Book #08 - Ashes of Honor (October Daye #6) by Seanan McGuire
Ashes of Honor (October Daye #6) by Seanan McGuire
A changeling goes missing and her powers run out of control, endangering not only herself, but all of Faerie
I loved how unpredictable the book was. I never knew what was going to happen next. Even though I'm not sure I like one of the main plot points, it was definitely one of the better Toby Daye books for me. The last one felt kind of formulaic, and this one never did.
* Okay, first off: I did not like how quickly the Tybalt/Toby thing was resolved. Oh yeah, he's loved her for years, sure, she's just been in denial, oops, but not anymore, everything's fine. Whut? Whiplash.
* I mean, I really shouldn't complain, because of course Tybalt has been shown as her love interest for a long time, and the kisses were hot, and his sincerity is definitely hot. But... she's still grieving her selkie boyfriend, and it all gets wiped away with Tybalt's explanation that Connor never loved Toby for who she was but only who she had been? Why did we never know about this? Or did I just forget it...?
* In any case, that went too fast for me. I am not opposed to it in general, though. I like Tybalt a lot, he's exotic and strange and powerful and stands absolutely 100% behind Toby. I have no objections to him, or to them being together.
* I'm not sure I believe Etienne of all people would be stupid enough to father a child and then never know she existed. Okay, being stupid in love was a major theme of the book, but... really?
* I loved the historian mother, she was fierce and wonderful. I was very surprised when it turned out the three of them could actually have a happy ending together, I did not expect that.
* I liked the charms the Luidaeg made, I liked the anti-magic potion Walther made, the combination of "works of friends" in this book was definitely to my liking.
* Leaving the human policeman behind in Annwn was painful. That felt like a major dangling plot thread. (I have no idea how they're ever supposed to get him back, since Annwn is now cut off from Faerie again.) But then I thought he wasn't human for the longest time, so that also didn't go the way I thought it would.
* I liked January's Luck-bending wife Li Qin. She was also fierce, and her ability was one more thing that made the plot unpredictable.
* I liked Toby bleeding all over everything. Oh, Toby. It is absolutely realistic that she immediately used all her newly discovered pure-blood limits, and even exceeded them, without a second thought. She knows she'll heal again. Oh, Toby.
* I also liked Toby's realization that the Shadow Roads aren't as difficult to use when you trust them (or Tybalt).
* All the cat things worked for me. The queen never getting involved, the attempts on Tybalt's life, the way the other cats stood sentry for Toby and Tybalt.
* I also liked that Toby couldn't decide who was more important, Raj or the Changeling girl Chelsea.
* As always, one of the best things about Toby is that she has a big heart. That makes her a wonderful pov character. I just like her. In fact, I like everyone in that bar. All of her friends are likeable in some way. (Even the Luidaeg.) And all her enemies are nobles. I approve. :D
Eh, this was pretty chaotic and all over the place... I'm sure I forgot a lot of things. Remind me? :) It was a good book!
4 stars - An unpredictable, funny, magical, and action-laden romp. Recommended! :D
Unfortunately, this was the last book I read this year, missing my set goal of 12 books by a mile. /o\ Let's hope it goes better again next year...
1 - 5 stars - The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth #2) by N. K. Jemisin [DW link & LJ link]
2 - 4 stars - The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth #3) by N. K. Jemisin [DW link & LJ link]
3 - 4 stars - Blackout (Newsflesh #3) by Mira Grant [DW link & LJ link]
4 - 5 stars - Sovereign (Nemesis #2) by April Daniels [DW link & LJ link]
5 - 4 stars - Moon over Soho (Rivers of London #2) by Ben Aaronovich [DW link & LJ link]
6 - 4 stars - Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff [DW link & LJ link]
7 - 3 stars - The Cloud Roads (Books of the Raksura #1) by Martha Wells [DW link & LJ link]
8 - 4 stars - Ashes of Honor (October Daye #6) by Seanan McGuire [DW link & LJ link]
x-posted from dw (comments:
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