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    Blue Diablo: A Corine Solomon Novel
    Unavailable
    Blue Diablo: A Corine Solomon Novel
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    Blue Diablo: A Corine Solomon Novel
    Ebook426 pages5 hours

    Blue Diablo: A Corine Solomon Novel

    By Ann Aguirre

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Read Ann Aguirre's posts on the Penguin Blog

    “Gritty, steamy and altogether wonderful urban fantasy.”—New York Times Bestselling Author Patricia Briggs

    View our feature on Ann Aguirre’s Blue Diablo.

    "Right now, I’m a redhead. I’ve been blonde and brunette as the situation requires, though an unscheduled color change usually means relocating in the middle of the night. So far, I’m doing well here. Nobody knows what I’m running from. And I’d like to keep it that way…"

    Eighteen months ago, Corine Solomon crossed the border and wound up in Mexico City, fleeing her past, her lover, and her “gift”. Corine, a handler, can touch something and know its history—and sometimes, its future. Using her ability, she can find the missing—and that’s why people never stop trying to find her. People like her ex, Chance…

    Chance, whose uncanny luck has led him to her doorstep, needs her help. Someone dear to them both has gone missing in Laredo, Texas, and the only hope of finding her is through Corine’s gift. But their search may prove dangerous as the trail leads them into a strange dark world of demons and sorcerers, ghosts and witchcraft, zombies—and black magic…

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Group
    Release dateApr 7, 2009
    ISBN9781101046951
    Unavailable
    Blue Diablo: A Corine Solomon Novel
    Author

    Ann Aguirre

    Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner, best known for her teen dystopian series Razorland (Enclave; Outpost; and Horde) and Sirantha Jax, her adult science fiction series. She writes all kinds of genre fiction and has forty-two contracted novels and novellas with Penguin, Macmillan, Harlequin, among others.

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    Reviews for Blue Diablo

    3.5/5

    195 ratings18 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Run of the mill urban fantasy. Lots of blood, gore and supernatural bad guys. This book did have an unlikely protagonist show up and that made it a bit more fun than it might have otherwise been. Definitely left open for more installments. I did enjoy it and might have to start looking for book 2 in the series.
    • 5/5
      The premise: Corine Solomon is a handler, a person with the ability to handle objects and know that object's history and quite possibly, its future. Her gift doesn't come without a serious price, and because of it, she's hermited herself in Mexico City to try and live her life in peace. But it doesn't take long for her past to catch up with her, and her past comes in the form of her ex-lover Chance who desperately needs her help: someone has taken a person they both care deeply about, and with Corinne's gift and Chance's uncanny luck, they might solve the case, but in order to do so, they must fight sorcerers, black magic, and even each other.My RatingMust Have: if you're an Aguirre fan, this is beyond a must. If you're a UF reader, it's a must because of the unique Mexican/Texan setting and the rather grounded way Aguirre handles the magic of her world. The characters are raw and human who have to make tough decisions about themselves, their situation, and each other; and overall, Aguirre's assembled a GREAT cast (including some strong women and one character that's not at all human) that I hope will return in the sequels. It's a very fast read that often utilizes cliff-hangers for chapter breaks, so know that once you pick this book up, you're likely going to have a difficult time putting it down. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequels (there's at least two planned, according to her website), and I'm glad that Aguirre has once again held me in thrall with her work. She's still a must-read author for me, and that's a great thing.The full review, which does include spoilers, may be found in my LJ. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)REVIEW: Ann Aguirre's BLUE DIABLOHappy Reading! :)
    • 3/5
      I was fascinated by this world and characters (and how Ann Aguirre can change series and genres as smooth as silk).



      See Abigail's review at All Things Urban Fantasy

      Reread #1 (4/8/12): I don't know what is missing with this series, for some reason I never gain mug momentum with Corine books (compared to other Aguirre novels). On to HELL FIRE, we'll see if I make it to book 3 this time).
    • 4/5
      The world being built in these novels is definitely interesting, although I had a hard time figuring out what some of the rules were as I went along. Then again, the main character was having that problem as well, so it's understandable. From her point of view, everything was very confusing. I think my biggest issue was that I could see that answers to a few questions (and I am a terrible mystery solver) before everyone else did. I get that in the immediate situations, your brain might not think clearly, but getting from clue A to clue B to the answer was really easy. What impressed me most was the interpersonal relationships going on in the story -- they developed over time and had a basis in the past. Everything did not end all HEA, so there are more stories to be told. (I have to add, though, that for once I would like a female character who does not worry about her butt or her weight. So done with body commentary in novels.)
    • 3/5
      Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre
      A Corine Solomon Novel

      18 months ago Corine Solomon left her lover and crossed the border to Mexico. She was fleeing her past and her gift, as a "handler". Which means that when she touch something she can know its past, and sometimes its future. She used it to find missing people - and that is now why people want to find her.

      That is how her ex, Chance shows up in her store. He has an ability that gives him luck. Someone they both care about has gone missing and he needs her to find that someone, not to mention that he needs her too. Their search leads them into a world of dark magic, demons, zombies, witches and people that show her that she is not as alone as she first thought

      I really did enjoy this book, and I knew it from the start. It is that kind of book that makes you want to continue reading, you feel the urge to know what is going to happen. It's an easy book to read, and it was just what I needed. It sure lifted my spirits after reading some not so good books. i felt that good books are still being written and this is one of them.

      First of all I liked Corine, she is colourful (and then I am not talking about her clothes). I didn't know what to think about Chance at first, just as she struggled with her own emotions for him. But then I did want to see them together. Though I do confess that sexy cop Jesse Saldana sure stirred the blood when he showed up. He was a lovely surprise in the book.

      This book sure had a bit of everything thrown in and perhaps that is why I liked it. It did feel different, and a good book needs that to stand out. What is better than dark magic, and then zombies too. Yes even those fitted in.

      I do like a book that makes me giggle, and smile. Oh it has some really good bits in it, one that involved a conversation about some cakes and ice-cream after dinner sure made me giggle while I read it

      So if you are on a lookout for a book invloving paranormal, romance, danger, and some fun times then this is the book for you.

      How I am supposed to say something bad now..... ok, the cover, when Corine was described in the book I sure thought about her a certain way and that cover doesn't seem like her. The jeans, yes, but not the blouse. Lol, yes this really seems to be the only negative thing I can think of.

      I will give this book 4/5 because I enjoyed it a lot, and I would recommend it to others.

      It also made me want to read more of Aguirre's books since I haven't read her sci-fi books yet.

      Blue Diablo comes out on April 7th
    • 5/5
      I can't think of a thing that wasn't right in Blue Diablo. I can think of one thing that made it stand head and shoulders above much of what I've read lately: Aguirre knows that sexual tension can be much sexier than explicit sex scenes! That is such a relief!I'm looking forward to reading more about Corine and Chance. I've been waiting for more of her Grimspace series, so now I'm torn. Just give us more, Ann!
    • 5/5
      Corine Solomon has a talent for retail, so running a pawnshop in Mexico City is right up her alley. And it's peaceful - that is until her ex shows up. Chance need Corine's other talent. She's a handler, with the ability to see a quick snapshot of the last few moments someone handled almost any item. Ordinarily, Corine wouldn't have any problem saying no, even though she's not even semi-over Chance. But his mom's gone missing in Laredo, and without her help missing may turn in to dead - if it hasn't already.The bad guy was a bit too easy to spot, so it's a good thing Aguirre didn't wrap things up there - Corine's a kick. A promising series opener.
    • 4/5
      Corine lives above the pawnshop she owns in Mexico city. She doesn't stay places long, having to stay on the move and knowing she should be on the move again. But she likes living here and her ability with the nicknack's helps in this business. She finds it's peaceful here for her and she likes the shop. Then one day Chance, her ex-boyfriend she left to come to Mexico City, walks in her door. Chance has tracked her down using his Luck. Chance needs Corine's help, and asks her to help him find his mother, also close to Corine, who was taken and is hopefully still alive. Chance is hoping Corine's power of touch and sight mixed with his luck will work together to find his mother.I found the beginning a little slower for me, but in no time the book picked up and I really enjoyed this book. I think in the beginning I didn't understand what Corine was holding back from, but as the book unfolded I warmed up to Corine and stated to understand her more and more. I did love her calm and humor or quick comebacks. She did make me smile. And the brief torture moments along with comments to Chance on them not being a couple any more. Although, I loved Chance from the beginning. The two characters fight through many rough moments in the investigation and through the history they had together and make it through. I enjoyed the relationships between all the characters.The book has a mix of magic and dark magic with witches and warlords, zombies, and some warfare as well. There is lots of excitement in this book with the action and information. Once I got done I immediately thought this book would make a great action movie full with some sexual tension, love and attitude to go with it, with great fight scenes and complete with blown up cars.
    • 5/5
      Blue Diablo begins with Corine's ex-boyfriend Chance showing up at her store and home in Mexico looking for help. Corine is a handler, which in a nutshell means that she is able to touch different objects and tell the object's history as well as sometimes more from touching it. Chance's mother has disappeared and his only lead is an object that he believes she left behind as a clue to where she has gone. Now it is up to Corine and Chance to track his mother down to bring her to safety and while they do that they may just get a little more than they bargained for.For me a good book needs to have strong, interesting characters that make me want to read their story. Luckily enough, Corine and Chance were great main characters to read about. The history between them is present throughout the story and is always something that is between them. I liked that the author didn't make it easy for them: they still hurt from the past and each other but at the same time the feelings that they had for each other were still there. I was just waiting to see if they would be able to work everything out. The storyline itself was fast paced and interesting. I liked the idea that Corine was able to get the history of something just from touching different objects. And I thought it was interesting that the handling of these objects caused Corine different levels of pain depending on what she touched. It made this book different from a lot of books that are out there in this genre. The entire read was very satisfying and this is an author that I want to read more of and soon. I can't wait to see what will happen between Corine and Chance in future books! All in all, a great read.Bottom line: This is a definite book and beginning of a series to check out if you enjoy urban fantasy! Recommended!
    • 4/5
      It has taken several hair-dyes, numerous identities and a trip across the border for Corine to begin to feel safe enough to call one place her home, but that all changed when her ex Chance turned up on her doorstep. Someone they both love dearly has disappeared and Chance wants Corine back, but not just to help find his mother.Corine is gifted, she can find things, know things, all with a single burning touch. She spent most of her life running from those who wished to exploit this gift. She spent most of her relationship with Chance using this gift to make money. In the end she came to believe that it was her gift Chance loved not her. But could she have been wrong?Blue Diablo is just the beginning of Corine Solomon's series of adventures, taking you on an action packed journey into the darker side of life. Here the things that go bump in the night really are as terrifying and full of dangers as nightmares suggest. It's a fresh take on the supernatural where cultures, religions and monsters collide and where you're just as likely to be stalked, shot at and arrested as you are to be cursed and set upon by zombies.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this one. It is not a world I know anything about, and so it was all the more entertaining. On the most part, I enjoyed the characters, and understood their motivation. I like the way the author uses Corine’s gift to uncover clues and move the story forward. Also, the setting. I have never been to Texas, although I have been to Oklahoma and Mexico. could picture the scenery vividly. I will definitely be seeking out the sequel to this book.
    • 4/5
      Blue Diablo is written with the sort of wit that reminds me a little of screwball comedies or hard-boiled detective novels - the heroine observes the world with snappy remarks and colorful descriptions. The character development/emotional life of the characters is paced a little slow for my liking but by about two thirds of the way in, I felt invested in the characters. Didn't love it, but I sure liked it.
    • 4/5
      I absolutely adore Ann Aguirre’s science fiction books. Grimspace and Wanderlust are two of the most refreshingly creative SF books I’ve read in a long time. So I was very excited to receive an ARC of Blue Diablo. The genre is completely different–urban fantasy as opposed to science fiction–and I was eager to see what Ann could do in this new sandbox.She definitely doesn’t disappoint. Blue Diablo is an intricately plotted mystery that had me gasping in surprise several times. I definitely like that I could guess at the motives behind Chance’s mother’s disappearance, but I never felt certain that I knew what was going on. It kept me guessing right until the very end.Blue Diablo has a great cast of characters, all of whom are nicely developed and never flat. Corine is quirky and likable, and I found myself wishing that I could visit her pawn shop in Mexico City, because her apartment sounds SO cool. I really appreciate that her caution around Chance felt realistic; it didn’t exist just to create tension in the plot. I could really feel the history between these two, and that history affected every move Corine made around him. Chance is just mysterious enough to really interest me and just developed enough to make me really, really like him. Jesse Saldana hovers at the edges of my interest, but I’m intrigued by him. I want to know his motivations and if they really are his own, especially where Corine is concerned. The supporting characters, particularly Eva and Chuch, are nicely rounded and entertaining.My only complaint is that the book takes a while to really get rolling. The first quarter, where Corine and Chance are making their way from Mexico City to Laredo, moved pretty slowly, and I think that if something other than broken down cars had happened, I would have been much more engaged and satisfied with the first part.But overall, Blue Diablo is an exciting, engaging urban fantasy set in a locale that, as far as I know, hasn’t been featured in the genre before. I really enjoyed it, and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, Hellfire, which is coming out in April of 2010.
    • 2/5
      Corine Solomon changes her address as often as she changes her hair color – a side effect of having the ‘gift’ of being able to touch an object and know what happened to the last person who used it. Many people are fascinated with her gift, for good or bad, keeping her continually on the run but when her ex Chance comes looking for her to help him find a missing person close to them both, he gives her an offer she can’t refuse and Corine reluctantly agrees to help. Like any couple with a history, things are a little iffy when Corine and Chance are together but when they discover this isn’t some simple kidnapping but that there are all sorts of nasties on their trail: demons, warlocks, and black magic up the wazoo things go straight from Uh Oh to Craptastic in a hurry. Really making this book come alive for me were the secondary characters who agree to help them along the way. This stellar lineup includes Chuch, an ex-merc who can do séances with the best of them, his protective wife Eva, the tiny Chihuahua Butch and a cop Jesse Saldana who may be more than professionally interested in Corine. I just loved Chuch and Eva’s interactions – especially every time she called him by his full name – she just kills me.The setting itself seems to almost be a living, breathing character in this book - most of the action takes place in Mexico or Laredo, Texas and the surrounding border towns. Since Aguirre herself is an ex-pat living in Mexico, I could see the authentic flair everywhere, right down to the smell of rice and beans which of course, made me hungry every time I opened the book up. Sometimes the transitions were less than smooth but all said this was a pretty good read with potential for future installments (watch out for the cliffhanger). Still, I do enjoy Aguirre’s Jax series more. I mean, can anyone compare with that feisty jumper? No. No they can’t.
    • 3/5
      Pretty good, writing is ok
    • 5/5
      I was very entertained by Blue Diablo (Ann Aguirre who is kind enough to send by e-mail to a fan pages of her book that a puppy has chewed through.) This book is in the first person, pov is Corinne who is a handler - she can see visions of events by touching certain objects - though she pays a painful physical price for her "gift" everytime she uses this gift. She is a regular person, except for her gift, no special physical prowess, or talents. This is past history that comes back to her in the form of an ex-boyfriend. Chance comes to her for help in finding his missing mother. Since Corinne was very close to her ex's mother, she agrees to help, even through there is and will be some painfully awkward moments in store for her and her ex. At first I was put off by some of the dialogue between these two, as some of it was bitter, bitchy and angsty, but it actually fits. If you were suddently in touch with someone you left (sneaking out in the middle of the night) there would be some awkward conversation and some verbal jabs - especially with unresolved emotional baggage and anger.But these two pull together to find Chance's mom. Chance has found Corinne in Mexico, where she is in hiding from her past and other people she doesn't want to find her (you find out bits and pieces as the book progresses) so the first thing they have to do is leave Mexico and travel to the last place Min (Chance's mother) was seen. Adventure begins then. Things happen to these two from the beginning, some of it dangerous and some of it "luck". Corinne and Chance are aided in their search by acquaintances who become friends. The secondary characters in this book are as interesting as the main characters. My favorite are Kel (the hand of god) and a dog (Butch). This is a dark urban fantasy. People die in horrific ways, black magic is used, and there are gunfights. But an unlikely alliance of characters (those interesting secondary characters) all band together to find Min and try to put a crime boss out of business.Blue Diablo contains plenty of action. There are physical fight scenes as well as supernatural fights. There is a scary scene in a cemetary - a metaphysical attack by a wizard. There is plenty of action. Corinne finds out a little more about her "gift". She had been going along with no training by anyone, no mentoring, all her life.More information would be giving out spoilers. This book is worth the time to read it. I would give it (with my arbitrary rating system) six out of six stars. I love the interactions of the characters, even the bitter zingers, as well as some whiny bits from Chance to Corinne fit. Corinne has some interest in a hot cop, which she's not sure she should fight, and she flirts with him even though she knows it bothers Chance. She's not a perfect character (not a marysue!) with perfect ethics, but she's also not back together with Chance so she has the right to flirt. I like that she makes friends with another female character, and this character is an attractive woman; I also like that there is no character assasination just because the other female is attractive. I like that even though there are two men attracted to Corinne, it's believable. Not all the men in the vicinity have the hots for her. I also like that even though Chance makes it clear he wants Corinne back, she resists, because she feels it's not healthy for her to be with him. At the end of the book there is material for sequels. Even though there are questions that will lead to another book, the ending was still satisfying. The questions I'm waiting for another book to answer; Will Corinne go back to Mexico or will she make her home with Chuch and Eva (her new friends who welcome her)? Will she end up back with Chance or will she follow her interest in the hot cop (Jesse)? The hand of god - will he help Corinne in the future or hunt her (he hunts evil with a single mindeness, going where God shows a need)? Who ends of with the dog Butch? What is up with their online ally? Will they ever meet face to face?I have read Ann Aguirre's other books (Sci-Fi Grimspace and Wanderlust) and after reading this book, I feel that anything Ann writes will be worth reading. She is a hell of a storyteller.
    • 4/5
      Corine, a handler (she gets images from objects), comes out of hiding to help her ex-boyfriend track down those who have kidnapped his mother.I find that I particularly like urban fantasy that is set in the "real world." In other words, the world isn't operating on magical principles, humans aren't aware of and loving and/or hating the magical community. Hiding or disguising their abilities makes the characters just a little bit more interesting. Ann Aguirre offers well-developed characters, a few twists, and lots of action.I had two relatively minor complaints. The ex-boyfriend has an ability to make luck go his way and his name is Chance--ugg. And at one point, he prowls through a house shooting some bad guys. There was no explanation in his background for having the experience to start doing that. Is he ex-military, police,etc? All in all, a good read, and I look forward to the next in the series.
    • 5/5
      Corine Solomon's peaceful life in Mexico changed in the blink of an eye. One minute she's happily running her shop and the next, Chance strolls in and her life becomes chaotic once again. His mother has disappeared and he needs her help. You see, Corine isn't just your everyday, average person. She's "gifted". She can touch an object and it will show her parts of the past, but this talent comes at a price.When Corine meets Officer Saldana, an empath, sparks fly. Figuratively and literally. She finds out that she is not alone in the "gifted" world. Saldana takes her under his wing but she soon begins to wonder if that's a good place for her. Corine begins to see that this will not be an easy task. They'll have to battle warlocks, zombies, and maybe even each other. With the help of some friends, an enemy and Butch, a chihuahua Corine hopes to unravel the truth about Chance's mom.This book goes on sale April 7th. Make sure to reserve your copy because this is a book you don't want to miss!