Boyfriend from Hell (Saturn's Daughter, #1)

Sep 21, 2012 Nikki Brandyberry rated it 4 of 5 stars

First off, that chick on the cover is way to thin….she needs a hamburger and a large milk shake b/c I’m pretty sure she has a Barbie waistline and that just ain’t cool. Having said that she looks pretty fierce and they did a decent job matching the girl to the book….though later in the book. You’ll understand in a minute, hold on.

Tina is your average woman with a limp, weird teeth and mousey brown hair who no one ever notices. She is working toward a law degree she’ll never get because of a sket...more First off, that chick on the cover is way to thin….she needs a hamburger and a large milk shake b/c I’m pretty sure she has a Barbie waistline and that just ain’t cool. Having said that she looks pretty fierce and they did a decent job matching the girl to the book….though later in the book. You’ll understand in a minute, hold on.

Tina is your average woman with a limp, weird teeth and mousey brown hair who no one ever notices. She is working toward a law degree she’ll never get because of a sketchy past, including a cop and a riot and her now mangled leg. Even knowing it would take a miracle to expunge her record she plows ahead in her studies and works hard to pay her bills. She works in “The Zone”, a part of Baltimore thick with past chemical spills and a area normal people have written off as dangerous. Those that live there seem to enjoy being outsiders and aren’t stunned when strange occurrences happen. Tina lives nearby and while she certainly notices buildings changing color and money disappearing out of her bag, she has wrote it off as quirkiness until her loving boyfriend tries to mow her down with her own car. She screams about him burning in hell…and pouf, the car explodes. Wow. I need some of that power. I mean, not that the guy deserved to burn in hell because all things are revealed later but….with that power you could scare the crap out of people. I like to scare the crap out of people. I digress.

As Tina gets backed in to walls and damns people to hell she grows prettier. Which is equal parts horrible and awesome. Let’s face it, some of the people that attempt to hurt her deserve to lick the flames in the bowels of hell for all eternity. While she starts out looking like a frumpy unfashionable unattractive woman, she ends up looking….well like that unnaturally thin cover girl up there. Smoking hot and now everyone seems to be looking at her or for her. She goes from driving a crappy old car to hauling ass on a motorcycle. Her whole demeanor changes over the course of the book. Her anger management issues stir up trouble on a continuous basis and she often bites off more then she can chew, which allows for some pretty snarky dialogue that kept me laughing. I am curious to see what the consequences are for using her power as the books move forward. Nothing is free and I have a feeling that the price of her new body will be a steep one.

Boyfriend From Hell is primarily UF and so the love story in this one is light but just enough to keep those romance junkies happy. She’s able to communicate with her dead boyfriend through mirrors and it seems to be much stronger the closer she is to The Zone which adds to the speculation of what the area and Tina herself are. She misses him and though he was lying to her, wants to help him solve his murder and figure out the secrets to The Zone and it’s inhabitants. One of those inhabitants is her boss and he is equal parts strange and alluring. He’s tough, shadowy and surprises me with his spontaneous tenderness. I enjoyed their push and pull throughout the book as each tries to deny their attraction to each other.

Even with all the weirdness of The Zone, Tina and her rag tag group of friends know that can’t be all of it. Though they may all have their quirks Tina can damn people to hell and that’s not taken lightly. I can’t wait to read more about the Saturn’s Daughter lore because that was only touched upon lightly in this book. I would have liked more info on that but I will patiently wait for the next one and hope I have a better understanding then. Boyfriend From Hell gives more questions then answers and as a first in a new series I’m okay with that as long as I don’t have to wait forever for the next one. Filled with action, snark and darkness, I definitely enjoyed this one! Quaid’s remarkable storytelling is top notch!

I give Boyfriend From Hell by Jamie Quaid 4.50 stars!(less)

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Aug 15, 2012 Tynga rated it 4 of 5 stars

Life has been hard on Justine Clancy. Her mom moved her around all the time then ditched her to move to Europe, she’s been physically crippled by a police officer and spent months in the hospital afterward and kept a limp as a reminder and has to work in The Zone to survive while finishing law school. Let’s say she had enough on her plate, but everything got worst when her boyfriend tried to kill her then died, right after she witnessed a couple of students being run over and her cash deposit ha...more Life has been hard on Justine Clancy. Her mom moved her around all the time then ditched her to move to Europe, she’s been physically crippled by a police officer and spent months in the hospital afterward and kept a limp as a reminder and has to work in The Zone to survive while finishing law school. Let’s say she had enough on her plate, but everything got worst when her boyfriend tried to kill her then died, right after she witnessed a couple of students being run over and her cash deposit had been stolen. To say it was a bad day doesn’t cover it.

I would lie if I said I was sold to this book right away, but after a few chapters I was really into it! The Zone is a post chemical spill area good –and smart- people usual avoid. Glowing in the dark buildings might have its charms, but if the building glows, you can’t help but wonder what it will do to your DNA. Quaid introduce an original Lore where people living in the area for a while changes, on top of mystical Gods involvement. I have to say, even after finishing the novel the God part is still pretty hazy to me, so hopefully Jamie will reveal more about it – and Justine’s powers- in the following novels.

The characters were most definitely my favourite part of this urban fantasy novel. Clancy is a loveable and capable woman with good intentions but questionable methods. Her rather unusual technics makes for a highly entertaining read and I really liked her “hands off the annoying but oh so sexy boss” policy. Said boss is quite a mystery and I really can’t wait to learn more about him because I thougth he was awesome and his exasperation toward Justine is simply priceless. Tina is surrounded by an amazing selection of characters and I don’t what to mention every one of them, but her cat is worth a howler!

I truly enjoyed the plot and The Zone citizens’ twisted sense of justice. The novel is action-packed from beginning to end, sparkled with a great dose of humour and just a touch of romance. I really think Boyfriend From Hell has everything to please urban fantasy lovers and I would definitely recommend it. Jamie is offering us an highly original tale, because quite frankly, I can’t think of any other novel I could compare it to. I’m anxious for the second instalment!
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May 11, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-michelle

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: An interesting book with a great concept, but just was not for me.

Opening Sentence: Over the door, the tin scales of Lady Justice dipped ominously to the wrong side as Andre Legrande strolled into Bill’s Biker Bar and Grill.

The Review:

Boyfriend from Hell by Jamie Quaid was an interesting book. Urban fantasy and Paranormal romance has a 50% chance of a make-it or break-it moment in my mental library. With so many stories in the genres, it’s...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: saturn-s-daughter

After damning her boyfriend to Hell (literally), Tina Clancy investigates the murder of her boyfriend while uncovering her heritage as a daughter of Saturn and studying for her law exam finals.

Warning, spoilers ahead...

What I Liked:

Tina - She starts out different then the typical urban fantasy heroine: weak vision, crippled, poor, etc. Of course, she later gets powers and the more typical body of an urban fantasy heroine but she remains an enjoyable character throughout the book. I can get behin...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Anne Odom rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Despite the rather terrible cover (that woman is in a 360 degree spiral - do you see her boots face the opposite direction of her head?) and the really super-horrid title, this is an enjoyable book. Quaid sets up an intriguing alternate reality urban fantasy setting, whose origins are only partially uncovered in this first novel. The journey of the main character from unpowered to powered is a bit more realistic than many urban fantasies.

Character interactions are generally smart and witty, and...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Jana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Boyfriend from Hell

Even though I didn’t quite figure out the actual layout of the Baltimore area in relation to the Zone most of the action takes place in, I really liked the world building.

The whole “Saturn’s daughter” business seemed a bit unnecessary to me as I would have been totally happy with explaining mutations due to chemical (or whatever!) spills.

I guess that Tina would be walking a thin line between being pleasantly sassy and annoyingly obnoxious for some people, I was lucky enough...more

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Nov 06, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

BOYFRIEND FROM HELL by Jamie Quaid is an interesting Urban Fantasy. Book #1 in "The Saturn's Daughter" series. It is written under a pseudonym for best selling author Patricia Rice. It is well written with details and depth. Justine is a law student with a part-time job in Baltimore's radioactive Zone,with a bizarre secret,she is one of Saturn's daughters. She can wield vigilante justice. So watch out for Justine! Filled with mystery,justice,secrets,shape-shifting kitten,a biker gang,an invisibl...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Morwa Pal rated it 5 of 5 stars

What happens in the Zone stays in the Zone.
Boyfriend from Hell, the first book in the Saturn’s Daughters Series, is the latest release from multi-talented author Pat Rice under the pseudonym, Jamie Quaid. It is a delightful, quirky urban fantasy and draws you in from page one with its crazy characters and spunky heroine.
Law student Justine (Tina) Clancy is living in Baltimore in an area known as the Zone. After a radioactive accident the blighted area now has glow–in-the-dark buildings, moving s...more What happens in the Zone stays in the Zone.
Boyfriend from Hell, the first book in the Saturn’s Daughters Series, is the latest release from multi-talented author Pat Rice under the pseudonym, Jamie Quaid. It is a delightful, quirky urban fantasy and draws you in from page one with its crazy characters and spunky heroine.
Law student Justine (Tina) Clancy is living in Baltimore in an area known as the Zone. After a radioactive accident the blighted area now has glow–in-the-dark buildings, moving statues and people with interesting abilities. When Tina damns her boyfriend, Max, to hell as he apparently tries to run her over, that’s exactly what happens. Now someone is stalking Tina through the streets of the Zone, bugging her apartment and generally making her simple, quiet life a misery. Tina finds solace in her friends: a biker gang, a private detective who uses snakes in an unusual way, a friendly cop and her newly adopted kitten. Did I mention an invisible thief?
Tina discovers she is apparently one of Saturn’s Daughters. She has no idea what that means until she finds out she has the power to mete out vigilante justice. Of course, she doesn’t understand how it works. The fun comes through trial and error. Mostly error. Causing a tornado in front of the funeral home with just a thought? Oops.
In between trying to getting Max out of hell and talking to him through mirrors, fighting her attraction for her sexy new boss, and figuring out what is threatening the Zone, she is studying for her finals. Could life get any more complicated? Of course, it does, and that’s what makes this book so much fun!
Tina is a heroine you want to root for. She struggles with her newfound paranormal abilities but inherently wants to do the right thing. Finding out she can send people to hell isn’t something she takes lightly or accepts easily.
I loved this book! I can’t wait for the next book in the series and am really looking forward to seeing the romance between Tina and Andre heat up. And, of course, to see what trouble Tina will get into in the fantastical world of the Zone.

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Sep 25, 2012 Bookmom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Tina Clancy is a 26 year-old law student with a crippled leg who lives near the Zone in Baltimore, an area affected by a chemical spill many years ago. She’s just a week away from taking her final exams and works in the Zone collecting deposits from different businesses that belong to Andre Legrande, making one bank run for him every day. The Zone is an area most people stay away from, except for those who can’t afford to leave. At least that’s Tina’s belief. And she likes living her life under...more Tina Clancy is a 26 year-old law student with a crippled leg who lives near the Zone in Baltimore, an area affected by a chemical spill many years ago. She’s just a week away from taking her final exams and works in the Zone collecting deposits from different businesses that belong to Andre Legrande, making one bank run for him every day. The Zone is an area most people stay away from, except for those who can’t afford to leave. At least that’s Tina’s belief. And she likes living her life under the radar.

But one day a number of events take place that really shake up her world. It begins when witnessing a government limo mowing down a group of kids and not even stopping. During the melee the day’s deposit, chained to her wrist, is stolen by someone no one claimed to see, using a bolt cutter. But the most upsetting to her is that it appears her boyfriend is trying to kill her using her own car and in her anger and frustration, wishes him to Hell. She’s kind of shocked to discover she makes that very thing happen. She’s now caught the attention of the government.

There are a number of different story threads taking place in the book which not only deal with a couple of investigations but Tina’s growth as she learns what she is and the best way to use her new abilities which come with benefits. There’s a lot to learn along those lines, but that’s one area that really shines in this story. We get to see, through another character, how unbalanced that power can make you if you don’t weigh the results and Tina does eventually start to make sound decisions.

What makes this story unique is not only the heroine and her abilities, but the secondary characters and the Zone, which if you live in it long enough, can cause weird things to happen. Inanimate objects become somewhat animated. One woman turns into a chimpanzee. I do believe that’s my first experience with any shifter from the ape family. Then there is Milo, a kitten that growls warnings and in a fight grows to the size of a bobcat. I want Milo!

We don’t learn what Andre is, other than he used to be special forces. He bends over backwards to take care of Tina and keep her safe, all while she treats him like dirt; I had a desire to knock her upside the head. But in her he sees something the Zone needs. We’ve also got communication from Max while in limbo via Tina’s mirrors, and an invisible thief. All of these make for an interesting read as does a nice twist near the end.

My only criticism is that the story could have been tighter. At times it feels like there are too many threads and the story seems to stall for a bit. Tina grows in this book, which is a really good thing because her attitude at times, especially early on, seems childish. But like I said, she does start to make sound decisions after balancing possibilities.

I’m definitely going to be watching for the next book.

Reviewed as an ARC through Edelweiss.
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Aug 31, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars

Imagine one day you are trying to get on with your life , trying to pass law school so that you can find a way to expunge your record for a minor mistake and then the next thing you know, you are a witness to a limo that runs down a couple of children and your boyfriend is trying to kill you with your car of all things. Then the next thing she realises is that she whispers out the words damn you to hell and the car blows up with her boyfriend Max inside. For Justina aka Tina/ Justy life is about...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Van rated it 2 of 5 stars

Boyfriend from Hell caught my attention back in 2012 with its kick-butt looking chick with a tire iron on the cover and a synopsis that promised a fun and interesting new world. I’m sad to say that Boyfriend from Hell didn’t meet my attention at all, and was nothing like I expected. I’ve read a lot of great reviews for the book, and some even said it was UF borderline comic-bookie which I totally can get into but I didn’t get that impression. Justine (Tina) is a 27 year-old law student who is in...more Boyfriend from Hell caught my attention back in 2012 with its kick-butt looking chick with a tire iron on the cover and a synopsis that promised a fun and interesting new world. I’m sad to say that Boyfriend from Hell didn’t meet my attention at all, and was nothing like I expected. I’ve read a lot of great reviews for the book, and some even said it was UF borderline comic-bookie which I totally can get into but I didn’t get that impression. Justine (Tina) is a 27 year-old law student who is in her last semester before she takes the bar, and as a side job she does the accounting for Andre’s many businesses (owns multiple, if not all of the businesses in the Zone). The Zone is a cornered off section of the city of Baltimore where most of the area was affected by a chemical spill. The Zone is a place where people and things aren’t as it seems…and the longer you’re there you’d start noticing strange phenomenon going on. That is precisely what happened to Tina after her boyfriend Max tries to run her over with her own car in the Zone, except right before he was about to hit her she muttered ‘Damn you to hell’ and Max and the car burst into a ball of flames. It turns out Tina’s car was rigged, and she accidently sent him to hell without knowing. Whoever killed Max is hoping to tie loose ends with Tina because she’s starting to figure out that there’s more to the story, herself and the people of the Zone. Tina will stop at nothing till Justice is served, because after all she’s the daughter of Saturn.

I thought the world building was fascinating, the Zone is full of different people with different abilities , I’m guessing this is where reviewers made the comparison to it being like a comic book…which I kind of get now but didn’t get that impression right away as I said before. The chemical spill obviously affected people after being/living in the Zone for so long, some examples are; young guy with invisibility powers, a waitress that turns into a chimp every time she’s frighten, and shape shifting kitty that turns into a bobcat-size cat whenever he sense danger just to name a few. Then we have our main heroine Tina, who I didn’t really warm up to right away nor did it get better throughout the book. She is the daughter of Saturn, someone who dishes out justice to those that deserve it. Whenever she does something to defend either herself/ or someone she is rewarded with personal improvements, which I found a little weird. What kind of personal improvements? Well, after accidently sending her boyfriend to hell, overnight Tina’s mousy limp hair is turned into this thick-luscious perfect shiny hair. Then after rescuing a co-worker from being rapped, Tina’s scarred leg discrepancy is no more…instead she grew 3-inches, had prefect legs and no more limping.

I mean I thought the whole serving justice thing is cool, but Tina’s over attitude just kind of sucks. Tina is known to be friendless, and even though she begins to see the people in the Zone as friends she still comes off as snooty to everyone. For instance Andre her boss is known as a lying sleaze ball, but never once was he mean or nasty to Tina. He may joke here and there (nothing offensive) but he does A LOT to help her, he’s always there to save her from trouble, and seems to really like/care for her. What does Tina do? She mouths off at Andre every chance she gets, and at the same time says he’s so despicable but still comments on how hot she finds him. Talk about ungrateful. When Tina discovered her new found ability, she thought herself as indestructible and can do whatever she wants which I found annoying. At the end Tina realizes it might be wise not to blow people/things up just because she could or to get new personal improvement...I don’t even know what to say. It’s kind of common sense to use your powers for the greater good, what Tina needed was a personality improvement.

Overall he ending felt rushed, and anticlimactic. The only thing that surprised me in the end was Max’s fate. Bottom line, Boyfriend from Hell was an okay plotted story with an unmemorable cast (except Andre) and an unlikeable-annoying heroine (a little fyi, Tina uses the word ‘hell’ a lot and every time she’s going after a bad guy she screams ‘Damn you to hell’…it got tiring/old quick). As I mentioned at the start of my review, a lot of people actually enjoyed this book, so while it isn’t for me…it might be for you. I suggest reading a chapter preview or except before reading/buying. The second book in the series, ‘DAMN HIM TO HELL’ (figures that would be the title LOL) hits stores June 2013. I will likely not be reading the second book, but am interested in knowing what Andre is or what his ability is.
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Nov 18, 2012 Natasha rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.

An interesting although quite confusing supernatural story with some weird relationships thrown in for a good measure.

I was happy to have a main female character who had a physical defect instead of either extremely beautiful or views herself as plain or unattractive, but everyone finds her attractive (but sadly that changes in the book). Tina says she has no issues with self esteem yet says she knows that Max is proba...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, review, urban-fantasy

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/09/26/...

I’m always on the lookout for new urban fantasy books. It’s one of my favorite genres, with some of my favorite authors. While a lot of people have criticised the cover of the first Saturn’s Daughter book, it actually caught my eye. Not just the uncomfortable positioning of the woman’s body, but the fact that she is holding a tire iron next to a Harley, instead of a sword or gun in some faraway land. It’s something I’d never...more Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/09/26/...

I’m always on the lookout for new urban fantasy books. It’s one of my favorite genres, with some of my favorite authors. While a lot of people have criticised the cover of the first Saturn’s Daughter book, it actually caught my eye. Not just the uncomfortable positioning of the woman’s body, but the fact that she is holding a tire iron next to a Harley, instead of a sword or gun in some faraway land. It’s something I’d never seen before, and knew I was in for a heroine who wouldn’t mind getting down and dirty.

Tina has been working in the Zone for a few years now, trying to make ends meet while finishing up her law degree. She never expected the Zone to change her life, but instead of offering her a regular paycheck, she developed some weird supernatural powers. She accidently sent her boyfriend to hell when he tried to kill her, she caused a freak tornado, sprinkler systems to randomly go off, and who knows what else.

Tina just wants to graduate law school and find out who terrorized a group of kids in the Zone. But the secrets of the area are quickly unraveling, and Tina will have to do things she never imagined possible in order to keep herself and her newfound Zone friends safe from danger. But will she be able to do so without damning herself?

I have to admit that when I put this book down, I had some mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I really liked that Quaid set up her paranormal world in a way I don’t ever remember reading before. Instead of your standard things that go bump in the night, a chemical spill has contaminated a poor area of Baltimore known as the Zone. People from the area are beginning to notice weird things, special abilities and that basis for her world building was unique enough to keep me engaged and wondering. However, the book progressed SO SLOWLY from start to finish that I found myself getting bored and wanting to skip ahead. Never a good sign.

Despite her ability to deny, deny, deny, I really liked Tina. She had spunk and character and was an all around good character. She struggled a bit with the paranormal super powers, and although she walked into a bar daily where the Lady Justice over the door winked and flirted with her, she seemed to have a hard time accepting that the supernatural could take over people as well as objects. I thought it was a good mix of acceptance and struggle on her part though, as I can imagine finding out you can literally curse people to hell isn’t exactly something to toy with.

One of the things I hope Quaid does NOT do in this series is start an on-going and never ending love triangle. Sure, Max seems like a nice guy, and despite the whole ‘being sent to hell’ thing, he tried to prove time and again that he really did love Tina, regardless of how their relationship started out. At the same time, Tina’s boss Andre makes his big play for the girl he loves to fight with. I personally had a soft spot for Andre, because I love my heroes to be absolutely Alpha in everything they do. But Tina waffled between the two of them, never seeming to make a commitment to one or the other. Like I said, I hope this doesn’t become a recurring theme in the series.

All in all I thought this was a decent debut UF novel. There were some major pacing issues for me in the first half, and I felt as if the story dragged horribly. However, Tina and her battle with gaining super powers, trying to figure out how to get her ex-boyfriend out of hell, and keeping the secrets of the Zone were enough to keep me reading. I will definitely be willing to give the next book in the series a shot, especially if we get to see some more romance time between Tina and Andre.
I give Boyfriend from Hell a C(less)

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Aug 09, 2012 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Original Post appears at Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust with the Title Boyfriend from Hell by Jaime Quaid

BOYFRIEND FROM HELL
The Saturn's Daughters Series: One
Jamie Quaid
Sept. 25, 2012
Pocket/Simon and Schuster
Mass Market Paperback/E-Book 400 pages

Disclosure: E-Galley loaned by publisher via Edelweiss. No remuneration exchanged and all opinions herein are my own except as noted.

Justine (Tina) Clancy is just an ordinary law student with a faulty arrest record, a part-time job in Baltimore’s radioact

...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Amanda Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Tina Clancy is trying to finish law school and stay out from underfoot at her job in The Zone, the radioactive area of Baltimore where things...aren't always what they seem. When her boyfriend of several months nearly runs her down, she curses him to hell while diving out of his path. She didn't mean it literally, but it seems she apparently has the power to do that. To curse people to hell. This is news to her. It's also news that each time she commits an act using her "power," she has a physic...more Tina Clancy is trying to finish law school and stay out from underfoot at her job in The Zone, the radioactive area of Baltimore where things...aren't always what they seem. When her boyfriend of several months nearly runs her down, she curses him to hell while diving out of his path. She didn't mean it literally, but it seems she apparently has the power to do that. To curse people to hell. This is news to her. It's also news that each time she commits an act using her "power," she has a physical transformation. First it's her hair - it goes from mousy to glorious. Then it's other things, like her prominently messed up leg that suddenly, one morning, has healed back to its original shape. If that weren't weird enough, Tina is haunted by images of her deceased boyfriend, and he's claiming that he ws set up. So what's a girl to do? Investigate, of course. She dives into getting information on corporate honchos her honey used to rub elbows with (unbeknownst to her), and in the process invites unwarranted attention to herself and the people she works with. Her boss, a sexy yet secretive wall of a man, is concerned both for her and for his business. Tina, meanwhile, just wants to finish her degree, yet the crazy shit-storm she's gotten herself into won't abate.

This was a strange book. Strange in that it had a lot of interesting potential, but it played out in a way that wasn't bad, per se, but wasn't quite what I expected either. The tone was a plateau to me; there weren't many twists and turns that kept me engaged or at the edge of my seat. I wasn't really sure what, exactly, the relationship was between Tina and 1) her boyfriend and 2) her boss. It was clear that she hadn't been with her boyfriend all that long, yet she felt seriously obligated to him in a way that seemed to go beyond what we had been told. And her boss? Yeah. Not sure what's going on there, either.

Boyfriend just isn't quite all there. At least not yet. The foundation of the first book leaves a bit to be desired (or defined), though hopefully with future installments we'll get a bit more clarification.(less)

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Sep 22, 2012 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, urban

As interesting as Quaid's world is, I'm still struggling to buy into her characters. The tone, from heroine to down to supporting characters, is very hard to pin down. The scene where Justine gets a new dress and scopes out her new hair seems very odd for her character, insofar as she doesn't seem like a "girlfriend makeover" kind of person. Further clues seem to put significance on certain acts resulting in physical changes, so I'm waiting to see if this gets resolved further down the road.

The...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss-arc, urban-fantasy

~* 3.5 Stars *~
Series Opener Finishes Strong
The only thing that scarred, limping, and mousy Justine Clancy wants to do is pass her law school finals and get her degree. Maybe then she can quit her part-time job in the radioactive area of Baltimore known as the Zone. Not that the Zone, altered by a series of chemical spills a decade ago, doesn't have its inherent charms. I does. It's just...those charms tend to seem more like freaky mutations or flat-out oddities to the uninitiated.

For two years...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Deva rated it 2 of 5 stars

Full review at http://urbanparanormal.blogspot.com

Mary Justine Clancy (Tina/Justy) was minding her own business when her boyfriend decided to run her over with her own car in The Zone. The Zone is a place where chemicals have been dumped and it altered the terrain and maybe the people. That part I loved. While Max, the boyfriend, was accelerating towards her, Maxine verbally damned him to hell. When Max dies in a blaze after that car drove into the bank and caught on fire, he began popping up in...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Natalie rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was entertaining as long as I read very quickly. The premise - that in this alternate universe, chemical pollution had caused mutations of the super/supernatural kind in those who live or work in "the Zone," where chemicals had spilled - is interesting and allows for many potential characters and events, exciting and/or funny. The protagonist is a fairly appealing woman in her mid-twenties who is self-reliant and mouthy. If the writing were better - a lot better - I would have happily...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Jessica (Find the Time to Read) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, reviewed

Originally posted at Find the Time to Read

What I Thought:When I picked up Boyfriend from Hell I was expecting an uber cheesy paranormal/urban fantasy novel. Which is for the most part what I got, something that was super cheesy and kind of predictable, but at the same time there was something about the characters and the plot line that just really pulled me in.

As a character I was excited for Tina. Sure she had some horrible things happen to her and had to live and work under less than ideal sit...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Tamara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, ya-urban-fantasy, arc-galley-netgalley-edelweiss

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Review originally posted here: (http://shelfaddiction.weebly.com/1/po...)

I finished Boyfriend from Hell four days ago, but I didn't want to write the review right away. This is one of those books that has to settle and marinate in my mind for a moment so that I wouldn't give a knee jerk reaction...In this case, that knee jerk reaction would have been not so good review...This book starts oddly and slowly. The story was able maintain my attention, but I was starting to lose hope when about page 6...more Review originally posted here: (http://shelfaddiction.weebly.com/1/po...)

I finished Boyfriend from Hell four days ago, but I didn't want to write the review right away. This is one of those books that has to settle and marinate in my mind for a moment so that I wouldn't give a knee jerk reaction...In this case, that knee jerk reaction would have been not so good review...This book starts oddly and slowly. The story was able maintain my attention, but I was starting to lose hope when about page 60 or so, things started to get more interesting.

I don't speak on cover art often, but in the case, the cover art initially my attention. Between the cover and the synopsis, I thought that the book would be edgy and sexy. Not so much, on either account. Don't get me wrong, overall, this book was good. I just expected more everything. More action, more sex, more romance, more bad ass-ness (if that's even a word, lol). The book includes several paranormal themes that I haven't read about before, which I liked. But on the flip side, I felt that it was sort of vague and lacked details in several areas. I wish we got some more information on Saturn's daughters, that topic particularly was very vague. Maybe we'll get more in book two. Maybe we'll even learn more about how Tina's mother and grandmother play into the history of Tina becoming one of Saturn's Daughters.

The story takes place in Baltimore, more specifically the Zone area. Which is full of people who have been genetically altered due to the toxicity of the area caused by a chemical spill. In addition to those people, then there seem to be genuine paranormal beings mixed in there. In addition, there are moving and talking objects, like statues, money, glowing buildings. All intriguing stuff.

The characters were interesting and have tons of potential, but again, I felt they were somewhat lacking. Tina, our heroine, is a law student with morals and wants to do the right thing for the little people. She develops the ability to send people to hell, which initially leads her to believe that she's gone crazy. Between seeing her dead ex Max in mirrors and talking to him she had convinced herself that she was on track for the loony bin.

The main two secondary characters were Max and Andre, so I'll just touch on them. Max, the ex that Tina sent to hell. He's got a past that he has hidden from Tina, which all comes pouring out as the story progresses. Andre Legrange, Tina's boss, whose handsome, clearly abnormal, controlling and seems to own many business in the Zone and has tons of mob like tendencies and connections. I like him, but I wish we'd seen a little more of him and Tina. Andre's still a mystery. We don't learn much about him at all.

I also felt that it was seriously lacking in the romance area. We could tell that Tina clearly had a romantic interest toward Andre, but this relationship was PG at best. I'm used to a little more heat than that in my adult Urban Fantasy/Paranormal books.

Lastly, the ending...I really didn't feel like we got a strong cliffhanger. In my personal opinion, that is mandatory when doing a series. You have to keep us readers hooked. A great cliffhanger has us all on the edges of our seats anxiously waiting for the next installment.

I really wanted to love this book, but I had to settle for liking it instead. The story has tons of potential and hopefully will deliver more in the follow up book.
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Nov 02, 2012 Anoolka rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, urban-fantasy, crime-mystery-thriller, female-protagonist, long-lost-family, love-triangle, paranormal, psychics

3.5
The things I liked - the characters, the setting, the interesting worldbuilding, writing style.
The things that were so so - the whole mystery plot - it just didn't grab me.
So while I finished this book I'm not sure I'll read the next one.

I liked how the main heroine changed over the course of the book - both on the inside and the outside. I liked how the characters feel complex and flawed, all of them.
The paranormal elements are pretty original and interesting. The romance, while it has shade...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Loralee rated it 3 of 5 stars

For urban fantasy, it holds up well. One of the better examples of the genre I've read lately--I definitely will watch for this author.

The title is a little bit of a misnomer. It's not that the main character has a boyfriend from hell, it's that she accidentally sends him there when she thinks he's about to run her over on purpose. A few more unusual incidents reveal that she has superpowers of justice because she's descended from one of the goddesses, which she uses to try to foil attempts by e...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Melliane rated it 5 of 5 stars

4,5/5

Mon avis en Français

My English review

As soon as I saw the cover of this new novel I knew that I absolutely had to read it. And after this synopsis, it did not take long for me to jump on this little gem. Well I must say that I am always ready for a good urban fantasy book, and I really liked this one. I loved the characters, I loved the story, what more can I ask for?

Clency Tina is a young woman who works in the Zone, this place that most people avoid. Well, a lot of strange things happen t...more 4,5/5

Mon avis en Français

My English review

As soon as I saw the cover of this new novel I knew that I absolutely had to read it. And after this synopsis, it did not take long for me to jump on this little gem. Well I must say that I am always ready for a good urban fantasy book, and I really liked this one. I loved the characters, I loved the story, what more can I ask for?

Clency Tina is a young woman who works in the Zone, this place that most people avoid. Well, a lot of strange things happen there and the people living in this place seem to possess abilities quite incredible. However, she tries to not spend a lot of time there to work and become a lawyer. But things get complicated when one day, her boyfriend tries to kill her by rolling over her and without realizing it, she sends him to hell. Literally! And when she receives a word that announces her that she is a daughter of Saturn, her whole life is turned upside down. We do not realize how much it will disrupt her routine. She will then have to manage with her own abilities and with the persons who now seem to want to kill her without she can understand the reason.

Tina is a young woman I really enjoyed to follow throughout the novel. Well, she is determined to do what she wants whatever everyone wants. And especially to pass her exams even if she is shot or if her life is in danger. We learn to discover her, understand her strengths and weaknesses, to see how she manages to adapt to this new world, as everything changes radically overnight without her asking for it. I loved the Jamie Quaid’s ideas, she approaches new things that I had not yet the opportunity to read in an Urban Fantasy novel and I liked it. Discovering this new world we didn’t know anything about, some characters with unique abilities, and an involved plot, we can’t ask for anything more.

We meet many protagonists here. It also arises many questions about them. If they are trustworthy, if they want something from our heroine, and especially what the Zone has changed them into. We'll find the truth gradually throughout the story, establishing the truth little by little to finally understand what is really going on. I loved each of them. How can we not love this baby cat? Impossible! And what about Andrew? I asked myself a lot of questions about him, trying to figure out what he was trying to get from our heroine. Well I haven’t yet concluded on his case, but something is certain, we learn to love him more and more with each chapter. But he is not alone and all these people will help our heroine, much more than what we had originally thought. Well, she really need that even if she thinks she can handle everything all by herself.

As I said many things happen in this novel and there is no downtime. Not here, not any chance to get bored that's for sure! The rhythm is sustained throughout the novel so that I couldn’t let it go until finished.

Well, I think you understand, I loved this first novel that announces a new great series and I really look forward to learn more now. (less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Paranormal Haven rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-read-by-athenna

3.5 stars

Justine aka Tina was having a really bad day that turned severely worse once she wished her boyfriend to go to hell and he went up in flames moments after he tried to run her over in her own car. Tina is determined to find out what happened because she is not willing to believe he would actually try to run her over. Tina quickly learns she may not be as normal as she once thought she was, her small suggestions and thought might be more dangerous that she could ever imagine. Tina will ne...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Laura *Little Read Riding Hood* rated it 3 of 5 stars

Tina has a rough life; she is disabled due to an unfortunate event in college, she works in the Zone - which was affected by a nasty chemical spill that has some bizarre side affects, and her boyfriend just tried to kill her. Oh, and she is in her last semester of law school.

Good lord I was so confused early on. I couldn't figure out if it was magic, chemical reactions, or what the heck was causing some of the oddities of the Zone. And the people in the Zone. In this story I learned things with...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Tammy rated it 4 of 5 stars

The best part about this engaging and energetic urban fantasy is the first person voice of the main character, a girl who discovers she has the ability to dispense justice in some very interesting ways. This is the third book in a row that I’ve read by an established author who decided to use a pen name, so it seems to be a trend right now. Jamie Quaid, pen name for bestselling romance author Patricia Rice, takes the well-established genre of urban fantasy and infuses it with some of the tried a...more The best part about this engaging and energetic urban fantasy is the first person voice of the main character, a girl who discovers she has the ability to dispense justice in some very interesting ways. This is the third book in a row that I’ve read by an established author who decided to use a pen name, so it seems to be a trend right now. Jamie Quaid, pen name for bestselling romance author Patricia Rice, takes the well-established genre of urban fantasy and infuses it with some of the tried and true tropes of romance writing, with fantastic results.

Justine “Tina” Clancy is a law student living in Baltimore and working part-time in the Zone, a decidedly bad part of town where a chemical spill from a nerve gas factory has begun to infuse the people and objects there with magical properties. Gargoyles get up and walk away, and later return. The buildings glow in neon colors. And some of the residents can shift into animal form. Electronic devices rarely work anymore, or at least they aren’t always reliable. Tina works for the sexy but frustratingly aloof Andre, a man she lusts after and loathes at the same time. One evening while taking a deposit to the bank, her boyfriend Max appears, driving her car down the street. Unfortunately, Max is gunning the car and headed straight for Tina. In a fit of rage at his odd behavior, Tina damns Max to Hell, and the car erupts in a ball of fire, killing him in the process.

Shocked and upset, Tina goes home only to find a strange surprise waiting in her apartment. Max appears in the dresser mirror and tells Tina he is in Hell. From this point on, Max is able to sporadically communicate with Tina, even in the compact mirror she carries with her. Tina discovers she is one of Saturn's daughters and is able to hand out karmic reward and punishment. As she starts investigating the reason that Max tried to run her down, several secrets are brought to light, and Tina must discover who is behind the scheme to shut down the Zone for good.

The story is told in first person through Tina’s eyes, and her smart and sassy observations about life in the Zone, the people she lives and works with, and especially the three hunks that are vying for her attention keep the story moving at a brisk and snappy pace. Tina’s development as a character was interesting as well. In the beginning of the story she describes herself as having lank and mousey hair, crooked teeth, and one gimp leg that is shorter than the other due to an unfortunate accident involving the police. After Max dies, her hair mysteriously becomes long and silky, a side effect of her abilities as a daughter of Saturn. And in true romance fashion, Quaid keeps the reader guessing as to which guy Tina will end up with. Andre is clearly the frontrunner, with his dangerous good looks and angry disapproval of Tina’s every move, but dead (ex)boyfriend Max is still tugging on Tina’s heartstrings, and shy but alluring Detective Schwartz, who is trying to untangle the mysteries of the Zone, is a potential love interest as well.

Tina has a posse of Zone friends who help her, including a stray cat named Milo, an invisible thief, and Max’s gang of biker buddies. And boy does she need help! Not only is she trying to pay the rent, but she’s about to graduate from law school, and finals are right around the corner. Somehow she manages to keep everything together, solve the crime of Max’s death, study for finals and end up lip-locked with one of her hot men. The only story element that got old after a while was Tina’s constant hiding from the bad guys. When she realizes someone is following her every move, she begins to sneak from place to place, leaving her car down the street to throw off her pursuers, and changing apartments. It was a bit confusing and I thought a lot of it could have been cut.

But I had such fun reading this book, and Tina’s infectious personality had a lot to do with that. The unique world of the Zone kept me interested from start to finish, and I particularly loved the way Max could communicate with Tina from Hell. By the time things wrap up at the end, Quaid has paved the way for the next book in the series, leaving just enough unexplained to make the reader anxious for the next installment. Sexy, fun, and dangerous are perfect words to describe this book. If you are a fan of urban fantasy or romance (or both), Boyfriend From Hell will be right up your alley.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster (Pocket Books) & Edelweiss for supplying a review copy.(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 AH rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-edelweiss, lawyers, magic, read-sept-2012, shifters, urban-fantasy, babr-reviews

3.5 stars

“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 sta...more 3.5 stars

“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.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Pocketbooks for a review copy of this book.

Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.

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Sep 27, 2012 Karina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, read-in-2012

I so wanted to love this book but it just wasn't happening the main heroine was so annoying at times that she felt more like a a clueless superhero to me, with great power but not enough sense to be able to use her powers effectively. The supporting characters were okay, Max was blah for me, I wanted him gone for good, but the end twist was an interesting touch, Andre has the potential to be a great character providing that Justine grows a pair, Milo the cat was so cool, I want an attack Kitty,...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Angeloflight rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book, the only thing that bothered me was Justine always whining how she was insane, and she didn't believe anything that was happening and that Andre was hot but she wasn't going to giving in to him *eye-roll*

I really hope that Justine and Andre's relationship grows in the next book. I also hope we get an explanation about the Saturn's daughters because in this book that wasn't a lot o explanation.

Besides all that I really enjoyed this book, and Justine really can kick some...more

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Boyfriend from Hell (Saturn's Daughter #1)

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