Siren's Song

The Odd Series #2

by Virginia Nelson

Janie Smith is ready to get her life in order. She just needs to control her powers, feed without killing someone, deal with a sick witch, a vampire boyfriend committed by fate to another, and an ancient serial killer's ghost who has settled inside an unsuspecting human. She must also put up with Queen Mab's demand that she accept an elfin fiancé, while dodging Chance, the man who claims to be her soul mate, and help her daughter adjust to life after divorce. Seriously, not a big deal.

More Odd Stuff is breaking out all because of a Siren's Song.

254 pages, ebook

First published August 30, 2010

About the author

Virginia Nelson believed them when they said, “Write what you know.” Small town girl writing small town romance, her characters are as full of flaws, misunderstandings, and flat out mistakes as Virginia herself. When she’s not writing or plotting to take over the world, she likes to hang out with the greatest kids in history, play in the mud, drive far too fast, and scream at inanimate objects. Virginia likes knights in rusted and dinged up armor, heroes that snarl instead of croon, and heroines who can’t remember to say the right thing even with an author writing their dialogue. Her books are full of snark, sex, and random acts of ineptitude—not always in that order.

Reviews

[HC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a hilarious book that had me laughing until my sides hurt. and the main romantic squeeze is--wow. I want a T-shirt that says I <3 Chance!

[Bisquit · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was about 10% funny goodness, 5% useless, overly done drama, 25% mystery that was so obvious it can't be called mystery anymore and 60% utterly annoying and frustrating love triangle.

Love triangles are a difficult thing to write. And while I do see what the author tried to do here (writing about choice partner vs. fated partner AKA soulmate) I still hated it. It usually contains cheating and indeciveness from at least one person. I also think the partner who "lost out" on Janie was pacified in a very deus ex machina, artificial way.
The one who "won" Janie is the one romantic lead I didn't particulary care for. I also felt like they had no chemistry, although at the end I got the feeling that that could actually change a bit in the coming books.
But it's a bit bitter, seeing as my preferred couple had great chemistry and the final couple does not. Overall, I think the concept was great for the love triangle, but the execution just killed it. If there had been more chemistry, it could have been so much better. As it was, it fell flat.
I believe that the first couple, Janie with the vampire Vance, was intended while she was still sort of human. Now she's not, it can't work with Vance, for her monster self needs an equivalent. It's like she was supposed to change, but didn't. Not at all. Still the same Janie.

Now to the mystery part. It was so obvious who it was. I gringed when the other people were suspected, because how was this mystery not solved in a second? Murderer is possessed by a ghost. Well, who sort of seems off his/her usual beat? Which was mentioned maybe a couple of pages after? I believe only a master detective like Sherlock Holmes could have ever solved this mystery.

The utterly annoying love triangle and the lukewarm mystery made up most of the book. Guess what, I'll rate it accordingly. A couple of funny moments and sweet scenes just isn't enough. I'm actually willing to give the next book a try, but that's mostly because the main leads change.

[Virginia Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excerpt from Happily Ever After Reviews:
Virginia Nelson is rapidly becoming my newest favorite author. Janie Smith and her Odd crew are back in Sirens Song, the sequel to Odd Stuff. I must reiterate, if you are a fan of paranormal romance, you must read these books. Virginia Nelson is providing a new and unique voice, that dispels old stereotypes and creating a fun and exciting new world of sirens, witches, vampires, and all other things that go bump in the night.

Sirens Song is captivating from the very first line to the last. Complete with a rich cast of characters and an engaging story, Virginia Nelson's work is magic. Proving yet again, the best parts of life are made up of Odd Stuff.

View the whole review at http://hea-reviews.blogspot.com/2010/...