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Amazon Ink
Meet Mel: Business owner. Dedicated mom. Natural-born Amazon.
It's been ten years since Melanippe Saka left the Amazon tribe in order to create a normal life for her daughter, Harmony. True, running a tattoo parlor in Madison, Wisconsin, while living with your Amazon warrior mother and priestess grandmother is not everyone's idea of normal, but Mel thinks she's succeeded at blending in as human.
It's been ten years since Melanippe Saka left the Amazon tribe in order to create a normal life for her daughter, Harmony. True, running a tattoo parlor in Madison, Wisconsin, while living with your Amazon warrior mother and priestess grandmother is not everyone's idea of normal, but Mel thinks she's succeeded at blending in as human.
Turns out she's wrong. Someone knows all about her, someone who's targeting young Amazon girls, and no way is Mel going to let Harmony become tangled in this deadly web. With her mother love in overdrive, Ms. Melanippe Saka is quite a force...even when she's facing a barrage of distractions -- including a persistent detective whose interest in Mel goes beyond professional, a sexy tattoo artist with secrets of his own, and a seriously angry Amazon queen who views Mel as a prime suspect. To find answers, Mel will have to do the one thing she swore she'd never do: embrace her powers and admit that you can take the girl out of the tribe...but you can't take the tribe out of the girl.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2009
8 people are currently reading
824 people want to read
About the author
Lori Devoti
51 books284 followersLori Devoti grew up in southern Missouri and attended college at the University of Missouri-Columbia where she earned a Bachelor of Journalism. She, however, made it clear to anyone who asked, she was not a writer; she worked for the dark sideadvertising. Now twenty years later, shes proud to declare herself a writer and visit her dark side occasionally by writing dark, sensual paranormal romance, urban fantasy and young adult novels.
Lori lives in Wisconsin with her husband, daughter, son, Siberian husky and shepherd/puggle cross.
Lori lives in Wisconsin with her husband, daughter, son, Siberian husky and shepherd/puggle cross.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
March 28, 2011
I enjoyed the new twist on the urban fantasy, however, it did feel like a first book. I'll be sure and catch the sequel to see if Devoti's writing and story improves. The protagonist has left her tribe to raise her daughter, and her mother and grandmother have followed along. I enjoyed the multi-generational aspect of the story, and confess that the grandma, Bubbe, was one of my favorite characters. Mel, the main character and narrator initially annoyed me, but I began to realize it was her character flaws that I was reacting to more than the writing. I think. Although it was also rather strange how Mel allows a new male tattoo artist to become part of her show, and finds herself attracted and reacting to him. The mystery felt a little lackluster, but it was interesting to see how a modern Amazon interacted with a urban police detective, and how the both needed to stay within certain constraints. The story opened the way for more opportunities to learn about Amazons and their culture.
September 6, 2009
Let's see, what twist on urban fantasy can we come up with - how about Amazons are real, and still living in all-female tribes that practice magic and fighting, and give away or kill all male babies? All righty then!
Mel left her Amazon tribe after her baby son died (or was killed) after birth, and makes her living as a tattooist. Her teenage daughter doesn't know about her Amazon heritage or potential powers. Then dead Amazon girls start being dumped at Mel's door. Drama.
This is a completely over the top urban fantasy, with a convoluted and ridiculous ending. Plus, Mel falls in lust with two men at the same time which is one of the tropes I find most irritating in urban fantasy. One of them is creepily lying to her throughout most of the book, but inexplicably this doesn't seem to put her off. The magic of hormones. I don't think I'll be looking out for anymore of the Amazon series.
Mel left her Amazon tribe after her baby son died (or was killed) after birth, and makes her living as a tattooist. Her teenage daughter doesn't know about her Amazon heritage or potential powers. Then dead Amazon girls start being dumped at Mel's door. Drama.
This is a completely over the top urban fantasy, with a convoluted and ridiculous ending. Plus, Mel falls in lust with two men at the same time which is one of the tropes I find most irritating in urban fantasy. One of them is creepily lying to her throughout most of the book, but inexplicably this doesn't seem to put her off. The magic of hormones. I don't think I'll be looking out for anymore of the Amazon series.
June 17, 2009
There are Amazons in the contemporary world and someone is killing Amazon teenagers. The protagonist, an Amazon tattoo artist, needs to deal with this threat before her teenage daughter becomes a victim. This is a suspenseful book with some surprising revelations.
Devoti has built an Amazon culture that is partly based on Greek myth, but contains some rather special elements of her own invention such as the role of tattoos.
I identified with the protagonist who never quite fit in with the Amazon community and has been at odds with her mother and grandmother. The grandmother is quite a character. There are other characters who play unexpected roles.
Devoti has built an Amazon culture that is partly based on Greek myth, but contains some rather special elements of her own invention such as the role of tattoos.
I identified with the protagonist who never quite fit in with the Amazon community and has been at odds with her mother and grandmother. The grandmother is quite a character. There are other characters who play unexpected roles.
August 7, 2009
i couldn't put it down! Amazon Ink was an entertaining read, and had a new take on a familiar fantasy figure- the amazon. the author's Lori Devoti idea was what if amazons were living in the modern world, in a place like madison wisconsin, rather than in the typical forest/jungle type of setting?
it was very refreshing and brought about some great insight into family dynamics (both ancient/tribal as well as modern).
the whole book is set up around a murder mystery. someone is killing young amazon women, cutting out one of their powerful totem tattoos, and leaving them on the main character's (Mel's) doorstep. Mel is an amazon tattoo artist who left her tribe and is raising her daughter without letting her know her heritage. Mel's mother and grandmother also live with them and adhere much more to the amazon traditions of women warriors, artisans, and priestesses.
the family dynamics and the personal growth of Mel along with her family and her tribe were the most interesting part to me, and the juxtaposition of the mystical and magical with the modern world was fascinating.
of course, with amazons, there is the whole female versus male theme, which leads to some light love story action, as well as some cultural dilemmas. this book had a very interesting way of answering the "what about the amazon men?" question.
i'd definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read with a cool take on an old fantasy figure, as well as some family and cultural/generational drama, and a murder mystery with unexpected twists at the end.
it was very refreshing and brought about some great insight into family dynamics (both ancient/tribal as well as modern).
the whole book is set up around a murder mystery. someone is killing young amazon women, cutting out one of their powerful totem tattoos, and leaving them on the main character's (Mel's) doorstep. Mel is an amazon tattoo artist who left her tribe and is raising her daughter without letting her know her heritage. Mel's mother and grandmother also live with them and adhere much more to the amazon traditions of women warriors, artisans, and priestesses.
the family dynamics and the personal growth of Mel along with her family and her tribe were the most interesting part to me, and the juxtaposition of the mystical and magical with the modern world was fascinating.
of course, with amazons, there is the whole female versus male theme, which leads to some light love story action, as well as some cultural dilemmas. this book had a very interesting way of answering the "what about the amazon men?" question.
i'd definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read with a cool take on an old fantasy figure, as well as some family and cultural/generational drama, and a murder mystery with unexpected twists at the end.
May 26, 2020
Solid 3.5 stars from me. I'm not a big urban fantasy reader - the tropes don't really grab me, but this one kept me turning the pages and engaged. Entertaining read featuring a protagonist who says she's over 90, but since she's an Amazon, that makes her not terribly old. I'm including this on my "older women" list because of stated age, but she reads as midthirties, for those of you looking for more representation. She runs her own tattoo parlor, which is a fun take on fantasy career paths. Some of the language is a tad...dated and miraculously, there do not appear to be queer women amongst the Amazons, which strained my ability to suspend disbelief. Apart from that, a fun, fast read.
April 30, 2018
You'll have to suspend disbelief some. Unless you'r living in a terrarium no society can remain untouched by outside forces. But I like Lori Devoti's take on Amazons. This is a good start to what might be a great series.
June 10, 2016
The thing I liked most about this book was its conception of what a modern-day Amazon society would be like: in some ways, Lori Devoti's vision makes a lot of sense to me, but other choices she made were very surprising.
The book is set in the modern USA, in Wisconsin, but with one major difference: Amazons are real, and they've been living undetected among "mundane" humans for about 2,000 years. For the most part, they live nomadically, moving between Amazon encampments scattered across the country and only mixing with regular people to conceive children. (This setup reminded me of about equal parts The Gate to Women's Country and the Harry Potter series).
These Amazons aren't all warriors, though: they have four castes, each specializing in different things. Most Amazons are warriors, gifted with strength and speed beyond what even an elite human athlete possesses and trained in the use of sword and spear, but there are also priestesses, who can do magic using the four elements; artisans, who learn the craft of tattooing and give each Amazon the two tattoos that mark her tribal membership and augment her powers; and hearthkeepers, who are domestics. They cook, clean, take care of children and basically keep the whole society alive and functioning from day to day. They are held in contempt by the other three castes, which strikes me as very odd, and weirdly sexist.
One of their number --- the book's protagonist, Melanippe Saka --- has left that world to join mainstream society. She owns a tattoo parlor, and lives with her mother, daughter and grandmother. She left the Amazons because she was pregnant with a son: Amazon tradition dictated that she had to give up this son, but she wanted to keep him. She lost the son, and held an elder Amazon in her tribe, a priestess, responsible for that loss.
The plot of this book is a murder mystery: ten years into her voluntary exile, Melanippe starts finding the bodies of girls who've been murdered, and whose tattoos mark them as Amazons. She tries to avoid getting involved, but of course she can't (there'd be no story otherwise) and soon enough she's forced to confront her old enmities and work with the women she walked away from ten years ago to stop this new danger that threatens all of them.
The book is set in the modern USA, in Wisconsin, but with one major difference: Amazons are real, and they've been living undetected among "mundane" humans for about 2,000 years. For the most part, they live nomadically, moving between Amazon encampments scattered across the country and only mixing with regular people to conceive children. (This setup reminded me of about equal parts The Gate to Women's Country and the Harry Potter series).
These Amazons aren't all warriors, though: they have four castes, each specializing in different things. Most Amazons are warriors, gifted with strength and speed beyond what even an elite human athlete possesses and trained in the use of sword and spear, but there are also priestesses, who can do magic using the four elements; artisans, who learn the craft of tattooing and give each Amazon the two tattoos that mark her tribal membership and augment her powers; and hearthkeepers, who are domestics. They cook, clean, take care of children and basically keep the whole society alive and functioning from day to day. They are held in contempt by the other three castes, which strikes me as very odd, and weirdly sexist.
One of their number --- the book's protagonist, Melanippe Saka --- has left that world to join mainstream society. She owns a tattoo parlor, and lives with her mother, daughter and grandmother. She left the Amazons because she was pregnant with a son: Amazon tradition dictated that she had to give up this son, but she wanted to keep him. She lost the son, and held an elder Amazon in her tribe, a priestess, responsible for that loss.
The plot of this book is a murder mystery: ten years into her voluntary exile, Melanippe starts finding the bodies of girls who've been murdered, and whose tattoos mark them as Amazons. She tries to avoid getting involved, but of course she can't (there'd be no story otherwise) and soon enough she's forced to confront her old enmities and work with the women she walked away from ten years ago to stop this new danger that threatens all of them.
January 10, 2010
This is a new urban fantasy (2009) that was quite good - I'd read the sequel. It had just a little romantic tension in it (a couple hetero kiss scenes), but was otherwise entirely contemporary urban fantasy. The premise of the novel is that Amazons are a real ethnic group of nomadic woman who live a very long time and have magical powers. (Imagine the Gypsies, but with 6 foot tall, muscular, magic-wielding women who live over 500 years.) They keep themselves away from normal American culture for everything but one-night stands, and if they conceive a boy, they abort or give the baby away for adoption.
The heroine, Mel, left the tribe because she wanted to keep her baby boy, and when it was the first known stillborn ever for an Amazon woman, she blamed the priestess for killing it with magic. Fast forward ten years. Out of nowhere, someone leaves the bodies of two Amazon girls on Mel's front step. Mel has to figure out what's going on - who's killing the girls? Are they trying to frame her for it? Who would want to do that? Who should she trust: police, Amazon queen, family? Plus, she's been hiding her growing magical powers from her family, and she desparately doesn't want to get dragged back into the tribe.
The heroine, Mel, left the tribe because she wanted to keep her baby boy, and when it was the first known stillborn ever for an Amazon woman, she blamed the priestess for killing it with magic. Fast forward ten years. Out of nowhere, someone leaves the bodies of two Amazon girls on Mel's front step. Mel has to figure out what's going on - who's killing the girls? Are they trying to frame her for it? Who would want to do that? Who should she trust: police, Amazon queen, family? Plus, she's been hiding her growing magical powers from her family, and she desparately doesn't want to get dragged back into the tribe.
July 5, 2010
This is one of the best urban fantasies I've read--plus it's a well-done mystery that keeps you guessing till the end.
Mel is an Amazon, but she's lived apart from the tribe for ten years, working as a tattoo artist and raising her daughter in Madison, Wisconsin. When someone starts killing Amazon girls and leaving their bodies on Mel's doorstep, she's forced to reengage with her people and her past. Along the way, she also confronts (first through choice, then through circumstance) the gender separation and stereotypes she was raised with. Her reflections on gender issues are thought-provoking, but they don't get in the way of the absorbing, fast-moving plot.
Mel is a believable, thoroughly likable character, both strong and vulnerable. Her devotion to making a better life for her daughter is her overriding passion, and her journey toward allowing both her daughter and herself to forge new paths for themselves is beautifully depicted. The Amazons as portrayed by author Lori Devoti are also believable and fascinating, based equally on ancient mythology and modern archaeology.
To sum up: Amazons, tattoos, a tricky mystery, a strong mother as heroine, some food for thought, and just a hint of romance--what's not to love?
Mel is an Amazon, but she's lived apart from the tribe for ten years, working as a tattoo artist and raising her daughter in Madison, Wisconsin. When someone starts killing Amazon girls and leaving their bodies on Mel's doorstep, she's forced to reengage with her people and her past. Along the way, she also confronts (first through choice, then through circumstance) the gender separation and stereotypes she was raised with. Her reflections on gender issues are thought-provoking, but they don't get in the way of the absorbing, fast-moving plot.
Mel is a believable, thoroughly likable character, both strong and vulnerable. Her devotion to making a better life for her daughter is her overriding passion, and her journey toward allowing both her daughter and herself to forge new paths for themselves is beautifully depicted. The Amazons as portrayed by author Lori Devoti are also believable and fascinating, based equally on ancient mythology and modern archaeology.
To sum up: Amazons, tattoos, a tricky mystery, a strong mother as heroine, some food for thought, and just a hint of romance--what's not to love?
December 19, 2009
This was a very different spin on the whole urban fantasy genre. You have Mel, who owns a tattoo shop, that is in an old high school taking up an entire city block, where she also lives with her daughter, mother, and grandmother. Oh, and they are Amazons, or at least Mel was until she decided to leave the tribe 10 years ago with her daughter, her mother and grandmother following.
Unfortunately, Mel is drawn back into the Amazon world once dead Amazon girls are left on her doorstep. Wanting to find out who killed these girls and keep her daughter safe she is reluctantly wading the waters of her old life. At every turn she finds people that both hate and love her for choices that she made. She also comes across truths that rock the foundation of her world, both internally and externally. These changes will give cause for some serious rethinking of her culture.
The story was told in a great fashion where we got what was happening and also the whole mythology of the Amazon culture that sometimes will bog a book down. I enjoyed immersing myself in this world and hope to see more of it.
Unfortunately, Mel is drawn back into the Amazon world once dead Amazon girls are left on her doorstep. Wanting to find out who killed these girls and keep her daughter safe she is reluctantly wading the waters of her old life. At every turn she finds people that both hate and love her for choices that she made. She also comes across truths that rock the foundation of her world, both internally and externally. These changes will give cause for some serious rethinking of her culture.
The story was told in a great fashion where we got what was happening and also the whole mythology of the Amazon culture that sometimes will bog a book down. I enjoyed immersing myself in this world and hope to see more of it.
September 12, 2011
I bought this a long time ago, because it looked intriguing, then I just never got around to reading it. Until recently. And it was a good book. The mythology is that Amazons are real, and they're still living like the Amazons of old--except more like gypsies, rather than having their own territory. They have shamans with magic, and their warriors have a little magic of their own. The heroine, though, has broken with them. She moved out with her daughter--whom she's raising without knowledge of who and what she is--and runs a tattoo shop. Her mother and grandmother moved in with her, but she's leading her own life. Except these murdered girls keep turning up on her doorstep. Murdered young Amazon women. And she discovers she's not as independent as she thought she was. It's an intriguing story, and I liked it quite a bit.
June 15, 2010
I just couldn't get into it. When I got excited about it, I didn't understand that the Amazon being referred to is not the jungle but a female warrior. They swear to Artemis. The premise just wasn't captivating to me. I didn't like any of the women. Especially when the main character, Mel, starts the book by ignoring the murders of two children (who were dumped on her doorstep so are clearly being linked to her in some way) because she doesn't want it to mess up her life. Her mother and grandmother are just awful, not intriguing at all. It didn't work for me. I read a good chunk, then skimmed a bit of the rest. Event he big reveal at the end turned me off, I just didn't care about any of these people or their culture or missions.
January 12, 2011
It is not often that you see a book centered around a mother, amazons, or a tattoo shop, but this novel has all three! The dead amazon plot line was interesting but there wasn't enough mystery solving for my liking. The main character was focused mainly on how much she dislikes the amazons, and was a bit too proud. Her teenage daughter is pretty much a non character, as she only has a small part in the novel. I'm also not a fan of the way the novel turned out. I can't say much about it since it would be a major spoiler, but I wasn't happy about it. Overall a decent book. I did find myself interested throughout and didn't skip around, but it could have been much better.
March 19, 2014
Absolutely not cool with the infanticide theme. I feel like the heroine hasn't done enough for her dead/missing son.
July 17, 2017
Amazon mythology remade: women, nomads, travel between 6 US camps, live hundreds of years, live separate from humans; priest, warrior, artisan, hearth warmer classes; abandon their boy children - though most discontinued tradition of maiming the infant before leaving them on church/hospital doorstep; magical; tattoos - spine, animal chosen by family, breast, animal chosen by individual at puberty, both give power; male Amazon children have begun to find one another;
Melanippe Mel Saka: Amazon, artisan, priestess in the making with its magical powers; left the Amazons when her infant son was born dead and she was sure the priestess did it; bought an abandoned school, on acre of land, and made into their home and her tattoo shop; she's raising her daughter (now a preteen) without teaching her Amazon ways;
Harmony: her daughter; smart; on the peripheral
Arpada: 6'4"; an excellent tattoo artist; hired by Mel not just because he's good, but because she decides she needs to put her words into actions; he is a son of an Amazon, can shift (into a wolf?), is strong, doesn't have magic, part of group of other sons looking to connect with their Amazon roots;
Bubbe: grandmother; priestess; she actually is the one who took the infant boy to the hospital and used magic so that Mel's memory was of a still born; left the Amazons to go with her granddaughter, a bit of a hedge witch with the humans in town;
Detective Reynolds: investigating the deaths of the young women; knows Mel knows more than she's saying; older; asks her out to dinner in the end;
Zery, Amazon Queen: Mel's best friend growing up; turned her back on her when she accused Amazons of hurting her son; a strong leader;
CleCle aka mother: warrior; also joined her daughter in exile; keeps pushing her to reconnect and train her daughter in the Amazonian ways;
Melanippe Mel Saka: Amazon, artisan, priestess in the making with its magical powers; left the Amazons when her infant son was born dead and she was sure the priestess did it; bought an abandoned school, on acre of land, and made into their home and her tattoo shop; she's raising her daughter (now a preteen) without teaching her Amazon ways;
Harmony: her daughter; smart; on the peripheral
Arpada: 6'4"; an excellent tattoo artist; hired by Mel not just because he's good, but because she decides she needs to put her words into actions; he is a son of an Amazon, can shift (into a wolf?), is strong, doesn't have magic, part of group of other sons looking to connect with their Amazon roots;
Bubbe: grandmother; priestess; she actually is the one who took the infant boy to the hospital and used magic so that Mel's memory was of a still born; left the Amazons to go with her granddaughter, a bit of a hedge witch with the humans in town;
Detective Reynolds: investigating the deaths of the young women; knows Mel knows more than she's saying; older; asks her out to dinner in the end;
Zery, Amazon Queen: Mel's best friend growing up; turned her back on her when she accused Amazons of hurting her son; a strong leader;
CleCle aka mother: warrior; also joined her daughter in exile; keeps pushing her to reconnect and train her daughter in the Amazonian ways;
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2019
All in all, I'm glad I read this book. I loved the take on the Amazons, especially the concept of magic/power in their tattoos. The main character underwent obvious arc changes, which I appreciated. There were a few points that were slow for me, but overall a wonderful book to experience.
May 18, 2021
This started out strong and then quickly fell down the poor novel well.
May 29, 2022
Urban fantasy, with repugnant Amazon characters especially the main character in lust/love with 2 men. No thanks.
September 14, 2009
Mel has a lot on her mind. She's raising a teenage daughter, living in a renovated High School, has her mother and her grandmother living with her, and just got 2 dead girls left on her doorstep. Mel's not sure why this is happening. Sure, it could be because she's an Amazon priestess living away from the rest of her tribe whom she left after the death of her son, but it could be just a coincidence too...right?
Knowing that it is most definitely not a coincidence, Mel has to summon her courage to face the tribe she left behind. People seem to keep getting in her way however, particularly men. The first a very talented and sexy tattoo artist she just hired to work in her shop. Mel knows Peter is keeping some kind of secrets of his own, but Detective Reynolds is making it hard for her to concentrate on much as he's constantly poking his nose where it doesn't belong...and it's getting harder and harder to explain away the odd occurrences that happen in her house.
Determined to find the murder of her tribeswomen and get the answers to her own questions about her past answered at the same time, Mel sets out to face her demons.
I have to say I was not expecting much. The whole theme of "Amazon Ink" is set in Madison Wisconsin. No offense to the Badgers (I love Bucky!), but not the most exciting setting for a murder mystery mixed with Amazon warriors. I have to say though I was pleasantly surprised.
"Amazon Ink" really held my attention. I wasn't on the edge of my seat or anything, and I was pretty sure I knew who the culprit was the instant he was introduced as a character, but I still wanted to get to the end of the book and make sure my hunch had some merit. Overall "Amazon Ink" had likable characters. For me, that's a big up sell for any fantasy. I cared about the characters and wanted them to succeed. I did have some problems with the writing however, that I cannot in good conscience as a reviewer fail to put into writing.
On the good side, "Amazon Ink" is a quick read. Great for a public transit commuter like myself, a plane ride, or a beach read. Devoti's style reminds me a lot of Gena Showalter only...better. Showalter writes good stuff, but it's more romance chicklit stuff with some adventure thrown in. Devoti is more adventure with a touch of romance thrown in. For me at least, that made "Amazon Ink" more readable and saved me a lot of eye rolling.
On the flipside, Devoti is not the most riveting author out there. There were definite places where my eyes skipped over big sections, sometimes even whole pages in an effort to get back to the action, I really only need one, maybe two, paragraphs about a character's feelings in my opinion. I want their life story, but spread out throughout the book, not in one fell swoop.
There were also a couple of spots where I really wanted to throw something at Devoti's editor. Take this example on page 349: "Makis's face was pale, his arms and legs akimbo - unnatural." This use of the word "akimbo" is incorrect. The sentence makes it feel like the guy is sprawled on the ground with his limbs in strange directions but "akimbo" means: "with hand on hip and elbow bent outward: to stand with arms akimbo."[...:], which means it's impossible for legs to be "akimbo."
Strangely all those episodes of "Top Model" and "Project Runway" paid off. Very strange. Anyway, although "Amazon Ink" won't be winning any awards, I liked it. It was fun, different, off the beaten path, and I will definitely read the next installment.
Knowing that it is most definitely not a coincidence, Mel has to summon her courage to face the tribe she left behind. People seem to keep getting in her way however, particularly men. The first a very talented and sexy tattoo artist she just hired to work in her shop. Mel knows Peter is keeping some kind of secrets of his own, but Detective Reynolds is making it hard for her to concentrate on much as he's constantly poking his nose where it doesn't belong...and it's getting harder and harder to explain away the odd occurrences that happen in her house.
Determined to find the murder of her tribeswomen and get the answers to her own questions about her past answered at the same time, Mel sets out to face her demons.
I have to say I was not expecting much. The whole theme of "Amazon Ink" is set in Madison Wisconsin. No offense to the Badgers (I love Bucky!), but not the most exciting setting for a murder mystery mixed with Amazon warriors. I have to say though I was pleasantly surprised.
"Amazon Ink" really held my attention. I wasn't on the edge of my seat or anything, and I was pretty sure I knew who the culprit was the instant he was introduced as a character, but I still wanted to get to the end of the book and make sure my hunch had some merit. Overall "Amazon Ink" had likable characters. For me, that's a big up sell for any fantasy. I cared about the characters and wanted them to succeed. I did have some problems with the writing however, that I cannot in good conscience as a reviewer fail to put into writing.
On the good side, "Amazon Ink" is a quick read. Great for a public transit commuter like myself, a plane ride, or a beach read. Devoti's style reminds me a lot of Gena Showalter only...better. Showalter writes good stuff, but it's more romance chicklit stuff with some adventure thrown in. Devoti is more adventure with a touch of romance thrown in. For me at least, that made "Amazon Ink" more readable and saved me a lot of eye rolling.
On the flipside, Devoti is not the most riveting author out there. There were definite places where my eyes skipped over big sections, sometimes even whole pages in an effort to get back to the action, I really only need one, maybe two, paragraphs about a character's feelings in my opinion. I want their life story, but spread out throughout the book, not in one fell swoop.
There were also a couple of spots where I really wanted to throw something at Devoti's editor. Take this example on page 349: "Makis's face was pale, his arms and legs akimbo - unnatural." This use of the word "akimbo" is incorrect. The sentence makes it feel like the guy is sprawled on the ground with his limbs in strange directions but "akimbo" means: "with hand on hip and elbow bent outward: to stand with arms akimbo."[...:], which means it's impossible for legs to be "akimbo."
Strangely all those episodes of "Top Model" and "Project Runway" paid off. Very strange. Anyway, although "Amazon Ink" won't be winning any awards, I liked it. It was fun, different, off the beaten path, and I will definitely read the next installment.
July 14, 2011
Plot: 3.5 Stars
The Amazons in this story were very interesting. I liked that they all had different abilities, although I wish some of the abilities had been discussed in a little more detail. My favorite part of the whole story was that the main character was a tattoo artist. I love body modification (I have 11 piercings and 5 tattoos), so I was really excited for two of my favorite things to be come together in a novel: tattoos and urban fantasy. I was a little let down in the fact that the tattoo aspect of the story was only a small part, especially considering the title, but it fit with the Amazon storyline quite well. The end of the novel was a bit confusing. Mel spends the majority of the novel bouncing from one suspect to another, constantly changing who she her top suspect for the murders. As the final showdown comes around, she puts a lot of random pieces together really fast, and I'm still not sure exactly how she figured it out.
Pace: 3 Stars
This book was a bit of a slow read. As the story progressed, the pace picked up a little as well. But it definitely wasn't a fast-paced story. The ending was the only part of the story that I wouldn't describe as "slow" but it was a bit to fast-paced. Mel put things together too fast, too quickly, and before I knew it she was racing off to save the day while I was still trying to put things together. While the rest of the book could've used a little bit of a pick up, the ending needed a couple more pages to help walk the reader through all of the relevations leading to Mel figuring out who was behind the murders.
Characters: 3 Stars
Mel was a very interesting and complex character. Throughout the story, I really got to know who she was and how she would react. I enjoyed that she was a working mother and trying to keeps things as normal as possible, consider her and her family were all Amazons. But other than Mel, none of the other characters were developed all that well. Mel's mother and grandmother lived with her and her daughter, but you never learn too much about them. Mel hires a new tattoo artist, but doesn't know anything about him until he drops a bomb near the end of the novel. A whole parade of Amazons move into Mel's crazy old-school-turned-house, and the few who actually stand out still come across as a bit flat.
Cover: 3 Stars
The cover model was exactly how I pictured Mel. I really liked that they didn't choose some barely legal model, because Mel is the mother of a teenager. I liked that they kept the cover realistic. The color palette of the cover was also a good choice; the magenta catches the eye, while still giving off a bit of a darker atmosphere which fits the novel. I wasn't a big fan of the tattoo sign in the background. It leads you to believe that that aspect of the story is going to be a little bigger than it actually was. And it was very bright, which dragged your attention away from the cover model and her awesome sword. I just wish there was a bit more detail in the background, like something reminiscent of the setting.
Overall: 3 Stars
Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.
The Amazons in this story were very interesting. I liked that they all had different abilities, although I wish some of the abilities had been discussed in a little more detail. My favorite part of the whole story was that the main character was a tattoo artist. I love body modification (I have 11 piercings and 5 tattoos), so I was really excited for two of my favorite things to be come together in a novel: tattoos and urban fantasy. I was a little let down in the fact that the tattoo aspect of the story was only a small part, especially considering the title, but it fit with the Amazon storyline quite well. The end of the novel was a bit confusing. Mel spends the majority of the novel bouncing from one suspect to another, constantly changing who she her top suspect for the murders. As the final showdown comes around, she puts a lot of random pieces together really fast, and I'm still not sure exactly how she figured it out.
Pace: 3 Stars
This book was a bit of a slow read. As the story progressed, the pace picked up a little as well. But it definitely wasn't a fast-paced story. The ending was the only part of the story that I wouldn't describe as "slow" but it was a bit to fast-paced. Mel put things together too fast, too quickly, and before I knew it she was racing off to save the day while I was still trying to put things together. While the rest of the book could've used a little bit of a pick up, the ending needed a couple more pages to help walk the reader through all of the relevations leading to Mel figuring out who was behind the murders.
Characters: 3 Stars
Mel was a very interesting and complex character. Throughout the story, I really got to know who she was and how she would react. I enjoyed that she was a working mother and trying to keeps things as normal as possible, consider her and her family were all Amazons. But other than Mel, none of the other characters were developed all that well. Mel's mother and grandmother lived with her and her daughter, but you never learn too much about them. Mel hires a new tattoo artist, but doesn't know anything about him until he drops a bomb near the end of the novel. A whole parade of Amazons move into Mel's crazy old-school-turned-house, and the few who actually stand out still come across as a bit flat.
Cover: 3 Stars
The cover model was exactly how I pictured Mel. I really liked that they didn't choose some barely legal model, because Mel is the mother of a teenager. I liked that they kept the cover realistic. The color palette of the cover was also a good choice; the magenta catches the eye, while still giving off a bit of a darker atmosphere which fits the novel. I wasn't a big fan of the tattoo sign in the background. It leads you to believe that that aspect of the story is going to be a little bigger than it actually was. And it was very bright, which dragged your attention away from the cover model and her awesome sword. I just wish there was a bit more detail in the background, like something reminiscent of the setting.
Overall: 3 Stars
Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.
April 21, 2010
Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com
AMAZON INK’s premise of modern day Amazons is unique in urban fantasy and perfectly suited to genre. The plot is simple enough, someone is killing young amazons and leaving them for Mel to find. Despite having left the tribe a decade before, Mel is forced to work alongside with the Amazons, and deal with hostility and suspicion from both sides while tracking down a killer who may be targeting her own daughter next.
The idea of Amazons, female warriors from Greek mythology, really appealed to me. Author Lori Devoti took this idea and ran with it incorporating magic, mystical tattoos, female hierarchy, and a few surprise elements that I won’t spoil into her modern Amazons. I’m definitely intrigued with how those surprise elements will play out in Amazon Queen.
I’m sorry to say that I struggled with the length of AMAZON INK. I think the pacing and plot would have both fared better at about half the page length. I found myself getting impatient with Mel and the narrative when it wasn’t moving fast enough. A lot of the emotional issues that Mel was dealing with were rehashed many many times without any sort of resolution or plan to deal with them. So these passages felt tedious to me. Part of me even thinks this story idea might have been better served as a Paranormal YA title with Mel’s daughter Harmony as the protagonist.
Also the romantic elements were practically nonexistent. With an author who started out writing Contemporary Romance, I expected more. I understand that the story line was such that a more significant romance might have felt out of place, but I still missed it.
I’m still giving AMAZON INK 3 bats because the Amazon idea is a great one, and the revelations at the end of this book promise to create a much more complex story in the series overall. It is always challenging to establish a unique world that is distinct from the typical vamps and weres that populate this genre. Lori Devoti does that in AMAZON INK and I’m looking forward to seeing where she takes theses characters in Amazon Queen when it releases on April 27th.
Sexual Content: References to homosexuality.
AMAZON INK’s premise of modern day Amazons is unique in urban fantasy and perfectly suited to genre. The plot is simple enough, someone is killing young amazons and leaving them for Mel to find. Despite having left the tribe a decade before, Mel is forced to work alongside with the Amazons, and deal with hostility and suspicion from both sides while tracking down a killer who may be targeting her own daughter next.
The idea of Amazons, female warriors from Greek mythology, really appealed to me. Author Lori Devoti took this idea and ran with it incorporating magic, mystical tattoos, female hierarchy, and a few surprise elements that I won’t spoil into her modern Amazons. I’m definitely intrigued with how those surprise elements will play out in Amazon Queen.
I’m sorry to say that I struggled with the length of AMAZON INK. I think the pacing and plot would have both fared better at about half the page length. I found myself getting impatient with Mel and the narrative when it wasn’t moving fast enough. A lot of the emotional issues that Mel was dealing with were rehashed many many times without any sort of resolution or plan to deal with them. So these passages felt tedious to me. Part of me even thinks this story idea might have been better served as a Paranormal YA title with Mel’s daughter Harmony as the protagonist.
Also the romantic elements were practically nonexistent. With an author who started out writing Contemporary Romance, I expected more. I understand that the story line was such that a more significant romance might have felt out of place, but I still missed it.
I’m still giving AMAZON INK 3 bats because the Amazon idea is a great one, and the revelations at the end of this book promise to create a much more complex story in the series overall. It is always challenging to establish a unique world that is distinct from the typical vamps and weres that populate this genre. Lori Devoti does that in AMAZON INK and I’m looking forward to seeing where she takes theses characters in Amazon Queen when it releases on April 27th.
Sexual Content: References to homosexuality.
August 5, 2011
Mel left her Amazon tribe ten years prior to the events of Amazon Ink, after the tribe shunned her male child and told her that he was stillborn. Mel took her daughter with her when she left, and vowed to live a normal life and raise her child away from the violence and harsh realities of Amazon life.
All Mel has ever wanted to do was fit in and raise her daughter, Harmony, in the calm, normal world of humans. That's kind of difficult when you're an Amazon turned small business owner and tattoo artist -even in a small town in Wisconsin.
Things seem to be going okay, until a string of young, dead Amazon girls are dumped on Mel's doorstep and a nosy cop starts to take an interest in Mel. Mel's former Amazon tribe also starts to take an interest in her as they investigate the murders of the young warriors -not to mention the hunky new tattoo artist working at Mel's shop.
Amazon Ink was a surprisingly enjoyable read. It had a really refreshing take on the Amazon legend that was perfectly integrated with the "real" world to create a seamless urban fantasy experience. Lori Devoti's mythology and detail made the world of Amazon Ink come to life and helped the characters feel more complex. The characters, while numerous and occasionally a little too stereotypical, are bonded together by realistic relationships and complex adult problems that make the story even better.
While slow at times, and occasionally repetitive, I enjoyed Amazon Ink far more than I thought I would. I picked up the book because I thought the story might be fun (and maybe a little campy), but I ended up getting hooked. I'm excited for the sequel, Amazon Queen, which, according to Amazon, should be hitting shelves April 2010.
All Mel has ever wanted to do was fit in and raise her daughter, Harmony, in the calm, normal world of humans. That's kind of difficult when you're an Amazon turned small business owner and tattoo artist -even in a small town in Wisconsin.
Things seem to be going okay, until a string of young, dead Amazon girls are dumped on Mel's doorstep and a nosy cop starts to take an interest in Mel. Mel's former Amazon tribe also starts to take an interest in her as they investigate the murders of the young warriors -not to mention the hunky new tattoo artist working at Mel's shop.
Amazon Ink was a surprisingly enjoyable read. It had a really refreshing take on the Amazon legend that was perfectly integrated with the "real" world to create a seamless urban fantasy experience. Lori Devoti's mythology and detail made the world of Amazon Ink come to life and helped the characters feel more complex. The characters, while numerous and occasionally a little too stereotypical, are bonded together by realistic relationships and complex adult problems that make the story even better.
While slow at times, and occasionally repetitive, I enjoyed Amazon Ink far more than I thought I would. I picked up the book because I thought the story might be fun (and maybe a little campy), but I ended up getting hooked. I'm excited for the sequel, Amazon Queen, which, according to Amazon, should be hitting shelves April 2010.
September 19, 2010
Written in the first person throughout, After being what Mel sees as betrayed by her Amazon tribe she leaves with her daughter & her mother ( loves Lycra swords & spears)& grandmother (A bit of a con artist, frustrating powerful & secretive) follow her, she opens a Tatoo parlour & all is well for a few years till several things happen at once, young Amazon girls turn up dead on her porch, the Amazon tribe the girls belonged to are certain Mel is the murderer, there's suspicion from the police, she employs an enigmatic tatooist who stirs feelings in her that she cannot pinpoint, she's under pressure from her mother & grandmother Bubbe to tell her daughter about her true ancestry, added to this has a dogged detective on her heels.
I won't layout anymore of the story just to say There's lots of tense action, recriminations throughout especially between Mel, her family & old tribe. I love the imagination of the magical fights & the twists & turns this novel takes, it is like a magical who-dun-it with a wallop. Great stuff.
The only reason why I gave it a FOUR star instead of FIVE was because I did not get a great sense of Mels character that stuck out, I found her quite bland, but don't let that put you off.
Oh theres also a subtle romance theme going on that the story touches on every now again, so if you are looking for similar story lines that this author has written before it is not a romance novel but a true Urban Fantasy & I mean that as a compliment.
Amazon Queen is the next book in the series which follows Zery's story....
I won't layout anymore of the story just to say There's lots of tense action, recriminations throughout especially between Mel, her family & old tribe. I love the imagination of the magical fights & the twists & turns this novel takes, it is like a magical who-dun-it with a wallop. Great stuff.
The only reason why I gave it a FOUR star instead of FIVE was because I did not get a great sense of Mels character that stuck out, I found her quite bland, but don't let that put you off.
Oh theres also a subtle romance theme going on that the story touches on every now again, so if you are looking for similar story lines that this author has written before it is not a romance novel but a true Urban Fantasy & I mean that as a compliment.
Amazon Queen is the next book in the series which follows Zery's story....
February 18, 2012
An entertaining book. The whole idea or modern-day Amazons is cool, and I like the way Devoti worked on the issue of what they do with their boy babies.
In fantasy, there's always a certain amount of unlikely stuff you have to buy into, but this one had me saying, "Oh, come on!" more than most. A bunch of highly-trained and in-bred warrior women, who spend most of their day training, even though they have no one to fight. These Amazons manage to keep their existence secret, even though they've got a penchant for bar-hopping. When the main character left the tribe, her ultra-dedicated mom and grandmother not only let her, they left with her. A tattoo artist can afford to live in a huge school building, close to the middle of town. Uh-huh. . . I didn't forget for a second that this was fiction, and so had a hard time really getting buried in the story. But maybe that's just me. This book works best if you don't think about it too hard.
Many characters were thinly drawn; I didn't always get what the witchy grandmother was trying to accomplish, and the feeling the author simply used her to do whatever it took to move the plot along. Mel's (the MC) teenage daughter is her main concern, but she's shoved out of most of the scenes for her own protection. Somehow, Mel has managed to keep even the existence of the Amazons secret from her. It would have been interesting to hear the story from this daughter's point of view, as she figured things out.
Overall, though, this one was good entertainment.
In fantasy, there's always a certain amount of unlikely stuff you have to buy into, but this one had me saying, "Oh, come on!" more than most. A bunch of highly-trained and in-bred warrior women, who spend most of their day training, even though they have no one to fight. These Amazons manage to keep their existence secret, even though they've got a penchant for bar-hopping. When the main character left the tribe, her ultra-dedicated mom and grandmother not only let her, they left with her. A tattoo artist can afford to live in a huge school building, close to the middle of town. Uh-huh. . . I didn't forget for a second that this was fiction, and so had a hard time really getting buried in the story. But maybe that's just me. This book works best if you don't think about it too hard.
Many characters were thinly drawn; I didn't always get what the witchy grandmother was trying to accomplish, and the feeling the author simply used her to do whatever it took to move the plot along. Mel's (the MC) teenage daughter is her main concern, but she's shoved out of most of the scenes for her own protection. Somehow, Mel has managed to keep even the existence of the Amazons secret from her. It would have been interesting to hear the story from this daughter's point of view, as she figured things out.
Overall, though, this one was good entertainment.
January 14, 2014
Amazon Ink was a pretty good urban fantasy. Mel's origin as a mythical Amazon warrior turned everyday business owner/mom was really unique. Despite her intention to remain separate from her former community, the Amazons still have enemies and Mel's latent powers keep her relevant to their fight. She's a fiercely protective mother, and the dynamics between Mel, her mother and her "Bubbe" were hilarious and touching. Bubbe was absolutely my favorite character: a several hundred year old Amazon priestess that 99% of people would mistake for a harmless, puttering old lady until she magics the living crap out of an enemy. Bubbe wins all the character awards. Just all of them.
There was some romance in Amazon Ink, including a rather pointless love triangle that wasn't really a love triangle because nothing romantic actually happens. I could have done without the inspector character completely.
Mel's tense friendship with Zery was enjoyable to read, given Zery's position as Queen and Mel's abandonment. I liked that Zery struggled with whether or not to trust Mel, and didn't automatically trust her because of old ties. They're a long-lived, super powerful race of warrior women. It was nice to see that they didn't let sentimentality totally rule their judgment, but that they were still capable of feeling it.
There was some romance in Amazon Ink, including a rather pointless love triangle that wasn't really a love triangle because nothing romantic actually happens. I could have done without the inspector character completely.
Mel's tense friendship with Zery was enjoyable to read, given Zery's position as Queen and Mel's abandonment. I liked that Zery struggled with whether or not to trust Mel, and didn't automatically trust her because of old ties. They're a long-lived, super powerful race of warrior women. It was nice to see that they didn't let sentimentality totally rule their judgment, but that they were still capable of feeling it.
October 17, 2009
Well, where do I begin. I started out liking this book, until I realized that I was rolling my eyes no fewer than twice a page at least. Then it started to go down hill. There was just something really undeveloped about the characters, or the concept in general, or the writing, I can't decide which. I tried, I really did. But about midway through I was tired of the romanticisms and the "quickened breaths" and the weak willed main character, Mel... who considering was raised an amazon I thought would be a little bit stronger than this. Yet every time the male interest Peter (and Reynold, which felt tacked on) gazed her way with his "chocolate brown eyes" and Mel responded with increased hormones and lust... it was way overkill for me.
This is why I don't read romance and Devoti is a romance author to the core. This book only lacked a couple of bodice ripper scenes and heaving bosoms and it would have been there.
I really wanted to like it, which is why I kept reading it, but at the end I didn't care. I skipped the last 80 pages just to see who was commiting the murder and it was one of my suspects from about the word go. I think it's safe to say that I will not be reading more of this series. It's silly and predictable and, frankly, my copy is getting returned to the bookstore. Ouch.
This is why I don't read romance and Devoti is a romance author to the core. This book only lacked a couple of bodice ripper scenes and heaving bosoms and it would have been there.
I really wanted to like it, which is why I kept reading it, but at the end I didn't care. I skipped the last 80 pages just to see who was commiting the murder and it was one of my suspects from about the word go. I think it's safe to say that I will not be reading more of this series. It's silly and predictable and, frankly, my copy is getting returned to the bookstore. Ouch.
July 11, 2016
I wasn’t sure at first I’d like this, but by page 80 I couldn’t read through the tears in my eyes. By the end I didn’t want it to stop. There’s alot of unanswered questions and unfinished storylines.
There’s a lot of well thought out Amazon culture and history. Having animal tattoos involved in amplifying their Amazon powers is creative.
I’ve never come across the idea of male Amazons before. Having their sons join together is an interesting idea. I’m sad at the way they’d been treated. It’s good that they’ve come together as a support group for each other.
Couple of problems. After all they concern for keeping their race secret from the humans, Queen Zery and her second: Pisto sure didn’t care about the mess their people were making all over Mel yard. For that matter, it wasn’t very organized for a ‘military-type’ society. And I can’t believe that Harmony was so completely clueless about all the Amazon stuff going on.
BTW: the end is not what you think it’s going to be. I’m not sure I’m happy with it. I hope we see more of Mel in the second book.
Fave scenes: Dana and Mel making a pie and Queen Zery caught in the magical web.
There’s a lot of well thought out Amazon culture and history. Having animal tattoos involved in amplifying their Amazon powers is creative.
I’ve never come across the idea of male Amazons before. Having their sons join together is an interesting idea. I’m sad at the way they’d been treated. It’s good that they’ve come together as a support group for each other.
Couple of problems. After all they concern for keeping their race secret from the humans, Queen Zery and her second: Pisto sure didn’t care about the mess their people were making all over Mel yard. For that matter, it wasn’t very organized for a ‘military-type’ society. And I can’t believe that Harmony was so completely clueless about all the Amazon stuff going on.
BTW: the end is not what you think it’s going to be. I’m not sure I’m happy with it. I hope we see more of Mel in the second book.
Fave scenes: Dana and Mel making a pie and Queen Zery caught in the magical web.
June 19, 2016
After some kind of disaster, Melanippe "Mel" Saka has given up the Amazon life and moved to Madison Wisconsin to open a tattoo parlor along with her mother, grandmother and daughter. When dead Amazon girls start appearing on her doorstep with tattoos excised from their flesh, she is very concerned for her daughter. Very slowly the story builds (and I do mean slowly. It took almost 200 pages to get interesting.) and we learn why Mel left and why the Amazon Queen suspects Mel of these terrible deeds.
I had a lot of trouble getting into this book. I don't know if it was because I didn't like Mel, who seems incredibly wishy-washy to me or maybe it's just her pushy mother and grandmother running her life. Either way, it was well over halfway before she got a backbone and became the warrior I expected her to be. I enjoyed the ending and look forward to reading the next book. I liked Peter (the tattoo artist she hired) but I also liked detective Reynolds and I'm interested to see whom Mel chooses.
I had a lot of trouble getting into this book. I don't know if it was because I didn't like Mel, who seems incredibly wishy-washy to me or maybe it's just her pushy mother and grandmother running her life. Either way, it was well over halfway before she got a backbone and became the warrior I expected her to be. I enjoyed the ending and look forward to reading the next book. I liked Peter (the tattoo artist she hired) but I also liked detective Reynolds and I'm interested to see whom Mel chooses.
September 3, 2009
I think this is Lori Devoti's fifth book. It is her first in "urban fantasy". I liked the idea, but 3/4 of the book was spent meandering in mystery. The climax and focus of the book was in finding the killer, and I thought Mel's personal story was much more compelling. They could have found the killer in the first 1/3 of the book, and Mel's story could have continued to evolve.
There was not near enough development of the romance angle, for my personal taste. Since Amazon women are quite the man-hating liberals, it shouldn't surprise me that the absence of the love interest was reflected in the story-writing. Don't get me wrong, there was sexual tension, but it never takes precedence in the story. The most interesting of all the developments happens in the last 50 pages, and I loved that part. If the entire book had the speed and intensity of those 50 pages, I would have ranked this much higher.
The ending seems (to me) to be a wide open door to a sequel, with guaranteed love interest. So I do look forward to a potential follow-up. I'm a sucker for the men!
There was not near enough development of the romance angle, for my personal taste. Since Amazon women are quite the man-hating liberals, it shouldn't surprise me that the absence of the love interest was reflected in the story-writing. Don't get me wrong, there was sexual tension, but it never takes precedence in the story. The most interesting of all the developments happens in the last 50 pages, and I loved that part. If the entire book had the speed and intensity of those 50 pages, I would have ranked this much higher.
The ending seems (to me) to be a wide open door to a sequel, with guaranteed love interest. So I do look forward to a potential follow-up. I'm a sucker for the men!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2012
My Boredom with this book turned into Physical Agony!,
I really wanted to like this book but it was just so boring! Aside from being predictable, it wasn't even interesting. Someone has been murdering and dumping young girls on Mel's doorstep. Instead of having empathy for the families involved, she just dumps the girls elsewhere and notifies no one. What a cowardly and selfish heroine. It's such a pity this story didn't appeal to me, because I love the idea of a powerful matriarchal society. I'm not sure what went wrong, but this book has all elements needed to ensure a good urban fantasy. This story is vastly different from the usual urban fantasy but once I cracked this book open, the story seem just mundane and lagging. This book reminds me of Ann Aguirre's Blue Diablo, nothing but fluff and hype. I do concede that perhaps this book just isn't for me, however, I have given the author 2-stars for the effort of originality. I definitely will not be reading the next book in the series Amazon Queen.
I really wanted to like this book but it was just so boring! Aside from being predictable, it wasn't even interesting. Someone has been murdering and dumping young girls on Mel's doorstep. Instead of having empathy for the families involved, she just dumps the girls elsewhere and notifies no one. What a cowardly and selfish heroine. It's such a pity this story didn't appeal to me, because I love the idea of a powerful matriarchal society. I'm not sure what went wrong, but this book has all elements needed to ensure a good urban fantasy. This story is vastly different from the usual urban fantasy but once I cracked this book open, the story seem just mundane and lagging. This book reminds me of Ann Aguirre's Blue Diablo, nothing but fluff and hype. I do concede that perhaps this book just isn't for me, however, I have given the author 2-stars for the effort of originality. I definitely will not be reading the next book in the series Amazon Queen.
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