UNSYMPATHETIC MAGIC: Third Esther Diamond Novel - Laura Resnick

From the back of the book: Acting jobs don't grow on fire escapes....
So struggling actress Esther Diamond is outraged when her guest role as a hooker on The Dirty Thirty, a controversial TV drama, is jeopardized by zombies, angry spirits, and a voodoo curse. Meanwhile, the talented teens Esther is coaching at a Harlem cultural center are also being attacked by the sinister supernatural power that's spreading through Manhattan. And Esther's love life goes from bad to worse when her bed bursts into deadly flames while her would-be lover, Detective Connor Lopez, is trying to get her into it!

Since the show must go on (and the rent must be paid), Esther boldly helps her friend Dr. Maximillian Zadok, a 350-year-old sorcerer whose day job is protecting New York City from Evil, combat the supernatural forces at work in Harlem durng a sweltering summer heat wave. But will Esther's courage leadher to become a human sacrifice on the altar of Evil's voracious appetite?
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I have completely enjoyed my time with the first two books in the series, DISAPPEARING NIGHTLY and DOPPELGANGSTER (my reviews) and UNSYMPATHETIC MAGIC is even more so. It's a little darker and not as much humor as in the previous two, but I think it's my favorite of the series. And I will likely say that for the next one as each book is read by me. I love watching Esther keep forging ahead in all that she does to keep acting, pay the rent, try for a normal life with all that she knows about having to fight Evil and what's in that supernatural world when you look for it.
Esther, Max, Nelli the familiar deal with zombies, voodoo, good and bad, one big ass snake, a bitchy priestess and assorted other ick factor entities. And there's the whole bed on fire action between Esther and Lopez....woof!


Laura, please tell me there will be more Esther Diamond adventures in the future!!
*just checked a past comment from Laura Resnick on my review of DOPPELGANGSTER and VAMPARAZZI is due out in June!!! YAY!*


Five big ol' sparkly Esther Diamonds.........

DOPPELGANGSTER: Esther Diamond Mystery #2 - Laura Resnick

From the back of the book: Meet Esther Diamond, a struggling New York actress with some unusual friends....

"Esther Diamond is the Stephanie Plum of urban fantasy! In Laura Resnick's DOPPELGANGSTER, the New York actress is 'resting' between roles by working as a singing waitress at a Manhattan mob restaurant because wiseguys tip well. Then duplicated gangsters appear, bullets start flying, and it's up to Esther and her friend Max the Magician to fight Evil by stopping a gang war before it starts killing the wrong people. And if she has time, maybe Esther can actually keep a hot date with her hunky detective friend Lopez, who doesn't believe in magic. Yet. Unplug the phone and settle down for a fast and funny read!"

Mary Jo Putney, New York Times bestselling author

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Esther Diamond is an actor between jobs, though she calls it resting. She finds out about a job at a restaurant she's used before as a fallback place of employment, a restaurant known to be visited by 'family' of the wiseguy persuasion. They love to hear Esther sing and she can crack wise with the best of them.

The doppelgangers, aka doppelgangsters (love this), start appearing and causing havoc as well as murder. Esther needs to find out how they are appearing since she witnessed a hit and might be on the list next and she knows something magically hinky is going on.

I love the characters in DOPPELGANGSTERS. The story is great, the mystery is intriguing, but the characters of Esther, Max the Magician, Alberto "Lucky Bastard" Battistuzzi, and Nelli, Max's familiar. I had fun reading the story especially when wiseguy speak was being utilized, translated and taught to Max. He is so literal and sort of out of touch and I kept snort laughing each time he was introduced to a new phrase.

If you haven't read this series, please do yourself a hugely excellent favor and get this book! If you can find the first in the series, DISAPPEARING NIGHTLY (my review), read it, but it's not mandatory to do so to enjoy this fabulously smart and funny urban fantasy.

Five because it's excellent and because it' Esther Diamond diamonds.....

Books in the House - Mon - 27 Sep 2010

From my lending library Jenna:
AN ARTIFICIAL NIGHT: October Daye #3 - Seanan McGuire, UF, MPB
UNSYMPATHETIC MAGIC: Esther Diamond #3 - Laura Resnick, UF, MPB

and because she's da bomb diggity:
STRANGE ANGELS: Strange Angels Book One - Lili St Crow, YA UF
BETRAYALS: Strange Angels Book Two - Lili St Crow, YA UF
JEALOUSY: Strange Angels Book Three - Lili St Crow, YA UF

Jenna won the above Lili St Crow series at Lili's book signing at Powells Cedar Hills location and gave them to me! And she had them signed to me! Thank you Jenna!!

She also sent me:
NATIVE STAR - M K Hobson, Wild West fantasy, signed by the author

And the below image shows what my buddy Bonnie (Redlady's Reading Room) sent me:

Books in the House - Monday - 30 Aug 2010

I went on a bit of a bender last week and did some ordering from B&N:
WICKED GAME: WVMP Book 1 - Jeri Smith-Ready, UF, MPB
BAD TO THE BONE: WVMP Book 2 - Jeri Smith-Ready, UF, TPB
MOZART'S BLOOD - Louise Marley, supernatural historical, TPB
HOW TO SEW A BUTTON & OTHER NIFTY THINGS YOUR GRANDMOTHER KNEW - Erin Bried, fun nonfiction as recommended by Mollie on BTO, TPB
DOPPELGANGSTER: Esther Diamond #2 - Laura Resnick, UF, MPB

From Mary Ann on BTO:
9 DRAGONS: Harry Bosch #15 - Michael Connelly, suspense, HB
THIS BODY OF DEATH: Inspector Lynley #15 - Elizabeth George, suspense, HB

DISAPPEARING NIGHTLY - Laura Resnick

From the back of the book: I'm not a heroine--I just play one. Along with psychotics, vamps, housewives and hookers. As my agent is fond of pointing out, there are more actors in New York than there are people in most other cities. Translation: beggars can't be choosers.

This explains how I wound up prancing around stage half naked the night Golly Gee--the female lead in the off-Broadway show "Sorceror!"-- disappeared into thin air. Literally.

Now other performers are also vanishing, and a mysterious stranger is warning me, "There is evil among us." But the producers want me to take over Golly's part.

Looks as if I'm going to need a little magical help if I want to keep my starring role.....

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O..M..G! How excellent is this book?! I had such a good time reading it and getting to know Esther, Max, Magic Magnus, Delilah, Whoopsy Daisy, Khyber Pass....and the rest....it's a funny paranormal mystery that had me giggling and staying up way past my bedtime since it was my bedside book.

The characters are fabulously written and the story is smooth. I did kind of figure out who the bad person was about halfway through, but I didn't mind. I wanted to see how it was done and the rest of the relationships and characters pulled me happily along.

Five superbly mystical beans......