The Tarot. The Zodiac. Horoscopes. Mystics. Superstition. Sound familiar? Maybe you are really into some or all of these. I myself have little knowledge of most of them. I don’t go racing for the paper to read my horoscope every day. I don’t avoid walking under ladders and I don’t cross myself if someone blasphemes or if a black cat should stroll past me. Yet, whilst none of them play a role in my life, when it comes to reading I am fairly open minded and like getting my hands on books that have something of the unusual about them. Use of any of these in a book provides something out of the ordinary.

An author can style their whole plot around the Tarot, or the Zodiac, or something else. These can play an important role in the storyline. Yet, not having a great understanding, I am more interested in how the authors are able to manipulate their characters and some aspect of the celestial to suit their purposes, their story, rather than all the technical details about what these actually are. For instance, I’ll take how a sign corresponds with the character of the actors in the story over detailed descriptions of what the Tarot or the Zodiac is all about.

I dislike getting bogged down in the detail. Oftentimes I get lost and the information simply slips over my head. Any author who can present a tale where something celestial provides a strong influence, without clogging up the story with in-depth descriptions or dialog about how they work, has my thumbs up and appreciation. Of course, should you be accomplished in these areas then the detail may not bother or overwhelm you.

Heavenly Hijinks is, by and large, such a story. It is the first of the Planetary Passions series that I have been able to successfully read. My first attempt was a disaster and I gave up several chapters in (too much detail, wouldn’t you know). In Heavenly Hinjinks Ashley Ladd has created an unusual tale, with much mixed into the plot: the Zodiac, Gods and demi-gods, mystic inferences and Tarot Readings, to name a few. The plot has been weaved around the Zodiacal demi-God, Leo the Lion, and a skeptic, Clestie, which certainly provides something atypical. Without the use of the Zodiac, this tale would not have been the same. Indeed, it wouldn’t exist: not in the same great way, at least.

Clestie doesn’t believe in the occult, though her aunt had been a woman of deep faith and had her own mystical shop. For much of her life, Clestie has walked a fine line between her religious father, whom she loves – and who was violently opposed to anything that didn’t jibe with his own deep-seated beliefs – and the mystic aunt she adored. With her aunt’s death, Clestie and her cousin, Elizabeth, inherit the mystical shop. A professional dancer, Clestie is currently on a break but does not want the mystic shop in any case – in the beginning, at least. It was impossible to see how much her life would be changed by the shop; that she would discover hidden talents, or possibly a new purpose. She certainly didn’t foresee the entrance of Leo into her life. Gorgeous, loin cloth wearing Leo. Insane Leo. At least, he must be mad, for he certainly could not be telling the truth about being a Zodiacal demi-God trapped on earth. Could he?

It’s Leo the Lion’s 3,500th birthday and in an act of boredom and stupidity he leaped on a comet bound for earth. Now he’s stuck there. To teach him a lesson, his father, Zeus, has stripped him of the powers he did have and has forbidden friends and family to help him out of the bind he has gotten himself caught up in. He has to find a way back to the heavens on his own. After several weeks, he manages to track down the location of the mystic Petunia, who’ll be able to return him to where he belongs. Just in time, too, for without his guidance all his Leo charges have begun to run amok. Problem is, he finds that Petunia has passed on. She has left this realm, and her great-nieces are now installed in her place. The one niece has not a whit of magic, but Clestie… Leo senses much power emanating from Clestie, but it is trapped. To add to his difficulties, she doesn’t believe in anything celestial, let alone Leo’s belief that he is a demi-god. But she’s his only hope, so he’ll just have to stick around and do his best to convince her and tap into her trapped magic, using whatever methods he can. Of course, some of those delicious methods aren’t exactly a trial for him to undertake.

Heavenly Hijinks is a fabulous novel with an interesting plot and a great use of the Zodiac. Whilst reading the story, I was ecstatic not to come across too much, impossible-to-take-in detail about the Zodiac. There was some detailed explanation, mostly through dialogue, but with Leo teaching Clestie about the Tarot cards, what can you expect? Leo and Clestie were excellent characters, well developed and with their own little quirks. Leo in particular will make you laugh, with his ignorance of modern mortal living, which provides some truly funny moments. Meeting the other characters was also joyous, particularly Leo’s family. Zeus, Leo’s father, Hera, Leo’s stepmother, and Aphrodite, Leo’s sister, were all great and appealing, with a good development, particularly as they only make cameo appearances in the story.

Heavenly Hijinks is well-paced, and it’s impossible to tell where the story is going to go. I offer my thanks to Ashley Ladd for her clever concealment of the plot’s direction. I like to be surprised in my stories, but all too often I know or get a feeling about where the author is headed with the tale. There is some sex, described in detail, fairly traditional and inoffensive. Very enjoyable with a great twist on the Zodiac, Heavenly Hijinks is a satisfactory read, no matter your understanding of the celestial.

Reviewed By Elizabeth
© November 2006