There is also a giveaway happening today as well. Kelly Gay has been kind enough to give away a signed copy of the next in the Charlie Madigan series, The Darkest Edge of Dawn. Here are the details:
- Each comment is an entry
- If you're a Spinecracker follower that's also an entry
- US & Canada only
- Contest ends tonight at midnight (pst)
- Winner will be announced Monday, Oct 4th
This month we'll be discussing The Better Part of Darkness. I've listed a couple questions to get the discussion started, but please jump in and bring up anything you'd like about the book.
*all I ask is that the comments remain respectful to the author and to each other
- Drugs, Divorced/Single mother, Teenage daughter: Too realistic for fantasy?
- Carreg: Good Guy? Bad Guy?
- Hank & Charlie: Platonic or More?
- Favorite secondary character
Q1: One of the things I found most unusual and really interesting was how realistic the characters were. Sure aliens are running around the planet and Charlie works with a siren, but at the root of it, she's a single mom to a teenage daughter who works long hours to provide.
ReplyDeleteShe also has a great relationship with her family, which is new.
I really loved this new hero-type
Q4: My absolute favorite secondary character was Bryn. ! Loved her quirky store and her secrets with Aaron . I seriously hope Kely does an anthology soon with Bryn's story. (or just starts a new series) ;)
ReplyDeleteToo realistic for fantasy?
ReplyDeleteNah, I kind of liked this mix into it. It seems there are books anymore that are mixing the real world with the fantasy world. To handle the everyday things we have to deal with in a new way for the way of their worlds. It can work very easily, and here it did.
Carreg... I am not sure about him. I actually thought of the old saying - Enemy of my enemy is my friend - with him. This saying seemed to fit him well. And he is a bad guy. He has his own agenda. And now he is the top dog of his world. (or for the moment until the next in Mynogan's line takes over.)
ReplyDeleteI think he can be a force to reckon with. But what does he know that he truly thinks they can save his world? There is something hidden here he is not sharing with us. I wonder if Aaron ever stole any skins from his family.... hmmm...
But, he got what he wanted - to be top family in his world, as the two families always fought. So what else is on his agenda?
I just have one little thing that made some things hard for me in the books from time to time. The way things just popped up out of now where with out any lead up to it possibly happening, like Will signing a contract with Revenants. There was no suggestion of Revenants prior to this in the book. And a few times this came up. We weren't completely aware of some things in the world.
ReplyDeleteSo, to me this book was in part creating a world for us with an entertaining story.
Favorite Secondary Character? That's a hard one because they are all so different but I think in the end Rex won me out, I guess I'm a sucker for a ghost in corporeal form. I was unsure of him at first, he could have gone horribly wrong or evil and instead fit into the group and the whole scene with the Hellhound that's now living in the backyard? Adorable.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, I'll have to agree with you there. This book did leave a lot to be discovered while reading through. Several times I had to go back and make sure I was starting with the first book because they weren't very open in addressing much of the background to the book. You had to keep reading to get all the details and then still things were left up in the air. Of course the book kept me reading, I would just get hug up every so often on the little things.
ReplyDeleteSourpony: I really loved Rex too. at the end for like a split second I thought that maybe it was really Will. I think he's going to be very interesting to watch in the next novel. how on earth is Charlie suppose to cope with someone dying when they're still around and pretending to be the dead person. hmmm
ReplyDeleteMelissa: I'm glad you brought that up about the backstory. I agree that things just popped up and were talked about for a while before there was any explanation..but I must admit I liked this. Even though it was confusing it made it feel like we were really looking into someone's day to day. And we just have to tag along in order to finally figure out what's happening. Sometimes this can be a really frustrating approach, but for whatever reason it worked for me this time around.
ReplyDeleteQ3: I found their relationship so frustrating. (ha!) At one point he's the overbearing big brother type and the next he's jealous b/c she's trying to work on things with Will. It made me confused on how I'm suppose to feel about him.
ReplyDeleteYou both brought up Will. I am wondering what Charlie will do, or if there is a way, to bring Will back. I kind of like Will. Then I kind of liked Rex too, by the end.
ReplyDeleteI was a little frustrated with Charlie on her relationship issues with Will. I understand he hid the whole black magic thing from her. But he really does want his family back. She didn't even seem like she wanted to try.... at least not until she realized the extreme he went to, to get her back. Then she let on to herself if he would have just tried, I didn't get that feeling from her before then.
Oh Charlie and Hank... yeah. I have to agree with you on them, Jessica.
ReplyDeleteI am all over the board with them. I thought they were great friends, almost brother/sister thing but not because of the little bits of flirting (bathhouse).
Then his reaction to her with Will. I wondered if he was going to say something to her, something more in feelings. But then thought he was just worried about her and felt Will wasn't that great of a person. But Will seemed like a great person.
Then we have the siren at the bathhouse he has a thing for.
In the end I chalked them up to just being amazingly close friends and that was all. Very Platonic. But since it's a male/female friendship there will always be the innocent flirting too.
Melissa: See I think there's something there. Or it's going to be just like Bones and just remain incredibly frustrating.
ReplyDelete*but I think thats the point, right?! keep their relationship always guessing, never knowing.
They're just so compatible. I hope that Siren from the bathhouse goes away ;)
Now thats my dilemma... I don't know who I want Charlie to be with; Will or Hank. I really like both characters.
ReplyDeleteNow, I have another thought for you....
ReplyDeleteCharlie was so against Will and his dark arts dabbling. In the end of the book... Would you consider her doings part of the dark arts too?
I kind of did. I know she did it to save the world and she is doing things for the "light" of it all. But she does have the dark in her as well. And, well... needing the blood. Hmmm... don't know. Almost hypocritical if others were to find out. That would be hard to swallow, for me if I where Charlie.
Just wanted to say thanks to Jess for picking BPOD to chat about! I won't hang around since I don't want anyone to feel like they can't say what they want to b/c the author is here. (I know that might be kind of weird). :-) But I told Jess I'd stop by and say hello... So HELLOOOO to all! LOL.
ReplyDeleteHello Kelly! Great to have you by. :) I was wondering, and you have probably answered this a million times, but how many books do we get for Charlie? We have two, and now I am looking forward to reading the second one to see how she handles the darkness that has appeared. Along with a few other tough patches in her few days.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by!
Hey Melissa! I have two more planned, and am waiting for permission from my publisher to share some info regarding the future of the books. But, definitely, with the second book you'll get a lot of answers to some of those relationship questions and how things are going for Charlie after the darkness. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading BPOD!!!!
Kelly: Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing some exciting info. I know I can't wait to hear/read/imagine more about the series :)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to start DEoD and find out what's happening in our character's lives
Thank you Kelly! I am looking forward to finding out all these things in the next book. And the best of luck to you with those books. It will be great to read more of them.
ReplyDeleteDrugs, Divorced/Single mother, Teenage daughter: Too realistic for fantasy?
ReplyDelete~Um...nope not too realistic, just enough realism to have you relate to Charlie and her job.
Carreg: Good Guy? Bad Guy?
~I keep having Deep Space 9 or was is Babylon 5 flash backs. Both sides play the middle until the middle is gone or fights back yelling get off my lawn.
Hank & Charlie: Platonic or More?
~something more!
Favorite secondary character
~Hank
Ruth: Thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteI agree that all the qualities listed were enough realism for the story. That was one of the most interesting parts for me...how "every day" things seemed...minus the aliens etc :)
Great discussion. I loved The Better Part of Darkness and I can't wait to read The Darkest Edge of Dawn.
ReplyDelete1) I don't think that Charlie is too realistic for fantasy, it made her character easier to relate to. She's trying to do her job and still be a mother and a sister, etc.
2) Carreg - I don't trust him, I think he's out for himself and got just what he wanted, so Charlie's going to have to deal with him in the future.
3) Hank & Charlie - I think they'll stay platonic good friends and partners.
4)My favorite secondary character is a tie between Hank and Charlie's sister Bryn. I love that Hank's an alien, and Charlies great friend. I enjoyed Bryn's getting to work with Charlie and show her what she can do, that's she's not helpless.
Barbara: I love that you think Hank & charlie will just remain good friends...you're probably right.
ReplyDeleteBryn is hands down my favorite secondary character too! I want her to have her own series :D
Thank so much for stopping by and commenting.
Hey all!! Sorry it took so long to hop in. You can blame my dog :).
ReplyDeleteAnyways...With Charlie and Hank....I think right now it's a platonic friends thing too. Could it go further? Maybe, but I don't see it. At least yet. We all have friends of the opposite sex where we are extremely close or we'll flirt with the other.
I would be okay if the two ended up being more though :)
Is it too realistic for fantasy?? I don't think so. There are books out there these days that are putting modern times with fantasy. You're going to see the real life issues there.
ReplyDeleteI liked seeing she had a daughter. We see parents, siblings, but you don't see many main characters with children.
Carreg, I think he's a bad guy and will definitely be up to something later on. Charlie better watch her back.
ReplyDeleteFor my favorite secondary character? Do I have to choose? I liked both Hank and Bryn. I can't decide...
ReplyDeleteMy Favorite secondary character...
ReplyDeleteI have to say hands down Bryn. I think I actually liked her more than Charlie (hard to believe). But I think you are right on Jessica with doing an anthology short story with Bryn. She is perfect and there is lots of mystery there with her. And living in the area she is in...lots can happen there.
But I really enjoyed Aaron too. I loved him from the moment Charlie met him in the bathhouse. ;D I loved how she had to keep reminding herself to not look down. :D Great! But I thought there was a lot of mystery with him and that she saw the green aura right away with him. Oh, he is an all powerful magnus too! He will be training Charlie in the next book, well he has too! (I don't know that for sure but he is a great character - he just has too!)
Robyn: I guess I always thought of Hank as being a main character..or else I'd be hard to choose between the 2
ReplyDeleteI loved that part with Aaron and her trying not to look down.
ReplyDeleteMelissa:I liked Aaron too. I like that I couldn't ever get a good read on him. (all the mystery as you say)
ReplyDelete*whispers* I kinda liked Bryn more than charlie too. I'm serious about her having her own series :)
Is there anything else about the book you liked that I haven't talked about yet?
ReplyDeleteDid you like the alien aspect? {Like Star Trek just among our world as though it's normal}
I'm such a sci-fi geek I thought that was cool
I was wondering after reading the bit on the Bleeding Soul Flower (pg 313).... IF - big if here - IF this flower could help remove Rex from Wills' body and let Will surface again. Or is Wills' soul damaged and not able to surface again?
ReplyDeleteRobyn:I totally agree. I loved her having a real family that she talks to and interacts with. And I quite liked that she had a daughter, It put a whole different tone on the story for me.
ReplyDelete(But, I guess I wondered if people with kids might have thought it all hit too close to home)
I really enjoyed this unique take on a heroine
Jessica: I think Hank could definitely be more main in the next books. He's definitely going to be more involved. At least I hope so.
ReplyDeleteMelssa: I'm going to re-read now stand by
ReplyDeleteI like the alien view on it. Although I didn't really take them as "aliens." To me they were morphed humans from different worlds. But worlds to me was like a different plane not as much a planet in space. But the term alien is something unfamiliar and not normal to that place, so alien works. :)
ReplyDeleteI do like having the aliens there. It kinda reminds me of Stargate. The only difference is humans didn't know aliens were living on earth or fighting along with us, lol.
ReplyDeleteI had to add Kelly Gay as a favorite author after reading BPOD. The world building is awesome, the characters seem real, the plot is tight and she combines urban fantasy with sci-fiction elements. Loved it! I really can't find anything bad to say about the book. It's just that good. I just hope there's more than 3 in future plans for Charlie:)
ReplyDeleteI really thought Hank could easily be a second main character, or co-character, with Charlie. He could slide right in there with ease. To me he started there then dropped out when all h*ll broke loose. But Charlie has issues and that is she is afraid of putting others in harm - always the mother protecting everyone.
ReplyDeletehmmm... like maybe reversing the process will set the revenant (rex) free and therefore bring will back? That's intersting
ReplyDeleteWith her as a mother, you get to see a new side to being a heroine.
ReplyDeleteMelissa C: I hope there's many more in plan for Charlie too! And the whole world.
ReplyDeleteI'm pushing for a new series from Bryn's POV ...wouldn't that be cool
Jessica - Yeah! The flower was used as warfair to release the souls from the bodies, and this is where they are claiming the Reverants and wraiths to have come from. So...what if it is used to remove the Reverants once again? But leaving the original soul in tack to live out their life. You know that Titus Mott is one amazing scientist, who knows what he, Aaron, and Carreg could come up with...
ReplyDeleteThere is the idea floating around about how to get the mod-collar off of Hank. Do you think this will happen? Will Hank get his lovely voice back? I hope so. And I think it is something that will be looked into too.
ReplyDeleteMelissa: But Will did die (in order for Rex to take over) But yes you're right Titus brought Charlie back so you never know. Glad you brought it up
ReplyDeleteDo you think Titus will ever find a way to remove one or even both the powers in Charlie? I am wondering if maybe in a few books something will come up but Charlie will decide to keep them both. I know they are waring inside her, but how knows what will happen.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe they will kill Charlie before Titus comes up with anything.
What do you think on the blood thing? Do you think she will have to drink it to sustain, just like Mynogac?
I think he'll get it off. I swear I'm ridiculous b/c I want it to "accidentally" come off around Charlie ;)
ReplyDeleteI blame my inappropriate frame of mind on Richelle Mead's Succubus series (that I just read) hee-hee
Ahhh, but Will's body didn't completely die before Rex took over. ;) Rex mentions he has to take the body at its end but before the soul leaves. And when Charlie found Will he was still breathing, faint but breathing. So does that qualify as dieing? That could be a fine line there.
ReplyDeletePage 255 is where Rex mentions that Wills' body was on its last few beats when he arrived. Just a thought....
Melissa: I'm still clueless about my thoughts on the blood. (i think this might be a small case of not enough backstory we mentioned earlier) I'm hoping that the next story will make this a big focus.
ReplyDeleteBut, I agree that I think she'll fight with herself, but ultimately keep her powers...it's what she knows now
:) Alright are you sick of me yet? Me and my twisting and far out speculation? Sorry, I do get carried away like this from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI will stop if its old. Or I can keep going as I have more questions and thoughts.
Kelly Gay probably thinks I'm crazy. ;)
Melissa: YOU"RE RIGHT. Wow, your memory is better than mine. I think you've just ruined book 2. HAHA I'm only kidding.
ReplyDeleteKelly's probably sitting back saying "damn that Melissa"
But seriously, I think you're on to something.
Melissa: please keep going. It's a book club this is what it's for speculations, different thoughts and ideas.... Lead on! :)
ReplyDeleteI like what Melissa is thinking :).
ReplyDelete:D LOL! Sometimes I sit around hoping some one will ask me to do this as a job. I would love to get lost in books this way. I really read to hard when I read.
ReplyDeleteLet me look through my stickies here for another topic...
Charlie's brother...
ReplyDeleteNow here is a topic we can touch on. He seems to be the reason Charlie doesn't like magic. It's a shame what happened here with him. And poor Charlie feels responsible for it. This seems to be why she feels she has to protect everyone.
But, Bryn mentions that she would like to know what Connor last said to Charlie. But, Charlie never did say (even in her mind) what that was. So will we find out more here with Connor? What he said to Charlie? I am wondering if more will come up in the next book with this. More to Connor and his death.
Do you think Ash will come back? Be more on the sly maybe? Tennin is still there to do his process and Myongan has family I'm sure. Myongan couldn't have been working alone.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what Tennin had in mind with killing the man that was in jail. And wanting his daughter on the force (who doesn't want to be there anyway). Tennin has more plans for himself and his kind.
We have not seen the last of Tennin. And Charlie has made one MAJOR enemy here. One that will be hard to defeat or tie up.
What about this "new job" The Chief, Charlie, and Hank are getting? Sounds like a special agents force to do things just like what Charlie just did. Going off the board and getting information, finding the bad guys/aliens.
ReplyDeleteI think they will have to look for teh Ash and even tend to the darkness. These three are going to be an interesting force. But I have to say I am worried about the chief. I don't know why, but I think he could be in danger for dieing. He doesn't have the healing ability the other two have. Just a hunch or feeling. May not be book two but might happen. They really do have a few enemies high up in power of the city.
Melissa: Yay, I'm so glad you brought up her brother!
ReplyDeleteI agree that there must me a significance to his parting words, and I assume that they'll come into the story when appropriate. I just wonder if now that Charlie understands more about herself and what's been done to her if she begin seeking out answers...
That maybe the answers will in turn help her deal with the waring powers within her
I hope we learn more about Connor. I'm definitely curious.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling what he said will come back to haunt her yet again in the next book or the one after. It will put her emotions, fears, stress in high gear somehow.
Melissa we definitely haven't seen the last of the Ash.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great point Jessica. That the answers with Connor may help her deal with the waring. I like that idea. She never did learn all her abilities as she set them aside to not use them. She didn't want to be different. So there may be more to her own heritage than we know too.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what this will do to her daughter? If it's a heritage thing. Could it have been passed down?
ReplyDeleteMelissa: I'm totally stoked about the new job. I can't wait to see what this is.... if it already existing and they're new recruits or if it's something totally new. Im thinking it already exists and they're gonna be let in on all kinds of crazy stuff.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the Ash thing popping back up. I mean I hope that it pops up to aid poor Will, BUT I just couldn't guess for what purpose.
And I guess I just assumed when Aaron said the darkness wouldn't last, that I took his word for it. But that would make for a good clean-up transition (getting rid of it)
Great question Robyn! I was wondering that too. What power will her daughter have? Or will she have none? It has been known to skip through the family. I like how her daughter is hard like her. Not easily scared, or atleast showing it. I hate to put her daughter in danger again, but I would like to see more of her and see if she has any powers too.
ReplyDeleteI know what I wanted to ask:
ReplyDeleteWhat about the creepy note at the end?! It has to be from someone who was part of the story right?! Guesses?
I have a feeling we won't see it in the next book but maybe in the third book or so, we'll see her daughter showing more power.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how Charlie would handle it.
Oh, I loved that Em was super strong just like her mother. She was such a unexpected delight in the story. She added such depth
ReplyDeleteJessica - I can't decide who it is. I'm going back and forth.
ReplyDeleteWell, Charlie believes the note is from Tennin, the Jinn leader. Tennin is going to be a problem.
ReplyDeleteI am also worried about the man that was on tied down on the bed in Titus's lab. He is now out and about on his own. I wonder if Myogan was the one to let him go... yeah, he would do that. But, what exactly did this man do to get where he was? He is going to be one to tend with in the next book too.
Okay, I am going to head off to read a few before I turn in. :)
ReplyDeleteDid I leave you all with some thoughts to ponder? I hope so. :) I will have to stop back tomorrow or something to catch up with all your thoughts.
Have a great night!
Whoa Whoa Whoa, what did I miss? That "alien" from the lab is gone. I swear I get so excited to see what's gonna happen that I read too fast and miss very important things!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your great thoughts and insights! Have a great night too!
ReplyDeleteooh I forgot about the alien in the lab....
ReplyDeleteOkay, I had to stop back by. yeah that alien is loose. Page 387 - Toward the bottom of the page, Charlie mentions all the things she needs to take care of and Llyran had escaped. :) So many different things to be taken care of in the next books.
ReplyDeleteOh, and what about the Hellhound in her back yard!?! I love that Rex is taming it and it seems to be taken with Em. (At this point I wondered if Em's power/ability could be with animals or other world animals.)
That's a good thought about Em being close with animals. Maybe she'll be like Dr. Dolittle or along those lines.
ReplyDeleteSorry I forgot about dinner, and I had veggie curry splatter all over the stove :)
ReplyDeleteMelissa: I think the hellhound was a cute touch at the end. Ya maybe Em will be an empath or something.
Well I'm signing off for the evening. Thanks for all the great comments and joining me to discuss A Better Part of Darkness.
ReplyDeleteI'll post the winner Monday morning at 8am.