And now for some cool powers!

Great Moments from Last Night's Reading
Book: Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre
Spoiler Level: Low

I love when I first start a book and I'm immediately happy to be there. Blue Diablo was totally like that for me. This is a book that pulls you in, shows you around, sets you down in a comfortable chair, and then hands you a nice cool drink and several things to be instantly excited about.

Thing I'm excited about #1: The heroine has a cool and interesting power - Corine is a 'handler.' She can tell an object's past and possible future just by holding it (though it costs her to use this power). I love this description:

In truth it’s generally pretty boring; the item gets worn, and then it goes in a box. Repeat. But once in a while, once in a while an item passes across my palms with a real story to tell.

Thing #2: The male lead has a cool power, too - Corine has this sexy ex named Chance - he's unusually lucky, another intriguing power. They used to team up on capers, but no more: she's done with that life. She she's ditched him...NOT. As the book opens, he's tracked her down. I'm kind of excited to see how luck as a power unfolds.

Thing#3: Mexico/Texas setting - Aguirre lives in Mexico, a fact I've always nosily found interesting and unusual, so I'm glad she's written a book with this regional setting. I loved her sometimes quirky descriptions in Grimspace, and that's in full force here. Like with this entertaining passage:

Ostensibly, I run a pawn shop marked by a simple red and white sign that reads Casa de Empeno, but anyone who lives in Los Remedios along the road to Atizapan will tell you it’s more. They’ll also offer you a fuchsia candy tortilla at the stoplight just before you come to my store; it’s the intersection where a man with a mime’s face juggles fire and a monkey-less organ grinder plies his trade dispiritedly (how he lost the monkey is another story). Don’t eat the tortilla, don’t tip more than twenty pesos, and make a left turn. You’ll find me, if you really need to.

Don't you love the flavor of that one bit? Don’t eat the tortilla, don’t tip more than twenty pesos, and make a left turn.

Thing #4 - A good plotty mystery with romantic elements: Okay, so sexy, lucky Chance tracks her down to enlist her help to find his mother, who disappeared, leaving behind a pewter Buddha. He wants Corine to hold it, of course, which she does. Result: more questions than answers. The mother may turn out to be not what she seems. I understand there are drug cartels and demons on the horizon. Yay!

The Miss Doreen/Ann Aguirre interview and giveaway.
Ann herself will be here TOMORROW talking with Miss Doreen about Blue Diablo and giving away a copy to a lucky commenting reader!

I spoke with Miss Doreen earlier and asked her if she's ready for her first interview as an official spokesperson for The Thrillionth Page. Miss Doreen, a distant cousin of Crazy Little CJ, had this to say:

"Unlike other interviewers on Ann's so-called blog tour, I will not be asking puff questions or throwing softballs. I have some serious questions and concerns about this book and I plan to seek answers from this Miss Aguirre."

Okay, Miss Doreen!

Come back tomorrow for the Miss Doreen interview and giveaway.