Review: Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge by Paul Krueger

 

Title: Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge

Author: Paul Krueger

Published by: Quirk Books

Released: 2016

Source: Library

 

Synopsis:  A sharp and funny urban fantasy for “new adults” about a secret society of bartenders who fight monsters with alcohol fueled magic.

College grad Bailey Chen has a few demons: no job, no parental support, and a rocky relationship with Zane, the only friend who’s around when she moves back home. But when Zane introduces Bailey to his cadre of monster-fighting bartenders, her demons get a lot more literal. Like, soul-sucking hell-beast literal. Soon, it’s up to Bailey and the ragtag band of magical mixologists to take on whatever—or whoever—is behind the mysterious rash of gruesome deaths in Chicago, and complete the lost recipes of an ancient tome of cocktail lore. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: Okay, okay this was fun. I enjoyed reading this. I won't say I loved it though, but I definitely liked it.

I thought the world was pretty fun and quirky. Magical glowing alcoholic drinks, demon fighting bartenders, I'm intrigued! It was definitely a fun world.

It was a very fast read too. I rather enjoyed the experience. There was this feeling that events were happening almost too fast. It seemed like Bailey gained all knowledge of everything in just a couple weeks time. 

I didn't really love Bailey. In fact, I found her a little annoying. She's very full of herself, a know-it-all. I don't tend to like characters like that because I don't like people like that. She could also be kind of rude. I didn't hate Bailey, but I sure didn't love her either.

My second big Bailey problem involved the romance. Zane and her had a thing in high school, but then she left cause she thought she was better, and could do better than him. They're friends, they're fine, and suddenly Bailey finds out he has a girlfriend, and all of a sudden she wants Zane back. I'm not a fan of the jealousy and going after someone who is taken. That's no bueno, wrong. She even kisses him just mere paragraphs after asking him about how he and his girlfriend met!! I'm sorry, but no. That's not a romance I'm going to get behind.

And maybe there were a little too many Canada is so great jokes. I get it, the character's Canadian.

My light ranting aside, I enjoyed this. It was fun. The world was interesting. I enjoyed all the entries from The Devil's Water Dictionary. It was an enjoyable little story.

 

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Demons and Drinks... cool.