Royal Street (Sentinels of New Orleans, #1) by Suzanne Johnson

Mar 09, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-pnr-sci-fi-romance, 2012-debuts

Twenty-five year-old Drusilla Jane (DJ) Jaco is a junior wizard, empath, and deputy sentinel for New Orleans. She’s trained with Gerald St Simon, her mentor and father-figure since the age of seven. A Green Congress wizard who specialises in rituals and spells, she chafes at being restricted to basic pixie retrievals and research. When warnings start coming in of a hurricane bearing down on New Orleans, Gerry orders DJ to head out of town to her gran in Alabama. Gerry stays behind to watch the b...more
Twenty-five year-old Drusilla Jane (DJ) Jaco is a junior wizard, empath, and deputy sentinel for New Orleans. She’s trained with Gerald St Simon, her mentor and father-figure since the age of seven. A Green Congress wizard who specialises in rituals and spells, she chafes at being restricted to basic pixie retrievals and research. When warnings start coming in of a hurricane bearing down on New Orleans, Gerry orders DJ to head out of town to her gran in Alabama. Gerry stays behind to watch the borders of the Beyond to ensure no preternaturals escape into the real world when the fluctuating barometric pressure experienced during a hurricane, opens doors that would otherwise keep the pretes out.

When Gerry goes missing in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, DJ is promoted to head sentinel for the New Orleans area. Overseeing her promotion and also DJ’s new partner, is Alexander Warin, field agent with the FBI, and an Enforcer for the supernatural community. With a number of murders, and symbols appearing on the entrances to wizards’ homes, DJ and Alex have to work out whether they have a human serial killer on their hands or if this is the work of some pretes that have passed into the natural world. Or are the two series of incidents related? And where is Gerry?

The world author Suzanne Johnson has crafted is pretty amazing. Detailed, well-described, easy-to-understand, highly entertaining. Set in 2005 in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit, this urban fantasy has it all including the infamous (and sexy) pirate Jean Lafitte and the famous jazz singer and trumpet player Louis (call me Pops) Armstrong. Narrated by DJ, her voice is humorous and likable. The story is overflowing with interesting and historical characters. Captain Jean Lafitte is one of the best secondary (almost a primary) characters in this novel and DJ has her hands full dealing with the opportunistic dead pirate.

Suzanne Johnson was a resident of New Orleans until recently. She's written an entertaining and humourous fantasy/paranormal, yes. But there is also a great deal of respect that shines through for the people of New Orleans, and a sense of sadness about the devastation and deaths. She has fused historically accurate details with an entertaining story.

The romance between DJ and Alex is light. There is also a light triangle with Alex's cousin Jake, an ex-Marine who's been injured in Afghanistan. This is my one quibble with Royal Street. Although Alex does seem to be the choice for the role of ‘hero’ and DJ’s obvious love interest, she vacillates and fails to recognize that Alex was clearly interested in her. She comes off here as shallow and fickle, dallying with both men.

Although this story is wrapped up, the ending is left open nicely for the next book in the series River Road. Royal Street is an excellent urban fantasy/paranormal debut. Highly recommended.

Steam: 1.5

ARC courtesy of Tor/Forge via NetGalley

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Mar 10, 2012 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, series-ongoing, supernatural-fiction, arc, netgalley-arc, 2012-reads, 2012-reviews, reviewed, great-potential-awful-execution

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

2.5 out of 5

I went into this UF/PNR pretty hopeful: spunky heroine, a secret wizard organization, Hurricane Katrina, and an undead sexy pirate. What's not to love, besides the Louisiana location (seriously, hasn't another paranormal series coughSookiecough dominated that locale for the last 7 years?)? Well, if you're an apparently unsatisfied reader like me, three out of those four items did not live up to expectations. DJ failed to impress me throu...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Marg K. marked it as did-not-finish

Did Not Finish

After reading the synopsis and hearing lots of positive buzz around the blogosphere, I was pretty much convinced that I would fall head-over-heels in love with this book. Sadly, despite possessing some creative ideas, Royal Street failed to rock my world, to put the motion in the ocean, to float my boat, to...oh never mind, I think you get the point.

Anyways, what I thought was going to be a fun, exciting adventure turned out to be rather boring and pretty much devoid of emotion. I...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Bastard rated it 3 of 5 stars

http://bastardbooks.blogspot.com/2012...

I've always been fascinated with the idea of fantasy stories including natural disasters as part of the narrative. Not the usual "storm is coming, I feel something terrible is about to happen" kind of event, but just a random tornado suddenly touching down in the middle of a scene, or maybe a hurricane comes to destroy a town and be just that, a natural storm without all the added plot-devicebaggage. It was with that in mind that I got interested in Royal...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, netgalley, witches-wizards-warlocks, series-quit, own-kindle-netgalley

This book was full of a whole lot of meh. Lots and lots of meh.

Drusilla is a Green Congress wizard living in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits. She leaves the city before the hurricane hits, but her mentor Gerry sticks around. At first, the two remain in touch, and Gerry appears to be fine. But then Gerry disappears. The wizard Elders demand that Drusilla return to New Orleans, locate Gerry, and address the crack in the divide between the Beyond and the real world. To help her, they send A...more This book was full of a whole lot of meh. Lots and lots of meh.

Drusilla is a Green Congress wizard living in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits. She leaves the city before the hurricane hits, but her mentor Gerry sticks around. At first, the two remain in touch, and Gerry appears to be fine. But then Gerry disappears. The wizard Elders demand that Drusilla return to New Orleans, locate Gerry, and address the crack in the divide between the Beyond and the real world. To help her, they send Alex, an enforcer whom Drusilla finds to be very sexy.

What I loved about the book was seeing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina through Drusilla's eyes. It's clear to me that the author did a lot of research on this topic, and it showed. After having read this book, I actually feel a bit more educated about the hurricane. So kudos to the author for that.

I also loved the idea of "historical undead." These are undead people who remain alive in the Beyond (and sometimes manage to sneak their way into the real world) because their memories are still alive in the real world. The historical undead who made appearances included the pirate Jean Lafitte, musician Louis Armstrong, and voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau. It was cool to see these people brought to life with personalities and weaved into the story.

Unfortunately, there was little else that I found to be special about this book. Drusilla was your usual, feisty heroine. She didn't completely understand her powers. And although her powers were cool enough, I was annoyed that Drusilla figured them out later than I did. Actually, Drusilla figured out everything later than I did, and there were times when I wanted to shout at her through the pages of the book.

I also did not like the love triangle. There was Alex, and there was his cousin Jake. Drusilla was attracted to both of them, but her feeling toward both men came across as being superficial. She was immediately attracted to both despite not having any deep connection with either. In contrast, I got the impression that both men had real, growing feeling for her, and I found her attitude toward them to be fickle and selfish.

I understand this is the first book in a series. I don't plan to read the later books.(less)

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Apr 11, 2012 Shera (Book Whispers) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-review-requests, urban-fantasy

This is one of the those books where I wanted to give it a higher rating, but in all honesty just couldn’t. Before I even sat down to write this review I antagonized about giving it a higher rating. Then it hit me if I have to think this hard to find enough qualities to bump up the rating, that's my first sign. Even if this one of my top debuts for 2012.

The reason for my feelings is for the world building of Royal Street. Wizards exist and they police the borders of the Beyond—where wizards, el...more This is one of the those books where I wanted to give it a higher rating, but in all honesty just couldn’t. Before I even sat down to write this review I antagonized about giving it a higher rating. Then it hit me if I have to think this hard to find enough qualities to bump up the rating, that's my first sign. Even if this one of my top debuts for 2012.

The reason for my feelings is for the world building of Royal Street. Wizards exist and they police the borders of the Beyond—where wizards, elves, vampires, werewolves, famous ghosts (or undead), and even gods reside and sometimes cross over onto the human plain. It was shear brilliance that Johnson had the book take place during the events of Hurricane Katrina. It was haunting and truly heart breaking at times, and painted the most realistic picture for a fantasy novel to take place. In that alone I will always love this book.

From there everything else just goes stale. Characters who were truly fascinating—a swashbuckling-sexy-violent pirate—didn't get enough page or development time. The lead DJ is so immature throughout the book and just didn't have a strong enough voice. It was nice to have a lead female who wasn't tough as nails and taking on the world with gun and metal, but she just didn't have enough presence. The love triangle (though pretty sure it was a square) is nothing special. Alex is the enforcer that comes to town to help her out and she immediately dislikes him. Though she will admit he's hot, but she has eyes for his cousin Jake the ex-marine. It seems like every male became infatuated or lusty after DJ, who is unaware of her sexual appeal. (That got old.)

Everything else for the book was stale as well. Events that could have turned into more exciting things (like a Truth or Dare game of cards) to the over all murder mystery. The plot was glaringly obvious from DJ's real dad, to the grand scheme of the creatures trying to break out of the Beyond. Honestly I felt bored. Every exiting turn soon became anticlimactic, even the bad guy's downfall was kind of like “That's it? Well that sucked!” (This book knocked me out of my reading high!! Now I'm stuck in a funk.)

The Hurricane Katrina setting was beyond brilliant not only giving a certain feel of reality to the tale, but showing readers a haunting glimpse into one of America's biggest natural disasters that it's seen in a long time. Besides that this book was boring and average at best. All the big plot twists might as well have had neon lights pointing them out. One redeeming fact was the humor. Laughs all around, and when I can get into the author's sense of humor that helps to keep me interested. Despite the overall underwhelming impression for the characters, plot, and emotion I'll be there for the next book. The debut had a lot of promise, I just hope the author pulls through and delivers.

Sexual Content: Lot's of pirate innuendos and hints of sexual favors. Kissing and a vague makeout session.

2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out

Originally reviewed at Book Whispers. (less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Karissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the first book in a new urban fantasy series called The Sentinels of New Orleans. I got an eARC for review through NetGalley(dot)com. The second book in the series will be titled, River Road, and is scheduled for a November 2012 release. This was an okay urban fantasy. The story has a unique setting and some of the magic is very interesting, but I found the plot and characters to be a little bland for me.

Druscilla Jaco (DJ) is a Junior sentinel, as a green wizard she spends more of her t...more This is the first book in a new urban fantasy series called The Sentinels of New Orleans. I got an eARC for review through NetGalley(dot)com. The second book in the series will be titled, River Road, and is scheduled for a November 2012 release. This was an okay urban fantasy. The story has a unique setting and some of the magic is very interesting, but I found the plot and characters to be a little bland for me.

Druscilla Jaco (DJ) is a Junior sentinel, as a green wizard she spends more of her time mixing potions than confronting baddies. When she finally gets a more important assignment she ends up on the bad side of the dangerous undead pirate named Jean Lafitte. Not a big deal as long as the gates between their world and ours remain closed. Then Hurricane Katrina hits; not only does it tear apart New Orleans it also rips a number of tears in the Gates letting a number of supernatural baddies into the world. DJ's mentor and the lead Sentinal, Gerry, is now missing. To make it worse the Elder's have sent Alex to help out DJ; Alex is a grenade totting assassin and he is more likely to blow things up than ask questions. Now DJ has to close gates, dodge Jena Lafitte, solve a series of murders, and do it all with Alex at her side. Yep, it's going to be a long week for DJ.

There are some things I really liked about this story. The idea of setting it during Hurricane Katrina was an interesting one. It makes the characters deal with a number of real life issues that normally they would never have to deal with. It was also a good way to get a look into how things were in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina went through. The world created here is solid, although not super creative, basically the Sentinels guard humanity from the evil creatures that live on the other side of the Gates. This is kind of explained, but not in great detail.

Making DJ a green wizard is an interesting choice; DJ definitely isn't about flash and bang but more about planning ahead and being resourceful with the small magics she does have. This leads to some interesting scenes, but at times made DJ feel like too much of a victim to me. In face I never really grew to respect DJ as a character. She rushed into bad situations more than once and never seemed to learn from her mistakes. She was very flighty about which guy she liked best throughout the book; she kind of played with both of them and I just can't get into a character that does that.

Alex is a much more interesting character, he adds a lot more to the story than DJ. Still though I had trouble engaging with him. Him and DJ never felt like they had great chemistry to me and they didn't fight well as a team. The romance is thankfully limited in this book, because I don't think it would have worked well to make Alex and DJ any more engaged with each other.

The plot was very predictable. The main storyline involves DJ trying to solve a series of murders that look like they might be the work of a ritualistic serial killer. The way it all wrapped up was very predictable, right from the get go I guessed this all involved a certain character....I was a bit disappointed to be right. DJ also spends a lot of time doing research, which really isn't all that interesting to read about. It made the story really drag at certain points.

The books wraps up decently enough with some loose plot threads for future books. The writing is decent and easy to read.

Overall this is a decent urban fantasy. I liked the interesting setting and the world-building that went on here. It's not super creative, but it was interesting to have the whole thing set during Hurricane Katrina. The idea of a parallel type of world that house the supernatural was interesting too but has been done before. I had a lot of trouble engaging with the characters; they were just too vanilla for me and never had great chemistry together. The plot was also a bit too predictable for me. Those things combined kind of left with a "well, I guess that was okay feeling".

I know a lot of people are totally loving this book, but I just wasn't feeling it. There's some good stuff here, but there's a lot of mediocre stuff too. I'd tentatively recommend for urban fantasy fans if you don't have anything else to read. I personally am getting a bit worn out on urban fantasy right now which may be why I just wasn't into this book. I'd recommend Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews, Elemental Assassin by Jennifer Estep, Jane Yellowstone by Faith Hunter and Charlie Madigan by Kelly Gay over this series. I am not planning on reading the next book when it realease, but I will keep my eye on it just to see if Johnson tightens up her story in future series and delivers something outstanding.
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Feb 07, 2012 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, great-location

Let me preface this by saying that I have waited months to get a chance to read this book. I was able to obtain a copy through Netgalley's great e-ARC program. Royal Street is one of the books I have looked forward to since I was made aware that it was forthcoming early last summer. I have a love for stories based in New Orleans, especially urban fantasy.

Royal Street is an urban fantasy based in the time of Hurricane's Katrina and Rita and a lot of what happens has its basis in the vulnerabilit...more Let me preface this by saying that I have waited months to get a chance to read this book. I was able to obtain a copy through Netgalley's great e-ARC program. Royal Street is one of the books I have looked forward to since I was made aware that it was forthcoming early last summer. I have a love for stories based in New Orleans, especially urban fantasy.

Royal Street is an urban fantasy based in the time of Hurricane's Katrina and Rita and a lot of what happens has its basis in the vulnerability the wonderful city was left in because of those terrible storms. The author spent time reminding us of the devastation the different wards were left in, especially the Ninth Ward. Some of the areas continue to suffer from the results not just of the storm but also from the failure of the levees to hold. Even in 2011 there were stories of families still holding fund raisers to help neighbors repair their homes. Royal Street does a wonderful job of letting the reminding us what was lost.

This story is focused on DJ, a magic user in a level that is based more upon potions and spells along with her empathic gift. We learn about her relationship to her family, some of which she learns right along with the reader, which does a great job of helping us relate to her. There was a part of the book that I did not care for and it is not in any way related to how well the story is told. It is my personal preference to never read about certain relationships in books again. I would still read the the story even if I knew ahead of time, but, I have things I don't want to read about anymore, including things like love triangles or heroes/heroines so hard that I cannot relate to them. I won't delve any further into this because that would constitute spoilers. But, suffice it to say that it is just not a topic I like to read and has no reflection on whether the author writes a good story or develops her characters well. Alex and Jake are cousins and both have similar personalities but, we find that sometimes they are not always what they seem. I'm not particular about aspect of their competitive natures which ties into another part of the story, but, I like both of them very much. I especially like the support and love their family has for one another. DJ has another aspect to her magical abilities that is being developed in the books. Part of it was reminiscent of the Mercy Thompson series but, it took off enough and became Suzanne Johnson's story so I liked it. I also liked the remnants of Voodoo presented and would like to see more of the history of that religion developed in these books.

Overall, a good read and I look forward to the next one in the series.

Review can also be seen at http://LadyTechiesBookMusings.blogspo...(less)

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Mar 25, 2012 Melliane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mon avis en français

My English review

Since I heard about this book, I was more than intrigued to learn more about it. So when I had the opportunity to read it with Netgalley, I immediately asked for it. And I confess that now I can only recommend it. It’s a new series I really loved (yes, yes, again). It’s always a pleasure to discover some new books like this one.

Suzanne Johnson presents us a unique world, different from the ones we could have found before. A world of course full of magic, of a...more Mon avis en français

My English review

Since I heard about this book, I was more than intrigued to learn more about it. So when I had the opportunity to read it with Netgalley, I immediately asked for it. And I confess that now I can only recommend it. It’s a new series I really loved (yes, yes, again). It’s always a pleasure to discover some new books like this one.

Suzanne Johnson presents us a unique world, different from the ones we could have found before. A world of course full of magic, of all kinds of creatures but also a universe which mixes some mythic characters who live among the population. We could meet Louis Armstrong, Jean Laffite or even Marie Laveau. What more can we ask for? I have to say these meetings were a big surprise and I really liked to learn more about them all. They are some characters we know a lot about and it’s true it’s very interesting to have an idea about their nature. I hadn’t read a lot of things about Katrina, this terrible hurricane whom everyone had seen the consequences. I think it was very interesting to follow the story because we can really feel the sadness, the changes and all the problems that occurred in the New-Orleans. Indeed, this storm is very important for the story.

We can meet here Drusilla, a young determined and stubborn woman, but who has also a big heart. She became the town’s sentinel after a tragic accident. During this hurricane, her mentor, Gerry vanishes and our heroine has to take her place. She is now determined to find what is going on, because she is convinced he isn’t dead. She doesn’t have a lot of powers but her capacity to read the feelings of the persons near her, helps her in her missions (well, it’s true she didn’t have a lot yet). A new character appears in the story, Alex, a mysterious man we want to know everything about and we would like to learn what he really wants. He will be here all along the book to assist DJ and protect and her from the ones who would like to kill her. But there is more, we also meet Jake, Alex cousin who is as much intriguing in his own way. What a chance DJ has, two sublime men who want to protect her from everything.

We follow the DJ investigation that will lead her in some dark paths but it will allow her to make new interesting and unique meetings.

It’s a great start for a promising series and I get into the story from the start until the end, trying to understand what was going on and discover the answers to my questions. We have a lot of beautiful surprises all along the novel and we learn to enjoy many characters. All complexes and completes, which allow to keep the readers interested. I really loved the Suzanne Johnson first volume and I’m more than curious to read the second one.(less)

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Apr 10, 2012 Nita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, arc, witches-magic-users, urban-fantasy, read-2012, dangerous-heroes

A paranormal series that takes place in New Orleans - not very original. But two things made me decide to request this book through NetGalley. One, it takes place during Hurricane Katrina. I wanted to see how the author incorporated the Katrina disaster into this book. And two, the main character is a wizard. I've been craving more magic users in my paranormal reads lately.

I enjoyed most everything, except the love triangle. Love triangles rarely bother me. I usually find it fun guessing who sh...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own-kindle, netgalley, read-in-2012, for-review-read, books-i-own-print, amazon-vine

DJ is a wizard who works alongside her boss Gerry to protect New Orleans from the supernatural creatures that are able to cross over from the beyond. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Gerry is missing and the boarders between worlds are thinner than ever, there is a serial killer on the loose and it is up to DJ to try and sort out the mess. The Elders have sent her a new partner to help but can she trust Alex or does he have his own agenda?

As a big urban fantasy fan I was drawn to Royal Stre...more DJ is a wizard who works alongside her boss Gerry to protect New Orleans from the supernatural creatures that are able to cross over from the beyond. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Gerry is missing and the boarders between worlds are thinner than ever, there is a serial killer on the loose and it is up to DJ to try and sort out the mess. The Elders have sent her a new partner to help but can she trust Alex or does he have his own agenda?

As a big urban fantasy fan I was drawn to Royal Street as soon as I saw the cover, DJ looks like she is going to be a kick-ass heroine and I was even more intrigued after reading the synopsis. I was a little bit nervous about a story written around a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina, particularly a paranormal one because I thought it could have gone too far and made light of horrific events. In reality I felt that Suzanne Johnson tackled the subject with sensitivity and she really gives a feel for what people must have gone through both during the hurricane and in the aftermath. As someone who wasn't effected personally by the tragedy it really brought home just how bad things must have been in New Orleans at that time.

It would have been easy for the story to become bogged down in the distressing details of the hurricane but there was enough snarky banter between the characters to lighten the tone without being disrespectful. DJ isn't kick-ass in the same way that a lot of urban fantasy heroines are, she isn't the strongest physically and she doesn't have the kind of magical powers that are useful in a fight. In fact her skills lie with creating potions and charms so as long as she has time to prepare things in advance she is fine but it isn't so helpful when she comes under an unexpected attack. I actually quite liked the fact that she was more vulnerable than other heroines but there were times that she makes such stupid decisions that I wanted to shake her. She has some growing up to do and I hope we get to see that happen as the series continues.

When it comes to love interests we have several possibilities. The first one we are introduced to is the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, now we didn' t get to see as much of him as I was hoping for but he definitely has that bad boy vibe going for him and was deliciously dark. I hope he has a bigger role in future books. Then we have DJ's new partner Alex, he has less of a bad boy vibe but is still obviously keeping secrets, he is also very protective of DJ and I enjoyed the banter between the pair of them. Now I'm getting a bit fed up with love triangles so I wasn't particularly happy to find in this case we have what is quickly turning into a love square. Along with Lafitte and Alex you also have Alex's sexy war hero cousin Jake. Admittedly all three men are hot and they each have potential but I was frustrated by the way DJ was constantly flitting between them and it seemed like she was playing them off against each other. I actually felt quite sorry for both Alex and Jake and was a bit worried that she will end up causing a rift in their family.

Royal Street is the start of an urban fantasy series that has a lot of potential, there were some problems but I can see these being worked out over time and I'm definitely interested in reading River Road which is due to be published later this year. For a debut novel I was impressed with the world building, I enjoyed the mystery and although I did spot some of the twists in advance there were a few things that managed to surprise me. It will be interesting to see where Suzanne Johnson takes this series and I'm looking forward to seeing more of this world.(less)

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May 01, 2012 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Royal Street, by Suzanne Johnson, is the first in a new urban fantasy series set in New Orleans. Drusilla Jaco, a.k.a. DJ, is one of the city’s two wizard sentinels, which means she’s assigned to keep an eye on paranormal trouble in town. The other sentinel is Gerry, Drusilla’s mentor and father figure. With Hurricane Katrina on the way, DJ evacuates while Gerry stays behind. When the storm passes, DJ returns to a devastated New Orleans to find Gerry missing, new breaches opened between this wor...more Royal Street, by Suzanne Johnson, is the first in a new urban fantasy series set in New Orleans. Drusilla Jaco, a.k.a. DJ, is one of the city’s two wizard sentinels, which means she’s assigned to keep an eye on paranormal trouble in town. The other sentinel is Gerry, Drusilla’s mentor and father figure. With Hurricane Katrina on the way, DJ evacuates while Gerry stays behind. When the storm passes, DJ returns to a devastated New Orleans to find Gerry missing, new breaches opened between this world and the Beyond, and a serial killer who leaves voodoo paraphernalia at the scenes of the crimes.

Johnson’s world-building is great — both the real and the invented. She takes us right into New Orleans immediately pre- and post-Katrina and gives us an idea of what it was like to be there. As for the invented, there are some original touches here in terms of the magic. Johnson introduces the “historical undead,” who are kind of like ghosts, only corporeal, and live in “Old Orleans” in the Beyond unless summoned to our world — or unless, as in the aftermath of the hurricane, the barrier between the worlds is damaged. This is a really creative way to incorporate some iconic New Orleans personalities into the novel without going the cliché route of making them all vampires.

Another element I liked is the division of the wizards into color-coded “Congresses.” DJ is a Green Congress wizard, which means she deals mainly in herbal potions, while Gerry is Red Congress so he can do flashier, more immediate effects. Each approach has its strengths and weaknesses. DJ’s magic takes longer and is more subtle, but sometimes this is an advantage in a situation where Red Congress magic would just blow everything up. There are references to a couple of the other Congresses as well.

Even with these promising elements, though, it took me a long time to read Royal Street. It moves at an extremely slow pace until almost the very end. Part of this can be chalked up to Katrina, and delays caused by having to borrow a boat, not having power, etc. help to illustrate just how great a blow the hurricane struck. But the book also slows down for avenues of investigation that prove fruitless, for an unnecessary love triangle, and for arguments between DJ and her new partner, Alex. Lots and lots of arguments. Some of this dialogue is funny, and would probably be even more fun in an audio edition. Much of it, though, is just annoying and makes me like both DJ and Alex less. The murders don’t gut-punch us the way they should, either, because the victims are not fleshed out at all. When the momentum finally does pick up, the story is over almost too soon. It’s a little anticlimactic.

I also had trouble understanding DJ. Part of it is the way she caroms back and forth between the two love interests. I also just didn’t get why she made some of the decisions she did. One example that can be explained quickly and doesn’t spoil much of the plot: DJ sets wards around her house to keep out supernatural threats, particularly the pirate Jean Lafitte. The password to get past the wards is Lafitte. This made no sense to me, as I could think of several different ways that he or one of his minions might speak his name while trying to get in… and then voila, they’d be in. This never actually comes back to bite DJ, but I kept expecting it to.

I had some issues with Royal Street, but I found Johnson’s New Orleans and her supernatural world compelling enough that I will probably read further in the series. I just hope that the love triangle is resolved quickly and doesn’t overshadow the rest of the story.

Written for www.fantasyliterature.com (less)

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Mar 11, 2012 Teri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-release, arc, for-review, netgalley

Royal Street takes the reader into a torn apart New Orleans rich with magic, spirits and deceit.

We meet our main heroine Drusilla, or mainly referred to as DJ in the story, as she is swapping snark with a long past Pirate from the Beyond. While we have our normal world filled with wizards and humans, there is also the world of the beyond ripe with spirits, zombies, old gods, voodoo queens and everything else imaginable.

DJ is training as a wizard when Hurricane Katrina sticks and those her whol...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Lesley (My keeper shelf) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Posted at My keeper shelf

I’m a complete sucker for a new urban fantasy series and Royal Street by Suzanne Johnson is just the kind of clever, creative and beautifully written urban fantasy that I love.

Royal Street’s setting and world building was really quite skilful and inventive. I’ve always liked and appreciated a little bit of reality mixed in with any new fictional setting and I thought Johnson really delivered this in Royal Street. Set in 2005 just as Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans,...more Posted at My keeper shelf

I’m a complete sucker for a new urban fantasy series and Royal Street by Suzanne Johnson is just the kind of clever, creative and beautifully written urban fantasy that I love.

Royal Street’s setting and world building was really quite skilful and inventive. I’ve always liked and appreciated a little bit of reality mixed in with any new fictional setting and I thought Johnson really delivered this in Royal Street. Set in 2005 just as Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans, Dursilla Jaco (DJ) is the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans. When the hurricane devastates the city the barriers between present day New Orleans and Old Orleans (a kind of paranormal alternative otherworld) start to slip allowing the undead to cross over. When DJ’s wizard mentor Gerry who is normally responsible for protecting the New Orleans barriers also goes missing DJ is forced to work with new partner Alex, an Enforcer and FBI agent, to send the escapee supernaturals back to the otherworld whilst also trying to solve the mystery of Gerry’s disappearance.

I found Royal Street’s account of Hurricane Katrina to be really realistic yet sensitive handled, each chapter started with a snippet of news headlines which charted the progress of the hurricane and its devastating aftermath. Interwoven into this was the creation of a slightly creepy, magical otherworld of Old Orleans. The incorporation of some very famous dead people with New Orleans connections into the story was just genius. Characters such as Louis Armstrong (I loved him he was so sweet!), the pirate Jean Lafitte (I ended up loving him too, I hope we get more of him!) and the voodoo priestess Marie Laveau and seriously double creepy Baron Samedi were cleverly blended into the story and kept me absolutely glued to the pages. I ended up drawing myself a little map to keep all the characters straight in my head(that’s how engrossed I was!).

Royal Street also had the beginning of a very understated love triangle between DJ who is very much a sentinel learning on the job, and cousins Alex the enforcer, and Jake the ex-marine. Alex kind of grew on me as the story progressed but I have to say I had a real soft spot for Jake and I really hope to see more of him in the next instalment.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Royal Street and I will definitely be looking out for the sequel River Road. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Net galley and Tor books for the opportunity to read and review Royal Street before it’s publication on 10th April 2012. (less)

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May 05, 2012 Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I love the fact that this story had everything I was looking for in it. From the description and the cover I knew what to expect and it lived up to every bit of the excitement I had since I first heard about the story. The author does a great job informing the readers about the events that occurred during Hurricane Katrina, and has it as the actual events that the characters have to work around to solve their own mystery. Hurricane Katrina and the resulting events could be considered a character...more I love the fact that this story had everything I was looking for in it. From the description and the cover I knew what to expect and it lived up to every bit of the excitement I had since I first heard about the story. The author does a great job informing the readers about the events that occurred during Hurricane Katrina, and has it as the actual events that the characters have to work around to solve their own mystery. Hurricane Katrina and the resulting events could be considered a character all in itself. A well handled way of introducing a real-life event into a great Urban Fantasy storyline.
After our MC Drusilla has left the New Orleans area because of the hurricane warning, she finds out that her boss and father figure Gerry has gone missing. She is asked by the Elders to return to the area and investigate, upon her return she discovers that the Hurricane has not only opened the levees around the city, flooding the city, but the doors to the otherworld have also opened and released the preternatural beings that have been banished there. As DJ is just getting started in her investigation and trying yet again to get out of the groping hands of the 200 year old undead pirate Jean Lafitte, her newly appointed partner shows up. A partner she had no idea was coming, or felt she needed.
Their investigation takes them around the city finding clues that may lead to what happened to Gerry. A combination of entertaining and dangerous characters that reveal clues that this could be a mystery beyond finding Gerry, but some of the beings that were released just may be planning something bigger.
With a combination of otherworldly characters (like famous ghosts finding their way back home) to the soldiers and the every day people trying to clean up after the storm. To the run-in with some very powerful voodoo magic. I'm not sure what else I could have asked for, humor, with light romance and a mystery that goes beyond just a missing persons case with entertaining and humorous situations and a twist ending.
I love stories that involve a combination of different characters and possibilities of which direction the story can go. This opens up the series to have a variety of directions it can go in the future in both the magical world and the mundane. DJ is just touching on some of her magical powers and has a potential in becoming a beloved heroine in today's Urban Fantasy world. She is strong, determined, and loyal.
Royal Street is a must read debut novel, it can only get better from here. (less)

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Apr 11, 2012 Jessica at Book Sake rated it 4 of 5 stars

Royal Street is the beginning to a new paranormal series that shouldn’t be missed. It’s not heavy on the romance, which is just the way I like it. It has tension and just enough of it, but steers away from the urban fantasies that are saturated with it. Some may feel that New Orleans is the usual location for stories such as this, but it just makes sense, and it’s my hometown, so when it is done right I will never turn my nose up at it. And Royal Street did New Orleans justice. The fact that it...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Bookish♥Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-read, read-in-2012

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

- - -

25-year-old Drusilla Jaco (better known as DJ) is a junior Green Congress wizard, specializing in ritual magic & spellwork. She is also an empath - the feelings of the people around her seep right into her. Sometimes it's a gift, other times... not so much. DJ is employed as the deputy sentinel of New Orleans. Gerald St. Simon (better known as Gerry) is her “boss”; her commanding officer, as well as the man who raised her from age...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Scooper Speaks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Favorite Lines: "Mortals view death in terms of black and white--you are either alive, or you are not. But between them--between live and death and eternity--there is a small gray area, one that the humans have no knowledge of. That is where we reside, vampires and rabids and a few of the older, inexplicable creatures that still exist in this world. The humans cannot understand us, because we live by a different set of rules." (p. 94)

I've been reading reviews of Royal Street and it seems people...more Favorite Lines: "Mortals view death in terms of black and white--you are either alive, or you are not. But between them--between live and death and eternity--there is a small gray area, one that the humans have no knowledge of. That is where we reside, vampires and rabids and a few of the older, inexplicable creatures that still exist in this world. The humans cannot understand us, because we live by a different set of rules." (p. 94)

I've been reading reviews of Royal Street and it seems people are bothered by the setting and time. I did not live in the area, nor was I personally impacted by the events which took place during Hurricane Katrina. Yes, I cared and I was sad and horrified by the effect the hurricane had on the area, but it did nothing to dim my appreciation for Suzanne Johnson's latest book, Royal Street.

The story started off pretty slow. However, once the action started it just got better and better. I guess it's similar to a hurricane. You know how first you hear news of a hurricane on the way and the wait about kills ya? But when it hits there's debris flying everywhere. Nothing is safe until it passes and it's time to pick up the messy pieces left by the hurricane. Johnson uses that same technique.

The story slowly picks up speed as more elements are introduced. More story lines and characters add to the fast rotation. It begins to get dirty as the truth tries to force its way out and the mystery is investigated. The story whips round and round until it stops allowing the reader to take stock of who (or what) survived.

No, I'm not going to tell you what happened. I will tell you that I enjoyed the story and hope--if you decide to read it--you will too. Why? No it's not a deep story filled with hidden meaning. I don't care about that stuff. I'm interested in being entertained and transported to another world. Johnson did that for me with Royal Street.

From a sexy ghost to shapeshifter determined to keep his ability secret, the paranormal aspects of Johnson's world have been added to New Orleans like a clear overlay on a projector. It makes the city richer by creating a hidden depth. The heroine is low on the magical totem pole, but she is smarter than most people give her credit. Okay, maybe she's a little bit lucky too. I didn't love her, but I still l managed to get excited about the book, even though it isn't a romance.

The romance thread is pretty iffy, but the mystery aspect of the story kept things chugging along. Expect to be introduced to the political world of magic users found in the urban fantasy world of Royal Street. Don't look for an overtly romantic story cause you won't find it. Sure there's romance and sexual tension, but there is no happily ever after. On the other hand, there is a book two (River Road) which will be released in hard cover in November.
Scooper Speaks (less)

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May 13, 2013 Samantha Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Royal Street is about Drusilla Jaco who is the junior wizard sentinel of New Orleans. DJ is biting at the bit to prove herself. She always gets sent on pixie-retrieval assignments, or gets stuck mixing potions. She wants a real assignment so she can show her mentor, Gerry, that she is ready to be a full fledged wizard. When the threat of Hurricane Katrina threatens New Orleans, Gerry sends DJ to Alabama to stay with her Gran. New Orleans is decimated and its people devastated. They do not know t...more Royal Street is about Drusilla Jaco who is the junior wizard sentinel of New Orleans. DJ is biting at the bit to prove herself. She always gets sent on pixie-retrieval assignments, or gets stuck mixing potions. She wants a real assignment so she can show her mentor, Gerry, that she is ready to be a full fledged wizard. When the threat of Hurricane Katrina threatens New Orleans, Gerry sends DJ to Alabama to stay with her Gran. New Orleans is decimated and its people devastated. They do not know that due to the destruction there was evil that was unleashed from the Otherworld; an evil that DJ will have to face in order to save everyone that she cares about. Gerry has gone missing and to make matter’s worse the wizard Elder’s decide to send an assassin to help her. Alex is as hard headed as they come. DJ and Alex fight like cats and dogs, but both feel an undeniable attraction toward the other. They both do their best to ignore it so they can concentrate on the mission at hand. Will they be able to beat the evil that has taken over New Orleans? Can they resist the allure of the other?

Suzanne Johnson has blended the paranormal with facts and created a whole new world. The devastation that Karina left in her path can never be told. You would have to have lived it, experience it, and lost because of it. Through her writing you can see that Suzanne Young experienced Katrina and it affected her deeply. Royal Street is not only a kick ass urban fantasy, but a literary tribute to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. DJ is a strong heroine that has her flaws, but still rises to the occasion. She learns from her mistakes and loves with her whole heart. Alex has his own reasons for his attitude and the shadows that haunt him. Royal Street is an adventure full of magic, danger, zombies, voodoo, undead pirates and pixies! Add a bit of a love triangle and this story will grab you from the beginning and not let go till you have reached the very last word. Great start to a new series!(less)

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Apr 01, 2013 Sharon rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantical, urban-paranormal, fiction, urban-fantasy

I really wanted to like this book...

I found the prospect of a post-Katrina urban fantasy/paranormal story with a twist of romance to be a pretty solid premise. Sadly, I just couldn't connect with the characters and when that connection isn't there, it's a challenge for me to get on board with the story.

The most interesting bits were the descriptions of the post-Katrina New Orleans and life in the city immediately following the disaster. I would argue that Katrina was a fairly vivid character in...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: shapeshifters, urban-fantasy, magic-users, wizards

I've been wanting to read this book since I first read the synopsis and it did not disappoint. While not a home run, this book is a solid triple and I can't wait to read River Road, the second book in the series. I'm happy to say that there were very few info dumps in this book, yet there was enough information to get the gist of the rules that this world operates under. This was a nice change of pace since first books in a fantasy series tend to struggle to find the right balance between organi...more I've been wanting to read this book since I first read the synopsis and it did not disappoint. While not a home run, this book is a solid triple and I can't wait to read River Road, the second book in the series. I'm happy to say that there were very few info dumps in this book, yet there was enough information to get the gist of the rules that this world operates under. This was a nice change of pace since first books in a fantasy series tend to struggle to find the right balance between organic world-building vs. info-dumps. At no point was I confused about what was going on, yet the pace of the book was pretty consistent throughout, with no slow sections.

Another strength of the book was the setting in New Orleans, just after Katrina. Ms. Johnson lived in New Orleans and it shows. She did a great job in describing the immediate aftermath of the storm without bogging down too much in the details, and it was very clear how much she loves the city and has mourned what happened to it. I also loved her idea of using the "historical undead" - famous historical figures that are kept alive in the Beyond by the memories of the current living inhabitants of the city.

My niggles about the book mainly center around Drusilla (DJ) the wizard heroine of the book who works with her guardian as an apprentice Sentinel, charged with guarding the barriers between our world and the Beyond. Hurricane Katrina is such a powerful force of nature that the barriers are breached and preternaturals (or pretes) are coming into the city unchecked. Meanwhile, Drusilla's guardian has disappeared and she is searching for him while also trying to send back any pretes that have managed to come through the barrier. DJ starts the book as a somewhat naive, and sheltered young woman whose guardian has protected her and hasn't really taught her to use her magic to her full abilities. She tends to be rather impulsive and somewhat immature. I understood where she was coming from and liked her, but she definitely needs to grow up a bit, and I do see growth in her character throughout the book. I also thought that the hints of possible romance in the book didn't necessarily fit with the story very well. Still, given DJ's youth, I can understand why she acted the way she did. I'm looking forward to seeing if she has matured some in the next book, which takes place several years after Royal Street. All in all, I enjoyed the book. It was a great start to a new series and I'm looking forward to reading more.(less)

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Nov 08, 2012 Vanessa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This past April I visited New Orleans for the first time. As a tourist I saw all the sites: the French Quarter, walked Magazine Street, St. Louis Cemetery #1. One morning I took a walking tour hosted by a local, and he talked about the history of New Orleans and its inhabitants. We all had a good time. Then he talked about hurricane Katrina and everyone went quiet. He had lived it and survived to tell the tale.

So did Suzanne Johnson, and while ROYAL STREET is your typical Urban Fantasy, she hand...more This past April I visited New Orleans for the first time. As a tourist I saw all the sites: the French Quarter, walked Magazine Street, St. Louis Cemetery #1. One morning I took a walking tour hosted by a local, and he talked about the history of New Orleans and its inhabitants. We all had a good time. Then he talked about hurricane Katrina and everyone went quiet. He had lived it and survived to tell the tale.

So did Suzanne Johnson, and while ROYAL STREET is your typical Urban Fantasy, she handles the Katrina angle with the reverence it deserves, thereby adding with fascinating detail a compelling setting.

The story starts with our plucky heroine DJ (short for Drusilla Jane), who feels like her wizardly training has progressed enough for her to tackle the more complicated jobs sending back those who come across from the Beyond: like vampires, old gods, and even the occasional historical undead. But before she can get any headway with the local sentinel/mentor Gerry, Katrina starts heading their way and she is forced to evacuate and wait out the storm.

But then Gerry disappears and the Elders send her back to New Orleans to repair the surge of rifts caused by Katrina. Fortunately they send help in the form of handsome Alex Warin, whose preference for the use of force frustrates DJ. Alex's cousin Jacob--a bar owner in the French Quarter--rounds out the love triangle.

Johnson paces ROYAL STREET well, from page one clear until the end, tying the events and characters together deftly. The opening scene isn't a mere throwaway to introduce our heroine. Characters we meet along the way matter to the story--even the seemingly random dog. It's not simply a string of events, and by the time we reach the exciting climax we've already connected the dots and are ready to watch DJ fix the problem.

DJ herself is unlike most kick butt Urban Fantasy heroines. Sure she's a wizard, but her style of magic (green congress wizard) requires incantations and time, unlike her mentor Gerry whose physical magic (red congress wizard) packs more punch. She doesn't know how to fight or even handle a gun. But she can make a nasty smoke bomb in a pinch. She learns to come to grips with the danger of her situation and the new responsibilities given to her and does the best she can.

The magic is interesting as well as the explanation as to why wizards must keep tabs on those magical beings who cross over from Beyond. New Orleans is a popular setting for Urban Fantasy magic and mayhem as a result of its vibrant history. But the reality of living with Katrina and the havoc it caused really add a nice flair to the story--especially since Johnson is a native. She gives a good sense of the city, its flavor, and what the city itself means to those who lived through the hurricane.

Recommended Age: 16+
Language: A handful of mild references
Violence: Fighting and blood, with minor gore
Sex: A couple of steamy moments but otherwise only referenced(less)

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Aug 28, 2012 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I also have a thing for books that are set in New Orleans~it is my favorite city to visit by far, and sometimes I dream about living there. I have a good friend who grew up in and lived in New Orleans until about 8 years ago, and I ask her about it every chance I get without bugging her too much. She puts up with me though. This book got my attention because on our honeymoon, my husband and I stayed on Royal Street. Then I saw that the book takes place before/during Hurricane Katrina. I was in N...more I also have a thing for books that are set in New Orleans~it is my favorite city to visit by far, and sometimes I dream about living there. I have a good friend who grew up in and lived in New Orleans until about 8 years ago, and I ask her about it every chance I get without bugging her too much. She puts up with me though. This book got my attention because on our honeymoon, my husband and I stayed on Royal Street. Then I saw that the book takes place before/during Hurricane Katrina. I was in New Orleans with my family a week before the hurricane hit - in fact my brother got an eye ulcer while we were there, and if it hadn't gotten better, we would have been there during the hurricane. My father went back down with the Red Cross as a volunteer as well. I just feel a huge connection to the city. It was also a little strange to read it when I did, because of Hurricane Isaac and its threat to the city. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will all be ok down there. The parts in this book that dealt with the destruction and despair that the hurricane were moving.

So, now that you know my life history ~ I thought this book was entertaining. Johnson made up some of her own rules regarding ghosts, and they worked for me. Sometimes they don't for me, like the shiny vampires in Twilight. Johnson created this world where famous ghosts can exist as long as people still talk about them and remember them. I think this was a way to get famous New Orleans ghosts like Marie Laveau, Louis Armstrong, and Jean Lafitte to be characters in her story. At first I was skeptical of this device, but then it grew on me and I liked it.

This book reminded me a bit of the Harry Dresden series, and while I liked Royal Street, it is not quite as good as Jim Butcher's books. But this is the first book I have read in the series, and I think it has potential. I do plan on reading the next in the series, River Road in the future. Royal Street was just a fun read with ghosts and wizards, in my favorite city.(less)

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Aug 15, 2012 Galena rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-paranormal

I was very intrigued by the "magical" system of this book, and it's something I've never seen before. In addition to weres and other "supes" there are also the Historical Undead--people (or religious gods) that had such a following or enough people that believed in them while alive (and after death, as I assume if people forget about them they fade away) that they exist in a sortof afterlife that is a parallel realm. The HUs can be summoned into our realm and then wizard police called Sentinels...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Silver James rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: urban fantasy fans, fans of the Harry Dresden series

Shelves: 2012-books-read

Royal Street (Sentinels of New Orleans, #1)

is a loving homage to the spirit of New Orleans. Set during and in the immediate aftermath of Katrina, Ms. Johnson introduces her readers to the dark side of the French Quarter--to the wizards and shapeshifters, the historical undead, and other preternatural creatures from Beyond. Drusilla "DJ" Jaco is the junior wizard sentinel assigned to the New Orleans area. When Katrina hits and her mentor goes missing, DJ has to step up to the job. Luckily, the wizard ruling council, the Elders, sends he...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this new urban fantasy set in post-Katrina New Orleans. DJ Jaco has been the junior Sentinel in New Orleans working for her mentor and foster-father Gerry St. Simon. They are both wizards but are from two different schools of wizardry. Gerry has physical magic; DJ has to use potions and spells for her magic. Her kind of magic is seen as less useful for a Sentinel. Their task has been to keep magical creatures in the Beyond or send them back there if they have come to our New Orleans. N...more I enjoyed this new urban fantasy set in post-Katrina New Orleans. DJ Jaco has been the junior Sentinel in New Orleans working for her mentor and foster-father Gerry St. Simon. They are both wizards but are from two different schools of wizardry. Gerry has physical magic; DJ has to use potions and spells for her magic. Her kind of magic is seen as less useful for a Sentinel. Their task has been to keep magical creatures in the Beyond or send them back there if they have come to our New Orleans. Nlow Hurricane Katrina destroyed the barriers that keep the paranormal out of New Orleans.

Gerry had sent DJ back to her grandmother's house to wait out the storm. But the Elders, the council that controls the wizards, have called and sent her back to New Orleans because Gerry is missing. They also send along an enforcer to help DJ. Alex Warin in his name. DJ thought on first seeing him was that "he looked like the poster child for an upscale GQ mercenary." She can't deny that she is hot but he more than makes up for it by being irritating. The two have a very contentious relationship.

I liked the world that Johnson created. Her paranormal creatures include werewolves, vampires, the Fae, and a new one for me - the historical undead. Among them are Jean Lafitte, Marie Leveau, Louis Armstrong and other historical figures. She has a special relationship with Jean Lafitte in that she has sent him back to the beyond a number of times and he is determined to get revenge on her.

DJ is a great urban fantasy heroine. She is smart, loyal, and determined. What she is not is some sort of well-armed ninja. She doesn't want to learn to use a gun. She prefers to rely on her spells and potions to save the day. She is also the sort of smart-mouthed heroine with a sarcastic sense of humor that I enjoy reading about. This story sets up a moral dilemma for her that forces her two choose between two equally dreaded outcomes.

Watching she and Alex try to track down Gerry, find out who or what is killing National Guardsmen in voodoo rituals, and trying to keep the human and paranormal worlds from going to war while developing a friendship that could blossom into a romance was very entertaining. Add in Alex's human cousin Jake for another side of the romantic triangle and you have me reading as fast as I can to find out what happens next.

I recommend this one to urban fantasy lovers.(less)

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Jun 14, 2012 Gayle Surrette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Drusilla Jane "DJ" Jaco is a deputy sentinel of New Orleans. She's an empath and a Green Congress wizard. She's been wanting her license upgraded to full sentinel. But her mentor and trainer, Gerald "Gerry" St. Simon, doesn't feel she's ready, especially when she has a bit of trouble with sending Jean Lafitte back to the Beyond -- the Old Orleans.

Hurricane Katrina is moving in on New Orleans. DJ and Gerry both think it's going to amount to nothing, but decide to follow protocol anyway. DJ is to...more Drusilla Jane "DJ" Jaco is a deputy sentinel of New Orleans. She's an empath and a Green Congress wizard. She's been wanting her license upgraded to full sentinel. But her mentor and trainer, Gerald "Gerry" St. Simon, doesn't feel she's ready, especially when she has a bit of trouble with sending Jean Lafitte back to the Beyond -- the Old Orleans.

Hurricane Katrina is moving in on New Orleans. DJ and Gerry both think it's going to amount to nothing, but decide to follow protocol anyway. DJ is to go to her grandmother's home while Gerry stays to protect the city, because hurricane's can play havoc with the borders between the Old and New Orleans.

Katrina turns out to be much worse than they thought it was going to be. DJ is watching the devastation on the news. She loses contact with Gerry -- technological and magical. She hopes he'll be there when she returns.

The chapter heading have news snippets from the Times Picayune. This, plus the setting of the story, brought back memories of Katrina and its aftermath -- the stories from friends who had to evacuate, or had to return to help relatives with the damage, or to help them move what little they had left after the storm. What I'd forgotten is that after Katrina, they got hit by another hurricane.

Johnson has created characters that are so real they could walk off the page. Set in New Orleans, the city that seems to be perfect for urban fantasies since even without magic in this world, it's a magical city. With the barriers dropping between the Beyond and New Orleans, creatures from the other side must be sent back and only a deputy sentinel and an FBI agent, who also works as an enforcer for the Elders of the magical world, are qualified and able to help restore the status quo.

DJ is focused on finding her mentor, and the FBI agent on stopping a serial killer targeting the homes of residents with magical powers. Can they work together? With all their usual support gone or unavailable, how can they restore order in a city that has been devastated by nature?

This is a wonderful story set within a historical event that most readers will have memories of. Johnson does a great job with keeping the action going, showing the impact of the storm on ordinary people, and never taking the easy way out. (less)

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May 25, 2012 Ailsa rated it 5 of 5 stars

My Thoughts: I really like this book. Now that we've got that out the way, let me tell you a bit more about it. We meet the heroine, DJ, as she's meeting the ghost of a lascivious pirate, who she soon banishes. She then catches up with her mentor Gerry, and they dismiss the coming storm, Katrina, as something that probably won't do any more harm than any other storm, and think that people should stop scaremongering. Of course, every reader knows how it's really going to turn out, and I was bitin...more My Thoughts: I really like this book. Now that we've got that out the way, let me tell you a bit more about it. We meet the heroine, DJ, as she's meeting the ghost of a lascivious pirate, who she soon banishes. She then catches up with her mentor Gerry, and they dismiss the coming storm, Katrina, as something that probably won't do any more harm than any other storm, and think that people should stop scaremongering. Of course, every reader knows how it's really going to turn out, and I was biting my nails waiting to see if these people would get themselves somewhere safe, and then what would happen in the aftermath. At first it seems like they're going to be ok, but then a few days after the storm has passed, Gerry goes missing, and it's up to DJ to sort out the supernatural beasties that are sneaking in to the city, while she tries to clear his name. Enter Alex, the "grenade-toting assassin". Both Alex & his cousin Jake sound very hot, and I found it very interesting to read about the interaction DJ had with each of them. For a little while, I really couldn't guess which way things were going to go.

I like the way the relationships develop between all the characters, and the way that DJ changes over the book as she finds out some things about her childhood. In her quest to clear Gerry's name, she does come across some things that point the finger strongly against him, and I thought the way she reacted and changed because of that was very believable. Each character has a strong, realistic personality of their own, and the interactions between them were often very funny - I really like DJ's inner voice.

I visited New Orleans last September, and I think it's beautifully brought to life in the book - it made me very nostalgic for my trip. The way that the supernatural element is brought into the world is very interesting, I think - they seem to exist in a parallel, slightly in the past, world, and try to break through to our world/time - it's DJ's job to stop this sort of thing. I can't wait to read more about her adventures, and see what happens with her changing powers as she learns more about what she can do. I'm also very interested to see the after affects of the events at the end of this book.

I'll give this one 9 out of 10 - check it out if you like books by Kalayna Price, Ilona Andrews, or Jocelynn Drake.
[Originally posted by me at The Book Bundle.](less)

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May 18, 2012 Romancing the Book rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by Terri N
Review Copy Provided by Netgalley

As a big fan of Urban Fantasies I was looking forward to reading this book. I love New Orleans and have visited often so the setting was pleasantly familiar. It was interesting that the story took place before and after Katrina. The concept that the worlds between the dead and living were held together by borders that were breached because of the storm was imaginative and fresh.

When Gerry, the mentor of the he...more

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Apr 21, 2012 William Bentrim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Royal Street by Suzanne Johnson

I see this book as an urban fantasy coming of age of a young wizard. It is set in immediate post-Katrina New Orleans.

DJ, Drusilla Jaco, is a Green Congress wizard. She is chafing at her restrictions on being a young, junior sentinel guarding New Orleans. Ms. Johnson does an excellent job creating DJ’s character, filling her with angst, life and temper. Katrina weakens the boundary between the Beyond and now. The Beyond is the home of the bulk of the mystical fanta...more

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Royal Street (Sentinels of New Orleans #1)

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