Imagine the three stooges, on crack...not in a good way. Once upon a time, there was a demon Newfie; a mysterious taxi driver; a dragon with no communication skills (other than his dick); and a clueless, impulsive, thoughtless, pregnant, engaged guardian heroine, demon prince, demon lord, proscribed (cursed?), mate to two dragons, demon possessed, venediger, with round heels...who redefines TSTL.
IMO this book is not funny, didn't make me smile much less laugh. But then, I don't like slapstick. It did induce a migrane, from excessive eye rolling.
Aisling & Drake do not have a healthy relationship, and NO communication skills (except on her back). The author seems to have confused Alpha with a**. If I knew anyone in a similar relationship, I'd seriously consider intervention.
This is not my first book by Katie, it might be my last. She has ventured beyond silly and rediculous.
IMO this book is not funny, didn't make me smile much less laugh. But then, I don't like slapstick. It did induce a migrane, from excessive eye rolling.
Aisling & Drake do not have a healthy relationship, and NO communication skills (except on her back). The author seems to have confused Alpha with a**. If I knew anyone in a similar relationship, I'd seriously consider intervention.
This is not my first book by Katie, it might be my last. She has ventured beyond silly and rediculous.
Jeannette J. (TSarien) reviewed Holy Smokes (Aisling Grey, Guardian, Bk 4) on + 55 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 9
She is Aisling Gray, and you can call her frustrated... Well, I'm Jean and I've have enough. Like I said in the other book (You Light my Fire), this thing about Aisling being so powerful yet so clueless is driving me right out of kilter...and turning me off this author. I loved The Corset Diaries and Men in Kilts; but this one is over for me. Also, I have tried hard to like Drake, but other than he is 'uber-sexy' there is nothing there. Frankly, I like Jim the demon newfie more.
It is a sad day indeed for an author when the secondary characters are better than the protagonists.
It is a sad day indeed for an author when the secondary characters are better than the protagonists.
Elizabeth M. (betsybug) reviewed Holy Smokes (Aisling Grey, Guardian, Bk 4) on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
I really, really enjoyed this book, as much I loved the first one (I thought 2 and 3 were very good and moved Aisling's story along well, but the first was still the best IMHO).
For those who are thinking about reading this one who haven't read books 1-3, you do need to start at the beginning, because Macalister has created a complex Otherworld and dragonsept-world that she doesn't take time to explain in this book. In fact, it's been many months since I read Light My Fire, and I had a time of it recollecting what had happened to pick up the story in Holy Smokes.
That said, I love Aisling and Drake (I'm loving him more and more, in fact), and all the returning characters are employed very well. However, she does add a new dragon character - I don't want to say and ruin a 'twist', but he's not a rival for Aisling's affections, I can say that - and I was glad that she did. I was fearing that Aisling and Drake being in love and together would mean the series would lose its momentum, but I think she added this character now to plan for Book 5 and/or 6. So, that made me happy, too.
For those who are thinking about reading this one who haven't read books 1-3, you do need to start at the beginning, because Macalister has created a complex Otherworld and dragonsept-world that she doesn't take time to explain in this book. In fact, it's been many months since I read Light My Fire, and I had a time of it recollecting what had happened to pick up the story in Holy Smokes.
That said, I love Aisling and Drake (I'm loving him more and more, in fact), and all the returning characters are employed very well. However, she does add a new dragon character - I don't want to say and ruin a 'twist', but he's not a rival for Aisling's affections, I can say that - and I was glad that she did. I was fearing that Aisling and Drake being in love and together would mean the series would lose its momentum, but I think she added this character now to plan for Book 5 and/or 6. So, that made me happy, too.
Catherine S. (jayhawkcat) -
Helpful Score: 4
Aisling Grey, Guardian, Demon lord, Prince of Abbadon, and wyvern mate is finally going to be made an honest woman by Drake (her dragon "sweetie"). She will have to overcome a few things first, of course, since nothing is easy where she is concerned.
To start off the fun, the Red Sept has not given up its feud with Aisling, Drake and the Green Sept; they are causing all kinds of trouble for them. Aisling is trying to keep all of this and the Otherworld stuff from her human step-mom and dad, along with her tough Uncle who are in town for the wedding. Then Drake goes missing on their wedding day!
Aisling starts being proactive and sets out to find and rescue Drake; in the process learns a lot more about the different Dragon Septs and regains some trust for Gabriel. As always Jim is by her side offering his colorful comments and whining about food or how he is being treated. Through all of this the Dark voice in her head won't shut up and Bael requires something from Aisling that she is not prepared to give.
What can I say but "Holy Smokes! That was Awesome"! Katie MacAlister continues to deliver with this fourth installment in her Aisling Grey Guardian series. Action, sexy dragons, magic, sarcastic sidekick demon (in a wonderful Newfie form), Lord of the Underworld, relatives, a little B & E, a wedding and did I say sexy dragons, all delivered with her signature humor and style.
What I loved most about this book is that we got to see Aisling step up to the plate and really figure things out this time (without getting herself deeper into trouble) and that the romance is still there between Aisling and Drake. There is a major amount of closure at the end and I am not sure if this means there will be no more Aisling books or not; but do not fear for she has a new book due out in May also set in this world. I do not know how she keeps coming up with these great stories but they are golden to me and they are on my keeper shelf (maybe I have a little dragon in me).
Aisling Grey books in order
1. Playing With Fire
2. Fire Me Up
3. Light My Fire
4. Holy Smokes
To start off the fun, the Red Sept has not given up its feud with Aisling, Drake and the Green Sept; they are causing all kinds of trouble for them. Aisling is trying to keep all of this and the Otherworld stuff from her human step-mom and dad, along with her tough Uncle who are in town for the wedding. Then Drake goes missing on their wedding day!
Aisling starts being proactive and sets out to find and rescue Drake; in the process learns a lot more about the different Dragon Septs and regains some trust for Gabriel. As always Jim is by her side offering his colorful comments and whining about food or how he is being treated. Through all of this the Dark voice in her head won't shut up and Bael requires something from Aisling that she is not prepared to give.
What can I say but "Holy Smokes! That was Awesome"! Katie MacAlister continues to deliver with this fourth installment in her Aisling Grey Guardian series. Action, sexy dragons, magic, sarcastic sidekick demon (in a wonderful Newfie form), Lord of the Underworld, relatives, a little B & E, a wedding and did I say sexy dragons, all delivered with her signature humor and style.
What I loved most about this book is that we got to see Aisling step up to the plate and really figure things out this time (without getting herself deeper into trouble) and that the romance is still there between Aisling and Drake. There is a major amount of closure at the end and I am not sure if this means there will be no more Aisling books or not; but do not fear for she has a new book due out in May also set in this world. I do not know how she keeps coming up with these great stories but they are golden to me and they are on my keeper shelf (maybe I have a little dragon in me).
Aisling Grey books in order
1. Playing With Fire
2. Fire Me Up
3. Light My Fire
4. Holy Smokes
Helpful Score: 3
I was extremely disappointed in this book. I usually read the Aisling books fairly quickly, but this one seemed to drag on forever. The story seemed too chaotic with no direction, and yet it still seemed boring. This was quite the letdown, and makes me worry about any future installments.
