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Cassandra Palmer World #12.6
Siren's Song
War mages are the magical equivalent of tanks: tough, powerful, and deadly. They have to be, in order to defend the supernatural community from the dangerous threats it sometimes faces. But what happens when the threat is them?
John Pritkin has been trying to recover from a demon curse that separated his body and soul and almost killed him. The reunification has left him with a flood of memories to process, some that he recalls from his past and some that he doesn’t, as well as wonky magic, fluctuating power levels, and a splitting headache. Something that only intensifies when he finds himself stuck in a city under siege—by his fellow war mages.
As the only one not overwhelmed by a massive enthrallment spell, John must find a way to free his fellow mages before they destroy themselves, and take a city of a million people along with them.
368 pages, ebook
First published September 13, 2019
167 people are currently reading
1015 people want to read
About the author
Karen Chance
62 books5,244 followersKaren Chance is the author of two New York Times bestselling series, plus a number of novellas and short stories, all set in the Cassandra Palmer universe. A full-time writer since 2008, she was previously a university history teacher, which comes in handy when writing the time-travel aspect of Cassie’s crazy adventures. She loves Las Vegas, the main setting for her novels, but currently lives in Florida near her family home. Visit her website or connect with her on Facebook here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
January 13, 2023
This is Pritkin POV , simultaneously with the same novella Dragon's Claw (Dorina Basarab POV). It's action non-stop with weird flashbacks to the past .
War mages on rampage attack vampires and go to the other version of Hong Kong.
Karen Chance explode in more of kind of way with magical advertisements, magicals punching and incinerating everybody in the way. Poor bystanders no wise. Is like an insane Hollywood film: blasts, grenades, ppl throwing into walls all the time, and heroes never die, but the others? no sure (never a thought for them).
I confess that I only read Dorina, so knowing here about Cassie (the main series) and Pritkin I have caught big spoilers reading them here. Maybe I'll venture into trying to read them after the first book never caught my attention, unlike Dorina (the spin-off series).
John constantemente esta combatiendo aqui su demonio incubo , una naturaleza dual que le acerca a lo que conociamos acerca de Dory.
We have
-war mages
-vampires
-magical graffitti advertisements (blade runner dejavu)
-mental control
-a human/fey/incubus
-a dhampir
-a magical version of Hong Kong
-a demon Irin (called 'fallen angel' that deal with memories)
characters: John Pritkin. Zheng
Dorina. Ray.
War mages on rampage attack vampires and go to the other version of Hong Kong.
Karen Chance explode in more of kind of way with magical advertisements, magicals punching and incinerating everybody in the way. Poor bystanders no wise. Is like an insane Hollywood film: blasts, grenades, ppl throwing into walls all the time, and heroes never die, but the others? no sure (never a thought for them).
I confess that I only read Dorina, so knowing here about Cassie (the main series) and Pritkin I have caught big spoilers reading them here. Maybe I'll venture into trying to read them after the first book never caught my attention, unlike Dorina (the spin-off series).
John constantemente esta combatiendo aqui su demonio incubo , una naturaleza dual que le acerca a lo que conociamos acerca de Dory.
We have
-war mages
-vampires
-magical graffitti advertisements (blade runner dejavu)
-mental control
-a human/fey/incubus
-a dhampir
-a magical version of Hong Kong
-a demon Irin (called 'fallen angel' that deal with memories)
characters: John Pritkin. Zheng
Dorina. Ray.
November 25, 2019
Audio Edition Review
Updated review with original below:
If I thought I loved reading this series that is nothing to how I feel about listening to them. What a wild rollercoaster rush these become. And, the humor? Amped!
This was already going to be a winner and it was simply an issue of how much. In truth, I thought I'd already gotten this story in Dragon's Claw, the earlier release with the story from Dory Basarab's perspective and Siren's Song would merely flip things to John Pritkin's perspective. WRONG! It was more. The section that intersected with Dragon's Claw was only a fraction of what I got.
Siren's Song intersects both the author's series (Cassie Palmer and Dorina Basarab). It's marked as a Dorina Basarab #4.6 in places and is, but its actually more connected to the Cassie Palmer series and would fall after book 8. Either way, its definitely not a place for newcomers to jump in. They'd think they got dropped into someone's psychedelic dream.
So, without spoilering, this book opens with a bizarre montage of scenes that are dreams of Pritkin, the war mage and secret half-incubus part fae and part human partner to the worlds most danger-prone and famous witch, just rescued from a demon curse. He feels like he got hit by a bus and his power is exponentially higher than it as ever been. This is good because at the Vegas mage headquarters all hell breaks loose and he lands in the weirdest mission yet on the scale of world-wide disaster if he doesn't figure out whatever is going on in supernatural Hong Kong. Between allies and enemies, he is getting banged up and had more near death misses than he can keep count and that was before someone tried to drag him through his memories of the past for some sinister reason.
It's a crazy kind of action pact mystery in an Urban Fantasy setting. The reader is as confused as Pritkin much of the time, but its a hang in there type story where all makes sense in a brilliant light bulb series of moments. It was one hard hitting scene after another with so many tight corners that I lost track. What stands out is the author's incredible level of creativity in her sets and ways to nearly kill Pritkin.
Hands down loved it when Pritkin and Dory/Dorina have their epic meeting. It was great finally getting his side of it after listening to her side in Dragon's Claw.
Joyce Bean narrates all the Dory Basarab books so she got the narration work on this one. I love how she keeps me right in the moment and makes the scenes and situation come alive for me. She has a nice husky voice that lends itself to either gender, to the action plot, and to all the warrior-like characters.
In summary, this was a rush and I can't wait for more from this author. Urban Fantasy fans who dig a ton of action and fast pacing with kick butt characters and settings should give the whole shebang a go.
After devouring the exciting Dragon's Claw following Dory Basarab's latest adventure, I was thrilled to discover that the author planned to do a companion story showing some of the same events from Cassie Palmer series character, War Mage, John Pritkin. But, it wasn't simply a companion story telling a different perspective. It turned out to be a story told in split time and only tapped briefly into Dory's story. I was left amazed by more electrifying world building and setting, twisted around and upside down by the insanely clever plot, and just utterly riveted because this was Pritkin's perspective and lots of his backstory I couldn't have asked for anything better when I anticipated this one coming.
Siren's Song marries both of the author's series. This one falls after Ride the Storm, book 8 in the Cassie Palmer series and coincides with Dragon's Claw book 4.5 in the Dorina Basarab series. Because it's Pritkin's story, it makes more sense if the reader is current with the Cassie Palmer series though it wouldn't be a total loss for those who only read the Dory series. But, for one who reads both, like moi, it works the best.
So, John Pritkin has just been saved by Cassie from a horrific demon curse and is supposed to be recouping. But, instead, he finds himself at the Las Vegas War Mage HQ with no idea how he got there and listening to Caleb, a friend and fellow mage, tell him stories even while some sort of memory from the past- a past he never experienced- are crashing in on him. They are interrupted when Caleb and the other mages are enthralled and go through a portal to the magical under city of Hong Kong. John feels the pull of the enthrallment, but it doesn't work on him because he isn't entirely human. He goes through the portal to figure out what is going on only to encounter sheer insanity as mages, vamps, and storms are after him even while another set of unenthralled works to fight off the enthralled and save the city from an unknown, but powerful threat. Meanwhile, John's still getting those wonky visions and barely surviving deadly attack after attack by luck and the skin of his teeth.
I'll be honest, when this one got going, I felt physically dizzy from all that was going on. This is not an uncommon occurrence when it comes to this author's books. Nothing makes sense, until it finally, brilliantly, does. You just have to fasten your safety harness and hang on for the duration of the ride to get there. Because of the crazy pace and jittery, distracting events, its easy to assume there isn't much character or world development in these, but the author has a gift of giving depth and feeling to her characters and great description to her world even while its on a nutter and trying to kill the main character throughout.
John Pritkin has been a secondary character whose story expanded through each new installment in the Cassie Palmer series so that he is as beloved and important as Cassie herself to most readers- me included. There were some short stories and novellas from his perspective, but this was the first novel-length and I devoured all the details from his past, his thinking, and how he feels about being the only human-fey-demon in existence.
It was the height of wonderful when he and Dory finally meet. Or should I also include Dory's second half, Dorina? John is attune to the half-human half-vamp Dhampir because, like him, she is alone and unique and feared because of who she is. She also fights a split personage and an internal struggle over what half of her is to be in charge though she is well ahead of him in that her two sides are in communication. He is faced with unleashing his powerful demon half if he is to help save the city and stop the enemy from destroying it and gaining more power.
As you might have guessed, this was insane and stupendous. I am left wanting more and frantically checking dates on the next releases for both series. Urban Fantasy fans who love all the action and excitement you can hold should definitely consider reading both these series.
Updated review with original below:
If I thought I loved reading this series that is nothing to how I feel about listening to them. What a wild rollercoaster rush these become. And, the humor? Amped!
This was already going to be a winner and it was simply an issue of how much. In truth, I thought I'd already gotten this story in Dragon's Claw, the earlier release with the story from Dory Basarab's perspective and Siren's Song would merely flip things to John Pritkin's perspective. WRONG! It was more. The section that intersected with Dragon's Claw was only a fraction of what I got.
Siren's Song intersects both the author's series (Cassie Palmer and Dorina Basarab). It's marked as a Dorina Basarab #4.6 in places and is, but its actually more connected to the Cassie Palmer series and would fall after book 8. Either way, its definitely not a place for newcomers to jump in. They'd think they got dropped into someone's psychedelic dream.
So, without spoilering, this book opens with a bizarre montage of scenes that are dreams of Pritkin, the war mage and secret half-incubus part fae and part human partner to the worlds most danger-prone and famous witch, just rescued from a demon curse. He feels like he got hit by a bus and his power is exponentially higher than it as ever been. This is good because at the Vegas mage headquarters all hell breaks loose and he lands in the weirdest mission yet on the scale of world-wide disaster if he doesn't figure out whatever is going on in supernatural Hong Kong. Between allies and enemies, he is getting banged up and had more near death misses than he can keep count and that was before someone tried to drag him through his memories of the past for some sinister reason.
It's a crazy kind of action pact mystery in an Urban Fantasy setting. The reader is as confused as Pritkin much of the time, but its a hang in there type story where all makes sense in a brilliant light bulb series of moments. It was one hard hitting scene after another with so many tight corners that I lost track. What stands out is the author's incredible level of creativity in her sets and ways to nearly kill Pritkin.
Hands down loved it when Pritkin and Dory/Dorina have their epic meeting. It was great finally getting his side of it after listening to her side in Dragon's Claw.
Joyce Bean narrates all the Dory Basarab books so she got the narration work on this one. I love how she keeps me right in the moment and makes the scenes and situation come alive for me. She has a nice husky voice that lends itself to either gender, to the action plot, and to all the warrior-like characters.
In summary, this was a rush and I can't wait for more from this author. Urban Fantasy fans who dig a ton of action and fast pacing with kick butt characters and settings should give the whole shebang a go.
After devouring the exciting Dragon's Claw following Dory Basarab's latest adventure, I was thrilled to discover that the author planned to do a companion story showing some of the same events from Cassie Palmer series character, War Mage, John Pritkin. But, it wasn't simply a companion story telling a different perspective. It turned out to be a story told in split time and only tapped briefly into Dory's story. I was left amazed by more electrifying world building and setting, twisted around and upside down by the insanely clever plot, and just utterly riveted because this was Pritkin's perspective and lots of his backstory I couldn't have asked for anything better when I anticipated this one coming.
Siren's Song marries both of the author's series. This one falls after Ride the Storm, book 8 in the Cassie Palmer series and coincides with Dragon's Claw book 4.5 in the Dorina Basarab series. Because it's Pritkin's story, it makes more sense if the reader is current with the Cassie Palmer series though it wouldn't be a total loss for those who only read the Dory series. But, for one who reads both, like moi, it works the best.
So, John Pritkin has just been saved by Cassie from a horrific demon curse and is supposed to be recouping. But, instead, he finds himself at the Las Vegas War Mage HQ with no idea how he got there and listening to Caleb, a friend and fellow mage, tell him stories even while some sort of memory from the past- a past he never experienced- are crashing in on him. They are interrupted when Caleb and the other mages are enthralled and go through a portal to the magical under city of Hong Kong. John feels the pull of the enthrallment, but it doesn't work on him because he isn't entirely human. He goes through the portal to figure out what is going on only to encounter sheer insanity as mages, vamps, and storms are after him even while another set of unenthralled works to fight off the enthralled and save the city from an unknown, but powerful threat. Meanwhile, John's still getting those wonky visions and barely surviving deadly attack after attack by luck and the skin of his teeth.
I'll be honest, when this one got going, I felt physically dizzy from all that was going on. This is not an uncommon occurrence when it comes to this author's books. Nothing makes sense, until it finally, brilliantly, does. You just have to fasten your safety harness and hang on for the duration of the ride to get there. Because of the crazy pace and jittery, distracting events, its easy to assume there isn't much character or world development in these, but the author has a gift of giving depth and feeling to her characters and great description to her world even while its on a nutter and trying to kill the main character throughout.
John Pritkin has been a secondary character whose story expanded through each new installment in the Cassie Palmer series so that he is as beloved and important as Cassie herself to most readers- me included. There were some short stories and novellas from his perspective, but this was the first novel-length and I devoured all the details from his past, his thinking, and how he feels about being the only human-fey-demon in existence.
It was the height of wonderful when he and Dory finally meet. Or should I also include Dory's second half, Dorina? John is attune to the half-human half-vamp Dhampir because, like him, she is alone and unique and feared because of who she is. She also fights a split personage and an internal struggle over what half of her is to be in charge though she is well ahead of him in that her two sides are in communication. He is faced with unleashing his powerful demon half if he is to help save the city and stop the enemy from destroying it and gaining more power.
As you might have guessed, this was insane and stupendous. I am left wanting more and frantically checking dates on the next releases for both series. Urban Fantasy fans who love all the action and excitement you can hold should definitely consider reading both these series.
September 16, 2019
A wild ride and great insight into John Pritkin's character
Pritkin is hands down my favorite character aside from Cassie. I loved this book because it gave us a lot of background on him in the way of flashback memories. Karen Chance has a way of making the flashbacks work as part of the story, so the transition between past and present day wasn't jarring like it can be with other authors. Every flashback had relevance to the story that was being told as well. I don't know how she manages to weave such great stories, but she does! I loved it!
Pritkin is hands down my favorite character aside from Cassie. I loved this book because it gave us a lot of background on him in the way of flashback memories. Karen Chance has a way of making the flashbacks work as part of the story, so the transition between past and present day wasn't jarring like it can be with other authors. Every flashback had relevance to the story that was being told as well. I don't know how she manages to weave such great stories, but she does! I loved it!
September 14, 2019
Omg
It was so good. A great continuation bit without Cassie. Learned more about John and Dorina. I have enjoyed everything by this author.
It was so good. A great continuation bit without Cassie. Learned more about John and Dorina. I have enjoyed everything by this author.
October 9, 2019
As the author explains, Siren's Song is a companion novel for Dragon’s Claw (Dory's POV):
(Nov 2018) Update per author's blog::
“Pritkin has a nice part to play in “Dragon’s Claw”, the new Dory novella. As some of you know, I’ve been doing Dory stories for a while, and I usually have an alternate POV in each of them (Marlowe in “Zombie's Bite” and Mircea in “Lover's Knot”). I planned for Pritkin to be the alternate POV in DC, but his story just grew and grew. I checked with my publishing company just to be sure, and they said that any novellas I publish have to come in under 60,000 words (which is why DC is 59,690). And that was just Dory’s side of things. I didn’t have room to squeeze Pritkin’s POV in and do it justice, so I decided to do a separate novella for him. He and Dory do cross paths, but they’re working on separate parts of a big problem, so most of his stuff you won’t have seen before.”Siren's Song isn't simply the same story told from Pritkin's POV, it's his POV during the same battle with briefly intersects with Dory's, plus many insights into his past and origins.
... he could hear his demon whispering to him, as it hadn’t in centuries. A siren’s song promising anything and everything, if only John would give in and use its power.It also further intertwines Chance's Cassandra Palmer and Dorina Basarab series, which makes it harder to read one without keeping up with the other as I've been doing for several years. Since the last Cassie installment I read was #7 Reap the Wind and (I think) these two novellas pick up around/after #8 Ride the Storm, it's time I return to Cassie so that I don't get spoiled or further behind on this newly merged world. John Pritkin has always been one of my favorite characters in Cassie's world, so I'm always quick to read any stories where he's featured. This one will be enjoyed by fans of both of Chance's series, especially those who read Cassandra Palmer's tales.
(Nov 2018) Update per author's blog::
“Siren’s Song”, the twin novella to “Dragon’s Claw”, is not going to be out on Dec. 1 as I’d hoped. I have about half of it done, but had to put it aside to finish up the ninth Cassie book, Brave the Tempest. BTT is going well and will be turned in this month, but that means I won’t be starting SS again until probably around the time it was due out. I’m sorry about this, but Brave the Tempest is a great book and it deserved the time to be all it can be. This is to let you know that I will be finishing up SS just as soon as I turn in BTT, so I am still hoping to have it out in December. But it’s not going to be on the 1st of the month, and I wanted to let you know ahead of time. Thanks for your patience–I promise that it will be worth it!
October 6, 2019
Let's start by saying I love John Pritkin. I've been hoping for him to win the battle for Cassie and I'm thrilled he did. I also always wanted a book just about him, but was hoping for more history than...this.
That all being said, this book was BUSY!!!! I mean, holy cow, I had to keep stopping just to get my brain to slow down enough to catch up to what was going on. There's storylines with lots in them, then there's storylines like this, that are so busy you just can't figure out what's going on.
I honestly believe Karen Chance got a little lost in her head with things she wanted to happen, and in the process got them down so fast and so furiously that even she lost track at times. Too many characters, too many timelines, too many jumps from scene to scene, even when they made sense and were necessary, they were just too fast.
Other than that, once I finally got the hang of how her story was going, I found I enjoyed John's antics. This isn't the John we met when we first met Cassie. That John was mean and staid and no fun whatsoever. He also kept hurting Cassie, and until we realized why, he wasn't a favorite character of anyone's I'd dare say.
But once we found out who he was and why he was such a...(gotta keep this clean) meany, we realized John was actually quite lovable in his own way. Certainly more lovable than the manipulative Mircea, so I was very happy that Cassie and John finally got together. And in this book we were finally able to see the crazy, wild and conflicted side of John, which was good. That part was really good. I enjoyed that completely.
So, if you want a taste of John as the crazy mage he really is, give this a try. You may not find it as busy as I did. Who knows. Maybe you'll have an easier time reading it than I did. I will admit I was distracted by outside influences while reading it so that may be a factor as well. It certainly was a fun book.
Normally this is where I give a "well done" of some sort. I'm going to skip that this time, not so much because I don't think it was well done, but mostly because it wasn't something I'd want to run around telling everyone to read. But I'm a huge fan of Karen Chance and both her Cassandra Palmer and Midnight's Daughter (Dorinda Basarab) series so I will say that every author is allowed at least one book that just isn't as good as her usual. Sorry, Karen. I do remain a huge fan!
That all being said, this book was BUSY!!!! I mean, holy cow, I had to keep stopping just to get my brain to slow down enough to catch up to what was going on. There's storylines with lots in them, then there's storylines like this, that are so busy you just can't figure out what's going on.
I honestly believe Karen Chance got a little lost in her head with things she wanted to happen, and in the process got them down so fast and so furiously that even she lost track at times. Too many characters, too many timelines, too many jumps from scene to scene, even when they made sense and were necessary, they were just too fast.
Other than that, once I finally got the hang of how her story was going, I found I enjoyed John's antics. This isn't the John we met when we first met Cassie. That John was mean and staid and no fun whatsoever. He also kept hurting Cassie, and until we realized why, he wasn't a favorite character of anyone's I'd dare say.
But once we found out who he was and why he was such a...(gotta keep this clean) meany, we realized John was actually quite lovable in his own way. Certainly more lovable than the manipulative Mircea, so I was very happy that Cassie and John finally got together. And in this book we were finally able to see the crazy, wild and conflicted side of John, which was good. That part was really good. I enjoyed that completely.
So, if you want a taste of John as the crazy mage he really is, give this a try. You may not find it as busy as I did. Who knows. Maybe you'll have an easier time reading it than I did. I will admit I was distracted by outside influences while reading it so that may be a factor as well. It certainly was a fun book.
Normally this is where I give a "well done" of some sort. I'm going to skip that this time, not so much because I don't think it was well done, but mostly because it wasn't something I'd want to run around telling everyone to read. But I'm a huge fan of Karen Chance and both her Cassandra Palmer and Midnight's Daughter (Dorinda Basarab) series so I will say that every author is allowed at least one book that just isn't as good as her usual. Sorry, Karen. I do remain a huge fan!
September 18, 2019
2 5 really.
Look. I adore John Pritkin. He is one of my favourite characters of any book ever. And I adore him and Cassie together.
I've also followed the main series since the beginning, so, like many, got pretty tired of being dicked about by the love triangle of doom and waiting for years between books. I've also lost all patience with the author's increasing use of non stop chaotic action to make up over 80% of every book. It's just not enjoyable to read. It gets boring and chaotic and, frankly, too much effort to Tey and keep track of what is happening.
I read this book because I love John, and it was worth it for the glimpses we see of his memories, and for some brief moments of him reflecting on his feelings for Cassie, although this wasn't much and was mostly vague. However, I skimmed large sections, particularly in the last third where I just wanted to finish really, so I can't say I enjoyed this.
I think the characters and the world building is brilliant in this series. I just can't really handle the author's writing style anymore and that was my biggest issue with this.
Look. I adore John Pritkin. He is one of my favourite characters of any book ever. And I adore him and Cassie together.
I've also followed the main series since the beginning, so, like many, got pretty tired of being dicked about by the love triangle of doom and waiting for years between books. I've also lost all patience with the author's increasing use of non stop chaotic action to make up over 80% of every book. It's just not enjoyable to read. It gets boring and chaotic and, frankly, too much effort to Tey and keep track of what is happening.
I read this book because I love John, and it was worth it for the glimpses we see of his memories, and for some brief moments of him reflecting on his feelings for Cassie, although this wasn't much and was mostly vague. However, I skimmed large sections, particularly in the last third where I just wanted to finish really, so I can't say I enjoyed this.
I think the characters and the world building is brilliant in this series. I just can't really handle the author's writing style anymore and that was my biggest issue with this.
September 21, 2019
Siren’s Song is the latest novella from Karen Chance, and once again we find ourselves diving into the mind of Pritkin (a crowd favorite). This novella takes place during a very specific period of time, happening sometime after Ride the Storm, and before/during Brave the Tempest. It’s also occurring at the same time as Dragon’s Claw (a Dory story). In fact, it’s in the same place and covering the same events, just from Pritkin’s perspective.
John Pritkin is still recovering from the whammy of a spell that killed him and threw him back through time – one that Cassie was able to save him from. But that doesn’t mean he’s allowed any time for bed rest. Not with the life he and his allies live.
Pritkin finds himself in magical Hong Kong, with the whole of the city at risk of collapse, which is so much worse than it sounds. So even though he’s not up for the fight, he’s going to have to put his all into it in order to survive.
“It could have been worse.
It should have been worse.
Then somebody grabbed him.”
Siren’s Song has been greatly anticipated by fans for months. And I’ve got to tell you, after eagerly waiting for any news about it, it absolutely held up. I’ve always enjoyed the Pritkin novellas in this series, and thankfully this one is no exception.
This novella provided a lot of important information about what has been happening to Pritkin the last several books. It also gave us a glimpse at several other moments in his history (before Cassie flipped it upside down, that is). I’m sure fans appreciated seeing those moments as much as I did.
The other great element of this novella, and showing Pritkin’s side of things, was that we got to see some events once again, but from his eyes. The whole battle in magical Hong Kong, for example. Or some of the scenes with Cassie. I’m sure those scenes had fans squealing!
Oh! Did I mention that this novella brings Dory into the mix? We already knew that these two met, because of Dragon’s Claw. But we never really got to see how Pritkin felt about it, or just how aware he was of the whole situation (or how he ended up there, for that matter). Now all of those questions have been answered – and then some. And I couldn’t be happier about the end result.
I’ll confess that his novella did kind of make me want to see the whole series from Pritkin’s perspective. But that’s just greedy of me, isn’t it? To be fair, his viewpoint is vastly different from Cassie, and it’d be interesting to see what a war mage would make of everything that has happened so far.
I’m so ecstatic that Siren’s Song is out, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I read it twice before sitting down to write my review. It was a fun and brilliant read. Not to mention that it certainly helped bridge the gap while waiting for the next Cassie novel (which I think will be out late this year!). Regardless, I’m looking forward to seeing more from this world!
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
John Pritkin is still recovering from the whammy of a spell that killed him and threw him back through time – one that Cassie was able to save him from. But that doesn’t mean he’s allowed any time for bed rest. Not with the life he and his allies live.
Pritkin finds himself in magical Hong Kong, with the whole of the city at risk of collapse, which is so much worse than it sounds. So even though he’s not up for the fight, he’s going to have to put his all into it in order to survive.
“It could have been worse.
It should have been worse.
Then somebody grabbed him.”
Siren’s Song has been greatly anticipated by fans for months. And I’ve got to tell you, after eagerly waiting for any news about it, it absolutely held up. I’ve always enjoyed the Pritkin novellas in this series, and thankfully this one is no exception.
This novella provided a lot of important information about what has been happening to Pritkin the last several books. It also gave us a glimpse at several other moments in his history (before Cassie flipped it upside down, that is). I’m sure fans appreciated seeing those moments as much as I did.
The other great element of this novella, and showing Pritkin’s side of things, was that we got to see some events once again, but from his eyes. The whole battle in magical Hong Kong, for example. Or some of the scenes with Cassie. I’m sure those scenes had fans squealing!
Oh! Did I mention that this novella brings Dory into the mix? We already knew that these two met, because of Dragon’s Claw. But we never really got to see how Pritkin felt about it, or just how aware he was of the whole situation (or how he ended up there, for that matter). Now all of those questions have been answered – and then some. And I couldn’t be happier about the end result.
I’ll confess that his novella did kind of make me want to see the whole series from Pritkin’s perspective. But that’s just greedy of me, isn’t it? To be fair, his viewpoint is vastly different from Cassie, and it’d be interesting to see what a war mage would make of everything that has happened so far.
I’m so ecstatic that Siren’s Song is out, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I read it twice before sitting down to write my review. It was a fun and brilliant read. Not to mention that it certainly helped bridge the gap while waiting for the next Cassie novel (which I think will be out late this year!). Regardless, I’m looking forward to seeing more from this world!
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
April 4, 2024
Gran parte de la novela es la de "Garra de dragón" pero contada desde el punto de vista de Pritkin en lugar del de Dorina Basarab.
Me gustó mucho el final pero esas partes "mentales" que no se terminaban nunca se me hicieron interminables y soporíferas. Que si una no integra bien su mitad vampiro, que si el otro no acepta su mitad demonio.
Está claro que yo hubiera sido una psiquiatra malísima porque estos rollos de los traumas me dan un sueño tremendo.
Cuando apareció el seudo ángel todo pocholín y Pritkin desconfiando de él... yo que ya sabía lo que iba a ser de él, porque acababa de leer "Garra de dragón", me dio una pena tremenda.
Espero que se acabe el rollo de las batallas mentales y de la gente entrando en las cabezas de otros porque dan un bajón tremendo de interés cuando aparecen.
La idea del Hong Kong superpuesto me pareció genial y esas nuevas balas raras ¿?. La guerra de los fae entre sí, los vampiros (entre los distintos senados y contra los demás), los magos de la guerra, una facción de las pitias y los dioses que quieren entrar y no les dejan (por la cuenta que les trae), está cada vez más enredada e interesante. En ese sentido esta novela aportó su granito de información... pero demasiada batalla mental. Era el tema, ya lo sé, pero a mí me aburre🤷♀️. Autores en GL Bis
Me gustó mucho el final pero esas partes "mentales" que no se terminaban nunca se me hicieron interminables y soporíferas. Que si una no integra bien su mitad vampiro, que si el otro no acepta su mitad demonio.
Está claro que yo hubiera sido una psiquiatra malísima porque estos rollos de los traumas me dan un sueño tremendo.
Cuando apareció el seudo ángel todo pocholín y Pritkin desconfiando de él... yo que ya sabía lo que iba a ser de él, porque acababa de leer "Garra de dragón", me dio una pena tremenda.
Espero que se acabe el rollo de las batallas mentales y de la gente entrando en las cabezas de otros porque dan un bajón tremendo de interés cuando aparecen.
La idea del Hong Kong superpuesto me pareció genial y esas nuevas balas raras ¿?. La guerra de los fae entre sí, los vampiros (entre los distintos senados y contra los demás), los magos de la guerra, una facción de las pitias y los dioses que quieren entrar y no les dejan (por la cuenta que les trae), está cada vez más enredada e interesante. En ese sentido esta novela aportó su granito de información... pero demasiada batalla mental. Era el tema, ya lo sé, pero a mí me aburre🤷♀️. Autores en GL Bis
September 15, 2019
Wonderful story! Action packed fun! Maybe too much action, which made it a bit confusing at times. Good ending!
October 4, 2019
I feel like I waited forever for this book to come out! It was supposed to be a novella but it grew and grew until it was a full-length monster of a book. Normally, this would be fine with me but I must admit that I'd have probably enjoyed this book more if it was a novella... There was a lot of stuff that could have been trimmed out. However, I enjoyed the book regardless of all the random stuff.
I mean, it's a Pritkin book! I love that crazy assed War Mage!
And in this book we get to see what Pritkin was up to in between the last two Cassie Palmer books and how the events of Ride The Storm have changed him.
We've had Pritkin novellas and pov shorts before but getting to see inside his head for a full novel? Awesome. I just wish there were some more Cassie related thoughts... Although when there were Cassie thoughts, I wasn't disappointed!
Basically, this is something worth reading if you're a fan of the series. If you're not I don't think there'd be much point in reading it.
I mean, it's a Pritkin book! I love that crazy assed War Mage!
And in this book we get to see what Pritkin was up to in between the last two Cassie Palmer books and how the events of Ride The Storm have changed him.
We've had Pritkin novellas and pov shorts before but getting to see inside his head for a full novel? Awesome. I just wish there were some more Cassie related thoughts... Although when there were Cassie thoughts, I wasn't disappointed!
Basically, this is something worth reading if you're a fan of the series. If you're not I don't think there'd be much point in reading it.
September 18, 2019
Pritkin
If you thought there wasn't enough Pritkin in"Brave the Tempest," you will love this book.
This gives us glimpses into Pritkin's past, as his soul and body reintegrate, following Cassie's return from the past.
It also shows us from his PoV, just what kept him too busy to show up during the first part of BtT.
In "Dragon Claw" we saw Dory's part of the happenings, but even though "Siren's Song" takes place at the same place and time, there is very little overlap.
If you haven't read any of the Cassie Palmer books, I would recommend to read those first. They are excellent books, and this story certainly builds on everything that happened up to this point in the story line.
If you thought there wasn't enough Pritkin in"Brave the Tempest," you will love this book.
This gives us glimpses into Pritkin's past, as his soul and body reintegrate, following Cassie's return from the past.
It also shows us from his PoV, just what kept him too busy to show up during the first part of BtT.
In "Dragon Claw" we saw Dory's part of the happenings, but even though "Siren's Song" takes place at the same place and time, there is very little overlap.
If you haven't read any of the Cassie Palmer books, I would recommend to read those first. They are excellent books, and this story certainly builds on everything that happened up to this point in the story line.
Read
January 17, 2020First of all, if you have not read Cassie 1-8 you're doing yourself a great disservice and many of the great references in this book will go right over your head. It's a Karen Chance book, which means amusement. So, if you don't get the jokes, what's the point? Next, follow John Pritkin on an acid-trip like journey down memory lane. This book has all the laughs, and all the feels and more pieces of the puzzle that is the universe of Cassie, Dory, the mages, witches and vampires. Karen Chance writes books that you'll read again and again.
September 16, 2019
Wild Ride through a Wonderful Magic World!
Karen Chance makes fantasy so real that you feel you could move into her beautiful, scary world if only you had the courage of her brave, funny, brilliant magical characters.
Take this wild, magical ride with the beloved, brilliant, cranky war mage, John Pritkin, and escape your old boring, mundane reality for a few amusing, exciting hours.
Karen Chance makes fantasy so real that you feel you could move into her beautiful, scary world if only you had the courage of her brave, funny, brilliant magical characters.
Take this wild, magical ride with the beloved, brilliant, cranky war mage, John Pritkin, and escape your old boring, mundane reality for a few amusing, exciting hours.
December 1, 2019
French & English reviews
Il semblerait que j'ai de plus en plus de mal à donner un avis en ce qui concerne les derniers livres de Karen Chance >< Il y a du positif et du négatif ce qui fait que je ressors de ma lecture un peu mitigé ...
Les truc positifs :
- avoir un POV de Priktin qui reste l'un de mes personnages préférés (j'ai adoré les aperçus de son passé avec Caleb, son avis sur Mircea et voir les autres personnages avec ses yeux xD)
- les multiples intrigues avec le démon pas vraiment mort, la créature marine et son bébé, l'attaque des membres du Cercle noir ...
- les petits aperçus de l'univers comme les mages africains ou la ville de Hong Kong version magique !!
Les trucs négatifs :
- le début était très lent, j'ai mis pas mal de temps à rentrer vraiment dans l'action ><
- Toujours un peu le même reproche : des scènes un peu trop kaleidoscope (tout arrive en même temps et on se retrouve noyé dans les descriptions !)
Bref un livre intéressant pour le point de vue de Pritkin MAIS pas un de mes préférés x) (l'histoire était mieux du point de vue de Dory ><)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It seems that I have more and more trouble giving an opinion on the latest books by Karen Chance >< There is positive and negative points so that I come out of my reading a little mixed ...
The positive things :
- having a POV of Priktin who remains one of my favorite characters (I loved the glimpses of his past with Caleb, his opinion on Mircea and seeing the other characters with his eyes xD)
- the multiple plots with the lord demon not really dead, the marine creature and her baby, the attack of the members of the Black Circle ...
- small glimpses of the universe like the African mages or the magic version of Hong Kong city !!
The negative things :
- the beginning was very slow, I took a lot of time to really get into the action ><
- still the same reproach : scenes a little too kaleidoscopic (everything happens at the same time and we find ourselves drowned in the descriptions !)
In short, an interesting book for Pritkin's point of view BUT not one of my favorite x) (the story was better from Dory's point of view ><)
Il semblerait que j'ai de plus en plus de mal à donner un avis en ce qui concerne les derniers livres de Karen Chance >< Il y a du positif et du négatif ce qui fait que je ressors de ma lecture un peu mitigé ...
Les truc positifs :
- avoir un POV de Priktin qui reste l'un de mes personnages préférés (j'ai adoré les aperçus de son passé avec Caleb, son avis sur Mircea et voir les autres personnages avec ses yeux xD)
- les multiples intrigues avec le démon pas vraiment mort, la créature marine et son bébé, l'attaque des membres du Cercle noir ...
- les petits aperçus de l'univers comme les mages africains ou la ville de Hong Kong version magique !!
Les trucs négatifs :
- le début était très lent, j'ai mis pas mal de temps à rentrer vraiment dans l'action ><
- Toujours un peu le même reproche : des scènes un peu trop kaleidoscope (tout arrive en même temps et on se retrouve noyé dans les descriptions !)
Bref un livre intéressant pour le point de vue de Pritkin MAIS pas un de mes préférés x) (l'histoire était mieux du point de vue de Dory ><)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It seems that I have more and more trouble giving an opinion on the latest books by Karen Chance >< There is positive and negative points so that I come out of my reading a little mixed ...
The positive things :
- having a POV of Priktin who remains one of my favorite characters (I loved the glimpses of his past with Caleb, his opinion on Mircea and seeing the other characters with his eyes xD)
- the multiple plots with the lord demon not really dead, the marine creature and her baby, the attack of the members of the Black Circle ...
- small glimpses of the universe like the African mages or the magic version of Hong Kong city !!
The negative things :
- the beginning was very slow, I took a lot of time to really get into the action ><
- still the same reproach : scenes a little too kaleidoscopic (everything happens at the same time and we find ourselves drowned in the descriptions !)
In short, an interesting book for Pritkin's point of view BUT not one of my favorite x) (the story was better from Dory's point of view ><)
September 23, 2019
Wow, such a fantastic book! Loved being in John's head, and loved seeing how this book and Dragon's Claw intersect! There's a whole scene that Dorina had with Pritkin that we didn't see before, which was so fantastic! And of course there's tons of action that never stops!
October 9, 2019
Love anything involving Pritkin
September 15, 2019
A great story to see in Johns head and even see his adventures without Cassie. Really enjoyed it. But I can’t wait for more of him and Cassie. I was sad she wasn’t really in this book. I just love them so much. Can’t wait for the next game next book. Loved this one.
September 20, 2019
Pritkin ♥️
Filled in some gaps with his character that I think were present in Brave the Tempest. Plus fun with Zheng and Dory.
Filled in some gaps with his character that I think were present in Brave the Tempest. Plus fun with Zheng and Dory.
September 24, 2019
I’m so happy to have more Pritkin! And magic and battles and other mages (that mage who yessired Pritkin much to his chagrin was such a cute moment). He doesn’t like it when they don’t respect him, he doesn’t like it when they do 🤣
November 12, 2019
It was really interesting to see the other side of 'Dragon's Claw', and who doesn't love Pritkin? But for the first half of this book I was basically just confused and lost. The second half though 👌
July 18, 2021
Ugh. I love, love, love the Cassie Palmer and Dorina Basarab series (to a certain point, that is). I love how tightly the action sequences are constructed and how even in the middle of intense action, you're still getting really good character development with sparkling dialogue that has never before failed to make me laugh out loud and then re-read the fight scene.
I was really excited at the thought of Pritkin getting his own book, or series.
I was a little concerned when my copy of Siren's Song showed up and it looked like a print-on-demand self-published book.
What Siren's Song shows us, very clearly, is JUST how important the role of the book editor is. It's clear to me that the earlier books were the product of a team effort between KC and her book editor, and that this one is KC going solo (or solo with just a copyeditor).
It's basically a string of frenetic and lackluster action scenes strung together with not much of anything. It's like watching one of those trailers for an action-adventure movie that consist of nothing but the most intense portions of the action scene, with dramatic music thundering it home, where you come away from the trailer with no idea what the movie is actually going to be about.
The writing is choppy and sloppy, not the polished prose of the earlier novels. The character development is nearly zero. The plot, likewise, is AWOL. The dialogue reads like teenage fanfic. In fact, the entire book reads like bad fanfic. I just ordered Queens Gambit and was incredible disheartened when it arrived with the same print-on-demand self-published look at Siren's Song, and reading the reviews, it looks like I've got good cause for concern.
I don't know what happened to Karen's editor, but I really wish we could get them back, because these characters and this story don't deserve what's happening to them without the editing.
I was really excited at the thought of Pritkin getting his own book, or series.
I was a little concerned when my copy of Siren's Song showed up and it looked like a print-on-demand self-published book.
What Siren's Song shows us, very clearly, is JUST how important the role of the book editor is. It's clear to me that the earlier books were the product of a team effort between KC and her book editor, and that this one is KC going solo (or solo with just a copyeditor).
It's basically a string of frenetic and lackluster action scenes strung together with not much of anything. It's like watching one of those trailers for an action-adventure movie that consist of nothing but the most intense portions of the action scene, with dramatic music thundering it home, where you come away from the trailer with no idea what the movie is actually going to be about.
The writing is choppy and sloppy, not the polished prose of the earlier novels. The character development is nearly zero. The plot, likewise, is AWOL. The dialogue reads like teenage fanfic. In fact, the entire book reads like bad fanfic. I just ordered Queens Gambit and was incredible disheartened when it arrived with the same print-on-demand self-published look at Siren's Song, and reading the reviews, it looks like I've got good cause for concern.
I don't know what happened to Karen's editor, but I really wish we could get them back, because these characters and this story don't deserve what's happening to them without the editing.
August 13, 2021
I came for the Pritkin show, stayed for the Cassie bits, and was overwhelmed--in a not-so-good way--by the relentless pounding of action scenes spawned by a fusion of Michael Bay and various supernatural ephemera à la Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and a bad acid trip. I ended up skimming a good 30 pages because I just couldn't keep up. It didn't seem like I needed the additional bangboomsplosions, as everything came together cogently in the end, but I do wish I could've enjoyed it more.
I love the Cassie-Pritkin story. I get a little irked with Chance's penchant for overusing words (e.g. boiling; savagely) and not breaking tension in a way that makes the tension sweeter. Instead, it chafes. And sometimes exhausts. What seemed to be a core aspect of this novel was a constant, unrelenting one-upping of worst case scenarios every chapter or so. It got to the point, for me, that suspension of disbelief became impossible; the chaos lent mostly to "what the fuck is going on," and would then jarringly wrap up in a matter of pages.
I was a little frustrated with how the disaster, of apparently apocalyptic proportions (again--poor Pritkin and Cassie, geez), seemed to be largely cleaned up within three days or so. More frustrating still was the solution: So much of it could have been avoided if Pritkin just hadn't been so damned stubborn and proud. *As usual.* (i.e. allowing his demon some room)
For me, the beginning and end were the strengths while the middle was largely disorienting and confusing, but still intriguing. I wanted to know more, especially about the weird creepy angels. I personally really disliked Dorina's part. And Dorina. But having recently learned what a dirtbag Mircea is probably doesn't help the bad taste in my mouth for her.
Anyway, I'm eager to return to the Cassie side of the universe. Hopefully Pritkin does, indeed, "come home soon."
I love the Cassie-Pritkin story. I get a little irked with Chance's penchant for overusing words (e.g. boiling; savagely) and not breaking tension in a way that makes the tension sweeter. Instead, it chafes. And sometimes exhausts. What seemed to be a core aspect of this novel was a constant, unrelenting one-upping of worst case scenarios every chapter or so. It got to the point, for me, that suspension of disbelief became impossible; the chaos lent mostly to "what the fuck is going on," and would then jarringly wrap up in a matter of pages.
I was a little frustrated with how the disaster, of apparently apocalyptic proportions (again--poor Pritkin and Cassie, geez), seemed to be largely cleaned up within three days or so. More frustrating still was the solution: So much of it could have been avoided if Pritkin just hadn't been so damned stubborn and proud. *As usual.* (i.e. allowing his demon some room)
For me, the beginning and end were the strengths while the middle was largely disorienting and confusing, but still intriguing. I wanted to know more, especially about the weird creepy angels. I personally really disliked Dorina's part. And Dorina. But having recently learned what a dirtbag Mircea is probably doesn't help the bad taste in my mouth for her.
Anyway, I'm eager to return to the Cassie side of the universe. Hopefully Pritkin does, indeed, "come home soon."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2020
I finished it just to not let it abandoned, but I couldn't care less about the book. It's the same complain I have with the latests Cassie Palmer books, it feels like Pritkin running around without pause from one mess to the next one, without much sense, it's just fight after fight where I can't barely discern what it's happening, and I don't feel like there is much more to the story but just an endless battle. There were comic situations which I've enjoyed in previous books, but lately I'm just bored and I don't feel it's worth to endure the rest of the book.
I think this is my last Karen Chance book, I was still enjoying the Dorina Basarab's books (this is a John Pritkin book, despite of the series stated in Goodreads), but I fear to find the same with the latest book, so I'm leaving it here.
I think this is my last Karen Chance book, I was still enjoying the Dorina Basarab's books (this is a John Pritkin book, despite of the series stated in Goodreads), but I fear to find the same with the latest book, so I'm leaving it here.
September 13, 2024
Siren’s Song was a fantastic novel from John Pritkin’s POV. It takes place at the same time as Dragon’s Claw but the stories only overlap for a short bit.
It was so great to see Pritkin’s side of that battle and how he interacted with the citizens (and ads!) of supernatural Hong Kong. But I really loved the flashbacks to his memories. We learn so much about him and how he makes his decisions. I loved the insight into his dual nature - I had no idea his demon half was so like the Dory/Dorina split! And I can’t wait to see how his demon side helps in the coming war. I think this is a major turning point in the overall story arc of the two series and I really hope there will be more from Pritkin’s POV before it all wraps up.
Well worth the wait!!
It was so great to see Pritkin’s side of that battle and how he interacted with the citizens (and ads!) of supernatural Hong Kong. But I really loved the flashbacks to his memories. We learn so much about him and how he makes his decisions. I loved the insight into his dual nature - I had no idea his demon half was so like the Dory/Dorina split! And I can’t wait to see how his demon side helps in the coming war. I think this is a major turning point in the overall story arc of the two series and I really hope there will be more from Pritkin’s POV before it all wraps up.
Well worth the wait!!
June 8, 2020
Ok, I really liked reading this story from John’s perspective but the chase scene was almost the whole book. It got a bit old. The flashbacks and perspective about Cassie and was very informative. I enjoyed him meeting Dory/Dorina, I hope they can work together again. Zheng was an interesting character too.
January 7, 2020
Much too long and drawn out.
March 24, 2025
A lot of people complain about the stories going nowhere and while I’ve agreed I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. A lot of people including me complain about the long action sequences - which I would go so far as to say are not meaningful. I often tune them out - thankfully I just discovered 2X speed. The stories go nowhere because while the first book spent time world building as is common with Fantasy novels - it goes nowhere in that there is no Scooby gang or clear underlying goal. To me the lack of relationship building is the most troublesome because I find myself just waiting for the few moments characters we know and like interact. In between is all the meaningless and uninteresting action. Each book new characters are introduced and we’re supposed to care about them as they careen about. We already know Cassie will survive so watching her careen about it useless - and I can’t bring myself to care about every new character that comes into the story with little time spent building the characters we could know and love. What happened to Raf and Marco. Usually with most Fantasy I’m stuck complaining about lack of female friendships and the protagonist being only surrounded by men. Here I’d just be thankful for relationship building with any of the men. It’s really a shame because the author clearly can write hilarious and heartfelt moments - but 12 hours of listening with 10 seconds total of hilarious or heartfelt only gives me an opportunity to multitask. There are so many interesting characters - build them and build a family. Every time that almost starts it’s abruptly ripped away and replaced with hours and hours of meaningless action that I can’t even remember had meaning midway through. The null witch, Caleb, Casanova, Raf, Marco, the other witch, Jessie - any of them should start to become characters in addition to Cassie, Pritkin. Build the world on a Foundation rather than forcing us to build new worlds with new characters we have no investment in for each book. The one positive I will say is I kind of get the narrator better now. If I think of her as a third party narrator her voice makes more sense. She is actually quite good at everyone but Dorina. She can clearly do a 20 year old, as she does with Cassie. With Dorina, if I pick those books up, I’ll just think of her at narrator.
February 19, 2023
In an effort to completely complete both the Dory series and the Cassie series, I ended up diving into what is referred to as a novella but is really the length of some novels. This story tells Pritkin’s side of what I previously read from Dory’s perspective. As expected, this is full of insane action, a stupid amount of mind and time jumping, and more damage than you get in a Jim Butcher novel.
Pritkin is dealing with a lot in the fallout from his having survived the most deadly curse out there from the demons. His mind, it turns out, is working through some stuff and has been sending him on sleep-magic-ing mayhem and uncovering previously covered up memories at the same time. To make matters worse, there’s been attacks, war, and just general badness going on. So roll all that together with some mind control spell cast on all his mage allies, and you get where we start here.
Pritkin ends up befriending the most random of magical characters, stumbling upon vampire drama, but ultimately doing what he does best - beating things up or blowing them up. This story is exactly what you’d expect from a Pritkin novella but, honestly, can be skipped over without any issue (as shown by me being able to read the next Cassie book then circling back here when I caught up with Dory’s story). It was nice to see how he feels about Cassie, but just ended making my head hurt with even more time jumping and memory stuff to keep straight.
Pritkin is dealing with a lot in the fallout from his having survived the most deadly curse out there from the demons. His mind, it turns out, is working through some stuff and has been sending him on sleep-magic-ing mayhem and uncovering previously covered up memories at the same time. To make matters worse, there’s been attacks, war, and just general badness going on. So roll all that together with some mind control spell cast on all his mage allies, and you get where we start here.
Pritkin ends up befriending the most random of magical characters, stumbling upon vampire drama, but ultimately doing what he does best - beating things up or blowing them up. This story is exactly what you’d expect from a Pritkin novella but, honestly, can be skipped over without any issue (as shown by me being able to read the next Cassie book then circling back here when I caught up with Dory’s story). It was nice to see how he feels about Cassie, but just ended making my head hurt with even more time jumping and memory stuff to keep straight.
September 10, 2025
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
4.5*
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
4.5*
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews