Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (Necromancer #1) by Lish McBride

Apr 18, 2011 Flannery rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Snarkers

Recommended to Flannery by: Tons of my GR friends

Shelves: lolz, paranormal, set-in-seattle-or-wa, kcls, young-adult-teen, read-in-2011, reviewed-2011, wishlist-for-books-to-keep

I guarantee you, if you read this book: (1) You will laugh; and (2) You will want to eat some waffles. I have eaten three waffles in the past two days just because of this book. (Fine, it was also because someone else made waffle batter and it takes a minute to make once all that work is done:)) But in all seriousness, this book is buckets of awesome. Samhain Corvus LaCroix (Sam) is a Seattle college dropout working at a fast food restaurant with a few of his friends and generally slacking it up...more I guarantee you, if you read this book: (1) You will laugh; and (2) You will want to eat some waffles. I have eaten three waffles in the past two days just because of this book. (Fine, it was also because someone else made waffle batter and it takes a minute to make once all that work is done:)) But in all seriousness, this book is buckets of awesome. Samhain Corvus LaCroix (Sam) is a Seattle college dropout working at a fast food restaurant with a few of his friends and generally slacking it up in his off-time. After an unfortunate potato hockey accident behind the restaurant, Sam comes into contact with an intimidating man who recognizes Sam for what he is—a necromancer. Clueless, Sam is faced with an ultimatum before he even comes to terms with his dead-controlling ways. Craziness ensues.

Author Lish McBride uses short song snippets as the titles for the chapters and they are fabulous. I think my heart just about exploded when I got to the one entitled “Make A Little Birdhouse in Your Soul.” (My first concert besides Raffi and the parentally-enforced-you-must-love-being-Irish Chieftains concerts I went to with the family was They Might Be Giants, which I think is a totally respectable first concert, no?) Anyway, I loved every single one of them. It might be a little annoying to some people but I thought it went well with the overall campiness. Crowinator got there before me but she is dead-on that this book reminded me of a mixture of Buffy’s fun and the snarkiness of Dead Like Me. Sam very much reminded me of George from Dead Like Me—a sarcastic yet compassionate slacker working at a just-for-the-money job, only Sam is far nicer than George ever was. And he has his kickass friends, one of whom is a head in a bag. Yeah, you read that right. A head. In a bowling bag. The sense of humor is dead-on and the story was fun in the same way that Paranormalcy was. It felt fresh in a genre where originality can be hard to come by.

This book has it all, and I almost feel like Stefon from SNL could do a wonderful recap of what this book has to offer: Crazy garden gnomes that want to kill you, a talking cat that is really a dragon, sexy werewolves, a head in a bowling bag, medicine bags that make people invisible to supernatural radar, a Catholic schoolgirl harbringer that loves waffles, sex in a cage, and ZOMBIES. You get the idea. The pacing is quick but unhurried and the story arc is complete at the end yet leaves itself open to future books that I really hope will exist despite a lack of parenthetical series markers on Goodreads. It would be a huge shame if this was a standalone.

This is actually more like 4.5 stars but I'm gonna leave it at 4 instead of 5 for differentiation purposes.
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Apr 21, 2011 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Updated- I heard from the author, next book is due in ~~Jan/Feb~~ May 2012! Yeah!

Review below!

Poor Sam. You thought you were going to be your average, college dropout, unmotivated, 20-something, fast food working, movie watching, girl craving, young male. Little did you know that you actually are a far from average, mysterious, potentially powerful necromancer.

What is a boy to do?

Well for Sam, first you figure out what the hell you are? Second, you flip out when everything you know is twisted and di...more

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May 04, 2012 Emily May rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-na, paranormal-uf, 2012

I'd just like to make a point of saying that three stars for me can mean indifference or "liked but had issues with" or just anything else in between the two. This book I liked, let's be clear on that, I don't want to be the hosepipe at the bonfire on this one. It's taken me a long time to get around to reading this because funny is a harder sell for me than dark, sad, disturbing... take your pick. Obviously, humour is far more subjective than those I just mentioned. However, I can say that as...more

I'd just like to make a point of saying that three stars for me can mean indifference or "liked but had issues with" or just anything else in between the two. This book I liked, let's be clear on that, I don't want to be the hosepipe at the bonfire on this one. It's taken me a long time to get around to reading this because funny is a harder sell for me than dark, sad, disturbing... take your pick. Obviously, humour is far more subjective than those I just mentioned. However, I can say that as far as I'm concerned, this book really is funny. Some parts are even hilarious.

The humour wasn't an issue, but the over-crammed zig-zagging all over the place plot was. The story starts in 1st person POV with Sam (Samhain) as narrator, he finds out that he is actually a necromancer and his mother has been hiding it from him. In this crazy town of Sam's, there is some kind of supernatural council headed by Douglas - also a necromancer - and after our first encounter with Sam, we are taken on a history trip into Douglas's life and then into his present (now in 3rd person). After this, we find ourselves being introduced to a group of werewolves - who we also get a mixture of past and present info on - because the daughter of the pack leader has been kidnapped.

I appreciate that this is not intended as a serious book, so I did try my hardest not to read it as one. However, the comedy factor combined with the skipping from subplot to subplot made me feel like I was in a sketchshow. Not to mention the whiplash I got from being dragged here and there and desperately trying to keep up. There was so much going on that I quickly became detached from it all and I lost track of what was happening and who was who.

If you are after a quick laugh, I'd place money on this book giving it to you. I just think I wanted something a bit more from the story. Nothing spectacular, but just enough to really make me want to read on. I will come back to other books that always make me laugh like Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver and Dairy Queen, the characters in these series are so vibrant and hilariously lovable that I always need to find the next installment. McBride's characters, on the other hand, were good for a few laughs but I will almost certainly forget them in a few days. (less)

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May 02, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, pn-shapeshifters, hilarious, read-2011, 2010-favorites, favorite-ya, ebook-egalley, male-pov, too-many-povs, pn-reapers

Never judge a book by its title. I have to confess it took me awhile to get to this one because I think the title is a little cheesy (and it's now obviously impossible to get Elton John out of my head), but this turned out to be a hilarious book that had me laughing out loud numerous times--not a bad feat when a big part of the book is about raising the dead. All the characters are engaging and likable, especially smart-mouthed Sam, strong and beautiful Brid, Sam's little sisters, the...incapaci...more

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Jan 21, 2013 The Holy Terror rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: color-red, male-protagonist, young-adult, challenge-2013, buddy-reads, ebook, necromancers, washington, werewolves, witches, urban-fantasy, ghosts, zombies, fairies, 2013

This review is mostly a lot of negatives, but I still liked this book. I wanted to give this 4 stars, I really did, but the more I thought about it the more I realized it had a lot of problems. You know that feeling you get when you're rooting for the characters and you're immersed in the world and you're frantically turning pages because you can't wait to see what happens next? You get to a certain level of emotional investment where you feel like an active participant and not just a spectator...more This review is mostly a lot of negatives, but I still liked this book. I wanted to give this 4 stars, I really did, but the more I thought about it the more I realized it had a lot of problems. You know that feeling you get when you're rooting for the characters and you're immersed in the world and you're frantically turning pages because you can't wait to see what happens next? You get to a certain level of emotional investment where you feel like an active participant and not just a spectator on the sidelines. Well, that didn't happen for me in this one. The characters didn't feel real enough to me, the world wasn't as well-formed as I would've liked, and there were a couple of plot points I thought only existed to artificially move along the story without actually being plausible.

First off, if point-of-view jumping bothers you, definitely steer clear of this one. Not only do we get multiple POVs (I think I counted five in total, with a brand new one showing up just a few chapters before the end,) the story shifts from first person to third person as well. Sam, the main character, is the only one we get first person POV from, and the rest of the time the chapters are told in third person subjective. Normally I'm the last one to notice POV or tense, and that could be because I'm so used to reading YA novels, but I know certain things like first person present tense POV drive people nuts (this isn't in present tense though, if that helps.) I really only noticed when the story switched from third person to first person, and I admit that was a bit jarring, but it ultimately didn't ruin the book for me. I do think this contributed to me not connecting with the characters as much as I should have though. There was too much head-hopping for me to really latch on to any one person.

A lot of the additions to the world on top of Sam's necromancy were included that I thought should have been saved for the next book. There were too many supernatural beasts, types of magic, and revelations thrown all into one novel. I thought Sam's initial story was compelling enough to hold its own and the multiple plotlines and side characters only weakened the core idea. I also found it annoying that there was so much going on and so much tossed in at once but so little was resolved in the end. I understand this is a series, but I wanted at least a little more closure than what I got.

Two things that I thought only existed to move the plot along in an implausible way: certain characters keeping important information to themselves and the villain deciding he's going to train Sam to be his apprentice. The first thing is a commonality in a lot of genre fiction but that doesn't mean I'm not sick of it. "She didn't need to know now, there was already too much going on." UGH. No, tell her. So much could be solved with simple communication. The second part is included in the description of the book so it's not a big surprise, but still, it doesn't make sense. Douglas thinks Sam isn't a threat, but I don't see at any point where Sam makes it seem like he's on Douglas's side. Sure, let's train the kid who we've threatened and terrorized to use his special powers. Or, I know, just kill him and find some hired muscle to do your dirty work instead.

I don't know how many people watched the show, Reaper , but it was a short-lived series on the CW that I thought was highly underrated and didn't deserve to be canceled. It's about (a different) Sam who finds out his parents sold his soul to the devil so he has to work for him as a bounty hunter capturing escaped souls. Sam works a crappy job at a Home Depot-like store and has a group of sidekick friends (a Latino, a chubby funny guy, and a pretty girl) and they get into mischief with all sorts of supernatural beings. Sam has special powers, an important side character gets irreparably ... damaged, and there's a certain level of slapstick comedy mixed with the macabre. (Sound familiar?) I really doubt many people watched this show, but I can't help thinking how much it compares to this book and how the show was funnier, smarter, and better. I suppose it's not fair to compare two completely different mediums like this, but it was in the back of my head the entire time. And it really made me miss Reaper.

Good lord, this is getting long and I haven't said anything about what I actually liked. I do think the series has potential. While I didn't connect with Sam, I still liked him, though I think my favorite character was Brid. Douglas was certainly an evil and malicious guy and I liked that he had an incredibly dark side to him. I'm especially curious about James though, as he seemed possibly grey-ish. Some of the other side characters towards the end intrigued me as well and I'm looking forward to what awaits them in the next book.

The end wasn't completely fulfilling though it's not a true cliffhanger so that won't annoy people who hate those with a passion. The story held my attention, I didn't actively hate anything, and I want to know what happens next. It wasn't a perfect book by any means, but I liked it enough to want to continue the series.

I also have reviews for the two short stories that McBride wrote: Heads Will Roll (Necromancer, #0.1) and Necromancer: A Novella (Necromancer, #0.5).(less)

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Apr 22, 2011 Vinaya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Vinaya by: Maja, Michelle, Flannery

Shelves: books-i-liked, hmm-that-was-interesting, surprised-me, ya-fantasy

Confession: I am ridiculously addicted to 80s high school movies. In a I've-watched-them-40-million-times kind of way. In a I-own-hideously-expensive-collector's-editions kind of way. In a I-would-love-to-be-Lloyd-Dobler's-honey kind of way. I mean, seriously, who could resist this face?

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Not me!

If someone had plucked Llyod Dobler off the sets of Say Anything, and stuck him in paranormal YA book, he would probably be called Sam LaCroix. Now this is Point 1 in Lish McBride's favour. You can keep yo...more

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Mar 30, 2011 Janina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: titles-i-love, on-my-shelf, read-in-2011, just-hilarious, pure-entertainment, male-pov, older-ya-vibe, urban-fantasy, young-adult-fiction, series-in-progress

You are looking for a YA urban fantasy that is a bit outside the norm? You are tired of stories only revolving around a lukewarm love interest? You like it a bit macabre? You’re not looking for anything too serious, but simply want to have a good time? I think I’ve found the book for you …

Simply put, this book was lots of fun! Talking heads, waffle-addicted spirits, double-agent next-door neighbours, were-bears, family secrets, powerful necromancers, resurrected Chinese pandas, talking cats, out...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Anila rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: clone-the-guy-i-want-one, reviewed, not-for-the-sensitive, favorite-2011-reads

There isn't much that I want to say about this book which hasn't already been said by Vinaya, Flannery, Jillian, or Wendy.

Actually, all I can think of is:

- it was a great audiobook, and those who have trouble with the switches from first to third person narration might benefit from listening to the audio, since there are two different narrators.
- Seattle FTW.
- I would have given it four stars, but the ending was very sweet and poignant and I couldn't do anything but bump it up.
- This would prob...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Eunice rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: death-tragedy-suicide, favourites, faeries, ghost-and-zombies, male-pov, multiple-pov, paranormal, urban-fantasy, vampires, werewolves-shapeshifters, ya-romance, young-adult, new-adult

4.5 stars

This book is so much FUN! I love love love everything but most especially Samhain Corvus LaCroix! I tell you, I'm in love with this guy ~~yeah, like I don't feel like that with most of the heroes I met. XD~~. Its like I met the guy version of Sophie Mercer (Hex Hall)! This dude made me all laughing from the first page to the last and even on worst situations. While this book offered lots of good humor it also gave a very good side of dark and paranormal stuffs.

I love reading books with mal...more 4.5 stars

This book is so much FUN! I love love love everything but most especially Samhain Corvus LaCroix! I tell you, I'm in love with this guy ~~yeah, like I don't feel like that with most of the heroes I met. XD~~. Its like I met the guy version of Sophie Mercer (Hex Hall)! This dude made me all laughing from the first page to the last and even on worst situations. While this book offered lots of good humor it also gave a very good side of dark and paranormal stuffs.

I love reading books with male protags but I tend to be really picky about them. But when I heard that this gave off the same aura as White Cat, which is one of my favorite series with male lead, it definitely caught my interest. I'm not sure about it though when I started reading it but when Sam started using his smart-mouth, oh boy, I realized I gonna love it big time.

Sam's character is very appealing and admirable. I like how he talk about things and handle stuff, he knows who he is. Oh wait, no. He didn't know he's a necromancer before - more like he's honest about himself. He acts with no pretense and admits things he's capable of and what he's not. And most of all, he's smart-mouthed. His snide comments and witty comebacks had me all laughing out loud. His relationship with his friends - Ramon, Frank and Brooke - was also really adorable and funny. I love how much he cares for his love ones.

This is the book where you're gonna love almost all the characters in it. You'll definitely take notice with everyone even if they don't share much exposure. Ramon and Frank were loyal and very reliable friends. Brooke, I adore her so much! She's funny and definitely a strong character. Bridin, I thought when Sam met her she'll intimidate him but she didn't. She's actually sweet and very supportive but also a tough and brave character. Then Ashley too! I just really love that girl! Even the villain here, Douglas, is an interesting character.

The paranormal stuff is very entertaining and intriguing. I love the idea of hybrids, the were-hounds, the hybrid between werewolves and fey. I also think that what made Sam powerful is because he's also a hybrid between a witch and a necromancer. I'd love to discover more of these paranormal creatures and to see Sam's abilities develop on the next book. Oh yeah, and I'd like to see what's gonna happen between him and Brid! ^^

I highly recommend this book! This is a humorous and very enjoyable read with an interesting and amusing paranormal plot. I really had so much fun reading this! :))

This review is also posted at Book Overdose (less)

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Aug 19, 2012 Kirstine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: supernaturality-and-magic, e-books, fantasy

"Am I the only one who things that psychopathic killers should have imposing names like Vlad the Impaler, Genghis Khan or Vigo the Carpathian? As a name, Douglas was a letdown."

(but then we're told Douglas means 'river of blood' and suddenly we're like, "oh, okay, you can kill me if you like.")

Amazon has this list that gets updated every month with 100 books for 3.99$ or less, so when I found this on it I was delighted, because I've wanted to read it for the longest time. Of course Amazon decide...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Where is the number one place for finding severed heads? What makes pressed jeans SO creepy? And where can I get homemade waffles right now? These are just a few of the many fun questions that rolled around in my head and made me laugh while reading Lish McBride’s Hold Me Closer, Necromancer.

For me, the star of this show is the playful attitude and tone of the tale. The characters find themselves in some painfully awkward conversations and dangerous situations, but they always seem to come up wi...more Where is the number one place for finding severed heads? What makes pressed jeans SO creepy? And where can I get homemade waffles right now? These are just a few of the many fun questions that rolled around in my head and made me laugh while reading Lish McBride’s Hold Me Closer, Necromancer.

For me, the star of this show is the playful attitude and tone of the tale. The characters find themselves in some painfully awkward conversations and dangerous situations, but they always seem to come up with a smart-alecky, whip-smart comment or response. The story moved along and possessed a quick, sarcastic, fun, laid back feel and pace that made every page, adventure, interaction, and fall out of bed hilarious! The humor slowly eases the reader into this world of darkness, filled with creatures and magic. A world Sam has a connection with in his past and within himself.

Our hero, Samhain LaCroix, is struggling to find his place in this world and a big missing piece of his life just fell into place. Sam along with his friends and family find themselves in a whole new world filled with all new kinds of dangers. Troubles even more terrifying than a life as a bitter fast food warrior fighting to survive the lunch rush with his soul intact! It’s a good thing Sam has his friends for support and to issue a good slap upside his head!

Even with all the sarcasm and smart-ass comments, the love and warmth all the characters feel for each other jumps off the page. I truly adored every character and how their love, loyalty, and pride shined through in every situation. Sam, Ramon, Frank, Brooke, Brid, Haley, the Moms, and so many more were the back bone of this book for me. I just knew and felt they all had each other’s backs! A small to “could-develop-into-a-huge” crush has begun to burn for Sean! Hehe….He made me giggle and he wasn’t even in there all that much! Can’t wait for more scene stealing from that guy! :D

One of my favorite aspects of horror and fantasy is the “yes-we-have-been-right-here-in-front-of-your-face” angle. This tale does a beautiful job of creating a matter-of-fact vibe about the whole monster world with leaders, councils, bitter rivalries and even paperwork under the surface of everyday society. Sam is so “yeah-so-what” about the whole hanging out with werewolves, fairies, seers, and the undead. It makes me giggle. It notches up the pay attention to your surroundings to a whole new level. I so want to gossip about some of my favorite parts, but I feel like even explaining the setting will spoil some of the fun. Readers should just dive in and discover the giggles all on their own!

Raising and communicating with the dead is not all fun and games though. Several strong messages of loyalty, finding your way, and facing your past run deep through these pages. As we all know, history always has a way of catching up, repeating herself, or just plain beating the sense out of us eventually if it is not dealt with. Sam must find his past before he can fight for his future.

My only disappointment with the book was the big confrontation. I felt like it lacked bite! Come on! That’s all you got for me? The scene and Douglas himself felt a little reigned in at times, but that could just be my bloodlust calling out. Next time—I hope Ms. McBride knows her readers can take it. Bring it on!

Have fun with Necromancer and all the gang! I cannot wait for more!

**Two very important side notes**

I LOVED the shout out to Calvin & Hobbes! I am so happy I am not the only one missing those two. *sigh* The comics were never the same after they left.

The severed head question….my guess for the number one spot and where I would hide one is the microwave! Hehe :D It’s not just for popcorn anymore!
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Dec 05, 2010 K rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library, i-bought-it

Sam’s a loveable loser, shiftless in Seattle. One day a seriously scary dude takes an undue interest in him. His mom’s been sitting on a secret that, apparently, is a big deal to this guy. So now, instead of spending his days at his fast-food job goofing off with friends, Sam’s trying to catch up on his own past and appease a mysterious stranger who won’t hesitate to kill to make a point.

Sam’s good, sweet to the point of being entirely unbelievable. His friends are equally great, their relation...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally reviewed at http://lifeandloveofliterature.com/

I have to admit, the only reasons I bought this book were because the title amused me and, thanks to my Borders going out of business, it was cheap. I took it home, threw it into a pile and more or less forgot about it. Then, this weekend as I was sorting through a random stack of novels, there it was. As my eyes wandered over the cover, I knew it was time. Snuggling down in my nice comfy bed, I began my journey with Sam, the unsuspecting...more

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Oct 23, 2010 Lindsay rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sam is a college dropout with a love for skate-boarding while making minimum at his dead-end job. And then the unthinkable happens: he discovers that he is a Necromancer, someone with the power to bring back the dead. That, and somebody wants him dead.

This debut novel by Lish McBride was definitely not what I expected, which is always a good thing. Even though there were some bits that felt off to me, I can honestly say that I really, really enjoyed this book. I loved the new dark twists and tur...more

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Jul 23, 2010 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who love AWESOME.

Recommended to Becky by: Star Book Tours

Shelves: young-adult, 2010, fantasy, highly-recommended, humorous, multi-dimensional, reviewed, zombies, blog_etb, review-copies, challenge-1010

This book was SO MUCH FUN! I devoured this book, and had to put it down so that I could sleep around 3:30am, but I had a little internal tantrum when I did, because as tired as I was, I was enjoying the book so much that I just did not want to set it down.

I really loved everything about this book. I loved all of the characters, all of them, even the deviously evil ones. But I especially loved The Quad, as I lovingly referred to them in my head: Sam (the main character), Ramon (his best friend),...more This book was SO MUCH FUN! I devoured this book, and had to put it down so that I could sleep around 3:30am, but I had a little internal tantrum when I did, because as tired as I was, I was enjoying the book so much that I just did not want to set it down.

I really loved everything about this book. I loved all of the characters, all of them, even the deviously evil ones. But I especially loved The Quad, as I lovingly referred to them in my head: Sam (the main character), Ramon (his best friend), Brooke (the awesome girl next door) and Frank (the up & coming flunky friend who tries really hard). They were all hilarious and so down to earth and awesome that I wish that they were real people. They all came off with some off-the-cuff one-liners that made me envious, because I can NEVER think of pure comeback awesomeness in the moment. It's always like 4 days later and I'm like, "DOH! I should have said...!!"
And then there were the secondary characters who were just as great. Brid especially. I loved her spunk and her charisma and tenacity and ass-kickery. Sam's mom and neighbor were also hilarious without even trying. All of them felt real and true, and I felt like I knew them rather than like I was reading about them.

I will say that this book is more for the mature teen set. There was a bit of cursing, a bit of defiance, and a bit of sex, all of which fit perfectly in the story and didn't feel out of place at all, but might be a bit more than someone looking for a more innocent brand of YA is bargaining for.

The paranormal characters and characteristics felt fresh and true to the story as well, and I loved the way that it was represented here. The "creatures" felt traditionally modern, if that makes sense. Like they are true to how folklore represents them, but also are changeable and adaptable to modern times to stay ahead of the curve. I really enjoyed that, because the paranormal genre is in an upswing in popularity right now, and things can get a bit stale. But this wasn't like that at all, and I really liked the way that things were subtly modernized without that taking over the whole story.

Because this story is about Sam, full name Samhain Corvus LaCroix (yes really), and he is full of awesome. Between him and his friends, I was hooting with laughter so much that my boyfriend started looking at me funny. This book was chock full of my favorite type of humor - sarcastic, dry wit that you could almost miss if you blink. In fact, I read a few lines that hit me later and had me cracking up and feeling slow at the same time, because I'd missed the funny the first time around. Sam's voice and personality is just so great that you just can't help but love him and root for him.

I loved the narration as well, how it shifted between Sam's first person narration and then a omniscient third person narration. You'd think that this would be distracting, but it wasn't at all. It was like scenes in a movie - some of them contained the main character's thoughts as a voiceover, and some showed action elsewhere.

Overall, I loved this. I hope that this is the first in a series, because I definitely want to revisit these characters again... and again. This is definitely going on my Wishlist and To-Buy list. :D

Plus... There was a zombie panda. O_O (less)

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Jan 27, 2013 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: awesome-inner-dialogue, contemporary, reading-for-my-job, ya-liked, zombie-apocalypse, book-on-cd

1/27/13

I think this is one of the few times my re-read review is exactly like my first go through.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A fun story that doesn't take itself too seriously. If it had, it would have been a cheese-ball paranormal mess.

But since Sam was a smart alek-y master of death who was never ONCE described as having a smirky-smirk or curving biceps, I really liked him A LOT.

I liked the dynamic between Ramon, Frank, Sam and Brooke.

There seemed to be a ton of things going on in...more

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Feb 23, 2011 Galla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, made-me-laugh, can-kindle-lend

Sam is not the most ambitious of urban fantasy heroes. A college dropout who's making ends meet with his job at a fast food restaurant, he's more interested in playing potato hockey in the Plumpy's parking lot than in thinking about his future.

Then a man shows up who recognizes that Sam is actually a necromancer, and Sam is forced to start thinking about his future in a hurry--if he's to have a future at all.

A wide variety of supernatural types are represented here, from shapeshifters to fae t...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Becca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, 2011-reads, ya-fae, ya-wolf, ya-gen-sci-fi, ya-zombie, male-pov, 5stars, 2010-release

I'd like to think that I don't judge books by their cover --- it's beyond clique --- but *gasp* I did on this one. NOTHING about the title or cover grabbed me and pulled me over to this book. It was a Borders bookseller that said I had to give this book a chance. THANK YOU, BRITTANY!!!!

What an original, fresh, fun adventure this book gave me. I read it twice in one-day: once for plot and a second time with the music in mind. You see each chapter has a music title that sets the stage for the acti...more I'd like to think that I don't judge books by their cover --- it's beyond clique --- but *gasp* I did on this one. NOTHING about the title or cover grabbed me and pulled me over to this book. It was a Borders bookseller that said I had to give this book a chance. THANK YOU, BRITTANY!!!!

What an original, fresh, fun adventure this book gave me. I read it twice in one-day: once for plot and a second time with the music in mind. You see each chapter has a music title that sets the stage for the action – chapter 29 is titled “Ballroom Blitz” play a song clip before reading that chapter and you’ll understand why the second read is so much fun.

Premise of the book: (fm goodreads)
Sam leads a pretty normal life. He may not have the most exciting job in the world, but he’s doing all right—until a fast food prank brings him to the attention of Douglas, a creepy guy with an intense violent streak. Turns out Douglas is a necromancer who raises the dead for cash and sees potential in Sam. Then Sam discovers he’s a necromancer too, but with strangely latent powers. And his worst nightmare wants to join forces . . . or else. With only a week to figure things out, Sam needs all the help he can get. Luckily he lives in Seattle, which has nearly as many paranormal types as it does coffee places. But even with newfound friends, will Sam be able to save his skin?

Impression:
I loved Sam and his friends from page one, chapter one. Sam, or Samhain Corvus LaCroix, has just the right amount of sarcasm and self-deprecation to pull my heartstrings. You really will want to grab a board and go skating with him or help his friends take on Douglas. This book could have been such a parody of paranormal ya books: you meet -weres, fey, zombies, witches etc etc as the story progresses. But Lish McBride shares Sam’s tale with humor, care and so much love that is doesn’t cross that line. I only hope that YOU are a better person than me, don’t pre-judge this book. Grab it now, read it and tell me after if you think I’m wrong. OH, LISH...please, please tell me you are at home right now editing a second book and that it’s coming out very soon!!!!!!!
(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 26, 2011 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Jessica by: Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker

Shelves: 18-wolves-shifters, 07-freakin-hilarious, 0-faves

Awesome, awesome, awesome!

Man, I loved this book so much that I'm facing the usual problem. What to say about it? I think what I liked best about this was the humor. I was killing myself laughing several times while reading.
Though the story is told from multiple POVs, or well, there are some chapters told from a POV other than Sam, our 23-year old college dropout is still our main protagonist. We mostly spend our time in his head and let me tell you, it's awesome there! Sam is great, he's a good...more

10 likes · like · see review

Mar 17, 2011 Kelly Leigh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: those with a pulse

Recommended to Kelly by: myself

Shelves: how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-count-the, young-adult, zombies, contemporary-fantasy, necromancy

I’m like a fountain gushing about with adulation for Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Does that even make sense? Anyhow, moving on. Let’s see, how can I even begin to describe the awesomeness that is this novel? How’s this? Quirky rollicking good time. Or this? Lighthearted merriment. I have absolutely, positively nothing negative to say, or type, about this novel. It’s pure fun as stated repeatedly within this paragraph.

I’ll spare you a blow-by-blow description of this book. Goodreads does an ampl...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 25, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who really wants to read a worthwhile paranormal book not laden down by angst or romance

Shelves: humorous, 2011-reads, glad-i-gave-it-a-chance, exceeded-my-expectations, fab-writing, wowed-me, amazing-storytelling, writing-to-which-i-aspire, best-characters, best-endings, paranormal-supernatural-books, ultimate-favorites, want-a-sequel, heroes-i-love-and-respect, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, reviewed

Plain, flat-out honesty: I had never heard of this book, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, until the ALA's 2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults list was released. . .but, even then, I gave the book one glance and thought, "Eh, not interested." It was not until I heard so many gushing things about this book -- particularly through Michelle R.'s review -- that I decided to give it a try.

Verdict?

(drum roll please)

Honestly, this book was just so darn awesome that I even wrote a little piece I like to call...more

38 likes · like · see review

Sep 28, 2012 cEe beE rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: couldn-t-put-down, monster-mash, urban-fantasy

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's funny, witty and macabre. And very hard to put down. This paranormal book doesn't take itself very seriously, yet the world building is solid and filled with great characters. Best of all, it's set in my own neighborhood! I'm impressed that this is Lish McBride's first book. Anyway, I wanted to know what happens next so I immediately bought the sequel.

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 23, 2011 kari rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, 5-star, ya

Wow. *stands to applaud*
If I could give this more than five stars, I'd do it.
First, I love the title. You had me at that. It's a perfect fit for the book which is a little funny and a lot scary.
I'm going to say something that I never say and, in fact, usually complain about the opposite. This book could definitely be developed into a series and one that I'd be eager to read. Normally I am complaining that an author has so little plot that it should have been contained into a single book, but th...more

5 likes · like · see review

Aug 04, 2011 Eric rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: necromancer, harbingers, paranormal, hybrids, werewolves, shifters, sarcasm-is-my-shield, witty, fae, debut-author-2010, if-only-i-had-friends-like-these, older-ya-vibe, sequel-yes-please, read-so-many-times-im-embarrassed-t, urban-fantasy, its-all-about-location, seattle, satyrs, witches, zombies, favs, multiple-povs, ghosts, death-is-not-the-end, supernatural

First let me say that I find it a bit weird that I hadn't realized how starved I was for books like this. I know I've always been a fan of the smart, witty, dark humored variety but really it hadn't occurred to me until I picked up the short story Death and Waffles (Necromancer: A Novella). Once I knew what I was getting myself into I pretty much as quickly as time (my bandwidth) would allow Audible to download the book for me started listening this and LOVING EVERY MINUTE!

I really liked (a) it...more First let me say that I find it a bit weird that I hadn't realized how starved I was for books like this. I know I've always been a fan of the smart, witty, dark humored variety but really it hadn't occurred to me until I picked up the short story Death and Waffles (Necromancer: A Novella). Once I knew what I was getting myself into I pretty much as quickly as time (my bandwidth) would allow Audible to download the book for me started listening this and LOVING EVERY MINUTE!

I really liked (a) it wasn't all boy meets girl (b) everyone was still a person (c) even when things were crap there was still sarcasm on Sam's side :-) Honestly, I was so much of fan of this book I knew pretty much 20 minutes in that when it was over I was going to be so sad cause there wouldn't be any more to read. That said I'd start raided other peoples shelves on GR to find more books like it (thank you Flannery for Paranormalcy it's right up my alley).

Oh yeah that book, you've came here for a review right? This one's got everything, necromancers (...), vamps, shifters, even a harbinger (whom I hope you already know and love). Everyone is pretty much trying to get along, doing their own thing, living among all those boring humans. Having jobs and all (hehehe) except for this one badass who apparently has been killing not so random but pretty specifically in fact so until someone figures out what todo about that they're all up the creek...

Like I said it's fun and witty - with loads of fun moments that will have you laughing. I must say as for audiobooks this one is great because the voice of Sam has some artistic moments that shine. He really reads it very well. I won't spoil it for you but you definitely know where the emotion is.

Currently I'm still getting my dark humor fix but when Lish McBride finishes up whatever is next I will be sure to take the plunge no matter what it's about, I don't even care if it's about emo fluffy cotton balls in denial, I'll be there. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer is a definite recommendation to all who are curious. (less)

11 likes · like · see review

Jul 30, 2012 slayra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to slayra by: Wendy Darling

Shelves: 2012-reads, in-english, ya-uf-and-pnr

RATING: 3.5 stars.

There are books that stay longer than they deserve on our shelves. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer was one of those books. I'd read a few glowing reviews so I bought it last year, but then I "kind of" forgot about it. Thankfully Wendy Darling brought it to my attention (I really should start my very own "because Wendy said so" shelf), when she reviewed book 2, Necromancing the Stone. I decided to read it... and I was left wondering why it had taken me so long to pick this up.

I was...more RATING: 3.5 stars.

There are books that stay longer than they deserve on our shelves. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer was one of those books. I'd read a few glowing reviews so I bought it last year, but then I "kind of" forgot about it. Thankfully Wendy Darling brought it to my attention (I really should start my very own "because Wendy said so" shelf), when she reviewed book 2, Necromancing the Stone. I decided to read it... and I was left wondering why it had taken me so long to pick this up.

I was constantly reminded of the TV series Reaper while I was reading this book. It's a good thing, I thought that series was hilarious. Maybe because the protagonists of both the book and the tv series are named Sam. Or because they are both college dropouts who work at a store and are really the most normal of guys. They just happen to have superpowers... sort of.

Anyways, back to the book. Sam is a college dropout. One day he has a very random and unfortunate encounter with Douglas who is a... necromancer. Douglas is as mean as they come: he is a psychopath. And he forces poor Sam to be his apprentice because Sam is also a... necromancer.

Here's what I liked about Hold me Closer, Necromancer: it had that kind of no-nonsense narrative that most YA books lack. There are no flourishes. No highly intelligent and mysterious males. No extreme unpopular protagonists, who turn out to be (again) highly intelligent or simply attracting the most popular guy/girl in school. There was only Sam, semi-loser, very little prospects and his friends. They suddenly find themselves in a world of trouble. Mayhem and genuinely funny humor ensue. Severed heads talk. Harbingers of death and Egyptian deities pop up.

Sure some things could have been better explained (the Council comes to mind) and the action seemed a bit rushed in places, but overall this was a funny, entertaining read.

The cast of characters is diverse and represents stereotypes (the "mwahaha" villain, the henchman) but somehow still maintains some individuality and personality.

Other things you won't find in this book: insta-love, love triangles and a male protagonist that is super dark and tortured. You will find: strong female characters and fairy hounds (who can resist that.

Overall it was, as stated before, a nice read. I loved the cast of characters, especially Mrs W., Ashley and Brid. Recommended.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 29, 2011 Becky rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anybody. Go read it. Now.

Shelves: alternating-pov-of-doom, awesome-protagonist, favorites, male-protagonist, not-a-love-triangle-in-sight

Something to get off my chest: I'm a shallow reader. Or, more accurately, book-chooser. I pick the books based on the pretty covers and catchy titles, and where does it get me? More often than not, I get screwed.

However, for once in my life, my tendency to judge a book by its cover (or in this case, title) did not disappoint. This book is an awesome example of what YA lit can be at its best. Our protagonist, Sam, is flawed but endearing, and his voice is spot-on. Not only does it contain a male...more Something to get off my chest: I'm a shallow reader. Or, more accurately, book-chooser. I pick the books based on the pretty covers and catchy titles, and where does it get me? More often than not, I get screwed.

However, for once in my life, my tendency to judge a book by its cover (or in this case, title) did not disappoint. This book is an awesome example of what YA lit can be at its best. Our protagonist, Sam, is flawed but endearing, and his voice is spot-on. Not only does it contain a male narrator (a rarity in YA paranormal books), but it's a male narrator written by a woman. And it's done WELL.

Sam is apparently a dormant necromancer, a fact he's unaware of until a strange man enters the fast-food restaurant Sam works at. Suffice it to say the encounter doesn't end well, and he's is forced to re-examine the assumptions he has made not only about his family, but himself.

Gender stereotypes get checked at the door in this one. Sam doesn't wax poetic about the love of his life, and he doesn't wave his cave-man club around, either. Our protagonist is essentially a good guy, but neither us nor Sam actually realize this until partway through the book. This book also does NOT suffer from Missing Parent Syndrome (excluding Sam's father), which was damn near enough to earn a whole star just by itself. Sam's mother is a nuanced and developed character, and I loved her dynamic with Sam.

My ONE complaint about the book is admittedly minor, and it wasn't really enough to dock anything for. (view spoiler)

Anyway, long story short: I loved this book. You will, too. If you haven't read it yet, go do so now.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Oct 29, 2011 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4 stars +.

As Sherman Alexie says on the cover, it’s hard to say if this is a scary, funny book or a funny, scary one, but both elements work. Its comedic aspect is full of the dark humor one might find from Sam’s re-animated gal pal’s decapitated head chattereing away and a fast food worker who discovers he has secret powers to stir the dead to do his bidding. Since the most powerful necromancer in the Northwest finds him and threatens him and all his friends at the same time he is learning thi...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 03, 2010 Natalia Rox rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

1 like · like · see review

Dec 27, 2010 elissa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: youngadult, humor, my_10s_reads, 2010favorites

Before I read it: Still having trouble settling on a book. Maybe this one will hold me captive. Good reviews by friends make me hopeful. I love that the title is a play on Elton John's "Tiny Dancer". :)

After finishing: 4 1/2 stars, and I'm rounding up. With only a few days left of the year, this one makes it on to my 12 favorites of 2010 list, knocking off REVOLUTION. I wouldn't have thought that the words "cute" and "necromancer" could be in the same sentence, but this was a cute story about Sa...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 01, 2011 Kaethe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, age-ya, cats, fantasy, faeries, fiction, friendship, humor, p-o-c, witches, zombies, contemporary

Total love. Funny more than creepy despite the evil guy. And the chapter titles were mostly song quotes, including "birdhouse in your soul". The anti-Twilight, really, with no icky retro sex roles or endless moping.

Library copy

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Gourley-Jefferson...: The book Hold Me Closer Necromancer...what did you think?	5	12	Oct 17, 2012 10:58am
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Addicted to YA: Win Hold Me Closer Necromancer!	1	10	Jul 16, 2012 04:38am

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Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (Necromancer #1)

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