McGuire, Seanan-- Magic for Nothing (InCryptid #6) informal buddy read starts February 2, 2020

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This thread is open to discuss Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire.



Synopsis
Improbable, adjective:
1. Not very likely to happen; not probable.
2. Probably not a very good idea anyway.
3. See also “bad plan.”

As the youngest of the three Price children, Antimony is used to people not expecting much from her. She’s been happy playing roller derby and hanging out with her cousins, leaving the globe-trotting to her older siblings while she stays at home and tries to decide what she wants to do with her life. She always knew that one day, things would have to change. She didn’t think they’d change so fast.

Annie’s expectations keep getting shattered. She didn’t expect Verity to declare war on the Covenant of St. George on live television. She didn’t expect the Covenant to take her sister’s threat seriously. And she definitely didn’t expect to be packed off to London to infiltrate the Covenant from the inside…but as the only Price in her generation without a strong resemblance to the rest of the family, she’s the perfect choice to play spy. They need to know what’s coming. Their lives may depend on it.

But Annie has some secrets of her own, like the fact that she’s started setting things on fire when she touches them, and has no idea how to control it. Now she’s headed halfway around the world, into the den of the enemy, where blowing her cover could get her killed. She’s pretty sure things can’t get much worse.

Antimony Price is about to learn just how wrong it’s possible for one cryptozoologist to be.

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[Dev]

hey guys, i know we're rarely on time for these anymore but i will probably start it tomorrow or wednesday lol

[Cathy M.]

Just noticed we had this thread :) Yay, I'll probably start tonight.

[Claudia]

I will start tomorrow

[Cathy M.]

Got thru Chpt 9 so far and I'm so loving it! But OMG (view spoiler)[the British Aeslin mice!!!! Damn those Healy's making them hide out and observe from afar. I wanna punch that family in the throats because how cool/cute/adorable/loving those mice are. They are really missing out. And I did not expect Annie to take 1 with her O.O Finally 1 has a name! And how cute was it that she named the British one Mork. So they are Mork & Mindy hahahahaha :D Nothing better happen to them!!!

So we see the fallout from Verity's announcement on live television. Ugh, I wish we could just erase what she did. I did feel sorta bad when she was apologizing to Annie but god did she mess up with that. And it's like everyone else is paying the price so I get why Annie is so mad with her.

This being in the den of the enemy has me on the edge of my seat and feeling all kinds of anxious. Now that Margaret Healy has come into the picture, it's that much worse! (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

sorry cathy i still haven't started. i am just not feeling it right now but i'll try to do it sometime soon :(

[Cathy M.]

Don't worry about it! I'm enjoying the heck out of it so I'll probably finish tonight :)

UP to chpt 19 so far and as much as I'm loving it, the whole carny thing is losing my interest. I like the change in setting but I'm not interested in pages of her on the trapeze and throwing knives for entertainment. (view spoiler)[But I guess that's what brings her and Sam together since it's something they can share, and part of her cover. They are pretty cute together.

I wish there was more of Mork & Mindy :D (hide spoiler)]

[Claudia]

@Cathy I know the British Aeslin mice were a surprise. I’m sad to see how bad they have it having to hide and not talk. (view spoiler)[Mork & Mindy are super cute together and I love how thre planning how to bring over the rest of thye Aselin mice to rejoin the family. (hide spoiler)]

[Claudia]

I’m finished!!!

I really enjoyed this book. Antimony’s story just started with a bang and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Like so many surprising things happened in this book

(view spoiler)[ First I have to comment on the fact that how could Antimony be so dumb. Like how did she not expect all her lies to blow up in her face? I actually liked Sam and Antimony as a couple but she had to know it was going to blow up in her face when the truth came out.

And like what Margaret comes and tells you they’re are planning a purge and you decide to ignore it and go on a date instead of making a plan on what to do next? Like seriously what?
Then the way he tried to like choke her to death and she burns him and the next day they are back to getting it on? Like really?

Did anyone else feel really bad for Margaret like I know she’s the bad guy and brainwashed but she seriously got the short end of the stick being the one left behind brainwashed by the Covenant?

OMG and Leo let her go because he thinks he can seduce her back to the Covenant. I can’t believe he knew all along who she really was and tried to get her back on the Covenant’s side.

Finally one of the best parts of this book being Mork and Mindy having babies. That was so cute. (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

sooo i'm thinking i might just not reread the antimony books right now. i'm just reading a lot less now than i was last year and i also don't really want to i think because i've read them so much more recently. but i'll hang around and then whenever you guys are done we can read the new one

[Claudia]

So Cathy do you want to start the next Antimony book on Friday? I have two papers I'm working on but will be done with them on Friday and can start the next book then...

[Cathy M.]

I'm pretty open right now so Friday's good :)

[Cathy M.]

Started a little late but have once again gotten sucked into it. I keep saying this but I should give Seanan McGuire more credit since she hasn't disappointed me yet! So yea, after reading the summary, wasn't sure about this hiding out in an amusement park was going to go. But of course, it's picking up and I like the introduction of these new side characters. I'm thru Chpt 13 already.

(view spoiler)[Seriously bummed there are no Aeslin mice because come on, I've come to expect these little stars. Can't wait to get to the short story of them at the end!

The whole jinx thing was unexpected, as was the cabal. I don't trust them yet, but am glad that Annie is finally getting the help she needs to control her fire. Don't know how I feel about this drama that's starting (thought it would be more to do with other cryptids or the Covenant) but love that Sam is here now!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Claudia]

I’m on chapter 17 but stopping in to make some quick comments. Mainly so you know I’m here and reading. :)
(view spoiler)[ Okay so this is not relevant to anything but have you noticed this is the first book to mention birth control. Like Sam pulls back and asks for a condom. I found this weird considering neither of the past books made a point to mention any birth control. Not vital to anything in the plot but just something I found both interesting and strange.
On another actual plot point what is up with all the bad things happening. I think it seems more than just the good luck that got bent focused on Antimony. Then the luck being completely sucked out of Sam. I think there is magical hijinks going on in the background.
Also I suspect the cabal of being evil. Just calling it now before I get any further. (hide spoiler)]

[Claudia]

I’m finished!!! I liked this book it was great and I was happy with the short story at the end of how Mork and Mindy made it home.
(view spoiler)[I totally saw the Cabal being evil coming. Not the way they were being evil but in that they started off being off putting and just seemed suspicious. You thought they were evil as well right?
The crossroads deal… I just want to know what they are going to ask her to do. The crossroads seems so creepy. Also even more now I am curious about Thomas Price and what the deal he made did. Like obviously he saved Alice but what did he pay. I am super curious. (hide spoiler)]

I’m ready to start the next book whenever you are Cathy.

[Cathy M.]

Yes, that short with Mork & Mindy was so freakin cute! BUT I wish we got more of their adventure, like arriving home and how he responds to her colony at home. I just really missed them in this one so I guess I'm being greedy. I want MORE MORE MORE of them!!!

(view spoiler)[So the cabal. I knew something wasn't right with them but I wouldn't have even guessed where they were going to go. Like how did they think they could get away with the whole stealing luck for themselves from the guests in the park? I guess they didn't realize how strong Annie's power was so they just couldn't control it? But I still don't get how exactly they stole her power without her realizing it. Like it was a part of her so even if it was little by little, I would think that she should've known that it was disappearing altogether.

I'm so glad that Sam came to her! I like them together, even if I cringed a little at her having sex when he was in monkey form. Sort of eww. And yea, don't think they've ever mentioned condoms in any of the prior ones, but did we really get that far in any of the others (was it just fade-to-black type)?

Loved the new characters (Fern, Cylia & even Sophie). But again, how the hell did they think they could fight them without any real weapons, besides a couple knives and a gorgon? Like that whole confrontation just seemed so dumb because they were going in completely unprepared.

Which leads to the crossroads. Oh no, you just know whatever they want from Annie will NOT be good... That deal that Thomas Price made is probably why Annie still appears so young. And pretty much confirmed that Thomas has to be dead.

This also made me interested in Rose's books, which I did not realize was the same character as in the InCryptid series. (hide spoiler)]

I can start on the next one tomorrow if you want!

[Claudia]

@cathy I know what you meant. I was like are you seriously going to confront the cabal with no plan or weapons beyond "we have a Gorgon". I was seriously unimpressed with their plan and amazed they survived. but like you said probably so dumb to set up the crossroads deal.

I don't think Thomas is dead though because the crossroads implied he is still alive to Annie. but it also implied that what ever price he paid was horrible and he's still paying.

I also now what to read Rose's books once I realized she was from those other books. but I also what to go and read the short prequel stories of Alice and Thomas meeting and also Frances Brown and Alexander Healy.

[Claudia]

I'm going to get the next book today and start tonight

[Dev]

so you guys are about to start book 8 right? we totally don't need to start the new book as soon as it is released but i want to make sure i'm up to date on where we are lol if you're on book 8 i assume we'll be doing the new one sometime towards the end of next week?

[Cathy M.]

Yep, we're starting 8 today. I'm hoping we can get to the new one next week. At least we'll all be on the same page then (reading for the 1st time) :)

[Cathy M.]

Claudia, I really want to go back and read those short stories too! Didn't realize there were so many of them...

I think I need to re-read that crossroads scene. The crossroads demon really seemed to have it out for Alice because of Thomas' deal. Does the family know that Thomas made a deal at the crossroads, or do they just think he got lost in a different dimension? So that would mean that regardless of whether Alice found him or not, he wouldn't be able to go home because he's still paying the price? I'm feeling all types of anxious thinking about the next book & what Annie will have to do...

[Dev]

ok i guess i should go request a thread for the new one. i'll ask for it for next wednesday but we can get to whenever

[Cathy M.]

I re-read that crossroads scene and not sure why I thought that. He did hint that Thomas was still alive but I guess I just thought of it as he gave his life in order to save Alice's...

(Thru Chpt 11)(view spoiler)[Like Sally did for James (though i know that wasn't really the deal). Don't imagine that they'll be able to DESTROY the crossroads. I mean, it's everywhere and on a different plane of existence so can't see that actually happening. Not sure yet on whether I like James or not but interesting that he's like the opposite of Annie. But the more I read, the more I just love Fern and Cylia and especially Sam.

So I expected the crossroads thing to come to a head here but didn't think it would also be the Covenant *sigh* Damn them, wish they'd just go away so Annie could go home. I feel like she's grown a lot in these last 2 books so would like to see her with her family. But a little creepy that they've known where she was all along. Like the place in Ohio, and Leo knowing exactly where Annie was at that particular time.

So why exactly does the crossroads hate their family so much? Because they have power? I didn't really get that part, and I read it twice. (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

Finished yesterday and I don't think I've ever been as confused as with what happened in this one. (view spoiler)[Like the whole destroying the entity at the crossroads sort of didn't make sense to me. If she went into the past to destroy that entity before it took over the crossroads, that would be a huge change in history and would really cause a parallel world instead. Because how could that entity have been destroyed at the beginning, but the deals made still be in effect in the present? Wouldn't they have been reversed or never existed at all? I got lost so many times when they were taking about the different planes of existence and their whole plan.

With that being said though, I enjoyed this book as a whole. I ended up liking James as being the clueless new sidekick character. He has a LOT to learn! And love that Annie pretty much told him that she's adopting him into her family.

Leo. Ugh. Can't believe he actually "worked" with them in the end, but he'll be back sooner or later. I'm hoping for a little reprieve from the Covenant, and really looking forward to Sarah's book next! (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

i don't remember the specifics of the plot on this one but i do remember being very ??????? about it. agree that i hope the new one is slightly less covenant-y lol. also the new thread is up for whenever

[Cathy M.]

Yay, thanks Devann!

[Claudia]

I’m finished. And Cathy I agree this book made like no sense.
(view spoiler)[ The time travel made no sense. Like going back in time and stopping the evil thing from taking it over would rewrite history causing a paradox. Like I get she tried to resolve that by saying the crossroads let everything play out the way it had when it got taken over to avoid the paradox but that also made no sense. And the crossroad wiping the slate clean of all the current debts to start anew also made no sense. Apart from that, I enjoyed the book too. I spent the whole book wondering who was pregnant. I was happy to get the bonus novella at the end since it answered the question. I really liked James too. I’m so happy that he didn’t die. I was totally afraid we were going to be given a new character and then having him be killed off just as I started liking him. I’m also with you on Leo he is so slimy I can’t even. I’m glad he pissed off back to England but we know he’ll be back. (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

Claudia wrote: "I’m finished. And Cathy I agree this book made like no sense.
[spoilers removed]"

I thought it would be Shelby & Alex just because it just seemed more likely with them, and they see a little removed from the Price-Covenant drama. I can't see that happening with Verity & Dominic. At least not yet. But that reminds me - I still haven't finished that ss! Can't believe I forgot about it...

But I really wish (view spoiler)[that spirit/entity at the crossroads (the real one) could've brought back the people the evil one had taken. But then again, I bet SM will have a story of Alice reuniting with Thomas before the end of the series. That would be awesome! (hide spoiler)]