Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Pirate's Alley by Suzanne Johnson: Review and interview!!

I was lucky enough to get an advance readers copy of this book and...OMG!!!


Wizard sentinel DJ Jaco thought things might settle down, at least a little bit. No such luck, since New Orleans post-Katrina is still full of the preternatural, and they really don't get along. The major factions, the elves, the vampires, and the fae, are trying to create a council that will rule the city together. If they can't make this work, it could mean war.

Meanwhile DJ is assigned a simple guard/spy duty. Unfortunately her "client" is the sexy pirate Jean Lafitte, who has just returned from his latest "death" with vengeance foremost in his mind. He's sneaky and doesn't play fair, and he has the council - and DJ - very worried.

As if this weren't enough, New Orleans is experiencing some very unusual weather - it's freezing, snowing, sleeting, etc. Eugenie, DJ's best friend, also has an unusual condition to report - and this one will test loyalties. While DJ is on the side of what's best for her friend, her shifter boyfriend, Alex, is firmly on the side of duty. For him everything is black and white, no matter the consequences for the people involved.

This installment of Sentinels of New Orleans was absolutely amazing. I loved getting sucked back into DJ's world even as the suspense almost killed me. I stayed up late reading, totally unaware of the time, because I just had to see what happened next. And the ending...WOW! I cannot wait to read book five! (Seriously. I'll be stalking the author's blog for teasers and hints.)

Johnson, Suzanne. Pirate's Alley (Sentinels of New Orleans Book 4). New York: Tor Books, 2015. Publication Date: April 21, 2015. 5 stars. 

Speaking of the author, I asked Suzanne Johnson five questions. Her absolutely honest answers may surprise you...


What song makes you dance no matter where you are? 

It varies according to what I’ve been listening to the most. Lately, it’s “Embarque ma Belle” by Kaïn, a Canadian band. The song’s about ten years old, but even if you don’t understand the lyrics, I defy you not to at least dance in your chair ☺.



What is your favorite guilty pleasure TV show? 

Er...um...sigh. “General Hospital.” I DVR it. Don’t judge. How long is it gonna take for poor Jason to regain his memory? And Elizabeth’s toddler, Aidan, has been napping upstairs for over a year!

What is your writing process? Do you outline and block out scenes, write the whole thing chronologically, or piece it together? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I don’t plot down to the color of the draperies, but I do map out every scene before I start writing it and know the beginning, ending, and major turning points and relationships in the book before I start. I spend about 2-3 weeks plotting before I start writing, then go straight from beginning to end.

Are you a collector? What do you collect? What would you collect if money and space were no option?

I’m a fickle collector. I collect obsessively, then get swayed by another shiny thing to collect and abandon the previous one. I’ve collected and sold collections of dolls, colonial blue thumbprint Fenton glass, and Early American Pattern Glass. Currently, I seem to be obsessively collecting art supplies. 

What traits have you picked up from your parents? 

I am a leg-jiggler, like my dad was. The creative streak comes from my mom, and, like her, I dabble in art. I come by stubborn honestly, from both of them.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in the review are mine alone. 

8 comments:

  1. Cute video for your song. It does make you want to dance.

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    1. Thanks, Liz! It's an addictive little song all about shucking responsibility and running away for a while to play instead of work :-)

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  2. It's great seeing a Pirate's Alley review, glad that Fun-Size Reads liked it. DJ's simple guard / spy duty does get very complicated. Enjoyed the review. Agree with five stars, I also can't wait for book five. The Sentinels of New Orleans is a great read, hope everybody will go out and buy Pirate's Alley, April 21st. Thanks for the review and Suzanne's Q & A..

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Roger. We've had a long wait for #4; let's hope #5 comes sooner rather than later!

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  3. ^^ Definitively worth teh wait but yes i hope book 5 will come sooner^^.
    now you have me curious about teh series you cited i will researh it when things calm down here

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  4. I am counting the minutes until my copy of Pirate's Alley arrives (I've pre-ordered digital and paper b/c what if the zombie apocalypse happens and zaps my Nook?). For Suzanne - how long does it take you to write the book after you have plotted it?

    Thanks! (And like the others, book 5 (6, 7, 8, . . . ) can't come fast enough. Shouldn't you be writing more in the series right now - like seriously, now - why are you on the internet and not writing?!?!?!)

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  5. One week, one week, one week!! I am so, SSSSOOOO excited for this book!! Tell me DJ gets a bit more romance with this book. Please?! And that Rand gets put in his place (at least once!). I am also a leg jiggler as is my father. If I'm in bed, I wiggle one foot (my husband says I rock him to sleep.).

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