http://bactra.org/weblog/algae-2011-01.html#rowland ( )

Okay, the music biz part of this novel was pretty true-to-life, especially the bits about artist contracts and paying back labels, but the rest is batguano wild. Demon dude is still a jerk, Fed dude is also a jerk, Kara vacillates between being annoying and actionwoman, and I'm still reading this series because the news makes me want to curl up and hide under the blankets. ( )

I've noticed a trend in myself. Urban Fantasies, in general, require a bit of time and investment in order to start really liking them. I suppose this might be very commonplace, but at least for me, it's like there's a period of adjustment before I really start loving the characters and situations.

It's not a complaint. It's just an observation.

Kara Gillian, detective and demon summoner, is starting to get under my skin. :)

I liked this book more than the first two, but as I said, it's probably because it finally seeped in and now I'm just rocking along. I had the same kind of reaction with Anita Blake and Rachel Morgan and Harry Dresden, too. :) Stick with it long enough and everything becomes bigger than life. :)

Enough reflection. Onto the reaction!

I got my D&D monster manual out and started nodding along to the descriptions. I likey. It's a bit more exciting dealing with an outright Earth Elemental than the other assumption. And to think that someone is breaking up the band in such a way! It's a fun mystery.

But where the book really shines is in the continued character developments and how Kara fits in with the force. I'm really liking her Captain even if he just feels like an extreme goofball. And the reveal at the end? Totally delicious.

Yeah. I have a soft spot in my heart for popcorn fiction like this. Easy, fast, and fun. And for the rest of you out there that like hot and steamy action, it's here too. :) See? Something for everyone! :) ( )

Loved this, can't wait for the next one! ( )

Secrets of the Demon
3.5 Stars

Now a member of an FBI task force investigating cases with a supernatural element, Detective Kara Gillian and her team members are called in when the lead singer of a popular Goth band receives death threats with demonic overtones. It soon becomes clear that someone is targeting members of the band and as the body count starts rising, Kara must uncover the truth before she turns into the next victim.

The mystery is slow to develop and the first half is bogged down with a great deal of recapping. The pacing picks up in the second half with numerous twists and turns, however, the mystery never quite reaches the levels of intrigue and action as the first two installments. While the identity of the actual villain comes as a surprise, other aspects of the crime are very predictable.

The character development is the highlight of the book and there are several significant revelations related to the different people in Kara’s life. Nevertheless, these details only raise more questions and it will be very interesting to see where the ongoing story arc is heading.

In terms of the romance, Kara is still conflicted about her relationships with Rhyzkahl and Ryan. Despite her physical attraction to the Demonic Lord, it is her friendship with the FBI agent that she would most like to move in a new and more intimate direction. Personally, I find Ryan to be far more appealing in the hero department for several reasons. To begin with, there is something smarmy about Rhyzkahl and his reasons for bonding with Kara are highly suspicious. In contrast, Ryan’s brooding stoicism resonates with my appreciation for the dark and tortured type, and his snarky banter with Kara is very engaging. Ryan’s developing connection with Kara also receives more page time and this may contribute to my preference.


I still feel that the vulgarity is excessive and one particularly grating issue is Kara and Jill’s tendency toward calling each other “b*tch”. There is nothing endearing about this and only serves to undermine their friendship in my eyes.

Liv Andersen’s narration has improved and there was no need for me to speed up the audio with this one.

All in all, the characters and the story has me hooked and I look forward to finding out what happens next. ( )