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Fates #8
Charming Blue
Once upon a time...he was the most handsome of princes. But now he's a lonely legend, hobbled by dark history. With too many dead in his wake, Bluebeard escapes through the evil spell of alcohol. But it's a far different kind of spell that's been ruining his life for centuries. Jodi Walters is a fixer, someone who can put magic back in order. But Blue has a problem she's never encountered. And worse, she finds herself perilously attracted to him.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
8 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
About the author
Kristine Grayson
53 books83 followersA pseudonym for Kristine Kathryn Rusch, other pseudonyms include:
Kris Nelscott
Kristine Dexter
Kris DeLake
Sandy Schofield
Kris Rusch
Kathryn Wesley
Kris Nelscott
Kristine Dexter
Kris DeLake
Sandy Schofield
Kris Rusch
Kathryn Wesley
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 4, 2012
The plot summary is easy: In modern-day Hollywood, Bluebeard is in rehab when someone using his likeness starts appearing in women's bedrooms. A fairy tale agent is asked to solve the problems.
The problem is that I think this story was supposed to be a romance...
Jodi is a daughter of chatelaines from the Fairytale Kingdoms who discovered when she came to the Greater World that her domestic goddess powers worked very well in Hollywood. So she set herself up as an agent and problem solver. When the story opens, Jodi has an incredibly organized assistant, a fancy car for cruising the highways, and a long list of established clients, almost all of whom are not human.
Then 'Tanker Bell (yes, related to Tink) shows up demanding help for her friend Bluebeard. Blue is in an alcoholic rehab joint, but at the same time is being reported as showing up in women's bedrooms as some kind of stalker. Tank wants Jodi to help prove Blue isn't the culprit, figure out what is going on, and stop the press from smearing Blue's name. Blue insists on helping with the investigation as a point of pride and awkward ownership of the problem. The book flips from the two main characters' perspectives as Blue and Jodi try not to admit that they are in love at first sight.
I wanted to like this book. I wanted to recommend this book. The characters are creatively conceived, the conversational interactions are sharp and deep, and how badly the Grimm Brothers smeared everyone's reputations in the storytelling is an intriguing and repeated theme. However, there are two problems with how this book was crafted. The first problem is that either we learn nothing at all about the magic going on, or we learn every little detail, sometimes for no plot-advancing reason. The second problem is that this plot doesn't seem to know if it is a fantasy romance or an urban fantasy/mystery, and in trying to be both, it accomplishes neither with any flair.
I picked it up because I offered to review it for www.geekspeakmagazine.com .
I recommend it to the voracious urban fantasy reader who is bored and easily amused.
The problem is that I think this story was supposed to be a romance...
Jodi is a daughter of chatelaines from the Fairytale Kingdoms who discovered when she came to the Greater World that her domestic goddess powers worked very well in Hollywood. So she set herself up as an agent and problem solver. When the story opens, Jodi has an incredibly organized assistant, a fancy car for cruising the highways, and a long list of established clients, almost all of whom are not human.
Then 'Tanker Bell (yes, related to Tink) shows up demanding help for her friend Bluebeard. Blue is in an alcoholic rehab joint, but at the same time is being reported as showing up in women's bedrooms as some kind of stalker. Tank wants Jodi to help prove Blue isn't the culprit, figure out what is going on, and stop the press from smearing Blue's name. Blue insists on helping with the investigation as a point of pride and awkward ownership of the problem. The book flips from the two main characters' perspectives as Blue and Jodi try not to admit that they are in love at first sight.
I wanted to like this book. I wanted to recommend this book. The characters are creatively conceived, the conversational interactions are sharp and deep, and how badly the Grimm Brothers smeared everyone's reputations in the storytelling is an intriguing and repeated theme. However, there are two problems with how this book was crafted. The first problem is that either we learn nothing at all about the magic going on, or we learn every little detail, sometimes for no plot-advancing reason. The second problem is that this plot doesn't seem to know if it is a fantasy romance or an urban fantasy/mystery, and in trying to be both, it accomplishes neither with any flair.
I picked it up because I offered to review it for www.geekspeakmagazine.com .
I recommend it to the voracious urban fantasy reader who is bored and easily amused.
September 3, 2012
Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...
If there’s one word that sums up this book, it’s originality. All too often paranormal stories start sounding the same, but this one took a different approach to a make believe world.
I enjoyed getting to know Jodi and Blue. The secondary characters were fun too, especially Tank who I hope gets her own story one of these days.
Charming Blue is part legend, part fairy tale which made me reminisce about my childhood and the fairy tales I enjoyed so much like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.
Ms. Grayson did a wonderful job of setting up this mythical world that on the one hand seems like our modern society but on the other it’s magical enough to immerse yourself totally into the world of make believe.
It’s a fun, unique read, and while the book might not be for every fan of paranormals, if you’re looking for something slightly different, I’d say give this one a read.
If there’s one word that sums up this book, it’s originality. All too often paranormal stories start sounding the same, but this one took a different approach to a make believe world.
I enjoyed getting to know Jodi and Blue. The secondary characters were fun too, especially Tank who I hope gets her own story one of these days.
Charming Blue is part legend, part fairy tale which made me reminisce about my childhood and the fairy tales I enjoyed so much like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.
Ms. Grayson did a wonderful job of setting up this mythical world that on the one hand seems like our modern society but on the other it’s magical enough to immerse yourself totally into the world of make believe.
It’s a fun, unique read, and while the book might not be for every fan of paranormals, if you’re looking for something slightly different, I’d say give this one a read.
August 11, 2014
2.5 stars.
I think it got off to a pretty good start, but the romance was almost nonexistent. Aside from the main characters making googly eyes and thinking how attractive each other is, basically nothing happens. They don't even kiss until the final couple chapters.
Instead, you get more of a magical mystery thriller and the reveal of the villain was anticlimactic because there's no way the reader would ever have figured it out. Plus, a majority of the book is dialogue. The chapters are short and choppy and end in needlessly dramatic proclamations / cliffhangers. If your chapters are essentially scene changes, then no need for the theatrics. The third person perspective shifts around between Blue and Jodi and occasionally it's difficult to figure out who is doing the thinking. Plus, many events become redundant because you view them from each perspective.
This book should've been a novella.
I think it got off to a pretty good start, but the romance was almost nonexistent. Aside from the main characters making googly eyes and thinking how attractive each other is, basically nothing happens. They don't even kiss until the final couple chapters.
Instead, you get more of a magical mystery thriller and the reveal of the villain was anticlimactic because there's no way the reader would ever have figured it out. Plus, a majority of the book is dialogue. The chapters are short and choppy and end in needlessly dramatic proclamations / cliffhangers. If your chapters are essentially scene changes, then no need for the theatrics. The third person perspective shifts around between Blue and Jodi and occasionally it's difficult to figure out who is doing the thinking. Plus, many events become redundant because you view them from each perspective.
This book should've been a novella.
August 29, 2012
Boring story for me and where is the romance?
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND SOURCEBOOKS FOR THE PREVIEW
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND SOURCEBOOKS FOR THE PREVIEW
July 25, 2019
A fun read. this is the second of the series I've read, and I'll read more of them. The two I've read have been romantic mysteries based on one of the romantic partners believing only the worst of him/herself.
In this one, Bluebeard is the Charming Blue. I love that Charming line, princes who have the charming magic that makes people think well of them. Blue has been in the Greater World for a long time now, alternating between drinking himself into as close to oblivion as he can manage and drying out so he can do it again. It's kept the curse at bay, until...
I like the way fairy tale and real world mix, and she writes the stories well. Sure, they're mostly predictable, but isn't that why we read fiction? We can count on the good guys winning, and we need that in life. Grayson write quite well, and her characters are well drawn. I like her.
In this one, Bluebeard is the Charming Blue. I love that Charming line, princes who have the charming magic that makes people think well of them. Blue has been in the Greater World for a long time now, alternating between drinking himself into as close to oblivion as he can manage and drying out so he can do it again. It's kept the curse at bay, until...
I like the way fairy tale and real world mix, and she writes the stories well. Sure, they're mostly predictable, but isn't that why we read fiction? We can count on the good guys winning, and we need that in life. Grayson write quite well, and her characters are well drawn. I like her.
Read
August 30, 2019I might come back to this, but in about 4 different sessions of picking up the book I couldn't get into it, until my lending period expired. I got through 3 other books in between tries. The first chunk of this was a lot of infodump, and I see here that this was book 8 in a series. Maybe I should start at the beginning?
December 20, 2023
Interesting interpretation of fairy tales/persons in this world. Character driven romance.
October 4, 2012
A delightful fractured fairy tale by talented author Kristine Grayson. Taken from my review at RomanceJunkies.com:
Jodi, a Hollywood agent, is originally from the Kingdoms, a fairy tale world, and a long line of chatelaines, the people who kept the castles and greater manor houses of the Kingdoms going. But being a modern woman, she did not want to manage someone else’s household. So she had fled to the Greater World, believing that modern ways would cause contention in the Kingdoms. However, much of her clientele is made up of refugees from the Kingdoms, believing they would find their dreams fulfilled in the Greater World, only to discover it is a stark and colorless place. Jodi has organizational magic and she can see auras, which helps her read magic. Most mortals think that Jodi is just a manager with some strange clients, but, in reality, she is also a fixer for all of Los Angeles County. If anyone magical gets in trouble, she becomes involved. That is how she got involved with The Fairy Tale Stalker, who has been appearing on the news lately.
Due to his drinking problem, Bluebeard has spent quite a bit of time in rehab. In fact, Tanker Belle, Tinker’s mean spirited cousin, and her posse have taken him there a few times this year themselves. He doesn’t even like alcohol or how it makes him feel, but he likes the alternative even less. To keep people away from him, he drinks to excess and goes without bathing for days on end. Then he practically bathes in Aqua Velva, ensuring that people do not get close enough to smell his own natural odor from not bathing. But at rehab, he feels safe, so he can indulge in bathing, sometimes two or three times a day. The staff have also made sure to provide him with unscented soap and shampoo, though that precaution is not necessary here where he is safe. Known for killing his wives and beheading them, there is now someone emulating him in the news, threatening women with beheadings.
Bluebeard wishes that hands could be healed, especially hands that had performed horrendous feats, as his have done. He wants to go back to the days before the murders, when he had been a Charming, back to the days when he was a prince. He hasn’t spent time alone with a woman in a long time, especially while sober. So he does not want to meet with Jodi, even though Dr. Hargrove has assured him that the visit will be monitored to keep anything from going wrong. Rehab is one place where he can be himself and he likes it there. So he agrees to meet with Jodi to keep from being kicked out.
It is only as a favor to Tanker Belle that Jodi is going to see him in her capacity as a fixer. Besides, doing a favor for a fairy is a rare thing, since they do not like to be indebted to anyone, and very valuable. Jodi does not even like Bluebeard, but she understands why he left the Kingdoms to come to the Greater World, where serial killers are more common. However, Tanker seems to see some good in him. Descended from the Charming ancestral line, Bluebeard has a way of charming women, or so it is claimed, although Jodi does not believe it nor does she find him charming. Or at least she did not find him that way until she meets him again in his cleaned up, sober form. He is absolutely stunning and she can see how he had had fifteen wives.
Upon meeting her, Bluebeard violates his own rule and looks at her. She is beautiful, but he has vowed to never look at another woman, to keep her out of his mind, which cannot be trusted. He knows his mind will fixate on her and take over, leaving him no memory of the actual murder as he commits horrible acts…acts he never wants to do again.
But when Jodi experiences a visitation during the night, she begins to question whether Bluebeard is the murderer he believes he is, or is it a curse? But when Bluebeard looked at her, he reactivated the curse, so will she be the next woman to die? Together, can Jodi and Tank put an end to the curse before it is too late?
One of talented author Kristine Grayson’s fractured fairy tale stories; CHARMING BLUE is a modern day take on a combination Blue Beard and Prince Charming. The mixture of an original, intriguing plot and amazing fairy tale characters set in a Hollywood setting was captivating. This is the first story I have read by author Kristine Grayson, but I do not plan for it to be my last. Although it is not my usual type of story, I enjoyed it immensely. Filled with an original, intriguing plot, mystery, magic, fairy tale characters, surprising plot twists, clever banter and light romance, this story forced me to look at fairy tales in an entirely different light. I recommend it highly and look forward to more of Ms. Grayson’s works. With the story being a blend of contemporary romance, fairy tale, mystery and the paranormal, it should appeal to readers of various genres. Do not miss it!
Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com
Jodi, a Hollywood agent, is originally from the Kingdoms, a fairy tale world, and a long line of chatelaines, the people who kept the castles and greater manor houses of the Kingdoms going. But being a modern woman, she did not want to manage someone else’s household. So she had fled to the Greater World, believing that modern ways would cause contention in the Kingdoms. However, much of her clientele is made up of refugees from the Kingdoms, believing they would find their dreams fulfilled in the Greater World, only to discover it is a stark and colorless place. Jodi has organizational magic and she can see auras, which helps her read magic. Most mortals think that Jodi is just a manager with some strange clients, but, in reality, she is also a fixer for all of Los Angeles County. If anyone magical gets in trouble, she becomes involved. That is how she got involved with The Fairy Tale Stalker, who has been appearing on the news lately.
Due to his drinking problem, Bluebeard has spent quite a bit of time in rehab. In fact, Tanker Belle, Tinker’s mean spirited cousin, and her posse have taken him there a few times this year themselves. He doesn’t even like alcohol or how it makes him feel, but he likes the alternative even less. To keep people away from him, he drinks to excess and goes without bathing for days on end. Then he practically bathes in Aqua Velva, ensuring that people do not get close enough to smell his own natural odor from not bathing. But at rehab, he feels safe, so he can indulge in bathing, sometimes two or three times a day. The staff have also made sure to provide him with unscented soap and shampoo, though that precaution is not necessary here where he is safe. Known for killing his wives and beheading them, there is now someone emulating him in the news, threatening women with beheadings.
Bluebeard wishes that hands could be healed, especially hands that had performed horrendous feats, as his have done. He wants to go back to the days before the murders, when he had been a Charming, back to the days when he was a prince. He hasn’t spent time alone with a woman in a long time, especially while sober. So he does not want to meet with Jodi, even though Dr. Hargrove has assured him that the visit will be monitored to keep anything from going wrong. Rehab is one place where he can be himself and he likes it there. So he agrees to meet with Jodi to keep from being kicked out.
It is only as a favor to Tanker Belle that Jodi is going to see him in her capacity as a fixer. Besides, doing a favor for a fairy is a rare thing, since they do not like to be indebted to anyone, and very valuable. Jodi does not even like Bluebeard, but she understands why he left the Kingdoms to come to the Greater World, where serial killers are more common. However, Tanker seems to see some good in him. Descended from the Charming ancestral line, Bluebeard has a way of charming women, or so it is claimed, although Jodi does not believe it nor does she find him charming. Or at least she did not find him that way until she meets him again in his cleaned up, sober form. He is absolutely stunning and she can see how he had had fifteen wives.
Upon meeting her, Bluebeard violates his own rule and looks at her. She is beautiful, but he has vowed to never look at another woman, to keep her out of his mind, which cannot be trusted. He knows his mind will fixate on her and take over, leaving him no memory of the actual murder as he commits horrible acts…acts he never wants to do again.
But when Jodi experiences a visitation during the night, she begins to question whether Bluebeard is the murderer he believes he is, or is it a curse? But when Bluebeard looked at her, he reactivated the curse, so will she be the next woman to die? Together, can Jodi and Tank put an end to the curse before it is too late?
One of talented author Kristine Grayson’s fractured fairy tale stories; CHARMING BLUE is a modern day take on a combination Blue Beard and Prince Charming. The mixture of an original, intriguing plot and amazing fairy tale characters set in a Hollywood setting was captivating. This is the first story I have read by author Kristine Grayson, but I do not plan for it to be my last. Although it is not my usual type of story, I enjoyed it immensely. Filled with an original, intriguing plot, mystery, magic, fairy tale characters, surprising plot twists, clever banter and light romance, this story forced me to look at fairy tales in an entirely different light. I recommend it highly and look forward to more of Ms. Grayson’s works. With the story being a blend of contemporary romance, fairy tale, mystery and the paranormal, it should appeal to readers of various genres. Do not miss it!
Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com
August 9, 2012
4.5 Stars
I literally did a happy dance when I saw that Kristine Grayson's new book in the Fates series was available on NetGalley and I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. That said, if you're looking for alpha males, this book will not be for you. If you're looking for steamy romance, this book is not for you either. Since I'm kind of tired of those two things at the moment, Charming Blue hit all the right spots for me.
It's a light clean romance with a tortured hero who is a genuinely nice guy, and I like that. I'm sick of gorgeous assholes as main love interests! I want to read about gorgeous nice guys because they DO exist, you know, and just as interesting to read about. Blue is one of those guys. He spent hundreds of years hiding from the world because of the crimes he committed (or had he?, but the hiding is over now. He is forced to reconcile with his past that he had tried to escape for years, and it's not an easy feat.
Jodi was great in her own right. I liked how she didn't loose her head to the attraction she felt for Blue, and was still able to think clearly enough to try and solve his mystery problem. She took charge, knew her strengths and limits, and was able to take care of things.
Tank was a special treat, and probably my favorite character in the whole book. Ramon was the token gay character, and while he was great, I wish there would be less stereotypical gay characters that just end up being the same type in every book.
The pacing of the story was fairly fast considering that the whole book takes place in less than 5 days. There is a great mystery there and I was dying to know what really happened to Blue and why. Whatever it was, it did take me by surprise and I've enjoyed how the whole thing played out, although I wish there was more to the 'why' part. I didn't really get the reasons of the Big Bad, and I wish Grayson would have gone into more detail about that. Actually, I would have liked to see more of the Big Bad period. There were some other minor questions that I've had, and I *think* they did get answered, but again, I wasn't clear on that either.
There wasn't that much time spent on the world building, probably because this is the #8 in the series. I've only read two other books in the series (I actually didn't even realize there were THAT many books until very recently), but I wasn't lost or wondering what's going on. Other characters from previous books were mentioned or made an appearance, but this book could be read as standalone without a problem.
Overall, it was a great read and I couldn't put it down! I recommend it to anyone who likes clean romance, or who is tired of their usual steamy reads.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
I literally did a happy dance when I saw that Kristine Grayson's new book in the Fates series was available on NetGalley and I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. That said, if you're looking for alpha males, this book will not be for you. If you're looking for steamy romance, this book is not for you either. Since I'm kind of tired of those two things at the moment, Charming Blue hit all the right spots for me.
It's a light clean romance with a tortured hero who is a genuinely nice guy, and I like that. I'm sick of gorgeous assholes as main love interests! I want to read about gorgeous nice guys because they DO exist, you know, and just as interesting to read about. Blue is one of those guys. He spent hundreds of years hiding from the world because of the crimes he committed (or had he?, but the hiding is over now. He is forced to reconcile with his past that he had tried to escape for years, and it's not an easy feat.
Jodi was great in her own right. I liked how she didn't loose her head to the attraction she felt for Blue, and was still able to think clearly enough to try and solve his mystery problem. She took charge, knew her strengths and limits, and was able to take care of things.
Tank was a special treat, and probably my favorite character in the whole book. Ramon was the token gay character, and while he was great, I wish there would be less stereotypical gay characters that just end up being the same type in every book.
The pacing of the story was fairly fast considering that the whole book takes place in less than 5 days. There is a great mystery there and I was dying to know what really happened to Blue and why. Whatever it was, it did take me by surprise and I've enjoyed how the whole thing played out, although I wish there was more to the 'why' part. I didn't really get the reasons of the Big Bad, and I wish Grayson would have gone into more detail about that. Actually, I would have liked to see more of the Big Bad period. There were some other minor questions that I've had, and I *think* they did get answered, but again, I wasn't clear on that either.
There wasn't that much time spent on the world building, probably because this is the #8 in the series. I've only read two other books in the series (I actually didn't even realize there were THAT many books until very recently), but I wasn't lost or wondering what's going on. Other characters from previous books were mentioned or made an appearance, but this book could be read as standalone without a problem.
Overall, it was a great read and I couldn't put it down! I recommend it to anyone who likes clean romance, or who is tired of their usual steamy reads.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
March 20, 2013
If Grayson had taken this and the previous novel in the Fate series and created them as an original series then this book would have been seriously impressive however where as in the last novel she had nothing to connect it to the Fates series in this one she tried to force connections to the original Fates novels by contradicting truths she created in them which for me as a reader is an extreme turn off and seriously detracts from the novel in a major way. Alex Blackstone, mentioned as one of the Charming Princes in this novels was in his own novel not a prince at all but a Mage who in creating a spell to try to save his beloved's life ended up imprisoning her in a coma for a thousand years, but in this novel he's a prince from one of the kingdoms and Emma Lost AKA Sleeping Beauty who appears in the first trilogy of the Fate series is a princess when in her own stories she was an unwanted apprentice to a wicked female Mage. This book serves to do nothing but mutilate the histories of characters the author herself created and histories the author herself established. As someone who has read every novel in the Fates Series in order grouped together over a matter of days I can't help but feel betrayed as a reader when a writer changes her own story and the rules of the world she created. Wickedly Charming and Charming Blue, the 7th and 8th novels in this series are entirely different concepts and worlds to the first six novels. Had they been presented as a separate series they'd have been an enjoyable concept reminiscent of Once without the curses, but altering a pre-established fictional world to continue as a series that already had a satisfactory ending just to use the established series to increase sales does nothing for me but disappointment as a reader. It's NOT the name of the series that keeps people buying a writer's books it's the writer's originality and talent Grayson should have trusted her readers to pick up a different and original series by her rather than trying to lump them into an already established series where they don't belong. The book was also less a romance and more an Urban Fairy tale/Fantasy with Thriller like elements. The attraction between the two characters was there but not much in the way of a love story. If Grayson is going to keep mutilating her own work just to keep all her books part of the same series to increase sales, I for one won't be one of the ones purchasing them.
September 17, 2012
wanted to read Charming Blue because I discovered she's one of my dads favorite science fiction writers under a different name, and I thought how cool would it be for us to read the same author?? What I didn't realize though, was that this was book 8 in a series. I normally hate reading the last book in a series first, but you know what? This worked great as a stand alone. I'm sure it would've helped knowing a bit more about the other characters who were obviously from other books, but I felt like I didn't miss anything by not reading the first seven books.
What made the book happen for me was Blue. He was so heartbreakingly sad that I just wanted to wrap him in a big bear hug the whole entire time I was reading the book. I loved watching him gradually come out of his shell, and I loved the chemistry he and Jodi had as they worked together to figure out the mystery of who is threatening to kill girls in Bluebeards name. This was just a sweet romance, and while a little more heat would have been nice it was refreshing to read a book where there was passion, chemistry & sizzle without the actual sizzle.
While I loved Blue, I had a really hard time connecting to Jodi. I thought her magic was interesting, and that she came from a long line of chatelaines, but I felt like we never were told why she left the kingdoms to come to this realm and it seemed like every time something got hard she used her magic & I'm not sure why that bothered me so much, but it did.
The mystery involved in the book was delightful as well. I loved trying to figure out who was behind everything, and the only thing that I was disappointed by & made me rate this a three was that the ending felt a rushed. I felt like there was so much lead up to what happened that the solution just came to easy.
Even though I had some problems with solutions coming too easily to Jodi & Blue, I loved the world this book was set in, and would like to read more of the series to see if some of what bothered me in this book was solved in those earlier books.
What made the book happen for me was Blue. He was so heartbreakingly sad that I just wanted to wrap him in a big bear hug the whole entire time I was reading the book. I loved watching him gradually come out of his shell, and I loved the chemistry he and Jodi had as they worked together to figure out the mystery of who is threatening to kill girls in Bluebeards name. This was just a sweet romance, and while a little more heat would have been nice it was refreshing to read a book where there was passion, chemistry & sizzle without the actual sizzle.
While I loved Blue, I had a really hard time connecting to Jodi. I thought her magic was interesting, and that she came from a long line of chatelaines, but I felt like we never were told why she left the kingdoms to come to this realm and it seemed like every time something got hard she used her magic & I'm not sure why that bothered me so much, but it did.
The mystery involved in the book was delightful as well. I loved trying to figure out who was behind everything, and the only thing that I was disappointed by & made me rate this a three was that the ending felt a rushed. I felt like there was so much lead up to what happened that the solution just came to easy.
Even though I had some problems with solutions coming too easily to Jodi & Blue, I loved the world this book was set in, and would like to read more of the series to see if some of what bothered me in this book was solved in those earlier books.
August 31, 2012
Charming Blue by Kristine Grayson is a contemporary romance with mystery and urban fantasy elements scheduled for release on September 1 2012. Jodi Walters is a fixer. She left behind a life in the world of fairy tale and magic to live here. She now handles the problems of other individuals from her home, finds them work, and helps them survive in our world. Bluebeard was once a Prince Charming, until young women started dying around him. He fled his home to drown himself in alcohol in our world, so that he would not hurt anyone else. However, someone is appearing to women and following the pattern that the deaths originally attributed to Bluebeard followed and the mystery of old deaths and the new stalker must be solved. If Jodi and Blue do not solve the mystery in time Jodi just might be the next to die.
Charming Blue was a fun and delightful read. I am a fan of fairytale and legends, and love to see new twists on classic tales. This book did a great job of taking familiar characters and stories and making them new. The characters had very distinctive personalities, and even the secondary characters were well fleshed out. I also enjoyed that while there might have been instant attraction between Jodi and Blue, the romance moved forward at a slow pace and left plenty of room for character development and the underlying mystery to play their part. Apparently, this is the eight book in a series (Fates) but at no point did I feel lost or like I was missing something. My only complaint is that I would have liked more detail about the bad guy, I felt like that was the only character that I do not understand. I wanted to know more about him and how he came to be a bad guy.
Charming Blue was a very entertaining read. If you like Kristine Grayson you will like this new release. If you like a romance with a strong woman and a genuinely nice guy, and a touch of magic, you will love this book. If you are looking for hot and steamy, then you will want to pass, this is definitely rated PG.
Charming Blue was a fun and delightful read. I am a fan of fairytale and legends, and love to see new twists on classic tales. This book did a great job of taking familiar characters and stories and making them new. The characters had very distinctive personalities, and even the secondary characters were well fleshed out. I also enjoyed that while there might have been instant attraction between Jodi and Blue, the romance moved forward at a slow pace and left plenty of room for character development and the underlying mystery to play their part. Apparently, this is the eight book in a series (Fates) but at no point did I feel lost or like I was missing something. My only complaint is that I would have liked more detail about the bad guy, I felt like that was the only character that I do not understand. I wanted to know more about him and how he came to be a bad guy.
Charming Blue was a very entertaining read. If you like Kristine Grayson you will like this new release. If you like a romance with a strong woman and a genuinely nice guy, and a touch of magic, you will love this book. If you are looking for hot and steamy, then you will want to pass, this is definitely rated PG.
August 27, 2012
Although this is book #8 in a series, it is the first book I have read by this author.
Its a modern day world in which this story is set, with 'fairytale' characters happily living amongst us trying to fit in. But not everything is all rosy because they have 'fixers' like Jodi to run to for help.
I'm sorry but I found the characters weak and unlikeable.
Jodi is a boring, ageless, up-her-self châtelaine who I didn't connect with, I just did not like her - at all. She moaned and groaned her way through the entire book. I wanted to tell her to make a run for it - if you're so damn unhappy, leave, but for crying out loud stop complaining!
And Blue wasn't much better. He is a weak-kneed, down trodden, wet dish cloth - definitely not a hero to lust after.
There really wasn't any depth to the story, and other than their initial attraction there isn't any romance to speak off.
The blurb reads "she finds herself perilously attracted to him"
Perilously implies danger, what danger?...oh you mean when see looked in his eyes and thought "Oh he's so charming, he's charming me with his eyes, I mustn't look, Oh my" or did you mean he was dangerous because he's the killer Bluebeard?
There were no overly heated looks, touches, thoughts...in fact; there wasn't anything hot or dangerous about either of them to speak off at all. And the ending to the mystery was so unsatisfying and so underwhelming, so what? who? when? it just didn't make a whole lot of sense.
The whole book was just too full of holes and plot letdowns, and to top it all off; it suddenly ended with Jodi being madly in love with Blue and they live HEA - yep, okay, whatever.
Kristine Grayson has a writing style that flows well and is easy to read, however I found the world building weak, the story was down right boring, and the character development shallow at best.
(an overly generous) 2 Star read :|
Its a modern day world in which this story is set, with 'fairytale' characters happily living amongst us trying to fit in. But not everything is all rosy because they have 'fixers' like Jodi to run to for help.
I'm sorry but I found the characters weak and unlikeable.
Jodi is a boring, ageless, up-her-self châtelaine who I didn't connect with, I just did not like her - at all. She moaned and groaned her way through the entire book. I wanted to tell her to make a run for it - if you're so damn unhappy, leave, but for crying out loud stop complaining!
And Blue wasn't much better. He is a weak-kneed, down trodden, wet dish cloth - definitely not a hero to lust after.
There really wasn't any depth to the story, and other than their initial attraction there isn't any romance to speak off.
The blurb reads "she finds herself perilously attracted to him"
Perilously implies danger, what danger?...oh you mean when see looked in his eyes and thought "Oh he's so charming, he's charming me with his eyes, I mustn't look, Oh my" or did you mean he was dangerous because he's the killer Bluebeard?
There were no overly heated looks, touches, thoughts...in fact; there wasn't anything hot or dangerous about either of them to speak off at all. And the ending to the mystery was so unsatisfying and so underwhelming, so what? who? when? it just didn't make a whole lot of sense.
The whole book was just too full of holes and plot letdowns, and to top it all off; it suddenly ended with Jodi being madly in love with Blue and they live HEA - yep, okay, whatever.
Kristine Grayson has a writing style that flows well and is easy to read, however I found the world building weak, the story was down right boring, and the character development shallow at best.
(an overly generous) 2 Star read :|
September 2, 2012
This was an interesting take on Bluebeard.
Jodi has been in our world for a very long time doing what her magic does best... fixing things. She works in Hollywood as a talent agent but in reality does so much more for the magical community. She is asked by Tank (I loved Tank) a fairy to help her friend Blue out of a bad situation. You see there is a stalker that is claiming to be Bluebeard while frightening women in the middle of the night by appearing in their rooms. Jodi is understandably skeptical because you know.. Bluebeard did kill 15+ women and keeping their heads.... I mean just cause she didn't witness any of the killings the fact that he is always drunk, disgusting and soaked in Aqua Velva should be enough to say No. Tank has a way though so Jodi heads to meet Blue to see if there is any truth in Tank's beliefs.
Blue... I loved the heartbreak that is Blue. He's in rehab when we meet him and discover he really isn't the monster people make him out to be nor is he the killer even he beleives himself to be. He's such a sweetheart in this and you just want to hug him until this all goes away. I loved watching him open up as he is forced to actually see everything that happened and look at items without the burden of guilt. He is hundreds of years old and never had sex. Poor dear... he cleans up nicely though and is willing to trust Jodi while at the same time not wanting her to be hurt. He's an all around nice guy and I was happy to see him come in to his own by the end of the book although I wish it had been much much longer just so I could have more of him.
All in all this was a sweet story with no sex but a lot of tension. Give this a quick shot as I don't think you'll be sorry.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley.com for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
Jodi has been in our world for a very long time doing what her magic does best... fixing things. She works in Hollywood as a talent agent but in reality does so much more for the magical community. She is asked by Tank (I loved Tank) a fairy to help her friend Blue out of a bad situation. You see there is a stalker that is claiming to be Bluebeard while frightening women in the middle of the night by appearing in their rooms. Jodi is understandably skeptical because you know.. Bluebeard did kill 15+ women and keeping their heads.... I mean just cause she didn't witness any of the killings the fact that he is always drunk, disgusting and soaked in Aqua Velva should be enough to say No. Tank has a way though so Jodi heads to meet Blue to see if there is any truth in Tank's beliefs.
Blue... I loved the heartbreak that is Blue. He's in rehab when we meet him and discover he really isn't the monster people make him out to be nor is he the killer even he beleives himself to be. He's such a sweetheart in this and you just want to hug him until this all goes away. I loved watching him open up as he is forced to actually see everything that happened and look at items without the burden of guilt. He is hundreds of years old and never had sex. Poor dear... he cleans up nicely though and is willing to trust Jodi while at the same time not wanting her to be hurt. He's an all around nice guy and I was happy to see him come in to his own by the end of the book although I wish it had been much much longer just so I could have more of him.
All in all this was a sweet story with no sex but a lot of tension. Give this a quick shot as I don't think you'll be sorry.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley.com for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
December 27, 2012
Have you ever heard the tale of BlueBeard the pirate ? The one where he cut off the heads of everyone he loved and put them on display for the next loved one to see before her very death which would follow shortly after ?
Are you a fan of fairytale renditions and fractured tales at that ? As those who read my blog The Phantom Paragrapher would know that I am a rendition lover, I don't mind the originals but for me the renditions are way better - well most of the time they are anyway.
Just recently, I discovered a new author and have decided to make my way through all her books and the first one was Charming Blue . In Charming Blue we meet Jodie , she is a Magic Agent in the "Greater World" which is Earth, she works as a fixer on behalf of all those who come from the Kingdoms- which is the magic world. It seems that there is a stalker on the loose , threatning to kill women and the stalker is using the age-old tale of Bluebeard the pirate. Jodie has been approached by Tank - Tinkerbell's cousin to help clear Blue aka Bluebeard's name as she knows he's not really the Fairy Tale Stalker. Can Jodie help clear Blue's name and find out what is happening ? What will happen when she discovers that what is really going on is an age old centuries long curse ? Can she use her power and with the help of magical friends crack the curse ? In doing this will she be able to provide Blue with a real "Happily -Ever-After" in the Greater World or is the saying true when it says that "only in books are there happily ever afters".
Find out in Charming Blue - Book #8 of the Fates series and trust me once you have read this book, you will be hooked on Kristine Grayson's writings and like me - you will make it one of your life missions to complete her booklist :)
Are you a fan of fairytale renditions and fractured tales at that ? As those who read my blog The Phantom Paragrapher would know that I am a rendition lover, I don't mind the originals but for me the renditions are way better - well most of the time they are anyway.
Just recently, I discovered a new author and have decided to make my way through all her books and the first one was Charming Blue . In Charming Blue we meet Jodie , she is a Magic Agent in the "Greater World" which is Earth, she works as a fixer on behalf of all those who come from the Kingdoms- which is the magic world. It seems that there is a stalker on the loose , threatning to kill women and the stalker is using the age-old tale of Bluebeard the pirate. Jodie has been approached by Tank - Tinkerbell's cousin to help clear Blue aka Bluebeard's name as she knows he's not really the Fairy Tale Stalker. Can Jodie help clear Blue's name and find out what is happening ? What will happen when she discovers that what is really going on is an age old centuries long curse ? Can she use her power and with the help of magical friends crack the curse ? In doing this will she be able to provide Blue with a real "Happily -Ever-After" in the Greater World or is the saying true when it says that "only in books are there happily ever afters".
Find out in Charming Blue - Book #8 of the Fates series and trust me once you have read this book, you will be hooked on Kristine Grayson's writings and like me - you will make it one of your life missions to complete her booklist :)
October 10, 2012
New stories based on childhood fairy tales can be a huge thing to take on for an author. Sometimes they work and other times they fall. They can be as wonderful and mesmerizing as Cinderella and Snow White. Other times they can be like Humpty Dumpty on that wall on the edge of great that unfortunately loses it's balance and becomes a mess for the reader. Authors have to know how to balance perfectly between long time readers and new readers. We all have our favorite fairy tale and trying to change them can cause many opinions across the grid for readers and fans. Kristine Grayson seems to be able to handle this task without disappointing the reader.
I will say that Kristine Grayson and her works have been hit and miss with me. I have enjoyed some of her books, but others have not been as enjoyable. Charming Blue seems to fall in the middle of this spectrum. While I loved the plot and the characters -- including the secondary ones -- I had a really hard time getting into it. Every time I set the book down for a bit I seemed to forget what had happened before. It just wasn't memorable enough to keep me infatuated with the story. It was one to pass the time, but not one that left me with the "must read now" pull that other books have given me. For lack of better words, it didn't have the 'magic' I was expecting.
Again, while the plot and characters were fun and entertaining, it wasn't enough to keep the story flowing at a great pace. It was slow and ho-hum. While it may be another miss in this readers eyes, I still will continue reading the works this author creates because I am a sucker for fairy tale stories!
I will say that Kristine Grayson and her works have been hit and miss with me. I have enjoyed some of her books, but others have not been as enjoyable. Charming Blue seems to fall in the middle of this spectrum. While I loved the plot and the characters -- including the secondary ones -- I had a really hard time getting into it. Every time I set the book down for a bit I seemed to forget what had happened before. It just wasn't memorable enough to keep me infatuated with the story. It was one to pass the time, but not one that left me with the "must read now" pull that other books have given me. For lack of better words, it didn't have the 'magic' I was expecting.
Again, while the plot and characters were fun and entertaining, it wasn't enough to keep the story flowing at a great pace. It was slow and ho-hum. While it may be another miss in this readers eyes, I still will continue reading the works this author creates because I am a sucker for fairy tale stories!
September 4, 2012
Once upon a time......., this is one fairytale that is okay but a bit stuffy fluff. Our hero is a bit too scared witless and our heroine is okay but try as she might she can't carry the story on her own. If you really like fluffy that this is got much more than you can hope for. Me, I like to have a bit of macho in my men even the timid ones.
The story is of Bluebeard and his legendary evil in the murdering of wives and mistresses and keeping their heads. Well that was in the past at least but now there is a copy cat out there and it is up to Tank, Tinkerbell's sister, and Jodi to try and find out who this copy cat is and try and clear Bluebeard from his notorious past due to a deadly spell.
I truly think if the hero had a bit more backbone the story might have been able to be pulled off without a hitch. It's just not my cup of tea to see a man as charming as Bluebeard is and as beautiful as he is be such a wuss! Our heroine is doing her part even handling Tank the cantankerous fairy without having to carry off most of the story line. This really just wasn't for me as I'm not a lover of something this far out.
The story is of Bluebeard and his legendary evil in the murdering of wives and mistresses and keeping their heads. Well that was in the past at least but now there is a copy cat out there and it is up to Tank, Tinkerbell's sister, and Jodi to try and find out who this copy cat is and try and clear Bluebeard from his notorious past due to a deadly spell.
I truly think if the hero had a bit more backbone the story might have been able to be pulled off without a hitch. It's just not my cup of tea to see a man as charming as Bluebeard is and as beautiful as he is be such a wuss! Our heroine is doing her part even handling Tank the cantankerous fairy without having to carry off most of the story line. This really just wasn't for me as I'm not a lover of something this far out.
July 8, 2012
Jodi is a magical fixer, working in Hollywood. When a fairy tale stalker appears in the bedrooms of women and claiming to be Bluebeard, she must seek out the first serial killer in Kingdom history. But Blue isn't what she expected, and there may be more to his story than she thought.
It's rare that an alcoholic serial killer is the romantic lead in a romance novel, but I liked it. Jodi has a very specific skill set, and this problem dovetailed perfectly (perhaps too perfectly) in what she does. Having her get to the bottom of both problems and do what she does best (fix it) was more interesting than I thought. I also liked Blue, who is very realistic and had come up with a fairly successful strategy to prevent any more dead women. The villainous reveal came out of nowhere (there's not really any way we could have suspected who it was), which was the only weakness I saw.
It's rare that an alcoholic serial killer is the romantic lead in a romance novel, but I liked it. Jodi has a very specific skill set, and this problem dovetailed perfectly (perhaps too perfectly) in what she does. Having her get to the bottom of both problems and do what she does best (fix it) was more interesting than I thought. I also liked Blue, who is very realistic and had come up with a fairly successful strategy to prevent any more dead women. The villainous reveal came out of nowhere (there's not really any way we could have suspected who it was), which was the only weakness I saw.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2012
I was so excited when I received Charming Blue. I had already read Thoroughly Kissed in the Fates series and I just loved it. So without reading the synopsis I knew I would enjoy this one.
I wish I could say that was true. The plot is a good one and I like the fairy tale twist but it was so slow. It was hard for me to pick it up whenever I put it down. The characters didn’t have any depth. For me Blue is just not hero material. Yes he is a nice guy that has been through a lot. Unfortunately he became a alcoholic and just seemed a little on the wimpy side.
What I did like was that this was a very PG clean. There are not many books out there that are and I am really impressed by that. Even though this wasn’t my favorite book, I will be finishing this series.
I wish I could say that was true. The plot is a good one and I like the fairy tale twist but it was so slow. It was hard for me to pick it up whenever I put it down. The characters didn’t have any depth. For me Blue is just not hero material. Yes he is a nice guy that has been through a lot. Unfortunately he became a alcoholic and just seemed a little on the wimpy side.
What I did like was that this was a very PG clean. There are not many books out there that are and I am really impressed by that. Even though this wasn’t my favorite book, I will be finishing this series.
July 20, 2015
I just love the twists this author puts on fairy tales we all loved as kids. Now we have the same ones(kind of), now tailored for our grown up selfs. Who would have thought blue beard to be so charming, I could wait to read his story, you get to see him in other books, and hes just a dirty drunk. Though I totally loved this book, I didn't find it to be overly romantic. But the story was awesome, its very interesting and fun to read, to hear about fairy tale creatures and their not so happily every after's. In this story see a lot of tanker bell, not tinker bell, tanker bell is a not so nice version of tinker bell, I found tank to be very funny. Look forward to reading more from this author.
August 30, 2014
What a wonderful modern twist on an old Grimms' fairytale! I loved every minute and kept hooked, wondering how it would end. Usually I read the end fairly quickly then turn back and read from the beginning. But this time, I kept turning the pages until I was finished and experienced the surprising ending. Oh, my, so satisfying. I of course, wanted another story right away! I had recently read Wickedly Charming and smiled through it, feeling so much sympathy for the main character. In this Charming Blue story, I was totally charmed by Blue! And Jodi is such a fascinating woman - hopefully she'll turn up in more stories. Can I believe in such un-fairy stories when they turn out so well?? Oh yes! Thank you Kristine K. Rusch/Grayson - for such an interesting novel happily ever after.
July 2, 2012
A cute story but very PG, so if you’re looking for a full on romance novel this isn’t it. There was barely any kissing and no sex. Although the character’s are grown up, it really feels more YA. I love the twist on Blue Beard and that our heroine is a light skinned black woman. I wish the author just out right said that instead of dancing around the subject, by describing her as cafe au lait and having struggled “because of the color of her skin” in the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s. The character’s are fun and lovable, and the stakes set by the bad guy are high. I would read past novel’s in this series, and look forward to future stories.
September 29, 2013
This book is burdened with a rather unfortunate cover. Despite the half-naked man, this books fails all my litmus tests for a trashy romance novel. It's a mystery novel with nothing stronger than deep eye contact, hugs, and a few kisses.
There is some interesting world building though, and the whole story takes place in a fairytale infested Hollywood that reminds me of the Meredith Gentry novels, without all of the baby making. To my slight disappointment. The ending of this was abrupt and a little to pat for my taste, but I would probably read more in the series if they become available from the library.
There is some interesting world building though, and the whole story takes place in a fairytale infested Hollywood that reminds me of the Meredith Gentry novels, without all of the baby making. To my slight disappointment. The ending of this was abrupt and a little to pat for my taste, but I would probably read more in the series if they become available from the library.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
December 29, 2012i have 369 pages of actual story, with the first chapter of Wickedly Charming its 377.
gave up. the characters were not that interesting to me. i did read the end and have no desire to find out how they got there. not sure if series has jumped the shark or if i need the ones between this one and the others i've read for continuity and/or world enhancement. think bluebeard and jodi just weren't doing it for me.
gave up. the characters were not that interesting to me. i did read the end and have no desire to find out how they got there. not sure if series has jumped the shark or if i need the ones between this one and the others i've read for continuity and/or world enhancement. think bluebeard and jodi just weren't doing it for me.
November 16, 2014
3.5* (rounded up to 4)
This series has been hit and miss for me. I liked this fairy tale retelling. I liked the secondary characters Tank (and her purple fairy farts) and Ramon. The mystery of what is going one gets solved satisfactorily. The romance is very light; nothing happens on that front until the end of the book. (Which has been typical of this series).
This series has been hit and miss for me. I liked this fairy tale retelling. I liked the secondary characters Tank (and her purple fairy farts) and Ramon. The mystery of what is going one gets solved satisfactorily. The romance is very light; nothing happens on that front until the end of the book. (Which has been typical of this series).
July 28, 2013
3.5 Only because the romance was a little flat and the culprit in the end just didn't seem to match up with the magnitude of the crime. Incredibly creative author. I love the way she mixed magic with popular culture and the plot itself was quite a ride. Thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to her work.
August 8, 2012
reviews for RT Book Reviews September issue: http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/charming-blue
July 31, 2012
A twist on the fairy tales we grew up on. I liked Jasper Fforde's stories better than this. It is a light chick lit romance if that is what you are looking for!
Want to read
August 31, 2012Fun mystery, believable characters, great climax--a Good Book!
Read
October 11, 2012review pending (yeah I know I have a few to post)
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