Guest Review: Grave Mercy

My cinema buddy, Sarah has popped again to share her thoughts on ninja assassin nuns...and if that doesn't intrigue you, nothing will!

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1)
Robin LaFevers

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. 
Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Whilst I love my current office job, it has seriously impinged on my reading levels in the last 18 months.  Previously, I would get through a book in around 3 days.  Now?  Only one every 6 days.  This means that I am not as much help to Mel when it comes to doing reviews as I used to be, although it does mean that I try my very best to only read books I think I’m really going to enjoy, rather than a lot of ‘oh, I’ll give it a go’ books.  I thought that Grave Mercy looked a book right up my street – thankfully, I was right. 

The premise is not a vastly original one – one character has a horrid childhood, is saved by a seemingly well-meaning group who train them in their field of expertise (in this case, assassination), said character is sent out to dispatch a mark, and instead sparks fly.  However, when the horrid childhood is brought about by a failed attempt at abortion, the well-meaning group is a convent for the training of assassin nuns, and the intended mark is the bastard half-brother to the ruling Duchess it all becomes rather more than un-original!

Our heroine is Ismae, our hero Duval, and, unlike in many fantasy novel romances, both are strong-willed, untrusting and capable of playing the game whilst notching a crossbow.  It was also a very pleasant change to read about two people falling in love with the other’s personality, not their physical appearance.  At no point is either character described as beautiful/handsome/striking/lovely etc etc, instead they both appear to be, well, normal!  On a good day, they scrub up well, on a bad day, they don’t.  A very satisfying novel for us average-lookers! 

Despite doing History A-Level, my knowledge of French history is extremely limited, so I have to admit to having no idea whether or not the events portrayed in Grave Mercy are accurate.  This does mean, however, that I could enjoy the political machinations as they were described, and without bias.  Add to this an alternative take on the subject of Gods that leaves many a question unanswered and many an avenue to be explored, and I am gagging to get my hands on book two in the series.

In short, if you like your romances realistic, your fantasy historical, and your nuns to be assassins, then I defy you to not enjoy Grave Mercy.  One for fans of Naomi Novik and Maria Snyder, 8.5 out of 10.

Guest Review: American Gods

Sometimes it takes a while but when either Sarah, my regular guest reviewer or I like a book we try and persuade the other to read it. Having read and loved American Gods in 2011 (read my review here), Sarah has finally got around to it!

American Gods

Neil Gaiman

Publisher: Headline

Days before his release from prison, Shadow's wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America. Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

Mel reviewed this weighty tome back in 2011, so it shows just how far behind the times I am!  I am most definitely a Neil Gaiman fan, although as I prefer him in ‘straight-up’ fantasy mode, I was a little hesitant about reading one of his more surreal urban fantasy books, especially one as large as this (thank god for the Kindle!).  And speaking of gods/Gods…. 

What happens to the Gods of old? Just because we no longer believe in them, does that mean that no one else does?  Once a God is no longer worshipped, do they still qualify for the title, or do they simply cease? 

Our hero Shadow, an ex-con displaying a wealth of kindness, and the ability to articulate wonderfully exactly what he (and the reader) is thinking at the most perplexing moments, is presented with the physical embodiment of all these questions, and is expected to accept and move on.  His post-prison employer, known by the moniker Mr Wednesday, is a shadowy trickster with more linguistic tricks than a mensa tongue-twister, but the question is, is he a god, or a God?

I have to admit, that this novel was a bit too surreal for my tastes, but it will be up many people’s curvy street (Mel for one!).  If it hadn’t have been for Gaiman’s sublime grasp of storytelling, and his ridiculously likeable hero, I might have had to bail out early.  However, I was in it to the end, which earns this (one for fans of China Mieville) an 8 out of 10 

Guest Review: The Curse of Chalion

So back in May I ran a competition to help choose a birthday book for my guest reviewer, Sarah. She made the decision blind apart from five words...the words that won Sarah's favour were Thrice Dead Foretells Divine Opening and the book was...The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold and here is Sarah's review...

The Curse of Chalion
Lois McMaster Bujold

Publisher: Voyager

A man broken in body and spirit, Cazaril, has returned to the noble household he once served as page, and is named, to his great surprise, as the secretary-tutor to the beautiful, strong-willed sister of the impetuous boy who is next in line to rule. 
It is an assignment Cazaril dreads, for it will ultimately lead him to the place he fears most, the royal court of Cardegoss, where the powerful enemies, who once placed him in chains, now occupy lofty positions. In addition to the traitorous intrigues of villains, Cazaril and the Royesse Iselle, are faced with a sinister curse that hangs like a sword over the entire blighted House of Chalion and all who stand in their circle. Only by employing the darkest, most forbidden of magics, can Cazaril hope to protect his royal charge—an act that will mark the loyal, damaged servant as a tool of the miraculous, and trap him, flesh and soul, in a maze of demonic paradox, damnation, and death.

I had absolutely no idea what I had got myself in for when choosing my birthday giveaway winner blind, and I have to admit, I was a little nervous about what would land on my door step.  So it was with excitement and a little trepidation that I unwrapped The Curse of Chalion.  First thoughts?  I didn’t like the cover, and therefore it would have been an unlikely novel to have grabbed me when browsing Waterstones’ shelves.  Then I read the blurb, and it was with a sense of relief that I realised in my hand I had a swords ‘n’ sorcery tale with a dollop of political intrigue.  Happier, I settled down to read. 

The novel’s hero is Cazaril, a man broken in body, but not in spirit.  Forced to endure slavery as a result of political deceptiveness he is now a free man, but without a job, a home or a purpose.  So he journeys back to the scene of his youthful employment, hoping that the family he once served will allow him to serve them again.  Little does he, or indeed they, know the depths to which he will end up serving them. 

Cazaril is a wonderful lead character – a gentleman in the true sense of the word, but still very much a man.  He possesses an enormous depth of life experience, yet is still only in his 30s, making him the perfect choice to tutor and guide the novel’s equivalent of a princess.  His delight in the simple pleasures of life – good food, good wine, and a good bed – are thoroughly endearing, and ensure that the reader always knows for whom they are championing.

The author has a languid style of writing that builds worlds and characters alike without ever appearing ponderous.  She also introduced me to several new words (peculator and flensed, anyone!?!), which is a feat in itself after however many thousands of books I have read!  All in all this was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and it was also a pleasure to have the whole story in one well-paced novel (another book in this world was published 7 years after The Curse of Chalion, but stars a different character).  Whilst I do like getting to know characters over the course of a series, sometimes it is just nice to know the story is over and done with.  

One for fans of Fiona McIntosh (particularly with the references to Gods and Goddesses) and Karen Miller, 8 out of 10.

Guest Review: The Fury

The Fury
Alexander Gordon Smith

Publisher: Faber and Faber

Imagine if one day, without warning, the entire human race turns against you.
Every single person you meet becomes a bloodthirsty, mindless savage, hell-bent on killing you – and only you.
Friends, family, even your mum and dad, will turn on you. They will murder you.And when they have, they will go back to their lives as if nothing has happened.
The world has the Fury.
It will not rest until you are dead.

Cal, Brick and Daisy are three ordinary teenagers whose lives suddenly take a terrifying turn for the worst. They begin to trigger a reaction in everybody they meet, one that makes friends and strangers alike turn rabid whenever they are close. One that makes people want to tear them to pieces. Cal and the other victims of the Fury – the ones that survive – manage to locate each other. But just when they think they have found a safe place to hide from the world, some of them begin to change...
They must fight to uncover the truth about the Fury before it's too late. But it is a truth that will destroy everything they know about life and death.

Hello all.  It’s been a while since I read a truly supernatural UF, and I’m wondering now what took me so long.  The premise behind The Fury is truly terrifying – what happened if during the course of a day, everyone you met, whether family, friend or stranger, turned into a feral animal intent only on killing you.  Once you are dead, they will walk away as if nothing happened, without the slightest recollection of their behaviour.

This story is at times wonderfully original, especially in a literary world chock full of vampires, werewolves and zombies.  Mel and I often comment that if those species were proved to exist, we would not be too perturbed, however I freely admit to feeling really on edge during the first third of this novel.  I simply could not imagine being in that situation, nor how I would cope.

The young and teenage characters are very real, and very flawed – the kind of kids you would find in any school.  They have to try to find a way to work together, no matter whether they’re the star of the football team, or a high school drop-out.  The way the teenage boys Cal and Brick in particular become so protective of the youngsters is very sweet and without cliché. 

However, the story does stagnate a bit in the middle, and that left me wondering whether Alexander Gordon Smith had added a bit of padding in order to get a second book out of the premise.  The sequel The Storm is due out very shortly, and I am hoping that I will be proved wrong.  

One for fans of James Dashner and Michael Grant, 8 out of 10.

Guest Review: Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson #5)

While we were away on holiday last week my guest reviewer Sarah went through just as many books as me so I've asked her what she thought of one of my favourites...

Silver Bourne (Mercry Thompson #5)
Patricia Briggs

Publisher: Orbit

Being a mechanic is hard work. Mercy Thompson, for instance, just spent the last couple of months trying to evade the murderous queen of the local vampire seethe. And now the leader of the werewolf pack, who's maybe-more-than-just-a-friend, has asked for her help. A book of fae secrets has come to light and they're all about to find out how implacable - and dangerous - the fae can be. 
OK, so maybe her troubles have nothing to do with the job. But she sure could use a holiday...

Ah dear, back from a lovely week away with Mel in Portugal, to her sad loss, and a crazy week trying to deal with a week’s missed work, and an imploding iphone.  Finally there though, so I can now get down to reviewing one of the books I read whilst I was away. 

Now, from my previous reviews of Patricia Briggs’ series, you’ll know how much I love the very real, very likeable, coyote-shape-shifting heroine Mercy Thompson, so I won’t bore you by rehashing just how much I LOVE her!  Instead I’ll limit myself to the story itself.  There has yet to be even a vaguely weak story in this series, and Silver Borne is no exception. 

Arc plots are furthered - including the continuing repercussions from Mercy’s rape (which are so emotionally resonant they make your stomach squirm), the so-magic-its-almost-sentient fae walking stick, and Mercy’s relationship with Adam and the pack - but do not mistake this for a filler book, there is plenty of novel to get your teeth into.  The main sequences place Mercy at odds with homicidal, power-hungry fae, but when the sub-plot concerns Samuel, you know there will be no place for skim-reading.  Samuel’s story takes a turn that is so out of left-field I was bowled over – without giving the game away, Briggs yet again tackles an emotionally sensitive issue with power, passion and precision.

Whilst book 4 has been my favourite in the series thus far, that opinion does not decry in the least from Silver Borne, which was a captivating, pacey read with real depth, showcasing once again Briggs’ ridiculous talent as a fantasy author.  One for fans of Kelley Armstrong and Carrie Vaughn, 9 out of 10.

Guest Post: A Discovery Of Witches

Today my regularly guest reviewer Sarah reviews a book I had been looking forward too for a while. One of our other friends raved about it but from the sounds of things Sarah wasn't so keen on it. Hmm...I'm tempted to have my own read soon to see what I think! :-)

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1)
Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Headline

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. 

Oh I do hope this review will arrive when the sun is shining.  My horse is moulting like crazy, creating mini tribbles every time I groom her, and I’ve got a hankering for chick-lit set in exotic locations, so surely spring must be on its way??? 

Anyway, enough wishful thinking, I have views to impart!  Views on a book that has been called ‘the new Twilight’, and featured heavily in the Sunday Times Bestsellers list.  A Discovery of Witches is the first in the story of Diana, a history academic based at Oxford university, who is also a witch that does not want, and seemingly does not use, her powers.  This book is classic Urban Fantasy, with witches, daemons and vampires existing as unobtrusively as possible in our modern-day world.  All of these creatures feature heavily throughout A Discovery of Witches, but it is an ancient, tall and handsome vampire, that enters Diana’s life, and turns her quiet existence totally upside down.

 The premise seemed promising, as I quite enjoyed the (earlier) Twilight books, and I loved the fact it was set in Oxford.  Indeed, Oxford is lovingly and intimately described, and I could virtually smell the books of the Bodleian Library.  Even the 600-plus pages didn’t put me off at first, that is, until I got into the book.  I felt that it really, REALLY, didn’t need to be that long.  In fact, I reckon I could have edited it down to half the size, and you wouldn’t have known.  Deborah Harkness is obviously a good writer, so I was totally at a loss to understand why she labored so many points – yes, I get that Matthew is pale, yes, I get that he is tall, yes, I get that he is fiercely protective of Diana, so why mention them, hmmm, every other page?  The pace of the novel is so slow that the action/emotional scenes lack any real punch, as I had lost all drive by the time I got to them.

I also never really warmed to Diana, or indeed Matthew (which, considering my predilection for tall, dark, slightly dangerous men, is very unusual!).  Diana is stupidly stubborn, annoyingly invasive of other’s privacy, and has a very frustrating tendancy to swoon and require Matthew to carry her around.  There were side characters that grabbed my interest – the brooding, Scottish politician Hamish and the touched-by-madness pregnant daemon Sophie in particular – but they do not feature enough to drag my emotions concerning the cast list beyond lukewarm.  I do admit to loving Diana’s family home though, a house that adds rooms when unexpected guests arrive, hides secrets, and expels those it doesn’t like.

Overall, unfortunately in A Discovery of Witches I found a book that didn’t, for me, live up to the hype.  A beautiful, lavishly described setting did not make up for pedestrian pacing, and some intriguing cast members (and house) could not fill the void left by indifferent leads.  I was left with no desire to read the sequel, and therefore cannot score the book more than 5 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.

Guest Review: Clockwork Angel

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)
Cassandra Clark

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

I'm never quite sure what to make of prequels. They invariably offer an interesting background to later events, and there is definitely a certain frisson to seeing the younger version of later heros/heroines, or indeed their ancestors. However, unless you have read the original series recently, or are lucky enough to have an excellent memory for book plots (like Mel!) they can often prove frustrating. There are people I know I should remember, but can't, and events happen that I know are significant to later-occurring books, but just can't remember what!

However, if I had not known that Clockwork Angel was a prequel to Cassandra Clare's highly readable Mortal Instruments series, you would be reading a review with very little negativity at all. Whilst most definitely of the YA genre, with plenty of teenage angst and belief in their own invincibility, Clockwork Angel is a rampantly engaging book. A supernatural Victorian London is always a good setting for a novel, full of soot and fog and dark street corners. Add into the mix an unknowingly supernatural heroine, two very troubled but dashing heros, some dastardly villains and an author with flair, and Clockwork Angel is easy to consume in a day.

Yes, the action sequences, whilst edged with peril and adrenaline, are not as graphic and absorbing as you are treated to by authors such as James Barclay. There are also a few storyline 'hints' that to an experienced reader are almost clangers. These don't detract from the overall readability though, and if you enjoy the YA genre, I'm sure you will enjoy Clockwork Angel too. One for fans of Becca Fitzpatrick and Jana Oliver, 7.5 out of 10

Guest Post: Magic Burns (Kate Daniels #2)

Magic Burns (Kate Daniels #2)
Ilona Andrews

Publisher: Ace Fantasy

As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one. When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, Celtic god Morfran supersedes goddess Morrigan for witch coven worshippers of the Crow, and sea monsters from the Underworld enter via the Cauldron of Plenty. Kate starts looking for Pack maps and 13-year old Julia's witch mother, and ends up uniting shapeshifters and vampire zombie controllers to save the world.

Hello everyone, I’m back to help Mel out whilst she deals with a very difficult time in her life.  This is about the only non-Christmas related book I’ve read over the Festive period, and one that Mel told me I could only borrow if I reviewed for her. :-)

Magic Burns continues the story of Kate Daniels, a feisty, mouthy heroine who can just as easily wield a sword as a magical power word.  In her version of Atlanta, the normally sedate transition between the times of magic and technology have been whipped into a frenzy as a magical flare approaches.  Magical beings find their grip on logic failing, and gods and goddesses start making a play for earth-based power.

The characters we encountered in the first in the series nearly all make a comeback, and Kate’s dealings with Curran, Ghastek and Saiman are again highly entertaining.  She’s not all mouth and action this time though, and the reader gets to see some deep emotions behind the feisty façade.  Her interactions with a young girl in particular only serve to heighten Kate’s likeability.

Ilona Andrews once again delivers in the action scenes too, and the book is fast-paced and involving from start to finish, ensuring that the 270-odd pages simply fly by.  The snippets relating to Kate’s heritage are especially delicious, and as tantalizing as the pick and mix stall I keep wandering past on the way to work!

An excellent installment to both the series, and the fantasy genre in general, and one for fans of Patricia Briggs and Carrie Vaughn, 8 out of 10.

Guest Review: Prey (Shifters #4)

Sarah, my guest reviewer is stopping by with another review for us today!

Prey (Shifters #4)

- Rachel Vincent

Publisher: MIRA

Sometimes playing cat and mouse is no game...Play? "Right." My Pride is under fire from all sides, my father's authority is in question and my lover is in exile. Which means I haven't laid eyes on Marc's gorgeous face in months. And with a new mother "and" an I-know-everything teenager under my protection, I don't exactly have time to fantasize about ever seeing him again. Then our long-awaited reunion is ruined by a vicious ambush by strays. Now our group is under attack, Marc is missing and I will need every bit of skill and smarts to keep my family from being torn apart. Forever.

Hello all.  Ah, we are rapidly approaching the most AMAZING time of year, one I literally use the other 11 months of the year to plan for.  I am therefore reading a lot of Christmas-based fiction / non-fiction at the mo, just to ramp up my excitement levels to the cusp of a mental meltdown.  However, I am still finding time for plenty of fantasy reading, starting with Rachel Vincent’s Prey, the fourth in the UF Faythe Sanders series. 

Faythe, to those of you who haven’t met her yet, is a sassy, mouthy, fiercely loyal werecat, with a penchant for allowing situations to run away with her without stopping to think of the consequences.  This character trait in particular leads her to some dark and dangerous places, especially as in Prey her entire Pride is separated, threatened and undermined.  She continues to mature and grow into her role though, a process that Rachel Vincent is carefully crafting as the series progresses.  Her interactions with a willful, hormonal and stressed teenager in particular offer amusing reading when compared to the Faythe from book 1.

Prey does take a long while to really get going though, and does suffer somewhat from its own version of ‘middle part of a trilogy syndrome’.  It is obviously setting the scene for the rest of the series, and will no doubt become a vitally important read in that respect, but to me this does mean that the pace does become rather pedestrian at times.  There is also an awful lot of discussion on food and coffee consumption, which I did find grating after a while.

All in all Prey is a must-read if you’re following the series, but not a great standalone novel.  One for fans of Kelley Armstrong and Patricia Briggs, 7.5 out of 10.

Guest Review: Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson #3)

Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson #3)
- Patricia Briggs

Publisher: UK - Orbit

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape - but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not. Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her.

Hello Mel followers, I’m back because I literally just finished this book, and had to review it instantly.  To those of you whom haven’t been introduced to this series yet, our heroine Mercy Thompson is a fiercely independent skinwalker, brought up by werewolves and now working in a garage she bought from a gremlin.  Yes, these books are as Urban Fantasy as you can get, and as good a read as your likely to find in the genre.

I fell in love with Mercy very early in book 1, but this installment has firmly cemented her, and this series, into my favourite reads.  I think this is primarily because, like Mercy, I HATE being told what to do.  In fact, I will often change my plan simply because someone told me to do something.  In reality I think this would mean that Mercy and I would be either best of friends or mortal enemies!  Aside from Mercy though, the supporting cast are anything but bit-players.  Like Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs manages to create a large cast of well-rounded figures that you really care about, as well as a love triangle that is truly tangled (although, for once, it looks like going the way I want!).

Iron Kissed itself is one hell of a read – by the time the story reached it height I was literally breathless with the adrenaline rush, and had to postpone starting work just so I could finish it.  In the aftermath of Mercy’s deadly dance with fae, humans and weres her emotions were so involvingly described that it had me in tears, and the revelation about an antagonistic side character’s past was well-played.

If you haven’t started this series yet, please don’t jump in at book 3, just get here as quickly as you can…  One for fans of Kelley Armstrong, 9 out of 10.

Guest Review: The Final Empire

Sarah's around again with a book I have to confess I hadn't heard off before....but then Sarah does read more fantasy than me!

The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
- Brandon Sanderson

Publisher: Gollancz

A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash fields. But now a troublemaker has arrived and there is rumour of revolt. A revolt that depends on criminal that no-one can trust and a young girl who must master Allomancy - the magic that lies in all metals. 

Ha ha ha, my turn to read a book that Mel hasn’t even heard of, and I’m hoping it is one that she will someday pick up (although, with the size of her TBR pile, it could be a long time coming…).  The Final Empire kicks start the Mistborn trilogy with aplomb, providing a refreshing look at the swords ‘n’ sorcery genre by asking the question ‘what would happen if the Dark Lord won?’

In Mistborn, magic can only be wielded by the nobility, and only by those who have the ability to ‘burn’ specific metals.  Yes, instead of metal ingestion being fatal, if you have the innate gift, you can change the metal into a powerful tool.  The majority of those able to practice allomancy can only utilize one metal, but to a privileged few, all metals can be used to their advantage.  This novel’s Dark Lord is one such person, and his powers are so great that he is able to manipulate the emotions of virtually every underdog in the city at once, keeping them obedient, compliant, and peaceful.  That is, until the (almost unbelievably) charismatic Kelsier, and his thieving crew decide to do something about it.

As Kelsier’s plans progress he is introduced to the heroine of our tale, the untrusting, emotionally broken, but ultimately strongly gifted, Vin, a young, scrawny, teenage girl.  As a reader I really appreciated Vin’s ingrained wariness, and how she doesn't instantly capitulate to Kelsier’s charm.  Too many novels contain characters that change their behavior with little effort from others – in reality, if you have been damaged, you do not heal quickly.  Even in the final chapters, Vin’s past is still affecting the way she interacts with others.

Sanderson as an author has a real way with action sequences, leaving you breathless in the way that very few authors can.  Yes, he is not James Barclay (my Holy Grail of action writer), but Sanderson is definitely in that vicinity in my book.  I have heard that later installments in this series are a little disappointing after this great introduction, but I will be making my own mind up about them in the not too distant future I am sure!  

One for fans of Trudi Canavan and Glenda Larke, 8 out of 10.

Guest Review: Magic Bites

One thing I love about blogging is being able to recommend books to other people - and I couldn't believe I had let my regular reviewer go so long without trying one of my favourite UF series, so here's Sarah's Magic Bites Review!

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1)
- Ilona Andrews

Publisher: Ace Fantasy

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake. Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles. The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way...

Hello all. I was once again allowed to raid Mel’s EXTENSIVE library, with her firmly pointing the way towards this UF (but with a smattering of swords ‘n’ sorcery) novel. After reading it I felt compelled to write a review, even if only as an apology to Mel for the fact that I have coughed my way through the last 3 films we have watched at the cinema (anyone got a new set of lungs I could have??!!). That aside, this book definitely deserves to be reviewed as it’s a whole lot of fun.

 

Magic Bites it set in a compelling future where magic and technology are both firmly in existence, but never at the same time. This premise creates a wonderful cast of people that can just as easily shoot a gun or drive a car, as they can erect wards and behead vampires. Our heroine Kate Daniels exists perfectly well in the technological world, but it is when the magic surfaces that she comes into her own. With her power words, magical sword and solid training, she is another butt-kicking, strong female lead that we can all appreciate. I especially love the fact that her mouth can quite often run away with her, leading her into trouble when she least needs it (a Kate Daniels/Harry Dresden mouth-off would be the stuff of legend!).

 

Your basic whodunnit at heart, Magic Bites has plenty of action and intrigue, although I did half guess the killer very early on (one of those ‘it can’t be that easy, can it?’ moments that has you second guessing yourself until the moment you’re proved right). There are also plenty of ‘auxilary’ cast members that I cannot wait to hear more from – particularly Saiman (a shape-changing character in search of the perfect male form, but with such an amazing brain that people are willing to pay $26 a minute for his help!) and Curran (the Beast-Lord of Atlanta who packs so much testosterone I’m surprised people don’t literally swoon in his wake).

 

All in all an excellent start to a series I will literally be begging Mel for. One for fans of Patricia Briggs and Carrie Vaughn, 8.5 out of 10.

Guest Review: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Guess what one of my friends got me for my birthday? A review! And not just any review - The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. This was one of my favourite reads before I started blogging and I still love it. I feel a little bad that Emma hadn't read it before now - if I'd have known I would have forced her to read it and the rest of the trilogy...

 

The Knife of Never-Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1)

- Patrick Ness

 

Publisher: Walker

 

Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives. But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

 

I thought I'd get Mel a review for her birthday this year, to be deployed whenever she needs it. Happy Birthday Mel! Hope you like it. Hope all of Mel's lovely readers like it too.

I have to start this review with a confession, and a digression: I have become slightly obsessed with China Mieville's wonderful books recently; because of this I jumped at the chance to see him speak at the Edinburgh Book Festival. The event was excellent, largely due to the lively interaction between China and his interviewer, Patrick Ness. Intrigued, I looked Ness up, not really being aware of his books before then, and discovered he's best known for writing multi-award winning Young Adult fiction. Well, one itchy kindle finger later I became the owner of a copy of The Knife of Never Letting Go, book one in his Chaos Walking trilogy:

"Imagine you're the only boy in a town of men. And you can hear everything they think. And they can hear everything you think. Imagine you don't fit in with their plans... Todd Hewitt is just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man. But his town has been keeping secrets from him. Secrets that are going to force him to run..."

I wasn't planning to buy this book. All I intended to do was download the first few pages to satisfy my curiosity about the author and his work. But I found myself drawn in, found myself compelled to read on. From the first page you're plunged directly into the head of Todd, a grumpy 12 year old, counting the days until his 13th birthday, when he'll finally, finally become a man. There's a lot of Todd which reminded me of Just William - he's got the same shoe scuffing impatience with the adult world - but unlike William, there's no warm, loving family to support him, and many of his grumblings and suspicions are very justified. Todd's world is dominated by Noise from every living thing near him. Every man can hear the thoughts of every other, resulting in a howling cacophony, impossible to block out unless you're completely alone. His world is also completely lacking women; they all died just after he was born, from the same illness that caused the Noise. It's hardly surprising that Todd's village, the only village in the world, a village that's slowly dying out, is not a nice place to live. However, as is often the case, things aren't quite what they seem, and when Todd finds a mysterious hole in the Noise we're flung into his fast-paced, thrilling race for answers.

I really enjoyed this book. It was refreshing to find a main character who wasn't a teenager, or a precocious genius child, wise beyond their years, but someone who felt absolutely what he was - 12 years old. It's a fast read, mainly because as the tension ramps up, my ability to put it down decreased accordingly. I'd definitely recommend it. 9/10

Recommended for fans of Philip Pullman, oh and Richard Crompton of course!

Guest Review: Pride - Rachel Vincent

Pride (Shifters #3)
- Rachel Vincent

Publisher: MIRA

I'm on trial for my life. Falsely accused of infecting my human ex-boyfriend--and killing him to cover up the crime. Infecting a human is one of three capital offenses recognized by the Pride--along with murder and disclosure of our existence to a human.
I'm two for three. A goner.
Now we've discovered a rogue stray terrorizing the mountainside, hunting a wild teenage tabbycat. It's up to us to find and stop him before a human discovers us. With my lover Marc's help, I "think" I can protect the vulnerable girl from both the ambitious rogue and the scheming of the territorial council.
"If" I survive my own trial...

Hello Mel readers, I’m back again, and this time reviewing a book from Mel’s favourite genre (UF), and from a favoured series of hers too. Pride is the third visit to Rachel Vincent’s werecats, and my definite favourite thus far.

 

 

Pride is one of those books that grabs you by the shirt front right from the beginning and demands to be read, constantly. If work hadn’t got in the way I’d have read it in one sitting. As it was, I did seem to take VERY long lunchbreaks on the two days in which it took me to devour this book.

 

 

It follows straight on from the events in Rogue, with Faythe facing the wrath of a Territorial Council tribunal for her acts in that book. Acts that could lead to her execution. Pride as a novel is well named – it is as much about the pride of the werecats involved, as it is the preservation of their own Prides. Faythe especially needs to be mindful of her pride (and Pride), and her selfish side. She is growing as a person – this time around she even manages to talk herself out of trouble on occasion – but she still has a long way to go, and this means later books will be even more involving I’m sure.

 

 

Faythe’s daddy complex does get a little grating – yes, he’s her Alpha, and a loving father, but does she really need to call him ‘daddy’ whilst being tried for murder? Rather infantile, and doesn’t quite sit with her all-out sassy, stubborn nature. She doesn’t so much push her boundaries as kick them firmly in the arse and point to the exit. An attitude that is wonderfully endearing to the reader, yet still manages to make you want to shake her on occasion (or maybe not, she is a teeth and claws werecat after all!)

 

 

A fantastically enjoyable read nonetheless, although I wouldn’t recommend starting the series here. One for fans of Kelley Armstrong and Patricia Briggs, 8.5 out of 10.

Guest Review: Die For Me

I've been a little behind on my reading recently so Sarah is helping out with some more reviews at the moment...

Die For Me
- Amy Plum

Publisher: Harper Teen

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.
When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent. Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again...

Hello all. Mel’s been having a bit of a hard time of it recently, so I’m afraid you’ll have some more regular reviews from me for a bit! Today is the turn of Amy Plum’s YA book Die For Me, which was recommended by several of you during my birthday giveaway. You seemed to really enjoy it, and so did I I’m glad to report.

 

Whilst Die For Me has several of the usual YA fantasy traits – girl meets beautiful boy, they fall in love, evil tries to wreck it all – it also has an interesting twist to the human girl/undead boy combination. Our human girl Kate is struggling to come to terms with the death of her parents, as well as the move from America to Paris with her older sister Georgia, to live with her grandparents. It is during the long, lonely summer holidays that she meets Vincent, a serious undead hotty. But Vincent isn’t a vampire (woo hoo) – he’s a revenant. A self-sacrificing man whom, because he died originally to save another, has been granted immortality, and the need to continually die in the place of others.

 

Kate’s continuing depression at the loss of her parents, and her initial reluctance to get involved with Vincent, are refreshing differences to the usual YA fantasy world. As is her thoroughly likeable sister and both her and Vincent’s loveable families. However, it’s not all totally unique – when Kate does fall for Vincent, her continuing disbelief that the gorgeous revenant would look at her, is an all too familiar experience.

 

The other thing that really gets to me in these types of books, is the fact that NO ONE ever seems to find the fact that essentially a 90-year-old man is dating a 16-year-old girl totally disturbing. Yes, he may look 19, but he has lived those 90 years. I’m only a third of Vincent’s age, and there’s no way I’d date a teenager!!! The lack of maturity would drive me mad!

 

That aside, Die For Me is a very enjoyable read and I fairly flew through it. I don’t know if a sequel is out there yet, but if so I’d have no qualms about picking it up. One for fans of the Twilight books, Cynthia Hand and Becca Fitzpatrick, 7.5 out of 10.

Guest Review: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell

Last month was a lonely month for me when my cinema buddy and guest reviewer Sarah was on holiday, but good news is that she's back! And even better she's done a review for us - although I get the impression Sarah wasn't very taken with this story!

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
- Susanna Clarke

Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

At the dawn of the nineteenth century, two very different magicians emerge to change England's history. In the year 1806, with the Napoleonic Wars raging on land and sea, most people believe magic to be long dead in England--until the reclusive Mr Norrell reveals his powers, and becomes a celebrity overnight. Soon, another practicing magician comes forth: the young, handsome, and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's student, and they join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic, straining his partnership with Norrell, and putting at risk everything else he holds dear.

This book had been sitting on my Kindle for a while, until the pull of a historical fantasy drew me in to the 19th Century world of gentleman magicians Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. I started the book on my morning commute, and reached work having read.... 1%. Yes, the best part of 3/4 hour reading for 1% of book. This book is BIG. Very, very BIG. So big in fact that I regularly texted Mel things like '15%', '22%' and the very joyous '51%'!

The problem was, I couldn't work out why the book was so long. In fact, I never really worked out what the book was about! Was it human v non-human? Good v evil? A love story? A fictional treatise on magic in England? It is all of these, and also, ultimately, none of them. Being a frustrated author myself I was always taught the importance of having structure in a novel - a beginning, a middle and an end if you will. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell has a beginning, and then, well, just rambles on. And on. And on.

I also couldn't work out why Susanna Clark insisted on using about a dozen Olde Worlde words. It was obvious that we were in early 19th Century England, so I'd have preferred either all Olde Worlde words, or none, as the few used just ended up looking glaringly out of place.

So, sorry Mel's Random Reviews followers, but a negative review from me for once. I personally don't recommend it, and give it 4 out of 10.

Guest Review: Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1)

Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1)
- Patricia Briggs

Publisher: UK - Orbit

Mercy Thompson's life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself--she's a shape-shifter.

As I type this, London is bathed in brilliant sunshine and soaring temperatures. Whilst this is lovely if you do not have to work, for us commuters it quickly becomes hell in a metal tube… In order to combat feelings of light-headedness/nausea/claustrophobia I recommend a really good book – such as Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series! I started Book 1 – Moon Called – on the way to work the other morning, and finished it on the journey in the very next day.

Mercedes (Mercy) Thompson is an American skinwalker, a stubborn, fiercely independent woman, and a car mechanic. Yep, a car mechanic called Mercedes! Not the most subtle of jokes, but Briggs doesn’t labour the point. As a skinwalker, Mercy can change into a coyote at will, and unlike her werewolf neighbours her life is not dictated by pack politics and wolfy tempers. However, that doesn’t mean that pack issues and posturing dominant males don’t regularly intrude.

Mercy is dragged into the affairs of the local wolf pack when a young were comes to her for help, a simple situation that somehow leads to bloodshed, silver bullets, witchy clear-up, furniture abuse, fae daggers, vampires and posturing alpha males.

Moon Called is a really, really enjoyable UF read. It’s fast-paced, but not at the expense of character development, with a well-developed world, but still with the capacity to expand as the series progresses. The weres may be ‘typical’ in their behavior – aggressive, possessive, hot-tempered and loyal – but they are still massively entertaining characters and have done nothing to change my preference for a werewolf over a vampire boyfriend!

One for fans of Kelley Armstrong (yes, I do rate the series that highly!) 8.5 out of 10.