JULY FEATURE #1: Black Heart Loa by Adrian Phoenix

[paulgoatallen]

[paulgoatallen]

I love Adrian Phoenix. Her Maker's Song (A Rush of Wings, In the Blood, etc.) series... just brilliant. Black Heart Loa is the second installment of her Hoodoo saga, the sequel to last year's Black Dust Mambo.This series is a definite departure from her Maker's Song novels – it's faster, sleaker, sexier, a little more mainstream than Maker's Song.

Here is my blog from last year examining Black Dust Mambo:

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Explorations-The-BN-SciFi-and/Mojo-Rising-Urban-Fantasy-s-Mos...

Phoenix is a writer at the top of her game. I can't wait to read this one! Please share your comments when YOU read it!

Paul

[dalnewt]

I'm waiting for my copy of   

Black Heart Loa (Hoodoo Series #2).

I ordered it together with a recent Waggoner release entitled 'Dark War'. Although both books were in-stock in separate B&Ns, for some reason they weren't scheduled for my local B&N. Today my husband got a call from B&N saying that one of the books I ordered won't be in until July 6 and that all the books I have on hold will be held for me until then. Of course he couldn't remember the title of the delayed book, so now I have to call back and find out. If Black Heart Loa is in, I'm picking it up ASAP.

I really enjoyed the first Hoodoo series book, and am looking forward to reading this one. I also love the author's thrilling Makers Song series. I've copied below a message I previously posted in another thread which contains positive blog reviews for Black Heart Loa. 

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dalnewt wrote:

I found extremely favorable blog reviews for Black Heart Loa (Hoodoo Series #2), My Life as a White Trash Zombie and Heartless (Parasol Protectorate Series #4). See reviews for Black heart Loa immediately below. All Things Urban Fantasy reviews and four bat ratings for My Life as a White Trash Zombie and Heartless can be found at: Early Review: My Life As A White Trash Zombie and Early Review: Heartless by Gail Carriger.

"Edge of your seat thrilling and cold shower hot! A sensational element of this new series!"Black Heart Loa
Adrian Phoenix

Reviewed by Heather Lobdell
Posted June 16, 2011

Fantasy Urban

This series started off with a bang in Black Dust Mambo and has moved forward with one twist right after another. BLACK HEART LOA is a mind blowing read you shouldn't miss!

I love the way that Phoenix's books start off right where the last one left you. There is no confusion trying to figure out a timeline or what may have happened in between stories, simply put the story is all on the pages and nothing gets left out! BLACK HEART LOA brought even more mystery and intrigue into the life of our hoodoo princess Kallie and her never-ending fight to figure out who, or what, exactly she is. The added plot twists and paranormal creatures of all types only enriched the story. I found myself swept away by the language of the bayou and the lure of Layne. The action is non-stop from page one and left me breathless until the last page! The complexities that Phoenix has created keep getting better and better with every printed page!

Carnival has ended and so should have the excitement and murders that went with it. Unfortunately for Kallie that means losing Layne so that he can continue his search for revenge on his best friend's killers. Coming home to her Aunt Divinity, who is also her Hoodoo Priestess, Kallie is ready for some good ole R & R. But nothing can be that easy in the world of hoodoo. Just because your life didn't end yesterday, doesn't mean that it won't end today! Coming home to find Jackson kidnapped and his dog missing Kallie knows that rest is not something she is getting quite yet. When her home gets invaded by men with guns Kallie decides that finding Jackson is not her only worry, its finding him alive that counts. One spell after another is going array, a hoodoo loa has been accidentally let loose on the world. The wards protecting New Orleans seem to have gone as screwy as everyone's magic. And don't forget that the hurricane has turned from harmless to head straight for 'em overpowering in just a few short days. The threats to her life, home, and family simply will not wait for another day.

Running from one loa, Kallie and Belladonna trek across the bayou to begin the search for Jackson. A girl can only deal with one life threatening event at a time. Just in the nick of time the girls find Layne along the way. Only Layne is now carrying two ghosts and no one knows who is in control. Just when Kallie is wondering what else could possibly go wrong, it does. The darkness inside Kallie is threatening to escape and holding it together may be the hardest thing she's ever had to face. An old story Jackson once told her is haunting Kallie's dreams and the only way to save him just may lie with things that go woof in the night. It's hard keeping a boyfriend when everyone is trying to kill you!

Sensational hit! The magic of hoodoo and the sizzling romance between Kallie and Layne just keeps getting hotter! When everything is going to chaos family always pulls together and that warmth is carried throughout the story. I met the end of this book hoping for another thrilling escapade and I don't think that author Adrian Phoenix will ever let me down!

Jun 20, 2011

 Early Review: Black Heart Loa by Adrian Phoenix

*This title will be released on June 28, 2011*

Title: Black Heart Loa  Author: Adrian Phoenix   Series: Hoodoo #2  Cover Art: Steve Stone   Genre: urban fantasy  Excerpt: Yes  Source: Publisher  Reviewed by: Julia Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages Publisher: Pocket; June 28, 2011 ISBN-10: 1439167923 ISBN-13: 978-1439167922 Sexual Content: References to sex, one explicit sex scene. Rating:    Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now & put this author on your watch list.

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Review

While I knew BLACK DUST MAMBO was going to be a hard act to follow, my surprises in reading BLACK HEART LOA had nothing to do with those high expectations. LOA was a different breed of book all together, as the story line changes from the human villains of BLACK DUST MAMBO to the more amorphous magical threats. It took me a few chapters to change gears, but despite that slow start I devoured the last two thirds of this book.

One of the changes that took me a bit to adjust to was the lack of a human villain to drive the action. Despite the time constraint of a hurricane about to make landfall, I felt that the obstacles in this book had less forward momentum than those in BLACK DUST MAMBO. The magical issues in LOA were more difficult to keep track of and predict, which meant that the dangers Kallie and her companions faced were less compelling to me as a reader.

Luckily, though I was less interested in the plot, Phoenix once again wrote tantalizing and messy love lives. Fantasies, realities, old loves and new... that was the fuel that kept this book moving for me. LOA teases with just enough heat to keep you glued to the page, but not so much that a Happily Ever After is assured. Kallie and Layne share some hot moments, but Phoenix structured their interactions in a way that still leaves lots of seductive possibilities.

One such possibility was Devlin Daniels (am I the only person who read "demon wolf of the bayou" and thought "Yum"?), who has me at the edge of my seat to read more of his story. Kallie and Belladonna have lots of wonderful page time, and Kallie’s cousin Jackson vies for center stage with his Robin Hood antics and complicated history. While BLACK HEART LOAfell one bat short of BLACK DUST MAMBO in my affections, it definitely sets the stage for sequels that I can’t wait to pre-order.

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[AngMlt]

Just like you, I LOVE Adrian Phoenix. I haven't read any of books that I haven't loved. She is an incredible author and I love all of her books and all of her characters. BLACK HEART LOA was no exception. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. There were some scenes that had me on the edge of my seat while others had me laughing out loud. I enjoyed this book immensely and can't wait to read the next one...

[ThirstyFlea]

I just started this last night- as one review mentioned, a little slow on the upstart, but I think that's mostly due to going over what happened in the first book... I'm not that far yet, but so far so good! Typical Adrian Phoenix-style writing, which just feels right.

[pdubz]

I LOVE THIS BOOK! Oh and I can post my review here that just went up last night, too, it looks like!! FIVE STARS.

Originally posted at Wicked Lil Pixie Reviews (as Spaz)

Black Heart Loa is the much-anticipated second book in Adrian Phoenix’s Hoodoo series, and picks up immediately where Black Dust Mambo ends, with the characters sitting in Divinity’s living room. Kallie Riveiére is a Hoodoo, meaning she handles juju and potions and medicines. Her best friend Belladonna is a mambo-in-training. Kallie’s aunt Divinity is also her hoodoo teacher and sits near the real Gabrielle LaRue who is a mambo, or voodoo priestess, and deals with the loas. Kallie is doing a reading of her cards trying to locate her cousin Jackson, because it is clear he and his dog have been kidnapped. Abruptly, two men in ski masks break in to her aunt’s home with a shotgun, demanding to know where Jackson has hidden their money. Kallie and Belladonna are able to outsmart them and turn their own guns on them in an attempt to find out where Jackson is:
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Kallie handed the shotgun to the voodooienne, then stepped aside. Belladonna swung the barrel back into place, aimed at Cash’s hand-protected crotch.

Belladonna tsked. “Tiny target.”

“That the best y’all can do?” Cash said, blood oozing from his swollen nose. The skin beneath his eyes was just starting to bruise and puff up. “Small-dick jokes?”

“Nope,” Kallie replied, drawing Cash’s attention back to herself. “We can gris-gris that small dick into reality. Lay a shrivel package trick on you. How about that?” pg. 30
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The bad news is, the burglars admit to witnessing Jackson being beaten and buried alive an hour away in Chacahoula. Kallie refuses to believe he is dead and will not give up on finding him alive. She gets them to give her their location and all four women go off to do what they do best to rescue Jackson.

The thing that stands out the most in this book are the women and their incredible strength and their relationships with one another. The dialog I enjoyed the most between Kallie and Belladonna and Divinity and Gabriel. The female characters in this series really do steal the show. They are so strong, so confident, have such a sense of right and wrong, and you genuinely care about them even if they are coming from very different perspectives. They are snarky but humorously so, never mean spirited. And the affectionate snarky banter between Kallie and Belladonna just makes you all that much more charmed by them both and you feel the love between them. When playing rock-paper-scissors to determine who would get the shower first after one nasty dirty brawl with loas and burglars:
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Kallie’s scissors won over Belladonna’s paper, so she eyed her friend suspiciously. “Did you just let me win?”

“What? Me?” Belladonna shook her head, her blue and black curls swaying. “Hoodoo, please. Why would I do that? It’s not like you’ve been rolling around in the mud or chasing judgmental chickens or going five rounds with death or anything.” She flapped a hand at Kallie. “Get over yourself, girl.”

Grinning, Kallie stretched across the seat and planted a kiss on Belladonna’s cheek. “You’re the best friend ever.”

“Again, stating the obvious.” But a pleased smile lit her face. pg. 200
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The storyline we get of more of Kallie’s cousin, Jackson, and his backstory is awesome! I had no idea how things would turn out, where events were going and I was so pleased with what Ms. Phoenix did with his character development. Not only are Kallie, Belladonna, Divinity & Gabriel on the hunt for Jackson, but it is quickly discovered that magic has completely gone wonky. Hoodoos, conjurers, voodooists, and voodooiennes magic have all gone awry and fear of what could happen is high. Some of the backfired magic results in awful tragedy, and some of it simply harmless, but creepy!
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Addie watched from her front porch, hands on the hips of her bluebell-printed sundress, as the scarecrow—missing one black button eye—plowed straight into the palm tree near the cracked sidewalk leading up to the steps, bounced, then fell into a heap of faded cloth and straw on the lawn.

“One of your backfires?”

Addie nodded. “At least I think so. The result of a spell I fixed this morning for good health—of all things.”

“Whatcha gonna do about that?” John nodded his head at her yard.

Addie sighed as the scarecrow heap twitched and rustled as though the straw were crawling with beetles, then pulled itself up onto its straw feet. Again.

“Ain’t a whole helluva lot I can do without laying a few tricks,” she said. “I thought about burning it. But I couldn’t imagine what I’d do if it started screaming.” pg. 258
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Of course, the beautiful fine nomad that is Layne Valin re-enters the story despite his attempt to head back to New Orleans for his best friend’s funeral services. Once Kallie and Layne unexpectedly reunite, the heady tension between the two is combustible. And of course our favorite little “pixie-leprachaun-devil”, Layne’s ex-wife, McKenna joins in on the action as her skills are needed. The tension between Kallie and McKenna might be just as combustible as well, but certainly not in the same way as with Layne:
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As Kallie and McKenna tried to murder each other with increasingly strained and saccharine Die bitch die smiles, Belladonna piped up with, “Speaking of tiny skivvies, I think that’s what you both should wear during your inevitable cage fight. We can even call your sure-to-be-epic battle the Die-You in the Bayou. Sell tickets.” pg. 277

So much happened in the previous book, and Ms Phoenix is brilliant when it comes to intertwining the events from Black Dust Mambo in to this story carefully throughout so that it flows naturally. You are never given too much information than you can handle, and the story plays out seemingly effortlessly. While you are reading this new book, you are also given a refresher in small doses. You will also be satisfied with the romance element of this book, as it’s played out very nicely and there is some element of resolution and possibility that will make all you Layne fans vera vera happy!

This series is incredible and if Black Heart Loa is any indication of how the series will grow, you will really miss out by not picking this up. For me, this book was perfection in Dark Urban Fantasy. Start with Black Dust Mambo, this book should not be read stand-alone, and you will thank me. I promise!

[SciFiCanuck]

I picked up this one on the weekend.  :-)  Gotta read the first one though....

[ThirstyFlea]

I just finished, and LOVED it! Kallie's world really blossomed to life in this second book. We really get to know each character more- Jackson, Belladonna, Divinity- each had almost equal page time as Kallie, and opened so many doors for future exploration in this series. And we were introduced to some new characters (e.g. Devlin Daniels, Helena, and the whole Le Nique clan), that each promise more supernatural goodies to come! I'm totally intrigued & excited by the backwoods bayou setting- the hoodoo, mambo, loup-garou, and vessel magic mysteries that have been introduced here.

I can't wait to see where Adrian Phoenix is taking this series, but I can easily see that it will be just as strong as her Maker's Song series (at least in my opinion!).

[FaeryQueen]

Can I have my own ritual with Layne???  Pretty please????  

I could not put this book down once I got started.  As usual, Phoenix sucks you right in.  

This book starts right where the first one left off... Jackson is missing and all hell is breaking loose in the bayou.  

Kallie is still struggling with the Lao that her mother put in her body, but there is something else going on that's causing magic around her to go wonky.  In between the hunt for Jacks, Kallie and Bella have to figure out what's happening.  I enjoyed the easy banter and friendly jabs between Kallie and Bella, but I have to say, the best part for me were the segments written from Cielo's point of view!  Some of the names she used for things had me giggling....Daddy's get-in-the-truck, Get-in-the-tub-time.  Was Jacks always able to hear Cielo?  I can't remember.... Anyway, we learn a lot more about Jacks in this book.  The story of how he lost his immediate family was heartbreaking.  But, we are introduced to his father's family, who he wasn't allowed to see since he was a little boy.  

There was a lot devoted to Cash & Kerry, and Cash's issue with Jackson.  We never did learn exactly what Jacks did to Cash to make him go after Jacks, only that Jacks stole from him, his friend.  I wonder if that will come back in a future book?

Kallie and Layne's relationship takes a step forward near the end of the book and I think McKenna is coming to terms with the fact that Layne's heart wants Kallie.  I have a feeling that he may have some competition ahead from Devlin Daniels.  Unless I misread some of his comments to Kalle....

I think one of the things Pheonix does so well is convey the bond and closeness between her characters.  You can see it in the scenes between Kallie & Jacks and Kallie & Belladonna.  To me, they really become real people, not just names on a page.  

[dalnewt]

I'm off tonight to pick up my copy of Black Heart Loa (Hoodoo Series #2).

Can't wait to read it!

I'm starting the moment I get back home with the book!

[dalnewt]

                                           *******SPOILERS*********

I loved the urgent and unpredictable story lines as well as the expansion of the cast of characters. Jackson's story was particularly surprising and interesting. The demon wolf of the bayou, Devlin Daniels, fascinates me. He's predatory and mysterious, a perfect combination. The Le Nique loup-garous also added to the story's tapestry. And, the capricious and threatening loa of death and resurrection, Baron Samedi, really kept things hopping.

Essentially this novel spins a tale of magical complications. IMO, it's a bridge book that expands/deepens the cast of characters and introduces new, although largely unknown, enemies by way of a short story line and statements made by Kallie's aunt, Divinity.  It's a very good story, but I didn't feel as if the main characters were essentially changed by what happened and/or that anything was actually accomplished in terms of the story arc. Furthermore, the story lacked a showdown at its apex. It did have desperate circumstances and an urgent ritual, but no confrontation with a bad guy(s)/girl(s), be they human or otherwise.

Some might argue that the sexual liaison between the main characters substantially deepened their relationship, but I didn't feel as if any true bond was formed. There was the beginning of some sort of bond, but, IMO,  no significant progress was made on that front. It's a testament to the author's skill that she's able to write a sexual pairing between the protagonist and her love interest while still keeping the reader guessing; but, for me it wasn't as fulfilling as a sex scene should be. On the other hand the relationship between Kallie and Belladonna was substantially strengthened by this story. Belladonna's abiding friendship with Kallie was apparent and gratifying in this book. Plus, Belladonna added humor to this rather intense story. 

In short, this was a brilliant bridge book which kept me throughly entertained but wishing for just a bit more.

[dalnewt]

                                  ***** SPOILERS  *****

I just wanted to explain that this book provided a completely entertaining read with masterful interwoven story lines. But, there was no villain, human or otherwise, and there really wasn't an exciting story climax. I was totally engaged until the source of the problem was revealed. Somehow a magical accident just isn't as compelling to me as some entity with malicious intent. Without a villainous entity, I was entertained but not totally immersed at the book's conclusion. And, the absence of a climax with real conflict was noticeable to me. Again let me say that I was still very engaged at the end of the book, but it just wasn't quite as exciting as the first book.

[3monstersmom]

I bought this book and since I had a pile of library books with approaching due dates I sadly had to stick it on my bookcase in the TBR pile.  I didn't notice it till later when I was staring at the wall of bookcases (my dining room is doing double duty as a library), but the colors on the books spin are amazing.  Talk about standing out on a full book shelf.  I didn't realize how eye catching the colors were until I put it in a sea of Urban Fantasy darkness.  Very cool and smart on some designers part.

[Adrian_Phoenix]

Thanks so much, everyone! It's always a pleasure and an honor to be here.

One of my fave scenes to write was the chapter from Cielo's POV. I loved that one!

And, yes, Devlin Daniels has laid claim to Kallie.

The cover isgorgeous! The colors were a brilliant idea. And--I'm thrilled to say--Pocket used all of my ideas for the cover.

[dalnewt]

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Adrian_Phoenix wrote:

Thanks so much, everyone! It's always a pleasure and an honor to be here.

One of my fave scenes to write was the chapter from Cielo's POV. I loved that one!

And, yes, Devlin Daniels has laid claim to Kallie.

The cover isgorgeous! The colors were a brilliant idea. And--I'm thrilled to say--Pocket used all of my ideas for the cover.

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I loved Cielo's chapter! Great writing from the dog's perspective! 

[ThirstyFlea]

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dalnewt wrote:

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Adrian_Phoenix wrote:

Thanks so much, everyone! It's always a pleasure and an honor to be here.

One of my fave scenes to write was the chapter from Cielo's POV. I loved that one!

And, yes, Devlin Daniels has laid claim to Kallie.

The cover isgorgeous! The colors were a brilliant idea. And--I'm thrilled to say--Pocket used all of my ideas for the cover.

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I loved Cielo's chapter! Great writing from the dog's perspective! 

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The Cielo POV's were definitely some of my favorite parts of this book! Brilliantly done! Must have been so fun to write- Adrian, you must be a dog person! (yay!)

[Adrian_Phoenix]

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ThirstyFlea wrote:

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The Cielo POV's were definitely some of my favorite parts of this book! Brilliantly done! Must have been so fun to write- Adrian, you must be a dog person! (yay!)

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Thanks so much! I have three (soon to be four) cats, but I have granddogs that I dote on--a certain Siberian husky is one of them.

[JDeg]

Loved, loved, loved this book.  I want my 8 hours with Layne   Spoilers below...Beware!!

At 416 pages, it says an awful lot that I wanted this book to continue. I didn't want it to end. As much as I enjoyed Black Dust Mambo, I liked Black Heart Loa more.

BHL begins immediately where BDM left off. Kallie, Belladonna, Gabrielle and Divinity are still in Bayou Cypres Noir, dealing with the events of BDM. Jackson, Kallie's hot pirate cousin, is missing and his mojo bag is discarded on the floor. Kallie knows there is something wrong, and sets out to find Jackson.

Layne, who had been driving home, changes direction to go to Dr. Herron's home in Chacahoula to confront the spirit of Dr. Herron's wife. He wants to avenge Gage from the previous book, and make sure that Kallie is protected. Layne's bike gets hit by a truck and he is then knocked out cold until Belladonna and Kallie find him. Unfortunately, Layne has a passenger in addition to Lord Agustine. 

A hurricane is raging towards Louisiana at the same time this story is taking place. For some reason, since the end of BDM, all of the magic in Louisiana is going wonky. For example, the wards the hoodoos set up to deflect tropical storms are suddenly attracting them like a magnet. Of course, it has to have something to do with Kallie, her loa, and the black dust hex she breathed in previously. 

Kallie rushes to save her cousin, Jackson, who has been taking in by an interesting group of people in the swamps of Louisiana. I don't want to say too much about them, because I don't want to spoil it. All his time, Baron Samedi, the loa of death, is chasing Kallie, trying to free her loa. We see our favorite pixie-leprechaun-devil McKenna show up to help Layne exorcise one of his passengers. Once Layne is free, he does whatever he can to help Kallie.

Along the way to finding Jackson, we are introduced to a new character, Devlin Daniels, who seems sexy, scary and powerful. I really hope we see more of him, but not to the detriment of the wonderful Kallie-Layne relationship. I am especially looking forward to seeing Devlin again, after this quote:

I've got yo' scent," he said, nostrils flaring. "I can find you anywhere. Anytime. Yo' heart be mine, Kallie Riviere, hoodoo woman."

Kallie eventually finds out, with the help of Devlin, how to make things right for everyone, which requires a lovely chapter of her exploits with Layne. Yum Layne and Kallie's relationship definitely grows in this book, and it seems to be solidifying. The connection between Kallie and Layne seems to be something special. There is a physical shock between them when they touch, and if I were Kallie, I'd be touching Layne Valin as much as humanly possible! The book ends with the two of them making plans, which I assume is what we will read about in Book 3.

I also look forward to reading more about Belladonna. I love her relationship with Kallie, and I hope she get s storyline. In this book, she served more as comic relief and as a companion to Kallie. I want to hear more about Dallas, as well, who spent this entire book recuperating from the events in Black Dust Mambo. 

I recommend that you read the first book in this series, Black Dust Mambo, before reading this one. There are a lot of things mentioned in Black Heart Loa that happened in the previous book, and Adrian Phoenix, to my happiness, doesn't rehash the storylines completely.

[paulgoatallen]

I'm about 100 pages in and I'm still not fully "immersed" – there is a lot going on and the pacing is quite brisk. More in a few!

Paul

[paulgoatallen]

Okay, I'm done with Black Heart Loa. My full review/blog is below. I had trouble sinking into this one – the first 100 pages were not as fluid as I had expected – but once the loup-garou storyline got revealed, the narrative took off and became much smoother and faster.

The things that made this reading experience so memorable for me were:

1. Adrian's "full sensory" writing style (see my blog below),

2. her ability to create a cast of interesting yet realistic characters (even Cielo!),

3. and her prowess at writing super steamy sex scenes.

If I had to describe this series in just a few words, they would be: earthy and intense.

Where do I rank this one in the Adrian Phoenix pantheon? That's a tough one... the beginning of Black Heart Loa was a little rough – but the rest of the novel was typical AP. I'll let this one digest inside of me for a little bit before responding.

Paul

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Explorations-The-BN-SciFi-and/Full-Sensory-Paranormal-Fantasy...