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Corine Solomon #1
Blue Diablo
The search for a missing friend leads Corine into a dark world of demons and sorcerers, ghosts and witchcraft, zombies - and black magic.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2009
69 people are currently reading
4486 people want to read
About the author
Ann Aguirre
81 books7,063 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ann Aguirre has been a clown, a clerk, a savior of stray kittens, and a voice actress, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in Mexico with her family. She writes all kinds of genre fiction, but she has an eternal soft spot for a happily ever after.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 347 reviews
February 6, 2020
Q:
There are none so blind as those who will not see. (c)
Q:
He would bear scars because of me, as I carried them for him. (c)
Q:
Sometimes when you meet someone, there’s a click. I don’t believe in love at first sight but I believe in that click. Recognition. (c)
Q:
Sometimes you smell the stupid all around you, but you step in it anyway. (c)
There are none so blind as those who will not see. (c)
Q:
He would bear scars because of me, as I carried them for him. (c)
Q:
Sometimes when you meet someone, there’s a click. I don’t believe in love at first sight but I believe in that click. Recognition. (c)
Q:
Sometimes you smell the stupid all around you, but you step in it anyway. (c)
April 8, 2012
After reading this for the second time, I had to resist the urge to write Ann Aguirre a lengthy fan letter with a bunch of exclamation points . I never get tired of her worlds or her characters, nor can I stop admiring the ease with which she pulls me into one of her stories.
Corine Solomon is a handler. She has the gift (or rather the curse) of psychometry: she can see things by touching a charged object. Unfortunately, no matter how many people she helped by using her ability, handling brought her powerful enemies as well so she’s been forced to live in Mexico under a different name for the past eighteen months. To make matters more complicated, she’s also been hiding from her ex-boyfriend and manager Chance, whom she abandoned in the middle of the night after a job gone wrong. Corine is convinced that Chance never loved her the way she needed him to, so when he shows up in her small shop in Mexico and asks her to help him find his missing mother, her first instinct is to run and hide before she gets heartbroken once again. However, Chance’s mother was always kind to her and Corine simply doesn’t have it in her to turn her back on either one of them when they really need her. Instead she chooses to return to the US with Chance, where she is forced to face demons, powerful necromancers, zombies and the scariest thing of all, her ex’s vulnerability.
Corine is not an easy character to love, that’s for sure. She can be petty, vindictive and completely blind to what’s right in front of her. She often made choices that made me want to strangle her with my bare hands. But she’s also smart, unflinchingly loyal and brave, even when she’s at her most vulnerable.
Ann Aguirre never writes simple, easily likable characters. Those of you who are familiar with her Sirantha Jax series will remember some of Jax’s actions and know exactly what I’m talking about. But the best thing about that is that it leaves a lot of room for character growth and, even though it takes her a while, she always brings her characters to the point where I admire them completely, possibly even more because I know how they started out. Knowing what I know now, after reading four Corine Solomon books, I can see exactly what she was aiming for at the beginning and what risks she took to make her characters seem more human.
The first time I was reading this (exactly a year ago, thank you, GoodReads) I didn’t know what to make of Chance. He was saying and doing all the right things and I believed him, I did, but there was just something missing, there was an emotional distance present even when he was proclaiming his love for Corine. I guess I understood and liked him better this time around, and I was able to read his actions (or lack thereof) much better. Needless to say, there was a lot of sighing and swooning involved.
And then there’s Kel Ferguson (yep, Ferguson, like my Kindle :D). I won’t even try to explain that complicated story, but suffice it to say that he’s one of the most intriguing characters ever and that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him this past year.
I can’t emphasize enough how much I love this series and everything else Aguirre writes.
Oh, and did I mention the zombies? :D
Also posted at The Nocturnal Library
Corine Solomon is a handler. She has the gift (or rather the curse) of psychometry: she can see things by touching a charged object. Unfortunately, no matter how many people she helped by using her ability, handling brought her powerful enemies as well so she’s been forced to live in Mexico under a different name for the past eighteen months. To make matters more complicated, she’s also been hiding from her ex-boyfriend and manager Chance, whom she abandoned in the middle of the night after a job gone wrong. Corine is convinced that Chance never loved her the way she needed him to, so when he shows up in her small shop in Mexico and asks her to help him find his missing mother, her first instinct is to run and hide before she gets heartbroken once again. However, Chance’s mother was always kind to her and Corine simply doesn’t have it in her to turn her back on either one of them when they really need her. Instead she chooses to return to the US with Chance, where she is forced to face demons, powerful necromancers, zombies and the scariest thing of all, her ex’s vulnerability.
Corine is not an easy character to love, that’s for sure. She can be petty, vindictive and completely blind to what’s right in front of her. She often made choices that made me want to strangle her with my bare hands. But she’s also smart, unflinchingly loyal and brave, even when she’s at her most vulnerable.
Ann Aguirre never writes simple, easily likable characters. Those of you who are familiar with her Sirantha Jax series will remember some of Jax’s actions and know exactly what I’m talking about. But the best thing about that is that it leaves a lot of room for character growth and, even though it takes her a while, she always brings her characters to the point where I admire them completely, possibly even more because I know how they started out. Knowing what I know now, after reading four Corine Solomon books, I can see exactly what she was aiming for at the beginning and what risks she took to make her characters seem more human.
The first time I was reading this (exactly a year ago, thank you, GoodReads) I didn’t know what to make of Chance. He was saying and doing all the right things and I believed him, I did, but there was just something missing, there was an emotional distance present even when he was proclaiming his love for Corine. I guess I understood and liked him better this time around, and I was able to read his actions (or lack thereof) much better. Needless to say, there was a lot of sighing and swooning involved.
And then there’s Kel Ferguson (yep, Ferguson, like my Kindle :D). I won’t even try to explain that complicated story, but suffice it to say that he’s one of the most intriguing characters ever and that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him this past year.
I can’t emphasize enough how much I love this series and everything else Aguirre writes.
Oh, and did I mention the zombies? :D
Also posted at The Nocturnal Library
August 13, 2013
I would have enjoyed the plot and the supernatural world more if the heroine hadn't been so annoyingly indecisive. "I love Chance, I don't love Chance, but wait, I do love him ...uh lol nope, I don't!!"
She was exhausting. And the way she was so self-centered, like every fucking guy had a thing for her!!!
Nah. I won't be reading more of this series..
1.5 star
June 1, 2010
This was a very interesting and unique foray into the world of magic noir, or noir occult detective fantasy fiction. Corine Solomon is a fairly conflicted, and troubled character. Her mother was a practicing witch who was essentially burned to death by the suspicious and intolerant townspeople in Kilmer, Georgia. Before she died, her mom endowed her with her power, in the form of the ability to read objects. However, it comes at signficant cost to Corine. She bears the scars of the readings on her hands and fingers. Scars to match those deep in her soul.
After she almost died on one of their cases, Corine cut out in the middle of the night, leaving her boyfriend and business partner, Chance behind. She left because she didn't believe he loved her, and that he was just using her for her abilities. She left because she let him in and paid the price. In her life, Corine learned that caring for others is a losing proposition. And Chance messed her up too much inside. So she fled to Mexico, running a pawn shop, and living as close to a normal life as was possible for her.
But, eighteen months later, Chance shows up. His mother has been kidnapped, and he needs her special gift to find her. Chance has a special gift of his own, incredible luck. Unfortunately, his luck isn't so good for those around him. That, and Chance is just way too self-controlled and distant for her, despite being gorgeous and her weakness emotionally. They strike a deal, she helps him find his mother, he helps her get revenge against the people who killed her mother. And, it's just business. Their relationship is over, or so Corine says.
This story twists and turns, and shows a side of Texas very familiar to me. The aspects of Mexican culture ring very true to someone who's spent a fair amount of time in that environment, and add to this story like the spice of chili powder. Corine is a narrator who is not always nice and kind and neat, but she sneaks in on you, so well that you end up liking her for all her flaws. Chance is delicious--dapper, half-Korean, completely intriguing, and very much in love with Corine, but unsure how to show it. He's the enigmatic guy who sounds great on paper, but probably isn't the best boyfriend. But what in life is perfect? I wanted Corine to forgive him, even seeing his flaws. There's also interesting secondary characters, such as Chance's friend Chucho, and his wife, Eva, who help this couple in many important ways; Jesse, who's a cop in Laredo with a gift for empathy. He appoints himself as Corine's mentor in the world of the gifted, but he wants to be more. Maybe, Corine wants more too. Sex is not an issue, but falling in love is. Can she have all the wild, crazy sex with Jesse, and avoid falling into the trap of loving Chance? And there's a killer who considers himself the hand of God. Is he going to help or hinder Corine and Chance in their search for his mother?
Normally, I don't like my noir urban fantasy too filled with romantic angst, but it was well done and fitting in this story. After all, Corine's life is very turbulent, and that's a big part of her life. I have to say it really added to this story. I have a feeling her future will always be entwined with Chance, and that's not such a bad thing to me.
The magic and occult aspects were very intriguing. There were some parts that were borderline scary. I think Ms. Aguirre told a great story of dark magic being used to further the criminal enterprises of those who prey on the strange entity that is the border of Mexico and Texas. I had little trouble believing that the cartels would hire witches and warlocks to employ sorcerous magic to keep business going.
If I had a complaint, I think that the tension could have been sustained in some of the suspenseful moments. The execution tended to be somewhat anti-climatic. Otherwise, this was a great foray into the dark world of bordertown Texas and Mexico, where magic is alive and well. Corine is a character I got invested in, and I definitely want to read more stories with her. And I hope that Chance stays in the picture. He's quite a character, himself.
After she almost died on one of their cases, Corine cut out in the middle of the night, leaving her boyfriend and business partner, Chance behind. She left because she didn't believe he loved her, and that he was just using her for her abilities. She left because she let him in and paid the price. In her life, Corine learned that caring for others is a losing proposition. And Chance messed her up too much inside. So she fled to Mexico, running a pawn shop, and living as close to a normal life as was possible for her.
But, eighteen months later, Chance shows up. His mother has been kidnapped, and he needs her special gift to find her. Chance has a special gift of his own, incredible luck. Unfortunately, his luck isn't so good for those around him. That, and Chance is just way too self-controlled and distant for her, despite being gorgeous and her weakness emotionally. They strike a deal, she helps him find his mother, he helps her get revenge against the people who killed her mother. And, it's just business. Their relationship is over, or so Corine says.
This story twists and turns, and shows a side of Texas very familiar to me. The aspects of Mexican culture ring very true to someone who's spent a fair amount of time in that environment, and add to this story like the spice of chili powder. Corine is a narrator who is not always nice and kind and neat, but she sneaks in on you, so well that you end up liking her for all her flaws. Chance is delicious--dapper, half-Korean, completely intriguing, and very much in love with Corine, but unsure how to show it. He's the enigmatic guy who sounds great on paper, but probably isn't the best boyfriend. But what in life is perfect? I wanted Corine to forgive him, even seeing his flaws. There's also interesting secondary characters, such as Chance's friend Chucho, and his wife, Eva, who help this couple in many important ways; Jesse, who's a cop in Laredo with a gift for empathy. He appoints himself as Corine's mentor in the world of the gifted, but he wants to be more. Maybe, Corine wants more too. Sex is not an issue, but falling in love is. Can she have all the wild, crazy sex with Jesse, and avoid falling into the trap of loving Chance? And there's a killer who considers himself the hand of God. Is he going to help or hinder Corine and Chance in their search for his mother?
Normally, I don't like my noir urban fantasy too filled with romantic angst, but it was well done and fitting in this story. After all, Corine's life is very turbulent, and that's a big part of her life. I have to say it really added to this story. I have a feeling her future will always be entwined with Chance, and that's not such a bad thing to me.
The magic and occult aspects were very intriguing. There were some parts that were borderline scary. I think Ms. Aguirre told a great story of dark magic being used to further the criminal enterprises of those who prey on the strange entity that is the border of Mexico and Texas. I had little trouble believing that the cartels would hire witches and warlocks to employ sorcerous magic to keep business going.
If I had a complaint, I think that the tension could have been sustained in some of the suspenseful moments. The execution tended to be somewhat anti-climatic. Otherwise, this was a great foray into the dark world of bordertown Texas and Mexico, where magic is alive and well. Corine is a character I got invested in, and I definitely want to read more stories with her. And I hope that Chance stays in the picture. He's quite a character, himself.
February 18, 2011
Ok, this may be a hard review to read because I find it hard to put into words the things that didn't sit right with me and this book. First off, it's my favorite genre and it's a series, so I had high hopes. But then it quickly became one of those books that I had to force myself to finish and I really hate that, I mean, I started doing housework instead of reading and that's just wrong! This book had too much going on and nothing at the same time. (vague much Nicole?) The concept of Corine and her special talent of reading object's histories was good, but I have never seen a book go off on so many different tangents from that point of intro. Had the author stayed the course with Corine's ability and gone into depth about her personal journey to that point, I might of enjoyed the book a whole lot more. But instead, it was filled with vague info reveals and half developed characters that shot off on an unbelievably challenging quest to rescue her ex-boyfriend's kidnapped mother. For me, the plot had the feel of walking on a treadmill, doing lots of km's but going nowhere and ticking off the allocated bad guys...Dirty cops-tick, black magic-tick, life sucking shades-tick, zombie corpses-tick, organised crime-tick and a whole lot of gun fire and grenade action.
Not to mention that it strayed so far from it's own point that the biggest anti-climax is when *spoiler* they finally achieve what they actually set out to do. I may be backward, but this is normally the highlight of a book for me, but this was the biggest boring fizzer of an ending after all the crap they went through to get there. I could go on, but I think that's got this book off my chest...onto more Highlander books for me I think!
Not to mention that it strayed so far from it's own point that the biggest anti-climax is when *spoiler* they finally achieve what they actually set out to do. I may be backward, but this is normally the highlight of a book for me, but this was the biggest boring fizzer of an ending after all the crap they went through to get there. I could go on, but I think that's got this book off my chest...onto more Highlander books for me I think!
January 2, 2021
Ostensibly, I run a pawn shop marked by a simple red and white sign that reads CASA DE EMPENO, but anyone who lives in Los Remedios along the road to Atizapan will tell you it's more. They'll also offer you a fuchsia candy tortilla at the stoplight just before you come to my store; it's the intersection where a man with a mime's face juggles fire and a monkeyless organ-grinder plies his trade dispiritedly (how he lost the monkey is another story). Don't eat the tortilla, don't tip more than twenty pesos, and make a left turn. You'll fine me, if you really need to.
Urban Fantasy is another one of those genres where you'll find plenty of books, but not many that truly reach out and grab you. Blue Diablo didn't necessarily grab, but it also had some nicely original ideas that did keep me interested, and bumped the 3.5 stars up to a 4.
Corine, our lead character, has the ability to read the history (and sometimes the future) of objects - now living in Mexico, she's avoiding a toxic relationship that nearly killed her, and running a pawn shop (as you can imagine, she's got a bit of an advantage). But when her ex comes calling, it's time for her to face up to the life she left behind, as well as some very unresolved feelings for him.
There's definitely some of the more common UF tropes at play here - two handsome men, vying for our lead's attention, a past full of mystery that just won't let Corine live the normal life she longs for, a chihuahua named Butch who seems able to understand and communicate... maybe that last one isn't so common, but it is adorable. There's a lot here that undercuts the tropes though, in a good way, and Ann Aguire wasn't rushing things, so there's never too much happening at once.
Read this as part of my mission to clear books from my TBR that have been there for 5 years or more, but it's a series I just might come back to.
Urban Fantasy is another one of those genres where you'll find plenty of books, but not many that truly reach out and grab you. Blue Diablo didn't necessarily grab, but it also had some nicely original ideas that did keep me interested, and bumped the 3.5 stars up to a 4.
Corine, our lead character, has the ability to read the history (and sometimes the future) of objects - now living in Mexico, she's avoiding a toxic relationship that nearly killed her, and running a pawn shop (as you can imagine, she's got a bit of an advantage). But when her ex comes calling, it's time for her to face up to the life she left behind, as well as some very unresolved feelings for him.
There's definitely some of the more common UF tropes at play here - two handsome men, vying for our lead's attention, a past full of mystery that just won't let Corine live the normal life she longs for, a chihuahua named Butch who seems able to understand and communicate... maybe that last one isn't so common, but it is adorable. There's a lot here that undercuts the tropes though, in a good way, and Ann Aguire wasn't rushing things, so there's never too much happening at once.
Read this as part of my mission to clear books from my TBR that have been there for 5 years or more, but it's a series I just might come back to.
December 19, 2021
When this book started off, I thought I was going to end up liking it much more than I did. It had a more adult, Urban Fantasy tone reminiscent of Sign of the Zodiac series. It was a little noir-ish & the dialog was a bit hard boiled but not OTT. I really thought I was going to appreciate the main character Corine, as a smart yet, conflicted for good reasons heroine. She initially seemed to know her mind well enough & could handle herself.
The premise also seemed interesting & not too fantastical.
However, that degraded & by 75% the way through the book the eye rolls began.
Aside from being predictable...
***SPOILERS BELOW***
Corine's lamenting over Chance, the ex she walked out on became tedious & immature. I felt her insecurity about him & the way he felt about her was borderline asinine b'c it was obvious the entire novel how he felt. Her lack of self-esteem pretty much permeated almost all instances.
Example; During a re-group at a colleague's home after a field skirmish, Chuch (said colleague) is complementing his wife on how hot she is but really, it's an obvious flattering tactic to keep her safe at home so she's out of harm's way. Corine's inner monologue about this?
"I probably could've taken offense that nobody thought I was so hot I'd distract the Mercs from conversation, but I decided I'd let that go. I did OK after all, Some guys dug the long hair hippie chick."
Really? She could've taken offense by what a husband was saying to his beloved wife in order to distract her to keep her safe at all costs? Come ON...baring in mind the context of the situation this was a juvenile bit of dialog to throw in there & only made me come to feel Corine is too insecure for her own good so why should I be reading an entire series about her?
Her observations about Chance & what she needed from him were highly inappropriate at most times. Let's face it, they were in a supernatural war/rescue mission & a highly dangerous one at that. Yet as Chance is formulating a plan in front of the Scooby Gang & leaves to go call an integral person to help them, Corine's self-pity hit an all time pathetic level for me.
"While Chance went to look for Booke online & Chuch checked the weapons cache, I ate a bowl of bean soup breakfast. No one came to see about me. I sighed & took my bowl to the sink. I had my wounded palm & festering zombie bite on my shoulder that needed tending to. Was it unreasonable to want Chance to put me 1st? The way he blew hot & cold compromised my chief objection of resuming our relationship. With that dance, I thought he changed, but now I stood in the kitchen with a burned hand & no help. "
Ummm...earth to Corine, your in the middle of a WAR. His mom has been kidnapped which is why you were enlisted in the 1st place & oh for fuck's sake....ASK SOMEBODY like a big girl to help you tend to your wound instead of standing there like Norman-No-Mate's waiting for someone to notice you!
The examples go on but I'll stop there.
Added to which, the woman had just pitched a fit and left Chance b'c she though he was doing someone else & so so she turned right around & kissing the formulaic 3rd in the love triangle. Hypocrite.
And on top of the redundant & inappropriate love life moaning, there was also a lot of BS about food, eating , bringing dishes to the sink, etc.. her red hair (what's the deal with that? So what she changes her hair a lot & now it's red), her bad hippie chick style (embroidered Khaki's & a enough peasant blouses to choke a gypsy) & how Chance has tiger eyes with a whipcord build. My point is that I felt it needed an editor.
The world building also needs to be fleshed out and the contradictions need to be noticed in order to stop.
For example Jesse, the 3rd in the love triangle, is an empath. Yet he had no idea that his partner was a sociopathic warlock enslaving women for God knows how long or that Corine was not guilty when he shoved her face into the ground & read her her Miranda Rights at a crime scene. He actually tells her she's lying.
Er...OK. not only does Jesse suck as the worlds worst empath, but he sucks at this "mentor" thing he supposed to be to Corine (supposedly if you find another gifted - you become their mentor - the whole thing has yet to be properly explained) & last but not least, he sucks as a potential lover.
One of these days I'm going to find a new series that I love but I'm afraid it's not looking like it's this one. I usually have a 3 book minimum rule so I'll try the 2nd but I'm not going to get my hopes up too high although I would like to. I really think it does have potential in spite of it all.
The premise also seemed interesting & not too fantastical.
However, that degraded & by 75% the way through the book the eye rolls began.
Aside from being predictable...
***SPOILERS BELOW***
Corine's lamenting over Chance, the ex she walked out on became tedious & immature. I felt her insecurity about him & the way he felt about her was borderline asinine b'c it was obvious the entire novel how he felt. Her lack of self-esteem pretty much permeated almost all instances.
Example; During a re-group at a colleague's home after a field skirmish, Chuch (said colleague) is complementing his wife on how hot she is but really, it's an obvious flattering tactic to keep her safe at home so she's out of harm's way. Corine's inner monologue about this?
"I probably could've taken offense that nobody thought I was so hot I'd distract the Mercs from conversation, but I decided I'd let that go. I did OK after all, Some guys dug the long hair hippie chick."
Really? She could've taken offense by what a husband was saying to his beloved wife in order to distract her to keep her safe at all costs? Come ON...baring in mind the context of the situation this was a juvenile bit of dialog to throw in there & only made me come to feel Corine is too insecure for her own good so why should I be reading an entire series about her?
Her observations about Chance & what she needed from him were highly inappropriate at most times. Let's face it, they were in a supernatural war/rescue mission & a highly dangerous one at that. Yet as Chance is formulating a plan in front of the Scooby Gang & leaves to go call an integral person to help them, Corine's self-pity hit an all time pathetic level for me.
"While Chance went to look for Booke online & Chuch checked the weapons cache, I ate a bowl of bean soup breakfast. No one came to see about me. I sighed & took my bowl to the sink. I had my wounded palm & festering zombie bite on my shoulder that needed tending to. Was it unreasonable to want Chance to put me 1st? The way he blew hot & cold compromised my chief objection of resuming our relationship. With that dance, I thought he changed, but now I stood in the kitchen with a burned hand & no help. "
Ummm...earth to Corine, your in the middle of a WAR. His mom has been kidnapped which is why you were enlisted in the 1st place & oh for fuck's sake....ASK SOMEBODY like a big girl to help you tend to your wound instead of standing there like Norman-No-Mate's waiting for someone to notice you!
The examples go on but I'll stop there.
Added to which, the woman had just pitched a fit and left Chance b'c she though he was doing someone else & so so she turned right around & kissing the formulaic 3rd in the love triangle. Hypocrite.
And on top of the redundant & inappropriate love life moaning, there was also a lot of BS about food, eating , bringing dishes to the sink, etc.. her red hair (what's the deal with that? So what she changes her hair a lot & now it's red), her bad hippie chick style (embroidered Khaki's & a enough peasant blouses to choke a gypsy) & how Chance has tiger eyes with a whipcord build. My point is that I felt it needed an editor.
The world building also needs to be fleshed out and the contradictions need to be noticed in order to stop.
For example Jesse, the 3rd in the love triangle, is an empath. Yet he had no idea that his partner was a sociopathic warlock enslaving women for God knows how long or that Corine was not guilty when he shoved her face into the ground & read her her Miranda Rights at a crime scene. He actually tells her she's lying.
Er...OK. not only does Jesse suck as the worlds worst empath, but he sucks at this "mentor" thing he supposed to be to Corine (supposedly if you find another gifted - you become their mentor - the whole thing has yet to be properly explained) & last but not least, he sucks as a potential lover.
One of these days I'm going to find a new series that I love but I'm afraid it's not looking like it's this one. I usually have a 3 book minimum rule so I'll try the 2nd but I'm not going to get my hopes up too high although I would like to. I really think it does have potential in spite of it all.
July 4, 2012
2.75 stars. This is hard for me to review. I like the world aguirre created. The characters were interesting. Her writing about living in Mexico and then living on the border was realistic. I enjoyed the mixture in of Mexican culture. But I wasn't engaged in the story and I was bored during the last quarter of the book. I ultimately skimmed the last 40 pages. The dynamic between Corine and Chance was intriguing at first but Corine was so darned immature about relationships and I thought she was downright mean to Chance. Additionally, Chance was not that appealing. The back and forth between Chance and Corine was very annoying. Interesting at first but with no progression in the story and the immaturity of Corrine it got old.
The heroine Corine is different than a typical heroine. Th story of her mother and background was really interesting. But the overall story was so boring and slow I do not know if I would reommend this book. I am not sure if I will keep reading the series.
For more on this series check out Badass Book Reviews
The heroine Corine is different than a typical heroine. Th story of her mother and background was really interesting. But the overall story was so boring and slow I do not know if I would reommend this book. I am not sure if I will keep reading the series.
For more on this series check out Badass Book Reviews
September 5, 2011
"Christ. What do you want from me?"
"Only what I always wanted. Everything."
Unresolved love triangle! How could I not read the next story? Especially when Chance and Saldana both are in the next book =)
This was a great start to the series. Not perfect, but it was a quick, fun read that I would recommend to anyone who loves urban fantasy.
I really enjoyed the unique world of magic that Aguirre has created and the lively characters that reside there - witches, wizards, warlocks, demons, zombies and the Gifted.
Corine is a handler. She can touch any object that holds a charge and tell where it's been, the previous owner's emotions when last holding the object, and occassionally the object's future.
Then there is Chance, the ex that Corine fled from in the middle of the night without warning.
Chance has a special talent of his own. He's luck.
"He spins the coin a hundred times and comes up tails every time."
Unfortunately, his talent comes with complications. Not for Chance, but for those close to him.
With Chance acting as a bad luck repellent, it finds purchase elsewhere and a lot of that bad luck has been directed at Corine.
As the story begins, Chance tracks her down to ask for her help in locating his mother, Min.
They work together in following the clues that Min has left behind so that they can discover who her captors are and where they have taken her. They also recruit several friends along the way, many with talents or backgrounds that prove highly beneficial toward helping them acheive their goal.
There is Saldana, a sexy cop who is also an empath. Chuch and his unlicensed private investigator wife, Eva. And an online friend named Booke who helps them out from a distance.
Corine divides her time between solving Min's disappearance, fighting her feelings for Chance and exploring her attraction toward the sexy cop, Saldana, who has agreed to become her gifted mentor.
The "will they or won't they" between Corine and Chance was laid on a little too thick at times, taking up a large majority of the story. I enjoyed the tension between the two and Chance's jealousy, but some of that time being devoted to learning more about the underground world of the gifted would have been nice too.
Overall, this was a highly entertaining read. It left me wanting more Corine, more Chance, and more Jesse Saldana.
"People never offer an open hand, and if they do, you should step back to avoid the slap."
January 12, 2011
I've been looking forward to reading this for a long time. Disappointed does not even begin to describe how I feel. Usually, I can read any UF and enjoy it, but Blue Diablo was not enjoyable at all. I see that many do not agree, but I would like to present some of the reasons I did not enjoy this book so that prospective readers have both the positive and negative viewpoints. First, the novel is largely bickering between the main character and her ex. I understand that they are exploring why their relationship went bad, and one or both parties are trying to rekindle something, but it was not enjoyable to me. The first 100 pages consist almost entirely of dialogue between the ex lovers with a few other characters thrown in occasionally. I do enjoy dialogue heavy novels, but not when the dialogue is banter between two people that already know each other, whom the reader knows nothing about. I like to find out about my characters before having to deal with their relationship issues, but that's just my personal preference. My second issue was the plot and mystery behind the novel. We are told fairly quickly that the novel is about finding the mother to Corine's ex, but the mystery solving is agonizingly slow to me. Everything unfolds in a fairly predictable manor. Corine starts by using her power to tell where an object has been to find clues to where the missing person is located. Then they follow one obvious clue to another obvious clue. Talking to one person leads to another person that is helpful. It's really too simple for me, and not enough to get me through a book with characters that I did not enjoy. Even with all of the dialogue between characters, I have to say I never got a feel for Corine. There isn't one thing that sets her apart from anyone else. I personally found her flimsy, and not likable, again that is just my opinion. I'm trying not to step on any toes with my review. I find that UF books are largely mystery, world building, and characters. If any one of those things are strong, the others do no have to be perfect for me to enjoy it. I didn't enjoy the characters in Blue Diablo, the world building and magic were not strong and were not unique, and the mystery solving was too linear for me. That, of course, is not to say that others will not enjoy this book, but I personally did not like it at all.
May 10, 2010
Really a 3.5. Solid urban fantasy. No vampires or werewolves, just lots of scary and sometimes beneficial magic. Oh, and a few zombies. 2 hot guys, one imperfect gal in over her head but doing her best, and some (too convenient but fun) friends help save the day. And a little Chihauhau named Butch who, as much as I love dogs, was just too lazy a writer's tool with his helpful abilities.
I liked that Corine is far from perfect. Like how she says or does little things as digs against her ex, or thinks about them but resists. Just like a real woman would do. I don't know what I think about her and Chance, we'll have to see in the next book. They were together for 3 years and she's learned more about him emotionally in the last week. Why the hold-up? Personally, I like Jesse, I'm more of a jeans girl than silks and linens.
I enjoyed the scenes in Mexico and later the use of the culture In the border cities. I read on the author's site that she lives in Mexico and she did a good job of conveying a bit of the street sceen there and the flavor of the community, especially in Mexico City where Corine is at the beginning of the book.
So it was a good story, nothing outstanding that everyone should immediately rush out and read, but one I'm sure most urban fantasy/romance fans would enjoy.
I liked that Corine is far from perfect. Like how she says or does little things as digs against her ex, or thinks about them but resists. Just like a real woman would do. I don't know what I think about her and Chance, we'll have to see in the next book. They were together for 3 years and she's learned more about him emotionally in the last week. Why the hold-up? Personally, I like Jesse, I'm more of a jeans girl than silks and linens.
I enjoyed the scenes in Mexico and later the use of the culture In the border cities. I read on the author's site that she lives in Mexico and she did a good job of conveying a bit of the street sceen there and the flavor of the community, especially in Mexico City where Corine is at the beginning of the book.
So it was a good story, nothing outstanding that everyone should immediately rush out and read, but one I'm sure most urban fantasy/romance fans would enjoy.
April 5, 2010
I want to write a better review of this book as I really liked it, but with school starting back up tomorrow I'm swamped. The basics is it's about a woman named Corine who has psychometry, the ability to touch an object and sense it's past and in Corine's case, sometimes it's future as well. She's been running around most of her life, but most recently she's been running away from her ex-boyfriend Chance. Chance is a mysterious man who somehow has incredible luck. They used to work together as a team helping people find lost objects or people until one job almost took Corine's life. It's been over a year since she's taken off to Mexico to build a new life for herself and she feels pretty settled in. Until one day Chance comes back asking Corine for help and she doesn't know if she can refuse.
I have yet to read anything by Ann Aguirre that hasn't sucked me in from the first few pages. Something about towards the end I felt like it was too big in a hurry to wrap everything up quickly but otherwise I loved it. It made me really want to eat Mexican food too, so be warned. I was DYING for homemade tortillas when they were mentioned in the book. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel.
I have yet to read anything by Ann Aguirre that hasn't sucked me in from the first few pages. Something about towards the end I felt like it was too big in a hurry to wrap everything up quickly but otherwise I loved it. It made me really want to eat Mexican food too, so be warned. I was DYING for homemade tortillas when they were mentioned in the book. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel.
August 6, 2009
Okay, I have to admit: I picked this book up for one reason and one reason only. The protagonist's ex was a man named Chance with strange luck. (This will only make sense to any fans of the mid-90s TV series Strange Luck. *g*)
That said, I really enjoyed it. Corine is an engaging heroine (much frumpier than the girl on the cover, which amused me) with believable fears and issues (considering the world she lives in). I liked that her gift didn't come without a price, and found the reason for that intriguing. Another great thing is that for an urban fantasy novel (at least the kind typically aimed at us girls), Chance was pretty well developed too, largely through his relationship with his missing mother, who turns out to have a past neither he nor Corine ever imagined. The supporting cast of characters was great too, to the point where I almost didn't roll my eyes at the requisite rival for Corine's affections, a local cop who happens to be an empath. Most importantly, the book left me wanting to know more about both Corine and Chance. This is good since it's the first of a series. *g*
That said, I really enjoyed it. Corine is an engaging heroine (much frumpier than the girl on the cover, which amused me) with believable fears and issues (considering the world she lives in). I liked that her gift didn't come without a price, and found the reason for that intriguing. Another great thing is that for an urban fantasy novel (at least the kind typically aimed at us girls), Chance was pretty well developed too, largely through his relationship with his missing mother, who turns out to have a past neither he nor Corine ever imagined. The supporting cast of characters was great too, to the point where I almost didn't roll my eyes at the requisite rival for Corine's affections, a local cop who happens to be an empath. Most importantly, the book left me wanting to know more about both Corine and Chance. This is good since it's the first of a series. *g*
April 25, 2011
Hmmm, I loved Ann Aguirre's Sirantha Jax series so I came to this book thinking I'd love it too. My expectations were too high. The book is good but not as good. I'm planning on reading the rest of the series, but mostly because I want to see what happens between Corine and Chance.
Corine ran away from a relationship with Chance when it felt like he didn't care how much she was hurt in using her gift and never really opened up to her during their time together. In fact, when he finds her and she goes to help her he asks her to dance which he never let her know he could do. He won't tell her his real name. When they're intimate, he's staring off at something keeping himself apart from her and she feels like he's going through the steps needed for a sexual encounter. Start here, then do this, etc. She leaves because she thinks they're not good for each other. When he finds her, he doesn't really understand what went wrong but slowly through her helping him, he starts to see. With my description I thought I would love this book, but I liked it. Hopefully book #2 is better.
Corine ran away from a relationship with Chance when it felt like he didn't care how much she was hurt in using her gift and never really opened up to her during their time together. In fact, when he finds her and she goes to help her he asks her to dance which he never let her know he could do. He won't tell her his real name. When they're intimate, he's staring off at something keeping himself apart from her and she feels like he's going through the steps needed for a sexual encounter. Start here, then do this, etc. She leaves because she thinks they're not good for each other. When he finds her, he doesn't really understand what went wrong but slowly through her helping him, he starts to see. With my description I thought I would love this book, but I liked it. Hopefully book #2 is better.
April 30, 2009
Blue Diablo is the first book in this new series about Corine Solomon who has the gift as a handler, where she touches something someone owns and will have visions about that person. Corine is an everyday average person, just like you and me. She is trying to stay under the radar because her ability is both a blessing and a curse.
Ann has this wonderful talent at writing characters you can sympathize with. Corine is one of them as a woman who is on the run from her past. She wishes to build a life where she will feel safe. Unfortunately that is not in the cards for Corine. Over a year ago she walked out on her lover Chance and ran for the hills, or rather to Mexico City where she opened a pawn shop. I find this a bit ironic seeing that these items have a past because of their owners who have sold them. Corine lives everyday on the edge waiting for someone to find her, specifically Chance, and pull her back into the life that almost killed her. Then one day Chance finds her and she knows her almost idyllic life is over.
Corine doesn’t know Chance’s real name. How’s that for trust? Chance is a bit shady. He is loan shark and does favors for people where he gets paid. He was also a type of manager for Corine where he used her and her gift at foretelling much like a circus sideshow. Corine would help find missing people, but always for a price. For awhile Corine and Chance were happy. Chance is that seductive type of guy a woman would do anything for and Corine fell for him hard. But the pressure was too much for Corine to handle. Corine is still not over Chance and he knows it. But he needs Corine to help him. His mother Min has gone missing and Chance thinks she was taken. He is worried sick and knows Corine is the only one who can help him. Because Corine likes Chance’s mother and can see Chance has a deep love for his mama, she decides to help him even though she knows Chance may try and seduce her back and into the world she left behind. Also Chance has something else up his sleeve. He is much like the devil who offers Eve the apple. He may be able to find the people who killed Corine’s mother when she was a little girl. The one thing Corine wants is revenge and Chance knows it. So with that prize dangling over her head, off she goes with Chance into the unknown.
Chance and Corine are not alone on this dangerous journey. They are surrounded by a cast of characters that will help them. They meet Jesse Saldana, the investigating officer on Min's case. Jesse also has an ability like Corine. He is an empath and wants to become Corine’s mentor. He wouldn’t mind giving Corine a hand in other ways. He finds Corine attractive and she doesn't think he shabby either. But then there is Chance who she is still not completely over. Jesse is not all that innocent either and the people he knows may have something to do with Min’s disappearance. Chance puts a great deal of trust in Jesus Maria Ortiz Obregon, nickname Chuch and his wife Eva. Chuch and Eva have a great marriage and are very protective of each other and those they care about. Chuch (who I kept wanting to call Church) is powerful in his own right. He practices with magical charms and has unlimited resources at his disposal. He uses technology and old fashioned know how to find the answers Chance and Corine need.
Corine needs all the help she can get because she and Chance are not just dealing with nasty criminals, but someone who knows how to use black magic. Min has kept secrets from her son and because of them she has placed herself in danger. Chance needs to go into the dark underbelly of Mexico where prostitution is rampant as well as those who use the supernatural for their own sick means. Chance is willing to put his life on the line for his mother and it is up to Corine to do the same for the woman who gave birth to the man she still loves but cannot be with.
Blue Diablo is so very original and refreshing. I have to give it to Ann to writing a story with a nice balance of fantasy and mystery. This is considered an Urban Fantasy and the wonderful thing with this genre is that there are so many levels to it. I believe Ann has invented a whole new type of Urban Fantasy with Blue Diablo. I am calling it now and I say this is an Urban Fantasy Noir. The atmosphere is very much like a police procedural just like the ones you watch on television such as Law and Order or CSI. Ann has touched upon something that I don’t think has been done that often.
Even though the main protagonist is Corine, Ann gives the reader a nice balance with her whole cast. This is truly an ensemble piece. Even though Blue Diablo is from Corine’s point of view, all the other important characters are given equal screen time. Every time Corine is on the page, we also see Jesse, Chance, Chuch and Eva. These people are a great team.
The tension is thick and a bit desperate but there are moments with some laughs. There is one scene where a seance will be held to contact Jesse’s dead lover. He has to bring something that the deceased owned and could only find what he think was her diaphragm. And when his dead lover is reached, her reaction to the birth control is hilarious. It is not hers! That brought out a few chuckles.
Blue Diablo has some romantic undertones but it is very subtle. There is talk of Chance and Corine’s relationship and their feelings but it is not the most important thing. Corine is attracted to both Chance and Jesse but it seems so realistic even as they are caught in the middle of this drama of Min's whereabouts. Don’t be surprised if you are up in the air between Jesse and Chance because both men have so much to offer Corine.
As for Chance, he is a slick guy who uses guilt and emotional blackmail on Corine. I found myself sympathizing with Chance because he is hurting and he does love Corine deeply. Ann had asked if I though Chance found Corine just to use her for her ability or because he loves her. I truly believe Chance loves Corine. Time and again he tells Corine his feelings for her. He tells her she is the only one for him and no other. And I don’t see him feeding her a line just because he wants her in his bed again. The reason I find Chance to be a great guy is not only because of his love for his mother, but in another scene where he has to spend the night with Corine. He wants to just sleep beside her and keeps his socks on. Why? Because he would never have sex with his socks on. From that small statement and action I knew Chance was the real deal.
Blue Diablo is a great read for both men and women alike. This is a story that will have you hooked and has a great cinematic feeling to it. Blue Diablo on the big screen? I say yes. Ann you have shown us once again what a writer with incredible talent can do.
Ann has this wonderful talent at writing characters you can sympathize with. Corine is one of them as a woman who is on the run from her past. She wishes to build a life where she will feel safe. Unfortunately that is not in the cards for Corine. Over a year ago she walked out on her lover Chance and ran for the hills, or rather to Mexico City where she opened a pawn shop. I find this a bit ironic seeing that these items have a past because of their owners who have sold them. Corine lives everyday on the edge waiting for someone to find her, specifically Chance, and pull her back into the life that almost killed her. Then one day Chance finds her and she knows her almost idyllic life is over.
Corine doesn’t know Chance’s real name. How’s that for trust? Chance is a bit shady. He is loan shark and does favors for people where he gets paid. He was also a type of manager for Corine where he used her and her gift at foretelling much like a circus sideshow. Corine would help find missing people, but always for a price. For awhile Corine and Chance were happy. Chance is that seductive type of guy a woman would do anything for and Corine fell for him hard. But the pressure was too much for Corine to handle. Corine is still not over Chance and he knows it. But he needs Corine to help him. His mother Min has gone missing and Chance thinks she was taken. He is worried sick and knows Corine is the only one who can help him. Because Corine likes Chance’s mother and can see Chance has a deep love for his mama, she decides to help him even though she knows Chance may try and seduce her back and into the world she left behind. Also Chance has something else up his sleeve. He is much like the devil who offers Eve the apple. He may be able to find the people who killed Corine’s mother when she was a little girl. The one thing Corine wants is revenge and Chance knows it. So with that prize dangling over her head, off she goes with Chance into the unknown.
Chance and Corine are not alone on this dangerous journey. They are surrounded by a cast of characters that will help them. They meet Jesse Saldana, the investigating officer on Min's case. Jesse also has an ability like Corine. He is an empath and wants to become Corine’s mentor. He wouldn’t mind giving Corine a hand in other ways. He finds Corine attractive and she doesn't think he shabby either. But then there is Chance who she is still not completely over. Jesse is not all that innocent either and the people he knows may have something to do with Min’s disappearance. Chance puts a great deal of trust in Jesus Maria Ortiz Obregon, nickname Chuch and his wife Eva. Chuch and Eva have a great marriage and are very protective of each other and those they care about. Chuch (who I kept wanting to call Church) is powerful in his own right. He practices with magical charms and has unlimited resources at his disposal. He uses technology and old fashioned know how to find the answers Chance and Corine need.
Corine needs all the help she can get because she and Chance are not just dealing with nasty criminals, but someone who knows how to use black magic. Min has kept secrets from her son and because of them she has placed herself in danger. Chance needs to go into the dark underbelly of Mexico where prostitution is rampant as well as those who use the supernatural for their own sick means. Chance is willing to put his life on the line for his mother and it is up to Corine to do the same for the woman who gave birth to the man she still loves but cannot be with.
Blue Diablo is so very original and refreshing. I have to give it to Ann to writing a story with a nice balance of fantasy and mystery. This is considered an Urban Fantasy and the wonderful thing with this genre is that there are so many levels to it. I believe Ann has invented a whole new type of Urban Fantasy with Blue Diablo. I am calling it now and I say this is an Urban Fantasy Noir. The atmosphere is very much like a police procedural just like the ones you watch on television such as Law and Order or CSI. Ann has touched upon something that I don’t think has been done that often.
Even though the main protagonist is Corine, Ann gives the reader a nice balance with her whole cast. This is truly an ensemble piece. Even though Blue Diablo is from Corine’s point of view, all the other important characters are given equal screen time. Every time Corine is on the page, we also see Jesse, Chance, Chuch and Eva. These people are a great team.
The tension is thick and a bit desperate but there are moments with some laughs. There is one scene where a seance will be held to contact Jesse’s dead lover. He has to bring something that the deceased owned and could only find what he think was her diaphragm. And when his dead lover is reached, her reaction to the birth control is hilarious. It is not hers! That brought out a few chuckles.
Blue Diablo has some romantic undertones but it is very subtle. There is talk of Chance and Corine’s relationship and their feelings but it is not the most important thing. Corine is attracted to both Chance and Jesse but it seems so realistic even as they are caught in the middle of this drama of Min's whereabouts. Don’t be surprised if you are up in the air between Jesse and Chance because both men have so much to offer Corine.
As for Chance, he is a slick guy who uses guilt and emotional blackmail on Corine. I found myself sympathizing with Chance because he is hurting and he does love Corine deeply. Ann had asked if I though Chance found Corine just to use her for her ability or because he loves her. I truly believe Chance loves Corine. Time and again he tells Corine his feelings for her. He tells her she is the only one for him and no other. And I don’t see him feeding her a line just because he wants her in his bed again. The reason I find Chance to be a great guy is not only because of his love for his mother, but in another scene where he has to spend the night with Corine. He wants to just sleep beside her and keeps his socks on. Why? Because he would never have sex with his socks on. From that small statement and action I knew Chance was the real deal.
Blue Diablo is a great read for both men and women alike. This is a story that will have you hooked and has a great cinematic feeling to it. Blue Diablo on the big screen? I say yes. Ann you have shown us once again what a writer with incredible talent can do.
March 27, 2010
Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com
BLUE DIABLO is the first book in Ann Aguirre’s Corine Solomon series. The first half of this book is absolutely amazing. I loved Corine, with her vulnerable yet tough bravado. I loved the history between Corine and her ex Chance, who was not at all your typical alpha hero (though still every inch an alpha). But most of all I loved Ann Aguirre’s writing. It was earthy and smart, full of texture. Every one of my senses was engaged. If you’ve ever been to Mexico, you’ll appreciate the authentic flavor that will absolutely convince you that you’ve spend the weekend south of the border.
The second half of the was not quite as amazing. There were a few nearly pointless scenes (the séance) where a teeny tiny piece of evidence was gleaned that could have been obtained in other (much less complicated) ways. Also a bit too much procrastination when it came to the final showdown. Corine and Chance kept visiting the same locations over and over again when one visit would have sufficed.
Don’t get me wrong, BLUE DIABLO was still an excellent book and the start of what promises to be a topnotch urban fantasy series. Chance has a line early on in the book where he says he doesn’t believe in love at first sight, but he does believe in that ‘Click. Recognition.’ That’s kind of how I feel about BLUE DIABLO. There is something here that just clicked. Maybe it wasn’t love at first site, but I think I waited all of 5 minutes before pre-ordering Hell Fire (Corine Solomon, book 2) which releases on April 6, 2010.
Sexual Content: References to sex, vague descriptions of sex, a non graphic rape scene (extremely brief), references to rape and sex trafficking.
My Rating: 4/5
BLUE DIABLO is the first book in Ann Aguirre’s Corine Solomon series. The first half of this book is absolutely amazing. I loved Corine, with her vulnerable yet tough bravado. I loved the history between Corine and her ex Chance, who was not at all your typical alpha hero (though still every inch an alpha). But most of all I loved Ann Aguirre’s writing. It was earthy and smart, full of texture. Every one of my senses was engaged. If you’ve ever been to Mexico, you’ll appreciate the authentic flavor that will absolutely convince you that you’ve spend the weekend south of the border.
The second half of the was not quite as amazing. There were a few nearly pointless scenes (the séance) where a teeny tiny piece of evidence was gleaned that could have been obtained in other (much less complicated) ways. Also a bit too much procrastination when it came to the final showdown. Corine and Chance kept visiting the same locations over and over again when one visit would have sufficed.
Don’t get me wrong, BLUE DIABLO was still an excellent book and the start of what promises to be a topnotch urban fantasy series. Chance has a line early on in the book where he says he doesn’t believe in love at first sight, but he does believe in that ‘Click. Recognition.’ That’s kind of how I feel about BLUE DIABLO. There is something here that just clicked. Maybe it wasn’t love at first site, but I think I waited all of 5 minutes before pre-ordering Hell Fire (Corine Solomon, book 2) which releases on April 6, 2010.
Sexual Content: References to sex, vague descriptions of sex, a non graphic rape scene (extremely brief), references to rape and sex trafficking.
My Rating: 4/5
January 11, 2010
This was a really strange book for me. I had bought it on the premise that the author Patricia Briggs had recommended the author and in ways I see similarities between Corine and Mercy from Briggs books.
The premise for this book is that Corine is asked by her ex-lover and manager to help find his mother who is missing. She agrees out of love for his mother, Min, as she lost her mother in a fire when she was 12 years old. Corine has been hiding out in Mexico for the last few years, since the last job she did with her ex went south. She has changed her name and her hair colour to hide from her enemies and from Chance (her ex)
Now the twist is that due to some twist of fate Corine is a reader, which means she can tell about the past of the person that owns the object or the future owner of an object. This 'gift' was a present or legacy from her mother, who naturally had this gift. Since it wasn't inhertied, corine suffers burns when ever she does a reading.
The story was a bit slow and most of it involved Chance and Corine trying to pick up the trail. There were a couple of intresting bits in, The Seance and Butch to name a couple.
Its not until about 2/3 of the way through the book do things start to pick up pace and we begin to see there is more to this than meets the eye.
Overall, I would give it 3.5 stars, but it doesn't allow for that, so I've marked it down. The character development was good, but the plot was a bit slow. There is a set up for the sequal and though I'd like to read it, I'm in ruch to go out and pre-order it.
The premise for this book is that Corine is asked by her ex-lover and manager to help find his mother who is missing. She agrees out of love for his mother, Min, as she lost her mother in a fire when she was 12 years old. Corine has been hiding out in Mexico for the last few years, since the last job she did with her ex went south. She has changed her name and her hair colour to hide from her enemies and from Chance (her ex)
Now the twist is that due to some twist of fate Corine is a reader, which means she can tell about the past of the person that owns the object or the future owner of an object. This 'gift' was a present or legacy from her mother, who naturally had this gift. Since it wasn't inhertied, corine suffers burns when ever she does a reading.
The story was a bit slow and most of it involved Chance and Corine trying to pick up the trail. There were a couple of intresting bits in, The Seance and Butch to name a couple.
Its not until about 2/3 of the way through the book do things start to pick up pace and we begin to see there is more to this than meets the eye.
Overall, I would give it 3.5 stars, but it doesn't allow for that, so I've marked it down. The character development was good, but the plot was a bit slow. There is a set up for the sequal and though I'd like to read it, I'm in ruch to go out and pre-order it.
February 2, 2011
I remember this one as being so different from what I had been reading, and was pretty easy to get into.
There is a lot of angst in this one - unresolved romantic tension, a painful psychic power, kidnapped loved ones, and so on.
As I recall, the mystery wasn't that great - the MC isn't an investigator, and there were things left unresolved.
Relationship-wise, a lot was left unresolved as well. I actually liked that in this book, because I didn't feel that the characters were all that healthy for each other. Kind of refreshing that they weren't put back together again.
There is a lot of angst in this one - unresolved romantic tension, a painful psychic power, kidnapped loved ones, and so on.
As I recall, the mystery wasn't that great - the MC isn't an investigator, and there were things left unresolved.
Relationship-wise, a lot was left unresolved as well. I actually liked that in this book, because I didn't feel that the characters were all that healthy for each other. Kind of refreshing that they weren't put back together again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2010
Maybe a 3.5.
I never really got into it. I don't know why. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen for most of the book.
Firstly, the relationship stuff.
It felt off to me. We got a lot of reminiscing / ranting, from Corine's POV, about what a cold bastard Chance used to be, and how she poured her heart and soul into their relationship the first time around. But the Chance that we, the readers, meet... is TOTALLY different. For the first 95% of the book, he's Mr. Sensitive: all puppy-dog eyes, heart on his sleeve, behaving like a kicked puppy when she treats him badly. And through that same segment, she is the cold, detatched bitch that she accuses him of being - despite the fact that the dude's ***mom has been kidnapped*** she never misses a chance to put him down, make him feel like crap, or just generally kick him in the teeth.
Two things happened towards the end of the book, and honestly, they both felt pretty ham-handled to me.
1 - Chance reveals that he was in love with a "gifted" woman before Corine, and she died. The implication is that he held himself back from Corine when they were together out of some kind of screwed up self-defense. This received all of one page of discussion, and frankly is something that he should have brought up waaaaaaaaaaaaay back when he first showed up and expressed that he wanted her back. Sort of along the lines of "I fucked up, here's why..." The way it was handled, it felt... odd. Tossed off. A minor point. When in fact, it is a MAJOR point. THE point, even.
2 - In the aftermath of Big Battle #1, and through Big Battle #2, Chance inexplicably becomes a douchebag. Okay, not exactly. But as I said, through 95% of the book he was so attentive to her, caring, affectionate, everything anyone could want. Recovering from the battle, despite her injury, he gives her not one iota of attention. And he takes off on his own during Big Battle #2. The impression we are left with is "hey, here's that douchebag we have been hearing about all book long." But WHY? It felt... utterly out of the blue, and horribly out of character for Chance. It was baffling to me.
Then we have the plot.
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't... well, it wasn't there. I mean, for 313 of the 316 pages in this book, I had no fucking idea what was going on. I am not even kidding. There was this necro warlock dude. And he kept attacking them. For the life of me, I have no idea what brought them to his attention, anyway. And also, given that in the last 3 pages of the book, when Chance's mom stands in the middle of the living room and explains the plot to us in a monologue, she says she put a spell on the bad guys so that they could never harm Chance, I don't entirely get why they were being attacked at all. But that aside. The plot went like this:
Chance's mom (Min) was kidnapped. --> While investigating, Chance and Corine are attacked by Necro Warlock Big Bad. They don't know why. --> As they continue to investigate, they keep getting attacked by the Necro Warlock Big Bad, who apparently isn't very good at his job. --> They start to wonder if Necro Warlock Big Bad may be connected to Min's kidnapping. Reader wonders WTF is going on in this book, but is fortunately too distracted by relationship drama to spare it too much attention. --> Random huge dude shows up, claiming to be God's Hand, here to smite evil. Says God sent him to help in their quest. --> The team (Corine, Chance, Hand of God) troop off to attack Necro Warlock Big Bad compound (Big Battle #1). --> They win. (Hand of God prolly made this a forgone conclusion.) --> Still no mom, however. Dead warlock appears to be involved with human trafficking. --> Because Corine fell and hit her head on a Montoya tombstone, they look into this Montoya guy. (there is a lot of mysterious, is-it-God coincidence in this book, FYI) --> the team (Hand of God in tow) hit the Montoya compound (Big Battle #2). Rescue mom. Never see Montoya. --> At home, in the last 3 pages of the book, mom tells us WTF happened.
Now, maybe I am spoiled, but... I like my story unfolding, as opposed to spoon-fed. I like to guess at who the bad guy is, or what the plan is. Midway through Big Battle #2, about ... 20 pages, maybe, from the end of the book, I realized that I had no freaking idea what was going on. Like, our characters are shooting Uzis at dudes in this Latin American compound, and I didn't really understand how we had gotten there.
And also, there was a ... psychic? Magic? Super-dog. Is it God? Dunno. And a dude I suspect may be Stephen Hawking, astral projecting in on occasion to help them out.
Seriously, WTF?
And I am more sad because I picked up the second book along with the first, at the bookstore. Now it is sitting on my shelf, giving me eyes. But I don't wanna be baffled by another book! Do. Not. Want! :(
(And for people who wonder at the 3 star rating... my scale is a little weird. I think I have to adjust it down a little. 1 star = didn't even finish it. 2 stars = why, God, did I finish this? 3 stars = Eh. I finished it, it didn't hurt too much, parts were mildly entertaining. 4 stars = woo fun! 5 stars = holy crap, everyone must read this.)
I never really got into it. I don't know why. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen for most of the book.
Firstly, the relationship stuff.
It felt off to me. We got a lot of reminiscing / ranting, from Corine's POV, about what a cold bastard Chance used to be, and how she poured her heart and soul into their relationship the first time around. But the Chance that we, the readers, meet... is TOTALLY different. For the first 95% of the book, he's Mr. Sensitive: all puppy-dog eyes, heart on his sleeve, behaving like a kicked puppy when she treats him badly. And through that same segment, she is the cold, detatched bitch that she accuses him of being - despite the fact that the dude's ***mom has been kidnapped*** she never misses a chance to put him down, make him feel like crap, or just generally kick him in the teeth.
Two things happened towards the end of the book, and honestly, they both felt pretty ham-handled to me.
1 - Chance reveals that he was in love with a "gifted" woman before Corine, and she died. The implication is that he held himself back from Corine when they were together out of some kind of screwed up self-defense. This received all of one page of discussion, and frankly is something that he should have brought up waaaaaaaaaaaaay back when he first showed up and expressed that he wanted her back. Sort of along the lines of "I fucked up, here's why..." The way it was handled, it felt... odd. Tossed off. A minor point. When in fact, it is a MAJOR point. THE point, even.
2 - In the aftermath of Big Battle #1, and through Big Battle #2, Chance inexplicably becomes a douchebag. Okay, not exactly. But as I said, through 95% of the book he was so attentive to her, caring, affectionate, everything anyone could want. Recovering from the battle, despite her injury, he gives her not one iota of attention. And he takes off on his own during Big Battle #2. The impression we are left with is "hey, here's that douchebag we have been hearing about all book long." But WHY? It felt... utterly out of the blue, and horribly out of character for Chance. It was baffling to me.
Then we have the plot.
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't... well, it wasn't there. I mean, for 313 of the 316 pages in this book, I had no fucking idea what was going on. I am not even kidding. There was this necro warlock dude. And he kept attacking them. For the life of me, I have no idea what brought them to his attention, anyway. And also, given that in the last 3 pages of the book, when Chance's mom stands in the middle of the living room and explains the plot to us in a monologue, she says she put a spell on the bad guys so that they could never harm Chance, I don't entirely get why they were being attacked at all. But that aside. The plot went like this:
Chance's mom (Min) was kidnapped. --> While investigating, Chance and Corine are attacked by Necro Warlock Big Bad. They don't know why. --> As they continue to investigate, they keep getting attacked by the Necro Warlock Big Bad, who apparently isn't very good at his job. --> They start to wonder if Necro Warlock Big Bad may be connected to Min's kidnapping. Reader wonders WTF is going on in this book, but is fortunately too distracted by relationship drama to spare it too much attention. --> Random huge dude shows up, claiming to be God's Hand, here to smite evil. Says God sent him to help in their quest. --> The team (Corine, Chance, Hand of God) troop off to attack Necro Warlock Big Bad compound (Big Battle #1). --> They win. (Hand of God prolly made this a forgone conclusion.) --> Still no mom, however. Dead warlock appears to be involved with human trafficking. --> Because Corine fell and hit her head on a Montoya tombstone, they look into this Montoya guy. (there is a lot of mysterious, is-it-God coincidence in this book, FYI) --> the team (Hand of God in tow) hit the Montoya compound (Big Battle #2). Rescue mom. Never see Montoya. --> At home, in the last 3 pages of the book, mom tells us WTF happened.
Now, maybe I am spoiled, but... I like my story unfolding, as opposed to spoon-fed. I like to guess at who the bad guy is, or what the plan is. Midway through Big Battle #2, about ... 20 pages, maybe, from the end of the book, I realized that I had no freaking idea what was going on. Like, our characters are shooting Uzis at dudes in this Latin American compound, and I didn't really understand how we had gotten there.
And also, there was a ... psychic? Magic? Super-dog. Is it God? Dunno. And a dude I suspect may be Stephen Hawking, astral projecting in on occasion to help them out.
Seriously, WTF?
And I am more sad because I picked up the second book along with the first, at the bookstore. Now it is sitting on my shelf, giving me eyes. But I don't wanna be baffled by another book! Do. Not. Want! :(
(And for people who wonder at the 3 star rating... my scale is a little weird. I think I have to adjust it down a little. 1 star = didn't even finish it. 2 stars = why, God, did I finish this? 3 stars = Eh. I finished it, it didn't hurt too much, parts were mildly entertaining. 4 stars = woo fun! 5 stars = holy crap, everyone must read this.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2009
http://janicu.livejournal.com/67296.html
Blue Diablo is the first book in a new urban fantasy series by Ann Aguirre, who also writes the lovely science fiction romance series starring Sirantha Jax.
The Premise: This series centers around Corine Solomon, who is a Handler - someone who can touch an object and recall its past. This means she's really sought after for her skills, but they have a high price for Corine, physically and in other ways. At the start of Blue Diablo Corine is in Mexico, living as an expatriate and not using her special handler talent. She's been in Mexico for about a year, after walking away from a bad relationship where she felt that her ex, Chance, did not really love her and valued her more for her talent than for herself. Unfortunately for Corine, her past doesn't stay away, and Chance shows up, asking for her help to find his mother, Yi-Min Chin, someone Corine really likes.
My Thoughts: This book right away does a couple of things that gave it high points in my book:
First of all the setting was not all in the United States, which is refreshing when I see it anywhere. Corine is living in Mexico before events mean she has to travel to Laredo, Texas, and this is reflected in her day to day life, the food, and the language. Spanish is peppered throughout the dialog, and I'm very glad that I took enough Spanish classes in my lifetime to understand it! I also enjoyed the descriptions of food (ah how I love reading about food).
The second thing was Chance, Corine's ex-boyfriend, who is a half (at least) Asian hero. I have a huge soft spot for mixed race characters!. He's a very intriguing guy - at first he seems very polished and put together, sort of distant, but I think the reader gets this through the way Corine sees him because the book is written from her first person point of view. As the story progresses Corine begins to realize he may not be the person she thought he was. He's also changed in the year that Corine was away, and there are still feelings on both sides about the other. It's a little bit painful on both their parts and ultimately I hope things work out for them, but Corine is not quick to forgive at all. They have issues to sort out. I had to agree that Corine wasn't always the most gracious character, but love is messy sometimes. On the other hand, it almost seems like Chance actually likes her more for it (Disfunctional? I can't decide. There were a one scene in particular which springs to mind).
That brings me to another aspect which I've noticed in Aguirre's work - the romances have their ups and downs and the main characters aren't perfect. They're flawed. Sometimes they do things I don't really like, but ultimately I can understand it, and I hope for them to grow. Which they do. I think Jax grows from book 1 to book 2 of her series, and I expect to see something similar with Corine.
But I probably shouldn't just focus on the Chance/Corine relationship. Really I am Team Chance, but there is another love interest involved in Blue Diablo. There is a cop named Jesse Saldana, the main investigator in the disappearance of Chance's mother who has a talent too (he's an empath). Jesse wants to become Corine's mentor, but it's clear he's also interested in more. Whether Corine can trust him is another question.
It's not just about the love triangle and the mystery of what happened to Yi-Min Chin. Corine meets some of Chance's contacts in Laredo and makes friends (who I liked), so the secondary characters were strong as well (Eva and Chuch were a really cute couple). And I particularly liked the dog! Ann hints there is a plot twist involving the dog in later books, dying to know what. There is also plenty of action going on - magical and other violence goes on. It's a bit gorey at times, but I didn't find it that dark despite that (not sure what my threshold is though. It may be high).
Overall: I liked it - an urban fantasy with an international flare. It's an action packed first book, full of flawed but likeable characters and relationships. Must read for Ann Aguirre fans, and urban fantasy lovers who want to try out a new author who haven't read this one before.
Blue Diablo is the first book in a new urban fantasy series by Ann Aguirre, who also writes the lovely science fiction romance series starring Sirantha Jax.
The Premise: This series centers around Corine Solomon, who is a Handler - someone who can touch an object and recall its past. This means she's really sought after for her skills, but they have a high price for Corine, physically and in other ways. At the start of Blue Diablo Corine is in Mexico, living as an expatriate and not using her special handler talent. She's been in Mexico for about a year, after walking away from a bad relationship where she felt that her ex, Chance, did not really love her and valued her more for her talent than for herself. Unfortunately for Corine, her past doesn't stay away, and Chance shows up, asking for her help to find his mother, Yi-Min Chin, someone Corine really likes.
My Thoughts: This book right away does a couple of things that gave it high points in my book:
First of all the setting was not all in the United States, which is refreshing when I see it anywhere. Corine is living in Mexico before events mean she has to travel to Laredo, Texas, and this is reflected in her day to day life, the food, and the language. Spanish is peppered throughout the dialog, and I'm very glad that I took enough Spanish classes in my lifetime to understand it! I also enjoyed the descriptions of food (ah how I love reading about food).
The second thing was Chance, Corine's ex-boyfriend, who is a half (at least) Asian hero. I have a huge soft spot for mixed race characters!. He's a very intriguing guy - at first he seems very polished and put together, sort of distant, but I think the reader gets this through the way Corine sees him because the book is written from her first person point of view. As the story progresses Corine begins to realize he may not be the person she thought he was. He's also changed in the year that Corine was away, and there are still feelings on both sides about the other. It's a little bit painful on both their parts and ultimately I hope things work out for them, but Corine is not quick to forgive at all. They have issues to sort out. I had to agree that Corine wasn't always the most gracious character, but love is messy sometimes. On the other hand, it almost seems like Chance actually likes her more for it (Disfunctional? I can't decide. There were a one scene in particular which springs to mind).
That brings me to another aspect which I've noticed in Aguirre's work - the romances have their ups and downs and the main characters aren't perfect. They're flawed. Sometimes they do things I don't really like, but ultimately I can understand it, and I hope for them to grow. Which they do. I think Jax grows from book 1 to book 2 of her series, and I expect to see something similar with Corine.
But I probably shouldn't just focus on the Chance/Corine relationship. Really I am Team Chance, but there is another love interest involved in Blue Diablo. There is a cop named Jesse Saldana, the main investigator in the disappearance of Chance's mother who has a talent too (he's an empath). Jesse wants to become Corine's mentor, but it's clear he's also interested in more. Whether Corine can trust him is another question.
It's not just about the love triangle and the mystery of what happened to Yi-Min Chin. Corine meets some of Chance's contacts in Laredo and makes friends (who I liked), so the secondary characters were strong as well (Eva and Chuch were a really cute couple). And I particularly liked the dog! Ann hints there is a plot twist involving the dog in later books, dying to know what. There is also plenty of action going on - magical and other violence goes on. It's a bit gorey at times, but I didn't find it that dark despite that (not sure what my threshold is though. It may be high).
Overall: I liked it - an urban fantasy with an international flare. It's an action packed first book, full of flawed but likeable characters and relationships. Must read for Ann Aguirre fans, and urban fantasy lovers who want to try out a new author who haven't read this one before.
March 20, 2009
Please note: this review is based on an ARC I received; the book itself is due out April 7.
If you haven't read anything by Ann Aguirre yet, what are you waiting for? Blue Diablo is a refreshingly new entry in the urban fantasy genre, featuring a sassy protagonist who is haunted by her past. Corine Solomon is a handler, who can read the history of an object by touch alone. Her ability was given to her by her mother as she died in a fire; consequently, every time Corine uses the ability she experiences extreme pain and burn scars. Formerly Corine used this ability in partnership with her lover Chance to locate missing persons, but when their last case went horribly wrong, Corine fled the country and opened her own antique store in Mexico City. But when Chance's mother goes missing, Corine agrees to use her abilities to help find her, and she finds that chapter of her past hasn't quite closed yet.
I really loved this book, and Corine in particular. She's sassy and a survivor, but she's not the stereotypical kickass hard-bodied heroine you usually find in urban fantasy. She's short, dresses in bohemian chic, and likes to eat; she could be me or one of my girlfriends, except for her ability and the tragedy of her past. To me, she seemed quite real, as did her relationship with Chance; these are people who knew each other deeply in the past, but are uncertain how to relate to one another in the present. There's chemistry there all right, but Corine is uncertain whether she wants to go down that road again.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this book is how real Corine's world felt. Aguirre is herself an ex-pat living in Mexico, which no doubt helped in portraying Corine's life in Mexico City. What really impressed me, however, was how the supernatural details were intricately woven with the details of daily life. It was really easy to believe in the magic that powers Corine's world because there are a lot of people who do believe in it; among the magically skilled are curanderas and practitioners of wicca and voodoo, who are credited with such abilities in the world outside the novel as well. I like urban fantasies with winged fay and gargoyles, but it's also a nice change to read something that doesn't stretch my credibility too far. Highly recommended, for its appealing characters, fast-paced plot, and authentic magical world.
If you haven't read anything by Ann Aguirre yet, what are you waiting for? Blue Diablo is a refreshingly new entry in the urban fantasy genre, featuring a sassy protagonist who is haunted by her past. Corine Solomon is a handler, who can read the history of an object by touch alone. Her ability was given to her by her mother as she died in a fire; consequently, every time Corine uses the ability she experiences extreme pain and burn scars. Formerly Corine used this ability in partnership with her lover Chance to locate missing persons, but when their last case went horribly wrong, Corine fled the country and opened her own antique store in Mexico City. But when Chance's mother goes missing, Corine agrees to use her abilities to help find her, and she finds that chapter of her past hasn't quite closed yet.
I really loved this book, and Corine in particular. She's sassy and a survivor, but she's not the stereotypical kickass hard-bodied heroine you usually find in urban fantasy. She's short, dresses in bohemian chic, and likes to eat; she could be me or one of my girlfriends, except for her ability and the tragedy of her past. To me, she seemed quite real, as did her relationship with Chance; these are people who knew each other deeply in the past, but are uncertain how to relate to one another in the present. There's chemistry there all right, but Corine is uncertain whether she wants to go down that road again.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this book is how real Corine's world felt. Aguirre is herself an ex-pat living in Mexico, which no doubt helped in portraying Corine's life in Mexico City. What really impressed me, however, was how the supernatural details were intricately woven with the details of daily life. It was really easy to believe in the magic that powers Corine's world because there are a lot of people who do believe in it; among the magically skilled are curanderas and practitioners of wicca and voodoo, who are credited with such abilities in the world outside the novel as well. I like urban fantasies with winged fay and gargoyles, but it's also a nice change to read something that doesn't stretch my credibility too far. Highly recommended, for its appealing characters, fast-paced plot, and authentic magical world.
January 29, 2010
Alright... I don't know what to say about this book, and I don't know really how to rate it. I enjoyed parts of it, and others were just grating on my nerves.
I thought that Corrine was an interesting character, with a very cool ability. It was something that isn't portrayed much in other books, and Chance's character also was really unique. I was excited to read this one because it's different from the vamp, were etc.. that currently dominate the pnr/uf market. I liked the relationship between Corrine and Jesse, they provided some relief to the otherwise monotonous relationship of Corrine and Chance.
Frankly, other than Chance's abilities which I thought were intriguing, he was really a scumbucket of a person. I didn't like him. I thought he was selfish and just overall he was irritating. I got so tired of the back and fort between Chance and Corrine. Get over it!! Accept that the relationship is over, or don't. Stop going back and forth like it's life or death. Jeeze.
I don't think I'll bother with any sort of sequel, I liked the book to read it once, but not enough to read it again. And I really didn't like Chance lol.
I thought that Corrine was an interesting character, with a very cool ability. It was something that isn't portrayed much in other books, and Chance's character also was really unique. I was excited to read this one because it's different from the vamp, were etc.. that currently dominate the pnr/uf market. I liked the relationship between Corrine and Jesse, they provided some relief to the otherwise monotonous relationship of Corrine and Chance.
Frankly, other than Chance's abilities which I thought were intriguing, he was really a scumbucket of a person. I didn't like him. I thought he was selfish and just overall he was irritating. I got so tired of the back and fort between Chance and Corrine. Get over it!! Accept that the relationship is over, or don't. Stop going back and forth like it's life or death. Jeeze.
I don't think I'll bother with any sort of sequel, I liked the book to read it once, but not enough to read it again. And I really didn't like Chance lol.
October 14, 2010
I've enjoyed Ann Aguirre's Sirantha Jax series and her Ava Grey Skin series for differring reasons. So I went into this wanting to love Blue Diablo, but it's not quite there for me. I didn't really feel the attraction between the main characters. It's all on paper, but not making the connection for me. I did like the concept. Corine's powers and how she received them are interesting as well as other's paranormal abilities mentioned. The first 2/3 just felt slow. The introduction of a character in the last 1/4 really picked things up and the action sped towards a quick finale. I'll probably add the next book in the series to my TBR, but it won't go to the top of the list.
Read
April 3, 2012I love Anne's Sirantha Jax books, but this one just can't keep my attention. Though I enjoyed some of her descriptions of Mexico, the two characters at the core of the story are not doing it for me. Also, I just can't get into her style of writing for this one. I'll wait for the next Jax or Razorworld book.
June 18, 2009
If you're looking for an urban fantasy with a sympathetic heroine, a hot hero, cool abilities, some magic, and a demon or two, then this is the book for you. Not a vampire or werewolf in sight.
Great premise, great writing. Damn, the sequel can't get here fast enough.
Great premise, great writing. Damn, the sequel can't get here fast enough.
February 2, 2011
I'd give it 2.5. It's a decent enough read, but the angst between the two main characters is petty and somewhat contrived in places. Overall it's a decent enough read to give the series a try if you like Urban Fantasy.
October 16, 2017
Basic plot-Chance comes to his ex-gifrlfriend Corine to ask if she will use her talent as a handler to help him find out what happened to his missing mom. She agrees in return for him using his talent of luck to find out what really happened to her mom years ago. What follows are demons, a villainous necromatic warlock, an angel of justice (not sure what else to call Kel), and a whole host of side characters to pull the plot along.
Corine Solomon has the curse of psychometry. She can “see” things by touching an object. I would say she’s a loner. She lost her mother in a terrible fire, bounced in and out of foster homes, and doesn’t do long term relationships. While I can understand her reticent, it was that hot and cold attitude to Chance, her last relationship, that drove me bonkers!
Chance has the gift of luck. He can focus his talent and good things happen for him..but not so much for those closest to him. He’s charming and appears to be an open book, but he tend to keep his innermost thoughts to himself. Getting to know Corine, I can’t blame the guy, but it turns out his reluctance goes further into his past.
If you’re looking for romance, it’s a side dish, not the main course here. Chance and Corine have a connection, but Corine is so bottled up emotionally that there isn’t going to be a repeat relationship anytime soon. Corine left Chance over a year ago and although Chance says he’s never forgotten her, his actions imply otherwise to Corine. On her part, Corine responds childishly with her wishy-washy attitude to him, and it literally goes on and on. (I’m hoping Corine matures soon, because I really, really, didn’t like a lot about her character.)
Blue Diablo is urban fantasy with some romantic elements. I started this book hoping it would pull me in from the start. There’s a lot of threads to follow, some made sense and others not so much, but the ending made the story worthwhile. While I didn’t really like Corine (and that could change with future books) I loved the secondary cast! Chuch the mechanic, with a few surprises under his belt and his wife Eva, a not quite licensed PI with a sassy personality. Butch the Chihuahua, who’s sense of communication had me cracking up! Booke, the Englishman who never sleeps and is a guru for magic. And then Jesse Saldana, a cop with a gift of empathy, a strong duty for justice, and who also has the hots for Corine. I hope to see more of them in future entries. While I wasn’t completely vested until the last 1/4 of the story, the ending was intriguing enough to make me pick up the next book.
Corine Solomon has the curse of psychometry. She can “see” things by touching an object. I would say she’s a loner. She lost her mother in a terrible fire, bounced in and out of foster homes, and doesn’t do long term relationships. While I can understand her reticent, it was that hot and cold attitude to Chance, her last relationship, that drove me bonkers!
Chance has the gift of luck. He can focus his talent and good things happen for him..but not so much for those closest to him. He’s charming and appears to be an open book, but he tend to keep his innermost thoughts to himself. Getting to know Corine, I can’t blame the guy, but it turns out his reluctance goes further into his past.
If you’re looking for romance, it’s a side dish, not the main course here. Chance and Corine have a connection, but Corine is so bottled up emotionally that there isn’t going to be a repeat relationship anytime soon. Corine left Chance over a year ago and although Chance says he’s never forgotten her, his actions imply otherwise to Corine. On her part, Corine responds childishly with her wishy-washy attitude to him, and it literally goes on and on. (I’m hoping Corine matures soon, because I really, really, didn’t like a lot about her character.)
Blue Diablo is urban fantasy with some romantic elements. I started this book hoping it would pull me in from the start. There’s a lot of threads to follow, some made sense and others not so much, but the ending made the story worthwhile. While I didn’t really like Corine (and that could change with future books) I loved the secondary cast! Chuch the mechanic, with a few surprises under his belt and his wife Eva, a not quite licensed PI with a sassy personality. Butch the Chihuahua, who’s sense of communication had me cracking up! Booke, the Englishman who never sleeps and is a guru for magic. And then Jesse Saldana, a cop with a gift of empathy, a strong duty for justice, and who also has the hots for Corine. I hope to see more of them in future entries. While I wasn’t completely vested until the last 1/4 of the story, the ending was intriguing enough to make me pick up the next book.
June 4, 2020
Plot: Psychometric woman's ex hunts her down to help him find his missing mother.
1. I'd just like to take time to note how much I love this cover. Normally pretty girl in non-covering clothing on urban fantasy novel does nothing for me at best. At worst they really piss me off. But the woman on this cover, for all that her midriff is bared, is clearly in control of the situation and absolutely waiting for you to make her day. I love it. All the more because the later books' covers look like they do the same old boob/butt-posing thingy I have a problem with in the first place.
2. The biggest problem I had with this book was the love triangle, and even that wasn't as much of a problem as usual because I was clearly on Team Chance. The triangles are at their most annoying when I give zero fucks about all characters and in this case about 90% of my irritation was focused on the Cowboy Empath and that made things more bearable.
3. Apart from that, it was pretty good. The other two triangle spokes got some of the heat from the romance subplot, sure. But at the end of the day the conflict was compelling, the antagonists were competent, the protagonists and their allies were smart and the side characters wormed their way into my affections.
4. I do think the story lost a little steam in the last third (fourth?) of the book or so, where we had more action and less Investigation. That could just be my personal preferences taking over my feelings, though.
1. I'd just like to take time to note how much I love this cover. Normally pretty girl in non-covering clothing on urban fantasy novel does nothing for me at best. At worst they really piss me off. But the woman on this cover, for all that her midriff is bared, is clearly in control of the situation and absolutely waiting for you to make her day. I love it. All the more because the later books' covers look like they do the same old boob/butt-posing thingy I have a problem with in the first place.
2. The biggest problem I had with this book was the love triangle, and even that wasn't as much of a problem as usual because I was clearly on Team Chance. The triangles are at their most annoying when I give zero fucks about all characters and in this case about 90% of my irritation was focused on the Cowboy Empath and that made things more bearable.
3. Apart from that, it was pretty good. The other two triangle spokes got some of the heat from the romance subplot, sure. But at the end of the day the conflict was compelling, the antagonists were competent, the protagonists and their allies were smart and the side characters wormed their way into my affections.
4. I do think the story lost a little steam in the last third (fourth?) of the book or so, where we had more action and less Investigation. That could just be my personal preferences taking over my feelings, though.
September 7, 2020
Ann Aguirre had been on my radar a while. I read her contemporary romance series and enjoyed it. I love urban fantasy, for which she's more known, but I'm picky about it. Even the Patricia Briggs' endorsement on the cover didn't persuade me enough to jump in quickly. Thanks for the pandemic causing me to run through my TBR list at breakneck speed, this one finally needed to be read.
Verdict? This one suffers from first book of a series syndrome. It's a well known first book complication where an author competes all the world building information with the plot. We get a little plot, then an information break to fully explain what is going on in the world, then some more plot, then some more world building. It works, except when it doesn't (i.e. big breaks in the action for extended explanations - sort of like commercial breaks just as a big thing is about to happen on a show). I love the overall story. Corine Solomon owns a store in Mexico, living there illegally while on the run from we don't fully know who. She has touch abilities - the ability to see the past and future of an object when she holds it. When her ex-boyfriend shows up wanting her help to find his missing mother, she agrees, setting them on a course with cartels, other people with abilities, human traffickers, and a strange man sent by God (maybe?). I wanted to love it. Yet, the plot gets lost in the world building, and the world building gets lost in the plot, and then some things happen that just needed more development (hopeful for future books in the series). Just like the first Kate Daniels book by Ilona Andrews was mostly meh but turned into one of the best urban fantasy series I've ever read and an auto-read author, I have hopes for this series. I'll definitely read the next 2.
Verdict? This one suffers from first book of a series syndrome. It's a well known first book complication where an author competes all the world building information with the plot. We get a little plot, then an information break to fully explain what is going on in the world, then some more plot, then some more world building. It works, except when it doesn't (i.e. big breaks in the action for extended explanations - sort of like commercial breaks just as a big thing is about to happen on a show). I love the overall story. Corine Solomon owns a store in Mexico, living there illegally while on the run from we don't fully know who. She has touch abilities - the ability to see the past and future of an object when she holds it. When her ex-boyfriend shows up wanting her help to find his missing mother, she agrees, setting them on a course with cartels, other people with abilities, human traffickers, and a strange man sent by God (maybe?). I wanted to love it. Yet, the plot gets lost in the world building, and the world building gets lost in the plot, and then some things happen that just needed more development (hopeful for future books in the series). Just like the first Kate Daniels book by Ilona Andrews was mostly meh but turned into one of the best urban fantasy series I've ever read and an auto-read author, I have hopes for this series. I'll definitely read the next 2.
December 9, 2011
First in the Corine Solomon urban fantasy series revolving around Corine, a handler of objects, and the new life she may be making in Laredo.
My Take
This was good! A completely different take on the paranormal emphasizing some unexpected Gifts: handling objects to learn their history and Luck. Aguirre creates a sense of everyone out for themselves at the start and as the story progresses, the truth of the main characters' intentions emerges creating the promise of a very interesting series. In this installment, Corine and Chance uncover a smuggling business that supplies la zona among others in Laredo.
Aguirre does a good job of creating a back story and incorporating it into the story without me feeling as though the information is being dumped on me like an encyclopedia while creating a pleasurable tension at the same time; we're simply continuing on with the characters' lives.
I also enjoyed Aguirre's ability to retain the suspense with Corine's reply to Chance's question about their relationship at the end… I'm anxious to read the next in the series, Hellfire , to discover if Chuch and Eva will continue to be a part of Corine and Chance's lives.
Poor Jesse. Aguirre has this guy bouncing back and forth, torn between his responsibilities as a cop and his knowledge of other. I'm curious as to how he will fit in as well.
The Story
Life is good here in Mexico where Corine has set herself up in her pawnshop business, Casa de Empeño. She's always worked retail. Part of her Gift enables her to convince anyone to buy something and she's making an okay living here. With luck, no one from her past will ever appear and she will have peace from the hurt.
Until Chance shows up. With a need for her help that she cannot withstand. Against her will, fighting against her desire for Chance, Corine goes with him. For she too loves Yi Min-chin. Min was kidnapped in Laredo and Jesse Saladan, the detective in charge of her case, has some unexpected revelations for Corine. He is other as well with a wellspring of information and contacts. Jesse is also interested in Corine for more personal reasons.
Corine can't resist the opportunity to pay back Chance for his coldness when they were together and to use Jesse as a way to prevent restarting her relationship with Chance. A very careful dance between Jesse's interest and Chance's jealousy. And an interest that gets tested with the increased activity that surrounds Corine: attacks, bombings, and executions all have Jesse torn between his duty and his knowledge.
For Corine and Chance uncover a major smuggling operation using a powerful sorcerer.
The Characters
Corine Solomon is a handler. When she touches an object, it's history unveils itself in her mind but at a terrible physical cost. The cost is because her Gift is not one with which she was born. Instead, the Gift came to her when her mother, Cherie Solomon, performed a spell transferring her own magic to her daughter when a Kilmer, Georgia mob came to burn them to death. Her mother gave her life to save Corine.
Chance is luck itself. He focuses his Gift to the best possible outcome of whatever it is he desires, using it to help people although he is not averse to making money off it. This last is what finally pushes Corine to run from him. That last job. The luck favors Chance but not the people with him. His mother, Yi Min-chin, is a licensed homeopathic practitioner who loves Corine.
Señor Alvarez does the buying for Corine's shop and steps in to watch over things when she has to leave for a day or more.
Jesse Saldana is the detective in charge of Yi Min-chin's case in Laredo; Nathan Moon is his querulous partner. Jesse also has a Gift and he introduces her to the underground for people like them: Jeannie is the bartender at the Twilight in San Antonio and her husband, Bucky, has already warned Jesse away from her; Twila has a Gift of Sight and can see threads of fate, she always requires payment; and, Maris is the woman to see about discovering who can create powerful sendings. Butch is the orphaned chihuahua that Corine takes in. A good thing too since Butch is quite knowledgable about his owner's assassins and communicates well.
Jesus Maria "Chuch" Ortiz Obregón is a mechanic now; in a previous life, he ran guns. And he's totally aware of the magic side of life. A good man to have at your back. His wife is Eva with a gift for forgery and an unlicensed private investigator who thinks well on her feet.
Ian Booke is an Internet friend of Chuch's who lives in Stoke, England. His expertise is in hermetic magic and he takes this opportunity to try out astral projection; damned useful for scouting out locations ahead of time. There's a mystery attached to our Ian...
Clayton Mann believed no one should get to tell him no if he wanted to rape a woman and Kel Ferguson is a killer for Jesus, a.k.a., God's Hand; both are locked up through Corine and Chance's actions. Both are threats to the two of them should they ever escape.
The Cover
It's a red-haired Corine leaning up against the bar in a white cotton blouse tied to bare her midriff wearing faded blue jeans and an elaborate belt and buckle with her favorite Blue Diablo drink.
My Take
This was good! A completely different take on the paranormal emphasizing some unexpected Gifts: handling objects to learn their history and Luck. Aguirre creates a sense of everyone out for themselves at the start and as the story progresses, the truth of the main characters' intentions emerges creating the promise of a very interesting series. In this installment, Corine and Chance uncover a smuggling business that supplies la zona among others in Laredo.
Aguirre does a good job of creating a back story and incorporating it into the story without me feeling as though the information is being dumped on me like an encyclopedia while creating a pleasurable tension at the same time; we're simply continuing on with the characters' lives.
I also enjoyed Aguirre's ability to retain the suspense with Corine's reply to Chance's question about their relationship at the end… I'm anxious to read the next in the series, Hellfire , to discover if Chuch and Eva will continue to be a part of Corine and Chance's lives.
Poor Jesse. Aguirre has this guy bouncing back and forth, torn between his responsibilities as a cop and his knowledge of other. I'm curious as to how he will fit in as well.
The Story
Life is good here in Mexico where Corine has set herself up in her pawnshop business, Casa de Empeño. She's always worked retail. Part of her Gift enables her to convince anyone to buy something and she's making an okay living here. With luck, no one from her past will ever appear and she will have peace from the hurt.
Until Chance shows up. With a need for her help that she cannot withstand. Against her will, fighting against her desire for Chance, Corine goes with him. For she too loves Yi Min-chin. Min was kidnapped in Laredo and Jesse Saladan, the detective in charge of her case, has some unexpected revelations for Corine. He is other as well with a wellspring of information and contacts. Jesse is also interested in Corine for more personal reasons.
Corine can't resist the opportunity to pay back Chance for his coldness when they were together and to use Jesse as a way to prevent restarting her relationship with Chance. A very careful dance between Jesse's interest and Chance's jealousy. And an interest that gets tested with the increased activity that surrounds Corine: attacks, bombings, and executions all have Jesse torn between his duty and his knowledge.
For Corine and Chance uncover a major smuggling operation using a powerful sorcerer.
The Characters
Corine Solomon is a handler. When she touches an object, it's history unveils itself in her mind but at a terrible physical cost. The cost is because her Gift is not one with which she was born. Instead, the Gift came to her when her mother, Cherie Solomon, performed a spell transferring her own magic to her daughter when a Kilmer, Georgia mob came to burn them to death. Her mother gave her life to save Corine.
Chance is luck itself. He focuses his Gift to the best possible outcome of whatever it is he desires, using it to help people although he is not averse to making money off it. This last is what finally pushes Corine to run from him. That last job. The luck favors Chance but not the people with him. His mother, Yi Min-chin, is a licensed homeopathic practitioner who loves Corine.
Señor Alvarez does the buying for Corine's shop and steps in to watch over things when she has to leave for a day or more.
Jesse Saldana is the detective in charge of Yi Min-chin's case in Laredo; Nathan Moon is his querulous partner. Jesse also has a Gift and he introduces her to the underground for people like them: Jeannie is the bartender at the Twilight in San Antonio and her husband, Bucky, has already warned Jesse away from her; Twila has a Gift of Sight and can see threads of fate, she always requires payment; and, Maris is the woman to see about discovering who can create powerful sendings. Butch is the orphaned chihuahua that Corine takes in. A good thing too since Butch is quite knowledgable about his owner's assassins and communicates well.
Jesus Maria "Chuch" Ortiz Obregón is a mechanic now; in a previous life, he ran guns. And he's totally aware of the magic side of life. A good man to have at your back. His wife is Eva with a gift for forgery and an unlicensed private investigator who thinks well on her feet.
Ian Booke is an Internet friend of Chuch's who lives in Stoke, England. His expertise is in hermetic magic and he takes this opportunity to try out astral projection; damned useful for scouting out locations ahead of time. There's a mystery attached to our Ian...
Clayton Mann believed no one should get to tell him no if he wanted to rape a woman and Kel Ferguson is a killer for Jesus, a.k.a., God's Hand; both are locked up through Corine and Chance's actions. Both are threats to the two of them should they ever escape.
The Cover
It's a red-haired Corine leaning up against the bar in a white cotton blouse tied to bare her midriff wearing faded blue jeans and an elaborate belt and buckle with her favorite Blue Diablo drink.
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