Hellbent (Cheshire Red Reports, #2)

Sep 12, 2011 Maja rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: glistening-fangs, netgalley, urban-fantasy, huge-disappointment, so-many-vampires, reviewed-in-2011, what-does-she-see-in-him

2.5 stars
Hellbent was not what I thought it would be. After the mediocre first installment, I’d hoped that the second book would show some improvement plotwise and character-wise. However, Hellbent was, in my opinion, inferior to Bloodshot in every way.

The events of Bloodshot proved to be life-changing for vampire Raylene Pendle. (And yes, I still find that name to be very inappropriate for a kickass vampire thief.) Raylene was never much of a team player: she found a way to leave her vampire H...more 2.5 stars
Hellbent was not what I thought it would be. After the mediocre first installment, I’d hoped that the second book would show some improvement plotwise and character-wise. However, Hellbent was, in my opinion, inferior to Bloodshot in every way.

The events of Bloodshot proved to be life-changing for vampire Raylene Pendle. (And yes, I still find that name to be very inappropriate for a kickass vampire thief.) Raylene was never much of a team player: she found a way to leave her vampire House unharmed and she always did her very best to stay isolated. But after the loss of her apartment and her warehouse in Bloodshot, she rented a new building and invited some of our old acquaintances to live with her. Pepper and Domino, homeless siblings who squatted in Ray’s old warehouse somehow became her responsibility along with Ian, her blind vampire sometimes-boyfriend. If you add to that the ex-Navy SEAL/drag queen Adrian, Raylene suddenly has a pretty large and fairly dysfunctional family to provide for. Normally, I would have loved that development seeing as I find most of these characters very interesting. Who wouldn’t like a hot vampire who lost his eyesight after the government kidnapped him and subjected him to various cruel experiments? However, in all this, Raylene was very lost as a character. I loved her as a professional thief, but this time around she didn’t really take serious assignments. The brave, resourceful and daredevilish side of her felt completely watered down, not nearly as interesting and/or scary, and she reminded me of a soccer mom.

AND she didn’t steal a damn thing!

Of the three cases she was working on this time, I only found one somewhat interesting, and it was the one that got solved pretty fast. The penis bones were pretty hilarious at first and I loved the opening chapter. However, soon after that, the book took a seriously wrong turn and ended up being pretty boring. And this coming from someone who’s usually a huge fan of vampire politics.

It was still a pretty enjoyable read and I think I might even read the next book. Maybe. Probably not.

So to sum it all up, if you liked Bloodshot, you can pretty much expect more of the same from Hellbent.

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
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Nov 30, 2011 Bastard rated it 3 of 5 stars

http://bastardbooks.blogspot.com/2011...

I really enjoyed Bloodshot by Cherie Priest published earlier this year, first of the Cheshire Red Reports . It was fun, fast moving, and some good action. Was excited to learn a sequel was due out months later, one that I read recently. Hellbent continues the story ofRaylene Pendle, an OCD vampire and master thief.

After the events of Bloodshot , we see Raylene in a more domestic setting living what can be construed as a family life. She gets contracted to...more

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Oct 14, 2011 Chris rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, fantasy-urban

Penis bones.

That's how this book starts. With Penis Bones and Antiques Roadshow.

You'd think with something that funny this book would be as good as Bloodshot, which was a fun romp, whose humor more than made up for the flaws.

Sadly, this book is a disappointment.

What humor there is simply recycled from the first volume. Adrian, who seemed so alive in the first book, seems totally a cipher here. Raylene seems to have taken stupid pills.

And for the record, just because someone rescues a kitten does...more Penis bones.

That's how this book starts. With Penis Bones and Antiques Roadshow.

You'd think with something that funny this book would be as good as Bloodshot, which was a fun romp, whose humor more than made up for the flaws.

Sadly, this book is a disappointment.

What humor there is simply recycled from the first volume. Adrian, who seemed so alive in the first book, seems totally a cipher here. Raylene seems to have taken stupid pills.

And for the record, just because someone rescues a kitten doesn't mean she is a big old good hearted softee who wouldn't really hurt a fly. There were some mean bastards who were very nice to thier pets. It is a stupid, lazy writing short-cut. (What's next, hamster rescuing?) (Actually, it occured to me after I clicked on this too fix something, that maybe the penis bones are for the kitten cause he might need them).

In terms of the plot, there is, paradoixcally, too much going on and not enough. A good portion of the book is simply repeating the following facts ad nasuem (1)Raylene has OCD (2) Adrian is a good drag queen who has a really big piece of equipment that he tuck away (3) plot points that you just saw played out. Honestly, even giving leeway for a plot rehash for anyone who reads the books out of order, there seems to be a large amount of words that don't need to be there. Even Raylene seems to see this for she keeps saying she didn't mean to mention it (so, honey, why did you?).

The whole resolution of Penis Bones (what would Monty Python could've done with that) does not make sense. I'm glad that Priest kept Raylene's dark side, sorta. But taking in Elizabeth doesn't make sense. It really doesn't.

In the first book, there were few over used urban fantasy cliches, here there are too many. And honestly, anyone with half a brain can figure out the solution to Ian's problem long before the end, like right when it gets mentioned.

The book is flat, it misses the charm, the humor, the sparkle of the first (and no, I'm not refering to Adrian's throng) is gone. Even parts that should be emotional, lack the emotion they should have. There are glimmers of Priest and her better work (like Dreadful Skin) here and there, but the book is flat. And I know writing is hard. I know people get tired, burnt out, overworked. I know. This book doesn't make me swear off Priest, and I will get the next one. But someone - Priest or more importantly her secondary readers or editor - should've noticed something.(less)

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Jul 31, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

"I'm a vampire. In the words of the immortal Bauhaus ... 'undead undead undead.'" *

This is a lively and almost light-hearted caper story featuring vampires and other supernatural phenomena. There are some, let's call them questions, that I have that make me strongly inclined to pick up the first book in the story and update this review after I read it. (Actually, I enjoyed this one enough that I might just do that anyway.)

1) With a title like Hellbent, I was expecting something grim. Or possibly...more "I'm a vampire. In the words of the immortal Bauhaus ... 'undead undead undead.'" *

This is a lively and almost light-hearted caper story featuring vampires and other supernatural phenomena. There are some, let's call them questions, that I have that make me strongly inclined to pick up the first book in the story and update this review after I read it. (Actually, I enjoyed this one enough that I might just do that anyway.)

1) With a title like Hellbent, I was expecting something grim. Or possibly involving demonic forces of some sort. While this wasn't all kittens and rainbows (well, there is a kitten), it wasn't anywhere approaching bleak. There may have been some atmospheric grit, but if you're looking for a dark and bloody story, this is unlikely to satisfy. But, based on the backstory that gets dropped, I'm wondering if the first book was darker.

2) Adrian (ex-Navy Seal and current drag queen) and Ian (blind vampire/Ray's tentative love interest) both cringe every time Ray (vampire/narrator) tries to involve them in her plans. Given that her plans actually seem to be pretty well thought-out and executed, I'm wondering if this running joke is because of something that happens in the first book. When she has to think on her feet, though, she sometimes does things that seem a little questionable -- but she acknowledges that she's not a great in-the-moment thinker. (Possibly relating to her OCD, but I'm not familiar enough with that disorder to really know.)

I enjoyed this quite a lot. After my failed attempt to read the too-bleak-for-me Boneshaker, I was both excited and apprehensive about this series. Fortunately, it retains Ms Priest's skill at vivid character and world building, but it's a bit more fun and laugh-out-loud funny in several places.

One of my favorite scenes is at the beginning of chapter 7, where Adrian is struggling to get the hotel remote to work and then is excited to discover that Myth Busters is on. OMG, I felt such kinship with Adrian at that moment; I've lived that scene, multiple times.

*Since this review is based on an unfinished review copy (thank you LibraryThing), I'm not positive that this quote will make the final cut... but I hope it does, it's pretty funny.(less)

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Aug 26, 2011 Kelli rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Book: B+
Narration: A-

So the other night Raylene Pendle was telling me this story... What's that? That was an audiobook? Someone named Natalie Ross narrated it? Nope. Sorry. You’ve got it all wrong. I don't know where you’re getting your information but that was Raylene telling me the story of her adventures. I don't know who this Ross person is. So as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted....

Raylene and I are friends, you see. She confides all the sordid details of her life to me and I...more Book: B+
Narration: A-

So the other night Raylene Pendle was telling me this story... What's that? That was an audiobook? Someone named Natalie Ross narrated it? Nope. Sorry. You’ve got it all wrong. I don't know where you’re getting your information but that was Raylene telling me the story of her adventures. I don't know who this Ross person is. So as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted....

Raylene and I are friends, you see. She confides all the sordid details of her life to me and I listen and nod and often snort whatever I’m drinking out my nose. She's a vampire and a famous (or is that infamous?) sneak-thief. The funniest things happen to her! We were up half the night yesterday while she told me all about this really weird job she took on. You see, she was hired to steal some baculum (yeah, you’re going to have to consult the Oracle at Google for that one just like I did: I don’t want to kick off any more jokes about it than I’ve already heard from Raylene - she’s got a bit of a dirty mouth, you know. Oh, but wait until you’re not at work to do it, ‘k?). Anywho… she's usually pretty tight-lipped about her jobs but get a single glass of wine in her and you don’t have to tip her ‘cause she'll spill. Oh, don’t worry if you are thinking of hiring her; she has some discretion about her work because she obviously changed names and locations and has never really been to the area she said her last job was in. I can tell because of how she pronounces Willamette.

So like I was saying… she was almost blown up while on this job and when she got home her roommate, Ian, had just found out his patriarch… oh, yeah, Ian’s a vampire too… had died and Ian was suddenly in line to take his place. Only, that’s a bad idea because Ian is blind. So Raylene took off for California to sort things out for him and her pal Adrian (he’s an ex-Navy SEAL/current drag-queen) went too. Then there was this crazy sorceress who wanted the baculum for herself and so Raylene had to deal with that also. Well, you’ll just have to get her to tell you the whole story herself. I can’t do it justice at all.

Seriously, you should hear her when she talks about the people she meets. She's quite the impressionist. You'd think you were listening to a whole other person... or people. She’s such an amazing storyteller; before I knew it half the night was gone and let me tell you, the double entendres were just fa-LY-ing (as someone I know says). That Raylene, she's such a kick and let me tell you, she gets off some snarky zingers. She’s really smart too although when she first started telling me this story her humor was a little... well...I thought I was back in sixth grade again. I’m not usually much of a fan of that kind of humor but when Raylene laughs you just can’t help but laugh too. Now I need to go find some aspirin and a glass of water but gosh, I hope she stops by again soon. I can’t wait to find out what happens to her next.

What?! Would you please stop interrupting me?! What do you mean ‘Cherie Priest wrote that story about Raylene’? Whatever. I don't know who this Cherie Priest is or ... what was her name? Natalie Ross? but if they can tell a story half as good as Raylene can then they should… I don't know… write books or narrate audiobooks or something.
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Sep 18, 2011 Suz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I really love this series. The dry sarcasm, the world building and characters, the long arc that is evolving, the relationships...It really does have it all.

Absolute auto buy.

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Jan 08, 2012 VampireNovelFan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, urban-fantasy, favorites, arc, net-galley

A Hell of a Good Time!

Say it ain’t so!! So I find a series that I genuinely enjoy. No mopey heroine (okay, maybe she’s a little obnoxious, but at least she’s fun about it), no emo vampires, just lots of action and fun. While it wasn’t a cliffhanger, I finished this book thinking there would be more in store. Well unfortunately Cherie Priest was only contracted for two books, meaning this may be the last we see of Raylene and friends unless the books sell more. So I guess I’m doing my part and r...more A Hell of a Good Time!

Say it ain’t so!! So I find a series that I genuinely enjoy. No mopey heroine (okay, maybe she’s a little obnoxious, but at least she’s fun about it), no emo vampires, just lots of action and fun. While it wasn’t a cliffhanger, I finished this book thinking there would be more in store. Well unfortunately Cherie Priest was only contracted for two books, meaning this may be the last we see of Raylene and friends unless the books sell more. So I guess I’m doing my part and recommending you guys read this one if you enjoy light urban fantasy series.

I read Hellbent (Book 2 of the Cheshire Red Reports) before the first and I believe it works well as a standalone. Raylene, our favorite professional vampire thief, is settling in well at her new digs after her old warehouse/home was raided by the Feds. She’s picked up a couple of new roomies too: blind vampire Ian Stott and my personal favorite Adrian deJesus, ex-Navy Seal and Drag Queen extraordinaire. While unconventional, a sense of domesticity is established as Ian helps mentor the orphan siblings Pepper and Domino who we met in Bloodshot. Adrian is still primarily focused on finding his sister who had been abducted along with Ian for that top secret government experiment that left him blind.

There is more development with that plot point, clearly establishing it as an overarcing storyline in the series. Aside from that, the master of Ian’s house has been murdered and he’s slated to take his place. This doesn’t sitting right with his brother whose been waiting in the wings to take control. Ray must protect Ian from the target on his back while taking on a side quest to collect powerful ancient artifacts.

While the books feel like more of the same, I actually think I liked the second book a bit more than the first. The characters are becoming more familiar with each other and beginning to settle into a dynamic. Who am I kidding, I liked that there was more Adrian. He’s a great sidekick for Raylene and even though she’s more powerful as a vampire, his skills, wits, and determination, allow him to keep up with her fairly well. The series doesn’t have a lot going on in the romance department, but it seems like the author wants to test the waters between both Adrian and Ian. Though her chemistry with Adrian is even stronger in this book and almost non-existent with Ian.

The vampire politics were interesting and ended up being the center of some of the best action. The humor is as strong as ever and I found myself laughing out loud a number of times. The characters are all likable in their own way…even Ray’s new kitty cat. The ending is predictable, but it makes sense. Overall, Hellbent is and enjoyable ride, but what bring the series down a bit is that it should have been structured as a duology if there was a risk that so many loose ends would be there when it’s all said and done.

If there is a book 3, I want it right away. But if there isn’t I do plan to follow Cherie Priest’s steampunk series because she’s a good writer and I like her style.

*ARC provided by NetGalley
*Review also posted to Amazon (less)

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Aug 26, 2011 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, for-review, vamps, steampunk, urban-fantasy

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/08/...

After her last adventure,our favorite OCD cat burglar and vamp,Raylene Pendle,is settling into domestic bliss (yeah right),with Ian Stott,the blind vampire that she’d like to be more than friends with,and her two pet humans,Domino and Pepper,street kids,and brother and sister that she’s taken under her wing. Raylene’s longtime contact,Horace Bishop,has a job for her,and just when she thinks she’s gotten away from the “weir...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/08/...

After her last adventure,our favorite OCD cat burglar and vamp,Raylene Pendle,is settling into domestic bliss (yeah right),with Ian Stott,the blind vampire that she’d like to be more than friends with,and her two pet humans,Domino and Pepper,street kids,and brother and sister that she’s taken under her wing. Raylene’s longtime contact,Horace Bishop,has a job for her,and just when she thinks she’s gotten away from the “weird jobs”,Horace wants her to steal a collection of,er,penis bones (aka Bakula) from various supes,like weres,gryphons,and unicorns,from the owner who was not willing part with them. Evidently these relics are used in all kinds of spells and rituals,and Horace is desperate to get his hands on them. When Raylene discovers that a brilliant,schizophrenic ex-NASA scientist is using them for her own mysterious reasons,Raylene begins to identify with her,and the more she learns,the more she wants to help her,in spite of her constant resistance to human attachment. Add that to her attempts to untangle Ian from the politics of his House,her growing feelings for him,and desperation to keep him by her side,and you’ve certainly got a recipe for fun,er,disaster! Hellbent is certainly not short of adventure,and when Raylene asks Adrian,ex-Navy SEAL and fabulous drag queen extraordinaire,to accompany her to Atlanta,to act as her ghoul and confront Barrington House (one of the most dangerous Houses in existence),things really get tense.

One of my favorite things about Raylene is that her tough as nails exterior hides her inner vulnerability. She’s very OCD,so she’s drawn to weaknesses in others,and it definitely brings out a “mommy” quality in her,no matter how much she tries to protest that this is the case. I just get more and more attached to Adrian,and Ian is like a gorgeous piece of art that I’d like to admire from afar (not Raylene,though,she wants to admire him way up close,but I digress…). There are a ton of upheavals in Raylene’s life in Hellbent,and she certainly deals with everything in her own unique,anal way,but that’s one of the things I love most about her. She’s a tough nut,yes,but there is a gooey center in there,it just takes certain things to get through to it. In Raylene,Ms. Priest has created a very complex character that’s at once tough and vulnerable,and sweet and salty,then surrounded her with a fascinating cast of characters that leave plenty of possibilities open for future story lines. It’s rare for a vampire character to leave me with the warm and fuzzies,but Raylene manages it,and the conclusion to Hellbent will leave you grinning from ear to ear. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!(less)

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Mar 01, 2013 Brian Palmer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

An OCD-suffering vampire thief is hired to "acquire" some cryptozoological bones, but they turn out to be involved in a powerful work of magic. In the course of investigating it, the vampire, Raylene Pendle, picks up and assists unusual companions. This is part of a series, which I have not read; the glimpses it gives into the universe suggest it's one I'll like quite a bit (standing out from the current crop of paranormal fiction I run into: it focuses primarily on vampires, and they actually a...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Doris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal-romance, supernatural

I wavered on the rating, finally deciding that it is somewhere between 3 and a half and four stars. It definitely has some great spots, but as part of a series falls flat.

This story features a cliché of a vampire, who can't go out in the sun, drinks blood, and can be staked to death. She also is not Ms Popular, but does have a few things going for her: she is loyal to those she cares about, and is not above spending money to get what she needs. However – I felt that the whole storyline fell a l...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Veronica G. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: female-protagonist, urban-fantasy, vampires

More like a three and half star book but I'm rounding up. I love Raylene, her sense of humor and her rambling mind. All the loveable characters from the first book are back in this installment, Ian, Pepper, Domino, and Adrian. Even Horace, Raylene's handler/agent. I don't think the plot was as tight as the first book though and that's really my only complaint here. The whole bacula thing was fun for a joke and would've been fine if it had a been a quick case that Raylene sorted out pretty quickl...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Brigid Keely rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, paranormal-vampire

Confession time: I really like vampire literature and I really like Cherie Priest, so I was basically primed to love this series. However, there were a few things that elevated this from a "good" book to a "really good" book.

Raylene Pendleton, the protagonist, is an INTERESTING character. Beyond being a vampire or being a master thief, she is smart, sly, witty, over-prepared, OCD (as in, has an actual disorder that has negatively impacted her life, as opposed is just really particular about how...more Confession time: I really like vampire literature and I really like Cherie Priest, so I was basically primed to love this series. However, there were a few things that elevated this from a "good" book to a "really good" book.

Raylene Pendleton, the protagonist, is an INTERESTING character. Beyond being a vampire or being a master thief, she is smart, sly, witty, over-prepared, OCD (as in, has an actual disorder that has negatively impacted her life, as opposed is just really particular about how her shirts are hung up in her closet LOL co-opting mental illness terms is FUN!), capable, vulnerable, and funny. I would read a short story about her going to the grocery store. She is a fun character outside of her specific world/trope/setting.

The other characters aren't quite as fleshed out, but one gets the sense it's because Priest simply hasn't chose to reveal their secrets and nuances yet. They're THERE, they inform the characters, but we haven't seen the hands they've been dealt yet. It's fantastic.

Two other power players in the book are women. Whaaaaat? Women can lead vampire families and wield powerful penis bone magic? Yup. They can.

Penis bones. Seriously. There's a knife-edged touch of desperate hilarity surrounding these incredibly powerful objects. What they ARE and what they can DO are balanced really well. Also: we know about them because someone brought them onto Antiques Roadshow.

The world is opened up. We get a glimpse of other supernatural creatures and abilities. In the first book we had vampires and their ghouls and corrupt evil government agents. Now we also have werewolves, unicorns, djinns, sasquatch, cockatrices, and more (or at least their bacula) and also powerful sorcerers.

Action. The first book really only had one thing going on. It was a big and complex thing, but it was one thing. This book has three, and they are interwoven and complex and difficult and exciting and balanced really well.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.(less)

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Jan 02, 2012 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-read

Received from NetGalley
Overall Rating 4.00
Story Rating 3.75
Character Rating 4.25

NOTE: I read this out of order but will be going back to pick up Bloodshot. Cherie Priest did an excellent job of making me feel like I had not missed a thing but I loved her writing so I must pick up the first one!

What I Loved: Quips, Action, Smart Leading Ladies, and a Motley Crew of misfits---this books was right up my alley! Seriously I was between giggling and cheering most of Hellbent. Plus the whole "P*nis Bon...more

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Dec 25, 2011 drey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, urban-fantasy

I really enjoyed Cherie Priest’s Bloodshot, and couldn’t wait for the follow-up. Hellbent came out in September, and I FINALLY got my grubby mitts on it!

drey’s thoughts:

I really like Raylene Pendle. Vampire without a House, thief extraordinaire, soft-hearted towards others down on their luck, sassy as all get-out. What’s not to like?

Her “household” now includes Ian Stott (after his ghoul died in Bloodshot) in addition to the kids. And Adrian hangs out there more often than not, even though he do...more

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Dec 01, 2011 Jessica Bronder rated it 4 of 5 stars

Raylene’s little family is growing, including their problems. Ian’s house just lost the leader, Ian father. Now Ian’s brother Max is trying to get him to come back to the house and run it or publicly announces that he doesn’t want the position. Unfortunately, if he shows up he will be killed because of his blindness.

Then Horace calls Raylene with a job. A box of interesting artifacts that have a lot of magical powers has been discovered but Horace couldn’t get them. When Raylene goes on the hunt...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, netgalley, arc

A Kinder, Gentler Red - Sorta
What a difference a day...or a few months...make!

Months after surviving a too-close brush with a subversive government operation gone private, vampire thief Raylene Pendle's life is nearly unrecognizable from the solitary, neurotic one she had been living.

Well...at least it's not solitary any more. The neurosis is part and parcel.

In the interim, she's set herself up in a sweet little warehouse not far from her old stomping ground and renovated the top floors as livin...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Schweighsr rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

A good read, but not quite as good as the first book in the series: "Bloodshot". Ms. Priest takes too much time re-relating the events of that book and it detracts from the narative. The plot is a bit convoluted and adds more characters to the cast for seemingly little purpose. This was a two-book contract and it is obvious the Priest would like to continue the series because she has left all manner of loose ends.

Those are the negative aspects of the book. On the positive side, it was a great re...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Kat Richardson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, mystery, vampire, thief

Mwahahaha! How can you not like a book whose first chapter is just one long dick joke? And it's a true urban fantasy that is not a mis-labeled paranormal romance--there's no sex here, just a lot of hilarity about penis bones and how to steal them.

Thief and vampire Raylene Pendle is hired to retrieve some "bacula" (go ahead and make the joke--you know you want to and it doesn't stop Priest either) that have magical powers. (Yeah, yeah... every guy thinks their "wand" is magic, but these really ar...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Jeremy Preacher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: witches-vampires-and-werewolves

I am not going to try to claim that this is a Serious Novel, but for urban fantasy it's just fantastic.

I have a serious weakness for brilliant, neurotic women, and Cheshire Red fits that description perfectly. The writing style is extremely chatty - it may as well be a series of Cherie Priest's blog posts. (I love Cherie Priest's blog possibly more than her books, so that works perfectly for me.) Direct asides to the reader, fashion digressions, defensive explanations of Red's OCD, etc - I love...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Stacey O'Neale rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hellbent was my first foray into the world's of Cherie Priest. I've heard wonderful things about her steampunk series, the Clockwork Century, but of her vampire series, beginning with Bloodshot, I'd heard very little.

Let me put that to rest.

If you're just looking for all that glitters, this isn't the spot. Nor is Priest's take on vampires entirely horrific, though. What she is is blunt and snarky and very engaging.

You can almost forget that Ray (Raylene) is a vampire, except maybe when she's res...more

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Sep 19, 2011 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vaginal-urban-fantasy, urban-paranormal

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

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Sep 19, 2011 Andrew Shuping rated it 5 of 5 stars

Electronic copy provided for review by netGalley

Raylene is back and her home life is just a bit more complicated. The FBI, army, and Men in Black are off her back for the time being, but new trouble arises when Ian's old house wants him to come back (mostly to kill him) and a certifiably insane sorceress is determined to erase her past mistakes, no matter who gets in her way. And only Raylene is up to the task, but thankfully she isn't alone as Adrian, the ex-Navy SEAL/drag queen, is back for th...more Electronic copy provided for review by netGalley

Raylene is back and her home life is just a bit more complicated. The FBI, army, and Men in Black are off her back for the time being, but new trouble arises when Ian's old house wants him to come back (mostly to kill him) and a certifiably insane sorceress is determined to erase her past mistakes, no matter who gets in her way. And only Raylene is up to the task, but thankfully she isn't alone as Adrian, the ex-Navy SEAL/drag queen, is back for the adventure. Hopefully they'll manage to stop the sorceress before she completely destroys the world and that they'll be able to keep Ian safe as well. But hey, what's life without a bit of chaos?

The first book dragged just a bit in some places, but this one? Wow...no pauses, nonstop go as soon as you set eyes on that very first page. You're hooked from the very first moment for a wild and crazy ride. Where the first one had some issues with flow of the story (mostly related to setting up the new universe) this one flows smooth as silk and then some. Since the first book created the universe and how the characters interacted with them, Priest is able to focus on the story and developing and revealing more about the characters instead of explaining the universe. We get to see how they grow and deal with change and we get a fantastic tale of intrigue, mystery, and magic all rolled into one.

Priest should be congratulated and applauded for creating a series that has something for everyone. Even though the main character is female, she's easy to relate to and acts like the girl next door...provided that the girl next door kicks butt and is a master thief. No, but seriously she doesn't act like the prima dona's that you see on TV these days, but she's a real person with real issues. And Adrian comes across as a human being instead of being a stereotype of the macho man or the drag queen, he's a perfect combination of both. And the other characters are just as well developed.

I can't wait to read the next volume and see what happens to Raylene and crew next. (less)

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Sep 11, 2011 Ed Nemo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Once again an excellent book by Cherie Priest. It had just the right amount of humerous dialog mixed with a little mystery and action.

And there is something else I specifically liked about this book. It had an ending. This is a series book that had a definite resolution to the plot that left me satisfied. That is so rare in books these days as it actually merits a mention.

Another point in the book's favor is that it followed a classic story layout for a novel. You have a primary underlying probl...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Cissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

What fun! This was a beautifully plotted and excellently-written romp.

And i say "romp" with the highest praise; it's a great type of book to read, and it looks like a very hard style to write well.

The protagonist here has a voice more similar to Priest's blog entries than most of her other novels, which I quite enjoyed.

I am also enjoying the way she is embracing what is often a problem with on-going series: the way the protagonist tends to accumulate extra people in her/his sphere at a rate of 1...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Indrani rated it 3 of 5 stars

The quick, fluffy reads continue with "Hellbent", the second in the series about vampire/thief Raylene Pendle. If you enjoyed the first, well, here's more of the same: fast-paced, light reading, with quite little in the way of character development or heavy thought. The books are told from the perspective of the protagonist, so I don't expect much in the way of character development for the sidekicks (though the number of these seems to keep growing. Damnit woman, just start a zoo!). Once again,...more

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Sep 16, 2011 K. Bird rated it 4 of 5 stars

I somehow missed reviewing the first in this series of Pacific Northwest vampire/thief Raylene Pendle (Bloodshot.) But what I would have said for that book is also true for the second in the series, Hellbent.

It's a fun romp. Take an OCD vampire (who seriously overprepares) who's lived alone without the normal Vampire House or servant-ghouls, and put her in a situation where she is suddenly acquiring companions.

Not sex companions a la Anita Blake or Sookie Stackhouse, but true friends. And the be...more I somehow missed reviewing the first in this series of Pacific Northwest vampire/thief Raylene Pendle (Bloodshot.) But what I would have said for that book is also true for the second in the series, Hellbent.

It's a fun romp. Take an OCD vampire (who seriously overprepares) who's lived alone without the normal Vampire House or servant-ghouls, and put her in a situation where she is suddenly acquiring companions.

Not sex companions a la Anita Blake or Sookie Stackhouse, but true friends. And the best part is, each of those friends is complicated.

Since the events of Bloodshot wherein her warehouse (stuffed to the gills with stolen objects d' art) was burned down, Raylene has bought another warehouse and refurbished the top floor with flats so blind, hot vampire friend Ian and her two human homeless children-pets have a place to live. Raylene is slowly learning to live with "family."

She even gets ex-Seal/drag queen Adrian over for movie night.

The snark is constantly on, which is all part of the fun.

But events conspire, as they will, to complicate things.

First Horace (her handler) asks her to steal some special bones, then Ian confesses his part in a complicated vampire political issue, and all of a sudden Raylene is breaking and entering, running for her life from magical hurricanes, working out a new psuedo relationship with Adrian, and acquiring even more companions.

As before in Bloodshot, my only gripe with this series (which keeps it from the 5 stars because otherwise the action, the characters, and the story totally keep me hooked) is the emotional development. I think author Priest does a better job in this book than she has before in her Clockwork Century series to show us Raylene slowly changing and renegotiating emotional give and take with her companions, but I wanted a greater focus on that.

Call me a 'shipper, but that's what I want.

Anyway, this is totally worth a read, even for vampire lit fans who think they are jaded.

This Book's Food Designation Rating: A peppered salami and cheese sandwhich on artisan bread. The slight bite of the salami and the delicious bread combine in a satisfying blend of characters and action in your mouth.(less)

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Jan 26, 2013 The Flooze rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, vanquished_2013

*3.5*

Not as sharp or smooth as book one of the series, Hellbent is still fun-filled madness that leaves me itching for more.

More's the pity though, as Priest is not currently contracted for any additional Cheshire Red reports.

Set six months after Bloodshot, this installment dives into the vampire politics that were missing from the previous adventure. The world-building of Houses is familiar to anyone fluent in the genre; Priest doesn't add many unique touches to this structure, but I found that...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Bill Blume rated it 4 of 5 stars

For anyone who wants a good story with vampires that isn't just a Harlequin Romance masquerading behind a set of fangs, then I recommend BLOODSHOT and its sequel HELLBENT. I could easily eat up this review ranting about how much I dislike the state of vampires in fiction. I'm going to do my best to resist that urge.

Instead, let's talk about what makes HELLBENT work. The best thing about this book is its first person voice. Ray is a hoot, and you can just tell how much Priest enjoys writing this...more For anyone who wants a good story with vampires that isn't just a Harlequin Romance masquerading behind a set of fangs, then I recommend BLOODSHOT and its sequel HELLBENT. I could easily eat up this review ranting about how much I dislike the state of vampires in fiction. I'm going to do my best to resist that urge.

Instead, let's talk about what makes HELLBENT work. The best thing about this book is its first person voice. Ray is a hoot, and you can just tell how much Priest enjoys writing this character. She's impulsive and clever. In many ways, her voice reminds me of my wife, and my wife is a fun lady to be around. This might also explain why Priest is quickly becoming one of my "writer crushes."

The book also includes some great references clearly meant for the "fan boys/girls" out there. I never thought I'd see the sound effect term "snikt" in a novel. Reading that just really made my night.

Another element I really enjoyed was getting to see more of the world building within this novel, or rather I should probably say the "underworld" building. I wish Priest had spent a little more time visiting the different vampire houses, because those parts of the book are easily the best. The buildup to Ray's visit to Atlanta's Barrington House included a little bit of a history lesson and intrigued me enough to want an entire book on how this house was formed after the Civil war (possibly even an alternate version within her "Clockwork Century" universe).

While the storyline involving the vampire houses and Ray's efforts to keep her blind vampire companion Ian alive delivers a great storyline, I'm sorry to say that the second major storyline in this book doesn't hit a home run for me. Ray gets hired to steal a box full of bacula, which is a fancy word for penis bones. The storyline delivers a comedic bent to the book, but just doesn't hold up within the third act. This half of the book really exposes that HELLBENT is more of a setup for book three than anything else. Perhaps the part I enjoyed most within this storyline was all the questions it raised about Ray's employer Horace, but these questions never really get resolved. I suspect this is more setup for book three where Horace will be revealed as more than just a guy with a serious hard on for a big bank account and possibly part of the larger conspiracy which made up most of BLOODSHOT and gets referenced numerous times within HELLBENT during more than one unfortunate info dump.

Yes, as much as I enjoyed HELLBENT, I won't deny it has its weaknesses. This book doesn't stand on its own as well as it might have, and that's a shame. I think the story involving the vampire houses could have worked all by itself for an entire novel. In truth, the bacula storyline holds a lot of potential, too, but it gets shorted since it's forced to play second fiddle. Assuming this will be a three-book storyline, I will have high expectations for the next installment, which should resolve so many of the storylines left dangling at the end of HELLBENT. With that in mind, I'm going to give this book a tentative four stars. Depending on how the third book turns out, I might change that to three.(less)

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Dec 31, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, urban-fantasy, 2011

I was happy to find book #2 had been released recently, as I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, Bloodshot.

First, I really enjoy the main character's voice (Raylene) - sarcastic, witty, modern, wry, and incidentally vampire - although I missed some of the OCD bits that were more present in the first book. She's kick-ass, although you got to see that a bit more in the first one.

Second, I love her friend the ex-Navy-SEAL/drag queen Adrian, and what it means about a character and a book when a warr...more

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Sep 10, 2011 Madame X rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, paranormal-urban-fantasy, heroine-to-hang-out-with

I was thrilled when HELLBENT came up on Netgalley because I read BLOODSHOT, the first book in the Cheshire Red series, and I enjoyed it, but I was on the fence about whether or not I wanted to continue with the series. I figured a free read of HELLBENT would answer all my questions but it didn't, really. HELLBENT has all the same pros and cons as BLOODSHOT, in almost exactly the same quantities.

The pros: It's clever, entertaining and smart. The twist at the end, especially, let me shut HELLBENT...more I was thrilled when HELLBENT came up on Netgalley because I read BLOODSHOT, the first book in the Cheshire Red series, and I enjoyed it, but I was on the fence about whether or not I wanted to continue with the series. I figured a free read of HELLBENT would answer all my questions but it didn't, really. HELLBENT has all the same pros and cons as BLOODSHOT, in almost exactly the same quantities.

The pros: It's clever, entertaining and smart. The twist at the end, especially, let me shut HELLBENT with a big smile on my face. I like the motley cast of characters. And I like Raylene, a neurotic criminal with a surprisingly soft heart.

The cons: It's wordy (Raylene's inner monologues go on and on and on) and while Priest sets up a lot of conflicts that have the potential to ratchet up into some really scary, heart-in-the-throat moments, they don't. I never feel like Raylene is really in peril; she's prudent and competent, and when she's caught off-guard the threat never turns out to be half as scary as she herself is.

Here's an example of the wordy inner monologue: "Adrian had called a cab and it was waiting for us downstairs. We could've driven and left the car at the airport -- but if he wanted a cab, that was fine with me. Besides, parking at SeaTac is nothing short of extortion. So in retrospect, good on Adrian for thinking of it, especially since we expected to be gone for several days at the very least." - it's not that I mind the running patter, I find Raylene to be an interesting and intelligent narrator, and her chattiness gives us constant proof of her OCD nature, but that example is typical. It takes a paragraph to call a cab. And it takes many, many paragraphs to get anything significant done.

So the pacing is pretty slow, but, and to give Priest credit, sometimes the attention to detail results in brilliant little gems, like her description of solar-powered lawn lights at a vampire's house, "one every few yards, on both sides. That had to count as irony in some universe, right?" It's exactly the kind of detail that a less obsessive compulsive vampire narrator would miss, and that would be a shame.

So I'm finishing HELLBENT on the fence. I was pretty frustrated with the wordiness and also with the low tension level, but I was also happy to spend time with Raylene and her crew, and the writing is smarter than the average. I'd say this is a 3.5 star book and usually I round based on whether or not I think I'll read another book by the author. I'm not sure the answer is yes, but I wouldn't avoid one, so...four stars it is.(less)

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Hellbent (Cheshire Red Reports #2)

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