Lilith Saintcrow

I would never have picked this book up if I hadn't already read some of Lilith St. Crow's other novels, primarily because the cover is atrocious. Every time I pick my copy up, or even look at it, I want to scoff. I mean, "heartbreaker"? Really? That's not the main character at all. There isn't any more than a hint of romance in the first book, even.

Cringe-worthy cover aside, I always enjoy reading "Strange Angels." The first time I read it, I thought the title was a little... well, strange, show more but it has grown on me. (Mostly because Dru's self-appointed protector isn't her only offbeat guardian angel.)

My favorite part about this book is and always will be the main character. The story is told in first person POV, so we get right into her head from the very start. She's a tough kid, and I can't help but admire her for that, but she's also still just a kid, and I both love and respect her for that. It makes me sympathize with her every step of the way, and even put myself in her shoes--I caught myself thinking the other day how messed up I'd be if someone turned my own father into a zombie (I know, I know. lol.), and how impressive it is that she isn't more messed up.

My other favorite part about this book is her relationship with Graves. He's fantastic, too, because he's real and messed up like she is but also coping as well as he can, just like she is.

I'm not so crazy about Christophe, though. He comes off as pretentious and underdeveloped as a character, and yet he's so central to Dru's struggles throughout the series.

Anyway, ignore the annoying cover. For a first venture into the realm of YA novels, Lili St. Crow has done a pretty frigging fantastic job of navigating her way to a great book. show less

When this book arrived on my doorstep Tuesday (delivered by my not-so-cheerful UPS guy--I think he hates me. I don't know why. I mean, he's only delivering new books and stuff to my doorstep every other day or so!), anyway, as I was saying, when DEFIANCE plunked down on my front stoop yesterday, it was all I could do not to tear into it at that very second. I resisted it until right after work Wednesday and didn't put it down until I finished it. Oh. My. God. So good.

This is the fourth show more Strange Angels novel and, if you haven't read the first three, you really should check those out first. While it's possible to pick this book up and read it without having acquainted yourself with Dru, Christophe, Graves, and the rest of the gang, you'd be missing out on a lot of the backstory and might get slightly tangled up in the terminology and details of Dru's world.

Typical of Lili St. Crow (and her adult writer-self, Lilith Saintcrow), the story is nonstop action with knives flashing, blood spurting, and howls of pain echoing in the night air. Awesome (holy cow, I do love me some urban fantasy!). Finally somewhat safe and sound at the main school for djamphir and werwulfen, Dru's honing her fighting skills so that when she blooms, she'll be able to take care of business (killing nosferat, the bad vamps) and not get herself killed. But she's worried about Graves, her best friend--her only friend, really--who was taken by Sergej, the King of the Vampires.

Dru is so confident one moment, like when she's in the middle of a fight and her training kicks in and she just knows what to do, and then the next, she's lost, unsure of who to trust (Though she has every right to have trust issues. Those vamps are sneaky buggers.), unsure of her feelings for the guys in her life, and even unsure of her appearance. It makes her such a solidly real character, that she might be a tough, totally kick-butt girl on the outside and yet, she's just as confused as every other teen growing up.

And I love the action scenes. Lili St. Crow writes those scenes with clarity and precision, so much so that I can picture each whirl, twist, kick, and slice as Dru battles her way through the bad guys. Great imagery, complete with scents (the taste of rotting, waxen orange signaling the approach of the nosferat), sounds (tentacles sounding like wet hamburger being dropped onto sheet metal), and sights (maggot-white fingers).

DEFIANCE and the Strange Angels series is stellar--a stand-out in the world of urban fantasy that will hook readers from the very start. show less

Final Grade: 95/A
316 pages
YA Urban Fantasy
Available now
Review copy purchased
Recommend to students: Yes (contains violence)

REVIEW: Wow. That's not much of a blurb, is it? Well, this is the third book in the series so, because I'm sure I'll say something spoil-y in this review, don't read it unless you've read the first two. And, besides that, you'll be a bit confused if you start with Jealousy because Lili St. Crow doesn't do a whole lot of back story in her books (Thank God. 'Cause that show more annoys me when the author says the same thing over and over to set up the backstory! Granted, it's helpful if you haven't read the book but still.).

I devoured this book in one night, staying up until the wee hours to find out what happens with Dru and Graves and Christophe. Dru's finally away from the delinquent school and where she belongs. Supposedly. But there's still a traitor, there's still suckers and others out there who want her dead. She's a little slow to realize who it is (I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt with this, that she's not slow, she's just having a hard time believing it.) and this slowness almost gets her killed.

Dru finally meets the Council, matches wits with Anna, and comes to a decision about Graves (well, sort of. There's still Christophe...maybe. S*sigh* Love triangles can be so difficult.). And, as I was reading, I realized that this book was going to be a cliffhanger. Grr. Now I'll have to wait until next year to find out if...no. Not gonna put that spoiler in there!

Anyway, Lili St. Crow comes through big-time with JEALOUSY. It's packed full of action, intrigue and betrayal all the way through it. And the fight scenes rock! I love the way she writes them, so that I feel like I'm there, in the middle of the action. Dru is a kick-butt character--stubborn and smart, a take-no-crap kind of girl who, despite the difficult situations she finds herself in, can figure a way out. She garners the loyalty of those around her and is a natural-born leader (although she still sees herself as a loner. I'm thinking this is going to change a bit in the next book, though.). Graves and Christophe are both hot in their own way but I also want to smack them both upside the head because of some of the stuff they say and do (mostly Christophe but Graves still deserves a head-smack). Loved JEALOUSY. Highly recommended. show less

A fun, fast read. I enjoy Kismet rather more than I did Valentine - probably because Kismet lacks the abusive partner plot.

This time around, there's police corruption, nightside politics, genetic experiments, bio warfare, and class warfare by way of body snatching. The storyline sent Jill out on her own by cutting her off from the force and sending Saul out of town. Perry doesn't even show up more than once. Instead, Jill gets Theron as a deputy and a visit from hunter Leon of Texas when show more she needs help.

I like that Saintcrow calls out overt racism by characters in her text. I like that if she's going to write a canonically racist character, then another character will call the racist behaviour by its name.

I thought this installment was a cut above the last two in the series, although that could just be my relative boredom with crime fighter's love lives - I do tend to enjoy the story more when the lover is out of town. show less