The One Where Wench Olga Made Wench Shau Read a Book

The Abby Sinclair Series by Allison Pang

Why Abby Sinclair for Shau?

When Angela came up with this challenge and I had to choose a book for Shau, I was smacked upside the head with a shovel. How on planet Earth was I supposed to find an amazing book I have read that Wench Shau hasn’t. That was a double challenge for me!

I dare you name a book you have read that Shau hasn’t. That’s not even funny. That Wench is reading machine!!!And here is this series I’d stumbled upon by chance, which at that specific moment was the only series I knew of that Shau hadn’t given a try to. Easy choice! If you like your urban fantasy with a smidgen of angst, a lot of faeries, daemons, and angels, and pervy, hilarious, talking unicorns drooling on your pillow; if a love triangle makes a book more exciting; and if you love to travel to places you've never been before, the Abby Sinclair series might be right up your alley. There are even Legolas references!!! My review of the whole series is right here.

Continue reading after the jump for my review of Abby Sinclair book #1, A Brush of Darkness.

What were my impressions?

Wench Olga had me read book #1 in Allison Pang's Abby Sinclair Series: A Brush of Darkness. I'd read the book a while ago and I must say I didn't enjoy it all that much. I practically forgot the main plot, but thank God I made a few notes right after reading it so I could write this review. Don't hate me; it will be short.

First things first, here is a short synopsis, just click away.

Honestly, from the short plot description and all the Brystion drooling I read about I thought I'd like these books, but it just goes to show you that the old "don’t judge a book by its cover" saying is REALLY true.

OK, so for starters I didn't like the main heroine. Abby pretends she's strong and kick-ass when in fact she is weak, easily manipulated by those around her, and she forgives too easily and too quickly. She lets her love interest treat her like a doormat. She actually begs him not to leave her after all he did to her. 

Brystion is an ass. I get that he is an incubus and needs sex, but does that mean he has to be a douche, a sadist, and a manipulator?? I wouldn't mind those character flaws if they weren't also applied to Abby, his so-called love interest. He constantly uses her naiveté and manipulates her. He goes to such lengths as to allow her to be tortured, and later tells her that the only reason he saved her was because of her powers.

The only thing I liked about this book was the world Pang created. It has so much potential. The fact that the main heroine works in a magical library (marketplace) and is an important person to the creatures from the OtherWorld made it a promising start for the story. Abby's power could have made the main heroine so much more than just a tool to be used as others see fit. I don't see why she couldn't have had more spine and strength — if not physical, then strength of character.

I know Abby and Brystion will end up together. This is not the only series in which some sort of abuse toward women is excused. I'm just using these as an example. Unfortunately, a lot of women think this kind of behavior between men and women is okay (it doesn't matter that the circumstances are supernatural, the principle is the same), and it used to piss me off, but these days it just makes me sad.

I would like to write that this post is my own personal opinion and I do encourage you to read these books and form your own. In the paraphrased words of my literature professor, every book you decide to judge should be read first, and only then you should form an opinion.

My rating