Blue Diablo (Corine Solomon, #1)

Apr 08, 2012 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: annoying-love-triangle, favorites, just-another-book-crush, magic, my-flat-army, reviewed-in-2012, urban-fantasy, what-does-she-see-in-him, zombies-zombies-everywhere

After reading this for the second time, I had to resist the urge to write Ann Aguirre a lengthy fan letter with a bunch of exclamation points (view spoiler). I never get tired of her worlds or her characters, nor can I stop admiring the ease with which she pulls me into one of her stories.

Corine Solomon is a handler. She has the gift (or rather the curse) of psychometry: she can see things by touching a charged object. Unfortunately, no matter ho...more After reading this for the second time, I had to resist the urge to write Ann Aguirre a lengthy fan letter with a bunch of exclamation points (view spoiler). I never get tired of her worlds or her characters, nor can I stop admiring the ease with which she pulls me into one of her stories.

Corine Solomon is a handler. She has the gift (or rather the curse) of psychometry: she can see things by touching a charged object. Unfortunately, no matter how many people she helped by using her ability, handling brought her powerful enemies as well so she’s been forced to live in Mexico under a different name for the past eighteen months. To make matters more complicated, she’s also been hiding from her ex-boyfriend and manager Chance, whom she abandoned in the middle of the night after a job gone wrong. Corine is convinced that Chance never loved her the way she needed him to, so when he shows up in her small shop in Mexico and asks her to help him find his missing mother, her first instinct is to run and hide before she gets heartbroken once again. However, Chance’s mother was always kind to her and Corine simply doesn’t have it in her to turn her back on either one of them when they really need her. Instead she chooses to return to the US with Chance, where she is forced to face demons, powerful necromancers, zombies and the scariest thing of all, her ex’s vulnerability.

Corine is not an easy character to love, that’s for sure. She can be petty, vindictive and completely blind to what’s right in front of her. She often made choices that made me want to strangle her with my bare hands. But she’s also smart, unflinchingly loyal and brave, even when she’s at her most vulnerable.
Ann Aguirre never writes simple, easily likable characters. Those of you who are familiar with her Sirantha Jax series will remember some of Jax’s actions and know exactly what I’m talking about. But the best thing about that is that it leaves a lot of room for character growth and, even though it takes her a while, she always brings her characters to the point where I admire them completely, possibly even more because I know how they started out. Knowing what I know now, after reading four Corine Solomon books, I can see exactly what she was aiming for at the beginning and what risks she took to make her characters seem more human.

The first time I was reading this (exactly a year ago, thank you, GoodReads) I didn’t know what to make of Chance. He was saying and doing all the right things and I believed him, I did, but there was just something missing, there was an emotional distance present even when he was proclaiming his love for Corine. I guess I understood and liked him better this time around, and I was able to read his actions (or lack thereof) much better. Needless to say, there was a lot of sighing and swooning involved.
And then there’s Kel Ferguson (yep, Ferguson, like my Kindle :D). I won’t even try to explain that complicated story, but suffice it to say that he’s one of the most intriguing characters ever and that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him this past year.

I can’t emphasize enough how much I love this series and everything else Aguirre writes.
Oh, and did I mention the zombies? :D

Also posted at The Nocturnal Library (less)

like 23 likes · see review

Feb 18, 2011 Nicole rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011, forgettable

Ok, this may be a hard review to read because I find it hard to put into words the things that didn't sit right with me and this book. First off, it's my favorite genre and it's a series, so I had high hopes. But then it quickly became one of those books that I had to force myself to finish and I really hate that, I mean, I started doing housework instead of reading and that's just wrong! This book had too much going on and nothing at the same time. (vague much Nicole?) The concept of Corine and...more

like 8 likes · see review

Jan 11, 2010 Gemma rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This was a really strange book for me. I had bought it on the premise that the author Patricia Briggs had recommended the author and in ways I see similarities between Corine and Mercy from Briggs books.

The premise for this book is that Corine is asked by her ex-lover and manager to help find his mother who is missing. She agrees out of love for his mother, Min, as she lost her mother in a fire when she was 12 years old. Corine has been hiding out in Mexico for the last few years, since the last...more

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 24, 2011 Lmb rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-pnr, overrated

When this book started off, I thought I was going to end up liking it much more than I did. It had a more adult, Urban Fantasy tone reminiscent of Sign of the Zodiac series for me. It was a little noir-ish & the dialog was a bit hard boiled but not OTT. I really thought I was going to appreciate the main character Corine, as a smart yet, conflicted for good reasons heroine. She initially seemed to know her mind well enough & could handle herself.

The premise also seemed interesting &...more

like 4 likes · see review

Jul 04, 2012 Regina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy-uf, 2010-reads

2.75 stars. This is hard for me to review. I like the world aguirre created. The characters were interesting. Her writing about living in Mexico and then living on the border was realistic. I enjoyed the mixture in of Mexican culture. But I wasn't engaged in the story and I was bored during the last quarter of the book. I ultimately skimmed the last 40 pages. The dynamic between Corine and Chance was intriguing at first but Corine was so darned immature about relationships and I thought she was...more

like 4 likes · see review

Mar 19, 2009 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Please note: this review is based on an ARC I received; the book itself is due out April 7.
If you haven't read anything by Ann Aguirre yet, what are you waiting for? Blue Diablo is a refreshingly new entry in the urban fantasy genre, featuring a sassy protagonist who is haunted by her past. Corine Solomon is a handler, who can read the history of an object by touch alone. Her ability was given to her by her mother as she died in a fire; consequently, every time Corine uses the ability she experi...more Please note: this review is based on an ARC I received; the book itself is due out April 7.
If you haven't read anything by Ann Aguirre yet, what are you waiting for? Blue Diablo is a refreshingly new entry in the urban fantasy genre, featuring a sassy protagonist who is haunted by her past. Corine Solomon is a handler, who can read the history of an object by touch alone. Her ability was given to her by her mother as she died in a fire; consequently, every time Corine uses the ability she experiences extreme pain and burn scars. Formerly Corine used this ability in partnership with her lover Chance to locate missing persons, but when their last case went horribly wrong, Corine fled the country and opened her own antique store in Mexico City. But when Chance's mother goes missing, Corine agrees to use her abilities to help find her, and she finds that chapter of her past hasn't quite closed yet.
I really loved this book, and Corine in particular. She's sassy and a survivor, but she's not the stereotypical kickass hard-bodied heroine you usually find in urban fantasy. She's short, dresses in bohemian chic, and likes to eat; she could be me or one of my girlfriends, except for her ability and the tragedy of her past. To me, she seemed quite real, as did her relationship with Chance; these are people who knew each other deeply in the past, but are uncertain how to relate to one another in the present. There's chemistry there all right, but Corine is uncertain whether she wants to go down that road again.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this book is how real Corine's world felt. Aguirre is herself an ex-pat living in Mexico, which no doubt helped in portraying Corine's life in Mexico City. What really impressed me, however, was how the supernatural details were intricately woven with the details of daily life. It was really easy to believe in the magic that powers Corine's world because there are a lot of people who do believe in it; among the magically skilled are curanderas and practitioners of wicca and voodoo, who are credited with such abilities in the world outside the novel as well. I like urban fantasies with winged fay and gargoyles, but it's also a nice change to read something that doesn't stretch my credibility too far. Highly recommended, for its appealing characters, fast-paced plot, and authentic magical world.
(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 05, 2010 Summer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons-angels, ghosts, magic, paranormal, psychic-powers, witches-wizards-warlocks, urban-fantasy

I want to write a better review of this book as I really liked it, but with school starting back up tomorrow I'm swamped. The basics is it's about a woman named Corine who has psychometry, the ability to touch an object and sense it's past and in Corine's case, sometimes it's future as well. She's been running around most of her life, but most recently she's been running away from her ex-boyfriend Chance. Chance is a mysterious man who somehow has incredible luck. They used to work together as a...more

like 4 likes · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Nicky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: magic, on-onread, romance, surprisingly-liked, us-mx-texas-border

I must say, I didn't expect to like this book this much.

I am a huge fan of Aguirre's Sirantha Jax series and Razorland series, which are sorta' science fiction/fantasy and dystopia respectively... nothing like what the cover of Blue Diablo markets the book as:
Read me because I'm yet another sexy shallow fantasy romance for lonely housewives!
(No offense to housewives--I think they are fantastic. My contempt is reserved for the genre only.)

NOT what this is. It's full of magic, sexual tension (v ...more

like · see review

Apr 12, 2013 Miraphora rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Sono perplessa. Non completamente delusa ma nemmeno sufficientemente soddisfatta. Il mio voto, alto considerando la situazione, è comunque molto incerto e l'ho dato per pura fiducia nel futuro della serie.
Io stimo moltissimo la Delos, è stata una delle prime editrici a buttarsi a capofitto nel nuovo genere paranormale/urban fantasy pubblicando serie che sono diventate di riferimento. Eppure, come può capitare a tutti, questa volta ha - in un certo senso - toppato.
Blue Diablo è il primo romanzo...more Sono perplessa. Non completamente delusa ma nemmeno sufficientemente soddisfatta. Il mio voto, alto considerando la situazione, è comunque molto incerto e l'ho dato per pura fiducia nel futuro della serie.
Io stimo moltissimo la Delos, è stata una delle prime editrici a buttarsi a capofitto nel nuovo genere paranormale/urban fantasy pubblicando serie che sono diventate di riferimento. Eppure, come può capitare a tutti, questa volta ha - in un certo senso - toppato.
Blue Diablo è il primo romanzo della serie Corine (con UNA n, signori Delos) Solomon in cui la protagonista ha una dote particolare. La madre, infatti, le ha passato un dono che le rende possibile conoscere il passato degli oggetti solo toccandoli. Essendo, però, un dono acquisito e non innato, ha delle conseguenze che nel suo caso è provare un fortissimo dolore alle mani. Il risultato è che Corine, con i palmi ricoperti di cicatrici, si autoinfligge questa tortura perché con il suo dono ci vive. Non avendo punti di riferimento familiari e non conoscendo nessuno con il suo stesso dono, Corine si ritrova ad essere un soggetto molto ricercato per la sua capacità e sulla quale in molti vogliono speculare. Corine vive sul suo dolore, e ogni 'missione' che inizia la porta sempre di più vicino al baratro della disperazione.
Aggiungendo anche che per anni si è affiancata a Chance, l'uomo baciato dalla fortuna - il suo dono - che in parte l'ha usata per fare soldi, in parte l'ha amata, abbiamo un casino totale.
Il romanzo inizia con Corine che vive e lavora in incognito a Città del Messico, dove è scappata mesi prima perché non ne poteva più della sua vecchia vita, dei dubbi che Chance non la amasse e della sofferenza che l'ha portata quasi alla morte. Per molti mesi Corine è stata tranquilla, conducendo una vita normale, sopprimendo il suo dono per non farsi scoprire, ma un bel giorno Chance entra nel suo negozio e tutto va a rotoli. Appena lo vede, Corine capisce che il passato è tornato a tormentarla, ed è terrorizzata più che mai perché non è mai riuscita a dire no a Chance. Lui, che è un manipolatore molto abile, la convince ad aiutarlo a cercare sua madre, rapita da degli sconosciuti. Da questo punto in poi la storia si basa sulla ricerca, sulle indagini e sulle scoperte che i due fanno.
Dal punto di vista del genere, siamo perfettamente dentro i canoni dello urban fantasy. In un certo senso questa serie strizza l'occhio a quella di Kim Harrison, Jeaniene Frost e compari, con la grande differenza che l'autrice non ha saputo creare un base solida, articolata e coerente del contesto nel quale si svolge l'episodio.
Il problema più grosso di tutto il romanzo è la mancanza di spiegazioni e di chiarimenti, anche brevi, che aiutino a rendere più chiari i meccanismi della realtà di Corine Solomon. Per esempio, la magia è presente come elemento portante della trama e anche del contesto generale, eppure nemmeno una volta viene chiarito come funziona l'interazione con la società. Vengono fatti riferimenti a zombie, maghi e stregoni, pozioni e amuleti, eppure l'autrice non si addentra mai sotto la superficie, come se non volesse infangarsi e perdersi nella sua stessa opera. Il contesto, in questo genere letterario, è importantissimo. Senza contestualizzazione si leggono solo episodi inspiegabili che si susseguono fino alla fine. Non mi è piaciuto, perché se devo leggere di maghi, handler e chissà che altro, gradirei poter riconoscere il loro ruolo mentre leggo, e non a storia conclusa.
Il secondo grosso problema è la profondità dei personaggi. L'autrice scrive in prima persona, per cui Corine è la voce narrante, ciò che lei conosce o non conosce è esattamente quello che ci è dato sapere. Il suo punto di vista, però, è completamente privo di introspezione: sappiamo che ha dei motivi che l'hanno spinta a scappare, principalmente legati alla morte della madre, eppure l'episodio non viene chiarito, come se l'autrice volesse stuzzicare il lettore ma tenersi buono l'episodio per un futuro romanzo. Quindi Corine manca della struttura portante del suo passato, vive nel presente. Non solo, anche il suo rapporto con Chance, che è al 90% nel passato, non viene spiegato del tutto. Sappiamo che lui era freddo e che lei pensava che non la amasse, sappiamo che sono stati assieme come coppia e come colleghi, sappiamo che lei è scappata e non sappiamo altro. Il loro rapporto nel romanzo è tutto sul tira e molla sfocato: lei è ancora - vagamente - attratta da lui, continua a pensare che lui l'ha usata ma non si addentra nello specifico. Chance, invece, tentenna nel dimostrare di essere più reale ed emotivo di come Corine lo dipinge di essere, eppure anche lui non si scomoda più di tanto e si adagia completamente dalla prima all'ultima pagina. Il loro è un rapporto indefinito e, quindi, per come la vedo io inesistente. L'elemento romantico è troppo sfocato, impreciso e generalizzato per poter stuzzicare l'interesse del lettore e sa vagamente di indecisione da parte dell'autrice: più o meno amore? Faccio diventare questa serie più eroina-centrica o più coppia-centrica? Di sicuro la Aguirre non è arrivata ad una decisione in questo primo episodio, tenendosi l'elemento sorpresa per i prossimi. Mi da un po' fastidio che l'autrice abbia dato così poco dei personaggi, scrivendo una storia con molte scene d'azione e pochi personaggi secondari. Aveva tutto lo spazio per poter rendere davvero coinvolgente l'aspetto emotivo dei personaggi.
Per quanto riguarda lo stile, invece, - a parte i soliti refusi tipici della Delos - non ci sono grandi difetti da segnalare. L'autrice cerca di essere vivace nella narrazione, riuscendo anche a risultare divertente in alcuni punti, e più in generale ha saputo azzeccare il tono adatto alla storia. Non si dilunga in dialoghi inutili - forse avrebbe dovuto lasciarsi andare a maggiori scambi di battute dirette - e in generale il lessico e semplice senza cadere nell'elementare. La lettura, quindi, è abbastanza piacevole da portarti fino alla fine però il senso di incompletezza non va via nemmeno sotto sforzo.
Considerando che il secondo titolo della serie è già in programmazione d'uscita probabilmente lo proverò e poi deciderò se questa serie fa o meno al caso mio. Per ora mantengo una mentalità aperta e cercherò di non lasciarmi influenzare dal tiepido parere sul primo romanzo. So' fiduciosa, che vi devo dire!(less)

like · see review

Dec 12, 2012 Nicole Williams rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The set up was good.

I wanted to like this book more it seemingly had an interesting setting a premise and the characters appealed to me. Then about 2/3 of the way into the book everything started to get way too convenient and predictable. Suddenly, there are all there are all these people with amazing powers that mundane people just can not compare to and apparently nobody cares where they came from or who hey are. Case and point Kel. He was such a wasted opportunity for some good drama develop...more The set up was good.

I wanted to like this book more it seemingly had an interesting setting a premise and the characters appealed to me. Then about 2/3 of the way into the book everything started to get way too convenient and predictable. Suddenly, there are all there are all these people with amazing powers that mundane people just can not compare to and apparently nobody cares where they came from or who hey are. Case and point Kel. He was such a wasted opportunity for some good drama development and insight. Even Jesse the resident cop barely remarks at his existence. And when the going "gets tough" it becomes a cakewalk weapons are easily available and everyone is a crack shot... except for the heroine who suddenly seems woefully weak. You would think with her supposed history she would have some sort of skills by now even basic self defense.

The heroine also starts to come across as self centered and not terribly intelligent. Sometimes it is almost as if she has no concept of what is going on around her and is apparently inept at communicating even basic things. Instead of being concerned about the danger and tragedies occurring around her all she thinks about is herself.

Honestly, I was more interested with the prospect of what happened before the start of the book than the actual occurrences within the book. I think this is also the root of my issue with Corine and how she responds to the people around her particularly Chance. We have no objective view of the Chance from the past only her very biased one. I was hoping his mother would give us insight but basically we meet her and then the book is over. From what I can tell Chance's behavior in the book does not remotely back up what Corine claims at all and with only her biased view I find it very unconvincing. Chance must have been a super horrible person to deserve the way she reacts to him now and if not the Corine is just shallow and selfish. If the answers really mattered to her she would try to ask but she just broods and blames. All she does is needle him and twist the knife over and over and he is so desperately lost in her that he can't seem to grow a spine and say SCREW YOU LADY! As such I spend a lot of the book disliking how they interact

All that said I will still try to read the rest of the series until I get utterly disgusted with it. As I said I want to like it.(less)

like · see review

Apr 30, 2012 Alice Liu rated it 5 of 5 stars

The best thing about Corine Solomon, heroine in "Blue Diablo," is that she thoroughly enjoys making other people uncomfortable. If someone makes an incorrect or embarrassing assumption, Corine will let it play out to the bitter and fruitful end, thrilling in their anger (though maybe not so much in their disappointment). When her ex, Chance, wonders why he never noticed that she was a bitch, she knows it's because she cared desperately what he thought of her when they were together. Having start...more

like · see review

Feb 24, 2012 L.H. Cosway rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ann Agguire's debut into the genre of Urban Fantasy is immediately enthralling, as she takes on the voice of Corine to describe her life hiding out in Mexico City, running a little pawn shop full of odds and ends. Agguire's prose is quite elaborate at first as she delves into the mindset of Solomon, yet it is a rewarding feat for the reader to overcome the strange, though in a good way, stream of consciousness of the first person narrative.

It soon becomes apparent that Corine is a human with a s...more Ann Agguire's debut into the genre of Urban Fantasy is immediately enthralling, as she takes on the voice of Corine to describe her life hiding out in Mexico City, running a little pawn shop full of odds and ends. Agguire's prose is quite elaborate at first as she delves into the mindset of Solomon, yet it is a rewarding feat for the reader to overcome the strange, though in a good way, stream of consciousness of the first person narrative.

It soon becomes apparent that Corine is a human with a special kind of ability. She calls herself a handler, which means she can touch any object and see its history, and sometimes even its future. This ability was given to her by her Mother, therefore, because it is not a natural ability, every time Solomon handles an object with a charge it leaves a burning scar on her hands.

Needless to say, this particular ability is something that is much sought after by many, since Corine can find missing persons with it. This is the reason why she has run away from her life and is hiding out in Mexico. She does not want to be found. Especially by her ex-boyfriend, Chance. Unfortunately, he is one of the first people we encounter coming into her shop.

Chance's Mother, Yi Min Chin has vanished from her home in Laredo, Texas, and he has come to Corine to ask for her help in finding her. Corine wants to say no, she's happy with her life in Mexico, however, she has always had a soft spot for Chance's Mother, and so, her love for the woman spurs her to agree to help. From here, an unusual supernatural investigation ensues.

Great Writing and Worth Reading

Blue Diablo is the kind of book that will cause any aspiring novelist to seethe with envy at the beauty of the prose. Agguire writes with a kind of hypnotising strangeness that is solely unique to her alone. In fact, it's probably very close to what would result if Gabriel Garcia Marquez ever decided to write an Urban Fantasy novel. The principle character of Corine is immediately engaging, since although she has the ability to "handle" which marks her out as different, she is at the same time a very realistic, flawed, and down to earth personality. The only shortcoming of the novel is that it ended, but there are more books in the series to enjoy, which is a plus.

(less)

like · see review

Dec 11, 2011 Hali Sowle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, ann-aguirre, corine-solomon, series, kindle, fantasy

I've really liked Ann Aguirre's Grimspace books and while waiting for the next Sirantha Jax box I downloaded Blue Diablo. Blue Diablo's Corine Solomon is not so different than Grimspace's Sirantha Jax, both are strong but vulnerable woman who have hidden depths, and both have had a hard past. Unlike Sirantha who first meets then falls in love with March who saves her from her fate in the first book, Corine had run away from her past and her lover to escape her past.

Corine has a talent - she can...more

like 1 like · see review

Dec 09, 2011 Kathy Davie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, urban

First in the Corine Solomon urban fantasy series revolving around Corine, a handler of objects, and the new life she may be making in Laredo.

My Take
This was good! A completely different take on the paranormal emphasizing some unexpected Gifts: handling objects to learn their history and Luck. Aguirre creates a sense of everyone out for themselves at the start and as the story progresses, the truth of the main characters' intentions emerges creating the promise of a very interesting series. In...more

like · see review

Nov 30, 2011 Jeannie and Louis Rigod rated it 4 of 5 stars

This paranormal murder mystery is so much more than a simple murder tale. Corine Solomon, a 27yr old woman is introduced to the reader with the mystifying words, "Right now, I'm a redhead..." well, that told me she is hiding something but I was amazed by just what she was hiding in Mexico City living as an illegal alien.

This tale bounces into high gear when Corine's ex, Chance walks in and announces his Mother has been abducted. You see Corine is a 'handler' and almost lost her life the last tim...more

like · see review

Apr 25, 2011 Carolyn F. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book, paranormal-romance

Hmmm, I loved Ann Aguirre's Sirantha Jax series so I came to this book thinking I'd love it too. My expectations were too high. The book is good but not as good. I'm planning on reading the rest of the series, but mostly because I want to see what happens between Corine and Chance.

Corine ran away from a relationship with Chance when it felt like he didn't care how much she was hurt in using her gift and never really opened up to her during their time together. In fact, when he finds her and she...more

like 4 likes · see review

Jan 12, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I've been looking forward to reading this for a long time. Disappointed does not even begin to describe how I feel. Usually, I can read any UF and enjoy it, but Blue Diablo was not enjoyable at all. I see that many do not agree, but I would like to present some of the reasons I did not enjoy this book so that prospective readers have both the positive and negative viewpoints. First, the novel is largely bickering between the main character and her ex. I understand that they are exploring why the...more I've been looking forward to reading this for a long time. Disappointed does not even begin to describe how I feel. Usually, I can read any UF and enjoy it, but Blue Diablo was not enjoyable at all. I see that many do not agree, but I would like to present some of the reasons I did not enjoy this book so that prospective readers have both the positive and negative viewpoints. First, the novel is largely bickering between the main character and her ex. I understand that they are exploring why their relationship went bad, and one or both parties are trying to rekindle something, but it was not enjoyable to me. The first 100 pages consist almost entirely of dialogue between the ex lovers with a few other characters thrown in occasionally. I do enjoy dialogue heavy novels, but not when the dialogue is banter between two people that already know each other, whom the reader knows nothing about. I like to find out about my characters before having to deal with their relationship issues, but that's just my personal preference. My second issue was the plot and mystery behind the novel. We are told fairly quickly that the novel is about finding the mother to Corine's ex, but the mystery solving is agonizingly slow to me. Everything unfolds in a fairly predictable manor. Corine starts by using her power to tell where an object has been to find clues to where the missing person is located. Then they follow one obvious clue to another obvious clue. Talking to one person leads to another person that is helpful. It's really too simple for me, and not enough to get me through a book with characters that I did not enjoy. Even with all of the dialogue between characters, I have to say I never got a feel for Corine. There isn't one thing that sets her apart from anyone else. I personally found her flimsy, and not likable, again that is just my opinion. I'm trying not to step on any toes with my review. I find that UF books are largely mystery, world building, and characters. If any one of those things are strong, the others do no have to be perfect for me to enjoy it. I didn't enjoy the characters in Blue Diablo, the world building and magic were not strong and were not unique, and the mystery solving was too linear for me. That, of course, is not to say that others will not enjoy this book, but I personally did not like it at all. (less)

like 4 likes · see review

Dec 30, 2010 Yolanda Sfetsos rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Corine is a handler. She can see the history of an object just by touching it. But the 'gift' doesn't come without a price. Every time she handles something she gets a new burn mark on her palm and it hurts like hell. Both physically and emotionally. She once used this ability as a way of making money with her former lover, Chance. A man with his own bizarre gift of luck that can play havoc on other people.

But when something truly awful happened and she ended up in the hospital, she left Chance...more Corine is a handler. She can see the history of an object just by touching it. But the 'gift' doesn't come without a price. Every time she handles something she gets a new burn mark on her palm and it hurts like hell. Both physically and emotionally. She once used this ability as a way of making money with her former lover, Chance. A man with his own bizarre gift of luck that can play havoc on other people.

But when something truly awful happened and she ended up in the hospital, she left Chance and that life behind.

Now she's been living in Mexico City as an illegal. She runs a pawn shop and loves the fact that she's just another normal woman living a normal life. Well, that's until Chance walks into her shop and confuses the hell out of her. Not only does his presence play havoc with her emotional state, but it also rouses a lot of uncomfortable memories about the hard life she'd lived as a child, after her mother died. But the reason why Chance has tracked her down affects her the most. His mother--Yi Min-chin, someone she cares about--has disappeared and he needs her help to find her.

Not happy to get caught up in the life she wanted so badly to escape, Corine agrees to help him at least chase the trail before something horrible happens to Min. And that's when she ventures into Texas with Chance and finds herself caught up in one bad situation after another. But she does meet a very exotic cast of characters. Ranging from Chuch and his estranged wife Eva, to the sexy cop Jesse, as well as a chihuahua called Butch, who seems to have his own doggy abilities. Oh, and the very strange Twila, as well as the resourceful but secretive Booke. All of these characters added an awesome depth to the story with their many talents and contacts.

I found myself getting deeper and deeper into this very dangerous world filled with dark magic, shadows that can kill, warlocks, zombies, and cartels. It's a wonderful blend of real-life action and that of dark magical forces. As well as combining a great dose of emotion, magic, friendship, and confusion when Corine finds herself in a bizarre love triangle, that I really enjoyed.

I also have to mention Kel Ferguson. A killer--though he calls himself a holy warrior--who Corine and Chance put behind bars provides one amazing subplot when they have no choice but to trust him. I can't wait to find out more about Kel.

Blue Diablo is an amazingly fast-paced, well-written, captivating tale that kept me wondering and glued to the page until the very end. It's also another one of those books that makes me realize just why I love this genre SO much! Everything about this book was awesome, and I'm totally hooked on this series.(less)

like · see review

Dec 20, 2010 Becca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, books-i-own

Blue Diablo revolves around Corine Solomon, who has a gift for seeing the past and sometimes future of an object. But this gift tales a toll every-time she uses it the object normally burns her hand, and is obviously painful with certain objects. Corine lives in Mexico and owns a small store which she adores. This all comes crashing down with the arrival of her ex Chance, who she left when he was sleeping. Chance is also gifted and he and Corine used to work together before a big accident that e...more

like · see review

Oct 13, 2010 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: magic, urban-fantasy, paranormal

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Blue Diablo introduces Corine Solomon, her ex, Chance and a new world where there are gifted – people who can read emotions, sorcerers and mediums, and handlers. Most of this novel is set on the border between Mexico and the US – which is a new area for me. Being a Londoner I don’t know much about the border and how people live there but to me there was a certain atmosphere about the border that added to the feel of the story. The book reads more of a mystery and detective novel rather than a pa...more Blue Diablo introduces Corine Solomon, her ex, Chance and a new world where there are gifted – people who can read emotions, sorcerers and mediums, and handlers. Most of this novel is set on the border between Mexico and the US – which is a new area for me. Being a Londoner I don’t know much about the border and how people live there but to me there was a certain atmosphere about the border that added to the feel of the story. The book reads more of a mystery and detective novel rather than a paranormal romance and while there was some sexual tension – both between Corine and Chance and with Corine and Jesse, a local cop who helps them out, it is not the backbone of the story. There are some interesting action scenes – especially towards the end. Overall, it adds something slightly different to the crowded Urban Fantasy genre

Corine isn’t the only one who can save the world – she’s just a regular person with a troubled past and I liked that. The world isn't even at risk - this a very personal apocalypse to the main characters. The cast of characters is varied – I really liked Chuch and Eva, who feel like a real couple and I love the way they actually help out and add to the story rather than just act as comic relief or get kidnapped. Eva especially helps out and I’d like to see more of her. (One of my pet peeves in a lot of Urban Fantasy is the feisty heroine who is tough, independent and surrounded by men – AND NEVER MEETS ANOTHER WOMAN! Come on! There are as many flavours of women out there as there are men – why just have one in a novel, even if she is the kick-ass heroine? Ok, rant over). It’s not a perfect novel – the ending feels kind of rushed and the reason for the kidnapping doesn’t ring true to me – I’m hoping that can be explored in future books as I think Min is hiding something...but I’m just speculating!

There is still a lot to explore with Corine and Chance and I’m looking forward to finding out more about her past and future.(less)

like · see review

Jul 28, 2010 Larissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

It has taken several hair-dyes, numerous identities and a trip across the border for Corine to begin to feel safe enough to call one place her home, but that all changed when her ex Chance turned up on her doorstep. Someone they both love dearly has disappeared and Chance wants Corine back, but not just to help find his mother.

Corine is gifted, she can find things, know things, all with a single burning touch. She spent most of her life running from those who wished to exploit this gift. She spe...more

like · see review

May 14, 2010 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, books-i-own-print

Corine is a handler which means that she can touch an item and know it's history but using her gift comes at a high price. She has been living in Mexico City for the last 18 months trying to hide from her ex-boyfriend Chance and the life they had together. Although they used to help people with her gift they often ended up getting into trouble and made some dangerous enemies along the way. Now Corine just wants to live a quiet life and keep her "gift" a secret.

When Chance arrives on her doorste...more Corine is a handler which means that she can touch an item and know it's history but using her gift comes at a high price. She has been living in Mexico City for the last 18 months trying to hide from her ex-boyfriend Chance and the life they had together. Although they used to help people with her gift they often ended up getting into trouble and made some dangerous enemies along the way. Now Corine just wants to live a quiet life and keep her "gift" a secret.

When Chance arrives on her doorstep the last thing she wants is to get involved with him again but he needs her help. Min, someone they are both very close to, has gone missing and the only way they are going to be able to find her is using Corine's gift. Following a trail of clues to Texas they come up against a dangerous enemy - they are going to need help but it isn't going to be easy to decide who they can trust.

Blue Diablo is told from Corine's perspective and I liked her voice immediately, Corine may not be your typical urban fantasy heroine but she is a very real character that I found it easy to relate to. Her past relationship with Chance has been plagued with difficulties and although Corine left him they both still have strong feelings for each other. Despite the attraction between them Corine is nervous about letting him close as she doesn't want to get hurt again. I felt the way that Corine and Chance reacted to each other was very realistic and I'm interested in seeing things develop between them in future books in the series.

There is a great cast of supporting characters from their friend Chuch & his wife Eva to the sexy detective Jesse Saldana who is also investigating Min's disappearance. Ann Aguirre has a wonderful way of describing things making it easy to picture the scene - after reading this book it is easy to imagine that I've actually visited Mexico and Texas.

If I have anything negative to say it would be that some of the action scenes towards the end of the book felt a little rushed but I found that a minor irritation and overall I really enjoyed Blue Diablo. I thought this was a great start to a new series & I'm looking forward to reading Hell Fire and finding out what happens to Corine next.(less)

like · see review

Jan 06, 2010 Deb rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal_romance

I'm easing into the paranormal romance genre one budging inch at a time, since I can't have a new Laurell K. Hamilton book every week (sigh). Many of the books in this genre are pretty terrible or imitations of each other--I'll eventually post those reviews as well.

The main character Corine can sense the past of an object, but it burns her hands every time due to the way she inherited her gift. While living as an illegal alien in Mexico (the author notes the irony of this), Corine is tracked dow...more

like · see review

Aug 06, 2009 Azar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Okay, I have to admit: I picked this book up for one reason and one reason only. The protagonist's ex was a man named Chance with strange luck. (This will only make sense to any fans of the mid-90s TV series Strange Luck. *g*)

That said, I really enjoyed it. Corine is an engaging heroine (much frumpier than the girl on the cover, which amused me) with believable fears and issues (considering the world she lives in). I liked that her gift didn't come without a price, and found the reason for that...more

like 3 likes · see review

Jun 27, 2009 Janice (Janicu) rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://janicu.livejournal.com/67296.html

Blue Diablo is the first book in a new urban fantasy series by Ann Aguirre, who also writes the lovely science fiction romance series starring Sirantha Jax.

The Premise: This series centers around Corine Solomon, who is a Handler - someone who can touch an object and recall its past. This means she's really sought after for her skills, but they have a high price for Corine, physically and in other ways. At the start of Blue Diablo Corine is in Mexico, livin...more http://janicu.livejournal.com/67296.html

Blue Diablo is the first book in a new urban fantasy series by Ann Aguirre, who also writes the lovely science fiction romance series starring Sirantha Jax.

The Premise: This series centers around Corine Solomon, who is a Handler - someone who can touch an object and recall its past. This means she's really sought after for her skills, but they have a high price for Corine, physically and in other ways. At the start of Blue Diablo Corine is in Mexico, living as an expatriate and not using her special handler talent. She's been in Mexico for about a year, after walking away from a bad relationship where she felt that her ex, Chance, did not really love her and valued her more for her talent than for herself. Unfortunately for Corine, her past doesn't stay away, and Chance shows up, asking for her help to find his mother, Yi-Min Chin, someone Corine really likes.

My Thoughts: This book right away does a couple of things that gave it high points in my book:

First of all the setting was not all in the United States, which is refreshing when I see it anywhere. Corine is living in Mexico before events mean she has to travel to Laredo, Texas, and this is reflected in her day to day life, the food, and the language. Spanish is peppered throughout the dialog, and I'm very glad that I took enough Spanish classes in my lifetime to understand it! I also enjoyed the descriptions of food (ah how I love reading about food).

The second thing was Chance, Corine's ex-boyfriend, who is a half (at least) Asian hero. I have a huge soft spot for mixed race characters!. He's a very intriguing guy - at first he seems very polished and put together, sort of distant, but I think the reader gets this through the way Corine sees him because the book is written from her first person point of view. As the story progresses Corine begins to realize he may not be the person she thought he was. He's also changed in the year that Corine was away, and there are still feelings on both sides about the other. It's a little bit painful on both their parts and ultimately I hope things work out for them, but Corine is not quick to forgive at all. They have issues to sort out. I had to agree that Corine wasn't always the most gracious character, but love is messy sometimes. On the other hand, it almost seems like Chance actually likes her more for it (Disfunctional? I can't decide. There were a one scene in particular which springs to mind).

That brings me to another aspect which I've noticed in Aguirre's work - the romances have their ups and downs and the main characters aren't perfect. They're flawed. Sometimes they do things I don't really like, but ultimately I can understand it, and I hope for them to grow. Which they do. I think Jax grows from book 1 to book 2 of her series, and I expect to see something similar with Corine.

But I probably shouldn't just focus on the Chance/Corine relationship. Really I am Team Chance, but there is another love interest involved in Blue Diablo. There is a cop named Jesse Saldana, the main investigator in the disappearance of Chance's mother who has a talent too (he's an empath). Jesse wants to become Corine's mentor, but it's clear he's also interested in more. Whether Corine can trust him is another question.

It's not just about the love triangle and the mystery of what happened to Yi-Min Chin. Corine meets some of Chance's contacts in Laredo and makes friends (who I liked), so the secondary characters were strong as well (Eva and Chuch were a really cute couple). And I particularly liked the dog! Ann hints there is a plot twist involving the dog in later books, dying to know what. There is also plenty of action going on - magical and other violence goes on. It's a bit gorey at times, but I didn't find it that dark despite that (not sure what my threshold is though. It may be high).

Overall: I liked it - an urban fantasy with an international flare. It's an action packed first book, full of flawed but likeable characters and relationships. Must read for Ann Aguirre fans, and urban fantasy lovers who want to try out a new author who haven't read this one before.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

May 29, 2009 Kay rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, 2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

May 07, 2009 Brooke rated it 4 of 5 stars

Corine Solomon is a handler. If she touches something that's magically charged, she can see its past; like who held it last, where its been, or events surrounding the item. Sometimes she can even see the future. In the past she used these powers to look for missing persons, and to put the bad guys in jail. Now, she just wants the simple life she's set up for herself in Mexico, but people keep trying to find her and put those powers to use again. People like her ex-boyfriend, Chance, who is despe...more Corine Solomon is a handler. If she touches something that's magically charged, she can see its past; like who held it last, where its been, or events surrounding the item. Sometimes she can even see the future. In the past she used these powers to look for missing persons, and to put the bad guys in jail. Now, she just wants the simple life she's set up for herself in Mexico, but people keep trying to find her and put those powers to use again. People like her ex-boyfriend, Chance, who is desperate to find his missing mother. Corine knows that she must help as soon as she handles his mothers lucky Buddha, and sees that she was taken. As they follow the clues they find themselves facing sorcerers, demons, witches, zombies, and ghost, and in more danger than they bargained for.

Blue Diablo adds a muy caliente Southwestern flair to the Urban Fantasy genre, and leading lady Corine is down to Earth and as real as they get. She doesn't have super strength, and she doesn't tote around guns. The best she can do is throw a grenade. The only thing she possesses is the power her late mother left her with. I enjoyed the romance and the sexual tension between Corine and her ex, Chance. Corine is confused about her feelings toward Chance, and she's constantly questioning his intentions. Which is good considering their past: working together to rescue people and rake in big money. But when Corine almost lost her life, she decided enough was enough and left him in the middle of the night. Their chemistry is undeniable though, and they find themselves working against each other at times because they are afraid of their feelings.

Corine's powers were pulled off brilliantly. Better than other books I have read with handlers in them, and her powers paired with Chance's luck make them unstoppable. The powers of a few of the other characters had me a bit confused, like a character being sent by God...was he really or was he just crazy or maybe just a supernatural with healing abilities?

Blue Diablo is smart and saucy, with a great cast of characters that are likeable, memorable, and most of all have each other's backs no matter what. Each time a new character came on the scene they were well fleshed out, and I could tell that a lot of thought went into each one.

I look forward to reading book two in the Corine Solomon series when it's released. In the meantime you should head out and get this book when it comes out on April 7th!(less)

like · see review

Jun 06, 2012 Hobart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads

Ann Aguirre starts the 4th (or so) chapter by quoting the show, Coupling, which I'm pretty sure means I have to buy every book she's written/will write. Doesn't hurt that her heroine, Corine Solomon, has the same power as Anton Strout's Simon Canderous--psychometry (just a grittier version than Simon's).

The book starts off in a nice, homey setting--but it's clear that Corine has a dark backstory. It's not too long before we meet a shadowy guy from her past and we're off and running through a mu...more

like · see review

Feb 23, 2011 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Corine Solomon has been in hiding for the past year and a half. As a Handler, when she handles an object, she is thrown into a vision of the past, present, and sometimes future of the object. A year and a half ago her boyfriend Chance and she worked together to find lost people and bring justice to those who inflict harm on others. She left after an incredibly painful near death experience and never looked back. Chance has been mooning over her since she left but refused to chase after her. When...more

like · see review

Jul 21, 2012 Ioana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons-vamps-and-all-that, magic, my-reviews, romance, urban-fantasy, zombies, mystery

Corine is living her life, trying to stay away from trouble, when her ex boyfriend Chance comes back into her life with a request: to help him find his missing mother. She can’t say no because she knows and loves his mother like her own, but with accepting his plea old problems come back. Her insecurities about Chance’s feelings for her, her heartbreak and old enemies who want nothing more than to kill her.

After I finished Enclave by Aguirre I started reading her SF series, Sirantha Jax. Truth b...more Corine is living her life, trying to stay away from trouble, when her ex boyfriend Chance comes back into her life with a request: to help him find his missing mother. She can’t say no because she knows and loves his mother like her own, but with accepting his plea old problems come back. Her insecurities about Chance’s feelings for her, her heartbreak and old enemies who want nothing more than to kill her.

After I finished Enclave by Aguirre I started reading her SF series, Sirantha Jax. Truth be told, I’m not a huge fan of SF so maybe that’s why I didn’t like the book as much as I liked Razorland#1, but I’m so glad I didn’t give up on her and picked up Blue Diablo.

I think her writing is absolutely phenomenal. She’s got an uncanny ability when it comes to descriptive writing and the world building is great as she brings to life a beautiful, colorful world in Blue Diablo. You can’t help but imagine Corine’s life in Mexico, her shop etc. She’s also a pro at inserting paranormal /supernatural details into her story and she does it very smoothly.

Her other strong point are her characters. I couldn’t help but love Corine even though she does make bad choice and God knows she’s flawed, which only made me like her more. It’s something I noticed in her other series too, Aguirre doesn’t write her characters to be stereotypes or clichés, she makes them real. As such, Corine may be our heroine but she’s not a complete badass, she screws up a couple of times and she’s kind of awkward when it comes to relationships. On the other hand, she’s incredibly loyal, smart and definitely a character.

I’m not sure what to say about Chance, whether I believe he’s a good guy just yet. Plus I’m more than interested in hearing about his particular gift, his luck, because we don’t get much on that subject in this first book.

I actually would be ok with a love triangle as long as it doesn’t take away from the mystery of the next installment, because both Chance and Jesse are interesting characters and neither of them is perfect and/or a run-of-the-mill romantic interest.

Speaking of interesting, the most intriguing character was Ferguson, the maybe crazy, maybe not serial killer – maybe.

Don’t let the short description fool you and whatever expectations you might have, forget about them. This book will take you completely by surprise. Corine’s psychometry isn’t even used that much, it’s more of a starting point for a mystery, paranormal and at times detective story. I really liked the supernatural parts of Blue Diablo because they’re somewhat of a novelty in the matter in which they’re treated.

Oh, also, this novel has more action than a Die Hard movie. Seriously. Like..hand grenades and Ak47′s action. Yep.

Also posted here:

(less)

like · see review

title link	preview: Blue Diablo
avg rating	preview: Blue Diablo Goodreads rating: 3.54 (2244 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3588137-blue-diablo?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1304756284l/3588137.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3588137-blue-diablo?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre[/url]

Blue Diablo (Corine Solomon #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (7)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Ann Aguirre

Books by Ann Aguirre

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Blue Diablo

Quotes from Blue Diablo