Staying Dead

by Laura Anne Gilman | Science Fiction & Fantasy |
ISBN: 0373802099 Global Overview for this book
Registered by Pyan of Menasha, Wisconsin USA on 3/20/2005
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13 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Pyan from Menasha, Wisconsin USA on Sunday, March 20, 2005
Purchased as a gift for my Spring Flingee.

Journal Entry 2 by Pyan at on Friday, March 25, 2005

Released 19 yrs ago (3/25/2005 UTC) at

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Enjoy!

Journal Entry 3 by Kyrissaean from Littleton, New Hampshire USA on Monday, May 2, 2005
How'd you know?!? This is one of the books from my wish list that's been calling to me the most lately! Thank you so much, Pyan! I can't wait to read it!

Journal Entry 4 by Kyrissaean from Littleton, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, May 15, 2005
From the back of the book:


Manhattan's nightlife just got weirder...

It starts as a simple gob - but simple jobs, when you're dealing with the magical world, often end up anything but.

As a Retriever, Wren Valere specializes in finding things gone missing - and then bringing them back, no questions asked. Normally her job is stimulating, challenging and only a little bit dangerous. But every once in a while...

Case in point - a cornerstone containing a spell is stolen and there's a magical complication. (Isn't there always?) Wren's unique abilities aren't enough to lay this particular case to rest, so she turns to some friends: a demon (minor), a mage who has lost his mind, and a few others - including Sergei, her business partner (and maybe a bit more?).

Sometimes what a woman has to do to get the job done is enough to give even Wren nightmares....

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Very good! I really liked this! The characters were fun, and the story line was pretty unique which was one of the things that attracted me in the first place. And you can always tell how much I like something when I want to fix the little problems as if I were the editor or something!

It just seems that with a little tweaking this could have been even better (either that, or I just have no real love of subtlety!). The history behind Wren and Sergei's relationship was a nice twist -- it's always a nice change to find characters in a fantasy novel that aren't ingenues -- but the romanctic tension could have been kicked up a few notches. There also seemed to be so much more potential for action than what actually happened. Magic, bad guys, vigilantes, thieves, and demons abound, and the main characters spent most of the first half of the book doing research from Wren's appartment and sitting in her kitchen talking. This is the first book in what I think is going to be a series, so of course there's a lot to set up and room left for more action later, but I still just want to tell the author not to be afraid of her story! Mayhem is so much more fun when it runs wild instead of happening just outside the main context of the story! Why was there a sense of restraint?

But overall, very recommended! Thanks again, Pyan!

Journal Entry 5 by Kyrissaean from Littleton, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, October 23, 2005
Looks like this is heading out on a bookring! PM if you'd like to join. I'm going to ask everyone to try to get the book out again within a month of receiving it, since it looks like this little book has some traveling to do! I will PM a little reminder to anyone who has it longer, just to warn you. ;)

Mailing order:
ladiibbug (US)
schoolinathome (US)
theredhead (US)
needsun (Can)
Rianonne (Austria)
CandyDarling (Fin)
sunlightbub (UK)
MissBagpuss (UK)
amberC (Aus)
catsalive (Aus)

Antheras (Can)
back to Kyrissaean (US)



Journal Entry 6 by Kyrissaean at US Post in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, November 10, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (11/10/2005 UTC) at US Post in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

And it's off and running on it's way to laddiibug, the first stop on the ring! Happy reading, everyone!

Journal Entry 7 by ladiibbug from Paradise, California USA on Monday, November 28, 2005
11/28/05 Book arrived safely from NH in CA. Thanks so much, Krissaean, for book ring'ing this. Will begin reading tomorrow :)

Ha! Don't ya just love the feeling of having a *hot* book from your TBR finally in the house to read?!

Journal Entry 8 by ladiibbug from Paradise, California USA on Friday, December 2, 2005
12/2/05 I totally agree with Krissaean's comments in her 5/15/05 Journal Entry. Staying Dead is good, but had so much more potential.

I kept waiting for this to break wide open and take off, but it didn't. Still a good read, but as Krissaean says, it's as if the author used too much restraint. I wanted more action between the characters, demons & other otherworldly creatures. I will read the 2nd in this series.

12/2/05 Mailed off to next stop in AL, schoolinathome - TRAV

Journal Entry 9 by schoolinathome from Birmingham, Alabama USA on Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Thanks I will start this ASAP-but I have a lot on my plate right now-so it could possibly take me the month to get it out-but I will try to get it out sooner. PM and kick me in the butt-if you think I am taking too long!! LOL

Journal Entry 10 by schoolinathome from Birmingham, Alabama USA on Saturday, December 24, 2005
I wanted to try this book because I am trying to widen my horizons LOL. I have been trying to read more fantasy and other genres.

I really like the concept of the book, but it just didn't grab me. I guess I am use to more going on and things happening at a faster pace. I usually give a book at least 50 pages- I let this one go almost 100 just because I wanted to be able to like the book. But it took me 4 nights of sitting and reading to get that far. So I decided this just wasn't the book for me.

Thank you Kyri for giving the opportunity to try it out.

I have PM'ed the next person in line-and I am awaiting an address to ship it to.

Journal Entry 11 by theredhead from Chicago, Illinois USA on Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Well, let's see...I only have about 100 books ahead of this on Mt. ToBeRead, but this is a ring, so I am bumping it ahead.
Thanks! I'll get right on this.

Journal Entry 12 by theredhead from Chicago, Illinois USA on Monday, February 20, 2006
This book is just not working for me. I am going to pass it on to the next person. Sorry for the delay.
Jennifer

Journal Entry 13 by NeedSun from Perth Road, Ontario Canada on Saturday, March 4, 2006
This book arrived yesterday. I am looking forward to reading it but I do have a few to read before I can get to it. It won't be very long, though.

Thank you for sending it to me,theredhead, and for starting this ring, Kyrissaean.

Journal Entry 14 by NeedSun from Perth Road, Ontario Canada on Thursday, March 23, 2006
This book took me so long to read, I just never got grabbed by the writing. The story was very interesting with new and unusual ideas about magic, a topic that has been written about so often that I didn't think anyone could bring something new to it. I would have given this a 5 but the ideas warranted it being rated a bit higher.

I would definitely try the next in the series.

Edit Apr 10: The next person on the list asked to be skipped so the book was mailed to Rianonne, who is now the next person on the list...lol. It went by air on April 5.


Journal Entry 15 by Rianonne from Wien Bezirk 22 - Donaustadt, Wien Austria on Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Woohoo, the book arrived today! That was a really fast trip from Canada :-)

I've started a Ring yesterday, so this will be the next in line! The comments from the others make me really curious ...

Thanks so much Kyrissaean for starting the Ring and NeedSun for sending it on!!

Journal Entry 16 by Rianonne from Wien Bezirk 22 - Donaustadt, Wien Austria on Thursday, April 27, 2006
This book is part of the new Harlequin Luna line, which mixes fantasy and romance with new and interesting results.
I'm so glad that it focuses much more on the fantasy than the romance! Wren and Sergei's blossoming relationship is simmering on the back burner which allows the reader to enjoy the magic elements and otherworld creatures in New York :-) And I think bluntly it leaves a lot of stuff (and hopefully more action) to tell about in the sequels. I even guess Laura Anne Gilman "planned" this to be a series and therefore her restraint ...!??!

Well, It took me sooo long to read :-( At the beginning the writing never grabbed me and I had difficulties finding my way into her style - even had to check many words in my dictionary which hasn't happened for ages now *sigh* But I wanted to give it a chance, as long as no new ring arrived, and I am glad that I did because I enjoyed the mystery story and fantasy after all! Just wished the magic would sparkle a little bit more ;-)

Journal Entry 17 by CandyDarling from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Friday, May 19, 2006
Received the book in the mail today. Thanks for making this a ring, Kyrissaean!

Journal Entry 18 by CandyDarling from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Friday, June 16, 2006
I just finished this book 5 minutes ago, and I have to say I agree with all the previous reviewers. The book was okay, but I had hoped it would be better. It never really grabbed me, and mostly I read it on my way to work and back home. If the book had been better, I would have continued reading when I got home!

The ideas behind the book were good, but the telling of the story lacked something I couldn't put my finger on. I might read the sequel if I can get it through bookcrossing, but I would not spend money on it. Interesting that Luna is part of Harlequin - there was so little romance in this book. I liked the subtlety of the romance between Wren and Sergei. It was a nice change from all the romance books I've been reading lately.

Thanks for including me on this ring. I'm glad to have read this book! I already have sunlightbub's address, and will mail the book to her on Monday.

Journal Entry 19 by Sunnybubble from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Monday, June 26, 2006
Forgot about this ring!!!
Looks good, but have got a couple in front of it plus the convention next weekend..need a dancing banana!! Will get to it soon!!

Journal Entry 20 by Sunnybubble from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Wednesday, August 9, 2006
I'm really sorry I haven't got to this yet..I'm still catching up, so I hope you'll forgive me hanging onto it a wee bit longer. Sorry again :0(

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I'm so sorry I've had thos book so long..I've got to page 200 or so and I'm afraid I'm giving up..I really want to like this book as the premise is good , but I am finidng it to be terribly slow moving and it is justnot grabbing me..Sorry again for having it so long. I'll om the next participant and get it off to them asap.
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THeredhead has asked to be skipped so trying needsun now!!

Journal Entry 21 by Sunnybubble from Wallasey, Merseyside United Kingdom on Saturday, August 26, 2006
I am obviously having a big mental blowout at the momnet as I keep pming peple who've had the book instaed of the person I shoudl be sending it too..It's been a tough week..I'll try again..

Journal Entry 22 by MissBagpuss from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire United Kingdom on Friday, September 1, 2006
arrived safely - thanks

EDITED 10TH SEPTEMBER: this was a fun read, but like a previous journaller i also thought there could have been alot more to the book than actually happened. although i liked the characters, i felt sometimes the storyline lost momentum and more could have been done with the plot. because of this, i'm not sure if it gave me the incentive to read the next in the series.

now on the way to australia to the next person on the list...

Journal Entry 23 by amberC from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Thursday, September 21, 2006
Arrived today. I have a few bookrings before it, but I can see I may have trouble not letting it jump the pile

Journal Entry 24 by amberC from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Monday, October 2, 2006
I enjoyed this book, especially that there was a new idea about magic and how it worked. It dragged a bit in the middle, but picked up again. I would be interested in reading the next in the series to see where she goes with the fatae.

Posting to catsalive today.

Journal Entry 25 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Friday, October 13, 2006
Got it. Thanks, amberC.

Journal Entry 26 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Friday, October 27, 2006
While I liked the concept I couldn't get past the 100-page mark either, but I read the last 2 chapters to see where it went. I hated the type-face too. Thanks anyway, Kyrissaean. I'll get this off to Antheras ASAP.

Journal Entry 27 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, October 29, 2006
Posted to Antheras today.

Journal Entry 28 by Antheras from Kitchener, Ontario Canada on Saturday, February 17, 2007
I'm not quite sure how I missed journalling this one - or that it was a bookring! Oops! I'll bump it up my reading queue and try to get to it as soon as possible.

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