URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge - Paul Krueger

Release Date: 07/06/16
Publisher:  Quirk Books

SYNOPSIS:

In this sharp and funny urban fantasy novel, booze is magic, demons are real, and millennial Bailey Chen joins a band of monster-fighting Chicago bartenders instead of finding a “real” post-college job.

Bailey Chen is fresh out of college with all the usual new-adult demons: no cash, no job offers, and an awkward relationship with Zane, the old friend she kinda-sorta hooked up with during high school.

But when Zane introduces Bailey to his monster-fighting bartender friends, her demons become a lot more literal. It turns out that evil creatures stalk the city streets after hours, and they can be hunted only with the help of magically mixed cocktails: vodka grants super-strength, whiskey offers the power of telekinesis, and rum lets its drinker fire blasts of elemental energy. But will all these powers be enough for Bailey to halt a mysterious rash of gruesome deaths? And what will she do when the safety of a “real world” job beckons?

This sharp and funny urban fantasy is perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, and grown-up readers of Harry Potter. Includes 14 recipes from a book of ancient cocktail lore.


REVIEW:

This book for me, had the potential to be a new type of UF Comedy in the vein of Tom Holt, so when I originally read the premise, I was pretty hooked and looking forward to a light hearted romp that would not only entertain but help me laugh my troubles away.

Except, thats not what happened. The book tried to be a serious ouring with a new type of magical gift that is "alcohol fueled." The comedy options you would think would be tripping over themselves however for me, the whole book didn't even raise a smile. In fact I just got more and more annoyed as it went on trying to come up with believable circumstances etc that just made it go from weird to downright bizarre.

All round, whilst I saw the potential here, I didn't feel that it was a book that really hit home for me. I did like the odd character, I did like some of the concepts but overall when a book pushes things a little too far, I have to draw the line and let it go.