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Powell's Q&A, Q&A | December 13, 2009

Powell's Q&A: Norberto Fuentes

0 comments By Norberto Fuentes

Describe your latest project. Norton has just published The Autobiography of Fidel Castro, a novel that took seven years of my life to complete as I... Continue »

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1. 
   $19.56 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

   The Autobiography of Fidel Castro

   Norberto Fuentes

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Julie Anderson, August 15, 2008

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com: Book release Sep08
I’ve said before that I’m a fan of series books. I enjoy learning more about the world an author has created and the individuals residing there. But there is a downside to books in a series. What happens if you didn’t read the first one? Two? Three? Do you have to go get the earlier ones and read them all in order? (Don’t laugh! I have online friends who swear they won’t read series books out of order.) MUST you read the earlier books to understand book #whatever? I have read series’ books out of order. I’ve also read them (religiously) in order because I’m waiting at the bookstore when they are released! Some authors do a very good job of including enough information about the overall series that reading out of order isn’t an issue. Unfortunately for me, Caitlin Kittredge didn’t quite make that cut for me in “Pure Blood”, book two of her ‘Nocturne City’ novels. In all fairness, I must add that romance novelists are much more likely to make sure their later series books can be read as a standalone novel. Once you enter the fantasy or urban fantasy genre, I think the worlds may be much more elaborate. Or I’m just trying to come up with a good alibi for this book.

Luna is a homicide detective who also happens to be a werewolf. Apparently this ‘change’ occurred during the first book in the series which I haven’t read. She also apparently had an involved relationship with Dmitri in the first book as she can’t forget about him (but he doesn’t appear until late in this book and she is surprised to see him) even though she is involved in a sexual relationship with a musician in this book. Did you get all that? I confess that I didn’t like Luna at first. Or second. She didn’t grow on me at all. She came across as hostile, unfriendly, insecure, and ‘loose’. I’m hoping that maybe events in the first book could explain her attitude…but as it stands, I just didn’t relate to her at all.

There are some interesting secondary characters: a real witch of a new boss (no, not literally), her mostly loser musician boyfriend, her gruff and loyal supervisor, and her estranged Grandmother and witch sister (yes, a real witch this time). Well, her sister isn’t really estranged, she just moved back in with her Grandmother because living with Luna tended to be life-threatening. Then there’s her new partner who reminds Luna of a Barbie doll. Her new partner is also estranged from her family because she comes from a long line of witches, but has no powers. This could come in handy since the case they’re investigating appears to be the start of a ‘witch war’. I don’t want to give any more away, but there’s action galore and Luna manages to tick off just about everyone she comes in contact with and physical altercations abound.

“Pure Blood” by Caitlin Kittredge is very urban and very gritty. It’s also a bit violent…a little too violent for me. If dark urban fantasy is your cup of tea, you may want to give this one a try. But be sure to read book one, “Night Life” first!

Til next time
JJ

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