Thunder Road

<b>Reviewed by: <a href="http://rabidreads.ca/2017/01/review-thunder-road-by-sierra-dean-sierradean.html" rel="nofollow noopener">Rabid Reads</a>.</b><br /><br />Sierra Dean is one of the authors that I turn to whenever I’m in the mood for snark with a healthy serving of violence. I wasn’t keen on the premise—Greek mythology, specifically the god of <s>thunder</s> storms—because it’s been done A LOT, but sometimes a fresh take on a classic can work wonders. THUNDER ROAD didn’t break the mold however, it did provide hours of entertainment which is good book 101.<br /><br />Oddly enough, I was happy to discover that clerics are celibate. Can I get a hell yeah for no impending insta-love or romantic triangle!?! Oh wait, I may have spoken too soon. Tallulah’s not exactly pure, and she’s developed quite the chip on her shoulder since being “chosen”. The sexual tension between her and Cade was unmistakable, and they do exchange a few heated kisses. Are vows thicker than hormones? We shall see…<br /><br />The lore didn’t stray too far outside of the box; all the usual suspects were accounted for including Hecate, Hades, Apollo, and Cerberus with some crossover into other legends such as Irish (the Morrigan), Roman (Manea), and Hindu (Ardra) to make things interesting. I liked the modern twists like how there’s an app that tracks tithes, and the clerics respond to prayers when they’re not busy running an errand for their God.<br /><br />I thought that the author’s descriptions of what it felt like to be in the presence of the various deities were very authentic. It really brought the story to life as did the scene Dean painted when Corentine and the “package” wound up in the Underworld. I can’t say that I loved every second that I spent reading this novel, but the next installment is due out shortly, and I plan to have a front row seat.<br /><br />THUNDER ROAD has been crossed off my TBR pile!

Originally posted at Smexybooks-<a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://smexybooks.com/2016/07/review-thunder-road-by-sierra-dean.html">http://smexybooks.com/2016/07/review-...</a><br /><br />Favorite Quote: “I was the Godzilla to their Tokyo.”<br /><br />Tallulah Corentine has been waiting years for the fabulous life she was promised by her parents when they gave her to the Gods at age seven. Born as one of the “chosen ones,” Tallulah has powers and some benefits as a cleric to Seth, the Storm God, but knows she is nothing more than an indentured servant. Getting on the wrong side of a death goddess while doing a favor for Seth has Tallulah protecting a very special package with the help of the priest of bad luck. Using her wits, a lot of ingenuity, and some help from some powerful frenemies, Tallulah will have to strike while the lightening is hot if she wants to survive the night.<br /><br />Thunder Road is the first in Sierra Dean’s newest urban fantasy series-Rain Chasers. Based on mythology and legends, Dean takes some amusing liberties as she drags various gods and goddesses into the 21st century with modern day conveniences to ensure these ancient deities retain their powers through prayer and worship. The internet and vending machines have replaced the outdated methods used to ask for favors and blessings. Clerics and/or priests to the deities are used to help to answer those prayers. Usually, human children born with marks that show them to be chosen to serve a particular god or goddess, their parents turn them over to the temple at a young age buying into the hype that their children will receive untold blessings and riches. The reality is much different and we soon learn that being a chosen one isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.<br /><br />“Tallulah Corentine, earthbound bitch to the god of the storm.”<br /><br />Once again, Dean writes a delightfully dark and humorous urban fantasy that pairs charismatic characters with an adventurous road trip style storyline. Engaging narrative and a solid conversational flow opens up a modern world steeped in supernatural wonder but relatively uncomplicated to perfectly showcase her newest heroine-Tallulah Corentine. Tallulah Corentine is a Rain Chaser. A cleric for the storm god Seth, Tallulah’s job is to do Seth’s bidding. No matter how odd, dangerous, or ridiculous the assignment. Intelligent, sarcastic, gutsy, and complex, Tallulah is a cheer-worthy urban fantasy heroine. Her love of American muscle cars, 80s hair metal bands, and copious amounts of Chinese food makes her a woman after my heart. Tallulah has been with Seth for twenty-seven years and the shine has definitely worn off. Given to him as a child, she resents him, his lack of humanity, and her lack of choice. Used as a human lightning rod, her powers are a result of her ability to access and channel Seth’s powers, she fears her the continued scarring and her eventual death.<br /><br />“We were tools to them, things they relied on but did not love. Gods didn’t know how to love.”<br /><br />Multiple plotlines keep the energy levels high and the story flowing smoothly as Tallulah finds out that her last mission for Seth has put her on the death goddess’s hit list. She has only one chance to make it out alive and that depends on her locating a certain individual before Manea does. Dean builds a dynamic secondary cast to support the main storyline and to plot future storylines. Subtle layering shows us that the main conflict is only the beginning of what the future has in store for Tallulah.<br /><br />I loved the characterization of the various characters Dean introduced. Humor and mayhem go hand in hand as we meet the people in Tallulah’s orbit. Prescott, the right hand of the death goddess Manea herself, is a former childhood friend and flame but seems to be harboring a grudge against Tallulah. Cade, the luckless one, is a cleric to Ardra, the goddess of bad luck. Considered a friend but there is some romantic interest. He carries a very heavy burden and I hope Dean delves deeper into his background in the future. Seth’s temple manager and daughter, Sido, is Tallulah’s go to gal. She is firmly #TeamSeth but there is an affectionate bond between her and Tallulah that may prove to be interesting in the future. Various deities-Hecate, Hades, and Badb-make appearances, each providing Tallulah with a clue towards what’s coming. But anytime you make deals with immortals, there is always a price to pay.<br /><br />“Are you offering to help me?” I asked.<br /><br />“Haven’t I helped you already?”<br /><br />“Telling someone they’re about to be hit by a bus does nothing to move them out of the path of the bus,” I pointed out.<br /><br />“At least I am not driving the bus,” she countered with a graceful shrug.<br /><br />Dean pens another winner with her latest fantasy, staying true to her writing style with a strong heroine and an underdog theme. Thunder Road definitely entertained and I am looking forward to seeing what Dean has in store for Tallulah in the next installment.

An absolutely fresh, if not solid, world building. Unfortunately that lack of stability and its shallowness gave me a migraine as I kept asking myself "oh, but why?".<br />If you play with mythology the moment you depart from a well known trope I expect an explanation, here the heroine and her ward play Orpheus. But when the rules are broken nothing happens. <br /><br />Moreover I can't really imagine a world where the gods or their clerics waste time on people's prayers. There would be no world anymore, and between two warring request which one would be the winner??<br /><br />I was no overly fond of the heroine's keenness to play bets with her life which is basically all you do when you bet the gods. It seems she wasn't more than a puppet, which is obvious when gods are added to the mix, but the problem for me was she seemed a puppet without a brain. Still, it's not a bad book at all. It simply had something bothering for me.

Fans of snarky heroines and Greek Mythology will delight in Sierra Dean's Thunder Road. I can't wait to see what kind of hijinks Tallulah get herself into next.<br /><br /><br />

***ARC Provided by the Author***<br /><br />4.5 Stars<br /><br />Full disclosure, I am not usually a fan of urban fantasy. What I am is a fan of Sierra Dean. I lover her writing style, the way she adds little tidbits of realism into her characters, the way she brings them to life. It really doesn't matter if they are baseball players or Rain Chasers dealing with slightly snippy and impatient gods named Seth.<br /><br />The entire story was fun, it was well-written and it is the kind of book that you read because it is a fun ride...whether you usually read the genre or not. I recommend this to people who don't think they will "like" a fantasy story...because you know what? You will like this one. I am at a loss as to what, exactly, to review about this one as I am not sure what a "fantasy" reader looks for...so I am going to review this based on what I look for in a book. I want characters I relate to (check) a story line that engages me (check) a plot that doesn't drag (check) and excellent writing (check). Really, what more can you possibly want?<br /><br />Dean puts poor Tallulah through the ringer...although there are some cars to blow up, and well, she likes that.<br /><br />***This and other reviews also featured on “I’m A Sweet and Sassy Book Whore” <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://www.imasweetandsassybookwhore.com">http://www.imasweetandsassybookwhore.com</a>***

Re-read August 2019<br />Re-read March 2017<br /><br />I liked it the first time I read it, but somehow I liked it even better on the second read. Who would have thought that? :)<br /><br />Sierra Dean has chosen to build a crazy different UF world. Like I said, it's crazy, but it works, and I liked it a lot.<br />I was definitely entertained!<br /><br />Favorite quote:<br /><blockquote> <i>"My fingers were so coated with icing sugar it looked like I’d gone on a cocaine bender with Pablo Escobar."</i> </blockquote>

<a href="http://www.betweendandr.com/2019/02/28/thunder-road-de-sierra-dean-vo/" rel="nofollow noopener">Mon avis en Français</a><br /><br /> <a href="http://www.betweendandr.com/2019/02/28/thunder-road-by-sierra-dean/" rel="nofollow noopener">My English review</a><br /><br />I was very curious to discover this Sierra Dean series. I love everything about mythology, so how could I resist this one?<br /><br />Tallulah Corentine was raised to become the priestess of a God. She was marked for that and yet it is not an easy life, far from it. She must listen and do whatever is asked of her. But here it is, as she has recovered an object from another God, she finds herself in an uncomfortable situation. Death, itself, wants to make her and her God pay for the theft of her precious. She therefore found herself in a race against time to save her life, but also that of Seth’s son whom she did not know about. Fortunately for her, she will be accompanied by another priest, very handsome, to help her.<br /><br />I had a good time with this novel and I thought the ideas were pretty cool! We will gradually discover the world in which Tallulah lives and evolves, and things are far from easy. She will meet several Gods for our greatest pleasure and how to resist her fennec? Impossible, even if he is annoying!<br /><br />I must, however, express a little downside… Indeed, I found that the world was not really well explained, and I found that it a little unfortunate even though it may be later on. Other points also disturbed me a little. Especially when our heroine finds herself in hell, when she has to escape and, for that, she has to test Orpheus and walk a path without turning around, whatever happens. But she turns around, and there are no consequences. I must admit, I didn’t understand.<br /><br />In any case, I’m quite curious to read on.

really enjoyed this &lt;3 <br />the story is full f twists and turns and sets things up nicely<br />not a fan of cade

I enjoyed the start of the book, but it didn’t really develop and I found the whole 'god thing’ just annoyed me; a world populated by mythical beings having temper tantrums.<br />I tried this because I had enjoyed the <i>Secret McQueen</i> books, but this isn’t for me.

It was okay. I didn't like the beginning but it grew on me as it went on. Still, I don't really feel the need to the next one. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. I'll check to see if I have it.