ARC Review: Boyfriend from Hell by Jamie Quaid
Book 1 of Saturn’s Daughter series
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Book provided by Edelweiss and Pocket Books
Much to her surprise, Tina is apparently one of Saturn’s daughters, with the power to wield vigilante justice. But poor Max didn’t deserve to go up in flames, even if he did almost run her over with her own car. Tina’s convinced someone cut the brakes—and now a relentless nemesis is stalking her through the Zone’s back alleys, where buildings glow, statues move, and chemical waste exposure comes with interesting consequences. Tina’s usually a loner, but now she needs a posse like no other: a shape-shifting kitten, an invisible thief, a biker gang, a snake-charming private detective, a well-meaning cop, and her sleazy, sexy boss. But in between freeing Max from hell, saving her own neck, and solving a mystery that threatens the Zone and her newfound friends, how is she ever going to study for finals?
AH’s Review – 3.5 Skulls – B+
“Other people just told their boyfriends to go to hell and could take back the words and make up. Me, I actually had to send mine there.”
Boyfriend from Hell by Jamie Quaid is an entertaining read. Set in the slums of Baltimore in an environmentally damaged area called The Zone, Boyfriend from Hell has a different take on environmental pollution. The Zone is an area where electronics don’t work; buildings have a blue glow at night (without electricity) and inanimate objects such as statues and garbage dumpsters move. The population of The Zone has all sorts of talents; shape shifting, invisibility, and snake charming are some of the abilities of the residents.
I loved the world. It was dark, dirty, and gritty. The Zone had a dangerous, forbidden feel to it. I loved the fact that the artwork and statues literally had an opinion. The characters had all sorts of entertaining eccentricities which made the book more interesting.
I had a little difficulty with the main character, Tina. I did like her and found her to be hard-working, goal oriented, pragmatic, and smart. Tina did have an anger management problem, resulting in some curious occurrences. I think what frustrated me was the fact that her skill was not fully explored. I understand that this is a series and that the skill was being set up, but this was something that I would have appreciated a just a little more background. Once she realized that her talent resulted in a little gift, she was quite preoccupied by her good hair. Aside from that, I did like Tina and enjoyed her interactions with the other characters.
The rest of the characters made this book fun to read. I felt horrible for Max, the boyfriend who was damned to hell. Max could communicate with Tina through her bathroom mirror and her compact. Andre was perfect as the sleazy business owner with a thing for Tina. The biker boys were perfect – big, burly, and protective. My favorite had to be Milo the kitten, who was more than he seemed.
Boyfriend from Hell is a solid start to Jamie Quaid’s Saturn’s Daughter series and a series to keep on the radar. I can’t wait to read more about this world.
Rating: 3.5 Skulls
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pocket Books for a review copy of this book.
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AH
Hi all! Bonjour! I’m AH and I am obsessed with reading. I read all kinds of books, but my favorites are paranormal romance and urban fantasy. What is it about those vampires and shape-shifters? Lately, I seem to be reading a lot of dystopian books as well. Are zombies the new vampire? I hope not. I have 3 boys – all reluctant readers so I tend to read a lot of young adult books aimed at boys. I want them to catch the reading bug too! I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts about books with you. Hope we can discover some great reads together.