Sparks Review

Sparks (Anya Kalinczyk 1)

-        Laura Bickle

Publisher: Pocket Books

Anya Kalinczyk is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern, who holds down a day job as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department—while working 24/7 to exterminate malicious spirits haunting a city plagued by unemployment and despair. Along with her inseparable salamander familiar, Sparky, Anya has seen, and even survived, all manner of fiery hell—but her newest case sparks suspicions of a bizarre phenomenon that no one but her eccentric team of ghost hunters might believe: spontaneous human combustion. After fire consumes the home of elderly Jasper Bernard, Anya is stunned to discover his remains—or, more precisely, a lack of them; even the fiercest fires leave some trace of their victims—and she is sure this was no naturally occurring blaze. Soon she’s unearthed a connection to a celebrity psychic who preys on Detroit’s poor, promising miracles for money. But Hope Solomon wants more—she’s collecting spirits, and in a frantic race against time, Anya will face down an evil adversary who threatens her fragile relationship with her lover, her beloved Sparky’s freshly hatched newts, and the wandering souls of the entire city.

I read and loved the first Anya Kalinczyk story, Embers, earlier in the year (review here) and have been waiting to start reading this sequel ever since. Finally, having decided that July is my joyful reading month – I’m only reading books I want to read and not review copies or other books so this was one of the first books I picked up. And I’m so happy it was!

I love Anya and her fire elemental, Sparky! They are great characters – strong willed, independent and caring. The past still haunts her and here she actually confronts the ghosts of her childhood. Anya continues to be one of those characters that thinks before she acts – a refreshing change in the UF genre! She is still a little aloof from others, but has opened up more since Embers and is moving closer to others particularly with Brian, Katie and even her boss Marsh. There are some great new characters introduced (love Charon!) and while the bad guy’s motivations are not explored in detailed the methods they use is very creepy.

The writing is smooth and comforting – like a bar of milk chocolate and effortlessly transports you to Detroit. The descriptions of the fires and ghosts are particularly realistic and effective. There is a great balance between characters and plot and the pages just flew past. I read this within 24 hours and wish I could have spread it out longer – but I was too greedy. I loved spending time with Anya and Sparky and can’t wait to read more of their adventures – I hope there will be more! This is a great series for those who like intelligent UF with plenty of fun from salamander familiars – just be careful going into a baby store with Sparky! J

Recommended for fans of Illona Andrews and Karen Chance. 8.5 out of 10.

Same Book/Different Cover: The Eyre Affair

This is an occasional feature I'm introducing comparing different covers of the same book...what I'm particularly interested in are re-issued covers for the same book.

This week it's the turn of one my favourite ever books. Seriously. If you haven't read it, then you should! It's got some of the most imaginative use of language I've ever read. Anyway, enough love for the insides, lets look at the covers of The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, the first in the Thursday Next series...

UK Paperback Issue 1

UK Paperback Issue 2



US Paperback

US Hardback



















The top right is the copy I have (although very worn by now). It's simple and the bright colours stood out on shelf which is one of the reasons I picked it up initially. The new UK cover is even bright with so many colours on Thursday's car as it crashes through the cover of the book. This is just too much for me personally. The US hard cover - I hate! It's so boring and dull - I don't think its interesting at all. The US paperback is my favourite - I like the lock and key motive on the book and it's very striking. Definitely my favourite cover.

What do you think? Which cover do you like and why?

The War of the Worlds Review

The War of the Worlds

-       H.G. Wells

Kindle Book

The night after a shooting star is seen streaking through the sky from Mars, a cylinder is discovered on Horsell Common in London. At first, naïve locals approach the cylinder armed just with a white flag – only to be quickly killed by an all-destroying heat-ray, as terrifying tentacled invaders emerge. Soon the whole of human civilisation is under threat, as powerful Martians build gigantic killing machines, destroy all in their path with black gas and burning rays, and feast on the warm blood of trapped, still-living human prey. The forces of the Earth, however, may prove harder to beat than they at first appear.

I had never read War of the Worlds before, but I knew the story from the various films made over the years (including most recently the Tom Cruise one), the Orson Welles radio broadcast and Jeff Wayne’s stage show/concert that I treated my parents to a few years ago. As such what surprised me most while reading this Sci-fi classic is just how surprising it is. This is the original alien invasion story that all others are based on. Without this story we wouldn’t have Independence Day or numerous other alien invasion stories. And despite similar plotlines being used a thousand times in the last one-hundred years, War of the Worlds is still pretty much perfect.

Set in the closing years of the 19^th century some mysterious explosions on Mars lead to cylinders crashing into Woking common. Slowly, these aliens emerge and with their superior technology soon have humanity on the run. The aliens are creepy, they eat people and are not humanised at all which only makes them scarier. However, it is the humans’ reaction that is perhaps the most frightening part of this story. The casual arrogance at first that these Martians will be defeated easily, and then the fear and panic, followed by the defeatism and guerrilla warfare plans. What would you do to survive? Would you sacrifice your family, friends, acquaintance, strangers? And despite this examining of what it means to be human, there is plenty of action and adventure as the power and intelligence of the Martian slowly becomes clear.

I felt extra glimmers of affection with the recognition of various places named – Weybridge, Byfleet and of course London, which gave me an added advantage of being able to picture the authors escape route. But even without that knowledge it’s fascinating to see read a book that is little more than 200 pages, but has rightly become such an important part of 21^st century culture, having influenced so many stories since it was first published. In short, it’s an easy read and compelling even after all this time.

Recommended for fans of blockbuster films! 9 out of 10.

My Book Haul/ In My Mailbox

The Story Siren hosts a weekly meme where bloggers can share what goodies they've purchased/received this week. If you get a chance head over to The Story Siren and check out what everyone is up to! 

You'd think being away in Cyprus for the week I wouldn't have any new books to add to IMM this week, but you'd be wrong! These showed up in the post on Monday. :-)

Waking The Witch - Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: UK - Orbit

Columbus is a small, fading town, untouched by the twenty-first century. But when three young women are found dead - victims of what appear to be ritual murders - things start to get very dark, and very dangerous . . . Private investigator Savannah Levine can handle 'dark and dangerous'. As the daughter of a black witch, she has a lot of power running through her veins, and she's not afraid to use it. But her arrival in Columbus has not gone unnoticed. Savannah may think she's tracking down a murderer, but could she be the killer's next target? Of course she could always ask her old friend (and half-demon) Adam Vasic for back up. But Savannah has her own - very personal - reasons for keeping Adam well away from Columbus. And in any case, she can rely on her own powers. Can't she . . . ?

I pre-ordered this months ago as Kelley Armstrong is one of my must buy authors - she was the first UF author I ever read. I can't wait to see what Savannah is up to now she's all grown up!!

Heartless - Gail Garriger

Publisher: UK - Orbit

Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble in the air is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines - and Alexia barely has time to remember she just happens to be eight months pregnant. Will Alexia be able to figure out who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it's too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And do they really have to take up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?

I loved the first three books in the Parasol Protectorate so I had this pre-ordered ages ago! So happy when it finally arrived on Monday.

Shades of Night (Icarus Project 2) - Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge

Publisher: UK - Piatkus 

When Jet and Iridium - best friends turned enemies - came together to bring down a supervillain, they inadvertently destroyed the secret Corp-Co transmitter, whose frequency kept the New Chicago's heroes of in-line - and sane. Now the city is plunged into chaos as these heroes are suddenly the biggest threat. Corp-Co brings in a new Squadron from India - but when heroes are tied into a system of sponsorship, only money, and not a sense of duty, can persuade them to save the day. As they haggle, Everyman sets out to destroy the powers with a group of enhanced super-soldiers, and the mysterious villain Doctor Hypnotic is lulling heroes and supervillains alike into his seductive web - a dream-world where everything is perfect, but nothing is real. Once again Jet and Iridium are forced to set aside their hatred of each other to do what they were born to do: save the world.

Last year I read and loved the first Icarus Project book - Black and White (read review here) and ever since I've wanted this sequel. I've had in on my wishlist and somehow it never made it to the top until I had enough Waterstone vouchers to buy a book - and this was the book I chose! Very excited to read this.

And Amazon UK are having a Kindle sale at the moment so I had to indulge before I jetted off!

How To Live Safely In A Science Fiction Universe - Charles Yu

Publisher:Corvus

With only TAMMY - a slightly tearful computer with self-esteem issues - a software boss called Phil - Microsoft Middle Manager 3.0 - and an imaginary dog called Ed for company, fixing time machines is a lonely business and Charles Yu is stuck in a rut. He's spent the better part of a decade navel-gazing, spying on 39 different versions of himself in alternate universes (and discovered that 35 of them are total jerks). And he's kind of fallen in love with TAMMY, which is bad because she doesn't have a module for that. With all that's on his mind, perhaps it's no surprise that when he meets his future self, he shoots him in the stomach. And that's a beginner's mistake for a time machine repairman. Now he's stuck in a time loop, going in circles forever. All he has, wrapped in brown paper, is the book his future self was trying to press into his hands. It's called How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe. And he's the author. And somewhere inside it is the information that could save him.

My obsession with time travel/parallel universes raises its head again!

Nekropolis - Tim Waggoner

Publisher: Angry Robot

Meet Matt Richter.
Private eye.
Zombie.
His mean streets are the city of the dead, the shadowy realm known as Nekropolis. In this first case, Richter must help a delectable half-vampire named Devona recover a legendary artifact known as the Dawnstone, before it’s used to destroy Nekropolis itself. That is, if he can survive the myriad horrors that infest the city itself.

After the fun of Zombie Craze at The Bookish Brunette, I fancied a little zombie action and for 99p how could I resist? :) 

So what have you picked up this week?



On My Wishlist #47

This is a meme from Book Chick City. There are so many books out there that I want to read that this is the only way I can keep track! I'm planning on catching up n some of my Urban Fantasy must reads while in Cyprus so I will need to replace them with some new ones... :-)

Dead on the Delta - Stacey Jay

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Once upon a time, fairies were the stuff of bedtime stories and sweet dreams. Then came the mutations, and the dreams became nightmares. Mosquito-size fairies now indulge their taste for human blood—and for most humans, a fairy bite means insanity or death. Luckily, Annabelle Lee isn’t most humans. The hard-drinking, smart-mouthed, bicycle-riding redhead is immune to fairy venom, and able to do the dirty work most humans can’t. Including helping law enforcement— and Cane Cooper, the bayou’s sexiest detective—collect evidence when a body is discovered outside the fairy-proof barricades of her Louisiana town.But Annabelle isn’t equipped to deal with the murder of a six year- old girl or a former lover-turned-FBI snob taking an interest in the case. Suddenly her already bumpy relationship with Cane turns even rockier, and even the most trust-worthy friends become suspects. Annabelle’s life is imploding: between relationship drama, a heartbreaking murder investigation, Breeze-crazed drug runners, and a few too many rum and Cokes, Annabelle is a woman on the run—from her past, toward her future, and into the arms of a darkness waiting just for her. . . .

I like the sound of this - less Urban fantasy and more Bayou fantasy but what is more atmospheric than the Delta?

Highborn - Yvonne Navarro

Publisher: Pocket Books

Brynna is a fallen angel trying to earn redemption. She’s escaped from Hell in search of a new life on Earth, but Lucifer’s deadliest hunters are hot on her trail. Police Detective Eran Redmond is after her for a different reason: he needs Brynna to help him find a serial killer who is terrifying Chicago . . . and the trail leads them right to Hellspawned demons of the most dangerous kind. She’s also got a very human problem: dealing with a stubborn, attractive cop who makes her long for everything she knows she can’t have.
Staying alive long enough to earn a shot at Heaven will mean breaking some major rules in the mortal world, as she learns just how complicated and wonderful being human can be. With so much stacked against her, even Brynna has to wonder if she’s crazy. But she’s not giving in without a fight. Not a chance in Hell. . . .
 
I like the idea of an angel fighting to earn another shot at heaven. I've avoided most of the angel books out there at the moment (I tried Fallen but it just didn't grab me), but I like the sound of this.
 
Shadow Reader - Sandy Williams
Publisher: Ace Books (October 2011)

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies. A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden. But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.
 
I know this one isn't out for a while but a sword-wielding heroine, fae court and civil war... How can I resist?
 
What are you wishing for this week? :)

Forgotten Review

Forgotten

-       Cat Patrick

Publisher: Egmont Books

 I can see the future in flashes, like memories. But my past is a blank. I remember what I'll wear tomorrow, and an argument that won't happen until this afternoon. But I don't know what I ate for dinner last night. I get by with the help of notes, my mom and my best friend Jamie, and the system works ...Until now. Everything's falling apart. Jamie's going of the rails. My mom is lying to me. And I can't see the boy I adore in my future. But today, I love him. And I never want to forget how much ...

London can’t remember yesterday but she can remember tomorrow. Today is as much of a mystery to her as yesterday. Only her best friend, Jamie and her Mum are aware of London’s unique situation – and it certainly makes dating the new boy at school interesting – especially as he’s the one thing London can’t see in the future. The hardest part of this story is trying to get your head around how it works. I’m not sure it ever makes real sense but that’s not really the point of the book. It’s this intriguing premise that provides the jumping off point for an exploration of human nature.

At its core Forgotten is a book about growing up and taking responsibility for your own actions. It’s about how your actions can affect others – as London shows when she tries to change the future she remembers to save her friends from heartbreak. Do we choose our own fate or is it pre-determined? But if that makes it sound heavy, don’t worry it’s really not!

The writing was simple but very effective and I really felt connected to London even if I don’t always agree with her actions. She acted exactly like a 16 year old girl would when faced with tough decisions. And there is the mystery about why London’s memory works the way it does. At the same time there is a really sweet romance between London and Luke – the boy she can’t remember but meets for the first time each day. Carrying on a romance with a boy you can’t remember leaves a lot of trust in London’s notes of the past.

This a wonderfully uplifting story, told with a deft hand and a tug on the old heartstrings. A great summer read! J

Recommended for fans of Jeri Smith-Ready and Gayle Forman. 8 out of 10.

Throwback Thursday #15 - Room

This is a great feature that Melissa at My World...in words and pictures has been doing for a while and I wanted to jump on board! There are plenty of books out there I desperately want...

But what about all those wonderful books that are ALREADY on my shelves?

Room - Emma Donoghue

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.
Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

This is one of those books that I heard so many rave reviews about I had to pick up and see for myself what all the fuss was about. And, well. I bought it! I just haven't read it! From the blurb I can't help thinking it's going to be an emotional book and I haven't felt like reading a book this emotional for a while (real life is enough for the moment!). But I will...soon...probably. :)