The Wild Ways, Tanya Huff

I liked this book better than the first one. I don't think it was as predictable as the first book of the series.

This book is from Charlie Gales' point of view. Charlie is Allie's (the first book's main character) best friend and lover....and yes, distant cousin. Charlie's powers are part of what make her more interesting. Charlie is what the Gales call a wild power. One of the things Charlie can do is travel the wood, which gets her from point A to point B in the blink of an eye. She uses music and her guitar to make her magic work.

As far as her character, she's....well, she's called a slacker in the book, and while that's not entirely untrue, it's not quite right either. She's never needed to apply herself. She bounces from band to band; she doesn't like to be tied to one place; she uses her magic to ease her way. She's more carefree than slacker. When Allie needed her in The Enchantment Emporium, she was there. She mainly acted as a support system for Allie instead of a power, but she was where she was needed.

The Enchantment Emporium, Tanya Huff

The Gale Women series. Another series to get involved in. SMH.

Not that it's wasn't good. I really enjoyed it. In fact, the 2nd book is out and I plan on reading that next. Unfortunately that's where it stops for the time being.

I think one of my favorite things about this book is also one of the most difficult to deal with. Typically, these fantasy or urban fantasy genre books seem to involve the main character being thrust into a new, and previously impossible, situation and having to find their way - find out who they are. Even in stories where the character knows about the real world they live in, they usually involve some kind of self discovery.

On the other hand, this book thrusts the reader into a new, and previously impossible, world and it's the reader who has to find their way. There are few explanations as to what's going on and what the Gale family is. We meet Allie, a twenty-something Gale woman. She's grown up around the family and their magic - she doesn't need explanations. While I do enjoy this tactic, it did leave me lost a few times. It's hard to catch the subtext when you're not entirely sure what the characters are talking about.