sjj169's review against another edition
2.0
This was a case of cover loving. I saw that beautiful cover and squeed my fan-girl yell.
Then I smacked myself upside the head when I started reading this.
A pretty cover does not a great book make.
After almost making it the thousand years needed to escape her Jinn curse Leila ends up being bound by a dumb-ass. A bland, boring, spineless dumb-ass.
Ozan Sawyer binds her to help him find a missing girl who of course is in jeopardy.
Borrringgg.
The side characters gave this story a star all of their own, they were fun and there is a whole bunch of stuff going on with this story. I just wish more time had been spent on world building and less on worrying about making a love connection between the two main characters.
I didn't hate the book but I'm erasing it from my mind for being vanilla.
Then I smacked myself upside the head when I started reading this.
A pretty cover does not a great book make.
After almost making it the thousand years needed to escape her Jinn curse Leila ends up being bound by a dumb-ass. A bland, boring, spineless dumb-ass.
Ozan Sawyer binds her to help him find a missing girl who of course is in jeopardy.
Borrringgg.
The side characters gave this story a star all of their own, they were fun and there is a whole bunch of stuff going on with this story. I just wish more time had been spent on world building and less on worrying about making a love connection between the two main characters.
I didn't hate the book but I'm erasing it from my mind for being vanilla.
marimoose's review against another edition
3.0
chllybrd's review against another edition
3.0
A great pace, interesting and eccentric characters, and a bit of romance is what you will find in JINN AND JUICE.
Leila spends her time belly dancing at Purgatory. She has remained a free jinn for a long while, her curse is almost up and she looks forward to being human again. She was feisty, loyal and easy to like. The romance was OK at best. Oz is a Magi and Leila is his bound Jinn so right off the bat they are in a master/slave relationship. Granted Oz is not your typical Magi and doesn't treat her like crap, but he needs Leila so he isn't willing to free her even though her curse could be permanent if he doesn't. They slowly build up a romance and respect for each other, but things are always in the way and they aren't willing to go full in. Maybe book two will find them officially a couple.
JINN AND JUICE has a great cast of secondary characters and I really loved all of Leila's friends and their loyalty towards her. The world of The Jinni could be a little more built than it was. You do get some explanations of pasts and you definitely have a good idea of everything that is involved in the world, but it didn't feel like we got everything.
JINN AND JUICE has a great cover and a great author wrote it, so it was a given that I would read it when I had the chance. My chance came, I read it and although I did enjoy JINN AND JUICE I didn't fall in love with it. I'm not saying I won't read more when future books come out, but they won't be on my must read list either.
* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Leila spends her time belly dancing at Purgatory. She has remained a free jinn for a long while, her curse is almost up and she looks forward to being human again. She was feisty, loyal and easy to like. The romance was OK at best. Oz is a Magi and Leila is his bound Jinn so right off the bat they are in a master/slave relationship. Granted Oz is not your typical Magi and doesn't treat her like crap, but he needs Leila so he isn't willing to free her even though her curse could be permanent if he doesn't. They slowly build up a romance and respect for each other, but things are always in the way and they aren't willing to go full in. Maybe book two will find them officially a couple.
JINN AND JUICE has a great cast of secondary characters and I really loved all of Leila's friends and their loyalty towards her. The world of The Jinni could be a little more built than it was. You do get some explanations of pasts and you definitely have a good idea of everything that is involved in the world, but it didn't feel like we got everything.
JINN AND JUICE has a great cover and a great author wrote it, so it was a given that I would read it when I had the chance. My chance came, I read it and although I did enjoy JINN AND JUICE I didn't fall in love with it. I'm not saying I won't read more when future books come out, but they won't be on my must read list either.
* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
aly36's review against another edition
5.0
This book was very interesting. Lyla is a girl cursed to be a jinni for a thousand years. What I great idea to write about. This book was very good for me. I enjoyed how the author built a universe that involves mythological creatures. *I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
rachelini's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like this book was trying too hard, particularly at the attempts to feel real-world urban. It got better once it got more into the actual plot, but oh boy did I not want that romance storyline.
ptaradactyl's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it. It was shorter on uncontrollable lust and longer on plot than the Jane True series was getting, and I’m a fan of social scientists as heroes.
Don’t get me wrong- I enjoy uncontrollable lust in my books just fine, but I like some romance and plot along with it
Don’t get me wrong- I enjoy uncontrollable lust in my books just fine, but I like some romance and plot along with it
minotaursmaze's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 thank God no love triangle. I'll look for the next book
shelleyrae's review against another edition
3.0
Jinn and Juice introduces a new paranormal romance/urban fantasy series from Nicole Peeler.
It's less than a week until Lyla will finally be free of the curse that condemned her to a thousand years of servitude when Ozan, a Magi needing her help to find a missing girl, binds her to his will. A Jinn, Lyla has little choice but to obey her new Master and can only hope he will stick to their agreement to release her when their mission is complete, but Lyla will have face to her worst nightmare before her most heartfelt wish cam be granted.
Lyla was the teenage daughter of a an ancient Persian king, desperate to avoid being married off, when she was cursed by the genie she sought help from. Now she is a Jinn and a belly dancer/burlesque performer at a Pittsburgh club, biding her time until the curse expires.
Lyla's inner circle have her back and are a fun and interesting group, including a gay Delphi Oracle, a Will-o-the-Wisp, a half troll and a psychic drag queen.
The romance between Lyla and Oz doesn't offer any real surprises but it is enjoyable. Lyla resents Oz at first and certainly doesn't trust him, but eventually comes to realise he is a genuine and honourable guy.
There is plenty of humour, some of it a little crude and obvious but fun and snarky nevertheless. The action is fast paced as Lyla hunts for her new Master's missing friend, which leads to a deadly confrontation with an age old enemy.
Set in modern day Pittsburgh, I liked the way in which Peeler uses the landscape and 'stains' the magic with steel. 'Sideways' is the magical world that overlaps our own and embraces a variety of creatures and beasties.
I enjoyed Jinn and Juice, it was a quick, escapist read for a lazy afternoon.
melodicfate's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
As a fan of Nicole's fun and unique Jane True series, I knew I had to give this a try. And when I saw the synopsis, I was even more excited. I mean, how many urban fantasy series or books are there about jinn? And so, was I happy with what i got?
Well, the heroine definitely gave me a reason to be happy. It was cool, she was a belly dancer. I've never read about one of those before! lyla was also very funny, with sarcastic tendencies which I loved. She was likable, and loyal to her friends. And the fact that she was cursed just made Lyla that much more stubborn and strong. I really liked her.
The side characters of this novel were quite varied. There were all of Lyla's friends like Yulia, Rachel, Charlie, and Trip and Trap. I liked them all, because they were each unique, and they all brought something interesting to the story. Charlie was wise, Yulia very protective and bloodthirsty, Rachel was sassy and fun. Trip and Trap were creepy, but I still think they cared for Lyla a bit. Then, there was Oz. He was by far my favorite side character. Yes, he was Lyla's Master but it became quite obvious that he really didn't want to be. He was a genuinely nice guy, although he was also very strong, protective, and loyal. Which is how he ended up being Lyla's Master in the first place. I'm definitely onboard with him and Lyla together, so i hope the plotlines that were left open at the end of this book get fixed soon!
The plot of this story was interesting. It followed Lyla as she tried to get out of the curse she'd lived with for a thousand years. A week before she would've been free, and completely human, she ended up bound to Oz. Oz needed Lyla to help him search for a girl he'd met in the process of his work as a cultural anthropologist. There was lots of action, twists, turns, and just a hint of romance. I always wanted to know what would happen next. The tension between Lyla and Oz was great to read about, as well. However, the pace did drag a bit, especially when Lyla had to explain things to Oz because he was new to being a Magi. It was also a bit long near the end.
However, with all that said I liked this book. It had the humor of Jane True, but with a completely new world. Speaking of the world, i thought it was very well-done, with unique mythology. The characters were likable and relatable, and the story was intriguing. If you liked Jane True, definitely try this new book. And even if you've never read Jane's story, still try this book. It was a well-done and refreshing new urban fantasy series. I can't wait to see what happens next!
As a fan of Nicole's fun and unique Jane True series, I knew I had to give this a try. And when I saw the synopsis, I was even more excited. I mean, how many urban fantasy series or books are there about jinn? And so, was I happy with what i got?
Well, the heroine definitely gave me a reason to be happy. It was cool, she was a belly dancer. I've never read about one of those before! lyla was also very funny, with sarcastic tendencies which I loved. She was likable, and loyal to her friends. And the fact that she was cursed just made Lyla that much more stubborn and strong. I really liked her.
The side characters of this novel were quite varied. There were all of Lyla's friends like Yulia, Rachel, Charlie, and Trip and Trap. I liked them all, because they were each unique, and they all brought something interesting to the story. Charlie was wise, Yulia very protective and bloodthirsty, Rachel was sassy and fun. Trip and Trap were creepy, but I still think they cared for Lyla a bit. Then, there was Oz. He was by far my favorite side character. Yes, he was Lyla's Master but it became quite obvious that he really didn't want to be. He was a genuinely nice guy, although he was also very strong, protective, and loyal. Which is how he ended up being Lyla's Master in the first place. I'm definitely onboard with him and Lyla together, so i hope the plotlines that were left open at the end of this book get fixed soon!
The plot of this story was interesting. It followed Lyla as she tried to get out of the curse she'd lived with for a thousand years. A week before she would've been free, and completely human, she ended up bound to Oz. Oz needed Lyla to help him search for a girl he'd met in the process of his work as a cultural anthropologist. There was lots of action, twists, turns, and just a hint of romance. I always wanted to know what would happen next. The tension between Lyla and Oz was great to read about, as well. However, the pace did drag a bit, especially when Lyla had to explain things to Oz because he was new to being a Magi. It was also a bit long near the end.
However, with all that said I liked this book. It had the humor of Jane True, but with a completely new world. Speaking of the world, i thought it was very well-done, with unique mythology. The characters were likable and relatable, and the story was intriguing. If you liked Jane True, definitely try this new book. And even if you've never read Jane's story, still try this book. It was a well-done and refreshing new urban fantasy series. I can't wait to see what happens next!
tanyad74's review against another edition
2.0
This is my first Nicole Peeler book, which surprises me since I have some of her Jane True on my shelf. This booked peaked my interest as I hadn't read of lot of jinni books. Actually, I don't think I've read any.
I am used to jumping into different worlds, but I really felt like I couldn't grasp this one very well. What each character's powers were, or even what they were sort of alluded me. I did like Leila's character. She was a loyal friend and would do anything for them, and them for her. She's in a race against time and Oz really puts her in a bad spot. But he surprises her and he may not be so bad after all. He does have major hang ups about being Leila's master, which was just a little bit too good guy for me by the end.
Everything takes a wrong turn near the end, and everything they thought they needed to do, went out the window and new plans needed to be formed. That was something that kept you on your toes. You thought you knew the motives behind the bad characters, only to find out they were not what you expected. I felt like, if they had any luck, it was bad luck!
I found Jinn and Juice a little slow. There were few parts of action until near the end, that were over pretty quickly and didn't do much except burn up Leila's energy and knock her down for a day or two. She only had a week, and I think most of it flew by with her recovering from drawing energy. I felt like sometimes things Oz said actually could be considered commands, but the jinni didn't recognize them as commands. There were also times that Oz was told to make commands that he had no idea what they were. Like he was told to just tell Leila to "do it". He had no idea what "do it" meant so how could it be a hard command. It was like the command thing was just whenever it was convenient to the story.
I'm not sure if this is supposed to be the beginning of the series, but with the way it ended, I'm guessing it is. The end was a cruel twist of emotions that left me disappointed.
Overall, I liked the story, there were just odds and ends that I kept picking up on instead of getting pulled into the book. This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict
I am used to jumping into different worlds, but I really felt like I couldn't grasp this one very well. What each character's powers were, or even what they were sort of alluded me. I did like Leila's character. She was a loyal friend and would do anything for them, and them for her. She's in a race against time and Oz really puts her in a bad spot. But he surprises her and he may not be so bad after all. He does have major hang ups about being Leila's master, which was just a little bit too good guy for me by the end.
Everything takes a wrong turn near the end, and everything they thought they needed to do, went out the window and new plans needed to be formed. That was something that kept you on your toes. You thought you knew the motives behind the bad characters, only to find out they were not what you expected. I felt like, if they had any luck, it was bad luck!
I found Jinn and Juice a little slow. There were few parts of action until near the end, that were over pretty quickly and didn't do much except burn up Leila's energy and knock her down for a day or two. She only had a week, and I think most of it flew by with her recovering from drawing energy. I felt like sometimes things Oz said actually could be considered commands, but the jinni didn't recognize them as commands. There were also times that Oz was told to make commands that he had no idea what they were. Like he was told to just tell Leila to "do it". He had no idea what "do it" meant so how could it be a hard command. It was like the command thing was just whenever it was convenient to the story.
I'm not sure if this is supposed to be the beginning of the series, but with the way it ended, I'm guessing it is. The end was a cruel twist of emotions that left me disappointed.
Overall, I liked the story, there were just odds and ends that I kept picking up on instead of getting pulled into the book. This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict