Review: Aladdin’s Samovar (Samovar Mysteries #1) by Lauren Sweet

by Chanel ChanceyApril 16, 2012

TLDR Recap:

Thrust into a chaotic adventure that includes her quirky hippie mother, a wayward genie, an indignant dwarf and her father, who is either a hero or a man that could potentially cause the end of the world, Amber Polaski finds she can’t just come along for the ride, but is forced to drive the vehicle that seems to be headed off a very tall cliff straight into the Mob’s guns’ sights. Aladdin’s Samovar is a GraveTells Recommended Read!

Title: Aladdin’s Samovar
Series: Samovar Mysteries #1
Author: Lauren Sweet
Prominent Characters: Amber, Jasper
Recommended Reader Age: 16+
Sexual Content Level: light

*** This review is SPOILER-FREE! Read on with confidence! ***

Thoughts:

Amber Polaski is having a typical day in the midst of a pretty boring life. No matter that her free spirit mother could care less about cleanliness, Amber goes on a cleaning rampage for her visit. The housework quickly gets out of control, and she begins to polish her silver, including a Samovar she bought at a garage sale. A genie springs out and her day takes a turn for the worse.

From there everything goes from mundane to total chaos. From a genie that keeps making his clothes disappear to her crazy hippie mother, to her dad who’s being chased by the Mob, this story is funny and fast paced. Ms. Sweet brings each and every character to life; even those that make short appearances stand out without overpowering the scene and the storyline, but instead making it come more alive.

Although Amber’s hippie mother, Indigo Nightshade, is anything but normal, their relationship is relatable. Indigo’s detachment from reality, makes her hard to like at times, but at the same time, that part of her is what makes Amber’s personality what it is. There are some redeeming scenes where Indigo is there when Amber needs her, although not in the way one would expect.

Jasper, the genie, is just as different. He is not only handsome, but manages to be silly without losing sexiness points. His character was the only one that I could not relate to as much. If I have one complaint, it would be to know a bit more about Jasper.

I laughed out loud quite a few times while reading this book. Ms. Sweet does a great job of grabbing your attention and pulling you into the story and then keeping you with the constant action, bigger than life characters, and some very interesting situations. Although it seems a little long in the middle and the Mob hit men seem to be a bit too dumb, the story was strong enough that I didn’t mind.

Aladdin’s Samovar is a light and quick read. Sensuality is kept to tension, a few glimpses of skin, and some hot kisses. The heroine remains in a constant state of exhaustion, which is understandable considering what a roller coaster her life is right now. Since she can’t seem to get off the ride, I forgive her.

Memorable Quotes:

Indigo speaks!

“No one likes to go to all the trouble of being born just to have someone shriek that you’re a spawn of Satan.”

Yoga in time of stress

The robe spread wide, treating the cop and the rest of the room to the full Monty.

A friendly guy

“That’s a ferret in my pocket,” Tim said. He gave her a wolfish grin. “But I am happy to see you”

Surrounded by strange people

She just kept looking form Spangly mom to Stripper genie and back again.

If you liked Aladdin’s Samovar…

If you enjoyed Aladdin’s Samovar and are looking for more funny and light paranormal try Molly Harper’s Jane Jamison’s “Nice Girl’s Don’t” series, starting with Nice Girls Don’t have Fangs. Also you might enjoy reading Janet Evanovich’s One for the Money in the Stephanie Plum series.

Final Thoughts:

I was not sure what to expect from the title but from the beginning, this story pulled me in and kept me. The laugh-out-loud moments were a nice surprise. The contrast of personalities is refreshing. The twists and turns in the plot are very well done. An overall enjoyable read. Aladdin’s Samovar is a recommended read!