Early Review: Delia's Shadow

Delia’s Shadow

Jaime Lee Moyer

Publisher: Tor Books - To Be Released on 17^th September 2013

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley & Tor Books

It is the dawn of a new century in San Francisco and Delia Martin is a wealthy young woman whose life appears ideal. But a dark secret colors her life, for Delia’s most loyal companions are ghosts, as she has been gifted (or some would say cursed) with an ability to peer across to the other side. Since the great quake rocked her city in 1906, Delia has been haunted by an avalanche of the dead clamoring for her help. Delia flees to the other side of the continent, hoping to gain some peace. After several years in New York, Delia believes she is free…until one determined specter appears and she realizes that she must return to the City by the Bay in order to put this tortured soul to rest. It will not be easy, as the ghost is only one of the many victims of a serial killer who was never caught. A killer who after thirty years is killing again. And who is now aware of Delia’s existence...

Delia returns home to San Francisco when a particularly persistent ghost demands her attention and she become involved in the police investigation into a series of particularly brutal killings. Slowly she and her friend Sadie, become aware that the ghost named Shadow may hold the key to finding and stopping this murderer before he comes too close.

This story has a wonderful mix of society of San Francisco in that era, a blossoming romance between two particularly guarded and emotionally distraught characters and an involving murder mystery. The writing is very easy to follow with some wonderful descriptions of the fair in San Francisco at the time which allow you to smell the grounds and be awe-struck by the stands.

The crimes themselves are horrific. While the impact of the gruesome murder scenes are described on the character, the details of the actual scenes are absent which allows all our information about the crimes come to us filtered through a characters reaction – something which helps to connect to both Delia and Gabe, the lead police detective on the case. I really liked the different characters surrounding to two leads with Gabe’s partner, Jack a good foil to the seriousness of Gabe while Sadie the flighty but strong best friend, ailing foster mother Ether and mothering Annie help make Delia grounded and more than just a conduit to the spirits.

Great characterisations and an involving murder mystery are layered with Delia and Gabe’s growing relationship which is built on respect and personality. It’s hard to know what I enjoyed the most but the whole package built a thoroughly entertaining read that I will want to re-read before long!

Recommended for fans of Elizabeth Peters and Elizabeth May. 8 out of 10

Early Review: The Woken Gods

The Woken Gods

Gwenda Bond

Publisher: Strange Chemistry – published 3^rd September

E-Arc courtesy of Netgalley and Strange Chemistry

The more things change…
Ten years ago, the gods of ancient mythology awoke all around the world.The more things stay the same…
This morning, seventeen-year-old Kyra Locke was late for school.
But that’s not out of the ordinary in a transformed Washington, D.C., dominated by the embassies of divine pantheons and watched over by the mysterious Society of the Sun that governs mankind’s relations with the gods. What is unusual is Kyra’s encounter with two trickster gods on her way home, one offering a threat, and the other a warning.Kyra escapes with the aid of young operatives from the Society, who inform her that her scholarly father has disappeared from its headquarters at the Library of Congress and taken a dangerous Egyptian relic with him. The Society needs the item back, and they aren’t interested in Kyra’s protests that she knows nothing about it. Now Kyra must depend on her wits and the help of everyone from a paranoid ex-boyfriend to scary Sumerian gods to operatives whose allegiance is first and always to the Society. She has no choice if she’s going to clear her father’s name and recover the missing relic before 
the impending summer solstice.

What’s at stake? Just the end of the world as Kyra knows it.

All the Gods people have ever worshipped throughout time are real and a few years ago they woke up. The world changed. Washington DC has become the centre for communication between the Gods as represented by the Trickster Gods and the Society, group who use relics to protect humans from the Gods power. Krya grew up in the midst of the awakening, but when the Tricksters start to take an interest in her, she realises that there are more secrets in her family that she ever knew...

The idea that all the Gods are real and that they have only been sleeping is such a strong premise for a world similar to ours but different in that one vital area and provides a wide range of possibilities for story-telling. Adding to the mix Krya is one damaged girl but strong and determined. She has problems over and above the usual teen romance and authority issues so when her Dad goes missing and the gods are involved, she ignores his request that she leave town and decides to find him. Her friends refuse to let her deal with it alone. I loved the relationships Krya has with her friends – both old and new. They ground her and prevent her becoming too isolated. Each have their own family issues but still stick by her side.

As well as a variety of Gods from global pantheons, there is a mysterious Society who are able to keep the Gods in line with threats. However, we all know secret societies are not always to be trusted... The mix of mythology, teen issues and action is well balanced with plenty of action and some intriguing twists – I have to admit the end really ups the stakes taking it from a personal tragedy to all out war. The books suffers a little from teens knowing better than adults every time (a lot of YA have that fault though!), but the teens are such stronger characters that it doesn’t matter too much. There is plenty to enjoy and I can’t wait to see what the next book in this series will throw up. Especially as the end is a real game changer! A fresh take on ancient mythology and a fun read!

Recommended for fans of Tom Pollock and Kim Curran. 8 out of 10

Early Review: The Bone Season

The Bone Season

Samantha Shannon

Publisher: Bloomsbury - Released 20th August 2013

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley & Bloomsbury

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing. But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army. Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

Set in the near future, but in a world which diverged from ours two hundred years ago, The Bone Season has its work cut out introducing us to a world and society very different from what we know. However Samantha Shannon succeeds brilliantly by introducing us, not only to one new world, but to many via a multi-layered complex society with secrets and prejudices. The world building is strong and could withstand an earthquake! Scion hold cities in their grip, terrified of those among the population who can read minds, communicate with ghosts and use the dead as weapons. Paige is one of these voyants, working for a criminal mime-lord in central London when she is captured by the Scion and sent to the former city of Oxford where she discovers that there is more to voyants and Scions hatred of them than she ever knew.

Paige is a great heroine – tenacious, determined but smart and slightly on the defensive side as she has had to hide what she is all her life, even from family. She resolves to escape Oxford however she can but there are multiple threads around her with many people working on their own agendas – who can she trust? Other voyants are self serving and her Keeper, Warden is distant and unsympathic.

I admit I was a little wary when I first started The Bone Season as I thought it was going to be like multiple other YA stories with simple characters and a straight forward right verses wrong story. I was so happy to be proved wrong! The characters are all three dimensional with their own prejudices. The Rephiam, far from being slightly different types of human are unique, with their motivations mysterious. They feel different and like Paige, you are never sure what they are up to or what they want. Paige’s reaction and relationships are well explored and you do feel that she is a good person in an impossible situation. However, I have to admit that the timing of the story felt a little off to me – I felt that only a couple of weeks had passed for Paige wince she was captured but it turned out to be months.Manybe I was just reading too fast! J

My real joy in reading The Bone Season was the complexity of the plot which varied and twisted back on itself. There is some truly horrific violence. While the story started here is complete with a satisfying conclusion there are plenty of questions and mysteries still outstanding not least is how Paige has changed after her experiences. I will be looking forward to seeing how the rest of this wider arc plays out!

Recommended for fans of Deborah Harkness and Isobelle Carmody. 8 out of 10

Early Review: Lawless and the Devil of Euston Square

Lawless and the Devil of Euston Square

William Sutton

Publisher: Exhibit A - To be Released on 30th July 2013

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley and Angry Robot

London 1859-62. A time of great exhibitions, foreign conquests and underground trains. But the era of Victorian marvels is also the time of the Great Stink. With cholera and depravity never far from the headlines, it’s not only the sewers that smell bad.
Novice detective, Campbell Lawless, stumbles onto the trail of Berwick Skelton, an elusive revolutionary, seemingly determined to bring London to its knees through a series of devilish acts of terrorism. But cast into a lethal, intoxicating world of music hall hoofers, industrial sabotage and royal scandal, will Lawless survive long enough to capture this underworld nemesis, before he unleashes his final vengeance on a society he wants wiped from the face of the Earth?

Imagine living in a time when technology changes almost daily and what seemed wonderous quickly becomes mundane, a time when politicians only look after themselves and their cronies leaving the ordinary people to fend for themselves. Okay, so some things haven’t changed much but when communication with others depending on actually seeing them or passing notes through urchins – no mobile phones, no landlines, no internet, no computers, no forensics but your own eyes and experience and then mix this early Victorian world with a crime that seems bafflingly complex and pointless. Where someone steals the inside of a clock workings, causes flooding in buildings across London, and breaks into houses only to leave a bone and take little of true value. This is the world that Lawless, a new sergeant at Scotland Yard finds himself in.

The story actually takes place over three years as little incidents build up to become one truly complicated case. I have to admit I was never less than intrigued by what was going on and what the purpose of it was. The world building effortlessly mixes real events like the Great Stink and the opening of the London Underground with new characters and historical to create a compelling world. Unfortunately the pacing was very slow – the long timeline while realistic seemed to rob the story of any urgency. It never really felt like there was a major threat to the city or individuals – someone who has that level of patience and ingenuity should really have ‘got over it’ after that amount of time.

Lawless is an interesting character – young and being inducted into the ways of Scotland by a well respected Inspector, but he discovers that even the watchers sometimes need watching. The librarian he starts to work with is a fantastic character – learned and book smart, she determines to help Lawless whether he wants her help or not. Adding to the character lists is an entrepreneur who is all confidence and little substance, Urchins trying to make a living on the streets, professional ‘Actresses’ and the workers’ rights movement.

The book has loads of potential and would look great in one of those Sunday evening dramas, but the slow pace meant it took me longer than normal to read and numbed my enjoyment a little. However, I would relish another visit to Lawless to see what he gets up to next!

Recommended for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Lynn Shepherd. 7 out of 10 

Early Review: Midnight Frost (Mythos Academy #5)

Midnight Frost (Mythos Academy #5)

Jennifer Estep

Publisher: Kensington Books – Released 30^th July 2013

E-Arc Copy Courtesy of Netgalley & Kensington Books

Just when it seems life at Mythos Academy can't get any more dangerous, the Reapers of Chaos manage to prove me wrong. It was just a typical night at the Library of Antiquities--until a Reaper tried to poison me. The good news is I'm still alive and kicking. The bad news is the Reaper poisoned someone else instead. As Nike's Champion, everyone expects me to lead the charge against the Reapers, even though I'm still hurting over what happened with Spartan warrior Logan Quinn. I've got to get my hands on the antidote fast--otherwise, an innocent person will die. But the only known cure is hidden in some creepy ruins--and the Reapers are sure to be waiting for me there 

Gwen Frost is Nike’s Champion and she has embraced that this means she and her friends will have to face evil God Loki and his Reapers of Chaos. However, her honey Logan is absent still unsure of himself after Loki’s interference in Crimson Frost. When another of Gwen’s allies is poisoned by the Reapers, she and her friends have to go to the one place they can find antidote knowing it is a trap...

Gwen is so much more confident now then she was when we first met her and her developing strength and fighting skills are joys to see. Her selection of friends and allies are fun and you just can’t help rooting for them all. Gwen is still smarting over Logan’s abandonment but she carries on regardless. She also discovers more about her father now. There are some exciting action scenes and I really loved how everyone accepts and looks to Gwen to guide and lead them. She is going to be one strong general in this fight.

The story is fast paced with little wasted time taking place over just a few days but in terms of the wider story arc, it doesn’t feel like much has changed. Maybe I’ll be proved wrong and this is just laying the groundwork for the end battle, but it feels like Gwen ends in the same place as she was at the start. Saying that, this is still a great series and one of my favourite YA series – I just love Gwen’s natural charm and determination. Plus the mixture of mythologies from Greek, Roman, Viking in the modern world is just a blast!

Overall, this is a good instalment in a great series – superior to other YA series but not the peak of its own high standard. It was a great summer instalment and I am happy Jennifer Estep is a fast writer as if I had to wait a whole year between visits to Mythos I would miss all my Gypsy, Amazon, Viking and Spartan friends!

Recommended for fans of Marissa Meyer and Richelle Mead. 8 out of 10

Early Review: Mist

Mist

Susan Krinard

Publisher: Tor Books

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley and Tor Books

Centuries ago, all was lost in the Last Battle when the Norse gods and goddesses went to war. The elves, the giants, and the gods and goddesses themselves were all destroyed, leaving the Valkyrie Mist one of the only survivors. 
Or so she thought.
When a snowy winter descends upon modern-day San Francisco in June, Mist’s quiet existence starts to feel all too familiar. In quick succession, Mist is attacked by a frost giant in a public park and runs into an elf disguised as a homeless person on the streets…and then the man Mist believed was her mortal boyfriend reveals himself to be the trickster god, Loki, alive and well after all these years. Loki has big plans for the modern world, and he’s been hanging around Mist for access to a staff that once belonged to the great god Odin. Mist is certain of one thing: Loki must be stopped if there is to be any hope for Earth. But the fight is even bigger than she knows….Because Loki wasn’t the only god to survive...

Mist is a Valkerie – one of the few immortals who survived the Last Battle, when the Norse Gods faced the Trickster, Loki’s armies and both vanished forever. Ever since Mist has lived in the human world, protecting the one gift the gods had left her, and has finally managed to build a life for herself. Unfortunately, not all the Gods and Immortals are gone for good – and Mist finds herself in the middle of a new game and the possibility that the Last Battle may be continued in modern day San Francisco.

This is a slightly different shade of Urban Fantasy than I’ve read before. Our kick-ass heroine is thousands of years old and comfortable with who she is – even if she has suffered and lost during her time in the modern world. While she discovers some big secrets about herself during the course of the story she doesn’t really doubt herself and I like that confidence. Unfortunately not all her allies are telling her the truth...some of story is told is told from other points of view so we know more than Mist does about what is happening which gives me a real pantomime feeling – like I should be shouting “Look behind you!”.

There is plenty of action with Mist getting involved in ice-giant fights as well as magical battles as Loki attempts to establish himself in San Francisco. I also liked the Norse Mythology which makes a difference from the vampires and werewolves that so populate Urban Fantasy. It feels fresh and different especially Mist’s sister Valkeries who don’t appear much in this story but I hope will make more appearances in the next story. There is a lot of ground work laid for future stories which does slow down the story once in a while, but that is common in first books and there is a very unique and intriguing set up.

Recommended for fans of Suzanne Johnson and Chloe Neill. 7 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!

*********************************

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

Early Review: The Boleyn King

The Boleyn King

Laura Andersen

Publisher: Ballantine Books - To Be Published 14th May 2013

What if Anne Boleyn had actually given Henry VIII a son who grew up to be king?  
Just seventeen years old, Henry IX, known as William, is a king bound by the restraints of the regency yet anxious to prove himself. With the French threatening battle and the Catholics sowing the seeds of rebellion at home, William trusts only three people: his older sister Elizabeth; his best friend and loyal counselor, Dominic; and Minuette, a young orphan raised as a royal ward by William’s mother, Anne Boleyn. Against a tide of secrets, betrayal, and murder, William finds himself fighting for the very soul of his kingdom. Then, when he and Dominic both fall in love with Minuette, romantic obsession looms over a new generation of Tudors. One among them will pay the price for a king’s desire, as a shocking twist of fate changes England’s fortunes forever.

Most of the historical books I have read have centred around the Tudor Court with the focus either on Henry VIII and his many wives or his children especially his daughters Mary and Elizabeth. This novel takes that ear and supposes that Anne Boleyn actually succeeded in providing Henry with a son and heir – how would history be different and more intriguingly how would it be the same…?

The story focuses around four young nobles at court – William, the young king just coming into his majority and determined to flex his , his sister Elizabeth, a shrewd political mind with feelings for a young married Robert Dudley, Minuette, lady in waiting to Elizabeth and long-time friend to the royal siblings and Dominic, William’s best friend and counsellor. William is definitely his father’s son with his short temper and desires but with enough of the Boleyn shrewdness mixed in. As the story progressed I wasn’t sure I liked him as a person, but I understood how he reacted. Considering he is an entirely fictional character, he feels like a Tudor king and the whole story cleverly weaves together events and characters that actually happened with this possible world. Considering this is a fantasy historical fictional, I was hard-pressed to tell the difference between make believe and reality. It is also nice to read a historical story that I genuinely didn’t know what was going happen. The drawback with many historical novels is that you know who marries whom and who gets the throne – here, it all felt fresh and invigorating while still maintaining the feel of a historical novel!

Minuette, lady in waiting has a hard task to walk the line between clever and naïve but seems to manage it without seeming sly or cloyingly innocent. Elizabeth is recognisable as a princess who grew up with her mother still very much alive and her sharp eye misses nothing. I really like the way the Kings Uncle, Lord Rochford was regent and the master behind the throne during William’s childhood. He is an intriguing character that I look forward to see more in the next books in this trilogy. The only character who actually disappointed me was Anne Boleyn herself. From what I’ve read I can’t believe that she would have let her brother handle all state affairs without becoming involved herself. Still it was interesting to see the woman who refused to be Henry’s mistress and held out for a crown for 6 years if she had lived longer.

There is a lot of politics in this novel as well romance with a sprinkling of war and intrigue.  I found myself very involved in the story, although I was surprised occasionally at the leaps forward in time. The writing just grabbed me and pulled me into a past that never-was but could have been. Excitement and what could-have-been from characters that felt real and were appealing. The novel is original and sharp and I really can’t wait to read the next books in this trilogy!

Recommended for fans of Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory. 8.5 out of 10

Early Review: Zenn Scarlett

Zenn Scarlett

Christian Schoon

 Publisher: Strange Chemistry

 When you're studying to be exoveterinarian specializing in exotic, alien life forms, school... is a different kind of animal. Zenn Scarlett is a resourceful, determined 17-year-old girl working hard to make it through her novice year of exovet training. That means she's learning to care for alien creatures that are mostly large, generally dangerous and profoundly fascinating. Zenn’s all-important end-of-term tests at the Ciscan Cloister Exovet Clinic on Mars are coming up, and, she's feeling confident of acing the exams. But when a series of inexplicable animal escapes and other disturbing events hit the school, Zenn finds herself being blamed for the problems. As if this isn't enough to deal with, her absent father has abruptly stopped communicating with her; Liam Tucker, a local towner boy, is acting unusually, annoyingly friendly; and, strangest of all: Zenn is worried she's started sharing the thoughts of the creatures around her. Which is impossible, of course. Nonetheless, she can't deny what she's feeling. Now, with the help of Liam and Hamish, an eight-foot sentient insectoid also training at the clinic, Zenn must learn what's happened to her father, solve the mystery of who, if anyone, is sabotaging the cloister, and determine if she's actually sensing the consciousness of her alien patients... or just losing her mind. All without failing her novice year...

More than anything Zenn wants to be an exovet so she can look after and care for all the strange and unusual aliens creatures found across the solar system. Unfortunately her dreams are endangered by the situation on Mars particularly local residents who object to having a cloister full of ‘monsters’ just down the road.

Zenn is a nice character – determined and slightly lonely, but bright and genuinely cares about the creatures she works with. Her friend, Hamish the giant bug is a wonderful character who is struggling to adjust to human society compared to his own hive-like world. However, I found some of the other characters a little flat. The locals sudden dislike of the cloister and it’s residents doesn’t feel motivated by much - it feels like a very superficial dislike and Zenn’s uncle is just a distant caring authority figure who doesn’t really develop a personality. Her love interest Liam is also a little flat to me. However, considering this is a teen book I can forgive some of these elements as morals to impart consider what else is happening.

And there is much happening in this story with multiply sub-plots with the obligatory teen romance, the locals dislike of the cloister and the animals under their care, Zenn’s strange affinity for the animals, her Mother’s death, the political situation between Earth and Mars and the missing interstellar spaceships. However, it doesn’t feel crowded with the pace unfolding at a steady rate and little hints and breadcrumbs from each plot dropped carefully throughout the story. This weaving of the story lines is very good if you are a little bored with one type of story - personally Teen romance just doesn’t push my buttons much these days so I was happy that even this area was linked to the locals dislike of the cloister. I’m really intrigued with the disappearing spaceships and what happened to Zenn’s Mother and both of these areas are teased and hinted at but not resolved – awaiting the sequel to find out more!

The writing is very competent and the fantastic description of these truly alien creatures and how they actually work is wonderfully done. These creatures do add a lot of colour and vibrancy to the story and really makes Zenn stand out from other YA stories at the moment. Overall, I enjoyed the plots and pacing and the unusual setting even if some parts of the characters and plots are a little generic. Looking forward to seeing what the wider worlds hold for Zenn though and will definitely be picking up the sequel

Recommended for fans of Laura Lam and Sarah Alderson. 8 out of 10

Early Review: The Disgrace of Kitty Grey

The Disgrace of Kitty Grey

Mary Hooper

Publisher: Bloomsbury - Released 8th May 2013

 Ecopy Courtesy of Netgalley and Bloomsbury

Kitty is living a happy, carefree life as a dairymaid in the countryside. The grand family she is employed by looks after her well, and she loves her trade, caring for the gentle cows and working in the cool, calm dairy. And then, of course, there is Will, the river man who she thinks is very fond of her, and indeed she is of him. Surely he will ask her to marry him soon? Then one day disaster strikes: Will disappears. Kitty is first worried and then furious. She fears that Will has only been leading her on all this time, and has now gone to London to make his fortune, forgetting about her completely. So when Kitty is asked to go to London to pick up a copy of Pride and Prejudice, the latest novel by the very fashionable Jane Austen, Kitty leaps at the chance to track down Will. But Kitty has no idea how vast London is, and how careful she must be.

Set in Regency England, the story follows milk maid, Kitty Grey who is left with her beau’s young sister after he disappears. She follows him to London with Betsy, the sister and finds herself getting deeper and deeper into trouble. It is amazing how quickly Kitty manages to lose her money and without instant communication that we enjoy today is stranded and friendless. The time is not easy on Kitty especially as she has a young child to look after – which most people assume is hers. A lot of people look down on her because of this and she easily finds herself on the wrong side of the law, even without meaning too. The law doesn’t seem fair and is weighted towards those with money.

Once again Mary Hooper has managed to capture the atmosphere and tone of the era with London bustling, crowded and moving towards a city we might recognise now as well as the gentle country life that hasn’t changed in years of Kitty’s home. I adore the way that the environments described come to life with the sights, sound and smell stirring all senses. Kitty is a sympathic character if naïve and her trials really make you feel for her. The writing is layered simplicity which draws you in, involves your senses, invokes emotions and teaches all at the same time.

This is not a long book and I was able to read it in a couple of sittings, but for those who love and appreciate historical stories with a splash of romance, then Mary Hooper is the author for you. I am a complete fan and still have a couple of book from her back catalogue I want to start reading soon!

Recommended for fans of Ceclia Rees and Sophie MacKenzie. 8 out of 10

Early Review: Brush With Death

Brush with Death (The Gray Whale Inn Mysteries #5)

Karen MacInerney

Publisher: Midnight Ink Books – To Be Released 8^th May 2013

Review Copy Courtesy of Netgalley and Midnight Ink Books

With an upcoming gallery show and a popular artist visiting Cranberry Island, art is on everyone's minds--especially innkeeper Natalie Barnes. When Gwen, Natalie's niece, is invited to present her paintings at the art show, Natalie is torn between worrying about stressed out Gwen, the arrival of her future mother-in-law, and the threat of foreclosure on the Gray Whale Inn. But then Natalie finds Gwen's mentor dead. Will she uncover the truth behind this murder masterpiece?

I haven’t read any of the previous Gray Whale Inn stories but I was able to jump straight into the story and join Natalie with only a slight wobble at the beginning as what felt like a hundred characters were thrown at me in the first couple of chapters. After that though I was able to follow the immensely likeable Natalie and her friends and family as they prepared to welcome a famous artist to their island. Previous stories would probably make me appreciate some of the character development better but to be honest I never felt like I was missing out.

This was a fun, light read that just brought a smile to my face. The descriptions of food that Natalie cooks where mouth watering – and I was pleasantly surprised to find the recipes for most of them at the back of book – I will be sampling some of them soon! The story ambles along – not too slowly but never more than a brisk walk as Natalie and her fellow islanders debate suicide verses murder and gay rights all while knitting, baking and painting.

Comfortably in the cosy mystery groove which only changes towards the end when the murder is revealed when some real peril occurs for the first time. The murderer and motive are not a huge surprise but that’s almost beside the point. In fact even the murder seems like a sub-plot as I was more worried Natalie’s financial woes and her niece’s art show, than an crime. I will have a look to see if I can find any of the other books in this series as they are the literary equivalent of chocolate chip cookies and milk: sweet, tasty and familiar.

Recommended for fans of Janet Evanovich and Joanna Fluke. 8 out of 10

Early Review: Like This, For Ever

Like This, For Ever (Lacey Flint #3)

S.J. Bolton

(Published as Lost in the US)

Publisher: Random House: Released 14th April 2013

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley and Random House UK

A serial killer is being closely watched by one young boy.
Barney knows the killer will strike again soon. The victim will be another boy, just like him. He will drain the body of blood, and leave it on a Thames beach.
There will be no clues for detectives Dana Tulloch and Mark Joesbury to find.There will be no warning about who will be next.
There will be no good reason for young policewoman Lacey Flint to become involved . . . And no chance that she can stay away.

S.J. Bolton has once again delivered a hauntingly tense and atmospheric mystery that is very difficult to put down or even stop thinking about. I always find myself pondering over her stories days after the final page and the crimes seem to linger in my head for far longer than I would like! Without a doubt she has a way of sneaking into my head, playing with my expectations and twisting everything around. For a modern crime thriller, the plot is surprisingly creepy and timeless while the mixture of characters and action blend together seemlessly.

While this is the third book to feature Lacey Flint, this is more of an ensemble piece with Dana Tulloch taking the lead on the murder of five young boys in South London, all found near the river. Lacey is still struggling to come to terms with the events of Now You See Me and Dead Scared, but even if you haven’t read those books, you can start here. SJ Bolton deftly explores how damaged Lacey is without regurgitating the previous stories plots – and for those of us who have read them, there are some great ‘Easter eggs’ in the terms of a couple of cameos who play important parts to the story. Dana Tulloch makes a memorable co-lead and a unique character – being both compassionate and fierce. It’s great seeing two leading female characters that are tough and independent, yet still different in personality in a detective novel.

Added to the two female leads, the other main characters is Barney, a nine year old kid who is smart but emotionally detached. He is a balanced counter-point to the adult view of the murders and gives a street view insight into the atmosphere of those most at risk during some high profile cases. While the characters are all strong and easy to connect with, it is the ever-changing plot that drives the story forward. There are numerous red-herrings and I found myself continually changing my mind about who the killer(s) is/are.

Once again the descriptions of London are a wonderful background to an intense murder mysery and some deceptively gruesome murders and ideas are played with. The involvement of social media like Facebook makes the story even more creepy and intense. I could barely bring myself to stop reading and was on edge for the final hundred pages as I was so involved with the plot. Tense, gripping and beautifully written, this is a murder mystery that stands out in a crowded genre.

Recommended for fans of Amanda Stevens and Chris Carter. 9 out of 10

Early Review: Weird Detectives: Recent Investigations

Weird Detectives: Recent Investigations

Edited by Paula Guran

Publisher: Prime Books - Released on 4th April

Review Copy Courtesy of Netgalley and Prime Books

Paranormal investigators. Occult detectives. Ghost hunters. Monster fighters. Humans who unravel uncanny crimes and solve psychic puzzles; sleuths with supernatural powers of their own who provide services far beyond those normal gumshoes, shamuses, and Sherlocks can. When vampires, werewolves, and things that go "bump" in the night are part of your world, criminals can be as inhuman as the crimes they commit, and magic can seep into the mundane - those who solve the mysteries, bring justice, or even save the world itself, might utter spells, wield wands as well as firearms, or simply use their powers of deduction. Some of the best tales of the last decade from top authors of the 21st century's most popular genres take you down mean streets and into strange crime scenes in this fantastic compilation.

First things first: all these short stories have been published elsewhere previously so if you are after a particular author’s stories just check that you haven’t read it before. I admit I had already read a few of the stories before which dented my enjoyment of this anthology but doesn’t impact the quality and strengths of the stories themselves. Overall, this is a very strong anthology with easy story focusing on a detective encountering the strange, weird and supernatural so works perfect for fans of Urban Fantasy like me!

As with all anthologies there are a couple that stick in your head after you finish. For me one of the strongest stories was “Deal Breaker” by Justin Gustainis which looked in on his hero, Quincy Morris when the devil comes to collect on a deal. I’ve not read any of this series before but I liked Quincy’s quick thinking and the simplicity of the story – one series I will have to explore later, especially as I’m already a fan of his Occult Scene Investigations series. Patricia Brigg’s “Star of David” was also a stand out. Set in the in same world as Mercy Thompson but with complete new characters, I loved the emotional core of a father reconnecting with his daughter after years of estrangement. Plus werewolves in a hospital! J

There was another Fangborn story from Dana Cameron as well, called “Swing Shift”. I was really intrigued by the world she’s set up in another short story and now there is a full length novel set up in the same world, Seven Kinds of Hell – I really need to check it out! Carrie Vaughn also gives us a short story looking at Detective Jess Hardin who appears in some of the Kitty books. Personally I think there could be a great spin-off series starring the Detective with the first investigations into creature of the night. Finally, although I had read it before I have to highlight Jim Butcher’s “Love Hurts” as it’s a wonderful relationship piece for Harry Dresden and Karrin Murphy. Set just before Changes, it deals with some questions fans might have been asking for years.

The list of authors contributing here is very strong with very few weak links in this chain. If you like Urban Fantasy and anthologies, you’ll like this. If you aren’t keen on either then this probably isn’t for you.

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs and Carrie Vaughn. 8 out of 10

Early Review: Black Feathers

Black Feathers

Jospeh D’Lancey

Publisher: Angry Robot – Released 4^th April

Black Feathers is a modern fantasy set in two epochs: the Black Dawn, a time of environmental apocalypse, and generations into the future in its aftermath, the Bright Day.
In each era, a child undertakes a perilous journey to find a dark messiah known as The Crowman. In their hands lies the fate of the planet as they attempt to discover whether The Crowman is our saviour… or the final incarnation of evil.

This is a story of two parts woven together like a piece of rope, strengthening and complementing each other. One element focused on a young boy, Gordon Black set in the recognisable future where everything is breaking down as the world seems to be coming to an end. Certainly the world as we know it! The other thread is on a young girl, Megan in the distant future, where humanity lives much simpler lives, close to the land. They are both on a journey to find the Crowman, but whether he is real or not, good or evil no-one is quite sure...

Gordon’s story is the more disturbing and compelling one for me. The breakdown of society, the Ward’s rise to power and one small boy’s attempt to come to terms with the world has a wonderful mix of secrets, revelations, action and thought provoking conundrums. Not to mention destiny and magic! It was tense, intriguing and involving – I really wanted to give Gordon a hand at times! Megan’s story is also interesting, but much more sedate following a traditional apprentice learning about her powers story. She is a gentle character at heart, if a little impatient and I did like her. However, the story in the future didn’t have the same intensity or urgency that the current day scenes had.

While both stories focus on young people coming into their powers, this is definitely NOT a YA book. There is a lot of extreme violence and the end of the known world does not occur without a fight. The writing was involving and descriptive painting two very different worlds without overloading the background. This was very much a case of the author showing us the world rather than telling us – and that slower exploration of the world builds into a wonderful panorama of humanity. This worked as an apocalyptic novel, a fantasy novel and one that I want to read the sequel too as soon as possible!

Recommended for fans of Peter V Brett and Jennifer Fallon. 8.5 out of 10

Early Review: Through Dead Eyes

Through Dead Eyes

Chris Priestley

Publisher: Bloomsbury – To be released 15^th March 2013

Earc courtesy of Netgalley & Bloomsbury

Alex joins his father on a business trip to Amsterdam. During the day he hangs out with the daughter of a family friend. They visit the usual sights but also coffee shops and flea markets off the beaten track. At one of these markets Alex spots an ancient-looking mask. Before he knows what he's doing he buys it. Later, in his hotel room, he feels compelled to put the mask on. Alex is sucked into a parallel Amsterdam, one from centuries before which begins to reveal the dark past of both the building he is staying in and the little girl who once lived there ...

This was a darkly atmospheric read that plays on your fears and the strangeness of being in a new unfamiliar city. Part of it reads like a travel guide for Amsterdam – a city I must admit has never particularly appealed to me before, but after reading this I feel like I know it and would love to see it in real life now! But despite some wonderful descriptions of the cities past and current states the main focus is on Alex, a teenage boy who has been through a lot – his mum leaving and some trouble at school.

Alex is a great character – isolated, but hoping to connect to someone. Taken out school to an unfamiliar city and then left to a strangers care he starts to learn more about the hotel he and his father are staying in – particularly the merchant and his family who’s house it was. Chris Priestley has managed to build a wonderfully dark and creepy story without any fat to the story. Every sentence and paragraph is economical but purposefully. I managed to read this whole book in one sitting and didn’t look up once as I was so engrossed in the story.

This is the first full length story by Chris that I’ve read, but he has firmly earned his place amongst the top British story tellers for children. At once classic and fresh this is a creepy but enthralling read. High recommended!

Recommended for fans of Philippa Pierce & Gillian Cross. 9 out of 10