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

Etiquette and Espionage (Finishing School #1)

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School #1)

Gail Carriger

Publisher: Atom

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners—and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage—in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

This was your choice of books for me to read this month and it was so much fun!! I just dived straight in and found myself enchanted with the idea of a finishing school where young ladies learn manners and subterfuge in a world where werewolves and vampires are the height of fashion and steampunk rules.

Sophronia is a troublesome fourteen year old who keeps getting into scraps at home, so ends up being shipped off to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. What her parents don’t realise is that Mademoiselle Geraldine’s trains young girls in the art of espionage, assassination and defence of the realm, while using the correct cutlery and curtseying fashionably. Sophronia is sharp witted and quick and not afraid to take risks, while the rest of her friends she meets at school area variety of young ladies – including one or two who might be familiar to those you have read Gail Carriger’s other series, the Parasol Protectorate. It reminded me so much of the boarding school books I read a young child (Enid Blyton and Trebizon) or Hogwarts. Where the teens manage to solve more mysteries than the adults – and take more risks!

The machinery in the world are amazing – from the mechianimals to the robotic ‘staff’ there is no end of the imagination used to create a truly unique world. There is so much happening and the characters are just fantastic fun. I actually feel the world suits a YA story better than a regular story – and I can’t tell you how much fun discussions of proper manners and correct protocol are! If you want a great summer read than pick this book up – and I promise you will have a blast!

Recommended for fans of Kelley Armstrong and Richelle Mead. 9 out of 10 

Kitty Rocks The House (Kitty Norville #11) Review

Kitty Rock The House (Kitty Noville #11)

Carrie Vaughn

Publisher: Tor Books

On the heels of Kitty's return from London, a new werewolf shows up in Denver, one who threatens to split the pack by challenging Kitty's authority at every turn. The timing could not be worse; Kitty needs all the allies she can muster to go against the ancient vampire, Roman, if she's to have any hope of defeating his Long Game. But there's more to this intruder than there seems, and Kitty must uncover the truth, fast. Meanwhile, Cormac pursues an unknown entity wreaking havoc across Denver; and a vampire from the Order of St. Lazaurus tempts Rick with the means to transform his life forever

The Kitty series is much bigger than I thought it was – eleven book already! I have to admit the series has had its up and downs – some books are better than others but what keeps me interested is Kitty herself. She’s not your typical alpha heroine – ready to kick butt with leather outfits and a dozen men at her beck and call. Kitty prefers to avoid fights and talk her way out of them - if possible, she’s happily married and would rather be in comfy jeans and a tank top. Yet, she is alpha material and is balancing her responsibilities as a sister and daughter, wife, alpha of the local werewolf pack, her secret war against Roman and the Long Game as well as her job as DJ of The Midnight Hour. In this book those responsibilities start getting too much for Kitty...

This is very much a home-ly story with Kitty going about her routine and people disrupting her life. As a result there are many separate parts to the story with new werewolf joining Kitty’s pack, the Catholic Vampire visiting Rick and the loss of her grandmother all making life tough for Kitty and Ben – not to mention Cormac teaming up with Detective Hardin.

The writing is as easy to slip into as fresh cotton sheets and it’s always nice to catch up with one of my favourite werewolves. The story is a little piece-meal and isn’t one of the strongest entries in this series as Kitty mostly keeps secrets and runs around reacting rather than being proactive. But it is a quick read and perfect for a summer commute to work.

Recommended for fans of Nancy Holzner and Kayalna Price. 7.5 out of 10

Novella Review: Meridian Six

Meridian Six

Jaye Wells 

Kindle Book

Meridian Six remembers the days before the Troika enslaved humans. She also remembers her mother, a freedom fighter murdered in the final battle between humans and vampires. But it is her mother's final words that have haunted her: Red means life.

In the years since her mother's death, she has been used as both a propaganda tool and a blood slave by the Troika. She's withstood their indignities because the alternative meant bleeding out in a blood camp. But their abuses finally go too far, and she decides to run towards freedom and her mother's red light. On the other side, she finds the Sisters of Crimson. They help her just as her mother promised, but they also hand her to the human rebels. The vampires used her famous name to keep human slaves biddable, but now the humans want to use it inspire a revolution. 

When the world is at war, freedom is a luxury paid for with blood...

This is a fast-paced exciting story which reminds me a little of Logan’s Run for some reason! Meridian Six is the daughter of a terrorist/freedom fighter who was raised by her mother’s enemies and used for propaganda. Eventually she escapes but then she has to decide what to do with the rest of her life – help the rebels or run and hide. 

There is some really bloody action right from the start which gets your heart pumping! However, the strength of this novella are the mix of characters we get introduced to - from the head of the vampire church where Meridian seeks refuge to the young rebel Rabbit. Each character is unique and gets some time to establish themselves and their emerging relationships with Six. Six, herself is unsure about what she wants and how to achieve the freedom she’s never had before but she manages to act and think on her feet. I really felt like I was getting to care about these characters and wanted to spend more time with them. 

The world is intriguing and I definitely feel there could be a lot more to explore – this feels more like a prequel than a finished story and I want to know if Rebels succeed and if Six ever gains her own happiness. More from this world please Jaye! :)

Recommended for fans of Julie Kagawa and Suzanne MacLeod. 8.5 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

Stalking The Others (H&W Invtesigations #4) Review

Stalking The Others (H&W Investigations #4)

Jess Haines

Publisher: Kensignton

Vampires, werewolves, mages–the Others are very real, and wreaking havoc in Shiarra Waynest’s life. But now, she’s returning the favor…
Once, she was one of the good guys–or as close as a New York P.I. can get. Then Shiarra Waynest was drawn into the world of the Others. Every faction has its own loyalties and agenda. And Shia’s recent betrayal by her ex-boyfriend means that she may be on the verge of becoming a rogue werewolf at the next full moon. Of course, with all the threats against her, Shia’s not sure she’ll live long enough to find out. The enigmatic vampire Royce wants her back in his clutches, as do two powerful werewolf packs, along with the police. Instead of going into hiding, Shia is enlisting the aid of her enchanted hunter’s belt and every dirty P.I. trick she knows. If she’s going down, she’ll take out as many of her enemies as she can–and hope that in the process, she keeps whatever humanity she has left...

After the shocking end of Deceived By The Others, Stalking picks up pretty much straight away with Shiarra cutting herself off from her friends and allies in order to protect them. She finds herself keeping company with the white-hat vigilantes who hate all Others and working with them to track down her ex-Chaz and his pack. One thing you can’t say about this book is that it’s slow moving! I basically took a deep breathe at the beginning and that carried me through the whole book! 

I loved getting to know more about Shiarra’s belt and it’s history as well as the effects it has on her as she continues to use it. Shiarra get very pro-active for the first time in hunting those that wronged her. She is fuelled by revenge and with a ticking clock, the pace is very fast and just sweeps you up. This is a different side to Shiarra than we’ve seen before as she rejects anything resembling a normal life and is separated from friends and families, having to rely on herself much more. I liked that growth in the character as her continued exposure to Others should have helped her deal with her fear more. She stops thinking about the future so much.  

I did miss some of the lighter elements of the previous books a both Sara and Arnold are MIA, but it was good to see Shiarra on her own, making mistakes. I loved getting to know the White-hats better. There are plenty of action scenes for those who love fights while Shiarra’s relationships with Chaz and Royce both change for good. This was a very exciting read and I managed to finish it very quickly – and has made me anxious for Forsaken By The Others which has just been released! Fast, action-packed and a developing character – this is Urban fantasy that I can heartily recommend. 

Recommended for fans of Chloe Neill and Nancy Holzner. 8 out of 10

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

A Cursed Embrace (Weird Girls #2)

Cecy Robson

Publisher: Signet – To Be Published 2^nd July

E-Arc courtesy of Netgalley and Signet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AUTHOR BIO:

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

 LINKS:

Website:                      www.cecyrobson.com

 Twitter:                       https://twitter.com/cecyrobsonand

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

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

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

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Deadlocked (Sookie #12) Review

Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse #12)

Charlaine Harris 

Publisher: Gollancz

Sookie has a murder investigation on her hands. A young girl has died at a vampire party - and it looks as though her lover, Eric, might be responsible. Eric swears he didn't do it, the police don't believe him, and even Sookie isn't so sure. Nor is she inclined to take his word for it, not having caught him enjoying the victim's blood minutes before she was killed. But something strange is going on. Why had Sookie been asked to come to the fateful party a few minutes early - just to catch Eric in the act? And why had the victim spiked her own blood before approaching Eric? Was it simply because she wanted to be irresistable, or was it something more sinister? Sookie will have to find out ... but it's the worst moment to investigate, as her Fae family are having troubles of their own and Sookie is, inevitably, drawn in. And there is one last complication. The cluviel dor her grandmother left her. It will grant her one wish, which could fulfil Sookie's heart's desire. The only problem is, she still doesn't know what - or who - her heart truly desires...

The end of the Sookie Stackhouse series is in sight (for me at least as I wait for the paperbacks to come out!) and once again it was nice to revisit Sookie and her world. I find it difficult to remember that for her only two years have passed since Bill Compton first walked into Merlottes but for it’s been over 10 years. Sookie’s world has always been a mixture of the miniature of life (shopping, birthday cards, sunbathing, shaving her legs etc) with some serious violence and supernatural politics. This visit to Bon Temps was like seeing old school friends again after an absence – you remember the good times and catch up but you know you’ll never re-capture that closeness you had when you were fifteen. 

Sookie and her vampire honey, Eric are having issues – partly due to someone trying to frame Eric for murder of a fangbanger and partly as struggle to reconcile some pretty big differences in their attitudes. Adding to the difficulties are the motley mixture of fae Sookie’s cousin Claude has been collecting at his strip club and some power struggles within the local werewolf pack. One issue with Sookie’s world is the number of different plot lines that don’t always go together well – my favourite books have always been the ones that have focused on a single plot line (Vampire summit, Hadley’s murder, Bill’s disappearance etc). Here the different strands of plots meant that I struggled to follow what was going on and the climax had less impact as a result. It was like trying to follow a single strand of spaghetti on a full plate.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book. Sookie is never less than a likeable character who’s absolutes of right and wrong have become greyer over time. She’s more than happy to lie to the police to protect Eric and the vampires, yet is still kind and true in her friendships. The writing is so cosy and warm – Charlaine’s writing always makes me feel like I’m sinking into a huge armchair covered in cushions. Overall, this had a definite sense that the end is in sight with some plot strands wound up and some happy ending on the horizon. While people often say the series isn’t as good as it once I actually think the series has remained remarkably consistent over the last ten years. It’s one of the first UF (Rural) Fantasy series I read and I have never felt like dropping the series. I am looking forward to the final book in the series and think it’s right that we leave Sookie to some (hopefully) quiet time.

Recommended for fans of Rachel Caine and Patricia Briggs. 7 out of 10.

Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson #7) Review

Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson #7)

Patricia Briggs

Publisher: Orbit

Mercy Thompson's life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman - the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack - has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy's life. But on the edges of humanity, a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more. After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can't reach Adam - or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They've all been abducted. Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from the most unlikely of allies: the vampire seethe.

When I think back to the Mercy Thompson we met in Moon Called who was a very isolated and independent girl, it’s a very different woman who still manages to kick-butt in Frost Burned but has a wide selection of friends, family and pack to support her. In Frost Burned Adam and the rest of the pack are kidnapped and it’s up to Mercy to protect those left behind.

Mercy has help from some powerful friends but she also has those who could end up in trouble from their relationship with her. It was great seeing how these relationships have developed and evolved – and I have to say it was great to see all characters I loved from the previous books show up after the two-hander that was River Marked. Mercy has definitely become someone who will fight for those she loves and it was just as nice to see the softer side of her as well. For the first time a couple of chapters are told from Adam’s point of view and this insight into his head is a nice way of expanding the world and allowing us into a werewolf’s head. I also loved the visit of a wolf from the Martocks pack that we’ve met in the Alpha & Omega series!

There is plenty of action with fae, wolves, vampires and humans all getting some action. The impact of the fae action at the end of Fair Game, the Alpha and Omega novel is touched on but the full repercussions are still being discussed – which gives the feel that this world is much bigger than just Mercy, Adam and the pack. The writing just pulls you in and doesn’t let go until the end as first the actions and then the reasons behind them are teased out and played with. Who are the true monsters?

This is one of the most consistent UF series and one of my favourites with a leading lady who you root for as well as a knack of getting into more trouble than a coyote really should. But when her friends and family are this good I just want to spend more time with this world. How long until the next book...?

Recommended for fans of Kelley Armstrong and Nicole Peeler. 9 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

A Discover Of Witches Review

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1)

Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Headline

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

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

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

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

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

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

Early Review: The Eternity Cure

The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2)

Julie Kagawa

Publisher: MIRA Ink – to be released 30^th April 2013

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley and Harlequin

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left: Blood calls to blood 
She has done the unthinkable: died so that she might continue to live. Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie's birthplace in New Covington, what Allie finds there will change the world forever-and possibly end human and vampire existence. 
There's a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago-and this strain is deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries, if Allie can get to him in time. Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and monster will blur even further, and Allie must face another choice she could never have imagined having to make.

After saving her friends and delivering them safely to Eden at the end of The Immortal Rules, Allie is now on a quest to safe her Sire, the vampire who turned her, who has been captured and tortured by another vampire. Blood calls to blood, but can she be sure she is chasing the right blood..? After the road trip from hell (in a good way) that was The Immortal Rules (think Mad Max Road Warrior with Vampires), The Eternity Cure is less road trip and more dysfunctional family drama. But this doesn’t make it less exciting, tense or edge of your seat thrilling.

Allie is a great lead having fought against what it is expected of her, her whole life. She never accepts the status quo and figures things out for herself. Sometimes she is right. Sometimes she is wrong, but you can’t help but root for her, hoping that her relationships work out the way they should. Her father-daughter relationship with Kanin has matured and it is nice to see how far she has come since he first turned her. Add in her ‘brother’ Jackel, a vampire who has a great turn of phrase – some of his lines are hilarious – but you don’t know what his plan is. With Jackel likely to turn on her at any time, Allie has to work with him to find Kanin, a task that becomes further complicated when Zeke, the boy she left in Eden returns. Add in a new plague that threatens to kill the remaining human population (and thus all vampires as well), a psycho vampire out for revenge and the return of an old friend, Allie has enough to deal with in this book. However, it is a mark of a great writer that this story never feels too complicated or bogged down, but flows wonderfully from action to relationship and back again.

The writing is wonderfully expressive allowing us to get under Allie’s skin and feel for her as she struggles between her feelings and what she is now – how she decides on ‘what sort of monster she wants to be’. I loved the development of her relationships especially with Zeke – they have grown so much over the two books and that evolving relationship is a joy to read. The end is very much a cliff-hanger that will have fans biting their nails for the conclusion to this trilogy – I think 2014 is going to be a long time to wait to find out what happens next!

Recommended for fans of Kristin Cashore and Richelle Mead. 8 out of 10 

Blood and Magick (Deacon Chalk #3) Review

Blood and Magick (Deacon Chalk #3)

James R Tuck

Publisher: Kensington

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Early Review: Hot Blooded

Hot Blooded (Jessica McClain #2)

Amanda Carlson

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

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley and Hachette Books

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

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

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

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

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

Magic Gifts (Kate Daniels #5.5) Novella

Magic Gifts (Kate Daniels #5.5)

Ilona Andrews

Kindle Book

A dinner date after a hard day at work sounds heavenly. Of course, when that date is between the Beast Lord and Kate Daniels, things don’t go as planned. Before you know it, undead are running amok, heads are being chopped off, lawyers are deployed and used with extereme prejudice, and drunk vikings are calling people out.

Magic Gifts is exactly that – a magical gift to fans of Kate Daniels and Curran. Set at the same time as the start of Gunmetal Magic, this story basically explains why Kate isn’t around much at the beginning of Andrea’s story. While out having dinner Kate and Curran end up becoming involved with the People, when one of their young apprentices loses control after given a necklace.

This is not a world or even Atlanta threatening situation and it’s nice to see how Kate and Curran work together in, what is for them, a regular day. They still don’t always see eye to eye and as ever chaos and is never too far away. The action scenes are fun, exciting and just what you expect from the pair. I especially enjoyed the Viking Hall and the confrontation in the glade, which gives you good background for a scene in Gunmetal Magic.

Another element I enjoyed was Jim’s juggling act between his responsibilities, his friendships and his loyalties as without meaning to Kate and Curran rely on him far too much. The resolution of the Mercenery Guild sub-plot could through up some interesting curve-balls for future adventures as well. Overall this is a great side adventure for one of my favourite book couples and an enjoyable couple of hours!

Recommended for fans of Karen Chance and Kelley Armstrong. 8.5 out of 10