DAUGHTER OF THE SPELLCASTER reveals a story of magic, redemption, and a love that spans across life times. Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
DAUGHTER OF THE SPELLCASTER reveals a story of magic, redemption, and a love that spans across life times. I really enjoy the worldbuilding in The Portal series and DAUGHTER OF THE SPELLCASTER expands on this world by introducing more characters and exciting flashbacks. While rehashing the same event from the past in multiple books can become tedious, Shaye managed to keep my interest by adding more details and different character perspectives on that same event.
In romances, pregnancy usually happens at the end of the book, so I was excited to see how a blossoming romance would work with Lena being pregnant at the start. It could have worked better if Lena had been more likeable. As it was, there’s only so many reckless actions, irrational outbursts, and illogical conclusions that can be attributed increased pregnancy hormones.
Ryan’s character was more likeable largely due to his rational and level-headed behavior. He’s described as a playboy though he acts like anything but. He doesn’t even waiver when he found out Lena is pregnant and immediately wanted to be involved in his child’s life.
Aside from my issue with Lena’s characterization, I enjoyed the touching past life romance and liked how organically the present day romance unfolded. Overall, DAUGHTER OF THE SPELLCASTER was a bit lighter on action in comparison to MARK OF THE WITCH which was understandable since it had to set up a lot for the anticipated big The Portal Series conclusion in BLOOD OF THE SORCERESS coming out January 22, 2013.
SHARP, the second book in the Mindscape Investigations series feels like a mash-up of a noir detective seriReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
SHARP, the second book in the Mindscape Investigations series feels like a mash-up of a noir detective series with supernatural elements. Being a big mystery fan I was surprised at just how much the pacing mirrored a mystery series with a lot more methodical detective work and occasional bursts of action. I also liked how technology was feared and outlawed which forced these modern cops to use more of the simpler methods older noir detectives used. Another interesting and at times a little confusing writing choice was the first person perspective where the main character’s name (Adam) is not mentioned for a good chunk of the book.
Adam’s continued struggles with drug addiction and a diminished telepathic ability due to events in the previous book, CLEAN, really make him a compelling, flawed character. I loved that he didn’t sit around and brood over his life and instead continued to find a way to work around his temporary handicap. Adam is an amazing detective even when not using his telepathy but I really enjoyed the moments when he did use his abilities as we got to see a glimpse of just how cool it would be to use telepathy to find a killer.
The relationship with Adam’s partner, Cherabino, who he shares an unwanted mental link with, is an interesting one as they can feel each other’s emotions and innermost thoughts. I wasn’t a big fan of Cherabino as she came off harsh and quick to anger over very small things. Being forced into a position of a mental link does warrant some crabbiness and annoyance with Adam but Charabino’s constant state of meanness rubbed me the wrong way.
If you like procedurals fused with urban fantasy grittiness and mind bending worldbuilding, the Mindscape Investigations series is it. SHARP is a wonderful genre blend of old style detective stories and supernatural with a flawed hero and a fascinating take on a world that outlaws technology.
While I enjoyed the chance to return to Gin and the assorted characters of Ashland in DEADLY STING, I wasReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
While I enjoyed the chance to return to Gin and the assorted characters of Ashland in DEADLY STING, I was disappointed at the lack of real momentum in the over arching plot. Most of the story takes place at an exhibition of Mab’s possessions which made DEADLY STING feel like it could have been a novella rather than a full length novel. I got the constant feeling of treading water while reading DEADLY STING as I kept looking in vain for any hint of more forward movement towards the next book.
Aside from feeling like this was a one off story, I love seeing Gin use her assassin skills and ingenuity. Plus I enjoyed seeing all of Gin’s friends/family who seem to conveniently to end up at the same exhibition. Finn is an absolute delight and was hilarious when dress shopping with Gin. I would love to see a short story involving him and Bria because they make an absolutely adorable couple. I continue to be perplexed at Owen’s behavior towards Gin and her actions in the previous books.They had a whole conversation early in the series based on how Owen completely understands the nature of her job yet he does a complete 180 in WIDOW’S WEB and continues in DEADLY STING to have problems with what Gin does.
Owen aside, it was a little underwhelming on the villain side to have Gin face off against a threat that was so far beneath her abilities. I knew from the start that we would not be seeing these bad guys again in the Elemental Assassin series. The big bads for Gin to defeat were simply some tough giant thugs and we’ve seen Gin easily defeat giants before which significantly lessened the story tension for me. There really isn’t much new in DEADLY STING that we haven’t seen previously in the Elemental Assassin. While I enjoyed this all too short visit to Ashland, I wished there was more to get me excited for the next book, HEART OF VENOM, coming out August 27, 2013.
TALL DARK AND DIVINE seemed like it would be a fun story about Greek gods living in the modern world with Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
TALL DARK AND DIVINE seemed like it would be a fun story about Greek gods living in the modern world with witty dialogue and some amusing romantic hijinks. Aside from the at times witty dialogue and quirky characters this story just fell flat for me. The characters–whose names were cleverly modernized–came off as one dimensional and very shallow. They all acted like teenagers who pretty much only talked about sex and relationships throughout the whole book. There was really nothing motivating me to care too much about who was going to end up with who.
The relationship between Annie and Eros was kind of cute to start with, but I was put off by their first sex scene which kind of borders on date rape for me. Granted, Greek mythology is filled with gods taking advantage of mortals but in this modern context I was put off. The sex scenes and other methods of persuasion the gods used to mess with relationships didn’t come off so much as cute and silly but kind of weird and manipulative.
TALL DARK AND DIVINE could have been a fun romp but I was left dissatisfied and bored with all of the vapid relationship talk and lack of real character development.
DECEIVING THE WITCH NEXT DOOR is a wonderfully light, entertaining, and fun paranormal romance. The pacing Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
DECEIVING THE WITCH NEXT DOOR is a wonderfully light, entertaining, and fun paranormal romance. The pacing was quick and the story kept me engrossed enough that I was actually shocked when I came close to the end. I enjoyed the very accurate depiction of a small town where the gossip mill runs rampant and fast. The characters in DECEIVING THE WITCH NEXT DOOR are all stereotypical small town people (pretty well developed considering the length of the book) with their own unique, quirky personalities.
Storie Bell is a very likable and fun character (I’m in love with her Storiebook Cafe based on the description of the interior). I also loved all of the creative little ways she uses her powers to set up her cafe and during her spats with Reid Malone. Reid is a wonderfully charming and conflicted hero. He attempts to play the antagonist yet fails miserably at his role which makes him all the more charming as he tries so hard to redeem himself in a number of touching ways.
I loved the conclusion of DECEIVING THE WITCH NEXT DOOR and since it introduces a whole new cast of characters and interesting dilemmas for Storie and Reid I hope this is the beginning of a new series.
Sexual content: gentle fondling, one sex scene....more
GILDED is set in a wonderfully detailed world filled with an assortment of steampunk gadgets and high socReview Courtesy of : All Things Urban Fantasy
GILDED is set in a wonderfully detailed world filled with an assortment of steampunk gadgets and high society politics. There are happily no lengthy recaps from TARNISHED, which allowed for the action packed GILDED to take off from page one. Cherry has so much on her hands in this book including trying to find the mysterious Ripper and the traces of an alchemical formula, along with working on a murder mystery for her patroness, Lady Rutledge.
Murder, mayhem, and alchemical formulas aside, Cherry also has to contend with the societal pressures to marry. Traversing through Society seems to be just as dangerous for Cherry as her journey to the Midnight Menagerie and the seedier parts of London. I was more nervous for Cherry when she was forced to deal with some very nasty women at parties than when she was chasing a murderer down an alley.
Steampunk and Jack the Ripper may not be every one’s cup of tea, but Karina Cooper’s St. Croix Chronicles is capable of winning over even the most reluctant reader. TARNISHED set an excellent stage, but it’s in GILDED that Cherry’s world starts to truly rip apart at the seams. Consider me first in line for the third installment in The St. Croix Chronicles.
After reading THE ASYLUM INTERVIEWS: TRIXIE, I am eagerly anticipating ANGEL’S INK so I can have a full lenReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
After reading THE ASYLUM INTERVIEWS: TRIXIE, I am eagerly anticipating ANGEL’S INK so I can have a full length book with Gage and his magical tattoo shop. This prequel introduces us to more of Gage’s friends who range from trolls to vampires to elves.
Considering we learned more about Bronx in his prequel story, I would have liked this story to revolve around Trixie more than it did. She pretty much comes in to help introduce the main conflict and then gets hired by Gage to work in his shop by the end of the story. This was both interesting and frustrating since I wanted to get to know her more. Trixie, an elf, seems like a very tough character with has a mysterious history could turn out to be really cool. I felt like Drake was holding back on Trixie’s story purposefully since I never really learned anything signification about her the way I learned about Bronx in his novella.
Aside from my frustration with wanting to learn more about Trixie, I enjoyed getting to know more about Gage’s world, how it works, and meet some more of his friends. I am eager to see what this new, gritty urban fantasy series can bring in full length novel form when ANGEL’S INK comes out October 16, 2012.
Unlike most post apocalyptic stories where the entire world is affected, in LONDON EYE, the first book in T Review Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Unlike most post apocalyptic stories where the entire world is affected, in LONDON EYE, the first book in Tim Lebbon’s Toxic City series,only London was attacked. The story moves fast and many of the action scenes are wonderfully intense and scary especially the few that happen in dark enclosed places. What I really enjoyed was the profoundly creepy news blurbs at the beginning of the chapters consisting of the radio broadcasts immediately following the terrorist attack. These blurbs only start appearing before the chapters when Jack and his friends approach London. This helps increase the desolation and eeriness of the present day London Jack encounters when he enters the city.
While the depiction of a devastated London was very well described, I was left with a few questions about just how the survivors started evolving ‘strange, fantastic powers. I also had to suspend disbelief over the rapid development of these powers a mere two years after the attack, and why no one in the book questioned the sudden appearance of these burgeoning abilities.
Questions about how this evolution happened aside, I did love the ‘X-Men’ like powers they develop such as rapid healing and foresight. I also enjoyed seeing the ways people evolved and the exploration of life in London post-attack, but was left wanting more in character development. Some of the relationships between this group of supposedly close friends seem to be pretty superficial. At times they really care for each other but at other times they almost forget they exist.
LONDON EYE reveals a unique dystopian world filling a decrepit London with rapid human evolution. I enjoyed the premise though I was left with more questions than I wanted and found the character development to be uneven. I look forward to seeing my questions cleared up in the next book in the Toxic City series which should be published in 2013.
Unlike most YA novels that feature angels, the Immortal Angels series doesn’t hide these beings from the maReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Unlike most YA novels that feature angels, the Immortal Angels series doesn’t hide these beings from the masses, it turns them into celebrities complete with paparazzi, commercials, and magazine interviews. It’s a cool concept that could have been even cooler if the human celebrity reaction to the angel craze was explored as well.
Picking up ten months after IMMORTAL CITY, NATURAL BORN ANGEL follows half-angel Maddy as she tries to navigate the complex and chaotic life of a celebrity angel. Maddy is soon swept up by the indulgent angel lifestyle and forgets the more humanitarian reason she decided to become a Guardian (to help the poor) and alienates the surprisingly insecure Jackson when her fame begins to eclipse his. By the time human pilot, Tom, was introduced to help Maddy learn to fly, I was ready for her to ditch the increasingly whiny and depressed Jackson.
Since so much focus is on Maddy coping with being in the limelight, other, more interesting activities happening around Maddy were left to the wayside. The sections of NATURAL BORN ANGEL from Detective Sylvester’s point of view were very intriguing and advanced the plot more so than anything involving Maddy (who views most of the angel attacks and human-angel conflict from news sources). At times I kind of wished Sylvester was the main character so we could find out more about him and the demons appearing to wreak havoc.
NATURAL BORN ANGEL has a unique take on angels and shows a lot of potential for juicier plotlines than it delivered. The book ends on a cliffhanger with a serious choice for Maddy in light of the brewing human-angel war. Hopefully the next Immortal Angels book pulls the focus away from the catty celebrity culture and focuses more on the mounting tension between of conflict for humans and angels while fixing the poorly executed love triangle.
THE THACKERTY T. LAMSHEAD CABINET OF CURIOSITIES is a unique compilation of bizarre object illustrations anReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
THE THACKERTY T. LAMSHEAD CABINET OF CURIOSITIES is a unique compilation of bizarre object illustrations and stories about the fictional Dr. Lambshead’s collection of knick knacks, relics, and devices found in his massive cabinet. I was amazed at the detailed yet fictional history of Dr. Lambshead and his cabinet provided in the introduction. What follows this elaborate introduction is a massive and varied collection of stories about the cabinet and its oddities from a wealth of great, popular authors. I loved the variety in the stories and the truly weird steampunk objects each author was able to create.
I liked that the anthology was split into sections with chapters either detailing specific objects from the closet or chapters written by various authors that were inspired by the cabinet. While I enjoyed the concept and effort put into this anthology there were definitely hits and misses. The stories that didn’t work had too much information. Charles Yu’s Book of Categories which describes the contents of a mysterious book in outline form, had a really confusing structure and so much information about what the book looked like that it actually was an effort to finish.
Some of the chapters were amusing stories of really weird objects and encounters with the cabinet. A favorite of mine was Dacy’s Patent Automatic Nanny by Ted Chiang because I liked the weird effect the Automatic Nanny had on the life of the child it watched over. Relic by Jeffrey Ford was an interesting story about the life of a holy relic and the priest who watches over it. I liked how Relic played on the mythic quality a mysterious or holy object can obtain over the years when in actuality the origin of that object is quite plain. Carrie Vaughn’s Threads tells a tale of some strange behavioral changes that occur within a certain range of Dr. Lambshead’s house. I liked this one due to the amusing twist at the end and the hilarious effects that happen in Doctor Lambshed’s house.
THE THACKERY T. LAMBSHEAD CABINET OF CURIOSITIES is a wonderfully intricate compilation of stories about a cabinet’s steampunk oddities. I will definately be going back to this anthology to re-read some of the stories and admire the amazing illustrations.
Got some really hard to kill vampires? Jane Yellowrock can get that job done and then some. In BLOOD TRADE Review Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Got some really hard to kill vampires? Jane Yellowrock can get that job done and then some. In BLOOD TRADE Jane comes back with a vengeance from some difficult circumstances in the previous book. She’s not in a good place during the start of BLOOD TRADE so I was glad when she got some eventual resolution and worked through her issues by doing what she does best; killing vampires.
Unlike the previous books which tended to drag with a lot of character development and exposition, the plot in BLOOD TRADE moved a bit faster. The action scenes in are what I have come to expect in a Jane Yellowrock book; fast paced, brutal, and bloody. I am constantly amazed by the sheer number of weapons Jane can hide on her person and I love the detailed descriptions of the various types she and her friends use in their fights.
Speaking of friends, Jane’s partners, Eli and Kid have grown to become my favorite secondary characters as they help center Jane and give her a sense of a family. I also love the banter they share with Jane which helps compensate for the section where she isn’t conversing with Beast.
The only real miss in BLOOD TRADE is the ‘love triangle’ between Jane, Bruiser, and Rick. Nothing really changes with it and the lack of forward momentum just seemed to get in the way of the more interesting main plot.
Love triangle aside, BLOOD TRADE is a perfect blend of dark fantasy and mystery with a complex and tough vampire killing heroine. There is no release date for BLACK ARTS, but Roc has picked up three more novels in the Jane Yellowrock series so there is definitely going to be more Jane and Beast to look forward to!
Jennifer Ashley’s Shifters Unbound stands out as one of my top paranormal romance series with its complex pReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Jennifer Ashley’s Shifters Unbound stands out as one of my top paranormal romance series with its complex political and social issues and some intense, hot romances. MATE CLAIMED, the fourth in the series, continues this trend with a spicy romance and intense action. I love the depth and layers of all of the politics between shifter communities and humans. What makes me really care about these characters is all of the little ways the shifters find to thrive in their forced confinement to select communities. MATE CLAIMED revealed more about the social issues that shifters have to go through especially with Iona hiding her shifter nature. Considering the cruel Collar technology imposed by humans, I was constantly worried that Iona would be found out and forced to wear one.
What I really enjoyed about the romance between Iona and Eric was that Eric started pursuing her at the very end of the previous book, WILD CAT. So, we start MATE CLAIMED with the two leads in the ‘cat and mouse’ phase of their relationship with Eric slowly pursuing Iona. This romance is not a quick passion but more like a slow heat that builds to a raging inferno by the end of the book. While Eric is the alpha of the shifters and apt to be the more dominant in this relationship, I liked that Iona never let him get away with it. Because if her stubbornness and strength they came off as equals right off the bat.
MATE CLAIMED is a story of discovery and strength in the face of adversity with a passionate romance at its core. I’ll be looking forward to another hot and complex story when the fifth book in Shifters Unbound, TIGER MAGIC, comes out June 4, 2013 from Berkley Sensations.
THE WARLOCK’S CURSE is a fascinating, dark, adventure story filled to the brim with steampunk science and Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
THE WARLOCK’S CURSE is a fascinating, dark, adventure story filled to the brim with steampunk science and technology. The first few chapters dragged a little but the second half of the story more than made up for the lackluster start with some startling revelations.
So much of a good steampunk novel comes down to atmosphere. The detailed, scientific explanations of various machines greatly helped with creating that tone though I could have done with a little less emphasis on a few of the more obscure scientific theories depicted in this book. What did work especially well was the history presented in THE WARLOCK’S CURSE with an uneasy mix of magic with technology. While Will’s curse is a horrible thing, I enjoyed the reason behind it since the explanation allowed for a more indepth explanation of how and why this world works the way it does.
As the protagonist, Will is a very headstrong character and I liked that he was so persistent and determined to achieve his goal to work for Tesla Industries. His stubbornness and inability to see the consequences of some of his more drastic actions were a tad annoying despite the excuse of his young age. That feeling was tempered by the frustration I felt on his behalf by all the secrets that were kept from him. That information would have helped a great deal if he had known beforehand.
THE WARLOCK’S CURSE started off slow but eventually picked up. The massive revelations were wonderfully surprising though I would have prefered to not be told it all at once as they were a lot to take in. All in all, this was a great adventure story set in a world brimming with magic and steam technology. The next book in the Veneficas Americana series, THE UNSTEADY EARTH comes out in 2013.
RISE OF NINE, the third book in the Lorien Legacies series, is a fast, action packed sci-fi adventure storyReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
RISE OF NINE, the third book in the Lorien Legacies series, is a fast, action packed sci-fi adventure story about a race for survival that kept me glued to the pages wondering what would happen next. I enjoyed seeing how these characters used their powers and constantly intrigued by the new developments in their abilities and in the coming war. I also liked how RISE OF NINE made changes in narration less confusing by switching the font type when the story moved to another character perspective.
It was really nice to see that these kids didn’t all automatically get along and acted like adolescents who got on each other’s nerves. Yet they do show some maturity and excellent teamwork when one of their lives were at risk. My favorite character in this book was Eight, who comes off as the one of the most playful of the characters specifically when it comes to using his abilities especially upon meeting with the other characters.
I am excited to see what is next in this series considering the various shocking revelations that surround the Mogadorian’s goals which seem to go beyond just killing these kids. Also, with the constant mentions of the mysterious Five, I will be sorely disappointed if he/she doesn’t show up in the next book. RISE OF NINE was a fun filled and exciting third installment of The Lorien Legacies. The fourth untitled book is due out August 2013.
I really enjoyed the whole viral outbreak concept in INHUMAN which had great world building and was a quickReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
I really enjoyed the whole viral outbreak concept in INHUMAN which had great world building and was a quick action filled read. The idea of a virus that wiped out the eastern half of the U.S. leaving the survivors to live behind a giant wall in the west was a fascinating idea. While viral outbreak in a dystopian novel tends to mean zombies rampaging the earth, INHUMAN spins this idea around creates feral hybrids.
These hybrids are victims of the virus who in the late stages have mutated to become human/animal or animal/animal creatures who become super feral and dangerous (think rabies-like symptoms). There were some pretty cool and scary combinations of animals and people in the Savage Zone beyond the wall where the feral hybrids live. This hybridization created an “Island of Dr. Moreau” feel with the humans in the earlier stages of the virus being able to retain their humanity and talk while looking part-animal. While I liked the mutating virus, the idea that a virus could be held back by only a wall with hardly anyone trying to find a cure is a tad far fetched even for a fictional story. Logical mishaps of the plot aside the characters beyond the wall were varied and well fleshed out helping to make this world come alive.
Lane is a fun character who is incredibly smart, self-reliant and able to adapt to new situations very quickly and her adaptability is probably the trait I liked the most as she is thrown out beyond the wall with little to no preparation or guidance which is insanely admirable especially for a sixteen year old. The logic behind sending her out beyond the wall didn’t make too much sense considering there were a many other easier and fool proof methods to retrieve the object she needed to get in the Savage Zone. Aside from her adaptability there were many other traits Lane had that we were simply told she had with no examples. For instance she has martial arts training and some survival skills which she barely demonstrates and I would have loved to see. Most of the time she ends up being saved by other people…mainly the love interests, Rafe and Emerson.
I am not a huge fan of love triangles especially ones in dystopian novels where survival is a tad more important than who the main character is going to kiss. Luckily the triangle between Lane Rafe, and Emerson was kept to the background and Lane was smart enough to actually reprimand herself for crushing on these two in order to concentrate on surviving in a desolate wasteland surrounded by mutated, feral hybrids. Both guys are put into the stereotypical categories with ‘good guy’ traits and ‘bad boy’ traits and they pretty much stick to their specified love interest descriptions which made me even more thankful that this bland love triangle was not emphasized too much.
Some of the plot points seemed to be wrapped up a bit to conveniently and I felt like the last part of the story was too rushed especially when the characters barely get a chance to reflect on what they went through. INHUMAN had some logic flaws and a pretty lackluster love triangle but aside those quibbles it was a decent action filled dystopian YA novel that has a different spin on the viral outbreak idea used in many dystopian novels....more
THE 13TH SIGN has a creative and fresh idea involving zodiac signs, but unfortunately it fell flat in its Review Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
THE 13TH SIGN has a creative and fresh idea involving zodiac signs, but unfortunately it fell flat in its execution. I loved the idea of Zodiac signs being real creatures and that a shift in ones sign means a shift in your personality. Although, considering most horoscopes are pretty general in their traits and could be attributed to many people, the extreme and sudden shifts in personalities and actions were too extreme to believe for me.
I enjoyed following Jalen around as she combats each zodiac sign whose weakness is revealed through their core characteristics. Unfortunately with 13 battles to fight there wasn’t too much room for real character development and I felt like Jalen and her friends were rushing through all of the battles without any room for me to pause and absorb what was happening. Some of the battles were pretty interesting and detailed but a lot were underwhelming and disappointing.
Jalen seemed like an interesting character but we barely got to know her and her relationship with her friends before the great shift in personalities happened. So many plot points rushed by that were actually pretty cool sounding but were never fully resolved or explained. For example, the mystery of what happened to Jalen’s father who possibly went through the same thing Jalen did was mentioned but I didn’t fully understand what happened to him.
THE 13TH SIGN would have been so much better if it were longer or divided into multiple books to give more room for character and plot development. I liked the lesson Jalen learned in the end about herself and her capabilities but by then it was too little too late. The intriguing premise was squandered by poor execution.
WILD ABOUT YOU is a fun and lighthearted romance that was focused more on the romance than the plot. I enjoReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
WILD ABOUT YOU is a fun and lighthearted romance that was focused more on the romance than the plot. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the curse and the adorable romance between Elsa and Howard but I kept feeling like I was missing all of the really exciting action and plot that was happening elsewhere in the story. The main villain is only mentioned in passing from time to time and he only shows up at the end of the book which makes the supposed danger practically nonexistent.
The issue with the curse endangering Elsa and Howard’s relationship was more of a threat than this vague bad guy. I liked the origins of the curse but the its effect on their relationship was resolved so quickly that I didn’t even understand what had happened.This seemed to be a problem with many of the conflicts in this book. The villain/threat is introduced and then defeated/resolved almost immediately
Even though the danger was on the insipid side, the romance between Howard and Elsa was incredibly cute and their machinations for secretly meeting in the woods was hilarious. I loved that the huge, manly, Howard was such a fanboy of Elsa and her show and was so so shy in their first meeting. The only things that detracted from their romances was that the dialogue between these two got a little too cutesy for me at times and I was annoyed at Elsa constantly describing Howard with adjectives beginning with the letter “H”.
Overall, while I enjoyed seeing Howard and Elsa grow closer together and the super charming nature of their romance, I was left feeling disappointed by the very light plot and lack of any real threat or villain of consequence in WILD ABOUT YOU.
I love when I can jump into the middle of a series and not have to worry about figuring out what is going on.. JumCourtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
I love when I can jump into the middle of a series and not have to worry about figuring out what is going on.. Jumping into CONSUMED (the fourth book in the Dark Protectors series) eases you into the middle of a massive war with a huge cast of compelling characters.
One of the ideas I really liked in this story was that being a werewolf was not a natural state for characters. There is a virus that turns shifters, vampires, and witches into werewolves who are pretty much mindless feral animals. A faction of vampires is using this virus as a form of bioterrorism in an ongoing war. We get flashback to the beginnings of the war and Jordan’s role in it. The flashbacks actually made the story more compelling and I never felt bogged down by too much information.
While a war is a continuing threat there is also a battle of wills between Jordan and Katie. Katie is definitely a persistent and determined person especially when it comes to Jordan and saving his life. Talk about alpha females because it would take a very alpha male like Jordan to handle her very strong personality. I was a little uncomfortable with this relationship as Jordan has watched Katie grow up from being a toddler to adulthood. While he only felt sexual attraction towards her as an adult I still didn’t like that aspect of their relationship and had to constantly try to not think about it.
Awkward feeling aside, their commitment to each other was amazing to see especially when lives hung in the balance Fair warning, CONSUMED has one of the most violent sex scene I’ve come across. It actually came off very animalistic and kind of scary. I had to remind myself that this was consensual sex while Jordan pursued Katie in this scene.
I am looking forward to see what will happen next with this war and which couple will be featured in PROVOKED, the fifth book in the Dark Protectors series, which comes out November 1, 2012.
Sexual Content: Multiple intense sex scenes...more
After the first few sentences involving a plunger being used as a weapon, I knew I was going to love MONSTEReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
After the first few sentences involving a plunger being used as a weapon, I knew I was going to love MONSTER IN MY CLOSET complete with all of its cheekiness and quirky characters. I liked how fast Zoey accepted the fact that all of these creatures she is discovering are real and she has empathic powers. Since she discovers all of this in pretty rapid succession her acceptance was pretty much out of exasperation at the constant barrage of more strangeness in her life.
Zoey’s closet monster (called Maurice) from her childhood who happens to be an amazing cook is the first in a line of creatures that start popping up around her house. I loved the fact that the author actually created a species of monster that dwells in closets. R.L. Naquin added a lot of interesting takes on well known fantasy creatures including miniature dragons, a Sasquatch-like creature, and brownies. I also really enjoyed Riley, Zoe’s hot paramedic boyfriend with his own secret supernatural occupation. Riley comes off as sweet and funny and is a great compliment to Zoe’s quirky personality.
The main conflict with an evil incubus draining people’s emotions was fun especially since his powers were the opposite of Zoey’s. Zoey helps others and brings about positive emotional changes, whereas the incubus just sucks the emotions up leaving behind a dry husk of a person. The climatic battle was a touch confusing with how Zoe figures out how to defeat the incubus and what exactly she does with her powers in that battle.
I will definately be looking forward to POOKA IN MY PANTRY, book two in the Monster Haven series, for another cheeky humor filled story and to figure out more about Zoe’s past and her powers when it comes out in March 2013.
TAKEN is the third book in the Alex Verus series which is fast becoming a ‘must read’ for me. All of the boReview Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
TAKEN is the third book in the Alex Verus series which is fast becoming a ‘must read’ for me. All of the books are evenly paced with action, witty dialogue, and they never spend too long on info dumps which tend to drag plots to a screeching halt. Each book expands the universe a little bit giving more insights into Alex’s past and how the mage community works.
Alex’s power of seeing into the future tends to give him an unfair advantage in battle so it’s always scary when he encounters some barrier that makes blocks his ability. Luckily Alex is resourceful and crafty enough to make do without his power for awhile.
Alex Verus definitely reminds me of Harry Dresden in The Dresden Files being a mage working on the outside of the official magic community with a motley crew of friends helping him out of dangerous situations. One my favorite of his friend is Arachne (a giant seamstress spider) who acts as sort of mentor/mother figure for Alex and Luna. Luna, Alex’s apprentice, is one of the more interesting and complex of his friends. I was curious about what Jacka was going to do with Luna’s power to curse people since it seemed so unwieldy and dangerous in FATED that I had no clue about just how she could control it without killing everyone around her. In TAKEN we get to see Luna take charge of her powers in some very creative ways.
I am really enjoying the Alex Verus series with its solid writing, ever expanding universe, and its uniquely powerful hero. Unfortunately, with no diviner powers of my own, I have to patiently wait for information on the next book which, given its predecessors, will be an excellent read.
All Things Urban Fantasy
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