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Siobhan Quinn #3
Cherry Bomb
Meet Siobhan Quinn—Half vampire, half werewolf, and retired monster hunter. Or so she thought…
Three years have passed since Quinn turned her back on Providence, Rhode Island’s seedy supernatural underbelly, walking out on Mr. B. and taking a bus headed anywhere. She hoped her escape would give her some peace from the endless parade of horrors. But a dead girl who quarrels with the moon can’t catch a break, and, on the streets of Manhattan, Quinn finds herself caught between a rock and a hard place. Again.
What do you do when you’re stuck in the middle of a three-million-year-old grudge match between the ghouls and the djinn, accidentally in possession of a hellish artifact that could turn the tide of the war, all the while being hunted by depraved half-ghoul twins intent on taking the object and ushering in a terrifying Dark Age?
Especially when you’ve fallen in love with the woman who got you into this mess—and you ain’t nobody’s hero…
Three years have passed since Quinn turned her back on Providence, Rhode Island’s seedy supernatural underbelly, walking out on Mr. B. and taking a bus headed anywhere. She hoped her escape would give her some peace from the endless parade of horrors. But a dead girl who quarrels with the moon can’t catch a break, and, on the streets of Manhattan, Quinn finds herself caught between a rock and a hard place. Again.
What do you do when you’re stuck in the middle of a three-million-year-old grudge match between the ghouls and the djinn, accidentally in possession of a hellish artifact that could turn the tide of the war, all the while being hunted by depraved half-ghoul twins intent on taking the object and ushering in a terrifying Dark Age?
Especially when you’ve fallen in love with the woman who got you into this mess—and you ain’t nobody’s hero…
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2015
5 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Caitlín R. Kiernan
416 books1,667 followersCaitlín Rebekah Kiernan is an Irish-born American published paleontologist and author of science fiction and dark fantasy works, including ten novels, series of comic books, and more than two hundred and fifty published short stories, novellas, and vignettes.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 9, 2015
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/02/08/b...
The Siobhan Quinn series is the dark underbelly of urban fantasy you never get to see, a project that began as the author Caitlín R. Kiernan’s (writing as Kathleen Tierney) “protest against what ‘paranormal romance’ has done to the once respectable genre”. It is harsh, it is gritty, it is obscene…but so help me I’ve loved every page and every moment I’ve gotten to spend with its crude and foul-mouthed protagonist.
Cherry Bomb is the latest (and apparently also the last – I’ll have more words on this later) book of the series. It has been three years since Quinn walked out on Mean Mr. B and left Rhode Island behind her, and after traveling around the country she eventually settled in the Big Apple. One night she meets a seductive antiquities dealer named Selwyn Throckmorton in a BDSM club and the two immediately hit it off. Unbeknownst to Quinn, however, Miss Throckmorton has apparently been getting into all kinds of trouble trading in ghoul artifacts with some deeply unsavory characters.
They say love makes you do foolish things, and if you ask Quinn I’m sure she’ll offer her agreement along with some choice words for how she feels about that.
This book is the arguably the grittiest, most aggressive and in-your-face installment yet. In spite of that, I wish I could claim the series goes out with a bang. It doesn’t though, not really. Or at least, not in any conventional sense. But seeing as how this series is all about doing things unconventionally, I suppose the ending strikes the right tone in its own way.
Of course, a lot of my feelings might have to do with how I discovered this was the final Siobhan Quinn novel. I literally found out on the very last page – the Author’s Note. Up to this point, I was actually quite happy with the ending, but after becoming aware that this book concludes the series, my expectations were inevitably altered. Not very fair of me, perhaps; but I can’t help that this is how I feel, and for that reason I wish I had known beforehand. I wasn’t looking for anything happy or monumental, but I still I couldn’t help but wish things had wrapped up in a more memorable conclusion.
Because this series is also a satirical look at the urban fantasy genre, it makes these books hard to review. But I did feel Cherry Bomb is lighter on the dark, twisted humor than the first two novels, and is instead just darker and more twisted in general, not to mention also more violent, more disturbing and more depressing. I’m all right with this on the whole, though I frequently found myself missing Quinn’s dry wit. She still retains that “very Quinn” sense of humor, but now it has an edge. Understandably, the events of the last novel and then in this one has jaded her (even more) and it really shows in her new attitude.
Finally, Quinn isn’t meant to be an admirable or a sympathetic character; she’s lewd, unpleasant, and over-the-top, but that’s also why I love her. And because I love her, it was very hard for me to see her manipulated and played like a damn fiddle. Selwyn isn’t a very likeable character either (and we’re actually warned about this) but she knows that deep down inside Quinn is a goodness that she’s not afraid to take advantage of, and it drove me nuts. On the one hand, I spent a lot of time reading this book feeling annoyed at Quinn for letting Selwyn lead her around by the nose (what happened to the spitfire from the last two books? That Quinn I know wouldn’t have taken any of this crap), but on the other hand, it did open my eyes to the softer, more solicitous side to her personality. Love, after all, can change someone, make them act differently, and I liked how Tierney/Kiernan explored Quinn’s character in this book by really peeling back the layers.
Once more, the author delivers another fantastic Siobhan Quinn novel. If you ask me, it’s a series that ended all too soon. Still, it’s probably best to say goodbye on a high note, not to mention no one likes to see a series drag on unnecessarily and I would have hated to see one this special wear out its welcome. I heartily recommend this series to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy, anti-heroes, and dark stories…and who won’t mind reading a book that come with a warning label.
The Siobhan Quinn series is the dark underbelly of urban fantasy you never get to see, a project that began as the author Caitlín R. Kiernan’s (writing as Kathleen Tierney) “protest against what ‘paranormal romance’ has done to the once respectable genre”. It is harsh, it is gritty, it is obscene…but so help me I’ve loved every page and every moment I’ve gotten to spend with its crude and foul-mouthed protagonist.
Cherry Bomb is the latest (and apparently also the last – I’ll have more words on this later) book of the series. It has been three years since Quinn walked out on Mean Mr. B and left Rhode Island behind her, and after traveling around the country she eventually settled in the Big Apple. One night she meets a seductive antiquities dealer named Selwyn Throckmorton in a BDSM club and the two immediately hit it off. Unbeknownst to Quinn, however, Miss Throckmorton has apparently been getting into all kinds of trouble trading in ghoul artifacts with some deeply unsavory characters.
They say love makes you do foolish things, and if you ask Quinn I’m sure she’ll offer her agreement along with some choice words for how she feels about that.
This book is the arguably the grittiest, most aggressive and in-your-face installment yet. In spite of that, I wish I could claim the series goes out with a bang. It doesn’t though, not really. Or at least, not in any conventional sense. But seeing as how this series is all about doing things unconventionally, I suppose the ending strikes the right tone in its own way.
Of course, a lot of my feelings might have to do with how I discovered this was the final Siobhan Quinn novel. I literally found out on the very last page – the Author’s Note. Up to this point, I was actually quite happy with the ending, but after becoming aware that this book concludes the series, my expectations were inevitably altered. Not very fair of me, perhaps; but I can’t help that this is how I feel, and for that reason I wish I had known beforehand. I wasn’t looking for anything happy or monumental, but I still I couldn’t help but wish things had wrapped up in a more memorable conclusion.
Because this series is also a satirical look at the urban fantasy genre, it makes these books hard to review. But I did feel Cherry Bomb is lighter on the dark, twisted humor than the first two novels, and is instead just darker and more twisted in general, not to mention also more violent, more disturbing and more depressing. I’m all right with this on the whole, though I frequently found myself missing Quinn’s dry wit. She still retains that “very Quinn” sense of humor, but now it has an edge. Understandably, the events of the last novel and then in this one has jaded her (even more) and it really shows in her new attitude.
Finally, Quinn isn’t meant to be an admirable or a sympathetic character; she’s lewd, unpleasant, and over-the-top, but that’s also why I love her. And because I love her, it was very hard for me to see her manipulated and played like a damn fiddle. Selwyn isn’t a very likeable character either (and we’re actually warned about this) but she knows that deep down inside Quinn is a goodness that she’s not afraid to take advantage of, and it drove me nuts. On the one hand, I spent a lot of time reading this book feeling annoyed at Quinn for letting Selwyn lead her around by the nose (what happened to the spitfire from the last two books? That Quinn I know wouldn’t have taken any of this crap), but on the other hand, it did open my eyes to the softer, more solicitous side to her personality. Love, after all, can change someone, make them act differently, and I liked how Tierney/Kiernan explored Quinn’s character in this book by really peeling back the layers.
Once more, the author delivers another fantastic Siobhan Quinn novel. If you ask me, it’s a series that ended all too soon. Still, it’s probably best to say goodbye on a high note, not to mention no one likes to see a series drag on unnecessarily and I would have hated to see one this special wear out its welcome. I heartily recommend this series to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy, anti-heroes, and dark stories…and who won’t mind reading a book that come with a warning label.
February 23, 2015
Fantasy Review Barn
Cherry Bomb is the only kind of ending that would have worked for this short series about half-vampire Soibhan Quinn. It was irrelevant, at times nonsensical, and concluded on a note of…non-conclusion. That is to say the plot lines are wrapped up, and Quinn is obviously done telling her story, but there will be no tagged on ‘where the fuck everyone is now’ kind of epilog to assure the readers everything turned out all right in the end. Nothing about Quinn’s life has turned out all that well thus far, so why should everything be wrapped up with a bow?
To recap events to this point; Quinn was a junkie attacked by a werewolf and a vampire in a time frame close enough together to make her half(a third?) of each. Conventional wisdom would say this should make her the baddest unholy monster on the block but instead she just has that many more enemies and problems. For two books she has blundered around doing strange jobs for the mysterious Mr. B but after the episode with the unicorn horn (see Red Delicious) she gets on a bus and tries to escape.
Clever transition and find Quinn living off an accountant with a S&M itch that Quinn is able to scratch. An occasional open vein is her reward for keeping the accountant happy (perhaps a parody/reference to 50 Shades or perhaps the upcoming movie has me seeing ghosts on that front). A better offer comes at a certain, specialized, kind of party and the story gets past build up and into the meat of the tale; a relic hunter has something that could completely, and quite literally, change history.
Everything I love about the series is present; Quinn has one of the most unique voices in the genre, does her best to piss off everyone around her, and flirts with but never quite completely breaks the forth wall. She seems very aware she is a walking pissed off parody in an urban fantasy novel but refuses to actually say it out loud. And when events taker her to the lowest point the silly factor leaves; same great voice but able to be serious when it is called for. The twin ghoul nasty’s have a plan appropriately over the top; a highlight came in the perversion of Christian mythos the creatures follow. Above all else the book is funny. The way the narrator plays with story telling conventions, dropping hints about upcoming info dumps and the like, is a treat to anyone who struggles to craft a sentence. And Quinn’s ongoing fight with seagulls has been bringing a smile to my face since book one.
After a strong start in Blood Oranges I felt a bit let down by the second book. I am happy that this concluding volume is much more up to standard. Looking too deep into any of the background info is a mistake. For one, the story is designed to be over the top. And for two, Quinn has told us through three books not to trust a word she says.
This series is something of a parody and that either works for people or it doesn’t. For me, despite not reading a whole lot of urban fantasy, I found it to be a delight. Each book is short enough to be a diversion without requiring a lot of commitment. And Cherry Bomb finished dup the series perfectly, both in story and tone.
4 Stars.
Copy for review provided by publisher.
Cherry Bomb is the only kind of ending that would have worked for this short series about half-vampire Soibhan Quinn. It was irrelevant, at times nonsensical, and concluded on a note of…non-conclusion. That is to say the plot lines are wrapped up, and Quinn is obviously done telling her story, but there will be no tagged on ‘where the fuck everyone is now’ kind of epilog to assure the readers everything turned out all right in the end. Nothing about Quinn’s life has turned out all that well thus far, so why should everything be wrapped up with a bow?
To recap events to this point; Quinn was a junkie attacked by a werewolf and a vampire in a time frame close enough together to make her half(a third?) of each. Conventional wisdom would say this should make her the baddest unholy monster on the block but instead she just has that many more enemies and problems. For two books she has blundered around doing strange jobs for the mysterious Mr. B but after the episode with the unicorn horn (see Red Delicious) she gets on a bus and tries to escape.
Clever transition and find Quinn living off an accountant with a S&M itch that Quinn is able to scratch. An occasional open vein is her reward for keeping the accountant happy (perhaps a parody/reference to 50 Shades or perhaps the upcoming movie has me seeing ghosts on that front). A better offer comes at a certain, specialized, kind of party and the story gets past build up and into the meat of the tale; a relic hunter has something that could completely, and quite literally, change history.
Everything I love about the series is present; Quinn has one of the most unique voices in the genre, does her best to piss off everyone around her, and flirts with but never quite completely breaks the forth wall. She seems very aware she is a walking pissed off parody in an urban fantasy novel but refuses to actually say it out loud. And when events taker her to the lowest point the silly factor leaves; same great voice but able to be serious when it is called for. The twin ghoul nasty’s have a plan appropriately over the top; a highlight came in the perversion of Christian mythos the creatures follow. Above all else the book is funny. The way the narrator plays with story telling conventions, dropping hints about upcoming info dumps and the like, is a treat to anyone who struggles to craft a sentence. And Quinn’s ongoing fight with seagulls has been bringing a smile to my face since book one.
After a strong start in Blood Oranges I felt a bit let down by the second book. I am happy that this concluding volume is much more up to standard. Looking too deep into any of the background info is a mistake. For one, the story is designed to be over the top. And for two, Quinn has told us through three books not to trust a word she says.
This series is something of a parody and that either works for people or it doesn’t. For me, despite not reading a whole lot of urban fantasy, I found it to be a delight. Each book is short enough to be a diversion without requiring a lot of commitment. And Cherry Bomb finished dup the series perfectly, both in story and tone.
4 Stars.
Copy for review provided by publisher.
June 16, 2015
4 Stars
Cherry Bomb the third book in the Siobhan Quinn series is a satisfying bloody mess to this unique urban fantasy series. Caitlin Kiernan is one of my very favorite authors and although she started writing this series as a joke and a stab at the romantic urban fantasy pop genre, she ended up creating a fabulous twisted protagonist and a cool ass world. Quinn is not likable per se, but she is consistent of character. Through the course of the trilogy we are treated to many cool baddies, gholus, vamps, Wolves, and other creatures that make things go bump in the night.
Cherry Bomb does a great job at showing how our undead anti-hero chose to make it through living. The book quickly sets up the new stakes...and we are off. I enjoyed her playful relationship with Selwyn and how quickly things spiraled down. The action is fun and plentiful and no holds barred. Cherry Bomb has a couple of nice twists that make the ending all the more satisfying. I loved the ending, it was a fitting way to conclude this characters story.
I am glad the Kiernan decided to write these books as they are refreshing in their nastiness. I love Caitlin Kiernan and if you have not read anything of hers before, you are missing out on one of today's greatest horror writers. Pick up her stuff.
Cherry Bomb the third book in the Siobhan Quinn series is a satisfying bloody mess to this unique urban fantasy series. Caitlin Kiernan is one of my very favorite authors and although she started writing this series as a joke and a stab at the romantic urban fantasy pop genre, she ended up creating a fabulous twisted protagonist and a cool ass world. Quinn is not likable per se, but she is consistent of character. Through the course of the trilogy we are treated to many cool baddies, gholus, vamps, Wolves, and other creatures that make things go bump in the night.
Cherry Bomb does a great job at showing how our undead anti-hero chose to make it through living. The book quickly sets up the new stakes...and we are off. I enjoyed her playful relationship with Selwyn and how quickly things spiraled down. The action is fun and plentiful and no holds barred. Cherry Bomb has a couple of nice twists that make the ending all the more satisfying. I loved the ending, it was a fitting way to conclude this characters story.
I am glad the Kiernan decided to write these books as they are refreshing in their nastiness. I love Caitlin Kiernan and if you have not read anything of hers before, you are missing out on one of today's greatest horror writers. Pick up her stuff.
March 10, 2015
3.5 Stars
Quinn left the employment of Mean Mister B three years ago, and has stayed out of trouble—pretty much. She discovers Selwyn Throckmorton at a club and the two hit it off, or hit it as well as can be expected between a werewolf-vamp and human. Selwyn is a dealer in supernatural objects, most namely ghoul artifacts. Quinn quickly sees that Selwyn is in way over her head with the ghouls and soon gets pulled into chaos trying to save her.
Cherry Bomb is the third book in Tierney’s Siobhan Quinn series, it is also the last book. It takes place three years after the events after the pervious novel, Red Delicious. Told in the same gritty voice as the previous novels, Cherry Bomb, creates fast paced and often funny moments, if you enjoy dark comedy. Quinn must help her lady love as she gets in over her head with her own family. As is often the case in this series, nothing is exactly what you expect.
Quinn has found herself a donor who she’s shacked up with when she meets Selwyn. Selwyn offers more than just new blood, she offers excitement. Quinn quickly becomes attached and despite Quinn spoiling for readers what kind of future they might have together, I also felt attached. This is the bite for me in this series. None of these characters are redeeming or even likeable, but they’re not faked.
Quinn, despite her growing attachment is quick to tell Selwyn things can change. After Selwyn makes her rounds, using Quinn as a body guard, Quinn lets it slip she is also a werewolf. This pushes Selwyn into a surprising action that launches Quinn into the coolest transformation of the book, and maybe series. We get a glimpse of inner Quinn and what feels like a nice dose of foreshadowing.
I’ve come to love this series and character, but with Cherry Bomb being the last novel in the series I expected a little more bang. The first novel pushed hard, but some of those small details along the way seemed to be thrown out. Back then Quinn was a junkie, but she was also well read. The first two books each had a scene of Quinn listening to the same song (A song I love). Those little tid-bits didn’t show up which was kind of disappointing.
I enjoyed Quinn and Cherry Bomb. The series overall had some fantastic moments and gave no shits. The characters, especially the paranormal ones were explosive and a pleasure to glimpse. All of these are what the books did well, even if it was first set out to be a farce. What I thought they lacked was in the story line itself. In the midst of piles of fun gritty language there is a predictable story line.
Now that the series at its end—making it a trilogy, I would recommend it to someone who wants a different kind of Urban Fantasy: some dark humor, real homicidal monsters, and grit.
- Elizabeth
Quinn left the employment of Mean Mister B three years ago, and has stayed out of trouble—pretty much. She discovers Selwyn Throckmorton at a club and the two hit it off, or hit it as well as can be expected between a werewolf-vamp and human. Selwyn is a dealer in supernatural objects, most namely ghoul artifacts. Quinn quickly sees that Selwyn is in way over her head with the ghouls and soon gets pulled into chaos trying to save her.
Cherry Bomb is the third book in Tierney’s Siobhan Quinn series, it is also the last book. It takes place three years after the events after the pervious novel, Red Delicious. Told in the same gritty voice as the previous novels, Cherry Bomb, creates fast paced and often funny moments, if you enjoy dark comedy. Quinn must help her lady love as she gets in over her head with her own family. As is often the case in this series, nothing is exactly what you expect.
Quinn has found herself a donor who she’s shacked up with when she meets Selwyn. Selwyn offers more than just new blood, she offers excitement. Quinn quickly becomes attached and despite Quinn spoiling for readers what kind of future they might have together, I also felt attached. This is the bite for me in this series. None of these characters are redeeming or even likeable, but they’re not faked.
Quinn, despite her growing attachment is quick to tell Selwyn things can change. After Selwyn makes her rounds, using Quinn as a body guard, Quinn lets it slip she is also a werewolf. This pushes Selwyn into a surprising action that launches Quinn into the coolest transformation of the book, and maybe series. We get a glimpse of inner Quinn and what feels like a nice dose of foreshadowing.
I’ve come to love this series and character, but with Cherry Bomb being the last novel in the series I expected a little more bang. The first novel pushed hard, but some of those small details along the way seemed to be thrown out. Back then Quinn was a junkie, but she was also well read. The first two books each had a scene of Quinn listening to the same song (A song I love). Those little tid-bits didn’t show up which was kind of disappointing.
I enjoyed Quinn and Cherry Bomb. The series overall had some fantastic moments and gave no shits. The characters, especially the paranormal ones were explosive and a pleasure to glimpse. All of these are what the books did well, even if it was first set out to be a farce. What I thought they lacked was in the story line itself. In the midst of piles of fun gritty language there is a predictable story line.
Now that the series at its end—making it a trilogy, I would recommend it to someone who wants a different kind of Urban Fantasy: some dark humor, real homicidal monsters, and grit.
- Elizabeth
February 17, 2015
So this was the last Siobhan Quinn book, I guess. That's a pity; I'll miss the werepire and Mean Mr B. I'll also miss the seagulls. I think my main issue with Cherry Bomb was how uneven it is. The first half of the book is really slow, all about how Selwyn and Quinn met and the second half is so full of plot that 200something pages are not enough to fit everything in. I liked the writing, I liked the story and the new characters, I liked seeing old characters return and I got really confused with all that Charlee business. I mean, I get In the end, I enjoyed the novel a lot and I'm sad to see Quinn go, but I still feel that Red Delicious was the very best of the trilogy.
September 29, 2018
I have completed all 3 Siobhan Quinn novels, and I can safely say that this is the weakest of the trilogy. And, after reading it, I may regret having bothered to read them at all.
In Blood Oranges, Siobhan Quinn explains how she became "Twice Cursed, Twice-Damned," when she was bitten by a werewolf and later that night was bitten by a vampire as well. The reader is told in graphic detail how prior to this, Quinn was a junkie lesbian heroin addict living on the street, and she became a monster hunter (of sorts) pretty much by accident. The reader is given to understand that Quinn is an unreliable narrator, she's nobody's hero, and there is no romance in this story. When you read the author's explanation for how/why she came to write this book, we learn for sure what we already suspected-- that this book was meant to be a parody and commentary on vampire fiction, or urban fantasy in general. And with that in mind, the story is a smart bit of satire. Sort of.
Red Delicious was the second installment, and it pretty much picks up where Blood Oranges left off. Quinn is still a quasi-hitman for the enigmatic asshole "B," and she continues to stumble into urban fantasy adventures in which she is an unrepentant killer who cares very little for anybody or anything. Only, the Maguffin of this novel is quite literally a magical dildo. I kid you not. Red Delicious probably would have been more appropriate as a novella sequel to Blood Oranges, based on sheer eye-roll factor alone.
But Cherry Bomb? Here, the author lost sight of her original premise for Quinn. Here, Quinn is actually a halfway competent creature of the night. She figured out how to live some version of a rich lifestyle, how to have people clean up her corpses for her, and how to develop an actual emotional attachment for another person. Suddenly, the author has created a well-to-do vampire master who falls in love with a seemingly ordinary girl (wearing a t-shirt when they randomly run into each other at a sex club). The author also tries to establish some sort of end-of-the-world stakes for this adventure, an Honest-to-God potential Apocalypse, and explains this threat miserably. There are Ghuls. Quinn's love interest is part Ghul. Something-something, potential Anti-Christ. Something-something, Quinn may play a role in bringing about the Apocalypse.
This was a swing and a miss. Here, the author indulges in some of the classic tropes of Urban Fantasy, but fails to provide any meaningful commentary upon them. Here, it feels like she simply fails to satisfy with them. The storyline simply doesn't work.
Sure, Quinn is still unlikable. So is her love interest. Sure, Quinn is still somewhat interesting with her hybrid vampire/werewolf nature. But this story fails in terms of plot, pacing, and premise.
In Blood Oranges, Siobhan Quinn explains how she became "Twice Cursed, Twice-Damned," when she was bitten by a werewolf and later that night was bitten by a vampire as well. The reader is told in graphic detail how prior to this, Quinn was a junkie lesbian heroin addict living on the street, and she became a monster hunter (of sorts) pretty much by accident. The reader is given to understand that Quinn is an unreliable narrator, she's nobody's hero, and there is no romance in this story. When you read the author's explanation for how/why she came to write this book, we learn for sure what we already suspected-- that this book was meant to be a parody and commentary on vampire fiction, or urban fantasy in general. And with that in mind, the story is a smart bit of satire. Sort of.
Red Delicious was the second installment, and it pretty much picks up where Blood Oranges left off. Quinn is still a quasi-hitman for the enigmatic asshole "B," and she continues to stumble into urban fantasy adventures in which she is an unrepentant killer who cares very little for anybody or anything. Only, the Maguffin of this novel is quite literally a magical dildo. I kid you not. Red Delicious probably would have been more appropriate as a novella sequel to Blood Oranges, based on sheer eye-roll factor alone.
But Cherry Bomb? Here, the author lost sight of her original premise for Quinn. Here, Quinn is actually a halfway competent creature of the night. She figured out how to live some version of a rich lifestyle, how to have people clean up her corpses for her, and how to develop an actual emotional attachment for another person. Suddenly, the author has created a well-to-do vampire master who falls in love with a seemingly ordinary girl (wearing a t-shirt when they randomly run into each other at a sex club). The author also tries to establish some sort of end-of-the-world stakes for this adventure, an Honest-to-God potential Apocalypse, and explains this threat miserably. There are Ghuls. Quinn's love interest is part Ghul. Something-something, potential Anti-Christ. Something-something, Quinn may play a role in bringing about the Apocalypse.
This was a swing and a miss. Here, the author indulges in some of the classic tropes of Urban Fantasy, but fails to provide any meaningful commentary upon them. Here, it feels like she simply fails to satisfy with them. The storyline simply doesn't work.
Sure, Quinn is still unlikable. So is her love interest. Sure, Quinn is still somewhat interesting with her hybrid vampire/werewolf nature. But this story fails in terms of plot, pacing, and premise.
March 11, 2015
I can't express how much joy I got out of this one. I'm a huge fan of the author, to begin with. I particularly loved her earlier novel sequence. Anyone who is also mad about those books should undoubtedly read this trilogy. This third and final book not only sums up the trilogy but also continues on and adds to the earlier novels, connecting to the magnificent Daughter of Hounds. I did not suspect this would be the case, and what I expected to be fun turned into ecstasy.
June 26, 2019
Strange as it seems - this cranky, kick-ass (almost anti) heroine intrigued me and kept me hooked on this series. Great world building, fabulous cast of characters, a liberal dose of realism and craziness. Good series.
March 31, 2024
Disappointing.. the story felt so random, the characters felt flat and hollow, no depth or satisfying conclusion here as well.. it whould work better as a Short story, the first book in the series was great fun but the more ive read the story just failed in so many ways.. too random..
May 30, 2017
Nothing much more than attitude and a weak ass plot.
March 17, 2019
Giving 5 stars because it's not the usual urban fantasy.
April 4, 2019
I loved this series and miss it. It's like the author's version of a YA series.
October 23, 2019
3.5 stars
December 18, 2023
Too gory and nihilistic and indifferent to human deaths and suffering for most people, and for me sometimes. In the recent aftermath of countries electing governments with no more humanity than this, it was a perfect fit. I (sometimes) wish I could go loup and rip monsters to shreds. Quinn didn't choose her path but she travels it doggedly.
April 21, 2015
This is really more of a 2.5, because I can't get away from the idea that Tierney doesn't like what she's writing. This is gritty, dirty urban fantasy, not the paranormal romance mixed urban fantasy that Tierney looks down on, and I like it. I like the grit. But Tierney has to keep reminding the reader that this isn't one of those floofy books where people fall in love and the monsters are heroic. OKAY I GET IT JUST WRITE WHAT YOU ARE WRITING.
The other thing that bugs me about these books is the transitions. Tierney likes showing, not telling, and that is great. But anytime she does tell, she has to announce it. Like, look how bad my writing is! This is an infodump! Also, instead of ending a scene and transitioning to another, she has protagonist Quinn say something like "this is boring, so I'll skip to the next part." This is bad writing, so please do better because I know you can.
And that's why I've read three of these - because she does do better. The is a great ending to Quinn's story - she has struck out on her own, but her past is still catching up to her and she has to deal with that. When Tierney isn't embarrassed to be writing urban fantasy, or whatever her deal is, the book is great. The fantasy/horror genre is better for her writing in it. I just wish she didn't look down on it.
The other thing that bugs me about these books is the transitions. Tierney likes showing, not telling, and that is great. But anytime she does tell, she has to announce it. Like, look how bad my writing is! This is an infodump! Also, instead of ending a scene and transitioning to another, she has protagonist Quinn say something like "this is boring, so I'll skip to the next part." This is bad writing, so please do better because I know you can.
And that's why I've read three of these - because she does do better. The is a great ending to Quinn's story - she has struck out on her own, but her past is still catching up to her and she has to deal with that. When Tierney isn't embarrassed to be writing urban fantasy, or whatever her deal is, the book is great. The fantasy/horror genre is better for her writing in it. I just wish she didn't look down on it.
December 30, 2015
Yep, Caitlín Kiernan is too good a writer to sabotage herself while writing under a different name. These books were supposed to be a slam against paranormal romances. They are, very much so, but I think Kiernan warmed up to her character Quinn more than she expected to here. Good ole Siobhan Quinn, your common garden variety monster-hunter-lesbian-junkie-vampire-werewolf, is a pain in the ass who makes appalling decisions, but damn it, you want to see her win.
In a way she does here... at least she's around to tell this wild story, which is insane, bloody, and messy. A few scenes should not be read while eating lunch. Kiernan loops the finale back to her heart-wrenching novel "Daughter of Hounds", which is a lovely touch of madness.
As much as this series intrigued me, I am satisfied with how it ended. Quinn's still out there fucking and fucking up. She might be on my front step puking up human parts. But it's time to move along. I can't wait to see what Kiernan as Kiernan has for us next.
In a way she does here... at least she's around to tell this wild story, which is insane, bloody, and messy. A few scenes should not be read while eating lunch. Kiernan loops the finale back to her heart-wrenching novel "Daughter of Hounds", which is a lovely touch of madness.
As much as this series intrigued me, I am satisfied with how it ended. Quinn's still out there fucking and fucking up. She might be on my front step puking up human parts. But it's time to move along. I can't wait to see what Kiernan as Kiernan has for us next.
December 28, 2015
Kiernan is one of my favourite writers, and Cherry Bomb concludes the Quinn series on the same note it started - a fast, fun and deceptively clever call to reclaim for civilised monsters which inhabit so much of contemporary paranormal romance their horror roots.
Quinn is world-weary and beaten down but still snarky, and fundamentally unreliable, vague and occasionally contradictory. The key with this character for me is that she doesn't have any more insight into her own actions than the average person and Kiernan does a great job of balancing the quintessential unreliable narrator without losing the thread of the narrative. This series works on both levels - straightforward horror-tinged urban fantasy and a very clever piss-take of the genre conventions in all their messy glory. I loved that this carried through to the epic anti-climax and abrupt ending.
Quinn is world-weary and beaten down but still snarky, and fundamentally unreliable, vague and occasionally contradictory. The key with this character for me is that she doesn't have any more insight into her own actions than the average person and Kiernan does a great job of balancing the quintessential unreliable narrator without losing the thread of the narrative. This series works on both levels - straightforward horror-tinged urban fantasy and a very clever piss-take of the genre conventions in all their messy glory. I loved that this carried through to the epic anti-climax and abrupt ending.
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March 25, 2015Quinn is a half-vampire/half-werewolf retired monster hunter. She’s walked away from her old life and is shacked up with a woman who is a CPA by day/sub by night. She meets Selwyn Throckmorton at a BDSM club and is immediately enamored. For a woman who has always been emotionally distant and truly indifferent to romance, always looking for a quick screw not cuddle-time, she’s unwound. Quinn will follow her ladylove into hell and that just may be what it takes to save them both. CHERRY BOMB is the best of the three Quinn books by far, still snarky and breaking the fourth wall, but with an edge so razor sharp every word cuts at your soul. CHERRY BOMB breaks the mold of what paranormal & urban fantasy is today and is viciously memorable. I’ll miss Quinn…
March 3, 2015
The thing I like about Caitlin's stuff is that she can really dish out that unfathomable blackness of evil beyond evil (beyond anything you can imagine), expanding upon the vastness of time, shedding just a fragment of light on some unique and horrifying beasties. She's great with the snide humor too ... that dry stuff full of just one or two fucks and plenty of chuckles. There were a couple problems I had with this final book in the series. It felt a little unfocused at times, and I didn't really believe the love story happening here, which apparently was driving at least a little of Quinn's motivation.
In any case ... I'm a huge fan of Caitlin's and hope she finds the urge to write more in this world. It was, indeed, fun.
In any case ... I'm a huge fan of Caitlin's and hope she finds the urge to write more in this world. It was, indeed, fun.
March 5, 2015
these are entertaining but kind of crappy, and she admits it (well the character does) lots of "infodumps" and unreliable narration but they pack a punch. Quinn is a dead girl (read: vamp) who's also a loup ( a thing that should not be possible...) and she lives a shitty life and she's sorta a shitty person and she sorta doesn't fuckin care and she throws up bodies a lot because vamps can't digest what werewolves eat. and she drinks and she fucks chicks and she has piranha teeth, and dead black eyes and she always falls for the wrong person... meh these are ok, fast, sorta fun noirish urban fantasy not excellent but decent
October 16, 2016
No es un gran libro porque la protagonista es aún más insoportable que en los anteriores, y toma decisiones aún más absurdas. Pero es un buen libro por como se mofa la autora de los libros de fantasía urbana que han aparecido como setas en las librerías y por cómo rompe continuamente la cuarta pared, hablando al lector sobre la historia. Una pena que no hayan sido los libros que habrían podido ser si la autora no hubiese sentido tanto asco por esta serie que solo escribió para ganar dinero... y que no ha ganado prácticamente nada con ellos. Una lástima. B+
August 30, 2015
The unique prose and regular breaking of the 4th wall draws me to this series of the twice dead, twice damned Ms. Quinn. The problem I had with this book is the same problem Quinn had. She couldn't get a straight answer from anyone and the exposition went on, and on, and on. Well you get the idea. The writing style is amazing, the protagonist is as profane as they come and in no way a hero. An ok read.
April 18, 2015
And so the Quinn series comes to a close.
I liked it, but with mixed feelings. It's VERY hard to read this book without being aware of all the stuff I read on the author's livejournal. This was a difficult book to write, and it kinda shows. Like the earlier books it's quite dark, and the author does not pull punches at all. No sugar coating.
But yeah, if you want a darker, ORIGINAL take on vampires, this is the book for you.
I liked it, but with mixed feelings. It's VERY hard to read this book without being aware of all the stuff I read on the author's livejournal. This was a difficult book to write, and it kinda shows. Like the earlier books it's quite dark, and the author does not pull punches at all. No sugar coating.
But yeah, if you want a darker, ORIGINAL take on vampires, this is the book for you.
June 1, 2015
Great characters, over the top and hard to read descriptions, the plot dragged a little. I'd say Kathleen's writing is still evolving. What I'm always impressed by in her books is her characters, I get a real mood out of each of them. She can definitely write lore and sell a setting, she just needs to learn where to moderate a bit more.
March 16, 2015
This is the 3rd and last Siobhan Quinn book. A lot of humor, but a bit graphic is my only caution for people who may be offended by that. It was a fun ride and I am going to miss Siobhan as a character. The author may have started the series as a joke, but I am glad she didn't stop at just one!
March 29, 2015
I really want to know if those initials KPK mean anything at all, or link this to something from the past, or if it's just Caitlín/Kathleen innocently tossing something in that caused me to immediately start sleuthing for clues...
February 16, 2015
3.7! Yes I can do that. Crazy ass book, but in the end still kept me reading, so I guess that's all that matters right!
March 5, 2015
This one upped the creepy factor, committed major deus ex machina, and showed some emotional content, all without breaking voice. I liked it.
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