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WICKED MISERY
Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 306
Point of View: First (Jessica)
Released: October 7th 2014
Series: Miss Misery
Predictability: 3 out of 5 (Where 1 is totally unpredictable and 5 is I knew what was going to happen way ahead of time.)
Source: Goodreads First Reads
My Rating: 7/10 Stars
I won this book from Goodreads First Reads program! (I hadn’t thought that possible.)
Unlike most Urban Fantasy books I’ve found lately with the traditional vampires, werewolves, and some sort of ruling council, Wicked Misery actually has a unique world! The world building was easily the best part of the book! (You all know how I am about world building)
There are humans with magic and they all work for the Griffins, a sort of police organization. And then there are the Preds; Satyrs, goblins, furies, harpies and Sylphs. These people have to feed off negative human emotions to live. (Satyrs lust, goblins greed, furies wrath, harpies jealously and sylphs vanity) They addict people to their powers and feed off of them.
Jessica is a human, but she has a power that is similar to that of a pred. At eighteen she was kicked out of the school preparing her for the Gryphons and told her gift had dried up, but it didn’t, it changed. She’s made the most of a bad situation, using her gift to find people who are truly evil and trading their souls to the preds. People make deals with preds in exchange for becoming an addict and Jessica trades a blood sample from a rapist or pedophile to the preds to save people who have come to her for help.
Jessica was a likable enough main character, if a bit abrasive at times. I liked her best friend Steph, sassy and unique, a computer expert and transsexual. Lucen was also a mysterious and sexy love interest. He’s been her friend for ten years, but she doesn’t really trust him because he’s a Satyr. The other Satyrs were cool too. (I personally have a bit of a crush on Devon.)
The way Jess could taste negative emotions was a nice addition. Like she doesn’t like anxiety because it tastes like spearmint to her and suspicion tastes like chocolate, which usually gives her a craving for cake.
The plot was quick and well paced. The murder mystery was obvious from the beginning, but I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the preds and Jessica’s powers.
The book was written in a lighter tone which was supposed to be funny, but wasn’t really. (It wasn’t bad funny though.) Okay I realize I need an example since I’m not making much sense. This paragraph pretty much sums up her humor.
I was also a twenty-eight-year-old waitress who carried a chip on her shoulder for having her dreams crushed at the age of eighteen. Who was I kidding? The thing I had the most of was not mojo. It was issues. Enough to keep your average psychiatrist employed for years, probably.
The Bad:
I was annoyed when Jess acted recklessly. In my opinion such a heroine is only a weak plot device. I hate it when she says, ‘this is stupid, this is suicidal’ and then does it anyway. If she wasn’t the main character she’d so be dead!
LITTLE MISS MISERY
In the sequel she’s not as stupid, but she’s meaner. These people are your friends! They helped you! Could you get off your moral high horse and be nice for a change Jess?
Also the author decided to add in sex, which got a bit repetitive after a while. (Also the case she was investigating was sexual in nature.) At least the romance didn’t take over the plot.
The mystery was upped a notch. I didn’t know who’d done it until they told me!
MISERY LOVES COMPANY
Finally banter! That’s what was missing from this series!
Also Jessica doesn’t act stupidly and she’s nicer!
The mystery’s good too! (Still a little sex, but Satyrs are essentially succubus, so that’s to be expected.)
After that sequel I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue this series, but I’m glad I did. I rate this one 8/10!
I love how in each book we find out more about the world and the preds. It adds another layer of fantasy and mystery. (and since the world is the best part, it’s nice to keep getting more.)
I’m on an urban fantasy kick now. I love it when I find a series that just makes me want more. (In this case it was more Generation V that started it) Anyone know of a good Urban Fantasy? Before this year pretty much the only one I really liked was The Dresden Files.
If you’re interested in this series, they’re cheaper if you buy them from the publisher since there’s a 40% off all romance code. [COSMO1412] Yes, they’re only $5 normally. I’m insanely cheap what can I say.
