Review: Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Title: Poison Study
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Series: Study, Book 1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Release Date:

Murder, mayhem and magic...

Locked in a coffin-like darkness, there is nothing to distract me from my memories of killing Reyad. He deserved to die—but according to the law, so do I. Here in Ixia, the punishment for murder is death. And now I wait for the hangman's noose.

But the same law that condemns me may also save me. Ixia's food taster—chosen to ensure that the Commander's food is not poisoned—has died. And by law, the next prisoner who is scheduled to be executed—me—must be offered the position.

How long have I had this book on my to-read shelf? I'm not even sure. I think I bought the paperback when it first came out, whenever that was. At the urging of Sarah and Khanh, who both RAVE about this book, I decided to finally pick it up.

I'm so glad they badgered me into starting it, finally. I enjoyed it quite a lot. Yelena's probably my favorite part, but there's a lot here to love.

Yelena is a fantastic character - she's spent nearly a year in a dungeon awaiting execution, when suddenly she's offered an out. It's not much of an out, because she's going to be the food-tester for the Commander, but it is life for at least one more day. She's damaged because of what she's gone through, not just the time incarcerated, but the history prior to that - which is only hinted at in the beginning. But you get a pretty good idea. And yet, at the same time, she's so incredibly strong. She's determined to live, not just day to day, but really live, safe from the threat of death. There are few characters that are actually smart, but Yelena's one of them. She takes the time to plan, implementing her plan without being (too) devious, or cruel. She trains and figures out what skills she's going to need, and goes about learning them. She doesn't trust (or fall in love - this is a big one for me) quickly or easily. I found it really easy to root for her, to want her to succeed, and I loved that I never felt the next to smack some sense into her.

Valek, well, he's a bit of a different story for me. It took me a LONG time to warm up to him. And then once I did like him, I still wasn't (and am not) shipping this relationship. I think it's got a long ways to go. But I will say that I'm interested in seeing where it goes, how it develops. I appreciate a lot about his character, namely that "love" doesn't change everything. I also really love how things develop organically. There's no insta-love here.

I have to mention Ari and Janco, because I absolutely adore them. I really hope we get a lot more of them in the future.

The world kind of confuses me. There was a king, and his whole kingdom was apparently corrupt. So there was an uprising - and the Commander took over. Now there are unbendable rules. Period. All the rules and punishments for running afoul of those rules are spelled out, and there are absolutely NO exceptions. I find this a little harsh, and - despite wanting to like the Commander, I'm left not being able to. I hope that changes, because I really like the backstory there.

The plot and pacing are kind of ... quiet. That's the best word I can think of to describe it. It's not slow, but it's not edge-of-my-seat. I was interested because I wanted to see Yelena come out on top, but the mystery and plot were mere backgrounds to seeing her triumph, for me.

Poison Study is a nice start to a series. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here - especially with the knowledge of Yelena's immediate future at the end of this book. I do hope that the world is more developed in the future books, and that the plot becomes a bit more opaque to me, though.

Grade: B

Review: Girl From Above: Betrayal by Pippa DaCosta

Title: Girl From Above: Betrayal
Author: Pippa DaCosta
Series: The 1000 Revolution, Book 1 (Serial)
Genre: Sci-Fi Erotica Romance
Release Date: 21 April 2015

WARNING: 18+ only. Adult content. Including sex, drug use, violence, & swearing.

"My name is #1001, and I am not ready to die." I’d only just begun to live.

When Captain Caleb Shepperd is released from prison, all he wants to do is keep his head down and earn a living smuggling illegal cargo through the nine systems. So when a synth stows away on his ship, and brings with her a crap-ton of problems, including guilt-ridden secrets he thought he’d escaped, he’d prefer to toss her out the airlock. The problem is, she’s priceless tech, and he’s fresh out of credit.

#1001 is not meant to exist. Created for a single purpose, she has one simple order: to kill. But not everything is as it seems. Buried deep inside, she remembers... Remembers when she was human. And she remembers what Shepperd did to her. She’s not ready to die, but she is ready to kill.

Novel length: Approximately 43,000 words. 155 Kindle pages. 177 paperback pages. (Not including sample chapter)
Genre: Space opera.

I feel awkward reviewing this because it's not an entire story. It's the beginning of the story. It does have a nice arc - for which I'm thankful - but it's so clearly just the start that I almost want to wait until I've read the next 2 books (which should finish it out, I hope) before I review and grade it. The ending can make a huge difference in how I feel about the earlier sections. However, this part of the story still made a really big impression on me and I have to talk about it.

One of my best friends recommended this book to me - in all CAPS - and we usually are on the same exact page when it comes to awesome books. So I immediately bought this one, and the second one from Amazon. (Sidenote: $2.99 for under 200 pages? Not cool. I'm going to end up paying around $9 for a full-length novel. Ugh. Do not like. Anyway.)

I flew through it. Read most of it on my lunch, and then did some sneak-reading because I just couldn't stop.

The world is interesting, but a fairly light background to the story and characters. It's a prop for them to play in front of. And I'm okay with that here. I would like to see it further explored, and see the implications of the characters' actions dig deep into that world, but that's for the second and third parts to live up to, I think.

What really shines here are the characters - which is kind of ironic, because none of the characters are what you would consider "good" people. Caleb (I love this name, I hate when it's shortened to Cale) is our "hero." And I use that term incredibly loosely. He's a womanizer, smuggler, asshole. He thinks with his dick, and has little regard for consequences. He also has a TON of guilt and self-recrimination (justly and rightly so).

Fran, Caleb's second-in-command (and only crewmate, so the title confused me a bit) fascinated me. She's Caleb in a female body. Everything I hate about him, I hate about her. They have little regard for anyone, including themselves. They're destructive and assholes. But...I love them. They're the kind of characters that I want to see - not redeemed exactly, but whole. I want to see them have the contentment they deserve, whatever that may entail. I want to see them stop hating themselves.

#1001 was a mystery for most of the book, though I began to guess about a third of the way in, so I don't want to spoil too much. Suffice it to say that I'm most interested in her. She has a hell of a story, and I'm really, really, really looking forward to seeing how Pippa DaCosta brings it all together.

The plot doesn't seem like much of anything until you get near the end - which is why I say that this is a starter story. It doesn't finish much of anything. What it does do is pull you in, sit you down, tie you up and demand that you finish. It builds beautifully, and upon finishing I immediately grabbed part two. I'm already lamenting the fact that the third (and final) part isn't available until December 2015.

Grade: B+ (I reserve the right to change this)

Review: Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews

Title: Gunmetal Magic
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels, Book 5.5
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 31 July 2012

After eviction from the Knights of Merciful Aid, Andrea is a wreck. She starts work for best pal PI Kate Daniels. Shapeshifters under Raphael Medrano — Clan Bouda male alpha, Andrea’s ex-lover — die suddenly at a dig site. With Raphael, she seeks killer in deep dark Atlanta. Her feelings for him may take a back seat to saving the world...

Bonus: Kate Daniels novella "Magic Gifts"

Okay, here's the thing: I don't love Andrea. I know there are a lot of people out there that do, but I just don't. I also don't love Raphael. I never had prior to this book. They're both spoiled, think little of others, and whine when things don't go their way. Meh. I'm not into it.

That being said, by the end of Gunmetal Magic, even if I still don't LOVE them (like I LOVE Kate), I like them - although truth be told, I think it's because the drama between them is over now. At least I hope it is. Please gods, let it be over.

Anyway. So, with the fact of not loving Andrea and Raphael, I wasn't expecting to enjoy the romance, but I actually did. When the two of them decided to stop hurting each other purposely (which didn't do a lot to endear them to me), and get out of their own way - they found their HEA. I'm glad they did. They're actually better together than they are apart - truly. I like them much better as a couple than I ever did them individually. And while I also think that Kate and Curran are better together than apart, it's for different reasons. Kate and Curran are perfectly awesome, capable, GOOD people. They're whole and able to function without each other. They're not as happy as they deserve to be, and they are definitely stronger together, but if they had never gotten together they'd still be the kick-ass people they always were. Andrea and Raphael, on the other hand, seem to need each other to truly complete themselves. They're not whole, strong, good people without the other to balance them out. So, I'm glad they're together now.

The best part of this book is the plot and mythology. I was completely fascinated with it, and love that Ilona Andrews continues to bring amazing mythologies to play in their series.

And the saving grace here? Roman. I adore Roman. Black volhv. Eeyore-pajama-wearing. Geek. Former Army Ranger. He's funny (somewhat surprisingly), good-natured, powerful, and kick-ass. I definitely want more. A lot more.

It's always fun to see Kate and Curran from different points of view, and this was no exception. Make sure to check out exactly what Kate's up to during most of this book in the novella "Magic Gifts", which is at the end of Gunmetal Magic. It should really be read prior to Gunmetal Magic, though you're not really missing out on anything if you read it after, I suppose.

So, good plot, better than expected romance, and some favorite characters really shining. I'm happy with this story in the series.

I still need more Roman, though. Can someone make that happen?

Grade: B

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Review: Firewalker by Josephine Angelini

Title: Firewalker
Author: Josephine Angelini
Series: Worldwalker, Book 2
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Release Date: 1 September 2015

Worlds divide, magic slays, and love lies in the second book of Josephine Angelini’s The Worldwalker Trilogy.

"You think I’m a monster, but my choices, as ruthless as they seem, are justified."

Lily is back in her own universe, and she's ready to start a new life with Rowan by her side. True, she almost died in the Pyre that fueled their escape from New Salem, and must hide her magic for the safety of everyone she cares about, but compared to fighting the Woven, the monstrous creatures inhabiting the alternate Salem, life is looking pretty good.

Unfortunately, Lillian, ruthless ruler of the 13 Cities, is not willing to let Lily go that easily. If she can’t persuade Lily to return to her world, she will force her to come back by doing away with the ones she loves.

Picking up right where Trial By Fire left off, Firewalker is another sexy, fast-paced, heartbreaking thrill ride from internationally bestselling author Josephine Angelini!

I raved about the first book in this series, Trial by Fire. It absolutely blew me away and I have been extremely excited for the last year for this book, the second in the series. I'm not sure if this affected my feelings about this book, or if I would have felt the same regardless, but it didn't - quite - live up to my expectations.

**Warning** There will be spoilers and references to events in the first book. It can't be helped. Honestly, it's going to be hard enough to talk about this book without spoiling everything in it. If you haven't yet read Trial by Fire, please check out my review for it.

Because the last book ended with Lily and Rowan world-jumping back to our world at the end of Trial by Fire, I knew I could expect that we would be spending at least some time in our world and I wasn't really looking forward to it. I enjoy being in Lillian's world. It's fascinating and I have been absolutely dying to know why Lillian ended up as tyrannical as she did. This meant that the first quarter of the book was ... well, boring for me. I wasn't into it, and I was could easily put the book down. Added to that, it was obvious what was going to need to happen - the fact that it was being danced around and not being done just frustrated me. Lily never was one to back away from what she knew was right, and I totally understood the break that was needed, the respite from the insanity that they'd come from, but I knew there was still too much to resolve. Lily and Rowan knew it, too.

After that, though, things really started to pick up. I loved that we got some answers - that blew my mind - about questions I'd had, but at the same time Josephine Angelini introduced new questions that I'm so incredibly interested in. I love that Lily doesn't just accept things at face value, she challenges and questions nearly everything, even when it frustrates those that surround her.

Speaking of the people surrounding her, well, things are starting to really build. I love that there aren't any clear answers. That maybe there's not a single person that's right in this, and that Lily has to find her own way, her own answers, and trust herself more than anyone. I love that. It's so nice to see that - even if someone she loves dearly doesn't agree - Lily doesn't shy away from doing what she believes, in her heart, to be right. I love that she still struggles against becoming like Lillian, and realizing that it's so possible because she is Lillian. I love her relationships with the people around her, and her struggles in the power imbalance between the majority of them and her.

What I didn't love so much were a few of the people surrounding her. One, I thought, was forgiven a bit too quickly. Another completely pissed me off. I'm 99% certain that something is going to be revealed to be not quite what we were shown there, but I'm still furious. The treatment, the reaction, the inability to trust....Grrr. I literally put my Kindle down and swore at my book.

That being said, the ending? Oh.My.God. My mouth was hanging open and I'm - once again - dying for the next book in this series. I'd begun to suspect, along with Lily, that things weren't quite the way they'd been portrayed and accepted, but that ending left me salivating for more. I have to see how this resolves itself.

There were some heart-wrenching moments in this book. I had to set the book down multiple times to give myself time to collect myself. There haven't been a lot of books that have been able to affect me so deeply, and I love that this one can.

Grade: B+

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Review: Archangel's Enigma by Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel’s Enigma
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunters, Book 8
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 1 September 2015

Naasir is the most feral of the powerful group of vampires and angels known as the Seven, his loyalty pledged to the Archangel Raphael. When rumors surface of a plot to murder the former Archangel of Persia, now lost in the Sleep of the Ancients, Naasir is dispatched to find him. For only he possesses the tracking skills required – those more common to predatory animals than to man.

Enlisted to accompany Naasir, Andromeda, a young angelic scholar with dangerous secrets, is fascinated by his nature—at once playful and brilliant, sensual and brutal. As they race to find the Sleeping archangel before it’s too late, Naasir will force her to question all she knows...and tempt her to walk into the magnificent, feral darkness of his world. But first they must survive an enemy vicious enough to shatter the greatest taboo of the angelic race and plunge the world into a screaming nightmare...

**Disclaimer: I am a HUGE Nalini Singh fangirl. I’ve loved her books since I first discovered Slave to Sensation back in . This means that I tend to love her books, but it also means that I measure each of her books against her other books, so the competition is stiff.

**Spoiler warning: There will be spoilers from the previous 7 books (and various novellas) in this review. If you haven’t read the previous books, please go see my review for Angels’ Pawn and Angels’ Blood

Review: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

Title: Dead Heat
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Alpha & Omega, Book 4 / Mercy Thompson World, Book 11
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 3 March 2015

The Alpha and Omega novels transport readers into the realm of the werewolf, where Charles Cornick and Anna Latham embody opposite sides of the shifter personality. Now, a pleasure trip drops the couple into the middle of some bad supernatural business…

For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal, as Charles plans to buy Anna a horse for her birthday. Or at least it starts out that way...

Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross-fire.

The last several months have been life-changing for me. First, I got engaged. Then I moved across country (Wisconsin to Washington state). Then I was looking for a new job, while assisting the transition remotely for my old job. Then I was buying a house...And still I freaked out and wondered how the heck I had managed to forget that I had this book to read on my Kindle. When I was going through my 'must-have' releases to be happening I suddenly realized that I hadn't ever started this book! I was horrified, and immediately set about correcting that.

I'm really glad that I did. This book was quietly satisfying. I say quietly and I hope that people don't take that to mean a bad thing. This wasn't as action-packed as some of the books, the mystery wasn't as urgent to me - for whatever reason - but I loved how the story moved the world in a new direction, how we got to meet up with some new (and varied) characters, and how we got a lot more from Anna and Charles.

I admit it, I'm pretty tired of the +child aspect to a lot of books lately, I started in Urban Fantasy because I was pretty bored with the 'must have a child' thing in Romance. So it's not my favorite addition to the storyline. That being said, it makes sense here. Anna was changed without even knowing that she'd never be able to have kids. So much was taken away from her, it's understandable that she's going to fight to regain as much as possible. What I really liked about this (almost) side-plot was that Anna never forced Charles hand, she tried to figure out the root of the problem, offer logical solutions and let him figure out where he wanted to be on the subject. They're a team, and it's never in doubt that they are together for it all.

What I loved most here was the cast of characters, both those we know and love already and those that are new to us - even if not to Charles. Seeing true friends of Charles was a treat, and I liked them immensely. There were a couple of new characters in particular that I loved meeting, and I hope we get to see more of them in the future.

I already mentioned that the mystery aspect of the book wasn't that enticing to me and part of that is because I figured out who the "bad-guy" was as soon as we met them. It was a little out of character for Anna - and especially not Charles - to suspect this person when the clues kept lining up pointing to a particular place. Accusing would have been too far, but the way they studiously avoided even thinking that this person could be the culprit left me feeling bland about the whole process. I was really interested in the fae's powers and the consequences of their actions - both for the fae, the werewolves and even the humans. Patricia Briggs definitely knows how to continuously up the stakes in this ever-changing world, I'll never deny that.

Like I said, it was quietly satisfying. We got a lot of time with Charles and his friends - of which we know he doesn't have many, a lot of time with Charles and Anna, and a lot of time learning more about other packs of werewolves. I also particularly enjoyed some of the investigation that was detailed and the things that our investigators found out.

Dead Heat isn't as exciting or flashy as some of the other books in the Mercy Thompson World, but it's definitely satisfying and creates intriguing new directions for our favorite supernatural beings to go in. I'll tell you though, after all the stuff with the fae I'm really curious as to what's going on with the vampires - especially Stefan. Here's hoping we get to see him again in the next Mercy book.

Grade: B

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Review: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

Title: Ink and Bone
Author: Rachel Caine
Series: Great Library, Book 1
Genre: Young Adult Steampunk
Release Date: 7 July 2015

In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time...

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn...

First, when I requested this book there wasn't series information about it anywhere (at least not that I found), so I thought (silly, I know) that it was a stand-alone book. That thought probably had some effect on my final feelings and thoughts about this story.

This cover is gorgeous, beautiful, and works with the story. I'd love to see it in person and see if it has the texture that the image implies. Once seeing it and finding out that the story revolved around the Library at Alexandria surviving...I couldn't *not* request it.

And I'm glad I did. It gets off to a bit of a slow start, with a lot of things that confused me. There's names for people that do things that aren't really explained (you do start to get the feel for them as you get further in the story), and you're kind of tossed right in. Normally I like that. Here...well, it didn't work as well for me. The beginning felt slow. It was setting up the world and story, I know, but a lot of it simply doesn't make sense to me.

For example, in one of the earliest scenes in the book we find out that books are contraband. Owning a printed (hand-copied) book is illegal. So, of course, there's a flourishing black-market trade for them. Jess is the son of one of these black-market book experts, and because of that he's a 'runner.' Which basically means that he transports the books from his family's interests to the purchasers'. The problem I had with this is that he was RUNNING everywhere to do this. Not only that, but they run in a pack - like wild animals. Huh? Doesn't anyone understand that running draws attention to yourself? And running with a large group of other kids draws even MORE attention? Pretty damn good way to get the Garda after you, don'tcha think? Illogical actions didn't make me have a lot of faith in the author to make things more logical.

Fortunately, for me, she did manage to pull it around and I started to have faith in the storytelling and the characters' actions. The story is fascinating. A library - those that are supposed to allow knowledge to be at the worlds' fingertips - is actually oppressing ideas, progress and knowledge. I still have a little trouble with the premise, but it all comes down to power. Who has it, who wants to keep it, and what they're willing to do to meet those ends. The fact of the matter is that the Library is willing to do anything to keep their power. And that's exactly what the postulants - including Jess - start to learn as they're competing for positions inside the Library itself.

I definitely enjoyed this book. The story moved at a good pace, there was a lot of variety of places and things happening. There's definitely diversity in characters and world. There's a small romance (one that moved a bit too quickly for me even if it wasn't the main focus of the story). There's friendships that I hope stand the test of what's to come. And we're settled right on the cusp of change.

What I didn't love so much was the simplicity of things. Simplicity is maybe the wrong word, but instead of shocking with well placed hints and drawing out the revelations, they were almost shoved in my face immediately. I had no chance to speculate and be surprised by anything because it was all revealed almost as soon as it was a thought. And while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it did disappoint me a bit.

I did mention that I wasn't aware this was part of a series, so when I got to nearly 90% of the book and realized there was no way it was going to be able to wrap up satisfactorily...well I was irritated. I don't mind "cliff-hangers", or multi-part series. I enjoy them, and read quite a few of them (KMM, I'm still looking at you for ruining years of my life waiting on the next books in the Fever series). But this one just kind of stops. It's not a cliff-hanger. It's not a 'OMG! What's going to happen next?!' moment. It's just ... done. And while I *do* want to know what happens in the next book, I'm not anxious and on the edge of my seat for it.

That being said, I *am* going to be putting the next book on my list. I do hope there are some surprises in store for me (and all of the characters), and that - I can't believe I'm saying this: I get to see the Library fall.


Grade: B-

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Review: Is a Worry Worrying You? by Ferida Wolff

Title: Is a Worry Worrying You?
Author: Ferida Wolff
Release Date: 8 September 2011

This critically acclaimed title addresses common childhood worries--a bully, a first day at school, and a monster residing under the bed--with the not-so-common worries--an eagle making a nest in your hair, a rhino walking down the street, and a herd of elephants waiting for their tea. This entertaining and humor use of perspective and creative problem-solving will appeal to children and parents looking for help in dealing with a universal issue.

Cute book with the intention of helping kids understand worries, and how to deal with them.

I requested this as something to maybe help my own kids if needed. The message that it imparts is something I think kids would find helpful.

The illustrations are cute and with lots of little details that make them fun to look at.

And though this is a short book, with just under 30 pages and illustrations, it does exactly what it sets out to do.

All in all, I'm definitely going to be adding this to my list of books to get for young children.

Grade: B


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Review: Pack of Lies by Laura Anne Gilman

Title: Pack of Lies
Author: Laura Anne Gilman
Series: Paranormal Scene Investigators, Book 2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 1 February 2011

My name is Bonita Torres, and eight months ago I was an unemployed college graduate without a plan. Now I'm an investigator with the Private Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigations team of New York. Pretty awesome, right?

The Cosa Nostradamus, the magical community, isn't quick to give up its secrets, though. Not even to fellow members. Not even when it's in their best interests. So we've been busting our tails, perfecting our forensic skills, working to gain acceptance. The team's tight...but we have our quirks, too. And our Big Dog, Benjamin Venec...well, he's a special case, all right.

But we can't give up. We're needed, especially when a case comes along that threatens to pit human against fatae. But one wrong move could cost us everything we've worked for...

I read the first book in this series, Hard Magic in August of 2014, and I'm having trouble remembering a lot of the plot and specifics regarding the characters. It was a pleasant enough read, but definitely felt light. In fact, I even recommended it for those looking for lighter Urban Fantasy fare. After reading this book, I'm not sure I'd stick by that recommendation. This book goes to a much darker place.

*Trigger Warning*
This book contains an attempted rape, murder, and related consequences - including emotional from multiple characters, as well as discussion of and scenes involving rape culture, and victim-blamimg.

Rape is a pretty sensitive subject for me. It's not a trigger, per se, of mine, it's just so often handled badly in books with no regards to actual healing and trauma caused by attempted or actual rape; which means that I generally avoid books that have rape. Unfortunately - or perhaps fortunately - I didn't know that it was such a central issue in this book. I may have avoided reading this book had I known, but I would have missed out on one of the best depiction of this subject I've read yet. I can count on one hand the number of books, or series, I've read that handled it with as much consideration and delicacy and care as this one.

To give a bit more description of what's going on with the case, since the blurb is so incredibly vague: PUPI (Private Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigators) is called in by the Council to investigate a scene where an attempted rape took place, and the woman's companion (a magical being called a ki-rin - which I'll talk more about later) killed the attacker. Tensions between fatae, the race of magical beings including the ki-rin, and humans have been escalating and this seems to be tinder on the embers that have already been burning. PUPI needs to verify what happened, and quickly, before things intensify out of control.

This aspect of the story was so well done. As I said earlier, it was handled with care. The trauma wasn't brushed under the rug, the difficulties for our investigators to actually investigate and remain somewhat impartial, the accusations that crop up both for and against victims, it's all there - sometimes it's not pretty, often it's not, but Laura Anne Gilman doesn't shy away from it at all. I will warn that it doesn't end on a particularly upbeat note. My heart broke more than once while I was reading, and even when I finished I had to agree with one of the characters that said "This job sucks." Yes, yes it does. Especially in cases like this. I ... appreciated how things are tied up. My one complaint about this aspect of the novel is that, considering how well the author handles the subject of rape, there's some - very justifiable - doubt about the victims' claims. I'd have liked things a little more clean, I guess, but life isn't usually neat and tidy.

One of the things I was having trouble remembering when I started this book was the characters and the details about them. I recognized their names when I read them, but couldn't remember much about their particular powers within the group. I do think Ms. Gilman did a pretty damn good job of bringing me back up to speed, but I'm still a little in the dark on a couple of characters. There's Ian Stosser and Benjamin Venec - they're the "Big Dogs," the bosses. They formed PUPI and are committed to being a company that finds the truth. Bonnie, whose head we're usually in throughout the book, is a great character. She's a lot more subtle than most heroines these days, and a lot less flashy. I came to really appreciate that in this book - more than I did even in the previous one. Also, she's bisexual and it's such a non-issue. I cannot even tell you how much I love and appreciate that.

The other main characters: Sharon, the truth-seeker; Nick, the hacker; Pietr, the retriever; and then there's Nifty, or Lawrence - I'm not sure what his speciality is. I'm sure he has one, but damned if I know right now. These are all great, individual characters with their own tics and issues. We learn a bit more, slowly, and I'm loving it. Additionally, the apparent romance is heating up nicely. I wasn't sure I was a fan in the first book, but here ... yeah, I think I am.

This book does so many things well, and this review is already getting so long, that I'm going to stop before it gets out of control. But I have to mention that I love the lack of slut-shaming, the fact that Bonnie stands up for herself and her choices and doesn't let anyone make her feel badly for her sexual activity.

Before I started writing this review I wasn't sure what I was going to rate it, but I think it's become clear that this is a solid series that's gaining steam. I'll definitely be picking up the third book to see what's going to happen next.

Grade: B-

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Review: A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

Title: A Tale Dark and Grimm
Author: Adam Gidwitz
Series: A Tale Dark and Grimm, Book 1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy (Fairy-Tale Retelling)
Release Date: 4 November 2010

In this mischievous and utterly original debut, Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm-inspired tales. As readers follow the siblings through a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind (and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses, and outwitted witches.

Fairy tales have never been more irreverent or subversive as Hansel and Gretel learn to take charge of their destinies and become the clever architects of their own happily ever after.

I don't know about you, but Hansel and Gretel was always one of my least favorite fairy tales. They were always so naive, and it felt like they made it out the other side based on chance, and not any particular skill or growth they'd experienced. Here, not so. Here, Adam Gidwitz has imagined a tale that's much longer than the one we know, much more involved, and is actually several shorter tales woven together to tell the whole tale - dark and grimm.

You see, Hansel and Gretel don't just show up at the end of this story.

They show up.

And then they get their heads cut off.

Just thought you'd like to know.

This was, simply, one of the most fun, interesting, and AWESOME retellings I've ever read. I was immediately hooked from the small sample that I read, engaged by Gidwitz's asides to the reader throughout. He's irreverent, snarky, slightly callous, and more than somewhat tactless - and I LOVE it. Beyond his commentary, there's a wonderful ease to the writing of the fairy tales. The voice is simple enough to read aloud to children - though the author warns there are parts that may not be appropriate for them - and fun enough that the whole family will enjoy it.

Before I go on, a word of warning: Grimm's stories--the ones that weren't changed for little kids--are violent and bloody. And what you're going to hear now, the one true tale in The Tales of Grimm, is as violent and bloody as you can imagine.

Really.

So if such things both you, we should probably stop right now.

You see, the land of Grimm can be a harrowing place. But it is worth exploring. For, in life, it is in the darkest zones one finds the brightest beauty and the most luminous wisdom.

And, of course, the most blood.

One of the best things about this expanded tale of Hansel and Gretel is that the characters actually go through quite a lot of growth. We start the (overall) story before they're even born, and go through many adventures with them. Their growth and changes are so subtle that I barely noticed it was happening. Each small experience served to make them stronger, smarter, and more compassionate. Though they are still typical fairy tale characters, there is a lot more personality there than I was expecting.

There is a certain kind of pain that can change you. Even the strongest sword, when placed in a raging fire, will soften and bend and change its form.

This book was a real treat. Fun, silly, bloody, and true to the fairy tale form. I'm definitely looking forward to more from Adam Gidwitz and I'm glad I've got the next two books in the series already on my Kindle.

Once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome.

I know, I know. You don't believe me. I don't blame you. A little while ago, I wouldn't have believed it myself....

You know how it is with stories. Someone tells a story. Then someone repeats it and it changes. Someone else repeats it, and it changes again. Then someone's telling it to their kid and taking out all the scar, bloody scenes--in other words, the awesome parts--and the next thing you know the story's about an adorable little girl in a red cap, skipping through the forest to take cookies to her granny. And you're so bored you've passed out on the floor.

Grade: B

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Review: Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

Title: Burn for Me
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Hidden Legacy, Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 28 October 2014

Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.

Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run or surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.

Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.

It's hard for favorite authors, they have so much expectation to live up to. Ever since I picked up Magic Bites several years ago, I've been in love with everything I've ever read by Ilona Andrews. Some a slight bit more than others, but always absolutely enthralled and excited for more. They've built these amazingly imaginative worlds that I just want to go live in. So Burn for Me had a high bar set for it when I first started it. And it, mostly, lived up to the level of expectation I'd put on this new world and characters.

I'm just going to go ahead and get my one quibble out of the way - the world-building wasn't as solid as I was hoping. Oh, all the pieces are there; ready to be molded and explained, ready to be doled out bit by bit to make me see the bigger picture....but here, and now, I was left floundering a bit. I have questions that I felt like should have been answered. And maybe they were - maybe this is all me, and not the book (in which case I'll eat my criticism), but I stumbled a few times trying to figure out the exact rules.

You see, a serum was developed a couple of hundred years ago and it gave people magical abilities. Of course, we humans didn't think about something so trivial as repercussions. Our motto is, after all, More power. Some short (I assume anyway) time later those pesky consequences started to show up and the serum use was curtailed (I think). So now you have magic users trying to hold onto the magic, mating with other magic users, creating dynasties - or Houses - that hold the power of magic within the cities. I got the feeling that magic abilities were supposed to be fairly rare in this society, because it's been so concentrated and bred to exclusion; and yet it seemed like every person we met had some sort of magical ability. It confused me. Are the magic users rare? Or common? If they're rare, then I get the point of technology still being pretty much where we are - complete with smartphones, tablets, automobiles etc., but if they're as common as our meetings seem to suggest then I have to wonder why the heck technology has developed as much as it has. I would have thought there'd be some stronger effect on the development of our world in the last couple centuries with magic having such a stronghold on the citizens. It's one small thing, but it niggled at the back of my mind the entire time I was reading. I think that I'm right in saying magic users are rare - despite what we see - but I'd love to get a better idea of the ratio of magic-users to regular-folk.

Now onto everything I loved!

1. Nevada Baylor: She's so utterly loyal, snarky, sarcastic, grounded, and fun that I loved her immediately. When her back is against a wall, she doesn't go down without a fight. She sticks to her guns, has her morals and ethics, and is just a genuinely good person. I like her so much that her obvious specialness didn't even bother me. It was reasonable that it snuck up on her, and I'm incredibly interested in seeing how this develops in this world.

2. The Baylor Family: Ilona Andrews have always done an amazing job writing realistic relationships - not just romances, but also friends and family. The interactions between Nevada and her mother, grandmother, cousin Bern, and sisters is so utterly realistic. There is obvious love and comfort between them. The good-natured ribbing and joking made me laugh more than once.

3. "Mad" Rogan: I love him. So sue me. I know there's something wrong with me that I am so ridiculously attracted to someone that's so freaking powerful, arrogant, cocky, and borderline sociopathic (c'mon, it's not like you couldn't have seen this coming what with my love for Barrons - who is the uber-alphahole). I don't care. He's sexy, and I want more of him.

4. The Magic System: The magic history is fascinating - I simply want more of it. All the different levels of magic users, the Houses that rule...well, the world, and the different types of magic that's possible. It's so interesting. I can't wait to see everything expanded in the next books.

5. Storyline: I have to admit that I was sold from the first moment that the flames started to fly. Though we knew the antagonist for much of the book, it was clear that there was more to the story - and I was anxious to find out what was going on. I do think that the reveal at the end was slightly anti-climactic, revealed almost in passing. But it does set up the over-arcing plot quite nicely.

6. The Slow-Burn Romance: I'm a huge sucker for this romantic development. There's a bit of a pride-and-prejudice story here, enemies-to-lovers, and a whole hell of a lot of sexual tension. SO MUCH sexual tension. It's killing me actually. I need MORE. Right now there is a huge imbalance of power, but Ilona Andrews has never let me down in that regard so I'm really excited to see this relationship develop even more.

I hope the next book is coming out soon. I always anxiously await the next Ilona Andrews' book...and I can already see that this series is going to be the same. I'm clearly already obsessed. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Grade: A-/B+

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Review: Whisper of Sin by Nalini Singh

Title: Whisper of Sin
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy/Changeling, Book 0.6
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 25 February 2014

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her phenomenal Psy-Changeling world as a woman in peril finds herself in the arms of a dangerously beautiful shapeshifter…

San Francisco is under threat from a violent gang…a gang that has no idea who they’re challenging. The DarkRiver pack of leopard changelings has already claimed the city as their territory, and they will fight with wild fury to protect its residents. Emmett, a lethally trained leopard soldier, isn’t about to let outsiders muscle in on his home ground—especially when they target a human named Ria.

Emmett has one word for the smart stranger with her curvy body and tough spirit: mine.

Possessive, dominant, unyielding in his demands and desires, Emmett is unlike anyone Ria has ever before met. But while the sexy leopard changeling makes her body ignite, his kisses molten and his touch addicting, she’s no pushover and she has a few demands of her own. This leopard has met his match…

"Please note that Whisper of Sin is a reissue. It was first published in the multi-author anthology, Burning Up. This is the worldwide stand-alone ebook release for those who wanted to buy only this novella from the anthology.

For those of you who have Wild Invitation, this novella wasn't in that collection." - Nalini Singh

I read this originally when it first came out in the Burning Up anthology and, as always, adored any time that we get to spend within the Psy/Changeling world.

This novella takes us back and shows how DarkRiver began to exert it's claim on San Francisco, slowly - and more importantly, subtly - eroding the control of the Psy. When Ria's attacked one night on her way home because her family refused to pay the protection money of a new gang in town, Emmett steps up. After he and Dorian rescue her while on their patrols, it's clear that DarkRiver's right to hold the city is being threatened. If they don't take care of the gang, and soon, they'll lose their right and other predatory changelings can come in, trying to take over.

Ria thinks that's all Emmett wants to be close to her for - to protect her. But he has far more delicious thoughts in mind.

I enjoyed the banter between them, the progression of their relationship, and the fact that Ria stands up to Emmett - not letting him run all over her. Emmett, for his part, is eminently sweet.

I also really love the way Nalini Singh slides in little tidbits on how the relationships work between Humans and Changelings (or Psy and Changelings, Psy/Human, etc) - things like perfume, or how to have private conversations. Small details that make everything seem so much more real.

Nalini Singh is one of the few authors that I have consistently trusted to provide me with a fun, romantic, and sexy novella. This is no exception to that rule.

Grade: B

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Review: No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole

Title: No Rest for the Wicked
Author: Kresley Cole
Series: Immortals After Dark, Book 3
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 31 October 2006
Source: Bought

A vampire soldier weary of life...

Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire—a nightmare in his mind—against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead.

A valkyrie assassin dispatched to destroy him...

When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow—accidentally extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters Sebastian, her feelings—particularly lust—emerge multiplied. For the first time, she's unable to complete a kill.

Competitors in a legendary hunt...

The prize of the month-long contest is powerful enough to change history, and Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every opportunity—as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs, seeking relics around the world—to use her new feelings to seduce her. But when forced to choose between the vampire she's falling for and reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?

Book 1: The Warlord Wants Forever
Book 2: A Hunger Like No Other

Here's the book that hooked me on this series. It had depth that the novella, The Warlord Wants Forever necessarily lacked and the characters are FANTASTIC - without any of the 'coming into her own' of the heroine like in A Hunger Like No Other. It also included everything I love about the world, and as an added bonus: the Talisman's Hie - an Amazing Race type event, on supernatural steroids.

Kaderin hasn't felt a thing, not the sorrow that was tearing her apart, not joy, hate, love, regret...nothing, for nearly a thousand years. After she lost her sisters blood sisters (triplets they were) her emotions were shut off. She never felt the lack, she simply dedicated herself to eradicating vampires. I loved Kaderin. She wasn't sure about anything when her feelings started coming back, not sure exactly how to deal with the onslaught (and I loved how it was initially shown to return) of emotions racing through her. But her personality shines through. Kaderin kicks ass, first, second, and third. But she's also got this beautiful understanding and kindness and compassion that shows through. She sees the beauty in, what others would deem, ugly and dangerous things - showing that she knows there's reason and right for everything to exist and thrive. All of that doesn't mean that she is willing to sacrifice herself for someone not completely and utterly hers, but she will give everything in her for one she loves.

Bastian, and I just have to say how much I love that name, it's one of my favorites, is my favorite type of hero. He's intelligent - a scholar in his human life - and mostly beta. He wants to woo his Katya, winning her heart and having her want him for himself. He's not terribly experienced in relationships, and is a bit shy - at first. I love, love, love that even though Bastian desperately wants to push further with Kaderin he respects women too much to do so. He won't go where he's not wanted, and Kaderin keeps pushing him away. So he continues trying to bargain with her, and coax her to him. His leverage may not always be strictly gentlemanly, but I love that he knows when to push and when to back off. I also really, really love that - despite there being lust and 'fated mates' between them - Kaderin and Bastian admit several times throughout the novel that it isn't love...yet.

Watching them fall in love is an immensely satisfying, joyous thing.

I've already talked, probably at length, about the world in which this takes place. I'll only continue to reiterate that it's one of the most detailed, complex, in-depth worlds I've ever encountered. Kresley Cole continues to blow my mind with the way she weaves in multiple storylines and keep track of a labyrinthine time-line.

The secondary characters are all interesting - I want to know ALL their stories. I won't even list them all here because there's too many. Fortunately it seems like Cole is in no hurry to stop writing in this series, and as I continue to love them, and the stakes continue to raise, I can't be more grateful.

One of the new things in this novel is the Talisman's Hie. A race for immortals around the world to retrieve difficult objects of different power. All to gain points to be able to go for the final round. I loved this. I can't even explain how much. The competition, the characters competing against - and sometimes helping - each other, and the different locations it takes us to.

Fortunately it seems like Cole is in no hurry to stop writing in this series, and as I continue to love them, and the stakes continue to raise, I can't be more grateful. Next up: Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night. I'm so excited to read about Bowen again!

Grade: B+

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Review: Magic Mourns by Ilona Andrews

Title: Magic Mourns
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels, Book 3.5
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 1 September 2009
Source: Bought

Andrea Nash of the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid - with an assist from her friend, Kate Daniels - tries to figure out why the giant three-headed dog who guards the gates of Hades is sniffing around Atlanta.

* Originally published in the anthology, Must Love Hellhounds *

Well, damn.

How many of these did I skip reviewing last time?

Okay, here goes. This is just a novella - about Andrea and Raphael. And after the intense flirting (and thing) that happened in Magic Strikes between them, it's about damn time!

I always liked Andrea. She's strong, competent, level-headed, and willing to fight for what she believes. She sticks to her promises, and her ground - no matter what. And I can trust her. I know for a fact she will never, ever betray Kate. What I learned in this book is that she's also scarred, and scared. She needs Raphael just as much as he needs her.

Raphael's been chasing Andrea, with no encouragement, for six months. It's more than obvious that he's smitten with her, and it's more than just - in Andrea's words: TWT-IHFB (That Weird Thing I Haven't Fucked Before). Personally, I don't find Raphael sexy, even if Kate, Andrea and the rest of the world does, but I have to admit that I love his personality. He's loyal, committed, a smart-ass, and kicks butt ... in human form quite frequently. Plus he's a smart businessman. What more could a woman want?

When Cerberus shows up, I knew I was going to love this. Greek mythology was one of my first interests in ancient history - and the myth that's central to this story is still one of my favorites. I like how Ilona Andrews weaves in the mythologies of so many different cultures to this series, paying homage and making them their own all at the same time.

Though Andrea and Raphael will never be as interesting to me as Kate and Curran, this is a good novella that gives you more insight to some of these great characters of the Post-Shift world.

Grade: B-

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Review: Play by Play by Kate Donovan

Title: Play by Play
Author: Kate Donovan
Series: Playmakers, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 9 September 2013
Source: Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Former college football star Jake Dublin’s wildly popular sports blog also details his personal life. And lately it’s all about Sophie, the pretty young woman who just moved into his apartment building. His readers know her only as “Elevator Girl,” and they’re all rooting for Jake to score.

The blog posts and banter with his followers are all in good fun, and he fully intends to come clean with the woman he’s wooing and wowing. That is, until she confides that she grew up in a house full of jocks and even dated a few. Her verdict? Never again!

Jake knows he needs to confess. But somewhere along the line he fell in love with Sophie and can’t stand the thought of losing her. So he procrastinates, and blogs, and digs himself deeper into a hole, until it all leads to a showdown that’s so nail-biting, not even the best play-by-play guy could ever have seen it coming.

I could have sworn I'd read something by Kate Donovan at some point before, but Goodreads tells me no. This is a novella (my Kindle says the story ends on page 65 of 86) that's fairly nicely put together - surprising, as novellas are usually a hard sell for me. It doesn't feel too long, or too short, though I do wish I had gotten to know Sophie, the heroine, a bit better.

For the most part Sophie just came off as a very talkative person - almost to the point of being a nervous talker. The contrivance of Jake not telling her was nearly as much her fault as it was his. At some point he should have just taken her shoulders and said it, but honestly, she should have stopped interrupting him and saying he could tell her later, too! After a while, I have to admit, it got old and I just wanted it to come out.

Of course, eventually it does; in the worst way possible. That heads into spoilery territory so I'll leave it there. Onto our hero...

Jake is adorable! I loved him from the start. He's got this great sense of humor that comes through in his thoughts and writings. His blog posts were lots of fun to read, and the comments were just as much. Another surprise for me, because I usually don't like tactics like that in books. Also, though there's a lot of suggestion, everything fades to black.

Again, color me surprised, because I liked it that way. It fit the story that was being told. I like when authors tell the story as it's meant to be told.

Play by Play is a cute, funny - made me laugh-out-loud more than once - and sweet romance. Kate Donovan has definitely put herself on my radar with this quick, fun book. I'll be looking for more from her. Apparently, there's actually a sequel that was just released - a full length novel - called Playing for Keeps. I think I'll go grab it.

Grade: B-

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Review: A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

Title: A Hunger Like No Other
Author: Kresley Cole
Series: Immortals After Dark, Book 2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 1 April 2006

A mythic warrior who'll stop at nothing to possess her...

After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.

A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy...

Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents—until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae—and their notorious dark desires—ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.

An all-consuming desire...

Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?

Check out my review for the first (novella) in this series The Warlord Wants Forever

This is probably only my second or third read of this book, I'm buddy re-reading the series with Sarah of Feeling Fictional in preparation for the release of the fourteenth book in the series - someone's book that I've been looking forward to for a few years now. But I won't spoil that here.

Kresley Cole is a master of weaving together and intricate tale that involves overlapping storylines, and many, many characters. The Immortals After Dark world is populated by the Lore - immortal beings that have managed to hide themselves from humans, for the most part. There are Lykae - not the standard werewolves you may be thinking of; Witches, Vampires, Demons, Ghouls, Phantoms...and my personal favorite: Valkyries. All these factions fight for themselves, looking for their other half - whatever they call it, Mate, Bride, etc - and living their lives. Every five-hundred years comes the Accession to mess that up. As told in the book, the Accession...

...Bringing prosperity and power to the victors, the Accession wasn't an Armageddon type of war--it wasn't as if the strongest factions of the Lore met on neutral turf after an invitation to "rumble." About a decade into it, events began to come into play, as if fate was seeding future, deadly conflicts, involving all the players at a startling rate. Like windmill vanes on a rusted spoke, it began creaking, creeping to life, only to gain momentum and soar with speed every five hundred years.

Some said it was a kind of cosmic checks-and-balances system for an ever-growing population of immortals, forcing them to kill each other off.

In the end, the faction that lost the fewest of their kind won.

So here we are; at the beginning of what many in the Lore are starting to believe is the start of the Accession. A time when immortals find their mates - sometimes in very unexpected places, alliances are made or discord is sown between the different factions of the Lore.

I'm speaking a lot about the world, because after thirteen books it's still my favorite thing about this series. The world and overall plotting is masterful. Kresley Cole blows my mind time and time again with the way she casually ties things together, references events we won't hear about for books to come, and never once have I caught a slip or mistake in these books. I'm awed by the ability she has to keep it all straight. There's a side reference in this book, Book 2, that doesn't get fully explained until Book 9! All of these events are taking place so close together as to be on top of one another. You're always right in the middle of it, hoping that these characters you come to love will make it through.

The other thing I can guarantee you, in every book, is that Kresley Cole loves to put her heroes and heroines through the wringer before giving them their HEA. Not just at the hands of others either - she pushes these characters to the very limits of what they might be able to forgive their fated other-half...and for some it might step over the line. I struggle with this from time to time. I read these books, I love these books, and even still I wonder if I shouldn't be objecting more to some of the treatment the characters do to one another.

I suppose I should talk about the main characters of this book: Emma and Lachlain. Emma is the half-breed daughter of a vampire and a valkyrie. She's been raised by the valkyrie, hidden from the vampires, her entire life. Lachlain is the lykae king - imprisoned for 150 years (by vampires), he finally breaks free to find his mate.

As you can imagine the fact that Emma is (part) vampire is a source of tremendous torture to Lachlain's fragile sanity. He can't imagine why he's been mated to one of his hated enemies, but still he fights to protect her, even from his own rages. I definitely understood what Lachlain was struggling with, and honestly his recovery is really, really quick - just the hell that he puts Emma through in the meantime can sometimes be cringe-worthy. I like him a lot. He's like the prototype of 'bash-em-over-the-head-and-drag-her-back-to-the-cave' type. But he's also all - and I do mean ALL - about making sure his mate is happy. He makes mistakes, so it's a good thing he's got Emma to call him on it, and bring him into line.

Almost as much as I hate to say this, everything that happens to Emma just makes her stronger, more sure of herself, and more able to handle everything thrown at her. She starts the book as Emma the Timid. The most exciting thing she's ever done is go to Paris by herself to search for the father - whose name she doesn't even know. And even then she was protected by the money she had from the coven to protect her. She continues to think of herself as this in some small moments for about half the book. The truth is something far more complicated. Emma's been conditioned to think she's not good enough, not strong enough, not brave enough. It wasn't intentional, it wasn't anyone's fault, but the consequences of growing up with those that she did - the strong, brave, and fighting valkyries. She shows from very early on that she's not afraid to defend herself, think for herself, and stands up against Lachlain over and over again.

I admit the first time I read this I didn't love Lachlain or Emma. I liked them both, but I was irritated with how Lachlain treated Emma (especially in the beginning), and Emma's timidity. I'd bought too much into her own image of herself instead of seeing what was shown to me. I loved Emma on this re-read. She's fantastic. She continues to grow and evolve as a character throughout the book, and kicks ass along the way. Lachlain I still have some problems with. He does some pretty neanderthal things, especially in the beginning, but I understand too. He's coming out of fifteen decades of torture, and has finally found his mate and is terrified that she might leave him. By the time Emma reached the end of the story I felt that Lachlain was a good match for her, and that they'd be great together.

In the end, I ended up loving this book so much more than the first time I'd read it. the main characters are great, the world is phenomenal, the plot is amazing, and the secondary characters continue to make me wish for many, many more stories in this series!


Grade: B-

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Review: Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Title: Dreams of Gods and Monsters
Author: Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Book 3
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Release Date: 8 April 2014

In this thrilling conclusion to the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, Karou is still not ready to forgive Akiva for killing the only family she's ever known.

When a brutal angel army trespasses into the human world, Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat--and against larger dangers that loom on the horizon. They begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves--maybe even toward love.

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera, and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

From the beginning of Daughter of Smoke and Bone I knew that Laini Taylor has a beautiful writing voice. Lyrical and expressive, I couldn't get enough of reading her prose.

Until now.

There are a couple of things that make this book not as good as the first two (which I LOVED beyond compare). The aforementioned prose is here in abundance - what I once thought I could never get enough of...well, there were places I was skimming. 4-Kindle-click-pages of description on a feeling of Karou's, a feeling that is then summed up in a single sentence? It was a mite too much in some places.

Then there's the brand new character, introduced out of the blue and only the vaguest conception that she's important to the overall story somehow. I spent the first quarter of the book reassuring myself that she had some important role to play. She just had to. After that I started skimming her sections. Blah, blah, blah - take me back to Karou and Akiva. Haven't they suffered enough by now? Can't they just have a freaking moment alone, to themselves?

For crying out loud! The tension of them getting together nearly killed me! Talk about suspense. Laini Taylor does love to put obstacles in their way - that's for sure.

Then there was the feeling that there was just too much going on! The war, Jael, the humans, chimaera and seraphim working together?, Stelians, Eliza, this, that and the other! Jeez.

By the end I didn't even feel like it was an ending. Sure I can imagine a bit out ahead for my beloved Karou and Akiva (and some other strongly shipped characters!!), but not too far because there's something so completely monumental thrown into the story near the end! I can't say much more without spoiling it, but I feel like I won't know the end of the story until I know the resolution of that. Honestly, I feel that if some of this story had been pulled out through some of the previous books, or something, it would have worked better. Here it felt crammed in and just too much.

I sound like I'm complaining a lot. And I am - kind of - but I had very, very, very high expectations of this book. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver on all of them. This is still a good book, and a decent ending to the series. I'd still definitely recommend the series to just about everyone. It's fantastic. It just got a bit away at the ending.

Grade: B- / C+

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Review: Darkhouse by Karina Halle

Title: Darkhouse
Author: Karina Halle
Series: Experiment in Terror, Book 1
Genre: Paranormal Horror
Release Date: 12 May 2011

There’s always been something a bit off about Perry Palomino. Though she’s been dealing with a quarter-life crisis and post-college syndrome like any other twenty-something, she’s still not what you would call “ordinary.” For one thing, there’s her past which she likes to pretend never happened, and then there’s the fact that she sees ghosts.

Luckily for her, that all comes in handy when she stumbles across Dex Foray, an eccentric producer for an upcoming webcast on ghost hunters. Even though the show’s budget is non-existent and Dex himself is a maddening enigma, Perry is instantly drawn into a world that both threatens her life and seduces her with a sense of importance. Her uncle’s haunted lighthouse provides the perfect catalyst and backdrop for a mystery that unravels the threads of Perry’s fragile sanity and causes her to fall for a man, who, like the most dangerous of ghosts, may not be all that he seems.

So many of my friends love this series. I finally got around to trying it, and while I'm not immediately enamoured of it I am intrigued enough to want to continue. Perry is a fantastic main character, and I can see the potential for the ghost story-lines. Plus I'm told that it gets better and better. Considering this is something I say about one of my favorite series...well, I'll definitely be continuing.

I think your enjoyment of this book is going to ride or die on whether you like Perry. Personally I loved her. From nearly the beginning I could relate to her, understand her, and empathize with her. Perry's always been a bit different. Her childhood held some aspects that I think her family would like her to never revisit; and her teen years were filled with self-hatred, drugs, and depression. Now she's stuck in a job she doesn't like, in an industry she's not sure she's even interested in. I really liked how no-nonsense Perry is. She's straight-forward, honest with herself, and somewhat sarcastic in her thoughts. Plus she can take care of herself; Perry doesn't need anyone else to save or protect her. Which is a good thing when she gets in deeper with a ghost story than she ever imagined.

And here's where Dex comes in. I'm, honestly, not sure what to make of him. There are moments when I glimpse someone that I want to know more, someone that I almost think I could like. Then he goes and does something that irritates me. When I wasn't fluctuating between liking and being irritated by him, I spent most of the book just feeling 'meh' about him. Regardless how I feel about him though, I do have to admit that he and Perry are a good team. I like how they work together, except for a few things that Dex does while they're ghost-hunting that really irked me.

Speaking of the ghost-hunting, I was a little disappointed in this aspect of the story-line. Yes, it was creepy as heck during most of Perry's encounters. There were things that happened to Perry that would have freaked me out had they happened to me. The resolution of it just felt so abrupt, and ... not really resolved. Yes, I know this is a 9-part series so it's probably supposed to feel that way, but I guess I was hoping for more. This entire book felt like the 'meet-cute' of Dex and Perry, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The more I think about it, the more I feel like this was a teaser. Something like 'Here's what you're going to get...what you might see more of...who these people might be.' Darkhouse has its creepy moments - some seriously freaky - and with one character I love and another I'm more than a bit curious about, I'll definitely be continuing on in the series.

Can I just say, also, how much I love that the cover fits the book so beautifully?

Grade: B-

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