Sophie Metropolis Do you buy or do you check out?

Stephanie Plum meet Sofie Metropolis. Sofie lives just up Hwy 95 in Astoria New York. While your family hails from Hungary and Italy Sofie’s family is pure Greek. Both of you live just down the road from your parents who have grandparents living with them. You are a bounty hunter for your cousin Vinnie. Sofie is an aspiring P.I. with her Uncle Spiros. Stephanie, you do have one up on the romantic connections over Sofie with Joe and Ranger. Ranger, yum! Sofie has a hot blooded Aussie mystery man named Jake Porter that is no slouch.
Ok, so Sofie is a total copy cat down to the crappy almost marriage to a cheating jerk and owning a gun that she really doesn’t like having. Sofie at least owns the apartment building she lives in while you are still stuck renting. Oh and Sofie didn’t wreck a vehicle even once during the whole book.
There is absolutely nothing original in “Sofie Metropolis” Ms. Torington has completely stolen like Milton Burl from Janet Evanovitch but I like the story anyway. Sofie had never seen a snarky remark she didn’t like. I loved the whole Vampire Romanoff part of the story and mistaking a cello case for a coffin, (it was dark in that basement). Also, Ms. Torington is a fresh perspective on the quirky modern girl trying to make her way in the world genre. I do have to say Grandma Mazur is still the funniest grandma in the world, sorry YaYa Metropolis.
While I don’t think I would spend money on this book, it is definitely worth checking out at the library. There are 2 more books in the series.

The name is Green, Simon R. Green

The world is on the verge of disaster. We are being threatened from within and without. What to do!? What to do!? Well, take a pinch of Monty Python absurdity, add a dash of Monster, Inc and mix liberally with James Bond references and you have Shaman, Shaman Bond, aka, Edwin Drood. He is the new head of the Drood family. They are the secret protectors and rulers of earth. They have a secret power in the form of a golden torc that makes them the baddest, badass super heroes in the universe and I do mean the universe. With the help of a crazy cast of villains and good guys Shaman takes on the worst the universe and his family can dish out and always manages to save the day. Author Simon R. Green mixes Sci/Fi and fantasy with quick Bondian quips and creates a new espionage novel while keeping his tongue firmly in his cheek.
First Eddie is declared rogue and then, after discovering an ugly little secret the family has been hiding for the last millennia he feels obligated to take the reins and lead the family back to their original mission of protectors not dictators.
Molly the witch of the Wild Wood is Edwin’s magical girlfriend. She may not have a golden collar but she is one evil wench with a heart of platinum.
Uncle Jacob is the lingering phantom who can’t remember why he is still around.
Martha Drood is the Matriach of the Drood family and trust me with a grandma like her you won’t be a afraid of black widow spiders. Everything she does is all for the good of the family and the world, no matter how much it might hurt.
The Armorer, aka, Uncle Jack is a former field agent turned Q. There isn’t a weapon he doesn’t like or
Mr. Stab is a villain who you might think regretted his choices but at his heart is a psychopath.
Manifest Destiny is to the Droods that Chaos is to Maxwell Smart.
Strange Matter…you decide.
Simon R. Green is no stranger to the Sci/Fi, Fantasy genre. His Nightside series takes the classic potboiler and gives it an original modern and distinctly monstrous spin. There are 2 books in this new Torc series and they are well worth the read.