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Agent of Hel #3
Poison Fruit
The hot-as-Hel series with the “Sookie Stackhouse type of vibe” (Paranormal Horizon) is back—but this time the paranormal Midwestern town of Pemkowet is feeling a frost in the air and the residents are frozen in fear...
The Pemkowet Visitors Bureau has always promoted paranormal tourism—even if it has downplayed the risks (hobgoblins are unpredictable). It helps that the town is presided over by Daisy Johanssen, who as Hel’s liaison is authorized by the Norse goddess of the dead to keep Pemkowet under control. Normally, that’s easier to do in the winter, when bracing temperatures keep folks indoors.
But a new predator is on the prowl, and this one thrives on nightmares. Daisy is on her trail and working intimately with her partner and sometime lover from the Pemkowet PD, sexy yet unavailable werewolf Cody Fairfax. But even as the creature is racking up innocent victims, a greater danger looms on Pewkowet’s horizon.
As a result of a recent ghost uprising, an unknown adversary—represented by a hell-spawn lawyer with fiery powers of persuasion—has instigated a lawsuit against the town. If Pemkowet loses, Hel’s sovereignty will be jeopardized, and the fate of the eldritch community will be at stake. The only one who can prevent it is Daisy—but she’s going to have to confront her own worst nightmare to do it.
The Pemkowet Visitors Bureau has always promoted paranormal tourism—even if it has downplayed the risks (hobgoblins are unpredictable). It helps that the town is presided over by Daisy Johanssen, who as Hel’s liaison is authorized by the Norse goddess of the dead to keep Pemkowet under control. Normally, that’s easier to do in the winter, when bracing temperatures keep folks indoors.
But a new predator is on the prowl, and this one thrives on nightmares. Daisy is on her trail and working intimately with her partner and sometime lover from the Pemkowet PD, sexy yet unavailable werewolf Cody Fairfax. But even as the creature is racking up innocent victims, a greater danger looms on Pewkowet’s horizon.
As a result of a recent ghost uprising, an unknown adversary—represented by a hell-spawn lawyer with fiery powers of persuasion—has instigated a lawsuit against the town. If Pemkowet loses, Hel’s sovereignty will be jeopardized, and the fate of the eldritch community will be at stake. The only one who can prevent it is Daisy—but she’s going to have to confront her own worst nightmare to do it.
441 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2014
97 people are currently reading
2192 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Carey
73 books8,411 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Jacqueline Carey (born 1964 in Highland Park, Illinois) is an author and novelist, primarily of fantasy fiction.
She attended Lake Forest College, receiving B.A.'s in psychology and English literature. During college, she spent 6 months working in a bookstore as part of a work exchange program. While there, she decided to write professionally. After returning she started her writing career while working at the art center of a local college. After ten years, she discovered success with the publication of her first book in 2001.
Currently, Carey lives in western Michigan and is a member of the oldest Mardi Gras krewe in the state.
Jacqueline Carey (born 1964 in Highland Park, Illinois) is an author and novelist, primarily of fantasy fiction.
She attended Lake Forest College, receiving B.A.'s in psychology and English literature. During college, she spent 6 months working in a bookstore as part of a work exchange program. While there, she decided to write professionally. After returning she started her writing career while working at the art center of a local college. After ten years, she discovered success with the publication of her first book in 2001.
Currently, Carey lives in western Michigan and is a member of the oldest Mardi Gras krewe in the state.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
March 25, 2020
Actual rating: 3.325697 stars. And that's me being bloody shrimping generous and stuff.
➽ And the moral of this reread is: too much lurvey durvey crap, manufactured love triangle bullshrimp and blahing blahing blahing blah blah blah + not enough gloriously kick-asstail Daisy action =
You're welcome and stuff.
[February 2016]
BR with my MacHalo Freaks starting whenever.
Actual rating: 3.5+ After giving it much thought (in case you were wondering, yes, it hurt) I had decided to give this book a 3-star rating. But Choko's enthusiasm is infectious, so I went for 3.5+ instead. I therefore decline all responsibility here. If you have a problem with my rating, talk to Choko.
You have asked, and I have listened! You have begged, and I have (very generously, if I may say so myself) complied! By popular demand, I will not be writing a full length review for this book! Be glad and rejoice, my little barnacles, for I just cleared two hours from your schedule! Time to celebrate! Time to get the maracas out of storage!
►► Introducing…the review that could have been never-ending and suicide-inducing, but wasn't!
» Why did I want to give this book a 4-star+ rating?
✔ Daisy, my girl with the tail.
✔ Pemkowet and its very cool, original, diverse supernatural population.
✔ Lurine the lamia, Skeletor the ex-nerd, and Skrrzzzt the beer-drinking, Battleship-playing Bogle.
✔ Cody Fairfax. You're an exasperating ass, but I still love you. What can I say? Aggravating werewolves are my weakness.
✔ Surprise epic battle.
✔ Awesome godesses and cool mythological stuff.
» Why did I want to give this book a 3-star rating?
✔ Several interesting subplots but the main plot takes time to develop and isn't exploited to its full potential.
✔ Stefan "I could kill you with my bare hands" Ludovic. Die die die. I hate you I hate you I hate you.
» Why did I want to give this book a 2/2.5-star rating?
✔ Anticlimactic ending.
✔ HEA of Complete Doom and Total Destruction. All that it needed to achieve utter perfection was for Carey to end the book with "and they all lived happily ever after." She should have thrown in a bunch of fluffy bunnies and a pastel-colored rainbow for good measure, too. EW EW EW EW. YUCK YUCK YUCK.
» Why did I end up giving the book a 3.5+-star rating?
Didn't you Clueless Barnacle read the first paragraph of this delightfully short review?! Choko, I tell you! Choko! Blame her, not me! I'm as innocent as a lamb/dove/unborn child/whatever!
►► And the moral of this series is: it's all in the tail. HA.
►► And the other moral of this series is:
· Book 1: Dark Currents ★★★★
· Book 2: Autumn Bones ★★★★
➽ And the moral of this reread is: too much lurvey durvey crap, manufactured love triangle bullshrimp and blahing blahing blahing blah blah blah + not enough gloriously kick-ass
You're welcome and stuff.
[February 2016]
BR with my MacHalo Freaks starting whenever.
Actual rating: 3.5+ After giving it much thought (in case you were wondering, yes, it hurt) I had decided to give this book a 3-star rating. But Choko's enthusiasm is infectious, so I went for 3.5+ instead. I therefore decline all responsibility here. If you have a problem with my rating, talk to Choko.
You have asked, and I have listened! You have begged, and I have (very generously, if I may say so myself) complied! By popular demand, I will not be writing a full length review for this book! Be glad and rejoice, my little barnacles, for I just cleared two hours from your schedule! Time to celebrate! Time to get the maracas out of storage!
►► Introducing…the review that could have been never-ending and suicide-inducing, but wasn't!
» Why did I want to give this book a 4-star+ rating?
✔ Daisy, my girl with the tail.
✔ Pemkowet and its very cool, original, diverse supernatural population.
✔ Lurine the lamia, Skeletor the ex-nerd, and Skrrzzzt the beer-drinking, Battleship-playing Bogle.
✔ Cody Fairfax. You're an exasperating ass, but I still love you. What can I say? Aggravating werewolves are my weakness.
✔ Surprise epic battle.
✔ Awesome godesses and cool mythological stuff.
» Why did I want to give this book a 3-star rating?
✔ Several interesting subplots but the main plot takes time to develop and isn't exploited to its full potential.
✔ Stefan "I could kill you with my bare hands" Ludovic. Die die die. I hate you I hate you I hate you.
» Why did I want to give this book a 2/2.5-star rating?
✔ Anticlimactic ending.
✔ HEA of Complete Doom and Total Destruction. All that it needed to achieve utter perfection was for Carey to end the book with "and they all lived happily ever after." She should have thrown in a bunch of fluffy bunnies and a pastel-colored rainbow for good measure, too. EW EW EW EW. YUCK YUCK YUCK.
» Why did I end up giving the book a 3.5+-star rating?
Didn't you Clueless Barnacle read the first paragraph of this delightfully short review?! Choko, I tell you! Choko! Blame her, not me! I'm as innocent as a lamb/dove/unborn child/whatever!
►► And the moral of this series is: it's all in the tail. HA.
►► And the other moral of this series is:
· Book 1: Dark Currents ★★★★
· Book 2: Autumn Bones ★★★★
February 22, 2016
*** 3.89 ***
A buddy read with my tail loving MacHallo Freaks!
What can I say, I am a sucker for a half human, half demon spawn with a tail and a bad temper:) It is a bit like the visiting circus in a small town - the performers could be much better, but it is the only crazy entertainment in town and everyone gathers under the tent:):):) And Daisy, who one of the little pixies observed rather accurately, is no Daisy at all, happens to be one very well balanced, be it young and somewhat confused, demon spawn of a MC. The balance is dew to her ability to listen and see things from many point of views, measuring and usually coming up with the best decision when it comes to those around her and her beloved community.
Her confusion comes from her misguided love life - she happens to be attracted to two guys, although we all knew from the beginning whom her heart belongs to... But she is split between her second grade crush - Cody the Wolf, and her immortal attraction to Stephan, the Ghoul. Yes, I am talking about a love triangle, as inadvisable as it was in this whole situation...
The Demon Spawn part, well, this is the one that brings trouble in this volume, isn't it... Because, if she claims her paternal birthright, most possibly the end of the world will ensue... And she is terrified by that possibility. She is tempted over and over again... What will really happen if she breaks enough to claim her demonic powers? Will she destroy the world and loose all those she cares for?
Well, that is the point, for you guys to find out like the rest of us - just read the darn book!!!
The writing was very good and the story flowed easily and smoothly, the prose as well as the dialogues fitting the mood perfectly. I loved many parts of the story, and even more, I loved the characters, especially Daisy, Lorine, and the Bogle. The two dudes were infuriating to me, but even they had some charm. However, there were issues with the plot and pacing, as well as the end of the series... It just didn't fit in with the rest of the story up to now... As my buddy read partner Sarah says, the only thing it was missing were bunnies and rainbows. And that was just not right for our tail wagging heroine. But I also am not the author and i can not begrudge her the direction she chose to take the conclusion to this rather entertaining series.
I did have a favorite sentence, in which the MC describes the manner of speech Persephone, the Greek Goddess employs: "Persephone's Greek lilting accent made her sound like Ariana Huffington dipped in Honey!!! " Hahaha! I love it!!!
The other thing I really loved was the wonderful and very tasteful way the author weaved the concept of Tikkun Olam, the Jewish belief that through acts of kindness performed, we could perfect and repair the brokenness of the world around us, a broken peace at a time. The phrase is found in the Mishnah and deals with the personal responsibility everyone of us has to our communities. This is probably my favorite religious concept and it made this book much more important to me than it could have been.
As I already mentioned, this is a great book for all the Urban Fantasy lovers out there and be prepared of a rich world of weird creatures and very human experiences:)
May you all have wonderful time reading and to all, enjoy it!!!
A buddy read with my tail loving MacHallo Freaks!
What can I say, I am a sucker for a half human, half demon spawn with a tail and a bad temper:) It is a bit like the visiting circus in a small town - the performers could be much better, but it is the only crazy entertainment in town and everyone gathers under the tent:):):) And Daisy, who one of the little pixies observed rather accurately, is no Daisy at all, happens to be one very well balanced, be it young and somewhat confused, demon spawn of a MC. The balance is dew to her ability to listen and see things from many point of views, measuring and usually coming up with the best decision when it comes to those around her and her beloved community.
Her confusion comes from her misguided love life - she happens to be attracted to two guys, although we all knew from the beginning whom her heart belongs to... But she is split between her second grade crush - Cody the Wolf, and her immortal attraction to Stephan, the Ghoul. Yes, I am talking about a love triangle, as inadvisable as it was in this whole situation...
The Demon Spawn part, well, this is the one that brings trouble in this volume, isn't it... Because, if she claims her paternal birthright, most possibly the end of the world will ensue... And she is terrified by that possibility. She is tempted over and over again... What will really happen if she breaks enough to claim her demonic powers? Will she destroy the world and loose all those she cares for?
Well, that is the point, for you guys to find out like the rest of us - just read the darn book!!!
The writing was very good and the story flowed easily and smoothly, the prose as well as the dialogues fitting the mood perfectly. I loved many parts of the story, and even more, I loved the characters, especially Daisy, Lorine, and the Bogle. The two dudes were infuriating to me, but even they had some charm. However, there were issues with the plot and pacing, as well as the end of the series... It just didn't fit in with the rest of the story up to now... As my buddy read partner Sarah says, the only thing it was missing were bunnies and rainbows. And that was just not right for our tail wagging heroine. But I also am not the author and i can not begrudge her the direction she chose to take the conclusion to this rather entertaining series.
I did have a favorite sentence, in which the MC describes the manner of speech Persephone, the Greek Goddess employs: "Persephone's Greek lilting accent made her sound like Ariana Huffington dipped in Honey!!! " Hahaha! I love it!!!
The other thing I really loved was the wonderful and very tasteful way the author weaved the concept of Tikkun Olam, the Jewish belief that through acts of kindness performed, we could perfect and repair the brokenness of the world around us, a broken peace at a time. The phrase is found in the Mishnah and deals with the personal responsibility everyone of us has to our communities. This is probably my favorite religious concept and it made this book much more important to me than it could have been.
As I already mentioned, this is a great book for all the Urban Fantasy lovers out there and be prepared of a rich world of weird creatures and very human experiences:)
May you all have wonderful time reading and to all, enjoy it!!!
October 29, 2014
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/10/29/b...
It was shortly after finishing the second book of Agent of Hel that I discovered the series was only going to be three books. While that was a little surprising, since urban fantasy series tend to go on for a lot longer than that, it was also nice being able to anticipate an actual wrap-up of Daisy Johanssen’s story (not to mention there’s always something so satisfying about being able finish reading a series). That being said though, it also meant that I had some pretty high expectations for this. I was really looking forward to seeing how Jacqueline Carey was going to conclude this trilogy, and whether or not it was going to go out with a bang.
These books star Daisy, a young administrator for the Pemkowet police force who also serves as the liaison between the mortal world above and the paranormal world below – the latter being presided over by Hel, Norse Goddess of the dead. Daisy is a “hellspawn”, born after her human mother inadvertently summoned a demon with a Ouija board while on spring break in Pemkowet, unaware of the strong ties the town has to the supernatural. Daisy has been fighting the temptation to invoke her birthright ever since, an agreement with her demonic father which would grant her an untold amount of power, but the cost would be the breaking of the world.
Since the beginning of this series, a lot of emphasis has been placed on Daisy’s own personal struggle with her birthright and the fact that It Would End The World, but truthfully, I’d never felt the real threat of it hanging over my head. Her character has always had too much goodness in her, and it was hard to believe she would ever throw the fate of the world away for any personal gain. In Poison Fruit, however, that particular story thread comes to…well, fruition. What would happen if our protagonist was pushed to her limits? What if she was made to feel helpless and unable to save herself, her friends and family, and the town she loves? This third and final book explores that question, and it places Daisy in an extremely difficult position where finally the threat of her invoking her birthright becomes very real indeed.
That all comes to a head in this story’s climax and conclusion, though getting to that point was quite the journey. The pacing for these Agent of Hel books have always struck me as a bit odd even from the beginning with Dark Currents; it’s nothing deal-breaking, but definitely a factor that at times makes it harder to review these books. In the case of Poison Fruit, the story has the distinct feel of being split into two parts. The first part, detailing a plot thread in which the police and Daisy hunt for a Night Hag that has been terrorizing the dreams of the citizens of Pemkowet, could have been a novella on its own. It segues somewhat awkwardly into the second part, which involves a devastating lawsuit filed against the town which could bankrupt Pemhowet and displace the whole Eldritch community if it loses.
I’m still of two minds on way the lawsuit plotline (and its repercussions) was handled, as the whole affair was chronicled over a period of many months. On the one hand, it lends a large degree of realism to the story, since it would hardly be believable if such a high profile legal case with millions of dollars on the line were to be taken care of in, say, a fortnight. But on the other hand, we lose some of the momentum as the weeks stretched on, making it feel like very little is accomplished by the town’s citizens while everyone seems to be stuck in a state of uncertainty. Still, if the alternative was jumping forward in time, I think I would prefer the way the book is now.
If there’s another a bright side to having a lot of time while waiting for the big court date, it’s the ample opportunity for further development of the characters and world building, and Daisy’s love life also gets plenty of attention. While I would not classify this series as Paranormal Romance, I love how the heightened aura of sexual tension is ever present and almost palpable, and there are a couple of pretty steamy scenes. The side plot involving Daisy’s relationships with her potential suitors has always interested me, so it was great to be able to follow up on the “It’s Complicated” fling with Cody the werewolf as well as explore the possibilities with the sexy Outcast Stefan. It was a toss-up when it comes to who Daisy would eventually end up with, and while I can’t say the outcome was what I truly wanted, I’m glad things in the romance department were ultimately resolved.
But when all is said and done, it was the ending that made me elevate this book from a middling 3-3.5 star rating to a 4. Simply put, it was amazing. Talk about going out with a bang; the ending was exactly the kind I was looking for, and it definitely was worthy of the series. Let’s just leave it at that, as saying more would just spoil the surprise.
If you enjoyed the first two books, you definitely should check out Poison Fruit. The story continues in the same vein, though the ending was a real treat. The second book Autumn Bones is probably still my favorite book in the Agent of Hel sequence, though this last installment in the trilogy was a solid series-ender with an unforgettable conclusion, which went a long way. I’m a huge fan of Jacqueline Carey, and I’m looking forward to what she has in store next, now that Daisy’s story has come to a close.
It was shortly after finishing the second book of Agent of Hel that I discovered the series was only going to be three books. While that was a little surprising, since urban fantasy series tend to go on for a lot longer than that, it was also nice being able to anticipate an actual wrap-up of Daisy Johanssen’s story (not to mention there’s always something so satisfying about being able finish reading a series). That being said though, it also meant that I had some pretty high expectations for this. I was really looking forward to seeing how Jacqueline Carey was going to conclude this trilogy, and whether or not it was going to go out with a bang.
These books star Daisy, a young administrator for the Pemkowet police force who also serves as the liaison between the mortal world above and the paranormal world below – the latter being presided over by Hel, Norse Goddess of the dead. Daisy is a “hellspawn”, born after her human mother inadvertently summoned a demon with a Ouija board while on spring break in Pemkowet, unaware of the strong ties the town has to the supernatural. Daisy has been fighting the temptation to invoke her birthright ever since, an agreement with her demonic father which would grant her an untold amount of power, but the cost would be the breaking of the world.
Since the beginning of this series, a lot of emphasis has been placed on Daisy’s own personal struggle with her birthright and the fact that It Would End The World, but truthfully, I’d never felt the real threat of it hanging over my head. Her character has always had too much goodness in her, and it was hard to believe she would ever throw the fate of the world away for any personal gain. In Poison Fruit, however, that particular story thread comes to…well, fruition. What would happen if our protagonist was pushed to her limits? What if she was made to feel helpless and unable to save herself, her friends and family, and the town she loves? This third and final book explores that question, and it places Daisy in an extremely difficult position where finally the threat of her invoking her birthright becomes very real indeed.
That all comes to a head in this story’s climax and conclusion, though getting to that point was quite the journey. The pacing for these Agent of Hel books have always struck me as a bit odd even from the beginning with Dark Currents; it’s nothing deal-breaking, but definitely a factor that at times makes it harder to review these books. In the case of Poison Fruit, the story has the distinct feel of being split into two parts. The first part, detailing a plot thread in which the police and Daisy hunt for a Night Hag that has been terrorizing the dreams of the citizens of Pemkowet, could have been a novella on its own. It segues somewhat awkwardly into the second part, which involves a devastating lawsuit filed against the town which could bankrupt Pemhowet and displace the whole Eldritch community if it loses.
I’m still of two minds on way the lawsuit plotline (and its repercussions) was handled, as the whole affair was chronicled over a period of many months. On the one hand, it lends a large degree of realism to the story, since it would hardly be believable if such a high profile legal case with millions of dollars on the line were to be taken care of in, say, a fortnight. But on the other hand, we lose some of the momentum as the weeks stretched on, making it feel like very little is accomplished by the town’s citizens while everyone seems to be stuck in a state of uncertainty. Still, if the alternative was jumping forward in time, I think I would prefer the way the book is now.
If there’s another a bright side to having a lot of time while waiting for the big court date, it’s the ample opportunity for further development of the characters and world building, and Daisy’s love life also gets plenty of attention. While I would not classify this series as Paranormal Romance, I love how the heightened aura of sexual tension is ever present and almost palpable, and there are a couple of pretty steamy scenes. The side plot involving Daisy’s relationships with her potential suitors has always interested me, so it was great to be able to follow up on the “It’s Complicated” fling with Cody the werewolf as well as explore the possibilities with the sexy Outcast Stefan. It was a toss-up when it comes to who Daisy would eventually end up with, and while I can’t say the outcome was what I truly wanted, I’m glad things in the romance department were ultimately resolved.
But when all is said and done, it was the ending that made me elevate this book from a middling 3-3.5 star rating to a 4. Simply put, it was amazing. Talk about going out with a bang; the ending was exactly the kind I was looking for, and it definitely was worthy of the series. Let’s just leave it at that, as saying more would just spoil the surprise.
If you enjoyed the first two books, you definitely should check out Poison Fruit. The story continues in the same vein, though the ending was a real treat. The second book Autumn Bones is probably still my favorite book in the Agent of Hel sequence, though this last installment in the trilogy was a solid series-ender with an unforgettable conclusion, which went a long way. I’m a huge fan of Jacqueline Carey, and I’m looking forward to what she has in store next, now that Daisy’s story has come to a close.
May 6, 2015
No bad, but not the most satisfying ending either.
October 14, 2014
Poison Fruit was ok, but lackluster. If a fourth book were added, I'd probably read it since the books aren't unlikable, but there's nothing much to draw me back to this series which started off with an interesting supernatural world, but fizzled for me.
On the romance front it left me cold, what happens in the end makes sense, but seems too easy. I suppose when you've faced death you might rethink things, but I didn't really care because I wasn't invested in any of Daisy's relationships because she didn't truly seem to be.
The action wasn't that great at the end either and not that many pages were given to actual detail of the WAR. Instead the supernatural characters mostly sat on their hands throughout the book while they allow one character to ride rough shod over them. All those witches and others couldn't come up with more plans to thwart Daisy's "cousin"?!? Just one sachet for example?
If you liked (or loved) the first two, I'm sure you won't regret reading Poison Fruit, but when you shut the book I don't think you'll be pining for a fourth that's not coming.
I got my copy from my local library.
On the romance front it left me cold, what happens in the end makes sense, but seems too easy. I suppose when you've faced death you might rethink things, but I didn't really care because I wasn't invested in any of Daisy's relationships because she didn't truly seem to be.
The action wasn't that great at the end either and not that many pages were given to actual detail of the WAR. Instead the supernatural characters mostly sat on their hands throughout the book while they allow one character to ride rough shod over them. All those witches and others couldn't come up with more plans to thwart Daisy's "cousin"?!? Just one sachet for example?
If you liked (or loved) the first two, I'm sure you won't regret reading Poison Fruit, but when you shut the book I don't think you'll be pining for a fourth that's not coming.
I got my copy from my local library.
December 19, 2014
** this review contains spoiler, read at your own risk, too lazy to use spoiler tag **
Well, as the last book in the series, I will say it was pretty much decent (if not so-so).
Let's see, almost the first half of this book Daisy was dealing with The Night Hag that had been terrorizing some of Pemkowet's people in their nightmares and ended up killing an elderly (who was literally scared to death). We also had Daisy musing about her doomed relationship with Cody and worrying about her fate of destroying the world. The second half of the book, we had Pemkowet being sued with a class-action lawsuit for damages that happened during events in the previous book. It was basically a ruse, conducted by hell-spawn lawyer Daniel Dufreyne, who acted on behalf of Persephone.
So, the thing was, I thought the whole war thing (which started with the lawsuit) was just a waste of my reading time. I mean, Persephone wanted Pemkowet for herself because she wanted a resort; a summer home for herself. I mean, really?? AND, since that brought down Persephone in war with the whole supernatural beings of Pemkowet and Hel's army ... which supposed to be kind of epic war ... Daisy ended up claiming her birthright, only to ... uhm, strike a deal with God.
And angel came down from Heaven to fix the whole thing.
Yes. A deal with God. And Angel came down from Heaven...
Look, I like angel and demon myth in urban fantasy. I really do. But bringing an angel to fix everything in this context was like bringing a rocket launcher to a knife fight. It was laaame. It just emphasized my thought that Daisy was incompetent. I was kinda hoping that Daisy stepped up and be the heroine of the day, to do something impressive (well, she did beg Persephone before, which already made me lose my faith in her) to prove to me that she was suitable for her role as Hel's liasion. But nope, it took God to fix everything.
Sigh.
And don't get me start with the whole Daisy-Cody-Stefan thing. It seemed that Daisy paid more attention to her love problems. Oh, Cody couldn't be with me. Oh, maybe I had a chance with the immortal. Oh, but I still had feelings for Cody, so complicated... I mean, the whole time that Daisy could investigate Daniel, she was busy romancing Stefan because Cody couldn't be with her. Uhm, excuse me, hell-spawn lawyer there!! But all Daisy did was asking Daniel "Who are you working for?", then Daniel refused to answer, she didn't really do anything (she did throw tantrums at Stefan because of her complicated feelings towards Cody). She definitely didn't win any points with me all through this second storyline.
I would still give this 3-stars because I actually LIKED the plot with The Night Hag. I thought in this plot at least Daisy was trying to find out what happened. She was looking for clues, answers on how to get rid of The Night Hag. She went to multiple sources. Then when it was clear she needed to have a nightmare of her own to invite The Night Hag, she did it. So the first half of this book, I liked Daisy.
The rest.... well, not so much.
It is a decent series but I'm glad that this one is the end because it is not a very memorable one for me.
Well, as the last book in the series, I will say it was pretty much decent (if not so-so).
Let's see, almost the first half of this book Daisy was dealing with The Night Hag that had been terrorizing some of Pemkowet's people in their nightmares and ended up killing an elderly (who was literally scared to death). We also had Daisy musing about her doomed relationship with Cody and worrying about her fate of destroying the world. The second half of the book, we had Pemkowet being sued with a class-action lawsuit for damages that happened during events in the previous book. It was basically a ruse, conducted by hell-spawn lawyer Daniel Dufreyne, who acted on behalf of Persephone.
So, the thing was, I thought the whole war thing (which started with the lawsuit) was just a waste of my reading time. I mean, Persephone wanted Pemkowet for herself because she wanted a resort; a summer home for herself. I mean, really?? AND, since that brought down Persephone in war with the whole supernatural beings of Pemkowet and Hel's army ... which supposed to be kind of epic war ... Daisy ended up claiming her birthright, only to ... uhm, strike a deal with God.
And angel came down from Heaven to fix the whole thing.
Yes. A deal with God. And Angel came down from Heaven...
Look, I like angel and demon myth in urban fantasy. I really do. But bringing an angel to fix everything in this context was like bringing a rocket launcher to a knife fight. It was laaame. It just emphasized my thought that Daisy was incompetent. I was kinda hoping that Daisy stepped up and be the heroine of the day, to do something impressive (well, she did beg Persephone before, which already made me lose my faith in her) to prove to me that she was suitable for her role as Hel's liasion. But nope, it took God to fix everything.
Sigh.
And don't get me start with the whole Daisy-Cody-Stefan thing. It seemed that Daisy paid more attention to her love problems. Oh, Cody couldn't be with me. Oh, maybe I had a chance with the immortal. Oh, but I still had feelings for Cody, so complicated... I mean, the whole time that Daisy could investigate Daniel, she was busy romancing Stefan because Cody couldn't be with her. Uhm, excuse me, hell-spawn lawyer there!! But all Daisy did was asking Daniel "Who are you working for?", then Daniel refused to answer, she didn't really do anything (she did throw tantrums at Stefan because of her complicated feelings towards Cody). She definitely didn't win any points with me all through this second storyline.
I would still give this 3-stars because I actually LIKED the plot with The Night Hag. I thought in this plot at least Daisy was trying to find out what happened. She was looking for clues, answers on how to get rid of The Night Hag. She went to multiple sources. Then when it was clear she needed to have a nightmare of her own to invite The Night Hag, she did it. So the first half of this book, I liked Daisy.
The rest.... well, not so much.
It is a decent series but I'm glad that this one is the end because it is not a very memorable one for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2018
Sigh, you know those series that are just kind of okay? And you keep reading because the books are there and sometimes it pays off? This is one of those where it did not pay off. I mean, it's not really terrible, I just was DONE. (But wanted to finish it since it was the last one.)
And the romance!
GIVE ME A GOOD URBAN FANTASY.
And the romance!
GIVE ME A GOOD URBAN FANTASY.
February 6, 2015
Poison Fruit, like Autumn Bones, does not let much time elapse between books. The events of Halloween are still fresh in people’s minds as New Year approaches. Now Daisy has to get to the bottom of what the hell-spawn lawyer Daniel Dufreyne is doing buying up land around Little Niflheim. And she also needs to sort out her complicated feelings about her attractions to Stefan and Cody.
I’ll start off with the romance angle here. Poison Fruit feels like the most conventional of the three books in terms of how Carey deals with the romance. In the first book, because we were still getting to know each of the characters and the setting, it felt fresh and interesting: Daisy’s attraction to Cody was mitigated by Jen’s crush, and her attraction to Stefan was more of a notion than anything else. When she ended up dating Sinclair, it was a relief—Carey didn’t seem like she was setting up a love triangle. Then Autumn Bones came along, and suddenly Sinclair is out of the picture, and Cody and Stefan are waiting in the wings. Still, though, not much of a love triangle, because the relationship with Cody was purely a physical one.
It’s hard to avoid it, though: Poison Fruit is pretty much a love triangle. Granted, Cody and Stefan are pretty chill about the whole thing; I appreciate that they aren’t vying for Daisy’s affection (and, indeed, Cody is trying really hard to ignore the attraction at all, because he wants to settle down and have pups with a nice lady-werewolf). Still, I’ll confess to a little disappointment: I was really hoping Carey could offer us something beyond the “multiple hot guys” scenario that seems to proliferate through urban fantasy fiction with female protagonists (the opposite heteronormative case of “multiple hot girls” afflicts such fiction with male protagonists, of course).
That being said, I’ll give Carey credit for creating conflict and drama within the relationship without making either character an idiot. Daisy and her new lover make mistakes; they push each other’s buttons a little too far—which, you know, is troublesome when you have eldritch powers that flare up when your emotions run high—but as with Daisy and Sinclair’s relationship, the solution is—shockingly—communication. This fruit might be poisoned, but at least it isn’t low-hanging.
The diction of the sex scene was a little humorous, but that might just be me.
Daisy’s relationships, romantic or otherwise, are important to the enjoyment of this book as a whole, not just because of her status as narrator but also because, as half-hellspawn, half-human, she is representative of Pemkowet itself. She straddles the mundane and the eldritch communities, subject to the laws of both, and thanks to her roles in the Pemkowet police and as Hel’s liaison, charged with upholding both mundane and eldritch law. It’s tough, walking that line. Carey demonstrates that, as much as the existence of the supernatural is an established fact in this universe, acknowledging that something exists and believing in it are two different things. Time and again, mundane humans have trouble understanding the significance of eldritch affairs and their impact on human activity in Pemkowet.
The lawsuit that Dufreyne brings against the town is brilliant. I like the idea that eldritch beings and chthonic gods have to be savvy about mortal concerns like wealth and property and liability law, lest they run afoul of a judge vulnerable to powers of persuasion. This was a fun way for Carey to juxtapose the more traditional customs of eldritch interaction—honour, favours, etc.—with our more litigious society—but it also has very serious consequences.
Other than that, I don’t have much else to say. Poison Fruit is just as fun as the other two books in the series. (The less said about the literal deus ex machina ending, the better.) It was a welcome break after reading a couple of heavier books, and Carey’s writing is as enjoyable as ever. I’m starting to get that feeling one gets after binging on too many of the same type of book in short order—but I don’t regret reading all three Agent of Hel books so close together either.
I can’t find Carey herself saying anywhere that this is the last book, but other places seem to think this is the conclusion of a trilogy. It’s true the climax and resolution have that feeling. But there is still plenty here for Carey to explore, should she choose to return to Pemkowet and Daisy Johanssen. I would be sad, honestly, if she didn’t, to the point that my overall opinion of this series is paradoxically contingent on it continuing. If it stops here, Agent of Hel is a good urban fantasy trilogy that occasionally attempts to rise above genre convention. That’s it. On the other hand, it has so much potential to grow better and better with each instalment—but whether we will see that realized is up to Carey.
Oh, and Skrrzzzt is totally the best. I love him so much.
My reviews of the Agent of Hel series:
← Autumn Bones
I’ll start off with the romance angle here. Poison Fruit feels like the most conventional of the three books in terms of how Carey deals with the romance. In the first book, because we were still getting to know each of the characters and the setting, it felt fresh and interesting: Daisy’s attraction to Cody was mitigated by Jen’s crush, and her attraction to Stefan was more of a notion than anything else. When she ended up dating Sinclair, it was a relief—Carey didn’t seem like she was setting up a love triangle. Then Autumn Bones came along, and suddenly Sinclair is out of the picture, and Cody and Stefan are waiting in the wings. Still, though, not much of a love triangle, because the relationship with Cody was purely a physical one.
It’s hard to avoid it, though: Poison Fruit is pretty much a love triangle. Granted, Cody and Stefan are pretty chill about the whole thing; I appreciate that they aren’t vying for Daisy’s affection (and, indeed, Cody is trying really hard to ignore the attraction at all, because he wants to settle down and have pups with a nice lady-werewolf). Still, I’ll confess to a little disappointment: I was really hoping Carey could offer us something beyond the “multiple hot guys” scenario that seems to proliferate through urban fantasy fiction with female protagonists (the opposite heteronormative case of “multiple hot girls” afflicts such fiction with male protagonists, of course).
That being said, I’ll give Carey credit for creating conflict and drama within the relationship without making either character an idiot. Daisy and her new lover make mistakes; they push each other’s buttons a little too far—which, you know, is troublesome when you have eldritch powers that flare up when your emotions run high—but as with Daisy and Sinclair’s relationship, the solution is—shockingly—communication. This fruit might be poisoned, but at least it isn’t low-hanging.
The diction of the sex scene was a little humorous, but that might just be me.
Daisy’s relationships, romantic or otherwise, are important to the enjoyment of this book as a whole, not just because of her status as narrator but also because, as half-hellspawn, half-human, she is representative of Pemkowet itself. She straddles the mundane and the eldritch communities, subject to the laws of both, and thanks to her roles in the Pemkowet police and as Hel’s liaison, charged with upholding both mundane and eldritch law. It’s tough, walking that line. Carey demonstrates that, as much as the existence of the supernatural is an established fact in this universe, acknowledging that something exists and believing in it are two different things. Time and again, mundane humans have trouble understanding the significance of eldritch affairs and their impact on human activity in Pemkowet.
The lawsuit that Dufreyne brings against the town is brilliant. I like the idea that eldritch beings and chthonic gods have to be savvy about mortal concerns like wealth and property and liability law, lest they run afoul of a judge vulnerable to powers of persuasion. This was a fun way for Carey to juxtapose the more traditional customs of eldritch interaction—honour, favours, etc.—with our more litigious society—but it also has very serious consequences.
Other than that, I don’t have much else to say. Poison Fruit is just as fun as the other two books in the series. (The less said about the literal deus ex machina ending, the better.) It was a welcome break after reading a couple of heavier books, and Carey’s writing is as enjoyable as ever. I’m starting to get that feeling one gets after binging on too many of the same type of book in short order—but I don’t regret reading all three Agent of Hel books so close together either.
I can’t find Carey herself saying anywhere that this is the last book, but other places seem to think this is the conclusion of a trilogy. It’s true the climax and resolution have that feeling. But there is still plenty here for Carey to explore, should she choose to return to Pemkowet and Daisy Johanssen. I would be sad, honestly, if she didn’t, to the point that my overall opinion of this series is paradoxically contingent on it continuing. If it stops here, Agent of Hel is a good urban fantasy trilogy that occasionally attempts to rise above genre convention. That’s it. On the other hand, it has so much potential to grow better and better with each instalment—but whether we will see that realized is up to Carey.
Oh, and Skrrzzzt is totally the best. I love him so much.
My reviews of the Agent of Hel series:
← Autumn Bones
March 11, 2019
I'm ashamed to admit to the fact that it took me over 4 years to get around to finishing this series. I can't truly say why that is, except that I have a problem with closure, and would prefer for series to live on infinitely; having said that, I will say while Carey does a good job building closure for her urban series, Poison Fruit is definitely not my favorite of the series.
Before I tackle Poison Fruit is particular, I will say that the Agent of Hel series is for the most part a fun read. I like the normality of the city of Pemkowet's denizens and Carey has a strong ability to weave the supernatural right in with modern concepts making her world feel complete and realistic. I enjoy that conversations pertaining to Werewolves that can easily switch to Gilmore Girl discussions at the drop of a dime. I enjoy that Carey's resident Outcast née Ghouls spend their immortal lives living running the local bar and taking care of the emotions of elders. Agent of Hel is filled with endearing references set in an unique world.
Although it has been a while since I read book 1 and 2, the problem I have with Poison Fruit is in the pacing. In an effort to stick with her rural lifestyle, Carey's novel is filled with trips around town, winter festivals, girls nights and bar hops. Though these scenes are useful for character bonding, they can become tiresome very quickly, and while Poison Fruit does indeed have a plot, it feels expanded and filled with filler. Where Carey succeeds is that when the scenes do apply to the plot they are skillfully wielded to created forward motion but they are few and far between this time. In fact there are near two hundred pages between the Night Hag chase and the actual final battle with nothing but a slightly contrived trial to create movement. It's not to say that the trial is not important or needed, rather it just isn't that interesting.
Another issue I have with Poison Fruit is the on again off again Cody Daisy relationship. A little sexual tension coupled with the much needed gimmick of no interspecies breeding is okay, even fun sometimes. The problem is that this same problem has been going on since book 1, and we've gotten no where. Carey has created a problem where by Cody and Daisy flirt, like each other, have sex and ultimately break it off for 3 books straight and to have to rinse and repeat during Poison Fruit whose storyline is already damaged by the lack of substantial plot, makes it even worse. It's even more frustrating to see Carey try to alleviate the back and forth nature of their relationship by adding Stephen in, another potential romantic interest clearly doomed from the start, by the ravenous nature of ghouls when concerning human emotions coupled with Daisy's super sized emotions. I like Stephen. I even harbored some hope previously of them having a moment together but I do not enjoy the use of him to try and distract from the fact that Daisy can't seem to make her mind up. Together Daisy Cody and Stephen spend the entirety of the book essentially playing duck duck goose. Cute at first, Boring as ever 3 books in.
Even though the Agent of Hel series is quirky and cute I don't feel that Poison Fruit lives up to the first two. While Carey does manage to do a great job tying up series ends it wasn't a particularly engaging ride. I found myself counting the pages left especially in the attempt to find the final end game (which once reached was fun and exciting, although humanity clearly had a biased ability over these supernatural entities). Although not her greatest outing this will not stop me from continuing through Carey's future publishings, I'm especially excited for Starless which comes out today, but I would definitely recommend her other series before this one.
Before I tackle Poison Fruit is particular, I will say that the Agent of Hel series is for the most part a fun read. I like the normality of the city of Pemkowet's denizens and Carey has a strong ability to weave the supernatural right in with modern concepts making her world feel complete and realistic. I enjoy that conversations pertaining to Werewolves that can easily switch to Gilmore Girl discussions at the drop of a dime. I enjoy that Carey's resident Outcast née Ghouls spend their immortal lives living running the local bar and taking care of the emotions of elders. Agent of Hel is filled with endearing references set in an unique world.
Although it has been a while since I read book 1 and 2, the problem I have with Poison Fruit is in the pacing. In an effort to stick with her rural lifestyle, Carey's novel is filled with trips around town, winter festivals, girls nights and bar hops. Though these scenes are useful for character bonding, they can become tiresome very quickly, and while Poison Fruit does indeed have a plot, it feels expanded and filled with filler. Where Carey succeeds is that when the scenes do apply to the plot they are skillfully wielded to created forward motion but they are few and far between this time. In fact there are near two hundred pages between the Night Hag chase and the actual final battle with nothing but a slightly contrived trial to create movement. It's not to say that the trial is not important or needed, rather it just isn't that interesting.
Another issue I have with Poison Fruit is the on again off again Cody Daisy relationship. A little sexual tension coupled with the much needed gimmick of no interspecies breeding is okay, even fun sometimes. The problem is that this same problem has been going on since book 1, and we've gotten no where. Carey has created a problem where by Cody and Daisy flirt, like each other, have sex and ultimately break it off for 3 books straight and to have to rinse and repeat during Poison Fruit whose storyline is already damaged by the lack of substantial plot, makes it even worse. It's even more frustrating to see Carey try to alleviate the back and forth nature of their relationship by adding Stephen in, another potential romantic interest clearly doomed from the start, by the ravenous nature of ghouls when concerning human emotions coupled with Daisy's super sized emotions. I like Stephen. I even harbored some hope previously of them having a moment together but I do not enjoy the use of him to try and distract from the fact that Daisy can't seem to make her mind up. Together Daisy Cody and Stephen spend the entirety of the book essentially playing duck duck goose. Cute at first, Boring as ever 3 books in.
Even though the Agent of Hel series is quirky and cute I don't feel that Poison Fruit lives up to the first two. While Carey does manage to do a great job tying up series ends it wasn't a particularly engaging ride. I found myself counting the pages left especially in the attempt to find the final end game (which once reached was fun and exciting, although humanity clearly had a biased ability over these supernatural entities). Although not her greatest outing this will not stop me from continuing through Carey's future publishings, I'm especially excited for Starless which comes out today, but I would definitely recommend her other series before this one.
January 1, 2015
3.75 stars
Aww, didn't realize this is the last book. It ends well though. Interesting world, likeable characters, and smooth reading—not the heavy epic fantasy that most people are familiar with from Carey—which for me was exactly what I wanted.
Plus this book is set in Michigan in the winter and I couldn't help thinking about this.
Aww, didn't realize this is the last book. It ends well though. Interesting world, likeable characters, and smooth reading—not the heavy epic fantasy that most people are familiar with from Carey—which for me was exactly what I wanted.
Plus this book is set in Michigan in the winter and I couldn't help thinking about this.
November 6, 2014
Before I read Poison Fruit, I would have gladly told you to read Jacqueline Carey’s Agent of Hel series, but something happens towards the close of the book that put me off in the worst way. This series has somewhat of a resemblance to the Sookie Stackhouse books in that it has a supernatural protagonist, various creatures and monsters, set in a small Midwestern city. I will say that this book ends with a finality that makes me wonder if there will be future books to come, but at the same time, I wouldn’t be reading them anyways.
Daisy Johanssen is Hel’s liason and tasked with keeping the peace between the Eldritch (supernatural) community and the humans. She has her work cut out for her when she discovers that someone is preying on the locals in the form of their nightmares. Daisy’s love life also is tumultuous and confusing when Cody, her werewolf partner, makes it clear that they can never be together because his clan forbids it. Out of loneliness and hurt, Daisy turns to leader of the Outcast (Ghouls), Stefan, but even when they’re together, they have to be very careful with Stefan’s type of power and that he doesn’t lose control.
By the end of the book, Daisy has chosen and you’re not left in limbo wondering as to the status of the men.. but I found myself not really caring all that much about who she chose. Things become more dire for Daisy when a hellspawn (like herself) comes to Pemkowet and proceeds to start buying up plots of land and filing suit against the town of Pemkowet for a variety of trumped up charges. Daisy knows that someone is behind the hell-spawn, but she’s unable to determine his end game.
I mentioned this in the last review of the Agent of Hel book, but this book suffers from (for want of a better word) lackadaisical pacing. It’s extremely slow and I felt the lack of urgency all throughout the book, even when there were bad things happening. There’s nothing that kept me glued to the book, and the story never really got off the ground, even as things were supposed to be ramping up.
I have a very serious issue about a throwaway line of dialogue I came across on page 345 of Poison Fruit (hardcover version). The police chief remarks on a bomb threat that “supposedly” originated from the city of Abu Dhabi. And because it’s “from” there, they’re taking it seriously. OH MY GOD. First off, I don’t know of any local law enforcement that doesn’t take a bomb threat seriously, no matter where the call is located from. Because honestly, it’s perpetuating a stereotype that everyone from the middle east means us harm.. and you know that the call is bogus from the information you’re given. I had no idea where Abu Dhabi was, so I looked it up. It’s located in the United Arab Emirates. It’s a goddamn cheap shot to make that call originate from the UAE when it was meant to distract and cause distress – when quite frankly – terrorism is everywhere. Gamer Gate anyone? (And I’m sorry, but death threats at a school to prevent someone from speaking.. well.. that certainly qualifies)
More revelations come to light about who’s behind the lawsuit and Daisy’s background with her father, Belphegor, but I was so irritated about that bit with the fake bomb threat that it soured the rest of the book for me. Should you decide to read the book, beware of the common tropes in this series (love triangle, BIG BAD heritage).. and the sluggish pacing.
- Ronnie
Daisy Johanssen is Hel’s liason and tasked with keeping the peace between the Eldritch (supernatural) community and the humans. She has her work cut out for her when she discovers that someone is preying on the locals in the form of their nightmares. Daisy’s love life also is tumultuous and confusing when Cody, her werewolf partner, makes it clear that they can never be together because his clan forbids it. Out of loneliness and hurt, Daisy turns to leader of the Outcast (Ghouls), Stefan, but even when they’re together, they have to be very careful with Stefan’s type of power and that he doesn’t lose control.
By the end of the book, Daisy has chosen and you’re not left in limbo wondering as to the status of the men.. but I found myself not really caring all that much about who she chose. Things become more dire for Daisy when a hellspawn (like herself) comes to Pemkowet and proceeds to start buying up plots of land and filing suit against the town of Pemkowet for a variety of trumped up charges. Daisy knows that someone is behind the hell-spawn, but she’s unable to determine his end game.
I mentioned this in the last review of the Agent of Hel book, but this book suffers from (for want of a better word) lackadaisical pacing. It’s extremely slow and I felt the lack of urgency all throughout the book, even when there were bad things happening. There’s nothing that kept me glued to the book, and the story never really got off the ground, even as things were supposed to be ramping up.
I have a very serious issue about a throwaway line of dialogue I came across on page 345 of Poison Fruit (hardcover version). The police chief remarks on a bomb threat that “supposedly” originated from the city of Abu Dhabi. And because it’s “from” there, they’re taking it seriously. OH MY GOD. First off, I don’t know of any local law enforcement that doesn’t take a bomb threat seriously, no matter where the call is located from. Because honestly, it’s perpetuating a stereotype that everyone from the middle east means us harm.. and you know that the call is bogus from the information you’re given. I had no idea where Abu Dhabi was, so I looked it up. It’s located in the United Arab Emirates. It’s a goddamn cheap shot to make that call originate from the UAE when it was meant to distract and cause distress – when quite frankly – terrorism is everywhere. Gamer Gate anyone? (And I’m sorry, but death threats at a school to prevent someone from speaking.. well.. that certainly qualifies)
More revelations come to light about who’s behind the lawsuit and Daisy’s background with her father, Belphegor, but I was so irritated about that bit with the fake bomb threat that it soured the rest of the book for me. Should you decide to read the book, beware of the common tropes in this series (love triangle, BIG BAD heritage).. and the sluggish pacing.
- Ronnie
March 7, 2016
3.5 stars
The conclusion to this trilogy was satisfying, but I have mixed feelings about it. The plot was so good. It took some unexpected twists and turns, but the love triangle ruined parts of it. The world building in this series was awesome. It was an original world, and it blended religion, Greek and Norse mythologies, and common and uncommon supernatural races without it feeling disjointed.
Daisy was a rare kind of supernatural, but it made her life more difficult. She was tough, strong, and worked hard to overcome the obstacles that came with being what she was. I liked her because she was flawed. Sometimes she hesitated instead of taking action or would be confused or conflicted about what to do. It made her seem real, so there was no special snowflake here. But when it came to her love life she did not make the best decisions. She knew who she loved. When she couldn’t be with him, she settled for anyone else. I think it bothered me so much because I’m not like that. Her love life was a great source of frustration for me.
I love Cody. He would have been perfect if it weren’t for his indecision about whether or not he wanted to be with Daisy. Werewolves were expected to mate within their own clan, and since Daisy wasn’t a werewolf, he wasn’t supposed to be with her. He was incredibly aggravating because it was so obvious he loved Daisy but kept rambling on about loyalty to his clan.
Stefan was a worthless asshole. I loathe him. I desperately wanted Daisy to take her dagger and plunge it through his heart. She would have been doing the world a favor. He may have been better than the average ghoul but was still capable of killing people. Nonetheless he was not a good guy which he proved throughout the book. Daisy’s response to him made no sense. She was extremely leery of him but thought he was hot. So she threw caution to the wind and explored a relationship with him anyway.
The development with the lawyer did not play out like I thought it would. It was a surprise to find out who his boss was, and that person was capable of causing lots of damage. One small problem snowballed into a much larger one, and most people in the town did not understand the ramifications of their situation. Everything lead up to a big showdown. The end was satisfying but how it got there was not. All of the problems were resolved in an odd, unexpected way. It shouldn’t have been as easy to resolve all of those problems.
I’m glad a I read this trilogy. It was a fun buddy read with the Machalos and gave us lots to discuss. I loved the world and the characters. I really wish more books would be written in this world even if it focused on different characters.
The conclusion to this trilogy was satisfying, but I have mixed feelings about it. The plot was so good. It took some unexpected twists and turns, but the love triangle ruined parts of it. The world building in this series was awesome. It was an original world, and it blended religion, Greek and Norse mythologies, and common and uncommon supernatural races without it feeling disjointed.
Daisy was a rare kind of supernatural, but it made her life more difficult. She was tough, strong, and worked hard to overcome the obstacles that came with being what she was. I liked her because she was flawed. Sometimes she hesitated instead of taking action or would be confused or conflicted about what to do. It made her seem real, so there was no special snowflake here. But when it came to her love life she did not make the best decisions. She knew who she loved. When she couldn’t be with him, she settled for anyone else. I think it bothered me so much because I’m not like that. Her love life was a great source of frustration for me.
I love Cody. He would have been perfect if it weren’t for his indecision about whether or not he wanted to be with Daisy. Werewolves were expected to mate within their own clan, and since Daisy wasn’t a werewolf, he wasn’t supposed to be with her. He was incredibly aggravating because it was so obvious he loved Daisy but kept rambling on about loyalty to his clan.
Stefan was a worthless asshole. I loathe him. I desperately wanted Daisy to take her dagger and plunge it through his heart. She would have been doing the world a favor. He may have been better than the average ghoul but was still capable of killing people. Nonetheless he was not a good guy which he proved throughout the book. Daisy’s response to him made no sense. She was extremely leery of him but thought he was hot. So she threw caution to the wind and explored a relationship with him anyway.
The development with the lawyer did not play out like I thought it would. It was a surprise to find out who his boss was, and that person was capable of causing lots of damage. One small problem snowballed into a much larger one, and most people in the town did not understand the ramifications of their situation. Everything lead up to a big showdown. The end was satisfying but how it got there was not. All of the problems were resolved in an odd, unexpected way. It shouldn’t have been as easy to resolve all of those problems.
I’m glad a I read this trilogy. It was a fun buddy read with the Machalos and gave us lots to discuss. I loved the world and the characters. I really wish more books would be written in this world even if it focused on different characters.
May 6, 2015
I really enjoyed this book and had trouble putting it down. This was definitely the most epic of the Agents of Hel series, and I thought Daisy rose wonderfully to the challenge. She's grown as a character and was less annoying that she had been in previous books. Her relationship intrigue was interesting as well! I really enjoyed this book and hope there will be another (although it kind of felt like an end-of-the-series ending)
September 3, 2016
This book was such a struggle to get through but the last maybe 8th of the book was worth it. I loved the Happy for Now ending. The ending couple was okay but I don't know if it's actually better. But anyway, good ending to the series. 3-1/2 out of 5 stars because of the drag of the first 7/8 of the book.
June 28, 2018
Lots of pop culture references in here.
It's a good wrap to the series, though some of the book feels too scattered. But that last battle rocked.
It's a good wrap to the series, though some of the book feels too scattered. But that last battle rocked.
October 8, 2014
Another sad day for me. I wasn't aware before I started reading this book that this would be the end of the series. It's bittersweet to see some of my favorite characters put on the shelf, but in POISON FRUIT, they went out with a bang! As much as the greedy reader in me is not happy.
When we left Pemkowet last, there was a lot of turmoil in Daisy's life. Especially when it comes to her love life. AUTUMN BONES brought a lot of developments in that area and it's left Daisy a bit confused. I admit I was too. I had my "team" picked out but there were always things that made me wonder if they could overcome the rules of their separate species and be happy together.
So in POISON FRUIT Daisy has to deal with a lot more of that! But let's not forget that Daisy is Agent of Hel and pretty kickass herself. She's faced with multiple supernatural problems threatening the town of Pemkowet. I admit I was thoroughly freaked out by the first one they faced. Without spoiling what it is, the fact that someone can pretty much be scared to death in their sleep gave me all kinds of heebie jeebies.
But the plot in this book is a lot bigger than solving a simple supernatural mystery and keeping the town safe. There are much larger supernatural forces at play in Pemkowet and they are trying to take over. It is up to the Agent of Hel to stop them. One thing that I'ved loved about this series is the author's ability to weave in multiple complex storylines that give this series so much more depth and layers. They each put a different part of our main characters to the test.
POISON FRUIT was no exception. It is a thrilling, edge of your seat ride! And one of those few books in a year that I gobbled up whole, in one sitting. I quite literally had a hard time putting it down for long.
If you haven't read this series yet, then I highly recommend you give it a go! If you like your genres mixed a little, with some romance and humor to your urban fantasy, then this is for you. If you like a heroine that is kickass and confident, but also very down to earth and relatable, then you will love Daisy as much as I did! If you were a fan of the early Sookie Stackhouse books, then you will love Agent of Hel.
I am happy to see where the characters ended up. As I said before, without knowing this was the end, I was surprised when I got to the end of the book and thought "Wait a second, this is the end of the series! NOOOOOOOOOOO". I could've read about Daisy's adventures for many more books to come. But I'm also happy to see this whole series have stayed and end on a really high note. And I can't wait to see what the authors does next.
*ARC provided by publisher
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January 7, 2015
I have to be honest. Poison Fruit is awful. It reads like a really lame attempt at a series finale...except that I don't feel convinced Carey has necessarily concluded her writing with Daisy. Maybe it has something to do with Carey's insistent need to write trilogies, but just about every plot line or potential source of tension was resolved quickly and abruptly, while we paid lip service to every one of the characters in Pemkowet for the sake of making the rounds, and then the story ends on a ridiculous Deus Ex Machina...and I mean that literally. Like, the Hand of God came down and saved the day. Not making this up.
The writing, as always, is the strong point. You want to read about the characters. I just wish the story didn't take such a turn for the ridiculous. Agent of Hel had real potential, but Carey seemingly decidedly to squish most of it, and if there were going to be a 4th, I'm honestly not certain I'd want to read it.
Part of the problem with this book stems from the fact that, from reading it, I don't know if there's a sequel. Only thanks to the internet do I know there won't be. But if you had asked me 100 pages before the end, I would have said "of course there's going to be a sequel!" The ending to this book just comes out of nowhere and terminates everything. It's ridiculously over the top -- even more than Carey's other trilogy enders, because it doesn't work and wasn't set up beforehand -- and is hilariously hamfisted as well. It's not Mockingjay bad, but it's pretty damn bad.
Beyond that, the characters just aren't resolved meaningfully. Daisy's love triangle ends in a trite and obvious manner. The ghouls are human again just because Daisy asked nicely. The handling of her birthright as a plot vehicle had potential, but was ultimately horrendous. My favorite character, Stefan, has an ending on par with Gale's, while I'm using THG comparisons. My other favorite, Lurine, is present but mostly ineffectual. Just not what I have come to expect from a writer of Carey's caliber.
The writing, as always, is the strong point. You want to read about the characters. I just wish the story didn't take such a turn for the ridiculous. Agent of Hel had real potential, but Carey seemingly decidedly to squish most of it, and if there were going to be a 4th, I'm honestly not certain I'd want to read it.
Part of the problem with this book stems from the fact that, from reading it, I don't know if there's a sequel. Only thanks to the internet do I know there won't be. But if you had asked me 100 pages before the end, I would have said "of course there's going to be a sequel!" The ending to this book just comes out of nowhere and terminates everything. It's ridiculously over the top -- even more than Carey's other trilogy enders, because it doesn't work and wasn't set up beforehand -- and is hilariously hamfisted as well. It's not Mockingjay bad, but it's pretty damn bad.
Beyond that, the characters just aren't resolved meaningfully. Daisy's love triangle ends in a trite and obvious manner. The ghouls are human again just because Daisy asked nicely. The handling of her birthright as a plot vehicle had potential, but was ultimately horrendous. My favorite character, Stefan, has an ending on par with Gale's, while I'm using THG comparisons. My other favorite, Lurine, is present but mostly ineffectual. Just not what I have come to expect from a writer of Carey's caliber.
November 12, 2014
A good end to an excellent series. On the whole, I enjoyed it but I did have several issues with this third book compared to the first two. I understand wrapping up a series means tying up all loose ends. However, this book felt very much divided into: 1/3 - Night Hag case. 2/3 - Daisy's relationships. 3/3 - War! I would have preferred for a more subtle mixing of all these elements. And Daisy herself actually managed to annoy me with her soft heart and "No, you can't kill them". Its war! Tsk.
I will admit, I did not see the relationship curve ball coming. And I wanted to see more badass Lurine! Ah well, a good ending to a great series.
I will admit, I did not see the relationship curve ball coming. And I wanted to see more badass Lurine! Ah well, a good ending to a great series.
November 10, 2017
I feel wholly underwhelmed by the conclusion to the series. I am a huge, raving fan of Carey and yet book 1 & 2 were a solid 3. I held out for this book and hoped that it would finish strongly, it did not. It kept the same pace as the prior two books.
Don't get me wrong, Carey can dream up fantastical worlds, build lore and create a place where you can almost believe exists, but I was underwhelmed for the entirety of the series. I love Carey as a writer, she is a strong writer and I will follow her to damnation and beyond, but this series as a whole did not do it for me.
There was constant action, which was great but there were also countless story lines throughout the series that just either distracted or were not necessary and detracted from the actual plot itself. The overall plot here was that Daisy is a hellspawn and should she ever call upon her birthright the earth would shatter and Armageddon would ensue. It's constantly hinted that she'd give into temptation throughout the series and well, I expected more from the conclusion to that storyline.
There is also romance, somewhat of a love triangle but not quite? It felt off to me and I grew tired of the toying with everyone all around that when a conclusion on that front came up I was just like, that's it? Nothing more? Underwhelmed. All. Around.
I do give this book and the entire series a strong 3. I just expected more because I know Carey is an exceptional writer. This is not to say a supernatural/paranormal romance/detective fan won't find this entertaining.
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Don't get me wrong, Carey can dream up fantastical worlds, build lore and create a place where you can almost believe exists, but I was underwhelmed for the entirety of the series. I love Carey as a writer, she is a strong writer and I will follow her to damnation and beyond, but this series as a whole did not do it for me.
There was constant action, which was great but there were also countless story lines throughout the series that just either distracted or were not necessary and detracted from the actual plot itself. The overall plot here was that Daisy is a hellspawn and should she ever call upon her birthright the earth would shatter and Armageddon would ensue. It's constantly hinted that she'd give into temptation throughout the series and well, I expected more from the conclusion to that storyline.
There is also romance, somewhat of a love triangle but not quite? It felt off to me and I grew tired of the toying with everyone all around that when a conclusion on that front came up I was just like, that's it? Nothing more? Underwhelmed. All. Around.
I do give this book and the entire series a strong 3. I just expected more because I know Carey is an exceptional writer. This is not to say a supernatural/paranormal romance/detective fan won't find this entertaining.
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March 27, 2020
Well, I think the first book in this group was the best of the three. I was pretty bored in the first half or so of this book (number 3), but it did get better in the late middle and end. Which is also the way I felt about the second one.
Although I liked the resolution that the book gave--over the top, perhaps, but a good series ender, if that's what was intended--I just didn't feel that there was any forward motion to the writing, somehow. It never really did pull me in. Strange.
Also, I kept waiting for the "Poison Fruit" to show up in the plot. I think this book would have been better named Hellspawn or something like that.
If there are subsequent books--not sure I will read them. But I will try some others of hers for sure.
Although I liked the resolution that the book gave--over the top, perhaps, but a good series ender, if that's what was intended--I just didn't feel that there was any forward motion to the writing, somehow. It never really did pull me in. Strange.
Also, I kept waiting for the "Poison Fruit" to show up in the plot. I think this book would have been better named Hellspawn or something like that.
If there are subsequent books--not sure I will read them. But I will try some others of hers for sure.
February 13, 2017
"He laughed. It wasn't a full-on villainous mwah-ha-ha, but it was close."
As the last book in the series in the trilogy, it was the weakest of the group, but still enjoyable.
If I could rate the book in sections, I'd give it a 3 for the first half, a solid half the last. I'll be generous and give an overall four.
The beginning held on to a decently woven storyline that was building steam, but it was weighed down by too much relationship angst. That could have been cut in half, and there still would have been enough of it to go around. It felt like the third book was mainly to focus on the relationship for Daisy and who she'd eventually end up with.
The first two books rocked with action notes, but this one saved it for the end. The finale battle was epic - it not only was a worthy showdown amongst creative villains that pulled in all the Norse mythology the series was created over, but it joined almost all major characters in the series together for the battle. It also finally answers what happens if Daisy is too tempted to succumb to the ultimate temptation, perhaps forever changing the life of herself and others. I won't spoil things, but let's just say there are surprises that pop up, making it tense-filled and exciting.
Daisy is an excellent heroine - she's funny, witty, strong, sympathetic, relate-able, exciting and different. Stefan still sizzles on page but some of his steam has weakened. Cody is still there as a solid rock foundation. Minor characters such as co-workers, relatives and friends, are all there to continue solidifying strong world-building Carey has created.
Ultimately I'm pleased with the turn-out for everybody. She ends up with who I figured she would, everything makes sense, dangling threads have been tied, and the world is a better place in the end. Kind of. Well, it will be maybe. Kind of like real life works after all, with no fairy tale happy endings but the plausible peace that ebbs and flows.
As the last book in the series in the trilogy, it was the weakest of the group, but still enjoyable.
If I could rate the book in sections, I'd give it a 3 for the first half, a solid half the last. I'll be generous and give an overall four.
The beginning held on to a decently woven storyline that was building steam, but it was weighed down by too much relationship angst. That could have been cut in half, and there still would have been enough of it to go around. It felt like the third book was mainly to focus on the relationship for Daisy and who she'd eventually end up with.
The first two books rocked with action notes, but this one saved it for the end. The finale battle was epic - it not only was a worthy showdown amongst creative villains that pulled in all the Norse mythology the series was created over, but it joined almost all major characters in the series together for the battle. It also finally answers what happens if Daisy is too tempted to succumb to the ultimate temptation, perhaps forever changing the life of herself and others. I won't spoil things, but let's just say there are surprises that pop up, making it tense-filled and exciting.
Daisy is an excellent heroine - she's funny, witty, strong, sympathetic, relate-able, exciting and different. Stefan still sizzles on page but some of his steam has weakened. Cody is still there as a solid rock foundation. Minor characters such as co-workers, relatives and friends, are all there to continue solidifying strong world-building Carey has created.
Ultimately I'm pleased with the turn-out for everybody. She ends up with who I figured she would, everything makes sense, dangling threads have been tied, and the world is a better place in the end. Kind of. Well, it will be maybe. Kind of like real life works after all, with no fairy tale happy endings but the plausible peace that ebbs and flows.
July 19, 2018
Mon avis en Français
My English review
It’s been a while since I read the first two novels but I had this third and last volume that was waiting for me very wisely in my TBR pile.
As always Daisy must handle a lot of problems in the city! Indeed, it seems that a new entity is wreaking havoc. Being able to invade the nightmares of the inhabitants, this creature has the power to feed on them and lead them to suicide or death by fear. But here, our heroine is determined to flush him/her out even if she must face her worst nightmare! However, it will not be easy and the consequences will haunt her. But that’s not all because it seems that a lawyer (son of a demon) with the power of persuasion is ready to do anything to acquire the lands surrounding the kingdom of Hel. Although Daisy does everything in her power to thwart that, she did not expect that to achieve his goals, the person he represents would launch a lawsuit against the city.
The plot written by Jacqueline Carey was really well put together and I confess that I waited impatiently to discover the identity of the person behind all this. In any case, one thing is sure, I did not expect that! But whatever happens, our heroine is determined to resist even if a war looms.
In addition to her work as a liaison, Daisy will have to manage her feelings between a Cody who explains that he can not be with her but who can not really get away from her and Stefan who has a great deal of shadows but who is very intrigued by the relationship they might both have. In any case I am happy with the choices of the author that I approve at 100%!
It was a good conclusion for a very nice trilogy to discover!
My English review
It’s been a while since I read the first two novels but I had this third and last volume that was waiting for me very wisely in my TBR pile.
As always Daisy must handle a lot of problems in the city! Indeed, it seems that a new entity is wreaking havoc. Being able to invade the nightmares of the inhabitants, this creature has the power to feed on them and lead them to suicide or death by fear. But here, our heroine is determined to flush him/her out even if she must face her worst nightmare! However, it will not be easy and the consequences will haunt her. But that’s not all because it seems that a lawyer (son of a demon) with the power of persuasion is ready to do anything to acquire the lands surrounding the kingdom of Hel. Although Daisy does everything in her power to thwart that, she did not expect that to achieve his goals, the person he represents would launch a lawsuit against the city.
The plot written by Jacqueline Carey was really well put together and I confess that I waited impatiently to discover the identity of the person behind all this. In any case, one thing is sure, I did not expect that! But whatever happens, our heroine is determined to resist even if a war looms.
In addition to her work as a liaison, Daisy will have to manage her feelings between a Cody who explains that he can not be with her but who can not really get away from her and Stefan who has a great deal of shadows but who is very intrigued by the relationship they might both have. In any case I am happy with the choices of the author that I approve at 100%!
It was a good conclusion for a very nice trilogy to discover!
February 14, 2022
2nd Read: 6/5/2016
Original Read: 4/24/2015
3.5 Stars
It's hard to believe that these books are by the same author of the Kushiel series, which was pure awesome. It's not that they are bad, they are just comparatively insubstantial. Still, these were enjoyable if a bit fluffy, and I liked the ending, and find myself sad that this is the end of the series.
Original Read: 4/24/2015
3.5 Stars
It's hard to believe that these books are by the same author of the Kushiel series, which was pure awesome. It's not that they are bad, they are just comparatively insubstantial. Still, these were enjoyable if a bit fluffy, and I liked the ending, and find myself sad that this is the end of the series.
September 29, 2015
Probably more like 3.5 stars.
I didn't realize this was the end going in and that this was a trilogy and not a series, as the story progressed however, I began to suspect that Carey was wrapping up things. Overall, I think she did a bang-up job and readers will be satisfied. The book itself was a good read, although it felt sort of compartmentalized into two separate stories.
I didn't realize this was the end going in and that this was a trilogy and not a series, as the story progressed however, I began to suspect that Carey was wrapping up things. Overall, I think she did a bang-up job and readers will be satisfied. The book itself was a good read, although it felt sort of compartmentalized into two separate stories.
July 9, 2025
Wow! What a great ending to a fantastic trilogy!
February 14, 2015
Was three stars until the final two chapters. What the flip?!
February 23, 2017
Disappointing Ending
Funny how a bad end can make you critical of a whole work. I mean it was the obvious end to Daisy's story but maybe that's why I dislike it so much. Oh well.
Funny how a bad end can make you critical of a whole work. I mean it was the obvious end to Daisy's story but maybe that's why I dislike it so much. Oh well.
April 19, 2018
Sigh. I started this series with high hopes. However it ended with a ridiculous deus ex machina plus tidy little one paragraph wrap ups for the characters. It was annoying and disappointing
July 15, 2021
This episode of the Agent of Hel trilogy has a number of problems. First, a Night Hag is in town who is frightening people by causing their nightmares. The first is a soldier with PTSD who is almost convinced to commit suicide. The second is a seven-year-old boy. The final victim is a cancer-ridden lady in a nursing home who dies because of the Night Hag's attack. Daisy convinces Sinclair to go to his dark side to curse her with nightmares so that she can catch and bind the Night Hag. But she'll have to face her greatest fear -- that accepting her demon legacy could end the world -- in order to catch her.
But the biggest problem in the book is that the town is being sued for injuries physical and psychological caused by the events of the past Halloween. The Demon Spawn lawyer who has been using his gift of influence to buy up properties around Hel's domain has finally put his cards on the table and he is determined to force to town to sell the land where Hel lives in order to pay what the court assigns them as a settlement.
Hel isn't willing to give in; she can't because there are no more wild places for her to move to. This means war between Hel and the goddess who is trying to move in on her territory. Daisy has to gather all her allies in order to try to save their town and the eldritch who live there. She also has to decide if she has to make the biggest sacrifice of all and claim her demon legacy.
This was a great story. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding. The narrator did a great job showing Daisy's personality and keeping the emotional pace of the story.
But the biggest problem in the book is that the town is being sued for injuries physical and psychological caused by the events of the past Halloween. The Demon Spawn lawyer who has been using his gift of influence to buy up properties around Hel's domain has finally put his cards on the table and he is determined to force to town to sell the land where Hel lives in order to pay what the court assigns them as a settlement.
Hel isn't willing to give in; she can't because there are no more wild places for her to move to. This means war between Hel and the goddess who is trying to move in on her territory. Daisy has to gather all her allies in order to try to save their town and the eldritch who live there. She also has to decide if she has to make the biggest sacrifice of all and claim her demon legacy.
This was a great story. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding. The narrator did a great job showing Daisy's personality and keeping the emotional pace of the story.
July 14, 2018
first half of the book 4 stars
second half of the book 2 stars
I really enjoyed the agent of Hel series but the ending seemed so lackluster, I genuinely feel as if the pacing was off - too slow at certain times and extremely rushed also
I didn't enjoy all the 'millennial' references they date the book prematurely even though the majority of them felt like they belonged to the late 90s early 2000's
I mean Buffy has been off the air for what 10 years plus
also Team Cody all the way and considering how much I despise love triangles, her choice just seemed anti-climatic.
I genuinely feel like the story was half assed
Honestly one word to describe the book would be anti-climatic
BUT
if the author decided to continue the series, I . would definitely pick it up, because as a character Daisy is probably one of my favourite heroines written, strong, capable and realistic (even with the tail)
second half of the book 2 stars
I really enjoyed the agent of Hel series but the ending seemed so lackluster, I genuinely feel as if the pacing was off - too slow at certain times and extremely rushed also
I didn't enjoy all the 'millennial' references they date the book prematurely even though the majority of them felt like they belonged to the late 90s early 2000's
I mean Buffy has been off the air for what 10 years plus
also Team Cody all the way and considering how much I despise love triangles, her choice just seemed anti-climatic.
I genuinely feel like the story was half assed
Honestly one word to describe the book would be anti-climatic
BUT
if the author decided to continue the series, I . would definitely pick it up, because as a character Daisy is probably one of my favourite heroines written, strong, capable and realistic (even with the tail)
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