Customer Reviews

Hell Fire (Corine Solomon, Book 2)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

(WARNING_POTENTIALLY VAGUE SPOILERISH ACTION AHEAD!!!)

I've been waiting for this sequel since I devoured the first book. I've been practically a stalker at Borders's waiting for this book to arrive (I'm embarrassed to say I went three days in a row and they finally got it out of the back a few hours early just to get rid of me. I liked Blue Diablo that much (even despite part of it being so over the top it was laughable), I still loved it. I loved Corinne's gift and the payment it extolled, Chance's gift and his rolling the coin as a nervous habit (which Corinne says he does all the time and had since she knew him...and yet in this book NOT ONCE). That should have been a clue for me something wasn't right. She does get an extra point though for it being an urban fantasy without a single vampire, or werewolf in the mix.

I really loved Blue Diablo's characters, their crazy abilities which were unique in Urban Fantasy and the plot was really different. I loved the tension between Corinne and Chance, and while I couldn't really understand why she was so hard on him, it seemed a given they would get back together at some point. I liked the mentor Jesse and loved Eva and Chuch and even their intellectual but possibly mobility challenged helper Chuch from England who they reach out to for help on the arcane. I especially loved the dog Butch that Corinne and Chance pick up along the way that is some supernaturally hypersmart protector that reminded me of a mini (very mini) version of Jim Butcher's character's dog in the Harry Dresden mysteries. I even loved the crazy Killer for God Kel.

In this highly anticipated sequel, Chance has promised Corinne to turn his "Luck" towards finding out who killed her mother. The two travel with their trusty side kick Butch the chiuhuahua to the town where Corinne's Mother whas killed by the towns people of a creepy gothic stuck in the 50's southern town.

This sequel loses some of its charm by Eva and Chuch's absense ( I just loved that couple) and a lot of it's excitement by Kel's absence. There is limited interaction, with Booke. He was mysterious and very interesting in BD bur in HF what there is is so over the top it threw me out of my ability to believe in the world during that scene.

Jesse (Corinne's mentor) shows up to help, and they meet a new ally. I liked Jesse a lot better in the first book, in this one he kind of just seems in the way and as there as a plot device to keep Corinne doing her emotional waffling. Hell Fire didn't have the nervous excitement and tension of the last book, and Corinne spends too much time basically being a "tease" to both of the men in her life. Two men, in love with the same woman, one of whom was her live in lover for years, in the same house under stressful circumstances, you'd expect a blow up, some real sexual tension.

Nope. At one point the guys show extreme maturity and make a pact to "back off" and stop trying to get with her while they are all cooped up in the creepy old house, which is more then Corinne is willing to do because she would go from making out with one guy in one room and 15 minutes later making out with the other guy in another room. I was ready to kill her. Chance is doing everything she's asked of him or said she wanted, (other then telling her a personal mystery that he probably would divulge if she'd committ)but she keeps acting like he broke her heart adn did terrible things to her when it seems like the worst thing he did was be a little emotionally distant which he is more then making up for in this book. Jesse drives all the way across the country, for a "feeling" he had she was in trouble. This after she killed left him with no real goodbye after having killed his partner and left a field full of dead women's bodies parts she and Chance tore up and a dead partner (Okay in her defence the women were zombies but still...as a cop he probably had a LOT of paper work).

The book started off great but about half way through it started losing steam for me and towards the end, when I realized the decisions she was making I wanted to throw the book. Actually I did throw the book. Somewhere along the line in this book...Corinee became unlikeable for me.

There will probably be another sequel, someone will be in danger (Eva and Chuch?) and the Scooby Do team will have to be reassembled but I can say, I won't be hounding the poor staff at Border's for it. I felt like Corinne had been a tease to the guys for two books, and based on her final decision now she was being a tease to the readers.

It's not often that the second book in a UF series is better than the first, but this one is. Not that the first was bad -- I enjoyed Blue Diablo and was thrilled to win an ARC of the sequel. But Hell Fire is better; the main characters change and grow, a really fun new character is added, and the fantasy elements get richer and more complex without changing the basic rules that the author established in book one. I love this kind of paranormal story -- no vampires or shifters, but individuals with different natural or unnatural abilities who are otherwise quite human. The characters aren't superheroes, but neither are they too stupid to believe (extremes I have found in other paranormal/urban fantasy series).

I fell in love with these characters, and I was rooting for them to survive and thrive. There's a different atmosphere in this book, in keeping with the different setting from book one. The author really invokes a sense of place in each locale, and you feel it through the main character, Corine.

(Possible SPOILER) Warning: this book isn't the end of the story, so you can expect that there are important issues and relationships left unresolved. I liked the way that was handled; it felt right to me, and the characters stayed true to themselves. I never felt that the author was dragging things out to justify another book, and I'm excited to find out where the characters go next.

I started reading Ann Aguirre with the first Corinne book, Blue Diablo. I loved it so much that I have now read all of her other novels. I was uber excited for this book, and I was not disappointed.

Aguirre created an amazing atmosphere for this novel. The ominous, spooky tone was so well done that I kept looking outside expecting to see a storm rolling in. The suspense was well paced and I enjoyed how it built to a satisfying crescendo at the end of the novel.

In Blue Diablo, Corinne helped her former boyfriend, Chance, and in Hell Fire Chance returns the favor. With Chance's assistance, Corinne returns to her hometown and confronts the horrifying event in her past that formed the person she is today. Chance and Corinne have unresolved issues between them, and there is great romantic tension (there is an awesome bathroom scene that was my particular favorite). Another man shows up to help in the form of Jesse Saldana. I really liked the interactions between the three of them. I also liked the new characters we meet in Corinne's hometown--they were well-developed instead of just being two-dimensional stock characters.

I loved this and would highly recommend. Wish I didn't have to wait so long before reading the next Corinne novel!

Hell Fire scared me silly...JUST what I wanted it to do. Ann Aguirre has infused this latest addition to the Corine Solomon series with just the right amount of dark and creepy undercurrents. Perfect for the location and story line of Hell Fire.

The relationship between Chance, Corrine and Jesse continues to enthrall me. Some readers may wish Corrine to choose Jesse for a romantic relationship. Others may root for Chance. Personally? I hope she and Chance can find a way to make it work.

I love, love, love this series! Hell Fire is an excellent addition. Ann Aguirre has a gift and aren't we lucky she shares it with all of us!

Review courtesy of [...]

HELL FIRE picks up just weeks after the events that occurred in Blue Diablo as Corrine and Chance are returning to her hometown of Kilmer, Georgia to get the truth about her mother's murder thirteen years earlier. With Chance's luck, Corrine is determined to finally be able to bring the killers to justice.

The paranormal world in this series is populated with ghosts, demons, witches, and 'The Gifted' (individuals with varying abilities; everything from psychics, empaths, and mediums). Most Gifted are born with their abilities, others like Corrine, acquire them through different means. And then there's Chance. He is something entirely other able to use 'luck' the way we might use a computer.

Ann Aguirre has an amazing ability to make the reader breath in the air of her location, in HELL FIRE, the little town of Kilmer, Georgia is every bit as much the main character as Corrine, maybe even more so. I felt like I was tasting Miz Ruth's dumplings, smelling the fetid air of the damp forest, enduring the searing pain of Corrine's Gift when she handled a charged object. Reading HELL FIRE is a completely sensory experience that wouldn't be half as immersive in the hands of a lesser writer.

The love triangle between Corrine, Jesse and Chance was not my favorite part of the book. I lost some respect for Corrine as she seemed to fall into whoever's arms were closest at the time without a thought for the other guy who, often as not, was in the other room. I don't understand why either of the guys put up with it. And I hated the choice Corrine ends up making.

The pacing problems I had with Blue Diablo did not plague HELL FIRE in the slightest. The story moved along swiftly with every scene contributing something significant either to the characters or plot. If you enjoyed Blue Diablo, HELL FIRE is even better. I can't even imagine what Ann has in store for us when Shady Lady (Corine Solomon, Book 3) comes out in April 2011.

Sexual Content: References to sex. A scene of mild sensuality.

Prolly one of the MOST difficult reviews I've written--I really like this author, this series but in some spots--this was a very weak showing. Her previous novel in this now--hallelujah!--series was smart, snappy, full of great new visions and story. Many of the same characters return--YIPPEE!--because I have major crushes on both Saldana and Chance. However, so does the lead character and she has not moved forward. That is most of the issue with this story. The lead female is cleaning up past traumas, but her future would have been more interesting. Keep on--oh yes!--at least one more book. But we need to see some action, somewhere from somebody or I'm out!

Second in the Corine Solomon urban fantasy series revolving around Corine, a woman Gifted with the ability to read the history of any object.

My Take
There are two objectives in this story. Corine must decide how she feels about Chance--the ex-boyfriend who wants her back in his life--and bring those responsible for her mother's death to justice. And, oh man, does Aguirre take us for a ride!

The primary storyline is discovering the secret of what is terrorizing the forest and why so many are disappearing in it. Interspersed with it is Corine's thinking about the relationship she had with Chance. The good. The bad. What she hopes for the future. Right along with her thoughts about being with Chance. With Jesse. The life she has built for herself in Mexico City. Battling the manners she learned half a lifetime ago with her need for happiness. Contending with Chance and Jesse's male expectations.

We do learn what happened that night when Corine's mother died and the house burned down. Not quite what Corine had thought. But close enough. With a bit of misdirection thrown in by Aguirre. And a very odd demon with whom Aguirre sets Corine up for a future encounter.

The Story
The closer Corine and Chance get to Kilmer, the eerier the countryside becomes and the more agitated Corine gets. Twelve people are responsible for murdering her mother for being a witch, burning down her home, and abandoning Corine to a foster system that merely tolerated her.

They make a start with the library with its archive of old newspapers and then interviewing Corine's foster parents. A daunting task made worse when someone tries to run Corine down in the street. And they need to find a new place to sleep. After finding that line of herbs surrounding their room along with the accompanying eeriness, there is no way either of them will stay at the Kilmer Inn. It's Phil Regis who rents them old Mrs. Everett's farmhouse. It should be more private. Easier to protect. Even it it does welcome Corine home with a bloody-seeming message.

Shortly after that, it's divide and conquer when the sheriff throws Chance in jail and Corine retreats to the farmhouse to set the wards. Lucky for Corine that Jesse shows up to save her life and rescue Chance. As all three rescue Shannon and deliver those who were betrayed.

The Characters
Corine Solomon is collecting on the debt Chance owes her from the help she gave him in Blue Diablo: A Corine Solomon Novel, 1. Together, they will find the twelve people responsible for her mother's death 14 years before. She will use her Gift of psychometry to learn what she can. They intend that Chance`s Gift of luck will ease their hunt. Butch is a chihuahua they "inherited" in their last adventure in Laredo. He seems to have a gift for communication and finding evil. Jesse Saldana has the Gift of empathy and is mentoring Corine about the Gifted world. He was the detective in charge of Mina's disappearance in Blue Diablo. He's also a rival of Chance's for Corine.

Ian Booke is an English Internet friend of Chuch's with an expertise in hermetic magic and astral projection. Not that it's much use in this town! Chuch and the pregnant Eva Obregón stayed behind in Laredo but try to keep in touch by phone. Well, when Corine and Chance are in a warded space anyway.

Edna is the evil librarian while Mr. McGee is its handyman with a warning for Corine. The scary Sandra Cheney has inherited her aunt's inn where Corine and Chance first stay and soon flee when someone begins to lay down a ward around their room. Her husband Jim is terrified and their daughter Shannon soon runs away from home and to Corine and Chance. A Gifted daughter who uses her talent to speak with ghosts. Miz Ruth is another foster parent; her husband Glen has been missing since he went on a hunting trip two weeks ago. The cat disappeared a year ago. Phil Regis is the realtor who rents them the house despite all the efforts of his enamored secretary, Agnes Pettigrew, to prevent them seeing him. Augustus England runs the newspaper. Harlan Cooper is the new school principal. He also seems to be England's bodyguard. Sheriff Robinson does his best to jail either or both of them. Lucky for them that Jesse showed up.

Miss Minnie is the only foster parent Corine remembers with any affection. It's after dinner with Miss Minnie, that she has a premonition loaded with clues for the quartet. The hippie-ish Dale Graham is a reporter on the town newspaper. He's been tracking the odd events that have wracked Kilmer for the past few years. The man who tries to rob or kill Miss Minnie, Curtis Farrell, provides some critical clues.

Montoya is a drug dealer out for blood after Corine, Chance, and Jesse destroyed his plans in Blue Diablo.

The Cover
The cover is greens and reds with a curious Corine dressed in her concha-belted, low-slung jeans, and cropped top leaning against Chance's cherry red Mustang when it's parked at the city limits to Kilmer along a winding highway, massive trees lining the road.

The title is another drink that Corine favors.

3.5 stars.

Hell Fire by Ann Aguirre, #2 in Corrine Solomon series
I really like Ann Aguirre's writing style. I enjoy the worlds she creates and the characters that inhabit those worlds. I really do like a lot about this book, this series but for some reason this book and this series does not click with me. I cannot figure out why. Maybe a list will help.

What I love about this book (and this series):

1. The setting. In Hell Fire the setting is a small remote town in the middle of a forest, literally - it is surrounded by forest on a sides, in Georgia. The town is a character in the book, not just a location. It is very creepy, a scary place to be and Aguirre writes it well.

2. The side characters. I don't mean the supporting cast, but the people the main characters run into on the street, at the library, etc. These side characters are funny, scary and add to the story.

3. The supporting cast, like in Sirantha Jax, Corrinne is surrounded by a group of unusual but interesting people with their own agenda, but who gather together to fight for a specific battle. She does this well and I liked these people a lot.

4. The storyline - scary and surprising.

5. The talent/superpowers - very unique and creative. Not a copy of other urban fantasy books and there are huge costs to each of the powers. Well done.

What I don't like about this book (and the series):

1. The throw in romance. It is not believable, the characters just don't seem to sync, I don't care enough about them as a couple and this storyline is so poorly done it is just a distraction from the main story.

2. The love triangle. See above.

3. The main character's temper tantrums. Over the top, not consistent with her character. I can't imagine friends and lovers putting up with this stuff.
I am not sure if I will read #3. It took move 15 months to move on to #2 in this series.

Yes, Corine is a bit of a waffler when it comes to relationships. But I didn't mind it. I kind of like her emotional immaturity. It humanizes her for me.

I did have a problem with Chance wanting her back so badly despite the fact that his luck may be the death of her. He doesn't want to give up the luck, even though he says he will, and he doesn't want to give her up. Selfish? Yeah. There has to be more to this than what we are seeing because how can he feel about her what he says and then want to risk her life by his luck. It just makes no sense. Surely, Corine has to be feeling this? Amazingly, this is not her problem with him or at least its not one that she lets herself think about.

Personally, I think one of the reasons she waffles between these two guys so much is neither of them is really right for her. She keeps thinking that she "could" love Saladan and that she does love Chance. But her love for Chance has a ton of qualifiers, and personally, I think it always bodes bad for a relationship if you think you "could" love someone. It starts to feel like you are trying to talk yourself into loving them. The whole thing with Chance doesn't work for me because of the inherent selfishness of his love. It has to be selfish for him to risk her life like he wants to do. However, I keep hoping for a wake up call about this issue for both of them.

That being said I gulped this book down. I loved the dark creepiness of it. The demon became one of the most interesting characters in the book rather quickly.

The ending was a little too pat, but for the quality of the rest of the book I was willing to overlook it.

I also think they should have done better shopping at the grocery store. All those peanut butter sandwiches and the 'just to get by' food made me feel ill for them. They had an entire kitchen for goodness sakes. Why didn't they actually use the dang thing?

HELL FIRE picks up right were BLUE DIABLO left off. Chance is sticking to his word and turning his luck to find the people responsible for Corine's mothers murder. Corine is thrust back into her home town of Kilmer and right away she knows the town has serious issues. We learn a bit about Corine growing up and a little about her mother. There is definitely tons of danger, action and mystery's to solve in HELL FIRE. Corine is still stuck between Chance and Jesse and still doesn't know what or who she wants to be with or if she wants to be with either of them. Shannon is introduced into the mix and brings a great gift along with her. Butch is still the most kick butt dog around and I seriously cant wait for the mystery of him to be revealed. Ive really enjoyed the world Ann has created for her characters and I'm excited to continue the series with SHADY LADY.