Box Office Poison (The Linnet Ellery Series)

I picked this book up because I wanted to see where the author took the series. She took it to a fun place, somewhat frustrating, though, because that place is clearly in a series, with "answers" forthcoming, but not contained in the pages of this volume.

However the main character is still interesting. Her strengths are not in her brawn, but in her brain, though she seems to have developed some teflonicity that I fear will end up being magical or supernatural in origin. Her fighting skills are more in her ability to use that brain as a new, but promising to be kick-arse lawyer. Her passion outside of work is riding and dressage, which adds interest for me. Her relationships with her co-workers are evolving -- no black or white here as show more former arch-enemy is now a best friend. Still sorting out the supernaturals in this series: not your Sookie Stackhouse vamps, faries, and werewolves. (I can't believe I even wrote that in a review.)

But in the end, the burning question in my mind is, "what television series did Phillipa Bornikova work on?" show less

Fast and frivolous.

Good parts:
1. Fast
2. Frivolous
3. Linnet, the heroine, does not miraculously develop kung fu skills
4. She does use amazing legal skills
4. Former female adversary now a bestie
5. Lots of detail on Hollywood movie sets
6. Kick-ass horse
7. Decent writing, with details that make it feel real

Bad parts:
1. Numerous men she meets are convinced she is 'cute' and want to date her
2. Former love interest treats her in a cold and heartless way, clearly under a spell but causing Linnet self-doubt
3. Leading male in this book obviously has a crush on Linnet, of which she is completely unaware
4. Which means future love triangle
5. Former female adversary now a bestie
6. Lots of detail on a Hollywood with imaginary movie stars
7. Moralizing show more about how we all need to treat beings as individuals, and not just react against a particular race/species
8. End-of-book scene where important identity questions are promised to be answered "when you are back at home in New York."

Personal peeves:
1. Being an over-twenty-year-old lawyer at a prestigious firm, living on her own, and living away from her dad since she was eight but still calling her him 'Daddy' when he visits
2. Repetitive dialogue about counting calories/being forced to eat salad/drink plain coffee and then eating french fries, binging on sushi and eating steak-n-crab at dinner. "I grabbed a cup of coffee, and took a blue M&M, and wandered back toward the set." Seriously. A M&M? Who does that? I hate heroines in UF with food issues. Harry Dresden doesn't have food issues. Felix Castor doesn't have food issues. Cal Leandros thinks the less healthy, the better (he's the Dean of the brotherly duo). Neither does any other male detective. So why must the females? I don't mind if it's about healthy, but it always seems to be about weight. Females and female writers--let's stop hating ourselves, hey?

Okay, now that I parse it out, it's not that great. Still, Bornikova is a decent writer whose talent is wasted on a storyline that barely reaches above the low bar of standard UF (young single woman working to establish her identity and relationships in the new order). Notable for some nice touches of humor.

Two and a half stars. Yes. It rated above Cold Days. So sue me.

Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/09/04/box-office-poison-by-phillipa-bornikov...
With links! show less

BOX OFFICE POISON follows Linnet and David to LA where they are to arbitrate over a case between human and Alfar actors. She ends up having to solve a mystery on the outskirts of the case without compromising her position as an impartial arbitrator while dodging killers while she is at it.

Linnet caught my eye in THIS CASE IS GONNA KILL ME. Starting off a tad boring she quickly had me wondering what could possibly happen to her next. She has a lucky streak when it comes to trouble. She dodges death many times. She seems to surpass everyone's expectations and catch the attention of power players at every turn. I thought I would be sad still that John was stuck in Fae. Linnet seems just as determined to get him out but she isn't consumed show more by the need. I ended up being OK with that. I really liked David. He is nothing like the other vampires and seems to genuinely care about what happens to Linnet on top of that. There is some chemistry there between the two and I am interested in seeing it explored more. Vento and his owner continue to be a mystery. They are turning out o be pretty big players in the storyline but I still have no clue what their true role is or who they might really be. I know for sure that they are both there to protect Linnet, I just don't know why.

I have had fun with both books in this series. The characters are interesting and I enjoy the legal parts of the plot. The action is always engaging to me. The humor keeps me laughing and there tends to be a lot of emotions throughout the story. I really like how each book has a main storyline that is wrapped up by the end of the book. No waiting to see a resolution or huge cliff hangers to have to ponder over. You are still left wanting to read the next book but you are satisfied. show less

EDIT 2022: This review contains reference to the fact that I worked a temp job while reading this.

Somehow I thought this was going to be a legal thriller set in an urban fantasy world. I kept reading until the end, looking for that element. (EDIT 10/22/2018: I rearranged several clauses of the following sentences because in anger, I can write quite the tangled run-ons.) The following sentence is one of my least favorite to write, considering I spent the better part of a decade writing fanfiction. This reads like a bad fanfiction, complete with a Mary Sue, stupid romantic subplot jammed into the final paragraph of the first fifty pages, enormous paragraphs of Mary Sue's inner monologue, and barely any plot advertised. The legal thriller show more part was so incredibly bland, that at first, I didn't realize I was reading it.
The book opens up with Linnett, our Mary Sue, whining that she was coerced into taking a case last minute and her life is so haaaard and she's furious that she's flying coach, pro hac vice. I regularly work temp jobs as a legal assistant. I've worked for attorneys who fly coach, on short notice, and on cases pro hac vice, all the time. As in, five times a month. You are no hotshot attorney, madam. Your behavior throughout the book indicates you are two years out of law school (apologies to better lawyers!) and you are a thirteen-year-old in a woman's body.

The plot doesn't show up until nearly a hundred pages into the book, and it's a workplace shooting out of nowhere. Mary Sue that Linnett is, she -heroically- jumps to save the paramedic and only has some blood splattered onto her shirt. She utterly forgets what a hospital is, and marches into her office shortly afterward. A long paragraph is dedicated to someone rushing out to get her a new, expensive blouse since we can't have a Mary Sue not be the prettiest woman in the room. She seems to have an odd fascination with pointing out how pretty women of color are when they're around her for five seconds. It comes off as trying too hard. Serious societal issues are addressed here with the Sledgehammer of Symbology (credit to Mervin of Das Sporking for the term), and clumsily at that. Lots of long-winded paragraphs.

Entire pages are dedicated to her love of horses and I don't care. I suppose this was meant to provide characterization. She lovingly describes each item of clothing she ever wears in three or more sentences per item. The more expensive it is, the more it's described. She whines about her refusal to eat rich food and screeches about calories. Some of us can't afford food. Stuff yourself.

The book ended with no real resolution. I could practically hear the author shout, "I am tired of this story! Here are more paragraphs to pretend the ending! I'm done!" All I could do was shake my head a bit show less