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: 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  

Transcendence Review

Transcendence

C. J. Omololu

Publisher: Bloomsbury

When a visit to the Tower of London triggers an overwhelmingly real vision of a beheading that occurred centuries before, Cole Ryan fears she is losing her mind. A mysterious boy, Griffon Hall, comes to her aid, but the intensity of their immediate connection seems to open the floodgate of memories even wider. As their feelings grow, Griffon reveals their common bond as members of the Akhet-an elite group of people who can remember past lives and use their collected wisdom for the good of the world. But not all Akhet are altruistic, and a rogue is after Cole to avenge their shared past. Now in extreme danger, Cole must piece together clues from many lifetimes. What she finds could ruin her chance at a future with Griffon, but risking his love may be the only way to save them both.

Nicole is struggling with flashes of times and places she can’t possibly know about. She fears she is going crazy until she starts to fall for Griffon, who helps explain that she is Ankh – one a few souls who can remember past lives. This sets the scene for a mixture of cross era romance, mystery and coming of age.

I loved the idea of a select few who are born over and over again and struggle to make the world a better place for the rest of humanity. The murder mystery from one of Nicole’s past lives was intriguing especially as anyone she knew could also be Ankh and someone from a past life. I never know who to trust and kept changing my mind about who was who! Nicole was a pleasant lead – her skill with cello was an interesting element which added an extra layer to both the story and her character. Her dedication with hours of practise makes her stand our as different from other teens in YA. Griffin was an ok love interest but never really stood out as anything more than someone convenient to explain to Nicole what was happening, in my opinion. However, his recall of his past lives could make the relationship seem a little bizarre given their ‘different’ ages but CJ Omololu manages to get the balance right so it never feels creepy.

For me both London and San Francisco stood out as fantastic historic places to set the scene and added a lot of flavour to the story. I have to add a little note about the front cover which I adore. The colours and the windswept look of Nicole are just fantastic.

Overall this was an easy read with some interesting plot arcs being set up for future books. I good summer read!

Recommended for fans of Jeri Smith-Ready and Amanda Ashby. 7 out of 10

A Choose Your Own Adventure Review: Beyond Escape!

Choose Your Own Adventure #15: Beyond Escape!

By R. A. Montgomery

Publisher: Chooseco

The new nation of Turtalia is caught in a death struggle with the evil Doradan state.  Warfare has spread to San Francisco, where a determined band of guerrillas is holding out in the hills watching the destruction of this once-beautiful city.  With the stakes high--for freedom, democracy and the rule of law and not men--the struggle against the police state of Dorado is fierce.  But the spectre of none of these freedoms is worse.  Don't give up!

I remember borrowing a lot of these Choose Your Own Adventure stories from the local library when I was younger. I loved the excitement and feeling of power from deciding how the story would progress – after all we’ve all had those moments when you just want to reach into your current book and either give the characters a big hug, shake some sense into them or kick the bad guys on the shins. I received this particular book recently as a gift from a friend who had visited the Strand Bookshop in New York (I plan to make a pilgrimage there myself at some point!) and I was excited to dive into some nostalgia and ‘choose my own adventure’!

In this story, the US has been split into two new countries: Turtalia, a democratic country and Dorada, an evil dictatorship. You work for the country of Turtalia and immediately have to decide whether to look for your missing spies deep in Doradan or go after an escaped spy who has stolen top level files from your base. After that the adventure splits and you keep making decisions going to different pages depending on what you decide. My first read through I ended up being blown out of the air in a helicopter by an alien spaceship. Not exactly what I was expecting. My second time I ended having my mind wiped and having the brain capacity of a three year old! A few further choices and I ended up rescuing my lost spies along with critical information about Doradan’s invasion plans, trapped with rebels deep in Dorada, lost in the wilderness, captured by Doradan forces and offering an alien civilisation refuge on Earth in return for their help beating Dorada.

I have to admit that after a while flipping between all these pages was a little wearing – especially as characterisation was limited. ‘You’ even end speaking to yourself a lot in the story to remind the reading what you have chosen. Sometimes the different directions you end up in are so bizarre – your choice seems to be what makes aliens good or bad, whether Dorada invades or not. Other people aren’t consistent with their actions and characters – one guy will be a rebel if you decide one thing and the same guy will be a spy if you decide something else while in ‘real’ life he would be one thing or the other no matter if you decide to sit at the table or leave. Overall, this was a fun little diversion but there is a reason this time of story doesn’t work for adult readers.

Recommended for young readers. 7 out of 10

The Spellman's Strike Again Review

The Spellman’s Strike Again (Spellman Files 4)

-          Lisa Lutz

Publisher: UK – Pocket Books

At the ripe old age of thirty-two, former wild child Isabel "Izzy" Spellman has finally agreed to take over the family business. And the transition won't be a smooth one. First among her priorities as head of Spellman Investigations is to dig up some dirt on the competition, slippery ex-cop Rick Harkey--a task she may enjoy a little too much. Next, faced with a baffling missing-persons case at the home of an aging millionaire, Izzy hires an actor friend, Len, to infiltrate the mansion as an undercover butler--a role he may enjoy a little much. Meanwhile, Izzy is being blackmailed by her mother (photographic evidence of Prom Night 1994) to commit to regular blind dates with promising professionals--an arrangement that doesn't thrill Connor, an Irish bartender on the brink of becoming Ex-boyfriend #12.

This is one book I’ve left on my TBR pile for too long! The Spellman’s are curious, more curious than any cat. This is a great trait in an investigator and as the Spellman’s all work as Private Investigators in San Francisco you’d be forgiven for thinking they were great at their job. And they are. Trouble is they bring it home with them (well, the office is on their home so it’s not a long commute!). However, the Spellman’s spend most of their time spying, blackmailing and investigating each other. They definitely put the fun into dysfunctional.

Izzy is the middle child, former tearaway teen and now trying to be respectable investigator after three previous books of mishaps, arrests and therapy. Izzy is a very likeable character – she likes good whiskey, junk food, Doctor Who and is trying to curb the amount of additional investigating she does. But she still has to deal with blackmailing parents, a determined but pushy younger sister, a perfect older brother – not mention the bartender Irish boyfriend and police detective friend. This book has several mysteries and investigations running through it – some are about daily family life, others are more serious and tackle police corruption, but it never feels like a heavy read.

The story is much more linear than the other Spellman books, but with just as many great lines and comedic moments. It made a great change to read something so light-hearted and sweet without feeling like I’d been dosed up on sugar! I would highly recommend this whole series if you want an entertaining and immersive look at a family that will make yours seem positively normal. One of the engaging books I’ve read in a while – and certainly different from other mysteries.

Recommended for fans of Janet Evanovich and Victoria Laurie. 8 out of 10

Red-Headed Stepchild Review

Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane - Book 1)
- Jaye Wells

Publisher: UK – Orbit

In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn't really fit in. And being an assassin - the only profession fit for an outcast - doesn't help matters. But she's never brought her work home. Until now. Her latest mission is uncomfortably complex, and threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races. As Sabina scrambles to figure out which side she's on, she uncovers a tangled political web, some nasty facts about her family and some unexpected new talents. Any of these things could be worryingly life-changing, but together, they could be fatal ...

I picked this book up shortly after it first came out having been persuaded by the advertising campaign, but it’s never made it to the top of my TBR pile until now. Having seen that my TBR pile features a lot of Urban Fantasy I’ve decided to start reading and weed out the good (loads of series for me to follow!) from the dreadful (plenty of that in the genre as well!).
RH SC was an easy read. The world was nothing new to readers of UF but has some fun twists on the usual set up such as apple being poisonous to vampires (even cider!). At it’s heart it’s a lonely, hard-assed girl learning to connect to people. Sabina doesn’t worry about killing people (she is an assassin after all) or drinking blood, but over the course of the story she makes friends with a wood Nymph and starts to trust a mage – a race vampires usually despise. She also learns her family isn’t all she thought it was. There was nothing challenging in the story but it balanced some light hearted moment involving a demon cat and action as well skating close to issues of rape and assault, but generally landed on the lighter side. There are a few revelations which set up the next two books and will have me looking out for the next book - The Mage in Black.

Fans of Kitty Noville and Sookie Stackhouse might enjoy this for a different view on creatures of the night.

Rating: 7 out of 10