ARC REVIEW The Undoing by Shelly Laurenston

Book two of the series Call of Crows The Undoing was entertaining. Once again I love Norse mythology, basing it an Urban Fantasy on my favorite mythos of course I'm going to read it. Like the first book I loved the storyline, thankfully the characters were not as annoying as in the first, I think in part that I just understood them better. What got me this time, it touched a little in the first book but more so in this one, the personalities and representation of the Gods. Odin cut out his own eye to gain knowledge, and wandered the Earth in search of knowledge, I have a hard time believing he would pick strippers as his valkyries. Tyr and Odin both share the mantle of God of War ( like father like son) and Try is known for courage and wisdom he doesn't act like it. And while I will agree Marvel's Thor is a complete idiot there are stories in the Edda that show he was very cunning. With books that use mythology as a base I have to constantly remind myself that I have to allow for artistic license because it is a work of fiction and sometimes you have to tweak reality to make a better story.

Jace Berisha is probably the black sheep of all the crow sisters. Where everyone else is rambunctious, loud, and just all out drama queens you will more than likely find Jace hiding under the house reading a very dark and depressing book. When she was alive she was the rebellious wife of a sick and twisted cult leader with illusions of grandeur. He killed her and when she asked to choose death or crow by Skuld, Jace choose crow and in turn almost killed her husband, it's a shame she didn't succeed. In her new life Jace swore never to have to live like she use to so she avoids anything social unless she absolutely has too. It is suggested that Jace find a job and do something with her second chance and with her affinity with languages she takes a job translating books for Tyr's Owls. She fits right in with the quietly fierce book snobs. Ski Eriksen is the Protector for the owls. He is the one who offered the job to Jace knowing her affinity and also kinda having a crush on her. Jace is oblivious to Ski's interest until he plainly states it, from then on it a smooth romance for them. They are like two peas in pod.

The conflict, very exciting more brutal human sacrifices and it turns out the unkillable goddess wasn't dealt with like they thought in the last book she is out and on the loose ready to kick off Ragnarok.   The other pantheons (like super ninja nuns and the four horsemen of the apocalypse) tell the crows deal with it before it sets off a chain reaction to all of the other apocalypses. To top it all off Jace's religous nut of an ex is out of jail and is set on getting her back but what he finds at the Crow's House has given him the idea to cleanse them from this world and "attempts" to kill them all (LOL).

All in all setting aside my feelings for how the gods are portrayed I really did like this book. It had great humorous moments and great action and fight sequences and a really sweet romance.