Back to catching up on reviews.
Man, but I’ve read a lot of books recently without getting the reviews written up immediately – note to self: be more disciplined and review before starting the next one!
This one was gifted to me some long time ago (sorry about the wait) by the author in return for an unbiased review. I don’t in general do review requests, but I liked the sound of this, and I’m very glad I accepted.
This situation in no way influenced my review.
The Banshee’s Embrace by Victoria Richards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Banshee’s Embrace is a short novel – don’t be fooled by the page count shown on Amazon, it seems shorter than the 200-odd pages suggested.
Or is that just because it’s a rattling good read?
I find it odd reading some of the lesser starred reviews of this book, some of which criticise the lack of character depth and world building, because I found myself totally sucked in. Perhaps the main character, Jacqueline, is a bit ‘whiny’, as one suggests, but I felt she had every reason to be – first, her husband is killed when he throws himself in between her and a man with strange powers, then in the aftermath she develops this strangely magnetic draw towards death, and finds herself unaccountably compelled to sing as she watches in horror as souls leave their bodies.
Not long after, her best friend and drinking buddy Angela starts acting strangely and to cap it all, Angela’s boyfriend then tries to kidnap her.
I think I’d be feeling a bit unstable by this point too!
I must say, I did wonder why the book wasn’t a bit longer, as it could easily have supported more plot development and a few more subplots, but I thoroughly enjoyed it even so (I find I’m enjoying quicker reads these days – perhaps because I can get through more books that way).
Finding out what Jacqueline is turning into, and why people think that to save her they need to kill her, is engrossing.
Full of plot twists, suspense, romance (with sex), fun dialogue, plenty of pace and a cracking finale (yes, it’s the first part of a trilogy but, hallelujah! It doesn’t end on a cliff hanger) combined to make a highly satisfying read, and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
deborahjay 
Ooo, creepy!
She’s being turned into a banshee!
Cool!
I wonder if reviews sometimes go out of date?
Maybe Miss Richards went back and made a few corrections, so that you read a slightly different version than an earlier reviewer?
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I know some do, especially if the author corrects copy errors that have been pointed out, but I don’t think so in this case, I think it is just written as a short and punchy read, which I enjoyed but is not to everyone’s taste.
And yes, it is cool!
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This book sounds great! I’m also terrible on remembering to review as I go, am sitting on one at the moment. Must get on with it!
http://libbycole.wordpress.com
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Don’t! I still have 3 or 4 more to catch up on so stay tuned…
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Great review, as usual. My TBR never ends, and your reviews are a big contributing factor, lol. And I agree, I’ve been enjoying shorter reads lately. But I do find them interfering with some of the bigger books I’m dying to get into, like Harper Lee’s newest, and Donna Tarte’s Goldfinch. It’s so easy to say, “I’ll just read one more little short.” 🙂
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Sounds like my list, and the same issues about deciding what to read next. I have some paperbacks I must get to, but I keep picking up the kindle and reading the next short…
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