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Cynthia Armistead (17 KP) rated Hard Magic (Paranormal Scene Investigations #1) in Books

Mar 1, 2018

I suppose it must be obvious to anyone who reads my reviews that I enjoy Laura Anne Gilman's writing. I've only read every one of her Retrievers series as well as every one of her short stories sold via <a href="http://fictionwise.com/">Fictionwise</a>; (including some that I'd already read in various anthologies, but I didn't want to miss anything). I've been waiting anxiously for <i>Hard Magic</i>, the first in the new Paranormal Scene Investigations series, and it did not disappoint me in the least.

If you've read the Retrievers books, you'll recognize the main character, Bonnie Torres, immediately as Wren Valere's neighbor. If you haven't read that series, don't worry - they aren't required to enjoy this book.

I do, however, recommend hunting down the short story "Illumination," which is referred to several times during the novel. It's in the anthology [b:Unusual Suspects: Stories of Mystery & Fantasy|3395318|Unusual Suspects Stories of Mystery & Fantasy|Dana Stabenow|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1243223215s/3395318.jpg|3435306]. It isn't strictly required, but I think it would help.

If you've ever enjoyed CSI or any similar show, I think you'll really enjoy <i>Hard Magic</i> even more than others will. Bonnie and her coworkers are trying to reinvent all of the forensic science that those shows take for granted from scratch, from a magical perspective. It's fascinating to me, and I would have been happier with more geeking.

I'm really looking forward to book two!

Kudos

ClareR (6054 KP) rated The Immortalists in Books

May 6, 2018

The Immortalists

Chloe Benjamin | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry

7.5

(10 Ratings)

Book Rating

Do we have a choice or is it all dates?

Starting in 1969, four siblings visit a fortune teller who tells them the exact day that they will each die. This is about how they decide to live their lives knowing that date. Each pet of the book follows a separate sibling, starting with the one who dies the youngest. Each subsequent part takes up after the previous sibling dies.
I really liked this: I liked how the author describes their lives and decisions. I felt that it made them more human and not just another story. I like these family dramas though, and the chance to peek into someone else’s life.
This is definitely not a fantasy or science fiction book though. I did think there was a possibility that it might be when I first read the synopsis, but it’s definitely set in our world. AIDS, depression, obsession, OCD: these people have real life struggles.
It wasn’t always a comfortable read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.