Death and Relaxation (Ordinary Magic Book 1)

For the first book introducing a series it was well done. The development of the main characters continued throughout the book, but not exposing everything, leaving some for the future books. It definitely gave the right feel for being on the Oregon coast, since I live on an Island a couple of hundred miles north. Without giving anything away it is safe to say the nothing is ordinary in Ordinary.

Lighter in tone--more like Ilona Andrews--than previous Monk stories. As usual, the interplay between characters is the focus and makes the story so enjoyable to read.

I'll eagerly pick up the next book to see what happens to the Reed ladies, Ryder, and the rest of Ordinary's residents.

There were characters that made me angry and those that made me cry. I can't think of a better compliment than to say that it evoked those emotions in me.

It is a good read. Characters that are heartbreakingly real, for all that they are gods, creatures, and Reeds.

There's a lot of great character development, nice world building... but Monk really needs to work on her plot devices. I couldn't figure out what was bugging me until I finished the second book. Basically, if an author chooses to use first person narration, the narrator (main character) is only going to share what she consciously takes note of - what she sees, understands. When the author makes it crystal clear to her readers what is going on (god powers responding to ex-boyfriend for example) and somehow makes her main character Delaney oblivious - this came across as incongruent in the writing. You can't beat your readers over the head with clues using first person narrative and NOT have your character putting it together too. So the mystery becomes clunky and rather inept where it could have been clever and really successful. Its too bad - happens again in book two. I just can't quite bring myself to buy the next in the series.

It seems lately that I have read nothing but pretty bad books and that's not true. Devon Monk has given us the gift of Ordinary, Oregon and the mortals, gods, and paranormals who live and vacation there.

I've read Monk's Allie Beckstrom series and the Terric and Shame duology and enjoyed both but Ordinary was so much more fun.

It's time for the annual Rhubarb Rally and police chief Delaney Reed and her sisters (and sister officers) have their hands full with the influx of tourists. And Delaney is still trying to figure out what or if she should do about the return of Ryder Bailey who she has crushed on since grade school. Then her ex-boyfriend returns unannounced, Death decides to vacation in Ordinary, and a god is murdered.

A god can die in Ordinary but his power doesn't. The power is held inside one mortal, Delaney, and she has seven days to find the person the power will accept. Failure means death- for her and the town of Ordinary.

This was a fast romp with exploding rhubarb, perambulating caped concrete penguins, and baked goods.

I liked the relationship between the sisters, the feeling that Delaney is still learning the position she inherited from her late father, the way she loses all rational thought when

Ryder walks into view.

If I had one complaint it would be the finding-the-new-god part, even I had that figured out chapters before Delaney. It lacked subtlety.

But the dialogue, it was wonderful.

""Rhubarb exploded," I said, answering his first question.

"You don't often see that in the heritage strains," he said."

"The door to the office opened and Jean sauntered in with a gust of cool air. "Guess who got her box filled with free hot donuts this morning?"

"Please tell me that's not a euphemism," Myra drawled."

""And I am a man of my word."
"Do those words include 'breaking' and 'entering'?"
...
"I know those words," he admitted. "But only one of them might be on the agenda tonight.""

Book two is due out in July and I can't wait to go back to Ordinary and see what happens next.