Agave Kiss (Corine Solomon #5) Review

Agave Kiss (Corrine Solomon #5)

Ann Aguirre

Publisher: Roc Fantasy

Chance was gone; he’d sacrificed himself so Shannon and I could escape Sheol. We’d raised him on Shan’s spirit radio, which meant his soul wasn’t wholly destroyed by the demon gate….Once Corine Solomon only had the touch—the ability to read an object’s past by handling it. Then she inherited her mother’s magick, and that ended up being a hell of a burden. But if Corine can wrestle a demon queen and win, she can bring back her lover Chance after he’s made the ultimate sacrifice. Can’t she? All Corine knows is that she can’t leave Chance behind if there’s anything she can do about it. But the clock is ticking—and she still has to deal with debt-collecting demons and a maniacal archangel who’s running a recruitment drive. The stakes have never been so high…and this time it’s truly Corine’s last chance to save the love of her life

Corine Solomon has returned from the demon world with her best friend Shannon, but without Chance, the man she loves. Instead of mourning she resolves to get him back, but others are also asking for her help, including Book, the occult specialist who has helped her out in the past.

This is the final book in the Corine Solomon series and from the start there is a feeling that a lot needs to be resolved and wrapped up. It almost reads like multiply short stories visiting various characters to have their stories wound up as every character Corine has met in the last four books are seen or referenced. Some of the most interesting ideas seem to be changed suddenly such as Corine’s ‘destiny’ and the idea of angels fighting demons. However, at the same time it all feels very realistic and part of Corine’s world which has always included Mexican drug cartels as well as demons.

Corine is determined and knows what she wants now. This is the first time in the whole series that Corine has been sure of what she wants and she doesn’t let anything get in her way. She has friends who help her including the feisty Shannon (please can we have a series with her and Jesse as the main couple!), occult specialist Book, Chuch and Eva and the Nephilim, Kel. It was a nice ending for a high quality UF series, but it felt like a happy ending given rather than earned. But that’s like saying someone gave you a free chocolate bar rather than having to go to the shops for one. Still tasty but without the sacrifice of going out!

Overall, this is a great series with some truly memorable characters. I don’t think this series gets enough coverage so I’m saying now if you would like to try some Urban Fantasy without vampires, werewolves but with plenty of human characters, tricky situations and shades of grey then pick up book one, Blue Diablo and enjoy!

Recommended for fans of Kelley Armstrong and Jaye Wells. 8 out of 10

Early Review: A Cursed Embraced (Weird Girls #2) + GIVEAWAY!!

A Cursed Embrace (Weird Girls #2)

Cecy Robson

Publisher: Signet – To Be Published 2^nd July

E-Arc courtesy of Netgalley and Signet

Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other twenty-something girls—with one tiny exception: They are the products of a curse that backfired and gave each of them unique powers that made them, well, a little weird…

After Celia Wird and her sisters help master vampire Misha save his family, their powers are exposed to the supernatural community of the Lake Tahoe region. But fame comes at a price, and being “weird” isn’t always welcome. To make matters worse, Celia desires the love of Alpha werewolf Aric, but his pack is bent on destroying their relationship to preserve his pureblood status. And once weres start turning up dead—with evidence pointing to the vampires—she must face the prospect of losing Aric forever. But the chaos only masks a new threat. An evil known as the Tribe has risen—and their sights are set on Celia and her sisters...

When you finish a book completely distraught and wishing to give some of the characters a big hug, you know you’ve been completely swept up into their world and taken on a journey. Starting just a week after Sealed With A Curse ended, Celia and her sisters are trying to figure out where their relationships with their various wolves stand when it seems Demons are determined to enter our world and have the Wird girls in their sights. Set over the course of nine months or so, A Cursed Embrace follows Celia as she and Aric, a pure-blood werewolf relationship evolves while the supernatural world changes in response to the Demons presence.

There were some elements of this book that had me laughing – the girls attempt to seduce their wolves through posing, Taran and Gemini’s miscommunication, the banter between the sisters and their friends all made me smile and connect to the characters. This is needed as there are a lot of characters to remember! But I loved meeting and getting to know them – and I am looking to forward to some books or short stories following the other sisters point of view (please tell me they are coming at some point!). At the same time there are some exciting action scenes – the tracking in the woods was creepy and atmospheric while some of the fight scenes with the sisters various powers were very cinematic (I would love to see this series as a TV show – the ongoing drama would be fabulous!).

This is a step up from the first book -  which was strong itself and by the end I really didn’t want to leave Celia. The ending is not a cliff-hanger, but it should twist your heart and make you desperate for the months before the next book to speed by! This is definitely an UF I enjoyed and I can’t wait to see what is instore for our Weird Girls next!

Recommended for fans of Ann Aguirre and Suzanne Johnson. 9 out of 10!

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AUTHOR BIO:

Cecy (pronounced Sessy) Robson is an author with Penguin's SIGNET ECLIPSE. She attributes her passion for story-telling back to the rough New Jersey neighborhood she was raised in. As a child, she was rarely allowed to leave the safety of her house and passed her time fantasizing about flying, fairies, and things that go bump in the night. Gifted and cursed with an overactive imagination, she began writing her Urban Fantasy Romance Series, Weird Girls, in May 2009. THE WEIRD GIRLS: A Novella and SEALED WITH A CURSE are now available.  A CURSED EMBRACE, releases July 2, 2013 followed by A CURSED MOON: An eSpecial Novella December 2013, and CURSED BY DESTINY, January 2014.

 LINKS:

Website:                      www.cecyrobson.com

 Twitter:                       https://twitter.com/cecyrobsonand

 Facebook:                    http://www.facebook.com/Cecy.Robson.Author

 Goodreads:                 http://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomCecyRobsonAuthor

Cecy has generously offered one person a wonderful goodie bag including a copy of A Cursed Embrace along with a rack card, A CURSED EMBRACE lip balm and magnet, a bookmark, and a signed postcard. (If the winner won on a previous blog, a different winner will be selected to be fair to all participants).

Open Internationally - just enter below via my first ever Rafflecopter ! Ends 30th June

a Rafflecopter giveaway

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) Review

City of Bones (Immortal Instruments #1)

Cassandra Clare 

Publisher: Simon Pulse

When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder. Much less a murder commited by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons--and keeping the odd werewolves and vampires in line. It's also her first meeting with gorgeous, golden-haired Jace. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in an ordinary mundane like Clary? And how did she suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... 

This was a good summer read. I actually read it sitting by the pool in Portugal with the sun shining and a cold Sprite nearby. I wanted to read the book before the film comes out later this summer and I sped through the pages fairly quickly and thought it was quite fun if a little predictable at times. Clary our heroine and guide to the newly discovered Shadowhunters of New York, where those with a special abilities defend humanity from demons and creatures of evil. Clary is very likeable and manages to balance confusion and bewilderment with the new world she finds herself in with feisty determination to discover the truth and find her Mom. At times I was a little annoyed that she didn’t seem to be able to anticipate what was coming – maybe I’ve just read too many book but some of the twists and turns seemed obvious to me! 

The conversations between teenagers seemed very natural and I did enjoy the banter between all the teens as it made them seem very realistic and easier to relate too. Jace was an interesting character with a tough upbringing although he mellowed as the story progressed. However, I much preferred Simon as he seemed to be braver and more willing to risk everything for Clary – having no supernatural powers but refusing to be left out! There is plenty of action in some truly spectacular locations – very cinematic so I am looking to forward to see how they transfer to film! The story is well balanced between fast action, big revelations, soul searching and unrequited romance. I can see how this series is so popular, with some great teenaged characters who drive the plot forward. However, I felt the adult were underwritten. They seemed to behave like teens themselves rather than adults and not thinking things through. That dropped me out of the story on occasion – when an adult character who has acted as a father figure to Clary for as long as she can remember tells her to stay away and not search for her mum, then pretty much abandons her with nowhere to go, it jarred me. 

Overall this was a fun, light read which I enjoyed. Although considering the size of my TBR pile, I won’t be rushing out to read the rest of the series straight away. Hopefully I will get to them before the second film is released! :)

Recommended for fans of Julie Kagawa and Richelle Mead. 7.5 out of 10

A Discover Of Witches Review

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1)

Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Headline

 In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and the descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont. 

Hmmm...I picked this up knowing there were many mixed reviews with some people loving it, while others struggled so I was determined to make my own mind up. First the setting in Oxford’s Library seem original and different – I love books naturally so any story which has the discovery of a long lost volume as a key plot point will intrigue me. I have to admit the various settings for the story were one my favourite parts with globe-trotting from Oxford to the French country-side to the United States well done with each place having a distinctly different feel and character of its own. I especially liked Diana’s family house which was a great twist on a house with personality!

Our leading lady, Diana is an alchemist historian and a witch – although she doesn’t know much about her powers as she has rejected them ever since the death of her parents. Despite this she still uses magic on a fairly regular basis. However, Diana is also a pretty weak character in my view with plenty of fainting and crying over small things. She also falls in love far too quickly – something that annoys me in YA books and is even less acceptable in adult books! The leading man is a vampire scientist, Matthew who is over-protective and over-bearing – it never seems like he trusts Diana enough to tell her himself of his history or even recent actions and the lack of trust between them doesn’t make the relationship work for me.

With the leading couple not people I can relate to too or root for, it made the whole story difficult for me to continue reading. If one of your heroes is being tortured you are supposed to be worried – not bored. Luckily I actually liked a lot of the secondary characters especially Matthew’s mother ‘Isobelle’ who was feisty and maternal at the same time. Diana’s aunts are also good characters who add some colour to the world and helped me continue reading. The wider world with the mixture of vampires, witches and daemons was interesting and I wanted to know more about what was happening – I love political intrigue and some information on how the wider world was changing would have been fascinating. Instead there were just a lot of assumptions on what the bad guys were up to.

I enjoyed the setting and the secondary characters, but the main relationship really frustrated me and held back my enjoyment of the rest of the story. Will I read the sequel? Not sure...I am curious about what happens next but the ending doesn’t leave me a lot of hope that the areas I liked will get a lot of time in the next book.

Recommended for fans of Andrew Davidson and Jo Walton. 6 out of 10

Blood and Magick (Deacon Chalk #3) Review

Blood and Magick (Deacon Chalk #3)

James R Tuck

Publisher: Kensington

Taking out hellish creatures—not a problem. Armed with blessed silver hollow-points and the ability to manipulate magick, he’s ready for anything—except betrayal he never saw coming…
Deacon Chalk knows the biggest danger in fighting monsters is becoming one. Just another day at the office for your friendly neighborhood occult bounty hunter. If keeping three helpless were-dog children safe means battling a malevolent trio of witches by any means necessary, so be it. If that means partnering with a ruthless government agent to stay one step ahead of the allies and friends he must now suspect, he’s not going to cry about it. The only way Deacon can save humans and shape-shifters alike is to embrace a power beyond his imagining, putting his team at stake—and his soul on the line...

Deacon Chalk goes out for dinner with his girlfriend and two friends, when all hell breaks loose! A triad of witches gatecrash demanding blood and it’s up to Deacon and his friends to protect their surrogate family, innocent humans and the world from a spell that could mean the end of everything. This is a page turner with all the events happening over the course of a single night – and you will have to remind yourself occasionally to breathe!

Deacon is as stalwart as ever, fighting the good fight no matter what the cost. He has unusual powers that seem to be changing and evolving. At the same time he has cares desperately about his people, the family he has gathered about him since his family were killed, but it’s become obvious that he doesn’t understand their choices all the time. Not that there is much time for deep musings as this is all action to the walls adventure with Deacon and friends firing bullets like there is no tomorrow. If you were one of the readers who finds some Urban Fantasy too slow and full of love triangles, then this might convince you that you can have edge of your seat action and character development.

It’s unusual for Urban Fantasy books to deal with religion (somewhat ironically considering the demons and other evil creatures they cover!), so it’s pleasant to see that Deacon is a true believer in the catholic church and has a priest helping him – even if that priest is a hard drinking, cigar smoking, shotgun fighter. Deacon’s girlfriend, Tiffany has also evolved into someone standing by his side at these events and holds her own. Even better is seeing Deacon complete accepting that is her place, no question or worry about protecting her.

This is UF with balls and is just plain fun to read. James R Tuck can take a timeless hard-boiled voice and make it fresh, amusing, exciting and emotional all at the same time. It’s also  a bit of a game changer in Deacon’s world in more than one way and I am curious what the next book will cover. Deacon Chalk has become someone I trust to give me a good adventure and I want more!

Recommended for fans of Kevin Hearne and Jim Butcher. 9 out of 10

Early Review: Hot Blooded

Hot Blooded (Jessica McClain #2)

Amanda Carlson

Publisher: Orbit – to be released 23^rd April 2013

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley and Hachette Books

It hasn't been the best week for Jessica McClain.
Her mate has been kidnapped by a Goddess hell-bent on revenge --- but Jessica is playing for keeps. Because she's the only female werewolf in town...it comes with its own set of rules...and powers.Aided by two vamps, two loyal Pack members, and one very reluctant human, Jessica must rescue her man while coming to terms with what being a wolf really means.
All in a day's work for a girl.

If the first book in this series, Full Blooded was fast paced, then this second book was Usain Bolt on skates, going downhill. Wow. There is little time for Jess or any of her friends to catch their breath as she, her brother, Tyler and their pack-mate Danny head off to rescue her mate, Rourke from the crazy goddess Selene. The only help they have are two tracking vampires and a police detective, Jess is trying to save now he knows about the supernatural world. The story is relentless action while at the same time exploring Jess’s new abilities and what makes her different (apart from being the only female werewolf of course!)

I loved Jess’s determination and how much she cares for others. Her care for Ray despite their troubled history was a nice insight into her personality especially as other supernaturals never really gave him much thought. Her growing friendship with the vampire, Naomi also shows her willing to rethink the inbuilt prejudice many supernaturals have. The relationship between Jess and Rourke feels a little more natural this time (it was a little too insta-love previously) and I really liked the way Jess’s powers are different from anything else in this world without making her too isolated. She already has family, friends, a mate and her own thoughts and opinions.

The action is frenetic and involving with each new challenge different and distinct. Jess doesn’t back down no matter what is thrown at her. At the same time she learns more about vampires in general and Naomi in particular, which helps give a wider perspective of what Jess could mean to the wider supernatural world and not just the wolves. I was hooked right from the beginning and never bored as Jess fought and thought her way to Rourke. While there is a nicely contained story here, the wider arc is not neglected and the ending will certainly have you wishing the next book, Cold Blooded was out much sooner than October!

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs and Jaye Wells. 9 out of 10

Guest Review: Foretold

Foretold (The Demon Trappers #4)
Jana Oliver

Publisher: MacMillian Children Books

In the fourth Demon Trappers novel, Riley faces the final battle for humanity and Beck's heart—and Hell is the least of her problems
Now that Riley’s managed to (just barely) fend off Armageddon, everything’s changed. Well . . . most things. After their passionate kiss before the big battle in the cemetery, Beck is back to treating her like a little girl, as if nothing ever happened. While she’d love to just tell him off and move on, Riley vowed to take care of Beck the way he’s taken care of her since her father’s death—but she’s about to get a whole lot more than she bargained for. When she’s commissioned to go with Beck to his hometown and help him care for his dying mother, they stumble too close to a dark and murderous secret, one that Beck fears will drive Riley away from him forever. As chaos breaks loose, Riley may be Beck's only hope for redemption . . . and survival. 
Meanwhile, up in Atlanta, it’s quickly becoming clear that Heaven may have won a battle, but the war is far from over. Riley and Beck face a stormy future, as Lucifer's ex-right-hand-man, Sartael, proves himself to be more resilient than anyone thought. He has Atlanta in his grip and is about to begin a brutal war with the prince of Hell. As the seconds tick down toward a final confrontation, it's up to Riley and the man she loves to finally defeat their old enemy, or lose everything they've fought for...

Hello all, sorry I’ve been AWOL recently, but I seem to have read a series of gigantic books that have taken me an age to get through.  To break that cycle I cracked on with the latest Demon Trappers book, only to realize at the end that it was in fact The End!  At least Jana Oliver had the decency to tie it all up nice and neatly, so I didn’t feel cheated by that revelation.

I was, however, disappointed in the book itself.  I had really enjoyed the first 3 books in this UF, YA series.  Set in a future Atlanta, where the barriers between Heaven, Hell and Earth have become distinctly holey, a whole new employment area has come into being as demons run dangerously amok.  Varying from cute little klepto-fiends, to ridiculously blood-thirsty and intelligent arch-fiends, these demons have caused our heroine Riley and her cohorts no end of trouble (including more than one attempt to bring about the end of the world!).

Starting with Forsaken, and continuing through Forbidden and Forgiven, Jana Oliver has always captured by imagination with her complex main characters, pacey story and a world seriously lacking in black and white definitions.  Don’t get me wrong, Foretold still contains all these factors, and I found the thorough exploration of love interest Beck’s background very involving. However, it is the ‘l’ word that ruins the novel for me.  Ick.  Now, I’m a sucker for a well-crafted romance between strong characters, but I hate it when usually forceful people start spouting ‘my soul sung in her presence’ fluffy stuff.  In fact, Foretold is so full of fluff that I could have used it as a pillow…

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed 75% of The Demon Trappers series, and would recommend it for fans of Cassandra Clark and Lili St Crow, but the series is let down by its final installment.  Foretold earns itself a 6 out of 10.

Devil May Care Review

Devil May Care

Patricia Eimer

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

E-Arc courtesy of Netgalley and Entangled Publishing

After a month of planning not one, but two, demonic weddings, all Faith Bettincourt—the youngest Crown Princess of Hell—wants is to spend some quality time with her angelic boyfriend, Matt. But when a ghost from Matt’s past walks through Faith’s apartment door, her preoccupation with the weddings from Hell is all that’s keeping her from turning his ex, in all her devious angelic glory, into a down throw pillow.
Which is about when Matt’s zealous mother declares war on Faith’s family.Now Faith will stop at nothing to stop the craziness and make sure the impending nuptials go off without a hitch. All she’s got to do is rescue one of the grooms and go up against an army of so-called do-gooders, and everything will go back to normal. Or as normal as it can be where the Devil's spawn is concerned. With any luck, she might just be able to resuscitate her love life while she's at it.

A common theme running through many books is that families can be hell and in Faith’s case that is more literal than metaphorical. Her father is the Devil, she is demoness with wings, tail and horns and she is currently dating an angel who lives across the hall. Unfortunately his ex-girlfriend has shown up wanting him back, while her ex-boyfriend has also arrived on the scene, without any memories of their relationship and falls for her again. Add in two family weddings and Faith’s patience starts to run low...

This is one of those books were the banter between the characters is fun, frivolous and laugh out loud amusing. It could almost be a chick-lit frothy read with demons and angels thrown in for decoration. Faith has the same relationship and family issues as any young woman – although gratefully she is confident in herself and her abilities. Her family are familiar to most people with an over-protective Dad, a hippy Mum, an older half-brother who’s a pain and a bitchy sister – but despite their sniping and banter – but despite their sniping and mockery with each other there is a strong core. And when someone attacks one of them, they pull together.

Outside of the relationships, there is some investigation into drug thievery at the hospital Faith works which doesn’t really go anywhere but ties up some loose ends from the first book, Luck of the Devil. Overall, this is a fast, fun read – light hearted and amusing so a perfect anecdote for the wet, miserable winter days!

Recommended for fans of Mary Janice Davidson and Kerrelyn Sparks, 7.5 out of 10

Novella Reviews: A Family Affair & Shadowland

A Family Affair (Cassie Palmer #4.1) 

Karen Chance

Kindle Book

Both A Family Affair and it’s sequel short story, Shadowland are free on Karen Chances website – and before I catch up with Cassie Palmer and the going-ons in Las Vegas, I thought these would remind me of the world!

Both these stories are told from John Pritkins point of view. John was always one of the most intriguing characters in the series – a mage bodyguard to Cassie Palmer as the Pythia, the top clairvoyant in the world and part incubus, he has cast a long shadow over the series and it is good to see how much he has come to care for Cassie. In fact the torch he holds for Cassie is very sweet and gives some nice colour to the usually glowering figure.

In A Family Affair, John’s father promises to stop trying to kill Cassie if John will recapture an escaped demoness from hell...unfortunately his father may take advantage of John’s absence to get rid of Cassie in the meantime. This was a nice exploration of the demon realms and some of John’s past. However, the character that stands out the most is Cassanova – the combination of a vampire possessed by an succubus spirit is interesting but it’s Cassanova’s complete disregard for anyone by himself and his willing to say anything is great fun – think Cordelia from Buffy! Overall, this is a nice gift from Karen exploring part of ‘normal’ life for Cassie and John now.

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews. 7 out of 10

-----------------------------------------

Shadowland (Cassie Palmer #4.2)

Karen Chance

Kindle Book

This is pretty much a direct sequel to A Family Affair. When one of the Pythia’s presents turns out to be a bomb, John Pritkins jumps into one of the demonlands in order for revenge. However, all is not what it seems back at Cassanova’s hotel in Vegas...

This is a much simpler story and as such is much more fun. The split again between action in Dante’s Hell on the strip and the actual Shadowlands is a nice contrast – and there is less difference between them than you would expect! John’s reaction to the bomb is so heart-felt and moving. Cassanova is as fun as before – definitely one of my favourite characters. However, my favourite part of the story is the ending – which manages to surprise John and leave a smile on your face!

Overall, these have both been good reminders of Cassie’s world and Karen Chance’s writing. It’s made me really excited to pick up Hunt the Moon, Cassie’s fifth book!

Recommended for fans of Ann Aguirre and Jacqueline Carey. 8 out of 10.

Devil's Punch Review

Devil’s Punch (Corrine Solomon #4)

Ann Aguirre

Publisher: Roc

As a handler, Corine Solomon can touch any object and learn its history. Her power is a gift, but one that’s thrown her life off track. The magical inheritance she received from her mother is dangerously powerful, and Corine has managed to mark herself as a black witch by dealing with demons to solve her problems. Back home, Corine is trying to rebuild her pawnshop and her life with her ex Chance, despite the target on her back. But when the demons she provoked kidnap her best friend in retaliation, Corine puts everything on hold to save her. It's undoubtedly a trap, but Corine would do anything to save those she loves, even if it means sacrificing herself...

Corine and Chance are rebuilding their relationship from the foundations up, when Shannon is kidnapped by demons. So Corine, Chance and her dog, Butch go to her rescue. The real issue? She’s being held in the Demon City in another world...there could be trouble, but that’s nothing new to Corrine!

This is a difficult book to review as there are some elements of the story that worked wonderfully. The new feel to the relationship between Chance and Corine is beautifully done – he really is trying to get to know the ‘new’ her and not rush anything. Corrine is struggling to get to understand Chance better now he is finally opening up to her. I loved the way they reconnect and develop together throughout this story. It works better that Kel and Jesse, the other past love interests aren’t here this time around. However, that was one of the drawbacks as well – after three books setting up a colourful cast of characters so few of them make an appearance. Even Shannon and Butch are not given any major roles – they just happen to be with Corine. There was a distinct lack of purpose for vast pages as Crrine and Chance wander aimlessly around the demon city. Even the reasons for the kidnapping seem rather lacklustre. The Demon Queen storyline was interesting but never really felt like it had anywhere to go.

While generally considered to be an Urban Fantasy series, this particular instalment had more of a traditional fantasy feel about it with a long and dangerous journey and a vibrate city full of strange and exotic creatures. I guess I had different expectations for this story and was surprised at how different this was from the previous books. However, this is an Ann Aguirre book so the writing is wonderfully piquant and never-less than entertaining. I still love Corine as a heroine and just want to give her a hug at times – especially after the end of the story. I’ve already pre-ordered the next book!

Recommended for fans of Kelley Armstrong and Kim Harrison. 7 out of 10 

Sins of the Demon Review

Sins of the Demon (Kara Gillian 4)
-       Diana Rowland

Publisher: Daw Fantasy

The homicide beat in Louisiana isn't just terrifying, it's demonic. Detective Kara Gilligan of the supernatural task force has the ability to summon demons to her aid, but she herself is pledged to serve a demonic lord. And now, people who've hurt Kara in the past are dropping dead for no apparent reason. To clear her name and save both the demon and human worlds, she's in a race against the clock and in a battle for her life that just may take her to hell and back

My first thought on finishing this book was ‘Oh, my god – it can’t end there! When’s the next book out?’ (yep, there is a cliff-hanger ending!) and my second thought was, ‘Why aren’t there more people raving about this series?’ Seriously, this is good Urban Fantasy with a likeable heroine who isn’t all powerful, but curious and has a unique ability. There are some yummy romantic leads as well as a strong mystery, detective element with each book. Added to which Kara is building a fun family of friends around her – everyone from her best friend Jill to her Aunt’s boyfriend, Carl to her demon roommate, Eilahn are great characters willing to work together and protect Kara. Why don’t I see more reviews of this series around? Well, the rest of the blogging community is missing out!

In this latest instalment Kara is still struggling with what she learnt in Secrets of the Demon when people she had a reason to hate start dropping dead around town. Is someone trying to ‘help’ her or frame her? Needless to say, I really enjoyed this story! Kara is feisty but has a wonderful group of people around her and I just adored the banter between them all – from Ryan attempting to get Kara to watch geek shows (which I think was Firefly!) to Jill’s light name calling all felt like real friendships and just made me relate to Kara more – even if I can’t summon demons from a nearby world!  

There are some exciting demon attack scenes and some tense scenes at Kara’s home when the police arrive to search her place – I love that Kara doesn’t have any magical abilities outside of her summoning circle – it means she can be shot, attacked and injured like anyone else. And the way in which Diana Rowland has created a unique demon race is fascinating. Honestly, this is one of my favourite UF series, an automatic must buy and I really want to find out what happens next when the last few pages change everything!

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs and Jim Butcher. 9 out of 10

Blue-Blooded Vamp Review

Blue-Blooded Vamp (Sabina Kane #5)
-       Jaye Wells

Publisher: Orbit

E-Arc received courtesy of Netgalley and Hachette Book Group

Sabina Kane is on the hunt. Her prey: Cain, the father of the vampire race and the one who murdered her family and her friends. Unfortunately, Cain is hunting Sabina, too. The one man who holds the key to defeating Cain is, of course, Abel. A mage with secrets to spare and, hopefully, the power to match it. Unfortunately, for Sabina, he's in Rome and may not want to be found. Sabina sets out for Italy with her friends, Giguhl and Adam Lazarus, to track down the only man who can get her the revenge she hungers for. But will he help her or oppose her? And just who is Abel, really? Worst of all, when Sabina figures out the goddess Lilith has a plan for her-she realizes this trip is getting deadlier by the minute.
As they say: when in Rome-SURVIVE

Oh, Sabina! You’ve come so far since we first encountered you as a vampire assassin for your grandmother in Red-Headed Stepchild. Discovering your mage half and embracing friendship and family, fighting your destiny and forging unusual alliances with many creatures – it’s been a real rollercoaster ride. This is your final book and while I won’t giveaway the ending, let’s just say I was more than satisfied!

Sabina, Adam and Giguhl are hunting down Cain, the father of the vampire race who is determined to bring Lilith back to Earth, which would kill all the dark races – mage, vampire, fae and demon. Their mission is a very personal one and Sabina particularly wants revenge. She has that forceful spark that we fell for in the first place, but this time she has a team that she loves. And the fact that they share the mission and fight together is a major step for Sabina, demonstrating just how far she has come since the beginning. Adam and Sabina are brought closer together here having been tested in the past and the fact that Adam could ‘read’ Sabina so well was a great touch. While she may have grown, Sabina still has a temper and tends to speak first and think second. Giguhl still has a smart mouth and some of the best lines, while mage Adam is just a dreamy guy who completely accepts Sabina for who she is now. I want to be part of their group!

Once again the pace is fast paced with solid action mixed with emotional depth. New characters are introduced with plenty of cameos from old friends giving a great range of the dark races world. The stakes are much higher than they have ever been – and yet much more personal than ever before. There is a real sense of perspective with plenty of locations both in the real world and the underworld for our characters to explore.

This really is a series where each books has built on the previous one to develop this world without repeating anything and one I would recommend to all UF fans. I confess it took until the third book for me to completely love it, but now it is one of my favourites.

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs and Kelley Armstrong. 9 out of 10.

Early Review - Dark Gift

Dark Gift

- James Swain

Publisher: Tor Books - Published 22nd May 2012

E-arc courtesy of netgalley and Tom Dogerty Associates

Peter Warlock is a magician with a dark secret. Every night, he amazes audiences at his private theater in New York, where he performs feats that boggle the imagination. But his day job is just a cover for his otherworldly pursuits: Peter is a member of an underground group of psychics who gaze into the future to help prevent crimes. No one, not even his live-in girlfriend, knows the truth about Peter—until the séance when he foresees an unspeakable act of violence that will devastate the city. As Peter and his friends rush to prevent tragedy, Peter discovers that a shadowy cult of evil psychics, the Order of Astrum, know all about his abilities. They are hunting him and his fellow psychics down, one by one, determined to silence them forever.

 

Dark Gift is has a lot of different elements to it – some which worked well and other which didn’t. The story starts off with New York’s Friday night gathering of psychics and magical people when one of their number foretells of a disaster which will happen on Tuesday. From then there is a fast paced thriller with the lead psychic, magician Peter tangling with a killer who will bring the city to its knees. The action scenes are fast paced and exciting while the telepathic and magical atmosphere making this stand out from any regular thrillers. I really liked the insight into the world of stage magician and making the magician a psychic is a novel twist. New York is always an exciting background to a story and such a major event on the horizon felt extremely close to home after the events of September 11^th. It added an undercurrent of fission and tension to the story.

However, there are a couple of elements that I found hard to agree with was the demonic element that raised its head towards the end. This felt like it was raising the stakes and making everything seem even more frantic but too be honest I’m not sure it was really needed. However, the idea of possession and choice was nicely done and in the end I have to admit that it fitted. My major concern is with the portrayal of Peter’s girlfriend, Lisa and his friend Holly. Both girls seemed to have the ability to burst into tears for no reason and never quite understood that Peter was trying to save the city and lives. Both of them wanted him to speak quietly and calmly when others were in danger – even finishing his stage show which I felt was unreasonable! I don’t know any women who would want her guy to finish work rather than save someone’s life! That really annoyed me. Peter’s character was a little too perfect and I struggled to connect with the characters on any deeper level. That said, the writing was brisk and I was certainly turning the pages fast enough.

Overall, this works better on plot and action than on characters. If you like your adventures fun and furious with a flavour of supernatural then this could be a diverting enough few hours – don’t expect urban fantasy but rather blockbuster action. I certainly enjoyed it once I switched my analytical side off!

Recommended for fans of James Rollins and Douglas Preston. 7 out of 10

Guest Review: Kitty Raises Hell

Kitty Raises Hell (Kitty Norville 6)
- Carrie Vaughn

Publisher: UK - Gollancz

Sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas.
Kitty and Ben flee The City That Never Sleeps, thinking they were finished with the dangers there, but the sadistic cult of lycanthropes and their vampire priestess have laid a curse on Kitty in revenge for her disrupting their rituals. Starting at the next full moon, danger and destruction the form of fire strikes Kitty and the pack of werewolves she's sworn to protect. She enlists the help of a group of TV paranormal investigators - one of whom has real psychic abilities - to help her get to the bottom of the curse that's been laid on her. Rick, the Master vampire of Denver, believes a deeper plot lies behind the curse, and he and Kitty argue about whether or not to accept the help of a professional demon hunter - and vampire - named Roman, who arrives a little too conveniently in the nick of time. Unable to rely on Rick, and unwilling to accept Roman's offer of help for a price, Kitty and her band of allies, including Vegas magician Odysseus Grant and Kitty's own radio audience, mount a trap for the supernatural being behind the curse, a destructive force summoned by the vengeful cult, a supernatural being that none of them ever thought to face.

So I’m back again, with another Mel-borrowed-book review, this time for the sixth installment in Carrie Vaughn’s werewolf-featuring UF ‘Kitty’ series – Kitty Raises Hell. These books star the eponymous Kitty, a werewolf pack-leader and DJ, who has fought her way through the series thus far from underdog to alpha, often using wit and guile over teeth and claws. She’s a feisty, often smart-mouthed heroine, who describes the sensations attributed to life as a werewolf better than any I’ve read.

Kitty Raises Hell follows straight on from the Vegas-based happenings in Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand, with our heroine and her pack truly beginning to experience the repercusions of angering a vampire priestess and her lycanthrope underlings. An invisible, but deadly force, preceeded by the smell of fire and brimstone, deals out death and destruction in its journey to its ultimate prize – Kitty herself. Throw in tv-show paranormal investigators, ghosts and a human stalker, and it’s another cover-to-cover read from Vaughn.

What I love most about these books, other than the wonderful insight into life as a werewolf, is the way that Kitty’s world has expanded. We, like Kitty, started off knowing only of werewolves and humans, but through what she has experienced first-hand, heard about during her radio show, and pondered in her ever-questioning mind, the world has expanded slowly, intriguingly, and wonderfully.

I’d recommend this series to all fantasy readers, but particularly those who enjoy Karen Macinerney's Urban Werewolf, 8 out of 10.

Hellforged Review

Hellforged (Deadtown 2)

-       Nancy Holzner

Publisher: Ace Fantasy

A demon is stalking Vicky's dreams-just as several of Deadtown's zombies are viciously attacked and become really dead. And when Vicky realizes she is the only connection between the victims, she suspects that the demon is somehow working through her dreams to become Deadtown's living nightmare

Occasionally you come across a book that reminds you of all you love about your favourite genre. And for me the Deadtown books just bring the joy and fun of Urban Fantasy back. Vicky is in trouble again when zombies in Deadtown are being killed and the police are told not to investigate. Added to which the demon who killed her father is back and haunting her dreams.

I love Vicky as a character – she is independent but not cold, sure of who she is and can kick serious demon butt! As a shapeshifter she has the power to change into any animal she wants and I love that it’s not just the predators she changes into – she uses all sorts of different animals to protect those she loves. This time round Vicky spends a lot of time with her aunt, who has more secrets and it was interesting to see Vicky as the student to her aunt’s Yoda as it brought a different perspective to her character.

Vicky’s friends and love interests are varied and help make this world fully fleshed out. I actually liked her on-off boyfriend, Kane a lot more this time around but missed the connection she had with fully human detective Daniel. There is plenty of action with Vicky fighting demons – both real and her own. Not everything is wrapped up neatly and there are some very intriguing hints of what else is going on in the world. For a completely fun, fast-paced and joyous Urban Fantasy, this is one series that is very hard to beat.

Recommended for fans of Rachel Vincent and Kelley Armstrong. 9 out of 10.

Guest Review: Demon Trappers: Forgiven Review

My guest reviewer is back in action this month, so Sarah has the third in the Demon Trapper Series to review...

Forgiven (Demon Trappers 3)
- Jana Oliver

Publisher: Macmillian Children's Books

Riley has made a bargain with Heaven, and now they've come to collect.
Lucifer's finest are ruling the streets and it seems that Armageddon might be even closer than Riley imagined. But with her soul and her heart in play it's all she can do to keep herself alive, let alone save the world. Riley's not afraid of kicking some major demon butt, but when it comes to a battle between Heaven and Hell, she might need a little help...

Hello fellow Mel followers, sorry I’ve been absent, but for some reason I kept reading books that Mel had already reviewed for you! They have included some corkers though, especially the Hunger Games trilogy, and I also really enjoyed this latest installment in Jana Oliver’s Demon Trappers series, Forgiven.

This is the third in a series of four books starring Riley, a spunky but damaged 17 year old orphaned demon trapper. Riley lives in a cash-strapped world not too far into our future, where the denizens of hell inhabit our lands, and all walks of magical human exist in plain sight. The demon trappers earn their living, as their name suggests, by capturing demons for disposal by the church.

The previous two Demon Trappers installments have been action-filled novels, allowing us to learn the way of Riley’s world, and fall in love with the people around her, whilst keeping you gripped from page to page by the problems caused by the scourge of the underworld. This book, however, takes a more slow-burning approach, fleshing out the other characters, and the world at large. If you had not read the previous books you would almost be forgiven for finding the first three-quarters of Forgiven to be boring, but for those who have developed a vested interest in the characters it is utterly gripping.

The final quarter of the book, however, allows Jana Oliver’s talents as an action writer to really come to the fore, and when Riley finds herself literally in the middle of a war between Heaven and Hell I defy you to be able to put the book down. There is also a very slow-burning romantic streak to this series that manages to reach both a most swoonsome peak, and emotion-filled nadir in the space of perhaps 50 pages.

I cannot wait for the final installment in this series (out August, how will I wait????). One for fans of Lili St Crow and Richelle Mead, 8 out of 10