Who's Your Author? discussion

As I mentioned in the BOM winners thread the true BOM is not out until the end of January. As such I am making the runner up an alternate BOM in case others want to read something before the end of the month.

With that the alternate BOM for January is Dark Currents by Jacqueline Carey



The Midwestern resort town of Pemkowet boasts a diverse population: eccentric locals, wealthy summer people, and tourists by the busload; not to mention fairies, sprites, vampires, naiads, ogres and a whole host of eldritch folk, presided over by Hel, a reclusive Norse goddess.

To Daisy Johanssen, fathered by an incubus and raised by a single mother, it’s home. And as Hel’s enforcer and the designated liaison to the Pemkowet Police Department, it’s up to her to ensure relations between the mundane and eldritch communities run smoothly.

But when a young man from a nearby college drowns—and signs point to eldritch involvement—the town’s booming paranormal tourism trade is at stake. Teamed up with her childhood crush, Officer Cody Fairfax, a sexy werewolf on the down-low, Daisy must solve the crime—and keep a tight rein on the darker side of her nature. For if she’s ever tempted to invoke her demonic birthright, it could accidentally unleash nothing less than Armageddon.

I really enjoyed Dark Currents, I'll see if I can squeeze a re-read in this month, as I was thinking of doing that before reading #2

Reread Reread Reread lol
I have had this on my tbr for awhile so I am looking forward to it.

I liked the world that the book is set in, loved the small town feel with it's other worldliness. It shouldn't be a surprise, that due to the 2 different cultures that there would be racism and hate. With any people dealing with racism, most people get along, but you do have those few that raise hell. What was interesting was how these same people that complain the most are the ones that cross the line. I loved how towards the end, these people had actions thrown back in their face and shown they aren't better than anyone else, in fact, they are worse.

I loved Daisy from the start, loved how she felt about her mother and showed it, and how she defended her mom to everyone. Her mother was great, loved how she "loved" Daisy from the start and made sure she knew it, that she didn't hold her conception against her. The mom's quip about having to sew onsies to make room for her tail cracked me up. Daisy's friends were just as fun, those human and those Eldritch. Daisy's jobs were intriguing. At first glance it seemed like the Chief was just using her, but I think her file clerk job was to make things look good for the town. He really valued her and what she could bring to the job. I liked Daisy's trips to talk to Hel, liked how Hel tried to reason with Daisy with what she expected.

On a side note, about her tail. It annoyed me how much it was brought up, how it kept twitching. But what bothered me most was how she talked about tucking away and how it felt nice, but she didn't want to think about that too much. That was a little too much TMI and yuck!

I look forward to reading more in this series.

LOL You just brought it all back to me Darcy, you have a knack for that :)

I really want to know if others have issues with the tail. lol

I'll tell you after I re-read it. LOL

I really enjoyed this book and the whole series. It surprised me that I did because I haven't liked any of her other series. And the tail thing didn't bother me too much because I read a different series of comics where the main character had a tail as well. The discussion of the tail in both was pretty similar.

Mike wrote: "I really enjoyed this book and the whole series. It surprised me that I did because I haven't liked any of her other series. And the tail thing didn't bother me too much because I read a different ..."

I was like you with her other series, they didn't work for me. I actually thought this one would end up in my dnf pile.

Love this series. The setting is different - a small town with the Asgardian underworld located underneath it. I wonder where the underworlds from other mythologies are located? I love Daisy's mom - she's a very strong woman who deeply loves her daughter. I think this is the only series where a ghoul could be considered sexy. The tail didn't bother me either - I grew up reading comics and charaters with tails are pretty common- Nightcrawler, Tigra, Hepzibah, Cheeth, etc. I don't see how the tucking in of the tail could be comfortable though - I wouldn't think it would feel natural - similar to binding limbs or extremities due to injuries.

I like the setting too. Her tail didn't bother so much as I just didn't get how she could hide it. It seems like it would create a big lump in her pants and it would really uncomfortable sitting.

I also felt that the prejudice was realistic. But was dissatisfied with Daisy's missing sense of authority. She claimed to be an enforcer, but when it really came down to it she was clueless and whiny. I thought she had had to make other people stop doing things that were wrong in the past. Had she never been challenged before? That doesn't seem likely.

Oh I am soo looking forward to reading this one!

Lara wrote: "I like the setting too. Her tail didn't bother so much as I just didn't get how she could hide it. It seems like it would create a big lump in her pants and it would really uncomfortable sitting."

That was my thinking too. Then she kept talking about tucking it and all I could think about was drag queens having the same issue. lol

LOL!!!

Ok this was a good one, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

To begin I loved the world some of it sounded like similar urban fantasy but it was so different. I loved that the ghouls could die and come back - what a twist and really depressing!!. I liked that Daisy, she is ditsy and flawed but she kept trying. I loved the mom and baby sitter - cannot believe I forgot her name OY!

Still though I had some issues for example I did not get the Dad thing - so she has spent her entire life ignoring her Dad, and I kept feeling like him calling her and her refusal was supposed to be important but it has something she has always done so I kind of did not get it. I was also kind of lost about the birthright piece - he is a lower level demon so her birthright was....?? These were questions that did not quite get answered.

The other annoying part for me was the tail - I get it she has one its a problem but the one line where the story comes to a dead stop we can understand it felt kind of good between her legs - um that was a bit distracting.

My only concern for future books is the three potential suitors. We had dark and broody, happy and go lucky and then there is the stable guy.

Dawn wrote: "The other annoying part for me was the tail - I get it she has one its a problem but the one line where the story comes to a dead stop we can understand it felt kind of good between her legs - um that was a bit distracting."

I have to laugh at this because I it weirded me out too. ;)

Darcy wrote: "...I have to laugh at this because I it weirded me out too. ;) "

Yay I am not alone lol

This looks like a really good series but I have promised myself I will not start any more new series that are already in progress until I get my TBRs whittled down (unless at least one book is discounted). That is how I justified starting Chicago land Vampires and Jane Yellowrock and Harry Dresden (and The Hollows/Rachel Morgan before that). I have several books in several series I have not read already (including CON, Vampire Academy, Celestial Blues, Kit Colbane, H&W Investigations, etc.)

Tina wrote: "This looks like a really good series but I have promised myself I will not start any more new series that are already in progress until I get my TBRs whittled down (unless at least one book is disc..."

Good luck with that!! lol I would never be able to stick to it. ;P

I really enjoyed this book and was so happy to find a new series that I could look forward to reading. I haven't had much luck with finding new series lately. I think that it was a great intro to Daisy's world and I love all the interesting characters living there. Daisy herself made a great narrator. She was easy to like (even if at times she seemed a little young) and had a great voice. I loved the majority of her commentary (but I wish she wouldn't say 'gah' so much), it was often quite funny. The story at first seemed rather basic but it quickly took an interesting, if disturbing dark turn.

My only real issue is the same as others have mentioned, the damn tail. Daisy keeps bringing it up, over and over and every time I just could not 'believe it' the way the author chose to describe it. For example,

"Within the confines of my jeans, my tail lashed with righteous outrage"

How exactly could anyone lash a tail with outrage (righteous or otherwise) with it tucked into a pair of jeans? Just how baggy are her jeans? And what kind of tail could it be? Are we talking a stubby little pug tail or more like a sterotypical devil tail? If it's the latter, how the hell could she wear jeans and keep it tucked in? I just couldn't see it. Unfortunately, like a cat, Daisy's tail tends to be an indicator of her mood and so it frequently is somehow lashing about within the confines of her pants. It was just weird, and distracting.

Darcy wrote: "Good luck with that!! lol I would never be able to stick to it. ;P "


Tina,
Ditto what Darcy said I am so all over the place when it comes to reading but now you have a new book to add to the TBR for me that is always exciting!

Lokki wrote: "..."Within the confines of my jeans, my tail lashed with righteous outrage"

How exactly could anyone lash a tail with outrage (righteous or otherwise) with it tucked into a pair of jeans? Just how baggy are her jeans? And what kind of tail could it be? Are we talking a stubby little pug tail or more like a sterotypical devil tail? If it's the latter, how the hell could she wear jeans and keep it tucked in? I just couldn't see it. Unfortunately, like a cat, Daisy's tail tends to be an indicator of her mood and so it frequently is somehow lashing about within the confines of her pants. It was just weird, and distracting. "

My sentiments exactly!!

And really, other people don't notice that something is moving in her pants, especially around her crotch? Wouldn't people stare?

Lara wrote: "And really, other people don't notice that something is moving in her pants, especially around her crotch? Wouldn't people stare?"

My thoughts hadn't gone that direction, but now that you mention it... lol

Yep, everyone would just be looking at her butt or her crotch, you couldn't help it. LOL.

Must admit I'm really gonna have to re-read this one. I must've just skimmed over those bits cause I was interested in where the story was going.