Charming (Pax Arcana #1) Review

Charming (Pax Arcana #1)

Elliott James

Publisher: Orbit

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley & Orbit

John Charming isn't your average Prince... 
He comes from a line of Charmings — an illustrious family of dragon slayers, witch-finders and killers dating back to before the fall of Rome. Trained by a modern day version of the Knights Templar, monster hunters who have updated their methods from chainmail and crossbows to kevlar and shotguns, he was one of the best. That is — until he became the abomination the Knights were sworn to hunt.
That was a lifetime ago. Now, he tends bar under an assumed name in rural Virginia and leads a peaceful, quiet life. One that shouldn't change just because a vampire and a blonde walked into his bar... Right?

The first in a new Urban Fantasy series is usually a delicate balancing act of introducing new characters, world building especially how their world varies from ours and plot and while the story might lack a little, the characters and the world-building are great foundations for a series. It just feels like a little bit more mixing is needed but for the first in a series, this is a good effort and I will definitely be continuing with this series!

Charming has some interesting characters with a mix of powers and abilities although some characters are better developed than others; I liked Sig and her Valkyrie powers – she doesn’t just fall for John’s charms, but struggles with her current relationship and fitting John into her group. In many other books Sig would have been the main character but John Charming takes the lead. John has been on the run for a long time and has a very mixed heritage which makes him unique. When he runs into Sig and starts meeting the rest of her team, you really feel this is the first time he has interacted with anyone on a more than superficial level for a long time.

The world of magic and supernatural creatures is hidden from ours through old fae magic called the Pax Arcana and there are plenty of asides that give you the impression of a wider world still to be explored. So the weak link is really the plot. The search for the new vampire who may pose a drastic threat to humanity in the future is simply lacking any momentum. There is very little time spent building the vampire as a credible threat now or any personality for her which would add tension to the hunt. As such when the big finale arrived it was underwhelming and lacked any emotional resonance.

There is potential for an intriguing world and an expanded universe with so many possibilities so I will give the series a chance and see if the next book allows all the elements to work together.

Recommended for fans of Benedict Jacka and MLN Hanover. 7 out of 10

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: Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)

Sarah J Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury - To Be Release 15th August 2013

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley and Bloomsbury

Eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien is bold, daring and beautiful – the perfect seductress and the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But though she won the King’s contest and became his champion, Celaena has been granted neither her liberty nor the freedom to follow her heart. The slavery of the suffocating salt mines of Endovier that scarred her past is nothing compared to a life bound to her darkest enemy, a king whose rule is so dark and evil it is near impossible to defy. Celaena faces a choice that is tearing her heart to pieces: kill in cold blood for a man she hates, or risk sentencing those she loves to death. Celaena must decide what she will fight for: survival, love or the future of a kingdom. Because an assassin cannot have it all . . . And trying to may just destroy her.

This is what all YA series should be! An independent but passionate heroine caught between her vows and her secrets – check. Two heroes who accept her for who she is but still care – check. Love triangle that makes sense and isn’t frustrating or overwrought – check. Action – check. Soul searching – check, big revelations – check, an increasingly tense wider arc – check, great secondary characters – check. What more can I say, other than this book ticks all the check boxes and creates a few new ones!

As the King’s Champion Celaena has been ordered to kill those the King deems his enemies or traitors, but she finds herself less than enthused to kill for the man who is responsible for the death of her family and continues to dominate and enslave the whole continent. However, if she doesn’t obey him not only her own life is forfeit but also that of her friends, Chaol, Captain of the guard and Princess Nehemia. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other people in the realm unwilling to oppose the king and soon Celaena has to decide how far she will go for those she loves and what she will fight for.

Celaena for young age has been through a lot and is intent on surviving, but at the same time she is starting to open up for the first time. I love that her character has grown so much and yet she is still making selfish choices at times and mistakes. It makes her feel real and the dilemmas she is struggling with even more difficult. That’s not to say Celaena along makes this book work. Both Prince Dorian and Captain Chaol are more than usual romanic interests and both struggling with dilemmas of their own. The balance between personal and  loyalties to the kingdom are strong – at times I just want to shake them both to be more aware of who they are serving as King! There are so many wonderful moments and twists that usually come at the end of a book just sneak up on you in the middle and make you wonder what will happen next. My heart was in my throat on multiply occasions and I never wanted to stop reading.

I am really hoping this is a longer series than just a trilogy as I can see so much possibility and adventures ahead for our assassin and her friends! This is where all other YA books need to look for inspiration.

Recommended for fans of Robin Lafevers and Maria V Synder. 10 out of 10

All Our Yesterdays Review

All Our Yesterdays

Cristin Terrill

Publisher: Bloomsbury

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley and Bloomsbury

Em is locked in a bare, cold cell with no comforts. Finn is in the cell next door. The Doctor is keeping them there until they tell him what he wants to know. Trouble is, what he wants to know hasn't happened yet. Em and Finn have a shared past, but no future unless they can find a way out. The present is torture - being kept apart, overhearing each other's anguish as the Doctor relentlessly seeks answers. There's no way back from here, to what they used to be, the world they used to know. Then Em finds a note in her cell which changes everything. It's from her future self and contains some simple but very clear instructions. Em must travel back in time to avert a tragedy that's about to unfold. Worse, she has to pursue and kill the boy she loves to change the future...

I am a massive geek (I even studied Physics at university for four years) so any book that has a hook of time travel just has me quivering in excitement and hope that it is done well. I am very pleased to announce that it is done well here – and makes for a very exciting and tense read.

Marina has been in love with the boy next door, James for as long as she can remember. James is a genius, but when his brother, a Congressman is shot everything starts to fall apart. Em has been on the run for years, held captive and desperately wants to see Finn, the boy in the cell next to hers before she dies. However, soon she is given a chance to change everything. The differences and similarities between these two lead characters is wonderfully done as their experiences vary and their voices change.

The technology and how of time travel is brushed over fairly quickly focusing on the moral issues and characters. After all is it fair to blame someone for crimes they haven’t committed yet..? This issue is at the heart of the story with added complications coming from your memories of how a person used to be verses who they are now. It’s incredible to think how the person you will be in a few years is very different from the person you are now.

The characters are great and the action is well written. The romance elements never overwhelm the main plot but serve to explore different elements of Marina and Em. I liked Finn – his dedication to Em is great and even the younger Finn is an interesting character who could have been a stereotype but instead is a well rounded personality with his own cares and woes. James is just as intriguing and despite the high concept and great action sequences, this book is really about the relationship between the three main characters and how it changes. This is a cut above most YA books and one that makes for a great summer read!

Recommended for fans of Lauren Oliver and Sarah J Maas. 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  

Forsaken By The Others (H+W Investigations #5) Review

Forsaken By The Others (H+W Investigations #5)

Jess Haines

Publisher: Kensignton

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley & Kensignton

The Others–vampires, werewolves, things that go chomp in the night–don’t just live in nightmares anymore. They’ve joined with he mortal world. And for private investigator Shiarra Waynest, that means mayhem…
Have a one night stand with a vampire, and you can end up paying for it for eternity. P.I. Shiarra Waynest, an expert on the Others, knows that better than most. Yet here she is, waking up beside charismatic vamp Alec Royce with an aching head…and neck. Luckily, Shia has the perfect excuse for getting out of town–namely, a couple of irate East Coast werewolf packs who’d like to turn her into a chew toy. On Royce’s suggestion, Shia temporarily relocates to Los Angeles. But something is rotten–literally–in the state of California, where local vampires are being attacked by zombies. Who could be powerful enough to control them–and reckless enough to target the immortal? Following the trail will lead Shia to a terrifying truth, and to an ancient enemy with a personal grudge... 

After her isolation in Stalking The Others, it is nice to see Shia back with her best friend Sara and have that relationship as the central one for this story. Bad news for Royce fans as after a couple of intriguing scenes near the beginning where Royce and Shia discuss their changing relationship he isn’t present again. Shia and Sara get shipped off to LA while Royce deals with the problems in New York (this annoyed me as it seems like Shia is running away again and letting others sort out her mess rather than standing up and take responsibility herself for her own mistakes). However, once in LA Sara and Shia are asked to investigate zombies that seem to be ripping vampires apart…

There are some good and bad elements to this book. I’ll start with the positive – the relocation was a nice change of pace (even if I hated the reason for it!) as was the introduction of new characters. In a town where they don’t know anyone, the girls quickly manage to find themselves involved with the local white-hats, a were-pack that hates vampires, a crazy would-be king vampire as well as hordes of zombies.  It was nice to see Shia doing some investigating for once – something which does happen a lot considering the title of the series. However, I found myself getting annoyed with one aspect of the story…Shia’s revolving changes in attitudes. That girl can’t seem to stick to a decision! One minute she wants to avoid the necromancer at all costs, then demanding favours from him. Then she wants sanctuary with the white-hats but refuses to allow them to hurt anyone (com’on girl – they are vigilantes!). It seems like Shia is constantly changing her mind of what to do and while this isn’t exactly new territory for her as a character, this is the first time it seriously bugged me. 

Apart from the lightning quick changes in attitudes, this was an enjoyable romp with some pleasantly distracting UF. Beware, it ends on a massive cliff-hanger that will have you think the last couple of chapters are missing from your edition! The next book in the series promises to be a big game changer for Shia…hopefully she figures out what she want by then! 

Recommended for fans of Chloe Neill and Rachel Vincent. 7 out of 10

The Wrong Girl Review

The Wrong Girl (Freak House #1)

C.J. Archer

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley & CJ Archer

It's customary for Gothic romance novels to include a mysterious girl locked in the attic. Hannah Smith just wishes she wasn't that girl. As a narcoleptic and the companion to an earl's daughter with a strange affliction of her own, Hannah knows she's lucky to have a roof over her head and food in her belly when so many orphans starve on the streets. Yet freedom is something Hannah longs for. She did not, however, want her freedom to arrive in the form of kidnapping. Taken by handsome Jack Langley to a place known as Freak House, she finds herself under the same roof as a mad scientist, his niece, a mute servant and Jack, a fire starter with a mysterious past. They assure Hannah she is not a prisoner and that they want to help her. The problem is, they think she's the earl's daughter. What will they do when they discover they took the wrong girl?

Combining Victorian favourite themes of mistaken identities, mysterious benefactors and unknown orphans in a sprawling gothic mansion, The Wrong Girl feels like Wilkie Collins for teens. Hannah Smith, our orphan is mistaken for the daughter of a Lord and kidnapped. Finding herself among others who have just as mysterious pasts as herself, and determined to protect her friend, she plays along with their assumptions while trying to figure out what is really going on at Freak House.

Hannah is a smart and feisty young lady – which seems a little odd given how sheltered her life was up until this point but it does make her a very modern heroine and easy to relate to. Her kidnappers range from lonely and overlooked young lady, a brooding older guy with secrets of his own and a scientist with odd ideas and changeable moods. There are some periods of over explanation as people spend a lot of time telling Hannah things – these info dumps are interesting but mean the main plot doesn’t move along much. This being the first book in a series it beautifully sets up some intriguing questions and plot arcs for Hannah and co to uncover in the future – why was she hidden in the attic for so long? What happened to her parents? These are all questions I want to know answers to!

However, so much time is spent setting up the wider plot arcs, the plot of these book feels a little rushed. Centring on a break in at Freak House and stolen research notes, the resolution to this was sudden and could easily have been avoided by the characters if they were a little more sensible or patient.

There is some romance but it doesn’t impose on the story or the characters – they both exist as full personalities outside of their relationship and I found it rather sweet – once I got past the whole kidnap thing (which seems a little strange once you get to know the characters!). The writing was very easy to get into and painted the grounds and characters of Freak House in colour and shade. This is a series I want to follow as I need answers!

Recommended for fans of Wilkie Collins and Cassandra Clare. 7.5 out of 10

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

A Cursed Embrace (Weird Girls #2)

Cecy Robson

Publisher: Signet – To Be Published 2^nd July

E-Arc courtesy of Netgalley and Signet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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AUTHOR BIO:

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

 LINKS:

Website:                      www.cecyrobson.com

 Twitter:                       https://twitter.com/cecyrobsonand

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

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

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

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

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Novella Review: Spartan Frost

Spartan Frost (Mythos Academy #4.5)

Jennifer Estep

Kindle Book

Review Copy Courtesy of Netgalley and Jennifer Estep

 I’m Logan Quinn, the deadliest Spartan warrior at Mythos Academy. At least I was — until the day I almost killed Gwen Frost. Professor Metis and Nickamedes say that I’m fine, that Loki and the Reapers don’t have a hold on me anymore, but I can’t risk it. I can’t risk hurting Gwen again. So I’m leaving Mythos and going somewhere far, far away. I know Gwen wonders what’s happening to me, whether I’m safe. I can’t tell her, but this is my story...

After the tragic ending of Crimson Frost, Logan, Spartan and sometime beau of Gwen Frost has left Mythos Academy and returned home with his Dad to ensure that neither he nor the evil god Loki, hurt Gwen again. He is determined that the Reapers of Chaos pay for their actions and is spending much of his time training while avoiding other people. Logan has been damaged by recent events which hurt him and those he loved and is struggling to come to terms with what happened to him. This is quite a short novella but allows us to explore the view point of another character in Gwen’s world.  

It was nice to see inside Logan’s head for a change and how he really cares about Gwen and his friends. The nightmares he experiences are horrific and it must be terrible to live with that knowledge and learn to trust yourself again. It is nice to see Logan and his father try to build a relationship after so long estranged – especially as it feels like they are more equal than before. Logan and his father also chase after some Reapers that are stealing artifacts from museums and what they find is intriguing but never really resolved. The end is quite abrupt and pulls back into Mythos Academy (and presumably the next book!) so I was left wanting more than what I got – and hungry for the next book, Midnight Frost.

Recommended for fans of Kelley Armstrong & Richelle Mead. 7 out of 10

Seven Kinds of Hell (Fangborn #1) Review

Seven Kinds of Hell (Fangborn #1)

Dana Cameron 

Publisher: 47North

 E-Arc courtesy of Netgalley and 47North.

Archaeologist Zoe Miller has been running from a haunting secret her whole life. But when her cousin is abducted by a vicious Russian kidnapper, Zoe is left with only one option: to reveal herself. Unknown to even her closest friends, Zoe is not entirely human. She's a werewolf and a daughter of the Fangborn, a secretive race of werewolves, vampires, and oracles embroiled in an ancient war against evil. To rescue her cousin, Zoe will be forced to renew family ties and pit her own supernatural abilities against the dark and nefarious foe. The hunt brings Zoe to the edge of her limits, and with the fate of humanity and the Fangborn in the balance, life will be decided by an artifact of world-ending power... 

I’ve read a couple of short stories set in the Fangborn world before in anthologies so I was really looking forward to exploring the world of Vampires and Werewolves as humanities protectors in more detail. I loved the twist on the traditional ‘monsters’ as the good guys who’s very nature means that they have to defend and protect people and on occasion kill the bad guys. However, our main character, Zoe is ignorant of her inheritance and spends a large proportion of the book either denying it or confused over what it meant.  As a result I didn’t feel very connected to the Fangborn world and some of the upsets to the balance of power in their world lost impact.

I also found myself a little frustrated with Zoe for some of her actions. She never really stood up for herself and was pushed or prodded along at every step – she ran away a lot which annoyed me. I just wanted her to stand up for herself rather than having her choices explained to her. A lot of time was spent on explanations rather than showing the world and some of her relationships especially with Danny and Will you just had to accept as important to Zoe rather than feeling it. However, the new people Zoe ran into – both helpful and hindrance were stronger characters. Overall I did like Zoe and her ‘gang’, despite my frustration with her at times. The writing was very easy to follow and some of the secondary characters were intriguing. I liked Claudia and Will and seeing a brother-sister partnership is rare in UF so it was good to see them working together and bring some of that family element that a lot of UF misses in favour of more isolated characters. Some of the bad guys motivations were a little ‘cloudy’ and others changed their allegiance frequently so Zoe struggled to know who to trust. 

I loved archaeological thrillers so the racing over the world for keys was great fun with visits to London, Berlin, Venice, Greece and Turkey. As mentioned I loved the Fangborn world and wanted to explore more the differences in opinions there especially if all Fangborn are supposed to be ‘good’. There are some great action scenes that I could vividly picture (it would make a great movie!) and climax is pretty tense. The plot was just a little chaotic.

To me this felt like a good action adventure within an intriguing world but there was a little struggle to get all the ideas across cleanly. However, there is a lot of potential. Some books will just play on your mind for a while and many other UF series, like the Dresden Files and Kate Daniels don’t have tidy first books. There is something there that will keep you coming back and I think I will want a return visit to the Fangborn world soon. 

Recommended for fans of Kayalna Price and Nancy Holzner. 7 out of 10

Novella Review: Forbidden Fruit (Corine Solomon #3.5)

Forbidden Fruit (Corine Solomon #3.5, Shannon Cheney)

Ann Aguirre

Kindle Book

Review Copy Courtesy of Netgalley

 I see dead people. Okay, that’s a lie. I hear dead people—on an antique radio…

So far, that talent hasn’t brought Shannon Cheney fame or fortune. Since the world remains unaware that magick is real, being Gifted largely sucks. Her boss is an asshole, she makes minimum wage, and she’s got a serious case of forbidden lust for a sexy cop named Jesse Saldana. He’s part Mexican heat, all Texas charm, and enough of a dirty cowboy to curl her toes. Too bad he’s set on resisting her wiles.

To make matters worse, there’s this weird amnesia thing happening. She might think she’s going crazy, except Jesse’s got it too, and memory loss isn’t contagious like the flu. When Shannon pokes around, trying to put the missing pieces together, demonic retaliation is swift and potentially deadly. Jesse’s too much of a white knight to let her face danger alone, and she’s hoping he can’t resist the white-hot chemistry blazing between them

Although this book is sat between Shady Lady and Devil’s Punch in the Corine Solomon series, Corine is not in sight as the story focuses on Shannon and Jesse after they lose their memories and their developing relationship. Shannon is no Corine. She is younger and more bolshie but despite her tough upbringing, she is less damaged in a way than Corine and much more hopefully over what she can build. She has never been hurt the same way as Corine and this really makes a difference in her chase of the cop-in-white-armor Jesse. I really loved the way both she and Jesse were able to start building a real relationship of equals – especially as I wasn’t sure of their new relationship when I read about it in Devil’s Punch.

In addition to their relationship, both Jesse and Shannon are dealing with their bizarre amnesia. Neither of them are aware that Corine accidentally managed to wipe their memories of anything related to her so their recent past has a number of small holes which Shannon particularly would like resolved. As such she finds herself wrapped up with Demons who seem to be very interested in her for some reason. This adds a nice fission of danger and the unexpected to the story with Shannon’s gift to summon the dead not always the best to protect herself.

The only bad thing in this story is that it feels like it ends a little suddenly with little resolution - the resolution really comes in Devil’s Punch. So although I loved getting to know Shannon better and really enjoyed her burgeoning relationship with Jesse, the lack of a resolution with regards to the demons and the amnesia made me feel the story wasn’t quite finished! I would definitely be interested in dropping in on Shannon and Jesse again soon though! 

Recommended for fans of Kelly Meding and Nicole Peeler. 7.5 out of 10

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