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Signs of the Zodiac #4
City of Souls
The Fourth Sign of the Zodiac
Joanna Archer, Agent of Light, has survived a violent initiation into the paranormal world lurking behind the seedy seams of Las Vegas. She’s found a home, friends, and even the chance for a new life and love.
But evil never rests, and to save her beloved city, and herself, Joanna must venture into a new world hidden among the shadows, one where the line between good and evil is barely visible, every agent is a rogue … and each breath could be her last.
Joanna Archer, Agent of Light, has survived a violent initiation into the paranormal world lurking behind the seedy seams of Las Vegas. She’s found a home, friends, and even the chance for a new life and love.
But evil never rests, and to save her beloved city, and herself, Joanna must venture into a new world hidden among the shadows, one where the line between good and evil is barely visible, every agent is a rogue … and each breath could be her last.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 22, 2009
34 people are currently reading
1699 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Pettersson
30 books1,301 followersVicki Pettersson is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of ten novels, most set in her hometown of Las Vegas. Though she'll ever consider that glittering dustbowl home, she now divides her time between Vegas and Dallas,Texas, where she's learning to like good Tex-Mex (easy) and the Dallas Cowboys (easier than you'd think).
Her most recent release is SWERVE, aptly titled as it's both a chase book and a hard departure from her fantasy work. A pure adrenaline, white-knucked thriller, Swerve releases on July 7, 2015 -- perfect for the novel's Fourth of July setting. If you're looking for a romance with little to no violence ... this is not your novel. If, as with her other work, you're looking for a strong female protagonist who comes out swinging when pushed into a corner, then perhaps you can connect. Welcome!
Her most recent release is SWERVE, aptly titled as it's both a chase book and a hard departure from her fantasy work. A pure adrenaline, white-knucked thriller, Swerve releases on July 7, 2015 -- perfect for the novel's Fourth of July setting. If you're looking for a romance with little to no violence ... this is not your novel. If, as with her other work, you're looking for a strong female protagonist who comes out swinging when pushed into a corner, then perhaps you can connect. Welcome!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
September 6, 2009
I never knew a series this bad actually had a shark left to jump.
Really. Charlain Harris' quote on the front, to "Read this book at your own risk," was all too relevant.
The first book was bad, but fun enough to try the second. The next two tried to get better. This one has about 15 pages of story, 10 pages of plot, and 400 pages of bad, grade-school-level writing crammed into 350 pages of schlock.
The overall plot here is the same as the last three books: is Joanna Archer ever going to realize that the man who leads her super-hero troop is a cold, heartless bastard who considers himself so superior to everyone else that he can ruin their lives to prove that he's somehow morally pure? The answer is the same, as well: No. We follow Jo trying to fix the consequences of her actions in the last book--actions which are always described as her mistakes, without challenge--and gloss over her team leader's decisions to destroy, humiliate, and otherwise dehumanize people for the betterment of... well... people. You know, the pain of the many outweighs the pain of the one, as long as he doesn't have to admit to being wrong.
But this book finally explains it: it's because he's a man. This book delves into the inherent, genetic, inalienable difference between how men--driven by vice, strength, and greed--are different from women, who are subtle (unlike Warren, who has spent three books running rings around everyone else), manipulative, and inherently morally superior, as well as being able to cloud men's minds (but not the other way around, except for how we'll read for pages about Jo's breath being taken away if she gets a glimpse of Hunter).
It's bad writing, cliches (and goes on for pages about how bad cliches are, amusingly), sexism, and huge neon signs pointing to the sudden revelations even beginnings readers will see coming. Around page 300 we finally get the payoff to the big secret readers should have predicted in the last book.
Sadly, this one is a series killer. Don't bother with it. Remember the schlock of the previous books and let those be a high point.
--------------------------------
Wrote this before the book was released:
--------------------------------
Book isn't out yet, so here's a game to play with it:
Take the cover blurb. You know, "In Sin City, a little girl suffers..."
1. Join the first two sentences with a semicolon: "In Sin City, a little girl suffers from a strange and terrible malady; if she dies, the Light will die along with her."
2. Remove the "But" from the last sentence: "Joanna's price of admission is a piece of her own soul—and the odds of her escaping are slim . . . to none."
3. Randomize the sequence of the sentences and re-read.
For example:
Warrior, avenger, Joanna Archer has survived countless otherworldly terrors—and has found her rightful place among the agents battling the all-pervasive evil of Shadow . . . even as she struggles against the darkness within herself. A war is raging for Las Vegas—a city without a heart—one that catapults Joanna into a new world hidden from mortal sight. In Sin City, a little girl suffers from a strange and terrible malady; if she dies, the Light will die along with her. Joanna's price of admission is a piece of her own soul—and the odds of her escaping are slim . . . to none. In this lethally seductive alternate dimension the lines blur between good and evil, love and hate, and here lies the last hope for the Light.
4. (Extra credit) Ask yourself if sentences in a paragraph should ever have no relationship discernible to one another.
.
Really. Charlain Harris' quote on the front, to "Read this book at your own risk," was all too relevant.
The first book was bad, but fun enough to try the second. The next two tried to get better. This one has about 15 pages of story, 10 pages of plot, and 400 pages of bad, grade-school-level writing crammed into 350 pages of schlock.
The overall plot here is the same as the last three books: is Joanna Archer ever going to realize that the man who leads her super-hero troop is a cold, heartless bastard who considers himself so superior to everyone else that he can ruin their lives to prove that he's somehow morally pure? The answer is the same, as well: No. We follow Jo trying to fix the consequences of her actions in the last book--actions which are always described as her mistakes, without challenge--and gloss over her team leader's decisions to destroy, humiliate, and otherwise dehumanize people for the betterment of... well... people. You know, the pain of the many outweighs the pain of the one, as long as he doesn't have to admit to being wrong.
But this book finally explains it: it's because he's a man. This book delves into the inherent, genetic, inalienable difference between how men--driven by vice, strength, and greed--are different from women, who are subtle (unlike Warren, who has spent three books running rings around everyone else), manipulative, and inherently morally superior, as well as being able to cloud men's minds (but not the other way around, except for how we'll read for pages about Jo's breath being taken away if she gets a glimpse of Hunter).
It's bad writing, cliches (and goes on for pages about how bad cliches are, amusingly), sexism, and huge neon signs pointing to the sudden revelations even beginnings readers will see coming. Around page 300 we finally get the payoff to the big secret readers should have predicted in the last book.
Sadly, this one is a series killer. Don't bother with it. Remember the schlock of the previous books and let those be a high point.
--------------------------------
Wrote this before the book was released:
--------------------------------
Book isn't out yet, so here's a game to play with it:
Take the cover blurb. You know, "In Sin City, a little girl suffers..."
1. Join the first two sentences with a semicolon: "In Sin City, a little girl suffers from a strange and terrible malady; if she dies, the Light will die along with her."
2. Remove the "But" from the last sentence: "Joanna's price of admission is a piece of her own soul—and the odds of her escaping are slim . . . to none."
3. Randomize the sequence of the sentences and re-read.
For example:
Warrior, avenger, Joanna Archer has survived countless otherworldly terrors—and has found her rightful place among the agents battling the all-pervasive evil of Shadow . . . even as she struggles against the darkness within herself. A war is raging for Las Vegas—a city without a heart—one that catapults Joanna into a new world hidden from mortal sight. In Sin City, a little girl suffers from a strange and terrible malady; if she dies, the Light will die along with her. Joanna's price of admission is a piece of her own soul—and the odds of her escaping are slim . . . to none. In this lethally seductive alternate dimension the lines blur between good and evil, love and hate, and here lies the last hope for the Light.
4. (Extra credit) Ask yourself if sentences in a paragraph should ever have no relationship discernible to one another.
.
July 8, 2009
I'd really been looking forward to this book, so I was extremely disappointed that I disliked it. To be fair, I liked most of the book, but for me things really fell apart in the last 40-50 pages.
When we pick up with our heroine, the comic books for light are still not being written because Jolivia mixed her chi with one of the kids from the comic shop. This poses and increasingly significant problem. The light isn't necessarily getting weaker, but the shadows are definitely getting stronger, to the point where places that had historically been safe zones for both sides are no longer safe for the light because the shadows can use their conduits while the light cannot.
This change in the rules is only discovered after one of the light is kidnapped and gruesomely tortured. The shadows agree to meet in what should have been a safe place for the light (ostensibly to trade Jolivia for the captured Vanessa).
The only way to restore the light's power is to get the comic books to start appearing again and the only way to do that is to restore the balance between Jolivia and the girl from the store. Jolivia already knows of one way to restore the balance -- kill the girl. The only person who might have a non-lethal solution is the man who caused the same thing to happen years before: Jaden Jacks. Unfortunately, no one knows where he is.
Meanwhile, the Tulpa and Skamar have been having it out in massive fights that has released an enormous amount of power into the sky above Vegas. Power they both want to harness but can't. Of course, power has to go somewhere and the more that collects in the atmosphere the more dangerous it becomes.
Warren points Jolivia in the direction of the semi-mythical Midheaven and off our heroine goes.
Midheaven itself is pretty cool. It's set up like an old west saloon. All the men are downstairs in a sweltering heat. In order to gain information about Jaden Jacks, Jolivia has to agree to play poker. Only after she agrees does she learn that the stakes are for an individual's powers, not money. Each asset a person has, supernatural and otherwise, is converted into a chip. Part of Jolivia's problem is that she doesn't know what an individual chip represents.
Only after she begins playing does she realize that part of the men's lethargy is due to the fact that the only drink available is addictive and saps energy.
The women are all upstairs and in contrast to the men they are brightly colored and move at a normal speed. The head of the house is Solange, and she collects souls. Each trip to Midheaven costs 1/3 of a soul, so after a person returns the third time they are unable to leave. Solange, it seems, is also looking for Jaden Jacks.
Jolivia also deduces that Warren has been trapping troublesome light and shadow agents in Midheaven.
Up until that point, I think teh story is good. Midheaven is interesting and the occasional change of venue is a good thing.
I like that she and Hunter get together again, even if it is only for a brief while. I wasn't remotely surprised that he was the traitor, I'd been expecting that since his cameo appearance in the shadow chronicles in the last book and I figured out he was working with Regan when Jolivia lost her outside of Midheaven.
I did not realize he was Jaden Jacks, and I'm not very happy about it. He's a completely different person, and a man who killed a changeling. He went from highly honorable to dishonorable in a heartbeat. If that was my only complaint I would have given the book a higher rating. I don't agree with where the author went, but I recongize it is a valid path.
My fundamental problem with the book is that it feels like the story has been told. Xavier and Regan are dead. The Tulpa may not be defeated but he has been greatly weakened and Skamar strengthened. Hunter/Jaden is theoretically permanently in Midheaven and I don't really care about his other reasons for going there. The light chronicals can be printed again so balance is restored. Jolivia has lost/gave up her powers and is no longer part of the troop. It feels like there's some mopping up to do, but it's all details and it doesn't involve Jolivia. I'm not really sure what it is we're supposed to care about now. Hunter/Jaden? Jolivia doesn't seem to think there's any way she can get her powers back, that's not even on her radar. I feel like the series could end here. It would be anti-climactic but it could work. I'm pretty sure Jolivia will get her powers back, the Tulpa will regain strength, and Hunter/Jaden will return, but the only reason I say that is that this is supposed to be a 6 book series. Right now I feel like it needs a couple of chapters, not another 2 books. There's no hook for the next book and that's why this book doesn't work for me.
In addition, I get really annoyed when powerful women have to give up their power. You rarely see that with male characters but it's a reoccurring theme with female characters. At least Jolivia liked her power and didn't give it up because it was too difficult to deal with/too great a burden, which are the usual reasons. Instead, she reveled in her power. But once again sacrificed her power for the greater good.
When we pick up with our heroine, the comic books for light are still not being written because Jolivia mixed her chi with one of the kids from the comic shop. This poses and increasingly significant problem. The light isn't necessarily getting weaker, but the shadows are definitely getting stronger, to the point where places that had historically been safe zones for both sides are no longer safe for the light because the shadows can use their conduits while the light cannot.
This change in the rules is only discovered after one of the light is kidnapped and gruesomely tortured. The shadows agree to meet in what should have been a safe place for the light (ostensibly to trade Jolivia for the captured Vanessa).
The only way to restore the light's power is to get the comic books to start appearing again and the only way to do that is to restore the balance between Jolivia and the girl from the store. Jolivia already knows of one way to restore the balance -- kill the girl. The only person who might have a non-lethal solution is the man who caused the same thing to happen years before: Jaden Jacks. Unfortunately, no one knows where he is.
Meanwhile, the Tulpa and Skamar have been having it out in massive fights that has released an enormous amount of power into the sky above Vegas. Power they both want to harness but can't. Of course, power has to go somewhere and the more that collects in the atmosphere the more dangerous it becomes.
Warren points Jolivia in the direction of the semi-mythical Midheaven and off our heroine goes.
Midheaven itself is pretty cool. It's set up like an old west saloon. All the men are downstairs in a sweltering heat. In order to gain information about Jaden Jacks, Jolivia has to agree to play poker. Only after she agrees does she learn that the stakes are for an individual's powers, not money. Each asset a person has, supernatural and otherwise, is converted into a chip. Part of Jolivia's problem is that she doesn't know what an individual chip represents.
Only after she begins playing does she realize that part of the men's lethargy is due to the fact that the only drink available is addictive and saps energy.
The women are all upstairs and in contrast to the men they are brightly colored and move at a normal speed. The head of the house is Solange, and she collects souls. Each trip to Midheaven costs 1/3 of a soul, so after a person returns the third time they are unable to leave. Solange, it seems, is also looking for Jaden Jacks.
Jolivia also deduces that Warren has been trapping troublesome light and shadow agents in Midheaven.
Up until that point, I think teh story is good. Midheaven is interesting and the occasional change of venue is a good thing.
I like that she and Hunter get together again, even if it is only for a brief while. I wasn't remotely surprised that he was the traitor, I'd been expecting that since his cameo appearance in the shadow chronicles in the last book and I figured out he was working with Regan when Jolivia lost her outside of Midheaven.
I did not realize he was Jaden Jacks, and I'm not very happy about it. He's a completely different person, and a man who killed a changeling. He went from highly honorable to dishonorable in a heartbeat. If that was my only complaint I would have given the book a higher rating. I don't agree with where the author went, but I recongize it is a valid path.
My fundamental problem with the book is that it feels like the story has been told. Xavier and Regan are dead. The Tulpa may not be defeated but he has been greatly weakened and Skamar strengthened. Hunter/Jaden is theoretically permanently in Midheaven and I don't really care about his other reasons for going there. The light chronicals can be printed again so balance is restored. Jolivia has lost/gave up her powers and is no longer part of the troop. It feels like there's some mopping up to do, but it's all details and it doesn't involve Jolivia. I'm not really sure what it is we're supposed to care about now. Hunter/Jaden? Jolivia doesn't seem to think there's any way she can get her powers back, that's not even on her radar. I feel like the series could end here. It would be anti-climactic but it could work. I'm pretty sure Jolivia will get her powers back, the Tulpa will regain strength, and Hunter/Jaden will return, but the only reason I say that is that this is supposed to be a 6 book series. Right now I feel like it needs a couple of chapters, not another 2 books. There's no hook for the next book and that's why this book doesn't work for me.
In addition, I get really annoyed when powerful women have to give up their power. You rarely see that with male characters but it's a reoccurring theme with female characters. At least Jolivia liked her power and didn't give it up because it was too difficult to deal with/too great a burden, which are the usual reasons. Instead, she reveled in her power. But once again sacrificed her power for the greater good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2011
I am happy to report that this is the first book in this series where I did not come across any GLBT failure. I think Pettersson just decided to go all out with her erasure. As a straight person, I am not in a position to say that the complete erasure was a relief, because it also represents a form of failure that is reoccurring in this genre. Once again, the book takes places in Las Vegas, and there are no people of colour. As a woman of colour, I can say that after watching her treatment of the GLBT community, that I am kind of happy to be erased.
If I had to say that this particular book had any message at all, it would be that absolutism is dangerous. Throughout the series, Joanna/Olivia's nemesis is her biological father tulpa. His mission is to either destroy her before she can bring about his destruction, or to force her into becoming his ally. When we examine this from a womanist perspective, it is clear that in this case that the tulpa constructs her as a possession to be claimed or punished/destroyed for a failure to submit. When we consider that historically daughters have always been understood to be the possession of their fathers until they were lawfully wed, the tulpa's quest to claim to Joanna/Olivia fits into the framework of women as objects.
On the other side of the equation we have the warriors of the light led by Warren. From the beginning of the story, Warren has been either outright deceitful or manipulative. He justifies this by saying that as a leader, he does not have to explain his actions, and that he has the best intentions for his crew. Unfortunately, Warren's best intentions mean sacrificing anyone in his bid to destroy the Tulpa. He said at the end of the third book that the only reason he didn't erase Ben's memory, is because he didn't want Joanna/Olivia distracted, and in this book, he manipulates the end of the budding relationship between Hunter and Joanna/Olivia, because he feels that this would distract her from her true purpose. When Joanna attempts to make it clear that she is a person, he tells her that she is a weapon. Warren also sent her to Midheaven knowing that it would weaken her, but because it was part of his goal to strip her down and remake her in his image, he had no problem with the loss. Warren does not actively seek Joanna/Olivia's death, but he is hardly much different in his approach to her than the tulpa. Once again Joanna/Olivia is an object to be manipulated at will.
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If I had to say that this particular book had any message at all, it would be that absolutism is dangerous. Throughout the series, Joanna/Olivia's nemesis is her biological father tulpa. His mission is to either destroy her before she can bring about his destruction, or to force her into becoming his ally. When we examine this from a womanist perspective, it is clear that in this case that the tulpa constructs her as a possession to be claimed or punished/destroyed for a failure to submit. When we consider that historically daughters have always been understood to be the possession of their fathers until they were lawfully wed, the tulpa's quest to claim to Joanna/Olivia fits into the framework of women as objects.
On the other side of the equation we have the warriors of the light led by Warren. From the beginning of the story, Warren has been either outright deceitful or manipulative. He justifies this by saying that as a leader, he does not have to explain his actions, and that he has the best intentions for his crew. Unfortunately, Warren's best intentions mean sacrificing anyone in his bid to destroy the Tulpa. He said at the end of the third book that the only reason he didn't erase Ben's memory, is because he didn't want Joanna/Olivia distracted, and in this book, he manipulates the end of the budding relationship between Hunter and Joanna/Olivia, because he feels that this would distract her from her true purpose. When Joanna attempts to make it clear that she is a person, he tells her that she is a weapon. Warren also sent her to Midheaven knowing that it would weaken her, but because it was part of his goal to strip her down and remake her in his image, he had no problem with the loss. Warren does not actively seek Joanna/Olivia's death, but he is hardly much different in his approach to her than the tulpa. Once again Joanna/Olivia is an object to be manipulated at will.
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November 18, 2010
The Sign of the Zodiac series is on fire. This series gets better with each book. City of Souls is action packed and full of suspense that will keep you glued to the pages and turning them faster to get to the next part. Never a dull moment.
A war is raging in Las Vegas. Lives are on the line. In this book the lines blur between good and evil, love and hate, and the chances of her escaping are slim to none. When one of the changeling is hurt, now Joanna Archer must save this young girl because if she dies, the Light will die with her.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. To see how Jo has grown and trying to do her job, even as she struggles against the darkness within herself. The story was on the dark side but captivating. This book had me dying to know what is to become of Jo and her father, her and Warren and her love life. I didnt really like the unanswered questions I had but that just makes me more excited to hurry up and read the next installment of this fantastic series, Cheat the Grave.
A war is raging in Las Vegas. Lives are on the line. In this book the lines blur between good and evil, love and hate, and the chances of her escaping are slim to none. When one of the changeling is hurt, now Joanna Archer must save this young girl because if she dies, the Light will die with her.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. To see how Jo has grown and trying to do her job, even as she struggles against the darkness within herself. The story was on the dark side but captivating. This book had me dying to know what is to become of Jo and her father, her and Warren and her love life. I didnt really like the unanswered questions I had but that just makes me more excited to hurry up and read the next installment of this fantastic series, Cheat the Grave.
August 8, 2009
This series is so different from others that I read and that is what I like about it. Joanna has really gone through a lot so far. Each trial she faces makes her a better person and lets her get to know herself better. This book is no exception. Joanna really has a lot going on. Fixing her changling seems to be the most important, because to do that will help right other things. On her journey to discover what it will take to fix Jasamine she is betrayed by people that are closest to her. While she copes to understand how they could have done that to her, she also understands why they did it. But the best part of the book comes from her interaction with Oliva's best friends. These mere mortals are able to help her understand her power better than any of the other superheros can. Joanna's losses in this book are great but she does complete the 4th sign at great cost. Seeing how she will deal with those losses in the next book will be great!!
June 28, 2014
Sometimes you wonder just how much crap the female superhero of the book has to put up with before she blows her top. She's a better good guy than I could ever be. She's continually pushed by the bad guys who want her on their side, her troop of good guys condemn her for things she has no control over and no one will help her figure out how to fix things that are messed up, even though they know the answer. The baddest of the bad guys is a woman named Regan, who was stripped of her skin and is a walking dead person who HATES Jo worse than her own pain, and seems to know where Jo will be as though someone is telling her! On the line is a child's life, one only Jo can heal so that the "Superhero Manuals" **comics** can be written once more, keeping the information flowing. The bad things keep coming and Jo must place her immortality and even her human life on the line to stop the evil that has tried and is succeeding in a hostile takeover of all that remains good in Las Vegas.
June 22, 2009
I applaud Vicki Pettersson for her originality in storytelling and world-building. She's certainly created a series very different from any other I've read so far.
That said, the powers of her characters are rather abstract, and there doesn't seem to be any goal in this fight between good and evil. They seem rather evenly matched most of the time, with neither ever really getting the upper hand, so I have a hard time rooting for our heroine. This installment involves Joanna's search for a cure for her changeling. Her quest is strange, I don't know how it fits into the mythology of the story, and the revelations made at the end are too easily accepted. I wanted more questions to be asked. I don't think the events of this book will begin to make sense until the next one.
That said, the powers of her characters are rather abstract, and there doesn't seem to be any goal in this fight between good and evil. They seem rather evenly matched most of the time, with neither ever really getting the upper hand, so I have a hard time rooting for our heroine. This installment involves Joanna's search for a cure for her changeling. Her quest is strange, I don't know how it fits into the mythology of the story, and the revelations made at the end are too easily accepted. I wanted more questions to be asked. I don't think the events of this book will begin to make sense until the next one.
July 28, 2009
This series gets better with each book. Pettersson did a fabulous job with the plot. To say my mouth was left on the floor says it all. As with the other books in this series, City of Souls is action packed and full of suspense that will keep you glued to the pages. This is one of my favorite series. Jo is one of my favorite fictionional characters and what can I say about Hunter... HOT!!
I can't wait to read more of Pettersson's books!
I can't wait to read more of Pettersson's books!
July 5, 2009
What can I say? This was the best book in the series yet and it brought to light some things that had been niggling at me for a book or two. The whole mystery situation with Hunter was figured out, our problems with Warren were brought to a head and, once again, Jo's life was changed forever.
I can't believe I have to wait another year for the next book. Torture.
I can't believe I have to wait another year for the next book. Torture.
August 31, 2009
This is one of those series that makes me emotionally invested in the characters from start to finish, and this latest installment is spot on -- a total A+, and I cannot wait to see what happens to Joanna Archer next!
November 2, 2010
@/;&$@/!!!!!!!!!!!! Review to follow
January 14, 2020
The Fourth Sign
Always put others above yourself is a great motto. Not always an easy one, but good words to remember. Jo did just that though everyone around her put themselves first, even though they were supposed to be protecting humans. It’s hard to do the right thing when you have an agenda. And it’s hard to see that others aren’t doing the right thing when you see the good in them as Jo did with Hunter. I made a note when Jo exited the tunnel and Hunter said he hadn’t seen the Shadow that he was lying. Joanna didn’t want to see that he might be working with Regan. I can’t wait to dig into the next book.
Always put others above yourself is a great motto. Not always an easy one, but good words to remember. Jo did just that though everyone around her put themselves first, even though they were supposed to be protecting humans. It’s hard to do the right thing when you have an agenda. And it’s hard to see that others aren’t doing the right thing when you see the good in them as Jo did with Hunter. I made a note when Jo exited the tunnel and Hunter said he hadn’t seen the Shadow that he was lying. Joanna didn’t want to see that he might be working with Regan. I can’t wait to dig into the next book.
December 28, 2023
I’m loving this series. Each book leads you further down the rabbit hole, and I willingly follow. And, each book in the series is long enough to really get into the story. This whole series so far is like nothing I’ve ever read. This book in particular was so action-packed, I stayed up reading into the early hours. What will Joanna do now? It wasn’t great timing to start reading during the holidays, but thank goodness I’m retired and can stay home and read.
December 24, 2022
After having not read this books for a while it was great to get back into this world of star signs crossed with magic, of light and dark. And this book did not disappoint it was tense with scenes of peril, some levity and romance but not enough to disrupt the pace if the main story and the ending was well realised and quite dark but kind of hopeful at the same time.
November 22, 2019
Read the last page and then picked up Sign of the Zodiac 5 and kept reading. As far as #4 goes, I continue to be impressed. Surprises keep coming up and keeping me awake. I did not see that ending coming, despite the well written foreshadowing. I recommend this series to all urban fantasy fans.
July 1, 2024
Light or Shadow....
Who triumphs if both survive? Can there be the blending and coexistence a very few imagine and dream of coming into being? Is it possible....was it ever possible? The series builds to a climax in unimaginable ways....
Who triumphs if both survive? Can there be the blending and coexistence a very few imagine and dream of coming into being? Is it possible....was it ever possible? The series builds to a climax in unimaginable ways....
December 30, 2010
This is the 4th book in the Signs of the Zodiac series by Vicki Pettersson. It was my least favorite book in the series so far. Joanna is confused and is running around not accomplishing a whole lot for most of the book.
Joanna broke her changeling in the last book and because of that the Manuals of Light can't be written and the Light agents have lost all their safe zones. Needless to say the Agents of Light are in serious trouble. Warren tells Joanna that she better fix it ASAP and hints that Joanna will find her answers in Midland and that she should find the new tulpa (her doppelganger from the last book).
First for the good stuff. It was cool to learn more about Midland. It was also nice to have the doppelganger involved more. A lot of the plot elements relating to how the changelings affect the Agents' powers were really interesting.
Joanna screws up a lot in this book. Those who thought she was changing as a character in the third book will be disappointed. Even worse is the fact that many of the Agents of Light are not what they appear to be. By the end of the book I felt like there were no Agents of Light. I thought many of the characters acted very out of character; there weren't really any characters that I liked by the end of the book. The deal with Joanna and Hunter was kind of whacked; I can't say more without revealing spoilers. Also I thought it was odd how Joanna is trying to convincingly play Olivia's lifestyle in the beginning of the book but then she (kind of) forgets about being Olivia. There were some small parts where she has to "act like" Olivia; but there aren't really any repercussions for her walking out on the bachelorette party in the beginning or of her doing any other un-Olivia actions. There is one spoiler I need to address cause it irritated the heck out of me so...
SPOILER START-------------------------------------------
What was with the amount of time spent on Joanna losing pieces of her soul and powers? It seemed like it was going to play a really important part in the story; like getting her powers back was going to be a major plot point. Then at the end of the book she looses all of her powers. Well then what was the point of angsting over some small power loss. The only thing I can think of is that now she can go and get the lost power back or something like that. The way the book ended really made me wonder if this is the last book in the series.
Okay, I need to comment about Hunter and Warren too. Hunter was such a sincere character, what was the point of having him do a complete 180? Also what was the point of Warren aiding this whole twisted set-up?
SPOILER END----------------------------------------------
So overall I though the book was okay. Some of the plot line was interesting and the plot definitely twists and turns enough to keep your mind engaged (or at times just plan confused). The characters don't really act like themselves and the bizarre end to the book leaves you wondering if there will be anymore books in the series. Kind of a disappointing book but still kept my interest.
Joanna broke her changeling in the last book and because of that the Manuals of Light can't be written and the Light agents have lost all their safe zones. Needless to say the Agents of Light are in serious trouble. Warren tells Joanna that she better fix it ASAP and hints that Joanna will find her answers in Midland and that she should find the new tulpa (her doppelganger from the last book).
First for the good stuff. It was cool to learn more about Midland. It was also nice to have the doppelganger involved more. A lot of the plot elements relating to how the changelings affect the Agents' powers were really interesting.
Joanna screws up a lot in this book. Those who thought she was changing as a character in the third book will be disappointed. Even worse is the fact that many of the Agents of Light are not what they appear to be. By the end of the book I felt like there were no Agents of Light. I thought many of the characters acted very out of character; there weren't really any characters that I liked by the end of the book. The deal with Joanna and Hunter was kind of whacked; I can't say more without revealing spoilers. Also I thought it was odd how Joanna is trying to convincingly play Olivia's lifestyle in the beginning of the book but then she (kind of) forgets about being Olivia. There were some small parts where she has to "act like" Olivia; but there aren't really any repercussions for her walking out on the bachelorette party in the beginning or of her doing any other un-Olivia actions. There is one spoiler I need to address cause it irritated the heck out of me so...
SPOILER START-------------------------------------------
What was with the amount of time spent on Joanna losing pieces of her soul and powers? It seemed like it was going to play a really important part in the story; like getting her powers back was going to be a major plot point. Then at the end of the book she looses all of her powers. Well then what was the point of angsting over some small power loss. The only thing I can think of is that now she can go and get the lost power back or something like that. The way the book ended really made me wonder if this is the last book in the series.
Okay, I need to comment about Hunter and Warren too. Hunter was such a sincere character, what was the point of having him do a complete 180? Also what was the point of Warren aiding this whole twisted set-up?
SPOILER END----------------------------------------------
So overall I though the book was okay. Some of the plot line was interesting and the plot definitely twists and turns enough to keep your mind engaged (or at times just plan confused). The characters don't really act like themselves and the bizarre end to the book leaves you wondering if there will be anymore books in the series. Kind of a disappointing book but still kept my interest.
October 3, 2011
Joanna Archer has survived a lot during her time as a Light agent, not least of all the attacks of her doppelganger. Now two Tulpas war in the skies above Las Vegas, but the Light is losing power and it's safe zones have been destroyed because of Joanna's actions. She accidentally damaged a changeling and in doing so has blocked the creation of the light manuals, the comic books that fill young minds and strengthen the warriors. But to fix the changeling, Joanna needs to travel alone to the dangerous otherworld known as Midheaven...a journey that may well cost her more than she can afford to lose.
There were a lot of storylines left untied at the end of The Touch of Twilight and thankfully this book picked them all up with the exception of where exactly Zoe's mother is. The plot is full of twists and turns, but the reader finally gets to see what Midheaven is like after the hints in the last book. The focus being split between two separate and distinct worlds took me a little while to get used to, but both are so well developed it wasn't difficult to read.
All the usual characters are back, although the cast is left very changed by the end of the book. Joanna has to make some difficult choices, and hidden agendas are revealed on both sides. Joanna's ex Ben has almost completely disappeared from the book, only appearing as general references. Hunter gets more development, and Joanna starts to open up to him more now Ben's out of the picture.
The ending was brilliant and totally unexpected, and the series could quite easily end there (although it doesn't) as the story is pretty much tied up. That's not to say however that there aren't parts of the story that could be easily picked up and continued on, and I can't wait to see where the Hunter story goes in particular.
All in all, a brilliant book and a return to form for the series which left me wanting to see what happens next in Cheat the Grave.
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 49/50
There were a lot of storylines left untied at the end of The Touch of Twilight and thankfully this book picked them all up with the exception of where exactly Zoe's mother is. The plot is full of twists and turns, but the reader finally gets to see what Midheaven is like after the hints in the last book. The focus being split between two separate and distinct worlds took me a little while to get used to, but both are so well developed it wasn't difficult to read.
All the usual characters are back, although the cast is left very changed by the end of the book. Joanna has to make some difficult choices, and hidden agendas are revealed on both sides. Joanna's ex Ben has almost completely disappeared from the book, only appearing as general references. Hunter gets more development, and Joanna starts to open up to him more now Ben's out of the picture.
The ending was brilliant and totally unexpected, and the series could quite easily end there (although it doesn't) as the story is pretty much tied up. That's not to say however that there aren't parts of the story that could be easily picked up and continued on, and I can't wait to see where the Hunter story goes in particular.
All in all, a brilliant book and a return to form for the series which left me wanting to see what happens next in Cheat the Grave.
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 49/50
May 14, 2012
Best Installment Yet!,
I highly recommend you read this series in order (The Scent of Shadows The First Sign of the Zodiac, The Taste of Night The Second Sign of the Zodiac and The Touch of Twilight, The Third Sign of the Zodiac and also Vicki's short story in the anthology Unbound) before tackling this book.
One thing I can say for this book....it was in no way predictable. This installment had so many twists, turns and surprises I couldn't put it down. If you are a Sign of the Zodiac fan, this is a must read! Joanna has most level-headedness and maturity in this book, than the past books combined.
Joanna Archer is a survivor; chaos reigns in Jo's life and she thrives off of it. However, this chaos is at the expense of everyone who depends on her.
The changelings are still broken. Without having a changeling to record the Agents in the manuals and the lack of belief and imagination to refuel their existence is, causing The Agents of Light to weaken significantly.
Although the doppelganger, Skamar, is no longer trying to rip out Jo's heart and eat it, Skamar is still ineffectual at defeating the Tulpa. The more power the Tulpa and Skamar both expend by battling each other is shifting the environment off balance. The energy they expend must be reabsorbed into the universe or reused but it's just hanging out waiting to be claimed.
To find the solutions to her many problems, Jo crosses over to a neither here nor there reality, an alternate world called Mid-Heaven. The Agents of Light are unraveling and the stakes are high for Jo. The price for the journey to find the answers she seeks may cost be Jo's her soul.
The concept of this whole series just blows me a way. The clever world building of Mid-heaven was ingenious. If you are looking for a break from the usual vampires, weres, witches, fae, demons (although I love my fae and demons) then give this series a try. This series is creative, original, action-packed, exciting and innovative. I highly recommend this book and series to dark urban fantasy readers and I can't wait for the next book in this series Cheat the Grave due out 6/8/2010.
I also recommend:
On the Edge (The Edge, Book 1)
Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress, Book 1)
They Call Me Death
Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1)
Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1
I highly recommend you read this series in order (The Scent of Shadows The First Sign of the Zodiac, The Taste of Night The Second Sign of the Zodiac and The Touch of Twilight, The Third Sign of the Zodiac and also Vicki's short story in the anthology Unbound) before tackling this book.
One thing I can say for this book....it was in no way predictable. This installment had so many twists, turns and surprises I couldn't put it down. If you are a Sign of the Zodiac fan, this is a must read! Joanna has most level-headedness and maturity in this book, than the past books combined.
Joanna Archer is a survivor; chaos reigns in Jo's life and she thrives off of it. However, this chaos is at the expense of everyone who depends on her.
The changelings are still broken. Without having a changeling to record the Agents in the manuals and the lack of belief and imagination to refuel their existence is, causing The Agents of Light to weaken significantly.
Although the doppelganger, Skamar, is no longer trying to rip out Jo's heart and eat it, Skamar is still ineffectual at defeating the Tulpa. The more power the Tulpa and Skamar both expend by battling each other is shifting the environment off balance. The energy they expend must be reabsorbed into the universe or reused but it's just hanging out waiting to be claimed.
To find the solutions to her many problems, Jo crosses over to a neither here nor there reality, an alternate world called Mid-Heaven. The Agents of Light are unraveling and the stakes are high for Jo. The price for the journey to find the answers she seeks may cost be Jo's her soul.
The concept of this whole series just blows me a way. The clever world building of Mid-heaven was ingenious. If you are looking for a break from the usual vampires, weres, witches, fae, demons (although I love my fae and demons) then give this series a try. This series is creative, original, action-packed, exciting and innovative. I highly recommend this book and series to dark urban fantasy readers and I can't wait for the next book in this series Cheat the Grave due out 6/8/2010.
I also recommend:
On the Edge (The Edge, Book 1)
Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress, Book 1)
They Call Me Death
Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1)
Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1
December 15, 2014
Wow, City of Souls was a huge step up from the previous books in the series! It started off a little rough, but soon enough, all kinds of crazy things were happening! And that ending? What?! Picking up a month after the events of The Touch of Twilight, Joanna is adamant in her drive to fix Jasmine and save Li. She'd also like to get Regan completely out of the picture. Her journey ends up taking her to a place that was thought to be only myth: Midheaven. It's another alternate world, but one that's twisted, and will twist anyone who enters. But Joanna doesn't have much of a choice, since the only other superhero to have been in the same mess as her is there, and she needs his help to get everything back on track.
A lot of City of Souls is set in Midheaven. I won't even go into how Joanna magically figured out how to get there, but I will say that this place is screwed up. Not only does it require a piece of your soul to enter, but nothing there comes free. All Joanna wants is some information, but she's got to play for it. Anything you want has to be won over poker, but they don't deal in money. The bets are all powers, and Joanna's ignorance shows once again, since she doesn't know what most of the symbols mean and just bets away random bits of herself. Oh, and don't drink anything. Water, booze, nothing! Even though you'll slowly die of thirst. Literally.
Outside of Midheaven, City of Souls is full of betrayals. I was honestly shocked at everything that happened within the last few chapters. There's a traitor in the troop, and I couldn't even believe they'd do that. Of course, Warren takes care of it, but I trust him even less now, too! He's always so evasive in his answers, but he just gone too far now! And that twist when Joanna figures out how to save Jasmine...messed up! I don't even know how to react to that! There's still two books left! How is that going to work!?
In the end, City of Souls is my favorite of the series. It was full of surprises, and some great, creepy world building. There's betrayal and revenge, romance and heartbreak! And I'm prepared for more!
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
A lot of City of Souls is set in Midheaven. I won't even go into how Joanna magically figured out how to get there, but I will say that this place is screwed up. Not only does it require a piece of your soul to enter, but nothing there comes free. All Joanna wants is some information, but she's got to play for it. Anything you want has to be won over poker, but they don't deal in money. The bets are all powers, and Joanna's ignorance shows once again, since she doesn't know what most of the symbols mean and just bets away random bits of herself. Oh, and don't drink anything. Water, booze, nothing! Even though you'll slowly die of thirst. Literally.
Outside of Midheaven, City of Souls is full of betrayals. I was honestly shocked at everything that happened within the last few chapters. There's a traitor in the troop, and I couldn't even believe they'd do that. Of course, Warren takes care of it, but I trust him even less now, too! He's always so evasive in his answers, but he just gone too far now! And that twist when Joanna figures out how to save Jasmine...messed up! I don't even know how to react to that! There's still two books left! How is that going to work!?
In the end, City of Souls is my favorite of the series. It was full of surprises, and some great, creepy world building. There's betrayal and revenge, romance and heartbreak! And I'm prepared for more!
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
April 3, 2011
Favorite Lines: “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you. Not even the darkest corner of that beautiful soul.” (p. 310)
The only way to fix the waning strengths of the troop of Light is for Joanna to enter an alternate reality in book four of Pettersson’s Sign of the Zodiac series. Nothing that enters Midheaven is ever the same and those who leave always end up missing a piece of themselves. Despite the danger, Jo finds a way into Midheaven in search of Jaden Jacks, the only person to ever break the Light troop’s comics in the same way that Joanna did.
I felt bad for Joanna before. She was raped as a teenager, gave birth and put her daughter up for adoption, lost her mother, found out her father wasn’t really her father, lost her sister, lost the love of her life and the hits just keep on coming. Each book of the series has me wondering just how black and white Pettersson’s world is. Sure on the surface there is good and evil, but what happens when the good only worries about the good of the whole instead of the individual parts making up the whole? I didn’t think much about the troop of the Light in this book. I think they showed their collective ass with their cult like behavior.
Then there’s a female member of the Shadow troop that I want to smash like a bug along with one in Midheaven. Both are far too intelligent, but I hate their stupid, smug butts. Just about every time they popped into a scene I’d get pissed off. Why is it that the women in this series are far worse than the men? Them some bad bitches!
Overall City of Souls is an excellent addition to the series. It’s bloody and filled with action and betrayal. Major, life altering events occur which change Joanna forever. And a big revelation rocks the end of the book. As the big picture begins to clear, the fourth sign of the zodiac will be fulfilled. The next book in the series is Cheat the Grave.
It’s all building up to the conclusion in book six, The Neon Graveyard, which will be released May 31.
Scooper Speaks
The only way to fix the waning strengths of the troop of Light is for Joanna to enter an alternate reality in book four of Pettersson’s Sign of the Zodiac series. Nothing that enters Midheaven is ever the same and those who leave always end up missing a piece of themselves. Despite the danger, Jo finds a way into Midheaven in search of Jaden Jacks, the only person to ever break the Light troop’s comics in the same way that Joanna did.
I felt bad for Joanna before. She was raped as a teenager, gave birth and put her daughter up for adoption, lost her mother, found out her father wasn’t really her father, lost her sister, lost the love of her life and the hits just keep on coming. Each book of the series has me wondering just how black and white Pettersson’s world is. Sure on the surface there is good and evil, but what happens when the good only worries about the good of the whole instead of the individual parts making up the whole? I didn’t think much about the troop of the Light in this book. I think they showed their collective ass with their cult like behavior.
Then there’s a female member of the Shadow troop that I want to smash like a bug along with one in Midheaven. Both are far too intelligent, but I hate their stupid, smug butts. Just about every time they popped into a scene I’d get pissed off. Why is it that the women in this series are far worse than the men? Them some bad bitches!
Overall City of Souls is an excellent addition to the series. It’s bloody and filled with action and betrayal. Major, life altering events occur which change Joanna forever. And a big revelation rocks the end of the book. As the big picture begins to clear, the fourth sign of the zodiac will be fulfilled. The next book in the series is Cheat the Grave.
It’s all building up to the conclusion in book six, The Neon Graveyard, which will be released May 31.
Scooper Speaks
October 29, 2010
While I've liked the first few books in the series, I'll admit... the charm has begun to wane for me. The general idea of the series has been done before, but it had been a while since I'd seen anyone do it with a zodiac spin to it. Unfortunately this book has killed off a lot of the series' charm for me.
As you know, Joanna has caused her changeling harm that can't be healed in the last book. This means no more Manuals of Light for the good guys, which means that the Agents of Light are at a *serious* disadvantage. Joanna has to figure out a way to fix her changeling & restore the balance... but unfortunately some nasty changes are about to happen.
I don't mind a bit of "kick the character around", but that seemed to be all this book was really about. Joanna reverts back to her old form of being standoffish & distant from the other characters, which was a bit frustrating for me. Plus as others have said, Joanna keeps forgetting that she has to act like Olivia, which wouldn't be an irritating thing if the author had addressed that. (Maybe people will finally start asking questions in the next book?)
The bottom line is that while I'm willing to give this series another chance with the next book, I'm just irritated that Joanna's character hasn't grown any. Maybe the events at the end of this book will change that, maybe they won't. I'm not asking her to turn into someone completely different, but a little growing would be nice.
If you've followed the series this far, you might want to check this out from the library before plunking money down on a purchase. If you haven't read the series at all, don't start here. You won't know what is going on.
As you know, Joanna has caused her changeling harm that can't be healed in the last book. This means no more Manuals of Light for the good guys, which means that the Agents of Light are at a *serious* disadvantage. Joanna has to figure out a way to fix her changeling & restore the balance... but unfortunately some nasty changes are about to happen.
I don't mind a bit of "kick the character around", but that seemed to be all this book was really about. Joanna reverts back to her old form of being standoffish & distant from the other characters, which was a bit frustrating for me. Plus as others have said, Joanna keeps forgetting that she has to act like Olivia, which wouldn't be an irritating thing if the author had addressed that. (Maybe people will finally start asking questions in the next book?)
The bottom line is that while I'm willing to give this series another chance with the next book, I'm just irritated that Joanna's character hasn't grown any. Maybe the events at the end of this book will change that, maybe they won't. I'm not asking her to turn into someone completely different, but a little growing would be nice.
If you've followed the series this far, you might want to check this out from the library before plunking money down on a purchase. If you haven't read the series at all, don't start here. You won't know what is going on.
August 2, 2010
**Review** Joanna broke her changeling in the last book and because of that the Manuals of Light can't be written and the Light agents have lost all their safe zones. Needless to say the Agents of Light are in serious trouble. Warren tells Joanna that she better fix it ASAP and hints that Joanna will find her answers in Midland and that she should find the new tulpa (her doppelganger from the last book).
Although the doppelganger, Skamar, is no longer trying to rip out Joanna's heart and eat it. Skamar is still ineffectual at defeating the Tulpa. The more power the Tulpa and Skamar both expend by battling each other is shifting the environment off balance. The energy they expend must be reabsorbed into the universe or reused but it's just hanging out waiting to be claimed.
Joanna travels to Mid-Heaven to ask ask a Rogue Shadow Warrior how he healed a broken changeling, and ends up losing all her powers. Something that will drastically change her status as an Agent of the Light as they all turn their backs on her. Hunter ends up staying behind because he fell in love with an Agent of the Dark, and hid that fact from the rest of his own troop.
Suzanne and Cher provide Joanne her only sanity in this book, but Suzanne has a huge secret she is withholding from both of them. **See the next book!**
Although the doppelganger, Skamar, is no longer trying to rip out Joanna's heart and eat it. Skamar is still ineffectual at defeating the Tulpa. The more power the Tulpa and Skamar both expend by battling each other is shifting the environment off balance. The energy they expend must be reabsorbed into the universe or reused but it's just hanging out waiting to be claimed.
Joanna travels to Mid-Heaven to ask ask a Rogue Shadow Warrior how he healed a broken changeling, and ends up losing all her powers. Something that will drastically change her status as an Agent of the Light as they all turn their backs on her. Hunter ends up staying behind because he fell in love with an Agent of the Dark, and hid that fact from the rest of his own troop.
Suzanne and Cher provide Joanne her only sanity in this book, but Suzanne has a huge secret she is withholding from both of them. **See the next book!**
January 20, 2013
This is probably closer to a 3.5, but it had a twist at the end that I definitely didn't see coming and liked quite a bit. That said, Warren's definitely gotten on my last nerve, to the point where I couldn't help but suspect him as a double agent because why would he willfully withhold SO MUCH information. All. The. Damn. Time. I'm not sure that I entirely bought his explanation as the only reason--I'm still pretty sure he just doesn't want to tell anybody anything because he's a d-bag.
Anyway, the whole broken changeling storyline was a little lame, so I'm glad that's over, and I'm still interested in seeing where she goes from here.
Anyway, the whole broken changeling storyline was a little lame, so I'm glad that's over, and I'm still interested in seeing where she goes from here.
January 2, 2012
Another great installment! Although not as fab as the last three it did leave me wanting more. I'm always happy to see an author who can keep a relationship interesting, and this one doesn't disappoint. I'm thoroughly intrigued by the twist revealed in City of Souls and can't wait to find out what the hell is going on!
I also loved getting a better picture of what Warren is all about, his slide in the readers eyes is growing, and also thoroughly intriguing! I never much liked the dude, and am glad that the storyline is not afraid to go there. I was a little annoyed that, once again, our hero seems to be the last to figure anything out, but at least she does at the end.
Where the author failed in this issue: We never got an explanation as to what exactly happened with the changeling of light. The how was never explained, and considering the amount of fallout and the fact that it was the basis for the entire book, I would really like to find out the how and why of it. I'm usually pretty quick to suspend belief in situations like this, but I couldn't just let this one go. Since the issue is now 'fixed' I am assuming that the explanation is not going to be forthcoming.
Too bad I have to work today or I'd already be well into the fifth book finding out how Joanna will deal with her new place in the Zodiac world, or lack thereof as it may be.
I also loved getting a better picture of what Warren is all about, his slide in the readers eyes is growing, and also thoroughly intriguing! I never much liked the dude, and am glad that the storyline is not afraid to go there. I was a little annoyed that, once again, our hero seems to be the last to figure anything out, but at least she does at the end.
Where the author failed in this issue: We never got an explanation as to what exactly happened with the changeling of light. The how was never explained, and considering the amount of fallout and the fact that it was the basis for the entire book, I would really like to find out the how and why of it. I'm usually pretty quick to suspend belief in situations like this, but I couldn't just let this one go. Since the issue is now 'fixed' I am assuming that the explanation is not going to be forthcoming.
Too bad I have to work today or I'd already be well into the fifth book finding out how Joanna will deal with her new place in the Zodiac world, or lack thereof as it may be.
March 13, 2014
On the streets of Las Vegas, a war between super heroes and villains, rages nightly. The war is hidden from the very humans the light agents are desperate to protect and the dark agents are battling to destroy. The exploits of both sides are chronicled in comic books believed to be fiction by mortals. Agents can only read the comics written about their side, to retain balance within the zodiac.
In City of Souls, Joanna enters a dangerous dimension called Midheaven, to learn how to heal a changeling. She soon learns that to enter Midheaven is to gamble with her powers, life, and her soul.
The leader of the light, Warren, is feeding her half truths and withholding huge amounts of information from her and the other agents causing mistrust.
This novel is action packed and the plot is wonderful. By the end Joanna's whole world has changed and it left me wondering what will she do now. This story managed to surprise me. I can't say that too often. Most of the time I see the pieces falling into place with maybe a bit of shock value here and there. City of Souls had me saying, "What?!" and "No way!" I can't wait to begin Cheat the Grave, the fifth book in this series, to see what happens next.
In City of Souls, Joanna enters a dangerous dimension called Midheaven, to learn how to heal a changeling. She soon learns that to enter Midheaven is to gamble with her powers, life, and her soul.
The leader of the light, Warren, is feeding her half truths and withholding huge amounts of information from her and the other agents causing mistrust.
This novel is action packed and the plot is wonderful. By the end Joanna's whole world has changed and it left me wondering what will she do now. This story managed to surprise me. I can't say that too often. Most of the time I see the pieces falling into place with maybe a bit of shock value here and there. City of Souls had me saying, "What?!" and "No way!" I can't wait to begin Cheat the Grave, the fifth book in this series, to see what happens next.
September 19, 2009
I really should have read the earlier stories in this series before this one. Since I didn't, this book was very confusing at first, and it took some time to gain an understanding of who the main character was, what the Shadow and Light agents were, and all of these other rules that go along with their paranormal world. And I was completely lost when the story started referring to manuals of light/shadow - which turn out to really be comic books, and the agents are really super heroes that have glyphs that light up on their chests, as well as signs of the zodiac... WHAT!!!! seriously, there's like a million different things going on - superheroes, supervillians, agents of light and dark, different realms in our world, different worlds in other realms, comic books, manuals, super weapons or conduits, immortals, troops kind of like a dedicated army that must remain in their assigned city, children called changelings who are the key to writing these manuals aka comic books, heroes and villains only get their power from comic books being written... and oh yeah, a crappy love story, crappy heroine, and parent-daughter angst as well. Good luck if you attempt this one..
August 1, 2012
3.5 stars
The rating may not reflect this, but this is a series I really do like. The problem is it seems to take me awhile to really get caught up in the action of the books. Once I get into it, I'm hooked, which keeps me coming back for more. This book kept that pattern intact.
It was nice to see some resolution to problems that popped up in the previous book, and the ending had me wondering what was going to happen next without leaving a big cliffhanger, which is always nice. I also have to give kudos to Ms. Pettersson for completely tricking me into thinking I was wrong about my suspicion that .
All in all, despite a slow start, it was a good read, and I look forward to reading book 5.
Quote:
"I remembered all too well the division of the heart, and how difficult it was to step into a murky future when you still had the option of returning to a familiar, if dangerous, past."
The rating may not reflect this, but this is a series I really do like. The problem is it seems to take me awhile to really get caught up in the action of the books. Once I get into it, I'm hooked, which keeps me coming back for more. This book kept that pattern intact.
It was nice to see some resolution to problems that popped up in the previous book, and the ending had me wondering what was going to happen next without leaving a big cliffhanger, which is always nice. I also have to give kudos to Ms. Pettersson for completely tricking me into thinking I was wrong about my suspicion that .
All in all, despite a slow start, it was a good read, and I look forward to reading book 5.
Quote:
"I remembered all too well the division of the heart, and how difficult it was to step into a murky future when you still had the option of returning to a familiar, if dangerous, past."
October 3, 2015
The fourth sign came to pass , thus , and the fifth sign was revealed .
Joanna now knows
Xavier
I'm still really enjoying this series. Fast-paced, relatable characters, intriguing mythology/storyline... well written.
Joanna now knows
Xavier
I'm still really enjoying this series. Fast-paced, relatable characters, intriguing mythology/storyline... well written.
January 1, 2015
I had hedged and gone back and forth over reading this book, simply because the previous one, while an enjoyable read, was lacking something. I felt that the resolution of the third book was a bit too simple, and that the main character had gone through so much trial only to become some perfect fighter and resolve all the problems.
This book though...I loved it. It is my favorite out of the series. I made the mistake of reading the short story in Unbound before reading City of Souls, so there were a few spoilers for me, but despite that it was still amazing. I felt like the characters really matured and grown- this was the book that harbored the character development that I love to see. She's not perfect, she didn't solve all of the problems, yet still resigned herself to her fate. I love that Jo has really begun to find a balance for herself by helping others.
This book though...I loved it. It is my favorite out of the series. I made the mistake of reading the short story in Unbound before reading City of Souls, so there were a few spoilers for me, but despite that it was still amazing. I felt like the characters really matured and grown- this was the book that harbored the character development that I love to see. She's not perfect, she didn't solve all of the problems, yet still resigned herself to her fate. I love that Jo has really begun to find a balance for herself by helping others.
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