Series: October Daye #7
Format Read: paperback
Source: from the publisher for review
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
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Blurb from goodreads:
Things are starting to look up for October "Toby" Daye. She's training her squire, doing her job, and has finally allowed herself to grow closer to the local King of Cats. It seems like her life may finally be settling down...at least until dead changelings start appearing in the alleys of San Francisco, killed by an overdose of goblin fruit.
Toby's efforts to take the problem to the Queen of the Mists are met with harsh reprisals, leaving her under sentence of exile from her home and everyone she loves. Now Toby must find a way to reverse the Queens decree, get the goblin fruit off the streets--and, oh, yes, save her own life, since more than a few of her problems have once again followed her home. And then there's the question of the Queen herself, who seems increasingly unlikely to have a valid claim to the throne....
To find the answers, October and her friends will have to travel from the legendary Library of Stars into the hidden depths of the Kingdom of the Mists--and they'll have to do it fast, because time is running out. In faerie, some fates are worse than death.
October Daye is about to find out what they are.
Bea's Thoughts:
McGuire does it again. Happy sigh. Tobey is in the thick of things again with all her idiocy and smart-assiness (is that a word? I want it to be a word) intact. In just a few short pages, Tobey is exiled from San Francisco by the Queen of the Mists, her long-time nemesis. She has three days to leave or be killed on sight. Tobey is stunned but quickly comes up with a plan and it's a doozey. It's daring, brave, stupid, and could get everyone she loves killed. McGuire spins a tale full of cunning, action, love in all its forms, intrigue, and humor. I do love McGuire's humor; it's both snarky and witty.
We get a close-up look at Tobey and Tybalt's romance and I swear it's perfect, because they are prefect for each other. Tybalt is steadfast and unshakable, and in her own way so is Tobey. Neither will abandon the other and the little things they do for each other, not to mention the big things, shows clearly how much Tobey has changed. She muses at one point about what a loner she used to be and now she has all these people who care for her and about her and she for them. She's no longer pushing people away and the romance between her and Tybalt is sweet, if not traditional.
"How is it that you always know the exact right stupid romance novel thing to say?" I asked, leaning up to kiss him.
He smiled against my lips. When I pulled back, he said, "I was a student of Shakespeare before the romance novel was even dreamt. Be glad I do not leave you horrible poetry on your pillow, wrapped securely around the bodies of dead rats.”
Yeah, I'm glad that's not a standard dating custom anymore. Ick. So, we get lots and lots of Tybalt, Danny the Bridge Troll (love him!), May and Jazz and Quentin (and we finally find out who his parents are! Wow); we get some time with Dean and Dianda (that is one cranky but bad-ass duchess) and the Luidaeg, and not nearly enough Sylvester time. Though, Sylvester manages to piss off both Tybalt and Tobey with one thoughtless move and things are tense now between them. He meant well, but he really should have known better. The new characters - Arden, Madden, Mags, and Lowri - are well thought out and move the story along. I know we'll be seeing more of Arden and I hope we'll see more of the others and maybe someday Nolan, who literally slept through the whole book (he was elf-shot).
"Chimes at Midnight" moves along at breakneck speed with a perfect balance of plot, action, and story. It's tight story-telling without a single misstep. The story moves along the overall series arc and I can't wait to see where McGuire goes from here. Happily, the next book is out in September and in the meantime, I have the short stories and novellas to catch up on. :)
I started this series but couldn't get into the first book. Which is odd, because I love this author's other books. I may have to revisit this series again, at some point :)
ReplyDeleteI've had series where I didn't care for the first book but kept going and liked the series. Of course, I've also had those where I didn't like the first one nor did I like the next one. :D If you try again, I hope it'll work for you.
DeleteI've heard alot about this series and I want to start it at some point.
ReplyDeleteYes, do it!
DeleteOh this book sounds amazing! I'm going to add the 1st one in the series to my TBR, thank you!
ReplyDeleteMine
yay! I hope you like it.
DeleteThis is outside my usual comfort zone but it sounds like it's got really great characters. I'll have to add the first to my TBR!
ReplyDeleteYes, give it a try. She's an excellent writer.
DeleteI'm going to read these someday. I'm going to read these someday. I am GOING to read these someday!!!
ReplyDeleteBut it is not this day. (sighs) Too many books, too little time...
LOL I understand the problem.
DeleteWord for word...what Lark said. lol
ReplyDeleteLOL
Deletelols...awesome review Bea ;). I do think smart assiness is a word...well, it could be ;D
ReplyDeleteThanks. Smart assiness *should* be a word. :D
DeleteI need to get caught up with several series and to start this one. :) Glad you are so enjoying it.
ReplyDelete