Review: Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh

Max Shannon is a human cop for the New York Enforcement with a gift that allows him peace. His mind has a strong natural shield that excludes him from the suggestions that are sometimes planted in his fellow officers' minds by the Psy. This has also precluded him from rising in the ranks, but Max doesn't mind as long as he is sure he's the one making the decisions in regards to his cases. Knowing this it comes as a huge surprise when he's tapped as a special investigator by a Psy Councilor, and not just any Psy Councilor, but Nikita Duncan herself. And he won't be working alone...

Sophia Russo has been a J (Justice) for over 12 years. The long active period has left her with terrifyingly thin shields and she knows it's just a matter of time before she's called in for that final rehabilitation that all Js must either succumb to, or escape from through death. Having first met Max on the case of a sociopath, Sophia was intrigued by, and attracted to, him - something a perfect Psy would never be. Sophia is a long ways from the perfect Psy though, and has been for longer than she's been a J. Knowing her interest in Max will only lead her more quickly to her final end, she's relieved (and disappointed) when she's out of his presence. But then she's called to be Max's liaison and partner on this new deadly case for Nikita.

Can they find out who's killing those close to Nikita before they strike again? Will the bonds Max and Sophia form be strong enough to save them both?

I have to admit, in this world of the Psy/Changelings I was not that interested in the main couple going into this book because of the human hero. I'm not afraid to admit when I am wrong. And boy was I wrong. At a glance humans are the very lowest of the three races. They don't have the mental abilities that the Psy do. They don't have the strength and enhanced senses that the Changelings do. They're thought of as less by many Psy and Changelings. But Max is a fantastic hero. One hundred percent human, he's got an intelligent, quick mind and strong ethics, added to the fact that he's very protective, totally loyal, persistant and incredibly, absolutely sexy-as-hell.

Sophia, on the other hand, is kind, caring, smart and intriguing all with an underlying core of steel. She's strong and vulnerable. Sweet and sexy (as Max would say). She's been a J for longer than most others, and yet she continues to push that, in the end, things are fair. It's such a likable quality, and one that could easily push her over the edge into either too good, or not good enough. The balance is perfectly attained, and Sophia is a character that I'll love for many years to come. She faces some of the same issues that most of the Psy that are still in the Net, but with new, heart-breaking twists.

Max and Sophia are now some of my favorite characters in the story, and I hope that we get to see more of them in the future.

There is a lot going on in Bonds of Justice, with the Psy, the Changelings, and the relationships between many of them. We get to see many of our favorites, including Lucas and Sascha, Faith and Vaughn, Clay and Tally, Nikita, and (my personal favorite enigma) Kaleb. The depth that Nalini Singh continues to give each and every character - whether they've been in the story for books, or a couple of pages - always amazes me.

The plot, attempts to get at Nikita through those closest to her, is solid. It'd be tempting to think that her calling in a human/J combo to figure this out is out of the realm of possibility, but it's not only realistic, it's addressed by the characters themselves. And the reasoning makes the story all that more intriguing. The mystery itself, and the continued work with the serial killer that brought Max and Sophia together in the first place, are too interesting for me to spoil here.

But the real joy here is the fabulous love story between Max and Sophia. I have to admit that there were a few times I had to put down my Kindle in order to wipe the tears from my eyes. The way they come together, with trust, and openness, love and honesty spoke directly to my heart.

Being the tenth book in the Psy/Changeling series I wouldn't recommend starting with Bonds of Justice. Ms. Singh does a fabulous job with providing all the relevant information needed to read it as a stand-alone, but you'd be missing out on some fantastic tension, world-building and romance to skip the previous entries in this wonderful series. See the reading order here for a complete list of the Psy/Changeling series.

Every time I read Nalini Singh's books I think 'she can't possibly get any better than this' ... and then she does. Nalini continues to blow me away with a detailed world, beautiful love story, and fascinating characters. Bonds of Justice is an absolute must read. Intrigue, danger, passion and more fill the pages, tempting you, forcing you, to keep reading well into the night.

Grade: A+


Book Link | Amazon (print) | Kindle | B&N (print) | nook | Borders (print) | kobo | Sony | Book Depository | Berkley

Mid-Year Round Up

So here we are, just over halfway through the year. Summer's just started and it's time to enjoy the long days, sunny skies and warmth.

I wish I could say I have been. But it's rained 14 of the last 23 days...most of those being pretty impressive thunderstorms. I love a good thunderstorm as much as (and probably more than) the next person, but I'm very tired of the humidity that just won't let up. I'm sure most people wouldn't think humidity when they're thinking Wisconsin. And yet I can't remember a summer without it. It's a damp climate up here, so while our heat and humidity doesn't begin to touch on most of the southern climes, it's certainly more than enough for me.

It's been a fairly good year for me so far. I've had time to read, watch movies, see the end of favorite television shows, or story arcs (and get hooked on some new ones) and go to a couple of great concerts.

Earlier this year I took on two challenges for reading, and I think I'm doing pretty well at this point. So here's the update:

2010 Reading Challenge
I've read one book beginning with each letter, except for E, N, Q, X and Y. I haven't been purposefully searching out books that begin with the letters, just reading what's come naturally to me. Here's my list as it stands right now:

A - Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunters 4) by Nalini Singh
B - Breaking Free (Masters of the Shadowlands 3) by Cherise Sinclair
C - Candy Coated Passion by Kat Alexis
D - Dark Desires After Dusk (Immortals After Dark 6) by Kresley Cole
E
F - From Dead to Worse (Sookie Stackhouse 8) by Charlaine Harris
G - Graceful Submission by Melinda Barron
H - He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan
I - Ice Cream, You Scream by Kat Alexis
J - Judgement in Death (In Death 12) by JD Robb
K - A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught
L - Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood 2) by JR Ward
M - Mistral's Kiss (Merry Gentry 5) by Laurell K. Hamilton
N
O - An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgertons 3) by Julia Quinn
P - The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Q
R - Roping the Wind (Turner Brothers 1) by Kate Pearce
S - A Spanking for Valentine by Evangeline Anderson
T - The Turning (Blood Ties 1) by Jennifer Armintrout
U - Undercover Submission by Melinda Barron
V - Veil of Midnight (Midnight Breeds 5) by Lara Adrian
W - Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? (Turner Brothers 2) by Kate Pearce
X
Y
Z - Zane's Way by Maggie Casper

New Author Challenge
The other challenge I took on was a retry from last year. I never did manage to even get more than one or two new-to-me authors tried last year. And while I'm not at the halfway point yet this year, I have expanded my horizons by 15 authors already. Here's the list as of today:

1. Jennifer Armintrout - The Turning
The Turning is the first book in Jennifer's Blood Ties series. I loved this first book, and pretty quickly went through the other three. And picked up the first book in her next series: Lightworld/Darkworld.

2. Kate Pearce - Roping the Wind
Roping the Wind is the first book in Kate's Turner Brothers series. It was a really good, fun cowboy read. I supremely enjoyed it. And quickly read the other two. I look forward to reading more of hers.

3. Lauren Dane - Giving Chase
A good fun read. I'm definitely gonna get to some more of her work.

4. Susan Donovan - He Loves Lucy
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the love story between Lucy and Theo was not only touching, but believable.

5. Melinda Barron - Graceful Submission
This was a fantastic book. I loved the development of the characters, and how BDSM was handled in it. I will definitely be looking for more of her books.

6. Kat Alexis - Candy Coated Passion
To be honest the sex scenes got a bit tedious, and it felt like there was little to no growth with the characters. I'd love to see the author do more with them, so it's not just sex scene after sex scene.

7. Maggie Casper - Zane's Way
Hmm. It had the potential for a really good book. The characters were interesting, the storyline was interesting, but it just seemed to rushed. I didn't get enough time of them together, much more time of them apart. Not enough time to see how their relationship grew. Pity, because I missed that.

8. Julia Quinn - The Duke and I
I absolutely adored this book. The characters are lively, quick, smart and interesting. People that I would love to know. The romance is sweet, hot, and beautiful. The dialogue is fabulous. The secondary characters (coming up in future books) are absolutely fascinating. I can't wait to read more from Julia Quinn. (Yes - I know I'm quite late to this party...lol)

9. Jennifer Ashley - The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie
What a fantastic book. I love the way that the author showed the hero having AS. How it wasn't a passed over part of the story, how it was completely integrated into the love story and the overall story. Fantastic romance with a real hero and heroine. I couldn't put it down, and can't wait to read more in this series.

10. Stacia Kane - Unholy Ghosts
Read my review here

11. Charlaine Harris - Dead Until Dark
I really enjoyed this first novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Enough that it made me immediately get the following 9 full length novels and devour them in a week.

12. Desiree Holt - Double Entry
This was a decent book that had some likable characters, although I can't remember much specifically about them. It was a short story, heavy on sex, and light on conflict. I did have some problems with one scene in particular that was just beyond unrealistic for me - not in that it couldn't be done, but in that it definitely shouldn't, and any woman would know that. There was also some unrealistic dialogue that felt more like the author trying to give distinctive personalities rather than the characters actually having distinctive personalities. Other than that, I'd be willing to try another novel by her sometime.

13. Kasey MacKenzie - Red Hot Fury
A debut author with a fresh new look at urban fantasy. I've been working on a review for this. The concept is awesome and intriguing, but there were some definite debut-novel issues I had.

14. Gena Showalter - The Darkest Night
First book in the Lords of the Underworld series. Interesting premise, good characters. A good read, and I look forward to seeing where she takes the series.

15. Cherise Sinclair - Club Shadowlands
The best thing I can say about this author is that as soon as I finished Club Shadowlands I immediately read everything else she has available. I find her characters believable, charming, interesting and hot. The end of Master of the Mountain still strikes me as perfect - just because of how realistic it was. And beautiful. I eagerly await anything and everything Cherise sends my way.

On top of these I thought it'd be fun to keep track of all the books I've read this year. It's been awhile since I've kept an eye on that sort of thing, and it's definitely been fun. I've already read 83 books. 2010 Year In Books.

Here's my list at this point. Some of these were re-reads, but not many. I've bolded the ones that I'd previously read.

1. Veil of Midnight (Midnight Breeds 5) by Lara Adrian
2. Ashes of Midnight (Midnight Breeds 6) by Lara Adrian
3. Shades of Midnight (Midnight Breeds 7) by Lara Adrian
4. Candy Coated Passion (1) by Kat Alexis
5. Ice Cream, You Scream (2) by Kat Alexis
6. A Spanking for Valentine by Evangeline Anderson
7. Deal with the Devil by Evangeline Anderson
8. The Turning (Blood Ties 1) by Jennifer Armintrout
9. Possession (Blood Ties 2) by Jennifer Armintrout
10. Ashes to Ashes (Blood Ties 3) by Jennifer Armintrout
11. All Soul's Night (Blood Ties 4) by Jennifer Armintrout
12. The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie (Highland Pleasures 1) by Jennifer Ashley
13. Graceful Submission (1) by Melinda Barron
14. Graceful Mischief (2) by Melinda Barron
15. Undercover Submission (3) by Melinda Barron
16. Sweet Vibrations by Melinda Barron
17. Amethyst Eyes by Melinda Barron
18. Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson 5) by Patricia Briggs
19. Zane's Way by Maggie Casper
20. Dark Desires After Dusk (Immortals After Dark 6) by Kresley Cole
21. Kiss of a Demon King (Immortals After Dark 7) by Kresley Cole
22. Pleasure of a Dark Prince (Immortals After Dark 9) by Kresley Cole
23. He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan
24. Mistral's Kiss (Merry Gentry 5) by Laurell K. Hamilton
25. A Lick of Frost (Merry Gentry 6) by Laurell K. Hamilton
26. Swallowing Darkness (Merry Gentry 7) by Laurell K. Hamilton
27. Divine Misdemeanors (Merry Gentry 8) by Laurell K. Hamilton
28. Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse 1) by Charlaine Harris
29. Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse 2) by Charlaine Harris
30. Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse 3) by Charlaine Harris
31. Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse 4) by Charlaine Harris
32. Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse 5) by Charlaine Harris
33. Definitely Dead (Sookie Stackhouse 6) by Charlaine Harris
34. All Together Dead (Sookie Stackhouse 7) by Charlaine Harris
35. From Dead to Worse (Sookie Stackhouse 8) by Charlaine Harris
36. Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse 9) by Charlaine Harris
37. Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse 10) by Charlaine Harris
38. A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse collection of shorts) by Charlaine Harris
39. Double Entry by Desire Holt
40. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
41. Unholy Ghosts (Downside Ghosts 1) by Stacia Kane
42. A Tapestry of Spells (Nine Kingdoms 6) by Lynn Kurland
43. Red Hot Fury (Shades of Fury 1) by Kasey MacKenzie
44. A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught
45. Roping the Wind (Turner Brothers 1) by Kate Pearce
46. Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? (Turner Brothers 2) by Kate Pearce
47. Riding the Line (Turner Brothers 3) by Kate Pearce
48. The Duke and I (Bridgertons 1) by Julia Quinn
49. The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons 2) by Julia Quinn
50. An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgertons 3) by Julia Quinn
51. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (Bridgertons 4) by Julia Quinn
52. To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgertons 5) by Julia Quinn
53. When He Was Wicked (Bridgertons 6) by Julia Quinn
54. It's In His Kiss (Bridgertons 7) by Julia Quinn
55. On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgertons 8) by Julia Quinn
56. Glory in Death (In Death 2) by JD Robb
57. Immortal in Death (In Death 3) by JD Robb
58. Rapture in Death (In Death 4) by JD Robb
59. Ceremony in Death (In Death 5) by JD Robb
60. Vengeance in Death (In Death 6) by JD Robb
61. Holiday in Death (In Death 7) by JD Robb
62. Midnight in Death (In Death 8) by JD Robb
63. Conspiracy in Death (In Death 9) by JD Robb
64. Loyalty in Death (In Death 10) by JD Robb
65. Witness in Death (In Death 11) by JD Robb
66. Judgement in Death (In Death 12) by JD Robb
67. The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld 1) by Gena Showalter
68. The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld 2) by Gena Showalter
69. Club Shadowlands (Masters of the Shadowlands 1) by Cherise Sinclair
70. Dark Citadel (Masters of the Shadowlands 2) by Cherise Sinclair
71. Breaking Free (Masters of the Shadowlands 3) by Cherise Sinclair
72. Lean on Me (Masters of the Shadowlands 4) by Cherise Sinclair
73. "Simon Says" in Doms of the Dark Haven by Cherise Sinclair
74. Master of the Mountain by Cherise Sinclair
75. Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunters 4) by Nalini Singh
76. Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood 1) by JR Ward
77. Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood 2) by JR Ward
78. Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood 3) by JR Ward
79. Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood 4) by JR Ward
80. Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood 5) by JR Ward
81. Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood 6) by JR Ward
82. Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood 7) by JR Ward
83. Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood 8) by JR Ward

I also managed to be here more frequently, and posted 3 new reviews. Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane - and after even more time passing, I have to say I'm looking forward to seeing where Stacia takes us (and Chess) in the next book (Unholy Magic due out July 6, 2010). Red Hot Fury by Kasey Mackenzie. And last (but most assuredly not least) Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh. Which is one of my top 5 reads of the year.

Speaking of top reads for the year so far, here are my top ten...in no particular order, because that's just too hard.

Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh
Silver Born by Patricia Briggs
Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
Breaking Free by Cherise Sinclair
Lover Mine by JR Ward
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley
Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole
Master of the Mountain by Cherise Sinclair
The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout



This is getting a little long, so maybe I'll leave the movies, tv and music for another post ;)

How has your reading been this year? I'm pretty happy with mine so far, and look forward to finding a lot more great books in the second half of it.

Review: Red Hot Fury - Kasey Mackenzie

Marissa Holloway, Chief Magical Investigator for the Boston Police Department has spent the years since fully coming into her Fury birthright maintaining the peace between the arcane and the mundane of the world. Usually by solving supernatural crimes, more specifically murders.

When she's called to the site of a murdered sister-Fury, only to discover the body isn't who she's supposed to be, things get crazy in a hurry. Suspended from her job, Riss finds herself on the run from enemies she didn't know she had.

Unable to trust almost anyone, Riss turns to her ex, Warhound Scott Murphy, to help her solve the mysteries that just keep piling up on one another. But with the protection Scott can offer comes a resurgence of feelings between them. Riss'll have to keep a tight hold on not only passion, but her Rage in order to solve the case, and stop an impending war.

I went into Red Hot Fury excited and interested in the world that Kasey Mackenzie created. Her main protagonist is a Fury, a rarely written about character from mythology. Ms. Mackenzie continued to do this, drawing from not only Greek and Roman myths, but others – including Irish and Egypitian. When the Bastai showed up (Cats from Egypt’s goddess Bast) I was ecstatic.

Red Hot Fury maintains a furiously (ha) fast pace. The storyline moves along quickly, leaving you gasping for breath from one thing before plunging you headlong into the next. There are numerous action sequences which are very well-written and vivid.

Unfortunately the concept and fast pace weren’t enough to make this novel great. While the plot hurtled along, at times it felt like it was doing so to cover up some very incomplete world building. There were gaping holes in how the arcane, magical beings, interacted with each other, the mundanes (humans) and their powers. For example, while I have a good idea that furies can shape-change into a variety of forms, I have little understanding of each of them. I think there are three main forms, but I’d be hard pressed to describe any of them except full-Fury.

I truly liked Riss. She’s an interesting character to read through which is especially important in a first-person POV novel. She’s sassy, caring and smart-assed, with just a touch of naiveté thrown in there to round her out. However, she never felt completely real to me. I didn’t understand some of her thoughts or emotional processes. Sometimes I felt like her inner thoughts didn’t match her outer actions, with no reasoning given for that discrepancy.

All of the other characters in the novel suffered because of the first-person POV. It was hard to get to know any of them well or understand their motivations. More than once I wanted to just jump into Scott’s head and find out exactly what he was thinking.

Ms. Mackenzie has a great idea that I would love to see expanded and built upon in future Shades of Fury novels. However, in the end, despite this intriguing concept, Red Hot Fury didn’t live up to what I was hoping for. Still if you’re looking for a fast-paced, action-packed novel with a fresh, new subject, then Red Hot Fury is definitely for you!!

Grade: C+


Book Link | Amazon (print) | B&N (print) | Borders (print) | Book Depository | Ace

Charlaine Harris Book Order

Sookie Stackhouse (or Southern Vampire Mysteries)

1. Dead Until Dark

2. Living Dead in Dallas

3. Club Dead

4. Dead to the World

* "Fairy Dust in Powers of Detection (also A Touch of Dead)

* "Dancers in the Dark" in Night's Edge (Sookie Universe, No Sookie)

* "Dracula Night" in Many Bloody Returns (also A Touch of Dead)

5. Dead as a Doornail

* "One Word Answer" in Bite (also A Touch of Dead)

6. Definitely Dead

* "Tacky" in My Big, Fat Supernatural Wedding (Sookie Universe, No Sookie)

7. All Together Dead

* "Lucky" in Unusual Suspects (also A Touch of Dead)

8. From Dead to Worse

* "Gift Wrap" in Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (also A Touch of Dead)

9. Dead and Gone

* "Bacon" in Strange Brew (Sookie Universe, No Sookie)

* "The Britlingens Go To Hell" in Must Love Hellhounds (Sookie Universe, No Sookie)

10. Dead in the Family

* "Dahlia Underground" in Crimes by Moonlight (Sookie Universe, No Sookie)

* "Two Blondes" in Death's Excellent Vacation

11. Dead Reckoning

* The Sookie Stackhouse Companion

12. Deadlocked

13. Dead Ever After

13.5. After Dead (29 October 2013)



Please note: This page was written by me, so as always, please visit the author’s website for up-to-date, author-verified information as well as for information on books that have not yet been included to this list.

http://www.charlaineharris.com/

Judge A Book By It's Cover??

I long ago realized that I judge books by their covers.  This is just something I do, subconsciously. I used to be somewhat contrite that I did this. I would force myself to pick up books with awful covers and read the blurbs, or the first few chapters, but I never bought them. Ever. Okay, maybe I need to qualify this statement. If it's an author that I love, it hardly matters what the cover may look like. I may cringe while buying it, and not look at the cover while reading it, or carrying it, but I'll still buy it. But that is the only time it will happen.

A couple of years ago I stopped being ashamed and just realized this is how I am. I like visually pleasing covers. I don't have a 'type' or a specific standard that I can say what I like, I just know. It either grabs me or it doesn't. I stopped making myself pick up books to check them out despite their cover. Now I just grab what I like to look at, and if I miss out on something because of that, then I guess that's my loss. Usually this works for me. Sometimes it doesn't.

I think for me a big part of it is that if someone puts time and thought into a cover, making it aesthetically satisfying, then I know that they feel the book is worth it, and thus so should I. If a book has a crap cover with fake people, or a cartoon-y feel on an adult book, or something that is just plain 'ole ugly then I assume (yes, I know...one shouldn't assume) that the publisher didn't feel it deserved their very best. And if it doesn't deserve the very best cover, then it doesn't deserve my money either.

As an aside - I used to absolutely hate covers that had people on them.  It took me a long time to get over that - probably the reason that I came to romance so late.  My problem (still) with people on the cover is that they are never what I picture the character to look like.  Obviously as you look below, some of the covers I've picked up because I liked them have people on the covers, so this is no longer a hard and fast rule - though I still do prefer to have it be more vague instead of specific, or to not include the face.

I started thinking about this because I just started reading Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris, the first book in the Southern Vampire Mysteries series. I always heard people talking about this series, I've watched the last two seasons of True Blood on HBO, and I forced myself to pick up this book numerous times in the bookstore. I just couldn't get past the cartoon vampires on the cover.

I mean, really? This is what you think is going to draw people in? Well, obviously it has because they're wildly popular books so I must be in the minority. Even when they changed the cover after True Blood started I just couldn't make myself start reading it. I have never been able to get the corny covers out of my mind. In fact it's taken months of my best friend telling me to start reading the series for me to even turn to the first page in the first chapter of Dead Until Dark. It's probably a great book (I'll be sure to say when I'm done), but I've always passed it by for nicer looking books.

There are several instances where this worked particularly well for me. I picked up Dreams of Stardust by Lynn Kurland because I liked the way the cover looked. The colors were nice, the picturesque setting was nice. I was intrigued by the jewels and wondered what meaning they had to the story. All in all, a good cover. And I love this book. Love the entire series in fact. Here is the reading order.

The simplicity of the the cover for Outlander by Diana Gabaldon caught my eye and I was incredibly glad I read it. It’s still a favorite – even if I haven’t stayed caught up on the series.

Otherland by Tad Williams featured a golden city on the cover. Someplace fantastical and beautiful. I wanted to learn more about that place. This was a book I picked up not knowing it was part one of a four part series…

This cover led me to one of my all-time favorite authors, Nalini Singh. I think her Guild Hunter novels have some of my favorite covers.

















More books I picked up solely because of the cover and really enjoyed:

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Almost a total exception to my person/face rule...

Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe

Welcome to Tempation by Jennifer Crusie

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught





















Books I’ve picked up strictly based on the cover, but haven’t had the chance to read yet.

Sebastian by Anne Bishop

Steamed by Katie MacAlister

Greywalker by Kat Richardson

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Nightlife by Rob Thurman

Lord of the Fading Lands by CL Wilson






















Of course this isn’t always fool-proof. I can’t think of many examples of books where I loved the cover, but didn’t like the book (though I know there have been some). But I do have a very good example of a cover I hated, and a book I enjoyed. In fact, the author of this book became one of my very favorites.

On the left is the original cover for Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning. On the right, the more recent version. I strongly dislike the original version of the cover. I can’t even remember what prompted me to pick it up, but I like the newer version much better.

So I try to remember this when I see a cover I can’t stand, or don’t like…but I still find myself picking up more books based on the cover.

Anyone else do this? What are some of your favorite covers? Are there books you love, but covers that just don’t do them justice?

Review: Unholy Ghosts - Stacia Kane

Downside Ghosts Book 1

Imagine a world without gods. There is no god. There is only the Fact and the Truth of the Church of the Real Truth – an organization that has ruled the world absolutely since they were able to stop the murderous ghosts from killing all of humanity. Chess Putnam is a Debunker for the Church; she travels around disproving citizens made-up claims of hauntings, or banishing the ghosts if they’re real.

Chess has a secret though – a big drug problem which has gotten her in deep with her dealer, Bump. And now he’s calling in his debt. All she has to do is banish some nasty ghosts from an abandoned airstrip for him and they’ll be settled straight up. Simple.

Or maybe not. Because what Chess thinks will be a simple debunking soon becomes mired in black magic, human sacrifice, corruption within the Church, attraction to Bump’s top enforcer, and a sexy rival drug lord vying for Chess’ loyalty and time. Will Chess be able to banish the demonic ghost, protect the Church that she loves, keep her balance between two sexy men and not reveal her addiction?

I’m going to start off with some background. I probably normally wouldn’t have reviewed this book, but because of some discussions I thought I should at least try to organize my thoughts on it.

I first heard about this book on Karen Marie Moning’s blog. She doesn’t often recommend novels, and my respect for her craft is huge. It got me interested and I put it on my To Be Bought list. Then I read the review at Dear Author and, admittedly, the conversation on the review intrigued me more. I wasn’t so sure about the main protagonist being a drug addict that had little to no growth. It’s not the addiction itself; trials really do make you stronger. Rather, it was the idea of a protagonist with no character depth or anything I could connect with – that’s what I worried about. I have to admit that if I had bought it prior to learning about the drug use I most likely would not have made it past halfway through the book. I don’t usually read reviews of books that I plan to read, but for this one I’m glad I made the exception. I have gone to look since and seen that the ‘drug problem’ is referenced in the blurb and on Amazon, but I’d missed that before.

I guess I’m going to just get the drug thing out of the way. I didn’t like it. I see drug use, the way it was portrayed in Unholy Ghosts, as a weakness. While I like characters that are not perfect, making them more like the rest of us I like to see something along with it, additional depth. Chess can’t function without her drugs. In the beginning chapter she starts getting the shakes until she can swallow her ‘Cepts’ and get that sweet relief flowing through her system. This continues throughout the book, and not just with that single drug but many different drugs.

And just what are Cepts? At one time in the book they’re referred back to as speed, but at other times it seems like they’re something different. Perhaps I misunderstood in my reading, but often she referred to letting up off the speed and yet the drug I saw her take most was the Cepts. Not a huge point, but it’s been bugging me with the confusion.

Not only can Chess not function without the drugs, everything she does is to gain more drugs. She agrees to Bump’s deal so that she can continue to get drugs. She agrees, by lack of response and a sort of physical arrangement, to help a rival drug lord in order to get free drugs. She continues to work for the Church, hoping to get a case she can debunk and thus get a bonus so she can spend a few days in the smoke room. Okay, truth be told, Chess truly believes in the Church. She follows them (mostly) and believes in them….almost blindly.

Honestly, the drug use wasn’t what bugged me most. I didn’t like it, but I do look forward to seeing growth – even if I haven’t seen any in that particular area at this point in time.

I felt no sense of empathy, or compassion on Chess' part. No real sense of right and wrong. She loves the Church, which she feels saved her. She’s loyal to it. And yet she disregards the very base of one of their tenets – which is that she is to represent all that is right and holy in the world. Clearly the drugs she has to hide from the Church would go head-on against that. To me that’s a conflict that’s never really examined or thought about. She goes so far as to asking another character to clean her apartment of them if she should die, before the Church gets there. Moral ambiguity can be interesting, but I don’t feel that this was fleshed out enough. Granted it is the first book in the series of three planned (at this time) so perhaps it will be better explored later.

I did see a very little bit of growth as a character comes to mean something to Chess, she cares about him and his safety, but it seems almost an after thought. And it doesn’t stop her from doing what she wants to do – which is to run off to get high. I see most of her relationships by the end of the book to be mostly measured in this light – what they can do for her.

My biggest problem with Chess is the lack of growth and depth added to the lack of explanation for why she is the way she is and does what she does. If I could have had some understanding of why she chooses drugs, or why she chooses to have no close connections with other people, then maybe I could have empathized myself with her. But she gave me nothing to work with. Chess came across as an unrepentant drug addict that had no real care for anything other than what she needed and wanted. Whatever that happened to be at the moment.

Onto the good stuff.

I didn’t hate Chess – despite what you may think from the above. I think there’s a great deal going on underneath that we didn’t see in Unholy Ghosts, and that is what I’d truly love to read more about. Or maybe I just hope there is. Seeing her gain personal relationships and begin to think beyond what she had is definitely a change for her. I’m interested in seeing how those things affect her going forward and what reactions they cause.

The world that Stacia Kane has built is fascinating, fully fleshed out, and intriguing. I like how she built the Church of the Real Truth, and it’s ‘rules’ for living life. I actually hate the Church a little bit, because I’d never want to live in such a society. Their way is The Way. There is only Truth. Right and wrong are based on the facts of truth and determined by the Church. They bid people to watch their family, friends and neighbors for signs of them committing crimes which they can then be punished for by the Church. For only through debasement can redemption and forgiveness come. Blegh. What a society. And yet they apparently care nothing for those less fortunate that live in areas like Downside.

The magic and the ghosts, their history and use, was interesting and well thought out. I liked how many different aspects of the world we experienced in the short time we were with Chess. Possession. Blood, earth, spirit and dream magic. Objects that require sacrifice to use. Others that will bring about wanted results – from protective to very dangerous. I especially loved the Hand of Glory – because it’s one of my favorite occult objects in stories.

I admit, the character I enjoyed the most was Terrible – Bump’s top enforcer. He had a depth to him that I didn’t see in a lot of the other characters. He had interests outside of his job, educated himself on things that intrigued him, even without the benefit of a public education, and he surprised me more than once – not something easy to do I have to say. I found him to have an unselfish sort of sweetness and protectiveness which only served to add to his appeal. There also seemed to be a bit of insecurity there that I’d love to see further explored. All in all, I’d definitely love to see more of Terrible.

Ms. Kane touches on a lot of hot button topics and doesn’t pull her punches in Unholy Ghosts. She pushes boundaries, and shows a different side of the world than we usually see – even in our urban fantasy. Obviously the book made me think and brought out some strong responses in me. The pacing was superb, the plot interesting and it was a good introduction to the world without having information just dumped on me. I especially loved the little quotes at the beginning of each chapter. The mystery didn’t really intrigue me as much as the details and intricacy of the world, the spirit world and the tools used for magic.

Unholy Ghosts was a rollercoaster of a ride that I read in a three hour flight. It was vivid and set in a beautifully dark world. I’m very glad I read it and experienced it for myself and I will probably be picking up at least the next novel in the series, Unholy Magic (with City of Ghosts to follow that). I’d love to see Chess pull herself out of the life she’s created for herself and become something more. I want to see the growth. I would like to see what happens to the Church, and to Chess and definitely to Terrible.

Grade: D+

Book Link

New Author Challenge

Well I tried it last year and failed miserably. I think I read, maybe 2 new to me authors all year. But I'm never one to give up easily, so I thought I'd try it again this year. And with all my other personal reading challenges - what the heck ;)

The Challenge: Read 50 new-to-you authors this year. I'll list them in the order I read them, and what book of theirs I read. As well as if I enjoyed it, plan to look for more, or any other details.

This year I'm already off to a decent start (especially compared to last year):

1. Jennifer Armintrout - The Turning
The Turning is the first book in Jennifer's Blood Ties series. I loved this first book, and pretty quickly went through the other three. And picked up the first book in her next series: Lightworld/Darkworld.

2. Kate Pearce - Roping the Wind
Roping the Wind is the first book in Kate's Turner Brothers series. It was a really good, fun cowboy read. I supremely enjoyed it. And quickly read the other two. I look forward to reading more of hers.

3. Lauren Dane - Giving Chase
A good fun read. I'm definitely gonna get to some more of her work.

4. Susan Donovan - He Loves Lucy
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the love story between Lucy and Theo was not only touching, but believable.

5. Melinda Barron - Graceful Submission
This was a fantastic book. I loved the development of the characters, and how BDSM was handled in it. I will definitely be looking for more of her books.

6. Kat Alexis - Candy Coated Passion
To be honest the sex scenes got a bit tedious, and it felt like there was little to no growth with the characters. I'd love to see the author do more with them, so it's not just sex scene after sex scene.

7. Maggie Casper - Zane's Way
Hmm. It had the potential for a really good book. The characters were interesting, the storyline was interesting, but it just seemed to rushed. I didn't get enough time of them together, much more time of them apart. Not enough time to see how their relationship grew. Pity, because I missed that.

8. Julia Quinn - The Duke and I
I absolutely adored this book. The characters are lively, quick, smart and interesting. People that I would love to know. The romance is sweet, hot, and beautiful. The dialogue is fabulous. The secondary characters (coming up in future books) are absolutely fascinating. I can't wait to read more from Julia Quinn. (Yes - I know I'm quite late to this party...lol)

9. Jennifer Ashley - The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie
What a fantastic book. I love the way that the author showed the hero having AS. How it wasn't a passed over part of the story, how it was completely integrated into the love story and the overall story. Fantastic romance with a real hero and heroine. I couldn't put it down, and can't wait to read more in this series.

10. Stacia Kane - Unholy Ghosts
Read my review here

11. Charlaine Harris - Dead Until Dark
I really enjoyed this first novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Enough that it made me immediately get the following 9 full length novels and devour them in a week.

12. Desiree Holt - Double Entry
This was a decent book that had some likable characters, although I can't remember much specifically about them. It was a short story, heavy on sex, and light on conflict. I did have some problems with one scene in particular that was just beyond unrealistic for me - not in that it couldn't be done, but in that it definitely shouldn't, and any woman would know that. There was also some unrealistic dialogue that felt more like the author trying to give distinctive personalities rather than the characters actually having distinctive personalities. Other than that, I'd be willing to try another novel by her sometime.

13. Kasey MacKenzie - Red Hot Fury
A debut author with a fresh new look at urban fantasy. I've been working on a review for this. The concept is awesome and intriguing, but there were some definite debut-novel issues I had. Update: Read review here.

14. Gena Showalter - The Darkest Night
First book in the Lords of the Underworld series. Interesting premise, good characters. A good read, and I look forward to seeing where she takes the series.

15. Cherise Sinclair - Club Shadowlands
The best thing I can say about this author is that as soon as I finished Club Shadowlands I immediately read everything else she has available. I find her characters believable, charming, interesting and hot. The end of Master of the Mountain still strikes me as perfect - just because of how realistic it was. And beautiful. I eagerly await anything and everything Cherise sends my way.

16. Victoria Dahl (as Holly Summers)- The Wicked West
I grabbed this book on a recommendation from Sarah at Dear Author. I enjoyed it. It was a quick, intense read. I liked the female knowing exactly what she wanted, and not afraid to go after it. I'll definitely look for more of her work.

17. KC Sehlhorst - Hel Hath No Fury
I loved what the author did with the concept of Lucifer. He was handled absolutely brilliantly. I felt there were things in the storyline rushed, and not explained, but I definitely enjoyed being along for the ride and look forward to reading more by this author.

18. Vicki Lewis Thompson - Blonde With a Wand
I've heard of her Nerds books before, but this is the first one I picked up, on the recommendation of a friend. I really enjoyed it. I liked seeing the growth that both characters went through, and definitely look forward to more.

19. Anne Stuart - Ruthless
I enjoyed this historical romance novel. The characters and setting were very different to me, which was actually nice. See my review here.

20. Eve Silver - Sins of the Heart
Definitely not going to be the last book I read by Eve Silver. She set up a fascinating world, with great characters and an interesting plot. Read my review here.

21. L. Shannon - Amethyst Bound
Interesting world, but I didn't feel there was enough character building, nor enough to keep the story moving. It was relatively easy for me to put this down, and only force of will kept me going (until I met a character that I really want to know more about at the end!!) Read my review here.

22. Meljean Brook - "Here There Be Monsters" in Burning Up anthology
I loved this novella. Fantastic, fresh, interesting world and characters that are fully developed which is always impressive in a novella format. Can't wait for the full length The Iron Duke and have started on a glom of Meljean's backlist, her Guardian series.

23. Zoë Archer - Warrior
A fun adventure story with bits of magic, a trek through the steppes of Outer Mongolia and wonderful characters - read my review here.

24. Courtney Milan - Proof by Seduction
A historical that made me laugh, and tear up, I clearly felt the emotions of the characters. Read my review here.

25. Ilona Andrews - On the Edge
Rustic Fantasy is what Ilona Andrews calls this book, and I loved it, so much that it was incredibly hard for me to put down. Read my review here.

26. J.Z. Colby - The Test
Interesting idea with a young male, obviously from a different world, traveling to a city to find a crew for his ship. But it moved slow and I never felt like I got to know the characters. There was also the abrupt cut-off at the end and the mediocre writing. It did finally start to pick up near the end and I would be interested in where the story went.

27. Melissa Schroeder - A Little Harmless Sex
A fun, erotic romp that made me eager to dive into more of her works. After quickly finishing the two other books available in this series, A Little Harmless Pleasure (my favorite of the three so far), and A Little Harmless Obsession, I will definitely be looking for more

28. Riley Shane - The Taste of Magick
A wonderful Halloween short story that's sexy, fun and deep. I definitely look forward to more by Riley Shane. Read my review here.

29. Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games
Review to come. Immediately upon finishing this book I had to go out and get Catching Fire (and then Mockingjay). Days later and I can't stop thinking about it.

30. Nicole Austin - Erotique
A 'Naughty Nooner' from Ellora's Cave. A quick short story. I enjoyed it, and liked Ms. Austin's writing style so I'll definitely be looking for more from her. I do think the end could have used another two or three paragraphs.

31. Sally Painter - Not Just an Orgy
Another 'Naughty Nooner' from Ellora's Cave. I think this had a good premise but in such a short format I think there was too much plot. There was deception, the first time the couple was together, supernatural thrown in there for good measure. It just had too much going on in such a short space. I think this story could have benefited from a longer format, or less busy-ness.

32. Cassandra Gold - Quinn's Hart
I absolutely loved this book! It was such a sweet love story and made me smile all the way through. See my review here.

33. Rebecca Royce - Yes, Captain
This was a quick, good read. While I would have appreciated a bit more development between the characters I'd definitely be interested in reading more by Ms. Royce.

34. Kristen Painter - Miss Bramble and the Leviathan
A quick steampunk read that I enjoyed. The author did a good job of showing the steampunk world and still developing the characters. Again, I would have liked to had more time there just to delve a bit deeper, but I look forward to reading more by this author.

35. Roxanne St. Claire - Edge of Sight
I don't read a lot of romantic-suspense anymore, probably because it all feels like 'been there, done that' to me. However I was pulled right into this book. And I really enjoyed it. Tortured, truly damaged hero, strong smart heroine - and they actually talk, imagine that. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

36. Sabrina Jeffries - Never Seduce a Scoundrel
Yes, it's true. I've never read Sabrina Jeffries before this year. This was a fun historical to read. It had a few things that I'm not a fan of - prolonged deception on the part of hero AND heroine for one - but in the end I liked it. I've got the others in the series on my list.


Last updated 29 December 2010

Patricia Briggs Book Order

Mercy Thompson

1. Moon Called
* "The Star of David" in Wolfsbane and Mistletoe anthology

**Alpha and Omega Series (Books 1 thru 3) take place here**

2. Blood Bond
3. Iron Kissed
4. Bone Crossed
5. Silver Borne
6. River Marked
* "In Red, With Pearls" in Down These Strange Streets anthology

**Alpha and Omega Series (Book 4) takes place here**

7. Frost Burned
8. Night Broken (4 March 2014)

* Shifting Shadows (October 2014)
Compilation of all Mercy World Short Stories and some new


Alpha and Omega
Features Charles and Anna

1. "Alpha and Omega" in On the Prowl anthology
2. Cry Wolf
2.5 "Seeing Eye" in Strange Brew anthology
3. Hunting Ground
4. Fair Game


Mercy Thompson World (Connected)

* "Fairy Gifts" in Naked City anthology
* "Gray" in Home Improvement: Undead Edition anthology


Sianim Series

1. Masques
2. Wolfsbane
3. Steal the Dragon
4. When Demons Walk

Hurog Duology

1. Dragon Bones
2. Dragon Blood

Raven Duology

1. Raven's Shadow
2. Raven's Strike

Stand Alone

1. The Hob



Please note: This page was written by me, so as always, please visit the author’s website for up-to-date, author-verified information as well as for information on books that have not yet been included to this list.

http://www.patriciabriggs.com/

Jeaniene Frost Book Order

Night Huntress
Featuring Bones and Cat

* "Reckoning" in Unbound anthology - Also ebook single available
Bones prequel

1. Halfway to the Grave

* "Happily Never After" in Weddings From Hell anthology
Chance and Isabella

2. One Foot in the Grave

3. At Grave's End

* "Devil to Pay" in Four Dukes and a Devil anthology - Also ebook single available
Blake and Elise

4. Destined for an Early Grave

* "One For the Money" in Death's Excellent Vacation anthology - Also ebook available in Magic Graves

**Read Night Huntress World Series 1 and 2 here to maintain continuity**

5. This Side of the Grave

6. One Grave at a Time

* "Home for the Holidays" in The Bite Before Christmas anthology - Standalone ebook to be release 5 November 2013

**Read Night Prince Series 1 and 2 here to maintain continuity**

7. Up From the Grave (28 January 2014)
**Final Book in Series**



Night Huntress World
Read between Night Huntress 4.5 and 5

1. First Drop of Crimson
Spade and Denise

2. Eternal Kiss of Darkness
Mencheres and Kira Graceling


Night Prince
Featuring Vlad and Leila
Begins after Night Huntress 6.5

1. Once Burned
2. Twice Tempted
3. [Untitled] (TBA)


Other

1. "Pack" in The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance anthology, also ebook available in Under Her Skin


Please note: This page was written by me, so as always, please visit the author’s website for up-to-date, author-verified information as well as for information on books that have not yet been included to this list.

http://jeanienefrost.com/

Kim Harrison Book Order

The Hollows (or Rachel Morgan Series)

* "Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil" in Dates From Hell anthology
Ivy Novella

1. Dead Witch Walking

2. The Good, The Bad, and The Undead

3. Every Which Way But Dead

4. A Fistful of Charms

* "Dirty Magic" in Hotter Than Hell anthology
Mia Novella

5. For a Few Demons More

* "The Bridges of Eden Park" in the back of For a Few Demons More
Kisten/Rachel Novella

* "Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel" in Holidays From Hell anthology
Robbie/Rachel/Pierce Novella

6. The Outlaw Demon Wails

* "The Bespelled" in the back of The Outlaw Demon Wails
Ceri/Al Novella

7. White Witch, Black Curse

* "Ley Line Drifter" in Unbound anthology
Bis/Jenks Novella

8. Black Magic Sanction

9. Pale Demon

10. A Perfect Blood

11. Ever After

12. The Undead Pool (25 February 2014)


Please note: This page was written by me, so as always, please visit the author’s website for up-to-date, author-verified information as well as for information on books that have not yet been included to this list.

http://www.kimharrison.net/