I’m slowly working my way through Seanan McGuire’s body of work. Her books are exactly the kind of urban fantasy I love. She has a way of writing witty heroines who put their lives on the line for others. I decided to put the InCryptid series into the rotation. I bought the first book on audiobook on sale ages ago. I also have been desperate to read novels I already own. It was a win-win.
Discount Armageddon introduces us to Verity Price. She comes from a long family line of cryptozoologists. They study monsters that most humans don’t realize exist. When needed, they will put them down. They have a kinder approach than some others in the field, namely The Covenant. We meet her on the dance floor hunting a ghoul whom she warns to stop eating humans or else. She’s sassy, deadly, and an excellent dancer. No really. She moved to NYC to pursue ballroom dancing under a pseudonym. I thoroughly enjoyed her ballroom dance audition later in the book. Sadly, monster hunting and ballroom competitions don’t pay the bills. She also works nights at an extremely shady cocktail bar owned by a cryptid Boogeyman. She learns that cryptids in the city are disappearing. They’ve got some nerve in her city that she’s been protecting. Some leave town while others accuse her of assassination. We meet a variety of cryptids including some sneaky lizard men and rumors of a long-lost species living in the sewers. Verity reluctantly teams up with a handsome but insufferable man from The Covenant. Together, they figure out what nasty things have the monsters running scared. The monster politics reminded me of Lost Girl, which I adored. The romance wasn’t central, it added a nice dynamic to the story. I already picked up book two to read for CBR 15.
I may take long breaks in the October Daye series, but I always go back. It’s like the good wine on my shelf. When I picked up Late Eclipses, I read it in 3 days. On the last day, I stayed up all night to finish it. Needless to say that I was riveted. In book four, Toby rushes to the aid of Lily the undine. Lily rules the tea garden in Golden Gate Park, the same as where Toby spent a decade trapped as a fish. Toby suspects poison but can’t find any evidence. That also makes it impossible to find a cure. She looks for clues across the city when other kingdoms have poison victims. Instead, she uncovers a political conspiracy and unexpected revelations about her long-lost fae mother.
I felt like the previous books were all building to this one. Her battle with Blind Michael in Artificial Night has ruffled some big feathers. It doesn’t help that she has a Fetch living with her. A fetch is a living, breathing doppelganger that’s also a harbinger of death. I thought Toby was living close to the edge before, but she goes all in this time. She is far too ready to sacrifice herself. I do appreciate the self-reflection in this entry. She knows it’s not fair, especially since she hasn’t reconciled with her daughter. She’s not free to love who she wants either. But when people who raised and loved her are dying, she has to keep going into the darkness.
There are some bleak parts, but the action and stakes kept me entertained. The book may close with one mystery solved, but some revelations opened a new can of worms. Toby’s work is not going unnoticed by the powers that be. We’re seeing the cracks in the fae power structures. Sylvester does everything he can to help Toby but also has to protect his kingdom. Not much romance, but I know it’s on the horizon. I’m already reading book five because this series is my cat nip. You must read these in order. They’re essential to understanding the romantic and political implications of each heroines actions. If you want to dive into an expanding fae universe, these won’t disappoint. Plus, it’s a decent alternative to The Dresden Files with a female heroine. Read more of my urban fantasy and paranormal romance ravings on my blog.
