Review: Finn by Angel Martinez

Lost and starving, Finn wakes to a poisoned world, but a man comes to him, a white light in the darkness---can a centuries old pooka find what he needs with a heartbroken, modern man?

When Diego rescues a naked man from the rail of the Brooklyn Bridge, he just wants to get the poor man out of traffic and to social services. He gets more than he bargained for when he discovers Finn is an ailing pooka, poisoned by the city's pollution. To help him recover, Diego takes him to New Brunswick where Finn inadvertently wakes an ancient, evil spirit: the wendigo.

While they struggle to find a way to destroy the wendigo before it can possess Diego or kill nearby innocents, Diego wrestles with his growing feelings for Finn. Kill the monster and navigate a relationship between a modern man and a centuries old pooka. Piece of cake.

I'm hovering in the 3.5 to 4 Hearts range, so I'm just going to round up to 4.

A pooka!

poo·ka

ˈpo͞okə/

noun

noun: pooka; plural noun: pookas

1. (in Irish mythology) a hobgoblin.

I’d never heard of such a thing. Fairies, yes. Pookas, no. Can’t say that anymore. Finn set the bar high as far as pookas go. He’s a delight. He’s also a shapeshifting pooka who can shift into a DRAGON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*squeals with delight*

Finn and Diego first meet on the Brooklyn Bridge. Diego believes Finn’s about to jump and Diego has a penchant for saving lost souls of all varieties. As a matter of fact, his relationship with Mitch has recently bit the dust because of Diego’s kindheartedness. Good riddance, I say. Mitch is a douche canoe. At any rate, Diego talks Finn into coming back to his apartment and begins trying to breach the defenses. Finn is wary, has a deep seeded mistrust of humans, but is growing weaker by the day and therefore desperate.  As an aside, I appreciate very much the environmental message that pervades this story.

A series of events happen and Diego takes Miriam, his publisher, up on her offer to take up residence at her home near Fundy National Park in Canada. Let me tell you, some freaky shit happens in Canada. Some good, some bad, all freaky. Ok, maybe not all but a lot.

I enjoyed Finn quite a bit. It’s the opening of a series and the follow up is a must read as this one has an open ending. Both Diego and Finn have distinct voices, even if I was reading along and noticed there was no “Finn said” I knew it was him and vice versa. All the descriptions of all the animals’ thoughts were great fun. Finn kind of steals the show here, in my opinion, with his shenanigans and bluntness, though I do like both characters. They have sort of a star-crossed feel to them that I always a win for me, though I’m having trouble feeling there heat and intensity. Perhaps in Diego the intensity will get ratcheted up. Hopefully.

The characters of Tia Carmen and Miriam also put on quite a show in Finn. Let’s just say Miriam is a riot. I’d so have cocktails with her. I wish Tia Carmen would come over with enchiladas and stuffed poblanos. I’m willing to send my address. I make a mean margarita. I can even rustle up some prickly pears and send this thing to the next level. Just sayin’. The three of us could wreak some serious havoc.

It was the supernatural high jinks that kept me turning the pages and what will propel me to read Diego.

To all the pooka lovers out there, this series is for you!

I'd like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.