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Available
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Publication
DAW (2016), 368 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:The fifth book in New York Times-bestselling Seanan McGuire's witty urban fantasy InCryptid series about a family of cryptozoologists who act as a buffer between humans and the magical creatures living in secret around us. "The only thing more fun than an October Daye book is an InCryptid book." �??Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Sookie Stackhouse series Destiny, Noun: 1. The inevitable or irresistible course of events. 2. The inescapable future. 3. See also "Screwed." Verity Price is back on the West Coast and getting back into the swing of the family business: cryptozoology. She's rescuing cryptids from bad situations, protecting them from monster-hunters, and generally risking life and limb for the greater good, with her ex-Covenant partner/husband, Dominic, by her side. Her ballroom dance career is behind her...or so she thinks. When Verity gets the call from the producers of Dance or Die, the reality show she almost won several years before, she finds the lure of a comeback impossible to resist, and she and Dominic are off to L.A. for one last shot at the big time. Of course, nothing is that simple. When two of her fellow contestants turn up dead, Verity will need every ally she can find�??and a couple she wasn't looking for�??in order to navigate the complicated steps of both the tango and a murder investigation without blowing her cover. It doesn't help that her official family backup is her grandmother, Alice Price-Healy, who thinks "subtle" is something that happens to other people. Winning this competition may have just become a matter of life a… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Jammies
I wouldn't change a single syllable.
LibraryThing member krau0098
I always enjoy both Seanan McGuire’s Incryptid and October Daye series. This book was an excellent addition to the Incryptid series and was incredibly entertaining and engaging.
In this book we get to delve deep into Verity’s dancing past and her undercover alias of Valerie. It was fun to see
The above would be fairly entertaining on it’s own but, add to the above the fact that the eliminated dancers are being killed after elimination in a bizarre and ritualistic way, and things really get interesting.
Verity grows a lot in this book. She realizes how much she’s changed since her early dancing days and realizes how much more important saving lives (both incryptid and human) has become to her. Dominic isn’t in the story as much as I would like. However we do get to spend time with a variety of wonderful new characters; one of which is Verity’s grandma Alice. Alice was an absolutely hoot and I adored her and hope we see her in future books.
There is some nice plot development around the dragon clan too; I am curious to see if this will be revisited in future books. The story is wrapped up nicely and I enjoyed it.
Overall an excellent addition to this series. There is a good mystery, tons of action, some awesome dancing, and some wonderful new characters (both human and not..human). I really enjoyed it a ton and can’t wait for the next book in the series. I would highly recommend this whole series to fans of light-hearted and action-packed urban fantasy.
In this book we get to delve deep into Verity’s dancing past and her undercover alias of Valerie. It was fun to see
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what Verity and her fellow dancers go through to be great dancers. In addition to this you have the whole reality TV show background going on...which let’s all be honest, you *always* want to know who will be eliminated the next week. All the reality TV drama is strangely (and sadly) entrancing and engaging.The above would be fairly entertaining on it’s own but, add to the above the fact that the eliminated dancers are being killed after elimination in a bizarre and ritualistic way, and things really get interesting.
Verity grows a lot in this book. She realizes how much she’s changed since her early dancing days and realizes how much more important saving lives (both incryptid and human) has become to her. Dominic isn’t in the story as much as I would like. However we do get to spend time with a variety of wonderful new characters; one of which is Verity’s grandma Alice. Alice was an absolutely hoot and I adored her and hope we see her in future books.
There is some nice plot development around the dragon clan too; I am curious to see if this will be revisited in future books. The story is wrapped up nicely and I enjoyed it.
Overall an excellent addition to this series. There is a good mystery, tons of action, some awesome dancing, and some wonderful new characters (both human and not..human). I really enjoyed it a ton and can’t wait for the next book in the series. I would highly recommend this whole series to fans of light-hearted and action-packed urban fantasy.
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LibraryThing member bgknighton
Verity has a chance to say goodbye to her alter-ego, Valerie, in one last dance competition. She gets to see how life could have been and make a choice about how it will go. Unfortunately, the cat gets out of the bag about her family in the fight against a snake cult.
LibraryThing member tigerb
I was a little torn about this book. While I liked it very much -- as I have liked most of the InCryptid books -- it felt a little forced as the author had to smoosh together Verity/Valerie and the mystery/the competition all at once, leading me to feel like I hadn't gotten enough of either.
Maybe
As it was I felt just a little shortchanged; there wasn't enough dance for the dance fan and not enough mystery for the mystery fan. That doesn't mean I didn't finish it in about four hours total and acted very rudely toward somebody who interrupted me.
Maybe
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I would have liked this book a little better if McGuire had switched viewpoints over to Dominic (or even Surprise Guest of the Price Family person) while Verity had to go be Valerie for a while. Then we could have had lots of Dominic -Aeslin mice conversations. As it was I felt just a little shortchanged; there wasn't enough dance for the dance fan and not enough mystery for the mystery fan. That doesn't mean I didn't finish it in about four hours total and acted very rudely toward somebody who interrupted me.
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LibraryThing member debs913
Another great read
Verify is back with cryptic friends and family fighting for truth, justice, and the right to tango. Lots of fun, plus Aeslin mice!
Verify is back with cryptic friends and family fighting for truth, justice, and the right to tango. Lots of fun, plus Aeslin mice!
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Nice! It's Vicky again - though she spends a good part of her time being Valerie, as the reality dancing show she was on before calls her back. We get to see her and Dominic as they work out the details of their new marriage and how it meshes with their relationship as partners in dealing with
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cryptids. Because of course it turns out that the reunion show is a cover for some very nasty business - another snake cult, considerably more with-it and dangerous than the one in the short story. Alice Healy-Price shows up, too - fascinating to see her, when she's been described and referenced so often in the series. Dragon princesses, a chupacabra, a Ukupani (shark shifter), a route-witch - lots of interesting cryptids and magic folk. The revealing at the end had some serious surprises and some serious not-surprises in it (of _course_ that one was in it. But the other two, and the relationships involved...). A lovely addition to the series. And an interesting development at the end...have to see if the Covenant takes her up on the challenge! Show Less
LibraryThing member bluesalamanders
Verity (or rather, Valorie) is invited to participate in a reunion season of Dance or Die, the reality show that made her a minor celebrity a few years ago. Of course, weird things start happening.
Great characters, great worldbuilding, lots of humor, and fast-paced and slightly twisty plot. I
Great characters, great worldbuilding, lots of humor, and fast-paced and slightly twisty plot. I
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didn't find the reality show setting particularly interesting, so I think this will never be my favorite book in the series. Still a fun read, though! Show Less
LibraryThing member STACYatUFI
Verity gave up dancing to focus on her role in the crypozoology community and was finally feeling OK with that when the producers of Dance or Die invite her back to compete on an all-star edition of the show. Verity's alter ego Valerie comes out to play and she finds out that while she is most
I LOVED getting back to Verity's storyline. Alex was great, but Verity is my favorite Price of the bunch so far. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY had Verity really questioning what she wanted out of life and I totally enjoyed watching her figure out where she needs to be. With her dancing on Dance or Die I constantly had to remember that she isn't a teen. The way the dancers have to act for the show make them seem so much younger than they actually are and it threw me off many times.
I continue to love the main secondary characters. Dominic is now her husband—woohoo, and I missed him in CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY. He didn't have much of a role with Verity off as Valerie, but when we did see him, he was everything I remembered him to be. The Aeslin mice are bunches of fun, they always put a smile on my face. We get to meet and get to know another family member as well. Grandma Alice was everything I wanted her to be and more. I hope we get to see more of her in future books.
There are a few bad guys in CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY and I have to say one of them really shocked me. I thought this character was a huge jerk towards the end, but I never made them as the bad guy. I am excited to jump into Antimony's voice with the next book MAGIC FOR NOTHING, but I have to admit that I'm not sure that I will love her as much as Verity. Only reading MAGIC FOR NOTHING will tell.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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certainly dancing, others are starting to die and she could be next. I LOVED getting back to Verity's storyline. Alex was great, but Verity is my favorite Price of the bunch so far. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY had Verity really questioning what she wanted out of life and I totally enjoyed watching her figure out where she needs to be. With her dancing on Dance or Die I constantly had to remember that she isn't a teen. The way the dancers have to act for the show make them seem so much younger than they actually are and it threw me off many times.
I continue to love the main secondary characters. Dominic is now her husband—woohoo, and I missed him in CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY. He didn't have much of a role with Verity off as Valerie, but when we did see him, he was everything I remembered him to be. The Aeslin mice are bunches of fun, they always put a smile on my face. We get to meet and get to know another family member as well. Grandma Alice was everything I wanted her to be and more. I hope we get to see more of her in future books.
There are a few bad guys in CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY and I have to say one of them really shocked me. I thought this character was a huge jerk towards the end, but I never made them as the bad guy. I am excited to jump into Antimony's voice with the next book MAGIC FOR NOTHING, but I have to admit that I'm not sure that I will love her as much as Verity. Only reading MAGIC FOR NOTHING will tell.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member teknognome
Another light, fun read in the Incryptid series.
LibraryThing member tldegray
I enjoyed the hell out of this. I've always been curious about Verity's dancing and it was so much fun to see her connect with her Valerie Pryor identity. Of course I loved all her conflicting emotions about who she is and what she wants to do. Mostly I just settled in for the ride and smiled all
Then there was the ending. Whoa. I have an ARC of the next book in the series waiting on my Kindle and I'm glad I can dive right into it after that.
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the way through. Also, ALICE!Then there was the ending. Whoa. I have an ARC of the next book in the series waiting on my Kindle and I'm glad I can dive right into it after that.
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LibraryThing member lavaturtle
I love Verity as a character, and it was great to see her again. The plot was exciting, and the ending was unexpected.
LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
This book returns the POV to Verity. She is given an offer she really doesn’t want to refuse, a callback to do a reunion show on Dance or Die. With the chance to dance in the spotlights one more time and maybe retire her dancer persona for good. Dominic and the mice head out to California with
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her as backup and the often talked about but never seen Grandmother Alice also shows up. It turns out there is a snake cult working behind the scenes at the competition and to lose is to die by the hands of the cult after the camera shuts off. Will Verity win? Will she defeat the snake cult? Only turning the pages and reading to the end will tell. The ending will have you reaching for the next book and maybe hitting the writer’s website for more info on her family. Show Less
LibraryThing member unsquare
I’m on a roll at this point! The InCryptid books are the only thing I want to listen to during my walks, and I’m going to use up a year’s worth of Audible credits way too soon.
Chaos Choreography switches perspectives back to Verity Price, the focus of the first two books in the series. This
This installment is particularly absurd and focuses on Verity’s time as a contestant on an all-stars version of a reality show dance competition. When eliminated contestants start getting vivisected and covered with strange runes, Verity has to try to stop the villains without losing her competitive edge. Needless to say, complications ensue.
Mere minutes after finishing this book, I bought book six. The series to date (as of this writing) totals eight published books with one more scheduled for next year. At least I still have enough credits left to catch up.
Chaos Choreography switches perspectives back to Verity Price, the focus of the first two books in the series. This
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is kind of a nice trick, because each protagonist gives the series its own flavor. You can have the shared world of cryptozoologists, but if there isn’t a story to tell about one of the Price kids, McGuire can switch to another.This installment is particularly absurd and focuses on Verity’s time as a contestant on an all-stars version of a reality show dance competition. When eliminated contestants start getting vivisected and covered with strange runes, Verity has to try to stop the villains without losing her competitive edge. Needless to say, complications ensue.
Mere minutes after finishing this book, I bought book six. The series to date (as of this writing) totals eight published books with one more scheduled for next year. At least I still have enough credits left to catch up.
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LibraryThing member ladypembroke
MUCH better than the previous book. I watched a lot of So You Think You Can Dance, so this novel was fun (until things got deadly). I recognized all our favorites from the TV show and could hear their lines in their voices. I loved the character development for both Verity and Dominic. I adored
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Alice. The story was horrifying and scary, and I actually gasped out loud a couple of times. And that ending. Oof. Next book is going to be interesting. Show Less
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
I originally read the first in this series with some trepidation, but the characters kept me reading and the Aeslin mice stole my heart. That the plot was fun was just a bonus.
In this one though, the plot wasn't a bonus; it's what kept me reading through a setting that normally bores me (reality
I have to say, I didn't see that ending coming. It was sort of awful, although everything moved so fast there wasn't much time to dwell on it.
So if that setting appeals, this book should be a huge winner. Likeable characters, a really good plot and the Aeslin mice. All hail the Aeslin mice!
In this one though, the plot wasn't a bonus; it's what kept me reading through a setting that normally bores me (reality
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tv and dance competitions; a double whammy of yawn). The setting is, in fact, what kept this book on my TBR for so long instead of being devoured immediately upon receipt.I have to say, I didn't see that ending coming. It was sort of awful, although everything moved so fast there wasn't much time to dwell on it.
So if that setting appeals, this book should be a huge winner. Likeable characters, a really good plot and the Aeslin mice. All hail the Aeslin mice!
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LibraryThing member jennybeast
Well, hello kick-ass adventure married to reality show dancing, what a delightful combination you are! And wow, great ending, can't wait to find out what happens next. I love it when characters thrown down a gauntlet.
LibraryThing member jazzbird61
I loved this book. As usual, Ms. McGuire did an excellent job. And I want more dragons.....
Language
Original publication date
2016
ISBN
9781101602423
Local notes
Verity Price is back on the West Coast and getting back into the swing of the family business: cryptozoology. She’s rescuing cryptids from bad situations, protecting them from monster-hunters, and generally risking life and limb for the greater good, with her ex-Covenant partner/husband, Dominic, by her side. Her ballroom dance career is behind her—or so she thinks. When Verity gets the call from the producers of Dance or Die, the reality show she almost won several years before, she finds the lure impossible to resist, and she and Dominic are off to L.A. for one last shot at the big time.