Rosemary and Rue (October Daye, #1) in SpecFic Buddy Reads

Mar 25, 2013 Bradley rated it liked it

Shelves: 2024-shelf, fantasy, urban-fantasy

Re-Read 1/16/24:

After many, many years of reading and loving Seanan's growing corpus of literature, I've come to be almost giddy with each new release.

Going back THIS far, near the very beginning, makes me wonder at how much better a writer she has become.

Let me just say that the first Daye novel is nowhere near as good as the later ones. It's not bad, but it isn't precisely wonderful -- more just average-for-UF on the re-read.

At this point, I kinda wish my buddy reader and I were ahead a few n ...more

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Jun 01, 2020 Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller rated it liked it

Okay, there weren’t a lot of remarkable things about this first installment, but I’ve tried enough urban fantasy series to not let a slow start scare me off (ahem… Kate Daniels). That said, there were enough good things about it to give me hope for what’s to come.

Truth be told, I’m just so excited to be finally starting a new UF series that I’m willing to overlook a slow start. The book focused a little too much on character introductions and info dumps (so many info dumps). But there were also ...more

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Oct 18, 2016 Robyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016

Even though I'm not usually a fan of Irish myth urban fantasy this one won me over, mainly on account of October. Fun! ...more

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Jul 02, 2016 Emma rated it really liked it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, re-read, fantasy, fae

This was a really good read. I enjoyed the magical world and the blend with urban fantasy. I'm looking forward to continuing with this series.
July 2018
Even better on a reread. The first time I entered Toby Daye’s world, it took quite a few books to get a full handle on both her and the world she lives in. I decided to reread the series because I’m still waiting for the most recent one to come out on kindle and it was well worth it. If you haven’t tried this series yet, I recommend you do! ...more

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Jan 15, 2024 Trish rated it liked it · review of another edition

OK, so, first things first: This apparently is the author's first book but not the first of hers that I have read. Ergo, I'm used to a more refined writing style / characterization from the author, but holding that against her would be slightly unfair.*

This is an urban fantasy taking place in San Francisco, a city I happen to really have liked back in 2005 when I visited the US the first (and so far last) time. However, in this version of reality, fae of all kinds exist in alternate realms that OK, so, first things first: This apparently is the author's first book but not the first of hers that I have read. Ergo, I'm used to a more refined writing style / characterization from the author, but holding that against her would be slightly unfair.*

This is an urban fantasy taking place in San Francisco, a city I happen to really have liked back in 2005 when I visited the US the first (and so far last) time. However, in this version of reality, fae of all kinds exist in alternate realms that are connected to the human world via doorways. And just like in many myths and tales, there are creatures like changelings.
One such changeling is October Daye (yes, her mother actually gave her that name). She has a tragic past that we get introduced to here but she also has to solve a murder in the present day. That of a pure-blood fairy. It doesn't help that she has a history with nearly everyone - and not too nice a history either.

We get to see the life of teenage half-bloods on the streets, the court system, how the realms exist in relation to the human world, what other creatures populate this world - and how shitty everyone can be to everybody else. But we also see kindness and people really trying to (re-)connect.

A thing I didn't like and which no amount of excuses à la "she had a difficult childhood / teenage years" can explain away is October's / Toby's need to sleep around like a slut. She tells herself she's oh so in love with character #1 but then has no problem sleeping with character #2 despite not actually liking (let alone trusting) that character.
In addition to that, the murder investigation started taking too long with too many back-and-forths resulting from Toby having to visit this and that character after refusing contact for so long. Then there was the almost endless back-and-forth with nobody but her getting injured again and again and again.

What I definitely DID like were Tybalt and the kitties. :D I hope to see much more of THEM. I also enjoyed getting so many different kinds of fae/fairies/sidth represented here which resulted in quite the intricate society showing off the author's great affinity for worldbuilding.

So, all in all, not a bad start to a UF series and certainly not the worst book I've read. Just nothing special either.

* Thus, since I know she can and will do better, I'll continue. ...more

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Jul 05, 2020 Di Maitland rated it really liked it

Shelves: titled-characters, scribd, young-adult, comfort-reads, non-humans, fantasy, magic, audiobook, action-girl, urban-fantasy

“There weren’t any fairy tales in the streets around me. If there was ever a Cinderella, her glass slippers shattered under her weight and she limped home bleeding from the ball.”

I have put off writing this review for weeks. Why? Because I’m not sure I can write the review this book deserves.

I really enjoyed Rosemary and Rue. I think I could have loved it had I not read the Mercy Thompson books first. I’m ashamed to say that I spent a lot of my time reading this book wishing it were that. Furt ...more

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May 27, 2017 Scott rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, mystery

I don't remember rating this book :/ I've been sick for about a week so maybe it was the fever that did it. I thought it was a pretty solid first entry for an Urban Fantasy series, and I'm interested enough to keep going.

I enjoyed the Fae aspects to this book, and I thought the author did well to explain the different factions. The world really came to life through Toby's eyes. ...more

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Sep 30, 2018 Leticia rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-paranormal, series_i_may_finish_eventually

This was a page-turner and entertaining read and I'll surely continue to read this series. I found the end a bit rushed up and I lot of hooks were left still hanging, but hopefully the next books will pick them up. ...more

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