Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire

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A quick review round-up.

I've gotten lax about my review round-ups since we reached October, partially because the reviews tend to taper off after a book has been out for a little while, and partially because I've been deeply busy. Still, these round-ups are as much for my reference as to share the news, so it's definitely time.

First up, Rosemary and Rue is a Virginia Beach Public Library staff pick. Penelope (our reviewer) says "Author Seanan McGuire has a sure hand with her first venture into urban fantasy—it is gritty, dark, full of despair and unwanted but necessary decisions. October Daye is worth remembering, as she struggles through Faerie politics and intrigue, reluctantly gathering allies at all levels as well as coming to grips with her own personal anguish." I call that a win!

Rixo has posted a long and lovely review. She says "Rosemary and Rue is an urban fantasy that I'm actually comfortable calling that. It isn't a paranormal romance in disguise, which is a nice change of pace." She also says "The changelings' world is gritty and unforgiving; this is not a warm, fuzzy sort of book. And I like it that way."

Rhianna has posted her review over at RhiReading; she says "October's series is off to a good start with Rosemary and Rue. These are the fae most faeriephiles are familiar with but with some twists. McGuire gives readers just enough detail and hints to keep them reading but leaves a lot open for disclosure in future installments." Also, "I recommend this one for urban fantasy fans looking for something fresh and original."

It's not a review round-up without an LJ review, this time provided by quettalinde. It's an excellent review, if difficult to pull quotes from, and I'm very pleased, especially by the picture of the book propped on a bundle of rosemary. Hee!

You may remember that I did an interview with Alex from Book Banter. Well, he's also posted his review. He says "For those looking for a fresh dosage of new reading after getting the latest fix of Dresden Files, look no further than the fresh voice of debut author Seanan McGuire and the first in her October Daye mystery series, Rosemary and Rue. Think Harry Dresden, but make him female, set her in San Francisco, and accept that the world of Faerie not only exists but has portals linking to our own world and the characters of fable are very real and terrifying."

Hey, another newspaper review! This time it's in the Parkersburg News and Sentinel. "This is a great start to a new series that does a good job blending the paranormal aspect with the crime noir." That's a line I'm more than happy to start things with.

In our last entry for this round-up, Nancy Holzner provides a short and sweet review. She says "McGuire conveys the complexity of Faerie—and the difficulties that face a changeling living in the human world—without slowing down the story to dump information on the reader. The result is a richly imagined world that feels real." Also "Rosemary and Rue is the first novel in an urban fantasy series by debut author Seanan McGuire, and I’m looking forward to the next book, A Local Habitation, which comes out in March 2010."

That's our review round-up for October in October. I'm pretty pleased so far.
Tags: reviews, rosemary and rue, toby daye
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  • 10 comments
My goodness, there's a reviewer at the Parkersburg News and Sentinel? Reviewing genre books? How things have changed since we moved out two years ago!
I was surprised too!
I did peruse Rosemary and Rue while at the bookstore. I love the character's name! I really liked that she was bagging groceries and had trouble holding jobs, made a lot of sense for someone fae-touched, and it was a nice change of pace.

And it has a bit of the feel of Kim Harrison's work of whom I am fond, but it's elves and modern day. And that's a real tough one for me, I generally don't like stories that mix the two. But yours may fall into the rare category of ones that really make it blend. I will risk it a little later. However! I did see you had a zombie book on your site that DID look immediately compelling! I'll definitely be looking for it!

I hope your flight is safe, pleasant, and uneventful! Good luck!
My zombie book, Feed, will be coming out in May 2010, under the name "Mira Grant." She's my evil twin alter-ego horror writer. :)

I'm very fond of the Toby books, because, well, I write them. But I do try very hard to blend the fae and mortal worlds as smoothly as I possibly can, and I really hope they work for you. (Also, I haven't slept much, so I'm very adjective-dependent today.)
I really love this review.
I picked up your book at the Navy Exchange on Oceana the other day, and quickly read it over the course of a couple of days! I didn't want to put it down, and am eagerly awaiting the next one. :) To be honest, I was a bit surprised to see it at the Exchange, because they have such a notoriously small selection, that to see it there was a very pleasant surprise for me. I had been on the lookout for the book, though, because I wanted to read it ASAP. I am hoping to be able to find your works at military exchanges all over the place, in the future, since we are going to be in Okinawa next year, and for the next three years. I'll go absolutely bonkers if I have to wait three years or more before I can get my hands on any subsequent works by you. :)
Oh, that's fantastic!

I know that DAW books are often sent out to the military exchanges from the New York office, since being deployed doesn't mean you don't get to read. :) I'm really thrilled that you found it!
I picked up Rosemary and Rue on Susan's recommendation at Rixosous. I thought it was terrific, and I'm looking forward to the next two. My review.
Fabulous! Thank you so much!