Series: The Shambling Guides #1
Published by Hachette Audio, Orbit on May 28, 2013
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 368
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
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A travel writer takes a job with a shady publishing company in New York, only to find that she must write a guide to the city - for the undead!
Because of the disaster that was her last job, Zoe is searching for a fresh start as a travel book editor in the tourist-centric New York City. After stumbling across a seemingly perfect position though, Zoe is blocked at every turn because of the one thing she can't take off her resume --- human.
Not to be put off by anything -- especially not her blood drinking boss or death goddess coworker -- Zoe delves deep into the monster world. But her job turns deadly when the careful balance between human and monsters starts to crumble -- with Zoe right in the middle
My Thoughts:
Zoe’s last job as a travel writer didn’t end so well. Even though she was fantastic writing travel guides for different cities, having an affair with your married boss who just happens to have a police officer wife that he never mentioned puts a damper on any chances for career advancement–especially when the wife is psycho and storms your house looking to give you a beat down. So Zoe finds herself back in New York City, desperately sending out resumes and coming up empty in her job search. A chance stop into a sketchy looking bookstore yields a flyer for a small publisher looking for a travel book editor, and even though the intense man putting up the flyer tells Zoe that she may not be right for the job, she applies anyway and gets hired because she is immensely qualified–even though she is human and the publishing company is run by supernatural creatures (called Coterie).
Zoe must quickly adapt to working with a vampire boss, a few zombies, a water sprite, a death goddess, and even a succubus, just to name a few. But the amount of Coterie that she has learn about as she researches the local restaurants, hotels, and hot spots for the travel guide they’re writing is varied and immense, and Zoe must adapt quickly and learn how to act normally and confidently around creatures that would sooner eat her than work with her. A seemingly crazy homeless woman named Granny Good Mae approaches Zoe and offers to teach her how to protect herself from all the different types of Coterie since she’s working with them. And it turns out that Zoe needs that knowledge since it isn’t all smooth sailing for Zoe and the coworkers she quickly calls friends. Something evil is coming to town and is hell-bent on taking over.
I give The Shambling Guide to New York City a four out of five. Offering a lighter take on urban fantasy, it was a fun journey going along with Zoe as she learned about all of the Coterie hiding amongst humans. Since this is the first book in the series, the world building was a bit more of the focus for this book along with getting to know the different characters and types of Coterie–all of which were interesting and balanced. Each chapter ended with an excerpt from The Shambling Guide to New York City, and the tips were quirky and interesting to listen to in relation to the story as it unfolded. Unlike most urban fantasy, the romance aspect of this story was rather light and pushed to the background, which was refreshing as Zoe focused on her job and staying alive. I can’t wait to read the second book in this series, The Ghost Train to New Orleans.
I listened to the audiobook provided by Hachette Audio
Get your own Audiobooks at Audible: The Shambling Guide to New York City.
The author, Mur Lafferty, narrated the unabridged audio that I listened to and it came in at nine hours and twenty-four minutes. She is a veteran podcaster of I Should Be Writing fame (which I highly recommend), and smoothly reads her book at an enjoyable pace and tone.
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I do love the lighter urban fantasy! I saw this one around and just wasn’t sure about it but I think, after reading your review, I’m going to have to check it out. Zoe sounds like a character I want to get to know!
Mary @ BookSwarm recently posted..Speed Date with Ezra: THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING by Robyn Schneider
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Zoe is a character that doesn’t really complain too much and she knows what she wants but isn’t too pushy about it, so this book was a very nice change of pace from most Urban Fantasy books. This book was just refreshing in general.
Heather recently posted..The Shambling Guide to New York City by Mur Lafferty
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This does sound like a fun one! I don’t really read Urban fantasy…but I think I’d like this!
Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf recently posted..Cat Thursday – Piper Update
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This book is so different from most Urban Fantasy that I think you’d like this too. It almost needs a new genre assigned to it.
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Here I am being shallow, but the cover does nothing for me. That being said, everything else sounds like lots of fun. I love the variety of paranormal entites!
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What a great review! This isn’t the type of book I would go for, and the book cover isn’t all that interesting, but from the way you have written things it sounds intriguing. Will have to look out for this book in WHSmiths. Lovely post, I just love your blogs! Would love if you could take a look at my blog; I’m new to all of this lol http://storytellershannon.blogspot.co.uk/ 🙂
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