantasy bounds of course!) read. I love the mix of different creatures, enjoyed the snippyness of Menolly, and found Alex a potentially very interesting character. He’s the age on him to have accrued lots of secrets, and he’s not a toe the line, always play by the rules person. My favourite sort! Its a solid story too, with real danger, and showcasing the talents some of the people have perfectly. Its where having lots of different types comes in well, the author can really go to town on the adventure side and let rip into all sorts of dangers, knowing someone had the skills needed to get them out – its a matter of fitting the danger and outcomes together realistically while entertaining the reader. This book did all that and I’m keen to read more from the Otherworld series. I don’t know how I’ve missed such an interesting and unusual author. Stars: four, a perfect quick story to take the reader out of the real world for a brief time. ARC supplied via Netgalley and publishers.
Title: Flight from Hell Author: Yasmine Galenorn Series: Fly by Night, #0.5 Pages: 126 Publisher: InterMix Date: August 19, 2014
Summary:
Crossover from the Otherworld Series to Fly By Night Series.
New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn returns with another thrilling foray into Otherworld—introducing a new cast of heroes alongside the D’Artigo sisters…
When the half-demon Carter approaches Menolly and her sisters desperately asking for their help, they think he's just had a tiff with Shimmer, his blue dragon girlfriend.
But after talking to Alex Radcliffe, the owner of the Fly By Night Magical Investigations Agency where Shimmer works, they suspect that she has been kidnapped by an old enemy of Alex's.
Now, Alex must join forces with the D'Artigo sisters in a desperate race to find Shimmer before Julian, a powerful vampire from Alex's past with a grudge to settle, can use the dragon to wreak havoc on Seattle as revenge.
Review:
This book seemed a little light, but I think that was because it is a novella designed to introduce a new series in the same world as the D’Artigo sisters. I have missed out on reading the last couple of books in the sisters series, but this crossover did an excellent job of bringing me up to date. The backstory was handled well in that it gave enough information to remind me of the previous books and relationships without boring me because I already knew everything.
Four new protagonists are introduced: Alex, Shimmer, Bette, and Ralph and one new bad guy: Julian. I can already tell I am going to love Alex. Shimmer had such a minor role in this book, I am still not sure about her. Either way, I look forward to the next book, Flight from Death, to be released July 7th, 2015.
The help that Carter (who is half Titan, half demon) has given Menolly and her sisters (the D’Artigos) has helped them immensely in their battle with Shadow Wing, so when he calls needing their help, they don’t hesitate. Once he tells them why he’s so worried about Shimmer, they aren’t convinced that there is an actual problem. But, once they head to the Fly By Night Magical Investigations Agency to inquire about Shimmer, it doesn’t take them long to find out that there is indeed something wrong. It seems that Alex, Shimmer’s boss at Fly By Night, had made an enemy long ago and has made his way to Seattle. And, it appears that he will do anything to make Alex pay, including going after his employees. Namely, Shimmer.
When they finally figure out what’s going on, they all head out to try and save Shimmer. And, wouldn’t you know it, seems something is amiss in the perpetually haunted Greenbelt District, aka, Spooksville Central. They eventually find where Shimmer is being held and come up with a plan to get her out. The big problem? She’s being held by a powerful vampire who has company….. Looks like it’s gonna be a long night…..
This novella is a fast paced introduction to Galenorn’s new series and I believe it will be another hit for her. I loved meeting the new characters. Alex, the boss is a vampire. Bette, the assistant is a water spirit and Ralph is a werewolf. And, from what I’ve read, we’re in for a hell of a ride. Even though this is a short story, it was action packed and set up the new series very well. I believe the first novel will be released in July 2015 and I can’t wait! Well done Yasmine Galenorn, well done.
Flight from Hell is #15.5 in the very prolific Otherworld series and introduces us to a new cast of characters who for this adventure have joined forces with the D'Artigo sisters for this latest adventure and are slated to have a spinoff series. It has been a long time since I have visited the Otherworld and it was a treat to pick up here with this introduction to the new characters.
Menolly's friend Carter asks her to check into the behavior of his lady love, Shimmer. Shimmer is a dragon that has been stripped of most of her powers and sent to Seattle for punishment and is under the protection of Alex, the owner of Fly By Night Magical Investigations. On looking into her whereabouts it is discovered that Shimmer has been kidnapped by a powerful vampire with a grudge against Alex and the adventure begins.
The writing is wonderful and in my opinion right up to par with my expectations from this author. The characters are wonderfully colorful and I am definitely looking forward to getting to know them better. There is plenty of action and sneaking goings on that kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. The ending was very satisfying and left me with a smile on my face. I am looking forward to continuing with this and the spinoff series to see just what these characters get up to next.
I definitely recommend this book to urban fantasy fans and if you have not yet begun the Otherworld series, this is a good place to start with a taste of both the Otherworld and the new spinoff characters. I received this book via NetGalley.
This is a really quick read, and the perfect introduction into Yasmine's upcoming spin-off world. I really love novellas like this that give a little extra in a series, as well as novella prequels to open a series. This one had the best of both of those worlds and really tied things together for me. And the fact that the new series is going to be about a dragon? I'm more than sold. While Shimmer isn't the focus of this story as it's told from Menolly's point of view, after reading this one I can't wait to get my hands on her book. Honestly based on the brief appearances she made in the Otherworld series, she seemed harsh and stand-offish, but if this book is any indication, she's more than a bit broken and had a very rough life. I love getting to see a character grow and come back from hard odds, so this series looks to be a winner. Now I just have to sit back and wait.
My excitement for Shimmer's series aside, I loved that this story was told Menolly's side, giving us a bonus story from the D'Artigo sisters. There's a whole lot going on and it was very fast paced, keeping me hooked throughout. I'll be interested to see just how closely these two series follow one another in the future. It should make for one interesting ride. Fans of the Otherworld books won't want to miss this treat of a novella and it's first foray into an exciting new series.
This novella will get your heart pounding as we get to see what the D’Aritgo sisters do best. Kick some bad guy ass. Menolly, with her sisters Camille and Delilah dive into the disappearance of Shimmer, a dragon that had been ground to earth.
Learning that Shimmer works at the Fly By Night Magical Investigations Agency, the girls do some investigating of their own. Walking into the doors of FBN opens the setting for the new series. Meeting what I believe to be an eclectic but yet what should be very comical group of individuals. Alex Radcliffe, an Aussie vamp and owner of FBN, I can just hear the accent coming off of him in every line he says. The accent makes him sexy in itself. Bette, the chain smoking receptionist, I believe she has many many stories she could tell. Ralph, the techie shifter with hots for the dragon. Shimmer, a lone dragon, whose life has been flipped in a major way.
Ms. Galenorn introduces her Fly By Night series with danger, action and awesome characters that make you want hang on tight for the ride. Everything that I have come to expect from Ms. Galenorn and more. Awesome world building, amazing characters, great plot with surprises lurking around corners. I love the mix of urban and magical creatures, Ms. Galenorn weaves together truly enchanting her stories. I am truly eager to see what she has in store for Shimmer, being a female, out of her element and Alex, the vamp with his own set of rules. This ebook is from my personal library.
When Menolly and her two sisters visit their friend Carter he asks them to help him find his ex-girlfriend Shimmer. Carter is an ancient being who's half demon. Shimmer is a dragon who has been banned from the Dragon realm. Carter isn't the only one who's worried about her. Shimmer worked for Alex, who's a vampire, and they got along very well, but before she disappeared she tried to stake him. The D'Artigo sisters suspect her strange behavior wasn't out of free will and together with Alex they're starting a search. This leads them to a powerful vampire who wants to take revenge. Will his plans succeed or are the D'Artigo sisters in time to stop him?
I love the Otherworld series and the novellas always are just as great as the novels. This one is no exception. A nice extra is that Yasmine Galenorn introduces some wonderful characters for a brand new series in this story. I like them a lot and can't wait to read more about them. Flight From Hell isn't a stand-alone novella. I advise you to start with the first book in the series as it's a lot easier to follow the story that way. It's definitely worth it. Menolly has been through a lot and she's damaged, but she's tough. She's getting more confident and stronger in every story, I love that. Each sister has her own distinctive features and I like it that they share the spotlight by taking turns. The Otherworld series is vibrant and exciting and I know there will be many more great stories to look forward to. If you're a fan of this series this novella is a must-read.
Good Novella, introducing the authors new spin-off series, Fly By Night. I enjoyed my first look at the new characters, and I am hopeful that Yasmine will work her magic and bring them to life a bit more than was gained from this short novella. My only concern is that (she) made the future too obvious between Alex and Shimmer; so much was unsaid, but exposed, in this novella that I am hoping the first novel doesn't fall flat because of this. On the flip side, I am confident in Yasmines ability to dredge a story from the depths of her soul, brining characters and events into the story that were far from expected. Given this, I will pre-order and hold off judgement, as is fair, until I read the first FBN Novel.
Another observation...I saw something I rarely, if ever, see in a Yasmine Galenorn novel/novella - a lapse in editing. There were a few instances of duplicate words, or misspelled words, which shocked the living daylights out of me. In the past, all of her work, accumulated, I found less errors than I did in this one short novella. Whoops! =) The errors were certainly not glaring enough to take away from the enjoyment of the story; just making an observation. Since this is a digital-only title (as of now, I believe), I am sure her publisher will make the changes needed, if they deem it significant enough.
All-in-all, an enjoyable novella and an intriguing introduction to FBN!
Flight from Hell is a novella bridging Yasmine Galenorn's current Otherworld series with her upcoming spin-off series, Fly By Night. Obviously, Flight from Hell in not a starting point, nor is it a standalone novella. If you are interested in the brilliant world that Ms. Galenorn has created, start with book one, Witchling, and enjoy the ride.
Flight from Hell is mostly told from Menolly's point of view, which was a treat as I recently read Crimson Veil and wasn't expecting to get anything else from Menolly's POV until her next full-length novel. Briefly, we saw into the POV of Shimmer, an out-casted blue dragon, and I really wish we had gotten more from her perspective. I understand that Ms. Galenorn wanted to keep the sisters close in this story, but I think it would've benefited the spin-off series more if she had told more of Flight from Hell from Shimmer's POV.
In closing, I liked Alex, the mastermind behind Fly By Night Investigations. I look forward to learning more about him in the upcoming Fly By Night series and I really want more of Shimmer. She is such a complicated character and I feel that she will grow by leaps-and-bounds as the spin-off series progresses.
Bizarre in a very entertaining way. Very likeable characters. More action here than in the sequel(yeah, I read the sequel first, assuming that this prequel was made after) Campy Like I said, I read the sequel, which gave a good reca
Ok, seriously this is trash! Very entertaining trash, but trash. Seriously, every single main character that discusses their relationship isn't monogamous, which would be ok if every single main female wasn't bisexual, and all the males are straight. They also make it clear that every main female has, and I quote, "big boobs" There's even a scene where for no real reason one of them flashes them in front of everyone else. But hey, I'm no prude, and there's a lot more to these character than their sex appeal. Honestly, this does not seem as aimed at females as I think it's trying to be, but not in an offensive way. Eh, maybe I'm wrong, and its found a way to appeal to both. It's short, but that doesn't really damage the quality.
Cons: It kinda seems like almost every person who isn't in a relationship has issues, where everyone that isn't is more happy and can let things go easier. I don't have any big problems with it, really, it works fine, and I want to read more of the main series now. It's just not something to get excited about.
Bottom Line: Fun entertainment in its simplicity, but I still wouldn't recommend it.
A novella set in the Otherworld series, narrated by Menolly setting up the new Fly By Night series that will take place alongside the Otherworld series but focus on the PI Firm with a vampire at the helm and an exiled blue dragon.
Menolly is called in by Ronan to discuss the increasing number of baby vampires in the area and how many of them have had to be staked due to abandonment by their makers. Menolly makes a note of it but doesn't consider it her main priority considering the demon war going on until she and her sisters are searching for information and their friend and powerful ally, Carter, expresses concern about his friend, an exiled dragon named Shimmer. This leads the sisters to the Fly By Night Detective Agency where they meet the owner, a vampire rogue named Alex, who seems to know more about what is going on with the baby vampires in the park and how it all ties in with Shimmer and his own past. Now it's time to go in and kick some butt...
It was a great introduction to the new series and has definitely wet my appetite for it. Too bad we have to wait until next year to get the first full length novel.
Yasmine Galenorn sets quite the stage for her new series, Fly By Night. Menolly makes a very strong showing as a transitional lead. Effectively bridging both the gap between the already established world staring the D'Artigo clan, and that set to feature Shimmer.
Here's hoping that hunky leading vamp Alex is allowed to stay front and center in the coming series. Thereby ushering in a whole new playground in which Menolly can be allowed to play. Special distinction is given to the lady vamp in this case, because her vampiric limitations often put her storylines at a very unfair disadvantage in comparison to those of her sisters.
If the nod to the darker side of things alluded to in the novella, becomes a full blown yes, in the novel.
Well...
Let's just say things are going to get a whole lot more interesting in and around Seattle, for things that go bump in the night.
Shimmer.
Not too sure where to go, or what to make of her. There is just enough here to make one salivate over the possibilities.
This reviewer can not wait to see this young drangon soar. The one thing that is certain however, is with Yasmine Galenorn as in the driver's seat...it's sure to be one hell of a ride.