Discount Armageddon  

InCryptid, Book #1

By Seanan Mcguire

ISBN#  9780756407131

Author’s Website:  http://www.seananmcguire.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Verity Price is from a family that’s mission is to protect the creatures (cryptids) of the world.  Her ancestors were once part of the Covenant of St. George, a group that is set on destroying anything that isn’t human.  Once her family realized that the monsters weren’t any different from themselves (other than their species of course) they defected from the Covenant.  Their whole family has been labeled as traitors ever since.  They went into such deep hiding that the Covenant believes them to be dead. 

Verity would much prefer to be dancing than policing the cryptids, but she’s still trying to decide which direction she wants to go in life.  Her family has allowed her to live away from them, in Manhattan, to pursue her dance career under an assumed identity.  As long as she keeps an eye on the cryptid community, as well, and can support herself.

One night on her way home from work she is snared (quite literally) by a Covenant member.  Dominic De Luca is bad news for the Price family and cryptids in general.  The Covenant feels Manhattan is due for a purge and Dominic is the person to set it in motion!

Single female cryptids start disappearing and once Verity discovers that it’s not the Covenant’s doing, she jumps into investigating.  However, the cause is something bigger than anyone could have fathomed.  It will take all her allies and even an enemy or two to solve this problem.  And, just how long can she avoid the sexy Covenant member that has invaded her city and her senses?  Can Verity make him see that his beliefs are truly wrong or will Dominic destroy everything she loves?

I’ll be honest.  I’m not a big fan of this author.  However, I decided to give this book a try anyway.  It wasn’t a bad story, it just wasn’t great either.  I think it was an interesting concept with many inventive species throughout the book.  I just wish it had explained them better throughout the story.  The Gorgon and Bogeyman were the only ones I really recognized.  There is a glossary at the back of the book, but I didn’t realize it until I was finished reading the novel.  It would have made more sense for it to have been at the beginning.

I think Verity was a fun character with a lot of sass.  I also enjoyed her family and their strange dynamic.  Her brother could be a lot of fun, as well, based on the small snippet we got of him in this book.  Her resident colony of Aeslin mice are an entertaining touch as well.

Dominic seems a bit dull at first sticking strongly to his Covenant beliefs and training.  It’s nice to see him grow as a person as the book progressed.  I wish I could see him as the sexy man that Verity views him as, but I just don’t.  Maybe that will come as I delve further into the series.

I think the book possesses all the great ingredients of an enjoyable urban fantasy series.  However, I just found the novel too easy to put down.  There was nothing that truly kept me turning to the next page.  I do get the feeling that the series will only get better from here, although nothing is making me want to rush into the next book.  However, if you’re looking for something a bit different then you may want to give this series a try!