The Scent of Shadows

I have a difficult time reading about excruciatingly lonely people and about love stories with very little hope of a happy ending, and so on the surface of things, this book should have had two strikes against it. And indeed, there were moments I wasn't sure I wanted to follow the story to an uncertain end, but the difficulties Joanna faced were so interesting that I couldn't help wanting to see how she dealt with them. Add a vivid sense of Las Vegas, a cast of characters who felt real despite how little I truly knew about them, and an intriguing twist on zodiac personalities, and by the end of the book I knew this wouldn't be the last Sign of the Zodiac novel I'd be reading.

The Scent of Shadows is the First Sign of the Zodiac; the first book in Petterson's Zodiac series. This book exceeded my expectations. I was braced for yet another paranormal series featuring an angsty heroine; but what I got was so much more than that. This book is something both men and women would greatly enjoy; it is much more of a super hero story than a paranormal romance.

Joanna Archer is an heiress. Her father Xavier Archer is a Las Vegas tycoon who owns a number of casinos in Las Vegas. Joanna's sister, Olivia, is more your typical playboy bunny type of heiress, while Joanna is kind of the black sheep in the family. In her early teens Joanna suffered a devastating attack that left her different, more brooding than her fun loving show more sister Olivia. Joanna turned to photography; taking pictures of the dark side of Las Vegas. Then the day before her 25th birthday she was attacked on a blind date, only to be rescued by her childhood sweetheart Ben - now a cop. What Joanna didn't know was that the streets of Las Vegas were not what they seemed to be, and on her 25th birthday she would undergo a change that she had never imaged.

This is a well-written, fast-paced book. What I really liked though is the complexity and creativity of the Zodiac troop and their alternate realities. This book left behind many typical paranormal series subjects and took me somewhat unexpectedly into the realm of comic book heroes. With the Zodiac troop zipping in and out of alternate realities there was a little sci-fi in here too. The Zodiac fighters of both the Light and Dark troops are intriguing; their powers very superhero-like and also very varied. The comic books that serve as their newspapers are creative, comical, and intriguing. The epic struggle of Light and Dark in a city constantly balanced on the edge of sin is compelling. Joanna is a complicated character, as are many of the characters presented to us in the Zodiac troop.

The major story arc is nicely resolved; but a large number of side stories are left unresolved, leaving me yearning for the next book.

I did have a couple issues with this book. The first is that it *is* complicated. The set-up is a bit confusing, although to Petterson's credit the idea behind the Zodiac troop is complicated, creative, and something very new to her readers. So, I expected the set-up to take a bit of time for me to be comfortable with; I am happy to say by the end of the book I did understand it and ceased to feel slightly confused. My other complaint with the book would be that the characters superhero powers are not well defined. I am still not quite sure I understand what Joanna's power is, I am not quite sure I understand what the other characters powers are either. Maybe Petterson wants the unveiling of their powers to be deliberate and purposeful, or maybe she just did a poor job of conveying them in the story...time will tell which it is.

That being said I think this book is much better than the Anna Strong Chronicles or the Mercy Thompson series. It is not quite as good as Kim Harrion's series. It is more on par with the Dante Valentine books. I hope that the future books can continue to elaborate on this story; I also hope that Joanna doesn't fall into the pit of darkness that Dante Valentine did and continues to show the Light in her character. show less

Ugh 😩
Okay let me start by saying I like the main character. She is a rape victim who came out of it being stronger and better than she was before. I'm a firm believer in that which does not kill you makes you stronger. Okay cool... moving on... it's just cliche after cliche, plot hole after plot hole.... there is so much going on that it makes your head spin. Not to mention the writing is so over-the-top it is ridiculous. I know that this is supposed to be a supernatural fantasy thriller action book but still, I mean, come on!!! I thought only Arnold Schwarzenegger said lines that cheesy! For real! DNF

This was an altogether interesting read, such that I was unable to put it down. Certainly has its share of flaws, but like potato chips you just have to keep going once you've had a taste. Dead serious in one regard but totally absurd (think "Tiger & Bunny" if you've ever watched the show) in another. I rolled my eyes a lot at the dubious logic that the reader is supposed to follow. But in the end there was more to like than to disparage.

One thing I can say for sure is this book has one of the best hooks ever. The synopsis would have had me toss it aside as trite and ill done but for the fact I had come from Kim Harrison’s website and I knew that if she recommended it, it had to be good. SO back to that hook! I was at work when I show more read the excerpt and it was so good I had to rave to my boss about it. I rushed home to buy the book and devoured it just as quickly. That, ladies and gents, is how a book should open.

Reading the second book now and I have no regrets. show less

Fairly interesting set-up but too many small details not realistic and writing/characters/hook not quite enough to keep me engaged while constantly being annoyed at small things that ought to be picked up by editors (if not authors!)

This book was definitely not what I expected when I picked it up, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was much more. The premise is unique and works well despite how hokey it may sound. Joanna Archer is a character that could have been weepy and self-pitying, given her past. Instead she tough-as-nails without being insensitive, equally dark and light. Joanna's struggle for self-discovery and reconciliation of her heritage amidst non-stop action makes this book a very entertaining read.

Scent of Shadows sucked me in on the first page. Sure, the heroine Joanna Archer is tortured, miserable and suddenly discovers she's a superhero, but you want to hang with her the whole book. None of the characters are two-dimensional. Best of all, despite the sexy cover, the heroine doesn't fall into bed with a half dozen sexy men before the third chapter is complete. Not that I'm against the sexy men . . .